bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Mechanical Properties and Engineering Applications of Inorganic Cementitious Filling Materials in Coal Mine Abandoned Roadways
Authors: Sun Lei , Li Chong , Xu Zhijun , Tai Lianhai , Cao Yue
Published: June 2024

To solve the problems of brittleness, high cost, and the complicated construction process of traditional filling materials for filling abandoned roadways, various aspects of the physical and mechanical properties of the materials were studied using laboratory tests and were applied in coal mines. The research shows that the self-developed inorganic cementitious filling material has the advantages of being low cost, easy to cut and wash, and having good filling performance. A foaming agent is a direct factor in controlling the volume expansion of inorganic cementitious filling materials; the increase in the volume of slurry foaming with the addition of a foaming agent initially showed a large and then a small trend with a foaming agent dosage of 100 g. The increase in the volume of slurry foaming is the largest at 56.28%. The effect of the B material (calcium stearate+ J85 rapid-setting agent) on the foaming time and the number of foaming times of the slurry was significant. Foam stabilizers in the B material make the slurry particles uniformly distributed inside the slurry, while quick-setting agents control the initial and final setting time by affecting the slurry setting speed. The water/cement ratio directly affects the foaming times of the slurry but has little effect on the foaming time and setting speed. When the water/cement ratio is less than 1:2, the slurry foaming effect is poor, and the foaming volume remains unchanged. The strength of the material is significantly affected by the proportion of B material and the amount of blowing agent, and the compressive strength of materials with different compositions and ratios varies greatly. A whole set of systems of new inorganic gelatinized abandoned roadway filling materials was researched and applied in coal mines, achieving good results.
Imaging and 3D Analysis Based on Two or More Three-Dimensional CBCT Recordings before and after Orthodontic Treatment and Maxillofacial Therapy
Authors: Dostalova Tatjana , Eliasova Hana , Prochazka Ales , Nocar Adam , Urbanova Petra
Published: June 2024

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has emerged as a crucial radiographic technique for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning, particularly for cases requiring the assessment of complex anatomical relationships. In the first part of the study, we examined metric characteristics measured on 3D cranial models of patients before and after surgery. In the second part, we conducted more complex data processing, analyzing a set of 12 cranial feature points using Procrustes analysis to quantify and visually represent surgical modifications. The third part involved comparing 3D facial surfaces using Iterative Closest Point (ICP) alignment and nearest point-to-point distances. Additionally, we tested point configurations in the facial soft tissues. The study included a group of orthodontic patients from whom CBCT data and 3D facial scans were obtained during treatment. The results demonstrated that each method could assess preoperative and postoperative changes to varying degrees. They also highlighted potential gender differences in surgical modifications that warrant further investigation and consideration during surgical planning. The aim of our study was to compare 3D visualizations of skull and facial models before and after surgery, to assess the degree of relative agreement or similarity, and to identify any morphological differences.
The Use of Thyme and Lemongrass Essential Oils in Cereal Technology—Effect on Wheat Dough Behavior and Bread Properties
Authors: Jurkaninová Lucie , Švec Ivan , Kučerová Iva , Havrlentová Michaela , Božik Matěj , Klouček Pavel , Leuner Olga
Published: June 2024

Consumers are more interested in replacing commonly used chemical preservatives with natural substances. The effect of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg of thyme and lemongrass essential oils (THY and LMG, respectively) per 100 g of wheat flour was studied from the viewpoints of dough rheology, dough leavening progress, and the results of laboratory baking trial. Changes in dough viscoelastic properties were evaluated by the Mixolab rheometer and the company software. The higher the thyme oil portion, the higher the dough structure destruction by kneading and heat input in torque point C2, and consecutively shorter stability of dough consistency (up to one-half of the values recorded for the control); reversely, the LMG did not affect both features verifiably. In the 90 min leavening test, a dough weight loss was decelerated by both essential oils similarly. During the baking test, the average volume of wheat small breads as control was evaluated on level 167 mL (bread yield 451 mL/100 g flour). Independently of the dose of the THY or LMG, small bread volumes oscillated between 148–168 and 135–161 mL (average bread yields 442 and 443 mL/100 g flour, respectively). The shelf life of the products with a higher portion of essential oil was extended by up to 7 days.
Differences in the Lateral and Vertical Jump Performances of Elite Male Basketball Players—An Axial Stabilization Training Program
Authors: Huang Wei-Yang , Huang Hsuan , Wu Cheng-En
Published: June 2024

This study aimed to conduct a kinetic analysis of the lateral and vertical jumps of elite male basketball players through a 12-week axial stability training program to improve sports performance. Thirty elite Taiwanese male basketball players were openly recruited and divided into experimental groups and control groups. The experimental group conducted the test twice a week, a 12-week (24-session) axial stability training program intervention in total, and the control group only received general basketball training. A double-track force plate was used to measure lateral and vertical jumps in order to understand their dynamic parameters. Finally, a difference analysis between the post-test of lateral and vertical jumps was conducted. The results show that the axial stability training program affected the activation of the abdominal and lower limb extensor muscles and had a stabilizing effect on the muscles of the experimental group. When the participants conducted a lateral jump, they were able to stand firm within 1 s and take off instantly. The θ value of the T-PRF ranged from 60.7° to 68.6°. The post-test of the participants’ vertical jump showed that the kurtosis of the RFD was steeper, the time required for the RFD was shorter, the GRF and the duration of passage increased, and the experimental group was better than the control group in all post-tests. By comparing the two types of jumps, it was found that they had the vertical force in common. The main differences were in the reaction force of the leg strength, the jump distance and height, and the take-off angle.
Behavior of Circular Hollow Steel-Reinforced Concrete Columns under Axial Compression
Authors: Wei Qiuyu , Ren Qingxin , Wang Qinghe , Zhang Yannian
Published: June 2024

The circular hollow steel-reinforced concrete (HSRC) column consists of an inner circular hollow steel tube and outer circular hollow reinforced concrete (RC). This design provides several advantages, including being lightweight, having a wide sectional profile, and having a high flexural stiffness. This paper aims to investigate the behavior of the circular HSRC columns under axial compression through testing and finite element (FE) modeling. An FE model was established to simulate the circular HSRC columns under axial compression, which was validated against the test data. Additionally, the load distribution and the interface stress between the outer hollow RC and inner steel tube were analyzed. Subsequently, a systematic parametric analysis was conducted on the diameter (d) and thickness (t) of the steel tube; slenderness ratio (λ); strength of concrete (fcu); yield strength of steel tube (fsy), longitudinal rebar (fly), and stirrup (fgy); as well as the stirrup spacing (s). The critical influencing factors of the circular HSRC columns under axial compression were identified. fcu, λ, d, fly, and fsy dramatically influence the bearing capacity, and the stiffness is notably affected by λ and fcu. Finally, three simplified design methods were summarized and evaluated for calculating the bearing capacity of the circular HSRC columns under axial compression.
Research on Clock Synchronization of Data Acquisition Based on NoC
Authors: Meng Chaoyong , Xu Chuanpei , Liao Jiafeng
Published: June 2024

Data acquisition based on network-on-chip (NoC) technology is a high-sampling-rate data acquisition scheme using low-sampling-rate analog–digital conversion (ADC) chips. It has the characteristics of multi-task parallel communication, being global asynchronous, local synchronous clock distribution, high throughput, low transmission latency, and strong scalability. High-speed data acquisition is realized through the combination of an on-chip network and time-interleaved data acquisition technology. In the time-interleaved sampling technique, the precision of clock synchronization directly affects the precision of sampling. Based on the proposed NOC data acquisition scheme, an improved White Rabbit clock synchronization protocol is applied to high-speed data acquisition to achieve high-precision synchronization of multi-channel time-interleaved sampling clocks. Firstly, the offset of the master clock and slave clock is determined by the PTP protocol, and the offset is corrected to achieve rough synchronization between the master clock and slave clock. Secondly, a digital dual-mixer time difference (DDMTD) is used to measure the phases of the master and slave clocks. After that, the phase of the slave clock is corrected through the dynamic phase-shift function of the clock’s phase-locked loop (PLL). Finally, according to the simulation results in Modelsim, the average absolute error of a TI-ADC sampling clock can be less than 20 ps.
Research on the Fiber-to-the-Room Network Traffic Prediction Method Based on Crested Porcupine Optimizer Optimization
Authors: Zang Jingjing , Cao Bingyao , Hong Yiming
Published: June 2024

In order to solve the problem of traffic burst due to the increase in access points and user movement in an FTTR network, as well as to meet the demand for a high-performance network, it is necessary to rationally allocate network resources, and accurate traffic prediction is very important for dynamic bandwidth allocation in such a network. Therefore, this paper introduces a novel traffic prediction model, named CPO-BiTCN-BiLSTM-SA, which integrates the Crested Porcupine Optimizer (CPO), bidirectional temporal convolution (BiTCN), and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) networks. BiTCN extends the traditional TCN by incorporating bidirectional data information, while BiLSTM enhances the network’s capability to learn from long sequences. Moreover, self-attention (SA) mechanisms are utilized to emphasize the crucial segments in the data. Subsequently, the BiTCN-BiLSTM-SA model is optimized by CPO to obtain the best network hyperparameters, and model training prediction is performed to achieve multi-step predictions based on single-step prediction. To evaluate the model’s generalization ability, two distinct datasets are employed for traffic prediction. Experimental findings demonstrate that the proposed model surpasses existing models in terms of the root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and coefficient of determination (R2). In comparison with the traditional XGBoost model, the proposed model has an average reduction of 29.50%, 25.43%, and 25.00% in RMSE, MAE, and MAPE, respectively, with a 6.70% improvement in R2.
Designing Reward Functions Using Active Preference Learning for Reinforcement Learning in Autonomous Driving Navigation
Authors: Ge Lun , Zhou Xiaoguang , Li Yongqiang
Published: June 2024

This study presents a method based on active preference learning to overcome the challenges of designing reward functions for autonomous navigation. Results obtained from training with artificially designed reward functions may not accurately reflect human intentions. We focus on the limitations of traditional reward functions, which often fail to facilitate complex tasks in continuous state spaces. We propose the adoption of active preference learning to resolve these issues and to generate reward functions that align with human preferences. This approach leverages an individual’s subjective preferences to guide an agent’s learning process, enabling the creation of reward functions that reflect human desires. We utilize mutual information to generate informative queries and apply information gained to balance the agent’s uncertainty with the human’s response capacity, encouraging the agent to pose straightforward and informative questions. We further employ the No-U-Turn Sampler (NUTS) method to refine the belief model, which outperforms that constructed using the Metropolis algorithm. Subsequently, we retrain the agent using reward weights derived from active preference learning. As a result, our autonomous driving vehicle can navigate between random starting and ending points without dependence on high-precision maps or routing, relying solely on its forward vision. We validate our approach’s performance within the CARLA simulation environment. Our algorithm significantly improved the success rate of autonomous driving navigation tasks that originally failed due to artificially designed rewards, increasing it to approximately 60%. Experimental results show significant improvement over the baseline algorithm, providing a solid foundation for enhancing navigation capabilities in autonomous driving systems and advancing the field of autonomous driving intelligence.
Fast-Growing Bio-Based Construction Materials as an Approach to Accelerate United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Cosentino Livia , Fernandes Jorge , Mateus Ricardo
Published: June 2024

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) ensure future human well-being. However, they face challenges due to the pressing need to reduce carbon emissions, with nearly 40% originating from the construction sector. With the current global environmental and energy crisis, there is a pressing need to address building carbon emissions and prioritise investments in passive strategies for improving indoor thermal comfort. Exploring fast-growing bio-based materials like bamboo, straw, hemp, and flax directly addresses these concerns, fostering environmental sustainability. Material selection in construction is crucial for advancing the SDGs, for example, promoting sustainable cities and communities (SDG11) and responsible consumption and production (SDG12). This paper proposes a comparative analysis of conventional and bio-based construction materials, focusing on their production stages through life cycle analysis. Tools such as Building Emissions Accounting for Materials (BEAM) and the Methodology for Relative Assessment of Sustainability (MARS) enable a detailed comparison. The results highlight the benefits of bio-based materials in storing carbon more rapidly and their lower environmental impact compared to conventional alternatives. Moreover, bio-based materials contribute to indoor moisture regulation and a healthier indoor environment, underscoring their potential to accelerate progress towards the UN SDGs through informed material choices in design practices.
Orthotic Thermoplastic Demonstrates a Similar Contamination Potential with Bacillus Bacteria Recovered from Thermoplastic Radiation Therapy Patient Masks
Authors: Brock Catherine W. , Mehta Dev V. , Ravine Terrence J.
Published: June 2024

Thermoplastics used to construct a variety of patient medical devices can become contaminated by harmful bacteria. We investigated whether two different Bacillus species recovered from patient radiation therapy thermoplastic masks could similarly contaminate thermoplastic material used to construct patient orthoses (splints). Bacillus bacteria form dormant spores, which have been shown to enhance its attachment to thermoplastics. Bacterial attachment and recovery were examined using an orthotic thermoplastic with an anti-stick coating being compared to uncoated material used in radiation therapy applications. Triplicate sample squares were seeded with a saline suspension of either B. cereus (MAB03F) or B. megaterium (DAB01F) containing a similar number of spores. Squares were subsequently sampled at 1 h, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. The number of recovered bacteria was counted. Differences in material hydrophobicity were determined by water contact angle analysis. Both Bacillus species attached to each material within 1 h, and their spores were recovered at 8 weeks. However, a decreasing trend in adhesion, over time, was noted to the coated material with an opposite increasing trend in the uncoated material. Decreased Bacillus species spore adhesion to coated material with a lower hydrophobicity suggests a greater potential for spore transfer to patients wearing contaminated orthoses.
Extracellular Water Ratio and Phase Angle as Predictors of Exacerbation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Xie An-Ni , Huang Wen-Jian , Ko Chih-Yuan
Published: June 2024

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by high-energy metabolism, often leads to malnutrition and is linked to exacerbations. This study investigates the association of malnutrition-related body composition and handgrip strength changes with exacerbation frequencies in COPD patients. Methods: We analyzed 77 acute exacerbation COPD (AECOPD) patients and 82 stable COPD patients, categorized as frequent and infrequent exacerbators. Assessments included body composition, handgrip strength, nutritional risk, dyspnea scale, and COPD assessment. Results: Among AECOPD patients, there were 22 infrequent and 55 frequent exacerbators. Infrequent exacerbators showed better muscle parameters, extracellular water ratio, phase angle, and handgrip strength. Significant differences in intracellular water, total cellular water, protein, and body cell mass were observed between groups. Logistic regression indicated that extracellular water ratio (OR = 1.086) and phase angle (OR = 0.396) were independently associated with exacerbation risk. Thresholds for exacerbation risk were identified as 0.393 for extracellular water ratio and 4.85° for phase angle. In stable COPD, 13 frequent and 69 infrequent exacerbators were compared, showing no significant differences in weight, muscle, and adipose parameters, but significant differences in extracellular water ratio, phase angle, and handgrip strength. Conclusions: These findings suggest that increased exacerbations in COPD patients correlate with higher extracellular water ratios and lower phase angles.
Leaving the “Discomfort” Zone: The Correlation between Politics and New Artistic Practices at the Beginning of the 19th Dynasty
Authors: Menéndez Gema
Published: June 2024

At the end of the Amarna Period, a process of political and religious restoration began. This attempt at recovery went beyond the strictly official, as the Egyptian society seemed to demand a moral reparation. It was a much-needed change that would encompass all aspects of society and it was imperative that the changes be visible. It is for this reason that visual art would be one of the main means of communication. The artistic image was the propaganda necessary to reconstruct historical memory and religious sentiment. This was most evident in the early years of the 19th dynasty, when, in addition, the need to legitimize the new royal lineage was reflected in private tombs. The Egyptian artist used art to visually consolidate these changes, and the owner of the tomb was keen to do so. This article aims to analyze the artistic changes, mainly in the private sphere, that occurred in funerary art in opposition to the religious changes that had been made during the Amarna Period and that were most evident from the reign of Horemheb until the first half of the reign of Ramesses II. Politics and art intermingled at a time when reconstructing the past and the relationship with divinity was an urgent necessity.
A Global Overview of SVA—Spatial–Visual Ability
Authors: Tiwari Shweta , Shah Bhavesh , Muthiah Arunachalam
Published: June 2024

This study examines the global literature that looks at spatial–visual abilities (SVA) while considering the numerous differential studies, methods of evaluation designed over a century, and multiple external influences on its development. The dataset was retrieved from Google Scholar and publisher databases such as Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Springer, etc. Only factual reports and bibliographic reviews were included in an analysis of a total of 87 documents. Each study of SVA is classified based on information, country, year, and age groupings. SVA has been extensively studied in the areas of “STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields”, “demographic factors” and “other activities”. “Spatial visualisation” or “visual ability” is the term employed to refer to the cognitive ability that allows one to comprehend, mentally process, and manipulate three-dimensional visuospatial shapes. One of the most crucial distinct abilities involved is spatial aptitude, which aids in understanding numerous aspects of everyday and academic life. It is especially vital for comprehending scientific concepts, and it has been extensively studied. Nearly all multiple-aptitude assessments include spatial ability. It is determined that over the past two decades, the study of SVA has gained momentum, most likely because of information being digitised. Within the vast reservoir of spatial-cognition research, the majority of the studies examined here originate from the United States of America, with less than a quarter of the studies based in the Asia–Pacific region and the Middle East. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the literature on the assessment of SVA with respect to sector, year, country, age and socio-economic factors. It also offers a detailed examination of the use of spatial interventions in educational environments to integrate spatial abilities with training in architecture and interior design.
Interannual Variability of Water and Heat Fluxes in a Woodland Savanna (Cerrado) in Southeastern Brazil: Effects of Severe Drought and Soil Moisture
Authors: da Conceição Lucas F. C. , da Rocha Humberto R. , Navarrete Nelson V. , Rosolem Rafael , Cabral Osvaldo M. R. , de Freitas Helber C.
Published: June 2024

The Brazilian Cerrado biome is known for its high biodiversity, and the role of groundwater recharge and climate regulation. Anthropogenic influence has harmed the biome, emphasizing the need for science to understand its response to climate and reconcile economic exploration with preservation. Our work aimed to evaluate the seasonal and interannual variability of the surface energy balance in a woodland savanna (Cerrado) ecosystem in southeastern Brazil over a period of 19 years, from 2001 to 2019. Using field micrometeorological measurements, we examined the variation in soil moisture and studied its impact on the temporal pattern of energy fluxes to distinguish the effects during rainy years compared to a severe drought spell. The soil moisture measures used two independent instruments, cosmic ray neutron sensor CRNS, and FDR at different depths. The measures were taken at the Pé de Gigante (PEG) site, in a region of well-defined seasonality with the dry season in winter and a hot/humid season in summer. We gap-filled the energy flux measurements with a calibrated biophysical model (SiB2). The long-term averages for air temperature and precipitation were 22.5 °C and 1309 mm/year, respectively. The net radiation (Rn) was 142 W/m2, the evapotranspiration (ET) and sensible heat flux (H) were 3.4 mm/d and 52 W/m2, respectively. Soil moisture was marked by a pronounced negative anomaly in the 2014 year, which caused an increase in the Bowen ratio and a decrease in Evaporative fraction, that lasted until the following year 2015 during the dry season, despite the severe meteorological drought of 2013/2014 already ending, which was corroborated by the two independent measurements. The results showed the remarkable influence of precipitation and soil moisture on the interannual variability of the energy balance in this Cerrado ecosystem, aiding in understanding how it responds to strong climate disturbances.
Comparative Analysis of the Seasonal Driving Factors of the Urban Heat Environment Using Machine Learning: Evidence from the Wuhan Urban Agglomeration, China, 2020
Authors: Xu Ce , Huang Gaoliu , Zhang Maomao
Published: June 2024

With the ongoing advancement of globalization significantly impacting the ecological environment, the continuous rise in the Land Surface Temperature (LST) is increasingly jeopardizing human production and living conditions. This study aims to investigate the seasonal variations in the LST and its driving factors using mathematical models. Taking the Wuhan Urban Agglomeration (WHUA) as a case study, it explores the seasonal characteristics of the LST and employs Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to categorize the driving factors. Additionally, it compares traditional models with machine-learning models to select the optimal model for this investigation. The main conclusions are as follows. (1) The WHUA’s LST exhibits significant differences among seasons and demonstrates distinct spatial-clustering characteristics in different seasons. (2) Compared to traditional geographic spatial models, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) shows better explanatory power in investigating the driving effects of the LST. (3) Human Activity (HA) dominates the influence throughout the year and shows a significant positive correlation with the LST; Physical Geography (PG) exhibits a negative correlation with the LST; Climate and Weather (CW) show a similar variation to the PG, peaking in the transition; and the Landscape Pattern (LP) shows a weak positive correlation with the LST, peaking in winter while being relatively inconspicuous in summer and the transition. Finally, through comparative analysis of multiple driving factors and models, this study constructs a framework for exploring the seasonal features and driving factors of the LST, aiming to provide references and guidance for the development of the WHUA and similar regions.
Climate Change Scenarios for Impact Assessment: Lower Zab River Basin (Iraq and Iran)
Authors: Mohammed Ruqayah , Scholz Miklas
Published: June 2024

Selecting appropriate climate change scenarios is crucial, as it influences the outcomes of climate change impact studies. Several storylines could be used to investigate the sensitivity of water resource schemes to weather variability and improve policymakers’ adaptation strategies. This study proposes a comprehensive and generic methodology for assessing the future climate change impact on semi-arid and arid zones at the basin scale by comparing delta perturbation scenarios to the outcomes of seven collections of GCMs (general circulation models). The findings indicate that the two scenarios predicted nearly identical declines in average reservoir discharges over a monthly timescale. Consequently, their maximum values are almost similar. The projected decrease in the streamflow for the period 2080–2099 is approximately 48%—the same as the ratio from the delta perturbation scenario of Future16 (a 30% precipitation decrease and a 30% potential evapotranspiration increase). Furthermore, delta perturbation scenarios allow the impacts of model sensitivity to climate change to be clearly identified in relation to GCM scenarios. Delta perturbation scenarios allow for an extensive collection of possible climate changes at the regional scale. In addition, delta perturbation scenarios are simpler to create and use; therefore, they might complement GCM scenarios.
The Effects of Upper-Ocean Sea Temperatures and Salinity on the Intensity Change of Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific and the South China Sea: An Observational Study
Authors: Chan Pak-Wai , Lam Ching-Chi , Hui Tai-Wai , Gao Zhigang , Fu Hongli , Sun Chunjian , Su Hui
Published: June 2024

With increasing air and sea temperatures, the thermodynamic environments over the oceans are becoming more favourable for the development of intense tropical cyclones (TCs) with rapid intensification (RI). The South China coastal region consists of highly densely populated cities, especially over the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. Intense TCs maintaining their strength or the RI of TCs close to the coastal region can present substantial forecasting challenges and have significant potential impacts on the coastal population. This study investigates the effect of sea-surface and sub-surface temperatures and salinity on the intensification of five TCs, namely Super Typhoon Hato in 2017, Super Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, and Typhoon Talim, Super Typhoon Saola, and Severe Typhoon Koinu in 2023, which have significantly affected the South China coastal region and triggered high TC warning signals in Hong Kong in the past few years. This analysis utilised the Hong Kong Observatory’s TC best-track and intensity data, along with sea temperature and salinity profiles generated using the China Ocean ReAnalysis version 2 (CORA2) product from the National Marine Data and Information Service of China. It was found that high sea-surface temperatures (SST) of 30 °C or above for a depth of about 20 m, low sea-surface salinity (SSS) levels of 33.8 psu or below for a depth of at least 20 m, and strong salinity stratification of at least 0.6 psu per 100 m depth might offer useful hints for predicting the RI of TCs over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea (SCS) in operational forecasting, while noting other contributing environmental factors and synoptic flow patterns conducive to RI. This study represents the first documentation of sub-surface salinity’s impact on some intense TCs traversing the SCS during 2017–2023 based on an observational study. Our aim is to supplement operational techniques for forecasting RI with some quantitative guidance based on upper-level ocean observations of temperatures and salinity, on top of well-known but more rapidly changing dynamical factors like low-level convergence, weak vertical wind shear, and upper-level divergent outflow, as forecasted with numerical weather prediction models. This study will also encourage further research to refine the analysis of quantitative contributions from different RI factors and the identification of essential features for developing AI models as one way to improve the forecasting of TC RI before the TC makes landfall near the PRD, with due consideration given to the effect of freshwater river discharge from the Pearl River.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of High-Resolution Spatial Distribution of Sensible Heat Fluxes in Building-Congested Area
Authors: Kang Jung-Eun , Lee Sang-Hyun , Hong Jin-Kyu , Kim Jae-Jin
Published: June 2024

Urban areas consist of various land cover types, with a high proportion of artificial surfaces among them. This leads to unfavorable thermal environments in urban areas. Continuous research on the thermal environment, specifically on the sensible heat flux (Qh), has been conducted. However, previous research has faced temporal, spatial, and resolution limitations when it comes to detailed analysis of sensible heat flux in urban areas. Therefore, in this study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model combined with the LDAPS and the VUCM was developed to simulate Qh at one-hour intervals over a 1-month period in an urban area with various land cover types. Model validation was performed by comparing it with measurements, confirming the suitability of the model for simulating Qh. The land cover was categorized into five types: building, road, bare land, grassland, and tree areas. Qh exhibited distinct patterns depending on the land cover type. When averaging the Qh distribution over the target period, buildings, roads, and bare land areas showed a predominance of upward Qh values, while grassland and tree areas displayed dominant downward Qh values. Additionally, even within the same land cover types, slight Qh variations were identified based on their surroundings. The averaged Qh value for building areas was the highest at 36.79 W m−2, while that for tree areas was −3.04 W m−2. Moreover, during the target period, the time-averaged Qh showed that building, road, and bare land areas peaked at 14 LST, while grassland and tree areas exhibited very low Qh values. Notably, buildings reached a maximum Qh of 103.30 W m−2 but dropped to a minimum of 1.14 W m−2 at 5 LST.
Importance of Heat Health Warnings in Heat Management
Authors: Matzarakis Andreas
Published: June 2024

During intense heat events, the morbidity and mortality of the population increase [...]
Space Weather Effects on Heart Rate Variations: Sex Dependence
Authors: Papailiou Maria-Christina , Mavromichalaki Helen
Published: June 2024

The effects of solar activity and the accompanying space weather events on human pathological conditions, physiological parameters and other psycho-physiological disturbances have been analyzed in numerous recent investigations. Moreover, many of these studies have particularly focused on the different physical reactions humans have, according to their sex, during variations in the physical environment. In the framework of the above, this work analyses heart rate data obtained from volunteers (687 men and 534 women) from three different regions (Athens, Piraeus and Heraklion) of Greece in relation to the geophysical activity and variations of environmental factors. Dst index and Ap index data, along with cosmic ray intensity data derived from the Athens Neutron Monitor Station (A.Ne.Mo.S.), were used. The study expands from April 2011 to January 2018, covering solar cycle 24. The ANalysis Of Variance (ANOVA) and the superimposed epochs methods were used in order to examine heart rate variations depending on sex. Results revealed that women tend to be more sensitive to physical environmental changes. Statistically significant results are related to the geomagnetic activity but were not obtained for cosmic ray variations.
Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory for Atomic Collisions: A Progress Report
Authors: Kirchner Tom
Published: June 2024

In this paper, the current status of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT)-based calculations for ion–atom collision problems is reviewed. Most if not all reported calculations rely on the semiclassical approximation of heavy particle collision physics and the time-dependent Kohn–Sham (TDKS) scheme for computing the electronic density of the system. According to the foundational Runge–Gross theorem, all information available about the electronic many-body system is encoded in the density; however, in practice it is often not known how to extract it without resorting to modelling and approximations. This is in addition to a necessarily approximate implementation of the TDKS scheme due to the lack of precise knowledge about the potential that drives the equations. Notwithstanding these limitations, an impressive body of work has been accumulated over the past few decades. A sample of the results obtained for various collision systems is discussed here, in addition to the formal underpinnings and theoretical and practical challenges of the application of TDDFT to atomic collision problems, which are expounded in mostly nontechnical terms. Open problems and potential future directions are outlined as well.
Assessment of Outer and Middle Ear Pathologies in Lilongwe, Malawi
Authors: Mtamo Ruth , Vallario Jenna , Kumar Ambuj , Casanova Jesse , Toman Julia
Published: June 2024

Outer and middle ear pathologies are known to disproportionately affect low-income countries but data is limited. We aim to quantify the prevalence rate of patients presenting with middle/outer ear pathologies at ABC Hearing Clinic and Training Centre in Lilongwe, Malawi. Audiological consultations (adult and paediatric) from 2018–2020 were reviewed for outer and middle ear pathologies. Secondary outcomes included patient type (private vs. community) compared to otoscopy findings, tympanometry findings, need for follow up, and follow up compliance. Out of 1576 patients reviewed, the proportion of abnormal cases’ was 98.2%, with 41.4% being unilateral and 57.4% bilateral. Eighty-three percent presented with outer/middle ear pathologies. 68% of those presented with a pathology often associated with some degree of conductive hearing loss (occluding wax, perforation, discharge, Type B/Type C tympanogram). Average age was 29 + 0.527 years; 41.6% private and 58.2% community patients. Cerumen impaction was most common finding (51%). Higher rates of otoscopic abnormalities and type B tympanograms were noted in community vs. private patient (~40% vs. ~30%; ~70% vs. ~30%). Adherence to follow up was higher for community vs. private patients (29% vs. 17%); ~70% reported subjective improvement upon follow up. The majority required multiple interventions on follow up. Secondary follow up was recommended in 64.8%. A significant disease burden of outer and middle ear pathologies was identified. Further research is required to understand the disease burden and promote health policy.
Advancements in Finite Element Modeling for Cardiac Device Leads and 3D Heart Models
Authors: Salih Anmar , Hamandi Farah , Goswami Tarun
Published: June 2024

The human heart’s remarkable vitality necessitates a deep understanding of its mechanics, particularly concerning cardiac device leads. This paper presents advancements in finite element modeling for cardiac leads and 3D heart models, leveraging computational simulations to assess lead behavior over time. Through detailed modeling and meshing techniques, we accurately captured the complex interactions between leads and heart tissue. Material properties were assigned based on ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards and in vivo exposure data, ensuring realistic simulations. Our results demonstrate close agreement between experimental and simulated data for silicone insulation in pacemaker leads, with a mean force tolerance of 19.6 N ± 3.6 N, an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 6.3 MPa ± 1.15 MPa, and a percentage elongation of 125% ± 18.8%, highlighting the effectiveness of simulation in predicting lead performance. Similarly, for polyurethane insulation in ICD leads, we found a mean force of 65.87 N ± 7.1 N, a UTS of 10.7 MPa ± 1.15 MPa, and a percentage elongation of 259.3% ± 21.4%. Additionally, for polyurethane insulation in CRT leads, we observed a mean force of 53.3 N ± 2.06 N, a UTS of 22.11 MPa ± 0.85 MPa, and a percentage elongation of 251.6% ± 13.2%. Correlation analysis revealed strong relationships between mechanical properties, further validating the simulation models. Classification models constructed using both experimental and simulated data exhibited high discriminative ability, underscoring the reliability of simulation in analyzing lead behavior. These findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve cardiac device lead design and optimize patient outcomes.
Intergenerational Impact of Parental Zinc Deficiency on Metabolic and Redox Outcomes in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Sanusi Kamaldeen Olalekan , Ibrahim Kasimu Ghandi , Abubakar Murtala Bello , Shinkafi Tijjani Salihu , Ishaka Aminu , Imam Mustapha Umar
Published: June 2024

Zinc deficiency is a common nutritional disorder with detrimental health consequences. Whether parental zinc deficiency induces intergenerational effects remains largely unknown. We investigated the effects of a combined maternal and paternal zinc deficiency on offspring’s metabolic outcomes and gene expression changes in Drosophila melanogaster. The parent flies were raised on zinc-deficient diets throughout development, and their progeny were assessed. Offspring from zinc-deprived parents exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) increase in body weight and whole-body zinc levels. They also displayed disrupted glucose metabolism, altered lipid homeostasis, and diminished activity of antioxidant enzymes. Gene expression analysis revealed significant (p < 0.05) alterations in zinc transport genes, with increases in mRNA levels of dZIP1 and dZnT1 for female and male offspring, respectively. Both sexes exhibited reduced dZnT35C mRNA levels and significant (p < 0.05) increases in the mRNA levels of DILP2 and proinflammatory markers, Eiger and UPD2. Overall, female offspring showed higher sensitivity to parental zinc deficiency. Our findings underscore zinc’s crucial role in maintaining health and the gender-specific responses to zinc deficiency. There is the need for further exploration of the underlying mechanisms behind these intergenerational effects.
Understanding Cerebellar Input Stage through Computational and Plasticity Rules
Authors: Pali Eleonora , D’Angelo Egidio , Prestori Francesca
Published: June 2024

A central hypothesis concerning brain functioning is that plasticity regulates the signal transfer function by modifying the efficacy of synaptic transmission. In the cerebellum, the granular layer has been shown to control the gain of signals transmitted through the mossy fiber pathway. Until now, the impact of plasticity on incoming activity patterns has been analyzed by combining electrophysiological recordings in acute cerebellar slices and computational modeling, unraveling a broad spectrum of different forms of synaptic plasticity in the granular layer, often accompanied by forms of intrinsic excitability changes. Here, we attempt to provide a brief overview of the most prominent forms of plasticity at the excitatory synapses formed by mossy fibers onto primary neuronal components (granule cells, Golgi cells and unipolar brush cells) in the granular layer. Specifically, we highlight the current understanding of the mechanisms and their functional implications for synaptic and intrinsic plasticity, providing valuable insights into how inputs are processed and reconfigured at the cerebellar input stage.
Improvement in Salt Tolerance Ability of Pseudomonas putida KT2440
Authors: Fan Min , Tan Shuyu , Wang Wei , Zhang Xuehong
Published: June 2024

Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is a popular platform for bioremediation due to its robust tolerance to environmental stress and strong biodegradation capacity. Limited research on the salt tolerance of P. putida KT2440 has hindered its application. In this study, the strain KT2440 was tested to tolerate a maximum of 4% w/v NaCl cultured with minimal salts medium. Transcriptomic data in a high-salinity environment showed significant expression changes in genes in membrane components, redox processes, chemotaxis, and cellular catabolic processes. betB-encoding betaine-aldehyde dehydrogenase was identified from the transcriptome data to overexpress and enhance growth profile of the strain KT2440 in minimal salts medium containing 4% w/v NaCl. Meanwhile, screening for exogenous salt-tolerant genes revealed that the Na+/H+ antiporter EcnhaA from Escherichia coli significantly increased the growth of the strain KT2440 in 4% w/v NaCl. Then, co-expression of EcnhaA and betB (KT2440-EcnhaA-betB) increased the maximum salt tolerance of strain KT2440 to 5% w/v NaCl. Further addition of betaine and proline improved the salt tolerance of the engineered strain to 6% w/v NaCl. Finally, the engineered strain KT2440-EcnhaA-betB was able to degrade 56.70% of benzoic acid and 95.64% of protocatechuic acid in minimal salt medium containing 4% w/v NaCl in 48 h, while no biodegradation was observed in the normal strain KT2440 in the same conditions. However, the strain KT2440-EcnhaA-betB failed to degrade catechol in minimal salt medium containing 3% w/v NaCl. This study illustrated the improvement in the salt tolerance performance of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and the feasibility of engineered strain KT2440 as a potential salt-tolerant bioremediation platform.
Application of Graph Models to the Identification of Transcriptomic Oncometabolic Pathways in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Barace Sergio , Santamaría Eva , Infante Stefany , Arcelus Sara , De La Fuente Jesus , Goñi Enrique , Tamayo Ibon , Ochoa Idoia , Sogbe Miguel , Sangro Bruno , Hernaez Mikel , Avila Matias A. , Argemi Josepmaria
Published: June 2024

Whole-tissue transcriptomic analyses have been helpful to characterize molecular subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Metabolic subtypes of human HCC have been defined, yet whether these different metabolic classes are clinically relevant or derive in actionable cancer vulnerabilities is still an unanswered question. Publicly available gene sets or gene signatures have been used to infer functional changes through gene set enrichment methods. However, metabolism-related gene signatures are poorly co-expressed when applied to a biological context. Here, we apply a simple method to infer highly consistent signatures using graph-based statistics. Using the Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular cohort (LIHC), we describe the main metabolic clusters and their relationship with commonly used molecular classes, and with the presence of TP53 or CTNNB1 driver mutations. We find similar results in our validation cohort, the LIRI-JP cohort. We describe how previously described metabolic subtypes could not have therapeutic relevance due to their overall downregulation when compared to non-tumoral liver, and identify N-glycan, mevalonate and sphingolipid biosynthetic pathways as the hallmark of the oncogenic shift of the use of acetyl-coenzyme A in HCC metabolism. Finally, using DepMap data, we demonstrate metabolic vulnerabilities in HCC cell lines.
Recent Developments in Research on Food Waste and the Circular Economy
Authors: Ng Sai-Leung , Wong Fung-Mei
Published: June 2024

Food waste is a global challenge, with profound implications for food security, resource utilization, and sustainability. A circular economy represents a promising solution in addressing food waste effectively by keeping food materials and products in use and circulating them within the economy. To provide an overview of the research on food waste and the circular economy model in the past decade, this study examines 1022 documents on food waste and circular the economy to ascertain the state, themes, and knowledge structure of the field. The results showed that the number of publications has increased greatly in the past decade. “Circular economy of food”, “bioenergy”, “waste valorization”, “waste management”, “resource recovery”, and “environmental assessment” were the major research themes. Earlier studies focused on resource recovery from organic waste and the bioeconomy of bio-products; recent research interests shifted to sustainability and the valorization of agri-food waste. On the other hand, some highly cited documents and productive authors were important in the development of research on food waste and the circular economy. Furthermore, three groups of journals—“food and environmental sciences”, “open access”, and “environmental sustainability and resource management”—and five clusters of international collaboration—“European Union Group”, “advanced economy group”, “agricultural economies”, “global influencers”, and “isolated countries”—were identified. This study provides readers with an overview of the research field of food waste and the circular economy.