bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-aligned patterning of tantalum oxide on Cu/SiO2 through redox-coupled inherently selective atomic layer deposition
Authors: Li Yicheng , Qi Zilian , Lan Yuxiao , Cao Kun , Wen Yanwei , Zhang Jingming , Gu Eryan , Long Junzhou , Yan Jin , Shan Bin , Chen Rong
Published: July 2023

Atomic-scale precision alignment is a bottleneck in the fabrication of next-generation nanoelectronics. In this study, a redox-coupled inherently selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) is introduced to tackle this challenge. The ‘reduction-adsorption-oxidation’ ALD cycles are designed by adding an in-situ reduction step, effectively inhibiting nucleation on copper. As a result, tantalum oxide exhibits selective deposition on various oxides, with no observable growth on Cu. Furthermore, the self-aligned TaOx is successfully deposited on Cu/SiO2 nanopatterns, avoiding excessive mushroom growth at the edges or the emergence of undesired nucleation defects within the Cu region. The film thickness on SiO2 exceeds 5 nm with a selectivity of 100%, marking it as one of the highest reported to date. This method offers a streamlined and highly precise self-aligned manufacturing technique, which is advantageous for the future downscaling of integrated circuits.
The effect of macromolecular crowding degree on the self-assembly of fatty acid and lipid hydrolysis
Authors: Sun Yu-Long , Ge Bing-Qiang , Li Mi-Zhuan , Wang Lei , Chen Zhong-Xiu
Published: July 2023

Investigation on the physiochemical nature involved in the production of fatty acid catalyzed by the vesicles is of importance to understand the digestion of lipid. In this paper, the effects of crowding degree, which was constructed by polyethylene glycol (PEG), on the autocatalytic production of fatty acid with different chain lengths was studied. The results showed that the higher crowding degree led to the slower production rate of decanoic acid but the faster rate of oleic acid. The reason lies in that the presence of macromolecules resulted in the increased sizes of decanoic acid vesicles, but decreased sizes of oleic acid vesicles. Meanwhile, decanoic acid vesicles in more crowded medium exhibited viscous behavior, whereas oleic acid displayed elastic behavior. This research provides useful information for understanding the unusual autocatalyzed production of fatty acid in macromolecular crowding and may also draw an attention to the physiologically relevant lipid digestion.
Chromosome-level genome assembly of Chouioia cunea Yang, the parasitic wasp of the fall webworm
Authors: Wang Ziqi , Ma Xingzhou , Zhu Jiachen , Zheng Boying , Yuan Ruizhong , Lu Zhaohe , Shu Xiaohan , Fang Yu , Tian Shiji , Qu Qiuyu , Ye Xiqian , Tang Pu , Chen Xuexin
Published: July 2023

Chouioia cunea Yang 1989 is a parasitic wasp of many lepidopteran insects during their pupal stage, and has been successfully used to control pests such as the fall webworm Hyphantria cunea. Here we reported the chromosome-level genome of C. cunea by using short (MGI-SEQ), long (Oxford Nanopore), chromatin-linked (Hi-C) sequencing reads and transcriptomic data, representing the first chromosome-level genome of parasitic wasps of the family Eulophidae. The total assembly length is 171.99 Mb, containing 6 pesudo-chromosomes with a GC content of 36.89% and the scaffold/contig N50 length of 31.70/26.52 Mb. The BUSCO completeness of the assembly was estimated to be 98.7%. A total of 12,258 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 10,547 3′-UTRs, and 10,671 5′-UTRs were annotated. This high-quality genome is an important step toward a better understanding of the genomes of the Eulophidae (Chalcidoidea), and will serve as a valuable resource for analyses of phylogenetic relationships and the evolution of Hymenoptera.
Removal of evolutionarily conserved functional MYC domains in a tilapia cell line using a vector-based CRISPR/Cas9 system
Authors: Kim Chanhee , Cnaani Avner , Kültz Dietmar
Published: July 2023

MYC transcription factors have critical roles in facilitating a variety of cellular functions that have been highly conserved among species during evolution. However, despite circumstantial evidence for an involvement of MYC in animal osmoregulation, mechanistic links between MYC function and osmoregulation are missing. Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) represents an excellent model system to study these links because it is highly euryhaline and highly tolerant to osmotic (salinity) stress at both the whole organism and cellular levels of biological organization. Here, we utilize an O. mossambicus brain cell line and an optimized vector-based CRISPR/Cas9 system to functionally disrupt MYC in the tilapia genome and to establish causal links between MYC and cell functions, including cellular osmoregulation. A cell isolation and dilution strategy yielded polyclonal myca (a gene encoding MYC) knockout (ko) cell pools with low genetic variability and high gene editing efficiencies (as high as 98.2%). Subsequent isolation and dilution of cells from these pools produced a myca ko cell line harboring a 1-bp deletion that caused a frameshift mutation. This frameshift functionally inactivated the transcriptional regulatory and DNA-binding domains predicted by bioinformatics and structural analyses. Both the polyclonal and monoclonal myca ko cell lines were viable, propagated well in standard medium, and differed from wild-type cells in morphology. As such, they represent a new tool for causally linking myca to cellular osmoregulation and other cell functions.
Optimal sampling and statistical inferences for Kumaraswamy distribution under progressive Type-II censoring schemes
Authors: Abo-Kasem Osama E. , El Saeed Ahmed R. , El Sayed Amira I.
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we study non-Bayesian and Bayesian estimation of parameters for the Kumaraswamy distribution based on progressive Type-II censoring. First, the maximum likelihood estimates and maximum product spacings are derived. In addition, we derive the asymptotic distribution of the parameters and the asymptotic confidence intervals. Second, Bayesian estimators under symmetric and asymmetric loss functions (Squared error, linear exponential, and general entropy loss functions) are also obtained. The Lindley approximation and the Markov chain Monte Carlo method are used to derive the Bayesian estimates. Furthermore, we derive the highest posterior density credible intervals of the parameters. We further present an optimal progressive censoring scheme among different competing censoring scheme using three optimality criteria. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of the point and interval estimators. Finally, one application of real data sets is provided to illustrate the proposed procedures.
Influencing factors on morbidity and mortality in intertrochanteric fractures
Authors: Babagoli Mazyar , Ghaseminejad Raeini Amirhossein , Sheykhvatan Mehrdad , Baghdadi Soroush , Shafiei Seyyed Hossein
Published: July 2023

We aimed to evaluate the effect of the patient’s clinical and paraclinical condition before and after surgery on short-term mortality and complication and long-term mortality. A retrospective cohort study was conducted and multivariate logistic regression was applied to determine the effect of demographic characteristics (sex, age, AO/OTA classification, height, weight, body mass index), medical history (hypertension, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, thyroid malfunction, cancer, osteoporosis, smoking) lab data (Complete blood cell, blood sugar, Blood Urea Nitrogen, Creatinine, Na, and K), surgery-related factors (Anesthesia time and type, implant, intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative blood transfusion, and operation time), duration of admission to surgery and anticoagulant consumption on short-term mortality and complication and long-term mortality. Three hundred ten patients from November 2016 to September 2020 were diagnosed with an intertrochanteric fracture. 3.23% of patients died in hospital, 14.1% of patients confronted in-hospital complications, and 38.3% died after discharge till the study endpoint. ΔNumber of Neutrophiles is the primary determinant for in-hospital mortality in multivariate analysis. Age and blood transfusion are the main determinants of long-term mortality, and Na before surgery is the primary variable associated with postoperative complications. Among different analytical factors Na before surgery as a biomarker presenting dehydration was the main prognostic factor for in hospital complications. In hospital mortality was mainly because of infection and long-term mortality was associated with blood transfusion.
A radiological cadaveric study of obturator nerve involvement and cranial injectate spread after different approaches to the fascia iliaca compartment block
Authors: ten Hoope Werner , Smulders Pascal S. H. , Baumann Holger M. , Hermanides Jeroen , Beenen Ludo F. M. , Oostra Roelof-Jan , Marhofer Peter , Lirk Philipp , Hollmann Markus W.
Published: July 2023

Whether the fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) involves the obturator nerve (ON) remains controversial. Involvement may require that the injectate spreads deep in the cranial direction, and might thus depend on the site of injection. Therefore, the effect of suprainguinal needle insertion with five centimeters of hydrodissection-mediated needle advancement (S-FICB-H) on ON involvement and cranial injectate spread was studied in this radiological cadaveric study. Results were compared with suprainguinal FICB without additional hydrodissection-mediated needle advancement (S-FICB), infrainguinal FICB (I-FICB), and femoral nerve block (FNB). Seventeen human cadavers were randomized to receive ultrasound-guided nerve block with a 40 mL solution of local anesthetic and contrast medium, on both sides. Injectate spread was objectified using computed tomography. The femoral and lateral femoral cutaneous nerves were consistently covered when S-FICB-H, S-FICB or FNB was applied, while the ON was involved in only one of the 34 nerve blocks. I-FICB failed to provide the same consistency of nerve involvement as S-FICB-H, S-FICB or FNB. Injectate reached most cranial in specimens treated with S-FICB-H. Our results demonstrate that even the technique with the most extensive cranial spread (S-FICB-H) does not lead to ON involvement and as such, the ON seems unrelated to FICB. Separate ON block should be considered when clinically indicated.
Multi-qubit quantum computing using discrete-time quantum walks on closed graphs
Authors: Chawla Prateek , Singh Shivani , Agarwal Aman , Srinivasan Sarvesh , Chandrashekar C. M.
Published: July 2023

Universal quantum computation can be realised using both continuous-time and discrete-time quantum walks. We present a version based on single particle discrete-time quantum walk to realize multi-qubit computation tasks. The scalability of the scheme is demonstrated by using a set of walk operations on a closed lattice form to implement the universal set of quantum gates on multi-qubit system. We also present a set of experimentally realizable walk operations that can implement Grover’s algorithm, quantum Fourier transformation and quantum phase estimation algorithms. An elementary implementation of error detection and correction is also presented. Analysis of space and time complexity of the scheme highlights the advantages of quantum walk based model for quantum computation on systems where implementation of quantum walk evolution operations is an inherent feature of the system.
Eosinophil-mast cell pattern of intraepithelial infiltration as a marker of severity in CRSwNP
Authors: Gelardi Matteo , Giancaspro Rossana , Duda Loren , Quaranta Vitaliano Nicola , Pizzulli Cristina , Maiorano Eugenio , Di Canio Filomena Milena , Ruzza Annamaria , Iannuzzi Lucia , Quaranta Nicola Antonio Adolfo , Parisi Francesca , Cassano Michele , Marzullo Andrea
Published: July 2023

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is defined as a Type 2 eosinophilic disease, while CRSsNP is considered a Type 1 neutrophilic disease. Since neutrophils are also activated in eosinophilic CRSwNP, the eosinophil–neutrophil dualism has been revaluated. Among the inflammatory cells infiltrating sinus-nasal tissues, the role of mast cells (MCs) is not already recognized, although Clinical-Cytological Grading, which defines the severity of CRSwNP, attributes to mixed eosinophil-MC forms of CRSwNP a greater risk of recurrence. We aimed to examine nasal polyps from both a cytological and histopathological point of view, to evaluate the presence and localization of MCs. Cytological and histological examination of 39 samples of nasal polyps were performed. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the presence of Tryptase + CD117 + MCs, which were counted both in the epithelial layer and in the lamina propria. A statistically significant correlation was found between intraepithelial MCs and CRSwNP severity (p < 0.001) and between the total eosinophil count and the total mast cell count (p < 0.001). Cytological examination and immunohistochemistry were comparable in detecting the presence of intraepithelial MCs (p = 0.002). The histological cut-off of 6 intraepithelial MCs was identified to detect severe CRSwNP (p < 0.001). MCs have been shown to be located in the lamina propria of almost all eosinophilic nasal polyps without significantly affecting their severity. Intraepithelial MCs are associated with greater severity of CRSwNP. Histopathological criteria of the eosinophil-MC form of CRSwNP in addition to the eosinophilic one, should be defined to guarantee patients effective and tailored treatments.
L-band radar quantifies major disturbance of birds by fireworks in an urban area
Authors: Wayman Joseph P. , Atkinson George , Jahangir Mohammed , White Daniel , Matthews Thomas J. , Antoniou Michail , Reynolds S. James , Sadler Jon P.
Published: July 2023

Fireworks and other pyrotechnics are acknowledged as sources of disturbance to wildlife, with evidence that many species react adversely to their sight and sound at discharge. However, how firework releases impact wildlife within a city landscape is poorly understood. Here, we explore the effect of fireworks on urban birds using an L-band staring radar (90-degree sector out to a 5 km range) to capture bird activity derived from flight tracks (i.e. 3D visualisation of individual flying birds built from radar detections) within the city of Birmingham, UK. Comparing the tracks between baseline periods with no fireworks and periods where fireworks are commonly discharged using a null model indicated that birds flew at higher elevations during firework periods (standardised effect sizes of 17.11, 26.54 and 5.83, for Diwali, Bonfire Night, and New Year's Eve, respectively). Birds also flew in more significant numbers (standardised effect sizes of 23.41, 7.98 and 7.19 for Diwali, Bonfire Night, and New Year's Eve, respectively). Therefore, bird activity was elevated during firework events at a time of night when many would otherwise be roosting. Such disturbance may have implications for avian biology since large public firework events occur at colder times of the year in the UK when birds have elevated thermoregulatory costs.
Unconventional quantum criticality in a non-Hermitian extended Kitaev chain
Authors: Rahul S. , Roy Nilanjan , Kumar Ranjith R. , Kartik Y. R. , Sarkar Sujit
Published: July 2023

We investigate the nature of quantum criticality and topological phase transitions near the critical lines obtained for the extended Kitaev chain with next nearest neighbor hopping parameters and non-Hermitian chemical potential. We surprisingly find multiple gap-less points, the locations of which in the momentum space can change along the critical line unlike the Hermitian counterpart. The interesting simultaneous occurrences of vanishing and sign flipping behavior by real and imaginary components, respectively of the lowest excitation is observed near the topological phase transition. Introduction of non-Hermitian factor leads to an isolated critical point instead of a critical line and hence, reduced number of multi-critical points as compared to the Hermitian case. The critical exponents obtained for the multi-critical and critical points show a very distinct behavior from the Hermitian case.
Efficacy of as-needed intravitreal injection compared to 3-monthly loading of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents for branch retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Chung Yoo-Ri , Woo Tae Kyoung , Park Ha Ryung , Lee Kihwang
Published: July 2023

We investigated the efficacy of intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, were searched on November 11, 2022. Studies comparing the pro-re-nata (PRN) regimen after the first treatment (PRN group) to three consecutive monthly injection regimens followed by the PRN regimen (3 + PRN group) were investigated. The primary outcomes were the change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the change in central retinal thickness (CRT), with the secondary outcome being the injection frequency. Among 195 reports on anti-VEGF treatment, six comparative studies were included in this meta-analysis. The two groups had no statistically significant differences in terms of BCVA or CRT. However, the total number of injections during follow-up was significantly lower in the PRN group than in the 3 + PRN group (95% CI − 2.09 to − 0.83). The as-needed injection regimen is as effective as 3-monthly loading in terms of anatomical and functional improvement for BRVO, along with a lower treatment burden for patients and physicians.
Suitable energy avenue for the dimension-matched cascade charge transfer mechanism in a g-C3N4/TS-1 heterostructure co-doped with Au–TiO2 for artificial photosynthetic green fuel production
Authors: Khan Imran , Khan Salman , Zada Amir , Ismail Ahmed , Shah Muhammad Ishaq Ali , Ateeq Muhammad , Fazil Perveen , Khan Javed Ali , Khan Afsar , Jan Farooq , Shams Dilawar Farhan , Miao Baoji , Ali Sharafat , Wang Shiliang
Published: July 2023

A Z-scheme g-C3N4/TS-1 heterojunction supported photosensitizer, along with an Au–TiO2 energy avenue, enables selective photocatalytic CO2 reduction to CH4, CO, and H2. This innovative approach enhances green fuel production efficiency effectively.
[Au(Np#)Cl]: highly reactive and broadly applicable Au(i)–NHC catalysts for alkyne π-activation reactions
Authors: Rahman Md. Mahbubur , Gao Pengcheng , Zhao Qun , Lalancette Roger , Szostak Roman , Szostak Michal
Published: July 2023

We report [Au(NHC)Cl] complexes featuring IPr# ligands that hinge upon modular peralkylation of aniline. Wingtip-flexible [Au(Np#)Cl] is a broadly applicable catalyst with the reactivity outperforming [Au(IPr)Cl] and [Au(IPr*)Cl] complexes.
Engineering linker defects in functionalized UiO-66 MOF nanoparticles for oil-in-water Pickering emulsion stabilization
Authors: SK Mostakim , Kar Salini , Dewangan Jayant K. , Chowdhury Mithun
Published: July 2023

Engineering linker defects byin situgrafting of palmitic acid in UiO-66 metal–organic-framework (MOF) nanoparticles can form stable Pickering emulsions ofn-heptane-in-water.
Driving a NiTiO3photocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction with near-infrared light
Authors: Wang Long , Zhuang Lingyi , Chen Qiao , Wang Sibo , Fang Yuanxing
Published: July 2023

A nickel titanate based photocatalyst has been used for the oxygen evolution reaction with near-infrared light illumination.
Analytical methodologies for oxidized organic compounds in the atmosphere
Authors: Tiusanen Aleksi , Ruiz-Jimenez Jose , Hartonen Kari , Wiedmer Susanne K.
Published: July 2023

Recent findings on oxidized organic compounds in the atmosphere and analytical methodologies for their detection and quantification.
Enhanced oxidative and adsorptive removal of arsenite by the heterogeneous interfacial reaction of sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron
Authors: Liu Jing , Yang Siming , Liu Airong , Huang Qing , Zhang Wei-xian , Wang Shizhong , Xiao Qianfen
Published: July 2023

After sulfidation, sulfur is doped into the iron core, endowing S-nZVI with lower corrosion, stronger adsorption and interfacial oxidation of As(iii). Arsenic atoms diffuse the inner area and form arsenic sulfide stabilizing in the S-nZVI core.
Application of biofilters developed under different influent characteristics in attenuating emerging contaminants from wastewater
Authors: Biswas Pinakshi , Vellanki Bhanu Prakash
Published: July 2023

Emerging contaminants (ECs) in treated effluent possess substantial risks to the aquatic life of the receiving surface waters.
Dietary patterns, uric acid levels, and hyperuricemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cheng Sijie , Shan Lishen , You Zhuying , Xia Yang , Zhao Yuhong , Zhang Hehua , Zhao Zhiying
Published: July 2023

A plant-based dietary pattern is associated with reduced SUA levels and a lower risk of hyperuricemia. An animal-based dietary pattern is associated with elevated SUA levels and an increased risk of hyperuricemia.
Study of mechanical degradation of freestanding ALD Al2O3 by a hygrothermal environment and a facile protective method for environmentally stable Al2O3: toward highly reliable wearable OLEDs
Authors: Lee Sangmin , Jeon Yongmin , Oh Seung Jin , Lee Sun-Woo , Choi Kyung Cheol , Kim Taek-Soo , Kwon Jeong Hyun
Published: July 2023

We introduce a functional silane-based inorganic–organic hybrid layer (silamer) to significantly improve the environmental stability of ALD Al2O3 films. Silamer-capped Al2O3 was shown to be an effective candidate for application in wearable OLEDs.
Regulating the surface topography of CpG nanoadjuvants via coordination-driven self-assembly for enhanced tumor immunotherapy
Authors: Zhang Li , Zhang Lingpu , Wang Yuqi , Jiang Kai , Gao Chao , Zhang Pengfei , Xie Yujie , Wang Bin , Zhao Yun , Xiao Haihua , Song Jie
Published: July 2023

Novel cytosine–phosphate–guanine (CpG) nanoadjuvants with different surface topographies were constructed for improving adjuvant properties and enhancing tumor immunotherapy.
3D printing of hierarchically micro/nanostructured electrodes for high-performance rechargeable batteries
Authors: Wang Rui , Zhang Youfang , Xi Wen , Zhang Junpu , Gong Yansheng , He Beibei , Wang Huanwen , Jin Jun
Published: July 2023

This review discusses the recent developments of 3D-printed electrodes in rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, the challenges and perspectives of 3D printing for electrodes and rechargeable batteries are put forward.
Improved thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation properties of polysiloxane nanocomposite-incorporated functional boron nitride sheets via in situ polymerization
Authors: Zheng Xiaole , Zhan Yingjie , Shi Jun , Lu Mangeng , Wu Kun
Published: July 2023

Here, highly thermoconductive nanocomposites prepared via in situ polymerization using SCLCP with 2D BNNS are reported. The thermal conductive network built by functional BNNS and orderly liquid crystal oriented SCLCP endow the film a high κ.
Efficient noble metal promoted bimetallic cobalt catalysts in the selective synthesis of acetaldehyde dimethyl acetal
Authors: Sheikh Kalim A. , Zevaco Thomas A. , Jelic Jelena , Studt Felix , Bender Michael
Published: July 2023

Herein we report the one-pot cobalt catalysed synthesis of the dimethylacetal of acetaldehyde from synthesis gas and methanol.
Nanoengineering TiO2 for evaluating performance in dye sensitized solar cells with natural dyes
Authors: Khan Mohd Jahir , Ahirwar Ankesh , Sirotiya Vandana , Rai Anshuman , Varjani Sunita , Vinayak Vandana
Published: July 2023

Diatom-Si and TiO2 NPs nanoengineered structures to fabricate a dye sensitized solar cell (DsTnas-DSSC).
Improving the decorative performance of UV-curable coatings with iridescent cellulose nanocrystal film
Authors: Chen Mengyao , Zhang Haiqiao , Wu Yan
Published: July 2023

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) possess remarkable mechanical properties, a high aspect ratio, a large specific surface area, and a unique nanostructure, making them a popular choice in various fields.
Recent advances in metal-family flame retardants: a review
Authors: Li Junwei , Zhao Haihan , Liu Huaiyin , Sun Jichang , Wu Jing , Liu Quanyi , Zheng Yun , Zheng Penglun
Published: July 2023

The flame retardant mechanism of main group metals and transition metal flame retardant polymers were analyzed and outlined systematically.
Origin of the superior oxygen reduction activity of zirconium nitride in alkaline media
Authors: Liu Heng , Zhang Di , Holmes Stuart M. , D'Agostino Carmine , Li Hao
Published: July 2023

This work identifies a new mechanism for the origin of the superior ORR activity of ZrN in alkaline media, combining electrochemical surface state analysis, density functional theory, and pH-dependent microkinetic modeling.
Surface polarization-induced emission and stability enhancement of CsPbX3nanocrystals
Authors: Chen Keqiang , Gu Zixin , Wang Zhiqing , Guan Mengyu , Tan Xiu , Xu Wanqing , Ji Xinyu , Lu Weiqi , Liu Yueli , Li Guogang
Published: July 2023

A small radius cation on the surface of CsPbX3nanocrystals promotes the arising of surface polarization, which leads to strong surface ligand bonding, near unity PLQY, and improved stability.
Hydroxyl reduced silver nanoparticles on ultrathin boron imidazolate framework nanosheets for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction
Authors: Shao Ping , Yi Luocai , Chen Jun-Qiang , Cao Changsheng , Zhang Hai-Xia , Zhang Jian
Published: July 2023

A composite of Ag@BIF-73NSs obtained by loading Ag NPs on BIF nanosheets (BIF-73NSs) via the hydroxyl functional group can be used as an electrocatalyst for electroreduction of CO2 to CO with a FE close to 90%.
Tunable enzymatically degradable hydrogels for controlled cargo release with dynamic mechanical properties
Authors: Tanimoto Riho , Ebara Mitsuhiro , Uto Koichiro
Published: July 2023

The behavior of enzymatic degradation and substance release of the hydrogel is precisely determined by the mesh size of the enzymatically degradable hydrogel and the size of the enzyme and loaded substance.
Temperature invariant lifetime based luminescent manometer on Mn4+ ions
Authors: Pieprz M. , Runowski M. , Woźny P. , Xue J. , Marciniak L.
Published: July 2023

Lifetime of the 2E state of Mn4+ can be used as an efficient manometric parameter.
Spectral non-hermitian quantization line shape controlled by phonon dressing in various phases of Eu3+:BiPO4
Authors: Nadeem Faisal , Usman Muhammad , Mujahid Anas , Imran Muhammad , Hussain Iqbal , Javed Usman , Usmani Muhammad Waqas , Ather Muhammad Fahad , Li Bo , Zhang Yanpeng
Published: July 2023

We report the relationship between phonon dressing and spectral line shape in nanocrystals.
High thermoelectric figure of merit in p-type Mg3Si2Te6: role of multi-valley bands and high anharmonicity
Authors: Pandey Tribhuwan , Peeters François M. , Milošević Milorad V.
Published: July 2023

Using first-principles modeling we predict Mg3Si2Te6 to have high power-factor and ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity, making them promising for silicon based thermoelectrics.
Photo-activated time-dependent color-changeable ultralong organic room temperature phosphorescence by co-doping strategy
Authors: Jin Huiwen , Zhang Xue , Ma Zhimin , Qian Chen , Fu Xiaohua , Li Zewei , Chen Mingxing , Guan Yan , Ma Zhiyong
Published: July 2023

We for the first time report photo-activated time-dependent color-changeable ultralong organic room temperature phosphorescence (UORTP) by co-doping derivatives (CN2BdBr and CN2BCzBr) of two phosphorescence units, H-benzo[f]indole (Bd) and 7H-benzo[c]carbazole (BCz).
What Drives Task Performance in Animal Fluency in Individuals Without Dementia? The SMART-MR Study
Authors: Rofes Adrià , Beran Magdalena , Jonkers Roel , Geerlings Mirjam I. , Vonk Jet M. J.
Published: July 2023

Purpose:

In this study, we aim to understand whether and how performance in animal fluency (i.e., total correct word count) relates to linguistic levels and/or executive functions by looking at sequence information and item-level metrics (i.e., clusters, switches, and word properties).

Method:

Seven hundred thirty-one Dutch-speaking individuals without dementia from the Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease-Magnetic Resonance study responded to an animal fluency task (120 s). We obtained cluster size and number of switches for the task, and eight different word properties for each correct word produced. We detected variables that determine total word count with random forests, and used conditional inference trees to assess points along the scales of such variables, at which total word count changes significantly.

Results:

Number of switches, average cluster size, lexical decision response times, word frequency, and concreteness determined total correct word count in animal fluency. People who produced more correct words produced more switches and bigger clusters. People who produced fewer words produced fewer switches and more frequent words.

Conclusions:

Concurrent with existing literature, individuals without dementia rely on language and executive functioning to produce words in animal fluency. The novelty of our work is that such results were shown based on a data-driven approach using sequence information and item-level metrics.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23713269
An ensemble learning method for low visibility prediction on freeway using meteorological data
Authors: Zhai Ben , Wang Yanli , Wu Bing
Published: July 2023

The prediction of low visibility is essential for proactive traffic safety management on freeways under fog conditions. However, few studies have developed prediction models for visibility on freeways at a short‐term time interval. This study proposes an ensemble learning approach to develop a short‐term prediction model of low visibility on freeways using meteorological data. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient is used to select meteorological variables related to low visibility. Random forests (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) are employed to develop visibility prediction models, and back propagation neural network (BPNN) and logistic regression (LR) are used for comparison. The models are evaluated over five prediction time intervals (5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min). The results indicate that the RF models outperform the other models with precision of 73.9%, recall of 59.8% and F1 score of 0.65. Moreover, the prediction model with a 15‐min time interval shows better performance. With the proposed short‐term prediction of low visibility, it is expected that more crashes could be prevented with more appropriate proactive traffic safety management strategies.
Machine learning to set hyperparameters for overlapping community detection algorithms
Authors: Xiao Chenglong , Wang Yajie , Wang Shanshan
Published: July 2023

The Local Fitness Method (LFM) and Speaker‐Listener Label Propagation (SLPA) algorithms are widely used to detect overlapping communities in complex networks. The main problem with these two algorithms is that they are extremely sensitive to the setting of the hyperparameters. Previous methods set the hyperparameters of LFM or SLPA based on either empirical values or random choices, resulting in a large amount of computation for adjusting those parameters. To solve this problem, in this paper, a machine‐learning‐based approach is proposed to automatically set the hyperparameters of these two algorithms. Experimental results show that compared with the manual method, automatically setting the hyperparameter using machine learning models can lead to higher‐quality divisions. Furthermore, in comparison to the well‐known hyperparameter tuning method using Bayesian Optimization, the proposed predictive model‐based approach can find suitable para meters for LFM and SLPA much faster, while achieving competitive results in terms of division quality.
Extraction of Heavy Metals from Soil Affected by Landfill Leachate through Constructed Wetlands: A Phytoremediation Approach to Rejuvenating the Contaminated Environment
Authors: Loganathan Parthiban , Prasad Raju Hemadri , Margret A. Leema , Ragavan V. , Ganesh A. Chithambar
Published: July 2023

Water is one of the most essential elements of life. The water shortage is becoming a lurid issue in many regions, with over a billion people without passable water for drinking purposes. The leachate from landfill sites is a major problem and poses a threat to aquatic ecosystems and public health. To overcome this situation, either to remove contaminants or to reduce the amount of contamination, constructed wetlands using phytoremediation can be considered the best solution. This green low-cost technology uses plants to remove heavy metals from soil and water. The objective of this report is to study the removal of specific heavy metals such as Zinc (Zn), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe) and Lead (Pb) from landfill leachate by using two laboratory scaled wetlands. These wetlands were filled with soil and planted with Typha Latifolia. One system was operated without recirculation and the other with effluent recirculation with an interval of one day. The influent and effluent physicochemical parameters were analyzed after 30 days and the concentrations of the heavy metals were observed. The wide variation is seen in the case of Nickel, Lead, Chromium, Cadmium, Zinc and Iron. The percentage of removal with recirculation and without recirculation is 100% for Cadmium and Iron, in the case of Nickel, Lead, Chromium and Zinc the percentage difference between recirculation and without recirculation was found to be 1.6, 2.4, 0, 0. Since the removal efficiency for Cadmium and Iron is predominant this study indicates that this technology gives good removal of heavy metals and has a scope for its effective analysis since it has low working and conservation costs; it is comparatively a step toward a sustainable economy.
Estimation of heavy metals toxicity in the groundwater of rural area near Ellenabad, Sirsa (Haryana)
Authors: Kumar Parul , Jain Sushma
Published: July 2023

The present investigation emphasizes on the evaluation of heavy metal pollution indices to assess the suitability of groundwater for human consumption. For this, thirty groundwater samples were collected from the villages near Ellenabad city of Sirsa during pre monsoon of 2018 from the tube-wells. The samples were collected from approximately 100 m of depth. The samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP - MS) for heavy metals like As, Hg, Pb, Zn, Cu and Mn. The heavy metals As, Hg and Pb were not found in our samples. The indices like heavy metal pollution index (HPI), heavy metal evolution index (HEI) and Hazard index (HI) were calculated to assess the suitability for drinking. These indices numerically give the suitability of groundwater for human consumption. On the basis of HEI and HPI, all the samples were found to be suitable for human consumption. The value of HI > 1 shows the unsuitability of groundwater for consumption. On the basis of the analysis, it can be said that children are at more risk followed by adults and then infants. The value of HI > 1 has been found for only two samples and which was also for children in sample number 20 and 24. So, majority of the samples have been found to be suitable for human consumption. Principal component analysis was performed for factor analysis which shows the initial Eigen value of more than two and total variance of more than 41.
Effect of Clay and Humicmaterials for the control of nitrate leaching from sandy agroecosystem
Authors: Singaravel R. , Viswanathan G. , Seenivasan M.
Published: July 2023

The effect of clay and humic materials in the control of nitrate leaching from sandy soil was established through a column experiment. In a PVC column with 3 inches dia and 45 cm length packed with sandy soil, six leaching at 15 days intervals were performed. Nitrogen was added @ 150 kg ha-1. The results of the study indicated the significant influence of clay @ 40 t and humic acid @ 20 kg ha-1were efficient in the control of NO-and NH+N leached through the column and a corresponding increase of retension of N in soil. The linear equation model was used to ascertain the influence of the physiochemical characteristics on the leaching of nutrients.
Assessment the health Risks of Radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K that influencing on Wheat: Case study in Al- Qadisiyah, Iraq
Authors: Kadhim Amer Y. , Al-Ghrabi Majied G. , Alsafi Haneen M.
Published: July 2023

Wheat is one of the most important ingredients used by the Iraqi people. The significant aspect of this study is the detection of radioactive isotope absorption in grains. The nuclear detector NaI (Tl) was used to measure the natural concentration of radionuclides 238U, 232Th and 40K in wheat and soil. The average concentrations of these radionuclides in the soil samples were 7.774±0.465, 2.301±0.217 and 270.985±3.322 Bq.kg−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively. Their average concentrations in the wheat samples were 7.774±0.465, 1.383±0.179 and 0.361±0.086 Bq.kg-1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively. The average values of the transfer factors (TFs) from soil to wheat of 238U, 232Th and 40K were calculated as 0.069, 0.179 and 0.175, respectively. These TFs showed that the movement of these radionuclides in the soil samples was poor compared with previous results. The concentrations found were less than the allowable limits of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Therefore, the findings revealed no major risks to human health and edible grains are healthy to consume.
Environmentally Friendly Additives for Aqueous Drilling Fluid Systems: Optimum Flow Characteristics and Models
Authors: Kamal Ibtisam , Abdullah Badiea , Al-Badran Firas , Kasim Al-Hakam , Sarbast Mabast
Published: July 2023

Recently, renewable additives are incorporated to design novel drilling fluid formulations with properties meeting the needs of downhole atmospheres and environmental regulations. The work deals with the investigation, optimization, and modeling of the rheological properties of new aqueous drilling fluid systems incorporated with green sliver nanoparticles and mastic gum and the estimation and optimization of the flow mathematical models. The average range of the experimental values for apparent viscosity, plastic viscosity, yield point, and low-shear-rate yield point for the prepared drilling fluids are 22-38 cP, 8-24 cP, 26-32 lb/100ft2, 18-35 lb/100ft2 respectively, while the optimum values estimated by ANOVA are 38.79 cP, 25.12 cP, 33.47 lb/100ft2, and 42.16 lb/100ft2 respectively. The optimum rheological properties are achieved by incorporating 17.07 ml of mastic gum and 1.6 ml of silver NPs colloids. The outcomes showed that the green additives looked talented to be applied for governing drilling fluid characteristics within the oil industry-recommended standards. The results of modeling the flow of the optimized drilling fluid indicated that it is Pseudo plastic fluid that exhibited non-Newtonian behavior and shear thinning. The Bingham-plastic flow model was explored to be the topmost model that can describe the flow behavior of the optimized drilling fluid system.
Experimental Investigation and Power Quality Analysis of Solar Micro-inverter for different Operating Conditions
Authors: Tamrakar Ekta , Patel R.N. , Kumar Arun , Sahu Ajay Kumar , Ruchira R.
Published: July 2023

There has been a lot of focus in recent years on finding ways to incorporate renewable energy systems, especially solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, into the existing electrical grid. Power conversion technologies that are both efficient and reliable are in high demand due to the expanding popularity of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Micro-inverters, which are module-based inverters placed on individual PV modules, have grown in popularity in recent years due to their decentralized design. However, the integration of solar micro-inverter into the electrical grid presents power quality challenges. This research article presents an experimental investigation and power quality analysis of a solar micro-inverter under various operating conditions such as dust and shade.
Estimating the overall efficiency of storage batteries in Fermatean picture fuzzy environment
Authors: Shanthi S. Anita , Basavaraju K.G.
Published: July 2023

Electricity storage devices play a very vital role in eﬃcient energy management. Storage technologies vary depending on the speciﬁc needs and applications. Battery is a electric storage system which converts chemical energy into electrical energy and possess some speciﬁc parameters that characterize them. Here, four types of storage batteries are evaluated based on their eﬃciency, cost, life span and energy density properties using COPRAS and ARAS methods on Fermatean picture fuzzy sets. Firstly a decision matrix is constructed using Fermatean picture fuzzy sets and it is normalized. Entropy measure is deﬁned which helps in calculation of weight values. Next aggregated weighted normalized Fermatean picture fuzzy matrix is found and using this relative signiﬁcant and utility values are calculated in COPRAS method. In ARAS method optimal function values are determined and utility values are found. The alternatives are ranked based on the utility values. In both the methods it is found that the rank of the best alternative is the same whereas the ranking of other alternatives vary.
Wind Power Plant Site Selection using Integrated Machine Learning and Multiple-Criteria Decision Making Technique
Authors: Cerna Patrick D. , Evangelista Ryan S. , Castillo Cromwell M. , Muallam-Darkis Jehana A. , Velasco Mark Anthony C. , Legaspi John P. , Darkis Aldaruhz T. , Magdalena Gatdula Ma.
Published: July 2023

The growing demand for clean and sustainable energy sources has driven countries around the world to explore renewable energy options, including wind power. This research focuses on the use of machine learning techniques to optimize the site selection process for wind power plants in the Philippines. The study aims to address the challenge of identifying suitable locations for wind power plant development, which requires the assessment of various environmental and socio-economic factors. The research utilizes various datasets, including wind speed and direction, topography, land use, population density, and infrastructure availability. Additionally factors on The datasets was acquired to the Maps that contains road network, urban areas, protection areas, slope, wind speed, water courses, natural disasters and transmissions lines. These datasets are processed and analysed using SVM machine learning algorithms to identify the most suitable sites for wind power plant development. The study results indicate that machine learning techniques can provide a more accurate and efficient approach to wind power plant site selection compared to traditional methods. The model can identify areas with high potential for wind energy generation, taking into account various factors that influence the feasibility and profitability of wind power plant development. The research findings are expected to provide valuable insights for policymakers, investors, and other stakeholders involved in the renewable energy sector in the Philippines. The use of machine learning techniques can facilitate the identification of optimal locations for wind power plants, leading to more efficient and effective renewable energy development in the country.
Evaluation on the performance of highway companies using goal programming model
Authors: Lam Weng Siew , Lee Pei Fun , Lam Weng Hoe
Published: July 2023

Highway companies engage in projects with governments through the concession model in which the governments’ aim is in fulfilling public interest while the highway companies aim to increase their financial stability. However, highway companies face various operational risks that would impede their financial excellency. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the financial performances of the highway companies with the goal programming (GP) model. The GP model is a powerful tool in solving multi-objective issues. This paper studies the listed highway companies, namely LITRAK, TALIWRK, and EDGENTA from 2017 to 2022 using financial data. Based on the optimal solution of GP model, all three companies have reached the goals for assets, equities, and optimum management items. LITRAK, TALIWRK, and EDGENTA have underachievement for the goal of liability management. The GP model has identified the potential improvements for these highway companies for further improvement based on the benchmark values.
Investigation of the Strength Properties of Concrete Using Marble Powder and Iron Ore
Authors: Shabibi Sara Abdullah Said Al , Balus Shima Mohammed Abdul Sattar Al , Kuckian Sachin , Banerjee Pranita , Balushi Yasser Al
Published: July 2023

Concrete is a major concern for engineers because of its extensive use in the building sector. The production of concrete also uses a lot of materials all around the world. However, the price of energy, the expansion of manufacturing capacity, and environmental concerns are three of the most crucial factors to consider in the concrete industry, considering the fast urbanisation and modern market. Because of issues with pollution and the high price and low availability of sand and cement, the current research focuses on employing marble powder as a cement substitute and iron ore as a sand substitute. The commercial by-products of producing and polishing granite powder, waste iron powder (WIP) and waste marble powder (WMP), are mainly wasted and pose a threat to human health. Substituted with marble powder (5% and 10%) for the cement and iron powder (30%, 40%, and 50%) for the fine aggregate. The results were based on the material's compressive strength, flexural strength, and workability. The highest compressive and flexural strengths were achieved when 10% of the cement was replaced with marble powder and 50% of the iron ore was replaced with sand. According to the results, the strength qualities of concrete might be enhanced by using less marble and more iron ore. From both a financial and ecological perspective, recycling these components and incorporating them into concrete as a partial replacement makes sense.
Evaluation of compressive strength of concrete in bipolar fuzzy environment
Authors: Shanthi S. Anita , Preethi R.
Published: July 2023

Concrete is the most widely used building material. Numerous varieties of concrete are available. They are resolved by the formation of binders and the types of aggregate used to suit the application of the engineered material. The quality of the concrete is based on the specific proportions of different materials added to it such cement, slag, ash, water, superplasticizer, coarse aggregate and fine aggregate. The compressive strength of concrete hangs on many factors such as water-cement ratio, cement strength, quality of concrete material during making of concrete which is determined using MCDM methods. In this paper COPRAS and WASPAS methods are used to determine the ranking order of various set of concrete mixtures produced in the laboratory.
BIM features to enhance building permit process activity: A partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach
Authors: Putra Andhika Surya , Machfudiyanto Rossy Armyn
Published: July 2023

Construction permit issuance is considered one indicator to measure a country's business. Applying for digital building permits seeks to increase the ease of doing business. Still, over time the performance of the permit process must continue to be improved to increase competition in the ease of doing business between countries and encourage the level of foreign investment. Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology can enhance digital building permits. A quantitative method, based on the partial least squares structural equation modelling, was used to verify the proposed hypotheses. The findings display four process stages of building permits in the form of consultations, zoning assessments, technical recommendations and building assessments that affect the permit time performance. Two significant BIM features to implement in the permit process are 3D model visualization and automated code checking.