arXiv subjects

Yiping Zhao

Publications and source records attributed to Yiping Zhao.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

IntrAgent: An LLM Agent for Content-Grounded Information Retrieval through Literature Review

Scientific research relies on accurate information retrieval from literature to support analytical decisions. In this work, we introduce a new task, INformation reTRieval through literAture reVIEW (IntraView), which aims to automate fine-grained information retrieval faithfully grounded in the provided content in response to research-driven queries, and propose IntrAgent, an LLM-based agent that addresses this challenging task. In particular, IntrAgent is designed to mimic human behaviors when reading literature for information retrieval -- identifying relevant sections and then iteratively extracting key details to refine the retrieved information. It follows a two-stage pipeline: a Section Ranking stage that prioritizes relevant literature sections through structural-knowledge-enabled reasoning, and an Iterative Reading stage that continuously extracts details and synthesizes them into concise, contextually grounded answers. To support rigorous evaluation, we introduce IntraBench, a new benchmark consisting of 315 test instances built from expert-authored questions paired with literature spanning five STEM domains. Across seven backbone LLMs, IntrAgent achieves on average 13.2% higher cross-domain accuracy than state-of-the-art RAG and research-agent baselines.

cs.IR↗

arXiv2026

Stiff-FCS: Single-Cell Stiffness Profiling With Integrated Molecular and Functional Analysis

Cell stiffness is a key determinant of how cells deform, migrate, and adapt to mechanically restrictive environments, yet existing single-cell stiffness assays remain difficult to combine with molecular analysis and downstream functional studies. To address these limitations, we introduce a microfluidic platform, stiffness-based ferrohydrodynamic cell sorting (Stiff-FCS), designed for high-throughput quantification of single-cell stiffness, on-chip molecular analysis, and post-assay cell recovery. Stiff-FCS combines ferrofluid-driven actuation with graded confinement channels to control cell movement, induce deformation, and spatially separate cells based on stiffness. An inverse computational model converts cell position and morphology into quantitative Young's modulus values. We demonstrate stiffness profiling of hundreds to thousands of cells per chip within minutes, same-cell fluorescence-based protein analysis, and recovery of stiffness-defined cells for downstream assays. Across diverse human and mouse cell lines, Lamin A/C showed the most consistent association with stiffness, whereas softer cells exhibited greater migratory capacity than stiffer cells. In a series of human head and neck cancer cell models, Stiff-FCS further resolved a stiff, less migratory subpopulation enriched in a higher-molecular-weight Vimentin state, offering a workflow for linking single-cell stiffness to molecular heterogeneity and cell behavior.

q-bio.CB↗

arXiv2025

Ferrohydrodynamic Microfluidics for Bioparticle Separation and Single-Cell Phenotyping: Principles, Applications, and Emerging Directions

Ferrohydrodynamic microfluidics relies on magnetic field gradients to manipulate diamagnetic particles in ferrofluid-filled microenvironments. It has emerged as a promising tool for label-free manipulation of bioparticles, including their separation and phenotyping. This perspective reviews recent progress in the development and applications of ferrofluid-based microfluidic platforms for multiscale bioparticle separation, ranging from micron-scale cells to submicron extracellular vesicles. We highlight the fundamental physical principles for ferrohydrodynamic manipulation, including the dominant magnetic buoyancy force resulting from the interaction of ferrofluids and particles. We then describe how these principles enable high-resolution size-based bioparticle separation, subcellular bioparticle enrichment, and phenotypic screening based on physical traits. We also discuss key challenges in ferrohydrodynamic microfluidics from the aspects of ferrofluid biocompatibility, system throughput, and nanoparticle depletion. Finally, we outline future research directions involving machine learning, 3D printing, and multiplexed detection. These insights chart a path for advancing ferrofluid-based technologies in precision biomedicine, diagnostics, and cellular engineering.

eess.SY↗

arXiv2025

Smartphone-Based Undergraduate Physics Labs: A Comprehensive Review of Innovation, Accessibility, and Pedagogical Impact

Smartphone-integrated physics laboratories (SmartIPLs) have emerged as a cost-effective and scalable approach that offers new opportunities for enhancing introductory physics education. By leveraging the sensing, imaging, and computing capabilities of smartphones, SmartIPLs enable hands-on, inquiry-based experiments that can be conducted flexibly, in classrooms, at home, or in remote environments. This review presents a comprehensive synthesis of over 200 documented SmartIPL activities across key physics domains, including mechanics, optics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and modern physics. Activities are systematically categorized by topic, sensor modality (sensor-based versus camera-based), and instructional design. The pedagogical value of SmartIPLs is examined through the lens of context-based learning, open-ended inquiry, cognitive scaffolding, and student motivation, with particular attention to issues of accessibility and equity. We also analyze implementation challenges such as device heterogeneity, sensor limitations, and integration into traditional curricula. Looking forward, we identify emerging directions for the field, including AI-driven feedback systems, open-source curricular platforms, and expanded applications in modern physics. This review positions SmartIPLs not merely as technological supplements, but as transformative tools for fostering scientific thinking, modeling skills, and epistemic agency in 21st-century physics education.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2014

Analyzing Large Biological Datasets with an Improved Algorithm for MIC

A computational framework utilizes the traditional similarity measures for mining the significant relationships in biological annotations is recently proposed by Tatiana V. Karpinets et al. [2]. In this paper, an improved approximation algorithm for MIC (maximal information coefficient) named IAMIC is suggested to perfect this framework for discovering the hidden regularities between biological annotations. Further, IAMIC is the enhanced algorithm for approximating a novel similarity coefficient MIC with generality and equitability, which makes it more appropriate for data exploration. Here it is shown that IAMIC is also applicable for identify the associations between biological annotations.

cs.DB↗