bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Please. Do. Not. Share. Videos. Share. Cats.”: Counteracting Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content on Twitter during Terrorist Attacks
Authors: Eriksson Krutrök Moa
Published: March 2023

Obtaining accurate information from social media during a crisis can be difficult, but should all information really be disseminated? Social media platforms actively filter out terrorist and violent extremist content (TVEC), but how are users themselves counteracting its spread? This paper aims to connect the research on media events with studies currently being conducted in information science and digital media research through a case study of tweets during the Vienna terror attack in late 2020. These tweets were manually coded in accordance with Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. This study shows that during the 2020 Vienna attack, GIFs shared on Twitter served three functions: amplification, personalisation and ethical practice. The paper ends with a discussion on the ways cats may function as a countermeasure against the prevalence of TVEC on social media during terrorist attacks and the implications of such countermeasures.
Successful Treatment of SAPHO Syndrome Complicated with Ankylosing Spondylitis by Secukinumab: A Case Report
Authors: Tu Wei , Nie Daan , Chen Yuxue , Wen Cheng , Zeng Zhipeng
Published: March 2023

Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome is characterized by a wide range of dermatological and musculoskeletal manifestations, and its outcome has recently been improved greatly by optimizing management. However, the treatment strategies are not standardized and require further refinement. Secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting IL-17A, is approved for the treatment of autoimmune psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Here, a 53-year-old man was diagnosed with AS, and he presented scattered pustulosis in both hands and feet with a 5-year history of recurrent lumbosacral area pain and abnormal pain in the neck and front chest area. Secukinumab improved the patient’s cutaneous lesion and prevented musculoskeletal pain by substituting adalimumab. Although only a few cases have been reported that secukinumab can effectively treat SAPHO syndrome complicated with AS, the efficacy remains controversial. Therefore, we hope to provide a novel valuable therapeutic strategy for SAPHO syndrome management, particularly in patients with skin lesions.
How Well Do Semen Analysis Parameters Correlate with Sperm DNA Fragmentation? A Retrospective Study from 2567 Semen Samples Analyzed by the Halosperm Test
Authors: Chua Shiao Chuan , Yovich Steven John , Hinchliffe Peter Michael , Yovich John Lui
Published: March 2023

Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) levels have been measured in the workup for in vitro fertilization (IVF) at PIVET since 2007, with the Halosperm test having replaced the previous sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) since 2013. Of 2624 semen samples analyzed for the Halosperm test, 57 were excluded as the sperm concentration was <5 million/mL, a level too low for accurate testing, leaving 2567 samples for assessment within this study. The SDF rates were categorized in 5 sperm DNA fragmentation indices (DFI), ranging from <5% to levels >30%, and these categories were correlated with the respective semen analysis profiles and two clinical parameters, namely the age of the male and the ejaculatory abstinence period prior to the sample. The results showed a significant correlation with male age (r = 0.088; p < 0.0001), the abstinence period (r = 0.076; p = 0.0001), and the semen volume (r 0.063; p = 0.001), meaning an adversely high SDF was associated with advanced age, prolonged abstinence, and raised semen volume parameters. There was a significant negative correlation with sperm morphology (r = −0.074; p = 0.0001), progressive motility (r = −0.257; p < 0.0001), and semen pH (r = −0.066; p < 0.001), meaning these semen anomalies were associated with high SDF values. With respect to abnormal morphology, sperm tail defects had a positive correlation (r = 0.096; p < 0.0001) while midpiece defects showed a negative correlation (r = −0.057; p = 0.004), meaning that tail defects are most likely to associate with adverse DFI values. With respect to motility patterns, the poorer patterns showed a positive correlation with increased DFI, namely C pattern (r = 0.055; p = 0.005) and D pattern (r = 0.253; p < 0.0001). These results imply that raised DFI reflects poor sperm quality and should be investigated in clinical trials involving IVF and the consideration of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Changes in Quality of Life in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia Patients Undergoing Avatar Therapy: A Content Analysis
Authors: Beaudoin Mélissa , Potvin Stephane , Phraxayavong Kingsada , Dumais Alexandre
Published: March 2023

Avatar Therapy has a significant impact on symptoms, beliefs, and quality of life of patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. However, little is known about how these changes are implemented into their lives and to which aspects of their lives these improvements relate. Ten consecutive patients enrolled in an ongoing clinical trial were assessed using semi-guided interviews before as well as three months after Avatar Therapy. These encounters have been recorded and transcribed so that the discourse could be thoroughly analyzed, leading to the generation of an extensive theme grid. As the cases were analyzed, the grid was adapted in a back-and-forth manner until data saturation occurred. The content analysis allowed the identification of nine main themes representing different aspects of the patients’ lives, each of which was subdivided into more specific codes. By analyzing the evolution of their frequency, it was observed that, following therapy, patients presented with fewer psychotic symptoms, better self-esteem, more hobbies and projects, and an overall improved lifestyle and mood. Finally, investigating the impact of Avatar Therapy on quality of life allows for a deeper understanding of how people with treatment-resistant schizophrenia can achieve meaningful changes and move towards a certain recovery process.
Overdiagnosis Due to Screening Mammography for Breast Cancer among Women Aged 40 Years and Over: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Flemban Arwa F.
Published: March 2023

The current systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the incidence of overdiagnosis due to screening mammography for breast cancer among women aged 40 years and older. A PRISMA systematic search appraisal and meta-analysis were conducted. A systematic literature search of English publications in PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar was conducted without regard to the region or time period. Generic, methodological, and statistical data were extracted from the eligible studies. A meta-analysis was completed by utilizing comprehensive meta-analysis software. The effect size estimates were calculated using the fail-safe N test. The funnel plot and the Begg and Mazumdar rank correlation tests were employed to find any potential bias among the included articles. The strength of the association between two variables was assessed using Kendall’s tau. Heterogeneity was measured using the I-squared (I2) test. The literature search in the five databases yielded a total of 4214 studies. Of those, 30 articles were included in the final analysis, with sample sizes ranging from 451 to 1,429,890 women. The vast majority of the articles were retrospective cohort designs (24 articles). The age of the recruited women ranged between 40 and 89 years old. The incidence of overdiagnosis due to screening mammography for breast cancer among women aged 40 years and older was 12.6%. There was high heterogeneity among the study articles (I2 = 99.993), and the pooled event rate was 0.126 (95% CI: 15 0.101–0.156). Despite the random-effects meta-analysis showing a high degree of heterogeneity among the articles, the screening tests have to allow for a certain degree of overdiagnosis (12.6%) due to screening mammography for breast cancer among women aged 40 years and older. Furthermore, efforts should be directed toward controlling and minimizing the harmful consequences associated with breast cancer screening.
The Influence of Cash Ownership on Financial Performance: An Examination of Disruptors and Acquirers
Authors: Abraham Rebecca , Bhimavarapu Venkata Mrudula , Tao Zhi , Rastogi Shailesh
Published: March 2023

Cash ownership emits a powerful positive signal. We examine four sources of cash in firms, i.e., cash flows, cash holdings, cash proceeds from debt, and cash proceeds from equity. We examine the effects of cash ownership for firms growing by disruption, and firms growing by acquisition. Information signaling theory maintains that free cash flows may be used to increase shareholder wealth. Two-stage least squares regressions determined the impact of cash funding on disruptors and size of acquisition in the first stage, and cash-funded disruption or cash-funded acquisition in the second stage, for a US sample of 832 disruptor firms and 924 acquirers, from 2000–2020. Disruptions funded by cash holdings, cash flow, and cash proceeds from debt, significantly increased stock returns. A size effect was observed, with small disruptors showing significant effects. Acquisitions funded by cash holdings, cash flow, and cash proceeds from debt, significantly increased stock returns and return on assets. Agency costs significantly reduced returns and profits. Results for disruptions and acquisitions support signaling theory with free cash flows signaling higher share prices for both disruptors and acquirers, and higher profits for acquirers.
A Quadruple Notch UWB Antenna with Decagonal Radiator and Sierpinski Square Fractal Slots
Authors: Kumar Om Prakash , Kumar Pramod , Ali Tanweer , Kumar Pradeep , K Subhash B.
Published: March 2023

A novel quadruple-notch UWB (ultrawideband) antenna for wireless applications is presented. The antenna consists of a decagonal-shaped radiating part with Sierpinski square fractal slots up to iteration 3. The ground part is truncated and loaded with stubs and slots. Each individual stub at the ground plane creates/controls a particular notch band. Initially, a UWB antenna is designed with the help of truncation at the ground plane. Miniaturization in this design is achieved with the help of Sierpinski square fractal slots. Additionally, these slots help improve the UWB impedance bandwidth. This design is then extended to achieve a quadruple notch by loading the ground with various rectangular-shaped stubs. The final antenna shows the UWB range from 4.21 to 13.92 GHz and notch frequencies at 5.02 GHz (C-band), 7.8 GHz (satellite band), 9.03, and 10.86 GHz (X-band). The simulated and measured results are nearly identical, which shows the efficacy of the proposed design.
Spatial and Temporal Interaction Coupling of Digital Economy, New-Type Urbanization and Land Ecology and Spatial Effects Identification: A Study of the Yangtze River Delta
Authors: Zhu Yuqi , Shen Siwei , Du Linyu , Fu Jun , Zou Jian , Peng Lina , Ding Rui
Published: March 2023

In the digital era, the contradiction between regional urban development and land ecological protection is still prominent. Clarifying the relationship and internal interaction logic among digital economy (DE), new-type urbanization (NU), and land ecology (LE) is of great significance to the region’s sustainable development. Based on theoretical analysis, this study examines the relationship among DE, NU, and LE in the Yangtze River Delta through spatial analysis and empirical test with the city data from 2011 to 2020. The study found that: (1) The overall development level of DE–NU–LE in the Yangtze River Delta shows a steady upward trend, the development level of DE and NU lags behind LE, and the convergence trend among them gradually strengthened. (2) The DE-NE-LE and the coupling coordination have different and complex spatial and temporal dynamic evolution characteristics. The ability for coordinated development is enhanced continuously, which presents a typical pattern of “high in the east and low in the west”. (3) The DE has a lasting role in promoting the development of the NU and LE, while the support and stimulation of NU and LE for DE needs to be strengthened. The relationship between the NU and LE shows a mutually restricted trend. (4) The DE has a significant “siphon effect”. While NU and LE both have significant positive spatial spillover effects, which can promote the coordinated development of surrounding cities. This study deepens the understanding of DE–NU–LE coordinated development, and provides a new perspective for sustainable urban development and alleviating land conflicts.
What Are Restorative Justice Services Recording? Qualitative Analysis of Six Restorative Justice Reporting Templates for Offices of the Police and Crime Commissioner in England
Authors: Fisk Benjamin M.
Published: March 2023

This paper is a qualitative documentary analysis of six restorative justice reporting templates used by the Offices of the Police and Crime Commissioner in England for collecting restorative justice service data. Findings identify differences in the following areas: general presentation and format of templates; types of data recorded; areas of interest; definitions and use of descriptive language; methods and timing for counting data; and interpretation of restorative justice processes and outcomes. Conclusions highlight the need to standardise definitions and methods, outlining potential pitfalls when using data to draw further conclusions when equivalency is problematic, and further research avenues that could illuminate the use of data to evidence effectiveness, efficiency, impact and success.
Eye-Tracker Study of the Developmental Eye Movement Test in Young People without Binocular Dysfunctions
Authors: Orduna-Hospital Elvira , Navarro-Marqués Aitana , López-de-la-Fuente Carmen , Sanchez-Cano Ana
Published: March 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate ocular motility in normal young adults when performing the Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) test using an infrared eye-tracker in a sample of young subjects without visual dysfunctions. Methods: An optometric evaluation was carried out on 52 participants with a mean age of 21.00 ± 3.22 years to verify they did not have any binocular dysfunction, by completing a computerized version of the DEM test while their eye movements were recorded with an eye-tracker. A custom-written software was developed to analyse some specific parameters of ocular motility while performing each subtest (Test A, Test B and Test C) of the complete DEM test. Results: The mean duration of the fixations was shorter in Test C (243.56 ± 46.18 s) than in Test A (493.52 ± 171.41 s) and Test B (484.20 ± 156.59 s). The mean adjusted horizontal (AdjHT: 35.24 ± 6.68 s) and vertical (VT: 33.58 ± 5.56 s) times were at the 45th and at the 40th percentile, respectively. In Test C, there was a high positive significant correlation between the saccadic speed (cc: 0.77; p < 0.001) and the saccadic length (cc: 0.74; p < 0.001) of both eyes. Conclusions: The eye-tracker is an objective method to evaluate the DEM test in subjects without binocular dysfunctions, measuring and quantifying ocular motility parameters that are impossible with the traditional subjective method. The eye movements of both eyes are conjugated in each subject, having saccades of the same length and speed.
Biogas Residues Improved Microbial Diversity and Disease Suppression Function under Extent Indigenous Soil Microbial Biomass
Authors: Zhao Yubin , Hu Kai , Yu Jiadong , Khan Md. Tariful Alam , Cai Yafan , Zhao Xiaoling , Zheng Zehui , Hu Yuegao , Cui Zongjun , Wang Xiaofen
Published: March 2023

Indigenous soil microbial biomass (ISMB) plays a key role in maintaining essential functions and biodiversity of soil health. One of the critical unknowns is how the indigenous microorganisms respond to different fertilizers which is directly related to agricultural production. Therefore, we used Mi-Seq sequencing and network analyses to compare the response of ISMB to biogas residue and chemical fertilizers. The results showed that crop production was profoundly influenced by levels of ISMB present and is further dependent on the strategy of fertilizer application. Higher ISMB primarily manifests through retention of richer microbial abundance, a balanced community structure, and tightened co-occurrence within a certain proportion of Nitrospirae, Rhizophlyctidaceae, and Gemmatimonadetes. Compared to chemical fertilizer, biogas residue resulted in higher production with more strongly linked nodes such as Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Gemmatimonadetes. Under the same level of ISMB, the microbial diversity was richer and co-occurrence was tighter when biogas residues were applied compared with chemical fertilizer. In addition, the higher level of ISMB with biogas residue applied had a lower abundance of potential fungal pathogens in both bulk and rhizosphere soil compared with chemical fertilizer. This study provides critical data to understand the influence of ISMB and biogas residue on soil ecological system.
Potential Prognostic Value of Native T1 in Pulmonary Hypertension Patients
Authors: Cerne John W. , Shehata Christina , Ragin Ann , Pathrose Ashitha , Veer Manik , Subedi Kamal , Allen Bradley D. , Avery Ryan J. , Markl Michael , Carr James C.
Published: March 2023

Native T1, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) characterize myocardial tissue and relate to patient prognosis in a variety of diseases, including pulmonary hypertension. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if left ventricle (LV) fibrosis measurements have prognostic value for cardiac outcomes in pulmonary hypertension subgroups. 54 patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension underwent right-heart catheterization and were classified into pulmonary hypertension subgroups: pre-capillary component (PreCompPH) and isolated post-capillary (IpcPH). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed with the acquisition of balanced cine steady-state free precession, native T1, and LGE pulse sequences to measure cardiac volumes and myocardial fibrosis. Associations between cardiac events and cardiac MRI measurements were analyzed within PreCompPH and IpcPH patients. IpcPH: LV native T1 was higher in patients who experienced a cardiac event within two years vs. those who did not. In patients with LV native T1 > 1050 ms, the rate of cardiac events was higher. ECV and quantitative LGE did not differ between groups. PreCompPH: native T1, ECV, and quantitative/qualitative LGE did not differ between patients who experienced a cardiac event within two years vs. those who did not. LV native T1 may have potential value for forecasting cardiac events in IpcPH, but not in PreCompPH, patients.
In Vitro and In Silico Studies of Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Activities of Chemically Characterized Essential Oil of Artemisia flahaultii L. (Asteraceae)
Authors: Chebbac Khalid , Benziane Ouaritini Zineb , El Moussaoui Abdelfattah , Chebaibi Mohamed , Salamatullah Ahmad Mohammad , Lafraxo Soufyane , Bourhia Mohammed , Giesy John P. , Aboul-Soud Mourad A. M. , Guemmouh Raja
Published: March 2023

The present study investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as characterized the chemical composition of the essential oils (EO) isolated from Artemisia flahaultii (EOF). EOF was extracted using hydro-distillation, and the chemical composition of EOF was ascertained by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). To assess antioxidant capacity, three tests were used: the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH), the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) test. The antimicrobial activity of EOF was investigated using the diffusion assay and minimal inhibitory concentration assays (MICs). By use of in silico structure–activity simulations, the inhibitory potency against nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), physicochemical characters, pharmaco-centric properties and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) characteristics of EOF were determined. GC/MS analysis reveals 25 components majorly composed of D-Limonene (22.09%) followed by β-pinene (15.22%), O-cymene (11.72%), β-vinylnaphthalene (10.47%) and benzene 2,4-pentadiynyl (9.04%). The capacity of DPPH scavenging by EOF scored an IC50 of 16.00 ± 0.20 µg/mL. TAC revealed that the examined oils contained considerable amounts of antioxidants, which were determined to be 1094.190 ± 31.515 mg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g EO. Results of the FRAP method showed that EOF exhibited activity with EC50 = 6.20 ± 0.60 µg/mL. Values for minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against certain clinically important pathogenic bacteria demonstrate EOF’s potent antibacterial activity. MIC values of 1.34, 1.79, and 4.47 μg/mL against E. coli, B. subtilis and S. aureus were observed respectively. EOF exhibited significant antifungal activities against two stains of fungi: F. oxysporum and C. albicans, with values of 10.70 and 2.23 μg/mL, respectively. Of the total, 25 essential oils were identified. 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol and capillin were the most active molecules against NADPH. The ADME prediction revealed that EOF was characterized by useful physicochemical characteristics and pharmaco-centric properties. The findings of this study show that the EOF can be used as an alternative to treat microbial resistance. Based on the in silico studies, EOF can be used as an “eco-friendly” NADPH inhibitor.
Isolation of Phosphate-Solubilizing Microorganisms and the Formulation of Biofertilizer for Sustainable Processing of Phosphate Rock
Authors: Mayadunna Nipuni , Karunarathna Samantha C. , Asad Suhail , Stephenson Steven L. , Elgorban Abdallah M. , Al-Rejaie Salim , Kumla Jaturong , Yapa Neelamanie , Suwannarach Nakarin
Published: March 2023

As phosphorus (P) bioavailability is limited in arable lands, chemical fertilizers are being used by farmers to increase crop production. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) increase the bioavailability of sparingly soluble inorganic and organic soil phosphorus. Therefore, the current study was an effort to evaluate the phosphate-solubilizing efficiency of PSMs using tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and Eppawala rock phosphate (ERP). The efficiency of phosphate solubilization by a series of identified isolates was compared using TCP (5 g L−1) and ERP (5 g L−1) as a P source in Pikovskava’s broth. Twelve microbial isolates that showed a higher efficiency in phosphate solubilization were selected for the production of the biofertilizer. The isolate F10 in ERP broth was characterized by the highest significant level of available phosphorus (896.98 ± 10.41) mg L−1, followed by F5 (Aspergillus sp.) in TCP broth 991.43 ± 1.37 mg L−1. A pot trial was carried out by using Capsicum annuum L. as the test plant in two soil conditions: sterilized soil and non-sterilized soil with six treatments and four replicates. The significantly highest plant height, leaf length, and width were shown by chili plants treated with the formulated biofertilizer. Therefore, the application of native PSMs appeared to be an efficient method of solubilizing sparingly soluble P compounds into plant-available forms.
Investigation of Wear Behavior in Self-Lubricating ABS Polymer Composites Reinforced with Glass Fiber/ABS and Glass Fiber/Carbon Fiber/ABS Hybrid
Authors: Dhandapani Aravind , Krishnasamy Senthilkumar , Nagarajan Rajini , Selvaraj Anto Dilip Albert , Thiagamani Senthil Muthu Kumar , Muthukumar Chandrasekar , Mohammad Faruq , Al-Lohedan Hamad A. , Ismail Sikiru Oluwarotimi
Published: March 2023

A new hybrid fabrication technique was introduced to manufacture composite laminates made of glass fiber, carbon fiber, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as the matrix. The fabrication process utilized two different techniques: fused deposition modeling and hot press molding. The composite laminates were produced using five layers of glass fibers to form glass fiber-reinforced composites (GF/ABS) and five layers of glass fiber and carbon fiber to form glass fiber, carbon fiber-reinforced hybrid composites (GF/CF/ABS), with three layers of glass fibers and two layers of carbon fibers. The fabricated composite laminates were subjected to wear testing at velocities of 2 m/s, 3 m/s, and 4 m/s and under loads of 5 N and 10 N. The results indicated that GF/ABS samples had the lowest wear loss at 5 N and a velocity of 4 m/s. Additionally, the GF/CF/ABS hybrid samples had the lowest coefficient of friction (COF) of 0.28 at 4 m/s. The GF/ABS samples also exhibited the lowest friction force of 1.7 at 5 N and a velocity of 4 m/s. The worn samples were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope to examine the fiber-to-matrix adhesion behavior. GF/ABS and GF/CF/ABS composites are widely used in various applications due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to wear. These materials could be used in automotive parts, sporting goods, and marine applications.
Theoretical and Experimental Flow Characteristics of a Large-Scale Annular Channel in Terms of Deformation Gradient, Eccentricity, and Water Compressibility
Authors: Zhao Shendan , Liu Yinshui , Wu Defa , Wang Chuanmin , Wang Zhenyao
Published: March 2023

Hydraulic water plunger pumps have come to be widely used in coal mining, seawater desalination, and oil exploitation due to their high output pressure and large flow characteristics. In a high-pressure large-flow plunger pump, the leakage of the annular channel of the plunger pair is an essential factor affecting volume efficiency. The axial pressure gradient exists in the fluid inside the annular channel, resulting in the plunger and plunger sleeve forming similar funnel-like shapes. Moreover, the characteristics of large diameter, high working pressure, and low fluid viscosity of the plunger pump will lead to the complicated flow of the annular channel. The influence of eccentricity and structural deformation on leakage is difficult to evaluate. Therefore, considering the deformation gradient and eccentricity of the plunger pair and the compressibility of the water, the deformation equations and leakage equations of the annular channel under the laminar and turbulent flow state are derived in this study. The eccentricity and leakage of the annular channel under different pressure conditions are measured using a built sealing test bench. It is proved that the discrepancy between the calculated model and the experimental results is less than 6% under different pressures, which effectively predicts the sealing performance of plunger pumps. The results show that under the laminar flow condition, the effects of eccentricity, structural deformation, and medium compressibility on leakage are 148%, 4.92%, and 0.92%, respectively. In turbulent conditions, they were 31%, 2.84%, and 1.19%, respectively. Besides, the reasonable material pairing of the plunger friction pair can reduce the variation of leakage due to structural deformation.
Mathematical Analysis of Transverse Wall-Shearing Motion via Cross Flow of Nanofluid
Authors: Duraihem Faisal Z. , Ullah Khan Arif , Saleem Salman , Shawana
Published: March 2023

The investigation of nanofluid’s cross flow, which is caused by a nonlinear stretching sheet within the boundary layer, is presented. The proper mathematical detail is provided for three distinct cross flow instances with the streamwise flow. A uniform transverse stream located far above the stretched plate, in one instance, creates the cross flow. Two further situations deal with cross flows caused by surface transverse shearing motions. Weidman’s work was used to find a similarity solution by making the necessary changes. It has been found that two parameters, namely nanoparticle volume frictions ϕ and a nonlinear stretching parameter β, have a significant impact on the flow of fluids in cross flow scenarios. Graphical representations of transverse and streamwise shear stresses and velocity profiles are provided. From this study, we found that nanoparticle volume fraction ϕ reduces the momentum boundary layer in both streamwise and cross flow scenarios while increasing the temperature of the fluid and, hence, increasing thermal boundary layer thickness. The same is observed for the nonlinear stretching parameter β.
A Coyote Optimization-Based Residual Attention Echo State Reactive Controller for Improving Power Quality in Grid-PV Systems
Authors: Sekar Rathinam Marimuthu , Murugesan Sankar , Devadasu Ghanta , Salkuti Surender Reddy
Published: March 2023

Improving the power quality and reactive injection capability of grid-PV systems represent the most demanding and crucial tasks in power systems. In the conventional works, many types of converters and regulating approaches have been designed for this goal. The multi-level inverter (MLI) is the best solution for grid-PV systems since it helps to improve power quality while reducing losses. However, the existing works face the key problems of the complex system model, increased components utilization, computational burden, presence of harmonics, and high switching frequency. Therefore, the proposed work aims to develop novel and advanced controlling techniques for improving the reactive power compensation ability and power quality of grid-PV systems. The original contribution of this paper is to implement an advanced soft-computing methodologies for developing the controlling mechanisms. At first, an ATOM search optimization (AOS) based MPPT controlling technique is used to extract the maximum electrical energy from the PV panels under changing climatic situations. Then, the output voltage of PV is effectively regulated with the help of a non-isolated high voltage gain DC-DC converter, which also supports the reduction of the switching loss and frequencies. In order to generate the switching pulses for operating the converter, a novel coyote optimized converter control (COCC) mechanism is developed in this work. Moreover, a residual attention echo state reactive controller (RaERC) is implemented for generating the controlling signals to actuate the switching components of the nine-level inverter. This kind of controlling mechanism could highly improve the power quality of grid system with less processing time. For assessment, the simulation and comparison results of the proposed controlling mechanisms are validated and tested using various parameters.
Fuzzy Approximate Solutions of Matrix-Valued Fractional Differential Equations by Fuzzy Control Functions
Authors: Aderyani Safoura Rezaei , Saadati Reza , O’Regan Donal , Alshammari Fehaid Salem
Published: March 2023

We apply Mittag–Leffler-type functions to introduce a class of matrix-valued fuzzy controllers which help us to propose the notion of multi-stability (MS) and to obtain fuzzy approximate solutions of matrix-valued fractional differential equations in fuzzy spaces. The concept of multi stability allows us to obtain different approximations depending on the different special functions that are initially chosen. Additionally, using various properties of a function of Mittag–Leffler type, we study the Ulam–Hyers stability (UHS) of the models.
Interacting Stochastic Schrödinger Equation
Authors: Zhang Lu , Wang Caishi , Chen Jinshu
Published: March 2023

Being the annihilation and creation operators on the space h of square integrable Bernoulli functionals, quantum Bernoulli noises (QBN) satisfy the canonical anti-commutation relation (CAR) in equal time. Let K be the Hilbert space of an open quantum system interacting with QBN (the environment). Then K⊗h just describes the coupled quantum system. In this paper, we introduce and investigate an interacting stochastic Schrödinger equation (SSE) in the framework K⊗h, which might play a role in describing the evolution of the open quantum system interacting with QBN (the environment). We first prove some technical propositions about operators in K⊗h. In particular, we obtain the spectral decomposition of the tensor operator IK⊗N, where IK means the identity operator on K and N is the number operator in h, and give a representation of IK⊗N in terms of operators IK⊗∂k*∂k, k≥0, where ∂k and ∂k* are the annihilation and creation operators on h, respectively. Based on these technical propositions as well as Mora and Rebolledo’s results on a general SSE, we show that under some mild conditions, our interacting SSE has a unique solution admitting some regularity properties. Some other results are also proven.
MBDM: Multinational Banknote Detecting Model for Assisting Visually Impaired People
Authors: Park Chanhum , Park Kang Ryoung
Published: March 2023

With the proliferation of smartphones and advancements in deep learning technologies, object recognition using built-in smartphone cameras has become possible. One application of this technology is to assist visually impaired individuals through the banknote detection of multiple national currencies. Previous studies have focused on single-national banknote detection; in contrast, this study addressed the practical need for the detection of banknotes of any nationality. To this end, we propose a multinational banknote detection model (MBDM) and a method for multinational banknote detection based on mosaic data augmentation. The effectiveness of the MBDM is demonstrated through evaluation on a Korean won (KRW) banknote and coin database built using a smartphone camera, a US dollar (USD) and Euro banknote database, and a Jordanian dinar (JOD) database that is an open database. The results show that the MBDM achieves an accuracy of 0.8396, a recall value of 0.9334, and an F1 score of 0.8840, outperforming state-of-the-art methods.
Hybrid Fixed Point Theorems of Fuzzy Soft Set-Valued Maps with Applications in Integral Inclusions and Decision Making
Authors: Shagari Mohammed Shehu , Noorwali Maha , Azam Akbar
Published: March 2023

A lot of work has been completed in efforts to extend the notions of soft set and fuzzy soft set and their applications to other domains. However, neither of the two concepts has been examined in the study of functional equations in b-metric spaces. Given this background information, this paper proposes the idea of b-hybrid fuzzy soft contraction in b-metric space and investigates new criteria for the existence of fixed points for such mappings. The significance of the obtained principal result lies in the fact that the contractive inequalities can be specialized in various ways, depending on the choice of the parameters, thereby making it possible to unify, deduce, and refine several corresponding results. To motivate further studies in the directions studied herein, two applications regarding decision-making problems and an existence theorem of integral inclusion are considered, using fuzzy soft set-valued maps.
Development of Bi-Objective Fuzzy Data Envelopment Analysis Model to Measure the Efficiencies of Decision-Making Units
Authors: Singh Awadh Pratap , Ali Musrrat
Published: March 2023

The proposed bi-objective fuzzy data envelopment analysis (BOFDEA) model is a new approach to assess the performance efficiency of decision-making units (DMUs) in uncertain environments using α-cuts. The model is based on fuzzy data envelopment analysis (FDEA) and considers two objectives, and a solution method and ranking system are provided. Generally, the efficiency score obtained for a DMU using the α-cut approach is an interval. Intervals are partially ordered sets, due to which ranking intervals is a challenging task. The proposed BOFDEA model with α-cuts provides the efficiency of DMUs in the crisp form, not in the form of intervals. Due to this, ranking DMUs with the proposed method’s help becomes very easy and less computationally. The proposed model has been validated through numerical examples, and a real-world application in the education sector has been shown to demonstrate its practicality.
Climbing Strategy of Variable Topology Cellular Space Robots Considering Configuration Optimization
Authors: Liu Xiaomeng , You Bindi , Wang Rui , Wen Jianmin , An Dexiao , Wen Xiaolei
Published: March 2023

In optimizing the energy consumption of a cellular space robot (CSR) climbing in orbit, traditional trajectory planning methods do not include the configuration as a decision variable; thus, it is difficult to obtain an effective energy-optimal climbing strategy for CSRs. To solve this kind of problem, first, we considered the effect of configuration on the kinetic parameters of the robot and established the kinetic equations of a variable-size cellular space robot by combining the spin volume and Lagrange equations. Second, we constructed a higher-order continuous joint trajectory using a cubic spline curve and combined it with a robot dynamics model to establish a robot climbing energy consumption model. Finally, for the energy consumption problem of climbing in cellular space robots, we proposed a comprehensive optimization algorithm considering the configuration and climbing time. Compared with another algorithm in the literature, the algorithm proposed in this paper has stronger global optimization capability and convergence. The simulation results have important theoretical significance and engineering practical value for the study of space robot on-orbit climbing trajectory optimization strategies.
Optimization of Differential Pricing and Seat Allocation in High-Speed Railways for Multi-Class Demands: A Chinese Case Study
Authors: Zhou Wenliang , Zou Ziyu , Chai Naijie , Xu Guangming
Published: March 2023

There are many options for passengers choosing to travel by train. In order to maximize price revenue requests, railway companies must consider the differences between passenger types in the process of formulating ticket strategies. This study firstly subdivides passenger demand according to the latent class model based on Stated Preference (SP) and Revealed Preference (RP) survey data, then the passenger’s preference for train service attributes is identified. Based on the prospect theory, logit model and passenger flow transfer model, the final passenger flow assignment result is obtained. A differential pricing and seat allocation model aiming at maximizing price revenue is established, and a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is designed to solve it. The results of the case show that the proposed model can increase revenue by 3.52% and by 1.02% compared with the result under single fares and without demand division.
Stylized Model of Lévy Process in Risk Estimation
Authors: Yun Xin , Ye Yanyi , Liu Hao , Li Yi , Lai Kin-Keung
Published: March 2023

Risk management is a popular and important problem in academia and industry. From a small-scale system, such as city logistics, to a large-scale system, such as the supply chain of a global industrial or financial system, efficient risk management is required to prevent loss from uncertainty. In this paper, we assume that risk factors follow the Lévy process, and propose a stylized model, based on regression, that can estimate the risk of a complicated system under the framework of nest simulation. Specifically, portfolio risk estimation using the Lévy process is discussed as an example. The stylized model simplifies the risk factors artificially, and provides useful basis functions to fit the portfolio loss with little computational effort. Numerical experiments showed the good performance of the stylized model in estimating risk for the Variance Gamma process and the Normal Inverse Gaussian process, which are two examples of the Lévy process.
A Real Neural Network State for Quantum Chemistry
Authors: Wu Yangjun , Xu Xiansong , Poletti Dario , Fan Yi , Guo Chu , Shang Honghui
Published: March 2023

The restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) has recently been demonstrated as a useful tool to solve the quantum many-body problems. In this work we propose tanh-FCN, which is a single-layer fully connected neural network adapted from RBM, to study ab initio quantum chemistry problems. Our contribution is two-fold: (1) our neural network only uses real numbers to represent the real electronic wave function, while we obtain comparable precision to RBM for various prototypical molecules; (2) we show that the knowledge of the Hartree-Fock reference state can be used to systematically accelerate the convergence of the variational Monte Carlo algorithm as well as to increase the precision of the final energy.
A Lagrangian Method for Calculation of Passing Capacity on a Railway Hub Station
Authors: Yang Lu , Zhou Leishan , Zhou Hanxiao , Han Chang , Zhao Wenqiang
Published: March 2023

This research paper proposes a Lagrangian method to address the passing capacity of the calculation problem (PCCP) for a hub station in a high-speed railway (HSR) system. The passing capacity of a hub station is critical for determining the train timetable and maximizing the number of trains that can operate on different lines. The objective of this study is to determine the maximum number of trains that can pass through, start at, or end at a hub station. To achieve this objective, a mathematical model was introduced to solve the PCCP. The model was decomposed into two parts using a Lagrangian relaxation algorithm. The first part of the model was a simple train arrival problem (TAP) that reflected the timing of trains at the hub station with simultaneous arrival and departure time constraints. The second part of the model was a train spatio-temporal routing problem (TSRP) that aimed to solve the shortest spatio-temporal path of trains with free conflict with the train’s trajectory. A real instance was provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach and the effectiveness of the Lagrangian method. The results showed that the proposed method can efficiently solve the PCCP and maximize the passing capacity of a hub station in an HSR system.
A Compact and High-Performance Acoustic Echo Canceller Neural Processor Using Grey Wolf Optimizer along with Least Mean Square Algorithms
Authors: Pichardo Eduardo , Anides Esteban , Vazquez Angel , Garcia Luis , Avalos Juan G. , Sánchez Giovanny , Pérez Héctor M. , Sánchez Juan C.
Published: March 2023

Recently, the use of acoustic echo canceller (AEC) systems in portable devices has significantly increased. Therefore, the need for superior audio quality in resource-constrained devices opens new horizons in the creation of high-convergence speed adaptive algorithms and optimal digital designs. Nowadays, AEC systems mainly use the least mean square (LMS) algorithm, since its implementation in digital hardware architectures demands low area consumption. However, its performance in acoustic echo cancellation is limited. In addition, this algorithm presents local convergence optimization problems. Recently, new approaches, based on stochastic optimization algorithms, have emerged to increase the probability of encountering the global minimum. However, the simulation of these algorithms requires high-performance computational systems. As a consequence, these algorithms have only been conceived as theoretical approaches. Therefore, the creation of a low-complexity algorithm potentially allows the development of compact AEC hardware architectures. In this paper, we propose a new convex combination, based on grey wolf optimization and LMS algorithms, to save area and achieve high convergence speed by exploiting to the maximum the best features of each algorithm. In addition, the proposed convex combination algorithm shows superior tracking capabilities when compared with existing approaches. Furthermore, we present a new neuromorphic hardware architecture to simulate the proposed convex combination. Specifically, we present a customized time-multiplexing control scheme to dynamically vary the number of search agents. To demonstrate the high computational capabilities of this architecture, we performed exhaustive testing. In this way, we proved that it can be used in real-world acoustic echo cancellation scenarios.
Overview and New Insights into the Metabolic Syndrome: Risk Factors and Emerging Variables in the Development of Type 2 Diabetes and Cerebrocardiovascular Disease
Authors: Hayden Melvin R.
Published: March 2023

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is considered a metabolic disorder that has been steadily increasing globally and seems to parallel the increasing prevalence of obesity. It consists of a cluster of risk factors which traditionally includes obesity and hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. These four core risk factors are associated with insulin resistance (IR) and, importantly, the MetS is known to increase the risk for developing cerebrocardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The MetS had its early origins in IR and syndrome X. It has undergone numerous name changes, with additional risk factors and variables being added over the years; however, it has remained as the MetS worldwide for the past three decades. This overview continues to add novel insights to the MetS and suggests that leptin resistance with hyperleptinemia, aberrant mitochondrial stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS), impaired folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism with hyperhomocysteinemia, vascular stiffening, microalbuminuria, and visceral adipose tissues extracellular vesicle exosomes be added to the list of associated variables. Notably, the role of a dysfunctional and activated endothelium and deficient nitric oxide bioavailability along with a dysfunctional and attenuated endothelial glycocalyx, vascular inflammation, systemic metainflammation, and the important role of ROS and reactive species interactome are discussed. With new insights and knowledge regarding the MetS comes the possibility of new findings through further research.
Influence of Different Orthodontic Brackets on Cytokine and Cortisol Profile
Authors: Pantsulaia I. , Orjonikidze N. , Kvachadze I. , Mikadze T. , Chikovani T.
Published: March 2023

Background and Objectives: Orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) requires bone remodeling resulting from complex processes of aseptic inflammation. Recent studies have confirmed close interaction between the immune and skeletal systems. In addition, various orthodontic appliances including fixed systems affect the sublingual microbial composition, and the likelihood of developing inflammatory reactions of the gums is high, especially early in the treatment period. It is known that these systems have both positive and negative effects on the humoral and cellular immune responses. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of self-ligating and conventional brackets on the salivary concentrations of cytokines (IL-6, osteoprotegerin (OPG), TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma) and cortisol as a marker of stress. Materials and Methods: Forty patients were analyzed at baseline (T0) and 2 months (T2) after fixing self-ligating (Ormco Damond Q) and conventional brackets (Ormco Mini Diamond). Salivary cytokine and cortisol concentrations were evaluated by commercial ELISA kits. Results: Outcomes of our study showed that after two months of treatment with either of these brackets, IFN-gamma and IL-6 levels did not change. However, TNF-alpha decreased with self-ligating brackets (13.36 to 8.32, p = 0.002). The self-ligating bracket system also affects OPG concentration and cortisol levels 2 months after orthodontic activation. The level of OPG in the group of self-ligating brackets decreased significantly (8.55 to 2.72, p = 0.003). Cortisol concentration was significantly higher in the self-ligation group (25.72 to 48.45, p = 0.001) due to the effect of sustained strength movements. Conclusions: Thus, the use of self-ligating and conventional brackets has a different effect on the concentration of cortisol and cytokines (OPG and TNF-alpha) in saliva 2 months after their fixation. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to explore why OPG levels are decreased in case of self-ligating cases and how OPG levels are related to clinical improvement.