Modelling Train Station Choice under Uncertainty for Park and Ride Users

This research develops a novel theoretical framework for modelling train station choice under uncertainty for park and ride users. Three uncertain factors, travel time to station, parking search time and crowding on trains, are modelled to estimate station choice probabilities, the risk attitudes of respondents and the preference heterogeneity of individuals. This study may support planning decisions on the location, price and capacity of P&R facilities, and provide evidence for evaluating P&R investment decisions

Estimation of Viscoelastic Properties of Cells Using Acoustic Tweezing Cytometry

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135346/1/jum201635122537.pd

Deep Operator Learning Lessens the Curse of Dimensionality for PDEs

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved remarkable success in numerous domains, and their application to PDE-related problems has been rapidly advancing. This paper provides an estimate for the generalization error of learning Lipschitz operators over Banach spaces using DNNs with applications to various PDE solution operators. The goal is to specify DNN width, depth, and the number of training samples needed to guarantee a certain testing error. Under mild assumptions on data distributions or operator structures, our analysis shows that deep operator learning can have a relaxed dependence on the discretization resolution of PDEs and, hence, lessen the curse of dimensionality in many PDE-related problems including elliptic equations, parabolic equations, and Burgers equations. Our results are also applied to give insights about discretization-invariant in operator learning

Two-dimensional hourglass Weyl nodal loop in monolayer Pb(ClO2_{2})2_{2} and Sr(ClO2_{2})2_{2}

The hourglass fermions in solid-state materials have been attracting significant interest recently. However, realistic two-dimensional (2D) materials with hourglass-shaped band structures are still very scarce. Here, through the first-principles calculations, we identify the monolayer Pb(ClO$_{2}$)$_{2}$ and Sr(ClO$_{2}$)$_{2}$ materials as the new realistic materials platform to realize 2D hourglass Weyl nodal loop. We show that these monolayer materials possess an hourglass Weyl nodal loop circling around the $\Gamma$ point and Weyl nodal line on the Brillouin zone (BZ) boundary in the absence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC). Through the symmetry analysis, we demonstrate that the hourglass Weyl nodal loop and Weyl nodal line are protected by the nonsymmorphic symmetries, and are robust under the biaxial strains. When we include the SOC, a tiny gap will be opened in the hourglass nodal loop and nodal line, and the nodal line can be transformed into the spin-orbit Dirac points. Our results provide a new realistic material platform for studying the intriguing physics associated with the 2D hourglass Weyl nodal loop and spin-orbit Dirac points.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for publication in New Journal of Physic

Effects of Preparation Conditions on the Yield and Embedding Ratio of Vinyl Silicone Oil Microcapsules

Self-healing materials could repair themselves without external influences when they are damaged. In this paper, microcapsules are prepared by in-situ polymerization method, utilizing vinyl silicone oil as core material, polyurea formaldehyde as wall material and polyvinyl alcohol as dispersant. The morphology and structure of the microcapsules are tested with scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy and laser particle analyzer. Effect of the reaction temperature, stirring speed and polyvinyl alcohol concentration on the yield, embedding ratio, particle size and its distribution are studied. Results show that the microcapsules can be successfully prepared by in-situ polymerization method. Under the reaction condition of temperature 60 °C, stirring speed 1000 r/min, dispersant concentration 0.1 wt.%, the yield and embedding ratio of the microcapsule are found to be 52.5 % and 50.1 %, respectively. The prepared microcapsules have smooth surface, good dispersibility, narrow particle size distribution and the average particle size is 13 μm

Iron-mediated organic matter decomposition in humid soils can counteract protection

Soil organic matter (SOM) is correlated with reactive iron (Fe) in humid soils, but Fe also promotes SOM decomposition when oxygen (O2) becomes limited. Here we quantify Fe-mediated OM protection vs. decomposition by adding 13C dissolved organic matter (DOM) and 57FeII to soil slurries incubated under static or fluctuating O2. We find Fe uniformly protects OM only under static oxic conditions, and only when Fe and DOM are added together: de novo reactive FeIII phases suppress DOM and SOM mineralization by 35 and 47%, respectively. Conversely, adding 57FeII alone increases SOM mineralization by 8% following oxidation to 57FeIII. Under O2 limitation, de novo reactive 57FeIII phases are preferentially reduced, increasing anaerobic mineralization of DOM and SOM by 74% and 32‒41%, respectively. Periodic O2 limitation is common in humid soils, so Fe does not intrinsically protect OM; rather reactive Fe phases require their own physiochemical protection to contribute to OM persistence

Hapln2 in neurological diseases and its potential as therapeutic target

Hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 2 (Hapln2) is important for the binding of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans to hyaluronan. Hapln2 deficiency leads to the abnormal expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and dysfunctional neuronal conductivity, demonstrating the vital role of Hapln2 in these processes. Studies have revealed that Hapln2 promotes the aggregation of α-synuclein, thereby contributing to neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and it was recently suggested to be in intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Additionally, the expression levels of Hapln2 showed lower in the anterior temporal lobes of individuals with schizophrenia than those of healthy subjects. Together, these studies implicate the involvement of Hapln2 in the pathological processes of neurological diseases. A better understanding of the function of Hapln2 in the central nervous system (CNS) will provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of these diseases and help to establish promising therapeutic strategies. Herein, we review the recent progress in defining the role of Hapln2 in brain physiology and pathology