bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Utility of Strain Imaging in Assessment of Myocardial Fibrosis
Authors: Gao Lang , Zhang Li , Zhang Zisang , Lin Yixia , Ji Mengmeng , He Qing , Xie Mingxing , Li Yuman
Published: January 2023

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is a non-reversible process that occurs following acute or chronic myocardial damage. MF worsens myocardial deformation, remodels the heart and raises myocardial stiffness, and is a crucial pathological manifestation in patients with end-stage cardiovascular diseases and closely related to cardiac adverse events. Therefore, early quantitative analysis of MF plays an important role in risk stratification, clinical decision, and improvement in prognosis. With the advent and development of strain imaging modalities in recent years, MF may be detected early in cardiovascular diseases. This review summarizes the clinical usefulness of strain imaging techniques in the non-invasive assessment of MF.
A Review on Phyto-Therapeutic Approaches in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sahiner Mehtap , Yilmaz Aynur Sanem , Gungor Buket , Sahiner Nurettin
Published: January 2023

Neurodegenerative diseases occur due to progressive and sometimes irreversible loss of function and death of nerve cells. A great deal of effort is being made to understand the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is quite high, and only symptomatic therapy is available due to the absence of radical treatment. The aim of this review is to try to elucidate the general pathogenesis of AD, to provide information about the limit points of symptomatic treatment approaches, and to emphasize the potential neurologic effects of phytocompounds as new tools as therapeutic agents for disease prevention, retardation, and therapy. This survey also covers the notable properties of herbal compounds such as their effects on the inhibition of an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which has significant value in the treatment of AD. It has been proven that phytopharmaceuticals have long-term effects that could protect nervous system health, eliminate inflammatory responses, improve cognitive damage, provide anti-aging effects in the natural aging process, and alleviate dementia sequelae. Herbal-based therapeutic agents can afford many advantages and can be used as potentially as new-generation therapeutics or complementary agents with high compliance, fewer adverse effects, and lower cost in comparison to the traditional pharmaceutical agents in the fight against AD.
Fundamental Investigations to Evaluate the Influence of Notching Processes on a Subsequent Cyclic Bending Process for the Production of Wire Cores
Authors: Biallas Alina , Ohmayer Sophia , Merklein Marion
Published: January 2023

The production of wire cores by notch rolling and cyclic bending promises an ecologically and economically efficient manufacturing option for steel fibers. The paper at hand evaluates the influence of wire strips on cyclic bending by applying rolled wire strips of DP600 sheet metal (t0 = 0.8 mm) and a new cyclic bending testing tool. Analysis of material separation with varying parameters, rolling gap d and bending angle β, proves the interdependency of both process step, but indicates reduced adjustability of the notch rolling process. To enable better adjustability of the wire strip’s characteristics and analysis of their effects, wire strip production in the laboratory by notch stamping instead of rolling is aspired. The prior interaction analysis states the web height b, the notch angle α, and the hardening distribution as relevant wire strip’s characteristics to be replicated. Based on experimental analysis, an equivalent of notch rolling by notch stamping is deduced by considering the web height b identical for stamping and rolling, by adjusting the tool’s notch angle αt based on an equation considering geometric evaluations of α, and by taking advantage of the asymmetric hardening distribution of the outer notch which is comparable to rolled wire strip.
A Techno-Economic Analysis of a Cargo Ship Using Flettner Rotors
Authors: Angelini Gianluca , Muggiasca Sara , Belloli Marco
Published: January 2023

In the last twenty years, the global shipping transport demand has strongly increased (around 4% per year since the 1990s), together with the request for new green propulsion technologies to break down carbon emissions and face the costs deriving from the usage of conventional diesel fuels. Flettner rotors (hereafter: FRs) have been identified by several researchers as a promising solution to exploit wind energy on commercial ships, reducing fuel consumption. The present work presents a six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) ship performance model set up to evaluate the best way of using a pair of Flettner rotors. The study analyses the performance of this propulsion system in consideration of weather and sea conditions, evaluating the related reduction in fuel consumption. A discussion about the economic and environmental advantages of the usage of FRs is provided, considering the costs linked to their installation and the new emission restrictions. Relevant results have been obtained for different routes, speed ranges and rotor dimensions while investigating the best Flettner rotor arrangement to minimise both the emissions and the installation cost payback period.
Research on the Karhunen–Loève Transform Method and Its Application to Hull Form Optimization
Authors: Chang Haichao , Wang Chengjun , Liu Zuyuan , Feng Baiwei , Zhan Chengsheng , Cheng Xide
Published: January 2023

Hull form optimization becomes prone to the curse of dimensionality as the number of design variables increases. The traditional sensitivity analysis method requires massive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computations and analyzing the effects of all variables on the output; thus, it is extremely time-consuming. Considering this, the development of a rapid and effective dimensionality reduction method is particularly important. The Karhunen–Loève (K–L) transform method projects data from a high-dimensional space onto a low-dimensional space in the direction of the eigenvectors corresponding to large-variance eigenvalues. It extracts the principal components that represent the hull offset information to represent the hull geometric characteristics by analyzing the relationship between the variables in the sample offset matrix. The geometric information matrices of new hull forms can be rapidly reconstructed from the principal components. Compared with direct optimization methods, fewer variables are used to control the deformation of the hull form from the perspective of geometric deformation, avoid a large number of CFD calculations, and improve the efficiency of optimization. This study examined the relevant K–L matrix solution methods and the corresponding hull form reconstruction methods and proposed eigenvalue-based hull form reconstruction equations. The K–L transform method was combined with a previously developed multidisciplinary platform for a comprehensive optimization of ship hydrodynamic performance for hull form optimization, and its effectiveness was verified by using it to optimize DTMB 5415. The results showed that the K–L transform–based dimensionality reduction method significantly reduces the time consumption of optimization while maintaining an acceptable optimization performance.
Enhanced Mechanical Properties of CLAM by Zirconium Alloying and Thermo-Mechanical Processing
Authors: Zhan Dongping , Li Jihang , Wang Dongwei , Zhang Huishu , Qiu Guoxing , Yang Yongkun
Published: January 2023

In this study, we present the effects of 0.004~0.098 wt% Zr and thermo-mechanical processing (TMP) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the China RAFM steel, CLAM, as a feasibility study for improving mechanical properties. The inclusions in ingots were characterized using optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), which could be classified as fine simple particles and large complex particles. The complexity of the alloy’s inclusion composition increases with the increasing Zr concentration. The higher the Zr content, the more complex the composition of inclusions in the alloy. The average diameter of inclusions in 0.004Zr steel was the smallest, which was 0.79 μm and the volume fraction was 0.018%. The highest yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, and impact energy of 0.004Zr alloy at room temperature were 548.3 MPa, 679.4 MPa, 25.7%, and 253.9 J. The structure of the TMPed steels was all tempered martensite. With the increase in tempering temperature, the yield and tensile strength of the experimental steel gradually decreased, while the elongation and impact energy gradually increased. The 0.004ZrD and 0.004ZrH alloys had the best yield strength and impact energy, which were 597.9 and 611.8 MPa and 225.9 and 243.3 J, respectively. In addition, the alloys showed good thermal stability during the aging at 600 °C for 1500 h. It was discovered that TMP is a simple and practical industrial technique that could successfully enhance the mechanical properties of CLAM steel without sacrificing impact toughness.
Nuclear Genome Sequence and Gene Expression of an Intracellular Fungal Endophyte Stimulating the Growth of Cranberry Plants
Authors: Thimmappa Bhagya C. , Salhi Lila Naouelle , Forget Lise , Sarrasin Matt , Bustamante Villalobos Peniel , Lang B. Franz , Burger Gertraud
Published: January 2023

Ericaceae thrive in poor soil, which we postulate is facilitated by microbes living inside those plants. Here, we investigate the growth stimulation of the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) by one of its fungal endosymbionts, EC4. We show that the symbiont resides inside the epidermal root cells of the host but extends into the rhizosphere via its hyphae. Morphological classification of this fungus is ambiguous, but phylogenetic inference based on 28S rRNA identifies EC4 as a Codinaeella species (Chaetosphaeriaceae, Sordariomycetes, Ascomycetes). We sequenced the genome and transcriptome of EC4, providing the first ‘Omics’ information of a Chaetosphaeriaceae fungus. The 55.3-Mbp nuclear genome contains 17,582 potential protein-coding genes, of which nearly 500 have the capacity to promote plant growth. For comparing gene sets involved in biofertilization, we annotated the published genome assembly of the plant-growth-promoting Trichoderma hamatum. The number of proteins involved in phosphate transport and solubilization is similar in the two fungi. In contrast, EC4 has ~50% more genes associated with ammonium, nitrate/nitrite transport, and phytohormone synthesis. The expression of 36 presumed plant-growth-promoting EC4 genes is stimulated when the fungus is in contact with the plant. Thus, Omics and in-plantae tests make EC4 a promising candidate for cranberry biofertilization on nutrient-poor soils.
Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Patients with and without SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Fortún Jesús , Mateos María , de la Pedrosa Elia Gómez-García , Soriano Cruz , Pestaña David , Palacios José , López Javier , Moreno Santiago ,   COVID-19 TEAM
Published: January 2023

The recent European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) and the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) 2020 consensus classification proposes criteria to define coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)-associated invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA), including mycological evidence obtained via non-bronchoscopic lavage. Given the low specificity of radiological findings in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, this criterion makes it difficult to differentiate between invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and colonization. This unicenter and retrospective study includes 240 patients with isolates of any Aspergillus species in any respiratory samples during a 20-month study (140 IPA and 100 colonization). Mortality was high in the IPA and colonization groups (37.1% and 34.0%, respectively; p = 0.61), especially in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, where mortality was higher in colonized patients (40.7% vs. 66.6.%; p: 0.021). Multivariate analysis confirmed the following variables to be independently associated with increased mortality: age > 65 years, acute or chronic renal failure at diagnosis, thrombocytopenia (<100,000 platelets/µL) at admission, inotrope requirement, and SARS-CoV-2 infection, but not the presence of IPA. This series shows that the isolation of Aspergillus spp. in respiratory samples, whether associated with disease criteria or not, is associated with high mortality, especially in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and suggests an early initiation of treatment given its high mortality rate.
The Emerging Role of Salivary Oxidative Stress Biomarkers as Prognostic Markers of Periodontitis: New Insights for a Personalized Approach in Dentistry
Authors: Viglianisi Gaia , Tartaglia Gianluca Martino , Santonocito Simona , Amato Mariacristina , Polizzi Alessandro , Mascitti Marco , Isola Gaetano
Published: January 2023

Periodontitis is a multifactorial and infective oral disease that leads to the destruction of periodontal tissues and tooth loss. Although the treatment of periodontitis has improved recently, the effective treatment of periodontitis and the periodontitis-affected periodontal tissues is still a challenge. Therefore, exploring new therapeutic strategies for a personalized approach is urgent. For this reason, the aim of this study is to summarize recent advances and the potential of oxidative stress biomarkers in the early diagnosis and personalized therapeutic approaches in periodontitis. Recently, ROS metabolisms (ROMs) have been studied in the physiopathology of periodontitis. Different studies show that ROS plays a crucial role in periodontitis. In this regard, the reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) started to be searched for the measures of the oxidizing capacity of the plasma understood as the total content of oxygen free radicals (ROS). The oxidizing capacity of plasma is a significant indicator of the body’s oxidant state as well as homocysteine (Hcy), sulfur amino acid, which has pro-oxidant effects as it favors the production of superoxide anion. More specifically, the thioredoxin (TRX) and peroxiredoxin (PRX) systems control reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide and hydroxyl species, to transduce redox signals and change the activities of antioxidant enzymes to remove free radicals. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), among other antioxidant enzymes, change their activity when ROS are produced in order to neutralize free radicals. The TRX system is triggered and transduces redox signals to do this.
Effects of Crop Rotation and Topography on Soil Erosion and Nutrient Loss under Natural Rainfall Conditions on the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Li Chenhui , Shi Wenhai , Huang Mingbin
Published: January 2023

Erosive rainfall results in the loss of both soil and nutrients, which indirectly triggers soil deterioration and a reduction in land productivity. However, how rainfall affects runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss under different crop rotation patterns and topographic factors remains unclear. This experiment observed nine runoff-erosion plots on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) from 2019 to 2020 to determine the effects of crop type, rotation pattern, and slope gradient and length on runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss. Runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss were highest for the fallow plots; values for these variables for spring corn and winter wheat plots were not significantly different. Crop rotation generated greater runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss compared to non-rotation. Soil erosion and associated nutrient loss increased, but not significantly, with slope for gradients of 0.5°, 1°, and 3°, while runoff and associated nutrient loss did not increase. In addition, soil erosion and associated nutrient loss were significantly greater for slope lengths of 20 m vs. 50 m. A structural equation model showed rainfall characteristics significantly impacted runoff and soil erosion and subsequently affected nutrient loss. This study increases the understanding of runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss from cropland with gentle slopes on the CLP.
Mapping Commission Errors to Grammatical Development: A Case Study of Malayalam
Authors: Krishnan Gayathri G. , Raghunathan Arathi , Sarma Vaijayanthi M.
Published: January 2023

Young children learning Malayalam use morphological categories and inflections quite productively and accurately in general. However, their utterances sometimes show the use of extra morphological material (or commission errors), revealing mismatches between adult and child grammars. In this paper, we present a survey of such errors that are observed in longitudinally collected, spontaneous speech production data of monolingual Malayalam and bilingual Malayalam–English acquiring children in order to identify both the range of commission errors and the underlying grammatical features that may have triggered them. A close analysis of the data shows us that such errors are restricted to a few grammatical loci and shed light on the specific challenges that some grammatical constraints pose for developing grammars.
Normativity and Variation in the Address Terms System Practiced among the Jordanian Youth Community
Authors: Al-Khawaldeh Nisreen Naji , Olimat Sameer Naser , Mashaqba Bassil Mohammad , Al-Omari Moh’d Ahmad , Alkhawaldeh Asim Ayed
Published: January 2023

This study investigates the key forms of address used amongst Jordanian university students, the impact of gender on using these forms and what accounts for the variation in their address system. By addressing the issue of normativity and heterogeneity in the use of address terms, in different social settings, the study enriches the understanding of the internal variation of the address term system. Data collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were analysed, based on Watts’ discursive approach to politeness and Agha’s approach of indexicality. The results revealed that the identified normative patterns represent Jordanian university politic behaviours, which index different social meanings and relations among the youth community, in relation to specific social contexts. The most frequent strategies university students use for addressing others are personal names, innovative terms, descriptive phrases, pronouns, titles, teknonyms, and religious, military, attention attractors, as well as a combination of these terms. It also seems that there are no absolute stable patterns of address term usage among the youth community, speaking Jordanian Arabic. Rather, there is an infinite society-internal heterogeneity in the address terms usage. The results also revealed that an intra-group variation signifies social struggles over the norms of address term usage and potentially normative incertitude.
Rice Intake Is Associated with Longer Reaction Time and Interacts with Blood Lipids and Hypertension among Qatari Adults
Authors: Elrahmani Arwa , Youssef Farah , Elsayed Haidi , Mohamed Nada , El-Obeid Tahra , Shi Zumin
Published: January 2023

We aimed to assess the association between rice intake and cognitive function among Qatari adults and test the interactions with health conditions. Data from 1000 adults aged ≥18 years old who attended the Qatar Biobank (QBB) study were used. Rice dietary intake was measured by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and mean reaction time (MRT) was used as an indicator of cognitive function. Linear regression and structure equation models were used. The mean rice consumption was 7.6 times/week (SD 2.0). The sample had a mean MRT of 717 milliseconds (SD 205). Rice consumption was positively associated with MRT. Across the quartiles of rice intake, the regression coefficients (95% CI) for MRT were 0.0 (reference), 22.4 (−7.8, 52.6), 36.3 (5.1, 67.5), and 34.5 (2.6, 66.4). There was a significant interaction between rice intake and hypertension, BMI, and blood lipids in relation to MRT. The association between rice intake and MRT was only observed among those with hypertension, overweight/obesity, low LDL, and low total cholesterol levels. Serum magnesium did not mediate the association. High rice consumption was associated with a higher MRT, especially among those with hypertension, overweight/obesity, low LDL, and or low total cholesterol levels. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the findings.
Endoscopic Technologies for Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions: From Diagnosis to Therapy
Authors: Fantin Alberto , Manera Massimiliano , Patruno Vincenzo , Sartori Giulia , Castaldo Nadia , Crisafulli Ernesto
Published: January 2023

Peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) are frequent incidental findings in subjects when performing chest radiographs or chest computed tomography (CT) scans. When a PPL is identified, it is necessary to proceed with a risk stratification based on the patient profile and the characteristics found on chest CT. In order to proceed with a diagnostic procedure, the first-line examination is often a bronchoscopy with tissue sampling. Many guidance technologies have recently been developed to facilitate PPLs sampling. Through bronchoscopy, it is currently possible to ascertain the PPL’s benign or malignant nature, delaying the therapy’s second phase with radical, supportive, or palliative intent. In this review, we describe all the new tools available: from the innovation of bronchoscopic instrumentation (e.g., ultrathin bronchoscopy and robotic bronchoscopy) to the advances in navigation technology (e.g., radial-probe endobronchial ultrasound, virtual navigation, electromagnetic navigation, shape-sensing navigation, cone-beam computed tomography). In addition, we summarize all the PPLs ablation techniques currently under experimentation. Interventional pulmonology may be a discipline aiming at adopting increasingly innovative and disruptive technologies.
The Association between the Level of Advanced Glycation End Products and Objective Skin Quality Parameters
Authors: Martinovic Dinko , Tokic Daria , Usljebrka Mislav , Lupi-Ferandin Slaven , Cigic Livia , Vanjaka Rogosic Lucija , Ercegovic Sasa , Kontic Mirko , Kumrić Marko , Rusic Doris , Vilovic Marino , Leskur Mateo , Bozic Josko
Published: January 2023

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) represent an endogenously produced or exogenously derived group of compounds derived from nonenzymatic glycation. Recent experimental studies are suggesting that AGEs could play an important role in the skin’s quality and its aging process. Hence, the aim of this study was to clinically evaluate the AGEs and skin quality parameters across different age groups in the general population. The study included 237 participants. Melanin, erythema, hydration, friction and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were evaluated using noninvasive probes, while AGEs were evaluated using a skin autofluorescence reader. There was a significant positive correlation between AGEs and the amount of melanin (p < 0.001), erythema (p < 0.001) and TEWL (p < 0.001), while there was a significant negative correlation between AGEs and hydration (p < 0.001) and friction (p < 0.001). After dividing the sample into three groups depending on their age, in all three groups, there was a significant positive correlation between AGEs and the melanin count (p < 0.001) and TEWL (p < 0.001), while there was a significant negative correlation between AGEs and skin hydration (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the level of AGEs as a dependent variable retained a significant association with age (p < 0.001), melanin (p < 0.001), erythema (p = 0.005) and TEWL (p < 0.001) as positive predictors. Moreover, AGEs retained a significant association with skin hydration (p < 0.001) and friction (p = 0.017) as negative predictors. These outcomes imply that AGEs could be linked with the complex physiology of the skin and its aging process.
Argon Humidification Exacerbates Antimicrobial and Anti-MRSA kINPen Plasma Activity
Authors: Clemen Ramona , Singer Debora , Skowski Henry , Bekeschus Sander
Published: January 2023

Gas plasma is a medical technology with antimicrobial properties. Its main mode of action is oxidative damage via reactive species production. The clinical efficacy of gas plasma-reduced bacterial burden has been shown to be hampered in some cases. Since the reactive species profile produced by gas plasma jets, such as the kINPen used in this study, are thought to determine antimicrobial efficacy, we screened an array of feed gas settings in different types of bacteria. Antimicrobial analysis was performed by single-cell analysis using flow cytometry. We identified humidified feed gas to mediate significantly greater toxicity compared to dry argon and many other gas plasma conditions. The results were confirmed by inhibition zone analysis on gas-plasma-treated microbial lawns grown on agar plates. Our results may have vital implications for clinical wound management and potentially enhance antimicrobial efficacy of medical gas plasma therapy in patient treatment.
Effect of Process Parameters on Weld Quality in Vortex- Friction Stir Welding of 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Liu Xiaochao , Li Wentao , Zhen Yunqian , Jia Luanluan , Li Yongzhe , Pei Xianjun
Published: January 2023

Vortex- friction stir welding (VFSW) utilizes a stir bar made of an identical material to the workpiece to rub the workpiece’s top surface, which avoids the keyhole defect in conventional friction stir welding. It presents great potential in the repair field of aluminum alloys. In this study, the effect of stir bar diameter, rotation speed, and welding speed on the weld formation was investigated in the VFSW of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. The weld macrostructure, penetration, and mechanical properties were characterized. The results show that a large diameter of the stir bar can enhance the vortex material flow, increase the heat input, and eliminate the incomplete-penetration defect. The increase in rotation speed within limits can enhance the weld penetration and the mechanical properties of the weld nugget zone (WNZ). However, too high a rotation speed reduces the weld penetration and weakens the mechanical properties of the WNZ. The increase in welding speed reduces the weld penetration but enhances the mechanical properties of the heat affected zone. The incomplete-penetration defect significantly weakens the ductility of the VFSW joint. It can be eliminated by enlarging the stir bar diameter and choosing a moderate rotation speed and a lower welding speed.
The Effect of PEGylated Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles on the Th17-Polarization of Activated T Helpers
Authors: Zamorina Svetlana , Timganova Valeria , Bochkova Maria , Shardina Kseniya , Uzhviyuk Sofya , Khramtsov Pavel , Usanina Darya , Rayev Mikhail
Published: January 2023

We investigated the direct effect of PEGylated graphene oxide (P-GO) nanoparticles on the differentiation, viability, and cytokine profile of activated T helper type 17 (Th17) in vitro. The subject of the study were cultures of “naive” T-helpers (CD4+) isolated by immunomagnetic separation and polarized into the Th17 phenotype with a TCR activator and cytokines. It was found that P-GO at low concentrations (5 µg/mL) had no effect on the parameters studied. The presence of high concentrations of P-GO in T-helper cultures (25 μg/mL) did not affect the number and viability of these cells. However, the percentage of proliferating T-helpers in these cultures was reduced. GO nanoparticles modified with linear polyethylene glycol (PEG) significantly increased the percentage of Th17/22 cells in cultures of Th17-polarized T helpers and the production of IFN-γ, whereas those modified with branched PEG suppressed the synthesis of IL-17. Thus, a low concentration of PEGylated GO nanoparticles (5 μg/mL), in contrast to a concentration of 25 μg/mL, has no effect on the Th17-polarization of T helpers, allowing their further use for in-depth studies of the functions of T lymphocytes and other immune cells. Overall, we have studied for the first time the direct effect of P-GO nanoparticles on the conversion of T helper cells to the Th17 phenotype.
Prediction of Novel Ultrahard Phases in the B–C–N System from First Principles: Progress and Problems
Authors: Solozhenko Vladimir L. , Matar Samir F.
Published: January 2023

The modern synthesis of superhard and, especially, ultrahard phases is a fascinating area of research that could lead to the design of new, industrially important materials. Computational methods built within the well-established quantum mechanics framework of density functional theory (DFT) play an important role in the search for these advanced materials and the prediction of their properties. The close relationship between the physical properties of carbon and boron nitride has led to particular interest in the B–C–N ternary system, characterized by the small radii of the elements, resulting in short interatomic distances and reduced volumes—the parameters being ‘recipes’ for very high hardness in three-dimensional structures. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief outline of recent developments and problems in predicting novel ultrahard carbon allotropes as well as binary and ternary compounds of the B–C–N system with particular emphasis on the analysis of the models used to evaluate the hardness of the theoretically predicted structures.
Synthesis of Ti3SiC2 Phases and Consolidation of MAX/SiC Composites—Microstructure and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Wozniak Jaroslaw , Petrus Mateusz , Cygan Tomasz , Adamczyk-Cieślak Boguslawa , Moszczyńska Dorota , Olszyna Andrzej Roman
Published: January 2023

The article describes the Ti3SiC2 powder synthesis process. The influence of the molar ratio and two forms of carbon on the phase composition of the obtained powders was investigated. The synthesis was carried out using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) furnace. In addition, using the obtained powders, composites reinforced with SiC particles were produced. The obtained results showed no effect of the carbon form and a significant impact of annealing on the purity of the powders after synthesis. The composites were also consolidated using an SPS furnace at two temperatures of 1300 and 1400 °C. The tests showed low density and hardness for sinters from 1300 °C (maximum 3.97 g/cm3 and 447 HV5, respectively, for composite reinforced with 10% SiC). These parameters significantly increase for composites sintered at 1400 °C (maximum density 4.43 g/cm3 and hardness 1153 HV5, for Ti3AlC2—10% SiC). In addition, the crack propagation analysis showed mechanisms typical for granular materials and laminates.
Hot Topics in 2022 and Future Perspectives of Macromolecular Science
Authors: Díez-Pascual Ana M.
Published: January 2023

In 1920, Hermann Staudinger discovered that macromolecules consist of long chains of covalently linked building blocks and subsequently published the first paper on polymerization [...]
Explainable Machine Learning
Authors: Garcke Jochen , Roscher Ribana
Published: January 2023

Machine learning methods are widely used in commercial applications and in many scientific areas [...]
Polynomial-Based Non-Uniform Ternary Interpolation Surface Subdivision on Quadrilateral Mesh
Authors: Peng Kaijun , Tan Jieqing , Zhang Li
Published: January 2023

For non-uniform control polygons, a parameterized four-point interpolation curve ternary subdivision scheme is proposed, and its convergence and continuity are demonstrated. Following curve subdivision, a non-uniform interpolation surface ternary subdivision on regular quadrilateral meshes is proposed by applying the tensor product method. Analyses were conducted on the updating rules of parameters, proving that the limit surface is continuous. In this paper, we present a novel interpolation subdivision method to generate new virtual edge points and new face points of the extraordinary points of quadrilateral mesh. We also provide numerical examples to assess the validity of various interpolation methods.
Bifurcation-Type Results for the Fractional p-Laplacian with Parametric Nonlinear Reaction
Authors: Frassu Silvia , Iannizzotto Antonio
Published: January 2023

We consider a nonlinear, nonlocal elliptic equation driven by the degenerate fractional p-Laplacian with a Dirichlet boundary condition and involving a parameter λ>0. The reaction is of general type, including concave–convex reactions as a special case. By means of variational methods and truncation techniques, we prove that there exists λ* such that the problem has two positive solutions for λ<λ*, one solution for λ=λ*, and no solutions for λ>λ*.
Flight Delay Propagation Prediction Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Qu Jingyi , Wu Shixing , Zhang Jinjie
Published: January 2023

The current flight delay not only affects the normal operation of the current flight, but also spreads to the downstream flights through the flights schedule, resulting in a wide range of flight delays. The analysis and prediction of flight delay propagation in advance can help civil aviation departments control the flight delay rate and reduce the economic loss caused by flight delays. Due to the small number of data samples that can constitute flight chains, it is difficult to construct flight chain data. In recent years, the analysis of the flight delay propagation problem is generally based on traditional machine learning methods with a small sample size. After obtaining a large amount of raw data from the China Air Traffic Management Bureau, we have constructed 36,287 pieces of three-level flight chain data. Based on these data, we tried to use a deep learning method to analyze and forecast flight delays. In the field of deep learning, there are CNN models and RNN models that deal with classification problems well. Based on these two classes of models, we modify and innovate the study of the problem of flight delay propagation and prediction. Firstly, the CNN-based CondenseNet algorithm is used to predict the delay level of the three-level flight chain data. Based on this, the CondenseNet network is improved by inserting CBAM modules and named CBAM-CondenseNet. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm can effectively improve the network performance, and the prediction accuracy can reach 89.8%. Compared with the traditional machine learning method, the average prediction accuracy increased by 8.7 percentage points. On the basis of the CNN model, we also considered the superiority of the LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory network) considering the processing time sequence information, and then constructed the CNN-MLSTM network and injected the SimAM module to enhance the attention of flight chain data. In the experiment of flight delay propagation prediction, the accuracy rate is 91.36%, which is a significant improvement compared to using the CNN or LSTM alone.
Demand Forecasting of Spare Parts Using Artificial Intelligence: A Case Study of K-X Tanks
Authors: Kim Jae-Dong , Kim Tae-Hyeong , Han Sung Won
Published: January 2023

The proportion of the inventory range associated with spare parts is often considered in the industrial context. Therefore, even minor improvements in forecasting the demand for spare parts can lead to substantial cost savings. Despite notable research efforts, demand forecasting remains challenging, especially in areas with irregular demand patterns, such as military logistics. Thus, an advanced model for accurately forecasting this demand was developed in this study. The K-X tank is one of the Republic of Korea Army’s third generation main battle tanks. Data about the spare part consumption of 1,053,422 transactional data points stored in a military logistics management system were obtained. Demand forecasting classification models were developed to exploit machine learning, stacked generalization, and time series as baseline methods. Additionally, various stacked generalizations were established in spare part demand forecasting. The results demonstrated that a suitable selection of methods could help enhance the performance of the forecasting models in this domain.
Myoepithelial Carcinoma Arising in a Salivary Duct Cyst of the Parotid Gland: Case Presentation
Authors: Gontarz Michał , Orłowska-Heitzman Jolanta , Gąsiorowski Krzysztof , Bargiel Jakub , Marecik Tomasz , Szczurowski Paweł , Zapała Jan , Wyszyńska-Pawelec Grażyna
Published: January 2023

Cystic lesions observed in parotid glands are relatively rare and comprise 2–5% of all parotid primaries. A salivary duct cyst (SDC) is a true cyst representing 10% of all salivary gland cysts. The risk of malignant transformation of SDC’s epithelium is extremely rare. In the literature, only three cases of carcinoma ex SDC of the parotid gland are described. This report presents the first in the literature case of myoepithelial carcinoma (MECA) arising from a parotid SDC. A 75-year-old male patient was referred to the Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland due to a cystic tumor arising from the right parotid gland. Superficial parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation was performed. Histological examination confirmed a rare case of MECA emerging from the SDC. The immunohistochemical profile of MECA ex SDC was presented. During 6 months of the follow-up, local recurrence or distant metastasis was not observed.
Utility of Combining High-Sensitive Cardiac Troponin I and PESI Score for Risk Management in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Department
Authors: Cennamo Elisa , Valli Gabriele , Riead Engy Khaled Mohamed , Casalboni Silvia , Papasidero Ilaria Dafne , De Marco Francesca , Mariani Anna , Pepe Paola , Santangelo Giuseppe , Mastracchi Marina , Fratini Paolo , Pistilli Giacinta , Pignatelli Pasquale , Ruggieri Maria Pia , Di Somma Salvatore
Published: January 2023

Background and Objectives: Pulmonary embolism (PE) has a major burden of morbidity and mortality, consequently the need for a prompt risk stratification for these subjects is crucial. In order to evaluate the risk management and final disposition of patients with PE in the Emergency Department (ED), we conducted a study that was divided in two phases: Phase I retrospective study (RS), Phase II prospective study (PS). Materials and Methods: In Phase I, 291 patients were enrolled while in Phase II, 83 subjects were evaluated. In both study phases, the enrolled subjects were analyzed for final disposition in ED using PESI score, right ventricle (RV) imaging, and high-sensitive cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) data. The RS patients were divided into low risk and high risk according to the sPESI score, while PS patients were grouped in low, intermediate, and high risk classes according to PESI score. In both study phases, all the studied patients were further divided into negative (hs-cTnI−) or positive (hs-cTnI+) groups according to hs-cTnI levels within normal or above cutoff values, respectively. For all enrolled subjects, CT pulmonary angiography was analyzed to assess the RV/LV diameter and volume ratio as an indicator of RV involvement. Results: In both RS and PS phases, hs-cTnI+ group showed a higher PESI score. Nevertheless, a significant percentage of hs-cTnI+ patients resulted to be in the low-risk PESI class. Patients with a positive RV/LV ratio were more likely to have a hs-cTnI+ (p < 0.01), while among those with a negative ratio, 24 to 32% showed as hs-cTnI+. In the hs-cTnI+ group from both study phases, patients were more likely to be admitted in an ICU (RR 3.7, IC: 2.1–6.5). Conclusions: In conclusion, in patients with PE in the ED compared PESI score alone, the combination of hs-cTnI and PESI seems to be of greater utility in improving risk stratification and final disposition decision-making.
Control of the Microstructure in a Al5Co15Cr30Fe25Ni25 High Entropy Alloy through Thermo-Mechanical and Thermal Treatments
Authors: Pérez Pablo , Medina Judit , Vega María Fernanda , Garcés Gerardo , Adeva Paloma
Published: January 2023

The effect of thermos-mechanical processing and thermal treatments on the microstructure of a single phase fcc-based Al5Co15Cr30Fe25Ni25 high entropy alloy is evaluated in this study. As-cast ingots of the high entropy alloy were thermo-mechanically processed following different routes involving forging, cold rolling, warm rolling or hot rolling. In addition, the microstructural evolution of highly deformed cold rolled sheets with the annealing temperature was analyzed. The data reveal that a high-volume fraction of the microstructure commences to recrystallize from 600 °C. In the absence of recrystallization, i.e., below 600 °C, the hardness of thermo-mechanically processed and annealed samples was very close. When recrystallization takes place, the thermo-mechanically treated alloys exhibit higher hardness than the annealed alloys because the recrystallized grains are strengthened by dislocations generated in further steps of the processing while the alloys in the annealed condition are free of dislocations. Maximum hardening is found for the alloy warm-rolled at 450 °C and the alloy cold-rolled plus annealing at 500 °C for 1 h. Diffusion of solute atoms to the core of dislocations, pinning its movement, accounts for the additional hardening.
Wear and Corrosion Resistance of CrYN Coating in Artificial Seawater
Authors: Li Man , Yu Yunjiang , Zou Changwei , Tian Canxin , Wang Zesong , Xiang Yanxiong
Published: January 2023

In this study, CrYN coatings were prepared using multi-arc ion plating at various substrate bias voltages (−50 V, −100 V, −150 V, and −200 V). X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the composition and microstructure of the coatings. An electrochemical workstation and a ball-on-disk tribometer were used to investigate their corrosion and friction behavior. The results show that grain refinement can be achieved through the addition of yttrium (Y) and that the surfaces of coatings prepared under different bias voltages have varying smoothness and compactness. It was shown that surfaces prepared under −100 V bias voltages were relatively smooth and dense in structure, corresponding to a Y content of 2.83 at.%; CrYN coatings at −100 V were shown to have the highest corrosion potential and a low self-corrosion current, equating to superior corrosion resistance. Additionally, the friction coefficients of deposited CrYN coatings under bias voltages of −100 V were less than 0.2. Therefore, the coatings under bias voltages of −100 V had the minimum wear rate due to its structure, corrosion resistance, and friction.
Design Optimization and Finite Element Model Validation of LPBF-Printed Lattice-Structured Beams
Authors: Rashid Riyan , Masood Syed , Ruan Dong , Palanisamy Suresh , Huang Xiaodong , Rahman Rashid Rizwan Abdul
Published: January 2023

The laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) method, more commonly known as selective laser melting (SLM), is one of the most common metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes. It is a layer-by-layer fabrication process where each powder layer is melted and fused by a laser beam, which traverses over the designated part geometry cross-section, as defined by a sliced CAD model. The LPBF process is being popularly used to manufacture end products of intricate geometry for various industries, such as the automobile, aerospace, defence, and biomedical industries. In designing parts, the topology optimisation (TO) technique can be effectively employed to optimise the distribution of material throughout the part and obtain the minimum volume/weight without compromising the mechanical performance of the component. This study focusses on the design optimisation and validation of the optimisation approaches used for LPBF-printed AlSi12 metal parts. The mechanical performance of three different topologically optimised lattice beams, viz. 1 × 1, 8 × 3, and 12 × 3, printed using the LPBF process, was investigated. When the beams were tested in bending, it was found that these TO LPBF-printed beams behaved differently when compared to the LPBF-printed solid beam. The 1 × 1 lattice beam performed better than the other two lattice beams due to the lower number of links where premature failure was delayed. The 1 × 1 lattice beam exhibited a load-bearing capacity of 17 ± 2 kN, whereas the 8 × 3 and 12 × 3 lattice beams showed load capacities of 13 ± 1 kN and 10 ± 1 kN, respectively. This mechanical behaviour was modelled and simulated by using a finite element analysis, and it was found that the LPBF-printed material property was affected by the design elements present in the beam. It was also found that each topology-optimised beam fits a different material model when compared to the SLM-printed solid beam. Therefore, a new material model or simulation technique needs to be developed to overcome this issue.
Integration of LC-MS-Based and GC-MS-Based Metabolic Profiling to Reveal the Effects of Domestication and Boiling on the Composition of Duck Egg Yolks
Authors: Tian Yong , Li Guoqin , Du Xizhong , Zeng Tao , Chen Li , Xu Wenwu , Gu Tiantian , Tao Zhengrong , Lu Lizhi
Published: January 2023

Egg yolks contain abundant lipids, proteins, and minerals that provide not only essential nutrients for embryonic development but also cheap sources of nutrients for consumers worldwide. Previous composition analyses of egg yolks primarily focused on nutrients such as lipids and minerals. However, few studies have reported the effects of domestication and heating on yolk composition and characteristics. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of domestication and boiling on the metabolite contents of egg yolks via untargeted metabolomics using GC-MS and LC-MS. In this study, eggs were collected from Fenghua teals, captive mallards, and Shaoxing ducks. Twelve duck eggs (half raw and half cooked) were randomly selected from each variety, and the egg yolks were separated for metabolic profiling. The analysis identified 1205 compounds in the egg yolks. Domestication generated more differential metabolites than boiling, which indicated that the changes in the metabolome of duck egg yolk caused by domestication were greater than those caused by boiling. In a comparative analysis of domestic and mallard ducks, 48 overlapping differential metabolites were discovered. Among them, nine metabolites were upregulated in domesticated ducks, including monoolein, emodin, daidzein, genistein, and glycitein, which may be involved in lipid metabolism; some of them may also act as phytoestrogens (flavonoids). Another 39 metabolites, including imethylethanolamine, harmalan, mannitol, nornicotine, linoleic acid, diphenylamine, proline betaine, alloxanthin, and resolvin d1, were downregulated by domestication and were linked to immunity, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. Furthermore, four overlapping differential metabolites that included amino acids and dipeptides were discovered in paired comparisons of the raw and boiled samples. Our findings provided new insights into the molecular response of duck domestication and supported the use of metabolomics to examine the impact of boiling on the composition of egg yolks.