bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smart circular economy as a service business model: an activity system framework and research agenda
Authors: Alcayaga Andres , Hansen Erik G.
Published: July 2024

The circular economy is a new sustainability paradigm and a major driver of innovation in industrial firms. Digital servitization, enabled through smart products and their embeddedness in Internet of Things networks, represents a significant lever to generate product life cycle information and achieve collaboration between actors in the value cycle. Empirical studies on how product‐service system business models enable smart circularity are bourgeoning, but a gap exists regarding their microfoundations. Against this background, we adopt an activity system perspective to explore boundary‐spanning and interdependent business model activities. We conducted a qualitative interview study in business‐to‐business industries, from which we derived a funnel framework of smart circular systems (SCS) that spans three layers of the activity system. This contributes to theory in three ways: First, we identify 20 distinct microlevel activities. Second, we explain their interdependencies by classifying them based on the product life cycle into smart use, smart circular, and cross‐strategy activity sets. We also order these activity sets by their data transaction frequency, environmental and economic value, and a firm's typical learning pathway, as well as link them back into circular product design. Third, we highlight increasing servitization to develop the activity system across multiple circular activity sets. Managers can use the funnel as a template to drive circular business models on multiple levels, from adopting individual activities to redesigning the entire activity system.
House price convergence in the very long run
Authors: Pan Lei , Matsuki Takashi
Published: July 2024

We examine the house price convergence across 12 OECD countries over the period 1905–2016. Using novel quantile unit root tests which allow for smooth breaks via a Fourier expansion series, we find that nine countries show the presence of relative house price convergence at all the quantiles. Focusing on several specific quantiles, 11 countries have significant convergence tendencies. Moreover, there are four definite patterns related to shocks in the relative house prices across quantiles.
Genetic variation of FUT3 gene in the Han population from Northern China
Authors: Zhou Shihang , Zheng Ziwei , Wang Liying , Song Wenqian , Xia Yuexin , Shao Linnan , Liang Xiaohua
Published: July 2024

Background and Objectives

The FUT3 gene encodes α(1,3/1,4)‐fucosyltransferase, which is a crucial enzyme in the synthesis of Lewis antigens. FUT3 gene variants show race‐specific differences. In this study, we conducted a systematic sequence analysis of the FUT3 coding sequence. The objective was to explore genetic variations of the FUT3 gene within the Han population of Northern China.

Materials and Methods

A cohort of 313 blood donors was recruited for the study. The coding sequence of the FUT3 gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction, followed by sequencing and haplotype construction.

Results

Twelve single nucleotide variations (SNVs) were identified within the coding sequence of the FUT3 gene. Notably, the c.59 T > G site exhibited the highest mutation frequency of 43.13%, followed by the c.508G > A and c.1067 T > A sites with mutation frequencies of 27.48% and 16.93%, respectively. Le was the most common haplotype, accounting for 67.57% of the cases, and Le/Le was the most common diplotype, accounting for 46.33% of the cases. The study also highlighted a significant difference in mutation frequencies of FUT3 gene between the Han Chinese of Northern China and the Dai of Xishuangbanna, China, but not the Han Chinese in Beijing in the North and the Southern Han Chinese, emphasising that Han Chinese in Northern China are genetically most distant from Europeans and closest to East Asians.

Conclusions

Our study characterises FUT3 gene variations in Han Chinese from Northern China, and provides basic genetic data for genetics, forensic medicine, and genotyping of Lewis blood groups.
Comparative Inhibitory Effects of Tacrolimus, Cyclosporine, and Rapamycin on Human Anti‐Pig Xenogeneic Mixed Lymphocyte Reactions
Authors: Zhang Man , Feng Hao , Du Jiaxiang , Chen Song , Zhu Lan , Wang Yi , Pan Dengke , Chen Gang
Published: July 2024

Background

Long‐term immunosuppressive maintenance therapy is necessary to prevent the rejection of xenografts. However, it is still unclear which oral immunosuppressant is most suitable for pig‐to‐human xenotransplantation
.

Methods

A xenogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) system was established using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from wildtype (WT) or GTKO/CMAHKO/β4GalNT2KO (TKO) pigs as stimulator cells and human PBMCs as responder cells. Various concentrations of tacrolimus (Tac), cyclosporine (CsA), or rapamycin (Rapa) were added to the MLR system as interventions. The inhibitory effects of the three immunosuppressants on the proliferation and cytokine production of human T cells were studied and compared. The inhibitory effect of anti‐CD154 mAb alone or in combination with Tac/CsA/Rapa on xenoreactive MLR was also investigated.

Results

PBMCs from both WT and TKO pigs stimulated significant proliferation of human T cells. Tac had a strong inhibitory effect on human T‐cell proliferation stimulated by pig PBMCs. CsA inhibited human T‐cell proliferation in a typical dose‐dependent manner. When Tac and CsA concentrations reached 5 and 200 ng/mL, respectively, the proliferation rates of CD3+/CD4+/CD8+ T cells were reduced almost to a negative level. Even at high concentrations, Rapa had only a moderate inhibitory effect on xenogeneic MLR. The inhibitory effects of these three immunosuppressants on xenogeneic T‐cell responses were further confirmed by the detection of CD25 expression and supernatant cytokines (IL‐2, IL‐6, IFN‐γ, TNF‐α, IL‐4, IL‐10, and IL‐17). Although anti‐CD154 mAb monotherapy showed only moderate inhibitory effects on xenoreactive T‐cell proliferation, low‐dose anti‐CD154 mAb combined with low‐dose Tac, CSA, or Rapa could produce significant synergistic inhibitory effects.

Conclusion

Tac is more efficient than CsA or Rapa in inhibiting xenogeneic T‐cell responses in vitro. If used in combination with anti‐CD154 mAb, all the three immunosuppressants can achieve satisfactory synergistic inhibitory effects.
A fibronectin gradient remodels mixed-phase mesoderm
Authors: Zhu Min , Gu Bin , Thomas Evan C. , Huang Yunyun , Kim Yun-Kyo , Tao Hirotaka , Yung Theodora M. , Chen Xin , Zhang Kaiwen , Woolaver Elizabeth K. , Nevin Mikaela R. , Huang Xi , Winklbauer Rudolph , Rossant Janet , Sun Yu , Hopyan Sevan
Published: July 2024

Physical processes ultimately shape tissue during development. Two emerging proposals are that cells migrate toward stiffer tissue (durotaxis) and that the extent of cell rearrangements reflects tissue phase, but it is unclear whether and how these concepts are related. Here, we identify fibronectin-dependent tissue stiffness as a control variable that underlies and unifies these phenomena in vivo. In murine limb bud mesoderm, cells are either caged, move directionally, or intercalate as a function of their location along a stiffness gradient. A modified Landau phase equation that incorporates tissue stiffness accurately predicts cell diffusivity upon loss or gain of fibronectin. Fibronectin is regulated by WNT5A-YAP feedback that controls cell movements, tissue shape, and skeletal pattern. The results identify a key determinant of phase transition and show how fibronectin-dependent directional cell movement emerges in a mixed-phase environment in vivo.
R-loop resolution by ARIP4 helicase promotes androgen-mediated transcription induction
Authors: Ng Raissa Regina , Lin Zhongyang , Zhang Yanmin , Ti Shih Chieh , Javed Asif , Wong Jason Wing Hon , Fang Qingming , Leung Justin Wai Chung , Tang Alex Hin Ning , Huen Michael Shing Yan
Published: July 2024

Pausing of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at transcription start sites (TSSs) primes target genes for productive elongation. Coincidentally, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) enrich at highly transcribed and Pol II–paused genes, although their interplay remains undefined. Using androgen receptor (AR) signaling as a model, we have uncovered AR-interacting protein 4 (ARIP4) helicase as a driver of androgen-dependent transcription induction. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis revealed that ARIP4 preferentially co-occupies TSSs with paused Pol II. Moreover, we found that ARIP4 complexes with topoisomerase II beta and mediates transient DSB formation upon hormone stimulation. Accordingly, ARIP4 deficiency compromised release of paused Pol II and resulted in R-loop accumulation at a panel of highly transcribed AR target genes. Last, we showed that ARIP4 binds and unwinds R-loops in vitro and that its expression positively correlates with prostate cancer progression. We propose that androgen stimulation triggers ARIP4-mediated unwinding of R-loops at TSSs, enforcing Pol II pause release to effectively drive an androgen-dependent expression program.
Transcriptional dynamics orchestrating the development and integration of neurons born in the adult hippocampus
Authors: Rasetto Natalí B. , Giacomini Damiana , Berardino Ariel A. , Waichman Tomás Vega , Beckel Maximiliano S. , Di Bella Daniela J. , Brown Juliana , Davies-Sala M. Georgina , Gerhardinger Chiara , Lie Dieter Chichung , Arlotta Paola , Chernomoretz Ariel , Schinder Alejandro F.
Published: July 2024

The adult hippocampus generates new granule cells (aGCs) with functional capabilities that convey unique forms of plasticity to the preexisting circuits. While early differentiation of adult radial glia-like cells (RGLs) has been studied extensively, the molecular mechanisms guiding the maturation of postmitotic neurons remain unknown. Here, we used a precise birthdating strategy to study aGC differentiation using single-nuclei RNA sequencing. Transcriptional profiling revealed a continuous trajectory from RGLs to mature aGCs, with multiple immature stages bearing increasing levels of effector genes supporting growth, excitability, and synaptogenesis. Analysis of differential gene expression, pseudo-time trajectory, and transcription factors (TFs) revealed critical transitions defining four cellular states: quiescent RGLs, proliferative progenitors, immature aGCs, and mature aGCs. Becoming mature aGCs involved a transcriptional switch that shuts down pathways promoting cell growth, such SoxC TFs, to activate programs that likely control neuronal homeostasis. aGCs overexpressing
Sox4
or
Sox11
remained immature. Our results unveil precise molecular mechanisms driving adult RGLs through the pathway of neuronal differentiation.
Development and preliminary evaluation toward a new tuberculosis treatment monitoring tool: the PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay
Authors: Akinaga Ayumi , Takahashi Masahito , Yamazaki Takahito , Chikamatsu Kinuyo , Matsushita Shuhei , Hashimoto Yuichiro , Iyoda Takako , Saika Takeshi , Mitarai Satoshi
Published: July 2024

The PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay is based on a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay to quantify lipoarabinomannan (LAM) in sputum within 1 h, and was developed as an alternative to conventional culture methods for monitoring tuberculosis (TB) treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the analytical performance and initial clinical feasibility of using five
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
variants, 178 non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), 34 upper respiratory and oral cavity microorganisms, 100 sputum specimens from untreated patients, and potential interfering substances, including 27 drugs. The results reveled a single-site repeatability coefficient of variation (CV) of 5.2%–7.0%, and a multi-site reproducibility CV of 7.1%–8.4%. The limit of blank, limit of detection, and limit of quantification were 3.03 pg/mL, 6.67 pg/mL, and 7.44 pg/mL, respectively. Linearity was observed over the analytical measurement range (10.0 pg/mL–50,000 pg/mL), and no hook effect was observed. The assay tended to cross-react with slow-growing NTMs, but not with common upper respiratory and oral cavity microorganisms, except
Nocardia asteroides
,
Nocardia farcinica
, and
Tsukamurella paurometabola
. No interference was observed in the presence of mucin, blood, or major anti-TB, anti-HIV, and anti-pneumonia drugs. Regarding clinical performance, the assay had a sensitivity of 88.8% (95% CI: 80.0%–94.0%) and specificity of 100.0% (95% CI: 83.9%–100.0%) using mycobacterial culture as the reference standard, and a correlation (Spearman’s
r
= −0.770) was observed between LAM concentration and time to detection of culture. These findings show, for the first time, that the PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay has potential value for monitoring TB treatment.
A low-cost culture- and DNA extraction-free method for the molecular detection of pneumococcal carriage in saliva
Authors: Peno Chikondi , Lin Tzu-Yi , Hislop Maikel S. , Yolda-Carr Devyn , Farjado Katherine , York Anna , Pitzer Virginia E. , Weinberger Daniel M. , Bei Amy K. , Allicock Orchid M. , Wyllie Anne L.
Published: July 2024

Molecular methods have improved the sensitivity of the detection of pneumococcal carriage in saliva. However, they typically require sample culture enrichment and nucleic acid extraction prior to performing the detection assay and may limit scalability for extensive surveillance of pneumococcus, particularly in low-resource settings. We evaluated the performance of a DNA-extraction-free method for the detection of pneumococcus in saliva. We developed a streamlined qPCR-based protocol for the detection of pneumococcus, omitting culture enrichment and DNA extraction. Using saliva samples collected from children attending childcare centers (New Haven, CT, USA), we evaluated the detection of pneumococcus using saliva lysates as compared to purified DNA extracted from culture-enriched aliquots of the paired samples using qPCR targeting the pneumococcal
piaB
gene. Of the 759 saliva samples tested from 92 children [median age 3.65 years; IQR (2.46–4.78)], pneumococcus was detected in 358 (47.2%) saliva lysates prepared using the extraction-free protocol and in 369 (48.6%) DNA extracted from culture-enriched samples. We observed near-perfect agreement between the two protocols (Cohen’s kappa: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.90–0.95). Despite a high correlation between

C
T

values generated by the two methods (
r
= 0.93,
P
< 0.0001), the

C
T

values generated from saliva lysates were higher (lower concentration) than those from culture-enriched samples (Δ

C
T

= 6.69,
P
< 0.00001). The cost of detecting pneumococcus using saliva lysates was at least fivefold lower (US$2.53) compared to the cost of the culture-enriched method (range: US$13.60–US$19.46). For pneumococcal carriage surveillance in children, our findings suggest that a DNA extraction-free approach may offer a cost-effective alternative to the resource-intensive culture-enrichment method.

IMPORTANCE

Surveillance for carriage of pneumococcus is a key component of evaluating the performance of pneumococcal vaccines and informing new vaccination strategies. To improve the scalability of pneumococcal carriage surveillance, we show that molecular detection of pneumococcus in saliva from children can be performed without culture enrichment and DNA extraction. Our findings show that using the extraction-free method can improve surveillance efforts for pneumococcal carriage in children, overcoming the resource-intensive hurdle that comes with the use of molecular methods, particularly in low-resource settings.
Parameter optimisation using Bayesian inference for spallation models
Authors: Hirtz J. , David J.-C. , Cugnon J. , Leya I. , Rodríguez-Sánchez J. L. , Schnabel G.
Published: July 2024

The accuracy and precision of high-energy spallation models are key issues for the design and development of new applications and experiments. We present a method to estimate model parameters and associated uncertainties by leveraging the Bayesian version of the Generalised Least Squares method, which enables us to incorporate prior knowledge on the parameter values. This approach is designed to adjust parameters based on experimental data, accounting for experimental uncertainty information, and providing uncertainties for all adjusted parameters. This approach is designed in order both to improve the accuracy of models through the modification of free parameters of these models, which results in a better reproduction of experimental data, and to estimate the uncertainties of these parameters and, by extension, their impacts on the model output. We aim at demonstrating the Generalised Least Square method can be applied in the case of Monte Carlo models. We present a proof-of-concept for Monte Carlo models in the specific case of nuclear physics with the model combination INCL/ABLA. We discuss the challenges in the application of this method to high-energy spallation models, notably the large runtime and the stochasticity of the models. Our results indicate this framework can also be applied to analogous situations where parameters of a computationally expensive Monte Carlo code should be inferred/improved.
A Decomposition Approach for Sequencing Mixed-Model Two-Sided Assembly Line with Stochastic Processing Time
Authors: Wu Jiaxi , Shang Jing , Wang Jibin , Li Zhen , Wu Zhihui , Xiao Limin
Published: July 2024

This study tackles the challenge of optimizing mixed-model two-sided assembly lines, where task processing times are uncertain. The objective is to reduce the expected cycle time the average time to complete one product across the assembly line. Given the complexity of assessing objectives amidst stochastic conditions, we formulate the problem as a simulation optimization problem. We introduce a strategic decomposition method that breaks down the core problem into two discrete sub-tasks: allocating tasks to respective work-stations, and determining the sequence of tasks at each station. The decomposition framework systematically partitions the solution space, though it does not ensure a global optimum, it can efficiently guide the search towards a high-quality near-optimal solution with a practical time frame. Based on this framework, we develop a novel simulation-optimization algorithm, termed the Decomposition Approach with Harmony Search (DAHS), which incorporates a harmony search heuristic to effectively navigate the partitioned solution space. Additionally, we implement two innovative strategies to improve the search and simulation procedures. Numerical experiments reveal that our DAHS algorithm outperforms benchmark algorithms in terms of solution quality and computational efficiency.
Study on the ϕ-meson photoproduction off the proton target with the pentaquark-like K∗Σ bound state Ps
Authors: Shim Sang-In , Kim Yongsun , Nam Seung-il
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we utilize the effective Lagrangian method within the tree-level Born approximation to explore [Formula: see text]-meson photoproduction, i.e. [Formula: see text]. Our analysis encompasses contributions from various sources, including the Pomeron, [Formula: see text]-Regge, pseudoscalar particles ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]), scalar particles ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]), protons, and three-nucleon resonance states. In addition, we consider a possible pentaquark-like [Formula: see text]-bound state [Formula: see text]. The findings indicate that, apart from the region near the threshold, contributions other than the Pomeron generally have a limited impact on the total cross-section. However, alternative contributions become crucial at specific angles, particularly at smaller values of [Formula: see text]. The incorporation of [Formula: see text] and other nucleon resonances proves essential to elucidate the bump observed near [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV at very forward angles and behaviors within the range of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV. Furthermore, in the region with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV, where nucleon resonances become negligible, contributions from the t-channel mesons become pivotal. Our calculations for spin density matrix components, examined in various frames, exhibit improvement when considering all contributions. This comprehensive approach successfully reproduces the observed bump by including [Formula: see text]. We also briefly estimate the [Formula: see text] production via [Formula: see text]-meson photoproduction in the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), resulting in the luminosity of 10 fb[Formula: see text] per month.
Circular motions and electromagnetic properties in the magnetized Kaluza–Klein spacetime
Authors: Siahaan Haryanto M.
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we examine certain aspects of magnetized spacetime solutions within the Einstein–Maxwell–dilaton theory. Specifically, we discuss the Melvin-like universe and compare it to the equivalent solution in the Einstein–Maxwell case. Additionally, we analyze the equatorial circular motions and corresponding electromagnetic fields within this spacetime. Some distinguished properties compared to the magnetized black hole in Einstein–Maxwell case are found.
Video Multimodal Entity Linking via Multi-Perspective Enhanced Subgraph Contrastive Network
Authors: Li Huayu , Yue Yang , Man Xiaojun , Li Haiyang
Published: July 2024

Video Multimodal Entity Linking (VMEL) is a task to link entities mentioned in videos to entities in multimodal knowledge bases. However, current entity linking methods primarily focus on text and image modalities, neglecting the significance of video modality. To address this challenge, we propose a novel framework called the multi-perspective enhanced Subgraph Contrastive Network (SCMEL) and construct a VMEL dataset named SceneMEL, based on tourism domain. We first integrate textual, auditory and visual modal contexts of videos to generate a comprehensive high-recall candidate entity set. Furthermore, a semantic-enhanced video description subgraph generation module is utilized to convert videos into a multimodal feature graph structure and perform subgraph sampling on the domain-specific knowledge graph. Lastly, we conduct contrastive learning on local perspectives (text, audio, visual) within the video subgraphs and the knowledge graph subgraphs, as well as global perspectives, to capture fine-grained semantic information about videos and entities. A series of experimental results on SceneMel demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
A Formal Language for Performance Evaluation Based on Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Wang Fujun , Tan Lixing , Cao Zining , Ma Yan , Zhang Li
Published: July 2024

Temporal Logics are a rich variety of logical systems designed for specifying properties over time, and about events and changes in the world over time. Traditional temporal logic, however, is limited to binary outcomes true or false and lacks the capacity to specify performance properties of a system such as the maximum, minimum, or average costs between states. Current languages do not accommodate the quantification of such performance properties, especially in scenarios involving infinite execution paths where performance property like cumulative sums may fail to converge. To this end, this paper introduces a novel formal language aimed at assessing system performance, which encapsulates not only temporal dynamics but also various performance-related properties. In this study, this paper utilizes reinforcement learning techniques to compute the values of performance property formulas. Finally, in the experimental part, a formal language representation of system performance properties was implemented, and the values of the performance property formulas were computed using reinforcement learning. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method were validated.
Useful variants and perturbations of completely entangled subspaces and spans of unextendible product bases
Authors: Sengupta Ritabrata , Singh Ajit Iqbal
Published: July 2024

Finite-dimensional entanglement for pure states has been used extensively in quantum information theory. Depending on the tensor product structure, even a set of separable states can show non-intuitive characters. Two situations are well studied in the literature, namely, the unextendible product basis (UPB) by Bennett et al.4, and completely entangled subspaces explicitly given by Parthasarathy 22. More recently, Boyer et al.6, Boyer and Mor7 and Liss et al.21 studied spaces which have only finitely many pure product states. We carry this further and consider the problem of perturbing different spaces, such as the orthogonal complement of an UPB and also Parthasarathy’s completely entangled spaces, by taking linear spans with specified product vectors. To this end, we develop methods and theory of variations and perturbations of the linear spans of certain UPBs, their orthogonal complements, and also Parthasarathy’s completely entangled subspaces. Finally, we give examples of perturbations with infinitely many pure product states.
Normalized Gompertz wavelets and their applications
Authors: Rządkowski Grzegorz
Published: July 2024

In this paper we define, using the Stirling numbers of the second kind, the Gompertz wavelets and show their basic properties. In particular, we prove that the admissibility condition holds for them. We also compute the normalizing factors in the space of the square-integrable functions [Formula: see text] and present an explicit formula for them in terms of the Bernoulli numbers. Then, after implementing the second-order Gompertz wavelets in the Matlab Wavelet Toolbox, we perform numerical experiments demonstrating the practical applicability and effectiveness of the wavelets.
Molecular structure, thermodynamic and spectral characteristics of chloroboron(III) subphthalocyanine and its dodecafluorinated derivative
Authors: Kurochkin Ivan Yu. , Pogonin Alexander E. , Eroshin Alexey V. , Zhabanov Yuriy A. , Krasnova Olga G. , Skvortsov Ivan A. , Stuzhin Pavel A. , Giricheva Nina I. , Girichev Georgy V.
Published: July 2024

A comprehensive study of the structural, spectral and energetic properties of chloroboron(III) complexes of subphthalocyanine (H[Formula: see text]SubPc, for the first time) and dodecafluorosubphthalocyanine (F[Formula: see text]SubPc, reinvestigation) was performed by mass-spectroscopy (MS), gas-phase electron diffraction (GED), IR spectroscopy and quantum-chemical (QC) calculations. A synchronous GED/MS method showed that at T = 630 K and T = 540 K, thermally stable H[Formula: see text]SubPc and F[Formula: see text]SubPc molecular forms are present in the gas phase. The geometric structure of free molecules has been determined, in which the N3-B-Cl fragment has the structure of a distorted tetrahedron, and the phthalocyanine skeleton has a dome shape. QC calculations of the geometry agree well with the GED results. The similarities and differences of the molecular structure in the gas and solid phases were discussed. It is shown, that despite the similarity of most geometric parameters, the H[Formula: see text]SubPc and F[Formula: see text]SubPc have significant differences in electronic characteristics, which determines the differences in their physicochemical properties. The interpretation of the experimental IR spectra was carried out. The distribution of potential energy of normal vibrations over the internal vibrational coordinates has been analyzed. The sublimation enthalpies of H[Formula: see text]SubPc ([Formula: see text]H[Formula: see text](589 K) = 135(5) kJ ⋅ mol[Formula: see text] and F[Formula: see text]SubPc ([Formula: see text]H[Formula: see text](516 K) = 189(3) kJ ⋅ mol[Formula: see text] were determined by the mass spectrometric Knudsen effusion method. The obtained data is important for designing processes employed in fabricating optoelectronic devices based on subphthalocyanines by PVD. Experimental geometric parameters for free molecules and vibrational frequencies can be used to calculate the thermodynamic functions of gaseous H[Formula: see text]SubPc and F[Formula: see text]SubPc.
Optimal Toughness in Copolymer Ionogels: Revealing Phase-Separation Evolution via Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Liu Xia , Wang Xin , Zhang Xingyu , Yang Qingsheng
Published: July 2024

This study focuses on understanding how the phase-separation process affects the toughness of random copolymer ionogels. Previous research has shown that adjusting the balance between solvophobic and solvophilic monomers within the copolymer can significantly change the mechanical properties of ionogels. This research used coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to analyze how phase-separation structure influences the mechanical properties of random copolymer ionogels. The results show that increasing the proportion of solvophobic monomers improves toughness up to a critical point, beyond which toughness declines due to a transition from bi-continuous to macro-phase separation. Additionally, reducing the ionic solvent content generally enhances both strength and toughness, while the ultimate strain remains nearly consistent. Stronger hydrogen bonds between solvophobic polymer segments increase rigidity but decrease toughness. This study provides important insights for designing and synthesizing high-performance copolymer ionogels.
Natural Vibrations and Stability of Composite Cylindrical Shells Containing a Quiescent Fluid
Authors: Bochkarev Sergey A. , Matveenko Valerii P.
Published: July 2024

This paper presents the results of investigation of the natural vibrations and stability of circular vertical multilayered cylindrical shells, fully or partially filled with a quiescent compressible fluid subjected to hydrostatic and external static loads. The behavior of the elastic structure and fluid medium is described based on the classical shell theory and Euler’s equations. The linearized equations of motion of the shell, together with the corresponding geometrical and physical relations are reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations with respect to new unknowns. The acoustic wave equation is transformed to a system of differential equations using the method of generalized differential quadrature. The solution of the formulated boundary value problem is developed using Godunov’s orthogonal sweep method. The dependences of the lowest vibration frequencies and critical external pressure on the ply angle and the filling level of two-layer and three-layer cylindrical shells are analyzed in detail. It is demonstrated that, in contrast to the ply angle and a given combination of boundary conditions, the lay-up scheme of composite materials plays different parts in the problems of maximizing the fundamental frequency of vibrations and extending the stability boundaries.
Isogeometric Analysis for Buckling and Wrinkling of Variable-Stiffness Sandwich Plates Under Compression
Authors: Chen Xiaodong , Zhang Fengjian , Nie Guojun
Published: July 2024

In this paper, an isogeometric analysis (IGA) framework based on the high-order sandwich plate theory is developed for the first time to deal with both buckling and wrinkling problems of variable-stiffness sandwich plates under compression. The present sandwich plate model is formulated based on the extended high-order sandwich plate theory (EHSAPT). The weak-form governing equations are firstly derived from the principle of virtual work, and afterward the IGA formulations based on the Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) are applied to predict the instability loads and the corresponding instability modes. Both the membrane and non-membrane conditions are integrated into the linear buckling analysis. The novelty of this work lies in that the employment of high-order continuous NURBS basis functions can directly fulfill the [Formula: see text] continuity requirement inherent in the EHSAPT theory, which enables the EHSAPT-based IGA model to be formulated with fewer degrees of freedom. Besides, the developed EHSAPT-based IGA model has also the ability to capture the overall buckling or wrinkling modes of the sandwich plates. The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed EHSAPT-based IGA model are verified by comparison with previously published results and those obtained using ABAQUS. Effects of the core thickness and fiber angle on the buckling behaviors of the sandwich plates are also studied in numerical examples. It is observed that the non-uniform in-plane pre-stress over the skin layers is the main reason for the non-periodic wrinkling of constant-stiffness sandwich constructions, whereas the non-uniformity of both the in-plane pre-stress and out-of-plane bending stiffness is responsible for the non-periodic wrinkling of variable-stiffness sandwich constructions. The results presented herein may be beneficial for the design of variable-stiffness sandwich constructions under compression.
Streamlined photoacoustic image processing with foundation models: A training-free solution
Authors: Deng Handi , Zhou Yucheng , Xiang Jiaxuan , Gu Liujie , Luo Yan , Feng Hai , Liu Mingyuan , Ma Cheng
Published: July 2024

Foundation models (FMs) have rapidly evolved and have achieved significant accomplishments in computer vision tasks. Specifically, the prompt mechanism conveniently allows users to integrate image prior information into the model, making it possible to apply models without any training. Therefore, we proposed a workflow based on foundation models and zero training to solve the tasks of photoacoustic (PA) image processing. We employed the Segment Anything Model (SAM) by setting simple prompts and integrating the model’s outputs with prior knowledge of the imaged objects to accomplish various tasks, including: (1) removing the skin signal in three-dimensional PA image rendering; (2) dual speed-of-sound reconstruction, and (3) segmentation of finger blood vessels. Through these demonstrations, we have concluded that FMs can be directly applied in PA imaging without the requirement for network design and training. This potentially allows for a hands-on, convenient approach to achieving efficient and accurate segmentation of PA images. This paper serves as a comprehensive tutorial, facilitating the mastery of the technique through the provision of code and sample datasets.
Exploring Neural and Prompt-Based Approaches for Event Detection in Short Stories
Authors: Kirti Chaitanya , Anand Ashish , Guha Prithwijit
Published: July 2024

In literary narratives, events often transcend the boundaries of reality, encompassing a blend of real-world occurrences and imaginative constructs. This combination poses a unique challenge. Unlike domains like biomedical or news articles, events in literary narratives are not always based on facts. Distinguishing between these realis and non-realis events is crucial for a nuanced understanding of the narrative’s thematic underpinnings and the author’s stylistic choices. To address this challenge, we used the “Gatha-200” dataset, a collection of 200 short stories annotated for realis events. We employed a variety of neural models, including transformers, to detect realis events in the “Gatha-200” dataset. The transformer model achieved an impressive F1-score of 93.9%, showcasing its proficiency in identifying real-world events within literary contexts. Furthermore, we investigated the utility of prompt-based learning techniques for detecting realis events in zero-shot and few-shot scenarios. This approach proved to be effective, demonstrating the adaptability of our models to varying degrees of training data availability.
Parameters’ Influence on Electrospun Polystyrene-Grubbs’ Catalyst Composite Fibers Morphology
Authors: Stajcic Ivana , Jovanovic Marija , Jankovic-Castvan Ivona , Kojovic Aleksandar , Radojevic Vesna , Stajcic Aleksandar
Published: July 2024

Electrospinning represents a simple, cost-effective technique that allows the production of continuous fibers, with diameters ranging from the micrometer to the nanometer scale. Mixing particles in the polymer feed solution could result in composite fibers, with various potential applications, depending on the particle filler. The influence of electrospinning parameters on the fiber morphology must be investigated to obtain undamaged fibers without large agglomerates. This research presents polystyrene (PS)-based electrospun composite fibers, containing the first- and the second-generation Grubbs’ catalyst (G1 and G2). Loading of both catalysts was 1[Formula: see text]wt.% in the composite fibers, and the influence of different solution flow rates on fiber diameter, shape and regularity was investigated. Applied flow rates were 5, 10, 15 and 20[Formula: see text]ml/h for both composites (PS-G1 and PS-G2). Software analysis of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images has revealed that flow rate has a higher influence on the diameter increase in PS-G1 compared to PS-G2, due to a difference in electrostatic forces and polymer-catalyst interactions. In both composites, 10[Formula: see text]ml/h was the threshold for producing smooth and undamaged fibers, further enhanced in PS-G2, where large agglomerates were observed at 20[Formula: see text]ml/h. Furthermore, in both composites, fiber diameter distribution was significantly wider at higher flow rates, which is not a desirable feature in composites. The presented results demonstrated the synergy between different parameters that influence the formation and morphology of electrospun PS-based composites and could help in the future design and processing of continuous composite fibers.
The Application of Precision Public Health to Vaccinology
Authors: Pathy Lohsshini Sethu , Tan Wilnard Yeong Tze , Clapham Hannah , Sadarangani Sapna P.
Published: July 2024

The Precision Public Health Asia Conference was held on 12 July 2023, where a workshop on Precision Public Health in Vaccinology was conducted. This paper is a post-workshop report of the topics discussed, as well as expanding on the discussions that took place. Precision public health in vaccinology has the aim of facilitating the use of the right vaccine in the right population at the right time. The concept is nuanced and requires cooperation between governments, stakeholders, healthcare professionals and the public to be executed successfully. We explore the instances in which precision public health has already been employed in vaccinology, and further expand on the potential use cases, concerns as well as considerations to be made in future programs. Recurring themes gathered from the workshop discussions such as the development process, data in vaccination modeling, geographically targeting vaccine implementation and inter-disciplinary communication especially when there are different perspectives were looked at through a closer lens. There are many considerations to deploy precision public health in a well-executed vaccinology program, and we have highlighted the areas that need further innovation and improvement to achieve real-world public health impact.
What is a geohazard?
Authors: Lee E. M. , Griffiths J. S.
Published: July 2024

‘Geohazard’ has become one of the classic terms of engineering geology, a contraction of the term geological hazard. It seems that everyone knows what a geohazard is, but then seems to offer examples that betray significant differences of opinion. In this paper, we examine how the almost parallel emergence of the term through different disciplines, such as geography (disaster management), geology (environmental and urban geology) and geotechnical engineering, has led to a wide diversity of perspectives. We describe the diversity of geohazard classification and discuss how geohazards should be best viewed in the context of risk (the potential for undesirable consequences). Attention is drawn to the way in which geohazards are addressed in current guidance, notably IAEG C25 and Eurocode 7. In conclusion, we present the key points underpinning the concept of a geohazard.
Magmatic (Cr–Ni–PGE) and secondary/hydrothermal (emerald–peridot–rodingite–nephrite jade) mineralization associated with ultramafic–mafic complexes of Pakistan
Authors: Jan M. Qasim , Ullah Rahat , Anjum Muhammad Naveed
Published: July 2024

Mafic magmatism has repeatedly taken place in Pakistan throughout its geological history from the earliest Proterozoic to Recent. Much of it, however, does not have associated metallic mineralization. This paper concerns mineralization associated with ultramafic–mafic plutonic rock occurrences in the western and northern suture zones of Pakistan, which demarcate the collision boundary between the northwestern Indian plate and Eurasian blocks. We discuss the petrology of the ophiolites and basaltic magma-related chromite deposits, showings of platinum group elements (PGE) and Ni minerals, and secondary mineral deposits (emerald and peridot gems, rodingite and nephrite jade) associated with ultramafic–mafic complexes of the two suture zones. Chromite with high Cr# (68–85) occurs in fair quantity and is mostly considered to be genetically related to basaltic magma of subduction-related environments. PGE and nickeliferous minerals are insignificant in quantity; PGE are formed by a higher degree of partial melting and melt-rock reaction, whereas Ni sulfides are the product of serpentinization of the ultramafic rocks. Emerald occurs in several localities in the Indus Suture Zone, whereas the peridot has so far been reported from only one locality. Emerald is associated with Mg-carbonate ± quartz ± fuchsite ± talc ± serpentine, and peridot (Fo
89–92
) is associated with chrysotile ± magnesite ± talc ± magnetite ± ludwigite. Both are formed via hydrothermal alteration of ultramafic rocks through the introduction of hydrous fluids incorporating CO
2
, Be, B, K, Al and possibly Na. In view of the undeformed nature of the emerald and peridot, and the 23 Ma age of emerald formation, the mineralization appears to post-date deformation and may be of Late Oligocene–Early Miocene age. The metasomatizing fluids were either derived from the subducting Indian plate crust underneath the Kohistan arc or related to 23–26 Ma silicic magmatism in this area of the NW Indian plate. The nephrite jade in the ophiolite mélange is hosted in serpentinites and has disseminated grains of chrome spinel with elevated Fe
2+
/(Mg
2+
 + Fe
2+
) ratios (0.10–0.18), implying low-grade metamorphism of ultramafic rocks (protolith of serpentinite) with loss of Al and introduction of SiO
2
during accompanying metasomatism. The rodingite in the Dargai ophiolite could have formed by the action of seawater channelled through fractures and cracks in rocks. However, their mineral assemblages indicate that they formed as a result of the influx of Ca-, Al- and Na-bearing hydrothermal fluids related to the intrusion of gabbros/sheeted dykes in the serpentinized ultramafic rocks, resulting in Ca-metasomatism.
Solid Knitting
Authors: Hirose Yuichi , Gillespie Mark , Bonilla Fominaya Angelica M. , McCann James
Published: July 2024

We introduce solid knitting, a new fabrication technique that combines the layer-by-layer volumetric approach of 3D printing with the topologically-entwined stitch structure of knitting to produce solid 3D objects. We define the basic building blocks of solid knitting and demonstrate a working prototype of a solid knitting machine controlled by a low-level instruction language, along with a volumetric design tool for creating machine-knittable patterns. Solid knitting uses a course-wale-layer structure, where every loop in a solid-knit object passes through both a loop from the previous layer and a loop from the previous course. Our machine uses two beds of latch needles to create stitches like a conventional V-bed knitting machine, but augments these needles with a pair of rotating hook arrays to provide storage locations for all of the loops in one layer of the object. It can autonomously produce solid-knit prisms of arbitrary length, although it requires manual intervention to cast on the first layer and bind off the final row. Our design tool allows users to create solid knitting patterns by connecting elementary stitches; objects designed in our interface can---after basic topological checks and constraint propagation---be exported as a sequence of instructions for fabrication on the solid knitting machine. We validate our solid knitting hardware and software on prism examples, detail the mechanical errors which we have encountered, and discuss potential extensions to the capability of our solid knitting machine.
Conditional Mixture Path Guiding for Differentiable Rendering
Authors: Fan Zhimin , Shi Pengcheng , Guo Mufan , Fu Ruoyu , Guo Yanwen , Guo Jie
Published: July 2024

The efficiency of inverse optimization in physically based differentiable rendering heavily depends on the variance of Monte Carlo estimation. Despite recent advancements emphasizing the necessity of tailored differential sampling strategies, the general approaches remain unexplored.

In this paper, we investigate the interplay between local sampling decisions and the estimation of light path derivatives. Considering that modern differentiable rendering algorithms share the same path for estimating differential radiance and ordinary radiance, we demonstrate that conventional guiding approaches, conditioned solely on the last vertex, cannot attain this density. Instead, a mixture of different sampling distributions is required, where the weights are conditioned on all the previously sampled vertices in the path. To embody our theory, we implement a conditional mixture path guiding that explicitly computes optimal weights on the fly. Furthermore, we show how to perform positivization to eliminate sign variance and extend to scenes with millions of parameters.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first generic framework for applying path guiding to differentiable rendering. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method achieves nearly one order of magnitude improvements over state-of-the-art methods in terms of variance reduction in gradient estimation and errors of inverse optimization. The implementation of our proposed method is available at https://github.com/mollnn/conditional-mixture.
Super-Resolution Cloth Animation with Spatial and Temporal Coherence
Authors: Yu Jiawang , Wang Zhendong
Published: July 2024

Creating super-resolution cloth animations, which refine coarse cloth meshes with fine wrinkle details, faces challenges in preserving spatial consistency and temporal coherence across frames. In this paper, we introduce a general framework to address these issues, leveraging two core modules. The first module interleaves a simulator and a corrector. The simulator handles cloth dynamics, while the corrector rectifies differences in low-frequency features across various resolutions. This interleaving ensures prompt correction of spatial errors from the coarse simulation, effectively preventing their temporal propagation. The second module performs mesh-based super-resolution for detailed wrinkle enhancements. We decompose garment meshes into overlapping patches for adaptability to various styles and geometric continuity. Our method achieves an 8× improvement in resolution for cloth animations. We showcase the effectiveness of our method through diverse animation examples, including simple cloth pieces and intricate garments.