bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Fornax3D project: Environmental effects on the assembly of dynamically cold disks in Fornax cluster galaxies
Authors: Ding Y. , Zhu L. , van de Ven G. , Coccato L. , Corsini E. M. , Costantin L. , Fahrion K. , Falcón-Barroso J. , Gadotti D. A. , Iodice E. , Lyubenova M. , Martín-Navarro I. , McDermid R. M. , Pinna F. , Sarzi M.
Published: February 2023

We apply a population-orbit superposition metho1d to 16 galaxies in the Fornax cluster observed with MUSE/VLT in the context of the Fornax3D project. By fitting the luminosity distribution, stellar kinematics, and age and metallicity maps simultaneously, we obtained the internal stellar orbit distribution, as well as the age and metallicity distribution of stars on different orbits for each galaxy. Based on the model, we decompose each galaxy into a dynamically cold disk (orbital circularity λz ≥ 0.8) and a dynamically hot non-disk component (orbital circularity λz < 0.8), and obtain the surface-brightness, age, and metallicity radial profiles of each component. The galaxy infall time into the cluster is strongly correlated with galaxy cold-disk age with older cold disks in ancient infallers. We quantify the infall time tinfall of each galaxy with its cold-disk age using a correlation calibrated with TNG50 cosmological simulations. For galaxies in the Fornax cluster, we found that the luminosity fraction of cold disk in galaxies with tinfall > 8 Gyr are a factor of ∼4 lower than in more recent infallers while controlling for total stellar mass. Nine of the 16 galaxies have spatially extended cold disks, and most of them show positive or zero age gradients; stars in the inner disk are ∼2 − 5 Gyr younger than that in the outer disk, in contrast to the expectation of inside-out growth. Our results indicate that the assembly of cold disks in galaxies is strongly affected by their infall into clusters, by either removal of gas in outer regions or even tidally stripping or heating part of the pre-existing disks. Star formation in outer disks can stop quickly after the galaxy falls into the cluster, while star formation in the inner disks can last for a few Gyrs more, building the positive age gradient measured in cold disks.
Consistency of the average flux of solar energetic particles over timescales of years to megayears
Authors: Usoskin I. G. , Koldobskiy S. A. , Poluianov S. V. , Raukunen O. , Vainio R. , Kovaltsov G. A.
Published: February 2023

Aims. Solar energetic particles (SEPs) have been measured directly in space over the past decades. Rare extreme SEP events are studied based on terrestrial cosmogenic proxy data for the past ten millennia. Lunar rocks record the average SEP fluxes on the megayear timescale. The question of whether the SEP fluxes averaged over different timescales are mutually consistent is still open. Here we analyze these different datasets for mutual consistency.

Methods. Using the data from directly measured SEPs over the past decades and reconstructions of extreme SEP events in the past, we built a distribution function of the occurrence of annual SEP fluences for SEPs with energies above 30, 60, 100, and 200 MeV. The distribution function was fit with the Weibull and other types of distributions, and the long-term average SEP flux was computed and compared with the megayear SEP flux estimated from lunar data.

Results. In contrast to the current paradigm, the direct space-era data are not representative of the long-term averaged SEP flux because they are only 20–55% of it, while the major fraction was formed by rare extreme SEP events in the past. The combined statistics of direct and proxy data are fully consistent with megayear lunar data, implying that our knowledge of the whole range of the SEP fluxes, from frequent weak to rare extreme events, is now consistent.
Magnetic reconnections as the underlying cause of spontaneous generation and annihilation of three-dimensional magnetic nulls
Authors: Maurya Yogesh Kumar , Bhattacharyya Ramit , Pontin David I.
Published: February 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) magnetic nulls are preferential sites for triggering solar coronal transients. Although these nulls are abundant in the solar atmosphere, their generation is yet to be thoroughly explored. This paper explores the mechanism of null generation as well as annihilation in detail by means of implicit large eddy simulations where magnetohydrodynamic equations are solved in the absence of an explicit magnetic diffusivity. The magnetofluid is idealized to be thermodynamically inactive, incompressible, and have perfect explicit electrical conductivity. The simulated dynamics is initiated by a prescribed flow in a magnetic configuration having an isolated current-free 3D null. The flow facilitates reconnections, which lead to the generation of primary null pairs in a way that preserves the topological degree. The formation process of these null pairs is novel and different from the standard pitchfork bifurcation. Contrarily, here we found creation of null pairs away from the central null, which we hypothesize is due to the interaction of the imposed flow and the reconnection outflow from the central current layer. Intriguingly, further evolution spontaneously generates new null pairs, which have a novelty by itself. As theorized, these spontaneously generated null pairs also preserve the net topological degree—adding credibility to the simulation. The simulation also shows null pair annihilation. Magnetic reconnections are identified to be responsible for the generation and annihilation of the nulls—opening up the possibility for the nulls to be self-organized structures. Furthermore, the reconnection being ubiquitous in the corona, it can explain the coronal abundance of magnetic nulls.
Development of a three-degree-of-freedom piezoelectric actuator
Authors: Wei Fenglong , Wang Xueliang , Dong Jingshi , Guo Kang , Sui Yongxin
Published: February 2023

Multi-degree of freedom piezoelectric actuators are strongly needed for industrial applications, especially when manipulating a large and heavy mirror or lens in an optical system. A novel three-degree-of-freedom piezoelectric actuator, which is driven by two pairs of piezo-stack actuator with spatial compliant mechanisms designed to guide the motion and preload the piezo-stack actuators, is herein proposed. The structure and working principle of the proposed actuator are illustrated and its kinematic characteristic is analyzed. The stiffness of the spatial compliant mechanisms is modeled, and the dynamic characteristics are analyzed, Finite Element method is utilized to validate the correctness of the stiffness modeling and the free vibration analysis of the proposed actuator. A prototype actuator is fabricated and its output performances have been tested. Working space of X ranging from −7.1 to 5.6 μm, Y ranging from −6.2 to 8.2 μm and Z ranging from −2.3 to 2.1 μm, displacement resolutions of 15/16/21 nm along X-/Y-/Z-axis and average velocities of 52.3, 82.8 and 29.5 µm/s along X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis with carrying load up to 2 kg and driving frequency of 500 Hz have been achieved by the prototype actuator. The method of waveform generating for the proposed actuator has been developed with the inverse hysteresis compensation, and test results indicate that the positioning accuracy of the prototype actuator in the open loop has been improved from 0.94 to 0.23 μm for a circular trajectory tracking, from 0.48 to 0.29 μmm for an elliptical trajectory tracking, and from 0.61 to 0.32 μm for a rectangular trajectory tracking with the compensated waveform of driving voltage.
Study on the impact of N/Ne impurity seeding on neutrals in HL-2A tokamak
Authors: Tan Qingyi , Wang Zhe , Ye Haoran , Huang Qianhong , Gong Xueyu , Zhong Yijun , Cao Chengzhi , Wang Zhanhui , Fu Cailong , Yang Tao
Published: February 2023

Impurity seeding is the major technology for divertor power exhaust. In this work, the impact of N and Ne impurity seeding on the behavior of neutrals in the divertor region was systematically studied based on the HL-2A tokamak. The results demonstrated a strong correlation between the target deuterium molecular density and the target electron temperature after N/Ne impurity seeding. In addition, it was found that deuterium atoms played a more important role in reducing the electron temperature of the target after the Ne impurity injection at Te <15 eV than that of N seeding. Moreover, the deuterium radiation atom excitation channel was stronger after the Ne impurity injection than the N impurity. It was also found that the N impurity radiation in the divertor can reach several times of the Ne impurity radiation under the high upstream density conditions. The core effective charge number Zeff was larger after the Ne impurity injection than N impurity injection, indicating that the Ne impurity was more likely to dilute the plasma.
The Hermitian axiom on two-dimensional topological quantum field theories
Authors: Zhu Honglin
Published: February 2023

We examine Atiyah’s Hermitian axiom for two-dimensional complex topological quantum field theories. Building on the correspondence between 2D topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) and Frobenius algebras, we find the algebraic objects corresponding to Hermitian and unitary TQFTs, respectively, and prove structure theorems about them. We then clarify a few older results on unitary TQFTs using our structure theorems.
A novel high-efficiency microwave plasma multi-ridges field compressed reactor
Authors: Chen Wenqi , Zhang Yi , Wang Yijun , Zhong Yu , Huang Kama
Published: February 2023

Traditional tapered waveguide devices are limited by their power efficiency and produce unstable plasmas and small reaction zones. To overcome these drawbacks, a multi-ridge field compressed reactor operating at a frequency of 2.45 GHz is designed in this paper. The finite element method is applied to numerically compute its properties. A coupling model for the multiple physical fields is introduced to simulate the transient processes of a microwave argon plasma. Experiments with different flow rates and power settings are performed. This novel device can both sustain a long-length plasma and increase the power transfer efficiency from microwave to air and to the argon plasma, respectively, to 97.4% and 95.2%. Moreover, both devices are used to process the degradation of ethanol and benzene. The removal efficiencies are increased by 38.8% and 73.8% for ethanol and benzene, respectively, in the novel waveguide compared with the tapered waveguide.
Abnormal mechanism of infrared fluorescence intensities in multiple phase transitions of Li+/Er3+:BaTiO3 ferroelectric ceramics
Authors: Li Jiaming , Qi Xudong , Li Kai , Lu Ming , Yu Zhaoliang , Wang Duo , Xu Shichong , Sun Enwei , Zhang Zhiguo
Published: February 2023

A photoluminescence (PL) method to characterize phase transition processes of Li+/Er3+:BaTiO3 (BLET) ferroelectric ceramics by infrared fluorescence intensities has been proposed. The fluorescence intensities are applied to detect the phase transition of BLET ceramics in multiple phase transition regions. It proves that the change in fluorescence intensities at the phase transition is due to a variation in the radiative transition probability of the 4I13/2 level. A physical mechanism is elucidated considering the relationship between fluorescence properties and the phase structure. Our research benefits an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the PL characteristics and the phase structure of ferroelectric materials and further develops the application potential of PL methods in ferroelectric phase transition detection.
Non-local architecture for spin current manipulation in silicon platforms
Authors: Zucchetti C. , Scali F. , Grassi P. , Bollani M. , Anzi L. , Isella G. , Finazzi M. , Ciccacci F. , Bottegoni F.
Published: February 2023

We have developed a non-local architecture for spin current injection, manipulation, and detection in n-doped bulk Si at room temperature. Spins are locally generated at the indirect gap of bulk Si by means of circularly polarized light and then detected by exploiting the inverse spin-Hall effect (ISHE) occurring inside a thin Pt pad deposited at the top of the Si substrate. We demonstrate that it is possible to modulate the transport properties of the optically injected spin current by applying a bias voltage along the direction of motion of the particles. In this case, we are able to explore both the spin diffusion regime, characterized by a spin diffusion length Ls ≈ 12 μm, and the spin drift regime with applied electric fields up to E = 35 V/cm. We demonstrate that the spin transport length of the electrons can be increased (or decreased) by more than 100% for electric fields antiparallel (or parallel) to the diffusion direction. As a consequence, the ISHE signal can be electrically controlled to have high or low output voltages from the non-local device.
Loss effects on quantum surface plasmon polaritons excited by a traveling electron beam
Authors: Mahmoud Mohamed , Turky Abdelhalim A. , Ahmed Moustafa , Fares Hesham
Published: February 2023

We present the modeling of a quantum regime for surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excited by an electron beam skimming parallel to the surface of a metallic structure. The theoretical approach resembles that used to describe the quantum Cherenkov radiation in which the quantized free electrons interact with a classical radiation field. In this paper, we rephrase the model in a more rigorous way, considering the detrimental effects of losses on coherent light. In the quantum regime of SPPs, each electron emits a single photon due to the transition between two successive momentum states. It is shown that the quantum nature of SPPs is realized in the low beam current limit where the radiation (gain in the field strength) operates in discrete frequency bands with a remarkably narrow linewidth. When losses are negligible, the photon emission occurs in periodic bursts along the interaction length. We show also that the Ohmic loss effects in the SPP process set an intrinsic limit on the coherent production of photons and also have severe detrimental effects on the radiation intensity. The findings of this study can describe recent experimental observations of the surface plasmonic near-field based on the photon-induced near-field electron microscopy.
Two-dimensional spin systems in PECVD-grown diamond with tunable density and long coherence for enhanced quantum sensing and simulation
Authors: Hughes Lillian B. , Zhang Zhiran , Jin Chang , Meynell Simon A. , Ye Bingtian , Wu Weijie , Wang Zilin , Davis Emily J. , Mates Thomas E. , Yao Norman Y. , Mukherjee Kunal , Bleszynski Jayich Ania C.
Published: February 2023

Systems of spins engineered with tunable density and reduced dimensionality enable a number of advancements in quantum sensing and simulation. Defects in diamond, such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers and substitutional nitrogen (P1 centers), are particularly promising solid-state platforms to explore. However, the ability to controllably create coherent, two-dimensional spin systems and characterize their properties, such as density, depth confinement, and coherence, is an outstanding materials challenge. We present a refined approach to engineer dense (≳1 ppm ⋅ nm), 2D nitrogen, and NV layers in diamond using delta-doping during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition epitaxial growth. We employ both traditional materials techniques, e.g., secondary ion mass spectrometry, alongside NV spin decoherence-based measurements to characterize the density and dimensionality of the P1 and NV layers. We find P1 densities of 5–10 ppm ⋅ nm, NV densities between 1 and 3.5 ppm ⋅ nm tuned via electron irradiation dosage, and depth confinement of the spin layer down to 1.6 nm. We also observe high (up to 0.74) ratios of NV to P1 centers and reproducibly long NV coherence times, dominated by dipolar interactions with the engineered P1 and NV spin baths.
Development of a cryogenic passive-scattering-type near-field optical microscopy system
Authors: Lin Kuan-Ting , Weng Qianchun , Kim Sunmi , Komiyama Susumu , Kajihara Yusuke
Published: February 2023

Passive scattering-type, scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) has been employed to study localized, long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) surface waves without external illumination. Here, we develop a cryogenic passive s-SNOM instrument in a vacuum chamber with 4 K liquid-helium cooling. Notably, the extremely low-temperature environment inside the chamber enables the realization of passive near-field detection with low background thermal noise. The technique mainly utilizes a highly sensitive LWIR confocal optical system and a tuning fork-based atomic force microscope, and the near-field detection was performed at a wavelength of 10.2 ± 0.9 µm. In this paper, we discuss the cryogenic s-SNOM implementation in detail and report the investigation of thermally excited surface electromagnetic fields on a self-heated NiCr wire deposited on SiO2 at a temperature of 5 K. The origin of the surface electromagnetic fields was established to be the thermally excited fluctuating charges of the conduction electrons. The cryogenic s-SNOM method presented herein shows significant promise for application in a variety of spheres, including hot-carrier dissipation in ballistic conductors.
Multi-dimensional incoherent Thomson scattering system in PHAse Space MApping (PHASMA) facility
Authors: Shi Peiyun , Scime Earl E.
Published: February 2023

A multi-dimensional incoherent Thomson scattering diagnostic system capable of measuring electron temperature anisotropies at the level of the electron velocity distribution function (EVDF) is implemented on the PHAse Space MApping facility to investigate electron energization mechanisms during magnetic reconnection. This system incorporates two injection paths (perpendicular and parallel to the axial magnetic field) and two collection paths, providing four independent EVDF measurements along four velocity space directions. For strongly magnetized electrons, a 3D EVDF comprised of two characteristic electron temperatures perpendicular and parallel to the local magnetic field line is reconstructed from the four measured EVDFs. Validation of isotropic electrons in a single magnetic flux rope and a steady-state helicon plasma is presented.
Kinetic whistler instability in a mirror-confined plasma of a continuous ECR ion source
Authors: Viktorov M. , Izotov I. , Kiseleva E. , Polyakov A. , Vybin S. , Skalyga V.
Published: February 2023

Kinetic instabilities in a dense plasma of a continuous electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge in a mirror magnetic trap at the Gasdynamic Ion Source for Multipurpose Operation (GISMO) setup are studied. We experimentally define unstable regimes and corresponding plasma parameters, where the excitation of electromagnetic emission is observed, accompanied by the precipitation of energetic electrons from the magnetic trap. A comprehensive experimental study of the precipitating electron energy distribution and plasma electromagnetic emission spectra, together with theoretical estimates of the cyclotron instability increment proves that under the experimental conditions, the observed instability is related to the excitation of whistler-mode waves, which are a driver of losses of energetic electrons from the magnetic trap. The results of this study are important for the further development of the GISMO electron cyclotron resonance ion source facility and for the improvement of its parameters as an ion source. Also, this research on plasma kinetic instabilities is of fundamental interest and provides experimental tools to simultaneously study plasma electromagnetic activity and corresponding changes in a resonant electron energy distribution.
Cavitation detection in hydraulic machinery by analyzing acoustic emissions under strong domain shifts using neural networks
Authors: Gaisser (née Harsch) L. , Kirschner O. , Riedelbauch S.
Published: February 2023

We propose a novel, general-purpose framework for cavitation detection in a wide variety of hydraulic machineries by analyzing their acoustic emissions with convolutional neural networks. The superiority of our system lies in the fact that it is trained exclusively with data from model turbines operated in laboratories and can directly be applied to different prototype turbines in hydro-power plants. The challenge is that the measurements to train and test the neural network stem from machines with various turbine designs. This results in train and test data with different data distributions, so-called multi-source and multi-target domains. To handle these domain shifts, two core methods are provided. First, an advanced pre-processing pipeline is used to narrow the domain shift between data from different machines. Second, a domain-alignment method for training neural networks under domain shifts is used, resulting in a classifier that generalizes well to a wide range of prototypes. The outcome of this work is a generic framework capable of detecting cavitation in a wide range of applications. We explicitly do not try to obtain the highest accuracy on a single machine, but rather to achieve as high as possible accuracy on many machines.
Perspectives, analyses, and progress in additive manufacturing of food
Authors: Pulatsu Ezgi , Udenigwe Chibuike
Published: February 2023

Additive manufacturing techniques involve various steps and processes to create intricate shapes using edible or non-edible materials. This unique technology relies upon layer-by-layer operation to create an object that is pre-designed and coded with the help of specific software. The major challenges of three-dimensional printing that heavily depend on the material properties and machine capabilities are the ability to get a designed shape with high precision and accuracy, printing speed, and scalability. A critical review discussing the technology implementation from the perspectives of the food industry trends is of great interest, especially to industry professionals and academia. Adapting the technology in the food sector requires a critical view to overcoming technical barriers, which account for the food industry needs and current global challenges. In this regard, the relevant process parameters, the perspectives on food processing and engineering, and the nutritional aspects and culinary practices are considered. This review article discusses the current progress of additive manufacturing of food, the perspectives related to the food industry, and rheology as a tool where nonlinear behaviors are also included to unlock the analysis requirements for specific food groups for broader applications. The rheological methods for the characterization of food inks used in additive manufacturing technologies are critically reviewed, and key parameters are proposed.
Research on energy conversion characteristics in impeller of Helical-Axial Multiphase Pump during crude transportation
Authors: Quan Hui , Yang Xueling , Liu Xiaoyi , Sun Chenxi , Lan Jianying
Published: February 2023

In order to explore the influence of different crude viscosities on the energy conversion characteristics of an impeller of a Helical-Axial Multiphase Pump, a numerical simulation based on the standard k–ε equation and Euler multiphase flow model under different viscosities was carried out. At the same time, the internal flow structure of the Helical-Axial Multiphase Pump was analyzed by experiments when water was transported. The changes in pressure, GVF (gas volume fraction), flow field, and pressurization of the impeller are obtained with different viscosities and inlet gas volume fractions. The results show that the liquid viscosity is greater, the inlet pressure of the impeller is increasing, the velocity vector is greater near the rim and hub side, and the turbulent kinetic energy is increasing near the hub side and rim side, resulting in a greater flow loss. The pressurization capacity of the impeller is weakened, making its head lower. At the same time, the fluctuation of GVF from inlet to outlet is smaller, and the low GVF area is mainly concentrated in high pressure area. The viscosity has a greater impact on static pressure energy of the first half of the impeller and a smaller impact on the second half of the impeller, and the power of the impeller is mainly concentrated in the first half of the impeller.
Controlling the flow-induced oscillations of a flexible cantilever beam using a plasma actuator
Authors: Allahyari Mostafa , Moosavi Ali
Published: February 2023

We study the dynamics of flow over a flexible cantilever beam and explore the effect of the plasma actuators located at the upper and lower end edges of the beam to control the flow-induced vibration of the beam. For this purpose, three-dimensional simulations are performed at various Reynolds numbers for three cases including simple beam, beam without the plasma actuators, and beam with the plasma actuators. The results show that in comparison with the simple beam, the beam with the plasma actuators reduces the displacement of the tip by 33% and 18% at Reynolds numbers Re = 200 and 300, respectively. The plasma actuators cause a monotonic oscillation and a regular vortex street with reducing the strength of the formed vortex and increase the bending of the beam. The presence of the plasma actuators at the free end of the beam reduces the root mean square lift coefficient by 32.8% at Re = 200 and 5.6% at Re = 300. Although the parameters of the plasma actuators for the upper and lower actuators are constant, by changing the position of the free end of the beam, the velocity profiles will be different and depend on the structural flexibility and flow regime.
Corrigendum to: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access and use of health services by middle-aged and older Australians
Authors: Ivancic Lorraine , Bond Diana M. , Nassar Natasha
Published: February 2023

ObjectivesTo examine: the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on access to health services by middle-aged and older Australians; and the use of telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic and its ongoing usefulness. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among participants who completed the COVID-19 supplement in the 45 and Up Study 2020 Survey. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between socio-demographic characteristics and health conditions with missed/delayed access to health services, changes in health outcomes resulting from missed/delayed access, and use of telehealth services. ResultsData for 45 071 participants were analysed (56% female, 72% aged ≥65 years). Almost half (42.2%) reported they had missed/delayed access to health care due to COVID-19; mainly for dental services (26.1%), visits to a general practitioner (GP) (16.3%) and specialists (12.6%). Missed/delayed visits to GPs and specialists were more likely among females, participants from non-English-speaking backgrounds, with disability/illness, living in outer regional/remote areas or with chronic health conditions. People with a disability or high/very high psychological distress were twice as likely to report worse health as a result of missed/delayed care. Half (48.0%) the study participants used telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and 81.9% indicated telehealth would be useful post-pandemic. ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic impacted access to healthcare services, particularly for people with a disability, and chronic or mental health issues who also reported worse health. This may account for their higher use of telehealth services as an alternate way of accessing health care. Ongoing evaluation of telehealth services for vulnerable groups post-pandemic is required.
What next for voluntary assisted dying in Australia?
Authors: White Ben P. , Willmott Lindy
Published: February 2023

As all Australian states now have voluntary assisted dying legislation, and with territories likely to follow, the focus shifts to how these systems are operating in practice and can be improved. Evidence to date shows voluntary assisted dying has been implemented safely, but some access challenges remain. The legislation in each state requires the voluntary assisted dying system must be reviewed and such reviews must be evidence-based.
Curvature gradient drives polarized tissue flow in the
Drosophila
embryo
Authors: Gehrels Emily W. , Chakrabortty Bandan , Perrin Marc-Eric , Merkel Matthias , Lecuit Thomas
Published: February 2023

Tissue flow during morphogenesis is commonly driven by local constriction of cell cortices, which is caused by the activation of actomyosin contractility. This can lead to long-range flows due to tissue viscosity. However, in the absence of cell-intrinsic polarized forces or polarity in forces external to the tissue, these flows must be symmetric and centered around the region of contraction. Polarized tissue flows have been previously demonstrated to arise from the coupling of such contractile flows to points of increased friction or adhesion to external structures. However, we show with experiments and modeling that the onset of polarized tissue flow in early
Drosophila
morphogenesis occurs independent of adhesion and is instead driven by a geometric coupling of apical actomyosin contractility to tissue curvature. Particularly, the onset of polarized flow is driven by a mismatch between the position of apical myosin activation and the position of peak curvature at the posterior pole of the embryo. Our work demonstrates how genetic and geometric information inherited from the mother interact to create polarized flow during embryo morphogenesis.
Distinct early and late neural mechanisms regulate feature-specific sensory adaptation in the human visual system
Authors: Rideaux Reuben , West Rebecca K. , Rangelov Dragan , Mattingley Jason B.
Published: February 2023

A canonical feature of sensory systems is that they adapt to prolonged or repeated inputs, suggesting the brain encodes the temporal context in which stimuli are embedded. Sensory adaptation has been observed in the central nervous systems of many animal species, using techniques sensitive to a broad range of spatiotemporal scales of neural activity. Two competing models have been proposed to account for the phenomenon. One assumes that adaptation reflects reduced neuronal sensitivity to sensory inputs over time (the “fatigue” account); the other posits that adaptation arises due to increased neuronal selectivity (the “sharpening” account). To adjudicate between these accounts, we exploited the well-known “tilt aftereffect”, which reflects adaptation to orientation information in visual stimuli. We recorded whole-brain activity with millisecond precision from human observers as they viewed oriented gratings before and after adaptation, and used inverted encoding modeling to characterize feature-specific neural responses. We found that both fatigue and sharpening mechanisms contribute to the tilt aftereffect, but that they operate at different points in the sensory processing cascade to produce qualitatively distinct outcomes. Specifically, fatigue operates during the initial stages of processing, consistent with tonic inhibition of feedforward responses, whereas sharpening occurs ~200 ms later, consistent with feedback or local recurrent activity. Our findings reconcile two major accounts of sensory adaptation, and reveal how this canonical process optimizes the detection of change in sensory inputs through efficient neural coding.
Types of German causal clauses and their syntactic-semantic layers
Authors: Frey Werner
Published: February 2023

This chapter aims to discuss some distinguishing syntactic and interpretative properties of German causal weil-clauses, da-clauses and verb-first causal clauses. The chapter argues that these different properties can be fruitfully analysed in Krifka’s (2018, to appear) system of decomposition of a speech act into the levels of a proposition, of a judgement, of a commitment and of a speech act. These semantic levels are represented in syntax by TP, JP, ComP and ActP, respectively.

Standardly, a weil-clause is just a TP (covered by a CP-shell). In contrast, a da-clause is of the more complex category JP (covered by a CP-shell), which is adjoined to the JP of its host, i.e., a da-clause is interconnected with a judgement. Related to this there are, for example, the findings that in contrast to the situation with a weil-clause, a da-clause cannot be narrowly focal, that the causal relation expressed by da is not at-issue, and that there is no binding from the host into a da-clause. Furthermore, a da-clause may host a certain type of root phenomena. A verb-first causal clause is of the most complex category ActP and is licensed by an ActP. It cannot be syntactically embedded and it has illocutionary force, which, however, has a supporting function with regard to the illocutionary force of the preceding sentence. A verb-first causal clause may host all kinds of root phenomena.

The chapter also compares Krifka’s layers of interpretation and Sweetser’s (1990) three domains of interpretation (content, epistemic, speech act) and shows that these two classifications complement each other with correlations.
Layers of subordinate clauses
Authors: Angantýsson Ásgrímur , Jędrzejowski Łukasz
Published: February 2023

The main aim of this chapter is to examine adverbial causal af-því-að-clauses in modern Icelandic. Semantically, we argue that af-því-að-clauses can be interpreted as eventuality-related, as evidential or as speech-act-related causal clauses. Syntactically, we show that af-því-að-clauses can be analyzed as central, peripheral or disintegrated adverbial clauses in the sense claimed by Haegeman (2010, 2012), Schönenberger and Haegeman (this volume), and Frey (2011, 2012, 2016). Based on Krifka (to appear) and Frey (2020, to appear, this volume), we assume af-því-að-clauses to be assertive clauses attaching – depending on their interpretation – as Tense Phrase, Judge Phrase or Act Phrase adjuncts. Essentially, we take interpretative differences to follow from the distinct attachment heights. Main arguments for this three part division are based on binding data, embeddability, movement restrictions, and clausal anaphora.
On the syntax of causal clauses in Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Pan Victor Junnan , Zhu Bin
Published: February 2023

This chapter examines problems and issues related to the syntax of causal-consequent clauses in Chinese. Conjunctions that introduce these clauses in Chinese do not form a homogeneous syntactic category: Some are analyzed as complementizers, whereas the others as prepositions. Furthermore, both orders, “causal clause > consequent clause” and “consequent clause > causal clause”, are observed in Chinese and we will argue that there is not necessarily any derivational relation between them. A causal clause will be analyzed as an adjunct to a consequent clause. Sentence-final particles in Chinese head different types of functional projections in the left-periphery and they can take a causal or a consequent clause as their complement. The interaction between clauses and particles will also be examined in detail.
Elephants in Zoos: Conservation Gains versus Welfare Losses
Authors: Rees Paul A.
Published: February 2023

The first recorded elephant in England arrived in 1255; a gift to King Henry III from King Louis IX of France. Elephants have been kept in zoos in the United States for over 200 years and, throughout the world, they are extremely popular with zoo visitors. Since the 1980s there have been captive breeding programmes for elephants in zoos but these have not been successful in creating self-sustaining zoo populations. Many people now believe that the welfare compromises endured by captive elephants outweigh any actual or potential benefits for elephant conservation that accrue from their being kept in zoos. Although there have been recent improvements in the longevity of elephants living in zoos, many zoos have given up keeping elephants and some have sent their animals to elephant sanctuaries. This case study considers the relative merits of the claims that elephants living in zoos have conservation and scientific functions and the counter-claims that, not only do they have no legitimate function, but they suffer significant welfare harms.
One Health predatory symposiums and publishers in Brazil and Latin America: How to recognize and find solutions to avoid them?
Authors: Pettan-Brewer Christina , Vezeau Neil , Barbosa David Soeiro , Biondo Alexander W
Published: February 2023

‘One Health’ (
‘Saúde Unica’, ‘Una Salud’,
‘
Uma So Saúde’)
has become a fashionable topic in Latin America. The funding for education and research grants has increased exponentially in recent years. However, this term is indiscriminately applied. Many claimed expertise while having little knowledge or history of the subject. Projects with ‘One Health’ in the title were awarded grants to applicants with no previous experience or basic knowledge of the concept. Virtual courses, certificate programs and publication opportunities have been advertised to attract a large number of participants at conferences as well as incentives for expected academic achievements and career promotion demands in any area.

One Health Impact Statement

The authors strongly believe that this ethical discussion is of high importance for the successful continuing of implementation, and development of One Health with integrity and legitimacy in Latin America and in the world.
Adaptive charge control for the space inertial sensor
Authors: Yang Fangchao , Hong Wei , Li Honggang , Ma De
Published: February 2023

Inertial sensors are key components of gravitational wave observations and Earth geodesy missions. An inertial sensor includes an isolated free-floating test mass (TM) surrounded by capacitive electrodes and a housing frame (EH) to perform the relative-position measurement and control the TM in six degrees of freedom. Owing to galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles, many additional accelerations are introduced through the Coulomb interaction between charged TMs and their surrounding conducting surfaces. Thus, the TM charge control is critical in space-based missions. A contact-free and ultraviolet light-based charge management system (CMS) was developed to reduce charge-induced noises acting on the TMs and minimize force disturbances that can perturb measurements or interrupt science tasks. However, the operating environment for space charge control is full of uncertainties and disturbances. Physical parameters in the discharging process are rarely measured and will vary owing to changes in solar activity, temperature, and so on. The unpredictability and variability of these parameters affects the CMS performance in long-term space missions and must be evaluated or eliminated. This paper presents a simplified physical model for the discharge process based on electron exchange between the TM and the opposing EH. Subsequently, a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) is proposed for the CMS with parametric uncertainties to maintain the TM charge below a certain level and improve its robustness. The simulation results show that the MRAC can automatically adjust control parameters to eliminate the effect of the variability of the aforementioned physical parameters, and the control precision can reach 0.1 mV under uncertainties, which is superior to that of a classic proportional–integral–derivative controller. This study demonstrated the effects of adaptive charge control and its potential for actual applications.
Remaining useful life prediction for nonlinear two-phase degradation process with measurement errors and imperfect prior information
Authors: Lin Wenyi , Chai Yi
Published: February 2023

Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is one of the most important issues of prognostic and health management, which can improve the reliability and security of the system. Due to the changeable internal mechanism and external environmental factors, the two-phase degradation process is frequently seen in practice. In addition, measurement errors in degradation signals and the case with imperfect prior degradation information are common, which could decrease the accuracy of RUL prediction. However, the current studies on two-phase degradation usually assume that each phase is linear. Furthermore, the effect of measurement errors and the possibility of incomplete prior degradation data are generally not taken into account simultaneously. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel linear–nonlinear two-phase Wiener process with a measurement errors degradation model, and obtains the probability density function expression of the RUL by fully considering the unknown degradation state at the change point. Meanwhile, in the absence of multiple sets of historical data, a parameter estimation method which only requires a set of prior information is proposed based on an expectation maximization (EM) algorithm and Kalman smoothing. Finally, a numerical example and two practical examples are used to illustrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.
Influences of point defects on electron transport of two-dimensional gep semiconductor device
Authors: Zeng Hui , Zhang Tian-Cheng , Bao Hua-Guang , Zhao Jun , Ding Da-Zhi
Published: February 2023

The quantum transport properties of defective two-dimensional (2D) GeP semiconductor nanodevice consisting of typical point defects, such as antisite defect, substitutional defect, and Schottky defect, have been studied by using density functional theory combined with non-equilibrium Green’s function calculation. The antisite defect has indistinctive influences on electron transport. However, both substitutional and Schottky defect have introduced promising defect state at the Fermi level, indicating the possibility of improvement on the carrier transport. Our quantitative quantum transport calculations of I–V
b behavior have revealed that the electrical characters are enhanced. Moreover, the P atom vacancy could induce significant negative differential resistance phenomenon, and the physical mechanism is unveiled by detailed analysis. The transfer characteristic properties could be prominently improved by substitutional defect and vacancy defect. Most importantly, we have proposed a computational design of GeP-based electronic device with improved electrical performance by introducing vacancy defect. Our findings could be helpful to the practical application of novel 2D GeP semiconductor nanodevice in future.
Terahertz absorption spectroscopy for measuring atomic oxygen densities in plasmas
Authors: Wubs J R , Macherius U , Weltmann K-D , Lü X , Röben B , Biermann K , Schrottke L , Grahn H T , van Helden J H
Published: February 2023

This paper describes the first implementation of terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers for high-resolution absorption spectroscopy on plasmas. Absolute densities of ground state atomic oxygen were directly obtained by using the fine structure transition at approximately 4.75 THz. Measurements were performed on a low-pressure capacitively coupled radio frequency oxygen discharge. The detection limit in this arrangement was found to be

2
×

10

13

 cm−3, while the measurement accuracy was within 5%, as demonstrated by reference measurements of a well-defined ammonia transition. The results show that the presented method is well suited to measure atomic oxygen densities, and it closes the THz gap for quantitative atomic density measurements in harsh environments such as plasmas.
Star-forming galaxies provide a larger contribution to the isotropic gamma-ray background than misaligned active galactic nuclei
Authors: Blanco Carlos , Linden Tim
Published: February 2023

The total extragalactic γ-ray flux provides a powerful probe into the origin and evolution of the highest energy processes in our universe. An important component of this emission is the isotropic γ-ray background (IGRB), composed of sources that cannot be individually resolved by current experiments. Previous studies have determined that the IGRB can be dominated by either misaligned active galactic nuclei (mAGN) or star-forming galaxies (SFGs). However, these analyses are limited, because they have utilized binary source classifications and examined only one source class at a time. We perform the first combined joint-likelihood analysis that simultaneously correlates the γ-ray luminosity of extragalactic objects with both star-formation and mAGN activity. We find that SFGs produce 48+33
-20% of the total IGRB at 1 GeV and 56+40
-23% of the total IGRB at 10 GeV. The contribution of mAGN is more uncertain, but can also be significant. Future work to quantify the radio and infrared properties of nearby galaxies could significantly improve these constraints.
On the degrees of irreducible characters fixed by some field automorphism in 𝑝-solvable groups
Authors: Grittini Nicola
Published: February 2023

It is known that, if all the real-valued irreducible characters of a finite group have odd degree, then the group has normal Sylow

2
2

-subgroup. This result is generalized for Sylow

p
p

-subgroups, for any prime number

p
p

, while assuming the group to be

p
p

-solvable. In particular, it is proved that a

p
p

-solvable group has a normal Sylow

p
p

-subgroup if

p
p

does not divide the degree of any irreducible character of the group fixed by a field automorphism of order

p
p

.
Permanence of real rank zero from a centrally large subalgebra to a C*-algebra
Authors: Zhao Xia , Fang Xiaochun
Published: February 2023

Let

A
A

be an infinite dimensional simple unital C*-algebra and

B
B

be a centrally large subalgebra of

A
A

. Archey and Phillips [J. Operator Theory 83 (2020), pp. 353–389] showed that

A
A

has real rank zero when

B
B

has real rank zero and stable rank one. In this paper, we have removed the restriction of

B
B

has stable rank one. Using matrix decomposition by some suitable projections, we have shown that

A
A

has real rank zero if

B
B

has real rank zero.
Counting tournament score sequences
Authors: Claesson Anders , Dukes Mark , Franklín Atli , Stefánsson Sigurður
Published: February 2023

The score sequence of a tournament is the sequence of the out-degrees of its vertices arranged in nondecreasing order. The problem of counting score sequences of a tournament with

n
n

vertices is more than 100 years old [Quart. J. Math. 49 (1920), pp. 1–36]. In 2013 Hanna conjectured a surprising and elegant recursion for these numbers. We settle this conjecture in the affirmative by showing that it is a corollary to our main theorem, which is a factorization of the generating function for score sequences with a distinguished index. We also derive a closed formula and a quadratic time algorithm for counting score sequences.
The Anatomy of a Malpractice Lawsuit
Authors: Attaluri Pradeep K , Wirth Peter J , Moura Steven P , Shaffrey Ellen C , Rao Venkat K
Published: February 2023

Medical malpractice lawsuits can be a source of emotional, physical, and financial distress for both providers and patients. A thorough understanding of the medical malpractice process's history and current landscape will help providers navigate malpractice challenges. Given the impact and prevalence of medical malpractice, in this paper, the authors sought to dissect the intricate anatomy of a medical malpractice lawsuit. This includes a comprehensive and detailed report of tort reform, the criteria of a medical malpractice suit, and a description of the court proceedings. In addition, the authors also performed an extensive review of the medicolegal literature and have provided recommendations for healthcare providers to avoid these lawsuits in their practice.

Level of Evidence: 5