bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasonic manipulation of particles and cell aggregates with simultaneous acoustic visualization
Authors: Ortega-Sandoval Mario E. , Cox Luke , Franklin Amanda , Lavelle Martha , Armstrong James P. K. , Drinkwater Bruce W.
Published: May 2024

Acoustical tweezers can manipulate inanimate particles as well as living cells in liquid in 2D using surface acoustic waves and in 3D using bulk acoustic waves. Here, we demonstrate a MHz twin-trap device for underwater manipulation of particles and cell aggregates and show that it operates effectively within a Petri dish and a plastic tube. We also describe a method to visualize in real time the acoustic field using a contained layer of small, high-density particles, which allows the trap to be seen in the same image as the manipulated particle. The device used was made with simple components, integrated onto a printed circuit board, and requires a single electrical channel for excitation. As a result, this device has the potential to be widely implemented in applications such as micro-organism manipulation, in vivo manipulation, and drug delivery.
Analysis of interface trap induced ledge in β-Ga2O3 based MOS structures using UV-assisted capacitance–voltage measurements
Authors: Bhat Aditya K. , Kim Hyun-Seop , Mishra Abhishek , Smith Matthew D. , Uren Michael J. , Kuball Martin
Published: May 2024

A ledge feature in the capacitance–voltage (CV) profiles of Ga2O3 MOS (metal–oxide–semiconductor) capacitors is investigated using UV-assisted CV measurements. A model is presented whereby the capacitance ledge is associated with carrier trapping in deep-level states at the Al2O3/Ga2O3 interface. Following UV assisted emptying of interface traps at a constant bias, a voltage ramp toward flatband results in a CV ledge when the trap recombination current becomes equal to the quasi-static sweep charging current. The ledge continues until all the traps below the corresponding pinned surface potential have been filled. Varying the UV energy varies the ledge voltage range and allows a density of states to be determined as a function of energy. A broad interface state peak with maximum density ∼8 × 1012 cm−2 eV−1 for deep trap energies lying between 2.4 and 4.1 eV below the conduction band (CB) edge is extracted. Using the conductance method, the interface trap density is also found to rise toward the CB edge in the range 0.25–0.45 eV below the CB edge, reaching a maximum density of ∼1 × 1012 cm−2 eV−1. Combining these two techniques, an interface trap distribution is estimated for almost the entirety of the bandgap of Ga2O3. This novel technique probes deep interface states where standard methods fail to quantify interface states reliably.
Aerodynamic performance and starting torque enhancement of small-scale Darrieus type straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbines with J-shaped airfoil
Authors: Naik Kabita , Sahoo Niranjan
Published: May 2024

Wind energy is one of the most eminent renewable sources for the generation of power. The increasing enthusiasm toward the advancement of small-scale Darrieus type straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbines (SB-VAWTs) can offer a potential remedy for addressing power shortage and the unpredictability of climate conditions. These particular wind turbines provide distinct advantages over their counterparts due to their linear blade design and uncomplicated structure. However, enhancements are required in their aerodynamic efficiency and self-initiation capabilities. These challenges stem from using traditional straight blade configurations and symmetrical airfoils. By substituting these conventional elements with J-shaped straight blades and along with cambered airfoils, these issues can be effectively overcome. The current study aims to investigate the effect of J-shaped straight blades with a series of cambered airfoils to improve the aerodynamic performance and starting torque of small-scale Darrieus type SB-VAWTs. Therefore, experimental and numerical studies are conducted to analyze the J-shaped airfoil impact with various opening ratios systematically. The J-shaped blade profile is designed by eliminating some portion toward the trailing edge of a conventional airfoil. This analysis demonstrated that the J-shaped blade incorporating a cambered NACA 4418 airfoil outperforms its alternative cambered airfoil designs. The performance of SB-VAWT improves by about 25% by the J-shape of the cambered NACA 4418 airfoil with a 70% opening ratio. Moreover, the use of J-shaped airfoils enhances the self-starting torque of SB-VAWT compared to conventional airfoils.
Laterally coupled photonic crystal surface emitting laser arrays
Authors: Gautam C. , Pan M. , Chen Y. , Rotter T. J. , Balakrishnan G. , Zhou W.
Published: May 2024

We propose and investigate a novel coherent laser array design based on laterally coupled photonic crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs). As a new type of semiconductor laser technology, PCSELs have field confinement in a planar cavity and laser beam emission in the surface normal direction. By engineering lateral couplings between PCSELs with heterostructure photonic crystal designs, we can achieve coherent operations from an array of PCSELs. In this paper, we demonstrate coherent operation from a passively coupled PCSEL array design. We fabricated PCSEL array devices on a GaAs-based quantum well heterostructure at a target wavelength of 1040 nm. Experimental results show that the 2-by-2 PCSEL arrays have spectral linewidth of 0.14–0.22 nm. Beam combining performance was characterized by self-interference experiments. Similar coherency between the PCSEL array and single PCSEL device was observed. Our compact PCSEL array designs by passive lateral coupling have potential applications in fields of on-chip photonic computing, quantum, and information processing.
Experimental study on preheating and salt circulation performance of a single receiver tube based on induction heating
Authors: Zhou Hao , Zhang Ao , Zuo Yuhang , Zhu Yifan , Xue Xue , Zhang Mingrui
Published: May 2024

The design of a light source for a molten salt receiver experimental system has become challenging owing to the complex heating characteristics of the half-circumference surface during operation. Electromagnetic induction heating is an innovative technology that can replicate a half-circle heating scenario. However, its feasibility must be verified. In this study, we constructed a single receiver tube experimental system using induction heaters and developed a 3D numerical model coupling electromagnetic field to analyze the tube temperature distribution and molten salt temperature rise during preheating and salt circulation, considering various parameters. The results indicated that the numerical simulation agreed well with the experimental results, and the induction heater successfully reproduced the half circumference heating scenario. During preheating, a lower heat flux and higher wind speed result in a more uniform temperature distribution along the circumference of the tube wall, facilitating comprehensive preheating. During salt circulation, the heat flux and inlet salt mass flow significantly affected the temperature of the tube wall but had a relatively small effect on the back-side wall. Wind speed had the opposite effect, which was related to the arrangement of the experimental site. A higher heat flux, lower wind speed, and higher inlet salt mass flow led to a higher temperature increase in the molten salt.
Investigation of annealing temperature dependent sub-cycling behavior for HfZrOx-based ferroelectric capacitor
Authors: Kao Yu-Cheng , Peng Hao-Kai , Hsiao Sheng-Wei , Wu Kuo-An , Liu Chia-Ming , Zheng Sheng-Yen , Wu Yung-Hsien , Wu Pin-Jiun
Published: May 2024

Ferroelectric HfO2 thin film has been widely explored due to its superior characteristics, such as high switching speed, scalability, and long data retention. However, it still faces challenges in achieving good stability due to the wake-up and split-up effects. In this study, the sub-cycling behavior of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-based ferroelectric capacitors (FeCaps) with various annealing temperatures is investigated. Our results suggest that the FeCaps with higher annealing temperatures demonstrate an increased resistance to the split-up effect and exhibit less distorted hysteresis loops compared to their lower-temperature counterparts. Symmetrical sub-cycling reveals pronounced current split-up and diminished switching current peaks in the FeCaps with lower annealing temperatures, whereas those annealed at higher temperatures show minimal current split-up and enhanced performance. Asymmetrical sub-cycling shows that lower annealing temperatures cause local domain pinning, while higher temperatures result in imprint-like behavior. Synchrotron-based extended x-ray absorption fine structure and hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses reveal the potential of nitrogen doping in HfZrOx under high-temperature annealing processes, forming the Hf–N species to mitigate the amount of charged oxygen vacancy (VO2+) in the interfacial region. This study elucidates the relationship between VO2+ distribution and the split-up effect during sub-cycling, providing critical insights for enhancing the sub-cycling performance and stability of HfO2-based devices.
Unconventional hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Paleoproterozoic Fraynes Formation in Manbulloo S1, Northern Territory
Authors: Wang Liuqi , Bailey Adam H. E. , Grosjean Emmanuelle , Palu Tehani , Carson Chris , Carr Lidena K. , Anderson Jade , Butcher Grace , Southby Chris , Henson Paul A.
Published: May 2024

The Paleoproterozoic Fraynes Formation in the Birrindudu Basin is a chronostratigraphic equivalent to the prospective Barney Creek Formation in the McArthur Basin and yet a comparable understanding of its source potential is lacking. As part of Geoscience Australia’s Exploring for the Future program, this study aims to assess the hydrocarbon generating potential and shale gas prospectivity of the Fraynes Formation in the exploration drill hole Manbulloo S1 through the reconstruction of the original source-rock characteristics and well log interpretation. Internal units inside the Fraynes Formation were defined according to sedimentary facies. The hydrocarbon generation potential was estimated from the calculated original total organic carbon content, hydrogen index and thermal maturity data measured from bitumen reflectance data. The shale total porosity was re-interpreted from bulk density logs by removing the organic matter effect, adding organic porosity for the organic-rich shales, and updating the water saturation. The maximum amount of gas generated from the organic-rich source rocks is 3969, 2769 and 1912 Mcf/a-ft assuming the kerogen compositions of 100% Type I, mix of 50–50% Type I and II, and 100% Type II, respectively. The richness of organic matter and interpreted water saturation (<100%) imply favourable shale gas prospectivity in the Fraynes Formation. This work expands our knowledge on the potential unconventional energy resources in the west of the greater McArthur Basin.
Sand fill cleanout on wireline enables access to additional perforation zones in gas well producer
Authors: Field David
Published: May 2024

An Australian operator wanted to explore options for wireline conveyed sand bailing in one of their offshore deviated ‘S’ shape gas producing wells. The objective was to remove approximately 24 m of sand fill inside 9.625″ production casing, with an internal diameter (ID) of 8.681″. To limit the number of cleanout runs, the latest technology in wireline deployed suction tools with a 4.25″ overall diameter (OD) was chosen, which provided increased recovery volume, plus real-time surface control and monitoring. Because of the tool’s overall diameter, the landing nipple also required milling to allow access. Therefore, a specially designed 4.412″ mill bit was manufactured and run on a milling tool. The electric line deployed milling technology successfully milled through the landing nipple and a ball catcher in four runs, thus increasing the ID sufficiently to allow access for the cleanout tool string. A well fluid column of about seven bars is required to enable operation of the suction tool. The cleanout tool was configured with three bailer sections (seven max) for the first run, to determine sand recovery optimisation. Three different sizes of bailer filters are provided; prior knowledge of debris particle size is therefore advantageous. In this case, a slickline bailing sand sample had been recovered, which immediately aided filter choice. Seventeen bailing runs were conducted over 5 days, successfully recovering a total of 918 L of sand, equating to about 2.4 tons. Ultimately, the process enabled perforation of two additional gas zones to increase production.
The potential for CO2 storage in residual oil zones in onshore Australian basins
Authors: Kalinowski Aleksandra , Tenthorey Eric , Clennell M. Ben , Seyyedi Mojtaba , Kempton Richard , Jackson Samuel , Patterson Claire , Perera Siyumini
Published: May 2024

Geoscience Australia and CSIRO have collaborated to investigate whether residual oil zones (ROZs), sometimes associated with conventional Australian hydrocarbon plays, could provide a carbon dioxide (CO2) storage resource and enhance the storage capacity of depleted fields. Our petrophysical study demonstrates that ROZs occur in Australia’s hydrocarbon-rich regions, particularly in the Cooper-Eromanga Basin. ROZs with more than 10% residual oil saturation are uncommon, likely due to small original oil columns and lower residual saturations retained in sandstone reservoirs than in classic, carbonate-hosted North American ROZs. Extensive, reservoir-quality rock is found below the deepest occurring conventional oil in many of the fields in the Eromanga Basin, potentially offering significant CO2 storage capacity. Multiphase compositional flow modelling was used to estimate the CO2 storage efficiency of typical Australian ROZs. We developed a novel modelling methodology that first captures oil migration events leading to the formation of ROZs. Modelling CO2 storage over a 20-year injection period demonstrates that CO2-oil interactions increase the density and viscosity of CO2, enhancing CO2 sweep efficiency and lateral flow, improving storage efficiency. The extent of these effects depends on the quantity and spatial distribution of residual oil in place and the miscibility of CO2 at reservoir conditions.
Voice onset time in Angami
Authors: Terhiija Viyazonuo , Sarmah Priyankoo
Published: May 2024

Angami has three-way laryngeal contrasts in stops, i.e., voiced, voiceless unaspirated, and voiceless aspirated. Apart from that, Angami also has four phonetically level tones. Due to the level nature of the lexical tones in Angami, consonantal perturbations could be investigated clearly. The results of the study showed that the extent of consonantal perturbation depended on the tonal categories. Voiceless consonantal perturbations were weaker as tone categories got higher. Conversely, voiced stop consonantal perturbations were weaker as tone categories got lower. This study also found a systematic relationship between tone height and VOT duration. High tones induced shorter VOT, while low tones induced longer VOT.
Climate finance mobilization initiatives - promoting climate adaptation in agriculture
Authors:   Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA), Casey Jonathan
Published: May 2024

The Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) programme aims to drive global investment towards climate-resilient agri-food systems that increase smallholder farmers' incomes. CASA's research component has recently identified the challenges faced in mobilizing climate finance for agriculture, and particularly for climate adaptation, as well as the existence of a funding gap for small and medium-sized agriculture enterprises (agri-SMEs) of around $106 billion (ISF Advisors, 2022). CASA is particularly interested in analysing the evolving landscape of initiatives that aim to mobilize public and private finance for climate adaptation and resilience in agriculture. The aim of this report is to gain a better understanding of the landscape of climate finance initiatives, the means by which they aim to create change, the types of members who are engaged in them, and areas which may be under-served by such initiatives. The report identifies and analyses initiatives which support climate finance mobilization for climate adaptation in agriculture in low- and middle-income countries. The report analyses and categorizes (by sector, climate action focus, geographic scope, and membership typology) a total of 51 initiatives from across the world that aim to mobilize climate finance. The report also introduces a typology for categorizing these initiatives, based on the primary means they use to mobilize action and investment. The report covers the strategies used to encourage and facilitate engagement among members of different initiatives. It also provides an overview of the coverage of these initiatives, including their geographic and thematic focus, as well as the degree to which they address climate adaptation in agriculture. It offers recommendations to initiatives and their members on ways to enhance their impact and address key knowledge and action gaps.
Opportunities, challenges and evidence needs for investing in smallholder farming
Authors:   Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA)
Published: May 2024

Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) is a flagship programme financed by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), which seeks to increase economic opportunities for smallholders to step and trade into growing commercial markets. The programme aims to increase investments in agribusinesses which source from smallholder farmers and to generate new evidence and research that amplifies the case for doing business with smallholders. During the inception phase, CASA conducted a survey of 25 investors and investing support stakeholders, to determine key constraints, opportunities and evidence needs for unlocking investment opportunities in agribusinesses and smallholder farmers globally, and to identify information needs and seeking behaviours. The three top constraints identified were: limited availability of investable agribusinesses; low productivity of smallholder farmers; and existing gaps in infrastructure and value chains. The main opportunities for increased investment are: investing and improving infrastructure; incubating and supporting early stage businesses with donor funding and technical assistance; and supporting shareholder services like aggregation and mechanisation initiatives. The main evidence gaps identified through the survey are: case studies and examples of profitable and impactful business models; a mapping of actors involved in agricultural finance; and crop and country specific data on productivity and impact. Despite the widespread agreement on the key issues, the survey also identified divergent opinions: inappropriately applied grants and donor subsidies create uneven competition for commercial investors and can harm value chains, while less commercial investors emphasised the importance of these subsidies for derisking their investments. There was agreement among investors that technical assistance needs to be used appropriately and not to finance operations, while this observation was not mentioned by investment support stakeholders. Additionally, having a minimum ticket size was mentioned by investors as a critical factor, while this was not such a priority for investment support stakeholders. One of the main priorities emerged from this survey, and with the aim of achieving additionality of existing investments, would be to produce a map of investors, types of investment and support service in specific countries, as well as a list of investable agribusinesses. This resource could potentially be co-financed and shared by investors targeting smallholder agribusinesses, which would help them reduce the time and cost needed to identify direct and indirect investment opportunities. New partnerships with on-the-ground networks combined with technical assistance, incubators, and grant funding would also help reduce some of the current risks related to investing in smallholder farmers and agribusiness.
The state of the agri-SME sector - bridging the finance gap
Authors:   Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA)
Published: May 2024

The last decade has seen increasing recognition by policymakers, capital providers, and finance practitioners of the vital role played by agricultural small- and medium-sized enterprises (agri-SMEs) in agricultural and food systems in developing countries, as well as their key challenge of limited access to finance. New lexicon has entered the mainstream to capture this recognition, with terms such as the "hidden middle" being introduced by a 2019 AGRA report to highlight the critical role of agri-SMEs in growing markets and their concurrent lack of access to finance and supporting services. The specific focus on the needs of agri-SMEs as a sub-segment of the broader SME finance agenda and the "missing middle" popularised by organisations such as the IFC and ANDE is important as these needs-and the dynamics around providing finance-have unique dimensions. While many of these dynamics have been deeply studied in the context of specific lending models, this report takes stock of the increasingly pluralistic landscape of agri-SME finance in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Our aim is to establish a new perspective on the market overall-sizing and segmenting the market in new ways, reflecting on the rapidly accelerating imperative around climate, and identifying new priorities for action. We believe that this periodic stocktaking offers an opportunity to both understand the current state of the sector in new ways and also to think broadly about what is needed to move the agri-SME finance agenda forward.
Critical behaviors of van der Waals itinerant ferromagnet Fe3.8GaTe2
Authors: Yao Tianyang , Qubie W L , Kumar Pushpendra , Bai Xu , Hu Shixin , Xue Desheng , Zhang Junli
Published: May 2024

The critical behavior of the van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3.8GaTe2 was systematically studied through measurements of isothermal magnetization, with the magnetic field applied along the c-axis. Fe3.8GaTe2 undergoes a non-continuous paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition at the Curie temperature T
c ∼ 355 K. A comprehensive analysis of isotherms around T
c utilizing the modified Arrott diagram, the Kouvel–Fisher method, the Widom scaling law, and the critical isotherm analysis yielded the critical exponent of β= 0.411, γ = 1.246, and δ = 3.99. These critical exponents are found to be self-consistent and align well with the scaling equation at high magnetic fields, underscoring the reliability and intrinsic nature of these parameters. However, the low-field data deviates from the scaling relation, exhibiting a vertical trend when T < T
c. This discrepancy suggests the occurrence of a first-order phase transition in the crystal under a low magnetic field when T< T
c. Mössbauer spectra were employed to provide insights into the critical behaviors of magnetic moments at different sites, including (Fe1)A, (Fe1)B, and Fe2. The results are consistent with the isothermal magnetization analysis. Additionally, the renormalization group theory analysis reveals that the spin coupling within the Fe3.8GaTe2 crystal follows the three-dimensional Heisenberg ({d:n} = {3:3}) type with long-range magnetic and exchange interaction decays with a distance as J(r) ≈ r
−4.80.
An overview of the preparation and implementation of the safety case in support of the 2nd JET deuterium–tritium experiment
Authors: Johnston Jane , Perry David ,   the JET Contributors
Published: May 2024

An overview of the preparation and implementation of the JET 2nd deuterium-tritium experiment (DTE2) safety case is presented. The safety case regime, developed by UKAEA for fusion applications to demonstrate compliance with relevant regulations, and its implementation on UKAEA sites is outlined. The hazard assessment process and details of the methodology applied to assess key JET fault scenarios are provided. An outline of key inventories, their composition, and applied factors for consequence and risk assessment are discussed. The consequences resulting from key fault sequences, the designation of appropriate safety measures and the associated risks are summarised and compared against basic safety limits and objectives. Finally, some of the lessons learned from DTE2 following implementation are discussed.
Modeling and parameter identification of rate-dependent hysteresis behavior based on modified-generalized Prandtl–Ishlinskii model
Authors: Zhu Ruina , Liu Lu , Wu Yuhang , Chen Huan , Lou Weimin , Yang Peng , Kong Ming
Published: May 2024

The intrinsic characteristic of piezoelectric actuators (PEA), known as hysteresis, has been demonstrated to diminish the capability and stability of the system significantly. This paper proposes a modified-generalized Prandtl–Ishlinskii (MGPI) model to describe the rate-dependent hysteresis in piezoelectric actuators. The developed model incorporates a voltage change rate function to replace the first part of the generalized Prandtl–Ishlinskii (GPI) model. Additionally, the model integrates the cubic polynomial into the envelope function, along with the dynamic thresholds and weights. When describing the hysteresis of the piezoelectric actuator (PEA), the model parameters are identified using the Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (IGWO) algorithm. To prevent the algorithm from getting trapped in local optima, the cubic chaotic mapping is utilized for population initialization, as well as a nonlinear convergence factor, and the Levy flight strategy factor is introduced to update the Wolf pack’s position. The rate-dependent hysteresis behavior of a PEA under excitation in the 1–200 Hz frequency range was experimentally measured. The measured data were used to demonstrate the validity of the proposed MGPI model. The relative root-mean-square error and the relative maximum error of the MGPI model are 1.41% and 6.00%, respectively, which are lower than those of the GPI model, which are 3.15% and 10.58%. Under the composite frequency driving, the outputs of the GPI model and MGPI model were compared with the measured data of the PEA, the results suggest that the MGPI model and the IGWO algorithm can more accurately describe the rate-dependent hysteresis of the piezoelectric actuators.
Derivation of standard quantum theory via state discrimination
Authors: Arai Hayato , Hayashi Masahito
Published: May 2024

It is a key issue to characterize the model of standard quantum theory out of general models by an operational condition. The framework of general probabilistic theories (GPTs) is a new information theoretical approach to single out standard quantum theory. It is known that traditional properties, for example, Bell-CHSH inequality, are not sufficient to single out standard quantum theory among possible models in GPTs. As a more precise property, we focus on the bound of the performance for an information task called state discrimination in general models. We give an equivalent condition for outperforming the minimum discrimination error probability under the standard quantum theory given by the trace norm. Besides, by applying the equivalent condition, we characterize standard quantum theory out of general models in GPTs by the bound of the performance for state discrimination.
Deep learning-assisted common temperature measurement based on visible light imaging
Authors: Zhu 朱 Jia-Yi 佳仪 , He 何 Zhi-Min 志民 , Huang 黄 Cheng 成 , Zeng 曾 Jun 峻 , Lin 林 Hui-Chuan 惠川 , Chen 陈 Fu-Chang 福昌 , Yu 余 Chao-Qun 超群 , Li 李 Yan 燕 , Zhang 张 Yong-Tao 永涛 , Chen 陈 Huan-Ting 焕庭 , Pu 蒲 Ji-Xiong 继雄
Published: May 2024

Real-time, contact-free temperature monitoring of low to medium range (30 °C–150 °C) has been extensively used in industry and agriculture, which is usually realized by costly infrared temperature detection methods. This paper proposes an alternative approach of extracting temperature information in real time from the visible light images of the monitoring target using a convolutional neural network (CNN). A mean-square error of < 1.119 °C was reached in the temperature measurements of low to medium range using the CNN and the visible light images. Imaging angle and imaging distance do not affect the temperature detection using visible optical images by the CNN. Moreover, the CNN has a certain illuminance generalization ability capable of detection temperature information from the images which were collected under different illuminance and were not used for training. Compared to the conventional machine learning algorithms mentioned in the recent literatures, this real-time, contact-free temperature measurement approach that does not require any further image processing operations facilitates temperature monitoring applications in the industrial and civil fields.
Predictive modeling of NSTX discharges with the updated multi-mode anomalous transport module
Authors: Rafiq T. , Wilson C. , Clauser C. , Schuster E. , Weiland J. , Anderson J. , Kaye S.M. , Pankin A. , LeBlanc B.P. , Bell R.E.
Published: May 2024

The objective of this study is twofold: firstly, to demonstrate the consistency between the anomalous transport results produced by updated Multi-Mode Model (MMM) version 9.0.4 and those obtained through gyrokinetic simulations; and secondly, to showcase MMM’s ability to predict electron and ion temperature profiles in low aspect ratio, high beta NSTX discharges. MMM encompasses a range of transport mechanisms driven by electron and ion temperature gradients, trapped electrons, kinetic ballooning, peeling, microtearing, and drift resistive inertial ballooning modes. These modes within MMM are being verified through corresponding gyrokinetic results. The modes that potentially contribute to ion thermal transport are stable in MMM, aligning with both experimental data and findings from linear CGYRO simulations. The isotope effects on these modes are also studied and higher mass is found to be stabilizing, consistent with the experimental trend. The electron thermal power across the flux surface is computed within MMM and compared to experimental measurements and nonlinear CGYRO simulation results. Specifically, the electron temperature gradient modes (ETGM) within MMM account for 2.0 MW of thermal power, consistent with experimental findings. It is noteworthy that the ETGM model requires approximately 5.0 ms of computation time on a standard desktop, while nonlinear CGYRO simulations necessitate 8.0 h on 8 K cores. MMM proves to be highly computationally efficient, a crucial attribute for various applications, including real-time control, tokamak scenario optimization, and uncertainty quantification of experimental data.
Influence mechanism of lithium surface oxidation on neutron yield of lithium target for accelerator-based neutron source
Authors: Wang Jie , Sun Qiuyu , Yang Yifan , Si Qingyu , Wu Tao , Jiang Quanxu , Wang Sheng
Published: May 2024

Lithium is generally adopted as the target to generate
epithermal neutrons based on 7Li(p,n)7Be nuclear reaction
for the application of accelerator-based boron neutron capture
therapy (AB-BNCT). The stability of neutron yields and neutron
energy spectrum are key factors for the therapeutic effects of the
AB-BNCT. Owing to the active chemical properties of lithium, the
surface oxidation formation of lithium may influence the soundness
of the target system and the stability of neutron
yields. Experimental and simulation methods were performed for a
better understanding of the passivation layer formation after air
exposure and the influence of the passivation layer on the neutron
yield and energy spectrum. On one hand, X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy was adopted to study the chemical states of lithium
after air exposure. On the other hand, particle and heavy ion
transport code system (PHITS) was used to evaluate the effect of
surface chemical states variation on neutron yield and energy
spectrum. The simulation results indicate that the formation of
Li2O with a thickness of 2 μm could mainly influence the
neutron yields at the neutron emission angle of 20–90° 
with a maximum reduction of ∼ 10.4%.
Novel design of a personnel protection system for large particle accelerators: balancing safety, reliability, and cost
Authors: Ma Yinglin , Shi Hongmei , Zhang Huijie , Wang Yao , Wang Yufei
Published: May 2024

As the primary safety protection system for particle accelerators, the Personnel Protection System (PPS) not only prioritizes safety but also recognizes the importance of system reliability to ensure the stable operation of the accelerator and foster trust among system stakeholders. When designing the PPS, a distinction can be made between critical safety functions and common functions. There are at least three critical safety functions: firstly, ensuring that personnel are prohibited from accessing the tunnel during accelerator operation; secondly, preventing accelerator activation in the presence of personnel within the tunnel; and thirdly, enabling prompt termination of accelerator operations during emergency situations. To meet the demanding safety integrity level requirement of SIL3, multiple layers of defense and safety redundancy are employed. In order to mitigate the potential risks arising from human errors, significant emphasis is placed on improving the automation and intelligence of the system. This research focuses on the development of a comprehensive novel system that incorporates multiple defense mechanisms to meet the stringent safety and reliability demands of large particle accelerators represented by High Energy Proton Source (HEPS). It designs novel local optimization schemes, including the semi-redundant control system, zero-count interlock, intelligent search and secure, and electromagnetic control key, among others. These pioneering approaches are seamlessly integrated into the comprehensive system, effectively enhancing its capabilities and overall efficiency. Furthermore, this study conducts an analysis of the reliability of interlocking equipment, employing measures such as hierarchical DC power, parallel redundancy, and optimized signal processing to enhance its overall reliability. Finally, a method for determining the Safety Integrity Level (SIL) and assessing the reliability of PPS is developed, and the system's performance is validated.
A xenogeneic extracellular matrix-based 3D printing scaffold modified by ceria nanoparticles for craniomaxillofacial hard tissue regeneration via osteo-immunomodulation
Authors: Chen Jiahao , Huang Yibing , Tang Huilin , Qiao Xiangchen , Sima Xiutian , Guo Weihua
Published: May 2024

Hard tissue engineering scaffolds especially 3D printed scaffolds were considered an excellent strategy for craniomaxillofacial hard tissue regeneration, involving crania and facial bones and teeth. Porcine treated dentin matrix (pTDM) as xenogeneic extracellular matrix has the potential to promote the stem cell differentiation and mineralization as it contains plenty of bioactive factors similar with human-derived dentin tissue. However, its application might be impeded by the foreign body response induced by the damage-associated molecular patterns of pTDM, which would cause strong inflammation and hinder the regeneration. Ceria nanoparticles (CNPs) show a great promise at protecting tissue from oxidative stress and influence the macrophages polarization. Using 3D-bioprinting technology, we fabricated a xenogeneic hard tissue scaffold based on pTDM xenogeneic TDM-polycaprolactone (xTDM/PCL) and we modified the scaffolds by CNPs (xTDM/PCL/CNPs). Through series of in vitro verification, we found xTDM/PCL/CNPs scaffolds held promise at up-regulating the expression of osteogenesis and odontogenesis related genes including collagen type 1, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), bone morphogenetic protein-2, osteoprotegerin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and DMP1 and inducing macrophages to polarize to M2 phenotype. Regeneration of bone tissues was further evaluated in rats by conducting the models of mandibular and skull bone defects. The in vivo evaluation showed that xTDM/PCL/CNPs scaffolds could promote the bone tissue regeneration by up-regulating the expression of osteogenic genes involving ALP, RUNX2 and bone sialoprotein 2 and macrophage polarization into M2. Regeneration of teeth evaluated on beagles demonstrated that xTDM/PCL/CNPs scaffolds expedited the calcification inside the scaffolds and helped form periodontal ligament-like tissues surrounding the scaffolds.
Shaking a container full of perfect liquid; a tractable case, a torus shell, exhibits a virtual wall
Authors: Hannay J H
Published: May 2024

Manipulation (‘shaking’) of a rigid container filled with incompressible liquid starting from stationary generally results in some displacement, or mixing, of the liquid within it. If the liquid also has zero viscosity, a ‘perfect’ or ‘Euler’ liquid, Kelvin’s theorems dramatically simplify the flow analysis. Response is instantaneous; stop the container and all liquid motion stops. In fact an arbitrary manipulation can be considered as alternating infinitesimal translations and rotations of the container. Relative to the container, the liquid is stationary during every translation. Infinitesimal rotations (an infinitesimal vector along the rotation axis) resolve into three orthogonal components in the container frame. Each generates its own infinitesimal liquid displacement vector field. Their combined consequences are usually obscure. Rather than a volume flow, a surface flow in 3D is considerably easier, the liquid slipping freely in a shell, sandwiched between two nested closed surfaces with constant infinitesimal gap. The closedness avoids extra boundaries. The two dimensionality admits a scalar streamfunction determined by the container angular velocity vector. Manipulation of the container angular velocity at will, usually leads to an infinitely rich variety of area preserving re-configurations of the liquid. In particular, any chosen point of the liquid can be moved, in the shell container frame, to any other chosen point. However, for a torus (shell) with a small enough hole (diameter < 0.195 torus diameter), there exists a virtual wall, a hypothetical axial cylinder intersecting the torus. No matter how the torus is manipulated, liquid inside the cylinder stays inside; outside stays outside. The analysis, solving for the streamfunction, is based on the relative vorticity, and the conformal mapping of a torus to a (periodic) rectangle, which lead to a fairly simple convolution integral formula for the flow.
Dirac walks on regular trees
Authors: Delporte Nicolas , Sen Saswato , Toriumi Reiko
Published: May 2024

The study of matter fields on an ensemble of random geometries is a difficult problem still in need of new methods and ideas. We will follow a point of view inspired by probability theory techniques that relies on an expansion of the two point function as a sum over random walks. An analogous expansion for Fermions on non-Euclidean geometries is still lacking. Casiday et al (2022 Linear Multilinear Algebr.
72 325–65) proposed a classical ‘Dirac walk’ diffusing on vertices and edges of an oriented graph with a square root of the graph Laplacian. In contrast to the simple random walk, each step of the walk is given a sign depending on the orientation of the edge it goes through. In a toy model, we propose here to study the Green functions, spectrum and the spectral dimension of such ‘Dirac walks’ on the Bethe lattice, a d-regular tree. The recursive structure of the graph makes the problem exactly solvable. Notably, we find that the spectrum develops a gap and that the spectral dimension of the Dirac walk matches that of the simple random walk (

d
s

=
1

for d = 2 and

d
s

=
3

for

d
⩾
3

).
Revisiting the second Vassiliev (In)variant for polymer knots
Authors: Klotz Alexander R , Estabrooks Benjamin
Published: May 2024

Knots in open strands such as ropes, fibers, and polymers, cannot typically be described in the language of knot theory, which characterizes only closed curves in space. Simulations of open knotted polymer chains, often parameterized to DNA, typically perform a closure operation and calculate the Alexander polynomial to assign a knot topology. This is limited in scenarios where the topology is less well-defined, for example when the chain is in the process of untying or is strongly confined. Here, we use a discretized version of the Second Vassiliev Invariant for open chains to analyze Langevin Dynamics simulations of untying and strongly confined polymer chains. We demonstrate that the Vassiliev parameter can accurately and efficiently characterize the knotted state of polymers, providing additional information not captured by a single-closure Alexander calculation. We discuss its relative strengths and weaknesses compared to standard techniques, and argue that it is a useful and powerful tool for analyzing polymer knot simulations.
Effects of multi-layer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets on compression strength and abrasion resistance of concrete
Authors: Silva Cristiane Arpino , Rosenkranz Andreas , Gonçalves Margarete R F , Costa Henara Lillian
Published: May 2024

Concrete is a leader composite material for structural use in buildings, adaptable to all locations and circumstances in view of its properties such as versatility, durability, and performance. MXenes are new two-dimensional (2D) materials that are very promising for applications in many fields due to their layered structure and physicochemical characteristics. Focused on increasing the performance of concrete structures, this work proposed the reinforcement of concrete with the addition of very small amounts (0.02 wt-%) of MXenes consisting of multi-layer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets to improve compression and abrasion resistance. The reinforced concrete specimens were tested by uniaxial compression tests and rubber-wheel abrasion tests. The results obtained were compared with reference concrete prepared without any added nanosheets. The concrete with MXenes presented higher compression strength (15% higher) in relation to the reference samples after 3 days of molding. After 28 days, the average compression strength was 20.5% higher with Mxenes, but the difference at 28 days was not statistically significant. The rubber-wheel abrasion tests showed a tendency for reduced wear rates with Mxenes, but the difference was statistically significant only for the tests with larger abrasives. Differences in macroporosity of the concretes were not found to justify the improved performance with Mxenes. The main differences due to the Mxenes reinforcement were due a smoother microtopography. It was proposed that the mechanism responsible for obtaining smoother topography with MXenes was related to the lubricious nature of the Ti3C2Tx nanosheets, that can reduce interparticle friction when a transition of the paste flow to the thickening regime occurs, which is governed by boundary lubrication.
Inducing ferroptosis via nanomaterials: a novel and effective route in cancer therapy
Authors: Ensoy Mine , Ozturk Berfin Ilayda , Cansaran-Duman Demet , Yilmazer Açelya
Published: May 2024

The use of nanomaterials for cancer ferroptosis presents a promising avenue for research and clinical applications. The unique properties of nanomaterials, such as their small size, large surface area, and ability to be engineered for specific tasks, make them ideal candidates for ferroptosis inducing cancer therapies. Ferroptosis is a new type of cell death mechanism that is distinct from apoptosis and necrosis. It has been shown to be critical in the treatment of various tumors. The ferroptotic mechanism has been mainly linked with the regulation of iron, amino acid, glutathione, and lipid metabolism of cells. The relationship between ferroptosis mechanisms and cancer nanomedicine has attracted considerable interest in recent years. It has been reported that the combination of nanomedicine and ferroptosis can achieve high therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of different cancer types. This review will provide an overview of recent work in ferroptosis-related cancer nanomedicine. First, general information is given about the definition of ferroptosis and its differences from other cell death mechanisms. Later, studies exploring the role of ferroptosis in the cancer nanomedicine field are discussed in detail. Specific focus has been given to the use of combinatorial treatment strategies which combine ferroptosis with chemodynamic therapy, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, immunotherapy and sonodynamic therapy. Considering the fact that ferroptosis inducing nanoparticles (NPs) have already been introduced into clinical studies, nanoscientists can further accelerate this clinical translation as they tailor the physicochemical characteristics of nanomaterials. This review provides enlightening information for all researchers interested in the molecular characterization and relationship between ferroptosis and cancer-directed NPs.
Map-based localization for intelligent vehicles based on fusion of multiple visual features in underground parking
Authors: Li Yicheng , Jiang Zhuoyi , Cai Yingfeng , Chen Long , Wang Hai
Published: May 2024

The ‘last mile’ problem in intelligent car localization within underground parking lots presents challenges such as localization blind spots and feature extraction difficulties. To tackle these issues, this paper proposes a mapping and multiscale matching localization method based on the fusion of multiple feature sources using a ‘binocular mapping, monocular localization’ approach. By combining traditional features with deep learning features, the proposed method enhances feature matching accuracy and addresses feature extraction challenges. A sparse three-dimensional reconstruction method based on local feature-optical flow is also proposed to mitigate localization blind spots. During the mapping process, the underground parking lot scene is segmented into several nodes to store map information, each consisting of a feature layer, scene structure layer, and trajectory layer. In the multiscale matching localization process, ORB, LoFTR, and BoW multisource features are fused to achieve feature matching, determine the nearest node, and estimate vehicle pose using the PnP model through optical flow. Finally, a localization optimization algorithm outputs the localization result. Experiments were conducted across multiple underground parking lots encompassing a total area of over 100,000 square meters. The results demonstrated that the average error of map construction using the proposed algorithm is approximately 15 mm, and the average error rate of localization is 4.45%.