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Zinc anode modification using biomass-based materials for high-performance zinc-ion batteries
Get PDFAqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising candidates for next-generation large-scale energy storage systems due to their high safety, low cost, and environmental compatibility. However, the practical use of zinc metal anodes is limited by critical challenges, including dendrite growth, corrosion, and the formation of insulating by-products such as Zn₄SO₄(OH)₆·xH₂O (ZHS), which cause capacity fading and shorten cycle life. Recently, biomass-derived materials have attracted significant attention as sustainable, eco-friendly interfacial modification layers for zinc anodes, owing to their abundance, structural tunability, and diverse functional groups. This review categorizes biomass-based interfacial materials into three groups: (1) organic biomass polymers, including chitosan, lignin, cellulose, and hyaluronate; (2) biomass-derived carbons, valued for their high conductivity and mechanical strength; and (3) inorganic biomass materials, such as diatomite and transition-metal complexes. The mechanisms by which these materials suppress dendrite formation, inhibit corrosion, and enhance electrochemical performance are systematically analyzed, with representative advances highlighted. Current limitations, such as low ion conductivity, interfacial degradation during prolonged cycling, high manufacturing costs, limited scalability, and dependance on electrolyte composition, are also critically evaluated. Finally, future research directions are discussed, including the design of composite materials, surface functionalization strategies, operando characterization techniques, co-optimization of electrolytes and protective coatings, and scalable manufacturing processes. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of biomass-based strategies for zinc anode engineering and establishes a foundation for the sustainable development of high-performance AZIBs
Probing hard/soft factorization via beam-spin asymmetry in exclusive pion electroproduction from the proton
Get PDFDeep exclusive meson production (DEMP) reactions, such as p ( e → , e ′ π + ) n , provide opportunities to study the three-dimensional structure of the nucleon through differential cross section and beam- and target-spin asymmetry measurements. This work aims to probe the onset of the hard/soft factorization regime through the exclusive p ( e → , e ′ π + ) n reaction, as measured in the KaonLT experiment at Jefferson Lab Hall C. A 10.6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron beam was incident on an unpolarized liquid hydrogen target, and the scattered electron and produced meson were detected in two magnetic focusing spectrometers, enabling precision cross section measurements. The cross section ratio σ L T ′ / σ 0 was extracted from the beam-spin asymmetry ALU . The t-dependence of σ L T ′ / σ 0 was determined at fixed Q 2 and xB over a range of kinematics from 2 < Q 2 < 6 GeV2 above the resonance region (W > 2 GeV). Furthermore, these data are combined with recent results from CLAS/CLAS12 to determine the Q 2-dependence of σ L T ′ / σ 0 at two (xB, t) settings. This was fairly flat, with Q 2 not having a measurable effect on the value of σ L T ′ / σ 0 in the range explored. Results are compared to predictions from the generalized parton distribution (GPD) formalism, which relies explicitly on hard/soft factorization, and Regge formalism. The Regge models better predict σ L T ′ / σ 0 , which suggests that the factorization regime is not yet reached
Variational Principles For Scalars On Manifolds
Get PDFWe revisit the principle of stationary action for systems whose Lagrangian is intended to represent a scalar quantity (e.g.\ energy densities in mechanics and field theory). In deriving Euler-Lagrange equations, the integration-by-parts step treats the integrand ( or ) as a top form, conflating the scalar of physical interest with the integration measure. We propose a \emph{scalar-proper} reformulation in which the Lagrangian and the volume form are strictly independent geometric objects and the action is . Under this decoupling, in variational bicomplex language, vertical variations of the configuration () are shown to be incompatible with measure independence. The next, most natural option is a simultaneous horizontal variation of both the configuration and the base coordinate, which yields a clean stationarity condition with no boundary fixing requirements. This scalar treatment often results in different field equations given the same Lagrangian density. We discuss some example scalar actions and when a given formalism is appropriate, as well as extensions to fields on -manifolds and implications for the usual treatment of boundary terms
Discrete single-parameter optimal auction design
Get PDFWe study the classic single-item auction setting of Myerson, but under the assumption that the buyers’ values for the item are distributed over finite supports. Using strong LP duality and polyhedral theory, we rederive various key results regarding the revenue-maximizing auction, including the characterization through virtual welfare maximization and the optimality of deterministic mechanisms, as well as a novel, generic equivalence between dominant-strategy and Bayesian incentive compatibility.
Inspired by this, we abstract our approach to handle more general auction settings, where the feasibility space can be given by arbitrary convex constraints, and the objective is a linear combination of revenue and social welfare. We characterize the optimal auctions of such systems as generalized virtual welfare maximizers, by making use of their KKT conditions, and we present an analogue of Myerson’s payment formula for general discrete single-parameter auction settings. Additionally, we prove that integrality of the feasibility space is a sufficient condition to guarantee the optimality of auctions with integral allocation rules.
Finally, we demonstrate this KKT approach by applying it to a setting where bidders are interested in buying feasible flows on trees with capacity constraints, and provide a combinatorial description of the (randomized, in general) optimal auction
From moral panic to pragmatic governance: reframing AI’s societal impacts in employment, education, and ethics
No full textPublic debate about AI shifts between existential alarm and complacent reassurance. We read this volatility through the classic lens of moral panic—a discourse that amplifies diffuse fears and pulls policy toward symbolic gestures—and set it against a pragmatic program that treats risks as diagnosable and governable. Reconstructing AI’s shift from task-specific tools to an inference infrastructure clarifies why anxiety spikes: authority has moved upstream to data curators, model/compute providers, and benchmark communities, while outputs grow more fluent and more opaque. Rather than adjudicating the panic, we translate it into action. This paper operationalizes pragmatism by defining the actionable pathway: measurable controls, independent oversight, and cross-sector coordination that keep AI’s promised gains while tightening accountability where it matters. Its portability is demonstrated across employment, education, and ethics. Then drawing on a Neo-Triple Helix perspective, we propose a governance framework that coordinates universities, industry, government, and civil society through participation mechanisms, assurance guarantees, and procurement levers. This approach aims to translate principles into verifiable practice, grounding AI governance in evidence, inclusivity, and transparent accountability to guide AI development toward broad societal benefit
Women’s research productivity in academia: a systematic review of challenges and solutions
Get PDFGender disparities in research productivity persist globally, limiting the advancement of women in academia and hindering knowledge production. While previous systematic reviews have documented these disparities, this study uniquely integrates Intersectionality Theory and Institutional Theory within a systematic review framework to analyse the complex interplay of structural, cultural, and identity-based barriers—particularly within the context of the Global South. Intersectionality reveals how overlapping disadvantages based on gender, geography, and socioeconomic status compound inequality, while Institutional Theory uncovers how rigid academic norms and evaluation structures reproduce exclusion. Analysing 180 studies published between 1991 and 2024, the review finds that patriarchal academic cultures, systemic biases, and limited institutional accountability disproportionately affect women researchers. It also highlights a persistent gap between gender-equity policy formulation and implementation, reflecting institutional inertia and resistance to structural change. Addressing these inequities requires multi-level policy reforms, including mandatory diversity training for grant review panels, the implementation of gender-blind review processes, and context-specific interventions tailored to the unique challenges of the Global South. However, the review also reveals a lack of rigorous methodological approaches in evaluating current interventions—a gap future research must address. This study contributes a theory-driven synthesis that informs more sustainable, culturally grounded strategies for fostering inclusive academic environments
Ligand–receptor hotspots in dendritic–T cell niches expose targets in autoimmunity
No full textBackground:
Dendritic cell–T cell (DC–T) co-signalling pathways are central switches directing immunity, tolerance, or evasion. Despite characterisation of known pathways, additional mediators that may contribute uniquely to regulating T-cell responses remain to be defined.
Objective:
To identify emerging mediators of DC–T communication associated with autoimmune skin inflammation.
Methods:
Spatial transcriptomic data from atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis (PsO) skin were integrated with single-cell RNA sequencing to resolve ligand–receptor (LR) networks operating at DC–T interaction sites, including regions of DC–T co-occupation, defined as spots simultaneously enriched for DC and T-cell transcriptional signatures. LR-based ranking was used to prioritise canonical and emerging co-signalling mediators linked to autoimmune inflammation, which were subsequently validated in independent spatial and CITE-seq datasets.
Results:
Top-ranked genes F11R and CDH3 localised to the epidermis, an area enriched in highly interactive DC–T regions, and correlated with PsO severity, establishing a link between spatial communication strength and clinical outcome. Among these, F11R also associated with cytokine signalling in severe PsO, linking its spatial enrichment to enhanced inflammatory states within interaction-rich niches. CITE-seq analysis showed that F11R RNA and protein expression correlate in PsO patients, with no upregulation observed in circulating DCs or T cells. In contrast, both F11R and co-signalling molecules were elevated in the arthritic form of the disease, characterised by systemic immune activation.
Conclusion:
This study establishes a spatial framework for identifying immune communication mediators and highlight F11R as a potential target linked to autoimmune skin inflammation severity.
Capsule summary
Mapping dendritic–T cell communication in psoriasis identifies F11R as a spatially enriched signature associated with disease severity, offering insight into local immune amplification and highlighting potential targets for precision modulation of autoimmune inflammation
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