bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel anti-LAG-3/TIGIT bispecific antibody exhibits potent anti-tumor efficacy in mouse models as monotherapy or in combination with PD-1 antibody
Authors: Dai Tongcheng , Sun Hao , Liban Tyler , Vicente-Suarez Ildefonso , Zhang Bin , Song Yongping , Jiang Zhongxing , Yu Jifeng , Sheng Jackie , Lv Binhua
Published: May 2024

We report the generation of a novel anti-LAG-3/TIGIT bispecific IgG4 antibody, ZGGS15, and evaluated its anti-tumor efficacy in mouse models as monotherapy or in combination with a PD-1 antibody. ZGGS15 exhibited strong affinities for human LAG-3 and TIGIT, with KDs of 3.05 nM and 2.65 nM, respectively. ZGGS15 has EC50s of 0.69 nM and 1.87 nM for binding to human LAG-3 and TIGIT on CHO-K1 cells, respectively. ZGGS15 competitively inhibited the binding of LAG-3 to MHC-II (IC50 = 0.77 nM) and the binding of TIGIT to CD155 (IC50 = 0.24 nM). ZGGS15 does not induce ADCC, CDC, or obvious cytokine production. In vivo results showed that ZGGS15 had better anti-tumor inhibition than single anti-LAG-3 or anti-TIGIT agents and demonstrated a synergistic effect when combined with nivolumab, with a significantly higher tumor growth inhibition of 95.80% (p = 0.001). The tumor volume inhibition rate for ZGGS15 at 2 mg/kg was 69.70%, and for ZGGS15 at 5 mg/kg plus nivolumab at 1 mg/kg, it was 94.03% (p < 0.001). Our data reveal that ZGGS15 exhibits potent anti-tumor efficacy without eliciting ADCC or CDC or causing cytokine production, therefore having a safe profile.
Mechanical and vibrational behaviors of bilayer hexagonal boron nitride in different stacking modes
Authors: Zhao Demin , Fang Kexin , Lian Zhilong
Published: May 2024

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a semiconductor material with a wide band gap, which has great potential to serve as a nanoresonators in microelectronics and mass and force sensing fields. This paper investigates the mechanical properties and natural frequencies of bilayer h-BN nanosheets under five different stacking modes, which have been rarely studied, using molecular dynamics simulations. The mechanical properties, including Young’s modulus, the ultimate stress, ultimate strain, Poisson’s ratio and shear modulus, are studied for all five stacking modes. And the effects of strain rate, crystal orientation and temperature to bilayer h-BN nanosheets’ tensile properties have also been studied. Our findings suggest that bilayer h-BN nanosheets are basically an anisotropic material whose tensile properties vary substantially with stacking modes and temperature. Moreover, the natural frequencies are proposed in an explicit form based on the nonlocal theory. The differences of the fundamental natural frequencies among different stacking modes are affected by the constraint condition of bilayer h-BN sheet. The theory results match well with the simulation results. These findings establish elementary understandings of the mechanical behavior and vibration character of bilayer h-BN nanosheets under five different stacking modes, which could benefit its application in advanced nanodevices.
Investigating the relationship between hippocampus/dentate gyrus volume and hypothalamus metabolism in participants with major depressive disorder
Authors: Lin Karen , Sunko Daniel , Wang Junying , Yang Jie , Parsey Ramin V. , DeLorenzo Christine
Published: May 2024

Reduced hippocampal volume occurs in major depressive disorder (MDD), potentially due to elevated glucocorticoids from an overactivated hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. To examine this in humans, hippocampal volume and hypothalamus (HPA axis) metabolism was quantified in participants with MDD before and after antidepressant treatment. 65 participants (n = 24 males, n = 41 females) with MDD were treated in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial of escitalopram. Participants received simultaneous positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after treatment. Linear mixed models examined the relationship between hippocampus/dentate gyrus volume and hypothalamus metabolism. Chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regression examined the association between hippocampus/dentate gyrus volume change direction and hypothalamus activity change direction with treatment. Multiple linear regression compared these changes between remitter and non-remitter groups. Covariates included age, sex, and treatment type. No significant linear association was found between hippocampus/dentate gyrus volume and hypothalamus metabolism. 62% (38 of 61) of participants experienced a decrease in hypothalamus metabolism, 43% (27 of 63) of participants demonstrated an increase in hippocampus size (51% [32 of 63] for the dentate gyrus) following treatment. No significant association was found between change in hypothalamus activity and change in hippocampus/dentate gyrus volume, and this association did not vary by sex, medication, or remission status. As this multimodal study, in a cohort of participants on standardized treatment, did not find an association between hypothalamus metabolism and hippocampal volume, it supports a more complex pathway between hippocampus neurogenesis and hypothalamus metabolism changes in response to treatment.
Resonant Akhmediev breathers
Authors: Chowdury Amdad , Tan Dawn T. H.
Published: May 2024

Modulation instability is a phenomenon in which a minor disturbance within a carrier wave gradually amplifies over time, leading to the formation of a series of compressed waves with higher amplitudes. In terms of frequency analysis, this process results in the generation of new frequencies on both sides of the original carrier wave frequency. We study the impact of fourth-order dispersion on this modulation instability in the context of nonlinear optics that lead to the formation of a series of pulses in the form of Akhmediev breather. The Akhmediev breather, a solution to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, precisely elucidates how modulation instability produces a sequence of periodic pulses. We observe that when weak fourth-order dispersion is present, significant resonant radiation occurs, characterized by two modulation frequencies originating from different spectral bands. As an Akhmediev breather evolves, these modulation frequencies interact, resulting in a resonant amplification of spectral sidebands on either side of the breather. When fourth-order dispersion is of intermediate strength, the spectral bandwidth of the Akhmediev breather diminishes due to less pronounced resonant interactions, while stronger dispersion causes the merging of the two modulation frequency bands into a single band. Throughout these interactions, we witness a complex energy exchange process among the phase-matched frequency components. Moreover, we provide a precise explanation for the disappearance of the Akhmediev breather under weak fourth-order dispersion and its resurgence with stronger values. Our study demonstrates that Akhmediev breathers, under the influence of fourth-order dispersion, possess the capability to generate infinitely many intricate yet coherent patterns in the temporal domain.
Effect of hyperthermia on simulated muscle activation in female when crossing obstacle
Authors: Wang I.-Lin , Gu Chin-Yi , Lei Tze-Huan , Su Yu , Yao Shun , Mündel Toby , Mo Shiwei
Published: May 2024

It is well known that hyperthermia greatly impairs neuromuscular function and dynamic balance. However, whether a greater level of hyperthermia could potentially alter the lower limb simulated muscle activation when crossing an obstacle in female participants remains unknown. Therefore we examined the effect of a systematic increase in oral temperature on lower limb simulated muscle activation when crossing an obstacle in female participants. Eighteen female participants were recruited where they underwent a control trial (Con) and two progressive passive heating trials with Δ 1°C and Δ 2°C increase of oral temperature (Toral) using a 45°C water bath. In each trial, we assessed lower limb simulated muscle activation when crossing an obstacle height of 10%, 20%, and 30% of the participant’s leg length and toe-off, toe-above-obstacle and heel-strike events were identified and analyzed. In all events, the lower limb simulated muscle activation were greater in Δ2°C than Δ1°C and Con when both leading and trailing limbs crossed the obstacle height of 20% and 30% leg length (all p < 0.001). However, the lower limb simulated muscle activation were not different between Δ1°C and Con across all obstacle heights (p > 0.05). This study concluded that a greater level of hyperthermia resulted in a greater lower limb simulated muscle activation to ensure safety and stability when females cross an obstacle height of 20% leg length or higher.
Counterfactual thinking induces different neural patterns of memory modification in anxious individuals
Authors: Huang Shenyang , Faul Leonard , Parikh Natasha , LaBar Kevin S. , De Brigard Felipe
Published: May 2024

Episodic counterfactual thinking (eCFT) is the process of mentally simulating alternate versions of experiences, which confers new phenomenological properties to the original memory and may be a useful therapeutic target for trait anxiety. However, it remains unclear how the neural representations of a memory change during eCFT. We hypothesized that eCFT-induced memory modification is associated with changes to the neural pattern of a memory primarily within the default mode network, moderated by dispositional anxiety levels. We tested this proposal by examining the representational dynamics of eCFT for 39 participants varying in trait anxiety. During eCFT, lateral parietal regions showed progressively more distinct activity patterns, whereas medial frontal neural activity patterns became more similar to those of the original memory. Neural pattern similarity in many default mode network regions was moderated by trait anxiety, where highly anxious individuals exhibited more generalized representations for upward eCFT (better counterfactual outcomes), but more distinct representations for downward eCFT (worse counterfactual outcomes). Our findings illustrate the efficacy of examining eCFT-based memory modification via neural pattern similarity, as well as the intricate interplay between trait anxiety and eCFT generation.
Study on the hypotensive effect and mechanism of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida) fruits and hyperoside in spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Chi Bingqing , Zhang Meng , Sun Luping , Liu Hongyan , Tian Zhenhua
Published: May 2024

This study indicated that hawthorn extract and hyperoside had an intervening effect on reducing blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats through inflammatory responses, renin-angiotensin system, and bile acid related targets.
The impact of heat-set milk protein gel textures modified by pH on circulating amino acid appearance and gastric function in healthy female adults: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Milan Amber M. , Menting Giselle G. A. , Barnett Matthew P. G. , Liu Yutong , McNabb Warren C. , Roy Nicole C. , Hutchings Scott C. , Mungure Tanyaradzwa , Weeks Mike , Li Siqi , Hort Joanne , Calder Stefan , O'Grady Greg , Mithen Richard F.
Published: May 2024

Manipulating dairy food structures by adjusting processing pH is a viable tool for targeted nutrient delivery. Here, we show that a spoonable dairy gel raises circulating amino acids more than a sliceable dairy gel with the same composition.
The effect of ionic versus covalent functionalization of polyoxometalate hybrid materials with coordinating subunits on their stability and interaction with DNA
Authors: Nowicka Daria , Marcinkowski Dawid , Vadra Nahir , Szymańska Martyna , Kubicki Maciej , Consiglio Giuseppe , Drożdż Wojciech , Stefankiewicz Artur R. , Patroniak Violetta , Fik-Jaskółka Marta , Gorczyński Adam
Published: May 2024

The nature of the polyoxometalate (POM) and coordinating subunit (CSU) modulate the stability of the POM-CSU hybrid and the DNA binding.
Unraveling the interfacial compatibility of ultrahigh nickel cathodes and chloride solid electrolyte for stable all-solid-state lithium batteries
Authors: Li Feng , Wu Ye-Chao , Cheng Xiao-Bin , Tan Yihong , Luo Jin-Da , Pan Ruijun , Ma Tao , Lu Lei-Lei , Wen Xiaolei , Liang Zheng , Yao Hong-Bin
Published: May 2024

Highly active lattice oxygen released from ultrahigh nickel cathodes degrade chloride solid electrolytes, forming an inert interphase; this phenomenon worsens at higher voltages. Reducing the cut-off voltage markedly enhances ASSLBs’ operational lifespan.
A mechanically robust spiral fiber with ionic–electronic coupling for multimodal energy harvesting
Authors: Zhou Shengyang , Zhang Yilin , Li Xuan , Xu Chao , Halim Joseph , Cao Shuai , Rosen Johanna , Strömme Maria
Published: May 2024

In this work, a concept of ionic–electronic coupling fibers by integrating a 2D MXene and a polymer electrolyte to fabricate spiral metastructures is proposed to realize multimodal power generation from various sources simultaneously.
Synthesis of imines from the coupling reaction of alcohols and amines catalyzed by phosphine-free cobalt(ii) complexes
Authors: Mahato Jharna , Bera Partha Sarathi , Saha Tanmoy Kumar
Published: May 2024

Phosphine-free, air stable cobalt(ii) based complexes consisting of imino phenol ligands were synthesized and utilized as catalysts in the coupling reaction of alcohols with amines into imines following an acceptorless dehydrogenative pathway.
Light-mediated catalytic enantioselective difluoroalkylation of β-ketoesters via phase-transfer catalysis
Authors: Adams Callum E. , Johnston Craig P.
Published: May 2024

Asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis has been used to control the moderately enantioselective addition of difluoroalkyl radicals to the enolates of β-ketoesters.
Melt memory in random ethylene-1-alkene copolymers
Authors: Shi Yunxiang , Li Jingqing , Li Hongfei , Zhang Bin , Christiansen Jesper de Claville , Yu Donghong , Jiang Shichun
Published: May 2024

Chain flexibility or stiffness based polymer conformation plays a crucial role in affecting the dynamics and kinetics of polymers, which is related to the hierarchical architecture of chains.
Construction of polyimide structures containing iron(ii) clathrochelate intercalators: promising materials for CO2 gas uptake and salient adsorbents of iodine from gaseous and liquid phases
Authors: Shetty Suchetha , Baig Noorullah , Bechelany Mikhael , Alameddine Bassam
Published: May 2024

Three novel imide-iron(ii) clathrochelate copolymers (ACP1–3) were synthesized via a microwave-assisted polycondensation reaction employing a specially designed diamine iron(ii) clathrochelate surrogate with various aromatic dianhydride derivatives.
An adhesion-switchable hydrogel dressing for painless dressing removal without secondary damage
Authors: Yu Zhiling , Huang Weiqiang , Wang Fei , Nie Xuan , Chen Guang , Zhang Lei , Shen Ai-Zong , Zhang Ze , Wang Chang-Hui , You Ye-Zi
Published: May 2024

Construction of an adhesion-switchable P(AAm-co-NIPAm)/QCS/TA hydrogel for painless dressing changes without secondary damage.
Valence regulation in europium-doped fluoride phosphor for high-resolution X-ray time-lapse imaging
Authors: Zhang Jian , Li Xin , Zeng Wei , Liu Daiyuan , Lu Lan , Dai Heng , Yuan Junheng , Shao Jianxiong , Liu Zhichao , Yu Jie , Xu Xuhui
Published: May 2024

In this work, we designed a RPL material SrF2:Eu which could achieve PL discoloration after X-ray irradiation. The SrF2:Eu bulk was optimized to improve the imaging quality, which is the excellent candidate for time-lapse imaging.
Energy‐efficient switching method using input‐swapping for high‐resolution successive approximation register analog‐to‐digital converters
Authors: Kocak Serhat , Akin Tayfun
Published: May 2024

This paper presents an energy‐efficient digital‐to‐analog converter (DAC) switching method with low common‐mode variations for high‐resolution successive approximation register (SAR) analog‐to‐digital converters (ADCs), while enabling to implement resolutions such as 14‐bit as compared to the typical 10‐bit. The proposed switching method enables high resolution by having a nearly constant common‐mode voltage and employing input‐swapping to use the reference voltage (Vref) only in the sampling phase. This method eliminates the need for the third reference voltage during the entire DAC switching steps, which reduces the required number of switches at the bottom plates of the capacitors. The use of lower number of switches not only lowers the DAC control logic complexity, but also results in a faster operation, lower power, and smaller area. When compared to conventional 10‐bit SAR ADCs, the proposed switching method in a 10‐bit implementation reduces the average energy and area by 96.09% and 75%, respectively, while offering high‐resolution implementation options such as 14 bits.
A Sagittarius-like simulated dwarf spheroidal galaxy from TNG50
Authors: Łokas Ewa L.
Published: May 2024

The Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal (Sgr dSph) galaxy provides one of the most convincing examples of tidal interaction between satellite galaxies and the Milky Way (MW). The main body of the dwarf was recently demonstrated to have an elongated, prolate, bar-like shape and to possess some internal rotation. Whether these features are temporary results of the strong tidal interaction at the recent pericenter passage or are due to a disky progenitor is a matter of debate. I present an analog of Sgr selected among bar-like galaxies from the TNG50 simulation of the IllustrisTNG project. The simulated dwarf is initially a disky galaxy with mass exceeding 1011 M⊙ and evolves around a MW-like host on a tight orbit with seven pericenter passages and a period of about 1 Gyr. At the second pericenter passage, the disk transforms into a bar and the bar-like shape of the stellar component is preserved until the end of the evolution. The morphological transformation is accompanied by strong mass loss, leaving a dwarf with a final mass of below 109 M⊙. The gas is lost completely and the star formation ceases at the third pericenter passage. At the last pericenters, the dwarf possesses a bar-like shape, a little remnant rotation, and the metallicity gradient, which are consistent with observations. The more concentrated metal-rich stellar population rotates faster and has a lower velocity dispersion than the more extended metal-poor one. The metallicity distribution evolves so that the most metal-poor stars are stripped first, which explains the metallicity gradient detected in the Sgr stream. This study demonstrates that a dSph galaxy with properties akin to the Sgr dwarf can form from a disky progenitor with a mass of above 1011 M⊙ by tidal evolution around the MW in the cosmological context.
Effects of dust size distribution and non-Maxwellian electrons on shock waves in a dusty plasma
Authors: Ali Arsalan , Khan Majid , Kamran M.
Published: May 2024

We present a study of dust acoustic shock waves in a non-Maxwellian plasma with dust charge fluctuations, which are seen to cause a dissipation term in fluid model, and consequently shocks are generated. In particular, we focus on dust acoustic waves as affected by various dust size distributions. Two distinct dust size distributions—the polynomial and the power law distributions—have been used. For analytical investigation of nonlinear wave propagation in complex plasmas, a reductive perturbation approach is used to obtain the Burgers equation. A dusty plasma system with non-Maxwellian Kappa distribution is considered and it is shown that the amplitude of a shock wave, for the dust size distribution is larger than that for the mono-sized counterpart, while the shock width manifests an opposite trend. Furthermore, the shock wave speed is also affected by the dust size distributions as well as by the nature of velocity distribution function. To benchmark our findings, we apply the proper limit on the spectral index, i.e., κ→∞, and retrieve the Maxwellian results. The current findings are crucial for comprehending respective shock distributions for a plasma system exhibiting non-thermal characteristics and having dust size distributions.
Patient perceptions of barriers to effective migraine management in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: McInnarney Blair , Imlach Fiona , Kennedy Jonathan , Garrett Susan M.
Published: May 2024

Introduction Migraine is a complex neurological condition which requires evidence based treatment, tailored to the individual. International evidence shows that treatment is often sub-optimal, but the experience of people with migraine in NZ is unknown. Aim This study aimed to describe the barriers people with migraine disease face when seeking care for their condition in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Methods The Migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand Survey (MiANZ) was delivered online via SurveyMonkey from 22 August 2022 to 7 October 2022. Questions included: sociodemographics, the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), ability to access health care, perception of health professionals’ knowledge and open-ended questions. Analysis used a mixed method approach. Results Five hundred and thirty people from NZ responded, of whom 82% (433/530) were female and 77% (409/530) NZ European/other. Eighty-eight percent (467/530) had accessed primary care for migraine, with 36% (167/467) finding GPs’ knowledge of migraine to be excellent or very good. Forty-two percent (222/530) reported at least one instance where they had felt judged because of migraine by a health professional. Themes from free-text data included patient perception of health professionals’ knowledge of migraine, the presence of stigma within medical practice and systemic barriers to accessing effective health care. Discussion People with migraine in NZ report significant barriers when trying to access effective management. Barriers were in both primary and secondary care and impacted the ability of people with migraine to manage their condition. More current migraine continuing medical education for GPs and other health professionals, better development and communication of care plans between primary and secondary care and patients and measures to address stigma are required to improve management of this complex disease.
Development and validation of a TaqMan-based qPCR assay for reliable detection of invasive sailfin catfishes (Pterygoplichthys spp.) through measurements of environmental DNA
Authors: Desai Chena , Kartikey  , Mallick Suman , Sundaray Jitendra Kumar , Ghosal Ratna
Published: May 2024

Sailfin catfishes (Pterygoplichthys spp.) are a group of fishes introduced to several freshwater habitats across the globe. Sailfin catfishes are a hard-armoured fish with no economic importance as a food species. These catfishes have been reported to be affecting the growth of several economically valuable species that are native to different freshwater ecosystems. In this manuscript, we developed a TaqMan-based assay targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene, to specifically detect the presence of catfishes by environmental DNA (eDNA) measurements. The developed assay was screened against 16 species of fish and mussel that co-occur in the habitats along with sailfin catfishes, and the qPCR reaction did not have any non-target amplifications. The assay was further validated under laboratory conditions by measuring eDNA from tanks having different biomass of catfishes (1 and 0.5 g L−1), and the copy number of the amplified product was directly proportional to the biomass maintained in the tanks. Overall, the study provides a robust molecular tool based on eDNA measurements to facilitate detection of invasive sailfin catfishes and, in turn, contributes towards the management of the invaded habitats.
Tidal forces in Kerr-AdS and Grey galaxies
Authors: Balivada Anand , Ranjan Padhi Pius , Virmani Amitabh
Published: May 2024

In a recent paper (Kim et al 2023 arXiv:2305.08922 [hep-th]), it has been proposed that the endpoint of the Kerr-AdS superradiant instability is a Grey Galaxy. The conjectured solutions are supposed to be made up of a black hole with critical angular velocity in the centre of AdS, surrounded by a large flat disk of thermal bulk gas that revolves around the black hole. In the analysis of the proposed solutions so far, gravitational effects due to the black hole on the thermal gas have been neglected. A way to estimate these effects is via computing tidal forces. With this motivation, we study tidal forces on objects moving in the Kerr-AdS spacetime. To do so, we construct a parallel-transported orthonormal frame along an arbitrary timelike or null geodesic. We then specialise to the class of fast rotating geodesics lying in the equatorial plane, and estimate tidal forces on the gas in the Grey galaxies, modelling it as a collection of particles moving on timelike geodesics. We show that the tidal forces are small (and remain small even in the large mass limit), thereby providing additional support to the idea that the gas is weakly interacting with the black hole.
Geometric interpretation of Tensor-Vector-Scalar theory in a Kaluza–Klein reference fluid
Authors: Andersen Timothy D
Published: May 2024

Gravitational alternatives to dark matter require additional fields or assumptions beyond general relativity while continuing to agree with tight solar system constraints. Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND), for example, predicts the Tully–Fisher relation for galaxies more accurately than dark matter models while limiting to Newtonian gravity in the solar system. On the other hand, MOND does a poor job predicting larger scale observations such as the cosmic microwave background and Matter Power Spectra. Tensor-Vector-Scalar (TeVeS) theory is a relativistic generalization of MOND that accounts for these observations without dark matter. In this paper, a generalized TeVeS from Kaluza–Klein theory in one extra dimension is derived as a consequence of n = 0 Kaluza–Klein modes. In the KK theory, MOND is a special case of a slicing condition in the 5D Arnowitt–Deser–Misner formalism enforced by a reference fluid as in the Isham-Kuchař method which may arise from a broken displacement symmetry. This has two benefits: first is means that TeVeS is compatible with Kaluza–Klein dark matter theory, which is a strong candidate for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, the other is that it provides an elegant mechanism for the scalar and vector fields. It constrains most of the freedom in the definition of TeVeS which does not have a field theoretic motivation. This is important because the Kaluza–Klein theory predicts that spin-2 tensor modes must propagate at the speed of light, in agreement with observation, from theoretical constraints while TeVeS has to match this observation empirically. Furthermore, it provides a symmetry breaking motivation for the interpolating function in MOND.
The potential of a uniformly charged planar structure with shape of a rose curve
Authors: Chen Sheng , Wu Yanyi , Chang Xin , Teng Baohua
Published: May 2024

The electric potential U(θ) of a uniformly charged plane with a rose-curve shape (referred to as a ‘rose disk’) satisfies a ‘roselike curve function,’ and there exists an asymptotic expression for the potential when the observation point is far from the rose disk. To validate the accuracy of the model, a constant electric current field was employed to simulate the electrostatic field. The potential distribution characteristics of uniformly charged circular discs and trilobal rose discs in the experimental setting were equivalently obtained by the experiment of electrolytic tank. The results indicate that under the non-idealized constraints of real experimental conditions, the asymptotic formula can be used as an analytical method to quickly study the rose disk potential.
Novel bow-shaped local resonance acoustic metamaterials with ultra-wide low-frequency stopband: design, modeling, and testing
Authors: Zhang Yongyan , Miao Xiangjie , Wu Jiuhui , Liu Chongrui , Wang YuChun , Qu Shuangwei , Chen Tao , Liu Xuejing , Liu Hui , Yang Leipeng , Tian Li , Zhaoyue Qianhui
Published: May 2024

This paper proposes a novel bow-spring local resonance (LR) structure featuring an exceptionally wide low-frequency stopband. Unlike traditional methods reliant on heavy mass or stiffness adjustments, this structure effectively manipulates and amplifies the dynamic characteristics of negative stiffness solely by designing parameter values for the bow-spring set. Through finite element method analysis, an ultra-wide stopband ranging from 91 to 570 Hz is achieved within the LR structure. Further modification of the connection pattern with a perforated plate extends the upper edge to 686 Hz while reducing the lower edge to 76 Hz. Most notably, within the novel bow-spring LR structure, a stopband width of 610 Hz is attained, resulting in a gap-mid gap ratio of 160.1%. The numerical and experimental results demonstrate good agreement. These findings offer a new perspective and guidelines for developing LR structures with ultra-wide low-frequency stopbands, potentially finding applications in the field of low-frequency vibration and noise reduction.
Preparation of SnS2/MoS2 with p–n heterojunction for NO2 sensing
Authors: Shen Ziyu , Lu Junfeng , Jin Dingfeng , Jin Hongxiao
Published: May 2024

Conventional metal sulfide (SnS2) gas-sensitive sensing materials still have insufficient surface area and slow response/recovery times. To increase its gas-sensing performance, MoS2 nanoflower was produced hydrothermally and mechanically combined with SnS2 nanoplate. Extensive characterization results show that MoS2 was effectively integrated into SnS2. Four different concentrations of SnS2–MoS2 composites were evaluated for their NO2 gas sensitization capabilities. Among them, SnS2–15% MoS2 at 170 °C demonstrated the greatest response values to NO2, 7.3 for 1 ppm NO2, which is about three times greater than the SnS2 sensor at 170 °C (2.58). The creation of pn junctions following compositing with SnS2 was determined to be the primary reason for the composite’s faster recovery time, while the heterojunction allowed for the rapid separation of hole–electron pairs. Because the MoS2 surface has multiple vacancy defects, the adsorption energy of these vacancies is significantly higher than that of other places, resulting in increased NO2 adsorption. Furthermore, MoS2 can serve as active adsorption sites for SnS2 micrometer sheets during gas sensing. This study may help to build new NO2 gas sensors.
Self-powered stable high-performance UV–Vis–NIR broadband photodetector based on PVP-Cobalt@Carbon nanofibers/n-GaAs heterojunction
Authors: Havigh Roya Shokrani , Yıldırım Fatma , Mahmoudi Chenari Hossein , Türüt Abdulmecit , Aydoğan Şakir
Published: May 2024

The self-powered PVP-Co@C nanofibers/n-GaAs heterojunction photodetector (HJPD) was fabricated by electrospinning of the nanofibers onto GaAs. An excellent rectification ratio of 6.60 × 106 was obtained from I–V measurements of the device in the dark. The I–V measurements of the fabricated device under 365 nm, 395 nm and 850 nm lights, as well as I–V measurements in visible light depending on the light intensity, were performed. The HJPD demonstrated excellent photodetection performance in terms of a good responsivity of ∼225 mA W−1 (at −1.72 V) and at zero bias, an impressive detectivity of 6.28 × 1012 Jones, and a high on/off ratio of 8.38 × 105, all at 365 nm wavelength. In addition, the maximum external quantum efficiency and NPDR values were 3495% (V = −1.72 V) and 2.60 × 1010 W−1 (V = 0.0 V), respectively, while the minimum NEP value was ∼10−14 W.Hz−1/2 for 365 nm at V = 0.V volts. The HJPD also exhibited good long-term stability in air after 30 d without any encapsulation.
4D in vivo dosimetry for a FLASH electron beam using radiation-induced acoustic imaging
Authors: Bjegovic Kristina , Sun Leshan , Pandey Prabodh , Grilj Veljko , Ballesteros-Zebadua Paola , Paisley Ryan , Gonzalez Gilberto , Wang Siqi , Vozenin Marie Catherine , Limoli Charles L , Xiang Shawn (Liangzhong)
Published: May 2024

Objective. The primary goal of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of radiation-induced acoustic imaging (RAI) as a volumetric dosimetry tool for ultra-high dose rate FLASH electron radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) in real time. This technology aims to improve patient outcomes by accurate measurements of in vivo dose delivery to target tumor volumes. Approach. The study utilized the FLASH-capable eRT6 LINAC to deliver electron beams under various doses (1.2 Gy pulse−1 to 4.95 Gy pulse−1) and instantaneous dose rates (1.55 × 105 Gy s−1 to 2.75 × 106 Gy s−1), for imaging the beam in water and in a rabbit cadaver with RAI. A custom 256-element matrix ultrasound array was employed for real-time, volumetric (4D) imaging of individual pulses. This allowed for the exploration of dose linearity by varying the dose per pulse and analyzing the results through signal processing and image reconstruction in RAI. Main Results. By varying the dose per pulse through changes in source-to-surface distance, a direct correlation was established between the peak-to-peak amplitudes of pressure waves captured by the RAI system and the radiochromic film dose measurements. This correlation demonstrated dose rate linearity, including in the FLASH regime, without any saturation even at an instantaneous dose rate up to 2.75 × 106 Gy s−1. Further, the use of the 2D matrix array enabled 4D tracking of FLASH electron beam dose distributions on animal tissue for the first time. Significance. This research successfully shows that 4D in vivo dosimetry is feasible during FLASH-RT using a RAI system. It allows for precise spatial (∼mm) and temporal (25 frames s−1) monitoring of individual FLASH beamlets during delivery. This advancement is crucial for the clinical translation of FLASH-RT as enhancing the accuracy of dose delivery to the target volume the safety and efficacy of radiotherapeutic procedures will be improved.
Power-MF: robust fetal QRS detection from non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram recordings
Authors: Jaeger Katharina M , Nissen Michael , Rahm Simone , Titzmann Adriana , Fasching Peter A , Beilner Janina , Eskofier Bjoern M , Leutheuser Heike
Published: May 2024

Objective. Perinatal asphyxia poses a significant risk to neonatal health, necessitating accurate fetal heart rate monitoring for effective detection and management. The current gold standard, cardiotocography, has inherent limitations, highlighting the need for alternative approaches. The emerging technology of non-invasive fetal electrocardiography shows promise as a new sensing technology for fetal cardiac activity, offering potential advancements in the detection and management of perinatal asphyxia. Although algorithms for fetal QRS detection have been developed in the past, only a few of them demonstrate accurate performance in the presence of noise and artifacts. Approach. In this work, we propose Power-MF, a new algorithm for fetal QRS detection combining power spectral density and matched filter techniques. We benchmark Power-MF against three open-source algorithms on two recently published datasets (Abdominal and Direct Fetal ECG Database: ADFECG, subsets B1 Pregnancy and B2 Labour; Non-invasive Multimodal Foetal ECG-Doppler Dataset for Antenatal Cardiology Research: NInFEA). Main results. Our results show that Power-MF outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms on ADFECG (B1 Pregnancy: 99.5% ± 0.5% F1-score, B2 Labour: 98.0% ± 3.0% F1-score) and on NInFEA in three of six electrode configurations by being more robust against noise. Significance. Through this work, we contribute to improving the accuracy and reliability of fetal cardiac monitoring, an essential step toward early detection of perinatal asphyxia with the long-term goal of reducing costs and making prenatal care more accessible.
ECG-Image-Kit: a synthetic image generation toolbox to facilitate deep learning-based electrocardiogram digitization
Authors: Shivashankara Kshama Kodthalu , Deepanshi  , Mehri Shervedani Afagh , Clifford Gari D , Reyna Matthew A , Sameni Reza
Published: May 2024

Objective. Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of mortality globally, and electrocardiograms (ECGs) are crucial for diagnosing them. Traditionally, ECGs are stored in printed formats. However, these printouts, even when scanned, are incompatible with advanced ECG diagnosis software that require time-series data. Digitizing ECG images is vital for training machine learning models in ECG diagnosis, leveraging the extensive global archives collected over decades. Deep learning models for image processing are promising in this regard, although the lack of clinical ECG archives with reference time-series data is challenging. Data augmentation techniques using realistic generative data models provide a solution. Approach. We introduce ECG-Image-Kit, an open-source toolbox for generating synthetic multi-lead ECG images with realistic artifacts from time-series data, aimed at automating the conversion of scanned ECG images to ECG data points. The tool synthesizes ECG images from real time-series data, applying distortions like text artifacts, wrinkles, and creases on a standard ECG paper background. Main results. As a case study, we used ECG-Image-Kit to create a dataset of 21 801 ECG images from the PhysioNet QT database. We developed and trained a combination of a traditional computer vision and deep neural network model on this dataset to convert synthetic images into time-series data for evaluation. We assessed digitization quality by calculating the signal-to-noise ratio and compared clinical parameters like QRS width, RR, and QT intervals recovered from this pipeline, with the ground truth extracted from ECG time-series. The results show that this deep learning pipeline accurately digitizes paper ECGs, maintaining clinical parameters, and highlights a generative approach to digitization. Significance. The toolbox has broad applications, including model development for ECG image digitization and classification. The toolbox currently supports data augmentation for the 2024 PhysioNet Challenge, focusing on digitizing and classifying paper ECG images.
Synthesis, characterization and LDA+U calculations of zinc oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Merdan M , Banimuslem Hikmat A
Published: May 2024

Zinc oxide (ZnO) was prepared by the sol-gel method as thin films deposited using spray pyrolysis. The characterization of the synthesized ZnO has been carried out using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The experimental results revealed that the prepared ZnO has a wurtzite hexagonal structure with an average crystallite size of about 26.7 nm. High purity and flake-like structures were achieved as SEM and energy dispersive indicated. FTIR confirmed the prepared ZnO’s high purity as the Zn-O stretching peak was very intense. The optical parameters were comprehensively investigated, including absorption, reflection, extinction coefficient, refractive index, and optical energy gap. The wurtzite hexagonal structure of ZnO was optimized using the local-density approximation with the Hubbard correction method (LDA+U). Our experimental result for the energy gap is 3.28 (eV), which is in excellent agreement with the first principle calculations. We utilize the results from the LDA+U calculation along with our experimental outcomes to calculate the thickness of the thin film in UV-Vis spectroscopy.
Single shot point-diffraction interferometer by a plate beamsplitter
Authors: Shan Mingguang , Yin Zhiyu , Zhong Zhi , Liu Bin , Yu Lei , Liu Lei
Published: May 2024

A single shot point-diffraction interferometer (PDI) is proposed in this paper, in which the object beam is split into two copies by means of a beamsplitting module consisting of one plate beamsplitter and one mirror. One of the reflected beams is spatially filtered as a reference beam by one pinhole array in the spectral plane. The split two beams share almost the same path, and by adjusting the inclined angle of the plate beamsplitter, the carrier frequency and legibility of the interferogram can be modulated easily. Moreover, the contrast of the interferogram can be adjusted by changing different plate beamsplitters. Compared to conventional common path off-axis interferometers, this PDI has a simple optical setup, easy optical implementation and outstanding measurement ability with high precision, measurement efficiency and stability. Several experimental results will be provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system.
An innovative approach to approximating solutions of fractional partial differential equations
Authors: Iqbal Sajad , Martínez Francisco
Published: May 2024

The RPS-M (residual power series method) is a valuable technique for solving F-PDEs (fractional partial differential equations). However, the derivative of the residual function to obtain the coefficients of the series is required in RPS-M. This makes the application of the classical RPS-M limited to a certain extent due to the complexity of the derivation of the residual function for higher iterations. To overcome this obstacle, in this study, we present a simplified version of this approach with the help of Laplace transform that requires less computation and offers higher accuracy. This modified method does not require derivation as well as limit of the residual function to estimate the unknown coefficients of the series solution. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we apply the proposed method to nonlinear F-PDEs to obtain their semi-analytical solution. The obtained solutions exhibit excellent agreement when compared to results obtained using other established approaches. We have also provided the convergence analysis of the obtained solution. Furthermore, by comparing the outcomes for various values of the non-integer order σ, we observe that as the value approaches an integer order, the solution converges towards the exact solution.
Transmission characteristics of partially coherent pin-like optical vortex beams in oceanic turbulence
Authors: Wang Xinguang , Chen Maike , Yuan Qiujie , Wang Le , Zhao Shengmei
Published: May 2024

Based on the Rytov approximation theory, the analytical formulae for the mode detection probability and channel capacity of the partially coherent pin-like optical (PCPO) vortex beams propagating in oceanic turbulence are obtained. The effects of light source parameters and oceanic turbulence parameters on the transmission characteristics of the PCPO vortex beams are analyzed in detail by numerical simulations. According to numerical results, a larger spatial coherence length of the partially coherent source endows the beams with a superior channel capacity performance while accompanied by a decrease in transmission robustness. Meanwhile, PCPO vortex beam with greater phase modulation power parameter and longer wavelength is conducive to enhancing the transmission quality through oceanic turbulence. In addition, the channel capacity of the system can be effectively augmented with the increase of the dissipation rate of kinetic energy per unit mass of fluid, the anisotropy factor, the inner scale radius and the decrease of the mean square temperature dissipation rate, the temperature-salinity contribution ratio. The results also indicate that PCPO vortex beam is a better candidate than Gaussian vortex beam for long-distance transmission. This paper provides a theoretical reference for studying an underwater communication link using PCPO vortex beams as the transmission carrier.
Pulsar timing anomalies: a window into baryon number violation
Authors: Zakeri Mohammadreza
Published: May 2024

We investigate the influence of a specific class of slow Baryon Number Violation (BNV)—one that induces quasi-equilibrium evolution — on pulsar spin characteristics. This work reveals how BNV can potentially alter observable parameters, including spin-down rates, the second derivative of spin frequency, and braking indices of pulsars. Moreover, we demonstrate that BNV could lead to anomalies in pulsar timing, along with a wide array of braking indices, both positive and negative. In addition, we examine the possibility of pulsar spin-up due to BNV, which may result in a novel mechanism for the revival of “dead” pulsars. We conclude by assessing the sensitivity required for future pulsar timing efforts to detect such BNV effects, thus highlighting the potential for pulsars to serve as laboratories for testing fundamental physics.
Resonant spin-flavor precession of sterile neutrinos
Authors: Wang Edward
Published: May 2024

We analyze the impact of resonant conversions mediated by non-vanishing magnetic moments between active neutrinos and a heavy sterile neutrino on the supernova neutrino flux. We present the level-crossing scheme for such a scenario and derive the neutrino fluxes after conversion, paying particular attention to the order in which the resonances occur. We then compute the expected event rates from the neutronization burst of a future supernova at DUNE and Hyper-Kamiokande to derive new constraints on the neutrino magnetic moment. With this, we find a sensitivity down to a few 10-15 μB for a sterile neutrino in the O(eV) mass range.
Understanding the influence of confounding factors in myoelectric control for discrete gesture recognition
Authors: Eddy Ethan , Campbell Evan , Bateman Scott , Scheme Erik
Published: May 2024

Discrete myoelectric control-based gesture recognition has recently gained interest as a possible input modality for many emerging ubiquitous computing applications. Unlike the continuous control commonly employed in powered prostheses, discrete systems seek to recognize the dynamic sequences associated with gestures to generate event-based inputs. More akin to those used in general-purpose human-computer interaction, these could include, for example, a flick of the wrist to dismiss a phone call or a double tap of the index finger and thumb to silence an alarm. Moelectric control systems have been shown to achieve near-perfect classification accuracy, but in highly constrained offline settings. Real-world, online systems are subject to ‘confounding factors’ (i.e. factors that hinder the real-world robustness of myoelectric control that are not accounted for during typical offline analyses), which inevitably degrade system performance, limiting their practical use. Although these factors have been widely studied in continuous prosthesis control, there has been little exploration of their impacts on discrete myoelectric control systems for emerging applications and use cases. Correspondingly, this work examines, for the first time, three confounding factors and their effect on the robustness of discrete myoelectric control: (1) limb position variability, (2) cross-day use, and a newly identified confound faced by discrete systems (3) gesture elicitation speed. Results from four different discrete myoelectric control architectures: (1) Majority Vote LDA, (2) Dynamic Time Warping, (3) an LSTM network trained with Cross Entropy, and (4) an LSTM network trained with Contrastive Learning, show that classification accuracy is significantly degraded (

p
<

0.05) as a result of each of these confounds. This work establishes that confounding factors are a critical barrier that must be addressed to enable the real-world adoption of discrete myoelectric control for robust and reliable gesture recognition.
Observation of energetic ion anisotropy using neutron diagnostics in the Large Helical Device
Authors: Ogawa K. , Isobe M. , Sangaroon S. , Liao L.Y. , Zhong G.Q. , Seki R. , Nuga H. , Osakabe M.
Published: May 2024

Energetic ion anisotropy was observed by tangential sightline compact neutron energy spectrometers (CNESs) in tangential neutral beam heated deuterium plasmas in Large Helical Device. Significant upper and lower energy shifts in D–D neutron energy from 2.45 MeV were measured according to the beam ion injection directions and CNES sightline using a conventional liquid scintillation detector with the unfolding technique and a novel Cs2LiYCl6:Ce with a 7Li-enrichment (CLYC7) scintillation detector without unfolding. The observed neutron energy spectrum was compared with that predicted by a numerical simulation based on orbit following models. Numerical simulation revealed that the Doppler shift in D–D neutron energy results from energetic ion anisotropy.