bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Point-of-sale cigarette pricing strategies and young adult smokers’ intention to purchase cigarettes: an online experiment
Authors: Choi Kelvin , Kreuger Kurt , McNeel Timothy S , Osgood Nathaniel
Published: February 2021

Background

Point-of-sale tobacco marketing has been shown to be related to tobacco use behaviours; however, specific influences of cigarette price discounts, price tiers and pack/carton availability on cigarette purchasing intention are less understood by the tobacco control community.

Methods

We conducted discrete choice experiments among an online sample of US young adult smokers (aged 18–30 years; n=1823). Participants were presented scenarios depicting their presence at a tobacco retail outlet with varying availability of cigarette price discounts, price tiers and pack/carton. At each scenario, participants were asked whether they would purchase cigarettes. Generalised linear regression models were used to examine the associations between of cigarette price discounts, price tiers and pack/carton with intention to purchase cigarettes overall and stratified by educational attainment.

Results

Participants chose to purchase cigarettes in 70.9% of the scenarios. Offering price discounts were associated with higher odds of choosing to purchase cigarettes. Reducing the number of cigarette price tiers available in the store was associated with lower odds of choosing to purchase cigarettes. Stratified analysis showed that offering discounts on high-tier cigarette packs increased odds of choosing to purchase cigarettes among young adult smokers with at least some college education, while offering discounts on medium-tier cigarette packs increased odds of choosing to purchase cigarettes among those with some college education or less (eg, with a 10% discount, adjusted odds ratio [AOR]some college=1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21 to 2.16; AOR≤high school=1.44, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.93).

Conclusions

Availability of cigarette price discounts, price tiers and pack/carton could potentially influence cigarette purchasing behaviours among young adult smokers. Regulating these marketing strategies may, therefore, reduce education-related smoking disparities.
Measuring the illicit cigarette market in the absence of pack security features: a case study of South Africa
Authors: Vellios Nicole , van Walbeek Corné , Ross Hana
Published: February 2021

There are several ways to measure the illicit cigarette market. In South Africa, different methods were used to triangulate results. The aim of this paper is to assist researchers to decide which method is most suitable to their context, especially for countries that do not have security features on cigarette packs (eg, tax stamps). We analysed the methods and results from three published articles that used various approaches to measure cigarette illicit trade in South Africa: (1) gap analysis, (2) price threshold method using secondary data from a national survey, and (3) price threshold method using primary data collected in low socioeconomic areas. We provide methodological insights and background information. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The method chosen by researchers will depend on data availability, the existence or absence of security features on cigarette packs and funding. Researchers investigating illicit trade should use more than one method to increase confidence in the obtained results.
Stepwise uncertainty reduction in time-lapse seismic interpretation using multi-attribute analysis
Authors: Maleki Masoud , Danaei Shahram , Mesquita da Silva Felipe Bruno , Davolio Alessandra , Schiozer Denis José
Published: February 2021

Recently, time-lapse seismic (4D seismic) has been steadily used to demonstrate the relation between field depletion and 4D seismic response, and, subsequently, to provide more efficient field management. A key component of reservoir monitoring is the knowledge of fluid movement and pressure variation. This information is vital in assisting infill drilling and as a reliable source of data to update reservoir models, and, consequently, in helping to improve model-based reservoir management and decision-making processes. However, in practice, varying levels of uncertainty are inherent in the 4D seismic interpretation of reservoirs that uses a multipart production regime. The complex nature of some 4D seismic signals emphasizes the role of the competing effects of geology, rock and fluid interactions. Hence, a reliable 4D interpretation requires an interdisciplinary approach that entails data analysis and insights from geophysics, engineering and geology. In this study, a stepwise workflow was introduced to reduce the uncertainties in the 4D seismic interpretation and to identify the improvements required in order to perform better reservoir surveillance. In parallel, the workflow demonstrates the use of engineering data analysis in conducting a consistent interpretation, and encompasses the 3D and 4D seismic attributes with engineering data analysis. This study was carried out in a Brazilian heavy-oil offshore field where production started in 2013. The field experienced intense production activity up to 2016, making the deep-water field an ideal candidate to explore the challenges in interpreting complex 4D signals. Beyond these challenges, a significant understanding of reservoir behaviour is obtained and improvements to the reservoir simulation model are suggested that could assist reservoir engineers with data assimilation applications.
Palaeogeographical homogeneity of trace-fossil assemblages in Lower Jurassic spotted marls and limestones: comparison of the Western Carpathians and the Betic Cordillera
Authors: Šimo Vladimír , Reolid Matías
Published: February 2021

Micritic sediments containing dark, discrete, organic-rich burrows, situated in a light grey background carbonate mud, were deposited over a broad geographical area in deep-shelf, bathyal and basinal environments in the western margin of the Tethys Ocean during the Early and Middle Jurassic. These hemipelagic deposits represent a distinct depositional regime marked by low-energy, soft-bottom and only locally dysoxic environments. Still, it is unclear whether the trace-fossil assemblages occurring in these deposits pertain to a network of several community types – the ichnotaxa differing from basin to basin – or to a single community of environmentally broad-ranging, burrow-producing species. Lower Jurassic trace-fossil assemblages are found in the Western Carpathians and in the Subbetic, Betic Cordillera: that is, in basins separated by more than 2000 km in their original palaeogeographical areas. The stereotypical
Chondrites
and
Zoophycos
trace-fossil assemblages that occur in the analysed deposits share two ichnogenera of distinctive morphology (
Lamellaeichnus
and
Teichichnus
). Agglutinated foraminifera
Bathysiphon
occurs together with the described trace-fossil assemblage and determines the epibenthic palaeoenvironmental conditions. In the Western Carpathians, a
Lamellaeichnus
-dominated assemblage alternates with a
Zoophycos
-dominated assemblage in small, metre-scale cycles in the upper Pliensbachian, and the proportion of the
Zoophycos
assemblage increases stratigraphically upwards, probably owing to reduced basin ventilation during the early Toarcian. Within the southern Iberian palaeomargin, represented by the Betic Cordillera,
Zoophycos
is scarce in the facies.
Operando Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction Studies on TiS2: The Effect of Propylene Carbonate on Reduction Mechanism
Authors: Houdeville Raphaëlle G. , Black Ashley P. , Ponrouch Alexandre , Palacín M. Rosa , Fauth François
Published: February 2021

We present herein a systematic study of solvent co-intercalation during electrochemical reduction of titanium disulfide in lithium cells using state of the art in situ cells and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. To understand the role of the electrolyte components, four salts (LiBF4, LiBOB, LiPF6 and LiTFSI) and three solvents (ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate) were investigated. Various types of in situ cells were assembled and X-ray diffraction patterns were collected in operando upon cycling. Co-intercalated phase formation was found to be triggered by the presence of propylene carbonate and to be electrochemically driven. This co-intercalated phase is formed in the early stages of reduction, with cell parameters a = 3.514 Å, c = 17.931 Å, corresponding approximately to a tripling of the pristine TiS2 cell along the c-axis. This phase does not seem to evolve upon further oxidation and hence induces an overall loss of capacity. Whereas the nature of the anion does not appear to influence the co-intercalated phase formation, the content of propylene carbonate in the electrolyte is clearly correlated to both its amount and the extent of capacity loss.
High Performance Iron Electrodes with Metal Sulfide Additives
Authors: Mitra D. , Rajan A. Sundar , Irshad Ahamed , Narayanan S. R.
Published: February 2021

Iron-based alkaline rechargeable batteries are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage applications owing to their low cost, robustness and environmental-friendliness. However, the widespread deployment of iron-based batteries has been limited by the low charging efficiency and poor discharge rate capability of the iron electrode. Our previous efforts on iron electrodes based on carbonyl iron powder and iron (II) sulfide have shown promise in overcoming these limitations. With the goal of understanding the role of sulfide additives, in this study, we have compared the performance of iron electrodes with iron (II) sulfide, iron (II) disulfide, copper (I) sulfide and zinc sulfide. The electrode containing zinc sulfide outperformed all other electrodes with a remarkable faradaic efficiency of 95% at C/2 rate and a specific discharge capacity close to 0.24 Ah g−1 at 1 C rate. The electrode did not lose any capacity for 750 cycles of repeated deep discharge at C/2 charge and discharge rates. Further, these electrodes could be cycled at 55 degrees Celsius with no noticeable change in performance. We attributed the excellent performance of zinc sulfide containing electrode to the low solubility of zinc sulfide in the electrolyte and the stability of zinc sulfide towards electro-reduction under the operating conditions of the iron electrode. These insights indicate that zinc sulfide is a promising additive for designing highly efficient and robust iron electrodes for alkaline nickel-iron and iron-air batteries.
A Convenient Method for Synthesis of Fe3O4/FeS2 as High-Performance Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction and Zinc-Air Batteries
Authors: Zhang Peng , Xie Shilei , Lin Jiajin , Luo Caishun , Zhang Min , Cheng Faliang , Cui Lifeng , Wang Yanjie
Published: February 2021

The development of highly efficient and inexpensive electrocatalysts has attracted great attention due to the large demand for renewable energy conversion devices. Magnetite-based electrocatalyst, which is stable in natural environment, has been widely considered as one of the most promising candidates. However, its electrocatalytic performance is still unsatisfactory because it has the characteristics of large resistance and large energy barriers to form intermediate species during water oxidation. In this report, we demonstrate a convenient method to synthesize Fe3O4/FeS2 NP catalyst from MIL-101(Fe) for oxygen evolution reaction and zinc-air batteries. The Fe3O4/FeS2 NP catalyst shows outstanding activity with lower overpotential of 265 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2, which is better than or comparable to the recently reported Fe-based or Co-based catalysts. Systematic research reveals that thus enhancement can be ascribed to the increase of electrochemically active surface areas and the decrease of bonding energy of intermediates. Based on thus novel Fe3O4/FeS2 NP electrodes, the as-prepared zinc-air batteries can achieve specific capacity of around 560 mAh gZn
−1 and impressive cyclic stability. It is believed that these findings would help us to develop high-performance and sustainable electrocatalysts.
A Systematic Electrochemical Investigation of a Dimethylamine Cosolvent-Assisted Nonaqueous Zinc(II) Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide Electrolyte
Authors: Asselin Genevieve M. , Paden Olivia , Qiu Weiqi , Yang Zicheng , Sa Niya
Published: February 2021

The development of the multivalent electrolytes is a critical component to advance polyvalent energy storage technology. In this work, a new and simple nonaqueous zinc electrolyte is developed and investigated where a secondary amine is introduced as a cosolvent. The addition of dimethylamine (DMA) as a cosolvent in THF facilitates the solubilization of Zinc (II) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imde (Zn(TFSI)2) and results in a homogeneous electrolyte with reversible plating of zinc achieved at high coulombic efficiencies. The electrochemical properties of the developed electrolyte and the effects of the cosolvent and salt concentrations are systematically investigated. It was found that increasing the ratio of the cosolvent DMA in THF for a Zn(TFSI)2 electrolyte leads to more facile kinetics, better ion solubilization, and higher ion mobility evidenced by up a significant increase in conductivity as well as the plating/stripping current densities. Increased Zn(TFSI)2 salt concentration in a 2.0 M DMA in THF solvent mixture not only leads to a higher current density and conductivity, but also a higher molar conductivity due to a redissociation mechanism. The findings in this study are relevant and important to further understand and characterize multivalent electrolytes from a simple and effective electrolyte design strategy.
Adsorptive Anodic Stripping Voltammetric Determination of Atropine in Urine Sample
Authors: Torrarit Kamonchanok , Promsuwan Kiattisak , Soleh Asamee , Saisahas Kasrin , Thiagchanya Adul , Phonchai Apichai , Limbut Warakorn
Published: February 2021

Overdose of atropine usually leads to heart failure and death and has long been used as a method of murder. We propose a simple electrochemical approach for atropine sensing using an electrode modified with nafion/polycarboxylate functionalized graphene nanoflakes (Nf/p-GNF/E). The polycarboxylate functionalized graphene nanoflakes were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, and electrochemical techniques. The electrochemical behavior and determination of atropine at the Nf/p-GNF/E were examined using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and adsorptive anodic stripping voltammetry (AdASV). The amount of Nf/p-GNF drop-cast on the electrode, accumulation potential and time, and pH buffer were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the modified electrode showed excellent electrochemical oxidation of atropine with a linear range from 6.0 × 10−6to 1.0 × 10−4mol L−1and a detection limit of 1.9 × 10−6mol L−1. The proposed sensor exhibited excellent repeatability (RSD < 2.8%), reproducibility (RSD < 2.7%), and good resistance to interference from glucose, fructose, dopamine, uric acid, and ascorbic acid. The sensor was applied to determine atropine in urine samples and the results were in good agreement with results from the spectrophotometric analysis.
Dissolution Behaviour of Laves Phase in P92 High Alloy Steel in Alkaline Solutions
Authors: Wu Yunlong , Yuan Sui , Yan Jiayin , Liu Jiajun , Nong Jing , Guo Qi , Xu Jian
Published: February 2021

The Laves phase precipitates in ASTM A335 P92 (P92) steel were found to dissolve in solutions with NaOH concentration higher than 7 mol l−1. Such behaviour was utilized to detect and quantify the precipitates in P92 specimens aged at 650 °C for times from 0 to 5000 h. The amount of precipitates was acquired by potentiodynamically polarizing the sample and integrating the dissolution current over time. The result was compared to that of a traditional SEM observation method, and a good linear correlation was found between the results. The dissolution mechanism was discussed based on the electrochemical behaviour of an artificially synthesized Fe2Mo laves phase specimen, pure Fe, and pure Mo in the strong alkaline solution.
Detecting Intergranular Phases in UNS N07725: Part I. Adapting the Double-Loop Electrochemical Potentiokinetic Reactivation Test
Authors: Hazarabedian Maria Sofia , Lison-Pick Michael , Quadir Md Zakaria , Iannuzzi Mariano
Published: February 2021

Precipitation hardened nickel-based Alloy 725 (UNS N07725) has been proven susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement in oil and gas production. Moreover, current standards cannot differentiate unequivocally between acceptable and affected microstructures, making the development of an appropriate quality control test a priority for the oil and gas industry. Recently, Alloy 725 failures were associated with the precipitation of nanoscale Cr- and Mo-rich phases at grain boundaries (GBs). Since these intergranular precipitates could lead to Cr- and Mo-depletion along the decorated GBs (i.e., sensitization), the double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) test was explored as an alternative approach to detect affected microstructures. Herein, the DL-EPR technique was optimized for Alloy 725 by testing three types of samples with different degrees of sensitization, including a full GB-decorated microstructure that was shown prone to hydrogen embrittlement in oil and gas service. The optimized DL-EPR test conditions were 2 M HCl + 1 M H2SO4 + 10−4 M KSCN aqueous solution at 30 °C with a 1.667 mV s−1 scan rate and a vertex potential of Ecorr + 700 mV. Results were reproducible and consistent with the degree of GB decoration determined using metallographic methods. The test procedure developed herein could lead to the standardization of the DL-EPR method for Alloy 725.
Response of individual airways in vivo to bronchial thermoplasty
Authors: Langton David , Noble Peter B. , Donovan Graham M.
Published: February 2021

CT scanning was used to evaluate the response of individual airways in patients undergoing bronchial thermoplasty. Airways dilated after treatment by 6.4% on average with substantial heterogeneity and a greater response in the most distal airways measured.
Structural Controls of Uranium Mineralization in the Basement of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Benedicto Antonio , Abdelrazek Maher , Ledru Patrick , MacKay Cameron , Kinar Dwayne
Published: February 2021

The occurrence of unconformity-related uranium mineralization requires the combination of three components: fluids with the right composition, geochemical traps with the right agents that produce precipitation, and structural traps with the right geometry. In the Athabasca Basin unconformity-related uranium deposits, while basinal brines are commonly accepted as the principal mineralized fluids and graphite and gases (CH4, CO2, and H2S) are well known as the reductants, only few case studies describing structural traps are published. A number of recent works, including numerical modelling, have improved the understanding of the role of inherited shear zones on fluid flow and the development of uranium deposits at a micro- and regional-scale. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of knowledge about the meso- or deposit-scale structural controls that lead to the present (and potentially predictive) localization of uranium deposits along a given shear zone. The present work examines new structural data from drill holes and deals with (i) the identification of mesoscale structural traps that lead to the formation of the Athabasca unconformity-related uranium deposits hosted within the basement and (ii) with the understanding of the role and mode of reactivation of the inherited shear zones. The Sue deposits (McClean Project), the Tri-Island showing (Martin Lake Project) in the Eastern Athabasca, and the Spitfire prospect (Hook Lake Project) in the Western Athabasca have been selected for a detailed analysis of structures and related uranium mineralization. The structural analysis performed brings new insights about the mesoscale structural controls, the role the inherited ductile fabric had on the mode of brittle reactivation and to trap mineralization, and the tectonic regime to which basement-hosted uranium deposits may be associated in the Athabasca Basin.
Optimum Equilibrium Passenger Flow Control Strategies with Delay Penalty Functions under Oversaturated Condition on Urban Rail Transit
Authors: Yin Yonghao , Li Dewei , Zhao Kai , Yang Ruixia
Published: February 2021

When passengers are oversaturated in the urban rail transit system and a further increase of train frequency is impossible, passenger flow control strategy is an indispensable approach to avoid congestion and ensure safety. To make the best use of train capacity and reduce the passenger waiting time, coordinative flow control is necessary at each station on a line. In most published studies, the equilibrium of passenger distributions among different stations and periods is not considered. As a result, two issues occur making it hard to implement in practical. First, a large number of passengers are held up outside a small number of stations for very long time. Second, there is a large variation of controlled flows for successive time intervals. To alleviate this problem, a single-line equilibrium passenger flow control model is constructed, which minimizes the total passenger delay. By applying different forms of the delay penalty function (constant and linear), flow control strategies such as independent flow control and equilibrium flow control can be reproduced. An improved simulated annealing algorithm is proposed to solve the model. A numerical case is studied to analyze the sensitivity of the functions, and the best parameter relationship in different functions could be confirmed. A real-world case from Batong Line corridor in Beijing subway is used to test the applicability of the model and algorithm, and the result shows that the solution with linear delay penalty functions can not only reduce the total passenger delay but also equilibrate the number of flow control passengers on spatial and temporal.
Laboratory Study on Hydrate Production Using a Slow, Multistage Depressurization Strategy
Authors: Li Yanlong , He Chuqiao , Wu Nengyou , Chen Qiang , Liu Changling , Sun Zhixue , Jin Yurong , Meng Qingguo
Published: February 2021

Optimization of the depressurization pathways plays a crucial role in avoiding potential geohazards while increasing hydrate production efficiency. In this study, methane hydrate was formed in a flexible plastic vessel and then gas production processes were conducted at constant confining pressure and constant confining temperature. The CMG-STARS simulator was applied to match the experimental gas production behavior and to derive the hydrate intrinsic dissociation constant. Secondly, fluid production behavior, pressure-temperature (

P
‐
T

) responses, and hydrate saturation evolution behaviors under different depressurization pathways were analyzed. The results show that integrated gas-water ratio (IGWR) decreases linearly with the increase in depressurizing magnitude in each step, while it rises logarithmically with the increase in the number of steps. Under the same initial average hydrate saturation and the same total pressure-drop magnitude, a slow and multistage depressurization strategy would help to increase the IGWR and avoid severe temperature drop. The pore pressure rebounds logarithmically once the gas production is suspended, and would decrease to the regular level instantaneously once the shut-in operation is ended. We speculate that the shut-in operation could barely affect the IGWR and formation

P
‐
T

response in the long-term level.
The Master‐Curve Band considering Measurement and Modeling Uncertainty for Bituminous Materials
Authors: Liu Quan , Wu Jiantao , Zhou Pengfei , Oeser Markus
Published: February 2021

This paper proposes using the master‐curve band (MCB) to incorporate the unavoidable measurement errors and modeling uncertainty into the bitumen master‐curve construction. In general, the rheological property of bitumen within the linear viscoelastic region is characterized by the master curve of modulus and/or phase angle, provided that the bitumen complies with the time‐temperature superposition principle (TTSP). However, the master‐curve construction is essentially a mathematical fitting process regardless of whether or not the original data is perfect enough to fit. For this reason, the MCB was introduced to consider the uncertainty information instead of a single master curve. Rheological data of four kinds of bitumen including unaged and aged bitumen were used to construct the MCBs. The results indicated that the generalized sigmoidal model showed the widest master‐curve band, followed by Christensen‐Anderson‐Marasteanu (CAM) and CAM (Gg) models. The width of MCB was a useful tool to identify the sensitivity of bitumen to rheological models. The sensitivity of bitumen to rheological models is associated with the number of active parameters in rheological models and model parameters’ confidence intervals. The construction of an MCB was beneficial to select the rheological models. Accordingly, the CAM (Gg) model is proved to be the best to analyze the aging effects.
Learning Effectiveness Assessment between Primary School Students and Adults in Basic Life Support Education
Authors: Wang Ming-Fang , Wu Yi-Kan , Chien Cheng-Yu , Tsai Li-Heng , Chen Chen-Bin , Seak Chen-June , Lin Chi-Chun , Huang Chien-Hsiung , Chaou Chung-Hsien , Tseng Hsiao-Jung , Ng Chip-Jin
Published: February 2021

Background. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a big issue of critical care. It is well known that bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with an automated external defibrillator (AED) used did improve the survival rate. Therefore, CPR education including basic life support (BLS) and AED has been advocated for years. It showed significant improvement of knowledge and willingness to perform CPR through adolescents after the course. However, little is known regarding the ability and learning effectiveness of school students who attend such courses. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the CPR effectiveness of both adolescents (12 years old) and adults who undergo the same course of BLS and AED. Methods. This is a retrospective study. Sixth-grade elementary school students in Northern Taiwan were selected to compare with the adult group. Both took 90 minutes of the BLS and AED course by the doctor with BLS instructor qualification. The primary outcomes were CPR quality and passing or failing the skill examination parameters. The secondary outcome was the posttraining written test and questionnaire of CPR willingness. Results. In the written test, there was a statistical difference in the pretest score except AED knowledge, but no difference was revealed in the posttest score. No statistical difference in CPR quality was noted. In the skill examination, only checking breathing status had statistical difference (elementary group (71%) vs. adult group (86%) (

p
=
0.003

)). Conclusion. We revealed that sixth-grade elementary students’ performance in CPR and AED was similar to that of adults after completing the current 90-minute course. Therefore, we strongly advocate offering CPR and AED courses to 12-year-old children, and these courses should emphasize checking the victim’s breathing status.
A New Experimental Approach for Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Damage of Ultradeep Tight Gas Formation
Authors: Li Hui , Liu Zhiliang , Jia Ninghong , Chen Xu , Yang Jing , Cao Lele , Li Ben
Published: February 2021

The unconventional resources from an ultradeep tight gas reservoir have received significant attention in recent decades. Hydraulic fracturing is the main method for tight gas reservoir development because of its extremely low permeability and porosity. During hydraulic fracturing, high hydraulic fracturing fluid (HFF) that invaded the zone near the fracture face may reduce gas relative permeability significantly and impede gas production. The sources of this damage can be the high capillary pressure (HCP) and the presence of water-sensitive clays (PWC). For tight rock, it is usually infeasible to identify the primary damage mechanism using the traditional steady-state measurement method due to long measurement time and gauge accuracy. In this paper, we present a new experimental approach to identify the primary mechanism of the fracture face damage (FFD) through the application of the pressure transmission method and pressure decay method. Both rock matrix and naturally fractured tight samples (depth 18,000 ft, Tarim field, China) were tested. The experimental results showed that the average high capillary pressure damage indexes (

D

HCP

) of rock matrix cores and naturally fractured cores are 94.9% and 92.4%, respectively, indicating severe damage caused by HCP. The average clay-swelling and mobilization (CSM) damage indexes (

D

CSM

) of rock matrix cores and naturally fractured cores are 29.6% and 38.4%, respectively, indicating that the damage caused by CSM is lighter than that by HCP. HCP is the primary damage mechanism for the tight sandstone. And the damage degree of the rock matrix cores is higher than that of the naturally fractured core. The proposed procedures can be applied to identify the FFD mechanism of other tight and shale formation and provide insightful fundamental data for HFF optimization.
An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Kelala District, South Wollo Zone of Amhara Region, Northeastern Ethiopia
Authors: Assen Yimer , Woldearegay Mesfin , Haile Abeba
Published: February 2021

This research was carried out to record and document the medicinal plants and associated indigenous plant use knowledge of the local people in Kelala District of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Ethnobotanical data were collected by conducting preprepared semistructured interview items with 60 informants. Focus group discussion and guided field walk were also used. Data were analyzed using basic analytical tools and descriptive statistics. Determination of informant consensus factor, fidelity level, and ranking was performed. A total of 82 medicinal plants distributed in 79 genera and 45 families were collected. Of these plants, 43 species were used to treat human ailments, and 33 species were used to treat livestock ailments and the remaining 6 species were used to treat both human and livestock ailments. The majority of medicinal plants were harvested from the wild environments. The family Solanaceae occupied the first rank with seven species followed by Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, Apiaceae, and Euphorbiaceae with four species each. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (42.2%) followed by seeds (15.2%), roots (8.1%), and fruits (7.6%). Freshly harvested plant parts (72.68%) were mostly used for remedy preparation compared to dried forms (24.74%) whereas crushing, which accounted for 41.12%, and powdering (24.37%) were the most widely used methods of remedy preparation in the study area. Expansion of farmlands by cutting trees heavily threatens medicinal plants and therefore needs due attention. High ranking medicinal plants are good candidates for further research in drug discovery and development.
Electrical Treeing and Partial Discharge Characteristics of Epoxy/Silica Nanocomposite under Alternating Current
Authors: Park Jae-Jun
Published: February 2021

The hydrophilic surface of fumed nanosilica was modified to a hydrophobic surface by treating it with a trimethyl silane coupling agent, and epoxy nanocomposites were prepared by mixing the modified nanosilica (0 phr, 1 phr, 3 phr, 5 phr, and 7 phr) in an epoxy matrix, where the unit phr means the parts per one hundred grams of epoxy base resin. To apply the nanocomposites to heavy electrical equipment, the effects of the modified nanosilica on the long-term treeing phenomena and the partial discharge (PD) resistance were studied under high voltage alternating current (HVAC) conditions. The bonding of trimethyl silane on the nanosilica surface was confirmed by the appearance of new peaks for the CH2 and CH3 groups in Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. To observe the even dispersion of the modified nanosilica particles in the epoxy matrix, a transmission electron microscope was employed, and it was found that 1 phr of the modified nanosilica was uniformly dispersed; however, as the nanosilica content was increased, its aggregation became somewhat severe. The longest HVAC treeing breakdown time was found in an epoxy nanocomposite with 1 phr of alkyl-modified nanosilica, and the time was 17,412 min, which was 143.9 times longer than the 121 min required for a neat epoxy system. In a nanocomposite with 5 phr of modified nanosilica, PD resistance was found to be 12.5 times higher than that of the neat epoxy system.
Optimal Values of Body Composition for the Lowest Risk of Failure in Tabata Training’s Effects in Adolescents: A Pilot Study
Authors: Domaradzki Jarosław , Rokita Andrzej , Koźlenia Dawid , Popowczak Marek
Published: February 2021

Background. The optimal body mass index (BMI) and fat mass index (FMI) values for a positive change or the lowest risk of no positive change after high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) using the Tabata protocol remain unclear. This study is aimed at establishing these optimal BMI and FMI values for the lowest risk of failure of aerobic performance in adolescents. Methods. A 10‐week HIIT programme was introduced into the physical education of 73 students. BMI was calculated using height and weight. Bioelectrical impedance analysis measured body fat, and the InBody apparatus generated the FMI. Based on BMI and FMI, the participants were divided into four groups. Pre‐ and post‐HIIT intervention analyses were carried out using the Harvard step test, which was used to determine the physical efficiency index (PEI). Results. The Youden index confirmed that the risk of no positive effects in PEI was the lowest for the second BMI interval (19.01‐22.00 kg/m2) and FMI Q2−3 (7.96‐8.91 kg/m2). The optimal BMI value for the lowest risk of no change in PEI was 20.60 kg/m2, and the optimal FMI value was 8.84 kg/m2. Conclusion. A comparison of the two indices shows that FMI had stronger effects on PEI than BMI. In addition, the model obtained for FMI had higher accuracy. Identifying at‐risk individuals, those in need of improving health‐related fitness (H‐RF), and those with a low risk of poor H‐RF allows for efficient planning of individual intervention services and training programmes.
Establishment of Hematological Reference Values among Healthy Adults in Bamenda, North West Region of Cameroon
Authors: Omarine Nlinwe Nfor , Larissa Kumenyuy Yunika , Precious Funwi Che
Published: February 2021

The use of the reference range of values of a laboratory test is highly significant in diagnostic accuracy. However, race and ethnic variations may affect the safe use of reference ranges from a different setting/population. Because the establishment of reference ranges for the Cameroonian population will possibly improve the quality of health care, this study was designed to establish hematological reference ranges among healthy adults in Bamenda, North West region of Cameroon. This was a cross-sectional study carried out within the period of five months from February 2020 to June 2020, at the Bamenda Regional Hospital. A total of 350 (139 females and 211 males) study participants who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The Urit 3300 autoanalyzer (Urit Medical Electronic (Group) Co., Ltd, Guilin, China) was used to analyze the hematological parameters. The general health questionnaire for donors, for verification of reference range study and laboratory tests, was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate reference ranges, means, and medians at 95% confidence intervals. Maximum and minimum reference ranges were computed at 97.5th and 2.5th percentiles. The nonparametric test (Mann–Whitney test) was used to determine the significance of the difference in hematological values between the male and female groups. Three (MID%, LYM#, and MID#) out of the 19 hematological parameters were verified, while sixteen (WBC, LYM%, GRAN%, GRAN#, RBC, HGB, HCT%, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW_CV, RDW_SD, PLT, MPV, PDW, and PCT%) were established. The currently used reference intervals do not represent the population of the North West region. Therefore, other regional hospitals in Cameroon should establish reference intervals applicable to their respective regions.
Experimental and Numerical Studies on Permeability Properties of Thermal Damaged Red Sandstone under Different Confining Pressures
Authors: Zhao Zhenlong , Jing Hongwen , Fu Guangping , Yin Qian , Shi Xinshuai , Gao Yuan
Published: February 2021

The stability and safety of underground rock mass engineering are closely related to the permeability process of fluids and permeability properties of rocks. To reveal the flow behavior of fluid in thermal damaged rock, first, a rock seepage testing system was applied to study the permeability properties of red sandstone specimens after different high-temperature treatments from 200 to 800°C under different confining pressures of 10 to 30 MPa. Meanwhile, the microstructures of the red sandstone specimens were characterized by the mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then, the permeability process of pore water pressure and the flow form of fluid also were investigated by the numerical modeling method. The results show that the permeability properties of red sandstone specimens after high-temperature exposure follow linear Darcy’s law, and the relation between confining pressures and equivalent permeability coefficient (

K

0

 

) can be described by a power function. Besides, the phenomenon that microscopic structural deterioration is intensified with increasing temperature and the average pore size and porosity of the red sandstone specimens are both power functions is related to the equivalent permeability coefficient. Furthermore, the results of numerical modeling indicated that the flow field within the range affected by confining pressures gradually becomes stable and orderly from disorder, and flow lines of the fluid become smooth and straight, and perpendicular to the isosurface of pore water pressure as time goes by. Moreover, the nonlinear correlation between pore water pressure and seepage path length changes to a linear correlation, which is consistent with linear Darcy’s law.
Content‐Enhanced Network Embedding for Academic Collaborator Recommendation
Authors: Chen Jie , Wang Xin , Zhao Shu , Zhang Yanping
Published: February 2021

It is meaningful for a researcher to find some proper collaborators in complex academic tasks. Academic collaborator recommendation models are always based on the network embedding of academic collaborator networks. Most of them focus on the network structure, text information, and the combination of them. The latent semantic relationships exist according to the text information of nodes in the academic collaborator network. However, these relationships are often ignored, which implies the similarity of the researchers. How to capture the latent semantic relationships among researchers in the academic collaborator network is a challenge. In this paper, we propose a content‐enhanced network embedding model for academic collaborator recommendation, namely, CNEacR. We build a content‐enhanced academic collaborator network based on the weighted text representation of each researcher. The content‐enhanced academic collaborator network contains intrinsic collaboration relationships and latent semantic relationships. Firstly, the weighted text representation of each researcher is obtained according to its text information. Secondly, a content‐enhanced academic collaborator network is built via the similarity of the weighted text representation of researchers and intrinsic collaboration relationships. Thirdly, each researcher is represented as a latent vector using network representation learning. Finally, top‐k similar researchers are recommended for each target researcher. Experiment results on the real‐world datasets show that CNEacR achieves better performance than academic collaborator recommendation baselines.
Research on the Coordination Mechanism of Value Cocreation of Innovation Ecosystems: Evidence from a Chinese Artificial Intelligence Enterprise
Authors: Chen Yu , Chen Yantai , Guo Yanlin , Xu Yanfei
Published: February 2021

This paper models the game process of the value cocreation of enterprises based on evolutionary game theory (EGT). The factors influencing value cocreation are found through mathematical analysis. Taking iFLYTEK as an example, a representative enterprise of artificial intelligence (AI) in China, six factors affecting value cocreation are verified, which are the excess return rate, the distribution coefficient of the excess return rate, coordination costs in the system, the cost‐sharing coefficient, imitation costs, and penalties. These six factors have a profound impact on value cocreation in the ecosystem. Through the case study of iFLYTEK, it is concluded that innovation ecosystems can enable small‐ and medium‐sized AI enterprises to grow. In order to build a sound ecosystem, we need to establish a mechanism to select partners, reduce the costs of cooperation, and strengthen the protection of intellectual property. At the beginning of the cooperation, it is necessary to establish a mechanism with clear responsibilities, rights, and interests. The conclusion is of great significance to the development of AI enterprises.
Serum Vitamin Profile in Oral Lichen Planus Patients in Southwest of Iran
Authors: Rezazadeh Fahimeh , Haghighat Sara
Published: February 2021

Introduction. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic mucocutaneous disease. It is mainly an immune system‐related disorder. Vitamins can modulate immune system functions, and thus, vitamin deficiency might have roles in exacerbating OLP. We aim to determine the serum levels of vitamins A, B12, C, D3, and E in OLP patients. Methods and Materials. 34 OLP patients referred to Shiraz Dental School entered the study. Blood samples were collected and levels of A, B12, C, D3, and E vitamins were measured in serum. 43 healthy people were also included as the control group. Serum levels of vitamins were measured by HPLC (A, B12, D3, and E) and Kiazist analyzing kit (vitamin C). Results. Most of the patients were female (62.3%), and the mean age of patients was 48.03 ± 11.57. Serum levels of vitamins A, C, and E were lower in OLP patients in comparison with the healthy group; however, the difference was not significant. Vitamins B12 and D3 were higher in the OLP group but the difference was not significant. Conclusion. Serum levels of vitamins A, B12, C, D3, and E do not have a significant difference in OLP patients and healthy groups. These vitamins may not have a considerable role in OLP pathogenesis in the southwest of Iran.
Multiscale Receptive Fields Graph Attention Network for Point Cloud Classification
Authors: Li Xi-An , Wang Li-Yan , Lu Jian
Published: February 2021

Understanding the implication of point cloud is still challenging in the aim of classification or segmentation for point cloud due to its irregular and sparse structure. As we have known, PointNet architecture as a ground‐breaking work for point cloud process can learn shape features directly on unordered 3D point cloud and has achieved favorable performance, such as 86% mean accuracy and 89.2% overall accuracy for classification task, respectively. However, this model fails to consider the fine‐grained semantic information of local structure for point cloud. Then, a multiscale receptive fields graph attention network (named after MRFGAT) by means of semantic features of local patch for point cloud is proposed in this paper, and the learned feature map for our network can well capture the abundant features information of point cloud. The proposed MRFGAT architecture is tested on ModelNet datasets, and results show it achieves state‐of‐the‐art performance in shape classification tasks, such as it outperforms GAPNet (Chen et al.) model by 0.1% in terms of OA and compete with DGCNN (Wang et al.) model in terms of MA.
Learning from Incidents in Aircraft Maintenance and Continuing Airworthiness Management: A Systematic Review
Authors: Clare James , Kourousis Kyriakos I.
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this systematic review is to highlight the salient elements of learning from incidents in the aircraft maintenance and continuing airworthiness management area. This involved the review of more than 1,000 publications reflecting practice in different domains. The cache was eventually distilled to 18 publications of relevance to learning from incidents. The systematic review of the literature was not intended to be exhaustive, but it was deliberately bound by the parameters of predefined search terms. A robust analysis was performed on the 18 distilled publications with the use of the NVivo software. A critical and systematic examination of this body of literature further supported the development of the five codification themes. The analysis of the literature revealed the benefits of a just culture as an enabler of reporting and learning from incidents. Moreover, it identified limitations inherent in the current body of knowledge. The most evident being a paucity of literature relevant to the featured industry segment. Some impediments to learning from incidents are also highlighted. Central to this is the prevalence of lack of effective focus and practice on satisfactory causation of events. Currently, the efforts applied across many featured domains appear to be based upon ineffective legacy linear practices. However, emerging investigative philosophies that look beyond direct cause and effect contain opportunities for practitioners to consider causation through dawning axioms. This systematic review could be used in the European aviation regulatory activities associated with improving learning from incident in aircraft maintenance and continuing airworthiness management.
The Effect of Jazar Supplement on Quality of Life and Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Hafizi Sousan , Abbassian Alireza , Tabarrai Malihe
Published: February 2021

Background. Menopause is one of the most critical stages of a woman’s life and is accompanied by symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sexual dysfunction, mucus atrophy, and vaginal dryness. Women tend to use complementary and alternative medicine such as herbs rather than hormone replacement therapy to alleviate these symptoms. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Jazar supplement (herbal supplement comprising Vitex, fennel, and carrot seeds) on sexual function, quality of life, and vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women. Methods. This study was a randomized clinical trial conducted on ninety postmenopausal women. Participants were randomized to intervention/control groups using block randomization. The intervention group received four Jazar capsules (500 mg each) daily, while the control group received a placebo for eight weeks. Data were gathered using a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) before the intervention and at weeks 4, 8, and 10. Vaginal pH and vaginal maturation index (VMI) were measured before and at the end of the study. Results. Eighty-four women completed the trial, and six women withdrew. There were no remarkable differences between the two groups in terms of quality of life, sexual function, VMI, and vaginal pH at baseline. At the end of the study, participants in the intervention group had a significantly lower score in terms of quality of life

P
<
0.001

and vaginal pH

P
=
0.001

, and a higher FSFI

P
<
0.001

and VMI

P
=
0.030

score compared to the control group. Conclusion. Based on the findings of the present study on menopausal women, the Jazar supplement significantly improved quality of life and sexual function and prevented or delayed vaginal atrophy.