bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Surface Properties of Cu-Fe-Cr Alloys through Laser Cladding: The Role of Mo and B4C Additives
Authors: Song Boxue , Jiang Xingyu , Wang Zisheng
Published: December 2023

Laser cladding is a powerful surface treatment technique that can significantly enhance the properties of metal alloys. This study delves into the liquid phase separation behavior of Cu-Fe-Cr alloys under the rapid solidification conditions inherent in laser cladding and evaluates the influence of 4% Mo and 2% B4C additions on the resulting alloy characteristics. The intensive undercooling characteristic of the laser cladding process facilitates the alloy’s entry into the liquid-phase immiscibility gap, prompting pronounced phase separation. Our investigation reveals the emergence of Fe-rich regions, exhibiting a variety of shapes, set against a continuous Cu-rich matrix. The incorporation of Mo and B4C was found to modulate the mixing enthalpy and entropy, thereby refining the phase distribution: Mo was observed to prevent the agglomeration of Fe cores, resulting in a dispersion of isolated Fe cores throughout the Cu-rich matrix, while B4C promoted a more uniform compositional distribution. This study further enumerates the enhancements in microhardness, wear resistance, and magnetic properties of the alloys. Notably, the Cu-Fe-Cr-Mo-B4C alloy demonstrated a microhardness exceeding 600 HV, a low coefficient of friction around 0.15, high saturation magnetization, and reduced coercivity. These results underscore the efficacy of laser cladding in tailoring the microstructure and properties of Cu-Fe alloys, providing insights for the controlled manipulation of phase separation to optimize surface characteristics for engineering applications.
Reversible Organic Coatings for On-Site Comprehensive Emergency Protection during Archaeological Excavations
Authors: Zhang Wenjin , Shen Kejin , Zhang Yaxu , Chen Xueping , Zhao Xichen , Huang Xiao , Luo Hongjie
Published: December 2023

Once excavated, cultural relics face immediate threats from oxidation, water loss, mold growth, etc., which are caused due to severe environmental changes. Covering with plastic films, spraying water, or applying biocides followed by mechanical polish are common conservation practices, which are effective to some extent, but with obvious side effects. Menthol, often used as volatile binding material (VBM) in heritage conservation, has been proved to be safe to conservators and cultural relics and can be removed easily via sublimation with no residue. In this study, the possibility of using menthol coatings as a reversible environmental barrier to protect cultural relics during excavation is examined. Laboratory results show that menthol coating has an excellent ability to prevent oxygen and water molecules from passing through it, to stop various fungal growths and cut off radiation below 300 nm. On-site antifungal applications on a mural tomb of the Tang Dynasty, located in the north of Xi’an Xianyang International Airport, provided satisfactory results. Laboratory and field results show that menthol coating has high potential of being used for the emergency protection of relics against sudden environmental changes during excavation.
Two-Stage Input-Space Image Augmentation and Interpretable Technique for Accurate and Explainable Skin Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Supriyanto Catur , Salam Abu , Zeniarja Junta , Wijaya Adi
Published: December 2023

This research paper presents a deep-learning approach to early detection of skin cancer using image augmentation techniques. We introduce a two-stage image augmentation process utilizing geometric augmentation and a generative adversarial network (GAN) to differentiate skin cancer categories. The public HAM10000 dataset was used to test how well the proposed model worked. Various pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) models, including Xception, Inceptionv3, Resnet152v2, EfficientnetB7, InceptionresnetV2, and VGG19, were employed. Our approach demonstrates an accuracy of 96.90%, precision of 97.07%, recall of 96.87%, and F1-score of 96.97%, surpassing the performance of other state-of-the-art methods. The paper also discusses the use of Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), an interpretable technique for skin cancer diagnosis, which can help clinicians understand the reasoning behind the diagnosis and improve trust in the system. Overall, the proposed method presents a promising approach to automated skin cancer detection that could improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
Autopoiesis and Eigenform
Authors: Kauffman Louis H.
Published: December 2023

This paper explores a formal model of autopoiesis as presented by Maturana, Uribe and Varela, and analyzes this model and its implications through the lens of the notions of eigenforms (fixed points) and the intricacies of Goedelian coding. The paper discusses the connection between autopoiesis and eigenforms and a variety of different perspectives and examples. The paper puts forward original philosophical reflections and generalizations about its various conclusions concerning specific examples, with the aim of contributing to a unified way of understanding (formal models of) living systems within the context of natural sciences, and to see the role of such systems and the formation of information from the point of view of analogs of biological construction. To this end, we pay attention to models for fixed points, self-reference and self-replication in formal systems and in the description of biological systems.
Multifunctional Biotechnological Lip Moisturizer for Lip Repair and Hydration: Development, In Vivo Efficacy Assessment and Sensory Analysis
Authors: Dahmer Débora , Scandorieiro Sara , Bigotto Briani Gisele , Bergamini Thays Amélio , Germiniani-Cardozo Jennifer , da Costa Isabela Mazarim , Kobayashi Renata Katsuko Takayama , Nakazato Gerson , Borsato Dionísio , Prudencio Sandra Helena , Daltoé Marina Leite Mitterer , Celligoi Maria Antonia Pedrine Colabone , Lonni Audrey Alesandra Stinghen Garcia
Published: December 2023

The demand for sustainable cosmetics leads to the search for natural and biotechnological ingredients. The present study reports the development of a multifunctional lip moisturizer containing levan (LEV) from Bacillus subtilis natto, sophorolipids (SOPs) from Starmerella bombicola and Citrus paradisi (OCP) essential oil, using a simplex-centroid experimental design. The formulations were evaluated physicochemically, pharmacotechnically and by DPPH assay. The optimized formulation was selected through the Response Surface Method, and the evaluation of its efficiency in lip hydration was carried out using the bioimpedance method and sensory analysis. The formulations showed pH compatibility with lips and remained stable after a centrifuge test and thermal stress. Spreadability varied between 415.3 and 1217.1 mm2, moisture retention was above 95% and antioxidant capacity was around 50% for all formulations. The optimized formulation, containing 0.4% LEV and 0.8% SOF, maintained the lip hydration already shown by the participants; 85% of them reported improvement in this aspect. For the first time, LEV and SOP were incorporated in lip moisturizers, which is an environmentally friendly product with marketing potential. Furthermore, the use of the Skin Analyzer Digital equipment, a low-cost and non-invasive technique, to evaluate the effectiveness of lip products is innovative; this methodology may help in the development of future cosmetology studies.
Supramolecular Assemblies of 3/4-Chlorobenzoic Acid and Amino-Chloropyridine Derivatives: Synthesis, X-ray Diffraction, DFT Calculations, and Biological Screening
Authors: Ahmad Tufail , Kosar Naveen , Said Muhammad , Ahmed Maqsood , Mahmood Tariq , Khan Ezzat
Published: December 2023

Organic acids (3-chlorobenzoic acid and 4-chlorobenzoic acid) were treated with 4-amino-2-chloropyridine and 2-amino-4-chloropyridine as coformers for cocrystallization. Acid/base pairs afforded a cocrystal (3-chlorobenzoic acid and 4-amino-2-chloropyridine, compound 1) and molecular salts (2-amino-4-chloropyridinium 3-chlorobenzoate, 2; 2-amino-4-chloropyridinium 4-chlorobenzoate, 3). The products were characterized with the help of FT-IR, UV/visible spectroscopy, PXRD, and SC-XRD. The position of the Cl-substituent on the phenyl ring was explored with respect to proton transfer between acid/base pairs, and its role in supramolecular chemistry is discussed in detail. The existence of supramolecular assemblies was further reproduced using DFT calculations. Further, frontier molecular orbital (FMO), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), and noncovalent interaction index (NCI) analyses were performed to gain insight into the electronic properties and nature of noncovalent interactions. The prepared compounds were examined for their biological activities against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains and were also tested as antioxidant agents (DPPH free radical scavenging). Structural parameters determined experimentally and theoretically are within the expected range, and the biological activities of the resultant compounds are moderate.
Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy after SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An Analysis of Clinical and Multimodal Imaging Characteristics
Authors: Tang Jiyang , Li Siying , Wang Zongyi , Tao Ye , Zhang Linqi , Yin Hong , Miao Heng , Sun Yaoyao , Qu Jinfeng
Published: December 2023

Background: This study aimed to analyze clinical and multimodal imaging characteristics of acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) post-recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Medical records and multimodal imaging of 12 AMN eyes of eight patients (six female and two male) with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Four patients (50%) presented with bilateral AMN. Fundus ophthalmoscopy revealed a reddish-brown lesion around the macula, and two eyes had cotton-wool spots at the posterior pole. Three eyes showed mild hypo-autofluorescence. All FFA images (7 eyes) showed no abnormal signs. On OCT scans, all eyes showed outer nuclear layer (ONL) thinning, 8 eyes (66.7%) showed ONL hyperreflectivity, 5 eyes (41.7%) showed outer plexiform layer (OPL) hyperreflectivity, 8 eyes (66.7%) showed interdigitation zone (IZ) disruption, 11 eyes (91.6%) showed ellipsoid zone (EZ) disruption, 2 eyes (16.7%) showed cotton-wool spots and inner plexiform layer (IPL) hyperreflectivity, 1 eye (8.3%) had intraretinal cyst and 1 eye (8.3%) had inner nuclear layer (INL) thinning. Persistent scotoma, ONL hyperreflectivity and IZ/EZ disruption as well as recovery of OPL hyperreflectivity were reported after follow-up in three cases. Conclusions: AMN post-SARS-CoV-2 mostly affected young females and could present unilaterally or bilaterally. Dark lesions on IR reflectance and outer retinal hyperreflectivity on OCT are useful in diagnosing AMN. OPL/ONL hyperreflectivity on OCT could disappear after follow-up, but ONL thinning and IZ/EZ could persist.
Evaluation of a Novel Fixative Solution for Liquid-Based Cytology in Diagnostic Cytopathology
Authors: Casatta Nadia , Poli Alessia , Bassani Sara , Veronesi Gianna , Rossi Giulio , Ferrari Clarissa , Lupo Carmelo
Published: December 2023

Since its introduction in the early 2000s, liquid-based cytology (LBC) has been increasingly used for gynecologic and non-gynecologic cytology, and its multiple advantages have been widely recognized. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of a new fixative and pre-analytical method for morphological diagnosis in cytological samples. In particular, we evaluated the effect of a novel preservative solution on the preparation of diagnostic slides by comparing it with the standard reference used globally in cytology laboratories. This study included both gynecological (n = 139) and non-gynecological (n = 183) samples. Several morphologic variables were then identified and evaluated. Using this approach, we were then able to demonstrate the suitability of the new system, with improved safety, to be integrated within current pathology clinical practice. Overall, using a safer preservative solution, the study shows no statistical difference (and then non-inferiority) in the new fixation protocol compared with the standard reference used in routine practice in terms of diagnostic adequacy, evaluated both in clinically relevant gyn and non-gyn datasets.
Arterial Stiffness as a Surrogate Marker of Cardiovascular Disease and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Vasculitides: A Literature Review
Authors: Triantafyllias Konstantinos , Thiele Leif-Erik , Mandel Anna , Cavagna Lorenzo , Baraliakos Xenofon , Bertsias George , Hasseli Rebecca , Minnich Pascal , Schwarting Andreas
Published: December 2023

Vasculitis, a group of systemic inflammatory diseases that affect the cardiovascular (CV) system, presents with a variety of clinical manifestations that depend on the size of the affected blood vessels. While some types of vasculitis reveal distinct symptoms, others are characterized by more diffuse and nonspecific presentations that can result in delayed diagnosis and treatment initiation. Interestingly, patients with vasculitides share a significant comorbidity: an elevated CV risk, contributing to increased rates of CV events and mortality. This heightened risk is caused by cumulative inflammatory burden, traditional CV risk factors, medication effects, and reduced physical fitness. Traditional risk assessment tools, commonly used in the general population, frequently underestimate the CV risk in patients with inflammatory rheumatic conditions. Consequently, novel approaches are necessary to stratify the precise CV risk in vasculitis patients. A number of surrogate parameters for CV risk have been investigated, with arterial stiffness emerging as a promising marker. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a well-established method for assessing arterial stiffness and predicting CV risk across different populations. Among numerous PWV variants, carotid–femoral PWV (cfPWV) stands out as the most extensively studied and accepted reference standard. It has demonstrated its utility as a surrogate CV parameter both in the general population and in patients with systemic inflammatory rheumatic diseases. In recent years, research has expanded to assess arterial stiffness in systemic rheumatic diseases, such as arthritis, connective tissue diseases, rheumatologic overlap syndromes, and chronic pain disorders, using measurements of PWV and other markers of arterial compliance and elasticity. Despite burgeoning research in rheumatologic diseases, data on CV risk markers in vasculitides remain limited and fragmented. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of arterial stiffness as a potential screening marker for CV diseases, atheromatosis, and ultimately CV risk among patients with vasculitides.
Current Perspectives on Paradental Cyst: A Literature Review
Authors: Li Pei , Zhao Yifan , You Yuehua , Lin Ling , Yu Dongsheng , Zhao Wei
Published: December 2023

Paradental cyst (PC) is an uncommon type of odontogenic cyst of inflammatory origin, which develops near the cervical margin of the outside of the root of a vital tooth. The category of paradental cyst includes the buccal bifurcation cyst, which is found in the buccal area adjacent to the mandibular first or second molars in children. A conclusive diagnosis of a PC needs to correlate the surgical, radiographic, and histologic findings. When strict diagnosis is neglected, they can be easily misdiagnosed and mistreated. PCs associated with mandibular first and second molars and those associated with the mandibular third molar may have slightly different clinical manifestations but have almost completely different treatment principles due to the distinction in location. For the third molars, removal of both the tooth and the cyst is preferred. However, when the first or second molars are affected, it may be advisable to perform enucleation of the lesion while preserving the associated tooth. There are also more conservative methods to retain vital permanent teeth within the mandibular arch. Additionally, the cyst wall primarily consisted of granulation tissue firmly attached to the periodontal ligament space. The exact origin of these cysts was a subject of ongoing debate, but they were believed to primarily arise from either the reduced enamel epithelium or the inflammatory proliferation of junctional/sulcular epithelium, which originate from the superficial mucosa during tooth eruption. The aim of the present review was to update information on clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment strategies of cysts and discuss their pathogenic mechanisms. Raising familiarity with the distinctive features is beneficial for accurately diagnosing these lesions and effectively caring for the patients.
An Entropy Generation Rate Model for Tropospheric Behavior That Includes Cloud Evolution
Authors: Sekhar Jainagesh A.
Published: December 2023

A postulate that relates global warming to higher entropy generation rate demand in the tropospheric is offered and tested. This article introduces a low-complexity model to calculate the entropy generation rate required in the troposphere. The entropy generation rate per unit volume is noted to be proportional to the square of the Earth’s average surface temperature for a given positive rate of surface warming. The main postulate is that the troposphere responds with mechanisms to provide for the entropy generation rate that involves specific cloud morphologies and wind behavior. A diffuse-interface model is used to calculate the entropy generation rates of clouds. Clouds with limited vertical development, like the high-altitude cirrus or mid-altitude stratus clouds, are close-to-equilibrium clouds that do not generate much entropy but contribute to warming. Clouds like the cumulonimbus permit rapid vertical cloud development and can rapidly generate new entropy. Several extreme weather events that the Earth is experiencing are related to entropy-generating clouds that discharge a high rate of rain, hail, or transfer energy in the form of lightning. The water discharge from a cloud can cool the surface below the cloud but also add to the demand for a higher entropy generation rate in the cloud and troposphere. The model proposed predicts the atmospheric conditions required for bifurcations to severe-weather clouds. The calculated vertical velocity of thunderclouds associated with high entropy generation rates matches the recorded observations. The scale of instabilities for an evolving diffuse interface is related to the entropy generation rate per unit volume. Significant similarities exist between the morphologies and the entropy generation rate correlations in vertical cloud evolution and directionally solidified grainy microstructures. Such similarities are also explored to explore a generalized framework of pattern evolution and establish the relationships with the corresponding entropy generation rate. A complex system like the troposphere can invoke multiple phenomena that dominate at different spatial scales to meet the demand for an entropy generation rate. A few such possibilities are presented in the context of rapid and slow changes in weather patterns.
A Narrative Exploration of One Teacher’s Storied Experiences of Online Learning during COVID-19
Authors: Lim Joanna Mei Lin
Published: December 2023

The hubbub of teaching lives is enriched by the relationships between students, colleagues, parents and the larger schooling community. When these relationships are disharmonious, attending to the dissonance within these relationships may offer insight into teachers’ relational work. This autoethnographic article focuses on one international elementary school teacher’s experience of teaching online in West Africa during COVID-19. Teaching online in a developing country with political and physical instabilities compounded the chaotic experience of living and working during the pandemic. Guided by this research question, “How did online learning impact my relationship with students?”, the author utilized writing as an inquiry approach to make sense of the challenging aspects of her online teaching experiences. By delving into narrated moments, the author engaged in reflexive analysis of storied experiences. This process illuminated the meaning-making steps that she took to appreciate the nuances contained within specific moments that she had with a student and his father. Through storying and re-storying these moments, the author wondered and metaphorically wandered to unearth potential emotions, assumptions and motivations that permeated her experiences. Such an explorative focus on teachers’ subjective meaning-making process augments the wider body of work on online education and, in particular, this study’s inquiry into the complexity of educational relationships through a narrative lens offers insights into the inner workings of teacher emotions and feelings. This paper reveals how teachers may benefit from adopting a reflective and reflexive sense-making approach towards understanding their emotions, feelings, responsibilities and relationships with students and parents, especially during a time of crisis. This article contributes to the ongoing discussions about the complexities of teachers’ relational work and it enriches the extant literature on online education by shedding light on the individualistic ways that teachers cope with the uncertainties of teaching during a time of crisis. Deeping our collective understanding of how teachers cope can help us to provide better support for teachers and students during crises such as COVID-19.
Design of Orbital Angular Momentum Antenna Array for Generating High-Order OAM Modes
Authors: Song Jiaxin , Gao Song , Lu Jingtong , Zhang Shuai , Ren Zhiyuan , Xu Jianchun
Published: December 2023

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes can offer high density and high-capacity communication. The traditional phased array antenna can only produce a limited number of OAM beam modes l, usually less than half of the number of array elements (N): −N/2 < lmax < N/2. An OAM antenna array for generating high-order OAM modes is proposed in this letter. The proposed antenna array consists of a ring patch antenna that can generate vortex waves with OAM mode l = 1 or −1 and a phase-shifting feeding network. By adding different feed excitation signals to each element, the generated beam carries a higher-order mode: l = N or −N, breaking the previous limitations. Near-field measurements were conducted on antenna arrays composed of 3, 4, and 5 elements, revealing a high degree of correspondence between their phase distribution and radiation patterns with numerical simulation results. This alignment further substantiates the practical efficacy of this approach in significantly enhancing the generation of high-order OAM modes within antenna arrays. This advancement improves component utilization efficiency, reduces system complexity, and meets the high demands for spectral resources and channel capacity in future communication applications.
Dual-Stage Attribute Embedding and Modality Consistency Learning-Based Visible–Infrared Person Re-Identification
Authors: Cheng Zhuxuan , Fan Huijie , Wang Qiang , Liu Shiben , Tang Yandong
Published: December 2023

Visible–infrared person re-identification (VI-ReID) is an emerging technology for realizing all-weather smart surveillance systems. To address the problem of pedestrian discriminative information being difficult to obtain and easy to lose, as well as the wide modality difference in the VI-ReID task, in this paper we propose a two-stage attribute embedding and modality consistency learning-based VI-ReID method. First, the attribute information embedding module introduces the fine-grained pedestrian information in the attribute label into the transformer backbone, enabling the backbone to extract identity-discriminative pedestrian features. After obtaining the pedestrian features, the attribute embedding enhancement module is utilized to realize the second-stage attribute information embedding, which reduces the adverse effect of losing the person discriminative information due to the deepening of network. Finally, the modality consistency learning loss is designed for constraining the network to mine the consistency information between two modalities in order to reduce the impact of modality difference on the recognition results. The results show that our method reaches 74.57% mAP on the SYSU-MM01 dataset in All Search mode and 87.02% mAP on the RegDB dataset in IR-to-VIS mode, with a performance improvement of 6.00% and 2.56%, respectively, proving that our proposed method is able to reach optimal performance compared to existing state-of-the-art methods.
Inversion of Target Magnetic Moments Based on Scalar Magnetic Anomaly Signals
Authors: Zhang Ke , You Xiuzhi , Liu Xiaodong , Liu Jiarui , Zhu Wanhua
Published: December 2023

As a key physical property of underwater ferromagnetic targets, magnetic moment can reflect important information such as the mass and heading of the target. However, most of the current magnetic moment estimation methods rely on vector magnetic field sensors or sensor arrays to measure the magnetic field, which limits its application in remote target magnetic moment calculation on mobile platforms to some extent. To solve this problem, a real-time magnetic moment inversion method based on the high-precision scalar magnetic measurement data of a high-speed moving platform is proposed in this paper. The method allows the estimation of the magnetic moment of underwater ferromagnetic targets by the scalar magnetic measurement data of an optical pump magnetic field sensor mounted on a high-speed moving platform. The experimental results show that this method has high precision in estimating magnetic moment; the average error of the magnetic moment amplitude was only 5.85%, while the average errors of the magnetic moment inclination and magnetic moment deflection were 1.58° and 2.79°, respectively. These results provide a new and effective way to estimate the magnetic moment of underwater ferromagnetic targets and are expected to have important practical applications.
Focus on Thyroid Cancer in Elderly Patients
Authors: Lauretta Rosa , Bianchini Marta , Mormando Marilda , Puliani Giulia , Appetecchia Marialuisa
Published: December 2023

Thyroid cancer is more aggressive in elderly patients due to biological causes related to age, histotype, and the advanced stage at diagnosis. In the elderly, both the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer impact quality of life. This review aimed to collect and discuss the different therapeutic approaches in elderly patients affected by thyroid cancer. Our analysis examined the therapeutic surgical approach according to age and how this affects the prognosis of patients with thyroid cancer, along with how iodine 131 therapy is tolerated and how effective it is. Furthermore, we investigated whether levothyroxine suppressive therapy is always necessary and safe in elderly patients with thyroid cancer and the safety and efficacy of systemic therapy in the elderly. We also intended to identify peculiar features of thyroid cancer in elderly subjects and to evaluate how the disease and its treatment affect their quality of life.
Transporting Particles with Vortex Rings
Authors: Gulinyan Van , Kuzikov Fedor , Podgornyi Roman , Shirkin Daniil , Zakharov Ivan , Sadrieva Zarina , Korobkov Maxim , Muzychenko Yana , Kudlis Andrey
Published: December 2023

Due to their long-lived nature, vortex rings are highly promising for the non-contact transportation of colloidal microparticles. However, because of the high complexity of the structures, their description using rigorous, closed-form mathematical expressions is challenging, particularly in the presence of strongly inhomogeneous colloidal suspensions. In this work, we comprehensively study this phenomenon, placing special emphasis on a quantitative description of the ability of vortex rings to move the particles suspended in a liquid over distances significantly exceeding the ring’s dimensions. Moreover, within the study, we present straightforward analytical approximations extracted by using the fitting of the experimental and numerical simulation observations that reveal the dynamics of vortex rings transporting the microparticles. It includes both the dependence of the concentration on the distance traveled by the vortex ring and coefficients describing the evolution of vortex ring shape in time, which were not presented in the literature before. It turns out that despite the fact that 2D modeling is a simplification of the full 3D problem solution and is unable to capture some of the minor effects of real behavior, it has demonstrated a good consistency with the results obtained via experiments regarding the process of particles transportation.
The Effect of Ultrasound on the Rehydration Characteristics of Semi-Dried Salted Apostichopus japonicus
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Su Yongchang , Wang Yangduo , Chen Xiaoting , Chen Xiaoe , Liu Zhiyu
Published: December 2023

To effectively shorten the rehydration time of Apostichopus japonicus and reduce the nutrient loss during the rehydration process, an ultrasound-assisted rehydration method was adopted to rehydrate semi-dry salted A. japonicus in this study. The effects of different ultrasonic powers, temperatures, and times on the rehydration characteristics, textural characteristics, and sensory quality of the semi-dry salted A. japonicus were studied. Box–Behnken response surface analysis was used to study the influence of the interactions among the three factors on the rehydration ratio of the semi-dry salted A. japonicus, and a quadratic multinomic regression model was established to predict the optimal rehydration ratio. The results showed that ultrasound could change the structure of semi-dry salted A. japonicus and form a spatial network structure, thereby improving its water absorption capacity and reducing rehydration time. The optimal rehydration effect could be obtained when the ultrasonic power was 400 W, the ultrasonic temperature was 50 °C, and the ultrasonic time was 83 min. Ultrasonic power, ultrasonic time, and ultrasonic temperature influenced the rehydration ratio of the semi-dry salted A. japonicus. Under the optimal rehydration conditions in this study, the rehydration ratio of semi-dry salted A. japonicus obtained by the test was 2.103, which was consistent with the value predicted by the Box–Behnken response surface method.
Fractal Features in Terrain Restoration of Jiuzhai Valley, a World Natural Heritage Site in China
Authors: Zou Zan , Du Yue , Song Huixing
Published: December 2023

Jiuzhai Valley, a World Natural Heritage Site, was significantly damaged by an earthquake in 2017. However, case studies on the restoration of World Natural Heritage sites are lacking. This study aimed to use the box-counting method to analyze fractal characteristics of the terrain in Shuzheng Valley. Research data were used to conduct artificial intervention restoration of the earthquake-damaged terrain. Our results showed that (i) the travertine terrain shows self-similarity at different scales. The fractal dimension was related to terrain complexity: the more complex the terrain, the higher the fractal-dimension value; (ii) a combined form of fractal generator elements at the same scale was related to terrain complexity—differences in the spatial combination of the fractal generator elements can be compared based on fractal dimension; and (iii) the newly restored dam terrain also showed fractal characteristics whose spatial combination form was similar to that of the surrounding terrain. The complexity of the terrain’s fractal element combination may be related to the influence of surrounding environmental factors and the different ecological functional requirements. This study provides basic data for the near natural restoration of the Sparkling Lake travertine terrain after an earthquake and proposes new concepts and strategies for restoring World Natural Heritage Site terrains.
Optimized Multiloop Fractional-Order Controller for Regulating Frequency in Diverse-Sourced Vehicle-to-Grid Power Systems
Authors: Hassan Amira , Aly Mohamed M. , Alharbi Mohammed A. , Selim Ali , Alamri Basem , Aly Mokhtar , Elmelegi Ahmed , Khamies Mohamed , Mohamed Emad A.
Published: December 2023

A reduced power system’s inertia represents a big issue for high penetration levels of renewable generation sources. Recently, load frequency controllers (LFCs) and their design have become crucial factors for stability and supply reliability. Thence, a new optimized multiloop fractional LFC scheme is provided in this paper. The proposed multiloop LFC scheme presents a two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) structure using the tilt–integral–derivatives with filter (TIDN) in the first stage and the tilt–derivative with filter (TDN) in the second stage. The employment of two different loops achieves better disturbance rejection capability using the proposed 2DOF TIDN-TDN controller. The proposed 2DOF TIDN-TDN method is optimally designed using the recent powerful marine predator optimizer algorithm (MPA). The proposed design method eliminates the need for precise modeling of power systems, complex control design theories, and complex disturbance observers and filter circuits. A multisourced two-area interlinked power grid is employed as a case study in this paper by incorporating renewable generation with multifunctionality electric vehicle (EV) control and contribution within the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) concept. The proposed 2DOF TIDN-TDN LFC is compared with feature-related LFCs from the literature, such as TID, FOTID, and TID-FOPIDN controllers. Better mitigated frequency and tie-line power fluctuations, faster response, lower overshot/undershot values, and shorter settling time are the proven features of the proposed 2DOF TIDN-TDN LFC method.
The Texas Historical Markers Program: Racial and Ethnic Narratives
Authors: Choi Yusik , Giordano Alberto
Published: December 2023

In this article we explore the text of the over 16,000 historical markers erected in the state since 1936, using GIS and corpus linguistics to determine the where, how, what, and when of how Texas memorializes its racial and ethnic groups. Unsurprisingly, our results indicate that the story of Texas is implicitly a narrative of white people. More interestingly, the term “African (Americans)” begins to be commemorated especially after the 1990s, but only in stories of community, religion, school, and children, as Texas historical markers do not to dwell on narratives of slavery, the civil rights movement, and lynchings. “Indians” and “Mexicans” in the 1930s and 1960s exemplify the most egregious case of derogatory semantics we found in the markers. As concerns racial and ethnic groups, in general they tend to be memorialized where they were historically present, whether or not such groups are still there. The analysis also reveals the increasing concentration of the markers in urban areas.
Anxiety and Stress among American, Chinese, Italian, and Russian Emerging Adults: Does Uncertainty Avoidance Matter?
Authors: Delvecchio Elisa , Cenci Giulia , Lis Adriana , Li Jian-Bin , Vazsonyi Alexander T. , Nartova-Bochaver Sofya , Zadworna Magdalena , Mazzeschi Claudia
Published: December 2023

Levels of anxiety and stress vary throughout the lifespan and across cultures. Uncertainty appears particularly relevant during emerging adulthood, thus potentially affecting both stress and anxiety. Uncertainty as a construct was identified by Hofstede (i.e., Uncertainty Avoidance Index, UAI), who defined it as the extent to which members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and tend to avoid them. The UAI was considered as a means to understand cultures in addition to the “classic” distinction between collectivist and individualistic cultures. The present study compared levels of anxiety and stress in 1790 university students (18–21 years old) from two individualistic (Italy and the US) and two collectivistic (China and Russia) countries, with a consideration of country UAI levels. Results showed that country-level UAI scores were associated with levels of anxiety and stress, controlling for age and sex. Italian and Russian students reported greater anxiety than American and Chinese ones. Chinese emerging adults reported the lowest stress levels, followed by American, Italian, and Russian students. The study findings provide initial evidence that anxiety and stress in emerging adults are associated with how a culture deals with perceived instability and uncertainty about the future.
Using Deep-Learning for 5G End-to-End Delay Estimation Based on Gaussian Mixture Models
Authors: Fadhil Diyar , Oliveira Rodolfo
Published: December 2023

Deep learning is used in various applications due to its advantages over traditional Machine Learning (ML) approaches in tasks encompassing complex pattern learning, automatic feature extraction, scalability, adaptability, and performance in general. This paper proposes an end-to-end (E2E) delay estimation method for 5G networks through deep learning (DL) techniques based on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM). In the first step, the components of a GMM are estimated through the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm and are subsequently used as labeled data in a supervised deep learning stage. A multi-layer neural network model is trained using the labeled data and assuming different numbers of E2E delay observations for each training sample. The accuracy and computation time of the proposed deep learning estimator based on the Gaussian Mixture Model (DLEGMM) are evaluated for different 5G network scenarios. The simulation results show that the DLEGMM outperforms the GMM method based on the EM algorithm, in terms of the accuracy of the E2E delay estimates, although requiring a higher computation time. The estimation method is characterized for different 5G scenarios, and when compared to GMM, DLEGMM reduces the mean squared error (MSE) obtained with GMM between 1.7 to 2.6 times.
The Hexacoordinate Si Complex SiCl4(4-Azidopyridine)2—Crystallographic Characterization of Two Conformers and Probing the Influence of SiCl4-Complexation on a Click Reaction with Phenylacetylene
Authors: Riedel Sophie , Gerwig Maik , Gerlach Daniela , Brendler Erica , Gericke Robert , Kroke Edwin , Wagler Jörg
Published: December 2023

4-Azidopyridine (1) and SiCl4 react with the formation of the hexacoordinate silicon complex SiCl4(4-azidopyridine)2 (2). Upon dissolving in warm chloroform, the complex dissociates into the constituents 1 and SiCl4 and forms back upon cooling. Depending on the cooling, two different crystalline modifications of 2 were obtained, which feature two different trans-conformers. Slow cooling to room temperature afforded conformer 2′, which features coplanar pyridine rings. Rapid cooling to −39 °C afforded crystals of conformer 2″, in which the planes of the pyridine ligands are nearly orthogonal to one another. Whereas 2′ resembles the molecular arrangement of various other known SiX4(pyridine)2 (X = halide) complexes, 2″ represents the first crystallographically confirmed example of a SiX4(pyridine)2 complex in this conformation. Conformers 2′ and 2″ were studied with 13C and 29Si solid state NMR spectroscopy. Their differences in 29Si chemical shift anisotropy, as well as energetic differences, were further investigated with computational analyses. In spite of the similar stabilities of the two conformers as isolated molecules, the crystal packing of 2″ is less stable, and its crystallization is interpreted as a kinetically controlled effect of seed formation. (3+2)-cycloaddition of 1 and phenylacetylene in toluene at 110 °C yields a mixture of 1-(4-pyridyl)-4-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole (1,4-3) and 1-(4-pyridyl)-5-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole (1,5-3) in approximate 1:2 molar ratio. The crystal structures of the two isomers were determined via X-ray diffraction. In chloroform (at 60 °C), this reaction is slow (less than 2% conversion within 4 h), but the presence of SiCl4 enhanced the rate of the reaction slightly, and it shifted the triazole isomer ratio to ca. 1:6 in favor of 1,5-3.
Natural Vector of Avian Haemoproteus asymmetricus Parasite and Factors Altering the Spread of Infection
Authors: Žiegytė Rita , Palinauskas Vaidas , Bernotienė Rasa
Published: December 2023

Avian haemosporidians (Apicomplexa, Haemosporida) are widespread blood protists, often causing severe haemosporidiosis, pathology, or even mortality in their hosts. Migrant birds regularly bring various haemosporidian parasites from wintering grounds to European breeding areas. Some haemosporidian parasites are prevalent in breeding sites and complete their life cycles in temperate climate zones and can be transmitted, but others do not. The factors altering the spread of these haemosporidians are not fully understood. Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) play an important role in the transmission of worldwide distributed avian haemosporidian parasites belonging to the genus Haemoproteus, but this information is particularly scarce and insufficient. The key factors limiting the spread of these pathogens in temperate climate zones, which we suspect and aim to study, are the absence of susceptible vectors and the ecological isolation of birds from vectors during the breeding period when transmission occurs. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate how the habitats of biting midges and bird breeding sites influence parasite transmission while also seeking to expand our understanding of the natural vectors for these parasites. Biting midges were collected using UV traps on the Curonian Spit, Lithuania, in different habitats, such as woodland and reeds, from May to September. Parous Culicoides females were identified, dissected, and investigated for the presence of Haemoproteus parasites using both microscopy and PCR-based tools. Among the dissected 1135 parous Culicoides females, the sporozoites of Haemoproteus asymmetricus (genetic lineage hTUPHI01) have been detected for the first time in the salivary glands of Culicoides festivipennis. The sporozoites of four Haemoproteus lineages were detected in Culicoides segnis, C. festivipennis, and Culicoides kibunensis biting midges. PCR-based screening showed that the females of seven Culicoides species were naturally infected with Haemoproteus parasites. The DNA of the parasite of owls, Haemoproteus syrnii (hSTAL2), was detected for the first time in Culicoides punctatus. The highest abundance of collected Culicoides females was in June, but the highest prevalence of Haemoproteus parasites in biting midges was in July. The abundance of Culicoides was higher in the woodland compared with reeds during the season. The acquired findings indicate the varied abundance and diversity of biting midges throughout the season and across distinct habitats. This variability could potentially impact the transmission of Haemoproteus parasites among birds with diverse breeding site ecologies. These outcomes hold the potential to enhance our understanding of the epizootiology of Haemoproteus infections within temperate climatic zones.
Exploring the Relationship between Emotional Valence and Prospective Memory Metamemory in Younger and Older Adults
Authors: Da Silva Coelho Chloé , Hering Alexandra , Zuber Sascha , Spurio Giulia , Bisiacchi Patrizia Silvia , Kliegel Matthias
Published: December 2023

Prospective memory (PM) plays a crucial role in daily autonomy. Metamemory and emotional valence have both been shown to influence PM performance in younger and older adults. However, when considered together, the relationship between emotional valence, metamemory, and PM has not been examined yet, especially whether metamemory PM representations develop with task experience (i.e., before versus after performing a task). We collected data from 25 younger and 19 older adults using an event-based PM task with emotional cues (positive, negative, or neutral). Results revealed that younger adults’ predictions underestimated performance for neutral and negative cues. After performing the task, they showed more accurate representations for neutral cues, indicating that they monitored their representations. Older adults’ predictions overestimated performance for negative PM cues, and they did not modify representations after performing the task. Thus, we do not find evidence that older adults are able to coherently monitor their PM representations. These findings highlight the importance of understanding PM representations, especially in older adults, as they may lead to less strategy use and more impaired PM performance in negative everyday situations.
Factors Influencing Postoperative Overactive Bladder after Adjustable Trans-Obturator Male System Implantation for Male Stress Incontinence following Prostatectomy
Authors: Virseda-Chamorro Miguel , Téllez Carlos , Salinas-Casado Jesus , Szczesniewski Juliusz , Ruiz-Grana Sonia , Arance Ignacio , Angulo Javier C.
Published: December 2023

We aimed to determine the risk factors for postoperative overactive bladder (OAB) in patients treated with an adjustable trans-obturator male system (ATOMS) for stress incontinence after radical treatment of prostate cancer. A prospective study was performed on 56 patients implanted with an ATOMS for PPI. Clinical and urodynamic information was recorded before and after ATOMS implantation. We built a multivariate model to find out the clinical and urodynamic factors that independently influenced postoperative OAB and the prognostic factors that influenced the efficacy of medical treatment of OAB. We found that the clinical risk factors were the preoperative intensity of urinary incontinence (number of daily pads used and amount of urinary leakage), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) score, postoperative number of ATOMS adjustments, final cushion volume, and incontinence cure. The urodynamic data associated with OAB were cystometric bladder capacity, voided volume, volume at initial involuntary contraction (IC), maximum flow rate, bladder contractility index (BCI), and urethral resistance (URA). The prognostic factors for the efficacy of oral treatment of OAB were the volume at the first IC (direct relationship) and the maximum abdominal voiding pressure (inverse relationship). The multivariate model showed that the independent clinical risk factors were the daily pad count before the implantation and the ICIQ score at baseline and after treatment. The independent urodynamic data were the volume at the first IC (inverse relationship) and the URA value (direct relationship). Both predictive factors of treatment efficacy were found to be independent. Detrusor overactivity plays an important role in postoperative OAB, although other urodynamic and clinical factors such as the degree of urethral resistance and abdominal strength may influence this condition.
Ventilatory Management of Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Due to SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Jacquier Marine , Labruyère Marie , Ecarnot Fiona , Roudaut Jean-Baptiste , Andreu Pascal , Voizeux Pierre , Save Quentin , Pedri Romain , Rigaud Jean-Philippe , Quenot Jean-Pierre
Published: December 2023

The emergence of the new SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019 caused a worldwide pandemic of the resultant disease, COVID-19. There was a massive surge in admissions to intensive care units (ICU), notably of patients with hypoxaemic acute respiratory failure. In these patients, optimal oxygen therapy was crucial. In this article, we discuss tracheal intubation to provide mechanical ventilation in patients with hypoxaemic acute respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2. We first describe the pathophysiology of respiratory anomalies leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to infection with SARS-CoV-2, and then briefly review management, focusing particularly on the ventilation strategy. Overall, the ventilatory management of ARDS due to SARS-CoV-2 infection is largely the same as that applied in ARDS from other causes, and lung-protective ventilation is recommended. The difference lies in the initial clinical presentation, with profound hypoxaemia often observed concomitantly with near-normal pulmonary compliance.