Digital Commons Network^™

Least Squares As Random Walks: The General Case Of Arbitrary Spacing, Daniel Kestner, Alexander Kostinski

Michigan Tech Publications

Recently, we introduced the notion of a random walk based on a discrete sequence of data samples ( data walk ) and discovered a surprising link between ordinary least squares (OLS) fits to evenly sampled data and random walks. Here we generalize earlier results by showing that the slope of a linear fit to data which annuls the net area under a residual data walk equals that found by OLS for irregularly spaced data sequence. We also discover a deep connection with the orthogonality principle of estimation theory, leading to interpretation of suitably defined scalar products of data vectors as …

Air Mass Trajectories Related To Dust Storms On Mars And A Comparison Study With Spacecraft Images, Mohammad Abdulla Ahli

Theses

The Martian weather system, climate, and surface evolution are strongly influenced by dust storms, which interact with the atmospheric circulation and the planet’s surface features. In this study, selected Martian dust storms are examined using data provided by the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) and the Mars Climate Database (MCD) to track the movement of air masses and improve understanding of how these storms develop and move across the Martian atmosphere.

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), together with the Mars Climate Database (MCD), provides the data needed to track the movement of air masses at different altitudes and times of the …

Electronic Transport In Twisted Bilayer Tungsten Diselenides, Walid Zaher

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates density waves (DWs) in twisted bilayer tungsten diselenide (tWSe₂) using a mean field approximation, with a focus on electron-electron interactions, and the system’s free energy at zero temperature. For the mean field approximation, the study initially employed same-spin nesting vectors, which were found insufficient to induce DWs formation. In contrast, when opposite-spin nesting vectors were used, DWs emerged, indicating that these vectors can support DWs formation. The plots were produced under perfect nesting conditions, where van Hove singularities (VHS) occur. At zero temperature, perfect nesting provides a complete picture of the upper limit of DWs formation, as …

Quantum Benchmarking Of High-Fidelity Noise-Biased Operations On A Detuned Kerr-Cat Qubit, Bingcheng Qing, Ahmed Hajr, Ke Wang, Gerwin Koolstra, Long B. Nguyen, Jordan Hines, Irwin Huang, Bibek Bhandari, Larry Chen, Ziqi Kang, Christian Jünger, Noah Goss, Nikitha Jain, Hyunseong Kim, Kan-Heng Lee, Akel Hashim, Nicholas E. Frattini, Zahra Pedramrazi, Justin Dressel, Andrew N. Jordan, David I. Santiago, Irfan Siddiqi

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Ubiquitous noise sources in quantum systems remain a key obstacle to building quantum computers, necessitating the use of quantum error correction codes. Recently, error-correcting codes tailored for noise-biased systems have been shown to offer high fault-tolerance thresholds and reduced hardware overhead, positioning noisebiased qubits as promising candidates for building universal quantum computers. However, quantum operations on these platforms remain challenging, and their noise structures have not yet been rigorously benchmarked to the same extent as those of conventional quantum hardware. In this work, we develop a comprehensive quantum control toolbox for a scalable noise-biased qubit, detuned Kerr-cat qubit, including initialization, …

Black Hole Spectroscopy And Tests Of General Relativity With Gw250114, The Ligo Scientific Collaboration, The Virgo Collaboration, The Kagra Collaboration

Department of Physics and Astronomy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The binary black hole signal GW250114, the loudest gravitational wave detected to date, offers a unique opportunity to test Einstein’s general relativity (GR) in the high-velocity, strong-gravity regime and probe whether the remnant conforms to the Kerr metric. Upon perturbation, black holes emit a spectrum of damped sinusoids with specific, complex frequencies. Our analysis of the postmerger signal shows that at least two quasinormal modes are required to explain the data, with the most damped remaining statistically significant for about one cycle. We probe the remnant’s Kerr nature by constraining the spectroscopic pattern of the dominant quadrupolar (ℓ =𝑚 =2) …

Black Hole Spectroscopy And Tests Of General Relativity With Gw250114, A. G. Abac, I. Abouelfettouh, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Raul Alberto Espinosa Perez, J. Lawrence, Francisco Llamas Villarreal, Soma Mukherjee, Volker Quetschke, Miriam Ramos Arevalo, Wenhui Wang

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The binary black hole signal GW250114, the loudest gravitational wave detected to date, offers a unique opportunity to test Einstein’s general relativity (GR) in the high-velocity, strong-gravity regime and probe whether the remnant conforms to the Kerr metric. Upon perturbation, black holes emit a spectrum of damped sinusoids with specific, complex frequencies. Our analysis of the postmerger signal shows that at least two quasinormal modes are required to explain the data, with the most damped remaining statistically significant for about one cycle. We probe the remnant’s Kerr nature by constraining the spectroscopic pattern of the dominant quadrupolar (ℓ =𝑚 =2) …

Ultrafast Terahertz Spectroscopy And The Suppression Of Superconductivity In Strained Iron Selenide Below 1 Kelvin, Tracy Glen Hastings

ETDs from 2020-2029

We report on terahertz time-domain spectroscopy measurements of iron selenide thin films of various thicknesses grown on a magnesium oxide substrate, focusing on the frequency-dependent complex conductivity in the range of 0.25 - 7 THz. By an- alyzing films with and without an approximately 100 nm thick Se capping layer, we examined the role of oxidation in the suppression of superconductivity. X-ray photo- electron spectroscopy data confirmed that oxidation was effectively mitigated, yet the films exhibited insulating behavior down to 200 mK, a temperature range that has not been extensively studied in this system. Our results indicate that the suppression …

Investigation Of The Phase Space Of Tungsten Oxides Nanostructures Via Resistive Hot Wire Oxidation For Efficient Electrochemical Energy Storage And Conversion Applications., Krishna Kc

Theses and Dissertations

The synthesis of tungsten oxide (WO3−δ, 0 ≤ δ ≤ 1) nanostructures with controlled phase and morphology remains a significant challenge, particularly for applications in energy conversion and storage. This dissertation presents an eco-friendly and time-efficient method for synthesizing tungsten oxide nanostructures with tailored stoichiometry and crystal phases through the Resistive Hot Wire Oxidation (RHWO) technique. In this method, a tungsten wire is heated via resistive heating in an oxygen environment, and by precisely controlling the growth conditions, we successfully synthesized WO2.72, WO2.76, WO2.80, WO2.83, WO2.90, and WO2.98 phases with controlled morphologies using simple instrumentation. This approach eliminates the need …

Datasets For Response Of A Liquid Water Cloud To In Situ Hygroscopic Seeding, James Simmons

Michigan Tech Research Data

We have performed experiments in the Michigan Tech Pi Chamber to assess the response of a steady-state, liquid water cloud to in situ injection of a hygroscopic powder. Three materials were tested: jet-milled NaCl, a newly developed NaCl-TiO2 core-shell material, and Arizona test dust as a non-hygroscopic control. Injection of the hygroscopic materials resulted in an increase of the local liquid water content, stimulating formation of droplets up to 60 microns in diameter. Upon injection of the powders, the pre-existing cloud in the chamber collapsed.

Gravitational Wave Memory From Binary Neutron Star Mergers, Jamie Bamber, Antonios Tsokaros, Milton Ruiz, Stuart L. Shapiro, Marc Favata, Matthew Karlson, Fabrizio Venturi Piñas

Department of Physics and Astronomy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The gravitational wave signal produced by the merger of two compact objects includes both an oscillatory transient and a nonoscillatory part, the so-called memory effect. This produces a permanent displacement of test masses and has not yet been measured. We use general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations, including neutrinos, with several representative viable equations of state, to quantify—for the first time—the effects of the neutron star magnetic field, neutrino emission, and the ejected mass on the linear and nonlinear displacement memory in binary neutron star mergers. We find that the additional contributions due to the emission of electromagnetic radiation, neutrinos and baryonic …

Revealing The Fuel Of A Quantum Continuous Measurement-Based Refrigerator, Cyril Elouard, Sreenath K. Manikandan, Andrew N. Jordan, Géraldine Haack

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

While quantum measurements have been shown to constitute a resource for operating quantum thermal machines, the nature of the energy exchanges involved in the interaction between system and measuring apparatus is still under debate. In this work, we show that a microscopic model of the apparatus is necessary to unambiguously determine whether quantum measurements provide energy in the form of heat or work. We illustrate this result by considering a measurement-based refrigerator, made of a double quantum dot embedded in a two-terminal device, with the charge of one of the dots being continuously monitored. Tuning the parameters of the measurement …

A Transferable Force Field For Simulating Adsorption In Metal–Organic Frameworks With Open Metal Sites Based On The 12–6–4 Lennard-Jones Potential, Meng Du, Alan Rodriguez, Matthew Z. Lin, Haoyuan Chen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) that contain coordinatively unsaturated open metal sites (OMSs) provide strong host–guest interactions, making them promising sorbents for low-concentration gas adsorption applications such as direct air capture and atmospheric water harvesting. However, accurately modeling host–guest interactions involving OMSs remains challenging for classical force fields (FFs) based on the 12–6 Lennard–Jones (LJ) potential, as the polarization effect of the guest molecule induced by the positively charged OMS is not considered. Here, we introduce an FF based on the 12–6–4 LJ potential, which incorporates charge–induced dipole interactions and is parametrized against a diverse set of host–guest potential energy surfaces (PESs) …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Tio₂@Zn₂Sno₄ Composite As A Novel Uv Filter With Reduced Photocatalytic Activity And Low Toxicity For Sunscreen Applications, Rusul Kadhim Naser, Kadhim Al-Attafi, Muntadher Abdulsalam A.Al.Alrabeeah

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study builds upon our recent investigation, which utilized various morphologies and particle sizes of Zn₂SnO₄ and TiO₂. Zn₂SnO₄ can block UVB and part of UVA and shows much less photocatalytic activity than TiO₂. Herein, the current study aims to reduce the photocatalytic activity of TiO_₂, a compound often utilized as an ultraviolet (UV) filter in sunscreen, by incorporating Zn₂SnO₄ as a composite_. Since Zn₂SnO₄ produces much fewer free radicals, in terms of the reactive oxygen species (ROS), due to its low photocatalytic activity. To overcome or minimize the high photocatalytic activity of TiO₂, composite materials TiO₂@Zn₂SnO₄ …

What Kind Of Relationality Does Quantum Mechanics Exhibit?, Emily Adlam

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

In this article I elaborate on the approach to relational quantum mechanics suggested by Adlam and Rovelli (2023). I suggest that this approach fills an important gap in the spectrum of relational approaches, because it posits that the relational aspects of quantum mechanics are both inherent and dynamical. I compare this approach to Orthodox RQM, arguing that it has a number of advantages, and I show how some possible objections can be resolved.

Crystal Structures, Optical Behavior, And Magnetic Properties In Hydrated Lanthanide Iron Sulfates, Chole Jones, Silu Huang, Tyler L. Spano, Eric A. Gabilondo, Mohammed Al-Fahdi, Kara Trim, Mary Douglas, Rongying Jin, Andrew Miskowiec, P. Shiv Halasyamani, Ming Hu, Jie Ling

Faculty Publications

Single crystals of LnFe(SO₄)₃(H₂O)₂ (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm; compounds 1–11) and LnFe(SO₄)₃(H₂O) (Ln = Tm, Yb, Lu; compounds 12–14) were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis revealed that the dihydrated compounds (1–11) crystallize in centrosymmetric (CS) structures, with the lanthanide ions adopting eight-coordinate geometries. In contrast, the monohydrated compounds (12–14) exhibit noncentrosymmetric (NCS) structures, where the lanthanide ions are seven-coordinated. Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) confirmed that compounds 2, …

Gatos – Xi. Excess Dust Heating In The Narrow-Line Regions Of Nearby Agn Revealed With Jwst/Miri, Houda Haidar, David J. Rosario, Ismael García-Bernete, Almudena Alonso-Herrero, Anelise Audibert, Steph Campbell, Chris M. Harrison, Tiago Costa, Laura Hermosa Muñoz, Françoise Combes, Dimitra Rigopoulou, Claudio Ricci, Cristina Ramos Almeida, Enrica Bellocchi, Peter Boorman, Andrew Bunker, Richard Davies, Daniel Delaney, Tanio Díaz Santos, Federico Esposito, Enrique Lopez Rodriguez, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

We present James Webb Space Telescope/Mid-Infrared Instrument imaging of eight nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the GATOS (Galactic Activity, Torus, and Outflow Survey) survey to investigate the physical conditions of extended dust in their narrow-line regions (NLRs). In four galaxies (ESO 428–G14, NGC 4388, NGC 3081, and NGC 5728), we detect spatially resolved dust structures extending ∼100–200 pc along the NLR. In these systems, we find a strong link between the morphology of the dust, the radio ejecta, and the coronal [Si VI] emission, implying that dust carries imprints of the processes shaping the NLR. Using spatially resolved …

Natural Protective Mechanisms Of Cucumis Callosus Leaves In Escherichia Species-Induced Urinary Tract Infection: An Integrated In Silico And In Vivo Study, Meenal Sahu, Tripti Paliwal, Radhika Joshi, Arya Kuhu Vishwapriya, Namita Misra, Smita Jain, Gautam Singhvi, Gulshan Kumar, Devesh U. Kapoor, Dipjyoti Chakraborty, Swapnil Sharma

Michigan Tech Publications

Leaves of Cucumis callosus, traditionally employed in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of urinary disorders, were investigated in depth for their therapeutic potential against bacterially induced urinary tract infection (UTI) for the first time. The present work is the first to explore the antibacterial activity of C. callosus leaf fractions with an integrative in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approach. Through bioassay-guided fractionation, the chloroform fraction (F1) was identified as the most active, exhibiting potent activity against Uropathogenic Escherichia spp. species. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of F1 revealed the presence of bioactive compounds, including stigmasterol, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, lactose, hydroxy(mesityl)acetic …

Modulation Of Hypothalamic–Limbic Circuits Regulating Appetite In Response To Health Lifestyle In Obese Adults, Nour Shakir Rezaieg, Muthanna M. Awad

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Background: Overeating leads to obesity a low-grade inflammatory disease. In this context, aguati-related neuropeptide (AgRP) and ghrelin are pivotal players in appetite regulation, while chemerin is an adipose tissue-secreted adipokine that contributes to low-grade inflammation associated with obesity. Objective: This study used a healthy lifestyle program designed for each obese participant to identify diet-related neuro-hormonal changes in appetite regulation. Design, Setting, and Participants: This a longitudinal quasi-experimental controlled study was conducted from 1^st December 2024, to 30^th July 2025, at University of Anbar. The sample included 100 participants, 50 obese (weight between 100–140 kg) and 50 healthy participants …

Evaluation Of Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cell Cytotoxic And Antioxidant Activities Of Peptide Fractions From Symbiotic Bacteria Of Jellyfish Catostylus Sp., Eka Sry Wahyuni, Ahyar Ahmad, Muhammad Nasrum Massi, Sofa Fajriah, Randi Rimpung, Muh. Akbar Ardiputra, Harningsih Karim, Irda Handayani

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Marine-derived symbiotic microorganisms are recognized as a promising source of bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic applications, yet research on jellyfish-associated bacteria remains limited. This study examines the bioactivity of peptide fractions derived from symbiotic bacteria isolated from the jellyfish Catostylus sp., collected from the coastal waters of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, with a focus on their anticancer and antioxidant properties. Following sample collection, the symbiont bacteria were isolated, enzymatically hydrolyzed, and purified before their biological activity was evaluated. Preliminary cytotoxicity screening using the brine shrimp lethality assay revealed that the extracellular peptide fraction (5–10 kDa) and intracellular peptide fraction (3–5 kDa) …

First Results On The Search For Lepton Number Violating Neutrinoless Double-Β Decay With The Legend-200 Experiment, H. Acharya, N. Ackermann, M. Agostini, A. Alexander, C. Andreoiu, G. R. Araujo, Frank Avignone Iii, M. Babicz, W. Bae, A. M. Bakalyarov, M. Balata, A. S. Barabash, C. J. Barton, L. Baudis, C. Bauer, E. Bernieri, L. Bezrukov, K. H. Bhimani, V. Biancaccu, E. Blalock, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

The LEGEND Collaboration is searching for neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ) decay by operating high-purity germanium detectors enriched in ⁷⁶Ge in a low-background liquid argon environment. Building on key technological innovations from the GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment and the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR experiment, LEGEND-200 has performed a first 0νββ decay search based on 61.0 kg yr of data. Over half of this exposure comes from our highest performing detectors, including newly developed inverted-coaxial detectors, and is characterized by an estimated background level of 0.5^+0.3_−0.2 cts/(keV ton yr) in the 0νββ decay signal region. A combined …

Proposed Methodology For Correcting Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Field-Of-View Scene-Change Artifacts, Kody A. Wilson, Michael L. Dexter, Benjamin F. Akers, Anthony L. Franz

Faculty Publications

Fourier-transform spectrometers are widely used for spectral measurements. Changes in the field of view during measurement introduce oscillations into the measured spectra known as scene-change artifacts. Field-of-view changes also introduce uncertainty about which target the measured spectrum represents. Though scene-change artifacts are often present in dynamic data, their significance is disputed in the current literature. This work presents a theoretical framework and experimental validation for scene-change artifacts. Field-of-view changes introduce variable interferogram offsets, which standard processing techniques assume are constant. The error between the interferogram offset and its estimate is Fourier-transformed, yielding scene-change artifacts, often confused with noise, in the …

Improving Stem Assessments: Strategies For Increasing The Accessibility And Adoption Of Two-Stage Exams, Kristina Callaghan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Over three decades of research have shown that students taught using active learning strategies achieve better learning outcomes compared to those taught using traditional methods. Two-stage exams, which pair a traditional exam with a group component, are an increasingly popular method for incorporating active learning within the assessment component of a course. Previous studies have shown this assessment strategy provides a variety of benefits for students, including increased engagement and collaboration, immediate feedback, and potentially increased content retention. However, the unique circumstances of each instructor can pose a non-trivial barrier to the implementation of two-stage exams. In this thesis, we …

Spectroscopic Investigations On Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanofibers, Parinaz Amaniabdolmalaki, Jui Vitthal Kharade, Alexandro Trevino, Lydia Morales, Karen Lozano, Victoria Padilla, Karen S. Martirosyan, Horacio Vasquez, Mircea Chipara

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The production of polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers by force-spinning from polymer solutions was confirmed by electron microscopy. The structural and phase characteristics of the resulting nanofiber mats were examined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance mode, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray Diffraction. Results from all these techniques consistently indicated that both the powder and the mats of polyvinylidene fluoride predominantly contain the α phase, with a small admixture of the β phase. Within experimental errors, no other phases were noticed both in the powder and in the as-obtained mats. The ratios of the areas of the Raman lines at …

High Thermoelectric Power Conversion Efficiency Of An Earth-Abundant Janus Silicon Oxy-Sulfide Monolayer: A First-Principles Study, Zakariae Darhi, Mounaim Bencheikh, Ravindra Pandey, Larbi El Farh

Michigan Tech Publications

The tunable properties of Janus monolayers, along with advances in their synthesis, make these low-symmetry materials excellent candidates for thermoelectric power generation. In this study, we systematically investigate the electronic and thermal properties of the Janus silicon oxy-sulfide monolayer. The results based on density functional theory reveal that the monolayer is stable. It exhibits a tunable direct band gap and strong covalent bonding. Its ultralow lattice thermal conductivity (< 0.38 W mK⁻¹ at 300 K) is attributed to the broken phonon selection rule for phonon–phonon scattering and a high level of anharmonicity, as reflected in the large Grüneisen parameter. Furthermore, the inclusion …

Jwst Interferometric Imaging Reveals The Dusty Torus Obscuring The Supermassive Black Hole Of Circinus Galaxy, Enrique Lopez Rodriguez, Joel Sanchez-Bermudez, Omaira González-Martín, Robert Nikutta, Ryan M. Lau, Deepashri Thatte, Julien H. Girard, Ismael García-Bernete, Matthew J. Hankins

Faculty Publications

The dusty and molecular torus is an elusive structure surrounding supermassive black holes, yet its importance is unequivocal for understanding feedback and accretion mechanisms. The torus and accretion disk feed the inspiraling gas onto the active nucleus, launching outflows that fundamentally connect the active nucleus’s activity to the host galaxy. In this work, we utilize the aperture-masking interferometric mode onboard the JWST to achieve a resolution of 0.08" at 4.3 μm and bring out the fainter features in the central 10 pc of the Circinus galaxy. We show that most of the dust mass is located along the equatorial …

A Comparison Of Modeled Daytime E Regions From E-Probed And Pyiri With Ionosonde Observations, Daniel J. Emmons, Cornelius C. J. H. Salinas, Dong L. Wu, Nimalan Swarnalingam, Eugene V. Dao, Jorge L. Chau, Yosuke Yamazaki, Kyle E. Fitch, Victoriya V. Forsythe

Faculty Publications

While the F region is the primary focus of many ionospheric models because it contains the peak electron density, the E region is an important region for ionospheric conductivities and high-frequency radio propagation. This study analyzes modeled E regions from the newly developed PyIRI and E-PROBED models. A long-term comparison of E region predictions from E-PROBED and PyIRI with ionosonde observations is performed for three sites spanning low- (Fortaleza, Brazil), mid- (El Arenosillo, Spain), and high-latitudes (Gakona, Alaska). Modeled foE and hmE trends are compared against a combination of manually-scaled and automatically-scaled ionograms using ARTIST-5 for the period 2009–2024 for …

Antibacterial Peptides From Soybean (Glycine Max (L.) Merr.) With In Silico Study Against Escherichia Coli Bacteria, Dian Riana Ningsih, Ely Setiawan, Purwati Purwati, Zusfahair Zusfahair, Anita Hindayanti Rukmana

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Bioactive peptides are produced from soy milk protein hydrolysis using trypsin. The research began with the preparation and separation of soy milk protein, followed by fractionation using ammonium sulphate, protein hydrolysis, and SDS-PAGE analysis of protein hydrolysates. Fractions exhibiting the highest degree of hydrolysis were further fractionated by SPE and tested to determine the antibacterial activity Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The peptide sequence of the active peptide as an antibacterial was identified, employing LC-HRMS. The mode of action between active peptides and bacterial membran was analysed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The findings displayed that F15 contained the highest …

Measurement Of 18f(Alpha,P)21ne With The Array For Nuclear Astrophysics And Structure With Exotic Nuclei (Anasen), Keilah S. Davis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Certain (α,p) reactions on proton-rich nuclei are among the most important nuclear reactions occurring during Type I X-ray bursts, as well as being impactful in stellar explosions during the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) phase and on accreting white dwarfs (WD). However, large uncertainties remain for reaction rates on some radioactive nuclei due to the lack of direct measurements. The Array for Nuclear Astrophysics and Structure with Exotic Nuclei (ANASEN) is a gas target and charged-particle detector designed for direct measurements of (α,p) reactions. ANASEN was redesigned with two hexagonal barrels of 100-µm-thick silicon strip surrounding the beam axis over a …

Sperm-Associated Antigen 6 (Spag6) As A Potential Marker Of Sperm Function In Diagnosing Male Infertility, Ibtisam A. Al-Ali,, Kawkab A. Alsaadi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Background: While male infertility has become a significant global health concern, conventional analysis of semen has not made progress in the detection of contraindicated molecular biomarkers, such as sperm-associated antigen 6 (SPAG6), which is a protein involved in axonemal structure and flagellar motility.

Hypothesis: Expression of SPAG6 correlates with sperm motility and structural integrity. This means that its dysregulation may serve as a molecular indicator of impaired sperm performance.

Methods: A comprehensive review of recent studies was conducted with a focus on SPAG6’s molecular characteristics, expression patterns in normal versus abnormal spermatozoa, and the role it plays in motility-related …

Optimized Co2 Gas Sensing With Sns:Sm2o3/N-Si Nanocomposites Fabricated Via Spray Pyrolysis, Wasan A. Khalaf, Mays A. Hammadi, Mohammed J. Alsultani, Yahya R. Hathal, Mohammed O. Salman

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

In this work, tin sulfide:samarium oxide (SnS:Sm₂O₃) composite films were deposited using a spray pyrolysis technique for room-temperature CO₂ gas sensing. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed a polycrystalline SnS nature of orthorhombic-phase crystallinity at 10 at.% Sm ions, while 20 at.% Sm induced Sm₂O₃ as a separate phase. Field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) induced uniform grains and increased the surface roughness, enhancing gas adsorption. UV-visible absorbance revealed band-gap narrowing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed vibrational band shifts, confirming the structural modifications. Gas-sensing measurements demonstrated 5.72%, 19.65%, and 9.65% for pure SnS, …