bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post-annealing-induced enhancement of structural, optical and electrical properties in copper tin sulphide (CTS) thin films
Authors: A K Sijo , Sapna P
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the impact of post-annealing on the enhancement of structural, optical and electrical properties of Copper Tin Sulfide (CTS) thin films. The CTS thin films were synthesized using the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method, then annealed at temperatures of 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C and characterized using XRD, SEM, FTIR, UV–vis-NIR, and EDAX. The results show improved crystallinity, optical transmittance and electrical conductivity with increasing annealing temperature. The films show high bandgap energies (3.68–3.90 eV) and strong UV absorption. The transmittance curves reveal low transmittance in the UV region and high transmittance in the visible region. Post-annealing resulted in a decrease in film thickness, suggesting improved uniformity and density. An inverse relationship between crystallite size and bandgap energy was observed. These findings introduce a new paradigm for tailoring the bandgap energy and optical transmittance of CTS thin films through controlled post-annealing, enabling their application in high-performance optoelectronic devices.
Dynamic modeling method and parameter calibration of subarea thin-layer elements in bolted connection area of diaphragm coupling
Authors: Wen Huabing , Gao Shuaishuai
Published: February 2025

Aiming at the finite element modeling problem on the dynamic characteristics of multi-layer elastic diaphragm bolted joints, and adopting the equivalent modeling method of subarea thin-layer elements, a parameter identification method that can accurately and efficiently identify the material parameters of each area of subarea thin-layer elements is proposed. Taking the diaphragm coupling in the marine propulsion shaft system as an example, the accuracy of the simplified model is verified by comparing the dynamics characteristics of the vibrational mode, driving point mechanical impedance, and vibration level drop between test and simulation. The variation of material parameters in each region under different bolt preloads was studied, and the effects of different material parameters on the dynamic properties were analyzed, in which the elastic modulus had a greater effect on the model dynamic characteristics, while Poisson’s ratio and density had a smaller effect. The research results show that the subarea thin-layer element modeling method can effectively simplify the dynamic modeling method of the diaphragm coupling under the consideration of bolt preload, and the parameter identification based on the multi-objective genetic algorithm can accurately identify the material parameters of each area of the subarea thin-layer element, which can be used to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the multilayered elastic diaphragm bolted couplings.
Structural, morphological and electrical transport behaviour of inverse Heusler Mn2CoSi/n-Si(100) thin film structure
Authors: Atul Anadi Krishna , Choudhary R J , Srivastava Neelabh
Published: February 2025

The family of Co-based Heusler compounds holds considerable promise for spintronic applications due to their theoretically half-metallic magnetic nature. In this work, we have studied the structural, morphological and transport behaviour of Mn2CoSi (MCS) inverse Heusler alloy (HA) experimentally in thin film form. Structural analysis has revealed the formation of a cubic structure corresponding to the inverse MCS HA with space group F

4

̅

3m. Fitting results of the x-ray reflectivity (XRR) spectrum indicated that the deposited film is uniform and smooth, with a thickness of 70 nm. Simulation results from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) experiments revealed that the film is pure and devoid of foreign elements such as oxygen or nitrogen, with a composition of Mn2CoSi. Electrical transport study of MCS thin film structure has been done using the van der Pauw technique, suggesting the ohmic nature of the prepared thin film structure at RT. Moreover, the estimated conductivity, carrier concentration and carrier mobility from Hall measurement are found to be 5361 S cm−1, 1021 cm−3 and 25 cm2/V.s, respectively which is consistent with the observations reported for half-metallic materials. Surface morphology indicated that the film is smooth, with an average grain size of 38 nm. The possibility of half-metallicity of MCS HA in thin film form makes it a promising candidate for its future applications in silicon-based devices .
Revisiting primordial black holes formation from preheating instabilities: the case of Starobinsky inflation
Authors: del-Corral Daniel , Gondolo Paolo , Sravan Kumar K. , Marto João
Published: February 2025

In recent years, the formation of primordial black holes (PBH) in the early universe
inflationary cosmology has garnered significant attention. One plausible scenario for primordial
black hole (PBH) formation arises during the preheating stage following inflation. Notably, this
scenario does not necessitate any ad-hoc fine-tuning of the scalar field potential. This paper
focuses on the growth of primordial density perturbation and the consequent possibility of PBH
formation in the preheating stage of the Starobinsky model for inflation. The typical mechanism
for PBH formation during preheating is based on the collapse of primordial fluctuations that
become super-horizon during inflation (type I) and re-enter the particle horizon in the different
phases of cosmic expansion. In this work, we show that there exists a certain range of modes that
remain in the sub-horizon (not exited) during inflation (type II modes) but evolve identically to
type I modes if they fall into the instability band, leading to large density perturbation above
the threshold and can potentially also contribute to the PBH formation.
We outline the conditions that govern the potential collapse of type
I and type II modes with wavelengths exceeding the Jeans length,
which we derive based on the effective sound speed of scalar field
fluctuations. Since the
preheating stage is an `inflaton' (approximately) matter-dominated phase, we follow the framework
of the critical collapse of fluctuations and compute the mass fraction using the well-known
Press-Schechter and the Khlopov-Polnarev formalisms, and compare the two. Finally, we comment on
the implications of our study for the investigations concerned with primordial accretion and
consequent PBH contribution to the dark matter.
Deterministic hierarchical sharing of a partially known quantum operation via a non-maximally entangled state
Authors: Zhou Si-Qi , Maihemuti Nueraminaimu
Published: February 2025

Recent studies have demonstrated the critical role of hierarchical quantum operation sharing in enhancing security and efficiency within quantum information systems. This approach enables the structured distribution of quantum operations among multiple parties, facilitating collaborative tasks essential for various practical applications. In this paper, we explore the hierarchical sharing of a partially known single-qubit operation, and propose a four-party hierarchical sharing scheme utilizing a non-maximally entangled six-qubit state as the quantum channel. This scheme can be regarded as two sub-schemes, wherein three agents are divided into two power levels for information access: one at a higher power level and the other at a lower level. Each agent can reconstruct the target state with complete certainty, independent of the coefficients of the non-maximally entangled channel, through the cooperation of some or all other agents. Additionally, we extend this framework to accommodate m + n agents, where n agents operate at the higher power level while the remaining m agents function at the lower power level.
Phase transition extracted by Principal Component Analysis in the disordered Moore-Read state
Authors: Jiang Na , Fu Shuaixin , Ma Zhengzhi , Wang Lian
Published: February 2025

We study the influence of disorder on the Moore-Read state by principal component analysis (PCA), which is one of ground state candidates for the 5/2 fractional Hall state. By using PCA, the topological features of the ground state wave functions with different disorder strengths can be distillated. And as the disorder strength increases, the Moore-Read state will be destroyed. We explore the phase transition by analyzing the overlaps between the random sample wave functions and the topologically distilled state. The cross-point between the amplitudes of the principal component and its counterpart is the phase transition point. Additionally, the origin of the second component comes from the excited states, which is different from the Laughlin state.
Electromagnetically-induced-absorption-like ground state cooling in a hybrid optomechanical system
Authors: Dong Yaoyong , Zheng Xuejun , Wang Denglong , Zhao Peng
Published: February 2025

We present a scheme for the electromagnetically-induced-absorption (EIA)-like ground state cooling in a hybrid optomechanical system which is combined by two-level quantum systems (qubits) and a high-Q optomechanical cavity. Under the weak qubit-cavity coupling, the system exhibits an EIA-like effect and this effect is caused by quantum destructive interference that is distinct from the conventional EIA effect driven by quantum constructive interference. More importantly, the EIA-like cooling mechanism can significantly enhance the cooling rate of the hybrid system, enabling the final phonon number beyond the classical cooling limit in the strong optomechanical coupling regime. Meanwhile, the cooling effects of the EIA case is better than that of the normal-mode splitting case under the same optomechanical coupling strength and qubit dissipation rate.
Microstructure and microwave surface resistance of YBCO films deposited under different oxygen pressures
Authors: SHENG Zhi-Bo , CHEN Fu-Cong , XIONG Pei-Yu , YI Qi-Ru , YUAN Jie , CHEN Yu , GU Yue-Liang , JIN Kui , WANG Huan-Hua , LI Xiao-Long , GAO Chen
Published: February 2025

YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films with low microwave surface resistance (RS
) are essential for high temperature superconducting microwave devices. The oxygen pressure during deposition has been found to influence RS
significantly. In this work, we deposited highly c-axis aligned YBCO films on single crystal MgO(001) substrates under different oxygen pressures via pulsed laser ablation. Their detailed microstructure was characterized with three-dimensional reciprocal space mapping (3D-RSM) method and their microwave surface resistance was also measured with resonant cavity perturbation method. We found that the variation of oxygen pressure can affect film microstructure, including grain orientation distribution and the concentrations of crystal defects. The microstructure modulation can explain RS
dependence on the oxygen pressure.
Quantitative Determination of Modal Photon Number Density Spectrum in Arbitrary Dielectric Structures with a Quantum Emitter
Authors: Chen Li-Heng , Luo Fengfeng , Gao Yonggui
Published: February 2025

Understanding the photon number statistics of a quantum emitter (QE) interacting with complex photonic environments is fundamental to advances in quantum optics and nanophotonics. We introduce a general theoretical framework for calculating the modal photon number density spectrum (MPNDS) in arbitrary dielectric structures with an embedded two-level QE. We validate our approach by investigating a system composed of a two-level QE and a photonic crystal (PhC) slab with an L3 cavity and a waveguide, finding that the MPNDS exhibits significant changes in both waveguide and background radiative channels as the interaction between the QE and modal field transitions from weak coupling to strong coupling. We observe that the number of photons guided along the waveguide shows a strong dependence on the QE's transition frequency and transition dipole moment, but demonstrates robustness to the transition dipole moment when the transition frequency approaches the waveguide cutoff frequency. Our work allows for the determination and tailoring of light emission characteristics across diverse radiative channels in complex photonic environments.
Uncertainties of the standard quantum teleportation channel
Authors: Zhang Zhihua , Guo Zehao , Qiu Zhipeng
Published: February 2025

From the perspective of state-channel interaction, standard quantum teleportation can be viewed as a communication process characterized by both input and output, functioning as a quantum depolarizing channel. To achieve a precise quantification of the quantumness introduced by this channel, we examine its uncertainties, which encompass both state dependent and independent uncertainties. Specifically, for qudit systems, we provide general formulas for these uncertainties. We analyze the uncertainties associated with standard quantum teleportation when induced by isotropic states, Werner states, and X-states, and we elucidate the correlation between these uncertainties and the parameters of the specific mixed states. Our findings demonstrate the validity of quantifying these uncertainties.
Coherent feedback ground-state cooling of mechanical resonators assisted by a quantum well
Authors: Liao Qinghong , Ouyang Songyun , Cheng Shaoping , Cheng Yiping
Published: February 2025

We theoretically investigate a cooling scheme assisted by a quantum well and coherent feedback within a hybrid optomechanical system. Although the exciton mode in the quantum well (QW) and the mechanical resonator (MR) are initially uncoupled, their interaction via the microcavity field leads to an indirect exciton-mode–mechanical-mode coupling. The coherent feedback loop is applied by feeding back a fraction of the output field of the cavity through a controllable beam splitter to the cavity's input mirror. It is shown that the cooling capability is enhanced by effectively suppressing the Stokes process through coupling with the QW. Furthermore, the effect of the anti-Stokes process is enhanced through the application of the coherent feedback loop. This particular system configuration enables cooling of the mechanical resonator even in the unresolved sideband regime (USR). This study has some important guiding significance in the field of quantum information processing.
Measurement-based entanglement purification for hybrid entangled state
Authors: Luo Cheng-Chen , Gu Shi-Pu , Wang Xing-Fu , Zhou Lan , Sheng Yu-Bo
Published: February 2025

Hybrid entangled states (HESs), which involve different particles with various degrees of freedom, have garnered significant attention and been applied in a wide range of quantum technologies. However, similar to other categories of entanglement, maximally HESs inevitably degrade to mixed states due to the environmental noise and operational imperfections. To address the degradation problem, measurement-based entanglement purification offers a feasible and robust solution alternative to conventional gate-based purification methods. In this paper, we propose a measurement-based hybrid entanglement purification protocol (MB-HEPP) for a certain kind of HES, which consists of polarization photons and coherent states. We extend our methodology to several conditions, such as the multi-copy and multi-party scenarios, and the photon-loss condition. Compared with previous HEPPs, this protocol has several advantages. First, it does not depend on post-selection and the purified HESs can be remained for further application. Second, it does not require the Bell state measurement, but only uses the parity check with conventional linear optical elements, which makes it have the higher success probability and more feasible. Our MB-HEPP has potential applications in future heterogeneous quantum networks.
Identifying important nodes of hypergraph: An improved PageRank algorithm
Authors: Piao Yu-Hao , Wang Jun-Yi , Li Ke-Zan
Published: February 2025

Hypergraphs can accurately capture complex higher-order relationships, but it is challenging to identify their important nodes. In this paper, an improved PageRank(ImPageRank) algorithm is designed to identify important nodes in a directed hypergraph. The algorithm introduces the Jaccard similarity of directed hypergraphs. By comparing the numbers of common neighbors between nodes with the total number of their neighbors, the Jaccard similarity measure takes into account the similarity between nodes that are not directly connected, and can reflect the potential correlation between nodes. An improved SI model in directed hypergraph is proposed, which considers nonlinear propagation mode and more realistic propagation mechanism. In addition, some important node evaluation methods are transferred from undirected hypergraphs and applied to directed hypergraphs. Finally, the ImPageRank algorithm is used to evaluate the performance of SI model, network robustness and monotonicity. Simulations of real networks demonstrate the excellent performance of the proposed algorithm and provide a powerful framework for identifying important nodes in directed hypergraphs.
Associated network family of the unified piecewise linear chaotic family and their relevance
Authors: Niu Haoying , Liu Jie
Published: February 2025

Duality analysis of time series and complex networks has been a frontier topic during the last several decades. According to some recent approaches in this direction, the intrinsic dynamics of typical nonlinear systems can be better characterized by considering the related nonlinear time series from the perspective of networks science. In this paper, the associated network family of the unified piecewise-linear (PWL) chaotic family, which can bridge the gap of the PWL chaotic Lorenz system and the PWL chaotic Chen system, was firstly constructed and analyzed. We constructed the associated network family via the original and the modified frequency-degree mapping strategy, as well as the classical visibility graph and horizontal visibility graph strategy, after removing the transient states. Typical related network characteristics, including the network fractal dimension, of the associated network family, are computed with change of single key parameter α. These characteristic vectors of the network are also compared with the Largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) vector of the related original dynamical system. It can be found that, some network characteristics are highly correlated with LLE vector of the original nonlinear system, i.e., there is an internal consistency between the Largest Lyapunov exponents, some typical associated network characteristics, and the related network fractal dimension index. Numerical results show that the modified frequency-degree mapping strategy can demonstrate highest correlation, which means it can behave better to capture the intrinsic characteristics of the unified PWL chaotic family.
Magnon-magnon coupling in noncollinear synthetic antiferromagnets
Authors: Tengfei Zhang , Quwen Wang , Min Chen , Jie Dong , Qian Zhao , Zimu Li , Qingfang Liu , Jianbo Wang , Jinwu Wei
Published: February 2025

We report a theoretical analysis of magnon-magnon coupling in a noncollinear magnetic sandwiched structure with interlayer exchange interaction, which consists of two ferromagnetic layers with perpendicular and in-plane magnetic anisotropy, respectively. Based on the Landau-Lifshitz equation, the spin wave dispersion is derived, and then the frequency gap is observed due to the magnon-magnon coupling effect induced by symmetry-breaking. The influence of saturation magnetization, exchange coupling interaction, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and wave vector on the coupling strength is studied in detail. We find that the coupling strength is strongly dependent on the saturation magnetization and a small saturation magnetization can lead to strong coupling strength. By selecting the appropriate magnetic materials, ultra-strong coupling regime can be achieved. The precession information in time-domain is solved and the alternate change of the precession components in two ferromagnetic layers implies the exchange of energy and information.
Gate leakage mechanisms in Al2O3/SiN/AlN/GaN MIS-HEMTs on Si substrates
Authors: Li Hui-Lin , Zhu Jie-Jie , Qin Ling-Jie , Huang Si-Mei , Li Shi-Yang , Gao Bo-Xuan , Zhu Qing , Ma Xiao-Hua
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the gate leakage mechanisms of AlN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor highelectron-mobility transistors (MIS-HEMTs) fabricated on silicon substrate with Al2O3/SiN as stacked gate dielectrics, analyzing behaviors across high and low temperature conditions. In the high-temperature reverse bias region (T > 275 K, V
G < 0 V), Poole-Frenkel emission (PFE) dominates at low electric fields, while trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) is the primary mechanism at medium to high electric fields. The shift from PFE to TAT as the dominant conduction mechanism is due to the increased tunneling effect of electrons as the electric field strength rises. Additionally, TAT is found to be the main gate leakage mechanism under low-temperature reverse bias (T < 275 K, V
G < 0 V). At lower temperatures, the reduction in electron energy causes the emission process to rely more on electric field forces. Furthermore, under forward bias conditions at both high and low temperatures(225 K < T < 375 K, V
G > 0 V), conduction is primarily dominated by defect-assisted tunneling (DAT).
Robustness of ferromagentism in van der Waals magnet Fe3GeTe2 to hydrostatic pressure
Authors: Wang Yonglin , Zeng Xu-Tao , Li Bo , Su Cheng , Hattori Takanori , Sheng Xian-Lei , Jin Wentao
Published: February 2025

Two-dimensional van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2 (FGT) holds a great potential for applications in spintronic devices, due to its high Curie temperature, easy tunability, and excellent structural stability in air. Theoretical studies have shown that pressure, as an external parameter, significantly affects its ferromagnetic properties. In this study, we have performed comprehensive high-pressure neutron powder diffraction (NPD) experiments on FGT up to 5 GPa, to investigate the evolution of its structural and magnetic properties with hydrostatic pressure. The NPD data clearly reveal the robustness of the ferromagnetism in FGT, despite of an apparent suppression by hydrostatic pressure. As the pressure increases from 0 to 5 GPa, the Curie temperature is found to decrease monotonically from 225(5) K to 175(5) K, together with a dramatically suppressed ordered moment of Fe, which is well supported by the first-principles calculations. Although no pressure-driven structural phase transition is observed up to 5 GPa, quantitative analysis on the changes of bond lengths and bond angles indicate a significant modification of the exchange interactions, which accounts for the pressure-induced suppression of the ferromagnetism in FGT.
Functional verification for Endcap Concentrator ASICs in the High-Granularity Calorimeter upgrade of CMS
Authors: Lupi M. , Bergamin G. , Ceresa D. , Čoko D. , Cummings G. , Gingu V. , Hammer M. , Hirschauer J. , Hoff J. , Kharwadkar N. , Kulis S. , Mantilla-Suarez C. , Noonan D. , Rubinov P. , Scarfì S. , Shenai A. , Syal C. , Wang X. , Wickwire R. , Wilson J. ,   the CMS collaboration
Published: February 2025

The High-Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) will replace the current CMS
Endcap Calorimeter during Long-Shutdown 3. The Endcap Concentrator (ECON) ASICs represent key
elements in the readout chain, processing trigger (ECON-T) and data (ECON-D) streams from the
HGCROC to the lpGBT. The ECONs will operate in a radiation environment with a High-Energy Hadron
(E≥20 MeV) flux up to 2·107 cm-2s-1.

This contribution describes the Universal Verification Methodology (UVM)-based functional verification of the ECON ASICs focusing on the re-use of existing components to manage the complexity of the verification environment.
Rad-hard readout system for Timepix3 Hybrid Pixel Detectors
Authors: Cabrera Gabriela , Jensen Steen , Joul Juri , McLean Mark , Sandberg Hampus , Storey James
Published: February 2025

The Beam Gas Ionisation (BGI) profile monitor, located in the Proton Synchrotron (PS) and
Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) at CERN, requires a radiation-tolerant readout system to transfer
data from the challenging accelerator surroundings to the back-end for processing. The system
needs to control and acquire data from four Timepix3 Hybrid Pixel Detectors (HPDs) located
directly inside the beam pipe, a highly radioactive environment. It must ensure reliability given
limited hardware access and preserve signal integrity for the high-speed data (32 channels at 320 MHz). However, due to the unavailability of a suitable rad-hard Timepix3 readout, the Beam
Instrumentation PiXeL (BIPXL) readout system was designed to meet these requirements. This system
employs radiation-hardened components such as the GBTx and the FEASTMP, both developed at CERN. It
will be compatible with forthcoming hybrid pixel detector initiatives in similarly harsh radiation conditions.
Studies on deposition of high energy Lu ions on metallic substrates using Multi-collector ICPMS
Authors: Kumar Yogesh , Bhatia R.K. , Gulhane M.M. , Datta Rabi , Ravisankar E. , Kasbekar A.M. , Abichandani Prakash , Saha T.K. , Nataraju V. , Sharma P.
Published: February 2025

An in-house developed multi-collector inductively coupled
plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) was used for characterizing an
indigenous high-current ion source to be employed for production of
high intensity ion beam of lutetium (Lu) ions. The ion source is a
critical component of Electromagnetic Isotope Separator (EMIS)
facility, which is being fabricated for isotopic enrichment of
lutetium in 176Lu. As the ion source is a crucial component of
the EMIS facility, it was essential to independently test its
performance and optimize its parameters prior to its coupling with
other subsystems of the EMIS facility i.e. magnetic analyzer and
collector system, which are under development. Studies were carried
out to determine the contribution of Lu+ in the total ion beam
extracted from the ion source by employing a collector setup at the
exit of the ion source. The sample deposition on the collector
substrate was analyzed, both qualitatively and quantitatively using
MC-ICPMS. The contribution of Lu+ ions to the total ion beam
from the ion source was found to be ∼ 25% for the total ion
current of ∼ 1 mA at an ion energy of 12 keV. Various
parameters viz. Lu collection rate, collection per unit area
and collection efficiency for deposition of Lu on various substrates
of the collector were established. These studies have helped in
understanding the deposition mechanism of Lu on different
substrates, which has assisted in selecting appropriate target
material and refining the design of the collector assembly. This
paper discusses these studies in detail.
Photon-stimulated desorption from laser-etched vacuum structural materials of accelerators
Authors: Zhang Wenli , Ma Wenjing , Ge Xiaoqin , Fan Le , Huang Tao , Fang Jianwei , Wang Sihui , Wang Yong
Published: February 2025

The electron multipacting (EM) and the electron cloud
(e-cloud) can have detrimental impact on the operation of the high
energy or high current intensity particle accelerators. The enhanced
performance of new generation particle accelerators has necessitated
the development of advanced structural materials and vacuum
systems. The EM and e-cloud effect have emerged as significant
challenges which cannot be ignored during the design and
construction of these advanced accelerators. Laser-etching technique
represents a promising approach for the suppression of secondary
electron emission from materials, which can lower the secondary
electron yield (SEY) of the structural materials to
below 1. Nevertheless, the deployment of laser-etching technique in
the next generation of large particle accelerators requires a
comprehensive investigation into its vacuum performance. In this
work, a photo-stimulated desorption (PSD) experimental beamline was
constructed on the Hefei Light Source II. The PSD yields of the
structural materials (oxygen-free copper, chrome zirconium copper,
stainless steel, and aluminum alloy) with and without laser-etching
of the vacuum chambers were tested at normal incidence using the
throughput method. The main gases desorbed from all sample surfaces
are H2, CO, CO2, CH4, and H2O. The initial PSD
yield of laser-etched material is higher than that of unetched
material. However, the PSD yield of the laser-etched material
decreases at a faster rate, and after a certain photon dose, the PSD
yield of the laser-etched material is in the same order of magnitude
as that of the unetched material.
Fe3O4 modified graphene epoxy composite materials via polyether amine reduction with enhanced microwave absorption performance
Authors: Yang Guangyuan , Che Jing , Zhao Xiaokang , Chen Congxin , Peng Sanwen , Yang Heng , Zhang Bin
Published: February 2025

The increasing complexity of electromagnetic environments demands the development of advanced absorbers with superior performance. In this study, a novel magnetic Fe3O4-modified graphene-based absorber (FARGO) is synthesized via an in situ reduction process using polyether amine. The resulting FARGO composite exhibits excellent microwave absorption properties. When the filling content of FARGO is 5 wt% in epoxy resin, the optimal reflection loss is −23.12 dB with a thickness of 4 mm and a broad absorption bandwidth of 5.6 GHz can be achieved as the thickness changes to 2 mm. Polyether amine efficiently reduces GO to rGO, significantly improving electrical conductivity. Simultaneously, it grafts amine groups onto the graphene surface, enhancing dispersion and reactivity within the epoxy resin matrix. These synergistic effects make it a promising candidate for high-performance microwave absorbing materials.
Characteristics and properties of hot-deformed duplex stainless steel 2205: an overview
Authors: Baruwa Akinsanya Damilare , Ndou Ndivhuwo
Published: February 2025

This overview details the characteristics and attributes of hot-deformed Duplex Stainless Steel (DSS) 2205, emphasizing its phases, alloying elements, and deformation behaviour. Due to its exceptional mix of mechanical qualities and corrosion resistance, it has found extensive applications in water treatment and desalination, chemical industries, oil and gas storage tankers, construction, food production, and marine environments. Its properties during hot deformation are crucial in defining its applications. DSS 2205 features a balanced dual-phase microstructure, with ferrite (α) and austenite (γ) phases in roughly equal quantities, resulting in high mechanical characteristics and corrosion resistance. Depending on the alloy composition and processing conditions, hot deformation can result in the development of secondary phases. Temperature, strain rate, and initial microstructure impact DSS 2205’s hot deformation. Hot deformation initiates several forms of grain boundaries, which contribute to microstructural evolution and yielding properties. Therefore, the characteristics of hot-deformed DSS 2205 show a refined and dynamically recrystallized microstructure, resulting in improved properties. Understanding the interaction of alloying components, phases, and deformation conditions can help optimize the hot deformation process for DSS 2205. In conclusion, this study emphasizes optimizing the phases and deformation parameters to fully utilize DSS 2205 in demanding applications.
Flame recognition and location algorithm based on YOLO v5s and binocular vision
Authors: Wu Yapeng , Chen Yanwei , Yang Chen , Guo Haoyan , Li Mengshi , Yang Min
Published: February 2025

An improved YOLO v5s framework in conjunction with binocular vision is developed to fulfill the stringent requirements for precise identification and accurate localization of flames. An Efficient Multi-scale Attention (EMA) mechanism is seamlessly integrated into the backbone network of the YOLO v5s model, thereby significantly improving the capacity to focus on and interpret critical target features. To bolster the multi-scale feature fusion capability, the Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) is strategically introduced at the fusion layer within the object detection architecture. The Semi-Global Block Matching (SGBM) algorithm is deployed to synchronize the binocular images, complemented by the least squares curve fitting method to adjust location inaccuracies, enhancing the precision of flame positioning. A binocular vision system is meticulously constructed to facilitate a series of rigorous experiments on flame detection and location. The experimental results demonstrate that the improved YOLO v5s network model achieves an exceptional flame recognition rate of 96.25%, which represents a noteworthy increase of 0.98% in accuracy in comparison to the original YOLO v5s model. Additionally, within a distance range of 3 to 10 meters, the flame ranging error is consistently less than 0.1 meters, successfully realizing the objective of high-precision flame detection and localization.
Switching and its Impact on Perseveration in a Verbal Fluency Task: a Study in Persons With Alzheimer’s Clinical Syndrome
Authors: Dubey Neha , Basu Jayanti , Pandey Dinkar , Ghosh Amitabha
Published: February 2025

Objective

The relationship between perseveration and switching in semantic verbal fluency tasks and the possible role of self-generated interference one must overcome before switching back to a previously visited subcategory has not been explored.

Participants & Method

We studied the performance on semantic verbal fluency in 60 cognitively unimpaired subjects, 30 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 30 patients with Alzheimer’s Clinical Syndrome–dementia (ACS-Dementia). Our primary analysis focused on the association of switching and switchback with the first perseverative error.

Results

Perseveration was significantly associated with switchback in all three groups (χ2 = 24.88, p < .001). Within-cluster perseverations were few. The number of switchbacks was the only significant variable to predict perseverative responses (p < .01). Moving from cognitively unimpaired to aMCI to ACS-Dementia, progressively fewer switches and switchbacks were needed to trigger perseveration. In over half of the perseverations after a switchback in the cognitively unimpaired and aMCI groups and in over a third in the ACS-Dementia group, the subjects had already activated a new word in the switched back subcategory.

Conclusion

Switching between subcategories and subsequent switchback play an important role in triggering perseverations in semantic verbal fluency tasks in the cognitively unimpaired as well as in aMCI and ACS-Dementia. Self-generated interference caused by repeated switching may overwhelm the working memory capacity enough to reactivate a previously suppressed response when revisiting an earlier subcategory. Our findings may facilitate a deeper understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying perseveration in semantic fluency tests.
Leveraging LASSO-Based Methodologies for Enhanced SNP Analysis in Plant Genomes
Authors: Puthiyedth Nisha , Zeinalinesaz Farshad , Hou Dongdong , Zhang Yue , Lin Wenjun , Yan Yan
Published: February 2025

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been widely used to reveal the associations between genetic variations and phenotypes in a population of individuals. However, they have been criticized for missing important genetic markers usually due to the fact that the data may not fit the statistical models well. In this study, we address the challenge of identifying significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GWAS by harnessing the capabilities of two sophisticated regression models, BIGLASSO and AUTALASSO. They are both variants of the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Our research contributes to the field of genomics through detailed comparative analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana, revealing how each method specializes in uncovering SNPs for different trait types. Our findings indicate that BIGLASSO shows stronger alignment with GWAS results, particularly excelling in the analysis of binary traits, even when these are derived from categorical phenotypes. AUTALASSO could be effective for quantitative traits and complement GWAS. We demonstrate that these LASSO-based methods can significantly enhance the identification of genetic markers, offering a potent complement to traditional GWAS approaches. Our findings not only bridge the gap between statistical and machine learning methodologies in genetic studies but also provide a practical framework for researchers seeking to validate reported SNPs or explore new genomic regions for trait association. This work stands as a pivotal step towards the integration of advanced computational techniques in genomics, paving the way for more precise and comprehensive genetic analyses.
NetworkCommons: bridging data, knowledge, and methods to build and evaluate context-specific biological networks
Authors: Paton Victor , Türei Denes , Ivanova Olga , Müller-Dott Sophia , Rodriguez-Mier Pablo , Venafra Veronica , Perfetto Livia , Garrido-Rodriguez Martin , Saez-Rodriguez Julio
Published: February 2025

We present NetworkCommons, a platform for integrating prior knowledge, omics data, and network inference methods, facilitating their usage and evaluation. NetworkCommons aims to be an infrastructure for the network biology community that supports the development of better methods and benchmarks, by enhancing interoperability and integration.

Availability and implementation

NetworkCommons is implemented in Python and offers programmatic access to multiple omics datasets, network inference methods, and benchmarking setups. It is a free software, available at https://github.com/saezlab/networkcommons, and deposited in Zenodo at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14719118.
MolFCL: predicting molecular properties through chemistry-guided contrastive and prompt learning
Authors: Tang Xiang , Zhao Qichang , Wang Jianxin , Duan Guihua
Published: February 2025

Motivation

Accurately identifying and predicting molecular properties is a crucial task in molecular machine learning, and the key lies in how to extract effective molecular representations. Contrastive learning opens new avenues for representation learning, and a large amount of unlabeled data enables the model to generalize to the huge chemical space. However, existing contrastive learning-based models face two challenges: (1) existing methods destroy the original molecular environment and ignore chemical prior information, and (2) there is a lack of a prior knowledge to guide the prediction of molecular properties.

Results

In this work, we propose a molecular property prediction framework called MolFCL, which consists of fragment-based contrastive learning and functional group-based prompt learning. Specifically, we introduced fragment-fragment interactions for the first time in the contrastive learning framework and designed a fragment-based augmented molecular graph that integrates the original chemical environment and fragment reactions. Furthermore, we proposed a novel functional group-based prompt learning during fine-tuning, which first incorporates functional group knowledge and the corresponding atomic signals, to improve molecular representation and provide interpretable analyses. The results show that MolFCL outperforms state-of-the-art baseline models on 23 molecular property prediction datasets. Moreover, visualizations show that MolFCL can learn to embed molecules into representations that can distinguish chemical properties. MolFCL can give higher weight to functional groups consistent with chemical knowledge during the prediction of molecular properties, which offers an interpretable ability of the model. Overall, MolFCL is a practically useful tool for molecular property prediction and assists drug scientists in designing drugs more effectively.

Availability and implementation

MolFCL is available at https://github.com/tangxiangcsu/MolFCL

Supplementary Information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The impact of COVID-19 on ultraviolet phototherapy services in Scotland
Authors: Eadie Ewan
Published: February 2025

COVID-19 was devastating for many dermatology services. But four years on, what is the lasting impact on ultraviolet phototherapy? A quarter less patients being treated with UV phototherapy and an increase in patient waiting times.
Metabolic remodeling and de novo mutations transcend cryptic variation as drivers of adaptation in yeast
Authors: Routh Shreya , Lindsay Richard J , Gudelj Ivana , Dhar Riddhiman
Published: February 2025

Many organisms live in predictable environments with periodic variations in growth conditions. Adaptation to these conditions can lead to loss of nonessential functions, which could be maladaptive in new environments. Alternatively, living in a predictable environment can allow populations to accumulate cryptic genetic variation that may have no fitness benefit in that condition, but can facilitate adaptation to new environments. However, how these processes together shape the fitness of populations growing in predictable environments remains unclear. Through laboratory evolution experiments in yeast, we show that populations grown in a nutrient-rich environment for 1,000 generations generally have reduced fitness and lower adaptability to novel stressful environments. These populations showed metabolic remodeling and increased lipid accumulation in rich medium which seemed to provide osmotic protection in salt stress. Subsequent adaptation to stressors was primarily driven by de novo mutations, with very little contribution from the mutations accumulated prior to the exposure. Thus, our work suggests that without exposure to new environments, populations might lose their ability to respond effectively to these environments. Furthermore, our findings highlight a major role of exaptation and de novo mutations in adaptation to new environments but do not reveal a significant contribution of cryptic variation in this process.
Quantifying the phenome-wide response to sex-specific selection in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Keaney Thomas A , Holman Luke
Published: February 2025

In species with separate sexes, selection on males causes evolutionary change in female traits values (and vice versa) via genetic correlations, which has far-reaching consequences for adaptation. Here, we utilise a sex-specific form of Robertson’s Secondary Theorem of Natural Selection to estimate the expected response to selection for 474 organismal-level traits and ~28,000 gene expression traits measured in the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP). Across organismal-level traits, selection acting on males produced a larger predicted evolutionary response than did selection acting on females, even for female traits; while for transcriptome traits selection on each sex produced a roughly equal average evolutionary response. For most traits, selection on males and females was predicted to move average trait values in the same direction, though for some traits, selection on one sex increased trait values while selection on the other sex decreased them, implying intralocus sexual conflict. Our results provide support for the hypothesis that males experience stronger selection than females, potentially accelerating adaptation in females. Furthermore, sex-opposite responses to selection appear to exist for only a small proportion of traits, consistent with observations that the inter-sex genetic correlation for fitness is positive but less than one in most populations so far studied.
Tailored Approach to Designing a Digital Research Platform for Adults Aged 95 and older: SuperAgers Family Study
Authors: Milman Sofiya , Montgomery Aisha , Barzilai Nir , Gao Tina , Wilson Kara A , Perls Thomas , Leahy Aoife Mc Govern , Burgis Elizabeth , Ruxton Megan , Jain Praduman , Shuldiner Alan R
Published: February 2025

Background

The SuperAgers Family study aims to investigate phenotypic and genetic mechanisms related to healthy aging in nonagenarians, centenarians, and their family members. A remote study design was tested to demonstrate the feasibility of using digital technology to conduct health research within this rare population of advanced age. This paper describes key design elements of the digital research platform developed to deliver consent, enrollment, and study data collection in a cohort of older adults.

Methods

SuperAgers participants aged 95 years or older, their offspring, and offspring’s spouses were invited to join the study via media and community outreach. Participants completed registration, consent, submitted study data, and completed remote biospecimen collection via the web-based study app. Platform design elements and functionality were adapted for use by older aged adults. Qualitative process evaluation assessed usability and participant data entry completion throughout the study workflow.

Results

Preliminary data from SuperAgers (n = 160) of average age 98 years (± 3 SD) and offspring/spouses (n = 127) of average age 69 years (± 5 SD) were evaluated. 97% of participants in both groups successfully used the platform to complete eligibility screening, eConsent, and study surveys.

Conclusions

SuperAgers and offspring successfully used the digital research platform to complete eConsent and submit study data. This supports the feasibility of conducting digitally enabled research in older-aged populations using tailored platform design elements that increase usability and minimize entry errors. These findings may contribute to the development of best practices for digitally delivered research studies in aging populations.
Stress, occurrence rates and b-value on the Nankai megathrust system inferred from earthquake simulation
Authors: Console Rodolfo , Carluccio Roberto , Vannoli Paola
Published: February 2025

We aim to improve our comprehension of the seismic process and to identify possible long-term predictability tools of strong earthquakes through the simulation performed by a new-generation simulator code based on a well-elaborated model of the earthquake sources. we applied our previously tested physics-based earthquake simulator to the Nankai megathrust fault system, characterized by a 13 centuries historical record of strong earthquakes. Our results show these significant seismicity patterns characterizing the seismic cycles: the average stress increases almost linearly, while its standard deviation decreases more and more rapidly as the next major earthquake approaches; the coseismic stress drop and the simultaneous increase of the standard deviation mark the beginning of the new seismic cycle; and the b-value tends to increase some decades before major earthquakes and exhibits correlation with the occurrence rate. Our results encourage further investigations about the application of simulators in support of other methodologies of earthquake forecasting.