PEAKS - Science topic

The pressure dependence of the R1 and R2 peaks of the fluorescence spectra of high-pressure-synthesized corundum-type Ga2O3:Cr³⁺ was measured up to 50 GPa using a diamond anvil cell pressurized at room temperature in an argon medium. The temperature dependence of the R1 and R2 peaks was measured at low temperatures under ambient pressure from 303 t...

The water trimer, as the smallest water cluster in which the three-body interactions can manifest, is arguably the most important hydrogen-bonded trimer. Accurate, fully coupled quantum treatment of its excited intermolecular vibrations has long been an elusive goal. Here, we present the methodology that for the first time allows rigorous twelve-di...

This essay analyzes the potential impact at Iraqi universities on the retirement of senior scientists (professors and their equivalent ranks). The essay started with the scientific cadre in 2003, and the scientific age of professors, and it highlights that the largest demography will retire between 2025 and 2032. 54% of professors are expected to r...

Fragmentation plays a critical role in eruption explosivity by influencing the eruptive jet and plume dynamics that may initiate hazards such as pyroclastic flows. The mechanics and progression of fragmentation during an eruption are challenging to constrain observationally, limiting our understanding of this important process. In this work, we exp...

Camera trap images (n = 27 092) collected at a natural Barred Owl (Strix varia) nest site in Manitoba, Canada, 2016–2019, were used to quantify nesting behaviour and identify prey delivered to the nest. Adult Barred Owl activity increased prior to egg laying and again after incubation. Adults were mostly active at night, but daytime activity increa...

Gmelina arborea is among the fast-growing Industrial tree plantation species currently being used as an alternative source of the decreasing supply of commercial timber from natural-growth forests. This study focuses on disease spectral identification and analysis of G. arborea bark using UV-Vis Spectrophotometry. Bark samples from both healthy and...

In this paper, a high-linear-sensitivity fiber curvature sensor based on the sphere-shaped misaligned structure (SSMS) with few-mode fiber (FMF) and single-mode fiber (SMF) was proposed and demonstrated. A spherical structure was prepared at one end of a few-mode fiber, which could effectively excite higher-order modes and generate interference in...

Frequency diversity array–multiple-input multiple-output (FDA-MIMO) radar realizes an angle- and range-dependent system model by adopting a slight frequency offset between adjacent transmitter sensors, thereby enabling potential target localization. This paper presents FDA-MIMO radar-based rapid target localization via the reduction dimension root...

Chalcogen‐containing carbonyls, specifically thioxanthone (TX), hold great potential in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). While the development of narrowband OLEDs with chalcogen‐containing carbonyls remains challenging due to difficulties in achieving both high device efficiency and narrow emission spectra. Herein, via a strategic incorporati...

Linear stability of a locally parallel annular swirling jet laden with particles in a swirl flow combustor is considered. At low Stokes numbers, the eigenspectra of the particle-laden jet with a uniform particle concentration show three unstable modes, namely, center, sinuous, and varicose modes. As the Stokes number is increased to unity, the grow...

Antimonide laser diodes, with their high performance above room temperature, exhibit significant potential for widespread applications in the mid-infrared spectral region. However, the laser’s performance significantly degrades as the emission wavelength increases, primarily due to severe quantum-well hole leakage and significant non-radiative reco...

Sensory neurons continually adapt their response characteristics according to recent stimulus history. However, it is unclear how such a reactive process can benefit the organism. Here, we test the hypothesis that adaptation actually acts proactively in the sense that it optimally adjusts sensory encoding for future stimuli. We first quantified hum...

PbZrO3 (PZO) thin films, as a classic antiferroelectric material, have attracted tremendous attention for their excellent dielectric, electromechanical, and thermal switching performances. However, several fundamental questions remain unresolved, particularly the existence of an intermediate phase during the transition from the antiferroelectric (A...

Sap flow methods are widely used to estimate water use through transpiration in orchards. This study reports for the first time on pecan tree sap flow properties observed in a micro-irrigated orchard in the southeastern US in 2022 and 2023. This new information regarding sap flow properties of Southeastern pecan trees sheds some insight on how peca...

Two-pulse phase-modulated (TPPM) ¹H-decoupling pulse sequence repeats a pair of 180o RF pulses while changing the signs of the RF phase modulation angle and has been widely used for the ¹³C NMR of organic solids. TPPM was introduced into the ¹³C MRS pulse sequence on a clinical 3T MR scanner, and the ¹H-decoupling performance was compared with conv...

The general unit hydrograph (GUH), recently established by Guo, represents the most advanced hydrograph model today, but how to implement it with hydrologic data is another story. In this work, an effective initial value-based method for estimating the parameters in the GUH model is proposed and applied to the analysis of flood processes. In contra...

The interactions between solid quantum dots (QDs) are weak as the excitons in QDs are difficult to be dissolved into electrons and holes, which limits the performance of QDs based photodetector. Herein, through putting QDs inside the water, it is intriguingly found that excitons are dissolved into electrons and holes by the interaction between QDs...

The clap-and-fling mechanism, initially discovered in insect flight, has been widely adopted in Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle (FWMAV) designs to enhance their lift generation. Unlike rigid wings, artificial FWMAV wings exhibit distinct deformation characteristics due to their unique material properties and structural features. These wings rely on...

Insufficient selectivity is a major constraint to the further development of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensors for chemical warfare agents, and this paper proposed an improved scheme combining catalytic layer/gas-sensitive layer laminated structure with temperature dynamic modulation for the Mustard gas (HD) MOS sensor. Mustard gas simulant 2...

A new compound [Y2(sq)3(H2O)4] (Y-sq; sq = squarate (C4O42–)) was prepared and structurally characterized. Since the RE-sq family (RE = Y, Dy, Yb, Lu) gave isostructural crystals, the objective of this study is to explore the effects of diamagnetic dilution on the SIM behavior through systematic investigation and comparison of diamagnetically dilut...

Background: The average fibre consumption of 4–10-year-old children in the UK is 14.6 g per day, with only 14% of these children reaching the 20 g recommended by the SACN (UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition), and this ‘fibre gap’ may be most pronounced in communities with the lowest socioeconomic status. School breakfast clubs target chi...

An approach to generating position-definable coherent microwave pulse trains is proposed and demonstrated based on an actively mode-locked optoelectronic oscillator (OEO). In this scheme, a low-frequency signal with a customized waveform is employed as the mode-locking signal to periodically manipulate the intracavity gain of the OEO. Once the repe...

We report a detailed study of soft-point-contact spectroscopy of the superconducting topological nodal-line semimetal Sn$_{0.15}$NbSe$_{1.75}$ with the superconducting transition temperature $T_{c}=9.5$ K. In the normal state, we observe prominent asymmetric double peaks in the differential conductance $dI/dV$. The asymmetric $dI/dV$ curves are att...

We investigate various interference effects in elastic scattering of the $\alpha + {}^{40}\text{Ca}$ system at $E_{\rm lab}=29$ MeV. To this end, we use an optical potential model and decompose the scattering amplitude into four components, that is, the near-side and the far-side components, each of which is further decomposed into the barrier-wave...

This work reports the synthesis of Sr2FeCoO6, double perovskite, via a wet chemical method. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Rietveld refinement confirmed the successful formation of pure, single‐phase perovskite structure with the Pm3¯m$$ \mathrm{Pm}\overline{3}\mathrm{m} $$ space group. The Raman spectrum showed minor peaks, suggesting struct...

Conjugation of short-chain fatty acids (SDFAs) to amines containing ring structures allows for better measurement by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). However, collision-induced dissociation (CID) results in breaking the conjugate back to the original SCFA and amine. We therefore set out to find an amine that would remain o...

Mathematical models of viral dynamics are crucial in understanding infection trajectories. However, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load data often includes limited sparse observations with significant heterogeneity. This study aims to: (1) understand the impact of patient characteristics in shaping the temporal v...

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of policies and incentives aimed at promoting high-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) globally. It examines the various strategies employed by different countries to encourage the adoption of HTHPs, highlighting both the opportunities and the barriers encountered in these efforts. The analysis includes a rev...

This research proposes an all-metal metamaterial-based absorber with a novel geometry capable of refractive index sensing in the terahertz (THz) range. The structure consists of four concentric diamond-shaped gold resonators on the top of a gold metal plate; the resonators increase in height by 2 µm moving from the outer to the inner resonators, ma...

Carbon dioxide capture is a vital approach for mitigating air pollution and global warming. In this context, metal–organic frameworks are promising candidates. Particularly, MIL-88A (M), where the metal nodes (M) are connected to fumarate linkers in its structure, has demonstrated significant potential for CO2 capture. However, to date, no studies...

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is widely used in aerospace engineering and material processing for generating high-purity, high-temperature airflow, crucial for applications like thermal protection and plasma stealth. A scientific device developed at Xidian University utilizes ICP technology to simulate plasma sheath characteristics and enables h...

In analysis of X-ray diffraction data, identifying the crystalline phase is important for interpreting the material. The typical method is identifying the crystalline phase from the coincidence of the main diffraction peaks. This method identifies crystalline phases by matching them as individual crystalline phases rather than as combinations of cr...

This research analytically investigates the effect of resistive load on the transient performance of a d_33-mode piezoelectric vibration energy harvester. Through normalized voltage and power analyses under varying normalized resistive loads and excitation frequencies, it is observed that the normalized voltage peaks consistently at resonance frequ...

This study introduces an innovative Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique utilizing the Golden Eagle Optimization (GEO) method, specifically designed to enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems under partial shading conditions. Unlike traditional MPPT approaches that struggle with local peaks in power-voltage curves caused by sha...

The interference among risers has always been a research focus within marine engineering. By riser, we mean the equipment that transports oil, gas, and other fluid media in marine environments, connecting the offshore platform and subsea wellhead. The “unbonded composite riser-smooth riser” serves as the research object of this paper, which experim...

Dynamic viscosity coefficient is an important dynamic property of rocks. Its accurate determination is the prerequisite for exploring the dynamic viscosity of rocks. To investigate the evolution of the dynamic viscosity coefficient of deep rocks under high water pressure and high-stress conditions, a series of impact experiments are first conducted...

In recent years, metal surface plasmon resonance sensors and dielectric guided-mode resonance sensors have attracted the attention of researchers. Metal sensors are sensitive to environmental disturbances but have high optical losses, while dielectric sensors have low losses but limited sensitivity. To overcome these limitations, hybrid resonance s...

This essay explores the application of game theory in chess, focusing on the relationship between time pressure, risk, and draw probability. Game theory provides a framework for analyzing interactive decision-making processes, enabling players to understand opponents' strategies, predict moves, and formulate optimal responses. The study utilizes a...

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas, and faulty gas appliances or solid fuel burning with incomplete combustion are possible CO sources in households. Evaluating household CO exposure models and measurement studies is key to understanding where CO exposures may result in adverse health outcomes. This assists the assessment of the burden of disease...

The fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is fabricated by the femtosecond laser writing technique with a plane-by-plane (Pl-by-Pl) method in the double-cladding fiber (DCF). The refractive index modified (RIM) region formed by this method is 12 μm × 8 μm in size. Due to the Pl-by-Pl method, high-order Bragg resonances with reflectance greater than 99% can be...

Air pockets can become trapped at high points in pipelines with irregular profiles, particularly during service interruptions. The resulting issues, primarily caused by peak pressures generated during pipeline filling, are a well-documented topic in the literature. However, it is surprising that this subject has not received comprehensive attention...

Earth's net radiation, sometimes referred to as net flux, is the balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation energy from the atmosphere. This study utilised five years of data on tropospheric variables (solar radiation, air temperature, surface temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and dew point temperature), from January...

Inspired by the recent experiments in monolayer iron-based superconductors, we theoretically investigate the properties of a two-dimensional multiband superconductor under magnetic fields, focusing on two aspects. First, for vortex bound states under out-of-plane magnetic fields, the spatial anisotropy and positions of electron density peaks are as...

The goal of this study was to investigate how the angular dispersion of axonal fibers change during the course of healthy aging. The angular dispersion was derived from the fiber orientation density function (fODF), which was estimated in vivo with a diffusion MRI technique called fiber ball imaging. Intra-voxel angular dispersion of axonal fibers...

This study investigates the deposition behavior of silver and copper ions in a 5,5-dimethyl hydantoin system. The deposition mechanisms of these ions were explored using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry methods. By first depositing metal ions using the chronoamperometry method, and then dissolving the deposited metal using the linear sweep...

In this study, the Enhanced RAO-based Translation Process (ERTP) method, which is an enhanced version of the RAO-based Translation Process (RTP) method proposed in the previous study, is newly proposed. The RTP method approximates the Extreme Value Distribution (EVD) in arbitrary irregular waves from the nonlinear response in regular waves based on...

We present a widefield fluorescence microscope that integrates an event-based image sensor (EBIS) with a CMOS image sensor (CIS) for ultra-fast microscopy with spectral distinction capabilities. The EBIS achieves a temporal resolution of $\sim 10\;\mu$ s ( $\sim$ 100,000 frames/s), while the CIS provides diffraction-limited spatial resolution. A di...

This research investigates the electronic and optical properties of Cu₂O nanostructures deposited under different pH conditions and their implications for semiconductor applications. We performed a comprehensive electrochemical characterization using Mott-Schottky (M-S) analysis to determine the type of conductivity, charge carrier density, and fla...

A multifunctional metamaterial, composed of patterned graphene layer atop the dielectric and vanadium dioxide (VO2) layer has been proposed. It can switch from a perfect absorption to plasmon induced transparency (PIT) as the VO2 transits from the metallic state into the dielectric state. By adjusting graphene’s Fermi energy, the perfect absorption...

To investigate the effect of recovery treatment on the microstructure and tribological properties of ultrasonic impact-treated Al2FeCoNiCrW0.5 high-entropy alloy coatings, laser cladding technology was used to fabricate coatings on a G10450 steel substrate, followed by ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) and recovery treatment (HR, 300 °C). The resul...

Electron transport measurements on 60-nm-thick multilayers containing N = 2–58 individual Ru and Co layers are employed to quantify the specific resistance of Ru/Co interfaces. Sputter deposition on Al2O3(0001) at Ts = 400 °C leads to a 0001 preferred orientation with x-ray diffraction (XRD) Ru and Co 0002 peaks that shift closer to each other with...

Perovskites at the crossover between ferroelectric and relaxor are often used to realize dielectric capacitors with high energy and power density and simultaneously good efficiency. Lead-free Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 is gaining importance in showing an alternative to lead-based devices. Here we show that (1-x)Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 – xBaZryTi1-yO3 (best: 0.94Bi0.5Na...

Due to its remarkable strength and toughness, 42CrMo steel finds extensive application in shipbuilding as well as various industrial sectors. Nevertheless, it exhibits inadequate surface corrosion resistance and is prone to damage from prolonged exposure within marine environments. In order to improve its surface corrosion resistance, multi-pass ni...

This study introduces the development of a portable electrochemical sensor for the detection of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions based on a screen-printed graphene electrode (SPGE) enhanced with alkalized MXene and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Experimental results reveal that the Au@Alk-MXene/SPGE electrode exhibits excellent electrical conductivity, enlarged...

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, highlighting the need for accurate diagnostic tools. To address this issue, we introduce a novel approach for arrhythmia detection based on electrocardiogram (ECG) that incorporates explainable artificial intelligence through three key methods. First, we developed an enhanced R peak d...

Secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) significantly impact Earth’s climate and human health. Although the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been recognized as the major contributor to the atmospheric SOA budget, the mechanisms by which this process produces SOA-forming highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) remain unclear. A major...

Wind stress deviates both in magnitude and direction under light wind conditions due to the modulation effect of swell waves. Eddy covariance flux measurements were conducted from an offshore wind tower in the northern South China Sea to investigate the influence of swell‐induced perturbations on the evolution of wind velocity fluctuations and wind...

High‐temperature Raman spectroscopy offers a cost‐effective alternative to extensive infrastructure and sensitive instrumentation for investigating nanolite crystallization in undercooled volcanic melts, a key area of interest in volcanology. This study examined nanolite formation in anhydrous andesite melts in situ at high temperatures, identifyin...

It is well-known that water in both liquid and vapor phases exhibits exceptionally weak absorption of light in the visible range. Recent experiments, however, have demonstrated that at the liquid-air interface, absorption in the visible range is drastically increased. This increased absorption results in a rate of evaporation that exceeds the theor...

Spider pulsars are binary systems composed of a millisecond pulsar and a low-mass companion. Their X-ray emission, varying with orbital phase, originates from synchrotron radiation produced by high-energy electrons accelerated at the intrabinary shock. For fast-spinning pulsars in compact binary systems, the intrabinary shock emission occurs in the...

Super-resolution microscopy often entails long acquisition times of minutes to hours. Since drifts during the acquisition adversely affect data quality, active sample stabilization is commonly used for some of these techniques to reach their full potential. While drifts in the lateral plane can often be corrected after acquisition, this is not alwa...

We investigate the shear flow of a sludge mimicking slurries produced by the nuclear industry and constituted of a dispersion of non-Brownian particles into an attractive colloidal dispersion at a total solid volume fraction of about 10 %. Combining rheometry and ultrasound flow imaging, we show that, upon decreasing the shear rate, the flow transi...