bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Merging Historical Archives with Remote Sensing Data: A Methodology to Improve Rockfall Mitigation Strategy for Small Communities
Authors: Notti Davide , Guenzi Diego , Lasaponara Rosa , Giordan Daniele
Published: November 2022

Both in the literature and in practical applications, several works have dealt with rockfall analysis and the planning of mitigation measures. It is also possible to find inventories and papers that describe historical events. However, it is challenging to find methodologies or studies about inventorying rockfall mitigation or their efficiency over time. In Italy, many rockfall barriers and other mitigation solutions have been built in the last decades, and one of the most urgent problems is their correct management and maintenance. Lauria, a small town in southern Italy, can be considered an example of this common condition exacerbated by a wildfire in 2017. This work presents a methodology for assessing rockfall risk and creating a geodatabase of mitigation structures focused on small communities. We used digitalization of archival sources to reconstruct and geocode the record of mitigation works. An available database of historical landslides was used to reconstruct the most relevant rockfall events. Moreover, we coupled this with Sentinel-2 images and high-resolution orthophotos to map the wildfire area. Data obtained from the UAV-LiDAR survey were used to map the mitigation structures. The aim was to create a reliable state-of-the-art method, described in an operational monograph, to be used by experts for the design of new rockfall mitigation structures in both an affordable and efficient way. Moreover, we created a simple webGIS and a 3-D interactive view, helpful in disseminating rockfall hazards and mitigation strategies among the population at risk.
Contract Farming and Technical Efficiency: A Case of Export-Oriented Organic Rice Farmers in Pakistan
Authors: Mazhar Rabia , Xuehao Bi , Dogot Thomas , Skominas Rytis , Tanaskovik Vjekoslav , Azadi Hossein , Wei Zou
Published: November 2022

Although organic rice is a niche market in Pakistan, it has exhibited enormous potential for growth in export-oriented production. Since contract farming is the leading promoter of export-oriented organic rice production in Punjab, Pakistan, improving the technical efficiency of smallholder rice farmers through contract farming holds sufficient potential. This work examines the influence of contract farming participation on smallholder rice farmers’ technical efficiency using a cross-sectional data set of 650 respondents. We applied a stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to examine the production frontier and inefficiency estimates. Further, propensity score matching (PSM) was used to control endogeneity and self-selection bias in technical efficiency estimates. The results reveal that the technical efficiency score of organic rice farmers in Punjab, Pakistan, is 89.7%, which can still be improved by 10.3% at the current sociodemographic characters and input levels. Likewise, land size, seed, and machine expenditures are the key inputs of the production frontier. Results show a positive and significant connection between contract farming participation and technical efficiency. The study extends the literature on technical efficiency, export-oriented production, contract farming, and the well-being of smallholder farmers. Moreover, the study’s findings provide cues for policies and practices.
Function Evaluation and Coordination Analysis of Production–Living–Ecological Space Based on the Perspective of Type–Intensity–Connection: A Case Study of Suzhou, China
Authors: Hou Yanzhen , Zhang Zhenlong , Wang Yuerong , Sun Honghu , Xu Chang
Published: November 2022

The function evaluation and coordination analysis of production–living–ecological space is of great significance for guiding the high-quality development of territorial space. Considering the complexity of territorial space, this study constructed the evaluation index system of production–living–ecological spatial functions based on the perspective of “type–intensity–connection” and used multisource data to conduct empirical analysis in Suzhou, China, as an example. The results show that there were significant regional and urban-rural differences in the production–living–ecological comprehensive functional level of Suzhou, and it presents a composite spatial structure characterized by core-agglomeration, multipoint-dispersion, and centre-periphery. Among them, the functions of production and living spaces were concentrated with high values and have similar spatial structure, while the function of ecological space has low values and is distributed in contiguous areas around the production and living spaces. Overall, the coordination relationships of living–production space, ecological–living space and ecological–production space show significant positive, negative and negative correlations, respectively. However, in local space, the coordination relationship was composed of two types of leading relationships. This mainly reflects the great coordination between production space and living space, while the coordination between ecological space and other space is poor and needs to be improved. Therefore, it’s necessary to continuously improve the adequacy and balance of the functional quality of production–living–ecological space and increase organic connectivity and benign integration.
Variation of Relative Complementizers in Yucatecan Spanish: A Comparison of Monolingual and Bilingual Speakers
Authors: Auhagen Patrick , Uth Melanie
Published: November 2022

The starting point of this article is the occurrence of determiner-less and bare que relative complementizers like (en) que, ‘(in) that’, instead of (en) el que, ‘(in) which’, in Yucatecan Spanish (southeast Mexico). While reference grammars treat complementizers with a determiner as the standard option, previous diachronic research has shown that determiner-less complementizers actually predate relative complementizers with a determiner. Additionally, Yucatecan Spanish has been in long-standing contact with Yucatec Maya. Relative complementation in Yucatec Maya differs from that in Spanish (at least) in that the non-complex complementizer tu’ux (‘where’) is generally the only option for locative complementation. The paper explores monolingual and bilingual data from Yucatecan Spanish to discuss the question whether the determiner-less and bare que relative complementizers in our data constitute a historic remnant or a dialectal recast, possibly (but not necessarily) due to language contact. Although our pilot study may not answer these far-reaching questions, it does reveal two separate, but intertwined developments: (i) a generally increased rate of bare que relative complementation, across both monolingual speakers of Spanish and Spanish Maya bilinguals, compared to other Spanish varieties, and (ii) a preference for donde at the cost of other locative complementizer constructions in the bilingual group. Our analysis thus reveals intriguing differences between the complementizer preferences of monolingual and bilingual speakers, suggesting that different variational patterns caused by different (socio-)linguistic factors can co-develop in parallel in one and the [same] region.
Half-Dose Photodynamic Therapy as a Novel Treatment Protocol for Circumscribed Choroidal Hemangioma
Authors: Pérez-González David , Goldstein Michaella , Iglicki Matias , Zur Dinah
Published: November 2022

We present a case series of four patients with circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (CCH) treated with half-dose PDT, proposing this as a novel treatment protocol. Four patients with CCH were included, and then evaluated using multimodal imaging, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, fundus autofluorescence, and ultrasound following treatment with half-dose and full-fluence PDT. Following half-dose PDT, all patients showed significant shrinkage of the hemangioma, functional improvement, and decrease of intra- and sub-retinal fluid. All patients remained stable after a single PDT treatment, with a follow-up of up to 60 months. No side effects were shown. This is the first report showing long term efficacy of half-dose PDT treatment in cases with CCH. The outcomes from this pilot study are comparable with results using full dose PDT protocols and it can be considered as a viable treatment option for CCH during the ongoing global verteporfin shortage.
Utilization of Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) for Rice Pre-Breeding and Improvement: A Review
Authors: Reyes Vincent Pamugas , Kitony Justine Kipruto , Nishiuchi Shunsaku , Makihara Daigo , Doi Kazuyuki
Published: November 2022

Molecular markers play a crucial role in the improvement of rice. To benefit from these markers, genotyping is carried out to identify the differences at a specific position in the genome of individuals. The advances in sequencing technologies have led to the development of different genotyping techniques such as genotyping-by-sequencing. Unlike PCR-fragment-based genotyping, genotyping-by-sequencing has enabled the parallel sequencing and genotyping of hundreds of samples in a single run, making it more cost-effective. Currently, GBS is being used in several pre-breeding programs of rice to identify beneficial genes and QTL from different rice genetic resources. In this review, we present the current advances in the utilization of genotyping-by-sequencing for the development of rice pre-breeding materials and the improvement of existing rice cultivars. The challenges and perspectives of using this approach are also highlighted.
Clinical Stage III NSCLC Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Therapy and Surgery: The Prognostic Role of Nodal Characteristics
Authors: Chiappetta Marco , Tabacco Diomira , Iaffaldano Amedeo Giuseppe , Evangelista Jessica , Congedo Maria Teresa , Sassorossi Carolina , Meacci Elisa , D’Argento Ettore , Bria Emilio , Vita Emanuele , Tortora Giampaolo , Boldrini Luca , Charles-Davies Diepriye , Massaccesi Mariangela , Martino Antonella , Mazzarella Ciro , Valentini Vincenzo , Margaritora Stefano , Lococo Filippo
Published: November 2022

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to analyze the prognostic factors in patients that underwent induction therapy and surgery for clinical stage III NSCLC. METHODS: Clinical and pathological characteristics of stage III NSCLC patients for N2 involvement that underwent neoadjuvant treatment (NAD) and surgery from 1/01/1998 to 31/12/2017 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Tumor characteristics, yClinical, yPathological stage and lymph node characteristics were correlated to Overall Survival (OS). RESULTS: The analysis was conducted on 180 patients. Five-year OS (5YOS) was 50.9%. Univariable analysis results revealed old age (p = 0.003), clinical N2 post-NAD (p = 0.01), pneumonectomy (0.005), persistent pathological N2 (p = 0.039, HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.09–2.68) and adjuvant therapy absence (p = 0.049) as significant negative prognostic factors. Multivariable analysis confirmed pN0N1 (p = 0.02, HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13–0.62) as a favorable independent prognostic factor and adjuvant therapy absence (p = 0.012, HR 2.61, 95% CI 1.23–5.50) as a negative prognostic factor. Patients with persistent N2 presented a 5YOS of 35.3% vs. 55.8% in pN0N1 patients. Regarding lymph node parameters, the lymph node ratio (NR) significantly correlated with OS: 5YOS of 67.6% in patients with NR < 50% vs. 29.5% in NR > 50% (p = 0.029). CONCLUSION: Clinical response aided the stratification of prognosis in patients that underwent multimodal treatment for stage III NSCLC. Adjuvant therapy seemed to be an important option in these patients, while node ratio was a strong prognosticator in patients with persistent nodal involvement.
Myocardial Viability Testing in the Management of Ischemic Heart Failure
Authors: Babes Elena Emilia , Tit Delia Mirela , Bungau Alexa Florina , Bustea Cristiana , Rus Marius , Bungau Simona Gabriela , Babes Victor Vlad
Published: November 2022

Although major advances have occurred lately in medical therapy, ischemic heart failure remains an important cause of death and disability. Viable myocardium represents a cause of reversible ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Coronary revascularization may improve left ventricular function and prognosis in patients with viable myocardium. Although patients with impaired left ventricular function and multi-vessel coronary artery disease benefit the most from revascularization, they are at high risk of complications related to revascularization procedure. An important element in selecting the patients for myocardial revascularization is the presence of the viable myocardium. Multiple imaging modalities can assess myocardial viability and predict functional improvement after revascularization, with dobutamine stress echocardiography, nuclear imaging tests and magnetic resonance imaging being the most frequently used. However, the role of myocardial viability testing in the management of patients with ischemic heart failure is still controversial due to the failure of randomized controlled trials of revascularization to reveal clear benefits of viability testing. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the concept of viable myocardium, depicts the role and tools for viability testing, discusses the research involving this topic and the controversies related to the utility of myocardial viability testing and provides a patient-centered approach for clinical practice.
An In-Silico Identification of Potential Flavonoids against Kidney Fibrosis Targeting TGFβR-1
Authors: Rahman MD. Hasanur , Biswas Partha , Dey Dipta , Hannan Md. Abdul , Sahabuddin Md. , Araf Yusha , Kwon Youngjoo , Emran Talha Bin , Ali Md. Sarafat , Uddin Md Jamal
Published: November 2022

Fibrosis is a hallmark of progressive kidney diseases. The overexpression of profibrotic cytokine, namely transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) due to excessive inflammation and tissue damage, induces kidney fibrosis. The inhibition of TGF-β signaling is markedly limited in experimental disease models. Targeting TGF-β signaling, therefore, offers a prospective strategy for the management of kidney fibrosis. Presently, the marketed drugs have numerous side effects, but plant-derived compounds are relatively safer and more cost-effective. In this study, TGFβR-1 was targeted to identify the lead compounds among flavonoids using various computational approaches, such as ADME/T (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion/toxicity) analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. ADME/T screening identified a total of 31 flavonoids with drug-like properties of 31 compounds, a total of 5 compounds showed a higher binding affinity to TGFβR-1, with Epicatechin, Fisetin, and Luteolin ranking at the top three (−13.58, −13.17, and −10.50 kcal/mol, respectively), which are comparable to the control drug linagliptin (−9.074 kcal/mol). The compounds also exhibited outstanding protein–ligand interactions. The molecular dynamic simulations revealed a stable interaction of these compounds with the binding site of TGFβR-1. These findings indicate that flavonoids, particularly Epicatechin, Fisetin, and Luteolin, may compete with the ligand-binding site of TGFβR-1, suggesting that these compounds can be further evaluated for the development of potential therapeutics against kidney fibrosis. Further, in-vitro and in-vivo studies are recommended to support the current findings.
Nonhuman Subject and the Spatiotemporal Reimagination of the Borderlands in Karen Tei Yamashita’s Tropic of Orange
Authors: Park Heejoo
Published: November 2022

In Tropic of Orange (1997), Karen Tei Yamashita uses literary imagination to challenge the settler-colonial discourse on space and time in the Americas. The influence of Latin American magical realism on Yamashita is most pronounced in the orange, a nonhuman object imbued with human agency. The orange magically initiates cross-border movements of people that disrupt the binaries of local/global, East/West, and North/South, challenging the unequal distribution of freedom of movement across the globe. In this paper, I engage with Wai-Chee Dimock’s concept of “deep time” to discuss the temporality of such border crossings. I propose that the cyclicality symbolized by the orange provides an alternative to linear settler-colonial management of spacetime.
Triprotic Ammonium Oleate Ionic Liquid Crystal Lubricant for Copper-Copper Friction and Wear Reduction
Authors: Avilés María-Dolores , Jiménez Ana-Eva , Pamies Ramón , Carrión-Vilches Francisco-José , Bermúdez María-Dolores
Published: November 2022

The triprotic ammonium carboxylate ionic liquid crystal (2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium oleate (MO) has been studied as a neat lubricant and as a lubricant additive in two base oils, PAO6 and 100N. The lubricants have been used in commercially pure copper-OFHC copper balls on disk reciprocating sliding contact at room temperature. Neat MO presents a very good lubricating performance, with a friction coefficient of 0.06 and a wear rate of OFHC copper disk of 4.15 × 10−7 mm3/N·m. These results are, respectively, 94% and 98% lower than those obtained for PAO6, with similar reductions obtained with respect to 100N. MO has also been studied as an additive in 2wt.% proportion. The severe abrasive wear mechanism that takes place in the presence of neat base oils is reduced by the MO additive.
Effect of Titanium-Base Abutment Height on Optical Properties of Monolithic Anterior Zirconia Crowns
Authors: Biadsee Ameer , Özcan Mutlu , Masarwa Lubaba , Haddad Mishel , Al-Haj Husain Nadin , Ormianer Zeev
Published: November 2022

The effects of different heights of ti-base abutments on the color of anterior screw-retained zirconia restorations fabricated using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technologies may affect the optical clinical outcome. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the color parameters of zirconia crowns in different shades on ti-base abutments. Identical specimens (N = 160) were milled to restore the screw-retained central maxillary incisor crown, using 5% mol yttria zirconia (5Y-TZP). The specimens were designed using computer design software to match 3.5 mm and 5.5-mm ti-base abutments and milled using one CAD-CAM technology. Specimens were divided into four main groups depending on zirconia shade (A1/0, A2/3, A3.5/4 and B2/3) and then assigned to two subgroups according to ti-base height. Color measurements in the CIELab coordinates were made using a spectrophotometer under room-light conditions. Color difference (ΔE*) values were calculated using the CIE76 and CIEDE2000 formula. Within the group of A0/1 and A2/3, for 5.5 mm abutment height, a significant difference was found between the means of colors ∆E00 and ∆Eab (p < 0.01). Using a 5.5 mm-height ti-base abutment may produce a clinically unacceptable outcome (ΔEab > 2) in A1/0 and A2/3 color groups.
Novel Antireflection Coatings Obtained by Low-Temperature Annealing in the Presence of Tetrabutylammonium Bromide and Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Lokteva Alena A. , Kotelnikova Anastasiia A. , Kovylin Roman S. , Konev Alexey N. , Piskunov Alexandr V.
Published: November 2022

In this work, nanoporous antireflective coatings on silicate glass were obtained from silicon dioxide sol compositions by the sol-gel method in the presence of quaternary ammonium salt (tetrabutylammonium bromide) at different annealing temperatures (200–250 °C). Varying the salt concentration from 3 to 5 wt.%, we achieved the transmittance of the coatings of about 97% at 250 °C in comparison with 91% for clean glass in the wavelength range from 400 to 1100 nm. The addition of gold nanoparticles to the composition containing 5 wt.% tetrabutylammonium bromide allowed us to decrease the annealing temperature to 200 °C, preserving the transmittance at the level of 96.5%. For this case, the optimal concentration of gold nanoparticles is determined (2.6 × 10−9 mol/mL). According to the SEM analysis, the obtained antireflective coatings contain pores with a minimum area size up to 4 nm2.
New Insights on the Electronic-Structural Interplay in LaPdSb and CePdSb Intermetallic Compounds
Authors: Gutmann Matthias Josef , Pascut Gheorghe Lucian , Katoh Kenichi , Zimmermann Martin von , Refson Keith , Adroja Devashibhai Thakarshibhai
Published: November 2022

Multifunctional physical properties are usually a consequence of a rich electronic-structural interplay. To advance our understanding in this direction, we reinvestigate the structural properties of the LaPdSb and CePdSb intermetallic compounds using single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction. We establish that both compounds can be described by the non-centrosymmetric space group P63mc, where the Pd/Sb planes are puckered and show ionic order rather than ionic disorder as was previously proposed. In particular, at 300 K, the (h, k, 10)-layer contains diffuse scattering features consistent with the Pd/Sb puckered layers. The experimental results are further rationalized within the framework of DFT and DFT+ embedded DMFT methods, which confirm that a puckered structure is energetically more favorable. We also find strong correspondence between puckering strength and band topology. Namely, strong puckering removes the bands and, consequently, the Fermi surface pockets at the M point. In addition, the Pd-d band character is reduced with puckering strength. Thus, these calculations provide further insights into the microscopic origin of the puckering, especially the correspondence between the band’s character, Fermi surfaces, and the strength of the puckering.
Development and Characterization of PEGDA Microneedles for Localized Drug Delivery of Gemcitabine to Treat Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Authors: Alafnan Ahmed , Seetharam Aravindram , Hussain Talib , Gupta Maram , Rizvi Syed , Moin Afrasim , Alamri Abdulwahab , Unnisa Aziz , Awadelkareem Amir , Elkhalifa AbdElmoneim , Jayahanumaiah Pradyumna , Khalid Mohammad , Balashanmugam Natchimuthu
Published: November 2022

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is one of the most belligerent types of breast cancer. While various modalities exist in managing/treating IBC, drug delivery using microneedles (MNs) is considered to be the most innovative method of localized delivery of anti-cancer agents. Localized drug delivery helps to treat IBC could limit their adverse reactions. MNs are nothing but small needle like structures that cause little or no pain at the site of administration for drug delivery via layers of the skin. The polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) based MNs were fabricated by using three dimensional (3D) technology called Projection Micro-Stereo Lithography (PµSL). The fabricated microneedle patches (MNPs) were characterized and coated with a coating formulation comprising of gemcitabine and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose by a novel and inventive screen plate method. The drug coated MNPs were characterized by various instrumental methods of analysis and release profile studies were carried out using Franz diffusion cell. Coat-and-poke strategy was employed in administering the drug coated MNPs. Overall, the methods employed in the present study not only help in obtaining MNPs with accurate dimensions but also help in obtaining uniformly drug coated MNPs of gemcitabine for treatment of IBC. Most importantly, 100% drug release was achieved within the first one hour only.
Design of Green Silver Nanoparticles Based on Primula Officinalis Extract for Textile Preservation
Authors: Lite Mihaela Cristina , Constantinescu Rodica Roxana , Tănăsescu Elena Cornelia , Kuncser Andrei , Romanițan Cosmin , Lăcătuşu Ioana , Badea Nicoleta
Published: November 2022

The present study aims to bring an addition to biomass resources valorization for environmental-friendly synthesis of nanoparticles. Thus, the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was performed, using a novel and effective reducing agent, Primula officinalis extract. The synthesis was optimized by monitoring the characteristic absorption bands, using UV–Vis spectroscopy, and by evaluating the size and physical stability. The phenolic consumption was established using Folin-Ciocâlteu method (1.40 ± 0.42 mg, representing ~5% from the total amount of poly--phenols) and the antioxidant activity was evaluated using chemiluminescence and TEAC methods. The optimum ratio extract to Ag ions was 1:3, for which the AgNPs presented a zeta potential value of −29.3 ± 1.2 mV and particles size of 5–30 nm. For characterization, EDS and XRD techniques were used, along with microscopy techniques (TEM). The AgNPs dispersions were applied on natural textile samples (cotton and wool), as a novel antimicrobial treatment for textile preservation. The treated fabrics were further characterized in terms of chromatic parameters and antimicrobial effect against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Penicillium hirsutum strains. The high percentages of bacterial reduction, >99%, revealed that the AgNPs produced are a good candidate for textiles preservation against microbial degradation.
Effect of Bilayer Thickness and Bias Potential on the Structure and Properties of (TiZr/Nb)N Multilayer Coatings as a Result of Arc-PVD Deposition
Authors: Bauyrzhan Rakhadilov , Alexander Pogrebnjak , Zhuldyz Sagdoldina , Dastan Buitkenov , Vyacheslav Beresnev , Mukhamedova Amina
Published: November 2022

This work is devoted to the study of the formation of nanostructured multilayer coatings (TiZr/Nb)N on the surface of an AISI 321 steel substrate depending on the deposition parameters of the Arc-PVD method. The results of the X-ray diffraction analysis showed the formation of solid solution (TiNb)N and ZrN in the multilayer coatings with an FCC structure, ε-NbN with a hexagonal structure, as well as with a small volume fraction of the ε-Ti2N and β-Nb2N phase. On the basis of phase composition data, it is possible to assume that an increase in the number of bilayers leads to a decrease in the nitrogen concentration in the bilayers and, consequently, to a decrease in the volume fraction of ε-NbN and β-Nb2N nitrides. In all investigated systems obtained at −100 V and −200 V bias potentials, ε-NbN is the main phase. The study of the element distribution over the thickness of the (TiZr/Nb)N coating confirms the results of the X-ray diffraction analysis. The use of the structure model in the form of alternating layers allows for significantly improving the adhesion characteristics of the protective coating, as well as ensuring their high hardness. Based on the experimental results, it is possible to analyze changes in the mechanical and tribological properties of multilayer coatings depending on the number of applied bilayers. The results of the study of the elastic modulus and hardness of multilayer coatings (TiZrNb)N with different numbers of bilayers showed that a large number of bilayers (small thickness of each individual layer) shows the lowest value of hardness. It is assumed that as the bilayer thickness decreases, the coating characteristics are closer to the monolayer alloy than to the multilayer structure.
Advantageous Implications of Reversed Austenite for the Tensile Properties of Super 13Cr Martensitic Stainless Steel
Authors: Wang Peng , Zheng Weiwei , Yu Xinpan , Wang Yanli
Published: November 2022

The advantageous implications of the microstructure and volume fraction of reversed austenite for the tensile properties of super 13Cr martensitic stainless steel (13Cr SMSS) in an experiment with quenching and double-step tempering treatment in the temperature range of 550–750 °C were investigated. The results show that, with increases in one-step tempering temperature, the content of reversed austenite was enhanced considerably from 0.9% to 13.3%. The reversed austenite distributed in the martensitic lath boundary conformed to the (11¯1)γ//(011)α’ and [011]γ//[1¯1¯1]α’ Kurdjumov–Sachs orientation relationship with the matrix. When tempered at 675 °C for 3 h for the first stage and 600 °C for 2 h for the second stage, the maximum volume fraction of reversed austenite was approximately 13.3%, achieving uniform elongation of 10.4% and total elongation of 27.2%. Moreover, the product of strength and elongation (PSE) was 23.5 GPa·% higher than other samples. The outstanding combination of high strength and commendable plasticity was due to the phase transformation of the reversed austenite into secondary martensite during tensile straining. The reversed austenite consumed the plastic energy at the tip of the microcrack and made the crack tip blunt, which hindered the further propagation of the crack, consequently increasing the total elongation and improving toughness.
Advanced Machining of Joint Implant UHMWPE Inserts
Authors: Piska Miroslav , Urbancova Katerina
Published: November 2022

The modern orthopaedic implants for applications in hips, knees, shoulders, and spines are composed of hard metal alloys or ceramics and a tribological sub-component that is made of soft materials, with good frictional properties—e.g., UHMWPE (Ultra High Molecule Weight Polyethylene). The UHMWPE implants need to be machined into their final shape after the polymerization and consolidation into a blank profile or near net shaped implant. Thus, machining is a crucial technology that can generate an accurate and precise shape of the implant that should comply with the joints’ function. However, the machining technology can affect the topography and integrity of the surface, transmitted stresses, and resistance to wear. Technology, cutting tools, and cutting conditions can have an impact on the physical and mechanical properties of the entire implant and its longevity. This paper shows an effective and competitive technology for acquiring high-quality insert shape, dimensions, and surface, needed especially for customized implants.
The Effect of Manufacturing Errors on the Performance of a Gas-Dynamic Bearing Gyroscope
Authors: Ning Yanqiang , Li Yan , Zhang Desheng
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of manufacturing errors on the performance of a gas-dynamic bearing gyroscope. Five kinds of manufacturing errors including bearing taper error, oval error, trigone error, eccentricity of the axis, and angular deviation of the axis are studied. A mathematic model of these errors is established to describe the variation of gas film thickness. The Reynolds equation is solved, and the perturbation method is applied to analyze the performance of the gas-dynamic bearing with the manufacturing errors. Based on the analysis, the interference torque and overload limit are investigated to assess the effects of manufacturing errors. Results show that taper error will cause interference torque. Oval error or trigone error will cause interference torque with a radial specific force. The eccentricity or angular deviation of the axis will cause interference torque with any specific force. In general, the interference torque is small, which is 10–1000 times smaller than that under the condition of both radial and axial specific forces. The manufacturing errors also reduce the ultimate overload significantly. The taper error has the greatest influence on the gas-dynamic bearing gyroscope among the manufacturing errors studied in this paper.
An Intelligent Inspection Robot for Underground Cable Trenches Based on Adaptive 2D-SLAM
Authors: Jia Zhiwei , Liu Haohui , Zheng Haoliang , Fan Shaosheng , Liu Zheng
Published: November 2022

With the rapid growth of underground cable trenches, the corresponding inspections become a heavy burden, and an intelligent inspection robot for automatic examinations in underground cable trenches would be a suitable solution. To achieve this, this paper establishes one new navigation methodology for intelligent inspection robots, especially when applied in complex scenarios and the corresponding hardware. Firstly, to map the underground trenches with higher precision, an improved graph optimization cartographer-SLAM algorithm is proposed, which is based on the combination of depth camera and LIDAR. The depth image is converted into pseudo laser data, and fused with LIDAR data for calibration. Secondly, to overcome the low precision of the Laser odometer due to the uneven ground, an adaptive keyframe selection method is designed. Thirdly, the forward A* model is presented, which has been adjusted in three aspects, including the convergence of node searching, the cost function, and the path smoothness, to adapt to the narrow underground environment for global path planning. Fourthly, to realize dynamic obstacle avoidance, an improved fusion scheme is built to integrate the proposed global path planning algorithm and the dynamic window approach (DWA). In the case study, the simulation experiments showed the advantage of the forward A* algorithm over the state-of-the-art algorithm in both time consumption and the number of inflection points generated, the field tests illustrated the effect of the fusion of depth camera images and LIDAR. Hence, the feasibility of this navigation methodology can be verified, and the average length of path and time consumption decreased by 6.5% and 17.8%, respectively, compared with the traditional methods.
Generalized Hukuhara Weak Solutions for a Class of Coupled Systems of Fuzzy Fractional Order Partial Differential Equations without Lipschitz Conditions
Authors: Zhang Fan , Lan Heng-You , Xu Hai-Yang
Published: November 2022

As is known to all, Lipschitz condition, which is very important to guarantee existence and uniqueness of solution for differential equations, is not frequently satisfied in real-world problems. In this paper, without the Lipschitz condition, we intend to explore a kind of novel coupled systems of fuzzy Caputo Generalized Hukuhara type (in short, gH-type) fractional partial differential equations. First and foremost, based on a series of notions of relative compactness in fuzzy number spaces, and using Schauder fixed point theorem in Banach semilinear spaces, it is naturally to prove existence of two classes of gH-weak solutions for the coupled systems of fuzzy fractional partial differential equations. We then give an example to illustrate our main conclusions vividly and intuitively. As applications, combining with the relevant definitions of fuzzy projection operators, and under some suitable conditions, existence results of two categories of gH-weak solutions for a class of fire-new fuzzy fractional partial differential coupled projection neural network systems are also proposed, which are different from those already published work. Finally, we present some work for future research.
Nonlinear Contagion and Causality Nexus between Oil, Gold, VIX Investor Sentiment, Exchange Rate and Stock Market Returns: The MS-GARCH Copula Causality Method
Authors: Bildirici Melike E. , Salman Memet , Ersin Özgür Ömer
Published: November 2022

The fluctuations in oil have strong implications on many financial assets not to mention its relationship with gold prices, exchange rates, stock markets, and investor sentiment. Recent evidence suggests nonlinear contagion among the factors stated above with bivariate or trivariate settings and a throughout investigation of contagion and causality links by taking especially nonlinearity into consideration deserves special importance for the relevant literature. For this purpose, the paper explores the Markov switching generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity copula (MS-GARCH—copula) and MS-GARCH-copula-causality method and its statistical properties. The methods incorporate regime switching and causality analyses in addition to modeling nonlinearity in conditional volatility. For a sample covering daily observations for 4 January 2000–13 March 2020, the empirical findings revealed that: i. the incorporation of MS type nonlinearity to copula analysis provides important information, ii. the new method helps in the determination of regime-dependent tail dependence among oil, VIX, gold, exchange rates, and BIST stock market returns, in addition to determining the direction of causality in those regimes, iii. important policy implications are derived with the proposed methods given the distinction between high and low volatility regimes leads to different solutions on the direction of causality.
Boundary Feedback Stabilization of Two-Dimensional Shallow Water Equations with Viscosity Term
Authors: Dia Ben Mansour , Goudiaby Mouhamadou Samsidy , Dorn Oliver
Published: November 2022

This paper treats a water flow regularization problem by means of local boundary conditions for the two-dimensional viscous shallow water equations. Using an a-priori energy estimate of the perturbation state and the Faedo–Galerkin method, we build a stabilizing boundary feedback control law for the volumetric flow in a finite time that is prescribed by the solvability of the associated Cauchy problem. We iterate the same approach to build by cascade a stabilizing feedback control law for infinite time. Thanks to a positive arbitrary time-dependent stabilization function, the control law provides an exponential decay of the energy.
Persistent Homology for Breast Tumor Classification Using Mammogram Scans
Authors: Asaad Aras , Ali Dashti , Majeed Taban , Rashid Rasber
Published: November 2022

An important tool in the field of topological data analysis is persistent homology (PH), which is used to encode abstract representations of the homology of data at different resolutions in the form of persistence barcode (PB). Normally, one will obtain one PB from a digital image when using a sublevel-set filtration method. In this work, we built more than one PB representation of a single image based on a landmark selection method, known as local binary patterns (LBP), which encode different types of local texture from a digital image. Starting from the top-left corner of any 3-by-3 patch selected from an input image, the LBP process starts by subtracting the central pixel value from its eight neighboring pixel values. Then, each cell is assigned with 1 if the subtraction outcome is positive, and 0 otherwise, to obtain an 8-bit binary representation. This process will identify a set of landmark pixels to represent 0-simplices and use Vietoris–Rips filtration to obtain its corresponding PB. Using LBP, we can construct up to 56 PBs from a single image if we restrict to only using the binary codes that have two circular transitions between 1 and 0. The information within these 56 PBs contain detailed local and global topological and geometrical information, which can be used to design effective machine learning models. We used four different PB vectorizations, namely, persistence landscapes, persistence images, Betti curves (barcode binning), and PB statistics. We tested the effectiveness of the proposed landmark-based PH on two publicly available breast abnormality detection datasets using mammogram scans. The sensitivity and specificity of the landmark-based PH obtained was over 90% and 85%, respectively, in both datasets for the detection of abnormal breast scans. Finally, the experimental results provide new insights on using different PB vectorizations with sublevel set filtrations and landmark-based Vietoris–Rips filtration from digital mammogram scans.
The Structure of Local Rings with Singleton Basis and Their Enumeration
Authors: Alkhamees Yousef , Alabiad Sami
Published: November 2022

A local ring is an associative ring with unique maximal ideal. We associate with each Artinian local ring with singleton basis four invariants (positive integers) p,n,s,t. The purpose of this article is to describe the structure of such rings and classify them (up to isomorphism) with the same invariants. Every local ring with singleton basis can be constructed over its coefficient subring by a certain polynomial called the associated polynomial. These polynomials play significant role in the enumeration.
Dynamic Absorption of Vibration in a Multi Degree of Freedom Elastic System
Authors: Scutaru Maria Luminita , Marin Marin , Vlase Sorin
Published: November 2022

The paper aims to identify the situations in which a complex elastic system, which is subject to mechanical vibrations, can act as a dynamic absorber of vibrations for certain frequencies. The conditions that the system must fulfill in order to achieve this goal are determined and then a calculation example is presented. The method is interesting because it allows to avoid attaching an absorber specially built for this, a situation that complicates the project and increases manufacturing costs.
On the Effects of Boundary Conditions in One-Dimensional Models of Hemodynamics
Authors: Krivovichev Gerasim V.
Published: November 2022

The paper is devoted to the theoretical analysis of the effects of boundary conditions on the solutions of the system of one-dimensional (1D) hemodynamics. The integral inequalities, which realize the energy inequalities for the solutions of initial-boundary-value problems, are obtained. It is demonstrated that the unphysical unbounded solutions can take place for the case of bounded functions from boundary conditions. For the periodic boundary conditions, the integral estimation illustrates the correct behavior of the solution. For this case of boundary conditions, the effective Fourier method for the analytical solution is proposed. The analytical solutions, obtained by this approach, can be used for the comparison of different 1D blood-flow models. The results obtained in the paper allow for an the alternatively view of the stated boundary conditions and can explain some problems, which can arise in numerical simulations. They expand the possibilities of the application of analytical methods in the field of blood-flow simulation. The results can be useful for the specialists on blood-flow modeling.
Two-Sample Hypothesis Test for Functional Data
Authors: Zhao Jing , Feng Sanying , Hu Yuping
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we develop and study a novel testing procedure that has more a powerful ability to detect mean difference for functional data. In general, it includes two stages: first, splitting the sample into two parts and selecting principle components adaptively based on the first half-sample; then, constructing a test statistic based on another half-sample. An extensive simulation study is presented, which shows that the proposed test works very well in comparison with several other methods in a variety of alternative settings.
Non-Linear Dynamic Movements of CNT/Graphene/Aluminum Oxide and Copper/Silver/Cobalt Ferrite Solid Particles in a Magnetized and Suction-Based Internally Heated Surface: Sensitivity and Response Surface Optimization
Authors: Raju C. S. K. , Kumar M. Dinesh , Ahammad N. Ameer , El-Deeb Ahmed A. , Almarri Barakah , Shah Nehad Ali
Published: November 2022

Hybrid nanofluids combine two or more nano properties with a base fluid such as water ethylene. Usually, this helps enhance the heat transfer rate; in this article, using new similarity transformations created by Lie group analysis, the governing nonlinear partial differential equations are transformed into a system of connected nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The resulting design is numerically solved using a BVP4C solver with the shooting method (MATLAB). The magneto hydrodynamic flow of an incompressible fluid and the rate of heat and mass transfer were investigated for two cases, with various nanoparticle shapes including cylindrical, spherical, and platelet. Case 1 was CNT (1%), graphene (1%), and aluminum oxide (1%), and Case 2 was copper (1%), silver (1%), and cobalt ferrite (1%). When the Hartmann number rises, velocity and temperature exhibit inverse behavior: the velocity profile increases, and the temperature profile decreases. When the suction rises, the velocity and temperature profiles both increase. Optimization techniques were used from response surface methodology (RSM) to set factorial variables so that the response met the desired maximum or minimum value. Factorial methods like ANOVA were used to model the response, but they were expanded to simulate the effects in terms of extrapolation.
Development on a Fractional Hybrid Differential Inclusion with a Nonlinear Nonlocal Fractional-Order Integral Inclusion
Authors: El-Sayed Ahmed M. A. , El-Salam Sheren A. Abd , Hashem Hind H. G.
Published: November 2022

In this article, we consider a Riemann–Liouville fractional-order nonlinear hybrid delay differential inclusion with a nonlinear set-valued nonlocal integral condition of fractional order. We prove some existence and uniqueness results in C(I,R). We also study the continuous dependence of the solutions on the two sets of selections of the two set-valued functions, considered in our problem, and on some other parameters. Finally, to validate our results, we present an example and some particular cases.
Classification in High Dimension Using the Ledoit–Wolf Shrinkage Method
Authors: Lotfi Rasoul , Shahsavani Davood , Arashi Mohammad
Published: November 2022

Classification using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is challenging when the number of variables is large relative to the number of observations. Algorithms such as LDA require the computation of the feature vector’s precision matrices. In a high-dimension setting, due to the singularity of the covariance matrix, it is not possible to estimate the maximum likelihood estimator of the precision matrix. In this paper, we employ the Stein-type shrinkage estimation of Ledoit and Wolf for high-dimensional data classification. The proposed approach’s efficiency is numerically compared to existing methods, including LDA, cross-validation, gLasso, and SVM. We use the misclassification error criterion for comparison.
Numerical Method for System Level Simulation of Long-Distance Pneumatic Conveying Pipelines
Authors: Zhou Xiaoming , Fang Fang , Li Yadong
Published: November 2022

Pneumatic conveying pipelines (PCPs) provide an effective manner for long-distance transport of capsules because of their advantages in high speed, superior safety, and full automation. For better development of PCPs, a system-level simulation tool is desired, but not yet available. In this work, a new 1D model describing systemic dynamics of airflow and capsule movement in PCPs is presented, and 3D simulation is proposed to obtain the characteristic coefficients in the 1D model. The complete model accounts for those phenomena that most profoundly affect the performance of PCPs, such as the 3D layout of the pipeline, the geometry of capsules, as well as the compressibility of air in a long pipeline. A finite volume method is also presented to numerically calculate the model equations, and thereby realize the successful system-level simulation of practical PCPs for the first time. Experimental data were used for validation. For a 550 m-long and small-diameter (27.86 mm) PCP, the errors of predicted conveying times were within 4.43%. For another 30 m-long and large-diameter (125.6 mm) PCP, the errors of predicted conveying time and maximum capsule velocity were within 1%. By enabling readily and accurate prediction of the conveying process, the method provides a feasible tool for the design and application of PCP systems.
P Systems with Proteins on Active Membranes
Authors: Hu Chuanlong , Li Yanyan , Song Bosheng
Published: November 2022

P systems with active membranes, as a sort of basic P system, include in communication rules and out communication rules, where communication rules are controlled by polarizations. However, the communication of objects among living cells may be controlled by several factors, such as proteins, polarizations, etc. Based on this biological fact, in this article, a new class of P systems, named P systems with proteins on active membranes (known as PAM P systems) is considered, where the movement of objects is controlled by both proteins and polarizations. The computational theory of PAM P systems is discussed. More specifically, we show that PAM P systems achieve Turing universality when the systems use two membranes, one protein and one polarization. Moreover, the PAM P systems, with the help of membrane division rules, make the SAT problem solvable. These results indicate that PAM P systems are also a sort of powerful system.