bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Basic principles of modeling reactive sputtering
Authors: Shapovalov Viktor I.
Published: April 2024

This work describes a number of principles, which are proved to be effective in modeling various physical and chemical processes. In the article, a process model is defined as its representation using another similar (or identical) process built on a number of simplifying assumptions. This model is called physicochemical. The main phenomena on the surfaces and in the gas environment of the sputtering system, used for modeling, are identified. A scheme for deriving a system of equations describing the process is given. An example of modeling based on a non-isothermal surface chemical reaction is described. It shows the possibility of studying experimentally immeasurable dependencies characterizing the process of reactive sputtering. The article is addressed mainly to aspiring researchers who have dared to try to understand the features of reactive sputtering models proposed by different authors.
Interactions of adsorbing cosolutes with hydrophobic hydration shells
Authors: Bharadwaj Swaminath , Tripathy Madhusmita , van der Vegt Nico F. A.
Published: April 2024

The analysis of water density fluctuations in the hydration shell of nonpolar solutes provides insights into water-mediated interactions, especially hydrophobic interactions. These fluctuations are sensitive to small perturbations due to changes in thermodynamic conditions, such as temperature and pressure, but also to the presence of cosolutes, such as salts or small organic molecules. Herein, we investigate the effect of two classes of adsorbing cosolutes, using urea and methanol as representatives, on the fluctuations in energy and solvent density within the solvation shell of a model extended hydrophobic solute. We focus on the interactions of the cosolutes with the hydrophobic hydration shell, rather than with the solute itself, which though important remain largely unexplored. We calculate and analyze the interfacial partial molar energy of the cosolute, using a methodology based on the small system method. This approach provides correlated solvent density and energy fluctuations and allows us to decompose them into contributions due to interactions between the different components present in the solvation shell of the solute. The results show that adsorbed urea molecules interact more favorably with water than nonadsorbed urea molecules, which leads to the attenuation of interfacial density fluctuations and thus to the stabilization of the solvation shell. By contrast, the adsorbed methanol molecules interact preferably with other methanol molecules in the solvation shell, leading to a nano-phase segregated structure, which enhances interfacial fluctuations.
Why not focus on combating the virus?
Authors: Zuo Baiyao
Published: April 2024

“Egocentrism” in communication usually refers to the fact that interlocutors are subconsciously influenced by
their cognitive environment. However, being egocentric may be the product of the interlocutors’ conscious choice rather than the
unavoidable impact of cognitive experience. In order to explore some emotive conflicts during the fight against COVID-19 in China,
this study distinguishes active egocentrism from passive egocentrism. We further contend that the interplay of the cognitive
environment and the active assessment of social context differ in speaker processing and hearer processing, which may result in
emotive miscommunications. The facets of the actual social context assessed by interlocutors are also investigated to explain the
formation of active egocentrism.
Argon admixture-driven enhanced ionization and performance of a 5 kW Hall thruster on krypton
Authors: Lee Dongho , Brabston William P , Lev Dan , Walker Mitchell L R
Published: April 2024

Utilizing alternative propellants has been recognized as a strategy to reduce the total cost of propellants in electric propulsion-based missions. The aim of this study is to quantify the Hall effect thruster (HET) performance and operating characteristics using a Kr–Ar mixture to enable mission designers to evaluate the impact on mission and spacecraft design. We present the performance and plume plasma properties of the P5 5 kW-class HET operated with a Kr–Ar mixture with Ar volumetric flow rate fractions from 0 to 100%. The thruster is characterized at discharge power levels of 2.6 kW and 4.1 kW at constant discharge current and voltage over the range of Ar fractions. Despite higher ionization energy and lower mass of Ar, the thruster exhibited a similar level of thrust within 2% when comparing the pure Kr and 26%-Ar mixture cases. The derived ion energy distribution functions and analytical modeling suggest that the characteristic length for the ionization region is extended as the Ar fraction increases. The increased residence time of Kr at the extended ionization region and background energetic electrons from the ionized Ar neutrals are considered to cause this enhanced ionization of the injected Kr neutrals. This leads to a 6% higher Kr ion density at the 26%-Ar case even at the 16% less injected Kr neutral density than in the pure Kr case. The enhanced Kr ionization and generated Ar ions in the 26%-Ar case consequently led to a comparable thrust with that of the pure Kr case. The study indicates that mixing Ar with approximately 26% volumetrically with Kr can provide a similar or even higher thrust performance at the same discharge power. This will be particularly advantageous for various space missions that require high impulses by reducing the total cost of the propellant.
Improving the output performance of magnetic energy harvesters through coupling beam
Authors: You Zhixiong , Shi Yang , Miao Huining
Published: April 2024

We propose a novel magnetic energy harvester (MEH) with multiple resonance modes. The MEH consists of low-frequency and high-frequency piezoelectric cantilevers connected by a coupling beam. Theoretical modeling, simulation, and experiments were conducted to validate the multiple resonance phenomenon. The results from these investigations are consistent with each other. It is evident that the internal coupling (IC) effect resulting from the coupling beam facilitates significant voltage outputs from both cantilevers at their respective resonant frequencies, i.e. the low-frequency beam (LFB) resonates at the resonant frequency of the high-frequency beam (HFB), resulting in a remarkable 122% increase in the output voltage. Conversely, the HFB resonates at the resonant frequency of the LFB, leading to an astounding 1200% increase in the output voltage. As a result of the IC phenomenon, the operating frequency bandwidth for harvesting an output voltage of more than 1 V in the LFB has been extended by 35.3%, while that of the HFB for capturing an output voltage of more than 0.5 V has been extended by 62.5%. Additionally, the coupling effect significantly enhances the power output of the MEH.
Designing an improved model of the adult female ICRP reference phantom dedicated to mammography procedure
Authors: Ebrahimi-Khankook Atiyeh , Vejdani-Noghreiyan Alireza , Khodajou-Chokami Hamidreza , Abbasi-Khiabani Zahra
Published: April 2024

Mammography is an x-ray-based imaging method to examine breast abnormalities. Since low-energy photons are used in mammography, doses to different organs would depend strongly on the phantom posture and anatomy. Until now, a few studies have been performed on doses delivered to different organs during mammography. However, in none of them, the correct posture of the patient has been considered. In the present study, the effect of accurate patient positioning, on doses to organs in the chest region were investigated through Monte Carlo simulations. The results show the rotation of the phantom head, may affect organ doses up to 60%. Also, ignoring the head in dosimetry calculations changes scattering effects and causes dose uncertainty of about 8% for these organs. Moreover, according to the obtained results, not compressing the breast causes serious dose misestimation. Finally, using developed phantoms dedicated for mammography, total doses received by different organs have been calculated for the tube voltages of 25, 28, 30 and 35 kVp and for craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique views.
Resistance spot welding defect detection based on vectorized dynamic resistance signal and LightGBM classifier
Authors: Lv Zigui , Gao Xiangdong , Xiao Hong , Gao Pengyu
Published: April 2024

The problem of real-time detection of welding defects is a difficult problem in resistance spot welding. It is found that the dynamic resistance has a strong connection with the growth of the nugget. The dynamic resistance signals with welding defects are significantly different from those of normal welding, and the dynamic resistance signals between different welding defects show different characteristics, and the dynamic resistance signals of the same kind of welding defects may also differ from each other. The most common practice today to realize the detection of resistive defects is by extracting the time-domain features of the signal waveforms. However, this approach is highly subjective, so this article proposes a double-size mesh division method to process the dynamic resistance signal. Experiments prove that the method can retain the characteristics of the signal curve well, and it is also improves the training speed and accuracy compared with the mesh division method. Finally, the processed signals are classified using the light gradient boosting machine classifier with an accuracy of 98.55%.
Anomaly detection in wind turbine blades based on PCA and convolutional kernel transform models: employing multivariate SCADA time series analysis
Authors: Meng Lingchao , Gao Jianxiong , Yuan Yiping , Yang Haojin , Heng Fei
Published: April 2024

With the widespread application of wind power technology, the detection of abnormalities in wind turbine blades has become a key research area. The use of data from monitoring and data acquisition (SCADA) systems for data-driven fault detection research presents new challenges. This study utilizes short-term SCADA data from wind turbine generators to classify the blade abnormal and normal operational states, thereby introducing a new method called PCABSMMR. This strategy integrates principal component analysis (PCA) and borderline-synthetic minority over-sampling technique (Borderline-SMOTE) for data processing and utilizes an improved multi-dimensional time series classification (MTSC) model. It combines one-dimensional convolution from deep learning with shallow learning’s rigid classifiers. PCA is used for dimensionality reduction, while Borderline-SMOTE expands the samples of minority class fault instances. Comparative analysis with various methods shows that the proposed method has an average F1-score of 0.98, outperforming many state-of-the-art MTSC models across various evaluation metrics.
Quantitative condition assessment method for rotating machinery using fuzzy neural network
Authors: Lu Jiantao , Zhang Chenyang , Cui Rongqing , Li Shunming
Published: April 2024

Health condition assessment of rotating machinery has been a persistent challenge. Traditional condition assessment methods often rely on single features, limiting their application to comprehensively measure the health condition of rotating machinery. This study introduced a quantitative condition assessment method for rotating machinery using fuzzy neural network (FNN). Initially, multi-domain features of signals from rotating machinery are extracted to achieve comprehensive representation of signals in the feature space. To eliminate redundant information of various features, a feature dimensionality reduction method is explored based on variance variation and stacked auto-encoder. Afterward, a normalized health indicator is constructed by integrating the optimized features through FNN, and it can indicate the current conditions of rotating machinery. Furthermore, an early anomaly alarm strategy based on 3σ criterion is designed for rotating machinery. The abnormal signal will be recognized automatically when it exceeds the predetermined thresholds. Last, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated on IMS bearing dataset and XJTU-SY bearing dataset. The results show that the proposed method can effectively obtain the quantitative indicators that reflect the operation conditions of rotating machinery and can accurately detect the early abnormal signals.
Two-dimensional material assisted-growth strategy: new insights and opportunities
Authors: Feng Yuming , Khalid Mansoor , Xiao Haiying , Hu PingAn
Published: April 2024

The exploration and synthesis of novel materials are integral to scientific and technological progress. Since the prediction and synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) materials, it is expected to play an important role in the application of industrialization and the information age, resulting from its excellent physical and chemical properties. Currently, researchers have effectively utilized a range of material synthesis techniques, including mechanical exfoliation, redox reactions, chemical vapor deposition, and chemical vapor transport, to fabricate two-dimensional materials. However, despite their rapid development, the widespread industrial application of 2D materials faces challenges due to demanding synthesis requirements and high costs. To address these challenges, assisted growth techniques such as salt-assisted, gas-assisted, organic-assisted, and template-assisted growth have emerged as promising approaches. Herein, this study gives a summary of important developments in recent years in the assisted growth synthesis of 2D materials. Additionally, it highlights the current difficulties and possible benefits of the assisted-growth approach for 2D materials. It also highlights novel avenues of development and presents opportunities for new lines of investigation.
Mixed-size spot scanning with a compact large momentum acceptance superconducting (LMA-SC) gantry beamline for proton therapy
Authors: Wang Wei , Liu Xu , Liao Yicheng , Zeng Yiling , Chen Yu , Yu Benzhaoxia , Yang Zhiyong , Gao Hao , Qin Bin
Published: April 2024

Objective. Lowering treatment costs and improving treatment quality are two primary goals for next-generation proton therapy (PT) facilities. This work will design a compact large momentum acceptance superconducting (LMA-SC) gantry beamline to reduce the footprint and expense of the PT facilities, with a novel mixed-size spot scanning method to improve the sparing of organs at risk (OAR).Approach. For the LMA-SC gantry beamline, the movable energy slit is placed in the middle of the last achromatic bending section, and the beam momentum spread of delivered spots can be easily changed during the treatment. Simultaneously, changing the collimator size can provide spots with various lateral spot sizes. Based on the provided large-size and small-size spot models, the treatment planning with mixed spot scanning is optimized: the interior of the target is irradiated with large-size spots (to cover the uniform-dose interior efficiently), while the peripheral of the target is irradiated with small-size spots (to shape the sharp dose falloff at the peripheral accurately).Main results. The treatment plan with mixed-size spot scanning was evaluated and compared with small and large-size spot scanning for thirteen clinical prostate cases. The mixed-size spot plan had superior target dose homogeneities, better protection of OAR, and better plan robustness than the large-size spot plan. Compared to the small-size spot plan, the mixed-size spot plan had comparable plan quality, better plan robustness, and reduced plan delivery time from 65.9 to 40.0 s.Significance. The compact LMA-SC gantry beamline is proposed with mixed-size spot scanning, with demonstrated footprint reduction and improved plan quality compared to the conventional spot scanning method.
Reply to Comment on ‘The influence of plasma evolution on a kinetic scenario of collisional relaxation of a magnetized plasma’
Authors: Erofeev V I
Published: April 2024

In the comment to my recent work (Erofeev 2023 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion
65 085014) Chao Dong and Ding Li have pointed out a mistake that I missed in the last stage of my research (Dong and Li 2024 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion
66 068001). I will consider its essence and impact on the basic results reported in the paper in a slightly different way.
Quantum networks using counterfactual quantum communication
Authors: Warke Aakash , Thapliyal Kishore , Pathak Anirban
Published: April 2024

Counterfactual quantum communication is one of the most interesting facets of quantum communication, allowing two parties to communicate without any transmission of quantum or classical particles between the parties involved in the communication process. This aspect of quantum communication originates from the interaction-free measurements where the chained quantum Zeno effect plays an important role. Here, we propose a new counterfactual quantum communication protocol for transmitting an entangled state from a pair of electrons to two independent photons. Interestingly, the protocol proposed here shows that the counterfactual method can be employed to transfer information from house qubits to flying qubits. Following this, we show that the protocol finds uses in building quantum repeaters leading to a counterfactual quantum network, enabling counterfactual communication over a linear quantum network.
Effect of doped heteroatom on monolayer SnSe2 adsorption of Na
Authors: Ma Mengting , Liu Guili , Zhang Guoying
Published: April 2024

Based on the first principles, we have calculated the influence of B, Br, and N atom doping on the adsorption properties and optoelectronic properties of monolayer SnSe2 adsorbed Na. The calculations show that vacancy is the most favorable adsorption site for the Na atom. Among the three doping systems, the B-doped system has the best adsorption energy and height and Na’s adsorption capacity. After the adsorption of the Na atom by intrinsic SnSe2, the system behaves from a semiconductor to a metal nature. Doping Br atom increases the adsorption system’s Fermi energy level, the conduction band’s overall energy increases and the electrical conductivity is enhanced. Doping B and N atoms change the adsorption system from metallic to p-type semiconductor properties. The system’s adsorption performance, electrical conductivity, and energy band tunability are improved. Due to the electrostatic repulsion between Na atoms, the adsorption energy of the system shows an increasing trend with the increase in the number of adsorbed Na atoms on the surface. The maximum specific capacity of the surface of the doped system is 373 mAhg−1, and the system has high storage capacity. Optical property calculations show that the static refractive index of the Br-doped adsorption system is maximum. The static refractive index of the doped adsorption system is minimal. Doping makes the system’s energy loss smaller, complex conductivity decreases, intermolecular interactions decrease, and the adsorption system becomes more stable.
Entanglement constraint on wave-particle duality for tripartite systems
Authors: Li Z J , He Y Q , Ding D , Gao T , Yan F L
Published: April 2024

A global multi-partite entanglement may place a constraint on the wave-particle duality. We investigate this constraint relation of the global entanglement and the quantitative wave-particle duality in tripartite systems. We perform quantum state tomography to reconstruct the reduced density matrix by using the OriginQ quantum computing cloud platform. As a result, we show that, theoretically and experimentally, the quantitative wave-particle duality is indeed constrained by the global tripartite entanglement. The present constraint relation can not only provide the foundational explanation for experimentally testing wave-particle duality, and also give the global entanglement a motivated physical meaning from the point of view of the quantitative wave-particle duality.
Gravitational wave non-Gaussianity from trans-Planckian quantum noise
Authors: Cielo Mattia , Fasiello Matteo , Mangano Gianpiero , Pisanti Ofelia
Published: April 2024

We examine the effect of a trans-Planckian phase on the dynamics of inflationary tensor
perturbations. To remedy the fact that this regime is not fully captured by standard perturbation
theory, we introduce an effective quantum noise source, whose role is regulated by the energy
scale Λ. The presence of the source modifies the initial conditions for the tensor modes,
leaving a distinct imprint. We study the amplitude and shape of the gravitational wave bispectrum
of the model and compare these with their counterparts obtained under the assumptions of
Bunch-Davies initial conditions and α-vacua states. Depending on the value of the scale
Λ, we find distinctive signatures associated with both the bispectrum shape and the
non-linear parameter f
NL.
New constraints on the gamma-ray and high energy neutrino fluxes from the circumstellar interaction of SN 2023ixf
Authors: Sarmah Prantik
Published: April 2024

The recent supernova, SN 2023ixf, one of the closest observed type II SNe has revealed the presence of a dense circumstellar material (CSM). Interaction of the SN ejecta with this dense CSM might create high energy protons of PeV energies through shock acceleration. These accelerated protons then colliding with the CSM (inelastic pp collision) can produce secondaries such as high energy gamma-rays and neutrinos. However, no gamma-rays and neutrinos have been detected by Fermi-LAT and IceCube from this event. Fermi-LAT has placed an upper limit on the gamma-ray flux above 100 MeV to be 2.6 × 10-11 erg cm-2 s-1. On the other hand, IceCube's upper limit on muon neutrino flux is 7.3 × 10-2 GeV cm-2. Taking these limits into account and using the shock-CSM properties derived from multi-wavelength observations, we obtain new upper limits on the gamma-ray (10-11 erg cm-2 s-1) and neutrino (10-3 GeV cm-2) fluxes from SN 2023ixf produced via the pp interaction channel. While we found the gamma-ray flux to be consistent with Fermi-LAT's upper limit, the neutrino flux is found to be about 2 orders of magnitude smaller than the IceCube's upper limit. We further analyse the detection prospects of such secondary signals from future SN 2023 like events with upcoming detectors, CTA and IceCube-Gen2 and found to have great discovery potential, if any similar event occurs within 7 Mpc.
Detecting dark matter halos with extreme mass-ratio inspirals
Authors: Zhang Chao , Fu Guoyang , Dai Ning
Published: April 2024

Extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs), where a small compact object inspirals into a supermassive black hole, are excellent sources for the space-based laser interferometer gravitational wave (GW) detectors.
The presence of the dark matter (DM) halo surrounding the supermassive black hole will influence the orbital evolution and emitted gravitational waveform of the binary.
By direct observation of GW signals, we assess the detector's capability to detect whether an EMRI is immersed in a DM halo and to measure its characteristic spatial scale a
0 and mass M
halo.
Apart from the GW emission, the dynamical friction and accretion caused by the DM halo can also affect the dynamics of an EMRI, leaving detectable signatures in the emitted gravitational signal.
We perform a Fisher-matrix error analysis to estimate the errors of parameters a
0 and M
halo, as well as their correlation.
The results show that the highly correlated parameters a
0 and M
halo deteriorate the detector's ability to measure DM halo even though the dephasing and mismatch between signals with and without DM indicate much difference.
The effects of the dynamical friction and accretion can break possible degeneracy between parameters a
0 and M
halo, thus greatly decreasing the uncertainty by about one order of magnitude.
Experimental research of ECW pre-ionization and assisted startup in EAST
Authors: Chen Runze , Liu Wenbin , Qian Jinping , Zhang Bin , Sun Hongjuan , Luo Zhengping , Yu Yaowei , Gao Wei , Li Miaohui , Xu Handong , Wang Mao , Zuo Guizhong , Zhang Ling , Zhou Ruijie , Jia Tianqi , Li Pan , Wang Wei , He Yifan , Wang Zuhao , Tao Ye , Hu Yunchan , Guan Zhongfang , Lu Wenyi , Guo Yutong , Gong Xianzu
Published: April 2024

Experimental research on the electron cyclotron wave (ECW) pre-ionization and assisted start-up was carried out systematically for the first time in EAST tokamak, which is a superconducting device with ITER-like full metal wall. Breakdown and plasma initiation at low toroidal electric fields (<0.3 V m−1) with ECW pre-ionization and startup assistance has been demonstrated. Also, the parameter domain of breakdown is significantly extended towards higher prefill gas pressure. The effect of ECW injection timing, power, toroidal injection angle on breakdown were also investigated. Injecting ECW earlier leads to an earlier breakdown and a higher plasma current ramp rate. The electron cyclotron heating (ECH) power threshold for breakdown in EAST is approximately 0.4 MW. In the range of ECH power tested in this work, higher ECH power is advantageous for achieving earlier and faster breakdown. Furthermore, the breakdown with radial ECW injection occurs earlier compared with oblique injections (co-current and counter-current). During the ECW-assisted startup, the process of burn-through is prolonged by the higher pre-filled gas pressure even though it enhances the ease of breakdown. In addition, compared to the low hybrid wave assistance, the ECW assistance has an effect in averting the generation of runaway electrons and improving the safety of device during startup. Moreover, the ECW assistance exhibits a high tolerance to the impurity and thus ensures a high ramp rate of plasma current even with a high impurity level.
The position resolution of the Gas Microchannel plate Pixel Detector
Authors: Feng Huan-Bo , Liu Hong-Bang , Wang Dong , Liu Shu-Lin , Liu Qian , Li Hang-Zhou , Yi Di-Fan , Wang Hui , Chen Ran , Feng Zu-Ke , Xie Fei , Liang En-Wei
Published: April 2024

The Gas Microchannel plate Pixel Detector (GMPD) is
purposefully designed and manufactured for astrophysical X-ray
polarization detection, slated for use in various space missions
such as the Cosmic X-ray Polarization Detector (CXPD) CubeSat, Low
Energy Polarimeter Detector (LPD/POLAR-2), and the Chasing All
Transients Constellation Hunters (CATCH). Past research has explored
the polarization and spectral performance of GMPD. This study, for
the first time, experimentally investigates its imaging
characteristics to validate its imaging capabilities. Utilizing a
deconvolution method, we measured the position resolution of GMPD,
revealing distinctions in the detector's imaging capabilities for
X-rays of varying energies and in orthogonal directions. These
research findings will provide targeted insights for optimizing the
photoelectron track reconstruction algorithm and correcting
systematic effects in polarization measurements for future
applications of GMPD.
A method for estimating the incident directions of alpha particles in 2-dimensional trajectory images in a GAGG plate
Authors: Yamamoto Seiichi , Yoshino Masao , Nakanishi Kohei , Kamada Kei , Yoshikawa Akira , Kataoka Jun
Published: April 2024

An imaging technique utilizing a scintillator plate in
conjunction with a magnifying unit and a cooled electron multiplying
charge-coupled device (EM-CCD) camera shows promise for capturing
high-resolution trajectory images. Nevertheless, in the
2-dimensional trajectory images, the incident directions of the
alpha particles entering the scintillator plate remained unknown due
to the line-shaped trajectories. To elucidate the incident
directions in our trajectory images, we conducted experiments
capturing trajectory images of alpha particles under off-focus
conditions. To capture off-focus images of alpha particles, we
systematically varied the distance between the GAGG plate and the
lens during imaging using an americium-241 (Am-241) source. Through
images obtained at different distances between the GAGG plate and
the lens, we successfully acquired trajectory images with varying
degrees of off-focus, revealing that trajectory images focused on
the upper surface of the GAGG plate exhibited blurred and wider
trajectories in the deeper regions, making the incident directions
of the alpha particles evident. We conclude that the proposed
off-focus method for trajectory imaging of alpha particles holds
promise for estimating the incident directions in the trajectory
images.
Fibrillogenesis in collagen hydrogels accelerated by carboxylated microbeads
Authors: Rodríguez-Mandujano Laura , Pimentel-Domínguez Reinher , Tamariz Elisa , Campos-Puente Edgar , Giraldo-Betancur Astrid Lorena , Avila Remy
Published: April 2024

Collagen type I is a material widely used for 3D cell culture and tissue engineering. Different architectures, such as gels, sponges, membranes, and nanofibers, can be fabricated with it. In collagen hydrogels, the formation of fibrils and fibers depends on various parameters, such as the source of collagen, pH, temperature, concentration, age, etc. In this work, we study the fibrillogenesis process in collagen type I hydrogels with different types of microbeads embedded, using optical techniques such as turbidity assay and confocal reflectance microscopy. We observe that microbeads embedded in the collagen matrix hydrogels modify the fibrillogenesis. Our results show that carboxylated fluorescent microbeads accelerate 3.6 times the gelation, while silica microbeads slow down the formation of collagen fibrils by a factor of 1.9, both compared to pure collagen hydrogels. Our observations suggest that carboxylate microbeads act as nucleation sites and the early collagen fibrils bind to the microbeads.
The potential bone regeneration effects of leptin- and osteolectin-coated 3D-printed PCL scaffolds: an in vivo study
Authors: Kim Young-Ran , Yun Eun-Byeol , Ryu Dam-In , Kim Bo-Hye , Kim Joong-Seon , Kim Ye-Seul , Kang Jin-Ho , Cho Eun-Hyo , Koh Jeong-Tae , Lim Hyun-Pil , Park Chan , Lee Bin-Na
Published: April 2024

This study investigated the effectiveness of bone regeneration upon the application of leptin and osteolectin to a three-dimensional (3D) printed poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold. A fused deposition modeling 3D bioprinter was used to fabricate scaffolds with a diameter of 4.5 mm, a height of 0.5 mm, and a pore size of 420–520 nm using PCL (molecular weight: 43 000). After amination of the scaffold surface for leptin and osteolectin adhesion, the experimental groups were divided into the PCL scaffold (control), the aminated PCL (PCL/Amine) scaffold, the leptin-coated PCL (PCL/Leptin) scaffold, and the osteolectin-coated PCL (PCL/Osteo) scaffold. Next, the water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 (WST-1) assay was used to assess cell viability. All groups exhibited cell viability rates of >100%. Female 7-week-old Sprague–Dawley rats were used for in vivo experiments. Calvarial defects were introduced on the rats’ skulls using a 5.5 mm trephine bur. The rats were divided into the PCL (control), PCL/Leptin, and PCL/Osteo scaffold groups. The scaffolds were then inserted into the calvarial defect areas, and the rats were sacrificed after 8-weeks to analyze the defect area. Micro-CT analysis indicated that the leptin- and osteolectin-coated scaffolds exhibited significantly higher bone regeneration. Histological analysis revealed new bone and blood vessels in the calvarial defect area. These findings indicate that the 3D-printed PCL scaffold allows for patient-customized fabrication as well as the easy application of proteins like leptin and osteolectin. Moreover, leptin and osteolectin did not show cytotoxicity and exhibited higher bone regeneration potential than the existing scaffold.
Heat current properties of a rotor chain type model with next-nearest-neighbor interactions
Authors: Lemos Humberto C F , Pereira Emmanuel
Published: April 2024

In this article, to study the heat flow behavior, we perform analytical investigations in a rotor chain type model (involving inner stochastic noises) with next and next-nearest-neighbor (NN) interactions. It is known in the literature that the chain rotor model with long range interactions presents an insulating phase for the heat conductivity. But we show, in contrast with such a behavior, that the addition of a next-NN potential increases the thermal conductivity, at least in the low temperature regime, indicating that the insulating property is a genuine long range interaction effect. We still establish, now by numerical computations, the existence of a thermal rectification in systems with graded structures.
Advancements in gradient bone scaffolds: enhancing bone regeneration in the treatment of various bone disorders
Authors: Zhen Chengdong , Shi Yanbin , Wang Wenguang , Zhou Guangzhen , Li Heng , Lin Guimei , Wang Fei , Tang Bingtao , Li Xuelin
Published: April 2024

Bone scaffolds are widely employed for treating various bone disorders, including defects, fractures, and accidents. Gradient bone scaffolds present a promising approach by incorporating gradients in shape, porosity, density, and other properties, mimicking the natural human body structure. This design offers several advantages over traditional scaffolds. A key advantage is the enhanced matching of human tissue properties, facilitating cell adhesion and migration. Furthermore, the gradient structure fosters a smooth transition between scaffold and surrounding tissue, minimizing the risk of inflammation or rejection. Mechanical stability is also improved, providing better support for bone regeneration. Additionally, gradient bone scaffolds can integrate drug delivery systems, enabling controlled release of drugs or growth factors to promote specific cellular activities during the healing process. This comprehensive review examines the design aspects of gradient bone scaffolds, encompassing structure and drug delivery capabilities. By optimizing the scaffold’s inherent advantages through gradient design, bone regeneration outcomes can be improved. The insights presented in this article contribute to the academic understanding of gradient bone scaffolds and their applications in bone tissue engineering.
The Physical Signature of Computation
Authors: Anderson Neal G , Piccinini Gualtiero
Published: April 2024

This book articulates and defends the robust mapping account—the most systematic, rigorous, and comprehensive account of computational implementation to date. Drawing in part from recent results in physical information theory, it argues that mapping accounts of implementation can be made adequate by incorporating appropriate physical constraints. According to the robust mapping account, the key constraint on mappings from physical to computational states—the key for establishing that a computation is physically implemented—is physical-computational equivalence: evolving physical states bear neither more nor less information about the evolving computation than do the computational states they map onto. When this highly nontrivial constraint is satisfied, among others that are spelled out as part of the account, a physical system can be said to implement a computation in a robust sense, which means that the system bears the physical signature of that computation. The book applies this robust mapping account to important questions in physical foundations of computation and cognitive science, including the alleged indeterminacy of computation, pancomputationalism, and the computational theory of mind. It shows that physical computation is determinate, nontrivial versions of pancomputationalism fail, and cognition involves computation only insofar as neurocognitive systems bear the physical signature of specific computations. It also argues that both consciousness and physics outstrip computation.
Ontic Pancomputationalism
Authors: Anderson Neal G , Piccinini Gualtiero
Published: April 2024

This chapter examines ontic pancomputationalism, the view that the physical universe is fundamentally computational or, more precisely, that every physical system objectively performs one computation, which exhausts the nature of the system. Ontic pancomputationalism includes a metaphysical claim and, in some versions, an empirical claim. The empirical claim is that, according to some versions of ontic pancomputationalism, the world is fundamentally discrete rather than continuous. But there is no empirical evidence for such a radical departure from standard physics. The metaphysical claim is that the nature of physical systems is entirely computational. But it is unclear how computations alone—which lack the right kinds of causal, structural, and qualitative properties—can give rise to the multifarious physical systems and phenomena that we commonly experience.
Fasting, Forgetting, and Mirroring
Authors: Fraser Chris
Published: April 2024

This chapter applies an analytic framework introduced by Michel Foucault to examine the Zhuangist adept’s process of self-constitution or ‘ethical work’. The chapter suggests that the crux of the practical process by which the Zhuangist agent becomes a dào virtuoso who wanders the way and applies dé to live a flourishing Zhuangist life lies in attaining the blank, clear, or open psychological state the texts describe as ‘emptiness’ or ‘openness’ (xu). The major technique for attaining such emptiness is ‘fasting’ or ‘purging’ the heart or mind, thereby ‘forgetting’ (wang) distractions and attending fully to one’s situation. Agents who successfully ‘forget’ and attain ‘emptiness’ are able to apply their heart or mind ‘like a mirror’, thus manifesting the contextual sensitivity needed to find appropriate courses of action in changing circumstances. This mirror-like functioning is thought to facilitate a life of dé and wandering. The chapter investigates accounts in the Zhuāngzǐ of the practices, techniques, and processes by which an agent may become an ethical adept and considers potential shortcomings of this Zhuangist approach to ethical work. It concludes that, provided we remain aware of its limitations, the Zhuangist approach may indeed be fruitful.
A Path with No End
Authors: Fraser Chris
Published: April 2024

The chapter examines respects in which dào is embodied in skills while also being distinct from them. The discussion contrasts Mohist ethics with Zhuangist views. For the Mohists, the pursuit of dào—and thus the ethical life—is strongly analogous to the performance of skills. Like an artisan’s craft, dào has a fixed end that can be explicitly indicated through clear standards. In the Zhuāngzǐ, by contrast, dào is unlike skill in having no fixed, predetermined ends. Proceeding along dào is an indeterminate, open-ended process in which our path may repeatedly change shape or direction. The chapter suggests that Zhuangist evaluations of an agent’s performance of dào resemble assessments of skill, couched in terms of how effective, successful, competent, or adroit one’s activity is. Since dào has no fixed ends, however, the criteria by which we assess dào performance must be contingent and adaptive, shifting from context to context depending on the agent’s provisional ends, interests, abilities, and circumstances. This open-ended outlook on dào might raise worries about whether even malevolent conduct could qualify as adept performance of dào, provided it is sufficiently skilful. The chapter argues that a Zhuangist approach offers compelling reasons to consider a malevolent way of life defective, because it amounts to a poor performance of dào.
Objectivity
Authors: Bengson John , Cuneo Terence , Shafer-Landau Russ
Published: April 2024

Moral realism is committed to the existence of objective moral facts. This chapter substantiates realism’s claim that moral reality is objective in two crucial respects. First, all moral truths and facts must satisfy certain substantive constraints, which ensures it’s not the case that anything goes in the moral domain. Second, a range of moral facts are stance-independent. This ensures that such truths and facts are not determined by arbitrary attitudes or behaviors, such as those which are uninformed, biased, or irrational. While the chapter’s defense and explanation of the first claim builds on work done in previous chapters, its defense and explanation of the second claim appeals to novel claims regarding moral essences.
Deep Normativity
Authors: Bengson John , Cuneo Terence , Shafer-Landau Russ
Published: April 2024

This chapter develops an argument for moral nonnaturalism, the view that some moral properties are both instantiated and deeply normative (i.e., every set of facts encompassing its whole essence includes a normative property). Building on the work of previous chapters, this one argues for the deep normativity of being morally required. It does so by locating a pair of normative properties—being befitting and being favored by strong moral reasons—in the essence of moral requirement, and then arguing that these elements are ineliminable in any complete, correct specification of the essence of moral requirement. The chapter then proceeds to argue for the Enchantment thesis, which states that some nonnormative properties are both instantiated and deeply normative. It concludes with a review of objections to nonnaturalism, and replies.
The Relationship Between L2 Spanish Proficiency and Features of Written Lexical and Lexicogrammatical Use
Authors: Consolini Carla H , Kyle Kristopher
Published: April 2024

Research has demonstrated that features of lexical and lexicogrammatical use are important predictors of productive second language (L2) proficiency (e.g. Kyle et al. 2018). While some features of lexical use have been studied with L2s other than English (e.g. Tracy-Ventura 2017), multivariate lexical and lexicogrammatical approaches in these L2s are rare. In this study, we extend the use of multivariate approaches to L2 Spanish writing. Our learner data included a subset of the CEDEL2 corpus (Lozano 2021), comprised of proficiency scores and 644 descriptive essays written in L2 Spanish by L1 English writers. Correlational analyses were conducted between proficiency scores and indices of lexical diversity (e.g. MTLD), mean word and bigram frequencies, and bigram strength of association (MI, delta). A final regression analysis accounted for 48.3 per cent of the variance in proficiency scores. Following previous L2 English writing research (e.g. Kyle et al. 2018; Monteiro et al. 2020), more proficient L2 Spanish writers tended to use a wider variety of lexical items, more strongly associated word combinations, and lexical items that are less frequent in corpora.
Extraction and antioxidant capacity of mycosporine-like amino acids from red algae in Japan
Authors: Yamamoto Ryuya , Toriumi Shigeru , Kawagoe Chikara , Saburi Wataru , Kishimura Hideki , Kumagai Yuya
Published: April 2024

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are the natural UV-absorbing compounds with antioxidant activity found in microalgae and macroalgae. We collected red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis, Meristotheca japonica, and Polysiphonia senticulosa from Nagasaki, where UV radiation is more intense than in Hokkaido, and investigated the effect of UV radiation on MAA content. It was suggested that A. taxiformis and M. japonica contained shinorine and palythine, while UV-absorbing compound in P. senticulosa could not be identified. The amounts of these MAAs were lower compared to those from Hokkaido. Despite an increase in UV radiation in both regions from February to April, MAA contents of red algae from Nagasaki slightly decreased while those from Hokkaido significantly decreased. This difference was suggested the amount of inorganic nitrogen in the ocean. Antioxidant activity of MAAs increased under alkaline conditions. The extract containing MAAs from P. senticulosa showed the highest antioxidant activity among 4 red algae.
Comparison of assay methods for quantifying sex hormone concentrations across the menstrual cycle in rhesus macaques
Authors: Fecteau Kristopher M , Winchell Andrea J , Blue Steven W , Appleman Maria Luisa , Urbanski Henryk F , Erikson David W
Published: April 2024

Immunoassays have been the preferred method for steroid hormone analysis for more than 50 years. Automated immunoassays (AIAs) offer high throughput, rapid data turnaround, and low cost for measuring steroid hormone concentrations. The application of liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for steroid quantification provides greater specificity and selectivity for individual steroids, the ability to simultaneously analyze multiple steroids, and high throughput and automation. We compared AIA and LC-MS/MS for analysis of 17beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) over the course of several menstrual cycles in 12 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Serum samples were collected every 4 days across four menstrual cycles from each monkey. AIAs were performed on a Roche cobas e411 analyzer. LC-MS/MS analysis was performed on a Shimadzu-Nexera-LCMS-8060 instrument. Scatter plots with Passing–Bablok regression showed excellent agreement between AIA and LC-MS/MS for both E2 and P4. Bland–Altman plots revealed no bias for either method; however, AIA overestimated E2 at concentrations >140 pg/ml and underestimated P4 at concentrations >4 ng/ml compared to LC-MS/MS. A comparison of testosterone concentrations measured by AIA and LC-MS/MS in the same samples was also performed. In contrast to E2 and P4, AIA and LC-MS/MS yielded significantly different results for testosterone concentrations, with AIA consistently underestimating concentrations relative to those obtained by LC-MS/MS. Well-characterized automated immunoassays are an excellent tool for daily monitoring of monkey menstrual cycles or providing single data points requiring fast turnaround. In certain situations where AIAs may provide inaccurate estimations of E2 and P4 concentrations, LC-MS/MS assays are preferable.
Revitalizing community empowerment: harnessing the synergy of faith-based NGOs and Laverack’s domain approach
Authors: Chowdhury Shofiqur Rahman , Islam M Rezaul
Published: April 2024

This research investigated the community empowerment initiatives of Islamic Relief (IR) Bangladesh, a faith-based non-governmental organization (NGO), using Laverack’s domain approach. The study employed a quantitative approach, where data were collected from the beneficiaries of the Action for Peoples Rights and Livelihoods (APRIL) project of IRB in the Kalikagaon village in Thakurgaon District, Bangladesh. Findings revealed that IR Bangladesh primarily empowered women and shared similarities with conventional NGOs in the country. However, unique aspects included non-interest-based loans, revolving funds, and community-led group operations. The organization’s services were inclusive, irrespective of religious affiliation. The study confirmed that IR’s activities contribute to community empowerment across Laverack’s nine domains. Policy implications include establishing an Apex Body (Apex Body refers to the highest decision-making and coordinating authority within the community, often responsible for overseeing and managing the overall implementation of various development initiatives.) at project inception, forming a national alliance with IR, providing ongoing training for collective responsibility, and emphasizing publications and research to counter misconceptions. The study findings hold relevance beyond rural Bangladesh, offering insights for development interventions in similar socio-cultural contexts, and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals in various developing countries.
Measurement of antioxidant activity against superoxide radical anions by sonochemiluminescence
Authors: Kuriya Hikari , Zhang Qilan , Sasahara Shusuke , Wakamiya Masanori , Soejima Junichiro , Jin Jiye
Published: April 2024

This paper, for the first time, reports on an alternative method for measuring the free radical-scavenging properties of phenolic compounds, specifically against superoxide anion radicals (O2•−) by the sonochemiluminescence (SCL) of lucigenin (Luc2+). A miniaturized sonochemical reactor is developed for the SCL observation under pulsed 450 kHz ultrasound irradiation.