bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of blown air temperature on morphology, phase structure and filtration efficiency of PVDF nanofibrous mats produced via electro‐blowing
Authors: Toptaş Ali , Çalışır Mehmet Durmuş , Tibatan Mehmet Ali
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the effects of temperature of pressurized blown air on fiber morphology, porosity, phase structure, and filtration performance of PVDF nanofibers produced via the electro‐blowing method for the first time. The blown air heated to 20, 40, 60, and 80°C was utilized during production. Increasing air temperature resulted in more homogeneous distribution of fibers and defect‐free fibrous mats, accompanied by a significant reduction in fiber diameter. A linear relationship between fiber diameter and pore size was observed; as fiber diameter decreased, reducing air permeability due to smaller pore sizes. FTIR measurements revealed the highest β‐phase content (82%) in the PVDF‐80C sample produced at 80°C. The rise in temperature lowered solution viscosity and surface tension, contributing to improved drawing effect and therefore higher β‐phase content in the PVDF polymer. Corona discharge treatment further enhanced the surface potential, with the finest fibers exhibiting the highest surface charge. The PVDF‐80C sample demonstrated the best performance during filtration tests against NaCl aerosols (PM0.3) at a flow rate of 95 L/min, achieving a filtration efficiency of 98.68% with a pressure drop of 153 Pa. These findings highlight the critical role of temperature in influencing nanofiber properties and filtration performance.

Highlights

Finer fibers and defect‐free mats achieved with increased air temperature.

PVDF‐80C showed 82% β‐phase content, the highest among all samples.

Smaller fiber diameter led to reduced pore size and lower air permeability.

Corona discharge enhanced surface potential, boosting fiber charge.

PVDF‐80C achieved 98.68% filtration efficiency with 153 Pa pressure drop.
Current Trends and Future Prospects of Integrating Electrospinning With 3D Printing Techniques for Mimicking Bone Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds
Authors: Abdullah Kardo Khalid , Molnár Kolos
Published: February 2025

This article presents a review of the recent findings on the combination of electrospun nanofibers and three‐dimensional (3D)‐printed structures for extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. We explore the synergy between electrospinning (ES), which produces highly porous, fibrous structures from materials like collagen and gelatin, and 3D printing, which allow precise scaffold design using biopolymers. We discuss the selection of appropriate biopolymers based on their mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, as well as the key functions of ECM structures in cell attachment, migration, and differentiation. We analyze the strengths and limitations of each technique, noting that while ES enhances cellular adhesion and proliferation, it struggles with complex geometries and scalability. In contrast, 3D printing provides strong structural support but faces challenges with resolution and biomaterial compatibility. Our review focuses on the innovative integration of these methods, aiming to merge ES's microstructural precision with 3D printing's structural strength. We evaluate various hybrid combination methods, including sequential and coaxial techniques, and discuss potential solutions to challenges related to ECM scaffold quality, production time, and scalability. Furthermore, we highlight recent discoveries and propose future research directions to enhance further mimicking the ECM scaffold of bone.
Hamman's Sign and Syndrome: A Reminder of Important Clinical Clues
Authors: Mendes Jacinta , Boas Nuno V. , Gomes Catarina , Santos Sara D.
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Pneumomediastinum is an uncommon condition in pediatrics with a peak incidence in adolescence. The most common symptom of spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is chest pain; however, most patients are asymptomatic. Hamman's sign is a rare but pathognomonic sign of pneumomediastinum. This clinical sign is characterized by a crunching, rasping sound, synchronous with the heartbeat, heard over the precordium. Hamman's syndrome is a SPM associated with subcutaneous emphysema.

Case Description

We report the case of a previously healthy 15‐year‐old adolescent male, an elite athlete, who was admitted to hospital with a 3‐day history of chest pain. There was no history of previous respiratory infections, invasive procedures, or trauma. On physical examination, he had a palpable subcutaneous neck edema and a crackle on cardiac auscultation. Chest and neck radiographs confirmed ectopic air in the mediastinum and subcutaneous neck emphysema. Given the identification of Hamman's sign and the presence of emphysema, the diagnosis of Hamman's syndrome was made and symptomatic treatment was given with complete resolution.

Conclusion

This case highlights the value of physical examination and medical semiology in the diagnosis of Hamman's syndrome, especially in the presence of the pathognomonic Hamman's sign.
Investigation of Self‐Heating Effect in Inverters: Structural Design and Optimization Design of 14 nm Silicon‐on‐Insulator Fin Field‐Effect Transistor
Authors: Qin Zhaohui , Chen Lan , Lu Renjie , Wang Yali , Hao Xiaoran , Chen Rong , Sun Yan , Du Qin
Published: February 2025

In this research, the characterization of the self‐heating effect of rectangular fin angle (RF‐SOI) Fin field‐effect transistor (FinFET) and trapezoidal fin angle (TF‐SOI) FinFET at different sensitive structural parameters and varying ambient temperatures. The results indicate that with studies based on self‐thermal effect, TF‐SOI FinFET have lower lattice temperatures and higher thermal resistance compared to RF‐SOI FinFET, along with higher threshold voltages, lower off‐state currents, and lower subthreshold swings. In inverter circuits, TF‐SOI FinFET‐based inverters exhibit smaller delays and more stable performance. It is also found that the self‐heating (SH) effect increases the propagation delay for both inverters, TF‐SOI FinFET‐based inverters with a propagation delay increase of ≈2% more than RF‐SOI FinFET‐based inverters. These findings indicate the trapezoidal fin structure's potential for enhanced thermal management and device performance in advanced SOI FinFET technologies.
Passivation of Germanium Surfaces by HF:H2O2 Aqueous Solution
Authors: Terletskaia Mariia , Isometsä Joonas , Miettinen Mikko , Laukkanen Pekka , Vähänissi Ville , Savin Hele
Published: February 2025

Promising intrinsic electronic properties, such as narrow bandgap and high charge carrier mobilities, make germanium (Ge) a good replacement for silicon in optoelectronic applications (e.g., photodetectors). However, successful fabrication of efficient Ge devices requires minimization of both reflectance and surface recombination losses. This work begins with an observation that metal‐assisted chemical etching (MACE) of Ge surfaces, used for optics improvement, reduces surface recombination without application of any intentional passivation. We proceed with investigation of the effect of MACE solution components and their mixtures on Ge surface passivation. The results demonstrate that HF:H2O2 aqueous solution leads to efficient and stable passivation. The film formed in this solution secures surface recombination velocity (Seff) of 14 cm s−1. Morphological and chemical characterization of the structure reveals porous germanium (PGe) layer with some GeOx included. Finally, we propose several hypotheses on a mechanism behind this passivation, among which are the presence of GeO2 at the film‐bulk Ge interface and appearance of a potential barrier due to the heterojunction formation. The presented Ge passivation with PGe layer provides a simple and cost‐efficient alternative to existing state‐of‐the‐art passivation schemes.
Biaxial Magnetic Anisotropy for Multimodal Ferromagnetic Resonance Through Two‐Dimensional Permalloy Microstructure Array
Authors: Feng Chenyu , Fu Tianlong , Bo Guohao , Xu Xiaoguang , Meng Kangkang , Zhang Jian , Zhao Rongzhi , Zhang Xuefeng
Published: February 2025

The ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) properties of ferromagnetic films play an important role in microwave magnetic devices. Currently, micropatterning of ferromagnetic films is utilized to arbitrarily design the FMR performance, with one‐dimensional control being primarily considered. This work develops a two‐dimensional permalloy microstructure array as a controllable design for biaxial magnetic anisotropy and multimodal FMR tuning. Under a magnetic field with a fixed angle, the microstructure containing stripe domains generates both a high‐frequency optical branch (4.1 GHz) and a low‐frequency acoustic branch (2.28 GHz) simultaneously. By adjusting the width of the microstrips that compose the permalloy microgrid array, both the frequency and the transition field of the acoustic and optical branches can be tuned. Furthermore, selective control of the desired resonance mode is achieved by changing the microstrip width in a single direction. This controllable design, featuring coexisting acoustic and optical branches, provides a new approach for the development of multichannel electromagnetic shielding and high‐frequency magnetic devices.
Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy of Ultrawide Bandgap Materials
Authors: Dittrich Thomas , Fengler Steffen
Published: February 2025

Techniques of surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy allow for the highly sensitive characterization of transitions in ultrawide bandgap materials without the need for contact preparation. Furthermore, SPV techniques can give access to electronic transitions at buried interfaces. Tools for continuous measurements of dc, ac (modulated), and ac (transient) SPV signals with the same perforated electrode and a charge amplifier are developed for spectral ranges from the near infrared up to the deep ultraviolet and for time domains from the ns to s…h to ranges. The analysis of modulated SPV transients is applied. The high empirical potential of SPV spectroscopy is demonstrated by studies of a diamond single crystal, a layer of β‐Ga2O3 grown by pulsed laser deposition, and an AlN layer epitaxially grown on sapphire. Defect‐related transitions are characterized over the entire bandgap for all mentioned materials. Several phonon‐assisted transitions near the bandgap of diamond are well detected. Different defect transitions dominating near the β‐Ga2O3 surface or near the β‐Ga2O3/sapphire interface are distinguished. Several defect transitions near the bandgap of AlN are observed. Uncertainties for interpretation of transition energies are discussed.
WxMo1‐xO2 Nanocrystals Synthesized by WSe2‐Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition Method
Authors: Wang Yuedong , Bai Jindong , Liu Zhiyi , Guo Xiao , Ang Fangyan , Huang Yuli , Xie Haipeng , Huang Han
Published: February 2025

Transition metal oxide alloys, with tunable stoichiometric ratio, have garnered significant attention due to their unique electronic structure and diverse chemical properties. However, synthesis of micron‐scale, single‐crystalline transition metal oxide alloys remains a challenge due to their unique alloy structure and stringent synthesis conditions. Herein, a WSe2‐assisted chemical vapor deposition method is reported for synthesizing WxMo1‐xO2 nanocrystals with various dimensions: nanorods, nanoplates, and nanodots. The microscopic (optical microscope, atomic force microscope, and scanning electron microscope) images reveal that the nanocrystals have well‐defined non‐layered polyhedral structures. The elemental composition is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersion spectroscopy. The change in phonon symmetry in nanorods and the blue shift of Raman peaks in nanocrystals demonstrate the significant role of the quantum confinement effect. The spatial distribution of the various dimensional nanocrystals provides insights into the possible growth mechanism and the key role of the WSe2 in growth. The WSe2‐assisted growth strategy for alloyed nanocrystals can expand the transition metal oxide alloy material library and offer a platform for exploring additional properties of transition metal oxide alloys.
Resolution dependence of the turbulent atmospheric boundary layer in global storm‐resolving climate simulations
Authors: Huusko Linnea , Þórarinsson Páll Ágúst , Pyykkö Joakim , Svensson Gunilla
Published: February 2025

The current generation of state‐of‐the‐art global climate models are being run at increasingly higher horizontal resolutions, with the goal of resolving organised deep convection explicitly. How a kilometre‐scale resolution impacts the representation of the atmospheric boundary layer is, however, not well known. Using statistical analysis on global fields as well as high‐frequency data at selected locations, produced with the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) model for the Next Generation Earth‐system Models (nextGEMS) project, we investigate the horizontal resolution dependence of some boundary‐layer processes. We find that a change in resolution from 9 to 2.8 km causes no substantial changes to boundary‐layer properties and processes at most of the locations studied, although some global changes are detected that indicate circulation changes. Small changes to the boundary‐layer depth and structure are found in the Tropics. The short simulation length and lack of data for optimal boundary‐layer analysis limits the conclusions, especially in relation to the connection between the boundary layer and the atmosphere general circulation.
Synthesis and Characterization of Sodium Alginate Spheres Functionalized with Dicarboxylic Acids for Copper Removal in Aqueous Media
Authors: Neto João G. de Oliveira , Abreu Kamila R. , Neto Otávio C. da Silva , de Oliveira Jorge D. , dos Santos Adenilson O. , Souto Eliana B.
Published: February 2025

New polymeric spheres of sodium alginate (AlgNa) containing dicarboxylic acids—maleic acid (MA) and oxalic acid (OA)—were developed for adsorption of copper metal from water. Water adsorption capacity, elementary composition, structural, morphological, vibrational, and thermal properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), intumescence degree (IG), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. SEM data revealed that functionalization with dicarboxylic acids affects the morphology and surface of the AlgNa matrix. Sample containing MA (0.35 ± 0.004 g) absorbs more water than the OA sphere (0.28 ± 0.007 g). XRD patterns showed that the AlgNa–MA and AlgNa samples exhibit an amorphous nature, whereas the AlgNa–OA sample has a partially crystalline phase. Adsorption experiments were conducted to analyze whether the synthesized spheres could be optimized to reach the best performance in copper adsorption. The adsorbents were most efficient at the highest dosage used (250 mg), corresponding to removal percentages of 84.54 ± 3.97% (AlgNa), 94.21 ± 3.04% (AlgNa–MA), and 84.22 ± 3.39% (AlgNa–OA). The energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy maps validated the incorporation of Cu2+ ions on the surface of the adsorbents. Kinetic and isotherm assays confirmed the highest efficiency of AlgNa–MA spheres.
Silk Fibroin‐CF Hybrid Nanofiller Endowing Epoxy Coating with Outstanding Anticorrosion and Anti‐erosion Properties
Authors: Shen Lu , Wang Yingxuan , Lu Miaomiao , Ni Chengbo , Zhou Pengfei , Zhao Liping
Published: February 2025

The exceptional protective coating can extend the service life of the equipment in a severe marine environment. Carbon fibers (CFs), characterized by high tensile strength, elastic modulus, and excellent chemical resistance, serve as an appropriate filler for coating reinforcement. However, the inadequate fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion makes it difficult to prepare high performance CF‐reinforced composites. Therefore, we synthesized a kind of silk fibroin modified CF (CF─SF) as a reinforced‐additive for strengthening the corrosion resistance and anti‐erosion properties via improving the interfacial adhesion between CFs and resin matrix. The impedance value of composite coating including 1 wt% CF—SF (CF—SF/EP) was 1.65 × 108 Ωˑcm2 after immersion, which was two orders of magnitude greater than that of the pure EP coating. In addition, the erosion experiments results showed that the volume loss of EP/CF—SF coating was 132.6 mm3, which decreased by 36.4% and 17.4% compared with EP/CF and EP/CF─O, respectively. The average depth of the CF—SF/EP coating (0.27 mm) was the shallowest among the coatings. Ultimately, we examined the protective mechanism of the CF–SF/EP coating.
Advancing High‐Performance Organic Solar Cells with Carbazole‐Modified 2PACz for Scalable Large‐Area Fabrication
Authors: Liu Chunhui , Song Jiali , Gao Jiaxin , Tang Zheng , Liu Jie , Woo Han Young , Jee Min Hun , Sun Yanming
Published: February 2025

The self‐assembling molecule 2PACz tends to aggregate in thin films, which negatively impacts the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) when used as a hole‐transporting layer (HTL), particularly in large‐area devices. To overcome this, a binary conjugated molecular system incorporating carbazole (Cz), which shares a similar backbone with 2PACz, is introduced. Despite the strong aggregation tendencies of 2PACz and Cz individually, their blend forms homogeneous films due to hydrogen bonding interactions between the two molecules. These interactions suppress 2PACz aggregation, resulting in smooth and well‐ordered films. Devices with the modified HTL show significantly enhanced charge transfer, achieving a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.10%, a fill factor of 80.3%, and a short‐circuit current of 28.98 mA cm−2, outperforming those with unmodified 2PACz. Large‐area devices (1.0 cm2) with the modified HTL achieve a record‐high PCE of 18.56% and a retention rate of 92.7%, compared to 43% for devices with 2PACz. These findings highlight the potential of carbazole‐modified 2PACz to improve both efficiency and stability in OSCs, offering a promising strategy for high‐performance HTL development.
Structuring Semantic‐Aware Relations Between Bugs and Patches for Accurate Patch Evaluation
Authors: Zhao Lingxiao , Li Hui , Chen Yongqian , Pan Xiaowei , Guo Shikai
Published: February 2025

Patches can help fix security vulnerabilities and optimize software performance, thereby enhancing the quality and security of the software. Unfortunately, patches generated by automated program repair tools are not always correct, as they may introduce new bugs or fail to fully rectify the original issue. Various methods for evaluating patch correctness have been proposed. However, most methods face the challenge of capturing long‐distance dependencies in patch correctness evaluation, which leads to a decline in the predictive performance of the models. To address the challenge, this paper presents a method named Qamhaen to evaluate the correctness of patches generated by APR. Specifically, text embedding of bugs and patches component address the challenge of long‐distance dependencies across functions in patch correctness evaluation by using bug reports and patch descriptions as inputs instead of code snippets. BERT is employed for pretraining to capture these dependencies, followed by an additional multihead self‐attention mechanism for further feature extraction. Similarity evaluator component devises a similarity calculation to assess the effectiveness of patch descriptions in resolving issues outlined in bug reports. Comprehensive experiments are conducted on a dataset containing 9135 patches and a patch correctness assessment metric, and extensive experiments demonstrate that Qamhaen outperforms baseline methods in terms of overall performance across AUC, F1, +Recall, ‐Recall, and Precision. For example, compared to the baseline, Qamhaen achieves an F1 of 0.691, representing improvements of 24.2%, 22.1%, and 6.3% over the baseline methods, respectively.
Dual‐Band Metasurface‐Based Structured Light Generations for Futuristic Communication Applications
Authors: Shafqat Muhammad Danial , Park Yujin , Mahmood Nasir , Kim Joohoon , Kang Dohyun , Hafiz Rehan , Gao Dongliang , Cabrera Humberto , Zubair Muhammad , Mehmood Muhammad Qasim , Gao Lei , Rho Junsuk
Published: February 2025

Structured beams carrying orbital angular momentum carry significant potential for various applications, including optical trapping, manipulations, communications, microscopy, and so on. Among these, perfect vortex (PV) beams are highly attractive due to their immunity to topological charge variations and nondiffracting properties. However, conventional PV beam generation methods typically operate at a single wavelength and rely on bulky components, complicating photonic device integration. To address this, a single‐cell‐driven, dual‐band metasurface platform is experimentally demonstrated to generate nondiffracting PV beams spanning from UV to visible wavelengths (261–405 nm). The proposed metasurfaces, made of rectangular‐shaped silicon nitride nanoantennas, achieve an average transmission efficiency of 65% across dual spectrums. Simulated and experimental results show that the metasurfaces maintain topological charge‐insensitive ring radii. The findings highlight a novel approach for PV beam generations, which can lead to new categories of ultrathin optical devices for diverse applications, including wireless communication, particle trapping, and biomedical imaging.
Monitoring Dynamic Conformations of a Single Fluorescent Molecule Inside a Protein Cavity
Authors: Sosa Santiago , Szalai Alan M. , Lopez Lucía F. , Prieto Juan Manuel , Zaza Cecilia , Adamczyk Aleksandra K. , Bonomi Hernán R. , Marti Marcelo A. , Acuna Guillermo P. , Goldbaum Fernando A. , Stefani Fernando D.
Published: February 2025

Fluorescence nanoscopy and single‐molecule methods are entering the realm of structural biology, breaking new ground for dynamic structural measurements at room temperature and liquid environments. Here, single‐molecule localization microscopy, polarization‐dependent single‐molecule excitation, and protein engineering are combined to determine the orientation of a fluorophore forming hydrogen bonds inside a protein cavity. The observed conformations are in good agreement with molecular dynamics simulations, enabling a new, more realistic interplay between experiments and simulations to identify stable conformations and the key interactions involved. Furthermore, jumps between conformations can be monitored with a precision of 3° and a time resolution of a few seconds, confirming the potential of this methodology for retrieving dynamic structural information of nanoscopic biological systems under physiologically compatible conditions.
Supramolecular Chiral Amplification Mediated by Tiny Structural Changes in Natural Binary Carrier‐Free Hydrogels with Promotion Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus‐Infected wound Healing by Inhibiting the Complement System
Authors: Wang Zhijia , Lu Jihui , Pi Wenmin , Xu Ran , Yao Shuchang , Zhang Xiang , Yang Luping , Zhao Yihang , Wei Jichang , Li Gen , Huang Yiqing , Lei Haimin , Huang Xuemei , Wang Penglong
Published: February 2025

Natural small molecules self‐assembled to carrier‐free hydrogels have attracted widespread attention due to their simple preparation process, high drug loading capacity, good biodegradability, and biocompatibility. A group of structurally similar chiral phytochemical baicalin (BA), scutellarin (SCU), and achiral isoquinoline alkaloids chelerythrine (CHE) can self‐assemble to form binary hydrogels with helical nanofibers or twisted nanofibers. Interestingly, there is only one OH difference between SCU and BA, but the hydrogel formed by self‐assembly with CHE has huge differences in material properties, which is related to the chiral helicity of the formed supramolecules. Compared with BA‐CHE, the binary hydrogel formed by SCU‐CHE shows chiral amplification with greater helicity, is more stable, and exhibits excellent material properties, which is due to the magical noncovalent bond balance controlled by OH. This self‐assembled chiral hydrogel based on the inherent anti‐inflammatory and antibacterial activities of phytochemicals (BA, SCU, and CHE) can promote wound healing in bacterial infections by inhibiting the complement system. The phenomenon of supramolecular chirality amplification caused by tiny structural changes discovered in this study provides a horizon for the self‐assembly of natural small molecule drugs to form two‐component chiral supramolecular hydrogels and expands its application in the field of biomaterials.
Reflection Comics: Draw Attention to Intercultural Communication in Context
Authors: Bunning Lucy , Feng Yuzhe
Published: February 2025

Multilingual students learning English face changes in developing intercultural communicative competence outside the classroom. This Classroom Exploration, informed by frameworks of intercultural communicative competence, willingness to communicate, and cultural adaptation, explores the use of reflection comics in a service‐learning course for first‐year international university students. Students created comics depicting key moments during their volunteer work. Analysis of a comic reveals how the medium of a comic with images, speech bubbles, and thought bubbles focuses a student's attention on verbal and nonverbal communication with other participants within a specific social context.
Use of Syzygium cumini biomass as reinforcing filler in polyvinyl chloride and their antibacterial and biodegradation properties
Authors: Arun K. J. , Muthukrishnan Meena , Thiagamani Senthil Muthu Kumar , Khan Anish , Alzahrani Khalid A.
Published: February 2025

This study explores the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass derived from Syzygium cumini seeds (S. Cumini) as an eco‐friendly reinforcing filler for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composites. The need for sustainable and biodegradable materials in polymer applications motivated this work, particularly to address environmental concerns associated with conventional PVC. Composite films with varying concentrations of S. Cumini seed filler were prepared using solution casting technique. The structural integrity and interactions within the composites were confirmed through X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The SEM analysis showed an average particle size of 6–14 μm and also revealed the modifications in morphology upon filler addition. Biodegradability was assessed using hydrolytic degradation and soil‐burial tests, indicating enhanced environmental compatibility compared to pure PVC. The hydrophilicity of the composites improved, as indicated by an increasing in the water contact angle from 79.4° (hydrophilic) to 107° (hydrophobic). Suppressed S. aureus activity of the PVC composite film has shown its antimicrobial behavior. These properties suggest that S. Cumini – reinforced PVC composites can serve as promising materials for polymer‐based medical devices, offering enhanced resistance to bacterial contamination while addressing sustainability challenges.

Highlights

Lignocellulosic biomass S. Cumini was used as reinforcing filler in PVC films.

S. Cumini extract improved the antimicrobial properties of the films.

Hydrolytic dehydration and soil‐burial tests showed enhanced biodegradability.

Hydrophilicity increased, as evidenced by a rise in the water contact angle.

Better bacterial resistance enhances the use in polymer‐based medical devices.
Efficient removal of ciprofloxacin from waste activated sludge by electroactivation of peroxymonosulfate
Authors: Li Zonglin , Wang Junsen , Fu Bomin , Meunier Frederic C. , Sleiman Mohamad , Chovelon Jean‐Marc , Wang Hongtao
Published: February 2025

The waste activated sludge (WAS) generated from sewage treatment accumulates antibiotics including ciprofloxacin (CIP), which may be released into the environments if WAS is not handled properly. Therefore, there is a need to develop technologies aiming at removing CIP from sludge. In this study, electrically activated peroxymonosulfate (E/PMS) was investigated to remove CIP from WAS. The optimal conditions for the degradation of CIP in sludge by E/PMS were determined by response surface methodology (RSM) simulations combined with experimental validation. The highest CIP removal level of 93.8% was achieved in 10 min at a dosage of 250 mg/g dry solid (DS) PMS, and an electrolysis voltage of 23 V. E/PMS facilitated the generation of radicals involved in the elimination of CIP. The contribution of free radicals showed that SO4•− is more important than HO• in this process. A degradation pathway for CIP in sludge was proposed based on the detected byproducts and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The E/PMS process also promoted sludge disintegration, dewatering, heavy metal removal, and morphological transformation. The total content of all six heavy metals decreased, with As and Cr being converted into more stable forms, thereby reducing their leaching rates. The E/PMS process also reduced the toxicity of the sludge filtrate. Finally, the analysis of economic feasibility and energy consumption showed that E/PMS has a significant potential for controlling antibiotics and promoting the harmlessness of sludge.

Practitioner Points

Effective removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP) from waste activated sludge by electrically activated peroxymonosulfate (E/PMS).

Reaction time has little effect on CIP removal from sludge.

The degradation sites of CIP in sludge were the piperazine ring, the quinolone fraction, and the cyclopropyl.

Promotion of sludge decomposition and dewatering, heavy metal stabilization, and decrease of sludge filtrate toxicity by the E/PMS process.
Bridging Divides: The Evolution of Marine Genetic Resource Governance Beyond National Jurisdiction
Authors: Humphries Fran , Berry Todd , Gottlieb Hiroko Muraki
Published: February 2025

Part II of The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) is a story of innovation, ambition, and compromise for a framework of information and benefit sharing concerning marine genetic resources of areas beyond national jurisdiction and associated digital sequence information and Traditional Knowledge. Understanding the scope, purpose and proposed implementation of the new treaty requires reflection on the (over) twenty years of preparation leading up to the final treaty text. This introductory chapter for the edited collection ‘Decoding Marine Genetic Resource Governance under the BBNJ Agreement’ analyzes the need for knowledge on marine biodiversity and genetic resources, the jurisdictional context and gaps in ocean governance that the treaty aimed to fill, the preparatory work leading to the negotiations, and the key areas of convergence and divergence during the intergovernmental conference treaty negotiations. It outlines how subsequent chapters in this collection build on this context, by analyzing and interpreting the obligations under the Part II framework and offering practical considerations for its implementation under national law and good scientific practice.
Marine Genetic Resources and Digital Sequence Information Under the BBNJ Agreement—Interlinkages with Other Access and Benefit-Sharing Frameworks
Authors: Kachelriess Daniel , Dunshirn Paul , Langlet Arne , Brown Abbe E. L. , Scholz Amber H.
Published: February 2025

The BBNJ Agreement, including its access and benefit-sharing provisions for marine genetic resources and digital sequence information, was negotiated against the backdrop of an existing tapestry of international law. Considerations of potential future interactions with other relevant instruments, frameworks, and bodies have shaped parts of the BBNJ Agreement and such interactions will play an important role in its future successful implementation. This chapter discusses the BBNJ Agreement’s general approach to regime interaction, highlights several instruments, frameworks, and bodies of particular relevance to the BBNJ negotiations and the future implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, and explores concrete scenarios and possible challenges of future regime interactions.
Benefit Sharing Under the BBNJ Agreement in Practice
Authors: Lavelle Jessica , Wynberg Rachel
Published: February 2025

This chapter examines different models and examples of benefit sharing to explore how article 14 of the BBNJ Agreement may be implemented in practice. It describes monetary and non-monetary benefits, as differentiated in the BBNJ Agreement, and considers the different modalities that may be employed for their distribution. Special attention is given to existing access and benefit sharing (ABS) frameworks to highlight possibilities for streamlining and alignment. A focus is placed on approaches to strengthen the capacity of low- and middle-income countries and enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
BBNJ Agreement: Considerations for Scientists and Commercial End Users of MGR at Research, Development and Commercialization Stages
Authors: Rabone Muriel , Horton Tammy , Humphries Fran , Lyal Christopher H. C. , Muraki Gottlieb Hiroko , Scholz Amber H. , Vanagt Thomas , Jaspars Marcel
Published: February 2025

The research, development and commercialization pipeline for accessing, using and sharing marine genetic resources (MGR) of areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) is highly varied and complex. Equally complex is the governance framework under the 2023 agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of ABNJ, for which many practical details, including procedures, are yet to be decided by treaty Parties. This chapter draws from real world examples to analyse ways in which current scientific practice is supported or challenged by framework elements, including notification, monitoring and benefit sharing systems and associated infrastructure such as the BBNJ Standardized Batch Identifier and data management plans. It compares how the elements and infrastructure may work in practice using six R&D scenarios ranging from an idealized linear pathway to more complex pathways involving automation, sequence information and traditional knowledge associated with MGR in different geographical and temporal scales. For an efficient and ‘future proofed’ framework that supports innovation and fulfils treaty objectives, it is proposed that treaty bodies and policy makers need to look beyond the idealized R&D pathways envisaged in the treaty and engage directly with scientists and commercial end users when designing the practical details of implementation.
The Place of Intellectual Property Under the BBNJ Agreement
Authors: Brown Abbe E. L.
Published: February 2025

This chapter explores the place of intellectual property (IP) in the negotiations of the BBNJ Agreement and the approach ultimately taken in the BBNJ Agreement. The chapter considers possible steps which could be taken in implementing the BBNJ Agreement in relation to IP regarding access and benefit sharing in respect of marine genetic resources in digital and physical form and to the interaction of the BBNJ Agreement with other international agreements.
Social Innovation Hubs: Experiences of Incubators as Promoters of Territorial Development and Urban Regeneration
Authors: Coscarello Mario
Published: February 2025

This study explores the intersection of social innovation, universities, and territorial dynamics, focusing on how these elements foster the development of social innovation hubs, specifically university incubators. Addressing gaps in existing literature, the research examines the institutional configurations, power relations, and strategies that support these processes, with a particular emphasis on the mutual relationship between social innovation and spatialisation processes. The research involved a comparative analysis of university incubators in Brazil, Argentina, and Italy, regions with significant yet distinct experiences of social innovation environments. Quantitative research analyzed 186 incubators in Brazil, 91 in Argentina, and 197 in Italy, followed by qualitative case studies of five incubators (two each in Brazil and Argentina, and one in Italy) deemed particularly relevant. The study employed qualitative methods, including biographical reconstructions of innovators and assessments of incubation approaches, to identify governance models of social incubators. Key findings reveal that in Latin American contexts, social incubators emerged as responses to economic crises, initially fostering grassroots solidarity and later serving as mechanisms for job creation and economic regeneration. The Brazilian and Argentinian incubators demonstrated a participatory and circular governance model, aligning with the Open Innovation paradigm, while the Italian case displayed a more unidirectional approach from university to territory. All the analyzed cases highlighted the critical role of universities in weaving relational networks among diverse actors, including educators, students, technicians, local businesses, artisans, and marginalized community members. This aligns with an infrastructuring approach that transcends traditional stakeholder frameworks, fostering ecosystem-based incubation to promote social and territorial innovation. The Latin American experiences were particularly notable for engaging traditionally marginalized actors through participatory methodologies, confirming the efficacy of quadruple and quintuple helix models in transforming social relations. Despite these advancements, the Italian case struggled to empower local actors fully, reflecting challenges in achieving capability-building—a key element in social innovation. The study identifies specific capabilities required to involve territorial actors in the quintuple helix model and emphasizes the importance of participatory, inclusive, and collaborative governance in transforming social relations to achieve economic, psychological, social, and political empowerment. While offering valuable insights into university-led social incubators, the study calls for further exploration of diverse forms of social innovation hubs across broader contexts and countries.
Dark QCD perspective inspired by strong CP problem at QCD scale
Authors: Wang Bin , Matsuzaki Shinya , Ishida Hiroyuki
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We discuss a QCD-scale composite axion model arising from dark QCD coupled to QCD. The presently proposed scenario not only solves the strong CP problem, but also is compatible with the preheating setup for the QCD baryogenesis. The composite axion is phenomenologically required to mimic the QCD pion, but can generically be flavorful, which could be testable via the induced flavor changing processes at experiments. Another axionlike particle (ALP) is predicted to achieve the axion relaxation mechanism, which can phenomenologically act as the conventional QCD axion. This ALP can be ultralight, having the mass less than 1 eV, to be a dark matter candidate. The QCD × dark QCD symmetry structure constrains dark QCD meson spectra, so that the dark η′-like meson would only be accessible at the collider experiments. Still, the Belle II and Electron ion collider experiments can have a high enough sensitivity to probe the dark η′-like meson in the diphoton channel, which dominantly arises from the mixing with the QCD η′ and the pionic composite axion. We also briefly address nontrivial cosmological aspects, such as those related to the dark-chiral phase transition, the dark matter production, and an ultraviolet completion related to the ultralight ALP.
On small Dirac neutrino masses in string theory
Authors: Casas Gonzalo F. , Ibáñez Luis E. , Marchesano Fernando
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We study how tiny Dirac neutrino masses consistent with experimental constraints can arise in string theory SM-like vacua. We use as a laboratory 4d

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 1 type IIA Calabi-Yau orientifold compactifications, and in particular recent results on Yukawa couplings at infinite field-space distance. In this regime we find Dirac neutrino masses of the form m

ν
≃ g

ν
⟨H⟩, with g

ν
the gauge coupling of the massive U(1) under which the right-handed neutrinos ν

R
are charged, and which should be in the range g

ν
≃ 10
−14 − 10
−12 to reproduce neutrino data. The neutrino mass suppression occurs because the right-handed neutrino kinetic term behaves as K

νν
≃ 1/

$$ {g}_{\nu}^2 $$

g
ν
2

. At the same time a tower of ν

R
-like states appears with characteristic scale m
0 ≃

$$ {g}_{\nu}^2{M}_{\textrm{P}} $$

g
ν
2

M
P

≃ 0.1 − 500 eV, in agreement with Swampland expectations. Two large hidden dimensions only felt by the ν

R
sector arise at the same scale, while the string scale is around M

s
≃ g

ν

M
P ≃ 10 − 700 TeV. Some phenomenological implications and model building challenges are described. We also describe the difficulties in obtaining appropriate tiny neutrino Yukawas in the cases of a single or more than two large dimensions. Thus the case with two large dimensions seems to be quite unique.
Semiclassical quantization of M5 brane probes wrapped on AdS3 × S3 and defect anomalies
Authors: Beccaria M. , Casarin L. , Tseytlin A. A.
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We consider two supersymmetric M5 brane probe solutions in AdS7 × S
4 and one in AdS4 × S
7 that all have the AdS3 × S
3 world-volume geometry. The values of the classical action of the first two M5 probes (with S
3 in AdS7 or in S
4) are related to the leading N
2 parts in the anomaly b-coefficient in the (2,0) theory corresponding to a spherical surface defect in symmetric or antisymmetric SU(N) representations. We present a detailed computation of the corresponding one-loop M5 brane partition functions finding that they vanish (in a particular regularization). This implies the vanishing of the order N
0 part in the b-anomaly coefficients, in agreement with earlier predictions for their exact values. It remains, however, a puzzle of how to reproduce the non-vanishing order N terms in these coefficients within the semiclassical M5-brane probe setup.
Scattering amplitudes from Euclidean correlators: Haag-Ruelle theory and approximation formulae
Authors: Patella Agostino , Tantalo Nazario
Published: February 2025

Abstract

In this work we provide a non-perturbative solution to the theoretical problem of extracting scattering amplitudes from Euclidean correlators in infinite volume. We work within the solid axiomatic framework of the Haag-Ruelle scattering theory and derive formulae which can be used to approximate scattering amplitudes arbitrarily well in terms of linear combinations of Euclidean correlators at discrete time separations. Our result generalizes and extends the range of applicability of a result previously obtained by Barata and Fredenhagen [1]. We provide a concrete procedure to construct such approximations, making our formulae ready to be used in numerical calculations of non-perturbative QCD scattering amplitudes. A detailed numerical investigation is needed to assess whether the proposed strategy can lead to the calculation of scattering amplitudes with phenomenologically satisfactory precision with presently available lattice QCD data. This will be the subject of future work. Nevertheless, the numerical accuracy and precision of lattice simulations is systematically improvable, and we have little doubts that our approach will become useful in the future.
A strategy for proving the strong eigenstate thermalization hypothesis: chaotic systems and holography
Authors: Kawamoto Taishi
Published: February 2025

Abstract

The strong eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH) provides a sufficient condition for thermalization and equilibration. Although it is expected to be hold in a wide class of highly chaotic theories, there are only a few analytic examples demonstrating the strong ETH in special cases, often through methods related to integrability. In this paper, we explore sufficient conditions for the strong ETH that may apply to a broad range of chaotic theories. These conditions are expressed as inequalities involving the long-time averages of real-time thermal correlators. Specifically, as an illustration, we consider simple toy examples which satisfy these conditions under certain technical assumptions. This toy models have same properties as holographic theories at least in the perturbation in large N. We give a few comments for more realistic holographic models.
Auxiliary field deformations of (semi-)symmetric space sigma models
Authors: Bielli Daniele , Ferko Christian , Smith Liam , Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli Gabriele
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We generalize the auxiliary field deformations of the principal chiral model (PCM) introduced in [1] and [2] to sigma models whose target manifolds are symmetric or semi-symmetric spaces, including a Wess-Zumino term in the latter case. This gives rise to a new infinite family of classically integrable ℤ2 and ℤ4 coset models of the form which are of interest in applications of integrability to worldsheet string theory and holography. We demonstrate that every theory in this infinite class admits a zero-curvature representation for its equations of motion by exhibiting a Lax connection.
The three-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 superfishnet theory
Authors: Kade Moritz
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We propose a double-scaling limit of β-deformed ABJM theory in three-dimensional

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 2 superspace, and a non-local deformation thereof. Due to the regular appearance of the theory’s Feynman supergraphs, we refer to this superconformal and integrable theory as the superfishnet theory. We use techniques inspired by the integrability of bi-scalar fishnet theory and adapted to superspace to calculate the zero-mode-fixed thermodynamic free energy, the corresponding critical coupling, and the exact all-loop scaling dimensions of various operators. Furthermore, we confirm the results of the supersymmetric dynamical fishnet theory by applying our methods to four-dimensional

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 1 superspace.
Vacuum amplitudes and time-like causal unitary in the loop-tree duality
Authors:   The LTD collaboration, Ramírez-Uribe Selomit , Rentería-Olivo Andrés E. , Rentería-Estrada David F. , Martínez de Lejarza Jorge J. , Dhani Prasanna K. , Cieri Leandro , Hernández-Pinto Roger J. , Sborlini German F. R. , Torres Bobadilla William J. , Rodrigo Germán
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We present the first proof-of-concept application to decay processes at higher perturbative orders of loop-tree duality (LTD) causal unitary, a novel methodology that exploits the causal properties of vacuum amplitudes in the LTD and is directly well-defined in the four physical dimensions of the space-time. The generation of loop- and tree-level contributions to the differential decay rates from a kernel multiloop vacuum amplitude is shown in detail, and explicit expressions are presented for selected processes that are suitable for a lightweight understanding of the method. Specifically, we provide a clear physical interpretation of the local cancellation of soft, collinear and threshold singularities, and of the local renormalisation of ultraviolet singularities. The presentation is illustrated with numerical results that showcase the advantages of the method.
Entanglement in BF theory. Part I. Essential topological entanglement
Authors: Fliss Jackson R. , Vitouladitis Stathis
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We study the entanglement structure of Abelian topological order described by p-form BF theory in arbitrary dimensions. We do so directly in the low-energy topological quantum field theory by considering the algebra of topological surface operators. We define two appropriate notions of subregion operator algebras which are related by a form of electric-magnetic duality. To each subregion algebra we assign an entanglement entropy which we coin essential topological entanglement. This is a refinement to the traditional topological entanglement entropy. It is intrinsic to the theory, inherently finite, positive, and sensitive to more intricate topological features of the state and the entangling region. This paper is the first in a series of papers investigating entanglement and topological order in higher dimensions.