bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination and assessment of healing properties based on chemical analysis of spring waters in Jizzakh (Uzbekistan)
Authors: Tashpulatova S.A. , Mamarakhimov O.M. , Azimova D.O. , Abdurashidov Z.A. , Parmanova N.A.
Published: January 2024

About 400 water samples were taken from the springs of Forish, Bakhmal, Zomin area and checked for organic matter, bromine, iodine, total mineralization, silicic acids, dissolved free carbon dioxide, total hardness. According to the results of the research, 60 springs met the requirements for healing water, that is, 9 springs with the required amount of total mineralization in the water, 1 spring rich in iron, 4 springs with bromine, and the iodine content is the highest. There was 1 spring, the number of springs rich in carbon dioxide dissolved in water was 26, and the number of springs rich in organic matter was 19. These chemical indicators are considered an important therapeutic factor in improving human health, in particular, peripheral nervous system, skin, gynecology, support and movement organs, metabolism, digestive system, urology, cardiovascular system, liver, biliary tract, urology.
Walking machines for operation on non-cohesive and water-saturated soils
Authors: Kalinin Yaroslav , Chernyshev Vadim , Vetlitsyn Mihail , Babaev Maxim , Arykantsev Vladimir
Published: January 2024

The widespread use of wheeled and tracked vehicles in forestry and agriculture is one of the reasons for compaction and subsequent soil degradation. At the same time, it is known that walking machines destroy the upper ecologically vulnerable soil layer to a lesser extent. The main types of existing walking machines that can work on weak-bearing soils are considered. It has been shown that walking movers of the cyclic type are characterized by the greatest simplicity and reliability. A prototype of a multi-purpose walking chassis (weighing about 200 kg) with cyclic propulsors has been developed. A number of technical solutions have been proposed aimed at increasing its adaptability, profile cross-country ability and maneuverability. The walking chassis prototype was tested in real terrain. Tests have confirmed its high cross-country ability and excellent traction and traction properties. In terms of the ecology of the contact effect on the soil, the walking machine is also superior to its analogues with traditional types of propulsors. The results of the work may be in demand when developing walking machines and robots for new soil-saving technologies in forestry and agriculture.
Practice of methods for remote control of walking robotic mini-dredgers moving along the bottom
Authors: Arykantsev Vladimir , Kalinin Yaroslav , Chernyshev Vadim
Published: January 2024

The results of experimental testing of methods for remote control of underwater walking mini-dredgers are discussed. Tests were carried out in real water conditions on the basis of a prototype of a 6-legged underwater walking vehicle. During the tests, technological operations for clearing and deepening small channels and eriks, as well as the extraction of sapropel from the bottom of the lake, were simulated. During the experiments, a mini-dredger has been controlled using video information of on-board video cameras. Due to poor visibility in the zone of hydraulic erosion of bottom soil, management was carried out in conditions of an incomplete and ambiguous understanding of the external environment. Local positioning was carried out according to natural landmarks. It is shown that fairly accurate remote control of the movement of a mini-dredger can be organized on the basis of public satellite maps of the area, even in conditions of a lack of sensory information. Moreover, the operation of an underwater dredger can be realized with minimal external control influences. The research results may be demanded in the development of walking robotic systems intended for the rehabilitation of degrading small water bodies and for other underwater technical work.
On the question of the possibility of carrying out landscape forestry works
Authors: Svoykin Fedor , Svoykin Vladimir , Zagidullin Ramil , Latypova Elena , Sokolova Viktoriia , Garbuzova Taisiya
Published: January 2024

The global trend in the ecological and social functions of forest ecosystems is indicated, and an analysis of the consequences of increasing the area of protective forests in the Russian Federation is given (Forest Code of the Russian Federation, adopted in 2006). The issue of the possibility of carrying out landscape logging work in the area of Syktyvkar (middle taiga of the Komi Republic) in order to improve the aesthetic and recreational appearance of plantings, forestry effect, as well as obtaining pulpwood for JSC “Mondi Syktyvkar” with a minimum hauling distance is considered. An analysis of the hydrographic network and group of forest types in the middle taiga of the Komi Republic is presented. Proposals for carrying out logging operations along the hydrographic network are given. The target wood species for such work has been identified. A system of machines (VSRM + KS) is proposed for organizing and implementing the technological process of wood harvesting in these natural production conditions.
The role of Eco-Urbanism studies in creating a comfortable and favorable urban environment
Authors: Korolev Ilya , Fedorova Elena , Zavyalova Anna , Zvonkova Natalia , Ozerova Natalia
Published: January 2024

The article deals with decisions on eco-urbanism for residential buildings abroad, given the advantages and disadvantages of these solutions. The concept of “comfortable environment” is considered, its composition and the necessity to increase the urban environment comfort is shown, ways for creating a comfortable environment are considered. An analysis of the connectivity of quality of life indicators - ecology, housing conditions and public health, which showed their close relationship, was presented. Improving the environment and housing conditions directly affects human health. Safe and healthy living and urban environment conditions are one of the main requirements in any society. Analysis of surveys on problems related to environmental pollution revealed the concern of residents about environmental issues and the need to take into account their opinions when choosing measures to improve the comfort of the urban environment. The calculation of indicators of the quality index of the urban environment showed that the use of environmental elements (vertical “green” walls) gives an increase in indicators by 9 points, which demonstrates an improvement in the quality of the urban environment. The proposed solution for creating a comfortable urban environment using elements of eco-urbanism (vertical “green” walls) can be adapted in Russia under existing climatic conditions and will save recreational space and increase the total area of green squares amid dense urban building.
Searching and studying the “Siliceous springs” of Jizzakh and the role of such springs in improving human health (Uzbekistan)
Authors: Tashpulatova S.A. , Mamarakhimov O.M. , Makhmudova M.M. , Okhunov R.Z. , Shadenov R.I.
Published: January 2024

The research involves the search and study of springs with silicon compounds in Jizzakh region. 401 spring water samples in the region were checked for the presence of silicon compounds. According to the research results, it was found that 25 springs have silicon compounds (H2SiO3+HSiO3). These “silicon” springs improve human health, in particular, organs of support and movement, gastrointestinal tract, biliary tract, metabolism, nervous system diseases, skin and urology.
Assessment of innovative potential of farmers and homestead land owners
Authors: Khamraeva Sayyora , Ochilova Nargiza
Published: January 2024

In the conditions of globalization, ensuring the food security of the population in the world community, based on the sustainable development of agriculture, requires the sector to be flexible to the external changing environment, to be effective in various innovations and scientific and technical development. Therefore, in the world's prestigious scientific research institutions, scientific research is being carried out in such directions as the introduction of innovative methods of agricultural production, the organization of non-traditional production and the production of environmentally friendly agricultural products to ensure the food security of the population. In particular, special attention is paid to scientific research aimed at solving problems such as the organization of vertical agricultural production on small land areas, the creation of disease-resistant and competitive varieties and hybrids in farming, and the introduction of resource-saving high-efficiency innovative technologies. In this article, the innovative activities of farms and homesteads operating in Kashkadarya region were studied and the innovative potential index of farms and homestead landowners in the regions was determined based on 5 indicators.
Performance indicators of flat sieve with oblong holes located at an angle
Authors: Sabiev U.K. , Golovin A.Yu. , Soyunov A.S. , Prokopov S.P. , Abdylmanova R.Kh.
Published: January 2024

Increase in the productivity of domestic grain cleaning machines produced by traditional methods has exhausted itself. Therefore, the country's agricultural enterprises of various forms of ownership need high-performance innovative grain cleaning machines for post-harvest grain processing. The article presents various methods and ways to improve the performance of grain cleaning machines. The results of studies are presented to determine the completeness of separation and the sieve capacity of grain cleaning machines with oblong holes located at an angle, when interacting with a long edge, which makes reciprocal oscillations. Theoretically, rational values of inclination angle of the sieve holes are determined equal to α’ = 10… 15°, which increases the probability of a particle passing into the sieve hole by 1.7 times. The results of the production inspection of the sieves of the proposed design showed that the capacity of the grain cleaning machine increased by 23%, and the quality of cleaning the grain mixture meets the agrotechnical requirements.
Smart agriculture as the embodiment of the symbiosis of the technological and intellectual potential of the agricultural sector
Authors: Polyakov Vyacheslav , Aleksandrovskaya Lyudmila
Published: January 2024

The work examines the features of “smart agriculture” as a concept corresponding to the functioning of the agricultural sector in conditions of large-scale use of digital technologies within its framework. It is noted that, along with their use, its most important driving force is the application of the knowledge and skills of workers, thanks to which these technologies can significantly increase the efficiency of the functioning of agricultural production systems. In this context, it is noted that there is significant potential in this context for improvement, and in a number of aspects, significant transformation of the activities of information and consulting services operating in the agricultural production sector. One of the promising solutions is the formation of a unified digital platform for agricultural consulting, uniting information and consulting services located in various regions of the country into a single network of interaction.
On the Pentapeptide as the Measurement Unit in Immunology
Authors: Kanduc Darja
Published: January 2024

This communication concerns a crucial query in immunology, that is, the dimension of an epitope. The issue has essential implications in vaccine formulations.
Interview completed: the application of survival analysis to detect factors influencing response rates in online surveys
Authors: Münnich Ákos , Kocsis Mátyás , Mainwaring Mark C. , Fónagy István , Nagy Jenő
Published: January 2024

Marketing interviews are widely used to acquire information on the behaviour, satisfaction, and/or needs of customers. Although online surveys are broadly available, one of the major challenges is to collect high-quality data, which is fundamental for marketing. Since online surveys are mostly unsupervised, the possibility of providing false answers is high, and large numbers of participants do not finish interviews, yet our understanding of the reasons behind this pattern remains unclear. Here, we examined the possible factors influencing response rates and aimed to investigate the impact of technical and demographic information on the probability of interview completion rates of multiple surveys. We applied survival analysis and proportional hazards models to statistically evaluate the associations between the probability of survey completion and the technical and demographic information of the respondents. More complex surveys had lower completion probabilities, although survey completion was increased when respondents used desktop computers and not mobile devices, and when surveys were translated to their native language. Meanwhile, age and gender did not influence completion rates, but the pool of respondents invited to complete the survey did affect completion rates. These findings can be used to improve online surveys to achieve higher completion rates and collect more accurate data.
Fraudsters target the elderly: Behavioural evidence from randomised controlled scam-baiting experiments
Authors: Robinson Jemima , Edwards Matthew
Published: January 2024

Email-based fraud is a lucrative market for cybercriminals to scam a wide range of potential victims. Yet there is a sometimes conflicted literature on who these victims are, complicated by low and possibly confounded reporting rates. We make use of an experimental automated scam-baiting platform to test hypotheses about the characteristics online fraudsters find more attractive, gathering behavioural evidence directly from the fraudsters themselves (n = 296). In our comparison of four instrumented ‘personalities’ designed based on traits highlighted in the literature and in a small public perception survey, we find that a script adopting the personality of an elderly woman attracts significantly more engagement from scammers than our control measure. We discuss our approach and the possible interpretations and implications of our findings.
A study on identification of youth identity through a gender lens in network buzzwords: A critical discourse analysis
Authors: Tan Huawei , Yu Yating
Published: January 2024

As an emerging form of discourse in the Internet era, network buzzwords serve as an indicator of the mentality of the youth, reflecting their identity. However, research on the implementation of network buzzwords in the context of gender formations has been limited. This study fills this research gap by using critical discourse analysis to analyse the use of 11 gender-specific buzzwords listed in the annual list of top-ten network buzzwords published by the magazine Yaowen Jiaozi from 2012 to 2021 on the social media platform, Weibo. It discusses how the gender network buzzwords shape the identity of young groups, what kind of identities were formed, and how young people use gender buzzwords to construct both gender-conforming and patriarchal discourse, as well as gender-nonconforming discourse, from the perspectives of conformity and nonconformity. Additionally, it discusses the cultural significance of network buzzwords and their potential impact on contemporary society.
Substitutional alloying using crystal graph neural networks
Authors: Massa Dario , Cieśliński Daniel , Naghdi Amirhossein , Papanikolaou Stefanos
Published: January 2024

Materials discovery, especially for applications that require extreme operating conditions, requires extensive testing that naturally limits the ability to inquire the wealth of possible compositions. Machine Learning (ML) has nowadays a well-established role in facilitating this effort in systematic ways. The increasing amount of available accurate Density Functional Theory (DFT) data represents a solid basis upon which new ML models can be trained and tested. While conventional models rely on static descriptors, generally suitable for a limited class of systems, the flexibility of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) allows for direct learning representations on graphs, such as the ones formed by crystals. We utilize crystal graph neural networks (CGNNs) known to predict crystal properties with DFT level accuracy through graphs by encoding the atomic (node/vertex), bond (edge), and global state attributes. In this work, we aim at testing the ability of the CGNN MegNet framework in predicting a number of properties of systems previously unseen in the model, which are obtained by adding a substitutional defect to bulk crystals that are included in the training set. We perform DFT validation to assess the accuracy in the prediction of formation energies and structural features (such as elastic moduli). Using CGNNs, one may identify promising paths in alloy discovery.
Generation of spatial combs digitized by orbital angular momentum
Authors: Shahar Daniel I. , Kabagöz Havva Begüm , Ramachandran Siddharth
Published: January 2024

Shaping the transverse spatial domain of light has been experiencing recent growth in attention for its applications in optical tweezing, microscopy, communications, and quantum information sciences. The orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light is a transverse physical property that functions as a viable basis for many of such applications. While fields containing a single OAM mode order have extensively been used, fields containing a broad, discrete, and equally spaced OAM spectrum—an OAM comb—has largely been unexplored due to a lack of viable creation methods. Much like how frequency combs enabled myriad applications, it is conceivable that OAM combs would likewise enable further opportunities or expand upon single-OAM applications. For instance, an OAM comb may pave the way for more sophisticated particle manipulation, object detection, and pump shaping for high-dimensional spatial-mode entanglement. Here, we create four OAM combs with rectangular, sinusoidal, sinc, and Gaussian OAM spectral distributions using multiplane light conversion, which only involves phase modulations (hence is inherently lossless) and allows for improved tailoring of the spatial shape. The verification of such combs is done qualitatively by analyzing their propagation evolutions and quantitatively by employing a mode sorting technique—both exhibiting good agreement with user specifications and simulations. The scattering losses of all four combs were measured to be minimal, ranging from 0.66 to 1.04 dB.
Engineering polar distortions in multiferroic Sr1−xBaxMnO3−δ thin films
Authors: Koutsogiannis Panagiotis , Algarabel Pedro A. , Pardo José A. , Magén César
Published: January 2024

The physical properties of perovskite oxide thin films are governed by the subtle interplay between chemical composition and crystal symmetry variations, which can be altered by epitaxial growth. In the case of perovskite-type multiferroic thin films, precise control of stoichiometry and epitaxial strain allows for gaining control over the ferroic properties through selective crystal distortions. Here, we demonstrate the chemical tailoring of the polar atomic displacements by tuning the stoichiometry of multiferroic Sr1−xBaxMnO3−δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) epitaxial thin films. A combination of x-ray diffraction and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy enables unraveling the local polarization orientation at the nanoscale as a function of the film’s composition and induced crystalline structure. We demonstrate experimentally that the orientation of polarization is intimately linked to the Ba doping and O stoichiometry of the films and, with the biaxial strain induced by the substrate, it can be tuned either in-plane or out-of-plane with respect to the substrate by the appropriate choice of the post-growth annealing temperature and O2 atmosphere. This chemistry-mediated engineering of the polarization orientation of oxide thin films opens new venues for the design of functional multiferroic architectures and the exploration of novel physics and applications of ferroelectric textures with exotic topological properties.
Coexisting superhydrophobicity and superadhesion features of Ziziphus mauritiana abaxial leaf surface with possibility of biomimicking using electrospun microfibers
Authors: Dubey Mahesh C. , Mohanta Dambarudhar
Published: January 2024

The coexistence of superhydrophobicity and superadhesion features is being reported for the abaxial leaf of Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) possessing hairy, matted surface texture with fiber dia ranging ∼ 5.6–7.1 μm. Very high-water contact angle (WCA > 143°) and high contact angle hysteresis (CAH ∼ 30°–46°) were observed and compared for the tender, mature, and senescent leaf states. The tender leaf exhibits a maximal superhydrophobicity with WCA as high as ∼151° and an increased roll-off angle from ∼21° to 33°. Conversely, next two leaf states are characterized by excellent adhesion even up to a base tilting of 90° without any tendency to roll-off. An attempt has also been made for biomimicking the leaf's hairy fiber microstructure with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) by employing an electrospinning setup, with adjustable control parameters. The fabricated ∼4.3-μm-dia PVDF-based nonwoven fibers were seen to be replicated at par with excellent superhydrophobicity and high adhesion features. The WCA and CAH of artificially grown fibers were estimated to be ∼145.7° and 49.4°. The nonwoven, yarn-like surface construct of microfibers fits well in worm-like chain model, which considers a normal distribution of segments described through discrete jointed length, persistent length, and bending angle between successive segments.
Fiber-based hydrophobic and stretchable UV-photochromic textile
Authors: Jeong Sang-Mi , Yang Jonguk , Seo Keumyoung , Seo Hee Sung , Ju Sanghyun , Lim Taekyung
Published: January 2024

Wearable sensors composed of fabric have attracted considerable research interest as they can detect various environmental factors that affect the human body, such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, temperature, and humidity. Among these sensors, color-conversion sensors are especially valuable as they can provide a visual representation of data without the need for additional electrical devices. For a sensor to be used on the human body, it must maintain its sensing capabilities even when exposed to solutions such as rainwater, sweat, and various cleansing liquids or when subjected to mechanical deformation. Therefore, this study was aimed at fabricating a UV-photochromic fiber that can maintain its color-change reaction to UV light even when exposed to chemical and physical stressors. To this end, UV-photochromic pigment was infused into porous and hydrophobic silica aerogels to create UV-photochromic aerogels, which were then placed between the inner strands of spandex fibers. During the drying process, the UV-photochromic aerogels adhered firmly to the spandex strands and were not separated even when the fibers were stretched and contracted up to 100 times under 200% tensile conditions. The resulting UV-photochromic fibers initially appeared white but transformed to magenta when exposed to UV light. This color change persisted through seven repeated on–off cycles of UV light. Moreover, the hydrophobic nature of the fibers ensured that the color-change reactivity remained stable even under exposure to water, artificial sweat, and detergent solutions. Overall, the proposed UV-photochromic fibers, with enhanced reversibility, stability, and reliability, can promote the commercialization of wearable-based colorimetric sensors.
Receptivity of the rotating disk boundary layer to traveling disturbances
Authors: Thomas Christian
Published: January 2024

An adjoint approach is developed to undertake a receptivity study of the rotating disk boundary layer. The adjoint linearized Navier–Stokes equations are first derived in cylindrical coordinates. A receptivity formula is then formulated that specifies the response of stationary and traveling linear perturbations to an external force, including sources of momenta and mass and unsteady wall motion. Using the parallel flow approximation, in which the radial dependence of the undisturbed flow is ignored, receptivity characteristics are computed for a broad range of temporal frequencies, radial wavenumbers, azimuthal mode numbers, and Reynolds numbers. The type-I crossflow instability attains a maximum amplitude for external forces fixed near the wall-normal location of the critical layer (i.e., α¯rF+βG=ω), and the type-II Coriolis instability achieves larger amplitudes when external forces are located in the vicinity of a vanishing effective shear stress (i.e., α¯rF′+βG′=0). Sources of radial momenta fixed about these wall-normal locations establish larger-sized disturbances than equivalent-sized sources of azimuthal momenta, wall-normal momenta, and mass. At the disk surface, motion along the wall-normal direction induces a stronger receptivity response than wall motions acting along the radial and azimuthal directions. In general, the crossflow instability achieves larger-sized amplitudes than the Coriolis instability, with the peak response realized for Reynolds numbers near the critical conditions for linear instability.
Magnetic microcalorimeter with paramagnetic temperature sensors and integrated dc-SQUID readout for high-resolution x-ray emission spectroscopy
Authors: Krantz Matthäus , Toschi Francesco , Maier Benedikt , Heine Greta , Enss Christian , Kempf Sebastian
Published: January 2024

We present two variants of a magnetic microcalorimeter with paramagnetic temperature sensors and integrated dc-superconducting quantum interference device readout for high-resolution x-ray emission spectroscopy. Each variant employs two overhanging gold absorbers with a sensitive area of 150 × 150 μm2 and a thickness of 3 μm, thus providing a thickness related quantum efficiency of >98% for photons up to 5 keV and >50% for photons up to 10 keV. The first variant operated nominally but suffered from Joule power dissipation of the Josephson junction shunt resistors, athermal phonon loss, and slew rate limitations of the overall setup. Overall, it only achieved an energy resolution of ΔEFWHM=8.9 eV for 5.9 keV photons. In the second variant, we introduced an innovative tetrapod absorber geometry as well as a membrane technique for diverting dissipated heat away from the temperature sensors. When all mitigations are applied optimally, the second variant achieves an energy resolution of ΔEFWHM=1.25(18) eV for 5.9 keV photons and hence provides the present best energy resolving power E/ΔEFWHM among all existing energy-dispersive detectors for soft and tender x-rays.
Nucleation in plasma: Catalyst nucleation rate in plasma systems used for production of nanoparticles
Authors: Nemchinsky Valerian
Published: January 2024

According to the classic theory of nucleation around a charged particle, dipoles induced in the particle's neighbors by the charged nucleation center decrease the electric field around it. This reduces the system's Gibbs energy and thus increases the nucleation rate. Unlike the situation of a neutral gas and an already existing charged particle, in plasma, charging the center of nucleation is the result of the separation of charges (a negatively charged center and a positively charged surrounding). This process being similar to charging of a capacitor, it demands extra energy, and thus increases the Gibbs energy. As a result, the nucleation rate decreases in comparison with the nucleation rate in a neutral medium. In this work, the process of nucleation in a plasma is considered and the nucleation rate is calculated. It is shown that for the conditions typical for arcs used for the production of nanoparticles, the reduction in the nucleation rate is an order of magnitude or higher.
Accurate vertical nanoelectromechanical measurements
Authors: Proksch R. , Wagner R. , Lefever J.
Published: January 2024

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) is capable of detecting strains in piezoelectric materials down to the picometer range. Driven by diverse application areas, numerous weaker electromechanical materials have emerged. The smaller signals associated with them have uncovered ubiquitous crosstalk challenges that limit the accuracy of measurements and that can even mask them entirely. Previously, using an interferometric displacement sensor (IDS), we demonstrated the existence of a special spot position immediately above the tip of the cantilever, where the signal due to body-electrostatic (BES) forces is nullified. Placing the IDS detection spot at this location allows sensitive and BES artifact-free electromechanical measurements. We denote this position as xIDS/L=1, where xIDS is the spot position along the cantilever and L is the distance between the base and tip. Recently, a similar approach has been proposed for BES nullification for the more commonly used optical beam deflection (OBD) technique, with a different null position at xOBD/L≈0.6. In the present study, a large number of automated, sub-resonance spot position dependent measurements were conducted on periodically poled lithium niobate. In this work, both IDS and OBD responses were measured simultaneously, allowing direct comparisons of the two approaches. In these extensive measurements, for the IDS, we routinely observed xIDS/L≈1. In contrast, the OBD null position ranged over a significant fraction of the cantilever length. Worryingly, the magnitudes of the amplitudes measured at the respective null positions were typically different, often by as much as 100%. Theoretically, we explain these results by invoking the presence of both BES and in-plane forces electromechanical forces acting on the tip using an Euler–Bernoulli cantilever beam model. Notably, the IDS measurements support the electromechanical response of lithium niobate predicted with a rigorous electro-elastic model of a sharp PFM tip in the strong indentation contact limit [deff≈12pm/V, Kalinin et al., Phys. Rev. B 70, 184101 (2004)].
Angle monitor of micromirror array for freeform illumination in lithography systems
Authors: Zhang Jingwei , Hu Jingpei , Yang Zenghui , Zeng Aijun , Huang Huijie
Published: January 2024

Source and mask optimization is a critical technique for further resolution enhancement in immersion lithography systems, wherein the optimal illumination source shape is widely generated by the micromirror array. Accordingly, the accurate achievement of the allocated angles of micromirrors is a key prerequisite for the implementation of arbitrary illumination patterns. In this paper, we propose an angle monitor to ensure the high-precision tilting of thousands of biaxial micromirrors. As one of the critical modules for closed-loop control of the two-dimensional micromirror array, the online monitor feeds the monitored high-precision tilt angle back to the processing system. The angle monitor mainly consists of the spot scanning module and the angle detection module. Among them, an f-θ lens and a Fourier transform lens with satisfied performances are designed and evaluated by CODE V. Furthermore, a galvanometer and the designed f-θ lens are adopted for the generation of the spot array irradiated on the electrostatic actuated mirrors. Meanwhile, the designed Fourier transform lenses are employed to detect the corresponding tilt angles. In addition, the performance of the proposed system is identified by simulations and experiments individually. It is demonstrated that the monitorable biaxial tilt range of the system is (−2.5°, +2.5°) with a repeatability of better than 0.005°. The large-format micromirror array can be monitored completely without optical cross-talk. Through the device, a 16 × 16 micromirror array is monitored, where the initial angle with no bias voltage applied is captured and the voltage–angle relation for individual micromirrors is obtained. In general, the proposed system can be utilized in the illumination system, providing an efficient and reliable method for complex source shape generation.
Strong misalignment tolerance wireless power transfer with active adjustment of magnetic shielding
Authors: Dai Zhongyu , Li Mengze , Xu Haoran , Ji Mengrui , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2024

The variation of mutual-inductance is the essential reason for fluctuation of transmission power and efficiency during wireless power transfer (WPT) misalign. To maintain output power stability, current methods, such as primary regulation, secondary conversion, magnetic coupling mechanism (MCM) optimization, and compensation topology design, have not changed the characteristic of mutual-inductance changing with misalignment. A strong misalignment tolerance WPT system based on the influence of high permeability magnetic materials on equivalent electrical parameters of MCM is proposed. When the primary and secondary sides of MCM shift, the relative distance between magnetic shielding and coil (RDMSC) is adjusted to maintain the stability of mutual-inductance. The transmission efficiency and power are not affected by misalignment. Alternatively, RDMSC can be actively adjusted to meet the various needs of diverse loads at different times. Simulations and experiments are conducted. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme that RDMSC is actively adjusted to overcome misalignment is verified. This is a new method based on active adjustment of spatial electromagnetic coupling, which provides a new idea for WPT to overcome the influence of misalignment and maintain stable output.
Hysteresis-free perovskite solar cells with over 24% efficiency enabled by ZnCl2 doped SnO2 electron transfer layer
Authors: Zeng Qiang , Ma Qingman , Pan Yining , Liao Xiang , Li Linhong , Yang Wentong , Liu Fangyang
Published: January 2024

Tin dioxide (SnO2) has been widely applied as the electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells. However, the SnO2 with low conduction band minimum that has mismatched energy levels between the perovskite film and severe SnO2/perovskite interfacial defects is liable to cause nonradiative recombination. In order to modify the SnO2 layer, herein, we introduced the zinc chloride (ZnCl2) hydrochloric acid solution into the SnO2 nanocrystals solution (SnO2–Zn) and proved that ZnCl2 doping in the SnO2 ETL is a simple and low-cost passivation method, which can significantly improve the efficiency and stability of devices and remove the hysteresis. Ultimately, an enhancement of open-circuit voltage from 1.13 to 1.16 V and an increased corresponding power conversion efficiency from 22.88% to 24.12% are achieved for the devices using SnO2–Zn ETL.
Time-resolved study of laser-induced phase separation in CsPb(IxBr1−x)3 perovskite under high pressure
Authors: Wu Di , Li Nana , Liu Bingyan , Guan Jiayi , Li Mingtao , Yan Limin , Wang Junyue , Peng Shang , Wang Bihan , Dong Hongliang , Du Xueyan , Guo Songhao , Yang Wenge
Published: January 2024

Mixed-halide perovskites have attracted extensive interest with their broadly tunable bandgap and optoelectronic properties, which makes them ideal candidates for various solar cells and light-emitting diodes. However, the mixed-halide perovskites often encounter phase separation and degradation under light illumination, which prevents them from many optoelectronic applications. The study on the underlying mechanism and the controlling of the phase separation is crucial to improve the tailored properties for practical applications. Here, we report our systematical investigations of the time-resolved photoluminescence shift and crystal structure evolution on the nanocrystalline CsPb(IxBr1−x)3 perovskite under intense laser illumination and found the increasing contribution of bromine-rich phase over time. Furthermore, we subject the nanocrystalline CsPb(IxBr1−x)3 perovskite to a quasi-hydrostatic pressure environment and observed that the phase separation slows down quickly with increasing pressure and can be totally suppressed at a rather mild pressure below 0.2 GPa. These findings suggest the light-induced separation of the crystalline structure, and their optoelectronic properties can be largely suppressed, which provides a useful approach to overcome the problem caused by the intense light applications.
Demonstrating resonant ultrasound spectroscopy as a viable technique to characterize thermally conditioned high explosive materials
Authors: Lum Jordan S. , Stobbe David M. , Mirkarimi Paul B. , Shaw William L. , Reinstein Henry E. , Lindsey Rebecca K. , Gee Richard H.
Published: January 2024

We present results of resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) measurements applied to granular high explosive materials at different bulk pressing densities and degree of thermal conditioning. The material chosen in this study is a ubiquitously used explosive material known as pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), which is used commercially in civil and defense applications both as a binderized plastic bonded explosive material and an unbinderized neat material. However, changes in granular PETN bulk elastic properties due to thermal conditioning, which could have implications for better understanding environmental aging-related effects, have not been well studied even though it is believed that elasticity may play an important role in explosive material initiation mechanisms. Furthermore, monitoring elastic property changes in granular explosive pressings has not yet been demonstrated using RUS, which is an appealing non-destructive characterization tool that requires only dry point contact with the explosive material. To this end, we report the first study using RUS to quantify the elastic properties of binderized and neat PETN pressings as well as to quantify changes in elastic properties as a function of both thermal conditioning and bulk pressing density. Elastic stiffness coefficients, sometimes more commonly referred to as elastic constants, calculated from the RUS measurements on the different PETN-based materials show a significant increase for the post-conditioned samples compared to the pre-conditioned samples. This trend of increasing elastic properties with thermal conditioning was consistent for different density pressings, different thermal exposure conditions, and even different neat PETN pressings of differing average crystal sizes and/or specific surface areas.
Adaptive cooling strategy via human hair: High optothermal conversion efficiency of solar radiation into thermal dissipation
Authors: Pal Sudip Kumar , Jeong Soohyun , Otoufat Tohid , Bae Hoyeon , Kim Gunwoo
Published: January 2024

Natural species have developed complex nanostructures in a hierarchical pattern to control the absorption, reflection, or transmission of desired solar and infrared wavelengths. This bio-inspired structure is a promising method to manipulating solar energy and thermal management. In particular, human hair is used in this article to highlight the optothermal properties of bio-inspired structures. This study investigated how melanin, an effective solar absorber, and the structural morphology of aligned domains of keratin polymer chains, leading to a significant increase in solar path length, which effectively scatter and absorb solar radiation across the hair structure, as well as enhance thermal ramifications from solar absorption by fitting its radiative wavelength to atmospheric transmittance for high-yield radiative cooling with realistic human body thermal emission.
Effect of a sensing charge mutation on the deactivation of KV7.2 channels
Authors: Mehrdel Baharak , Villalba-Galea Carlos A.
Published: January 2024

Potassium-selective, voltage-gated channels of the KV7 family are critical regulators of electrical excitability in many cell types. Removing the outermost putative sensing charge (R198) of the human KV7.2 shifts its activation voltage dependence toward more negative potentials. This suggests that removing a charge “at the top” of the fourth (S4) segment of the voltage-sensing domain facilitates activation. Here, we hypothesized that restoring that charge would bring back the activation to its normal voltage range. We introduced the mutation R198H in KV7.2 with the idea that titrating the introduced histidine with protons would reinstate the sensing charge. As predicted, the mutant’s activation voltage dependence changed as a function of the external pH (pHEXT) while modest changes in the activation voltage dependence were observed with the wild-type (WT) channel. On the other hand, the deactivation kinetics of the R198H mutant was remarkably sensitive to pHEXT changes, readily deactivating at pHEXT 6, while becoming slower to deactivate at pHEXT 8. In contrast, the KV7.2 WT displayed modest changes in the deactivation kinetics as a function of pHEXT. This suggested that the charge of residue 198 was critical for deactivation. However, in a surprising turn, the mutant R198Q—a non-titratable mutation—also displayed a high pHEXT sensitivity activity. We thus concluded that rather than the charge at position 198, the protonation status of the channel’s extracellular face modulates the open channel stabilization and that the charge of residue 198 is required for the voltage sensor to effectively deactivate the channel, overcoming the stabilizing effect of high pHEXT.
Electromagnetohydrodynamic flow through a periodically grooved channel
Authors: Dewangan Mainendra Kumar , Persoons Tim
Published: January 2024

This paper harnesses the spectral approach to study electromagnetohydrodynamics (EMHD) flow through an undulating 2D microchannel for a Newtonian fluid. The present study aims to investigate EMHD flow through a periodically patterned channel for large values of corrugation amplitude (surface roughness) relative to the channel height, Hartmann number and a wide range of wavelengths. A mathematical model is developed for the hydraulic permeability and the velocity field using the Fourier approach. By imposing a small pattern amplitude constraint, asymptotic analysis was employed to investigate the model presented in the literature. In the present study, hydraulic permeability is shown to strongly depend on the Hartmann number, pattern amplitude and wavelength. The spectral method predicts a monotonic decrease in hydraulic permeability irrespective of pattern amplitude at a small dimensionless wavelength (λ = 1) and Hartmann number (Ha < 1). At large wavelengths (λ > 3), the hydraulic permeability demonstrates an augmentation corresponding to the pattern amplitude. At intermediate wavelength (

2.5
<
λ
<
3

), the permeability of the channel firstly decreases and then increases with pattern amplitude. For large Hartmann numbers

(
H
a
≫
1
)

, the prediction from the spectral model exhibits a similar trend as a function of wavelength. Across a range of wavelengths, the spectral model captured the permeability minima for various large Hartmann number values. The spectral model is significantly faster than the finite-element-based numerical simulation, with computational efficiency ranging from 150 to 250 times higher. The existence of a limited pattern amplitude and Hartmann number for small-large wavelength patterns, at which the permeability of the channel is minimized, is one example of a prediction from the spectral model that is beyond the resolution of currently accessible asymptotic theories.
Digital twins for metrology; metrology for digital twins
Authors: Wright Louise , Davidson Stuart
Published: January 2024

Digital twinning is a rapidly growing area of research. Digital twins combine models and data to provide up-to-date information about the state of a system. They support reliable decision-making in fields such as structural monitoring and advanced manufacturing. The use of metrology data to update models in this way offers benefits in many areas, including metrology itself. The recent activities in digitalisation of metrology offer a great opportunity to make metrology data ‘twin-friendly’ and to incorporate digital twins into metrological processes. This paper discusses key features of digital twins that will inform their use in metrology and measurement, highlights the links between digital twins and virtual metrology, outlines what use metrology can make of digital twins and how metrology and measured data can support the use of digital twins, and suggests potential future developments that will maximise the benefits achieved.
Virtual dosimetry study with three cone-beam breast computed tomography scanners using a fast GPU-based Monte Carlo code
Authors: Mettivier Giovanni , Lai Youfang , Jia Xun , Russo Paolo
Published: January 2024

Objective. To compare the dosimetric performance of three cone-beam breast computed tomography (BCT) scanners, using real-time Monte Carlo-based dose estimates obtained with the virtual clinical trials (VCT)-BREAST graphical processing unit (GPU)-accelerated platform dedicated to VCT in breast imaging. Approach. A GPU-based Monte Carlo (MC) code was developed for replicating in silico the geometric, x-ray spectra and detector setups adopted, respectively, in two research scanners and one commercial BCT scanner, adopting 80 kV, 60 kV and 49 kV tube voltage, respectively. Our cohort of virtual breasts included 16 anthropomorphic voxelized breast phantoms from a publicly available dataset. For each virtual patient, we simulated exams on the three scanners, up to a nominal simulated mean glandular dose of 5 mGy (primary photons launched, in the order of 1011–1012 per scan). Simulated 3D dose maps (recorded for skin, adipose and glandular tissues) were compared for the same phantom, on the three scanners. MC simulations were implemented on a single NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card. Main results. Using the spread of the dose distribution as a figure of merit, we showed that, in the investigated phantoms, the glandular dose is more uniform within less dense breasts, and it is more uniformly distributed for scans at 80 kV and 60 kV, than at 49 kV. A realistic virtual study of each breast phantom was completed in about 3.0 h with less than 1% statistical uncertainty, with 109 primary photons processed in 3.6 s computing time. Significance. We reported the first dosimetric study of the VCT-BREAST platform, a fast MC simulation tool for real-time virtual dosimetry and imaging trials in BCT, investigating the dose delivery performance of three clinical BCT scanners. This tool can be adopted to investigate also the effects on the 3D dose distribution produced by changes in the geometrical and spectrum characteristics of a cone-beam BCT scanner.