bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Apocenter pileup and arcs: A narrow dust ring around HD 129590
Authors: Olofsson J. , Thébault P. , Bayo A. , Milli J. , van Holstein R. G. , Henning Th. , Medina-Olea B. , Godoy N. , Maucó K.
Published: April 2023

Context. Observations of debris disks have significantly improved over the past decades, both in terms of sensitivity and spatial resolution. At near-infrared wavelengths, new observing strategies and post-processing algorithms allow us to drastically improve the final images and reveal faint structures in the disks. These structures inform us about the properties and spatial distribution of the small dust particles.

Aims. We present new H-band observations of the disk around the solar-type star HD 129590, which display an intriguing arc-like structure in total intensity observations but not in total polarimetry, and we propose an explanation for the origin of this arc.

Methods. Assuming geometric parameters for the birth ring of planetesimals, our model provides the positions of millions of particles of different sizes to compute scattered light images. The code can either produce images over the full size distribution or over several smaller intervals of grain sizes.

Results. We demonstrate that if the grain size distribution is truncated or strongly peaks at a size larger than the radiation pressure blow-out size, we are able to produce an arc quite similar to the one detected in the observations. If the birth ring is radially narrow, given that particles of a given size have similar eccentricities, they will have their apocenters at the same distance from the star. Since this is where the particles spend most of their time, an “apocenter pileup” occurs that can look like a ring. Due to more efficient forward scattering, this arc only appears in total intensity observations and remains undetected in polarimetric data, which is in good agreement with our observations.

Conclusions. For the secondary ring to be detected, sharp variations either in the grain size distribution or for the scattering efficiencies Qsca (or a combination of both) are required. We show that a wavy size distribution and a size-dependent phase function can strengthen the apocenter pileup. Overall, such arcs are rarely detected in other systems, which can mainly be explained by the fact that most parent belts are usually broad.
Factors influencing willingness to pay for wetland ecosystems conservation: a contingent valuation study of lake Victoria Ecosystem in Kenya
Authors: Mamboleo Martin , Adem Aggrey
Published: April 2023

Wetland ecosystems provide us with various valuable services which are fast degrading due to the lack of effective incentive mechanisms and conservation models for stakeholders involved in managing these ecosystems. This study examines the elements affecting residents' Willingness to Pay (WTP) for the Lake Victoria biodiversity conservation initiative based on a survey of 394 households. Chi-Square test of independence was used to determine the existence of an association between various independent factors and WTP. Logistic regression was further used to determine the influence of these factors on WTP. The results showed that access to grazing land, fishing status, land ownership, business ownership, level of education, county of origin and household monthly income had a statistically significant association with WTP. From this study, it can be concluded that socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics were constant drivers of WTP for Lake Victoria Conservation Program. This study serves as a valuable input for the identification of the market segment among the residents, which will eventually help in creating more proceeds for the preservation of biodiversity in Lake Victoria Basin. Finally, the study promotes the use of WTP in creating market-based conservation techniques in developing nations to stop the increasing loss of biodiversity and save the ecosystem.
Wettability alteration and surfactant adsorption study of methyl ester sulphonate/nano-silica nanofluid on sandstone reservoir rock
Authors: Lim Stanley Sim Sze , Elochukwu Henry , Nandong Jobrun , Hamid Mohamed Ali , Bennour Ziad
Published: April 2023

This research project set out to investigate low salinity water/Methyl Ester Sulphonate (MES) surfactant/nano-silica synergy to enhance oil recovery from sandstone reservoir. A Series of experimental works, including contact angle measurements (Sessile drop technique) and UV-vis spectrophotometer tests, were conducted to ascertain the effect of the synergy solution on wettability alteration and surfactant adsorption reduction. Results showed that MES surfactant at 750 ppm and 1000 ppm reversed oil-wet sandstone to a water-wet state. Further reduction was observed at low salinity (250 ppm CaCl2) under high pH conditions. The lowest contact angle measured was 18 degrees with the synergy solution of 750 ppm MES and 250 ppm CaCl2 at high pH conditions. The maximum adsorption capacity was used as criteria to measure surfactant adsorption loss reduction. It was observed that surfactant adsorption capacity reduced from 4.66 mg/g to 0.85 mg/g when 25 ppm nano-silica was added at 70℃ temperature. This shows that the synergy was able to restore wettability to preferable water-wet conditions to support oil recovery and reduce the excessive loss of surfactant to the sandstone reservoir rock. Water-wet wettability condition and surfactant adsorption reduction are beneficial to the c-EOR project in terms of efficient cost savings on the quantity of surfactant usage for the project. At the same time, overall additional oil recovery is greatly improved.
Thermogravimetric analysis of face mask waste: Kinetic analysis via iso-conversional methods
Authors: Wee Melvin Xin Jie , Chin Bridgid Lai Fui , Saptoro Agus , Sunarso Jaka , Jing Chew Jiuan , Yusup Suzana
Published: April 2023

The surge of face mask waste in response to the global pandemic has proven to be a liability to the environment. Microfibers from plastic constituents of the face mask would cause microplastic pollution in the water bodies. Fortunately, these waste could be converted into renewable source of energy via thermochemical method, i.e. pyrolysis. However, the studies on the thermal decomposition of face masks and their kinetic mechanisms are not well-established. The aim of this paper focuses on the prospects of pyrolysis at low to high heating rates ranging from 10 °C min-1 to 100 °C min-1, to cater for the slow pyrolysis and fast pyrolysis modes. Following this, the thermal degradation behaviour of the face mask waste was studied via thermogravimetric analysis which determined the single peak temperature degradation range at 218 to 424 °C at 10 °C min-1, and maximum degradation rate was determined at 172.51 wt.% min-1 at 520 °C, with heating rate of 100 °C min-1. Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) and Starink method was employed to determine the average activation energy and average pre-exponential factor of the pyrolysis process of face mask waste. i.e., 41.31 kJ mol-1 and 0.9965, 10.43 kJ mol-1 and 0.9901 for FWO and Starink method, respectively.
Growth Study and Biological Hydrogen Production by novel strain Bacillus paramycoides
Authors: Chua Eldon Chung Han , Wee Siaw Khur , Kansedo Jibrail , Lau Sie Yon , Lim King Hann , Doi Sharul Sham , Lipton Anuj Nishanth
Published: April 2023

Industrial revolution has created high dependent on fossil fuels for energy creation. However, combustion of fossil fuels has created excessive amount of greenhouse gases, hence led to climate change. Thus, renewable energy has been proposed to alleviate the environmental pollution issues around the globe. One of the promising renewable energies is green hydrogen energy. Commercialized technologies such as electrolysis and thermochemical reaction are utilized to form hydrogen energy. Nonetheless, these processes require high energy and yet producing greenhouse gases that harm the environment. In this study, biodegradation process to produce hydrogen energy has been explored. To our knowledge, Bacillus paramycoides strain has not yet been investigated for biological hydrogen evolution. Therefore, in this paper, the ability of Bacillus paramycoides to produce biological hydrogen has been studied. The rod-shaped and gram-positive Bacillus paramycoides was identified under scanning electron microscope and gram staining procedure. Furthermore, biological hydrogen generation by Bacillus sp. was experimented for 96 hours. The result shows that 4668 ± 120 ppm cumulative hydrogen gas was generated through dark fermentation process. For Bacillus sp. growth study, lag, log, and stationary phase have been achieved in 96 hours. In a summary, metabolic engineering to degrade abundant biomass wastes is a sustainable pathway to produce hydrogen energy, simultaneously resolve waste management issue around the globe.
A mini-investigation on enhanced oil recovery evolution (2007 – 2020)
Authors: Tiong Adrian Chiong Yuh , Tan Inn Shi , Foo Henry Chee Yew , Lam Man Kee , Ben Mahmud Hisham , Lee Keat Teong
Published: April 2023

Energy plays an important role in sustaining humanity. With rising worldwide energy demand and the great dependence of energy generation on fossil fuels, it is inevitable that enhanced oil recovery must be deployed to recover more possible reserves. This report focuses on reviewing publications related to enhanced oil recovery from 2007 to 2020 through the utilization of bibliometric analysis. Of the 5498 documents retrieved from Web of Science, 569 journals, 90 countries, 2025 organizations, and 8684 authors are involved. China, the United States, Iran, Canada, and India published the most documents. The United States has the highest h-index at 61. The analysis of keywords had shown that the hot issues lie around four main domains namely carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR), development of unconventional reserves, and chemical enhanced oil recovery. This study provides some useful insights for future research directions. From there, discussions were subsequently placed on chemical EOR.
Remodeling Consumer Brand Choice Behavior: The Effects of Social Media Influences and Celebrity Endorsement
Authors: Kalam Abul , Lee Goi Chai , Ying Tiong Ying
Published: April 2023

Social media influences and celebrity endorsers are the dominant marketing strategies marketers follow to promote brands and businesses. The scholars also prioritized examining the diverse issues of social media influences and celebrity endorsers. On this ground, we systematically review the current trend of research to provide a state-of-the-art understanding of the factors prior researchers explored related to social media influences and celebrity endorsers to influence consumer brand purchasing behavior. We have extensively reviewed 200 peer-reviewed papers, including 86 research frameworks from recent (last five years) scientific double-blind articles that obtained at least four citations. We also deeply studied the social learning and source credibility theory used to test the proposed relationships. In the vein of the reviewed articles on social media influences and celebrity endorsers, we have summarized and listed the variables examined in different research contexts. The study reveals that interaction, customization, entertainment, word of mouth, and trendiness are the popular dimensions of social media influences, which the previous scholars explored to measure their effects on consumer brand purchasing intention in diverse contexts. Additionally, attractiveness, trustworthiness, credibility, and expertise are the widely used constructs for assessing the impact of celebrity endorsers on consumer brand purchasing behavior. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to provide a list of recent factors associated with social media influences and celebrity endorsers through which the scholars can get insight into the current trend of research. This study is the blueprint for future research to capture a quick view of recent trends in social media influences, celebrity endorsers, and consumer brand purchasing behavior. Finally, based on the comprehensive review of previous literature, we suggested a study to measure the associations of social media influences and celebrity endorsers with brand image, consumer attitude, and consumer brand choice behavior by the backdrop of social learning and source credibility theory in the context of any brands like Smartphone.
Editorial
Authors: Reinsberger Claus , Schumacher Nils
Published: April 2023

Liebe Leser*innen,

Sport und Bewegung sind elementare Bestandteile der Gesundheit jedes Einzelnen und
der Gesellschaft. Davon müssen wir Sie als Leser*innen dieser
Zeitschrift sicherlich nicht überzeugen. So sind bewegungstherapeutische
Interventionen sowohl bei neurologischen, orthopädischen als auch
onkologischen Krankheitsbildern zentrale und zum Teil bereits gut mit klinischer
Evidenz belegte Elemente der Therapie. Auch in Hinblick auf die Prävention
von Erkrankungen hat regelmäßige körperliche
Aktivität einen hohen Stellenwert.
Ultra-High-Frequency Ultrasound: A Modern Diagnostic Technique for Studying Melanoma
Authors: Reginelli Alfonso , Russo Anna , Berritto Daniela , Patane Vittorio , Cantisani Carmen , Grassi Roberto
Published: April 2023

The development of new ultra-high-frequency devices with a resolution of 30 μm makes it possible to use ultrasound in the study of new small anatomical units and to apply this tool to new fields of pathology. Cutaneous melanoma is a severe skin disease with an incidence of approximately 160 000 new cases each year and 48 000 deaths. In this paper, we evaluate the role of HFUS in the diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma, describe the sonographic appearance of skin layers in the pre-excision phase as well as of lesion features, and correlate the characteristics with pathological examination.
Obstruktive Atemwegserkrankungen im Beruf: Wie gelingt eine frühe Diagnostik zur Vermeidung chronischer Verläufe?
Authors: Frei-Stuber Ludwig , Drexler Hans , Heutelbeck Astrid , Nowak Dennis
Published: April 2023

Durch das Aufheben des Unterlassungszwangs ab dem 01.01.2021 u.a. bei den obstruktiven Atemwegserkrankungen in Deutschland haben seitdem die Berufskrankheiten-Anerkennungen bei den Berufskrankheiten der Ziffern 4301, 4302 und 1315 gemäß Berufskrankheitenverordnung deutlich zugenommen, wobei diese sich bei Anerkennung oft bereits in späteren Stadien befinden. Deshalb wird die Früherkennung zukünftig eine größere Rolle spielen, da die gesetzlichen Unfallversicherungsträger individuelle Präventionsmaßnahmen anbieten können, um Krankheitsfolgen und damit auch die sozioökonomische Belastung zu minimieren. Allerdings werden Vorstufen solcher obstruktiven Atemwegserkrankungen oft übersehen. Um die Früherkennung zu optimieren, hat die Deutsche Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung – analog zum bereits gut etablierten Hautarztverfahren – ein Frühmeldeverfahren Atemwege erarbeitet. Dort können „Frühfälle“ aus den Pilotregionen gemeldet werden, wobei die Patienten hierfür eine versicherte berufliche Tätigkeit mit potenziell Atemwegs-wirksamen Einwirkungen ausüben müssen und eine Erkrankung der oberen oder unteren Atemwege nach ICD-10-Schlüssel (z. B. J31.0 chronische Rhinitis) vorliegen muss.
Association Between Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and Vertebral
Fracture
Authors: Otani Hazuki , Notsu Masakazu , Yamauchi Mika , Nawata Kiyoko , Kanasaki Keizo
Published: April 2023

Suppression of TSH levels associated with levothyroxine treatment is a known risk
factor for fracture. However, it is unclear whether patients with papillary
thyroid carcinoma (PTC) have a higher risk of vertebral fracture (VF) before TSH
suppression. The aim of the study was to examine whether the risk of VF is
higher in PTC than in healthy subjects. A hospital-based, matched case-control
study was conducted comparing PTC and healthy individuals. We enrolled 43
postoperative patients with PTC scheduled for radioiodine therapy and 43 age-
and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum and urinary biological parameters, bone
mineral density (BMD), and presence of VFs were evaluated in both groups. We
compared these indices using χ2 and Mann–Whitney U-test and
analyzed the association between PTC and VF by logistic regression analysis. The
PTC group had higher BMI, HbA1c and phosphorus, and lower intact PTH than the
control group. Lumbar and femoral neck BMD did not differ between the two
groups. Prevalence of VFs was significantly higher in the PTC group
(44.1%) than in the control group (16.3%). Multivariate logistic
regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and BMI identified PTC as being
associated with the presence of VFs (odds ratio, 5.63; 95% confidence
interval: 1.82 to 17.5). This relationship remained significant after additional
adjustment for HbA1c and BMD. There is an association between PTC and a risk of
VF independent of sex, BMI, glucose metabolism, and BMD, suggesting the
importance of fracture risk assessment before TSH suppression.
Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Seven-Membered NHCs, Their Transition-Metal Complexes and Application in Asymmetric ­Catalysis
Authors: Han Jiahong , Pan Yixiao , Hao Wei , Fan Qing-Hua
Published: April 2023

A series of new chiral seven-membered NHCs were synthesized via Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation reactions as the key step. Transition metal such as Rh, Ir and Au can coordinate to the developed NHCs. The crystal structures of the chiral seven-membered NHCs and their transition-metal complexes show a nonplanar framework with torsional twist. Furthermore, the chiral NHCs were applied in asymmetric hydrosilylation reactions, and the corresponding product was obtained with >95% yield and up to 83% ee.
Pathological Basis of Imaging in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Sen Saugata , Gehani Anisha , Ghosh Priya , Patra Anurima , Mukhopadhyay Sumit , Chandra Aditi , Lingegowda Dayananda , Khoda Jeevitesh , Chatterjee Argha
Published: April 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent form of liver cancer with major risk factors being chronic liver disease (CLD) including chronic liver inflammation, steatohepatitis and certain viral infections (Hepatitis B and C). Due to the poor prognosis, early detection is key for effective management. Imaging of HCC has developed over the years with specificity as high as 95%. The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) provides a standardized reporting format that can be followed by radiologists and clinicians alike. This article focuses on the pathological basis of imaging observations described in the LI-RADS lexicon. A clear understanding of the pathological basis of imaging will help the radiologist to be more confident to resolve unequivocal observations apart from achieving a high degree of specificity in the diagnosis of HCC.
Ribociclib-Induced Delayed Dermatological Reaction: Case Report of a Rare Adverse Effect and Review of Literature
Authors: Kothari Bhavika , Parab Pallavi , Gulia Seema , Rath Sushmita , Gupta Sudeep
Published: April 2023

Ribociclib is a selective cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor approved in combination with endocrine-based therapy for the treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR + )/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2 − ) advanced or metastatic breast cancer. It can significantly prolong the progression-free survival and improve the objective response rate compared with hormone therapy alone. However, the combined regimen results in a higher risk of adverse events, one of them being dermatological reactions. We present a case of late severe skin toxicity in a patient who had received ribociclib for 5 months. The toxicity led to severe pruritus and maculopapular and patchy rash on upper and lower extremities, which completely resolved 1 month after cessation of the drug. We conclude that ribociclib-induced skin toxicity is a noteworthy side effect that can lead to permanent cessation of this drug and is reversible. There are clinical decision dilemmas related to continuation, withholding, or switching CDK4/6 inhibitors, and benefits should be weighed against toxicities and costs.
Role of Cytogenetics and FISH in Laboratory Workup of B Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Dhabe Aaishwarya , Islam Rubina , Ramakrishnan Karthik , Parihar Mayur
Published: April 2023

Modern therapeutic protocols in acute leukemias risk stratify disease based on genetic characterization of the neoplastic cells and their response to treatment. Genetic characterization is routinely performed by cytogenetic testing of leukemic cells and is a standard component of modern risk-adapted therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). High-throughput technologies like RNA sequencing have identified multiple novel subtypes in recent years. The cytogenetic strategy using GTG and fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) has to be adapted to identify not only the primary principal chromosomal abnormalities but also the novel subtypes. In the review, we describe a systematic comprehensive cytogenetic strategy that integrates information from immunophenotyping, flow-based DNA ploidy, and karyotyping complemented by targeted FISH studies to identify more than 70% of genetic abnormalities described in B cell precursor ALL. The simplified strategy includes a four-probe FISH and flow ploidy strategy, ± karyotyping that identifies high risk (KMT2A, BCR::ABL1, hypodiploidy, iAMP21) and standard risk (ETV6::RUNX1 and high hyperdiploid) cytogenetic groups. The extended FISH panel includes probes targeting MEF2D, ZNF384, and CRLF2 rearrangements that are used intuitively on integrating the immunophenotyping features that characterize these entities. The strategy also includes a systematic approach to identify masked hypodiploidy integrating targeted FISH analysis directed toward identifying monosomies of chromosomes 7, 15, and 17 and flow cytometry-based DNA ploidy analysis. The recently described PH-like ALL is characterized by ABL class fusions and rearrangements of CRLF2 and JAK2 genes. FISH analysis using break-apart probes can be used to identify these aberrations. The cytogenetic approach also includes FISH analysis to identify intragenic and whole gene deletions of the IKZF1 genes that identify a subset of patients associated with high risk of treatment failure.
Flow Cytometric MRD Assessment in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemias
Authors: Virk Harpreet , Sachdeva Man Updesh Singh
Published: April 2023

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the very first malignancy where the assessment of early response to therapy by minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring has proven to be cardinal tool for guiding therapeutic choices. At present, MRD detection is not only used for the assessment of initial treatment response and subsequent risk stratification but also for monitoring disease burden in the setting of hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Multicolor flow cytometry (FCM) for the assessment of MRD has been in existence for more than two decades. It is presently the most commonly used technique worldwide for MRD assessment in ALL. The technique has evolved from two to three color assays in its early phases to eight and more color assays in present time, which enables detection of one leukemic cell in 104 or more cells. The assessment of MRD is based on analysis of expression of lineage-associated markers and either looking at “leukemia associated immunophenotypes” or identify “different from normal” patterns. A rapid turn-around-time and direct quantification of viable residual leukemic cells are advantages of FCM over molecular techniques of MRD assessment. On the other hand, one of the prime limitations of detection of residual cells by FCM is the immunophenotypic shifts that are observed as a result of chemotherapeutic reagents. In addition, introduction of immunotherapy, especially against important gating markers like CD19, has posed significant challenge to FCM-based MRD assays, and requires modification of antibody panels for an alternate gating and analysis strategy. Finally, standardization and validation of MRD assay and use of internal and external quality controls are extremely important aspects for a clinical laboratory providing MRD reports for patient care.
Update on Surgical Management of FAP
Authors: Zhang Tianqi , Xu Ye
Published: April 2023

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by pathogenic germline adenomatous polyposis coli mutation, and characterized with multiple adenomas in the colon and the rectum. Various genetic variants have been confirmed to be associated with corresponding FAP phenotypes, which play important roles in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of FAP. Generally, proctocolectomy is recommended for FAP patients at the age of 20s. Exceptionally, for patients with attenuated FAP, high-risk of desmoid, chemoprevention therapy, or other circumstances, surgery can be postponed. With the wide application of minimal invasive surgery in colorectal cancer, laparoscopic, robotic surgery, and natural orifice specimen extraction are proved to be feasible for FAP patients, but high-level evidences are needed to confirm their safety and advantages. In the times of precise medicine, the surgical management of FAP should vary with individuals based on genotype, phenotype, and clinical practice. Therefore, in addition to innovation in surgical procedures, investigation in links between genetic features and phenotypes will be helpful to optimize the surgical management of FAP in the future.
The Role of the Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Gene in Tumor Development and Metastasis: A Narrative Review
Authors: Kalali Datis
Published: April 2023

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is one of the widely studied enzymes of the extracellular matrix which can degrade various matrix biomolecules. The gene coding for this enzyme has been found to be associated with various multifactorial diseases, including cancer. More specifically, the expression of MMP-9 and polymorphisms of its gene have been found to be correlated with the formation and the invasiveness of different types of cancer. Hence, the latter gene can potentially be used both as a clinical genetic marker and a possible target in anticancer therapy. The present minireview explores the role of the MMP-9 gene in the process of tumor formation, growth, and metastasis and presents an overview of the polymorphisms of the gene associated with cancer as well as its regulation mechanisms, to provide an insight into the potential clinical applications. Nevertheless, further clinical trials and research are still required to reach more valuable conclusions for the clinical implications of the recent findings.
Controllable Fano-type optical response and four-wave mixing via magnetoelastic coupling in an opto-magnomechanical system
Authors: Sohail Amjad , Ahmed Rizwan , Peng Jia-Xin , Munir Tariq , Shahzad Aamir , Singh S. K. , de Oliveira Marcos César
Published: April 2023

We analytically investigate the Fano-type optical response and the four-wave mixing (FWM) process by exploiting the magnetoelasticity of a ferromagnetic material. The deformation of the ferromagnetic material plays the role of mechanical displacement, which is simultaneously coupled to both optical and magnon modes. We report that the magnetostrictively induced displacement leads to realization of Fano profiles in the output field and is effectively well-tuned through adjusting the system parameters, such as effective magnomechanical coupling, magnon detuning, and cavity detuning. It is found that the magnetoelastic interaction also gives rise to the FWM phenomenon. The number of the FWM signals mainly depends upon the effective magnomechanical coupling and the magnon detuning. Moreover, the FWM spectrum exhibits suppressive behavior upon increasing (decreasing) the magnon (cavity) decay rate. The present scheme will open new perspectives in highly sensitive detection and quantum information processing.
Impact of wettability on interface deformation and droplet breakup in microcapillaries
Authors: Giefer P. , Kyrloglou A. , Fritsching U.
Published: April 2023

The objective of this research paper is to relate the influence of dynamic wetting in a liquid/liquid/solid system to the breakup of emulsion droplets in capillaries. Therefore, modeling and simulation of liquid/liquid flow through a capillary constriction have been performed with varying dynamic contact angles from highly hydrophilic to highly hydrophobic. Advanced advection schemes with geometric interface reconstruction (isoAdvector) are incorporated for high interface advection accuracy. A sharp surface tension force model is used to reduce spurious currents originating from the numerical treatment and geometric reconstruction of the surface curvature at the interface. Stress singularities from the boundary condition at the three-phase contact line are removed by applying a Navier-slip boundary condition. The simulation results illustrate the strong dependency of the wettability and the contact line and interface deformation.
Magnetization switching process by dual spin–orbit torque in interlayer exchange-coupled systems
Authors: Masuda Hiroto , Yamane Yuta , Seki Takeshi , Raab Klaus , Dohi Takaaki , Modak Rajkumar , Uchida Ken-ichi , Ieda Jun'ichi , Kläui Mathias , Takanashi Koki
Published: April 2023

We report current-induced magnetization switching in Pt/Co/Ir/Co/Pt multilayers with different Ir layer thicknesses (tIr), where the perpendicularly magnetized Co layers are coupled ferromagnetically or antiferromagnetically through an interlayer exchange coupling and are sandwiched by the Pt spin Hall layers. The domain structures formed during switching vary depending on the magnetization alignment, i.e., a ferromagnetically coupled or antiferromagnetically coupled configuration. These results clarify the macroscopic picture of switching process for interlayer exchange-coupled systems. The local picture of the switching process is also examined by a numerical calculation based on a macrospin model, which reveals the switching dynamics triggered by dual spin–orbit torques for both antiferromagnetically and ferromagnetically coupled cases. The numerical calculation shows that the dual spin–orbit torques from the two Pt layers effectively act on the two Co layers not only for the antiferromagnetically coupled case but also for the ferromagnetically coupled one. Our findings deepen the understanding of the switching mechanism in a magnetic multilayer and provide an avenue to design spintronic devices with more efficient spin–orbit torque switching.
A double-hybrid density functional based on good local physics with outstanding performance on the GMTKN55 database
Authors: Becke Axel D. , Santra Golokesh , Martin Jan M. L.
Published: April 2023

In two recent papers [A. D. Becke, J. Chem. Phys. 156, 214101 (2022) and A. D. Becke, J. Chem. Phys. 157, 234102 (2022)], we compared two Kohn–Sham density functionals based on physical modeling and theory with the best density-functional power-series fits in the literature. The best error statistics reported to date for a hybrid functional on the general main-group thermochemistry, kinetics, and noncovalent interactions (GMTKN55) chemical database of Goerigk et al. [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 19, 32184 (2017)] were obtained. In the present work, additional second-order perturbation-theory terms are considered. The result is a 12-parameter double-hybrid density functional with the lowest GMTKN55 WTMAD2 “weighted total mean absolute deviation” error (1.76 kcal/mol) yet seen for any hybrid or double-hybrid density-functional approximation. We call it “DH23.”
Computing hydrodynamic interactions in confined doubly periodic geometries in linear time
Authors: Hashemi Aref , Peláez Raúl P. , Natesh Sachin , Sprinkle Brennan , Maxian Ondrej , Gan Zecheng , Donev Aleksandar
Published: April 2023

We develop a linearly scaling variant of the force coupling method [K. Yeo and M. R. Maxey, J. Fluid Mech. 649, 205–231 (2010)] for computing hydrodynamic interactions among particles confined to a doubly periodic geometry with either a single bottom wall or two walls (slit channel) in the aperiodic direction. Our spectrally accurate Stokes solver uses the fast Fourier transform in the periodic xy plane and Chebyshev polynomials in the aperiodic z direction normal to the wall(s). We decompose the problem into two problems. The first is a doubly periodic subproblem in the presence of particles (source terms) with free-space boundary conditions in the z direction, which we solve by borrowing ideas from a recent method for rapid evaluation of electrostatic interactions in doubly periodic geometries [Maxian et al., J. Chem. Phys. 154, 204107 (2021)]. The second is a correction subproblem to impose the boundary conditions on the wall(s). Instead of the traditional Gaussian kernel, we use the exponential of a semicircle kernel to model the source terms (body force) due to the presence of particles and provide optimum values for the kernel parameters that ensure a given hydrodynamic radius with at least two digits of accuracy and rotational and translational invariance. The computation time of our solver, which is implemented in graphical processing units, scales linearly with the number of particles, and allows computations with about a million particles in less than a second for a sedimented layer of colloidal microrollers. We find that in a slit channel, a driven dense suspension of microrollers maintains the same two-layer structure as above a single wall, but moves at a substantially lower collective speed due to increased confinement.
Nano-tribological behavior of CuCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloys at cryogenic temperature: A molecular dynamics study
Authors: Lei Gang , Zhang Yun , Gao Haitao , Cui Xiaohui , Yu Hailiang
Published: April 2023

High-entropy alloys exhibit great potential for cryogenic applications. This study investigates the nano-scratching behavior of CuCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy at a cryogenic temperature (77 K) using molecular dynamics. Results show that compared with the single-grain model, the average friction coefficient (AFC) increases for all three polycrystalline models with different grain sizes d, but the anti-wear property can be improved by 28.5%, when grain size d = 10.7 nm. The smaller friction on the scratching surface of the single-grain model (AFC is 15.5% less than that of the model with d = 8.2 nm), which makes the overall temperature rise lower compared to that of the polycrystalline models. However, due to the stress concentration released when a complete stacking fault tetrahedron is produced, the single-grain model cannot significantly harden the surface and subsurface to a greater degree. In the polycrystalline models, dislocations are blocked at grain boundaries (GBs). However, the introduction of GBs changes the von Mises stress distribution. Finally, an attempt was made to reveal the role of yield pressure H3/E2 (H—hardness, E—elastic modulus) in friction-reducing and anti-wear properties.
A novel metamaterial power divider optimized by artificial neural network
Authors: Zhou Wen-Ying , Sun Si-yue , Lu Mai
Published: April 2023

An approach for enhancing the operating bandwidth of the classic dual-band power divider (PD) is proposed by using the metamaterial (MTM) units. To overcome the limitation of the EM simulation and improve the design efficiency, we propose an artificial neural network (ANN) approach that enables inverse prediction of the MTM-PD geometry from its desired physical response. In the ANN approach, the convolutional neural network and the long short-term memory neural network are combined to learn the relationship between the geometric of the proposed MTM-PD and its corresponding physical responses and then accurately predict the geometric parameters of MTM-PD. The predicted MTM-PD includes the low frequency (LF) band of 1.90–2.43 GHz and the high frequency (HF) band of 4.61–5.25 GHz. Compared to the classic dual-band PD, the bandwidth of the LF band has been enhanced by five times. The measured results confirm that the predicted MTM-PD has both the LF band and HF band with a bandwidth of 0.5 GHz, verifying the reliability of our ANN approach. It demonstrates the potential of using ANN for designing microwave devices and solving electromagnetic problems.
Enhanced operating temperature in terahertz quantum cascade lasers based on direct phonon depopulation
Authors: Khalatpour Ali , Tam Man Chun , Addamane Sadhvikas J. , Reno John , Wasilewski Zbignew , Hu Qing
Published: April 2023

Room temperature operation of terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz QCLs) has been a long-pursued goal to realize compact semiconductor THz sources. In this paper, we report on improving the maximum operating temperature of THz QCLs to ∼ 261 K as a step toward the realization of this goal.
Impact of self-sputtering in high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) with helium
Authors: Morel Erwan , Rozier Yoann , El Farsy Abderzak , Minea Tiberiu
Published: April 2023

Conventional magnetron discharge is a widely used technology for many applications. In the last decade, the high current density sputtering regime has been an interesting alternative for tailoring thin film properties. In this paper, we focused on the electrical characterization of the helium magnetron plasma operated at average gas pressure (5 Pa) with a molybdenum target. Optical emission spectroscopy diagnostics also supports this study by providing information on electron density evolution. The analysis of the plasma–surface interaction zone on the target unveiled the physical mechanisms associated with the high current density range (6 A cm−2), corresponding to different discharge regimes. The self-sputtering yield plays a key role in high-power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge operated with helium. The electron density is highly dependent on the presence of a metal.
Perspectives and recent advances of two-dimensional III-nitrides: Material synthesis and emerging device applications
Authors: Wu Yuanpeng , Wang Ping , Lee Woncheol , Aiello Anthony , Deotare Parag , Norris Theodore , Bhattacharya Pallab , Kira Mackillo , Kioupakis Emmanouil , Mi Zetian
Published: April 2023

Both two-dimensional (2D) transitional metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and III–V semiconductors have been considered as potential platforms for quantum technology. While 2D TMDs exhibit a large exciton binding energy, and their quantum properties can be tailored via heterostructure stacking, TMD technology is currently limited by the incompatibility with existing industrial processes. Conversely, III-nitrides have been widely used in light-emitting devices and power electronics but not leveraging excitonic quantum aspects. Recent demonstrations of 2D III-nitrides have introduced exciton binding energies rivaling TMDs, promising the possibility to achieve room-temperature quantum technologies also with III-nitrides. Here, we discuss recent advancements in the synthesis and characterizations of 2D III-nitrides with a focus on 2D free-standing structures and embedded ultrathin quantum wells. We overview the main obstacles in the material synthesis, vital solutions, and the exquisite optical properties of 2D III-nitrides that enable excitonic and quantum-light emitters.
Low-phase quantization error Mach–Zehnder interferometers for high-precision optical neural network training
Authors: Yuan Y. , Cheung S. , Van Vaerenbergh T. , Peng Y. , Hu Y. , Kurczveil G. , Huang Z. , Liang D. , Sorin W. V. , Xiao X. , Fiorentino M. , Beausoleil R. G.
Published: April 2023

A Mach–Zehnder interferometer is a basic building block for linear transformations that has been widely applied in optical neural networks. However, its sinusoidal transfer function leads to the inevitable dynamic phase quantization error, which is hard to eliminate through pre-calibration. Here, a strongly overcoupled ring is introduced to compensate for the phase change without adding perceptible loss. Two full-scale linearized Mach–Zehnder interferometers are proposed and experimentally validated to improve the bit precision from 4-bit to 6- and 7-bit, providing ∼3.5× to 6.1× lower phase quantization errors while maintaining the same scalability. The corresponding optical neural networks demonstrate higher training accuracy.
Hierarchical structured surfaces enhance the contact angle of the hydrophobic (meta-stable) state
Authors: Patrícia da Silva Ramos Iara , Gavazzoni Cristina , Lazzari Davi , Brito Carolina
Published: April 2023

The relation between wetting properties and geometric parameters of fractal surfaces are widely discussed on the literature and, however, there are still divergences on this topic. Here we propose a simple theoretical model to describe the wetting properties of a droplet of water placed on a hierarchical structured surface and test the predictions of the model and the dependence of the droplet wetting state on the initial conditions using simulation of the 3-spin Potts model. We show that increasing the auto-similarity level of the hierarchy – called n – does not affect considerably the stable wetting state of the droplet but increases its contact angle. Simulations also explicit the existence of metastable states on this type of surfaces and shows that, when n increases, the metastability becomes more pronounced. Finally we show that the fractal dimension of the surface is not a good predictor of the contact angle of the droplet.
The effect of anisotropic field on magnon dispersion of antiferromagnetic metal fluoride materials
Authors: Yimer Desalegn Tefera , Singh Pooran , Geffe Chernet Amente
Published: April 2023

This article investigates the dynamics of spin waves in two sublattice antiferromagnetic (AFM) system spins’ interaction and magnon dispersion relation. The analysis is done starting with a standard model that includes a uniaxial magnetic anisotropy field. Quantum field theory is employed in formulating the problem, and double-time temperature-dependent Green function technique is used to obtain magnon dispersion, whereby random phase approximation is considered to decouple and diagonalize the higher order terms. At low temperatures and long wavelength approximation, dispersion of uniaxial symmetric AFM crystal lattice of metallic fluoride materials, such as MnF2, FeF2, and RbMnF3, is analyzed for illustration. Our findings indicate that as the anisotropic field increases, the magnon dispersion vs wave vector k gradually varies, attempts linearity from being curved, and attains a sinusoidal structure when extended further in the first Brillouin zone. Perhaps, these results are useful to understand the feature of magnon dispersion of stable similar AFM materials for practical application.
Design of soft x-ray laminar-type gratings coated with supermirror-type multilayer to enhance diffraction efficiency in a region of 2–4 keV
Authors: Koike M. , Hatano T. , Pirozhkov A. S. , Ueno Y. , Terauchi M.
Published: April 2023

Soft x-ray diffraction gratings coated with a supermirror-type multilayer were designed to enhance diffraction efficiency in the energy range of 2–4 keV by means of numerical calculations. The optimized groove depth and incidence angle are 2.05 nm and 88.65°, respectively, for the grating having a groove density of 3200 grooves/mm. Regarding the multilayer structure, the optimum number of B4C/W layers pair was 11 and the thickness of B4C was increased from bottom to top, while that of W was kept constant. The replacement of the top layer of W by either Co, Cr, or Ni was an effective means of obtaining uniform diffraction efficiency. In the region of 2–4 keV, the calculated diffraction efficiency of the designed gratings was up to ∼5.3%, on average, and almost eight times larger than that of ∼0.7% of an Au coated grating.
Anguillids in the upper Nu–Salween River, South-East Asia: species composition, distributions, natal sources and conservation implications
Authors: Ding Liuyong , Tao Juan , Tang Bangli , Sun Jingrui , Ding Chengzhi , He Daming
Published: April 2023

Context Anguillids are ecologically and commercially important fishes in the Indo-Pacific, but river fragmentation threatens their populations. The free-flowing large river, Nu–Salween River, may be their last remaining habitat within China. Aims This study investigated the species composition, distributions and natal sources of anguillids from the Nu–Salween River. Methods We adopted a convolutional neural network (i.e. morphology–molecule network, MMNet) integrating morphological and molecular data to identify eel specimens collected in the upper reach from 2017 to 2021. Key results Three anguillid species (187 individuals of Anguilla bengalensis, 34 of Anguilla bicolor and 25 of Anguilla marmorata) were identified using integrative taxonomy. The MMNet method, with accuracies exceeding 99.90%, outperformed methods using morphological or molecular data alone for each of the three eel species. A. bengalensis has the widest distribution range, whereas A. bicolor and A. marmorata have narrower ranges and may be new to this region. These riverine eels are parts of widespread Indo-Pacific metapopulations. Conclusions The upstream distribution expansions of eels in the Nu–Salween are likely to be due to climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. Implications We argue that the Nu–Salween River is a key habitat for migratory fishes surrounding the Indo-Pacific and should be maintained as free-flowing because neighbouring large rivers are increasingly dammed.
Ameliorating parkinsonian motor dysfunction by targeting histamine receptors in entopeduncular nucleus–thalamus circuitry
Authors: Peng Jian-Ya , Qi Zeng-Xin , Yan Qi , Fan Xiu-Juan , Shen Kang-Li , Huang Hui-Wei , Lu Jian-Hua , Wang Xiao-Qin , Fang Xiao-Xia , Mao Liming , Ni Jianguang , Chen Liang , Zhuang Qian-Xing
Published: April 2023

In Parkinson’s disease (PD), reduced dopamine levels in the basal ganglia have been associated with altered neuronal firing and motor dysfunction. It remains unclear whether the altered firing rate or pattern of basal ganglia neurons leads to parkinsonism-associated motor dysfunction. In the present study, we show that increased histaminergic innervation of the entopeduncular nucleus (EPN) in the mouse model of PD leads to activation of EPN parvalbumin (PV) neurons projecting to the thalamic motor nucleus via hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide–gated (HCN) channels coupled to postsynaptic H
2
R. Simultaneously, this effect is negatively regulated by presynaptic H
3
R activation in subthalamic nucleus (STN) glutamatergic neurons projecting to the EPN. Notably, the activation of both types of receptors ameliorates parkinsonism-associated motor dysfunction. Pharmacological activation of H
2
R or genetic upregulation of HCN2 in EPN
PV
neurons, which reduce neuronal burst firing, ameliorates parkinsonism-associated motor dysfunction independent of changes in the neuronal firing rate. In addition, optogenetic inhibition of EPN
PV
neurons and pharmacological activation or genetic upregulation of H
3
R in EPN-projecting STN
Glu
neurons ameliorate parkinsonism-associated motor dysfunction by reducing the firing rate rather than altering the firing pattern of EPN
PV
neurons. Thus, although a reduced firing rate and more regular firing pattern of EPN
PV
neurons correlate with amelioration in parkinsonism-associated motor dysfunction, the firing pattern appears to be more critical in this context. These results also confirm that targeting H
2
R and its downstream HCN2 channel in EPN
PV
neurons and H
3
R in EPN-projecting STN
Glu
neurons may represent potential therapeutic strategies for the clinical treatment of parkinsonism-associated motor dysfunction.