bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The meaning of periphrases in the expression of semantics
Authors: Mardiyev B. K.
Published: July 2024

INTRODUCTION. Periphrasis, which belongs to the linguistic universal that initially interested rhetoricians, is noted in many languages, including Russian and Uzbek. The attention of scientists to the study of periphrastic units, as a rule, is focused on understanding them in the text of a work of art as a stylistic phenomenon. Meanwhile, the linguocultural situation of the formation of periphrastic units is largely due to the anthropocentric orientation. The important role of periphrasis as a unit of speech-cognitive activity, which is reflected in the secondary periphrastic nomination as one of the means of transmitting knowledge about the objects of the surrounding reality, is always associated with the process of repeating thoughts when perceiving a particular object, process or phenomenon, which emphasizes the relevance of the research. Periphrases have an internal syntax, which allows them to be considered in the aspect of grammaticalization involved in the process of human cognition of the world. The purpose of the study is to consider the structuralsemantic organization and grammatical-syntactic structure of sentences that contain periphrastic units. The novelty of the study lies in the attempt to describe the structure of periphrasis in the Uzbek language in the aspect of grammaticalization of periphrastic units.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. The method of semantic differentiation was used to analyze examples from modern Uzbek literature and translations of works of Russian writers into the Uzbek language.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION. It has been revealed that the structural organization of periphrasis does not occur spontaneously, but on the basis of clearly defined rules.

CONCLUSION. The data obtained have theoretical and applied value, since they record periphrases in the texts of writers’ works as a special type of linguistic organization of artistic knowledge, as well as the unification of two scientific directions – the theory of grammaticalization and the theory of periphraseology.
Endobronchial Obstruction by an Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor
Authors: Silva Bruno , Sacramento Maria Luísa , Novais e Bastos Hélder
Published: July 2024

N/a.
Dynamics Between Bitcoin Market Trends and Social Media Activity
Authors: Vlahavas George , Vakali Athena
Published: July 2024

This study examines the relationship between Bitcoin market dynamics and user activity on the r/cryptocurrency subreddit. The purpose of this research is to understand how social media activity correlates with Bitcoin price and trading volume, and to explore the sentiment and topical focus of Reddit discussions. We collected data on Bitcoin’s closing price and trading volume from January 2021 to December 2022, alongside the most popular posts and comments from the subreddit during the same period. Our analysis revealed significant correlations between Bitcoin market metrics and Reddit activity, with user discussions often reacting to market changes. Additionally, user activity on Reddit may indirectly influence the market through broader social and economic factors. Sentiment analysis showed that positive comments were more prevalent during price surges, while negative comments increased during downturns. Topic modeling identified four main discussion themes, which varied over time, particularly during market dips. These findings suggest that social media activity on Reddit can provide valuable insights into market trends and investor sentiment. Overall, our study highlights the influential role of online communities in shaping cryptocurrency market dynamics, offering potential tools for market prediction and regulation.
Edge Intelligence in Enhancing Last-Mile Delivery Logistics
Authors: Reis João
Published: July 2024

Background: The last-mile delivery phase, the final stage where goods move from a distribution center to customers, is pivotal but faces significant inefficiencies and high costs due to its complexity. Recent advancements in Edge AI or Edge Intelligence (EI) offer promising solutions to these challenges. Methods: This study explores how AI-driven technologies and real-time data processing, combined with EI, can enhance last-mile delivery operations. A thorough literature review was conducted to assess technological advancements, and a Delphi method was used to systematically and empirically assess the impact of EI solutions on both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Results: Although EI technologies offer substantial benefits, EU companies are hesitant to adopt these innovations due to high implementation costs. However, firms that have embraced these technologies report significant improvements, including better route optimization, reduced delivery times, and enhanced service reliability. These findings highlight the need for a culture of innovation and the recruitment of experts with advanced qualifications to drive technological advancement in last-mile logistics. Conclusions: The integration of EI represents a significant step towards more efficient, cost-effective, and customer-focused last-mile delivery solutions. Future research should aim to refine these technologies and explore their long-term impacts on the logistics industry.
Lessons from Eukaryl tRNA: Mammals Are Not Fungi
Authors: Laibelman Alan M
Published: July 2024

Analysis of tRNA sequence structural features from forty mammals proves neither isoacceptors nor isodecoders are degenerate, and model organisms are inadequate representatives for multiple aspects of the translational process. It is proposed tRNA participate in protein construction beyond mere transport of amino acids to ribosomes: specifically, to facilitate amino acid modification and promote development of protein folding characteristics.
Single CsPbBr3 Perovskite Microcrystals: From Microcubes to Microrods with Improved Crystallinity and Green Emission
Authors: Abiedh Khouloud , Salerno Marco , Hassen Fredj , Zouhour Zaaboub
Published: July 2024

All-inorganic perovskite materials are promising in optoelectronics but their morphology is a key parameter for achieving high device efficiency. We prepared CsPbBr3 perovskite microcrystals with different shape, grown directly on planar substrate by conventional drop casting. We observed the formation of CsPbBr3 microcubes on bare indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. Interestingly, with the same technique CsPbBr3 microrods were obtained on (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) modified ITO-glass, which we ascribe to modification of formation kinetics. The obtained micro-crystals exhibit orthorhombic structure. Green photoluminescence (PL) emission is revealed from the CsPbBr3 microrods. Contact angle measurements, Fourier-transform infrared and PL spectroscopies confirmed that APTES linked successfully to the ITO-glass substrate. We propose a qualitative mechanism to explain the anisotropic growth. The microrods exhibited improved PL and slower PL lifetime compared to the microcubes, likely due to diminished occurrence of defects. This work demonstrates the importance of the substrate surface to control the growth of perovskite single crystals and to boost the radiative recombination in view of high performance optoelectronic devices.
Digital Forensics Readiness in Big Data Wireless Networks: A Novel Framework and Incident Response Script for Linux-Hadoop Environments
Authors: Mpungu Cephas , George Carlisle , Mapp Glenford
Published: July 2024

The surge in big data and analytics has catalysed the proliferation of cybercrime, largely driven by organisations' intensified focus on gathering and processing personal data for profit, often overlooking security considerations. Hadoop and its derivatives are prominent platforms for managing big data, however, investigating security incidents within Hadoop environments poses intricate challenges due to scale, distribution, data diversity, replication, component complexity, and dynamicity. This paper proposes a digital forensics readiness framework and an incident response script for Linux-Hadoop systems, streamlining preliminary investigations. The framework offers a novel approach to digital forensics in the domains of big data and Hadoop environments. A prototype implementing important aspects of the DFR framework was developed and evaluated through comprehensive functionality and usability testing. The results demonstrated robust performance and efficacy.
A New Chinese Named Entity Recognition Method for Pig Disease Domain Based on Lexicon Enhanced BERT and Contrastive Learning
Authors: Peng Cheng , Wang Xiajun , Li Qifeng , Yu Qinyang , Jiang Ruixiang , Ma Weihong , Wu Wenbiao , Meng Rui , Li Haiyan , Huai Heju , Wang Shuyan , He Longjuan
Published: July 2024

Named Entity Recognition (NER) is a fundamental and pivotal stage in the development of various knowledge-based support systems, including knowledge retrieval and question-answering systems. In the domain of pig diseases, Chinese NER models encounter several challenges such as the scarcity of annotated data, domain-specific vocabulary, diverse entity categories, and ambiguous entity boundaries. To address these challenges, we propose PDCNER, a Pig Disease Chinese Named Entity Recognition method leveraging lexicon-enhanced BERT and contrastive learning. Firstly, we construct a domain-specific lexicon and pre-train word embeddings in the pig disease domain. Secondly, we integrate lexicon information of pig diseases into the lower layers of BERT using a Lexicon Adapter layer, which employs char-word pair sequences. Thirdly, to enhance feature representation, we propose a lexicon-enhanced contrastive loss layer on top of BERT. Finally, a Conditional Random Field (CRF) layer is employed as the model's decoder. Experimental results show that our proposed model demonstrates superior performance over several mainstream models, achieving a precision of 87.76%, a recall of 86.97%, and an F1-score of 87.36%. The proposed model outperforms BERT-BiLSTM-CRF and LEBERT by 14.05% and 6.8%, respectively, with only 10% of the samples available, showcasing its robustness in data scarcity scenarios. Furthermore, the model exhibits generalizability across publicly available datasets. Our work provides reliable technical support for the information extraction of pig diseases in Chinese and can be easily extended to other domains, thereby facilitating seamless adaptation for named entity identification across diverse contexts. The codes have been open-sourced at https://github.com/tufeifei923/pdcner.
Comparative Effect of Fish Feeds on the Growth and Survival Rate of the Redbreast Tilapia (Coptodon rendalli) under Intensive Culture Conditions
Authors: Simasiku Evans Kamwi , Hove Kudakwashe , Kanyeme Margaret Ndatoolewe , Awala Simon Kamwele , Matengu Kenneth Kamwi , Iita Titus Iipinge
Published: July 2024

This study compares the effects of three supplementary diets—Egg yolk, Artemia, and Commercial pellets with 48% crude protein—on the growth performance and survival rate of red-breast tilapia (Coptodon rendalli) under intensive culture conditions at the Kamutjonga Inland Fisheries Institute in the Kavango East region of Namibia. The study was conducted from December 2023 to January 2024, using a complete randomized design replicated three times. Results showed that fish fed with Commercial pellets exhibited the highest specific growth rate (1.39±0.80%) com-pared to Egg yolk (0.94±0.54%) and Artemia (0.33±0.19%). Commercial pellets also had the best survival rate (254 ± 146.66), compare to Egg York and Artemia (70.47±40.69;33±19.05) respective-ly. However, egg yolk had the best feed conversion ratio (204±117.74), compared to Commercial (219 ± 127.17) and Artemia (254±146.66). Critical water quality parameters were maintained within acceptable survival ranges for C. rendalli across all treatments. These findings highlight the importance of dietary protein content in optimizing the growth and survival of C. rendalli under intensive culture conditions and provide insights for effective feeding strategies. However, Commercial pellets are expensive and inaccessible to small-scale fish farmers. As an alternative, egg yolk emerged as a viable and affordable feed option, promoting fish growth and sup-porting the establishment of small-scale fish farming practices in the region.
Community implementation of ASEAN community-based tourism(CBT) standard: an executive stakeholder study on Lao PDR
Authors: Kim Suyoun , Yoon Yeong Hye , Kim Jin-young , Lee and Seul Ki
Published: July 2024

The ASEAN Community-based Tourism (CBT) Standard has been adopted by 10 ASEAN member states in 2016 in order to collectively promote ASEAN as a competitive community-based tourism destination. Among the ASEAN member states, Lao PDR (Laos), has a unique CBT development experience through collaboration with various international development agencies. Such history has brought about issues when ASEAN CBT Standard was implemented at to provincial and district levels in Laos, including concerns of related communities on the Standard being not easily applicable considering the state of tourism development. While the application of the regional standard is a significant issue to the tourism industries in the Member States, however, there has been a lack of studies regarding the dynamics of implementation of regional tourism standards at the national level. In order to fill the research gap, this study utilized in-depth interviews with seven executives with significant experiences from the government, international development agency, international organization, and the private sector. Interviewees projected a diversity of perspectives on enabling factors and challenges in implementing ASEAN Community-based Tourism Standard at the national level focusing on Laos, which showed the complexity of CBT dynamics. The results also revealed how regional standards can be further recognized and promoted to the key stakeholders of Laos, better accepted and utilized by end users, and possibly better customized according to the local circumstances. Findings of this study evidence that collaboration among key stakeholders and the expected role of these stakeholders are critical when implementing ASEAN CBT Standard.
Empowerment or enslavement？Differential Effects of Proactive and Reactive Work Connectivity Behavior After-Hours on Well-Being at Work: A Boundary Theory Perspective
Authors: Li Lingling , Shi Guanfeng , Zheng Xiong
Published: July 2024

This study examines the differential impact of proactive and reactive job crafting behaviors on job well-being, drawing from the perspective of boundary theory. The increasing popularity of work connectivity behavior after-hours (WCBA) after work has attracted widespread attention from scholars on the relationship between WCBA and employee well-being. One view suggests that the impact of WCBA is negative, while another view suggests it is positive. Obviously, the impact of (WCBA) on well-being at work is still contradictory. To clarify the complexity of the impact of WCBA on well-being at work, based on boundary theory, we divided WCBA into proactive WCBA (PC) and reactive WCBA (RC), and examined the double-edged sword effect of WCBA on well-being at work, as well as the mediating mechanisms of job control and work-to-home conflict, and the moderated effects of boundary segmentation preferences. This study uses empirical sampling method to collect data from 125 employees for a period of five days for quantitative research. The results show that, first, PC has an inverted U-shaped effect on job control, and job control is negatively related to well-being at work. Thus the mediating effect of job control is significant. Second, RC has a negative impact on job control, and there is also a negative relationship between job control and well-being at work. Therefore, the mediating effect of job control is significant. Third, PC and RC are positively correlated with work-to-home conflict, and work-to-home conflict has a significant positive impact on well-being at work. Therefore, the mediating effect of work-family conflict is significant. Fourth, the study also found that integration preference moderates the relationship between work-to-home conflict and PC on well-being at work, that is, the mediating effect of work-to-home conflict is stronger for employees with low integration preference. This study enriches our understanding of WCBA, PC and RC from the perspective of proactive and passive employee behaviors. The study also provides a new interpretation of the impact of WCBA on well-being at work and offers valuable insights for the sustainable development in digital social transformation and the application of boundary theory and the theory of empowerment-subjugation in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, the study deepens our understanding of the heterogeneous regulatory role played by work-family integration preferences in influencing well-being at work under different types of WCBA.
The Specific Legislation Governing Secondary Research on Biological Samples Invalidates the Accusations of Ethical Fraud Levelled against the IHU-MI
Authors: Baudoux Véronique , Nicolay Benoît , Zizi Martin
Published: July 2024

Background Compliance with research ethics legislation is crucial for protecting people's rights in clinical trials. Researchers can alert publishers when they have concerns about possible non-compliance with this legislation by other authors, and this opportunity for independent scrutiny is important. Nevertheless, some alerts may turn out to be unfounded due to a misunderstanding of the legislation. Methods We present the analysis of the article by F. Franck et al., « Raising concerns on questionable ethics approvals - a case study of 456 trials from the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection», in which the authors explain having sent numerous emails to different publishers to express their concerns about potential ethical breaches in publications from a single French institution. We analyzed in detail the 248 studies that the authors present as suspects. We have also studied the texts of French law. Results Our detailed analysis of these 248 studies discovered that only 8 of them report research involving humans. All the others are secondary research on existing biological samples. In France, as in many other countries, secondary research on biological samples does not involve human subjects. Conclusions Assessing the ethical conformity of scientific publications must be based on a precise knowledge of the legislation and a rigorous analysis of these publications. When researchers who alert publishers confuse research involving the human person with research not involving the human person, the publishers are in danger of being misled by these unfounded alerts. This can have deleterious consequences.
Analysis of fraud hexagon theory in detecting fraudulent financial statements: The role of Big 4
Authors: Kuncara Eska Setia , Pamungkas Putra
Published: July 2024

This study aims to analyze the application of the Fraud Hexagon Theory in detecting fraud in financial statements by considering the role of the Big 4 Public Accounting Firm. This study focuses on research on financial sector companies and banks in Indonesia. The background of this problem begins with the frequent occurrence of financial statement fraud cases, which in turn can harm shareholders and reduce public confidence in the integrity of financial statements. This trend raises the most important question regarding the effectiveness of the Big 4 (Kantor Akuntan Publik-KAP) audits. The research method used is quantitative research, using a secondary data analysis approach based on the company's financial statements. The research sample was selected based on the purposive sampling technique, and the data analysis testing tool used panel data regression analysis with E-Views application to test the hypothesis using various tests needed to form a good regression model. The results of this study indicate that the average fraud on financial statements in the sample taken is relatively low. The findings show that rationalization, ability, and collusion can be used to detect financial statement fraud, while KAP Big 4 can moderate the fraud risk. This study provides new insights into the dynamics of financial statement fraud in Indonesia, especially in the financial and banking sectors, and suggests the need for tighter supervision and improved audit quality to reduce the potential for financial statement fraud.
Determination analysis of realization in foreign investment: A case in West Java
Authors: Namira Assyifa Zahra
Published: July 2024

In 2024, West Java Province aims to boost foreign investment to 250 trillion rupiah, maintaining its leading position in investment realization. This research examines factors influencing foreign investment in West Java, including SMEs (Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan Menengah-UMKM), expenditure per capita, flood, waste, productive land, and unemployment. Prior strategies focused on direct engagement with foreign investors but neglected other critical determinants. This study investigates key sectors and economic indicators to provide a comprehensive analysis. The data used in this paper is a balanced panel of 27 residences and cities in West Java with an annual period from 2018 to 2022. We choose REM as the best model using panel data tests, including Chow, Hausman, and BPLM. This paper found that SMES, expenditure, productive land, and unemployment significantly positively affect the predictor. On the other hand, how floods and waste are handled has an insignificant effect on the predictor.
Hacia un futuro sostenible: México y su transición hacia las energías limpias
Authors: Ochoa Lucio Joel Daniel
Published: July 2024

Un algoritmo desarrollado por investigadores del Instituto Politécnico Nacional y la Universidad Panamericana, basado en factores importantes del medio ambiente y la generación de energía eléctrica, tales como costos, emisiones y tasas de crecimiento, ha estudiado e investigado todas las alternativas posibles para lograr este cambio en el país. Esto implica elevar los porcentajes en el uso de energías limpias y dejar atrás la producción por medios fósiles, lo que tendría un efecto positivo en el medio ambiente. Los resultados fueron favorables para la investigación, sugiriendo que México podría alcanzar el 50% de generación de energía eléctrica por medios renovables para el año 2029.
Inseguridad entre jóvenes universitarios en Colima, México: un enfoque en representaciones sociales y vulnerabilidades
Authors: Velazquez Anneth
Published: July 2024

En una investigación realizada por la Universidad de Colima, se señaló que la creciente ola de violencia en la región ha llevado a la población, especialmente a los jóvenes, a adoptar medidas preventivas para protegerse de la inseguridad. Según datos del Instituto Mexicano de la Juventud y el Consejo Nacional de Población, casi una cuarta parte de los jóvenes entre 18 y 29 años ha sido víctima de algún delito en la zona. Los estudiantes universitarios, en particular, han experimentado tanto la violencia como la delincuencia, lo que ha llevado a la adopción de precauciones adicionales, como ajustar sus rutinas diarias y evitar ciertos lugares y personas. Además, las autoridades universitarias han implementado medidas de seguridad. Estos eventos han creado un ambiente de constante cautela entre los estudiantes, limitando su libertad y afectando su calidad de vida.
Simulation of an induction generator for a wind farm
Authors: Honcharov Yevgen , Kriukova Nataliya , Markov Vladyslav , Polyakov Igor
Published: July 2024

A pressing problem in the modern economy is still the problem of generating a sufficient amount of electricity. The situation is aggravated by environmental problems when using so-called carbon energy, as well as when using hydro and nuclear energy. The development of alternative sources of electricity is now impossible to imagine without the use of wind power plants. Wind energy is practically free energy, but its use involves the use of electric generators. Currently these are mainly synchronous generators, but induction (asynchronous) generators are also used. Despite the relative cheapness and reliability, however, induction generators occupy a very modest place in percentage terms among wind generators. One of the problems with using induction wind generators is that they require very significant reactive power during operation, which either comes from the network or is compensated by a capacitor bank. The latter is typical for autonomous induction generators. Computer modeling of induction wind generators is complicated by significant nonlinearity, which is caused by the magnetization curve or, what is the same, the no-load characteristics of the generator. As a rule, in computer modeling or simulation the inductive reactance of the magnetization branch is assumed to be constant, which is not entirely correct, since it is reliably known that it depends on the rotor rotation speed. A number of models of an induction generator are known, but so far there is no one most reliable mathematical model that allows computer studies of an induction generator with a squirrel-cage rotor, taking into account all its features. The MATLAB 2023b software package contains a mathematical model of an induction wind generator, which is of scientific and practical interest. The article examines the capabilities of this model, its advantages and disadvantages. The dependences of the influence of machine parameters on the generated active power and consumed reactive power were obtained, the influence of the inductive resistance of the magnetization branch and the influence of the nature of the load on the generated energy by the generator were assessed
Mathematical model for calculating steady-state conditions and static characteristics of salient-pole synchronous machines
Authors: Khai Mykhailo , Khai Vasyl , Kharchyshyn Bohdan
Published: July 2024

Salient-pole synchronous machines occupy a paramount position in both the generation and consumption of electrical energy. Recent achievements in the design, manufacturing, and operation of salient-pole synchronous machines are the result of successful advancements in the fields of electromechanical engineering technology, semiconductor technology, and mathematical modeling. To calculate the nominal steady-state operation of salient-pole synchronous machines and their static characteristics (no-load, angular, V-shaped, regulatory, and external), a mathematical model has been developed. Its computer implementation enhances the technical and economic performance of synchronous pole machines. During the creation of the mathematical model, the following assumptions were made: the magnetic field of the machine is conditionally divided into a working field and scattered fields; the magnetic field of the machine is flat and parallel; the magnetic field in the active layer has only a radial component, while in the stator and rotor yokes, only a tangential one; the winding conductors are located in an infinitely thin layer and distributed along the slot according to a harmonic law; losses in the steel are absent. To create the mathematical model of salient-pole synchronous machine, a system of equations for the electrical and magnetic state is formulated. To obtain equations with coefficients independent of the rotor position, the coordinate transformation method (transformation to the dq0 rectangular coordinate system stationary with respect to the rotor) was employed.
Ways to overcome the barrier during the transition of asynchronous motors to the energy efficiency class IE5
Authors: Dzenis Sergii , Shaida Viktor , Yurieva Olena
Published: July 2024

Purpose. To provide a comprehensive analytical review on ways to increase the energy efficiency of induction motors and identify those suitable for transitioning fixed speed induction motors to IE5 level. Methodology. A thorough study of research and development in the field of increasing the energy efficiency of induction motors for various purposes was conducted. The experience of the development of traction induction motors of electric vehicles as dynamically developing is extrapolated. Results. It was established that the main limiting factor in increasing the energy efficiency of induction motors to the IE5 level is its thermal state. Analysis of ways to improve the efficiency of induction motors indicates the need for their complex application. It is most expedient to optimize and improve the elements of the air-cooling system of induction motors. To carry out the research, it is necessary to comprehensively apply electromagnetic and temperature field modeling systems of induction motors. Given certain shortcomings of thermal models of induction motors, it is necessary to combine modeling with experimental studies using both classical temperature sensors and the method of thermography. Originality. The combination of modern methods of modeling the thermal state of induction motors and experimental studies makes it possible to determine reserves for increasing the efficiency of existing motors. Using these results, it is possible to improve induction motors to the IE5 efficiency level. Practical value. Manufacturers and researchers see difficulties with the transition of induction motors of industrial purpose to the IE5 efficiency level, so they focused their attention on synchronous electric motors. The results of our research prove that, despite certain barriers, this transition can be made, albeit with certain difficulties.
Parametric method of information transfer in energy resources expenditure control systems
Authors: Kalinchyk Vasyl , Pobigaylo Vitalii , Kalinchyk Vitalii , Borychenko Olena , Meita Aleksandr
Published: July 2024

The article examines the justification of the parametric method of information transmission for the construction of energy resource consumption control systems. It is shown that the system of accounting for energy resources should be a distributed multi-level system of measurements, processing, storage and transmission of commercial accounting data and should be built on the principles of open architecture and distributed functioning. It is shown that the organization of hierarchical complexes for solving control tasks depends to a large extent on the issues of effective information transmission and that the creation of information networks is the most difficult task. sensors, into a voltage proportional to it and the corresponding binary code. The structural diagram of the device implementing the specified principle is presented. A method of calculating the parameters of the device for transmitting information from two-position sensors is proposed and an example of calculating the parameters of such a device is given
Effect of feed rate during induction hardening on the hardening depth, microstructure, and wear properties of tool-grade steel work roll
Authors: Sapek Alen , Kalin Mitjan , Donik Crtomir , Godec Matjaz , Markoli Bostjan
Published: July 2024

Rolls are the most critical yet vulnerable parts of cold rolling mills. It is crucial for them to withstand long rolling campaigns without losing surface roughness or incurring damage. The newly developed rolls are made from tool-grade steel with high roughness, lower wear, and high damage resistance. One of the most important advantages is the elimination of the need for chrome plating, which is currently widely used on standard steel rolls but is ecologically harmful. We investigated type of steel with 8% Cr for use in cold rolling using LOM, XRD, SEM, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), hardness measurements, and tribological tests. In this study, a roll with a diameter of 325 mm was ESR remelted and forged, machined to a diameter of 305 mm, and quenched and tempered to simulate industrial roll production. A forged roll was induction heated and hardened at four different feed rates (i.e., 24 mm/min, 30 mm/min, 36 mm/min, and 42 mm/min), tempered at 515°C for 24 hours and again at 480°C for 24 hours, and dissected for in-depth analysis. We identified a clear relationship between the feed rate of the roll during induction hardening and the depth of hardness, the sizes of carbides, and the wear properties of the roll. By reducing the feed rate of the roll through the inductor, we increased the depth of the hardened layer from 16 mm (at a feed rate of 36 mm/min) to 25 mm (at a feed rate of 24 mm/min), which is a 56.25% increase expected to extend the lifespan of the working roll without having negative effects on the wear resistance and other important parameters. XRD analysis showed that the sample had a 0.4% residual austenite, which means it had a significantly lower risk of roll damage during operation than standard steel grades.
Comparison of SPT-N Correlations for Different Geological Formations in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
Authors: Kennedy Charles , TrustGod John A.
Published: July 2024

This study developed region-specific empirical correlations for estimating Standard Penetration Test (SPT)-N values across different geological formations in the seismically active Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Extensive in-situ and laboratory geotechnical investigations were conducted to obtain SPT blow counts and characterize engineering properties of soils representing the loose Benin sands, stiff Agbada sands, and indurated Akata shales. A database of over 1500 SPT-N data points and soil parameters was compiled from 50 borehole logs spanning Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Delta states. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to derive generalized and formation-specific SPT-N predictive models relating blow counts to depth, effective stress, and geological unit. The developed correlations showed good agreement (R2 > 0.68) with measured field values. Comparisons with existing empirical models from literature validated the accuracy of the customized regional approach. Predicted SPT-N values allowed estimating shear wave velocities based on established relationships, enabling classification of sites according to seismic design categories. This study highlights the need for developing geology-specific correlations to properly characterize the spatially varying geotechnical properties across the structurally complex Niger Delta subsurface. The generated predictive models enhance regional subsurface investigation for geohazard assessment and foundation design.
RETRACTED: The Awareness Level of Stakeholders to the Community-Based Rehabilitation Programme for Inclusive Development: In the Case of the University of Gondar Community-Based Rehabilitation, Ethiopia
Authors: Walelgn Getachew , Meyiwa Thenjiwe
Published: July 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Anterior and Middle Petrosectomy via an Extended Transorbital Neuroendoscopic Approach: Anatomic Study
Authors: Orlev Alon , Kimchi Gil , Campo Eduardo Martinez , Young Mitchell , Levitan Idan , Harnof Sagi , Litvack Zachary
Published: July 2024

Background Transorbital neuroendoscopic (TONES) approaches have been described for resection of spheno-orbital, cavernous sinus, and Gasserian ganglion lesions. Lesions involving the petrous apex and cerebello-pontine angle (CPA) offer a formidable challenge via standard TONES approaches. This cadaveric study examined the surgical field-of-view and anatomic constraints provided by a novel extended transorbital neuroendoscopic (eTONES) approach and compared these to previously described TONES approaches and the traditional subtemporal anterior petrosectomy.Methods The eTONES approach includes single-piece removal of the superior and lateral orbital rims. This in turn offers expanded surgical trajectory to middle fossa skull base, anterior petrous ridge, and ventro-lateral posterior fossa, while reducing globe retraction. Four cadaveric heads underwent eTONES approach on one side and traditional subtemporal anterior petrosectomy on the contralateral side. Petrosectomy volume, location, and posterior fossa field-of-view were compared between the two approaches.Results Mean volume of petrous bone removed in the standard eTONES was 0.84 ± 0.38 ml. In comparison, the mean volume of petrous bone removed in the subtemporal approach was 0.72 ± 0.15 ml. On a single specimen, a superior eTONES variation was performed, tailored to provide access to the petrous apex and petroclival region, and 0.07ml of petrous bone was removed. Standard eTONES offered a straight on ventral-to-dorsal view of the internal acoustic canal and CPA contents. Conversely, traditional subtemporal approach, provided an unobstructed view of the medial CPA and petroclival region, with a lateral-to-medial viewing angle. Superior eTONES variation ‘bridges-the-gap’ between standard eTONES and subtemporal approaches in terms of petroclival and petrous apex exposure.Conclusion eTONES provides a straight on, minimally invasive endoscopic surgical approach that is comparable to the traditional subtemporal approach and may complement other surgical approaches for lesions involving the cavernous sinus, petroclival region, petrous ridge, and CPA. The describ1ed approach has yet to be examined in a clinical setting.
Quantitative trait loci mapping and candidate gene analysis for cotton yield, fiber quality, and early maturity
Authors: Jia Xiaoyun , Zhao Hongxia , Zhu Jijie , Wang Hantao , Wang Shijie , Li Miao , Wang Guoyin
Published: July 2024

Background Cotton is the most important natural fiber-producing crop globally. High yield, super quality fiber, and early maturity are equally important breeding goals in the cotton industry. However, it remains challenging to synchronously improve these traits through conventional breeding techniques.Methods To identify additional genetic information relating to yield, fiber quality, and early maturity, a high-density genetic map was constructed using Jifeng 1271 and Jifeng 173 cultivars as parents. Sixteen phenotypic traits were tested and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was performed. Candidate genes were analyzed using published RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR assays.Results All 16 tested traits showed bi-directional transgressive segregation and most traits followed an approximately normal distribution. Overall, 33 and 12 trait pairs showed significant positive and significant negative correlations, respectively. A total of 317 QTL and 39 chromosomal regions containing overlapping QTL were mapped based on the generated high-density genetic map, including 18 stable and 18 major QTL. Three outstanding QTL—qLP-A13-3, qSI-A2-1, and qFL-D13-1—that could be repeatedly mapped and had a major additive effect on phenotypic variation were screened out. Thirteen trait pairs exhibiting significant positive correlations contained overlapping QTL, and overlapping QTL within the same region exhibited the same additive-effect directions. Ten trait pairs showing significant negative correlations also had overlapping QTL; for 8 of these pairs, the QTL within a region had opposite additive-effect directions. Four genes locating in the mapped QTL regions were screened out due to their high expression levels in the evaluated RNA-seq datasets and their annotated functions. Ghir_A04G014830.1, covered by qBW-A4-1, qSI-A401, qHNFFB-A4-1, and qFU-A4-1, encoded ACLA-1. Ghir_D07G023700.1, covered by qFT-D7-1, qNFFB-D7-1, qHNFFB-D7-1, qFU-D7-1, qFE-D7-1, and qFE-D7-2, encoded ALDH2B4. Ghir_D13G015010.1, encoding VTC2, and Ghir_D13G016670.1, encoding GA2OX1, were in the stable QTL qFL-D13-1 region. The qRT-PCR results relating to the expression patterns of these four genes in ovules and fibers suggested that these four genes may be involved in promoting seed development, fiber initiation, and fiber elongation.Conclusions Overall, these findings contribute additional information for the breeding of high-yield, super fiber quality, and early-maturity varieties as well as research on related molecular mechanisms.
Synergistic Phytoremediation of Cadmium-Contaminated Soil: Intercropping Rapeseed and Kenaf for Enhanced Biomass, Metal Uptake, and Soil Health
Authors: Saeed Wajid , Mubeen Samavia , Fang Wangqiang , Rehman Muzammal , Ma Wenyue , Pan Jiao , Luo Dengjie , Liu Pingwu , Li Yun , Chen Peng
Published: July 2024

Aims and Background
The growing human population and scarcity of new arable land necessitate exploring contaminated lands for agriculture production. Intercropping, a strategic method involving different plant species to enhance plant biomass, soil health and phytoremediation, thus promoting sustainable agricultural practices on contaminated lands. Therefore, the selection of suitable intercropping systems is of great interest for sustainable agriculture.
Methods
This research focused on the phytoremediation potential of rapeseed and kenaf in cadmium-contaminated soil, evaluating their performance in both intercropping and monoculture system. Additionally, it examined the growth, morphological, and physicochemical responses of the plants.
Results
The results revealed that intercropping of these two species significantly enhanced their biomass production, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic efficiency compared to monocultures. Antioxidant enzyme activities in both plants were elevated under intercropping, reducing oxidative stress markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide anion (O2−). Intercropping increased Cd accumulation in both shoots and roots of kenaf and rapeseed, correlating with a decrease in soil pH and an increase in available Cd content in the soil. Both species showed potential for metal phytostabilization, with BCF > 1 and TF < 1 in intercropping. It is also found that intercropping enhanced the activity of soil enzymes, urease and catalase while reducing sucrase activity, indicating improved soil health and microbial activity.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that intercropping kenaf and rapeseed not only improves plant growth and Cd uptake but also promotes better soil health and resilience under Cd stress, offering a sustainable approach for phytoremediation in contaminated soils.
Macroeconomic policies for rapid decarbonization, steady economic transition and employment creation
Authors: Lamperti Francesco , Wieners Claudia , Dosi Giovanni , Roventini Andrea
Published: July 2024

A large number of countries have by now pledged to undertake policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality in the coming decades. However, evidence on the suitable policy package to induce an effective and orderly transition is scarce. Recent studies suggest that abrupt and aggressive climate policy may induce macroeconomic frictions. We extend a macro-financial agent-based integrated assessment model to test a variety of policy packages aimed at rapidly decarbonizing the global economy, guaranteeing macroeconomic stability, and fostering job creation. We show that carbon taxation alone is self-defeating: its role at internalizing environmental costs and triggering rapid decarbonization finds little support. However, an ensemble of industrial regulations and public subsidies coupled with a mild carbon tax is the most promising policy toolkit to support a rapid and orderly transition. Such a policy mix can be designed to have a neutral impact on public finances.
JEL codes: C63, Q40, Q50, Q54
Sorghum rhizosphere bacteriome studies to pinpoint, isolate and assess plant beneficial bacteria
Authors: Kumar Chandan , Esposito Alfonso , Bertani Iris , Musonerimana Samson , Midekssa Mulissa , Tesfaye Kassahun , Derr Devin , Donaldson Lara , Piazza Silvano , Bez Cristina , Venturi Vittorio
Published: July 2024

Background
In the intricate relationship between plants and microorganisms, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) play a vital role in the rhizosphere. This study focuses on designing synthetic bacterial consortia using key bacterial strains mapped and isolated from the sorghum rhizosphere microbiome.
Results
A large set of samples of the rhizosphere bacteriome of Sorghum bicolor was analyzed across various genotypes and geographical locations. We assessed the taxonomic composition and structure of the sorghum root-associated bacterial community using 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiling, identifying key taxa and core-bacterial components. A set of 321 bacterial strains was then isolated, and three multi-strain consortia were designed by combining culturable and unculturable microbiome-derived information. Subsequently, co-existence and plant-growth promoting ability of three consortia were tested both in vitro and in planta. In growth-chamber and in-field experiments demonstrated that bacterial Consortia 3 promoted plant growth in growth-chamber conditions while Consortia 1 and 2 performed better in field-plot experiments. Despite these differences, 16S rRNA gene profiling confirmed the stable colonization of the inoculated consortia in the sorghum rhizosphere without significant alterations to the overall bacterial community.
Conclusions
This study aims at translating microbiome knowledge into applications by designing and testing microbiome-based multi-strain bacterial consortia in promoting sorghum growth.
Evaluation of precipitation forecasting base on GraphCast over mainland China
Authors: Yan Zihuang , Lu Xianghui , Wu Lifeng , Liu Fa , Qiu Rangjian , Cui Yaokui , Ma Xin
Published: July 2024

The accurate cumulative precipitation forecasts are essential for monitoring water resources and natural disasters. Thecombination of deep learning and big data has become a new direction for precipitation forecasting. However, the currentlarge models are still lacking in-situ data verification. To accomplish this goal, the precipitation forecasting performance of astate-of-the-art model GraphCast was evaluated. Using the cumulative precipitation data from 2393 observation stations for the1-3 day period as a reference, we assessed the cumulative precipitation in mainland China region for the 1-3 day period from2020 to 2021, utilizing a high-resolution model with 0.25◦×0.25◦ grid spacing and 37 layers of parameters. The precipitation ofEuropean Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) was also compared. The results show that: (1) During the2020-2021 period, for the 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day cumulative precipitation forecasts, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE)values of GraphCast were primarily between 0.46 to 9.38 mm/d, 0.44 to 9.06 mm/d, and 0.44 to 9.06 mm/d, respectively. TheMean Error (ME) values were mainly between −0.595 to 1.705 (0.01 mm). (2) As the forecast period extends, the forecastingcapability of GraphCast declines. (3) In the 1-3 day cumulative precipitation forecasts for various stations in mainland China,GraphCast demonstrates higher predictive accuracy than ECMWF. (4) Compared to ECMWF, GraphCast demonstrated thebest forecast performance in the warm-temperate humid and sub-humid north China, with the RMSE being approximately 12%higher. Our study indicates that GraphCast demonstrates significant potential and higher accuracy in precipitation forecasting.