Behavior Of Curves Research Articles

Constructing the Discount Function with Parsimonious Extended Nelson-Siegel Function: Evidence from Nigerian Eurobond

Nigeria currently carrying out economic reforms is under the surveillance of institutional investors. To construct the market discount function through its yield curve, we applied the extended functional Nelson-Siegel parsimonious function with time-decay parameters to the Eurobond data to employ flexibility of the model and estimate the time varying parameters. In order to present a deep investigation of the Euro-bond market by reason of time to maturity, our contribution is anchored on following objectives: (i) construct the discount function (ii) investigate the limiting behavior of the yield curves and (iii) predict the in-sample yield. The data presented involves the daily closing of the Nigerian Eurobond yield covering January to December 2021 and 2022. The data was fitted to the observed Nigerian Eurobond yield curve to model the discount function. The ordinary least square method is used for the analysis and the estimated parameters were used to compute the in-sample yield. Test of goodness of fit was conducted showing that the model fits in well to the observed data demonstrated by the model’s R-square adjusted through the predicted yields after obtaining the two decay factors. This paper has implications on life insurance products associated with minimum guaranteed benefit schemes for the insured. Based on the terms and conditions of the contract, the insured pays regular premium invested in debt instruments and receives benefit at death or at maturity of the policy depending on the market performance of the fund. There is a guaranteed benefit which the insured earns irrespective of the performance of the life fund. The insurer would then pay the guaranteed amount even if the benefit eventually drops below the guaranteed amount. Given the discount 𝛿(𝜏)and benefit∅, the present value of future death benefits is modeled as 𝑃𝑉𝐹𝐵 = ∅1𝛿(1) + ∅2𝛿(2) + ⋯ + ∅𝑇−1𝛿(𝑇 − 1) + ∅𝑇𝛿(𝑇).

Interrogation of Oxidative Pulsed Methods for the Stabilization of Copper Electrodes for CO2 Electrolysis.

Using copper (Cu) as an electrocatalyst uniquely produces multicarbon products (C2+-products) during the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). However, the CO2RR stability of Cu is presently 3 orders of magnitude shorter than required for commercial operation. One means of substantially increasing Cu catalyst lifetimes is through periodic oxidative processes, such as cathodic-anodic pulsing. Despite 100-fold improvements, these oxidative methods only delay, but do not circumvent, degradation. Here, we provide an interrogation of chemical and electrochemical Cu oxidative processes to identify the mechanistic processes leading to stable CO2RR through electrochemical and in situ Raman spectroscopy measurements. We first examine chemical oxidation using an open-circuit potential (OCP), identifying that copper oxidation is regulated by the transient behavior of the OCP curve and limited by the rate of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Increasing O2 flux to the cathode subsequently increased ORR rates, both extending lifetimes and reducing "off" times by 3-fold. In a separate approach, the formation of Cu2O is achieved through electrochemical oxidation. Here, we establish the minimum electrode potentials required for fast Cu oxidation (-0.28 V vs Ag/AgCl, 1 M KHCO3) by accounting for transient local pH changes and tracking oxidation charge transfer. Lastly, we performed a stability test resulting in a 20-fold increase in stable ethylene production versus the continuous case, finding that spatial copper migration is slowed but not mitigated by oxidative pulsing approaches alone.

Numerical analysis of the effect of bar anchorage length on bond behavior in pull-out test

This paper presents a numerical simulations of a pull-out test conducted using ABAQUS software. The purpose of the simulations was to evaluate the effect of anchorage length on the bond behavior of ribbed bars in this test, based on the experiments performed. The interaction at the bar-concrete interface was modeled using a contact cohesive surface and calibrated bond-slip curves obtained from experiments. Material models were defined using mechanical parameters obtained from in-house tests on concrete and steel. The analysis shows that the bond behavior is significantly influenced by the anchorage length. Numerical simulation results demonstrate excellent convergence with laboratory tests, both in terms of the bond-slip curve and material behavior

Sheaf quantization from exact WKB analysis

Abstract A sheaf quantization is a sheaf associated to a Lagrangian brane. By using the results of exact WKB analysis, we sheaf-quantize spectral curves over the Novikov ring under some assumptions on the behavior of Stokes curves. For Schrödinger equations, we prove that the local system associated to the sheaf quantization (microlocalization a.k.a. abelianization) over the spectral curve can be identified with the Voros–Iwaki–Nakanishi coordinate. We expect that these sheaf quantizations are the object-level realizations of the ℏ \hbar -enhanced Riemann–Hilbert correspondence.

A novel method to determine the critical buckling load for plates from load versus in-plane displacement diagram

Based on the literature, the load vs. in-plane displacement diagram (P-u curve) is not sufficiently indicative to provide a reliable determination of the critical buckling load, Pcr. This attitude is rooted in three issues. First, the P-u curve often exhibits very gradual slope changes, second, it concerns unavoidable graph fluctuations caused by imperfections in specimens or boundary conditions, and third, the P-u curve behavior during the buckling phenomenon is not fully understood. In the present work, a narrative review is conducted to gain a better understanding of the location of Pcr on the P-u curve. Accordingly, a novel method is introduced to correctly extract Pcr from the load vs. in-plane displacement diagram as the most accessible buckling test output, compared to out-of-plane displacement and strain monitoring data, which require additional equipment. The proposed method is highly sensitive to changes in the slope of the graph while significantly reducing the adverse effects of undesired fluctuations. This method is applied to several experimental buckling data for composite laminates as well as sandwich panels, and its reliability and accuracy are confirmed by comparison with other well-known methods.

Unified stress–strain calculation model for UHPC-filled stainless-steel tubular columns with various cross-sectional shapes under axial compression

Different cross-sectional shapes of ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC)-filled stainless-steel tubular (UHPCFSST) columns result in their stress-strain curves exhibiting softening or hardening stages, and currently, there is no unified calculation model available that can effectively simulate these variations. Based on experimental data, models for predicting peak stress, peak strain, ultimate stress, and ultimate strain of UHPCFSSTs with high accuracy has been provided. Comparative analysis reveals that the stress transfer capability and stability of UHPCFSSTs with the different cross-sectional shapes from highest to lowest are as follows: circular, square, and rectangular. Building upon Wei et al.'s general stress-strain calculation model, a high correlation pattern between parameter b and hoop confinement coefficient (ξs) has been obtained through correlation analysis, elucidating the post-peak behavior of stress-strain curves of UHPCFSSTs. By modeling parameter b, Wei et al.'s model has been extended to accommodate the stress-strain relationship under axial compression for UHPCFSSTs with different cross-sectional shapes. This establishes a unified stress-strain calculation model for UHPCFSSTs with different cross-sectional shapes under axial compression. Comparative analysis indicates that the proposed unified calculation model for axial compression stress-strain behavior of UHPCFSSTs can effectively quantify the influence of cross-sectional shape on stress-strain curves, demonstrating high predictive accuracy and generality.

Continuous flow column adsorption and desorption for the study of interaction of fluoroquinolone antibiotic ofloxacin hydrochloride with ZnO and CuO nanometal oxides in aqueous solution: (Continuous column adsorption desorption)

Broad-spectrum antibiotic, major veterinary medicines, due to large consumption and inappropriate disposal contribute a major part in generation of pharmaceutical pollutants in aquatic environment. The study investigates the interaction of nanometal oxides for adsorption and desorption of Fluoroquinolone antibiotic, ofloxacin hydrochloride from aqueous solution using vertical and sequential bed adsorption columns: designing parameters of adsorption column determined using bed depth service time model. To optimize the continuous flow column adsorption, varying initial drug concentration and flow rates have been studied using ZnO and CuO nanoparticles at pH 4, already determined for optimized batch studies. To access the characteristic behaviour of breakthrough curves, Thomas model and Yoon-Nelson models have been studied, which were in good agreement with experimental data. Sequential bed column shows slightly better results than vertical bed column as the sequential bed is simple and economical, the solution flows in continuous manner under gravity without any mechanical devices and come into contact with fresh adsorbent bed having same amount as that in vertical bed. Therefore sequential bed column can consider in small scale industries for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. Column desorption experiments have also been carried out by using HCl/NaOH as desorbing agent for the regeneration of drug loaded adsorbent column.

Comparative analysis of phase coherence length in polycrystalline CdO films on two distinct substrates

The role of substrates in thin film growth encompasses structural and morphological characteristics which, as a consequence, can also affect electronic properties. This article reports studies on the structural, morphological, and magnetotransport properties of Cadmium Oxide (CdO) films grown on two distinct substrates, amorphous glass, and crystalline silicon, by spray pyrolysis technique. The crystallinity of CdO grown on Silicon (CdO/Si) is higher as compared to the CdO grown on glass (CdO/glass), although CdO/Si morphology presents a dome-like surface. In both cases, samples showed exponential behavior in the electrical resistance curves in the temperature ranges between 1.9 K to 300 K and negative magnetoresistance, due to the weak localization effect, for temperatures lower than 110 K. The highest electronic mobility for CdO/Si is attributed to the better crystallinity of the domes. The weak localization effect is correlated by the 3D Kawabata model, fitting the magnetoresistance curves to determine the phase coherence length over a temperature range of 4.2 K to 100 K. Despite the huge differences in the morphological and electrical properties, the linear behavior of temperature-dependent phase coherence length, attributed to the electron-electron interaction in this temperature range, is found to be independent of the employed substrate. This remarkable result indicates the potential application of the low-cost spray pyrolysis technique for producing high-speed photodetectors.

Study of non-exponential OSL decay curve within critical physical conditions of synthetic quartz material and their resolution by selection of suitable protocol

Researchers had reported that synthetic quartz which was annealed either at 400 °C irradiated by 75.6 Gy beta doses or at 600 °C irradiated by 25.2 Gy beta doses showed better rise in OSL intensity at room temperature depicting the change from non-exponential to exponential shape of the decay curve. Under these conditions, the non-exponential shape of decay curve with weaker OSL intensity was observed. It was due to re-trapping of optically released electrons by shallow traps corresponding to 110 °C TL glow peak and it was later verified by ESR spectra.In order to eliminate the non-exponential behaviour of decay curve, the researchers suggested OSL measurement at elevated temperature so as to further remove the contribution of shallow traps. However, in the present work, the OSL decay curves are recorded at 160 °C for 400 °C and 600 °C annealed samples irradiated by 2.52 Gy, 5.04 Gy, 25.2 Gy and 75.6 Gy beta doses. Both the samples show non-exponential shape of OSL decay curve up to 25.2 Gy beta doses. However, it gradually changes to exponential shape with better OSL intensity at higher beta doses. Additionally, few attempts were made to examine the non-exponential pattern of OSL decay at room temperature as well as elevated temperature within respective critical conditions by using fitting equations. It reports that various mode of non-exponential patterns of curve and their changes were influenced by strength of physical conditions. Further, a new protocol of cyclic sequence of doses, pre-heat up to 200 °C, test dose and stimulation at 125 °C for 40 s stimulation time was implemented to identical treated samples. It shows disappearance of non-exponential shape of OSL decay by growth in OSL intensity. These changes in OSL pattern were further justified by the contribution of annealing, irradiation, thermal transfer and thermal assistance process and TL measurements before and after OSL.

Enhancing predictive understanding and accuracy in geological carbon dioxide storage monitoring: Simulation and history matching of tracer transport dynamics

Co-injection of conservative tracers with carbon dioxide (CO2) is a viable tool for monitoring subsurface processes during geological CO2 storage (GCS). This research investigates the simulation and history-matching of a gas tracer (sulfur hexafluoride, SF6) during CO2 flooding, employing a core flooding result in Berea sandstone. Four extensively used saturation functions are assessed for their efficacy in history matching of CO2/SF6 injection at the core scale. The history-matching process incorporates particle swarm optimization (PSO) to fine-tune constitutive relationships parameters. Next, employing transport models at the aquifer scale, we interrogate the impact on tracer transport and mixing of saturation function uncertainties, arising from the non-uniqueness of constitutive relationships parameters and saturation function types. To assess the effects of geological heterogeneity on behavior of tracer breakthrough curves (BTCs), we employ two normalized parameters assessing the degree of mixing and SF6 breakthrough time. The aquifer-scale investigation encompasses both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems with and without capillary heterogeneity effects. Our findings underscore the critical importance of addressing saturation function uncertainties, emphasizing the significance of auxiliary experiments and innovative methodologies to enhance predictive accuracy. The findings highlight significant disparities in arrival times, BTC peaks, tails, and mixing levels, even under optimal conditions. Heterogeneity, with or without capillary heterogeneity, plays a crucial role in shaping BTC variations, resulting in accelerated SF6 breakthrough times and reduced BTC peaks. Evaluation of monitoring points distant from the injector reveals a dampening effect on the SF6 BTC peak, particularly in heterogeneous systems with capillary heterogeneity, where the peak is halved. These insights underscore the challenges associated with tracer monitoring and the necessity for enhanced methodologies to improve predictive accuracy in subsurface processes during GCS.

Stress–strain curve and elastic behavior of the fibrotic lung with usual interstitial pneumonia pattern during protective mechanical ventilation

Patients with acute exacerbation of lung fibrosis with usual interstitial pneumonia (EUIP) pattern are at increased risk for ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) and mortality when exposed to mechanical ventilation (MV). Yet, lack of a mechanical model describing UIP-lung deformation during MV represents a research gap. Aim of this study was to develop a constitutive mathematical model for UIP-lung deformation during lung protective MV based on the stress–strain behavior and the specific elastance of patients with EUIP as compared to that of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and healthy lung. Partitioned lung and chest wall mechanics were assessed for patients with EUIP and primary ARDS (1:1 matched based on body mass index and PaO2/FiO2 ratio) during a PEEP trial performed within 24 h from intubation. Patient’s stress–strain curve and the lung specific elastance were computed and compared with those of healthy lungs, derived from literature. Respiratory mechanics were used to fit a novel mathematical model of the lung describing mechanical-inflation-induced lung parenchyma deformation, differentiating the contributions of elastin and collagen, the main components of lung extracellular matrix. Five patients with EUIP and 5 matched with primary ARDS were included and analyzed. Global strain was not different at low PEEP between the groups. Overall specific elastance was significantly higher in EUIP as compared to ARDS (28.9 [22.8–33.2] cmH2O versus 11.4 [10.3–14.6] cmH2O, respectively). Compared to ARDS and healthy lung, the stress/strain curve of EUIP showed a steeper increase, crossing the VILI threshold stress risk for strain values greater than 0.55. The contribution of elastin was prevalent at lower strains, while the contribution of collagen was prevalent at large strains. The stress/strain curve for collagen showed an upward shift passing from ARDS and healthy lungs to EUIP lungs. During MV, patients with EUIP showed different respiratory mechanics, stress–strain curve and specific elastance as compared to ARDS patients and healthy subjects and may experience VILI even when protective MV is applied. According to our mathematical model of lung deformation during mechanical inflation, the elastic response of UIP-lung is peculiar and different from ARDS. Our data suggest that patients with EUIP experience VILI with ventilatory setting that are lung-protective for patients with ARDS.

Reestablishment of ad libitum feeding following partial food deprivation: Impact on locomotor activity, visceral fat, food intake, and circadian glycemic curve

ABSTRACT Food deprivation has been associated with the development of metabolic pathologies. Few studies have explored the repercussions of a partial food deprivation following the reestablishment of an ad libitum diet. This study investigates the impact of a partial food deprivation (an 8-hour food intake restriction coupled with a 4-hour feeding window during the active phase) and the subsequent return to ad libitum feeding on the glycemic curve, food intake, and locomotor behavior. Wistar rats aged 45 days were subjected to 6 weeks of a partial food deprivation followed by 6 weeks of ad libitum feeding. Body weight, visceral fat, food intake, circadian glycemia, oral glucose tolerance, and locomotor activity were evaluated. It was found that the partial food deprivation resulted in the reduction of both the body weight and food intake; however, it increased visceral fat by 60%. Circadian glycemic values were altered at all intervals during the light phase, and glucose sensitivity improved at 60 minutes in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In the food-deprived group, the locomotor activity rhythm was reduced, with an observed delay in the peak of activity, reduction in total activity, and a decrease in the rhythmicity percentage. After the reestablishment of the ad libitum feeding, there was recovery of body weight, no difference in visceral fat, normalization of the food intake pattern, circadian glycemia, and oral glucose tolerance. Additionally, the return to ad libitum feeding restored locomotor activity, although the duration required for its complete recovery warrants further investigation. In conclusion, partial food deprivation induces physio-metabolic changes in rats, most of which are reversed after reestablishing ad libitum feeding.

Pore-scale insights into relative permeability in strongly and weakly wet natural fractures: A Lattice Boltzmann Method 2D simulation study

The simplified view of two-phase flow, such as oil and gas, in a fracture is often assumed to occur in a stratified behavior. However, recent studies and production practices have revealed that two-phase flow in fractures exhibits diverse flow patterns. This paper investigates the control of the fracture aperture, fluids viscosity, and wettability on two-phase flow in a 2D cross section of a 3D Berea fracture. Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) simulations are used to model the impact of these properties on relative permeability curves. Notably, in strongly wet fractures, two distinct permeability regimes emerge. High aperture values exhibit behavior resembling parallel planes, while low aperture values lead to a linear decrease in permeability due to fluid interactions between fracture surfaces. Conversely, anomalous behavior of the relative permeability curves is identified in weakly wet fractures within specific aperture ranges. This behavior is associated with the occurrence of specific flow patterns within the fracture. Results also emphasize that changes in viscosity ratio do not affect the presence or the saturation range of the anomalous behavior but do influence its intensity for each fluid. Comparisons with Poiseuille profile equations reveal the limited impact of the fracture roughness. These findings enhance our understanding of the interactions between aperture, viscosity, and wettability and how they control the shape of the relative permeability curves. These curves are pivotal parameters for the continuum scale modeling (reservoir models) in oil and gas application, for instance.

A two-dimensional harmonic oscillator confined in a circle in the presence of a constant electric field: an informational approach

In this work, we study an electron subjected to a harmonic oscillator potential confined in a circle of radius r0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$r_0$$\\end{document} and in the presence of a constant electric field. We obtain energies and eigenfunctions for three different confinement radii as a function of the electric field strength. We have used the linear variational method by constructing the trial function as a linear combination of two-dimensional confined harmonic oscillator wave functions. We calculate the radial standard deviation as a measure of the dispersion of the probability density. We also computed the Shannon entropy and Fisher information, in configuration and momentum spaces, as localization-delocalization measures for three different confinement radii and as a function of the electric field strength. We find that Shannon entropy and Fisher information are more reliable than variance in determining electron location. The behaviour of Shannon entropy and Fisher information curves is shown to depend on each specific state under study.Graphical abstract

Kinetics of Vegetable Oils (Rice Bran, Sunflower Seed, and Soybean) Extracted by Pressurized Liquid Extraction in Intermittent Process

The research focuses on optimizing vegetable oil production processes for human consumption, emphasizing green and efficient extraction methods using renewable solvents with minimal toxic residues. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), especially with ethanol, is studied for its efficiency and low solvent usage in intermittent processes. By evaluating extraction parameters and kinetics, the study aims to determine optimal conditions for higher extraction rates and yields, providing insights into production costs and other factors. Specifically, the research examines the behavior of extraction kinetics for vegetable oils like rice bran, sunflower seeds, and rolled soybeans. It also seeks to determine mass diffusivity in semi-continuous processes and to model PLE in intermittent processes using Fick’s Law and Mathematica Wolfram Software v11.2. The effective diffusivity (Deff) for rice bran oil in pressurized ethanol varied between 13.09 and 15.70 × 10−12 m2/s, and the Deff value of sunflower seed oil was between 8.10 and 12.60 × 10−12 m2/s. For rolled soybean oil, the Deff value ranged from 17.25 to 31.29 × 10−12 m2/s. The mass diffusivity values of vegetable oils in pressurized ethanol remained within the same order of magnitude. The mass diffusivity for PLE in an intermittent process presented values of 5.97 × 10−12 m2/s for rice bran oil with 3 extraction cycles. The Deff value for sunflower seed oil in pressurized ethanol was 1.38 × 10−12 m2/s, with 4 cycles, and for rolled soybeans, the Deff value was 1.77 × 10−12 m2/s in 3 cycles. The Deff value found in the intermittent extraction process was lower than that in the semi-continuous process. The total solvent renewal in the semi-continuous extraction process significantly impacted the diffusivity values for all extracted oils, as this process utilizes much more solvent compared to the intermittent process for all matrices studied. Various factors, including geometry, average particle diameter, extraction temperature, and rinse solvent volume, can affect the differences in curve behavior between the semi-continuous and intermittent processes. Despite these factors, the intermittent process is considered more viable for implementation due to its favorable economic and environmental characteristics, primarily because it requires a much smaller amount of solvent.

Quasi-periodic oscillation analysis for a sample of blazars at the optical band

Quasi-periodic behavior in the light curves of blazars can help us understand the physics. The identification of the supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) is an active topic, and the periodicity analysis of light curves is a powerful method for searching for these sources. In this work, we aim to identify quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in the optical band light curves in our sample and discuss the possible physical origins behind these targets. In this study, we collected 155 optical band light curves from three different monitoring programs. We searched for QPOs in our sample using the generalised Lomb-Scargle (GLS) and weighted wavelet Z-transform (WWZ) methods. We simulated $10^ $ artificial light curves and evaluated the significance of the results using the Monte Carlo method. Our work reveals that 18 targets show QPOs with timescales ranging from 200 days to 1400 days. These QPOs could be explained by three scenarios, including the SMBHB, instability of thick disks and jet precession. Since the frequencies corresponding to QPOs are in the nHz regime, our work provides candidates of SMBHBs for further verification.

Effect of radiation sensitizer on the friction, mechanical and thermal degradation properties of electron beam cured FKM-PTFE composite

Friction coefficient behaviour of electron beam cured vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer fluorocarbon rubber (FKM) with 30% loading of polytetrafluoroethylene micro-powder (PTFEMP) irradiated at 250 kGy dose were studied by using a pin-on-disk tribometer for a total testing distance of 360 m in dry conditions at a sliding speed and applied normal load (FN) of 0.05 m/s and 1 N respectively. The same tests were done on the 70/30 blend added with radiation sensitizers n,n-1,3 phenylene bismaleimide (HVA2), trimethylol propane triacrylate (TMPTA) and tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA). The average friction coefficient (μ) value of all the composites with sensitizer decreased with the TMPTA system recording the lowest μ value which reduced by almost half compared to the pure composite due to better crosslinking density of the vulcanizate. Analysis of the friction coefficient curve behaviour showed an initial low value but displaying an increasing trend versus distance in the TMPTA and TPGDA composites while HVA2 composite recorded an initial high value but showed a reducing trend versus distance. HVA2 composite also recorded the best tensile strength results due to its influence in promoting better synergistic effect and miscibility of PTFEMP filler in FKM matrix.

Analysis of Magnetotelluric Response Functions at the Cam Thuy Site, Northern Vietnam

During magnetotelluric studies in North Vietnam, an effect where the impedance phases Zxy and Zyx simultaneously left their quadrants was detected at one of the sounding sites, CTH, in the Cam Thuy District, Thanh Hoa Province. Investigation of this phenomenon has shown that it is accompanied by negative (bottom-up directed) components of the Umov–Poynting vector of electromagnetic energy flux density in the entire range of the recorded periods of magnetotelluric variations. This direction of the energy flux remains unchanged when the initial coordinate system is rotated by angles of 45° and 60°. Another characteristic feature of this phenomenon is an unusual behavior of the apparent resistivity curves: the apparent resistivity values increase starting from a period of 200 s up to a period of 104 s, and this increase occurs practically along the asymptote. The analysis of the polarization of the magnetotelluric field and the asymmetry parameter (skew angle) β of the phase tensor has shown that the section exhibits significant three-dimensional distortions as manifested by β values ranging from 20° to 90°.

Effect of carbon nanotubes on mechanical properties of aluminum matrix composites: A review

Abstract Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are renowned for their low density, high elastic modulus, and exceptional electrical and thermal properties. The continuously developing applications of CNTs provide higher specific stiffness and strength for composite materials. The unique characteristics of CNTs make them ideal reinforcing particles in aluminum matrix composites (AMMCs), which generally exhibit excellent mechanical properties. CNTs/AMMCs are usually prepared using methods such as powder metallurgy, casting, spray deposition, and reactive melting. The uniform diffusion of CNTs in composites is crucial for enhancing the properties of CNTs/AMMCs. The properties of CNTs/AMMCs largely depend on the content, morphology, and distribution of reinforcements in the matrix and the interaction between reinforcements and the matrix. By adding an appropriate volume fraction of CNTs, the hardness, tensile strength, compressive strength, and electrical properties of CNTs/AMMCs were significantly improved. The effects of CNT content on the mechanical properties of CNTs/AMMCs, including the tensile strength, yield strength, compressive strength, stress–strain curve behavior, elastic modulus, hardness, creep, and fatigue behavior, were revealed. The design of microstructure, optimization of the preparation process, and optimization of composition can further improve the mechanical properties of CNTs/AMMCs and expand their application in engineering. The design concept of integrating material homogenization and functional unit structure through biomimetic design of novel gradient structures, layered structures, and multi-level twin structures further optimizes the composition and microstructure of CNTs/AMMCs, which is the key to further obtaining high-performance CNTs/AMMCs. As a multifunctional composite material, CNTs/AMMCs have broad application prospects in fields such as air force, military, aerospace, automation, and electronics. Moreover, CNTs/AMMCs have potential applications in cell therapy, tissue engineering, and other areas.

Risk Factors for Progression of Cervical Congenital Scoliosis and Associated Compensatory Curve Behavior.

Background: This study investigated risk factors for progression of deformity in pediatric congenital cervical scoliosis (CCS) and evaluated the correlation between congenital cervical curves and compensatory thoracic and lumbar curves. Methods: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for 38 pediatric patients with CCS with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Curve progression was defined as >10° increase in cervical coronal curve angle between presentation and last follow-up. Results: A total of 38 patients (16 girls, 22 boys) with a mean age at presentation of 5.6 ± 4.1 years met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen patients (42%) had curve progression with a mean follow-up of 3.1 ± 3.0 years. At presentation, T1 slope was significantly larger among children with progressive deformities (p = 0.041). A total of 18 of the 38 patients with strictly cervical spine deformity were then selected for subanalysis to evaluate the progression of compensatory curves. Cervical major coronal curves were found to significantly correlate with lumbar major coronal curves (r = 0.409), C2 central sacral vertical line (CSVL) (r = 0.407), and C7-CSVL (r = 0.403) (p < 0.05). Thoracic major coronal curves did not significantly correlate with cervical major coronal curves (r = 0.218) (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, 42% of osseous CCS curves progressed over time in the overall cohort, and high initial T1 slope was found to be most highly correlated with progression of cervical deformity. Cervical major coronal curves significantly correlated with lumbar curve magnitude but not with thoracic curve size in isolated CCS, possibly due to the increased flexibility of the lumbar spine which may allow greater compensatory balance and thus have a greater correlation with cervical curve magnitude and possibly progression.