bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental study on the dynamic characteristics of biodiesel/ethanol droplets impacting upon the inclined heated wall
Authors: Dong Qixuan , Liu Chang , Wang Xiaodong , Lin Jiayu , Zhao Jingyi , Lai Canlong , Liu Minghou
Published: June 2024

The investigation of droplet impingement plays a crucial role in understanding the dynamics of fuel impact on the walls inside engine combustion chambers. To study the dynamics and heat transfer characteristics of two-component mixed droplets impacting upon an inclined stainless steel heated wall, the effect of wall tilt angle (0°–40°), Weber numbers (We, ranging from 50 to 210), and wall temperatures (Tw, between 25 and 350 °C) on the heat transfer models and spreading diameters is conducted. Through quantitative analysis of high-speed images captured during the experiments, it is observed that the spreading diameter of droplet impact on the inclined wall is closely correlated with both the wall temperature and We of the droplet. The wall tilt angle is found to modify the heat transfer state transition of the droplet to some extent. Additionally, the influence of gravity results in significant differences between the front and back spreading coefficients of the droplet. Based on the available data, a new empirical model is proposed that incorporates temperature terms and inclination to predict the maximum spreading coefficient of droplets impact on an inclined heated wall. Compared with experimental data of this study and in the literature, the maximum prediction error is less than 12.3%.
Micropolar effects on the effective shear viscosity of nanofluids
Authors: Bondarenko R. , Bukichev Yu. , Dzhaga A. , Dzhardimalieva G. , Solyaev Y.
Published: June 2024

The modified size-dependent Einstein's and Brinkman's solutions are established for the effective shear viscosity of rigid particle suspensions taking into account the micropolar effects in the base fluid. Solutions are obtained based on the homogenization approach and allow us to take into account the influence of the particle size. Two non-classical parameters arise in the considered micropolar solutions: the length scale parameter and the coupling (micropolarity) number of the base fluid. The solutions developed are validated using tests performed with polydimethylsiloxane based TiO2 nanofluids as well as other published data on the size-dependent shear viscosity of different nanofluids. Good agreement between the predictions and the experimental data is established across a wide range of volume fractions and size of nanoparticles. The possibility for unique identification (at given temperature) of the micropolar parameters of the base fluids is shown. Temperature-dependent values of non-classical rotational and spin viscosities of polydimethylsiloxane, ethylene glycol, and water are evaluated.
FeGa (0/−) acceptor level as a reference energy level in dilute AlxGa1−xN
Authors: Kruszewski P. , Plesiewicz J. , Grzanka Sz. , Grzanka E. , Prystawko P. , Markevich V. P. , Peaker A. R. , Sun L. , Dawe C. A. , Halsall M. P.
Published: June 2024

Laplace deep-level transient spectroscopy and photoluminescence have been used to demonstrate that the FeGa (0/−) acceptor level in dilute AlxGa1−xN (x ≤ 0.063) can be considered as a common reference level as expected for energy levels of transition metals in isovalent semiconductor compounds. Furthermore, the conduction and valence band offsets (ΔEC and ΔEV, respectively) in GaN/AlxGa1−xN heterojunctions, as a function of Al content for samples grown by the metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy technique on native Ammono-GaN substrates, have been found. The band-offsets determined in this study are ΔEC = 1.17x eV and ΔEV = −0.95x eV over the range of x studied and are in good agreement with other experimental results reported for actual GaN/AlxGa1−xN heterojunctions as well as with the recent theoretical calculations based on hybrid density functional theory. Moreover, we confirmed that the band bowing effect related to compositional dependence in AlxGa1−xN is accommodated practically only in the conduction band as suggested by theoretical calculations.
Chimeric states induced by higher-order interactions in coupled prey–predator systems
Authors: Ghosh Richita , Verma Umesh Kumar , Jalan Sarika , Shrimali Manish Dev
Published: June 2024

Higher-order interactions have been instrumental in characterizing the intricate complex dynamics in a diverse range of large-scale complex systems. Our study investigates the effect of attractive and repulsive higher-order interactions in globally and non-locally coupled prey–predator Rosenzweig–MacArthur systems. Such interactions lead to the emergence of complex spatiotemporal chimeric states, which are otherwise unobserved in the model system with only pairwise interactions. Our model system exhibits a second-order transition from a chimera-like state (mixture of oscillating and steady state nodes) to a chimera-death state through a supercritical Hopf bifurcation. The origin of these states is discussed in detail along with the effect of the higher-order non-local topology which leads to the rise of a distinct and dynamical state termed as “amplitude-mediated chimera-like states.” Our study observes that the introduction of higher-order attractive and repulsive interactions exhibit incoherence and promote persistence in consumer-resource population dynamics as opposed to susceptibility shown by synchronized dynamics with only pairwise interactions, and these results may be of interest to conservationists and theoretical ecologists studying the effect of competing interactions in ecological networks.
Assessing the suitability of a surveillance fauna-monitoring program for detecting future changes in reptile occupancy
Authors: McDonald Peter J. , Stewart Alistair , Ward Simon J. , Oliver Paul M. , Nano Catherine E. M.
Published: June 2024

Context Ecological surveillance monitoring typically targets multiple taxonomic groups by using standardised sampling across large spatial scales. Although surveillance monitoring confers advantages over hypothesis-driven monitoring in its broad taxonomic and spatial scope, the approach has been criticised for its disconnect from ecological management and failure to provide insights on the drivers of ecological change Aims To assess the adequacy of a plot-based general fauna-monitoring program for sampling reptiles as indicators of ecosystem health in a semi-arid upland region of the Northern Territory, Australia. Methods We surveyed reptiles at 90 sites, stratified between major landform and vegetation types, and using standard fauna-sampling methods, across the 2568 km2 Tjoritja National Park in the MacDonnell Ranges. We compiled a full inventory of the reptile fauna of the study area and identified species with potential utility as ecological indicators. We then used single-season occupancy models and power analyses to evaluate the adequacy of sampling for detecting potential future changes in occupancy. Key results We detected 57 of the 68 reptile species known from the protected area, 17 of which are potentially useful indicators of ecological health, mostly related to fire management. There was insufficient power to detect moderate (50%) future changes in reptile occupancy for all but the single most detected species. For the two ecological indicator species with sufficient detections for occupancy modelling, a positive association with a keystone structure (dense spinifex grass) was confirmed. However, increasing detection probability or the number of surveys would result in only minor improvements in power to detect occupancy change in these species. Conclusions Although reptiles are potentially useful indicators of ecological health, particularly in relation to fire regimes, the number of sites required to detect future changes in reptile occupancy by using standardised plot-based monitoring in this protected area is prohibitively high. Implications Our results suggest that once ecological associations are understood, monitoring ecological health remotely by using techniques such as fire-scar mapping to track proportions of long-unburnt vegetation should be considered over labour-intensive surveillance monitoring for reptiles. Targeted monitoring of threatened and other reptile species of conservation or cultural concern may also be warranted.
52,000 years of woolly rhinoceros population dynamics reveal extinction mechanisms
Authors: Fordham Damien A. , Brown Stuart C. , Canteri Elisabetta , Austin Jeremy J. , Lomolino Mark V. , Haythorne Sean , Armstrong Edward , Bocherens Hervé , Manica Andrea , Rey-Iglesia Alba , Rahbek Carsten , Nogués-Bravo David , Lorenzen Eline D.
Published: June 2024

The extinction of the woolly rhinoceros (
Coelodonta antiquitatis
) at the onset of the Holocene remains an enigma, with conflicting evidence regarding its cause and spatiotemporal dynamics. This partly reflects challenges in determining demographic responses of late Quaternary megafauna to climatic and anthropogenic causal drivers with available genetic and paleontological techniques. Here, we show that elucidating mechanisms of ancient extinctions can benefit from a detailed understanding of fine-scale metapopulation dynamics, operating over many millennia. Using an abundant fossil record, ancient DNA, and high-resolution simulation models, we untangle the ecological mechanisms and causal drivers that are likely to have been integral in the decline and later extinction of the woolly rhinoceros. Our 52,000-y reconstruction of distribution-wide metapopulation dynamics supports a pathway to extinction that began long before the Holocene, when the combination of cooling temperatures and low but sustained hunting by humans trapped woolly rhinoceroses in suboptimal habitats along the southern edge of their range. Modeling indicates that this ecological trap intensified after the end of the last ice age, preventing colonization of newly formed suitable habitats, weakening stabilizing metapopulation processes, triggering the extinction of the woolly rhinoceros in the early Holocene. Our findings suggest that fragmentation and resultant metapopulation dynamics should be explicitly considered in explanations of late Quaternary megafauna extinctions, sending a clarion call to the fragility of the remaining large-bodied grazers restricted to disjunct fragments of poor-quality habitat due to anthropogenic environmental change.
Ionizing radiation exposure on Arrokoth shapes a sugar world
Authors: Zhang Chaojiang , Leyva Vanessa , Wang Jia , Turner Andrew M. , Mcanally Mason , Herath Ashanie , Meinert Cornelia , Young Leslie A. , Kaiser Ralf I.
Published: June 2024

The Kuiper Belt object (KBO) Arrokoth, the farthest object in the Solar System ever visited by a spacecraft, possesses a distinctive reddish surface and is characterized by pronounced spectroscopic features associated with methanol. However, the fundamental processes by which methanol ices are converted into reddish, complex organic molecules on Arrokoth’s surface have remained elusive. Here, we combine laboratory simulation experiments with a spectroscopic characterization of methanol ices exposed to proxies of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). Our findings reveal that the surface exposure of methanol ices at 40 K can replicate the color slopes of Arrokoth. Sugars and their derivatives (acids, alcohols) with up to six carbon atoms, including glucose and ribose—fundamental building block of RNA—were ubiquitously identified. In addition, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with up to six ring units (
13
C
22
H
12
) were also observed. These sugars and their derivatives along with PAHs connected by unsaturated linkers represent key molecules rationalizing the reddish appearance of Arrokoth. The formation of abundant sugar-related molecules dubs Arrokoth as a sugar world and provides a plausible abiotic preparation route for a key class of biorelevant molecules on the surface of KBOs prior to their delivery to prebiotic Earth.
Structure-based identification of a G protein–biased allosteric modulator of cannabinoid receptor CB1
Authors: Shen Siyuan , Wu Chao , Lin Guifeng , Yang Xin , Zhou Yangli , Zhao Chang , Miao Zhuang , Tian Xiaowen , Wang Kexin , Yang Zhiqian , Liu Zhiyu , Guo Nihong , Li Yueshan , Xia Anjie , Zhou Pei , Liu Jingming , Yan Wei , Ke Bowen , Yang Shengyong , Shao Zhenhua
Published: June 2024

Cannabis sativa
is known for its therapeutic benefit in various diseases including pain relief by targeting cannabinoid receptors. The primary component of cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and other agonists engage the orthosteric site of CB1, activating both Gi and β-arrestin signaling pathways. The activation of diverse pathways could result in on-target side effects and cannabis addiction, which may hinder therapeutic potential. A significant challenge in pharmacology is the design of a ligand that can modulate specific signaling of CB1. By leveraging insights from the structure–function selectivity relationship (SFSR), we have identified Gi signaling–biased agonist-allosteric modulators (ago-BAMs). Further, two cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures reveal the binding mode of ago-BAM at the extrahelical allosteric site of CB1. Combining mutagenesis and pharmacological studies, we elucidated the detailed mechanism of ago-BAM-mediated biased signaling. Notably, ago-BAM
CB-05
demonstrated analgesic efficacy with fewer side effects, minimal drug toxicity and no cannabis addiction in mouse pain models. In summary, our finding not only suggests that ago-BAMs of CB1 provide a potential nonopioid strategy for pain management but also sheds light on BAM identification for GPCRs.
Wild Oat (
Avena fatua
): Crop Mimicry and Herbicide Resistance
Authors: Sharpe Shaun M. , Tidemann Breanne D. , Geddes Charles M.
Published: June 2024

Wild oat (
Avena fatua
) is a weed species that through crop mimicry survive in conventional managed farmlands, particularly in cereal crops such as wheat and barley. Adaptation of wild oat likely dates back around 9000 years when domestication of cereal species began in the Fertile Crescent and around the Mediterranean Sea. So far, wild oat has been described as a troublesome weed in 44 countries across temperate parts of the world. Wild oat reduces crop yields due to its competition for nutrients, water and light. Variable seed dormancy results in early maturing plants that add to the soil’s seed bank, and later maturing plants that contaminate the harvested grain. Since wild oat seeds resembles cereal grain, they are difficult to remove by mechanical seed cleaning. Seed lots contaminated with wild oat seeds are downgraded since it reduces the suitability as food and feed. Contaminated seedlots used for planting is a source of long distance spread of the weed. Herbicide application is an important part of wild oat control in areas with intensive wheat and barley production. Herbicide labels typically recommend the optimal size of wild oat seedlings and crop plants for best control. However, timing of an application can be difficult when wild oat plants are at different growth stages. The majority of herbicides are grouped according to the mode-of-action in cells of weed plants either inhibiting specific enzymes or entire metabolic pathways. Repeated use of herbicides with the same mode-of-action creates a selection pressure that can result in development of wild oat populations resistant to these herbicides. There is a direct relationship between the number of wild oat plants treated with herbicides and the risk of selecting for resistant plants. Thus, best management practices (BMP) aim to reduce the number of wild oat seed in the field, and include rotating between herbicides with different mode-of-action, and following recommendations on herbicide labels regarding plant growth stages and dosage. Cultural practices include rotating crop species and optimizing crop health, planting of weed-free seed, and cleaning of machinery between fields. Wild oat’s adaptations for crop mimicry and herbicide resistance make it problematic to manage but incorporating BMPs into an integrated approach can help.

Information

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Ultrafast x-ray scattering and electronic coherence at avoided crossings: complete isotropic signals
Authors: Liane Eirik M , Simmermacher Mats , Kirrander Adam
Published: June 2024

Nonadiabatic transitions at conical intersections and avoided crossings play a pivotal role in shaping the outcomes of photochemical reactions. Using the photodissociation of LiF as a model, this theoretical study explores the application of gas phase nonresonant ultrafast x-ray scattering to map nonadiabatic transitions at an avoided crossing, utilizing the part of the scattering signal that probes electronic coherence directly. The presented scattering signals are rotationally averaged and calculated from two- rather than one-electron (transition) densities, which inherently accounts for all possible electronic transitions driven by the x-ray photon. This approach provides quantitative predictions of the experimental signals, thereby facilitating future experimental endeavors to observe nonadiabatic effects and coherent electron dynamics with ultrafast x-ray scattering.
Manipulation of hybrid skyrmion dynamics by step Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction approach
Authors: Chhabra Hitesh , Dhakshinamoorthy Jayaseelan , Nayak Ajaya K
Published: June 2024

The topological protected magnetic state, which plays a pivotal role against any continuous deformation of a magnetic skyrmion, comes with an unwanted skyrmion Hall effect (SkHE) that poses a significant challenge in practical applications. Here, we present a detailed micromagnetic simulation study that delves into the controlled manipulation of skyrmion dynamics through subtle engineering of the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) in a hybrid skyrmion-based racetrack. In particular, we introduce a gradient variation of bulk and interfacial DMIs, which results in a parabolic trajectory of the skyrmion motion, thereby allowing us to find a critical DMI ratio with almost zero SkHE. Most importantly, we present a novel approach involving the engineering of a racetrack with strategically placed step DMI regions that gives us meticulous control over the size and speed of the hybrid skyrmions. The present study gives a new direction for the simultaneous realization of stable skyrmions without SkHE and an increased skyrmion speed with optimized DMI engineering.
High-precision concentration detection of CO2 in flue gas based on BO-LSTM and variational mode decomposition
Authors: Wang Yinsong , Chen Shixiong , Kong Qingmei , Gao Jianqiang
Published: June 2024

In order to improve the detection accuracy of CO2 and other gases in the flue gas emitted from thermal power plants, a CO2 concentration detection model based on tunable semiconductor laser absorption spectroscopy was proposed. First, a variational mode decomposition model was used to filter the harmonic signal after removing the outliers to reduce the influence of noise on the detection results. Suitable absorption lines and concentration characteristics were then selected according to the gas absorption properties and correlation theory. Finally, the CO2 concentration inversion was completed using long short-term memory networks, and a Bayesian optimization algorithm was introduced to optimize the hyperparameters of the network. The experimental results showed that the R
2 and RMSE of the test set were 0.998 84 and 0.116 08, respectively, in the concentration range of 1%–12%. In addition, the Allan analysis of variance revealed that the maximum measurement error of CO2 was only 0.005 619% when the integration time was 38 s. Compared to the traditional CO2 detection schemes, the detection accuracy and stability are significantly improved, which provides a feasible scheme for flue gas detection in thermal power plants.
Adsorption structure and properties of Ni/Fe electrodeposition interface: a DFT study
Authors: Yang Shiqing , Liang Guoxing , Huang Yonggui , Hao Xinhui , Zhao Jian , Lv Ming
Published: June 2024

The density functional theory calculations of the adsorption model of NiCl2, Ni, and Cl on the Fe surface, as well as interface electronic properties, provide theoretical guidance for improving the Ni electrodeposition process. The adsorption properties of these three species on the Fe (100) crystal surface at different coverages, and the adsorption properties of the single Ni on three different crystal surfaces of Fe (100), Fe (110), and Fe (111), were studied through calculations of adsorption energy, charge density, charge occupancy, and DOS. The results indicate that the H sites are the most favorable for the adsorption of Ni and Cl on the Fe (100) surface. T sites, B sites, and H sites are all potential adsorption sites for NiCl2. The order of adsorption strength is Ni > Cl > NiCl2. In response to changes in charge, the adsorption effect exhibits a negative correlation with surface coverage. In addition, the hybridization of Ni’s 3d orbitals, Cl’s 3p orbitals, and Fe’s 3d orbitals changes the distribution of the interface charge, resulting in an increase of the charge in the Fe surface. Ni exhibits better adsorption performance on Fe (100) surface, driven by the lattice structure, surface electron configuration, and Ni–Fe atomic interactions.
Metrology for advanced radiotherapy using particle beams with ultra-high dose rates
Authors: Subiel Anna , Bourgouin Alexandra , Kranzer Rafael , Peier Peter , Frei Franziska , Gomez Faustino , Knyziak Adrian , Fleta Celeste , Bailat Claude , Schüller Andreas
Published: June 2024

Dosimetry of ultra-high dose rate beams is one of the critical components which is required for safe implementation of FLASH radiotherapy (RT) into clinical practice. In the past years several national and international programmes have emerged with the aim to address some of the needs that are required for translation of this modality to clinics. These involve the establishment of dosimetry standards as well as the validation of protocols and dosimetry procedures. This review provides an overview of recent developments in the field of dosimetry for FLASH RT, with particular focus on primary and secondary standard instruments, and provides a brief outlook on the future work which is required to enable clinical implementation of FLASH RT.
Exact parameter identification in PET pharmacokinetic modeling using the irreversible two tissue compartment model
*
Authors: Holler Martin , Morina Erion , Schramm Georg
Published: June 2024

Objective. In quantitative dynamic positron emission tomography (PET), time series of images, reflecting the tissue response to the arterial tracer supply, are reconstructed. This response is described by kinetic parameters, which are commonly determined on basis of the tracer concentration in tissue and the arterial input function. In clinical routine the latter is estimated by arterial blood sampling and analysis, which is a challenging process and thus, attempted to be derived directly from reconstructed PET images. However, a mathematical analysis about the necessity of measurements of the common arterial whole blood activity concentration, and the concentration of free non-metabolized tracer in the arterial plasma, for a successful kinetic parameter identification does not exist. Here we aim to address this problem mathematically. Approach. We consider the identification problem in simultaneous pharmacokinetic modeling of multiple regions of interests of dynamic PET data using the irreversible two-tissue compartment model analytically. In addition to this consideration, the situation of noisy measurements is addressed using Tikhonov regularization. Furthermore, numerical simulations with a regularization approach are carried out to illustrate the analytical results in a synthetic application example.
Main results. We provide mathematical proofs showing that, under reasonable assumptions, all metabolic tissue parameters can be uniquely identified without requiring additional blood samples to measure the arterial input function. A connection to noisy measurement data is made via a consistency result, showing that exact reconstruction of the ground-truth tissue parameters is stably maintained in the vanishing noise limit. Furthermore, our numerical experiments suggest that an approximate reconstruction of kinetic parameters according to our analytic results is also possible in practice for moderate noise levels. Significance. The analytical result, which holds in the idealized, noiseless scenario, suggests that for irreversible tracers, fully quantitative dynamic PET imaging is in principle possible without costly arterial blood sampling and metabolite analysis.
Time-domain diffuse optical imaging technique for monitoring rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: experimental validation in tissue-mimicking finger phantoms
Authors: Ioussoufovitch S , Diop M
Published: June 2024

Objective. Effective treatment within 3–5 months of disease onset significantly improves rheumatoid arthritis (RA) prognosis. Nevertheless, 30% of RA patients fail their first treatment, and it takes 3–6 months to identify failure with current monitoring techniques. Time-domain diffuse optical imaging (TD-DOI) may be more sensitive to RA disease activity and could be used to detect treatment failure. In this report, we present the development of a TD-DOI hand imaging system and validate its ability to measure simulated changes in RA disease activity using tissue-mimicking finger phantoms. Approach. A TD-DOI system was built, based on a single-pixel camera architecture, and used to image solid phantoms which mimicked a proximal interphalangeal finger joint. For reference, in silico images of virtual models of the solid phantoms were also generated using Monte Carlo simulations. Spatiotemporal Fourier components were extracted from both simulated and experimental images, and their ability to distinguish between phantoms representing different RA disease activity was quantified. Main results. Many spatiotemporal Fourier components extracted from TD-DOI images could clearly distinguish between phantoms representing different states of RA disease activity. Significance. A TD-DOI system was built and validated using finger-mimicking solid phantoms. The findings suggest that the system could be used to monitor RA disease activity. This single-pixel TD-DOI system could be used to acquire longitudinal measures of RA disease activity to detect early treatment failure.
Conceptual design of visible spectroscopy diagnostics for DTT
Authors: Belpane A , Carraro L , Fassina A , Cavedon M , Senni L
Published: June 2024

The project of the Visible Spectroscopy diagnostics for the Z
eff radial profile measurement and for the divertor visible imaging spectroscopy, designed for the new tokamak DTT (Divertor Tokamak Test), is presented. To deal with the geometrical constraints of DTT and to minimize the diagnostics volume inside the access port, an integrated and compact solution hosting the two systems has been proposed. The Z
eff radial profile will be evaluated from the Bremsstrahlung radiation measurement in the visible spectral range, acquiring light along ten Lines of Sight (LoS) in the upper part of the poloidal plane. The plasma emission will be focused on optical fibers, which will carry it to the spectroscopy laboratory. A second equipment, with a single toroidal LoS crossing the plasma centre and laying on the equatorial plane, will measure the average Z
eff on a longer path, minimizing the incidental continuum spectrum contaminations by lines/bands emitted from the plasma edge. The divertor imaging system is designed to measure impurity and main gas influxes, to monitor the plasma position and kinetics of impurities, and to follow the plasma detachment evolution. The project aims at obtaining the maximum coverage of the divertor region. The collected light can be shared among different spectrometers and interferential filter devices placed outside the torus hall to easily change their setup. The system is composed of two telescopes, an upper and a lower one, allowing both a perpendicular and a tangential view of the DTT divertor region. This diagnostic offers a unique and compact solution designed to cope the demanding constraints of this next-generation tokamak fusion devices, integrating essential tools for wide-ranging impurity characterization and versatile investigation of divertor physics.
A bidirectional-controllable magnetorheological elastomer-based quasi-zero-stiffness isolator
Authors: Fu Jie , Huang Zhen , Li Wang , Wang Wei , Zhong Can , Qi Song , Yu Miao
Published: June 2024

To enhance the low-frequency vibration isolation bandwidth of quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) isolators under variable amplitude excitations, this paper proposes an adaptive bidirectional-controllable QZS isolator (Bi-QZS) based on magnetic-controlled smart material named magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) as positive element and tilting spring as negative element. Firstly, the positive element of isolator is composed of laminated MRE and permanent magnet to realize bidirectional stiffness adjustment. Then the magnetic circuit of vibration isolator is designed and the specific parameters are obtained by taking the magnetic field and energy consumption as the optimization objectives. Secondly, a static theoretical model is established to calculate the achievable range of stiffness variation, and match the parameters of the negative element. Static analysis shows that bidirectional stiffness control is beneficial to achieve stiffness matching. Additionally, the adjustment of bidirectional stiffness variation on the dynamic response of the system is deduced by harmonic balance method. Numerical simulation results indicate that adjusting stiffness in reverse can increase the vibration isolation bandwidth when the excitation amplitude increases, and adjusting in forward can reduce the peak value of jump region. Also, increasing the damping ratio under reverse conditions has a certain contribution to reducing the response peak. Finally, static and dynamic tests are carried out, results reveal a bidirectional stiffness adjustment capability, with a 36.4% adjustment in reverse stiffness and a 70% adjustment in forward stiffness. The resonance frequency can be reduced from 14.4 Hz to 5.8 Hz by stiffness bidirectional-controllable.
Ti/Te effects on transport in EAST low q95 plasmas
Authors: He Y.F. , Qian J.P. , Li J.G. , Li P. , Gong X.Z. , Zhang B. , Zhang J.Y. , Chen J.L. , Bae Cheonho , Wu M.Q. , Yang X.D. , Jia T.Q. , Li G.S. , Jin Y.F. , Lin Z.C. , Fu S.Y. , Lin G.L. , Zang Q. , Zhong G.Q. , Wang S.X. , Li X. , Huang J.
Published: June 2024

Enhanced confinement is observed in EAST low

q

95

(

q

95

<
3.5

) plasmas with the temperature ratio (

T
i

/

T
e

) increasing. A statistically significant positive correlation between

H

98
y
2

and

T
i

/

T
e

has been established. Increased

T
i

triggerd by Neutral Beam Injection in experiments maintaining constant

T
e

leads initially to an improved

T
i

/

T
e

ratio, which subsequently mitigates heat transport in the ion channel. The Trapped Gyro–Landau Fluid transport model was applied to analyse the dependence of the turbulent transport on

T
i

/

T
e

. Simulation results demonstrate that the Ion Temperature Gradient mode is stabilized in high

T
i

/

T
e

plasma, with ion flux results from predictive modelling further validating this effect. These findings corroborate the Weiland model and complement one another. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how the dimensionless parameter

T
i

/

T
e

influences plasma transport, and helps demonstrate the feasibility of operations under the low

q

95

condition required for the ITER-inductive scenario in the new

T
i

/

T
e

regime.
Validation of the ERO2.0 code using W7-X and JET experiments and predictions for ITER operation
Authors: Romazanov J. , Brezinsek S. , Baumann C. , Rode S. , Kirschner A. , Wang E. , Effenberg F. , Borodin D. , Navarro M.X. , Xie H. , Groth M. , Kumpulainen H. , Schmid K. , Pitts R.A. , Terra A. , Knieps A. , Gao Y. , Krychowiak M. , Pandey A. , Linsmeier Ch.
Published: June 2024

The paper provides an overview of recent modelling of global material erosion and deposition in the fusion devices Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X), JET and ITER using the Monte-Carlo code ERO2.0. For validating the modelling tool in a three-dimensional environment, W7-X simulations are performed to describe carbon erosion from the graphite test divertor units, which were equipped in operational phase OP 1.2 and analysed post-mortem. Synthetic spectroscopy of carbon line emission is compared with experimental results from the divertor spectrometer measurement system, showing a good agreement in the e-folding lengths in the radial intensity profiles of carbon. In the case of metallic wall materials, earlier modelling of the Be/W environment in JET and ITER is revisited and extended with an updated set of sputtering and reflection data, as well as including the mixing model for describing the Be/W dynamics in the divertor. Motivated by recent H/D/T isotope experiments in JET, limited and diverted configuration pulses are modelled, showing the expected trend of both Be and W erosion increasing with isotope mass. For the JET diverted configuration pulses, it is shown that Be migrates predominantly to the upper part of the inner divertor where it initially leads to strong W erosion. With longer exposure time, the growth of a Be deposited layer leads to a reduction of W erosion in that region. A similar trend is observed in simulations of the ITER baseline Q = 10 scenario, however with a more symmetric Be migration pattern leading to deposition also on the outer divertor.
The new layout and regulation of the ‘pulsating’ power conversion system of EU DEMO WCLL for an effective and safe control of pulse-dwell transitions and increase in plant efficiency
Authors: Barucca L. , D’Alessandro A. , Burlando A. , Traverso A.
Published: June 2024

EUROFUSION DEMO is a Fusion Power Plant concept under assessment, based on Tokamak technology. Regarding the Balance of Plant definition, particular effort has been posed to the design of the Power Conversion System (PCS), thermally coupled to the Primary Heat Transport System. Several architectures of the PCS have been assessed, and the present work is focused on the PCS, based on the Rankine Cycle technology and equipped with a Small Energy Storage System (ESS) operated with Molten Salt. A new Energy Map has been released in 2021, revealing uncertainties on the thermal power deposited on the different in-Vacuum Vessel components (i.e. Breeding Blanket, Divertor, Limiters and Vacuum Vessel) and rejected to the coolant of related cooling circuits. This fact leads to several (12) possible operating scenarios. The following treatment will be analyzed the 2022 PCS Small ESS concept design review, performed by the industry with the main aim to align the new layout with the updated thermal inputs and its comparison with the preliminary design developed in 2018. Design novelties will be highlighted, especially those that dealt with improving the cycle control, robustness, safety of the operation and efficiency. The outcomes of the transient analysis will be shown and compared, to verify the mechanical and thermal stress during the DEMO period (pulse/dwell). Finally, a performance and efficiency analysis of the 2022 PCS layout is also presented and compared to 2018 configuration.
Optimized hybrid plasmonic waveguide-based ring resonator for advanced refractive index sensing
Authors: Butt M A , Kozłowski Ł , Piramidowicz R
Published: June 2024

In this study, we conducted a comprehensive numerical analysis employing the finite element method to explore the characteristics of a hybrid plasmonic waveguide (HPWG)-based ring resonator (RR) structure. Our investigation reveals that the device’s sensitivity can be significantly augmented through strategic geometric modifications. The device exhibits sensitivities of approximately 176 nm RIU−1 and 238 nm RIU−1 when utilizing WG widths of 300 nm and 270 nm, respectively, in forming the ring structure. Through optimization efforts aimed at enhancing the overlap between the dielectric and plasmonic modes, the device’s sensitivity reaches an optimized level of around 316 nm RIU−1 by reducing the ring width to 250 nm. Overall, our findings underscore the potential for leveraging geometric adjustments to enhance the sensitivity and functionality of HPWG-based RRs, thereby advancing their utility in diverse sensing applications.
Large effective length and high efficiency by embedding L-shaped radiating blocks in subwavelength grating slot waveguide
Authors: Chen Zhipeng , Wang Dongkai , Liu Pengfei , Ji Zhangjie , Ma Li , Shi Yiming , Xie Lu , Qian Qinyu , Chen Haitao , Cheng Liwen
Published: June 2024

Integrated optical antennas featuring large effective lengths and high radiation efficiency (RE) are essential to chip-scale light detection and ranging technology. However, there are challenges in simultaneously achieving both large effective length and high RE in silicon photonics platforms with high refractive index contrast. For traditional silicon waveguide grating antennas based on silicon photonics, the RE is relatively low and the antenna effective lengths are constrained to several hundred micrometers because of the high refractive index contrast. In this article, an embedded grating waveguide antenna which is L-shaped radiating blocks embedded in the slot gap of a silicon subwavelength grating slot waveguide is proposed and investigated numerically. Simulation results indicate the antenna’s effective length is above 4.25 mm, and the far-field divergence angle is near 0.0197°. Using L-shaped radiation blocks can break the diffraction’s perpendicular symmetry and increase the antenna’s RE to near 0.75 at 1550 nm compared to traditional design. Meanwhile, the antenna’s field-of-view reaches around 17.5° × 48.15° (θ× ϕ) to satisfy the needs of conventional optical phased arrays.
Filter-free lens-free polarimetric incoherent digital holography
Authors: Tahara Tatsuki
Published: June 2024

I propose an incoherent digital holography (IDH) technique in which four-dimensional (4D, three-dimensional (3D) coordinates and polarization) information is simultaneously obtained using neither polarization filters nor lenses. A filter-free lens-free self-interference incoherent interferometer for 4D imaging is designed and developed. Four-dimensional (4D) information is multiplexed in recorded phase-shifted incoherent holograms and extracted by polarization-selective phase-shifting interferometry. The validity of the proposed holography for multiplexed 4D imaging is experimentally demonstrated by the constructed filter-free lens-free self-interference IDH system and a randomly polarized light-emitting diode.
Research on the process and mechanism of preparing titanium-rich materials from complex ilmenite
Authors: Wei Mei , Liu Chenhui , Yang Qinsheng , Li Zhongwei , Li Yingwei
Published: June 2024

A new process for the development and utilization of titanium-iron sand ore from Yunnan province is proposed. We provide a detailed analysis of the chemical composition and mineral structure of the raw material, and describe a pretreatment involving low-temperature oxidation and reduction, hydrofluoric acidolysis, and hydrochloric acid leaching to remove impurities and generate titanium-rich materials. Hydrofluoric acid was used to break down the complex titanite, silica-titanium, and calcium-titanium mixture in the starting mineral into simple oxides. The results have indicated that the thermal reduction process should not be conducted at elevated temperatures. Optimal process conditions are established for the leaching process: leaching temperature of 80 °C; leaching time of 240 min; hydrofluoric acid concentration of 3%; liquid–solid ratio of 6 m l/g. Under these conditions, the extent of TFe leaching reached 96%, while the leaching of Ca and Mg reached 94%. The TiO2 grade of the final titanium-rich material was 89.95%, with a CaO content of 0.39%, a MgO content of 0.15%, and a TFe content of 7.5%. This material can serve as raw material for subsequent chlorination.
Suppression of lift-up effect in the 3D Boussinesq equations around a stably stratified Couette flow
Authors: Coti Zelati Michele , Del Zotto Augusto
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we establish linear enhanced dissipation results for the three-dimensional Boussinesq equations around a stably stratified Couette flow, in the viscous and thermally diffusive setting. The dissipation rates are faster compared to those observed in the homogeneous Navier-Stokes equations, in light of the interplay between velocity and temperature, driven by buoyant forces.

Our approach involves introducing a change of variables grounded in a Fourier space symmetrization framework. This change elucidates the energy structure inherent in the system. Specifically, we handle non-streaks modes through an augmented energy functional, while streaks modes are amenable to explicit solutions. This explicit treatment reveals the oscillatory nature of shear modes, providing the elimination of the well-known three-dimensional instability mechanism known as the “lift-up effect”.
Conflicted Callings: Purity of Heart Is to Will Several Things
Authors: Miller-McLemore Bonnie J
Published: June 2024

This chapter engages the difficulties of having multiple callings (e.g., work, family, social justice activism, spiritual practices). Different from missed or blocked callings, the challenge is not restriction or limitation but overabundance and depletion. How does one follow more than one calling well without serious cost or consequence? Reigning myths obscure this dilemma. It’s amazing how often term calling, singular, rather than callings, plural, is used. The chapter focuses initially on the clash of commitments in middle adulthood with job entry and advancement, householding, partner relationships, avocational pursuits, parenting, care of parents and close friends, and political or religious commitments. The chapter also considers the conflicts caused by devoting ourselves to larger causes such as social justice. It concludes with suggestions about compromise, imperfection (being “good enough”), protest, solidarity, reform, and everyday practices.
Austinian Themes
Authors: Sbisà Marina
Published: June 2024

This book offers a reconstruction of John L. Austin’s philosophy organized thematically. It explores his works comparing them with one another and comparing the views they express with their elaborations and developments in more recent philosophy. In dealing with speech acts, it relies not only on published work but also on Austin’s manuscript notes. It defends Austin’s speech act theory and his notion of illocution against some main criticisms. It reconstructs Austin’s responsibility-based conception of action drawing on his remarks on acts and actions. It explores Austin’s contributions to epistemology and the philosophy of perception (including his realist stance, anti-scepticism, presentational view of perception, and the roles that he assigns to knowledge in the dynamics of assertion). It explicates Austin’s claims on truth and the ways in which he deals with sense, reference, ‘family resemblances’, truth–falsity assessments, and context-dependency. It argues for a reading of Austin’s characterization of his Ordinary Language Philosophy as a ‘linguistic phenomenology’ that takes it to be analogous to Husserl’s phenomenology and adopt an epochē that does not isolate consciousness, but language. It approaches the Ordinary through the consideration of the by-default nature of the social bond and conversational cooperation as well as something that philosophers should be consistent with in their claims if they rely upon it in their everyday life. In the conclusions, it highlights recurrent aspects of Austin’s philosophy such as the opposition to dichotomies, the attention to intersubjectivity, the commitment to a ‘sober’ philosophy, and a strong sense of human situatedness.
Speech as Action
Authors: Sbisà Marina
Published: June 2024

This chapter deals with the connections of Austin’s speech act theory with his philosophy of action (focused on excuses, that is, the ways in which language extenuates action) and examines the conception of action that is implicit in How to Do Things with Words. It remarks that in the case of the locutionary act, Austin individuates subordinate acts by means of the ways in which we report on them and that his introduction of the perlocutionary act relies mainly on the identification of certain consequential effects of the illocution. It argues that Austin’s appreciation of the ‘total speech act’ does not exclude an analytical approach based on the distinction of effects of diverse kinds within its overall effect. It accounts for Austin’s claim that the acts he is dealing with are actions by examining the relationship between the notions of act, action, and activity, and focusing on their aspectual properties.
Introduction
Authors: Rovny Jan
Published: June 2024

This chapter introduces the puzzle of the book, asking whether and how ethnic minority status—belonging to a group that is culturally distinct from most of the population—influences political outlooks and behavior. It underlines the contradiction between the expectation that ethnicity is a troublemaker in politics, while ethnic identity is at times an important and stable human characteristic. The chapter introduces the argument of the book that under a set of conditions ethnicity does not lead to group particularism, but, on the contrary, can influence the formation of ideological preferences. When minorities are permanent, they seek protection from the tyranny of the majority, which induces them toward what I call ethnic liberalism, seeking constitutional liberal arrangements that would protect individual and group rights and liberties.
Ethnic Liberalism
Authors: Rovny Jan
Published: June 2024

This empirical chapter demonstrates the core association between ethnic minority status and constitutionally liberal political preferences. It asserts that despite being inherently similar to others, individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds encounter different social and political circumstances due to their ethnic distinctiveness, leading to a latent sense of insecurity. This insecurity influences their pursuit of liberal rights as a means to safeguard their identity against potential threats from the majority. The analysis begins by studying core human values and the tendency of ethnic minority individuals to exhibit more risk-averse behavior, seeking greater security compared to their majority counterparts. It then explores how this inclination shapes minorities’ broader social perspectives, particularly regarding tolerance and acceptance of diversity. The chapter demonstrates the relationship between ethnic minority status and constitutional liberalism using diverse quantitative analyses. It compares the values and political preferences of individuals from minority and majority ethnic backgrounds. It further examines the stances of ethnic minority representatives and parties, highlighting that ethnic minority status propels a quest for protection through a liberal political framework. The chapter thus demonstrates the key, yet conditional, association between ethnic minority status and liberal preferences.