bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A State-of-the-Art Fund Performance Index: Higher-Order Omega and Its Consistency with Almost Stochastic Dominance
Authors: Lu Hengzhen , Zhang Yingying , Xiao Ling , Dhesi Gurjeet
Published: September 2022

This paper provides a mathematical proof and theoretical analysis of the one-to-one consistency between higher-order Omega and Almost Stochastic Dominance rules when evaluating fund performance. The consistency between higher-order Omega and Almost Nth-degree Stochastic Dominance reinforces the effectiveness of applying the higher-order Omega function in fund performance measurement, as the Almost Stochastic Dominance rules are more likely to be observed in real life. This study also clarifies that the higher-order Omega decreases when threshold L increases. The ranking of funds based on higher-order Omega changes at different thresholds. Hence, it is critical to specify the L so that the consistency holds. Through evaluating the performance of eleven U.S. funds between 2010 and 2020, we demonstrate the applications of the Nth-order Omega in the concept of Almost Stochastic Dominance rules. Furthermore, the empirical results also show the superiority of the Nth-order Omega over the traditional fund performance measure, i.e., Sharpe ratio and the lower-order Omega. The ranking of fund performance based on higher-order Omega is consistent with Almost Stochastic Dominance rules.
Multi-Scenario Simulation of Land Use Carbon Emissions from Energy Consumption in Shenzhen, China
Authors: Tang Wenwen , Cui Lihan , Zheng Sheng , Hu Wei
Published: September 2022

Investigating the future land use patterns and carbon emissions are of great significance for carbon reduction. This study established the relationship between land use types and carbon emissions from energy consumption and adopted three future scenarios that combine shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) and representative concentration pathways (RCPs), the system dynamics (SD) model, and the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model to simulate land use patterns in 2030 and 2035. Then the spatial distribution of future carbon density and its change in Shenzhen were obtained. Under scenario SSP245, a large amount of industrial and mining land is converted into living land from 2020 to 2035, and new living land is mainly located in Bao’an District and Guangming District. Under scenario SSP370, a large amount of living land replaces other land due to a plentiful population from 2020 to 2035, which is rare under other scenarios. The expansions of areas with high carbon density during 2020–2030 are mainly distributed in Nanshan District and Longhua District under all three scenarios. During 2030–2035, carbon emissions will decrease under scenarios SSP126 and SSP245. The results confirmed various trends in carbon emissions under different scenarios and emphasized the association between land use types and carbon emissions.
Self-Purification Mode of Still-Water Ponds in Urban Parks Based on In Situ Ecological Remediation Design
Authors: Yin Hang , Liang Wenyan , Cao Xin
Published: September 2022

Still-water ponds in urban parks are often eutrophic; hence, these ponds are typically at risk of algal blooms, which have a negative impact on landscapes and visitor experiences. Instead of adopting the current mainstream methods of ex situ ecological remediation with flowing water bodies, such as the construction of a circulating filtration system or an artificial wetland system around the pond, this research adopted in situ ecological remediation in still-water ponds to suppress algal blooms. The plan was implemented through a small-scale engineering design and plant configuration inside the pond. Using six still-water ponds in Beijing Yu Park as experimental sites, different mini-engineering designs and plant configurations were implemented at different ponds to perform comparative experiments, and the water quality of each pond was monitored for three consecutive years. By summarizing the variation in key water quality indices for each pond, we found that a mini-engineering design of “multilevel” pond revetments and lakebeds combined with a “multilayer” aquatic macrophyte configuration of floating-leaved plants, emergent plants, and submerged plants could effectively inhibit algal blooms. Thus, an effective ecological self-purification model and corresponding landscape design principles for still-water ponds in urban parks were proposed.
Effects of the Systematic Cluster Approach (SCA) and Rural Land Plans (RLPs) on Land Tenure Security for Agricultural Household: Insight from Benin (West Africa)
Authors: Guinin Asso Inoussa , Adéchian Soulé Akinhola , Salifou Mohamed , M’po Kouyinampou Bédé Prudence , O’heix Bruno Charles Pierre , Baco Mohamed Nasser
Published: September 2022

Rural land plans (RLP) and the systematic cluster approach (SCA) are the two main approaches used in Benin to secure rural land tenure. However, the contributions of these approaches to land tenure security in rural communities are mixed. This paper firstly identifies the main factors to be considered in conceptualizing rural land tenure security and secondly assesses the contributions of the two approaches in achieving rural land tenure security. The study is conducted in four communes of Borgou (a district in North Benin) that have benefited from both approaches to land tenure security. The dimensions of land tenure security were identified during focus group discussions and unstructured interviews with key informants. The contribution of the approaches is assessed using individual surveys from 742 beneficiaries of the approaches randomly selected, based on actors’ perceptions measured on the Likert scale. The nonparametric Friedman test was used to determine the average rank of each factor according to the RLP or SCA context. As a result, land tenure security must integrate nine factors, leading to two forms of land tenure security. Legal and institutional security includes land tenure norms, property rights, local land management institutions, and the land information system. Socioenvironmental security involves access and use rights, social peace, gender mainstreaming, and land conservation. According to stakeholders’ perceptions, RLPs mainly lead to legal-institutional security, whereas SCA combines and contributes to both forms of land tenure security. Rural smallholders will enjoy high levels of land security when these elements are in dynamic balance.
Therapeutic Interventions in Rat Models of Preterm Hypoxic Ischemic Injury: Effects of Hypothermia, Caffeine, and the Influence of Sex
Authors: McLeod Ruth , Rosenkrantz Ted , Fitch Roslyn Holly
Published: September 2022

Infants born prematurely have an increased risk of experiencing brain injury, specifically injury caused by Hypoxia Ischemia (HI). There is no approved treatment for preterm infants, in contrast to term infants that experience Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) and can be treated with hypothermia. Given this increased risk and lack of approved treatment, it is imperative to explore and model potential treatments in animal models of preterm injury. Hypothermia is one potential treatment, though cooling to current clinical standards has been found to be detrimental for preterm infants. However, mild hypothermia may prove useful. Caffeine is another treatment that is already used in preterm infants to treat apnea of prematurity, and has shown neuroprotective effects. Both of these treatments show sex differences in behavioral outcomes and neuroprotective effects, which are critical to explore when working to translate from animal to human. The effects and research history of hypothermia, caffeine and how sex affects these treatment outcomes will be explored further in this review article.
Dissecting the Relationship between Root Morphological Traits and Yield Attributes in Diverse Rice Cultivars under Subtropical Condition
Authors: Kaysar Md. Salahuddin , Sarker Uttam Kumer , Monira Sirajam , Hossain Md. Alamgir , Haque Md. Sabibul , Somaddar Uzzal , Saha Gopal , Chaki Apurbo Kumar , Uddin Md. Romij
Published: September 2022

Understanding the link between root morphological traits and yields is crucial for improving crop management. To evaluate this link, a pot experiment was conducted in the net house of the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during the boro(dry season irrigated) rice growing season of 2019–20. Thirteen cultivars, named BRRI dhan29, BRRI dhan58, BRRI dhan67, BRRI dhan74, BRRI dhan81, Binadhan-8, Binadhan-10, Hira-2, Tej gold, SL8H, Jagliboro, Rata boro, and Lakhai, were used following a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The cultivars were screened for root number (RN), root length (RL), root volume (RV), root porosity (RP), leaf area index (LAI), total dry matter (TDM), and grain yield (GY). A considerable variation in root traits, LAI, and TDM were found among the studied cultivars, and the highest GY (26.26 g pot−1)was found for Binahan-10. Thirteen cultivars were grouped into three clusters using hierarchical cluster analysis, where clusters 1, 2, and 3 assembled with 3, 5, and 5 cultivars, respectively. Considering all of the studied traits, Cluster 3 (Binadhan-10, Hira-2, BRRI dhan29, BRRI dhan58, and Tejgold) showed promise, followed by Cluster 2 (BRRI dhan81, BRRI dhan67, SL8H, BRRI dhan74, and Binadhan-8). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the RV, RDW, RFW, TDM, and GY are effective traits for rice cultivation.
Investigation and Optimization of the Impact of Printing Orientation on Mechanical Properties of Resin Sample in the Low-Force Stereolithography Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Wang Enshuai , Yang Fei , Shen Xinmin , Li Zhizhong , Yang Xiaocui , Zhang Xiangpo , Peng Wenqiang
Published: September 2022

The mechanical properties of resin samples in low-force stereolithography additive manufacturing were affected by the printing orientation, and were investigated and optimized to achieve excellent single or comprehensive tensile strength, compressive strength, and flexural modulus. The resin samples were fabricated using a Form3 3D printer based on light curing technology according to the corresponding national standards, and they were detected using a universal testing machine to test their mechanical properties. The influence of the printing orientation was represented by the rotation angle of the resin samples relative to the x–axis, y–axis and z–axis, and the parameters was selected in the range 0°–90° with an interval of 30°. The multiple regression models for the mechanical properties of the prepared resin samples were obtained based on least square estimation, which offered a foundation from which to optimize the parameters of the printing orientation by cuckoo search algorithm. The optimal parameters for the tensile strength, compressive strength and flexural modulus were ‘α = 45°, β = 25°, γ = 90°’, ‘β = 0°, β = 51°, γ = 85°’ and ‘α = 26°, β = 0°, γ = 90°’, respectively, which obtained the improvements of 80.52%, 15.94%, and 48.85%, respectively, relative to the worst conditions. The mechanism was qualitatively discussed based on the force analysis. The achievements obtained in this study proved that optimization of the printing orientation could improve the mechanical properties of the fabricated sample, which provided a reference for all additive manufacturing methods.
Constitutive Law Identification and Fatigue Characterization of Rigid PUR Elastomers 80 ShA and 90 ShA
Authors: Junik Krzysztof , Lesiuk Grzegorz , Duda Szymon , Jamroziak Krzysztof , Błażejewski Wojciech , Zielonka Paweł , Socha Tomasz , Denisiewicz Arkadiusz , Kula Krzysztof , Szczurek Anna
Published: September 2022

This paper presents the results of a study of polyurethane rigid (PUR) elastomers in terms of the constitutive law identification, and analyses the effect of polyurethane elastomers’ hardness on fatigue properties. The research objects were PUR materials based on 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) with the hardness of 80 ShA and 90 ShA, typically used in various industrial applications. Based on the performed experimental campaign under static and cyclic loading, the constitutive model proposed by Ogden is most appropriate. In addition, a hybrid numerical–experimental analysis (using FEM-DIC) of diabolo specimens’ behaviour is carried out in fatigue tests. Based on the performed fatigue test, it is worth noting that the energy approach describes the fatigue process synonymously compared to the displacement or strain approach. Finally, simple fatigue characteristics were analyzed and statistically validated for both PUR material configurations.
Fabric Inflatable Soft Actuators for Soft Wearable Devices: The MOSAR Case
Authors: Dávila-Vilchis Juana-Mariel , Ávila-Vilchis Juan Carlos , Vilchis-González Adriana Herlinda , Zúñiga-Avilés Luis Adrián , Jacinto-Villegas Juan Manuel
Published: September 2022

This paper addresses the design, fabrication and control of Fabric Inflatable Soft Actuators (FISAs) for driving Soft Wearable Devices (SWD) for rehabilitation or assistance tasks. FISAs are integrated by a set of pneumatic chambers made of 200D TPU-nylon that create bending-extending motions using a modular assembly that allow FISAs to adapt them to any size of limb or easily replace them. Regarding FISAs fabrication, a self-hand manufacturing approach has been used for cutting, sewing, and joining them. Additionally, to evaluate FISAs operation, a Soft Exo-Sleeve called MOSAR system was manufactured to achieve elbow motion. To control their inflation-deflation process in real-time, proportional and solenoid valves have been implemented along with a Proportional-Derivative (PD) control strategy that has been embedded in the NUCLEO-STM32F767ZI™ board with rapid control prototyping. Preliminary experiments about FISA performance on the MOSAR system were carried out to measure the inflation-deflation time, Range of Motion (ROM), and output force when elbow flexion-extension occurred in a dummy limb. The results have demonstrated FISAs functionality above the exosuit since they were able to lift 1 kg with flexion of 130° in 5 s using 50 psi. Therefore, FISAs represent a feasible choice for semicircular motions in other joints such as the wrist, hand, or knee, no matter age, limb, or size, only the number of FISAs must be adjusted on the MOSAR system.
Formation and Change of Unmanned Ground Vehicles under Formation Change Influence Factor
Authors: Gong Tianhao , Song Jianhui , Yu Yang
Published: September 2022

Traditional formation control methods are widely used in the field of unmanned ground vehicle formation, but they lack mechanisms with which to effectively cope with complex terrains that occur during movement. In order to better improve the adaptation and coping ability of an unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) fleet to complex terrains, this paper proposes a formation change influence factor to solve the UGVs formation and formation change problem. First, this paper adopts the leader–follower method with more flexible control to design the formation controller and derives a control law that can make the formation system stable so as to ensure that the fleet maintains the preset formation during movement. After that, this paper combines formation geometry change and dynamic adjustment to build a formation change library. The formation change influence factor is used to drive the fleet to choose the appropriate formation change strategy in the formation change library to ensure the fleet can safely pass the complex terrains. The experimental results show that, compared with the traditional formation method, the UGVs formation and change method using the formation change influence factor can flexibly and efficiently cope with various complex terrains while maintaining stability within the fleet, effectively improving the safety of the UGVs fleet and the possibility of practical application.
A Dynamic Pole Motion Approach for Control of Nonlinear Hybrid Soft Legs: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Song Ki-Young , Behzadfar Mahtab , Zhang Wen-Jun
Published: September 2022

Hybrid soft leg systems have been studied for advanced gaits of soft robots. However, it is challenging to analyze and control hybrid soft legs due to their nonlinearity. In this study, we adopted dynamic pole motion (DPM) to analyze stability of a nonlinear hybrid soft leg system with dynamic Routh’s stability criterion and to design a proper controller for the nonlinear system with an error-based adaptive controller (E-BAC). A typical hybrid soft leg system was taken as an example, as such a system can easily become unstable and needs a controller to get the system back to a stable state. Specifically, E-BAC was designed to control the unstable hybrid soft leg fast with a minimal overshoot. As a nonlinear controller, the implanted E-BAC in a feedback control system includes two dominant dynamic parameters: the dynamic position feedback Kpe,t and the dynamic velocity feedback Kve,t. These parameters were properly selected, and the feedback was continuously varying as a function of system error et, exhibiting an adaptive control behavior. The simulation shows that this approach for constructing an adaptive controller can yield a very fast response with no overshoot.
ReID-DeePNet: A Hybrid Deep Learning System for Person Re-Identification
Authors: Mohammed Hussam J. , Al-Fahdawi Shumoos , Al-Waisy Alaa S. , Zebari Dilovan Asaad , Ibrahim Dheyaa Ahmed , Mohammed Mazin Abed , Kadry Seifedine , Kim Jungeun
Published: September 2022

Person re-identification has become an essential application within computer vision due to its ability to match the same person over non-overlapping cameras. However, it is a challenging task because of the broad view of cameras with a large number of pedestrians appearing with various poses. As a result, various approaches of supervised model learning have been utilized to locate and identify a person based on the given input. Nevertheless, several of these approaches perform worse than expected in retrieving the right person in real-time over multiple CCTVs/camera views. This is due to inaccurate segmentation of the person, leading to incorrect classification. This paper proposes an efficient and real-time person re-identification system, named ReID-DeePNet system. It is based on fusing the matching scores generated by two different deep learning models, convolutional neural network and deep belief network, to extract discriminative feature representations from the pedestrian image. Initially, a segmentation procedure was developed based on merging the advantages of the Mask R-CNN and GrabCut algorithm to tackle the adverse effects caused by background clutter. Afterward, the two different deep learning models extracted discriminative feature representations from the pedestrian segmented image, and their matching scores were fused to make the final decision. Several extensive experiments were conducted, using three large-scale and challenging person re-identification datasets: Market-1501, CUHK03, and P-DESTRE. The ReID-DeePNet system achieved new state-of-the-art Rank-1 and mAP values on these three challenging ReID datasets.
Error Propagation Model Using Jacobian-Torsor Model Weighting for Assembly Quality Analysis on Complex Product
Authors: Xi Yue , Gao Zhiyong , Chen Kun , Dai Hongwei , Liu Zhe
Published: September 2022

The assembly quality of a complex product is the result of the combined effects of multiple manufacturing stages, including design, machining and assembly, and it is influenced by associated elements with complex coupling mechanisms. These elements generate and transmit assembly quality deviations during the assembly process which are difficult to analyze and express effectively. Current studies have focused on the analysis and optimization of the assembly surface errors of single or few components, while lacking attention to the impact of errors on the whole product. Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, an assembly quality deviation analysis (AQDA) model is constructed in this paper to analyze the deviation transfer process in the assembly process of complex products and to obtain the key features to optimize. Firstly, the assembly process information is extracted and the assembly quality network model is established on the basis of complex networks. Second, the Jacobian-Torsor (J-T) model is introduced to form a network edge weighting method suitable for the assembly process to objectively express the error propagation among product part features. Third, an error propagation model (EPM) is designed to simulate the error propagation and diffusion processes in the assembly network. Finally, the assembly process of an aero-engine fan rotor is used as an example for modeling and analysis. The results show that the proposed method can effectively identify the key assembly features in the assembly process of complex products and determine the key quality optimization points and monitoring points of the products, which can provide a decision basis for product quality optimization and control.
Application of Neural Network and Dual-Energy Radiation-Based Detection Techniques to Measure Scale Layer Thickness in Oil Pipelines Containing a Stratified Regime of Three-Phase Flow
Authors: Mayet Abdulilah Mohammad , Chen Tzu-Chia , Ahmad Ijaz , Tag Eldin Elsayed , Al-Qahtani Ali Awadh , Narozhnyy Igor M. , Guerrero John William Grimaldo , Alhashim Hala H.
Published: September 2022

Over time, oil pipes are scaled, which causes problems such as a reduction in the effective diameter of the oil pipe, an efficiency reduction, waste of energy, etc. Determining the exact value of the scale inside the pipe is very important in order to take timely action and to prevent the mentioned problems. One accurate detection methodology is the use of non-invasive systems based on gamma-ray attenuation. For this purpose, in this research, a scale thickness detection system consisting of a test pipe, a dual-energy gamma source (241Am and 133Ba radioisotopes), and two sodium iodide detectors were simulated using the Monte Carlo N Particle (MCNP) code. In the test pipe, three-phase flow consisting of water, gas, and oil was simulated in a stratified flow regime in volume percentages in the range from 10% to 80%. In addition, a scale with different thicknesses from 0 to 3 cm was placed inside the pipe, and gamma rays were irradiated onto the pipe; on the other side of the pipe, the photon intensity was recorded by the detectors. A total of 252 simulations were performed. From the signal received by the detectors, four characteristics were extracted, named the Photopeaks of 241Am and 133Ba for the first and second detectors. After training many different Multi-Layer Perceptron(MLP) neural networks with various architectures, it was found that a structure with two hidden layers could predict the connection between the input, extracted features, and the output, scale thickness, with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of less than 0.06. This low error value guarantees the effectiveness of the proposed method and the usefulness of this method for the oil and petrochemical industry.
General Master Theorems of Integrals with Applications
Authors: Abu-Ghuwaleh Mohammad , Saadeh Rania , Qazza Ahmad
Published: September 2022

Many formulas of improper integrals are shown every day and need to be solved in different areas of science and engineering. Some of them can be solved, and others require approximate solutions or computer software. The main purpose of this research is to present new fundamental theorems of improper integrals that generate new formulas and tables of integrals. We present six main theorems with associated remarks that can be viewed as generalizations of Cauchy’s results and I.S. Gradshteyn integral tables. Applications to difficult problems are presented that cannot be solved with the usual techniques of residue or contour theorems. The solutions of these applications can be obtained directly, depending on the proposed theorems with an appropriate choice of functions and parameters.
In Vitro Modulation of Complement Activation by Therapeutically Prospective Analogues of the Marine Polychaeta Arenicin Peptides
Authors: Krenev Ilia A. , Panteleev Pavel V. , Umnyakova Ekaterina S. , Gorbunov Nikolay P. , Kostevich Valeria A. , Balandin Sergey V. , Ovchinnikova Tatiana V. , Aleshina Galina M. , Berlov Mikhail N.
Published: September 2022

The widespread resistance to antibiotics in pathogenic bacteria makes the development of a new generation of antimicrobials an urgent task. The development of new antibiotics must be accompanied by a comprehensive study of all of their biological activities in order to avoid adverse side-effects from their application. Some promising antibiotic prototypes derived from the structures of arenicins, antimicrobial peptides from the lugworm Arenicola marina, have been developed. Previously, we described the ability of natural arenicins -1 and -2 to modulate the human complement system activation in vitro. In this regard, it seems important to evaluate the effect of therapeutically promising arenicin analogues on complement activation. Here, we describe the complement-modulating activity of three such analogues, Ar-1[V8R], ALP1, and AA139. We found that the mode of action of Ar-1[V8R] and ALP1 on the complement was similar to that of natural arenicins, which can both activate and inhibit the complement, depending on the concentration. However, Ar-1[V8R] behaved predominantly as an inhibitor, showing only a moderate increase in C3a production in the alternative pathway model and no enhancement at all of the classical pathway of complement activation. In contrast, the action of ALP1 was characterized by a marked increase in the complement activation through the classical pathway in the concentration range of 2.5–20 μg/mL. At the same time, at higher concentrations (80–160 μg/mL), this peptide exhibited a complement inhibitory effect characteristic of the other arenicins. Peptide AA139, like other arenicins, exhibited an inhibitory effect on complement at a concentration of 160 μg/mL, but was much less pronounced. Overall, our results suggest that the effect on the complement system should be taken into account in the development of antibiotics based on arenicins.
Diagnostic Mock-Up as a Surgical Reduction Guide for Crown Lengthening: Technique Description and Case Report
Authors: Jurado Carlos A. , Parachuru Venkata , Villalobos Tinoco Jose , Guzman-Perez Gerardo , Tsujimoto Akimasa , Javvadi Ramya , Afrashtehfar Kelvin I.
Published: September 2022

Background and Objectives: The report describes a technique using a diagnostic mock-up as a crown-lengthening surgical guide to improve the gingival architecture. Materials and Methods: The patient’s primary concern was improving her smile due to her “gummy smile” and short clinical crowns. After clinical evaluation, surgical crown lengthening accompanied by maxillary central full-coverage single-unit prostheses and lateral incisor veneers was recommended. The diagnostic mock-up was placed in the patient’s maxillary anterior region and used as a soft tissue reduction guide for the gingivectomy. Once the planned gingival architecture was achieved, a flap was reflected to proceed with ostectomy in order to obtain an appropriate alveolar bone crest level using the overlay. After six months, all-ceramic crowns and porcelain veneers were provided as permanent restorations. Results: A diagnostic mock-up fabricated with a putty guide directly from the diagnostic wax-up can be an adequate surgical guide for crown-lengthening procedures. The diagnostic wax-up was used to fabricate the diagnostic mock-up. These results suggested that it can be used as a crown-lengthening surgical guide to modify the gingival architecture. Several advantages of the overlay used in the aesthetic complex case include: (1) providing a preview of potential restorative outcomes, (2) allowing for the appropriate positioning of gingival margins and the desired alveolar bone crest level for the crown-lengthening procedure, and (3) serving as a provisional restoration after surgery. Conclusions: The use of a diagnostic mock-up, which was based on a diagnostic wax-up, as the surgical guide resulted in successful crown lengthening and provisional restorations. Thus, a diagnostic overlay can be a viable option as a surgical guide for crown lengthening.
A Perspective: Challenges in Dementia Research
Authors: Stecker Mark
Published: September 2022

Although dementia is a common and devastating disease that has been studied intensely for more than 100 years, no effective disease modifying treatment has been found. At this impasse, new approaches are important. The purpose of this paper is to provide, in the context of current research, one clinician’s perspective regarding important challenges in the field in the form of specific challenges. These challenges not only illustrate the scope of the problems inherent in finding treatments for dementia, but can also be specific targets to foster discussion, criticism and new research. One common theme is the need to transform research activities from small projects in individual laboratories/clinics to larger multinational projects, in which each clinician and researcher works as an integral part. This transformation will require collaboration between researchers, large corporations, regulatory/governmental authorities and the general population, as well as significant financial investments. However, the costs of transforming the approach are small in comparison with the cost of dementia.
Cyclic Extrusion Compression Process for Achieving Ultrafine-Grained 5052 Aluminum Alloy with Eminent Strength and Wear Resistance
Authors: Wu Jianxin , Ebrahimi Mahmoud , Attarilar Shokouh , Gode Ceren , Zadshakoyan Mohammad
Published: September 2022

Previous studies have yet to show a consistent effect of severe plastic deformation (SPD) processing on the wear behavior of different metals and alloys. To fill this scientific gap, this study investigated the effect of the cyclic extrusion compression (CEC) process, as one of the prominent SPD techniques, on the wear behavior of AA5052. In addition, the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the sample before and after the process were experimentally examined and studied. It was found that the yield and ultimate tensile strength of the AA5052 improved significantly after the first pass, while the elongation-to-failure decreased considerably. Further, the subsequent passes mildly changed the trend of increasing strength and reducing elongation-to-failure. SEM morphology indicated that the ductile mode of the initial annealed alloy changed to a combination of ductile and brittle failure modes, in which the level of the brittle failure mode increased with the addition of passes. TEM observations showed that the grain refinement during the CEC process included the formation of dislocation cell structures, subgrain boundaries, and low-angle grain boundaries, with the subgrain boundaries initially evolving into low-angle grain boundaries and, eventually, due to the imposition of additional plastic strain, into high-angle grain boundaries. Furthermore, the CEC process and its increased number of passes led to a significant improvement in wear resistance due to the enhanced tensile strength achieved through grain refinement. In this regard, the wear mechanism of the initial alloy was a combination of adhesion and delamination, with the plastic deformation bands changing to plowing bands with decreased adhesive wear during the process. Eventually, oxidization was found to be a mechanism contributing to wear under all conditions.
Investigation on the Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior of TP2 Copper and Influence of BTA in Organic Acid Environment
Authors: Zhang Zhexu , Zheng Chuanbo , Yi Guo , Zhang Cheng , Qi Haoyu
Published: September 2022

In this work, the corrosion behavior of copper in a simulated organic acid environment containing formic acid and acetic acid was investigated by electrochemical testing and surface characterization. In addition to deducing the corrosion mechanism of copper in the organic acid corrosion environment, the corrosion inhibitor BTA was also used to slow down the corrosion of copper by organic acid. The results show that the corrosion rate of copper in the two groups of organic acids first decreases and then increases with the immersion time. Microelectrochemical (Scanning Vibrating Electrode Technique) results shows that the anodic peak of the sample is higher in formic acid. Formic acid is more corrosive. The corrosion products of red copper gradually increased in the two groups of organic acid atmospheres, and the final corrosion products were cuprous oxide, copper formate particles and copper acetate hydrate, respectively. When the concentration of BTA is 0.5 g/L, the electrochemical activity of TP2 copper is weakened, the surface of the sample is relatively smooth, there are no large corrosion pits, and the corrosion rate is reduced.
Rewired Metabolism of Amino Acids and Its Roles in Glioma Pathology
Authors: Chen Sirui , Jiang Jingjing , Shen Ao , Miao Ying , Cao Yunfeng , Zhang Ying , Cong Peiyu , Gao Peng
Published: September 2022

Amino acids (AAs) are indispensable building blocks of diverse bio-macromolecules as well as functional regulators for various metabolic processes. The fact that cancer cells live with a voracious appetite for specific AAs has been widely recognized. Glioma is one of the most lethal malignancies occurring in the central nervous system. The reprogrammed metabolism of AAs benefits glioma proliferation, signal transduction, epigenetic modification, and stress tolerance. Metabolic alteration of specific AAs also contributes to glioma immune escape and chemoresistance. For clinical consideration, fluctuations in the concentrations of AAs observed in specific body fluids provides opportunities to develop new diagnosis and prognosis markers. This review aimed at providing an extra dimension to understanding glioma pathology with respect to the rewired AA metabolism. A deep insight into the relevant fields will help to pave a new way for new therapeutic target identification and valuable biomarker development.
Sustained Drug Release from Smart Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Bai Xue , Smith Zara , Wang Yuheng , Butterworth Sam , Tirella Annalisa
Published: September 2022

Although nanomedicine has been highly investigated for cancer treatment over the past decades, only a few nanomedicines are currently approved and in the market; making this field poorly represented in clinical applications. Key research gaps that require optimization to successfully translate the use of nanomedicines have been identified, but not addressed; among these, the lack of control of the release pattern of therapeutics is the most important. To solve these issues with currently used nanomedicines (e.g., burst release, systemic release), different strategies for the design and manufacturing of nanomedicines allowing for better control over the therapeutic release, are currently being investigated. The inclusion of stimuli-responsive properties and prolonged drug release have been identified as effective approaches to include in nanomedicine, and are discussed in this paper. Recently, smart sustained release nanoparticles have been successfully designed to safely and efficiently deliver therapeutics with different kinetic profiles, making them promising for many drug delivery applications and in specific for cancer treatment. In this review, the state-of-the-art of smart sustained release nanoparticles is discussed, focusing on the design strategies and performances of polymeric nanotechnologies. A complete list of nanomedicines currently tested in clinical trials and approved nanomedicines for cancer treatment is presented, critically discussing advantages and limitations with respect to the newly developed nanotechnologies and manufacturing methods. By the presented discussion and the highlight of nanomedicine design criteria and current limitations, this review paper could be of high interest to identify key features for the design of release-controlled nanomedicine for cancer treatment.
Convective Heat and Mass Transport in Casson Fluid Flow in Curved Corrugated Cavity with Inclined Magnetic Field
Authors: Shah Imtiaz Ali , Bilal Sardar , Asjad Muhammad Imran , Tag-ElDin ElSayed M.
Published: September 2022

Convection in fluids produced by temperature and solute concentration differences is known as thermosolutal convection. It has valuable utilization in wide industrial and technological procedures such as electronic cooling, cleaning, and dying processes, oxidation of surface materials, storage components, heat exchangers, and thermal storage systems. In view of such prominent physical significance, focus is made to explicate double (thermal and solutal)-diffusive transport in viscoelastic fluid characterized by the Casson model enclosed in a curved enclosure with corrugations. An incliningly directed magnetic field is employed to the flow domain. A uniformly thermalized and concentrated circular cylinder is installed at the center of the enclosure to measure transport changes. Dimensionally balanced governing equations are formulated in 2D, representing governed phenomenon. Finite element-based open-sourced software known as COMSOL is utilized. The domain of the problem is distributed in the form of triangular and quadrilateral elements. Transport distributions are interpolated by linear and quadratic polynomials. The attained non-linear system is solved by a less time and computation cost consuming package known as PARDISO. Convergence tests for grid generation and validation of results are executed to assure credibility of work. The influence of involved physical parameters on concerned fields are revealed in graphical and tabular manner. Additionally, heat and mass fluxes, along with, kinetic energy variation are also evaluated.
A Case of Persistent Human Pegivirus Infection in Two Separate Pregnancies of a Woman
Authors: Garand Mathieu , Huang Susie S. Y. , Goessling Lisa S. , Santillan Donna A. , Santillan Mark K. , Brar Anoop , Wylie Todd N. , Wylie Kristine M. , Eghtesady Pirooz
Published: September 2022

Human pegivirus (HPgV) is best known for persistent, presumably non-pathogenic, infection and a propensity to co-infect with human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus. However, unique attributes, such as the increased risk of malignancy or immune modulation, have been recently recognized for HPgV. We have identified a unique case of a woman with high levels HPgV infection in two pregnancies, which occurred 4 years apart and without evidence of human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus infection. The second pregnancy was complicated by congenital heart disease. A high level of HPgV infection was detected in the maternal blood from different trimesters by RT-PCR and identified as HPgV type 1 genotype 2 in both pregnancies. In the second pregnancy, the decidua and intervillous tissue of the placenta were positive for HPgV by PCR but not the chorion or cord blood (from both pregnancies), suggesting no vertical transmission despite high levels of viremia. The HPgV genome sequence was remarkably conserved over the 4 years. Using VirScan, sera antibodies for HPgV were detected in the first trimester of both pregnancies. We observed the same anti-HPgV antibodies against the non-structural NS5 protein in both pregnancies, suggesting a similar non-E2 protein humoral immune response over time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of persistent HPgV infection involving placental tissues with no clear indication of vertical transmission. Our results reveal a more elaborate viral-host interaction than previously reported, expand our knowledge about tropism, and opens avenues for exploring the replication sites of this virus.
High Procalcitonin, C-Reactive Protein, and α-1 Acid Glycoprotein Levels in Whole Blood Samples Could Help Rapid Discrimination of Active Tuberculosis from Latent Tuberculosis Infection and Healthy Individuals
Authors: Kang Yun-Jeong , Park Heechul , Park Sung-Bae , Lee Jiyoung , Hyun Hyanglan , Jung Minju , Lee Eun Ju , Je Min-A , Kim Jungho , Lee Yong Sung , Kim Sunghyun
Published: September 2022

Tuberculosis (TB) management is important for prompt discrimination of latent TB infection (LTBI) from active TB and proper treatment. Whole blood Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assay (IGRA) is used to diagnose LTBI based on the secretion of IFN-γ by T-cells in the whole blood by using a specific antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, the ability of IGRA to distinguish active TB from LTBI is considerably limited. Distinguishing active TB from LTBI is necessary to identify indicators that can be used to effectively manage TB and develop diagnostic methods. In the present study, we used a Luminex multiplex bead array (a bead-based antibody–antigen sandwich method). The whole blood level of acute phase proteins (APPs), such as endoglin (ENG), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), in active TB, LTBI, and healthy individuals were analyzed and quantified. The APP test results for the serum and whole blood samples showed that the levels of PCT, CRP, and AGP were significantly increased (p < 0.0500; area under curve = 0.955) in active TB. The level of these markers in the whole blood of active TB, LTBI, and healthy individuals could provide data for effective diagnosis and treatment of TB.
Selenium Dissolution from Decopperized Anode Slimes in ClO−/OH− Media
Authors: Melo Evelyn , Hernández María-Cecilia , Benavente Oscar , Quezada Víctor
Published: September 2022

About 90% of selenium is obtained from treating copper anode slimes, which are a by-product of copper electrorefining. Selenium has been traditionally obtained by the pyrometallurgic treatment of anode slimes, which has been effective in recovery. However, in pyrometallurgical processes, there are increasingly strict environmental regulations. Hydrometallurgical treatments have been proposed to totally or partially replace conventional methods, some of which are in the developmental stage, while others are being used at the industrial scale. The selenium present in anode slimes is in the form of silver and copper selenides. This article proposes a hydrometallurgy alternative to recover selenium from decopperized anode slimes generated by a copper electrorefining plant in Chile by an alkaline-oxidizing leaching media (ClO−/OH−). The Taguchi experimental design was used to assess the effects of temperature, reagent concentration, and pH over time. The results indicated that the optimal selenium dissolution of 90% was achieved at pH 11.5, 45 °C, and 0.54 M of ClO−. According to the SEM/EDX characterization of the solid leaching residue, the undissolved percentage of selenium is due to the generation of a layer of AgCl around the selenium particles that hinders the effective diffusion of the reagent.
Rodingites in the Darbut Ophiolitic Mélange, West Junggar: New Insights into Rodingitization and Tectonic Evolution
Authors: Zhang Pan , Wang Guocan , Liu Huaguo , Li Feng
Published: September 2022

The Darbut ophiolitic mélange is located in the central West Junggar area, southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), and rodingites are widespread within serpentinized peridotites in the mélange. Here, we conducted field, structural, mineralogical, and geochemical investigations of the Darbut rodingites for the first time to constrain their metasomatic processes. Rodingites usually occur as strongly sheared blocks surrounded by chloritic blackwall, and their preferred axial surface orientations are subparallel to the serpentinite foliations. Based on the petrology and geochemistry of these metasomatic rocks, two stages of metasomatic processes, namely rodingitization and derodingitization, were recognized: (1) rodingitization of gabbroic protolith was characterized by the input of Ca and the release of Si, K, Na, and LILE; this stage was related to the diapiric emplacement of the Darbut ophiolitic mélange in the Late Carboniferous; and (2) derodingitization of rodingites led to the replacement of Ca-rich minerals by chlorite, accompanied by Mg increase, and depletions of Ca and REE; the derodingitization stage occurred under enhanced CO2/H2O ratio conditions and was likely associated with regional postcollision volcanism in the Early Permian. Hence, the rodingite in the Darbut ophiolitic mélange provides important fingerprints recording the tectonic evolution.
Magnetotelluric Regularized Inversion Based on the Multiplier Method
Authors: Feng Deshan , Su Xuan , Wang Xun , Ding Siyuan , Cao Cen , Liu Shuo , Lei Yi
Published: September 2022

Magnetotellurics (MT) is an important geophysical method for resource exploration and mineral evaluation. As a direct and effective form of data interpretation, MT inversion is usually considered to be a penalty-function constraint-based optimization strategy. However, conventional MT inversion involves a large number of calculations in penalty terms and causes difficulties in selecting exact regularization factors. For this reason, we propose a multiplier-based MT inversion scheme, which is implemented by introducing the incremental Lagrangian function. In this case, it can avoid the exact solution of the primal-dual subproblem in the penalty function and further reduce the sensitivity of the regularization factors, thus achieving the goal of improving the convergence efficiency and accelerating the optimization calculation of the inverse algorithm. In this study, two models were used to verify the performance of the multiplier method in the regularized MT inversion. The first experiment, with an undulating two-layer model of metal ore, verified that the multiplier method could effectively avoid the MT inversion falling into local minimal. The second experiment, with a wedge model, showed that the multiplier method has strong robustness, due to which it can expand the selection range and reduce the difficulty of the regularization factors. We tested the feasibility of the multiplier method in field data. We compared the results of the multiplier method with those of conventional inversion methods in order to verify the accuracy of the multiplier method.
Electrochemical Performance of a PVDF-HFP-LiClO4-Li6.4La3.0Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 Composite Solid Electrolyte at Different Temperatures
Authors: Liang Xinghua , Ning Yujuan , Lan Linxiao , Yang Guanhua , Li Minghua , Tang Shufang , Huang Jianling
Published: September 2022

The stability and wide temperature performance range of solid electrolytes are the keys to the development of high-energy density all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries. In this work, a PVDF-HFP-LiClO4-Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) composite solid electrolyte was prepared using the solution pouring method. The PVDF-HFP-LiClO4-LLZTO composite solid electrolyte shows excellent electrochemical performance in the temperature range of 30 to 60 °C. By assembling this electrolyte into the battery, the LiFePO4/PVDF-HFP-LiClO4-LLZTO/Li battery shows outstanding electrochemical performance in the temperature range of 30 to 60 °C. The ionic conductivity of the composite electrolyte membrane at 30 °C and 60 °C is 5.5 × 10−5 S cm−1 and 1.0 × 10−5 S cm−1, respectively. At a current density of 0.2 C, the LiFePO4/PVDF-HFP-LiClO4-LLZTO/Li battery shows a high initial specific discharge capacity of 133.3 and 167.2 mAh g−1 at 30 °C and 60 °C, respectively. After 50 cycles, the reversible electrochemical capacity of the battery is 121.5 and 154.6 mAh g−1 at 30 °C and 60 °C; the corresponding capacity retention rates are 91.2% and 92.5%, respectively. Therefore, this work provides an effective strategy for the design and preparation of solid-state lithium-ion batteries.