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At least 289 records · Page 16

Slow dynamics and strength recovery in unconsolidated granular earth materials: a mechanistic theory

Rock materials often display long-time relaxation, commonly termed aging or “slow dynamics”, after the cessation of acoustic perturbations. In this paper, we focus on unconsolidated rock materials and propose to explain such nonlinear relaxation through the Shear-Transformation-Zone (STZ) theory of granular media, adapted for small stresses and strains. The theory attributes the observed relaxation to the slow, irreversible change of positions of constituent grains, and posits that the aging process can be described in three stages: fast recovery before some characteristic time associated with the subset of local plastic events or grain rearrangements with a short time scale, log-linear recovery of the elastic modulus at intermediate times, and gradual turnover to equilibrium steady-state behavior at long times. Here we demonstrate good agreement with experiments on aging in granular materials such as simulated fault gouge after an external disturbance. These results may provide insights into observed modulus recovery after strong shaking in the near surface region of earthquake zones.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Dynamic Screening and Slow Cooling of Hot Carriers in Lead Halide Perovskites

Abstract Among the exceptional properties of lead halide perovskites (LHPs) is the ultraslow cooling of hot carriers. Carrier densities below the Mott density for large polarons (≤ ≈10 18 cm −3 ) are focused on here. As in other semiconductors, a nascent hot electron distribution initially cools down via emission of longitudinal optical (LO) phonons on the 10 −14 –10 −13 s timescale. What distinguishes LHPs from conventional semiconductors is the exceptionally efficient screening in the former. The dielectric screening in LHPs on the 10 −13 s timescale results in an order‐of‐magnitude reduction in the Coulomb potential upon the formation of a large polaron, likely with ferroelectric‐like local ordering. Further LO‐phonon emission is inhibited, and this leads to partial retention of hot electron energy on the 10 −12 s timescale, more so in hybrid LHPs than in their all‐inorganic counterparts. Further cooling of hot polarons occurs on the 10 −10 s timescale, and this can be attributed to the slow diffusion of heat out of the large polaron volume due to the low thermal conductivity of LHPs. Like other carrier properties, slow hot carrier cooling in LHPs can be intimately related to efficient screening in a soft, anharmonic, and dynamically disordered lattice.

Joshi, Prakriti Pradhan↗

Real‐Time Observation of Slowed Charge Density Wave Dynamics in Thinned 1T‐TaS 2

Abstract Transient electrical pulsing is used to investigate the slowed charge density wave (CDW) kinetics of 1T‐TaS 2 . These measurements distinguish a fast response of the material, consistent with the onset of self‐heating, from much slower transients that occur on timescales orders of magnitude longer than this. The latter variations appear consistent with slow configurational changes in the CDW, which, due to the thin nature of the 1T‐TaS 2 , can be distinguished from the much faster dynamics of Joule heating. Experiments in which the cooling of the material is interrupted, demonstrate the possibility of “programming” it in different, strongly nonequilibrium, CDW phases. Collectively, the results point to the existence of a complex free‐energy space for the thinned material, whose multi‐valley structure and hidden metastable states govern the resulting thermal and field‐driven dynamics. Crucially, this work demonstrates that while the CDW dynamics in this material may have a thermal character, the timescales associated with these motions can be very different from those on which self‐heating occurs. This discovery will be important for efforts to implement active devices that utilize the CDW states of thinned 1T‐TaS 2 .

Yin, Shenchu↗

Universality of the Volume Bound in Slow-Roll Eternal Inflation

It has recently been shown that in single field slow-roll inflation the total volume cannot grow by a factor larger than e{sup S{sub dS}/2} without becoming infinite. The bound is saturated exactly at the phase transition to eternal inflation where the probability to produce infinite volume becomes non zero. We show that the bound holds sharply also in any space-time dimensions, when arbitrary higher-dimensional operators are included and in the multi-field inflationary case. The relation with the entropy of de Sitter and the universality of the bound strengthen the case for a deeper holographic interpretation. As a spin-off we provide the formalism to compute the probability distribution of the volume after inflation for generic multi-field models, which might help to address questions about the population of vacua of the landscape during slow-roll inflation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Large Deviations and Importance Sampling for Systems of Slow-Fast Motion

In this paper we develop the large deviations principle and a rigorous mathematical framework for asymptotically efficient importance sampling schemes for general, fully dependent systems of stochastic differential equations of slow and fast motion with small noise in the slow component. We assume periodicity with respect to the fast component. Depending on the interaction of the fast scale with the smallness of the noise, we get different behavior. We examine how one range of interaction differs from the other one both for the large deviations and for the importance sampling. We use the large deviations results to identify asymptotically optimal importance sampling schemes in each case. Standard Monte Carlo schemes perform poorly in the small noise limit. In the presence of multiscale aspects one faces additional difficulties and straightforward adaptation of importance sampling schemes for standard small noise diffusions will not produce efficient schemes. It turns out that one has to consider the so called cell problem from the homogenization theory for Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations in order to guarantee asymptotic optimality. We use stochastic control arguments.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Slow light enhanced bio sensing properties of silicon sensors

In this paper, we investigated slow light to increase sensitivity and quality factor of our recently designed bio-sensors. A finite difference time domain and Plane Wave Expansion methods are employed to figure out sensors’ performances. We proposed slow light based photonic crystal structures with elliptical cells and we obtained higher sensitivity and quality factor as previously reported. For the first proposed sensor, the results showed that quality factor increased from 570 to 723 and a detection limit below 10{sup −3}. For the second sensor, the sensitivity increased from 550 to 650 nm/RIU and the detection limit is around 10{sup −3}. These two proposed structures would offer great potential for novel compact biosensors in medical application.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Differential regulation of apoptosis in slow and fast twitch muscles of aged female F344BN rats

Age-related muscle atrophy is characterized by decreases in muscle mass and is thought be mediated, at least in part, by increases in myocyte apoptosis. Recent data has demonstrated that the degree of muscle loss with aging may differ between males and females while other work has suggested that apoptosis as indicated by DNA fragmentation may be regulated differently in fast- and slow-twitch muscles. Herein, we investigate how aging affects the regulation of muscle apoptosis in the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and slow-twitch soleus muscles of young (6-month), aged (26-month), and very aged (30-month) female Fischer 344/NNiaHSD × Brown Norway/BiNia (F344BN) rats. Tissue sections were stained with hydroethidium for ROS and protein extract was subjected to immunoblotting for assessing apoptotic markers. Our data suggest that decreases in muscle mass were associated with increased DNA fragmentation (TUNEL positive) and increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) as determined by hydroethidium staining in both the EDL and soleus. Similar to our previous work using aged male animals, we observed that the time course and magnitude of changes in Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-9, and cleavage of α-fodrin protein were regulated differently between muscles. As a result, These data suggest that aging in the female F344BN rat is associated with decreases in muscle mass, elevations in ROS level, increased muscle cell DNA fragmentation, and alterations in cell membrane integrity and that apoptotic mechanisms may differ between fiber types.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Effect of Cooling Rate on Microsegregation During Solidification of Superalloy INCONEL 718 Under Slow-Cooled Conditions

The solidification sequence, microstructural evolution, solid-liquid interface variation, interdendritic segregation, and elemental distribution of as-cast IN718 alloy at three slow-cooling rates (5, 10, and 20 °C/min) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), optical microscopy (OM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA) techniques. The results indicate that as the cooling rate decreases, the constitutional supercooling at the solidification front affects the solid-liquid interface more significantly, and the size and quantity of the Laves phase increase. However, the composition of the Laves phase is insensitive to the cooling rate in the range of conditions studied here. In dendrite core, the contents of Ni, Cr, Fe, and Al follow a slight downward trend with an increasing cooling rate, whereas the Nb, Mo, and Ti contents show an upward trend. Additionally, Mo shows a stronger propensity to segregate under slow-cooling conditions because its effective partition coefficient almost linearly decreased with decreasing cooling rate, which is same as Nb. Using the parameters experimentally determined in this study and the Clyne–Kurz equation, we achieved reasonable agreement between the calculated and measured liquid composition change during the solidification process at different cooling rates. All experimental and theoretical programs in this research were undertaken with the aim of gaining further understanding of the microsegregation behaviors in large-scale IN718 ingots, whose cooling rates are within a lower range.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Slow Dynamics Model of Compressed Air Energy Storage and Battery Storage Technologies for Automatic Generation Control

Increasing variable generation penetration and the consequent increase in short-term variability makes energy storage technologies look attractive, especially in the ancillary market for providing frequency regulation services. This paper presents slow dynamics model for compressed air energy storage and battery storage technologies that can be used in automatic generation control studies to assess the system frequency response and quantify the benefits from storage technologies in providing regulation service. The paper also represents the slow dynamics model of the power system integrated with storage technologies in a complete state space form. The storage technologies have been integrated to the IEEE 24 bus system with single area, and a comparative study of various solution strategies including transmission enhancement and combustion turbine have been performed in terms of generation cycling and frequency response performance metrics.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Berberine slows cell growth in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease cells

Highlights: •Berberine at appropriate doses slows cell proliferation in ADPKD cystic cells. •Reduction of cell growth by berberine occurs by inhibition of ERK and p70-S6 kinase. •Higher doses of berberine cause an overall cytotoxic effect. •Berberine overdose induces apoptotic bodies formation and DNA fragmentation. •Antiproliferative properties of this drug make it a new candidate for ADPKD therapy. -- Abstract: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary monogenic disorder characterized by development and enlargement of kidney cysts that lead to loss of renal function. It is caused by mutations in two genes (PKD1 and PKD2) encoding for polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 proteins which regulate different signals including cAMP, mTOR and EGFR pathways. Abnormal activation of these signals following PC1 or PC2 loss of function causes an increased cell proliferation which is a typical hallmark of this disease. Despite the promising findings obtained in animal models with targeted inhibitors able to reduce cystic cell growth, currently, no specific approved therapy for ADPKD is available. Therefore, the research of new more effective molecules could be crucial for the treatment of this severe pathology. In this regard, we have studied the effect of berberine, an isoquinoline quaternary alkaloid, on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human and mouse ADPKD cystic cell lines. Berberine treatment slows cell proliferation of ADPKD cystic cells in a dose-dependent manner and at high doses (100 μg/mL) it induces cell death in cystic cells as well as in normal kidney tubule cells. However, at 10 μg/mL, berberine reduces cell growth in ADPKD cystic cells only enhancing G{sub 0}/G{sub 1} phase of cell cycle and inhibiting ERK and p70-S6 kinases. Our results indicate that berberine shows a selected antiproliferative activity in cellular models for ADPKD, suggesting that this molecule and similar natural compounds could open new opportunities for the therapy of ADPKD patients.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Transgenic mice expressing mutant Pinin exhibit muscular dystrophy, nebulin deficiency and elevated expression of slow-type muscle fiber genes

Highlights: •Pnn CCD domain functions as a dominant negative mutant regulating Pnn expression and function. •Pnn CCD mutant Tg mice have a muscle wasting phenotype during development and show dystrophic histological features. •Pnn mutant muscles are susceptible to slow fiber type gene transition and NEB reduction. •The Tg mouse generated by overexpression of the Pnn CCD domain displays many characteristics resembling NEB{sup +/−} mice. -- Abstract: Pinin (Pnn) is a nuclear speckle-associated SR-like protein. The N-terminal region of the Pnn protein sequence is highly conserved from mammals to insects, but the C-terminal RS domain-containing region is absent in lower species. The N-terminal coiled-coil domain (CCD) is, therefore, of interest not only from a functional point of view, but also from an evolutionarily standpoint. To explore the biological role of the Pnn CCD in a physiological context, we generated transgenic mice overexpressing Pnn mutant in skeletal muscle. We found that overexpression of the CCD reduces endogenous Pnn expression in cultured cell lines as well as in transgenic skeletal muscle fibers. Pnn mutant mice exhibited reduced body mass and impaired muscle function during development. Mutant skeletal muscles show dystrophic histological features with muscle fibers heavily loaded with centrally located myonuclei. Expression profiling and pathway analysis identified over-representation of genes in gene categories associated with muscle contraction, specifically those related to slow type fiber. In addition nebulin (NEB) expression level is repressed in Pnn mutant skeletal muscle. We conclude that Pnn downregulation in skeletal muscle causes a muscular dystrophic phenotype associated with NEB deficiency and the CCD domain is incapable of replacing full length Pnn in terms of functional capacity.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Understanding of the factors slowing down metakaolin reaction in limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) at late ages

Factors which could explain the slowing down of the metakaolin reaction in LC{sup 3} blends are investigated. Portlandite availability and the presence of aluminium ions in the pore solution are shown not to be limiting factors. Hydrates can only precipitate in solution filled pores. Internal relative humidity measurements indicate that at 28 days solution is present only in pores with radii below 13 nm. An enhancement of metakaolin reaction was obtained at late ages when the larger capillaries are filled with solution. The lower limit of the water filled pores was more difficult to analyse since there is a lack of precision in determining interfacial energies of hydrates and pore solution of the system. However, this study gives an indication of order of magnitude where the growth of hydrates could be slowed down.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Chronologic implications for slow cooling of troctolite 76535 and temporal relationships between the Mg-suite and the ferroan anorthosite suite

Ages have been obtained using the 87 Rb– 87 Sr, 147 Sm– 143 Nd, and 146 Sm– 142 Nd isotopic systems for one of the most slowly cooled lunar rocks, Apollo 17 Mg-suite troctolite 76535. The 147 Sm– 143 Nd, 146 Sm– 142 Nd, and Rb–Sr ages derived from plagioclase, olivine, and pyroxene mineral isochrons yield concordant ages of 4307 ± 11 Ma, 4299 +29 / -35 Ma, and 4279 ± 52 Ma, respectively. These ages are slightly younger than the age determined on ferroan anorthosite suite (FAS) rock 60025 and are therefore consistent with the traditional magma ocean model of lunar differentiation in which the Mg-suite is intruded into the anorthositic crust. However, the Sm–Nd ages record when the rock passed below the closing temperature of the Sm–Nd system in this rock at ~825 °C, whereas the Rb–Sr age likely records the closure temperature of ~650 °C. A cooling rate of 3.9 °C/Ma is determined using the ages reported here and in the literature and calculated closure temperatures for the Ar–Ar, Pb–Pb, Rb–Sr, and Sm–Nd systems. This cooling rate is in good agreement with cooling rates estimated from petrographic observations. Slow cooling can lower apparent Sm–Nd crystallization ages by up to ~80 Ma in the slowest cooled rocks like 76535, and likely accounts for some of the variation of ages reported for lunar crustal rocks. Nevertheless, slow cooling cannot account for the overlap in FAS and Mg-suite rock ages. Instead, this overlap appears to reflect the concordance of Mg-suite and FAS magmatism in the lunar crust as indicated by ages calculated for the solidus temperature of 76535 and 60025 of 4384 ± 24 Ma and 4383 ± 17, respectively. Not only are the solidus ages of 76535 and 60025 nearly concordant, but the Sm–Nd isotopic systematics suggest they are derived from reservoirs that were minimally differentiated prior to ~4.38 Ga. Although the Sr isotopic composition of 60025 indicates its source was minimally differentiated, the Sr isotopic composition of 76535 indicates it underwent fractionation just prior to solidification of the 76535. These observations are consistent with both a magma ocean or a serial magmatism model of lunar differentiation. In either model, differentiation of lunar source regions must occur near the solidification age of thee samples. Perhaps the best estimate for the formation age of lunar source regions is the Rb–Sr model age of the 76535 source region age of 4401 ± 32 Ma. Finally, this is in good agreement with Sm–Nd model ages for the formation of ur-KREEP and suggests that differentiation of a least part of the Moon could not have occurred prior to ~4.43 Ga.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Leveraging slow $\mathrm{DOTA}$ f-element complexation kinetics to enable separations by kinetic design

The design of metal-concerned solvent extraction systems frequently leverages thermodynamically derived differences in selectivity. An alternative approach, leveraging kinetic control, has been considered much less seriously. Our recent manuscript describing DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) complexation kinetics across the lanthanide series shows the observed rate constant steadily increases across the series, with some non-monotonic behavior observed at terbium and thulium. This contrasts the thermodynamic stability constant trend, where lanthanide-DOTA stability constants initially increase and then plateau as a function of ionic radii after samarium. To leverage the kinetic differences of DOTA with the lanthanides across the series, kinetically based separations must be utilized. Since DOTA has very slow complexation kinetics, a separations system must expedite DOTA-metal complexation to allow a separation approximating practical application. Here in this report, a DOTA-based solvent extraction system, where DOTA is the aqueous holdback reagent and bis-2,4,4-trimethylpentylphosphinic acid (Cyanex 272) is the organic phase extractant, is demonstrated and compares the separations chemistry of Nd, Eu and Am. The slowness of DOTA complexation was addressed by heating the system. Results showed, in general, separation between metals is better during early phase contact, and diminishes under longer contact times. Under all conditions, separations are better than would be predicted based on a thermodynamic basis. This report suggests that while slowly complexing ligands classically used for biological applications may not be appropriate for thermodynamically designed metal separations, their use for kinetically based systems may be appropriate and enable a new design basis for f-element separations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Downregulation of UBE2E2 in rat liver cells after hepatocarcinogen treatment facilitates cell proliferation and slowing down of DNA damage response in GST-P-expressing preneoplastic lesions

We previously found downregulation of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2E 2 (UBE2E2) in GST-P-positive {sup (+)} proliferative lesions produced by tumor promotion from early hepatocarcinogenesis stages in rats. Here we investigated the role of UBE2E2 downregulation in preneoplastic lesions of the liver and other target organs produced by tumor promotion in rats. Increased number of UBE2E2-related ubiquitination target proteins, phosphorylated c-MYC, KDM4A and KMT5A, was found in the UBE2E2-downregulated GST-P{sup +} foci, compared with GST-P{sup +} foci expressing UBE2E2. However, p21{sup WAF1/CIP1}, another UBE2E2 target protein, did not increase in the positive cells. Furthermore, the numbers of PCNA{sup +} cells and γH2AX{sup +} cells were increased in UBE2E2-downregulated foci. These results suggest sustained activation of c-MYC and stabilization of KMT5A to result in c-MYC-mediated transcript upregulation and following KMT5A-mediated protein stabilization of PCNA in GST-P{sup +} foci, as well as KDM4A stabilization resulting in slowing down of DNA damage response in these lesions. Similar results were also observed in GST-P{sup +} foci produced by repeated treatment of rats with a hepatocarcinogen, thioacetamide, for 90 days. Hepatocarcinogen treatment for 28 or 90 days also increased the numbers of liver cells expressing UBE2E2-related ubiquitination target proteins, as well as PCNA{sup +} or γH2AX{sup +} cells. Conversely, UBE2E2 downregulation was lacking in PPARα agonist-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, as well as in carcinogenic processes targeting other organs, suggestive of the loss of UBE2E2-related ubiquitination limited to hepatocarcinogenesis producing GST-P{sup +} proliferative lesions. Our results suggest that repeated hepatocarcinogen treatment of rats causes stabilization of UBE2E2-related ubiquitination target proteins in liver cells to promote carcinogenesis. - Highlights: • UBE2E2 downregulation was limited in GST-P-linked hepatocarcinogenesis. • UBE2E2 downregulation may stabilize c-MYC, KDM4A and KMT5A in GST-P{sup +} foci. • c-MYC and KMT5A may facilitate PCNA-mediated cell proliferation in GST-P{sup +} foci. • KDM4A may be responsible for slowing down of DNA damage response in GST-P{sup +} foci. • UBE2E2 downregulation triggers and further promotes carcinogenic responses.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Process Feasibility Analysis of Waste Biomass Valorization to Biochar and Bio-Oil via Slow and Fast Pyrolysis

The United States has abundant biomass and waste feedstock to support the nation's energy addition and affordability targets. Pyrolysis, a thermochemical conversion process, decomposes lignocellulosic feedstocks into liquid, solid, and gaseous fuels that can contribute to the domestic production of biofuels, biopower, and bioproducts. Growing private sector interest in this technology is a key motivation for this comprehensive techno-economic process modeling analysis of a respective biorefinery that includes feedstock preprocessing, slow and fast pyrolysis, and product separation to bio-oil, biochar, and syngas hydrocarbons. Results show that biochar from slow pyrolysis could achieve minimum selling prices (MSPs) of $\$$188-$\$$260/t, competitive with reported market values, while bio-oil from fast pyrolysis is estimated to yield MSPs of $\$$6.49-$\$$9.68/GGE, approximately twice conventional fuel benchmarks. Sensitivity analysis identifies feedstock cost, product yield, and scale as primary cost drivers, while scenarios involving biochar carbon credits and high value applications may substantially improve economics. Overall, these results suggest that continued innovation in feedstock logistics, process integration, and market development will be critical to achieving economically viable and scalable bioproducts.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Slow Equilibration between Spectroscopically Distinct Trap States in Reduced TiO 2 Nanoparticles

Understanding the nature of charge carriers in nanoscale titanium dioxide is important for its use in solar energy conversion, photocatalysis, and other applications. UV-irradiation of aqueous, colloidal TiO 2 nanoparticles in the presence of methanol gives highly reduced suspensions. Two distinct types of electron traps were observed and characterized by EPR and optical spectroscopies. The relative populations of the states depend on temperature, indicating a small energy difference, $ΔH$° = 3.0 ± 0.6 kcal/mol (130 ± 30 meV). Interconversion between the electron traps occurs slowly over the course of minutes to hours within the temperature range studied here, 0-50 °C. The slow time scale implies that interconversion involves changes in structure or stoichiometry, not just the movement of electrons. This occurrence of slow structural modification with changes in trap state occupancy is likely a general feature of reduced TiO 2 systems at thermodynamic equilibria or photostationary states and should be considered in the design of TiO 2 -containing devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The High-Frequency Signature of Slow and Fast Laboratory Earthquakes

Tectonic faults fail through a spectrum of slip modes, ranging from slow aseismic creep to rapid slip during earthquakes. Understanding the seismic radiation emitted during these slip modes is key for advancing earthquake science and earthquake hazard assessment. In this work, we use laboratory friction experiments instrumented with ultrasonic sensors to document the seismic radiation properties of slow and fast laboratory earthquakes. Stick-slip experiments were conducted at a constant loading rate of 8 μm/s and the normal stress was systematically increased from 7 to 15 MPa. We produced a full spectrum of slip modes by modulating the loading stiffness in tandem with the fault zone normal stress. Acoustic emission data were recorded continuously at 5 MHz. We demonstrate that the full continuum of slip modes radiate measurable high-frequency energy between 100 and 500 kHz, including the slowest events that have peak fault slip rates <100 μm/s. The peak amplitude of the high-frequency time-domain signals scales systematically with fault slip velocity. Stable sliding experiments further support the connection between fault slip rate and high-frequency radiation. Experiments demonstrate that the origin of the high-frequency energy is fundamentally linked to changes in fault slip rate, shear strain, and breaking of contact junctions within the fault gouge. Our results suggest that having measurements close to the fault zone may be key for documenting seismic radiation properties and fully understanding the connection between different slip modes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗