bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of lead (Pb) and pest damage on soil enzyme activities, pakchoi and Spodoptera litura performance
Authors: Liu Huiyang , Shi Yimeng , Zou Yuxuan , Song Zaiya , Tian Huai , Yang Xianjun , Li Xiaohong
Published: September 2024

Plant–soil interactions have bottom–up and top–down effects within a plant community. Heavy metal pollution can change plant–soil interactions, directly influence bottom–up effects and indirectly affect herbivores within the community. In turn, herbivores can affect plant–soil interactions through top–down effects. However, the combined effects of heavy metals and herbivores on soil enzymes, plants and herbivores have rarely been reported. Therefore, the effects of lead (Pb), Spodoptera litura and their combined effects on soil enzyme activities, pakchoi nutrition, defence compounds and S. litura fitness were examined here. Results showed that Pb, S. litura and their combined effects significantly affected soil enzymes, pakchoi and S. litura. Specifically, exposure to double stress (Pb and S. litura) decreased soil urease, phosphatase and sucrase activities compared with controls. Furthermore, the soluble protein and sugar contents of pakchoi decreased, and the trypsin inhibitor content and antioxidant enzyme activity increased. Finally, the S. litura development period was extended, and survival, emergence rates and body weight decreased after exposure to double stress. The combined stress of Pb and S. litura significantly decreased soil enzyme activities. Heavy metal accumulation in plants may create a superposition or synergistic effect with heavy metal-mediated plant chemical defence, further suppressing herbivore development. Pb, S. litura and their combined effects inhibited soil enzyme activities, improved pakchoi resistance and reduced S. litura development. The results reveal details of soil–plant–herbivore interactions and provide a reference for crop pest control management in the presence of heavy metal pollution.
3D dynamics and control of a snake robot in uncertain underwater environment
Authors: Patel Bhavik M. , Dwivedy Santosha K.
Published: September 2024

The snake robot can be used to monitor and maintain underwater structures and environments. The motion of a snake robot is achieved by lateral undulation which is called the gait pattern of the snake robot. The parameters of a gait pattern need to be adjusted for compensating environmental uncertainties. In this work, 3D motion dynamics of a snake robot for the underwater environment is proposed with vertical motion using the buoyancy variation technique and horizontal motion using lateral undulation. “The neutral buoyant snake robot motion in hypothetical plane and added mass effect is negligible”, these previous assumptions are removed in this work. Two different control algorithms are designed for horizontal and vertical motions. The existing super twisting sliding mode control (STSMC) is used for the horizontal serpentine motion of the snake robot. The control law is designed on a reduced-ordered dynamic system based on virtual holonomic constraints. The vertical motion is achieved by controlling the mass variation using a pump. The water pumps are controlled using the event-based controller or Proportional Derivative (PD) controller. The results of the proposed control technique are verified with various external environmental disturbances and uncertainties to check the robustness of the control approach for various path following cases. Moreover, the results of STSMC scheme are compared with SMC scheme to check the effectiveness of STSMC. The practical implementation of the work is also performed using Simscape Multibody environment where the designed control algorithm is deployed on the virtual snake robot.
The Five-Year Plan and target allocation cycle of environmental pollution in China
Authors: Ren Liuqing , Wang Renhe
Published: September 2024

This paper establishes a theoretical connection between China’s Five-Year Plan (FYP) and environmental pollution. We propose a target allocation cycle theory to explain the periodic feature of environmental pollution, which advances political business theory in different institutional contexts. By analysing industrial SO2 and PM2.5 data as well as the political career data of officials in 277 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019, we reveal a significant influence of China’s political business cycles, as dictated by the FYP, on the periodicity of environmental pollution. Specifically, the emissions of industrial SO2 and PM2.5 exhibit a U-shaped periodic trend, peaking during the initial 2 years of each FYP, followed by a gradual decline in subsequent years, only to peak again in the first year of the succeeding FYP. These findings suggest that local political leaders strategically allocate their efforts in managing environmental pollution. Initially, there is a relaxation of environmental regulation during the early stages of a FYP, which is then followed by a shift towards more stringent environmental governance after the midpoint of the FYP.
A unified model of lenition as modulation reduction: gauging consonant strength in Ibibio
Authors: Harris John , Urua Eno-Abasi , Tang Kevin
Published: September 2024

We review and elaborate an account of consonantal strength that is founded on the model of speech as a modulated carrier signal. The stronger the consonant, the greater the modulation. Unlike approaches based on sonority or articulatory aperture, the account offers a uniform definition of the phonetic effect lenition has on consonants: All types of lenition (such as debuccalisation, spirantisation and vocalisation) reduce the extent to which a consonant modulates the carrier. To demonstrate the quantifiability of this account, we present an analysis of Ibibio, in which we investigate the effects of lenition on the amplitude, periodicity and temporal properties of consonants. We propose a method for integrating these different acoustic dimensions within an overall measure of modulation size. Not only does the modulated-carrier account cover all the classically recognised lenition types, but it also encompasses loss of plosive release in final stops – which, although not traditionally classed as lenition, is clearly related to processes that are.
Korean vowel harmony has weak phonotactic support and has limited productivity
Authors: Jo Jinyoung
Published: September 2024

Chong (2017) claims that a derived environment process is productive to the extent that it is supported by phonotactics. The present study tests this claim by comparing variable patterns observed in Korean vowel harmony of suffix alternation with vowel co-occurrence restrictions in the lexicon. A corpus study replicated findings of previous studies that the harmony in suffix alternation is losing productivity, conditioned by the quality of the stem vowel, the number of intervening consonants between the vowels and the stem class. Phonotactic generalisations in vowel sequences matched such tendencies in the alternation in that harmony was feeble in phonotactics and that some of the factors that modulate the harmony in alternation were found to affect the harmony in phonotactics as well. The findings generally support Chong’s claim that lack of phonotactic support for an alternation makes it harder to learn.
T0-spaces and the lower topology
Authors: Lawson Jimmie , Xu Xiaoquan
Published: September 2024

The authors’ primary goal in this paper is to enhance the study of
$T_0$
topological spaces by using the order of specialization of a
$T_0$
-space to introduce the lower topology (with a subbasis of closed sets
$\mathord{\uparrow } x$
) and studying the interaction of the original topology and the lower topology. Using the lower topology, one can define and study new properties of the original space that provide deeper insight into its structure. One focus of study is the property R, which asserts that if the intersection of a family of finitely generated sets
$\mathord{\uparrow } F$
,
$F$
finite, is contained in an open set
$U$
, then the same is true for finitely many of the family. We first show that property R is equivalent to several other interesting properties, for example, the property that all closed subsets of the original space are compact in the lower topology. We then find conditions under which these spaces are compact, well-filtered, and coherent, a weaker variant of stably compact spaces. We also investigate what have been called strong
$d$
-spaces, develop some of their basic properties, and make connections with the earlier considerations involving spaces satisfying property R. Two key results we obtain are that if a dcpo
$P$
with the Scott topology is a strong
$d$
-space, then it is well-filtered, and if additionally the Scott topology of the product
$P\times P$
is the product of the Scott topologies of the factors, then the Scott space of
$P$
is sober. We also exhibit connections of this work with de Groot duality.
Effects of different temperatures on the embryonic development of the Lebranche mullet Mugil liza
Authors: Manhães João Vitor de Azevedo , Mattos Douglas da Cruz , Strassburguer Rômulo Alves , Palma Ulysses da Silva , Sterzelecki Fabio Carneiro , Owatari Marco Shizuo , Magnotti Caio , Cerqueira Vinicius Ronzani
Published: September 2024

We herein investigated the influence of temperature on the embryonic development (from fertilisation to hatching) of Mugil liza larvae. For this purpose, oocytes (>600 μm) and sperm were obtained from breeding stock at the laboratory of marine fish culture (LAPMAR). After fertilisation, 1200 eggs were distributed in 12 cylindrical experimental units of 400 mL under four different temperatures 18, 22, 26 and 30 ºC, all in triplicate. Every 15 min until hatching, about 10 eggs were randomly sampled in each treatment. The eggs were visualized and photographed, and the classification of embryonic stages was performed. Temperature influenced the main events of the embryonic development of M. liza. More accelerated development was observed according to the increase in temperature until the gastrula phase. At temperatures of 22 and 26 °C, embryonic development occurred from fertilisation to hatching of the larvae. In the 18 °C treatment, it was verified that most of the embryos ceased development during the final phase of cleavage and the beginning of blastula formation, while in the 30 °C treatment patterns of embryo malformation were also verified, with erratic divisions of the blastomeres, resulting in irregular cells. Unlike what was observed at a temperature of 18 °C, none of the embryos incubated at 30 °C reached the blastopore closure phase, stopping in the gastrula. The larvae hatched in the treatments at 22 and 26 °C were viable and exhibited intense swimming, with a large amount of reserve material (yolk) and an evident drop of oil.
Chinese primers along the north-western frontier
Authors: Galambos Imre
Published: September 2024

By the second half of the first millennium CE, a substantial body of texts written in Literary Sinitic developed into a shared repertoire of writings throughout Central and East Asia. In no small part, this was the result of the spread of Buddhism, which, in many regions, was adopted in its Sinitic form and relied on Chinese versions of the scriptures. As part of the means to cope with Sinitic Buddhist texts, most states also adopted a range of auxiliary texts, including primers and dictionaries. While modern scholarship has directed substantial attention at the participation of Japan, Korea, and Vietnam in the world of Sinitic texts, it has placed much less emphasis on the western and north-western regions of what is now China. This article attempts to redress the imbalance and demonstrate not only that, at one point, Inner Asian states actively participated in the Sinographic world, but also that they did this through a similar process of adaptation to that documented elsewhere. Primers played a special role in this, in that they had a more immediate connection with the core competency of reading and writing.
EMBED IN ENSEMBLE TO RIGOROUSLY AND ACCURATELY HOMOGENIZE QUASI-PERIODIC MULTI-SCALE HETEROGENEOUS MATERIAL
Authors: ROBERTS ANTHONY
Published: September 2024

For microscale heterogeneous partial differential equations (PDEs), this article further develops novel theory and methodology for their macroscale mathematical/asymptotic homogenization. This article specifically encompasses the case of quasi-periodic heterogeneity with finite scale separation: no scale separation limit is required. A key innovation herein is to analyse the ensemble of all phase-shifts of the heterogeneity. Dynamical systems theory then frames the homogenization as a slow manifold of the ensemble. Depending upon any perceived scale separation within the quasi-periodic heterogeneity, the homogenization may be done in either one step or two sequential steps: the results are equivalent. The theory not only assures us of the existence and emergence of an exact homogenization at finite scale separation, it also provides a practical systematic method to construct the homogenization to any specified order. For a class of heterogeneities, we show that the macroscale homogenization is potentially valid down to lengths which are just twice that of the microscale heterogeneity! This methodology complements existing well-established results by providing a new rigorous and flexible approach to homogenization that potentially also provides correct macroscale initial and boundary conditions, treatment of forcing and control, and analysis of uncertainty.
Masculinity and (Hetero)Sexuality in the Late Imperial Russian Military
Authors: Hearne Siobhán
Published: September 2024

This article examines how sexual health became an important component of ideal military masculinity in the final decades of the Russian Empire. Rising rates of venereal diseases (VD) in the military in the final years of the nineteenth century forced the Russian imperial state to increasingly turn their attention to the sexual health and hygienic habits of military personnel. State officials enlisted the help of military physicians, who prepared sex education brochures and lectures with the aim of reducing venereal infection. Sex education materials encouraged conscripts to abandon the habits and practices of rural life and embrace “modern” hygienic manhood. Physicians saw military personnel as an important link to the Empire’s vast lower-class population and regarded the inculcation of new norms of health and hygiene within military populations as a key method for improving public health more generally, especially in the countryside. Within this context, expert knowledge became intertwined with visions of ideal military masculinity, and good sexual health and hygiene were presented as important markers of manhood.
Scenario Storyline Discovery for Planning in Multi‐Actor Human‐Natural Systems Confronting Change
Authors: Hadjimichael Antonia , Reed Patrick M. , Quinn Julianne D. , Vernon Chris R. , Thurber Travis
Published: September 2024

Scenarios have emerged as valuable tools in managing complex human‐natural systems, but the traditional approach of limiting focus on a small number of predetermined scenarios can inadvertently miss consequential dynamics, extremes, and diverse stakeholder impacts. Exploratory modeling approaches have been developed to address these issues by exploring a wide range of possible futures and identifying those that yield consequential vulnerabilities. However, vulnerabilities are typically identified based on aggregate robustness measures that do not take full advantage of the richness of the underlying dynamics in the large ensembles of model simulations and can make it hard to identify key dynamics and/or storylines that can guide planning or further analyses. This study introduces the FRamework for Narrative Storylines and Impact Classification (FRNSIC; pronounced “forensic”): a scenario discovery framework that addresses these challenges by organizing and investigating consequential scenarios using hierarchical classification of diverse outcomes across actors, sectors, and scales, while also aiding in the selection of scenario storylines, based on system dynamics that drive consequential outcomes. We present an application of this framework to the Upper Colorado River Basin, focusing on decadal droughts and their water scarcity implications for the basin's diverse users and its obligations to downstream states through Lake Powell. We show how FRNSIC can explore alternative sets of impact metrics and drought dynamics and use them to identify drought scenario storylines, that can be used to inform future adaptation planning.
Refined Estimates of Global Ocean Deep and Abyssal Decadal Warming Trends
Authors: Johnson Gregory C. , Purkey Sarah G.
Published: September 2024

Deep and abyssal layer decadal temperature trends from the mid‐1980s to the mid‐2010s are mapped globally using Deep Argo and historical ship‐based Conductivity‐Temperature‐Depth (CTD) instrument data. Abyssal warming trends are widespread, with the strongest warming observed around Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation regions. The warming strength follows deep western boundary currents transporting abyssal waters north and decreases with distance from Antarctica. Abyssal cooling trends are found in the North Atlantic and eastern South Atlantic, regions primarily ventilated by North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). Deep warming trends are prominent in the Southern Ocean south of about 50°S, the Greenland‐Iceland‐Norwegian (GIN) Seas and the western subpolar North Atlantic, with cooling in the eastern subpolar North Atlantic and the subtropical and tropical western North Atlantic. Globally integrated decadal heat content trends of 21.6 (±6.5) TW in the deep and 12.9 (±1.8) TW in the abyssal layer are more certain than previous estimates.
Crosstalk between FTH1 and PYCR1 dysregulates proline metabolism and mediates cell growth in KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer cells
Authors: Park Ji Min , Su Yen-Hao , Fan Chi-Shuan , Chen Hsin-Hua , Qiu Yuan-Kai , Chen Li-Li , Chen Hsin-An , Ramasamy Thamil Selvee , Chang Jung-Su , Huang Shih-Yi , Chang Wun-Shaing Wayne , Lee Alan Yueh-Luen , Huang Tze-Sing , Kuo Cheng-Chin , Chiu Ching-Feng
Published: September 2024

Ferritin, comprising heavy (FTH1) and light (FTL) chains, is the main iron storage protein, and pancreatic cancer patients exhibit elevated serum ferritin levels. Specifically, higher ferritin levels are correlated with poorer pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) prognosis; however, the underlying mechanism and metabolic programming of ferritin involved in KRAS-mutant PDAC progression remain unclear. Here, we observed a direct correlation between FTH1 expression and cell viability and clonogenicity in KRAS-mutant PDAC cell lines as well as with in vivo tumor growth through the control of proline metabolism. Our investigation highlights the intricate relationship between FTH1 and pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1), a crucial mitochondrial enzyme facilitating the glutamate-to-proline conversion, underscoring its impact on proline metabolic imbalance in KRAS-mutant PDAC. This regulation is further reversed by miR-5000-3p, whose dysregulation results in the disruption of proline metabolism, thereby accentuating the progression of KRAS-mutant PDAC. Additionally, our study demonstrated that deferasirox, an oral iron chelator, significantly diminishes cell viability and tumor growth in KRAS-mutant PDAC by targeting FTH1-mediated pathways and altering the PYCR1/PRODH expression ratio. These findings underscore the novel role of FTH1 in proline metabolism and its potential as a target for PDAC therapy development.
Characterization of ACTN4 as a novel antiviral target against SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Zhu Miao , Huang Fang , Sun Huize , Liu Kunpeng , Chen Zhen , Yu Baocheng , Hao Haojie , Liu Haizhou , Ding Shuang , Zhang Xueyan , Liu Lishi , Zhang Kui , Ren Jierao , Liu Yi , Liu Haibin , Shan Chao , Guan Wuxiang
Published: September 2024

The various mutations in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pose a substantial challenge in mitigating the viral infectivity. The identification of novel host factors influencing SARS-CoV-2 replication holds potential for discovering new targets for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that can combat future viral mutations. In this study, potential host factors regulated by SARS-CoV-2 infection were screened through different high-throughput sequencing techniques and further identified in cells. Subsequent analysis and experiments showed that the reduction of m6A modification level on ACTN4 (Alpha-actinin-4) mRNA leads to a decrease in mRNA stability and translation efficiency, ultimately inhibiting ACTN4 expression. In addition, ACTN4 was demonstrated to target nsp12 for binding and characterized as a competitor for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex, thereby impeding viral replication. Furthermore, two ACTN4 agonists, YS-49 and demethyl-coclaurine, were found to dose-dependently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in both Huh7 cells and K18-hACE2 transgenic mice. Collectively, this study unveils the pivotal role of ACTN4 in SARS-CoV-2 infection, offering novel insights into the intricate interplay between the virus and host cells, and reveals two potential candidates for future anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug development.
Box-Behnken design (BBD) for optimization and simulation of biolubricant production from biomass using aspen plus with techno-economic analysis
Authors: Abdel Hamid Eman M. , Amer Amer M. , Mahmoud Ahmed K. , Mokbl Eslam M. , Hassan Mazen A. , Abdel-Monaim Mohamed O. , Amin Rana H. , Tharwat Kareem M.
Published: September 2024

The growing concern and limitations for existing lubricants have driven the need for biolubricants, extensively proposed as the most suitable and sustainable lubricating oils. Biolubricant refers to lubricants that quickly biodegrade and are non-toxic to humans and aquatic habitats. Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the production of biolubricants due to the rising demand for replacing petroleum-based lubricants with those derived from renewable sources like vegetable oils and lipase that are used in various applications. In this study biodiesel (FAME) produced from blending animal fats and waste cooking was used as a raw material with ethylene glycol for biolubricant production using a transesterification reaction in the presence of calcium oxide which considers the newest and novel part as there is no production of biolubricant from animal fats and waste cooking oil in previous researches. The reaction parameters of biolubricant production were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) with the aid of Box Behnken Design (BBD) to study the effect of independent variables on the yield of biolubricant. These variables are temperature ranging from (100–150 °C), reaction time ranging from 1 to 4 h, and FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) to alcohol molar ratio ranging from (2:1) to (4:1). The highest biolubricant yield is 91.56% at a temperature of 141 °C, a FAME/alcohol molar ratio of 2:1, and 3.3 h. Various analyses were performed on the produced biolubricant at the optimum conditions. The results include a pour point of -9 °C, a flash point of 192 °C, a kinematic viscosity at 40 °C of 10.35 cSt, a viscosity index of 183.6, an ash content of 0.76 wt.%, and a carbon residue of 1.5 wt.%, comparing favorably with the ISO VG 10 standard. The production process of biolubricant was simulated with Aspen Plus version 11 using a Non-Random Two-Liquid (NRTL) fluid package. The simulation results indicated that the production process can be applied on an industrial scale. Economic analysis was performed on the biolubricants production plant. The total capital investment was $12.7 M with a payback period of 1.48 years and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 67.5% indicating the suitability and profitability of the biolubricant production.
The ATOM-Seq sequence capture panel can accurately predict microsatellite instability status in formalin-fixed tumour samples, alongside routine gene mutation testing
Authors: Srihar Kanishta , Gusnanto Arief , Richman Susan D. , West Nicholas P. , Galvin Leanne , Bottomley Daniel , Hemmings Gemma , Glover Amy , Natarajan Subaashini , Miller Rebecca , Arif Sameira , Rossington Hannah , Dunwell Thomas L. , Dailey Simon C. , Fontarum Gracielle , George Agnes , Wu Winnie , Quirke Phil , Wood Henry M.
Published: September 2024

Microsatellite instability (MSI) occurs across a number of cancers and is associated with different clinical characteristics when compared to microsatellite stable (MSS) cancers. As MSI cancers have different characteristics, routine MSI testing is now recommended for a number of cancer types including colorectal cancer (CRC). Using gene panels for sequencing of known cancer mutations is routinely performed to guide treatment decisions. By adding a number of MSI regions to a small gene panel, the efficacy of simultaneous MSI detection in a series of CRCs was tested. Tumour DNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumours was sequenced using a 23-gene panel kit (ATOM-Seq) provided by GeneFirst. The mismatch repair (MMR) status was obtained for each patient from their routine pathology reports, and compared to MSI predictions from the sequencing data. By testing 29 microsatellite regions in 335 samples the MSI status was correctly classified in 314/319 samples (98.4% concordance), with sixteen failures. By reducing the number of regions in silico, comparable performance could be reached with as few as eight MSI marker positions. This test represents a quick, and accurate means of determining MSI status in FFPE CRC samples, as part of a routine gene mutation assay, and can easily be incorporated into a research or diagnostic setting. This could replace separate mutation and MSI tests with no loss of accuracy, thus improving testing efficiency.
Multiple intermediates in the detergent-induced fusion of lipid vesicles
Authors: Dresser Lara G. , Kunstmann-Olsen Casper , Conteduca Donato , Hofmair Christopher M. , Smith Nathan , Clark Laura , Johnson Steven , Penedo J. Carlos , Leake Mark C. , Quinn Steven D.
Published: September 2024

Detergent-induced vesicle interactions, critical for applications including virus inactivation, varies according to the detergent type and membrane composition, but the underlying mechanistic details remain underexplored. Here, we use a lipid mixing assay based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), and single-vesicle characterization approaches to identify that sub-micron-sized vesicles are induced to fuse by the non-ionic detergent Triton-X-100. We demonstrate that the process is a multi-step mechanism, characterized by discrete values of FRET efficiency between membrane-embedded fluorophores, and involves permeabilization, vesicle docking, hemi-fusion and full lipid mixing at sub-solubilizing detergent concentrations. We also dissect the kinetics of vesicle fusion to surface-tethered vesicles using a label-free quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring approach, opening a platform for biotechnology applications. The presented strategies provide mechanistic insight into the dynamics of vesicle fusion and have implications for applications including drug delivery and sensor development where transport and manipulation of encapsulated cargo is essential.
Influence of deposition conditions on performance of Ni3S2 as the bifunctional electrocatalyst in alkaline solutions by galvanostatic deposition
Authors: Zhu Minjie , Liu Min , Zhang Jing
Published: September 2024

The electrodeposition method is a popular synthesis method due to its low cost, simplicity, and short synthesis time.
Doping fluoride into ternary FeCoNi hydroxide electrocatalysts to boost oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Lu Wen-Ju , Chiou Tzung-Wen
Published: September 2024

A ternary FeCoNi hydroxide-fluoride material by doping fluoride into FeCoNi(OH)x exhibited high OER performance (overpotentials of 243 achieving 100 mA cm−2) and stability in alkaline solution.
Effects of Stimulus Intensity and Sweep Count on the Click- and Chirp-Evoked Auditory Brainstem Response
Authors: Campbell Madeline , Delgado Rafael E. , Ananthakrishnan Saradha , Peitsch Katherine
Published: September 2024

Purpose:

The auditory brainstem response (ABR) can be elicited by broadband stimuli such as the click and chirp. Differences in the click- and chirp-evoked ABR have been extensively described using subjective analyses. The aim of the current research is to determine if subjectively observed differences between the click- and chirp-evoked ABR are also represented in objective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements obtained from these responses at different stimulus intensities and sweep counts.

Method:

ABRs were collected using click and chirp stimuli on nine adults with normal hearing sensitivity. Three SNR methods (split-sweep average–based SNR [SSA-SNR],
F
ratio–based single-point [Fsp], and multipoint [Fmp]) were used for the objective analysis of the waveforms at four stimulus intensities (20, 40, 60, and 80 dB nHL) and five sweep counts (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 sweeps).

Results:

SSA-SNR measurements were statistically stronger for chirp- as compared to click-evoked ABRs. Additionally, chirp/click SSA-SNR, Fsp, and Fmp ratio measurements were consistently greater than 1. The advantage associated with the chirp was most noticeable at moderate stimulus intensities for all three measurements.

Discussion:

The advantages for the chirp observed here could have implications for threshold estimation and screening ABR tests. Furthermore, when stimulus intensity and sweep count were varied, general response trends suggest that the three SNR-based methods performed similarly to each other, as well as to traditionally used subjective measures, suggesting that these techniques have the potential to be used effectively in clinic.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27011461
La visualisation spatiale : un outil de dialogue sur la gestion des eaux souterraines dans les palmeraies de Kébili, Tunisie
Authors: Ferchichi Intissar , Mekki Insaf , Taouajouti Nesrine , Faysse Nicolas , Zairi Abdelaziz , Chaibi Thameur , ElGuedri Ichrak , Ben Ali Hedi , Sghairoun Maher , Imache Amar , Barbe Audrey
Published: September 2024

La région de Kébili en Tunisie subit une surexploitation des aquifères, exacerbée par l’extension des palmeraies en utilisant des pompages illicites. L’évolution de ces extensions est sous documentée et leurs impacts sur les ressources en eau souterraines sont sous-évalués. Les priorités divergentes en matière de protection des eaux souterraines et de développement économique local ont conduit à des conflits entre les décideurs et les agriculteurs. Cette situation illustre les difficultés de la mise en place d’une gestion participative des eaux souterraines, incluant les défis de l’application des réglementations, de coordination entre les institutions, et la complexité des interactions entre les parties prenantes. Une représentation commune du territoire est donc nécessaire, c’est un prérequis pour construire une gestion collective des ressources en eau. Un processus multi-acteurs a donc été mis en place avec les parties prenantes impliquées dans la gestion des oasis de Kébili, afin de mener une réflexion collective sur les scénarios futurs permettant de concilier la gestion durable des ressources en eau souterraines et le développement des extensions oasiennes. Cet article a pour objectif d’explorer le rôle de la visualisation spatiale des dynamiques diversifiées de développement des extensions oasiennes dans l’initiation de ce dialogue multi-acteurs. Dans ce travail, la visualisation spatiale se réfère à l’utilisation des images satellites, des cartes géographiques et des cartes participatives (i) pour illustrer l’évolution des limites et des superficies de ces extensions, la distribution spatiale des palmeraies, des systèmes de drainage et d’irrigation solaire (forages, panneaux photovoltaïques) et (ii) pour construire des scénarios d’évolutions futures possibles du territoire oasien. En explicitant les liens de causalité entre le développement des extensions et la dégradation quantitative et qualitative des ressources en eau souterraines, cette approche a permis de faire émerger des stratégies de gestion durable de ce territoire oasien.
A sensitivity analysis of the parameters contributing to load development in geogrid pullout testing
Authors: Marx David H. , Zornberg Jorge G.
Published: September 2024

A dataset of 334 geogrids pullout tests was analysed to identify the soil and geogrid parameters that have the most significant effect on the rate of load development (K) during pullout. K was calculated for a small displacement of the geogrids and also for a larger displacement. Next a surrogate surface was used to model the relationship between K and parameters representing the geogrid, soil and boundary conditions of the test. Data points sampled from the surrogate surface were used as input to a variance based, global sensitivity analysis. K was found to be the most sensitive to the stiffness of the geogrid, the friction angle of the soil, the spacing of the geogrid ribs, the confining stress and the average particle size. Thus, K is sensitive to the same parameters as the stiffness of the soilgeogrid composite (KSGC). As the KSGC reflects the stiffening function of a geogrid, the load development during pullout is also indicative of the stiffening function of a geogrid.
Use of statistics as a tool to evaluate the strength between interfaces with geomembranes and other materials obtained by Conventional Direct Shear (CDS) and Inclined plane (PI) testing
Authors: Gomes Raísla , Araújo Gregório , Júnior Franciso Evangelista
Published: September 2024

Understanding the behavior of interface resistance involves factors such as the friction angle of the interface, the asperity height of the geomembrane, type of soil in contact with the synthetic material, the applied stresses, among others. In this context, statistical techniques have the ability to establish correlations between variables for evaluating interface strength tests, such as conventional direct shear (CDC) and inclined plane (PI). In this study, the interfaces between sand and geomembrane (SG) were analyzed for the CDC and PI tests. The aim was to obtain a statistical understanding of the parameters that most influenced the interface friction angle (ϕint) using Pearson's correlation matrix. It was observed that the soil friction angle (ϕs) and the asperity height of the geomembrane (hG) showed the highest correlations with ϕint for the tests carried out with the SG-CDC interfaces. The results also showed that for the SG-CDC interfaces, 7.15% of the correlations showed a strong or moderate correlation, while 35.70% showed weak correlations and 50% showed very weak correlations. On the other hand, for the SG-PI interface, only hG showed a strong correlation, with 29%, 50% and 14% of the variables classified as moderate, weak and very weak, respectively.
Evaluation of structural performance of thinasphalt pavement reinforced with wicking geotextiles over expansive soils
Authors: Biswas Nripojyoti , Puppala Anand J. , Mirzaiyanrajeh Danial , Lostumbo John
Published: September 2024

This research provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of a wicking geotextile capable of multiple functions, including separation and reinforcement and gravity and capillary suction-induced drainage for subsurface layers in flexible pavements built over expansive soils. Two test sections were designed and constructed near central Texas, which were prone to distress from cyclic moisture-induced strains related to expansive soils, during the Fall of 2018. The base layers in the first and second sections were constructed with reclaimed asphalt pavement and crushed stone aggregate, respectively, and wicking geotextiles were installed between the base and subgrade layers. The adjacent lane to the test sections was selected as the control section. Falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing was conducted to evaluate the in-situ moduli of the pavement layers. Multiple performance indicators were selected to compare the performance of reinforced and control sections. A performance prediction software program was used to investigate the performance of the sections according to the mechanistic-empirical design and analysis approach. The results showed the rapid removal of moisture has a significant impact on controlling the permanent deformation of the pavement layer. FWD results revealed that the reinforced layer helped to improve the base and subgrade moduli values. The performance prediction results showed the wicking geotextile has the potential to be used for reinforcing the pavements constructed over expansive soil
Monitoring the performances of a geosynthetic-reinforced pavement during construction
Authors: Wang Danrong , Wang Sheng-Lin , Tighe Susan , Bhat Sam , Yin Shunde
Published: September 2024

Geosynthetic materials have been widely used to enhance engineering practice in buildings, bridges, and pavements. As a kind of popular stabilization product, geogrid can be used for pavement reinforcement by serving as an additional tensile element. It has been demonstrated by many laboratory studies and numerical simulations that the reinforcement could significantly extend the fatigue life and improve the rutting resistance in flexible pavement. Meanwhile, geotextiles can provide soil separation, filtration and drainage; therefore, mitigating the freeze-thaw disturbances in the subgrade underneath the pavement structure. To study the application of geosynthetics in pavement structures in a more comprehensive aspect, a full-scale study was performed. A fibreglass geogrid which is specifically designed to reinforce the asphalt layer; as well as a geogrid composite material made of bi-axial geogrid bonded to a continuous filament non-woven geotextile, were installed in two field test sections. The geogrid was installed in the middle of the binder course within the asphalt layer, while the geogrid composite was placed at the interface of the base layer and subgrade in another section. The stiffness of the pavement was tested on each layer of the pavement structure during construction. As one of the major criteria to evaluate the pavement condition in North America, the International Roughness Index (IRI) was assessed to investigate the performances of geosynthetic-reinforced pavement during construction on asphalt binder course and surface course.
Fatigue performance of geosynthetic-reinforced asphalt using DIC
Authors: Correia Natalia S. , Souza Ana Laura C. , Dos Santos Karolina M. , Kumar V. Vinay
Published: September 2024

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of geosynthetic reinforcement on the fatigue performance of asphalt overlays using double-layered specimens extracted from experimental sections. Notched beam fatigue tests were conducted, together with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique to assess the initiation and propagation of cracks, along with strains mobilized at the geosynthetic interface. The geosynthetic-reinforced specimen demonstrated notable improvement compared to the unreinforced counterpart in reducing vertical deformations with an increase in fatigue life by a factor of 7. DIC analysis demonstrated that geosynthetic reinforcement absorbed the tensile stresses from the crack tip and reduced the tensile strains, contributing to minimize the propagation of reflective cracks into the asphalt overlay. Overall, research findings contribute to understanding the factors that enhance fatigue life through the incorporation of geosynthetic reinforcements in asphalt overlays.
On the effect of subgrade strength on the performance of geogrid-reinforced railway ballast
Authors: Desbrousses Romaric , Meguid Mohamed , Bhat Sam
Published: September 2024

This paper presents the results of a series of ballast box tests aimed at investigating the effectiveness of geogrid reinforcement in reducing track settlement in a 300mm-thick layer of railroad ballast supported by three different artificial subgrades. In each experiment, the ballast layer supports a model tie subjected to cyclic compressive loading applied at a frequency of 0.8Hz with stress extrema at the tie-ballast interface of 57kPa and 400kPa for a total of 40,000 cycles. The three artificial subgrades considered in this study have CBR readings of 25, 13, and 5. For each subgrade, four tests are performed whereby one corresponds to an unreinforced condition (i.e., no geogrid) and three are reinforced with a single geogrid placed at either 150mm, 200mm, and 250mm below the bottom of the tie. The results indicate that geogrids exhibit a superior ability to minimize the tie’s settlement when the ballast layer is supported by a weak subgrade. The experiments further allude to the fact that the influence of the geogrid’s placement depth is exacerbated by the subgrade’s strength. In ballast layers supported by competent subgrades, the geogrid placement depth wields a marginal influence on the resulting tie settlement. However, the geogrid’s location becomes a key factor in ballast beds underlain by soft subgrades, with geogrids placed closer to the bottom of the tie being the most effective at minimizing the tie settlement.
Performance evaluation of alternative drainage material for landfill cover systems in combination with geosynthetics
Authors: Syed Sayeeda , Mishra Anumita
Published: September 2024

The pursuit of sustainable development has prompted increased utilization of alternative materials in landfill cover systems. Despite evaluating these materials for hydraulic and strength properties, their performance with geosynthetics remains inadequately explored. This study focuses on investigating the use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) as an alternative drainage material and determining the interface friction angle between the drainage layer and the geomembrane through large-scale direct shear tests. Further, a numerical model of a municipal solid waste landfill in Italy was developed using Finite Element Method (FEM) software. Model validation was achieved by applying analytical two-wedge theory of veneer shear failure in layered strata. The study demonstrates a superior performance of RAP aggregates as drainage layer materials as compared to natural aggregates. It also emphasizes the importance of site-specific parameter determination and precise interface property characterization. Limitations of use of commercial software in identification of weak interfaces has also been highlighted.
Water drainage and gas collection with geocomposites - Hydraulic software
Authors: Fourmont Stephan , Decaens Justine , Beaumier David
Published: September 2024

Geosynthetic materials and, more specifically, drainage geocomposites are now widely used for water drainage and gas collection in applications as varied as final landfill covers, leachate collection in landfill cells, sub-slab depressurization systems under buildings, groundwater drainage under embankments, etc. The design methods used are based on the in-plane flow capacity of the geocomposites, which is determined by laboratory tests performed on 250-300 mm long product specimens. Fluid is injected into the thickness of the product and the drainage capacity is interpolated for an actual length of several meters. This paper presents the development of hydraulic design software for multi-linear drainage geocomposites, based on laboratory characterizations of the geocomposite and then validated with full-scale tests. The software gives a 3D model of the hydraulic curves in the geocomposite depending on the application for which the geocomposite is used, and the fluid to be drained (water, landfill gas, methane, air, etc.).
Analysis of the maximum reinforcement loads of four MSE walls compared to the values predicted by the AASHTO 2020 specification
Authors: Bohrer Keli , Vidal Delma
Published: September 2024

Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) systems are a well-known and applicable solution for retaining walls, that presents a composite structure consisting of layers of backfill soil with rigid or flexible reinforcement inclusions. The stability of the wall system is derived from the interaction between the backfill and soil reinforcements involving friction and tension. The wall facing has as its main function to prevent erosion of the structural backfill. The design of MSE walls is usually divided in two phases: external and internal stability. Although there are many methods to design MSE walls, the Coherent Gravity Method is the most common used for MSE walls reinforced with inextensible (steel) reinforcements, the Simplified Method for both steel and geosynthetics reinforced wall systems and the new one included in 2020, Stiffness Method, to calculate the maximum reinforcement loads, Tmax, for extensible (geosynthetics) reinforced MSE walls (all these methods are outlined in Section 11 of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications 2020) . The main objective of this paper is to carry out the analysis of the 3 methods available at AASHTO and compare the results from full-scale MSE walls and the predicted Tmax values.
Reinforced soil wall with gabion facing – a case study of water front structure
Authors: Vyas Saurabhh , Shah Premal , Hasilkar Nirali
Published: September 2024

The increasing demand for utilities infrastructure and development projects has become a key factor in providing feasible and economical solutions in recent decades. There is a need of the day, to utilize locally available resources while designing such projects. The Reinforced Soil Wall (RSW) with Gabion Facing provides a flexible modular environment-friendly structure that is proven to be suitable for waterfront structures, and feasible with available boulders in the vicinity. This paper showcases a case study of RS wall with Gabion Facing for the diversion of Ulwe River - a part of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) Project. A roughly 3.2km long river diversion has been widened, moreover, an approximately 90 mt high hill was flattened to pave the way for NMIA, adjacent to Panvel Creek. The proposed channel dimensions of the diversion river were increased after studying the data for the last 100 years of rainfall, so that the heavy rainwater can be discharged without flooding. The composite solution of the RS wall with metal gabions as a facia has facilitated the diversion of the Ulwe River to divert water flow up to Panvel Creek. The geogrids were installed with the stone–filled metal gabions, along with connector rods to form a positive connection. To prevent the scouring of the non-rocky river bed at RS wall base, the Gabion mattresses were provided.
Protection with reinforced EIA geomembranes
Authors: Hoffman Craig , Gerhardt Warren , Spruell Jason
Published: September 2024

Ethylene Interpolymer Alloy (EIA) Geomembranes are a long lasting geosynthetic solution that was developed in response to the Clean Water Act of 1972. This paper discusses the history of EIAs membranes, defines the broad class of materials that are considered EIAs, and delves into the polymer film, reinforcement, other layers, and their respective contributions to the Geomembrane’s final properties and performance. With properties and performance in mind, the paper discusses benefits these solutions offer over other geo solutions.
Design method for crash attenuation embankments reinforced with geosynthetics
Authors: Rimoldi Pietro , Brusa Nicola
Published: September 2024

One valid solution for attenuating the crash of a traveling train or truck against buildings and infrastructures is to build a reinforced soil embankment approx. perpendicular to the direction of the vehicle. Such reinforced embankment shall be designed for crash attenuation to absorb even very high impact energy, based on the mass, the size, and the speed of the impacting vehicle. The Authors present a new analytical design method which consider the effect of all the variables playing a role in the resistance to penetration on the uphill face and the resistance to extrusion on the downhill face, in order to finally compute approximate yet consistent values of the penetration depth and of the extrusion length; hence the designer can quickly try different solutions and finally select the best combination of design variables which afford to respect all design limits and Factors of Safety.