bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post-synthetic modification of semiconductor nanoparticles can generate lanthanide luminophores and modulate the electronic properties of preformed nanoparticles
Authors: Rudra Saoni , Bhar Madhumita , Mukherjee Prasun
Published: August 2023

Post-synthetic modification of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) provides a unique lesser synthetically demanding opportunity to access nanomaterials those are oftentimes not directly realizable by conventional synthetic routes. Trivalent lanthanide (Ln3+) incorporated (doped) semiconductor NPs can benefit from individual properties of the NPs and Ln3+ moieties. This work summarizes key outcomes from experiments when (a) ZnS /CdS /CdSe NPs are post-synthetically treated with Ln3+ to generate ZnS/Ln or CdSe/Ln [Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb] and CdS/Ln [Eu, Tb] NPs, (b) synthetically Tb3+ doped Zn(Tb)S NPs are post-synthetically modified with varying concentration of heavy metals like Pb2+/Cd2+ to generate Zn(Tb)S/M [M = Pb, Cd] NPs, and (c) the pH of Zn(Tb)S NPs aqueous dispersion is varied post-synthetically. Key observations from these experiments include (a) incorporation of Ln in all the post-synthetically prepared CA/Ln NPs, with presence of host sensitized dopant emission in select cases that can be rationalized by a charge trapping mediated dopant emission sensitization processes, (b) existence of rich photophysics in the sub-stoichiometric reactant concentration ratio, and (c) identifying the alteration of surface capping ligand structure as an important variable to control the Ln3+ emission. In summary, these experimental observations provide an easy control of reaction conditions either to generate Ln3+ inorganic NP luminophores or to control their electronic properties by modulating either the NP’s core or surface properties, and are of potential usefulness in various luminescence based applications.
Success rates of fixation techniques on prevention of esophageal stent migration: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Papaefthymiou Apostolis , Gkolfakis Paraskevas , Basiliya Kirill , Ramai Daryl , Tziatzios Georgios , Sehgal Vinay , Telese Andrea , Norton Benjamin , Aslam Nasar , Johnson Gavin , Haidry Rehan
Published: August 2023

Background Esophageal stenting is an important intervention for managing malignant and benign dysphagia, with stent migration representing a common drawback. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to assess the benefit of stent fixation over nonfixation.

Methods A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases until January 2023 for comparative studies evaluating the migration rates of esophageal stents with versus without (control) fixation. The primary outcome was migration rate. Secondary outcomes included adverse event rate. A subgroup analysis stratified the results based on different fixation techniques: suturing, over-the-scope (OTS) clipping, and through-the-scope (TTS) clipping. Meta-analysis was based on a random effects model and the results were reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95 %CIs.

Results 10 studies (1014 patients) were included. The rate of stent migration was significantly lower after fixation (OR 0.20, 95 %CI 0.11–0.37; I2
 = 59 %, P = 0.01). The adverse event rate was similar between fixation and control groups (OR 0.65, 95 %CI 0.28–1.52; I2
 = 55 %, P = 0.06). In the subgroup analysis, all fixation techniques remained superior to nonfixation of stents (suturing OR 0.23, 95 %CI 0.10–0.53; OTS clips OR 0.31, 95 %CI 0.17–0.58; TTS clips OR 0.10, 95 %CI 0.03–0.38); however, only the OTS and TTS clip groups achieved nonsignificant heterogeneity (I2
 = 0 %, P = 0.67 and P = 0.73, respectively). No difference between techniques was recorded for migration rates.

Conclusion Esophageal stent fixation was associated with significantly lower migration rates compared with nonfixation of stents, regardless of fixation technique and stenting indication.
Total Synthesis and Structure Revision of Saniculamoid D
Authors: Ota Koichiro , Miyaoka Hiroaki , Kamaike Kazuo
Published: August 2023

We present the first asymmetric total synthesis of the norsesquiterpenoid saniculamoid D, from a previously known pure chiral imide, with a longest linear sequence of seven steps. The key highlight of the synthesis is the formation of the bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane moiety through the Julia–Kocienski olefination and Hodgson cyclopropanation. Notably, the NMR spectra and specific rotation value of the synthesized structure did not agree with those of the natural compound. However, a meticulous comparison of the data prompted the reassignment of the correct structure of saniculamoid D, which now corresponds to the structure initially proposed for chromolaevanedione.
Management of the Middle Vault
Authors: Pruthi Asheema , Dobratz Eric , Dougherty William
Published: August 2023

Early reductive rhinoplasty techniques focused on hump reduction and tip plasty with minimal focus on treating or preserving the integrity and width of the middle vault. With time, rhinoplasty surgeons noted the aesthetic and functional complications of the deformities that may occur in the middle vault with reduction techniques and developed methods to treat and also avoid these complications. Thus, the importance of protecting the integrity of the middle third of the nose has been increasingly emphasized over the years. Primary deformities of the middle vault that result in nasal obstruction require attention of the rhinoplasty surgeon, as well as preservation of support structures of the middle vault and internal nasal valve to minimize secondary deformities and functional compromise after rhinoplasty surgery.
Evaluation of the efficacy of peripheral nerve block alone in episodic and chronic migraine patients
Authors: Evcili Gokhan , Yabalak Ahmet
Published: August 2023

Background Peripheral nerve block (PNB) is usually performed in patients with migraine who are resistant to treatment with medications.

Objective To compare the efficacy of PNB alone and PNB combined with prophylactic medications in migraine patients.

Method The data on migraine patients who underwent PNB in our clinic between November 2019 and January 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Blocks of the greater occipital nerve (GON), lesser occipital nerve (LON) and supraorbital nerve (SON) were performed upon admission and in the second week.

Results The study included 116 patients. While 21 out of 39 episodic migraine (EM) patients continued to use prophylactic medications, 18 were followed up with PNB alone. While 49 out of 77 chronic migraine (CM) patients continued to use prophylactic medications, 28 were followed up with PNB alone. Comparison of the admission and second-month data of the patients who only underwent PNB and those who continued the drug treatment together with PNB in both the EM and the CM group showed that the number of days with pain, number of analgesics taken and scores on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) were significantly reduced in both groups (p < 0.01). Comparison of the second-month data of the patients followed up with PNB alone and those followed up with PNB together with prophylactic medications showed that there was no significant difference between the EM and CM patients (p > 0.05).

Conclusion Bilateral GON, LON and SON block with lidocaine injection seems to be an effective treatment on its own, without the need for prophylactic medications, in both EM and CM patients during a two-month follow-up.
Duplication of Foot*
Authors: Chari P. S.
Published: August 2023

A rare case of partial duplication of foot is presented. A few reports are scattered in the literature and this case is presented with the hope that a larger collection, with morphological details, may help in the understanding of the embryogenesis and a possible classification. The literature describing its occurrence has been briefly reviewed.
Scar Irritation in Churg Strauss Syndrome (A Case Report)
Authors: Khan Masood H. , Raza Habib M. , Naim Mohammad
Published: August 2023

A rare case of this syndrome with a different clinical picture, i.e. of chronic irritation, swelling, and ulcers around a scar on the face is being presented.
A Soft Wire Chinese Finger Grip
Authors: Prakash Satya
Published: August 2023

The soft wire Chinese finger grip offers a convenient mode of applying traction on fingers, pulling them apart if necessary and helps in application of plaster case in the region. It can also be used for suspending the upper limb during surgery and for elevation of the hand. It is durable and can be easily sterilized. It is almost inexpensive and has been used by the author for more than 25 years without any regrets.
Unstable Elbow-Skin Shortage a Stabilising Factor
Authors: Prakash Satya
Published: August 2023

A 56-year old patient had his elbow trapped in his turned over car 21 years ago. The lower articular surfaces of the humerus were grossly comminuted and just fell out during dressings. The bone gap was large. The large raw area was covered with skin graft which only partially survived. Healing occurred by scarification and development of contracture. The contracted grafted area stabilized the joint which is still functional.
Luxury tourism and purchase intention factors: a mixed approach applied to luxury goods
Authors: Gil-Cordero Eloy , Ledesma-Chaves Pablo , Yoo Sunghoon , Han Heesup
Published: August 2023

This research explores the key drivers of purchase intention for luxury goods in the new tourism era after the pandemic via constructs associated with the behavior of tourist consumers of luxury goods and the business strategy regarding them. The mixed methodology allowed for a twofold objective with the investigation of purchase intention to clearly establish what the most important determinants that affect purchase intention are, and, secondly, to determine to some extent the order, importance, and combination of these determinants. The PLS-SEM demonstrated price, vanity, communication, and social influence as increasing purchase intention. The QCA analysis evidences value and vanity as the necessary conditions for intention.
Transverse instability in nonparaxial systems with four-wave mixing
Authors: Tamilselvan K. , Govindarajan A. , Senthil Pandian M. , Ramasamy P.
Published: August 2023

We present a two-dimensional coupled nonlinear Schrödinger-like system with spatial diffractions, degree of birefringence, and four-wave mixing. This system describes two physical contexts: optical pulse propagation beyond the paraxial approximation in a weakly birefringence waveguide and light propagation near exciton–polariton resonance in semiconductor superlattice materials. We find that such systems naturally support different types of diffraction profiles, including spherical, ellipsoidal, and hyperbolic structures. We then study the transverse instability of the two-dimensional system caused by an infinitesimal perturbation-induced continuous-wave solution. Also, we find out how various physical parameters, such as nonparaxiality, degree of birefringence, power, and four-wave mixing, affect the modulational instability (MI) process, in particular. We explore the existence of bright solitary wave solutions for the proposed system as the influence of MI is closely related to the latter in a nutshell.
Higher-order link prediction via local information
Authors: Liu Bo , Yang Rongmei , Lü Linyuan
Published: August 2023

Link prediction has been widely studied as an important research direction. Higher-order link prediction has gained, in particular, significant attention since higher-order networks provide a more accurate description of real-world complex systems. However, higher-order networks contain more complex information than traditional pairwise networks, making the prediction of higher-order links a formidable challenging task. Recently, researchers have discovered that local features have advantages over long-range features in higher-order link prediction. Therefore, it is necessary to develop more efficient and concise higher-order link prediction algorithms based on local features. In this paper, we proposed two similarity metrics via local information, simplicial decomposition weight and closed ratio weight, to predict possible future higher-order interactions (simplices) in simplicial networks. These two algorithms capture local higher-order information at two aspects: simplex decomposition and cliques’ state (closed or open). We tested their performance in eight empirical simplicial networks, and the results show that our proposed metrics outperform other benchmarks in predicting third-order and fourth-order interactions (simplices) in most cases. In addition, we explore the robustness of the proposed algorithms, and the results suggest that the performance of these novel algorithms is advanced under different sizes of training sets.
Stochastic control of spiking activity bump expansion: Monotonic and resonant phenomena
Authors: Zakharova Anna , Semenov Vladimir V.
Published: August 2023

We consider spatially localized spiking activity patterns, so-called bumps, in ensembles of bistable spiking oscillators. The bistability consists in the coexistence of self-sustained spiking dynamics and a quiescent steady-state regime. We show numerically that the processes of growth or contraction of such patterns can be controlled by varying the intensity of multiplicative noise. In particular, the effect of noise is monotonic in an ensemble of coupled Hindmarsh–Rose oscillators. On the other hand, in another model proposed by Semenov et al. [Semenov et al., Phys. Rev. E 93, 052210 (2016)], a resonant noise effect is observed. In that model, stabilization of activity bump expansion is achieved at an appropriate noise level, and the noise effect reverses with a further increase in noise intensity. Moreover, we show the constructive role of nonlocal coupling that allows us to save domains and fronts being totally destroyed due to the action of noise in the case of local coupling.
Chaotic signal generation in a CW K-band gyro-TWT with strong output reflections
Authors: Rozental R. M. , Klinshov V. V. , Samsonov S. V. , Bogdashov A. A. , Gachev I. G.
Published: August 2023

We experimentally study the dynamics of a K-band continuous wave gyro-resonant traveling wave tube (gyro-TWT) with strong output reflections. By varying system parameters, we have obtained transitions from periodic self-modulation regimes with line spectra to more complex oscillation regimes. We present the analysis of experimental data verifying the experimental observation of chaotic oscillation regimes. We have shown that chaotic oscillation regimes emerge in a fairly narrow parameter area, about 0.5% of magnetic field strength and about 10% of reflectivity. Maximum oscillation power reaches 0.5 kW at about 2% efficiency. For a gyro-TWT with output reflections operating in the CW mode, the chaotic oscillations are being experimentally observed and systematically analyzed for the first time.
Multicomponent digital core construction and three-dimensional micro-pore structure characterization of shale
Authors: Liu Jilong , Xie Ranhong , Guo Jiangfeng , Xu Chenyu , Wei Hongyuan
Published: August 2023

The components and pore structure of shale are complex due to the heterogeneous distribution of organic matter and the complex distributions of the minerals. The digital core, possessing the advantages of being economical and reusable, can be widely used to directly characterize the three dimensional (3D) micro-pore structure and to numerically simulate its physical properties. During construction of a digital shale core, it is a challenge to solve the multicomponent segmentation for the digital shale core, the contradiction between the sample size and image resolution, and the identification of the pore types in the 3D pore space. Therefore, an automatic workflow based on the gray gradient-maximum entropy-3D morphology was developed. The gray gradient-maximum entropy algorithm was used to segment each sub-image of focused ion beam scanning electron microscope images to generate segmented images. On this basis, the pore size distribution was optimized via 3D morphological erosion. Based on the concept of pore clusters, the organic and inorganic pores were identified using the 3D morphological method for the first time. The construction of a multicomponent digital shale core was realized. The 3D micro-pore structure of the organic and inorganic pores was characterized by pore connectivity, heterogeneity, and pore size distribution. The accuracy of the proposed method was verified using low-temperature N2 adsorption experiment data. The results of this study provide new insight into the multicomponent digital shale core construction and lay the foundation for the characterization of the petrophysical properties and micro-/nano-scale fluid flow simulations of shale.
Tunable locking of calcite narrow frequency filters through modulation switching
Authors: López-Vázquez A. , Hernandez Raul Josue , Gomez Eduardo
Published: August 2023

Generating pairs of Raman beams for gravimetry with fiber phase modulators is quite convenient but generates additional frequencies that must be filtered. The frequency filtering could be achieved by using a long (dispersive) birefringent calcite crystal followed by a polarizer that blocks the transmission of certain laser frequencies, as has been shown before. Here, we present a method to tune such a filter to the desired frequency position. The correction signal for the feedback is obtained by comparing (subtracting) the transmission through the filter when sending light that has been phase modulated or not, taking advantage of the fiber modulator that is already installed in the system. The method allows for continuously alternating between using the modulator for monitoring the filter position and other uses, an important characteristic for the operation of a complete gravimetric sequence.
Numerical study of microdevice with surface acoustic waves for separation of gas mixtures
Authors: Kosyanchuk Vasily
Published: August 2023

Recently, it was shown that traveling surface acoustic waves (SAWs) can affect gas flow in microchannels. The effect of SAWs was studied in free-molecular flow regime, and it was shown that SAWs can induce separation of gas mixtures. In the present work, this effect is studied for denser flow regimes, which are more interesting from a practical point of view. The problem is studied numerically using own modification of the direct simulation Monte Carlo method on the example of a neon–argon mixture. The main finding is that SAWs still enhance separation of gas mixtures outflowing into vacuum through a microchannel under all studied rates of gas rarefaction up to Kn≈0.1. Another important practical result is that effect is present for wave speeds typical for existing SAWs (≈1000 m/s) and in a wide range of SAW amplitude to channel height ratios. Influence of other practical aspects, such as channel length, masses of species, and available magnitudes of material surface speed, are also briefly discussed.
Dielectric layer modulated nanofluidic transport: Formation of parent–sister vortices
Authors: Pandey Doyel , Mondal Pranab Kumar
Published: August 2023

Our analysis, consistent with the induced-charge electrokinetic, aptly discusses the effect of gate potential on the formation of vortices of disparate scales in a nanofluidic channel. The nanochannel considered here is connected with reservoirs at its ends, while a pair of dielectric gate electrodes is also embedded on the outer layer of the channel wall. In this endeavor, we establish that a suitable modulation of the dielectric polarization and inherent surface charge of the channel wall leads to the development of pair of “parent–sister” vortices in the flow field alongside yields a net flow in the channel, as well a unique fluidic functionality achieved at small scale is reported here for the first time. Moreover, we identify for the first time that the critical value of surface charge density (“critical-sigma,” i.e., σc) for two different typical heights of the nanofluidic channel, leading to the formation of maximum strength and size vortices by ceasing the net throughput. Also, we establish a critical range of surface charge density for a window of an arbitrary dimension of the dielectric gate electrode—a range for which optimum vortices are generated in the pathway, simultaneously producing adequate net flow through the channel. Under the present modeling configuration, we obtain that |σc|∼O(1 mC/m2) for a 1 μm long nanochannel having embedded quartz layer gate electrodes with gate potential |Vg|∼O(1 V). We believe that critical-sigma would be a crucial parameter for the design and fabrication of state-of-the-art nanodevices/nanosystems intended for augmented fluidic functionalities, for example, efficient solute mixing.
Collective quantum approach to resonant photo-plasmonic effect
Authors: Akbari-Moghanjoughi M.
Published: August 2023

In this research, we investigate the resonant photo-plasmonic effect in the framework of the dual length-scale driven damped collective quantum excitations of the spill-out electrons at the metal surface. The bulk plasmon and the spill-out electron excitations are modeled using the Hermitian and the damped non-Hermitian effective Schrödinger–Poisson systems, respectively, matched appropriately at the metal–vacuum boundary. It is shown that, when driven by an external field, the system behaves quite analogous to the driven damped mechanical oscillations in the wavenumber domain, causing the spill-out electron collective excitation resonance. However, in the current model, the resonance takes place due to matching of the wavenumber of the driving pseudoforce with that of the spill-out electron excitations, which can be either due to single-electron or collective oscillations. Hence, the RPP effect considered here leads to both conventional resonant photo-electric and the photo-plasmonic effects due to the dual-tone nature of collective quantum oscillations. The current model may be extended to a similar resonance effect in nanometer-sized metal surfaces with a non-planar geometry. A new equation of state for the electron number density of spill-out electrons is obtained, which limits the plasmonic response in high-density and low-temperature regime due to the small transition probability of electrons to the spill-out energy band.
Permeability model of fracture network based on branch length distribution and topological connectivity
Authors: Luo Yafei , Li Wenbin , Huang Fei
Published: August 2023

Fracture networks are of significance in the production of coalbed methane from unconventional reservoirs. However, the complex distribution and geometry of fracture networks make effective predictions of their permeability difficult. This study obtains the shape of a natural fracture network in coal based on a stereomicroscopy experiment and analyzes the structural characteristics of the fracture network using graph theory. The fractal scaling law for the branch length distribution of the fractures and the relationships among the fractal dimensions of the branch length distribution, fracture area, porosity, connectivity, and ratio of maximum to minimum branch length are established. A new permeability model for a complex fracture network is developed based on fractal theory, and two important fracture characteristics, namely, tortuosity and connectivity, are considered. The model is verified using the results of previous studies and seepage tests, and the influence of the fracture network characteristic parameters on the permeability is analyzed. The results show that the permeability increases with increasing porosity, fractal dimension, proportionality coefficient, maximum fracture branch length, and connectivity and decreases with increasing tortuosity fractal dimension and dip angle.
Mechanically exfoliated low-layered [Ca2CoO3]0.62[CoO2]: A single-crystalline p-type transparent conducting oxide
Authors: Okada Reiji , Isomura Hiroto , Sato Yoshiki J. , Okazaki Ryuji , Inoue Masayuki , Yoshioka Shinya
Published: August 2023

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are essential components of optoelectronic devices and various materials have been explored for highly efficient TCOs having a combination of high transmittance and low sheet resistance. Here, we focus on a misfit thermoelectric oxide [Ca2CoO3]0.62[CoO2] and fabricate the transparent low-layered crystals by a mechanical tape-peeling method using the single-crystalline samples. From the transmittance measurement, we find that the thickness of low-layered samples is several orders of hundred nanometers, which is comparable with the estimation from the scanning electron microscopy images. Compared to the previous results on the polycrystalline and c-axis oriented transparent films, the electrical resistivity is reduced owing to the single-crystalline nature. The figure of merit for the transparent conducting materials in the present low-layered samples is then evaluated to be higher than the values in the previous reports. The present results on the low-layered single-crystalline [Ca2CoO3]0.62[CoO2] may offer a unique class of multi-functional transparent thermoelectric oxides.
Ultrahigh electrostrain >1% in lead-free piezoceramics: Role of disk dimension
Authors: Adhikary Gobinda Das , Singh Digivijay Narayan , Tina Getaw Abebe , Muleta Gudeta Jafo , Ranjan Rajeev
Published: August 2023

Recently, a series of reports showing ultrahigh electrostrains (>1%) have appeared in several Pb-free piezoceramics. The ultrahigh electrostrain has been attributed exclusively to the defect dipoles created in these systems. We examine these claims based on another report (G. D. Adhikary and R. Ranjan, “Ultrahigh measured unipolar strain >2% in polycrystalline bulk piezoceramics: Effects of disc dimension,” arxiv.org/abs/2208.07134), which demonstrated that the measured electric field driven strain increased dramatically simply by reducing the thickness of the ceramic disks. We prepared some representative Pb-free compositions reported to exhibit ultrahigh strain and performed electrostrain measurements. We found that these compositions do not show ultrahigh electrostrain if the thickness of the disks is above 0.30 mm (the disk diameters were in the range of 10–12 mm diameter). The ultrahigh strain values were obtained when the thickness was below 0.30 mm. We compare the electrostrain obtained from specimens designed to exhibit defect dipoles with those obtained from stoichiometric compositions of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 and K0.5Na0.5NbO3-based lead-free systems and could obtain much higher strain levels (4%–5%) in the later specimens in the small thickness regime. Our results do not favor the defect dipole theory as the exclusive factor for causing ultrahigh strain in piezoceramics. A new approach is called for to understand the phenomenon of ultrahigh electrostrain caused by the thickness reduction of piezoceramic disks.
Anionic–zwitterionic viscoelastic surfactant strengthened air foams for heterogeneous reservoirs
Authors: Li Zhe , He Yingqi , Kang Wanli , Yang Hongbin , Zhou Bobo , Jiang Haizhuang , Hao Jiting , Ning Changyuan , Wang Huazheng
Published: August 2023

Foam flooding technology can effectively enhance oil recovery (EOR) and has conformance control in heterogeneous reservoirs. However, the stability of foam migrating through porous media is still a challenge with individual surfactant. Herein, we developed viscoelastic surfactant (VES) via the synergisms of anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) and zwitterionic (erucamidopropyl hydroxysulfobetaine, EHSB) surfactants to strengthen the air foams stability. First, the VES formulation was optimized by investigating the initial foaming volume (V0), drainage half-life (td), and foam half-life (tf) for VES solutions. Then, the oil–water interfacial tension (IFT) and emulsification of the optimum VES system were systematically studied. Particularly, emphasizes were placed on the anti-gas channeling ability, EOR performance, and mechanisms using the core-flooding and microfluidic experiments. The results showed that the V0, td, tf of air forms could be greatly improved to 400 ml, 56.6 min, and 36 h, respectively, with 0.3 wt. % SDS:EHSB at mass ratio of 1:1.3. This was attributed to the synergisms of anionic and zwitterionic surfactants through electrostatic attraction, which promoted the formation of entangled wormlike micelles and increase in the solution viscosity. In addition, the oil–water IFT could be lowered to 0.1 mN/m and thus rapidly emulsifying the crude oil. Finally, the VES strengthened air foams exhibited excellent anti-gas channeling ability and great EOR efficiency of 20.44% after water-flooding process in heterogeneous reservoirs. The EOR mechanisms involving emulsification, stripping the residual oil, and jamming effect were identified from pore-scale during the microfluidics experiments.
Anomalous interlayer vibrations in few-layer InSe induced by weak intralayer bonding
Authors: Wu Heng , Zhou Yan , Cai Yu-Xin , Lin Miao-Ling , Zhang Lijun , Tan Ping-Heng
Published: August 2023

Atomically thin InSe is a promising semiconductor that possesses exceptional plasticity, high electron mobility, and wide bandgap tunability, which are thought to be highly sensitive to interlayer coupling. Since the interlayer vibration modes can provide direct access to the interlayer coupling strength, in this study, we systematically investigated the interlayer modes in few-layer InSe using low-frequency Raman spectroscopy. We found that the commonly used linear chain model (LCM), which treats the single layer as a rigid entity, is inadequate in accurately describing the frequencies of interlayer shear modes in InSe due to the influence of weak in-plane intralayer In–In bonding. This issue can be addressed with a modified model that accounts for both the in-plane interlayer coupling between InSe layers and the in-plane intralayer interaction within InSe layers. However, the out-of-plane intralayer In–In bonding is strong enough so that it has negligible impact on the frequency of the interlayer layer-breathing modes, which can be well understood by the LCM. Our study reveals how the weak intralayer bonding in two-dimensional materials gives a non-negligible contribution to the corresponding interlayer vibrations.
Charge pumping electrically detected magnetic resonance of silicon carbide power transistors
Authors: Lew C. T.-K. , Sewani V. K. , Ohshima T. , McCallum J. C. , Johnson B. C.
Published: August 2023

Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices are becoming central components in high voltage electronics. However, defects at interfaces and in the bulk continue to severely impact their reliability and performance. Here, we develop a charge pumping method to characterize SiC/SiO2 interface defects in fully fabricated commercial SiC power metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). The method is then used to address spin states at the SiC/SiO2 interface via charge pumping electrically detected magnetic resonance (CP-EDMR). We apply these methods to investigate the power MOSFET after electron irradiation over a dose range of 1013−1017 cm−2. We finally discuss CP-EDMR as a technique to interrogate spins during device operation for real-time monitoring of the device quality, performance, and degradation and as a probe for local magnetic fields.
Maintaining separate maternal lines increases the value and applications of seed collections
Authors: van der Merwe Marlien M. , Bragg Jason G. , Dimon Richard , Fahey Patrick S. , Hogbin Patricia M. , Lu-Irving Patricia , Mertin Allison A. , Rossetto Maurizio , Wilson Trevor C. , Yap Jia-Yee Samantha
Published: August 2023

Context Given the effort and resources that go into collecting and maintaining seed collections, it is crucial that we maximise their usefulness. Conservation, restoration and research rely heavily on good quality collections in order to establish new populations, create habitat, minimise extinction and address scientific questions. Aims Although seed viability, excellent metadata and genetic representativeness make for good quality collections, we provide 10 detailed reasons why the maintenance of separate maternal lines further increases the quality and usefulness of seed collections. Key results Maternal line seed collections can accommodate new information, this is especially important given the increasing longevity of seed collections. For example, maintaining separate maternal lines facilitates accommodation of taxonomic changes, minimises the impact of erroneous plant identifications, and facilitates separation of polyploid races, hybrids and inappropriate lineages. Separate maternal line collections also facilitate better estimates of the genetic diversity captured, and consequently better inform conservation translocations and the establishment of conservation gardens and seed orchards. Separate maternal line collections can also expedite breeding for specific traits, such as disease resistance or other selective challenges that impact on biodiversity conservation. New seed microbiome data show how only some maternal lines contain pathogenic fungi, reminding seed collectors and collections managers that contamination can be better contained by keeping each maternal line separate. Conclusions and implications Maintaining separate maternal lines is a simple and effective way to increase the value of seed collections for multiple applications.
Effect of Fe addition on phase evolution, microstructure and properties of Ti50Ni50-XFeX alloy
Authors: Parida Jagadish , Mishra Subash Chandra , Behera Ajit
Published: August 2023

The work aims to study the effect of the Fe content on the properties of Ti50 Ni(50− X) Fe X alloy (where X = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 at.-%) sintered at 1050°C and 1150°C using the conventional sintering technique. The microstructure, chemical composition and phase evolution of the sample were analysed by SEM, EDS, and XRD, respectively, along with various properties. It was observed that the sintered sample microstructure consists of (Ni, Fe)-rich, and Ti-rich phases. Here, the porosity decreases, whereas density, hardness, and wear resistance increase with the increasing temperature. The 8at.-%Fe sample shows lower porosity and higher wear resistance, relative density and hardness value than other Fe content samples. The 2at.-%Fe sample sintered at 1050°C shows a higher shape recovery value compared to other compositions sintered at various temperatures.
Influence of music education in college on development of musical talents and creative (divergent) thinking of students (La influencia de la educación musical formal en el talento musical y el pensamiento creativo (divergente) de los estudiantes)
Authors: Shu Ying
Published: August 2023

Professional education formation accelerates implementing specialized areas of developing the right skills and knowledge that a music student should possess in their future career. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of music education in college on the development of individuals’ musical and creative abilities in comparison to self-taught musicians. The assessment involved the analysis of these aptitudes of the respondents using two separate techniques: Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Test to identify respondents’ musical aptitudes and Williams’ test battery to investigate divergent thinking. Given the timeliness and correctness of the execution of instructions for each of the tests, the original study sample included 190 individuals. Analysis of the research findings on the two parameters among the majority of respondents confirmed the expected correlation. As for the first factor of the analysis, approximately 53% of the respondents with musical intelligence demonstrated the expected correlation of this indicator with attendance of educational institutions. This being the case, 57% of respondents have a high level of creative thinking given attendance of a college of music.
What happens in the prefrontal cortex? Cognitive processing of novel and familiar stimuli in soccer: An exploratory fNIRS study
Authors: Schmaderer Lena F. , Meyer Mathilda , Reer Rüdiger , Schumacher Nils
Published: August 2023

The importance of both general and sport‐specific perceptual‐cognitive abilities in soccer players has been investigated in several studies. Although these perceptual‐cognitive skills could contribute significantly to soccer players’ expertise, the underlying cortical mechanisms have not been clarified yet. Examining activity changes in the prefrontal cortex under different cognitive demands may help to better understand the underlying mechanisms of sports expertise. The aim of this study was to analyse the prefrontal activity of soccer experts during general and sport‐specific cognitive tasks. For this purpose, 39 semi‐professional soccer players performed four perceptual‐cognitive tests, two of which assessed general cognition, the other two assessed sport‐specific cognition. Since soccer is a movement‐intensive sport, two tests were performed in motion. While performing cognitive tests, prefrontal activity was recorded using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) (NIRSport, NIRx Medical Technologies, USA). Differences of prefrontal activity in general and sport‐specific cognitive tasks were analysed using paired t‐tests. The results showed significant increases in prefrontal activity during general cognitive tests (novel stimuli) compared to sport‐specific tests (familiar stimuli). The comparatively lower prefrontal activity change during sport‐specific cognition might be due to learned automatisms of experts in this field. These results seem in line with previous findings on novel and automated cognition, “repetition suppression theory” and “neural efficiency theory”. Furthermore, the different cortical processes could be caused by altered prefrontal structures of experts and might represent a decisive factor for expertise in team sports. However, further research is needed to clarify the prefrontal involvement on expertise in general and sport‐specific cognition.
Urea transport in human red blood cells: Donor variation compared to chloride, glucose, and water transport
Authors: Leifelt Jonas , Dziegiel Morten Hanefeld , Brahm Jesper
Published: August 2023

We determined the permeability (P, cm/s) of unmodified human red blood cells (HRBC) to urea (Pu), chloride (PCl), glucose (Pglu), and water diffusion (Pd) under conditions of self-exchange (SE) with the continuous flow tube method at pH 7.2, 25°C. Among 24 donors, Pu at 1 mM varied >100%. Two of the donors were also tested in 1983. Their Pu had decreased by 77 and 90%. High age in males and Kidd genotype Jk(a+,b+), but not blood types AB0, appear related to low Pu. For one of the two donors, PCl (150 mM, 38°C, pH 7.2), Pglu (1 mM, 38°C, pH 7.2), and Pd (55.5 M, 25°C, pH 7.2) were determined then and now and showed no significant changes with age. The results from six more donors show donor PCl, Pglu, and Pd in the range of ≈1%. PCl and Pglu are vital for the metabolism of cells and tissues, and we see but little donor variation, and so far, no phenotypes without glucose (GLUT1) and anion (AE1) transporters in HRBC. Phenotypes with no urea transporter (UT-B) or no water transporters (aquaporin, AQP1) are registered and are compatible with life. Our results are in line with the concept that the solutes do not share pathways in common. The great donor variation in Pu must be considered in comparative transport physiological studies.
Critical screening parameters of one-electron systems with screened Coulomb potentials: circular Rydberg states
Authors: Xu Lei , Jiao Li Guang , Liu Aihua , Wang Yuan Cheng , Montgomery Jr Henry E , Ho Yew Kam , Fritzsche Stephan
Published: August 2023

The critical screening parameters (λ

c
) of one-electron systems in circular states under short-range screened Coulomb potentials (SCPs) are investigated using the generalized pseudospectral method. High-precision values of λ

c
are obtained for bound states with the principal quantum number n up to a thousand. The polynomial fittings based on the numerical values indicate that the high-Rydberg limits of the n
2-scaled critical screening parameters, i.e.

n

2

λ

c

, are equal to

2

/

e

,

1.295
220
475
783
830

, and

0.543
564
037
493
402

, respectively, for the Debye–Hückel, Hulthén, and exponential cosine SCPs. It is surprisingly found that these high-Rydberg limits can be well-reproduced from Bohr’s correspondence principle together with the semi-classical model of the hydrogen atom. We further show that both the present numerical calculations and the semi-classical analysis can be extended to other short-range potentials such as the generalized exponential, Lennard–Jones, modified Pöschl–Teller, shifted Morse, Woods–Saxon, and Manning–Rosen potentials that attract wide interest in atomic, molecular, and nuclear physics.
Annealing effects on the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of iron oxide nanoparticles self-assemblies
Authors: Fabris Fernando , Lima Enio , Nuñez Jorge Martín , Troiani Horacio E , Aguirre Myriam H , Leborán Victor , Rivadulla Francisco , Winkler Elin L
Published: August 2023

In magnetic tunnel junctions based on iron oxide nanoparticles the disorder and the oxidation state of the surface spin as well as the nanoparticles functionalization play a crucial role in the magnetotransport properties. In this work, we report a systematic study of the effects of vacuum annealing on the structural, magnetic and transport properties of self-assembled ∼10 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The high temperature treatment (from 573 to 873 K) decomposes the organic coating into amorphous carbon, reducing the electrical resistivity of the assemblies by 4 orders of magnitude. At the same time, the 3.Fe2+/(Fe3++Fe2+) ratio is reduced from 1.11 to 0.13 when the annealing temperature of the sample increases from 573 to 873 K, indicating an important surface oxidation. Although the 2 nm physical gap remains unchanged with the thermal treatment, a monotonous decrease of tunnel barrier width was obtained from the electron transport measurements when the annealing temperature increases, indicating an increment in the number of defects and hot-spots in the gap between the nanoparticles. This is reflected in the reduction of the spin dependent tunneling, which reduces the interparticle magnetoresistance. This work shows new insights about influence of the nanoparticle interfacial composition, as well their the spatial arrangement, on the tunnel transport of self-assemblies, and evidence the importance of optimizing the nanostructure fabrication for increasing the tunneling current without degrading the spin polarized current.
Pressure doesn’t make Venus hot: a computer exercise
Authors: Levenson Barton Paul
Published: August 2023

A persistent popular hypothesis is that atmospheric pressure, not the greenhouse effect, sets the surface temperatures of planets. With the aid of a very simple computer model, it is shown that this idea would require planetary atmospheres to be perpetual motion machines of the first kind.
Learnable PM diffusion coefficients and reformative coordinate attention network for low dose CT denoising
Authors: Zhang Haowen , Zhang Pengcheng , Cheng Weiting , Li Shu , Yan Rongbiao , Hou Ruifeng , Gui Zhiguo , Liu Yi , Chen Yang
Published: August 2023

Objective. Various deep learning methods have recently been used for low dose CT (LDCT) denoising. Aggressive denoising may destroy the edge and fine anatomical structures of CT images. Therefore a key issue in LDCT denoising tasks is the difficulty of balancing noise/artifact suppression and edge/structure preservation. Approach. We proposed an LDCT denoising network based on the encoder-decoder structure, namely the Learnable PM diffusion coefficient and efficient attention network (PMA-Net). First, using the powerful feature modeling capability of partial differential equations, we constructed a multiple learnable edge module to generate precise edge information, incorporating the anisotropic image processing idea of Perona–Malik (PM) model into the neural network. Second, a multiscale reformative coordinate attention module was designed to extract multiscale information. Non-overlapping dilated convolution capturing abundant contextual content was combined with coordinate attention which could embed the spatial location information of important features into the channel attention map. Finally, we imposed additional constraints on the edge information using edge-enhanced multiscale perceptual loss to avoid structure loss and over-smoothing. Main results. Experiments are conducted on simulated and real datasets. The quantitative and qualitative results show that the proposed method has better performance in suppressing noise/artifacts and preserving edges/structures. Significance. This work proposes a novel edge feature extraction method that unfolds partial differential equation into neural networks, which contributes to the interpretability and clinical application value of neural network.
A generalized AI method for pathology cancer diagnosis and prognosis prediction based on transfer learning and hierarchical split
Authors: Yin Pengzhi , Zhou Zehao , Liu Jingze , Jiang Nan , Zhang Junchao , Liu Shiyu , Wang Feiyang , Wang Li
Published: August 2023

Objective. This study aims to propose a generalized AI method for pathology cancer diagnosis and prognosis prediction based on transfer learning and hierarchical split. Approach. We present a neural network framework for cancer diagnosis and prognosis prediction in pathological images. To enhance the network’s depth and width, we employ a hierarchical split block (HS-Block) to create an AI-aided diagnosis system suitable for semi-supervised clinical settings with limited labeled samples and cross-domain tasks. By incorporating a lightweight convolution unit based on the HS-Block, we improve the feature information extraction capabilities of a regular network (RegNet). Additionally, we integrate a Convolutional Block Attention Module into the first and last convolutions to optimize the extraction of global features and local details. To address limited sample labels, we employ a dual-transfer learning (DTL) mechanism named DTL-HS-Regnet, enabling semi-supervised learning in clinical settings. Main results. Our proposed DTL-HS-Regnet model outperforms other advanced deep-learning models in three different types of cancer diagnosis tasks. It demonstrates superior feature extraction ability, achieving an average sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and F1 score of 0.9987, 1.0000, 1.0000 and 0.9992, respectively. Furthermore, we evaluate the model’s capability to directly extract prognosis prediction information from pathological images by constructing patient cohorts. The results show that the correlation between DTL-HS-Regnet predictions and the presence of cancer-associated fibroblasts is comparable to that of pathologists. Significance. Our proposed AI method offers a generalized approach for cancer diagnosis and prognosis prediction in pathology. The outstanding performance of the DTL-HS-Regnet model demonstrates its potential for improving current practices in image digital pathology, expanding the boundaries of cancer treatment in two critical areas.
Superdense coding for V-shaped channel and cylindrical geometry
Authors: Tayyab Ansha , Javed Seerat , Shaukat Muzzamal I
Published: August 2023

We have examined the possibility of quantum dense coding for the V-shaped channel and cylindrical geometry of plasmonic waveguides by assuming certain initial states at different dipole-dipole distances. It is found that the dense coding capacity initially decreases and then gradually increases until it becomes steady (χ = 1) at later time. We also revealed the optimal time valid for super-dense coding regarding each initial state. It is worth noting that dense coding capacity is valid for all other states for a time less than optimal time (t < τ

o
) except for pure state. The estimated optimal time for a V-shaped channel is prominent due to greater β-factor accomplishing it as a prosperous geometry for Superdense coding. The greater optimal time for V-shaped channel entitles this geometry a benchmark for the practical applications of quantum information technology.