bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A focus on molecular representation learning for the prediction of chemical properties
Authors: Harnik Yonatan , Milo Anat
Published: March 2024

Molecular representation learning (MRL) holds significant potential for predicting diverse chemical properties. In this focus article, we will provide context for applications of MRL in chemistry and the significance of King-Smith's recently published work within this evolving field.
Segmentation versus detection: Development and evaluation of deep learning models for prostate imaging reporting and data system lesions localisation on Bi‐parametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Min Zhe , Bianco Fernando J. , Yang Qianye , Yan Wen , Shen Ziyi , Cohen David , Rodell Rachael , Barratt Dean C. , Hu Yipeng
Published: March 2024

Automated prostate cancer detection in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans is of significant importance for cancer patient management. Most existing computer‐aided diagnosis systems adopt segmentation methods while object detection approaches recently show promising results. The authors have (1) carefully compared performances of most‐developed segmentation and object detection methods in localising prostate imaging reporting and data system (PIRADS)‐labelled prostate lesions on MRI scans; (2) proposed an additional customised set of lesion‐level localisation sensitivity and precision; (3) proposed efficient ways to ensemble the segmentation and object detection methods for improved performances. The ground‐truth (GT) perspective lesion‐level sensitivity and prediction‐perspective lesion‐level precision are reported, to quantify the ratios of true positive voxels being detected by algorithms over the number of voxels in the GT labelled regions and predicted regions. The two networks are trained independently on 549 clinical patients data with PIRADS‐V2 as GT labels, and tested on 161 internal and 100 external MRI scans. At the lesion level, nnDetection outperforms nnUNet for detecting both PIRADS ≥ 3 and PIRADS ≥ 4 lesions in majority cases. For example, at the average false positive prediction per patient being 3, nnDetection achieves a greater Intersection‐of‐Union (IoU)‐based sensitivity than nnUNet for detecting PIRADS ≥ 3 lesions, being 80.78% ± 1.50% versus 60.40% ± 1.64% (p < 0.01). At the voxel level, nnUnet is in general superior or comparable to nnDetection. The proposed ensemble methods achieve improved or comparable lesion‐level accuracy, in all tested clinical scenarios. For example, at 3 false positives, the lesion‐wise ensemble method achieves 82.24% ± 1.43% sensitivity versus 80.78% ± 1.50% (nnDetection) and 60.40% ± 1.64% (nnUNet) for detecting PIRADS ≥ 3 lesions. Consistent conclusions are also drawn from results on the external data set.
Graph theory‐based synchronization for stochastic uncertain complex dynamical networks via inverse optimal adaptive control
Authors: Guo Xuhui , Yao Zhiyi , Wang Di , Wang Huaizhu
Published: March 2024

This paper is concerned with the synchronization of stochastic uncertain complex dynamic networks with time‐varying delays. In contrast to existing synchronization network models, the current study considers both internal time‐varying delays and coupling time‐varying delays. By analyzing the two factors (i.e. time‐varying delays and uncertainties) on the synchronization performance of stochastic uncertain complex dynamic networks, a new inverse optimal adaptive control is proposed. The analysis tool developed in this paper is based on Lyapunov technique, algebraic graph theory and inverse optimality, which does not need to solve Hamilton‐Jacobi‐Bellman equation. Some sufficient conditions are established for the synchronization of stochastic uncertain complex dynamic networks with time‐varying delays. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the present approach, simulation results are illustrated.
A generalizable method for estimating meteor shower false positives
Authors: Shober P. M. , Vaubaillon J.
Published: March 2024

Context. The determination of meteor shower or parent body associations is inherently a statistical problem. Traditional methods, primarily the similarity discriminants, have limitations, particularly in handling the increasing volume and complexity of meteoroid orbit data.

Aims. We introduce a new more statistically robust and generalizable method for estimating false positive detections in meteor shower identification, leveraging kernel density estimation (KDE). The method is applied to fireball data from the European Fireball Network, a comprehensive photographic fireball observation network established in 1963 for the detailed monitoring and analysis of fireballs across central Europe

Methods. Utilizing a dataset of 824 fireballs observed by the European Fireball Network, we applied a multivariate Gaussian kernel within KDE and Z-score data normalization. Our method analyzes the parameter space of meteoroid orbits and geocentric impact characteristics, focusing on four different similarity discriminants: DSH, D′, DH, and DN.

Results. The KDE methodology consistently converges toward a true established shower-associated fireball rate within the EFN dataset of 18–25% for all criteria. This indicates that the approach provides a more statistically robust estimate of the shower-associated component.

Conclusions. Our findings highlight the potential of KDE combined with appropriate data normalization in enhancing the accuracy and reliability of meteor shower analysis. This method addresses the existing challenges posed by traditional similarity discriminants and offers a versatile solution adaptable to varying datasets and parameters.
Genetic identification and gut content of Gerong fish Osteochilus waandersii from Larai River
Authors: Kemalok Jai , Zulhusni Zakaria Mohammad , Asyraff Azahar Muhammad , Mohamed Rehan 'Aisyah , Sabrina Badrulhisham Nur , Rahim Kamarudin Kamarul
Published: March 2024

Gerong fish, or Osteochilus waandersii, is a popular freshwater fish among the Jakun tribe in Kampung Peta, Johor National Park of EndauRompin, particularly for its use in traditional medicine to alleviate dizziness by consuming its raw gut. Despite its cultural significance, the genetic and feeding behavior of Gerong fish remains unclear. This study aimed to amplify the mitochondrial DNA barcode region of Gerong fish for genetic identification and to identify its gut content. The DNA barcodes were produced using polymerase chain reaction and single-pass DNA sequencing of partial COI gene, and the gut content was observed using stereo microscope. Several five partial COI gene sequences were successfully obtained after DNA sequencing. In addition, the results of BLAST analysis with percent identities of 96.24% to 97.20% along with the phylogenetic inference of maximum likelihood analyses suggested the Gerong fish as Osteochilus waandersii or the Waanders's hard-lipped barb. The sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession numbers MN223396-MN223400). Microscopic observation of the fish guts revealed undigested worms and digested aquatic mosses, known as lumut batuk. These findings mark a significant step forward in understanding the genetics and feeding behavior of the Gerong fish.
Time Series Ecological Coastal Resilience in Ende City, Indonesia
Authors: Baru Maria Theresia Firmina , Mardiatno Djati , Marfai Muh. Aris , Kulla Selfitriani
Published: March 2024

Ende city is a coastal area that is one of cities in East Nusa Tenggara province. There are risk that threatens the city and coastal area originating from natural disasters and human activity. It is necessary to assess and monitor coastal resilience of this city since abrupt change of city landscape has impact on ecosystem resilience. Therefore, the aim of this research is to measure and analyze ecological coastal resilience from 2016 to 2021. Coastal resilience can be assessed from ecosystem-ecology approach so that sustainability of coastal community can be strengthening. Landscape parameter of typology was used to measure ecological resilience in coastal ecosystem of Ende City. One of widely used approach to measure ecological resilience is applying a variety of different indicator or metric of resilience. Parameter of resilience is scored and classified for each typology in coastal area of Ende City. Research method includes field survey, in depth interview and focus group discussions. One of method to determine coastal resilience classification is from resilience index. Based on result, coastal resilience is mostly moderate class in Ende City. The lowest class of resilience index is in volcanic coast typology.
Mechanical characteristics and crystallographic texture of AA5083 during Equal Channel Angular Pressing Technique
Authors: Singh Nagendra , Agrawal Manoj Kumar
Published: March 2024

AA5083 bars processed by four pass ambient Equal Channel Angular Pressing were subjected to intersection annealing, where time and temperature were varied after each pass. The microstructures, texturing and compressive characteristics of the samples were meticulously examined. Due to the high annealing temperatures, both ultimate tensile strength and compressive stresses decreased with increasing grain size. However, intersection annealing at room temperature resulted in the best compressive yield strength. The deformation behavior of AA5083 billets was investigated using finite element analysis. Electron back scatter diffraction was employed to examine the texture of the Equal Channel Angular Pressed billet crystals. Extensive research was conducted on the tensile properties and Vickers microhardness. The finite element simulations revealed that the 900 die exhibited a significantly more uniform dispersion of plastic strain compared to the 1200 die. The renewal of additional slip mechanisms during the four Pass process was attributed to the grain refining that occurred after the 1-Pass and 2-Pass stages. Equal Channel Angular Pressing successfully produced a homogeneously ultra-fine grained microstructure. The increase in strength was attributed to grain refining and dislocation strengthening. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to study the ECAPed approach of AA5083 providing insights into the deformation behavior and polycrystal formation.
FEM Analysis on Thermo-mechanical behavior and experimental validation of Al20Cr20Fe25Ni25Mn10 High Entropy Alloy during Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Kanyane Lehlogonolo Rudolf , Popoola Patricia , Mpofu Praise , Malatji Nicholas , Ogbonna Victor
Published: March 2024

High entropy alloy developed with spark plasma sintering was modelled with COMSOL Multiphysics. This focus at examining the effect of spark plasma sintering fabrication parameters on thermal and mechanical stress distribution in the sintered Al20Cr20Fe25Ni25Mn10 high entropy alloy (HEA). And to achieve this, a fully thermal-electrical-mechanical integrated and dynamic finite element model (FEM) was adopted. The simulation utilised the optimal parameters employed in the laboratory to produce the samples. The geometry for the modelling was 2D axisymmetric as the parameters were based on temperature-dependent characteristics noting that only the sintered sample was modelled and simulated in order not to simplify the modelling. The FEM maintained constant sintering temperature, pressure, and heating rate but concentrated on the impact of residence durations. To verify the simulation results, morphological alterations and densification validation tests were conducted. The microstructural characterization of the sintered sample demonstrated the relationship between the stress distribution and computational temperature found in the current FEM. Noting good particle-to-particle necking. From the model, results showed that the sintered sample at different points depicted a yield stress far greater than the von Mises stress with least thermal stress at 30 MPa. This validate that the developed sample is mechanically stable based on the factor of safety failure criterion and design. However, the study recommend that further work should be conducted considering different sintering pressure of variation 10 to 30 MPa.
Fabrication of Functionally Graded Materials through Severe Plastic Deformation of Powders: Process, Significance, and Future Development
Authors: Cleophas Obara , Bayode Abiodun , Fredrick Mwema , Jen Tien-Chien
Published: March 2024

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) are a remarkable invention in materials science and engineering, that offers unique properties useful in various applications. Having the ability to gradually change properties, like composition, microstructure, or mechanical properties of materials, gives FGMs unparalleled adaptability, making them suited for a wide range of high-strength applications. One of the novel methods of creating FGMs is to use severe plastic deformation (SPD) techniques on powdered materials. The SPD of powders involves a few critical steps; The process begins with selecting materials with varied compositions and phases then mixing the powders, cold compaction, SPD methods, and, if necessary, heat treatment. The process is completed with characterization and testing, to evaluate the microstructure and characteristics of the final FGM formed.

FGMs will continue transforming materials engineering and pushing the boundaries of their applications in many engineering fields and industries since they exhibit attractive capabilities like improved efficiency, durability, and performance. Therefore, this article explores the process of fabricating FGMs by SPD and emphasizes its significance and future trends in FGM production.
Fabrication and Characterization of AlCrFeCuNi High Entropy Alloy doped with (Yx) via Arc Melting Technology for Engineering Application
Authors: Mpofu P , Malatji N , Shongwe M.B , Lekoadi P.M , Tlotleng M , Kanyane L.R
Published: March 2024

AlCrFeCuNi high entropy alloy (HEA) was fabricated using an arc-melting and casting process. Furthermore the alloy’s characteristics were adjusted through the addition of Yttrium (Y) alloying additives at 1wt%, 3wt%, and 5wt%. The effect of Y at varied atomic ratios on the microstructural evolution and Nano-mechanical behavior of the synthesized HEAs was investigated. The HEA being studied proved to possess superior mechanical properties as compared to Ti64, Ni-based alloys and stainless-steel materials. The hardness and Young’s modulus were the HEAs’ mechanical properties investigated. The results show that Y incorporation in the AlCrFeCuNi HEA matrix resulted in the increase in microhardness. This was because the presence of Y caused grain refinement and increases the probability of precipitates or second phases forming inside the alloy. It was also observed that the elastic modulus increased with the addition of Y. This was because elastic modulus, which is a measure of a material's stiffness, also tends to increase with grain refinement.
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Advanced Materials Processing: A review on opportunities and challenges
Authors: Srivastava Shashank , Kumar Indradeep , Kumar Manish , Shakier Hussein Ghafel , B Swathi , Chahuan Neeraj
Published: March 2024

This research paper explores the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in advanced materials processing. With the exponential growth of data, advanced analytical techniques and powerful computational tools, machine learning and artificial intelligence can be leveraged to develop novel materials with tailored properties, enhance process optimization, and improve manufacturing efficiencies. However, the integration of these technologies into materials processing systems is not without challenges, including data acquisition and pre-processing, algorithm selection and optimization, and the interpretation of results. This paper provides an overview of the state-of-the-art in machine learning and artificial intelligence for advanced materials processing, highlighting case studies and examples of successful applications, and identifying potential future research directions. The goal of this research is to provide insights and recommendations to accelerate the adoption of these technologies and their impact on the development of advanced materials.
Emerging Applications of Advanced Materials Processing in Healthcare and Biotechnology
Authors: Srivastva Shashank , Somaiah A , Sharma Vishal , Judi Hawraa K. , R J Anandhi , Kaushik Abhishek
Published: March 2024

Modern material processing methods are revolutionizing the biomedical and health care sectors while offering previously unexplored possibilities for the development of cutting-edge biomaterials. The development of materials with distinctive optical, mechanical, and biological characteristics can be made feasible by innovative techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) & sol-gel processing. These developments have a wide range of applications such as biological sensing technologies, drugs delivery systems, as well as tissue engineering. The present investigation examines the application of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and sol-gel techniques for producing biomaterials customized for certain biomedical applications. The development of nanomaterials, such as mesoporous silica nanoparticles, biologically active glass nanoparticles, and graphene-based coatings, will be discussed in particular. These materials were chosen for their adaptability and demonstrate promise in a number of medical domains, including the advancement of diagnostic imaging techniques, medication delivery systems, and wound healing processes.
Energy-Efficient Manufacturing: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Singh Mahendra Pratap , Sharma Pankaj , Dubey Yogesh , Rao GVR. Seshagiri , Mohammad Q. , Lakhanpal Sorabh
Published: March 2024

The industrial manufacturing sector is the biggest final usage sector when speaking of both final energy consumption and emission of greenhouse gases (accounting for over 30% of the total); the industry's expansion is fast modifying the climate of the whole globe. Energy conservation is one of the key components of success for sustainable production because of the pressing need to reduce the negative effects that industrial operations have on the surrounding environment. As a direct consequence of this, the scientific community's involvement in energy management has significantly increased, which has resulted in a number of literature evaluations being conducted on methodologies. However, there is a dearth of both a detailed study of the techniques and tools that attempt to improve energy awareness as well as an assessment of the impact that these methods and tools have on energy efficiency. To try to fill this void, the author of this work conducts an extensive literature study on the various energy assessment methodologies and tools with their microstructures. After examining the databases of scientific literature, a total of 1366 publications were retrieved; however, it might be of use to industry practitioners in the field of energy management. In accordance with the guidelines provided by ISO 50001, the procedures and instruments were categorized into three primary areas (namely, AAM which means analysis, assessment, and saving measures), and the particular results important to each category were then synthesized as the outcome of study. In its concluding section, the article discusses problems and topics that still need to be addressed and offers proposals for new lines of inquiry.
Communication management on forest and land fires mitigation awareness based on community
Authors: Alfassa Achmad Isya , Dewi Asri
Published: March 2024

Forest and land fires are disasters that occur quite frequently in Riau Province and have an impact on the destruction of various sources of community livelihoods, land quality, and public health in general. Efforts to deal with forest and land fires disasters have been carried out by various parties through various prevention activities to recovery, but broad community participation from various stratifications has an important role in managing forest and land fires disasters in a sustainable manner. Community Concerned Disasters (MPB) is a volunteer organization that acts as the front guard in efforts to deal with forest and land fires. This study aims to identify MPB communication management in forest and land fire disaster management activities in Sukajadi Village, Bukit Batu District, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province. This research used a participatory approach and indepth interviews with local residents, communities and government. This study found that in efforts to deal with forest and land fires disasters in Sukajadi Village, MPB has a strong role in involving stakeholders to preserve the environment, improving infrastructure and equipment, and increasing community capacity in forest and land fires disaster management.
Pentahelix collaboration on environmental perspective: Handling underdeveloped villages in conservation forests
Authors: Marta Auradian , Asrida Wan , Amin Raja Muhammad , Febrina Rury , Harirah Zulfa
Published: March 2024

This research is motivated by the empirical fact that there are still many underdeveloped and very underdeveloped villages in Kampar District. This research discusses two main things: first, why are there still underdeveloped and very underdeveloped villages in Kampar Regency, and second, how are underdeveloped villages in Kampar Regency handled from a Penta helix perspective? Village backwardness can be overcome with a development strategy that is carried out in an integrated manner by emphasizing investment and cooperation from various actors, namely government actors from multiple levels and different local actors such as the private sector and NGOs. The empirical phenomenon shows that the number of underdeveloped and very underdeveloped villages in Riau Province, especially in Kampar Regency, is still the highest compared to other regions in Riau Province. Requires the design of policy issues and Penta helix collaboration models in collaborative handling efforts, considering not only economic, social, and environmental aspects but also village development that is in line with the Bukit Rimbang and Bukit Baling Conservation Forest Management Units (KPHK) in Kampar District.
Return to the Pre-Injury Level of Sport after Anterior Cruciate
Ligament Reconstruction: A Practical Review with Medical
Recommendations
Authors: Solie Braidy S. , Tollefson Luke V. , Doney Christopher P. , O'Keefe Jeremy M. J. , Thompson Will C. , LaPrade Robert F.
Published: March 2024

Returning to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) can be
a challenging and complex process for the athlete, with the rate of return to
the pre-injury level of sport observed to be less than athlete expectations. Of
the athletes that do return to sport (RTS), knee re-injury rates remain high,
and multiple studies have observed impaired athletic performance upon RTS after
ACLR as well as reduced playing time, productivity, and career lengths. To
mitigate re-injury and improve RTS outcomes, multiple RTS after ACLR consensus
statements/clinical practice guidelines have recommended objective RTS testing
criteria to be met prior to medical clearance for unrestricted sports
participation. While the achievement of RTS testing criteria can improve RTS
rates after ACLR, current criteria do not appear valid for predicting safe RTS.
Therefore, there is a need to review the various factors related to the
successful return to the pre-injury level of sport after ACLR, clarify the
utility of objective performance testing and RTS criteria, further discuss safe
RTS decision-making as well as present strategies to reduce the risk of ACL
injury/re-injury upon RTS. This article provides a practical review of the
current RTS after ACLR literature, as well as makes medical recommendations for
rehabilitation and RTS decision-making after ACLR.
Developing a more efficient, environmentally friendly supply chain for renewable energy projects
Authors: Thompson Avery
Published: March 2024

Implementing circular economy principles into the design, manufacture, and construction of renewable energy projects leads to a cleaner, more sustainable energy transition.
Electronic, direct optical, and phonon-assisted optical properties of 4H Si from first principles
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Kioupakis Emmanouil
Published: March 2024

The cubic polytype of silicon (Si) is the most commercialized semiconductor material and finds applications in numerous electronic and optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells. However, recent reports on the synthesis of the hexagonal 4H Si polytype have attracted the attention of the scientific community to understand its functional properties. Here, we report the electronic, vibrational, and optical properties of the 4H Si polytype obtained with predictive first-principles calculations, with an emphasis of phonon-assisted absorption in the indirect regime. Compared to the cubic polytype, 4H Si shows a slightly narrower indirect gap by ∼0.05 eV. The calculated phonon-assisted optical spectra show that 4H Si exhibits a stronger absorption coefficient than cubic Si across the visible and IR spectral regions. We further evaluate the short-circuit current density of textured thin-films. We demonstrate that 4H Si can achieve the same short-circuit current density for a five times thinner film compared to the cubic polytype, which mainly resulted from absorption in the indirect gap regime. Our work demonstrates the advantages of 4H Si for thin-film silicon-based solar-cell applications.
Impact of photoinduced phase segregation in mixed-halide perovskite absorbers on their material and device stability
Authors: Singh Shivam , Moons Ellen
Published: March 2024

Mixed-halide perovskites enable bandgap engineering for tandem solar cell and light-emitting diode applications. However, photoinduced halide phase segregation introduces a compositional instability, that is, formation of I-rich and Br-rich phases, which compromises photovoltaic efficiency and stability. While optical and structural studies of the photoinduced phase segregation in mixed-halide perovskites have been reported, its impact on the material stability is missing. Here, a detailed compositional analysis of mixed-halide perovskite films using x-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) was carried out to determine how their stability in various environments depends on the halide ratio. A series of perovskite thin films were fabricated with the composition CH3NH3Pb(IxBr1−x)3, where x = 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00, and analyzed under different conditions, such as exposure to light in ambient and in nitrogen atmosphere, as well as storage in the dark. From the spectroscopy results, complemented with structural and optical properties, it was found that the deletion of halide ions from the surface is facilitated in mixed-halide perovskites in comparison with pure halide perovskites. A higher stability was found for the mixed-halide perovskite containing less than 25% Br, and it decreases with increasing Br content. This study also established the effect of the Br/I ratio on the energy landscape of the materials. The UPS spectra reveal that photoinduced degradation results in a mismatch of the energy levels at the perovskite/transport layer interface, which may limit the collection of charge carriers. These findings correlate well with the photovoltaic device stability under similar degradation conditions.
Anomalous exchange bias effect in ferromagnetic VI3 flakes
Authors: Zhang Xi , Xia Xiuquan , Liu Qiye , He Yonggang , Wang Le , Lin Junhao , Mei Jia-Wei , Cheng Yingchun , Dai Jun-Feng
Published: March 2024

The exchange bias effect, pivotal in magnetic data storage and sensing devices, has been observed not only in interfacial regions but also in intrinsic ferromagnetic materials. Here, we have uncovered a robust and stable exchange bias effect within the layered van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnet VI3 employing magnetic circular dichroism microscopy. At 10 K, we observed a significant exchange field of approximately 0.1 T, accompanied by random shifts (positive or negative relative to zero magnetic field) after zero-field cooling. Notably, this effect is effectively controllable after field cooling, with shift direction opposing the applied magnetic field. The presence of strong magnetic anisotropic energy within VI3 results in larger coercivity-bound magnetic domains. These domains dictate the neighboring ferromagnetic alignment and induce shifts in the hysteresis loop. Our study not only contributes to comprehending fundamental nanoscale magnetic interactions but also sheds light on emergent phenomena within layered van der Waals magnets.
Miniature narrow-linewidth 1 μm laser
Authors: Zhang Xiaofan , Zhang Fan , Jia Kunpeng , Liu Yunfeng , Shi Haosen , Jiang Yanyi , Jiang Xiaoshun , Ma Longsheng , Liang Wei , Xie Zhenda , Zhu Shi-ning
Published: March 2024

A self-injection locking scheme has the potential to narrow the linewidth of lasers in a compact setup. Here, we report a narrow linewidth laser source near 1 μm by the self-injection locking scheme using a Fabry–Pérot (FP) hollow resonator with a high-quality factor (Q > 108). The measured fundamental linewidth of the laser is 41 Hz, and a coarse tuning range over 5.5 nm is achieved by changing the driving current of the laser source. Meanwhile, a fine-tuning range of 373 MHz is achieved without mode hops by changing the voltage applied to the PZT on the resonator. More importantly, benefiting from the low thermal refractive noise and low thermal expansion of the FP hollow resonator, the beat-note linewidth and the frequency Allan deviation are measured to be 510.3 Hz in and 10−11 (1 s of averaging time), respectively, by using a fully stabilized frequency comb as a reference. Such a high-performance laser is fully integrated with a palm-sized package (52.3 ml) for field-deployable applications.
Spreading resistance and conductance anisotropy in multilayer MoS2
Authors: Vijayan Gautham , Uzhansky Michael , Koren Elad
Published: March 2024

The increasing interest in realizing the full potential of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials for developing electronic components strongly relies on quantitative understanding of their anisotropic electronic properties. Herein, we use conductive atomic force microscopy to study the anisotropic electrical conductance of multilayer MoS2 by measuring the spreading resistance of circular structures of different radii ranging from 150 to 400 nm. The observed inverse scaling of the spreading resistance with contact radius, with an effective resistivity of ρeff  = 2.89 Ω cm, is compatible with a diffusive transport model. A successive etch of the MoS2 nanofilms was used to directly measure the out-of-plane resistivity, i.e., 29.43 ± 7.78 Ω cm. Based on the scaling theory for conduction in anisotropic materials, the model yields an in-plane resistivity of 0.28 ± 0.07 Ω cm and an anisotropy of ∼100 for the ratio between the in-plane and out-of-plane resistivities. The obtained anisotropy indicates that the probed surface area can extend up to 400 times the metal contact area, whereas the penetration depth is limited to roughly 20% of the contact radius. Hence, for contact radius less than 3 nm, the conduction will be limited to the surface. Our investigation offers important insight into the anisotropic transport behavior of MoS2, a pivotal factor enabling the design optimization of miniaturized devices based on 2D materials.
Underwater double vortex generation using 3D printed acoustic lens and field multiplexing
Authors: Ellouzi Chadi , Zabihi Ali , Aghdasi Farhood , Kayes Aidan , Rivera Milton , Zhong Jiaxin , Miri Amir , Shen Chen
Published: March 2024

The generation of acoustic vortex beams has attracted an increasing amount of research attention in recent years, offering a range of functions, including acoustic communication, particle manipulation, and biomedical ultrasound. However, incorporating more vortices and broadening the capacity of these beams and associated devices in three dimensions pose challenges. Traditional methods often necessitate complex transducer arrays and are constrained by conditions such as system complexity and the medium in which they operate. In this paper, a 3D printed acoustic lens capable of generating a double vortex pattern with an optional focusing profile in water was demonstrated. The performance of the proposed lens was evaluated through computational simulations using finite element analysis and experimental tests based on underwater measurements. The results indicate that by altering the positioning of the vortices’ axes, it is possible to control both the intensity and the location of the pressurized zone. The proposed approach shows promise for enhancing the effectiveness and versatility of various applications by generating a larger number of vortices and freely tailoring the focal profile with a single lens, thereby expanding the practical uses of acoustic vortex technology.
The magnetic states of a van der Waals ferromagnet CrGeTe3 probed by vector-field magnetic force microscopy
Authors: Lee Yeonkyu , Yun Jinyoung , Kim Geunyong , Bud'ko S. L. , Canfield P. C. , Idzuchi Hiroshi , Kim Philip , Choi Jae-Hyuk , Haberkorn Nestor , Kim Jeehoon
Published: March 2024

We present a study on the magnetic domain configuration in the van der Waals ferromagnet CrGeTe3 using a vector-field cryogenic magnetic force microscopy. Our investigation demonstrates the influence of magnetic fields strength and angle on the magnetic domain configuration, showing the coexistence of striped and spike-like magnetic domains. This study contributes to understanding the impact of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy on the domain configuration of van der Waals ferromagnets, offering insights into stabilizing different domain patterns.
Catching lightning in a bottle: the STI and HIV 2023 World Congress Participatory Designathon
Authors: Gravett Ronnie M. , Tan Rayner K. J. , Tang Weiming , Niapauri Steph , Van Der Pol Barbara , Tucker Joseph D.
Published: March 2024

The International Society for STD Research (ISSTDR) STI/HIV 2023 World Congress convened a participatory designathon to engage attendees in a problem-solving crowdsourcing event with the mission to design innovative solutions for improving sexually transmitted infection (STI) control. Designathons are three-phase crowdsourcing events consisting of a pre-planning phase, an active and intensive collaborative phase, and denouement phase for implementation and dissemination. Given escalating STI concerns, the Congress organisers recognised the opportunity to harness the collective expertise of the attendees by actively engaging them to generate innovative solutions for STI control by hosting a designathon during the scientific meeting. Designathon activities occurred during the Congress, and innovative solutions were presented during the closing plenary. Organisers prioritised participant diversity and engagement by creating four distinct groups based on lived experiences (Silver, Early Career, Traveller, and Community). Although competing priorities through the Congress were a challenge, participation from the attendees was high. Dedicated time and space for the event allowed for a successful designathon event, and the lack of restrictions, as might be encountered from funders or other stakeholder agencies, allowed participants to creatively develop innovative solutions for STI control. This designathon serves as an exemplar for successfully hosting a designathon at a large scientific meeting to engage attendees and contribute their intellect and voice to collectively solving significant problems.
Elimination of virus-like particles reduces protein aggregation and extends replicative lifespan in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Schneider K. L. , Hao X. , Keuenhof K. S. , Berglund L. L. , Fischbach A. , Ahmadpour D. , Chawla S. , Gómez P. , Höög J. L. , Widlund P. O. , Nyström T.
Published: March 2024

A major consequence of aging and stress, in yeast to humans, is an increased accumulation of protein aggregates at distinct sites within the cells. Using genetic screens, immunoelectron microscopy, and three-dimensional modeling in our efforts to elucidate the importance of aggregate annexation, we found that most aggregates in yeast accumulate near the surface of mitochondria. Further, we show that virus-like particles (VLPs), which are part of the retrotransposition cycle of Ty elements, are markedly enriched in these sites of protein aggregation. RNA interference-mediated silencing of Ty expression perturbed aggregate sequestration to mitochondria, reduced overall protein aggregation, mitigated toxicity of a Huntington’s disease model, and expanded the replicative lifespan of yeast in a partially Hsp104-dependent manner. The results are in line with recent data demonstrating that VLPs might act as aging factors in mammals, including humans, and extend these findings by linking VLPs to a toxic accumulation of protein aggregates and raising the possibility that they might negatively influence neurological disease progression.
The electrochemistry of stable sulfur isotopes versus lithium
Authors: Li Xue-Ting , Zhao Yao , Zhu Yu-Hui , Wang Wen-Peng , Zhang Ying , Wang Fuyi , Guo Yu-Guo , Xin Sen , Bai Chunli
Published: March 2024

Sulfur in nature consists of two abundant stable isotopes, with two more neutrons in the heavy one (
34
S) than in the light one (
32
S). The two isotopes show similar physicochemical properties and are usually considered an integral system for chemical research in various fields. In this work, a model study based on a Li–S battery was performed to reveal the variation between the electrochemical properties of the two S isotopes. Provided with the same octatomic ring structure, the
cyclo
-
34
S
8
molecules form stronger S–S bonds than
cyclo
-
32
S
8
and are more prone to react with Li. The soluble Li polysulfides generated by the Li–
34
S conversion reaction show a stronger cation–solvent interaction yet a weaker cation–anion interaction than the
32
S-based counterparts, which facilitates quick solvation of polysulfides yet hinders their migration from the cathode to the anode. Consequently, the Li–
34
S cell shows improved cathode reaction kinetics at the solid–liquid interface and inhibited shuttle of polysulfides through the electrolyte so that it demonstrates better cycling performance than the Li–
32
S cell. Based on the varied shuttle kinetics of the isotopic-S-based polysulfides, an electrochemical separation method for
34
S/
32
S isotope is proposed, which enables a notably higher separation factor than the conventional separation methods via chemical exchange or distillation and brings opportunities to low-cost manufacture, utilization, and research of heavy chalcogen isotopes.
Arctic amplification–induced decline in West and South Asia dust warrants stronger antidesertification toward carbon neutrality
Authors: Wang Fan , Xu Yangyang , Patel Piyushkumar N. , Gautam Ritesh , Gao Meng , Liu Cheng , Ding Yihui , Chen Haishan , Yang Yuanjian , Zhou Yuyu , Carmichael Gregory R. , McElroy Michael B.
Published: March 2024

Dust loading in West and South Asia has been a major environmental issue due to its negative effects on air quality, food security, energy supply and public health, as well as on regional and global weather and climate. Yet a robust understanding of its recent changes and future projection remains unclear. On the basis of several high-quality remote sensing products, we detect a consistently decreasing trend of dust loading in West and South Asia over the last two decades. In contrast to previous studies emphasizing the role of local land use changes, here, we attribute the regional dust decline to the continuous intensification of Arctic amplification driven by anthropogenic global warming. Arctic amplification results in anomalous mid-latitude atmospheric circulation, particularly a deepened trough stretching from West Siberia to Northeast India, which inhibits both dust emissions and their downstream transports. Large ensemble climate model simulations further support the dominant role of greenhouse gases induced Arctic amplification in modulating dust loading over West and South Asia. Future projections under different emission scenarios imply potential adverse effects of carbon neutrality in leading to higher regional dust loading and thus highlight the importance of stronger anti-desertification counter-actions such as reforestation and irrigation management.
Microvariation in verbal rather
Authors: Wood Jim
Published: March 2024

This paper uses survey results to analyze patterns of judgments across different versions of the non-standard
verbal use of the word rather, which can take participial morphology, as in rathered. Across
numerous possible instantiations of the construction, there appear to be in fact a quite limited number of grammars, which are
generated by an implicational hierarchy of functional heads, along with the availability of a silent verb have. The
overall picture supports several broader conclusions. First, bare-infinitive–selecting verbs are nearly “closed class” because
they have special syntactic properties that go beyond semantic or even syntactic selection: they must value the temporal verbal
features of the embedded verb, or else provide a structural context for such valuation. Second, silent verbs can be licensed by
head-moving to a modal head in the extended projection. This movement is freely available, but silence demands recoverability,
which limits its application only to certain verbs, and certain uses/meanings of those verbs. Third, in addition to previously
known configurations for building parasitic participle constructions, movement of a lower verb to a higher verb can extend the
phase of the lower verb and lead to its silence. Fourth, the distribution of rather suggests that volitional
meaning is not a primitive, but is constructed from smaller primitives. Finally, microvariation reveals a tight connection among
logically distinct functional heads, suggesting that they are not acquired independently of each other, but interact in
significant ways.
DDAGCN: an unsupervised cross-domain identification method for tie rod bolt loosening in a rod-fastening rotor system under different working conditions
Authors: Zhou Chen , He Jun , Yang Shixi , Xiong Xin
Published: March 2024

The cross-domain diagnosis of tie rod bolt loosening is essential for guaranteeing the healthy operation of rod-fastening rotor (RFR) systems. The unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) method effectively alleviates the impact of domain discrepancy and has been applied for cross-domain diagnosis. Traditional UDA methods mainly focus on the marginal and conditional distributions with fixed weights to adapt the domain distribution discrepancy. However, the fixed distribution combination cannot satisfy the requirement of feature domain alignment under different working conditions, and the relative importance of the two distributions cannot be evaluated quantitatively. This paper proposes an improved dynamic distribution adaptive graph convolutional network (DDAGCN) for the cross-domain diagnosis of tie rod bolt loosening under different working conditions. This method can quantitatively evaluate the relative significance of each distribution in representing the distribution discrepancy. First, it combines the convolutional neural network and the graph convolutional network to extract the features in the graph structure by using the connection relationship between nodes, and realizes the full extraction of neighbourhood information of nodes. Then, the dynamic distribution adaptive alignment strategy is introduced to construct the dynamic linear combination of marginal and conditional distributions, so as to measure the distribution discrepancy between domains. Meanwhile, the domain adversarial module is combined to further reduce the domain gap and finally realize feature alignment. The extracted domain invariant features can effectively enhance the generalization ability and fault identification ability of the model. The case of the public bearing dataset verifies that the effectiveness and generalization ability of the proposed method for cross-domain fault diagnosis under different working conditions is superior to other compared methods. In addition, the identification ability of the proposed method for the degree of tie rod bolt loosening is verified by the self-made bolt loosening dataset of the RFR system.
Generation of auto-focusing vortex beam via segment vortex phase for imaging edge-enhancement
Authors: Lin Danping , Tao Shaohua
Published: March 2024

The auto-focusing beam based on the circular Airy beam and segmented vortex phase, termed circular Airy segmented vortex beam (CASVB), was generated. During propagation, the focusing properties of the CASVB can be flexibly tunable for multiple degrees of freedom. The results show that the segmentation type of the vortex phase are determined by the number and position of phase jumps, which results in the beam split. Moreover, the number and position of the CASVB gaps coincide with the number and position of the phase jumps. In addition, the edge images can be enhanced by combining the phase of the beam with the phase of the lens. Due to its adjustable number and position of gaps, the CASVB will likely give rise to potential applications in manipulating particles along different segmented intensity trajectories.
Detecting causal relationships between fine particles and ozone based on observations in four typical cities of China
Authors: Qi Ling , Yin Jikun , Li Jiaxi , Duan Xiaoli
Published: March 2024

As the concentration of fine particles (PM2.5) is declining, ozone (O3) concentration has been increasing in China in recent years. To collaboratively control PM2.5 and O3, it is critical to understand the relationship between the two and identify major controlling factors. We use a convergent cross-mapping method to detect the causal relationship between daily PM2.5 and maximum daily 8 h average (MDA8) O3 concentrations in Beijing, Taizhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu, China, in the four seasons in 2015–2021. In addition, we also examined causal effects of atmospheric oxidation capacity, precursors and meteorological elements on PM2.5 and MDA8 O3 in the four cities. PM2.5 and MDA8 O3 are strongly positively correlated and show bidirectional causal relationships during the Beijing and Taizhou summer and in the four seasons in Shenzhen, due mainly to the strong photochemical reactions in the daytime. During the Beijing winter, PM2.5 and MDA8 O3 show bidirectional causal relationships, but the two are significantly negatively correlated, driven by NO2 and relative humidity. Weak bidirectional, unidirectional and no causal effects between PM2.5 and MDA8 O3 are detected in other seasons in the four cities. In these seasons and cities, the top three causal factors of PM2.5 differ from those of MDA8 O3. Season-, city- and pollutant-specific control measures of PM2.5 and MDA8 O3 are required.
A review on coisotropic reduction in symplectic, cosymplectic, contact and co-contact Hamiltonian systems
Authors: de León Manuel , Izquierdo-López Rubén
Published: March 2024

In this paper we study coisotropic reduction in different types of dynamics according to the geometry of the corresponding phase space. The relevance of coisotropic reduction is motivated by the fact that these dynamics can always be interpreted as Lagrangian or Legendrian submanifolds. Furthermore, Lagrangian or Legendrian submanifolds can be reduced by a coisotropic one.