bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrafast Laser Texturing of Metal Surfaces: Effects of Process Parameters on Surface Reflectance and Possibility of Hierarchical Structuring
Authors: Khadka Nishan , Yang Yucheng , Haug John , Palei Milan , Rosenberger Matthew , Hoffman Anthony , Kinzel Edward
Published: September 2022

Ultrafast laser processing has been widely studied for surface texturing. The complex interaction between the laser energy, plasma, and surface chemistry produces complex morphologies including Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures and random higher aspect ratio geometries. Laser texturing allows engineering of metallic surface’s wettability as well as the reflectance on either broadband or narrowband basis. This paper experimentally maps the laser process parameters to the surface morphology and diffuse reflectance for stainless steel, aluminum, and copper substrates. All experiments are conducted with a 1030 nm wavelength, 230 fs pulse length laser in an ambient environment. The results show how the common morphological regimes shift with material and how the reflectance varies with morphology. To further decrease the reflectance, hierarchical structures are generated by first locally micromachining the surface to form a lattice of trenches using the focused laser beam, before texturing the surface with a rastered, defocused laser beam. The micromachined features interact with laser texturing and increase light trapping on the surface. This is a function of the depth and periodicity of the hierarchical structures as well as the surface topography. This approach provides the ability to lower the surface reflectance and add an extra level of control for directing deep micro-cavities along the surface.
A Surface Roughness Characterization Method for Additively Manufactured Products
Authors: Wang Andi , Jafari Davoud , Vaneker Tom H. J. , Huang Qiang
Published: September 2022

In many additive manufacturing processes, surface roughness is a critical quality concern. Due to the nature of the layer-by-layer manufacturing process, the pattern of surface roughness depends on the location on the surface, i.e., the layer number and the location within each layer. Adequate description of the surface roughness enables us to develop effective post-processing plans, reveal the root causes of the roughness, and generate accurate compensation schemes.

In this work, we propose a three-step surface roughness characterization method (SRCM). This method is based on the dense point cloud data generated from the surface scan of additively manufactured products. First, we use a double kernel smoothing spatial variogram estimator to represent the heterogeneous roughness property at different surface locations. Second, we extract the magnitude and scale of surface roughness from the estimated variogram. Third, we use Gaussian Process to build a roughness map on the entire surface based on the roughness characterization on these sampled points.

The SRCM is demonstrated from a high-density 3D scan of a cylindrical product fabricated by a wire-arc additive manufacturing process. It shows that our approach serves as an effective tool to infer the roughness map from the 3D point cloud data. In the end, we will briefly discuss how to use the inferred roughness map to develop an optimal surface smoothing method.
Nanoporous Carbon Nanotube Coating for 3D Printing of High-Performance Continuous Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites
Authors: Pappas John M. , Dong Xiangyang
Published: September 2022

High strength and lightweight continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites are desirable structural materials for applications in various industries including aerospace, automotive, and defense. Additive manufacturing (AM) of such important materials may provide multiple benefits including reduced cost, improved manufacturing efficiency, and the ability to fabricate complex structures not possible with traditional methods. Despite these benefits, a significant challenge with AM of continuous carbon fiber composites is poor impregnation of the fiber bundle with matrix material. When there is a lack of matrix material, voids develop within the fiber bundle and reduce mechanical properties of the composite including strength and stiffness. To minimize void formation, low speed manufacturing is typically necessary to facilitate impregnation. In this work, it was shown that fiber bundle impregnation can be significantly improved by applying thin, nanoporous coatings to the continuous fiber bundle. Using an electrophoretic deposition process, the coating microstructure, including thickness and nano pore size, was easily controlled through effective tuning of process parameters. Ultimately, individually coated carbon fibers were obtained and provided improvements in fiber bundle impregnation without sacrificing the flexibility of the fiber bundle. A highly absorbent yet flexible fiber bundle was desirable for 3D printing applications and would facilitate fabrication of complex geometries. With such tailored nanoporous coatings, fifteen-fold improvement in resin absorption time due was observed due to improved wicking by the nanoporous structure. Such improvements in absorption characteristics have a great potential for drop on demand or other resin-based 3D printing techniques. Furthermore, mechanical characterization demonstrated the potential of nanoporous coatings for additive manufacturing of high performance carbon fiber reinforced composites.
Design and Analysis of a Novel Experiment Platform for 3D Needle Insertion Based on Orthogonally Arranged Dual Camera
Authors: Du Shilun , Li Murong , Xu Tian , Hu Yingda , Wang Zhen , Lei Yong
Published: September 2022

3D needle insertion is important both in theoretical research and clinic practice. In literature, most needle insertion experiments use 2D experiment platforms. A few studies use 3D experiment platforms based on ultrasound or traditional stereo camera. The ultrasound has low resolution and traditional stereo camera is difficult to reconstruct objects without textures, which is not suitable for markers reconstruction. Hence, it is needed to design a 3D needle insertion experiment platform with high resolution and 3D reconstruction ability. In this paper, we design a 3D needle insertion platform based on the orthogonal-arranged dual camera. Error analysis and accuracy verification are carried out as well. First, experiment platform framework is designed and essential modules are introduced. Second, the error analyses based on Frechet distance are carried out to quantify the error led by the bevel facing angle and insertion angle. Third, to verify the 3D reconstruction accuracy, the 2D distance sensitivity experiments and 3D reconstruction experiments are carried out for the dual camera system. The accuracy of 3D reconstruction in the region of interest has been verified. To optimize the 3D needle insertion platform, a needle holder to ensure concentricity is applied. Besides, pre-insertion process and orthogonal-arranged double chessboard calibration are introduced into setup procedures. Finally, a 3D needle insertion experiment platform is designed and validated through needle path planning algorithm verification. Results show that the proposed experiment platform can steer the needle accurately and reconstruct the needle path and markers in acceptable accuracy.
A Modified Schlieren System for In-Situ Voxel Growth Observation in Projection-Based Stereolithography Process
Authors: Chivate Aditya , Zhou Chi
Published: September 2022

Digital maskless lithography is growing in popularity due to its unique ability to fabricate high-resolution parts at a fast speed without the need for physical masks. With controlled grayscaling and exposure control, it has the potential to replace conventional lithography. Though the theoretical foundation for photopolymerization exists, it is difficult to observe the voxel growth process in situ. This can be attributed to the low refractive index difference between cured and uncured resin, the microscopic size of the parts, and the rapid rate of photopolymerization after crossing the threshold. Therefore, a system that can address these issues is highly desired. Schlieren optics is a tool that makes the minute changes in the refractive indices visible. This paper proposes a modified schlieren-based observation system with confocal magnifying optics that create a virtual screen at the focal plane of the camera. The proposed technique visualizes the light deflection by the changing density induced refractive index gradient, and the use of focusing optics enables flexible positioning of the virtual screen and optical magnification. Single-shot binary images with a different number of pixels were used for fabricating voxels. Different factors affecting the voxel shape like chemical composition, energy input are studied. The observed results are compared against simulations based on Beer-Lambert’s law, photopolymerization curve, and Gaussian beam propagation theory. The physical experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed observation system.
3D Printing of Designed Ultra-Low Loss Microwave Dielectrics for Beyond 5G Applications
Authors: Ghosh Avishek
Published: September 2022

Low-temperature sintering ceramics with high dielectric permittivity and low loss are highly valuable to the communication industry. Additive Manufacturing (AM) exhibits excellent potential to process a wide range of engineering materials and deliver complex three-dimensional structures in various scales, with several benefits over traditional manufacturing methods used in electronics manufacturing. Therefore, the advent of AM has offered a radically new way of designing and manufacturing electronic and communication components with tailored performance. In this work, a stable ink has been formulated from ultra-low loss dielectric bismuth molybdate (Bi2Mo2O9) ceramics. The formulated ink exhibited suitable rheological properties responsive to the direct ink writing technique. The 3D printed components with good structural integrity and spatial resolution were sintered at 670°C for 4 hours using the conventional heating method, achieving > 94% density. A series of components with varying shapes and designed porosities were fabricated using the extrusion 3D printing method. The relative permittivity (εr) and loss tangent (tanδ) for the 3D printed and sintered Bi2Mo2O9 solid components were found to be 36.5 and 0.0005, respectively, at ∼8GHz, and the values can be tailored using designed porosity. The dielectric performance was found to be excellent and stable even at very high-frequency regimes (beyond 5G) between 70–90 GHz. Further, the addition of metallic infills in the designed pores of the ceramic scaffolds resulted in an increase in permittivity values. The preliminary investigation exhibited the potential to fabricate ceramic components for high-frequency applications via the design freedom offered by AM, that can enable further miniaturization of future communication devices.
Visual Servo Based Trajectory Planning for Fast and Accurate Sheet Pick and Place Operations
Authors: Manyar Omey M. , Kanyuck Alec , Deshkulkarni Bharat , Gupta Satyandra K.
Published: September 2022

In industry, several operations require sheet-like materials to be transported from a loading station to the desired location. Such applications are prevalent in the aerospace and textile industry where composite prepreg sheets or fabrics are placed over a tool or fed to a machine. Using robots for sheet transport operations offers a flexible solution for such highly complex tasks. To create high-quality parts, sheets need to be accurately placed at the correct location. This paper presents automated trajectory planning and control algorithms for a robot to pick up sheets from the input station using suction grippers and, transport and place them over the tool surface. Machine vision is used at the pick location for estimating the sheet pose. Unfortunately, pick-up accuracy is not sufficiently high due to sheet movement during suction-based grasping and localization errors. We employ ideas inspired by visual servo techniques to accurately place the sheet on the tool. Our method uses an Eye-to-Hand camera configuration to align the desired image features with the reference markings on the tool. We introduce a sampling-based Jacobian estimation scheme that can reliably achieve the desired accuracy while minimizing the operation time. Experiments are performed to validate our methodology and compute the placement accuracy on an industrial tool.
CAR density influences antitumoral efficacy of BCMA CAR T cells and correlates with clinical outcome
Authors: Rodriguez-Marquez Paula , Calleja-Cervantes Maria E. , Serrano Guillermo , Oliver-Caldes Aina , Palacios-Berraquero Maria L. , Martin-Mallo Angel , Calviño Cristina , Español-Rego Marta , Ceballos Candela , Lozano Teresa , San Martin-Uriz Patxi , Vilas-Zornoza Amaia , Rodriguez-Diaz Saray , Martinez-Turrillas Rebeca , Jauregui Patricia , Alignani Diego , Viguria Maria C. , Redondo Margarita , Pascal Mariona , Martin-Antonio Beatriz , Juan Manel , Urbano-Ispizua Alvaro , Rodriguez-Otero Paula , Alfonso-Pierola Ana , Paiva Bruno , Lasarte Juan J. , Inoges Susana , Lopez-Diaz de Cerio Ascension , San-Miguel Jesus , Fernandez de Larrea Carlos , Hernaez Mikel , Rodriguez-Madoz Juan R. , Prosper Felipe
Published: September 2022

Identification of new markers associated with long-term efficacy in patients treated with CAR T cells is a current medical need, particularly in diseases such as multiple myeloma. In this study, we address the impact of CAR density on the functionality of BCMA CAR T cells. Functional and transcriptional studies demonstrate that CAR T cells with high expression of the CAR construct show an increased tonic signaling with up-regulation of exhaustion markers and increased in vitro cytotoxicity but a decrease in in vivo BM infiltration. Characterization of gene regulatory networks using scRNA-seq identified regulons associated to activation and exhaustion up-regulated in CAR
High
T cells, providing mechanistic insights behind differential functionality of these cells. Last, we demonstrate that patients treated with CAR T cell products enriched in CAR
High
T cells show a significantly worse clinical response in several hematological malignancies. In summary, our work demonstrates that CAR density plays an important role in CAR T activity with notable impact on clinical response.
Atomic-scale imaging of emergent order at a magnetic field–induced Lifshitz transition
Authors: Marques Carolina A. , Rhodes Luke C. , Benedičič Izidor , Naritsuka Masahiro , Naden Aaron B. , Li Zhiwei , Komarek Alexander C. , Mackenzie Andrew P. , Wahl Peter
Published: September 2022

The phenomenology and radical changes seen in material properties traversing a quantum phase transition have captivated condensed matter research over the past decades. Strong electronic correlations lead to exotic electronic ground states, including magnetic order, nematicity, and unconventional superconductivity. Providing a microscopic model for these requires detailed knowledge of the electronic structure in the vicinity of the Fermi energy, promising a complete understanding of the physics of the quantum critical point. Here, we demonstrate such a measurement at the surface of Sr
3
Ru
2
O
7
. Our results show that, even in zero field, the electronic structure is strongly
C
2
symmetric and that a magnetic field drives a Lifshitz transition and induces a charge-stripe order. We track the changes of the electronic structure as a function of field via quasiparticle interference imaging at ultralow temperatures. Our results provide a complete microscopic picture of the field-induced changes of the electronic structure across the Lifshitz transition.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) versus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for oligometastatic prostate cancer: protocol for a prospective randomised control clinical trial
Authors: Zhao Xianzhi , Wang Tao , Ye Yusheng , Li Jing , Gao Xu , Zhang Huojun
Published: September 2022

Introduction

The systemic therapy, especially androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is currently recommended for patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa). However, the results have not been satisfactory including adverse reactions and castration resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to explore more effective treatment to prolong biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) and delay the start of hormonal therapy for treating oligometastatic PCa. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an emerging treatment alternative for patients with oligometastases with high local control rates and minimal toxic effects. This prospective trial aims to demonstrate whether SBRT for the oligometastases of hormone-sensitive PCa can delay the start of ADT and prolong the time from inception of the study to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Methods and analysis

Patients with ≤3 oligometastatic recurrences, diagnosed on Ga-68 prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/CT, will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio between arm A (ADT only) and arm B (SBRT for oligometastases only). SBRT is conducted by CyberKnife with prescription dose 30–50 Gy in 3–5 fractions. One of the primary endpoints is ADT-free survival of arm B, the other is the time from inception of the study to CRPC. The secondary endpoints include radiotherapy-related toxicity, ADT-related toxicity, bPFS, local PFS and overall survival. Toxicity will be assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria V.5.0.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol was approved by the institutional review board of Shanghai Changhai Hospital (CHEC2020-101). This is a randomised control clinical trial comparing SBRT to ADT for men with oligometastatic PCa. The study will be performed in compliance with applicable local legislation and in accordance with the ethical principles developed by the World Medical Association in the Declaration of Helsinki 2013. Study results will be disseminated through conferences and peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Trial registration number

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier:NCT04599686.
Significance of diagnosis and prognosis for appendiceal orifice inflammation in ulcerative colitis: a real-world study
Authors: Deng Peng , Yao Peng , Pei Chao , Li Xiao , Wu Junchao , Zhang Shu
Published: September 2022

Objective

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine. At present, the significance of appendiceal orifice inflammation (AOI) in UC prognosis is still controversial. This prospective observational study investigated the importance of AOI in UC diagnosis and prognosis. Additionally, it compared the therapeutic efficacy of treatments in UC patients with or without AOI.

Design

This study was a prospective, observational, single-centre, real-world study. Patients with AOI were included in the observation group, and patients without AOI were assigned to the control group. All patients were followed up for 1 year; the disease remission and treatment efficacy were re-examined by colonoscopy. In addition, the clinical, endoscopic and pathological features were collected before and after the treatment.

Results

Patients with endoscopic diffuse inflammatory changes in the distal colorectum accompanied by AOI had a higher positive UC diagnosis rate than those without (96.5% vs 78.0%). Also, AOI had a specificity of 95.2% and a sensitivity of 28.3% for UC diagnosis. However, no difference in the modified Mayo score (p=0.881) or Baron grading was observed between the control and observation groups, indicating that AOI does not affect the treatment outcome of UC patients.

Conclusion

In this study, the observation of AOI improved the UC diagnostic accuracy in patients with diffuse lesions in the distal colorectum. Furthermore, the presence of AOI does not affect the treatment efficacies of UC.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR1800017753.
Evaluating an oral health programme for the prevention of dental decay among school-aged children in China: protocol for a mixed-methods study based on the RE-AIM framework
Authors: Wang Lidan , Liu Hueiming , Wang Li , Zhang Yanqun , Guo Wei , Wu Peilin , Chang Xiangxiang , Wang Li , Xu Wenhua , Zhao Linhai
Published: September 2022

Introduction

The objective of the Comprehensive Intervention of Oral Disease for Children (CIODC) in China is to prevent dental decay for school-aged children and provide free prevention services in pilot areas beginning in 2008. It is a potentially affordable, acceptable and effective prevention strategy to use for more school-aged children in the future. There is a shortage of robust evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness, feasibility and scalability of prevention strategies for dental decay for school-aged children in China. This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation, including an economic evaluation and process evaluation, to better understand how and why the public health programme may be effective and economical.

Methods and analysis

Mixed methods will be used in this study. Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) will be conducted from a societal perspective, based on a modelling study over 6 years (from age 7 to 12) in terms of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios per dental decay averted. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework informed the process evaluation. An estimated 48–80 semistructured interviews with service providers, patient parents/caregivers and decision-makers under the logic model will be used in the progress evaluation to describe the feasibility and sustainability of CIODC.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has all necessary ethical approvals from the Ethics Committee of Anhui Medical University (number 2021H030). All participants will provide informed consent prior to participation. Findings will be disseminated through conference presentations and scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Screening and management of sleep disorders in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: a French multicentred, prospective, observational study protocol (FIBOBS)
Authors: Andre Gilbert , Petitjean Pauline , Haas Victoria , Geraud Eva , Fantini Maria Livia , Creac'h Christelle , Perez Christèle , Bonnefoi Marlène , Gadea Emilie
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Sleep disorders are still often underestimated in patient care management even though they are present in the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The objective of this study will be to assess the current situation of sleep disorders in patients with FMS in France and to estimate its prevalence.

Methods and analysis

The FIBOBS study is a multicentred, prospective, observational trial performed by 46 specialised chronic pain structures in France. Patients with FMS visiting for a first consultation or follow-up (if they have already been followed up for less than a year with a pain management service) will be included after giving their informed consent. Data will be collected through the physician questionnaire filled during the inclusion visit. Patient self-questionnaires will be completed from home. The primary outcome of the study will be to estimate the prevalence of sleep disorders classified into three categories: (a) poor sleep quality in general, (b) sleep apnoea syndrome and (c) restless legs syndrome, using self-administered questionnaires.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol is approved by the ethics committee Comité de Protection des Personnes ‘Ile de France II’ in accordance with French regulations. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT04775368.
OxMIF: a druggable isoform of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in cancer and inflammatory diseases
Authors: Thiele Michael , Donnelly Seamas C , Mitchell Robert A
Published: September 2022

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory cytokine with a pleiotropic spectrum of biological functions implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer and inflammatory diseases. MIF is constitutively present in several cell types and non-lymphoid tissues and is secreted after acute stress or inflammation. MIF triggers the release of proinflammatory cytokines, overrides the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids, and exerts chemokine function, resulting in increased migration and recruitment of leukocytes into inflamed tissue. Despite this, MIF is a challenging target for therapeutic intervention because of its ubiquitous nature and presence in the circulation and tissue of healthy individuals. Oxidized MIF (oxMIF) is an immunologically distinct disease-related structural isoform found in the plasma and tissues of patients with inflammatory diseases and in solid tumor tissues. MIF converts to oxMIF in an oxidizing, inflammatory environment. This review discusses the biology and activity of MIF and the potential for autoimmune disease and cancer modification by targeting oxMIF. Anti-oxMIF antibodies reduce cancer cell invasion/migration, angiogenesis, proinflammatory cytokine production, and ERK and AKT activation. Anti-oxMIF antibodies also elicit apoptosis and alter immune cell function and/or migration. When co-administered with a glucocorticoid, anti-oxMIF antibodies produced a synergistic response in inflammatory models. Anti-oxMIF antibodies therefore counterregulate biological activities attributed to MIF. oxMIF expression has been observed in inflammatory diseases (eg, sepsis, psoriasis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus) and oxMIF has been detected in ovarian, colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancers. In contrast to MIF, oxMIF is specifically detected in plasma and/or tissues of diseased patients, but not in healthy individuals. Therefore, as a druggable isoform of MIF, oxMIF represents a potential new therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases and cancer. Fully human, monoclonal anti-oxMIF antibodies have been shown to selectively bind oxMIF in preclinical and phase I studies; however, additional clinical assessments are necessary to validate their use as either a monotherapy or in combination with standard-of-care regimens (ie, immunomodulatory agents/checkpoint inhibitors, anti-angiogenic drugs, chemotherapeutics, and glucocorticoids).
Leading COVID-19 vaccination centres in England: managing and overcoming challenges
Authors: Jee Samuel David
Published: September 2022

Background

This study explored the challenges, and actions leaders took to manage them, in delivering the COVID-19 vaccine in vaccination centres in England.

Methods

Following informed consent, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 senior leaders working within vaccination centres, mostly clinical and operational leads, using Microsoft Teams. Transcripts were analysed thematically using ‘template analysis’.

Results

Some of the challenges leaders faced included leading dynamic and transient teams, interpreting and sharing communications received through national and regional and system vaccination operations centres. The simpler nature of the service allowed for leaders to delegate and reduce hierarchies among staff to support a more cohesive work environment that encouraged staff, often working through bank or agency, to return. Many leaders felt communication skills as well as the attributes of resilience and adaptability were particularly important to lead in these novel settings.

Conclusion

Illustrating the types of challenges faced by leaders in vaccination centres and how they handled them can help others in similar leadership positions in vaccine centres or other novel settings. As healthcare teams are increasingly dynamic and transient due to more flexible working patterns the need for leaders to apply these skills becomes ever more important.
A low-threshold diamond cryogenic detector for sub-GeV dark matter searches
Authors: Abdelhameed A. H. , Angloher G. , Bento A. , Bertoldo E. , Bertolini A. , Canonica L. , Iachellini N. Ferreiro , Fuchs D. , Garai A. , Hauff D. , Nilima A. , Mancuso M. , Petricca F. , Pröbst F. , Pucci F. , Rothe J.
Published: September 2022

In this work we report the realization of the first low-threshold cryogenic detector that uses diamond as absorber for astroparticle physics applications. We tested two 0.175 g CVD diamond samples, each instrumented with a W-TES. The sensors showed transitions at about 25 mK. We present the performance of the diamond detectors and we highlight the best performing one, where we obtained an energy threshold as low as 16.8 eV. This promising result lays the foundation for the use of diamond for different fields of applications where low threshold and excellent energy resolution are required, as i.e. light dark matter searches and BSM physics with coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering.
Simulation of mixed convection flow for a physiological breakdown of Jeffrey six-constant fluid model with convective boundary condition
Authors: Abbas Nadeem , Shaheen A. , Shatanawi Wasfi
Published: September 2022

This paper deals with a study on flow of fluid which exhibits the characteristics of both ideal fluids and elastic solid and shows partial elastic recovery. For these types of fluids, Jeffrey six-constant model will be used that illustrates the most striking feature connected with the deformation of a viscoelastic substance and simultaneously displays the fluid-like and solid-like characteristics. The flow of the proposed fluid model will be generated in an inclined tube by sinusoidal wave trains propagation with constant speed along the walls of the tube. The governing equations of the fluid along with energy equation are modeled and simplified by using low Reynolds number and long wavelength assumptions. These equations will be solved by utilizing the homotopy perturbation technique and results of flow will be displayed in graphical form under the effects of Jeffrey model’s parameters.
Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of NaYGeO4:Bi3+ phosphors
Authors: Song Hongqing , Zhang Min , Gong Xinyong , Cui Ruirui , Deng Chaoyong
Published: September 2022

In this paper, NaYGeO4:[Formula: see text]Bi[Formula: see text] phosphors were successfully prepared by high-temperature solid-state reaction. XRD patterns and refinement results show that Bi[Formula: see text] ions are successfully incorporated into the matrix material and replaced by Y[Formula: see text]. The emission spectrum shows that the optimal doping concentration of the sample is 0.25%, and it is theoretically studied that the concentration quenching is caused by the nearest neighbor ions. The fluorescence lifetime curve showed that with the increase of Bi[Formula: see text] concentration, the fluorescence lifetime first increased and then decreased. The thermal stability of the sample was studied, and it was found that when the temperature increased to 523 K, the luminescence intensity of the phosphor was still 70% of the initial intensity, and the activation energy was calculated to be 0.306 eV. Finally, the CIE color coordinates of the sample with the best luminous intensity were calculated as (0.1595, 0.0342), and the color coordinates are located in the blue light region.
Assorted hyperbolic and trigonometric function solutions of fractional equations with conformable derivative in shallow water
Authors: Cevikel Adem C. , Bekir Ahmet
Published: September 2022

We present the modified simple equation method for solving nonlinear fractional-order partial differential equations (fPDEs). With the presented method, some important fPDEs are solved. We used conformable derivatives to solve these equations. The solutions obtained are both hyperbolic and trigonometric function solutions. Most of these solutions are new solutions not found in the literature.
Application of Uncertain Programming in Hardware/Software Partitioning: Model and Algorithm
Authors: Chen Si , Huang Lida , Xie Guoqi , Li Renfa , Li Keqin
Published: September 2022

Hardware/software partitioning is a typical multi-stage decision optimization problem; most existing hardware/software partitioning methods ignore a fact that real-life decisions are usually made in an uncertain state. We should model the hardware/software partitioning problem in uncertain environments and deal with uncertainty. The state-of-the-art work proposed an uncertainty conversion method for hardware/software partitioning, but this method does not include the equivalent deterministic model and is not suitable for dealing with different types of uncertainties. In order to cope with different situations with various uncertainties, we should apply uncertain programming to build a model in uncertain environments and give different equivalent deterministic models to convert different uncertainties theoretically. In this paper, we present the process of applying uncertain programming to solve the hardware/software partitioning problem, including the model and algorithm. We convert the uncertain programming model into its equivalent deterministic models, including the expected value model and the chance-constrained programming model; we give details for the conversion methods of these two models. We present the custom genetic algorithm to solve the converted model, by incorporating a greedy idea in two steps of the genetic algorithm. Experimental results show that the custom genetic algorithm can find a high-quality approximate solution while running much faster for large input scales, compared with the exact algorithm.
Creativity and Design Thinking as Facilitators in Requirements Elicitation
Authors: Canedo Edna Dias , Calazans Angelica Toffano Seidel , Silva Geovana Ramos Sousa , Costa Pedro Henrique Teixeira , de Mesquita Rodrigo Pereira , Masson Eloisa Toffano Seidel
Published: September 2022

Context: The use of Creativity and Design Thinking (C&DT) techniques favor the generation of new ideas based on the needs of users and stakeholders, and can support software developers during the process of requirements elicitation. Objectives: In this work, we aim to identify C&DT techniques to perform requirements elicitation proposed in the literature and in the industry and investigate the perception of software developers about using these techniques. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify the C&DT techniques in the literature and a regional survey with software development teams from several companies in Brazil to identify which techniques found in the literature are currently being used by organizations. The survey also investigated the level of knowledge that software developers have regarding the C&DT techniques, and whether they agree that the use of these techniques can help to achieve a more effective process of requirements elicitation. Results: In the SLR, we identified 86 C&DT techniques that support requirement elicitation activities. In the survey, most developers outlined that C&DT techniques facilitate requirements elicitation and stated that they have more knowledge and usage experience with DT techniques than creativity techniques. The most used DT techniques mentioned by survey participants were: interview, brainstorming, uses cases, activity analysis, user story, and rapid prototyping, whereas for creativity techniques were: analogies, creativity workshops, focus group, questions list, clarification, none and combining ideas. Conclusions: The results showed that despite the existence of a large number of techniques in the literature, the developers’ lack of knowledge about these techniques makes them not used in the industry. However, the developers’ responses showed that the use of C&DT techniques helps to make requirements elicitation more effective.
Can exchange-traded funds be profitably traded with the trading range breakout technical trading rule?
Authors: Yap Kok-Leong , Lau Wee-Yeap , Ismail Izlin
Published: September 2022

This study investigates whether the trading range breakout technical trading rule can be applied in exchange-traded funds. Using the samples of crude oil exchange-traded funds, namely USO, USL, UCO, and DBO, that track West Texas intermediate (WTI), the results indicate that the trading range breakout technical trading rule outperforms the benchmark buy-and-hold strategy. In addition, a volatility-based trading range breakout technical trading rule is proposed to enhance trading performance. The results suggest that the proposed TGARCH-MA can be used as a technical trading rule to assist investors and fund managers interested in using the trading range breakout in exchange-traded funds.
Hydrodynamic Performance Assessment of a Geo-Synthetic Seawall
Authors: Babu Sukanya Ramesh , Sundar Vallam , Sannasiraj Sannasi Annamalaisamy
Published: September 2022

In the recent years, various geo-synthetic components find an extensive application in civil and coastal engineering practice. Commonly, geo-synthetics have a wide application for secondary or tertiary purposes, such as filtration, separation, barrier, reinforcement, whereas, they can be potentially exploited for various other applications in the coastal engineering practice. A sustainable seawall cross-section comprising different geo-synthetic products was proposed to be erected along the Pallana Beach ([Formula: see text] N and [Formula: see text] E), located in Alleppey district of Kerala along the south-west Indian coastline. Since the subsoil at the location is poorly graded, it was decided to replace the conventional materials like rock boulders and concrete armour units with geo-synthetic products. A comprehensive physical model study was conducted to assess the hydrodynamic performance (i.e. reflection, run-up, and pressure distribution) of the geo-synthetic seawall cross-section for a wide range of random wave characteristics and two water depth conditions. The relative overtopping rates for the seawall at varying water levels are computed conservatively from the guidelines prescribed by the EurOtop Manual and XGB Overtopping model.
SAT-Inspired Eliminations for Superposition
Authors: Vukmirović Petar , Blanchette Jasmin , Heule Marijn J. H.
Published: September 2022

Optimized SAT solvers not only preprocess the clause set, they also transform it during solving as inprocessing. Some preprocessing techniques have been generalized to first-order logic with equality. In this article, we port inprocessing techniques to work with superposition, a leading first-order proof calculus, and we strengthen known preprocessing techniques. Specifically, we look into elimination of hidden literals, variables (predicates), and blocked clauses. Our evaluation using the Zipperposition prover confirms that the new techniques usefully supplement the existing superposition machinery.
Threshold Switching in CdTe Photovoltaics
Authors: Devkota Suman , Nyako Kwame Asiedu Owusu , Kuzior Brendan , Karpov Victor , . Georgiev Daniel G , Li Frank , Cortes Pedro , Borra Vamsi
Published: September 2022

With the ubiquitous acceptance of PVs, the number of devices manufactured annually is following an exponential trend. Yet, the manufacturing process of important brands of thin-film solar cells involves a tedious and expensive step of laser scribing. The time-consuming and technologically involved laser scribing method remains widely used to contact the device electrodes. This work examines an alternative method (threshold switching phenomenon) to create an enduring conductive path in cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV, which eliminates the pitfalls in conventional scribing technology. The samples undergone threshold switching show a promising sign of the conductive path compared to the control samples. This method could potentially lead to the manufacturing technology saving time, money, and raw materials along with the added reliability and efficiency.
(Invited) Towards the Physical Reliability of 3D-Integrated Systems: Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopic (BDS) Studies of Material Evolution and Reliability in Integrated Systems
Authors: Amoah Papa K. , Sunday Christopher E , Okoro Chukwudi , Ahn Jungjoon , You Lin , Veksler Dmitry , Kopanski Joseph , Obeng Yaw
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we present an overview of our current research focus in developing non-destructive metrology for monitoring reliability issues in 3D- integrated electronic systems. We introduce a suite of non-destructive metrologies that can serve as early warning monitors for reliability issues. These Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopic (BDS) techniques are based on the application of high frequency microwaves (up to 40 GHz) to devices under various external stress, to probe impedance changes due to material and structural changes in integrated circuits. We illustrate the capabilities of the techniques with four case studies of potential reliability issues in 3D-IC interconnects.
(Europe Section Heinz Gerischer Award) The Long Reach of Electrochemistry: Semiconductors, Metallization and Energy Storage
Authors: Buckley D. Noel
Published: September 2022

Research in several different areas over the past half-century is briefly reviewed with some discussion on the evolution of equipment and techniques. Examples from our work on oxygen evolution on ruthenium and iridium and electrochromism in anodic iridium oxides in the 1970s and on lithium batteries in the 1980s are discussed. Topics in the science and technology of compound semiconductors range from epitaxial crystal growth to electrochemistry and nanopore formation. Some results are presented on electrodeposition of copper metallization including in-situ stress measurements and atomic force microscopy during deposition, and spontaneous morphology changes during room-temperature aging. Electrochemical kinetics of vanadium redox reactions on carbon electrodes is discussed as well as state-of-charge monitoring and thermal stability of the positive electrode in vanadium flow batteries.
(Invited) Outstanding Contributions of Liquid Ammonia on III-V Semiconductors (Photo)-Electrochemistry
Authors: Fregnaux Mathieu , Bouttemy Muriel , Aureau Damien , Bechu Solene , Etcheberry Arnaud , Goncalves Anne-Marie
Published: September 2022

Due to its high purity (99.9995%) liquid ammonia (NH3 liq.) has found a distinguished place in electrochemical studies of III-V semiconductors (III-Vsc) at low temperature (-55°C and atmospheric preasure). NH3 liq. provides interfacial electrochemistry in an original environment strongly different from the aqueous medium. However, in both solvents, the concepts of interfacial electrochemistry are the same onto III-Vsc. The contribution of NH3 liq. is significant in the understanding of fundamental electrochemical reactions such as hydrogen evolution and oxygen photo-reduction mechanism on III-Vsc (InP and GaAs). The aim of this article is to describe why NH3 liq. is a powerful solvent to understand charge transfer mechanisms at the interface III-Vsc/electrolyte.
Unique Porous Structures Supported by Anodic Treatments in Liquid Ammonia (-50°C, Patm)
Authors: Bouttemy Muriel , Bechu Solene , Fregnaux Mathieu , Aureau Damien , Etcheberry Arnaud , Goncalves Anne-Marie
Published: September 2022

Since the first anodic porosification of semiconductors in the 1950s, numerous studies have reported a wide range of porous structures. The conditions used during the growth of pores can explain the shapes obtained but the growth mechanism and especially the influence of surface chemistry during the porosification still raise many questions. It is in this context that the contribution of liquid ammonia (-55°C, Patm) is significant. Indeed, this remarkable non-aqueous solvent allows, on the one hand, to obtain novel porous structures on III-Vsc, and on the other hand, it allows for the first time a specific and original interfacial chemistry, governed by the chemistry of nitrogen.
(Invited) How Electrochemical Treatment History Can Change Vanadium Kinetics at Carbon Electrodes
Authors: Al Hajji Safi Maria , Bourke Andrea , Buckley D. Noel , Lynch Robert P.
Published: September 2022

The effect of the electrochemical treatments on the electrode kinetics of the positive and negative half-cell reactions in vanadium flow batteries was investigated by controlling treatment potentials. In general, VIV-VV electrode kinetics are enhanced at cathodic treatment potentials but are inhibited at anodic treatment potentials. In contrast, VII-VIII kinetics are enhanced after anodization but are inhibited after cathodization. However, as will be shown in this paper, the redox reaction (VIV-VV or VII-VIII) exhibiting the faster kinetics is strongly dependent on the most anodic and most cathodic treatment potential that has been applied to the electrode surface. That is, the electrochemical treatment potential window to which the electrode is exposed changes the magnitude of the activation of the electrode at all intermediate treatment potentials and the magnitude of the effect is different for the VIV-VV and VII-VIII reactions. The less negative the cathodic boundary of the treatment potential window the faster the kinetics towards both VII-VIII and VIV-VV. Whereas the less positive the anodic boundary of the treatment potential window the faster the kinetics towards VII-VIII but the slower the kinetics towards VIV-VV. Thus, the upper and lower potentials of the applied electrochemical treatment potential window can change which reaction, VIV-VV or VII-VIII, has the fastest kinetics.
(Invited) Management Systems for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: McCann Gerry
Published: September 2022

Battery Management Systems (BMS) for large Li-ion batteries are, of themselves, complex systems. The complexity starts with voltage measurement for individual cells. Large batteries may have 96, 192, or more, series connected cells, so requiring complex wiring harnesses. The high noise environment provides additional challenges for wiring and also analog front end and analog to digital conversion system design. For safety, and also to help with State of Charge (SOC) estimation, temperature sensors must be located throughout the battery. A computational infrastructure estimates SOC for each cell. The estimate is typically based on cell voltage, measured current, estimated cell resistance, integrated current and temperature. Additionally, the effects of cell capacity imbalance, whether present from the start, or evolved over time, must be mitigated. This paper will attempt to provide some insight into BMS design for mass produced large batteries. The applications, whether for Electric Vehicles (EV) or Stationary Storage, are generally safety critical, so placing additional demands on the BMS. Typically, the BMS also manages the interaction between the battery and the remainder of the system. It sets limits for allowed charge and discharge currents and has the ability to interrupt current and disconnect the battery if limits are exceeded. In additional to safety, reliability is also critical. For example, the many required cell connections must remain intact for the intended service life of the installation. This will be addressed, touching also on design of the overall battery pack.