bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A simple dirac prescription for two-loop anomalous dimension matrices
Authors: Aebischer Jason , Pesut Marko , Polonsky Zachary
Published: July 2024

A novel method to treat effects from evanescent operators in next-to-leading order (NLO) computations is introduced. The approach allows, besides further simplifications, to discard evanescent-to-physical mixing contributions in NLO calculations. The method is independent of the treatments of $$\gamma _5$$

γ
5

and can therefore be combined with different renormalization schemes. We illustrate the utility of this result by reproducing literature results of two-loop anomalous dimension matrices for both $$|\Delta F| = 1$$

|
Δ
F
|
=
1

and $$|\Delta F| = 2$$

|
Δ
F
|
=
2

transitions.
Relativistic scalar fields canonical quantization in Einstein–Yang–Mills–Higgs’s rotating black hole space-time
Authors: Senjaya David
Published: July 2024

The quantum theory of relativistic mechanics to deal with the scalar fields behavior in a curved space-time is represented by the Klein–Gordon equation. In this work, we will investigate the gravitationally bound states of massive and massless scalar fields around a Einstein–Yang–Mills–Higgs’s rotating black hole. After applying the standard separation of variables ansatz, we will show in detail how to obtain the novel exact solutions of the radial part of the governing Klein–Gordon equation and express the radial solution in terms of the Confluent Heun functions. By applying the bound state boundary conditions, the Confluent Heun functions are reduced to be polynomials that lead to energy quantization. We find that the scalar fields have complex-valued energy levels that indicate the decaying/growing bound states known as quasibound states. In the end, using the exact radial solution, we derive the radiation distribution function of the black hole’s outer horizon to obtain the equation of the Hawking temperature.
On black bounce space-times in non-linear electrodynamics
Authors: Alencar G. , Bronnikov Kirill A. , Rodrigues Manuel E. , Gómez Diego Sáez-Chillón , Silva Marcos V. de S.
Published: July 2024

One of the main issues in gravitation is the presence of singularities in the most common space-time solutions of General Relativity, as the case of black holes. A way of constructing regular solutions that remove spacelike singularities consists in implement a bounce on such space-time, leading to what is usually known as black bounce space-times. Such space-times are known to describe regular black holes or traversable wormholes. However, one of the main issues lies on reconstructing the appropriate source that leads to such a solution. In this paper, a reconstruction method is implemented to show that such types of metrics can be well accommodated in non-linear electrodynamics with the presence of a scalar field. Some of the most important black bounces solutions are reconstructed in this framework, both in 3 + 1 as in 2 + 1 dimensions. For the first time in the literature, these solutions have an electrically charged source of matter from non-linear electrodynamics. Specific features are indicated that distinguish electric sources from magnetic ones, previously found for the same space-times.
Nematodynamics with odd and rotational viscosities
Authors: Pismen L. M.
Published: July 2024

We explore a novel mechanism of interactions between nematic order and flow including odd and rotational viscosities, and investigate activity-induced instabilities in the framework of this model. We show how these modes of viscous dissipation can be incorporated in the Ericksen–Leslie formalism, but it does not eliminate deficiencies of the approach based on Onsager’s reciprocal relations that lead to spurious instabilities. The suggested way of deriving nematodynamic equations, based on a specific mechanism applicable to rigid rods, is not universal, but it avoids referring to Onsager’s relations and avoids spurious instabilities in the absence of an active inputs. The model is further applied to the analysis of instabilities in active media
Threshold Inverter Quantizer-Based 2-Bit Comparator using Spatial Wavefunction Switched (SWS) FET Inverters: Power Dissipation Analysis
Authors: Alamoudi W. , Saman B. , Gudlavalleti R. H. , Almalki A. , Chandy J. , Heller E. , Jain F.
Published: July 2024

This paper aims to assess the power dissipation of a threshold quantizer (TIQ) 2-bit-based comparator using a SWS-FET-based inverter [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]. Unlike conventional comparators, SWS-based comparator functionalized with TIQ comprises two or more vertically stacked quantum dots or well channels [ 1 – 3 , 5 , 6 ]. Herein, power dissipation analysis of the simulated circuit is carried out using Cadence by integrating the Berkeley Short-Channel IGFET Model (BSIM) and the analog behavioral model (ABM) [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 9 ]. The transient behavior of the inverter circuit is evaluated using 180[Formula: see text]nm technology node. Our results demonstrated a significant reduction in power dissipation which overcome the limitation of previous 4-state logic implementations.
Opinion evolution under mass media influence on the Barabasi–Albert network based on the q-voter model
Authors: Fardela Ramacos , Abdullah Zulfi , Muslim Roni
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we study numerically the dynamics of opinion formation under the influence of mass media using the q-voter model on a Barabasi–Albert network. We investigate the scenario where a voter adopts the mass media’s opinion with a probability p when there is no unanimity among a group of q agents. Through numerical simulation, we identify a critical probability threshold, [Formula: see text], at which the system consistently reaches complete consensus. This threshold probability [Formula: see text] decreases as the group size q increases, following a power-law relation [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text]. Additionally, we analyze the system’s relaxation time, the time required to reach a complete consensus state. This relaxation time increases with the population size N, following a power-law [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text]. Conversely, an increase in the probability p results in a decrease in relaxation time following a power-law relationship [Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text]. The value of the exponent [Formula: see text] is similar to the exponents obtained in the voter and q-voter models across various network topologies.
Mass spectra of all singly bottom baryons with higher-order correction and their decay properties
Authors: Ansari Akram , Menapara Chandni , Rai Ajay Kumar
Published: July 2024

This study focuses on baryons that consists of one heavy quark and two light quarks. This paper explores the mass spectra of radial and excited states for all singly heavy baryons, employing the Hypercentral Constituent Quark Model (hCQM). In this model, we incorporated higher-order corrections, including second-order corrections in mass, specifically considering spin-dependent terms. This methodology enables a more accurate observation of the correct spin splitting order. We have determined important properties, including magnetic moment, transition magnetic moment, radiative decay width and strong decay width.
The DKP equation in presence of a cusp potential: Transmission resonances and bound states
Authors: Arévalo Vicente A. , Valladares Sebastián , Rojas Clara
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we solve the Duffin–Kemmer–Petiau equation in the presence of the cusp potential for spin-one particles. We derived the scattering solutions and calculated the bound states in terms of the Whittaker functions. We show that transmission resonances are present, as well as the particle–anti-particle bound states.
Landau quantization under effects of torsion and confinement potentials
Authors: Pereira C. F. S. , Vitória R. L. L. , Leite E. V. B. , Soares A. R. , Belich H.
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we have investigated the nonrelativistic limit of a quantum particle, subjected to a uniform magnetic field and in the presence of some confinement potentials, immersed in a background with a cosmic string and a screw dislocation. We separately examined four models, constructed the energy spectrum and cyclotron frequency for each of them, and checked the consistency of the results by considering the limit of some characteristic parameters of the potentials.
Nonlinear Dynamics and Meshing State Transition Analysis of Spalling Defect Gears with Multi-Lubrication Conditions
Authors: Mo Shuai , Zhang Yingxin , Chen Keren , Zheng Yanxiao , Zhang Wei
Published: July 2024

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the dynamic characteristics and the meshing state transition characteristics of spalling defect gears under various lubrication conditions. The time-varying geometric parameters, motion parameters and load distribution of the gears in the state of positive meshing and reverse impact are analyzed. The time-varying meshing stiffness considering the time-varying friction coefficient under elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL), mixed lubrication and boundary lubrication are calculated, and the spalling defect is introduced in the stiffness calculation process. The equivalent lubrication model of the gear is established, the switching condition of the lubrication state is derived, and the distribution of the lubrication state in the torque-speed plane is discussed. The multimeshing state dynamic model of the spalling defect gear is established, and the evolution characteristics of the coexistence response and the transition of the meshing state under different lubrication conditions are simulated by using the attraction domain, phase trajectory, meshing force and bifurcation diagram. The results show that the phase trajectory of the gear with the spalling defect is deformed compared with that of the healthy gear. The change of lubrication state has little effect on the phase trajectory and attraction domain of the gear with spalling defect, but has a great influence on the meshing force. At the spalling boundary, the meshing force is changed abruptly, and the worse the lubrication state, the more obvious the mutation. Due to the influence of spalling on tooth stiffness, it will also affect the meshing force in the nonspalling area.
A Generalized Beddington Host–Parasitoid Model with an Arbitrary Parasitism Escape Function
Authors: Bešo E. , Kalabušić S. , Pilav E. , Linero-Bas A. , Nieves-Roldán D.
Published: July 2024

This research delves into the generalized Beddington host–parasitoid model, which includes an arbitrary parasitism escape function. Our analysis reveals three types of equilibria: extinction, boundary, and interior. Upon examining the parameters, we discover that the first two equilibria can be globally asymptotically stable. The boundary equilibrium undergoes period-doubling bifurcation with a stable two-cycle and a transcritical bifurcation, creating a threshold for parasitoids to invade. Furthermore, we determine the interior equilibrium’s local stability and analytically demonstrate the period-doubling and Neimark–Sacker bifurcations. We also prove the permanence of the system within a specific parameter space. The numerical simulations we conduct reveal a diverse range of dynamics for the system. Our research extends the results in [ Kapçak et al. ,  2013 ] and applies to a broad class of the generalized Beddington host–parasitoid model.
An existence result for accretive growth in elastic solids
Authors: Davoli Elisa , Nik Katerina , Stefanelli Ulisse , Tomassetti Giuseppe
Published: July 2024

We investigate a model for the accretive growth of an elastic solid. The reference configuration of the body is accreted in its normal direction, with space- and deformation-dependent accretion rate. The time-dependent reference configuration is identified via the level sets of the unique viscosity solution of a suitable generalized eikonal equation. After proving the global-in-time well-posedness of the quasistatic equilibrium under prescribed growth, we prove the existence of a local-in-time solution for the coupled equilibrium-growth problem, where both mechanical displacement and time-evolving set are unknown. A distinctive challenge is the limited regularity of the growing body, which calls for proving a new uniform Korn inequality.
An analytic framework modeling the gravitational environment of stars orbiting a galactic supermassive black hole
Authors: Chan Man Ho
Published: July 2024

The gravitational interplay between a supermassive black hole and dark matter has set up an exotic environment at the center of a galaxy. In this paper, I present an analytic framework modeling the gravitational influence on the stars orbiting a galactic supermassive black hole. In particular, we discuss two intriguing features, stellar orbital precession and orbital shrinking, which demonstrate an extraordinary gravitational environment near a galactic supermassive black hole. Moreover, I show that these features can be analytically determined by the supermassive black hole mass.
Empirical Evidence on Market Structure in Selected Agricultural Commodity Markets Pre- and Post-“Great Recession”
Authors: Cartwright Phillip A.
Published: July 2024

This paper explores the cointegration between agricultural commodity prices, crude oil prices and exchange rates. Vector autoregressions (VAR) or vector error correction models (VECMs) are applied to price data for French maize and milling wheat, U.S. corn prices and spot and future oil prices. The series are split between 2000-2007 and 2009–2019 omitting the “Great Recession” allowing for analysis of structural market changes. While oil prices influence futures pricing, the link is neither stable nor widespread. Modeling of time series in search of cointegration must consider structural market changes. Results from a “one-model-fits-all” approach are unlikely to be satisfactory.
An Analysis of Chinese Publicly Listed Pharmaceutical Company CSR Disclosures
Authors: Demir Mert , Martell Terrence F. , Zhuang Qian
Published: July 2024

Increased public awareness toward Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has intensified the pressure on the pharmaceutical industry to adopt more responsible practices. As a top supplier of Western pharmaceutical companies, Chinese pharmaceutical companies are not immune to these same pressures as they engage with overseas regulators and investors. This study analyzes the factors that contribute to the CSR disclosures of publicly listed Chinese pharmaceutical companies covering 2014–2018. In the analysis, peer comparison and market-driven incentives to disclose a firm’s CSR impacts and risks come out as a robust determinant of overall disclosure and its components. While stakeholder awareness and strategic CSR have some varying degrees of associations with the five pillars of CSR disclosures, institutional framework and spill-over effect seem to have only limited influence on these disclosures. The results highlight some interesting dynamics and can provide insights into the implications of fostering a CSR-oriented business culture.
Fifty Years of Academic Activity in Teaching, Research, and Service
Authors: Lee Cheng-Few
Published: July 2024

The main purposes of this paper are to (i) Report my experiences teaching Ph.D. students, MBA students, Masters students, and undergraduate students; (ii) Report my achievements and experience in research from 1973 to 2023; (iii) Report my experience of serving as the Ph.D. director of UIUC from 1978 to 1988 and chairperson of Rutgers Business School from 1988 to 1996; (iv) Report my achievements in textbook writing, editing, work on the Encyclopedia of Finance, and handbook writing; and (v) Report my experience of journal editing and conference organizing. From these experiences, I will provide some suggestions in regard to teaching, research, and service in the area of finance.
Research on the Game Model of Green Technology Investment in a Two-Echelon Manufacturing Supply Chain Under Carbon Tax Regulation
Authors: Wang Yujie , Li Bingqing , Wei Boyang , Hong Jiangtao
Published: July 2024

Using a Stackelberg game model, this research examines the impact of government-imposed carbon taxes on the sustainability of a two-echelon supply chain. The analysis focuses on the interactions between upstream suppliers and downstream manufacturers, taking into account how manufacturers’ carbon emissions influence market demand, as well as how sustainability levels and price affect this demand. The results show that a centralized system has a lesser potential for total profit development in the supply chain than a decentralized system. To encourage investment in green technologies throughout the supply chain, this paper proposes two coordination mechanisms: a green subsidy and a two-part tariff contract. Numerical study reveals that a win–win scenario for the supply chain requires suppliers to share part of the costs. Furthermore, under a two-part tariff contract, successfully managing fixed costs can result in total profit levels comparable to those in a centralized system. The research also makes strategy recommendations, such as differentiating carbon levies, improving supply chain coordination, and assessing fixed costs. These aim to provide theoretical and practical implications for supply chain management in order to assist businesses and policymakers in effectively responding to the problems of climate change.
Boundary controllability of a higher-order Boussinesq system
Authors: Micu Sorin , Pazoto Ademir F. , Vieira Miguel D. Soto
Published: July 2024

The paper deals with the boundary controllability of a family of nonlinear Boussinesq systems introduced by J. L. Bona, M. Chen and J.-C. Saut to describe the two-way propagation of small amplitude gravity waves on the surface of water in a canal. By combining the classical duality approach and a careful spectral analysis of the operator associated with the state equations, we first obtain the exact controllability of the linearized system in suitable Hilbert spaces. Then, by means of a contraction mapping principle, we establish the local exact controllability for the original nonlinear system.
Lattice tilings minimizing nonlocal perimeters
Authors: Cesaroni Annalisa , Fragalà Ilaria , Novaga Matteo
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we prove the existence of periodic tessellations of [Formula: see text] minimizing a general nonlocal perimeter functional, defined as the interaction between a set and its complement through a nonnegative kernel, which we assume to be either integrable at the origin, or singular, with a fractional type singularity. We reformulate the optimal partition problem as an isoperimetric problem among fundamental domains associated with discrete subgroups of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], and we provide the existence of a solution by using suitable concentrated compactness type arguments and compactness results for lattices. Finally, we discuss the possible optimality of the hexagonal tessellation in the planar case.
Research on Noise Reduction Performance of Wheel–Rail with Amplitude Amplifying Vibration Absorber
Authors: Zhang Ling , Xia Tian , Zhang Hanwen , Yang Zhou , Feng Qingsong
Published: July 2024

This paper introduces a novel rail vibration absorber leveraging the amplitude amplification mechanism. Employing a continuous slab ballastless track as the experimental framework, we develop a predictive model for rail sound radiation considering various absorber configurations. Additionally, we analyze the efficacy of the amplitude-amplifying vibration absorber in mitigating wheel–rail radiated noise. Our findings demonstrate that the amplitude-amplifying vibration absorber significantly reduces rail radiation noise within the frequency band of 800–1[Formula: see text]600[Formula: see text]Hz. Specifically, close to the design frequency (1[Formula: see text]000[Formula: see text]Hz), the sound power level experiences a reduction of 15.34[Formula: see text]dB, leading to a total reduction in rail radiation sound power by 3.21[Formula: see text]dB. Comparative analysis reveals that both the frequency band and noise reduction effect of the amplitude amplifying vibration absorber outperform those of conventional sound radiation absorbers with identical parameters. Moreover, they surpass the performance of conventional vibration absorbers with similar parameters. This study substantiates the superior noise reduction capabilities of the amplitude-amplifying (AA) vibration absorber compared to conventional counterparts.
Effect Analysis of Covid-19 on China’s Capital Market for Property-Rights Exchange Based on Functional Clustering
Authors: Zhou Yu , Guo Zitong , Kou Gang , Borjigin Sumuya
Published: July 2024

In August 2015, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China listed China’s capital market for property-rights exchange as the capital market along with the Chinese stock market. Consequently, China’s capital market for property-rights exchange is an integral part of the country’s multilayered capital market. The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant effects on the capital markets. Since China’s capital market for property-rights exchange mainly serves nonlisted companies, it is complicated to obtain its exchange data to perform COVID-19’s effect analysis. This study investigates COVID-19’s effect on China’s capital market for property-rights exchange. In this paper, we collected the online property rights-exchange data from 2017 to 2020 of an electric trading platform. The functional principal component analysis method is innovatively introduced to explore the online property rights-exchange fluctuation to get an insight into COVID-19’s effect on China’s capital market for property-rights exchange. Based on the principal component scores, COVID-19’s effect on different property rights-exchange institutions are divided into two categories using principal component clustering. A time-series model is used to quantify the effects in the two categories. The research results finally show that online property rights-exchange can reduce the negative effect of COVID-19 on China’s capital market for property-rights exchange, which encourages property rights-exchange institutions to accelerate the use of the online platform to overcome the challenges of the pandemic.
Experimentation into Electrochemical Discharge Milling for the Generation of Cavity on Glass
Authors: Santra Sudip , Sarkar Biplab Ranjan , Doloi Biswanath , Bhattacharyya Bijoy
Published: July 2024

The development of electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) and the use of electrically nonconducting materials in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), biomedical applications and making lab-on-a-chip devices are increasing tremendously. In this study, the performance of electrochemical discharge milling was improved by introducing the bottom-up movement of tool-electrode, i.e. vertically upward tool-feeding technique. The development of gas film model was compared with the actual gas film shapes to find out the problems associated with the existing tool-feeding technique and the advantages of vertically upward tool-feeding technique. Single channels were generated on the soda lime glass workpiece to analyze and obtain appropriate process parameters for good-quality channels. Applied voltage, electrolyte concentration and tool feed rate (TFR) were varied to get good-quality channel. It was achieved at the process parameters of an applied voltage of 40 V, an electrolyte concentration of 5 M and a TFR of 50 [Formula: see text]m/s. With this parametric setting, four consecutive parallel channels were generated to get cavity on the soda lime glass. Rectangular-shaped cavities were fabricated by adopting three different strategies to minimize the problem of material deposition along the border of two adjacent parallel channels. These rectangular cavities were observed under a microscope to measure and obtain the surface topography which revealed the usability of third strategy of generating smooth and uniform cavity with lower surface roughness ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]). A rectangular cavity of 0.247-[Formula: see text]m surface roughness with smooth corners and edges was obtained at 40 V of applied voltage and 50 [Formula: see text]m/s of TFR.
DNA sequences alignment method using sparse index on pan-genome graph
Authors: Gao Jia , Xu Yun
Published: July 2024

The graph of sequences represents the genetic variations of pan-genome concisely and space-efficiently than multiple linear reference genome. In order to accelerate aligning reads to the graph, an index of graph-based reference genomes is used to obtain candidate locations. However, the potential combinatorial explosion of nodes on the sequence graph leads to increasing the index space and maximum memory usage of alignment process considerably, especially for large-scale datasets. For this, existing methods typically attempt to prune complex regions, or extend the length of seeds, which sacrifices the recall of alignment algorithm despite reducing space usage slightly. We present the Sparse-index of Graph (SIG) and alignment algorithm SIG-Aligner, capable of indexing and aligning at the lower memory cost. SIG builds the non-overlapping minimizers index inside nodes of sequence graph and SIG-Aligner filters out most of the false positive matches by the method based on the pigeonhole principle. Compared to Giraffe, the results of computational experiments show that SIG achieves a significant reduction in index memory space ranging from 50% to 75% for the human pan-genome graphs, while still preserving superior or comparable accuracy of alignment and the faster alignment time.
The probability of cosmic coincidence
Authors: Davis Simon
Published: July 2024

The wave function of the quantum cosmological model of gravity coupled to a scalar field has been found at very early times. Corrections resulting from quadratic curvature terms may be evaluated and the functional dependence is found to have a similar form consistent with the inflationary epoch. The fundamental string theories would determine the gravitational action, and effective actions for both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] string theories are examined, establishing a connection with topological string models. The nonlinear differential equation for the free energy of the 10-dimensional theory describing the compactification over a Calabi–Yau space of three complex dimensions is formulated, and it is transformed into a linear differential equation for the product of a function of the scaled string coupling and the partition function. A solution given by a sum over the genus is found for the series expansion of the partition function that can be matched in a bounded range for the coupling, and the scale factor, with the quantum cosmological wave function of the quadratic gravity model viable during the inflationary epoch.
Cosmological bounce scenario with a novel parametrization of bulk viscosity
Authors: Mazumdar Rajdeep , Gohain Mrinnoy M. , Bhuyan Kalyan
Published: July 2024

In this work, we have studied how incorporating viscous fluids leads to exact bounce cosmological solutions in general relativity (GR) framework. Specifically, we propose a novel parameterization of bulk viscosity coefficient of the form [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text] being some positive constants and [Formula: see text] being the bounce epoch. We investigate how this form of bulk viscosity may assist in explaining the early universe’s behavior, with a particular focus on non-singular bounce scenario by studying the various energy conditions and other related cosmological observables and how the model parameters affect the evolution of the Universe. We demonstrate that the null energy conditions (NEC) and strong energy conditions (SEC) violation occurs at the bounce point while dominant energy conditions (DEC) is satisfied. Finally, we carried out a stability check based on linear order perturbation to the Hubble parameter. We found that the perturbation vanishes asymptotically at later times, which indicates a stable behavior of the bounce scenario.
Thermal Analysis of MHD Squeezing Fluid Between Two Parallel Disks Exposed to Linear and Nonlinear Thermal Radiation Supported by Ternary Nanoparticle: Analytical and Numerical Manipulation
Authors: Abdelsattar A. N. , El Desouky A. A. , Hammad D. A. , Abdel-wahed M. S.
Published: July 2024

The study of squeezing fluids is considered to be one of the most important areas of scientific research due to its various engineering and bioapplications such as the squeezing processes that occur in the brake mechanisms in trucks and Piston’s systems, liquid metal lubrication systems, polymer processing and compression/injection molding as well as the contraction processes in the arteries and veins. This work deals with the study of one of these applications through modeling using the basic equations governing the squeezing fluids and their boundary conditions, and the presence of some external thermal influences such as the magnetic field and linear/nonlinear thermal radiation in its basic form as a nonlinear partial differential equations system, then converting this system into nonlinear ordinary differential equations that were solved numerically and analytically for special cases. The results focused on showing the thermal and flow behavior of the fluid at different concentrations of nanoparticles, which induce the effect of thermal forces represented by the magnetic field and thermal radiation. These results were demonstrated through a set of graphs and tables and discussed in detail, and in summary, some important results were found from the physical analysis. For some of these results, the use of different types and concentrations of particles increases the viscosity of the fluid, which causes an increase in temperature ranging between 17% and 45%.
Mitigating the adverse effect of pH on stability and antioxidant activity of phycocyanin via nanohydrogel encapsulation
Authors: Jia Xinyue , Xing Yixin , Fan Yuanjie , Gu Wei , Lu Shousi
Published: July 2024

Phycocyanin (PC) holds significant potential for application in food production and biomedicine. Nevertheless, the stability and antioxidant activity of PC are influenced by pH. Improving the stability of PC under various pH conditions is thus highly demanded. Herein, N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) and chitosan were used to prepare poly(NIPAM-co-chitosan) (PNC) nanohydrogels for encapsulation PC, aiming to mitigate the adverse effect of pH on the stability and antioxidant activity of PC. The stability and antioxidative activity of PC encapsulated in PNC nanogels were evaluated at different pH values by determining the pigment retention rate (PRR) and free radical scavenging ability, respectively. The results demonstrated that the PNC encapsulation improved the stability and antioxidant activity of PC.
Visible light-improved periodate activation of natural chalcopyrite particles towards effective pollutants degradation
Authors: Tian Yan , Xiang Yanbin , Wang Jinpeng , Meng Fanyan , Liu Xiaoxue , Li Yubiao , Wu Xiaoyong
Published: July 2024

The aim of this paper is to build an efficient and low-cost advanced oxidation system to realize the antibiotic wastewater purification which has a realistic significance. In this study, a system of visible light-assisted activation of natural chalcopyrite to activate periodate was adopted to remove tetracycline (TC). The results demonstrated that the removal efficiency (100% within 60 min) of TC in the CuFeS2/PI/Light system was significantly improved compared to the CuFeS2/PI system or PI process alone, and the degradation rates of TC in the CuFeS2/PI/Light system were 5.9 times higher than that of the CuFeS2/PI system, which is attributed to the synergistic effect of light and PI activation. The system also effectively degraded sodium butyl xanthate (SBX), chlortetracycline hydrochloride (CTC) and Rhodamine B (RhB), while the efficiency of the degradation process was further enhanced in natural water quality. The active substance quenching experiment revealed that [Formula: see text]OH, 1O2, O2 [Formula: see text], IO4 [Formula: see text] and IO3 [Formula: see text] were the main substances to achieve effective TC removal. In addition, the cycling of Cu[Formula: see text]/Cu[Formula: see text] and Fe[Formula: see text]/Fe[Formula: see text] present in chalcopyrite improved the activation of PI. Further, visible light is conducive to the valence cycling of Cu and Fe, as well as the production of more oxidizing free radicals, thus achieving the synergy of photocatalysis and PI activation. This study provides a low-cost and efficient advanced oxidation pathway for the removal of antibiotic wastewater.
Public debt stabilization via a stochastic differential game paradigm
Authors: Perera Ryle S.
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we examine a public debt stabilization in a country under inflation targeting by arguing that bond yields are sensitive to inflation risks. Endogenously defining the convenience premium function, we focus on fiscal and monetary strategic interactions within an optimal control setting. The level of the debt-to-gross domestic produced (GDP) ratio and current inflation rate of the country are considered as the state variables in the game. We then focus on the convenience risk premium and rate of inflation as market-based disciplining devices, to articulate the Nash noncooperative equilibria, cooperative equilibria and Stackelberg equilibria via a feedback control strategy. We show that the outcome of the game depends on the parameters of the game, the type of equilibrium one considers and the decision horizon. When the current inflation rate follows an uncontrolled Ornstein–Uhlenbeck dynamic process, we highlight its effects on the growth rate of the debt ratio. Hence, our model provides a novel framework in which monetary and fiscal authorities can simultaneously achieve their individual interests, while achieving an optimal debt stabilization policy in the presence of inflation. We also highlight the need for governments to adopt policy-approaches which maintain the debt-to-GDP ratio under an inflation-dependent ceiling.
Computational study of substituent effects on molecular structure, vibrational and electronic properties of fluorene molecule using density functional theory
Authors: Mohi Ali Taher , Haleoot Raad Edaan , Salloom Alyaa Hasan
Published: July 2024

Density functional theory (DFT) provides a powerful tool for investigating the effects of halogen (F, Cl and Br) substitution on the electronic and structural properties of fluorene. The B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) protocol is a commonly used method in DFT calculations for the optimisation of molecular structures and the calculation of various molecular properties by Gaussian 09 W program. In the case of the fluorene molecule with halogen substitutions, (TD–DFT) calculations can be used to predict its UV–Vis spectrum. The B3LYP density functional model with a 6-31G(d,p) basis set is a common choice for performing (TD–DFT) calculations on molecules. The results showed a decrease in gap energies when electron-withdrawing groups were present in the molecule. A decrease in the gap energy indicates that the molecule is less stable and more reactive.
Test Case Minimization with Quantum Annealers
Authors: Wang Xinyi , Muqeet Asmar , Yue Tao , Ali Shaukat , Arcaini Paolo
Published: July 2024

Quantum annealers are specialized quantum computers for solving combinatorial optimization problems with special quantum computing characteristics, e.g., superposition and entanglement. Theoretically, quantum annealers can outperform classic computers. However, current quantum annealers are constrained by a limited number of qubits and cannot demonstrate quantum advantages. Nonetheless, research is needed to develop novel mechanisms to formulate combinatorial optimization problems for quantum annealing (QA). However, QA applications in software engineering remain unexplored. Thus, we propose
BootQA
, the very first effort at solving test case minimization (TCM) problems on classical software with QA. We provide a novel TCM formulation for QA and utilize bootstrap sampling to optimize the qubit usage. We also implemented our TCM formulation in three other optimization processes: simulated annealing (SA), QA without problem decomposition, and QA with an existing D-Wave problem decomposition strategy, and conducted an empirical evaluation with three real-world TCM datasets. Results show that
BootQA
outperforms QA without problem decomposition and QA with the existing decomposition strategy regarding effectiveness. Moreover,
BootQA
’s effectiveness is similar to SA. Finally,
BootQA
has higher efficiency in terms of time when solving large TCM problems than the other three optimization processes.
Tuning of Band Gap of Cathode Li2NiPO4F by Replacing P to Nb and Forming Li2NiNbO4F for Application as 5 V Cathode in Lithium Ion Battery: A Density Functional Theory Study
Authors: Chakrabarti Shamik , Thakur A. K.
Published: July 2024

Electrochemical properties of Li2NiPO4F were studied using density functional theory. The obtained voltage, electronic band gap, capacity (∼ for 2 Li+ extraction) and energy density are achieved as 5.33 V, 4.0 eV, 287.3 mAh g−1 and 1531.31 Wh kg−1, respectively. Although, the electrochemical properties of Li2NiPO4F are promising, large electronic band gap would certainly pose a limitation for its commercial application. Nb is a transition metal and its electronegativity is 1.6 which is less than the electronegativity of 2.19 for P. This implies, less operating voltage would be obtained if we replace P in Li2NiPO4F by Nb to form Li2NiNbO4F. However, electronic configuration of Nb is [Kr] 4d45 s1 and the valance state of Nb in Li2NiNbO4F is +5, which in turn specify that, localized Nb d states will reside in conduction band of Li2NiNbO4F and hence the electronic band-gap would be less owing to this localized Nb-d states. Our speculation gets verified by the calculated properties of Li2NiNbO4F obtained through DFT as follows; Voltage, electronic band gap, capacity (∼ for 2 Li+ extraction) and energy density achieved, respectively, are 5.01 V, 3.64 eV (less than LiFePO4), 215.71 mAh g−1, 1080.71 Wh kg−1. Lower electronic band gap of Li2NiNbO4F makes it an alternative to Li2NiPO4F.
Multi-Doping Exploration of (Sb, Bi and Ba) by First Principles on Ordered Zn–Si–P Compounds as High-Performance Anodes for Next-Generation Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Moin Muhammad , Moin Mehrunisa , Wang Shuai , Anwar Abdul Waheed , Ahsan Zishan , Anwar Ali , Lei Qian , Ma Yangzhou , Song Guangsheng
Published: July 2024

Chalcopyrite ZnSiP2 has emerged as a promising anode material for next generation Li-ion-based batteries due to its high theoretical capacity. First principles multiple-dopant effect computations were made on the structural, electronic, magnetic, and thermodynamic responses for chalcopyrite ZnSiP2(1−x)Sbx, ZnSiP2(1−x)Bix, Zn(1−x)BaxSiP2, and Zn1−xBaxSiP2(1−x)Sbx, using both the norm conserving, ultra-soft pseudopotentials with generalized gradient approximation (GGA+PBE) and the main frame of density functional theory. Lattice coefficient volume, bulk modulus, formation energy, and total energy of host materials were computed and compared with experimental and theoretical results. Energy band gap for the pure chalcopyrite ZnSiP2 system (1.4 eV) matches previous data and validates the accuracy of current calculations as doping concentration (x = 0.6, 0.9, and 0.12) of (Sb, Bi, and Ba) at Zn and P sites increases. The corresponding band gap decreases, resulting in greater enhancement in electronic conductivity. Finally, the phonon dispersion relation, phonon density of states, vibration frequencies of phonon, Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy effect, and Debye temperature (θ
D) were estimated to confirm the thermodynamic stability of both pure and doped systems. These investigations are predicted to contribute a deeper sympathy of the doping effects on ZnSiP2, facilitating further advancements in anode materials design for Li-ion batteries.
Severe Airway Obstruction Caused by Esophageal Bezoar with Coca‐Cola and Creon (Pancrelipase) in a Patient with Underlying Achalasia: A Comprehensive Case Report
Authors: Urlapu Kinnera Sahithi , Mantri Nikhitha , Patel Harish , Lajara Hallal Priscilla , Chilimuri Sridhar , Diaz-Fuentes Gilda
Published: July 2024

Introduction. The occurrence of acute respiratory failure as a result of esophageal bezoars is a rare phenomenon. We present a patient who failed initial endoscopic intervention. Successful resolution was achieved through a novel approach involving a combination of Creon and Coca‐Cola. Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with achalasia, a condition that potentially contributed to the formation of the esophageal bezoar. Case Description. An 82‐year‐old man presented with respiratory distress, necessitating endotracheal intubation for airway protection. A chest computed tomogram (CT) showed pneumonia and a distended esophagus compressing the trachea, raising the possibility of an esophageal food bolus. Endoscopy revealed a severely dilated esophagus containing a significant amount of food and a phytobezoar in the lower esophagus. He failed various endoscopic techniques to remove the obstruction. Given the patient’s poor surgical candidacy, he was started in a thrice‐daily regimen of Creon dissolved in 165 mL of Coca‐Cola, over a 4‐day period. A subsequent endoscopy revealed no discernible evidence of food or bezoar. The patient was weaned from mechanical ventilation. A high‐resolution esophageal manometry identified type 1 achalasia. Conclusion. Esophageal food impaction leading to respiratory failure is rare. Endoscopy remains the mainstay approach. Surgical interventions carry significant risks. This case emphasizes the potential for noninvasive management in patients with esophageal bezoars and also underscores the significance of contemplating esophageal pathologies when addressing cases of respiratory failure. The use of Coca‐Cola and Creon emerges as a safe, effective, and cost‐efficient treatment, providing a feasible option when endoscopy proves unsuccessful before considering more aggressive interventions.
Gingival Recession in Primary Maxillary Incisors due to Fingernail Scratching: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Maalem Dalal , Hammouti Jalila , Ramdi Hind
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Self‐inflicted gingival injuries typically occur in patients with psychological disorders and rarely in normal individuals. This article is aimed at reporting an unusual case of gingival recession caused by a fingernail‐scratching habit.

Case Report: A 5‐year‐old female patient presented to the Pediatric Dentistry Department at the Ibn Sina Center for Consultation and Dental Treatment in Rabat, Morocco, with complaints of gingival recession localized in her four maxillary primary incisors. After a detailed medical and personal history and clinical examination, the diagnosis of self‐inflicted gingival injury was established. The treatment plan included oral hygiene instructions, the application of analgesic and antiseptic gel, and behavioral management. Regular follow‐ups over a period of 16 months were crucial for monitoring the patient’s progress, which eventually led to the cessation of the habit with no recurrence.

Discussion: Self‐inflicted oral injuries in pediatric patients pose diagnostic challenges. The development of such habits in psychologically normal children is difficult to explain, suggesting the need for a comprehensive approach. Managing self‐inflicted injuries is complex and requires a personalized strategy that may include psychotherapy, family support, and regular monitoring.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of taking a comprehensive history and adopting a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose and manage self‐inflicted gingival injury, achieving positive outcomes.
Bradyrhizobium Inoculation Improved Agrosymbiotic Performances of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp] Varieties at Two Sites in Ethiopia
Authors: Yohannes Lemlem , Yoseph Tarekegn , Ayalew Tewodros
Published: July 2024

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp] is an important crop that protects soil fertility, supplements protein deficiency, and provides food security in the face of climate change. However, its productivity in the study area is low due to a lack of high‐yielding varieties, high cost of mineral fertilizer, insufficient information on effective inoculum, and inadequate management practices. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the agrosymbiotic response of inoculated cowpea varieties at Dale and Hawassa sites in Ethiopia. A factorial combination of four cowpea varieties (Bole, TVU, Keti, and White Wonderer Trailing) and two inoculation levels (uninoculated and strain CP‐24 inoculated) were evaluated in two experimental sites using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that phenology, nodulation, growth, yield, and yield components differed significantly (P < 0.05) among the tested cowpea varieties. Among the varieties, the White Wonder Trailing produced the highest grain yield of 2.98 t ha−1. The influence of Bradyrhizobium strain CP‐24 was apparent in most of the studied parameters, except for days to emergence and harvest index. It increased cowpea grain yield by 28.47% compared to the control. The interaction of variety and Bradyrhizobium inoculation revealed a significant effect on nodule number, effective nodules, leaf area (LA), leaf area index (LAI), root dry weight, root length, pod length, aboveground biomass yield, and straw yield. Grain yield was strongly and markedly related to all parameters except for the harvest index. The partial budget analysis revealed that the White Wonder Trailing with inoculation provided the highest net benefit of 67171.3 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) ha−1, with a marginal rate return of 1386.7%. Therefore, using Bradyrhizobium strain CP‐24 in combination with the White Wonder Trailing variety is highly recommended to increase cowpea yield and generate higher economic returns in the research sites and similar agroecological areas.