Self-repairing Al_(2)O_(3)-TiO_(2)coatings fabricated through plasma electrolytic oxidation with various cathodic pulse parameters

The influence of cathodic pulse parameters was evaluated on plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO)coatings grown on 7075 aluminum alloy in a silicate-based electrolyte containing potassium titanyl oxalate(PTO)using pulsed bipolar waveforms with various cathodic duty cycles and cathodic current densities.The coatings were characterized by SEM,EDS,and XRD.EIS was applied to investigate the electrochemical properties.It was observed that the increase of cathodic duty cycle and cathodic current density from 20%and 6 A/dm^(2) to 40%and 12 A/dm^(2) enhances the growth rate of the inner layer from 0.22 to 0.75μm/min.Adding PTO into the bath showed a fortifying effect on influence of the cathodic pulse and the mentioned change of cathodic pulse parameters,resulting in an increase of the inner layer growth rate from 0.25 to 1.10μm/min.Based on EDS analysis,Si and Ti were incorporated dominantly in the upper parts of the coatings.XRD technique merely detectedγ-Al_(2)O_(3),and there were no detectable peaks related to Ti and Si compounds.However,the EIS results confirmed that the incorporation of Ti^(4+)into alumina changed the electronic properties of the coating.The coatings obtained from the bath containing PTO using the bipolar waveforms with a cathodic duty cycle of 40%and current density values higher than 6 A/dm^(2) showed highly appropriate electrochemical behavior during 240 d of immersion due to an efficient repairing mechanism.Regarding the effects of studied parameters on the coating properties,the roles of cathodic pulse parameters and PTO in the PEO process were highlighted.

Numerical Models and Methods of Atmospheric Parameters Originating in the Formation of the Earth’s Climatic Cycle

Atmospheric models are physical equations based on the ideal gas law. Applied to the atmosphere, this law yields equations for water, vapor (gas), ice, air, humidity, dryness, fire, and heat, thus defining the model of key atmospheric parameters. The distribution of these parameters across the entire planet Earth is the origin of the formation of the climatic cycle, which is a normal climatic variation. To do this, the Earth is divided into eight (8) parts according to the number of key parameters to be defined in a physical representation of the model. Following this distribution, numerical models calculate the constants for the formation of water, vapor, ice, dryness, thermal energy (fire), heat, air, and humidity. These models vary in complexity depending on the indirect trigonometric direction and simplicity in the sum of neighboring models. Note that the constants obtained from the equations yield 275.156˚K (2.006˚C) for water, 273.1596˚K (0.00963˚C) for vapor, 273.1633˚K (0.0133˚C) for ice, 0.00365 in/s for atmospheric dryness, 1.996 in2/s for humidity, 2.993 in2/s for air, 1 J for thermal energy of fire, and 0.9963 J for heat. In summary, this study aims to define the main parameters and natural phenomena contributing to the modification of planetary climate. .

Correlation between dose-volume parameters and rectal bleeding after 12 fractions of carbon ion radiotherapy for prostate cancer

BACKGROUND Carbon ion radiotherapy(CIRT)is currently used to treat prostate cancer.Rectal bleeding is a major cause of toxicity even with CIRT.However,to date,a correlation between the dose and volume parameters of the 12 fractions of CIRT for prostate cancer and rectal bleeding has not been shown.Similarly,the clinical risk factors for rectal bleeding were absent after 12 fractions of CIRT.AIM To identify the risk factors for rectal bleeding in 12 fractions of CIRT for prostate cancer.METHODS Among 259 patients who received 51.6 Gy[relative biological effectiveness(RBE)],in 12 fractions of CIRT,15 had grade 1(5.8%)and nine had grade 2 rectal bleeding(3.5%).The dose-volume parameters included the volume(cc)of the rectum irradiated with at least x Gy(RBE)(Vx)and the minimum dose in the most irradiated x cc normal rectal volume(Dx).RESULTS The mean values of D6cc,D2cc,V10 Gy(RBE),V20 Gy(RBE),V30 Gy(RBE),and V40 Gy(RBE)were significantly higher in the patients with rectal bleeding than in those without.The cutoff values were D6cc=34.34 Gy(RBE),D2cc=46.46 Gy(RBE),V10 Gy(RBE)=9.85 cc,V20 Gy(RBE)=7.00 cc,V30 Gy(RBE)=6.91 cc,and V40 Gy(RBE)=4.26 cc.The D2cc,V10 Gy(RBE),and V20 Gy(RBE)cutoff values were significant predictors of grade 2 rectal bleeding.CONCLUSION The above dose-volume parameters may serve as guidelines for preventing rectal bleeding after 12 fractions of CIRT for prostate cancer.

Correlation between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic parameters in persons with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND There are limited studies investigating the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)in the region of Bihar,India.AIM To estimate the prevalence of NAFLD in persons with newly diagnosed T2DM in the population of North Bihar,India.METHODS This single centre cross-sectional study was undertaken in the Research Centre for Diabetes Hypertension and Obesity,Samastipur,Bihar,India.Data were collected from persons newly diagnosed with T2DM or those diagnosed within 6 months of when the study was conducted between December 2022 to May 2023.RESULTS A total of 148 people with newly diagnosed T2DM were included(median age 47 years,46.6%female)and 109 patients with liver disease on ultrasound evaluation.The persons with liver disease consumed more fats and oils(88.1%vs 74.4%,P=0.042)and they had significantly greater body mass index(27.4 vs 23.0,P<0.001),waist circumference(37 vs 33,P<0.001),and waist-to-hip ratio(1.00 vs 0.70,P=0.025).Females were associated with greater liver disease[odds ratio(OR):3.09,95%confidence interval(CI):1.09-8.80,P=0.32].Waist circumference(OR:1.42,95%CI:1.22-1.66,P<0.001)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(OR:1.01,95%CI:1.01-1.02,P=0.048)were associated with any liver disease.The factors most associated with grade 2/3 liver disease was right upper quadrant pain or heaviness(OR:5.22,95%CI:1.40-19.41,P=0.14),greater income(OR:3.58,95%CI:1.28-10.04,P=0.015)and waist circumference(OR:1.31,95%CI:1.02-1.69,P=0.036).CONCLUSION NAFLD is common in new/recently diagnosed T2DM and disease burden is high and common among patients who are either high consumers of fats and oils or have obesity-associated markers.

Optimal parameter space for stabilizing the ferroelectric phase of Hf_(0.5)Zr_(0.5)O_(2) thin films under strain and electric fields

Hafnia-based ferroelectric materials, like Hf_(0.5)Zr_(0.5)O_(2)(HZO), have received tremendous attention owing to their potentials for building ultra-thin ferroelectric devices. The orthorhombic(O)-phase of HZO is ferroelectric but metastable in its bulk form under ambient conditions, which poses a considerable challenge to maintaining the operation performance of HZO-based ferroelectric devices. Here, we theoretically addressed this issue that provides parameter spaces for stabilizing the O-phase of HZO thin-films under various conditions. Three mechanisms were found to be capable of lowering the relative energy of the O-phase, namely, more significant surface-bulk portion of(111) surfaces, compressive c-axis strain,and positive electric fields. Considering these mechanisms, we plotted two ternary phase diagrams for HZO thin-films where the strain was applied along the in-plane uniaxial and biaxial, respectively. These diagrams indicate the O-phase could be stabilized by solely shrinking the film-thickness below 12.26 nm, ascribed to its lower surface energies. All these results shed considerable light on designing more robust and higher-performance ferroelectric devices.

Drilling-based measuring method for the c-φ parameter of rock and its field application

The technology of drilling tests makes it possible to obtain the strength parameter of rock accurately in situ. In this paper, a new rock cutting analysis model that considers the influence of the rock crushing zone(RCZ) is built. The formula for an ultimate cutting force is established based on the limit equilibrium principle. The relationship between digital drilling parameters(DDP) and the c-φ parameter(DDP-cφ formula, where c refers to the cohesion and φ refers to the internal friction angle) is derived, and the response of drilling parameters and cutting ratio to the strength parameters is analyzed. The drillingbased measuring method for the c-φ parameter of rock is constructed. The laboratory verification test is then completed, and the difference in results between the drilling test and the compression test is less than 6%. On this basis, in-situ rock drilling tests in a traffic tunnel and a coal mine roadway are carried out, and the strength parameters of the surrounding rock are effectively tested. The average difference ratio of the results is less than 11%, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method for obtaining the strength parameters based on digital drilling. This study provides methodological support for field testing of rock strength parameters.

Interaction between systemic iron parameters and left ventricular structure and function in the preserved ejection fraction population:a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND Left ventricular(LV)remodeling and diastolic function in people with heart failure(HF)are correlated with iron status;however,the causality is uncertain.This Mendelian randomization(MR)study investigated the bidirectional causal relationship between systemic iron parameters and LV structure and function in a preserved ejection fraction population.METHODS Transferrin saturation(TSAT),total iron binding capacity(TIBC),and serum iron and ferritin levels were extracted as instrumental variables for iron parameters from meta-analyses of public genome-wide association studies.Individuals without myocardial infarction history,HF,or LV ejection fraction(LVEF)<50%(n=16,923)in the UK Biobank Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study constituted the outcome dataset.The dataset included LV end-diastolic volume,LV endsystolic volume,LV mass(LVM),and LVM-to-end-diastolic volume ratio(LVMVR).We used a two-sample bidirectional MR study with inverse variance weighting(IVW)as the primary analysis method and estimation methods using different algorithms to improve the robustness of the results.RESULTS In the IVW analysis,one standard deviation(SD)increased in TSAT significantly correlated with decreased LVMVR(β=-0.1365;95%confidence interval[CI]:-0.2092 to-0.0638;P=0.0002)after Bonferroni adjustment.Conversely,no significant relationships were observed between other iron and LV parameters.After Bonferroni correction,reverse MR analysis showed that one SD increase in LVEF significantly correlated with decreased TSAT(β=-0.0699;95%CI:-0.1087 to-0.0311;P=0.0004).No heterogeneity or pleiotropic effects evidence was observed in the analysis.CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated a causal relationship between TSAT and LV remodeling and function in a preserved ejection fraction population.

Two-dimensional Parameter Relationships for W UMa-type Systems Revisited

Reviewing the empirical and theoretical parameter relationships between various parameters is a good way to understand more about contact binary systems.In this investigation,two-dimensional(2D)relationships for P–MV(system),P–L1,2,M1,2–L1,2,and q–Lratiowere revisited.The sample used is related to 118 contact binary systems with an orbital period shorter than 0.6 days whose absolute parameters were estimated based on the Gaia Data Release 3 parallax.We reviewed previous studies on 2D relationships and updated six parameter relationships.Therefore,Markov chain Monte Carlo and Machine Learning methods were used,and the outcomes were compared.We selected 22 contact binary systems from eight previous studies for comparison,which had light curve solutions using spectroscopic data.The results show that the systems are in good agreement with the results of this study.

Transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter for the diagnosis of colorectal polyps in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND The severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and lipid metabolism are related to the occurrence of colorectal polyps.Liver-controlled attenuation parameters(liver-CAPs)have been established to predict the prognosis of hepatic steatosis patients.AIM To explore the risk factors associated with colorectal polyps in patients with NAFLD by analyzing liver-CAPs and establishing a diagnostic model.METHODS Patients who were diagnosed with colorectal polyps in the Department of Gastroenterology of our hospital between June 2021 and April 2022 composed the case group,and those with no important abnormalities composed the control group.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to predict the diagnostic efficiency.Differences were considered statistically significant when P<0.05.RESULTS The median triglyceride(TG)and liver-CAP in the case group were significantly greater than those in the control group(mmol/L,1.74 vs 1.05;dB/m,282 vs 254,P<0.05).TG and liver-CAP were found to be independent risk factors for colorectal polyps,with ORs of 2.338(95%CI:1.154–4.733)and 1.019(95%CI:1.006–1.033),respectively(P<0.05).And there was no difference in the diagnostic efficacy between liver-CAP and TG combined with liver-CAP(TG+CAP)(P>0.05).When the liver-CAP was greater than 291 dB/m,colorectal polyps were more likely to occur.CONCLUSION The levels of TG and liver-CAP in patients with colorectal polyps are significantly greater than those patients without polyps.Liver-CAP alone can be used to diagnose NAFLD with colorectal polyps.

Parameter-Free Shifted Laplacian Reconstruction for Multiple Kernel Clustering

Dear Editor,This letter proposes a parameter-free multiple kernel clustering(MKC)method by using shifted Laplacian reconstruction.Traditional MKC can effectively cluster nonlinear data,but it faces two main challenges:1)As an unsupervised method,it is up against parameter problems which makes the parameters intractable to tune and is unfeasible in real-life applications;2)Only considers the clustering information,but ignores the interference of noise within Laplacian.

Effects of preparation parameters on growth and properties of β-Ga_(2)O_(3) film

The Ga_(2)O_(3) films are deposited on the Si and quartz substrates by magnetron sputtering, and annealing. The effects of preparation parameters(such as argon–oxygen flow ratio, sputtering power, sputtering time and annealing temperature)on the growth and properties(e.g., surface morphology, crystal structure, optical and electrical properties of the films) are studied by x-ray diffractometer(XRD), scanning electron microscope(SEM), and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer(UV-Vis). The results show that the thickness, crystallization quality and surface roughness of the β-Ga_(2)O_(3) film are influenced by those parameters. All β-Ga_(2)O_(3) films show good optical properties. Moreover, the value of bandgap increases with the enlarge of the percentage of oxygen increasing, and decreases with the increase of sputtering power and annealing temperature, indicating that the bandgap is related to the quality of the film and affected by the number of oxygen vacancy defects. The I–V curves show that the Ohmic behavior between metal and β-Ga_(2)O_(3) films is obtained at 900℃. Those results will be helpful for the further research of β-Ga_(2)O_(3) photoelectric semiconductor.

Critical Opalescence and Its Impact on the Jet Quenching Parameter q

Jet quenching parameter q is essential for characterizing the interaction strength between jet partons and nuclear matter.Based on the quark-meson model,we develop a new framework for calculating q at finite chemical potentials,in which q is related to the spectral function of the chiral order parameter.

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: Biological Parameters in Patients Treated with Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate

Chronic hepatitis B causes a liver disease characterized by inflammation of the liver parenchyma. The aim of this study was to investigate the evolution of biological parameters in patients treated with Tenofovir for chronic B infection at the Commune V referral health center in Bamako. We obtained a prevalence of 14.15%. The most represented age group was 31 - 40 years, with 36.8%. The sex ratio was 1.44 in favour of men. Viral load was undetectable after 18 months of treatment in 25 patients (42.37%). Tenofovir, the 1st-line drug in Mali, is effective on the biological parameters monitored in patients.

Study on the clogging mechanism of punching screen in sand control by the punching structure parameters

As an independent sand control unit or a common protective shell of a high-quality screen,the punching screen is the outermost sand retaining unit of the sand control pipe which is used in geothermal well or oil and gas well.However,most screens only consider the influence of the internal sand retaining medium parameters in the sand control performance design while ignoring the influence of the plugging of the punching screen on the overall sand retaining performance of the screen.To explore the clogging mechanism of the punching screen,this paper established the clogging mechanism calculation model of a single punching screen sand control unit by using the computational fluid mechanics-discrete element method(CFD-DEM)combined method.According to the combined motion of particles and fluids,the influence of the internal flow state on particle motion and accumulation was analyzed.The results showed that(1)the clogging process of the punching sand control unit is divided into three stages:initial clogging,aggravation of clogging and stability of clogging.In the initial stage of blockage,coarse particles form a loose bridge structure,and blockage often occurs preferentially at the streamline gathering place below chamfering inside the sand control unit.In the stage of blockage intensification,the particle mass develops into a relatively complete sand bridge,which develops from both ends of the opening to the center of the opening.In the stable plugging stage,the sand deposits show a“fan shape”and form a“V-shaped”gully inside the punching slot element.(2)Under a certain reservoir particle-size distribution,The slit length and opening height have a large influence on the permeability and blockage rate,while the slit width size has little influence on the permeability and blockage rate.The microscopic clogging mechanism and its law of the punching screen prevention unit are proposed in this study,which has some field guidance significance for the design of punching screen and sand prevention selection.

Quaternion-Based Adaptive Trajectory Tracking Control of a Rotor-Missile with Unknown Parameters Identification

This paper investigates the adaptive trajectory tracking control problem and the unknown parameter identification problem of a class of rotor-missiles with parametric system uncertainties.First,considering the uncertainty of structural and aerodynamic parameters,the six-degree-of-freedom(6Do F) nonlinear equations describing the position and attitude dynamics of the rotor-missile are established,respectively,in the inertial and body-fixed reference frames.Next,a hierarchical adaptive trajectory tracking controller that can guarantee closed-loop stability is proposed according to the cascade characteristics of the 6Do F dynamics.Then,a memory-augmented update rule of unknown parameters is proposed by integrating all historical data of the regression matrix.As long as the finitely excited condition is satisfied,the precise identification of unknown parameters can be achieved.Finally,the validity of the proposed trajectory tracking controller and the parameter identification method is proved through Lyapunov stability theory and numerical simulations.

Dynamics Modeling and Parameter Identification for a Coupled-Drive Dual-Arm Nursing Robot

A dual-arm nursing robot can gently lift patients and transfer them between a bed and a wheelchair.With its lightweight design,high load-bearing capacity,and smooth surface,the coupled-drive joint is particularly well suited for these robots.However,the coupled nature of the joint disrupts the direct linear relationship between the input and output torques,posing challenges for dynamic modeling and practical applications.This study investigated the transmission mechanism of this joint and employed the Lagrangian method to construct a dynamic model of its internal dynamics.Building on this foundation,the Newton-Euler method was used to develop a dynamic model for the entire robotic arm.A continuously differentiable friction model was incorporated to reduce the vibrations caused by speed transitions to zero.An experimental method was designed to compensate for gravity,inertia,and modeling errors to identify the parameters of the friction model.This method establishes a mapping relationship between the friction force and motor current.In addition,a Fourier series-based excitation trajectory was developed to facilitate the identification of the dynamic model parameters of the robotic arm.Trajectory tracking experiments were conducted during the experimental validation phase,demonstrating the high accuracy of the dynamic model and the parameter identification method for the robotic arm.This study presents a dynamic modeling and parameter identification method for coupled-drive joint robotic arms,thereby establishing a foundation for motion control in humanoid nursing robots.

Observer-based dynamic event-triggered control for distributed parameter systems over mobile sensor-plus-actuator networks

We develop a policy of observer-based dynamic event-triggered state feedback control for distributed parameter systems over a mobile sensor-plus-actuator network.It is assumed that the mobile sensing devices that provide spatially averaged state measurements can be used to improve state estimation in the network.For the purpose of decreasing the update frequency of controller and unnecessary sampled data transmission, an efficient dynamic event-triggered control policy is constructed.In an event-triggered system, when an error signal exceeds a specified time-varying threshold, it indicates the occurrence of a typical event.The global asymptotic stability of the event-triggered closed-loop system and the boundedness of the minimum inter-event time can be guaranteed.Based on the linear quadratic optimal regulator, the actuator selects the optimal displacement only when an event occurs.A simulation example is finally used to verify that the effectiveness of such a control strategy can enhance the system performance.

Parameter estimation in n-dimensional massless scalar field

Quantum Fisher information(QFI)associated with local metrology has been used to parameter estimation in open quantum systems.In this work,we calculated the QFI for a moving Unruh-DeWitt detector coupled with massless scalar fields in n-dimensional spacetime,and analyzed the behavior of QFI with various parameters,such as the dimension of spacetime,evolution time,and Unruh temperature.We discovered that the QFI of state parameter decreases monotonically from 1 to 0 over time.Additionally,we noted that the QFI for small evolution times is several orders of magnitude higher than the QFI for long evolution times.We also found that the value of QFI decreases at first and then stabilizes as the Unruh temperature increases.It was observed that the QFI depends on initial state parameterθ,and Fθis the maximum forθ=0 orθ=π,Fφis the maximum forθ=π/2.We also obtain that the maximum value of QFI for state parameters varies for different spacetime dimensions with the same evolution time.

Comparison of ocular biometric parameters between two swept-source optical coherence tomography devices and Scheimpflug tomography in patients with cataract

AIM:To assess and compare the variations and agreements across different ocular biometric parameters using swept-source optical coherence tomography(SS-OCT)and Scheimpflug tomography in patients diagnosed with cataract.METHODS:This prospective case series was conducted at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital.In total,212 eyes from 212 patients scheduled for phacoemulsification were included.Eyes were evaluated preoperatively using two SSOCT devices(IOLMaster700 and CASIA2)and Scheimpflug tomography(Pentacam).Central corneal thickness(CCT),anterior chamber depth(ACD),aqueous depth(AQD),white-to-white distance(WTW),flat simulated keratometry(Kf),steep simulated keratometry(Ks),mean keratometry(Km),and total corneal keratometry(TKm)were measured.Intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC),95%confidence intervals(CI)and limits of agreement(LoA)widths were conducted to assess differences and correlations between devices.RESULTS:All parameters,except for Ks,were significantly different.Pairwise comparison revealed no significant differences between keratometry obtained by IOLMaster 700 and Pentacam.LoA widths of all paired comparisons for Ks were>0.80 D.Except for WTW between IOLMaster 700 and CASIA2 and between CASIA2 and Pentacam,other Pearson’s coefficients between devices showed a strong correlation(all r>0.95).The ICC of WTW(ICC=0.438,95%CI 0.167-0.625)showed poor reliability.The reliability of CCT,ACD,and AQD was excellent(all ICC>0.95),whereas that of TKm was good(ICC=0.827,95%CI 0.221-0.939).A significant linear correlation was also observed among devices.CONCLUSION:The ocular parameters derived from the use of IOLMaster700,CASIA2,and Pentacam exhibit significant discrepancies;as such,measurements from these devices should not be deemed as interchangeable.

Performance of physical-informed neural network (PINN) for the key parameter inference in Langmuir turbulence parameterization scheme

The Stokes production coefficient(E_(6))constitutes a critical parameter within the Mellor-Yamada type(MY-type)Langmuir turbulence(LT)parameterization schemes,significantly affecting the simulation of turbulent kinetic energy,turbulent length scale,and vertical diffusivity coefficient for turbulent kinetic energy in the upper ocean.However,the accurate determination of its value remains a pressing scientific challenge.This study adopted an innovative approach by leveraging deep learning technology to address this challenge of inferring the E_(6).Through the integration of the information of the turbulent length scale equation into a physical-informed neural network(PINN),we achieved an accurate and physically meaningful inference of E_(6).Multiple cases were examined to assess the feasibility of PINN in this task,revealing that under optimal settings,the average mean squared error of the E_(6) inference was only 0.01,attesting to the effectiveness of PINN.The optimal hyperparameter combination was identified using the Tanh activation function,along with a spatiotemporal sampling interval of 1 s and 0.1 m.This resulted in a substantial reduction in the average bias of the E_(6) inference,ranging from O(10^(1))to O(10^(2))times compared with other combinations.This study underscores the potential application of PINN in intricate marine environments,offering a novel and efficient method for optimizing MY-type LT parameterization schemes.