bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative changes over time in the three-dimensional assessment of facial swelling following mandibular third molar surgery: A follow-up study of 5 consecutive days
Authors: WANG Fei , CUI Wei , ZHAO Yang-yang , LIU Yu
Published: February 2023

Objectives. The study aimed to analyze and quantify three-dimensional consecutive changes in facial swelling following impacted mandibular third molar (IM3M) surgery, and verify the repeatability and accuracy of three-dimensional(3D) photogrammetry.
Materials and methods. A total of 46 patients was scheduled to undergo IM3M surgery. 3D facial scanning images were obtained before surgery, and the first consecutive 5 days postoperatively. 3D software was used to assess and quantify volumetric changes between serial 3D images. Swelling of the face was measured in relation to the change in volume and thickness. Additionally, repeatability measurements for 3D images were performed on non-surgical side to gain access to the reliability and validity of this measurement.
Results. The maximum evident volumetric swelling was 23.64±11.15cm3, occurred on the second post-operative day, and the maximum thickness swelling was 6.08±2.25mm, occurred on the first post-operative day. The repeatability test showed no significant difference in pairs comparisons for the five non-surgical datasets.
Conclusions. Facial swelling after IM3M surgery reached its maximum volume on the 2nd postoperative day and its maximum thickness on the 1st postoperative day, and the 3D photogrammetry system is a reliable tool for measuring and monitoring changes in the swelling of the face.
Clinical Relevance. Quantity the consecutive changes over time in postoperative facial swelling following IMTM surgery，and verify the 3D photogrammetry is a reliable tool to monitor changes in facial swelling.
Ranking optimization investigation using hybrid AHP-TOPSIS MCDM technique on hybrid AA2024 ― Ceramic particulate alloy composite materials prepared through stir casting
Authors: Bhaskar Sourabh , Kumar Mukesh , Patnaik Amar
Published: February 2023

In reality, most often have to make decisions such as ranking the finite available materials alternatives that meet certain performance norms/criteria fulfilling certain objectives/goals. The problem becomes more complex as the number of criteria and alternatives increases. In such scenarios, Multi-Criteria-Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques such as hybrid AHP (Analytical hierarchy process) – TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preferences by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and others assist in quantitative decision making by accounting for qualitative human judgments. For example, materials often used in sliding wear applications have numerous criteria for their performance, such as physical, mechanical, thermal, thermo-mechanical, etc. that controls/monitor their realistic sliding wear performance. Consequently, material scholars find it challenging to subjectively rank the composite materials compositions. Alternatively, MCDM techniques aid in quick material selection/ranking decision making. This research work illustrates the application of a hybrid AHP- TOPSIS technique to the ranking of alloy composites. The properties defining data such as physical, mechanical, thermal, thermo-mechanical, etc. are weighted using AHP technique, thereafter, relative weights are used to rank the alloy composite compositions by TOPSIS method. The compositions comprise of AA2024 alloy as matrix phase and reinforcing phase consists of silicon carbide, silicon nitride and graphite particulates. The ranking analysis orders are found to be consistent with subjective analysis. Furthermore, the robust ranking order was validated by sensitivity analysis.
Evaporation Analysis of the Arabian Sea in 2013: A Study using Meteorological and Satellite Data
Authors: Bihari Abhishek , P Murugesh , Kumar Abhishek , R Shailesh , B Naga Sathish
Published: February 2023

Studying evaporation in the oceans is important for understanding the earth's climate and water cycle, and for making informed decisions about the management of natural resources. The research investigates the monthly changes in meteorological parameters and evaporation over the Arabian Sea in the year 2013. Several mathematical formulae have been used to study the same using meteorological data collected by multiple sensors of the buoy, and the results obtained through them were also compared with the satellite data. National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has been deploying OMNI buoys in the Indian Ocean to gather data on meteorological and subsurface conditions at depths of up to 500m. The average value of wind speed, sea surface temperature (SST), air temperature and relative humidity data were taken month wise from the AD06 buoy (180N, 670E) for the whole year (2013). Results comparison among the buoy data and satellite data reveals that the evaporation rate as given by the Dalton’s equation depends not only on the humidity gradient but also on the wind speed and the relative humidity. We have successfully demonstrated a strong correspondence between the buoy observations and the satellite estimates.
Can we consider Ventriculo-gallbladder shunt a first-line treatment in selected patients? Case report of a successful management
Authors: HADHRI Mohamed Maher , SOUEI Zohra , BOUKHIT Mohamed , MOSBAHI Sana , NSIR Atef BEN , DARMOUL Mehdi
Published: February 2023

Introduction:
Ventriculo-gallbladder shunt (VGS) has been recognized as a last-resort alternative to treat hydrocephalus when the peritoneum and/or other distal sites can no longer receive shunts. In some specific conditions, it may be conceded as a first-line treatment.
Case presentation:
We report the case of a 6- month-old girl with progressive post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus and who presented a concomitant chronic abdominal symptom. Specific investigations ruled out acute infection and led to the diagnosis of chronic appendicitis. Both problems were managed in a one-stage salvage procedure consisting of laparotomy sanctioning to treat the abdominal pathology and seize the opportunity to perform a VGS as a first option since the abdomen is prone to ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) failure.
Conclusion:
Only few cases have reported the use of VGS as the first option to handle uncommon complex cases due to abdominal or Cerebro-Spinal Fluid (CSF) conditions. We wish to draw attention to VGS as an effective procedure not only in children with multiple shunt failures but also as first-line management in some selected cases.
Long-term spectral wave climate in the Black Sea based on directional wave spectra
Authors: Amarouche Khalid , Akpınar Adem
Published: February 2023

Directional wave spectra describe complex sea states in frequency and directional domains and provide more detailed information than the bulk wave parameters. Spectral wave informations are important for the design of ships and offshore structures. Using hourly directional wave spectra hindcasted for a period of 42 years between 1979 and 2020, long-term spectral wave climate in the Black and Azov Seas was assessed. To determine the climatic wave spectrum, variance densities are averaged over the frequencies and directions for annual and seasonal, monthy scales. Futhermore, The individual wave system observed in each directional wave spectra are determined referring to the independent spectral peak at each observation. The different sea states conditions, including the uni-modal and multi-modal wave systems are classified and analysed; The energy, frequency, and direction of the three first prominent individual wave system peaks are deeply evaluated as a function of the sea state conditions. Occurrences as foction of spectral peak density and directions of the prominent individual wave system peaks are also computed and discussed. The results reveal that multi-modal spectra are more frequent in most regions, although the highest peak density values and lowest peak frequencies were observed within the wave spectra of uni-modal sea states. The spectral peak densities, frequencies, and directions depend both on the number of wave systems in the wave spectrum and on the geographic location. The first peaks in the wave spectra are mostly derived from two dominant directions and ~ 54% of the peaks had a density greater than 2 m2/Hz. In contrast, the second and third peaks in the wave spectra are typically derived from three or more dominant directions and rarely exceed a density of 2 m2/Hz.
Fabrication of hierarchical porous biomass-based carbon aerogels from liquefied wood for supercapacitor applications
Authors: Qiu Liangmu , Guo Ranran , Ma Xiaojun , Sun Binqing , Li Jie
Published: February 2023

Hierarchical porous carbon aerogels were synthesized from liquefied wood via physical and chemical activation. The morphology and structure of the KOH treated carbon aerogel (K-LWCA) and steam treated carbon (H-LWCA) were systematically investigated by SEM, N2 adsorption, FTIR, XRD and XPS, and the electrochemical properties were evaluated based on cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The H-LWCA and K-LWCA had the high reached specific surface area (1996 and 1780 cm2 g− 1, respectively) and developed hierarchical porous structures. Compared with H-LWCA, K-LWCA showed the higher specific capacitance, better rate performance and superior cyclic stability due to more defects and hydrophilic functional groups. As expected, the K-LWCA exhibited the optimal mass-specific capacitance of 201.47 F g− 1 at 0.5 A g− 1, and achieved ideal capacitance retention of 70.15% at 20 A g− 1 as well as exceptional cycling stability of 94.11% retention after 5000 cycles. Moreover, the button symmetric supercapacitor device assembled based on K-LWCA demonstrated a specific capacitance of 117.78 F g− 1 at 0.5A g− 1 and presented an energy density of 9.2 Wh kg− 1 at a power density of 375W kg− 1. Accordingly, this work provides a novel approach for the preparation of biomass-derived carbon aerogel electrode materials in practical supercapacitor applications.
Steadily decline of HBV DNA load under NAs in lymphoma patients and higher level of qAnti-HBc predict HBV reactivation
Authors: Liu Yi-Qi , Nuersulitan Reyizha , Zhang Chi , Na Huo , Li Jun , Song Yu-Qin , Zhu Jun , Wang Gui-Qiang , Liu Wei-Ping , Zhao Hong
Published: February 2023

Background
Patients with lymphoma and hepatitis B virus infection need to be treated with both chemotherapy and nucleotide analogues (NAs) therapy. However, the dynamic change of HBV DNA with the increase of chemotherapy cycles is lacking. It is unknown that whether HBV replication markers: quantitative hepatitis B core antibody (qAnti-HBc), HBV RNA, and hepatitis B virus core-related antigen (HBcrAg) are also sensitive to predict HBV reactivation (HBVr).
Methods
From 29th June 2010 to 6th December 2021, clinical data and serial serum samples were collected from patients with diffuse large B lymphoma and HBV infection. Serum HBV DNA load (real time fluorescent quantitative PCR), qAnti-HBc (developed chemiluminescent particle immunoassay), HBV RNA (simultaneous amplification testing method based on real-time fluorescence detection), and HBcrAg (Lumipulse G HBcrAg assay) were tested and actors related to HBV DNA reactivation were analyzed.
Results
Under the NAs, load of HBV DNA in 69 HBsAg + lymphoma patients declined from 3.15 (2.13–4.73) lg IU/ml at baseline to 1.00 (1.00-1.75) lg IU/ml at the end of chemotherapy, and further declined to 1.00 (1.00-1.04) lg IU/ml at the end of 24-month follow-up. Serum qAnti-HBc level decreased gradually during chemotherapy in HBsAg + lymphoma patients (F = 7.090, p = 0.009). Serum HBV RNA and HBcrAg levels stayed stabled. Multivariate analysis revealed that a higher level of qAnti-HBc (1.97 ± 1.20 vs. 1.12 ± 0.84 lg IU/ml, OR = 8.367, [95% CI:1.439–48.645], p = 0.018) and a higher level of HBV RNA (1.00 ± 1.13 vs. 0.37 ± 0.80 lg copies/ml, OR = 3.654, [95% CI:1.208–11.048], p = 0.022) were related to HBVr in HBsAg-/anti-HBc + lymphoma patients.
Conclusions
The HBV DNA load declined by NAs under chemotherapy in lymphoma patients. In HBsAg-/anti-HBc + lymphoma patients, higher level of baseline serum qAnti-HBc and HBV RNA predict the HBVr during chemotherapy.
Detection of orofacial pain of cardiac origin due to coronary artery disease: A case report and literature review
Authors: Choi Eunhye , Lee Yeon-Hee
Published: February 2023

Background. When diagnosing orofacial pain, clinicians should also consider non-odontogenic origin and systemic diseases as possible etiological factors, along with odontogenic origin. This case report aimed to provide information for early detection of orofacial pain of cardiac origin by dentists, when pain due to coronary artery disease is the only presenting symptom.
Case Presentation. A 60-year-old male patient with unexplained isolated bilateral jaw pain was referred to a dentist by an anesthesiologist whosuspected temporomandibular joint disorder. Oral examination and radiography of the temporomandibular joints revealed no bony abnormalities. Eventually, the patient was referred to a cardiologist for further evaluation since his pain was induced by physical activity. Coronary artery disease (CAD) was diagnosed using coronary computed tomographyangiography, and the pain was considered to be angina pectoris. Percutaneous coronary intervention was successfully done for the patient, after which his orofacial symptoms disappeared.
Conclusions. Isolated craniofacial pain of cardiac origin may lead to patients seeking dental care or visiting orofacial pain clinics. In these settings, dentists and orofacial pain specialists may contribute to the diagnosis of CAD and refer patients for cardiac evaluation and appropriate management.
Seismic Arrival-time Picking on Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data using Semi-supervised Learning
Authors: Zhu Weiqiang , Biondi Ettore , Li Jiaxuan , Yin Jiuxun , Ross Zachary , Zhan Zhongwen
Published: February 2023

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is an emerging technology for earthquake monitoring and subsurface imaging. The recorded seismic signals by DAS have several distinct characteristics, such as unknown coupling effects, strong anthropogenic noise, and ultra-dense spatial sampling. These aspects differ from conventional seismic data recorded by seismic networks, making it challenging to utilize DAS at present for seismic monitoring. New data analysis algorithms are needed to extract useful information from DAS data, such as determining the first arrival times of P and S phases for earthquake monitoring and tomography. Previous studies on conventional seismic data demonstrated that deep learning models could achieve performance close to human analysts in picking seismic phases after training on large datasets of manual labels. However, phase picking on DAS data is still a difficult problem due to the lack of manual labels. Further, the differences in mathematical structure between these two data formats, i.e., ultra-dense DAS arrays and sparse seismic networks, make model fine-tuning or transfer learning difficult to implement on DAS data. In this work, we design a new approach using semi-supervised learning to solve the phase-picking task on DAS arrays. We use a pre-trained PhaseNet model as a teacher network to generate noisy labels of P and S arrivals on DAS data and apply the Gaussian mixture model phase association (GaMMA) method to refine these noisy labels to build training datasets. We develop a new deep learning model, PhaseNet-DAS, to process the 2D spatial-temporal data of DAS arrays and train the model using DAS arrays at Long Valley and Ridgecrest, California. The new deep learning model achieves high picking accuracy and good earthquake detection performance. We then apply the model to process continuous data and build earthquake catalogs directly from DAS recording. Our approach using semi-supervised learning provides a way to build effective deep learning models for DAS, which have the potential to improve earthquake monitoring using large-scale fiber networks.
New refinements of the Hermite–Hadamard inequalities based on ψ-Hilfer fractional integrals
Authors: BUDAK Hüseyin , BAS Umut , KARA Hasan , SAMEI Mohammad Esmael
Published: February 2023

This article presents the above and below bounds for Midpoint type and Trapezoid type inequalities for ψ-Hilfer fractional integrals with the assistance of the functions whose second derivatives are bounded. We also possess some extensions and generalizations of Hermite–Hadamard inequalities via ψ-Hilfer fractional integrals with the aid of the functions that have the conditions that will said.
(2010) Mathematics Subject Classifications: 26D07, 26D10, 26D15, 26A33.
Bird species richness and diversity responses to land use change in the Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya
Authors: Mugatha S. , Ogutu Joseph O. , Piepho Hans-Peter , Maitima Joseph M.
Published: February 2023

The increasing demand for cultivated lands driven by human population growth, escalating consumption and activities, combined with the vast area of uncultivated land, highlights the pressing need to better understand the biodiversity conservation implications of land use change in Sub-Saharan Africa. Land use change alters natural wildlife habitats with fundamental consequences for biodiversity. Consequently, species richness and diversity typically decline as land use changes from natural to disturbed. We assess how richness and diversity of avian species, grouped into feeding guilds, responded to land use changes, primarily expansion of settlements and cultivation at three sites in western Kenya, following tsetse control interventions. Each site consisted of a matched pair of spatially adjacent natural/semi-natural and settled/cultivated landscapes. Radical changes occurred in bird species richness and diversity in the disturbed relative to the natural landscape. Whilst species diversity was far lower, a couple of finch species were more common in the disturbed landscapes. Specifically, estrildid finches were often observed on the scrubby edges of modified habitats. In contrast, the natural and less disturbed wooded areas had relatively fewer estrildid species and were completely devoid of several other species. In aggregate, land use changes significantly reduced bird species richness and diversity on the disturbed landscapes. Accordingly, land use planning should integrate conservation principles that preserve salient habitat qualities required by different bird species, such as adequate patch size and habitat connectivity, conserve viable bird populations and restore degraded habitats to alleviate adverse impacts of land use change on avian species richness and diversity.
The Effect of Simple Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) on Physiological Response, Blood Parameters, and Growth Performance of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and Flathead Gray Mullet Mugil cephalus Under Polyculture Condition
Authors: Badran Mohamed F. , Griesh Alaa Sh. , Ali Mervat A.M. , Mouhmed Aya A.Y. , Mahmoud Yasmina K. , Yusuf Mohamed S.
Published: February 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy behaviour among Algerian adults at the onset of the fourth wave of corona virus pandemic.
Authors: Mebarki Bouhafs , Argoub Mohamed , Mokdad Mohamed , Mebarki Imededdine , Merah Ali
Published: February 2023

Background

Attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines are the main determinants of herd immunity sought by public health authorities. Refusal and hesitancy are apparent expressions of negative attitudes. Statistics of Covid-19 vaccination by country (WHO 2022; Covid19taskforce 2022) showed the majority of the Algerian population are reluctant to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The main question raised by the present study is what causes are behind such hesitancy behavior towards COVID-19 vaccines. The aim of this study is to unveil factors, which influence attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine, in order to develop behavior change communication campaigns, and to set up a well-designed national strategy to get to a level of herd immunity.

Subject and Methods

To collect data, a semi-structured questionnaire was given to individuals.

Results

The results revealed that the majority of participants (63.55%) exhibit negative attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine, and just a third of participants have positive attitudes towards vaccine. Factors influencing positive attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination are mainly inherent to personal convictions on the benefits of the vaccine. While, the main factors behind negative attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination, are inherent to the participants’ “naive explanation of COVID-19 pandemic” who rely on traditional medicine (indigenous medicine) and natural immunity and who exhibit “Mistrust towards health authorities”.

Conclusion

We have put forward recommendations to tackle factors causing negative attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination, and alleviate hurdles facing national strategy to eradicate the pandemic.
Recent past connections between Amazonian and Atlantic forests by comparative phylogeography and paleodistribution models for didelphid mammals
Authors: Machado Arielli Fabrício , Silva Maria Nazareth Ferreira da , Farias Izeni Pires , Anciães Marina , Nunes Mario Silva , Miranda Cleuton Lima , Peçanha Willian Thomaz , Duarte Leandro
Published: February 2023

Despite the disjunct distribution of Amazonian and Atlantic forests, evidence suggests historical connections. Here we investigated the historical connections between three didelphid mammal species from Amazonian and Atlantic forests (Caluromys philander, Marmosa murina and Marmosa demerarae) to uncover these connections using a comparative phylogeography approach and paleodistribution models. We generated species distribution models from the present and past (Holocene through Pliocene) to evaluate changes in distributions over time focusing on the previously suggested connection regions. We inferred divergence times between populations of each species via the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, estimated the phylogeographic relationships with haplotype networks, and calculated the genetic distances. All species showed Amazonian and Atlantic Forest divergences between 1 and 2 million years ago, while some populations diverged in more recent times. Paleodistribution was wider for periods before the estimated divergence times, becoming narrower after. We suggest that the climatic oscillations during the onset of the Pleistocene largely influenced the phylogenetic structuring of these forest-dwelling species, leading to the separation of populations of taxa currently distributed in Amazonian and Atlantic forests. Our findings also point to repeated connections over time, with both North- and South-eastern routes compatible with older connections, whereas younger connections were supported only for the Southeastern route. This represents the first simultaneous evaluation of past connections between Amazonian and Atlantic forests combining phylogeographic inferences with paleodistribution models. Our results highlight the relevance of environmental tolerance of species to their responses to climate change, such as more frequent increases in the paleodistribution of more resilient species.
Efficient Approaches for Metadata Prefetching and Data Placement in Wide-Area Computing
Authors: Wei Bing , Zhao Xiaobo , Zhang Shudong , Luo Ning , Zhou Lijuan , Zhang Chenhao
Published: February 2023

Metadata prefetching and data placement are essential to improve access performance for wide-area network file systems. Constructing efficient approaches has been a challenge for metadata prefetching in concurrent workload scenarios and for data placement in a wide-area network. This paper proposes efficient approaches for metadata prefetching and data placement, wherein fine-grained control of prefetching policies and variable-size data fragment writing are utilized to maximize the I/O bandwidth of distributed files. The proposed metadata prefetching approach dynamically detects the dominant workload and adaptively adjusts the prefetching policy to improve metadata access performance in concurrent workload scenarios. The proposed data placement approach places the written data fragments into the local data center to improve the write performance and sends only the location information of the data fragments to the remote data center that holds the original file. Experimental results using real system traces indicate that the file system metadata and application data access times can be reduced by up to 33.5% and 17.19%, respectively, compared to that of state-of-the-art methods.
PRAME promotes proliferation of multiple myeloma cells through CTMP/Akt/p21/CCND3 axis by regulating the ubiquitination of CTMP and p21
Authors: Sun Kai , Yang Lu , Wang Feng , Liu Ying , Xu Nan , Shi Zong-Yan , Chen Wen-Min , Li Ke , Qin Ya-Zhen
Published: February 2023

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is a ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS)-dysfunction disease. We previously reported that the PRAME transcript level at diagnosis was prognostic for MM, which was related to proteasome inhibitor bortezomib treatment. In the present study, we aimed to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying the above clinical performance in MM cells. Methods MM cell lines with PRAME knockdown and overexpression were established by lentivirus transduction. Cell viability, cell cycle analysis, immunohistochemistry staining, cell migration and invasion, colony-forming and xeno-transplant assays were performed to evaluate the biological effects of PRAME on MM cells in vivo and in vitro. Proteomics and IP combined with MS were further performed to explore the downstream signaling. Co-IP, western blot, cycloheximide (CHX)-chase assay, and endogenous ubiquitination assay were utilized to examine the interactions and ubiquitination relations between PRAME and CTMP as well as p21. Assessment of apoptosis and CHX-chase assay were applied to analyze the role of PRAME under the effect of bortezomib on MM cells. Results Proliferation-promoting role of PRAME was demonstrated in MM cell models. CTMP and p21 were found to be the novel targets of PRAME in the Cul2-dependent substrate recognition process. PRAME interacted with and mediated ubiquitination of CTMP and p21, and subsequently elevated p-Akt and CCND3 protein levels, and promoted apoptosis of MM cells under bortezomib treatment. Conclusions PRAME promoted proliferation and increased bortezomib sensibility by regulating ubiquitination and degradation of CTMP and p21, which provided new targets for more precise and effective treatment choices for MM.
Kilohertz High-Frequency Alternating Current Ameliorate Hyperalgesia and Inhibit the Glial Activation by Modulating TRPV1 and NMDAR2B Signaling Pathways in Chronic Constriction Injury of Sciatic Nerve Mice
Authors: Fang Kexin , Lu Peixin , Cheng Wen , Yu Bin
Published: February 2023

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the use of kilohertz frequency alternating current (KHFAC) to block peripheral nerves. However, there is still a lack of direct data and mechanistic studies on the treatment of neuropathic pain by KHFAC. Based on this, we applied a high-frequency bipolar rectangular stimulus pulse to chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve mice (CCI), and explored the optimal stimulation frequency and current by recording the compound muscle action potential (CMAP). We found that KHFAC could significantly alleviate the mechanical and thermal allodynia in neuropathic pain mice without any effect of movement function following 7 days of high-frequency electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve. KHFAC inhibited the expression of TRPV1 and NMDAR2B, which could also inhibit the activation of astrocytes and microglia in the spinal cord. The administration of TRPV1 pathway activator could partially reverse the antinociceptive effects of KHFAC, while TRPV1 pathway inhibitor could achieve analgesic effects similar to KHFAC. Therefore, we believe that KHFAC inhibits the activation of spinal dorsal horn glial cells, especially astrocytes and microglia, through nociceptive afferent fibers by inhibiting the activation of TRPV1/NMDAR2B signaling pathway. In summary, KHFAC has a potential to be a novel intervention for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Data-driven automated control algorithm for floating-zone crystal growth derived by reinforcement learning
Authors: Harada Shunta , Tosa Yusuke , Omae Ryo , Matsumoto Ryohei , Sumitani Shogo
Published: February 2023

The complete automation of materials manufacturing with high productivity is a key problem in some materials processing. In floating zone (FZ) crystal growth, which is a manufacturing process for semiconductor wafers such as silicon, an operator adaptively controls the input parameters in accordance with the state of the crystal growth process. Since the operation dynamics of FZ crystal growth are complicated, automation is often difficult, and usually the process is manually controlled. Here we demonstrate automated control of FZ crystal growth by reinforcement learning using the dynamics predicted by Gaussian mixture modeling (GMM) from small numbers of trajectories. Our proposed method of constructing the control model is completely data-driven. Using an emulator program for FZ crystal growth, we show that the control model constructed by our proposed model can more accurately follow the ideal growth trajectory than demonstration trajectories created by human operation. Furthermore, we reveal that policy optimization near the demonstration trajectories realizes accurate control following the ideal trajectory.
The Influence of Proximal Motor Strategies on Pianists’ Upper-Limb Movement Variability
Authors: Turner Craig , Goubault Etienne , Maso Fabien Dal , Begon Mickaël , Verdugo Felipe
Published: February 2023

Repetitive movements are considered a risk factor for developing practice-related musculoskeletal disorders. Intra-participant kinematic variability might help musicians reduce the risk of injury during repetitive tasks. No research has studied the effects of proximal motion (i.e., trunk and shoulder movement) on upper-limb movement variability in pianists. The first objective was to determine the effect of proximal movement strategies and performance tempo on both intra-participant joint angle variability of upper-limb joints and endpoint variability. The second objective was to compare joint angle variability between pianist’s upper-limb joints. As secondary objectives, we assessed the relationship between intra-participant joint angle variability and task range of motion (ROM) and documented inter-participant joint angle variability. The upper body kinematics of 9 expert pianists were recorded using an optoelectronic system. Participants continuously performed two right-hand chords (lateral leap motions) while changing movements based on trunk motion (with and without) and shoulder motion (counter-clockwise, back-and-forth, and clockwise) at two tempi (slow and fast). Trunk and shoulder movement strategies collectively influenced variability at the shoulder, elbow and, to a lesser extent, the wrist. Slow tempo led to greater variability at wrist and elbow flexion/extension compared to fast tempos. Endpoint variability was influenced only along the anteroposterior axis. When the trunk was static, the shoulder had the lowest joint angle variability. When trunk motion was used, elbow and shoulder variability increased, and became comparable to wrist variability. ROM was correlated with intra-participant joint angle variability, suggesting that increased task ROM might result in increased movement variability during practice. Inter-participant variability was approximately six times greater than intra-participant variability. Pianists should consider incorporating trunk motion and a variety of shoulder movements as performance strategies while performing leap motions at the piano, as they might reduce exposure to risks of injury.
STUDY OF INFLUENCING FACTORS ON THE INTENSITY OF DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN THE ENERGY SECTOR
Authors: Bondar T. , Saher L. , Tymoschenko V.
Published: February 2023

The energy sector is one of the most important components of the development of business and the economy as a whole, both in Ukraine and in the world. This is precisely what determines the importance of analysis of the successful experience of Ukraine and other countries in the field of applying innovations in the energy sector and the need to implement innovations in the energy sector in modern conditions. This involves the effective use of the available potential of all alternative energy sources, a fundamental analysis of innovative processes, in particular in the energy sector. Identification and systematization of factors influencing the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in the energy sector is an important prerequisite for the development and implementation of innovative economic and energy strategies. The activation of the development and implementation of innovative projects in the field of energy at enterprises will have a positive impact not only on increasing the competitiveness of Ukrainian enterprises, but also will improve the indicators of the quality of life and well-being in the country, which will ultimately allow building a socially-oriented economic system in Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to identify and systematize factors influencing the intensity of the spread of innovative technologies in the energy sector of the economy. A system approach, general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, abstraction, concretization), as well as retrospective analysis, structural analysis, comparative analysis, factor and trend analysis of the application of innovations in the energy industry have been used in the research process.
The results of the study are the systematization of factors influencing the intensity of the diffusion of innovative technologies in the energy sector, the identification of the main problems of the introduction of innovations and the problems of innovative management at domestic enterprises. Prospective directions for further research are the use of factor analysis methods and other methods to identify and measure the relationship and its nature between companies in the energy sector and key factors of the intensity of the spread of innovative technologies in Ukraine and the world. The results of the research can be implemented in the work practice of enterprises in the energy sector. The results of the research also have social significance, since ensuring the success of the energy sector enterprises solves the problem of ensuring the need for energy consumption, environmental problems, etc.
A tick-by-tick level measurement of the lead-lag duration between cryptocurrencies: The case of Bitcoin versus Cardano
Authors: Anderson Bing
Published: February 2023

According to past research utilizing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin has been shown to lead most other cryptocurrencies in terms of price movements. However, existing studies tend to focus on the direction of the lead-lag relationship instead of the duration of the lead-lag time. Furthermore, they are handicapped by the reliance on low-frequency data such as daily prices. This paper showcases the measurement of the lead-lag duration between cryptocurrencies using ultra-high-frequency tick-by-tick data, via the pair of Bitcoin and Cardano. Tick-by-tick data bring unique challenges in terms of methodology. The vast majority of time series econometrics methods are designed for use with data collected at regularly spaced time intervals, such as every hour, every day, etc. Tick-by-tick data, on the other hand, are not synchronized in any way and do not arrive at consistently spaced time intervals. Consequently, an asynchronous data integration methodology is utilized to estimate the Bitcoin price lead over Cardano price for each month beginning in January 2019 and continuing through May 2021. The length of the lead time ranges from 16 seconds to 118 seconds, with an average of around 57 seconds. Throughout the study period, the lengths of the lead time manifest a general trend of decline, which is shown to be statistically significant via non-parametric tests. Testing of seasonal patterns turns out to be not significant. The methodology and the findings of this paper have implications for both academics and practitioners, for example, when studying and implementing statistical arbitrage with cryptocurrencies.
Application of Sentinel-1A SAR Data for Village Level Flood Inundation Mapping in Malda District, West Bengal, India
Authors: Mandal Kajal Kumar , Sarkar Tanushree , Alam Snehashis , Dharanirajan K. , Sharma S. V. Shivaprasad
Published: February 2023

It’s no exaggeration to say that floods are among the most common and catastrophic natural disasters, with widespread impacts on ecosystems and human lives. The World Bank has concluded that India is one of the most flood-prone countries in the world. This research has been focused on identification of real-time flood hazard area in the Malda district (India) using SAR data, Sentinel-1A (C-band). ArcGIS, Erdas-Imagine, and SNAP were used for this analysis. These inundation layers were intersected with the Malda district village’s database to determine the full extent of the devastation caused by the floods and finally determined the real-time flood-impacted area (380.19 km² on 4th September and 338.87 km² on 10th September, 2019). It was noted that on 4th September, 766 and 10th September 765 villages were seriously devastated owing to water. Moreover, among the 15 blocks of this district, Harischandrapur-II (75.67%), Manikchak (68.60%) and Kaliachak-III (68.00%) have experienced the most flooding. Finally, in order to estimate the overall population, households and affected by the floods, stratified random sampling was carried out in the flood-impacted villages of the Malda district. The safest blocks are Chanchal-I, Gazole, Harischandrapur-I and Kaliachak-I and the highly vulnerable blocks are Harischandrapur-II, Kaliachak-III and Manikchak. According to the flood influences on children, the most vulnerable blocks are Malda Old, English Bazar, Kaliyachak-III, and Harishchandrapur-II.
Impact of Microwave-Starch-Blanching on the Drying Kinetics, Transport and Thermophysical Properties of Green Almond
Authors: KIAN-POUR Nasim
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different pretreatment blanching methods on the drying characteristics of green almonds. Microwave blanching at 300, 450, and 600 W power in the water and/or starch solution (0.5% w/w), water blanching (95℃, 5 min), and starch blanching (0.5% w/w) were preferred. Non-blanched samples were considered as the control samples. All samples were dried at a constant air velocity of 1.5 m/s and temperatures of 70, 90, and 110°C. As drying time increased, moisture ratio of all samples exponentially decreased. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to fit the experimental data to drying models. Effective diffusivities, which ranged from 2.238×10−9 to 6.434×10−9 m2 /s were calculated using Fick's second law of diffusion. Activation energies were determined according to the Arrhenius equation and ranged from 12.32 to 15.39 kJ/kg mol. The highest diffusion coefficient was observed in the microwave starch blanched (600 W-110°C) samples. The highest increases in the diffusion coefficient and decreases in the drying time in comparison with control samples were observed in the microwave-starch (600W- 70°C) samples. Thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat of samples ranged from 0.544-0.586 (W/m K), 3643.85-3900.00 (J/kg K), and 835.80-899.44 (Kg/m3), respectively. The friction drag force, convective heat, and mass transfer coefficients varied from 3.965 to 3.972×10−6 N, 66.29 to 66.44 W/m2 K, and 0.03410 to 0.03428 m/s, respectively. The using microwave-starch blanching pretreatment can significantly decrease the drying time and improve the drying process of green almond at the industrial scale.
The Effects of Different Gamma-Ray Doses on Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.) Varieties on Agricultural Features Observed in M1 and M2 Plants
Authors: YAMAN Hümeyra , BAYRAKTAR Nilgün
Published: February 2023

The research was carried out with the ionizing radiation source Cobalt 60 (Co-60) at a dosage of 200, 300, 400, 500 Gy on three safflower varieties. According to the results of the research, in M1 plants; in parallel with the increase in gamma dosages, a certain decrease occurred in plant height, number of branches per plant, number of trays per plant, diameter of the tray, number of seeds per tray, seed yield per plant, and seed vitality. In field observations taken from M2 plants, significant diversity was observed. In M2 plants, significant reductions in emergence rate were observed in all three cultivars depending on the increase in dosages. In all three safflower cultivars, plant height, tray diameter, number of seeds per tray and thousand seed weight values increased compared to control plants in parallel with the increase in dosages. Significant mutations were observed in the 200-400 Gy dosage range in all three cultivars. In M1 plants, when the seed yield per plant and the rate of viability were examined, a certain level of decrease was observed in parallel with the increase in gamma dosages. In M2 plants, in parallel with the dosage increase in all cultivars, the tray diameter values increased compared to the control. Again, in all cultivars, while the diameter of the tray decreased in M1, it increased in M2 in general and increases were observed at low gamma dosages. In M2, dosages of 300-400 Gy also increased in the criteria examined compared to the control and had a stimulating effect. The investigated properties generally decreased in M1 depending on the dosage increase, while there were fluctuations in M2. As a result, the variation created by the radiation and the real effect of the mutation applications emerged after M2. In this study, while the averages of Dinçer and Remzibey cultivars in terms of viability in M1 were almost the same, Shifa cultivar gave more successful results in terms of viability. When the values obtained in the study were examined, it was concluded that genetic variations and changes occurred at dosages of 300-400 Gy at most.
Gizli Isıl Enerji Depolama Sistemleri: Faz Değiştiren Malzemelerin Kullanıldığı Aktif ve Pasif Sistem Uygulamaları
Authors: TALU Furkan , MERT Mehmet Selçuk , MERT Hatice Hande
Published: February 2023

Enerji verimliliği çalışmaları sonucunda sağlanan tasarruf son derece önemlidir. Nitekim tasarruf edilen enerji; kaynakların etkin kullanımı, insan sağlığı ve çevresel açıdan olmak üzere pek çok yönden katkı sağlar. Bu nedenle, enerji depolama teknolojilerinin enerji verimliliği çalışmalarına sağladığı faydalar önem arz etmektedir. Teknolojinin gelişmesi ve ihtiyaçların değişmesi ile enerjinin depolanarak başka bir yer ve/veya zamanda kullanılması talep görmektedir. Bu sebeple, enerjinin çeşitli formlarda depolanması üzerine araştırmacılar tarafından çalışmalar yürütülmektedir. Enerji depolama teknolojileri içinde ısıl enerji depolama yöntemi enerji tüketim miktarlarının ve maliyetlerinin azaltılması noktasında son yıllarda ilgi çeken araştırma konularından biri olmuştur. Gizli ısıl enerjinin depolanmasına imkan tanıyan ve Faz Değiştiren Malzeme (FDM) olarak adlandırılan yeni nesil enerji malzemeleri, bu hedefe ulaşmada kullanılabilecek umut vaat eden enerji depolama malzemelerindendir. Bu çalışmada, FDM’lere dayalı aktif ve pasif sistem uygulamaları incelenmiştir. Bu amaçla, bu konu üzerinde literatürde yapılan çalışmalar araştırılarak elde edilen sonuçlar sistematik bir şekilde sunulmuştur. Yapılan incelemeler sonucunda, FDM’lerin görece düşük ısıl iletkenliğe sahip olmaları sebebiyle çalışmaların genellikle ısı aktarımı ve performans iyileştirmeleri üzerine yoğunlaştığı görülmüştür.
Metaverses: how their development will affect workers and employers
Authors:   National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Filipova Irina A.
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this article is to study the possible impact of metaverses on the parties of labour relations in the future. Metaverses are permanent virtual spaces where users can relax, work and receive services. The development of digital technologies, primarily VR/AR technologies, contributes to the creation of metaverses. The activities of global IT giants such as Facebook and Microsoft make us think about how the increase in human presence in virtual reality will affect the world of work. Legal regulation will need to be adapted accordingly if the relationship between employers and workers changes. To understand the problem, it is necessary to find out how the metaverse will differ from modern digital platforms, how large will be the proportion of workers who will take virtual jobs in the metaverses in relation to the total number of workers. The results of the study allow us to conclude that with the further digitalization of the world economy, it is very likely that metaverses will become a familiar working environment for most workers in the near future. In this regard, the presence of artificial intelligence in the world of work will increase, since the 3D digital environment is a space in which there are even more opportunities for artificial intelligence systems than in physical reality. Employers will use artificial intelligence to algorithmize management processes, which will increase the economic efficiency of activities. Working in the metaverse will become part of the digital society, and having the skills to quickly adapt to such work is one of the conditions important for survival in the world of the future.
Modeling the association between corporate reputation and turnover intention among banks employees in Saudi Arabia
Authors:   Department of Business Administration, College of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Alnehabi Mohammad
Published: February 2023

The problem of the turnover intention of workers is one of the organizational difficulties which might affect the organization's success. Human resource managers face this issue every day, needing extra attention since it affects all of them. However, there is a lack of literature addressing this issue in the banking sector in Saudi Arabia. The study aims to identify how corporate reputation affects employee turnover intention in Saudi Arabia's banking sector. For this to occur, this study employed a quantitative method by collecting 663 questionnaires filled out by workers in the banking industry. The study applied structural equation modeling by a partial least square to examine the relationship between the study variables. Based on the results, the contribution to decreasing turnover intention through enhancing corporate reputation is a significant and robust association at a substantial level with a path coefficient of -0.402. Thus, the current research offered a comprehensive view that addresses these literature and knowledge gaps. The study findings would be a standard for decision-makers to boost the efficiency of employees and save them by planting strategies to enhance corporate reputation in the Saudi Arabia banking sector.