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Hydrogen with water addition: an exergy analysis of the internal combustion engine
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The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.The internal combustion engine is likely to be used for on- and off-road vehicles for many years yet, but the push to cease using fossil fuels is strong. Hydrogen is a possible alternative fuel with both advantages and disadvantages, so understanding and quantifying the efficiency losses of burning hydrogen are important. The limits to efficiency and the compromises needed to reduce losses can be investigated using exergy analysis. This analysis of a boosted lean-burn neat hydrogen spark ignition engine investigates exergetic processes under real-world engine operating conditions. Using a two-zone combustion model to study in-cylinder processes, the results suggest exergy transfer to work improves with increasing air dilution by diverting exhaust exergy to reversible work. Injecting water could potentially control emissions through in-cylinder thermo-physical property changes. For an equivalence ratio of 0.45 with 5% water addition, the exergy transfers to heat and work decrease by 12% and 7%, respectively. Conversely, the exergy transfers to combustion-related irreversibility and exhaust rise by 2% and 81%, respectively. However, it was shown that increasing manifold air pressures and compression ratios increases the quantity of exergy directed to work and heat, while reducing exergy expelled to exhaust. This exergy analysis of a hydrogen-fueled spark ignition engine operating under real-world parameters shows the need to optimize water injection as the trade-off between engine performance and emission reductions. Understanding the fundamentals of the thermodynamic mechanisms of work loss may inform engineering improvements to minimize exergy losses and increase efficiency and work output.The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article
The Modern Slavery-Climate Change Nexus: Resurrecting Environmental Determinism, Reinforcing Saviourism and Absolving the West
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Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.The modern slavery-climate change nexus is emerging as a trendy topic. It combines two powerful consensus narratives, modern slavery and climate change, and has been uncritically embraced by scholars, charities, campaigners and corporations. In this article, we argue that rather than representing an exciting advancement in society–environment scholarship, the modern slavery-climate change nexus resurrects the long-discredited theory of environmental determinism. It absolves the West of its historical responsibilities for labour exploitation and environmental destruction, from which it continues to benefit, while shifting the burden of action to the global majority. By doing that, it provides Western states, corporations and even academics with a convenient storyline which allows them to reinforce neoliberal agendas whilst positioning themselves as saviours, and corporations to continue exploitative practices whilst presenting as ethical
Development of systematic uncertainty-aware neural network trainings for binned-likelihood analyses at the LHC
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Release and preservation of data used by the CMS Collaboration as the basis for publications is guided by the CMS data preservation, re-use and open access policy (https://doi.org/10.7483/OPENDATA.CMS.1BNU.8V1W).Code Availability Statement:
The CMS core software is publicly available on GitHub (https://github.com/cms-sw/cmssw).A version of the article is available at arXiv:2502.13047v2 [hep-ex], https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.13047 . Comments: Replaced with the published version. Added the journal reference and the DOI. All the figures and tables can be found at https://cms-results.web.cern.ch/cms-results/public-results/publications/MLG-23-005 (CMS Public Pages). Report number: CMS-MLG-23-005, CERN-EP-2025-005. Journal reference: Eur. Phys. J. C 85 (2025)1360. Submission history: From: The CMS Collaboration [v1] Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:57:22 UTC (1,111 KB); [v2] Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:26:42 UTC (1,111 KB).We propose a neural network training method capable of accounting for the effects of systematic variations of the data model in the training process and describe its extension towards neural network multiclass classification. The procedure is evaluated on the realistic case of the measurement of Higgs boson production via gluon fusion and vector boson fusion in the decay channel at the CMS experiment. The neural network output functions are used to infer the signal strengths for inclusive production of Higgs bosons as well as for their production via gluon fusion and vector boson fusion. We observe improvements of 12 and 16% in the uncertainty in the signal strengths for gluon and vector-boson fusion, respectively, compared with a conventional neural network training based on cross-entropy.SCOAP3
Memantine and graded motor imagery for complex regional pain syndrome (MEMOIR): study protocol and statistical analysis plan for a decentralised, 2 × 2 factorial randomised trial
No full textStudy protocol.Data availability {29}
Participants may specifically request a copy of their data from the chief investigator; these data will be provided after publication of the final trial report. The de-identified trial data of consenting participants may be shared with other researchers for use in future projects, provided the project has received separate ethics approval from a Human Research Ethics Committee.
Supplementary Information is available online at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13063-025-09383-8#Sec68 .Background:
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare chronic pain condition characterised by severe pain, sensory, motor, autonomic, and trophic abnormalities. Effective treatment options are limited, and international guidelines rely on low-quality evidence and consensus. Two interventions—memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, and graded motor imagery, a rehabilitation approach targeting sensorimotor processing—have shown promise in pilot studies but lack definitive evaluation in large-scale trials. MEMOIR aims to evaluate the benefits and harms of memantine and graded motor imagery for CRPS.
Methods:
MEMOIR is a fully decentralised, 2 × 2 factorial, randomised trial comparing memantine with placebo and graded motor imagery with no graded motor imagery in adults with CRPS. A total of 204 participants with CRPS of 6 months to 5 years duration will be randomised to one of four groups: (i) memantine and graded motor imagery, (ii) memantine only, (iii) placebo and graded motor imagery, or (iv) placebo only. Memantine will be administered at 40 mg/day (or maximum tolerated dose); graded motor imagery will be comprised seven 1-h sessions delivered via telehealth. The treatment period is 16 weeks. The dual primary outcomes are pain intensity (11-point numeric rating scale) and PROMIS pain interference assessed at 16 weeks. Secondary outcomes include physical function, fatigue, cognitive function, depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, CRPS severity, healthcare use, and adverse events. The follow-up period is 52 weeks. The estimands of interest are the mean effect of memantine compared to placebo and the mean effect of graded motor imagery compared to no graded motor imagery on all outcomes. All analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle.
Discussion:
MEMOIR will be the largest investigator-initiated CRPS trial to date. The 2 × 2 factorial design and decentralised delivery aim to maximise efficiency, accessibility, and equity. If effective, memantine and graded motor imagery represent scalable, low-cost treatments that can be given in clinics or at home, with the potential to transform CRPS management.
Trial registration:
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000175875). Registered on 12 February 2021.National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) grant number APP1163149
Study on the formation mechanism of the hard-shell layer of liquefied silty soil
Get PDFData availability statement: The data used to support the findings of this study are included in the article.Hard-shell layers often form during the migration and segregation of fine-grained sediments and play a critical role in influencing the mechanical behavior of seabed soils, with implications for marine geological hazards. Understanding the mechanisms that govern the formation and evolution of these layers is therefore essential for coastal and estuarine geotechnical engineering. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the formation mechanisms of hard-shell layers in saturated silty soils subjected to two types of controlled physical disturbances: vertical hammering and horizontal rotating wheel-induced shear. Using high-speed particle image velocimetry, pore pressure sensors, and earth pressure measurements, the study analyzed the coupled evolution of the force field, particle migration field, and liquefaction behavior under different disturbance modes. Results show that liquefaction is a prerequisite for hard-shell layer formation, allowing fine particles to migrate upward while coarse particles settle, leading to effective particle separation. Hammering produced high pore pressure and strong vertical particle mobility, resulting in a thin but dense hard-shell layer with high strength. In contrast, the rotating wheel disturbance generated moderate liquefaction and vortex-driven particle segregation, forming a thicker hard-shell layer with relatively lower mechanical strength. The findings highlight a trade-off between shell thickness and strength depending on the disturbance type and suggest that the mechanism of fine–coarse particle separation under liquefaction conditions is key to shell formation. This research provides a theoretical and experimental basis for understanding internal liquefaction processes in silty coastal slopes, particularly under the influence of waves or seismic activity following landslides.The financial support is from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41976049, 42177346, U2243240), Henan Provincial Science and Technology Research Project (242102320001), Science and Technology Plan of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Henan Province (K2312), and General Project of Shaanxi Provincial Key Research and Development Program: (2025SF-YBXM-292). Key scientific research projects in Higher Education Institutions in Henan Province (26B610001); Young Backbone Teachers Training Program of Henan University of Urban Construction (YCJQNGGJS202408); the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, CHD (300102265501, 300102265501); Open Research Fund Program of Henan Key Laboratory of Engineering Materials and Hydraulic Structures (HNEMHS_OF202403)
Technological Approaches for the Capture and Reuse of Biogenic Carbon Dioxide Towards Sustainable Anaerobic Digestion
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Dataset available on request from the authors.Supplementary Materials:
The following supporting information can be downloaded at: https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/su172210385/s1. It includes a summary of recent studies on biomethanation (biogas upgrade or CO2 methanation) highlighting the dominant methanogenic taxa (average relative abundance > 0.5%) identified under different operational conditions. The table presents trends linking methanogen presence and abundance to key parameters such as temperature, pH, substrate composition, and reactor type.Anaerobic digestion (AD) produces renewable energy but releases biogenic CO2 and generates digestate requiring management. This paper evaluates four emerging pathways for CO2 capture and reuse in AD systems: (1) in situ CO2 conversion to CH4 via microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), (2) hydrogenotrophic CO2 methanation using green hydrogen, (3) enzymatic CO2 capture coupled with autotrophic algae cultivation, and (4) digestate pyrolysis with syngas biomethanation. Each pathway is assessed in terms of technical feasibility, biocatalyst performance, system configuration, and key implementation challenges. Integrated scenarios demonstrate up to 98% CO2 emission reduction, substantial bioenergy yield improvements, and enhanced nutrient and biomass recovery compared to conventional AD. MEC-based and hydrogenotrophic pathways show the highest energy efficiency, while algae-based systems provide added bioproduct valorization. The remaining limitations include cost, process integration, and scale-up. The study defines development priorities to advance zero-emission AD technologies for the agri-food and waste management sectors.The European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 101084405 (CRONUS)
Cognitive Rehabilitation Improves Functional Vision Skills in Children with Cerebral Visual Impairment
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Data available on request due to ethical reasons.Background/Objectives: Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is the leading cause of visual disability in children, resulting from damage to the brain’s visual processing pathways. Although ocular structures may be intact, functional vision, the use of vision in daily tasks, is often significantly affected. Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy (CRT) has shown potential to enhance cognitive functions through neuroplasticity, yet its influence on functional vision remains underexplored. This exploratory pilot study aimed to examine whether CRT could improve functional vision in children with CVI by targeting underlying cognitive deficits. Methods: A single-arm pre–post intervention study was conducted with nine children aged 7–11 years diagnosed with CVI. Participants received 20 individualized CRT sessions over ten weeks, integrating principles from the Model of Visual Functioning. Functional vision was evaluated using the Gazi Functional Vision Assessment Instrument (GFVAI), while cognitive improvements were measured with the Dynamic Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment for Children (DOTCA-Ch) and the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test-4 (MVPT-4). Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in GFVAI domains such as light sensitivity, distant visual field, focusing, maintaining focus, and obstacle avoidance (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01). Qualitative analysis also indicated a shift from low/moderate to good/very good performance in most functional vision categories. Cognitive domains, including visual-motor organization, thinking operations, and spatial perception, showed significant gains. Conclusions: CRT may support improvements in functional vision by enhancing cognitive processes in children with CVI. This therapist-led approach is feasible, adaptable, and holds promise for widespread application in pediatric rehabilitation.This research received no external funding
Border Control: Performing Aural Blurring as Testimony
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Sometimes you are afraid to listen to this lady.
– Amiri Baraka
[1]Baraka’s poem, ‘Dark Lady of the Sonnets’, about Billie Holiday, is quoted in Griffin (2003: 314).
Blur comes and goes before the subject.
– Fred Moten
[2]Moten from his work Black and Blur (2017: 237).
How do the wayward testify? When their very existence is denied by the archives of history, what does it mean to listen to the testimonies of those deemed recalcitrant by structures of power? Saidiya Hartman defines ‘waywardness’ as
the avid longing for a world not ruled by master, man or police. The errant path taken by the leaderless swarm in search of a place better than here. The social poesis that sustains the dispossessed. Wayward: the unregulated movement of drifting and wandering; sojourns without a fixed destination, ambulatory possibility, interminable migrations, rush and flight, black locomotion, the everyday struggle to live free...
A Novel Hyperparameter Optimization Approach for Supervised Classification: Phase Prediction of Multi-Principal Element Alloys
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The data that support the findings of this study are not openly available due to data privacy and are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.In this paper, a hyperparameter optimization approach is proposed for the phase prediction of multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) through the introduction of two novel hyperparameters: outlier detection and feature subset selection. To gain a deeper understanding of the connection between alloy phases and their elemental properties, an artificial neural network is employed, with hyperparameter optimization performed using a genetic algorithm to select the optimum hyperparameters. The two novel hyperparameters, outlier detection and feature subset selection, are introduced within the optimization framework, along with new crossover and mutation operators for handling single and multi-valued genes simultaneously. Ablation studies are conducted, illustrating an improvement in prediction accuracy with the inclusion of these new hyperparameters. A comparison with five existing algorithms in multi-class classification is made, demonstrating an improvement in the performance of phase prediction, thereby providing a better perception of the alloy phase space for high-throughput MPEA design.Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council ref. no. EP/V011804/1: UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for CircularMetal
Bubble nucleation site density, generation frequency and departure diameter in flow boiling of HFE-7100
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Data will be made available on request.Bubble nucleation and dynamics can play a significant role in the nucleate boiling mechanism during flow boiling. Understanding the behaviour of nucleating bubbles at different operating conditions can help identify the control parameters that should be included in proposed heat transfer models and correlations. This paper presents an experimental work on measurements of active nucleation site density, bubble generation frequency and departure diameter during flow boiling of refrigerant HFE-7100 in a microgap heat exchanger. The microgap heat exchanger had a heated flat surface of 20 mm width, 25 mm length and an adiabatic transparent cover located 1 mm above the heated surface. This allowed direct flow visualisation using a high-speed, high-resolution camera of a relatively large observation area. The effect of heat flux, mass flux and system pressure on the active nucleation site density and bubble dynamics (frequency and departure diameter) was examined. All experiments were carried out at inlet sub-cooling of 5 K, inlet pressure of 1 and 2 bar, mass flux of 100−200 kg/m2 s and wall heat flux up to 84 kW/m2. The experimental results were then compared with existing models and correlations predicting nucleation site density, bubble generation frequency and departure diameter with limited success. The dominant parameters were also identified, and new correlations were proposed based on the experimental results. The results of the current work can help develop accurate prediction heat transfer models and encourage and enable researchers working in numerical modelling to consider nucleation from multiple sites, rather than simulating one single nucleation site.The work was conducted with the support of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of the UK, under Grant: EP/T033045/1
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