bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the dimensional relationships of story world absorption
Authors: Kuijpers Moniek M.
Published: January 2022

Absorption has proven to be an important mediator of reading enjoyment and persuasive text effects (Green & Brock, 2000; Kuijpers et al.,
2014). Typically, absorbing experiences with narrative media are captured using self-report measuring instruments. One such
instrument is the Story World Absorption Scale, which is comprised of four dimensions: Attention, Emotional Engagement, Mental
Imagery, and Transportation (Kuijpers et al., 2014). As of yet, we do not know how
these dimensions relate to one another. Data from four different studies (one survey and three experiments) using the Story World
Absorption Scale were investigated with the use of structural equation modeling to attempt to answer this question. The results
show that attention fulfills a crucial role in the absorption experience confirming the work of Kuiken and Douglas (2017, 2018) on absorption-like states. The
findings inspire a discussion on how we (should) use multi-dimensional instruments in the field of empirical literary studies.
Anomalous emission behavior of excitons at low temperature in monolayer WS2
Authors: Upadhyay Bhuvan , Thakur Deepa , Pramanick Bulti , Bhandari Sahil , Balakrishnan Viswanath , Pal Suman Kalyan
Published: January 2022

We report on the anomalous emission behavior of excitons (X) in monolayer WS2 using temperature dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy. In general, PL emission from excitons enhances with decreasing temperature due to suppression of phonon mediated non-radiative transitions. Here, we observe that excitonic PL is temperature independent, although with decreasing temperature, the emission intensity for trion (X
−) and biexciton or defect-bound excitons (XX/L
1) increases up to 123 K and then decreases. Analysis of experimental data with a model derived from the Boltzmann distribution and Saha equation reveal conversion of excitons into trions, biexcitons or defect-bound excitons and an increase of spin forbidden dark state with reduction in temperature. These findings could provide better strategies for designing future quantum devices.
Composition dependent phase structure, dielectric and electrostrain properties in (Sr0.7Bi0.2□0.1)TiO3–PbTiO3–Bi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3 systems
Authors: Shi Hongwei , Li Feng , Liu Wei , Liang Cen , Ji Xiaoli , Long Mingsheng , Gong Weiping , Wang Chunchang , Shan Lei
Published: January 2022

Composition dependent transitions from normal ferroelectrics to nonergodic and finally to ergodic relaxor phase are observed in 0.7(Sr0.7Bi0.2□0.1)TiO3–(0.3 − x)PbTiO3–xBi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3 system (SBT–PT–xBMT, □ represents A–site vacancy). Rietveld refinement results show that with increasing BMT content, the system experiences a gradual transition from coexistence of pseudocubic and tetragonal (P
c + T) to P
c phase. The ferroelectric–relaxor phase transition and freezing temperature gradually decreases with addition of BMT content accompanied by an enhanced relaxor degree, which produces local disorder and polar nanodomains. This is also verified by Raman spectra and piezoelectric force microscopic analysis. The P–E loops transform from square to slant and finally to slim shape with increasing BMT component and an electric field-induced strain of ∼0.21% with ultralow hysteresis of ∼3.7% is obtained for x = 0.04 composition. The underlying mechanism for the large strain with low hysteresis lies in the existence of nonergodic and ergodic relaxor phase boundary and polar nanodomains at room temperature. Additionally, the multiphase coexistence contributes to a flatten free energy profile and thus contributing to such superior performances, as explained by a modified phenomenological model. High electrostrain with ultralow hysteresis in SBT–PT–xBMT systems are promising candidates in high–precision actuator applications.
Active tuning of resonant lattice Kerker effect
Authors: Xiong Lei , Ding Hongwei , Lu Yuanfu , Li Guangyuan
Published: January 2022

The Kerker effect has been generalized in nanophotonics and meta-optics, and has recently been of great interest by relating it to various fascinating functionalities such as scattering management and perfect transmission, reflection or absorption. One of the most interesting generalizations is the resonant lattice Kerker effect in periodic nanostructures. However, its active tuning has not been explored yet. Here, we report, for the first time, the active control of the resonant lattice Kerker effect in periodic Ge2Se2Te5 nanodisks. By changing the crystalline fraction, we show that the electric dipole surface lattice resonance (ED-SLR), the magnetic dipole resonance (MDR), and thus the resonant lattice Kerker effect are all red-shifted. We therefore realize the transition from the ED-SLR to the resonant lattice Kerker effect, which enables multilevel tuning of reflection, transmission and absorption with modulation depths above 86%. Taking advantage of the MDR redshifts, we also observe broadband and multilevel tuning of transmissions with modulation depth of 87% over a broadband range of 588 nm. Our work establishes a new path for designing high-performance active nanophotonic devices.
A study of the gas interference effects in quadrupole mass spectrometer
Authors: Yongjun Cheng , Meng Dong , Wenjun Sun , Suzhao Zhang , Xinghui Wang , Xiangmin Wu , Lan Zhao , Lian Chen , Chengyao Wu , Yi Song , Ruifang Zhang
Published: January 2022

In most applications, it is significant to understand how the composition and total pressure of the gas affect the sensitivity of a mass spectrometer for a specific composition of the gas. This work reports on the interference effects of the QMG700 quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) with the use of the ultrahigh vacuum partial pressure standard apparatus and standard leaks. Six combinations for Ar–H2, Ar–He, N2–H2, He–H2, He–N2 and CH4–N2–Ar–He–H2 gas mixtures were selected for the study of the instrument–gas interaction. The partial pressures of the interference gases varied in the range of 2.2 × 10−7–8.3 × 10−3Pa, and the total pressures of the calibration chamber ranged from 1.2 × 10−5Pa to 9.9 × 10−3 Pa. The detector of the QMS utilized only a Faraday cup, and the results demonstrated that the sensitivity of the trace gas was significantly affected by the interfering gas when the total pressure exceeded about 10−5 Pa. This study was also performed according to ISO TS 20175:2018.
SMA-BmobaSNO: an intelligent photoresponsive nitric oxide releasing polymer for drug nanoencapsulation and targeted delivery
Authors: Alimoradi Houman , Thomas Ansa , Lyth Daniel D B , Barzegar-Fallah Anita , Matikonda Siddharth S , Gamble Allan B , Giles Gregory I
Published: January 2022

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important biological signalling molecule that acts to vasodilate blood vessels and change the permeability of the blood vessel wall. Due to these cardiovascular actions, co-administering NO with a therapeutic could enhance drug uptake. However current NO donors are not suitable for targeted drug delivery as they systemically release NO. To overcome this limitation we report the development of a smart polymer, SMA-BmobaSNO, designed to release NO in response to a photostimulus. The polymer’s NO releasing functionality is an S-nitrosothiol group that, at 10 mg ml−1, is highly resistant to both thermal (t
1/2 16 d) and metabolic (t
1/2 32 h) decomposition, but rapidly brakes down under photoactivation (2700 W m−2, halogen source) to release NO (t
1/2 25 min). Photoresponsive NO release from SMA-BmobaSNO was confirmed in a cardiovascular preparation, where irradiation resulted in a 12-fold decrease in vasorelaxation EC50 (from 5.2 μM to 420 nM). To demonstrate the polymer’s utility for drug delivery we then used SMA-BmobaSNO to fabricate a nanoparticle containing the probe Nile Red (NR). The resulting SMA-BmobaSNO-NR nanoparticle exhibited spherical morphology (180 nm diameter) and sustained NR release (≈20% over 5 d). Targeted delivery was characterised in an abdominal preparation, where photoactivation (450 W m−2) caused localized increases in vasodilation and blood vessel permeability, resulting in a 3-fold increase in NR uptake into photoactivated tissue. Nanoparticles fabricated from SMA-BmobaSNO therefore display highly photoresponsive NO release and can apply the Trojan Horse paradigm by using endogenous NO signalling pathways to smuggle a therapeutic cargo into target tissue.
A dual-control strategy based on electrode material and electrolyte optimization to construct an asymmetric supercapacitor with high energy density
Authors: Chu Xianyu , Meng Fanling , Zhang Wei , Yang He , Zou Xu , Molin Sebastian , Jasinski Piotr , Sun Xiangcheng , Zheng Weitao
Published: January 2022

Metal-organic frames (MOFs) are regarded as excellent candidates for supercapacitors that have attracted much attention because of their diversity, adjustability and porosity. However, both poor structural stability in aqueous alkaline electrolytes and the low electrical conductivity of MOF materials constrain their practical implementation in supercapacitors. In this study, bimetallic CoNi-MOF were synthesized to enhance the electrical conductivity and electrochemical activity of nickel-based MOF, as well as the electrochemical performance of the CoNi-MOF in multiple alkaline electrolytes was investigated. The CoNi-MOF/active carbon device, as-fabricated with a 1 M KOH electrolyte, possesses a high energy density of 35 W h kg−1 with a power density of 1450 W kg−1, exhibiting outstanding cycling stability of 95% over 10,000 cycles. The design of MOF-based electrode materials and the optimization selection of electrolytes pave the way for constructing high-performance supercapacitors.
Reflections of thin film surface roughness on graphs of specklegram: a novel approach
Authors: Sankararaman S
Published: January 2022

The advancement in thin-film technology necessitated the development of more reliable, sensitive, and non-destructive methods for the quality analysis of thin films. Graph theory, the mathematical and analytical tool, has gained significant importance in analysing complex signals and images. The paper introduces a novel surrogate method based on graph theory to analyse the specklegrams of thin films for quality analysis. The method is deciphered through the complex network analysis of the electronic specklegrams of the molybdenum oxide thin films sputtered at different Argon pressures. For this, graph features are determined from the graphs constructed using the seven equally spaced columns of the specklegram data of a film. The heat map of the specklegram displays the morphological modifications in the film surface. The study reveals a decrease in the centrality measures and multifractal dimension for the film samples. The decrease of root mean square surface roughness of the films calculated from the atomic force microscopic images suggests its relation with centrality measures indicating the potential of centrality measures of the specklegrams as a surrogate method for thin-film quality analysis.
Constraining ultralight axions with galaxy surveys
Authors: Laguë A. , Bond J.R. , Hložek R. , Rogers K.K. , Marsh D.J.E. , Grin D.
Published: January 2022

Ultralight axions and other bosons are dark matter candidates present in many high energy physics theories beyond the Standard Model. In particular, the string axiverse postulates the existence of up to 𝒪(100) light scalar bosons constituting the dark sector. We test the validity of the effective field theory of large-scale structure approach to mixed ultralight axion dark matter by making our own mock galaxy catalogs and find an anisotropic ultralight axion signature in the galaxy quadrupole. We use the Fourier-space galaxy clustering statistics from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) and obtain upper bounds for the axion relic density Ω_a h2<0.004 for axions of mass 10-31 eV≤ m_a≤ 10-26 eV at 95% confidence. We also improve existing constraints by a factor of over 4.5 and 2.1 for axion masses of 10-25 eV and 10-32 eV compared to CMB alone. To improve the convergence speed of our analysis, we develop an augmented interpolation scheme allowing a fast computation of the axion contribution to the linear matter power spectrum. This method leads to a 70% reduction of the computational cost for the full Monte Carlo Markov chains analysis.
Emergent cosmology from quantum gravity in the Lorentzian Barrett-Crane tensorial group field theory model
Authors: Jercher Alexander F. , Oriti Daniele , Pithis Andreas G. A.
Published: January 2022

We study the cosmological sector of the Lorentzian Barrett-Crane (BC) model coupled to a free massless scalar field in its Group Field Theory (GFT) formulation, corresponding to the mean-field hydrodynamics obtained from coherent condensate states. The relational evolution of the condensate with respect to the scalar field yields effective dynamics of homogeneous and isotropic cosmologies, similar to those previously obtained in SU(2)-based EPRL-like models. Also in this manifestly Lorentzian setting, in which only continuous SL(2,ℂ)-representations are used, we obtain generalized Friedmann equations that generically exhibit a quantum bounce, and can reproduce all of the features of the cosmological dynamics of EPRL-like models. This lends support to the expectation that the EPRL-like and BC models may lie in the same continuum universality class, and that the quantum gravity mechanism producing effective bouncing scenarios may not depend directly on the discretization of geometric observables.
Objective evaluation of stimulation artefact removal techniques in the context of neural spike sorting
Authors: Schelles Maarten , Wouters Jasper , Asamoah Boateng , Mc Laughlin Myles , Bertrand Alexander
Published: January 2022

Objective. We present a framework to objectively test and compare stimulation artefact removal techniques in the context of neural spike sorting. Approach. To this end, we used realistic hybrid ground-truth spiking data, with superimposed artefacts from in vivo recordings. We used the framework to evaluate and compare several techniques: blanking, template subtraction by averaging, linear regression, and a multi-channel Wiener filter (MWF). Main results. Our study demonstrates that blanking and template subtraction result in a poorer spike sorting performance than linear regression and MWF, while the latter two perform similarly. Finally, to validate the conclusions found from the hybrid evaluation framework, we also performed a qualitative analysis on in vivo recordings without artificial manipulations. Significance. Our framework allows direct quantification of the impact of the residual artefact on the spike sorting accuracy, thereby allowing for a more objective and more relevant comparison compared to indirect signal quality metrics that are estimated from the signal statistics. Furthermore, the availability of a ground truth in the form of single-unit spiking activity also facilitates a better estimation of such signal quality metrics.
Natural radioactivity and mineralogical composition of different particle size fractions of a river sediment from Calabria, southern Italy: a case study
Authors: Caridi F , Acri G , Belmusto G , Crupi V , Faggio G , Grillo R , Messina G , Paladini G , Venuti V , Majolino D
Published: January 2022

The natural radionuclides (238U, 232Th and 40K) content and the mineralogical characteristics of three different particle size fractions of a sediment sample from the Amendolea river, Calabria region, southern Italy, were investigated.

High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry was employed for the radioactivity measurements and specific activity data were reported. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements were carried out to identify the mineral contents of each particle size fraction.

This case study was developed with the aim of evaluating the specific activities of natural radionuclides and their relation to specific minerals. Data obtained can provide useful information in view of a deep understanding of the adsorption of radioactive elements and the influence of the sediment granulometry on the radionuclides specific activities.
The radioactivity distribution and radiation hazard in honey samples from Italian large retailers
Authors: Caridi F , Venuti V , Paladini G , Crupi V , Belmusto G , Majolino D
Published: January 2022

The natural (40K) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radioactivity concentration in twenty-five honey samples of five different typologies (acacia, chestnut, wildflower, linden and honeydew), coming from Italian large retailers, was investigated by High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry.

The study was carried out in order to estimate the background levels of detected radionuclides in various honey samples, as well as to assess the dose levels due to their ingestion, taking into account the average yearly direct consumption in Italy and assuming this requirement satisfied from a single kind of honey.

Experimental results were compared with the total natural radioactivity value (external + internal) for humans, in order to evaluate any possible radiological health risk.
Quantum (hyper)computation through universal quantum gates in water coherent domains
Authors: Maxmilian Caligiuri Luigi
Published: January 2022

According to quantum electrodynamics (QED), liquid water is composed by two phases, the first one characterized by a coherent state in which all the molecules oscillate in phase, the other by a non-coherent state in which they are all non-correlated. In the coherent state, the phase-correlated oscillations take place within macroscopic spatial regions called “coherent domains” (CD), admitting a spectrum of excited energy levels and generating, at their borders, an evanescent coherent e.m. field. When two or more excited CDs are sufficiently close to each other, the overlapping between their evanescent fields gives rise to a novel type of interaction due to the mutual exchange of virtual photons by quantum tunnel effect. Furthermore, when such water coherent domains are enclosed with waveguides consisting of suitable materials and design, these effects are stabilized and enhanced, allowing for the realization of an extended network of interacting coherent domains. In this paper, we’ll discuss how to exploit this dynamics to perform quantum computations by setting-up a set of universal quantum gates and calculate their operational time as a function the main parameters of the proposed physical model. We show this model can represent a basic architecture for a novel kind of quantum hyper-computer, characterized by a very high computational speed and able to overcame some of the main issues currently affecting the quantum computational frameworks so far proposed.
A “user-friendly” phantom to conduct Quality Controls on MRgFUS device
Authors: Acri G , Caridi F , Testagrossa B , Gurgone S , Anfuso C , Paladini G , Vermiglio G , Greco C , Venuti V
Published: January 2022

Magnetic Resonance guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) is a hybrid technique which uses Magnetic Resonance (MR) to obtain morphological information of the examined anatomical district and Focused Ultrasound Surgery (FUS) to ablate the body region under investigation by using MR as guidance. To ensure patients’ safety is necessary to establish periodic Quality Controls (QCs) providing a complete evaluation of system status. QCs cannot be done directly on patients, for this reason, dedicated phantoms are used to guarantee the maintenance of quality over equipment lifetime. Several phantoms are available on the market, which are distributed by manufacturers and specific to the medical equipment, resulting in closed systems. In this study, we idealized, developed and created a prototype of a completely “;user-friendly”; phantom, to conduct QCs on FUS devices. It consists of an empty cylinder of polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA), that can be filled with different fluids and various inserts, available for the Medical Physicists, to perform test measurements on different parameters (size of FUS spot, precision of FUS spot, linearity of FUS power, linearity of electric power, evaluation of target temperature). The obtained results demonstrated that the novel phantom represents a useful and adaptable device that could be used during FUS QCs evaluations.
Early-age heat flow and hydration in cementitious composites: numerical modelling based on temperature measurements
Authors: Martinelli E , Pepe M , Lima C
Published: January 2022

The heat generated during early age cement hydration causes a semi-adiabatic temperature rise of hardening concrete, while starting to develop its physical and mechanical properties. As a matter of principle, the heat generated by the hardening mixture depends on the cement properties and its hardening conditions like for instance the type of binders, quality of aggregates, water-to-cement ratio and type of formwork. A simple 1D numerical model can be formulated for simulating the evolution in time of this reaction, in order to identify the so called degree of hydration. The present paper proposes a detailed description of a theoretical approach which allow to assess the temperature development occurring in concrete elements at the early-age when the produced mixture is cured in semi-adiabatic boundary conditions. In this numerical procedure, the differential heat equation takes into account the heat that liberates to the environment through the formwork or concrete’s surface. This is done by considering the Arrhenius Principle and assuming a pre-defined shape of the adiabatic hydration curve of the concrete mixture. Hence, an indirect identification procedure of the aforementioned adiabatic curve is ideally carried out, as the simulated temperature evolution in semi-adiabatic conditions is brought to match the temperature measurements on a hardening concrete sample. This modelling procedure, enabling various boundary conditions, ranging from semi-adiabatic to isothermal, can be used to calculate the degree of hydration of a real in-situ cast concrete. Specifically, considering the variation of concrete strength class and element size some possible applications are proposed: this represents a simplified approach for the prediction of the temperature time-evolution in the concrete elements at early-age which may be also used as a practical tool for mitigating the risk of premature cracking.
Application of the Harmonica Index for noise assessment in different spatial contexts
Authors: Graziuso G , Francavilla A B , Mancini S , Guarnaccia C
Published: January 2022

Currently, noise pollution deriving from traffic, industry and leisure activities is one of the main environmental problems that affect people quality of life and health. However, it is very difficult to quantify noise effects, because they depend on people noise level tolerance, environmental noise sources, methods of definition of noise exposure and indicators. The acoustic descriptors currently used, indeed, are hardly understandable for those who do not deal with the topic, thus limiting the comprehension of the damage caused by noise. Consequently, it is essential to provide information that is easier to understand and closer to the noise pollution perceived by people. Innovative acoustic indices, like the Harmonica Index, have been defined in recent years, to overcome the aforementioned limits. Their application to different spatial contexts, with the identification of the background and the event-based components of the environmental noise, can contribute to understand the influence of human activities on the quality of an acoustic environment. In this paper, starting from data acquired both in crowdsourcing and with traditional instruments, the application of the Harmonica Index to urban, peri-urban and rural areas in south Italy will show their acoustic characteristics that could be understood also by a non-technical public.
Predicting daily water tank level fluctuations by using ARIMA model. A case study
Authors: Mancini S , Francavilla A B , Longobardi A , Viccione G , Guarnaccia C
Published: January 2022

The intrinsic dynamical features of water demand highlight the need of proper operational management of tanks in water distribution networks. In addition, due to the water resource scarcity, sustainable management of urban systems is essential. For this purpose, the aid of a predictive model is crucial since it allows to give short term forecasts that can be used to predict the oscillations of relevant parameters, i.e. tanks level and/or water demand. Urban water managers can use these predictions to implement actions aimed at the optimisation of the network function. Among several modelling techniques, the univariate time series analysis is instrumental since it allows forecasting the studied parameter by using the measurements of the parameter itself. In this paper, an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model is calibrated on water levels data, measured in an urban tank in Benevento, Campania region (Italy) and then tested on a large dataset not used to tune the parameters. The validation and forecast phases show good performances of the model on a short-term forecast horizon demonstrating the excellent potentiality of this techniques. Finally, the residuals and errors analysis complete the work suggesting possible future implementations and improvements of this technique.
An Application of ARIMA modelling to air pollution concentrations during covid pandemic in Italy
Authors: Mancini S , Francavilla A , Graziuso G , Guarnaccia C
Published: January 2022

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, space and ground-based observations have shown how Earth’s atmosphere has observed significant reductions in some air pollutants. Many studies, all over the world, demonstrated how the governmental restrictions imposed because of the spreading of the virus had positive and negative effects on the environment. In this paper, authors discuss how the levels of concentrations of some pollutants varied, in two case studies in Italy, because of the imposed lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. The extent of the variations CO and PM10 has been evaluated by comparing data registered by local monitoring stations, related to the baseline February-May, of three different years, 2018, 2019 and 2020. In order to better assess the variation of the temporal trend of pollutants before (2018, 2019) and during COVID-19 lockdown (2020) proper physic-mathematical models have been applied to the datasets. The calibration and validation of AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models on interesting series of CO and PM10 data complete the work.
Morphological and chemical characterization of atmospheric particles PM10 in an urban site in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico
Authors: Cerón Bretón J G , Cerón Bretón R M , Espinosa Guzmán A A , Lara Severino R C , Espinosa Fuentes M L , Carranco Lozada S E , Ramírez Lara E , Guarnaccia C , Bautista Nolasco V G
Published: January 2022

Start PM10 concentrations and their trace metals content (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe and Zn) were determined in an urban site of Leon, Guanajuato during the rainy season 2018. PM10 exceeded the maximum permissible levels established by the Mexican Standards and WHO, constituting a potential risk to population health. Trace metals levels in PM10 were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, and in addition, morphology and elemental content were studied for some selected particles by Scanning Electronic Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry. Chemical and morphological characterization revealed that Fe was the more abundant metal (0.986 µg m-3 ), followed in order of importance by Zn (0.243 µg m-3 ), due to theses metals are related to the crustal. Lower concentrations were found for Cu (0.140 µg m-3 ), Cd (0.119 µg m-3 ), Mn (0.070 µg m-3 ) and Co (0.043 µg m-3 ). Meteorological analysis showed that sources located at the SW and NE of the sampling site (industrial parks and facilities related to metals and mineral extraction) influenced the measured concentrations. Enrichment factors showed that all the measured metals were highly influenced by anthropogenic activity. Cancer Risk (CR) and Non-Cancer Risk Coefficients (cardiovascular and respiratory diseases) did not exceed the maximum permissible level established by EPA.The first section in your paper.
Sustainable building materials based on hemp shives and geopolymer paste
Authors: Vitola L , Vilnitis M , Pundiene I , Bajare D
Published: January 2022

European regulations states that the construction industry must encourage the rational and prudent use of non-renewable natural resources, as well as and increase the use of reusable resources and promote the use of renewable natural resources in production. Bio-composites
based on natural aggregates such as hemp shives are widely studied and used in building sector due to their extensive properties of a range that primarily is so wide, as hempshives are increasingly combined with various binders and as their production technology is evolving rapidly. In this study three series of geopolymer paste (GP) samples were studied to obtain the most suitable binder for the production of hemp shive-based bio-composites, as well as a bio-composites were created from the most suitable binder and described their compressive strength and thermal conductivity performance.
Three-dimensional CFD modelling of urban flood forces on buildings: a case study
Authors: Viccione G , Izzo C
Published: January 2022

Italy is among the countries most likely to be exposed to high hydrogeological risk. The recent 2018 Hydrogeological Disruption Report by ISPRA (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) states that about 90% of Italian municipalities fall within areas with hydrogeological risk, that is where the probability of floods/landslides is high (level P3) or very high (P4) or the hydraulic hazard is of medium level. Floods are the most severe and frequent phenomena affecting landscapes, mainly if they occur in urban contexts. Urban development, if nature-based solutions are not taken into account, determines an increase in the impermeable surface, with the effect of reducing the infiltration and water evaporation, and consequently with an increase in runoff peaks and decrease of the concentration times. In this framework, the work here presented numerically analyses the effect of floods in an urban basin, in term of their three-dimensional interaction with buildings. The site under study is Cervinara, a municipality in the Campania region, Italy, hit by severe floods in 1999. Flow peaks were calculated using the VAPI procedure, a regional methodology based on two-component extreme value (TCEV) distribution. The results show that the level of exposure of the buildings, evaluated by calculating the thrust of the interacting water on the exterior walls, is influenced by the local three-dimensional kinematics.
Modular enumeration - a new method for solving discrete programming problems
Authors: Groppen Vitaly O
Published: January 2022

A new approach resulting in a new group of algorithms for finding globally optimal solutions to discrete programming problems with Boolean variables is proposed. It is proved that the effectiveness of this method depends only on the number of variables of the problem to be solved and of the amount of RAM of used computer. The main difference from the existing methods of implicit enumeration is in the ability for some of the modular enumeration procedures to a priori predict, solving any extreme problem with Boolean variables, the number of iterations, the gain in running time in comparison with the traditional enumeration scheme, as well as the amount of RAM used. The experimental results confirm high efficiency of the proposed approaches.
Fast and accurate control of gates for quantum hypercomputation based on coherent domains of water
Authors: Maxmilian Caligiuri Luigi
Published: January 2022

Quantum electrodynamics (QED) predicts that, under suitable conditions for temperature and density, liquid water can be described as a two-phases system composed by a coherent and a non-coherent phase. The first one is characterized by the formation of macroscopic regions, called “;coherent domains” (CDs), in which all the molecules are phase - correlated among them and with a self-trapped electromagnetic field that leaks out from the CDs in the form of an evanescent tail. This feature, along with the possibility for the CDs to have an excited energy spectrum, allow them to interact each other through quantum tunneling of virtual photons. We have already shown how to exploit this dynamics to realize quantum hypercomputation by using a set of universal quantum gates made of interacting water CDs. In this paper we discuss how to accurately and fast control the macroscopic quantum states of such water coherent domains, by using electromagnetic potentials to modify the phase of their wavefunctions. Finally, a possible experimental set-up designed to this aim, based on the electric version of the Aharonov-Bohm effect, is discussed.
Design of High-performance Terahertz Sensor Based on Metamaterials
Authors: Ge Hongyi , Li Li , Jiang Yuying , Li Guangming , Wang Fei , Lv Ming , Zhang Yuan
Published: January 2022

In this paper, a high-performance terahertz sensor is proposed. The sensor obtains a perfect narrow-band transmission spectrum at 3.842 THz with a Q value of 137 at the resonance frequency. The sensitivity reaches 160 GHz/RIU at the thickness of the substance to be measured of 10 μm, with good sensing performance. The results show that it has a promising application in terahertz high-sensitivity biosensing detection.
Wearable Sensors for Detecting and Measuring Kinetic Characteristics
Authors: Huang Zihao , Li Junan , Lian Jiakun
Published: January 2022

Wearable devices play an important role in our daily life. We can use it in the sports area and the medical area. This review uses many articles to introduce how to use different sensors to analyze human kinetic characteristics. This review is divided into three parts. In the first sections, we will introduce the working principle and its calculation method of the different sensors such as IMUs sensors, pressure transducers, etc. The second part will show you some research about using wearable sensors to calculate the joint data and link the data with human movement. These researches can help us stay far away from joint diseases. In conclusion, we give some suggestions about the improvement of wearable devices.
Research on precise measurement method of full parameters of spline interlocks
Authors: He Min , Du Wenbo , Gao Hongbo , Cai Dongyan , Yang Li , Li Cui , Wu Yu
Published: January 2022

This paper mainly introduces the types, characteristics and applications of spline, studies the high-precision measurement technology of different types of spline. Based on gear measuring instrument, optical coordinate measuring machine and coordinate measuring machine, the high-precision full-parameter measurement methods of spline. Developed countries in Europe have spline standards in the 1950s. At present, China has formed a relatively complete system of key and spline linkage standards, but the overall level is still far from developed countries. With the revision of national standards, spline coupling has been applied in more and more fields with the development of industry. It also puts forward higher requirements for high-precision detection methods. Especially for rectangular splines, there is no national calibration specification for the traceability of rectangular splines. We determine the measurement methods and parameters according to the national standards, international standards and the actual production process of the factory. We hope that we can help the factory to improve the precision of splines and prolong their working life.
Research on optimization technology based on two-dimensional packing
Authors: Ji Jun , Cui Jian , Xing Feifei
Published: January 2022

The problem of packing is a problem often encountered in the early stages of advanced manufacturing application field. This paper first describes the two-dimensional nesting problem, and then analyzes three optimization techniques to solve the two-dimensional nesting problem, the mathematical model and solution process of dynamic programming, knapsack algorithm and linear programming algorithm.
Optimization of the number and positions of fixture locators for curved thin-walled parts by whale optimization algorithm
Authors: Li Cheng , Wang Zhongqi , Tong Hua , Tian Shaogang , Yang Liu
Published: January 2022

Optimizing the fixture layout of the locating element is an important method to reduce the clamping deformation of thin-walled parts. A method for optimizing the fixture layout based on whale optimization algorithm is proposed in this paper, the number and positions of the fixtures for curved thin-walled parts are optimized. Firstly, the multi-point flexible locating tooling for curved thin-walled parts is developed based on the multi-point support technology. Then the strain energy is used to describe the deformation of the curved thin-walled parts in all directions, and an optimization model that takes the position of the locating element as a decision variable and minimum strain energy as the goal is established. Combined with the whale optimization algorithm and the parameterized finite element analysis, the optimal design of the number and positions of fixture locators for curved thin-walled parts are realized. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by the aircraft skin locating layout optimization, and a multi-point flexible locating and deformation measurement platform is constructed to verify the results of finite element calculations.
A grid-assisted 3D printing method for magnetically driven micro soft robot
Authors: Gao Jian , Gao Peng , Rong Weibin , Li Dongjie , Wang Lefeng
Published: January 2022

The magnetically driven micro soft robot is one of the research hotspots in the field of micro robots. A 3D printing method for manufacturing micro soft robots with the help of auxiliary grids is proposed. The shape flexibility of the micro soft robots manufactured by the micro 3D printing method can be improved, and internal structures composed of different materials inside the micro robots can be printed using this method. The technical details of the grid-assisted 3D printing process are introduced in this article. Micro soft robots with specific patterns were 3D printed, and the deformation and movement capabilities of the robots were verified in magnetically driven motion experiments. The experimental results prove that the grid-assisted 3D printing technology can not only manufacture magnetically driven micro soft robots, but also adjust the internal structure and motion performance of the robots.
Numerical Analysis of the Temperature Field during Single-pass Two-layers Laser Additive Manufacturing of Fused Silica Glass
Authors: Lang Ming , Ruan Xiaoli , Chen Gangrong , He Chong , Hu Rui , Cheng Yuntao
Published: January 2022

Laser-based additive manufacturing (AM) of glass is rare and complex, which involves highly non-linear thermodynamic problems. The temperature gradient is essential in analyzing the residual stress distribution and thermal deformation. At present, there is no accurate formula to describe the temperature field, and it is also difficult to measure the real-time temperature of the molten pool during the AM process. The numerical method in predicting the temperature field of fused silica glass laser becomes attractive. In this work, a finite element (FE) model for laser AM of quartz glass is established, and the temperature field of laser AM of quartz glass based on the principle of coaxial powder feeding is simulated by combining a moving heat source and birth-death element method. The temperature fields under different laser powers and scan speeds are investigated respectively. Results show that the peak temperature increases with the decrease of laser scan speed and the increase of laser power; The temperature of the upper layer is higher than that of the lower layer because of the heat accumulation effect; The increment rate of laser power and scan speed is set in the range of - 12.5% to 37.5% to ensure the temperature of AM region is slightly above the melting point of quartz glass. It is found that the influence of power change on the temperature field is more significant than that of scanning speed. Meanwhile, the peak temperature-dependent linearly on those two variables disused. The results provided here are instructive for subsequent laser AM of glass material including coaxial powder feeding method, powder cladding, etc.
Advanced three-dimensional graphene-based piezoresistive sensors in wearable devices
Authors: Chen Weiyuan , Huang Yanjie
Published: January 2022

The piezoresistive pressure sensor made with a three-dimensional (3D) structure as the core material is considered a potential precision sensor for wearable devices because of its unique advantages of simple preparation principle, low power consumption, stable performance and high signal acquisition efficiency. It has attracted the attention of many scientific researchers who are committed to realizing the high intelligence and informatization of personal devices. After the rapid development in the 21st century, this technology has made many breakthroughs and showed strong application potential in high-tech fields such as human motion detection, health monitoring and electronic skin. However, this technology is still a long way from full commercial mass production. This paper introduces the unique advantages of the 3D graphene-based piezoresistive sensor in intelligent wearable devices, summarizes several production methods and applications of this 3D graphene-based piezoresistive sensor, explores the future development trend and application prospect of this technology, and discusses the challenges and prospects of piezoresistive pressure sensor based on three-dimensional graphene.
Phenylpyrimidine-Based Iridium Complex for High-Performance Green-Yellow Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Bi Y , Zhang X Y , Li H , Wang T
Published: January 2022

In this work, a phenylpyrimidine-based green-yellow iridium complex, (bpp)2Ir(acac), is prepared. Tert-butyl group is introduced to weaken the intermolecular interaction and endow (bpp)2Ir(acac) with favorable physical properties. Phosphorescent device which utilizes (bpp)2Ir(acac) as the luminescent guest material displays high efficiencies (73.9 cd/A, 84.8 lm/W, 21.2%), low efficiency roll-off (from 100 to 10000 cd/m2: 5.1%), relatively low concentration sensitivity (from 5% to 12%) and very stable electroluminescent spectra (from 1 cd/m2 to maximum luminance). As a consequence of the results proved that (bpp)2Ir(acac) is a good phosphorescent material.
Effect of Heat Treatment on Preparation of Ferrite Magnetite Hollow Beads by Self-Propagating Method
Authors: Hou Yong-shen
Published: January 2022

The characterization results of hollow ceramic beads show that oxidant KClO3 had a great influence on the preparation of hollow ceramic beads. The morphology picture and XRD analysis showed that the surface of hollow beads without KClO3 was smooth, and the particle size analysis results show that the particle size was 10 ~ 50μm. Without KClO3, the average particle size is 28.08 μm; After adding KClO3, dense dendritic crystal structure was distributed on the surface of hollow beads, and the phase is mainly BaFe2O4, and the distribution range of hollow beads is 5 ~ 40 μm, and the average particle size is 16.02 μm° It could be inferred from the analysis that the quenching reaction is fully carried out after the addition of KClO3, resulting in a large amount of gas, reducing the volume of ceramic droplets and reducing the particle size of hollow beads.
Preparation and Particle Size Study of Cobalt Substituted Strontium Doped Lanthanum Manganate Films by Sol-gel and Heat Treatment Method
Authors: Hou Yong-shen
Published: January 2022

In order to study the effect of B-position element substitution on strontium doped lanthanum manganate microstructure and resistivity temperature property, the cobalt substituted strontium doped lanthanum manganate ceramic powders with La0.6Sr0.4CoxMn1-xO3 as the main component was prepared by sol gel method combined with heat treatment process at first, then the cobalt substituted strontium doped lanthanum manganate films was prepared by silk-screen printing on the Alumina ceramic substrate. The results showed that when the x value sequentially varied from 0 to 0.2,0.4,0.6,0.8, the particle size property of films would be changed by the change of the crystal structure, which was produced by the B-position cobalt substitution. It could be seen from the results that the average radius of the five powders were concentrated in the range of 16.4-19.6nm.
The impact of the solidification rate on purification polysilicon by directional solidification
Authors: Lin Tao , Duan Chun Yan
Published: January 2022

In this experiment, directional solidification method was used to prepare metallurgical grade silicon ingot. We have studied the solidification rate which influenced the results of the experiment. Experimental results showed that the impurities were concentrated mostly in the top of silicon ingot. It was inferred that second or more times directional solidification experiments is needed to remove the impurities. What’s more, it showed that the best solidification rate is 1.5mm/min in this study.
Hydrothermal preparation and visible-light photocatalytic activity of bismuth layer structure Na0.5Bi2.5Nb2O9 nanoplates
Authors: Tian Xiaoxia , Li Songyan , Qu Shaobo , Ma Lisi , Su Yin
Published: January 2022

Nanoparticles of bismuth-layered ferroelectric and photocatalytic material, Na0.5Bi2.5Nb2O9, have been prepared by hydrothermal method synthesis, the raw materials include Bi(NO3)3, NaOH and Nb2O5. The phases and morphologies of the samples are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photocatalytic performance of the Na0.5Bi2.5Nb2O9 powders were evaluated by degradation of methylene blue(MB) molecules (λ>400 nm). The results show that the phases of Na0.5Bi2.5Nb2O9 particle is pure orthorhombic bismuth layer structure at 160 °C and 10 h. The morphology of the sample is flake-like, the thickness size is 25 nm, and the edge size is 200 nm. Na0.5Bi2.5Nb2O9 sample has excellent light response performance in the ultraviolet-visible wavelength range, with a band gap of 2.55 eV, and it exhibits photocatalytic performance for photocatalytic decomposition of MB under ultraviolet-visible light irradiation. As novel of visible-light-driven photocatalysts, Na0.5Bi2.5Nb2O9 with a two-layer Aurivillius structure has a great potentially application in environment-protection field.
Study on stability of carbon residue/Sodium acetate trihydrate composite phase change material from sludge pyrolysis
Authors: Yuan Shirui
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the pyrolysis carbon residue of sludge adsorbed sodium acetate trihydrate(SAT) of different quality to prepare composite phase change materials(CPCM). The thermal cycling performance of the prepared CPCM was tested to determine the optimal adsorption ratio of pyrolytic carbon residue to SAT. Multiple melt-solidification experiments were performed on pure SAT and CPCM to determine the improvement effect of pyrolytic carbon residue on SAT undercooling and phase separation phenomenon. The results show that the optimal adsorption ratio of pyrolytic carbon to SAT is 1:5, the undercooling degree of the CPCM is only -2.4, and the latent heat of phase change is 216.7kJ/kg, which basically overcomes the undercooling degree and phase separation phenomenon of sodium acetate trihydrate. The composite phase change material still has high latent heat value and excellent heat storage capacity after many cycles.