This paper describes developing and analyzing an analytical model of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) internal vibrating ring gyroscope. The internal ring structure consists of eight semicircular beams attached to the externally placed anchors. The paper analyses the vibrating ring gyroscope inplane displacement behavior and the resulting elliptical vibrational modes. The elliptical vibrational modes appear as pairs with the same resonance frequency due to the symmetric nature of the design. The analysis commences by conceptualizing the ring as a geometric structure with a circular shape, possessing specific dimensions such as thickness, height, and radius. We construct a linear model that characterizes the vibrational dynamics of the internal vibrating ring. The analysis encompasses comprehensive mathematical formulations for the radial and tangential displacements in local polar coordinates, considering the inextensional displacement of the ring structure. By utilizing the derived equations, we highlight the underlying relationships driving the vibrational characteristics of the MEMS vibrating ring gyroscope. These dynamic vibrational relationships are essential in enabling the vibrating ring gyroscope's future utilization in accurate navigation and motion sensing technologies.

The layered oxyselenide BiCuSeO has garnered significant interest because of its ability to exhibit low thermal conductivity and a high Seebeck coefficient. This study involved the preparation of Bi1−xNaxCuSeO1−xFx(x=0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20) ceramics through the processes of high energy ball milling and cold isostatic pressing. A systematic study was conducted to investigate the impact of co−doping Na/F on the thermoelectric performance of BiCuSeO ceramics. Replacing Bi3+ with Na+ results in the introduction of a considerable amount of holes, leading to a notable enhancement in the electrical conductivity and power factor. The conductivity was significantly increased from 9.10 S cm−1 in the pure BiCuSeO to 94.5 S cm−1 in Bi0.85Na0.15CuSeO0.85F0.15 at 323 K. At 823 K, the power factor of the Bi0.85Na0.15CuSeO0.85F0.15 sample achieved 44.8×10−5 W/ m K2. Moreover, the Bi1−xNaxCuSeO1−xFx ceramics exhibit a minimum thermal conductivity of 0.43 W m−1 K−1. As a result, the Bi0.85Na0.15CuSeO0.85F0.15 sample achieves a maximum ZT value of 0.78, which is 7.09 times greater than that of the pure BiCuSeO sample (0.11) .

The earthquake alert of the early warning systems is based on the delay that the S waves have in reference to the P waves and on the interpretation of the P waves’ specific parameters. One of the most used parameters for estimating the moment magnitude of an earthquake is the characteristic period measured in the first 3 seconds of the appearance of the P wave. The typical method determines the characteristic period in the time domain, based on the velocity wave and the displacement wave. In the present work, we present a method for estimating the frequency of the characteristic period. This method includes zero padding of the P wave sequence, conversion of the extended sequence from the time domain to the frequency domain, the identification of local frequency maxima and the calculation of the weighted average of the frequency based on the identified maxima. Tests conducted on synthetic signals, as well as standard deviation evaluation tests for simultaneous recordings on several stations, reveal better performance to the usual method.

Cable-supported façades represent a novel approach in the design and technology of double skin façades (DSF). This type of systems not only offer flexibility in terms of exterior finishes, but also regulates the access of solar radiation, thereby transforming the appearance of the building in response to varying daylight conditions. However, the structural performance of these façades under wind, impact and seismic loads remains an active area of research. The study is a groundbreaking work that experimentally evaluates the wind and seismic behaviour of these type of façades. The methodology used for the evaluation of flexible masonry facades includes laboratory tests analysing the individual capacity of the connections and materials of the system under standardized and non-standardized procedures. A full-scale experimental sub-assembly specimen of a representative module of the façade is also subjected to uniformly distributed pressures of wind load tests as well as hard body and soft body impact tests. The setup considered the border conditions, tension loads, and actual materials. Furthermore, the earthquake assessment includes tests of full-scale specimens subjected to these demands. Research findings allowed the refinement and redesign of the system's components granting the validation of the DSF used as a case study.

Side-scan sonar (SSS) detection is a key method in applications such as underwater environmental security and subsea resource development. The use of acoustic images for seabed target detection has gradually become a mainstream underwater detection method. However, many existing detection approaches primarily concentrate on tracking the evolution path of optical image object detection tasks, resulting in complex structures and limited versatility. To tackle this issue, we introduce a pioneering Dual-Domain Multi-Frequency Network (D2MFNet) meticulously crafted to harness the distinct characteristics of SSS image detection. In D2MFNet, aiming at the underwater detection requirements of small scenes, we introduce a novel method for optimize and improve the detection sensitivity of different frequency ranges and propose a Multi-Frequency Combined Attention Mechanism (MFCAM). This mechanism amplifies the relevance of dual-domain features across different channels and space. Moreover, recognizing that SSS images can provide richer insights after frequency domain conversion, we introduce a Dual-Domain Feature Pyramid Network (D2FPN). By incorporating frequency domain information representation, D2FPN significantly augments the depth and breadth of feature information in underwater small datasets. Our methods are seamlessly designed for integration into existing networks, offering plug-and-play functionality with substantial performance enhancements. We have conducted extensive experiments to validate the efficacy of our proposed techniques, and the results showcase their state-of-the-art performance. MFCAM improves the mAP by 16.9% in the KLSG dataset and 15.5% in the SCTD dataset. The mAP of D2FPN was improved by 8.4% in the KLSG dataset and by 9.8% in the SCTD dataset. We will make our code and models publicly available at https://dagshub.com/estrellaww00/D2MFNet.

Ultrasonic sensors are inexpensive and can take measurements with high accuracy, even with simple hardware configurations, so they are used in various fields. When multiple ultrasonic sensors exist in the measurement space, crosstalk occurs due to other nodes, which causes measurement errors. Crosstalk includes not only receiving homogeneous signals from other nodes, but also overlap by other signals, and interference by heterogeneous signals. This paper proposes a method that uses frequency sweep keying modulation to be robust against overlap and a faster region-based convolutional neural networks (R-CNN)-based demodulator to reduce the interference caused by heterogeneous signals. The demodulator works by training faster R-CNN with the spectrograms of various received signals and classifying the received signals using a faster R-CNN. Experiments implementing an ultrasonic crosstalk environment showed that compared to on-off keying (OOK), phase-shift keying (PSK), and frequency-shift keying (FSK), the proposed method can implement CDMA even with shorter codes, and is robust against overlap. Compared to correlation-based frequency sweep keying, the time-of-flight error was reduced by approximately 75%. While existing demodulators did not consider heterogeneous signals, the proposed method ignored approximately 99% of the OOK and PSK signals, and approximately 79% of the FSK signals. The proposed method performs better than the existing methods and is expected to be used in various applications.

In physics, thought experiments are impressive heuristic tools. They are valuable instruments to help scientists find new results and to teach students the known ones. However, as we shall show, they should always be received with prudence, even when they are a shortcut to 'prove' well-established results. Here, we show that the most widely known thought experiments devised to derive the gravitational frequency shift from energy conservation are, in fact, problematic. When properly set and correctly read, those thought experiments reveal that the existence of the gravitational frequency shift is, in fact, at odds with energy conservation. We also propose two new simple thought experiments, one using the conservation of energy and the other the conservation of linear momentum, that corroborate that conclusion, showing that those conservation principles do not imply the gravitational frequency shift. We think that our results may be of some epistemological interest and could serve as a warning sign on how thought experiments should be received and trusted.

Several studies have shown that physical activity (PA) is related to physical and mental health. Yet, there are few studies on the frequency of PA as it relates to health and a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the frequency of practicing different types of physical activities (dependent variables), living a healthy lifestyle (BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption), physical health (sum of all doctor visits except psychiatrists) and mental health (a sum of visits to psychiatrists) at different ages (independent variables). We fo-cused on three types of PA: (1) medium to high-intensity aerobic exercises; (2) low to medium intensity relaxing and stretching exercises, (3) outdoor leisure PA. 9,617 participants (ages: 19 -81) were included in the study (with health registries over a period of 10 years prior to a cross-sectional survey). Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression on frequencies of three types of PA and factors related to health and healthy lifestyles, as well as age and sex, were performed in this study. The results indicate that a higher frequency of practicing PA had a higher probability of association with the following factors: lower BMI, less or non-smoking behavior (types 1 & 3); higher education (types 1 & 2); higher age (types 2 & 3) and better physical health (type 1). Occasional (practicing sometimes) PA, type 2, was positively associated with poorer mental health (higher number of psychiatrist visits). Women were more likely to practice PA type 2, and men – PA types 3 & 1. Conclusion: In general, a higher frequency of PA is related with better health and healthy life styles; with the exception of PA type 2 that is related to poorer mental health.

This paper first introduces the main classification of brain diseases and the main causes of these diseases. It is followed by wavelet analysis, which is a mathematical function or wave-like pattern used to transform data, which can decompose the signal into different wavelet functions, each of which is related to a specific scale or frequency. Wavelet analysis has been applied in many fields such as image processing, data analysis and engineering. In addition, wavelet is also used in the analysis of biological signals. Wavelet analysis breaks down brain signals, such as EEG or fMRI data, into various frequency components at different scales. Wavelet analysis provides time-frequency localization. Pattern recognition can be enhanced by isolating salient features in the data. Wavelet denoising can effectively separate noise from underlying brain signals. Wavelet denoising usually adopts threshold method. Wavelet analysis can enhance pattern recognition by isolating salient features in the data. Researchers can train machine learning models based on these wavelet-derived features to recognize specific patterns associated with different neurological disorders. Wavelet analysis can track these changes by continuously evaluating the frequency content of the neuroimage data over time. Through continuous efforts, wavelet theory and technology have become valuable tools in the field of neuroscience and brain disease research.

The aim of this report is to evaluate the segmental rib index (RI) from T1-T12 spinal level in mild and moderate idiopathic scoliosis (IS) curves of thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbar type by gender. The relationship of segmental RI to the frontal plane radiological deformity presented as the Cobb angle and to the posterior truncal surface deformity presented as the scoliometric readings of Angle of Trunk Rotation (ATR) in these patients is also assessed. Any statistical significant rela-tionship of these parameters would be very important for biomechanical relations of the rib cage (RC) deformity presented as the rib hump deformity (RHD) and the deformity in the spine and it would thus provide valuable information about scoliogeny. The segmental rib index (RI) is presented in 83 boys and girls with mild and moderate IS. The measurements include the scoliometric readings for truncal asymmetry (TA), the Cobb angle assessment and the segmental RI from T1-T12. The statistical package SPSS 23 was used for statistical analysis. The TA is documented and the Cobb angle is presented by gender and curve type. The segmental RI of thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbar curves are presented for the first time. The correlations of the segmental RI to surface deformity presented as the rib hump deformity (RHD) in all IS patients and particularly in thoracic curves, to Cobb angle by gender and age and the comparison of the segmental RI index of asymmetric but not scoliotic children to the scoliotic peers by curve (in thoracic, thoracolumbar, lumbar curves) in boys and girls are presented. The findings emphasize the significant protagonistic role of the thoracic asymmetry in relation to the spinal deformity mainly in girls for the thoracic and in boys for the thoracolumbar curves. The cut-off point of age of the examined scoliotics is 14 years, that is when the RI shows stronger correlation with the spinal deformity, namely when the thoracic deformity is decisively effective to the developing thoracic spinal deformity, in terms of Cobb angle. In summary, the results of this study provide aetiological implications for IS, as far as the role of thorax is con-cerned.

Thermal Non-destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E) is crucial in ensuring the quality and safety of industrial materials, components, and structures. It serves as a key tool for assessing their operational reliability, thus enhancing safety in a wide range of industries. There is a growing demand for dependable, swift, remote, and secure inspection and assessment techniques to detect hidden flaws, especially for sustainable solutions prompts adjustments in design and manufacturing standards. Hidden defects often emerge during the service life of these materials and structures due to various stress factors, potentially resulting in catastrophic failures. This study delves into the optimal and dependable experimental method for conducting fast, remote, and secure inspections and assessments of carbon fiber reinforced polymer materials using Infrared Imaging (IRI) as part of Thermal Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (TNDT&E). Additionally, it examines the post-processing approach associated with this technique. This perspective also sheds light on the current state-of-the-art infrared imaging methods employed in TNDT&E, emphasizing their strengths and weaknesses about their ability to detect subsurface defects present within the material Most of the methods discussed in previous research primarily focus on the thermal differences in specific areas of a sample using processed thermal images, even though these images come from analyzing a series of images captured over time. This study highlights the latest research in thermal/infrared non-destructive testing and evaluation, along with the related post-processing techniques. It aims to not only show hidden subsurface defects through thermal differences also provides information about how these defects change over time.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is common in the elderly. This paper introduces the overview of Alzheimer's disease and the application of relevant signal processing methods in its detection. Signal processing is a technique that converts raw data into meaningful information and is widely used in the medical field. This paper lists common signal processing techniques, including Fourier transform, time-frequency analysis and statistical signal processing, and discusses their applications in the detection of Alzheimer's disease. Fourier transform can convert time domain signals into frequency domain representations, providing an effective tool for the study of EEG in Alzheimer's disease. Time-frequency analysis can perform a combined time and frequency analysis of the signal to help detect the signal characteristics of Alzheimer's disease. Statistical signal processing methods can be used to identify the features of Alzheimer's disease by building mathematical models. Finally, the challenges of Alzheimer's disease detection are discussed, including signal noise, diversity, and insufficient data volume. Through in-depth research and development of signal processing methods, it is expected to improve the accuracy and efficiency of early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

We present an investigation on the fracture of a mold, comparing it with a normal part using specific techniques, such as EDX, SEM, and AES. The EDX analysis revealed that the composition of the normal part was consistent with that of low carbon steel, mainly comprising Fe and C. In contrast, the fractured part exhibited cracks due to nonconforming nonmetallic inclusions and reticular carbides, with fractures resulting from microporosity agglomeration and cleavage fracture. The SEM and AES analyses further presented the causes of mold fracture, highlighting the mechanism by which dimples on the specimen edge contributed to the fracture. The EDX analysis confirmed that the mold experienced thermal brittleness during use. To enhance mold durability and extend its lifespan, a double-pulse electrodeposition method was employed to create a NiCo alloy coating as a replacement for the Cr layer on the metal surface. The coating exhibited a smooth and scratch-free surface. The prepared NiCo special coating significantly increased the mold yield strength by approximately 313.8%, facilitated a 13% increase in plastic deformation, and reduced fracture strain by 25%, effectively preventing mold fracture and 3improving its service life.

This article conceptualises the link between firms’ value chains and distribution networks and the requirements for double materiality assessments in contemporary reporting regulations worldwide. The new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and the standards for sustainability reporting issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), called IFRS S1 and IFRS S2, require companies to report their own direct (scope 1) and indirect (scope 2) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as GHG emissions in their value chains and distribution networks (both scope 3). However, GHG emissions comprise just one dimension of information that is relevant to understand when assessing, managing and reporting the footprints and impacts of a firm and are, therefore, only a fraction of the key performance indicators (KPIs) related to ESG that should be disclosed. Through a case study, this article demonstrates the connection between the due diligence analysis of firms’ value chains and distribution networks, the analysis of the competitive parameters of the business model, the identified impacts, risks and opportunities, and the double materiality perspective. The double materiality perspective prioritises actions based on probability and significance, creating a natural space to identify KPIs. The article concludes by applying the REGS model and illustrating how it can assist firms in identifying relevant KPIs based on double-materiality assessments.

This study examined the impact of Vibration-Assisted Drilling (VAD) on hole quality and residual stress in Ti-6Al-4V ELI material. Ti-6Al-4V ELI possesses excellent mechanical properties but presents challenges in machining, including chip evacuation, burr formation, and elevated cutting temperatures. VAD, particularly Low-Frequency Vibration-Assisted Drilling (LF-VAD), has been explored as a potential solution to address these issues. The research com-pares LF-VAD with conventional drilling (CD) under various cutting and cooling conditions. LF-VAD exhibits higher maximum cutting forces under specific conditions, which result in accel-erated tool wear. However, it also demonstrates lower RMS (Root Mean Square) forces com-pared to CD, offering better control over chip formation, reduced burr formation, and improved surface roughness within the hole. Furthermore, LF-VAD generates greater compressive residual stresses on the hole's inner surface compared to CD, suggesting enhanced fatigue performance. These findings indicate that LF-VAD holds promise for improving hole quality, fatigue life, and overall component durability in Ti-6Al-4V machining applications.

In this paper, we study the effect of parasitic channel on electrical characteristics and power consumptions of vertically stacked gate-all-around (GAA) silicon nanosheet (NS) MOSFETs of the bulk and silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates. Through deliberate control of the bottom parasitic channel coverage, we systematically assess its influence on DC, AC, and RF characteristics including power consumption. The observed findings highlight a significant differentiation among the bottom parasitic channels: GAA (i.e., control sample with 100% coverage), omega-shaped gate NS (70% and 80% coverages), and FinFET (60% coverage). Compared with the device with a 60% coverage channel, the device with a 100% coverage channel possesses 3520% and 8030% normalized leakage current improvement for both NFET and PFET under the bulk substrate, respectively. Compared with bulk-substrate devices, the SOI-substrate devices further significantly improve the leakage current. Due to enhanced off-state current leakages in the 100% covered bulk-substrate device, the static power demonstrates a notable improvement (about 98.1%), compared to 60% covered devices. Hence, the utilization of a 60% covered channel will result in a degradation of both device and circuit performance. The observation of GAA NS MOSFET indicates that an increase in the bottom parasitic channel coverage ratio leads to a positive impact on power consumption and leakage currents. The examination presented here is useful in the fabrication of stacked GAA NS MOSFETs.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key half-reaction in electrocatalytic water splitting. Large-scale water electrolysis is hampered by the commercial precious metal-based OER electrocatalysts owing to their high cost and slow kinetics. To address these issues, we present a facile one-pot room-temperature coprecipitation method to quickly synthesize carbon nanotubes-interconnected amorphous NiFe-layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDH@CNT) as low-cost, efficient and stable OER electrocatalyst. NiFe-LDH@CNT hybrid catalyst delivers outstanding OER performance with a low onset overpotential of 255 mV and a small Tafel slope of 51.2 mV dec-1, as well as outstanding long-term stability. The terrific catalytic capability of NiFe-LDH@CNT can be associated with the synergistic effects of its room-temperature synthesized amorphous structure, bi-metallic modulation, and conductive CNT skeleton. The room-temperature synthesis can not only offer economic feasibility, but also obtain amorphous NiFe-LDH without crystalline boundaries, facilitating long-term stability during OER process. The bi-metallic nature of NiFe-LDH guarantees a modified electronic structure, providing additional catalytic sites. Simultaneously, the highly conductive CNT network fosters a nanoporous structure, facilitating electron transfer, O2 release and enriching catalytic sites. This study presents a strategy to purposefully design nanoarchitecture and facilely synthesize amorphous transition metal-based OER catalysts, ensuring the cost effectiveness, production efficiency, and long-term stability.

Deep learning methods have been widely used in PolSAR image classification. To learn the polarimetric information, many deep learning methods expect to learn high-level semantic features from original PolSAR data. However, only original data cannot learn multiple scattering features and complex structures for extremely heterogeneous terrain objects. In addition, deep learning methods always cause edge confusion due to the high-level features. To overcome these shortages, we propose a double-channel CNN network combined with an edge-preserving MRF model(DCCNN-MRF) for PolSAR image classification. Firstly, to combine complex matrix data and multiple scattering features together, a double-channel convolution network(DCCNN) is developed, which consists of a Wishart-based complex matrix and multi-feature subnetworks. The Wishart-based complex matrix network can learn the statistical characteristics and channel correlation well, and the multi-feature network can learn high-level semantic features well. Then, a unified network framework is designed to fuse two kinds of features to enhance advantageous features and reduce redundant ones. Finally, an edge preserving MRF model is designed to combine with the DCCNN network. In the MRF model, a sketch map-based edge energy function is designed by defining adaptive weighted neighborhood for edge pixels. Experiments are conducted on four real PolSAR data sets with different sensors and bands. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed DCCNN-MRF method.

We report a diode pumped solid state (DPSS) laser used for intracavity pump-enhanced difference frequency generation (DFG) to create a 3.5 micron laser. Using a 50 mm-long periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal inside the cavity of an Nd:YVO4 solid state laser at 1064 nm with 4.5 W pump power at 808 nm, and a 310 mW C-band signal at 1529 nm, up to 31 mW of mid-infrared output power at 3499 nm is obtained. The cavity requires no active stabilization and/or locking, and the entire cavity is <8 cm in length. The obtained output power corresponds to a black box efficiency of 2.20 %W-1, which is the highest value reported to date for continuous wave DFG based on a bulk nonlinear optical crystal with no active stabilization. Potential future applications in free space optical communication are discussed as well.

Formulating a novel concept about the origin of human aging has been constrained by the dominance of a “classic theory” that was proposed nearly 70 years ago. Despite concern over the validity of some of its assumptions, the theory remained basic to our understanding of aging’s relationship with natural selection (NS). However, the logic upon which it rests was tested and subsequently challenged. The present theory describes the single cause of human aging consistent with Darwin’s evolutionary requirement for selection of adaptive traits. It describes an emergent property of the developmental program (DP), that is expressed upon completion of ontogenesis. It involves redundant expression of regulatory processes from the last stage of the DP. That mechanism subsequently preserves a non-aging, stable interval of unchanging NS during which reproductive fitness is achieved. Thereafter, loss of DP regulatory redundancy due to reliability limits, stochastic mutation accumulation, reproductive and a specific type of DNA damage, initiates aging which causes an inexorable decline in strength of NS to begin. It starts approximately a decade later than proposed in the classic theory. Since reproduction and aging are inextricably linked by the same emergent property, selection of that regulatory mechanism makes both traits products of NS.

Optical network monitoring and soft failure identification such as optical filter shifting and filter tightening is increasingly significant in the future complex and dynamic optical networks. Center frequency shift of optical filtering device in optical network has a serious impact on the perfor-mance of multi-span transmission, especially in high spectrum efficiency faster-than-Nyquist (FTN) transmission systems with various optical switching and add/drop nodes. Existing moni-toring schemes generally have problem of high cost, high complexity and the inability to realize multi-channel online monitoring, which makes it difficult to be applied in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system with numerous nodes. In this paper, a monitoring scheme of fre-quency shift of optical filtering devices based on optical label (OL) is proposed and demonstrated. The signal spectrum of each channel is intentionally divided into many sub-bands with corre-sponding optical labels loading. The characters of spectrum power changing caused by frequency shift can be reflected on labels power changing of each sub-band, which are used to monitor and estimate the value of frequency shift by DSP algorithm. Simulation results shows that the that the monitoring errors of frequency shift can be kept below 0.5GHz reasonably after 10-span WDM transmission in FTN polarization multiplexing m-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (PM-mQAM) systems. In addition, 250km fiber transmission experiments are also carried out and the similar results are obtained, which further verify the feasibility of our proposed scheme. The characters of low cost, high reliability and efficiency make it a better candidate for practical ap-plication in the future FTN WDM networks.

The Mediterranean diet (MED) is highly recommended. Medical nutrition therapy is the cornerstone of diabetes treatment. We assessed adherence to the MED, and resultant micronutrient intake and glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes. Twenty adolescents, median age 18 years (interquartile range: 15.5-21), median diabetes duration 9 years (7-14), using continuous glucose monitoring devices, received personalized diet regimes based on MED. At 6 months post-intervention, the caloric intake remained unchanged; however, the carbohydrate proportion was lower (p=0.058) and the intakes of some monounsaturated fats increased (p=0.049). Sodium intake exceeded the recommended daily allowance by 250% (p=0.653), before and after the intervention. For blood glucose, the percent time-in-range 70-180 mg/dL improved from 52% (38-60) to 63% (47-71) (p=0.047). The total insulin dose decreased marginally, from 0.76 u/kg (0.64-0.97) to 0.72u/kg (0.61-0.89) (p=0.067). BMI z-score and waist circumference did not change (p=0.316 and p=0.161, respectively). Diastolic blood pressure percentile decreased from 73% (68-88) to 69% (50-79) (p=0.028), and LDL cholesterol from 114mg/ dl (105-134) to 104mg/dl (96-124) (p=0.059). The Israeli Mediterranean diet screener score increased, from 8 (7-11) to 13 points (12-14) (p=<0.001). The MED-based intervention demonstrated feasibility and improvements in glycemic outcomes and in certain nutritional parameters.

The paper proposes an innovative solution for managing and ensuring high energy efficiency of power supply systems at high non-linear loads. This is realized by maintaining optimal value of reliability indicators and high quality of power supply. The validation is carried out using analyzes and tests of quality of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for increased number of powered frequency converters. It has been proven that the effective use and reduction of energy consumption can be achieved thanks to the unique technological features of the employed electrical devices. This enables a normal operation of the system with decreased power and adequate control of energy processes. The problem of predicting power losses under changing conditions in a decentralized electrical network has been solved based on the theory of electromagnetic compatibility. The influence of the mains mode parameters and the indices of instantaneous distortion of current and voltage waveforms caused by the operation of converters on the resonance phenomena in power supply systems were investigated. Recommendations were developed for the selection of proper parameters of compensators for 6-10 kV and 0.4-0.66 kV circuits based on the analysis of the optimization problem when minimizing active power losses. Results of our findings may aid parties involved in designing and maintaining power networks in various applications, such as mines, etc.

: In the automotive industry, high-strength plates have been increasingly used to reduce the vehicle body weight due to stringent regulations on fuel economy and safety. Such plates achieve tensile strengths as high as 1.5 GPa owing to the hot-stamping process. However, these plates suffer from scale generation and surface decarburization because of the surface oxidation of the material. Recently, studies on materials subjected to high-frequency induction heating have reported strength improvement owing to the coil shape and cooling method. This study presents the surface temperature changes, mechanical properties, and microstructures of boron steels subjected to longitudinal heating, which uses eddy currents generated from high-frequency induction heating. The surface temperature data were analyzed under different high-frequency induction heating powers (15, 18, 21, 24, 27, and 30 kW) and distances from the specimen (6, 9, and 15 mm). The mechanical properties and microstructures were also analyzed in different high-frequency induction heating coil directions. The correlations between the high-frequency induction heating power and the distance from the specimen with the maximum tensile strength were determined.

Barley is an important crop grown on almost 49 Mha worldwide in 2021 and is particu-larly significant in Europe where powdery mildew is the most frequent disease on sus-ceptible varieties. The most suitable way for protecting crops is exploiting genetic re-sistance. However, the causal agent Blumeria hordei is an extremely adaptable pathogen. The aims of this research were to increase our knowledge of the rapidly changing path-ogen population and detect rare virulences. Random samples of the pathogen were ob-tained from the air by means of a mobile spore sampler. Spores were collected by driv-ing across the Czech Republic in 2019, 2021 and 2023 and 299 isolates were analyzed on 121 host varieties. No infection occurred on 35 differentials, rare virulence was recorded on 31 varieties and a higher virulence frequency was found on 55 differentials. A core set of differentials along with four additional varieties distinguish 295 pathotypes (Simple Index = 0.987) and virulence complexity of isolates varied from 4 to 19 with an average 10.39. The detection of new virulences, the increasing frequency of previously rare viru-lences and high pathotype diversity as well as high virulence complexity confirm that using nonspecific durable resistance is crucial for successfully breeding commercial va-rieties.

Dietary habits, including meal frequency, meal timing, and skipping meals, have been extensively studied due to their association with the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study describes dietary habits, meal timing, meal frequency, skipping meals, and late-night eating in Kuwaiti adults. The Kuwait National Nutrition Surveillance System data was utilized to reach the objectives of this study. The findings reveal that approximately 50% of the adults in Kuwait eat after 10 p.m., 29% skip breakfast, and 9.8% skip dinner. Furthermore, adults in Kuwait consume 4.4 meals per day on average. Women skip breakfast more often and have extended night fasting than men (p&lt;0.001). Married adults skip breakfast and dinner less than unmarried adults (p&lt;0.001). In conclusion, this descriptive study provides valuable insights into the dietary habits of Kuwaiti adults, emphasizing the importance of further investigating the association between meal timing, meal frequency, and the prevalence of NCDs in Kuwait.

In the current study, a two-dimensional numerical study is carried out to investigate the performance of a novel Double-chamber Parallel Flexible Valves micropump, which utilized the electrowetting-on-dielectrics (EWOD) effect to drive the microfluid flow. By observing the flow fields, the internal circulations are seen on both the left and right side of the pump. The generation of the backflow is discussed by tracking the movement of the vortices. Only slight flow fluctuation is seen in the micropump. Based on the simulation outcomes, the structural parameters including the width of the inlet/outlet, the width of the pumping channel and the diverging angle in the micropump are analyzed, the influence of these parameters on the pumping volume and the maximum pressure have been discussed. Eventually, a group of optimal parameter combinations is given according to the results to extend the operating potential of the micropump.

The development of mineral resources in China has gradually entered the stage of deep mining. Rock burst, collapse and other ground pressure disasters caused by deep high stress have become major hidden dangers restricting mine safety production. Microseismic monitoring technology is an important means of ground pressure risk prediction. In this paper, the wavelet coefficient threshold denoising method in time-frequency domain, STA/LTA method, AIC method, Skew and Kurtosis method are studied, and the automatic P-phase onset time picking model based on noise reduction and multiple detection indexes is established. Through the effect analysis of microseismic signals collected by microseismic monitoring system of coral Tungsten Mine in Guangxi, automatic P-phase onset time picking is realized. the reliability of the P-phase onset time picking method proposed in this paper based on noise reduction and multiple detection indexes is verified. The picking accuracy can still be guaranteed under the severe signal interference of background noise, power frequency interference and manual activity underground mine, Which is of great significance to the data processing and analysis of microseismic monitoring.

The E-learning system has achieved great development after the pandemic. In this work, we proposed three artificial intelligence-based enhancements to our linguistic interactive E-learning system from different aspects. Compared with the original phonetic transcription exam system, our enhancements include an MFCC+CNN-based disordered speech classification module, a Transformer-based Grapheme-to-Phoneme converter, and a Tacotron2-based IPA-to-Speech speech synthesis system. This work not only provides a better experience for the users of this system but also explores the utilization of artificial intelligence technologies in the E-learning field and linguistic field.

The generalized dynamic model of the rotor system, presented in the paper, is the first model that takes into account the interconnected oscillations of the “rotor - weakly conductive fluid – foundation” system under the action of such parameters as fluid and rotor motion, linear eccentricity, friction forces, foundation vibration and nonlinear characteristics of rolling bearings, as well as the action of a magnetic field on the fluid. Consistent equations of motion for the system “rotor - weakly conductive fluid – foundation” were derived and solved analytically. Forced and natural oscillations of the system were analyzed, and the distinctive features of the rotor system dynamics were revealed. The values of frequencies and amplitudes, which are one of the main factors determining the dynamic behavior of the system, were obtained and studied.

Wind loads have become one of the key influence factors for the running safety of vehicles and comfort of passengers. Investigation on the wind speed spectrum characteristics of a moving vehicle under turbulent crosswinds is of great influence. Expressions of the wind speed spectrum of a moving vehicle was obtained from the von Kármán spectrum based on Taylor’s frozen flow hypothesis. The influence factors, including the ratio of the vehicle speed to the wind speed and the wind yaw angle from 15° to 175°, were analyzed. The maximum value of the wind speed spectrum and the corresponding frequency were studied as well. The results show that the maximum values of the wind speed spectrum of the moving vehicle were larger than those of the static vehicle. The maximum value of the wind speed spectrum corresponding to the moving vehicle first increased and then decreased as the wind yaw angle increased. Some of the frequencies corresponding to the longitudinal wind speed spectrum values of the moving vehicles were smaller than those of the static vehicle. For moving vehicles, the frequency values corresponding to the maximum values of the longitudinal wind speed spectrum first increased and then decreased as the ratio of the vehicle speed to the wind speed and the wind yaw angle increased.

Artworks play a fundamental role in the cultural and economic asset of communities, enforcing their identity and helping the social integration. Despite their importance, they are not always adequately protected against degradation, which can be induced by the aging, atmospheric and human-induced occurrence, and catastrophic events. Earthquakes certainly represent one of the main risks for art goods; however, traffic, construction works, and shipment can also represent a threat for art goods. Therefore, the assessment of the vulnerability of art collection to dynamic excitations plays a crucial role in their conservation, and it has been collecting an increasing attention by researchers, academics, and Museums’ managers. This work focuses on the vulnerability of the art collections exhibited at the Museum “Gaio Cilnio Mecenate” in Arezzo. Namely, it aims at assessing the effective dynamic loading experienced by the artworks, which is a function of the dynamic propagation plaid by the foundation soil, by the building and by the displayers used for exhibition. In this study the dynamic properties of some of the displayers used for exhibiting the art collections are investigated by performing an experimental survey. The analysis of the experimental data lead to assess the proper frequencies of the displayers, which have been compared to the ones of the building and the foundation soil of the Museum.

Triangular resonators re-shaped with the Sierpinski geometry and U-shaped resonators have been designed, linking them with single-pole-double-through (SPDT) RF MEMS switches to provide frequency tuning for potential applications in the K-Band. Prototypes of band-stop narrowband filters working around 20 GHz and 26 GHz, interesting for RADAR and satellite communications, have been studied in coplanar waveguide (CPW) configuration, and the tuning was obtained by switching between two paths of the devices loaded with different resonators. As a result, dual-band operation or fine-tuning can be obtained depending on the choice of the resonator, acting as a building block. The studied filters belong to the more general group of devices inspired by the metamaterial design.

The extent of single and multi-cropping systems in any region, and potential changes to it, have consequences on food and resource use raising important policy questions. However, addressing these questions is limited by a lack of reliable data on multi-cropping practices at a high spatial resolution, especially in areas with high crop diversity. In this paper, we describe a relatively low-cost and scalable method to identify double cropping at the field-scale using satellite (Landsat) imagery. The process combines machine learning methods with expert labeling. We demonstrate the process by measuring double cropping extent in a portion of Washington State in the Pacific Northwest United States--- a region with significant production of more than 60 distinct types of crops including hay, fruits, vegetables, and grains in irrigated settings. Our results indicate that the current state-of-the-art methods for identifying cropping intensity---that apply rule-based thresholds on vegetation indices---do not work well in regions with high-crop-diversity. Our deep learning model was able to capture the diverse nuances and achieve a high accuracy (99\% overall accuracy and 0.92 Kappa coefficient). Our expert labeling process worked well and has potential as a relatively low-cost, scalable approach for remote sensing applications. The product developed here is valuable to inform several policy questions related to food production and resource use.

Previous studies on the mechanisms underlying willed actions reported that the premotor cortex may be involved in the construction of motor awareness. However, its exact role is still under investigation. Here we investigated the role of the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) in motor awareness by modulating its activity applying inhibitory rTMS to PMd, before a specific motor awareness task (under three conditions: without stimulation, after rTMS and after sham stimulation). During the task, subjects had to trace straight lines to a given target, receiving a visual feedback of the line trajectories on a computer screen. Crucially, in most trials the trajectories on the screen were deviated and to produce straight lines, subjects had to correct their movements towards the opposite direction. After each trial, participants were asked to judge whether the line seen on the computer screen corresponded to the line actually drawn. Results show that participants in the no stimulation condition did not recognize the perturbation until 14 degrees of deviation. Importantly, active, but not sham, rTMS significantly modulated motor awareness, decreasing the amplitude of the angle at which participants became aware of the trajectory correction. These results suggest that PMd plays a crucial role in action self- monitoring.

Based on the definition of double fuzzy relations, two types of new rough set models are constructed, which are multi-granulation double fuzzy rough sets called optimistic and pessimistic multi-granulation double fuzzy rough sets, and some of their properties were studied. In addition, we study the relationship between optimistic and pessimistic multi-granulation double fuzzy rough sets and double fuzzy rough sets.

The vibration response of soil is a key property in the field of agricultural soil tillage. Vibration components of tillage machinery are generally used to reduce tillage resistance and improve work efficiency, the pressure variation under low-frequency vibration will affect the fragmentation and dispersion of farmland soil. However, the gradient of pressure variation, frequency domain response, and effective transmission range are unclear. A new method based on DEM (Discrete Element Method) is presented to study the vibration response and pressure transmission under low-frequency vibration. Bench test results showed that peak pressure positively correlates with the vibration frequency and attenuates rapidly at the vibration distance of 100 to 250 mm. The results data were also selected to determine the simulation model parameters. Amplitude, vibration frequency, and soil depth were used as test factors in single-factor simulation tests, and their effects on the peak pressure, frequency domain response, and effective transmission distance were analyzed. The results showed a positive relationship between the peak pressure and the test factors. The peak pressure increases with a maximum gradient of 19.02 kPa/mm at a vibration distance of 50 mm. The amplitude, vibration frequency, and soil depth positively correlate with the dominant frequency amplitude. The main frequency is independent of amplitude and soil depth. At the vibration distance of 250 mm, the dominant frequency is approximately twice the vibration frequency at 7–11 Hz and approximately equal to the vibration frequency at 13–15 Hz. Multiple exponential functions were used to fit the peak pressure attenuation function, obtaining an effective transmission distance range of 347.15 to 550.37 mm for the 5kPa cut-off pressure. For a soil depth of 300 mm, the vertical shear wave diffusion angle is greater than the horizontal shear wave diffusion angle. The study clarifies the vibration response of soil under low-frequency vibration, which helps to design vibration type soil-engaging components of tillage machinery and match vibration parameters for energy saving and resistance reduction in soil tillage.

We compare the well known Rayleigh-Ritz variational method (RRVM) with a recently proposed approach based on supersymmetric quantum mechanics and the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization method (SSQMGS). We apply both procedures to a particular class of double-well harmonic oscillators that had been conveniently chosen for the application of the latter approach. The RRVM eigenvalues converge smoothly from above providing much more accurate results with less computational effort. Present results show that the unproved SSQMGS upper bounds do not hold.

There are several pathologies that can change the anatomy of the otic capsule and that can distort the bone density of the bony structures of the inner ear, but otosclerosis is one of the most frequent. Similar behavior has been shown in patients affected by osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic disease due to a mutation in the genes coding for type I (pro) collagen. In particular, we note that otosclerosis and OI can lead to bone resorption creating pericochlear cavitations in contact with the internal auditory canal (IAC). In this regard, in our experience we have collected 5 cases presenting this characteristic and their audiological data and clinical history were analyzed. This feature can be defined as a potential cause of a third-window effect, because it causes an energy loss during the transmission of sound waves from the OW away from the basilar membrane.

Cantilever beams are the most widely used form of strain-driven energy harvesting, which uses piezoelectric materials. Although researchers are constantly seeking improved power output from cantilever-beam-driven piezoelectric energy harvesters, a systematic and fundamental analysis of the effect of beam geometry on the power capacity of energy harvesters warrants further investigation. Most of the previous research accounts for beams that are fully coated with piezoelectric material. While a larger coating area increases energy output, it also escalates costs as piezoelectric materials are very expensive. Considering the high cost of piezoelectric materials when dealing with limited piezoelectric material, enhancing power output can be achieved by employing a larger base beam and coating a portion of it at the fixed end. As such, the aim of this work is to investigate a wide variety of cantilever beam shapes (e.g., trapezoidal, triangular, V-cut, concave, and convex) with partial piezoelectric material coating on the base beam to maximize the power output capacity of the harvester. To ascertain a comparable argument, the surface area, volume, and mass of all the considered beam shapes are kept consistent, as these parameters influence the power output of the harvester. The geometry of each shape is systematically varied to understand the effect of geometric configuration on the output power density. Finally, the power capacities of all types of beams are compared, and a design is proposed to obtain the maximum power output. It was found that when the surface area of both the beam and piezoelectric material is kept constant and piezoelectric material is located at the fixed end, a trapezoidal beam with a smaller base width and larger free end width is the most efficient in generating power as long as the structural integrity is maintained. The finding is completely opposite as was suggested by previous studies, which proposed that a trapezoidal beam with a smaller free end yields higher output. Instead, this study demonstrates that an inverted trapezoidal beam produced higher output, considering partial coating compared to the full beam coating used in previous studies. Additionally, a correlation is presented on how the beam resonance frequency shifts with variation in beam parameters.

Investigating transportation disasters in Western Asia over two decades (2003-2023), this study provides a meticulous examination of a comprehensive dataset, shedding light on the dynamics and nuances of these catastrophic events in terms of frequency, modality (air, rail, road, and water), and subsequent outcomes. The data reveals a concerning uptrend in mishaps from 2003 to 2010, which fortunately reverses into a notable decline in the subsequent years. Noteworthy is the predominance of road-related incidents, yet an alarming 73.8% of events are ambiguously categorized under "Unknown", hinting at potential gaps or inconsistencies in record-keeping. With Turkey being a significant epicenter, accounting for nearly 45% of all incidents, the regional distribution of these disasters becomes evident. Advanced ANOVA analyses discern marked variations in fatality rates over the years and between nations. However, the contrast in injury rates among different disaster categories did not achieve statistical significance. While the post-2010 era showcases a commendable reduction in calamities, the data punctuates the persistent necessity for robust safety measures, targeted public awareness campaigns, and infrastructural advancements. In synthesis, this study vehemently advocates for heightened regional collaboration and systematic knowledge dissemination as cornerstones for bolstering transportation safety across Western Asia.

Based on the elasticity theory, this paper deals with the static analysis of a cracked double beam system in presence of a Winkler medium. The double-beam system is also supposed to be constrained at both ends by elastically flexible springs, with transverse and rotational stiffness. Using a variational formulation, the static governing equations are derived and solved by using analytical and numerical approaches. In the first approach, the closed-form solutions for the displacements functions are obtained based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. In the second approach, the Cell-Discretization Method (CDM) is performed, according to which the two beams are reduced to a set of rigid bars linked together by means of elastic constraints, where the bending stiffness of the bars is concentrated. The resulting stiffness matrix is easily deduced, and the governing equations of the static problem can be immediately solved. A comparative analysis is performed in order to verify the accuracy and validity of the proposed method. This study focuses on the effect of various parameters including the crack depth and position, boundary conditions, elastic medium and slenderness. The validity of the proposed analysis is confirmed by comparing the present results with those obtained from the other approach. In particular, the results obtained by closed-form solution and Cell-discretization method (CDM) are compared by Finite element method (FEM). Accuracy of the results has been evaluated by making comparisons with the results in literature and reported in bibliography. It is demonstrated that the proposed algorithm provides a simple and powerful tool in dealing with the static analysis of a double-beam system. Finally, some concluding remarks are made.

When using meta-heuristic optimization approaches for optimization, a large number of samples are required. In particular, when generating subgeneration, the utilization of existing samples is low and the number of individuals is high. Therefore, surrogate-based optimization has been developed, which greatly reduces the number of individuals in the subgeneration and the cost of optimization. In complex air supply scenarios, single-objective optimization results may not be comprehensive; therefore, this paper developed a double-objective air supply optimization method based on the Kriging surrogate model and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms-II. And proposed the infill criteria based on clustering to advance the Pareto Frontier. The method was validated by an inverse prediction case, and in particular, the problems when based on 3D steady-state simulations were analyzed. The results showed that the method can quickly achieve an approximate prediction of the boundary conditions (when prediction were made based on experimental data, the number of simulations was 82 and the average error was 6.8%). Finally, the method was used to optimize the air supply parameters of a dual-aisle, single-row cabin. The Pareto set suggested that an airflow organization with dual circulation may be optimal.

Estimating peak flow for a catchment is commonly undertaken using the design event method, however this method does not allow for the understanding of uncertainty in the result. This research first presents a simplified method of fragments approach to rainfall disaggregation that ignores the need to consider seasonality, offering a greater diversity in storm patterns within the resulting sub-daily rainfall. By simulating 20 iterations of the disaggregated sub-daily rainfall within a calibrated continuous simulation hydrologic model, we were able to produce multiple long series of stream flow at the outlet of the catchment. With this data, we investigated the use of both the annual maximum and peaks over threshold approaches to flood frequency analysis and found that for a one in 100 year annual exceedance probability peak flow, the peaks over threshold method (333m3/s ±50m3/s) was significantly less uncertain than the annual maximum method (427m3/s ±100m3/s). For the one in 100 year annual exceedance probability, the median peak flow from the peaks over threshold method (333m3/s) produced an outcome comparable to the design event method peak flow (328m3/s), indicating that this research offers an alternative approach to estimating peak flow, with the additional benefit of understanding the uncertainty in the estimation. Finally, the paper highlighted the impact that length and period of streamflow has on peak flow estimation and noted that previous assumptions around the minimum length of gauged streamflow required for flood frequency analysis may not be appropriate in particular catchments.

This study investigates the nonlinearities in three-phase inverters for SiC-based systems and compares their performance to IGBT-based systems. An analytical model of inverter voltage distortion is developed, which accounts not only for dead time (td), switching delay time, switching frequency (fs), and voltage drops of power devices, but also for output parasitic capacitance (Cout). Experimental tests validate the model, which provides a more accurate estimate of the inverter’s output phase voltage distortion. The power device characteristics are obtained from datasheets, while Cout is determined through experimentation. Three-phase inverters with varying switching frequencies, fundamental frequencies, and dead-time values are used in simulations and experiments to determine the influence of nonlinearity on phase voltage deviation and current distortion. The results show that, due to SiC devices’ faster switching time, the phase voltage deviation and phase current distortion are lower in SiC-based inverters than in IGBT-based ones for high-frequency applications, as the dead time can be reduced.

In crank presses, an important role is played by the presence of actuators with dwell, in which, with continuous movement of the input links, the output working link remains stationary at some part of the work. The use of a high-class structural group (fourth class) expands the functionality of the crank press, including it can ensure the link dwell of the working link on a given section of movement during the required period of time. As a result of the conducted research, four variants of actuators of the crank knee press were designed. Due to the rational choice of the positions of racks and crosshead guide, the best layout of the dimensions of the press mechanism has been achieved, changing the coordinates of the racks accordingly allows to design a mechanism with upper or lower dwells of the working links. When synthesizing (selecting) parameters such as: l_2 and h, it is possible to obtain a height of different duration. All this is shown on the basis of a numerical experiment based on kinematic analysis. In addition, the complex structure of the mechanism makes it possible to ensure the exact link dwell, which cannot be achieved due to the well-known knee presses based on the second-class mechanism [21].

Diffusion-controlled cyclic voltammograms at fast scan rates show peak shifts as well as decreases in the peak currents from the predicted diffusion-controlled currents especially when currents are large in low concentration of supporting electrolyte. This has been conventionally recognized as an IR-drop effect by solution resistance on the peaks as well as heterogeneous kinetics. It is also brought about by negatively capacitive currents associated with charge transfer reactions. The reaction product generates dipoles with counterions to yield a capacitance, of which current flows oppositely to that of the double layer capacitance. The three effects are specified here in the oxidation of a ferrocenyl derivative by fast scan voltammetry. The expression for voltammograms complicated with IR-drop is derived analytically, and yields deformed voltammograms. The peak shift is approximately linear with the IR-term, but exhibits a convex variation. Dependence of some parameters on the peaks by the IR-drop is compared with those by the negative capacitance. The latter is more conspicuous than the former under conventional conditions. The two effects cannot be distinguished specifically except for variations of conductance of the solution.

How to disentangle the possible genuine quenching of gA caused by scale anomaly of QCD parameterized by the scale-symmetry-breaking quenching factor qssb from nuclear correlation effects is described. This is done by matching the Fermi-liquid xed (FLFP) point theory to the "Extreme Single Particle (shell) Model" (acronym ESPM) in superallowed Gamow-Teller transitions in heavy doubly-magic shell nuclei. The recently experimentally observed indication for (1-qssb) ≠0 - that one might identify as "fundamental quenching (FQ)" - in certain experiments seems to be alarmingly signicant. I present arguments how symmetries hidden in the matter-free vacuum can emerge and suppress such FQ in strong nuclear correlations. How to conrm or refute this observation is discussed in terms of the superallowed Gamow-Teller transition in the doubly-magic nucleus 100Sn and in the spectral shape in the multifold forbidden β decay of 115In.

Detecting, especially locating local degradations at an incipient stage, is very important for mission-critical high voltage rotating machines. One particular challenge of the existing testing techniques is that the characteristic of a local incipient defect is not prominent due to various factors such as averaging with the healthy remainder, attenuation in signal propagation, interference, and varied operating conditions. This paper proposes and investigates the frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) technique based on scattering parameter measurement. The FDR result presents the object length, wave impedance, and reflections due to impedance discontinuity along the measured windings. Experiments were performed on two commercial coils with artificially made defects. These defects include turn-to-turn short, surface creepage, loose coils, and local overheating, which are commonly seen in practice. Two practical water pumps in the field were also selected for investigation. The study outcome shows that the FDR can identify and locate both structure and insulation degradations of both shielded and unshielded objects with good sensitivity. This makes the FDR a comprehensive tool for fault diagnosis and aging assessment.

With technological transformations such as big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, digital techniques are penetrating the field of finance. Digital finance is a resource-saving and environmentally friendly innovative financial service. It shows great green attributes and can drive the flow of financial resources towards environmentally friendly enterprises, thereby promoting green and low-carbon development. This paper investigates the effects of digital finance on green and low-carbon cyclic development and the mechanism. First, the level of green and low carbon cyclic development in China is estimated from multiple aspects based on the panel data of 31 provinces by using the spatio-temporal range entropy weight method. Then, the working mechanism of digital finance on green and low carbon cyclic development is revealed by performing empirical tests based on panel regression models, mediating effect models, and threshold models. Finally, the effects of digital finance and conventional variables on green and low-carbon cyclic development are investigated by using a random forest model and a CatBoost model in based on the machine learning. The results show that digital finance has significant positive effects on green and low-carbon cyclic development, and technological innovation plays a key role in the effects of digital finance on green and low-carbon cyclic development; meanwhile, the driving effect of digital finance on green and low carbon cyclic development shows nonlinear features with increasing “marginal effect”; besides, both digital finance and conventional factors have significant impacts on green and low carbon cyclic development. This study provides an empirical basis and path reference for digital finance to achieve “carbon peak, carbon neutralization” in China.

Modern electrical power systems integrate ancillary services to provide security and quality of service in real-time operation because of the intense variations in frequency caused by the massive development and uncertainty of solar-wind generation. Therefore, this ancillary services market focuses on power reserves for secondary and tertiary frequency control. Adjusting reserves and dispatching plants is a manual instruction executed by the system operator to maintain the frequency in the normal operating state (49.80≤f≤50.20 Hz). However, in the absence of an economic model for real-time power reserve reallocation in the ancillary services market, the reserve adjustments made by the system operator are not always optimal since they generate a displacement between the scheduled and actual marginal costs. Then, this work proposes a methodology for operating the ancillary services market in real-time through a dynamic and hourly mathematical model that integrates the variability of solar-wind generation, the demand monitoring curve, and the trajectory of the marginal cost. This model minimizes power reserve costs, which are governed by hourly price auctions, for candidate plants classified as supra/infra-marginal and can optimally reallocate power reserves for secondary and tertiary frequency control.

This paper considers the problem of predicting earthquakes. It uses a small amount of information to create a descriptive key that can be used as a footprint to describe an event. A frequency grid clusters events that occurred at the same time and then the algorithm averages the history of these events over preceding days, in particular the gaps when the events did not occur. The gaps are measured for the clustered events only and can be used to create a description that is quite unique. Results suggest that seismic events can in fact be traced using this key and subsequently recognised again, if the same conditions reoccur. They also suggest that force direction may be more important than magnitude, after the initial cluster selections are made. Greek and USA datasets have been looked at and the prediction accuracy can be 70% or better. The author therefore suggests that this is an interesting method that deserves attention.

Six mode shapes, including bending and torsion, were documented for five different basketball rims and backboards at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, USA. The frequency and damping ratio of each mode shape were also determined. The empirical process began with the time-domain excitation and response of each rim-backboard system. The impulse of excitation came from an impact hammer separately applied to sequentially, to each node. The sinusoidal response was gathered from an accelerometer at a fixed location, node 1. Each time-domain excitation-response was then converted to a frequency domain Bode plot for each node by a B&K 2034 Signal Analyzer, giving transfer functions of output/input versus frequency. Structural Measurements System (SMS) Software was used to fit mode shapes to the Bode plots. Each of the six mode shapes were fitted to the Bode plots of each node at a specific modal frequency. Each of the six mode shapes were a function of the locations of the nodes, and the Bode plot gathered at each node. The first and second modes were critical for showing that the Energy Rebound Testing Device statistically correlated with the energy transferred to the rim and backboard. A known perturbation mass was selectively attached to the rim, to help isolate the dynamic masses and spring rates for the rim and backboard, to ascertain the kinetic energy transferred to the rim had a 95.67% inverse correlation with rim stiffness.

Since the come up in the 70´s, various decentralized control methodologies have been developed to deal with the challenge of controlling complex and/or spatially distributed systems with multiple inputs and multiple outputs (MIMO), e.g., chemical plants, power systems, water systems, etc. In general, the use of distributed information and control structures requires to synthesize control laws in a constrained (decentralized) information structure. The article presents another version of the unified frequency domain robust decentralized controller design method [1]. The proposed design procedure is appropriate for uncertain dynamic MIMO systems given as a set of transfer function matrices. Its main framework is provided by the Equivalent Subsystems Method [1, 24] guaranteeing fulfillment of the necessary and sufficient stability condition of the overall closed-loop system if individual closed-loop equivalent subsystems are stable. Generating sets of equivalent subsystems for all transfer function matrices describing the uncertain MIMO plant allows to use the QFT method [19] to independently design local robust SISO controllers that constitute the resulting decentralized controller implemented on true subsystems. The developed design procedure is verified and illustrated on a case study on robust decentralized level controller design for a quadruple tank process [2, 24].

As the global aging trend continues to intensify, there will inevitably be more complex and diverse aging problems in the future. There is no doubt that designers have the responsibility to explore the possibilities of the future and solve the problems that will be faced in the future. Based on the Future Cone, the Double Diamond Model and the IDEO Method Cards, this study proposes a new model to guide the design practice of future aging issues in the context of aging. With the aim of validating and refining the framework, an ageing designer workshop was held where participants were asked to imagine, explore and express ideas about future ageing issues. The workshop was used to refine the proposed model. More specifically, the model includes a future concept, a design guidance process based on the Double Diamond Model, and tools that can be applied at all stages of design, which can help designers generate ideas and solutions for future aging problems, and collectively lead society to a more desirable future. Moreover, this study also explores broader directions for the development of the model and provides a reference for continued research on this topic in the future.

Accurately predicting electrical signals of three-phase Direct Torque Control (DTC) induction motors is crucial for optimal motor performance and effective condition monitoring. However, multiple DTC motors’ complexity and operating conditions’ variations pose challenges for traditional prediction methods. To overcome these challenges, we propose an innovative approach that combines Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to transform electrical motor simulation data and a Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) network to forecast processed motor data. By transforming the DTC induction motor signals from the time domain to the frequency domain, we enhance the capability of learning models to capture subtle differences and generate various input features. The Bi-LSTM model effectively captures both forward and backward dependencies in time series data, enabling accurate prediction of electrical signals. We evaluate the proposed approach using our simulated dataset and compare the proposed method to a state-of-the-art model, the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), demonstrating its effectiveness in improving the accuracy and reliability of induction motor signals forecasting. The finding provides valuable insights for advancing motor control and operation in industrial applications.

This paper is a further development of our “Proposal of a new double-nozzle technique for in-gas-jet laser resonance ionization spectroscopy” published in journal Atoms earlier in this year. Here, we propose to equip the proposed double-nozzle technique with the RF-only funnel and RF-buncher placed in the gas-jet chamber at 70 mm distance downstream the double-nozzle exit. It allows for highly effective extraction into vacuum heavy ion beams, produced in two-steps laser resonance ionization in the argon supersonic jet. We explored the operation of this new full version of the double-nozzle technique through detailed gas dynamic and then Monte Carlo trajectory simulations, which results are presented and discussed. In particularly, we have shown by calculations that more than 80% of all nobelium-254 neutral atoms, extracted by argon flow from the gas stopping cell through the double-nozzle into the supersonic jet can be extracted into vacuum in a form of pulsed ion beam having low transverse and longitudinal emittance.s dynamic and Monte Carlo simulations

In any region of a space, the gravitational field cannot be eliminated. The speed of light in a vacuum has never been observed and cannot be observed with current technology. Till now, only the speed of light in a gravitational field has been observed. It results in that all the observed speed of light are always being varied by the gravity. Here, it is presented that light could be dispersion in a gravitational field analogous to the dispersion of light in the Newtonian prism experiment. The relativistic mass density on the surface of a neutron star is on the level of 10¹⁷kg/m³ while on the surface of the Earth is only 10^-7kg/m³, the effect of the gravitational field acting on the speed of light by a neutron star is much larger than that by the Earth. Therefore, the dispersion of light in strong gravitational field could be generally observed from the image of a star and it should have been observed through the double-image gravitational lensing and the spectroscopic binary system. And, it should affect the observed numbers, spectrogram, size and distance of the celestial objects.

Relative contribution of different repair pathways to the radiation-induced DNA damage responses remains a challenging issue of studying the radiation injury endpoints. Comparative manifestation of homologous recombination (HR) after application of different radiation doses greatly determines an overall effectiveness of recovery in dividing cell after irradiation, since HR is an error-free mechanism intended for repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSB) during S/G2 phases of cell cycle. In this article, we present an experimentally observed evidence of dose-dependent shift in relative contribution of HR in human fibroblasts after X-ray exposure at doses 20-1000 mGy, which is also supported by quantitative modeling of DNA DSB repair. Our findings indicate that the radiation dose increase leads to dose-dependent decrease in relative contribution of HR into the entire repair process.

This study explores the relationship between mental and physical therapeutic through three dimensions: man-environment relationships; a sense of place and symbolic landscapes. The study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Local residents living in the coastal area of Xinglin Bay are the research objects. Quantitative data analysis revealed that the frequency of residents' visits was an important variable affecting their physical and treatment perceptions. In addition, the significance is higher for females than for males. The text analysis shows that the environment, especially the ecological restoration of water quality and migratory birds, is of great significance to the identity of local residents. Daily activities contribute to a sense of place and are what make the coast a place of therapeutic landscape function.

New hybrid composites based on the inclusion of a vegetal extract, i.e., Boswellia Serrata extract (BSE), rich in boswellic acids, well known as a potent anti-inflammatory natural drug, in a lamellar solid layered double hydroxide (LDH), i.e. a Magnesium Aluminum Carbonate, were developed and characterized in the present work. The adopted LDH exhibits a layered crystal structure, comprised of positively charged hydroxide layers and interlayers composed of carbonate anions and water molecules, thus it was expected to embed negatively charged boswellic acids. In the present case, a calcination process was also adopted on LDH to increase organic acids loading, based on the replacement of original inorganic anions. An accurate investigation was carried out by TGA, PXRD, FT-IR/ATR, XPS and LC-MS to ascertain the nature, interaction, and quantifica-tion of the active molecules of the vegetal extract loaded in the developed hybrid materials. As a result, a significant disruption of the original layered structure was observed in LDH subjected to calcination (LDHc), and this material was able to include a higher amount of organic acids when its composite with BSE was prepared. However, in vitro tests on composites bioactivity, expressed in terms of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, evidenced LDH-BSE as a better material compared to BSE and to LDHc-BSE, thus suggesting that, though the embedded organic acids amount was lower, they could be more available since not firmly bound to the clay. The composite was able to significantly decrease the number of viable pathogens such as Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as the internalization of toxic active species into human cells imposed to oxidative stress in comparison to the BSE.

This work aims to describe the dielectric behaviours of four main tissues in the human forearm using mathematical modelling, including fat, muscle, blood, and bone. Determining the electrical response of multiple tissues can help develop physiological monitoring of an organ or a body’s section by filtering out the impedance contributions from the surrounding tissues to blood flow-induced impedance variations. Multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis (MF-BIA) was initially performed using the finite element method (FEM) with a 3D forearm model followed by a pilot study to characterise the response of actual forearm tissues from 1 kHz to 349 kHz. Both the simulation and experimental results were fitted to a single-dispersion Cole model (SDCM) and a multi-dispersion Cole model (MDCM) to determine the Cole parameters for each tissue. The correlation analysis and Bland-Altman plot indicated a good fit between raw and fitted impedance values using both SDCM and MDCM. Overall, MDCM exhibited better performance in fitting and estimation of the Cole parameters with correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.99 and 0.97, root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.09 Ω and 0.14 Ω, and mean difference (mean±standard deviation) of 0.00±0.09 Ω and -0.03±0.14 Ω for the real part and imaginary part of impedance, respectively.

Initially introduced almost thirty years ago for the express purpose of providing electronic warfare systems the capabilities to detect, characterize, and identify radar emitters, Specific Emitter Identification (SEI) has recently received a lot of attention within the research community as a physical layer technique for securing Internet of Things (IoT) deployments. This attention is due in large part to SEI’s demonstrated success in passively and uniquely identifying wireless emitters using traditional machine learning and the success of Deep Learning (DL) within the natural language processing and computer vision areas. SEI exploits distinct and unintentional features present within an emitter’s transmitted signals. The existence of these distinctive and unintentional features is attributed to slight manufacturing and assembly variations that exist within and between the components, sub-systems, and systems that comprise an emitter’s Radio Frequency (RF) front end. Although sufficient to facilitate SEI, these features do not hinder normal operations such as detection, channel estimation, timing, and demodulation. However, despite the plethora of SEI publications, it has remained largely a focus of academic endeavors that primarily focus on proof-of-concept demonstration and little to no use in operational networks for various reasons. The focus of this survey is a review of SEI publications from the perspective of its use as a practical, effective, and usable IoT security mechanism, thus we use IoT requirements and constraints (e.g., wireless standard, nature of their deployment) as a lens through which each reviewed paper is analyzed. Previous surveys have not taken such an approach and have only used IoT as motivation, a setting, or a context. In this survey, we consider operating conditions, SEI threats, SEI at scale, publicly available data sets, and SEI considerations that are dictated by the fact that it is to be employed by IoT devices or IoT infrastructure.

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors are well-known for their crucial involvement in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory, but the exact roles of the various receptor subtypes (M1-M5) are still not fully understood. Here, we studied how M1 and M3 receptors affect plasticity at the mossy fiber (MF)-CA3 pyramidal cell synapse. In hippocampal slices from M1/M3 receptor double knockout (M1/M3-dKO) mice, the signature short-term plasticity of the MF-CA3 synapse was not significantly affected. However, the rather unique, NMDA receptor-independent and presynaptic form of long-term potentiation (LTP) of this synapse was much larger in M1/M3-deficient slices compared to wild type slices, in both field potential and whole-cell recordings. Consistent with its presynaptic origin, induction of MF-LTP strongly enhanced the excitatory drive onto single CA3 pyramidal cells, with the effect being more pronounced in M1/M3-dKO cells. In an earlier study [1], we found that deletion of M2 receptors in mice disinhibits MF-LTP in a similar fashion, suggesting that endogenous acetylcholine employs both M1/M3 and M2 receptors to constrain MF-LTP. Importantly, such synergism was not observed for MF long-term depression (LTD). Low-frequency stimulation, which reliably induced LTD of MF synapses in control slices, failed to do so in M1/M3-dKO slices and gave rise to LTP instead. In striking contrast, loss of M2 augmented LTD when compared to control slices. Taken together, our data demonstrate convergence of M1/M3 and M2 receptors on MF-LTP, but functional divergence on MF-LTD, the net effect being well-balanced bidirectional plasticity of the MF-CA3 pyramidal cell synapse.

We present a case of a combination of two rare hereditary disorders: Аdrenal insufficiency, obesity, and red hair syndrome (OBAIRH) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in a boy. Both diseases were diagnosed during the first year of life. OBAIRH was suggested based on the ethnicity and family history of the patient, while DMD – based on an extreme increase in transaminase and CK levels during biochemical analysis of his blood.

The frequency synthesizer is a critical component in Cs beam clock technology. In this paper, we present a demonstration of a direct microwave frequency-synthesis chain for a cesium-beam atomic clock, which utilizes frequency multiplication and a dual-phase-locked loop mode. A detailed analysis of the frequency-synthesis chain is conducted, and a mathematical model is established. The phase settling time and system stability are simulated, measured, and verified. The experimental results for the phase settling time align with the simulation outcomes. The phase settling time can be adjusted within the range of 644.5 µs to 1.5 ms, and the absolute phase noise values are -63.7 dBc/Hz, -75.7 dBc/Hz, -107.1 dBc/Hz, and -122.5 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz, 10 Hz, 1 kHz, and 10 kHz offset frequencies, respectively. Additionally, the Ramsey fringes are detected, and the Allan deviations of the 10 MHz output from the cesium-beam atomic clock are measured to be 2.99×10−12 at 1s and 8.02×10−14 at 10,000 s.

This paper examines some of the largely neglected areas of opportunity to utilize skeletal space structure systems in support of modular, industrialized, economical, sustainable and digital future of the construction industry. In this context, the feasibility of future use of skeletal space structures is studied for a few classes of engineering structures, namely, residential apartment buildings, and offshore platforms, along with their suitability for reconstruction, renovation, modernization and retrofit of damaged buildings and urban areas of cultural heritage significance. Finally, the particulars of lean project management of space structures are discussed with emphasis on engineering and economic factors, production management, environmental aspects, quality management, and reliability, maintainability and sustainability considerations. This article concludes that skeletal space structures can fulfil many of the essential construction requirements of modern societies, especially those facing environmental challenges, all while allowing for design flexibility and mass customization.

This study investigates via Lie symmetry analysis the Hunter-Saxton equation, an equation relevant to the theoretical analysis of nematic liquid crystals. We employ the multiplier method to obtain conservation laws of the equation derived from first-order multipliers. Conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation, in combination with the Lie point symmetries of the equation, enable us to perform symmetry reductions through employment of the double reduction method. The method exploits the relationship between Lie point symmetries and conservation laws to effectively reduce both the number of variables and the order of the equation. Five nontrivial conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation are derived, four of which are found to have associated Lie point symmetries. Applying the double reduction method to the Hunter-Saxton equation results in a set of first-order ordinary differential equations, the solutions of which represent invariant solutions for the equation.

Bone metastasis detection and quantification on bone scintigraphy is challenging and clinical important for treatment and patient’s life quality. To develop a CNN based diagnostic system for automated segmentation on bone metastasis regions is non-trivial, especially for a small dataset. A dataset in house comprising 100 breast cancer patients and 100 prostate cancer patients is utilized for this research. The Double U-Net model is adapted through the integration of background removal, adding negative samples, and transfer learning methods for bone metastasis detection. The performance is investigated via 10-fold cross-validation and computed in pixel-wise scale. The best model we achieved has precision of 63.08%, sensitivity of 70.82%, and F1-score of 66.72%. The developed system has the potential to provide pre-diagnostic reports for physicians in final decisions and the calculation of the bone scan index (BSI) with the combination with bone skeleton segmentation.

The G-NUMEN array is the future gamma spectrometer of the NUMEN experiment (Nuclear Matrix Element for the Neutrinoless double beta decay), to be installed around the object point of the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer at the INFN-LNS laboratory.. This project aims at exploring Double Charge Exchange (DCE) reactions in order to obtain crucial information about the neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ). The primary objective of the G-NUMEN array is to detect the gamma rays emitted from the de-excitation of the excited states populated via DCE reactions with good energy resolution and detection efficiency, amidst a background composed of transitions from competingreaction channels with far higher cross-sections. To achieve this, the G-NUMEN signalswill be processed in coincidence with those generated by the detection of the reaction ejectiles in the MAGNEX Focal Plane Detector(FPD). Under the expected experimental conditions, G-NUMEN detectors will operate at high counting rates, of the order of hundreds of kHz per detector, while maintaining excellent energy and timing resolutions. The complete array will consist of over 100 LaBr3(Ce) scintillators. Initial tests have been conducted on the first detectors of the array, allowing for the determination of their performance at high rates.

B and T lymphocytes demonstrate important alterations in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE), with significant up-regulation of Double Negative (DN) B cells. Aim of this study was to evaluate correlation of T cell immunity changes with the distinct B cell-pattern SLE. In the present study, Flow cytometry was performed in 30 patients with SLE, on remission, and 31 healthy controls, to detect DN B cells (CD19+IgD-CD27-) and a wide range of T lymphocyte subpopulations, based on the presence of CD45RA, CCR7, CD31, CD28, CD57, defined as naive, memory and advanced differentiated/senescent T cells. Both B and T lymphocytes were significantly reduced in SLE patients. However, the percentage of DN B cells were increased, compared to HC, 12.9(2.3-74.2) vs. 8(1.7-35), p=0.04. Distribution of CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes demonstrated a shift to advanced differentiated subsets. The population of DN B cells had significant positive correlation with most of early differentiated T lymphocytes, CD4CD31+, CD4CD45RA+CD28+, CD4CD45RA+CD57-, CD4CD45RA-CD57-, CD4CD28+CD57-, CD4CD28+CD57+, CD4 CM, CD8 CD31+, CD8 NAÏVE, CD8CD45RA-CD57-, CD8CD28+CD57-, CD8CD28+CD57+. Multiple Regression analysis revealed CD4CD31+, CD8CD45RA-CD57- and CD8CD28+CD57- cells as independent parameters contributing to DN B cells, adjusted R2=0.534, p<0.0001. The predominance of DN B cells in patients with SLE is closely associated with early differentiated T lymphocyte subsets, indicating a potential causality role of DN B cells in T lymphocyte activation.

Recently, SMR (Small Modular Reactor) is expected to be able to operate flexibly in conjunction with a high renewable energy penetration grid as a result of improved safety and easy power control compared to large nuclear power plants. SMRs such as South Korea’s System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor (SMART) are designed to use canned motors (CMs) for their reactor coolant pumps (RCPs) to enhance safety. The CMs passively enhance the reactor’s safety by preventing leakage of radioactive reactor coolant. However, with motor sizes designed to be as small as possible, and the increased air gap of CMs between stator and rotor, starting torque may be insufficiently small compared to that of similar sized induction motors (IMs). Thusly, CMs may require variable frequency drives (VFDs) to start. This paper compares the torque characteristics of CMs with those of IMs for SMART’s RCPs. ETAP is then used to perform motor starting analysis for CMs started with and without VFDs. The results are presented and analyzed to find out if the VFDs deal with the CM starting torque issue.

As a high-frequency carrier, the Terahertz (THz) wave is essential for achieving high-data-rate wireless transmission due to its ultra-wide bandwidth. Phase stabilization becomes crucial to enable phase-shift-based multilevel modulation for high-speed data transmission. We developed a Mach-Zehnder interferometric phase stabilization technique for photomixing, which has proved a promising method for phase-stable continuous THz-wave generation. However, this method faces inefficiencies in generating phase-modulated THz waves due to the impact of the phase modulator on the phase stabilization system. By photomixing, which is one of the promising methods for generating THz waves, the phase of the generated THz waves can be controlled in the optical domain so that the stability of the generated THz wave can be controlled by photonics technologies. Thus, we have devised a new phase stabilization approach using backward-directional lightwave, which is overlapped with the THz wave generation system. This study presents a conceptual and experimental framework for stabilizing the phase differences of optical carrier signals. We compare the optical domain and transmission performances between forward-directional and backward-directional phase stabilization methods. Remarkably, our results demonstrate error-free transmission at a modulation frequency of 3 Gbit/s and higher.

Species richness is a widely used measure for assessing the diversity of a particular area. However, observed richness often underestimates the true richness due to resource limitations, particularly in the small-sized sample or highly heterogeneous assemblage. Estimating species richness in a large-scale region typically involves an integrated data set consisting of subsamples collected independently from different subregions. However, the pooled sample of integrated data is no longer a random sample from the entire region, and the use of different sampling schemes results in variations in data formats. Consequently, employing a single sampling distribution to model the pooled sample becomes impractical, rendering existing richness estimators inadequate. This study theoretically explains the applicability of Chao's lower bound estimators in estimating species richness for large-scale areas using the pooled sample. Additionally, a new nonparametric estimator is introduced, which adjusts the bias of Chao's lower bound estimator by leveraging the Good-Turing frequency formula. This proposed estimator only utilizes the pooled sample's singleton, doubleton, and tripleton richness. Simulated data sets across various models are employed to demonstrate the statistical performance of the estimator, showcasing its ability to reduce bias and provide accurate 95% confidence intervals. Real data sets are also utilized to illustrate the practical application of the proposed approach.

Compliant amplifying mechanisms are used widely in high-precision instruments driven by piezoelectric actuators, and the dynamic and static characteristics of these mechanisms are closely related to instrument performance. Although the majority of existing research has focused on analysis of their static characteristics, the dynamic characteristics of the mechanisms affect their response speeds directly. Therefore, this paper proposes a comprehensive theoretical model of compliant amplifying mechanisms based on the multi-body system transfer matrix method to analyze the dynamic and static characteristics of these mechanisms. The effects of the main amplifying mechanism parameters on the displacement amplification ratio and the resonance frequency are analyzed comprehensively using the control variable method. An iterative optimization algorithm is also used to obtain specific parameters that meet the design requirements. Finally, simulation analyses and experimental verification tests are performed. The results indicate the feasibility of using the proposed theoretical compliant amplifying mechanism model to describe the mechanism’s dynamic and static characteristics, which represents a significant contribution to the design and optimization of compliant amplifying mechanisms.

Vitamin K is a multifunctional micronutrient essential for human health, and deficiency has been linked to multiple pathological conditions. In this study we aimed to develop and validate a new food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate total vitamin K intake, over the course of a 30-day interval, in a Portuguese, Mediterranean-based, population. We conducted a prospective study in a non-random sample of 38 healthy adult volunteers. The FFQ was designed based on a validated Portuguese FFQ used in nationally representative studies and on literature reviews, to include foods containing ≥ 5μg of vitamin K/100g and foods with a lower vitamin K content, yet commonly in-cluded in a Mediterranean diet. Vitamin K intake was estimated from 24h recalls and six days of food records. The final FFQ included 54 food items which, according to regression analyses, explains 90% of vitamin K intake. Mean differences in vitamin K intake based on food records (80±47.7 μg/day) and on FFQ (96.5±64.3 μg/day) were statistically non-significant. Further, we found a strong correlation between both methods (r= 0.7; p=0.003). Our results suggest that our new FFQ is a valid instrument to assess the last 30-days of vitamin K intake in the Portuguese Mediterranean population.

Bone Scan Index (BSI) is an image biomarker for quantification on bone metastasis of cancers. To compute BSI, not only the hotspots (metastasis) but also the bones have to be segmented. Most related researches focus on binary classification on bone scintigraphy: having metastasis or none. Rare studies focus on pixelwise segmentation. In this study we compare three advanced convolutional neural network (CNN) based models to explore the bone segmentation on dataset in house. The best model is Mask R-CNN, which reaches the precision, sensitivity and F1-score: 0.93, 0.87, 0.90 for prostate cancer patients and 0.92, 0.86, 0.88 for breast cancer patients, respectively. The results are the average of 10-fold cross-validation, which reveals the reliability for clinical use on bone segmentation.

In order to better understand the extent to which global climate variability is linked to the frequency and intensity of heat waves and overall changes in temperature throughout the United States (US), correlations between long-term monthly mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures measured at sites throughout the contiguous US and low-frequency variability of multiple climate indices (CIs) are analyzed over the period 1948 to 2018 using correlation analysis. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient is used to assess correlation strength, while Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation and a bootstrapping technique (p-value) are used to address potential serial and spurious correlation and assess the significance of each correlation. Three parameters defined the sliding windows over which surface temperature and CI values were averaged: window size, lag time between the temperature and CI windows, and the beginning month of the temperature window. A 60-month sliding window size and 0 lag time resulted in the strongest correlations overall; beginning months were optimized on an individual site basis. Strong (r &gt;= 0.60) and significant (p-value &lt;= 0.05) correlations were identified. The Western Hemisphere Warm Pool (WHWP) and El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exhibited the strongest links to temperatures in the western US, tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures to temperatures in the central US, the WHWP to temperatures throughout much of the eastern US, and atmospheric patterns over the northern Atlantic to temperatures in the Northeast and Southeast. The final results were compared to results from previous studies focused on precipitation and coastal sea levels. Regional consistency was found regarding links between the northern Atlantic and overall weather and coastal sea levels in the Northeast and Southeast as well as on weather in the upper Midwest. Though the MJO and WHWP revealed dominant links with precipitation and temperature, respectively, throughout the West, ENSO revealed consistent links to sea levels and surface temperatures along the West Coast. These results help focus future research regarding specific mechanisms of climate variability that appear the exhibit strong links to US regional weather and sea level variability and prediction.

Channel estimation is an important module to enhance the performance of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. However, the presence of a large amount of noise in multipath fading time-varying channels significantly affects the channel estimation accuracy and thus the recovery quality of the received signals. Therefore, this paper proposes a double-threshold (DT) channel estimation method based on adaptive frame statistics (AFS). The method first adaptively determines the number of statistical frames based on the temporal correlation of the received signals, and preliminarily detects the channel structure by analyzing the distribution characteristics of multipath sampling points and noise sampling points during adjacent frames. Subsequently, a multi-frame averaging technique is used to expand the distinction between multipath and noise sampling points. Finally, the DT is designed to better recover the channel based on the preliminary detection results. Simulation results show that the proposed adaptive frame statistics-double-threshold (AFS-DT) channel estimation method is effective and has better performance compared with many existing channel estimation methods.

The materials used as corrosion inhibitors are [Zn-Al-Cl], [Mg-Al-Cl], [Ni-Fe-Cl], and [Co-Fe-Cl] layered double hydroxides (LDHs). They were synthesized by coprecipitation and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermal anal-yses. The efficiency of these corrosion inhibitors on mild steel in concentrated hydrochloric acid (18.5%) at 60°C (chemical pickling conditions of steel) was studied using electrochemical and gravimetric methods for different concentrations. The surface morphology and composition were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The inhibitory efficiency in the case of 1.2 g.L-1 LDH was found to be 83.33%, 83.65%, 68.38%, and 74.73% for [Ni- Fe-Cl], [Zn-Al-Cl], [Co-Fe-Cl], and [Mg-Al-Cl], respectively.

Computer vision models of salient object detection attempt to mimic the ability of the human visual system to select relevant objects in images. To this end, the development of deep neural networks on high-end computers has recently made it possible to achieve high performance. However, it remains a challenge to develop deep neural network models of the same performance for devices with much more limited resources. In this work, we propose a new approach for a lightweight salient object detection neural network model, inspired by the cone and spatial opponent processes of the primary visual cortex (V1), that inextricably link color and shape in human color perception. Our proposed model, namely CoSOV1net, is trained from scratch, without using backbones from image classification or other tasks. Experiments, on the most widely used and challenging datasets for salient object detection, show that CoSOV1Net achieves competitive performance (i.e. Fβ=0.931 on the ECSSD dataset) with state-of-the-art salient object detection models, while having low number of parameters (1.14M), low FLOPS (1.4G) and high FPS (211.2) on GPU (nvidia Geforce RTX 3090 TI) compared to the state-of-the-art in the salient object detection or lightweight salient object detection task. Thus, CoSOV1net turns out to be a lightweight salient object detection that can be adapted to mobile environments and resource-constrained devices.

In order to solve the interference of narrowband in the ultra-wideband (UWB) system, a high isolation of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna is investigated in this paper. The MIMO antenna consists of 2 or 4 UWB elements; and each UWB antenna element is a monopole reconstructed with 2-notched slots, a U-shaped and inverted U-shaped slots etched on the monopole patch to achieve notch characteristics in WIMAX and ITU bands. The property of a 2-element MIMO antenna is analyzed firstly, which is put into a same substrate in parallel. Two rectangular branches are located in the middle to reduce the coupling. Then a 4-element MIMO antenna is studied to meet big size space and more application scenarios. Each element is placed orthogonally on the same substrate; and the isolation is implemented by a cross-shaped branch located in the middle of elements. Both MIMO antenna samples have been tested to verify the design. Measured results show that the working bandwidth is 2.45-14.88 GHz and 2.14-14.95 GHz, the isolation is greater than 17 dB and 20 dB, the peak gain is 5.7 dB and 5.9 dB, the max-imum radiation efficiency can reach 96% and 95%, the envelope correlation coefficient is less than 0.02 and 0.05 for the 2- and 4-element UWB MIMO antenna, respectively. They both are with very good omnidirectional characteristic with notched bands such as the WIMAX and ITU, and meet the requirements of the UWB application in most cases.

In recent years, the need to make the built environment more resilient and adaptable to climate change has become increasingly evident. In Europe, this aspect concerns the vast majority of existing buildings, which present several deficiencies from the energy-efficiency point of view, considering they were designed before the introduction of modern energy codes. Nowadays, it is possible to retrofit existing buildings using advanced and high-efficient technologies such as Double Skin Façades (DSFs). The research aims to evaluate the use of properly designed DSFs for the energy restoration of existing buildings. In detail, various DSF configurations are applied to a residential building located in central Italy and investigated under present and future climate conditions, estimated through regional climate models. The results underline that all the analysed Double Skin Façades confirm to be a useful option, and, in particular, the Multi-Storey typology allows drastic energy needs decrement. Moreover, the general increase in temperatures and solar radiations could affect the building energy performance, and the insertion of DSF can mitigate the climate change effects, reducing the predicted energy consumption and ensuring better behaviours than the building in its original state.

In this work, nitrite intercalated CaAl-LDH was firstly prepared in this work. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) coupled with the energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) was used to characterize the morphology and element composition of the synthesized powder. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterize the chemical composition and X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to analyze the structure. The nitrite release curve and the chloride concentration change curve were obtained to study the anion-exchange reaction. The corrosion protection effect of the CaAl-LDH loaded with nitrites towards the carbon steel was evaluated in 0.02 M NaCl solution by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Then the powder was added in the epoxy coating with a percentage of 2% (vs. epoxy resin). The coating morphology and roughness was evaluated by SEM and laser microscopy, and the corrosion protection effect was investigated by EIS in an immersion period of 21 d. Local electrochemical impedance spectra (LEIS) was used to characterize the corrosion development process in micro-corrosion sites. The corrosion product of the scratched area after salt spray exposure was analyzed by EDS and Raman spectroscopy. The corrosion protection mechanism of the CaAl-LDH loaded with nitrites was proposed based on the above experimental results.

This article presents a study conducted within a wind tunnel to enhance understanding of the excitation mechanism of stay cable vibration under arid conditions. Numerous wind tunnel tests were meticulously analyzed. Initially, the vibration of the stay cable was measured under steady flow conditions at a flow angle of 45 degrees and an inclination of 25 degrees, while varying wind velocities were applied. Additionally, an investigation into the flow field surrounding the stay cable was conducted in both vertical and horizontal directions. By utilizing two hot wire anemometers in the cable wake, an extensive database of flow field measurements was obtained. The experimental results revealed that the vibration characteristics of the stay cable under the arid conditions considered in this study aligned with findings reported in existing literature. Notably, a deeper comprehension of the excitation mechanism of a stay cable in a dry state was attained. This mechanism is closely associated with the inhibition of Karman vortices and the development of low-frequency vortices. At low wind speeds, Karman vortices predominated, resulting in small-amplitude vibrations. However, as the wind speed increased, the influence of Karman vortices diminished progressively, while the low-frequency vortices grew stronger. These low-frequency vortices exhibited high energy and a significant correlation with shedding along the stay cable, thereby inducing cable vibration in a dry environment.

The gate resistance is a parasitic element in transistors for RF and millimeter-wave circuits that can negatively impact power gain and noise figure. To develop accurate device models, a reliable measurement methodology is crucial. This article reviews the standard measurement methodology used in the literature and proposes also an additional method, which is evaluated using suitable test structures in a 16nm FinFET process. The advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches are discussed along with their respective application scenarios

Transition delaying is of great importance for the drag and heat flux reduction of hypersonic flight vehicles. The first mode within low frequency and the second mode within high frequency exist simultaneously during the transition of hypersonic boundary layer. This paper proposes a novel bi-frequency synthetic jet to suppress low- and high-frequency disturbances at the same time. Orthogonal table and variance analysis are used to compare the control effects of jet with different frequencies, amplitudes and positions. Linear stability analysis results show that, low frequency synthetic jet can suppress the first mode when it is arranged upstream of synchronization point, while the second mode control effect is relatively weak. The higher the high frequency is, the stronger the suppression effect is on the first mode. For the second mode, the suppression effect is only at f2=89.09kHz. The larger the amplitude, the weaker the promoting effect for the first mode and the second mode, and the more obvious the suppressing effect. For the cases with synthetic jet downstream of synchronization point, all levels of the three parameters promote the unstable mode. In terms of the growth rate with the spanwise wave number, the control effect of the same factor and level under different spanwise wave number is different. In order to obtain the optimal control effect on transition, the three factors and the arrangement position of the synthetic jet should be selected as follows: the position is arranged in the upstream, with f1 = 17.82kHz, f2 = 89.9kHz, a =0.007, so that the maximum growth rate of the first mode is reduced by 9.06% and that of the second mode is reduced by 1.28% compared with the uncontrolled state.

: We evaluated the pharmaceutical properties of levofloxacin (LV) in the form of an orally disintegrating tablet (LVODT) to find a new usefulness of low frequency (LF) Raman spectroscopy. LVODT contained dispersed granules with diameters in the order of several hundred micrometers, which were composed of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), as confirmed by infrared (IR) microspectroscopy. On the contrary, the API and inactive pharmaceutical ingredients (non-APIs) were homogeneously distributed in LV tablet (LVT) formulations. Microscopic IR spectroscopy and thermal analyses showed that LVODT and LVT contained the API in different crystalline forms or environment around the API each other. Furthermore, powder X-ray diffraction showed that LVT contained a hemihydrate of the API, while LVODT showed a partial transition to the monohydrate form. This result was confirmed by microscopic LF Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, this method confirmed the presence of thin layers coating the outer edges of the granules that contained the API. Spectra obtained from these thin layers indicated the presence of titanium dioxide, suggesting that the layers coexisted with a polymer that masks the bitterness of API. The microscopic LF Raman spectroscopy results in this study indicated new applications of this method in pharmaceutical science.

With the rapid development of electronic and communication technology in military radar, the demand for microwave absorbing materials in low-frequency with thin layer is growing increasingly. In this study, flexible Co3O4/CC (carbon cloth) composites derives from Co-MOFs (metal-organic frameworks)/CC are prepared by hydrothermal and thermal treatment processes. The flexible precursors of Co-MOFs/CC are calcined with different calcination temperatures, which the material structure, dielectric properties and microwave absorption performance are changed. With the increase of calcination temperature, the minimum reflection loss of the corresponding Co3O4/CC composites gradually moves to the lower frequency with thinner thickness. In addition, the Co3O4/CC composites with 25 wt% filler loading ratio exhibit the minimum reflection loss (RL) of -46.59 dB at 6.24 GHz with 4.2 mm thickness. When the thickness is 3.70 mm, the effective absorption bandwidth is 3.04 GHz from 5.84 to 8.88 GHz. This study not only proves that the composite Co3O4/CC is a kind of outstanding microwave absorbing material with better flexibility, but also provides a useful inspiration for the low frequency and broadband microwave absorbing material.

Hydrogels, soft materials with 3D polymer networks in aqueous solution, have been developed for engineering and bio-related fields. However, these conventional hydrogels are weak and brittle due to lack of energy dissipation mechanisms. Recently, dual-network hydrogels have been proposed, combining rigid and flexible networks and exhibiting high strength, stretchability, and toughness. This paper explores the rheological properties of dual-network hydrogels based on acrylamide and sodium alginate under large deformations. This dual network is a combination of a covalently crosslinked polyacrylamide network and a supramolecular crosslinked sodium alginate network at the presence of divalent calcium cations. Small and large amplitude oscillatory shear methods with Fourier transform rheology, stress decomposition method, and Chebyshev polynomial analysis of large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) data were employed to evaluate non-linearity limit, toughness, and network rigidity. The concentration of calcium ions affects (concentrations 0-80 mg/ml) the nonlinear transition and limit points, and all gel samples exhibit strain hardening, shear thickening, and shear densification.

This short review is aimed at giving an overview of catalytic carbonylative double cyclization reactions, which are processes in which suitable organic substrates and carbon monoxide are sequentially activated by a promoting catalyst to afford the formation of two new cycles with concomitant incorporation of carbon monoxide as a carbonyl function into the final product. Paradigmatic examples of this powerful synthetic methodology, which allows the one-step synthesis of complex molecular architectures from simple building blocks using the simplest and readily available C-1 unit (CO) are illustrated and discussed. The review is divided into five sections: 1) Introduction; 2) Functionalized Olefinic Substrates; 3) Functionalized Acetylenic Substrates; 4) Functionalized Halides; 5) Conclusions and Future Perspectives.

Pulsed electric fields of specific frequencies emitted by a glass plasma antenna tube have been shown to slow the growth of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia cells by as much as 43% when exposed to a series of frequencies between 156kHz and 162kHz. This narrow band of frequencies is termed a “Destructive Cancer Resonant Frequency Formant” (DCRFF).

Graphene quality for use in biosensors was assessed in fabricated chips by a set of methods that includes atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, and low-frequency noise. It is shown that local areas of residues on the graphene surface, which arisen due to the interaction of graphene with a photoresist at the initial stage of chips development, leads to a spread of chips resistance (R) within 1-10 kΩ and to an increase in the root mean square (RMS) roughness up to 10 times that can significantly impair reproducibility of graphene parameters in biosensors chips. It was observed that the control of the photoresist residues after photolithography (PLG) by AFM and subsequent additional cleaning allow reducing the spread of R values in chips to 1–1.6 kΩ and obtaining RMS roughness similar to the roughness in pristine graphene before PLG. Monitoring of the spectral density of low-frequency voltage fluctuation (SU), which provides integral information about the defect system and quality of the material, makes it possible to identify chips with low graphene quality and with inhomogeneously distributed compressive stresses areas by the type of frequency dependence SU (f).

The review presents the most developed by date hypotheses on the mechanisms of the influence of low-frequency magnetic fields (LFMF) on organisms. Biophysical models that explain the resonance-like responses of biological systems to LFMF with a specific frequency and amplitude are described. Two groups can be distinguished among these models: one considers ions-cofactors of proteins as the primary targets for the LFMF influence, and the other regards the magnetic moments of particles in biomolecules. Attention is paid to the dependence of resonance-like LFMF effects on the cell type. A radical-pair mechanism of the magnetic field's influence on biochemical processes is described with the example of cryptochrome. Conditions for this mechanism's applicability to explain the biological effects of LFMF are given. A model of the influence of LFMF on radical pairs in biochemical oscillators, which can explain the frequency-amplitude efficiency windows of LFMF, is proposed.

Abstract: Background: Adolescents frequently self-report pain, according to epidemiological research. The knee is one of the sites where the pain is most common. One of the main factors contributing to the number of years people spend disabled and having substantial personal, societal, and economic burdens globally is musculoskeletal disorders. Insidious, slowly building onset that neither the adolescent nor the parent is aware of [5]. Patellofemoral Pain (PFP) is a clinical knee pain commonly affecting adolescents. In the present study, the authors aimed to estimate the frequency of knee pain in Saudi adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional survey carried out from June to November 2022 included 676 adolescents, ages 10 to 18. The data are presented as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare means between groups, while the chi-square test was used for the comparison of categorical variables. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Adolescents were invited to take part in the study; 57.5% were female and 42.5% were male, and 68.8% were aged between 15 and 18. The prevalence of knee pain was considerably high among females (26%), while it was 19.2% among males. Moreover, age was a significant predictor for knee pain, and BMI was as well. We also found a significant difference between BMI classification and stiffness of the knee (p = 0.008). There is a difference between adolescents who do physical activities in leisure and difficulty bending (p = 0.03). Conclusion: Our study noted a high rate of knee pain among adolescents, so we need to raise awareness about risk factors. Adolescent knee pain can be prevented with conservative methods and some minor lifestyle/activity modifications.

Large-area nanostructuring of glasses using intense laser beam remains a difficult task due to the extreme non-linear absorption of the laser energy by the material. Precise optimization of the process parameters is essential for fabricating nanostructures with large area coverage. In this study, we report the findings on creating high spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) on borosilicate glass through direct laser writing, using a femtosecond laser with a wavelength λ = 800 nm, pulse duration τ = 35 fs, and repetition frequency frep = 1 kHz. The orientation of the HSFL was found to be parallel to the electric field vector. We measured the single pulse ablation threshold (Fth=3.87±0.26 J/cm2) and incubation factor (S=0.68±0.03) of Borosilicate glasses for precise control for large area surface structuring. Single-spot experiments indicate that uniform LIPSS formation is limited by melt formation inside the irradiated area for higher fluence and a larger number of irradiated laser pulses. The orientation of the scan axis with the laser beam polarization is found to be significantly influencing the uniformity of the large area processing. We found that the orientation of the scan axis with the laser beam polarization significantly affects the uniformity of large-area processing, with redeposition and melt formation being higher when the scan axis is perpendicular to the laser beam polarization. Large-area processing of the borosilicate glass surface is done by line-by-line scanning over the surface with a scan orientation parallel to the laser beam polarization. The optical characterization reveals that the transmittance and reflectance of the borosilicate glass decreased significantly after processing. Also, the wettability of the surface has been changed from hydrophilic to super hydrophilic after processing. These chemical contamination-free and uniformly distributed structures have potential applications in optics, microfluidics, photovoltaics, and biomaterials.

DNA double-strand breakage is the most lethal damage to chromosomal DNA. It activates a series of cellular DNA damage response pathways, including DNA damage sensing, control of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and DNA repair. DNA damage response pathways are regulated by complex signaling machineries. Of the intracellular signaling cascades, diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) phosphorylates diacylglycerol (DG) to generate phosphatidic acid (PA). Because both DG and PA serve as second messengers, DGK activity induces a shift of signaling pathways from DG-mediated to PA-mediated cascades, thereby implicating DGK in the regulation of widely various functions. Reportedly, one member of the DGK family, DGKζ, is intimately involved in the regulation of stress responses through p53 and NF-κB. Stresses such as ischemia and infarction cause DGKζ downregulation. Experimental DGKζ depletion renders cells and mice vulnerable to various stressors such as chemotherapeutic agents and ionizing irradiation. Nevertheless, how DGKζ is involved in DNA repair, a critical event of DNA damage response for survival remains unknown. For this study, we examined how DGKζ depletion affects DNA repair mechanisms. We demonstrated that DGKζ depletion causes attenuation of Akt activation and DNA-PK protein expression upon DNA damage, which might engender downregulated BRCA1 protein synthesis and stability. Results suggest that DGKζ depletion attenuates BRCA1-mediated DNA repair machinery, thereby conferring vulnerability to DNA damage.

The natural frequency of buildings decreases during a strong-motion earthquake, and the structure loses its stiffness. As a result, understanding the damaging process in the structure owing to changes in structural properties is critical during a seismic excitation. The time-frequency technique can detect the damaged building’s time-varying frequency contents. Wigner distributions (WD), Wigner-Ville distributions (WVD), pseudo-Wigner-Ville distributions (PWVD), smoothed pseudo-Wigner-Ville distributions (SPWVD), and synchrosqueezing transforms (SST) have all become popular in recent years for a variety of earthquake engineering applications, including building damage detection. This study proposes the local maximum synchrosqueezing transform (LMSST) for detecting frequency shifts in buildings during strong earthquakes. The data presented in the research show that the suggested method outperforms as compared to the conventional time-frequency methods for detecting frequency shifting in earthquake-damaged structures.

We report a preliminary exploration on the low-pressure Ar-O2 plasma generated by low-frequency alternating current (AC) power supply in the low-temperature Plasma Experimental Power Supply (CTP-2000S) for the first time. The electron density 〖(n〗_e), the electron temperature 〖(T〗_e) and the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) are measured by the single Langmuir probe in this experiment. Experimental results show that the ne increases with gas pressure rising, while the ne decreases with the oxygen concentrations rising. And, a plasma density peak is also observed with the AC power supply increase. A comparison between this work and the previous results by RF source suggests that the low-frequency AC power supply may be very fruitful exploration to generate the low-pressure plasma.

Chronoamperometric curves of the oxidation of a ferrocenyl derivative by the potential step showed diffusion controlled-like currents less than the Cottrell's equation at a platinum wire electrode. The lower deviation cannot be explained by the Butler-Volmer heterogeneous kinetics, but was ascribed to the negatively capacitive current associated with the redox reaction. The deviation at the fully oxidized potential corresponds to the non-zero concentration at the electrode surface, which cannot be predicted from the Nernst equation. The Nernst equation expresses the relationship of the potential with the activity at the electrode surface rather than the concentration. The diffusion equation provides the relation of the current with the surface concentration rather than the activity. The negative capacitance or the non-zero concentration may arise from structure formation on the electrode owing to the dipole-dipole interaction, which is similar to the generation of the double layer capacitance including frequency dispersion. On this concept, we derive here expressions for the lowered diffusion-controlled current and the time-dependent surface concentration. The negatively capacitive current shows the time-dependence of t-0.9, which is similar to the decay of the double layer capacitive currents. The surface concentration decays with the t-0.4-dependence.