bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuromuscular rehabilitation interventions and COVID-19 management in a case of incomplete paraplegia with neurogenic bladder, post T3-T5 ependymoma
Authors: Băilă Mihai , Aura Spînu Aura Spînu , Popescu Cristina , Zamfir Costică , Constantin Elena , Brumă Elena , Răducanu Cristian , Petre Ștefan , Onose Gelu
Published: March 2022

Spinal ependymomas are a group of mostly slow-growing tumors that can cause non-traumatic spinal cord injury with insidious clinical symptomatology ranging from neck or back pain to as-sociated sensory-motor impairment. Due to their neurological and systemic frailty, patients with spinal cord injury might be especially vulnerable to the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the resulting respiratory impairment. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 66 year old women admitted in our Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Clinic Division for severe in-complete paraplegia and neurogenic bladder. She was previously diagnosed in the Neurosurgi-cal Ward with a thoracic grade II (classic) ependymoma and underwent a gross tumor resection. During the neurorehabilitation program the patient was diagnosed with COVID-19. The multi-drug related treatments were associated with supportive oxygen therapy and neuromuscular and respiratory rehabilitation techniques. RESULTS: Despite of the patient’s favorable rehabili-tation, consisting of walking abilities with support in a walking frame on short distances, her prognosis may be worsened by resting neurogenic bladder symptoms. COVID-19 has led to im-portant acute respiratory morbidity in our patient, regardless of the mild course of the disease, and might further cause a post-infectious respiratory impairment. ONCLUSION: Spinal cord in-jury remains a life-long condition and emphasizes the necessity of supporting the affected pati-ents on the long run.
Keywords: students, balance, postural stability, physical exercise, progress, motor skills
Frequency of musculoskeletal disorder of upper limb in Type 2 Diabetes patients
Authors: Saad M , Iqbal SMS , Pereira FA , Hussain SA , Muhammad A , Khan HMU , Hussain Z
Published: March 2022

Diabetes is a frequently occurring chronic metabolic disease that is characterized by a high blood glucose levels. If left unchecked, it can lead to severe functional impairments such as blindness, renal failure, and coronary artery disease. Approximately 463 million adults (20-79 years) are living with diabetes; by 2045 this will rise to 700 million. Material and method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Dow University Hospital, Ojha campus. Patients who had T2DM, and were above 35 years of age were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements were recorded, and the remaining data was collected via a self-reporting questionnaire. Results and discussions: In this study n=55(36.2%) participants were male and n=97(63.8%) were female, with the average age of 52.9 years, and an average BMI of 29.5kg/m2. The mean HBA1C of those diabetic patients was 8.8, and average duration of diabetes of our sample was 6.7 years. Prevalence of MSK disorders was 55.3%. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among diabetic pa-tients. There was poor knowledge that upper limb musculoskeletal problems could occur due to diabetes, and a small percentage of patients sought physical therapy treatment for these disor-ders.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus, musuculoskeletal diseases, upper extremity
Sarcopenia, a major clinical problem in old age, potential causes, clinical consequences and therapeutic possibilities
Authors: Moga Titus David , Moga Ioana , Sabau Monica , Nistor-Cseppento Carmen Delia , Iovanovici Diana Carina , Cavalu Simona , Dogaru Bombonica Gabriela
Published: March 2022

Sarcopenia or degeneration of skeletal muscle tissue with aging, is responsible for functional de-cline and loss of independence in older adults. The purpose of this article is to review the current definitions of sarcopenia, its potential causes, clinical consequences and the potential for prop-hylactic and curative intervention. Sarcopenia is recognized as a major clinical problem for the elderly, and the research in this area is growing exponentially. One of the most important recent developments has been convergence in the operational definition of sarcopenia that combines muscle mass, strength and muscle function. In 2010, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Oder People (EWGSOP) published a definition of sarcopenia aimed at promoting progress in the identification and care of the elderly. In early 2018 (EWGSOP2) he met again to update the original definition to reflect the scientific and clinical evidence that has been built over the past decade. The cause of sarcopenia is considered to be multifactorial: hormonal changes, neurologi-cal decline, sedentary / immobilization for a long period, chronic diseases, obesity, all these fac-tors contribute to the onset of sarcopenia. Prophylactic or curative interventions are essentially aimed at nutrition and exercise. Although pharmaceutical agents are developed that target seve-ral biological pathways, proper nutrition and specific physical exercises remain the gold stan-dard for therapy. Through this review, we want to draw attention to the need to implement complex analyzes of the elderly patient, regardless of the acute problem with which he presents himself at the consultation. These analyses should contain tests, measurements, questionnaires that identify in time a possible musculoskeletal degeneration. The results did not show any sig-nificant difference between the perception of sarcopenia, the way of approaching it and the prophylactic or therapeutic treatment. We focused on this pathology because sarcopenia is rela-tively newly observed, defined, it is not fully investigated and a clinical skill has not been for-med for the evaluation of the elderly patient.

Keywords: Skeletal muscle, elderly, sarcopenia, degeneration, exercises
The genome sequence of Gymnosoma rotundatum (Linnaeus, 1758), a parasitoid ladybird fly
Authors: Smith Matthew ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: March 2022

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Gymnosoma rotundatum (Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Tachinidae). The genome sequence is 779 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly (97.07%) is scaffolded into six chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X sex chromosome assembled.
The genome sequence of the bronze furrow bee, Seladonia tumulorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Authors: Falk Steven ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective, Monks Joseph ,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: March 2022

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Seladonia tumulorum (the bronze furrow bee; Arthropoda; Insecta; Hymenoptera; Halictidae). The genome sequence is 479 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly (84.28%) is scaffolded into 17 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome was also assembled and is 17.3 kilobases in length.
Digital refocusing based on deep learning in optical coherence tomography
Authors: Yuan Zhuoqun , Yang Di , Yang Zihan , Zhao Jingzhu , Liang Yanmei
Published: March 2022

We present a deep learning-based digital refocusing approach to extend depth of focus for optical coherence tomography (OCT) in this paper. We built pixel-level registered pairs of en face low-resolution (LR) and high-resolution (HR) OCT images based on experimental data and introduced the receptive field block into the generative adversarial networks to learn the complex mapping relationship between LR-HR image pairs. It was demonstrated by results of phantom and biological samples that the lateral resolutions of OCT images were improved in a large imaging depth clearly. We firmly believe deep learning methods have broad prospects in optimizing OCT imaging.
Graphene microheater for phase change chalcogenides based integrated photonic components [Invited]
Authors: Faneca Joaquin , Meyer Sebastian , Gardes F. Y. , Chigrin Dmitry N.
Published: March 2022

In order to effectively control the state of an active integrated photonic component based on chalcogenide phase change materials, an efficient microheater operating at low voltage is required. Here, we report on the design of a graphene based microheater. The proposed system contains two separate graphene layers between which the phase change material cell of Ge2Sb2Te5 is placed. Three distinct switching possibilities are explored, using only the bottom layer, only the top layer or both graphene layers. A detailed investigation of the heater parameters is performed to optimise switching performance. A self-consistent multiphysics simulation of the crystallization process in the phase change material cell is conducted demonstrating the switching capabilities of the proposed design.
Emission colour tuning of Mn, Yb, Er-NaGdF4 upconverting nanoparticles by energy density variation and pulse modulation
Authors: Avram Daniel , Patrascu Andrei A. , Porosnicu Ioana , Tiseanu Carmen
Published: March 2022

We describe, for the first time, the effects of Mn co-doping on the upconversion emission of Yb, Er - NaGdF4 nanoparticles using an ns pulsed laser with variable energy density and pulse width modulation. Unlike cw excitation that leaves unchanged the emission colour with power density, ns pulsed excitation induced a remarkable green to orange colour tuning with the increase of the energy density from 3 to 70 mJ/cm2. Pulse width modulation from 0.02 to 5 ms determines green to yellow colour tuning for 10% Mn, which is well-correlated with the built and decay stages of Er green and red emissions. Our study gives new insights into Mn role in colour tuning of Mn, Yb, Er - NaGdF4 nanoparticles and highlights the potential of these systems for anti-counterfeiting, bioimaging and lifetime multiplex applications.
Linearised coherent states for non-rational SUSY extensions of the harmonic oscillator
Authors: Contreras-Astorga Alonso , Fernández C. David J. , Muro-Cabral César
Published: March 2022

In this work, we derive two equivalent non-rational extensions of the quantum harmonic oscillator using two different supersymmetric transformations. For these extensions, we built ladder operators as the product of the intertwining operators related with these equivalent supersymmetric transformations, which results in two-step ladder operators. We linearised these operators to obtain operators of the same nature that follow a linear commutation relation. After the linearisation, we derive coherent states as eigenstates of the annigilation operator and analyse some relevant mathematical and physical properties, such as the completeness relation, mean-energy values, temporal stability, time evolution of the probability densities, and Wigner distributions. From these properties, we conclude that these coherent states present both classical and quantum behaviour.
Isolation, identification and Toxicological profiling of bioactive compounds from Xanthium strumarium and Acmella calva depict the excess reactive oxygen species generation in the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito vector; an insight behind the probable mode of action of bioactive compounds
Authors: Vinu Rajan P K , Puthur Rosabella K
Published: March 2022

The diverse field of chemistry like structural and Analytical chemistry has offered the tools that are essential for purifying the plethora of phytochemical constituents. Such an untapped pool of phytochemicals from the plant world can be used as an alternative to synthetic insecticides in mosquito vector control programme. This investigation has used the Bioassay-guided Chromatography, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and GC-MS (Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) to isolate and identify the most prominent toxic phytocompounds from the medicinal plants Xanthium strumarium and Acmella calva. The Map of the study site has been prepared using the Q-GIS. SPSS was used to perform the probit regression analysis and plot preparation. The isolated compounds such as Undecane (CH3(CH2)9CH3; 156.31 g/mol) (LC50: 2.599 mg/L (2.251 - 2.867); LC90 : 4.563 mg/L (3.960 - 6.006) and Phthalic acid, butyl undecyl ester (C23H36O4; 376.5 g/mol) (LC50: 4.072 mg/L (3.680 - 4.462); LC90: 6.894 mg/L (5.821-10.303) those are isolated from the Xanthium strumarium, and Acmella calva could be recognized as an innovative direction for the conception of natural insecticide against the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito vectors since they produced a maximum range of toxicity. Moreover, the production of excessive free radicals in the phytocompounds exposed mosquito strain illustrated the probable role of oxidative stress in larval death. This investigation recommends that the isolated compounds can be used as an eco-friendly approach for mosquito control in the future.
Climate Change and the Ironies of Omniscience in Rumaan Alam’sLeave the World Behind
Authors: Caracciolo Marco
Published: March 2022

Scholars in ecocriticism have frequently argued that the environmental crisis calls for an overhaul of the realist novel, which is inadequate at conveying the global scale and ramifications of climate change and related anthropogenic disruptions to the Earth system. In this article, I explore how a centerpiece of nineteenth-century realist fiction, the omniscient narrator, may be reimagined to speak to the imaginative challenges of climate change. As the future becomes fragmented in a multiplicity of alternative scenarios (ranging from local disasters to societal collapse), personal and collective anxieties come to the fore. In my case study, Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novelLeave the World Behind, the narrator’s apparent omniscience stages the uncertainties of our climate future through an ironic device: knowledge of the catastrophe experienced by the characters is displayed but also withheld from the reader, leading to an ambivalent, and largely unreadable, narratorial stance. Omniscience is thus used to undermine the possibility of affirming human mastery and control over the unsettling events that are playing out in the storyworld. In this way,Leave the World Behinddemonstrates the realist novel’s ability to open itself up to the weird realities of the climate crisis.1
Effect of BNT162b2 booster dose on anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike trimeric IgG antibodies in seronegative individuals
Authors: Salvagno Gian Luca , Henry Brandon M. , Pighi Laura , De Nitto Simone , Gianfilippi Gianluca , Lippi Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

Objectives

We provide here an updated analysis of an ongoing serosurveillance study, presenting data on the effect of a third dose of Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine on serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies.

Methods

We tested baseline SARS-CoV-2 seronegative healthcare workers undergoing primary vaccination with the mRNA-based COVID-19 Comirnaty vaccine, followed by administration of homologous vaccine booster (third dose). Venous blood was collected before either dose of primary vaccination, at 1, 3 and 6 months afterwards, as well as before and 1 month after receiving the vaccine booster. The serum concentration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG was assayed with DiaSorin Trimeric spike IgG immunoassay.

Results

The final study population included 53 SARS-CoV-2 seronegative healthcare workers (median age 46 years; 60% females). A first peak of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike trimeric IgG values was reached 1 month after completing primary vaccination, after which the levels gradually declined until before receiving the vaccine booster. A second peak of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike trimeric IgG concentration was observed 1 month after receiving the vaccine booster dose (8,700 kBAU/L), which was 39-fold higher than before receiving the vaccine booster (221 kBAU/L; p<0.001), but was also nearly threefold higher compared to values seen at the first peak (2,990 kBAU/L; p<0.001). The rate of subjects with protective anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike trimeric IgG values (i.e., >264 kBAU/L) increased from 47.2% to 100% after 1 month from vaccine booster.

Conclusions

These results support current policies fostering COVID-19 vaccine boosters to reinforce humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
The shear strength of concrete beams hybrid-reinforced with GFRP bars and steel bars in main reinforcement without shear reinforcement
Authors: Shoeib Ata El-kareim , Arafa Ahmed Noureldean , Sedawy Ahmed EL-sayed , EL-Hashmy Awad M.
Published: March 2022

The investigation of the structural performance of reinforced concrete members in the construction process has become a critical issue for Hybrid GFRP bars with steel bars. The ultimate concrete shear strength of reinforced concrete beams contains both GFRP bars and Steel bars in main reinforcement are a main task of work. This paper examines the effect of sharing the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars with steel bars for reinforced concrete (RC) structures on the concrete shear strength of RC beams. Fourteen RC beams without shear reinforcement were constructed and tested up to failure. The test beams included two steel-RC beams, one GFRP-RC beam, and eleven steel bars and GFRP bars (hybrid GFRP/steel)-RC beams. The main parameters were the reinforcement ratio, shear span to depth ratio, depth of the beam, concrete compressive strength, and compression reinforcement. The test results are presented in terms of crack patterns, failure modes, load-deflection, and load-strain behavior. The test results showed that hybrid GFRP/steel bars causing significant improvement in the ductility with reduction of the deformation comparing with an only steel bar in main steel in tested beams. The dowel action can play a major role in the process by which shear is carried in a beam. Finally, the initial proposal equation that calculates the shear strength of hybrid reinforced elements can serve as a guideline for the introduction of hybrid bars (GFRP and Steel) at the main reinforcement in RC beams.
Korn’s Inequality and Eigenproblems for the Lamé Operator
Authors: Domínguez-Rivera Sebastián A. , Nigam Nilima , Ovall Jeffrey S.
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we show that the so-called Korn inequality holds for vector fields with a zero normal or tangential trace on a subset (of positive measure) of the boundary of Lipschitz domains.
We further show that the validity of this inequality depends on the geometry of this subset of the boundary.
We then consider three eigenvalue problems for the Lamé operator: we constrain the traction in the tangential direction and the normal component of the displacement, the related problem of constraining the normal component of the traction and the tangential component of the displacement, and a third eigenproblem that considers mixed boundary conditions.
We show that eigenpairs for these eigenproblems exist on a broad variety of domains.
Analytic solutions for some of these eigenproblems are given on simple domains.
Israeli media coverage of international male and female politicians: Gender and ethnopolitical aspects
Authors: Greenwald Gilad
Published: March 2022

In 2015, the Israeli newspaperYedioth Ahronothbegan a campaign against Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Margot Wallström, who is considered a prominent critic of Israeli policy in Palestine. The campaign included various aspects of media bias on both the gender and the ethnopolitical levels and thus raised the question of a possible relationship between these two types of biases. Studies in relation to political communication and gender have traditionally focused on the media coverage of domestic male and female politicians. The present study attempts to examine the gender media coverage of prominent international political actors. It performs a mixed content analysis of 529 news items from three Israeli online newspapers, reports, and articles, which cover world-renowned public figures (among them, Wallström). Each news item is coded into three gender-coverage frames. Additionally, a critical reading of the journalistic texts is conducted. The findings reveal that the combination of the two types of biases, the gender and the political, escalates the media sensation and stereotyping.
Galvanic corrosion based on wire beam electrode technique: progress and prospects
Authors: Kou Jie , Ma Dongxu
Published: March 2022

Galvanic corrosion is a type of localized corrosion that widely exists in all kinds of metal structures and causes severe damage, jeopardising the safety and dependability of equipment. This paper reviews the mechanism of galvanic corrosion and related influencing factors, including the material characteristics and geometric factors of the metal pair and environmental factors. As a unique surface testing technique, wire beam electrode (WBE) is widely used in various corrosion research fields represented by galvanic corrosion. On this basis, the research progress of the WBE technique in the field of galvanic corrosion is mainly reviewed from three perspectives. The experiments also proved that the WBE technique can well characterize the corrosion evolution progression and investigate the polarity reversal mechanisms. Finally, it is pointed out that the urgent scientific problems to be solved in the research of galvanic corrosion include: galvanic corrosion research in a variety of special environments; the mechanism of the galvanic couple reversal caused by the change of corrosion factors; the corrosion behavior of a complex coupling system composed of multiple metal connections; the development of corrosion prediction models.
Mechanical and thermal properties of recycled high-density polyethylene/bamboo with different fiber loadings
Authors: Widiastuti Indah , Saputra Holam Cahya , Wisnu Kusuma Sandy Sidik , Harjanto Budi
Published: March 2022

The use of recycled polymers in natural fiber-based composites provides an additional competitive advantage with their environmentally friendly properties. This study utilizes recycled high-density polyethylene (r-HDPE) as a composite matrix with bamboo fiber reinforcement that has been treated with an alkaline process. This study aims to analyze the mechanical properties and thermal properties of r-HDPE composites manufactured by extrusion molding with different bamboo fiber loadings. The specimens were subjected to tensile and impact testing for evaluating the mechanical properties. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed to identify thermal stability, while the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) was used to analyze the melting point phase of each specimen. This study indicated that the tensile strength of the composites decreases with increase of fiber fraction. The composite with 0% bamboo fiber showed the highest tensile strength of 8.3 N/mm2, while the lowest tensile strength is shown by the composite with 30% of bamboo fiber. Scanning electron microscopy showed porosity, pull-out, fiber cracking as the indicators for the material failure during tensile testing. From the impact test, it can be shown that the composite with 10% bamboo fiber records the highest impact strength at 37.7 J/m2. The TGA indicated high thermal stability of r-HDPE composites with 10% of bamboo fiber at 362.4°C temperature. A similar result was also exhibited from the DSC test, where the material with 10% fiber loading shows a big change in melting phase temperature. This research evidences the effect of bamboo fiber in increasing the impact strength and thermal stability of recycled HDPE matrix. This material could be the alternative for light-bearing applications such as automotive indoor components.
Analytical and numerical investigation of free vibration for stepped beam with different materials
Authors: Ghani Suadad Noori , Neamah Raghad Azeez , Abdalzahra Ali Talib , Al-Ansari Luay S. , Abdulsamad Husam Jawad
Published: March 2022

This work describes the application of classical Rayleigh method (CRM), modified Rayleigh method (MRM), and ANSYS finite element method (FEM) to calculate the natural frequency of non-homogenous cantilever beam. Two-step cantilever stepped beam was investigated through six studied cases. Each step has different material properties and the same cross section area. Results showed that the combination of materials is useful in order to increase the natural frequencies and reduce the weight of the beam at the same time when the cantilever beam is fixed by the side of the stronger material. There is a good agreement between the CRM and FEM for the region with length larger than half length of beam, on the other hand, there is an excellent agreement between the MRM and FEM for the region with length smaller than half length of beam.
Effects of high polyamic acid content and curing process on properties of epoxy resins
Authors: Xu Xiaoyan , Peng Jinchan , Yang Jianjiang , Hu Dedong , Qian Duoduo , Chang Zhihong , Tan Qinggang , Li Yan
Published: March 2022

Epoxy/polyamic acid (EP/PAA) adhesives with high polyimide precursor-PAA content have been synthesized and then cured. The structure, thermal, and adhesive properties were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and tensile shear test. The effects of PAA content and curing process on the tensile shear strength were also studied. The results showed that the addition of PAA improved the heat resistance and reduced the water absorption. EP/PAA adhesive kept good adhesion. A kind of EP/PAA composite adhesive with excellent comprehensive properties was prepared in this study.
A balanced dual-band BPF with quasi-independently tunable center frequency and bandwidth
Authors: Dai Chunliang , Han Ying , Qiao Lu Yan , Wei Feng
Published: March 2022

By introducing an open stub loaded resonator (OSLR) and a uniform impedance resonator (UIR) into balanced stepped-impedance microstrip-slotline transition structures, a balanced dual-band bandpass filter (BPF) with high selectivity and low insertion loss performance is presented in this paper. The balanced microstrip-slotline transition structures can achieve a wideband common-mode (CM) suppression. Meanwhile, the differential-mode (DM) passbands are independent from the CM responses, which greatly simplifies the design procedure. In addition, four varactors are loaded into OSLR and UIR to achieve the electrical reconfiguration. The proposed balanced dual-band BPF can realize quasi-independently tunable center frequencies and bandwidths. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed design method, a prototype circuit of the proposed reconfigurable balanced dual-band BPF is simulated, fabricated and measured. A good agreement between the simulation and measurement results is observed.
Enhancing the mechanical properties and hydrophobicity of heat-treated wood by migrating and relocating sulfonated lignin
Authors: Gao Yiqin , Li Yuanyuan , Ren Ruiqing , Li Li , Gao Jianmin , Chen Yao
Published: March 2022

Heat-treated wood (HTW) has better dimensional stability but worse mechanical strength than untreated wood. This study aimed to overcome this shortcoming by sulfonating lignin in Balfour spruce (Picea likiangensis var. balfouriana) wood with sulfurous acid and Na2SO3 followed by heat treatment. The mass loss of as-prepared HTW decreased while the crystallinity index increased slightly compared with those of HTW without sulfonation pretreatment. The cellulose structure of the as-prepared HTW was not damaged by the sulfonation pretreatment. The as-prepared HTW showed a higher MOE, MOR, and compressive strength (CS) of 34, 32, and 22%, respectively, compared with the HTW without sulfonation treatment. The improved mechanical properties were attributed to the increase of the relative mass fraction of lignin in the secondary walls of wood, as sulfonated lignin could migrate with water from the compound middle lamellae into the secondary wall under the combined driving forces of a concentration difference and steam pressure. These findings provide a way to enhance the mechanical properties of HTW while gaining better hydrophobicity.
The precipitation behavior of second phase in high titanium microalloyed steels and its effect on microstructure and properties of steel
Authors: Guo Xiaopei , Li Tao , Shang Zhiqiang , Zhu Yulin , Li Guannan
Published: March 2022

The thermodynamic precipitation behavior of the second-phase particles in Nb-containing high titanium microalloyed steel has been studied by calculation in this article. It is revealed that FCC_A1#2 is isomorphic with FCC_A1#3 and the contents of Ti and Nb elements are much higher than that of FCC_A1#3. The influence of different quenching temperatures on microstructure and mechanical properties of steel was also studied. The results indicate that the quenching temperature should be controlled below 1,100°C and the soaking time should not exceed 60 min to avoid abnormal grain growth. The thermodynamic calculation and experimental results have certain theoretical guiding significance for the practical industrial application of high titanium–niobium steel.
Modeling of methane Tri-reforming slurry bubble column reactor via differential evolution optimization method to produce syngas
Authors: Arab Aboosadi Zahra , Dehghanfard Ehsan , Abdosheikhi Meysam
Published: March 2022

Tri-reforming process of methane has been considered as an important chemical process for syngas production. The aim of this study is modeling and optimization of methane Tri-reforming slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR). A one-dimensional heterogeneous model with plug flow pattern for gas phase and an axial dispersion pattern for liquid-solid suspension has been developed for modeling of SBCR. differential evolution (DE) approach has been used for the optimization of Tri-reforming slurry reactor operating conditions. The effect of operating parameters such as inlet temperature, the ratios of O2/CH4, H2O/CH4, and CO2/CH4 on the temperature of gas, methane conversion, hydrogen production, and H2/Co ratio in the output of reactor are investigated. Methane conversion, hydrogen yield, and H2/Co ratio in optimization conditions were obtained 92%, 1.81, and 1.76, respectively. The results suggest that employment this type of reactor could be feasible and beneficial.
An attempt to describe the swelling of U3Si 2 fuel by a simple formula
Authors: Sauer G.
Published: March 2022

Fuel swelling is a key parameter to be studied in the process of qualifying a fuel for use in reactors. Generally, test irradiations are performed to quantify the swelling. However, all reactor conditions can often not be simulated in tests. This situation occurs, for example, when a fuel shall be used in a new reactor where the fission rate is higher than in existing reactors available for the qualification tests. The swelling under the conditions of the new reactor must be predicted based on the data found under these test conditions. For this prediction a formula is required. Such a formula is derived for one of the most popular fuels for high flux reactors: U3Si2.
European Commission initiative to promote technical harmonisation on risk-based decision making
Authors: Kirchsteiger C. , Cojazzi G.
Published: March 2022

The EC-JRC International Workshop on Promotion of Technical Harmonisation on Risk-Based Decision Making, held at Stresa & Ispra, Italy, 22–25 May 2000, was an experts meeting to discuss the possible need and perspectives of developing an internationally accepted generic “standard” for risk-based decision making. This paper briefly describes the workshop background, its organisation and summarises its main results and conclusions; it reflects the personal opinions of the authors and in no way commits the European Commission.
Amendment of the General Administrative Regulation under Paragraph 47 of the Radiological Protection Ordinance
Authors: Steiner M.
Published: March 2022

The General Administrative Regulation under Paragraph 47 of the amended Radiological Protection Ordinance was revised according to the requirements of the Council Directive 96/29/ Euratom and the amendment of the Radiological Protection Ordinance. Its basic structure and the degree of conservatism with regard to dose assessment for members of the public were maintained. According to the requirements of the Council Directive, reference subjects of six different age groups have to be considered, instead of only two as hitherto. Age-dependent living habits (consumption and ventilation rates') were established, including the exposure pathway “human milk”. Suitable dose and dose rate coefficients were compiled and recalculated if necessary. The potential consequences of the amendment of the General Administrative Regulation were demonstrated by the results of comparative dose calculations.
Derivation of the maximum permissible activity concentrations in exhaust air
Authors: Wildermuth H.
Published: March 2022

Within the scope of the amendment of the Radiation Protection Ordinance, it became necessary to lay down new limit values, as a result of both the modifications made in the stipulations of the EU directives, and improvements in the level of scientific and technological advancement. This led, at the same time, to the necessity of recalculating the permitted levels for activity concentrations in exhaust air from applications involving isotopes (mostly from medical installations). The following article provides an overview of the approach applied in the recalculation of the permitted activity concentration levels in exhaust air for around 800 radionuclides, along with a comparison of the limit values which have been applied up until the present.
A method for the calculation of annual limits on intake
Authors: Noßke D.
Published: March 2022

The German Radiation Protection Ordinance issued in 1989 – as well as ICRP Publication 30 – included tables of annual limits on intake (ALIs). These are secondary limits derived to indicate those intake values which are not allowed to be exceeded within a year to meet the primary annual dose limits. The latest ICRP Publications dealing with doses for workers give no ALIs any more and also the IAEA Basic Safety Standards and the Council Directive of the European Commission do not list such values. And also the new Radiation Protection Ordinance as well as the federal gazette with dose coefficients do not include such values any more. However, it may be that they will be included as guiding levels in the calculation principles for the assessment of internal doses. This paper will give reasons why there are no ALIs given any more, it will show how ALIs could be calculated, it will show the influence of additional dose restrictions for female workers of child-bearing age, and it will discuss if radiation protection for the unborn child would be fulfilled if the dose limits of the radiation protection ordinance are met.
Some issues with the International Basic Safety Standards – A time for reflection
Authors: Wrixon A. D. , Bilbao-Alfonso A. , Ortiz-López P.
Published: March 2022

The International Atomic Energy Agency has statutory functions for the development of radiation safety standards. Its basic safety standards have, for many years, been based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, taking account of the information on the biological effects of radiation exposure provided by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. The latest version – the International Basic Safety Standards – was published in its final form in 1996, and, since then the Agency has been assisting with their implementation in a large number of States. The experience gained, combined with a more general reflection on these Standards, has led to the identification of a number of issues that will need to be considered in any future revision. A number of these issues arise largely through an insufficient recognition of the problems associated with turning the principles of protection into regulatory style requirements, which, out of necessity, need to be legally precise, but at the same time, enforceable. Some of these issues are discussed here.
Fundamental ICRP recommendations at the start of the 21st century: Status of the revision of ICRP Publication 60
Authors: Valentin J.
Published: March 2022

The basic recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, ICRP, are either re-stated or revised at intervals of about 15 years, most recently in ICRP Publication 60, adopted in 1990. ICRP plans to issue its next recommendations around 2005. Through extensive consultation, the active participation of the radiological protection community was recruited already at the conceptual stage. Based on the vast input received, ICRP is currently preparing draft recommendations. These are likely to emphasise egalitarian values more than utilitarian ones, to be holistic rather than anthropocentric, and to be formatted as a relatively concise set of actual recommendations underpinned by separate publications with more detail. The draft will again be circulated world-wide and comments will be discussed in 2004 with a view to approval of the recommendations in 2005 and publication in 2005 or 2006. Thus, integration into legislation would be possible sometime between 2006 and 2010, say.
A process-oriented simulation model for common cause failures
Authors: Berg H.-P. , Görtz R. , Schimetschka E.
Published: March 2022

A process-oriented simulation model (POS-model) for common cause failures (CCF) is presented. This model consists of the following sequence of stochastic variables: time of CCF impact, number of components in the group affected by the impact, times of failure of the impacted components, time of detection of the CCF-process. As compared to the considerable number of modeling approaches that directly yield expressions for the probability of the number of failed components the POS-model seems more complicated but – thanks to a variety of interesting properties – might be useful as a complementary analytical tool. The results of a couple of applications to available field data are presented. In these exploratory examples, the adaptability of the POS-model is demonstrated and results are compared with various other modeling approaches. Finally, further planned development steps for the POS-model are addressed, primarily the optimization of parameter estimation.
Behaviour of electrical cables under fire conditions
Authors: Bertrand R. , Chaussard M. , Gonzalez R. , Lacoue J. , Mattei J. M. , Such J. M.
Published: March 2022

A Fire Probabilistic Safety Assessment – called the Fire PSA – is being carried out by the French Institute of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) to be used in the framework of the safety assessment of operating 900 MWe PWRs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the core damage conditional probability which could result from a fire. A fire can induce unavailability of safety equipment, notably damaging electrical cables introducing a significant risk contributor. The purpose of this paper is to present the electrical cable fire tests carried out by IRSN to identify the failure modes and to determine the cable damage criteria. The impact of each kind of cable failure mode and the methodology used to estimate the conditional probability of a failure mode when cable damage occurred is also discussed.
Experimental and analytical investigation of the ITU TRIGA Mark-II reactor core
Authors: Büke T. , Yavuz H.
Published: March 2022

Experimental and analytical studies have been performed to determine the temperature distribution as a function of reactor power in the TRIGA Mark-II reactor at the Istanbul Technical University (ITU). The lumped parameter model with four governing equations was used in the analytical model. Based on the mathematical model, a computer code has been developed for calculating fuel and coolant temperatures in the reactor core. The calculated results for fuel and coolant temperature in the reactor core for different reactor power levels have been compared with the experimental data. Agreements between experiment and results from the computer code are fairly good.
Experimental studies on condensation of steam mixed with noncondensable gas inside the vertical tube in a pool filled with subcooled water
Authors: Maheshwari N. K. , Saha D. , Sinha R. K. , Aritomi M.
Published: March 2022

A passive containment cooling system with immersed condensers has been proposed as one of the alternatives for the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) being designed in India. The system removes residual/decay heat released into the containment through the immersed condensers kept in a pool of water following loss of coolant accident. An important aspect of the immersed condensers is the potential degradation of its performance due to the presence of noncondensable gases. Experiments are performed to obtain reliable data on condensation phenomena in presence of air. These experiments are conducted on full-scale tubes of condensers immersed in a pool of water maintaining similar conditions as in the prototype of AHWR. A method has been proposed for the determination of the local heat transfer rate using correlations given in literature. The parametric effects of air mass fraction, pressure, steam flow, etc. on condensation heat transfer in presence of noncondensable gas have been studied. The experimental results are compared with the correlations given in literature.
Experimental study on natural convection in the vertical enclosure of a double coaxial cylinder
Authors: Zhang Y. , Takeda T. , Inaba Y.
Published: March 2022

This paper presents results of an experimental study on natural convection in the vertical enclosure of a double coaxial cylinder where the inner wall is at constant heat flux. It is the objective of this experiment to understand the basic characteristics of heat transfer under the condition of natural convection coupled with thermal radiation in a vertical enclosure. The range of Rayleigh numbers based on the width of the double coaxial cylinder is set to be 5.6 × 105< Ra < 1.04 × 108, the radius ratio is 2.73, the aspect ratio is 3.43 (cylinder length divided by annular gap). The heat transfer coefficient of natural convection coupled with thermal radiation was obtained as function of the Rayleigh number, aspect ratio of the enclosure, and temperature of the hot and cold surfaces. The experimental results show that thermal radiation can’t be neglected in analyzing heat transfer of vertical annulus with natural convection. The results provide the basic data for the design and the performance assessment of the future passive cooling system used in a high-temperature engineering test reactor.
A rare case of endometrial polyp complicated with uterine inversion: A case report and clinical management
Authors: Li Fang , Liang Ying , Luo Mingyan , Cheng Yufen
Published: March 2022

Uterine inversion is a rare disease that is particularly uncommon among non-puerperal women. Herein we reported the only case of uterine inversion known to us that was caused by the endometrial thickening and changes in the polypoid lesion in early puberty. The patient was admitted to our hospital because of massive vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, and a protruding mass from the vagina. We obtained the patient history by collecting the results of various examinations (including magnetic resonance imaging and color Doppler ultrasound), accurate diagnosis was performed, and a reasonable treatment protocol was developed. She was subjected to laparoscopic uterine-sparing surgery to preserve her fertility. Uterine inversion is a rare disease, and early diagnosis and selection of appropriate treatment options are essential for patients with fertility requirements.
Polarization-dependent photonic crystal fiber optical filters enabled by asymmetric metasurfaces
Authors: Ghimire Indra , Yang Jingyi , Gurung Sudip , Mishra Satyendra K. , Lee Ho Wai Howard
Published: March 2022

We demonstrate in-fiber polarization-dependent optical filter by nanopatterning an asymmetric metallic metasurface array on the end-facet of polarization-maintaining photonic-crystal fibers. The asymmetric cross-typed nanoslit metasurface arrays are fabricated on the core of the optical fiber using the focused ion beam milling technique. Highly polarization- and wavelength-dependent transmission with transmission efficiency of ∼70% in the telecommunication wavelength was observed by launching two orthogonal linear-polarization states of light into the fiber. Full-wave electromagnetic simulations are in good agreement with the experimental results. These advanced meta-structured optical fibers can potentially be used as novel ultracompact in-fiber filters, splitters, and polarization converters.
Suicides among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Bangladeshi press reports
Authors: Jannath Sanjida , Sohan Md. , Rahman Md. Ashrafur , Islam Md. Rabiul
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic responses forced the authority to shut the educational institutions since March 17, 2020, in Bangladesh. Physical distancing, social isolation, and quarantine have become regular norms in our daily life due to the pandemic crisis. This extended shutdown separated the students from their academic life, increasing anxiety concerning their future education, personal and professional aspirations, and expectations. Such disruptions might increase vulnerability towards suicidal ideation among university-level students. Therefore, here we aim to assess the prevalence and related risk factors of suicides among university students in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 lockdowns. We conducted a comprehensive Google search to gather information from secondary sources. In total, 22 university students committed suicide from March 17, 2020, to June 10, 2021, in Bangladesh. The frequently reported causes of these suicides were depression, frustration, financial crisis, troubled love affairs, and family disputes, indicating an elevated prevalence of psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic among students at all levels in Bangladesh. Based on the present findings, we suggest that the effective implementation of online education, financial support to families, mental healthcare support to this vulnerable group, and mutual understanding among the family members might reduce this death toll. The present findings might help researchers to understand students’ mental health and design programs accordingly to prevent future incidents.
“Shuoshihua, …”: Chinese celebrities’ metapragmatic management of rapport and impression in an interview setting
Authors: Chen Xinren , Jin Yingzhe
Published: March 2022

This paper attempts to investigate Chinese celebrities’ metapragmatic management of rapport and impression, as indicated by their use of honesty markers such asshuoshihua(literally, ‘to tell the truth’) in their candid utterances in an interview setting. Based on naturally occurring data, it is found that Chinese celebrities tend to use honesty markers across various interactional contexts when they perform a number of situationally unexpected relational acts such as disclosing a bias, disagreeing with co-participants, complimenting another celebrity, conveying gratitude to one’s critic, and self-praising. As these acts of the celebrities’ risk threatening the rapport they have with others involved in or outside of the interaction, and triggering some negative impressions of themselves, this article suggests that their use of the honesty markers might reflect their metapragmatic awareness of the risks involved and hence their efforts to manage rapport and impression, by placing significant emphasis on their sincerity.