We prove an analog of the disintegration theorem for tracial von Neumann algebras in the setting of elementary equivalence rather than isomorphism, showing that elementary equivalence of two direct integrals of tracial factors implies fiberwise elementary equivalence under mild, and necessary, hypotheses. This verifies a conjecture of Farah and Ghasemi. Our argument uses a continuous analog of ultraproducts where an ultrafilter on a discrete index set is replaced by a character on a commutative von Neumann algebra, which is closely related to Keisler randomizations of metric structures. We extend several essential results on ultraproducts, such as Łoś’s theorem and countable saturation, to this more general setting.

The incredible growth of China's cattle, sheep and dairy production is a visible phenomenon of the past twenty years, but its foundations were laid decades earlier. Seeking to industrialize its hinterland, and exploit its vast wealth of grazing livestock, China created slaughtering and processing facilities across its northern grasslands during the 1950s. Since the 1980s, much of this infrastructure has been privatized by companies which, like their predecessors, seek efficiency through economies of scale. Brutal competition over price and constant arrival of new domestic and foreign players have encouraged the integration of processing chains, but also sidelined small operators, and created gaps in safety best epitomized by the 2008 tainted milk scandal. Despite steps taken to “green” the production chain, it remains to be seen if such gaps have been adequately filled.

The diagnosis of central nervous system tumours has been transformed in recent years from a microscopic morphology-based process to one dominated by the identification of somatic genetic alterations in tumour cells. This switch requires implementing radically different methods, for which appropriate training and financial resources must be allocated. The Canadian Association of Neuropathologists (CANP) has followed a process based on the scientific literature and consensus to develop recommendations for molecular testing of tumours of the brain and spinal cord, aiming to balance the need for treatment-determinant accurate diagnosis and the current limitations inherent in the transition to a new paradigm. The Professional Affairs Committee was charged with this task. A draft was discussed during the CANP general assembly, along with presentations from groups who had implemented molecular technologies, as well as others who relied on external laboratories. The Professional Affairs Committee summarised the consensus and submitted their recommendation to the CANP’s Executive Committee. A final report was posted on the CANP website for a month to allow all members to comment. The recommendations below apply to intrinsic tumours of the central nervous system and do not include metastatic disease or tumours impinging upon the nervous system from outside. These recommendations should be considered clinically relevant, as the results have direct consequences on the patient’s treatment, either through the use of targeted therapies or the trial-proven best application of radiation and/or chemotherapy.

In the Spring of 2020, the onset of the global pandemic intensified existing inequalities, but also accelerated organizing within some of the most precarious economic sectors. The neoliberal university was no exception to this general trend, and from 2020 until 2022, student workers organized for union contracts, just pandemic responses, independent arbitration for harassment and improved conditions at their workplaces. In those years, while neoliberal universities issued empty calls for “community,” and a prompt return to normalcy, student workers mobilized themselves and won unprecedented gains from their institutions, rejecting administrative pleas for the defense of the status quo. The following “Report from the Field,” details the struggle of student workers organizing from 2020 to 2022 at the University of New Mexico, the University of Michigan, New York University, and Columbia University, and offers a collectively authored reflection on the challenges, victories and future concerns of its respective movements.

We perform two-way coupled direct numerical simulation of particle-laden flow in an open channel at a friction Reynolds number ($Re_{\tau }$) of 5186, which exhibits many characteristics of high-Reynolds-number wall-bounded turbulence, such as the distinct separation of scales in the inner and outer layers. Three representative cases, an unladen case and low- and high-Stokes-number particle-laden cases, are performed to investigate the turbulent modification by particles. To this end, we compare several statistical quantities to understand the particle effect on momentum exchange and interphasial energy transfer. The modulation of large-scale motions (LSMs) and very-large-scale motions (VLSMs) are analysed using spectral information, and we find that the LSMs and VLSMs are generally weakened in the inner and outer layers, which is qualitatively different from similar simulations at lower Reynolds numbers ($Re_{\tau } \approx 500$). The spatial structures are investigated with correlation analysis, and inclined VLSMs are observed in the near-wall region, with decreased inclination angles by particles. The particles tend to widen and shorten the spanwise and streamwise extent of coherent structures, respectively. Furthermore, we find that the vorticity vector displays a preferential alignment with the eigenvector corresponding to the intermediate eigenvalue of the strain-rate tensor, independent of the particle Stokes number.

Development of high energy density solid-state batteries with Li metal anodes has been limited by uncontrollable growth of Li dendrites in liquid and solid electrolytes (SEs). This, in part, may be caused by a dearth of information about mechanical properties of Li, especially at the nano- and microlength scales and microstructures relevant to Li batteries. We investigate Li electrodeposited in a commercial LiCoO2/LiPON/Cu solid-state thin-film cell, grown in situ in a scanning electron microscope equipped with nanomechanical capabilities. Experiments demonstrate that Li was preferentially deposited at the LiPON/Cu interface along the valleys that mimic the domain boundaries of underlying LiCoO2 (cathode). Cryogenic electron microscopy analysis of electrodeposited Li revealed a single-crystalline microstructure, and in situ nanocompression experiments on nano-pillars with 360–759 nm diameters revealed their average Young's modulus to be 6.76 ± 2.88 GPa with an average yield stress of 16.0 ± 6.82 MPa, ~24x higher than what has been reported for bulk polycrystalline Li. We discuss mechanical deformation mechanisms, stiffness, and strength of nano-sized electrodeposited Li in the framework of its microstructure and dislocation-governed nanoscale plasticity of crystals, and place it in the parameter space of existing knowledge on small-scale Li mechanics. The enhanced strength of Li at small scales may explain why it can penetrate and fracture through much stiffer and harder SEs than theoretically predicted.

While most papers on high-entropy alloys (HEAs) focus on the microstructure and mechanical properties for structural materials applications, there has been growing interest in developing high-entropy functional materials. The objective of this paper is to provide a brief, timely review on select functional properties of HEAs, including soft magnetic, magnetocaloric, physical, thermoelectric, superconducting, and hydrogen storage. Comparisons of functional properties between HEAs and conventional low- and medium-entropy materials are provided, and examples are illustrated using computational modeling and tuning the composition of existing functional materials through substitutional or interstitial mixing. Extending the concept of high configurational entropy to a wide range of materials such as intermetallics, ceramics, and semiconductors through the isostructural design approach is discussed. Perspectives are offered in designing future high-performance functional materials utilizing the high-entropy concepts and high-throughput predictive computational modeling.

This article provides a short review on computational modeling on the formation, thermodynamics, and elasticity of single-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs). Hundreds of predicted single-phase HEAs were re-examined using various empirical thermo-physical parameters. Potential BCC HEAs (CrMoNbTaTiVW, CrMoNbReTaTiVW, and CrFeMoNbReRuTaVW) were suggested based on CALPHAD modeling. The calculated vibrational entropies of mixing are positive for FCC CoCrFeNi, negative for BCC MoNbTaW, and near-zero for HCP CoOsReRu. The total entropies of mixing were observed to trend in descending order: CoCrFeNi > CoOsReRu > MoNbTaW. Calculated lattice parameters agree extremely well with averaged values estimated from the rule of mixtures (ROM) if the same crystal structure is used for the elements and the alloy. The deviation in the calculated elastic properties from ROM for select alloys is small but is susceptible to the choice used for the structures of pure components.

Let G be an additive abelian group, let n ⩾ 1 be an integer, let S be a sequence over G of length |S| ⩾ n + 1, and let ${\mathsf h}$ (S) denote the maximum multiplicity of a term in S. Let Σn (S) denote the set consisting of all elements in G which can be expressed as the sum of terms from a subsequence of S having length n. In this paper, we prove that either ng ∈ Σn (S) for every term g in S whose multiplicity is at least ${\mathsf h}$ (S) − 1 or |Σn (S)| ⩾ min{n + 1, |S| − n + | supp (S)| − 1}, where |supp(S)| denotes the number of distinct terms that occur in S. When G is finite cyclic and n = |G|, this confirms a conjecture of Y. O. Hamidoune from 2003.

We present the results of two 2.3 μm near-infrared (NIR) radial velocity (RV) surveys to detect exoplanets around 36 nearby and young M dwarfs. We use the CSHELL spectrograph (R ~ 46,000) at the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility (IRTF), combined with an isotopic methane absorption gas cell for common optical path relative wavelength calibration. We have developed a sophisticated RV forward modeling code that accounts for fringing and other instrumental artifacts present in the spectra. With a spectral grasp of only 5 nm, we are able to reach long-term radial velocity dispersions of ~20–30 m s−1 on our survey targets.

Across 36 US pediatric oncology centers, 576 central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) were reported over a 21-month period. Most infections occurred in those with leukemia and/or profound neutropenia. The contribution of viridans streptococci infections was striking. Study findings depict the contemporary epidemiology of CLABSIs in hospitalized pediatric cancer patients.