Polarization Analysis Research Articles

Polarization analysis of two baryons with various spin combinations produced in electron-positron annihilation

We develop a systematic approach to analyze polarization correlations of two baryons B1B¯2 produced in the electron-positron annihilation process. With spin density matrices for arbitrary spin particles established in the standard, the Cartesian, and the helicity forms, we provide analyses of polarization correlations for two baryons with various spin combinations. This framework can be applied to determine the spin and the parity of excited baryons, and therefore offers opportunities for the investigation of baryon spectrum and transition form factors in present and future electron-positron annihilation experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Magnetostratigraphy and rock magnetic studies on the Cretaceous‐Paleogene transition strata along the Um Sohryngkew River, Therriaghat, Meghalaya, India

A combination of magnetic polarity and rock magnetic analysis on the well‐documented section of the Um Sohryngkew River (USR) in the south Shillong Plateau, NE India, produced a sharp reversal marking the C29r‐C29n geomagnetic polarity transition at approximately 65.688 Ma. The rock magnetic studies indicate ferrimagnetic dominant mineralogy with abundance of SSD grains, with an anomalous peak in susceptibility coinciding with Ir‐rich limonitic layer. The magnetic reversal occurs precisely 61 m above the Ir‐rich distinct in situ limonitic layer, indicating that the C29r‐C29n geomagnetic reversal post‐dates the widely accepted Ir‐anomaly based K‐Pg boundary by approximately 355 Ka. Furthermore, the rock magnetic studies indicate its frequency dependence coinciding with the Ir‐rich limonitic layer suggesting a possible dust/aerosol source, while akaganéite is reported from the interval approximately 1 m below peak susceptibility, indicating signature of Deccan volcanism. This study infers the completeness of the USR section with a high rate of sedimentation of approximately 17 cm/ka among the marine K‐Pg boundary sections in the world.

3D printed tinidazole tablets coupled with melt-extrusion techniques for formulating child friendly medicines

This study investigates the feasibility of fabrication of poly(1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (Kollidon®25)-mediated filaments for producing tinidazole (TNZ)-loaded, customizable, child-friendly tablets (with varying shapes and sizes) using hot melt extrusion (HME) coupled with fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. Kollidon®25, chosen for its ability to enhance the dissolution of TNZ (a BCS Class II drug), was evaluated for polymer-drug compatibility through Hansen solubility, polarity, and interaction parameter analyses, confirming good miscibility and affinity between TNZ and Kollidon®25. Placebo- and TNZ-loaded filaments were prepared in different ratios using HME, followed by the development of 3D-printed tablets via FDM. The fabricated batches of placebo and TNZ-loaded 3D tablets were characterized, and it was found that they had an average weight variation of 270.41 ± 7.44 mg and 270.87 ± 9.33 mg, hardness of 155.01 ± 11.79 N and 265.3 ± 7.62 N, and friability of 0.1583 ± 0.0011 % and 0.2254 ± 0.0013 %. Amorphization was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a layer-by-layer pattern with tiny fractures on the tablet surfaces, which enhanced media penetration, resulting in improved dissolution profiles. The TNZ release profile showed complete 100 % release within 2.0 h in a gastric acidic medium. These findings support the potential of Kollidon®25 to create customizable, child-friendly, 3D-printed dosage forms with different shapes and sizes for TNZ delivery, offering a unique approach to paediatric medications.

An adhesive hydrogel functionalized silica sphere for polar analytes separation and analysis

In response to the challenges associated with the chromatographic separation of polar compounds, this study aims to devise a solution by introducing a novel stationary phase. Hydrogels, characterized by a three-dimensional network structure, have aroused wide attention owing to its functional designability, multiple interaction sites and good adhesion, etc. In this work, an adhesive hydrogel functionalized silica stationary phase (Sil@PVA/TA) was synthesized using physical coating technique. Due to the co-existence of hydroxyl and benzene ring in the hydrogel structure, the obtained composites materials exhibited excellent separation performance for various of compounds and excellent column efficiency up to 71385.6 plates/m for thymidine. Furthermore, the hydrogel functionalized silica demonstrated superior selectivity to bare silica, diol-column and NH2-column for the separation of various of polar molecules, including, nucleosides/bases, alkaloids, organic acids, antibiotics and amino acids. Notably, for alkaloids, which frequently encounter peak tailing issues, Sil@PVA/TA demonstrated superior peak shape compared with C18 column. In short, this study successfully synthesized a hydrogel functionalized silica stationary phase, offering a novel method for the separation and analysis of polar compounds.

Corrosion inhibition assessment of a sustainable inhibitor from the weed plant (Pouzolzia zeylanica L.) on SS-410 surface in 0.5 M HCl acidic medium

BackgroundThe research has looked into the potential of plant extracts as natural corrosion inhibitors as an alternative to synthetic ones. The study aims to investigate the ability of the weed plant Pouzolzia zeylanica L. extract (PZE) to prevent corrosion of stainless steel-410 in a 0.5 M HCl acidic medium. MethodIn this work, the leaf extract of PZE is prepared in water, and the functional activity of the prepared PZ water extract (PZE)is evaluated using various techniques. Both electrochemical and gravimetric techniques are employed in this study. The inhibitor from PZ inhibits the anodic region on the SS-410 surface active sites through straightforward adsorption. Experimental techniques such as UV–visible spectroscopy, FTIR, LC-MS, SEM, AFM, EDX, EIS, and computational studies demonstrate the formation of protective layers under inhibiting conditions. The gravimetric data confirms monolayer adsorption, following the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Significant findingsThe data obtained demonstrate that when SS-410 is immersed directly in a corrosive solution containing dissolved inhibitor molecules, it effectively prevents corrosion. Therefore, increasing the concentration of this chemical improves its inhibitory efficiency. Indeed, the PZ inhibitor achieved a favourable experimental outcome with an efficacy of 95 % at 400 mg/L in 0.5 M HCl. Based on polarization analysis, the corrosion inhibitor exhibits anodic nature for SS-410 in 0.5 M HCl.

Experimental quantum Byzantine agreement on a three-user quantum network with integrated photonics.

Quantum communication networks are crucial for both secure communication and cryptographic networked tasks. Building quantum communication networks in a scalable and cost-effective way is essential for their widespread adoption. Here, we establish a complete polarization entanglement-based fully connected network, which features an ultrabright integrated Bragg reflection waveguide quantum source, managed by an untrusted service provider, and a streamlined polarization analysis module, which requires only one single-photon detector for each user. We perform a continuously working quantum entanglement distribution and create correlated bit strings between users. Within the framework of one-time universal hashing, we provide the experimental implementation of source-independent quantum digital signatures using imperfect keys circumventing the necessity for private amplification. We further beat the 1/3 fault tolerance bound in the Byzantine agreement, achieving unconditional security without relying on sophisticated techniques. Our results offer an affordable and practical route for addressing consensus challenges within the emerging quantum network landscape.

Assessing the influence of superabsorbent polymers on corrosion resistance of reinforced ultra-high performance concrete exposed to chloride and compound saltwater via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

The corrosion resistance of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) with superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) submerged in deionized water, chloride saltwater, and compound saltwater was studied. The investigated mixtures included a control UHPC mixture and UHPC mixtures with 0.3 % sodium polyacrylates and 0.3 % polyacrylate-co-acrylamide. The corrosion performance was evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, while scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis was used to analyze micro-morphology changes and chemical composition. Polarization analysis revealed that the control specimens exhibited the highest resistance to chloride and sulfate penetration, resulting in negligible corrosion rates after 240 days (icorr from 0.0013 to 0.0063 µA/cm2). The SAP-modified specimens also showed high resistance, with an initial low corrosion rate (icorr of 0.101 µA/cm2) that decreased to negligible levels after 28 days (icorr from 0.047 to 0.088 µA/cm2). SEM/EDX results revealed that SAPs facilitate the formation of Friedel’s salt and Ettringite crystals in chloride and compound saltwater, contributing to the reduction in corrosion resistance.

Experimental study on identifying anomaly azimuth based on acoustic vector array of borehole acoustic reflection imaging

Accurate anomaly azimuth identification is a major challenge in borehole acoustic reflection imaging. We propose an azimuth estimation method using an acoustic vector array to address this issue. This method was rigorously tested through a physical simulation experiment in a water-filled tank using a monopole acoustic source and an acoustic receiver station comprised of eight azimuthal elements. The proposed method involves the synthesis of multiazimuth acoustic pressure waveforms recorded by the receiver into multicomponent particle velocity waveforms. These waveforms are paired and subjected to coordinate conversion, yielding multiple groups of orthogonal component particle velocity waveforms. Each group underwent polarization analysis to obtain the direction of particle polarization on the horizontal plane and isolate the principal component particle velocity waveform. Using the particle polarization direction, the amplitude of the multiazimuth acoustic pressure waveform, and the type of echo mode, we accurately determined the azimuth of the anomaly, facilitating the creation of a spatial distribution image of the anomaly. Further validation of this method was conducted through a large-scale physical simulation experiment in a deep-water lake using a borehole acoustic reflection imaging instrument. The obtained experimental data were used to validate the effectiveness of this method. Finally, considering an actual logging environment, the feasibility of this method in a borehole environment was verified using numerical simulations and field data of acoustic detection of nearby wells. The present findings demonstrate that this novel method considerably enhances the accuracy and stability of the measurement of anomaly azimuth based on the particle polarization direction. In addition, this method effectively harnesses both acoustic pressure and particle velocity in borehole acoustic reflection imaging, exhibiting superior noise robustness, mitigating noise, and improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the echoes.

Scupa: Single-cell unified polarization assessment of immune cells using the single-cell foundation model.

Immune cells undergo cytokine-driven polarization in respond to diverse stimuli. This process significantly modulates their transcriptional profiles and functional states. Although single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has advanced our understanding of immune responses across various diseases or conditions, currently there lacks a method to systematically examine cytokine effects and immune cell polarization. To address this gap, we developed Single-cell unified polarization assessment (Scupa), the first computational method for comprehensive immune cell polarization analysis. Scupa is trained on data from the Immune Dictionary, which characterizes 66 cytokine-driven polarization states across 14 immune cell types. By leveraging the cell embeddings from the Universal Cell Embeddings model, Scupa effectively identifies polarized cells in new datasets generated from different species and experimental conditions. Applications of Scupa in independent datasets demonstrated its accuracy in classifying polarized cells and further revealed distinct polarization profiles in tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells across cancers. Scupa complements conventional single-cell data analysis by providing new insights into immune cell polarization, and it holds promise for assessing molecular effects or identifying therapeutic targets in cytokine-based therapies.

Comparison of Corrosion Behavior of a-C Coatings Deposited by Cathode Vacuum Arc and Filter Cathode Vacuum Arc Techniques

This study explores the utilization of cathodic vacuum arc (CVA) technology to address the limitations of magnetron sputtering technology in preparing amorphous carbon (a-C) coatings, such as having a low ionization rate, low deposition rate, and insufficiently dense structure. Specifically, a-C coatings were prepared by the cathodic vacuum arc (CVA)and the filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) technology,, one with embedded carbon particles and one without, both having closely related carbon structures. Research is currently underway on bipolar plate coatings for fuel cells. The corrosion behavior of the prepared a-C coatings was examined through Tafel polarization analysis under simulated fuel cell operating conditions as well as potentiostatic analysis at 0.6 V under normal conditions and 1.6 V under start–stop conditions for 7200 s. The coatings before and after corrosion are characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The results reveal that the incorporation of conductive graphite-like particles in the coatings reduces their contact resistance. However, the gaps between these particles and the coatings act as pathways for corrosive solution, exacerbating the corrosion of the coatings. After corrosion at 0.6 V, both sets of coatings with sp2-hybridized carbon structures are contaminated by elements such as hydrogen and oxygen, leading to an increase in their contact resistance. Under high potential conditions (1.6 V), large corrosion pits and defects appear at the locations of graphite-like carbon particles. Furthermore, both sets of samples exhibit more severe oxygen contamination and a transformation of broken carbon bonds from sp3- to sp2-hybridized forms, irrespective of whether embedded graphite particles are present.

Adaptive Evolutionary Computing Ensemble Learning Model for Sentiment Analysis

Standard machine learning and deep learning architectures have been widely used in the field of sentiment analysis, but their performance is unsatisfactory if the input texts are short (e.g., social media posts). Specifically, the accuracy of standard machine learning methods crucially depends on the richness and completeness of the features used to represent the texts, and in the case of short messages, it is often difficult to obtain high-quality features. Conversely, methods based on deep learning can achieve better expressiveness, but these methods are computationally demanding and often suffer from over-fitting. This paper proposes a new adaptive evolutionary computational integrated learning model (AdaECELM) to overcome the problems encountered by traditional machine learning and deep learning models in sentiment analysis for short texts. AdaECELM consists of three phases: feature selection, sub classifier training, and global integration learning. First, a grid search is used for feature extraction and selection of term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF). Second, cuckoo search (CS) is introduced to optimize the combined hyperparameters in the sub-classifier support vector machine (SVM). Finally, the training set is divided into different feature subsets for sub-classifier training, and then the trained sub-classifiers are integrated and learned using the AdaBoost integrated soft voting method. Extensive experiments were conducted on six real polar sentiment analysis data sets. The results show that the AdaECELM model outperforms the traditional ML comparison methods according to evaluation metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score in all cases, and we report an improvement in accuracy exceeding 4.5%, the second-best competitor.

Fabrication of Ni–ZrO2 nanocomposites through a new electroforming bath and Assessment of their morphology, wear, and corrosion resistance

Nowadays, researchers are looking for ways to produce complex tools and pieces with high precision at a low cost. In recent decades, electroforming has been an important and stable technique for producing composite parts. In this research, Ni–ZrO2 nanocomposite foils were fabricated by using a nickel-chloride bath through electroforming, a bath not previously utilized for this purpose. In this study, the effects of ZrO2 concentration and direct current density on the volume percentage of ZrO2 nanoparticles and the grain size of the nickel matrix of foils are also investigated. The sample with 13.65 vol % nanoparticles had the highest volume percentage and the minimum nickel grain size of 516.9 nm, which is almost 46 % smaller than the grain size of pure nickel foil. The wear and corrosion behavior of the foils were examined using a pin-on-disk wear test, potentiodynamic polarization, and impedance spectroscopy analysis. The results showed considerable improvement in the wear and corrosion resistance of the Ni–ZrO2 samples compared to the pure electroformed nickel. The nanocomposites exhibit a lower friction coefficient than pure nickel, with a maximum reduction of 44 %. A composite specimen of Ni–ZrO2 had 2.5 % lower corrosion density and 596 % higher charge transfer resistance compared to pure nickel. It was concluded that the nickel-chloride bath has an excellent potential to produce composite nickel foils with acceptable brightness, satisfactory wear, and corrosion resistance.

Polar body-based PGT-A: not dead yet? A step forward back to the roots of PGT-A

Trophectoderm-based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) is used worldwide as a means of selecting embryos with high potential for achieving a live birth. However, trophectoderm analysis may be impaired through embryonic mosaicism, leading to genetically healthy embryos being falsely discarded, and thus even reducing cumulative live birth rates. Polar body biopsy, a technique applied since the early days of preimplantation testing, has been abandoned by most IVF centres. In comparison to trophectoderm analysis, however, polar body biopsy might even have certain advantages over trophectoderm PGT-A. This Countercurrent contribution discusses the newest clinical evidence, as well as ethical and cost-efficiency considerations, and argue that polar body analysis should be reconsidered.

Diagnostics of Magnetohydrodynamic Modes in the Interstellar Medium through Synchrotron Polarization Statistics

One of the biggest challenges in understanding magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence is identifying the plasma mode components from observational data. Previous studies on synchrotron polarization from the interstellar medium (ISM) suggest that the dominant MHD modes can be identified via statistics of Stokes parameters, which would be crucial for studying various ISM processes such as the scattering and acceleration of cosmic rays, star formation, and dynamo. In this paper, we present a numerical study of the synchrotron polarization analysis (SPA) method through systematic investigation of the statistical properties of the Stokes parameters. We derive the theoretical basis for our method from the fundamental statistics of MHD turbulence, recognizing that the projection of the MHD modes allows us to identify the modes dominating the energy fraction from synchrotron observations. Based on the discovery, we revise the SPA method using synthetic synchrotron polarization observations obtained from 3D ideal MHD simulations with a wide range of plasma parameters and driving mechanisms, and present a modified recipe for mode identification. We propose a classification criterion based on a new SPA+ fitting procedure, which allows us to distinguish between Alfvén mode and compressible/slow mode dominated turbulence. We further propose a new method to identify fast modes by analyzing the asymmetry of the SPA+ signature and establish a new asymmetry parameter to detect the presence of fast mode turbulence. Additionally, we confirm through numerical tests that the identification of the compressible and fast modes is not affected by Faraday rotation in both the emitting plasma and the foreground.

Holistic development of rechargeable Metal-CO2-Mars battery chemistry for Mars exploration

The development of metal-CO2 batteries is a promising technology due to their high energy density and, more importantly, their ability to utilize the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) as an energy carrier and, therefore, to combat the climate change effects. Furthermore, the metal-CO2 battery can offer great benefits in terms of energy storage and in-situ resource utilization for the interplanetary Mars mission, reducing overall mission cost, weight, and complexity. This work is a novel attempt to realize the feasible development of a metal-CO2Mars battery for Mars exploration. To the best of our knowledge, we hereby report the practical configuration of metal (X)-CO2Mars batteries (X = Li, Na and K) which is operated in a simulated Martian atmosphere for the first time. To develop a better fundamental understanding, we investigate the effective reversibility and discharge-reaction product formation of these metal-CO2Mars batteries. Further, the electrochemical performance and underlying mechanism of metal-CO2Mars batteries are evaluated using electrochemical testing (galvanic discharge-charge, cyclic voltammetry), potentiodynamic polarization, and Raman spectroscopy analysis, which are then later supported by first-principle calculation based on density functional theory. Thus, we believe that this work provide a rational design strategy for the practical development of metal-CO2Mars and metal-CO2 batteries.

A comparative study of two α-L-rhamnosidases with high sequence identity

The GH78 α-L-rhamnosidase from Aspergillus tubingensis (AT-Rha) was proved to be a new clade of Aspergillus α-L-rhamnosidases in the previous study. A putative α-L-rhamnosidase from A. kawachii IFO 4308 (AK-Rha) has 92 % identity in amino acid sequence with AT-Rha. In this study, AK-Rha was expressed in P. pastoris and characterized. Similar to AT-rRha, the recombinant AK-Rha (AK-rRha) showed a narrow substrate specificity to naringin. Interestingly, the enzyme activity of AK-rRha was 0.816 U/mg toward naringin, significantly lower than 125.142 U/mg of AT-rRha. Their large differences in catalytic efficiency was mainly due to their differences in kcat values between AK-rRha (0.67 s−1) and AT-rRha (4.89 × 104 s−1). The molecular dynamics simulation exhibited that the overall conformation of AK-Rha was rigid and that of AT-Rha was flexible; the Loop Y-L located above the catalytic domain formed different steric hindrances to naringin, and interacted with the flavonoid matrices at different strengths. The polar solvation energy analysis implied that the glycosidic bond was more easily hydrolysed in AT-Rha. The comparative study verified that the main feature of AK-Rha and AT-Rha represented Aspergillus α-L-rhamnosidase was the narrow substrate specificity toward naringin, and provided an insight of the relationships between their catalytic abilities and structures.

Tribocorrosion performance of TC4 anodized/carbon fiber composite in marine environment

The TC4 titanium alloy is extensively utilized in marine engineering due to its exceptional comprehensive performance. However, when subjected to harsh marine environments, the TC4 titanium alloy is susceptible to tribocorrosion, which can shorten the service life of components. This paper employs an electrochemical anodic oxidation treatment of the TC4 titanium alloy and a ceramic adhesive to fabricate a TC4 anodic oxidation/carbon fiber composite (CFCM) to address this challenge. Hence, A systematic study has been conducted on the friction and wear behavior of TC4 titanium alloy in artificial marine and air environments, focusing on exploring the tribocorrosion behavior and their intrinsic mechanisms in marine environments. The corrosion behavior of the TC4 titanium alloy was determined through kinetic potential polarization analysis. The results indicate that the anodized/carbon fiber composite can significantly enhance the tribocorrosion resistance of the material. Two orders of magnitude reduce the passivation corrosion density, and the corrosion potential increases to −0.136 V compared to the TC4 substrate. Furthermore, the wear mechanism is predominantly characterized by abrasive wear. This study offers novel insights for optimizing the selection of anticorrosive materials and designing coatings in marine engineering.

Polarization analysis and filtering of undersampled 3C seismic data in the frequency-slowness domain

Polarization filters have emerged as a useful tool for coherent noise denoising in multicomponent seismic data. By exploiting the polarization properties of seismic waves, these filters can significantly improve wave-type separation, which is a crucial step in seismic data processing. However, their effectiveness in land seismic data in complex areas can be impacted by the presence of scattering noise, and their applicability is limited by irregular spatial sampling, which hinders velocity information for wave-type discrimination. To address these limitations, we introduce a novel two-step method for distinguishing and separating polarized wave types in shot gathers captured from a spatially undersampled linear array of 3C vector sensors. The first step involves conducting a polarization analysis in the frequency-slowness domain using elliptical elements derived from the linear Radon transform of the seismic data. The second step isolates specific polarized waves using the 3C frequency-slowness polarization filter (3C-FSPF), a technique that uses tailored taper functions based on polarization analysis. Our method stands out from single-station filters that cannot use velocity information for wave-type discrimination and existing multistation filters that require regularly sampled data. To evaluate our method, comprehensive tests are conducted on synthetic and real data. The results consistently demonstrate the effectiveness of 3C-FSPF in separating diverse polarized wave types under conditions of irregular and sparse spatial sampling and noise. Our findings underscore the potential of this method for advancing exploration geophysics by enhancing the quality of seismic data, particularly in land regions with complex near-surface structures.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Solvatochromic Dye and Analysis of Solvent Polarity in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Solvatochromic Dye and Analysis of Solvent Polarity in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory

Combining Lorentz TEM and SEM with Polarization Analysis to Uncover Fractional Topological Spin Textures in Fe/Gd Multilayer Thin Films

Combining Lorentz TEM and SEM with Polarization Analysis to Uncover Fractional Topological Spin Textures in Fe/Gd Multilayer Thin Films