Special Process Research Articles

Broadband nonlinear Bragg diffraction from self-assembled structures in potassium tantalate niobate crystals

Nonlinear optical process is a key technology to realize optical communication. Potassium tantalate niobate (KTa1−xNbxO3, KTN) crystals with large nonlinear optical coefficients are potential functional materials for realizing χ2 nonlinear optical processes. However, to accurately modulate the nonlinear optical signals of KTN crystals, the relationship between their second harmonic generation (SHG) properties and ferroelectric domain structures needs to be further investigated. Here, we report the special SHG processes generated by self-assembled structures in KTN crystals. Multimode quasi-phase matching and broadband nonlinear Bragg diffraction are achieved with the changing of polarizations and wavelengths of the fundamental wave. The physical processes behind the multi-polarization and multi-wavelength SHG properties of the KTN crystals are revealed. Our results about the multi-polarization and multi-wavelength SHG properties of KTN crystals will provide guidance for the design and realization of multimode nonlinear optical processes.

Knowledge, Perception, and Behavior of Business Consumers towards Meltique Meat in the City and District of Bogor

Meltique meat is a type of meat that undergoes a special process that involves injecting fat into the muscle fibers of the meat. Business consumers use Meltique meat as an alternative to Wagyu meat because it is affordable but has similar characteristics to Wagyu meat. This study aims to analyze the relationship of meat knowledge and perception to business consumer behavior in the Bogor area. This study used 60 samples of food business consumers hotels, restaurants, catering, supermarkets, traditional markets, and meat suppliers in the Bogor area. The questionnaire results were analyzed using the Spearman rank correlation test to determine the relationship between knowledge and perceptions of business consumer behavior. The results showed that there was a strong unidirectional relationship between knowledge and perception of meltique meat on business consumer behavior in the Bogor area with rs=0.509 and rs=0.531. The significance value of P <0.05 indicates that consumer knowledge and perceptions have areal influence on business consumer purchasing behavior of meltique meat.

Addressing Inequity in Special Education Referrals: Integrating General and Special Education Strategies in School Leadership

This case highlights the moral and ethical dilemmas that principals and educators confront when making decisions about special education classification and placement, particularly in the context of racial disproportionality. These decisions are complex, influenced by the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the sociocultural and historical contexts that school leaders work within. In addition, the case delves into the relationship between general education instruction and special education referral processes in the context of a multi-tiered system of supports, exploring the delicate balance principals must maintain between adhering to special education laws and exercising professional judgment.

Participatory Planning in the Special Allocation Fund Preparation Process in Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta

The theory and practice of urban planning have both shown a significant amount of attention in regards to community participation. Numerous studies have added to the growing body of literature highlighting the benefits of community participation in city planning and management. On the other hand, the literature on participation contains just a handful of theory-based empirical studies that investigate the role of community participation in the planning process of special fund programs in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. This research method uses quantitative analysis involving data collection using probability sampling techniques to collect data from 64 respondents. After that, a survey was conducted with the help of a questionnaire that was given out to respondents in order to obtain sample data. After that, the data that was gathered were examined by means of multiple regression analysis, which was carried out with the assistance of the SPSS Statistics 25 program. The results of this study indicate that knowledge, awareness, social media, political culture, and education have a positive and significant effect on community participation. This shows that active community participation in the special fund preparation program in the Special Region of Yogyakarta can be more targeted according to community needs.

Unravelling heterogenous adsorption performance of hydrochar particle and key properties in heavy metal immobilization relative to corresponding residual bulk hydrochar

Immobilization performance of released hydrochar particle (HP) to metal is largely unknown and hinder accurate estimation to immobilization effect in hydrochar application. Herein, HPs derived from typical biomass, food waste (FW), and blue algae (BA), were collected to investigate their adsorption abilities, mechanisms towards typical Cd(II) relative to residual bulk hydrochar (BH) and unravel corresponding properties of this heterogeneity. The results were: 1) the micro-sized HP with poor porous structure, less O-containing functional groups (OFGs) and negative surface charge induced inferior adsorption capacities (0.65-0.81 times) but quicker adsorption rate (3.09-10.08 times) towards Cd(II) compared with BH, 2) cation bridge interaction in coagulation and settling processes unexpectedly facilitated adsorption performance of micro-sized and negative charged FWHPs added with counterions, 3) HP facilitated its electrostatic attraction with Cd(II) rather than common pore filling and surface complexation, especially bare aromatic structure in HP formed another cation-π interaction with Cd(II) highlighted by density functional theory (DFT) method. The special coagulation process and cation-π interaction of HP will facilitate its vertical co-migration ability but weaken immobilization stability towards metals. The distinct heterogeneities of adsorption ability of HP and BH and underlying key properties provide an in-depth understanding of hydrochar application for remediation of metal contaminants in soil/water environment.

Application of Microseismic Monitoring in Fracturing Process Evaluation

Abstract Fracture-mesh control technologies, such as modified liquid system (controlled fracture technology), pulse fracturing reform and directional perforation technology, have been adopted in the large-scale fracturing process of well Qaiping 1 in Qaidam Basin. However, whether the technology has achieved the predetermined goal needs to be verified. In order to fully grasp the fracture morphology in each stage of fracturing construction, the underground microseismic fracture monitoring technology is used to reveal the fracture length, height, width, orientation and spatial distribution characteristics. Based on the analysis of monitoring results, the following conclusions are obtained. (1) The collection of microseismic event data plays a key role in interpreting the properties of fractures, so as to more accurately understand and predict the formation and development of fractures. (2) Real-time microseismic monitoring reveals the application value of a variety of special processes in the formation reconstruction effect, and the transformation of liquid system (controlled fracture process), pulse fracturing and directional perforating process have significant effects on fracture morphology.

Spatial interpolation of global DEM using federated deep learning

The digital elevation model (DEM) provides important data support for 3D terrain modeling. However, due to the complex and changeable terrain in the real world and the high cost of field measurement, it is extremely difficult to obtain continuous and high-density elevation data directly. Therefore, it is necessary to rely on spatial interpolation technology to restore the DEM overall picture in the original sampling area. The traditional spatial interpolation method usually has the characteristics of low model complexity and high computational cost, which leads to low real-time performance and low precision of the interpolation process. The interpolation operation based on DEM data can be considered as a special image generation process where the input is a DEM image with missing values and the output is a complete DEM image. At present, a large number of studies have proved that deep learning methods are very effective in image generation tasks. However, the training of deep learning models requires the support of a large number of high-quality data sets. DEM data in various countries, especially in key regions, are usually restricted by privacy protection regulations and cannot be disclosed. The emergence of Federated Learning (FL) provides a new solution, which supports local training on multiple end nodes, without sending local data to a remote center server for centralized training, effectively protecting data privacy. In this study, we propose a DEM interpolation model based on FL and multiScale U-Net. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional method, this model has faster processing speed and lower interpolation precision. At the same time, this research result provides a new way for efficient and secure use of terrain information, especially in those application scenarios that have strict requirements for DEM data privacy and security.

Edge treatment for spurious mode suppression in thin-film lithium niobate resonators

Thin-film lithium niobate is an attractive material for RF acoustic devices because of its high electromechanical coupling. However, due to the large coupling and the high anisotropy, thin-film lithium niobate resonators are prone to accidental resonances called spurious modes. These modes compromise the frequency response of the resonators, limiting their use in filter and oscillator applications. In this work, we present a novel method of spurious mode suppression through a special edge treatment etch process. Two thin-film lithium niobate resonators were fabricated, one with smooth sidewalls and one with the edge treatment. It was found that the edge-treated resonators show a weaker spurious mode response. This is potentially a new way to mitigate spurious resonances, a major issue in lithium niobate Lamb wave devices.

From tryptophan to gramine: A journey into the mysterious transformation of biocatalysis

As a natural alkaloid found extensively in cereal crops, gramine not only plays a crucial role in protecting barley and other grasses from various pests, but also reduces palatability for ruminants. Scientists are trying to figure out how gramine gets into cereal plants: is it inherently present or transformed through a special process? The latest study published in Science by Sara Leite Dias and co-authors, provides a detailed explanation. The starting point of the transformation is identified, and the transformation process is confirmed through rigorous experiments.

‘Robinson’ Pedestrian Bridge in Budapest, Hungary

Abstract‘Robinson’ Bridge was built as part of the National Athletic Centre project in Budapest, Hungary. The 168 m long cable‐stayed pedestrian bridge has a 65 m tall inclined pylon standing on a small island. The 12,72 m wide main girder is suspended to a monopylon with a two‐plane fan‐shaped FLC stay cable system. The landmark bridge's stunning appearance was achieved with hybrid structures. Both the pylon and parts of the slender stiffening girder were made of S460 steel tubes filled with concrete to enhance their load‐bearing and dynamic characteristics. Due to very limited construction area, a special erection process was used for the pylon involving a 200t floating crane. The stiffening girder was built with incremental launching. Cable tensioning with a curved deck proposed special design challenges. Large displacements had to be accurately predicted. To meet the strictest requirements for pedestrian comfort, TMDs were applied and dynamic load tests carried out to prove the results.

Additive manufacturing of a new titanium alloy with tunable microstructure and isotropic properties

Conventional titanium alloys have a high propensity in developing columnar grains with strong textures during additive manufacturing (AM), which causes pronounced anisotropy in mechanical properties and hampers their practical applications. In this study, a new metastable β titanium alloy with high Fe addition (Ti-3Al-6Fe-6V-2Zr, wt.%) was designed for AM, and the strategies and underlying mechanisms to eliminating the structural heterogeneity including grain morphology, Fe element segregation and phase constituent distribution were elaborately investigated. It was demonstrated that the alloy has an outstanding intrinsic capability of forming equiaxed grains during direct energy deposition (DED) due to the positive effect of Fe on constitutional supercooling. The final microstructure of bulk sample was determined by the directly deposited microstructure and subsequent microstructure coarsening caused by cyclic heating, and homogeneously equiaxed microstructure without texture could be achieved when the heat-affected zones can fully cover the formerly deposited layer. Despite of very high level of Fe addition, both microscale and macroscale Fe segregation were completely suppressed during DED, by taking the advantages of fast solidification rate and tailoring the heating effect between the adjacent layers. Moreover, the problem related to the heterogeneity in α phase distribution along the building direction was solved by mitigating the heat accumulation during DED. On the basis of these understandings, homogeneously equiaxed Ti3662 alloy with isotropic mechanical properties of high strength (~1200MPa) and decent ductility (~10%) was finally fabricated by DED, which stands a good chance for practical application. This study demonstrates that the special metallurgical process during AM largely expands the design space of titanium alloys on the aspects of composition and microstructure, which can be utilized to fabricate titanium alloys with desirable microstructure and excellent properties.

Enhancing thermal conductivity of AlN ceramics via vat photopolymerization through refractive index coupling and oxygen fixation

Despite the growing development of ceramic fabrication by vat photopolymerization (VP), major gaps remain in application. Particularly in the case of VP-printed aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic, the thermal conductivity is still below 170 W·m−1·K−1, a critical benchmark for efficient heat dissipation. To address this challenge, here we prepared an AlN slurry with high curing thickness through RI coupling between liquid-solid phase, and took into account of the rheological property under high solid loading. Full dense AlN green bodies with solid loading up to 50 vol% were successfully printed. Aiming to to tackle the degradation of thermal conductivity issue caused by oxygen increment of AlN via VP, we systemically studied the form of oxygen in AlN preparation processes. Through the sintering optimization, the oxygen element from the hydrolysis of AlN surface was fixated in the sintering aid Y2O3. Eventually, without any special process control or additional treatment, the final sintered AlN ceramics prepared by the developed slurry present a full densification and the highest thermal conductivity (up to 187.9 W∙m−1∙K−1) of any known additive manufactured ceramics.

Hypostomus plecostomus-inspired soft sucker to adsorb slippery tissues: a stabilizing post-valvular cavity and stiffness gradient materials provide excellent adsorption performance

The hard suckers commonly used in surgical operations often cause adsorption extrusion damage to the biological tissue. To tackle this problem, from the perspective of bionics, through in-depth observation and research on the special sucker adsorption process and adsorption mechanism of hypostomus plecostomus (HP), this paper proposes a bionic soft hypostomus plecostomus sucker (BSHPS) with a variable stiffness gradient structure with a good adsorption performance on soft moist irregular biological tissues. The BSHPS comprises a lip disc, a pre-valvular cavity, and a post-valvular cavity. Through the volume changes of the pre- and post-valvular cavities, a pressure difference is generated between the inside and outside of the sucker, enabling the lip disc to remain sealed. The experiments were carried out by an automatic tensile force measurement system equipped with a vacuum pump, and the results showed that in slippery environment, the adsorption performance of the BSHPS is improved by a maximum of 61.9% compared to that in dry environment. On a biological tissue surface, the adsorption force is as high as 13.7765 N. The most important advantage of the proposed BSHPS is that it can be firmly adsorbed the surface of soft moist irregular biological tissues, effectively slowing down or avoiding adsorption extrusion damage to the biological tissue. Therefore, the BSHPS is expected to have good application prospects in modern surgical medicine.

Key Strategies for Continuous Seawater Splitting for Hydrogen Production: From Principles and Catalyst Materials to Electrolyzer Engineering

AbstractDue to the high cost of ultra‐pure water supply and the mismatch between water sources and renewable energy distribution, the large‐scale production of green hydrogen through seawater electrolysis has generated significant interest. This presents an attractive potential technology within the framework of carbon‐neutral energy production. However, owing to the complex composition of seawater, particularly the competitive oxidation reactions and corrosion issues involving Cl−, seawater electrolysis has suffered from low selectivity and poor stability in oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which severely impact the efficiency of hydrogen production and hinder the practical applications. To further promote in‐depth research and practical applications of seawater electrolysis, this review introduces the principles, key advantages, and challenges of seawater electrolysis. Specifically, the design strategies are categorized for highly active OER electrocatalysts for seawater electrolysis, including catalyst design, design of chemical reaction systems, and other special process design. To ensure long‐term operational stability of seawater electrolysis, various strategies such as employing self‐supporting materials, surface protection strategies, and electrolyzer design, are discussed. Finally, current challenges and future prospects for the industrialization of seawater electrolysis are proposed and discussed. It is expected that this review provides new insights for large‐scale seawater‐based hydrogen production in the future.

Aging time improves adhesive performance of handmade starch paste for restoration of ancient Chinese books and its mechanism of action

In the restoration of ancient Chinese books, handmade starch paste serves as a paper adhesive, distinguished from traditional starch paste preparation methods. It involves special processes such as starch washing and aging, relying entirely on the artisanal expertise throughout the entire process. The study recreates the process of making handmade starch paste for the restoration of traditional ancient books and investigates the effects of aging time on the apparent viscosity, rheological properties, and adhesive performance of the paste. The results indicate that during aging, the pH of the starch paste decreases significantly, but it has a minimal impact on its apparent viscosity, rheological properties, and paper softness. However, it notably enhances the adhesive performance, with the optimal results observed after 3 days of aging. This is attributed to the decrease in residual protein content in the starch, as well as the significant improvement in swelling power and solubility of the starch. The results of infrared spectroscopy and XRD testing reveal that there are no significant changes in the molecular and crystalline structures of starch during the aging process. The acidic environment produced by starch fermentation promotes protein hydrolysis, emerging as the primary reason for the improved adhesive performance of the paste.

A novel intermediate heat exchange intensified extractive pressure-swing distillation process for efficiently separating n-hexane-tetrahydrofuran-ethanol

The new intensified strategy can be used in special distillation processes to achieve energy savings. Through analyzing the influence of different extractants and pressure on the separation performance of n-hexane-tetrahydrofuran-ethanol. system, extractive pressure-swing distillation process (EPSD) using dimethyl sulfoxide as extractant was proposed. Multi-objective optimization was performed to definite the best operating parameters of EPSD. Based on the phenomenon that the temperature of high-temperature column top is lower than low-temperature column bottom, making it impossible to perform traditional thermal integration, an intermediate heat exchange intensified process (IHE-EPSD) was developed. The performance influencing factors and heat exchange network of IHE-EPSD were analyzed to obtained the optimal IHE-EPSD process. Three heat integration schemes of the IHE-EPSD were designed to further save energy consumption. Finally, the processes were assessed from economy, energy, environment and exergy. The results indicate that the IHE-EPSD process exhibits excellent separation performance, achieving the efficient separation of n-hexane-tetrahydrofuran-ethanol.

Exploring Differences in Spanish- and English-Speaking Parents’ Experiences With Individualized Education Program Meetings

This study aimed to explore the experiences of parents ( N = 177; Spanish-speaking and English-speaking parents) of children with disabilities navigating the special education process. This descriptive study collected quantitative and qualitative data through an electronic survey. Results describe Spanish- and English-speaking parent’s experience during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, challenges in attending IEP meetings, special education knowledge, participation during IEP meetings, feelings of discrimination, parental stress, and dissatisfaction with special education services. Spanish-speaking parents reported less special education rights knowledge and feeling more discrimination at IEP meetings in comparison to English speakers and reported language barriers and inadequate interpretation services as challenges to attending an IEP meeting. Findings highlight the need for equitable parent-school partnerships to support and empower all families. Awareness of the unique experiences of Spanish-speaking families may further equitable school efforts to serve this population and other linguistically diverse parents.

Amplitude reconstruction of acoustic emission signals on the base of its mathematical modeling as a stochastic process

The problem of random oscillations generated by inner defect within the neighborhood of the boundary of the elastic massive body under the pre-failure stage is considered. The investigation is based on results of the invariants’ method in acoustic emission (AE) theory consisting in the stability conditions of the mean of statistic distribution parameters of signal characteristics under the same pre-failure stage. The mathematical model of arising wave process of displacement oscillations in the massive body is constructed and the correctness of its using is studied. The problem in question is reduced to the investigation of a boundary integral equation in special stochastic process classes. The task of reconstructing from AE signals and describing the nature of the random process of defect radiation at the free boundary of the body is set. Some numerical are presented.

ТЕОРЕТИКО-МЕТОДОЛОГІЧНИЙ (КОНТЕКСТНИЙ) АНАЛІЗ ЗМІШАНОГОНАВЧАННЯ ТА ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ЙОГО ВПРОВАДЖЕННЯ УСУЧАСНІЙ ОСВІТНІЙ ПРАКТИЦІ

The article is devoted to the problem of blended learning, which is increasingly attracting the attention of both domestic and foreign researchers and practicing educators. Taking into account the challenges of globalization, which have directly affected the education system, the problem of applying pedagogical practices that enable the combination of different formats of education has become extremely relevant. In particular, it is about the combination of face-to-face learning with various formats of electronic learning (asynchronous and/or synchronous), which is the essence of blended learning. Currently, the support and further implementation of blended learning in the educational process of higher education are quite complicated. Among other problems, the authors of the article single out the lack of a clear definition of the essence of blended learning and the incomplete readiness (methodological, technological and technical) of the pedagogical staff for the implementation of the blended learning model in practice. The article is devoted to the theoretical-methodological (contextual) analysis of the concept of "blended learning", the definition of its polysemic essence based on the study of domestic and foreign scientific sources and the identification of prospects for implementation in modern domestic and foreign educational practice. It was determined that currently blended learning is usually interpreted as a model, technology, method or a special process of acquiring knowledge. Essential features were analyzed; the main components of combined training are defined. The most typical definitions of blended learning are systematized, the essence of which is represented by the first words of the definition: unifying method, model, technology, methodology, teaching method, a type of hybrid methodology, purposeful process of acquiring knowledge, skills and abilities, educational concept, training, teaching system It is substantiated that, despite the indisputable advantages, there are certain challenges - both objective and subjective - that stand in the way of the implementation of blended learning.

Special education experiences and stress among Asian-American parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities

ABSTRACT Family involvement is an essential component of the special education process for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In addition to the legal requirement that parents should be equal partners in the decision-making of the student’s individualized education program (IEP) program (IDEA, 2004), a bulk of empirical research demonstrates the positive impact of parent involvement on student outcomes. However, many families face barriers to participation in the special education process. Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), including Asian-American families, especially face systemic barriers when accessing services for their children with disabilities. Unfortunately, less research is known about how Asian-American families participate in their child’s IEP meeting. To these ends, individual interviews were conducted with eight Asian-American families of children with IDD to explore parental perceptions of stress in relation to IEP meetings, special education knowledge, and family-professional partnerships. Participants reported feeling stress before, during, and after the IEP meeting. Regardless of the nature (i.e. positive, negative, or neutral) relationship with the school, participants reported barriers (i.e. language and poor experiences with school personnel) to their family-school partnerships. Implications for research and practice are discussed.