bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radial Glia and Neuronal-like Ependymal Cells Are Present within the Spinal Cord of the Trunk (Body) in the Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Authors: Donato Sarah V. , Vickaryous Matthew K.
Published: June 2022

As is the case for many lizards, leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) can self-detach a portion of their tail to escape predation, and then regenerate a replacement complete with a spinal cord. Previous research has shown that endogenous populations of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) reside within the spinal cord of the original tail. In response to tail loss, these NSPCs are activated and contribute to regeneration. Here, we investigate whether similar populations of NSPCs are found within the spinal cord of the trunk (body). Using a long-duration 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine pulse-chase experiment, we determined that a population of cells within the ependymal layer are label-retaining following a 20-week chase. Tail loss does not significantly alter rates of ependymal cell proliferation within the trunk spinal cord. Ependymal cells of the trunk spinal cord express SOX2 and represent at least two distinct cell populations: radial glial-like (glial fibrillary acidic protein- and Vimentin-expressing) cells; and neuronal-like (HuCD-expressing) cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate that NSPCs of the trunk spinal cord closely resemble those of the tail and support the use of the tail spinal cord as a less invasive proxy for body spinal cord injury investigations.
A Parametric Study of Flushing Conditions for Improvement of Angioscopy Visibility
Authors: Mitsuzuka Kohei , Li Yujie , Nakayama Toshio , Anzai Hitomi , Goanno Daisuke , Tupin Simon , Zhang Mingzi , Wang Haoran , Horie Kazunori , Ohta Makoto
Published: June 2022

During an angioscopy operation, a transparent liquid called dextran is sprayed out from a catheter to flush the blood away from the space between the camera and target. Medical doctors usually inject dextran at a constant flow rate. However, they often cannot obtain clear angioscopy visibility because the flushing out of the blood is insufficient. Good flushing conditions producing clear angioscopy visibility will increase the rate of success of angioscopy operations. This study aimed to determine a way to improve the clarity for angioscopy under different values for the parameters of the injection waveform, endoscope position, and catheter angle. We also determined the effect of a stepwise waveform for injecting the dextran only during systole while synchronizing the waveform to the cardiac cycle. To evaluate the visibility of the blood-vessel walls, we performed a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and calculated the visible area ratio (VAR), representing the ratio of the visible wall area to the total area of the wall at each point in time. Additionally, the normalized integration of the VAR called the area ratio (ARVAR) represents the ratio of the visible wall area as a function of the dextran injection period. The results demonstrate that the ARVAR with a stepped waveform, bottom endoscope, and three-degree-angle catheter results in the highest visibility, around 25 times larger than that under the control conditions: a constant waveform, a center endoscope, and 0 degrees. This set of conditions can improve angioscopy visibility.
Self-Crosslinkable Oxidized Alginate-Carboxymethyl Chitosan Hydrogels as an Injectable Cell Carrier for In Vitro Dental Enamel Regeneration
Authors: Mohabatpour Fatemeh , Yazdanpanah Zahra , Papagerakis Silvana , Chen Xiongbiao , Papagerakis Petros
Published: June 2022

Injectable hydrogels, as carriers, offer great potential to incorporate cells or growth factors for dental tissue regeneration. Notably, the development of injectable hydrogels with appropriate structures and properties has been a challenging task, leaving much to be desired in terms of cytocompatibility, antibacterial and self-healing properties, as well as the ability to support dental stem cell functions. This paper presents our study on the development of a novel self-cross-linkable hydrogel composed of oxidized alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan and its characterization as a cell carrier for dental enamel regeneration in vitro. Oxidized alginate was synthesized with 60% theoretical oxidation degree using periodate oxidation and characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. Then, hydrogels were prepared at three varying weight ratios of oxidized alginate to carboxymethyl chitosan (4:1, 3:1, and 2:1) through Schiff base reactions, which was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The hydrogels were characterized in terms of gelation time, swelling ratio, structure, injectability, self-healing, antibacterial properties, and in vitro characterization for enamel regeneration. The results demonstrated that, among the three hydrogels examined, the one with the highest ratio of oxidized alginate (i.e., 4:1) had the fastest gelation time and the lowest swelling ability, and that all hydrogels were formed with highly porous structures and were able to be injected through a 20-gauge needle without clogging. The injected hydrogels could be rapidly reformed with the self-healing property. The hydrogels also showed antibacterial properties against two cariogenic bacteria: Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. For in vitro enamel regeneration, a dental epithelial cell line, HAT-7, was examined, demonstrating a high cell viability in the hydrogels during injection. Furthermore, HAT-7 cells encapsulated in the hydrogels showed alkaline phosphatase production and mineral deposition, as well as maintaining their round morphology, after 14 days of in vitro culture. Taken together, this study has provided evidence that the oxidized alginate-carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogels could be used as an injectable cell carrier for dental enamel tissue engineering applications.
Biodegradable Iron and Porous Iron: Mechanical Properties, Degradation Behaviour, Manufacturing Routes and Biomedical Applications
Authors: Salama Mariana , Vaz Maria Fátima , Colaço Rogério , Santos Catarina , Carmezim Maria
Published: June 2022

Biodegradable metals have been extensively studied due to their potential use as temporary biomedical devices, on non-load bearing applications. These types of implants are requested to function for the healing period, and should degrade after the tissue heals. A balance between mechanical properties requested at the initial stage of implantation and the degradation rate is required. The use of temporary biodegradable implants avoids a second surgery for the removal of the device, which brings high benefits to the patients and avoids high societal costs. Among the biodegradable metals, iron as a biodegradable metal has increased attention over the last few years, especially with the incorporation of additive manufacturing processes to obtain tailored geometries of porous structures, which give rise to higher corrosion rates. Withal by mimic natural bone hierarchical porosity, the mechanical properties of obtained structures tend to equalize that of human bone. This review article presents some of the most important works in the field of iron and porous iron. Fabrication techniques for porous iron are tackled, including conventional and new methods highlighting the unparalleled opportunities given by additive manufacturing. A comparison among the several methods is taken. The effects of the design and the alloying elements on the mechanical properties are also revised. Iron alloys with antibacterial properties are analyzed, as well as the biodegradation behavior and biocompatibility of iron. Although is necessary for further in vivo research, iron is presenting satisfactory results for upcoming biomedical applications, as orthopaedic temporary scaffolds and coronary stents.
Atmospheric Correction for High-Resolution Shape from Shading on Mars
Authors: Hess Marcel , Tenthoff Moritz , Wohlfarth Kay , Wöhler Christian
Published: June 2022

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of planet Mars are crucial for many remote sensing applications and for landing site characterization of rover missions. Shape from Shading (SfS) is known to work well as a complementary method to greatly enhance the quality of photogrammetrically obtained DEMs of planetary surfaces with respect to the effective resolution and the overall accuracy. In this work, we extend our previous lunar shape and albedo from shading framework by embedding the Hapke photometric reflectance model in an atmospheric model such that it is applicable to Mars. Compared to previous approaches, the proposed method is capable of directly estimating the atmospheric parameters from a given scene without the need for external data, and assumes a spatially varying albedo. The DEMs are generated from imagery of the Context Camera (CTX) onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and are validated for clear and opaque atmospheric conditions. We analyze the necessity of using atmospheric compensation depending on the atmospheric conditions. For low optical depths, the Hapke model without an atmospheric component is still applicable to the Martian surface. For higher optical depths, atmospheric compensation is required to obtain good quality DEMs.
Attention-Setting and Human Mental Function
Authors: Sanocki Thomas , Lee Jong Han
Published: June 2022

This article provides an introduction to experimental research on top-down human attention in complex scenes, written for cognitive scientists in general. We emphasize the major effects of goals and intention on mental function, measured with behavioral experiments. We describe top-down attention as an open category of mental actions that initiates particular task sets, which are assembled from a wide range of mental processes. We call this attention-setting. Experiments on visual search, task switching, and temporal attention are described and extended to the important human time scale of seconds.
On the Accurate Prediction of Residual Stress in a Three-Pass Slot Nickel-Base Repair Weld by Numerical Simulations
Authors: Akrivos Vasileios , Muransky Ondrej , Depradeux Lionel , Smith Michael C. , Vasileiou Anastasia , Deaconu Viorel , Kapadia Priyesh
Published: June 2022

The activities within a European network to develop accurate experimental and numerical methods to assess residual stresses in structural weldments are reported. The NeT Task Group 6 or NeT-TG6 project examined an Alloy 600 plate containing a three-pass slot weld made with Alloy 82 consumables. A number of identical specimens were fabricated and detailed records of the manufacturing history were kept. Parallel measurement and simulation round robins were performed. Residual stresses were measured using neutron diffraction via five different instruments. The acquired database is large enough to generate reliable mean profiles, to identify clear outliers, and to establish the systematic uncertainty associated with this non-destructive technique. NeT-TG6 gives a valuable insight into the real-world variability of diffraction-based residual stress measurements, and forms a reliable foundation against which to benchmark other measurement methods. The mean measured profiles were used to validate the accuracy achieved by the network in the prediction of residual stresses.
Environmental Impacts and Challenges Associated with Oil Spills on Shorelines
Authors: Asif Zunaira , Chen Zhi , An Chunjiang , Dong Jinxin
Published: June 2022

Oil spills are of great concern because they impose a threat to the marine ecosystem, including shorelines. As oil spilled at sea is transported to the shoreline, and after its arrival, its behavior and physicochemical characteristics change because of natural weathering phenomena. Additionally, the fate of the oil depends on shoreline type, tidal energy, and environmental conditions. This paper critically overviews the vulnerability of shorelines to oil spill impact and the implication of seasonal variations with the natural attenuation of oil. A comprehensive review of various monitoring techniques, including GIS tools and remote sensing, is discussed for tracking, and mapping oil spills. A comparison of various remote sensors shows that laser fluorosensors can detect oil on various types of substrates, including snow and ice. Moreover, current methods to prevent oil from reaching the shoreline, including physical booms, sorbents, and dispersants, are examined. The advantages and limitations of various physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods and their application suitability for different shore types are discussed. The paper highlights some of the challenges faced while managing oil spills, including viewpoints on the lack of monitoring data, the need for integrated decision-making systems, and the development of rapid response strategies to optimize the protection of shorelines from oil spills.
A Panoramic View on Grapevine Trunk Diseases Threats: Case of Eutypa Dieback, Botryosphaeria Dieback, and Esca Disease
Authors: Kenfaoui Jihane , Radouane Nabil , Mennani Mohammed , Tahiri Abdessalem , El Ghadraoui Lahsen , Belabess Zineb , Fontaine Florence , El Hamss Hajar , Amiri Said , Lahlali Rachid , Barka Essaid Ait
Published: June 2022

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) are currently one of the most devastating and challenging diseases in viticulture, leading to considerable yield losses and a remarkable decline in grapevine quality. The identification of the causal agents is the cornerstone of an efficient approach to fighting against fungal diseases in a sustainable, non-chemical manner. This review attempts to describe and expose the symptoms of each pathology related to GTD, the modes of transmission, and the harmfulness of recently reported agents. Special attention was given to new diagnostic tests and technologies, grapevine defense mechanisms, molecular mechanisms of endophytes fungal colonization, and management strategies used to control these threats. The present extended review is, therefore, an updated state-of-the-art report on the progress in the management of vineyards.
Implementation of Privacy and Security for a Genomic Information System Based on Standards
Authors: Llorente Silvia , Delgado Jaime
Published: June 2022

Genomic information is a very sensitive type of digital information as it not only applies to a person, but also to close relatives. Therefore, privacy provision is key to protecting genomic information from unauthorized access. It is worth noting that most of the current genomic information formats do not provide specific mechanisms by which to secure the stored information. In order to solve, among other things, the privacy provision issue, we proposed the GIPAMS (Genomic Information Protection And Management System) modular architecture, which is based on the use of standards such as ISO/IEC 23092 and a few GA4GH (Global Alliance for Genomics and Health) initiatives. Some of the GIPAMS modules have already been implemented, mainly based on ISO/IEC 23092 features, and we are conducting work on the complete version of the architecture, and other standards are also considered. One of the objectives of GIPAMS is to enable the management of different formats of genomic information in a unique and interoperable way, providing privacy and security for formats that do not currently support them.
Variable Drug-Target Exposure, Tumor Signatures, and Combinatorial Targeted Treatment: Approaches of Personalized Medicine in Breast Cancer
Authors: Schroth Werner , Schwab Matthias
Published: June 2022

The Special Issue “Genome Research and Personalized Medicine in Breast Cancer” presents studies on personalized medicine in breast cancer, originally with a focus on genomic treatment prediction at all stages of disease [...]
Coping Styles in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: Consideration in the Co-Designing of Integrated Care Concepts
Authors: Stümpel Johanne , van Munster Marlena , Grosjean Sylvie , Pedrosa David J. , Mestre Tiago A. ,   on behalf of the iCare-PD Consortium
Published: June 2022

Integrated care models may help in designing care for Parkinson’s disease (PD) that is more efficient and patient-centered. However, in order to implement such models successfully, it is important to design these models around patients’ needs and preferences. Personality traits and coping styles play a well-studied important role in patients’ disease perception and their utilization of medical and social services to cope with their disease. There is evidence that coping styles remain largely unchanged over the course of PD; coping styles are defined in the early stages of life and extend over the entire lifespan of the patient. Therefore, it seems necessary to consider aspects of the personality traits and coping styles of PD patients in the development and implementation of care models. We postulate that by taking patients’ personality traits and coping styles into account, care models for PD can be designed in a more individualized and, thus, more effective way. This paper, structured in three main sections, attempts to structure the uptake of patients’ coping styles in the co-design of integrated care models. However, further studies are needed to better develop tailored care concepts to the needs of people living with PD and their individual coping styles.
Analysis of Spatial Structure in the Kashgar Metropolitan Area, China
Authors: Li Jiangang , Li Songhong , Lei Jun , Zhang Xiaolei , Qi Jianwei , Tohti Buayxam , Duan Zuliang
Published: June 2022

Taking metropolitan areas as space carriers has become the engine of the Chinese government in its promotion of high-quality development, and this has also become an important measure by which to balance regional development. We used Zipf’s law and the gravity model to study the urban scale distribution characteristics of the Kashgar Metropolitan Area (KMA) in this paper. We also constructed a spatial structure judgment vector for the KMA and put forward the development objectives of different circles. The findings show the following: (1) large cities have a high primacy of development, while small and medium-sized cities are underdeveloped. At present, the KMA is a concentrated monocentric-pattern metropolitan area, with Kashgar City as its core city. (2) The urban built-up area of Kashgar City is expanding to the east and south, where it has broken through the administrative boundary and become integrated with the urban built-up area of Shule County. The spatial structure characteristics of the KMA have been further clarified. The KMA forms three circles: core, middle, and outer. (3) Tumxuk City, Bachu County, Yecheng County, Shache County, and other counties are far from the core city and cannot be connected with Kashgar, but they are closely related to the surrounding cities, forming the Bachu–Tumxuk Urban Group and the Shache–Zepu–Yecheng Urban Group. This study contributes to the understanding of the characteristics of urban scale distribution and the spatial structure of metropolitan areas in arid regions, as well as providing guidance for the formulation of policies for the development of different circles in the KMA.
Exploring Agroecology Transition Scenarios: A Pfaundler’s Spectrum Assessment on the Relocation of Agri-Food Flows
Authors: Padró Roc , Tello Enric
Published: June 2022

In response to the climate emergency and other dimensions of the current global environmental crisis, the world is facing an agroecology transition aimed at scaling up the best sustainable ways of farming into circular agri-food territories. No one knows, however, in advance, how they will perform. To explore several feasible, viable, and desirable future scenarios for these agroecological territories, we have developed a nonlinear programming model called Sustainable Agroecological Farm Reproductive Analysis as a bottom-up deliberative tool. In this article, we use it to explore the sustainable degrees of trade openness of these bio-economically circular territories by evaluating the advantages and limitations of conceiving them from an interdependent network of basically self-sufficient areas rather than as autarkic islands. Using SAFRA optimizations in a Catalan case study, applied as a preliminary test, we found that autarkic self-sufficiency would reduce the food supply capacity of the studied territory by one-third. At the same time, however, up to a point, trade openness would face growing problems and barriers to maintaining a circular replenishment of soil nutrients, as well as the landscape diversity required to house enough farm-associated biodiversity needed for other supporting and regulating ecosystem services. These results confirm the conceptual approach of the issue developed by Leopold Pfaundler in 1902, and call for more empirical studies in broader areas conducted together with local farmers and other stakeholders that jointly define boundary conditions, constraints, capabilities, and ranges of fair-trade openness evaluated for a true bottom-up agroecological transition.
Robust Satellite-Based Identification and Monitoring of Forests Having Undergone Climate-Change-Related Stress
Authors: Filizzola Carolina , Carlucci Maria Antonia , Genzano Nicola , Ciancia Emanuele , Lisi Mariano , Pergola Nicola , Ripullone Francesco , Tramutoli Valerio
Published: June 2022

Climate-induced drought events are responsible for forest decline and mortality in different areas of the world. Forest response to drought stress periods may be different, in time and space, depending on vegetation type and local factors. Stress analysis may be carried out by using field methods, but the use of remote sensing may be needed to highlight the effects of climate-change-induced phenomena at a larger spatial and temporal scale. In this context, satellite-based analyses are presented in this work to evaluate the drought effects during the 2000s and the possible climatological forcing over oak forests in Southern Italy. To this aim, two approaches based on the well-known Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were used: one based on NDVI values, averaged over selected decaying and non-decaying forests; another based on the Robust Satellite Techniques (RST). The analysis of the first approach mainly gave us overall information about 1984–2011 rising NDVI trends, despite a general decrease around the 2000s. The second, more refined approach was able to highlight a different drought stress impact over decaying and non-decaying forests. The combined use of the RST-based approach, Landsat satellite data, and Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform allowed us to identify in space domain and monitor over time significant oak forest changes and climate-driven effects (e.g., in 2001) from the local to the Basilicata region scale. By this way, the decaying status of the Gorgoglione forest was highlighted two years before the first visual field evidence (e.g., dryness of apical branches, bark detachment, root rot disease). The RST exportability to different satellite sensors and vegetation types, the availability of suitable satellite data, and the potential of GEE suggest the possibility of long-term monitoring of forest health, from the local to the global scale, to provide useful information to different end-user classes.
Life Cycle Assessment Perspective for Sectoral Adaptation to Climate Change: Environmental Impact Assessment of Pig Production
Authors: Ndue Kennedy , Pál Goda
Published: June 2022

Growing demand for sustainably driven production systems, especially pork, requires a holistic or system thinking approach. Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) offers a robust methodological background as one of the approaches to achieving system analysis for a product along its lifecycle. On the other hand, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can perform state-of-art system analysis characterising its sustainability fronts as a compelling set of tools. Pork, as the most consumed meat across Europe (circa 34 kg per capita per year), compounded with the sector’s contribution to global greenhouse gases (GHG) doubling over the past decade necessitated this research. Our objective was to map hotspots along the value chain and recommend the best available practices for realising the sectoral contribution to carbon neutrality and climate change adaptation. To achieve the objective, we compared organic and conventional production systems by basing our analysis on Recipe midpoint 2016 (H) V1.13 as implemented in OpenLCA 1.10.2 using AGRIBALYSE® 3.0 datasets for eleven indicators. We found that producing 1 kg of pig meat under an organic production system had almost double the environmental impact of conventional systems for land use, water consumption, acidification, and ecotoxicity. Feed production and manure management are the significant hotspots accounting for over 90% of environmental impacts associated with 1 kg pig meat Liveweight (LW) production. Similarly, efficient conventional systems were less harmful to the environment in per capita unit of production and land use compared with organic ones in ten out of the eleven impacts evaluated. Implementing increased efficiency, reduced use of inputs for feed production, and innovative manure management practices with technological potential were some of the best practices the research recommended to realise minimal impacts on the identified hotspots.
Informal Street Vending: A Systematic Review
Authors: Peimani Nastaran , Kamalipour Hesam
Published: June 2022

Within the past decade, there has been a surge of interest in investigating the dynamics of informal street vending, motivated by the need to address economic, social, and political inequalities. We take stock of this literature, bringing together the various streams of research in which informal street vending is integral to how cities work, particularly in the context of what is considered as the global South. The review of the related literature in this paper is structured into eight key themes, including (1) gender, (2) typology/types, (3) spatiality of street vending and public space design, (4) health and well-being, (5) individual/collective agency, (6) policy environment, (7) use of technology, and (8) links to other forms of informality. The paper concludes by outlining certain research themes that are in the process of development, identifying some understudied areas, reflecting on existing gaps, and pointing to future research directions to enable further engagement with those aspects of informal street vending research that have remained underexplored.
The Juridification of ‘Vulnerability’ through EU Asylum Law: The Quest for Bridging the Gap between the Law and Asylum Applicants’ Experiences
Authors: Leboeuf Luc
Published: June 2022

‘Vulnerability’ is flooding EU asylum law. Based on the analysis of the ECtHR’s case-law in deportation cases, the EU Directives’ provisions towards ‘vulnerable’ asylum applicants, and their implementation in the domestic legislations and practices of two EU member states that were studied as part of the VULNER project (Belgium and Italy), this contribution establishes a typology of the various legal and bureaucratic functions that ‘vulnerability’ has received in the EU. It also reflects on the ‘juridification’ trend at play, the implementation challenges that have emerged as a result, and how they are currently being addressed in the EU.
Edge Pressures Obtained Using FEM and Half-Space: A Study of Truncated Contact Ellipses
Authors: Juettner Michael , Bartz Marcel , Tremmel Stephan , Correns Martin , Wartzack Sandro
Published: June 2022

In rolling or gear contacts, truncation of the contact ellipse can occur, for example, when an undercut extends into the contact area. For an elastic calculation approach, the edge constitutes a mathematical singularity, which is revealed by a theoretically infinitely high pressure peak. However, when elastic–plastic material behavior is taken into account, the pressure peak is limited by local hardening and yielding of the material, leading to plastic deformations. As a result, those calculations are rather challenging and the results partly unexpected due to the discontinuity contained in the geometry. Nevertheless, to the authors’ knowledge, hardly any published studies exist on elastic–plastic simulations of truncated contact ellipses. Therefore, a numerical study concerning the contact of a rigid ball with an elastic–plastic plane is presented. Due to an undercut in the plane, a quarter of the theoretical Hertzian contact ellipse is cut off. The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of the undercut angle on the pressure distribution and the elastic and plastic deformation at the edge. The use of FEM shows that the undercut angle has a significant effect on the characteristics of the contact. The results obtained using FEM are then used as a reference for comparison with a semi-analytical method (SAM). It is shown that the SAM, based on the half-space, provides comparable results only for very small undercut angles.
Study on the Expansion Law of Dry Shrinkage Cracks in Silty Clay
Authors: Yue Jianwei , Li Peng , Zhao Limin , Huang Xuanjia , Xu Xiangchun , Wang Zifa
Published: June 2022

Fracture characteristics are the basis of silty clay fracture research, and its quantitative description is helpful to explore the engineering properties of silty clay. The silty clay samples with different moisture contents and different aspect ratios were prepared by the controlled variable method for the drying shrinkage test. The crack image processing and crack feature extraction were performed by PS and IPP software, and the relationship between the crack propagation characteristic parameters and the change in humidity and sample moisture content during drying shrinkage were analyzed to explore the crack development law. The results show that under the continuous action of the environment, cracks were generated at the initial high temperature (46 °C). When the temperature changed from a high temperature (46 °C) to a low temperature (27 °C), the moisture content decreased faster, and the crack developed rapidly. Later, from low temperature (12 °C) to high temperature (46 °C), the water content and crack parameters remained basically unchanged; the cracks of the samples with a high moisture content appeared early, developed rapidly, and damaged seriously. When the aspect ratio was 6:1, the crack developed vertically, and when the aspect ratio was less than 6:1, the secondary crack was about 90° from the upper crack.
Proton and Oxygen-Ion Conductivities of Hexagonal Perovskite Ba5In2Al2ZrO13
Authors: Andreev Roman , Korona Daniil , Anokhina Irina , Animitsa Irina
Published: June 2022

The hexagonal perovskite Ba5In2Al2ZrO13 and In3+-doped phase Ba5In2.1Al2Zr0.9O12.95 were prepared by the solid-state synthesis method. The introduction of indium in the Zr-sublattice was accompanied by an increase in the unit cell parameters: a = 5.967 Å, c = 24.006 Å vs. a = 5.970 Å, c = 24.011 Å for doped phase (space group of P63/mmc). Both phases were capable of incorporating water from the gas phase. The ability of water incorporation was due to the presence of oxygen deficient blocks in the structure, and due to the introduction of oxygen vacancies during doping. According to thermogravimetric (TG) measurements the compositions of the hydrated samples corresponded to Ba5In2Al2ZrO12.7(OH)0.6 and Ba5In2.1Al2Zr0.9O12.54(OH)0.82. The presence of different types of OH−-groups in the structure, which participate in different hydrogen bonds, was confirmed by infrared (IR) investigations. The measurements of bulk conductivity by the impedance spectroscopy method showed that In3+-doping led to an increase in conductivity by 0.5 order of magnitude in wet air (pH2O = 1.92·10−2 atm); in this case, the activation energies decreased from 0.27 to 0.19 eV. The conductivity−pO2 measurements showed that both the phases were dominant proton conductors at T < 500 °C in wet conditions. The composition Ba5In2.1Al2Zr0.9O12.95 exhibited a proton conductivity ~10−4 S·cm−1 at 500 °C. The analysis of partial (O2−, H+, h•) conductivities of the investigated phases has been carried out. Both phases in dry air (pH2O = 3.5·10−5 atm) showed a mixed (oxygen-ion and hole) type of conductivity. The obtained results indicated that the investigated phases of Ba5In2Al2ZrO13 and Ba5In2.1Al2Zr0.9O12.95 might be promising proton-conducting oxides in the future applications in electrochemical devices, such as solid oxide fuel cells. Further modification of the composition and search for the optimal dopant concentrations can improve the H+-conductivity.
Effect of Laser Peening on Microstructural Changes in GTA-Welded 304L Stainless Steel
Authors: Yoo Young-Ran , Kim Jae-Sung , Kim Young-Sik
Published: June 2022

The introduction of tensile residual stress has led to the induction of damage such as fatigue, corrosion fatigue, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in stainless steel in association with the influence of environments, components, surface defects, and corrosive factors during its use. Compressive residual stress can be achieved through various techniques. Among several methods, laser peening can be more attractive as it creates regularity on the surface with a high-quality surface finish. However, there is very little research on heavily peened surface and cross-section of stainless steel with very deep compressive residual stress. This work focused on welding and laser peening and the influence of Al coating on the microstructural changes in 304L stainless steel. The specimen obtained by laser peening had a very deep compressive residual stress of over 1 mm and was evaluated based on microstructural and hardness analysis. Therefore, a model for microstructural change by laser peening on welded 304L stainless steel was proposed.
Artificial Weathering of Contact-Charred Wood—The Effect of Modification Duration, Wood Species and Material Density
Authors: Kymäläinen Maija , Sjökvist Tinh , Dömény Jakub , Rautkari Lauri
Published: June 2022

A relevant issue with charred exteriors is the inconsistency of the result, which makes service life predictions complicated. Contact charring enables the creation of a very evenly modified surface with accurate control of temperature and modification time, but the weathering properties are questionable. This paper evaluated the effect of the modification time relative to char layer and transition zone thickness, wood species and material density in an artificial weathering test. The results revealed higher color stability in connection to longer modification time, but also an increase in the cracked surface area. Cracking was heavily dependent on the modification regime and increased with increasing char and transition zone thicknesses. Dense spruce had the highest color stability with the most severe modification regime, but char layer thickness varied more than on other wood types. Furthermore, species-dependent cracking patterns affected the final result as the small-scale flaking experienced by birch increased the washing off of char. It is likely an even higher modification temperature with a shorter modification time is needed to produce sufficient weathering resistance suitable for exterior uses.
Depth and Attitude Coordinated Control for Supercavitating Vehicle Avoiding Planing Force
Authors: Zhou Yu , Sun Mingwei , Zhang Jianhong , Chen Zengqiang
Published: June 2022

Supercavitating vehicles have particular high speeds. This unique advantage is obtained by the cavity separation from water to eliminate most drag. However, this may lead to the tail-slap phenomenon and the planing force. In addition, there are large and unpredictable uncertainties in the hydrodynamics of the supercavitating vehicle. All these factors impose a big challenge to achieve satisfactory depth tracking capability. In this paper, a depth and attitude coordinated control strategy is proposed for the longitudinal dynamics in order to realize depth tracking without planing force. The timely adjustment of the attitude ensures a small vertical speed which can be far away from the threshold value that causes the planing force. By designing the cascade control structure, the depth is regulated by proportional control to generate the pitch command for the attitude loop controller. The vertical speed and the pitch angular rate are both controlled by using the linear active disturbance reject control to guarantee sufficient accuracy and robustness. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and the superiority of the proposed strategy.
Cross-Domain Remaining Useful Life Prediction Based on Adversarial Training
Authors: Duan Yuhang , Xiao Jie , Li Honghui , Zhang Jie
Published: June 2022

Remaining useful life prediction can assess the time to failure of degradation systems. Currently, numerous neural network-based prediction methods have been proposed by researchers. However, most of the work contains an implicit prerequisite: the network training and testing data have the same operating conditions. To solve this problem, an adversarial discriminative domain adaption prediction method based on adversarial training is proposed to improve the accuracy of cross-domain prediction under different working conditions. First, an LSTM feature extraction network is constructed to mine the source domain data and the target domain data for deep feature representation. Subsequently, the parameters of the target domain feature extraction network are adjusted based on the idea of adversarial training to achieve domain invariant feature mining. The proposed scheme is experimented on a publicly available dataset and achieves state-of-the-art prediction performance compared to recent unsupervised domain adaptation prediction methods.
Pressure–Temperature Phase Diagram of Multiferroic TbFe2.46Ga0.54(BO3)4
Authors: Krylov Alexander , Krylova Svetlana , Gudim Irina , Kitaev Yuri , Golovkina Elena , Zhang Haibo , Vtyurin Alexander
Published: June 2022

The pressure–temperature phase diagram of the multiferroic TbFe2.46Ga0.54(BO3)4 was studied for hydrostatic pressures up to 7 GPa and simultaneously with temperatures up to 400 K by the Raman spectroscopy technique. The structural phase transition from the R32 phase to the P3121 phase was determined by observing the condensation of soft modes and the appearance of new lines. An increase in pressure leads to an increase in the temperature of the structural phase transition. These phases are stable over the entire investigated temperature and pressure range. No other phases have been found.
Obtaining Bricks Using Silicon-Based Materials: Experiments, Modeling and Optimization with Artificial Intelligence Tools
Authors: Anton Costel , Leon Florin , Gavrilescu Marius , Drăgoi Elena-Niculina , Floria Sabina-Adriana , Curteanu Silvia , Lisa Cătălin
Published: June 2022

In the brick manufacturing industry, there is a growing concern among researchers to find solutions to reduce energy consumption. An industrial process for obtaining bricks was approached, with the manufacturing mix modified via the introduction of sunflower seed husks and sawdust. The process was analyzed with artificial intelligence tools, with the goal of minimizing the exhaust emissions of CO and CH4. Optimization algorithms inspired by human and virus behaviors were applied in this approach, which were associated with neural network models. A series of feed-forward neural networks have been developed, with 6 inputs corresponding to the working conditions, one or two intermediate layers and one output (CO or CH4, respectively). The results for ten biologically inspired algorithms and a search grid method were compared successfully within a single objective optimization procedure. It was established that by introducing 1.9% sunflower seed husks and 0.8% sawdust in the brick manufacturing mix, a minimum quantity of CH4 emissions was obtained, while 0% sunflower seed husks and 0.5% sawdust were the minimum quantities for CO emissions.
On the Suitability of Bagging-Based Ensembles with Borderline Label Noise
Authors: Sáez José A. , Romero-Béjar José L.
Published: June 2022

Real-world classification data usually contain noise, which can affect the accuracy of the models and their complexity. In this context, an interesting approach to reduce the effects of noise is building ensembles of classifiers, which traditionally have been credited with the ability to tackle difficult problems. Among the alternatives to build ensembles with noisy data, bagging has shown some potential in the specialized literature. However, existing works in this field are limited and only focus on the study of noise based on a random mislabeling, which is unlikely to occur in real-world applications. Recent research shows that other types of noise, such as that occurring at class boundaries, are more common and challenging for classification algorithms. This paper delves into the analysis of the usage of bagging techniques in these complex problems, in which noise affects the decision boundaries among classes. In order to investigate whether bagging is able to reduce the impact of borderline noise, an experimental study is carried out considering a large number of datasets with different noise levels, and several noise models and classification algorithms. The results obtained reflect that bagging obtains a better accuracy and robustness than the individual models with this complex type of noise. The highest improvements in average accuracy are around 2–4% and are generally found at medium-high noise levels (from 15–20% onwards). The partial consideration of noisy samples when creating the subsamples from the original training set in bagging can make it so that only some parts of the decision boundaries among classes are impaired when building each model, reducing the impact of noise in the global system.
Quantum Weighted Fractional Fourier Transform
Authors: Zhao Tieyu , Yang Tianyu , Chi Yingying
Published: June 2022

Quantum Fourier transform (QFT) is an important part of many quantum algorithms. However, there are few reports on quantum fractional Fourier transform (QFRFT). The main reason is that the definitions of fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) are diverse, while some definitions do not include unitarity, which leads to some studies pointing out that there is no QFRFT. In this paper, we first present a reformulation of the weighted fractional Fourier transform (WFRFT) and prove its unitarity, thereby proposing a quantum weighted fractional Fourier transform (QWFRFT). The proposal of QWFRFT provides the possibility for many quantum implementations of signal processing.
GRAN3SAT: Creating Flexible Higher-Order Logic Satisfiability in the Discrete Hopfield Neural Network
Authors: Gao Yuan , Guo Yueling , Romli Nurul Atiqah , Kasihmuddin Mohd Shareduwan Mohd , Chen Weixiang , Mansor Mohd. Asyraf , Chen Ju
Published: June 2022

One of the main problems in representing information in the form of nonsystematic logic is the lack of flexibility, which leads to potential overfitting. Although nonsystematic logic improves the representation of the conventional k Satisfiability, the formulations of the first, second, and third-order logical structures are very predictable. This paper proposed a novel higher-order logical structure, named G-Type Random k Satisfiability, by capitalizing the new random feature of the first, second, and third-order clauses. The proposed logic was implemented into the Discrete Hopfield Neural Network as a symbolic logical rule. The proposed logic in Discrete Hopfield Neural Networks was evaluated using different parameter settings, such as different orders of clauses, different proportions between positive and negative literals, relaxation, and differing numbers of learning trials. Each evaluation utilized various performance metrics, such as learning error, testing error, weight error, energy analysis, and similarity analysis. In addition, the flexibility of the proposed logic was compared with current state-of-the-art logic rules. Based on the simulation, the proposed logic was reported to be more flexible, and produced higher solution diversity.
Minimally Invasive Spine Stabilization for Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis: A 23-Case Series and Review of Literature
Authors: Ishihara Shinichi , Funao Haruki , Isogai Norihiro , Ishihara Masayuki , Saito Takanori , Ishii Ken
Published: June 2022

Background and Objectives: The incidence of pyogenic spondylodiscitis has been increasing due to the aging of the population. Although surgical treatment is performed for refractory pyogenic spondylodiscitis, surgical invasiveness should be considered. Recent minimally invasive spine stabilization (MISt) using percutaneous pedicle screw (PPS) can be a less invasive approach. The purpose of this study was to evaluate surgical results and clinical outcomes after MISt with PPS for pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Materials and Methods: Clinical data of patients who underwent MISt with PPS for pyogenic spondylitis were analyzed. Results: Twenty-three patients (18 male, 5 female, mean age 67.0 years) were retrospectively enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 15.9 months after surgery. The causative organism was identified in 16 cases (69.6%). A mean number of fixed vertebrae was 4.1, and the estimated blood loss was 145.0 mL. MISt with PPS was successfully performed in 19 of 23 patients (82.6%). Four cases (17.4%) required additional anterior debridement and autologous iliac bone graft placement. CRP levels had become negative at an average of 28.4 days after surgery. There was no major perioperative complication and no screw or rod breakages during follow-up. Conclusions: MISt with PPS would be a less invasive approach for pyogenic spondylodiscitis in elderly or immunocompromised patients.
The Effect of Solution Casting Temperature and Ultrasound Treatment on PEBAX MH-1657/ZIF-8 Mixed Matrix Membranes Morphology and Performance
Authors: Lasseuguette Elsa , Fielder-Dunton Louise , Jian Qian , Ferrari Maria-Chiara
Published: June 2022

Approximately two-thirds of anthropogenic emissions causing global warming are from carbon dioxide. Carbon capture is essential, with membranes proving to be a low cost and energy-efficient solution to alternative technologies. In particular, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) can have higher permeability and selectivity than pure polymer membranes. The fabrication conditions affect the formation of defects within the membranes. In this work, MMMs were created using a PEBAX MH-1657 polymer and a ZIF-8 filler. The effect of casting plate temperature, varying from −5 °C to 50 °C, and the effect of ultrasound treatment time (80–400 min) and method (filler solution only, filler and polymer combined solution only and filler solution followed by combined solution) were investigated, aiming to reduce defect formations hence improving the performance of the MMMs. SEM images and permeation tests using pure CO2 and N2 gas, replicating flue gas for carbon capture, were used to investigate and compare the membranes morphology and performance. The results indicated that the MMMs maintained their permeabilities and selectivities at all tested casting temperatures. However, the neat PEBAX membranes demonstrated increased phase separation of the polyamide and polyether oxide phases at higher temperatures, causing a reduction in permeability due to the higher crystallinity degree, confirmed by DSC experiment. The MMMs fabricated at low ultrasound times displayed a large amount of aggregation with large particle size causing channeling. At high ultrasound times, a well-dispersed filler with small filler diameters was observed, providing a high membrane performance. Overall, defect-free membranes were successfully fabricated, leading to improved performance, with the best membrane resulting from the longest ultrasound time reaching the Robeson bound upper limits.