Additional Path Research Articles

Investigation of the Optoelectronic, γ‐Attenuation, and Thermodynamic Properties of Novel MnGa2P3H4NO14 for Energy Applications: A DFT Study

ABSTRACTTransparent conducting oxides (TCOs) from the semiconductor family have garnered considerable interest due to the growing popularity of optoelectronic and thermodynamical applications. Our present study has presented findings on the electronic, optical, and thermodynamic characteristics of spinel oxide MnGa2P3H4NO14; using density functional theory (DFT), we utilized first‐principles calculations carried out with the Wien 2 k software package. The calculations were performed using the generalized‐gradient‐approximation plus Hubbard potential U (GGA+U) method for the doped materials. The band structure calculation reveals that the parent compound exhibits a semiconducting nature and a direct band gap of 2.9 and 1.7 eV for spin‐up and down channels, respectively. The stability of the material is assessed by evaluating its formation energies, which reveal that spinel oxide exhibits the highest stability. The thermodynamic properties are determined using the quasiharmonic Debye model, implemented in the GIBBS 2 code. Furthermore, the quasiharmonic Debye model examines the pressure and temperature dependence of all parameters related to the investigated spinel oxides. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the radiation shielding, we computed the mass attenuation coefficient for the XCOM program that was investigated from the sample. In addition, linear attenuation, half‐value layer, and mean free path values have been evaluated. A thorough investigation into the dielectric function's optical characteristics was conducted. It has been found that the dielectric function exhibits a wide range of energy transparency. The discovery of UV‐absorbing materials with extremely narrow band gaps suggests their potential use in optoelectronic and solar cell applications. These results provide solid proof and motivation for seeking cutting‐edge optoelectronic materials and technology.

Multi-span optical power spectrum prediction using cascaded learning with one-shot end-to-end measurement

Scalable methods for optical transmission performance prediction using machine learning (ML) are studied in metro reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) networks. A cascaded learning framework is introduced to encompass the use of cascaded component models for end-to-end (E2E) optical path prediction augmented with different combinations of E2E performance data and models. Additional E2E optical path data and models are used to reduce the prediction error accumulation in the cascade. Off-line training (pre-trained prior to deployment) and transfer learning are used for component-level erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) gain models to ensure scalability. Considering channel power prediction, we show that the data collection process of the pre-trained EDFA model can be reduced to only 5% of the original training set using transfer learning. We evaluate the proposed method under three different topologies with field deployed fibers and achieve a mean absolute error of 0.16 dB with a single (one-shot) E2E measurement on the deployed 6-span system with 12 EDFAs.

A 23–29 GHz GaN Low-Noise Amplifier with Drain-to-Source Coupling Feedback

In this paper, a four-stage gallium nitride (GaN) low noise amplifier (LNA) using coupled-line (CL) feedback in a 0.15-μm GaN-on-SiC process is proposed. The electromagnetic coupling feedback between the drain and source of each transistor is employed to generate an additional signal path for neutralization, which enhances gain and improves stability performance. A series transmission line-capacitor-transmission line (TL-C-TL) network is introduced between stages of the LNA for wider band interstage matching. The measured results show that the designed LNA achieves a 3-dB bandwidth of 23.6 to 29.8 GHz, a peak gain of 23.7 dB at 25.8 GHz, and a minimum noise figure (NF) of 2.2 dB at 27.8 GHz. The output-referred 1-dB compression point (OP1dB) is 13 dBm. The total power consumption of the LNA is 200 mW.

Pathway to Trauma-Informed Rehabilitation Counseling: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors’ Training Experiences and Use of Trauma-Relevant Knowledge in Daily Practice

The compelling evidence regarding the prevalence and profound impacts of traumatic experiences on individuals with disabilities underscores the need to establish trauma-informed service environments within vocational rehabilitation (VR). In an initial endeavor towards cultivating trauma-informed service, this study investigates the VR counselors’ professional training experiences in the topical areas of trauma. Further, the applicability of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM 2) is examined in elucidating the utilization of trauma knowledge by VR counselors in their practices. A needs assessment focusing on trauma training was distributed to 169 VR counselors to measure their trauma-related training history and utilization of trauma knowledge in practices. Path analysis was employed to examine the relationship between training experience and the actual use of trauma knowledge in counseling based on the TAM 2 framework. Participants reported having 9.71 hours of post-graduate training. Path analysis suggested adding three additional paths to the original research model, explaining how post-graduate training leads to the use of trauma knowledge in VR service through perceived ease of use, usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention. The profession of rehabilitation counseling needs to incorporate more trauma-related training into its practice, education, and research to better serve individuals with disabilities and improve the effectiveness of services.

Accelerating Li-Ion Diffusion in LiFePO4 by Polyanion Lattice Engineering.

Despite the widespread commercialization of LiFePO4 as cathodes in lithium-ion batteries, the rigid 1D Li-ion diffusion channel along the [010] direction strongly limits its fast charge and discharge performance. Herein, lattice engineering is developed by the planar triangle BO3 3- substitution on tetrahedron PO4 3- to induce flexibility in the Li-ion diffusion channels, which are broadened simultaneously. The planar structure of BO3 3- may further provide additional paths between the channels. With these synergetic contributions, LiFe(PO4)0.98(BO3)0.02 shows the best performance, which delivers the high-rate capacity (66.8 mAhg-1 at 50 C) and long cycle stability (ultra-low capacity loss of 0.003% every cycle at 10 C) at 25°C. Furthermore, excellent rate performance (34.0 mAhg-1 at 40 C) and capacity retention (no capacity loss after 2500 cycles at 10 C) at -20°C are realized.

Linking the trickle-down effect of supervisor incivility to turnover intentions in the context of SMEs: a serial mediation model

PurposeBased on conservation of resources theory and incivility spiral theory, this study examines the relationship between supervisor incivility and turnover intentions by investigating the mediating roles of co-worker incivility and emotional exhaustion.Design/methodology/approachA serial mediation model was empirically tested with a sample of 600 employees in Greek small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).FindingsResults indicate that supervisor incivility is linked to turnover intentions in three main ways. Directly, indirectly through emotional exhaustion, and indirectly through the serial mediation of co-worker incivility and emotional exhaustion.Research limitations/implicationsPossible limitations of the study include the sampling techniques and the self-reporting measures for data collection.Practical implicationsFindings attest that owners and managers of SMEs should take note of the trickle-down effect, namely that their own misbehavior will fuel co-worker incivility. Supervisor incivility has cumulative, deleterious consequences on employees, depleting their emotional resources and enhancing turnover intentions, and should therefore be restricted through appropriate practices.Originality/valueFew empirical studies have explored the effects of supervisor incivility on the incivility manifested by others and their impact on turnover intentions. The study enriches the trickle-down effect literature by identifying an additional indirect path linking supervisor incivility and turnover intentions. Further, this study took place in SMEs, a context with limited research in abusive supervision and incivility yet highly pertinent, given that SMEs informality might leave such behavior unchecked.

Fabrication of boron nitride/copper oxide@multi-walled carbon nanotubes composites for enhancing heat transfer and photothermal conversion of phase change materials

To realize the efficient storage and conversion of solar energy by phase change materials (PCMs), low photothermal conversion efficiency and poor heat transfer performance remain great challenges. Herein, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based composite PCMs with excellent photothermal conversion performance and exceptional thermal management capability were obtained by using boron nitride/copper oxide@multi-walled carbon nanotubes (BN/CuO@MWCNTs) as the thermal conductive and photothermal conversion enhancement fillers. The results indicate that owing to the bridging effect, the introduction of CuO and MWCNTs on the BN surface can construct additional heat transfer paths, resulting in a high thermal conductivity of up to 2.35 W/(m·K) for the as-prepared PEG/BN/CuO@MWCNTs composite, which is about 9-folds enhancement than pristine PEG. Simultaneously, the supercooling degree of PEG in PEG/BN/CuO@MWCNTs is effectively suppressed due to the synergistic nucleation effect of BN, CuO and MWCNTs. Additionally, the PEG/BN/CuO@MWCNTs composites not only exhibit a high latent-heat capacity of 154.5 J/g and a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 92.2 %, but also show favorable shape stability and durable reliability. This work offers a workable solution for the synergistic enhancement of photothermal conversion and thermal management, which can effectively promote the practical application in solar energy conversion and storage.

Salinity and prolactin regulate anoctamin 1 in the model teleost, Fundulus heteroclitus.

To maintain internal ion balance in marine environments, teleost fishes leverage seawater (SW)-type ionocytes to actively secrete Na+ and Cl- into the environment. It is well established that SW-type ionocytes use apically expressed cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator 1 (Cftr1) as a conduit for Cl- to exit the gill. Here, we investigated whether the Ca2+-activated Cl- channel, anoctamin 1 (Ano1), provides an additional path for Cl--secretion in euryhaline mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus). Two ano1 gene isoforms, denoted ano1.1a and -1.1b, exhibited higher expression in the gill and opercular epithelium of mummichogs long-term acclimated to SW versus fresh water (FW). Branchial ano1.1b and cftr1 expression was increased in mummichogs sampled 24 h after transfer from FW to SW; ano1.1a and -1.1b were upregulated in the gill and opercular epithelium following transfer from SW to hypersaline SW. Alternatively, the expression of ano1.1a, -1.1b, and cftr1 in the gill and opercular epithelium was markedly decreased after transfer from SW to FW. Given its role in attenuating ion secretion, we probed whether prolactin downregulates ano1 isoforms. In addition to attenuating cftr1 expression, a prolactin injection reduced branchial ano1.1a and -1.1b levels. Given how Ano1 mediates Cl- secretion by mammalian epithelial cells, the salinity- and prolactin-sensitive nature of ano1 expression reported here indicates that Ano1 may constitute a novel Cl--secretion pathway in ionocytes. This study encourages a wider evaluation of this putative Cl--secretion pathway and its regulation by hormones in teleost fishes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we provide evidence in a teleost fish that the Ca2+-activated Cl- channel, anoctamin 1 may provide an additional path for Cl- secretion by seawater-type ionocytes. Not only is this the first report of a Cftr-independent Cl--secreting pathway conferring survival in seawater but also the first description of its regulation by the pituitary hormone prolactin.

Digital bead modeling for wire-arc directed energy deposition

Prediction of 2D cross-section and full 3D geometry for stacked weld beads is critical for the outcome of wire-arc directed energy deposition (DED) parts; however, most additive path planning software packages model beads as extrusions of a rectangle. Weld beads are not rectangular, and the resulting shape is dependent upon physics effects at the moment of deposition. Physics phenomena such as the geometry of the underlying surface, the heat input of the welding mode, and the direction of gravity contribute to bead shape. This paper presents a novel implicit modeling method that discretizes a 2D area or 3D volume of space into pixels or voxels and constructs fields based on these physics phenomena. The fields are combined using a weighting scheme trained on 3D scan measurements of welds and wire-arc DED prints. Pixels or voxels are added until the known amount of deposited volume has been achieved. Thereby, a strong conservation of mass principle is applied to the process. Utilizing machine learning techniques, the present model can be trained on a database of scans allowing for the representation of a wide variety of prints. Results show that this method can produce predictions with realistic bead morphology and sub-millimeter form error.

Developing two-dimensional indicators of transport demand and supply to promote sustainable transportation equity

Inadequate supply of transport infrastructure is often seen as a barrier to a sustainable future for cities globally. Such barriers often perpetuate significant inequalities in who can and who cannot benefit from sustainable transport opportunities, and as a result there is momentum for transformative urban planning to promote sustainable transportation equity. This study introduces a new set of two-dimensional indicators, merging elements of supply and demand, to identify barriers and imbalances in sustainable transport equity. The accessibility indicators, which are generated for bus, rail, and cycle infrastructure, consider the proximity of administrative areas to good quality transport infrastructure, as well as mode-specific demand, to clearly identify areas where the supply of infrastructure is inadequate to support local populations. We present a policy case study for Liverpool City Region, which demonstrates how these indicators can be used in an analytical framework to support transformative urban planning in long-term. In particular, the indicators reveal policy priority areas where demand for sustainable transport is greater than supply, as well as neighbourhoods where multiple transport inequalities are intersecting spatially, highlighting the need for specific types of infrastructure investment to promote sustainable transport equity (e.g. more frequent services, additional cycle paths). Our framework lays the foundations for improved decision-making in urban systems, through development of mode-specific sustainable transport indicators at small area levels, which harmonise elements of supply and demand for the first time.

Depth-resolved imaging through scattering media based on modified phasor field diffraction

The imaging through scattering media has significant applications in fields, including rescue and security. However, the phasor field algorithm ignores the effect of the additional optical path introduced by the scattering medium for the imaging of the hidden objects behind scattering media. To improve the accuracy, a modified phasor field diffraction method combined with the spatial average path for depth-resolved imaging through scattering media is proposed here. The additional optical path introduced by the scattering medium is resolved through the spatial average path, while the phasor field describes the free-space propagation of the light in air. We verify the feasibility and robustness of the proposed method on public transient data, real scenes and synthetic data. The results demonstrate that the higher-quality results with the proposed method are obtained, and the accurate depth information of objects is provided compared with the phasor field, as evidenced by evaluating the mean depth. This method has potential applications in medical imaging, remote sensing and other fields.

In Palantir we trust? Regulation of data analysis platforms in public security

Organizations increasingly rely on digital technologies to perform tasks. To do so, they have to integrate data banks to make the data usable. We argue that there is a growing, academically underexplored market consisting of data integration and analysis platforms. We explain that, especially in the public sector, the regulatory implications of data integration and analysis must be studied because they affect vulnerable citizens and because it is not just a matter of state agencies overseeing technology companies but also of the state overseeing itself. We propose a platform-theory-based conceptual approach that directs our attention towards the specific characteristics of platforms—such as datafication, modularity, and multilaterality and the associated regulatory challenges. Due to a scarcity of empirical analyses about how public sector platforms are regulated, we undertake an in-depth case study of a data integration and analysis platform operated by Palantir Technologies in the German federal state of Hesse. Our analysis of the regulatory activities and conflicts uncovers many obstacles to effective platform regulation. Drawing on recent initiatives to improve intermediary liability, we ultimately point to additional paths for regulating public sector platforms. Our findings also highlight the importance of political factors in platform regulation-as-a-practice. We conclude that platform regulation in the public sector is not only about technology-specific regulation but also about general mechanisms of democratic control, such as the separation of power, public transparency, and civil rights.

Complex-Path: Effective and Efficient Node Ranking with Paths in Billion-Scale Heterogeneous Graphs

Node ranking in heterogeneous graphs, which quantifies the relative importance of nodes, can often be improved by incorporating information from relevant paths. Graph database and heterogeneous graph neural network (HGNN) are two main approaches to better solve this problem. Graph databases support efficient path queries for flexible path types but require manual design to combine results for node ranking. Conversely, current HGNNs can automatically integrate semantic information from multiple linear path types for accurate node ranking. However, our experiments show that they fail to outperform a multi-layer perceptron model that utilizes features extracted from multiple nonlinear conditional paths, which can be handled by graph databases. Therefore, we aim to enable HGNN to take advantage of these path types for better performance. However, HGNNs require a generalized path schema to define the structure of input paths, and incorporating each additional path type will significantly increase the required system memory and sampling time for HGNNs. To address these limitations, we introduce CompNode, a novel framework based on a new unified path schema definition called Complex-path, which is used to describe all the required path types, including nonlinear conditional path types. Then, we design a pre-aggregation method to reduce the required system memory and sampling time by pre-aggregating the same type of complex-path. Furthermore, we develop a model that combines semantic information from all aggregated complex-paths for accurate node ranking. Real-world experiments on identifying top potential high-value customers show CompNode outperforms state-of-the-art HGNNs by 20% in average precision and the previously deployed graph database method by 252% in success rate.

An offset‐enhanced active rectifier with delay compensated active diodes for wirelessly powered biomedical implants

AbstractThis letter presents the design of a 13.56 MHz offset‐enhanced full‐wave active rectifier, tailored for wirelessly powered biomedical implants. The design incorporates digitally assisted, delay‐compensated active diodes and symmetrical bulk biasing in the rectifier core to enhance conduction time, thus improving the voltage conversion ratio (VCR) and power conversion efficiency (PCE). A delay improvement is achieved both in no‐load and high‐load conditions through an additional comparison path with an offset voltage that is higher than zero. The proposed rectifier is implemented and fabricated in a 180 nm CMOS technology with an area of 0.024 . The rectifier, tested and measured with inductive links, offers a maximum VCR of 96.4% and a maximum PCE of 89%.

Molecular insights into thermal conductivity enhancement and interfacial heat transfer of molten salt/porous ceramic skeleton composite phase change materials

Molten salt has been considered as one of the most promising candidate materials for thermal energy storage (TES) systems owing to its remarkable energy density and consistent thermal performance. These properties render it particularly advantageous for the applications in concentrated solar power (CSP) and industrial process heat utilization. Nonetheless, their practical applications still face nonnegligible challenges such as the low thermal conductivity and risk of leakage. Packing molten salts into porous skeletons could be an effective way for addressing these issues. In the present work, the heat transfer characteristics of a composite phase change material (CPCM) consisting of binary chloride salt and a porous ceramic skeleton, are investigated at the microscale level using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Simulation results indicate that the integration of a porous SiC skeleton can substantially enhance the thermal conductivity of binary molten salt NaCl/KCl. At the temperature of 1000 K, a notable enhancement of 625.74 % in thermal conductivity has been observed. Moreover, the underlying mechanism of heat conduction enhancement has been revealed from the microscopic perspective. The results demonstrate that auxiliary thermal conductivity paths and interfacial heat transfer play primary roles in determining the thermal conductivity of CPCMs. The method of surface charge modification can effectively improve the interfacial heat transfer and the reason can be attributed to the additional thermal conductivity paths and the large number of particles involved in the interfacial heat transfer. The results gained in this work may provide insights into the heat transfer mechanism of composite molten salt/porous skeleton as well as practical guidance for designing CPCM for thermal storage applications.

The synergistic design of 5 V ESD protection applications using two holding voltage improving methods

In this paper, a series of Low Voltage Triggering Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (LVTSCR)-based devices were designed and fabricated in a 0.25 μm Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) process. Two distinct methods, the integration of additional doping regions and current paths, are investigated to improve the proposed devices’ holding voltage (Vh). Two-dimensional device simulation is employed to elucidate the working mechanism of these ESD protection devices, complemented by the introduction of a transmission line pulse (TLP) measuring system to assess their ESD protection capabilities. Comparative analysis of TLP results reveals that both methods contribute significantly to the augmentation of holding voltage in LVTSCR ESD protection devices. The refined structure, LVTSCR_BN, with two additional current paths, surface and buried, demonstrated a noticeable increment in holding voltage. With its holding voltage of 7.619 V and trigger voltage of 10.61 V, LVTSCR_BN is proved suitable for the ESD protection of circuits operating at the voltage of 5 V.

Interconnections between the dorsal thalamus and the basal nuclei in a reptile

Reciprocal connections between the thalamus and the cortex are one of the most characteristic features of forebrain organization in mammals. To date, this circuit has been documented only in turtles. However, reptiles, including turtles, have an additional path from the dorsal thalamus to the telencephalon. This terminates in a pallial structure known as the dorsal ventricular ridge. Yet, no reciprocal connection from the dorsal ventricular ridge to thalamic nuclei has been uncovered. Since axons from the thalamus pass through the basal nuclei on route to the dorsal ventricular ridge, the basal nuclei might be a source of reciprocal connections. Accordingly, the location and distribution of neurons after retrograde tracer placement into the dorsal thalamus were examined. Retrogradely labeled neurons in the basal nuclei were indeed found. One possibility to explain this observation is that connections with the dorsal ventricular ridge are present during development but later pruned during embryogenesis.

Research on Additive Manufacturing Path Planning of a Six-Degree-of-Freedom Manipulator

The research on additive manufacturing (AM) path planning mainly focuses on the traditional three-axis AM path planning and five-degree-of-freedom (DOF) AM path planning, while there is less research on six-DOF AM path planning. In the traditional AM path planning algorithm, the filling path is discontinuous and there is long straight-line printing in a certain direction, which can easily lead to warpage deformation. Therefore, in this work, the six-DOF manipulator is taken as the main object to build an AM platform, and the mechanism of AM path planning of the manipulator is studied. The path planning algorithm combining the contour offset filling method and Hilbert curve filling is optimized by using a cubic uniform B-spline curve, and an AM path planning algorithm suitable for a six-DOF manipulator is obtained. A continuous printing path can be generated by this algorithm. It reduces the existence of long straight-line printing in a certain direction, thereby reducing the warpage deformation of the model and improving the molding quality of the model. The traditional three-axis AM device and the six-DOF AM platform were used to print two kinds of models. By comparing the printing time, the six-DOF AM platform was 43.70% and 37.94% shorter than the traditional three-axis AM device. The same model was printed on a six-DOF AM platform by using the parallel scanning filling method, the path planning algorithm combining contour offset and Hilbert curve, and the method proposed in this paper. Through experimental verification, the average warpage deformation of the model printed by the method proposed in this paper was reduced by 37.81% and 13.79%, respectively, compared with the other two methods.

Novel Nafion nanocomposite membranes embedded with TiO2-decorated MWCNTs for high-temperature/low relative humidity fuel cell systems

Extending the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) at high temperature (i.e., 120 °C) and/or low relative humidity (< 50% RH) remains a significant challenge due to dehydration and subsequent performance failure of the Nafion electrolyte. We approached this problem by integrating the Nafion matrix with a novel hybrid nanofiller, created through direct growth of TiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of carbon nanotubes. This synthetic approach allowed to preserve an effective nanodispersion of Titania particles in the hosting matrix, thereby boosting dimensional stability, hydrophilicity, and physiochemical properties of the Nafion/MWCNTs-TiO2 (NMT-x) nanocomposites compared to parental Nafion. At optimal concentration (i.e., 3 wt% with respect to the polymer), the nanocomposite membrane exhibited high transport characteristics with impressive water retention capabilities, resulting in a proton conductivity of 8.3 mS cm− 1 at 80 °C and 20% RH. The Titania nanoparticles plays a key role in retaining water molecules even under dehydrating conditions, while also directly contributing to proton transport. Additionally, the long carbon nanotubes promote the formation of additional paths for proton conductivity. These combined features enabled the NMT-3 membrane to achieve a maximum power output of 307.7 mW/cm2 in a single H2/air fuel cell (5 cm2 active electrode area and 0.5 mg Pt/cm2 at both electrodes) under very challenging conditions, specifically at 120 °C and 30% RH. This represents a significant advancement towards overcoming the limitations of traditional Nafion membranes and opens up new possibilities for high-temperature, low-humidity H2/air fuel cell applications.

High-accuracy attitude angle measurement system using laser collimation

We propose a high-precision attitude angle measurement system utilizing laser collimation to rectify environmental errors that significantly impact the precision of high-accuracy star sensors. Environmental factors, primarily temperature variations, can induce shifts in the optical axis of star sensors deployed in orbit, leading to errors in attitude angle measurements. Leveraging the conventional star sensor architecture, we have augmented the system with an additional laser path and a four-quadrant detector (4QD) positioned in the image plane. This setup converts angular deviations of the optical axis into positional shifts of the laser spot, facilitating the measurement of environmental errors. Both simulations and experimental findings demonstrate that the laser collimation system effectively mitigates environmental errors, thereby enhancing the attitude accuracy of the star sensors.