Exponential Decrease Research Articles

Inhibiting primary carbide in steel by diffusion: A perspective of phase-field study

This study provides a potentially viable approach to manipulate the precipitation of primary carbides in molten steel by modifying the diffusion coefficient of carbon. The solidification process of a Fe-C alloy is simulated using the multi-phase-field method, and we focus on the impact of diffusion coefficient of carbon on the solute segregation and cementite precipitation. Two benefits have been revealed as the ratio of the diffusivities of carbon in solid to that in liquid is increased. A potential advantage is the reduction in the volume fraction of the residual liquid enriched with carbon during the late solidification. Furthermore, the magnitude of the chemical driving force for the phase transition of cementite precipitation will be lower. The combined influence of both factors results in an exponential decrease in the volume fraction of cementite formed at the end of solidification.

Effects of defect creation and passivation on graphite friction under ultra-high vacuum conditions

Graphite holds significant promise as a solid lubricating material for machine operation in ambient conditions. However, the intricacies of its mechanism remain a subject of debate at the nanoscale. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments conducted in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions provide direct evidence that the adsorption of water molecules significantly compromises friction performance, both on the basal plane and across step edges. This challenges the longstanding belief that the poor lubricating properties of graphite in a vacuum result from the desorption of water molecules. Moreover, the experimental findings put forth a compelling bond passivation hypothesis for graphite lubrication in ambient conditions. The process involves the introduction of defects with dangling bonds on graphite through annealing highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) at elevated temperatures (≥773 K) in UHV conditions. Subsequently, these dangling bonds are gradually passivated by a small amount of residue atoms or molecules. Consequently, the continuously monitored friction force exhibits an exponential decrease over time following annealing. This study advances a molecular level understanding of low lubrication mechanism for graphite.

Understanding the radial contraction and axial mechanical responses of carbon nanotube yarns under axial tensile loading

Carbon nanotube yarns (CNTYs) are hierarchical fibers with outstanding mechanical and electrical properties, with promising applications in the composite industry and as smart materials. In situ scanning electron microscopy observations are performed herein on individual dry-spun CNTYs during axial tensile testing in order to study their radial contraction response and structural changes. The CNTYs exhibited significant diameter reduction and untwisting due to the rearrangement of their fibrils during axial loading. In situ measurements of CNTY diameter reduction led to an exponential decrease of the radial contraction ratio with axial strain, with average values ranging between 5.43 and 1.08. The major failure mechanism was identified as fibril pull-out triggered by fibril slipping. The simultaneous stress and electrical resistance decay of CNTYs under axial tensile relaxation tests fit to a Wiechert's viscoelastic model using a Prony series. The rate of exponential decrease of the electrical resistance over time, however, is slower than that of the stress relaxation, indicating that additional charge carrier relaxation phenomena are present. Using the measured structural and material data input, a nonlinear analytical model based on classical theory of staple yarns is able to reproduce the mechanical response of the yarn. The model suggests that the most prominent parameters affecting the axial mechanical response of the CNTY are the radial contraction ratio, the slip factor, fibril radius, and fibril length.

Both yields of maize and soybean and soil carbon sequestration in typical Mollisols cropland decrease under future climate change: SPACSYS simulation

Although Mollisols are renowned for their fertility and high-productivity, high carbon (C) losses pose a substantial challenge to the sustainable provision of ecosystem services, including food security and climate regulation. Protecting these soils with a specific focus on revitalizing their C sequestration potential emerges as a crucial measure to address various threats associated with climate change. In this study, we employed a modeling approach to assess the impact of different fertilization strategies on crop yield, soil organic carbon (SOC) stock, and C sequestration efficiency (CSE) under various climate change scenarios (baseline, RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5). The process-based SPACSYS model was calibrated and validated using data from two representative Mollisol long-term experiments in Northeast China, including three crops (wheat, maize and soyabean) and four fertilizations (no-fertilizer (CK), mineral nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), manure only (M), and chemical fertilizers plus M (NPKM or NM)). SPACSYS effectively simulated crop yields and the dynamics of SOC stock. According to SPACSYS projections, climate change, especially the increased temperature, is anticipated to reduce maize yield by an average of 14.5% in Harbin and 13.3% in Gongzhuling, and soybean yield by an average of 10.6%, across all the treatments and climatic scenarios. Conversely, a slight but not statistically significant average yield increase of 2.5% was predicted for spring wheat. SOC stock showed a decrease of 8.2% for Harbin and 7.6% for Gonghzuling by 2,100 under the RCP scenarios. Future climates also led to a reduction in CSE by an average of 6.0% in Harbin (except NPK) and 13.4% in Gongzhuling. In addition, the higher average crop yields, annual SOC stocks, and annual CSE (10.15–15.16%) were found when manure amendments were performed under all climate scenarios compared with the chemical fertilization. Soil CSE displayed an exponential decrease with the C accumulated input, asymptotically approaching a constant. Importantly, the CSE asymptote associated with manure application was higher than that of other treatments. Our findings emphasize the consequences of climate change on crop yields, SOC stock, and CSE in the Mollisol regions, identifying manure application as a targeted fertilizer practice for effective climate change mitigation.

Development of High-Voltage Electrodes for Neutron Scattering Sample Environment Devices

The sample environment is essential to neutron scattering experiments as it induces the sample under study into a phase or state of particular interest. Various sample environments have been developed, yet the high-voltage electric field has rarely been documented. In this study, Bruce electrodes with various sectional geometries and chamber sizes were examined by using simulation modeling based on ANSYS Maxwell. A large uniform field region where samples would sit could be achieved in the planar region for all specifications, but the size of the region and the field strength varied with the gap distance between electrodes. The edging effect was inherently observed even for bare electrodes, about 1.7% higher in the sinusoidal region than the planar region, and was significantly deteriorated when a chamber was applied. This effect, however, presented an exponential decrease as the minimum distance between the electrode edge and the chamber shell increased. A compromise between the spatial confinement and the achievable field (strength and uniform region) could be reached according to the unique applicability of neutron instruments. This research provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent design and manufacturing of high-voltage sample environment devices.

Dosimetry and pharmacokinetics of [177Lu]Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan in patients with progressive neuroendocrine tumours

PurposeTo evaluate the dosimetry and pharmacokinetics of the novel radiolabelled somatostatin receptor antagonist [177Lu]Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan in patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).MethodsThis study was part of a phase I/II trial of [177Lu]Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan, administered at a median cumulative activity of 13.0 GBq over three planned cycles (median activity/cycle: 4.5 GBq), in 40 patients with progressive NETs. Organ absorbed doses were monitored at each cycle using patient-specific dosimetry; the cumulative absorbed-dose limits were set at 23.0 Gy for the kidneys and 1.5 Gy for bone marrow. Absorbed dose coefficients (ADCs) were calculated using both patient-specific and model-based dosimetry for some patients.ResultsIn all evaluated organs, maximum [177Lu]Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan uptake was observed at the first imaging timepoint (4 h after injection), followed by an exponential decrease. Kidneys were the main route of elimination, with a cumulative excretion of 57–66% within 48 h following the first treatment cycle. At the first treatment cycle, [177Lu]Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan showed a median terminal blood half-life of 127 h and median ADCs of [177Lu]Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan were 5.0 Gy/GBq in tumours, 0.1 Gy/GBq in the bone marrow, 0.9 Gy/GBq in kidneys, 0.2 Gy/GBq in the liver and 0.8 Gy/GBq in the spleen. Using image-based dosimetry, the bone marrow and kidneys received median cumulative absorbed doses of 1.1 and 10.8 Gy, respectively, after three cycles.Conclusion[177Lu]Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan showed a favourable dosimetry profile, with high and prolonged tumour uptake, supporting its acceptable safety profile and promising efficacy.Trial registrationNCT02592707. Registered October 30, 2015.

Photonic quantum metrology with variational quantum optical nonlinearities

Photonic quantum metrology harnesses quantum states of light, such as NOON or twin-Fock states, to measure unknown parameters beyond classical precision limits. Current protocols suffer from two severe limitations that preclude their scalability: the exponential decrease in fidelities (or probabilities) when generating states with large photon numbers due to gate errors and the increased sensitivity of such states to noise. Here, we develop a deterministic protocol combining quantum optical nonlinearities and variational quantum algorithms that provides a substantial improvement on both fronts. First, we show how the variational protocol can generate metrologically relevant states with a small number of operations which do not significantly depend on photon number, resulting in exponential improvements in fidelities when gate errors are considered. Second, we show that such states offer a better robustness to noise compared to other states in the literature. Since our protocol harnesses interactions already appearing in state-of-the-art setups, such as cavity QED, we expect that it will lead to more scalable photonic quantum metrology in the near future. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Non-destructive methods for mango ripening prediction: Visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (visNIRS) and laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV)

With up to 19% of mango fruit being lost during ripening, the need for non-destructive technologies to predict internal physiochemical traits is paramount. This study compared two non-destructive technologies, visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (visNIRS) and laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV), for predicting the ripeness of mango fruit in two cultivars, ‘Kent’ and ‘Keitt’. An internal quality index (IQI) in ‘Kent’ was predicted using visNIRS (RP2 = 0.729, RMSEP = 0.532) using partial least squares regression, which gave a single measure for ripeness incorporating firmness, sweetness, and pulp colour. This model was improved by using the sum of the individual sugar contents (glucose, sucrose, and fructose) over the conventional total soluble solids (TSS) measure. LDV provided poor predictions of firmness (R2 < 0.5) in both ‘Kent’ and ‘Keitt’ using least squares regression line. The resonant frequency, as measured by LDV, decreased linearly with time, while firmness quantified destructively (quasi-static) showed an exponential decrease, suggesting the vibrational and destructive firmness measure distinct characteristics, which would contribute to poor model performance. These results showed that LDV is not suitable for assessing mango ripening. While visNIRS models have been successful at predicting quality traits, our results suggested that using individual sugar content in place of TSS can improve the prediction of ripening. This understanding of the strengths and limitations of both visNIRS and LDV, and how they relate to destructive quality measurements, can be used to improve postharvest management practices whilst reducing commercial losses in the mango industry.

Flow Characteristics in Partly Vegetated Channels: An Experimental Investigation

In this study, we attempt to experimentally investigate the flow turbulence structure in a partly vegetated channel. To achieve the objective of this study, we conducted extensive measurements of flow velocities within and outside the vegetated area, where the flow is fully developed. The experiments were conducted in a very large channel at the Coastal Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Civil, Environmental, Building Engineering and Chemistry at the Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy. The instantaneous three flow velocity components were accurately measured using a 3D-Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV)-Vectrino system at high frequency. Flow behaviors through the vegetated area, at the interface, and in the unobstructed area were analyzed via time-averaged velocities, turbulence intensity, correlation properties, spectral analysis, and vortex identification. Experimental results showed the development of three distinct characteristic flow zones: (i) a vegetated area of low streamwise velocity, high turbulence intensities, dominant inward interactions, and more intense power spectrum, (ii) a shear layer zone of increasing streamwise velocity, more enhanced transverse flow motion, exponential decrease in turbulence intensities, and frequent ejection and/or outward interaction events, and (iii) a free-stream zone of higher and almost constant streamwise velocity, lower turbulence intensities, frequent sweep and/or inward interaction events, and less intense streamwise power spectrum. The results brought further insights into the flow behaviors in these characteristic flow zones. The extensive and detailed measured data can provide a basis for improving and calibrating numerical simulations of partly vegetated channels.

Pulley Effect in the Capture of DNA Translocation through Solid-State Nanopores.

Nanopores are powerful single-molecule sensors for analyzing biomolecules such as DNA and proteins. Understanding the dynamics of DNA capture and translocation through nanopores is essential for optimizing their performance. In this study, we examine the effects of applied voltage and pore diameter on current blockage, translocation time, collision, and capture location by translocating λ-DNA through 5.7 and 16 nm solid-state nanopores. Ionic current changes are used to infer DNA conformations during translocation. We find that translocation time increases with pore diameter, which can be attributed to the decrease of the stall force. Linear and exponential decreases of collision frequency with voltage are observed in the 16 and 5.7 nm pores, respectively, indicating a free energy barrier in the small pore. Moreover, the results reveal a voltage-dependent bias in the capture location toward the DNA ends, which is explained by a "pulley effect" deforming the DNA as it approaches the pore. This study provides insights into the physics governing DNA capture and translocation, which can be useful for promoting single-file translocation to enhance nanopore sensing.

Two Waves of Specific B Cell Memory Immunoreconstruction Observed in Anti-HHV1-3 IgG Kinetics after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Humoral memory and specific antibody levels depend on the kind of antigen and individual immunofactors. The presence of IgM antibodies or a fourfold rise in specific IgG levels are generally accepted as diagnostic factors in the serology of acute viral infections. This basic model is not adequate for the herpes virome, especially after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), due to continuous, usually multifocal antigenic stimulation, various donor serostatuses, immunosuppression, and individual immunoreconstitution. A case-control study was conducted to identify active infection cases of human herpesvirus (HHV) (from 300 diagnosed immunocompromised patients) and to evaluate historically associated humoral factors to look at outcomes. We considered only the data of patients with meticulous differential diagnosis to exclude other causes, and thereby to observe pathways and temporal relationships, not the statistical ones usually collected in cohorts. Despite the small number, such data collection and analysis methods avoid a number of biases and indicate cause and effect. In this observational study, a retrospective analysis of data from 300 patients with clinical diagnosis of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation showed a number of biases. Two well-differentiated cases (confirmed by a Tzanck test) with various diseases and conditioning evolutions of immune parameters showed an interesting pathway. Exponential decreases in specific IgGs after HSCT preceded virus replication were observed, with a cytopathic effect (shingles, VZV encephalitis and HSV-induced mucositis). The minima (lowest IgG levels) before herpesvirus reactivation were 234.23 mIU/mL and 94 RU/mL for VZV and HSV, respectively. This coincided with a low CD4 titer, but without other infectious processes. Other immune response parameters such as Treg, cytotoxic T cells, and complement and total IgG level were the same as they were before the transplant procedure. Interestingly, a second wave of immunoreconstitution with an anamnestic antibody response was not always observed. It coincided with prolonged herpes viral infection. A patient with lymphocyte depletion in conditioning showed an earlier second wave of immunoreconstitution (6th vs. 14th month). As is typical for infancy, the kinetics of the IgG level is unique after HSCT (the decline phase is first). Host microbiome factors (e.g., HHV1-3-serostatus) should be taken into account to predict risk of non-relapse mortality and survival after HSCT. The levels of specific antibodies help in predicting prognoses and improve disease management. A lack of differentiation and the confusing bias of the assessor (i.e., observer selection bias) are the main obstacles in statistical HHV1-3 research. Such time-lapse case studies may be the first to build evidence of a pathway and an association between immune parameters and HHV disease.

An elementary proof of the amplitude’s exponential decrease in damped oscillations

A damped oscillation is characterized by the diminishing amplitude of an oscillating system resulting from the dissipation of energy. A crucial example of damped oscillations involves a block of mass attached to the end of a linear spring, experiencing a damping force proportional to the object’s velocity and acting in opposition to the direction of its motion. For small values of the damping constant, the amplitude decreases exponentially over time. Typically, this behavior is introduced at the secondary education level without providing a justification. In this paper, a new approach tailored for the secondary education level is introduced to explain the aforementioned exponential decrease without relying on advanced mathematical tools. In addition, utilizing this analysis simplifies the demonstration of why the exponential decrease in amplitude is applicable only for small damping forces. It is also worth noting that the methods used to derive this result can be applied in various areas, including the derivation of the equation that connects the root mean square value of the AC sinusoidal current to its maximum value.

Photochemical characterization of rate laws, rate constants and photonicities in optically–dense, multiphoton–reactive systems

A novel method for characterizing the rate constants k and photonicities n of multiphoton–induced reactions in optically dense media is presented. Conventionally, k and n are calculated by irradiating samples of identical absorbance with different incident initial intensities I0,0 and characterizing the rates of change in absorbance, with incident rate constants k0,0 being proportional to I0,0n for n–photon processes. In our method,I0,0n is replaced by a longitudinally–and–temporally–averaged nth–order intensityIx,tn¯=1-10-nA¯2.303nA¯I0,0n which accounts for the exponential decrease in intensity across the optical pathlength due to the average absorbance A¯ over an irradiation interval of duration t.We demonstrate the utility of Ix,tn¯ by contrasting longitudinally–and–temporally–averaged rate constants kx,t and photonicities nx,t with incident rate constants k0,0 and photonicities n0,0 for the 532 nm, two–photon induced photodegradation of β–carotene in CCl4 solvent. Because the actinic intensity declines more rapidly with x in high (A ∼ 1.0) than low (A ∼ 0.2) absorbance samples, the incident rates R0,0=k0,0I0,0n are faster in the low absorbance samples: i.e., k0,0(A532 = 0.2) > k0,0(A532 = 1.0). In significant contrast, we find that kx,t(A532 = 1.0) ∼ kx,t(A532 = 0.2). indicating that kx,t provides better estimates of the rate constant than k0,0. As with kx,t, we find that the photonicities are minimally affected by A532; i.e., n0,0 ∼ nx,t for both low and high absorbance samples. Hence, the dependence of the rate on the actinic absorbance is incorporated principally into the incident rate constants k0,0; kx,t, n0,0 and nx,t are largely unaffected by A532. We detail potential applications of our method to both multiphoton–induced chemical synthesis and multiphoton–induced photodynamic therapy scenarios, as high absorbance samples are advantageous for both of these applications.

Rehabilitation in the intensive care unit: How amount of physical and occupational therapy affects patients' function and hospital length of stay.

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often experience extended periods of immobility. Following hospital discharge, many face impaired mobility and never return to their baseline function. Although the benefits of physical and occupational rehabilitation are well established in non-ICU patients, a paucity of work describes effective practices to alleviate ICU-related declines in mobility. To assess how rehabilitation with physical and occupational therapy (PT-OT) during ICU stays affects patients' mobility, self-care, and length of hospital stay. Retrospective cohort study. Inpatient ICU. A total of 6628 adult patients who received physical rehabilitation across multiple sites (Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) of a single institution between January 2018 and December 2021. Not applicable. Descriptive statistics, linear regression models, and gradient boosting machine methods were used to determine the relationship between the amount of PT-OT received and outcomes of hospital length of stay (LOS), Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care Daily Activity and Basic Mobility scores. The 6628 patients who met inclusion criteria received an average (median) of 23 (range: 1-89) minutes of PT-OT per day. Regression analyses showed each additional 10 minutes of PT-OT per day was associated with a 1.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-1.66, p < .001) higher final Basic Mobility score, a 1.8% (95% CI: 1.30%-2.34%, p < .001) higher final Daily Activity score, and a 1.2-day (95% CI: -1.28 to -1.09, p < .001) lower hospital LOS. One-dimensional partial dependence plots revealed an exponential decrease in predicted LOS as minutes of PT-OT received increased. Higher rehabilitation minutes provided to patients in the ICU may reduce the LOS and improve patients' functional outcomes at discharge. The benefits of rehabilitation increased with increasing amounts of time of therapy received.

Age dependent effects of early intervention in borderline personality disorder in adolescents.

Psychological treatments for young people with sub-threshold or full-syndrome borderline personality disorder (BPD) are found to be effective. However, little is known about the age at which adolescents benefit from early intervention. This study investigated whether age affects the effectiveness of early intervention for BPD. N = 626 participants (M age = 15 years, 82.7% female) were consecutively recruited from a specialized outpatient service for early intervention in BPD in adolescents aged 12- to 17-years old. DSM-IV BPD criteria were assessed at baseline, one-year (n = 339) and two-year (n = 279) follow-up. Older adolescents presented with more BPD criteria (χ2(1) = 58.23, p < 0.001) and showed a steeper decline of BPD criteria over the 2-year follow-up period compared with younger adolescents (χ2(2) = 13.53, p = 0.001). In an attempt to disentangle effects of early intervention from the natural course of BPD, a parametrized regression model was used. An exponential decrease (b = 0.10, p < 0.001) in BPD criteria was found when starting therapy over the 2-year follow-up. This deviation from the natural course was impacted by age at therapy commencement (b = 0.06, p < 0.001), although significant across all ages: older adolescents showed a clear decrease in BPD criteria, and young adolescents a smaller decrease. Early intervention appears effective across adolescence, but manifests differently: preventing the normative increase of BPD pathology expected in younger adolescents, and significantly decreasing BPD pathology in older adolescents. The question as to whether developmentally adapted therapeutic interventions could lead to an even increased benefit for younger adolescents, should be explored in future studies.

Assessing the Presence of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Punta Carnero Estuary (Ecuador)

Chronic hydrocarbon spills are a threat to coastal ecosystems, and their impact on the water quality along watercourses should be characterised to medium long term in order to assess the risk and define cost-effective and sustainable remediation strategies. For this purpose, a methodology for the measurement of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) on a spatio-temporal scale was designed, implemented and validated in the Punta Carnero estuary, in the Santa Elena province, western Ecuador, which is affected by hydrocarbon pollution. The selection of monitoring stations was made according to the different inflows along the water system corresponding to the different anthropogenic activities in the area, in order to assess whether the effluents involve critical levels of pollution. Measurements of hydrodynamic, environmental and vegetation cover parameters were also carried out to assess their possible variations as a consequence of the impact of the spatio-temporal TPH concentrations. An increase in hydrocarbon concentrations was observed from 2013 to 2021. Mean annual TPH levels were above the maximum allowable limit for the protection of aquatic and other wildlife in estuarine waters according to the Ecuadorian regulation for environmental quality. An increase in mangrove tree cover could contribute to an exponential decrease in contamination levels. The methodology used in this study may support the quantifying of TPH content in future applications, which is a priority task for the restoration of degraded ecosystems.Graphical abstract

Four-Channel Ultrasonic Sensor for Bulk Liquid and Biochemical Surface Interrogation.

Custom electronics tailored for ultrasonic applications with four ultrasonic transmit-receive channels and a nominal 25 MHz single channel frequency were developed for ultrasound BAW and SAW biosensor uses. The designed integrated microcontroller, supported by Python with a SciPy library, and the developed system measured the time of flight (TOF) and other wave properties to characterize the acoustic properties of a bulk of the liquid in a microchannel or acoustic properties of biological species attached to an analytic surface in real time. The system can utilize both piezoelectric and capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers. The device demonstrated a linear response to changes in water salinity. This response was primarily attributed to the time-of-flight (TOF) changes related to the varying solution density. Furthermore, real-time DNA oligonucleotide-based interactions between oligonucleotides immobilized on the device's analytical area and oligonucleotides attached to gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in the solution were demonstrated. The biological interaction led to an exponential decrease in the acoustic interfacial wave propagating across the interface between the solution and the solid surface of the sensor, the TOF signal. This decrease was attributed to the increase in the effective density of the solution in the vicinity of the sensor's analytical area, as Au NPs modified by oligonucleotides were binding to the analytical area. The utilization of Au NPs in oligonucleotide surface binding yields a considerably stronger sensor signal than previously observed in earlier CMUT-based TOF biosensor prototypes.

Elm wood (Ulmus rubra) vacuum drying at 40 °C studied by time domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR)

Abstract The time domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) technique was employed to distinguish various water states, and the moisture migration during Elm wood (Ulmus rubra) heartwood vacuum drying was quantitatively analyzed. The transverse relaxation time (T2) was employed to establish the correlation between drying time and moisture migration. Additionally, the longitudinal relaxation time (T1) was utilized to identify two types of water states within the cell wall: OH bound water (B-water) and more freely bound water (C-water). Meanwhile, the changes in these two types of bound water during the drying were investigated. The results demonstrated an exponential decrease in the content of OH bound water and more freely bound water with drying time. OH bound water within the cell wall predominated, with only a small portion of more freely bound water experiencing migration loss when the moisture content (MC) dropped below 20 %. Furthermore, OH bound water exhibited higher migration rate compared to more freely bound water at 10–20 % MC, while the motion of OH bound water molecules became highly restricted and stronger binding to cell walls than more freely bound water at a MC level of below 10 %. These findings yield a theoretical foundation and empirical support for optimizing drying methods.

Radiation Shielding Properties of Aluminosilicate Glass Systems using Phy-X Software

In this work, we studied the radiation shielding properties of aluminosilicate glasses with constant SiO2 content. By applying Phy-X software, we calculated different radiation attenuation factors for the chosen glasses. The linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) for the chosen CaO–Al2O3–SiO2 glass systems showed an exponential decrease as the energy changes from 0.015 to 15 MeV. For the glass with composition of 35CaO-5Al2O3-60SiO2, the LAC decreases from 29.80 to 1.279 cm-1 between 0.015 and 0.05 MeV. The LAC decreases with the increase in the Al2O3 content. The minimum LAC is found for the glass with the composition of 20CaO-20Al2O3-60SiO2. The effective atomic number (Zeff) was reported, and we found that the highest Zeff is occurred at 0.015 MeV and varied between 14.55 and 16.09. The Zeff decreases when we replaced the CaO by Al2O3. The half value layer was reported and we discussed the impact of the density of the glasses on the HVL values. In the low energy range, the HVL values are small and the different compositions have close HVL. For E&gt;0.08 MeV, the HVL is higher than 1 cm for all glasses, while for E&gt; 0.2 MeV, the HVL becomes higher than 2 cm for all glasses. The glass with composition of 35CaO-5Al2O3-60SiO2 has better attenuation performance than the other glasses in this study.

Robust and Exponential Stabilization of a Cart–Pendulum System via Geometric PID Control

This paper addresses the robust stabilization problem of a cart–pole system. The controlled dynamics of this interconnected system are deduced by following the analytic framework of Lagrangian mechanics, and the residual terms are formulated as a bias depending on the angle and angular velocity. A geometric definition of Proportional–Integral–Derivative (PID) control algorithm is proposed, and a Lyapunov function is explicitly constructed through two stages of variable change. Local exponential stability of the stable equilibrium is proved, and a criterion for parameter tuning is provided by ensuring an exponential decrease in the Lyapunov function. Enlarging the control parameters to infinity allows for the extension of attraction region almost to the half circle. The effectiveness of geometric PID controller and the local exponential stability of the resulting close system are verified by simulating a numerical example.