bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment and Fragility of Byzantine Unreinforced Masonry Towers
Authors: Kouris Emmanouil-Georgios , Kouris Leonidas-Alexandros S. , Konstantinidis Avraam A. , Karayannis Chris G. , Aifantis Elias C.
Published: March 2021

The seismic response of five cultural heritage towers erected between the 10th and 19th century AD are investigated herein. Firstly, their architectural and modal characteristics were studied in the light of seismic events that hit the monuments. There exist several historical reports of strong earthquakes, as well as damaged structures and collapses. The limit analysis is adopted to examine the post-elastic behavior of the towers up to collapse due to out-of-plane failure. Recurrent damage modes were collected from recent earthquakes and a classification of four possible collapse mechanisms in towers and slender masonry structures is here proposed: overturning, separation of perpendicular walls, diagonal cracking, and dislocation of the belfry. A thorough examination of the towers under investigation verified the proposed damage classification. The capacity curves were derived combining the capacity curves of each of the collapse mechanisms. Damage thresholds were defined on these curves in correspondence with damage states. The studied group of structures is representative of a wider typology. A statistical approach was adopted to describe damage with seismic intensity, and vulnerability curves were generated. The results of this study will improve the understanding of the performance and the collapse mechanisms of slender masonry structures under seismic loading and provide a characterization of seismic vulnerability for the studied cultural heritage types of towers.
Voltine Ecotypes of the Asian Corn Borer and Their Response to Climate Warming
Authors: Liu Kai-Qiang , Wang Lian-Xia , Zhang Tian-Tao , Bai Shu-Xiong , Wang Ke-Qin , Wang Zhen-Ying , He Kang-Lai , Hutchison William D.
Published: March 2021

In the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), diapause is governed by a multigenetic constitution that responds to daylength and temperature with seasonality. The ACB displays uni- or multivoltinism, depending on its geographic specificity. Hence, warmer temperatures may result in alternation of voltinism in the ACB, which will help in understanding the ecological consequences of climate warming on insects. In the present study, we investigated the voltinism in two natural populations from Harbin (H) and Gongzhuling (G) as well as a laboratory (L) population (established from the H population in 2017) of the ACB, at ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2 (aCO2 390 μL/L and eCO2 750 μL/L) and temperature (aT and Et = At + 2 °C). From the diapause response, both the uni- and multivoltine ecotypes were coexisting in the H population. The neonate occurrence date of 50% individuals that induced diapause was ca. 10 days later in the G population than in the H population, but it was about 10 days earlier than in the L population. Comparing to the dates of onset and the peak of diapause induction, the G and L populations were less variable than the H population in response to a short and/or shortening daylength in the field. The univoltine individuals could not be eliminated completely after 19 generations of selection. Diapause incidence decreased with a climate-warming scenario, which was temporally specific and could be overridden by significantly low daily average temperatures. The eCO2 did not directly impact the voltinism. On the basis of voltinism, the H population was sympatric for uni- and multivoltine ecotypes, with multivoltinism being dominant. The univoltinism trait was recessive. Climate warming could significantly override the effect of photoperiod, which was yearly dependent. Warmer temperatures and a decreased latitude (shortened daylength), and their interaction, would drive ACB evolution toward diapause homogeneity for multivoltinism.
Relapse Patterns and Tailored Treatment Strategies for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Recurrence after Multimodality Therapy
Authors: Bellini Alice , Dell’Amore Andrea , Terzi Stefano , Zambello Giovanni , Zuin Andrea , Pasello Giulia , Calabrese Fiorella , Schiavon Marco , Rea Federico
Published: March 2021

To date, there have been no established therapies for recurrent malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) after multimodality treatment. Aims of this retrospective study are to analyze the recurrence pattern, its treatment and to identify the predictors of best oncological outcomes for relapsed MPM, comparing extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) vs. pleurectomy/decortication (PD). Study population: 94 patients with recurrence of MPM after multimodality treatment underwent macroscopic complete resection (52.1% with EPP and 47.9% with PD) between July 1994 and February 2020. Distant spread was the most frequent pattern of recurrence (71.3%), mostly in the EPP group, while the PD group showed a higher local-only failure rate. Post-recurrence treatment was administered in 86.2%, whereas best supportive care was administered in 13.8%. Median post-recurrence survival (PRS) was 12 months (EPP 14 vs. PD 8 months, p = 0.4338). At multivariate analysis, predictors of best PRS were epithelial histology (p = 0.026, HR 0.491, IC95% 0.263–0.916), local failure (p = 0.027, HR 0.707, IC95% 0.521–0.961), DFS ≥ 12 months (p = 0.006, HR 0.298, IC95% 0.137–0.812) and post-recurrence medical treatment (p = 0.046, HR 0.101, IC95% 0.897–0.936). The type of surgical intervention seems not to influence the PRS if patients are fit enough to face post-recurrence treatments. In patients with a prolonged disease-free interval, in the case of recurrence the most appropriate treatment seems to be the systemic medical therapy, even in the case of local-only relapse.
Mechanical and Degradation Properties of Hybrid Scaffolds for Tissue Engineered Heart Valve (TEHV)
Authors: Nazir Rabia , Bruyneel Arne , Carr Carolyn , Czernuszka Jan
Published: March 2021

In addition to biocompatibility, an ideal scaffold for the regeneration of valvular tissue should also replicate the natural heart valve extracellular matrix (ECM) in terms of biomechanical properties and structural stability. In our previous paper, we demonstrated the development of collagen type I and hyaluronic acid (HA)-based scaffolds with interlaced microstructure. Such hybrid scaffolds were found to be compatible with cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) to potentially regenerate the diseased aortic heart valve. This paper focused on the quantification of the effect of crosslinking density on the mechanical properties under dry and wet conditions as well as degradation resistance. Elastic moduli increased with increasing crosslinking densities, in the dry and wet state, for parent networks, whereas those of interlaced scaffolds were higher than either network alone. Compressive and storage moduli ranged from 35 ± 5 to 95 ± 5 kPa and 16 ± 2 kPa to 113 ± 6 kPa, respectively, in the dry state. Storage moduli, in the dry state, matched and exceeded those of human aortic valve leaflets (HAVL). Similarly, degradation resistance increased with increasing the crosslinking densities for collagen-only and HA-only scaffolds. Interlaced scaffolds showed partial degradation in the presence of either collagenase or hyaluronidase as compared to when exposed to both enzymes together. These results agree with our previous findings that interlaced scaffolds were composed of independent collagen and HA networks without crosslinking between them. Thus, collagen/HA interlaced scaffolds have the potential to fill in the niche for designing an ideal tissue engineered heart valve (TEHV).
Two Ensemble-CNN Approaches for Colorectal Cancer Tissue Type Classification
Authors: Paladini Emanuela , Vantaggiato Edoardo , Bougourzi Fares , Distante Cosimo , Hadid Abdenour , Taleb-Ahmed Abdelmalik
Published: March 2021

In recent years, automatic tissue phenotyping has attracted increasing interest in the Digital Pathology (DP) field. For Colorectal Cancer (CRC), tissue phenotyping can diagnose the cancer and differentiate between different cancer grades. The development of Whole Slide Images (WSIs) has provided the required data for creating automatic tissue phenotyping systems. In this paper, we study different hand-crafted feature-based and deep learning methods using two popular multi-classes CRC-tissue-type databases: Kather-CRC-2016 and CRC-TP. For the hand-crafted features, we use two texture descriptors (LPQ and BSIF) and their combination. In addition, two classifiers are used (SVM and NN) to classify the texture features into distinct CRC tissue types. For the deep learning methods, we evaluate four Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architectures (ResNet-101, ResNeXt-50, Inception-v3, and DenseNet-161). Moreover, we propose two Ensemble CNN approaches: Mean-Ensemble-CNN and NN-Ensemble-CNN. The experimental results show that the proposed approaches outperformed the hand-crafted feature-based methods, CNN architectures and the state-of-the-art methods in both databases.
Synthesis of Bulk Zr48Cu36Al8Ag8 Metallic Glass by Hot Pressing of Amorphous Powders
Authors: He Tianbing , Ciftci Nevaf , Uhlenwinkel Volker , Scudino Sergio
Published: March 2021

The critical cooling rate necessary for glass formation via melt solidification poses inherent constraints on sample size using conventional casting techniques. This drawback can be overcome by pressure-assisted sintering of metallic glass powders at temperatures above the glass transition, where the material shows viscous-flow behavior. Partial crystallization during sintering usually exacerbates the inherent brittleness of metallic glasses and thus needs to be avoided. In order to achieve high density of the bulk specimens while avoiding (or minimizing) crystallization, the optimal combination between low viscosity and long incubation time for crystallization must be identified. Here, by carefully selecting the time–temperature window for powder consolidation, we synthesized highly dense Zr48Cu36Ag8Al8 bulk metallic glass (BMG) with mechanical properties comparable with its cast counterpart. The larger ZrCu-based BMG specimens fabricated in this work could then be post-processed by flash-annealing, offering the possibility to fabricate monolithic metallic glasses and glass–matrix composites with enhanced room-temperature plastic deformation.
Morphodynamic Evolution of Post-Nourishment Beach Scarps in Low-Energy and Micro-Tidal Environment
Authors: Liu Gen , Qi Hongshuai , Cai Feng , Zhu Jun , Lei Gang , Liu Jianhui , Zhao Shaohua , Cao Chao
Published: March 2021

Beach scarps are commonly associated with nourishment. Large and persistent beach scarps not only affect the performance of beach nourishment, but also are safety hazards to tourists. In this study, the morphological evolution of beach scarps was examined at a nourished beach in a low-energy and micro-tidal environment. Topographic surveys of nine beach profiles were carried out every 3–6 months after nourishment, lasting for nearly 4.5 years, combined with observed and simulated hydrodynamic data. The results showed that beach scarps were extensively developed after nourishment and migrated landward gradually. The formation of beach scarps was attributed to the higher designed berm, while the migration was possibly initiated by the subsequent higher total water level connected with the irregular tides. However, scarps were completely removed by the first post-nourishment severe storm and had been long absent ever since although two other energetic storms approached. This was different from the result of previous studies, which could be attributed to the much gentler upper beach slope. These results highlighted that the first post-nourishment storm played a key role in the evolution of beach scarps at low-energy and micro-tidal nourished beaches. This study also proposed two methods of determining berm elevation in beach nourishment according to China’s experiences, which would be helpful for other countries’ beach nourishment projects.
Waves and Ocean Structures
Authors: Lee Jaw-Fang , Yang Ray-Yeng
Published: March 2021

This Special Issue concentrates on the problems of interactions between water waves and ocean structures [...]
Melanoleuca galbuserae, M. fontenlae and M. acystidiata—Three New Species in Subgenus Urticocystis (Pluteaceae, Basidiomycota) with Comments on M. castaneofusca and Related Species
Authors: Antonín Vladimír , Ševčíková Hana , Para Roberto , Ďuriška Ondrej , Kudláček Tomáš , Tomšovský Michal
Published: March 2021

Melanoleuca is one of the taxonomically most complicated genera of Agaricomycetes with several taxonomically lineages. The subgenus Urticocystis of the genus Melanoleuca contains species with either urticoid or absent cheilocystidia. In this paper, three new European species, Melanoleuca galbuserae, Melanoleuca fontenlae, and Melanoleuca acystidiata are described as new to science. Melanoleuca galbuserae, related to Melanoleuca stepposa and Melanoleuca tristis, was discovered in alpine grasslands in North Italy. The type specimens and recent collections of Melanoleuca angelesiana, Melanoleuca castaneofusca, Melanoleuca luteolosperma, Melanoleuca pseudopaedida, and Melanoleuca robertiana were sequenced and morphologically examined. Moreover, the related Melanoleuca microcephala and Melanoleuca paedida were included in morphological examination and DNA sequence analyses. All the species were delimited by macro- and micromorphological characters and the multigene phylogenetic analyses of a combined (ITS, rpb2, and tef1) dataset on the basis of the species tree estimation. In accordance with new molecular and morphological data, we suggest taxonomic reappraisal of M. pseudopaedida and M. robertiana, and M. fontenlae and M. acystidiata are proposed as new species. The differences between the type material of M. angelesiana from the USA and European M. angelesiana specimens are discussed.
Biological Treatment of Real Textile Effluent Using Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium oxysporium and Their Consortium along with the Evaluation of Their Phytotoxicity
Authors: Selim Mohamed T. , Salem Salem S. , Mohamed Asem A. , El-Gamal Mamdouh S. , Awad Mohamed F. , Fouda Amr
Published: March 2021

Twenty-one fungal strains were isolated from dye-contaminated soil; out of them, two fungal strains A2 and G2-1 showed the highest decolorization capacity for real textile effluent and were, hence, identified as Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium oxysporium based on morphological and molecular methods. The highest decolorization percentage of 78.12 ± 2.1% was attained in the biotreatment with fungal consortium followed by A. flavus and F. oxysporium separately with removal percentages of 54.68 ± 1.2% and 52.41 ± 1.0%, respectively. Additionally, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy of the treated effluent showed that a maximum peak (λmax) of 415 nm was reduced as compared with the control. The indicators of wastewater treatment efficacy, namely total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, conductivity, biological oxygen demand, and chemical oxygen demand with removal percentages of 78.2, 78.4, 58.2, 78.1, and 77.6%, respectively, demonstrated a considerable decrease in values due to fungal consortium treatment. The reduction in peak and mass area along with the appearance of new peaks in GC-MS confirms a successful biodegradation process. The toxicity of treated textile effluents on the seed germination of Vicia faba was decreased as compared with the control. The shoot length after irrigation with effluents treated by the fungal consortium was 15.12 ± 1.01 cm as compared with that treated by tap-water, which was 17.8 ± 0.7 cm. Finally, we recommended the decrease of excessive uses of synthetic dyes and utilized biological approaches for the treatment of real textile effluents to reuse in irrigation of uneaten plants especially with water scarcity worldwide.
Molecular Markers of Antifungal Resistance: Potential Uses in Routine Practice and Future Perspectives
Authors: Garcia-Effron Guillermo
Published: March 2021

Antifungal susceptibility testing (AST) has come to establish itself as a mandatory routine in clinical practice. At the same time, the mycological diagnosis seems to have headed in the direction of non-culture-based methodologies. The downside of these developments is that the strains that cause these infections are not able to be studied for their sensitivity to antifungals. Therefore, at present, the mycological diagnosis is correctly based on laboratory evidence, but the antifungal treatment is undergoing a growing tendency to revert back to being empirical, as it was in the last century. One of the explored options to circumvent these problems is to couple non-cultured based diagnostics with molecular-based detection of intrinsically resistant organisms and the identification of molecular mechanisms of resistance (secondary resistance). The aim of this work is to review the available molecular tools for antifungal resistance detection, their limitations, and their advantages. A comprehensive description of commercially available and in-house methods is included. In addition, gaps in the development of these molecular technologies are discussed.
Innate Resistance and Phosphite Treatment Affect Both the Pathogen’s and Host’s Transcriptomes in the Tanoak-Phytophthora ramorum Pathosystem
Authors: Kasuga Takao , Hayden Katherine J. , Eyre Catherine A. , Croucher Peter J. P. , Schechter Shannon , Wright Jessica W. , Garbelotto Matteo
Published: March 2021

Phosphites have been used to control Sudden Oak Death; however, their precise mode of action is not fully understood. To study the mechanism of action of phosphites, we conducted an inoculation experiment on two open-pollinated tanoak families, previously found to be partially resistant. Stems of treatment group individuals were sprayed with phosphite, and seven days later, distal leaves were inoculated with the Sudden Oak Death pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. Leaves from treated and untreated control plants were harvested before and seven days after inoculation, and transcriptomes of both host and pathogen were analyzed. We found that tanoak families differed in the presence of innate resistance (resistance displayed by untreated tanoak) and in the response to phosphite treatment. A set of expressed genes associated with innate resistance was found to overlap with an expressed gene set for phosphite-induced resistance. This observation may indicate that phosphite treatment increases the resistance of susceptible host plants. In addition, genes of the pathogen involved in detoxification were upregulated in phosphite-treated plants compared to phosphite-untreated plants. In summary, our RNA-Seq analysis supports a two-fold mode of action of phosphites, including a direct toxic effect on P. ramorum and an indirect enhancement of resistance in the tanoak host.
Risk Management Practices and Firm Performance with a Mediating Role of Business Model Innovation. Observations from Jordan
Authors: Al-Nimer Munther , Abbadi Sinan S. , Al-Omush Ahmad , Ahmad Habib
Published: March 2021

This study focused on scrutinizing the influence of Enterprises Risk Management (ERM) on firm performance with a mediating role of Business Model Innovation (BMI). For the purpose, data from 228 Jordanian firms was collected and analyzed. The results indicated that the ERM practices have a significant influence on BMI and financial firm’s performance. The BMI significantly contributed to the financial and nonfinancial performance, whereas it displayed insignificant effects regarding environmental performance. The BMI fully mediated the relationship between ERM practices and financial performance, where a partial mediating effect was observed for the path between ERM practices and nonfinancial performance, while showed no mediating role between the ERM practices and environmental performance. Economies of countries like Jordan are hereby urged to implement the formal ERM practices and to financially educate their top management teams to apply the BMI to gain first-rate performance. This study also encourages the researchers from other countries to extend this model to their economies to unleash useful insights.
Introducing Gamification in the AR-Enhanced Order Picking Process: A Proposed Approach
Authors: Bright Athina G. , Ponis Stavros T.
Published: March 2021

In the last decade, the Industry 4.0 concept has introduced automation and cyber-physical systems as the core elements of future logistics, supported by an array of technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) providing the necessary support for the digital transformation of manufacturing and logistics and the smartification and digital refinement of traditional pre-Industry 4.0 processes. This paper studies the influence and the potential of gamification techniques in supporting innovative Industry 4.0-enhanced processes in the contemporary warehouse work ecosystem. Gamification in the workplace aims to motivate the employees and increase their involvement in an activity, while at the same time creating a sense of an everyday different experience rather than a set of repetitive and monotonous tasks. Since the design of such a system is a complex process, the most widespread design frameworks are studied, and the emphasis is on the principal game elements and their connection to mobilization mechanisms. Finally, an initial proposal of a gamification framework to support the AR-enhanced order picking process in contemporary logistics centers is provided with an emphasis on the mechanics of a fair and functional reward system. The proposed approach aims to showcase the potential alignment of business processes to human motivation, respecting the differences between tasks and the workers’ cognitive workload.
The Effect of Surface Treatment on Structural Properties of CVD Diamond Layers with Different Grain Sizes Studied by Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Dychalska Anna , Koczorowski Wojciech , Trzcinski Marek , Mosińska Lidia , Szybowicz Mirosław
Published: March 2021

Extensive Raman spectroscopy studies combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements were performed to investigate structural and chemical changes in diamond layers deposited by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) upon post-growth treatment with hydrogen. The aim of this study is to characterize the changes in micro-structural properties of diamond layers with different grain sizes and different contents of sp2 carbon phase. Hydrogenation or oxidization of diamond layer surface is often performed to modify its properties; however, it can also strongly affect the surface structure. In this study, the impact of hydrogenation on the structure of diamond layer surface and its chemical composition is investigated. Owing to their polycrystalline nature, the structural properties of CVD diamond layers can strongly differ within the same layer. Therefore, in this project, in order to compare the results before and after hydrogen treatment, the diamond layers are subjected to Raman spectroscopy studies in the vicinity of a T-shape marker fabricated on the surface of each diamond layer studied.
Lithium Disilicate Ceramic Endocrown Biomechanical Response According to Different Pulp Chamber Extension Angles and Filling Materials
Authors: Tribst João Paulo Mendes , Lo Giudice Roberto , dos Santos Alison Flavio Campos , Borges Alexandre Luiz Souto , Silva-Concílio Laís Regiane , Amaral Marina , Lo Giudice Giuseppe
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of pulp chamber extension angles and filling material mechanical properties on the biomechanical response of a ceramic endocrown. A 3D model of maxillary molar that underwent endodontically treatment was exported to computer aided design software to conduct finite element analysis (FEA). The endocrown model was modified considering different pulp chamber extension angles (right angle; 6°, 12° and 18° of axial divergence). The solids were imported into the computer aided engineering software in Standard for the Exchange of Product Data (STEP) format. Nine different filling materials were simulated to seal the orifice of the root canal system under each endocrown restoration (resin composite, bulk-fill resin composite, alkasite, flowable resin composite, glass ionomer cement, autocured resin-reinforced glass ionomer cement, resin cement, bulk-fill flowable resin composite, zinc oxide cement), totaling 36 models. An axial load (300 N) was applied at the occlusal surface. Results were determined by colorimetric graphs of von-Misses stress (VMS) and Maximum Principal Stress (MPS) on tooth, cement layer, and endocrown restorations. VMS distribution showed a similar pattern between the models, with more stress at the load region for the right-angled endocrowns. The MPS showed that the endocrown intaglio surface and cement layer showed different mechanical responses with different filing materials and pulp chamber angles. The stress peaks plotted in the dispersion plot showed that the filling material stiffness is proportional to the stress magnitude in the endocrown, cement layer and tooth adhesive surface. In addition, the higher the pulp chamber preparation angle, the higher the stress peak in the restoration and tooth, and the lower the stress in the cement layer. Therefore, 6° and 12° pulp chamber angles showed more promising balance between the stresses of the adhesive interface structures. Under the conditions of this study, rigid filling materials were avoided to seal the orifice of root canal system when an endocrown restoration was planned as rehabilitation. In addition, the pulp chamber axial walls were prepared between 6° and 12° of divergence to balance the stress magnitude in the adhesive interface for this treatment modality.
High Capacity Nanocomposite Layers Based on Nanoparticles of Carbon Materials and Ruthenium Dioxide for Potassium Sensitive Electrode
Authors: Lenar Nikola , Piech Robert , Paczosa-Bator Beata
Published: March 2021

This work presents the new concept of designing ion-selective electrodes based on the use of new composite materials consisting of carbon nanomaterials and ruthenium dioxide. Using two different materials varying in microstructure and properties, we could obtain one material for the mediation layer that adopted features coming of both components. Ruthenium dioxide characterized by high electrical capacity and mixed electronic-ionic transduction and nano-metric carbon materials were reportedly proved to improve the properties of ion-selective electrodes. Initially, only the materials and then the final electrodes were tested in the scope of the presented work, using scanning and transmission electron microscope, contact angle microscope, and various electrochemical techniques, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronopotentiometry. The obtained results confirmed beneficial influence of the designed nanocomposites on the ion-selective electrodes’ properties. Nanosized structure, high capacity (characterized by the electrical capacitance value from approximately 5.5 mF for GR + RuO2 and CB + RuO2, up to 14 mF for NT + RuO2) and low hydrophilicity (represented by the contact angle from 60° for GR+RuO2, 80° for CB+RuO2, and up to 100° for NT + RuO2) of the mediation layer materials, allowed us to obtain water layer-free potassium-selective electrodes, characterized by rapid and stable potentiometric response in a wide range of concentrations-from 10−1 to 10−6 M K+.
Exploiting the Acceleration Voltage Dependence of EMCD
Authors: Löffler Stefan , Stöger-Pollach Michael , Steiger-Thirsfeld Andreas , Hetaba Walid , Schattschneider Peter
Published: March 2021

Energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism (EMCD) is a versatile method for measuring magnetism down to the atomic scale in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As the magnetic signal is encoded in the phase of the electron wave, any process distorting this characteristic phase is detrimental for EMCD. For example, elastic scattering gives rise to a complex thickness dependence of the signal. Since the details of elastic scattering depend on the electron’s energy, EMCD strongly depends on the acceleration voltage. Here, we quantitatively investigate this dependence in detail, using a combination of theory, numerical simulations, and experimental data. Our formulas enable scientists to optimize the acceleration voltage when performing EMCD experiments.
Opuntia Ficus-Indica (OFI) Mucilage as Corrosion Inhibitor of Steel in CO2-Contaminated Mortar
Authors: Torres-Acosta Andrés A. , González-Calderón Paola Y.
Published: March 2021

The present investigation is directed to determine if a natural/botanical addition, from Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) cactus, increases durability for cement-based materials exposed to CO2-laden environments (urban and industrial). The use of this botanical addition in cement-based material applications has shown good performance when these materials are exposed to chloride-laden environments, but no investigations to date have shown the performance of this addition in urban/industrial environments. Therefore, the aim of this investigation is to complement OFI mucilage performance in the most hazardous environments where most of these construction materials are naturally exposed: marine, urban, and industrial. Steel-reinforced mortar prisms, containing OFI mucilage at different addition levels (0%, 1.5%, 4%, 8%, 42%, and 95%, by water mass replacement concentration), were exposed for 14 years (5110 days) in a natural CO2-laden environment. Linear polarization resistance measurements were performed in a wet–dry cycle (between 5020 and 5110 days of age, after mortar fabrication) to determine the possible corrosion-inhibiting effect of OFI mucilage additions. Little corrosion-induced cracking was observed in carbonated mortars with OFI mucilage additions, compared with the carbonated control mortar that showed high corrosion-induced cracking. The electrochemical results showed corrosion-inhibiting efficiencies for steel in carbonated mortar with OFI mucilage additions of 40–70% for low OFI mucilage concentrations (1.5% and 4%), and 70–90% for medium and high OFI mucilage concentrations (8%, 42%, and 95%). Experimental findings suggest that adding OFI mucilage might be useful as a corrosion inhibitor for steel in carbonated cement-based materials (i.e., mortar) because corrosion rates and cracking initiation/propagation were decreased.
Chemical Modification of B4C Films and B4C/Pd Layers Stored in Different Environments
Authors: Feng Yufei , Qi Runze , Jiang Li , Huang Qiushi , Li Tongzhou , Liu Genchang , Li Wenbin , Yan Wensheng , Zhang Zhong , Wang Zhanshan
Published: March 2021

B4C/Pd multilayers with small d-spacing can easily degrade in the air, and the exact degradation process is not clear. In this work, we studied the chemical modification of B4C films and B4C/Pd double layers stored in four different environments: a dry nitrogen environment, the atmosphere, a dry oxygen-rich environment, and a wet nitrogen environment. The XANES spectra of the B4C/Pd layers placed in a dry oxygen-rich environment showed the most significant decrease in the σ* states of the B–C bonds and an increase in the π* states of the B–O bonds compared with the other samples. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements of the samples placed in a dry oxygen-rich environment showed more intensive B-O binding signals in the B4C/Pd layers than in the single B4C film. The results of the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed a similar decrease in the B–C bonds and an increase in the B–O bonds in the B4C/Pd layers in contrast to the single B4C film placed in a dry oxygen-rich environment. We concluded that the combination of palladium catalysis and the high content of oxygen in the environment promoted the oxidization of boron, deteriorated the B4C composition.
Influence of Modified Epoxy Resins on Peroxide Curing, Mechanical Properties and Adhesion of SBR, NBR and XNBR to Silver Wires. Part I: Application of Monoperoxy Derivative of Epoxy Resin (PO)
Authors: Chudzik Joanna , Bieliński Dariusz M. , Bratychak Michael , Demchuk Yuriy , Astakhova Olena , Jędrzejczyk Marcin , Celichowski Grzegorz
Published: March 2021

The research was aimed at checking the effect of monoperoxy derivative of epoxy resin (PO) on the possibility of rubber crosslinking and a subsequent adhesion of the modified rubber to silver wires. Three of the commonly industrially used rubbers were selected for the study: styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) and carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (XNBR), together with the popular, commercially available Epidian 6 epoxy resin, subjected to the functionalization. An improvement in the adhesion of rubbers to silver wires was observed when using the modified resin. In some cases, an improvement in the mechanical properties of the rubber was observed, especially when the resin was used for crosslinking together with dicumyl peroxide (DCP). Crosslinking synergy between dicumyl peroxide and the modified resin could be observed especially in the case of PO applied for peroxide curing of SBR and NBR.
Bayesian Analysis of Population Health Data
Authors: Młynarczyk Dorota , Armero Carmen , Gómez-Rubio Virgilio , Puig Pedro
Published: March 2021

The analysis of population-wide datasets can provide insight on the health status of large populations so that public health officials can make data-driven decisions. The analysis of such datasets often requires highly parameterized models with different types of fixed and random effects to account for risk factors, spatial and temporal variations, multilevel effects and other sources on uncertainty. To illustrate the potential of Bayesian hierarchical models, a dataset of about 500,000 inhabitants released by the Polish National Health Fund containing information about ischemic stroke incidence for a 2-year period is analyzed using different types of models. Spatial logistic regression and survival models are considered for analyzing the individual probabilities of stroke and the times to the occurrence of an ischemic stroke event. Demographic and socioeconomic variables as well as drug prescription information are available at an individual level. Spatial variation is considered by means of region-level random effects.
Random Sampling Many-Dimensional Sets Arising in Control
Authors: Shcherbakov Pavel , Ding Mingyue , Yuchi Ming
Published: March 2021

Various Monte Carlo techniques for random point generation over sets of interest are widely used in many areas of computational mathematics, optimization, data processing, etc. Whereas for regularly shaped sets such sampling is immediate to arrange, for nontrivial, implicitly specified domains these techniques are not easy to implement. We consider the so-called Hit-and-Run algorithm, a representative of the class of Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, which became popular in recent years. To perform random sampling over a set, this method requires only the knowledge of the intersection of a line through a point inside the set with the boundary of this set. This component of the Hit-and-Run procedure, known as boundary oracle, has to be performed quickly when applied to economy point representation of many-dimensional sets within the randomized approach to data mining, image reconstruction, control, optimization, etc. In this paper, we consider several vector and matrix sets typically encountered in control and specified by linear matrix inequalities. Closed-form solutions are proposed for finding the respective points of intersection, leading to efficient boundary oracles; they are generalized to robust formulations where the system matrices contain norm-bounded uncertainty.
Overlapping Genetic Background of Coronary Artery and Carotid/Femoral Atherosclerotic Calcification
Authors: Hernyes Anita , Piroska Marton , Fejer Bence , Szalontai Laszlo , Szabo Helga , Forgo Bianka , Jermendy Adam L. , Molnar Andrea A. , Maurovich-Horvat Pal , Jermendy Gyorgy , Merkely Bela , Tarnoki David L. , Tarnoki Adam D.
Published: March 2021

Background and objectives: Multivessel atherosclerosis and its genetic background are under-investigated, although atherosclerosis is seldom local and still causes high mortality. Alternative methods to assess coronary calcification (CAC) might incorporate genetic links between different arteries’ atherosclerotic involvement, however, co-occurrences of coronary calcification have not been investigated in twins yet. Materials and Methods: We assessed the heritability of radio morphologically distinct atherosclerotic plaque types in coronary (non-enhanced CT, Agatston score), carotid, and femoral arteries (B-mode ultrasound) in 190 twin subjects (60 monozygotic, 35 dizygotic pairs). Four-segment scores were derived in order to assess the dissemination of the distinct plaque types in the carotid and femoral arteries taking bilaterality into account. We calculated the genetic correlation between phenotypically correlating plaque types in these arteries. Results: CAC and dissemination of calcified plaques in the carotid and femoral arteries (4S_hyper) were moderately heritable (0.67 [95% CI: 0.37–1] and 0.69 [95% CI: 0.38–1], respectively) when adjusted for age and sex. Hypoechoic plaques in the carotid and femoral arteries showed no heritability, while mixed plaques showed intermediate heritability (0.50 [95% CI: 0–0.76]). Age and sex-adjusted phenotypic correlation between CAC and 4segm_hyper was 0.48 [95% CI: 0.30–0.63] and the underlying genetic correlation was 0.86 [95% CI: 0.42–1]. Conclusions: Calcification of atherosclerotic plaques is moderately heritable in all investigated arteries and significant overlapping genetic factors can be attributed to the phenotypical resemblance of coronary and carotid or femoral atherosclerotic calcification. Our findings support the idea of screening extracoronary arteries in asymptomatic individuals. We also propose a hypothesis about primarily carotid-coronary and femoral-coronary atherosclerosis as two distinct genetic predispositions to co-localization.
Changes in the Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori among the Lithuanian Medical Students over the Last 25 Years and Its Relation to Dyspeptic Symptoms
Authors: Jonaityte Ieva Renata , Ciupkeviciene Eglė , Jonaitis Paulius , Kupcinskas Juozas , Petkeviciene Janina , Jonaitis Laimas
Published: March 2021

Background and Objectives: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is decreasing in the Western world, while remaining high in developing countries. There is limited up-to-date information about the prevalence of H. pylori in Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of our study was to assess the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its trend over the past 25 years among students of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS) and to assess its relation to dyspeptic symptoms. Materials and Methods: In the years 1995, 2012, 2016 and 2020, students from Medical and Nursing Faculties of LUHS were tested for the presence of antibodies against H. pylori by performing serological tests from finger capillary blood. In addition, in the years 2012, 2016 and 2020, the students completed a gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) questionnaire in order to assess dyspeptic symptoms. The study population consisted of 120 students in the year 1995 (mean age—21.3 ± 1.0 years), 187 students in the year 2012 (mean age—22.4 ± 0.7 years), 262 students in the year 2016 (mean age—20.4 ± 1.0 years) and 148 students in the year 2020 (mean age—20.4 ± 1.7 years). Results: The seroprevalence for H. pylori was positive in 62 (51.7%) students in 1995, in 57 (30.4%) students in 2012, in 69 (26.3%) students in 2016 and in 21 (14.2%) students in 2020. The statistically significant difference was found between all study years, except between 2012 and 2016. There were no significant differences in frequency and intensity of upper dyspeptic symptoms between H. pylori positive and negative students. Conclusions: Over the last 25 years the seroprevalence of H. pylori among students of LUHS has decreased significantly. No consistent differences in dyspeptic symptoms among H. pylori positive and negative subgroups were found.
Fabrication and Analysis of Near-Field Electrospun PVDF Fibers with Sol-Gel Coating for Lithium-Ion Battery Separator
Authors: Francisco Mark , Pan Cheng-Tang , Liao Bo-Hao , Wu Mao-Sung , Yang Ru-Yuan , Chu Jay , Wen Zhi-Hong , Liao Chien-Feng , Shiue Yow-Ling
Published: March 2021

Environmental and economic concerns are driving the demand for electric vehicles. However, their development for mass transportation hinges largely on improvements in the separators in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the preferred energy source. In this study, innovative separators for LIBs were fabricated by near-field electrospinning (NFES) and the sol-gel method. Using NFES, poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibers were fabricated. Then, PVDF membranes with pores of 220 nm and 450 nm were sandwiched between a monolayer and bilayer of the electrospun fibers. Nanoceramic material with organic resin, formed by the sol-gel method, was coated onto A4 paper, rice paper, nonwoven fabric, and carbon synthetic fabric. Properties of these separators were compared with those of a commercial polypropylene (PP) separator using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), microtensile testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), ion-conductivity measurement, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and charge-discharge cycling. The results indicate that the 220 nm PVDF membrane sandwiched between a bilayer of electrospun fibers had excellent ionic conductivity (~0.57 mS/cm), a porosity of ~70%, an endothermic peak of ~175 °C, better specific capacitance (~356 mAh/g), a higher melting temperature (~160 °C), and a stable cycle performance. The sol-gel coated nonwoven fabric had ionic conductivity, porosity, and specific capacitance of ~0.96 mS/cm., ~64%, and ~220 mAh/g, respectively, and excellent thermal stability despite having a lower specific capacitance (65% of PP separator) and no peak below 270 °C. The present study provides a significant step toward the innovation of materials and processes for fabricating LIB separators.
Concentration Polarization Enabled Reactive Coating of Nanofiltration Membranes with Zwitterionic Hydrogel
Authors: May Patrick , Laghmari Soraya , Ulbricht Mathias
Published: March 2021

In this study, the bottleneck challenge of membrane fouling is addressed via establishing a scalable concentration polarization (CP) enabled and surface-selective hydrogel coating using zwitterionic cross-linkable macromolecules as building blocks. First, a novel methacrylate-based copolymer with sulfobetain and methacrylate side groups was prepared in a simple three-step synthesis. Polymer gelation initiated by a redox initiator system (ammonium persulfate and tetramethylethylenediamine) for radical cross-linking was studied in bulk in order to identify minimum (“critical”) concentrations to obtain a hydrogel. In situ reactive coating of a polyamide nanofiltration membrane was achieved via filtration of a mixture of the reactive compounds, utilizing CP to meet critical gelation conditions solely within the boundary layer. Because the feasibility was studied and demonstrated in dead-end filtration mode, the variable extent of CP was estimated in the frame of the film model, with an iterative calculation using experimental data as input. This allowed to discuss the influence of parameters such as solution composition or filtration rate on the actual polymer concentration and resulting hydrogel formation at the membrane surface. The zwitterionic hydrogel-coated membranes exhibited lower surface charge and higher flux during protein filtration, both compared to pristine membranes. Salt rejection was found to remain unchanged. Results further reveal that the hydrogel coating thickness and consequently the reduction in membrane permeance due to the coating can be tuned by variation of filtration time and polymer feed concentration, illustrating the novel modification method’s promising potential for scale-up to real applications.
Experimental and Theoretical Approaches to Describing Interactions in Natural Cell Membranes Occurring as a Result of Fatal Alcohol Poisoning
Authors: Petelska Aneta D. , Szeremeta Michał , Kotyńska Joanna , Niemcunowicz-Janica Anna
Published: March 2021

We propose herein a theoretical model describing the effect of fatal ethanol poisoning on the equilibria between cell membranes and the surrounding ions. Using this model, we determined the parameters characterizing the interaction between the electrolyte solution’s ions and the functional groups on the blood cells’ surface. Via the application of mathematical equations, we calculated the total surface concentrations of the acidic and basic groups, cA and cB, and their association constants with solution ions, KAH and KBOH. Using the determined parameters and mathematical equations’ values, we calculated the theoretical surface charge density values. We verified the proposed model by comparing these values with experimental data, which were selected based on measurements of the electrophoretic mobility of erythrocyte and thrombocyte membranes. Compatibility of the experimental and theoretical surface charge density values was observed in the range of pH 2–8, while deviations were observed at higher pH values.
Anti-Reflection Nanostructures on Tempered Glass by Dynamic Beam Shaping
Authors: Hauschwitz Petr , Brajer Jan , Rostohar Danijela , Kopeček Jaromír , Mocek Tomáš , Cimrman Martin , Chyla Michal , Smrž Martin
Published: March 2021

Reflectivity and surface topography of tempered glass were modified without any thermal damage to the surroundings by utilizing 1.7 ps ultrashort pulsed laser on its fundamental wavelength of 1030 nm. To speed up the fabrication, a dynamic beam shaping unit combined with a galvanometer scanning head was applied to divide the initial laser beam into a matrix of beamlets with adjustable beamlets number and separation distance. By tuning the laser and processing parameters, reflected intensity can be reduced up to 75% while maintaining 90% of transparency thus showing great potential for display functionalization of mobile phones or laptops.
Development of Rapid and High-Precision Colorimetric Device for Organophosphorus Pesticide Detection Based on Microfluidic Mixer Chip
Authors: Xie Jiaqing , Pang Haoran , Sun Ruqian , Wang Tao , Meng Xiaoyu , Zhou Zhikang
Published: March 2021

The excessive pesticide residues in cereals, fruit and vegetables is a big threat to human health, and it is necessary to develop a portable, low-cost and high-precision pesticide residue detection scheme to replace the large-scale laboratory testing equipment for rapid detection of pesticide residues. In this study, a colorimetric device for rapid detection of organophosphorus pesticide residues with high precision based on a microfluidic mixer chip was proposed. The microchannel structure with high mixing efficiency was determined by fluid dynamics simulation, while the corresponding microfluidic mixer chip was designed. The microfluidic mixer chip was prepared by a self-developed liquid crystal display (LCD) mask photo-curing machine. The influence of printing parameters on the accuracy of the prepared chip was investigated. The light source with the optimal wavelength of the device was determined by absorption spectrum measurement, and the relationship between the liquid reservoir depth and detection limit was studied by experiments. The correspondence between pesticide concentration and induced voltage was derived. The minimum detection concentration of the device could reach 0.045 mg·L−1 and the average detection time was reduced to 60 s. The results provide a theoretical and experimental basis for portable and high-precision detection of pesticide residues.