bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endocrine Aspects of ICU-Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Diamantopoulos Aristidis , Dimopoulou Ioanna , Mourelatos Panagiotis , Vassiliou Alice G , Vassiliadi Dimitra-Argyro , Kotanidou Anastasia , Ilias Ioannis
Published: October 2022

The unprecedented scale of the current SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has led to an extensive—yet fragmented—assessment of its endocrine repercussions; in many reports, the endocrine aspects of COVID-19 are lumped together in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and non-ICU patients. In this brief review, we aimed to present endocrine alterations in ICU-hospitalized patients with COVID-19. There are tangible endocrine disturbances that may provide fertile ground for COVID-19, such as preexisting diabetes. Other endocrine disturbances accompany the disease and more particularly its severe forms. Up to the time of writing, no isolated robust endocrine/hormonal biomarkers for the prognosis of COVID-19 have been presented. Among those which may be easily available are admission glycemia, thyroid hormones, and maybe (OH)25-vitamin D3. Their overlap among patients with severe and less severe forms of COVID-19 may be considerable, so their levels may be indicative only. We have shown that insulin-like growth factor 1 may have prognostic value, but this is not a routine measurement. Possibly, as our current knowledge is expanding, the inclusion of selected routine endocrine/hormonal measurements into artificial intelligence/machine learning models may provide further information.
Kinases and Phosphatases: The Challenge of a New Journal Entirely Focused on Post-Translational Modifications
Authors: Salvi Mauro
Published: October 2022

On behalf of all the Editorial Board members and the MDPI staff, I’m pleased to announce the publishing of the inaugural issue of the Kinases and Phosphatases journal [...]
The Constellation of Plans: Toward a New Structure of Comprehensive Plans in US Cities
Authors: Quattro Christine , Daniels Thomas
Published: October 2022

The comprehensive plan is a fundamental planning document to direct growth and change in land use in US cities. This paper investigates whether US cities are structuring comprehensive plans to resemble a ‘constellation’ of functional, special topic, and neighborhood subplans tied to a central guiding plan. A traditional comprehensive plan features a central plan with few, if any, subplans. We analyzed the comprehensive plans of 39 cities and identified 20 cities that are using the constellation structure with at least four subplans. We then evaluated the quality of the constellation-type plans and surveyed planners in 14 cities to understand how and why they are drafting and implementing constellation-type plans. The responses of planners illustrate how this approach to comprehensive planning allows cities to increase the size and number of functional and area subplans. The constellation structure enables land use planners to add new topics to the central plan in a timely manner leading to more effective land use planning as cities and environments change.
Influencing Factors and Measurement of “Willingness to Accept” Living with Alligators in a Nature Reserve: A Case Study in National Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve, China
Authors: Liu Yefei , Meng Gui , Wu Shuirong , Zhang Xufeng , Zhao Chengle , Yang Hongguo
Published: October 2022

The establishment of nature reserves is an important measure to protect the wild population of Chinese alligators. Due to the overlap of nature reserves and human living areas, there is a certain conflict between economic development and ecological protection. How to formulate a feasible eco-compensation scheme and accurately analyze the influencing factors of eco-compensation willingness is of great significance to alleviate the contradiction between local residents and Chinese alligators. In this study, the contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to measure and analyze the residents’ willingness to accept (WTA) at National Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve (NCANR) located in Anhui province, China. Furthermore, decision tree modeling and logistic regression were used to analyze the influencing factors of residents’ WTA in NCANR, which provides a new insight to the influencing factors of eco-compensation. The results indicate that: (1) 93% of the residents living in NCANR have a WTA compensation, and the amount of WTA is CNY 25,542 (USD 3659.36) per household per year; and (2) individual characteristics, ecological protection cognition and external impact affect the WTA, and external impact on local residents is the most important factor affecting WTA. Therefore, it is necessary to make differential compensation to ensure the fairness of eco-compensation. In addition, the propaganda of eco-compensation should be strengthened, and the boundary of NCANR needs to be further clarified. The sources of funds for eco-compensation are supposed to be broadened, and poverty alleviation can be combined with eco-compensation policies.
Modeling Heat Transfer through Permafrost Soil Subjected to Seasonal Freeze-Thaw
Authors: Lubini Tshumuka Alain , Krimi Abdelkader , Fuamba Musandji
Published: October 2022

The present paper proposes an iterative implicit numerical method for simulating the thaw depth of permafrost soil. For this purpose, the enthalpy-porosity model was used for the phase change process, and the finite difference scheme FTCS (Forward Time Centered Space) was used for discretization. An artificial mushy zone was maintained with the same thickness by keeping the regularization parameter proportional to the temperature gradient. In doing so, we made the scheme more stable and convergence occurred faster. The model accuracy was validated by comparing the numerical results with the analytical Stefan solution and with the results of a derived numerical model, based on an explicit scheme. The model performance was also tested against observation data collected on four different landscapes with different soil profiles and located on a basin underlain by continuous permafrost. It was found that the proposed model matched noticeably well the analytical solution for a volumetric liquid fraction (phi) equal to 0.5 regardless of the grid resolution. Furthermore, compared with the observation data, the model reproduced the annual maximum thaw depth with an absolute error lying between 0.7 and 7.7%. In addition, the designed algorithm allowed the model to converge after a maximum of eight iterations, reducing the computational time by around 75% compared to the explicit model. The results were so encouraging that the model can be included in a hydrological modeling of permafrost watersheds or cold regions in general.
Responses of NDVI to Climate Change and LUCC along Large-Scale Transportation Projects in Fragile Karst Areas, SW China
Authors: Wu Yangyang , Gu Lei , Li Siliang , Guo Chunzi , Yang Xiaodong , Xu Yue , Yue Fujun , Peng Haijun , Chen Yinchuan , Yang Jinli , Shi Zhenghua , Luo Guangjie
Published: October 2022

The fragile karst habitat is extremely sensitive to human activities such as large-scale engineering construction. To explore the influence of the construction and operation of the GH (Guiyang-Huangguoshu) highway on the vegetation within a certain range and the response of NDVI to climate factors, Landsat data were used to synthesize annual NDVI maps using the maximum value compositing method. Trend, correlation, and coefficient of variation analyses were performed. The results demonstrate that: (1) During the construction and operation periods, NDVI showed an overall upward trend, and the NDVI value and growth rate in the contrast area were greater than those in the core area; (2) the correlation between temperature and vegetation cover along the GH highway was stronger than that between precipitation and vegetation; (3) construction of the GH highway has had a significant impact on the surrounding vegetation, with the impact on vegetation ecology along the road mainly concentrated within the 2 km range. The increase of artificial surfaces along the road has had a great impact on the NDVI, and the vegetation cover change in the core area is more significant than that in the contrast area; and (4) the overall disturbance of the GH highway project to the surrounding ecology was mainly observed in the form of low and medium fluctuations. This study aims to provide a reference for environmental assessment and management in karst areas.
Analyzing Farmers’ Cultivated-Land-Abandonment Behavior: Integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and a Structural Equation Model
Authors: Chen Qianru
Published: October 2022

Based on the hypothesis of individual-bounded rationality, this study analyzes the mechanisms of farmers’ cultivated land abandonment behavior, theoretically and empirically, by integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and a structural equation model (SEM). On the basis of the TPB’s logical analysis framework of farmers’ abandonment behavior, combined with social psychology, behavioral economics, and a household behavior model, this study analyzes the influence of attitude on behavior, the subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on farmers’ abandonment actions, then verifies it via an SEM Model. The research shows that farmers’ abandonment behavior accords with the theory of planned behavior. Farmers’ recognition of the negative impacts of abandonment, the intervention of important other persons, and the obstacles encountered in the process of abandonment can effectively restrain farmers’ abandonment behavior. Finally, by considering the determinants for farmers’ abandonment decisions, this study proposes to curb abandonment practices through measures that include strengthening publicity about abandonment, creating a favorable atmosphere for farming, and improving tillage conditions.
Decreased Expression of Leptin among Patients with Shoulder Stiffness
Authors: Ko Jih-Yang , Chen Sung-Hsiung , Wu Re-Wen , Wu Kuan-Ting , Hsu Chieh-Cheng , Kuo Shu-Jui
Published: October 2022

Shoulder stiffness (SS) is a disease that is fibroblastic and inflammatory in nature. Leptin is an adipokine-mediating the fibroblastic and inflammatory processes of various diseases. Our study tried to investigate the role of leptin in SS pathogenesis. Subacromial bursa from stiff and non-stiff shoulders were obtained for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and immunoblotting. Subacromial fluid was obtained for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We showed that the expression level of leptin was lower in the subacromial bursae from the stiff shoulders in RT-PCR analysis (p < 0.001) and immunoblotting (p < 0.001). The concentration of leptin was also lower in the subacromial fluid derived from stiff shoulders. The leptin level in the subacromial fluid was positively associated with the constant score, total range of motion, flexion, abduction, and external rotation. The synovial fibroblasts derived from stiff shoulder-retrieved subacromial bursa were treated by 0, 1, and 3 μM leptin. Under RT-qPCR analysis, leptin was shown to dose-dependently decrease the transcription of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13, but without impact on IL-1β and IL-4 (p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.137, and p = 0.883 by ANOVA test, respectively). These results shed light on the role of leptin in orchestrating the disease processes of SS.
Maize Intercropping in the Traditional “Milpa” System. Physiological, Morphological, and Agronomical Parameters under Induced Warming: Evidence of related Effect of Climate Change in San Luis Potosí (Mexico)
Authors: Diédhiou Idrissa , Ramírez-Tobias Hugo M. , Fortanelli-Martinez Javier , Flores-Ramírez Rogelio
Published: October 2022

Warmer temperatures predicted as a result of climate change will have an impact on milpa. An experiment was carried out with induced passive heat with the objective of simulating the increase in temperature on the physiological, morphological, and yield parameters of milpa from different climates of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Two different environments, Open-top chambers (OTC) and control, and three milpas, from warm–dry, temperate, and hot and humid climates, were studied. A total of 12 experimental units of 13.13 m2 were used in the random design, with a factorial arrangement of 2 × 3 and two replications. Abiotic variables (minimum, maximum, and mean daily temperatures and accumulated heat units) were determined and compared between the two environments and confirmed that the OTC increased the abiotic variables. The growth and development parameters increased under the warming effect. Furthermore, the milpa from hot and humid climate was the least affected. In contrast, the warming considerably delayed yield parameters. The squash suffered the most, while the bean benefited the most. The warming affected the chlorophyll fluorescence and gas exchange differently for each crop. However, at an early stage, the maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) and non-photochemical quenching (qN) for bean and maize were reduced, while at a late stage, they were Fv/Fm, photochemical quenching (qP), and qN for maize; stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of the squash were improved under the warming treatments. In conclusion, the warming delayed the yield and photosynthetic parameters, while growth and development benefited. The milpa systems were differently affected by warming.
Monotonic and Creep Studies on the Pull-Through Resistance of Laminated Glass with Locally Embedded Steel Mesh
Authors: Kozłowski Marcin , Wasik Dominik , Zemła Kinga
Published: October 2022

The paper deals with the phenomenon of post-breakage capacity in point-fixed laminated glass elements and reports the results of an ongoing research project aimed at developing a reinforced point-fixed laminated glass element with locally embedded steel mesh and increased post-breakage capacity. The work involved monotonic and creep studies on the pull-through resistance in a custom-made experimental setup. A total of 12 test series and 48 specimens were tested, including reference and reinforced samples. In the monotonic loading experiment, the load increase after the initial glass breakage was observed for all specimens. However, the reinforced specimens with embedded steel mesh showed significantly improved post-breakage capacity. It was found that the local reinforcement in the direct vicinity of the hole in the glass increased the post-breakage strength by 46.3%, 102.6%, and 156.2% for reinforcement diameters of 75 mm, 110 mm, and 150 mm, respectively. Moreover, the creep study found that the reinforcement significantly increased the time to failure.
Sliding Friction and Wear Characteristics of Wire Rope Contact with Sheave under Long-Distance Transmission Conditions
Authors: Chang Xiangdong , Peng Yuxing , Zhu Zhencai , Lu Hao , Tang Wei , Zhang Xing
Published: October 2022

Wire rope has different degrees of surface wear under long-distance transmission conditions, which leads to performance degradation and greatly threatens its safety and reliability in service. In this paper, friction and wear tests between the transmission wire rope and sheave under different sliding velocities (from 0.8 m/s to 1.6 m/s) were carried out using a homemade test rig. The material of the steel wires was low carbon steel, and pulley material was ASTM A36 steel plate. The sliding friction coefficient (COF), friction temperature rise, wear characteristic parameters and wear mechanisms of the wire rope were analyzed. Additionally, the effect of different wear on the fracture behavior of the wire rope was investigated by a breaking tensile test. The results show that the average COF in the relatively stable stage decreased from approximately 0.58 to 0.51 with the increase of sliding velocity. The temperature rise of the wire rope increased rapidly with an increase of sliding velocity, from approximately 52.7 °C to 116.2 °C. The maximum wear width was the smallest when the sliding velocity was 1.2 m/s (approximately 1.5 mm). The surface wear was characterized by spalling, furrowing and plastic deformation, which are strongly affected by the sliding velocity. The wear mechanisms of the wire rope were mainly adhesive wear and abrasive wear. Surface wear changes the fracture morphology of the wire rope and accelerates its fracture speed.
A Forward Identification Method for High-Temperature Stress–Strain Curves of 7075 Aluminum Alloy Sheet Considering the Necking Stage
Authors: Yao Dan , Duan Yongchuan , Guan Yingping , Pu Shilong
Published: October 2022

The necking phenomenon of metal sheet under high temperatures is serious and continues over a longer duration. It is difficult to describe the high-temperature mechanical properties of materials only on the basis of hardening behavior before necking. To obtain the high-temperature stress–strain curve considering diffuse necking stage, a forward identification method based on strain measurement is proposed in this study. Here, the strain field of the minimum cross-section in the necking region of the specimen is obtained using a DIC (digital image correlation) measurement technique, and the average axial true stress–strain curve is calculated. Then, the average axial true stress–strain curve is modified using the modified Bridgeman formula. Taking 7075 aluminum alloy as an example, the high temperature equivalent stress–strain curve considering the diffuse necking stage is obtained. Compared with the traditional method, the maximum effective strain range is expanded from 0.05 to 0.8 due to the consideration of the necking stage. The obtained curve is characterized by a coupled viscoplastic–damage constitutive model and embedded in ABAQUS through the user subroutine VUMAT to simulate the hot tensile process. The relative error of force–displacement between the simulation and the experiment was 2.4%, validating the ability of the presented method. This study provides theoretical guidance and a scientific basis for the application and forming control of hot stamping processes.
Mechanical Properties, Crystallization Behaviors and Phase Morphologies of PLA/GTR Blends by Reactive Compatibilization
Authors: Shen Hongwang , Hu Yongxiang , Lin Zhitao , Meng Fantao , Ju Guannan
Published: October 2022

Different ratios of Polylactic acid/Ground tire rubber (PLA/GTR) were prepared by melt blending and adding dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as a reactive compatibilizer. The compatibilizer could initiate a reaction between PLA and GTR to increase the compatibility and interfacial adhesion of the two phases, as indicated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Adding the compatibilizer significantly improved the impact strength of the PLA/GTR blends without compromising the tensile strength. The elongation at the break and notched Izod impact strength of the blend increased by 61.8% and 150%, respectively, but there was only a 4.1% decline in tensile strength compared with the neat PLA. The plastic deformation on the impact fractured surface showed that the improvement of toughness could be attributed to the compatibilization initiated by DCP. Therefore, the improvement of the interfacial adhesion and compatibility of the two phases induced a brittle–ductile transition that occurred in the failure of blends. Moreover, the crystallinity of blends reached 40.5% without a further annealing treatment, which was nearly 24 times of the neat PLA, and the crystallization rate was enhanced simultaneously. These exciting findings suggest that compatibilization can provide a promising avenue for fabricating GTR-toughened PLA blends with balanced stiffness–toughness.
The Influence of Surface Modification with Biopolymers on the Structure of Melt-Blown and Spun-Bonded Poly(lactic acid) Nonwovens
Authors: Pabjańczyk-Wlazło Ewelina K. , Puszkarz Adam K. , Bednarowicz Anna , Tarzyńska Nina , Sztajnowski Sławomir
Published: October 2022

The article presents the continuation of the research on modification of fibrous carriers based on poly(lactic acid) using the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method by the two types of biocompatible polymers—sodium hyaluronate and sodium alginate. Such modified nonwovens, differing in the structural parameters due to different manufacturing methods, could be potentially used in different biomedical applications. The results of the analysis indicate that the EPD process significantly changes the structural characteristics of the carrier in terms of thickness and porosity, which not always can be beneficial in terms of the final application. The varying structure of both carriers significantly influences the mode of deposition of the layer, the efficiency of the deposition process as well as the structural characteristics of the carrier after deposition. Microtomographic and SEM studies were employed to analyze the structure of deposits, and FTIR analysis allowed for confirmation of the occurrence of the polymer layers and its chemical structure.
A Versatile and Efficient Novel Approach for Mendelian Randomization Analysis with Application to Assess the Causal Effect of Fetal Hemoglobin on Anemia in Sickle Cell Anemia
Authors: Liyanage Janaka S. S. , Estepp Jeremie H. , Srivastava Kumar , Rashkin Sara R. , Sheehan Vivien A. , Hankins Jane S. , Takemoto Clifford M. , Li Yun , Cui Yuehua , Mori Motomi , Burgess Stephen , DeBaun Michael R. , Kang Guolian
Published: October 2022

Mendelian randomization (MR) is increasingly employed as a technique to assess the causation of a risk factor on an outcome using observational data. The two-stage least-squares (2SLS) procedure is commonly used to examine the causation using genetic variants as the instrument variables. The validity of 2SLS relies on a representative sample randomly selected from a study cohort or a population for genome-wide association study (GWAS), which is not always true in practice. For example, the extreme phenotype sequencing (EPS) design is widely used to investigate genetic determinants of an outcome in GWAS as it bears many advantages such as efficiency, low sequencing or genotyping cost, and large power in detecting the involvement of rare genetic variants in disease etiology. In this paper, we develop a novel, versatile, and efficient approach, namely MR analysis under Extreme or random Phenotype Sampling (MREPS), for one-sample MR analysis based on samples drawn through either the random sampling design or the nonrandom EPS design. In simulations, MREPS provides unbiased estimates for causal effects, correct type I errors for causal effect testing. Furthermore, it is robust under different study designs and has high power. These results demonstrate the superiority of MREPS over the widely used standard 2SLS approach. We applied MREPS to assess and highlight the causal effect of total fetal hemoglobin on anemia risk in patients with sickle cell anemia using two independent cohort studies. A user-friendly Shiny app web interface was implemented for professionals to easily explore the MREPS.
Automorphisms and Definability (of Reducts) for Upward Complete Structures
Authors: Semenov Alexei , Soprunov Sergei
Published: October 2022

The Svenonius theorem establishes the correspondence between definability of relations in a countable structure and automorphism groups of these relations in extensions of the structure. This may help in finding a description of the lattice constituted by all definability spaces (reducts) of the original structure. Results on definability lattices were previously obtained only for ω-categorical structures with finite signature. In our work, we introduce the concept of an upward complete structure and define the upward completion of a structure. For upward complete structures, the Galois correspondence between definability lattice and the lattice of closed supergroups of the automorphism group of the structure is an anti-isomorphism. We describe the natural class of structures which have upward completion, we call them discretely homogeneous graphs, present the explicit construction of their completion and automorphism groups of completions. We establish the general localness property of discretely homogeneous graphs and present examples of completable structures and their completions.
Application of Mixed Generalized Quasi-Einstein Spacetimes in General Relativity
Authors: Vasiulla Mohd , Haseeb Abdul , Mofarreh Fatemah , Ali Mohabbat
Published: October 2022

In the present article, some geometric and physical properties of MG(QE)n were investigated. Moreover, general relativistic viscous fluid MG(QE)4 spacetimes with some physical applications were studied. Finally, through a non-trivial example of MG(QE)4 spacetime, we proved its existence.
Model Fusion from Unauthorized Clients in Federated Learning
Authors: Li Boyuan , Chen Shengbo , Yu Keping
Published: October 2022

A key feature of federated learning (FL) is that not all clients participate in every communication epoch of each global model update. The rationality for such partial client selection is largely to reduce the communication overhead. However, in many cases, the unselected clients are still able to compute their local model updates, but are not “authorized” to upload the updates in this round, which is a waste of computation capacity. In this work, we propose an algorithm FedUmf—Federated Learning with Unauthorized Model Fusion that utilizes the model updates from the unselected clients. More specifically, a client computes the stochastic gradient descent (SGD) even if it is not selected to upload in the current communication epoch. Then, if this client is selected in the next round, it non-trivially merges the outdated SGD stored in the previous round with the current global model before it starts to compute the new local model. A rigorous convergence analysis is established for FedUmf, which shows a faster convergence rate than the vanilla FedAvg. Comprehensive numerical experiments on several standard classification tasks demonstrate its advantages, which corroborate the theoretical results.
New Class of Preinvex Fuzzy Mappings and Related Inequalities
Authors: Khan Muhammad , Santos-García Gustavo , Noor Muhammad , Soliman Mohamed
Published: October 2022

This study aims to consider new kinds of generalized convex fuzzy mappings (convex-
Analysis of Innovation Drivers of New and Old Kinetic Energy Conversion Using a Hybrid Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making Model in the Post-COVID-19 Era: A Chinese Case
Authors: Tseng Chun-Chieh , Zeng Jun-Yi , Hsieh Min-Liang , Hsu Chih-Hung
Published: October 2022

To overcome the continuous decline in its gross domestic product growth rate, China has advocated new and old kinetic energy conversion (NOKEC) as a policy for sustainable economic development in the post-COVID-19 era. The innovation drivers of NOKEC are the key to promoting sustainable economic development. However, the innovation drivers have various orientations, and their selection requires multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM). This study proposes a modified Delphi method combined with the best–worst method (BWM) as a research framework for selecting and ranking innovation drivers. Our results show the validity of this integrated research framework on a case based in China in the post-COVID-19 era. The results reveal 21 innovation-driven factors of NOKEC with varying levels of relative importance. These results may provide a basis for policymakers and researchers with a useful further understanding of the importance and prioritizing of innovation drivers. In this study, BWM uses 4% fewer pairwise comparisons than AHP, and the consistency ratio is in the range of 0.00 to 0.24.
Stochastic Analysis of a Hantavirus Infection Model
Authors: Alnafisah Yousef , El-Shahed Moustafa
Published: October 2022

In this paper, a stochastic Hantavirus infection model is constructed. The existence, uniqueness, and boundedness of the positive solution of the stochastic Hantavirus infection model are derived. The conditions for the extinction of the Hantavirus infection from the stochastic system are obtained. Furthermore, the criteria for the presence of a unique ergodic stationary distribution for the Hantavirus infection model are established using a suitable Lyapunov function. Finally, the importance of environmental noise in the Hantavirus infection model is illustrated using the Milstein method.
Stability Analysis on the Moon’s Rotation in a Perturbed Binary Asteroid
Authors: Gao Yunfeng , Cheng Bin , Yu Yang , Lv Jing , Baoyin Hexi
Published: October 2022

Numerical calculation provides essential tools for deep space exploration, which are indispensable to mission design and planetary research. In a specific case of binary asteroid defense such as the DART mission, an accurate understanding of the possible dynamical responses and the system’s stability and engineers’ prerequisite. In this paper, we discuss the numeric techniques for tracking the year-long motion of the secondary after being perturbed, based upon which its rotational stability is analyzed. For long-term simulations, we compared the performances of several integrating schemes in the scenario of a post-impact full two-body system, including low- and high-order Runge–Kutta methods, and a symplectic integrator that combines the finite element method with a symplectic integral format. For rotational stability analysis of the secondary, we focus on the rotation of the secondary around its long-axis. We calculated a linearised error propagation matrix and found that, in the case of tidal locking of the secondary to the primary, the rotation is stable; as the perturbation amplitude of the spin angular velocity of the secondary increases, the rotation will lose stability and will be prone to being unstable in the long-axis direction of the secondary. Furthermore, we investigated the one-year-long influences of the non-spherical perturbations of the primary and the secondary.
Applications of the Delay Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (DSSA) in Mathematical Epidemiology
Authors: Bai Fan
Published: October 2022

The calculation of the probability of a minor outbreak is crucial in analyzing a stochastic epidemic model. For stochastic epidemic models with fixed delays, the linear chain trick is applied to transform the delayed models into a family of ODE models with increasing shape parameters. We then prove that the well-established results on the probability of a minor outbreak for continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) epidemic models also hold for the stochastic epidemic models with fixed delays. All theoretical results are verified by numerical simulations implemented by the delay stochastic simulation algorithm (DSSA) in Python. It is shown that DSSA is able to generate exact realizations for underlying delayed models in the context of mathematical epidemiology, and therefore, provides insights into the effect of delays during the outbreak phases of epidemics.
Progressive Iterative Approximation of Non-Uniform Cubic B-Spline Curves and Surfaces via Successive Over-Relaxation Iteration
Authors: Shou Huahao , Hu Liangchen , Fang Shiaofen
Published: October 2022

Geometric iteration (GI) is one of the most efficient curve- or surface-fitting techniques in recent years, which is famous for its remarkable geometric significance. In essence, GI can be thought of as the sum of iterative methods for solving systems of linear equations, such as progressive iterative approximation (PIA) which relies on the theory of Richardson iteration. Thus, when the curve- or surface-fitting error is at a desired level, we want to have as few iterations as possible to improve efficiency when dealing with large data sets. Based on the idea of successive over-relaxation (SOR) iteration, we formulate a faster PIA curve and surface interpolation scheme using classical non-uniform cubic B-splines, named SOR-PIA. The genetic algorithm is utilized to estimate the best approximate relaxation factor of SOR-PIA. Similar to standard PIA, SOR-PIA can also be regarded as a process in which the control points move in one direction, but it can greatly reduce the number of iterations in the iterative process with the same fitting accuracy. By comparing with the standard PIA and WPIA algorithms, the effectiveness of the SOR-PIA iterative interpolation algorithm can be verified.
Characterization of Heterogeneous Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Q345R Welded Joints including Roles of the Welding Process
Authors: He Qingkun , Hu Xiaodong , Sun Qitong , Dong Zhilong , Xie Xuefang , Wang Han
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the roles of the welding process on the heterogeneous microstructure and mechanical properties of Q345R welded joints were analyzed by a series of tests, including the preparation of welded joints with different welding processes, optical microscope observation, uniaxial tensile tests, and hardness and impact measurements. The experimental results show that with the increase in welding heat input, the content of pre-eutectoid ferrite and the size of the Weidner structure increased, while the hardness and the impact absorption energy of the weld zone decreased gradually. With the increase in heat input, the volume proportion of eutectoid ferrite in the weld increased from 9.90% to 18.78%; the volume proportion of acicular ferrite decreased from 85.10% to 76.21%. With the decrease in heat input, the volume proportion of eutectoid ferrite decreased from 10.58% to 1.45%, and the volume proportion of acicular ferrite increased from 84.21% to 92.74%. Under the influence of the second welding heat, the first weld zone, the fusion zone and part of the heat-affected zone were re-austenitizing, and the distribution of ferrite and pearlite was more uniform. The hardness value of the former weld was lower than that of the second weld, and the distribution was more uniform. The maximum hardness value of the second weld zone and its corresponding heat-affected zone increased with the increase in depth. The distribution of the yield strength and the tensile strength of welded joints was similar to that of hardness.
Design and High-Resolution Analysis of an Efficient Periodic Split-and-Recombination Microfluidic Mixer
Authors: Zhang Xiannian , Qian Zhenwei , Jiang Mengcheng , Li Wentao , Huang Yanyi , Men Yongfan
Published: October 2022

We developed a highly efficient passive mixing device based on a split-and-recombine (SAR) configuration. This micromixer was constructed by simply bonding two identical microfluidic periodical open-trench patterns face to face. The structure parameters of periodical units were optimized through numerical simulation to facilitate the mixing efficiency. Despite the simplicity in design and fabrication, it provided rapid mixing performance in both experiment and simulation conditions. To better illustrate the mixing mechanism, we developed a novel scheme to achieve high-resolution confocal imaging of serial channel cross-sections to accurately characterize the mixing details and performance after each SAR cycle. Using fluorescent IgG as an indicator, nearly complete mixing was achieved using only four SAR cycles in an aqueous solution within a device’s length of less than 10 mm for fluids with a Péclet number up to 8.7 × 104. Trajectory analysis revealed that each SAR cycle transforms the input fluids using three synergetic effects: rotation, combination, and stretching to increase the interfaces exponentially. Furthermore, we identified that the pressure gradients in the parallel plane of the curved channel induced vertical convection, which is believed to be the driving force underlying these effects to accelerate the mixing process.
Study and Implementation of a High-Quality True Sine Wave DC-to-AC Inverter for Solar Power Generation Systems
Authors: Chang En-Chih , Wu Rong-Ching , Chang Heidi H. , Cheng Chun-An
Published: October 2022

True sine wave DC-to-AC inverters are becoming more and more important in solar power generation in order to raise the system’s efficiency. A high-quality true sine wave DC-to-AC inverter can be built with a robust intelligent control method. This robust intelligent control method is comprised of improved sliding mode reaching law (ISMRL) and particle swarm optimization (PSO)—catfish effect (CE). The sliding mode reaching law is robust and insensitive to parameter variations and external disturbances. However, it has infinite system-state convergence times and steady-state errors. In addition, solar panels are often affected by partial shading, causing the output power–voltage characteristic curve to be multi-peaked. Such a situation causes misjudgment of the maximum power point tracking with conventional algorithms, which can neither obtain the global extremes nor establish high conversion efficiency. Therefore, this paper proposes an ISMRL based on PSO-CE applied to the tracking of maximum power in the case of partial shading of a solar power generation system. The ISMRL guarantees quick terminable time convergence, making it well-suited for digital implementation. In this paper, PSO-CE is used to find the global best solution of ISMRL, rejecting steady-state errors, slow convergence, and premature trapping in local optimums. Simulation and experimental results are verified using digital implementation based on a Texas Instruments digital signal processor to produce more accurate and better tracking control of true sine wave DC-to-AC inverter-based solar power generation systems.
Development of High-Cell-Density Tissue Method for Compressed Modular Bioactuator
Authors: Nomura Takuto , Takeuchi Masaru , Kim Eunhye , Huang Qiang , Hasegawa Yasuhisa , Fukuda Toshio
Published: October 2022

Bioactuators have been developed in many studies in the recent decade for actuators of micro-biorobots. However, bioactuators have not shown the same power as animal muscles. Centrifugal force was used in this study to increase the cell density of cultured muscle cells that make up the bioactuator. The effect of the centrifugal force on cells in the matrix gel before curing was investigated, and the optimal centrifugal force was identified to be around 450× g. The compressed modular bioactuator (C-MBA) fabricated in this study exhibited 1.71 times higher cell density than the conventional method. In addition, the contractile force per unit cross-sectional area was 1.88 times higher. The proposed method will contribute to new bioactuators with the same power as living muscles in animals.
Paracoccidioides lutzii Formamidase Contributes to Fungal Survival in Macrophages
Authors: Silva Lana O’Hara Souza , Moreira Thalison Rodrigues , Gonçales Relber Aguiar , Tomazett Mariana Vieira , Parente-Rocha Juliana Alves , Mattos Karine , Paccez Juliano Domiraci , Ruiz Orville Hernandez , Pereira Maristela , Soares Célia Maria de Almeida , Weber Simone Schneider , Cruz-Leite Vanessa Rafaela Milhomem , Borges Clayton Luiz
Published: October 2022

Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for microorganisms that compose essential biomolecules. However, hosts limit this nutrient as a strategy to counter infections, therefore, pathogens use adaptive mechanisms to uptake nitrogen from alternative sources. In fungi, nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) activates transcription factors to acquire nitrogen from alternative sources when preferential sources are absent. Formamidase has been related to nitrogen depletion in Aspergillus nidulans through formamide degradation to use the released ammonia as a nitrogen source. In Paracoccidioides spp., formamidase is highly expressed in transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. Here, we aim to investigate the importance of formamidase to Paracoccidioides lutzii. Thereby, we developed a P. lutzii silenced strain of fmd gene (AsFmd) by antisense RNA technology using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT). The AsFmd strain led to increased urease expression, an enzyme related to nitrogen assimilation in other fungi, suggesting that P. lutzii might explore urease as an alternative route for ammonia metabolism as a nitrogen source. Moreover, formamidase was important for fungal survival inside macrophages, as fungal recovery after macrophage infection was lower in AsFmd compared to wild-type (WT) strain. Our findings suggest potential alternatives of nitrogen acquisition regulation in P. lutzii, evidencing formamidase influence in fungal virulence.
Screening of Circulation of Usutu and West Nile Viruses: A One Health Approach in Humans, Domestic Animals and Mosquitoes in Burkina Faso, West Africa
Authors: Tinto Bachirou , Kaboré Didier Patinde Alexandre , Kagoné Thérèse Samdapawindé , Constant Orianne , Barthelemy Jonathan , Kiba-Koumaré Alice , Van de Perre Philippe , Dabiré Roch Kounbobr , Baldet Thierry , Gutierrez Serafin , Gil Patricia , Kania Dramane , Simonin Yannick
Published: October 2022

Usutu virus (USUV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are phylogenetically closely related arboviruses. These viruses mainly follow an enzootic cycle involving mosquitoes and birds, but they occasionally infect humans and other mammals, inducing neurotropic disorders. Since the discovery of USUV, only two human cases have been reported in Africa, including one in Burkina Faso in 2004. Since then, no studies have been conducted to measure the extent of the circulation of this virus in Burkina Faso, and no study regarding the circulation of WNV has been conducted. Our study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of USUV and WNV in blood donations and in animals (horses, dogs, chickens and pigeons) and to perform molecular screening in patients with febrile fever and in Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The prevalence of USUV and WNV was studied by serological (ELISA and microneutralization tests) and molecular analyses (RT-qPCR) of mosquito, dog, domestic bird, horse, and human samples in Burkina Faso between 2019 and 2021. We detected a very active transmission of both viruses in Burkina Faso. WNV and USUV seroprevalence is particularly high in humans (19.16% and 14.17%, respectively) and horses (17.28% and 6.17%). Molecular screening did not detect WNV or USUV in the mosquito or human samples tested. Our study shows an active spread of USUV and WNV in Burkina Faso, especially for WNV. This study highlights the value of developing surveillance programs to better prevent, detect, and alert people to USUV and WNV circulation in both primary and incidental hosts.
Mineralogical Characteristics of Biotite and Chlorite in Zuluhong Polymetallic Deposit: Implications for Petrogenesis and Paragenesis Mechanisms of the Tungsten and Copper
Authors: Cao Rui , Chen De-Fan , Gu Hao-Dong , Chen Bin , Yan Sheng-Chao
Published: October 2022

The Zuluhong quartz-vein-type polymetallic deposit, located in the Alatau area of Western Tianshan, China, is a particular and typical tungsten deposit associated with copper. This paper presents major and trace element analyses of magmatic and altered (i.e, chloritized) biotite from the deposit, in order to identify the source of the magmas and characterize the mineralization physical-chemical condition. Magmatic biotite is Fe-rich and has high Rb/Ba ratios (0.27–9.14), indicative of extensive differentiation of granite. Moreover, magmatic biotite has total rare earth element (∑REE) contents that are 5–10% of the whole-rock contents, shows slight light REE depletion, and negative Ce anomalies. Magmatic biotite is enriched in some large-ion lithophile elements (LILE; e.g., Rb and K) and depleted in some high-field-strength elements (HFSE; e.g., Th and Nb). These geochemical features, coupled with geological evidence, indicate that the Zuluhong intrusion is a highly fractionated I-type granite derived from lower crustal melting. During ore formation, magmatic biotite was partially to totally altered to chlorite due to interaction with ore-forming fluids. The temperature and oxygen fugacity decreased during alteration. The mineralization in the Zuluhong polymetallic deposit can be divided into at least two stages. In the early stage, quartz-vein-type wolframite mineralization formed from Si- and volatile-rich fluids that were derived from fractionated granitic magma. In the later stage, W–Cu ores formed as metal sulfides were dominated by chalcopyrite. The later ore-forming fluids experienced a decrease in temperature and oxygen fugacity as they reacted (i.e, chloritization and lesser silicification) with reducing wall rocks around the contact zone of the intrusion.
The Role UX Design Attributes Play in the Perceived Persuasiveness of Contact Tracing Apps
Authors: Oyibo Kiemute , Morita Plinio Pelegrini
Published: October 2022

Contact tracing apps (CTAs) were deployed worldwide in 2020 to combat COVID-19. Due to their low uptake, a growing amount of empirical research is being conducted to understand the factors that drive their adoption. For CTAs to be adopted, users must, first and foremost, find them persuasive. However, there is little research to understand the role user experience (UX) plays in their perceived persuasiveness. Consequently, we conducted an online study on Amazon Mechanical Turk among Canadian and American residents (n = 446) to investigate the most important UX design attributes associated with the perceived persuasiveness of CTAs. The study was based on two app designs (control and persuasive), each of which comprises three use cases: no exposure, exposure, and diagnosis report interfaces. One interface (screenshot) was randomly presented to a participant to view and provide their responses on the perceived UX design attributes and perceived persuasiveness of the interface. In the overall model, we found that perceived usefulness is the most important and consistent UX design attribute that influences perceived persuasiveness (β = 0.29, p < 0.001), followed by perceived trustworthiness (β = 0.24, p < 0.001) and perceived privacy protection (β = 0.16, p < 0.05). Respectively, the three predictors were consistently significant in two-thirds, half, and one-third of the 12 submodels based on app design, adoption status, and country of residence. The relationships regarding the persuasive designs are more likely to be significant, with the variance of the target construct explained by the predictors ranging from 71% to 89% compared with 54% to 69% for the control designs. The three significant attributes will help designers know which UX design attributes to focus on when designing CTAs for future epidemics. More importantly, in predictive modeling, if their ratings are known, they hold potential in predicting new users’ responsiveness to multiple persuasive strategies/messages featured in behavior-change support systems.
Participatory Design of Sonification Development for Learning about Molecular Structures in Virtual Reality
Authors: Garcia-Ruiz Miguel , Santana-Mancilla Pedro Cesar , Gaytan-Lugo Laura Sanely , Iniguez-Carrillo Adriana
Published: October 2022

Background: Chemistry and biology students often have difficulty understanding molecular structures. Sonification (the rendition of data into non-speech sounds that convey information) can be used to support molecular understanding by complementing scientific visualization. A proper sonification design is important for its effective educational use. This paper describes a participatory design (PD) approach to designing and developing the sonification of a molecular structure model to be used in an educational setting. Methods: Biology, music, and computer science students and specialists designed a sonification of a model of an insulin molecule, following Spinuzzi’s PD methodology and involving evolutionary prototyping. The sonification was developed using open-source software tools used in digital music composition. Results and Conclusions: We tested our sonification played on a virtual reality headset with 15 computer science students. Questionnaire and observational results showed that multidisciplinary PD was useful and effective for developing an educational scientific sonification. PD allowed for speeding up and improving our sonification design and development. Making a usable (effective, efficient, and pleasant to use) sonification of molecular information requires the multidisciplinary participation of people with music, computer science, and molecular biology backgrounds.