bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intersectin deficiency impairs cortico-striatal neurotransmission and causes obsessive–compulsive behaviors in mice
Authors: Vollweiter Dennis , Shergill Jasmeet Kaur , Hilse Alexandra , Kochlamazashvili Gaga , Koch Stefan Paul , Mueller Susanne , Boehm-Sturm Philipp , Haucke Volker , Maritzen Tanja
Published: August 2023

The generation of appropriate behavioral responses involves dedicated neuronal circuits. The cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical loop is especially important for the expression of motor routines and habits. Defects in this circuitry are closely linked to obsessive stereotypic behaviors, hallmarks of neuropsychiatric diseases including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and obsessive–compulsive disorders (OCDs). However, our knowledge of the essential synaptic machinery required to maintain balanced neurotransmission and plasticity within the cortico-striatal circuitry remains fragmentary. Mutations in the large synaptic scaffold protein intersectin1 (ITSN1) have been identified in patients presenting with ASD symptoms including stereotypic behaviors, although a causal relationship between stereotypic behavior and intersectin function has not been established. We report here that deletion of the two closely related proteins ITSN1 and ITSN2 leads to severe ASD/OCD-like behavioral alterations and defective cortico-striatal neurotransmission in knockout (KO) mice. Cortico-striatal function was compromised at multiple levels in ITSN1/2-depleted animals. Morphological analyses showed that the striatum of intersectin KO mice is decreased in size. Striatal neurons exhibit reduced complexity and an underdeveloped dendritic spine architecture. These morphological abnormalities correlate with defects in cortico-striatal neurotransmission and plasticity as well as reduced N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor currents as a consequence of postsynaptic NMDA receptor depletion. Our findings unravel a physiological role of intersectin in cortico-striatal neurotransmission to counteract ASD/OCD. Moreover, we delineate a molecular pathomechanism for the neuropsychiatric symptoms of patients carrying intersectin mutations that correlates with the observation that NMDA receptor dysfunction is a recurrent feature in the development of ASD/OCD-like symptoms.
In situ ligand-modulated activation of inert Ce(III/IV) into ozonation catalyst for efficient water treatment
Authors: Zhang Jing , Shan Chao , Zhang Weiming , Pan Bingcai
Published: August 2023

As a classic strategy to maximize catalytic activity, modulation of the electronic structure of central metal using organic ligands encounters great challenge in radical reactions exemplified by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) due to operando destruction of employed ligands. Herein, we provide a paradigm achieving in situ ligand-modulated activation of the originally inert Ce(III/IV) for catalytic ozonation as a representative AOP widely applied in full-scale water treatment. Among the small-molecule carboxylates typically produced from pollutant degradation during ozonation, we find oxalate (OA) is a potent ligand to activate Ce(III/IV), inducing 11.5- and 5.8-fold elevation in rate constants of O
3
decomposition and atrazine degradation, respectively. The Ce(III)–OA complex is proved the catalytic active species to boost pollutant degradation, while the catalytic ozonation unusually involves both •OH-dependent and •OH-independent pathways with comparable contributions. Both experiment and density functional theory calculation results show the pronounced electron donating effect of OA as evidenced by the substantial decreases in the charge residing on Ce, the ionization potential, and the Ce(III/IV) electrode potential, affords the activation of the Ce center for efficient ozonation. A comprehensive kinetic model involving 67 reactions is established to verify and elaborate the catalytic mechanism. Moreover, with in situ OA production, trace Ce
3+
enables autocatalytic mineralization and codegradation of typical contaminants, which are not observed in case of Fe
2+
or Cu
2+
. In addition, Ce
3+
outperforms numerous state-of-the-art ozonation catalysts in terms of mass activity. This study sheds light on sustainable activation of the metal center harnessing operando ligands produced from the catalyzed reaction.
Colors of entangled two-photon absorption
Authors: Varnavski Oleg , Giri Sajal Kumar , Chiang Tse-Min , Zeman Charles J. , Schatz George C. , Goodson Theodore
Published: August 2023

Multiphoton absorption of entangled photons offers ways for obtaining unique information about chemical and biological processes. Measurements with entangled photons may enable sensing biological signatures with high selectivity and at very low light levels to protect against photodamage. In this paper, we present a theoretical and experimental study of the excitation wavelength dependence of the entangled two-photon absorption (ETPA) process in a molecular system, which provides insights into how entanglement affects molecular spectra. We demonstrate that the ETPA excitation spectrum can be different from that of classical TPA as well as that for one-photon resonant absorption (OPA) with photons of doubled frequency. These results are modeled by assuming the ETPA cross-section is governed by a two-photon excited state radiative linewidth rather than by electron-phonon interactions, and this leads to excitation spectra that match the observed results. Further, we find that the two-photon-allowed states with highest TPA and ETPA intensities have high electronic entanglements, with ETPA especially favoring states with the longest radiative lifetimes. These results provide concepts for the development of quantum light–based spectroscopy and microscopy that will lead to much higher efficiency of ETPA sensors and low-intensity detection schemes.
Biomimetic behaviors in hydrogel artificial cells through embedded organelles
Authors: Allen Matthew E. , Hindley James W. , O’Toole Nina , Cooke Hannah S. , Contini Claudia , Law Robert V. , Ces Oscar , Elani Yuval
Published: August 2023

Artificial cells are biomimetic structures formed from molecular building blocks that replicate biological processes, behaviors, and architectures. Of these building blocks, hydrogels have emerged as ideal, yet underutilized candidates to provide a gel-like chassis in which to incorporate both biological and nonbiological componentry which enables the replication of cellular functionality. Here, we demonstrate a microfluidic strategy to assemble biocompatible cell-sized hydrogel-based artificial cells with a variety of different embedded functional subcompartments, which act as engineered synthetic organelles. The organelles enable the recreation of increasingly biomimetic behaviors, including stimulus-induced motility, content release through activation of membrane-associated proteins, and enzymatic communication with surrounding bioinspired compartments. In this way, we showcase a foundational strategy for the bottom–up construction of hydrogel-based artificial cell microsystems which replicate fundamental cellular behaviors, paving the way for the construction of next-generation biotechnological devices.
Structural explanations for inequality reduce children’s biases and promote rectification only if they implicate the high-status group
Authors: Leshin Rachel A. , Rhodes Marjorie
Published: August 2023

Children begin to participate in systems of inequality from a young age, demonstrating biases for high-status groups and willingly accepting group disparities. For adults, highlighting the
structural
causes of inequality (i.e., policies, norms) can facilitate adaptive outcomes—including reduced biases and greater efforts to rectify inequality—but such efforts have had limited success with children. Here, we considered the possibility that, to be effective in childhood, structural interventions must explicitly address the role of the high-status group in creating the unequal structures. We tested this intervention with children relative to a) a structural explanation that cited a neutral third party as the creator and b) a control explanation (
N
= 206, ages 5 to 10 y). Relative to those in the other two conditions, children who heard a structural explanation that cited the high-status group as the structures’ creators showed lower levels of bias, perceived the hierarchy as less fair, and allocated resources to the low-status group more often. These findings suggest that structural explanations can be effective in childhood, but only if they implicate the high-status group as the structures’ creators.
Old English perspectives on the complement shift
Authors: Ojanguren López Ana Elvira
Published: August 2023

This article gathers a motivated inventory of Old English self-manipulative verbs, including Abstain verbs and Refrain verbs, analyses their semantics and syntax and offers diachronic perspectives on the replacement of that-clause complementation with the from + -ing construction. Such perspectives go in two directions. Firstly, the semantics of the that-clause remains intact throughout the change to the from + -ing construction. Secondly, deverbal nominalisations contribute to the semantics and syntax required by the gerund. The main conclusion is that Refrain verbs are exceptional because the competition leading to the Complement Shift does not hold between finite and non-finite clauses, but between finite clauses and deverbal nominalisations. This has two important consequences: the status of derived nominal linked predications must be acknowledged, and deverbal nominalisations must occupy the top of the syntactic ranking of clause linkage.
Language battles in the Linguistic Landscape of a divided capital
Authors: Themistocleous Christiana , Çavuşoğlu Çise , Özkara Melis
Published: August 2023

In this paper we explore multilingual practices in the Linguistic Landscape which are geared towards commercial
goals. We study simultaneously the commercial areas of two conflict-affected communities in Nicosia (Cyprus) which are divided by
a UN-controlled buffer zone. Ledras (Greek-Cypriot) is a street in the south and Arasta (Turkish-Cypriot) is in the north of the
divide. We investigate how these communities’ political economies and ideologies shape language choice in public space and how the
language of the other community, namely Greek or Turkish, is discursively framed as economically valuable or worthless.
Photographs of shopfront signs and a thematic analysis of interviews with shopkeepers revealed that language choice in Nicosia’s
commercial area is highly strategic. We demonstrate that this area is a politically and economically charged space where language
battles, triggered by power relations, differing language hierarchies, ideologies, and political economies, become visible in the LL.
Investigation on microstructure and mechanical properties of boron-modified 13Cr5Ni2Mo by powder-pack boriding
Authors: Tlili Samira , Bouyegh Saida , Daoui Abdelkader , Guedri Abdelmoumene , Tlili Mohamed Islam , Tairi Latifa , Djama Mustapha , Graine Radouane , Charmati Djihad
Published: August 2023

The main objective of the present paper is to investigate the effect of pack boriding treatment at 950°C/4 h on surface 13 Cr supermartensitic stainless steel. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry were used to characterise the grown boride layers microstructures. In addition, we performed 3D profilometry, microhardness measurements, nanoindentation tests with a Berkovich diamond tip, Daimler-Benz Rockwell-C adhesion, and ball-on-disk wear tests in order to evaluate the mechanical properties. After boriding, the phases were found to be iron borides (FeB/Fe2B), chromium borides (CrB), nickel borides (Ni2B), and molybdenum borides (Mo2B). The results showed that the use of the powder-pack boriding process on 13Cr SMSS at 950°C/4 h conducted in the presence of dual phases (FeB/Fe2B) improved the mechanical properties compared to untreated material.
Tribological behaviours of Mo–Si–B–xTi alloys against Al2O3 ceramic and AISI 52100 steel
Authors: Tan Hui , Chen Wenyuan , Chen Juanjuan , Zhu Zongxiao , Zhu Shengyu , Yang Jun
Published: August 2023

In this study, the Mo–Si–B alloys containing 10–30 wt% Ti were prepared by spark plasma sintering. The dry sliding tribological properties against Al2O3 ceramic and AISI 52100 steel were thoroughly investigated, and the corresponding wear mechanism was explored. The results indicate that the tribological properties of the MoSiBTi alloys are highly dependent on the Ti content and property of counterpart materials. The dominant wear mechanism of the MoSiBTi alloys sliding against Al2O3 ceramic is severe abrasive and adhesive wear and it transforms to mild abrasive and adhesive wear when coupled with AISI 52100 steel. It confirms that the MoSiBTi/AISI 52100 steel friction pairs show more preferable wear resistance, which is more suitable for room temperature tribological applications.
Effects of electron migration and adsorption on the suppression of negative corona discharge in nanoparticle transformer oil: experiments and simulations
Authors: Huang Meng , Zhang Lei , Chen Liangjiong , Sheng Yifan , Niu Mingkang , Lv Yuzhen , Qi Bo
Published: August 2023

SiO2 and TiO2 nanofluids (NFs for short) were prepared, and a series of DC corona discharge tests were carried out under needle-plate electrode on both NFs and base oil, using the luminous area and pulse current to characterize the negative corona discharge characteristics. The trap distribution characteristic as well as the mobilities of positive and negative ions of the two types of NFs and base oil were measured. A kind of new corona discharge simulation model was established, and the effects of shallow traps and electrons adsorbed by nanoparticles were considered in the simulation model. The corona discharge was simulated under the needle-plate electrode and the simulation results were compared with the corona discharge characteristics obtained from the tests. Furthermore, the effects of shallow trap and electron adsorbed by nanoparticles on space charge and electric field distribution as well as field ionization in transformer oil were analyzed respectively, revealing the mechanism that nanoparticles regulate the carrier migration process to suppress the negative corona discharge of transformer oil.
Design analysis and experimental validation of relaxation oscillator-based circuit for R–C sensors
Authors: Idris Wani Mohamad , Saquib Khan Sadan , Jan Benish , Ahmad Meraj , Shojaei Baghini Maryam , Somappa Laxmeesha , Malik Shahid
Published: August 2023

Relaxation oscillator-based circuits are widely used for interfacing various resistive and capacitive sensors. The electrical equivalent of most resistive and capacitive sensors is represented using a parallel combination of resistor and capacitor. The relaxation oscillator-based circuits are not suitable for parallel R–C sensors. In this paper, we propose a modified circuit for parallel R–C sensors. The proposed relaxation oscillator-based circuit is based on a dual-slope and charge transfer technique to measure the resistance and capacitance of parallel R–C sensors separately. In addition, the paper provides a detailed analysis and design considerations for the oscillator design by taking into account the various sources of non-idealities. A method to reduce the error by using single-cycle averaging is also introduced. To verify the analyzed design criteria, the circuit is tested with multiple operational amplifiers with different non-idealities. Experimental results verify the performance of the proposed circuit. The circuit is tested for a range from 10 pF to 42 pF and 100 kΩ to 1 MΩ for parallel R–C sensors with an error of less than 1.5%. The circuit is tested with a fabricated water-level sensor. The result confirms the efficacy of the proposed circuit.
Porous carbon nanosheets derived from two-dimensional Fe-MOF for simultaneous voltammetric sensing of dopamine and uric acid
Authors: Chen Shouhui , Zhou Dan , Yu Jingguo , Huang Zhenzhong , Wang Li
Published: August 2023

It is of great significance for electrochemical sensors to simultaneously detect dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) related to biological metabolism. In this work, two-dimensional (2D) porous carbon nanosheets (CNS) was prepared as electrocatalysts to improve the sensitivity, the selectivity, and the detection limit of the simultaneous detection. First, 2D amorphous iron-metal organic frameworks (Fe-MOF) was synthesized with Fe3+ and terephthalic acid via a facile wet chemistry method at room temperature. And then, CNS was prepared by pyrolysis and pickling of Fe-MOF. CNS had large specific surface area, good electrical conductivity and lots of carbon defects. The response currents of the CNS modified electrode was larger than those of the control electrodes in the simultaneous determination. The simultaneous determination was measured via differential pulse voltammetry to reduce the effect of capacitive currents on quantitative analysis. The CNS modified electrodes showed high sensitivity and low detection limit for the simultaneous detection of DA and UA. The modified electrodes have been successfully used to detect DA and UA in normal human serum.
Memory-induced oscillations of a driven particle in a dissipative correlated medium
Authors: Venturelli Davide , Gambassi Andrea
Published: August 2023

The overdamped dynamics of a particle is in general affected by its interaction with the surrounding medium, especially out of equilibrium, and when the latter develops spatial and temporal correlations. Here we consider the case in which the medium is modeled by a scalar Gaussian field with relaxational dynamics, and the particle is dragged at constant velocity through the medium by a moving harmonic trap. This mimics the setting of an active microrheology experiment conducted in a near-critical medium. When the particle is displaced from its average position in the nonequilibrium steady state, its subsequent relaxation is shown to feature damped oscillations. This is similar to what has been recently predicted and observed in viscoelastic fluids, but differs from what happens in the absence of driving or for an overdamped Markovian dynamics, in which cases oscillations cannot occur. We characterize these oscillating modes in terms of the parameters of the underlying mesoscopic model for the particle and the medium, confirming our analytical predictions via numerical simulations.
Piecewise time-delay tri-stable stochastic resonance system and its application in bearing fault diagnosis
Authors: He Lifang , Chen Yezi , Zhang Huaan
Published: August 2023

Current studies of time-delay based systems are compared to classical tri-stable stochastic resonance (CTSR) system and do not reflect the effect of adding a delay term on unsaturated systems. In this paper, a piecewise delayed tri-stable stochastic resonance (PTTSR) system is proposed. Firstly, the equivalent Langevin for PTTSR system is derived and compared with the output of CTSR and piecewise tri-stable stochastic resonance (PTSR) systems, where the addition of the time-delay term can further improve the output amplitude. Secondly, mean first pass time (MFPT) and output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are derived, and the effects of different parameters on MFPT and SNR are investigated. increasing the feedback intensity and time-delay length improved the output SNR. Then, the input period signal is then numerically simulated using the signal-to-noise ratio gain (SNRG) as a measurement, which increases by 2.75 dB for PTTSR system compared to PTSR system. Finally, the three systems are used for bearing fault detection and the system parameters are optimized by genetic algorithm. The results showed that the output amplitude of PTTSR system is more than 12 times that of PTSR system and the SNRG increased by more than 2 dB. This demonstrates the superior performance of PTTSR system in detecting weak signals and provides good feasibility in engineering applications.
Analytical model of z-piezoelectric energy harvester for power generation from human physical activities
Authors: Sirigireddy Pravallika , Eladi Paul Braineard
Published: August 2023

Human physical activities, viz., walking, jogging, jumping, etc on piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEH) have a great potential for the generation of free and clean energy. In the present work, an analytical model is developed to study the performance of a z-PEH, and the results were validated with numerical and experimental results. The distinctive features of the z-PEH are (a) it can be installed in a very small pavement/road surface area, (b) it results in very less damage to the road during installation, and (c) the repair and maintenance works can be carried out relatively easily. The power generation of the harvester can be enormously increased by increasing the number of unimorphs in the vertical (z) direction without increasing in the surface (x-y) directions, hence termed z-PEH. The harvester studied has four unimorphs. Each unimorph has a PZT-5A plate and an Aluminum substrate. The analytical and numerical studies resulted in a harvester with optimum dimensions for the PZT plate and Aluminum substrate of 20 × 20 × 0.4 mm3 and 65.1 × 20 × 1 mm3 respectively. Experiments were carried out on the optimum structure. The z-PEH, for an input deflection of 1 mm generated a maximum power of 0.84 mW, 0.88 mW and 0.80 mW from the proposed analytical model, numerical work and experiments respectively. The percentage of error between analytical and numerical results is 4.55% and between analytical and experimental results is 4.76%. An average human can generate a force of 490 N while walking, thereby allowing the use of 88 unimorphs in the z-PEH. From the analytical model, the resulted DC power of this harvester is 18.39 mW and the power density is 10.09 W m−3.
Hidden dynamics of memristor-coupled neurons with multi-stability and multi-transient hyperchaotic behavior
Authors: Ma Tao , Mou Jun , Al-Barakati Abdullah A , Jahanshahi Hadi , Miao Miao
Published: August 2023

The coupling of memristors has been extensively studied in continuous neural models. However, little attention has been given to this aspect in discrete neural models. This paper introduces a Discrete Memristor-Coupled Rulkov Neuron (DMCRN) map, utilizing discrete memristors to estimate synaptic functionality. The proposed model is subjected to theoretical analysis, revealing hidden behaviors within the map. Through numerical methods, the rich and complex dynamical behaviors of the DMCRN map are studied, including hyperchaos, hidden attractors, multi-stability and multi-transient, as well as the firing patterns. Additionally, a simple pseudo-random sequence generator (PRNG) is designed based on the generated hyperchaotic sequences, providing a reference for further applications of DMCRN map. In addition, a digital experiment is implemented on a DSP platform, realizing the DMCRN map and obtaining hyperchaos. Both experimental and numerical results demonstrate that the coupling of discrete memristors allows for the estimation of synaptic connections in neurons, resulting in a more complex and interesting discrete neuron model.
Improvement of plastic property of Ti/Al nanowires by designing the core–shell structures
Authors: Gao Tinghong , Ding Yi , Liu Yutao , Bian Zhetian , Chen Qian , Xiao Qingquan , Xie Quan
Published: August 2023

Ti alloy has the disadvantages of low elastic modulus, high yield ratio, and low plasticity, therefore, improving its plasticity is very important to promote their use. In this study, the tensile behavior of Ti/Al core–shell nanowires (NWs) in the z-axis direction of single-crystal Ti with [0001] grain-oriented HCP structure and single-crystal Al with [001] grain-oriented FCC structure was investigated using molecular dynamic (MD) simulations to explore the mechanism of enhanced ductility in Ti alloy. The results indicate that the shell thickness may significantly affect the mechanical behaviors of the NWs. For the mechanical properties of core–shell NWs, Young’s modulus, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), Specific modulus, Specific strength, flow stress, and fracture strain showed sensitivity to shell thickness. Compared with core–shell NWs, single crystal Ti NW has greater strength and higher Young’s modulus, Specific strength and UTS. By contrast, core–shell NWs have better Specific modulus and plastic properties, their flow stress and fracture strain are higher than those of single crystal Ti NW. For the single crystal Ti NW, the main plastic deformation mechanisms are shear band nucleation and recrystallization. For Ti/Al core–shell NWs with shell thicknesses of 1and 2 nm, the nucleation of the twin variants replaces the dominant position of the shear bands. As the twin boundaries (TBs) expand, the dislocation slip is activated, and grain reorientation occurs, inducing the superior plastic properties of NWs. As the shell thickness increases to 3–5 nm, the interaction between the twin variants and shear bands reduces the expansion rate of the TBs, resulting in increased flow stress and fracture strain of the NWs. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the experimental study and preparation of core–shell NWs.
Searching for relativistic axions in the sky
Authors: Kar Arpan , Kumar Tanmoy , Roy Sourov , Zupan Jure
Published: August 2023

Relativistic axions produced in decays of
 𝒪(10-7–10-2 eV) dark matter (DM) partially convert to photons after
traversing the galactic magnetic field, giving rise to a signal observable by the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) radio telescope.
We show that for axions lighter than a few × 10-13 eV a 100 h SKA observation of the local dwarf galaxy Seg I would probe parameter space not constrained
by stellar cooling and cosmological observations, with sensitivity several orders of magnitude
better than the planned dedicated axion dark matter search experiments.
We quantify the uncertainties in the SKA sensitivity projections due to two effects that enhance the radio flux:
the presence of turbulent magnetic fields inside the galaxy, and the Bose enhancement of the DM decays to axions, where the latter, in particular, warrants further study.
Optical fiber temperature sensor based on beat frequency and Vernier effect of fiber ring resonator composite cavity
Authors: Wang Xu , Li Kecheng , Wu Xiaoyang , Li Bing , Wang Fang , Yu Kun
Published: August 2023

A fiber temperature sensing scheme based on beat frequency and Vernier effect of fiber ring resonator (FRR) with composite cavity is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The optical FRR as a sensor is put into the linear cavity fiber laser, and Vernier effect is generated when the resonance spectrum of the optical FRR and the longitudinal mode of the laser are superimposed. The beat frequency envelope spectrum corresponding to the longitudinal mode Vernier spectrum is used to realize fiber ring sensing in electrical domain, and the sensing information is obtained by tracing the envelope of beat frequency signal, which has the advantages of stable system, simple structure, low cost and high sensitivity.
On nonlinear scattering of drift wave by toroidal Alfvén eigenmode in tokamak plasmas
Authors: Chen Liu , Qiu Zhiyong , Zonca Fulvio
Published: August 2023

Using electron drift wave (eDW) as a paradigm model, we have investigated analytically direct wave–wave interactions between a test DW and ambient toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) in toroidal plasmas, and their effects on the stability of the eDW. The nonlinear effects enter via scatterings to short-wavelength electron Landau damped kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs). Specifically, it is found that scatterings to upper-sideband KAW lead to stimulated absorption of eDW. Scatterings to the lower-sideband KAW, on the contrary, lead to its spontaneous emission. As a consequence, for typical parameters and fluctuation intensity, nonlinear scatterings by TAEs have negligible net effects on the eDW stability; in contrast to the ‘reverse’ process investigated in Chen et al (2022 Nucl. Fusion
62 094001), where it is shown that nonlinear scattering by ambient eDWs may lead to significant damping of TAE.
Leveraging large language models to monitor climate technology innovation
Authors: Toetzke Malte , Probst Benedict , Feuerriegel Stefan
Published: August 2023

To achieve net-zero emissions, public policy needs to foster rapid innovation of climate technologies. However, there is a scarcity of comprehensive and up-to-date evidence to guide policymaking by monitoring climate innovation systems. This is notable, especially at the center of the innovation process, where nascent inventions transition into profitable and scalable market solutions. Here, we discuss the potential of large language models (LLMs) to monitor climate technology innovation. By analyzing large pools of unstructured text data sources, such as company reports and social media, LLMs can automate information retrieval processes and thereby improve existing monitoring in terms of cost-effectiveness, timeliness, and comprehensiveness. In this perspective, we show how LLMs can play a crucial role in informing innovation policy for the energy transition by highlighting promising use cases and prevailing challenges for research and policy.
3D printing of photochromic and thermochromic shape memory polymers for multi-functional applications
Authors: Ge Nengpeng , Shan Wubin , Liang Lei , Deng Yuancheng , Wu Linmei
Published: August 2023

The field of 3D printing is growing rapidly and offers a wide range of potential applications, particularly with the use of Shape Memory Polymers (SMPs). However, current studies on SMP-based 3D printing have mainly focused on structural design and deformation behavior. To enhance the practicality of 3D printed structures, the ability to change color is highly desirable, especially for applications such as anti-counterfeiting, encryption, and bioinspired camouflage. This paper presents the fabrication of a UV-curable PUA-based Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) system with thermochromic and photochromic capabilities. The system is acrylate-based, making it highly UV-curable and compatible with high-resolution 3D printing techniques. Thermo/photochromic effects are achieved by adding thermochromic microcapsules to the system, resulting in printed structures that can change color upon heating or UV) exposure. The printed parts with multi-color hidden information, such as QR codes and digital numbers, were successfully demonstrated through the printing of various anti-counterfeiting patterns.And the expriment results show the exceptional multi-functional performance including shape recovery and thermo/photochromic. The development of this UV-curable PUA-based SMP system represents a significant advancement in the application of SMP-based 3D printing for anti-counterfeiting and secure data recording.
Spatiotemporal denoising of low-dose cardiac CT image sequences using RecycleGAN
Authors: Zhou Shiwei , Yang Jinyu , Konduri Krishnateja , Huang Junzhou , Yu Lifeng , Jin Mingwu
Published: August 2023

Electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated multi-phase computed tomography angiography (MP-CTA) is frequently used for diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Radiation dose may become a potential concern as the scan needs to cover a wide range of cardiac phases during a heart cycle. A common method to reduce radiation is to limit the full-dose acquisition to a predefined range of phases while reducing the radiation dose for the rest. Our goal in this study is to develop a spatiotemporal deep learning method to enhance the quality of low-dose CTA images at phases acquired at reduced radiation dose. Recently, we demonstrated that a deep learning method, Cycle-Consistent generative adversarial networks (CycleGAN), could effectively denoise low-dose CT images through spatial image translation without labeled image pairs in both low-dose and full-dose image domains. As CycleGAN does not utilize the temporal information in its denoising mechanism, we propose to use RecycleGAN, which could translate a series of images ordered in time from the low-dose domain to the full-dose domain through an additional recurrent network. To evaluate RecycleGAN, we use the XCAT phantom program, a highly realistic simulation tool based on real patient data, to generate MP-CTA image sequences for 18 patients (14 for training, 2 for validation and 2 for test). Our simulation results show that RecycleGAN can achieve better denoising performance than CycleGAN based on both visual inspection and quantitative metrics. We further demonstrate the superior denoising performance of RecycleGAN using clinical MP-CTA images from 50 patients.
The Latin American Crime Novel
Authors: Close Glen S.
Published: August 2023

Latin American authors have written detective novels for approximately a century and a half. However, writers and critics have long recognized formidable obstacles to adopting the classical ratiocinative detective mode in a region with an unstable democratic tradition and relatively low levels of public confidence in police forces and the rule of law. Few Latin American novels written in the classical mode have found readership outside their countries of origin. Over the last half century, hard-boiled detective novels and criminal-centered novels have decisively supplanted classical ratiocinative novels to become the primary modes of crime writing in the region. Regional subgenres such as the sicario or hitman novel and the narco-novel have gained international visibility in recent decades, while some of Latin America’s most prestigious writers, including Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa, Ricardo Piglia, and Roberto Bolaño, have produced highly original crime novels that dramatize the failings of legal justice in their countries. Latin American detectives are commonly disabled and defeated during their investigations, while criminal characters operate with an impunity that realistically reflects extremely low levels of prosecution for serious crimes in many parts of Latin America in the 21st century. Many of the most significant contemporary Latin American crime novels communicate a profound despair and skepticism with respect to the possibility of obtaining legal justice in countries where organized crime has corrupted and overpowered state institutions and security forces.
Dark Participation: A Critical Overview
Authors: Quandt Thorsten , Klapproth Johanna
Published: August 2023

The profound sociopolitical transformation processes that characterize the second decade of the 21st century have also led to a focus on new topics and a reconsideration of previously established approaches in communication studies. In particular, the academic discussion of online communication has drastically changed in tone and focus. While the new possibilities of online participation were initially described from a predominantly optimistic perspective stressing the high potential for deliberative democracy, work in communication studies at the end of the second decade of the 21st century paints a rather dystopian picture of the online world. The growing attention paid to problematic forms of user participation has led to various new concepts describing phenomena such as toxicity, disinformation, or hate speech. The concept of “dark participation” introduced by Thorsten Quandt takes up the profound change in perspective with a systematization of negative forms of participation in a unifying umbrella model. This generalistic model delineates the variants of dark participation according to five dimensions: the actors, the reasons for their behavior, the targets or objects of their participation, the intended audiences, and the structure of the process. In addition to this systematic categorization of negative participatory forms, the term dark participation also serves as a rhetorical device for commenting on the observable change in perspective: The original publication encourages a process of critical reflection on normativity in the discussion of participation and, by calling for more balance in the analysis of online participation, warns against reducing complex social communication phenomena to a one-sided positive or negative perspective.

Since its initial publication, the concept of dark participation has served as a theoretical point of reference for various empirical studies. Due to its use as a rhetorical device and the critical examination of previous participation approaches, the original publication also stimulated an intensive discussion about the proposed concept. In addition to the critique regarding the theoretical assumptions and the distinction between “dark” and positive participatory forms, some authors also demand an extension, a different contextualization, or an elaboration of specific details. As a universal concept with a deliberate openness to such further delimitations, dark participation can serve as a starting point for theoretical extensions, especially in the research field of (digital) journalism and social media, and as an impulse for transfers to other related fields.
Race and Political Communication in Brazil: The Afro-Brazilian Electorate of Salvador
Authors: Silva Antonio José Bacelar da , dos Santos Filho Adelmo , de Jesus Pereira Marieli , da Costa Ribeiro Eduardo Joselito
Published: August 2023

Historically, Black candidates running for elected office in Brazil, a country that purports to lack racial divisions, have not been able to pitch to Black voters with a clear racial justice message. The city of Salvador (Bahia), where over 80% of the population is brown or black, is an interesting case in point. In his critique of racial liberalism, Charles Mills repeatedly argued for the importance of engaging with race and racial justice in the political field dominated by white supremacy. Only by making determined effort to deal with white dominance can we fight anti-Black sentiment in specific cultural manifestations. This is a crucial task in the struggles to correct historical racial injustices in democratic governance. For the past thirty years, Blackness and the rights of the Black population have decidedly reemerged as a political emblem throughout Brazil, with an important role in the electoral debate. However, Black candidates who use a racial appeal in their political commnication have obtained comparatively fewer votes. This has been a serious challenge in Black struggles' attempts to reduce the inequality between Blacks and non-Blacks in the electoral field. As a rule, this situation across the country has not been different, since there is no tradition of electoral support for Black politicians among the Black population (Blacks and Browns), even with a majority of demographic representation. In addition to the increased number of Black candidates, compared to the past, recent campaigns by Black candidates have worked to broaden the electoral discourse of defending and promoting social equity, rather than adopting explicit racial appeals. All this to achieve what, Charles Mills has defended as the Blackening of politics in the context of racist liberal politics.
Alternative Media and Ethnic Politics in Kenya
Authors: Kilonzo Susan M. , Muhoma Catherine
Published: August 2023

The history of the use of alternative media in Kenya’s politics shows evidence that it was in use in 2007, when the country came into the brink of a genocide; and, prominently in use, in the recent 2022 general elections. The development of fiber optic cable, and availability of Internet connection, with expanded use of mobile telephony in the country, is a direct link to the change in political dynamics, and increased use of social media. Subsequently, the availability of alternative media has revolutionized political engagements by enhancing participatory approach while connecting marginalized populations to the political elite. The new wave of alternative media also strengthens the arguments that politics and political processes are no longer for the elite. Further, the new wave of social media can also be used to explain changes seen in the use of ethnicity as a card for mobilization as well as demobilization in political processes surrounding elections. Campaigning and canvasing is no longer bounded by geographical spaces. Ethnic coalescing is not just a physical phenomenon. Mobile telephony and the Internet, which facilitate connection to alternative media platforms allows for virtual spaces for ethnic meetings and discussions. Anyone, even in remotest areas of the country, is able to participate in political debates and forums so long as they can afford a smart phone, and/or Internet connection. The former physical political processes and engagements, especially during campaigns, elections, tallying and acceptance or rejection of results, and which were perceived to be highly sensitive given the ethnic politics that has characterized the country for several decades, are now neutralized through virtual representation of facts as well as propaganda. The vibrancy of these activities present the research arena with a rich field of vignettes from alternative media accounts in the form of Twitter, Facebook and Blogs, to exemplify how ethnic groups align to their preferred candidates, specifically the Presidential contestants. This kind of approach allows for unveiling of an era of e-democracy and e-politics, developments that were otherwise impossible a few years back. Such platform allows for an exposé of a discourse that shows that, social media platforms may be possible tools for reducing physical violence and neutralizing extreme ethnicity as seen in the surprising calmness witnessed after the Supreme Court of Kenya upheld the contested 2022 election results.
Self-Motives
Authors: Gregg Aiden P.
Published: August 2023

All normal adult human beings possess a self and an identity. Their evolutionary emergence may be partly understood as the result of humans developing several sophisticated cognitive capacities. But having emerged, self and identity now serve as objects of keen motivational concern. Accordingly, various motives relating to self and identity have been conceptualized, theorized, and researched. These include four self-evaluation motives (SEMs; self-enhancement, self-assessment, self-verification, and self-improvement), six identity motives (IMs; self-esteem, continuity, distinctiveness, belongingness, efficacy, and meaning), and three fundamental needs (FNs; efficacy, autonomy, and relatedness). Some of these self-motives represent very general self-appraisals that people strive for, while others represent more specific preconditions for thriving psychologically, and there is some overlap.

The motive to rationally self-assess (discover the truth about oneself) has obvious pragmatic utility. But it competes with the motives to irrationally self-enhance (discover good things about oneself) and to irrationally self-verify (confirm preconceptions about oneself), whose utility is complex and debated. A more active, but also reality-oriented, motive to self-improve (make oneself better) supplements them. Much research on these SEMs addresses the extent to which, and the conditions under which, one motive prevails over another, with the potency of each being occasionally subject to radical skepticism. Controversies also abound over the criteria for validly inferring the operation of SEMs, as many purported measures are dogged by nonmotivational confounds.

As regards IMs and FNs, these deal with more domain-specific strivings, such as preserving a sense of who one is over time, or taking charge of one’s own destiny. Most may be tentatively classified into three categories of strivings: to have an impact on the world (agency), to make sense of the world (coherence), or to relate to others in the world (communion). In human beings, all such strivings are intimately intertwined with self and identity. Moreover, the fact such motives and needs exist, and durably operate, points to them serving some important adaptive function. Much applied research accordingly indicates that satisfying them promotes better psychological health and occupational performance.

For SEMs, however, a more nuanced picture emerges. In particular, when people successfully self-enhance (i.e., have high self-esteem), they feel subjectively better, and self-report many benefits, but the evidence for objective advantages is thinner. Moreover, although low self-esteem may impair relationships through self-doubt, people who engage in antisocial behavior generally have high self-esteem.

Regardless, the centrality of self and identity to human motivation can scarcely be overestimated. Who we are, compared to who we strive to be, is a key determinant of our well-being, and at least a modest determinant of important life outcomes.
Investigating Learning and Memory in Humans
Authors: Chrysikou Evangelia G. , Espinal Elizabeth , Kelly Alexandra E.
Published: August 2023

Memory refers to the set of cognitive systems and the neural structures that support them that allow humans to learn from experience, leverage this knowledge to understand and guide behavior in the present, and use past memories to think about and plan for the future. Neuroscience research on learning and memory has leveraged advances in behavioral methods, structural and functional brain imaging, noninvasive brain stimulation, and lesion studies to evaluate synergies and dissociations among small- and large-scale neural networks in support of memory performance. Overall, this work has converged to a conceptualization of new memories as representations of distributed patterns of neural activity across cortical and subcortical brain systems that provide neural grounding of sensorimotor and perceptual experiences, actions, thoughts, and emotions, and which can be reinstated as a result of internal or external cues.

Most of this literature has supported dissociations among working and long-term memory, as well as between procedural, episodic, and semantic memories. On the other hand, progress in human neuroscience methodologies has revealed the interdependence of these memory systems in the context of complex cognitive tasks and suggests a dynamic and highly interactive neural architecture underlying human learning and memory. Future neuroscience research is anticipated to focus on understanding the neural mechanisms supporting this interactivity at the cellular and systems levels, as well as investigating the time course of their engagement.