bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bending and reverse bending during the fabrication of novel GaAs/(In,Ga)As/GaAs core–shell nanowires monitored by in situ x-ray diffraction
Authors: Al Hassan Ali , AlHumaidi Mahmoud , Kalt Jochen , Schneider Reinhard , Müller Erich , Anjum Taseer , Khadiev Azat , Novikov Dmitri V , Pietsch Ullrich , Baumbach Tilo
Published: April 2024

We report on the fabrication of a novel design of GaAs/(In,Ga)As/GaAs radial nanowire heterostructures on a Si 111 substrate, where, for the first time, the growth of inhomogeneous shells on a lattice mismatched core results in straight nanowires instead of bent. Nanowire bending caused by axial tensile strain induced by the (In,Ga)As shell on the GaAs core is reversed by axial compressive strain caused by the GaAs outer shell on the (In,Ga)As shell. Progressive nanowire bending and reverse bending in addition to the axial strain evolution during the two processes are accessed by in situ by x-ray diffraction. The diameter of the core, thicknesses of the shells, as well as the indium concentration and distribution within the (In,Ga)As quantum well are revealed by 2D energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy using a transmission electron microscope. Shell(s) growth on one side of the core without substrate rotation results in planar-like radial heterostructures in the form of free standing straight nanowires.
Soliton solutions and the interaction behaviour of the (3+1)-dimensional Jimbo-Miwa-like equation
Authors: Ma Hongcai , Qi Xinru , Deng Aiping
Published: April 2024

In this article, we aim to study the dynamical behavior of the (3+1)-dimensional Jimbo-Miwa-like (JML) equation. By using different methods, different forms of solutions are obtained. At the same time, in the same method, we also study the influence of parameters on the solution by changing the values of parameters. Firstly, we use the bilinear method to obtain the Y-type and X-type soliton solutions. Secondly, using different test functions, we obtain the interaction phenomenon between the solutions, which is obtained by a lump solution and a kink wave solution or by a lump solution and multi-kink wave solutions. Lastly, on the basis of the study of the single lump solution, we have made a further exploration. We not only obtain the lump-periodic solution, which verifies the periodicity, but also obtain the lump-soliton solution. For the above wave solutions, we graphically describe their dynamical properties with MAPLE. It is worth mentioning that the content of our study is different from the existing research: we not only use different methods to study the solutions of the JML equation, but also use different parameter relations and different values of parameters to study the changes of solutions. At the same time, we also use different test functions to study the same form of wave solutions. It is intuitive to see the influence of the test function on the dynamic behavior of the solution. In addition, our results not only enable us to understand the dynamic properties of such equations more intuitively, but also provide some ideas for researchers to facilitate more indepth exploration.
Phase transformation mechanism of nominal Si(001) surface driven by hydrogen thermal annealing
Authors: Ge Qing , Wang Jun , Lin Feng , Liu Shuaicheng , Zhai Hao , He Weiyu , Bai Yiming , Huang Yongqing , Ren Xiaomin
Published: April 2024

Herein, we report the phase transformation mechanism of the nominal Si(001) surface driven by hydrogen thermal annealing. The surface energies of H-terminated Si(001) surface with different phase structures were calculated by density functional theory. The results show that the surface phase with monoatomic steps can transform into the surface phase with diatomic steps under proper ranges of hydrogen chemical potential. Combining thermodynamic and kinetic factors, the phase transformation can’t occur when annealing temperature lower or higher than 800 °C. In addition, surface phases with different types of diatomic steps are alternately transformed through the intermediate phase with monoatomic steps and the imperfection of the transformation process gradually increases with the extension of annealing time. Finally, different experiments have been carried and the experimental results are in good agreement with the phase transformation mechanism. This study provides complete theoretical mechanism and process parameters for controlling the phase structures of the nominal Si(001) surface through hydrogen thermal annealing.
High fidelity Not gate on superconduting phase qubit
Authors: Mao Bin-Hao , Gong Bo , Zhao Chun-Liu , Tu Tao
Published: April 2024

NOT gate is one of the basic units in quantum computing. While it suffers from the noise during the complex operation. In this paper, we simulate the NOT gate on the superconducting phase qubit and solve the noise problem by maximizing the impact of noise cancellation. We first extract the noise term from the Hamiltonian and reset it to zero. Then we give two kinds of pulses based on the non-noise term for the quantum gate. By using these pulses, the fidelity would be improved and benefit quantum computing.
Nonlinear Seebeck and Peltier effects in a Majorana nanowire coupled to leads
Authors: Chi 迟 Feng 锋 , Liu 刘 Jia 佳 , Fu 付 Zhenguo 振国 , Liu 刘 Liming 黎明 , Yi 易 Zichuan 子川
Published: April 2024

We theoretically study nonlinear thermoelectric transport through a topological superconductor nanowire hosting Majorana bound states (MBSs) at its two ends, a system named as Majorana nanowire (MNW). We consider that the MNW is coupled to the left and right normal metallic leads subjected to either bias voltage or temperature gradient. We focus our attention on the sign change of nonlinear Seebeck and Peltier coefficients induced by mechanisms related to the MBSs, by which the possible existence of MBSs might be proved. Our results show that for a fixed temperature difference between the two leads, the sign of the nonlinear Seebeck coefficient (thermopower) can be reversed by changing the overlap amplitude between the MBSs or the system equilibrium temperature, which are similar to the cases in linear response regime. By optimizing the MBS–MBS interaction amplitude and system equilibrium temperature, we find that the temperature difference may also induce sign change of the nonlinear thermopower. For zero temperature difference and finite bias voltage, both the sign and magnitude of nonlinear Peltier coefficient can be adjusted by changing the bias voltage or overlap amplitude between the MBSs. In the presence of both bias voltage and temperature difference, we show that the electrical current at zero Fermi level and the states induced by overlap between the MBSs keep unchanged, regardless of the amplitude of temperature difference. We also find that the direction of the heat current driven by bias voltage may be changed by weak temperature difference.
Porous structures inspired by porcupine quill: multiscale design optimization approach
Authors: Lan Tian , Fox Kate , Tran Phuong
Published: April 2024

This paper presents a novel approach for designing a freeform bending-resistant structure from the combination of explicit discrete component-based topology optimization (TO) and the porcupine quill-inspired features. To embed the porcupine quill’s features into the TO formulations, the method involves constructing discrete components at various scales to imitate features including solid shell, stochastically distributed pores, and graded stiffeners. The components are iteratively updated, and the optimization process allows for the grading of quill-inspired features while achieving optimal structural compliance under bending loads. The proposed approach is demonstrated to be effective through the resolution of Messershmitt–Bolkow–Blohm (MBB) beam designs, parameterized studies of geometric parameters, and numerical validation of long-span and short-span quill-inspired beam designs. By examining the von Mises stress distribution, the study highlights the mitigation of material yielding at the shell region brought by the geometric features of porcupine quills, leading to the potential theory support for the bending resistance. The optimized MBB beams are manufactured using the material extrusion technique, and three-point bending tests are conducted to explore the failure mitigation capability of the quill-inspired beam under large deformation. Consequently, the study concludes that the proposed quill-inspired component-based TO approach can design a structure with excellent bending resistance according to the improved energy absorption as well as increased deformation after reaching 75% peak load.
The influence of borehole lengths on a numerical model of a double-tube vertical ground heat exchanger
Authors: Ahmed Nasim , Kabir Emamul , Islam Mohammad Ariful
Published: April 2024

GHEs are underground pipes that transmit heat between the earth and pipes. ANSYS Fluent was used to numerically investigate the thermal and hydraulic performance of a vertical twin tube ground-linked heat exchanger in a pile foundation in cooling mode. The CFD analysis uses three borehole length models—M1-10 m, M2-15 m, and M3-20 m—with flow rates from 1-100 lit/min and Reynolds numbers from 162 to 1625. The numerical results show that the average heat transfer rate of the Model M1 was 13% higher than that of the Model M2, 32% higher than that of the Model M3, and 95% higher than that of the Model M2. The pressure drop was minimal for 1 to 5 lit/min (laminar flow condition) but very high for 10 to 100 lit/min. The bore cavity length increased the pressure drop and decreased the average output temperature. These two-tube vertical GHEs with optimized length and selection of pipe materials can improve natural convection heat transfer by contacting ground waters.
Interaction of Tapentadol with Selected Metal Ions Studied by UV-Vis and FTIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Salsabil Sadia , Alam Shahinoor , Salam Abdus , Sharif Jafar , Sultan Zakir
Published: April 2024

Understanding the interaction between drug-metal complexes is important to find out the pharmacological characteristics of a drug. In this work, one of the μ-opioid analgesic type of drug, tapentadol has been used to study the interaction of tapentadol with several metal ions such as Ca (II), K (I) Cr (III), Cu (II), Fe (III), Co (II), and Ni (II) using UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy. It was found that tapentadol forms drug-metal complexes with transition metals like Fe (III) and Ni (II) only in acidic conditions. Whereas Cu (II) can interact with tapentadol both in acidic and basic conditions. This study may help to understand the interactions of μ-opioid drugs with the metal ions which ultimately help to develop new drugs of this class with more efficacy.
Mechanical Properties and Microscopic Evaluation of Heat Treated D6A Ultra High-Strength Steel
Authors: Siddique Ahasan , Shahid Sadman Tajwar , Uddin Wasi , Islam Mohammad Tarequl , Safwan-ul-Iman  , Bhuiyan Humayun Kabir
Published: April 2024

This investigation aims to evaluate the influence of heat treatment on the hardness and microscopic characteristics of a specific grade of medium carbon steel, namely, the American standard D6A Ultra High-Strength Steel, which contains 0.47% carbon in its composition. After preparation, specimens were heated in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 830°C and held for 90 minutes, followed by quenching. Subsequently, the specimens underwent tempering at a temperature of 600°C for 60 minutes. The hardness and microscopic evaluation of the heat-treated steel were determined. The results also indicate a rapid increase in hardness with a decrease in thickness for the heat-treated material. For HRA (Rockwell Hardness A Scale) times of 5s and 10s, the hardness enhancement percentages were 29% and 103%, respectively, compared to specimens without heat treatment. Furthermore, a chamber pressure test assessed the suitability and optimal design of Ultra High-Strength Steel for a pressure vessel in a mortar gun. As the outer radius increases, there is a corresponding decrease in axial stress, hoop stress, and the maximum limit of ultimate stress for both internal pressures within the pressure vessel. For internal pressures of 100 MPa and 85 MPa, the optimal inner radius for the pressure vessel is determined to be 0.053m and 0.051m, respectively.
Design, Construction, and Investigation of the Drying Equipment Using Solar Power for Bangladeshi Fruits and Vegetables
Authors: Bhuiyan Humayun Kabir , Afif Ahmed , Rahman Mohammad Ashrafur , Sarker Anik
Published: April 2024

In underdeveloped nations where fuel and electricity are expensive, crop drying using solar power is a practical and affordable method of food preservation. For farmers in rural areas, it can be difficult or impossible to preserve fruits for later use without access to fuel and huge drying systems. Drying of potatoes in the sun is carried out with industrial dryers integrating solar power. This experiment shows how to design and optimize drying systems for usage in developing nations. A model of an industrial sun-drying system has been created and validated through experimental testing. The ambient temperature is between 28°C and 33°C, while the drying chamber’s temperature ranges from 30°C to 48°C at a flow rate of 1.8 m/s. The moisture content of the dried potato sample was 84.7% and 8.27% under loaded conditions and using only silica gel respectively. We use a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel-powered heating element coil in combination with solar energy that improves the efficiency of agricultural dryers.
Experimental Cooling Performance Evaluation of Different Coolants for Data Centre
Authors: Sultana Rokiya , Tasawar Islam Mohammad , Nayeem Gazi Shariair Iqbal , Arif Muammer Din , Mostofa Golam
Published: April 2024

The direct liquid cooling (DLC) of the data center is becoming popular due to its higher heat removal from the computer chips. The direct liquid cooling method is more effective than the conventional air-cooling system and reduces the higher infrastructure and maintenance costs. The DLC reduces the chip failure rate drastically and increases the life of the data centers. Different liquids can be used as a coolant and some manufacturers are coming up with different coolants where the liquid has high thermal efficiency and is electrically non-conductive. In this article, a heat-transfer cold plate made of aluminum is designed and a different combination of heat-transfer liquids (Distilled water, Ethylene Glycol, and Polyethylene Glycol) is tested to find a comparatively better combination of heat-transfer liquid. It was observed that the combination of Ethylene Glycol and distilled water performs better than other combinations. It was also found that the coolant flow rate plays an important role in the cooling of the chips as well.
Progressive Failure Analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite with a Circular Notch by Varying Fiber Orientation
Authors: Yousuf Aquib Bin , Asif Sajjid Hasan , Rumi Md Jalal Uddin , Hasan Kamrul
Published: April 2024

Progressive failure for Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) was computationally studied and analyzed using Hashin’s failure criteria. It was an interactive failure criterion having 4 separate modes of failure. 8 layers of plies were oriented at specific stacking sequences to create different laminates with dimensions being specified using the ASTM D5766 standard. A total of 7 types of laminate were modeled and simulated to predict the failure for each type under tensile loading. A circular notch was added in the center for the concentration of stress. The damage to the fiber and matrix propagated and failed the structure. Contour plot analyses showed failure progression of fibers and matrix around the circular notch. Results show that matrix failure most predominant and critical type of failure for most laminates. From the stress vs. strain curves, it was seen that the [0/90]4 cross-ply laminate showed the highest open-hole tensile strength.
Study on Exhaust Gas Characteristics of SI Engine Using Fuel (Gasoline) & HHO Gas
Authors: Kharshiduzzaman Md. , Ahmmed Md. Fahim , Munshi Ehsan Hossain , Mozumder Azizul Bari
Published: April 2024

Experiments have been carried out to investigate the effect of HHO gas on the emission and performance of SI engines. Water was converted into hydrogen and oxygen consisting of a 2:1 volume ratio by electrolysis process, which is called HHO (oxyhydrogen gas). An HHO fuel cell had been fabricated to generate the HHO gas required to feed the engine. This HHO is then mixed with filtered air, which is after the air filter system and before the inlet manifold system of the vehicle. In this investigation, a 125-cc single-cylinder 4-stroke air-cooled engine was used. The exhaust gas characteristics were sampled and measured using a gas analyzer. It was observed that when HHO gas had been introduced into the air/fuel mixture, it consequently reduced the concentration of NO, NOx, CO, engine temperature, and HC by about 50%, 50%, 38%, 5% & and 45% respectively. Also, a reduction in fuel consumption is noticed for the same engine RPM and load conditions when HHO gas was imported into the A/F mixture. Also, when HHO is introduced into the system, the concentration of O2 CO2 increases by about 50% and 23% respectively.
Stacking Sequence and Weight Fraction Effect on Tensile and Flexural Properties of Woven Jute and Woven Carbon-Jute Reinforced Polyester Composites
Authors: Kharshiduzzaman Md. , Khan Sakib Hossain , Rozario Mack Jerald , Fahim Golam , Bhuiyan Shahnewaz , Gafur Md. Abdul
Published: April 2024

Hybrid composites are a category of composites in which more than one types of fiber are used to reinforce the matrix. In this work, the mechanical properties of jute woven & and carbon-jute woven reinforced polymer matrix hybrid composites were evaluated to assess a comparative study between the two configurations varying the stacking sequences. Specimens of composites were prepared by hand layup process. To observe the effect of fiber weight fraction on properties, two types of composites were made having matrix-fiber weight fractions of 85:15 & and 80:20. Moreover, by altering the stacking sequences of the composites, these properties were also examined for the carbon-jute reinforced polymer matrix composites. It was observed that a hybrid jute-carbon composite having a stacking sequence of j/c/j/c/j and weight fraction ratio of 80:20 exhibited a better tensile strength of 108.795(10.885) MPa and Young’s modulus of 6.052(0.489) GPa. Superior flexural strength of 150.41 (±7.501) MPa and flexural modulus of 6.845(±0.825) GPA were found in hybrid jute-carbon composite having stacking sequence of j/c/j/c/j/c/j/c/j that has a weight fraction ratio of 80:20. In both cases, better mechanical properties were found for hybrid composites with higher fiber content and having alternate stacking sequences.
Comparative Analysis of Exhaust Emission of Retrofitted SI Engine Runs by Different Fuels
Authors: Khan Akib Abdullah , Kaiser Mohammad Salim , Nur Maglub Al
Published: April 2024

The purpose of this study was to experimentally inspect the pollutant emission of a retrofitted SI engine using octane, compressed natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas fuels operated at different speeds. The study was conducted using a retrofitted SI engine. The engine was coupled with an exhaust gas analyzer to measure the composition of the exhaust emission gas. The results showed that the carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) content is lower when CNG is used compared to octane. The CO2 emission was even lower for LPG than CNG, as LPG has a lower carbon-energy ratio and higher octane quality than LPG and burns faster as a lean mixture. The O2 emission supports that octane and CNG burn as a lean mixture whereas LPG burns as rich. Again, the HC emissions are more prominent and CO emissions are higher for LPG than CNG. Because, it showed incomplete combustion with LPG as fuel due to inappropriate air-fuel mixture in the gas-air mixing chamber, which was specifically designed for CNG. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission was minimal when the engine was operated with LPG due to incomplete combustion, and it was found maximum for octane, where medium NOx content was found in the case of CNG. Moreover, the relative air fuel ratio or excess air factor, λ increased as the engine operating speed was raised. Because at high speed, there is some turbulence effect and increased combustion duration.
Characterization of Flower Based Organic Dyes and Titanium Dioxide Thin Film for Dye Sensitized Solar Cell
Authors: Bristy Halima Hafiz , Muhammad Rono Noor A , Nasif Shams Dr S M , Bashar M S , Sultana Munira , Sikder Amit
Published: April 2024

In the present study, we described the organic dye extraction process from local flowers employing different methods and solvents (a mixture of acetic acid and ethanol, another is only acetic acid); especially we completed our research by exploring dye from red gerbera flower as it showed higher absorbance. Both dry and fresh petals of the flower were used for extracting dyes. The results revealed that the mixture-based dye extraction from dry red gerbera yielded a higher absorbance value of 4.579 a.u., whereas the acetic acid-based extraction from the same source exhibited a lower absorbance value of 2.778 a.u. The choice of solvent for dye extraction was found to significantly influence the absorption spectrum. Additionally, the Beer-Lambert law was employed to analyze the relationship between the absorbance and the concentration of the extracted dyes. For the electrode, a TiO2 film was created using the spin coating technique. From the XRD graph, we found the band gap energy of TiO2 which is 2.81eV (annealed at 450°C), the type of nanoparticle of the thin film. Also found a Crystallite size of 32.95nm and a specific Surface Area (SSA) of 43.048 m2.g−1, Microstrain (ε) of 5e-3 and Dislocation Density (δ) of 9.2e-4cm−2.
Fault Diagnosis of an Industrial Chemical Process using Machine Learning Algorithms: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA)
Authors: Khan M M , Islam I , Rashid A B
Published: April 2024

Fault diagnosis plays a very important role in today’s complex industrial chemical processes. Intelligent fault diagnosis (IFD) is the term for the application of machine learning ideas to the diagnosis of process faults. These past two or three decades have seen a lot of interest in this promising method for releasing the contribution from human work and automatically recognizing the health statuses of any processes. Detecting the fault and the associated variable for the cause of the fault has high significance as it reduces the waste of resources and ensures production safety. The goal of this research was fault diagnosis of the Tennessee Eastman Process (TEP) using two different machine learning algorithms Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA). PCA and KPCA have been applied with the integration of the Support Vector Machine (SVM) to the data collected to produce a classifier for the different faults in the chemical process. Afterward, the classification results of the two methods have been compared.
Investigation of the Electrochemical Corrosion Property of 2xxx Series Cast Aluminium Alloy in 0.3 M, 0.6 M NaCl, and Seawater Environments
Authors: Khan Akib Abdullah , Kaiser Mohammad Salim , Nur Maglub Al
Published: April 2024

The electrochemical corrosion activities of 2xxx series Al alloys were investigated in NaCl of 0.3 M, and 0.6 M concentrations and seawater environments. Both Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods were followed to analyze the corrosion behavior. These results implied that corrosive attack is more aggressive in sodium chloride solution compared to seawater, as additional elements present in seawater are involved in forming various protective layers. Again, a higher concentration of NaCl solution damaged the alloy surface more drastically. The open circuit potential moved towards the nobler direction in the case of seawater environment, and 0.3 M solution for NaCl. The corrosion rate and corrosion current showed higher values in NaCl solution than in seawater. The surface morphologies of the alloys were characterized not only with an optical microscope but with a scanning electron microscope also. The scratch marks from polishing were removed after corrosion. Extensive damage to the surface was found in the NaCl environment, where 0.6 M solution created the most damage, which is evident by both optical and scanning electron micrography. A higher level of pitting corrosion occurred in NaCl than in seawater, identified by SEM images.
Enhanced wear resistance of Ni-Mo-TiN composite coating by synergistic effect of tough Ni-Mo matrix and hard TiN particles
Authors: Chen J X , Zhang P , Li J , Cao L , Wang Q W , Yang Y F , Han G F , Du W B , Liu N H , Zhu S , Li W
Published: April 2024

To improve the wear resistance of the metallic components, Ni–Mo-TiN composite coating was prepared via pulsed electrodeposition. The microstructure, mechanical, and tribological characteristics were compared to those of Ni–Mo coating. The results revealed that the addition of TiN reduced internal stress within the Ni-Mo-TiN composite coating and mitigated the propensity for crack formation during both the coating preparation and friction testing. Grooves and pits are observed on the Ni-Mo coating, indicating a typical feature of fatigue wear. Owing to the synergistic effect of the tough Ni-Mo matrix and hard TiN particles, the Ni-Mo-TiN coating was characterized by micro-cutting and superior wear resistance. Based on the experimental results, the effects of TiN on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance of the Ni-Mo coating were discussed.
Ferroelectric memory devices using hafnium aluminum oxides and remote plasma-treated electrodes for sustainable energy-efficient electronics
Authors: Liu Cun-Bo , Liao Ruo-Yin , Chen Hsuan-Han , Zheng Zhi-Wei , Su Kuan-Hung , Lin I-Cheng , Liang Ting-An , Lin Ping-Yu , Wen Chen-Hao , Hsu Hsiao-Hsuan , Cheng Chun-Hu , Huang Ching-Chien
Published: April 2024

In this work, we adopt a low-temperature sustainable plasma treatment approach for the fabrication of ferroelectric memory devices. From our experimental results, we found that the ferroelectric polarization characteristics of HfAlOx ferroelectric device could be further improved by using low-temperature nitrogen plasma treatment on bottom TiN electrode for surface modification. The low-temperature nitrogen plasma treatment on TiN bottom electrode not only prevent electrode oxidation, but also lowers the generation of defect traps at the interface between ferroelectric HfAlOx and TiN bottom electrode during high-temperature ferroelectric annealing process. Besides, the nitrogen-treated bottom electrode also can improve bias-stress induced instability and cycling endurance of HfAlOx ferroelectric devices due to the effective suppression of randomly distributed defect traps or oxygen vacancies near the surface of bottom electrode.
Evaluation of rural ecological resilience from the perspective of communities and farmers: a study on Laochehe ethnic minority village in China
Authors: Wu Jilin , Zuo Jinyou , Li Li , Yang Yimin , Yang Manhong , Liu Shuiliang
Published: April 2024

The ecological problems of tourism villages in the context of globalization cannot be ignored. Rural tourism has destroyed the rural ecological environment, and it is of great significance to explore the ecological resilience of tourism villages to achieve sustainable development. This study introduces an analytical framework with which to assess the ecological resilience of rural tourism locales, focusing on micro-level perspectives involving communities and farmers. Ecosystem service values and a comprehensive index are utilized as proxies to characterize ecological resilience, and its evolutionary characteristics and mechanisms are investigated. The results are as follows. (1) From the community perspective, rural land use has changed significantly from the agricultural function to the tourism compound function. During this transition, the ecological resilience index has decreased by 2.05 × 106. (2) From the perspective of farmers, the rural ecological resilience index and various dimensional indices have altogether increased. Notably, the transformation capability index has increased by 30.34%, the interference capability index has increased by 21.78%, and the response capability index has increased by 14.72%. The ecological resilience indices for different livelihood types, from highest to lowest, are ranked as follows: tourism-oriented farmers (0.4412), tourism-participating farmers (0.4274), and migrant-oriented farmers (0.4066). (3) Socio-economic factors and farmers’ livelihoods lead to the imbalance of the rural social ecosystem. The adaptive transformation of tourism villages has facilitated the dynamic evolution of ecological resilience. This study contributes to the enrichment of ecological resilience research perspectives and may offer valuable insights for the sustainable development of tourism villages in similarly developing countries around the world.
Structural mode coupling in perovskite oxides using hypothesis-driven active learning
Authors: Ghosh Ayana , Gayathri Palanichamy , Shaikh Monirul , Ghosh Saurabh
Published: April 2024

Finding the ground-state structure with minimum energy is paramount to designing any material. In ABO3-type perovskite oxides with Pnma symmetry, the lowest energy phase is driven by an inherent trilinear coupling between the two primary order parameters such as rotation and tilt with antiferroelectric displacement of the A-site cations as established via hybrid improper ferroelectric mechanism. Conventionally, finding the relevant mode coupling driving phase transition requires performing first-principles calculations which is computationally time-consuming as well as expensive. It involves following an intuitive iterative hit and trial method of (a) adding two or multiple mode vectors, followed by (b) evaluating which combination would lead to the ground-state energy. In this study, we show how a hypothesis-driven active learning framework can identify suitable mode couplings within the Landau free energy expansion with minimal information on amplitudes of modes for a series of double perovskite oxides with A-site layered, columnar and rocksalt ordering. This scheme is expected to be applicable universally for understanding atomistic mechanisms derived from various structural mode couplings behind functionalities, for e.g. polarization, magnetization and metal–insulator transitions.
Identifying and analysing the phonetics of low resources Nyishi language using artificial neural network technique
Authors: Ganu Likha , Arun Biri
Published: April 2024

Phonemic identification is an analysis and classification based on sounds. Phonetics can be categorized into three various types based on how it is articulated, perceived, and produced. The study introduces new Niyshi phonetic identification approaches based on artificial neural networks to improve the detectability of the system. This work has the goal of coming up with an effective technique that can be used to detect both non-nasalized and nasalized phonemes; by classifying phonemes into those belonging or not originating from the Nyishi dialect. The model that can be used to train, test, and validate can include a multilayer-based perceptron classifier. The proposed model identifies a complex old language with an accuracy as high as 87% through Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). To end, a confusion matrix analysis for ten trials involving an average of 89% accuracy for 20% trained dataset validation purposes confirms the efficiency and efficacy of the methodologies employed.
Linking cumulative carbon emissions to observable climate impacts
Authors: Nzotungicimpaye Claude-Michel , Matthews H Damon
Published: April 2024

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions are causing climate change, and impacts of climate change are already affecting every region on Earth. The purpose of this review is to investigate climate impacts that can be linked quantitatively to cumulative CO2 emissions (CE), with a focus on impacts scaling linearly with CE. The reviewed studies indicate a proportionality between CE and various observable climate impacts such as regional warming, extreme daily temperatures, heavy precipitation events, seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation, global mean precipitation increase over ocean, sea ice decline in September across the Arctic Ocean, surface ocean acidification, global mean sea level rise, different marine heatwave characteristics, changes in habitat viability for non-human primates, as well as labour productivity loss due to extreme heat exposure. From the reviewed literature, we report estimates of these climate impacts resulting from one trillion tonne of CE (1 Tt C). These estimates are highly relevant for climate policy as they provide a way for assessing climate impacts associated with every amount of CO2 emitted by human activities. With the goal of expanding the number of climate impacts that could be linked quantitatively to CE, we propose a framework for estimating additional climate impacts resulting from CE. This framework builds on the transient climate response to cumulative emissions (TCRE), and it is applicable to climate impacts that scale linearly with global warming. We illustrate how the framework can be applied to quantify physical, biological, and societal climate impacts resulting from CE. With this review, we highlight that each tonne of CO2 emissions matters in terms of resulting impacts on natural and human systems.
A methodology for specific disruption of microtubule polymerization into dendritic spines
Authors: Holland Elizabeth D. , Miller Hannah L. , Millette Matthew M. , Taylor Russell J. , Drucker Gabrielle L. , Dent Erik W.
Published: April 2024

Dendritic spines, the mushroom-shaped extensions along dendritic shafts of excitatory neurons, are critical for synaptic function and are one of the first neuronal structures disrupted in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Microtubule (MT) polymerization into dendritic spines is an activity-dependent process capable of affecting spine shape and function. Studies have shown that MT polymerization into spines occurs specifically in spines undergoing plastic changes. However, discerning the function of MT invasion of dendritic spines requires the specific inhibition of MT polymerization into spines, while leaving MT dynamics in the dendritic shaft, synaptically connected axons and associated glial cells intact. This is not possible with the unrestricted, bath application of pharmacological compounds. To specifically disrupt MT entry into spines we coupled a MT elimination domain (MTED) from the Efa6 protein to the actin filament-binding peptide LifeAct. LifeAct was chosen because actin filaments are highly concentrated in spines and are necessary for MT invasions. Temporally controlled expression of this LifeAct-MTED construct inhibits MT entry into dendritic spines, while preserving typical MT dynamics in the dendrite shaft. Expression of this construct will allow for the determination of the function of MT invasion of spines and more broadly, to discern how MT-actin interactions affect cellular processes.
Explaining variation in the kinship composition of mammal groups
Authors: Dyble Mark
Published: April 2024

Variation in cooperative behavior across mammals is strongly related to the kinship composition of groups. Although the factors affecting average genetic relatedness within groups have been studied, the factors that contribute to the production of different categories of kin remain underexplored. Here, I use a mathematical model to explore the factors that determine the proportion of full siblings, maternal half-siblings, paternal half-siblings, and non-siblings within mammal groups. The results suggest that the production of paternal half-siblings is increased by high male reproductive skew and a female-biased sex ratio, the production of maternal half-siblings is increased by high female reproductive skew and male-biased sex ratio, and that there are two routes to the production of full siblings: either high reproductive skew in both sexes (as seen in cooperatively breeding species) or pair-bond stability within groups of low reproductive skew (as seen in humans). These results broadly correspond to observed variation in sibling composition across mammals.
Syntactic sugars: crafting a regular expression framework for glycan structures
Authors: Bennett Alexander R , Bojar Daniel
Published: April 2024

Motivation

Structural analysis of glycans poses significant challenges in glycobiology due to their complex sequences. Research questions such as analyzing the sequence content of the α1-6 branch in N-glycans, are biologically meaningful yet can be hard to automate.

Results

Here, we introduce a regular expression system, designed for glycans, feature-complete, and closely aligned with regular expression formatting. We use this to annotate glycan motifs of arbitrary complexity, perform differential expression analysis on designated sequence stretches, or elucidate branch-specific binding specificities of lectins in an automated manner. We are confident that glycan regular expressions will empower computational analyses of these sequences.

Availability and implementation

Our regular expression framework for glycans is implemented in Python and is incorporated into the open-source glycowork package (version 1.1+). Code and documentation are available at https://github.com/BojarLab/glycowork/blob/master/glycowork/motif/regex.py.
Sodium oligomannate’s amelioration of reproductive and metabolic phenotypes in a letrozole-induced PCOS-like mouse model depends on the gut microbiome
Authors: Li Zhi , Liu Yan , Wang Yang , Cai Qingqing , Wang Yuhui , Bai Yixuan , Liu Haiou , Xu Congjian , Zhang Feifei
Published: April 2024

It has been well established that there is a connection between polycystic ovary syndrome pathology and gut microbiome dysbiosis. A marine-derived oligosaccharide, GV-971, has been reported to alter gut microbiota and alleviate Aβ amyloidosis. In this study, the effects of GV-971 on polycystic ovary syndrome–like mice were explored. Mice were randomly assigned into four groups: control, letrozole, letrozole + GV-971, and control + GV-971. Glucose metabolism in polycystic ovary syndrome–like mice was ameliorated by GV-971, while the reproductive endocrine disorder of polycystic ovary syndrome–like mice was partially reversed. The messenger ribonucleic acid levels of steroidogenic enzymes in ovaries of polycystic ovary syndrome–like mice were improved. GV-971 restored the fertility of polycystic ovary syndrome–like mice and significantly increase the number of litters. Furthermore, GV-971 treatment effectively mitigated abnormal bile acid metabolism. Notably, after GV-971 intervention, gut microbiota alpha-diversity was considerably raised and the relative abundance of Firmicutes was reduced. In conclusion, the hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenemia of polycystic ovary syndrome–like mice were alleviated by GV-971 intervention, which was associated with mitigating bile acid metabolism and modulating gut microbiota.
MIF/NR3C2 axis regulates glucose metabolism reprogramming in pancreatic cancer through MAPK–ERK and AP-1 pathways
Authors: Yang Shouhui , Tang Wei , Azizian Azadeh , Gaedcke Jochen , Ohara Yuuki , Cawley Helen , Hanna Nader , Ghadimi Michael , Lal Trisha , Sen Subrata , Creighton Chad J , Gao Jianjun , Putluri Nagireddy , Ambs Stefan , Hussain Perwez
Published: April 2024

Inflammation and aberrant cellular metabolism are widely recognized as hallmarks of cancer. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), inflammatory signaling and metabolic reprogramming are tightly interwoven, playing pivotal roles in the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. However, the regulatory functions of inflammatory mediators in metabolic reprogramming in pancreatic cancer have not been fully explored. Earlier, we demonstrated that pro-inflammatory mediator macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) enhances disease progression by inhibiting its downstream transcriptional factor nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 2 (NR3C2). Here, we provide evidence that MIF and NR3C2 interactively regulate metabolic reprogramming, resulting in MIF-induced cancer growth and progression in PDAC. MIF positively correlates with the HK1 (hexokinase 1), HK2 (hexokinase 2) and LDHA (lactate dehydrogenase) expression and increased pyruvate and lactate production in PDAC patients. Additionally, MIF augments glucose uptake and lactate efflux by upregulating HK1, HK2 and LDHA expression in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in mouse models of PDAC. Conversely, a reduction in HK1, HK2 and LDHA expression is observed in tumors with high NR3C2 expression in PDAC patients. NR3C2 suppresses HK1, HK2 and LDHA expression, thereby inhibiting glucose uptake and lactate efflux in pancreatic cancer. Mechanistically, MIF-mediated regulation of glycolytic metabolism involves the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase–ERK signaling pathway, whereas NR3C2 interacts with the activator protein 1 to regulate glycolysis. Our findings reveal an interactive role of the MIF/NR3C2 axis in regulating glucose metabolism supporting tumor growth and progression and may be a potential target for designing novel approaches for improving disease outcome.
Synthesis of transparent polymer hybrids consisting of gelatin, as a natural polymer, and zinc oxide
Authors: Iwamura Takeru , Akimoto Yuta , Mizoguchi Yuya , Matsumoto Hana , Hashimoto Yoshikuni , Adachi Kaoru
Published: April 2024

Gelatin and zinc oxide (ZnO) polymer hybrids were prepared via the sol–gel reaction of zinc acetate dihydrate in the presence of gelatin. When the gelatin/ZnO ratio was 9/1, a transparent polymer hybrid was obtained. This hybrid contained no phase separations consisting of organic and inorganic phases. Microscopic or submicroscopic aggregations and separations between gelatin and ZnO were clearly observed in the sample with a high inorganic content. The results of thermal analysis showed that the yield of ceramic decreased as ZnO content increased, and a 10% weight loss temperature increased as gelatin content increased. FT-IR measurements suggested the formation of intermolecular interactions, thought to be hydrogen bonds, between gelatin and ZnO. Furthermore, the results of XRD measurements revealed that the hybrid with a ZnO content of 10% is amorphous.
Reconceptualizing selective moral disengagement mechanisms as continuums of moral influence: a theoretical expansion
Authors: Frazer Rebecca , Grizzard Matthew
Published: April 2024

Mass communication researchers have applied Bandura’s selective moral disengagement (SMD) concept in diverse contexts to explain audiences’ acceptance of moral violations and reduced condemnation. Recent updates to moral psychology—specifically the application of social intuitionist theories—challenge SMD’s underlying assumptions, necessitating a reconceptualization. In this article, we incorporate modern social intuitionist theories of moral judgment into SMD’s underlying assumptions. We further propose a two-stage moral signal detection process consistent with current decision-making theory in order to explain how SMD reflects a modulation of both moral condemnation and moral commendation. Building on these extensions, we reconceptualize SMD’s eight original mechanisms as expanded continuums of moral influence applicable to diverse forms of moral perceptions and moral judgments. This reconceptualization of SMD removes unnecessary boundary conditions, improves the internal consistency of the theory, and can begin to resolve scholarly disagreements. We conclude the article by providing concrete suggestions for future empirical research.
Lipid-lowering approaches to manage statin-intolerant patients
Authors: Ruscica Massimiliano , Bertoletti Alessandra , Gobbi Cecilia , Sirtori Cesare R , Carugo Stefano , Corsini Alberto
Published: April 2024

Statins have improved the potential to prevent cardiovascular disease events and to prolong the lives of patients. Statins, among the most widely used drugs worldwide, reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by an average of 30–50%. However, non-adherence to statin therapy, due to statin intolerance, might be as high as 60% after 24 months of treatment and is associated with a 70% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease events. Statin intolerance can be classified as a complete inability to tolerate any dose of a statin or a partial intolerance with the inability to tolerate the dose necessary to achieve the patient-specific therapeutic objective. Reasons for discontinuation are many, with statin-associated muscle symptoms being cited as the most frequent reason for stopping therapy and the incidence of muscle symptoms increasing with treatment intensity. Considering the causal effect of LDL-C in the atherosclerotic process, clinicians should consider that regardless of the lipid-lowering drugs patients are willing to take, any reduction in LDL-C they achieve will afford them some benefit in reducing cardiovascular risk. Besides statins, the current therapeutic armamentarium offers different strategies to reach LDL-C targets in statin-intolerant patients (i.e. a fixed combination between a lower dose of statin plus ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, or proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibition).
Factor XI inhibition in patients with acute coronary syndrome
Authors: Raffo Carmelo , Capodanno Davide
Published: April 2024

A hypercoagulable condition is typical of patients with acute coronary syndrome and is a determining factor in the genesis of recurrent ischaemic events. Modern pharmacological therapies consisting of antiplatelets and anticoagulants derive their rationale for use on the pathophysiological mechanisms most commonly associated with myocardial infarction (MI); they have contributed to reducing the ischaemic risk of these patients, but left ample room for improvement. In particular, trials that have studied the association of an anticoagulant with antiplatelet drugs have provided promising results in terms of efficacy, but highlighted a significant bleeding risk. Evidence derived from experimental animal and epidemiological studies has shown how factor XI (FXI) deficiency is associated with a reduction in thrombotic events but with modest bleeding. These data added to the role that FXI plays in the coagulation cascade constituted an incipit for the pharmacological attempt to decouple thrombosis from haemostasis by means of the inhibition of this factor. The theoretical assumption that FXI inhibitor drugs may be able to reduce the ischaemic risk without significantly increasing the haemorrhagic risk makes these compounds a potential therapeutic aid for patients in secondary prevention after acute MI. To date, on these patients, we only have data from a Phase 2 trial, PACIFIC-AMI (Study to Gather Information About the Proper Dosing and Safety of the Oral FXIa Inhibitor BAY 2 433 334 in Patients Following an Acute Heart Attack). In this study, the primary endpoint—represented by the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) composite of Type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding—showed no significant differences between the various doses of asundexian tested (10, 20, and 50 mg quoque die), and between these and placebo (asundexian all doses vs. placebo: hazard ratio, 0.98; 90% confidence interval, 0.71–1.35). The data on efficacy, however, showed neutral results, but it should be noted that the study did not have the adequate statistical power to evaluate this outcome. Valuable information could, therefore, derive in the future from the ongoing Phase 3 trial with milvexian, LIBREXIA-ACS (A Study of Milvexian in Participants After a Recent Acute Coronary Syndrome) and from any future studies that could be started by testing different molecules.