bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unpaired low‐dose computed tomography image denoising using a progressive cyclical convolutional neural network
Authors: Li Qing , Li Runrui , Li Saize , Wang Tao , Cheng Yubin , Zhang Shuming , Wu Wei , Zhao Juanjuan , Qiang Yan , Wang Long
Published: February 2023

Background

Reducing the radiation dose from computed tomography (CT) can significantly reduce the radiation risk to patients. However, low‐dose CT (LDCT) suffers from severe and complex noise interference that affects subsequent diagnosis and analysis. Recently, deep learning‐based methods have shown superior performance in LDCT image‐denoising tasks. However, most methods require many normal‐dose and low‐dose CT image pairs, which are difficult to obtain in clinical applications. Unsupervised methods, on the other hand, are more general.

Purpose

Deep learning methods based on GAN networks have been widely used for unsupervised LDCT denoising, but the additional memory requirements of the model also hinder its further clinical application. To this end, we propose a simpler multi‐stage denoising framework trained using unpaired data, the progressive cyclical convolutional neural network (PCCNN), which can remove the noise from CT images in latent space.

Methods

Our proposed PCCNN introduces a noise transfer model that transfers noise from LDCT to normal‐dose CT (NDCT), denoised CT images generated from unpaired CT images, and noisy CT images. The denoising framework also contains a progressive module that effectively removes noise through multi‐stage wavelet transforms without sacrificing high‐frequency components such as edges and details.

Results

Compared with seven LDCT denoising algorithms, we perform a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the experimental results and perform ablation experiments on each network module and loss function. On the AAPM dataset, compared with the contrasted unsupervised methods, our denoising framework has excellent denoising performance increasing the peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) from 29.622 to 30.671, and the structural similarity index (SSIM) was increased from 0.8544 to 0.9199. The PCCNN denoising results were relatively optimal and statistically significant. In the qualitative result comparison, PCCNN without introducing additional blurring and artifacts, the resulting image has higher resolution and complete detail preservation, and the overall structural texture of the image is closer to NDCT. In visual assessments, PCCNN achieves a relatively balanced result in noise suppression, contrast retention, and lesion discrimination.

Conclusions

Extensive experimental validation shows that our scheme achieves reconstruction results comparable to supervised learning methods and has performed well in image quality and medical diagnostic acceptability.
Copolymerization of ω‐Alkenyltrimethylsilane/Propylene with Heterogeneous Ziegler‐Natta Catalyst: How Dose Alkenyl Length Affect Comonomer Incorporation?
Authors: Chen Fengtao , Zhang Zhijian , Qin Yawei , Dong Jin‐Yong
Published: February 2023

Three ω‐alkenyltrimethylsilanes of different alkenyl moieties, i.e., 3‐butenyltrimethylsilane, 5‐hexenyltrimethylsilane, and 7‐octenyltrimethylsilane, are copolymerized with propylene over a heterogeneous Ziegler‐Natta catalyst. The experimental results reveal that, at odds with what the molecular volumes will foretell, 5‐hexenyltrimethylsilane top the three ω‐alkenyltrimethylsilanes in incorporation rate into PP while 3‐butenyltrimethylsilane becomes the most sluggish of the three. This comonomer incorporation rate order is in line with that of ω‐alkenylmethyldichlorosilanes in copolymerization with propylene‐synthesizing long‐chain‐branched PP (LCB‐PP), pointing to a peculiar alkenyl length effect on comonomer incorporation rate for these comonomers. DFT simulation is then applied to seek energetic basis in coordination‐insertion for such an effect. It is revealed that complexation abilities of the three ω‐alkenyltrimethylsilanes decrease in the following order: 3‐butenyltrimethylsilane > 5‐hexenyltrimethylsilane > 7‐octenyltrimethylsilane, in line with their molecular sizes. However, the insertion energy barriers increase in the order of: 5‐hexenyltrimethylsilane < 7‐octenyltrimethylsilane < 3‐butenyltrimethylsilane. The repulsive interaction between the bulky trimethylsilane functionality of ω‐alkenyltrimethylsilanes and growing PP chain is found to contribute significantly to the insertion energy barrier, which grows disproportionally large with 3‐butenyltrimethylsilane. The current discovery will be conducive to understanding the more complex ω‐alkenylmethyldichlorosilane/propylene copolymerization that synthesizes the industrially important LCB‐PP.
Use of non‐isothermal DSC in comparative studies of tin(II) systems for the ring‐opening polymerization ofd‐lactide
Authors: Phetsuk Sawarot , Molloy Robert , Topham Paul D , Tighe Brian J , Meepowpan Puttinan , Limwanich Wanich , Punyodom Winita
Published: February 2023

Understanding the kinetics and mechanisms of polymerization, particularly the role of a catalyst or initiator used, allows for the manipulation and control of the fabrication of new materials by the most convenient, straightforward routes. The kinetics of the bulk ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) ofd‐lactide, a useful monomer employed to control the properties of poly(l‐lactide), have been studied herein to identify a relatively quick (1 h), controlled, yet convenient route to moderately high molecular weight poly(d‐lactide). Tin(II) octoate (Sn(Oct)2), Sn(Oct)2/n‐butanol (nBuOH) and liquid tin(II) butoxide (Sn(OnBu)2) as initiating systems were investigated by non‐isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Isoconversional methods were employed to determine the activation energy (Ea) for each reaction. The results showed that liquid Sn(OnBu)2was a more efficient initiator than the commonly reported initiating systems of Sn(Oct)2and Sn(Oct)2/nBuOH in terms of producing higher polymerization rates and polymer molecular weights. High‐molecular‐weight poly(d‐lactide) (1.8 × 105 Da) with moderate dispersity (Ð = 1.3) was obtained using 0.1 mol% liquid Sn(OnBu)2as the initiator at 120 °C. This work describes the applications of non‐isothermal DSC and isoconversional methods in comparing the effectiveness of different initiators in the bulk ROP ofd‐lactide for the first time. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
A Static and Spherically Symmetric Hairy Black Hole in the Framework of the Gravitational Decoupling
Authors: Avalos R. , Bargueño Pedro , Contreras E.
Published: February 2023

In this work we construct a static and spherically symmetric black hole geometry supported by a family of generic mono‐parametric sources thorough the Gravitational Decoupling. The parameter characterizing the matter sector can be interpreted as hair which cannot be associated to any global charge. Although the solution is constructed by demanding the weak energy condition, we find that the resulting matter sector satisfies all the energy conditions at and outside the horizon. We study the effect of the hair on the periastron advance and the gravitational lensing of the black hole. We estimate the best WKB order to compute the quasinormal frequencies for scalar, vector and tensor perturbation fields.
Urban Mobility Transition Driven by New Digital Technologies
Authors: de la Cruz Teresa , Royo Beatriz , Ciprés Carolina
Published: February 2023

The urban mobility landscape for both, freight and passengers, is in transition. During the last decade new business models, enabled by digital technologies, are blooming. However, sometimes the new mobility solutions do not fit with local regulations, their impacts are unclear, and legislative issues are hindering the economic niche exploitation and their implementation. This chapter describes the current transition that urban mobility systems are undergoing and presents an approach for guiding cities towards the implementation and adoption of new digital urban mobility solutions. This approach, based on the Horizon 2020 SPROUT project, consists of assessing the impacts and feasibility of the new mobility solutions, identifying areas where policy intervention to enable the implementation would be required and co-creating those specific policies with all the urban mobility stakeholders. This is complemented by an implementation feasibility and user acceptance analysis.
Universal Design and Transport Innovations: A Discussion of New Mobility Solutions Through a Universal Design Lens
Authors: Aarhaug Jørgen
Published: February 2023

Most technological advances in mobility result in better accessibility for many, yet the benefits remain unevenly distributed. Universal design is a strategy to counter social exclusion, involving the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised design New and improved mobility technologies typically result in increased mobility. However, most new technologies create both winners and losers – and who wins and who loses depends on how the mobility solution in question is introduced to the mobility system. This study finds that many of the new mobility technologies that are introduced, though not directly relating to universal design, strongly affect the universality of access to mobility. The chapter aims to give insight into how certain new mobility solutions affect different user groups, and to highlight how the outcome is a function of the interplay between technology and its implementation. The paper concludes by pointing at the need for regulation to align the objectives of the actors behind new technologies and an inclusive society.
Framing Digital Mobility Gap: A Starting Point in the Design of Inclusive Mobility Eco-Systems
Authors: Nesterova Nina , Hoeke L. , Goodman-Deane J. A.-L. , Delespaul S. , Wybraniec Bartosz , Lazzarini Boris
Published: February 2023

Digital transport eco-systems worldwide provide great advantages to many but also carry a risk of excluding population groups that struggle with accessing or using digital products and services. The DIGNITY project (DIGital traNsport In and for socieTY) delves into the development of such eco-systems to deepen the understanding of the full range of factors that lead to disparities in the uptake of digital transport solutions in Europe. A starting point for developing digitally inclusive transport systems is to obtain state-of-the-art knowledge and understanding of where local transport eco-systems are in relation to the digital gap and digital mobility gap in terms of their policies, transport products and services, and population digital literacy. This chapter presents the methodology developed in the DIGNITY project to frame this digital gap, incorporating a self-assessment framework that may be used by public authorities to identify potential gaps in the development of local digital transport eco-systems. This framework is informed by results from customer journey mapping exercises that provide insights into the daily activities and trips of users, and larger scale surveys on digital technology access, use, attitudes and competence in the area. In the DIGNITY approach as a whole, the results from the framing phase are then used to inform subsequent work on bridging the digital gap through the co-creation of more inclusive policies, products and services. The chapter provides concrete results from the framing exercise in four DIGNITY pilot areas: Barcelona, Tilburg, Flanders and Ancona. The results clearly show that a digital transport gap exists in these areas, and that this is manifested in different ways in different local situations, requiring tailored approaches to address the gap.
Citizen-Centered Mobility Model of Catalonia
Authors: Sanyer Matias Xavier , Alegre Valls Lluís
Published: February 2023

The mobility is becoming ever more complex in a changing environment with the emergence of new means of transport and mobility solutions. In this ecosystem in flux, authorities responsible for mobility must plan for the arrival of such changes, considering the desired mobility model to be attained, one where sustainability, health, digitalisation, and equity, among other aspects, take a prominent role; and all this without disregarding the public, who must be placed at the centre. The digitalisation occurring in society today offers a wide range of solutions; these digital solutions must consider that there is a percentage of the population who are non-digital and that its deployment must the different types of territories, urban and rural.

The analysis set out in this article examines the case of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, describes the characteristics of its citizens from a standpoint of mobility and their acceptance of new trends, identifies existing aims and strategies regarding mobility in the region, and specifically distinguishes the digitalisation strategy in this European region. Finally, this analysis must consider the changes brought about by the COVID-19, in which certain habits have been altered, and where digitalisation has played and will continue to play a sizeable role.
Non-digital Travellers – Five Need-Based Personas to Understand Their Drivers and Needs
Authors: Hiemstra-van Mastrigt Suzanne , Sampimon Max , Spaargaren Claudia
Published: February 2023

Many people believe that low digital skills are only a problem of the elderly. However, the group of analogue or non-digital travellers is much larger and much more diverse than that. In the Netherlands alone, it is estimated that a group of 3–4 million people is not digitally able enough to make use of digital services. This is due to several reasons. In order to make use of digital mobility services, users need to be able and willing to use digital services. In transport, especially for demand responsive transport (DRT) services, the lack of digital skills can create a barrier for people to make use of the service. Based on insights from literature and interviews about digital skills, we have categorized the different groups of non-digital travellers, and created five need-based personas. On the basis of this, we formulated user requirements and design recommendations for mobility services, and for DRT services specifically.
Analysis of a rare progeria variant of Barrier-to-autointegration factor in Drosophila connects centromere function to tissue homeostasis
Authors: Duan Tingting , Thyagarajan Srikantha , Amoiroglou Anastasia , Rogers Gregory C. , Geyer Pamela K.
Published: February 2023

Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF/BANF) is a nuclear lamina protein essential for nuclear integrity, chromatin structure, and genome stability. Whereas complete loss of BAF causes lethality in multiple organisms, the A12T missense mutation of theBANF1gene in humans causes a premature aging syndrome, called Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome (NGPS). Here, we report the first in vivo animal investigation of progeroid BAF, using CRISPR editing to introduce theNGPSmutation into the endogenousDrosophila bafgene. Progeroid BAF adults are born at expected frequencies, demonstrating that this BAF variant retains some function. However, tissue homeostasis is affected, supported by studies of the ovary, a tissue that depends upon BAF for stem cell survival and continuous oocyte production. We find that progeroid BAF causes defects in germline stem cell mitosis that delay anaphase progression and compromise chromosome segregation. We link these defects to decreased recruitment of centromeric proteins of the kinetochore, indicating dysfunction of cenBAF, a localized pool of dephosphorylated BAF produced by Protein Phosphatase PP4. We show that DNA damage increases in progenitor germ cells, which causes germ cell death due to activation of the DNA damage transducer kinase Chk2. Mitotic defects appear widespread, as aberrant chromosome segregation and increased apoptosis occur in another tissue. Together, these data highlight the importance of BAF in establishing centromeric structures critical for mitosis. Further, these studies link defects in cenBAF function to activation of a checkpoint that depletes progenitor reserves critical for tissue homeostasis, aligning with phenotypes of NGPS patients.
Measures, annuli and dimensions
Authors: Buczolich Zoltán , Seuret Stéphane
Published: February 2023

Given a Radon probability measure$$\mu $$μsupported in$${\mathbb {R}}^d$$Rd, we are interested in those pointsxaround which the measure is concentrated infinitely many times on thin annuli centered atx. Depending on the lower and upper dimension of$$\mu $$μ, the metric used in the space and the thinness of the annuli, we obtain results and examples when such points are of$$\mu $$μ-measure 0 or of$$\mu $$μ-measure 1. The measure concentration we study is related to “bad points” for the Poincaré recurrence theorem and to the first return times to shrinking balls under iteration generated by a weakly Markov dynamical system. The study of thin annuli and spherical averages is also important in many dimension-related problems, including Kakeya-type problems and Falconer’s distance set conjecture.
Morpho-structural criteria for the identification of spreading-induced deformation processes potentially compromising stratovolcano stability
Authors: Rincón M. , Márquez A. , Herrera R. , Martín-González F. , López I. , Crespo-Martín C.
Published: February 2023

Characterisation of surface deformation at stratovolcanoes is essential for a better understanding of the processes that can compromise edifice structural stability and potential for flank collapse. Spreading produced by the presence of a hydrothermal system or intrusion of a viscous magma body can produce similar deformation signatures, and both processes have implications for flank instability. In this work, we perform analogue models and consider examples from real volcanoes (Damavand, Ubinas, Semeru and Casita) so as to characterise and recognise surface deformation patterns produced by spreading due to the presence of a hydrothermal system and in response to magma intrusion. The experiments show that there are differences in the resulting surface deformation associated with each process. Magma intrusion results in a sharp transition between areas of subsidence and uplift, and is associated with faults with oblique strikes in the upper part of the edifice. Instead, asymmetric flank spreading is associated with hydrothermal system and results in flank bulging close to the base of the edifice. Although laboratory analogue models show different deformation responses that could be diagnostic of the associated processes, application in the field is difficult as often these diagnostic features are not preserved during evolution. However, basal bulging represents a potential diagnostic for the identification of asymmetric volcano flank spreading associated with hydrothermal activity, and the potential for instability. Remote sensing techniques can allow identification of such surface deformation features, providing a useful tool for hazard assessment and design of monitoring strategies at potentially unstable volcanoes.
Nekhoroshev estimates for the orbital stability of Earth’s satellites
Authors: Celletti Alessandra , De Blasi Irene , Efthymiopoulos Christos
Published: February 2023

We provide stability estimates, obtained by implementing the Nekhoroshev theorem, in reference to the orbital motion of a small body (satellite or space debris) around the Earth. We consider a Hamiltonian model, averaged over fast angles, including the $$J_2$$

J
2

geopotential term as well as third-body perturbations due to Sun and Moon. We discuss how to bring the Hamiltonian into a form suitable for the implementation of the Nekhoroshev theorem in the version given by Pöschel, (Math Z 213(1):187–216, 1993) for the ‘non-resonant’ regime. The manipulation of the Hamiltonian includes (i) averaging over fast angles, (ii) a suitable expansion around reference values for the orbit’s eccentricity and inclination, and (iii) a preliminary normalization allowing to eliminate particular terms whose existence is due to the nonzero inclination of the invariant plane of secular motions known as the ‘Laplace plane’. After bringing the Hamiltonian to a suitable form, we examine the domain of applicability of the theorem in the action space, translating the result in the space of physical elements. We find that the necessary conditions for the theorem to hold are fulfilled in some nonzero measure domains in the eccentricity and inclination plane (e, i) for a body’s orbital altitude (semimajor axis) up to about 20 000 km. For altitudes around 11 000 km, we obtain stability times of the order of several thousands of years in domains covering nearly all eccentricities and inclinations of interest in applications of the satellite problem, except for narrow zones around some so-called inclination-dependent resonances. On the other hand, the domains of Nekhoroshev stability recovered by the present method shrink in size as the semimajor axis a increases (and the corresponding Nekhoroshev times reduce to hundreds of years), while the stability domains practically all vanish for $$a>20{\,}000$$

a
>
20

000

km. We finally examine the effect on Nekhoroshev stability by adding more geopotential terms ($$J_3$$

J
3

and $$J_4$$

J
4

) as well as the second-order terms in $$J_2$$

J
2

in the Hamiltonian. We find that these terms have only a minimal effect on the domains of applicability of Nekhoroshev theorem and a moderate effect on the stability times.
Investigating interoperable event corpora: limitations of reusability of resources and portability of models
Authors: Caselli Tommaso , Bos Johan
Published: February 2023

Studies on the applicability of heterogeneous semantically interoperable corpora are rare. We investigate to what extent reusability (both of systems and of annotations) is entailed by corpora whose interoperability is based on compliance to standards. In particular, we look at event detection in English texts, supported by the ISO-TimeML annotation scheme. We run two sets of experiments using a common neural network architecture and extensively evaluate our results on both in-distribution and out-of-distribution settings. In all experimental settings, systems obtain state-of-the-art results on the in-distribution data and underperform out-of-distribution ones, setting limits to the benefits of semantically interoperable corpora. By means of a detailed error analysis, we show that while being compliant to a standard guarantees semantic interoperability, this becomes only a necessary condition for reusability, with factors such as differences in the quality of the annotations having a much stronger impact.
Synthesis and Characterization of Li2Mn0.8Ni0.2SiO4/Mn3O4 Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Reactive Blue (RB5) Dye
Authors: Mahdy Amal G. , Emam Abeer A. , Mussa Eglal A. , Abdel-All Atiyat Y. , Rashad Mohamed M.
Published: February 2023

This study successfully synthesized Li2MnSiO4/Mn3O4 (LMS/M3) and Li2Mn0.8Ni0.2SiO4/Mn3O4 (LMNS/M3) nanocomposites in a two-step method first, by preparing Mn3O4 (M3) nanoparticles through a hydrothermal method and second, by synthesizing Li2MnSiO4 (LMS) and Li2Mn0.8Ni0.2SiO4 (LMNS) by ethylene diamine tetra-acetic assisted sol–gel method. In the last method, the two nanoparticles are mixed by hand-milling to form nanocomposites. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, pL and UV–vis spectra measurements. The nanocomposite presents a well-developed orthorhombic crystal structure with a Pmn21 space group. BET surface area measurements indicate that all the prepared materials are mesoporous. The photocatalytic activity of M3, LMS, LMNS, (LMS/M3), and (LMNS/M3) was investigated by the photocatalytic degradation of reactive blue 5 (RB5) under UV light irradiation using a homemade photoreactor. The maximum photodegradation was achieved at optimal pH 4 and photocatalyst dose 0.005 g/50 ml dye. Higher stability for dye degradation efficiency was attained for the LMS and LMNS nanomaterials and LMS/M3 and LMNS/M3 nanocomposites than M3 to photocatalytic activity. The photocatalyst is readily recoverable and shows excellent stability even after three cycles. The photocatalytic degradation for RB5 followed first-order kinetics.

Graphical Abstract
Multivariate Density Estimation with Deep Neural Mixture Models
Authors: Trentin Edmondo
Published: February 2023

Albeit worryingly underrated in the recent literature on machine learning in general (and, on deep learning in particular), multivariate density estimation is a fundamental task in many applications, at least implicitly, and still an open issue. With a few exceptions, deep neural networks (DNNs) have seldom been applied to density estimation, mostly due to the unsupervised nature of the estimation task, and (especially) due to the need for constrained training algorithms that ended up realizing proper probabilistic models that satisfy Kolmogorov’s axioms. Moreover, in spite of the well-known improvement in terms of modeling capabilities yielded by mixture models over plain single-density statistical estimators, no proper mixtures of multivariate DNN-based component densities have been investigated so far. The paper fills this gap by extending our previous work on neural mixture densities (NMMs) to multivariate DNN mixtures. A maximum-likelihood (ML) algorithm for estimating Deep NMMs (DNMMs) is handed out, which satisfies numerically a combination of hard and soft constraints aimed at ensuring satisfaction of Kolmogorov’s axioms. The class of probability density functions that can be modeled to any degree of precision via DNMMs is formally defined. A procedure for the automatic selection of the DNMM architecture, as well as of the hyperparameters for its ML training algorithm, is presented (exploiting the probabilistic nature of the DNMM). Experimental results on univariate and multivariate data are reported on, corroborating the effectiveness of the approach and its superiority to the most popular statistical estimation techniques.
Rationally irresolvable disagreement
Authors: Melchior Guido
Published: February 2023

The discussion about deep disagreement has gained significant momentum in the last several years. This discussion often relies on the intuition that deep disagreement is, in some sense, rationally irresolvable. In this paper, I will provide a theory of rationally irresolvable disagreement. Such a theory is interesting in its own right, since it conflicts with the view that rational attitudes and procedures are paradigmatic tools for resolving disagreement. Moreover, I will suggest replacing discussions about deep disagreement with an analysis of rationally irresolvable disagreement, since this notion can be more clearly defined than deep disagreement and captures the basic intuitions underlying deep disagreement. I will first motivate this project by critically assessing the current debate about deep disagreement. I then detail the notions of rationality and resolvable disagreement which are crucial for a suitable theory of rationally irresolvable disagreement before sketching various instances of rationally irresolvable disagreement. Finally, I argue for replacing theories of deep disagreement with theories of rationally irresolvable disagreement, an approach that has significant advantages over existing theories of deep disagreement which focus on hinge propositions or fundamental epistemic principles.
Policy impacts on contraceptive access in the United States: a scoping review
Authors: Swan Laura E. T.
Published: February 2023

Contraceptive access is influenced by policy decisions, which can expand and constrict the contraceptive options available. This study explored the impact of recent US federal policies on contraceptive access by identifying and reviewing empirical literature, which is then presented and discussed using Levesque et al.’s (2013) healthcare access framework. A scoping review was conducted to identify empirical studies (N = 96) examining the impact of recent federal policy (passed from 2009 to 2019) on contraceptive access. Most identified studies examined the role of the Affordable Care Act (n = 53) and Title X of the Public Health Service Act (n = 25), showing many benefits of both policies for contraceptive access, particularly through improved affordability, availability, and appropriateness of contraceptive care. Other identified studies examined the impact of policies funding abstinence-only sex education (n = 2) and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (n = 3), military policies related to the availability of contraception (n = 1), guidelines for quality contraceptive care (n = 3), Title IX of the Education Amendments (n = 4), the Violence Against Women Act (n = 1), and the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act (n = 4). Through increased outreach efforts, normalising of care, availability of services, cost subsidies, and provider competencies, recent federal policy has, overall, enhanced contraceptive access across the dimensions of healthcare access. Numerous policy and practice gaps and needs are identified, and future directions for research, policy, and practice are suggested.
Green synthesis of nanomaterials for smart biopolymer packaging: challenges and outlooks
Authors: Jafarzadeh Shima , Nooshkam Majid , Zargar Masoumeh , Garavand Farhad , Ghosh Sabyasachi , Hadidi Milad , Forough Mehrdad
Published: February 2023

There are several physical and chemical methods for synthesizing nanomaterials, while the most appropriate techniques involve using green chemistry and eco-friendly material. Recently, green synthesized materials for different applications have gained attention as a result of their environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness. Applying green synthesized nanoparticles (NPS) in food packaging has been extensively investigated. Biopolymers require filler to enhance the optical, barrier, thermal, antimicrobial, and mechanical properties of packaging. Biopolymer packaging incorporated with green synthesized NPs is expected to simultaneously enhance performance while reducing environmental damage. The current review article focuses on biopolymer films with bio (green)-synthesized nanomaterials and their effectiveness in reducing the negative environmental implications of synthetic packaging. It also covers the general concepts of green synthesis of NPs, their production methods, their performance, and characterization, and discusses the potential, performance and recent developments of bio-nanocomposite films/coatings in biodegradable food packaging. Recent reports and trends provide more insight into the impact of green synthesized nanomaterials on food packaging.

Graphical Abstract
Lipoamide dehydrogenase (LADH) deficiency: medical perspectives of the structural and functional characterization of LADH and its pathogenic variants
Authors: Szabó Eszter , Ambrus Attila
Published: February 2023

(Dihydro)lipoamide dehydrogenase (LADH) deficiency is an autosomal recessive genetic metabolic disorder. It generally presents with an onset in the neonatal age and premature death. The clinical picture usually involves metabolic decompensation and lactic acidosis that lead to neurological, cardiological, and/or hepatological outcomes. Severity of the disease is due to the fact that LADH is a common E3 subunit to the pyruvate, alpha-ketoglutarate, alpha-ketoadipate, and branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complexes and is also part of the glycine cleavage system; hence, a loss in LADH activity adversely affects several central metabolic pathways simultaneously. The severe clinical manifestations, however, often do not parallel the LADH activity loss, which implies the existence of auxiliary pathological pathways; stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as well as dissociation from the relevant multienzyme complexes proved to be auxiliary exacerbating pathomechanisms for selected disease-causing LADH mutations. This review provides an overview on the therapeutic challenges of inherited metabolic diseases, structural and functional characteristics of the mitochondrial alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complexes, molecular pathogenesis and structural basis of LADH deficiency, and relevant potential future medical perspectives.
Fuzzy-MACBETH Hybrid Method: Mathematical Treatment of a Qualitative Scale Using the Fuzzy Theory
Authors: Bastos Tatiane Roldão , Longaray André Andrade , dos Santos Machado Catia Maria , Ensslin Leonardo , Ensslin Sandra Rolim , Dutra Ademar
Published: February 2023

This paper describes the research procedures adopted in developing a triangular fuzzy number scale based on the semantic scale of MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique). The objective was to mathematically treat the uncertainty and subjectivity of linguistic variables used to assess a decision problem. A matrix was initially obtained based on a decision maker’s assessment of a given context analysis. This decision matrix was then fuzzified based on a triangular Fuzzy numbers scale. Next, the inference process was performed using F-LP-MACBETH linear programming problem proposed here, resulting in a Fuzzy scale. This scale was then defuzzified using the centroid method, from which a crisp basic scale emerged, which was then cardinalized. The results show that the MACBETH Fuzzy method proposed here can overcome the classical method’s cardinal inconsistency problem, which facilitates its application in complex contexts. Hence, the MACBETH Fuzzy Hybrid method generated numerical values based on the decision makers’ semantically consistent assessments in a decision matrix, which by the classical method presents cardinal inconsistency. Therefore, the advantage of the proposed method consists in the possibility of obtaining a cardinal scale aligned to the decision makers’ preferences without the need to reassess the context.
Auroral Electrojet Activity for Long‐Duration Radial Interplanetary Magnetic Field Events
Authors: Park Jong‐Sun , Shi Quan Qi , Shue Jih‐Hong , Degeling Alexander W. , Nowada Motoharu , Tian An Min , Kim Khan‐Hyuk , Pitkänen Timo , Gjerloev Jesper W.
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we provide statistical evidence that the level of solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere (SW‐M‐I) coupling is weaker under radial (Sun‐Earth component dominant) interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions than non‐radial IMF conditions. This is performed by analyzing auroral electrojet activity (using SuperMAG auroral electrojet indices) in the sunlit and dark ionospheres for long‐duration (at least 4 hr) radial IMF events and comparing against the same for long‐duration azimuthal (dusk‐dawn component dominant) IMF events. We show that the north‐south IMF component (IMF Bz) plays a crucial role in controlling the level of auroral electrojet activity as a negative half‐wave rectifier even for both IMF orientation categories. However, it is found that the magnitudes of the auroral electrojet indices are generally lower for radial IMF than for azimuthal IMF under similar sets of solar wind (radial bulk velocity and number density) and IMF Bz conditions, regardless of whether these indices are derived in the sunlit or dark regions. Moreover, the efficiency of coupling functions is lower for radial IMF than for azimuthal IMF, implying that increased coupling strength due to the azimuthal IMF component alone cannot well explain weaker auroral electrojets during radial IMF periods. Lastly, the contribution of the radial IMF component itself to auroral electrojet activity is also lower compared to the azimuthal IMF component. Our results suggest that the level of SW‐M‐I coupling characterized by auroral electrojet activity can be modulated by the radial IMF component, although the effect of this component is weaker than the other two IMF components.
Gestational age and trajectories of body mass index and height from birth through adolescence in the Danish National Birth Cohort
Authors: Vinther Johan L. , Ekstrøm Claus T. , Sørensen Thorkild I. A. , Cederkvist Luise , Lawlor Deborah A. , Andersen Anne-Marie Nybo
Published: February 2023

Preterm birth is associated with smaller body dimensions at birth. The impact on body size in later life, measured by body mass index (BMI) and height, remains unclear. A prospective register-based cohort study with 62,625 singletons from the Danish National Birth Cohort born 1996–2003 for whom information on gestational age (GA) at birth, length or weight at birth, and at least two growth measurements scheduled at the ages of 5 and 12 months, and 7, 11 and 18 years were available. Linear mixed effects with splines, stratified by sex, and adjusted for confounders were used to estimate standardised BMI and height. GA was positively associated with BMI in infancy, but differences between preterm and term children declined with age. By age 7, preterm children had slightly lower BMI than term children, whereas no difference was observed by adolescence (mean difference in BMI z-score − 0.28 to 0.15). GA was strongly associated with height in infancy, but mean differences between individuals born preterm and term declined during childhood. By adolescence, the most preterm individuals remained shorter than their term peers (mean difference in height z-score from − 1.00 to − 0.28). The lower BMI in preterm infants relative to term infants equalizes during childhood, such that by adolescence there is no clear difference. Height is strongly positively associated with GA in early childhood, whilst by end of adolescence individuals born preterm remain slightly shorter than term peers.
Machine learning-based obesity classification considering 3D body scanner measurements
Authors: Jeon Seungjin , Kim Minji , Yoon Jiwun , Lee Sangyong , Youm Sekyoung
Published: February 2023

Obesity can cause various diseases and is a serious health concern. BMI, which is currently the popular measure for judging obesity, does not accurately classify obesity; it reflects the height and weight but ignores the characteristics of an individual’s body type. In order to overcome the limitations of classifying obesity using BMI, we considered 3-dimensional (3D) measurements of the human body. The scope of our study was limited to Korean subjects. In order to expand 3D body scan data clinically, 3D body scans, Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis data was collected pairwise for 160 Korean subjects. A machine learning-based obesity classification framework using 3D body scan data was designed, validated through Accuracy, Recall, Precision, and F1 score, and compared with BMI and BIA. In a test dataset of 40 people, BMI had the following values: Accuracy: 0.529, Recall: 0.472, Precision: 0.458, and F1 score: 0.462, while BIA had the following values: Accuracy: 0.752, Recall: 0.742, Precision: 0.751, and F1 score: 0.739. Our proposed model had the following values: Accuracy: 0.800, Recall: 0.767, Precision: 0.842, and F1 score: 0.792. Thus, our accuracy was higher than BMI as well as BIA. Our model can be used for obesity management through 3D body scans.
A triphasic biomimetic BMSC-loaded scaffold for osteochondral integrated regeneration in rabbits and pigs
Authors: Wang Zhaoyi , Cao Wangbei , Wu Fanghui , Ke Xiurong , Wu Xinyu , Zhou Tong , Yang Jun , Yang Guojing , Zhong Cheng , Gou Zhongru , Gao Changyou
Published: February 2023

A triphasic scaffold composed of BMSCs-loaded PLGA scaffold, chondroitin sulfate and BG-loaded PLCL membrane and 3D-printed ceramic scaffold was prepared to mimic the osteochondral structure and achieved good regeneration in rabbits and pigs.
Application of multi‐party computation and error correction with image enhancement and convolution neural networks based on cloud computing
Authors: Liao Teh‐Lu , Peng Chiau‐Yuan , Hou Yi‐You
Published: February 2023

With the development of technology, people work hard on image processing and artificial intelligence which require a lot of computer resources. Instead of simply speeding up calculations with processors, people develop the technology of the Cloud with the Internet which performs high‐quality calculations and has quite a huge amount of storage. Thus, in this paper, the authors use a kind of encryption methods, Secure Multi‐Party Computation (SMPC), to protect the important information which is based on the absence of a trusted party and does not use specific keys or methods to maintain the confidentiality of data. Furthermore, the authors also use the error correction, Berlekamp–Welch (BW) algorithm, to double‐check the correction of the information. To apply the two algorithms to image enhancement and convolution neural networks (CNN), the authors will also discuss the homomorphism in all operations, including addition, multiplication, division etc., and find the best way to encrypt and decrypt the information. Finally, the authors will implement the system with cloud computing to decrease the consumption of computer resources and build a system that can do image enhancement and CNN.
A method for extracting interference striations in lofargram based on decomposition and clustering
Authors: Li Xinyan , Wang Dianpeng , Tian Yubin , Kong Xiangshun
Published: February 2023

In complex underwater noise environment, target detection, recognition, and tracking are proceeded through the frequency spectrum analysis of the signals received by sonar systems, in which the lofargram plays a major role. Typically, if the distance of the target experiences far‐near‐far variation, there will be parabolic interference striations presented in the lofargram. However, the existing striations extraction methods sometimes lack objectivity and fail to extract the wide striations accurately. In this paper, a novel method for wide type interference striations extraction is developed based on efficient decomposition and ensemble clustering. To obtain valuable information, the lofargram is decomposed into smooth background, striations area, and noise, then a multi‐phase ensemble clustering algorithm is employed to extract parabolas from the decomposed striations area pixels. Experimental results on simulated and real‐life datasets exhibit the effectiveness of the proposed method, and verify that it has comparable performance with prevalent Hough transform while extracting striations.
A Monte Carlo code for the collisional evolution of porous aggregates (CPA)
Authors: Millán Emmanuel N. , Planes María Belén , Urbassek Herbert M. , Bringa Eduardo M.
Published: February 2023

Context. The collisional evolution of submillimeter-sized porous dust aggregates is important in many astrophysical fields.

Aims. We have developed a Monte Carlo code to study the processes of collision between mass-asymmetric, spherical, micron-sized porous silica aggregates that belong to a dust population.

Methods. The Collision of Porous Aggregates (CPA) code simulates collision chains in a population of dust aggregates that have different sizes, masses, and porosities. We start from an initial distribution of granular aggregate sizes and assume some collision velocity distribution. In particular, for this study we used a random size distribution and a Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution. A set of successive random collisions between pairs of aggregates form a single collision chain. The mass ratio, filling factor, and impact velocity influence the outcome of the collision between two aggregates. We averaged hundreds of thousands of independent collision chains to obtain the final, average distributions of aggregates.

Results. We generated and studied four final distributions (F), for size (n), radius (R), porosity, and mass-porosity distributions, for a relatively low number of collisions. In general, there is a profuse generation of monomers and small clusters, with a distribution F (R) ∝ R−6 for small aggregates. Collisional growth of a few very large clusters is also observed. Collisions lead to a significant compaction of the dust population, as expected.

Conclusions. The CPA code models the collisional evolution of a dust population and incorporates some novel features, such as the inclusion of mass-asymmetric aggregates (covering a wide range of aggregate radii), inter-granular friction, and the influence of porosity.
Numerical investigation on aerodynamic noise of flow past a cylinder with different spanwise lengths
Authors: Chen Guanjiang , Zang Bin , Azarpeyvand Mahdi
Published: February 2023

A numerical investigation is conducted on aerodynamic noise of flow past a circular cylinder with different spanwise lengths (0.5πD, πD, 2πD, and 4πD) at Re = 10 000, where D is the diameter of the cylinder. The near-field pressure and velocity fields are predicted through Large Eddy Simulation, and then, the acoustic analogy is used to obtain the far-field noise. The results show good agreements for both the near and far field with the data from in-house experiments and the literature. Though the spanwise length has limited influence on the power spectral density of the near-field velocity and pressure fluctuations at different spanwise locations, substantial differences are observed for the spanwise pressure coherence and near-wake structures. The 0.5πD case shows primarily two-dimensional flow features immediately behind the cylinder compared to the other three cases, resulting in the overprediction of the spanwise pressure coherence, which has strong implications for the far-field noise prediction. With the spanwise length correction, the differences in overall noise magnitudes of the different cases diminish. Nevertheless, the 2πD and 4πD cases better capture the first and second harmonics of the vortex shedding and its associated directivities than the other two cases, showing the importance of sufficient spanwise lengths in predicting noise from flow past a cylinder.
Analysis of a stable bathtub vortex in a rotating container
Authors: Amar S. D. , Rashkovan A. , Ziskind G.
Published: February 2023

Rotating flows with free-surface vortices can be found in many engineering applications, such as pump and turbine intakes, vessels, and nuclear reactors. The need to address rather different flow regions existing in such flows, such as Ekman and Stewartson layers and the line vortex zone, in a coupled manner, makes modeling of free-surface rotating flows very challenging. In this work, the flow field of a free-surface vortex, created in a rotating cylinder with a drain hole in its bottom, is investigated numerically and analytically. Above the drain hole of the cylinder, a free-surface vortex, accompanied by axial velocity, is created. This axial velocity profile is governed by the Ekman boundary layer far from the axis and by the drainage in its proximity. The experiments of Andersen et al. [“Anatomy of a bathtub vortex,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91(10), 104502 (2003a); “The bathtub vortex in a rotating container,” J. Fluid Mech. 556, 121–146 (2006)] on the so-called bathtub vortex are numerically modeled with the finite volume method. The simulations are validated with the available measurements from the experiments. Using the simulation results, self-similar and non-self-similar models, describing the velocity fields in the Ekman boundary layer, are compared and tested. It is shown that the self-similar model is more accurate than the non-self-similar model. It is also demonstrated that the analytical model of Andersen et al. [“Anatomy of a bathtub vortex,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91(10), 104502 (2003a); “The bathtub vortex in a rotating container,” J. Fluid Mech. 556, 121–146 (2006)], when modified as suggested in the present study, is capable of predicting the free-surface profile for low rotation rates. However, for high rotation rates, only the numerical simulation can predict the relation between the flow field within the liquid and the free-surface profile.