bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pruritogenic Mediators and New Antipruritic Drugs in Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Koumaki Dimitra , Gregoriou Stamatios , Evangelou George , Krasagakis Konstantinos
Published: March 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common highly pruritic chronic inflammatory skin disorder affecting 5–20% of children worldwide, while the prevalence in adults varies from 7 to 10%. Patients with AD experience intense pruritus that could lead to sleep disturbance and impaired quality of life. Here, we analyze the pathophysiology of itchiness in AD. We extensively review the histamine-dependent and histamine-independent pruritogens. Several receptors, substance P, secreted molecules, chemokines, and cytokines are involved as mediators in chronic itch. We also, summarize the new emerging antipruritic drugs in atopic dermatitis.
Resurfacing Hip Arthroplasty Is a Safe and Effective Alternative to Total Hip Arthroplasty in Young Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Palazzuolo Michele , Bensa Alessandro , Bauer Stefan , Blakeney William G. , Filardo Giuseppe , Riegger Martin
Published: March 2023

This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed at comparing resurfacing hip arthroplasty (RHA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) in terms of rate of complications, revisions, functional outcomes, blood loss, operative time and metal ions levels. The search was conducted on three databases (PubMed, Cochrane and Web of Science) updated until 13 October 2022. The inclusion criteria were RCTs) written in the English language, with no time limitation, comparing RHA and THA. Among the retrieved 4748 articles, 18 RCTs were eligible for a total of 776 patients (mean age 53.1 ± 5.0). A meta-analysis was performed. RHA reported significantly lower blood loss compared to THA (p < 0.001) but with longer operative time (p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between RHA and THA in terms of complications (12.08% and 16.24%, respectively) and revisions (6.32% and 6.14%, respectively). Both RHA and THA provide excellent clinical results in a population of young and active patients. Functional outcomes were not significantly different between the groups. Moreover, no significant difference in metal ion levels was found. These findings provide evidence concerning the safety and clinical effectiveness of RHA. Because of its bone-preserving properties, the lack of drawbacks and good outcomes, RHA appears to be a valid alternative to THA in young and active patients.
Recent Advances in the Nutritional Screening, Assessment, and Treatment of Japanese Patients on Hemodialysis
Authors: Ishida Junko , Kato Akihiko
Published: March 2023

Patients on hemodialysis (HD) have a higher rate of protein-energy wasting (PEW) due to lower dietary intake of energy and protein (particularly on dialysis days) and greater loss of many nutrients in the dialysate effluent than other patients. The most well-known method of nutritional screening is the subjective global assessment. Moreover, the Global Leadership Initiative on MalnutIrition has developed the first internationally standardized method for diagnosing malnutrition; however, its use in patients on HD has not been established. In contrast, the nutritional risk index for Japanese patients on HD has recently been developed as a screening tool for malnutrition in patients on HD, based on the modified PEW criteria. These tools are beneficial for screening nutritional disorders, enabling registered dietitians to assess patients’ dietary intake on dialysis and non-dialysis days and provide advice on dietary intake, especially immediately after dialysis cessation. Oral supplementation with enteral nutrients containing whey protein may also be administered when needed. In patients that experience adverse effects from oral supplementation, intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) should be combined with moderate dietary intake because IDPN alone cannot provide sufficient nutrition.
Chitosan-Biopolymer-Entrapped Activated Charcoal for Adsorption of Reactive Orange Dye from Aqueous Phase and CO2 from Gaseous Phase
Authors: Nandanwar Pradip , Jugade Ravin , Gomase Vaishnavi , Shekhawat Anita , Bambal Apurva , Saravanan Dhandayutham , Pandey Sadanand
Published: March 2023

Polymers have been proven to be an interesting class of adsorbents applied in water treatment. Biopolymers are of special interest due to their unique properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and reusability. This work reports a composite formed by a chitosan biopolymer and activated charcoal using sodium citrate as a crosslinking agent. The chitosan–citrate-activated charcoal composite (CCA) was characterized using FT–IR, SEM, EDAX, XRD, TGA–DTA and BET surface area analysis. The material was found to be microporous in nature with a surface area of 165.83 m2/g that led to high adsorption capacities toward both the targeted pollutants. In an aqueous phase, the dye adsorption studies were carried out with reactive orange 16 (R-16) dye, while in a gaseous phase, CO2 adsorption capacity was evaluated. Under optimum solution conditions, maximum R-16 dye removal capacity was found to be 34.62 mg g−1, while in the gas phase the CO2 adsorption capacity was found to be 13.15 cm3g−1. Intrinsic microporosity of CCA resulted in an enhanced capture capacity for R-16 dye and carbon dioxide in the respective phases. Material sustainability studies were carried out to evaluate various sustainability parameters.
Green-Synthesized Graphene for Supercapacitors—Modern Perspectives
Authors: Kausar Ayesha , Ahmad Ishaq , Zhao Tingkai , Eisa M. , Aldaghri O. , Gupta Meenal , Bocchetta Patrizia
Published: March 2023

Graphene is a unique nanocarbon nanostructure, which has been frequently used to form nanocomposites. Green-synthesized graphene has been focused due to environmentally friendly requirements in recent technological sectors. A very important application of green-synthesized graphene-based nanocomposite has been observed in energy storage devices. This state-of-the-art review highlights design, features, and advanced functions of polymer/green-synthesized graphene nanocomposites and their utility in supercapacitor components. Green graphene-derived nanocomposites brought about numerous revolutions in high-performance supercapacitors. The structural diversity of conjugated polymer and green graphene-based nanocomposites has facilitated the charge transportation/storage capacity, specific capacitance, capacitance retention, cyclability, and durability of supercapacitor electrodes. Moreover, the green method, graphene functionality, dispersion, and matrix–nanofiller interactions have affected supercapacitance properties and performance. Future research on innovative polymer and green graphene-derived nanocomposites may overcome design/performance-related challenging factors for technical usages.
Autokeras Approach: A Robust Automated Deep Learning Network for Diagnosis Disease Cases in Medical Images
Authors: Alaiad Ahmad , Migdady Aya , Al-Khatib Ra’ed M. , Alzoubi Omar , Zitar Raed Abu , Abualigah Laith
Published: March 2023

Automated deep learning is promising in artificial intelligence (AI). However, a few applications of automated deep learning networks have been made in the clinical medical fields. Therefore, we studied the application of an open-source automated deep learning framework, Autokeras, for detecting smear blood images infected with malaria parasites. Autokeras is able to identify the optimal neural network to perform the classification task. Hence, the robustness of the adopted model is due to it not needing any prior knowledge from deep learning. In contrast, the traditional deep neural network methods still require more construction to identify the best convolutional neural network (CNN). The dataset used in this study consisted of 27,558 blood smear images. A comparative process proved the superiority of our proposed approach over other traditional neural networks. The evaluation results of our proposed model achieved high efficiency with impressive accuracy, reaching 95.6% when compared with previous competitive models.
Laser Tracker-Based on-the-Fly Machine Tool Calibration without Real-Time Synchronization
Authors: Sanders Mark P. , Bodenbenner Matthias , Dahlem Philipp , Emonts Dominik , Montavon Benjamin , Schmitt Robert H.
Published: March 2023

Consistent high volumetric performance of machine tools is an essential requirement for high-quality machining. Periodic machine tool calibration ensures said performance and allows for timely corrective actions preventing scrap or rework. Reducing the duration of the calibration process decreases associated cost through non-productive downtime and allows for data acquisition in thermal real-time. The authors enhance an indirect calibration method based on measuring points within the machine volume using a laser tracker by removing the necessity for standstill. To circumvent requiring high fidelity space and time synchronization between metrology system and machine tool, only deviations perpendicular to the path are considered. To do so, the 3D laser tracker data are rotationally transformed such that one axis aligns with the motion direction and can subsequently be omitted as input data for the system of equations solving for geometric errors. Due to the absence of unique measurement-point-to-machine-point mapping, data alignment between nominal path and measurement data is proposed as an iterative alignment process of points to path. The method is tested simulatively and experimentally. It demonstrated conformity to the simulation as well as to the pre-existing calibration method based on laser trackers and shows good agreement with the direct calibration device API XD Laser.
Phytoplankton Seasonal Dynamics under Conditions of Climate Change and Anthropogenic Pollution in the Western Coastal Waters of the Black Sea (Sevastopol Region)
Authors: Stelmakh Lyudmyla , Kovrigina Nelya , Gorbunova Tatiana
Published: March 2023

The studies of seasonal phytoplankton dynamics, its growth rate, and microzooplankton grazing were conducted on two stations in the western Black Sea coastal waters near Sevastopol from January 2021 to December 2022. The phytoplankton species composition has remained relatively the same during recent years compared to the end of the last century and the beginning of the 2000s. However, significant changes have occurred in the ratio between different species of diatoms, and the proportion of dinoflagellates was increased, especially in the autumn. Large diatoms and dinoflagellates play a crucial role in forming the phytoplankton biomass seasonal peaks. The first central maximum was observed in July, and the second smaller one was in September–November. Whereas two decades ago, the small diatoms generated three peaks annually: in February, May, and September–October. The maximum values of the phytoplankton growth rate and the rate of its consumption by microzooplankton decreased 2–3 times compared to the beginning of the 2000s. The relative share of primary production consumed by microzooplankton annually averages 35%, two times lower than before.
Effects of Different Environmental Variables on the Ingestion of Microcystis aeruginosa by Moina mongolica
Authors: Xing Hao , Jiang Ruitong , Chen Taoying , Liu Hongtao , Yin Yusu , Zhang Jianheng , He Wenhui , Tang Chunyu , He Peimin
Published: March 2023

How to control the frequent occurrence of cyanobacteria, especially the outbreak of toxin-producing Microcystis aeruginosa, has been a subject of constant research. This investigation focused on the effect of Moina mongolica on restricting M. aeruginosa blooms under different variables (temperature, light intensity, and salinity) and its growth at the molecular level. The results of batch experiments showed that the range of M. mongolica feeding rates was from 4.02 ± 0.81 × 103~182.23 ± 5.37 × 103 cells/ind·h in the whole experiment, where the highest feeding rates of larva M. mongolica and adult M. mongolica were 133.21 ± 5.24 × 103 vs. 182.23 ± 5.37 × 103 cells/ind·h at 30 °C, 85.88 ± 0.44 × 103 vs. 143.15 ± 14.07 × 103 cells/ind·h at 3000 lx and 88.18 ± 0.32 × 103 vs. 84.49 ± 4.95 × 103 cells/ind·h at 0‰ salinity, respectively. The results of transcriptomics further demonstrated that the response of M. mongolica to M. aeruginosa toxicity was caused by the downregulation of relevant functional genes (cell components, cell processes, metabolic processes, and protein complexes) and related signaling pathways (apoptosis, phagosome, lysosome, ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation, amino and nucleoside sugar metabolism, and PPAR signaling pathways). The findings show that M. mongolica can be released to low-salinity lakes and coastal areas (the subtropic and temperate zones) to prevent and inhibit M. aeruginosa blooms in the early summer phase. Additionally, the results achieved by the investigation will provide the relevant technology for inhibiting cyanobacteria blooms because M. mongolica even resists the produced toxin by M. aeruginosa.
Short-Crested Wave–Current Forces on a Concentric System with an ARC Exterior Porous Wall
Authors: Miao Jianming , Liu Dan , Li Jie , Zhai Zhenfeng
Published: March 2023

In this study, the potential flow theory is adopted to develop an analytical solution to the diffraction problem of a short-crested wave–current incident on a concentric system consisted of an arc exterior wall and interior cylinder. The influence of the uniform current on the hydrodynamic performance of the concentric structure is primarily discussed. The incident angle and speed of the uniform current significantly influence the short-crested wave force and run-up on the concentric structure. Specific parametric conditions are obtained, under which the wave structure can resonate, and the resonance phenomenon may be more pronounced when the wave and current have the same incidence direction. Furthermore, semi-enclosed structures are highly sensitive to the direction of wave incidence, thereby triggering certain limitations in engineering applications. This study is expected to contribute as theoretical guidance to nearshore architecture designs.
Fast-, Light-Cured Scintillating Plastic for 3D-Printing Applications
Authors: Frandsen Brian G. , Febbraro Michael , Ruland Thomas , Stephens Theodore W. , Hausladen Paul A. , Manfredi Juan J. , Bevins James E.
Published: March 2023

Additive manufacturing techniques enable a wide range of possibilities for novel radiation detectors spanning simple to highly complex geometries, multi-material composites, and metamaterials that are either impossible or cost prohibitive to produce using conventional methods. The present work identifies a set of promising formulations of photocurable scintillator resins capable of neutron-gamma pulse shape discrimination (PSD) to support the additive manufacturing of fast neutron detectors. The development of these resins utilizes a step-by-step, trial-and-error approach to identify different monomer and cross-linker combinations that meet the requirements for 3D printing followed by a 2-level factorial parameter study to optimize the radiation detection performance, including light yield, PSD, optical clarity, and hardness. The formulations resulted in hard, clear, PSD-capable plastic scintillators that were cured solid within 10 s using 405 nm light. The best-performing scintillator produced a light yield 83% of EJ-276 and a PSD figure of merit equaling 1.28 at 450–550 keVee.
Yeast Chromatin Mutants Reveal Altered mtDNA Copy Number and Impaired Mitochondrial Membrane Potential
Authors: Staneva Dessislava , Vasileva Bela , Podlesniy Petar , Miloshev George , Georgieva Milena
Published: March 2023

Mitochondria are multifunctional, dynamic organelles important for stress response, cell longevity, ageing and death. Although the mitochondrion has its genome, nuclear-encoded proteins are essential in regulating mitochondria biogenesis, morphology, dynamics and function. Moreover, chromatin structure and epigenetic mechanisms govern the accessibility to DNA and control gene transcription, indirectly influencing nucleo-mitochondrial communications. Thus, they exert crucial functions in maintaining proper chromatin structure, cell morphology, gene expression, stress resistance and ageing. Here, we present our studies on the mtDNA copy number in Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromatin mutants and investigate the mitochondrial membrane potential throughout their lifespan. The mutants are arp4 (with a point mutation in the ARP4 gene, coding for actin-related protein 4—Arp4p), hho1Δ (lacking the HHO1 gene, coding for the linker histone H1), and the double mutant arp4 hho1Δ cells with the two mutations. Our findings showed that the three chromatin mutants acquired strain-specific changes in the mtDNA copy number. Furthermore, we detected the disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential in their chronological lifespan. In addition, the expression of nuclear genes responsible for regulating mitochondria biogenesis and turnover was changed. The most pronounced were the alterations found in the double mutant arp4 hho1Δ strain, which appeared as the only petite colony-forming mutant, unable to grow on respiratory substrates and with partial depletion of the mitochondrial genome. The results suggest that in the studied chromatin mutants, hho1Δ, arp4 and arp4 hho1Δ, the nucleus-mitochondria communication was disrupted, leading to impaired mitochondrial function and premature ageing phenotype in these mutants, especially in the double mutant.
The Impact of the Need for Language Assistance Services on the Use of Regional Anesthesia, Postoperative Pain Scores and Opioid Administration in Surgical Oncology Patients
Authors: Kapoor Ravish , Owusu-Agyemang Pascal , Feng Lei , Cata Juan P.
Published: March 2023

Language barriers can negatively impact the quality of healthcare. In surgical patients, limited English proficiency (LEP) can lead to disparities in acute postoperative pain management. Interpreters are often used for communication with LEP patients to help alleviate these disparities. We aimed to investigate the impact of the need for language assistance services (LAS) in acute postoperative pain management in patients undergoing oncologic surgery. We retrospectively collected data on adult patients undergoing open abdominal oncologic surgery between March 2016 and August 2021. The need for LAS, patient demographics, treatment and clinical outcomes were obtained from the patient’s electronic medical record. The primary endpoint was pain intensity, while secondary endpoints included opioid use in PACU and regional anesthesia. Post-matching analysis (n = 590) demonstrated no significant difference in preoperative variables between patients needing LAS and those not needing LAS. The rate of regional use was slightly lower but not statistically significant in patients needing LAS. Patients needing LAS had significantly lower opioid consumption and reported lower pain intensity in PACU than subjects not requiring translation. In this study, LAS may have aided in the patient decision process regarding the acceptance of regional anesthesia. Although the need for LAS was associated with statistically significant lower pain intensity scores and a corresponding lesser opioid use than no LAS, the margin of differences, especially in pain intensity scores, may not be clinically significant. This may suggest that LAS allowed for better patient-provider communication and appropriate pain management.
Factors Deciding Conservative or Intervention Treatment for Prostate Abscess: A Retrospective Case-Control Study
Authors: Chang Yi-Huei , Pan Szu-Ying , Lin Chia-Yu , Huang Chi-Ping , Chung Chi-Jung , Chen Yung-Hsiang , Chen Wen-Chi
Published: March 2023

Prostate abscess (PA) can lead to severe urosepsis and septic shock if not treated promptly. However, early diagnosis can be hindered by the declining incidence of PA, especially in developing countries and high-risk patients. Despite the prevalence of PA, there is currently a lack of well-established contemporary guidelines or treatment algorithms. This study aimed to review the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment options for PA, as well as analyze the characteristics, background profiles of patients, and clinical course. Ultimately, the goal was to develop a personalized treatment strategy for patients with PA. This retrospective study examined 44 patients diagnosed with PA at a tertiary medical center between 2010 and 2020. The patients were divided into two groups based on their treatment: conservative treatment or intervention (transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP] or transurethral prostate drainage [TPD]). The study evaluated various factors, including patients’ background profiles, comorbidities, laboratory data, and PA size and volume. Complications of the interventions were also analyzed. No significant differences were found in basic data between the conservative treatment group (19 patients) and intervention group (25 patients; 20 for TURP, 5 for TPD). However, it was observed that single abscesses, size <2.2 cm, and prostate volume <48 cm3, may be suitable for conservative treatment. Patients with diabetes mellitus and human immunodeficiency virus should be monitored for thrombotic events. In addition, there was a significant difference in white blood count between the two groups (12.1 ± 7.0 vs. 17.6 ± 9.7 × 109/L, p < 0.05). A subgroup analysis of the intervention group showed no significant difference in the risk of complications between TPD and TURP. Patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and immunodeficiency are at a high risk of PA but are not indicated for surgical treatment. The PA profile, including number, size, volume, and percentage to prostate volume, should be considered when deciding on surgical intervention for patients with PA. Patients with higher leukocytosis may require surgical treatment. Overall, these findings can help guide the development of a personalized treatment strategy for patients with PA.
Financial Well-Being and Financial Capability among Low-Income Entrepreneurs
Authors: Guo Baorong , Huang Jin
Published: March 2023

Financial well-being is a key component of quality of life and overall well-being and is likely to affect other aspects of quality of life, such as health and health care. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an immense crisis of financial well-being among low-income entrepreneurs and has left many small-scale entrepreneurs financially fragile. We argue that promoting the financial capability of low-income entrepreneurs is effective in protecting their financial well-being from a crisis. To examine the association between financial capability and the financial well-being of low-income entrepreneurs, we use the 2016 National Financial Well-Being Survey, which provides the latest and comprehensive measurement of financial capability, including financial knowledge, financial skills, and access to financial products and services. Our analyses show that, compared to their higher-income counterparts, low-income entrepreneurs have statistically lower levels of financial well-being, financial knowledge, financial skills, and access to mainstream financial products; they also have a statistically higher risk of using high-fee alternative financial products. In addition, low-income entrepreneurs have larger barriers to accessing mainstream financial products than low-income non-entrepreneurs. The results indicate that financial capability plays a significant role in promoting the financial well-being of low-income entrepreneurs.
Promoting Green Buildings and Low-Carbon Design Strategies of Green B&B Rooms for Sustainable Tourism after COVID-19
Authors: Cai Gangwei , Zhang Min , Zhang Xiandu , Xi Huijian , Chen Zhong , Liu Chao , Liu Kang , Liu Ke , Xu Shiwen , Yu Zuoping
Published: March 2023

COVID-19 opened a window of opportunity to change the green development of the hospitality industry. For many years, Chinese tourists have been the world’s largest source of outbound tourists. Therefore, this study attempted to improve built-environment strategies for green rooms at B&Bs using the empirical statistics of Chinese tourists after the end of COVID-19 control measures and different green B&B standards, combining IPA (importance-performance analysis). For the lack of a green built-environment study from a tourism perspective, this study can be used mainly for improving the green satisfaction of urban B&Bs as it attempted to fill the gaps in research on green B&B rooms. This study will significantly help improve the quality of green rooms for the B&B industry in the future, and it also provides an improved green B&B room sample for other countries and regions. Moreover, it is an optimistic attempt at hospitality and tourism recovery.
Prospective Use of Probiotics to Maintain Astronaut Health during Spaceflight
Authors: Bharindwal Sahaj , Goswami Nidhi , Jha Pamela , Pandey Siddharth , Jobby Renitta
Published: March 2023

Maintaining an astronaut’s health during space travel is crucial. Multiple studies have observed various changes in the gut microbiome and physiological health. Astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) had changes in the microbial communities in their gut, nose, and skin. Additionally, immune system cell alterations have been observed in astronauts with changes in neutrophils, monocytes, and T-cells. Probiotics help tackle these health issues caused during spaceflight by inhibiting pathogen adherence, enhancing epithelial barrier function by reducing permeability, and producing an anti-inflammatory effect. When exposed to microgravity, probiotics demonstrated a shorter lag phase, faster growth, improved acid tolerance, and bile resistance. A freeze-dried Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota capsule was tested for its stability on ISS for a month and has been shown to enhance innate immunity and balance intestinal microbiota. The usage of freeze-dried spores of B. subtilis proves to be advantageous to long-term spaceflight because it qualifies for all the aspects tested for commercial probiotics under simulated conditions. These results demonstrate a need to further study the effect of probiotics in simulated microgravity and spaceflight conditions and to apply them to overcome the effects caused by gut microbiome dysbiosis and issues that might occur during spaceflight.
In Vitro Pharmacological Activity, and Comparison GC-ToF-MS Profiling of Extracts from Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch
Authors: Mongalo Nkoana I. , Raletsena Maropeng Vellry , Munyai Rabelani
Published: March 2023

Cissus cornifolia (Baker) Planch is traditionally used in South African traditional medicine (SATM) to treat a variety of human infections. The antimicrobial activity of extracts from C. cornifolia was investigated in vitro against a plethora of pathogenic microorganisms using the microdilution assay. The acetone extract exhibited a notable minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.10 mg/mL against Mycoplasma hominis and a further MIC of 0.20 mg/mL against Candida parapsilosis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis. In the antiproliferative assays, both the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts exhibited a potent inhibition of the MCF-7-21 cell line. In the anti-inflammatory assays, both the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts exhibited IC50 values of 15.59 and 15.78 µg/mL against Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), respectively. Methanol extract further exhibited potent dual inhibition of both COX-2 and 15-LOX enzymes, hence, recommended to curb both related cancers, particularly breast cancer and inflammation-borne diseases. In the comparative gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOF-MS), the acetone, ethyl acetate, and methanol extract contained significantly prevalent amounts of compound 2-(2’,4’,4’,6’,6’,8’,8’-Heptamethyltetrasiloxan-2’-yloxy)-2,4,4,6,6,8,8,10,10-nonamethylcyclopentasiloxane with % area ranging from 15.714 to 39.225. The findings in the current work validates the use of the plant species in SATM in the treatment of cancer-like infections, opportunistic infections associated with HIV-AIDS. Furthermore, the in vivo studies and the mechanisms of action still need to be explored.
Special-Oriented Annealing-Twins-Induced Orange Peel Morphology of Heat Pipe under Bending Deformation
Authors: Wang Song-Wei , Song Hong-Wu , Zhang Shi-Hong , Chen Shuai-Feng
Published: March 2023

The thin-wall heat pipe is an efficient heat transfer component that has been widely used in the field of heat dissipation of high-power electronic equipment in recent years. In this study, the orange peel morphology defect of thin-wall heat pipes after bending deformation was analyzed both for the macro-3D profile and for the micro-formation mechanism. The morphology and crystal orientations of the grains and annealing twins were carefully characterized utilizing optical metallography and the electron backscatter diffraction technique. The results show that after high-temperature sintering treatment, the matrix grains of the heat pipe are seriously coarsened and form a strong Goss texture, while certain annealing twins with the unique copper orientation are retained. The distribution of the Schmid factor value subjected to the uniaxial stress indicates that inhomogeneity in the intergranular deformation exists among the annealing twins and matrix grains. The annealing twin exhibits a “hard-oriented” component during the deformation; thus, it plays a role as a barrier and hinders the slipping of dislocation. As the strain accumulates, part of the annealing twins may protrude from the surface of the heat pipe, forming a large-scale fluctuation of the surface as the so-called “orange peel” morphology. The 3D profile shows the bulged twins mostly perpendicular to the drawing direction, about 200–300 in width and 10–20 μm in height.
The Effect of Novel Complex Treatment of Annealing and Sandblasting on the Microstructure and Performance of Welded TA1 Titanium Plate
Authors: Xu Yanbin , Wang Dayue , Li Mingyen , Hu Jing , An Xulong , Wei Wei
Published: March 2023

The welding titanium cathode roller has the obvious advantages of low cost, high efficiency, and no diameter restriction. Unfortunately, the longitudinal weld on the cathode roller adversely impacts the quality of the electrolytic copper foil due to the great difference between the microstructure of the weld zone and the base metal. Thus, it is crucial to reduce their difference by regulating the microstructure of the weld zone. In this study, a novel complex treatment of heat treatment and sandblasting is primarily developed for regulating the microstructure of the weld zone. The results show that the novel complex treatment has an efficient effect on regulating the microstructure of the weld zone and making the microstructure in the weld zone close to that of the base metal. During vacuum annealing, the microstructure of the weld zone is refined to some degree, and 650 °C annealing has the optimal effect, which can effectively reduce the ratio of α phase’s length to width and reduce the microstructure difference between the weld zone and the base metal. At the same time, with an increase in the annealing temperature, the tensile strength and yield strength decreased by about 10 MPa; the elongation after fracture increased by 20%; the average microhardness of the WZ and the HAZ decreased by about 10 HV0.10; and that of the BM decreased by about 3 HV0.10. The heat treatment after welding can effectively adjust the properties of the weld zone, reduce the hardness and strength, and improve the toughness. The subsequent sandblasting after annealing can further refine the grain size in the weld zone and make the microstructure in the weld zone close to that of the base metal. Sandblasting after annealing can further refine the grain in the weld zone and make the microstructure in the weld zone close to that of base metal. Meanwhile, an application test confirmed that the adverse impact of a longitudinal weld on the quality of electrolytic copper foil could be resolved by adopting this novel complex treatment. Therefore, this study provides valuable technical support for the “welding” manufacturing of the titanium sleeves of the cathode roller.
A New Theoretical Method for Studying Effects of Microstructure on Effective Thermal Conductivity of Vermicular Graphite Cast Iron
Authors: Jiang Ailong , Shao Anchen , Song Lin , Hua Minghao , Zheng Hongliang , Zhang Xiaofu , Tian Xuelei , Lin Xiaohang
Published: March 2023

To provide the basis for thermal conductivity regulation of vermicular graphite cast iron (VGI), a new theoretical method consisting of shape interpolation, unit cell model and numerical calculation was proposed. Considering the influence of the graphite anisotropy and interfacial contact thermal conductivity (ICTC), the effective thermal conductivity of a series of unit cell models was calculated by numerical calculation based on finite difference. The effects of microstructure on effective thermal conductivity of VGI were studied by shape interpolation. The experimental results were in good agreement with the calculated ones. The effective thermal conductivity of VGI increases in power function with the decrease in graphite shape parameter, and increases linearly with the increase in graphite volume fraction and thermal conductivity of matrix. When the graphite volume fraction increases by 1%, the thermal conductivity of nodular cast iron increases by about 0.18 W/(m·K), while that of gray cast iron increases by about 3 W/(m·K). The thermal conductivity of cast iron has the same sensitivity to the thermal conductivity of matrix regardless of the graphite shape parameter. The thermal conductivity of matrix increased by 15 W/(m·K) and the thermal conductivity of cast iron increased by about 12 W/(m·K). Moreover, the more the graphite shape deviates from the sphere, the greater the enhancement effect of graphite anisotropy on thermal conductivity than the hindrance effect of interface between graphite and matrix. This work can provide guidance for the development of high thermal conductivity VGI and the study of thermal conductivity of composites containing anisotropic dispersed phase particles with complex shapes.
Cost-Effective and Efficient Cool Nanopigments Based on Oleic-Acid-Surface-Modified ZnO Nanostructured
Authors: Farha Ashraf H. , Al Naim Abdullah F. , Mansour Shehab A.
Published: March 2023

In this paper, as-synthesized and oleic acid (OA)-surface-treated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals were successfully synthesized and investigated for cool-nanopigment applications. ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized using the thermal decomposition method. The OA-surface-treated ZnO sample was obtained with an OA:ZnO ratio of 1:1. The structural, optical and morphological properties of the samples were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV-VIS-NIR diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) techniques. ZnO nanocrystals possess a well-known zincate phase of ZnO, as confirmed for the as-synthesized sample with a reduction in the integrity of the ZnO crystalline structure upon the application of the OA coating. XRD peaks broadening and decreasing in crystallite size were obtained upon the surface modification of the ZnO by OA. The average crystallite size decreased from 31.5 to 17.4 nm, and the surface area changed from 23.37 to 7.48 m2/g upon OA treatment. These changes were attributed to the well-capping of the ZnO nanoparticles by OA, and, furthermore, OA increased the dispersion of the nanoparticles. The optical band gap of the investigated samples demonstrated a blue shift from 3.06 eV to 3.22 eV upon treatment. Both samples showed high NIR reflectance (RNIR∗) values, which makes them well qualified for use as cool nanopigments. Additionally, the as-synthesized sample showed an RNIR∗ value higher than that of the treated sample.
Evaluation of the Behaviour of Steel Bar in the Concrete under Cyclic Loading Using Magnetic Flux Leakage and Acoustic Emission Techniques
Authors: Md Nor Noorsuhada , Abdullah Shahrum , Mohamad Halim Mohamad Afiq Hazwan , Arifin Azli
Published: March 2023

The behaviour of the steel bar in concrete under cyclic loading has been evaluated using magnetic flux leakage associated with acoustic emission monitoring technique. Visual observation was used to observe the deformation of the beam under cyclic loading. The sensors of metal magnetic memory were scanned in the middle of the beam at a distance of 320 mm at the bottom part. Twenty-two cyclic ranges were performed for cyclic loading of 100 or 200 cycles for each range, with a frequency of 1 Hz and a sinusoidal wave mode. The magnetic flux leakage signal, acoustic emission characteristics and crack width were measured and analysed to evaluate the behaviour of the steel bar in the concrete beam. The magnetic flux leakage signal and acoustic emission energy results were well matched with the occurrence of cracks at the centre of the beam. It was found that the relationship between the magnetic leakage flux signal and crack opening showed a strong correlation with R2 of 0.969. A high acoustic emission energy of 1300 nVs is observed at the centre of the beam. Based on the results, the behaviour of the steel in the concrete beam can be determined by the integrity assessment of a structure.
Numerical Analysis of Unsteady Heat Transfer in the Chamber in the Piston Hybrid Compressor with Regenerative Heat Exchange
Authors: Shcherba Victor , Khait Anatoliy , Nosov Evgeniy , Pavlyuchenko Evgeniy
Published: March 2023

The adjoint thermodynamic and heat exchange processes in the new class piston compressor with regenerative heat exchange are considered in the paper. The implicit tridiagonal matrix algorithm is implemented to study the unsteady thermal conductivity in the cylinder–piston group. After the formulation of proper initial and boundary conditions, the optimal relationship between temporal and spatial discretization steps is determined. Two different time steps are used in the numerical solution of the two-way coupled fast thermodynamic and slow heat exchange models. The relationship between those time steps is determined as well. The conducted numerical experiments allow the analysis of the dynamics of heat exchange in the cylinder–piston group, temperature variation in different parts of the cylinder–piston group, the impact of the heat transfer processes on isothermal and adiabatic efficiency, the impact of heat exchange dynamics on the thermodynamic cycle, as well as other thermodynamic and energetic effects.
Joint Optimization of Time-Dependent Line Planning and Differential Pricing with Passenger Train Choice in High-Speed Railway Networks
Authors: Zhou Wenliang , Li Xiang , Shi Xin
Published: March 2023

Line planning problems and differential pricing problems are complementary processes in the railway system, but these two problems were generally considered separate processes in most of the existing literature. This paper studies a time-dependent line planning problem and differential pricing problem with passenger train choice in high-speed railway networks under elastic origin-destination-period demand. After clearly and flexibly describing the organization cost of operators, the price cost, and the time cost of passengers in a physical infrastructure-based directed graph, a non-linear joint optimization model is designed with a diversity of optimization goals of maximizing the total revenue of railway operators minus the total travel cost of passengers. An algorithm based on a simulated annealing framework is designed to solve the joint optimization model, and six neighborhood search strategies are designed by combining the features of the studied problem and designed model closely to improve the efficiency of the solution search. The results based on both a toy railway network and a real-world railway network show that the optimized time-dependent line plan and differential price plan are beneficial to increasing the total revenue of railway operators and improving the travel service of railway passengers.
Predefined-Time (PDT) Synchronization of Impulsive Fuzzy BAM Neural Networks with Stochastic Perturbations
Authors: Mahemuti Rouzimaimaiti , Abdurahman Abdujelil
Published: March 2023

This paper focuses on the predefined-time (PDT) synchronization issue of impulsive fuzzy bidirectional associative memory neural networks with stochastic perturbations. Firstly, useful definitions and lemmas are introduced to define the PDT synchronization of the considered system. Next, a novel controller with a discontinuous sign function is designed to ensure the synchronization error converges to zero in the preassigned time. However, the sign function may cause the chattering effect, leading to undesirable results such as the performance degradation of synchronization. Hence, we designed a second novel controller to eliminate this chattering effect. After that, we obtained some sufficient conditions to guarantee the PDT synchronization of the drive–response systems by using the Lyapunov function method. Finally, three numerical simulations are provided to evaluate the validity of the theoretical results.
An Efficient Hybrid of an Ant Lion Optimizer and Genetic Algorithm for a Model Parameter Identification Problem
Authors: Roeva Olympia , Zoteva Dafina , Roeva Gergana , Lyubenova Velislava
Published: March 2023

The immense application of mathematical modeling for the improvement of bioprocesses determines model development as a topical field. Metaheuristic techniques, especially hybrid algorithms, have become a preferred tool in model parameter identification. In this study, two efficient algorithms, the ant lion optimizer (ALO), inspired by the interaction between antlions and ants in a trap, and the genetic algorithm (GA), influenced by evolution and the process of natural selection, have been hybridized for the first time. The novel ALO-GA hybrid aims to balance exploration and exploitation and significantly improve its global optimization ability. Firstly, to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed work, the ALO-GA is compared with several state-of-the-art hybrid algorithms on a set of classical benchmark functions. Further, the efficiency of the ALO-GA is proved in the parameter identification of a model of an Escherichia coli MC4110 fed-batch cultivation process. The obtained results have been studied in contrast to the results of various metaheuristics employed for the same problem. Hybrids between the GA, the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm, the ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm, and the firefly algorithm (FA) are considered. A series of statistical tests, parametric and nonparametric, are performed. Both numerical and statistical results clearly show that ALO-GA outperforms the other competing algorithms. The ALO-GA hybrid algorithm proposed here has achieved an improvement of 6.5% compared to the GA-ACO model, 7% compared to the ACO-FA model, and 7.8% compared to the ABC-GA model.
A Random Forest-Based Method for Predicting Borehole Trajectories
Authors: Yan Baoyong , Zhang Xiantao , Tang Chengxu , Wang Xiao , Yang Yifei , Xu Weihua
Published: March 2023

Drilling trajectory control technology for near-horizontal directional drilling in coal mines is mainly determined empirically by manual skew data, and the empirical results are only qualitative and variable, meanwhile possessing great instability and uncertainty. In order to improve the accuracy and efficiency of drilling trajectory prediction, this paper investigates a random forest regression-based drilling trajectory prediction method after applying numerous machine learning methods to experimental data for comparison. In the selection of prediction features, this paper replaces all feature variables of the borehole trajectory with feature values with higher cumulative influence weights, and screens out three variables with high importance, azimuth, inclination and bend at the present moment of the drill, as the input variables of the model, and the increments in the borehole in a horizontal direction, left and right direction, and up and down direction at the present moment and the next moment as the output variables of the model. In the model training, the model in this paper uses the bootstrap self-service method resampling technique to collect training sample data, constructs a random forest regression model, and takes the mean value of the decision tree output as the result of the borehole trajectory prediction. To further improve the model accuracy, the paper improves the prediction performance of the model by adjusting the parameters of the random forest model such as tree, depth, minimum sample of leaf nodes, minimum sample number of internal node division, etc. The model is also evaluated by using common machine learning evaluation metrics R2 score, RAE, RMSE and MSE. The experimental results show that the average absolute error of the model drops to 1% on the prediction of the horizontal direction and up and down direction; the average absolute error of the model drops to 9% on the prediction of the left and right direction, and this error rate reaches the error requirement in the actual construction process, so the model can effectively improve the prediction accuracy of borehole trajectory while improving the safety of directional construction.
The Effects of Sarcopenia on Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery: A Systematic Review
Authors: Longo Umile , De Salvatore Sergio , Borredon Alessandro , Manon Khazrai , Marchetti Anna , De Marinis Maria , Denaro Vincenzo
Published: March 2023

Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder associated with poor outcomes and complications, including falls, fractures, physical disability, and death. The aim of this review is to assess the possible influence of sarcopenia on outcomes of sarcopenia in patients who underwent knee or hip replacement. A systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, and CENTRAL bibliographic databases were searched. General study characteristics extracted were: primary author and country, year of publication, type of study, level of evidence (LOE), sample size, mean age, gender, follow-up, type of surgery, diagnosis, and outcomes. At the final screening, five articles met the selection criteria and were included in the review. Sarcopenia influences the Barthel Index (BI), which is significantly lower compared to patients without sarcopenia, which indicates that the patient is subjected to a worsening of this condition that can influence their normal life since they will become dependent on someone else. No difference in mortality rate was found was found between the studies. This systematic review addressed the possible role of sarcopenia in patients undergoing joint replacement surgery. Despite the lack of high-quality literature on this topic, a general trend in considering sarcopenia as a negative factor for quality of life in joint replacement patients was reported. However, the lack of significant results means it is not possible to report useful conclusions.