bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PAIR as a Treatment Option for Isolated Intramuscular Cysticercosis: A Case Report
Authors: Naik Shailendra Singh , Das Nisha , Modi Shraddha , Aroul Tirou
Published: July 2022

Cysticercosis is a parasitic disease caused by Taenia solium. Central nervous system is the most common site of infestation. Other organs infested are subcutaneous tissue, eye, muscle, liver, and lung. Cysticercosis in muscle can occur in three forms: myalgic type, mass-like pseudotumor, and rarely pseudohypertrophic type. Solitary cysticercosis of muscle without involvement of the central nervous system is rare. In this case report, percutaneous-aspiration-injection-reaspiration (PAIR) has been used as a treatment option for isolated intramuscular cysticercosis of the anterior abdominal wall. Interventional radiological management along with medical management was done to observe complete resolution of the cyst.
Pediatric Femoral Neck Fractures: Our Institutional Experience of 5 Years
Authors: Sarwar Shiekh , Khan Kafeel , Bhat Tariq Ahmad , Nazir Isbha
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Pediatric femoral neck fractures remain an enigma for orthopaedics, especially with regard to the development of avascular necrosis (AVN). These rare fractures are fraught with complications including non-union, coxa vara, premature physeal closure, and AVN. Aggressive urgent management is required to limit the development of complications. We aim to share our institutional experience of 10 such cases, spanning over a period of 5 years by analyzing the radiological and clinical outcomes after anatomical reduction and internal fixation.

Materials and Methods

Ten children, aged < 16 years with fractured neck of the femur, treated in our hospital with a minimum follow-up of 1 year, were retrospectively reviewed and radiological and clinical outcomes following anatomical reduction and internal fixation were analyzed. Written informed consent was taken from the parents of the children included in the study.

Results

The mean age was 9.6 years. In total, 60% of the cases were boys and 50% cases were due to road traffic accidents (RTA). Furthermore, 50% cases were of Delbet type II pattern, 30% Delbet type III, and 20% Delbet type IV. All patients were treated with anatomical reduction and internal fixation. The final outcome was good in 80% of cases and fair in 20% of cases. We encountered only one case of AVN in our series.

Conclusion

Aggressive, urgent anatomical reduction and stable internal fixation is the modality of treatment. The outcome in patients is influenced by the development of complications including AVN, limb length discrepancy, and coxa vara, and every attempt should be made to prevent them.
Retrospective Study of Clinical Outcomes and Toxicity Profile in Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Authors: Tryambake Siddhesh Rajendra , Gawande Jayant Pundlik , Wategaonkar Ravikumar Narayan
Published: July 2022

Introduction Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are rapidly being utilized as treatment option either alone or in combination with chemotherapy in most of the solid tumors.

Objectives Our single-center retrospective study aimed to present our experience with the effectiveness and safety of these agents in Indian set of patients with various advanced solid tumors.

Material and Methods Twenty-five adult patients with stage IV solid tumors of varying sites treated with ICIs at Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India, between October 2017 and September 2020 were included in the study. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and toxicity profiles were evaluated. All statistical calculations were performed using IBM SPSS version 25.

Results Total of 25 patients (median age 61) was evaluated. Histological evaluation revealed adenocarcinoma (48%), squamous cell carcinoma (40%), and one each (4%) of others. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score was I in 16 (64%) and II in 9 (36%) patients. Average of 10 cycles ICIs were received by each patient. Majority were males with 11 (44%) having some comorbidities. Lung (48%) was the most common primary followed by head and neck cancers (32%). Most (76%) were treated with nivolumab, followed by pembrolizumab (20%) while only one patient was given atezolizumab. Median follow-up was 18 months. Median OS was 24 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9–NA) and 2-year OS rate in the study was 38.4% (95% CI: 18.8–78.3), while median PFS was 9 months (95% CI: 6–NA) and 1-year PFS rate was 22.3% (95% CI: 9.7–51.2). One patient (4%) had complete response, 6 (24%) had partial response while 12 (48%) had stable disease response at first follow-up. Mean and median time to progression were 5.7 and 9 months, respectively. ORR was 28% (95% CI: 12.07–49.4) while the DCR was 76% (95% CI: 54.87–90.64). PS II patients were associated with significantly poor median OS and PFS. There was no significant difference in survival with respect to age, gender, site, histology, and comorbidities; however, 4/25 patients had undergone biomarker assessment and were associated with a trend toward better median PFS (8 vs. 11 months, hazard ratio 0.53, 95% CI: 0.12–2.34, p = 0.38). Two of 25 patients developed autoimmune conditions namely ophthalmoplegia and hypothyroidism each. Fatigue (36%) and nausea (12%) were the most common toxicities.

Conclusion Real-world data from our study depicts our own experience with ICIs to suggest that these agents are well-tolerated and equally effective in Indian set of patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors. ICIs could be safely used even in patients with PS II and biomarker assessment in adjunction needs to be encouraged wherever feasible for better patient selection, prognostication, and clinical outcomes.
Indian Data on the Response of Positive Pelvic Lymph Nodes in Carcinoma Cervix Patients Treated with Simultaneous Integrated Boost Using Volumetric Modulated Arc Radiation Therapy
Authors: Perumareddy Vaishnavi , Shivananjappa Rashmi , SN Geeta , Tiwari Richa , Mandal Sanjeet Kumar
Published: July 2022

Background The percentage of pelvic lymph node (LN) positivity in cervical cancer patients varies from 19% in early stages to 68% in advanced cases. Thirty-three percent of patients will develop recurrence within 2 years following therapy, and 5-year relative survival for patients with affected regional LNs is 57%. Hence, pelvic LNs need to be included in the definitive plan of radiation treatment for better disease control and longer survival. With conventional radiation therapy, dose escalation was not possible because of small bowel constraints. With higher conformity of intensity-modulated radiotherapy technique, doses to pelvic and abdominal organs can be minimized. The added advantage of simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) is that high dose per fraction is delivered to the gross disease and low dose to the microscopic disease, thereby reducing the total treatment time and improving the therapeutic ratio.

Materials and Methods Forty-one patients presenting to the Department of Radiation Oncology, between January 2016 and June 2017, with newly biopsy-proven carcinoma cervix Stage IB to IVA were enrolled in the study, and all the investigations were performed. The radiation dose was delivered using volumetric modulated arc therapy plan according to the dose of 5,000 cGy in 25 fractions to the whole pelvis and 5,500 cGy in 25 fractions to the involved nodes at 220 cGy per fraction using SIB along with weekly cisplatin at 40 mg/m2. After completion of external beam radiation, all the patients received three fractions of brachytherapy to a total dose of 21 Gy. Acute toxicities were assessed using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. At 3 months after completion of treatment, all the patients were followed up with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of abdomen and pelvis to assess the response after 3 months.

Results Of 41 carcinoma cervix patients with significantly positive LNs treated with SIB VMAT, 9.8% of the patients (4 patients) had residual nodal disease and 87.8% of the patients (36 patients) had a complete response, and 19.5% (8 patients) had residual disease of primary and 78% (32 patients) had a complete response at 3 months after completion of treatment with only grade I and grade II toxicities.

Conclusion Treatment with SIB VMAT in carcinoma cervix patients with significant pelvic LNs shows a very good response with acceptable acute toxicities. But longer follow-up period is required to see if this response translates into better disease-free survival and overall survival.
Transcervical Access for Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy—A Safe Technique to Sample Apical Lung Lesions
Authors: Bellam Premnath Krishna Prasad , Bansode Shubhada Yadavrao
Published: July 2022

Eight patients with apical lobe lung lesions referred for image-guided biopsy where the lesion was abutting the mediastinal or apical pleura, and was visible in ultrasound using a suprasternal–supraclavicular route were consented and subjected to successful ultrasound-guided transcervical biopsy using different routes based on lesion characteristics and location of vital vascular structures—either through the thyroid gland, by the side of the gland lateral to the common carotid artery, or between the thyroid gland and common carotid artery after hydrodissection. Transthyroid access was used in 50% of cases. There were no immediate or long-term complications in any patient over a mean follow-up period of 28.5 months. Sample adequacy was 100%.
Evaluation of Efficacy of Heparin in Patients with Cellulitis
Authors: Sajjan Sunil Kumar , Bhat Rahul , Pai Manohar V. , Choudhari Rajat
Published: July 2022

Introduction Heparin is useful in inflammatory conditions for amelioration of symptoms by altering the microcellular environment. This study was aimed at evaluation of the role of heparin in patients with cellulitis on antibiotics.

Methodology In our prospective nonrandomized comparative study, the subjects were divided into two groups: group A treated with subcutaneous injection of unfractionated heparin plus antibiotics and group B with antibiotics alone. Comparison was done in terms of improvement in clinical parameters like erythema (cellulitis area), edema (measuring limb girth), pain (visual analog scale), total leucocyte count, and duration of hospital stay.

Results Total of 96 patients were divided into two groups of 48 each. In the experimental group, there was improvement in mean area of cellulitis with decrease of 32.36% compared with 10.99% in controls treated with antibiotics at day 5 (p < 0.001). There was 26.27% decrease in edema compared with 12.87% (p < 0.001). There was 45.36% decrease of pain compared with 38.02% (p < 0.001). There was 29.18% drop in total leucocyte counts compared with 25.87% (p < 0.001). There was reduced duration of stay at 7.15 days compared with 9.23 days in controls.

Conclusion The addition of heparin with antibiotic therapy in cellulitis hastens recovery with faster amelioration of symptoms and shorter hospital stay.
The replica symmetric formula for the SK model revisited
Authors: Brennecke Christian , Yau Horng-Tzer
Published: July 2022

We provide a simple extension of Bolthausen’s Morita-type proof of the replica symmetric formula [E. Bolthausen, “A Morita type proof of the replica-symmetric formula for SK,” in Statistical Mechanics of Classical and Disordered Systems, Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics (Springer, Cham., 2018), pp. 63–93; arXiv:1809.07972] for the Sherrington–Kirkpatrick model and prove the replica symmetry for all (β, h) that satisfy β2Esech2(βqZ+h)≤1, where q=E⁡tanh2(βqZ+h). Compared to the work of Bolthausen [“A Morita type proof of the replica-symmetric formula for SK,” in Statistical Mechanics of Classical and Disordered Systems, Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics (Springer, Cham., 2018), pp. 63–93; arXiv:1809.07972], the key of the argument is to apply the conditional second moment method to a suitably reduced partition function.
Three-dimensional rogue waves and dust-acoustic dark soliton collisions in degenerate ultradense magnetoplasma in the presence of dust pressure anisotropy
Authors: Douanla D. V. , Tiofack C. G. L. , Alim  , Aboubakar M. , Mohamadou A. , Albalawi Wedad , El-Tantawy S. A. , El-Sherif L. S.
Published: July 2022

A three-dimensional Thomas–Fermi dense anisotropic magnetized plasma having Fermi–Dirac distributed ions and electrons as well as classical fluid negative dust impurities is considered to analyze oblique modulational instability (MI) and head-on collisions among dust-acoustic dark solitons. The Chew–Golberger–Low description is employed to define the anisotropic dust pressure. The linear analysis is investigated. It is found that for larger wavelengths, the pressure anisotropy has a strong effect on the wave frequency. Following the multiscale reductive perturbation technique, a (3 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation is derived. Also, the MI criterion is identified, and the regions of (un)stable modulated waves are determined precisely. In addition to that, (un)stable domains of the modulated structures as well as the profile of the dust-acoustic rogue waves are found to be strongly affected by dust grain density, pressure anisotropy, and the strength of the magnetic field. In the stable regions, the face-to-face dark soliton collision and their phase shifts as well as their analytical trajectories are reported by applying the extended Poincare–Lighthill–Kuo method. Numerical analysis reveals that the phase shifts increase with dust concentration but decrease with dust pressure anisotropy. The present results may be applicable in exploring the nonlinear wave dynamics and solitary wave interactions in dense astrophysical plasmas especially to white dwarfs, interiors of the neutron stars, and magnet stars.
Modeling and design of dielectric elastomer actuated tunable lens with dual chambers
Authors: Zhang Chi , He Haoran , Li Yunchuang , Sun Yanhui , Dong Zhonghong
Published: July 2022

As a novel kind of focus tunable lens, dielectric elastomer actuated liquid lens has a compact structure, fast response, low cost, and outstanding tunability, which makes it attract extensive attention. Here, we present a computational model of a dielectric elastomer actuated lens with dual chambers that consist of three elastic membranes and two disconnected chambers filled with conductive and transparent liquid. The intermediate layer actuated by applied voltage deforms, changing the curvature of passive membranes and obtaining a new focal length. The simulation results calculated by the shooting method with two guessed values agree well with the experimental results. Based on this model, the effects of a set of parameters, including chamber radii, shear modulus, permittivity, prestretch ratios, and injected liquid volumes, on the tuning performance of the lens are analyzed. It is found that, by regulating the liquid volume in each chamber, both the initial focal length and the tuning range can be adjusted easily. Under the condition with specific liquid volumes, the lens possesses both positive and negative focal length during voltage actuation, indicating promoted tuning performance, which is acclaimed for optimal design.
Theory of sphere motions in viscous fluids including elasticity and compressibility
Authors: Onuki Akira
Published: July 2022

We study the motions of an elastic sphere and a compressible fluid sphere suspended in a compressible fluid. To this end, we use a scheme of a vector representation for the velocity in hydrodynamics and for the displacement in elasticity. First, we calculate the steady-state elastic displacement of a solid sphere under a gravity and a surface-tension gradient. Second, we examine the finite-size effects in a spherical container and find bulk acoustic resonance induced by an oscillating solid sphere. Third, applying periodic forces, we calculate the displacement, the velocity field, and the frequency-dependent friction constant for an elastic sphere and a compressible fluid sphere. We find complex acoustic effects sensitively depending on the frequency.
Gas–surface interactions of a Couette–Poiseuille flow in a rectangular channel
Authors: Pleskun Heiko , Brümmer Andreas
Published: July 2022

Reduced mass flow rates of a rarefied Couette and Poiseuille flow in a long rectangular channel are calculated in the whole range of the gas rarefaction and a wide range of the width to height ratio. Furthermore, walls may be made of different materials so that different tangential momentum accommodation coefficients (TMACs) may be applied. Analytical solutions are given for the slip regime, where all four surrounding walls may have a different TMAC. Due to a simplified modeling assumption, these solutions can be used to correct the well-known flow rates of a fully diffuse channel for different TMACs in the whole range of the gas rarefaction. If the slip solution and the diffuse solution are known, the procedure can principally be adapted for any channel shape. The results of the analytical model expressions are validated with simulation data of the plane Couette and Poiseuille flow and the Poiseuille flow through a pipe, which are found in the literature. In addition, the analytical solution is compared to results of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method of a Couette and a Poiseuille flow in a rectangular channel, which are provided as tabulated data for a variation of the gas rarefaction parameter at different aspect ratios and different combinations of TMACs. The procedure to calculate the mass flow rate of the certain flow as well as the application limits are discussed.
Gaussian mixture models for diatomic gas−surface interactions under thermal non-equilibrium conditions
Authors: Wu Hui , Chen Weifang , Jiang Zhongzheng
Published: July 2022

Scattering kernels are of paramount importance in modeling gas–surface interactions for rarefied gas flows. However, most existing empirical models need one or several accommodation coefficients (ACs) to be determined before applications. In this paper, an unsupervised machine learning technique, known as the Gaussian mixture (GM) model, is applied to establish a new scattering kernel based on the simulated data collected by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The main work is devoted to the scattering of diatomic molecules under thermal non-equilibrium conditions. Correspondingly, different MD simulations on the scattering process of nitrogen molecules from a platinum surface have been performed involving rotational and translational excitation. Here, we evaluate the performance of the GM and Cercignani–Lampis–Lord models against the MD approach by comparing the velocity correlation distributions and the relevant outgoing velocity probability density function as well as the computed ACs. The presented comparisons have demonstrated the superiority of the GM model in matching with MD results. Therefore, in the case of diatomic gases, the GM model can be employed as a promising strategy to derive the generalized boundary conditions.
Enhanced droplet formation in a T-junction microchannel using electric field: A lattice Boltzmann study
Authors: Liu Zhaomiao , Cai Fanming , Pang Yan , Ren Yanlin , Zheng Nan , Chen Rui , Zhao Siyu
Published: July 2022

The electric field-driven droplet formation technique can effectively improve the formation throughput and control the droplet size, which is important for the application of microscale droplets in biopharmaceuticals and chemical analysis. In this paper, the droplet formation characteristics in T-junction microchannels under the action of electric field are investigated by coupling a three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann method (3 D LBM) with the leaky dielectric model, focusing on the effects of electric capillary number, a flow ratio, and a viscosity ratio on the droplet size. It is shown that as the electrical capillary number increases, the non-uniformly distributed electric force stretches the dispersed phase to form a Taylor cone and increases shear force at the interface of the two liquids to overcome the surface tension force. This facilitates the transition from squeezing to dropping and reduces the droplet size. At high flow ratios, increasing the electric capillary number leads to a pinning effect between the dispersed phase and the wall, which intensifies the compression of continuous phase on the neck of dispersed phase, resulting in a significant decrease in the droplet size. As the viscosity ratio increases, the vortex resistance caused by electrical force decreases, and thus, the electric field effect will dominate the droplet formation process.
Forming a composite model for non-Brownian suspensions
Authors: Tanner Roger I. , Dai Shaocong
Published: July 2022

We propose a two-part composite model to describe the rheology of non-Brownian suspensions. The stress response is composed of the sum of a matrix part (Tm) described by a multi-mode Oldroyd-B model and a second component (To) which is assumed to be a Thompson–Souza Mendes model. We show how to determine the parameters to satisfy agreement with experiments in steady viscometric flows, uniaxial elongation flows, small to medium size sinusoidal strains, and reversing shear strain rates. Where possible, comparison is made with computations. Agreement with experiments and computations is reasonable, but more accurate computations and experiments would be welcome.
How to Survive on Mars
Authors: Lazendic-Galloway Jasmina
Published: July 2022

Get ready for lift-off on a Martian adventure!

Have you ever imagined living on another planet? What about Mars? With not enough air to breathe, sunlight to keep us warm, or any available food and water, life on Mars is going to be a challenge... but it just might be possible!

Take a journey to the Red Planet in How to Survive on Mars. Discover natural wonders like ancient polar ice caps, the highest volcano in the solar system and a 45-kilometre-wide impact crater that was once a Martian lake.

Packed with stunning photographs, fun activities and quizzes, this book will show you what you need to do to survive on Mars! Join scientists, engineers, archaeologists, ethicists and science-fiction writers for a space exploration adventure.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 8 to 12.
Single-crystal-to-single-crystal translation of a helical supramolecular polymer to a helical covalent polymer
Authors: Khazeber Ravichandran , Sureshan Kana M.
Published: July 2022

Polymers possessing helical conformation in the solid state are in high demand. We report a helical peptide-polymer via the topochemical ene-azide cycloaddition (TEAC) polymerization. The molecules of the designed Gly-Phe–based dipeptide, decorated with ene and azide, assemble in its crystals as β-sheets and as supramolecular helices in two mutually perpendicular directions. While the NH…O H-bonding facilitates β-sheet–like stacking along one direction, weak CH…N H-bonding between the azide-nitrogen and vinylic-hydrogen of molecules belonging to the adjacent stacks arranges them in a head-to-tail manner as supramolecular helices. In the crystal lattice, the azide and alkene of adjacent molecules in the supramolecular helix are suitably preorganized for their TEAC reaction. The dipeptide underwent regio- and stereospecific polymerization upon mild heating in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal fashion, yielding a triazoline-linked helical covalent polymer that could be characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Upon heating, the triazoline-linked polymer undergoes denitrogenation to aziridine-linked polymer, as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and solid-state NMR analyses.
Vestibulospinal system findings caused by ageing between 40 and 55 years
Authors: Konukseven Ozlem , Satici Sema , Adali Inci , Yildiz Yagmur , Dogru Lena , Duruoglu Sencan
Published: July 2022

Objective(s)

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the weakness in postural balance skills that occurred between the ages of 40–55 by comparing vestibulospinal tests and static posturography tests.

Methods

A total of 40 healthy individuals between the ages of 18–30 (mean: 23.8 ± 3.05 years) and 40–55 (mean: 49.2 ± 6.4 years) who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study, without vertigo and balance problems were included. As being objective vestibulospinal tests, the modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance (mCTSIB) and Limits of Stability (LOS) tests were performed using a static posturography device. Tandem Romberg, Fukuda Stepping Test (FST) and Babinski–Weil tests were performed as subjective vestibulospinal tests.

Results

Compared with the younger group, 40–55 ages showed significant weakness in movement velocity (MVL), endpoint excursions (EPEs), maximum excursions sub-parameters of LOS, in all eyes-closed subtests in the mCTSIB test, and in subjective vestibulospinal tests. No relationship between vestibulospinal and static posturography was observed.

Conclusions

Contrary to popular belief, the effect on the age-related balance system begins earlier. When the middle age group applies to ENT clinics with complaints of imbalance, it should be taken into account that age-related effects may occur.
Hairy extension of the Bertotti–Robinson spacetime in the Einstein–Maxwell-scalar theory is a black hole in closed spatial geometries
Authors: Mazharimousavi S Habib
Published: July 2022

In analogy with the Einstein–Maxwell–Dilaton black hole which is a hairy extension of the Reissner–Nordström black hole, we introduce a hairy extension for the Bertotti–Robinson spacetime in the context of the Einstein–Maxwell-scalar theory. The new spacetime is a closed S
3 black hole powered by a pure magnetic field. The energy–momentum tensor is an anisotropic fluid-like form such that p
r/ρ and p
⊥/ρ are u (the radial coordinate)-dependent and at the horizon becomes

−

1

3

and

1

3

, respectively. We use the concept of quasilocal mass and find the well-known Misner–Sharp mass to show that the new black hole satisfies the unified first law of the black hole.
Electrically tunable liquid crystal phase shifter with excellent phase shift capability per wavelength based on opposed coplanar waveguide
Authors: Wang Qipeng , Su Zhiguo , Li Shunli , Zhao Hongxin , Yin Xiaoxing
Published: July 2022

A tunable liquid crystal phase shifter based on opposed coplanar waveguide (OCPW) with excellent phase shift capability per wavelength is proposed. The proposed OCPW not only has good transmission characteristics and a quasi-TEM operating mode similar to the CPW, but also avoids the metalized via and complicated bias circuit in designing the phase shifter. Consequently, the phase shifter is easy to fabricate and miniaturize. The main structure of the phase shifter includes two functional components. One is the transition section, in which the flaring grounds and gradient stubs are utilized to realize the impedance and wave-number matching to the OCPW phase shift part; the other is a tunable phase shift section, which is composed of the OCPW centerline and ground with staggered periodic stubs stretching out. To realize tunable phase shifting by applying different DC bias voltages, a DC bias network capable of blocking RF signal is elaborately designed. An equivalent circuit model of the phase shift part is established and represented using the ABCD matrix, so that the relation between the related parameters and the phase shift per wavelength can be easily obtained to guide the design. The measurement results demonstrate that the proposed phase shifter achieves a total of 300° phase shifting, as high as 289°/λ0 phase shift per wavelength, and a good figure-of-merit of 59°/dB at 14.5 GHz. The phase shifter features the reflection coefficient less than −10 dB and the transmission coefficient bigger than −6 dB from 9.3 to 15 GHz.
Effects of large bending deformation on the electromechanical performance of a soft capacitor
Authors: Huang Tianyu , Chen Lingling , Zhao Chuo , Yang Shengyou
Published: July 2022

Many capacitive devices based on flexible materials with low Young’s modulus have great potential for sensing or energy storage, and the study of their performance changes under large deformations is of great significance for their application prospects. In this study, a bendable soft capacitor was prepared and its capacitive response was found to be extraordinarily stable under large bending deformations. Our experiments and simulations showed that the capacitance change was less than 3% when the bending strain varied from 16% to 40%, showing stable capacitance retention. We also developed a theoretical model to explain the mechanism of the effect of geometric changes on the capacitance of soft capacitors subjected to large bending deformation. Our work provides new ideas for addressing the high nonlinearity and weak repeatability present in bending devices of elastomers. The stable soft capacitor can be harnessed to design supercapacitors in wearable devices and wireless micro-robots.
Electrospun aluminum silicate nanofibers as novel support material for immobilization of alcohol dehydrogenase
Authors: Aziz Iram , Sigurdardóttir Sigyn Björk , Lehmann Jonas , Nambi Ashwin , Zhang Wenjing , Pinelo Manuel , Kaiser Andreas
Published: July 2022

Ceramic materials with high surface area, large and open porosity are considered excellent supports for enzyme immobilization owing to their stability and reusability. The present study reports the electrospinning of aluminum silicate nanofiber supports from sol-gel precursors, the impact of different fabrication parameters on the microstructure of the nanofibers and their performance in enzyme immobilization. A change in nanofiber diameter and pore size of the aluminum silicate nanofibers was observed upon varying specific processing parameters, such as the sol-composition (precursor and polymer concentration), the electrospinning parameters and the subsequent heat treatment (calcination temperature). The enzyme, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), was immobilized on the aluminum silicate nanofibers by physical adsorption and covalent bonding. Activity retention of 17% and 42% was obtained after 12 d of storage and repeated reaction cycles for physically adsorbed and covalently bonded ADH, respectively. Overall, the immobilization of ADH on aluminum silicate nanofibers resulted in high enzyme loading and activity retention. However, as compared to covalent immobilization, a marked decrease in the enzyme activity during storage for physically adsorbed enzymes was observed, which was ascribed to leakage of the enzymes from the nanofibers. Such fibers can improve enzyme stability and promote a higher residual activity of the immobilized enzyme as compared to the free enzyme. The results shown in this study thus suggest that aluminum silicate nanofibers, with their high surface area, are promising support materials for the immobilization of enzymes.
A diffraction experiment at the near field: the homemade Talbot effect
Authors: Torcal-Milla Francisco Jose
Published: July 2022

Diffraction refers to a kind of optical phenomena which occurs when light approaches an element (object or aperture) whose features are in the range of the illuminating wavelength (small apertures, sharp edges). It can be explained by means of the undulatory nature of light or also geometrically by using simple ray optics. Diffraction phenomena are impressive and not intuitive, so it makes them very interesting to bring examples to the classroom. The most popular diffraction experiments show effects in Fraunhofer regime, that is to be said, far from the diffractive object. Common examples are the single or double slit experiments. In this manuscript, we propose and show a less common diffractive effect that occurs in the Fresnel regime, near to the diffractive object. It is the Talbot effect or self-imaging phenomenon, which appears by illuminating a diffraction grating with a collimated monochromatic beam. It consists of the apparition of replicas (self-images) of the grating intensity pattern at periodic distances, multiples of the so-called Talbot distance. We show how this effect may be shown into the classroom with cheap and easy to find elements. In addition, we take advantage of its dependence on the coherence degree of the source to introduce the concept of optical coherence and show its effect on the contrast of the Talbot self-images. These experiments could be appropriate for undergraduate students or introductory physics courses.
Effect of the SS304 coating layer on the electrical and thermal properties of REBCO commercial tape
Authors: Zhang Huimin , Suo Hongli , Zhang Zili , Zhang Xiaolong , Wang Lei , Ma Lin , Liu Jianhua , Wang Qiuliang
Published: July 2022

The effect of the 304 stainless steel (SS)-coated layer on the electrical and thermal properties in the radial direction of REBCO commercial tape was systematically investigated. The single SS-coated layer significantly increased electrical resistivity and decreased thermal conductivity. In contrast, double SS tape demonstrated a lower electrical resistivity than the original commercial REBCO tape due to the clean procedure to remove the possible carbon and oxidation in the Cu layer. We found that the surface microhardness of the SS-coated REBCO tape, a previously neglected factor, could be one of the primary factors determining turn-to-turn electrical resistivity. The other possible factor could be interface heterogeneity. The different materials on both sides of the interface could bring apparent different electrical and thermal resistivity. This study provides a possible method to increase the turn-to-turn electrical resistivity of REBCO tape without increasing tape thickness, sacrificing the critical engineering current density.
Competition between orbital effects, Pauli limiting, and Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov states in 2D transition metal dichalcogenide superconductors
Authors: Cho Chang-woo , Ng Cheuk Yin , Wong Chi Ho , Abdel-Hafiez Mahmoud , Vasiliev Alexander N , Chareev Dmitriy A , Lebed A G , Lortz Rolf
Published: July 2022

We compare the upper critical field of bulk single-crystalline samples of the two intrinsic transition metal dichalcogenide superconductors, 2H-NbSe2 and 2H-NbS2, in high magnetic fields where their layer structure is aligned strictly parallel and perpendicular to the field, using magnetic torque experiments and a high-precision piezo-rotary positioner. While both superconductors show that orbital effects still have a significant impact when the layer structure is aligned parallel to the field, the upper critical field of NbS2 rises above the Pauli limiting field and forms a Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state, while orbital effects suppress superconductivity in NbSe2 just below the Pauli limit, which excludes the formation of the FFLO state. From the out-of-plane anisotropies, the coherence length perpendicular to the layers of 31 Å in NbSe2 is much larger than the interlayer distance, leading to a significant orbital effect suppressing superconductivity before the Pauli limit is reached, in contrast to the more 2D NbS2.
Phase-matching quantum key distribution with advantage distillation
Authors: Wang Rui-Qiang , Zhang Chun-Mei , Yin Zhen-Qiang , Li Hong-Wei , Wang Shuang , Chen Wei , Guo Guang-Can , Han Zheng-Fu
Published: July 2022

Phase-matching quantum key distribution (PM-QKD) provides a promising solution to surpass the fundamental rate–distance bound without quantum repeaters. In this paper, we insert an additional advantage distillation (AD) step after quantum communication to improve the performance of PM-QKD. Simulation results show that, by splitting the raw key into blocks of only a few bits so as to identify highly correlated bit pairs, the AD method can tolerate high system misalignment errors and improve the secret key rate and transmission distance significantly, which is very promising in current PM-QKD systems.
A simulation and analysis framework for CEE-eTOF
Authors: Wang B. , Chen X.L. , Wang Y. , Han D. , Guo B.
Published: July 2022

This work reports the development status of a software framework for the external Time-Of-Flight wall (eTOF) of the Cooler-storage-ring External-target Experiment (CEE). The framework is implemented on CeeRoot, a FairRoot-based simulation and analysis platform. The chains for eTOF simulation and analysis have been developed and described in this paper. The examination of such a structure is in parallel with the technical design and prototype developments. Simulation has given reasonable evaluations on the coverage, occupancy, rate condition, etc., which validated the system design. The analysis chain has been successfully applied to processing the cosmic test data and has contributed to the validation of the prototype performances. The CEE-eTOF software is a continuously refining framework for practice in real operations.
Fabrication of a bionic asymmetric wettable Cu-doped chitosan-laponite-PCL wound dressing with rapid healing and antibacterial effect
Authors: Liu Zini , Chen Xueqi , Li Chen
Published: July 2022

Asymmetrical dressings, which are composed of a compact top layer and a porous bottom layer, are commonly used to mimic the characteristics and structure of the epidermis and dermis layers, and overcome the flaws of traditional dressings such as wound dryness and bacterial penetration. Herein, a bio-inspired double-layer asymmetric wettable wound dressing was prepared by low-temperature 3D printing coupled with electrospinning technology. The hydrophobic top layer of poly(caprolactone)(PCL) film produced by electrospinning was used to simulate the compact and air-permeable epidermis. The hydrophilic bottom layer of the dressing, a scaffold composed of chitosan and copper ions doped Laponite (Cu@CS-Lap) was used to kill bacteria and speed up wound healing. Additionally, the composite dressings also showed excellent cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties in vitro experiments. The migratory area of Cu-doped group human umbilical vein endothelial cells increased by about 48.19% compared to the control group, as revealed by the results of the cell scratch experiment. Furthermore, in vivo experiments in rats showed that wound closure at the 0.5Cu@CS5-PCL dressing reached 98.24% after 12 days, indicating the enormous potential of asymmetric double dressings in boosting wound healing.
Multi-tier archetypes to characterise British landscapes, farmland and farming practices
Authors: Goodwin Cecily E D , Bütikofer Luca , Hatfield Jack H , Evans Paul M , Bullock James M , Storkey Jonathan , Mead Andrew , Richter Goetz M , Henrys Peter A , Pywell Richard F , Redhead John W
Published: July 2022

Due to rising demand for both food and environmental services, agriculture is increasingly required to deliver multiple outcomes. Characterising differences, across agricultural landscapes, via the identification of broad archetypal groupings, is an important step in exploring spatial patterns in the capacity of land to deliver these potentially competing functions. Creating characterisations at multiple levels, for landscape and farm management, can allow policy-makers and land managers to harmonise delivery of ecosystem services at different intervention scales. This can identify ways to increase the complementarity of public goods and the sustainability of farmed landscapes. We used data-driven machine learning to create landscape and agricultural management archetypes (1 km resolution) at three levels, defined by opportunities for adaptation. Tier 1 archetypes quantify broad differences in soil, land cover and population across Great Britain, which cannot be readily influenced by the actions of land managers; Tier 2 archetypes capture more nuanced variations within farmland-dominated landscapes of Great Britain, over which land managers may have some degree of influence. Tier 3 archetypes are built at national levels for England and Wales and focus on socioeconomic and agro-ecological characteristics within farmland-dominated landscapes, characterising differences in farm management. By using a non-nested hierarchy, we identified which types of management are restricted to certain landscape settings, and which are applicable across multiple landscape contexts. Understanding variation within and between agricultural landscapes and farming practices has implications for planning environmental sustainability and food security. It can also aid understanding of the scale at which interventions could be most effective, from incentivising changes in farmer behaviour to policy drivers of large-scale land use change.
Orbital angular momentum optical communications enhanced by artificial intelligence
Authors: Li Baoli , Luan Haitao , Li Keyao , Chen Qinyu , Meng Weijia , Cheng Ke , Gu Min , Fang Xinyuan
Published: July 2022

Angular momentum of light can be divided into spin angular momentum and orbital angular momentum (OAM). Due to the theoretically unlimited orthogonal states, the physical dimension of OAM provides a potential solution to boost the information capacity. The OAM multiplexing and modulation techniques have been implemented to meet the continuous growth of bandwidth requirements, resulting in the concept of OAM optical communication. However, the performances of the traditional optical OAM detection techniques degrade seriously in the practical application of OAM optical communications. Thanks to the powerful data analysis advantages, the cutting-edge machine learning (ML) algorithms have been widely used in the field of image processing, laying the technical foundation for OAM recognition. This paper reviews the recent advances on OAM optical communications that are enhanced by ML methods. More than the traditional OAM detection methods, the OAM demodulation methods based on multiple network architectures, including the support vector machine, self-organizing map, feed-forward neural network, convolutional neural network, and diffractive deep optical neural network (D2NN), have been summarized. We also discuss the development of the spiking neural network and on-chip D2NN, opening a possible way to facilitate the future ultra-low power and ultra-fast OAM demodulation technology.
Impacts of climate change on winter wheat and summer maize dual-cropping system in the North China Plain
Authors: Li Jiadi , Lei Huimin
Published: July 2022

Climate change exacerbates the frequency of agricultural-relevant climate extremes, which could threaten crop growth and food production. The North China Plain (NCP), as one of the most important food production bases in China, is dominated by winter wheat and summer maize. The response of this dual-cropping system to climate change has not been thoroughly evaluated. In this study, the remote sensing normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to extract the dynamic phenology of winter wheat and summer maize and characterize crop growth status. The meteorological data from 1982 to 2015 were used to examine the mean climate factors and four typical climate extremes (including heat stress, spring frost, meteorological drought, and extreme wet events) associated with phenology shifts. Then, the effects of climate changes on winter wheat and summer maize growth were explored by a panel regression model. In the NCP during 1982–2015, the winter wheat growth exhibited no significant sensitivity to the four climate extremes, and only extreme wet event exerted a significant impact on summer maize growth. The insensitivity of crop growth to climate extremes may benefit from widespread irrigation, improved cultivars and agricultural management (e.g., topdressing and insect pests control). In addition, over the last 34 years, mean climate conditions, especially average temperature, solar radiation and vapor pressure deficit, generally made more contributions to the variations of wheat and maize growth than climate extremes, indicating that mean climate conditions dominated crop growth changes in the NCP. Our findings highlight the possible effects of climate change on crop growth of regional dual-cropping system and provide a critical foundation for future effective measures to ensure regional food production.
Advances in visual prostheses: engineering and biological challenges
Authors: Borda Eleonora , Ghezzi Diego
Published: July 2022

Vision is an extraordinary sense through which we can appreciate the beauty of the world we live in, gain invaluable knowledge and communicate with others using visual expression and arts. On the contrary, blindness is a threatening medical condition disrupting the life of affected people and their families. Therefore, restoring sight is one of the open challenges of our society. Today, the synergistic convergence of science and technology holds the potential to provide blind patients with artificial vision using visual prostheses: a type of implantable medical device able to reactivate visual neurons using electrical stimulation. Although clinical trials showed that vision restoration is still far away, significant technological advances make visual prostheses a valuable solution for blind patients. This review is not only a description of the state-of-the-art. Instead, it provides the reader with an update on recent developments, a critical discussion of the open challenges, and an overview of promising future directions.
Pitting corrosion studies on functionally graded Inconel 825-SS316L wall manufactured by wire arc additive manufacturing
Authors: Senthil T S , Puviyarasan M , Ramesh Babu S , Ram Prabhu T
Published: July 2022

This research article addresses the pitting corrosion resistance of FGM walls fabricated by the Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). The wall is created by layer-by-layer transfer of molten metal in an uninterrupted manner with little heat input using the CMT process. Pitting corrosion tests were carried out as per the ASTM G48-11 standard on the specimens extracted from Inconel 825, FGM interfaces, and SS316L regions of the wall. The specimens were immersed in the ferric chloride hexahydrate solution for 24, 48, and 72 h. It was found that the FGM interface and the specimens made of Inconel 825 were more resistant to corrosion than the SS316L specimens. The weight loss is measured as 0.462 g, 0.1087 g, and 0.1349 g for the SS316L, FGM interface, and Inconel 825 specimens, respectively. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) were used to analyze the corrosion products at the corrosion pit. The order of the pitting corrosion resistance of the specimens extracted from the FGM wall was: FGM interface > Inconel 825 > SS316L.
Universal selection of pulled fronts
Authors: Avery Montie , Scheel Arnd
Published: July 2022

We establish selection of critical pulled fronts in invasion processes as predicted by the marginal stability conjecture. Our result shows convergence to a pulled front with a logarithmic shift for open sets of steep initial data, including one-sided compactly supported initial conditions. We rely on robust, conceptual assumptions, namely existence and marginal spectral stability of a front traveling at the linear spreading speed and demonstrate that the assumptions hold for open classes of spatially extended systems. Previous results relied on comparison principles or probabilistic tools with implied nonopen conditions on initial data and structure of the equation. Technically, we describe the invasion process through the interaction of a Gaussian leading edge with the pulled front in the wake. Key ingredients are sharp linear decay estimates to control errors in the nonlinear matching and corrections from initial data.