bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electron resonant interaction with whistler-mode waves around the Earth's bow shock I: The probabilistic approach
Authors: Shi Xiaofei , Tonoian David S. , Artemyev Anton V. , Zhang Xiao-Jia , Angelopoulos Vassilis
Published: December 2023

Adiabatic heating of solar wind electrons at the Earth's bow shock and its foreshock region produces transversely anisotropic hot electrons that, in turn, generate intense high-frequency whistler-mode waves. These waves are often detected by spacecraft as narrow-band, electromagnetic emissions in the frequency range of [0.1, 0.5] of the local electron gyrofrequency. Resonant interactions between these waves and electrons may cause electron acceleration and pitch-angle scattering, which can be important for creating the electron population that seeds shock drift acceleration. The high intensity and coherence of the observed whistler-mode waves prohibit the use of quasi-linear theory to describe their interaction with electrons. In this paper, we aim to develop a new theoretical approach to describe this interaction, which incorporates nonlinear resonant interactions, gradients of the background density and magnetic field, and the fine structure of the waveforms that usually consist of short, intense wave-packet trains. This is the first of two accompanying papers. It outlines a probabilistic approach to describe the wave–particle interaction. We demonstrate how the wave-packet size affects electron nonlinear resonance at the bow shock and foreshock regions, and how to evaluate electron distribution dynamics in such a system that is frequented by short, intense whistler-mode wave-packets. In the Paper II, this probabilistic approach is merged with a mapping technique, which allows us to model systems containing short and long wave-packets.
A method for calculating the mean ion charge in a short-lived non-equilibrium plasma—Its application to diagnostics of the laser spark
Authors: Kalmykov S. G. , Butorin P. S. , Zakharov V. S.
Published: December 2023

The described method is intended for application as a diagnostic tool for a nonstationary, short-lived plasma (in particular, for the laser-produced plasma). It is based on taking into account the lifetime of a laser-produced plasma, which is so short (several nanoseconds) that it is not enough for the ionization equilibrium to be established. Among mechanisms leading to appearance of an ion with a given charge Z in the plasma, only the electron-collisional ionization is considered, because contributions of other phenomena turn out to be negligible. The method is discussed as an example of a plasma excited on the Xe gas-jet target. The necessary collisional cross sections of ions from+7Xe to+16Xe have been calculated specifically for this study using a quantum-mechanical numerical simulation, with its principles and features being also presented in the paper. To demonstrate capabilities of the method, it has been applied to one of the experimental cases when the plasma was produced by the laser beam focused on the Xe gas-jet target. The time-integrated energy of laser radiation absorbed in the plasma was measured, and the absorption coefficient, μ, was derived from it with a correction for the plasma lifetime, which was several times shorter than the laser pulse. Using the method described here, the values of ⟨Z⟩ and then μ were calculated as a function of temperature. The time-averaged plasma temperature, T, in the above-mentioned experiment was believed to be equal to that at which the calculated and experimentally determined values of μ coincided. The following results were obtained: T = 42 eV, ⟨Z⟩ = 10.2.
Pixels and resonators with blazed Littrow structures: Passive and non-Hermitian approaches
Authors: Bardonnet F. , Crocherie A. , Besbes M. , Benisty H.
Published: December 2023

The confinement of light by Littrow blazed grating structures is explored for targeted device operation principles. For passive devices, these grating structures are explored in one and two-dimensional versions to study resonant pixel with sizes of about ten grating periods (for 4.5 μm-side), which retain a CMOS compatible design. The resonances are found to substantially enhance the weak silicon absorption at 940 nm, a wavelength of interest for, e.g., distance ranging and face recognition, and to achieve a 7.5° angular tolerance. The addition of gain and loss in generic Littrow structures that display an original dispersion made of crossing manifold is next considered, with a view to the issue of broad-area laser modal control.
Quantifying uncertainty in analysis of shockless dynamic compression experiments on platinum. II. Bayesian model calibration
Authors: Brown Justin L. , Davis Jean-Paul , Tucker J. Derek , Huerta Gabriel , Shuler Kurtis W.
Published: December 2023

Dynamic shockless compression experiments provide the ability to explore material behavior at extreme pressures but relatively low temperatures. Typically, the data from these types of experiments are interpreted through an analytic method called Lagrangian analysis. In this work, alternative analysis methods are explored using modern statistical methods. Specifically, Bayesian model calibration is applied to a new set of platinum data shocklessly compressed to 570 GPa. Several platinum equation-of-state models are evaluated, including traditional parametric forms as well as a novel non-parametric model concept. The results are compared to those in Paper I obtained by inverse Lagrangian analysis. The comparisons suggest that Bayesian calibration is not only a viable framework for precise quantification of the compression path, but also reveals insights pertaining to trade-offs surrounding model form selection, sensitivities of the relevant experimental uncertainties, and assumptions and limitations within Lagrangian analysis. The non-parametric model method, in particular, is found to give precise unbiased results and is expected to be useful over a wide range of applications. The calibration results in estimates of the platinum principal isentrope over the full range of experimental pressures to a standard error of 1.6%, which extends the results from Paper I while maintaining the high precision required for the platinum pressure standard.
Mode-coupling theory of lattice dynamics for classical and quantum crystals
Authors: Castellano Aloïs , Batista J. P. Alvarinhas , Verstraete Matthieu J.
Published: December 2023

The dynamical properties of nuclei, carried by the concept of phonon quasiparticles , are central to the field of condensed matter. While the harmonic approximation can reproduce a number of properties observed in real crystals, the inclusion of anharmonicity in lattice dynamics is essential to accurately predict properties such as heat transport or thermal expansion. For highly anharmonic systems, non-perturbative approaches are needed, which result in renormalized theories of lattice dynamics. In this article, we apply the Mori–Zwanzig projector formalism to derive an exact generalized Langevin equation describing the quantum dynamics of nuclei in a crystal. By projecting this equation on quasiparticles in reciprocal space, and with results from linear response theory, we obtain a formulation of vibrational spectra that fully accounts for the anharmonicity. Using a mode-coupling approach, we construct a systematic perturbative expansion in which each new order is built to minimize the following ones. With a truncation to the lowest order, we show how to obtain a set of self-consistent equations that can describe the lineshapes of quasiparticles. The only inputs needed for the resulting set of equations are the static Kubo correlation functions, which can be computed using (fully quantum) path-integral molecular dynamics or approximated with (classical or ab initio) molecular dynamics. We illustrate the theory with an application on fcc 4He, an archetypal quantum crystal with very strong anharmonicity.
Simulation of aqueous solutes using the adaptive solvent-scaling (AdSoS) scheme
Authors: Kubincová Alžbeta , Riniker Sereina , Hünenberger Philippe H.
Published: December 2023

The Adaptive Solvent-Scaling (AdSoS) scheme [J. Chem. Phys. 155 (2021) 094107] is an adaptive-resolution approach for performing simulations of a solute embedded in a fine-grained (FG) solvent region surrounded by a coarse-grained (CG) solvent region, with a continuous FG ↔ CG switching of the solvent resolution across a buffer layer. Instead of relying on a distinct CG solvent model, AdSoS is based on CG models defined by a dimensional scaling of the FG solvent by a factor s, accompanied by the s-dependent modulation of its mass and interaction parameters. The latter changes are designed to achieve an isomorphism between the dynamics of the FG and CG models, and to preserve the dispersive and dielectric solvation properties of the solvent with respect to a solute at FG resolution. As a result, the AdSoS scheme minimizes the thermodynamic mismatch between different regions of the adaptive-resolution system. The present article generalizes the scheme initially introduced for a pure atomic liquid in slab geometry to more practically relevant situations involving (i) a molecular dipolar solvent (e.g., water); (ii) a radial geometry (i.e., spherical rather than planar layers); and (iii) the inclusion of a solute (e.g., water molecule, dipeptide, ion, or ion pair).
Effects of micrometer-scale cavities on the shock-to-detonation transition in a heterogeneous LX-17 energetic material
Authors: Sun Jie , Yang Pengfei , Meng Baoqing , Zhou Rui , Tian Baolin , Chen Zheng
Published: December 2023

Cavities and other fracture structures within energetic materials may have significant impact on their performance. The mechanism on how hot spots induced by cavity collapse affect the detonation initiation process is still not fully understood. In this work, two-dimensional simulations are conducted for heterogeneous LX-17 energetic material containing array-distributed cavities to investigate the detonation initiation process induced by the impaction of the incident shock wave (ISW), and the impacts of cavity size and volume fraction on the shock-to-detonation transition (SDT) are also evaluated. First, we fix the cavity radius to be 40 μm and the cavity volume fraction to be 12.57%, and compare the detonation initiation processes for neat and heterogeneous LX-17 energetic materials. The results indicate that cavities within LX-17 can accelerate the detonation initiation, i.e., shortening the initiation distance and time. Then, the flow characteristics and incident shock wave evolutions during the cavity collapse process are analyzed. The results show that the interaction between the cavity and the incident shock wave results in the local hot spots and causes LX-17 reactant to auto-ignite, so as to accelerate the shock-to-detonation transition. Finally, the influence of the cavity size and volume fraction on the detonation initiation process is assessed. It is found that as the cavity volume fraction increases, the detonation initiation distance and time increase and even become larger than the results predicted of the neat case, i.e., the acceleration effect of cavities on the detonation initiation weakens and the cavities even inhibits the shock-to-detonation transition. When the cavity volume fraction is fixed, it is found cases of small-size cavity predict longer initiation distance and time than cases of large-size cavity. The analysis indicates that increasing cavity volume fraction corresponds to smaller density of LX-17 reactant, and the hot spot duration time is shorter for cases of small-size cavity than cases of large-size cavity. Therefore, the detonation initiation distance and time increase as the cavity volume fraction increases and the cavity size decreases.
Early detection of Hopf bifurcation in a solid rocket motor via transfer learning
Authors: Xu Guanyu , Wang Bing , Guan Yu , Wang Zhuopu , Liu Peijin
Published: December 2023

Hopf bifurcation, a prevalent phenomenon in solid rocket motors (SRMs), signifies a critical transition from a fixed point to a limit cycle. The detection of early warning signals (EWSs) for Hopf bifurcation is significant for preventing or mitigating potentially dangerous self-excited states. However, conventional data-driven EWSs are hindered by the lack of a consistent threshold, yielding mainly qualitative judgments when solely pre-bifurcation data are available. In this study, we introduce a transfer learning (TL) framework designed to estimate the system growth rate as an EWS utilizing pre-bifurcation data. The framework is initially trained on the correlation between dynamical features and growth rate within a source domain, generated by a reduced-order model proposed by Culick. Subsequently, it is applied to the target domain from the SRM system. This TL-based EWS exhibits remarkable sensitivity when applied to the SRM system, providing consistent threshold values for quantitative predictions based on pre-bifurcation data exclusively. Our findings present a promising path for detecting the EWSs of Hopf bifurcations in SRMs and affirm the feasibility and tremendous potential of utilizing TL in scenarios where real data are limited.
A numerical study on the effect of wall wettability on film formation in liquid–liquid slug flow
Authors: Prakash Ravi , Ghosh Sumana
Published: December 2023

This study numerically investigates the effect of the contact angle on the hydrodynamics of liquid–liquid slug flow in a capillary with an internal diameter of 2.4 mm. The finite volume method is used to solve the Navier–Stokes equation, and the volume-of-fluid method is employed for interface capturing. The contact angle varies from 13° to 169°. The aqueous phase is observed as a continuous medium, the organic phase is in a dispersed phase at low contact angles, and the aqueous phase is dispersed as a medium at high contact angles. The slug velocity is lower at partial wetting contact angles than at fully wetting or non-wetting contact angles. The vorticity inside the slug is higher at extreme contact angles (169°/13°) and becomes very pronounced near the interface. At the Weber number Weslug>0.135, fully developed film is observed. The thickness of this film increases as the interfacial tension decreases. Additionally, the pressure within the slug rises with an increase in interfacial tension.
Characteristics and mechanism of spray deviation of ethanol and its blended fuel in multi-hole spray
Authors: Lu Yiyu , Li Yijing , Liu Wenchuan , Tang Jiren , Yan Junhao , Liu Qi
Published: December 2023

Research on renewable fuels is crucial to render engines compliant with energy and environmental efficiency, and alcohol fuels have become hotspots in the field of modern gasoline direct injection engines. This study aims to elucidate the effects of ethanol addition on spray deviation under non-flash and flashing conditions. Macroscopic characteristics and microscopic characteristics can be obtained from Diffused Back Illumination and Phase Doppler Anemometry. The influential factors accounting for the spray deviation were examined, and internal flow simulations were also performed to obtain in-nozzle flow information. The angled momentum induced by the short L/D ratio leaves space for ambient gas ingestion into the counterbore under non-flash conditions. The entrained gas was affected by cavitation intensities, leading to the spray deviation, which was tracked by the Lagrangian particle trajectory method. The spray deviation is also affected by the formation of the low-pressure zone and droplets' migration. The higher surface tension and lower molecular weight of ethanol facilitate the spray expansion, forming the liquid barrier to draw the spray moving toward the injector center. Ethanol's high latent heat of evaporation inhibits the further reduction in droplets' radius, resulting in a persistent decrease in the relative span factor. On the other hand, the high latent heat of evaporation leads to a larger pressure drop induced by the vapor condensation, accounting for the “more powerful” abilities in drawing droplets into the jet center. The trade-off between the droplets' size and migration ability should be achieved to efficiently modulate spray deviation.
Effect of α-methyl on the performance of photocurable 3D printing polyurethane materials
Authors: Fei Jianhua , Du Xia , Rong Youjie , Zhu Lisheng , Zhang Xiaomin , Li Huijie , Lu Xiaoxia , Huang Xiaobo
Published: December 2023

For photosensitive polyurethane systems, reactive diluents are indispensable components whose main role is to reduce the viscosity of the polyurethane prepolymer to meet the requirements of the photocurable 3D printing technology for high fluidity of the precursor solution. Generally, the reactive diluent would be involved in the photocuring reaction, which in turn has a remarkable impact on the mechanical, reaction kinetics, and thermodynamic characteristics of the photosensitive polyurethane system. However, this feature is usually neglected in the study of photosensitive urethane acrylate (PUA) systems, so there is a considerable necessity to investigate the mechanism of active diluents in the photocured reaction of PUA systems. In this work, the effects of α-methyl groups along the chains of diluent molecules on the photoreaction kinetics, photocurable 3D printing, mechanical and mechanical properties, and thermodynamic characteristics of PUAs were investigated employing hydroxyethyl methacrylate and hydroxyethyl acrylate as active diluents, respectively. The relationship between chemical structure and kinetics of PUA systems was also elucidated by using dynamic mechanical analysis tests. The results demonstrated that the α-methyl group blocks the migration of reactive radicals, reduces the efficiency of the photoreaction, and causes an increase in the rigidity and strength of the molecular chain. This study not only revealed the effect of α-methyl on the kinetic mechanical and thermal performance of PUA systems but also paves the way for the development of a new class of photosensitive PUA materials used for the photocurable 3D printing technology.
A novel coupled-cluster singles and doubles implementation that combines the exploitation of point-group symmetry and Cholesky decomposition of the two-electron integrals
Authors: Nottoli Tommaso , Gauss Jürgen , Lipparini Filippo
Published: December 2023

A novel implementation of the coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) approach is presented that is specifically tailored for the treatment of large symmetric systems. It fully exploits Abelian point-group symmetry and the use of the Cholesky decomposition of the two-electron repulsion integrals. In accordance with modern CCSD algorithms, we propose two alternative strategies for the computation of the so-called particle–particle ladder term. The code is driven toward the optimal choice depending on the available hardware resources. As a large-scale application, we computed the frozen-core correlation energy of buckminsterfullerene (C60) with a polarized valence triple-zeta basis set (240 correlated electrons in 1740 orbitals).
Neoclassical transport of impurities in tokamaks with non-axisymmetric perturbations
Authors: Sinha Priyanjana , Ferraro Nathaniel M. , Belli Emily A.
Published: December 2023

The effect of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) on neoclassical transport of impurities is calculated in DIII-D and NSTX. The neoclassical fluxes are evaluated using the NEO code with nonlinear one-fluid nonaxisymmetric equilibrium calculated using M3D-C1. Neoclassical fluxes of impurities show significant changes with RMPs if the impurity resides in low-collisionality regime, but are weakly affected by RMPs in the Pfirsch–Schlüter (P–S) regime. Charge number (Z) of the impurity affects the collisionality of impurity species, which then determines the effect of 3D fields on neoclassical impurity transport. This suggests that RMPs can be possibly used for exhaust of low-Z impurities in these facilities, but have little effect for impurities with charge number greater than 10 or so. Additionally, it is shown that it is the change in the convective fluxes which is a main contributor in modifying the neoclassical impurity fluxes in the presence of RMPs.
Insight into the photocatalytic and photothermal effect in plasmon-enhanced water oxidation property of AuTNP@MnOx core–shell nanoconstruct
Authors: Paital Diptiranjan , Bansal Tarun , Kaushik Tannu , Joshi Gayatri , Sett Soumyadip , Khatua Saumyakanti
Published: December 2023

The development of robust and efficient photocatalytic constructs for boosting the water oxidation reaction (WOR) is needed for establishing a sunlight-driven renewable energy infrastructure. Here, we synthesized plasmonic core–shell nanoconstructs consisting of triangular gold nanoprism (AuTNP) core with mixed manganese oxide (MnOx) shell for photoelectrocatalytic WOR. These constructs show electrocatalytic WOR with a low onset overpotential requirement of 270 mV at pH 10. Photoexcitation showed further enhancement of their catalytic activity resulting in ∼15% decrease of the onset overpotential requirement along with the generation of photocurrent density of up to 300 μA/cm2. We showed that such light-driven enhancement of AuTNP@MnOx dyad’s catalytic activity toward the WOR process includes contributions from both photocatalytic (hot carriers driven) and photothermal effects with photothermal effect playing the major role for wavelength between 532 and 808 nm. The contribution from the photocatalytic effect is appreciable only for high-energy excitations near the interband region, while the photothermal effect largely dominates for lower energy excitations near the LSPR wavelengths of the dyad.
Mixing performance improvement of T-shaped micromixer using novel structural design of channel and obstacles
Authors: Tajik Ghanbari T. , Rahimi M. , Ranjbar A. A. , Pahamli Y. , Torbatinejad A.
Published: December 2023

Micromixers play a crucial role in mixing different fluids within microfluidic systems. Therefore, it is essential to analyze parameters, such as dimensional characteristics, mixing length, micromixer efficiency, and the mixing process, to enhance their performance. In this study, we examine various T-shaped micromixer designs, including triangular, rectangular, and trapezius configurations, to evaluate their mixing performance and compare them with a corresponding circular micromixer. Additionally, we investigate the effects of obstacles, varying their angles and distances, in the circular micromixer to determine trends in mixing improvement across cases. The micromixers have minimal dimensions, resulting in laminar flow. By comparing the outcomes of the proposed cases with those without obstacles, we find that the triangular micromixer exhibits the highest mixing performance with 8.3% improvement with respect to the circular case. Furthermore, while the rectangular case initially displayed the weakest performance at lower Reynolds numbers, a discernible enhancement was observed as Reynolds numbers increased. This improvement was attributed to the emergence of vortices at Re = 20. The performance showed a substantial increase, reaching a coefficient of 0.98 at Re = 40, a value closely approaching that of the triangular case. Among the three obstacles, one obstacle is varied at four different angles (0°, 60°, 90°, and 120°), while the other two obstacles remain fixed at distances of 150 and 200 μm. In cases involving obstacles, a noteworthy enhancement was evident when compared to cases without obstacles. In these cases, the introduction of obstacles resulted in a remarkable 34% improvement in the mixing index compared to obstacle-free scenarios. This improvement can be attributed to the observed flow behavior, where the formation of vortices, even at low Reynolds numbers, emerges as a key factor contributing to this enhancement. In addition, we assess the mixing enhancement to identify the most efficient arrangement of obstacles. The results indicate angles of 90° and 120° are more effective than others in improving mixing proficiency.
A rigorous model reduction for the anisotropic-scattering transport process
Authors: Hu Yuan , Liu Chang , Shen Huayun , Xiao Gang , Li Jinghong
Published: December 2023

The mesoscopic particle transport mechanics is bridged to the macroscopic fluid dynamics through the asymptotic theory. The construction of a concise model in the asymptotic regime is a major objective of kinetic theory. In this work, we propose a reduced-order model to bridge the particle transport mechanics and the macroscopic fluid dynamics in the highly scattered regime. A rigorous mathematical derivation and a concise physical interpretation are presented for an anisotropic-scattering transport process with arbitrary order of scattering kernel. The prediction of the theoretical model perfectly agrees with the numerical experiments. A clear picture of the diffusion physics is revealed for the neutral particle transport in the asymptotic optically thick regime.
Significant contributions of second-order exchange terms in GW electron–hole interaction kernel for charge-transfer excitations
Authors: Yamada Satoka , Noguchi Yoshifumi
Published: December 2023

The GW electron–hole interaction kernel, which includes two second-order exchange terms in addition to the first-order direct and exchange terms considered in the conventional GW + Bethe–Salpeter method, is applied to 10 two-molecular systems and six thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecules in which inter- and intramolecular charge transfer excitations are expected to occur. The contributions of the two second-order exchange terms are almost zero for intermolecular charge transfer excitations and ∼0.75 eV for intramolecular charge transfer excitations according to our exciton analysis method with exciton wave functions. For TADF molecules, we found that the second-order exchange terms are more significant than the first-order exchange terms, and the contributions—even for local-type and delocalized-type excitations—are not negligibly small. We revealed that the two second-order exchange terms are proportional to the molecular size, the exciton binding energy, and the electron–hole overlap strength for intramolecular charge-transfer excitations. We believe that our findings are indispensable for further considerations of the GW method in the future.
Electron binding energies of SO2 at the surface of a water cluster
Authors: Martins João B. L. , Cabral Benedito J. C.
Published: December 2023

The electronic properties of SO2 at the surface of a water cluster were investigated by employing a combination of Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics and electron propagator theory (EPT). In our work, we utilized a revised version of the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) exchange-correlation functional, which incorporates empirical corrections for dispersion interactions in line with a recent study of the air–water interface conducted by Ohto et al. [J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 10(17), 4914–4919 (2019)]. Polarization effects induce a significant broadening of the electron binding energy distribution, as predicted by EPT. This broadening can result in a substantial increase in electron affinity, impacting the chemical reactivity of SO2 at the air–water interface, a topic of significant and recent research interest. We discuss the relationship between electron binding energies (EBEs) and the specific connections of SO2 to water. The results indicate that configurations involving an OS⋯H bond tend to yield higher electron affinities compared to complex formation through S⋯OW bonds. Surprisingly, SO2 molecules not bound to water molecules according to a specific criterion may also exhibit higher electron affinities. This feature can be explained by the role played by the polarization field from water molecules. Our best estimate for the HOMO–LUMO (H–L) gap of SO2 at the surface of a water cluster is 11.6 eV. Very similar H–L gaps are predicted for isolated and micro-solvated SO2. Fukui functions for the gas phase, and the micro-solvated SO2–H2O complex supports the view that the LUMO is predominantly localized on the SO2 moiety.
Recognition of rotational modes of magnetic nanoparticles by frequency dependence of magnetic linear dichroism under AC field
Authors: Suwa Masayori , Kawahigashi Shintaro , Emura Hitoshi , Tsukahara Satoshi
Published: December 2023

This study shows that magnetic linear dichroism (MLD) measurement has great potential for characterizing magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) used in recently developing biomedical applications or nanoscale mechanical measurement techniques. MLD of MNP suspension reflects the orientation of the MNP. We investigated the frequency dependence of the MLD of MNP suspension under a simple AC field and the effect of the MNP size and material. Under an AC field with the frequency f, the MLD oscillated with 2f for every MNP. The amplitude and phase of this 2f-oscillation were precisely measured with a lock-in amplifier, and we showed the MLD2f frequency spectrum, a plot of real and imaginary parts of the 2f-component of MLD as a function of f. We found that the shape of the MLD2f frequency spectrum can distinguish the rotational modes of MNPs in an AC field. Therefore, this spectrum is helpful for the selection of MNPs for each technique mentioned above. We propose two model functions to fit the MLD2f frequency spectra, consistent with each rotational mode. It is shown that one of the fitting parameters τ0 is associated with the rotational Brownian relaxation time of MNP, and the other parameter β would represent the distribution of the anisotropy energy. The frequency dependence of MLD will provide precise insights into the magnetization and orientational dynamics of the MNP in liquid.
FAP expression in adipose tissue macrophages promotes obesity and metabolic inflammation
Authors: Wu Yunyun , Wu Chao , Shi Tiancong , Cai Qian , Wang Tianyao , Xiong Yingluo , Zhang Yubin , Jiang Wei , Lu Mingfang , Chen Zhengrong , Chen Jing , Wang Jiqiu , He Rui
Published: December 2023

Adipose tissue macrophages (ATM) are key players in the development of obesity and associated metabolic inflammation which contributes to systemic metabolic dysfunction. We here found that fibroblast activation protein α (FAP), a well-known marker of cancer-associated fibroblast, is selectively expressed in murine and human ATM among adipose tissue-infiltrating leukocytes. Macrophage FAP deficiency protects mice against diet-induced obesity and proinflammatory macrophage infiltration in obese adipose tissues, thereby alleviating hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. Mechanistically, FAP specifically mediates monocyte chemokine protein CCL8 expression by ATM, which is further upregulated upon high-fat-diet (HFD) feeding, contributing to the recruitment of monocyte-derived proinflammatory macrophages with no effect on their classical inflammatory activation. CCL8 overexpression restores HFD-induced metabolic phenotypes in the absence of FAP. Moreover, macrophage FAP deficiency enhances energy expenditure and oxygen consumption preceding differential body weight after HFD feeding. Such enhanced energy expenditure is associated with increased levels of norepinephrine (NE) and lipolysis in white adipose tissues, likely due to decreased expression of monoamine oxidase, a NE degradation enzyme, by

Fap
−/−

ATM. Collectively, our study identifies FAP as a previously unrecognized regulator of ATM function contributing to diet-induced obesity and metabolic inflammation and suggests FAP as a potential immunotherapeutic target against metabolic disorders.
Instrumental variables methods reconcile intention-to-screen effects across pragmatic cancer screening trials
Authors: Angrist Joshua D. , Hull Peter
Published: December 2023

Pragmatic cancer screening trials mimic real-world scenarios in which patients and doctors are the ultimate arbiters of treatment. Intention-to-screen (ITS) analyses of such trials maintain randomization-based apples-to-apples comparisons, but differential adherence (the failure of subjects assigned to screening to get screened) makes ITS effects hard to compare across trials and sites. We show how instrumental variables (IV) methods address the nonadherence challenge in a comparison of estimates from 17 sites in five randomized trials measuring screening effects on colorectal cancer incidence. While adherence rates and ITS estimates vary widely across and within trials, IV estimates of per-protocol screening effects are remarkably consistent. An application of simple IV tools, including graphical analysis and formal statistical tests, shows how differential adherence explains variation in ITS impact. Screening compliers are also shown to have demographic characteristics similar to those of the full trial study sample. These findings argue for the clinical relevance of IV estimates of cancer screening effects.
A polyimine aerogel separator with electron cloud design to boost Li-ion transport for stable Li metal batteries
Authors: Ding Luoyi , Yue Xinyang , Zhang Xinhai , Chen Yuanmao , Liu Jijiang , Shi Zhangqin , Wang Zhiyong , Yan Xuzhou , Liang Zheng
Published: December 2023

The separator with high Young’s modulus can avoid the danger of large-sized dendrites, but regulating the chemical behavior of lithium (Li) at the separator/anode interface can effectively eliminate the dendrite issue. Herein, a polyimine aerogel (PIA) with accurate nitrogen (N) functional design is used as the functional separator in Li metal batteries to promote uniform Li nucleation and suppress the dendrite growth. Specifically, the imine (N1) and protonated tertiary amine (N2) sites in the molecular structure of the PIA are significantly different in electron cloud density (ECD) distribution. The N1 site with higher ECD and the N2 site with lower ECD tend to attract and repulse Li
+
through electrostatic interactions, respectively. This synergy effect of the PIA separator accelerates the interfacial Li
+
diffusion on the Li anode to sustain a uniform two-dimensional Li nucleation behavior. Meanwhile, the well-defined nanochannels of the PIA separator show high affinity to electrolyte and bring uniform Li
+
flux for Li plating/stripping. Consequently, the dendrites are effectively suppressed by the PIA separator in routine carbonate electrolyte, and the Li metal batteries with the PIA separator exhibit high Coulombic efficiency and stable high-rate cycling. These findings demonstrate that the ingenious marriage of special chemical structure designs and hierarchical pores can enable the separator to affect the interfacial Li nucleation behavior.
The impact of ISO/TC 37 standards on technical communication
Authors: Mahr Sabine
Published: December 2023

Rather than just profiting from digitalization efforts such as the implementation and improvement of automated
content delivery processes, technical communication itself currently has the opportunity of becoming a major driver in
digitalization. The essence of technical communicators’ work is to create representations of products under the aspect of product
use. In order to convey how a product functions and how it shall be used, they build concepts that reflect its structure and the
structure of the domain to which it belongs. These concepts and their interrelations represent the underlying architecture of
information that is rendered into ‘technical documentation’ in the course of the information development process which parallels
the product development process. To harmonize concepts for information on products to be launched and in its proper domain, as
well as to ensure interoperability between digital resources, technical communication relies on a range of standards created
within and published by ISO Technical Committee 37, Language and Terminology (ISO/TC
37).
The ho-V construction in Taiwanese Southern Min and the degree-introducing morpheme
ho and u
Authors: Liu Chen-Sheng Luther
Published: December 2023

In this study, I first provide an in-depth study on the TSM ho-V construction with a monosyllabic
V, especially on the morpho-syntactic function and the degree-introducing function of the morpheme ho
‘hoVD’. Then, based on Liu’s (2020) study on the TSM
u-V construction, I comprehensively compare these two constructions, which reaches two major points. First, the
ho-V sequence and the u-V sequence are intransitive compound verb. The V that
u ‘uVD’ merges with can be a lexical verb or an aspectual verb; however, the V that
ho ‘hoVD’ merges with must be a lexical verb. When forming a compound verb with a lexical verb,
u ‘uVD’ has the same morpho-syntactic function as ho ‘hoVD’. Second,
these two morphemes differ in how to introduce the degree meaning for their corresponding construction. Namely, the dimension of
measurement carried by the measure function introduced by u ‘uVD’ is determined by what is measured;
however, the morpheme ho ‘hoVD’ intrinsically carries a dimension of measurement. Depending on what
the morpheme ho ‘hoVD’ modifies is the entity denoted by the subject in question or the eventuality
argument of V, the dimension of measurement carried by it can be interpreted as ‘be good for one to V’ or ‘it is easy for one to
V’.
Chinese patients’ unsolicited presentation of primary concerns
Authors: Yang Zi , Wang Xueming
Published: December 2023

Through an observation of naturally-occurring medical openings in China, we show that problem solicitation is not
necessarily a routine practice in medical consultations. There are four common conversational slots in a Chinese medical opening
allowing an unsolicited problem presentation, featuring a common deep structure – a generic pre-sequence followed by the specific
base sequence of problem presentation. Three logically connected factors distinguishing Chinese medical openings from their
Western counterparts are identified to provide the rationale for the normality of unsolicited problem presentation in China. The
study enriches the understanding of culture-specificity in certain local structural organization of medical consultations, calls
for activity-specific reconsideration of medical authority and reveals further resemblance between medical consultations and
service encounters.
La letteratura italo-romena contemporanea. Sulla migrazione che genera trasgressione
Authors: Karp Karol
Published: December 2023

The article aims to analyze the phenomenon of transgression in Italian-language Romanian literature on the example
of two novels entitled La frivolezza del cristallo liquido (2008) by
Irina Turcanu and Dodici più un angelo (2012) by Ingrid Beatrice Coman. The starting point for the considerations
is the hypothesis that writers who experienced migration, life under communism and negative emotions related to them may use the
category of transgression in their narratives in a particularly intense way. In the cited works, the most important elements
expressing transgression and its contexts are characterized. Transgression turns out to be a special narrative technique. It
allows to criticize wicked human attitudes and emphasize the tragic situation of an individual who has become the object of
transgressive acts.
Regularization of the inverse Laplace transform by mollification
Authors: Maréchal Pierre , Triki Faouzi , Simo Tao Lee Walter C
Published: December 2023

In this paper we study the inverse Laplace transform. We first derive a new global logarithmic stability estimate that shows that the inversion is severely ill-posed. Then we propose a regularization method to compute the inverse Laplace transform using the concept of mollification. Taking into account the exponential instability we derive a criterion for selection of the regularization parameter. We show that by taking the optimal value of this parameter we improve significantly the convergence of the method. Finally, making use of the holomorphic extension of the Laplace transform, we suggest a new PDEs based numerical method for the computation of the solution. The effectiveness of the proposed regularization method is demonstrated through several numerical examples.
Releasing antiferromagnetic skyrmions from local magnetic-anisotropy defects
Authors: Silva R L , Silva R C , Pereira A R
Published: December 2023

Lattice defects may work as a kind of apparatus for catching topological excitations, preventing their escape. So, the problem of removing skyrmions from eventual local defects in magnetic materials must be closely related to new technologies such as skyrmionic. Here, we examine the conditions for drawing a skyrmion from a magnetic impurity in a two-dimensional antiferromagnetic system by applying spin-polarized currents (SPC). Two types of impurities are investigated (local easy-axis and easy-plane anisotropy defects). Also, two methods to release the skyrmion with SPC are explored. In principle, our results could be qualitatively relevant to any other type of lattice defect.
Simultaneous pseudospin and valley topological edge states of elastic waves in phononic crystals made of distorted Kekulé lattices
Authors: Huang Hongbo , Chen Jiujiu , Mao Liang , Wang Rongji
Published: December 2023

Topological metamaterials protected by the spatial inversion symmetry mainly support single type edge state, interpreted by either the quantum valley Hall effect or the quantum spin Hall effect. However, owing to the existence of the complicated couplings and waveform conversions during elastic wave propagation, realizing topologically protected edge states that support both pseudospin and valley degrees of freedom in elastic system remains a great challenge. Here, we propose a two-dimensional Kekulé phononic crystal (PC) that can simultaneously possess pseudospin- and valley-Hall edge states in different frequency bands. By inhomogeneously changing the elliptical direction in a Kekulé lattice of elliptical cylinders, three complete phononic bandgaps exhibiting distinct topological phase transitions can be obtained, one of which supports a pair of pseudospin-Hall edge states and the other hosts valley-Hall edge states in the low and high frequency regime. Furthermore, a sandwiched PC heterostructure and a four-channel cross-waveguide splitter are constructed to achieve selective excitation and topological robust propagation of pseudospin- and valley-momentum locking edge states in a single configuration. These results provide new possibilities for manipulating in-plane bulk elastic waves with both pseudospin and valley degrees of freedom in a single configuration, which has potential applications for multiband and multifunctional waveguiding.
Optimizing the method for removing MSNs templates using an ionic liquid ([C4mim]Cl)
Authors: Pu Xia , Cai Wanling , Chen Huayao , Yang Fujie , Mu Xiaomei
Published: December 2023

The key step in preparing mesoporous silica is to remove the organic template agent, and the most common method used to achieve this goal is high-temperature calcination. However, this method has many disadvantages, one of which is that it reduces the silanol density on the surface of mesoporous silica, which affects its subsequent modification. Ionic liquids (ILs) are often used as extractants. In this work, the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl) IL is considered, and the effects of its concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time as well as HCl concentration on the extraction rate and silanol density were investigated using an IL extraction template agent (cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)). The results show that an IL concentration of 10%, a reaction temperature of 120 °C, a reaction time of 12 h, and an HCl concentration of 1% are the best reaction parameters; with these parameters, the extraction rate and the silanol density were found to be 93.19% and 2.23%, respectively. The silanol density of mesoporous silica treated by calcination is only 0.81%. A higher silanol density provides more reaction sites, so that the modified mesoporous silica treated with the IL can be loaded with more Zn ions.
Bimetallic synergistic catalysts based on two-dimensional carbon-rich conjugated frameworks for nitrate electrocatalytic reduction to ammonia: catalyst screening and mechanism insights
Authors: Luo FengLing , Guo Ling
Published: December 2023

The discovery of the ‘two birds, one stone’ electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) allows for the removal of harmful NO3
− pollutants as well as the production of economically beneficial ammonia (NH3). However, current understanding of the catalytic mechanism of NO3RR is not enough, and this research is still challenging. To determine the mechanism needed to create efficient electrocatalysts, we thoroughly examined the catalytic activity of molybdenum-based diatomic catalysts (DACs) anchored on two-dimensional carbon-rich conjugated frameworks (2D CCFs) for NO3RR. Among the 23 candidate materials, after a four-step screening method and detailed mechanism studies, we discovered that NO3RR can efficiently generate NH3 by following the N-end pathway on the MoTi-Pc, MoMn-Pc, and MoNb-Pc, with limiting potential of −0.33 V, −0.13 V, and −0.38 V, respectively. The activity of NO3RR can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the TM1–TM2 dimer d orbital coupling to the anti-bonding orbital of NO3
−. Additionally, high hybridization between the Mo-4d, TM-3d(4d), and NO3
−−2p orbitals on the MoTMs-Pc DACs can speed up the flow of electrons from the Mo-TM dual-site to NO3
−. The research presented here paves the way for the reasonable design of effective NO3RR catalysts and offers a theoretical basis for experimental research.
Development and evaluation of a new high-TOF-resolution all-digital brain PET system
Authors: Fang Lei , Zhang Bo , Li Bingxuan , Zhang Xiangsong , Zhou Xiaoyun , Yang Jigang , Li Ang , Shi Xinchong , Liu Yuqing , Kreissl Michael , D’Ascenzo Nicola , Xiao Peng , Xie Qingguo
Published: December 2023

Objective. Time-of-flight (TOF) capability and high sensitivity are essential for brain-dedicated positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, as they improve the contrast and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) enabling a precise localization of functional mechanisms in the different brain regions. Approach. We present a new brain PET system with transverse and axial field-of-view (FOV) of 320 mm and 255 mm, respectively. The system head is an array of 6 × 6 detection elements, each consisting of a 3.9 × 3.9 × 20 mm3 lutetium–yttrium oxyorthosilicate crystal coupled with a 3.93 × 3.93 mm2 SiPM. The SiPMs analog signals are individually digitized using the multi-voltage threshold (MVT) technology, employing a 1:1:1 coupling configuration. Main results. The brain PET system exhibits a TOF resolution of 249 ps at 5.3 kBq ml−1, an average sensitivity of 22.1 cps kBq−1, and a noise equivalent count rate (NECR) peak of 150.9 kcps at 8.36 kBq ml−1. Furthermore, the mini-Derenzo phantom study demonstrated the system’s ability to distinguish rods with a diameter of 2.0 mm. Moreover, incorporating the TOF reconstruction algorithm in an image quality phantom study optimizes the background variability, resulting in reductions ranging from 44% (37 mm) to 75% (10 mm) with comparable contrast. In the human brain imaging study, the SNR improved by a factor of 1.7 with the inclusion of TOF, increasing from 27.07 to 46.05. Time-dynamic human brain imaging was performed, showing the distinctive traits of cortex and thalamus uptake, as well as of the arterial and venous flow with 2 s per time frame. Significance. The system exhibited a good TOF capability, which is coupled with the high sensitivity and count rate performance based on the MVT digital sampling technique. The developed TOF-enabled brain PET system opens the possibility of precise kinetic brain PET imaging, towards new quantitative predictive brain diagnostics.