bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased detection of relevant breast cancers with DBT in mammography screening?
Authors: Weigel Stefanie , Weyer-Elberich Veronika , Hense Hans-Werner , Decker Thomas , Gerß Joachim , Heindel Walter
Published: September 2024

Screening with digital breast tomosynthesis plus synthetic mammography (DBT+SM) increases invasive breast cancer detection compared to digital mammography (DM). Since a reduction in breast cancer mortality is largely based on the detection of histological grade 2 or 3 breast cancers, a comparison of the detection rates of invasive breast cancers (iCDR), independent of the stage, of grades 2 or 3, was carried out, taking into account breast density, after screening with DBT+SM vs. DM.

The 1:1 randomized, multicenter TOSYMA study recruited participants from 7/2018 to 12/2020 in the German Mammography Screening Program. This explorative subanalysis included 49479 participants in the DBT+SM arm and 49689 participants in the DM arm, with complete documentation including visual density categorization (A/B: non-dense parenchyma, C/D: dense parenchyma).

The iCDR of grade 2 or 3 was 5.1 per 1000 women screened with DBT+SM vs. 3.6 ‰ screened with DM (difference +1.5 ‰). In the case of non-dense parenchyma, the corresponding DBT+SM rate was 4.5 ‰ (difference to DM +1.3 ‰), and in dense parenchyma it was 5.7 ‰ (difference to DM +1.7 ‰).

The iCDR of grade 1 was 2.1 ‰ with DBT+SM (difference to DM +0.8 ‰). In non-dense parenchyma, the corresponding DBT+SM rate was 1.7 ‰ (difference to DM +0.7 ‰), in dense parenchyma it was 2.6 ‰ (difference to DM +1.0 ‰).

When screening with DBT+SM, invasive breast cancer detection rates of grade 2 or 3 tumors are higher than with DM. Detection rates and their differences are also higher in women with dense than non-dense parenchyma. These detection rates and their differences are consistently higher for DBT+SM and DM than those for grade 1 cancers. The explorative analyses of this large, randomized trial indicate that DBT+SM screening increases the detection of prognostically more relevant breast cancers.
Aus dem Leben gerissen – Postakute Infektionssyndrome nach Covid-19
Authors: Hackl Verena , Hoffmann Kathryn
Published: September 2024

Mit den vielen Covid-19-Erkrankungen in den letzten Jahren steigen auch die Langzeitfolgen dieser Infektion. Dazu zählen unter anderem das posturale Tachykardiesyndrom, eine Dysfunktion des autonomen Nervensystems, und die Post-Exertional Malaise. Mit unzähligen kardiovaskulären und muskuloskelettalen, aber auch neurologischen Symptomen sind viele Patient*innen häufig nicht mehr in der Lage, ihren Alltag zu bestreiten.
Insulinresistenz – Blick in die Medizin
Authors: Herz Mona
Published: September 2024

Diabetes mellitus ist eine Volkskrankheit, die lebenseinschränkende Folgen für die Erkrankten hat und das Gesundheitssystem immens belastet. Lange Zeit galt Typ-2-Diabetes als nicht heilbar, mittlerweile weiß man, dass eine Umstellung der Lebensgewohnheiten die Krankheit zurück-drängen kann. Wichtig sind die frühzeitige Erkennung einer Insulinresistenz und eine Lebensstilintervention, bei der auch Physiotherapeut*innen aktiv mitwirken können.
Das Potenzial des neurozentrierten Trainings – Fallbeispiel Tennisspielerin
Authors: Suslik Dominik
Published: September 2024

Sowohl im Leistungs- als auch im Breitensport wollen Physiotherapeut*innen die besten Ergebnisse für ihre Patient*innen erreichen. Bislang kommen hier vor allem Trainingsprogramme für das muskuloskelettale und kardiopulmonale System zum Einsatz. Der Neurologie, die mit allen Systemen in Verbindung steht, wurde bisher wenig Beachtung geschenkt. Dabei birgt die Behandlung dieses Systems besondere Potenziale.
Comparison of Ultrasound Findings Associated with Adverse Fetal, Obstetric, and Neonatal Outcomes in Pregestational Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kraus Alexandria C. , Kucirka Lauren M. , Johnson Julie , AbouNouar Albatoul , Connelly Sean V. , Thel Hannah L. , Kavi Heli S. , Bailey Brazil M. , Fox Madelyn K. , Malloy Kimberly , Conklin Jamie L. , Huprich Erin , Boggess Kim A.
Published: September 2024

Objective We aimed to summarize the available evidence examining the association between prenatal ultrasound findings and adverse fetal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to evaluate whether the predictive value of ultrasound findings for adverse outcomes varies between T1DM and T2DM pregnancies.

Study Design We conducted a systematic review of the existing literature through August 12, 2024. We included articles in English that reported associations between ultrasound findings and fetal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes in pregnant people with T1DM and T2DM. The primary outcome of interest was stillbirth; secondary outcomes were neonatal demise, neonatal intensive care unit admission, neonatal hypoglycemia, respiratory distress syndrome, polycythemia, hyperbilirubinemia, organomegaly, electrolyte disturbances, shoulder dystocia, permanent brachial plexus injury, cord gas, Apgar scores, large for gestational age (LGA), small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm birth. Two independent reviewers examined articles at the abstract level and, if eligible, at the full-text level; disagreements were adjudicated by a third reviewer.

Results Of the 2,088 unique citations reviewed, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria describing associations between ultrasound findings and fetal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes among a total of 1,165 pregnant people with T1DM and 489 pregnant people with T2DM. Most studies (10/12) examined the association between ultrasound measures of growth, including estimated fetal weight and its individual components, abdominal wall thickness, head circumference to abdominal circumference ratio, and birth weight, LGA or SGA. Studies did not examine stillbirth, neonatal demise, or maternal outcomes other than cesarean section.

Conclusion This systematic review synthesizes the available literature on ultrasound risk markers of adverse fetal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes separately in pregnant people with T1DM and T2DM. We identified very few studies that distinguished between pregnant people with T1DM and T2DM, and the majority focused on surrogate outcomes (e.g., LGA, SGA) of morbidity. Our findings highlight the need for further studies investigating these distinct diseases to provide evidence for antenatal management recommendations.

Key Points
Risikofaktoren für einen schweren COVID-19-Verlauf in einer
Hotspot-Region der ersten und zweiten SARS-CoV-2-Infektionswelle in
Deutschland
Authors: Richter Steffi , Finkenzeller Thomas , Uter Wolfgang , Drexler Hans , Wolfschmidt Anna
Published: September 2024

Hintergrund In der ersten Welle der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie war das Klinikum
Weiden ein „Hotspot-Krankenhaus“ und befand sich in einer medizinischen
Ausnahmesituation. Zielsetzung der Studie war die wissenschaftliche Prüfung der
Fragestellung, ob auch für die damals dort Behandelten die bekannten
Risikofaktoren für einen schweren COVID-19-Verlauf verantwortlich waren oder ob
durch die speziellen Bedingungen eines Hotspot-Kollektivs zu Pandemiebeginn
andere Faktoren das Outcome beeinflusst haben könnten.

Methodik In einer retrospektiven Studie wurden Daten von 669 stationär
behandelten Patientinnen und Patienten des Klinikums Weiden ausgewertet, die im
ersten Pandemiejahr 2020 nachweislich mit SARS-CoV-2 infiziert waren. Aus
medizinischen und demographischen Informationen wurden in einer univariaten
Analyse Risikofaktoren für einen schweren COVID-19-Verlauf bestimmt und einer
logistischen Regression zugeführt. Die Regressionsanalyse erfolgte sowohl für
das Gesamtkollektiv als auch getrennt für die Erkrankten aus Welle 1 (März-Juni)
und Welle 2 (Juli-Dezember).

Ergebnisse Im Gesamtkollektiv des Jahres 2020 waren männliches Geschlecht,
Rauchen, ein Alter ab 71 Jahren sowie Depression signifikante Risikofaktoren für
einen schweren COVID-19-Krankheitsverlauf. Andere bekannte Risikofaktoren
konnten im Weidener Kollektiv nicht nachgewiesen werden. Die getrennte
Betrachtung von Welle 1 und 2 (W1 und W2) zeigte, dass das Alter in W1 keinen
entscheidenden Risikofaktor für einen schweren Krankheitsverlauf darstellte, in
W2 hingegen bereits ein Alter ab 61 Jahren das Risiko für einen schweren Verlauf
signifikant erhöhte. Für Erkrankte mit Einweisung in W2 war das Risiko für einen
schweren COVID-19-Verlauf gegenüber Erkrankten mit Einweisung in W1 nahezu
halbiert.

Schlussfolgerung Es ist anzunehmen, dass der Krankheitsverlauf im Weidener
Hotspot-Kollektiv im Wesentlichen von nicht-individuellen Faktoren bestimmt
wurde, wie z. B. der schwierigen Versorgungssituation in einer Hotspot-Klinik zu
Beginn der Pandemie. In Vorbereitung auf künftige Pandemien sollte
berücksichtigt werden, dass auch eine ausreichende Ressourcenbereitstellung
relevant zu einem besseren Outcome der Erkrankten beitragen kann.
Lewis Acid Catalyzed SN2-Type Domino Ring-Opening Cyclization (DROC) of Aziridines with Alkynes: A Synthetic Route to 2,3-Dihydropyrroles
Authors: Ghorai Manas K. , Shukla Dipti , Kashyap Suraj , Singh Bharat , Sharma Amit Kumar , Bhattacharyya Aditya , Rahman Noimur
Published: September 2024

A simple strategy for the synthesis of a variety of dihydropyrroles in good to excellent yields via a Lewis acid catalyzed, quaternary ammonium salt mediated SN2-type ring opening followed by cyclization of activated aziridines with alkynes in a domino fashion is described. The formation and the observed stereoselectivities of the products via an SN2-/double SN2-type ring-opening pathway are rationalized by mechanistic studies.
Ruthenium(II)-Catalyzed C–H Allylation of N,N-Dialkylthiobenzamides with Allyl Methyl Carbonate by Sulfur Coordination
Authors: Zhao Liang , Wang Runbao , Jin Kun , Zhang Rong , Li Yaming , Duan Chunying
Published: September 2024

This report describes a Ru(II)-catalyzed C–H allylation of N,N-dialkylthiobenzamides with allyl methyl carbonate. The reaction is carried out using [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2 in the presence of Cu(OAc)2 and Ag2O. This method represents the first example of a Ru-catalyzed C–H allylation directed by a sulfur-containing group. As a further advantage, the method is performed in sustainable and ecofriendly MeCN as the solvent.
Rural women entrepreneurship: when femininity compensates for institutional hurdles
Authors: Karami Masoud , Karimi Yousef Mohammad , Akbari Mohsen , Gnoth Juergen
Published: September 2024

The present study investigates the influence of femininity as a cultural value on overcoming institutional hurdles and facilitating entrepreneurial opportunity development by rural women in Iran. We conducted 15 in-depth interviews with rural women entrepreneurs over a year to identify the process of rural women entrepreneurship. Our findings show that when regulative institutions fail to accomplish the expected role in support of rural women entrepreneurship, instrumentalizing the femininity of Iranian culture can overcome the hurdle. We contribute to rural women entrepreneurship by theorizing the influence of femininity as an alternative institutional arrangement in overcoming regulative institutional hurdles and the social construction of new opportunities. We also contribute to theory by further characterizing femininity in Hofstede’s work and suggesting a connection between Hofstede’s macro-level model and micro-level analysis. We frame research results and justify interpretations by providing contextual details to explain how femininity works in a specific Asian cultural context when building women entrepreneurship. We furthermore provide practical implications for policymakers.
An in vitro multi-organ microphysiological system (MPS) to investigate the gut-to-brain translocation of neurotoxins
Authors: Jones Emily J. , Skinner Benjamin M. , Parker Aimee , Baldwin Lydia R. , Greenman John , Carding Simon R. , Funnell Simon G. P.
Published: September 2024

The death of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra in the base of the brain is a defining pathological feature in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is, however, a multi-systemic disease, also affecting the peripheral nervous system and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) that interact via the gut–brain axis (GBA). Our dual-flow GIT–brain microphysiological system (MPS) was modified to investigate the gut-to-brain translocation of the neurotoxin trigger of PD, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), and its impact on key GIT and brain cells that contribute to the GBA. The modular GIT–brain MPS in combination with quantitative and morphometric image analysis methods reproduces cell specific neurotoxin-induced dopaminergic cytotoxicity and mitochondria-toxicity with the drug having no detrimental impact on the viability or integrity of cellular membranes of GIT-derived colonic epithelial cells. Our findings demonstrate the utility and capability of the GIT-brain MPS for measuring neuronal responses and its suitability for identifying compounds or molecules produced in the GIT that can exacerbate or protect against neuronal inflammation and cell death.
Coupling undetected sensing modes by quantum erasure
Authors: Gemmell Nathan R. , Ma Yue , Pearce Emma , Flórez Jefferson , Czerwinski Olaf , Kim M. S. , Oulton Rupert F. , Clark Alex S. , Phillips Chris C.
Published: September 2024

Imaging with undetected photons (IUP) enables the possibility of sensing changes in the phase and the transmission of a beam of light that need never be detected. This has led to the possibility of infrared sensing with visible silicon camera technology, for example. Relying on the interference of two identical pairs of photons, IUP was initially achieved using unidirectional paths through two nonlinear crystal pair sources. More recently, folded arrangements using bidirectional paths through a single-crystal have become common for their simplicity. Here, we theoretically model and experimentally implement a novel setup involving three interference paths through a single nonlinear crystal. This establishes two independent IUP sensing modes in addition to a third linear interference mode. We achieve this using a polarization state quantum eraser approach, with excellent agreement between experiment and theory. This system provides a new route to control and optimize IUP interference in a single-crystal folded arrangement by using controllable quantum erasure to balance the interferometer, opening the door to new implementations and applications for IUP.
Upgrade of DIII-D radial interferometer–polarimeter for large bandwidth, low noise, and toroidal mode number measurements
Authors: Prabhudesai G. , Chen J. , Brower D. L. , Finkenthal D.
Published: September 2024

Near ion-cyclotron frequency (fci) fluctuations, such as those originating from Global and Compressional Alfvén Eigenmodes (GAEs/CAEs), are expected to be present in future fusion reactors but are not well understood due to the limited availability of core measurements in present-day tokamaks. The measurement bandwidth of the Radial Interferometer–Polarimeter (RIP) diagnostic has been upgraded from 1 to 5 MHz to detect these fluctuations in DIII-D. RIP adopts the three-wave technique for simultaneous polarimetric and interferometric measurements. Solid-state microwave sources operating at 650 GHz are used as probe beams and provide 5 MHz bandwidth for both polarimetric and interferometric measurements. Bandwidths of related hardware, including mixer amplifier, signal cable, and digital phase demodulator, are increased correspondingly. Measurement noise is minimized by reducing the time delay between reference and probe signals to nanosecond level and employing correlation-based techniques. Using the upgraded diagnostic, CAE/GAE-like bursting fluctuations are observed in neutral-beam heated plasmas with toroidal magnetic field Bφ ≈ 1 T. Current upgrades being undertaken would enable the evaluation of toroidal mode number for these modes. This work opens the possibility of better understanding near ion-cyclotron frequency fluctuations in fusion relevant plasmas.
Numerical optimization of lead-based and lead-free absorber materials for perovskite solar cell (PSC) architectures: A SCAPS-1D simulation
Authors: Rahaman Mostafizur , Hasan Mahmudul , Moinuddin Rayan Md. , Islam Md. Nasirul
Published: September 2024

Due to the negative environmental impact, the usage of lead in perovskite solar cells has been a matter of concern. Moreover, a suitable replacement of Pb with similar optoelectrical properties is hard to find. MAPbI3 is the most common material that has been studied for solar PV applications. Compared to MAPbI3, Cs2TiBr6 and MASnI3 have been less studied. In this study, their potential in solar cell applications has been investigated. Titanium and tin are two materials that have been used in numerous studies as an alternative to Pb-based perovskite. However, the lack of optimization and combinations of electron transport layer (ETL) and hole transport layer (HTL) material choices leave a lot to be desired. In this study, two different perovskite absorber layers, Cs2TiBr6 and MASnI3, have been simulated, optimized, and compared with Pb-based MAPbI3, where La-doped BaSnO3 is used as ETL and CuSbS2 as HTL in identical cell architectures. La-doped BaSnO3 is well known for its high electron mobility and excellent optical properties, which makes it an ideal candidate for ETL. On the other hand, CuSbS2 has appropriate band alignment with perovskite materials and has a high absorption profile to be used as HTL. The simulations were analyzed by optimizing key parameters like absorber layer thickness, defect density, and temperature. The optimized device architecture reached the power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 29.45% for MASnI3, followed by MAPbI3 (22.47%) and Cs2TiBr6 (21.96%). The result indicates that high performance lead-free perovskite cells are very much possible through proper material selection and optimization.
Numerical investigation and sensitivity analysis of MHD ternary nanofluid flow between perforated squeezed Riga plates under the surveillance of microcantilever sensor
Authors: Rammoorthi Rajakumari , Mohanavel Dhivya
Published: September 2024

This study addresses the magnetohydrodynamic flow of a squeezed ternary nanofluid between two horizontal parallel Riga plates. The importance of this problem lies in understanding the complex interactions between magnetic fields, nanofluid dynamics, and heat transfer, which are crucial for optimizing thermal management systems. This study utilizes a numerical approach, specifically a collocation method implemented in MATLAB, to solve the governing equations with high precision. Key results acquired indicate that the magnetic field and Riga plate actuator significantly enhance fluid velocity, whereas the variation in thermal conductivity, radiation, and viscous dissipation increases the temperature distribution. Quantitative analysis illustrates the impact of all these factors on skin friction and Nusselt number. Sensitivity analysis using the response surface methodology exhibits the conditions for optimized heat transfer. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive analysis of the magnetohydrodynamic flow in the presence of a microcantilever sensor, which provides deep understanding of optimization of heat transfer rates. This research offers a detailed examination of the combined effects of various physical phenomena and also validates them through graphical comparisons with existing studies.
Characterizing low-frequency vibratory motion with radio-frequency cavities
Authors: Hart-Alesch Harold R. , Sharping Jay E.
Published: September 2024

Radio-frequency (RF) cavities, previously employed in particle physics, quantum computing, and gravitational wave research, offer unique advantages in terms of sensitivity and non-invasiveness as a method of sensing motion in both macroscopic and microscopic systems. This research aims to address how an RF cavity can effectively detect and characterize the low-frequency vibratory motion of a room-temperature mm-scale levitated particle. In this case, the particle in question is a diamagnetically levitated slab of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Cavity-based identification of the slab’s rigid-body modes is substantiated by calculations of the force acting on the particle and validated through slow-motion video object tracking. We find that this system can accurately measure oscillations in all six center-of-mass degrees of freedom. Calculations indicate that this system could potentially detect forces on the scale of tens of femto-Newtons and center of mass displacements of less than 10 nm. This work provides a non-invasive method of conducting position and vibration measurements in the field of levitodynamics without the ultra-cold temperatures or bulky precision laser setups that superconducting quantum interference devices and conventional interferometric methods utilize.
Features of the formation of hot dense plasma in X-pinches on current generators based on low-inductive capacitors
Authors: Shelkovenko T. A. , Tilikin I. N. , Mingaleev A. R. , Romanova V. M. , Pikuz S. A.
Published: September 2024

The paper presents the results of experimental studies of the operation of hybrid X-pinches on a modified high-current KING generator. The KING generator is a portable pulse current generator based on four low-inductive pulse capacitors. The output assembly of the generator was modified for greater diagnostic access to the load, which led to an increase in the inductance of the entire circuit and an increase in the duration of the current rise. A series of experiments with hybrid X-pinches with Al, Cu, and Mo wires with a diameter of 25 μm was carried out on the modified KING generator (200–260 kA, 220–280 ns, 45 kV). In experiments, it was shown that such a modification of the generator led to the stable formation of bright soft x-ray sources in X-pinches, suitable for use in point-projection radiography with a spatial resolution of about 10–15 μm.
Limitations of the rate-distribution formalism in describing luminescence quenching in the presence of diffusion
Authors: Jędrak Jakub , Angulo Gonzalo
Published: September 2024

When encountering complex fluorescence decays that deviate from exponentiality, a very appealing approach is to use lifetime or rate constant distributions. These are related by Laplace transform to the sum of exponential functions, stretched exponentials, Becquerel’s decay function, and others. However, the limitations of this approach have not been sufficiently discussed in the literature. In particular, the time-independent probability distributions of the rate constants or decay times are occasionally used to describe bimolecular quenching. We show that in such a case, this mathematical formalism has a clear physical interpretation only when the fluorophore and quencher molecules are immobile, as in the solid state. However, such an interpretation is no longer possible once we consider the motion of fluorophores with respect to quenchers. Therefore, for systems in which the relative motion of fluorophores and quenchers cannot be neglected, it is not appropriate to use the time-independent rate or decay time distributions to describe, fit, or rationalize experimental results on fluorescence decay.
On the quantification of microlayer contribution toward bubble growth under subcooled flow boiling regime
Authors: Vadlamudi Sai Raja Gopal , Moiz Mohd , Srivastava Atul , Hampel Uwe , Ding Wei
Published: September 2024

Subcooled nucleate flow boiling encompasses intricate simultaneous condensation and evaporation processes. It involves thin liquid microlayers trapped beneath growing bubbles, enabling high heat and mass transfer with fluxes exceeding 1 MW/m2. Understanding microlayer contribution to bubble growth is pivotal for developing reliable boiling models. Unlike previous studies, we account for condensation effects, important in the context of subcooled boiling regime, in estimating microlayer contribution by simultaneously obtaining microlayer dynamics from thin-film interferometry and whole-field temperature from rainbow schlieren deflectometry. We establish that the microlayer evaporation significantly influences bubble growth in flow boiling, contributing up to 60% (in growth phase) in the present study.
Does the full configuration interaction method based on quantum phase estimation with Trotter decomposition satisfy the size consistency condition?
Authors: Sugisaki Kenji
Published: September 2024

Electronic structure calculations of atoms and molecules are considered to be a promising application for quantum computers. Two key algorithms, the quantum phase estimation (QPE) and the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE), have been extensively studied. The condition that the energy of a dimer consisting of two monomers separated by a large distance should be equal to twice the energy of a monomer, known as size consistency, is essential in quantum chemical calculations. Recently, we reported that the size consistency condition can be violated by Trotterization in the unitary coupled cluster singles and doubles ansatz in the VQE when employing molecular orbitals delocalized to the dimer [Sugisaki et al., J. Comput. Chem. 45, 2204 (2024)]. It is well known that the full configuration interaction (full-CI) energy is invariant to arbitrary rotations of molecular orbitals, and therefore, the QPE-based full-CI should theoretically satisfy the size consistency. However, Trotterization of the time evolution operator can break the size consistency conditions. In this work, we investigated whether size consistency can be maintained with Trotterization of the time evolution operator in QPE-based full-CI calculations. Our numerical simulations revealed that size consistency in the QPE-based full-CI is not automatically violated by using molecular orbitals delocalized to the dimer, but employing an appropriate Trotter decomposition condition is crucial to maintain size consistency. We also report on the acceleration of QPE simulations through the sequential addition of ancillary qubits.
Correlation functions from tensor network influence functionals: The case of the spin-boson model
Authors: Nguyen Haimi , Ng Nathan , Lindoy Lachlan P. , Park Gunhee , Millis Andrew J. , Kin-Lic Chan Garnet , Reichman David R.
Published: September 2024

We investigate the application of matrix product state (MPS) representations of the influence functionals (IFs) for the calculation of real-time equilibrium correlation functions in open quantum systems. Focusing specifically on the unbiased spin-boson model, we explore the use of IF-MPSs for complex time propagation, as well as IF-MPSs for constructing correlation functions in the steady state. We examine three different IF approaches: one based on the Kadanoff–Baym contour targeting correlation functions at all times, one based on a complex contour targeting the correlation function at a single time, and a steady state formulation, which avoids imaginary or complex times, while providing access to correlation functions at all times. We show that within the IF language, the steady state formulation provides a powerful approach to evaluate equilibrium correlation functions.
Experimental study on concrete-breaking by self-excited oscillating cavitation waterjet in a submerged environment
Authors: Ji Zitao , Chen Yan , Hou Wenjiang , Fan Shidong , Fang Zhenlong
Published: September 2024

Self-excited oscillating cavitation waterjet (SOCW) has good prospects for application in concrete-breaking in the ocean. This study investigates the breaking mechanism of concrete subjected to SOCW in a submerged environment, with a focus on identifying damage characteristics at both macroscopic and microscopic levels using scanning electron microscopy and computed tomography. The breaking effect of concrete under the impact of SOCW at various impact times, jet pressures, impact distances, and strength grades was compared. It was found that (a) the best breaking effect of concrete was achieved by ensuring a 30 MPa jet pressure with a 5 mm impact distance. (b) Internal pores of concrete and the water wedge effect accelerated crack propagation. The formation of breaking pits was the result of closed loops formed by cracks leading to concrete spalling. (c) Microscopic analysis revealed plastic deformation pits on the concrete surface, forming through stages of cavitation collapse, pore expansion, and coalescence. This study provides a theoretical understanding and technical support for follow-up research on the parameter optimization and breaking efficiency of concrete-breaking technology.
Semantic segmentation algorithm for pantograph based on multi-scale strip pooling attention mechanism and application research
Authors: Shi Renjie , Li Liming , Zheng Shubin , Mao Yizhou , An Xiaoxue
Published: September 2024

Detecting pantographs remains a challenging task due to complex scenes, variable weather conditions, and noise interference. Existing pantograph detection methods struggle to effectively segment the complete shape of the pantograph from intricate backgrounds and adverse weather, and they often exhibit inadequate real-time performance. To address these challenges, we propose a novel pantograph segmentation method that leverages a deep learning multi-scale strip pooling attention mechanism. Our approach utilizes the PidNet semantic segmentation network as the baseline architecture, while we introduce a newly designed multi-scale strip pooling attention mechanism specifically for the detail extraction branch. The multi-scale strip convolution branch effectively extracts the pantograph pixel-level detail features, while the pooling branch effectively extracts the macroscopic features of the pantograph. The unique linear interpolation method effectively mitigates the influence of weather, enhancing segmentation accuracy while maintaining a lightweight structure. In the context aggregation branch, a multi-scale context aggregation module utilizing gated convolution has been developed to replace the original network’s module, which possesses strong pantograph positioning capabilities. In comparison to existing pantograph detection methods, our model demonstrates the ability to accurately segment the pantograph with a clearly defined shape, effectively filter out extraneous background noise, and exhibit high robustness to variations in illumination and weather conditions. In addition, a rich pantograph dataset was created, including various scenarios and weather conditions, which also enhanced the robustness of the model. When the IOU and accuracy are 92.91% and 96.04%, respectively, the inference speed can still exceed 30 FPS on a single 2080Ti GPU.
Natural frequency informed finite element modal analysis method for estimating elastic properties of solid materials
Authors: Mahat Sanjay , Sharma Roshan , Jeong Hyunjo , Liu Jingfei
Published: September 2024

This study proposes a simple yet effective dynamic method that can nondestructively evaluate the elastic properties of homogeneous isotropic solid materials. Like some dynamic methods, such as resonance ultrasound spectrometry and impulse excitation technique, the proposed method consists of two steps: experimentally acquiring the specimen's natural frequencies and numerically calculating the elastic properties. Compared with the existing methods, the proposed method has much lower requirements on all four aspects of experimental operations: specimen preparation, specimen positioning, vibration excitation, and vibration detection. An inverse method based on finite element modal analysis is proposed to calculate the specimen's elastic properties, and it can deliver optimal estimations with high precision and accuracy. The performance of the proposed method was assessed using the well-established sound speed-based dynamic method, i.e., ultrasound pulse-echo testing. Taking a square aluminum specimen as an example, the differences in the measurements of Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio between these two methods are 2.25% and −2.07%, respectively; the differences in the measurements of shear modulus and bulk modulus are 0.01% and −1.46%, respectively. In summary, the proposed method provides a cheaper and experimentally simpler approach to determining the elastic properties of solid materials while maintaining accuracy and reliability similar to the established methods, which typically require sophisticated, costly equipment.
Parallel conducting filaments in resistive switching ZnO thin films
Authors: Liu Tai-Min , Wu Zong-Wei , Chien Ting-An , Yang Pin-Qian , Hsu Hua-Shu , Lo Fang-Yuh
Published: September 2024

This study examines resistive switching in a Cu/ZnO/ITO structure, uncovering an anomalous phenomenon that provides insights into the mechanisms of parallel conducting filaments in ZnO thin films. The current–voltage (I–V) characteristics exhibit a sharp switch at a positive threshold voltage around 2 V, transitioning from a high resistance pristine state to a low resistance state, interpreted as the formation of a Cu filament via electrochemical metallization. However, after this forming process, the device remains in the low resistance state and cannot reset to a high resistance state in either polarity of the applied voltage, suggesting the presence of a strong, unbreakable Cu filament after the forming process. What makes this phenomenon anomalous is the observed weak bipolar resistive switching in the cycles following the forming cycle, despite the presence of the Cu filament. The I–V characteristics of forward- and reverse-bias sweeps suggest that the weak bipolar resistive switching results from an additional filament formed in parallel with the existing unbreakable Cu filament. Using a parallel conducting filaments model, the resistivity of this additional filament is calculated to be ∼10−7–10−5 Ω m, indicating that this filament is likely generated by oxygen vacancies rather than metal atoms in the ZnO films.
Machine learning reveals the transcriptional regulatory network and circadian dynamics of
Synechococcus elongatus
PCC 7942
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Al Bulushi Tahani , Sastry Anand V. , Sancar Cigdem , Szubin Richard , Golden Susan S. , Palsson Bernhard O.
Published: September 2024

Synechococcus elongatus
is an important cyanobacterium that serves as a versatile and robust model for studying circadian biology and photosynthetic metabolism. Its transcriptional regulatory network (TRN) is of fundamental interest, as it orchestrates the cell’s adaptation to the environment, including its response to sunlight. Despite the previous characterization of constituent parts of the
S. elongatus
TRN, a comprehensive layout of its topology remains to be established. Here, we decomposed a compendium of 300 high-quality RNA sequencing datasets of the model strain PCC 7942 using independent component analysis. We obtained 57 independently modulated gene sets, or iModulons, that explain 67% of the variance in the transcriptional response and 1) accurately reflect the activity of known transcriptional regulations, 2) capture functional components of photosynthesis, 3) provide hypotheses for regulon structures and functional annotations of poorly characterized genes, and 4) describe the transcriptional shifts under dynamic light conditions. This transcriptome-wide analysis of
S. elongatus
provides a quantitative reconstruction of the TRN and presents a knowledge base that can guide future investigations. Our systems-level analysis also provides a global TRN structure for
S. elongatus
PCC 7942.
Graded resources for learning and teaching foreign languages
Authors: François Thomas , Gala Núria
Published: September 2024

Innovative resources for teaching vocabulary have emerged during the last decades, among which the so-called
‘graded resources’, i.e. lexicons or inventories where linguistic forms have been associated with a difficulty level, having in
mind a target reader. The idea of ‘grading’ in Education is not new and has evolved over time: vocabulary or text scales (grades)
have been approached as an educational tool with the means available at each period of time. In this survey, our aim is to show
how current approaches of graded resources for foreign language learning are rooted in the tradition of building frequency lists
for education. We then synthesize the body of work that has been undertaken to design graduated resources, highlighting the
different methodologies applied as well as existing resources.
Far-right discourse in Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Ana Larissa , Drinóczi Tímea , Miranda Monique Vieira
Published: September 2024

Although it is almost common sense in Brazil that far-right leaders typically deploy impolite language as part of their rhetoric, the issue is still understudied and lacks empirical evidence. We explore the trendiest hashtags and their accompanying posts used as replies to the Brazilian Supreme Court’s official Twitter/X account between October 2021 and October 2022, which covers a year before the 2022 presidential election. After analyzing 414,652 posts, our results showed that shameless impolite language was deployed in 94.9% of the hashtags. The data confirms that online verbal attacks on the judiciary were a common posting practice on Twitter/X. The strategy’s main element has been combining impolite language with lies and manipulation to defame perceived opponents and attract followers.
The effects of textual enhancement on young learners’ attention and
vocabulary acquisition through captioned cartoons
Authors: Finger-Bou Rebeca , Muñoz Carmen
Published: September 2024

This study aimed to analyze the effects of textual
enhancement of captions on vocabulary acquisition by 17 L1-Spanish/Catalan
primary school learners of English in fifth grade. Participants watched 11
episodes of a children’s television series. They were divided into two
groups: one watched the videos with regular captions, and one with enhanced
captions, where target words were bolded and highlighted in yellow.
Vocabulary gains were assessed through pre- and post-tests that tapped into
form recall and form recognition. Results showed higher learning in the
enhanced captions group, particularly in terms of form recognition.
Additionally, an eye-tracking analysis showed that the enhanced-captions
group had longer fixation durations initially, but the difference
disappeared by the end of the intervention.
Cooling high heat flux with flow boiling in 2D-structured radial microchannel heat sink
Authors: Huang Haoxiang , Yan Zhe , Pan Zhenhai
Published: September 2024

This work proposes a novel two-dimensional-structured radial microchannel heat sink (RMHS) to effectively dissipate high heat flux, which owns easily manufactured characteristics. The RMHS is formed by orderly arranged pin fins involving two branching microchannel structures. The fluid flows into the RMHS through the central inlet and then experiences the continuous split and mixing imposed by the branching structures. The generated vapor bubble experiences a frequent breakup and coalescence process with the boiling phenomenon, among which the thin liquid film thickness can be triggered. The RMHS is fabricated using the silicon etching technique. A series of visualization experiments are conducted to test the performance of RMHS and reveal the related physical mechanisms. The evolution of bubble dynamics within the RMHS is recorded with a high-speed photographic system. The features mentioned above of RMHS confer excellent boiling heat transfer performance. At 600 ml min−1 volumetric flow rate, the maximum dissipated heat flux reaches 1035 W cm−2 with an area of 1 cm2. The present study is hoped to provide valuable insights into designing a two-phase microchannel heat sink for the thermal management of electronic devices.
Surface loss probability of atomic oxygen on silica under atmospheric-pressure CO2
Authors: Ono Ryo , Kimata Yuto
Published: September 2024

The surface loss probability γ
O of atomic oxygen was measured for SiO2 in atmospheric-pressure CO2 and Ar/CO2(3.05%) mixture at 300 K. O atoms were produced via the photolysis of CO2 using a 172 nm Xe2 excimer lamp. After irradiation by Xe2 lamp, the working gas flowed through a quartz tube, causing O atoms to be lost on its inner surface. By measuring the density of O atoms at the end of the tube for different tube lengths, we obtained the value of γ
O on the inner surface of the tube. The measured value was

5.5
×

10

−
4

±
50
%

, which falls within the range of referred values of γ
O (

1
×

10

−
5

to

1
×

10

−
3

) at 4 to 1300 Pa measured using low-pressure O2 plasmas. Despite the 2 to 5 orders of magnitude pressure difference, no significant difference in γ
O was obtained. The potential influence of the difference in background gas (CO2 and O2) on the value of γ
O was also considered.
The interplay between optoelectronic and magnetic properties in Co-doped Cu2ZnSnS4 for next-generation solar cell devices
Authors: Oktafiani Agustina , Nugroho Fauzan Wahyu Adi , Salsabila Zahra , Sidiq David Hadid , Taufiq Ahmad , Amrillah Tahta
Published: September 2024

A search for next-generation solar cell devices to massively actualize renewable energy is being exponentially conducted. It includes the development of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS)-based solar cells, which are known as cost-effective and highly stable solar cell devices. In this present research, we develop a CZTS solar cell by adding a magnetic degree of freedom using cobalt (Co) doping. We find that the Co doping can induce modulation of the crystalline structure and bandgap of CZTS, which further influences its photovoltaic performance. The increase in the grain size of the CZTS with the addition of Co doping could further induce the reduction of detrimental grain boundaries, which benefits the photovoltaic performance of CZTS-based solar cells. Co doping also generates magnetic behavior in CZTS, which supports its magnetically controlled optoelectronic properties and thus, in turn, enhances the photovoltaic performance. We believe that this study could open up opportunities to obtain next-generation solar cell devices with excellent performances by using magnetic-field induction.
Non-equilibrium thermodynamics in NMR: understanding quadrupolar spin-1 systems
Authors: Mahmud Mohammed , Bassie Yigermal , Bekele Mulugeta
Published: September 2024

In this study, we explore the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of a quantum system, specifically focusing on spin-1 quadrupole nuclei. By employing fundamental principles from quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics, we aim to understand the behavior of the quadrupole spin-1 nuclei when subjected to external perturbations. Our analysis involves the investigation of the system’s dynamic response to non-equilibrium conditions through the manipulation of a work parameter. By treating work as a random variable, we gather data from multiple cycles of finite duration, enabling us to compute the complete distribution of the work generated during this process. Through these finite-time non-equilibrium process data, we are able to determine equilibrium values for important quantities such as the difference in free energy between the initial and final states of the system. Additionally, we explore various properties of the system’s work distribution.
Quantum control of polariton emission in a microcavity-quantum well system under magnetic field
Authors: Urquijo-Rodríguez Andrés F , Gómez Edgar A , A Rodríguez Boris , Vinck-Posada Herbert
Published: September 2024

In this work, a quantum dissipative model is employed to investigate the influence of a perpendicular magnetic field on the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of a quantum well embedded within a microcavity. This model incorporates both the exact electron–hole interaction within the semiconductor and the light-matter coupling between the fundamental photonic mode and the fermionic particles. The loss and pumping mechanisms are described using the quantum master equation, and the PL spectrum is determined via the quantum regression theorem. Our findings demonstrate that the magnetic field acts as a control mechanism in the polariton emission energy, the emission linewidth and the intensity distribution along the emission line. Finally, it is observed that the magnetic field can redistribute the density matrix occupations leading to modifications in the average number of polaritons in the system.
Simulation and time series analysis of responsive active Brownian particles (rABPs) with memory
Authors: Bailey Maximilian R , Grillo Fabio , Isa Lucio
Published: September 2024

To realise the goals of active matter at the micro- and nano-scale, the next generation of microrobots must be capable of autonomously sensing and responding to their environment to carry out pre-programmed tasks. Memory effects are proposed to have a significant effect on the dynamics of responsive robotic systems, drawing parallels to strategies used in nature across all length-scales. Inspired by the integral feedback control mechanism by which Escherichia coli (E. coli) are proposed to sense their environment, we develop a numerical model for responsive active Brownian particles (rABP) in which the rABPs continuously react to changes in the physical parameters dictated by their local environment. The resulting time series, extracted from their dynamic diffusion coefficients, velocity or from their fluctuating position with time, are then used to classify and characterise their response, leading to the identification of conditional heteroscedasticity in their physics. We then train recurrent neural networks (RNNs) capable of quantitatively describing the responsiveness of rABPs using their 2D trajectories. We believe that our proposed strategy to determine the parameters governing the dynamics of rABPs can be applied to guide the design of microrobots with physical intelligence encoded during their fabrication.
Response functions for electric field induced two-dimensional nonlinear spectroscopy in a Kitaev magnet
Authors: Brenig Wolfram , Krupnitska Olesia
Published: September 2024

We study the dynamical response functions relevant for electric field induced two-dimensional (2D) coherent nonlinear optical spectroscopy in a Kitaev magnet at finite temperature. We show that these response functions are susceptible to both types of fractional quasiparticles of this quantum spin-liquid, i.e. fermions and flux visons. Focusing on the second order response, we find a strong antidiagonal feature in the 2D frequency plane, related to the galvanoelectric effect of the fractional fermions. Perpendicular to the antidiagonal, the width of this feature is set by quasiparticle relaxation rates beyond the bare Kitaev magnet, thereby providing access to single-particle characteristics within a multi-particle continuum. While the 2D spectrum of the response is set by the fermionic quasiparticles and displays Fermi blocking versus temperature, the emergent bond randomness which arises due to thermally populated visons strongly modifies the fermionic spectrum. Therefore also the presence of gauge excitations is manifest in the 2D nonlinear response as the temperature is increased beyond the flux proliferation crossover.