bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spin–orbit torque true random number generator with thermal stability
Authors: Wang Cen , Zhao Tianyang , Zhou Yingye , Hu Jinzhao , Yang Guangyi , Zhang Yue
Published: March 2024

Interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI) plays a pivotal role in spin–orbit torque (SOT)-induced magnetization switching, notably seen in deterministic switching even in the absence of an external magnetic field at 0 K. However, in SOT devices operating at room temperature, thermal fluctuations contribute significantly to magnetization switching due to the altered energy profile caused by DMI. In this work, we unveil that unlike the deterministic magnetization switching observed at 0 K, SOT-induced magnetization switching assisted by DMI is highly stochastic. Following the SOT-induced nucleation of a domain wall (DW), thermal fluctuations can induce rapid back-and-forth DW motion under the influence of a current pulse, resulting in stochastic switching. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the switching probability remains stable as the temperature increases. These results illustrate that SOT-induced magnetization switching assisted by DMI is well-suited for a true random number generator with robust thermal stability.
A second-order-accuracy finite difference scheme for numerical computation on two-dimensional three-neighboring-node unstructured grids
Authors: Guan Tianen , Chen Jie , Liu Jun , Xu Chunguang
Published: March 2024

The computation of the finite difference method in curvilinear coordinates usually necessitates coordinate transformation. Eliminating geometric errors induced by coordinate transformation can be achieved with geometric conservation law. However, no research has been conducted to implement a difference scheme on two-dimensional three-neighboring-node unstructured meshes and achieve a second-order accuracy. In this paper, a new finite difference method is proposed for a numerical simulation on these meshes, and it can achieve a second-order accuracy with the use of the gradient interpolation and the discrete criterion, freezing the metrics and Jacobian at local nodes. The results of several numerical tests demonstrate that the method achieved reliable performance and robustness on unique and randomized unstructured grids for a complex flow with discontinuity, subsonic inflow, and diffraction. The method had comparable accuracy to the second-order difference scheme on structured grids.
Control and readout of a transmon using a compact superconducting resonator
Authors: Zotova Julia , Sanduleanu Shtefan , Fedorov Gleb , Wang Rui , Tsai Jaw Shen , Astafiev Oleg
Published: March 2024

We demonstrate control and readout of a superconducting artificial atom based on a transmon qubit using a compact lumped-element resonator. The resonator consists of a parallel-plate capacitor with a wire geometric inductor. The footprint of the resonators is about 200 × 200 μm2, which is similar to the standard transmon size and one or two orders of magnitude more compact in the occupied area compared to coplanar waveguide resonators. We observe coherent Rabi oscillations and obtain time-domain properties of the transmon. The work opens a door to miniaturize essential components of superconducting circuits and to further scale up quantum systems with superconducting transmons.
Experimental and numerical study on ventilated cavitation of high-speed projectile
Authors: Wang Yongjiu , Du Tezhuan , Huang Jian , Qiu Rundi , Wang Yiwei , Zhou Jifu
Published: March 2024

In this study, ventilated cavitating flow characteristics around an axisymmetric projectile are investigated by combining experiments and numerical simulations. Experiments were carried out with a Split–Hopkinson pressure bar launch system and the pressure-equaling exhaust technology. Modular projectiles are designed to experimentally investigate the influence of head shape and ventilatory volume on flow characteristics. Large eddy simulation model is applied to obtain more flow field information. Compared with the conical head projectile, the hemispherical head projectile has a thinner attached cavity and more local detachment of the cavity. The statistical structure of the velocity and pressure fluctuations are analyzed by combining histograms and Q–Q diagrams. The results show that the pressure drag is dominant in the total drag and the periodic pulsation of the tail cavity and the stable vortex structure at the tail cause the variation of drag. The larger cavity volume changes the actual shape of the projectile, making the drag of the conical head projectile higher. The evolution characteristics of the cavitating flow field around the projectile with different ventilatory volumes are obtained, and the relationship between pressure fluctuation and chamber volume is derived. It is found that the reentrant jet causes a reverse flow at the nozzle, which leads to local pressure rise at the same interval. The above research work could contribute to the design and flow control of the ventilated cavity body.
Investigation of flame structure and emission production: Combustion modeling of co-flow interaction with spray
Authors: Jowkar Saeed , Shen Xing , Morad Mohammad Reza , Pour Razzaghi Mohammad Javad
Published: March 2024

Using a validated computational approach, the present study examines the flame structure and emission production by spray combustion in an unconfined, swirl-free lab burner. Some species, such as acetylene, a precursor to the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are generated within the fuel-rich region. A smaller area of the enclosed region reduces the mass concentration of emissive species. This can be accomplished by modifying the operating conditions, such as the spray characteristics, macro-flow velocity, and nozzle geometry. Increasing the co-flow velocity has a significant effect on transforming the flame structure from a single-reaction regime to a double-structure regime. The fuel-rich area shrinks as the co-flow velocity increases, resulting in a decrease in emissive species but a fall in total heat generation. In terms of air passage design, it appears that altering the air passage area has a noticeable impact on the flame structure, where a reaction zone can be established within the flame core. Depending on the equivalence ratio, the total heat generation and output emissions can be modified through the burner air passage improvement, resulting in a 90% decrease in the production of emissive species and an 18% increase in total heat production.
Immiscible invasion of granular suspension by high-viscosity liquid
Authors: Qin Zhipeng , Li Guofa , Li Huaixiao , Lan Zhisong , Zhang Dawang
Published: March 2024

We investigate the morphology and dynamics of the pattern of immiscible invasion by injecting a high-viscosity liquid into a granular suspension consisting of movable solid grains in a low-viscosity liquid. Laboratory experiments conducted in a Hele–Shaw cell shed light on how the frictional forces of the grains and the viscous forces of the liquids affect the instability of the liquid–liquid interface and the formation of viscous fingers. The frictional force increases with an increase in either the volume fraction or the size of the grains, leading to higher resistance to the invading pattern. Upon changing the grain shape from spherical to irregular, both the frictional force and the rotational energy of the grains increase, resulting in more numerous but narrower fingers. Increasing either the injection rate or the viscosity of the injected liquid increases the viscous pressure within the fingers, promoting the splitting of the pattern. Although the defending liquid always has a lower viscosity than the invading liquid in this study, the former's viscous force becomes non-negligible as the viscosity ratio of the invading liquid to the defending liquid decreases to near unity, which destabilizes the fluid–fluid interface and causes a transition to an asymmetric pattern.
Dynamic model of tissue electroporation on the basis of biological dispersion and Joule heating
Authors: Guedert R. , Andrade D. L. L. S. , Silva J. R. , Pintarelli G. B. , Suzuki D. O. H.
Published: March 2024

Electroporation is a complex, iterative, and nonlinear phenomenon often studied through numerical simulations. In recent years, simulations of tissue electroporation have been conducted with static models. However, the results of a static model simulation are restricted to a fixed protocol signature of the pulsed electric field. In this paper, we describe a novel dynamic model of tissue electroporation that also accounts for tissue dispersion and temperature to allow time-domain simulations. We have implemented the biological dispersion of potato tubers and thermal analysis in a commercial finite-element method software. A cell electroporation model was adapted to account for the increase in tissue conductivity. The model yielded 12 parameters divided into three dynamic states of electroporation. The thermal analysis describes the dependence of tissue conductivity on temperature. The model parameters were evaluated using experiments with vegetal tissue (Solanum tuberosum) under electrochemotherapy protocols. The proposed model can accurately predict the conductivity of tissue under electroporation from 100 to 1000 V/cm. A negligible thermal effect was observed at 1000 V/cm, with a temperature increase of 0.89 °C. We believe that the proposed model is suitable to describe the electroporation at the tissue level and provides a hint of the effects on the cell membrane.
On the self-overlap in vector spin glasses
Authors: Chen Hong-Bin
Published: March 2024

We consider vector spin glass models with self-overlap correction. Since the limit of free energy is an infimum, we use arguments analogous to those for generic models to show the following: (1) the averaged self-overlap converges; (2) the self-overlap concentrates; (3) the infimum optimizes over paths whose right endpoints are the limit of self-overlap. Lastly, using these, we directly verify the equivalence between the variational formula obtained in Chen [Electron. J. Probab. 28, 1 (2023)] and Panchenko’s generalized Parisi formula in Panchenko [Ann. Probab. 46(2), 865 (2018)].
Wave interaction with multiple adjacent floating solar panels with arbitrary constraints
Authors: Yang Yifeng , Ren Kang , Zhou Binzhen , Sun Shi Yan , Huang Luofeng
Published: March 2024

The problem of wave interaction with multiple adjacent floating solar panels with arbitrary types and numbers of constraints is considered. All the solar panels are assumed to be homogeneous, with the same physical properties, as well as modeled by using the Kirchhoff-Love plate theory. The motion of the fluid is described by the linear velocity potential theory. The domain decomposition method is employed to obtain the solutions. In particular, the entire fluid domain is divided into two types, the one below the free surface, and the other below elastic plates. The velocity potential in the free surface domain is expressed into a series of eigenfunctions. By contrast, the boundary integral equation and the Green function are employed to construct the velocity potential of fluid beneath the entire elastic cover, with unknowns distributed along two interfaces and jumps of physical parameters of the plates. All these unknowns are solved from the system of linear equations, which is established from the matching conditions of velocity potentials and edge conditions. This approach is confirmed with much higher computational efficiency compared with the one only involving eigenfunction expansion for the fluid beneath each plate. Extensive results and discussions are provided for the reflection and transmission coefficients of water waves, maximum deflection, and principal strain of the elastic plates; especially, the influence of different types and numbers of edge constraints are investigated in detail.
Suppressing phonon propagation in two-dimensional aperiodic graphene/h-BN superlattice with rough interfaces
Authors: Ni Yuxiang , Huang Xiaoyu , Zhai Fangyuan , Chen Yuanzheng , Wang Hongyan , Zhang Honggang
Published: March 2024

Thermal phonon localization, rooted in phonon wave nature, is widely observed in disordered atomic systems. Binary superlattices, with structural diversity from abundant interfaces, allow for disorder introduction by engineering interfacial structures. In this study, two different disorder entities, namely, aperiodicity (randomized layer thicknesses) and interfacial mixing, were introduced to graphene/h-BN superlattices. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that both disordered structures can significantly reduce the thermal conductivity, with interfacial mixing more effectively impeding thermal transport. The combined effect of these disorders further decreased thermal conductivity. The underlying mechanism involves Anderson localization of phonons, demonstrated by the exponential decay of phonon transmission and suppressed phonon participation ratio. Phase-breaking interactions at higher temperatures delocalize localized modes. This study offers valuable guidance for structurally designing materials targeting low thermal conductivity through the manipulation of phonon localization.
Mechanism of proton-powered c-ring rotation in a mitochondrial ATP synthase
Authors: Blanc Florian E. C. , Hummer Gerhard
Published: March 2024

Proton-powered c-ring rotation in mitochondrial ATP synthase is crucial to convert the transmembrane protonmotive force into torque to drive the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Capitalizing on recent cryo-EM structures, we aim at a structural and energetic understanding of how functional directional rotation is achieved. We performed multi-microsecond atomistic simulations to determine the free energy profiles along the c-ring rotation angle before and after the arrival of a new proton. Our results reveal that rotation proceeds by dynamic sliding of the ring over the a-subunit surface, during which interactions with conserved polar residues stabilize distinct intermediates. Ordered water chains line up for a Grotthuss-type proton transfer in one of these intermediates. After proton transfer, a high barrier prevents backward rotation and an overall drop in free energy favors forward rotation, ensuring the directionality of c-ring rotation required for the thermodynamically disfavored ATP synthesis. The essential arginine of the a-subunit stabilizes the rotated configuration through a salt bridge with the c-ring. Overall, we describe a complete mechanism for the rotation step of the ATP synthase rotor, thereby illuminating a process critical to all life at atomic resolution.
The neuroimmune CGRP–RAMP1 axis tunes cutaneous adaptive immunity to the microbiota
Authors: Kulalert Warakorn , Wells Alexandria C. , Link Verena M. , Lim Ai Ing , Bouladoux Nicolas , Nagai Motoyoshi , Harrison Oliver J. , Kamenyeva Olena , Kabat Juraj , Enamorado Michel , Chiu Isaac M. , Belkaid Yasmine
Published: March 2024

The somatosensory nervous system surveils external stimuli at barrier tissues, regulating innate immune cells under infection and inflammation. The roles of sensory neurons in controlling the adaptive immune system, and more specifically immunity to the microbiota, however, remain elusive. Here, we identified a mechanism for direct neuroimmune communication between commensal-specific T lymphocytes and somatosensory neurons mediated by the neuropeptide calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP) in the skin. Intravital imaging revealed that commensal-specific T cells are in close proximity to cutaneous nerve fibers in vivo. Correspondingly, we observed upregulation of the receptor for the neuropeptide CGRP, RAMP1, in CD8
+
T lymphocytes induced by skin commensal colonization. The neuroimmune CGRP–RAMP1 signaling axis functions in commensal-specific T cells to constrain Type 17 responses and moderate the activation status of microbiota-reactive lymphocytes at homeostasis. As such, modulation of neuroimmune CGRP–RAMP1 signaling in commensal-specific T cells shapes the overall activation status of the skin epithelium, thereby impacting the outcome of responses to insults such as wounding. The ability of somatosensory neurons to control adaptive immunity to the microbiota via the CGRP–RAMP1 axis underscores the various layers of regulation and multisystem coordination required for optimal microbiota-reactive T cell functions under steady state and pathology.
Women have no honour of their own
Authors: Mahmood Ansa , Ebensgaard Jensen Kim
Published: March 2024

This article presents a corpus-based Cultural-Linguistic study of the usage of the word honour in Pakistani and Indian Englishes, addressing underlying cultural conceptualizations of the notion of honor. Honor emerges as a complex cultural model which involves several cultural schemas, cultural categories and other cultural conceptualizations, in which women are cast as responsible protectors and upholders of the honor of men, families, and communities, their bodies being the very locus of men’s honor. The study is based on a relatively simple qualitative and quantitative analysis of two specialized corpora representing discourse on honor and related phenomena in Pakistani and Indian Englishes.
Fases y factores socioculturales en la difusión de tío/tía como vocativos
Authors: Llopis Cardona Ana , Bordería Salvador Pons
Published: March 2024

Este trabajo se ocupa de la difusión del cambio lingüístico a partir de un estudio de caso: la adopción de
tío/-a como vocativos contraculturales que se propagaron en el lenguaje juvenil a lo largo de las décadas 70
y 80 (Llopis y Pons 2020). El estudio se basa en una copiosa documentación, que se
interpreta a la luz de los movimientos (socio)culturales y acontecimientos históricos. Para la explicación del proceso, se parte
de la propuesta de difusión de innovaciones de Rogers (1962 [2003]) en su versión
adaptada al cambio lingüístico (Labov 1994; Croft
2000; Moreno 1998 [2009]; Blythe y Croft
2012; Nevalainen 2015). Se muestra que las innovaciones subsumidas en el
cheli forman parte de un mosaico de factores complejo, que conduce a la revisión de nociones teóricas como la del factor cultural.
En último término, pretende integrar la aproximación sociolingüística y la filológica como método válido para examinar el cambio
lingüístico con mayor profundidad y alcance.
Simultaneous interpreting, brain aging, and cognition
Authors: Elmer Stefan , Giroud Nathalie
Published: March 2024

Aging is associated with a high prevalence of neural and cognitive changes, which may impair life quality while placing a significant burden on the healthcare system and the economy. Nevertheless, diverse daily activities as well as deliberate
practice in several domains have been proposed to benefit brain plasticity and cognition as well as to have the potential to
counteract age-related decline through neuroprotective and/or compensatory mechanisms. In this review article, we will provide a
summary of the gray matter alterations that have commonly been documented in simultaneous interpreters over the
past twenty years. Furthermore, we will review the main literature that examined associations between simultaneous interpreting
training and cognitive functions for assessing possible practice-related cognitive benefits in older age. We will also outline
future directions for research in this area and highlight interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of aging on
neurocognition.
Predictive processes in interpreters
Authors: Hodzik Ena
Published: March 2024

This paper discusses predictive processes in simultaneous interpreting. A review of experimental findings in the interpreting process literature is carried out on prediction and anticipation – both instances of predictive processes – addressing two questions: (i) what causes prediction and anticipation?, and (ii) is there an experience-related advantage for prediction and anticipation in interpreters? A few gaps are identified in the literature, namely, the need for investigating language-specific cues to prediction and the need for investigating predictive behaviour in both source language processing and target language production. The review is followed by a discussion of future directions in addressing the identified gaps by interpreting process studies, as well as a discussion of how current and future experimental findings can inform our understanding of the processes underlying prediction during simultaneous interpreting.
Wearable eye trackers
Authors: Xiao Yao , Hvelplund Kristian Tangsgaard , Ho Chen-En
Published: March 2024

Sight interpreting/translation (SiT) refers to the mode of communication in which source language information is
received via reading and target language output is produced either in oral form or sign language. The cognitive aspect of SiT has
been examined empirically with participant-, product-, and process-oriented methods, as well as multi-method approaches. Previous
SiT research has benefitted from eye tracking technology due to the dominance of visual input during SiT. However, previous
studies have used screen-based eye trackers, where stimuli are confined to the screen, and the potential impact of elements beyond
the screen cannot be captured, leading to an oversight of the interactional aspect of SiT. Thus, we suggest wearable eye trackers
in future SiT studies to thoroughly explore the underlying cognitive mechanisms of this modality. Moreover, we argue that future
SiT studies can benefit from triangulating eye tracking data with subjective data, such as interviews, to better understand
SiT.
Contextualising translation expertise
Authors: Schlager Daniela , Risku Hanna
Published: March 2024

Translation expertise has been discussed intensely in (cognitive) translation studies. Most research has been
conducted in laboratory settings, attempting to discern the differences between experienced translators (‘experts’) and lesser
experienced translators. This has resulted in valuable, yet limited insights. We argue for the need to complement the picture with
a broader perspective on translation expertise and to further investigate it in its authentic dynamic contexts, be they workplaces
or other fields of practice. This implies seeing expertise as situated and performative, emerging from the interaction of social
actors with their social and material environments. Emphasis is placed on the social, discursive construction of expertise and on
the emic perspectives of the community being studied.
Empirical translation process research
Authors: Carl Michael
Published: March 2024

Over the last four decades, considerable efforts have been devoted to the modeling and evaluation of human
translation processes. This article takes a closer look at the evolution of empirical Translation Process Research (TPR) within
the CRITT TPR-DB tradition. It contends that human translation unfolds on various processing levels and puts forth the Free Energy
Principle (FEP) and Active Inference (AIF) as a promising framework for modeling these intricately embedded processes in a
mathematically rigorous framework.

The article introduces innovative methods for quantifying fundamental concepts of Relevance Theory (relevance,
s-mode, and i-mode translation) and establishes their connection with the Monitor Model, framing relevance maximization as a
special case of free energy minimization. The framework presents exciting prospects for future research in predictive TPR,
promising to enhance our understanding of human translation processes and contributing significantly to the broader field of
translation studies and cognitive sciences in general.
Exploring the impact of dogs on the human-cat relationship in private homes
Authors: Clarkson Sara T. , Kogan Lori R. , Grigg Emma K.
Published: March 2024

Despite the growing numbers of dogs and cats cohabiting in US households, little research has focused on the influence of dogs on the human-animal bond of their feline roommates. The present study investigated whether cohabiting with a dog has an impact on the human-cat bond and the ways in which cats interact with humans. Based on existing knowledge of the differences between human-dog and human-cat interactions, we predicted that cats who have lived with a dog for at least 1 year will exhibit differences in the bond and interaction frequency with their owners. A 46-item survey was administered to 682 US cat owners via social media (SM) and Mechanical Turk (MTurk), Amazon’s crowdsourcing service, to collect data on demographics, interaction frequency, behavioral issues, and pet-owner bond. Although owners in cat-only households tended to report slightly higher bond scores with their cats (

μ

SM
= 30.34;

μ

Mturk
= 28.32) than owners in mixed households (

μ

SM
= 29.33;

μ

Mturk
= 27.42), the differences were small, and the association between household type and bond score was not significant (
p
SM
= 0.973,
p
MTurk
= 0.124). Owners who engaged in more frequent active interactions with their cats had higher bond scores. These results indicate that spending more time engaging in active interactions with one’s cat is associated with a stronger bond, and the frequency of these interactions may be more important than the presence of a cohabiting dog.
DUX4-induced HSATII transcription causes KDM2A/B–PRC1 nuclear foci and impairs DNA damage response
Authors: Arends Tessa , Tsuchida Hiroshi , Adeyemi Richard O. , Tapscott Stephen J.
Published: March 2024

Polycomb repressive complexes regulate developmental gene programs, promote DNA damage repair, and mediate pericentromeric satellite repeat repression. Expression of pericentromeric satellite repeats has been implicated in several cancers and diseases, including facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD). Here, we show that DUX4-mediated transcription of HSATII regions causes nuclear foci formation of KDM2A/B–PRC1 complexes, resulting in a global loss of PRC1-mediated monoubiquitination of histone H2A. Loss of PRC1-ubiquitin signaling severely impacts DNA damage response. Our data implicate DUX4-activation of HSATII and sequestration of KDM2A/B–PRC1 complexes as a mechanism of regulating epigenetic and DNA repair pathways.
Genome-scale requirements for dynein-based transport revealed by a high-content arrayed CRISPR screen
Authors: Wong Chun Hao , Wingett Steven W. , Qian Chen , Hunter Morag Rose , Taliaferro J. Matthew , Ross-Thriepland Douglas , Bullock Simon L.
Published: March 2024

The microtubule motor dynein plays a key role in cellular organization. However, little is known about how dynein’s biosynthesis, assembly, and functional diversity are orchestrated. To address this issue, we have conducted an arrayed CRISPR loss-of-function screen in human cells using the distribution of dynein-tethered peroxisomes and early endosomes as readouts. From a genome-wide gRNA library, 195 validated hits were recovered and parsed into those impacting multiple dynein cargoes and those whose effects are restricted to a subset of cargoes. Clustering of high-dimensional phenotypic fingerprints revealed co-functional proteins involved in many cellular processes, including several candidate novel regulators of core dynein functions. Further analysis of one of these factors, the RNA-binding protein SUGP1, indicates that it promotes cargo trafficking by sustaining functional expression of the dynein activator LIS1. Our data represent a rich source of new hypotheses for investigating microtubule-based transport, as well as several other aspects of cellular organization captured by our high-content imaging.
RyR2 phosphorylation alters dyad architecture
Authors: Short Ben
Published: March 2024

JGP study (Asghari et al. 2024. J. Gen. Physiol.https://doi.org/10.1085/jgp.202213108) indicates that β-adrenergic signaling enlarges dyads and reorganizes RyR2 tetramers in cardiomyocytes.
Entropy and the Stirling engine
Authors: Romanelli Alejandro
Published: March 2024

The thermodynamic approach developed in the Romanelli (2017 Am. J. Phys.
85 926–31). achieves, among other things, an adequate description of the experimental pressure-volumes diagrams of Stirling engines. However, an unusual and relevant result of such an approach is that, during part of its cycle, the working gas reaches temperatures above and below the temperatures of the two thermal reservoirs that keep the engine running. Within this framework, the present paper essentially shows that the predictions of the above model are not in conflict with the second law of thermodynamics. Analytical expressions for the entropies of the working gas and the environment are developed, and the definition of efficiency is discussed. The theoretical results are applied numerically to a specific Stirling engine.
Fresnel–Arago laws: an easily feasible demonstration and laboratory exercise for students
Authors: Ivković Saša S , Jovanović Jelena S , Obradović Bratislav M
Published: March 2024

The basic premise of this work was to create a simple experimental setup for the demonstration of Fresnel–Arago laws and the realization of an experimental exercise. An Iceland calcite is used as a beam splitter, and by adding a diverging lens (commonly used to magnify the image), a large image of overlapping spots is obtained at a short distance, visible to a wide audience. Additionally, by placing a diverging lens at different distances from the calcite, the level of the spots overlapping can be changed. The interference image is photographed by a smartphone and processed by one of the available applications for quantitative image processing. The experiment was carried out using red and green laser light. The same setup, with a diverging lens, also allows the reconstruction of the original Fresnel and Arago experiment with a thin metal cylinder. Quick and easy construction, relatively simple processing of the interference image, without the use of expensive devices (CCD camera, beam splitter, beam expander), and the good agreement between the nominal and measured laser light wavelengths, make this setup very suitable for realization as a student exercise for undergraduate and master’s students.
Study of thermodynamic properties of N particles in one-dimensional harmonic oscillator potential
Authors: Bhattacharyya Satadal , Mitra Joydip
Published: March 2024

We have calculated the partition function and hence the energy and the specific heat of a two-particle system in n numbers of finite nondegenerate energy levels of equal spacing distributed according to classical and quantum statistics. We have then extended our study for N identical particles placed in 1D harmonic oscillator potential. It is observed that the specific heat of bosons and fermions are exactly the same in this potential at any temperature, and at high temperature the results are similar to that for the classical particles. The partition function of a system of two particles placed in 2D harmonic oscillator potential has also been determined as comparison.
How to measure the current–voltage characteristics of Ohmic conductors and superconductors
Authors: Romano Paola
Published: March 2024

A comparison between two different techniques useful to measure the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of conducting materials or devices will be presented, suitable for an undergraduate laboratory devoted to the electrical measurements. First, I–V curves of linear resistors with known nominal resistance are measured by using the simplest version of a DC method and an AC method, in order to settle the experimental procedure. Then, nonlinear I–V curves of a superconductor are measured with the same procedures at different temperatures down to 77 K.
Influence of structural characteristics of a Si nanoparticulate anode on all-solid-state Li-ion batteries
Authors: Ohta Ryoshi , Hiraoka Takeo , Shibano Yuki , Kawamura Hiroaki , Kawamoto Koji , Tanaka Toshimi , Takeuchi Akira , Dougakiuchi Masashi , Fukuda Kenichi , Kambara Makoto
Published: March 2024

Si nanoparticles with independently controlled size and oxygen content have been produced by plasma spraying physical vapor deposition followed by the retarded oxidation. These nanoparticles are used as the negative electrode of all-solid-state batteries with sulfide solid electrolyte, and the influence of size and oxygen content on battery performance has been analyzed. The cells containing Si nanoparticles smaller than 150 nm with the oxygen content x in SiO
x
smaller than 0.1 have attained relatively high capacity and a good stable cyclability simultaneously after 50 cycles. This could be due to the formation of unique and uniform synaptic-like Si network with small Si nanoparticles within the electrode maintaining a firm contact with the Cu foil, which contrasts to large lateral crack formation for the cell with large Si particles.
Size reduction and water dispersibility improvement of hexagonal boron nitride particles by femtosecond laser irradiation in water
Authors: Muneoka Hitoshi , Koike Takeru , Ito Tsuyohito , Terashima Kazuo , Miura Eisuke
Published: March 2024

Controlling the size and surface state of inorganic particles, which strongly influence their dispersibility in solvents, is important for diverse applications. Intense femtosecond laser pulses can induce plasma formation in material–dispersed solvents and interact with both materials and solvents. In this study, femtosecond laser pulses are employed to modify hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) particles dispersed in water, with the aim of evaluating the effects of the femtosecond laser process on the size reduction and surface modification of hBN particles. Shadowgraph imaging reveals the formation of the reactive environment in hBN–dispersed water, resulting from the ionization of water molecules which leads to the generation of OH radicals. Evaluation of the hBN particle sizes suggests an overall reduction from 160 to 110 nm after 60 min of irradiation and the generation of nanodots between 5 and 10 nm in size. In addition, it is confirmed that the number of particles with higher zeta potentials increases after the samples are laser-irradiated, suggesting a change in the surface state. Consequently, the duration of hBN particle dispersion in water is significantly increased, with an improvement of at least one order of magnitude, for the laser-irradiated samples. This study presents a demonstration of the formation of a reaction field that affects hBN particles in size and dispersibility in water.
Dynamic stabilisation of magnetic fields measured inside a magnetically shielded room using an external coil system
*
Authors: Zhao Jiye , Tian Pengtao , Sun Jinji , Zhang Haifeng
Published: March 2024

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) system based on optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) requires a magnetically shielded room (MSR) to establish a stable near-zero field environment. Affected by external environmental electromagnetic interference, the magnetic noise in the MSR will become very severe. In order to overcome this problem, this paper proposes a method for dynamic stabilisation of magnetic fields measured inside a MSR using an external coil system. Firstly, the field form of the external compensation coil was analysed by taking the AC characteristics of the material into consideration. Then, the linear characteristic of the control system is studied and a high performance magnetic noise suppression controller is designed based on the environment noise characteristics. Finally, simulation and experimental are carried out through a self-developed 1250 mm × 1250 mm × 2100 mm MSR, which indicates that the proposed method can effectively suppress dynamic magnetic fluctuation and noise.
Gain and mode purity filtering dual polarized OAM beam generation using cavity waveguide-based 3D transmitarray
Authors: Cao Yuanxi , Zhang Jiahao , Yang Zhanbiao , Wu Sifan , Li Jianxing , Yan Sen
Published: March 2024

A 3D transmitarray (TA) is proposed to generate dual-polarized orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams with gain and mode purity filtering responses. The TA units are realized by square cavity filters with the same passband and different orders and inner widths, resulting in different coupling cavity numbers. The evanescent modes in the coupling cavities will greatly decrease the propagation constant, thus generating a large phase variation. The square structure of the cavity filter makes it able to support dual-polarized wave propagation with the same phase delay and insert loss. Based on these transmission characteristics, eight different TA units are designed to realize a 3-bit phase gradient within the passband of 25.4–26.7 GHz. It should be emphasized that the dispersed transmission phase and magnitude of the eight TA units in the stopbands will deteriorate the purity of the OAM beam. Therefore, the gain and mode purity filtering responses can be realized simultaneously. In order to verify the performance of the proposed OAM TA design, a TA prototype with the mode number l = −1 is fabricated by 3D printing technology. The TA can realize the maximum gain of 25.9 dB in the passband, and the rejection level is below −15.0 dB within the main beam direction. The purities of dual-polarized OAM beams are over 0.5 in the passband, and the cross-polarization is below −16.5 dB. The advantages of the OAM TA, including gain-filtering and mode purity-filtering responses, dual-polarization, and high efficiency make it a promising solution for millimeter-wave OAM sensing and communication applications.
Large Rabi splitting energy in resonant quasi-BIC WSe2 metasurfaces
Authors: Fan Leipeng , You Shaojun , Gao Chenggui , Yu Yangyang , Zhou Chaobiao
Published: March 2024

Strong coupling between excitons in transition metal dichalcogenides and cavities has attracted much attention in recent years, while the Rabi splitting values are usually small, which limits its further applications. In this work, we propose a WSe2 metasurface that supports quasi bound states in the continuous (QBIC) to realize a large Rabi splitting value by adjusting the effective overlap of the exciton with the resonance modes. The designed metasurface consists of composite nanoholes of WSe2. By changing the relative position of the nanoholes and modifying the symmetry of the structure, two QBIC modes are excited, and they mainly localize the electric field inside the device. By tuning the oscillator strength of WSe2, the strong coupling between excitons in WSe2 and QBIC modes is realized, resulting in Rabi splitting energies of 468 meV and 472 meV, respectively. This work provides insights into enhancing light-matter interactions and expands the potential applications of strong coupling.
ECT image reconstruction based on sensitive field expansion and optimization
Authors: Huang Guoxing , Li Chao , Wang Jingwen , Sun Juntao , Zhang Yu
Published: March 2024

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is an efficient method for addressing the issue of two-phase flow monitoring. Most current methods result in low image reconstruction accuracy due to soft field issues. This paper propose an ECT image reconstruction method based on sensitive field expansion and optimization, which improve reconstruction efficiency and accuracy. Firstly, a sensitivity field optimization method based on flow pattern identification was proposed. The flow pattern recognition determines the flow pattern to which the input signal belongs and selects the sensitive field for the corresponding flow pattern. Secondly, a sensitive field expansion method based on feature extraction is proposed. The ECT image is modeled as a finite rate of innovation signal, sampled using an exponential reproducing kernel. Feature information is extracted from the input signal for data fusion, and the optimized sensitive field is expanded into a new sensitive field distribution matrix by zero-padding and random reorganization. Then, based on optimized and expanded sensitive fields, a sparse image reconstruction method is proposed. Image reconstruction by constructing comprehensive observation equation to obtain the original permittivity distribution vector of the ECT system using the sparsity of the sensitivity matrix and capacitance signal. Finally, the ECT hardware system and the upper computer measurement and imaging integration software are designed. The experimental results show that the method outperforms other existing algorithms in terms of imaging indexes, has better imaging results.
Speckle noise reduction on aligned consecutive ultrasound frames via deep neural network
Authors: Mikaeili Mahsa , Bilge Hasan Şakir , Kılıçaslan İsa
Published: March 2024

Despite the benefits of ultrasound (US) imaging systems for medical diagnosis and treatment, US images are prone to low resolution and contrast due to US’s inherent attributes, as well as affected by speckle noise that directly influences their quality. In retrospective studies, diverse filters have been applied to minimize the effects of speckle noise and enhance the quality of US images. In this article, we propose a method of enhancing US images inspired by synthetic aperture imaging, which provides high-resolution images by adding low-resolution images and measuring the probe’s movement. Our proposed method does not involve synthetic aperture imaging but compensates for the motion effect in the temporal dimension, aligns consecutive images, and stacks aligned images to suppress speckle noise and consequently enhance the resolution of US images. We exploited deep neural network (DNN) models to estimate motion parameters between consecutive US images. In a new database of US images, we also collected the images’ position-related information implicitly measured in inertial measurement units, which was exploited as a ground truth for motion parameters between consecutive images. Compared with other image-enhancing techniques involving conventional filters and DNN modalities, our method demonstrated superiority in enhancing the quality of US images. We also found that estimating motion parameters directly influenced the success of the image-stacking process. As in ablation studies in DNNs, we additionally investigated the effect of dropping some images in the temporal dimension, which revealed that contextual differences and excessive rates of movement in successive US images weakens the image-stacking process and thus the potential enhancement of US images.
Novel silicene-mesoporous silica nanoparticles conjugated gemcitabine induced cellular apoptosis via upregulating NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation suppresses pancreatic cancer growth in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Chen Yuhang , Cheng Chien-Shan , Yang Peiwen , Dong Shu , Chen Lianyu
Published: March 2024

Pancreatic cancer’s high fatality rates stem from its resistance to systemic drug delivery and aggressive metastasis, limiting the efficacy of conventional treatments. In this study, two-dimensional ultrathin silicene nanosheets were initially synthesized and near-infrared-responsive two-dimensional silicene-mesoporous silica nanoparticles (SMSNs) were successfully constructed to load the clinically-approved conventional pancreatic cancer chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine. Experiments on nanoparticle characterization show that they have excellent photothermal conversion ability and stability. Then silicene-mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with gemcitabine nanoparticles (SMSN@G NPs) were employed in localized photothermal therapy to control pancreatic tumor growth and achieve therapeutic effects. Our research confirmed the functionality of SMSN@G NPs through immunoblotting and apoptotic assays, demonstrating its capacity to enhance the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB p65, further affect the protein levels of apoptosis-related genes, induce the apoptosis of tumor cells, and ultimately inhibit the growth of the tumor. Additionally, the study assessed the inhibitory role of SMSN@G NPs on pancreatic neoplasm growth in vivo, revealing its excellent biocompatibility. SMSN@G NPs have a nice application prospect for anti-pancreatic tumors.
Fermat’s principle in high school classes: an experimental approach using video analysis
Authors: Silva E S , Perez G A C , de Oliveira A L , de Jesus V L B
Published: March 2024

This work presents an experimental approach to Fermat’s principle using a video analysis investigation applied to two high school classes whose students have basic knowledge of kinematics. The results indicate that without knowledge of advanced calculations, the students could verify the minimum time required for the light to travel between the two points compared to other alternative paths. This work aims to advise students to genuine scientific investigations, as contemporary literature demands.
Explaining Grover’s algorithm with a colony of ants: a pedagogical model for making quantum technology comprehensible
Authors: Schalkers Merel A , Dankers Kamiel , Wimmer Michael , Vermaas Pieter
Published: March 2024

The rapid growth of quantum technologies requires an increasing number of physicists, computer scientists, and engineers who can work on these technologies. For educating these professionals, quantum mechanics should stop being perceived as incomprehensible. In this paper we contribute to this change by presenting a pedagogical model for explaining Grover’s search algorithm, a prominent quantum algorithm. This model visualizes the three main steps of Grover’s algorithm and, in addition to explaining the algorithm itself, introduces three key principles of quantum mechanics: superposition, interference, and state collapse at measurement. The pedagogical model, visualized by a video, is called the ant colony maze model. It represents the search problems as finding the exit of a maze, and visualizes Grover’s search algorithm as a strategy by which a colony of ants finds that exit.
Fano cavity test and investigation of the response of the Roos chamber irradiated by proton beams in perpendicular magnetic fields up to 1 T
Authors: Blum Isabel , Wong Jing Syuen , Godino Padre Krishna , Stolzenberg Jessica , Fuchs Hermann , Baumann Kilian-Simon , Poppe Björn , Looe Hui Khee
Published: March 2024

Objective. The aim of this work is to investigate the response of the Roos chamber (type 34001) irradiated by clinical proton beams in magnetic fields. Approach. At first, a Fano test was implemented in Monte Carlo software package GATE version 9.2 (based on Geant4 version 11.0.2) using a cylindrical slab geometry in a magnetic field up to 1 T. In accordance to an experimental setup (Fuchs et al
2021), the magnetic field correction factors

k

Q

B

⃗

of the Roos chamber were determined at different energies up to 252 MeV and magnetic field strengths up to 1 T, by separately simulating the ratios of chamber signals

M

Q

/

M

Q

B

⃗

,

without and with magnetic field, and the dose-conversion factors

D

w
,
Q

B

⃗

/

D

w
,
Q

in a small cylinder of water, with and without magnetic field. Additionally, detailed simulations were carried out to understand the observed magnetic field dependence. Main results. The Fano test was passed with deviations smaller than 0.25% between 0 and 1 T. The ratios of the chamber signals show both energy and magnetic field dependence. The maximum deviation of the dose-conversion factors from unity of 0.22% was observed at the lowest investigated proton energy of 97.4 MeV and

B

⃗

= 1 T. The resulting

k

Q

B

⃗

factors increase initially with the applied magnetic field and decrease again after reaching a maximum at around 0.5 T; except for the lowest 97.4 MeV beam that show no observable magnetic field dependence. The deviation from unity of the factors is also larger for higher proton energies, where the maximum lies at 1.0035(5), 1.0054(7) and 1.0069(7) for initial energies of

E

0

= 152, 223.4 and 252 MeV, respectively. Significance. Detailed Monte Carlo studies showed that the observed effect can be mainly attributed to the differences in the transport of electrons produced both outside and inside of the air cavity in the presence of a magnetic field.