bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A high-resolution neutron spectroscopic camera for the SPARC tokamak based on the Jet European Torus deuterium–tritium experience
Authors: Tardocchi M. , Rebai M. , Rigamonti D. , Tinguely R. A. , Caruggi F. , Croci G. , Dal Molin A. , Ghani Z. , Giacomelli L. , Girolami M. , Grosso G. , Kushoro M. , Marcer G. , Mastellone M. , Muraro A. , Nocente M. , Perelli Cippo E. , Petruzzo M. , Putignano O. , Scionti J. , Serpente V. , Trucchi D. M. , Mackie S. , Saltos A. A. , De Marchi E. , Parisi M. , Trotta A. , de la Luna E. , Garcia J. , Kazakov Y. , Maslov M. , Stancar Z. , Gorini G. ,   JET contributors
Published: November 2022

Dedicated nuclear diagnostics have been designed, developed, and built within EUROFUSION enhancement programs in the last ten years for installation at the Joint European Torus and capable of operation in high power Deuterium–Tritium (DT) plasmas. The recent DT Experiment campaign, called DTE2, has been successfully carried out in the second half of 2021 and provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the performance of the new nuclear diagnostics and for an understanding of their behavior in the record high 14 MeV neutron yields (up to 4.7 × 1018 n/s) and total number of neutrons (up to 2 × 1019 n) achieved on a tokamak. In this work, we will focus on the 14 MeV high resolution neutron spectrometers based on artificial diamonds which, for the first time, have extensively been used to measure 14 MeV DT neutron spectra with unprecedented energy resolution (Full Width at Half Maximum of ≈1% at 14 MeV). The work will describe their long-term stability and operation over the DTE2 campaign as well as their performance as neutron spectrometers in terms of achieved energy resolution and high rate capability. This important experience will be used to outline the concept of a spectroscopic neutron camera for the SPARC tokamak. The proposed neutron camera will be the first one to feature the dual capability to measure (i) the 2.5 and 14 MeV neutron emissivity profile via the conventional neutron detectors based on liquid or plastics scintillators and (ii) the 14 MeV neutron spectral emission via the use of high-resolution diamond-based spectrometers. The new opportunities opened by the spectroscopic neutron camera to measure plasma parameters will be discussed.
Instrument design for an inertial confinement fusion ion temperature imager
Authors: Birge N. , Geppert-Kleinrath V. , Danly C. , Haines B. , Ivancic S. T. , Jorgenson J. , Katz J. , Mendoza E. , Sorce A. T. , Tafoya L. , Wilde C. , Volegov P.
Published: November 2022

A mix of contaminant mass is a known, performance-limiting factor for laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF). It has also recently been shown that the contaminant mass is not necessarily in thermal equilibrium with the deuterium–tritium plasma [B. M. Haines et al., Nat. Commun. 11, 544 (2020)]. Contaminant mass temperature is one of the dominant uncertainties in contaminant mass estimates. The MixIT diagnostic is a new and potentially transformative diagnostic, capable of spatially resolving ion temperature. The approach combines principles of neutron time-of-flight and neutron imaging diagnostics. The information from the MixIT diagnostic can be used to optimize ICF target and laser drive designs as well as provide key constraints on ICF radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that are critical to contaminant mass estimates. This work details the design and optimization of the major components of the MixIT diagnostic: the neutron aperture, the neutron detector (scintillator), and the recording system.
PM4Stell: A prototype permanent magnet stellarator structure
Authors: Zhu Caoxiang , Hammond Kenneth , Rutkowski Adam , Corrigan Keith , Bishop Douglas , Brooks Arthur , Dugan Peter , Ellis Robert , Perkins Luke , Zhai Yuhu , Chambliss Amelia , Gates David , Steward Dennis , Miller Craig , Lown Bob , Mercurio Robert
Published: November 2022

Permanent magnets provide a possible solution to simplify complicated stellarator coils. A prototype permanent magnet stellarator structure, PM4Stell, has been funded to demonstrate the technical feasibility of using permanent magnets to create the shaping field of a stellarator. Permanent magnets in uniform cubes with three polarization directions will be carefully placed to generate the required magnetic field for a National Compact Stellarator eXperiment-like equilibrium together with planar toroidal field coils. Discrete magnets will be glued together and inserted into a “post-office-box-like” supporting structure. Electromagnetic and structural analyses have been done to validate the design. Error field correction magnets will be used to shim possible error fields. The design efforts of the prototype permanent magnet stellarator structure are discussed.
Dephasing and phase-locking: Dual role of radial electric field in edge MHD dynamics of toroidally confined plasmas
Authors: Zhang Y. , Guo Z. B. , Diamond P. H. , Xu X. Q. , Li Z. Y. , Xu M.
Published: November 2022

We carry out several numerical simulations to illustrate how the radial electric field (Er) impacts the edge magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities. The analyses reveal that Er-shear (Er′, here the prime denotes the derivative with respect to the radial direction) tends to stabilize the kink/Peeling–Ballooning modes by dephasing the perturbed radial velocity (ṽr) and displacement (ξ̃r). However, Er-curvature (Er″) tends to destabilize the kink/peeling modes by inducing a phase lock between ṽr and ξ̃r. More specifically, the ratio between them could be measured to quantify their relative competition strength. Consequently, the shape of Er is crucial to the shape of linear growth rate spectrum γ(n) (here n is the toroidal mode number), which further determines the nonlinear dynamics. On the one hand, relatively larger Er-curvature causes narrower γ(n), leading to larger nonlinear energy loss fraction. On the other hand, relatively larger Er-shear has the opposite effect.
Long filamentary discharge produced in helium spiral vortex
Authors: Lee Hsin-Houng , Chu Hong-Yu
Published: November 2022

We report the generation of long plasma filament confined in a helium spiral vortex at atmospheric pressure. The discharge is produced by a dielectric barrier discharge setup and confined in the center of a spiral vortex. The length of the discharge can be several centimeters with flow rate less than 1 SLM. We find that the long filamentary discharge is the trajectory of fast-traveling plasma bursts and plasma plumes, where the plasma bursts are similar to the plasma jet produced at atmospheric pressure. The speeds of the downstream and upstream plasma bursts are about 46 000 and 95 000 m/s, respectively, which are affected by the spirally upward helium gas flow. Based on the novel design of vortex-confined discharge, we show that a plasma filament with a length of 10 cm can be produced.
A numerical modeling of the frequency dependence of the capacitance–voltage and conductance–voltage characteristics of GaN MIS structures
Authors: Nishiguchi K. , Nakata K. , Hashizume T.
Published: November 2022

The capacitance–voltage (C–V) and conductance–voltage (G–V) characteristics of GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) structures have a frequency dependence due to the capture and emission of electrons by the high density of the interface states. However, the details of how an interface state affects C–V and G–V characteristics is still not well understood. In this paper, we report a numerical modeling method that can simulate the frequency dependent C–V and G–V characteristics of GaN MIS structures.
Large imprint in epitaxial 0.67Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.33PbTiO3 thin films for piezoelectric energy harvesting applications
Authors: Belhadi J. , Hanani Z. , Trstenjak U. , Shepelin N. A. , Bobnar V. , Koster G. , Hlinka J. , Pergolesi D. , Lippert T. , El Marssi M. , Spreitzer M.
Published: November 2022

Tuning and stabilizing a large imprint in epitaxial relaxor ferroelectric thin films is one of the key factors for designing micro-electromechanical devices with an enhanced figure of merit (FOM). In this work, epitaxial 500 nm-thick 0.67Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.33PbTiO3 (PMN–33PT) films, free from secondary phases and with extremely low rocking curves (FWHM < 0.05°), are grown on ScSmO3 (SSO) and DyScO3 (DSO) substrates buffered with SrRuO3 (SRO). The PMN–33PT is observed to grow coherently on SSO substrates (lattice mismatch of −0.7%), which is c-axis oriented and exhibits large tetragonality compared to bulk PMN–33PT, while on DSO substrates (lattice mismatch of −1.9%), the PMN–33PT film is almost completely relaxed and shows reduced tetragonality. Due to the compressive epitaxial strain, the fully strained PMN–33PT film displays typical ferroelectric P–E hysteresis loops, while the relaxed sample shows relaxor-like P–E loops. Samples present large negative imprints of about −88.50 and −49.25 kV/cm for PMN–33PT/SRO/SSO and PMN–33PT/SRO/DSO, respectively, which is more than threefold higher than the coercive field. The imprint is induced by the alignment of defect dipoles with the polarization and is tuned by the epitaxial strain. It permits the stabilization of a robust positive polarization state (Pr ∼ 20 μC/cm2) and low dielectric permittivity (<700). In addition, the relaxed PMN–33PT film shows improved piezoelectric properties, with a 33% enhancement in d33,eff relative to the fully strained sample. The obtained low dielectric permittivity and the high piezoelectric coefficients at zero electric field in the studied PMN–33PT films hold great promise to maximize the FOM toward applications in piezoelectric devices.
Anisotropic magnetoelectric transport in AgCrSe2 single crystals
Authors: Han Dan , Qi Ji , Huang Yingkai , Wang Zhenhua , Li Bing , Zhang Zhidong
Published: November 2022

AgCrSe2, a quasi-two-dimensional material, is famous for its superionic conducting. Here, it is confirmed that the anisotropic behaviors exist in the magnetic, electronic, and magneto-transport properties of the AgCrSe2 single crystal. A field induced phase transition causes asymmetrical antiferromagnetic states in the μ0H//ab plane and the c axis, which correspond to the positive/negative magnetoresistances in two directions, respectively. Below ∼32 K, a spin flop is manifested with a magnetic field of about 4 T, according to the field dependent electoral resistance. The anisotropic behaviors are ascribed to the quasi-two-dimensional structure and also to the unstable Ag+ ions and the puckered honeycomb lattice of Cr3+ ions. This research reveals fundamental transport properties in AgCrSe2 single crystals and can be explored further in superionic conductor engineering.
The interfacial swirling motion of two-layer liquids in a tank under orbital excitations
Authors: Liu Dongming , Wu Yang , Lin Pengzhi
Published: November 2022

The swirling motion of the interface of two-layer liquids in a tank with a square base is investigated experimentally in this study. The tank was fixed on a platform and the horizontal circular-orbital excitations were applied. Both resonant and off-resonant responses were studied and the profiles of the interface between two liquids along two adjacent vertical walls of the tank were recorded and processed by using the image processing method. When the frequency of the excitation was equal to the lowest natural frequency of the interface between two liquids, the resonant response of the interface was triggered as swirling waves with strong nonlinearity. Instead of being a circular shape, the parametric curve was more of a triangular shape. The modal analysis revealed that this is caused by the additional contributions from the nonlinear modes of sloshing waves with multiple times of the natural frequency. For off-resonant cases, the nonlinear contribution is weaker and the parametric curve is, thus, close to a circular shape.
An unconventional tsunami: 2022 Tonga event
Authors: Han Peida , Yu Xiping
Published: November 2022

On January 15, 2022, a powerful eruption occurred at Honga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, Tonga, and a tsunami was generated to propagate across the Pacific Ocean. The recorded tsunami waves were both earlier and more destructive than predicted by the conventional tsunami models. In this study, we investigate the underlying mechanism of this tsunami event, which is confirmed to be a combination of the atmospheric forcing, the volcanic eruption and the local resonance. Our numerical results show that the atmospheric pressure variations induced by the volcano eruption generated early waves with small amplitudes of about 0.1 m, while the volcano eruption as a direct source, with a duration of 8 min and an ejected volume of 0.3 km3, triggered large waves propagating across the South Pacific Ocean with amplitudes of about 0.5 m. In addition, the local resonance effect resulted in extreme waves with amplitude of 0.8–1.7 m in the coastal regions. These results reasonably explain the observed facts, confirming that the 2022 Tonga tsunami was an unconventional event.
Development and validation of a low magnetic permeability measurement setup
Authors: Katiyar Anurag Kumar , Prakash Alok , Dangi Antim , Dubey Satya Kesh
Published: November 2022

Measurement of relative permeability has a significant role in deciding the suitability of magnetic material for various industrial applications. Several developments and modifications have been made that can directly or indirectly measure the permeability of such materials. However, these developments suffer from various limitations, such as low accuracy, poor resolution, and high cost of measurement. In this work, a new measurement setup has been developed to precisely measure relative permeability in the range of 1–2. The setup has been designed based on the flux metric (solenoid) method in accordance with ASTM A 342 and EN 60404-15. A comparative analysis has been performed for known materials using different flux meters to verify the performance of the measuring coil. The developed setup was further validated against the magnetic moment method, i.e., vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), regarding the permeability measurement of these materials. The results depicted a close agreement between the output of the developed setup and VSM data. The developed system claims a relative error of less than 1% with respect to VSM in measuring the permeability of materials. Measurement uncertainty for the developed system was also determined. Such an accurate and low-cost measurement setup can become a possible solution for the permeability measurement of feebly magnetic materials.
Heat transfer and wake-induced vibrations of heated tandem cylinders with two degrees of freedom: Effect of spacing ratio
Authors: Ali Ussama , Islam Md , Janajreh Isam
Published: November 2022

The heat transfer and wake-induced vibrations of a cylinder of circular cross section in the wake of another identical cylinder are numerically studied in this work at a Reynolds number (Re) = 100. The reduced velocities (Ur) are varied in the range of 2–14. The downstream cylinder is allowed to oscillate in two degrees of freedom, i.e., in the transverse as well as in the streamwise direction. The mass ratio (m*) is taken as 10, while the structural damping is ignored to get the maximum amplitude of vibration. The spacing ratio (L/D) between the cylinders is varied from 1.5 to 6, covering the major regimes, i.e., single body, reattachment, and co-shedding. The coefficients of lift (CL) and drag (CD), vibrational amplitudes of the cylinder, the Nusselt number (Nu), the Strouhal number (St), and vortex shedding patterns are studied. The results are discussed with the help of lift-displacement phase plots, cylinder trajectory plots, and vorticity and temperature contours. The lock-in condition at Ur = 8 is observed for all values of L/D, whereas the lock-in zone is the widest for the co-shedding regime at L/D = 6. By increasing L/D from 1.5 to 2.5 at Ur = 8, the CL of the downstream cylinder increases by 43%, whereas the CL of the upstream cylinder decreases by 61%. The downstream cylinder experiences lower drag as compared to the upstream cylinder and stationary isolated cylinder. A maximum decrease in the average drag coefficient of 107%, as compared to the stationary isolated cylinder, was observed for the downstream cylinder at L/D = 1.5 and Ur = 2, leading to the negative drag. Mostly, the 2S and C(2S) vortex shedding pattern is observed, whereas a steady flow and chaotic pattern emerged in a few cases. The results reveal that with increasing L/D, the average Nu for both the upstream and downstream cylinders increases as the effect of each cylinder on the other diminishes.
The streak-end rule: How past experiences shape decisions about future behaviors in a large-scale natural field experiment with volunteer crisis counselors
Authors: Kang Polly , Daniels David P. , Schweitzer Maurice E.
Published: November 2022

Decisions about future behaviors are clearly shaped by thecontentof past experiences, but whether theorderof past experiences matters remains controversial. By analyzing the largest field experiment about prosocial behavior to date, a natural field experiment involving 14,383 volunteer crisis counselors over five years, we examine how the content and order of past experiences causally influence decisions about future behaviors — whether individuals continue volunteering or quit. Volunteers were repeatedly and randomly assigned to perform 1,976,649 prosocial behaviors that were either harder (suicide conversations) or easier (non-suicide conversations). We found that thecontentof past experiences mattered: Harder (versus easier) behaviors encouraged quitting. However, theorderof past experiences mattered far beyond their content alone: Harder behaviors caused disproportionately more quitting if they came in long “streaks” or at the “end.” These “streak”/“end” effects reveal important practical insights for leaders and policymakers seeking to boost prosocial behavior. For instance, a reordering intervention — assigning behaviors so as to avoid creating hard “streaks” — would reduce volunteer quitting rates by at least 22%, boosting prosocial behavior and likely saving lives.
Nanocalorimetry using microscopic optical wireless integrated circuits
Authors: Smart Conrad L. , Cortese Alejandro J. , Ramshaw B. J. , McEuen Paul L.
Published: November 2022

We present in situ calorimetry, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity measurements of materials using temperature-sensing optical wireless integrated circuits (OWiCs). These microscopic and untethered optical sensors eliminate input wires and reduce parasitic effects. Each OWiC has a mass of ∼100 ng, a 100-μm-scale footprint, and a thermal response time of microseconds. We demonstrate that they can measure the thermal properties of nearly any material, from aerogels to metals, on samples as small as 100 ng and over thermal diffusivities covering four orders of magnitude. They also function over a broad temperature range, and we present proof-of-concept measurements of the thermodynamic phase transitions in both liquid crystal 5CB and gadolinium.
Selective sweeps in SARS-CoV-2 variant competition
Authors: Boyle Laura , Hletko Sofia , Huang Jenny , Lee June , Pallod Gaurav , Tung Hwai-Ray , Durrett Richard
Published: November 2022

The main mathematical result in this paper is that change of variables in the ordinary differential equation (ODE) for the competition of two infections in a Susceptible–Infected–Removed (SIR) model shows that the fraction of cases due to the new variant satisfies the logistic differential equation, which models selective sweeps. Fitting the logistic to data from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) shows that this correctly predicts the rapid turnover from one dominant variant to another. In addition, our fitting gives sensible estimates of the increase in infectivity. These arguments are applicable to any epidemic modeled by SIR equations.
Challenges in TB research
Authors: Scriba Thomas J. , Dinkele Ryan , Warner Digby F. , Mizrahi Valerie
Published: November 2022

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease bedeviled by complexity. This poses myriad challenges for a research ecosystem organized around specialist host- and/or pathogen-focused thrusts. Here, we highlight the key challenges and their implications for developing new tools to control TB.
A long-stroke planar linear actuator equipped with magnetic guide
Authors: Liu Yu , Li Yanjun , Qu Mingshan , Wang Jie , Zhi Chao , Xiong Zhuang
Published: November 2022

This paper introduces the design, fabrication and characterization of a micro electromagnetic linear actuator integrated with magnetic guide. The actuator consists of a slider, a stator and a magnetic guide. A magnetic guide is used to replace the mechanical rail of conventional linear actuator to ensure the linear motion and to avoid friction. The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of magnetic guide on the dynamic characteristics of electromagnetic linear actuator and measuring techniques for micro-actuators. To test the resistance to motion and output thrust force of the actuator, a cantilever type force sensor is proposed, which can measure the small force in ∼mN order, and the measurement error is less than 3%. Using this sensor, the output thrust measured is higher than 10 mN when 1 A current is applied, and the friction force of the actuator measured is about 7.73 mN. Two-phase square wave and sine wave current are used to drive the actuator, the minimum driving current and frequency of the actuator are less than 0.1 A and 1 Hz respectively. The actuator attains a maximum stable moving speed of 0.15 m s−1 with the input signal frequency of below 250 Hz. In addition, the anti-interference capability of the actuator is evaluated through simulations and experiments. These results show that the actuator can bear an interference 45 times its own gravity in the directions that are perpendicular to the moving freedom, and can adjust the direction of motion automatically when the rotation angle in three orthogonal directions is less than 6°.
Independent control of both amplitude and phase for orthogonal circularly polarized electromagnetic waves through polarization conversions
Authors: Wang Haiyang , Pang Zhongyuan , Zhu Bo O
Published: November 2022

Spin-selective multi-functional integrated metasurfaces have attracted much research attention due to its promising application prospects. However, the goal of independent and arbitrary control of both amplitude and phase for orthogonal circularly polarized (CP) waves still has not been achieved fully. This is because it requires mirror asymmetric structure to achieve such a goal but there is no apparent physical relation between the unit cell structure and the spin-selective properties. A simple method with clear physical pictures is proposed in this paper to achieve the goal of arbitrary spin-selective manipulations. The idea is to convert the incident orthogonal CP waves to orthogonal linearly polarized (LP) waves first, then manipulate the LP waves with matured techniques, and finally convert the LP waves back to the corresponding CP waves. Simulations and experiments have been carried out to validate the method. Using this idea, spin-selective focusing, spin-selective deflection and spin-selective orbital angular momentum vortex beam have been demonstrated.
Numerical package for QFT calculations of defect-induced phenomena in graphene
Authors: Biswas Hillol , Mahalingam Harshitra , Rodin Aleksandr
Published: November 2022

We introduce a computationally efficient method based on the path integral formalism to describe defect-modified graphene. By taking into account the entire Brillouin zone, our approach respects the lattice symmetry and can be used to investigate both short-range and long-range effects. The proposed method’s key advantage is that the computational complexity does not increase with the system size, scaling, instead, with the number of defects. Our aim is to make the quantum-field calculations in graphene accessible to the experimental community. We demonstrate our method’s capabilities by exploring the well-known graphene-mediated Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yoshida interaction and by performing a detailed study of the atomic collapse in the presence of defects.
High-order harmonics generation in nanosecond-pulses-induced plasma containing Ni-doped CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals using chirp-free and chirped femtosecond pulses
Authors: Konda Srinivasa Rao , Ganeev Rashid A , Kim Vyacheslav V , Ketavath Ravi , Yu Jiaqi , Li Wei
Published: November 2022

We demonstrate high-order harmonic generation in Ni-doped CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals ablated by nanosecond pulses using chirp-free 35 fs, and chirped 135 fs pulses in the case of single-color pump (800 nm) and a two-color pump (800 and 400 nm). We analyzed the spectral shift, cut-off, and intensity distribution of harmonics in the case of chirped drving pulses compared to chirp-free pulses. It is shown that the presence of Ni dopants and CsPbBr3 plasma components improves the harmonics emission. Also, we measured the third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of these nanocrystals using 800 nm, 60 fs, 1 kHz pulses. The variations of measured NLO parameters of CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals containing different concentrations of nickel correlate with variations of generated high-order harmonics from laser induced plasmas of studied nanocrystals in terms of harmonics intensity, cut-off, and spectral shift (in case of chirped driving pulses). The spectral shift of the harmonics generated from the Ni-doped CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals can be used to form tunable extreme ultraviolet sources.
Janus (Mo/β-Mo2C)@C heterostructure as an efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline media
Authors: Zhu Weiwei , Jiang Zhongya , Peng Xiang , Li Zhaorong , Woldu Abebe Reda , Lu Fushen , Fang Yiwen , Chu Paul K , Hu Liangsheng
Published: November 2022

To explore low-cost, high-efficiency, and noble-metal-free catalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting in both acidic and alkaline media, the metal-metal carbide Janus hierarchical structure comprising Mo and β-Mo2C embedded on a carbon layer (Mo/β-Mo2C)@C is synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction and subsequent low-temperature magnesium thermic process. Systematic characterization by XRD, XPS, Raman scattering, and SEM/TEM reveals the successful formation of metallic Mo and β-Mo2C nanoparticles. The synthesized (Mo/β-Mo2C)@C has a large specific surface area and boasts highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction activity including low overpotentials of 152 and 171 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and small Tafel slopes of 51.7 and 63.5 mV dec−1 in acidic and alkaline media, respectively. In addition, the catalyst shows outstanding stability for 48 h in both acidic and alkaline media. The excellent catalytic activity originates from more active sites and greater electron conductivity bestowed by the carbon layer, which also improves the long-term stability in both acidic and alkaline solutions.
Decoherence factor as a convolution: an interplay between a Gaussian and an exponential coherence loss
Authors: Yan Bin , Zurek Wojciech H
Published: November 2022

We identify and investigate the origin and nature of the transition between Gaussian and exponential forms of decoherence: the decoherence factor (that controls the time dependence of the off-diagonal terms of the density matrix expressed in the pointer basis representation) is the convolution of the Fourier transforms of the spectral density and of the overlap (between the eigenstates the environment with and without couplings to the system). Spectral density alone tends to lead to the (approximately) Gaussian decay of coherence while the overlap alone results in a (largely) exponential decay. We show that these two contributions combine as a convolution, their relative importance controlled by the strength of the system-environment coupling. The resulting decoherence factor in the strong and weak coupling limits leads to predominantly Gaussian or exponential decay, respectively, as is demonstrated with two paradigmatic examples of decoherence—a spin-bath model and the quantum Brownian motion.
Lifshitz transitions and hybrid Weyl points in RbAg5Se3
Authors: Fan Xuejia , Lu Yiming , Liu Jian , Ma Xikui , Sun Lei , Li Yangyang , Zhao Mingwen
Published: November 2022

We explore the topological phase transitions of RbAg5Se3 using first-principles calculations in combination with the maximally localized Wannier function method. Our computations reveal that the type-II Dirac cone in RbAg5Se3 protected by the inversion and time-inversion (PT) symmetry in addition to the C4z rotation symmetry can be regulated to type-III and type-I Dirac points by applying strain along the [001] direction. More interestingly, when the inversion symmetry is lifted by intercalating a Pt atom into the unit cell, sixteen hybrid Weyl points emerge accompanied by the Fermi arcs connecting the adjacent Brillouin zones and surface states on the (010) surface. The type-II Weyl point has the chirality of 1, while the type-I Weyl point has the chirality of −1. Our work suggests that RbAg5Se3 serves as a promising platform for study of topological phases transitions with curious transport phenomena.
Kinetic theory of dust ion-acoustic waves in the presence of hybrid Cairns-Tsallis distributed electrons
Authors: Bilal Muhammad , Rehman Aman Ur , Mahmood Shahzad , Shahzad Muhammad Ahsan , Sarfraz Muhammad , Ahmad Mushtaq
Published: November 2022

On the basis of well-known kinetic theory, the dispersion properties and Landau damping rate of dust ion-acoustic waves (DIAWs), with hybrid non-thermal Cairns-Tsallis distributed (CTD) electrons, Maxwellian distributed ions and static charged dust particles (positively and negatively), in non-thermal dusty plasmas are investigated. The novel features of normalized real frequency (ω

r
/ω

pi
) and damping rate (γ/ω

pi
) of DIAWs are introduced with the incorporation of different physical parameters, such as electron-to-ion temperature ratio (θ

e,i
), normalized wave number

(
k

λ

D

e

)
,

dust concentration (Λ), and the simultaneous effects of non-extensivity q and non-thermality α, for both super-extensive (q < 1) and sub-extensive (q > 1) cases. It is found that these parameters influence the dispersion relation and damping rate along with the presence of positively and negatively charged dust. The coexistence of α and q reveals that the phase velocity of DIAWs increases by increasing the value of non-thermality and decreasing the value of non-extensivity parameters for both q < 1 and q > 1 cases. On the other hand, the reverse trend is observed for the Landau damping rate i.e., DIAWs exhibits weak damping by increasing the value of (α) and decreasing the value (q) in both super-extensive and sub-extensive plasmas. A comparison of dispersion properties and damping rate in both q < 1 and q > 1 cases is also highlighted. The present findings also compared with the limiting cases i.e. Cairns, q-nonextensive and Maxwellian distributions. This study is effectively applicable for such space and laboratory environments where the non-thermal dusty plasma exists.
First-principles study on the mechanical, electronic and optical properties of double halide perovskite Cs2TlSbX6 (X = Cl, Br, I)
Authors: Tang Tianyu , Hu Deyuan , Zhao Xianhao , Li Li , Tang Yanlin
Published: November 2022

The basic physical properties including electronic, mechanical and optical properties of Cs2TlSbX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) are studied by the first principle calculation. The structural stability can be determined by the tolerance factor, formation energy and elastic stability criterion. The results show that these materials are all ductile and suitable for flexible or wearable devices. The direct bandgap values of 1.900eV, 1.583eV and 1.170eV are obtained for Cs2TlSbCl6, Cs2TlSbBr6 and Cs2TlSbI6, respectively, which are in the recommended band gap range of semiconductors with photoelectric applications. Compared with other widely applied perovskite materials, the effective masses of Cs2TlSbX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) materials are smaller, which is beneficial to the carrier transport and helps to improve the performance of optoelectronic devices. In addition, the exploration of optical properties shows that Cs2TlSbX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) perovskites have a promising application in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.
One-shot detection limits of time-alignment two-photon illumination radar
Authors: Gao Wen-Long , Xu Lu-Ping , Zhang Hua , Yan Bo , Li Peng-Xian , Hu Gui-Ting
Published: November 2022

Quantum radar has recently gained increasing importance in a number of military applications. The estimation accuracy of one-shot quantum illumination events is significant in target detection. However, the accuracy is inevitably deteriorated by measurement noises. The traditional one-shot illumination emits a single photon towards a certain area which thermal noise exists in the path to, and the states of the received photons are hard to distinguish in the following processing. Therefore, a new optical probe source is proposed in this work. The independent detecting unit in the enhanced illumination is comprised of two photons aligned in time by using Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) interferometer. Further, one-shot detection in a general discrete model is realized and it proves a significant promotion in accuracy. The expansion of useful parts in parameter space and the lower minimal error probability for hypothesis testing have been mathematically demonstrated. The accuracy of one-shot detection can be effectively improved by the proposed scheme implying that it possesses great potential applications in quantum illumination and imaging.
Etching rate of silicon nanowires with highly doped silicon during metal-assisted chemical etching
Authors: Li Haibin , Kato Shinya , Soga Tetsuo
Published: November 2022

The fabrication of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) by metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) has been widely studied in a variety of fields. SiNWs by high-doped silicon are potential materials to be applied in thermoelectric, lithium-ion batteries and sensors. However, existing studies on the etching characteristics of high-doped silicon are limited and miSunderstandings are existing. In this study, through the comparison of three types of silicon with different concentrations, it was found that the loss of SiNWs by low-doped and medium-doped was little but the loss for high-doped silicon was significant. Contrary to existing reports, we clarify that the etching rate of high-doped silicon was the highest among them through measurements and calculations, although the observed length was the smallest. The differences between supposed generated SiNWs and measured SiNWs can be assumed as the lateral etching of high-doped silicon. In addition, the cluster morphology of high-doped silicon also suggested severe lateral etching. Therefore, the etching characteristics of high-doped silicon and the mechanism need to be re-understood to control reactions and obtain expected SiNWs.
A novel Granzymes and miRNA nanocapsules co-delivery system for tumor suppression
Authors: Shi Zhendong , Zhao Ming , Lin Tianyu , Chen Jiajia , Qian Xiaomin
Published: November 2022

Granzymes-based immunotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors has gained great success and played more and more important effect in clinical studies. However, the antitumor effect of Granzymes still requires improvements owing to the cell evasion and metastasis of cancer. To overcome these limitations, synergistic combinatorial anti-tumor effect of Granzyme B (GrB) and miR-21 inhibitor (miR-21i) for breast cancer therapy through a new co-delivery system was investigated in present study. GrB was covalently bonded with miR-21i by disulfide bond and encapsulated in a nanocapsule formed by in situ polymerization of N -(3-aminopropyl) methacrylamide (APM), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC). The nanocapsules possessed spherical and uniform diameter size as well as pH responsiveness in various environments. MTT and flow cytometry analysis showed that a synergistic anti-proliferation and promoting apoptosis effect was achieved when the nanocapsules were added into breast cancer cell lines. More importantly, the cell evasion ability was markedly inhibited using the nanocapusles detected through transwell invasion assay. Also the in vivo anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy of GrB-miR-21i nanocapusles was evaluated in a mouse tumor model. In conclusion, the nanocapsules for simultaneously delivery of GrB and miR-21i produce a synergistic effect in human breast cancer therapy.
Biodegradable scaffolds based on plant stems for application in regenerative medicine
Authors: Ferranti Carolina Costa , Alves Eduardo Donato , Lopes Camila Soares , Montrezor Luís Henrique , Carvalho Antonio José Felix , Cerri Paulo Sérgio , Trovatti Eliane
Published: November 2022

Several synthetic and natural materials have been studied for the confection of temporary grafts for application in regenerative medicine, however, the development of a material with adequate properties remains a challenge, mainly because its degradation kinetics in biological systems. Nature provides materials with noble properties that can be used as such for many applications, thus, taking advantage of the available morphology and assembled structures of plants, we propose to study the vegetable stems for use as temporary graft. Since the in vivo degradation is maybe one of the most important features of the temporary grafts, here we have implanted the plant stems from pumpkin, papaya, and castor into the subepithelial tissue of animals and followed their biodegradation process and the local inflammatory response. Mechanical tests, FTIR and contact angle with water were also analysed. The results indicated the mechanical properties and the contact angle were adequate for use in regenerative medicine. The results of the in vivo studies indicated a beneficial inflammatory process and a gradual disintegration of the materials within 60 days, suggesting the plants stems as new and potential materials for development of grafts for use in the field of regenerative medicine.
Injection Adipocytolysis for Body and Jawline Contouring: Real-World Experience and Treatment Considerations
Authors: Shridharani Sachin M , Tisch Grace M , Kennedy MacKenzie L
Published: November 2022

Background

The role of ATX-101 in submental fat reduction has been well documented; however, its applicability across multiple anatomic areas is to be explored.

Objectives

The authors sought to describe the experience with ATX-101 subcutaneous injections for body and jawline contouring and evaluate its safety.

Methods

This single-arm, single-center observational study included 201 patients who underwent injection adipocytolysis with ATX-101 (area-adjusted dose of 2 mg/cm2) in the jowl, abdomen (upper/lower), thigh (inner/outer/banana roll), arm, anterior periaxillary fat, back (lower/upper/nape/lipoma), knee (anterior/medial), chest, and/or neck. The number of treatment sessions, treatment volumes, doses, injections required for each anatomic area, and associated adverse events were recorded.

Results

The mean number of treatment sessions conducted was 1.8. Multiple sessions were common for the jowl (mean: 2.0 and mean volume administered varied significantly between persons receiving 1 or multiple sessions [P = 0.005]). The mean volume and mean number of injections per session were highest in the chest (84.7 mL and 423.5, respectively) and lowest in the jowl (0.8 mL and 4.6, respectively). The chest (0.2 mL) and nape (0.2 mL) received the highest mean ATX-101 dose per injection site per session, whereas the inner thigh (0.11 mL) and upper back (0.11 mL) received the least. Adverse events observed were localized to the injection site. All patients experienced edema after each session, whereas numbness, tenderness, bruising, and paresis were experienced by 99.6%, 94.2%, 33.1%, and 2.6% of patients, respectively. Alopecia was not observed.

Conclusions

ATX-101 was well tolerated for body and jawline contouring.

Level of Evidence: 4
Real-Time Whole Genome Sequencing to Guide Patient-Tailored Therapy of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection
Authors: Snell Luke B , Alcolea-Medina Adela , Charalampous Themoula , Alder Christopher , Williams Tom G S , Flaviani Flavia , Batra Rahul , Bakrania Prijay , Thangarajah Rajeni , Neil Stuart J D , van Nispen tot Pannerden Claire , Botgros Alina , Aarons Emma , Douthwaite Samuel T , Edgeworth Jonathan D , Nebbia Gaia
Published: November 2022

The management of coronavirus disease 2019 has become more complex due to the expansion of available therapies. The presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants and mutations further complicates treatment due to their differing susceptibilities to therapies. Here we outline the use of real-time whole genome sequencing to detect persistent infection, evaluate for mutations confering resistance to treatments, and guide treatment decisions.
The effect of a postpartum intrauterine device programme on choice of contraceptive method in Tanzania: a secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized trial
Authors: Senderowicz Leigh , Sokol Natasha , Pearson Erin , Francis Joel , Ulenga Nzovu , Bärnighausen Till
Published: November 2022

Vertical global health programmes often evaluate success with a narrow focus on programmatic outcomes. However, evaluation of broader patient-centred and unintended outcomes is critical to assess impacts on patient choice and autonomy. Here, we evaluate the effects of a postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) intervention on outcomes related to contraceptive method choice. The stepped-wedge cluster randomized contolled trial (RCT) took place in five Tanzanian hospitals. Hospitals were randomized to receive immediate (Group 1; n = 11 483 participants) or delayed (Group 2; n = 8148 participants) intervention. The intervention trained providers on PPIUD insertion and counselling. The evaluation surveyed eligible women (18+, resided in Tanzania, gave birth at a study hospital) on provider postpartum contraceptive counselling during pregnancy or immediately postpartum. In our completed study, participants were considered exposed (n = 9786) or unexposed (n = 10 145) to the intervention based on the location and timing of their birth (no blinding). Our secondary analysis examined differences by intervention exposure on the likelihood of being counselled on IUD only, multiple methods, multiple method durations, a broad method mix; and on the number of methods women were counselled across two samples: all eligible women, and only women who reported receiving any contraceptive counselling. Among all eligible women, counselling on the IUD alone was 7% points higher among the exposed (95% confidence interal (CI): 0.02, 0.12). Among women who received any counselling, those exposed to the intervention were counselled on 1.12 fewer contraceptive methods (95% CI: 0.10, 2.34). The likelihood of receiving counselling on any non-IUD method decreased among those exposed, while the likelihood of being counselled on an IUD alone was 14% points higher among the exposed (95% CI: 0.06, 0.22), suggesting this intervention increased IUD-specific counselling but reduced informed contraceptive choice. These findings underscore the importance of broad metrics that capture autonomy and rights (in addition to programmatic goals) at all stages of health programme planning and implementation.
Malate metabolism mediated by the cytoplasmic malate dehydrogenase gene MdcyMDH affects sucrose synthesis in apple fruit
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Wang Changzhi , Jia Runpu , Yang Nanxiang , Jin Ling , Zhu Lingcheng , Ma Baiquan , Yao Yu-xin , Ma Fengwang , Li Mingjun
Published: November 2022

The types and proportions of soluble sugar and organic acid in fruit significantly affect flavor quality. However, there are few reports on the crosstalk regulation between metabolism of organic acid and sugar in fruit. Here, we found that the overexpression of cytoplasmic malate dehydrogenase genes (MdcyMDHs) not only increased the malate content but also increased the sucrose concentration in transgenic apple calli and mature fruit. Enzyme activity assays indicated that the overexpression of MdcyMDH1 and MdcyMDH5 enhanced sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity in transgenic materials. RNA-seq and expression analysis showed that the expression levels of SPS genes were up-regulated in MdcyMDH1-overexpressed apple fruit and MdcyMDH5-overexpressed apple calli. Further study showed that the inhibition of MdSPSB2 or MdSPSC2 expression in MdcyMDH1 transgenic fruit could reduce or eliminate, respectively, the positive effect of MdcyMDH1 on sucrose accumulation. Moreover, some starch cleavage-related genes (MdBAM6.1/6.2, MdBMY8.1/8.2, MdISA1) and the key gluconeogenesis-related phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase MdPEPCK1 gene were significantly up-regulated in the transcriptome differentially expressed genes of mature fruit overexpressing MdcyMDH1. These results indicate that alteration of malate metabolism mediated by MdcyMDH might regulate the expression of MdSPSs and SPS activity via affecting starch metabolism or gluconeogenesis, and thus accelerate sucrose synthesis and accumulation in fruit.
CsGDH2.1 negatively regulates theanine accumulation in late-spring tea plants (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis)
Authors: Chen Tingting , Ma Jingzhen , Li Huiping , Lin Shijia , Dong Chunxia , Xie Yunxia , Yan Xiaomei , Zhang Shupei , Yang Tianyuan , Wan Xiaochun , Zhang Zhaoliang
Published: November 2022

Theanine, a unique and the most abundant non-proteinogenic amino acid in tea plants, endows tea infusion with the umami taste and anti-stress effects. Its content in tea correlates highly with green tea quality. Theanine content in new shoots of tea plants is high in mid-spring and greatly decreases in late spring. However, how the decrease is regulated is largely unknown. In a genetic screening, we observed that a yeast mutant, glutamate dehydrolase 2 (gdh2), was hypersensitive to 40 mM theanine and accumulated more theanine. This result implied a role of CsGDH2s in theanine accumulation in tea plants. Therefore, we identified the two homologs of GDH2, CsGDH2.1 and CsGDH2.2, in tea plants. Yeast complementation assay showed that the expression of CsGDH2.1 in yeast gdh2 mutant rescued the theanine hypersensitivity and hyperaccumulation of this mutant. Subcellular localization and tissue-specific expression showed CsGDH2.1 localized in the mitochondria and highly expressed in young tissues. Importantly, CsGDH2.1 expression was low in early spring, and increased significantly in late spring, in the new shoots of tea plants. These results all support the idea that CsGDH2.1 regulates theanine accumulation in the new shoots. Moreover, the in vitro enzyme assay showed that CsGDH2.1 had glutamate catabolic activity, and knockdown of CsGDH2.1 expression increased glutamate and theanine accumulation in the new shoots of tea plants. These findings suggested that CsGDH2.1-mediated glutamate catabolism negatively regulates theanine accumulation in the new shoots in late spring, and provides a functional gene for improving late-spring green tea quality.