bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supplemental Material: The permeability of loose magma mush
Authors: Bretagne Eloïse , al. et
Published: May 2023

Raw data and extended methods.  
Laparoscopic intervention for solid pelvic tumours in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome: a case of bilateral uterine adenomyomas of the rudimentary uterus
Authors: Shimizu Haruhiko , Kobayashi Hiroharu , Shimizu Yumi , Adachi Hiroshi
Published: May 2023

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a condition caused by Müllerian anomalies, is characterised by congenital vaginal aplasia and a rudimentary uterus. Case reports concerning uterine fibroids associated with MRKH syndrome are limited, and differentiating between uterine fibroids and ovarian solid tumours prior to surgical intervention is often challenging. Here, we present the case of a patient with MRKH syndrome and asymptomatic bilateral pelvic solid tumours located close to both ovaries. Based on intraoperative and histopathological findings, the tumours were diagnosed as adenomyomas of the rudimentary uterus. This is the first reported case of a uterine adenomyoma associated with MRKH syndrome. Moreover, our report highlights the fact that diagnostic laparoscopy is a valuable method to evaluate pelvic tumours in MRKH syndrome.
Retinal vascular density in CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy)
Authors: Krivosic Valérie , Paques Michel , Hervé Dominique , Duliére Cedric , Taleb Abbas , Gastellier Nathalie , Jouvent Eric , Lebenberg Jessica , Tadayoni Ramin , Chabriat Hugues
Published: May 2023

Background and objective

Retinal vascular density (VD) measured using optical coherence tomography with angiography (OCTA) has been suggested as a potential marker of intracerebral vascular changes in Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). We aimed to determine whether VD is related to the clinical and imaging manifestations of the disease.

Methods

OCTA was performed in 104 CADASIL patients (parallel to their clinical and imaging assessment) and in 83 healthy individuals.

Results

A significant reduction of VD related to age was detected in patients and controls in the superficial and deep vascular plexus of the whole foveal or parafoveal retinal area (p<0.0001). After adjustment for age, these parameters were found significantly lower in patients than in controls (p<0.03). Multivariable analysis did not show any association between retinal VD and history of stroke, modified Rankin Scale or Mini-Mental Status Examination scores. No significant association was found with MRI lesions either .

Conclusion

In CADASIL, retinal VD is decreased early and progresses with ageing but does not appear related to the severity of clinical or imaging manifestations.
Preferences for accessing sexual health services among middle-aged and older adults in the UK: a study protocol for a discrete choice experiment using mixed methods
Authors: Kpokiri Eneyi , Pan Stephen W. , Ong Jason J. , Greaves Emily , Khan Junead , Bowen Sophie , Jannaway Tracey , Terris-Prestholt Fern , Tanton Clare , Kuper Hannah , Shakespeare Thomas , Tucker Joseph D. , Wu Dan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Sexual health is essential for general health and well-being. Sexual health services for middle-aged and older adults are not prioritised and optimising available services for this population is often overlooked. Not much is known about preferences for accessing sexual health services among middle-aged and older people or level of satisfaction with current services. The aim of this study is to explore preferences for seeking sexual health services among middle-aged and older adults in the UK. This study will use discrete choice experiments (DCEs) including initial qualitative interviews followed by the survey, which have been used as a tool to explore preferences in various health service delivery.

Methods and analysis

The project will be carried out in two phases. First, we will conduct in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20–30 adults (aged 45+), including disabled people, and those from sexual minority groups resident in the UK. Interviews will explore indications, preferences and factors related to accessing sexual health services. Themes and subthemes emerging from the analysis of the interviews will then be used to design the choice sets and attribute level for the DCEs. For the second phase, for the DCEs, we will design choice sets composed of sexual health service delivery scenarios. The software Ngene will be used to develop the experimental design matrix for the DCE. We will use descriptive statistics to summarise the key sociodemographic characteristics of the study population. Multinomial logit, latent class and mixed logit models will be explored to assess sexual health service preferences and preference heterogeneity.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval for both parts of this study was granted by the Research and Ethics Committee at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Findings from this study will be disseminated widely to relevant stakeholders via scheduled meetings, webinars, presentations and journal publications.
Evaluation of the reported data linkage process and associated quality issues for linked routinely collected healthcare data in multimorbidity research: a systematic methodology review
Authors: Elstad Maria , Ahmed Saiam , Røislien Jo , Douiri Abdel
Published: May 2023

Objective

The objective of this systematic review was to examine how the record linkage process is reported in multimorbidity research.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Web of Science and Embase using predefined search terms, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Published studies from 2010 to 2020 using linked routinely collected data for multimorbidity research were included. Information was extracted on how the linkage process was reported, which conditions were studied together, which data sources were used, as well as challenges encountered during the linkage process or with the linked dataset.

Results

Twenty studies were included. Fourteen studies received the linked dataset from a trusted third party. Eight studies reported variables used for the data linkage, while only two studies reported conducting prelinkage checks. The quality of the linkage was only reported by three studies, where two reported linkage rate and one raw linkage figures. Only one study checked for bias by comparing patient characteristics of linked and non-linked records.

Conclusions

The linkage process was poorly reported in multimorbidity research, even though this might introduce bias and potentially lead to inaccurate inferences drawn from the results. There is therefore a need for increased awareness of linkage bias and transparency of the linkage processes, which could be achieved through better adherence to reporting guidelines.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021243188.
Text message-based intervention, Keeping in Touch (KiT), to support youth as they transition to adult type 1 diabetes care: a protocol for a multisite randomised controlled superiority trial
Authors: Sanmugalingham Geetha , Mok Elise , Cafazzo Joseph A , Desveaux Laura , Brazeau Anne-Sophie , Booth Gillian L , Greenberg Marley , Kichler Jessica , Rac Valeria E , Austin Peter , Goldbloom Ellen , Henderson Mélanie , Landry Alanna , Zenlea Ian , Taylor Madison , Nakhla Meranda , Shulman Rayzel
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Transition from paediatric to adult care can be challenging for youth living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), as many youth feel unprepared to transfer to adult care and are at high risk for deterioration of glycaemic management and acute complications. Existing strategies to improve transition experience and outcomes are limited by cost, scalability, generalisability and youth engagement. Text messaging is an acceptable, accessible and cost-effective way of engaging youth. Together with adolescents and emerging adults and paediatric and adult T1D providers, we co-designed a text message-based intervention, Keeping in Touch (KiT), to deliver tailored transition support. Our primary objective is to test the effectiveness of KiT on diabetes self-efficacy in a randomised controlled trial.

Methods and analysis

We will randomise 183 adolescents with T1D aged 17–18 years within 4 months of their final paediatric diabetes visit to the intervention or usual care. KiT will deliver tailored T1D transition support via text messages over 12 months based on a transition readiness assessment. The primary outcome, self-efficacy for diabetes self-management, will be measured 12 months after enrolment. Secondary outcomes, measured at 6 and 12 months, include transition readiness, perceived T1D-related stigma, time between final paediatric and first adult diabetes visits, haemoglobin A1c, and other glycaemia measures (for continuous glucose monitor users), diabetes-related hospitalisations and emergency department visits and the cost of implementing the intervention. The analysis will be intention-to-treat comparing diabetes self-efficacy at 12 months between groups. A process evaluation will be conducted to identify elements of the intervention and individual-level factors influencing implementation and outcomes.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol version 7 July 2022 and accompanying documents were approved by Clinical Trials Ontario (Project ID: 3986) and the McGill University Health Centre (MP-37-2023-8823). Study findings will be presented at scientific conferences and in peer-reviewed publications.

Trial registration number

NCT05434754.
High-resolution melting assay for rapid, simultaneous detection ofJAK2,MPLandCALRvariants
Authors: Sande Christopher M , Yang Guang , Mohamed Ayman , Legendre Ben L , Pion Danielle , Ferro Stephanie L , Grimm Kate , Elenitoba-Johnson Kojo S J
Published: May 2023

Aims

Identification of recurrent genetic alterations inJAK2,MPLandCALRremains crucial in the diagnosis of Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Current laboratory testing algorithms may entail batching and/or sequential testing, involving multiple testing modalities and sometimes send-out testing that increase the technical and economic demands on laboratories while delaying patient diagnoses. To address this gap, an assay based on PCR and high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was developed for simultaneous evaluation ofJAK2exons 12–14,MPLexon 10 andCALRexon 9, embodied in the HemeScreen® (hereafter ‘HemeScreen’) MPN assay.

Methods

The HemeScreen MPN assay was validated with blood and bone marrow samples from 982 patients with clinical suspicion for MPN. The HRM assay and Sanger sequencing were performed in independent Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratories with Sanger sequencing (supported by droplet digital PCR) serving as the gold standard.

Results

HRM and Sanger sequencing had an overall concordance of 99.4% with HRM detecting 133/139 (96%) variants confirmed by sequencing (9/10 MPL, 25/25 CALR, 99/104 JAK2), including 114 single nucleotide variants and 25 indels (3–52 bp). Variants consisted of disease-associated (DA) variants (89%), variants of unclear significance (2%) and non-DA variants (9%) with a positive predictive value of 92.3% and negative predictive value of 99.5%.

Conclusions

These studies demonstrate the exquisite accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the HRM-based HemeScreen MPN assay, which serves as a powerful, clinically applicable platform for rapid, simultaneous detection of clinically relevant, somatic disease variants.
Abortion restrictions: the case for conscientious non-compliance on the part of providers
Authors: Randall Pierce , Mago Jacob
Published: May 2023

This paper offers a qualified defence of physician non-compliance with antiabortion legislation in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The paper examines two ethically troubling trends of post-Dobbs legislation: narrow and vague maternal health exemption clauses and mandatory reporting of miscarriages in jurisdictions where patients may criminal prosecution for medically induced abortions. It then examines and defends a professional obligation on the part of physicians to comply with the law. This obligation, however, is defeasible. The paper then argues that physicians’ obligations to comply with the law is defeated when the law is illegitimate and following the law would constitute bad medical practice. Finally, it argues that the ethically troubling trends in post-Dobbs antiabortion legislation may meet these criteria.
‘It surprised me a lot that there is a link’: a qualitative study of the acceptability of periodontal treatment for individuals at risk of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Chapman Lara S , Vinall-Collier Karen , Siddle Heidi J , Mustufvi Zhain , Mankia Kulveer , Serban Stefan
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Current evidence suggests that periodontal disease could be a causal risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) onset and progression. Earlier periodontal intervention in individuals at risk of RA could provide a unique opportunity to prevent or delay the onset of RA. This study aimed to explore the acceptability of periodontal treatment as a measure to potentially prevent RA among at-risk individuals and healthcare professionals.

Methods

Semistructured interviews were conducted with anti-CCP positive at-risk individuals (CCP+ at risk) and a range of healthcare professionals. At-risk participant data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis; subsequent coding of healthcare professional data was deductive, based on a preidentified set of constructs.

Results

Nineteen CCP+ at-risk and 11 healthcare professionals participated. Three themes (six subthemes) were identified: (1) understanding risk (knowledge of shared at-risk factors; information and communication); (2) oral health perceptions and experiences (personal challenges and opportunities for dental intervention and oral health maintenance; external barriers) and (3) oral health treatment and maintenance (making oral health changes with the aim of preventing RA; acceptability of participation in periodontal research).

Conclusions

Periodontal disease is common in individuals at risk of RA, but the impact of poor oral health may not be well understood. Oral health information should be tailored to the individual. CCP+ at-risk participants and healthcare professionals identified seeking dental treatment can be hindered by dental phobia, treatment costs or inability to access dentists. While CCP+ at-risk individuals may be reluctant to take preventive medications, a clinical trial involving preventive periodontal treatment is potentially acceptable.
Use of cinnamon and Bacillus subtilis probiotics in the diet of broiler chickens
Authors: Islam Mohammad Aminul , Nishibori Masahide
Published: May 2023

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of cinnamon and Bacillus subtilis on the growth, meat characteristics, and lipid profiles of broiler chickens. In experiments 1 and 2, a total of 320 day-old broiler chicks were assigned to D1 (control), D2 (4 g cinnamon/kg), D3 (6 g cinnamon/kg), D4 (8 g cinnamon/kg) with four replicates, and D1 (control), D2 (0.4 g B. subtilis (BS)/kg), D3 (0.6 g BS/kg), D4 (0.8 g BS/kg), D5 (6 g cinnamon/kg) with three replicates, and 10 chicks/replication for 35 and 30 days, respectively. In experiment 1, no significant difference was observed among diets for growth and meat yield. However, test diets performed better than the control diet in terms of water-holding capacity of meat (WHCM), cooking loss of meat (CLM), blood lipids profiles (BLP), sensory quality score (SQS) ( p > 0.05), and flavor ( p < 0.05). In experiment 2, there was no significant difference among diets for growth, meat yield, WHCM, CLM, and BLP of the bird ( p > 0.05), except for SQS ( p < 0.001). Notwithstanding, the D5 tended to increase growth, meat yield, WHCM, and SQS, and decrease CLM and BLP. Thigh meat showed higher SQS than breast meat in both experiments. Therefore, the 6 g cinnamon/kg diet may be used for producing a safe, quality, and cost-effective broiler.
Distribution of corrosive microbial communities in rust layers of steel immersed in seawater
Authors: Ren Qijing , Zhang Yimeng , Duan Jizhou , Li Wangqiang , Dong Xucheng , Pei Yingying , Zhang Ruiyong , Zhu Qingjun
Published: May 2023

In this paper, high-throughput sequencing technology was adopted to visualize the microbial communities on the surfaces of two types of carbon steel immersed in Sea Area Ⅰ. The results showed that different microbial communities were formed on different carbon steel surfaces, in which the genus with the highest abundance on the surface of Q235 was Escherichia– Shigella, while anaerobic Desulfovibrio on the surface of 921a was the most abundant, and the dominant genus varied with the depth of the rust layer. In addition, the distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on the surface of Q235 submerged in Sea Area Ⅱ was compared with the sulfate-reducing bacteria's distribution in Sea Area Ⅰ, using the environmental factors correlation analysis. The results showed that the concentrations of Ca2+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Al3+ were positively correlated with the distribution of SRB, while the concentrations of Cu2+, Zn2+, SO4 2−, Cl−, NO3 −, and organic carbon were negatively correlated with it. Furthermore, there was a highly significant correlation between each geochemical factor and Desulfotomaculum ( p < 0.01).
Measurements of the L-shell X-ray emission of fluorine-like europium
Authors: Panchenko D. , Beiersdorfer P. , Hell N. , Brown G.V. , Kelley R.L. , Kilbourne C.A. , Porter F.S.
Published: May 2023

Measurements of the L-shell X-ray emission of fluorine-like europium ions (Eu54+) were made under controlled laboratory conditions on the EBIT-I electron beam ion trap at Livermore using an X-ray calorimeter, extending such measurements to the middle of the rare earth elements. Comparing the calorimeter spectra with atomic data from the flexible atomic code, we have identified and analyzed several prominent n = 3 → n = 2 transitions, including one two-electron, one-photon core changing transition and one electric quadrupole transition. We find that the measured energies are typically up to several eV higher than predicted.
Impact of fluorine and chlorine doping on the structural, electronic, and optical properties of SnO2: first-principles study
Authors: Larbi F. , Bourahla S. , Kouadri Moustefai S. , Elagra F.
Published: May 2023

In this work, we carried out in-depth study of the structural, electronic, and optical properties of intrinsic, fluorine (F)- and chlorine (Cl)-doped SnO2, using a pseudo-potential plane-wave scheme in the framework of the density functional theory. We found that the substitution of oxygen by F or Cl elements slightly modified the crystalline parameters without altering the stability of SnO2 compounds. The doping of tin oxide by these two halogens is confirmed by the displacement of the Fermi level position to the conduction band. Consequently, the doped materials are strongly degenerated as illustrated by the Moss-Burstein shift: 2.310 and 2.332 eV for F:SnO2 and Cl:SnO2, respectively. On the other hand, the density of states and Mulliken population analysis show that the covalent character of Sn–O bond is maintained after doping, while Sn–X (X = F or Cl) bond reveals an ionic nature. In terms of optical properties after doping, intrinsic SnO2 exhibits low absorption, while the doped ones are transparent in the visible range, making them more efficient in photovoltaic applications. Moreover, in the ultraviolet (UV) scale, pure and doped tin oxide compounds show better absorption, which may be beneficial for use in devices of protection against UV light and UV absorbers or sensors. Finally, the plasma frequencies of 28.22, 29.16, and 27.67 eV for pure, F-, and Cl-doped SnO2, respectively, were obtained.
Long-term environmental changes in the Canadian boreal zone: Synthesizing temporal trends from lake sediment archives to inform future sustainability
Authors: Gros Michelle , Zilkey David R. , Griffiths Katherine T. , Pham Jennifer , MacKeigan Paul W. , Taranu Zofia E. , Aulard Candice , Baud Alexandre , Garner Rebecca E. , Ghanbari Hamid , Lachapelle Maude , Monchamp Marie-Ève , Paquette Cindy , Antoniades Dermot , Francus Pierre , Smol John P. , Gregory-Eaves Irene
Published: May 2023

Covering 55% of Canada’s total surface area and stretching from coast to coast to coast, the Canadian boreal zone is crucial to the nation’s economic and ecological integrity. Although often viewed as relatively underdeveloped, it is vulnerable to numerous stressors such as mining, forestry, and anthropogenic climate change. Natural archives preserved in lake sediments can provide key insights by quantifying pre-disturbance conditions (pre-1850 CE) and the nature, magnitude, direction, and speed of environmental change induced by anthropogenic stressors over the past ∼150 years. Here, we paired a review of paleolimnological literature of the Canadian boreal zone with analyses of published sediment core data to highlight the effects of climate change, catchment disturbances, and atmospheric deposition on boreal lakes. Specifically, we conducted quantitative syntheses of two lake health indicators: elemental lead (Pb) and chlorophyll a. Segmented regressions and Mann–Kendall trend analysis revealed a generally increasing trend in elemental Pb across the boreal zone until ∼1970 CE, followed by a generally decreasing trend to the present. Snapshot comparisons of sedimentary chlorophyll a from recent and pre-industrial sediments (i.e., top-bottom sediment core design) revealed that a majority of sites have increased over time, suggesting a general enhancement in lake primary production across the boreal zone. Collectively, this body of work demonstrates that long-term sediment records offer a critical perspective on ecosystem change not accessible through routine monitoring programs. We advocate using modern datasets in tandem with paleolimnology to establish baseline conditions, measure ecosystem changes, and set meaningful management targets.
Benchmarking YOLOv5 and YOLOv7 models with DeepSORT for droplet tracking applications
Authors: Durve Mihir , Orsini Sibilla , Tiribocchi Adriano , Montessori Andrea , Tucny Jean-Michel , Lauricella Marco , Camposeo Andrea , Pisignano Dario , Succi Sauro
Published: May 2023

Tracking droplets in microfluidics is a challenging task. The difficulty arises in choosing a tool to analyze general microfluidic videos to infer physical quantities. The state-of-the-art object detector algorithmYou Only Look Once (YOLO)and the object tracking algorithmSimple Online and Realtime Tracking with a Deep Association Metric (DeepSORT)are customizable for droplet identification and tracking. The customization includes training YOLO and DeepSORT networks to identify and track the objects of interest. We trained several YOLOv5 and YOLOv7 models and the DeepSORT network for droplet identification and tracking from microfluidic experimental videos. We compare the performance of the droplet tracking applications with YOLOv5 and YOLOv7 in terms of training time and time to analyze a given video across various hardware configurations. Despite the latest YOLOv7 being 10% faster, the real-time tracking is only achieved by lighter YOLO models on RTX 3070 Ti GPU machine due to additional significant droplet tracking costs arising from the DeepSORT algorithm. This work is a benchmark study for the YOLOv5 and YOLOv7 networks with DeepSORT in terms of the training time and inference time for a custom dataset of microfluidic droplets.
Contact interactions and strong resolvent convergence, a partly variational approach
Authors: Dell’Antonio G. F.
Published: May 2023

In Dell’Antonio (Eur. Phys. J. Plus 136:392, 2021) we considered several types of contact (zero range) interactions. Their Hamiltonians are limit, in strong resolvent topology, of a sequence of potentials with decreasing support. Here we review and improve these results and provide a new analysis Bose–Einstein condensation and of the Fermi sea.
Analytical and numerical solutions of the time fractional Schrödinger equation for generalized Morse potential
Authors: Saberhaghparvar S. , Panahi H.
Published: May 2023

This paper investigates the fractional Schrödinger equation (FSE) with the Caputo time fractional derivative for the generalized Morse potential, which has not yet been presented for this equation. This study depends on the analytical solution of the FSE by the method of integral transforms and the numerical solutions are presented by plotting the eigensolutions with the Python script. For this purpose, we apply a special ansatz solution together with the Fourier transform (for the space variable) and the Laplace transform (with respect to time) on the FSE and obtain the Gaussian hypergeometric differential equation. By applying the inverse Fourier transform on the solution of the hypergeometric function, the G-Meijer function in terms of the coordinate and the Laplace transformed variable are obtained. We then calculate the wave function of the time fractional Schrödinger using the inverse Laplace transform together considering the Schouten-Vanderpol theorem and some special circumstances of the problem. The obtained results show that for different values of the time fractional parameter, the probability of the particle presence is time-dependent, and in the limit case of [Formula: see text], the solutions obtained from the time FSE are consistent with the results of standard Schrödinger equation for the generalized Morse potential. The results also show that the amplitude of wave function of the particle presence decreases over time and the energy of the system decreases in small times for different values of the fractional parameter and for the large times, the amount of energy is almost constant.
Dynamics of Brownian motion and nonlinear mixed convective conditions on thermophoretic slip flow embedded with non-Fourier flux
Authors: Sreelakshmi T. K. , Selvi P. D. , Ramesh Babu K. , Durga Prasad P. , Santosh H. B. , Abraham Annamma , Raju C. S. K. , Sreedhar Babu M.
Published: May 2023

In this paper, the importance of mass and heat transfer characteristics of mixed convective conditions on nonlinear free convection flow embedded with non-Fourier flux and thermal radiation is numerically investigated. A partial Casson slip and mixed impact of thermophoresis and Brownian motion is considered at the elastic surface. To change the highly nonlinear partial differential equations into ordinary differential system, we used the similarity transformations and then the shooting method is employed to solve resulting equations. The significance of various physical parameters on the velocity, concentration and temperature profiles are investigated for both negative value of ferromagnetic interaction ([Formula: see text]) and positive value of ferromagnetic interaction ([Formula: see text]). The governing physical aspects of coefficient of skin friction, the Sherwood and Nusselt numbers are obtained for various embedded parameters. Our findings concluded that the ferromagnetic interaction is positive and then more mass transfer rate is identified compared to the negative value of ferromagnetic interaction, but whereas in friction and heat transfer rate, it was completely mixed sense (i.e., different effects have different results). Brownian motion has less Nusselt number values in positive ferromagnetism compared to negative ferromagnetism and quite opposite behavior is observed in the presence of thermophoresis, this happened due to nonlinear flux and buoyancy.
An Empirical Approach to Enhance Performance for Scalable CORDIC-Based Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Raut Gopal , Karkun Saurabh , Vishvakarma Santosh Kumar
Published: May 2023

Practical implementation of deep neural networks (DNNs) demands significant hardware resources, necessitating high computational power and memory bandwidth. While existing field-programmable gate array (FPGA)–based DNN accelerators are primarily optimized for fast single-task performance, cost, energy efficiency, and overall throughput are crucial considerations for their practical use in various applications. This article proposes a performance-centric pipeline Coordinate Rotation Digital Computer (CORDIC)–based MAC unit and implements a scalable CORDIC-based DNN architecture that is area- and power-efficient and has high throughput. The CORDIC-based neuron engine uses bit-rounding to maintain input-output precision and minimal hardware resource overhead. The results demonstrate the versatility of the proposed pipelined MAC, which operates at 460 MHz and allows for higher network throughput. A software-based implementation platform evaluates the proposed MAC operation’s accuracy for more extensive neural networks and complex datasets. The DNN accelerator with parameterized and modular layer-multiplexed architecture is designed. Empirical evaluation through Pareto analysis is used to improve the efficiency of DNN implementations by fixing the arithmetic precision and optimal pipeline stages. The proposed architecture utilizes layer-multiplexing, a technique that effectively reuses a single DNN layer to enhance efficiency while maintaining modularity and adaptability for integrating various network configurations. The proposed CORDIC MAC-based DNN architecture is scalable for any bit-precision network size, and the DNN accelerator is prototyped using the Xilinx Virtex-7 VC707 FPGA board, operating at 66 MHz. The proposed design does not use any Xilinx macros, making it easily adaptable for ASIC implementation. Compared with state-of-the-art designs, the proposed design reduces resource use by 45% and power consumption by 4× without sacrificing performance. The accelerator is validated using the MNIST dataset, achieving 95.06% accuracy, only 0.35% less than other cutting-edge implementations.
Hybrid Block Storage for Efficient Cloud Volume Service
Authors: Zhang Yiming , Li Huiba , Liu Shengyun , Huang Peng
Published: May 2023

The migration of traditional desktop and server applications to the cloud brings challenge of high performance, high reliability, and low cost to the underlying cloud storage. To satisfy the requirement, this article proposes a hybrid cloud-scale block storage system called
Ursa
. Trace analysis shows that the I/O patterns served by block storage have only limited locality to exploit. Therefore, instead of using solid state drives (SSDs) as a cache layer,
Ursa
proposes hybrid storage structure that directly stores primary replicas on SSDs and replicates backup replicas on
hard disk drives (HDDs)
. At the core of
Ursa
’s hybrid storage design is an adaptive journal that can bridge the performance gap between primary SSDs and backup HDDs for random writes by transforming small backup writes into journal appends, which are then asynchronously replayed and merged to backup HDDs. To efficiently index the journal, we design a novel range-optimized merge-tree structure that combines a continuous range of keys into a single composite key
{offset,length}
.
Ursa
integrates the hybrid structure with designs for high reliability, scalability, and availability. Experiments show that
Ursa
in its hybrid mode achieves almost the same performance as in its SSD-only mode (storing all replicas on SSDs), and outperforms other block stores (Ceph and Sheepdog) even in their SSD-only mode while achieving much higher CPU efficiency (IOPS and throughput per core).
Research on the Application of Neural Network Classification Model in English Grammar Error Correction
Authors: Yang Xi
Published: May 2023

The field of English grammar error correction has developed rapidly in recent years, and many excellent research results have been obtained. However, errors are generally viewed as a whole for revision, which cannot be subdivided to identify the specific error types of sentences, lacks interpretability, and requires a lot of manpower to label the data. To address this, the study uses the CoreNLP tool to output the input text as a basic form of each word, and encodes and decodes the linguistic text in the corpus using the CNN-based Seq2Seq model. And word embedding and left-right GRU operations are performed on left-right text and target words in turn, and the merged new vector is obtained using two attention mechanism operations. It is fed into the MLP classifier for classification and error correction. To further improve the model performance, two model optimizers, stochastic gradient descent (SGD) and Adam, are used to tune the parameters of the classification prediction model. The study thus constructs an English grammar classification and error correction model based on a neural network classification method. The experimental analysis shows that the average accuracy of the model constructed in the study is 96.83%, the average recall rate is 78.93%, and the average overall evaluation F0.5 is 92.67%, which can effectively and accurately classify and correct the grammatical errors that occur in the process of English language learning.
Exploring the Potential of Cyber Manufacturing System in the Digital Age
Authors: Ahmed Usman , Lin Jerry Chun-Wei , Srivastava Gautam
Published: May 2023

Cyber-manufacturing Systems (CMS)
have been growing in popularity, transitioning from conventional manufacturing to an innovative paradigm that emphasizes innovation, automation, better customer service, and intelligent systems. A new manufacturing model can improve efficiency and productivity, and provide better customer service and response times. In addition, it may revolutionize the way products are produced, from design to completion. Therefore, it is likely that this new manufacturing model will become increasingly popular. By building new technologies on top of existing CMS, these systems will ensure that data exchange and integration between decentralized systems are reliable and secure. Recently published case studies from industry and the literature support this claim; some challenges remain to be overcome. In general, the use of CMS can revolutionize the manufacturing industry. This study comprehensively analyzes these systems and their potential applications and implications. An overview of the field is then given and various aspects of CMS are also explored with more details. A taxonomy of the most common and current approaches to CMS is presented, including networked cyber-manufacturing systems, distributed cyber-manufacturing systems, cloud-based cyber-manufacturing systems, and cyber-physical systems (CPS). Furthermore, our survey identifies several popular open-source software and datasets and discusses how these resources can reduce barriers to CMS research. In addition, we identify several important issues and research opportunities associated with CMS, including better integration between hardware and software, improved security and privacy protocols, communication protocols, and improved data management systems. In summary, this paper presents a comprehensive overview of current technology and valuable insights are provided for the potential impact of CMS on society and industry.
Shining the Light on Learning: A recap of
Training
magazine's 2023 conference and expo
Authors: Howles Les
Published: May 2023

This article reviews Training magazine's 46th Annual Conference and Expo held February 13 through 15 in Orlando, Florida. It summarizes highlights from keynote presentations, expo hall events, and numerous concurrent sessions relevant to learning and development professionals
High Performance Air Breathing Zinc-Air Battery with Pt−Ni and Pt−Co Bifunctional Electrocatalyst on N Activated Mesoporous Carbon
Authors: Varathan Prabakaran , Moni Prabu , Kumar Das Sumanta , Sahu Akhila Kumar
Published: May 2023

In future perspective, the world demands energy conversion and storage devices with high efficiency, lower cost, reliability and sustainability. Zinc air battery (ZAB) has proven capable as metal anodes for producing such energy, as they are Earth-abundant economical, and environmentally resilient, suitable for efficient domestic and industrial applications. Herein, we developed a catalyst, which serves as an excellent bi-functional cathode catalyst for ZAB. Platinum alloy with the transition metals (nickel and cobalt) supported on the nitrogen doped bio derived high mesoporous carbon using a facile method. This catalyst shows the remarkable performance on both the oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. Platinum alloy (Pt-Ni and Pt-Co) supported on N-activated bio derived mesoporous carbon (N-MC) shows low over potential and high half wave potential over the commercial catalyst in the oxygen reduction reaction. While performance analysis in in-house designed air breathing ZAB, the outstanding performances are achieved with the specific capacity of 746 mAh g−1 for Pt-Co/N-MC and 726 mAh g−1 for Pt-Ni/N-MC, which surpass the commercial Pt-Ru/C catalyst which shows a specific capacity of 420 mAh g−1. The admirable cycling stability over 110 cycles were observed for Pt-Co/N-MC. Undoubtedly, Pt-Co/N-MC and Pt-Ni/N-MC are promising candidates for bi-functional air cathode catalyst for air breathing zinc air battery.
A Hierarchical Identification Method for Lithium-Ion Battery SOC Based on the Hammerstein Model
Authors: Wang Guangqian , Ding Jiling , Wang Dongqing
Published: May 2023

Two-input one-output Hammerstein model consists of two parallel nonlinear static blocks followed by a linear dynamic part. By using Hammerstein structure to map relation between a battery State of Charge (SOC) and its terminal voltage/current, a hierarchical stochastic gradient algorithm is studied to estimate parameters of Hammerstein SOC model, so as to predict battery SOC. Firstly, the Hammerstein model is transformed into a bilinear parameter system with the least number of required parameters. Then, a hierarchical stochastic gradient algorithm with a forgetting factor is used to update the two sets of model parameters of the bilinear parameter system, so as to realize SOC estimation. Furthermore, the experiment platform of lithium-ion battery was built and the data of the urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS) profile and the Los Angeles 92 (LA92) profile were collected. Finally, the MATLAB simulation results show that the proposed parameter optimized method based Hammerstein model has the advantages of fast convergence speed and high SOC estimation accuracy.
Effect of Binder on Internal Resistance and Performance of Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries
Authors: Wen Lizhi , Guan Zhiwei , Liu Xiaoming , Wang Lei , Wen Guoqiang , Zhao Yu , Pang Dangfeng , Dou Ruzhen
Published: May 2023

In this paper, a water-based binder was prepared by blending polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The effects of the binder on the internal resistance and electrochemical performance of lithium iron phosphate batteries were analyzed by comparing it with LA133 water binder and PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride). First, positive electrode sheets were prepared by using PVDF, PAA/PVA and LA133 as binders, respectively. and the effects of binders on the resistivity and compaction density of electrode sheets were analyzed. Secondly, the buckle battery and the 14500 steel shell full battery were prepared by using PVDF, PAA/PVA and LA133 as binders, respectively. The influence of the positive electrode materials prepared by different binders on the internal resistance of the battery and on the charge and discharge performance and cycle performance of the battery was analyzed. The results show that the internal resistance test of 14500 type whole cell prepared with PVDF, PAA/PVA and LA133 as the binder shows that the internal resistance of sample batteries LFP-F, LFP-AV and LFP-L are 40.5 mΩ, 33.2 mΩ and 35.7 mΩ, respectively. The internal resistance of the battery prepared by self-made PAA/PVA binder is the lowest.
Utilization Ratio of Active Materials in All-Solid-State Batteries Examined Using Electrochemical Impedance Analysis with the Transmission Line Model
Authors: Togasaki Norihiro , Nakao Aiko , Tanaka Takumi , Harada Ushio , Onish Hitoshi , Yasuda Hirofumi , Kobayashi Seiichi , Maeda Fujio , Osaka Tetsuya
Published: May 2023

In all-solid-state batteries (ASSB), increasing the thickness of electrodes is essential for increasing the energy density. However, this limits the C-rate performance, particularly for electrodes with a large volume fraction of active materials (AMs), transport of ions in the electrode is hindered, leading to poor utilization of AMs in ASSBs. To accelerate the development of ASSBs, it is highly desirable to develop analytical methods for understanding the utilization of AMs in thick electrodes. In this paper, we propose a novel impedance analysis method using the transmission line model (TLM) for estimating the utilization of AMs in an electrode in terms of effective electrode thickness. In the TLM model, electrode thickness is treated as a variable instead of a fixed parameter in the conventional sequence. Hence, the modified C-rate performance considering the TLM-calculated thickness exhibits an identical trend regardless of the actual electrode thickness, suggesting the calculated electrode thickness reflects the effective electrode thickness. This indicates effective utilization of AMs for electrochemical reactions. We also demonstrate the versatility of this method by using different electrode specifications.
Hybrid Aqueous Alkaline Zinc/TEMPO Flow Battery: A Sustainable High Voltage Green Energy Storage Device
Authors: Deshmukh Swapnil , Thamizhselvan Rahul , Mariyappan Karuppusamy , Kathiresan M. , Ulaganathan M. , Ragupathy P.
Published: May 2023

Aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs) have number of distinct benefits for large scale energy storage, including synthetically configurable high oxidation/reduction redox potentials and excellent solubility. AORFBs still have poor energy density due to the low cell voltage, which is limited by either catholyte or anolyte. The hybrid RFB inherits the benefits of both aqueous and non-aqueous systems, demonstrating promising characteristics for next generation RFBs such as high potential window and maximum energy density. The hybrid neutral Zinc/TEMPO polymer hybrid flow battery exhibits the limiting cell voltage of 1.4 V, which resulting the low energy density. Herein, we freshly coupled alkaline Zn(OH)4
2−/4-Hydroxy 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (4HT) as a hybrid RFB system which exhibits the high cell voltage of 2.1 V with 25.32 Wh l−1 energy density. The galvanostatic charge-discharge shows stable performance at 5 to 40 mA cm−2 with the maximum 90% coulombic efficiency. The high rate GCD profile of alkaline Zn(OH)4
2-/4HT at 40 mA cm−2 current density have shown 90% coulombic efficiency and 60% energy efficiency. More importantly, the alkaline-based Zn(OH)4
2−/4HT exhibits remarkable capacity retention of 99.99% over 100 cycles with 25.32 Wh l−1 energy density. Thus, the freshly developed alkaline Zn(OH)4
2−/4HT system would be a potential high voltage RFB for bulk energy storage.
Skeletal muscle memory
Authors: Sharples Adam P. , Turner Daniel C.
Published: May 2023

Skeletal muscle memory is an exciting phenomenon gaining significant traction across several scientific communities, among exercise practitioners, and the public. Research has demonstrated that skeletal muscle tissue can be “primed” by earlier positive encounters with exercise training that can enhance adaptation to later retraining, even following significant periods of exercise cessation or detraining. This review will describe and discuss the most recent research investigating the underlying mechanisms of skeletal muscle memory: 1) “cellular” muscle memory and, 2) “epigenetic” muscle memory, as well as emerging evidence of how these theories may work in synergy. We will discuss both “positive” and “negative” muscle memory and highlight the importance of investigating muscle memory for optimizing exercise interventions and training programs as well as the development of therapeutic strategies for counteracting muscle wasting conditions and age-related muscle loss. Finally, important directions emerging in the field will be highlighted to advance the next generation of studies in skeletal muscle memory research into the future.
Identification of WD-Repeat Protein 72 as a Novel Prognostic Biomarker in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Shi Guanglin , Ni Qinggan , Miao Yuqing , Huang Hua , Yin Zhongbo , Shi Weirong , Shi Minhua
Published: May 2023

WD-repeat protein 72

WDR
72
;
OMI

M

∗

613214

, a scaffolding protein lacking intrinsic enzymatic activity, produces numerous β-propeller blade formations, serves as a binding platform to assemble protein complexes and is critical for cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, and migration. Despite evidence supporting a basic role of WDR72 in the tumorigenesis of particular cancers, the value of WDR72 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the tumor with the highest mortality rate globally, is undocumented. We investigated the prognostic value of WDR72 in NSCLC and studied its potential immune function and its correlation with ferroptosis. According to The Cancer Genome Atlas, Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, Genotype-Tissue Expression, and Gene Set Cancer Analysis, we used multiple bioinformatic strategies to investigate the possible oncogenic role of WDR72, analyze WDR72 and prognosis, and immune cell infiltration in different tumors correlation. WDR72 exhibited a high expression in NSCLC and a positive association with prognosis. WDR72 expression was related to immune cell infiltration and tumor immune microenvironment in NSCLC. Finally, we validated WDR72 in human NSCLC; it has a predictive value in NSCLC related to its function in tumor progression and immunity. The significance of our study is that WDR72 can be used as a potential indicator of lung cancer prognosis. Helping physicians more accurately predict patient survival and risk of disease progression.