Search

In 1923, the Philosophical Transactions published G. I. Taylor’s seminal paper on the stability of what we now call Taylor–Couette flow. In the century since the paper was published, Taylor’s ground-breaking linear stability analysis of fluid flow between two rotating cylinders has had an enormous impact on the field of fluid mechanics. The paper’s influence has extended to general rotating flows, geophysical flows and astrophysical flows, not to mention its significance in firmly establishing several foundational concepts in fluid mechanics that are now broadly accepted. This two-part issue includes review articles and research articles spanning a broad range of contemporary research areas, all rooted in Taylor’s landmark paper. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Taylor–Couette and related flows on the centennial of Taylor’s seminal Philosophical Transactions paper (part 1)’.

Phenotypic plasticity, the ability to produce multiple phenotypes from a single genotype, represents an excellent model with which to examine the relationship between gene expression and phenotypes. Analyses of the molecular foundations of phenotypic plasticity are challenging, however, especially in the case of complex social phenotypes. Here we apply a machine learning approach to tackle this challenge by analyzing individual-level gene expression profiles of Polistes dominula paper wasps following the loss of a queen. We find that caste-associated gene expression profiles respond strongly to queen loss, and that this change is partly explained by attributes such as age but occurs even in individuals that appear phenotypically unaffected. These results demonstrate that large changes in gene expression may occur in the absence of outwardly detectable phenotypic changes, resulting here in a socially mediated de-differentiation of individuals at the transcriptomic level but not at the levels of ovarian development or behavior., Connecting genotypes to complex social behaviour is challenging. Taylor et al. use machine learning to show a strong response of caste-associated gene expression to queen loss, wherein individual wasp’s expression profiles become intermediate between queen and worker states, even in the absence of behavioural changes.

The scope of the Nordtest method is to evaluate the moisture buffer value (MBV) of materials exposed to indoor air. The test is intended to simulate daily variations with relative humidity (RH) between 75 % during 8 hours and 33 % during 16 hours. The specimens follow a recipe that consists of waste paper, glue and water. Specimens made of paper plaster were covered with different colours. The results of the experiment showed that the type of paint used and the number of layers applied affected the MBV. Natural colours have a better moisture permeability than chemical paints, but the number of natural colour layers affects the MBV. The higher the number of layers, the lower the MBV.

The goal of this whitepaper is to give a comprehensive overview of the rich field of forward physics. We discuss the occurrences of BFKL resummation effects in special final states, such as Mueller-Navelet jets, jet gap jets, and heavy quarkonium production. It further addresses TMD factorization at low x and the manifestation of a semi-hard saturation scale in (generalized) TMD PDFs. More theoretical aspects of low x physics, probes of the quark gluon plasma, as well as the possibility to use photon-hadron collisions at the LHC to constrain hadronic structure at low x, and the resulting complementarity between LHC and the EIC are also presented. We also briefly discuss diffraction at colliders as well as the possibility to explore further the electroweak theory in central exclusive events using the LHC as a photon-photon collider., Comment: 77 pages, 27 figures, contribution to Snowmass 2021; contributions updated and authors added

The Gaussian wiretap channel with noncausal state interference available at the transmitter, which is also called the dirty paper wiretap channel (DP-WTC), has been extensively studied in the literature. Recently, it has been shown that taking actions on the corrupted state interference of the DP-WTC (also called the action-dependent DP-WTC) helps to increase the secrecy capacity of the DP-WTC. Subsequently, it has been shown that channel feedback further increases the secrecy capacity of the action-dependent DP-WTC (AD-DP-WTC), and a sub-optimal feedback scheme is proposed for this feedback model. In this paper, a two-step hybrid scheme and a corresponding new lower bound on the secrecy capacity of the AD-DP-WTC with noiseless feedback are proposed. The proposed new lower bound is shown to be optimal (achieving the secrecy capacity) and tighter than the existing one in the literature for some cases, and the results of this paper are further explained via numerical examples.

The construction of flexible electrochemical devices for energy storage and generation is of utmost importance in modern society. In this article, we report on the synthesis of flexible MoS2-based composite paper by high-energy shear force milling and simple vacuum filtration. This composite material combines high flexibility, mechanical strength and good chemical stability. Chronopotentiometric charge–discharge measurements were used to determine the capacitance of our paper material. The highest capacitance achieved was 33 mF·cm−2 at a current density of 1 mA·cm−2, demonstrating potential application in supercapacitors. We further used the material as a cathode for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with an onset potential of approximately −0.2 V vs RHE. The onset potential was even lower (approximately −0.1 V vs RHE) after treatment with n-butyllithium, suggesting the introduction of new active sites. Finally, a potential use in lithium ion batteries (LIB) was examined. Our material can be used directly without any binder, additive carbon or copper current collector and delivers specific capacity of 740 mA·h·g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A·g−1. After 40 cycles at this current density the material still reached a capacity retention of 91%. Our findings show that this composite material could find application in electrochemical energy storage and generation devices where high flexibility and mechanical strength are desired.Keywords: flexible composites; hydrogen evolution reaction (HER); lithium ion batteries (LIBs); molybdenum disulfide; nanoarchitectonics; supercapacitors

Many simple natural phenomena are characterized by complex motion that appears random at first glance, but that often displays underlying patterns and behavior that can be clustered in groups. The movement of small pieces of paper falling through the air is one of these systems whose complete mathematical description seems unworkable. Understanding these types of motion thus demands automated experimentation capable of producing large datasets covering different behaviors -- a task that has become feasible only recently with advances in computer vision and machine learning methods. Here we use one of these datasets related to the motion of free-falling paper with different shapes to propose an information-theoretical approach that automatically clusters different types of behavior. We evaluate the permutation entropy and statistical complexity from time series related to the observable area of free-falling paper pieces captured by a video camera. We find that chaotic and tumbling motions have a distinct average degree of entropy and complexity, allowing us to accurately discriminate between these two types of behavior with a simple unsupervised machine learning algorithm. Our method has a performance comparable to other approaches based on physical quantities but does not depend on reconstructing the three-dimensional falling trajectory., 6 two-column pages, 1 figure, supplementary information; accepted for publication in EPL

Paper electronics offer an environmentally sustainable option for flexible and wearable systems and perfectly fit the available printing technologies for high manufacturing efficiency. As the heart of energy‐consuming devices, paper‐based batteries are required to be compatible with printing processes with high fidelity. Herein, hydrogel reinforced cellulose paper (HCP) is designed to serve as the separator and solid electrolyte for paper batteries. The HCP can sustain higher strain than pristine papers and are biodegradable in natural environment within four weeks. Zinc‐metal (Ni and Mn) batteries printed on the HCP present remarkable volumetric energy density of ≈26 mWh cm–3, and also demonstrate the feature of cuttability and compatibility with flexible circuits and devices. As a result, self‐powered electronic system could be constructed by integrating printed paper batteries with solar cells and light‐emitting diodes. The result highlights the feasibility of hydrogel reinforced paper for ubiquitous flexible and eco‐friendly electronics., Hydrogel reinforced cellulose paper presents enhanced mechanical and conductivity properties that make them suitable as the separator and quasi‐solid electrolyte for paper batteries. The printed zinc batteries (Mn–Zn and Ni–Zn) are flexible, cuttable, and potentially integrable with other paper electronics.

Antipredator behaviour is a self-preservation strategy present in many biological systems, where individuals join the effort in a collective reaction to avoid being caught by an approaching predator. We study a nonhierarchical tritrophic system, whose predator-prey interactions are described by the rock-paper-scissors game rules. We performed a set of spatial stochastic simulations where organisms of one out of the species can resist predation in a collective strategy. The drop in predation capacity is local, which means that each predator faces a particular opposition depending on the prey group size surrounding it. Considering that the interference in a predator action depends on the prey's physical and cognitive ability, we explore the role of a conditioning factor that indicates the fraction of the species apt to perform the antipredator strategy. Because of the local unbalancing of the cyclic predator-prey interactions, departed spatial domains mainly occupied by a single species emerge. Unlike the rock-paper-scissors model with a weak species because a nonlocal reason, our findings show that if the predation probability of one species is reduced because individuals face local antipredator response, the species does not predominate. Instead, the local unbalancing of the rock-paper-scissors model results in the prevalence of the weak species' prey. Finally, the outcomes show that local unevenness may jeopardise biodiversity, with the coexistence being more threatened for high mobility., 9 pages, 11 figures

Halide perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) are promising materials for diverse applications including displays, light‐emitting diodes, and solar cells due to their intriguing properties such as tunable bandgap, high photoluminescence quantum yield, high absorbance, and narrow emission peaks. Despite the prosperous achievements over the past several years, PQDs face severe challenges in terms of stability under different circumstances. Currently, researchers have overcome part of the stability problem, making PQDs sustainable in water, oxygen, and polar solvents for long‐term use. However, halide PQDs are easily degraded under continuous irradiation, which significantly limits their potential for conventional applications. In this study, an oleic acid/oleylamine (traditional surface ligands)‐free method to fabricate perovskite quantum dot papers (PQDP) is developed by adding cellulose nanocrystals as long‐chain binding ligands that stabilize the PQD structure. As a result, the relative photoluminescence intensity of PQDP remains over ≈90% under continuous ultraviolet (UV, 16 W) irradiation for 2 months, showing negligible photodegradation. This proposed method paves the way for the fabrication of ultrastable PQDs and the future development of related applications., Solid‐state perovskite quantum dot papers are fabricated using a unique vacuum filtration growth method without a purification process. The bonding between cellulose nanocrystals and perovskite quantum dots makes the hybrid structure stable, and record high UV stability and thermal stability are achieved for perovskite quantum dot papers.

Graphene has an extremely high in-plane strength yet considerable out-of-plane softness. High crystalline order of graphene assemblies is desired to utilize their in-plane properties, however, challenged by the easy formation of chaotic wrinkles for the intrinsic softness. Here, we find an intercalation modulated plasticization phenomenon, present a continuous plasticization stretching method to regulate spontaneous wrinkles of graphene sheets into crystalline orders, and fabricate continuous graphene papers with a high Hermans’ order of 0.93. The crystalline graphene paper exhibits superior mechanical (tensile strength of 1.1 GPa, stiffness of 62.8 GPa) and conductive properties (electrical conductivity of 1.1 × 105 S m−1, thermal conductivity of 109.11 W m−1 K−1). We extend the ultrastrong graphene papers to the realistic laminated composites and achieve high strength combining with attractive conductive and electromagnetic shielding performance. The intercalation modulated plasticity is revealed as a vital state of graphene assemblies, contributing to their industrial processing as metals and plastics., Strong but flexible graphene tends to wrinkle, which compromises some properties. Here the authors report a solid plasticization method to prepare continuous graphene papers with high crystalline order, achieving high strength, stiffness, electrical and thermal conductivities.

Many studies have shown that urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) is causally involved in promoting cancer invasion and metastasis. Thus, monitoring uPA levels could be very useful in cancer diagnosis, identification of initial metastasis, and guiding cancer treatment. Here, the authors developed a novel and scalable uPA sensor based on a graphene-gold nanoparticle platform that uses fluorescence of quantum dots to rapidly (

The early diagnosis of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a significant barrier to the treatment of the disease and to preventing the associated significant morbidity and mortality seen, worldwide. Current testing is delayed due to the high cost, long turnaround times and high expertise needed in centralised diagnostic laboratories. Here we demonstrate a user-friendly, low-cost pan-genotypic assay, based upon reverse transcriptase loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). We developed a prototype device for point-of-care use, comprising a LAMP amplification chamber and lateral flow nucleic acid detection strips, giving a visually-read, user-friendly result in, Current HCV nucleic acid-based diagnosis is largely performed in centralised laboratories. Here, the authors present a pan-genotypic RNA assay, based on reverse transcriptase loop mediated isothermal amplification and develop a low-cost prototype paper-based lateral flow device for point-of-care use, providing a visually read result within 40 min.

The aim of this comment paper is to show that the results obtained as semi-analytical solutions in [1] are incorrect.

C.-Y.K. and C.-H.L. contributed equally to this work. This publication was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST) (107-2221-E-009-113-MY3), the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) (OSR-2016-CRG5-3005), the KAUST Solar Center, KAUST Catalysis Center, and KAUST baseline funding. The authors would like to thank Prof. Nakamura Shuji of University of California, Santa Barbara and Dr. Lin Chien-Chung of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan for the helpful discussion, and express sincere gratitude to Everlight Electronics for helpful technical support with the LED devices.

This Special Issue consists of selected papers reflecting the plenary and sectional talks presented at the 17th Russian Gravitational Conference—International Conference on Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics (RUSGRAV-17) [...]

The effective implantation of conductive and charge storage materials into flexible frames has been strongly demanded for the development of flexible supercapacitors. Here, we introduce metallic cellulose paper-based supercapacitor electrodes with excellent energy storage performance by minimizing the contact resistance between neighboring metal and/or metal oxide nanoparticles using an assembly approach, called ligand-mediated layer-by-layer assembly. This approach can convert the insulating paper to the highly porous metallic paper with large surface areas that can function as current collectors and nanoparticle reservoirs for supercapacitor electrodes. Moreover, we demonstrate that the alternating structure design of the metal and pseudocapacitive nanoparticles on the metallic papers can remarkably increase the areal capacitance and rate capability with a notable decrease in the internal resistance. The maximum power and energy density of the metallic paper-based supercapacitors are estimated to be 15.1 mW cm−2 and 267.3 μWh cm−2, respectively, substantially outperforming the performance of conventional paper or textile-type supercapacitors., With ligand-mediated layer-by-layer assembly between metal nanoparticles and small organic molecules, the authors prepare metallic paper electrodes for supercapacitors with high power and energy densities. This approach could be extended to various electrodes for portable/wearable electronics.

Measurements of capacitors made with paper sheets reveal a significant decrease in capacitance with increasing frequency from 10 to 100,000 Hz, offering a simple demonstration of complex dielectric phenomena using common equipment., 3 pages, 2 figures

Silver nanoparticles deposited on surfaces can provide an antibacterial effect with potential uses in, for example, healthcare settings. However, release of nanoparticles and their potential exposure to the environment is of concern. The current work demonstrates a continuous synthesis that simultaneously deposits silver nanoparticles onto plastic coated paper surface by utilizing the liquid flame spray (LFS) aerosol process. Heat from LFS is used to soften the thermoplastic paper surface, which enables partial and full embedding of the nanoparticles, thereby improving adhesion. The embedding is confirmed with atomic force and scanning electron microscopy, and the deposited silver amounts are quantified with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results suggest that embedding was more effective in PE-coated paper samples due to the lower glass transition temperature when compared to PET-coated paper samples. The antibacterial properties of the surfaces against E. coli and S. aureus were maintained and confirmed with a previously developed `Touch-Test Method'. The LFS process has the potential to be used for large-scale manufacturing of antibacterial surfaces with improved nanoparticle adhesion on appropriately chosen thermoplastic surfaces. publishedVersion

Packaging production often includes varnishing to increase printed information durability. In addition, as some materials cannot be recycled (which could be the case in food packaging), the use of biobased materials enables waste to be composted. This paper proposes biopolymer-based nanocomposite coating which could be applied onto the printed paper substrate to protect it and increase its barrier properties to the water vapour. For the purpose of the research, two sets of the nanocomposite coatings were prepared by mixing polycaprolactone (PCL) base with ZnO or TiO2 nanoparticles in different weight concentrations. The prepared nanocomposites were applied onto the printed samples and artificially aged. The prepared samples were characterized by SEM imaging and EDS analysis, by calculation of adhesion parameters, evaluation of the water vapour transmission rate and colour stability during the ageing process. Results of the research showed that preparing of the nanocomposite coatings did not result with agglomerates of nanoparticles on the substrates. The adhesion of the coatings is adequate before and after the artificial ageing process. The application of coatings did not cause significant change in original colour. Both types of nanocomposites have diminished colour fading and water vapour transfer rate due to the artificial ageing process. To conclude, all proposed nanocomposite coatings are suitable for use in the cardboard packaging production. Nevertheless, due to a better protection in the artificial ageing, nanocomposite coatings with ZnO proved to be a better choice.

Paper is the ideal substrate for the development of flexible and environmentally sustainable ubiquitous electronic systems, which, combined with two-dimensional materials, could be exploited in many Internet-of-Things applications, ranging from wearable electronics to smart packaging. Here we report high-performance MoS2 field-effect transistors on paper fabricated with a “channel array” approach, combining the advantages of two large-area techniques: chemical vapor deposition and inkjet-printing. The first allows the pre-deposition of a pattern of MoS2; the second, the printing of dielectric layers, contacts, and connections to complete transistors and circuits fabrication. Average ION/IOFF of 8 × 103 (up to 5 × 104) and mobility of 5.5 cm2 V−1 s−1 (up to 26 cm2 V−1 s−1) are obtained. Fully functional integrated circuits of digital and analog building blocks, such as logic gates and current mirrors, are demonstrated, highlighting the potential of this approach for ubiquitous electronics on paper., Paper is a promising substrate for flexible and environmentally sustainable electronic devices. Here, the authors combine chemical vapor deposition of MoS2 with inkjet printing of a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) dielectric and silver electrodes, to fabricate flexible MoS2 field-effect transistors on paper, and then combine the latter with printed graphene resistors and silver interconnects to create inverters, logic gates and current mirrors.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly sensitive technique for the non- or minimally invasive identification of molecules at very low concentrations. In this work, SERS is exploited using naked laser-ablated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for the detection of dyes on artificially aged paper inked with a ballpoint pen. Although several studies on inks with SERS are present in the literature, most of them report on the investigations on freshly prepared products, and less information is present on the detection of aged dyes and inks using SERS. Ballpoint inks are commonly used in daily activities, but have also been employed by several contemporary artists. These inks are very sensitive to light, and they discolor rapidly, making their detection demanding. In the present work, the SERS spectra of a ballpoint pen ink on two types of paper were analyzed after light-induced ageing, and the importance of the dye–AuNP interaction is discussed. The results show that the interpretation of the SERS spectra of the aged samples, such as those of interest in the Cultural Heritage field, is a tricky and delicate operation and that the diffusion of the dyes to the hot spot regions of the plasmonic nanoparticles plays a pivotal role in the detection of degraded ink components. Therefore, appropriate evaluation of the factors affecting the molecule–plasmonic nanoparticle interactions and of the history of the artwork to be analyzed is fundamental to avoiding the misinterpretation of the spectra and, consequently, of the original composition of the analyzed artwork.

Carbonaceous materials, especially with graphite‐layers structure, as anode for potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs), are the footstone for industrialization of PIBs. However, carbonaceous materials with graphite‐layers structure usually suffer from poor cycle life and inferior stability, not to mention freestanding and flexible PIBs. Here, a freestanding and flexible 3D hybrid architecture by introducing carbon dots on the reduced graphene oxide surface (CDs@rGO) is synthesized as high performance PIBs anode. The CDs@rGO paper has efficient electron and ion transfer channels due to its unique structure, thus enhancing reaction kinetics. In addition, the CDs provide abundant defects and oxygen‐containing functional groups, which can improve the electrochemical performance. This freestanding and flexible anode exhibits the high capacity of 310 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1, ultra‐long cycle life (840 cycles with a capacity of 244 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1), and excellent rate performance (undergo six consecutive currents changing from 100 to 500 mA g−1, high capacity 185 mAh g−1 at 500 mA g−1), outperforming many existing carbonaceous PIB anodes. The results may provide a starting point for high‐performance freestanding and flexible PIBs and promote the rapid development of next‐generation flexible batteries., A freestanding and flexible 3D hybrid architecture by introducing carbon dots on the reduced graphene oxide surface is synthesized as a high‐performance potassium‐ion battery anode. It may provide a starting point for high‐performance freestanding and flexible potassium‐ion battery and promote the rapid development of next‐generation flexible batteries.

The horizontal flame spread over paper samples was investigated using a subatmospheric cabin with varied O2 concentration. The 25 kPa is found to be a clear turning point for the flame illumination and structure, radiative heat flux and flame spread rate (FSR), which leads to the transition boundary between the extinction limits and power law regions. In the extinction limits (non-linear) region below 25 kPa, the oxygen partial pressure is low with a small Da number. Consequently, the flame spread is gas phase kinetics controlled, resulting in low burning rate, low radiative heat loss and weak buoyancy, and thus the FSR is more sensitive to the oxygen concentration while less sensitive to the ambient pressure. In the power law (linear) region above 25 kPa, in contrast, the oxygen partial pressure is high and the Da number is large, and the flame spread is heat transfer controlled, which weakens the dependence of FSR on oxygen concentration and enhances the dependence on air pressure.

A simple sticker sensor has been constructed using litmus paper and tests have been conducted to detect the freshness of beef samples. The results show that the sticker sensor can be used to determine the degree of beef freshness, since the color change of the litmus paper and the quality degradation of the beef during storage time had a similar trend, where the decay of the beef could be detected clearly (when the red litmus paper changed to blue). The sticker sensor reacted accurately to the beef’s freshness in terms of pH change due to beef deterioration from pH 5.61 to 6.24 and from pH 5.67 to 6.02 as shown by its color change in real time at room and chiller temperature respectively. Thus, the sticker sensor can be used as an effective tool for monitoring the microbial quality of packaged fresh meat that correlates with the increased pH of the beef, where the total viable count (TVC) of 5 x 106 cfu/g or 6.698 log cfu/g correlates with a pH of 6.24. These levels were reached at 10 hrs and 7 days at room and chiller temperature respectively. This study provides a foundation for developing a simple sensor for beef freshness.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:16:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-02-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) The use of paper as a platform to manufacture organic electronic devices, electronic paper, has expanding potential for many applications because of several properties offered. In this work, we show a study of PEDOT:PSS printed by inkjet on bond paper, vegetal paper and sheets of PET. The relation between the surface density of the deposited material, morphology and resistivity was investigated for samples printed with a commercial Hewlett-Packard(HP)® printer and Microsoft Word® software. The amount of material deposited, i.e. surface density, was controlled using the print number in the same position and changing the gray scale used in the image formation. Changing the surface density of printed PEDOT:PSS, it is possible to produce a continuous film permeating the papers fibers. Sheet resistances obtained, when 7.0 mg cm−2 of PEDOT:PSS were deposited on the surfaces, were: (a) 413.2 kΩ/Sq for bond paper, (b) 5.6 kΩ/Sq for vegetable paper and (c) 2.3 kΩ/Sq for PET. The exponential dependence of sheet resistance with the surface density of printed material allows us to evaluate the strong influence of substrate roughness on PEDOT:PSS conductivity and to predict, for each one, conditions to minimize it. São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Technology and Applied Sciences Campus Presidente Prudente São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Technology and Applied Sciences Campus Presidente Prudente

On behalf of the Editor-in-Chief, Prof [...]

Thermodynamic properties of cellulose insulation paper are vital factors affecting the life of a transformer; in order to obtain cellulose insulation paper with better thermodynamic properties, three types of silane coupling agents—3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (KH550), 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy silane (KH560), and 3-methacryloyloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (KH570)—were grafted on the surface of nano-SiO2, and thermodynamic properties of cellulose modified with nano-SiO2 were explored. The molecular dynamics method was used to establish a composite model of nano-SiO2/cellulose. Also, different silane coupling agent grafted nano-SiO2/cellulose models were established to explore the effect of mechanical properties, interaction energy, free volume, and hydrogen bonds on thermodynamic properties. The results showed that KH550 was the best modification of the nano-SiO2/cellulose system among the three grafted silane coupling agents because KH550 grafted on the surface of nano-SiO2 formed more hydrogen bonds in the cellulose system. The interfacial bonding strength between the nano-SiO2 and the cellulose chains can effectively improve the thermal stability of the cellulose insulating paper.

To support nanocrystal device development, we have been working on a computational framework to utilize information in research papers on nanocrystal devices. We developed an annotated corpus called “ NaDev” (Nanocrystal Device Development) for this purpose. We also proposed an automatic information extraction system called “NaDevEx” (Nanocrystal Device Automatic Information Extraction Framework). NaDevEx aims at extracting information from research papers on nanocrystal devices using the NaDev corpus and machine-learning techniques. However, the characteristics of NaDevEx were not examined in detail. In this paper, we conduct system evaluation experiments for NaDevEx using the NaDev corpus. We discuss three main issues: system performance, compared with human annotators; the effect of paper type (synthesis or characterization) on system performance; and the effects of domain knowledge features (e.g., a chemical named entity recognition system and list of names of physical quantities) on system performance. We found that overall system performance was 89% in precision and 69% in recall. If we consider identification of terms that intersect with correct terms for the same information category as the correct identification, i.e., loose agreement (in many cases, we can find that appropriate head nouns such as temperature or pressure loosely match between two terms), the overall performance is 95% in precision and 74% in recall. The system performance is almost comparable with results of human annotators for information categories with rich domain knowledge information (source material). However, for other information categories, given the relatively large number of terms that exist only in one paper, recall of individual information categories is not high (39–73%); however, precision is better (75–97%). The average performance for synthesis papers is better than that for characterization papers because of the lack of training examples for characterization papers. Based on these results, we discuss future research plans for improving the performance of the system.

The discoloration of paper, due to the development of oxidized groups acting as chromophores in its chief component, cellulose, is responsible for severe visual degradation of works of art on paper. By adopting a diagnostic method based on in situ non-invasive optical reflectance spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory ab initio calculations, it is possible to describe and quantify the chromophores in cellulose fibers in a non-destructive way. In order to recover the absorption coefficient of cellulose fibers from reflectance measurements a specific approach based on the Kubelka-Munk theory was applied. The concentrations of carbonyl groups acting as chromophores were obtained by fitting the experimental optical absorption spectra to those simulated by using ab initio calculations. This method was applied for monitoring the restoration interventions of two great format engravings Le Nozze di Psiche and Gesu Cristo e l’adultera by Diana Scultori (1547-1612), as well as a contemporary artwork by Renato Guttuso, Bozzetto per Crocifissione (dated 1940). All artefacts were affected by chromatic deterioration due to a strong oxidation of the paper. Results quantified the decreasing of chromophores concentration after washing and reducing treatments evidencing the different behavior of the carbonyl groups as a function of the specific protocol performed.

Paper-based platforms for biological studies have received significant attention given that cellulose is ubiquitous, biocompatible, and can be readily organized into tunable fibrous structures. In the latter form, effect of complexity in surface morphologies (roughness, porosity and fiber organization) on cell-substrate interaction has not been thoroughly explored. We infer that altering the properties of a fibrous material should lead to significant changes in cellular microenvironment and direct the deposition of structurally analogous extracellular matrix (fiber-fiber templating) like collagen. Here, we elucidate the effect of varying paper roughness and surface chemistry on NIH/3T3 fibroblasts via organization of excreted collagen. Collagen intensity was found to increase linearly with paper porosity, indicating a 3D culture platform. The intensity, however, decays over time due to biodegradation of the substrate. Stability can be improved by introducing fluorinated alkyl silanes to yield hydrophobic paper. This process concomitantly transforms the substrate to a 2D-like scaffold where collagen is predominantly assembled on the surface, thus changing the cellular microenvironment. Altering surface energy also led to fluctuations in collagen intensity and organization over time for smooth (calendered) paper substrates. We infer that the increased roughness improves collagen adsorption through capillary driven petal effect. In general, the influence of the substrate simultaneously affects its ability to host collagen and guide orientation. These findings offer insights into the effects of secondary structures and chemistry of fibrous polymeric materials on cell culture, which we propose as vital parameters when using paper-based platforms.

A popular physics legend holds that scissors can cut paper with a speed faster than light. Here this counter-intuitive myth is investigated theoretically using four simple examples of scissors. For simplicity, all cases will involve a static lower scissors blade that remains horizontal just under the paper. In the first case, the upper blade will be considered perfectly rigid as it rotates around and through the paper, while in the second case, a rigid upper blade will drop down to cut the paper like a guillotine. In the third case, the paper is cut with a laser rotating with a constant angular speed that is pointed initially perpendicular to the paper at the closest point, while in the fourth case, the uniformly rotating laser is pointed initially parallel to the paper. Although details can be surprising and occasionally complex, all cases allow sections of the paper to be cut faster than light without violating special relativity. Therefore, the popular legend is confirmed, in theory, to be true., 6 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Physics Education (un-copyedited version)

This paper presents a novel method for finding features in the analysis of variable distributions stemming from time series. We apply the methodology to the case of submitted and accepted papers in peer-reviewed journals. We provide a comparative study of editorial decisions for papers submitted to two peer-reviewed journals: the Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society (JSCS) and this MDPI Entropy journal. We cover three recent years for which the fate of submitted papers&mdash, about 600 papers to JSCS and 2500 to Entropy&mdash, is completely determined. Instead of comparing the number distributions of these papers as a function of time with respect to a uniform distribution, we analyze the relevant probabilities, from which we derive the information entropy. It is argued that such probabilities are indeed more relevant for authors than the actual number of submissions. We tie this entropy analysis to the so called diversity of the variable distributions. Furthermore, we emphasize the correspondence between the entropy and the diversity with inequality measures, like the Herfindahl-Hirschman index and the Theil index, itself being in the class of entropy measures, the Gini coefficient which also measures the diversity in ranking is calculated for further discussion. In this sample, the seasonal aspects of the peer review process are outlined. It is found that the use of such indices, non linear transformations of the data distributions, allow us to distinguish features and evolutions of the peer review process as a function of time as well as comparing the non-uniformity of distributions. Furthermore, t- and z-statistical tests are applied in order to measure the significance (p-level) of the findings, that is, whether papers are more likely to be accepted if they are submitted during a few specific months or during a particular &ldquo, season&rdquo, the predictability strength depends on the journal.

Rock-Paper-Scissors (RPS), a game of cyclic dominance, is not merely a popular children's game but also a basic model system for studying decision-making in non-cooperative strategic interactions. Aimed at students of physics with no background in game theory, this paper introduces the concepts of Nash equilibrium and evolutionarily stable strategy, and reviews some recent theoretical and empirical efforts on the non-equilibrium properties of the iterated RPS, including collective cycling, conditional response patterns, and microscopic mechanisms that facilitate cooperation. We also introduce several dynamical processes to illustrate the applications of RPS as a simplified model of species competition in ecological systems and price cycling in economic markets., Mini-review article. 28 single-column pages

This work aimed to evaluate three different milling conditions, seeking the optimization of CNS isolation process. The paper sludge was chemically treated with detergent and H2O2, by two steps, to remove the noncellulosic contents (hemicellulose and lignin). After these treatments, the sample was milled with the variation of a liquid medium. The three liquids milling medium were: i) dry medium (CNS-D); ii) moist with water and (CNS-W) iii) moist with ethanol (CNS-E). The CNSs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The milled samples presented different behavior, depending on the medium applied. The CNS-W presented low efficiency due to the formation of agglomerates around the ceramic ball, resulting in larger fiber sizes (microsizes). Although, the samples CNS-D and CNS-E presented similar behavior of sizes distribution, with average size 340 nm and 373 nm, respectively, determined by DLS. The CNS-E sample presented higher yield and electrostatic stability in solution, besides not presenting loss of crystallinity, as occurred with CNS-D, observed by FTIR analysis. Thus, the isolation with ethanol showed more efficient process among the three processes studied. This work achieved the isolation of CNS; besides, it proposed an environmentally friendly isolation method, and this may add value in the paper sludge. Keywords: industrial residue, cellulose nanostructures, ball mill, cellulose characterization.

Accurate monitoring of insulation aging of oil-paper insulation power equipment such as oil-immersed transformers is a key and difficult point in the field of high voltage research. In this paper, a method based on Raman spectroscopy to diagnose the aging degree of oil-paper insulation is discussed. Raman detections of the samples were carried out on a self-built Raman detection platform. The partial least squares method was used to extract and analyze the spectral features. The aging time of the sample was used to supervise the feature extraction of oil-paper insulation Raman data, and the intrinsic mathematical relationship between the Raman features of oil-paper insulation and the aging was excavated. Finally, a quantitative aging diagnostic model based on Raman spectral features of oil-paper insulation to predict its aging state was built with the assistance of the support vector regression method. The results of aging time prediction for 30 test samples show that the mean square error is 0.0123 and the square of correlation coefficient is 0.987. The proposed method provides a new idea for Raman aging diagnosis of oil-paper insulation.

We study a class of the stochastic May-Leonard models, with three species dominating each other in a cyclic nonhierarchical way, according to the rock-paper-scissors game. We introduce an unevenness in the system, by considering that one of the species is weaker because of a lower selection probability. The simulation results show that the pattern formation is drastically affected by the presence of the weaker species, with no spiral waves arising immediately from random initial conditions. Instead, single-species spatial domains cyclically dominate the entire territory until a region occupied by the weaker species is sufficiently narrow to be crossed by individuals without being selected. This leads to the appearance of spatial patterns responsible for the species coexistence. We verify that the asymmetry in the selection probabilities leads to different spatial autocorrelation function and average relative species abundances. Finally, we investigate the coexistence probability and show that the surviving species depends on the level of unevenness of the model and the mobility of individuals., 6 pages, 7 figures

We deal with stochastic network simulations in a model with three distinct species that compete under cyclic rules which are similar to the rules of the popular rock-paper-scissors game. We investigate the Hamming distance density and then the basin entropy behavior, running the simulations for some typical values of the parameters mobility, predation and reproduction and for very long time evolutions. The results show that the basin entropy is another interesting tool of current interest to investigate chaotic features of the network simulations that are usually considered to describe aspects of biodiversity in the cyclic three-species model., 7 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables. To appear in EPL

A comment on the paper “Diffraction of Plane Waves by an Impedance Half-plane in Cold Plasma” is presented. The continuity conditions were written in the case of the surrounding medium that was free space instead of cold plasma. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Concerns for the environment are recurrent in our society, and research on low impact materials such as those produced from waste is an alternative. This work is based on the reuse of scrap paper and rice hulls aiming to increase the life cycle of these waste products and to find better destination. Composites with a volumetric filler content (dispersed phase) of 80% were produced via compression molding using polyurethane (PU) based on castor oil or polyester resin as matrix, in four distinct families: polyester/rice hulls, PU/rice hulls, polyester/paper and PU/paper. The following tests were performed: water sorption, contact angle, hardness, impact and tensile testing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for fracture morphology study. Basic visual analysis showed greater void content for the rice hull composites, making them less aesthetically appealing compared to paper. It was observed in the case of PU matrix the filler greatly influenced the rigidity since this pure material was more flexible compared to pure polyester. Filler incorporation decreased tensile strength of the polyester matrix but significantly increased that of the PU matrix.

International audience

Inspired by the article “Anomalous relaxation model based on the fractional derivative with a Prabhakar-like kernel” (Z. Angew. Math. Phys. (2019) 70:42) whose authors Zhao and Sun studied the integro-differential equation with the kernel given by the Prabhakar function $$e^{-\gamma }_{\alpha , \beta }(t, \lambda )$$ , we provide the solution to this equation which is complementary to that obtained up to now. Our solution is valid for effective relaxation times whose admissible range extends the limits given in Zhao and Sun (Z Angew Math Phys 70:42, 2019, Theorem 3.1) to all positive values. For special choices of parameters entering the equation itself and/or characterizing the kernel, the solution comprises to known phenomenological relaxation patterns, e.g., to the Cole–Cole model (if $$\gamma = 1, \beta =1-\alpha $$ ) or to the standard Debye relaxation.

We introduce our efforts within the project ‘The science of deep specification’ to work out the key formal underpinnings of industrial-scale formal specifications of software and hardware components, anticipating a world where large verified systems are routinely built out of smaller verified components that are also used by many other projects. We identify an important class of specification that has already been used in a few experiments that connect strong component-correctness theorems across the work of different teams. To help popularize the unique advantages of that style, we dub itdeep specification, and we say that it encompasses specifications that arerich,two-sided,formalandlive(terms that we define in the article). Our core team is developing a proof-of-concept system (based on the Coq proof assistant) whose specification and verification work is divided across largely decoupled subteams at our four institutions, encompassing hardware microarchitecture, compilers, operating systems and applications, along with cross-cutting principles and tools for effective specification. We also aim to catalyse interest in the approach, not just by basic researchers but also by users in industry.This article is part of the themed issue ‘Verified trustworthy software systems’.

Silicon and graphene are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries because of their high theoretical capacity; however, low volumetric energy density, poor efficiency and instability in high loading electrodes limit their practical application. Here we report a large area (approximately 15 cm × 2.5 cm) self-standing anode material consisting of molecular precursor-derived silicon oxycarbide glass particles embedded in a chemically-modified reduced graphene oxide matrix. The porous reduced graphene oxide matrix serves as an effective electron conductor and current collector with a stable mechanical structure, and the amorphous silicon oxycarbide particles cycle lithium-ions with high Coulombic efficiency. The paper electrode (mass loading of 2 mg cm−2) delivers a charge capacity of ∼588 mAh g−1electrode (∼393 mAh cm−3electrode) at 1,020th cycle and shows no evidence of mechanical failure. Elimination of inactive ingredients such as metal current collector and polymeric binder reduces the total electrode weight and may provide the means to produce efficient lightweight batteries., Most high-loading silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries suffer from low efficiency and volumetric capacity. Here, the authors show that a paper-like electrode of silicon oxycarbide glass and graphene at mass loading of >2 mg cm−2 can efficiently deliver high energy density for over 1,000 cycles.

The accuracy of insulation defect diagnosis based on the dielectric spectrum response is severely influenced by temperature for oil-impregnated paper bushing. The dielectric loss (tan δ) mathematical model with a temperature–frequency factor to restrict the application of the frequency domain dielectric spectrum (FDS) for insulation diagnosis is not clear. In this paper, five temperatures are selected to study the frequency temperature characteristic of the FDS and polarization current for oil-impregnated paper bushing. The experimental results show that the temperature has different effects on the lower frequency (0.001 Hz–1 Hz) and higher frequency (1000 Hz–10 kHz) of FDS. With the increasing temperature, the lower frequency tan δ of 1 mHz–1 Hz shows a better pattern of exponential growth, while the higher frequency tan δ at 1 kHz–10 kHz shows the declining law with the rising temperature. With the increasing temperature, the polarization current shows a better pattern of exponential growth, while resistance obviously shows the declining law of the exponential pattern. The FDS curve of oil-impregnated paper bushings can be amended by the mathematical model of tan δ for the dielectric response on site for accuracy diagnosis.

Paper with antimicrobial properties was developed through in situ growth of ZnO nanorods. The targeted application for this type of paper is in health centers as wallpaper, writing paper, facemasks, tissue paper, etc. The paper was tested on three model microbes, Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and common airborne fungus Aspergillus niger. No viable bacterial colonies or fungal spores could be detected in the areas surrounding test samples of the antimicrobial paper. Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli were found to be inhibited in an area that is 239% and 163% the area of the paper sample under different room lighting conditions, i.e., halogen and fluorescent lamp illumination, respectively. For Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus the zones of inhibition surrounding the paper samples are 102% and 70%, and for Aspergillus niger, 224% and 183% of the sample area, under similar lighting conditions.

Two organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel coatings were developed in order to modify the surface energy and moisture behaviour of the commercial impregnated paper. The surface characteristics of the paper samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS). It was found that the applied sol–gel coatings as well as the curing process changed the surface structural and chemical properties of the impregnated paper. The chemical bonding between the hydroxyl groups present on paper surface and silanol groups from sol–gel coatings was confirmed by the FTIR spectra. The measured surface energies divided into polar and dispersive components indicated that the coating B resulted in less polar surface than did the coating A which was more polar than the reference (the impregnated paper with water and heat treatment). Coating B brought about the lowest total surface energy. It was obtained that the water repellence of the impregnated paper was improved by both coatings and the curing process.

Inkjet printing of spherical gold nanoparticles is widely applied in the fabrication of analytical and diagnostics tools. These methods could be extended to non-spherical gold nanoparticles that can efficiently release heat locally when irradiated in the near infrared (NIR) wavelength region, due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). However, this promising application requires the ability to maintain high efficiency and tunability of the NIR LSPR of the printed nanoparticles. In this study stable inks containing PEGylated gold nanostars (GNS) were fabricated and successfully inkjet-printed onto differently coated paper substrates with different porosity and permeability. A pronounced photothermal effect was observed under NIR excitation of LSPR of the printed GNS patterns even at low laser intensities. It was found that beside the direct role of the laser intensity, this effect depends appreciably on the printing parameters, such as drop density (δ, drops/mm2) and number of printed layers, and, critically, on the permeability of the coated paper substrates. These results will promote the development of GNS-based printed platforms for local photothermal therapy.

In the paper [Phys. B 550 (2018) 367–375], Alekberov, Isayev, Mekhtiyeva and Fábián have performed very erroneous calculation on diameter of voids responsible for the first sharp diffraction peak (FSDP) in neutron diffraction patterns of As2Se3-based glasses. The authors used wrong relation for the FSDP position taken from entirely speculative assertion presented by Kavetskyy in [Semicond. Phys. Quantum Electron. Optoelectron. 16 (2013) 136–139], assuming unreasonable equivalence between chemistry of chalcogenide glasses and typical polymers. In this communication, the deep reason for this incorrectness was disclosed, and alternative variant to estimate diameters of interstitial voids responsible for the FSDP in As2Se3-based glasses was presented. Keywords: Chalcogenide glass, Neutron diffraction, First sharp diffraction peak, Interstitial void, Positron annihilation