bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Electric Vehicle Range and Thermal Comfort through an Innovative Seat Heating System
Authors: Bode Florin , Burnete Nicolae Vlad , Fechete Tutunaru Lucian , Nastase Ilinca
Published: March 2023

In the last decade, car manufactures invested a lot of effort to align their products to the latest energy directives which encourage the production and usage of electrified vehicles to reduce the greenhouse gases production. This resulted in several important developments, which enhanced the advantages of electric vehicles in terms of local emissions (zero tailpipe emissions), efficiency, convenience in urban areas and others and ultimately led to their ever-increasing adoption. However, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed. One example is the negative influence of low (winter) and high (summer) atmospheric temperatures on electric vehicle range due to the cabin temperature heating and cooling. This requires more efficient ways of using energy to avoid sacrificing the passenger thermal comfort for an increased vehicle range. The present study proposes a new strategy for heating the seats in electrically powered vehicles using an uneven distribution of the heating elements. The uneven positioning of the heating elements is based on the thermal sensitivity of the human skin measured data and scientific literature. For this, a thermal sensitivity test device was developed to map the human skin thermal sensitivity. To test the new solution, a vehicle seat was equipped with heating pads (arranged according to the position of the relevant human skin thermal sensitivity points). For the next step, comparative measurements (power consumption, temperature distribution—with an IR camera—and human subjectivity test) were carried out between a classical vehicle seat heating system and the newly proposed heating solution. The outcome of the study revealed that the proposed heating system will supply at least the same thermal comfort sensation as the standard vehicle seat but using only half of the energy consumption, which translates in an increase of the electrically powered vehicle range between 1.2% and 1.5%, depending on the climate and driving conditions (over the WLTC). For example, a vehicle with a 16 kWh battery driving over the WLTC in Frankfurt climate conditions can gain in 1 year between 139.6 and 164.5 km.
The Interaction of Cultural and Creative Industries Clusters and Regional Economic Resilience from the Perspective of Spatial Analysis
Authors: Liu Hongjia , Fang Yongheng , Liu Jiamin , Chen Yaqian
Published: March 2023

Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) clusters are essential in increasing regional economic resilience, and regions with solid economic resilience can also promote the formation of CCIs clusters. However, there is little research on the two-way effect of cultural and creative industries on regional economic resilience. This study explores the relationship between the clusters of CCIs clusters and regional economic resilience from a spatial perspective. This paper takes 31 provinces and cities in China as the research object, uses panel data from 1997 to 2020, and divides the CCIs clusters into specialization and diversification. The spatial simultaneous equations model was used to verify the two-way influence relationship and the spatial interaction between the specialization and diversification of CCIs clusters and the regional economic resilience, respectively. The study found a two-way positive relationship between specialized CCIs clusters and regional economic resilience, while the opposite relationship existed between diversified CCIs clusters and regional economic resilience. There were positive spatial spillovers between CCIs clusters and regional economic resilience. The enhancement of local economic resilience comes from the specialization of local CCIs clusters and the diversification of CCIs clusters in neighboring regions.
Research on the Spatio-Temporal Characteristics and Influence Path of High-Quality Economic Development from the Perspective of Urban Land Transfer
Authors: Chen Kun , Chen Yinrong , Liu Min , Chen Yi
Published: March 2023

The transfer of urban land is an important means for the government to optimize the allocation of resources and promote economic development, and its impact on high-quality economic development (HQED) in the new era is worthy of attention. Based on the panel data of 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2004 to 2017, the entropy method and panel regression model are used to analyze the direct, indirect, and non-linear effects of land transfer on HQED. The study found that: (1) The HQED level of the Yangtze River economic belt increased steadily from 2004 to 2017, but the overall level was low, showing the spatial characteristics of high downstream and low middle and upstream. (2) Urban land transfer (ULT) has a significant positive direct impact on HQED, especially in the upper and middle reaches, while the indirect impact is more beneficial to the downstream areas. The impact of industrial structure upgrading (uis) and urbanization (urb) on HQED is significantly negative in the upstream area, while significantly positive in the downstream area. (3) There is a significant threshold effect in ULT, and its positive impact on HQED decreases with the expansion of the threshold scale, but increases in the upstream and midstream areas. The overall impact of uis and urb shows inverted “U” characteristics and significant differences in different areas. The conclusion is that the government should first further reform the land resource management system, and then improve the efficiency of construction land use, to reduce the dependence on land resources, and finally promote the upgrading of industrial structure and improve the quality of urbanization.
Passive of CRFS Technology in Soil-Cement Application
Authors: Carvalho Antônio Alves de , Leite Kelson de Sousa , Matos José Milton Elias de
Published: March 2023

In Brazil, with the ban on the production, sale, and use of chrysotile asbestos, the sector’s industry opted to replace asbestos with CRFS Technology—Cement Reinforced with Synthetic Wire (fiber cement); that is, another product to be disposed of in landfills. This work aimed to determine a composite based on clay, fiber cement powder, and cement that meets the technical specifications of Brazilian soil–cement application standards to contribute to a more sustainable treatment of the future disposal of fiber cement products. With the characterization analysis of the materials, we identified that the clay granulometry is heterogeneous and distributed from 0.1 µm to 25 µm. In comparison, 75% of the fiber cement powder has grains greater than 10 µm. For clay, the liquidity limit is 39.67%, the plasticity limit is 25.01%, and the plasticity index is 14.66%. In the semiquantitative chemical analysis, silicon oxide (SiO2) and calcium oxide (CaO) stood out as the main oxides found, reflected in the mineralogy as quartz and calcium silicate. Therefore, we identified the percentage of organic matter in clay at 2%, using the result of the thermogravimetric analysis. The results described met the normative parameters foreseen for soil–cement applications. That said, the technological characterization was carried out by tests of linear retraction, water absorption, and simple mechanical compression on the specimens made under an axial pressure of 31.2 Mpa in the formulations defined in this work. The formulations with 10% cement and 20% and 30% fiber cement powder are suitable for use in soil–cement bricks, as they have volumetric shrinkage percentages from 2% to 2.5%, water absorption ranging from 18.66% to 19.39%, and simple compressions from 4.25 Mpa to 6.88 Mpa, meeting the requirements of Brazilian standards for soil–cement applications. It is concluded that the results showed that it is possible to produce soil–cement bricks with passive fiber cement products converted into powder, avoiding improper disposal and unwanted environmental impacts.
Estimation of Large River Design Floods Using the Peaks-Over-Threshold (POT) Method
Authors: Kolaković Slobodan , Mandić Vladimir , Stojković Milan , Jeftenić Goran , Stipić Danilo , Kolaković Srđan
Published: March 2023

This research analyzes the peaks-over-threshold (POT) method for designed flood estimation needed to plan river levees, spillways and water facilities. In this study, a one-parameter exponential probability distribution has been modified by including the coefficient of λ, which represents an average number of floods and enables return period calculation within the specified period of time. The study also compares results using the Log-Pearson Type III distribution of maximum annual flows and a standard exponential distribution of the selected peaks over the threshold level. The aforementioned approach represents the standard mathematical tools for river flood design, while the proposed modification of the exponential distribution highlights the estimation of flood quantiles with longer return periods (e.g., 100, 1000 and 10,000 years). Moreover, the sensitivity analysis of the threshold selection is proposed to assist in the flood design flow estimation alongside the proposed modification of the exponential probability distribution. The study was carried out at the Danube River, and the Novi Sad hydrological station (Republic of Serbia) was used for the long-term recorded period from 1876 to 2015. The results suggest that the POT method derives more reliable estimates of design floods than the traditional statistical tools for flood estimation. The results suggest the theoretical values of the water level of the 10,000 years return period is equal to 867 cm, while the Log-Pearson Type III distribution of annual maximum flows underestimated this value for 14 cm.
The Power Transition under the Interaction of Different Systems—A Case Study of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area
Authors: Wang Wenxiu , Luo Yuejun , Zhao Daiqing
Published: March 2023

Power transition is the top priority in energy transition. All existing power transition paths have been studied under the same system; thus far, no basic research has investigated what paths are involved and how they cooperate with each other under the interaction of different systems. Taking the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), featuring a “one country, two systems” approach, as an example, this research identified and quantified the best path for the GBA’s power transition and explored the mode of cooperation during the power transition among the three regions under the interaction of different systems. The results showed that a combination of multiple low-carbon technologies is the best option for the GBA’s deep power transition, which can be characterized by the following components: “gas increase, nuclear increase, coal guarantee, and low proportion of renewable energy”. In this scenario, the GBA can achieve a carbon peak of 167 million tons of CO2 in 2023. Before 2030, the GBA needs to first develop class H gas power, photovoltaic power and nuclear power while phasing out subcritical and below thermal power cogeneration, and subcritical and below coal power. After 2030, a significant increase will be needed in the installed capacity of distributed gas power to replace some class E and F gas power units. Distributed rooftop PV power generation will be the mainstream method of renewable energy generation. Power generation through waste incineration can also provide a prominent contribution to urban biomass power. Under the interaction of different systems, breaking the technical barriers among the three regions would represent a breakthrough for establishing a cooperative power transition. A “one primary system, two auxiliary systems” theoretical framework of cooperation is proposed, and the scope of its application is revealed. This study can provide a case reference for the establishment of a win–win cooperation mechanism for energy transition in different countries.
Effect Evaluation of Large-Scale Energy Saving Renovation of Rural Buildings in Beijing and Implications for Other Cities in the Same Zone
Authors: Deng Qinqin , Shan Ming , Zhang Guangchuan , Zhang Shengnan , Liu Yanqing , Yang Xudong
Published: March 2023

Compared with that in cities, energy efficiency of rural houses is lagging behind, with high total energy consumption, low efficiency and poor indoor thermal environment. Beijing is the first area to promote the energy-saving renovation of existing rural buildings on a large scale, systematically, at the whole-city level in China. Through government symposiums, field surveys, simulation analysis and other research methods in this article, the implementation scheme and policy system for the energy-saving renovation of rural buildings in Beijing were sorted out, analyzed and evaluated. The following conclusions are drawn: Beijing has completed energy-saving renovations of more than 1 million rural households; the average energy-saving rate of the thermal insulation renovation of rural houses in Beijing is about 30.0%; the average room temperature has increased by 2.6 °C after the renovation; Beijing can achieve the annual energy conservation of 590,000 tons of standard coal by the end of 2016 after the insulation renovation work of 710,000 rural houses. Beijing’s experience with the energy-saving renovation of rural building envelopes should lead to further analysis, verification and optimization in other similar climatic zones, and the average energy-saving rate in the promoted cities can achieve 30.0% above.
Analysis of the Effect of Modified Biochar on Saline–Alkali Soil Remediation and Crop Growth
Authors: Li Chunyu , Wang Zhichao , Xu Yutao , Sun Jingfei , Ruan Xinyi , Mao Xuanwen , Hu Xiangyun , Liu Peng
Published: March 2023

To solve the problem of soil degradation in coastal saline–alkali land, three different types of biochar (rice straw biochar, magnetic biochar, and humic acid–magnetic biochar) were prepared to remedy the saline–alkali soil under different mixing ratios. The effects of biochar on the growth of crops in saline–alkali soil were explored through a pot experiment on Chinese cabbage. The experimental results showed that the soil leaching treatment combined with humic acid–magnetic biochar could effectively repair the coastal saline–alkali soil. After adding 5% humic acid–magnetic biochar, the content of soil organic matter was 33.95 g/kg, the water content was 13.85%, and the contents of available phosphorus and available potassium were 9.43 mg/kg and 29.51 mg/kg. After adding 5% humic acid–magnetic biochar, the plant height of Chinese cabbage was 9.16 ± 0.19 cm, and the plant germination rate reached 83.33 ± 5.54%. The incorporation of biochar could effectively increase the chlorophyll content and soluble protein content of pakchoi and reduce the soluble sugar content of pakchoi. The study analyzed the effect of different modified biochar on saline–alkali land restoration and crop growth and explored the action rule of hydrochloric acid magnetic biochar on saline–alkali land restoration, which has important practical value for improving coastal saline–alkali land.
Nexuses among Green Supply Chain Management, Green Human Capital, Managerial Environmental Knowledge, and Firm Performance: Evidence from a Developing Country
Authors: Nureen Naila , Liu Da , Irfan Muhammad , Malik Maida , Awan Usama
Published: March 2023

The growing pressures from the government, buyers, consumers, suppliers, and the general public have recently compelled manufacturing firms to enhance their production methods by becoming more environmentally friendly and pursuing new innovative methods for producing green goods in developing countries. However, the relationship between green supply chain management (GSCM), green human capital (GHC), green innovation (GIN), managerial environmental knowledge (MEK), and firm performance (FPR) has received only a minimal amount of research focus. This study addresses this research gap by providing empirical evidence to motivate firms to implement GSCM, GHC, GIN, and MEK to enhance their FPR in developing countries substantially. A conceptual framework was developed to connect the concepts mentioned above. A questionnaire-based survey was used to collect the data. A total of 736 respondents from manufacturing firms in China were selected. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), the data were analyzed. The findings indicate that neither GHC nor GSCM directly affects FPR; rather, GIN mediates the connection between GHC, GSCM, and FPR. In addition, the findings showed that MEK directly affects FPR and moderates the link between GIN and FPR. This study examined several theoretical and managerial implications and expanded research in the related fields. The results may help practitioners and managers comprehend how GSCM practices impact GIN and FPR. The outcomes of this research will benefit experts, policy makers, and stakeholders who seek to encourage FPR enhancements.
Experimental Work on Salt-Based Cooling Systems
Authors: Park Damian , Hayatina Isye , Farid Mohammed , Auckaili Amar
Published: March 2023

The energy consumption for space cooling is progressively increasing. Integrating renewable energy into space cooling systems is critical for reducing CO2 emissions from the building sector. The salt-based cooling system is an appealing alternative as it can be charged by solar energy. This system is based on the characteristic of endothermic salts, which generate a considerable cooling effect when dissolved in water. A screening test was performed in this work to evaluate the cooling performance of several endothermic salts. Furthermore, a laboratory-scale system was developed to demonstrate the endothermic salt-based thermal storage and cooling generation system. Temperature decreases up to 12.3 °C were observed in the system containing Potassium Chloride salt. The temperature drop was maintained after the system underwent a charging/discharging cycle; however, the cooling period was shortened. The system demonstrated an inherent low efficiency due to the large volume of water required in the discharging phase, demanding a considerable amount of energy to evaporate the water in the charging phase. As a result, the application of this system will be restricted to the usage of low-grade energy during the charging phase.
An In Silico Deep Learning Approach to Multi-Epitope Vaccine Design: A Hepatitis E Virus Case Study
Authors: Ikram Aqsa , Alzahrani Badr , Zaheer Tahreem , Sattar Sobia , Rasheed Sidra , Aurangzeb Muhammad , Ishaq Yasmeen
Published: March 2023

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute and chronic hepatitis. The severity of HEV infection increases manyfold in pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. Despite the extensive research on HEV in the last few decades, there is no widely available vaccine yet. In the current study, immunoinformatic analyses were applied to predict a multi-epitope vaccine candidate against HEV. From the ORF2 region, 41 conserved and immunogenic epitopes were prioritized. These epitopes were further analyzed for their probable antigenic and non-allergenic combinations with several linkers. The stability of the vaccine construct was confirmed by molecular dynamic simulations. The vaccine construct is potentially antigenic and docking analysis revealed stable interactions with TLR3. These results suggest that the proposed vaccine can efficiently stimulate both cellular and humoral immune responses. However, further studies are needed to determine the immunogenicity of the vaccine construct.
Sector Coupling through Vehicle to Grid: A Case Study for Electric Vehicles and Households in Berlin, Germany
Authors: Straub Florian , Maier Otto , Göhlich Dietmar , Strunz Kai
Published: March 2023

A key factor in limiting global warming is the conversion of conventional electricity generation to renewable energy sources. However, a major obstacle is that renewable energy generation and energy demand often do not coincide in time, and energy must therefore be stored temporarily. Vehicle to grid (V2G) can be used to store excess renewable energy in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and feed it back into the electric grid when needed. For effective V2G operation, the grid may have to be expanded, as the energy needs to be transported to BEVs. However, the grid should only be strengthened where renewable energy demand exceeds current grid capacity due to high grid expansion costs. This requires a method that determines the spatial distribution of V2G potential at a high resolution. Since such a method has not yet been reported in the existing literature, and so is developed in this paper. The method is demonstrated for the city of Berlin and its 448 sub-districts. For each sub-district, the method allows determining the percentage of residential and BEV energy demand that can be met by renewables if V2G is deployed, and answers the question of whether a full renewable supply is possible. The results show that BEVs can be effectively used as intermediate storage for renewable energy. If 30% of the BEVs participate in V2G, more than 99% of the energy demand of households and BEVs in Berlin can be covered by renewables on certain days. On the other hand, V2G deployment increases the average peak load in the districts by up to 100% and results in a nearly double load on vehicle batteries. High shares of renewable energy can be observed in districts with a high degree of motorization, which are predominantly found in the outskirts of the city.
Estrés laboral y consumo de alcohol en servidores policiales
Authors: Mongón-Vega Andrea Maricela , Mejía-Rubio Andrea del Rocío
Published: March 2023

El estrés laboral es una variable de riesgo vinculado con el consumo de alcohol, por lo que el objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar la relación entre el estrés laboral y el consumo de alcohol en servidores policiales de la Subzona Orellana. Se emplea un diseño no experimental de corte transversal, enfoque cuantitativo de tipo descriptivo. La población se conformó de 167 servidores policiales a quienes se les aplicó la Escala de Estrés Laboral y Cuestionario de Identificación de los Trastornos debidos al Consumo de Alcohol. Se encontró una correlación positiva a nivel de p=0.604 entre el estrés laboral y consumo de alcohol; niveles bajos de riesgo para estrés laboral (78.4%) y consumo de alcohol (88%); no hay diferencias del estrés laboral en base al género. Por tanto, se concluye que los servidores policiales no presentan niveles de riesgo elevado para estrés laboral y consumo de alcohol.
The Dynamics of Trade Relations between Ukraine and Romania: Modelling and Forecasting
Authors: Melnychenko Oleksandr , Matskul Valerii , Osadcha Tetiana
Published: March 2023

The article examines the monthly dynamics of exports, imports and balance of trade between Ukraine and Romania in the period from 2005 to 2021. Time series from 2015 to 2021 were used for modelling and forecasting (since the date the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement took effect). Adequate models of the dynamics series of the Box-Jenkins methodology were built: additive models with seasonal component ARIMA (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) ARIMAS (or SARIMA) and Holt-Winters exponential smoothing with a dampened trend. Forecasting of exports, imports and trade balance for the fourth quarter of 2021 and first quarter of 2022 were completed. The forecast results showed a small relative error compared to the actual data. Thus, when forecasting the trade balance between countries using the Holt-Winters model, the relative prediction errors were: for October 2021 – 1.3%; for November 2021 – 2.6%; for December 2021 – 0.4%.
Measuring the Quality of Educational Services on the Example of Secondary Schools in Poland
Authors: Ciarko Marta
Published: March 2023

Research results, as well as the author’s own observations show that the quality of educational services is one of the most important factors affecting the level of civilization of modern states, by affecting all aspects of their socio-economic life, including health, natural environment and economic growth, in the long run. The quality of education directly influences the formation of the human capital of the society, and this impacts the pace of economic development. The starting point for actions aimed at improving the quality of educational services is undoubtedly both the proper recognition of the main factors determining the quality of educational services and the measurement of this quality determinants. Thus, measuring the quality of educational services, identification and gradation of key determinants were considered the main purpose of this study. The research method used to achieve the set goal was a two-part, anonymous questionnaire sent to secondary schools’ principals in the Zachodniopomorskie province in Poland. The conducted evaluation of the factors shaping the quality of educational services in the surveyed institutions indicated numerous needs in terms of improving their activity. It should be emphasized that none of the estimated factors obtained a fully satisfactory outcome in the survey of respondents' opinions. The general conclusion from the conducted research is to confirm the importance of recognizing properly the determinants of the educational services quality as the basis for developing a proposal for shaping the desired level of these services’ quality.
Using Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence in Energy Management as a Tool to Achieve Energy Efficiency
Authors: Kuzior Aleksandra , Sira Mariya , Brozek Paulina
Published: March 2023

Improving energy management has received a lot of attention due to environmental issues, energy crises, and growing energy prices in today’s world. Various digital technologies have been developed to enhance energy management to cover these challenges. This article investigates Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence, which have recently attracted increasing attention. The study applies the software of VOSviewer for providing bibliometric analysis. The data (pull of the scientific documents) was generated from the Scopus and Web of Science. There have been done a critical analysis of the literature for evaluating the research in the proposed area. This paper focuses on possible use cases of blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies and considers aspects of technology used to achieve energy efficiency. The findings showed that the technologies are widely applied in energy management. Besides, it is lack of documents that contain the terms ‘energy efficiency and ‘blockchain’. The results of analysis confirm that artificial intelligence has been rapidly integrating with energy management, helping to develop more efficient and secure energy generation techniques.
Раннемеловые гранитно-метаморфические ассоциации и оруденение Золотого хребта (Восточная Чукотка)
Authors:   North-East Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Institute n. a. N. A. Shilo, FEB RAS, Magadan, Goryachev N. A. , Pruss Yu. V. ,   North-East Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Institute n. a. N. A. Shilo, FEB RAS, Magadan
Published: March 2023

The geological characteristic of the Golden Ridge, one of the oldest gold-bearing areas in the North-East, is presented. The important role of the Early Cretaceous metamorphism and the associated granitoid plutonism controlling the orogenic gold mineralization and the placer gold content, which is typical for the granite-metamorphic domes of Chukotka, is demonstrated. The area prospects for the Late Cretaceous copper-molybdenum-porphyry mineralization are characterized. The potential of ore and placer gold in the area discussed is assessed.
Флора сосудистых растений болот Шантарского архипелага (Охотское море)
Authors:   Institute of Water and Ecology Problems, FEB RAS, Khabarovsk, Antonova L. А. , Vernoslova M. I. ,   Institute of Water and Ecology Problems, FEB RAS, Khabarovsk
Published: March 2023

The authors present the results of a study on the vascular plants in the archipelago swamp ecosystems, which surpass a quarter (28.5 %) of the Shantar Archipelago flora. The article contains a list of swamp plants including 171 species from 106 genera and 44 families. The expose core of the swamp flora comprises most of the species (82.5 %). The spectrum of of the swamp partial flora leading families reflects its East Asian character in the conditions of the Pacific islands (Cyperaceae, Ericaceae, Ranunculaceae, Poaceae, Asteraceae, Rosaceae).
Three-Dimensional Sulfated Bacterial Cellulose/Gelatin Composite Scaffolds for Culturing Hepatocytes
Authors: Li Xinmeng , Ding Weixiao , Wang Shujun , Yang Luyu , Yu Qingqing , Xiao Changji , Chen Guangbo , Zhang Lei , Guan Shanyue , Sun Dongping
Published: March 2023

The liver is the hub of human metabolism and involves many diseases. To better work on the mechanism and treatment of liver diseases, it is of particular interest to design 3-dimensional scaffolds suitable for culturing hepatocytes in vitro to simulate their metabolic and regenerative abilities. In this study, sulfated bacterial cellulose (SBC) was prepared as the building block of cell scaffolds, motivated by the anionic nature and 3-dimensional structure of hepatic extracellular matrix, and its reaction condition for sulfate esterification was optimized by changing the reaction time. The analysis and study of the microscopic morphology, structure, and cytocompatibility of SBCs showed that they possess good biocompatibility and meet the requirements for tissue engineering. Next, SBC was mixed with gelatin for composite scaffolds (SBC/Gel) for culturing hepatocytes by homogenization and freeze-drying methods, whose physical properties such as pore size, porosity, and compression properties were compared with gelatin (Gel) scaffolds as the control group, and the cytological activity and hemocompatibility of the composite scaffolds were investigated. The results showed that the SBC/Gel composite has better porosity and compression properties, as well as good cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility, and could be applied to 3-dimensional culture of hepatocytes for drug screening or liver tissue engineering.
Granular Ionogel Particle Inks for 3D Printed Tough and Stretchable Ionotronics
Authors: Yao Yuan , Hui Yue , Wang Zhenhua , Chen Hehao , Zhu Heng , Zhou Nanjia
Published: March 2023

Ionogels have garnered great attention as promising soft conducting materials for the fabrication of flexible energy storage devices, soft actuators, and ionotronics. However, the leakage of the ionic liquids, weak mechanical strength, and poor manufacturability have greatly limited their reliability and applications. Here, we propose a new ionogel synthesis strategy by utilizing granular zwitterionic microparticles to stabilize ionic liquids. The ionic liquids swell the microparticles and physically crosslink microparticles via either electronic interaction or hydrogen bonding. Further introducing a photocurable acrylic monomer enables the fabrication of double-network (DN) ionogels with high stretchability (>600%) and ultrahigh toughness (fracture energy > 10 kJ/m
2
). The synthesized ionogels exhibit a wide working temperature of −60 to 90 °C. By tuning the crosslinking density of microparticles and physical crosslinking strength of ionogels, we synthesize DN ionogel inks and print them into three-dimensional (3D) motifs. Several ionogel-based ionotronics are 3D printed as demonstrations, including strain gauges, humidity sensors, and ionic skins made of capacitive touch sensor arrays. Via covalently linking ionogels with silicone elastomers, we integrate the ionogel sensors onto pneumatic soft actuators and demonstrate their capacities in sensing large deformation. As our last demonstration, multimaterial direct ink writing is harnessed to fabricate highly stretchable and durable alternating-current electroluminescent devices with arbitrary structures. Our printable granular ionogel ink represents a versatile platform for the future manufacturing of ionotronics.
Targeting ASIC1a Promotes Neural Progenitor Cell Migration and Neurogenesis in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Ge Hongfei , Zhou Tengyuan , Zhang Chao , Cun Yupeng , Chen Weixiang , Yang Yang , Zhang Qian , Li Huanhuan , Zhong Jun , Zhang Xuyang , Feng Hua , Hu Rong
Published: March 2023

Cell replacement therapy using neural progenitor cells (NPCs) has been shown to be an effective treatment for ischemic stroke. However, the therapeutic effect is unsatisfactory due to the imbalanced homeostasis of the local microenvironment after ischemia. Microenvironmental acidosis is a common imbalanced homeostasis in the penumbra and could activate acid-sensing ion channels 1a (ASIC1a), a subunit of proton-gated cation channels following ischemic stroke. However, the role of ASIC1a in NPCs post-ischemia remains elusive. Here, our results indicated that ASIC1a was expressed in NPCs with channel functionality, which could be activated by extracellular acidification. Further evidence revealed that ASIC1a activation inhibited NPC migration and neurogenesis through RhoA signaling-mediated reorganization of filopodia formation, which could be primarily reversed by pharmacological or genetic disruption of ASIC1a. In vivo data showed that the knockout of the ASIC1a gene facilitated NPC migration and neurogenesis in the penumbra to improve behavioral recovery after stroke. Subsequently, ASIC1a gain of function partially abrogated this effect. Moreover, the administration of ASIC1a antagonists (amiloride or Psalmotoxin 1) promoted functional recovery by enhancing NPC migration and neurogenesis. Together, these results demonstrate targeting ASIC1a is a novel strategy potentiating NPC migration toward penumbra to repair lesions following ischemic stroke and even for other neurological diseases with the presence of niche acidosis.
Aerodynamic Super-Repellent Surfaces
Authors: Yu Fanfei , Yang Jinlong , Tao Ran , Tan Yao , Wang Jinpei , Wang Dehui , Chen Longquan , Wang Zuankai , Deng Xu
Published: March 2023

Repelling liquid drops from engineering surfaces has attracted great attention in a variety of applications. To achieve efficient liquid shedding, delicate surface textures are often introduced to sustain air pockets at the liquid–solid interface. However, those surfaces are prone to suffer from mechanical failure, which may bring reliability issues and thus limits their applications. Here, inspired by the aerodynamic Leidenfrost effect, we present that impacting drops are directionally repelled from smooth surfaces supplied with an exogenous air layer. Our theoretical analysis reveals that the synchronized nonwetting and oblique bouncing behavior is attributed to the aerodynamic force arising from the air layer. The versatility and practicability of our approach allow for drop repellency without the aid of any surface wettability treatment and also avoid the consideration of mechanical stability issues, which thereby provides a promising candidate for the applications that necessitate liquid shedding, e.g., resolve the problem of tiny raindrop adhesion on the automobile side window during driving.
Machine Learning Spectroscopy Using a 2-Stage, Generalized Constituent Contribution Protocol
Authors: Fan Jinming , Qian Chao , Zhou Shaodong
Published: March 2023

A corrected group contribution (CGC)–molecule contribution (MC)–Bayesian neural network (BNN) protocol for accurate prediction of absorption spectra is presented. Upon combination of BNN with CGC methods, the full absorption spectra of various molecules are afforded accurately and efficiently—by using only a small dataset for training. Here, with a small training sample (<100), accurate prediction of maximum wavelength for single molecules is afforded with the first stage of the protocol; by contrast, previously reported machine learning (ML) methods require >1,000 samples to ensure the accuracy of prediction. Furthermore, with <500 samples, the mean square error in the prediction of full ultraviolet spectra reaches <2%; for comparison, ML models with molecular SMILES for training require a much larger dataset (>2,000) to achieve comparable accuracy. Moreover, by employing an MC method designed specifically for CGC that properly interprets the mixing rule, the spectra of mixtures are obtained with high accuracy. The logical origins of the good performance of the protocol are discussed in detail. Considering that such a constituent contribution protocol combines chemical principles and data-driven tools, most likely, it will be proven efficient to solve molecular-property-relevant problems in wider fields.
Particle Size-Controlled Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reaction Nanocatalysts Regulate Ru(bpy)
3
2+
’s Dual-potential Electrochemiluminescence for Sandwich Immunoassay
Authors: Wang Shijun , Zhu Shu , Kang Ziqi , Wang Xiangxiu , Deng Zixin , Hu Kun , Hu Jianjun , Liu Xiancheng , Wang Guixue , Zang Guangchao , Zhang Yuchan
Published: March 2023

Multiple signal strategies remarkably improve the accuracy and efficiency of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassays, but the lack of potential-resolved luminophore pairs and chemical cross talk hinders their development. In this study, we synthesized a series of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/reduced graphene oxide (Au/rGO) composites as adjustable oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction catalysts to promote and modulate tris(2,2′-bipyridine) ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)
3
2+
)’s multisignal luminescence. With the increase in the diameter of AuNPs (3 to 30 nm), their ability to promote Ru(bpy)
3
2+
’s anodic ECL was first impaired and then strengthened, and cathodic ECL was first enhanced and then weakened. Au/rGOs with medium-small and medium-large AuNP diameters remarkably increased Ru(bpy)
3
2+
’s cathodic and anodic luminescence, respectively. Notably, the stimulation effects of Au/rGOs were superior to those of most existing Ru(bpy)
3
2+
co-reactants. Moreover, we proposed a novel ratiometric immunosensor construction strategy using Ru(bpy)
3
2+
’s luminescence promoter rather than luminophores as tags of antibodies to achieve signal resolution. This method avoids signal cross talk between luminophores and their respective co-reactants, which achieved a good linear range of 10
−7
to 10
−1
ng/ml and a limit of detection of 0.33 fg/ml for detecting carcinoembryonic antigen. This study addresses the previous scarcity of the macromolecular co-reactants of Ru(bpy)
3
2+
, broadening its application in biomaterial detection. Furthermore, the systematic clarification of the detailed mechanisms for converting the potential-resolved luminescence of Ru(bpy)
3
2+
could facilitate an in-depth understanding of the ECL process and should inspire new designs of Ru(bpy)
3
2+
luminescence enhancers or applications of Au/rGOs to other luminophores. This work removes some impediments to the development of multisignal ECL biodetection systems and provides vitality into their widespread applications.
A New Combination for a Narrowly Endemic Polemonium (Polemoniaceae)
Authors: Rose Jeffrey P. , Sytsma Kenneth J.
Published: March 2023

Based on recent molecular work, Polemonium occidentale Greene subsp. lacustre Wherry (Polemoniaceae) is elevated to species rank as P. lacustre (Wherry) J. P. Rose & Sytsma. Key morphological distinctions between this and other species of the clade to which it belongs are summarized.
Förderung kleiner und auf Niedrigwasser optimierte Binnenschiffe
Authors: Frindik Roland
Published: March 2023

Die BMDV-Studie zur Prüfung einer Förderung für kleinere und/oder konstruktiv optimierte Binnenschiffe hatte neben einer Prognose des Bedarfs der deutschen Binnenschifffahrtsflotte und den technischen Möglichkeiten beim Neu- und Umbau insbesondere die Aspekte der Förderung untersucht. Dieser Artikel erörtert die bestehenden Fördermaßnahmen in Deutschland und im benachbarten Ausland und die sich daraus ergebenden Ableitungen für potenzielle Fördermaßnahmen.
A IMPORTÂNCIA DA PRESENÇA BRASILEIRA NO CONTINENTE ANTÁRTICO
Authors: TEIXEIRA RODRIGUES LEONARDO
Published: March 2023

The present work aims to present a study on the reasons that justify the Brazilian presence in the Antarctic continent. For this, a theoretical research of authors of International Law was used, as well as information and interpretations from national and international sources. To facilitate the study of these reasons, it was decided to divide them into three levels of analysis, namely: economic, scientificenvironmental and geopolitical. Throughout the work, we sought to explain each of these axes. As for the economic motivation, Brazil's interests in relation to the continent's resources such as fish, oil and minerals will be explained. Regarding the scientific-environmental scope, it will be verified if the Brazilian environmental and scientific policy is convergent with the goals of conservation of Antarctica, foreseen in international conventions. In the geopolitical area, the Brazilian strategic interests for the Antarctic continent will be analyzed, in view of its geographic location and present and future importance. By cataloging these reasons and using the deductive method, the conclusions of the analysis will be presented, answering the problem initially exposed.
Learning ability and spatial memory status in rats during the acute period of mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury
Authors: Kozlova Yu.V. , Tryasak N.S.
Published: March 2023

The mild blast-induced brain traumatic injury like a battle fatigue, leads to neurological disability, including due to a violation of spatial memory. The presented work is the result of a blast-induced brain traumatic injury study on a self-developed device. For the experiment, 15 white Wistar rats were used and were divided into 3 groups: rats of Experimental group exposed by air shock wave (26–36 кPа); Sham group (anesthesia with halothane and fixation in a horizontal position) and Intact group. The ability to learning (food reinforcement) and the spatial memory state (time to search for food, vertical locomotor activity) were studied in the complex maze during the first 5 days of the posttraumatic period. To assess the emotional state, we counted the number and observed the quality of grooming acts. All researches were conducted in compliance with modern standards for humane attitude of animals. The results of our study clearly indicate a violation of spatial memory, which was manifested in the time of searching lengthening of the feeder and in the increase of vertical locomotor activity in the rats of the experimental group, while the animals clearly remembered that they were looking for food. The analysis of grooming showed qualitative changes in the form of incomplete and prolonged acts. Such changes indicate the development of anxiety in rats with mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury. This, in turn, led to deterioration of the spatial orientation and memory formation. Thus, the consequence of a mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury in the acute period is changes in the cognitive function of the brain in the form of deterioration of spatial memory, which was aggravated by a disturbance of emotionality in the form of anxiety. At the same time, the memory regarding the presence of food was formed adequately.

Keywords: explosion, central nervous system, cognitive function, memory, maze.
Desarrollo y aplicación de métodos diagnósticos de Paratuberculosis bovina a partir de muestras de leche, calostro, suero sanguíneo y materia fecal
Authors:   , Sosa Pedro Sebastián
Published: March 2023

En este trabajo de tesis se desarrolló un ELISAi en leche y se evaluó la aplicación de diferentes métodos diagnósticos de paratuberculosis bovina; entre los cuales podemos mencionar al cultivo de Mycobacterium avium subespecie paratuberculosis (Map) en medio líquido a partir de materia fecal y leche; las pruebas moléculares de PCR y LAMP sobre heces, leche y calostro, para la detección de material genético de Map. El análisis ROC sobre el ELISAi-L arrojó un AUC de 0,817 con un IC 95% (0,75-0,89). Se calculó un punto de corte de 63,9% mediante índice de Youden cuya sensibilidad fue del 72,9% (61-83%) y su especificidad de 89,7% (86,5-92,9%), el VPP fue 0,57 y el VPN fue 0,94; siendo muy similares a los resultados obtenidos en el ELISAi-S. Se elaboraron micobactinas a partir de M. avium; M. phlei y M. smegmatis con excelentes resultados en el desarrollo de Map en medio líquido M7H9. A partir de 91 muestras de leche procesadas por PCR IS900 y cultivo se obtuvieron 19 PCR positivos y 9 aislamientos de Map, se evidenció asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la obtención del resultado positivo de PCR IS900 en leche y el aislamiento de Map en heces y en leche (p<0,05). El ELISAi-L mostró características operativas y predictivas alentadoras para la detección de animales con PTBC lo cual permitiría una vigilancia epidemiológica no invasiva.
Periodical evaluation of photovoltaic modules and diode parameter extraction method using multiple linear regression models
Authors: Farias-Basulto G. A. , Ulbrich C. , Schlatmann R. , Klenk R.
Published: March 2023

The stability and performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules can be assessed by outdoor testing where external conditions such as illumination and module temperature are measured at regular time intervals along with the jV-curve of the module. However, the fluctuation and seasonal variation of external conditions can make it difficult to trace changes such as degradation in PV-module properties (at e.g. standard test conditions). This contribution demonstrates the use of multiple linear regressions (MLR) to overcome these difficulties. The data gathered over large periods is condensed into a set of few predictors, that reproduce the jV parameters at infrequently encountered conditions that are required for comparison. Furthermore, the parameters of a physical device model are calculated directly from MLR-predictors, validating our procedure two-fold, by applying the MLR-method to simulated data, replicating the original input parameters, and comparing monthly parameter averages between the MLR-method and a known parameter extraction method.
Challenges Facing the International Criminal in Trying to Accomplish its Mission Focusing on Omar Al Bashir’s Prosecution
Authors: Sakarombe Emmanuel
Published: March 2023

The prosecution of former Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir has attracted great attention in the legal and academic spheres. At the center of the debate are pertinent issues surrounding the challenges and prospects that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is facing in prosecuting former Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Ideally, a leader of a country should be arrested if he or she commits international crimes. However, in the case of Sudan and former President Al Bashir, it was difficult to get cooperation from the government. This article will unpack the role of the ICC in dealing with crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan committed by Al Bashir. This research relies documentary search/desk research. The major finding of this study include that there is a legal basis for the presence of ICC in Sudan since the Sudanese case was referred to the ICC by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The researcher discovered that the ICC faced a lot of hurdles in exercising its mandate and roles in prosecuting former Sudanese President Al Bashir, one the major challenge was the issue of non-cooperation by the African Union (AU) and African states, this is a challenge because the ICC relies on state cooperation to arrest Al Bashir. Another relevant finding is that there are prospects that Al Bashir will be arrested, this is due to unfolding events in Sudan. The researcher discovered that the new military government in Sudan, is showing signs of cooperation which would likely affect some African countries and the AU to cooperate with the ICC in arresting Al Bashir and surrendering him for trial in the ICC. In line with the conclusion, this study recommends that African states and the AU should consider contributing and cooperating with the ICC so that it can effectively operate in prosecuting perpetrators of international crimes.