bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitigation of membrane fouling in dye wastewater using a ternary WO3/CNT/ZnO composite photocatalytic membrane
Authors: Chong Wei Tze , Ong Yit Thai
Published: January 2025

The membrane filtration has been widely utilized in the water reclamation due to its simplicity in operation and outstanding separation performance. Nevertheless, the membrane filtration always suffers from the fouling issue which deteriorate the permeability of membrane. This study targeted to diminish the membrane fouling using a photocatalytic membrane. A ternary tungsten trioxide/carbon nanotube/zinc oxide (WO3/CNT/ZnO) composite photocatalyst was applied to form a ternary WO3/CNT/ZnO composite photocatalytic membrane via a wet processing technique. The highest efficiency to photodegrade methylene blue (MB) were obtained using the M5 ternary composite photocatalytic membrane. The presence of CNT and WO3 intensifies the photocatalysis in the ternary photocatalytic membrane to degrade MB. The ternary composite photocatalyst in membrane form displayed a competitive effectiveness in degrading MB when compared to particle form. The ternary composite photocatalytic membrane demonstrated a decreased permeation flux, accompanied by an increased rejection toward the MB when increasing the loading of ternary composite photocatalyst in the photocatalytic membrane. The analysis on the antifouling behaviour of the ternary composite photocatalytic membrane showed that approximately 95% of flux recovery ratio (Rfr) and 5% of irreversible fouling ratio (Rif) were obtained.
Optimizing Ti/RuO2-IrO2 – electro activated persulfate oxidation processes for the degradation of ammonia-nitrogen and color from landfill leachate using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Juni Farrandie , Sethupathi Sumathi , Bashir Mohammed JK , Xinxin Guo
Published: January 2025

Landfilling disposal method has raised many environmental concerns especially water pollution from the discharge of landfill leachate. This study is aimed at investigating degradation of ammonia and removal of color of landfill leachate by electro-persulfate activation using rutheniumiridium coated titanium (Ti-RuO2/IrO2) electrode. Process variables such as reaction time, current density and persulfate dosage were optimized using central composite design via response surface methodology (RSM). RSM models show high coefficient of determination, R2 of 0.9182 and 0.9249 for ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) and color respectively. The maximum removal efficiency for NH3-N and color were recorded as 83.7% and 65.8% respectively. Persulfate can be used in oxidation processes as an activating agent to remove NH3-N and color from landfill leachate.
Characterizations of rice husk based silica made from acid leaching extraction method
Authors: Muralli Arivalan , Hoe Kwan Wai , Aun Abbas Muhammad , Hasnolhadi Samsudin Muhammad
Published: January 2025

Rice husk is a material that is greatly acquired through agriculture, which opens up as a source for silica. It available in high quantity that has potential to be used in the concrete. Consequently, this research aims to address this gap by extracting and characterizing the silica from rice husks using the acid leaching method. The different leaching duration of for 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours is the main point of focus in this research. Leaching was done using 0.1 M HCl at room temperature. The XRD, EDX, and SEM are used to characterize the silica. The outcome has been achieved for leaching a period of 24 hour at room temperature was optimal for producing amorphous silica with minimal crystalline and smoothest surface morphology. The study explores an energy efficient and mass production method for silica extraction from rice husks.
Non-hydrostatic depth-integrated models for dam break flows through rigid-emergent vegetation
Authors: Mahmoud Adel A. , Ginting Bobby Minola , Uchida Tatsuhiko
Published: January 2025

Dam failures can trigger catastrophic downstream flooding, threatening lives, and infrastructure. Vegetation acts like a natural dam break flow buffer, dissipating energy, reducing wave height and celerity. This highlights importance of vegetation in flood mitigation strategies. Few existing numerical models consider how vegetation affects dam breaks. This is because it is difficult to calculate vegetation drag force in unsteady rapidly varied flows. This study addresses this gap by developing a non-hydrostatic depth-integrated model to simulate the effect of rigid emergent vegetation on dam break flows under various flow conditions. The model was validated with experimental data. Vegetation was simulated with wooden cylinders with different coverage areas and densities within a straight channel. Three dam break scenarios were investigated in the experiment using different Froude numbers to represent diverse flow regimes. The non-hydrostatic depth-integrated model of the General Bottom Velocity method (GBVC4- DWL) was developed to incorporate the vegetation effect through the drag force equation for non-uniform open channel flows. The results show that rigid emergent vegetation significantly reduces wave celerity and height, particularly downstream, demonstrating its importance in flood mitigation. The numerical model accurately predicted wave behaviour outside the vegetation zone but have difficulties within it, highlighting the need for the model to be improved to capture complex vegetation-flow interactions.
The culture of ecological centers as a significant element of urban life in eco-cities
Authors: Alina Shaikhieva , Anastasya Korovina , Sergey Tkach , Maya Rusakova
Published: January 2025

The study included an examination of user activities at an ecological centre in a major city, as well as the ecological culture that resulted from those actions. Non-participant observation and an offline questionnaire survey with 342 respondents were the methods used to acquire the data. The data is analysed using Jens S. Dangschat's notion of place habitus. The theoretical paradigm of habitus enables to analyse the community's ecological culture. The space itself benefits greatly from visitor behaviours; for example, a normal visitor's path is automated and predictable. Most users regularly come to the center, visit other eco-friendly spaces, and follow this topic on social networks. A significant proportion (47%) of respondents actively pursue environmentally friendly lifestyles, with occasional engagement in environmental organizations and infrequent financial contributions. A smaller but notable group (22%) demonstrates consistent engagement with environmental organizations through frequent visits and financial contributions. The center, with its spatial solutions, quickly places visitors in an ecological culture, which allows us to talk about the integrating role of the center.
Assessing Second-Trimester Ferning in Diagnosing Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes
Authors: Lende Michelle N. , Lee Derek , Bringley Johanna C. , Feustel Paul J. , Lynch Tara A.
Published: January 2025

Objective Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) diagnosis is made through visualization of amniotic fluid (pooling), nitrizine testing, sonographic low amniotic fluid, and microscopic detection of amniotic fluid arborization (ferning). Data exist on the specificity and sensitivity of ferning detection but have not focused on the second trimester. Our objective is to evaluate the presence of ferning in transvaginally collected amniotic fluid in pregnancies with known second-trimester PPROM to determine if there is a difference in ferning based on gestational age and sample drying time.

Study Design This was a prospective study evaluating amniotic fluid in individuals undergoing termination of pregnancy between 15 and 24 weeks gestation. A control vaginal swab was collected prior to rupture of membranes and a sample vaginal swab was collected at the time of rupture of membranes at a termination procedure. A 10-mL sample of amniotic fluid was collected too and then centrifuged to separate blood. Slides were analyzed at five different drying time intervals after rupture of membranes, on both the vaginal and centrifuged samples, and examined by two blinded investigators to assess for ferning. Maternal demographics, obstetrical history, and termination information were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses.

Results A total of 99 individuals consented and 93 were included. The mean gestational age at the time of the termination was 19.5 ± 2.5 weeks. There was a significant effect of drying time with the odds of observing ferning increasing with longer drying time, up to 10 minutes (p < 0.001). Gestational age did not impact ferning detection (p = 0.09). Centrifuging increased ferning detection by 15% at 10 minutes compared to the vaginal swab.

Conclusion In cases of known second-trimester PPROM, ferning was detected more often after 10 minutes of sample drying, and centrifuging the amniotic fluid to remove blood.

Key Points
Neurology pioneers in Japan
Authors: Teive Hélio A. Ghizoni , Coutinho Léo , Cardoso Francisco E. C. , Tsuji Shoji
Published: January 2025

The pioneers of neurology in Japan were professors Hiroshi Kawahara and Kinnosuke Miura. Kawahara published the first description of progressive bulbar palsy and wrote the first neurology textbook in Japan. Miura, on the other hand, published studies about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in addition to participating in the founding of the Japanese Society of Neurology. The influence of European neurology, particularly French and German, in the figures of Professor Jean-Martin Charcot and Professor Erwin Bälz, was fundamental in the consolidation of neurology in Japan.
Dosage of botulinum toxin in patients undergoing treatment for hemifacial spasm: is there modification during follow-up?
Authors: Dantas Fátima de Menezes , Freire Felipe Olobardi , Pessoa Neto Agábio Diógenes , Godeiro Júnior Clécio de Oliveira , Silva Rodrigo Alencar e
Published: January 2025

Background The movement disorder known as hemifacial spasm is characterized by involuntary contractions of the muscles that are innervated by the facial nerve. The treatment of choice for this condition is botulinum toxin injections.

Objective To analyze the botulinum toxin dosage in patients undergoing treatment for hemifacial spasm during a 14-year period.

Methods A retrospective study of medical records from patients treated at the Neurology Service of Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, from 2010 to 2024, was performed.

Results A total of 151 patients met the inclusion criteria. The dose of botulinum toxin revealed a statistically significant increase during the first 3.46 years of follow-up. In the long-term, a trend toward dose stabilization was identified. The median latency for the onset of effect was 4 days, while the median duration of effect was 3 months. All side effects were temporary, with the most common being hemifacial weakness (17.9%) and palpebral ptosis (3.3%). Most patients presented primary hemifacial spasm (88.1%), with a neurovascular conflict identified in 24.1% of cases.

Conclusion The increase in botulinum toxin dosage during the first years may be explained by dosage adjustment to control hemifacial spasm with the lowest possible doses. A prolonged interval between applications may also be associated with this increase. Dose stabilization tends to be achieved over time, indicating disease control.
Measuring What Matters: Patient-Reported Outcomes in Colon Cancer Care
Authors: Sokas Claire M. , Ivatury Srinivas Joga
Published: January 2025

Patients have common and personalized questions about expected outcomes after colon cancer treatment. Surgeons and oncologists can use high-quality clinical counseling and patient-reported outcomes to identify what matters most to each patient. This article reviews common patient-centered outcomes and how to elicit personalized outcomes, preferences, and values for patients facing colon cancer.
Universality in diffusion-controlled nucleation and growth
Authors: Tkachenko Alexei V.
Published: January 2025

Nucleation and growth are studied in a system that undergoes diffusion-controlled condensation under gradual changes in parameters, such as cooling. It is demonstrated that when the Gibbs–Thompson effect becomes negligible, the system falls into a universal regime. i.e., the final droplet size distribution remains invariant under certain rescaling of system parameters. An approximate yet very accurate analytic form is obtained for the final droplet size distribution in this regime.
Barcode encryption based on reflected spatial shifts on the surface of twisted black phosphorus/α-MoO3 heterostructure
Authors: Zhang Xiyue , Yu Di , Li Yubo , Song Haoyuan , Zhao Yutian , Fu Shufang , Wang Xuan-Zhang
Published: January 2025

In this work, we propose a heterostructure composed of multilayer twisted black phosphorous (BP) and α-phase molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO3) since the twist angles among BP layers may result in exotic phenomena. We theoretically investigate the impact of the primary physical parameters on the Goos–Hänchen (GH) and Imbert–Fedorov (IF) shifts in or near the reststrahlen bands, including the twisted angle, carrier density, and layer numbers of the twisted BP film. The optimal twisted BP/α-MoO3 heterostructure is selected for the different crystalline structure of α-MoO3, where the maximum of GH-shifts can achieve 11704.5λ0 (λ0 is the vacuum wavelength), resulting in a direct measurement. On the other hand, the IF-shift caused by the anisotropy of the twisted BP layer is increased at 1892.1λ0. Based on the tunable GH- and IF-shifts, information processing through two or four separate channels for barcode encryption is constructed and examined. The outcomes can serve as a guide for using GH- and IF-shift in optical encoder design.
Adsorption and diffusion behavior of CO2/N2 in coking coal matrix based on molecular simulation: Considering the effects of moisture and temperature
Authors: Wang Houwang , Zhu Hongqing , Xie Linhao , Duan Jiahao , Zhang Jie
Published: January 2025

The moisture content and temperature of coal has a significant impact on the efficacy of inert gases (CO2/N2) in inhibiting coal spontaneous combustion (CSC). Therefore, this study explores the changes in microporous structure, adsorption capacity, heat of adsorption as well as energy distribution and diffusion of CO2/N2 at varying moisture contents (1%–5%) and temperatures (303–343 K). The results demonstrate that water molecules gradually transform large pores in the microporous structure into multiple smaller pores, thus reducing the volume proportion of free pores. The adsorption of CO2/N2 is constrained by the pre-adsorbed water molecules occupying the adsorption sites. Both temperature and moisture exert similar effects on gas adsorption capacity, with higher levels of both reducing the adsorption capacity. Notably, temperature rise is associated with an increased heat of adsorption for the gas molecules. Under moisture effects, there is an observable positive relationship between the gas diffusion coefficient and the adsorption capacity. Conversely, there is a negative correlation with temperature. At low moisture content, CO2/N2 injection is enhanced. High temperatures reduce the effectiveness of CO2/N2 in preventing CSC, while heat can only be exchanged by diluting the oxygen concentration. These results provide crucial insights into the adsorption behavior of CO2/N2 at different temperatures and moisture contents.
A metal-only transmission metasurface with dual-layer configuration for generation of orbital angular momentum wave
Authors: Meng Xiangshuai , Zhang Haoyu , Wang Yujie , Wu Tao , Zhang Anxue , Chen Xiaoming
Published: January 2025

In this paper, we present a metal-only transmission metasurface adopting dual-layer elements with I-shaped grooves etched on each layer, which is designed for orbital angular momentum (OAM) generation. The special arrangement of the grooves on the elements results in a wider phase compensation range, and by varying the length of the grooves, a full 360° phase coverage with a transmission amplitude of more than −2 dB can be achieved at 10 GHz. As a proof of concept, a metal-only transmission metasurface composed of 400 elements is designed, fabricated, and measured. The simulated and measured results suggest that the OAM transmitted waves with the mode l = −1 can be efficiently generated by a double-layer metal-only metasurface at around 10 GHz. Compared with conventional configurations of OAM transmitted beam generation, this configuration has great potential for high power microwave and space environment applications.
Realization of p-type MA-based perovskite solar cells based on exposure of the (002) facet
Authors: Jia Sihui , Li Yixuan , Gao Cuina , Liu Guocai , Ren Yingke , He Chao , An Xing-Tao
Published: January 2025

The crystallographic orientation of perovskite crystals significantly influences their photoelectric performance and associated photovoltaic devices. The classic perovskite (MAPbI3) films based on solution processing usually suffer from chaotic orientations. The impact of preferential crystallographic orientation of MAPbI3 thin films on the carrier transport is still far from being well understood. In comparison with the (011) and (111) facets, our density functional theory results revealed that the hole carrier in the (001) facet exhibits superior carrier transport properties. Herein, the highly oriented (001) FAPbI3 could serve as growth templates and promote the (002) orientations of MAPbI3 perovskite. Furthermore, the p-type doping in MAPbI3 was obtained by controlling the amount of MAI. The (002)-dominated MAPbI3 perovskite with p-type characteristics exhibits exceptional carrier transport properties, thereby enhancing device performance.
Field-free ultrafast magnetization reversal of a nanodevice by a chirped current pulse via spin-orbit torque
Authors: Liu YaDong , Islam M. T. , Wang X. S. , Wang X. R. , Min T.
Published: January 2025

We investigate the magnetization reversal of a perpendicularly magnetized nanodevice using a chirped current pulse (CCP) via spin-orbit torques (SOTs). Our numerically simulated findings demonstrate that both the field-like (FL) and damping-like (DL) components of SOT in CCP can be efficiently utilized to induce ultrafast magnetization reversal without any symmetry-breaking means. For a wide frequency range of the CCP, the minimal current density is significantly smaller compared to the current density of conventional SOT-reversal. This ultrafast reversal is achieved due to the CCP triggering enhanced energy absorption (emission) of the magnetization from (to) the FL- and DL-components of SOT before (after) crossing over the energy barrier. We also verify the robustness of the CCP-driven magnetization reversal at room temperature. Moreover, this strategy is applicable also to induce field-free ultrafast and efficient switching of perpendicular synthetic antiferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic (SFi) nanodevices. The minimal current density of deterministic switching of the SFi system decreases significantly with the reduction of one layer's magnetization, mainly because the SOT amplitude is inversely proportional to the saturation magnetization. Therefore, this study enriches the basic understanding of field-free SOT-reversal and provides a way to realize ultrafast SOT-MRAM devices with various free layer designs.
Pressure swirl nozzles with different discharge orifice shapes injecting into transverse airflow
Authors: Kasmaiee Sa. , Tadjfar M. , Kasmaiee Si.
Published: January 2025

In this study, the influence of the discharge orifice shape of swirl liquid jets injected in transverse gas flow was investigated by high-speed photography and shadowgraphy techniques. Three shapes of discharge orifice, including circular, square, and elliptical were tested at different flow conditions. Due to the cross-sectional asymmetry in the ellipse, it is important to place it horizontally or vertically in airflow, and these two states are considered in this study. The main characteristics of liquid jets in transverse air, including trajectory, breakup point, jet width, breakup length, drop size distribution, and Sauter mean diameter, were obtained by image processing. Visualization of flow development revealed that the asymmetry of the swirl hollow cone in the transverse air causes an expanded new structure that cannot be seen in the circular cross section. This structure was called the conical bag and the inflated sheet in elliptical and square cross sections, respectively. The results indicate that the variations of momentum ratio are more effective in the path of non-circular swirl jets. The ellipse in the horizontal direction and square cross section have the breakup point's lowest transverse and longitudinal coordinates, respectively. Theoretical models for predicting swirl liquid jet trajectory and its breakup point were developed and presented. Gamma probability distribution function was fitted on the drop size according to the discrete distribution of the drop size. The results indicated that the distribution of elliptical shapes in the horizontal direction produces the smallest droplets among them while square cross section has a wider distribution.
Mutations disrupting the kinase domain of IKKα lead to immunodeficiency and immune dysregulation in humans
Authors: Riller Quentin , Sorin Boris , Courteille Charline , Ho-Nhat Duong , Le Voyer Tom , Debray Jean-Christophe , Stolzenberg Marie-Claude , Schmutz Muriel , Pellé Olivier , Becquard Thomas , Rodrigo Riestra María , Berteloot Laureline , Migaud Mélanie , Delage Laure , Jeanpierre Marie , Boussard Charlotte , Brunaud Camille , Magérus Aude , Bretot Charles , Michel Victor , Roux Camille , Picard Capucine , Masson Cécile , Bole-Feysot Christine , Cagnard Nicolas , Corneau Aurélien , Meyts Isabelle , Baud Véronique , Casanova Jean-Laurent , Fischer Alain , Dejardin Emmanuel , Puel Anne , Boulanger Cécile , Neven Bénédicte , Rieux-Laucat Frédéric
Published: January 2025

IKKα, encoded by CHUK, is crucial in the non-canonical NF-κB pathway and part of the IKK complex activating the canonical pathway alongside IKKβ. The absence of IKKα causes fetal encasement syndrome in humans, fatal in utero, while an impaired IKKα-NIK interaction was reported in a single patient and causes combined immunodeficiency. Here, we describe compound heterozygous variants in the kinase domain of IKKα in a female patient with hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent lung infections, and Hay–Wells syndrome-like features. We showed that both variants were loss-of-function. Non-canonical NF-κB activation was profoundly diminished in stromal and immune cells while the canonical pathway was unexpectedly partially impaired. Reintroducing wt CHUK restored non-canonical NF-κB activation. The patient had neutralizing autoantibodies against type I IFN, akin to non-canonical NF-κB pathway deficiencies. Thus, this is the first case of biallelic CHUK mutations disrupting IKKα kinase function, broadening non-canonical NF-κB defect understanding, and suggesting IKKα’s role in canonical NF-κB target gene expression in humans.
Revisiting gravitational angular momentum and mass dipole losses in the eikonal framework
Authors: Heissenberg Carlo , Russo Rodolfo
Published: January 2025

We review the description of classical gravitational scatterings of two compact objects by means of the eikonal framework. This encodes via scattering amplitudes both the motion of the bodies and the gravitational-wave signals that such systems produce. As an application, we combine the next-to-leading post-Minkowskian waveform derived in the post-Newtonian PN limit with the 4PM static loss due to the linear memory effect to reproduce known results for the total angular momentum loss in the center-of-mass frame up to

O

(

G
4

)

and 2.5PN order. We also provide similar expressions for the change in the system’s mass dipole, discussing the subtleties related to its sensitivity to the Coulombic components of the field and to the nonlinear memory effect.
Radiation exposure in concurrent abdominoplevic and chest CT Scans: an analysis of overlap and clinical impact
Authors: Mun Han Song , Lim Sanghyeok , Lee Ji Eun , Lee Min Hee , Choi Seo-Youn , Moon Ji Eun
Published: January 2025

This study investigated the additional radiation exposure, influencing factors, and clinical significance of overlapping Z-axis coverage in abdominopelvic CT scans performed consecutively after same-day chest CT scans. Data from 761 patients were analyzed, with measuring the total and overlapping Z-axis coverage of the portal venous phase in abdominopelvic CT scans. The average overlapping portion was 33.8 ± 12.1 mm, accounting for approximately 7.0% of the total scan length, contributing a dose-length product of 33.4 mGy*cm and an effective radiation dose of 0.5 mSv. Male sex and the total scan length were identified as significant factors influencing overlap (p = 0.002 and < 0.001, respectively). Despite overlapping scans frequently imaging the lower lungs, only 8.4% of abdominopelvic CT reports specifically mentioned lower lung abnormalities, indicating limited clinical utility. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing CT protocols to minimize the total length of the body covered in abdominopelvic scans, thereby reducing unnecessary radiation exposure during concurrent chest and abdominopelvic CT scans.
Weak fault feature extraction in non-Gaussian noise interference based on adaptive recombination empirical wavelet transform incorporated by sparse coding shrinkage
Authors: He Changbo , Ma Panpan , Zhi Yali , Hu Shaoliang , Wang Jinrui , Qiao Zijian , Lu Siliang
Published: January 2025

The fast kurtogram is a very useful tool in the field of fault diagnosis, but it also contains two drawbacks. On the one hand, its kurtosis indicator is susceptible to random impulse interference, leading to frequency band mis-selection. On the other hand, the frequency band division method determined by the tree filter bank may cause under or over decomposition problems. Therefore, in this paper, a novel fault diagnosis theory is constructed combining the adaptive recombination empirical wavelet transform (AREWT) with the envelope spectral energy ratio (ESER). Adaptive decomposition of frequency bands is first performed using AREWT. Afterwards, the ESER is proposed as a statistical indicator to choose the optimal demodulation frequency band which overcomes the effects of non-Gaussian noise interference and improves diagnostic accuracy. To further highlight the fault elements of the selected components, an adaptive sparse coding shrinkage algorithm is introduced for sparsely denoising sensitive components. Correspondingly, clear fault feature frequency components can be extracted from the envelope spectrum. Finally, the practicability and superiority of the proposed AREWT-ESER approach are fully validated through numerical simulation signals and case studies.
GMmorph: dynamic spatial matching registration model for 3D medical image based on gated Mamba
Authors: Lin Hao , Song Yonghong , Zhang Qi
Published: January 2025

Objective. Deformable registration aims to achieve nonlinear alignment of image space by estimating a dense displacement field. It is commonly used as a preprocessing step in clinical and image analysis applications, such as surgical planning, diagnostic assistance, and surgical navigation. We aim to overcome these challenges: Deep learning-based registration methods often struggle with complex displacements and lack effective interaction between global and local feature information. They also neglect the spatial position matching process, leading to insufficient registration accuracy and reduced robustness when handling abnormal tissues. Approach. We propose a dual-branch interactive registration model architecture from the perspective of spatial matching. Implicit regularization is achieved through a consistency loss, enabling the network to balance high accuracy with a low folding rate. We introduced the dynamic matching module between the two branches of the registration, which generates learnable offsets based on all the tokens across the entire resolution range of the base branch features. Using trilinear interpolation, the model adjusts its feature expression range according to the learned offsets, capturing highly flexible positional differences. To facilitate the spatial matching process, we designed the gated mamba layer to globally model pixel-level features by associating all voxel information, while the detail enhancement module, which is based on channel and spatial attention, enhances the richness of local feature details. Main results. Our study explores the model’s performance in single-modal and multi-modal image registration, including normal brain, brain tumor, and lung images. We propose unsupervised and semi-supervised registration modes and conduct extensive validation experiments. The results demonstrate that the model achieves state-of-the-art performance across multiple datasets. Significance. By introducing a novel perspective of position matching, the model achieves precise registration of various types of medical data, offering significant clinical value in medical applications.
Towards linking histological changes to liver viscoelasticity: a hybrid analytical-computational micromechanics approach
Authors: Shah Haritya , Guddati Murthy N
Published: January 2025

Motivated by elastography that utilizes tissue mechanical properties as biomarkers for liver disease, with the eventual objective of quantitatively linking histopathology and bulk mechanical properties, we develop a micromechanical modeling approach to capture the effects of fat and collagen deposition in the liver. Specifically, we utilize computational homogenization to convert the microstructural changes in hepatic lobule to the effective viscoelastic modulus of the liver tissue, i.e. predict the bulk material properties by analyzing the deformation of repeating unit cell. The lipid and collagen deposition is simulated with the help of ad hoc algorithms informed by histological observations. Collagen deposition is directly included in the computational model, while composite material theory is used to convert fat content to the microscopic mechanical properties, which in turn is included in the computational model. The results illustrate the model’s ability to capture the effect of both fat and collagen deposition on the viscoelastic moduli and represents a step towards linking histopathological changes in the liver to its bulk mechanical properties, which can eventually provide insights for accurate diagnosis with elastography.
Time-domain direct capacitive coupling detection technique applicable inside a cavity structure for determination of crossing frequency in a transmission microwave frequency spectrum
Authors: Cho Chulhee , Kim Sijun , Lee Woobeen , Seong Inho , Jeong Wonnyoung , Lee Youngseok , Seol Youbin , Na Byungkeun , Kim Daewoong , You Shinjae
Published: January 2025

The conventional crossing frequency method for plasma diagnostics measures the transmission microwave frequency spectrum, called the

S

21

spectrum, using transmitting and receiving antennas. It can infer electron density (

n

e

) from the crossing frequency (

f

cross

), which is the point where an

S

21

spectrum with plasma generation (plasma

S

21

spectrum) intersects with the one without plasma generation (vacuum

S

21

spectrum). However, this method faces a challenge when applied inside a cavity, particularly a vacuum chamber, due to spike-like peaks in the vacuum

S

21

spectrum. These peaks result in multiple crossing points between the vacuum

S

21

spectrum and the plasma

S

21

spectrum, leading to difficulty in determining

f

cross

. This paper proposes the time-domain capacitive coupling detection technique to remove these peaks. In a preliminary study, a three-dimensional electromagnetic wave simulation was employed to investigate the origin of spike-like peaks and the coupling mechanism between the antennas, and to analyze the optimum working conditions. The proposed method was then evaluated in an inductively coupled plasma system including a cylindrical vacuum chamber. Experimental results clearly demonstrated the removal of the spike-like peaks in the vacuum

S

21

spectrum. With plasma generation at low pressure,

n

e

obtained from the proposed method closely matched that obtained from the cutoff probe method, which is a precise microwave probe for electron density measurement. Furthermore, we verified operation at high pressure where the cutoff probe is ineffective. The proposed method is therefore effective for electron density measurement inside a cavity structure, especially for high-pressure environments.
Extensible approach to nonlinear circuit simulation of terahertz radiation phenomena from stacked Josephson junctions
Authors: Kobayashi R , Kakeya I
Published: January 2025

This paper proposes an enhanced numerical simulation of a high-Tc cuprate terahertz source using the LTspice® electric circuit simulator. By implementing a nonlinear circuit model proposed in our previous work utilizing behavioral sources in LTspice, we accurately reproduce current–voltage-radiation power characteristics of the device measured by the authors over the entire bias points. We also identify that high-frequency losses significantly increase the damping of the oscillation in the gauge-invariant phase differences of stacked Josephson junctions. This model enables quantitative analysis of maximum radiation intensity through structural optimization, paving the way for a systematic approach to efficient device design.
Inactivation of E. coli on cabbage by humidified air dielectric barrier discharge plasma
Authors: Liang Xinlei , Wang Zhishang , Wu Jiang , Liu Guoqiang , Wang Yiming , Lu Na , Liu Dongping
Published: January 2025

In this study, a humidified air plasma was used to investigate the inactivation effect of Escherichia coli (E. coli) on fresh cabbage as well as the changes in physicochemical properties, which included changes in total phenolics, anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity. The humidified air plasma is generated through the process of discharging within a surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) system. The effects of cabbage tissues including cabbage leaf, upper epidermis and leaf flesh, and their water contents and sizes on E. coli inactivation were evaluated by changing the plasma treatment time. The experimental results showed that the exposure of E. coli to plasma inactivation on the upper epidermis had a high bactericidal efficacy, with 5.53 colony-forming units inactivated after 10 min of exposure. On the other hand, the presence of moisture in moderate amounts enhances the inactivation efficiency of the plasma against E. coli. The presence of the protein and the increased area of the sample, which is then in contact with the bacteria and exposed to the plasma, were found to inhibit the E. coli inactivation efficiency. Our analysis indicates that plasma-activated RONS, including H2O2 and HOONO, play a crucial role in the inactivation process of E. coli. Total phenols, proanthocyanidins and antioxidant properties on cabbage did not change significantly after plasma treatment for 10 min. Our study presents the feasible approach for the application of plasma in optimizing decontamination conditions for a range of fruits and vegetables.
Based on an all-dielectric metamaterial sensing strategy to reveal the effect of acoustic AO effect on optical fiber transmission performance
Authors: Zhong Min
Published: January 2025

Here, a sensing scheme based on metamaterial is proposed and applied to measure the acousto-optic (AO) effect on the transmission performance of optical fiber. The AO effect in the fiber is modulated through optimizing the amplitude and frequency of the sound wave, which is different from the traditional photoelectric measurement scheme. The AO effect can be enhanced with the drive voltage of the sound wave generator increasing, which leads to the transmission performance of the fiber be suppressed. On the contrary, the attenuation coefficient and group velocity of the fiber are basically stable. The time for sound waves to enter and leave the AO effect region is extended. Moreover, the AO effect is also enhanced as the sound frequency gradually approached the resonant frequency. These measurements reveal the physical mechanism of the AO effect of optical fibers and validate the feasibility of this proposed metamaterial sensing scheme.
First fluctuation measurements using an Imaging Neutral Particle Analyzer on DIII-D
Authors: Gage K.R. , Du X.D. , Heidbrink W.W. , Gonzalez-Martin J. , Liu D. , Brown A.C.
Published: January 2025

A recent upgrade to the Imaging Neutral Particle Analyzer (INPA) on DIII-D has allowed for the first fluctuation measurements using an INPA to be taken during a neoclassical tearing mode (NTM). The INPA signal tracked the mode over 150 ms as the mode frequency dropped to zero, capturing both the NTM with poloidal and toroidal mode numbers

m

/

n
=
2

/

1

and a

3

/

2

mode at double the frequency. Analysis shows that the signals originate from charge exchange events near the edge of the plasma, and relative fluctuation amplitudes are greater than 25% for the duration of the NTM. Filtered signals show frequency beating patterns that are phase-space dependent. Simulated signal is dominated by prompt transport from the neutral beams to the INPA sightline, while the contribution from the slowing down distribution is significantly lower. Simulated measurements in the range of pitches that the diagnostic is sensitive to (

0.5
⩽

|

v

∥

v

|

⩽
0.75

) show the signal is dominated by trapped orbits that pass through magnetic islands near the edge of the plasma. Calculations of expected fluctuation levels show that only direct interaction with the NTM can provide the strong relative fluctuation levels seen experimentally. The prompt nature of the orbits and thin radial layer found to contribute to synthetic signals suggest INPA passive data may be used to measure the perturbations of confined orbits on a single pass through a plasma instability.
Research on data processing technology based on virtual neutron signal generator
Authors: Sun Shangqing , Huang Qichang , Wan Bo , Yang Daibo , Zhao Yang , Wang Miao , Xiong Bangping , Xi Ge , Luo Yin , Xia Yuan , Wei Wenbin , Miao YunXin
Published: January 2025

Neutron measurement systems play a crucial role in many
fields. However, testing these systems requires neutron sources,
which pose radiation hazards. As a safer alternative, developers
often opt for simulated neutron signal generators. The goal of this
study is to develop a virtual neutron signal generator that meets
the development needs of neutron measurement system in pulse mode,
campbell mode, and current mode, providing a non-nuclear auxiliary
design tool. Inside the Loongson CPU, three digital channels are
used to generate pulse signal, campbell signal and current
signal. Each digital channel consists of the amplitude module,
trigger module and waveform module. The amplitude module uses either
measured spectrum or simulated spectrum generated by GEANT4 to
obtain physically meaningful neutron pulse amplitudes. The trigger
module generates a high-speed triggered clock sequence based on the
exponentially distributed time intervals between adjacent neutron
pulses. The waveform module generates the waveform of neutron
signals. The neutron signals generated inside the Loongson CPU are
transmitted to the FPGA via USB3.0. Then, the FPGA outputs virtual
neutron analog signals through DAC. Experimental results show that
this virtual neutron signal generator can accurately produce virtual
neutron analog signals, making it suitable as a testing tool for
neutron measurement systems.
Integrable

Z

2
2

-graded extensions of the Liouville and Sinh–Gordon theories
Authors: Aizawa Naruhiko , Ito Ren , Kuznetsova Zhanna , Tanaka Toshiya , Toppan Francesco
Published: January 2025

In this paper we present a general framework to construct integrable

Z

2
2

-graded extensions of classical, two-dimensional Toda and conformal affine Toda theories. The scheme is applied to define the extended Liouville and Sinh–Gordon models; they are based on

Z

2
2

-graded color Lie algebras and their fields satisfy a parabosonic statistics. The mathematical tools here introduced are the

Z

2
2

-graded covariant extensions of the Lax pair formalism and of the Polyakov’s soldering procedure. The

Z

2
2

-graded Sinh–Gordon model is derived from an affine

Z

2
2

-graded color Lie algebra, mimicking a procedure originally introduced by Babelon-Bonora to derive the ordinary Sinh–Gordon model. The color Lie algebras under considerations are: the 6-generator

Z

2
2

-graded sl
2, the

Z

2
2

-graded affine

s

l
2

^

algebra with two central extensions, the

Z

2
2

-graded Virasoro algebra obtained from a Hamiltonian reduction.
Electronic and optical properties of computationally predicted Na–K–Sb crystals
Authors: Xu Chung , Schier Richard , Cocchi Caterina
Published: January 2025

Thanks to their favorable electronic and optical properties, sodium–potassium-antimonides are an emerging class of crystals used as photocathodes in particle accelerators. The persisting challenges related to the synthesis and characterization of these materials demand support from theory and make the study of computationally predicted polymorphs particularly relevant to identifying the structure, composition, and properties of the samples. Using first-principles methods based on density-functional theory and many-body perturbation theory, the electronic and optical properties of cubic NaK2Sb and hexagonal Na2KSb are studied. Both systems, experimentally reported in the hexagonal and cubic phase, respectively, exhibit an indirect fundamental gap that is energetically very close to the direct band gap at Γ of magnitude

0.81

eV

for NaK2Sb and

0.70

eV

for Na2KSb. In the band structure of both materials, Sb p-states dominate the valence region with minor contributions from the alkali p-states, while the alkali s-states mainly contribute at lower energies. The optical spectra of both crystals are not subject to sizeable excitonic effects, except for a redshift of the excitation energies of 50–100 meV and some redistribution of the oscillator strength beyond the lowest-energy peak in the near-infrared region. Our results indicate that computationally predicted cubic NaK2Sb and hexagonal Na2KSb have favorable characteristics as photocathodes and, as such, their presence in polycrystalline samples is not detrimental for this application.
DPRA: a dual pooling attention network for point cloud classification and segmentation
Authors: Wen Junxian , Wang Xiaolong , Zhu Zhijie , Zhang Jinsong
Published: January 2025

Point cloud data, widely used in fields such as autonomous driving and robotic navigation, involves classification and segmentation tasks. The extraction of local and global features has become a major research focus. The paper proposes two modules: the Dual Pooling Attention model (DP-Attention) and the Residual Attention Module model (RA-MLP). DP-Attention utilizes max pooling and average pooling to compute attention, extracting information between points as well as between features to enhance local feature extraction. RA-MLP integrates self-attention and residual connections to improve global feature extraction. These modules are combined to construct the DPRA network, which is tailored for point cloud classification and segmentation tasks. The DPRA network architecture is based on the encoder-decoder structure of U-Net, using DP-Attention and RA-MLP in the encoder, and only RA-MLP in the decoder. Experimental results on three datasets demonstrate that the DPRA network achieves outstanding performance in the synthetic ModelNet40 classification experiment, with a mean class accuracy of 91.6%. It also achieves the highest mean class accuracy (85.3%) and overall accuracy (86.1%) in the real-world ScanObjectNN classification experiment. Additionally, it attains the highest mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 85.2% in the synthetic ShapeNet segmentation experiment. These results indicate that DPRA is applicable to various tasks, demonstrating strong generalization, robustness, and multi-task learning capabilities.
Low-cost single-source 17 level multilevel inverter with reduced switch count
Authors: Karakiliç Murat , Zeynalov Javanshir , Hataş Hasan
Published: January 2025

This paper introduces an innovative multi-level inverter (MLI) topology operating with a single DC source. The proposed structure consists of a DC-DC rectifier (HFL), a switched capacitor (SC) unit and a Packaged U-Cell (PUC) module. The topology synthesizes 17 voltage levels at the output with only 10 power switches, offering low control complexity and high power efficiency. The high number of levels at the output voltage provides a high quality output voltage wave. A soft charging cell (SCC) is used to suppress impulsive charging currents in the switched capacitors. Experimental results show that SCC effectively suppresses impulsive currents in switched capacitors. The high frequency link (HFL) used to provide high voltage gain improves the cost efficiency of the system by reducing transformer sizes and costs. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed topology achieves 96.92% efficiency, near sinusoidal current output and total harmonic distortion (THD) values between 4.99% and 1.23%. Moreover, with a low cost function (CF) value of 1.60, it is proven to offer a viable alternative for applications such as Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and Electric Vehicles (EVs). These findings demonstrate the applicability of the proposed MLI topology in these areas with low cost, high efficiency and quality power output.
Unsteady ‘External’ Direct Effect
Authors: Gallo Daniele
Published: January 2025

Chapter VII concerns the direct effect of international law within the EU legal order. It covers both vertical and horizontal direct effect, and both conventional and customary law. In doing so, it examines the unclear trajectories of ‘external’ direct effect in the EU case law and reflects upon the blurred boundaries between (broad) direct effect, legality review, and the so-called Fediol-Nakajima doctrine(s). It also compares the ‘internal’ direct effect doctrine, that is, the direct effect of EU law within domestic legal orders, and ‘external’ direct effect. To this end, it demonstrates to what extent the recognition of direct effect of international agreements, or lack thereof, is imbued with heavy political connotations. Finally, the chapter explores the consequences of the diminishing role of the Court of Justice as a ‘gatekeeper’ in the conceptualization and practice of ‘external’ direct effect resulting from the current phenomenon of precluding such effect through the insertion of clauses in EU international agreements.
Problems with the Existing Inclusions on Women and Trade
Authors: Bahri Amrita
Published: January 2025

This chapter critically assesses problems with the ways in which women’s concerns have so far been included in trade agreements. The critique focuses on the ways in which such provisions are drafted, their imprecise scope, their lack of enforcement potential, absence of associated plans for their effective implementation, the disconnect between the solutions they offer and the barriers women face in trade, their focus on women in their traditional roles, and the reluctance of negotiators to step beyond their zones of familiarity and the template approach to drafting such provisions. The chapter elaborates on this critical assessment and presents eight fundamental problems with the current inclusion of such provisions.