bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Removal of macroalgae from degraded reefs enhances coral recruitment
Authors: Smith Hillary A. , Brown Dylan A. , Arjunwadkar Chaitanya V. , Fulton Stella E. , Whitman Taylor , Hermanto Bambang , Mastroianni Elissa , Mattocks Neil , Smith Adam K. , Harrison Peter L. , Boström‐Einarsson Lisa , McLeod Ian M. , Bourne David G.
Published: December 2021

Declining coral cover on tropical coral reefs often results in a concomitant increase in macroalgae. When proliferation of macroalgae persists outside regular seasonal growth, it can shift the ecosystem dominance away from corals into a permanently altered system. Such an altered system is unlikely to recover naturally, despite ample supply of coral larvae, as coral settlement and survival is reduced by the presence of macroalgae. Physical removal of macroalgae has been proposed to overcome this biotic barrier to recovery, although empirical evidence demonstrating the effects of removal on phase‐shifted reefs is lacking. Here, we manually removed macroalgae from twelve 25 m2 experimental plots (88.5 ± 6.2 kg wet weight per plot; 90% benthic cover decrease) on a degraded reef prior to coral mass spawning across 2 years and recorded the number of coral recruits to settlement tiles and natural substrata. Four months after each spawning event, we found a threefold increase in coral recruits to tiles in plots where macroalgae had been removed (n = 12 plots; February 2019: mean 45.9 ± 12.7 recruits per tile; February 2020: mean 53.9 ± 5.9 recruits per tile) compared to control plots where macroalgae remained (n = 12 plots; February 2019 mean: 13.6 ± 2.8 recruits per tile; February 2020 mean: 17.5 ± 3.5 recruits per tile). These results suggest that, at small scales, macroalgae removal may be a useful intervention to boost recruitment on degraded reefs. Longer‐term monitoring is needed to document if coral survivorship, growth, and subsequent reef recovery occurs.
A RATIONALIZED SEISMIC DESIGN METHOD FOR BUILDINGS IN EARTHQUAKE-PRONE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Authors: Lwin Tint , Koike Takeshi , Dang Ji
Published: December 2021

In general, the US codes such as the UBC-97 and ASCE-7 are widely used in developing countries including Myanmar, Syria, Philippines and so on. When the current seismic design guideline based on the UBC-97 and ACI 318-99 in Myanmar is assessed, several problems can be found in the following items: firstly, the fundamental period is not checked in modeling; secondly, reduction factor R is introduced a priori for the base shear estimation. And finally, a limit state assessment is done only for Design Basic Earthquake (DBE) but not for other design earthquakes. As a result, adequate yield strength is not checked for Maximum Operational Earthquake (MOE). Then there is no way to assess the seismic safety of the ultimate limit state for Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE). In order to solve these problems, a rationalized seismic design method for earthquake prone developing countries is proposed. A new seismic design method is developed for MOE and MCE with adequate yield acceleration and typical period of the building estimated by using pushover analysis. A simplified procedure to estimate the inelastic response for a given design spectrum is also proposed. Finally, this design procedure can provide a rational method to assess the seismic safety for the ultimate limit of the building.
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF ANGLE, LENGTH AND BRIM HEIGHT OF THE DIFFUSER FOR THE SMALL DIFFUSER AUGMENTED WIND TURBIN
Authors: Maw Yu Yu , Tun Min Thaw
Published: December 2021

This paper presents the performance of the diffuser augmented wind turbine (DAWT) with the various diffuser shapes using the numerical investigations. DAWT is also a type of wind turbine and the diffuser shapes, the nozzle shapes and the cylindrical shapes are commonly inserted around the horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) to become the more efficient wind turbine. The aim of this study is to find the more efficient design of the diffuser for the horizontal axis wind turbine using the numerical investigations. In this research, the converging and diverging diffuser shape is inserted and the airfoil design is calculated by using the Blade Elementary Momentum Theory. The airfoil type NACA 4412 is chosen because it is suitable for the low wind speed area and easy to produce. The turbulent model k-ω is combined with the Navier Stoke equation to solve the 3-dimensional steady flow simulation of the diffuser augmented wind turbine using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The numerical investigation is used to compare and predict the power coefficient of the DAWT with various shapes. The baseline design of the diffuser (L = 170 mm, H = 57 mm and α = 11̊) is firstly investigated. To predict the power coefficient of the various diffuser shapes, the range of the length of the diffuser is (L/D = 0.5 to 1.5), the range of the brim height of the diffuser (H/D = 0.1 to 0.35) and the range of the angle of the diffuser (α = 5̊ to 15̊ ) are also investigated. The parameters of the diffuser shapes are assigned by using the Central Composite Design Face Centered Method. The response surface method is also used to predict the most efficient diffuser design. The performance of the horizontal axis wind turbine, that of the diffuser augmented wind turbine and that of the diffuser augmented wind turbine with various shapes of diffuser are compared. The performance of new diffuser augmented wind turbine (IND_009) is 50% and 55% higher than the baseline diffuser augmented wind turbine and the horizontal axis wind turbine at rated velocity. The flow visualization of the HAWT, DAWTs are also discussed.
BEHAVIOR OF STEEL PLATE-CONCRETE COMPOSITE SHEAR WALL UNDER CYCLIC LOADING
Authors: Tadesse Tadele Ergete , Aure Temesgen Wondimu
Published: December 2021

Steel-Concrete composite shear wall has become popular recently as it compensates for the disadvantages of concrete and steel plate shear walls and combine the advantage of both. However, there is no detail study that identifies the most critical parameters. This study aims at investigation of steel plate-concrete composite shear wall behavior under cyclic loading with variables such as concrete strength, grade of steel plate, total number of tie constraints and thickness of steel plate. ABAQUS/Standard is used for numerical modeling in this study. As the concrete strength decreases from 86.1Mpa to 45Mpa, the load capacity declined by 11.76% and higher stiffness was recorded in specimen with higher grade of concrete. The ductility factor is inversely proportional to grade of concrete from 86.1Mpa to 60Mpa which increases from 4.26 to 4.68 and the ductility factor of specimen with 45Mpa strength is recorded as 3.81. The energy dissipation capacity is directly proportional to the grade of concrete used. Using high grade steel plate increases the lateral load capacity significantly and exhibited more ductile behavior. Specimen with S355 steel grade exhibited 14.01% increment of the average load capacity while the specimen with S245 steel grade has shown reduction by 9.21%. Similarly, the ductility factor and energy dissipation capacity of specimen with variable grade of steel are directly proportional. Reduction of tie constraints has no significant effect on the behavior in this study due to high confinement effect of concrete by surrounding steel plate. Specimens with thicker steel plate exhibited good energy dissipation capacity.
Industrial and Management Systems Engineering Program Assessment Based on the New ABET Student Outcomes
Authors: Allahverdi Ali , Alhashemi Jawad S. A. , Sarkar Kanti Ranjan
Published: December 2021

The quality of engineering education has been improved by the accreditation criteria established by credentialing agencies. As a result, the Industrial and Management Systems Engineering program at Kuwait University has been maintaining accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology for over 15 years. Since the assessment process needs to be thorough and simple at the same time, this paper explains how the Industrial and Management Systems Engineering program at Kuwait University designed and implemented an efficient and effective process for the establishment and assessment of the new Student Outcomes required by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. All the seven new Student Outcomes specified by Criterion 3 of the accreditation requirements are shown to be satisfied by using four different assessment tools, two of which are direct and the other two are indirect. All the results have been statistically verified by using hypothesis testing with a significance level of 0.01. The paper presents a simple and practical assessment method which can be used by other engineering programs that are in the process of implementing the new Student Outcomes.
Understanding and Correlating of Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics I and Process Heat Transfer through Integrated Project
Authors: Samsuri Shafirah , Mahadzir Shuhaimi , Wan Osman Wan Nur Aisyah
Published: December 2021

The development of engineering education plays a significant role in creating a competency base for engineering students to be excellent in engineering practice as well as other professional skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership. Project-Based Learning via Integrated Project entitled Heat Recovery from Ammonia Synthesis Reactor for Power Generation was introduced as a new learning approach for First Year First Semester Chemical Engineering student to replace the conventional learning approach via lecture. This integrated project is a hybrid of two core Chemical Engineering subjects for First Year students: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics I and Process Heat Transfer. This integrated project aims to evaluate students' ability to relate two different subjects when learning in the same semester and apply them to the same application. This integrated project is expected to enhance students' learning curve and ensure that the output of this study can be achieved in a consistent effort and timely manner. Assessments in the form of formative (reflection and peer review) and summative (final report) are applied to the students via individual and group. Based on the reflection's analysis, 50% of the students mentioned that the project is very challenging; meanwhile, only 30% agreed that they could relate the project with both subjects even though it is complex and challenging. Despite that, 70% of the students stated that their learning goal is achievable. They were able to view the industrial application, especially the heat exchanger application, through this project. Overall, 90% agreed that they achieved this integrated project's objectives: to relate two different subjects when learning in the same semester and apply them to the same application. Hence, it is noteworthy to highlight that this integrated project is carefully mapped. The new learning approach via Project-Based Learning brought positive outcome towards the students' learning experiences, skills and understanding.
Literature Review on the Factors Affecting Teaching Effectiveness of Undergraduate Engineering Programmes
Authors: Sahudin Shuib
Published: December 2021

A great deal has been written, over the past three decades, on what constitutes effective teaching in higher education. Teaching effectiveness has been a key concern for universities since it pertains to the achievements of skills required for the competitive job market. The current practice of teaching the engineering fundamental non-culminating courses in undergraduate engineering programmes is through traditional teaching methods. This literature review aims to identify the factors that influence teaching effectiveness of undergraduate engineering programmes. The literature reviewed indicates that researchers have identified lecturers’ ability, course characteristics and teaching methods & material as pertinent measurements of Teaching Effectiveness.
Designing an Experiential Learning with Simulations and Games to Improve Education in an Undergraduate Engineering Major
Authors: Zapalska Alina
Published: December 2021

This paper illustrates an experiential learning exercise that is designed to be played in an engineering undergraduate program. The author uses simulation that creates an active and experiential learning environment in which individual teams make decisions based on imperfect information and conflicting goals.  The simulation allows players to control certain aspects of the information flow relevant to the market, to develop relevant business strategies and communication skills, and to establish understanding of ethical values that are relevant to business environment. The simulation was designed to allow engineering students to advance and practice business skills that are essential for engineers to stay successful in an increasingly competitive business environment. The objective is to extract maximum learning from the experience using an experiential learning model. This paper contributes to the literature on designing active learning with the use of games and simulations while utilizing the Kolb experiential learning model.
Design Your Experiment (DYE) – Project based learning in Fluid Mechanics Laboratory
Authors: Shah Jay , Thareja Prachi
Published: December 2021

There is a need to implement an active and student-centered learning experience in the universities, which could help students expand their vision and better understand its application and concepts outside the classroom learning.  This article discusses an approach of Design your experiment (DYE) project in the Fluid Mechanics laboratory to make the course more interesting for the students.  We discuss various components involved in the DYE project and its learning outcomes.  The student survey shows that the DYE helps the students to enhance their fundamentals, improve their communication, leadership and team management skills.
Assessment on Learning Management Systems for Open and Distance Learning of Engineering Courses
Authors: Alam Muhd Nazrul Hisham , Othman Raudhah , Mohd Yunos Siti Nur Mariani
Published: December 2021

Engineering education in higher learning institute faces new challenges due to the rise of COVID-19 cases whereby classes have to be conducted online. In this regards, the use of learning management systems (LMS) are imperative for open and distance learning (ODL). The aim of this paper is to assess ODL using such LMS platform. Study was conducted in Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia where it involved a total of 51 academic staff. A quantitative method using online questionnaire was applied to evaluate main preferences of LMS for ODL, main purposes of LMS and issues arises from using such LMS platform. Results show that a variety of LMS has been utilized to support the ODL and majority of the academician showed positive feedback on the usefulness of such LMS. The only main concerns from the educators are plagiarism from the students that could create doubts and none trustworthy results on their performances. Otherwise, LMS is indeed an essential platform for ODL and must be encouraged to all educators such that it can be further improved and continuously utilized in the future.
Seeing With New Eyes: My Professional Development Expedition as an Engineer
Authors: Zakaria Ir. Dr. Zaki Yamani
Published: December 2021

Decision to be an engineer can be affected by hundreds of reasons. After a person successfully becomes an engineer, the next challenge is to pursue with engineering professional development, which is another context in the continuous learning process. I look through the lens of narrative inquiry and self-study to revisit my experiences in various professional developments such as research, design, communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving and others. Looking back more than three decades ago, I discovered the important turning point where I decided to be a chemical engineer. It was from that point of time; I gradually develop my engineering identity which is very crucial to the establishment of an indispensable engineer mind-set and character. Formal and informal education before, during and after university era combined as a meaningful chemical engineering roller coaster expedition. The excitement of learning new knowledge and gaining unique experience everyday resulted to the build-up of a matured chemical engineer. After a while, the process gracefully transformed from personally gaining to the integration of continuous learning and sharing, to benefit likeminded chemical engineering community. By showing this personal journey, I hope to enlighten the progression of professional development of an engineer.
$$A=4-7$$ $$\varXi $$ hypernuclei based on interactions from chiral effective field theory
Authors: Le Hoai , Haidenbauer Johann , Meißner Ulf-G. , Nogga Andreas
Published: December 2021

We investigate the existence of bound $$\varXi $$
Ξ
states in systems with $$A=4-7$$

A
=
4
-
7

baryons using the Jacobi NCSM approach in combination with chiral NN and $$\varXi $$
Ξ
N interactions. We find three shallow bound states for the NNN$$\varXi $$
Ξ
system (with $$(J^\pi ,T)=(1^+,0)$$

(

J
π

,
T
)

=

(

1
+

,
0
)

, $$(0^+,1)$$

(

0
+

,
1
)

and $$(1^+,1)$$

(

1
+

,
1
)

) with quite similar binding energies. The $$^5_{\varXi }\mathrm {H}(\frac{1}{2}^+,\frac{1}{2})$$

Ξ
5

H

(

1
2

+

,

1
2

)

and $$^7_{\varXi }\mathrm {H}(\frac{1}{2}^+,\frac{3}{2})$$

Ξ
7

H

(

1
2

+

,

3
2

)

hypernuclei are also clearly bound with respect to the thresholds $$^4\mathrm {He} + \varXi $$

4

He
+
Ξ

and $$^6\mathrm {He} +\varXi $$

6

He
+
Ξ

, respectively. The binding of all these $$\varXi $$
Ξ
systems is predominantly due to the attraction of the chiral $$\varXi $$
Ξ
N potential in the $$^{33}S_1$$

33

S
1

channel. A perturbative estimation suggests that the decay widths of all the observed states could be rather small.
Holographic colour superconductors at finite coupling with NJL Interactions
Authors: Fadafan Kazem Bitaghsir , Rojas Jesús Cruz
Published: December 2021

We study a bottom-up holographic description of the QCD colour superconducting phase in the presence of higher derivative corrections. We expand this holographic model in the context of Gauss–Bonnet (GB) gravity. The Cooper pair condensate has been investigated in the deconfinement phase for different values of the GB coupling parameter $$\lambda _{G B}$$

λ

GB

, we observe a change in the value of the critical chemical potential $$\mu _c$$

μ
c

in comparison to Einstein gravity. We find that $$\mu _c$$

μ
c

grows as $$\lambda _{G B}$$

λ

GB

increases. We add four fermion interactions and show that in the presence of these corrections the main interesting features of the model are still present and that the intrinsic attractive interaction can not be switched off. This study suggests to find GB corrections to equation of state of holographic QCD matter.
Efficient sampling of constrained high-dimensional theoretical spaces with machine learning
Authors: Hollingsworth Jacob , Ratz Michael , Tanedo Philip , Whiteson Daniel
Published: December 2021

Models of physics beyond the Standard Model often contain a large number of parameters. These form a high-dimensional space that is computationally intractable to fully explore. Experimental results project onto a subspace of parameters that are consistent with those observations, but mapping these constraints to the underlying parameters is also typically intractable. Instead, physicists often resort to scanning small subsets of the full parameter space and testing for experimental consistency. We propose an alternative approach that uses generative models to significantly improve the computational efficiency of sampling high-dimensional parameter spaces. To demonstrate this, we sample the constrained and phenomenological Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Models subject to the requirement that the sampled points are consistent with the measured Higgs boson mass. Our method achieves orders of magnitude improvements in sampling efficiency compared to a brute force search.
Kinematics of the Milky Way Thick disk in solar neighborhood
Authors: Vieira K. , Korchagin V. , Lutsenko A.
Published: December 2021

Using GAIA EDR3 catalog, we present the detailed analysis of the two-component Milky Way stellar disk in the solar neighborhood. To determine the kinematical properties of the thin and of the Thick disks, we select the complete sample of about 278,000 evolved red giant branch (RGB) stars distributed in the cylinder of 1 kpc radius and 0.5 kpc height centered at the Sun. We measured the following mean velocities and dispersions for the thin and the Thick disks, respectively: [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text]. Errors in mean velocities and dispersions are all less than 1[Formula: see text]km s[Formula: see text]. Same values were computed on much smaller subsamples of our Gaia data with RAVE DR5 [Fe/H] values, from which a metallicity selection was added. Results are basically the same. We find that up to 500 pc height above/below the galactic plane, Thick disk stars comprise about half the stars of the disk. We also find evidence of a substructure in [Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text] in the thick disk population mostly that would give support to the accretion scenario for the formation of the thick disk.
Experimental Study on Cracking Behaviour and Strength Properties of an Expansive Soil under Cyclic Wetting and Drying
Authors: Li Tao , He Yanqing , Liu Guokun , Li Binru , Hou Rui
Published: December 2021

Expansive soil is characterized by its unique structural morphology and drastic volume change. With infrastructure increasingly constructed in expansive soil areas, engineering problems caused by the properties of expansive soils have attracted more attention. Cyclic wetting‐drying and shear testing were accordingly conducted on an expansive soil from Chengdu area in China. Crack development and shear strength change were analyzed using the Mohr–Coulomb equation for shear strength by fitting the experimental data. The results show the following: (1) With the increase in wetting‐drying cycles, the crack ratio increases, the shear strength decreases, and the shear strength parameters gradually decrease at the same rate of change. The applied vertical load reduces the weakening effect of the wetting‐drying cycles on the soil structure and strength by restraining the expansion and contraction deformation. (2) By analyzing the number of wetting‐drying cycles and the crack images, the crack development (length, direction, etc.) of the expansive soil can be predicted and described. (3) There is a specific linear correlation between the crack ratio and strength that approached a limit value with ongoing wetting‐drying cycles. The strength of the expansive soil can therefore be obtained based on crack development, improving the ability of designers to account for the behaviour of expansive soils.
[Retracted] Implementation of TQM and the Integration of BIM in the Construction Management Sector in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Abazid Mohammad , Gökçekuş Hüseyin , Çelik Tahir
Published: December 2021

Total Quality Management (TQM) is based on the conceptions of managing and enhancing the success of construction projects. When applied, TQM improves execution of time management of project, satisfies clients’ needs, minimizes the expenses and increases the profit of contractor, and fulfils safety regulations on the construction site. This research is aimed at evaluating the impacts of employing the concepts of TQM to the construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The results of the study were obtained through utilization of a descriptive analytical approach, where 300 questionnaires were distributed to engineering firms and companies with a response rate of 200 questionnaires, hence achieving the study sample for this research. The data gathered was analyzed by applying the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) program and calculating the relative importance index (RII) and the mean values. From the research conducted, the outcomes showed that the management’s ability to commit using TQM while applying BIM obtained a relative importance of (0.717), while the relative importance for the management’s ability to commit using TQM without the application of BIM is (0.552). The results showed that construction projects in Saudi Arabia still sustain setbacks from applying TQM concepts and suffer from the lack of administrative, scientific, and technical applications.
Formation Mechanism and Stability Analysis of the Hejia Landslide
Authors: Zhang Hao , Hu Zaiqiang , Chen Xingzhou , Li Hongru
Published: December 2021

The existing research data show that, after reservoir impoundment, due to the repeated rise and fall of water level and water‐rock interaction, the mechanical parameters of landslide are reduced, which will have an adverse effect on the stability of landslide. Therefore, sufficient attention must be paid to the stability of slope after reservoir impoundment. Hejia landslide is the largest landslide near the bank of Miaojiaba hydropower station, and its stability plays an important role in the normal operation of the hydropower station. Through field investigation and analysis of regional geological conditions, it is concluded that Hejia landslide is a large‐scale landslide, through long‐term sliding‐bending deformation; it is generated from the external hard rock with thick layers and sliding zone for layered soft rock; the formation mechanism of landslide is as follows: (1) high‐steep and hard‐soft layered slope is the slope structure condition that caused the large landslide; (2) the existence of thick soft rock belt provides material conditions for the formation of slip surface; (3) certain air conditions provide displacement space for the separation and disintegration of the sliding body, and the landslide is stable at present. Numerical analysis results show that reservoir impoundment will adversely affect the stability of landslide. In order to ensure the normal operation of power station, certain engineering measures must be taken to treat Hejia landslide. After taking measures, years of monitoring data show that the deformation of Hejia landslide tends to be stable, and the current operation is normal, indicating that the engineering treatment measures are reasonable and feasible.
Research on the Teaching Model of Animation Professional Class Based on AR/VR Technology and 5G Network
Authors: Fu Lixin
Published: December 2021

The use of emerging technologies is becoming more common in today’s world, and as media integration deepens, so does the use of virtual reality technology. As an emerging science and technology, VR/AR technology plays a critical role in society’s development and progress, and its application in current education and teaching has become an indispensable link. The production of high‐quality animation professionals is the society’s and the animation industry’s urgent need for talent, the precondition for the prosperity of cultural and creative industries, and the foundation of national soft power. To bring more technical changes to education and provide theoretical support for the realization of human‐computer interaction technology, this paper mainly elaborates on the concept and application fields of VR/AR technology and discusses the specific applications of VR/AR technology according to its different educational stages. The main point of the presentation is to demonstrate how, in the era of 5G networks, large bandwidth, ultralow latency, massive connectivity, and ultrahigh reliability provide a strong network foundation for widespread VR/AR application. We will investigate the paucity of teaching methods, teaching modes, and teaching platforms as a result of the application of 5G‐based VR/AR technology in the teaching field of animation majors, as well as the design of teaching methods, teaching modes, and experimental training platforms based on 5G‐based VR/AR technology in animation majors in conjunction with the training plan of engineering students at our university. We will delve deeper into the integration of VR/AR technology and higher education teaching, laying the groundwork for “AI+” education. VR/AR technology can be used in the classroom to present information to students in a more three‐dimensional and intuitive way, which not only increases student interest in learning but also improves the learning experience and cultivates core literacy.
Transboundary Water Resources Conflict Analysis Using Graph Model for Conflict Resolution: A Case Study—Harirud River
Authors: Amini Abdulsalam , Jafari Hamidreza , Malekmohammadi Bahram , Nasrabadi Touraj
Published: December 2021

One of the most important environmental issues today is the water crisis and the ensuing security challenges. Of these, transboundary waters pose the most significant security challenges. Resolving these conflicts and agreements over transboundary waters has always faced a variety of challenges, making it difficult to reach a mutually agreed solution. One of the transboundary water conflicts that have been exacerbating in recent years is the conflict between Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan over the use of the Harirud river water resources. The present paper aims to analyze, using the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR), a game theory model, the conflict between the three countries regarding the utilization of the water resources of the border river, Harirud. To this purpose, first, the current state of the conflict was investigated. Then, each of the three countries’ possible options and preferences was defined according to the past and present state of the conflict as well as the possible states. By defining the permissible movements and priorities of each decision maker, the equilibrium of the conflict was obtained. Next, four scenarios were defined, the equilibria were extracted in each scenario, and the results were interpreted. The implementation of the GMCR model algorithm regarding the Harirud water conflict between the three countries indicated that the current state is the most likely outcome of the conflict as none of the parties involved, given their preferences, and is motivated or able to change their strategy to help the conflict to a more favorable state.
Tabu Search Algorithm Based on Lower Bound and Exact Algorithm Solutions for Minimizing the Makespan in Non-Identical Parallel Machines Scheduling
Authors: Noman Mohammed A. , Alatefi Moath , Al-Ahmari Abdulrahman M. , Ali Tamer
Published: December 2021

Recently, several heuristics have been interested in scheduling problems, especially those that are difficult to solve via traditional methods, and these are called NP-hard problems. As a result, many methods have been proposed to solve the difficult scheduling problems; among those, effective methods are the tabu search algorithm (TS), which is characterized by its high ability to adapt to problems of the large size scale and ease of implementation and gives solution closest to the optimum, but even though those difficult problems are common in many industries, there are only a few numbers of previous studies interested in the scheduling of jobs on unrelated parallel machines. In this paper, a developed TS algorithm based on lower bound (LB) and exact algorithm (EA) solutions is proposed with the objective of minimizing the total completion time (makespan) of jobs on nonidentical parallel machines. The given solution via EA was suggested to enhance and assess the solution obtained from TS. Moreover, the LB algorithm was developed to evaluate the quality of the solution that is supposed to be obtained by the developed TS algorithm and, in addition, to reduce the period for searching for the optimal solution. Two numerical examples from previous studies from the literature have been solved using the developed TS algorithm. Findings show that the developed TS algorithm proved its superiority and speed in giving it the best solution compared to those solutions previously obtained from the literature.
Eligibility of Dapagliflozin and Empagliflozin in a Real-World Heart Failure Population
Authors: Håkansson Erik , Norberg Helena , Själander Sara , Lindmark Krister
Published: December 2021

Aims. This study is aimed at investigating the eligibility in a real-world heart failure population for the DAPA-HF (testing dapagliflozin) and EMPEROR-reduced (testing empagliflozin) trials, comparing the eligible real-world patients to trial participants and to characterize the noneligible patients. Methods. Medical records of all heart failure patients who had a diagnosis of heart failure from the Heart Centre or Department of Internal Medicine at Umeå University Hospital were reviewed. Results. 2433 of the hospital’s uptake population of 150 000 had a diagnosis of heart failure. 681 patients had

left
 
ventricle
 
ejection
 
fraction
≤
40
%

, and of these 352 (52%) and 268 (39%) patients met eligibility criteria for DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-reduced, respectively. Comparing eligible patients in our population with the DAPA-HF- and EMPEROR-reduced trial populations, we found that eligible real-world patients were older (79.0 vs. 66.2 years and 80.3 vs. 67.2 years, respectively), had worse renal function (eGFR 54.4 vs. 66.0 ml/min/1.73m2 and 49.5 vs. 61.8 ml/min/1.73m2, respectively), higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (56.0% vs. 36.1% and 53.0% vs. 35.6%, respectively), and lower prevalence of diabetes mellitus (21.0% vs. 41.8% and 26.1% vs. 49.8%, respectively). The main reasons for ineligibility were low NT-proBNP or low eGFR. Noneligible patients differed according to reason for ineligibility, where patients with low NT-proBNP were generally younger and healthier, and patients with low eGFR were older and had more comorbidities. Conclusions. 39-52% of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction in this real-world heart failure population were eligible for SGLT2-inhibitor treatment, corresponding to 11-14% of all heart failure patients. Compared to trial participants, eligible real-world patients were significantly older with worse renal function, more atrial fibrillation, and less diabetes mellitus. Trial entry criteria exclude comparatively young and healthy patients, as well as comparatively old patients with more comorbid conditions.
Research on a Dynamic Evaluation of Financial Risks of Intellectual Property Pledge Financing of High-Tech Enterprises
Authors: Ge Xiangyu , Jin Ying , Li Qing , Yao Xiaofang , Liu Shican
Published: December 2021

Intellectual property pledge financing is effective in alleviating the financing problems of scientific and technological enterprises to a certain extent. However, compared with traditional loans, intellectual property pledge financing is at greater risk with an eye to the particularity of intellectual property pledges. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate the risk of intellectual property pledge financing. This article first outlines the information entropy method, functionalizing indicator data and weight data, and applies the combination of the weight function and indicator function in dynamic evaluation function, to get the final evaluation result. Second, taking four high-tech listed companies on the growth enterprises market (GEM) as example, an evaluation indicator system has been constructed with 16 relevant financial indicators from 2015 to 2019. Then, based on the dynamic function method, we can construct the evaluation function to describe the change trend of the financial indicators of enterprises with a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the financial indicators of enterprises. Finally, this article has made a comprehensively comparative analysis on the dynamic evaluation, and the financial risk of intellectual property pledge financing of high-tech enterprises has been done with the combination of the dynamic evaluation curve with the optimal time weight determined by the maximum entropy method.
Analysis of the Fractional-Order Kaup–Kupershmidt Equation via Novel Transforms
Authors: Iqbal Naveed , Yasmin Humaira , Rezaiguia Ali , Kafle Jeevan , Almatroud A. Othman , Hassan Taher S.
Published: December 2021

In this article, we develop a technique to determine the analytical result of some Kaup–Kupershmidt equations with the aid of a modified technique called the new iteration transform method. This technique is a mixture of the novel integral transformation Elzaki transformation and the new iteration technique. The nonlinear term can be handled easily by a new iteration technique. The results show that the combination of the Elzaki transformation and the new iteration technique is quite capable and basically well suited for applying in such problems and that it can be implemented to other nonlinear models. This technique is viewed as an effective alternative approach to certain existing approaches for such accurate models.
Pythagorean Nanogeneralized Closed Sets with Application in Decision-Making
Authors: Ajay D. , Charisma J. Joseline , Petaratip T. , Hammachukiattikul P. , Boonsatit N. , Younis Jihad A. , Rajchakit G.
Published: December 2021

Topology is studying the objects which are considered to be equal if they may also be continually deformed through other shapes as bending and twisting without tearing or glueing them. Topology is similar in geometrical structures and quantitatively equivalent. Nanotopology is the study of set. The main goal of this article is to propose the idea of generalized closed sets in Pythagorean nanotopological spaces. In addition, the concept of semigeneralized closed sets is also defined, and their properties are investigated. An application to MADM using Pythagorean nanotopology has been proposed and illustrated using a numerical example.
Preparation of TiO2 Nanotube Array on the Pure Titanium Surface by Anodization Method and Its Hydrophilicity
Authors: Lin Jianguo , Cai Wenhao , Peng Qing , Meng Fanbin , Zhang Dechuang
Published: December 2021

In this work, a highly ordered TiO2 nanotube array on pure titanium (Ti) was prepared by anodization. The effects of the applied voltage and anodization time on the microstructure of the TiO2 nanotube arrays were investigated, and their hydrophilicity was evaluated by the water contact angle measurement. It was found that a highly ordered array of TiO2 nanotubes can be formed on the surface of pure Ti by anodized under the applied voltage of 20 V and the anodization time in the range of 6-12 h, and the nanotube diameter and length can be regulated by anodization time. The as-prepared TiO2 nanotubes were in an amorphous structure. After annealing at 550°C for 3 h, the amorphous TiO2 can be transformed to the anatase TiO2 through crystallization. The anatase TiO2 array exhibited a greatly improved hydrophilicity, depending on the order degree of the array and the diameter of the nanotubes. The sample anodized at 20 V for 12 h and then annealed at 550°C for 3 h exhibited a superhydrophilicity due to its highly ordered anatase TiO2 nanotube array with a tube diameter of 103.5 nm.
Usability Barriers for Elderly Users in Smartphone App Usage: An Analytical Hierarchical Process-Based Prioritization
Authors: Awan Mujtaba , Ali Sikandar , Ali Mushtaq , Abrar Muhammad Faisal , Ullah Hamid , Khan Dawar
Published: December 2021

With the latest technology, smartphone's profound impact may be valuable for the users in different age groups, but the elders always face difficulties while adopting the technology. The usability of a smartphone application is essential when the target audience is elderly users, as the designer did not satisfy the specific requirements. The importance of smartphone application and the issues that the elders are facing in using smartphones have motivated us to provide a list of barriers that could negatively impact the usability of smartphone applications in elderly people. This research focused on identifying the barriers that affect the usability of smartphones, especially among elders. A systematic literature review (SLR) was used to identify and validate the barriers. After that, we apply the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) on identified barriers of all barriers’ groups to find out their relative importance. A total of fifteen barriers were identified through the SLR approach, and the barriers were then classified and assigned to one of the five categories. It is expected that the barriers that have been recognized will help the designers of smartphone applications in the early stages of designing applications. The result of the study will help in dealing with the issues related to the elder community and will make the designers develop smartphone applications accordingly.
[Retracted] Styrylchromones: Biological Activities and Structure‐Activity Relationship
Authors: Lucas Mariana , Freitas Marisa , Silva Artur M. S. , Fernandes Eduarda , Ribeiro Daniela
Published: December 2021

Styrylchromones (SC) are a group of oxygen‐containing heterocyclic compounds, which are characterized by the attachment of a styryl group to the chromone core. SC can be found in nature or can be chemically synthesized in the laboratory. As their presence in nature is scarce, the synthetic origin is the most common. Two types of SC are known: 2‐styrylchromones and 3‐styrylchromones. However, 2‐styrylchromones are the most common, being more commonly found in nature and which chemical synthesis is more commonly described. A wide variety of SC has been described in the literature, with different substituents in different positions, the majority of which are distributed on the A‐ and/or B‐rings. Over the years, several biological activities have been attributed to SC. This work presents a comprehensive review of the biological activities attributed to SC and their structure‐activity relationship, based on a published literature search, since 1989. The following biological activities are thoroughly revised and discussed in this review: antioxidant, antiallergic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anti‐inflammatory, and antitumoral, affinity and selectivity for A3 adenosine receptors, neuroprotective, and α‐glucosidase inhibition. In general, SC are composed by a promising scaffold with great potential for the development of new drugs.
CGRP Regulates Nucleus Pulposus Cell Apoptosis and Inflammation via the MAPK/NF‐κB Signaling Pathways during Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Authors: Sun Kaiqiang , Zhu Jian , Yan Chen , Li Fudong , Kong Fanqi , Sun Jingchuan , Sun Xiaofei , Shi Jiangang , Wang Yuan
Published: December 2021

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) has been proved to be the dominating cause of disability in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases. Of the various etiological factors, intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) has been the dominating cause. In the past few decades, the role and changes of nerve systems, especially the peripheral sensory fibers and their neurotransmitters, in the induction and progression of IVDD have attracted growing concerns. The expression of many neuropeptides, such as SP, NPY, and CGRP, in the nociceptive pathways is increased during the progression of IVDD and responsible for the discogenic pain. Here, the role of CGRP in the progression of IVDD was firstly investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, we confirmed that human degenerated intervertebral disc tissue exhibited elevated expression of CGRP and its receptor. Secondly, in vitro experiments suggested that CGRP could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis in human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, as well as promote inflammation and degenerated phenotypes through activating NF‐κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Thirdly, CGRP receptor antagonist, Rimegepant, can ameliorate the adverse effects of CGRP imposed on NP cells, which were confirmed in vitro and in vivo. Our results will bring about a brand‐new insight into the roles of neuromodulation in IVDD and related therapeutic attempts.
Production Efficiency Prediction of Pig Breeding Industry by Optimized LSTM Computer Algorithm under Environmental Regulation
Authors: Jia Yunfei , Zhang Zhaohui , He Zejun , Zhu Panpan , Zhang Yibei , Sun Tianhua
Published: December 2021

The study aims to improve the economic income of pig breeding industry under environmental regulation and control the environmental pollution caused by pig breeding. Long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network combined with environmental regulation is proposed to forecast the price of live pigs, to reduce the cost of environmental pollution control and improve the production efficiency of pig breeding. Primarily, analyses are made on the industrial structure and pollution of pigs in China, and studies are carried out on the inevitability of large-scale and intensive pig breeding. Then, pig breeding and environmental pollution are coordinated under the environmental regulation. From the perspective of green total factor productivity, calculation is made on the profit of pig breeding and the cost of environmental pollution control. Next, the LSTM neural network is used to predict the price of live pigs, thus effectively controlling the scale of pig breeding and making timely decisions that conform to market rules. The results show that with the increase of feed and land prices, the advantages of large-scale pig breeding gradually become prominent, which leads to the small- and medium-sized scale farmers withdrawing from the market. Compared with other similar models, the designed model can better simulate the future trend of hog price, of which the prediction accuracy is over 80%. When combined with environmental regulations, the prediction accuracy of the model for different data sets reaches 83%, so the designed model can better predict the changing trend of the price of live pigs, thus improving the production efficiency of large-scale pig farmers.
Parameter Calibration on Replacement Manipulator for UHV Valve-Side Bushing Based on Spinor Theory
Authors: Zhang Yanghua , Xiao Aiping , Wu Ailing , Yue Hongqiang , Du Xiaopeng
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a structure design scheme of intelligent replacement device for the ultrahigh voltage (UHV) converter transformer valve-side bushing is put forward, and its size is determined according to the actual size of domestic converter station valve hall and UHV converter transformer valve-side bushing. Moreover, the weak links in its working state are analyzed by finite element method to ensure the safety and reliability of the structure. Based on the spinor theory, the forward kinematics and Jacobian matrix model of the manipulator are established, and the analytical solution of inverse kinematics is derived. In order to analyze the accuracy of the intelligent replacement manipulator for the UHV converter transformer valve-side bushing, considering that the end actuator of the robot arm is under heavy load, the absolute positioning accuracy and repeated positioning accuracy are analyzed. In addition, the corresponding error model is established, the least square method is proposed to identify the error model, and the influence of the error caused by the load on the repetition accuracy is analyzed. Finally, the whole process simulation in ROS provides data support for the calculation of repetitive precision and verifies the feasibility of the intelligent replacement device for the UHV converter valve-side bushing.