bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial prediction of the turbulent unsteady von Kármán vortex street using echo state networks
Authors: Sharifi Ghazijahani M. , Heyder F. , Schumacher J. , Cierpka C.
Published: November 2023

The spatial prediction of the turbulent flow of the unsteady von Kármán vortex street behind a cylinder at Re = 1000 is studied. For this, an echo state network (ESN) with 6000 neurons was trained on the raw, low-spatial resolution data from particle image velocimetry. During prediction, the ESN is provided one half of the spatial domain of the fluid flow. The task is to infer the missing other half. Four different decompositions termed forward, backward, forward–backward, and vertical were examined to show whether there exists a favorable region of the flow for which the ESN performs best. Also, it was checked whether the flow direction has an influence on the network's performance. In order to measure the quality of the predictions, we choose the vertical velocity prediction of direction (VVPD). Furthermore, the ESN's two main hyperparameters, leaking rate (LR) and spectral radius (SR), were optimized according to the VVPD values of the corresponding network output. Moreover, each hyperparameter combination was run for 24 random reservoir realizations. Our results show that VVPD values are highest for LR ≈ 0.6, and quite independent of SR values for all four prediction approaches. Furthermore, maximum VVPD values of ≈0.83 were achieved for backward, forward–backward, and vertical predictions while for the forward case VVPDmax=0.74 was achieved. We found that the predicted vertical velocity fields predominantly align with their respective ground truth. The best overall accordance was found for backward and forward–backward scenarios. In summary, we conclude that the stable quality of the reconstructed fields over a long period of time, along with the simplicity of the machine learning algorithm (ESN), which relied on coarse experimental data only, demonstrates the viability of spatial prediction as a suitable method for machine learning application in turbulence.
Investigation of inertial focusing of micro- and nanoparticles in spiral microchannels using computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Aldemir Ahmet Turan , Cadirci Sertac , Trabzon Levent
Published: November 2023

Inertial microfluidics utilize hydrodynamic forces for particle manipulation and require precise trajectory estimation for efficiency. This study examines parameters affecting micro- and nanoparticle inertial focusing in microchannels by introducing a novel sunflower geometry through asymmetric serpentine segments. This design enhances inertial focusing and particle separation through the Dean effect and continuous acceleration modulation, bolstering operational efficiency. Dynamic variations in lift (FL) and drag forces (FD) within the sunflower geometry augment their ratio, improving particle separation. Asymmetric serpentine attribute enhances lift force by adapting the coefficients (G1 and G2) along the channel and amplifies the net lift force. The varying FL in different sunflower zones concentrates particles of different sizes, while the channel curvature influences FD. While the traditional spiral microchannel only provides global forces due to its radius of curvature, the sunflower microchannel gives rise to the superposition of local forces induced by the expanding and narrowing changing of the serpentine shape and the global forces caused by the spiral shape. The study also examines the differences between local and global force effects on particle focusing. Ultimately, a passive separation of 500 nm particle is achieved by collecting the nanoparticle on the inner surface, while 1 μm particle locates at the central axis and 3.3 μm particle clusters on the outer surface. The significance of the study is that the effective passive particle separation could be managed even for sub micrometer particles without any auxiliary external forces but with inertial forces thanks to the novel sunflower microchannel design.
Interface atomic structures in a cadmium arsenide/III–V semiconductor heterostructure
Authors: Zhu Guomin , Guo Binghao , Stemmer Susanne
Published: November 2023

The interface atomic structure between an epitaxial thin film of the prototype topological semimetal cadmium arsenide (Cd3As2) and a III–V semiconductor layer is investigated using high-angle annular dark-field imaging in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. We find that the interface unit cell adopts a defined stoichiometry that is CdSb-like, which is achieved through the insertion of periodically arranged Cd vacancies in the terminating Cd-plane of Cd3As2. This interface stoichiometry is consistent with the Sb-termination of the III–V layer and the fact that CdSb is the thermodynamically stable phase in the Cd–Sb binary system. We find at least two distinct alignments of the film with respect to the buffer layer, which are characterized by a 14100Cd3As2 shift parallel to the interface. We show that steps of half unit cell height in the III–V layer can produce these distinct interface structures.
A chemical reaction network implementation of a Maxwell demon
Authors: Bilancioni Massimo , Esposito Massimiliano , Freitas Nahuel
Published: November 2023

We study an autonomous model of a Maxwell demon that works by rectifying thermal fluctuations of chemical reactions. It constitutes the chemical analog of a recently studied electronic demon. We characterize its scaling behavior in the macroscopic limit, its performances, and the impact of potential internal delays. We obtain analytical expressions for all quantities of interest: the generated reverse chemical current, the output power, the transduction efficiency, and correlation between the number of molecules. Due to a bound on the nonequilibrium response of its chemical reaction network, we find that, contrary to the electronic case, there is no way for the Maxwell demon to generate a finite output in the macroscopic limit. Finally, we analyze the information thermodynamics of the Maxwell demon from a bipartite perspective. In the limit of a fast demon, the information flow is obtained, its pattern in the state space is discussed, and the behavior of partial efficiencies related to the measurement and feedback processes is examined.
Focusing of weakly nonlinear inertial waves by a vertically oscillating annular forcing
Authors: Liu J. , Wang Y. , Oberlack M.
Published: November 2023

We investigate the focusing phenomenon of inertial waves generated by a vertically oscillating slender torus in a uniformly rotating fluid. Building on the previous research on linear aspects of inertial wave focusing by Liu et al. [“Focusing of inertial waves by a vertically annular forcing,” Phys. Fluids 34, 086601 (2022)], we analyze the focusing phenomenon in a fluid with a small Rossby number using the perturbation method. Our analytical solution to the weakly nonlinear problem reveals that, in addition to the primary inertial waves predicted by the linear theory, secondary inertial waves (SIW) are excited due to wave interaction if the forcing frequency is lower than the fluid rotation rate. Particularly, in our case, the SIWs induced directly by the oscillating torus form a relatively weak secondary focal area on the rotation axis below the primary focal point. The rays of the SIWs form a new double cone with a different angle than the primary cone. In addition, the SIWs are also excited at the primary focal point with a much stronger effect than that generated by the oscillating torus in an inviscid limit, but significantly suppressed even in low-viscosity fluids. A fully nonlinear analysis, especially in the primary focal zone, is necessary for further study.
Experimental determination of critical thickness limitations of (010)
β
-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 heteroepitaxial films
Authors: Lundh James Spencer , Huynh Kenny , Liao Michael , Olsen William , Pan Kaicheng , Sasaki Kohei , Konishi Keita , Masten Hannah N. , Hite Jennifer K. , Mastro Michael A. , Mahadik Nadeemullah A. , Goorsky Mark , Kuramata Akito , Hobart Karl D. , Anderson Travis J. , Tadjer Marko J.
Published: November 2023

The effect of heteroepitaxial β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 film thickness and Al content on surface morphology was characterized to experimentally determine the critical thickness limitations of the (010) β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3/Ga2O3 heterostructure. High-resolution x-ray diffraction was used to assess the strain state of the films; reciprocal space mapping (RSM) revealed that even cracked films were still fully strained. In cracked films, diffuse scattering was observed in RSMs, indicating lattice tilting. Cracking of the films was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray topography (XRT), bright-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (BF-STEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Using both AFM and XRT, the [001] direction was observed to be the most prevalent crack direction; however, cracks were also observed in the [100] direction. In uncracked regions of the films, XRT revealed the alignment of threading dislocations along the [001] direction. Cross-sectional imaging of the crack geometry and propagation was performed using BF-STEM, and it was observed that the cracks in the [001] direction extended through the thickness of the β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 film (∼205 nm) and a further ∼100–200 nm into the β-Ga2O3 substrate. Experimental data for critical film thickness showed good agreement with previous theoretical calculations based on the Griffith criterion for crack propagation.
Research on the impact of air-blowing on aerodynamic drag reduction and wake characteristics of a high-speed maglev train
Authors: Che Zheng-Xin , Chen Zheng-Wei , Ni Yi-Qing , Huang Sha , Li Zhi-Wei
Published: November 2023

The maglev train fills the speed gap between ground transportation and airplanes. However, the increasing train speed results in greater energy losses due to increased aerodynamic drag, impeding the green and sustainable development of high-speed railways. This study employs the numerical simulation method to explore the effects of installing air-blowing slots on the surface of the TR08 maglev train's tail car and blowing air along three different directions at two different speeds on drag reduction and the characteristics of the wake flow field. Among them, only blowing air along the streamwise direction at speeds of 12 m/s (X12) and 24 m/s (X24) shows drag reduction effects of 2.06% and 6.53%, respectively. However, considering the energy efficiency, only X12 achieves a net energy saving of 58.96%, while the energy consumption by blowing air and saving by reducing drag in X24 are roughly balanced. Air-blowing reduces the aerodynamic lift of the tail car (Cl), with blowing air along the perpendicular direction at 24 m/s (Z24) reducing the Cl by 99.57%. Additionally, Z24 reduces the maximum velocity value of the train-induced air flow (Usmax¯) by 61.91%. The research findings provide new insight and data support for the development of blowing/suction drag reduction techniques.
Comparative photocatalytic study of visible light driven BiVO4, Cu2O, and Cu2O/BiVO4 nanocomposite for degradation of antibiotic for wastewater treatment
Authors: Liaqat Maira , Iqbal Tahir , Ashfaq Zain , Afsheen Sumera , Mahmood Khan Rana Rashad , Sayed M. A. , Ali Atif Mossad
Published: November 2023

Semiconductor-based photocatalysts have become increasingly used in the removal of pollutants from wastewater, especially antibiotics. A series of composite-based cuprous oxide and bismuth vanadate (Cu2O/BiVO4) composite-based photocatalysts were synthesized by using the chemical method. The structure of the Cu2O/BiVO4 composite was verified by using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV–visible spectra. The degradation of methylene blue (MB) and tetracycline (TC) was investigated to check the photocatalytic activity of the Cu2O/BiVO4 composite series. The quantity of Cu2O was varied from 1% to 7% by weight to prepare the series of Cu2O/BiVO4 composites. The analysis of results verified that 5% Cu2O/BiVO4 exhibits an outstanding photocatalytic activity as compared to 1%, 3%, and 7% Cu2O/BiVO4, pure Cu2O, and pure BiVO4 under visible light irradiation. The optimum value of photocatalytic degradation achieved with 5% Cu2O/BiVO4 was 97% for MB dye and 95% for TC in 120 min, which is greater than the photocatalytic degradation of pure BiVO4 (MB 45% and TC 72%), pure Cu2O (MB 57% and TC 80%), 1% Cu2O/BiVO4 (MB 72% and TC 85%), 3% Cu2O/BiVO4 (MB 83% and TC 88%), and 7% Cu2O/BiVO4 (MB 87% and TC 91%). The stability and reusability of Cu2O/BiVO4 were also investigated. To check the major role of trapping in degradation, a trapping experiment was also performed by using three trapping agents: BQ, EDTA, and tBuOH. The results showed that Cu2O/BiVO4 exhibits an improved photocatalytic activity in the degradation of antibiotics in polluted water because the recombination rate of the electron–hole pair decreased and the surface area increased, which increased the active sites for redox reactions. Such a photocatalytic composite with high efficiency has various applications, such as energy production, environmental remediation, and water remediation.
Calculation of particle volume fraction in computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method simulation of particulate flows with coarse particles
Authors: Zhang Yan , Ren Wan-Long , Li Peng , Zhang Xu-Hui , Lu Xiao-Bing
Published: November 2023

Computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method is frequently used for modeling particulate flows due to its high efficiency and satisfactory accuracy. The particle volume fraction is a crucial parameter that significantly affects the computation accuracy. It may be extremely large when the particulate flows contain coarse particles because it is determined by the ratio of particle volume to cell volume. In this paper, the performance of different methods, such as the divided particle volume method (DPVM), the big particle method, and the diffusion-based method, for computing the particle volume fraction is thoroughly reviewed, implemented, and investigated. It turns out that the DPVM must not be used when the particle size is larger than cell size due to significant fluctuation of the particle volume fraction field. The big particle method is optimized for simulation accuracy and code implementation. The optimized big particle method is similar to the diffusion-based method by diffusing the particle effects to the surrounding cells. It demonstrates greater consistency with experimental observations compared to the diffusion-based method, primarily attributed to its incorporation of polydisperse effects.
Pitfalls in the
n
-mode representation of vibrational potentials
Authors: Yang Emily L. , Talbot Justin J. , Spencer Ryan J. , Steele Ryan P.
Published: November 2023

Simulations of anharmonic vibrational motion rely on computationally expedient representations of the governing potential energy surface. The n-mode representation (n-MR)—effectively a many-body expansion in the space of molecular vibrations—is a general and efficient approach that is often used for this purpose in vibrational self-consistent field (VSCF) calculations and correlated analogues thereof. In the present analysis, a lack of convergence in many VSCF calculations is shown to originate from negative and unbound potentials at truncated orders of the n-MR expansion. For cases of strong anharmonic coupling between modes, the n-MR can both dip below the true global minimum of the potential surface and lead to effective single-mode potentials in VSCF that do not correspond to bound vibrational problems, even for bound total potentials. The present analysis serves mainly as a pathology report of this issue. Furthermore, this insight into the origin of VSCF non-convergence provides a simple, albeit ad hoc, route to correct the problem by “painting in” the full representation of groups of modes that exhibit these negative potentials at little additional computational cost. Somewhat surprisingly, this approach also reasonably approximates the results of the next-higher n-MR order and identifies groups of modes with particularly strong coupling. The method is shown to identify and correct problematic triples of modes—and restore SCF convergence—in two-mode representations of challenging test systems, including the water dimer and trimer, as well as protonated tropine.
Numerical and experimental study on the addition of surface roughness to micro-propellers
Authors: Cooke J. P. , Campbell M. F. , Steager E. B. , Bargatin I. , Yim M. H. , Park G. I.
Published: November 2023

Micro aerial vehicles are making a large impact in applications such as search-and-rescue, package delivery, and recreation. Unfortunately, these diminutive drones are currently constrained to carrying small payloads, in large part because they use propellers optimized for larger aircraft and inviscid flow regimes. Fully realizing the potential of emerging microflyers requires next-generation propellers that are specifically designed for low Reynolds number conditions and that include new features advantageous in highly viscous flows. One aspect that has received limited attention in the literature is the addition of roughness to propeller blades as a method of reducing drag and increasing thrust. To investigate this possibility, we used direct numerical simulation to conduct a numerical investigation of smooth and rough propellers. Our results indicate that roughness produces a 2% increase in thrust and a 5% decrease in power relative to a baseline smooth propeller operating at the same Reynolds number of Rec = 6500, held constant by rotational speed. We complement our numerical findings using thrust-stand-based experiments of 3D-printed propellers identical to those of the numerical simulations. Our study indicates that surface roughness is an additional parameter within the design space for micro-propellers, which may offer improved drone efficiencies and payloads.
Design of the water-cooling structure for the 100 kA DC mechanical switch in the CRAFT quench protection system
Authors: Hu Xingguang , Li Zhenhan , Li Hua , Li Hang , Gao Xiang , Li JianGang
Published: November 2023

The DC mechanical switch is connected in series with the superconducting magnet in the quench protection system. As the main switch that carries the magnet current for a long time, the temperature of its conductive unit, especially the contact part, inevitably increases significantly during operation. It is necessary to design a water-cooled structure to control the temperature rise. This article introduces the structural design of the conductive unit of the DC mechanical switch for the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology quench protection system and uses a combination of theoretical calculation, thermal-electrical coupling simulation, and Fluent simulation to analyze the thermal stability characteristics at a current level of 100 kA. By comparing and studying the temperature rise characteristics of switches under different cooling paths, diameters of water-cooling pipe, and water flow rates, a design basis is provided for determining a 15 mm diameter “∏” shaped cooling water path structure for the mechanical switch. The DC mechanical switch water-cooled structure designed in this article is expected to effectively control the temperature rise level of the contact.
First-principles prediction of energy bandgaps in 18-valence electron semiconducting half-Heusler compounds: Exploring the role of exchange and correlation
Authors: Gürbüz Emel , Tas Murat , Şaşıoğlu Ersoy , Mertig Ingrid , Sanyal Biplab , Galanakis Iosif
Published: November 2023

The choice of exchange functional is a critical factor in determining the energy bandgap of semiconductors. Ab initio calculations using different exchange functionals, including the conventional generalized-gradient approximation (GGA) functionals, meta-GGA functionals, and hybrid functionals, show significant differences in the calculated energy bandgap for semiconducting half-Heusler compounds. These compounds, which have 18 valence electrons per unit cell, are of great interest due to their thermoelectric properties, making them suitable for energy conversion applications. In addition, accounting for electronic correlations using the GW method also affects the calculated energy bandgaps compared to standard GGA calculations. The variations in calculated energy bandgaps are specific to each material when using different functionals. Hence, a detailed investigation of the electronic properties of each compound is necessary to determine the most appropriate functional for an accurate description of the electronic properties. Our results indicate that no general rules can be established and a comparison with experimental results is required to determine the most appropriate functional.
Anharmonic phonon decay in CdSexTe1−x compound thin films
Authors: Yaqoob Manzar Mushaf , Iqbal Muhammad Faisal , Wang Deliang
Published: November 2023

Resonant Raman scattering experiments were employed to investigate composition dependence of exciton-phonon coupling and anharmonic phonon decay in CdSexTe1−x thin films with x values between 0 and 1. The energy variations of the CdTe- and CdSe-like longitudinal optical phonons (LO) with compositions were found to be well described by the random-element isodisplacement model. Fröhlich interaction was enhanced in CdSexTe1−x films with x values of ∼0.2, and strong additive combination phonons mLO1 + nLO2 have been observed, here, m and n are integers describing Raman scattering orders. The experimental results demonstrate that the anharmonic decay of the additive combination LO1 + LO2 mode was dominated by the cascade relaxation process, namely, the decay can be described by successive decaying of the individual LO1 and LO2 modes. Transverse acoustical phonon (TA), whose phonon density of states varies rapidly with alloy composition, played critical role in the anharmonic decay for the CdSexTe1−x films with different compositions.
Cascade amplification of optical absorption on III–V semiconductors via plasmon-coupled graphene
Authors: Dai Hao , Wang Hongpei , Chu Huiyuan , Huang Yancheng , Wei Chaoqun , Zhang Ziyang , Jiang Cheng
Published: November 2023

Plasmons in graphene (Gr) show many fascinating characteristics, such as dynamic tunability, strong field confinement of light-matter interaction, and highly responsive, which has been widely exploited for a number of applications, including photodetectors, optical modulators, and sensors. In this paper, graphene plasmons (GPs) were motivated by implanting Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) into Ta2O5 thin layers adjacent to the Gr film, and the strong localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect has been proposed and demonstrated by placing the GPs structure on a III–V semiconductor quantum well saturable absorber (SA). It has been substantiated that the heightened interaction between light and Gr via LSPR predominantly occurs through the mechanisms of resonant energy transfer and local electromagnetic field enhancement, rather than direct electron transfer. Significant improvement on the nonlinear characteristics of the GPs modulated III–V semiconductor SA has been observed with a 17.1% large modulation depth and obviously improved working stability. A 1550 nm passive mode-locked laser has been successfully constructed with a pulse width down to 523 fs by integrating the SA into the laser cavity. This work lays the foundation for the development of high-performance mode-locked lasers and also demonstrates the substantial enhancement of nonlinear optical properties of various materials not limited to III–V semiconductors provided by this GPs' modulated structure; hence, these findings offer extensive prospects for applications in various photonics and optoelectronic devices.
Bridging macromolecular theory of polymeric liquids to Oldroyd 8-constant constitutive framework
Authors: Poungthong P. , Giacomin A. J.
Published: November 2023

The Oldroyd 8-constant continuum framework established a vision for constitutive equations for polymeric liquids—past, present, and future. In this Letter, we bridge a macromolecular theory for polymeric liquids to the continuum framework. Specifically, we bridge general rigid bead-rod theory (also called rotarance theory) to the Oldroyd 8-constant framework. In so doing, we arrive at a constitutive equation whose constants are known in terms of the macromolecular moments of inertia of axisymmetric macromolecules of otherwise arbitrary architecture. For any of the many polymer processing problems solved analytically for the Oldroyd 8-constant continuum theory, we can thus explore analytically the role of macromolecular architecture on the polymer processing.
Microbiota configuration determines nutritional immune optimization
Authors: Han Seong-Ji , Stacy Apollo , Corral Dan , Link Verena M. , De Siqueira Mirian Krystel , Chi Liang , Teijeiro Ana , Yong Daniel S. , Perez-Chaparro P. Juliana , Bouladoux Nicolas , Lim Ai Ing , Enamorado Michel , Belkaid Yasmine , Collins Nicholas
Published: November 2023

Mild or transient dietary restriction (DR) improves many aspects of health and aging. Emerging evidence from us and others has demonstrated that DR also optimizes the development and quality of immune responses. However, the factors and mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated. Here, we propose that DR-induced optimization of immunological memory requires a complex cascade of events involving memory T cells, the intestinal microbiota, and myeloid cells. Our findings suggest that DR enhances the ability of memory T cells to recruit and activate myeloid cells in the context of a secondary infection. Concomitantly, DR promotes the expansion of commensal Bifidobacteria within the large intestine, which produce the short-chain fatty acid acetate. Acetate conditioning of the myeloid compartment during DR enhances the capacity of these cells to kill pathogens. Enhanced host protection during DR is compromised when Bifidobacteria expansion is prevented, indicating that microbiota configuration and function play an important role in determining immune responsiveness to this dietary intervention. Altogether, our study supports the idea that DR induces both memory T cells and the gut microbiota to produce distinct factors that converge on myeloid cells to promote optimal pathogen control. These findings suggest that nutritional cues can promote adaptation and co-operation between multiple immune cells and the gut microbiota, which synergize to optimize immunity and protect the collective metaorganism.
Social stress induces autoimmune responses against the brain
Authors: Shimo Yusuke , Cathomas Flurin , Lin Hsiao-yun , Chan Kenny L. , Parise Lyonna F. , Li Long , Ferrer-Pérez Carmen , Muhareb Samer , Costi Sara , Murrough James W. , Russo Scott J.
Published: November 2023

Clinical studies have revealed a high comorbidity between autoimmune diseases and psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the mechanisms connecting autoimmunity and depression remain unclear. Here, we aim to identify the processes by which stress impacts the adaptive immune system and the implications of such responses to depression. To examine this relationship, we analyzed antibody responses and autoimmunity in the chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model in mice, and in clinical samples from patients with MDD. We show that socially stressed mice have elevated serum antibody concentrations. We also confirm that social stress leads to the expansion of specific T and B cell populations within the cervical lymph nodes, where brain-derived antigens are preferentially delivered. Sera from stress-susceptible (SUS) mice exhibited high reactivity against brain tissue, and brain-reactive immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels positively correlated with social avoidance behavior. IgG antibody concentrations in the brain were significantly higher in SUS mice than in unstressed mice, and positively correlated with social avoidance. Similarly, in humans, increased peripheral levels of brain-reactive IgG antibodies were associated with increased anhedonia. In vivo assessment of IgG antibodies showed they largely accumulate around blood vessels in the brain only in SUS mice. B cell-depleted mice exhibited stress resilience following CSDS, confirming the contribution of antibody-producing cells to social avoidance behavior. This study provides mechanistic insights connecting stress-induced autoimmune reactions against the brain and stress susceptibility. Therapeutic strategies targeting autoimmune responses might aid in the treatment of patients with MDD featuring immune abnormalities.
HCMV-secreted glycoprotein gpUL4 inhibits TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and NK cell activation
Authors: Vlachava Virginia-Maria , Seirafian Sepehr , Fielding Ceri A. , Kollnberger Simon , Aicheler Rebecca J. , Hughes Joseph , Baker Alexander , Weekes Michael P. , Forbes Simone , Wilkinson Gavin W. G. , Wang Eddie C. Y. , Stanton Richard J.
Published: November 2023

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a paradigm of pathogen immune evasion and sustains lifelong persistent infection in the face of exceptionally powerful host immune responses through the concerted action of multiple immune-evasins. These reduce NK cell activation by inhibiting ligands for activating receptors, expressing ligands for inhibitory receptors, or inhibiting synapse formation. However, these functions only inhibit direct interactions with the infected cell. To determine whether the virus also expresses soluble factors that could modulate NK function at a distance, we systematically screened all 170 HCMV canonical protein-coding genes. This revealed that UL4 encodes a secreted and heavily glycosylated protein (gpUL4) that is expressed with late-phase kinetics and is capable of inhibiting NK cell degranulation. Analyses of gpUL4 binding partners by mass spectrometry identified an interaction with TRAIL. gpUL4 bound TRAIL with picomolar affinity and prevented TRAIL from binding its receptor, thus acting as a TRAIL decoy receptor. TRAIL is found in both soluble and membrane-bound forms, with expression of the membrane-bound form strongly up-regulated on NK cells in response to interferon. gpUL4 inhibited apoptosis induced by soluble TRAIL, while also binding to the NK cell surface in a TRAIL-dependent manner, where it blocked NK cell degranulation and cytokine secretion. gpUL4 therefore acts as an immune-evasin by inhibiting both soluble and membrane-bound TRAIL and is a viral-encoded TRAIL decoy receptor. Interestingly, gpUL4 could also suppress NK responses to heterologous viruses, suggesting that it may act as a systemic virally encoded immunosuppressive agent.
Targeting the lipid kinase PIKfyve upregulates surface expression of MHC class I to augment cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Bao Yi , Qiao Yuanyuan , Choi Jae Eun , Zhang Yuping , Mannan Rahul , Cheng Caleb , He Tongchen , Zheng Yang , Yu Jiali , Gondal Mahnoor , Cruz Gabriel , Grove Sara , Cao Xuhong , Su Fengyun , Wang Rui , Chang Yu , Kryczek Ilona , Cieslik Marcin , Green Michael D. , Zou Weiping , Chinnaiyan Arul M.
Published: November 2023

Despite the remarkable clinical success of immunotherapies in a subset of cancer patients, many fail to respond to treatment and exhibit resistance. Here, we found that genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of the lipid kinase PIKfyve, a regulator of autophagic flux and lysosomal biogenesis, upregulated surface expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) in cancer cells via impairing autophagic flux, resulting in enhanced cancer cell killing mediated by CD8
+
T cells. Genetic depletion or pharmacologic inhibition of PIKfyve elevated tumor-specific MHC-I surface expression, increased intratumoral functional CD8
+
T cells, and slowed tumor progression in multiple syngeneic mouse models. Importantly, enhanced antitumor responses by
Pikfyve
-depletion were CD8
+
T cell- and MHC-I-dependent, as CD8
+
T cell depletion or
B2m
knockout rescued tumor growth. Furthermore, PIKfyve inhibition improved response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), adoptive cell therapy, and a therapeutic vaccine. High expression of
PIKFYVE
was also predictive of poor response to ICB and prognostic of poor survival in ICB-treated cohorts. Collectively, our findings show that targeting PIKfyve enhances immunotherapies by elevating surface expression of MHC-I in cancer cells, and PIKfyve inhibitors have potential as agents to increase immunotherapy response in cancer patients.
The Road Not Traveled: Bovine Tuberculosis in England, Wales, and Michigan, USA
Authors: O’Brien Daniel J. , Kao Rowland R. , Little Ruth A. , Enticott Gareth , Riley Shawn J.
Published: November 2023

One Health as a concept now enjoys broad and enthusiastic support. However, One Health as a potential strategy for disease management has struggled with the many varying interpretations of what the concept means in practice. This ambiguity obfuscates what the practical goals of One Health are in a disease management context. Opportunities exist to examine how the practical management of well-studied, multihost zoonotic diseases under different locales and governance systems may shed light on what the concept of One Health looks like in application. The case studies of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Michigan, USA and in the United Kingdom provide such an opportunity. To date, management of bTB in the US and UK has had mixed success. Elimination of the disease is hampered by the conflicting interests and priorities of stakeholders, disease managers, and policy makers. This polarization poses a fundamental challenge to the One Health approach.

In this retrospective, we reflect on how a One Health approach adopted prior to the onset of bTB in both countries might (or might not) have changed the course of the outbreaks and subsequent effectiveness of management. While recognizing the positive potential of One Health, we also point out where evolution will be necessary to turn concepts into effective practice. We discuss how the effectiveness of One Health generally, and management of bTB specifically, is limited by lack of knowledge from the social sciences and the application of these insights in the governance of a One Health approach.

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© The Authors 2023
Mountain Biking Tourism Impacts in Rural Michigan
Authors: Lee Hunter , Perry Elizabeth
Published: November 2023

Mountain biking and mountain biking tourism are on the rise. With this increase comes the potential for increased impacts, especially in rural communities promoting their mountain biking trail systems. We present the case of two such trails in Michigan, USA – The Dragon Trail and the DTE Energy Foundation Trail – to exemplify how trail and community managers discuss two areas of tourism impacts and their intersections: economics and equity. Major highlights include economic phrasings of immediate direct impacts and more diffuse community impacts; specifically, equity considerations of barriers to access and representation and safety, and their intersection when discussing local as well as tourist use of these trails. This case serves as insight for communities considering developing mountain biking tourism amenities and identities, as well as how the discussion on impacts may vary across contexts.

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© The Authors 2023
Support for decision-making in checking the level of quality of student research works based on automated text analysis (Asistencia para la toma de decisiones en la evaluación de la calidad de las investigaciones de los estudiantes basada en el análisis automático de textos)
Authors: Tarkhova Lyaylya , Tarkhov Sergey , Akhmetyanov Ilshat , Ibragimov Radik , Minasova Natalia
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this study is to increase the efficiency of the analysis process and the objectivity of decision-making on the final assessment, showing the quality of student research works based on the use of an automated text analysis software product. The total number of evaluated research papers was more than 300 (average age of students: 21.6; SD = 34). During the experiment, the effectiveness of the software product Multifunctional Text Analyser (MTA) was tested on the specified sample. The text of the analysed research works can be assessed as qualitative if the complex indicator of the text fragments congruence of the work exceeds 70%. The current article can be used as a methodological and theoretical basis for implementing the principles of academic virtue in institutions of higher education.
Wide-angle beam scanning from binary amplitude-modulated conformal meta-surface dense array with precise beam granularity
Authors: Kan Yao , Yang Rui , Wang Yan
Published: November 2023

We propose a binary amplitude-modulated conformal meta-surface with every meta-element capable of functioning as the leaky wave passage or the null radiating spot through dynamically tuning the PIN diodes over the meta-elements with ON or OFF states. In particular, the staggered arrangement of the meta-elements forms a dense radiating array with 0.1 wavelength periodicity and every radiating patch consists of dual hourglass shaped slots stacked over the coupled feed of substrate integrated waveguide slits. Such a design, on the basis of binary amplitude-modulated conformal meta-surface frames, can achieve wide-angle steerable fan-beam scanning, while possessing the precise beam direction with less than one tenth of the 3 dB beamwidth. Thus, this should pave the way for building up more advanced contemporary conformal wireless communication systems over different platforms.
Facilitating the strength-ductility balance in Ni3Al via Fe co-substitution at two sites
Authors: Zhu Xinghua , Liu Xiangyu , Feng Qingguo , Chen Bowen , Wang Ning , Xiao Lei , Xu Yi
Published: November 2023

In this work, the effect of Fe substitution on the stability and deformation mechanism of Ni3Al was studied using first principles calculations. The results show that Fe is more likely to occupy the Ni site in terms of energy at low substitution concentrations, but occupying the Al site is more favorable for the stability of the system. The results also show that FeNi substitution brings ductility to the intermetallics while FeAl substitution ensures strength. In addition, the results for the generalized stacking fault energies at high substitution concentrations are different from those at low concentrations because of the change in the matrix. Therefore, dual-site substitution of Fe in appropriate proportions can help Ni3Al overcome the strength-ductility trade-off. This work provides useful knowledge for better design and utilization of Ni3Al-based multicomponent intermetallics.
Detecting student performance gaps in high school physics courses
Authors: Wu Harry
Published: November 2023

This research utilises data from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to uncover disparities in the performance of US high school students in specific physics topics. Although TIMSS provides an overview of physics performance, it lacks specific information on individual topic areas. To address this gap, I develop a unique index to evaluate student performance across seven topic areas and three cognitive domains. My analysis reveals that US students struggle the most in magnetism and electromagnetic induction. However, students are able to apply what they learn in this area to solve problems. Additionally, students perform better on multiple-choice questions than on critical responses, and reasoning skills are consistently weak across all topic areas. I also explore contextual variables that may account for the low performance in electric and magnetism topic area.
Misconception about upthrust and floatation caused by Grade-XII physics textbooks in Nepal
Authors: Yadav Manoj K
Published: November 2023

The concepts imparted by textbooks leave lasting impressions in the minds of students. If the explanation in a textbook is vague and flawed, many students fall victim of the concerned textbook. This article brings one such issue of misleading explanations found in Grade XII level physics textbooks in Nepal. The issue is about the conditions of floatation of a body based on upthrust and weight of the body. The ambiguous explanations coupled with negligence in illustrations mislead the students to believe that a body floating on the surface of a liquid experiences more upthrust than its own weight. A survey carried out involving 252 students of class XII clearly showed that the students are getting misled by the explanations presented in the textbooks considered for the survey. The article first presents the details of the misleading explanations in the textbooks and then tries to clarify the misleading aspects.
Spatiotemporal analysis of the runaway distribution function based on green function and regularization method
Authors: Dong Sheng , Zhou RuiJie , Zhang YongKuan , Mai ChaoWei , Zhong GuoQiang , Lin ShiYao , Hu LiQun
Published: November 2023

Runaway electrons (REs) in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) typically have an energy level of tens of MeV. Synchrotron radiation images of REs contain a wealth of information, making it crucial to handle this data properly to uncover hidden features. We observed distinct synchrotron radiation images emitted by the REs at different time points throughout the discharges and the focus of our study was an Ohmic discharge characterized by an evident synchrotron pattern and weaker background radiation. This paper aims to verify the feasibility of utilizing the green function and regularization method to obtain the distribution function information of synchrotron radiation images on EAST. We reconstruct the radial density profile of the REs beam by assuming the monoenergetic nature of REs at different time points. We employ the Tikhonov regularization method for this purpose. The results indicate that the radial density profile of the REs beam follows a roughly Gaussian distribution. Moreover, the peak density of the REs beam shifts inward to the magnetic axis as time progresses, a behavior also observed in the experimental image. However, a good fit between the simulated and experimental images is not achieved for all time points. This discrepancy is likely due to the intervention of

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magnetic islands and the increased complexity of the distribution function in both radial and momentum spaces.
Particle simulations of ion-extraction process from a decaying plasma assisted by radio-frequency plasma heating
Authors: Sun Jing-Yu , Chen Xing , Zhao Kai , Yuan Cheng , Lu Xiao-Yong , Gao Fei , Wang You-Nian
Published: November 2023

In this study, two-dimensional kinetic particle simulations were employed to examine the potential of radio-frequency (rf) plasma heating in enhancing ion extraction efficiency in a decaying plasma with the configuration of parallel plates. The numerical results suggest that the application of rf power based on the direct current electrostatic method leads to a remarkable increase in the ion extraction flux, thereby reducing the time required for ion extraction. The increase in the ion extraction flux is attributed to the enhancement of the penetration ability of the rf electric field into the plasma, especially in cases of high rf frequencies, which can elevate the bulk electron temperature to approach 10 eV. The propagation speed of ion rarefaction waves is enhanced by the increased electron temperature, speeding up the process of ion extraction. The study also found that an increase in rf voltage causes more intense plasma oscillations to screen out the rf disturbance, further increasing the electron temperature. Furthermore, as ion extraction continues, the heating effect of rf frequencies was found to be enhanced due to the decay of plasma density.
A quantum image encryption method for dual chaotic systems based on quantum logistic mapping
Authors: Dong Yumin , Yin Chenhao , Xu Chen , Yan Rui
Published: November 2023

On the basis of using quantum NEQR (novel enhanced quantum representation of digital image) to display images, a dual chaos system based on quantum logistic mapping is proposed to encrypt quantum images to ensure the security of quantum image transmission. The encryption algorithm is based on quantum logistic mapping and Chen chaos system to generate chaotic sequences, and uses quantum rotation gate operations to rotate and transform each pixel of the quantum image to achieve the effect of image encryption. Traditional quantum image encryption usually uses classical randomly generated sequences to construct the encryption angle of the quantum rotating door. This method combines the randomness of measured quantum with the chaotic system to obtain a truly random sequence. Using this random sequence can better Keep images confidential. Experimental results show that this method has high security and sensitivity to keys. In the sensitivity analysis of the results of the simulation experiment, its NPCR (Number of Pixels Change Rate) values floated around 99.60%. In the field of image encryption, the reliability of image encryption is greatly enhanced.
Perturbations of cosmological redshift drift
Authors: Bessa Pedro , Durrer Ruth , Stock Dennis
Published: November 2023

In this paper we calculate the linear perturbations of the cosmological redshift drift. We show explicitly that our expressions are gauge-invariant and compute the power spectrum of the redshift drift perturbations and its correlations with galaxy number counts within linear perturbation theory. Our findings show that the perturbations are small, and that the peculiar velocity and acceleration terms are dominating and cannot be neglected when modeling the full perturbative expression for the redshift drift. We also find that the cross-correlations with galaxy number count fluctuations might increase the detectability of the effect and can help to separate the perturbative effects from the background cosmological redshift drift signal.
Quantum Ising chain with time-averaged work in linear response theory
Authors: Nazé Pierre
Published: November 2023

For systems performing a weakly isothermal process, the decorrelation time dictates how fast the relaxation function decorrelates. However, like many other thermally isolated systems, the transverse-field quantum Ising chain presents an ill-defined decorrelation time. On the other hand, the Kibble–Zurek mechanism uses a heuristic relaxation time to achieve its famous scaling. The problem however of having a well-defined decorrelation time, derived from first principles, agreeing with the Kibble–Zurek mechanism is still open. Such a solution is proposed here by measuring the work using the time-averaged relaxation function of the system, which offers a new and well-defined decorrelation time for thermally isolated systems. I recover with this the Kibble–Zurek mechanism in the finite-time and weak driving regime, and new features in the slowly-varying one. The gain in control over the system in such distinction is desirable for potential applications.
Flow of asymmetric elongated particles
Authors: Nagy Viktor , Fan Bo , Somfai Ellák , Stannarius Ralf , Börzsönyi Tamás
Published: November 2023

Shear induced orientational ordering of asymmetric elongated particles is investigated experimentally. Corn grains and pegs with one end sharpened are studied using x-ray computed tomography during quasistatic shearing and silo discharge. We show that asymmetries can be detected in the orientational distributions of the particles, which are related to the modulated rotation of the particles during shear flow. Namely, when the particles rotate in a plane that is not horizontal, they spend more time with the sharper (lighter) end pointing up, which can be explained using energetic arguments. We quantify the resulting asymmetry of the orientational distribution in a split bottom Couette cell and in a silo discharge process.