bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Not just symbolism: Technologies may also have a less than direct connection with cognition
Authors: Milks Annemieke
Published: January 2025

I expand Stibbard-Hawkes' exploration of symbolism and cognition to suggest that we also ought to reconsider the strength of connections between cognition and technological complexity. Using early weaponry as a case study I suggest that complexity may be “hidden” in early tools, and further highlight that assessments of technologies as linear and progressive have roots in Western colonial thought.
Cultural innovation is not only a product of cognition but also of cultural context
Authors: Ben-Oren Yotam , Hovers Erella , Kolodny Oren , Creanza Nicole
Published: January 2025

Innovations, such as symbolic artifacts, are a product of cognitive abilities but also of cultural context. Factors that may determine the emergence and retention of an innovation include the population's pre-existing cultural repertoire, exposure to relevant ways of thinking, and the invention's utility. Thus, we suggest that the production of symbolic artifacts is not guaranteed even in cognitively advanced societies.
What would be pre-modern human cognition?
Authors: Blurton Jones Nicholas
Published: January 2025

Stibbard-Hawkes's detailed demonstration that in the case of hunter-gatherer artifacts, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence must never be forgotten. The belief that there is a single coherent “human cognitive capacity” difference between modern humans and some unspecified earlier form should be rigorously re-examined.
The cognitive and evolutionary science of behavioural modernity goes beyond material chronology
Authors: Sergiou Andoni S. E. , Gabora Liane
Published: January 2025

Stibbard-Hawkes' taphonomic findings are valuable, and his call for caution warranted, but the hazards he raises are being mitigated by a multi-pronged approach; current research on behavioural/cognitive modernity is not based solely on material chronology. Theories synthesize data from archaeology, anthropology, psychology, neuroscience, and genetics, and predictions arising from these theories are tested with mathematical and agent-based models.
Shared intentionality may have been favored by persistence hunting in Homo erectus
Authors: Vasil Jared
Published: January 2025

Shared intentionality is the derived hominin motivation and skills to align mental states. Research on the role of interdependence in the phylogeny of shared intentionality has only considered the archeological record of Homo heidelbergensis. But ethnographic and fossil data must be considered, too. Doing so suggests that shared intentionality may have been favored in Homo erectus to support persistence hunting.
Revising the null model in language evolution research
Authors: Kuleshova Svetlana , Pleyer Michael , Blomberg Johan , Sibierska Marta , Wacewicz Sławomir
Published: January 2025

We comment on the consequences of the target article for language evolution research. We propose that the default assumption should be that of language-readiness in extinct hominins, and the integration of different types of available evidence from multiple disciplines should be used to assess the likely extent of the realization of this readiness. The role of archaeological evidence should be reconsidered.
Hominin cognition: The null hypothesis
Authors: Stibbard-Hawkes Duncan N. E.
Published: January 2025

The target article explores material culture datasets from three African forager groups. After demonstrating that these modern, contemporary human populations would leave scant evidence of symbolic behaviour or material complexity, it cautioned against using material culture as a barometer for human cognition in the deep past. Twenty-one commentaries broadly support or expand these conclusions. A minority offer targeted demurrals, highlighting (1) the soundness of reasoning from absence; and questioning (2) the “cognitively modern” null; (3) the role of hunter-gatherer ethnography; and (4) the pertinence of the inferential issues identified in the target article. In synthesising these discussions, this reply addresses all four points of demurral in turn, and concludes that there is much to be gained from shifting our null assumptions and reconsidering the probabilistic inferential links between past material culture and cognition.
Phonological reanalysis is guided by markedness: the case of Malagasy weak stems
Authors: Kuo Jennifer
Published: January 2025

A key goal in phonology is to understand the factors that affect phonological learning. This article addresses the issue by examining how paradigms are reanalysed over time. Malagasy has a class of stems called weak stems, whose final consonants alternate under suffixation. Comparison of historical and modern Malagasy shows that weak stem paradigms have undergone extensive reanalysis in a way that cannot be predicted by the probabilistic distribution of alternants. This poses a problem for existing quantitative models of reanalysis, where reanalysis is always towards the most probable alternant. I argue instead that reanalysis in Malagasy is driven by both distributional factors and a markedness bias. To capture the Malagasy pattern, I propose a maximum entropy learning model, with a markedness bias implemented via the model’s prior probability distribution. This biased model successfully predicts the direction of reanalysis in Malagasy, outperforming purely distributional models.
The trend and factors of public trust in the military in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Tse-hsin
Published: January 2025

Political trust, which signifies the belief in the responsible exercise of power by political institutions, is a fundamental prerequisite for democratic legitimacy. However, even amidst a democratic deficit, the public's trust in the military can remain firm. This study aims to illuminate the prevailing trend and potential factors influencing public trust in the military in Taiwan from 2001 to 2022. The trajectory of trust in Taiwan's military implies fluctuating trust levels in response to the varying intensity of external threats. However, in general, confidence in the armed forces remains higher than that in other political institutions, a trend that is also observed in other nations. The statistical evidence demonstrates substantial support for both cultural and institutional explanations of political trust in the military in Taiwan throughout the initial two decades of the twenty-first century. However, the institutional explanation appears to be more robust than the cultural explanation. Notably, statistical results on trust in the government are consistent across all six survey rounds, with institutional factors showing higher overall significance in the pooled dataset compared to cultural factors, thereby emphasizing the institutional perspective.
Wernicke encephalopathy with active hallucinations during lung cancer treatment and hemodialysis: A case report
Authors: Hirata Marino , Ishida Mayumi , Onishi Hideki
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is an acute neuropsychiatric disorder caused by thiamine deficiency. The classical triad of symptoms for WE include mental status changes, ataxia, and ophthalmoplegia. In contrast, more uncommon symptoms include hallucinations. Known risk factors include alcoholism, malignancies, and chronic kidney disease, particularly hemodialysis. However, WE in nonalcoholic adults is often overlooked.

Methods

We report a WE patient with lung cancer undergoing hemodialysis who presented with the uncommon symptom of active hallucinations, which were improved by thiamine replacement therapy, despite a borderline whole blood thiamine concentration.

Results

An 81-year-old woman with lung cancer and undergoing hemodialysis was referred to our psycho-oncology department for active hallucinations that appeared suddenly 24 days earlier. She had been diagnosed with lung cancer 6 months earlier and was undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She had no alcohol dependence or anorexia before or after admission. Physical examination revealed active visual hallucinations and delirium. On suspicion of WE, intravenous thiamine was administered. One day after administration, the hallucinations and delirium improved. Her whole blood thiamine concentration was borderline (24 ng/ml).

Significance of results

WE might be a cause of active visual hallucinations as they disappeared on thiamine administration alone. We need to be aware of risk factors such as malignancies and hemodialysis, and it is important not to overlook WE.
Relationship between LE8 score and peripheral arterial disease from	NHANES perspective
Authors: Liu Zhixian , Zhang Zhibo , Li Tianhua
Published: January 2025

Summary: Background: This study examined the link between the Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) metric and peripheral artery disease (PAD) prevalence in the U.S. Patients and methods: This population-based prospective cohort study analyzed data from 6,076 participants aged 20 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 1999 and 2004. LE8 scores were categorized into low, moderate, and high cardiovascular health (CVH) levels. Multivariable weighted logistic regression and subgroup analyses were performed to examine the relationship between CVH and PAD, adjusting for demographic and clinical variables. Results: In final analysis, a total of 6,076 individuals were included, with a mean age of 59.41±12.80 years and 51.3% (n=3,115) being male. The prevalence of PAD was 6.9% (n=418). After adjusting for confounding factors, compared to participants with low CVH, those with moderate CVH had a 34% lower risk of PAD (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53–0.82), and those with high CVH had a 62% lower risk of PAD (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.25–0.58). Conclusions: In conclusion, we report that lower CVH scores are associated with higher PAD risk among U.S. adults. These findings may contribute to the prevention strategies for PAD.
Listening to Earth’s Subsurface with Distributed Acoustic Sensing
Authors: Li Yingping , Mellors Robert , Zhan Ge
Published: January 2025

A new book examines how fiber-optic cables installed in boreholes can monitor seismic activity, fluid flow, subsurface temperatures, and more.
PKCα regulates the secretion of PDL1-carrying small extracellular vesicles in a p53-dependent manner
Authors: Zhang Ren , Liao Weilin , Chen Xi , Wang Junyi , Li Jiaqi , Chen Geer , Wu Weiyu , Wang Xiaoxuan , Zhang Yao , Chen Ziyu , Zhu Xiaoyu , Lin Zicong , Zhu Yizhun , Ma Lijuan , Yu Haijie
Published: January 2025

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), carrying PD-L1, have been implicated in immune evasion and tumor progression. However, understanding how PD-L1 sEVs are secreted still needs to be improved. We found that the secretion dynamics of PD-L1 sEVs is similar to that of other sEVs. Intracellular calcium and the associated downstream PKC signaling plays pivotal roles in releasing PD-L1 sEVs in non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC). Particularly, we observed that knocking down PKCα has profound impacts on PD-L1 sEVs secretion, especially in the resting state and in the activated state, when induced by an intracellular calcium rise. Furthermore, our study revealed that PKCα regulates PD-L1 expression and PD-L1 sEVs secretion by influencing STAT1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation in a p53-dependent manner. Notably, p53 can regulate STAT1 phosphorylation and nuclear localization, but it does not affect PKCα expression. This suggests that PKCα plays a significant role in regulating PD-L1 expression. Our findings suggest that targeting PKCα to modulate PD-L1 dynamics in NSCLC may be a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapeutic interventions.
Proteomic, metabolomic and lipidomic profiles in community acquired pneumonia for differentiating viral and bacterial infections
Authors: Rischke Samuel , Gurke Robert , Zielbauer Ann-Sophie , Ziegler Nicole , Hahnefeld Lisa , Köhm Michaela , Kannt Aimo , Vehreschild Maria JGT , Geisslinger Gerd , Rohde Gernot , Bellinghausen Carla , Behrens Frank , Study group CAPNETZ
Published: January 2025

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has a significant impact on public health, especially in light of the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. To enhance disease characterization and improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms, a comprehensive analysis of the plasma lipidome, metabolome and proteome was conducted in patients with viral and bacterial CAP infections, including those induced by SARS-CoV-2. Lipidomic, metabolomic and proteomic profiling were conducted on plasma samples of 69 patients suffering either from viral or bacterial CAP. Lipid and metabolite analyses were LC-MS-based, while proteomic analyses were performed using multiple panels of the Olink platform. Statistical methods, machine learning and pathway analyses were conducted investigating differences between the infection types. Through comparison of the bacterial and viral pathogen groups, distinct signatures were observed in the plasma profiles. Notably, linoleic acid-derived inflammation signaling metabolites (EpOME and DiHOME) were increased in viral CAP compared to bacterial CAP. Similarly, proteins involved in cellular immune response and apoptosis (LAG-3 and TRAIL) showed elevated levels in viral CAP, while bacterial CAP exhibited notable elevation in pattern-recognizing receptors (CLEC4D and EN-RAGE). Additionally, within the lipidomic profile at baseline, several lipids displayed notable differences between viral and bacterial pneumonia, including bile acids (GCA, TCA, TCDCA), various tri- and diglycerides (TGs and DGs), and several phosphatidylcholines (PCs). These findings hold promise for facilitating the differential diagnosis of viral and bacterial pulmonary infections based on the systemic lipidome, metabolome and proteome, enabling timely treatment decisions. Additionally, they highlight potential targets for drug research, advancing therapeutic interventions in CAP. By providing valuable insights into the molecular characterization of CAP, this study contributes to the improvement of understanding the disease and, ultimately, the development of effective treatment strategies.
Evaluating historical changes in a mussel bed community in northern California
Authors: Longman Emily K. , Merolla Sarah , Talke Stefan A. , Trautman Nicholas , Largier John L. , Harris Leslie , Sanford Eric
Published: January 2025

Marine foundation species are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic stressors, driving a loss of diversity within these critical habitats. Prior studies suggest that species diversity within mussel beds has declined precipitously in southern California, USA, but it is unclear whether a similar loss has occurred farther north. Here, we resurvey a mussel bed community in northern California first sampled in 1941 to evaluate changes in diversity after 78 years. More broadly, we explore the value and potential challenges of using imperfect historical data to assess community changes. Our 2019 survey documented 90 species/taxa across 10 phyla. The majority of species (~ 72%) were common to all replicate plots, suggesting that variation in species diversity over small spatial scales was unlikely to mask temporal changes. In contrast to results from southern California, we observed no decline in species diversity between timepoints. However, there were shifts in species composition, with an increase in the abundance of southern species and a decrease in northern species, consistent with warming observed at a nearby shoreline site. Overall, our findings are an encouraging sign for the health of this mussel bed community in northern California and illustrate how non-traditional data can contribute to assessments of long-term ecological change.
Waste Not! How Nanotechnologies Can Increase Efficiencies Throughout Society
Authors: Berger Michael
Published: January 2025

There is a pressing global issue of waste and its multi-fold impact on society, the environment, and the economy.

This comprehensive guide details the extensive applications of nanotechnologies as a promising solution, presenting a structured examination of how these technological advancements contribute to substantial waste reduction and more efficient waste management processes. Furthermore, the book explores emerging trends, offering readers a well-rounded view and preparing them for future advancements in nanotechnology and sustainable waste management, thereby ensuring continued relevance and utility in the evolving technological landscape.

Written by an authority figure in the applications of nanotechnologies, this book is suitable for a global audience, and is a valuable resource for individuals, policymakers, and stakeholders across various countries
Identification and characterization of microplastics released during the actual use of disposable cups using laser direct infrared imaging
Authors: Du Shanshan , Liu Ziyan , Wu Lei , Tao Fangbiao
Published: January 2025

Characterization of MPs released from disposable plastic cups based on LDIR.
Rapid identification of pathogenic bacteria from clinical positive blood cultures via virus-like magnetic bead enrichment and MALDI-TOF MS profiling
Authors: Zhang Zhirou , Xing Enyun , Zhao Wenzhuo , Song Minghui , Zhang Cuiping , Liu Hong , Li Xiaomin , Yu Hongxiu
Published: January 2025

The formation process of Fe3O4@MSN and Fe3O4@VSN, and bacterial enrichment by Fe3O4@VSN from sample solution for MALDI-TOF MS identification.
Nature of molybdenum carbide surfaces for catalytic hydrogen dissociation using machine-learned potentials: an ensemble-averaged perspective
Authors: Wilson Woodrow N. , Lane John Michael , Saha Chinmoy , Severin Sony , Bharadwaj Vivek S. , Rai Neeraj
Published: January 2025

Unique surface chemistries of molybdenum carbide phases for H2 dissociation with MLIP-based reactive molecular dynamics.
Elucidating the impact of metal doping in Li1.15(Ni0.35Mn0.65)0.85O2 cathodes using high-throughput experiments and machine learning
Authors: Hebert Alex , Zeinali Galabi Nooshin , Sieffert J. Michael , Blangero Maxime , McCalla Eric
Published: January 2025

To improve sustainable Li-ion cathodes, materials with high energy and low transition metal dissolution are needed. High-throughput experiments coupled to machine-learning are used to accelerate the design of Co-free Li-rich materials.
A reversed gas diffusion electrode enables collection of high purity gas products from CO2 electroreduction
Authors: Wu Bo , Voleti Lakshmi Devi , Fenwick Aidan Q. , Wu Chao , Zhang Jiguang , Ling Ning , Wang Meng , Jia Yuewen , Tjiu Weng Weei , Zhang Mingsheng , Aabdin Zainul , Xi Shibo , Mathpati Channamallikarjun S. , Zhang Sui , Atwater Harry A. , Karimi Iftekhar A. , Lum Yanwei
Published: January 2025

Electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2R) in conventional systems typically generates highly diluted product output streams. Here we show that operating the gas diffusion electrode in a 'reverse' mode enables collection of gas products at high purity.
Towards high atom economy in whole-cell redox biocatalysis: up-scaling light-driven cyanobacterial ene-reductions in a flat panel photobioreactor
Authors: Grimm Hanna C. , Erlsbacher Peter , Medipally Hitesh , Malihan-Yap Lenny , Sovic Lucija , Zöhrer Johannes , Kosourov Sergey N. , Allahverdiyeva Yagut , Paul Caroline E. , Kourist Robert
Published: January 2025

Light-driven biotransformations in recombinant cyanobacteria benefit from the atom-efficient regeneration of reaction equivalents like NADPH from water and light by oxygenic photosynthesis.
Anti-freezing conductive hydrogels with exceptional mechanical properties and stable sensing performance at −30 °C
Authors: Yu Yunfei , Wang Shuo , Yu Huitao , Liao Xiaojian , Feng Wei
Published: January 2025

Conductive hydrogels with stable sensing performance at −30 °C were prepared by utilizing a unique microstructure: MXene bridging PAM and the agar. These findings present insights for the development of flexible tactile sensors in cold environments.
Moisture-responsive ultralow-hysteresis polymer ionogels for adhesion-switchable strain sensing
Authors: Zhou Yichen , Zhang Xing , Zheng Ying , Liu Junfeng , Bao Yongzhong , Shan Guorong , Yu Chengtao , Pan Pengju
Published: January 2025

Adhesion-switchable ionogels with ultralow hysteresis are developed through moisture-mediated phase separation using opposite-affinity ionic components. These ionogels show great potential in smart adhesives for targeted object capture.
The performance and mechanism of a MIL-53(Fe)/ZnIn2S4 heterophase photo-Fenton system in degrading p-nitrophenol
Authors: Hu Xinrui , Jin Bo
Published: January 2025

The preparation of a novel composite material, MIL-53(Fe)/ZnIn2S4, for the degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) via the photo-Fenton process.
Synergistic effect of ligand–cluster structure and support in gold nanocluster catalysts for selective hydrogenation of alkynes
Authors: Banu Rareṣ , Loxha Adea , Müller Nicole , Spyroglou Stylianos , Rosenberg Egon Erwin , Palomares A. Eduardo , Rey Fernando , Marini Carlo , Barrabés Noelia
Published: January 2025

Disclosing the effect of ligand binding motif types on the catalytic activity of gold nanoclusters in selective hydrogenation.
Exploring the capabilities of 2-alkynyl aryl/benzyl azides: synthesis approaches for indoles, quinolines, and their derivatives via transition metal catalysis
Authors: Hosseininezhad Seyedmohammad , Pirani Ahmad Abad Sina , Ramazani Ali
Published: January 2025

This review covers the metal-catalyzed transformation of 2-alkynyl aryl/benzyl azides into indoles and quinolines (2011–2024), addressing substrates, recent advancements, research challenges, and mechanisms to promote further research.
An experimental study on microwave-assisted direct air capture of CO2 under fluidized bed conditions
Authors: Erguvan Mustafa , Boylu Rahim , Strobel Matheus , Amini Shahriar
Published: January 2025

In this study, a proof-of-concept of microwave-assisted regeneration process coupled with a fluidized bed reactor under DAC conditions is presented.
Luminescent lanthanide complexes supported by ditopic Schiff-base/calix[4]arene macrocycles: synthesis, structure, and luminescence properties of [Ln2(H2L2)(H2O)2] (Ln = La, Eu, Tb, Yb)
Authors: Zocher Christian , Taut Josef , Laube Christian , Börner Martin , Melix Patrick , Ullmann Steve , Abel Bernd , Tonner-Zech Ralf , Kersting Berthold
Published: January 2025

Schiff-base units in homo- and heterodinuclear lanthanide complexes can act as antennas for sensitization of Eu and Tb luminescence.
Influence of mechanical stress on flexible electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors
Authors: Ruiz-Molina Sara , Ricci Simona , Martínez-Domingo Carme , Ortiz-Aguayo María Jesús , Pfattner Raphael , Schweicher Guillaume , Geerts Yves H. , Salzillo Tommaso , Mas-Torrent Marta
Published: January 2025

The impact of mechanical deformation on the electrical properties of flexible electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors is explored. Large gauge factors are observed, likely due to changes at the electrical double layers.
Assessing technical and scale efficiencies in tilapia production: influential factors and insights
Authors: Sumon Shah Mahmud , Hossain Mohammad Sabbir , Uddin Md. Nezum , Badiuzzaman Professor
Published: January 2025

This study assessed the technical and scale efficiency of tilapia farmers in Bangladesh with a focus on identifying key factors influencing their efficiency levels. Data from 199 randomly selected tilapia farmers were analyzed using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), followed by a Tobit regression model to determine the key variables affecting efficiency. The results revealed a mean TE of 0.77 under CRS, 0.83 under VRS, and a mean SE of 0.92, indicating that most inefficiencies were technical rather than scale-related issues. The study also identified farming training, credit access, and years of experience had a positive effect on TE, while adverse climatic conditions negatively impacted efficiency. The findings emphasize the importance of mitigating climate impacts and improving resource management to enhance efficiency. Expanding credit access, improving training programs, and taking initiatives for mitigating climate impacts could significantly improve the efficiency and long-term viability of tilapia production in the region.
Optimizing HVAC System Performance and Comfort: A Numerical Investigation of Air Inlet Placement
Authors: Aekarrechai Pattawee , Vongsoasup Naphatsorn , Charoensin-O-Larn Roytor
Published: January 2025

Given the significant impact of indoor air quality (IAQ) on human health, regulations and standards have been imposed to maintain high air quality. Conformity with regulations necessitates ventilation, a process that significantly consumes energy. This study employs computational methods to analyze the temperature distribution inside the breathing zone and evaluate the effectiveness of the air supply setup in an office environment. The investigation relies on the widely utilized metric referred to as the age of air. This study analyzes three different inlet configurations while maintaining a constant airflow rate. The results indicate that the age of air decreases when the air inlet is situated in a central location. Conversely, positioning the supply air inlet at the lowest elevation results in the most uniform temperature distribution, which is crucial for occupant comfort. The findings suggest that changing the airflow rate in systems with minimal air duration can enhance the energy efficiency of HVAC systems.
Optimizing Sustainability in High-Speed Rail Rolling Stock through CFRP Material Substitution
Authors: Rungskunroch Panrawee , Maneerat Patcharaporn
Published: January 2025

This research investigates the environmental and operational advantages of replacing traditional materials in high-speed rail (HSR) rolling stock components with advanced composite materials. By substituting key parts—such as the roof, door, car body, brake control unit, braking rheostat, and bogie transom—with glass-filled epoxy, polyester, and nylon, the study achieves a significant reduction in rolling stock weight by 24.61%. This weight reduction contributes to lower energy consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. Additionally, the recyclability and recoverability rates of these composite materials show marked improvements, reaching 73.9% and 78.9%, respectively, compared to 61.4% and 73.1% in the conventional model. The findings demonstrate that integrating composite materials can enhance the sustainability and efficiency of HSR systems by minimizing landfill waste and operational emissions. This study provides a foundational approach to using lightweight, recyclable materials in rail transportation, with promising implications for future sustainable developments in the industry.
Design of a chocolate tempering machine with thermosyphon installation – a new concept study
Authors: Parametthanuwat Thanya , Bhuwakietkumjohn Nipon , Sichamnan Surachet , Booddacha Khridsadakhon , Wongsa Jittimon
Published: January 2025

This research presents a case study of applying a thermosyphon for energy conservation in a chocolate temper process. The use of the thermosyphon, made of 304 stainless steel, aimed to achieve a uniform temperature distribution, control temperature and reduce electric consumption. The results show that processing time and electric consumption could be reduced by 10%. The quality of crystallisation and texture of the chocolate tempering exceeded manufacturing standards.
Exploring Potential of a Remote Plasma Electrolysis System (RPES) for Fruit Surface Sterilization
Authors: Thana Phuthidhorn , Jaikua Mathin , Maitip Jakkrawut , Ungwiwatkul Sunisa , Prasertboonyai Kanyarak , Rueangwong Athitta , Promsart Woranika
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the potential of remote plasma electrolysis systems (RPES) for eliminating microorganisms on fruit surfaces. A plasma electrolysis reactor generated long-lived reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitrite (NO2-), nitrate (NO3-), nitrous acid (HNO2), and nitric acid (HNO3), which were introduced into a treatment chamber through airflow. The spatial distribution of these reactive species was visualized using a KI-starch agar gel reagent. The antimicrobial efficacy of RPES was tested in vitro against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Following optimization, the system was applied to sterilize 1.0 kg samples of rambutans and grapes, with a treatment time of 10 minutes. After treatment, aerobic bacteria on rambutan surfaces decreased by 98.3%, and yeasts and molds level dropped by 50.1%. On grape surfaces, RPES completely eliminated aerobic bacteria, yeasts, and molds. These findings demonstrate RPES’s effectiveness in inactivating surface pathogens on fruits, highlighting its potential for broader applications in fruit sterilization.
Constrained-damping and multi-segments effects on the hydrodynamic response of floating structures under wave action
Authors: Xing Guoheng , Fang Hui , Li Aijun
Published: January 2025

Effects of constrained damping and multi-segments on the hydrodynamic response of floating structures under wave action are clarified by an improved viscoelasticity-hydrodynamic coupled model, in which shear deformation of viscoelastic core constrained by surfaces bending in the floating sandwich multi-segments is modeled and coupled of the material viscoelasticity, structural dynamic, and potential flow theory. Then, higher-order hysteresis-hydrodynamic equations with articulated-separated continuity conditions, as well as velocity potential functions for plate-covered and free-water areas, are calculated using the perturbation and partition matching methods. As an illustration, a floating multi-segments structure, consisting of high-stiffness elastic-surface layers and a low-stiffness viscoelastic-core layer, is analyzed. The analytical functions of deflection, bending moment, and shear force, incorporating fluid-structure-component-material parameters, have been formulated, thereby enabling a direct assessment of the effects of constrained-damping and multi-segment configurations on hydrodynamic response to wave action, which are expected to provide new ideas for novel marine structures.
A survey of flow-based energy harvesters for powering sustainable wireless sensor nodes
Authors: Rahman Wahad Ur , Khan Farid Ullah
Published: January 2025

Self-powered wireless monitoring systems, wireless electronic devices, and embedded microsystems have gained enormous interest in recent years due to the vast sensing and monitoring applications in various fields, including civil infrastructure, oil and gas industry, healthcare, environment, military, agriculture, and consumer electronics. The main component of these systems is a wireless sensor node (WSN). The continuous operation of WSN depends on an uninterrupted power source, which is now delivered from electrochemical batteries with short life cycles and related major environmental problems. One potential solution to avoid replacing batteries in WSNs is to explore energy harvesting as a sustainable method for either directly replacing batteries or enabling regular battery recharge. Various energies surround the wireless sensor nodes, including thermal, solar, vibrational, acoustic, and fluid flow. This paper discusses the recent advancements in the field of flow energy harvesters based on fluid flow in open environments as well as in pipelines and channels. Flow energy harvesters (FEHs) transform the energy from fluid flow into electrical energy. This electrical energy is then utilized to power WSN. Mainly, two types of FEHs, flow-induced rotation-based energy harvesters (mini turbines) and flow-induced vibration-based energy harvesters (electromagnetic, piezoelectric, and hybrid mechanisms-based harvesters), have been reviewed and discussed in detail concerning device architecture, fluid type, bluff body shapes, fluid pressure and velocity, conversion mechanism, performance parameters, and implementation. Most of the reported piezoelectric energy harvesters have overall sizes ranging from millimeters to centimeters. The power output of the flow-induced rotation-based energy harvester ranges from 0.1 to 170 mW, whereas the power output of piezoelectric flow-induced vibration-based energy harvesters ranges from 0.38 nW to 20 mW, and the power output of the reported electromagnetic flow-induced vibration-based energy harvester ranges from 2 nW to 234 mW. However, the reported output of hybrid flow energy harvesters (HFEHs) ranges from 16.55 μW to 648 mW. HFEHs can produce the highest power densities because of their combined piezoelectric and electromagnetic energy conversions.
Efficient wind farm layout optimization with the FLOWERS AEP model and analytic gradients
Authors: LoCascio Michael J. , Bay Christopher J. , Martínez-Tossas Luis A. , Thomas Jared J. , Gorlé Catherine
Published: January 2025

Wind farm layout optimization (WFLO) studies often aim to maximize the annual energy production (AEP) of a wind farm by choosing an arrangement of turbines that minimizes wake interactions. One way to reduce the cost of WFLO studies is by using more computationally efficient AEP models. The cost of standard AEP modeling approaches, based on the numerical integration of low-fidelity engineering wake models, scales poorly with the number of simulated discrete wind conditions. A second way to reduce cost when using a gradient-based algorithm is to supply exact gradient information instead of finite-difference estimates. However, analytical functions for the derivatives of AEP with respect to turbine positions are not always available in the conventional modeling approach. FLOWERS is a computationally inexpensive, analytical model for wind farm AEP that is specifically developed for WFLO applications. In this paper, we analyze the performance of the FLOWERS AEP model with analytic gradients in a layout optimization study compared with a reference optimization framework across three wind farm case studies. We find that the FLOWERS-based approach reduces computation time by a factor of 50–4000 and improves optimal AEP by about 0.3% with less than half of the variability in AEP across instances with randomized initial conditions. We also find the optimal layouts to be insensitive to model parameter tuning, making FLOWERS-based layout optimization a streamlined, user-friendly approach.
P-type surface charge transfer doping of diamond via low-dimensional transition metal oxides
Authors: Wang Xueting , Liu Defeng , Wang Xiaowei , Wang Xinjiang , Zhang Lijun
Published: January 2025

Device applications of ultra-wide-bandgap diamond rely on the precise control of both carrier type and concentration. However, due to the strong covalent bonds in bulk diamond, conventional doping methods have struggled to achieve large-scale tuning of its properties. Surface charge transfer doping (SCTD) is seen as a simple and effective solution, leveraging energy-level differences between surface dopant and the semiconductor to regulate carrier properties efficiently. Here, we conducted a comprehensive theoretical study on p-type SCTD of hydrogen-terminated diamond (100) surface [diamond(100):H] using low-dimensional transition metal oxides. The doping effects of the molecular MoO3 and monolayer MoO3 were first explored. The areal hole density for molecular-MoO3-doped diamond(100):H sharply rises and then slightly decreases with increasing MoO3 density, reaching a peak of 7.55 × 1013 cm−2—surpassing the maximum value achieved with a MoO3 monolayer. For identical MoO3 densities, a stronger interaction with diamond(100):H results in a greater areal hole density. We also studied one-dimensional chain-like CrO3 and two-dimensional layered V2O5. However, a V2O5 monolayer cannot achieve the saturation areal hole density due to the large energy separation between the conduction band minimum (CBM) of V2O5 and the valence band maximum (VBM) of diamond(100):H. Increasing the number of V2O5 monolayers will enhance the doping effect. Overall, optimal doping can be achieved with smaller dimensions, higher density and thickness of the transition metal oxides, stronger interactions with diamond(100):H, and a larger energy separation between the dopant's CBM and diamond(100):H's VBM. This study provides theoretical guidance to develop superior diamond-based electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Spin injection and detection using perpendicularly magnetized Mn/Co bilayers grown on GaAs via all electrical methods
Authors: Ogawa Mineto , Nara Kotaro , Yamanouchi Michihiko , Uemura Tetsuya
Published: January 2025

The electrical spin injection and detection in perpendicularly magnetized Mn/Co/n-GaAs junction was investigated using a non-local method. Clear non-local spin-valve signals and Hanle effect signals were observed at 77 K, providing direct evidence of the injection and detection of perpendicularly polarized spins through all electrical methods. The magnitude of the spin-valve signal was one order of magnitude smaller than that observed in a reference sample with an in-plane magnetized CoFe due to the low spin polarization of the ultrathin Mn/Co electrodes. It was found that the spin polarization at the interface between Mn/Co electrode and n+-GaAs had a relatively weak bias-current dependence in contrast to that at CoFe/n+-GaAs interface. The estimated spin lifetime of perpendicular spins injected from the Mn/Co bilayer into n-GaAs was approximately 1.9 ns at 77 K. This value is similar to that of in-plane spins injected from CoFe, indicating that the spin lifetime was not strongly dependent on the spin orientation in the bulk GaAs channel.
Highly ordered breath figures on pure chloroform fluid surface
Authors: Liu Wenyong , Yuan Hai , Liu Chen , He Zikang , Zeng Guangsheng , Chen Yi
Published: January 2025

The natural phenomenon of water vapor condensing on a cold surface is known as breath figures (BFs). The growth process of BFs on solid and fluid surfaces has been thoroughly investigated to understand the mechanism of BFs. It is fascinating that ordered BFs can be created on volatile fluid surfaces, highlighting the significant influence of the surface on BF growth. Currently, however, the growth of ordered BFs remains unclear and ambiguous. Herein, an optical microscope was used to observe in situ the growth process of BFs on pure chloroform fluid surface under static humid conditions. The details of the obtained images were analyzed in combination with image processing. It is found that BFs are highly ordered on the pure chloroform fluid surface. The dynamics of BF growth on the volatile fluid surface presented two power-law growth exponents of 1.40 during the intermediate stage and 0.22 during the late stage. Furthermore, BFs on the chloroform surface demonstrate rapid movement throughout the growth process, indicating a strong convection current within the volatile fluid. The obtained results confirm the ordered BFs on the surface of chloroform fluid, aiding in the clarification of the mechanism behind ordered BFs on volatile fluid surfaces.
Study on the cause of pore defects processed by focused ion beam milling on high roughness surface
Authors: Du Yuqingyun , Dong Xianshan , Xiao Junfeng , Wu Yu , Wang Xuefang , Xu Jianfeng
Published: January 2025

Focused ion beam milling (FIBM) is an effective technique widely used for processing microstructures. To ensure the accuracy of microstructures, it is necessary to explore the cause and improvement methods of defects that may occur during FIBM. This article reports a pore defect when processing a concave spherical structure with a depth of 1 μm and a diameter of 10 μm by FIBM bitmap patterning on a hydrocarbon amorphous polymer (a-C:H), whose roughness factor Ra
is up to approximately 0.34 μm. In previous studies on defects of FIBM, there was still a lack of relevant research on cause and improvement methods of pore defects. In this article, experiments of different relative parameters of FIBM are conducted to explore the conditions of occurrence and two-dimensional simulation programs for FIBM are designed to explore the relationship between the defects and morphology of the sample. By combining the analysis of parameters with the simulation results, a conclusion on the cause of pore defects is made in this article. When processing a certain depth close to the roughness factor of surface, ion beam with small diameters and grayscale pixels that influence the movement distance will alter the depth and the size of lower regions of surface while maintaining the original fluctuation features, which ultimately forms a pore structure. Based on the conclusion, effective methods of changing the processing depth or increasing the ion beam diameter and movement distance have been proposed to improve the defects, which is demonstrated through experiments and simulation programs, and further verifies the correctness of the conclusion. The conclusion in this article on cause and improvement methods which decrease the depths and diameters of pore defects or even eliminate them will provide guidance for precise microstructure processing of surfaces with poor roughness conditions by FIBM.
The radial point interpolation method (RPIM) for analyzing a V-shaped electrothermal actuator
Authors: Hao Chen , Kong Xiaoyu , Dong Sun Xiang , Xu Chen Meng , Haiyang Yuan
Published: January 2025

Electrothermally actuated micro-beams are expected to be massively adopted in the micromanipulation and microassembly, due to their easy access to a larger motion. As a case study in this work, an amended electrothermal analytical submodel governing the temperature distribution of the V-shaped actuator is first established. Based on the thermal expansion and elastic equilibrium, a thermo-elastic coupling equation that determines the displacement is then deduced. The Galerkin weak form of these two coupling equations is obtained by the variational principle. So the RPIM, independent of the traditional Lagrange mesh, can be successfully introduced to obtain their solution. The convergence of the solutions both in the electrothermal and the thermo-elastic submodel is validated. The ideal radial basis functions in the RPIM are found to be applied into the different submodels, respectively. To further investigate the accuracy of the solutions, temperature experiment and FEM analysis are conducted. The temperature from this work shows great agreement with that from the experiment. Similar observation is obtained in the comparison between the displacements separately from the RPIM and FEM.
Efficient defect passivation and charge extraction with 2-cyano-5-fluorobenzyl bromide interface modification for hole-transporting layers-free CsPbIXBr3−X perovskite solar cells
Authors: Wang Xiao , Zhang Qing , Zhang Cui , Zhou Jinghua , Liu Bei , Jia Zelin , Zhang Yu , Wang Donghui , Xue Tao , Guo Kunping , Huang Jin , Zhang Fanghui
Published: January 2025

Fully inorganic metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have become an emerging research hotspot in photovoltaics due to their high efficiency and excellent thermal stability. Unfortunately, HTL-free CsPbIXBr3−X devices suffer from surface traps on the perovskite films, which severely limits the power conversion efficiency and operational stability of the devices. In this work, we propose a multifunctional passivator, 2-cyano-5-fluorobenzene bromide molecule (2-C-5-FB), to passivate perovskite films by post-treatment, aiming to improve the quality of perovskite films, reduce interfacial defects and non-radiative complexes, enhance carrier separation kinetics, and improve the extraction of carriers, thus improving device performance. The C≡N in the molecular structure immobilizes the undercoordinated Pb2+ ions, thus passivating the defects in the perovskite films. In addition, the Br atoms on the ring can with the [PbI6]4− backbone through halogen bonding, and the F atoms form Pb-F and Cs-F, which can effectively reduce the film defects. We prepared passivated devices with the structure of FTO/TiO2/CsPbIXBr3−X/2-C-5-FB/Carbon, and the PCE of the passivated devices was improved compared with the pristine devices, and the cell efficiency was increased from 7.84% to 9.21% with a light intensity of 100 mW cm−2, and the stability of the devices was also improved. The experimental results indicate that the use of 2-cyano-5-fluorobenzene bromide passivation strategy has a positive effect on the performance enhancement of the perovskite devices, and is an effective way to realize efficient and stable PSCs.
Dark matter influence on quarkyonic stars: a relativistic mean field analysis
Authors: Dey D. , Pattnaik Jeet Amrit , Das H.C. , Kumar Ankit , Panda R.N. , Patra S.K.
Published: January 2025

The formulation of quarkyonic matter consists of treating both quarks and nucleons as quasi-particles, where a cross-over transition occurs between the two phases. This work is based on some of the early ideas of quark matter (QM). It has satisfied the different observational constraints on the neutron star (NS), such as its maximum mass and the canonical radius. In addition, we put an extra component inside the NS, known as Dark Matter (DM) because it is trapped due to its immense gravitational potential. In this work, we explore the impact of fermionic DM on the structure of the NS. The equation of state (EOS) is derived for the NS with the quarkyonic matter by assuming that nucleons and quarks are in equilibrium, followed by the relativistic mean-field (RMF) formalism. The recently modeled two parameterizations, such as G3 and IOPB-I, are taken to calculate the various macroscopic properties of the NS. The three unknown parameters such as the transition density (nt
), the QCD confinement scale (Λcs), and the DM Fermi momentum (k
f

DM) are varied to obtain the NS properties. The quarkyonic matter stiffens the EOS while DM softens it. The mutual combination provides good theoretical descriptions for the magnitude of macroscopic properties consistent with the different observational results. Also, one can estimate the parameters of the DM admixed quarkyonic star with different statistical analyses, which can be further used to explore the other properties of the quarkyonic star.
Early formation of supermassive black holes from the collapse of strongly self-interacting dark matter
Authors: Grant Roberts M. , Braff Lila , Garg Aarna , Profumo Stefano , Jeltema Tesla , O'Donnell Jackson
Published: January 2025

Evidence for high-redshift supermassive black holes challenges standard scenarios for how such objects form in the early universe. Here, we entertain the possibility that a fraction of the cosmological dark matter could be ultra-strongly self interacting. This would imply that gravothermal collapse occur at early times in the cores of dark matter halos, followed by accretion. We study under which conditions on the abundance and interaction strength and structure of such ultra self-interacting dark matter the black holes resulting from the end-point of gravothermal core collapse can seed the observed, early-forming supermassive black holes. We find, depending on the velocity dependence of the self-interaction cross section, a bimodal structure in the favored parameter space, where data points to either a small collapsing dark matter fraction with a large cross section, or a large fraction and a relatively small cross section. While self-interaction cross sections with different velocity dependence can explain observations, we find that the best, self-consistent results correspond to a Rutherford-like self-interaction, typical of long-range dark-sector forces with light mediators. We discuss complementary observational probes if this scenario is realized in nature, focusing especially on the expected intermediate mass black holes predicted to exist in smaller galaxies.