bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Socially-distanced science: how British publics were imagined, modelled and marginalised in political and expert responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ballo Rokia , Pearce Warren , Stilgoe Jack , Wilsdon James 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn early 2021, the United Kingdom (UK) had the highest per capita death rate from Covid-19 of any large country. Yet it had previously been ranked as one of the best prepared countries for a future pandemic. This gap between preparedness and performance has been the subject of intense debate, including as part of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. In this paper, we contribute to this ongoing process of reflection by identifying the imagined public(s) within the UK’s scientific advice system. Drawing on scholarship in Science and Technology Studies (STS) that critiques framings of a singular or homogeneous ‘public’, we review meeting minutes and media briefings to reveal two imagined publics, co-constructed by the UK’s science advisors and policymakers in early 2020: first, a ‘freedom-loving’ public resistant to stringent policy interventions; and second, a public that was—in an echo of wartime rhetoric— ‘all in it together’. These imagined publics reflect a series of framing assumptions that help to make sense of the UK’s pandemic response. We focus particularly on the tensions between the homogeneous and multi-faceted imagined public, and the compound health and social inequalities that predated the pandemic but became starker and more visible as it unfolded. Our paper charts these tensions and demonstrates how these imagined publics went through stages of cohesion and fracture in the fraught early months of the pandemic. We conclude by considering the implications of this analysis for understanding the UK’s response to Covid-19, and for the future of scientific advice and emergency preparedness. Why does this matter? Studies of scientific advice reveal that how scientists and decision makers imagine the public and their concerns affect the communication of scientific advice, and the construction and value placed on relevant knowledge. Advisory scientists frame their models and their advice in terms of what they regard as politically possible.
Comprehensive insights on mechanical properties of natural–synthetic fibers with MWCNT nano-composite
Authors: Arunachalam S. Jothi , Saravanan R. , Sathish T. , Giri Jayant , Fatehmulla Amanullah 
Published: July 2024

The purpose of this study was to see how silane treatment affected the tensile and impact strength of composites constructed from jute/kenaf/glass fibers with a nano-graphene filler and to investigate the impact of major treatment factors, such as silane concentration, immersion duration, and nano-filler, on composite characteristics. To conduct systematic trials and improve these variables, the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with central composite designs was used. To precisely forecast the tensile and impact strength of the nano-composite following silane treatment, quadratic models were built. By changing the silane concentration, immersion period, and nano-filler, they discovered ideal conditions for increasing tensile strength. The best ranges for silane concentration and immersion duration were discovered to be 15 wt. % and 30 min, respectively. Given the conditions, the composite impact strength increased by 51% and its tensile strength improved by 22% as compared to the values achieved from RSM optimization. These results highlight the practical importance of silane treatment, especially in improving tensile and impact strength and strengthening the interfacial adhesive characteristics of organic fibers and polymer matrices.
Optimized collection optic design for divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics in KSTAR
Authors: Park G. H. , Kim H. J. , Lee J. H. 
Published: July 2024

Last year, the KSTAR divertor material was changed from carbon to tungsten tiles. An optimized collection optic design for divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics in KSTAR was conducted for electron temperature (1–100 eV) and electron density (1 × 1018–1 × 1019 m−3) profile diagnostics. This diagnostic system will utilize a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser directly from the K-top port toward the beam dump located at K-bottom, while collecting scattered light from five spatial points in the divertor area via collection optics situated in the j-middle port. Given spatial limitations, the solid angle of measurement points is limited, and the collection optic design facing the tungsten divertor is susceptible to stray light. So, the design of the collection optic is important for divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics. For optimal performance, we performed two types of collection optic designs: Cooke-triplet and double-Gaussian. We present performance ray tracing analysis results for both designs and derive the optimal design.
Mixed quantum–classical modeling of exciton–phonon scattering in solids: Application to optical linewidths of monolayer MoS2
Authors: Krotz Alex , Tempelaar Roel 
Published: July 2024

We present a mixed quantum–classical framework for the microscopic and non-Markovian modeling of exciton–phonon scattering in solid-state materials and apply it to calculate the optical linewidths of monolayer MoS2. Within this framework, we combine reciprocal-space mixed quantum–classical dynamics with models for the quasiparticle band structure as well as the electron–hole and carrier–phonon interactions, parametrized against ab initio calculations, although noting that a direct interfacing with ab initio calculations is straightforward in principle. We introduce various parameters for truncating the Brillouin zone to select regions of interest. Variations of these parameters allow us to determine linewidths in the limit of asymptotic material sizes. The obtained asymptotic linewidths are found to agree favorably with experimental measurements across a range of temperatures. As such, our framework establishes itself as a promising route toward unraveling the non-Markovian and microscopic principles governing the nonadiabatic dynamics of solids.
An octahedral Mach B-dot probe for 3D flows and magnetic fields in the edge of reversed field pinches
Authors: Sellner A. M. , von der Linden J. , Himura H. , Reksoatmodjo R. , Sears J. , You S. , Almagri A. F. , McCollam K. J. , Reyfman M. , Rouda C. C. , Sarff J. S. 
Published: July 2024

Measurements and simulations show that plasma relaxation processes in the reversed field pinch drive and redistribute both magnetic flux and momentum. To examine this relaxation process, a new 3D Mach B-dot probe has been constructed. This probe collects ion saturation currents through six molybdenum electrodes arranged on the flattened vertices of an octahedron made of boron nitride (BN). The ion saturation current flows through configurable voltage dividers for measurement and returns through one of six selectable return electrodes equally spaced along the 12 cm BN probe arm. In addition, the probe arm houses three B-dot magnetic pickup coils in the BN stalk immediately below to the octahedron, to measure the local magnetic field. Inserted in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) during deuterium discharges with 220 kA plasma current, density of 0.8 × 1013 cm−3, the probe collects ion saturation currents with sawtooth-like peaks correlated with relaxation events. This compact octahedral design fitting six Mach electrode surfaces within a 1 cm3 cube will enable future multi-point, multi-field probes compatible with the 1.5 in. ports of MST. Such probes will allow for flow circulation, current, and canonical vorticity to be calculated in the center of the finite difference stencil formed by the measurement locations.
Effect of laser wavelength on ablation propulsion and plasma characteristics with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene target
Authors: Xu Yongfeng , Yang Liang , Li Jiaqi , Zhou Dongjian , Li Qingwei , Shi Wenbo , Jin Yuqi 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Propulsion performance produced by laser ablation of polymer made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is experimentally investigated using the first, second, and third harmonics of a Nd: YAG laser. A ballistic pendulum is employed to assess the impulse and coupling coefficient for laser propulsion application. Fast photography, target ablation, and optical emission spectroscopy are proposed to analyze the energy coupling characteristic. The impulse and coupling coefficient under different pressures are demonstrated to depend on the target ablation and plasma properties which are relevant to laser wavelength. As the laser wavelength decreases, the crater depth and ablation mass are enhanced. Meanwhile, the plasma plume separates at atmospheric pressure and its length extends continuously in the low-pressure range. As a result, plasma including more ejected particles with higher velocity contributes to obtaining excellent impulse and coupling coefficient. In addition, the decreased electron density and temperature indicate higher collision frequency and photoionization dominate rather than inverse bremsstrahlung absorption at shorter laser wavelengths. This work provides a better understanding of the energy conversion mechanism and a reference for improving propulsion performance.
Arc erosion characteristics of cables with heatproof insulations in AC series circuits at low pressure
Authors: Gao Zishan , Yang Rui , Wang Jian , Tao Zhenxiang , Zhang Jian 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
The droplet diameter, dripping frequency, and arc bead appearances vary significantly with pressure. This study investigated the arc erosion characteristics of copper-core cable with mica insulation (HC0) and aluminum-core cable with PI insulation (HA0) at different pressures. During arcing of HC0, the diameters of dripping droplets decrease as pressure decreases, but the dripping frequency exhibits an increasing trend. The primary arc beads (PABs) of HA0 at atmospheric pressure are mainly globular arc beads. HA0 PABs at 60 kPa are mostly coral arc beads, which is attributed to the slow oxidation rate and easier outflow of liquid aluminum through cracks at low pressure. HA0 PABs have the characteristics of coral arc beads and gradual necking, which broadens the previous theory in accident investigations that coral arc beads and gradual necking are considered as physical evidences of fire globules and short-circuit melted marks. Besides, the influence of pressure on arc duration of HC0 and HA0 is revealed. This study could provide support for fire accident investigation and arc accident prevention.
Superscattering engineering through combined resonant modes
Authors: Wang Yongge , Ye Xin , Yao Jingfeng , Wang Ying , Yuan Chengxun , Zhou Zhongxiang 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
A sub-wavelength particle with a total scattering cross section that exceeds the single channel limit is referred to as a superscatterer, which can provide ability to control light in nanoscale. A variety of superscatter structures have been suggested, most of them are typically constructed with strong forward scattering but minor backscattering. This unusual behavior can be attributed to the superposition of resonant modes in adjacent angular momentum channels. We reveal the mechanism of super backscattering for subwavelength column, which can be formed by recombining non-adjacent resonant modes, as confirmed by our numerical analysis.
Engineering the apparent quantum yield and emission rate of fluorophore molecules by coupling fluorophore dipoles with plasmon modes of gold using low frequency electric fields
Authors: Lakshan K A S , Nawarathna D 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Localized surface plasmons produced by gold and silver nanostructures have been utilized to enhance the intensity of fluorophore molecules. The issue with using nanostructure plasmons for fluorescence enhancement is their short-range nature (5–50 nm from the nanostructures), which limits accessibility to a few molecules. In addition, fluorophore dipoles needed to be aligned with the plasmon electric fields to maximize the fluorescence enhancement. To address these issues, we used low-frequency electric fields (<5 MHz) and commercially available nanorod and nanosphere samples and studied their effectiveness in enhancing the fluorescence of fluorophore-labeled short single-stranded DNA molecules (22 bases). We demonstrated that DNA molecules and nanorod particles can effectively be manipulated around the charging frequency of DNA molecules (∼3 MHz). Nanorod particles enhanced the fluorescence emission rate by ∼50-fold. When the 3 MHz electric field was introduced, the emission rate increased to over 700-fold. We also found that the introduction of a 3 MHz electric field aided the enhancement of the intrinsic quantum yield fluorophore molecules, which resulted in over a 1000-fold fluorescence enhancement. This enhancement was due to the very high electric produced by polarized DNA dipoles at 3 MHz, which resulted in a torque on fluorophore dipoles and subsequently aligning the fluorophore dipole axis with the plasmon electric field. At a fundamental level, our results demonstrate the role of the low-frequency electric field in the fluorophore–plasmon coupling. These findings can directly be applied to many fluorescence detection systems, including the development of biosensors.
Parametric study of a vortex-enhanced supersonic inductive plasma torch
Authors: Pascale A , Lafleur T , Corr C S 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
The feed gas injection configuration in radio-frequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torches plays a critical role in discharge stability, gas heating, and device thermal management: particularly if a supersonic nozzle is used to subsequently accelerate the hot gas. A novel injection configuration is the bidirectional vortex, which segments the internal ICP flow field into two counter-propagating vortices that can significantly enhance gas heating and reduce heat losses. The diameter of the interface between the vortices (known as the mantle) is expected to be an important dimensional parameter affecting torch operation, especially relative to the nozzle size. In this work, we investigate the effect of nozzle throat diameter on the behaviour and performance of a vortex-enhanced supersonic ICP torch. The system is operated at RF powers and argon mass flow rates between 200–1000 W and 0–400 mg s−1 respectively, and different nozzle diameters ranging from 1.5 to 4 mm are explored. Because of the high-temperature environment, and to prevent disruption of the vortex flow fields, non-invasive diagnostics are used to measure the gas temperature and plasma density, and to infer the torch thermal efficiency and achievable gas specific enthalpy change. The maximum temperature is between 8500–9500 K with the 1.5 mm nozzle giving the highest temperature for a given power and mass flow rate, while plasma densities vary between 1020–1021 m−3 depending on the operating conditions. The thermal efficiency increases from 29% for the 1.5 mm nozzle to just above 70% for the 4 mm nozzle with a similar maximum specific enthalpy of around 1.5 MJ kg−1. These results demonstrate the important coupling between torch properties, and how system optimization can lead to tailored performance of potential interest to several ground and space-based applications.
Comparison of plasma-activated saline prepared with plasma gases with different N2/O2 ratios activated by gliding arc discharge
Authors: Zhao Pengyu , Jia Yikang , Ma Sihong , Zhang Rui , Li Kaiyu , Song Tianyi , Zheng Jianbao , Zhang Jingyao , Guo Li , Liu Dingxin , Wang Xiaohua , Rong Mingzhe 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a significant threat due to the multiple resistance to antibiotics, leading to severe and challenging-to-treat infections. Plasma-activated saline (PAS) prepared by plasma gases, could efficiently inactivate various pathogenic bacteria including both sensitive and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study, the PAS was prepared by plasma gases with different ratios of N2 and O2 activated by gliding arc discharge. First, the gaseous reactive species in the plasma gases were compared, revealing that the highest levels of NO
x
including NO2 and N2O5 were generated in the gases with the N2/O2 ratios of 4:6, 5:5, and 6:4. Subsequently, the PAS prepared by the two plasma-activated gases at the N2/O2 ratios of 5:5 and 6:4 exhibited the strongest inactivation effects on both planktic MRSA and biofilms. Furthermore, the aqueous reactive species in the PAS exhibited varied change trends with the increasing N2/O2 ratios. Additionally, ultraviolet spectroscopy combined with the probe of N, N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine was applied for the detection of O2NOO− in the PAS, and the levels of O2NOO− in the PAS were positively correlated with the inactivation effects. Moreover, the PAS induced varying levels of nitration modification on the soluble proteins in MRSA cells, which were related to the intensities of O2NOO− in the PAS. This study regulated the reactive species in the PAS through gas composition and explored the inactivation mechanism of the PAS, providing a new strategy to promote the preparation efficiency of plasma-activated solutions for biomedical applications.
Pulsed corona discharge: an advanced treatment method for antibiotic-contaminated water
Authors: Bilea Florin , Bradu Corina , Medvedovici Andrei V , Hong Dunpin , Magureanu Monica 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Water pollution is one of the most significant problems of the current century. With the increase in medicine availability and use, pharmaceutical pollutants such as antibiotics become more prevalent in natural environments with potentially negative impact. In this study, a pulsed corona discharge was investigated as a possible treatment method of water contaminated with amoxicillin (AMX). Two system configurations were used: plasma and plasma-ozonation. In order to better grasp the effect of system and water matrix on degradation, different pulse widths, solutions pH and conductivity values, as well as the nature of the dissolved salts were investigated. Decreasing the pulse width from 300 ns to 106 ns (full width at half maximum) led to almost a two-fold increase in energy yield at 50% pollutant removal, and the addition of the ozonation reactor resulted six times enhancement in efficiency. While the water matrix had little impact on AMX degradation, the buffering capacity of carbonates has proven beneficial by preventing pH decrease during treatment. Under optimum conditions, the energy yield was 57 g kWh−1 at 93% removal of AMX in tap water. A number of 26 potential degradation products have been identified, resulting from hydroxylation of the benzene ring, oxidation of the thioester and amine groups, hydrolysis, and cleavage of the benzene, β-lactam and thiazole rings, along with fragmentation of the resulting compounds. All but seven degradation intermediates are completely removed by extending treatment duration to 60 min and the persistent ones are less toxic than the parent compound.
A hybrid multi-measure and improved UMAP approach for train traction motor bearing protection state assessment
Authors: Liu Shuli , Liu Yi , Shen Longjiang , Yang Yin , Shen Yiping , Liu Jingang 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Different protection states have different protection effects on bogie traction motor bearings under road transportation conditions, which directly affects the stability and safety of later vehicle operations. The motor bearing monitoring system usually adopts the time-frequency domain and other indicators to accurately describe its state, and the selection of specific indicators usually originates from the experience of domain experts. To explore the weak and effective features hidden in the data more deeply, this paper researches feature selection and fusion, and proposes a hybrid multi-measure and improved UMAP approach for train traction motor bearing protection state assessment. Firstly, a platform is built to collect multiple sensor signals of traction motor vibration during road transportation and the time-frequency domain feature set is extracted. Then, by comparing the feature extraction effects of 10 single-measure models, a hybrid multi-measure feature selection model and its evaluation indexes, which comprehensively consider the combined distance measure, correlation, and information measure, are constructed to optimize the best hybrid multimetric and the feature set corresponding to the optimal strategy. To perform multi-sensor feature fusion, the PSO-optimized UMAP algorithm is used for feature fusion of the feature set and compared with eight other algorithms. Finally, the results of feature selection and fusion are input into eight classifiers for performance comparison, and the method achieves more than 85% accuracy in distinguishing different protection states, obviously due to the original feature subset. The experimental results prove the effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper, and it provides a theoretical basis and technical reference for the protection scheme of the traction motor and the design and selection of bearings.
RGBD-based method for segmenting apparent pores within bridge towers
Authors: Zhang Yunan , Chen Bo , Li Yonglong , Wang Haoran , Tan Liguo , Wang Chengyin , Zhang Hua 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
As a crucial technology in computer vision, image semantic segmentation is extensively applied to tasks such as detecting apparent defects in concrete, identifying structural cracks, and interpreting facility scenes within infrastructure settings. Challenges such as uneven lighting inside bridge towers and the similarity in color and texture between concrete pore structures and their surrounding areas frequently result in lower segmentation accuracy. This article introduces a multimodal semantic segmentation model incorporating depth information to tackle these challenges. By integrating depth and RGB images as inputs, the model constructs an interactive space and utilizes a cross-attention mechanism along with global context for guided learning, thus enabling precise feature extraction and segmentation. The experimental results demonstrate that this segmentation network excels on a custom-made concrete pore dataset, with a precision rate of 90.88%, recall rate of 87.48%, intersection over union (IoU) of 80.42%, and F1 and Dice coefficient of 89.10% and 89.15%, respectively. These outcomes affirm the network’s effectiveness in segmenting apparent defects in concrete and offer technical support and solutions for image semantic segmentation tasks in settings like bridge towers.
Nitrogen-rich carbon dots as the antisolvent additive for perovskite-based photovoltaic devices
Authors: Margaryan Igor V , Vedernikova Anna A , Borodina Lyubov’ N , Kuzmenko Natalya K , Koroleva Aleksandra V , Zhizhin Evgeniy V , Zhang Xiaoyu , Ushakova Elena V , Litvin Aleksandr P , Zheng Weitao 
Published: July 2024

Abstract
Solution-processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have demonstrated a tremendous growth in power conversion efficiency (PCE). A high-quality, defect-free perovskite-based active layer is a key point to enhance PSC performance. Introduction of additives and interlayers have proved to be an effective tool to passivate surface defects, control crystal growth, and improve PSC stability. Antisolvent engineering has emerged recently as a new approach, which aims to adjust perovskite layer properties and enhance the PCE and stability of PSC devices. Here, we demonstrate that carbon dots (CDs) may serve as a prospective additive for antisolvent engineering. Nitrogen-rich amphiphilic CDs were synthesized from amines by a solvothermal method and used as an additive to chlorobenzene for a perovskite layer fabrication. The interaction between perovskite and functional groups in CDs promotes improved crystallization of an active perovskite layer and defects passivation, bringing higher PSCs efficiency, stability, and suppressed hysteresis. Under optimized CD concentration, the maximum PCE increased by 34% due to the improved short-circuit current and fill factor, and the device maintains 87% of its initial efficiency after 6 d of storage under ambient conditions.