Search Results (880)

This paper deals with the consumption of energy during the turning of low-alloyed steel 16MnCr5. The study employs the earlier reported methodology for the decomposition of energy in cutting during turning. The energy for chip formation, as well as the energy consumed in the interface between the tool flank and produced surfaces, can be singled out. The paper investigates the turning process as a function of the cutting conditions as well as the variable cutting edge geometry. It was found that the integration of a chip former valuably contributes to the lower chip ratios, as well as the more favourable shape of chips. The lower energy consumed in the tool flank region for the tool with the integrated chip former results in lower normal and shear forces despite the higher cutting edge radius. However, the differences in the surface strain accumulation expressed in terms of the dislocation density and residual stress depth profiles are only subtle. Full article

Over the past few decades, Fc fragment-conjugated proteins, such as Protein A, have been extensively utilized across a range of applications, including antibody purification, site-specific immobilization of antibodies, and the development of biosensing platforms. In this study, building upon our group prior research, we designed and screened an affinity DNA functional ligand (A-DNAFL) and experimentally validated its binding affinity (K_D = 6.59 × 10⁻⁸) toward mouse IgG antibodies, whose binding performance was comparable to that of protein A. Systematic evaluations were performed to assess the binding efficiency under varying pH levels and ionic strength conditions. Optimal antibody immobilization was achieved in PBST-B buffer under physiological pH 7.2–7.4 and containing approximately 154 mM Na⁺ and 4 mM K⁺. Two competitive binding assays confirmed that the A-DNAFL binds to the Fc fragment of murine IgG antibody. Furthermore, molecular docking simulations were employed to investigate the interaction mode, revealing key residues involved in binding as well as the contributions of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions to complex stabilization. Leveraging these insights, A-DNAFL was utilized as a tool for oriented immobilization of antibodies on the sensing interface, enabling the construction of an immunosensor for ricin detection. Following optimization of immobilization parameters, the biosensor exhibited a detection limit of 30.5 ng/mL with the linear regression equation is lg(Response) = 0.329 lg(C_ricin) − 2.027 (N = 9, R = 0.938, p < 0.001)—representing a 64-fold improvement compared to conventional protein A-based methods. The system demonstrated robust resistance to nonspecific interference. Sensing interface reusability was also evaluated, showing only 8.55% signal reduction after two regeneration cycles, indicating that glycine effectively elutes bound antibodies while preserving sensor activity. In summary, the A-DNAFL presented in this study represents a novel antibody-directed immobilization material that serves as a promising alternative to protein A. It offers several advantages, including high modifiability, low production cost, and a relatively small molecular weight. These features collectively contribute to its broad application potential in biosensing, antibody purification, and other areas of life science research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive primary brain tumor with limited therapeutic options. Neoantigen-based immunotherapy offers a promising avenue, but its efficacy primarily depends on the ability of somatic mutations to generate immunogenic peptides effectively presented by HLA class I molecules and recognized by cytotoxic T cells, in concert with innate immune mechanisms such as NK-cell activation and DAMP/PAMP signaling. This study aimed to characterize the MHC-I binding diversity of peptides derived from GBM-associated somatic variants, with a particular focus on interactions involving HLA-A68:01 and HLA-B15:01 alleles. These alleles were selected based on their ethnic prevalence and potential structural compatibility with neoepitopes. Methods: Somatic missense variants from TCGA-GBM were filtered using high-confidence genomic databases, including dbSNP, COSMIC, and MANE. Neoepitope prediction was performed across multiple HLA class I alleles using binding affinity algorithms (MHCflurry2). Peptide–HLA interactions were characterized through motif analysis and anchor residue enrichment. Structural modeling of peptide–HLA complexes was conducted using ColabFold (AlphaFold2-multimer v3) to evaluate conformational stability. The population frequency of selected HLA alleles was examined through epidemiological comparisons. Results: Canonical GBM driver mutations (e.g., EGFR, TP53, PIK3R1) are recurrent and biologically relevant, although pharmacological inhibition of EGFR alone has not consistently improved patient outcomes, underscoring the complex signaling redundancy in glioblastoma. HLA-A68:01 exhibited high binding affinity and favorable motif compatibility, supporting its potential for effective neoantigen presentation. HLA-B15:01 was identified as a viable presenter for the EGFR p.Arg108Lys variant. Structural modeling confirmed stable peptide insertion into the MHC-I binding groove, with high-confidence folding and preserved interface integrity. Ethnic distribution analysis revealed varying GBM incidence across populations expressing these alleles. Conclusions: This integrative analysis identified structurally validated, immunogenically promising neoantigens derived from GBM mutations, particularly for HLA-A68:01 and HLA-B15:01. These findings support allele-informed neoepitope prioritization in personalized immunotherapy, especially for patient populations with corresponding HLA genotypes and MHC-I presentation capacity. Full article

The Ni/Al₂O₃ interface bears the load transfer and energy dissipation, which determines the service performance of the composite materials. In this study, three distinct vacancy-defect-modified interface models (D₁, D₂, and D₃, corresponding to vacancies in the first, second, and third layers of the Ni substrate surface, respectively) were constructed to systematically investigate the regulatory mechanism of vacancies on interfacial stability. The underlying mechanism of vacancy-enhanced interfacial stability was elucidated from both atomic-scale structural and electronic property perspectives. The results demonstrate that the D₁, D₂, and D₃ structures increase the adhesion work of the interface by 2.0%, 6.7%, and 0.3%, respectively. This enhancement effect mainly stems from vacancy-induced atomic relaxation at the interface, which optimizes the equilibrium interfacial spacing and effectively releases residual strain energy. Further electronic structure analysis reveals a notable increase in charge density at the vacancy-modified interface (particularly in the D₂ structure), indicating that vacancy defects promote charge transfer and redistribution by altering local electron distribution. More importantly, the bonding strength of the interface exhibits a positive correlation with electron orbital hybridization intensity, where stronger s-, p-, and d-orbit hybridization directly leads to a more stable interface. These findings provide atomic- and electronic-scale insights into the mechanistic role of vacancy defects in governing bonding at the Ni/Al₂O₃ interface. Full article

This study presents a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in fire protection technologies for reinforced concrete (RC) structures, with a focus on sustainable and high-performance solutions. As climate change and urban densification continue to shape modern construction, the need for fire-resilient and environmentally responsible building systems has never been more urgent. This study examines traditional fire protection practices and contrasts them with emerging innovations. Emphasis is placed on their thermal performance, structural integrity post-exposure, and long-term durability. Case studies and laboratory findings highlight the effectiveness of these systems under standard and severe fire scenarios. This paper will present the results of a research study on the assessment of different fire protection systems for RC columns retrofitted with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) jacketing. To quantify how insulation can preserve confinement, three commercial fire protection schemes were tested on small-scale CFRP- and GFRP-confined concrete cylinders: (i) a thin high-temperature cloth + blanket (DYMAT™-RS/Dymatherm), (ii) an intumescent epoxy-based coating (DCF-D + FireFree 88), and (iii) cementitious mortar (Sikacrete™ 213F, 15 mm and 30 mm). Specimens were exposed to either 60 min of soaking at 200 °C and 400 °C or to a 30 min and 240 min ASTM E119 standard fire; thermocouples recorded interface temperatures and post-cooling uniaxial compression quantified residual capacity. All systems reduced FRP–interface temperatures by up to 150 °C and preserved 65–90% of the original confinement capacity under moderate fire conditions ($\le$400 °C and $\le$30 min ASTM E119) compared to 40–55% for unprotected controls under the same conditions. The results provide practical guidance on selecting insulation types and thicknesses for fire-resilient FRP retrofits. Full article

Viscous fingering is an interfacial instability that occurs when multiple fluids displace each other. This research focuses on the interface instability during immiscible displacement of shear-thinning fluids by CO₂. By controlling velocity and applying heat to the upper and lower walls, the influence of velocity and temperature on viscous fingering during CO₂ displacement is investigated. Moreover, by modifying the geometric conditions of the classical Hele-Shaw cells (HSCs), a novel analytical framework for viscous fingering is proposed. The primary methodology involves implementing a minute depth gradient distribution within the HSC, coupled with the Volume of Fluid (VOF) multiphase model, which systematically reveals the dynamic suppression mechanism of shear-thinning effects on viscous finger bifurcation. The results indicate that temperature elevation leads to increased sweep efficiency, reduced residual non-Newtonian fluid in the displaced zone, and enhanced displacement efficiency. Furthermore, increased velocity leads to reduced sweep efficiency. However, at lower velocities, displacement efficiency remains relatively low due to limited sweep coverage. The direction and magnitude of the depth gradient significantly govern the morphology and extension length of viscous fingering. Both positive and negative depth gradients promote fingering development on their respective sides, as the gradient establishes anisotropic permeability that prioritizes flow pathways in specific orientations, thereby intensifying finger propagation. Full article

Understanding mineralogical transformations and elemental mobility during limestone weathering is critical for deciphering carbon cycling and critical zone evolution in karst terrains. This study investigates an in situ limestone weathering profile (12.6 m depth) in Shimen, Hunan Province, using integrated mineralogical (XRD, EPMA-EDS), elemental (XRF, ICP-MS), and Sr isotopic (MC-ICP-MS) analyses. Results reveal a two-stage pedogenic model: (1) Rapid dissolution of primary calcite (>95 wt% in bedrock to 1.1–48.5 wt% in soil) creates an abrupt bedrock–soil interface via volumetric collapse (>90%), accumulating acid-insoluble residues (quartz-dominated); (2) Subsequent weathering drives illitization of K-feldspar, trace element enrichment (e.g., Ni, Tl, Th τ up to 180) via illite adsorption, and radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr evolution (0.7076 in bedrock to 0.7292 in soil). Depth-dependent increases in chemical index of alteration (CIA: 6.79–79.96) and mass transfer coefficients confirm progressive weathering intensity. The profile acts as a net carbon source (58.5% depletion in soil inorganic carbon), highlighting significant CO₂ release during pedogenesis. These findings provide mechanistic insights into subtropical critical zone evolution and element cycling in carbonate-dominated systems. Full article

Fully grouted rock bolts play a vital role in stabilising underground excavations, particularly in corrosive environments where material properties, geometric configuration, and installation conditions influence their load transfer performance. Although the practical importance of fully grouted fibreglass rock bolts is well recognised, quantitative evidence on their axial load transfer mechanisms remains limited. Prior work has primarily centred on steel rock bolts, with few studies on how embedment length, grout stiffness, interface roughness and confining stress govern bond mobilisation in fully grouted fibreglass rock bolts, indicating a clear need for further scientific investigation. This study examines the axial load transfer and shear behaviour of fully grouted fibreglass rock bolts, focusing on the effects of embedment length (EL), grout properties, and boundary conditions. A comprehensive series of laboratory pull-out tests were conducted on two widely used Australian glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) rock bolts, TD22 and TD25, with diameters of 22 mm and 25 mm, respectively, under varying ELs and grout curing times to evaluate their axial performance. Additionally, single shear tests and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted to assess the shear behaviour of the rock bolts and the mechanical properties of the grout. The results showed that increased EL, bolt diameter, and grout curing time generally enhance axial capacity. With grout curing from day 7 to the day 28, the influence of embedment length became increasingly pronounced, as the axial peak load rose from 35 kN (TD22-50, 7 days) to 116 kN (TD22-150, 28 days) and from 39 kN (TD25-50, 7 days) to 115 kN (TD25-150, 28 days), confirming that both longer bonded lengths and extended curing significantly enhance the axial load-bearing capacity of fully grouted GFRP rock bolts. However, the TD22 rock bolts exhibited superior shear strength and ductility compared to the TD25 rock bolts. Also, a calibrated distinct element model (DEM) was developed in 3DEC to simulate axial load transfer mechanisms and validated against experimental results. Parametric studies revealed that increasing the grout stiffness from 5 e7 N/m to 5 e8 N/m increased the peak load from 45 kN to 205 kN (approximately 350%), while reducing the peak displacement, indicating a shift toward a more brittle response. Similarly, increasing the grout-bolt interface roughness boosted the peak load by 150% (from 60 kN to 150 kN) and enhanced residual stability, raising the residual load from 12 kN to 93.5 kN. In contrast, confining stress (up to 5 MPa) did not affect the 110 kN peak load but reduced the residual load by up to 60% in isotropic conditions. These quantitative findings provide critical insights into the performance of GFRP bolts and support their optimised design for underground reinforcement applications. Full article

Modern AI systems can strategically misreport information when incentives diverge from truthfulness, posing risks for oversight and deployment. Prior studies often examine this behavior within a single paradigm; systematic, cross-architecture evidence under a unified protocol has been limited. We introduce the Strategy Elicitation Battery (SEB), a standardized probe suite for measuring deceptive reporting across large language models (LLMs), reinforcement-learning agents, vision-only classifiers, multimodal encoders, state-space models, and diffusion models. SEB uses Bayesian inference tasks with persona-controlled instructions, schema-constrained outputs, deterministic decoding where supported, and a probe mix (near-threshold, repeats, neutralized, cross-checks). Estimates use clustered bootstrap intervals, and significance is assessed with a logistic regression by architecture; a mixed-effects analysis is planned once the per-round agent/episode traces are exported. On the latest pre-correction runs, SEB shows a consistent cross-architecture pattern in deception rates: ViT $80.0\%$, CLIP $15.0\%$, Mamba $10.0\%$, RL agents $10.0\%$, Stable Diffusion $10.0\%$, and LLMs $5.0\%$ (20 scenarios/architecture). A logistic regression on per-scenario flags finds a significant overall architecture effect (likelihood-ratio test vs. intercept-only: ${\chi }^2\left(5\right)=41.56$, $p=7.22\times {10}^{-8}$). Holm-adjusted contrasts indicate ViT is significantly higher than all other architectures in this snapshot; the remaining pairs are not significant. Post-correction acceptance decisions are evaluated separately using residual deception and override rates under SEB-Correct. Latency varies by architecture (sub-second to minutes), enabling pre-deployment screening broadly and real-time auditing for low-latency classes. Results indicate that SEB-Detect deception flags are not confined to any one paradigm, that distinct architectures can converge to similar levels under a common interface, and that reporting interfaces and incentive framing are central levers for mitigation. We operationalize “deception” as reward-sensitive misreport flags, and we separate detection from intervention via a correction wrapper (SEB-Correct), supporting principled acceptance decisions for deployment. Full article

As a critical supporting component in geotechnical engineering structures such as bridges, tunnels, and highways, the anchorage quality of bolts directly impacts their structural safety. The ultrasonic guided wave method is a popular method for the non-destructive testing of anchorage quality. However, noise from complex field environments, modal mixing caused by anchoring interface reflections, and dispersion effects make it challenging to directly extract defect features from guided wave signals in the time or frequency domains. To address these challenges, this study proposes a solution based on the combination of the guided wave time–frequency spectrum and the gated attention residual network (GA-ResNet). The GA-ResNet introduces a gating mechanism to balance spatial attention and channel attention, and it is used for anchoring model type recognition. Experiments were conducted on four types of anchorage models, and the time–frequency spectrum was selected to be the input feature. The results demonstrate that the GA-ResNet can effectively predict the anchorage bolt defect type and prevent potential safety accidents. Full article

The performance of resin anchoring agents in deep coal mine roadways is significantly compromised by water-bearing and chemically aggressive conditions, posing a major threat to support system reliability. This study aims to systematically quantify this performance deterioration and develop a more resilient material solution for these challenging environments. A comprehensive experimental program was conducted, including uniaxial compression, pull-out, and interface shear tests, accompanied by the systematic improvement of the resin formulation and microstructural analysis via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results showed that increasing borehole water content to 30% reduced the compressive strength of conventional resin by over 40%, while acidic environments (pH = 5) caused a 70% drop in its interfacial shear strength. In contrast, an improved formulation incorporating hydroxypropyl acrylate and a super absorbent polymer (SAP) exhibited a 20% higher initial strength, maintained over 85% of its strength under water saturation, and retained functional residual strength in acidic conditions. SEM analysis confirmed that the improved resin’s denser microstructure suppressed interfacial microcrack formation. The findings demonstrate that the improved formulation provides a robust material basis for enhancing the long-term durability and safety of anchorage support systems in extreme underground engineering environments. Full article

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of polystyrene-block-poly (methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) has garnered substantial interest for semiconductor manufacturing, particularly for fabricating contact holes and vias. However, its application is limited by the low etch selectivity between the PS and PMMA domains. Here, we report an acid-responsive block copolymer, PS-N=CH-PMMA, incorporating a Schiff base (-N=CH-) linkage between the two blocks to impart acid sensitivity. The copolymer is synthesized via aldehyde-terminated PMMA (PMMA-CHO) precursors and is fully compatible with conventional thermal annealing workflows used for PS-b-PMMA. Uniform thin films with vertically oriented cylindrical domains were obtained, which could be directly converted into high-fidelity PS masks through acetic acid immersion without UV exposure. Graphoepitaxial DSA in 193i pre-patterned templates produced shrink-hole patterns with reduced critical dimension (CD) and improved local CD uniformity (LCDU). The shrink-hole CD was tunable by varying PMMA-CHO molecular weights. XPS confirmed selective cleavage of Schiff base linkages at the PS/PMMA interface under acidic conditions, while Ohta–Kawasaki simulations indicated interfacial wetting asymmetry governs etch fidelity and residual layer formation. Pattern transfer into TEOS layers was achieved with minimal CD loss. Overall, the acid-cleavable BCP enables scalable, high-fidelity nanopatterning with improved etch contrast, tunable process windows, and seamless integration into existing PS-b-PMMA lithography platforms. Full article

Chitosan films obtained by solution casting were investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) to explore both their glass transition and the effects of thermal annealing on molecular dynamics, deriving from residual water content as well as from cold crystallization. Glass transition at low temperatures could be evidenced in as-produced as well as thermally annealed films, where non-Arrhenian dielectric relaxation processes, consistent with a structural (α) relaxation, could be detected. The process detected at low temperatures could reflect the dynamics of residual water slaved by the polymer matrix. Secondary (β) relaxations, along with a slow process ascribed to interfacial polarization at the amorphous/crystalline interfaces, were concurrently detected. In most cases, a further Arrhenian process at intermediate temperatures (α_c) was present, also indicative of crystallization. Notably, the α processes, due to the primary relaxation of the polymer matrix plasticized by water, could be discriminated from other processes, present in the same frequency range, thanks to improvements in the dielectric fitting strategy. All relaxation processes showed the expected dependence on T_a. The more accurate exploration of the glass transition for chitosan helps to better rationalize its crystallization behavior, in view of an optimized application of this biopolymer. Full article

Background/Objectives: A mechanistic understanding of transdermal drug delivery relies on accurately capturing the layered structure and barrier function of the skin. This study presents a four-layer numerical model that explicitly includes the donor compartment, stratum corneum (SC), viable skin (RS), and receptor compartment. Methods: The model is based on Fickian diffusion and incorporates interfacial partitioning and mass transfer resistance. It is implemented using the finite element method in MATLAB and calibrated through nonlinear least-squares optimization against experimental data from Franz diffusion cell studies using porcine skin. Validation was performed using receptor concentration profiles over time and final drug content in the SC and RS layers, assessed via tape stripping and residual skin analysis. Results: The model provided excellent agreement with experimental data. For diclofenac, the optimized partition coefficient at the SC–RS interface was close to unity, indicating minimal interfacial discontinuity and that a simplified three-layer model may be sufficient for this compound. Conclusions: The proposed four-layer framework provides a physiologically informed and generalizable platform for simulating transdermal drug delivery. It enables spatial resolution, mechanistic interpretation, and flexible adaptation to other drugs and formulations, particularly those with significant interfacial effects or limited lipophilicity. Full article

Residual-free eutectic Au80Sn20 soldering is still the dominant assembly technology for optoelectronic devices such as high-power lasers, LEDs, and photodiodes. Due to the high cost of gold, alternatives are desirable. This paper investigates the thermal performance of copper-based sintering for optoelectronic submodules on first and second level to obtain thermally efficient thin bondlines. Sintered interconnects obtained by a new particle-free copper ink, based on complexed copper salt, are compared with copper flake and silver nanoparticle sintered interconnects and benchmarked against AuSn solder interconnects. The copper ink is dispensed and predried at 130 °C to facilitate in situ generation of Cu nanoparticles by thermal decomposition of the metal salt before sintering. Submounts are then sintered at 275 °C for 15 min under nitrogen with 30 MPa pressure, forming uniform 2–5 µm copper layers achieving shear strengths above 31 MPa. Unpackaged LEDs are bonded on first level using the copper ink but applying only 10 MPa to avoid damaging the semiconductor dies. Thermal performance is evaluated via transient thermal analysis. Results show that copper ink interfaces approach the performance of thin AuSn joints and match silver interconnects at second level. However, at first level, AuSn and sintered interconnects of commercial silver and copper pastes remained superior due to the relative inhomogeneous thickness of the thin Cu copper layer after predrying, requiring higher bonding pressure to equalize surface inhomogeneities. Full article