bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards Sustainable Development: How Digitalization, Technological Innovation, and Green Economic Development Interact with Each Other
Authors: Yang Wei , Chen Qiuxia , Guo Qiuqi , Huang Xiaoting
Published: September 2022

Green technological innovation is one of the endogenous drivers of green economic growth, and digitalization can promote green economic development in the form of industrial empowerment. The interactive relationship and the degree of influence between digitalization, technological innovation, and green economic development is thus an urgent issue to be addressed. Based on the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2019, we measured digitalization, technological innovation, and green economic development for the first time using the entropy method and included them in the same analytical framework by constructing a PVAR model to empirically test their interrelationship and degree of influence. Our findings suggest that: (1) There is an inertial development and self-reinforcing mechanism among the three variables. (2) The impact of digitalization on green economic development has a positive promotion effect, while the impact of technological innovation on green economic development is not significant. (3) The impact of green economic development on technological innovation has a positive promotion effect in the short term, but this effect gradually declines and tends to zero in the long term. Finally, based on the findings, several practical suggestions are made.
Inter-Rater Reliability of the Structured Interview of DSM-IV Personality (SIDP-IV) in an Adolescent Outpatient Population
Authors: Svela Eirik Wixøe , Korsgaard Hans Ole , Stänicke Line Indrevoll , Ulberg Randi
Published: September 2022

Personality disorders (PDs) are a class of mental disorders which are associated with subjective distress, decreased quality of life and broad functional impairment. The presence of one or several PDs may also complicate the course and treatment of symptom disorders such as anxiety and depression. Accurate and reliable means of diagnosing personality disorders are thus crucial to ensuring efficient treatment planning and resource allocation, a fact which is widely acknowledged within the adult mental health field. In adolescents, on the other hand, the consensus view has been that the rapid and discontinuous processes of normal personality development render the construct of PD in adolescents clinically unhelpful and conceptually dubious. However, recent research has established the reliability and validity of the construct, heralding an increased interest in the field, with important conceptual and clinical implications. The present article presents reliability data for the Structured Interview of DSM-IV Personality (SIDP-IV) in an adolescent outpatient population. For this study, 25 interviews conducted by experienced clinicians were blindly re-scored based on sound recordings, which allowed for the calculation of intra-class correlation metrics. The intra-class correlation coefficient for categorical diagnosis of specific personality disorders was found to be 0.876 (95% CI 0.718–0.945); Cohen’s kappa for presence/absence of personality diagnosis was found to be 0.896. The present study found excellent intra-rater reliability for the sample, which suggests that the SIDP-IV is a suitable instrument for assessing personality pathology in adolescent populations.
A Pilot Study to Examine the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Virtual Adaptation of an In-Person Adolescent Diabetes Prevention Program
Authors: Islam Sumaiya , Elaiho Cordelia , Arniella Guedy , Rivera Sheydgi , Vangeepuram Nita
Published: September 2022

Background: Rates of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are alarmingly high among racial/ethnic minority youth. The current study examines the virtual adaptation of an in-person peer-led youth diabetes prevention program. Methods: The initial phase involved the study team adapting workshop sessions from an in-person to a virtual format (Zoom). We conducted a 2-h feasibility pilot in December 2020 and implemented the full 12 session pilot program from June to September 2021 with 14 prediabetic adolescents recruited from our hospital-based general pediatric clinic. Weekly sessions were led by trained peer educators and focused on promoting healthy eating and physical activity using behavioral techniques (e.g., goal setting, brainstorming, and problem solving). Results: The virtual adaptation of our program was shown to be feasible and acceptable among our pilot participants. We were able to deliver the same workshop content and behavioral skills development as the in-person workshop using a variety of Zoom features. Conclusions: Our peer-led youth diabetes prevention program was successfully adapted and implemented in a virtual format and was well accepted by at-risk youth. Future research is needed to examine the impact of virtual youth lifestyle interventions on behavioral and clinical outcomes such as weight and diabetes risk.
A Review of COVID-19-Related Literature on Freight Transport: Impacts, Mitigation Strategies, Recovery Measures, and Future Research Directions
Authors: Karam Ahmed , Eltoukhy Abdelrahman E. E. , Shaban Ibrahim Abdelfadeel , Attia El-Awady
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in the freight transport sector. The number of studies on the impact of COVID-19 on freight transport and possible mitigation strategies are growing. However, a systematic and comprehensive review highlighting the research themes, main findings, research methods, and future research directions of these studies remains scarce. Therefore, this study presents a mixed review comprising scientometric and systematic reviews to cover these research gaps. Results show that 68 studies have been published on this topic since the beginning of 2020 and that they cover three main themes: the impacts of COVID-19 on freight transport, mitigation strategies, and recovery during and after COVID-19. In addition, we describe the research methods, main findings, and possible research directions in each of them. Thus, the findings of our work present both theoretical and practical analyses of COVID-19-related research on freight transport and provide important future research directions in this domain.
Perceptions of Heat Stress, Heat Strain and Mitigation Practices in Wildfire Suppression across Southern Europe and Latin America
Authors: Carballo-Leyenda Belén , Villa-Vicente José Gerardo , Delogu Giuseppe M. , Rodríguez-Marroyo Jose A. , Molina-Terrén Domingo M.
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to assess current perceptions of heat stress, heat strain, acclimatisation and recovery practices in wildland fire suppression. A total of 1459 wildfire and structural firefighters, all involved in wildland fire suppression, completed an 18-question survey. Most participants (81.3%) reported heat strain as one of the main risks faced during wildland firefighting. Thermal strain is considered an important risk for health and safety in wildland firefighting. The best-valued heat strain mitigation strategies were those traditionally recommended in wildland fire suppression: (i) an adequate work/rest ratio (79.0%), (ii) acclimatisation (71.6%), (iii) enhancing body ventilation by opening protective clothing or removing helmets or gloves (63.5%), and (iv) drinking water and food supplementation (52.1%). Despite these results, only 22% of the participants reported carrying out acclimatisation in the workplace. The vast majority of the respondents (87.4%) consider active cooling strategies (i.e., ice slurry ingestion, ice vests, etc.) impractical in combating heat strain during wildfire suppression. We identified a gap between knowledge about heat strain, its mitigation strategies and the level of actual implementation of these practices in the workplace. Our results highlight the need to improve heat strain management and implement operational directives for acclimatisation and active cooling interventions.
Spatio-Temporal Analysis and Influencing Factors of Rural Resilience from the Perspective of Sustainable Rural Development
Authors: Yang Mei , Jiao Mengyun , Zhang Jinyu
Published: September 2022

Rural resilience is not only a comprehensive reflection of “thriving businesses, pleasant living environments, social etiquette and civility, effective governance, and prosperity”. It is also the unity of resilience in industry, ecology, culture, organization and livelihood. This paper uses the entropy weight-TOPSIS method to measure the rural resilience level in 31 regions in China and analyzes the configuration of influencing factors with the Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results of the study are as follows: (1) The level of rural resilience in China showed a stable increase from 2010 to 2019, but the overall level was low, with large regional disparities, showing a significant positive spatial correlation. (2) In the high-level rural resilience explanatory path, labor-driven, cultural-driven and market–labor–technology linkage-driven play a core role, while administrative force is not playing a significant role. In the explanation path of non-high level rural resilience, the market–labor absent, administrative–market absent and cultural absent hinder the improvement of rural resilience. In summary, we put forward the following suggestions. Policy renovation and support should be strengthened. Adaption to local conditions should be considered in order to achieve sustainable and differentiated development. Development should be coordinated and balanced in different regions so as to achieve an overall resilience level in rural areas.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Physical Activity
Authors: Schubert-Olesen Oliver , Kröger Jens , Siegmund Thorsten , Thurm Ulrike , Halle Martin
Published: September 2022

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use has several potential positive effects on diabetes management. These benefits are, e.g., increased time in range (TIR), optimized therapy, and developed documentation. Physical activity is a recommended intervention tool in diabetes management, especially for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The benefits of physical activity for people with diabetes can be seen as an improvement of glycemic control, glycemic variability, and the reduction of insulin resistance. In relation to the physical activity of people with T2D, the benefits of CGM use can even be increased, and CGM can be a helpful tool to prevent adverse events due to physical activity of people with diabetes, such as hypoglycemic events and nocturnal hypoglycemia after sports. This narrative review aims to provide solid recommendations for the use of CGM in everyday life physical activities based on the noted benefits and to give a general overview of the guidelines on physical activity and CGM use for people with diabetes.
The Required Competencies of Bachelor- and Master-Educated Nurses in Facilitating the Development of an Effective Workplace Culture in Nursing Homes: An Integrative Review
Authors: Handor Rachida , Persoon Anke , van Lieshout Famke , Lovink Marleen , Vermeulen Hester
Published: September 2022

Background: Nursing home care is undergoing significant changes. This requires innovative teams operating in an effective workplace culture characterized by person-centeredness and offering evidence-based care. A pivotal role for bachelor- and master-educated nurses (BNs/MNs) is foreseen to facilitate such cultures; however, there is currently no comprehensive overview of what competencies this requires. Objectives: To identify what competencies are required from BNs/MNs in facilitating the development of an effective workplace culture in nursing homes. Methods and design: We conducted an integrative review (IR) using Whittemore and Knafl’s method. We searched the PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases for studies published between January 2010 and December 2021 in English. Two independent reviewers determined whether studies met inclusion: bachelor- or master-educated nurse; nursing home; professional competencies; and mixed methods or qualitative and qualitative studies. We applied the CASP appraisal tool and analyzed the data by applying content analysis. Results: Sixteen articles were included. Five themes were identified representing required competencies for BNs/MNs facilitating: (1) learning cultures in nursing practice; (2) effective work relationships within teams; (3) leadership capability within teams; (4) implementation of guidelines, standards, and protocols; (5) a work environment acknowledging grief and loss of residents within teams. Conclusions: It shows that the BN/MN applies five competencies associated with a facilitator role to promote the development of an effective workplace culture to achieve a safe, high-level quality of care, satisfaction, and well-being. An overarching leadership as a change champion will support teams to achieve a quality that should guide the transformation in nursing care.
Contributing to SDG 3 through Support for Trainer Autonomy: Relationship with Motivation, Basic Psychological Needs and the Intention to Be Physically Active
Authors: Heredia-León Diego Andrés , Manzano-Sánchez David , Gómez-Mármol Alberto , Valero-Valenzuela Alfonso
Published: September 2022

The objective of the study was to identify the profiles of support for autonomy perceived by athletes and compare them with motivation, basic psychological needs, and the intention to be physically active. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with 280 athletes (M = 15.28; SD = 1.71). The results reveal the existence of two profiles using the perception of support for autonomy as a grouping variable. A profile of “High perception of support for autonomy” (group 1, n = 190, M = 4.38, SD = 0.32) and a profile of “Low support for autonomy” (group 2, n = 90, M = 3.40, SD = 0.86). The data show statistically significant differences in favour of group 1 with higher values in the Self-Determination Index (p = 0.009) and three basic psychological needs measured with the Index of Psychological Mediators (p = 0.000), but no significant differences in intention to be physically active were found. In conclusion, the importance of the support of autonomy granted by coaches is demonstrated, thus favouring more adaptive motivational climates and the greater satisfaction of basic psychological needs. The intention to be physically active was not found in federated athletes. New studies are required to clarify this fact and improve the contribution of sustainable development to the social dimension.
Increased Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Patients with Hyperlipidemia: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Yang Hao-Yu , Hu Li-Yu , Chen Hon-Jhe , Chen Ru-Yih , Hu Chang-Kuo , Shen Cheng-Che
Published: September 2022

The coexistence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease is common and causes poor prognoses. Hyperlipidemia is the most common risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but the association between hyperlipidemia and COPD remains ambiguous. This study aimed to investigate the risk of COPD development in patients with hyperlipidemia. This retrospective cohort study used information from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. We enrolled 21,790 patients with hyperlipidemia and 87,160 control patients without hyperlipidemia for comparison, with a follow-up period of over 10 years. The incidence of new-onset COPD was higher in patients with hyperlipidemia (36.14 per 1000 person-years) than in the controls (22.29 per 1000 person-years). Patients with hyperlipidemia were 1.48 times more likely to develop subsequent COPD than the controls without hyperlipidemia (95% confidence interval 1.44 to 1.53, p < 0.001) following adjustments for age, sex, and comorbidities. In addition, nephropathy, hypertension, congestive heart failure, age, and sex (female) were potential risk factors for developing COPD in patients with hyperlipidemia. Patients with hyperlipidemia may have an increased risk of developing COPD.
Bone Mineral Content Estimation in People Living with HIV: Prediction and Validation of Sex-Specific Anthropometric Models
Authors: Correia Igor Massari , Navarro Anderson Marliere , Corrêa Cordeiro Jéssica Fernanda , Gomide Euripedes Barsanulfo Gonçalves , Mazzonetto Lisa Fernanda , de Sousa Oliveira Alcivandro , Sebastião Emerson , Aguilar Bruno Augusto , de Andrade Denise , Machado Dalmo Roberto Lopes , dos Santos André Pereira
Published: September 2022

People living with HIV (PWH) experience an accelerated reduction in bone mineral content (BMC), and a high risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Anthropometry is an accurate and low-cost method that can be used to monitor changes in body composition in PWH. To date, no studies have used anthropometry to estimate BMC in PWH. To propose and validate sex-specific anthropometric models to predict BMC in PWH. This cross-sectional study enrolled 104 PWH (64 males) aged >18 years at a local university hospital. BMC was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Anthropometric measures were collected. We used linear regression analysis to generate the models. Cross-validations were conducted using the “leave one out”, from the predicted residual error sum of squares (PRESS) method. Bland–Altman plots were used to explore distributions of errors. We proposed models with high coefficient of determination and reduced standard error of estimate for males (r2 = 0.70; SEE = 199.97 g; Q2PRESS = 0.67; SEEPRESS = 208.65 g) and females (r2 = 0.65; SEE = 220.96 g; Q2PRESS = 0.62; SEEPRESS = 221.90 g). Our anthropometric predictive models for BMC are valid, practical, and a low-cost alternative to monitoring bone health in PWH.
Modulator Combination Improves In Vitro the Microrheological Properties of the Airway Surface Liquid of Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelia
Authors: Ludovico Alessandra , Moran Oscar , Baroni Debora
Published: September 2022

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein, a plasma membrane protein expressed on the apical surface of secretory epithelia of the airways. In the airways, defective or absent function of the CFTR protein determines abnormalities of chloride and bicarbonate secretion and, in general, of the transepithelial homeostasis that lead to alterations of airway surface liquid (ASL) composition and properties. The reduction of ASL volume impairs ciliary beating with the consequent accumulation of a sticky mucus. This situation prevents normal mucociliary clearance, favoring the survival and proliferation of bacteria and contributing to the genesis of the CF pulmonary disease. We explored the potential of some CFTR modulators, namely ivacaftor, tezacaftor, elexacaftor and their combination KaftrioTM, capable of partially recovering the basic defects of the CFTR protein, to ameliorate the transepithelial fluid transport and the viscoelastic properties of the mucus when used singly or in combination. Primary human bronchial epithelial cells obtained from CF and non-CF patients were differentiated into a mucociliated epithelia in order to assess the effects of correctors tezacaftor, elexacaftor and their combination with potentiator ivacaftor on the key properties of ASL, such as fluid reabsorption, viscosity, protein content and pH. The treatment of airway epithelia bearing the deletion of a phenylalanine at position 508 (F508del) in the CFTR gene with tezacaftor and elexacaftor significantly improved the pericilial fluid composition, reducing the fluid reabsorption, correcting the ASL pH and reducing the viscosity of the mucus. KaftrioTM was more effective than single modulators in improving all the evaluated parameters, demonstrating once more that this combination recently approved for patients 6 years and older with cystic fibrosis who have at least one F508del mutation in the CFTR gene represents a valuable tool to defeat CF.
Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells as a Novel Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Hernández Sabina Sánchez , Jakobsen Martin Roelsgaard , Bak Rasmus O.
Published: September 2022

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are multifaceted immune cells with a wide range of innate and adaptive immunological functions. They constitute the first line of defence against multiple viral infections and have also been reported to actively participate in antitumor immune responses. The clinical implication of the presence of pDCs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is still ambiguous, but it is clear that pDCs possess the ability to modulate tumor-specific T cell responses and direct cytotoxic functions. Therapeutic strategies designed to exploit these qualities of pDCs to boost tumor-specific immune responses could represent an attractive alternative compared to conventional therapeutic approaches in the future, and promising antitumor effects have already been reported in phase I/II clinical trials. Here, we review the many roles of pDCs in cancer and present current advances in developing pDC-based immunotherapeutic approaches for treating cancer.
Identification of Genes and Metabolic Pathways Involved in Resin Yield in Masson Pine by Integrative Analysis of Transcriptome, Proteome and Biochemical Characteristics
Authors: Li Zhengchun , Shen Luonan , Hou Qiandong , Zhou Zijing , Mei Lina , Zhao Hong , Wen Xiaopeng
Published: September 2022

Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) is one of the most important resin-producing tree species in southern China. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of resin yield are still unclear in masson pine. In this study, an integrated analysis of transcriptome, proteome, and biochemical characteristics from needles of masson pine with the high and common resin yield was investigated. The results showed that chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll (Chl C), carotenoids (Car), glucose (Glu), gibberellin A9 (GA9), gibberellin A15 (GA15), and gibberellin A53 (GA53) were significantly increased, whereas fructose (Fru), jasmonic acid (JA), jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-ILE), gibberellin A1 (GA1), gibberellin A3 (GA3), gibberellin A19 (GA19), and gibberellin A24 (GA24) were significantly decreased in the high resin yield in comparison with those in the common one. The integrated analysis of transcriptome and proteome showed that chlorophyll synthase (chlG), hexokinase (HXK), sucrose synthase (SUS), phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (PDH), dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase (DLST), 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase (OPR), and jasmonate O-methyltransferases (JMT) were consistent at the transcriptomic, proteomic, and biochemical levels. The pathways of carbohydrate metabolism, terpenoid biosynthesis, photosynthesis, and hormone biosynthesis may play crucial roles in the regulation of resin yield, and some key genes involved in these pathways may be candidates that influence the resin yield. These results provide insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of resin yield and also provide candidate genes that can be applied for the molecular-assisted selection and breeding of high resin-yielding masson pine.
Unique Structural Fold of LonBA Protease from Bacillus subtilis, a Member of a Newly Identified Subfamily of Lon Proteases
Authors: Gustchina Alla , Li Mi , Andrianova Anna G. , Kudzhaev Arsen M. , Lountos George T. , Sekula Bartosz , Cherry Scott , Tropea Joseph E. , Smirnov Ivan V. , Wlodawer Alexander , Rotanova Tatyana V.
Published: September 2022

ATP-dependent Lon proteases are key participants in the quality control system that supports the homeostasis of the cellular proteome. Based on their unique structural and biochemical properties, Lon proteases have been assigned in the MEROPS database to three subfamilies (A, B, and C). All Lons are single-chain, multidomain proteins containing an ATPase and protease domains, with different additional elements present in each subfamily. LonA and LonC proteases are soluble cytoplasmic enzymes, whereas LonBs are membrane-bound. Based on an analysis of the available sequences of Lon proteases, we identified a number of enzymes currently assigned to the LonB subfamily that, although presumably membrane-bound, include structural features more similar to their counterparts in the LonA subfamily. This observation was confirmed by the crystal structure of the proteolytic domain of the enzyme previously assigned as Bacillus subtilis LonB, combined with the modeled structure of its ATPase domain. Several structural features present in both domains differ from their counterparts in either LonA or LonB subfamilies. We thus postulate that this enzyme is the founding member of a newly identified LonBA subfamily, so far found only in the gene sequences of firmicutes.
Effect of Traffic Lights Countdown Timer and Motorcycle Lanes as an Approach to the Red Box for Motorcycles in Bali Island
Authors: Mulyadi Agah Muhammad , Sihombing Atmy Verani Rouly , Hendrawan Hendra , Marpaung Edward , Malisan Johny , Arianto Dedy , Mardiana Tetty Sulastry , Puriningsih Feronika Sekar , Subaryata  , Siregar Nurul Aldha Mauliddina , Mutharuddin  , Humang Windra Priatna
Published: September 2022

The development of red boxes for motorcycles in Indonesia was initially adopted from the advanced stop line (ASL) for bicycles. The bike box concept was adopted for motorcycles in Indonesia. To date, red boxes have been fully implemented in 21 cities in Indonesia. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of traffic light countdown timers and motorcycle lanes as an approach to the red box for motorcycles at signalized intersections. There were four locations studied in Denpasar Bali, i.e., red boxes with countdown timer only (Condition 1), red boxes with motorcycle lane only (Condition 2), red boxes with countdown timer and motorcycle lane (Condition 3), and red boxes without countdown timer and without motorcycle lane (Condition 4). The analysis results based on motorcycle volume data indicate that a countdown timer has a significant effect in increasing motorcycle acceleration when the green light starts, reducing the possibility of motorized vehicles other than motorcycles stopping in the red box area and reducing stop line violations while waiting during a red light. Meanwhile, the presence of a motorcycle lane as an approach lane to enter the red box area has a significant influence on increasing the occupancy of the red box by motorcycles. In addition, the correlation test shows that the countdown timer has a strong correlation with the occupancy of the red box to capacity and to stop line violation. Meanwhile, the level of traffic flow is strongly correlated with the countdown timer and motorcycle lane.
Sustainable Assessment of Concrete Repairs through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA)
Authors: Renne Neel , Kara De Maeijer Patricia , Craeye Bart , Buyle Matthias , Audenaert Amaryllis
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, a vast number of concrete structures are approaching the end of their expected service life. The need for maintenance and repair is high due to the continued deterioration of the existing building inventory and infrastructure, resulting in a large need for concrete repair in the near future. Reinforcement corrosion is the most important deterioration mechanism, causing (i) severe concrete damage (cracking along reinforcement and the spalling of the cover concrete) and (ii) loss in steel section. Therefore, appropriate repair techniques for corrosion damage are the main focus of this review paper. With the European transition towards a circular economy and with sustainable development goals in mind, it is also important to consider the environmental impact along with the technical requirements and life cycle cost. In order to improve the sustainability of concrete structures and repairs over their life cycle, life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) should be applied. However, more research efforts are needed in this field for further development and refinement. This literature review tries to adress this need by compiling existing knowledge and gaps in the state-of-the-art. A comprehensive literature survey about concrete repair assessment through LCA and LCCA is performed and showed a high potential for further investigation. Additionally, it was noticed that many differences are present between the studies considering LCA and/or LCCA, namely, the considered (i) structures, (ii) damage causes, (iii) repair techniques, (iv) estimated and expected life spans, (v) LCCA methods, (vi) life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods, etc. Therefore, due to the case specificity, mutual comparison is challenging.
Upgrade of ATLAS Hadronic Tile Calorimeter for the High-Luminosity LHC
Authors: Starovoitov Pavel
Published: September 2022

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is a sampling hadronic calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS experiment, with steel as the absorber and plastic scintillators as the active medium. The High-Luminosity phase of the LHC, delivering five times the LHC’s nominal instantaneous luminosity, is expected to begin in 2029. TileCal will require new electronics to meet the requirements of a 1 MHz trigger, higher ambient radiation, and to ensure better performance under high pile-up conditions. Both the on- and off-detector TileCal electronics will be replaced during the shut-down of 2026–2028. The photomultiplier tube (PMT) signals from every TileCal cell will be digitized and sent directly to the back-end electronics, where the signals are reconstructed, stored, and sent to the first level of the trigger at a rate of 40 MHz. This will provide better precision in the calorimeter signals used by the trigger system and will allow the development of more complex trigger algorithms. The modular front-end electronics feature radiation-tolerant, commercial, off-the-shelf components and a redundant design to maintain system performance in case of single points of failure. The timing, control, and communication interface with the off-detector electronics is implemented with modern Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and high-speed fiber optic links running up to 9.6 Gb/s. The TileCal upgrade program has included extensive R&D and test beam studies. A Demonstrator module with reverse compatibility with respect to the existing system was inserted in ATLAS in August 2019 for testing in actual detector conditions. The ongoing developments for on- and off-detector systems, together with expected performance characteristics and results of test-beam campaigns with the electronics prototypes, will be discussed.
Event-Based PID Control of a Flexible Manufacturing Process
Authors: Duca Octavian , Minca Eugenia , Filipescu Adrian , Cernega Daniela , Solea Razvan , Bidica Claudiu
Published: September 2022

In most cases, the system control is made in a sampled manner, measuring the controlled value at a predefined frequency given by the sampling time. However, not all processes provide relevant information at regular intervals, especially in manufacturing. To reduce the costs and complexity of systems, event-based measuring is necessary. To control this kind of process, an event-based controller is needed. This poses some challenges, especially between the event-triggered measurement, as the process runs in an open loop. In the literature, most event-based controllers are based on the comparison of the error value with a predefined value and activate the controller if this value is crossed. However, in this type of controller, the measured value is measured at a predefine interval and is not suited for most event-based processes. In manufacturing systems, the most usual event-based process is represented by the conveyor transportation system. In this process, the product position is measured only in key locations on the conveyor. For the optimal operation of a flexible manufacturing system, the presence of a product in a key location at predetermined intervals is necessary. For this purpose, this article presents an event-based PID controller implemented on a conveyor transportation system.
The Effects of Air-Entraining Agent on Fresh and Hardened Properties of 3D Concrete
Authors: Spurina Ella , Sinka Maris , Ziemelis Krists , Vanags Andris , Bajare Diana
Published: September 2022

Three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) is becoming more common in the construction industry nowadays; however, the aspect of durability of printed concrete is not well-studied yet. Frost resistance is a very important factor for durability of concrete structures located in northern regions. Since air-entraining agents (AEAs) are widely used in conventional concrete, this paper focuses on exploring the potential of using AEAs in 3D concrete as well—the main objective is to determine how it affects fresh and hardened properties, including frost resistance of 3D concrete. Three different mixes were printed and cast—the dry mix consisted of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), limestone filler (LF), sand, as well as viscosity modifying agent (VMA) and superplasticizer (SP). Two mixes contained different amounts of AEA, the third one was used as reference. First, fresh state properties were tested—air content, density, and mini cone flow test. Second, 28-day compressive and flexural strength tests were carried out; bulk and particle densities were also determined. Next, both cast and printed concrete samples were subject to freeze–thaw cycles according to provisions of CEN/TS 12390-9, mass loss due to surface scaling was determined for each sample. As a result, printed concrete samples containing AEA in the amount of 0.06% of binder mass showed the highest frost resistance—addition of AEA decreased both flexural and compressive strength of this printed concrete mix by 30–40%. To conclude, the obtained results give an insight of how addition of AEA to printed concrete mix affects its properties both in long and short term. Further research of certain aspects, for instance, the air void system and pore distribution is needed to gain a deeper understanding on how to increase durability of 3D concrete.
Sedentary Behaviour Impairs Skeletal Muscle Repair Modulating the Inflammatory Response
Authors: Teixeira Eduardo , Garcia Juliana , Bovolini António , Carvalho Ana , Pacheco Júlio , Duarte José A.
Published: September 2022

This study investigated whether sedentary behaviour modulates skeletal-muscle repair and tissue inflammatory response after cardiotoxin (CTX)-induced injury. Singly caged rats spent 8 weeks either as a sedentary group (SED, n = 15) or as a control group (EX, n = 15)—caged with running wheels for voluntary running. All rats had each tibial anterior muscle infused either with CTX (CTX; right muscle) or saline solution (Sham; left muscle) and were sacrificed (n = 5 per group) on the 1st, 7th, and 15th day post-injection (dpi). Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were used to calculate myotube percentage and fibrosis accretion, and quantify the number of neutrophils and M1 and M2 macrophage subtypes. The SED group showed an increased number of both neutrophils and M1 macrophages (7th and 15th dpi) compared to the EX group (p < 0.01). The EX group showed an increased number of M2 macrophages on the 1st dpi. On the 7th dpi, the SED group showed a lower myotube percentage compared to the EX group (p < 0.01) and on the 15th dpi showed only 54% of normal undamaged fibres compared to 90% from the EX group (p < 0.01). The SED group showed increased fibrosis on both the 7th and 15th dpi. Our results show that sedentary behaviour affects the inflammatory response, enhancing and prolonging the Th1 phase, and delays and impairs the SMR process.
GUBS: Graph-Based Unsupervised Brain Segmentation in MRI Images
Authors: Mayala Simeon , Herdlevær Ida , Haugsøen Jonas Bull , Anandan Shamundeeswari , Blaser Nello , Gavasso Sonia , Brun Morten
Published: September 2022

Brain segmentation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images is the process of isolating the brain from non-brain tissues to simplify the further analysis, such as detecting pathology or calculating volumes. This paper proposes a Graph-based Unsupervised Brain Segmentation (GUBS) that processes 3D MRI images and segments them into brain, non-brain tissues, and backgrounds. GUBS first constructs an adjacency graph from a preprocessed MRI image, weights it by the difference between voxel intensities, and computes its minimum spanning tree (MST). It then uses domain knowledge about the different regions of MRIs to sample representative points from the brain, non-brain, and background regions of the MRI image. The adjacency graph nodes corresponding to sampled points in each region are identified and used as the terminal nodes for paths connecting the regions in the MST. GUBS then computes a subgraph of the MST by first removing the longest edge of the path connecting the terminal nodes in the brain and other regions, followed by removing the longest edge of the path connecting non-brain and background regions. This process results in three labeled, connected components, whose labels are used to segment the brain, non-brain tissues, and the background. GUBS was tested by segmenting 3D T1 weighted MRI images from three publicly available data sets. GUBS shows comparable results to the state-of-the-art methods in terms of performance. However, many competing methods rely on having labeled data available for training. Labeling is a time-intensive and costly process, and a big advantage of GUBS is that it does not require labels.
Effect of Metal-Cored Filler Wire on Surface Morphology and Micro-Hardness of Regulated Metal Deposition Welded ASTM A387-Gr.11-Cl.2 Steel Plates
Authors: Bandhu Din , Djavanroodi Faramarz , Shaikshavali G. , Vora Jay J. , Abhishek Kumar , Thakur Ashish , Kumari Soni , Saxena Kuldeep K. , Ebrahimi Mahmoud , Attarilar Shokouh
Published: September 2022

Environmental and human-friendly welding is the need of the hour. In this context, this study explores the application of the regulated metal deposition (RMD) technique for ASTM A387-Gr.11-Cl.2 steel plates. To examine the effect of metal-cored filler wire (MCFW), MEGAFIL 237 M was employed during regulated metal deposition (RMD) welding of 6 mm thick ASTM A387-Gr.11-Cl.2 steel plates. The welding was carried out at an optimized current (A) of 100 A, voltage (V) of 13 V, and gas flow rate (GFR) of 21 L/min. Thereafter, the as-welded plates were examined for morphological changes using optical microscopy. Additionally, the micro-hardness of the as-welded plates was measured to make corroboration with the obtained surface morphologies. In addition to this, the as-welded plates were subjected to heat treatment followed by surface morphology and micro-hardness examination. A comparison was made between the as-welded and heat-treated plates for their obtained surface morphologies and microhardness values. During this, it was observed that the weld zone of as-welded plates has a dendritic surface morphology which is very common in fusion-based welding. Similarly, the weld zone of heat-treated plates has a finer and erratic arrangement of martensite. Moreover, the obtained surface morphologies in the weld zone of as-welded and heat-treated plates have been justified by their respective hardness values of 1588.6 HV and 227.3 HV.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Intergranular Boride Precipitation-Toughened HfMoNbTaTiZr Refractory High-Entropy Alloy
Authors: Ko Ping-Hsu , Lee Ya-Jing , Chang Shou-Yi
Published: September 2022

To develop strong refractory high-entropy alloys for use at elevated temperatures as well as to overcome grain-boundary brittleness, an equimolar HfMoNbTaTiZr alloy was prepared, and a minor amount of boron (0.1 at.%) was added into the alloy. The microstructures of the alloys were characterized, and their macro-to-microscale mechanical properties were measured. The microstructural observations indicated that the matrices of both the alloys were composed of a body-centered cubic solid-solution structure, and the added boron induced the precipitation of hexagonal close-packed borides (most likely the (Hf, Zr)B2) at the grain boundaries. The modulus and hardness of differently oriented grains were about equivalent, suggesting a diminished anisotropy, and many small slips occurred on multiple {110} planes. While the hardness of the matrix was not increased, the intergranular precipitation of the borides markedly raised the hardness of the grain boundaries. Owing to the enhanced grain boundary cohesion, the work hardenability and ductility were effectively improved with the addition of boron.
Gain-Guiding Anisotropic Polarized Amplified Spontaneous Emissions from C-Plane ZnO/ZnMgO Multiple Quantum Wells
Authors: Lin Ja-Hon , Chen Gung-Rong , Li Sheng-Jie , Song Yu-Feng , Liu Wei-Rein
Published: September 2022

A microcavity laser with linear polarization finds practical applications in metrology and biomedical imaging. Through a pulsed light excitation, the polarization characteristics of amplified spontaneous emissions (ASEs) from ten-period ZnO/Zn0.8Mg0.2O multiple quantum wells (MQWs) on a C-Plane sapphire substrate were investigated at room temperature. Unlike unpolarized spontaneous emissions, with 35 meV of energy differences between the C and AB bands, the ASE of MQWs revealed transverse-electric (TE) polarization under the edge emission configuration. The excited ASE from the surface normal of the polar ZnO/Zn0.8Mg0.2O MQWs with hexagonal symmetry revealed linear polarization under the pump of the stripe line through the focusing by using a cylindrical lens. The polarization direction of ASE is independent of the pump polarization but always perpendicular to the pump stripe, even if the cylindrical lens is rotated 90 degrees because of the gain-guiding effect.
Influence of Sintering on Thermal, Mechanical and Technological Properties of Glass Foams Produced from Agro-Industrial Residues
Authors: da Silva Fernandes Fernando Antonio , de Oliveira Costa Dayriane do Socorro , Rossignolo João Adriano
Published: September 2022

This study investigates the technological, thermal, mechanical, and technological properties of glass foams produced with soda-lime glass residues and rice husk ash sintered at 850–950 °C. The results for apparent density (0.28–0.30 g/cm3), porosity (82–87 ± 4%), compressive strength (1.18 ± 0.03–1.25 ± 0.03 MPa), and thermal conductivity (0.283–0.326 W/mK) are within the limits for commercial foams. The volumetric expansion potential and low thermal conductivity of the glass foams produced favor their use as thermal insulating materials in coat walls, thus improving thermal comfort in the construction sector. The results of X-ray fluorescence show that the foam glass is of the soda-lime type (SiO2, Na2O, and CaO), the rice husk ash is rich in SiO2, CaO, Na2O, Al2O3, K2O and Fe2O3, and the calcium carbonate is rich in CaO. The glass foams produced in this study are promising because they present more economical and efficient manufacturing, resulting in lightweight materials with thermal insulating properties that can be used in the construction sector. These glass foams also reduce the consumption of natural and synthetic raw materials, adding value to the waste used in this study by transforming them into co-products, thus favoring the economic circulation of the region.
Fabrication of Pressure Conductive Silicone Rubber Socket Device by Shape-Controlled Nickel Powders Produced by High-Energy Ball Milling
Authors: Reddyprakash Maddipatla , Kim Daseul , Choi Woo-Jeong , Yun Ji-Hyeon , Loka Chadrasekhar , Lee Kee-Sun
Published: September 2022

The pressure conductive silicone rubber socket (PCR) is one of the promising test socket devices in high-speed testing environments. In this study, we report highly dense PCR device channels comprised of high aspect-ratio flake-shaped Ni powders. The shape-controlled Ni powders are prepared by the high-energy milling process. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size analyzer (PSA) results of the synthesized powder samples showed well-defined flake type Ni powder morphology, and the powder sizes are distributed in the range of ~24–49 μm. The cross-sectional SEM study of the fabricated PCR revealed that the channels consisting of flake Ni powder are uniformly, densely distributed, and connected as face-to-face contact. The resistance of the PCR channels comprised of flake-shaped Ni powders showed ~23% lower resistance values than the spherical-shaped Ni powders-based channels, which could be due to the face-to-face contact of the powders in the channels. The magnetic properties study for the flake-type Ni powder showed a high remanence (~2.2 emu/g) and coercivity (~5.24 mT), owing to the shape anisotropy factor. Finally, the fabricated highly dense and conductive channels of the silicone rubber socket device by shape-controlled Ni powder could be a potential test socket device.
Effects of the Energy Density on Pores, Hardness, Surface Roughness, and Tensile Characteristics of Deposited ASTM 316L Specimens with Powder-Bed Fusion Process
Authors: Lee Ho-Jin
Published: September 2022

Powder bed fusion (PBF) is a typical metal-AM process. Studies on the process parameters are required to fabricate the desired shape without defects in the PBF process. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of energy density on the pore, hardness, surface roughness, and tensile characteristics of deposited ASTM 316L specimens using a powder-bed fusion process. Twenty-seven types of specimens with different laser powers, scanning speeds, and overlap ratios were fabricated using the PBF process. The effects of the energy density on the porosity, hardness, surface roughness, tensile strength, and fracture properties of ASTM 316L specimens were examined. The relationships between these properties and energy density are discussed. A critical energy density level was suggested as 79 J/mm3 considering these characteristics. With the critical energy density level, relative density, surface roughness (Ra) and hardness were observed 99.5%, 1.2 μm, and 240 HV, respectively. Additionally, these characteristics were improved with increasing energy density. Five representative conditions were chosen to fabricate tensile specimens with the ASTM 316L powder through the PBF process. Tensile characteristics, including ultimate strength, yield strength, strain, and fracture shape, were examined for different energy densities. The best tensile characteristics were observed with the highest energy density level of 155 J/mm3.
Effect of the Interactions between Oppositely Charged Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) and Chitin Nanocrystals (ChNCs) on the Enhanced Stability of Soybean Oil-in-Water Emulsions
Authors: Parajuli Sanjiv , Hasan Mohammad Jahid , Ureña-Benavides Esteban E.
Published: September 2022

Chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been recently used to stabilize emulsions; however, they generally require significant amounts of salt, limiting their applicability in food products. In this study, we developed nanoconjugates by mixing positively charged ChNCs and negatively charged CNCs at various ChNC:CNC mass ratios (2:1, 1:1, and 1:2), and utilized them in stabilizing soybean oil–water Pickering emulsions with minimal use of NaCl salt (20 mM) and nanoparticle (NP) concentrations below 1 wt%. The nanoconjugates stabilized the emulsions better than individual CNC or ChNC in terms of a reduced drop growth and less creaming. Oppositely charged CNC and ChNC neutralized each other when their mass ratio was 1:1, leading to significant flocculation in the absence of salt at pH 6. Raman spectroscopy provided evidence for electrostatic interactions between the ChNCs and CNCs, and generated maps suggesting an assembly of ChNC bundles of micron-scale lengths intercalated by similar-size areas predominantly composed of CNC. The previous measurements, in combination with contact angles on nanoparticle films, suggested that the conjugates preferentially exposed the hydrophobic crystalline planes of CNCs and ChNCs at a 1:1 mass ratio, which was also the best ratio at stabilizing soybean oil–water Pickering emulsions.