bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intermodal Four-Wave Mixing Process in Strain-Induced Birefringent Multimode Optical Fibers
Authors: Kwaśny Michał , Mergo Paweł , Napierała Marek , Markiewicz Krzysztof , Laudyn Urszula A.
Published: August 2022

Our study investigated the partially degenerate intermodal four-wave mixing (IM-FWM) process in nonlinear multimode optical fibers with strain-induced birefringence. The difference in the refractive index along the two orthogonal directions was due to the photoelastic effect that occurred when the fiber under test (FUT) was subjected to uniformly applied diameter stress caused by winding on a cylinder of a given diameter. Our work analyzed how the nonlinear frequency conversion and the output modal field profiles depended on the degree of birefringence in FUT. The experimental results significantly affected the order of the excited moduli in fiber sections characterized by different amounts of birefringence. We also checked the efficiency of the FWM process for different polarizations of the pump beam to determine those for which the FWM process was most effective for the 532 nm sub-nanosecond pulses. More than 30% conversion efficiency was obtained for the FUTs with a length of tens of centimeters.
Smoothed Quantile Regression with Factor-Augmented Regularized Variable Selection for High Correlated Data
Authors: Zhang Yongxia , Wang Qi , Tian Maozai
Published: August 2022

This paper studies variable selection for the data set, which has heavy-tailed distribution and high correlations within blocks of covariates. Motivated by econometric and financial studies, we consider using quantile regression to model the heavy-tailed distribution data. Considering the case where the covariates are high dimensional and there are high correlations within blocks, we use the latent factor model to reduce the correlations between the covariates and use the conquer to obtain the estimators of quantile regression coefficients, and we propose a consistency strategy named factor-augmented regularized variable selection for quantile regression (Farvsqr). By principal component analysis, we can obtain the latent factors and idiosyncratic components; then, we use both as predictors instead of the covariates with high correlations. Farvsqr transforms the problem from variable selection with highly correlated covariates to that with weakly correlated ones for quantile regression. Variable selection consistency is obtained under mild conditions. Simulation study and real data application demonstrate that our method is better than the common regularized M-estimation LASSO.
Group-Graded By-Product Construction and Group Double Centralizer Properties
Authors: Zhang Senlin , Wang Shuanhong
Published: August 2022

For a group π with unit e, we introduce and study the notion of a π-graded Hopf algebra. Then we introduce and construct a new braided monoidal category HHeYDπ over a π-graded Hopf algebra H. We introduce the notion of a π-double centralizer property and investigate this property by studying a braided π-graded Hopf algebra U(gln(V))⋉πH, where V is an n-dimensional vector space in HHeYDπ and U(gln(V)) is the braided universal enveloping algebra of gln(V) which is not the usual Hopf algebra. Finally, some examples and special cases are given.
Pulse of the Nation: Observable Subjective Well-Being in Russia Inferred from Social Network Odnoklassniki
Authors: Smetanin Sergey
Published: August 2022

Policymakers and researchers worldwide are interested in measuring the subjective well-being (SWB) of populations. In recent years, new approaches to measuring SWB have begun to appear, using digital traces as the main source of information, and show potential to overcome the shortcomings of traditional survey-based methods. In this paper, we propose the formal model for calculation of observable subjective well-being (OSWB) indicator based on posts from a social network, which utilizes demographic information and post-stratification techniques to make the data sample representative by selected characteristics of the general population. We applied the model on the data from Odnoklassniki, one of the largest social networks in Russia, and obtained an OSWB indicator representative of the population of Russia by age and gender. For sentiment analysis, we fine-tuned several language models on RuSentiment and achieved state-of-the-art results. The calculated OSWB indicator demonstrated moderate to strong Pearson’s (r=0.733, p=0.007, n=12) correlation and strong Spearman’s (rs=0.825, p=0.001, n=12) correlation with a traditional survey-based Happiness Index reported by Russia Public Opinion Research Center, confirming the validity of the proposed approach. Additionally, we explored circadian (24 h) and circaseptan (7 day) patterns, and report several interesting findings for the population of Russia. Firstly, daily variations were clearly observed: the morning had the lowest level of happiness, and the late evening had the highest. Secondly, weekly patterns were clearly observed as well, with weekends being happier than weekdays. The lowest level of happiness occurs in the first three weekdays, and starting on Thursday, it rises and peaks during the weekend. Lastly, demographic groups showed different levels of happiness on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, which confirms the importance of post-stratification by age group and gender in OSWB studies based on digital traces.
Mucoadhesive Marine Polysaccharides
Authors: Yermak Irina M. , Davydova Viktoriya N. , Volod’ko Aleksandra V.
Published: August 2022

Mucoadhesive polymers are of growing interest in the field of drug delivery due to their ability to interact with the body’s mucosa and increase the effectiveness of the drug. Excellent mucoadhesive performance is typically observed for polymers possessing charged groups or non-ionic functional groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions with mucosal surfaces. Among mucoadhesive polymers, marine carbohydrate biopolymers have been attracting attention due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability, sample functional groups, strong water absorption and favorable physiochemical properties. Despite the large number of works devoted to mucoadhesive polymers, there are very few systematic studies on the influence of structural features of marine polysaccharides on mucoadhesive interactions. The purpose of this review is to characterize the mucoadhesive properties of marine carbohydrates with a focus on chitosan, carrageenan, alginate and their use in designing drug delivery systems. A wide variety of methods which have been used to characterize mucoadhesive properties of marine polysaccharides are presented in this review. Mucoadhesive drug delivery systems based on such polysaccharides are characterized by simplicity and ease of use in the form of tablets, gels and films through oral, buccal, transbuccal and local routes of administration.
Timing and Outcomes of Noninvasive Ventilation in 307 ARDS COVID-19 Patients: An Observational Study in an Italian Third Level COVID-19 Hospital
Authors: Tetaj Nardi , Piselli Pierluca , Zito Sara , De Angelis Giada , Marini Maria Cristina , Rubino Dorotea , Gaviano Ilaria , Antonica Maria Vittoria , Agostini Elisabetta , Porcelli Candido , Stazi Giulia Valeria , Garotto Gabriele , Busso Donatella , Scarcia Silvana , Navarra Assunta , Cimaglia Claudia , Topino Simone , Iacomi Fabio , D’Abramo Alessandra , Pinnetti Carmela , Gualano Gina , Capone Alessandro , Villanacci Alberta , Antinori Andrea , Palmieri Fabrizio , D’Offizi Gianpiero , Ianniello Stefania , Taglietti Fabrizio , Campioni Paolo , Vaia Francesco , Nicastri Emanuele , Girardi Enrico , Marchioni Luisa ,   on behalf of the ReCOVeRI Study Group
Published: August 2022

Background and Objectives: Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel cause of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is widely used in patients with ARDS across several etiologies. Indeed, with the increase of ARDS cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its use has grown significantly in hospital wards. However, there is a lack of evidence to support the efficacy of NIV in patients with COVID-19 ARDS. Materials and Methods: We conducted an observational cohort study including adult ARDS COVID-19 patients admitted in a third level COVID-center in Rome, Italy. The study analyzed the rate of NIV failure defined by the occurrence of orotracheal intubation and/or death within 28 days from starting NIV, its effectiveness, and the associated relative risk of death. The factors associated with the outcomes were identified through logistic regression analysis. Results: During the study period, a total of 942 COVID-19 patients were admitted to our hospital, of which 307 (32.5%) presented with ARDS at hospitalization. During hospitalization 224 (23.8%) were treated with NIV. NIV failure occurred in 84 (37.5%) patients. At 28 days from starting NIV, moderate and severe ARDS had five-fold and twenty-fold independent increased risk of NIV failure (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 5.01, 95% CI 2.08–12.09, and 19.95, 95% CI 5.31–74.94), respectively, compared to patients with mild ARDS. A total of 128 patients (13.5%) were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). At 28-day from ICU admission, intubated COVID-19 patients treated with early NIV had 40% lower mortality (aOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.25–1.46, p = 0.010) compared with patients that underwent orotracheal intubation without prior NIV. Conclusions: These findings show that NIV failure was independently correlated with the severity category of COVID-19 ARDS. The start of NIV in COVID-19 patients with mild ARDS (P/F > 200 mmHg) appears to increase NIV effectiveness and reduce the risk of orotracheal intubation and/or death. Moreover, early NIV (P/F > 200 mmHg) treatment seems to reduce the risk of ICU mortality at 28 days from ICU admission.
Effect of Abrasive Grain Concession on Micromechanical Behavior of Lapping Sapphire by FAP
Authors: Xu Huimin , Wang Jianbin , Xu Yiliang , Li Qingan , Jiang Benchi
Published: August 2022

Aiming at exploring the material removal mechanism for sapphire using diamond abrasive grains at the microscopic level, this paper modeled and analyzed the microscopic yield behavior of diamond abrasive grains in the FAP grinding process of sapphire. Molecular dynamics were used to simulate the effects of abrasive particle size on the cutting force, potential energy, and temperature in the Newtonian zone during micro-cutting. The effect of different abrasive particle sizes on material removal was analyzed through experiments. The simulation results show that the abrasive particle radius was 12 Å, the micro-cutting force reached more than 3500 nN, while the cutting force with an abrasive particle radius of 8 Å only reached 1000 nN. Moreover, the potential energy, cutting force, and temperature in the Newtonian zone between the sapphire crystal atoms also increased. The results showed that the material removal rate saw a nonlinear increasing trend with the increase in particle sizes, while the surface roughness showed an approximately linear increase. Both of them showed a similar trend. The experimental results lay a theoretical basis for the selection of the lapping process parameters in sapphire.
Transcriptomic Differences between Free-Living and Parasitic Chilodonella uncinata (Alveolata, Ciliophora)
Authors: Bu Xialian , Zhao Weishan , Li Ming , Li Wenxiang , Wu Shangong , Zou Hong , Wang Guitang
Published: August 2022

Chilodonella uncinata is a facultatively parasitic ciliate, which can opportunistically parasitize on fish gills and fins, and sometimes even cause host mortality. Previous molecular studies of C. uncinata mainly focused on genetic diversity and molecular evolution. There are currently no transcriptome reports studying differences between free-living and parasitic C. uncinata. We addressed this by sequencing transcriptomes of these two C. uncinata lifestyle types using Smart-seq2 and Illumina HiSeq technologies. In total, 1040 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Compared with the free-living type, 494 genes of the parasitic type were downregulated and 546 genes were upregulated. These DEGs were identified through BLAST with NCBI-nr, Swiss-Port, and Pfam databases and then annotated by GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis. The results showed that parasitism-related genes such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), actin I, and leishmanolysin were significantly upregulated in parasitic C. uncinata. The ciliary-related dynein heavy chain also had a higher expression in parasitic C. uncinata. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and TCA cycle. This study increases the volume of molecular data available for C. uncinata and contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the transition from a free-living to a parasitic lifestyle.
Computational Characterization of β-Li3PS4 Solid Electrolyte: From Bulk and Surfaces to Nanocrystals
Authors: Marana Naiara Leticia , Sgroi Mauro Francesco , Maschio Lorenzo , Ferrari Anna Maria , D’Amore Maddalena , Casassa Silvia
Published: August 2022

The all-solid-state lithium-ion battery is a new class of batteries being developed following today’s demand for renewable energy storage, especially for electric cars. The key component of such batteries is the solid-state electrolyte, a technology that promises increased safety and energy density with respect to the traditional liquid electrolytes. In this view, β-Li3PS4 is emerging as a good solid-state electrolyte candidate due to its stability and ionic conductivity. Despite the number of recent studies on this material, there is still much to understand about its atomic structure, and in particular its surface, a topic that becomes of key relevance for ionic diffusion and chemical stability in grain borders and contact with the other device components. In this study, we performed a density functional study of the structural and electronic properties of β-Li3PS4 surfaces. Starting from the bulk, we first verified that the thermodynamically stable structure featured slight distortion to the structure. Then, the surfaces were cut along different crystallographic planes and compared with each other. The (100) surface is confirmed as the most stable at T = 298 K, closely followed by (011), (010), and (210). Finally, from the computed surface energies, the Wulff nanocrystals were obtained and it was verified that the growth along the (100) and (011) directions reasonably reproduces the shape of the experimentally observed nanocrystal. With this study, we demonstrate that there are other surfaces besides (100) that are stable and can form interfaces with other components of the battery as well as facilitate the Li-migration according to their porous structures.
A Trilayer Dressing with Self-Pumping and pH Monitoring Properties for Promoting Abdominal Wall Defect Repair
Authors: Hu Jie , Chen Guopu , Wang Gefei
Published: August 2022

Due to abdominal infection, excessive wound exudation, and intestinal fistula formation, the treatment of full-thickness abdominal wall defects has become a difficult challenge for clinic doctors. This clinical problem cannot be resolved with existing biomaterials. To facilitate the repair of the abdominal wall, we developed a novel wound dressing with directional biofluid transport. We used electrospinning to spin a trilayer dressing consisting of hydrolyzed poly-acrylonitrile (HPAN)/Curcumin (CUR), polyurethane (PU), and polycaprolactone (PCL). In vitro results show that the three-layer wound dressing is biocompatible, capable of directional transport of excessive wound exudation, preventing reverse penetration, and monitoring the pH of the wound. Furthermore, in vivo results show the trilayer wound dressing improves the wound microenvironment, reduces inflammatory factors, promotes angiogenesis, and accelerates abdominal wall repair. Thus, we believe that the novel trilayer electrospinning dressing could facilitate abdominal wall defect repair.
Total and Added Sugar Intakes Are Increasing among Children and Adolescents in China: Findings from CHNS 1997–2011
Authors: Liu Yan , Cheng Jing , Wan Lijin , Chen Wei
Published: August 2022

A high level of sugar intake has been linked to poor dietary quality and a wide range of chronic diseases. However, data on sugar intake are still scarce in China. This study aimed to provide time trends in the total and added sugar intakes among Chinese children and adolescents from 1997 to 2011. A nationwide ongoing open prospective cohort study of Chinese children and adolescents aged 3–17 years (n = 13,212) was conducted by using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 1997–2011 (six 1-year cycles). An individual dietary intake was collected from three consecutive 24-h recalls during randomly allocated home visits. Data for total and added sugar contents were determined based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (SR28), the Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED) 2015–2016, and the labeled ingredients and nutrient contents. General linear regression was used to estimate time trends. Over the 15-year period, total sugar and added sugar intakes increased among all age groups studied (3–17 years: total sugar increased from 11.2 ± 0.3 g/d to 28.1 ± 0.5 g/d, added sugar increased from 1.0 ± 0.1 g/d to 7.2 ± 0.3 g/d; 3–6 years: 9.5 ± 0.6 g/d to 25.1 ± 0.9 g/d, 1.3 ± 0.2 g/d to 6.9 ± 0.4 g/d; 7–12 years: 11.4 ± 0.5 g/d to 28.1 ± 0.8 g/d, 0.9 ± 0.1 g/d to 7.1 ± 0.5 g/d; 13–17 years: 11.8 ± 0.4 g/d to 31.4 ± 1.1 g/d, 1.0 ± 0.2 g/d to 7.6 ± 0.6 g/d) (all p for trend < 0.001). Adolescents aged 13–17 years had the highest total sugar intake, and children aged 3–6 years had the highest added sugar intake, except for 2011. Children and adolescents living in urban areas and who were overweight had much higher total and added sugar intakes than those residing in rural areas and of non-overweight/obesity. Furthermore, the dietary sources of total and added sugars have become more diverse over the study period. In conclusion, we observed a notable rise in total and added sugar intakes among children and adolescents across all age groups, both genders, both urban and rural areas, and all BMI categories, with dietary sources of total and added sugars becoming more diverse in China over 15 years.
Definitions and Assessment Methods of ‘Home Cooking’ in Studies with Dietary Variables: A Scoping Review
Authors: Yuan Xiaoyi , Fujiwara Aya , Matsumoto Mai , Tajima Ryoko , Shinsugi Chisa , Koshida Emiko , Takimoto Hidemi
Published: August 2022

Home cooking is a complex idea that involves multiple skills and behaviors and can be interpreted differently. Using six databases (two of which were Japanese), this scoping review examined the definitions and methods used in studies investigating the relationship between home cooking and dietary variables. Of the 40 studies (2 in Japanese) included in this review, 8 provided definitions but did not specify the extent or level that convenience foods can be allowed in food preparation. The methods were classified into two categories, namely, perception-dependent (n = 29) if using a self-reported instrument, or perception-independent (n = 11) if based on investigators’ classification. Subsequently, indicators of home cooking were classified based on survey attributes (e.g., frequency, location). All but five studies used single indicators, primarily the preparation frequency (n = 18). Quality of analysis was also evaluated. Studies that used multiple indicators or perception-independent methods showed high or moderate overall quality. In contrast, studies that used single indicators based on perception-dependent methods tended to have a low overall quality. The consistency of the relationship between home cooking and dietary variables depended on study quality. In conclusion, the definitions of home cooking were inconsistent across studies, and lacked consensus for examining the association between dietary outcomes.
PKCeta Promotes Stress-Induced Autophagy and Senescence in Breast Cancer Cells, Presenting a Target for Therapy
Authors: Rotem-Dai Noa , Muraleedharan Amitha , Livneh Etta
Published: August 2022

The emergence of chemoresistance in neoplastic cells is one of the major obstacles in cancer therapy. Autophagy was recently reported as one of the mechanisms that promote chemoresistance in cancer cells by protecting against apoptosis and driving senescence. Thus, understanding the role of autophagy and its underlying signaling pathways is crucial for the development of new therapeutic strategies to overcome chemoresistance. We have previously reported that PKCη is a stress-induced kinase that confers resistance in breast cancer cells against chemotherapy by inducing senescence. Here, we show that PKCη promotes autophagy induced by ER and oxidative stress and facilitates the transition from autophagy to senescence. We demonstrate that PKCη knockdown reduces both the autophagic flux and markers of senescence. Additionally, using autophagy inhibitors such as chloroquine and 3-methyladenine, we show that PKCη and autophagy are required for establishing senescence in MCF-7 in response to oxidative stress. Different drugs used in the clinic are known to induce autophagy and senescence in breast cancer cells. Our study proposes PKCη as a target for therapeutic intervention, acting in synergy with autophagy-inducing drugs to overcome resistance and enhance cell death in breast cancer.
Biodiversity in Urban Areas: The Extraordinary Case of Appia Antica Regional Park (Rome, Italy)
Authors: Iamonico Duilio
Published: August 2022

The first inventory of the flora of Appia Antica Regional Park (Italy), one of the largest protected urban areas in Europe (4580 ha), its biological, ecological and biogeographical composition, and notes of the vegetation physiognomies and landscape are presented; physical characteristics of the territory (geomorphology, lithotypes, and phytoclimate) are also given. The landscape is defined by an agricultural matrix with natural and seminatural areas as patches, and riparian vegetation communities as corridors. The vegetation physiognomies are represented by types linked to the Mediterranean climate (mixed, Mediterranean, and riparian forests; scrubby, rocky, aquatic, and helophytic vegetation; anthropogenic communities). The floristic list includes 714 taxa (104 families and 403 genera). Therophytes prevail over hemicryptophytes; woody flora comprises about 30% of alien species. As regards chorotypes, together with a considerable number of Mediterranean species, there are many exotic species with wide distribution areas testifying to a long-lasting anthropic impact. Floristic novelties (european, national, and regional levels) for 21 taxa are reported. The extraordinary species diversity discovered (43% of flora of Rome and 20% of regional flora) is linked to the landscape heterogeneity, the characteristics of which are: (1) persistence of residual natural patches, (2) occurrence of quite well-preserved aquatic habitats and humid meadows, (3) a rich anthropogenic flora, (4) an interesting flora of archeological sites, (5) occurrence of species not common in Latium, (6) occurrence of populations of aliens in crops (which cause economic impact), (7) presence of aliens on archeological ruins (which cause economic-social impacts). The extensive set of data provided represents a general base framework for guiding future research efforts and landscape action plans consistent with environmental sustainability.
Research on the Material Compatibility of Elastomer Sealing O-Rings
Authors: Müller Miroslav , Šleger Vladimír , Čedík Jakub , Pexa Martin
Published: August 2022

Significant attention has been paid to combustion engines for the utilization of new liquid fuels and their testing at the present. Research activities in ensuring the optimum function of the engine by watching sealing and distribution rubber elements, which are part of fuel systems, should be an integral part of fuels research. When evaluating fuels utilization in combustion engines, the issue has to be judged in a complex. However, when using biofuels in combustion engines, it is not always simple owing to the different degradation properties of these products. Elastomer material is not entirely resistant to various types of fuels. More or less, it is possible to expect changes in its mechanical properties. For the evaluation of the functionality of elastomer sealing elements based on ACM, HNBR and FVMQ type O-rings with pure and blended fuels, the evaluation of changes in mass, hardness Shore A, permanent deformation CS, tensile strength TS and deformation Eb after immersion with the tested fuel is mainly used. Permanent changes were found by the tests. The degradation of elastomer O-rings was more pronounced for the tested fuels containing ethanol, iso-butanol, n-butanol, methanol and dodecanol. HVO 100 fuel containing hydrotreated vegetable oil did not show significant degradation of elastomer O-ring seals. Of the O-rings tested, the FVMQ type O-rings showed the best performance in terms of material compatibility for all fuels tested.
Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Digestion of Pig Manure with Thermal Pretreatment: Stability Monitoring to Improve the Potential for Obtaining Methane
Authors: Vanegas Marley , Romani Felipe , Jiménez Mayerlenis
Published: August 2022

Monitoring and controlling stability in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems are essential, since it allows to obtain information that helps to take corrective actions in case of deviations in the system and to guarantee a stable performance in the biogas production. In this work, a pilot-scale CSRT reactor (1 m3) was monitored during the anaerobic digestion of pig manure with thermal pretreatment (80 °C) operated at thermophilic temperature (45 °C). The ratio of the volatile organic acids (FOS) to the total inorganic carbonate (TAC) and the pH were the indicators used during the monitoring process to identify deviations in the AD system. Additionally, alkaline solution NaOH (98%) was applied to counteract pH deviations and maintain stability. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biogas composition were measured during the AD process. It was found that during the AD process, the FOS/TAC was between the range of 0.5 and 1. The results revealed that, in the anaerobic digestion of pig manure with thermal pretreatment, the pH was kept stable in the range of 6.7–7.4 since no medium acidification occurred. Additionally, the tendency of the chemical oxygen demand decreased from the 10th day of operation, product of the favorable enzymatic activity of the microorganisms, reflected in the stable production of biogas (69% CH4). Finally, it is concluded that thermophilic AD of pig manure with thermal pretreatment is a good option when it is carried out efficiently by employing an adequate energetic integration.
Effect of a Radially Offset Impeller on the Unsteady Characteristics of Internal Flow in a Double-Suction Centrifugal Fan
Authors: Chen Zhiyun , Yang Hui , Wei Yikun , He Haijiang , Zhang Chenyu , Nie Tiehua , Yu Peiquan , Zhang Wei
Published: August 2022

The impeller of double-suction centrifugal fans may be radially offset from the centerline of the volute due to faults in assembly or installation. The radial offset results in the more significant non-uniformity of internal flow in the centrifugal fan, which is biased from the designed condition, and deteriorates the aerodynamic performances of the fan. In this paper, we performed Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) simulations on the unsteady internal flow of a double-suction centrifugal fan. The impeller of the fan is offset in the radial direction from its original position and is thus closer to the wall of the volute on one side and away from the opposite side. Numerical results show that the offset impeller changes the size of the gap between the impeller and collector in the radial direction, which produces a non-uniform distribution of static pressure and even reversed flow at the inlet of the impeller. As the impeller is offset away from the baffle of the volute, reversed flow back into the volute is observed, and strong circulating vortices form around the baffle, which weakens the diffusing capability of the volute. However, as the impeller is offset close to the baffle, the internal flow of the volute generally improves the flow patterns within the impeller, while the boundary layer separates from the pressure surface of the blades near the front disc as the flow angle varies; the maximum velocity of reversed flow could reach 20 m/s which lowers the efficiency of the fan.
Thermal Stability Evaluation of T152 Emulsifier on the Modification Influence of Fireworks Propellant
Authors: Wu He , Yang Na , Tang Yan , Jiang Jun-Cheng , Huang An-Chi
Published: August 2022

High-energy substances like effect propellant and propellant are used in fireworks. In the process of manufacture, transportation, and use, heat can easily get out of control. The emulsifier polyisobutene succinimide (T152) is frequently used to emulsify explosives. Given the thermal safety of the propellant in fireworks, this paper used the emulsifier T152 to emulsify the propellant. Thermogravimetric Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry and differential scanning calorimetry were used to analyze and test the propellant. In addition, several methods of thermokinetic calculation were used to calculate thermal stability. The thermal stability of the propellant before and after adding T152 was compared and analyzed. The test results indicate that the apparent activation energy of the propellant increases with the addition of T152. The emulsifier improved the thermal stability of the propellant. The research results can provide relevant data and suggestions for the thermal reaction of pyrotechnic propellants, thereby reducing the potential risks of the fireworks industry.
The Conometric Connection for the Implant-Supported Fixed Prosthesis: A Narrative Review
Authors: Lupi Saturnino Marco , Todaro Claudia , De Martis Dario , Blasi Paola , Rodriguez y Baena Ruggero , Storelli Stefano
Published: August 2022

Aim: The conometric concept was proposed as a possible connection between the abutment and the prosthetic coping. This research aimed to review the features and possible clinical uses of this connection in an implant-supported fixed prosthesis. Methods: An electronic search was conducted on an online database for the topic in object; articles published in international literature were considered and the research gave 17 results, and 6 parameters were analyzed. Results: This connection eliminated the possibility of cement residues in the subgingival region, reducing the risk of inflammation of peri-implant soft and hard tissues; not having to remove the cement residues, it is possible to place the margins in more apical portions, improving the aesthetics outcomes of the rehabilitations. It is also known that the retention by means of a screw causes a weakening of the restoration. The retentive force is adequate for fixed rehabilitation even after a high number of insertion–disengagement cycles; in vitro studies have also shown a high bacterial sealing. Implant rehabilitation using preformed components, such as conometric hoods, is helpful for CAD/CAM, so a digital workflow is possible. Several types of prosthesis were presented, all of which demonstrated adequate clinical performance in the follow-up observation. Conclusions: This type of connection seems to be suitable to support fixed implant rehabilitations, but long-term clinical studies are needed to validate this system.
The Self as Combination of Deities and Yantras: Divinisation Rituals among Contemporary Śrīvidyā Practitioners in India
Authors: Hirmer Monika
Published: August 2022

Divinisation rituals establishing oneness between practitioners and divinities are common across Tantric traditions. While scholars largely argue that divinisation occurs through meditative practices, implying a clear demarcation between contemplative samayācāra rituals and body-focused kaulācāra rituals, I suggest that samayācāra divinisation rituals entail fundamental corporeal elements; furthermore, I argue that the distinction between samayācāra and kaulācāra rituals is not obvious, but negotiated on a continuum ranging between representational and embodied corporeality. Based on extensive anthropological fieldwork in the temple-complex Śaktipur, I first illustrate divinised Śrīvidyā bodies: they are permeated by goddess Tripurasundarī in her anthropomorphic form and as a diagram, or yantra (the Śrīcakra), and by the deities Gaṇapati, Śyāmā, and Vārāhī, and their respective yantras. Thereafter, I describe yantrapūjās, which are samayācāra rituals through which practitioners divinise their bodies, outlining, particularly, their corporeal elements. I also illustrate sirījyotipūjā, which is a ritual directly transmitted by Tripurasundarī to Śaktipur’s guru and is, therefore, unique to his disciples. Foreseeing the creation of a large Śrīcakra decorated with flowers, around and at the centre of which practitioners congregate, the ritual facilitates the superimposition of the Śrīcakra, Tripurasundarī and worshippers’ bodies; including both representational and embodied elements, sirījyotipūjā occupies the fluid intersection between samayācāra and kaulācāra rituals.
The Posture of Lalitāsana: Buddhist Posing Hierarchy in a Tang-Dynasty Chinese Bronze Sculpture
Authors: Huang Bing
Published: August 2022

The rubric of the presence of Buddhist sculpture in the absence of an actual deity represents an admirable aspect of Buddhist art, especially sculpture, where the best works have drawn on this paradox in an astounding fashion. An important element in the realization of this religious archetype is the Buddhist statues’ sublime poses. This article demonstrates the Buddhist posture hierarchy, based on a case study of a Tang-Dynasty Chinese Buddhist Bronze collected by the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, the posture of which is identified as lalitāsana: one leg pendant and the other bent horizontally. This article shows how this pose engendered various other compositional situations and postures popular in East Asia icon design and, moreover, that this sculpture might form part of an assemblage, where the pose indicates the central Buddha figure, to which all of the other figures are formally and doctrinally posed following a hierarchy. This article argues that Buddhist figures of different religious ranks are characterized by their pose and degree of movement. This research proves that the myriad forms of Buddhist postures and hierarchy have been devised to illustrate mythologies and philosophical, doctrinal, or social concepts, and their representations, in turn, have engendered other myths and beliefs.
Pathway Analysis of Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) Data Associated with Male Infertility
Authors: Salvi Rupashree , Gawde Ulka , Idicula-Thomas Susan , Biswas Barnali
Published: August 2022

Background: Infertility is a common condition affecting approximately 10–20% of the reproductive age population. Idiopathic infertility cases are thought to have a genetic basis, but the underlying causes are largely unknown. However, the genetic basis underlying male infertility in humans is only partially understood. The Purpose of the study is to understand the current state of research on the genetics of male infertility and its association with significant biological mechanisms. Results: We performed an Identify Candidate Causal SNPs and Pathway (ICSN Pathway) analysis using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) dataset, and NCBI-PubMed search which included 632 SNPs in GWAS and 451 SNPs from the PubMed server, respectively. The ICSN Pathway analysis produced three hypothetical biological mechanisms associated with male infertility: (1) rs8084 and rs7192→HLA-DRA→inflammatory pathways and cell adhesion; rs7550231 and rs2234167→TNFRSF14→TNF Receptor Superfamily Member 14→T lymphocyte proliferation and activation; rs1105879 and rs2070959→UGT1A6→UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 1 member A6→Metabolism of Xenobiotics, androgen, estrogen, retinol, and carbohydrates. Conclusions: We believe that our results may be helpful to study the genetic mechanisms of male infertility. Pathway-based methods have been applied to male infertility GWAS datasets to investigate the biological mechanisms and reported some novel male infertility risk pathways. This pathway analysis using GWAS dataset suggests that the biological process related to inflammation and metabolism might contribute to male infertility susceptibility. Our analysis suggests that genetic contribution to male infertility operates through multiple genes affecting common inflammatory diseases interacting in functional pathways.
Coping Strategies, Cultural Practices and Policy Implications on Domestic Water Supply in an Erosion Susceptible Rural Community, Nigeria
Authors: Ezeudu Obiora B. , Ezeudu Tochukwu S. , Ugochukwu Uzochukwu C. , Okolo Obiageli J. , Ani Chinedu D. , Ajogu Agbaji P. , Ajaero Charles C. , Mbakwe Uchenna I. , Nduji Nixon N.
Published: August 2022

Solving water-related problems in remote regions, especially in the developing world, is context-specific and demands knowledge and attendant support of local processes and practices. Most rural communities in developing countries have basic water and other socioeconomic challenges common to them. However, the additional constraints that come with incessant landslides and gully erosion menace necessitates a holistic investigation of how the inhabitants of Nanka, a rural community in the southeastern part of Nigeria, tend to cope with shortages in the domestic water supply and other stress associated with water. This work tries to examine the domestic water coping strategies in the community in terms of water access, sources, practices, barriers, cultural influences, and other environmental issues. These factors were investigated through qualitative research methods. Major water sources in the community include surface sources, rainwater harvesting, and sachet water, while the main water coping practices are water storage, water sharing, and buying water from vendors. The current study further makes policy recommendations along the way forward.
Above-Ground Biomass Prediction for Croplands at a Sub-Meter Resolution Using UAV–LiDAR and Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Revenga Jaime C. , Trepekli Katerina , Oehmcke Stefan , Jensen Rasmus , Li Lei , Igel Christian , Gieseke Fabian Cristian , Friborg Thomas
Published: August 2022

Current endeavors to enhance the accuracy of in situ above-ground biomass (AGB) prediction for croplands rely on close-range monitoring surveys that use unstaffed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and mounted sensors. In precision agriculture, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technologies are currently used to monitor crop growth, plant phenotyping, and biomass dynamics at the ecosystem scale. In this study, we utilized a UAV–LiDAR sensor to monitor two crop fields and a set of machine learning (ML) methods to predict real-time AGB over two consecutive years in the region of Mid-Jutland, Denmark. During each crop growing period, UAV surveys were conducted in parallel with AGB destructive sampling every 7–15 days, the AGB samples from which were used as the ground truth data. We evaluated the ability of the ML models to estimate the real-time values of AGB at a sub-meter resolution (0.17–0.52 m2). An extremely randomized trees (ERT) regressor was selected for the regression analysis, based on its predictive performance for the first year’s growing season. The model was retrained using previously identified hyperparameters to predict the AGB of the crops in the second year. The ERT performed AGB estimation using height and reflectance metrics from LiDAR-derived point cloud data and achieved a prediction performance of R2 = 0.48 at a spatial resolution of 0.35 m2. The prediction performance could be improved significantly by aggregating adjacent predictions (R2 = 0.71 and R2 = 0.93 at spatial resolutions of 1 m2 and 2 m2, respectively) as they ultimately converged to the reference biomass values because any individual errors averaged out. The AGB prediction results were examined as function of predictor type, training set size, sampling resolution, phenology, and canopy density. The results demonstrated that when combined with ML regression methods, the UAV–LiDAR method could be used to provide accurate real-time AGB prediction for crop fields at a high resolution, thereby providing a way to map their biochemical constituents.
MSL-Net: An Efficient Network for Building Extraction from Aerial Imagery
Authors: Qiu Yue , Wu Fang , Yin Jichong , Liu Chengyi , Gong Xianyong , Wang Andong
Published: August 2022

There remains several challenges that are encountered in the task of extracting buildings from aerial imagery using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). First, the tremendous complexity of existing building extraction networks impedes their practical application. In addition, it is arduous for networks to sufficiently utilize the various building features in different images. To address these challenges, we propose an efficient network called MSL-Net that focuses on both multiscale building features and multilevel image features. First, we use depthwise separable convolution (DSC) to significantly reduce the network complexity, and then we embed a group normalization (GN) layer in the inverted residual structure to alleviate network performance degradation. Furthermore, we extract multiscale building features through an atrous spatial pyramid pooling (ASPP) module and apply long skip connections to establish long-distance dependence to fuse features at different levels of the given image. Finally, we add a deformable convolution network layer before the pixel classification step to enhance the feature extraction capability of MSL-Net for buildings with irregular shapes. The experimental results obtained on three publicly available datasets demonstrate that our proposed method achieves state-of-the-art accuracy with a faster inference speed than that of competing approaches. Specifically, the proposed MSL-Net achieves 90.4%, 81.1% and 70.9% intersection over union (IoU) values on the WHU Building Aerial Imagery dataset, Inria Aerial Image Labeling dataset and Massachusetts Buildings dataset, respectively, with an inference speed of 101.4 frames per second (FPS) for an input image of size 3 × 512 × 512 on an NVIDIA RTX 3090 GPU. With an excellent tradeoff between accuracy and speed, our proposed MSL-Net may hold great promise for use in building extraction tasks.
Machine Learning in Extreme Value Analysis, an Approach to Detecting Harmful Algal Blooms with Long-Term Multisource Satellite Data
Authors: Ye Weiwen , Zhang Feng , Du Zhenhong
Published: August 2022

Long-term satellite observations have the ability to provide early warnings of harmful algal blooms (HABs). However, detecting HABs in optically complex coastal waters is somewhat challenging. In this article, we propose a two-step scheme, combining long short-term memory (LSTM) with extreme value analysis (EVA), for HAB detection. Essentially, the LSTM network builds a normal time series model on selected coordinate of long-term multisource satellite data. This model detects potential HAB dates by utilizing the LSTM predictive errors for an approximated Gaussian distribution. For each potential HAB date, the EVA approach then extracts the HAB distribution from the selected coordinate by considering the spatial correlation. A case study in Zhejiang coastal waters shows that our method exploits the advantages of both LSTM and EVA models, which not only has the strong prediction capability of LSTM for reducing HAB false alarm rate, but also achieves a dynamic HAB extraction through the EVA fitting.
On the Efficient Implementation of Sparse Bayesian Learning-Based STAP Algorithms
Authors: Liu Kun , Wang Tong , Wu Jianxin , Liu Cheng , Cui Weichen
Published: August 2022

Sparse Bayesian learning-based space–time adaptive processing (SBL-STAP) algorithms can achieve superior clutter suppression performance with limited training sample support in practical heterogeneous and non-stationary clutter environments. However, when the system has high degrees of freedom (DOFs), SBL-STAP algorithms suffer from high computational complexity, since the large-scale matrix calculations and the inversion operations of large-scale covariance matrices are involved in the iterative process. In this article, we consider a computationally efficient implementation for SBL-STAP algorithms. The efficient implementation is based on the fact that the covariance matrices that need to be updated in the iterative process of the SBL-STAP algorithms have a Hermitian Toplitz-block-Toeplitz (HTBT) structure, with the result being that the inverse covariance matrix can be expressed in closed form by using a special case of the Gohberg–Semencul (G-S) formula. Based on the G-S-type factorization of the inverse covariance matrix and the structure of the used dictionary matrix, we can perform almost all operations in the SBL-STAP algorithms by 2-D FFT/IFFT. As a result, compared with the original SBL-STAP algorithms, even for moderate data sizes, the proposed algorithms can directly reduce the computational load by about two orders of magnitudes without any performance loss. Finally, simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
A Statistical Approach to Satellite Time Series Analysis to Detect Changes in Thermal Activities: The Vulcano Island 2021 Crisis
Authors: Rabuffi Federico , Silvestri Malvina , Musacchio Massimo , Romaniello Vito , Buongiorno Maria Fabrizia
Published: August 2022

Vulcano belongs to the seven volcanic islands forming the Aeolian archipelago (Italy) and has the privilege to define an eruptive style as “Vulcanian”. It has to be considered as an active volcano as its most recent activity demonstrated. Starting by late spring 2021, the thermal state of the Vulcano summit area changed and the gas emission increased. During the summer and, in particular, starting from September, geophysical and geochemical signals, precisely those linked to the activity of the hydrothermal system that feeds the fumaroles of the Fossa crater, varied. The temperature of the gases emitted by the fumaroles on the crater rim has increased and the composition of the gases has showed an increase in CO2 and SO2 (carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide) concentration. For such reasons, the authors decided to follow this event by analyzing the remotely sensed available data suitable for detecting changes in thermal state. By processing the TIRS (Landsat 8) and ASTER time series, two long-term surface temperature logs were obtained and, therefore, by adopting a statistical approach, an analysis in both space and time domains has emphasized a thermal signature since mid-September 2021.