bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Yield Prediction Technology for Aerospace Engine Production Lines Based on Convolutional Neural Networks-Improved Support Vector Regression
Authors: Liu Hongjun , Li Boyuan , Liu Chang , Zu Mengqi , Lin Minhao
Published: August 2023

Improving the prediction accuracy of aerospace engine production line yields is of significant importance for enhancing production efficiency and optimizing production scheduling in enterprises. To address this, a novel method called Convolutional Neural Networks-Improved Support Vector Regression (CNN-ISVR) has been proposed for predicting the production line yield of aerospace engines. The method first divides the factors influencing production line yield into production cycle and real-time status information of the production line and then analyzes the key feature factors. To solve the problem of poor prediction performance in traditional SVR models due to the subjective selection of kernel function parameters, an improved SVR model is presented. This approach combines the elite strategy genetic algorithm with the hyperparameter optimization method based on grid search and cross-validation to obtain the best penalty factor and kernel function width of the Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel function. The extracted features of production data are then used for prediction by inputting them into the improved support vector regression model, based on a shallow CNN without dimensionality reduction. Finally, the prediction accuracy of the CNN-ISVR model is evaluated using the three commonly used evaluation metrics: Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2). The model’s prediction results are then compared to those of other models. The CNN-ISVR hybrid model is shown to outperform other models in terms of prediction accuracy and generalization ability, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed model.
Stream Convolution for Attribute Reduction of Concept Lattices
Authors: Xu Jianfeng , Wu Chenglei , Xu Jilin , Liu Lan , Zhang Yuanjian
Published: August 2023

Attribute reduction is a crucial research area within concept lattices. However, the existing works are mostly limited to either increment or decrement algorithms, rather than considering both. Therefore, dealing with large-scale streaming attributes in both cases may be inefficient. Convolution calculation in deep learning involves a dynamic data processing method in the form of sliding windows. Inspired by this, we adopt slide-in and slide-out windows in convolution calculation to update attribute reduction. Specifically, we study the attribute changing mechanism in the sliding window mode of convolution and investigate five attribute variation cases. These cases consider the respective intersection of slide-in and slide-out attributes, i.e., equal to, disjoint with, partially joint with, containing, and contained by. Then, we propose an updated solution of the reduction set for simultaneous sliding in and out of attributes. Meanwhile, we propose the CLARA-DC algorithm, which aims to solve the problem of inefficient attribute reduction for large-scale streaming data. Finally, through the experimental comparison on four UCI datasets, CLARA-DC achieves higher efficiency and scalability in dealing with large-scale datasets. It can adapt to varying types and sizes of datasets, boosting efficiency by an average of 25%.
Functional Matrices on Quantum Computing Simulation
Authors: de la Cruz Calvo Hernán Indíbil , Cuartero Gómez Fernando , Paulet González José Javier , Mezzini Mauro , Pelayo Fernando López
Published: August 2023

In simulating Quantum Computing by using the circuit model the size of the matrices to deal with, together with the number of products and additions required to apply every quantum gate becomes a really hard computational restriction. This paper presents a data structure, called Functional Matrices, which is the most representative feature of QSimov quantum computing simulator which is also provided and tested. A comparative study of the performance of Functional Matrices with respect to the other two most commonly used matrix data structures, dense and sparse ones, is also performed and summarized within this work.
The Effects of the Susceptible and Infected Cross-Diffusion Terms on Pattern Formations in an SI Model
Authors: Triska Anita , Gunawan Agus Yodi , Nuraini Nuning
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we discuss the pattern dynamics of an SI epidemic model caused by spatial dependency, which is represented by self- and cross-diffusion terms. Cross-diffusion of the susceptible represents a tendency of the susceptible to stay away from the infected. Meanwhile, cross-diffusion of the infected represents their movement to the location with a high density of the susceptible. This study focuses on the presence of the effects of cross-diffusion terms on the Turing instability. This study applies Turing analysis to yield the Turing space and Turing patterns corresponding to the model by involving the infection rate as the bifurcation parameter. The results show that the presence of cross-diffusion terms narrows the Turing space depending on the magnitude of the cross-diffusion coefficients itself. Dynamical behaviors of the model are then investigated through a series of numerical simulations that successfully perform five types of patterns, i.e., spots, spots–stripes, stripes, stripes–holes, and holes. Those patterns give a description of the spread of an infectious disease. The holes denote an outbreak situation in a region, whereas the non-outbreak situation is emphasized by the spots pattern. Further, the decreasing of the ratio of recruitment and death rates indicates that the increasing of the infection rate triggers an outbreak. The present study confirms that cross-diffusion terms have a significant role in infectious disease transmission, spatially.
Analytical Solution for Bearing Capacity of Reinforced Strip Footings on Unsaturated Soils under Steady Flow
Authors: Kang Xudong , Zhou De
Published: August 2023

The study of analytical solutions for the bearing capacity of reinforced soil foundations is a very important topic in engineering mathematics. Existing evaluations of the foundation-bearing capacity on reinforced soils are based on dry conditions, while many foundations are located on unsaturated soils in real engineering. In this paper, a new formula for the bearing capacity of reinforced strip footings on unsaturated soils is presented. Two sliding failure mechanisms are constructed based on the position of the reinforcement layer relative to the sliding surface. The distribution of apparent cohesion in the depth direction is calculated by considering the effect of matrix suction. By additionally considering the work conducted by the reinforcement and the contribution of the apparent cohesion, the bearing capacity formula is obtained using the upper bound theorem of limit analysis. The bearing capacity solution is obtained by adopting the sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm. Comparing the results under two failure mechanisms, the optimal bearing capacity and the optimal embedment depth of reinforcement are obtained. The results of this paper are consistent with those of the existing literature. Finally, the effects of reinforcement embedment depth, effective internal friction angle, uniform load, and unsaturated soil parameters on the optimal bearing capacity are investigated through parametric analysis. This paper provides useful recommendations for the engineering application of reinforced strip footings on unsaturated soils.
Medical Diagnosis under Effective Bipolar-Valued Multi-Fuzzy Soft Settings
Authors: Sakr Hanan H. , Alyami Salem A. , Abd Elgawad Mohamed A.
Published: August 2023

The Molodtsov-initiated soft set theory plays an important role as a powerful mathematical tool for handling uncertainty. As an extension of the soft set, the fuzzy soft set can be seen to be more generic and flexible than utilizing the soft set only that fails to represent problem parameters fuzziness. Through this progress, the fuzzy soft set theory cannot deal with decision-making problems involving multi-attribute sets, bipolarity, or some effective considered parameters. Therefore, the goal of this article is to adapt effectiveness and bipolarity concepts with the multi-fuzzy soft set of order n. One can see that this approach generates a novel, extended, effective decision-making environment that is more applicable than any previously introduced one. In addition, types, concepts, and operations of effective bipolar-valued multi-fuzzy soft sets of dimension n are provided, each with an example. Furthermore, properties like absorption, associative, distributive, commutative, and De Morgan’s laws of those new sets are investigated. Moreover, a decision-making methodology under effective bipolar-valued multi-fuzzy soft settings is established. This technique facilitates reaching the final decision that this student is qualified to take a certain education level, or this patient is suffering from a certain disease, etc. In addition, a case study represented in a medical diagnosis example is discussed in detail to make the proposed algorithm clearer. Applying matrix techniques in this example as well as using MATLAB®, not only makes it easier and faster in doing calculations, but also gives more accurate, optimal, and effective decisions. Finally, the sensitivity analysis, as well as a comparison with the existing methods, are conducted in detail and are summarized in a chart to show the difference between them and the current one.
One-Parameter Hyperbolic Spatial Locomotions and Invariants of the Axode
Authors: Almoneef Areej A. , Abdel-Baky Rashad A.
Published: August 2023

In this paper, based on the E. Study map, direct appearances were sophisticated for one-parameter hyperbolic dual spherical locomotions and invariants of the axodes. With the suggested technique, the Disteli formulae for the axodes were acquired and the correlations through kinematic geometry of a timelike line trajectory were provided. Then, a ruled analogy of the curvature circle of a curve in planar locomotions was expanded into generic spatial locomotions. Lastly, we present new hyperbolic proofs for the Euler–Savary and Disteli formulae.
Z-Number-Based Maximum Expected Linear Programming Model with Applications
Authors: Yuan Meng , Zeng Biao , Chen Jiayu , Wang Chenxu
Published: August 2023

In research of a better description for information uncertainty, Z-numbers, which are related to both the objective information and the subjective criticism, were first conceptualized by Zadeh. Because of its neologism, there have been multitudinous attempts toward continuation and expansion of the prototype. In this paper, we mainly study varieties of theoretical preparations for classical Z-numbers and derive the maximum expected linear programming model of Z-numbers, which are constructed on the basis of reliability conversion factors and proliferation on applications due to their simplicity. Firstly, by means of transforming Z-numbers into LR fuzzy intervals through their reliability variable, the credibility distribution and inverse distribution of converted Z-numbers are stated precisely. Then, the operational law of independent variables and its expected value can be derived via credibility distribution. The maximum expected Z-number linear programming model is determined on the basis of previous theoretical preparations, and it transforms from a classical Z-number chance-constrained model into a crisp one. Finally, with the aim of improving the programming method, its application in pragmatic practice with the realistic examples of a supplier section and optimal portfolio problems are enumerated to interpret the effectiveness of our model.
A Simple Framework for Scene Graph Reasoning with Semantic Understanding of Complex Sentence Structure
Authors: Heo Yoonseok , Kang Sangwoo
Published: August 2023

A rapidly expanding multimedia environment in recent years has led to an explosive increase in demand for multimodality that can communicate with humans in various ways. Even though the convergence of vision and language intelligence has shed light on the remarkable success over the last few years, there is still a caveat: it is unknown whether they truly understand the semantics of the image. More specifically, how they correctly capture relationships between objects represented within the image is still regarded as a black box. In order to testify whether such relationships are well understood, this work mainly focuses on the Graph-structured visual Question Answering (GQA) task which evaluates the understanding of an image by reasoning a scene graph describing the structural characteristics of an image in the form of natural language together with the image. Unlike the existing approaches that have been accompanied by an additional encoder for scene graphs, we propose a simple yet effective framework using pre-trained multimodal transformers for scene graph reasoning. Inspired by the fact that a scene graph can be regarded as a set of sentences describing two related objects with a relationship, we fuse them into the framework separately from the question. In addition, we propose a multi-task learning method that utilizes evaluating the grammatical validity of questions as an auxiliary task to better understand a question with complex structures. This utilizes the semantic role labels of the question to randomly shuffle the sentence structure of the question. We have conducted extensive experiments to evaluate the effectiveness in terms of task capabilities, ablation studies, and generalization.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Swallowing Rehabilitation in Patients with Forward Head Posture
Authors: Debucean Daiana , Mihaiu Judit , Maghiar Adrian Marius , Marcu Florin , Marcu Olivia Andreea
Published: August 2023

(1) Background and Objectives: The forward head posture (FHP) is characterized by increased extensions of upper cervical vertebrae and flexion of the lower cervical vertebrae and upper thoracic regions, associated with muscle shortening. The compressive loading on the tissues in the cervical spine negatively impacts suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles and generates increased tension of the masticatory muscles. The tongue has relations with the suprahyoid and the infrahyoid muscles. The pattern of swallowing evolves gradually from birth to the age of four. If this developmental transition does not occur, the result is persistent infantile or atypical swallowing—an orofacial myofunctional disorder with the tongue in improper position during swallowing, causing strain and stress on the jaw, face, head and neck. In FHP, muscles crucial to swallowing are biomechanically misaligned. The lengthening of the suprahyoid muscles necessitates stronger contractions to achieve proper hyolaryngeal movement during swallowing. This study assesses the added benefits of physiotherapy to the traditional myofunctional swallowing rehabilitation for patients with FHP. The underlying hypothesis is that without addressing FHP, swallowing rehabilitation remains challenged and potentially incomplete. (2) Materials and Methods: A total of 61 participants (12–26 years) meeting the inclusion criteria (FHP and atypical swallowing) were divided into two similar groups. Group A attended one orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) and one physiotherapy session per week, group B only one OMT session per week, for 20 weeks. Exclusion criteria were as follows: ankyloglossia, neurological impairment affecting tongue and swallowing, cervical osteoarticular pathology, other previous or ongoing treatments for FHP and atypical swallowing. (3) Results: There is a significant improvement in terms of movement and use of the orofacial structures (tongue, lips, cheeks), as well as in breathing and swallowing in both groups. Group A achieved better outcomes as the CVA angle was directly addressed by manual therapy and GPR techniques. (4) Conclusions: The combined therapy proved to be more effective than single OMT therapy.
A Spectrum of Solutions: Unveiling Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Manage Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Mondal Arunima , Sharma Rashi , Abiha Umme , Ahmad Faizan , Karan Anik , Jayaraj Richard L. , Sundar Vaishnavi
Published: August 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that causes difficulty while socializing and communicating and the performance of stereotyped behavior. ASD is thought to have a variety of causes when accompanied by genetic disorders and environmental variables together, resulting in abnormalities in the brain. A steep rise in ASD has been seen regardless of the numerous behavioral and pharmaceutical therapeutic techniques. Therefore, using complementary and alternative therapies to treat autism could be very significant. Thus, this review is completely focused on non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions which include different diets, supplements, antioxidants, hormones, vitamins and minerals to manage ASD. Additionally, we also focus on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, herbal remedies, camel milk and cannabiodiol. Additionally, we concentrate on how palatable phytonutrients provide a fresh glimmer of hope in this situation. Moreover, in addition to phytochemicals/nutraceuticals, it also focuses on various microbiomes, i.e., gut, oral, and vaginal. Therefore, the current comprehensive review opens a new avenue for managing autistic patients through non-pharmacological intervention.
Indirect and Direct 65+ Patient Reporting of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Induced Adverse Drug Reactions as a Source of Information on Polypharmacy and Polypharmacy-Related Risk
Authors: Sienkiewicz Kamila , Burzyńska Monika , Rydlewska-Liszkowska Izabela , Sienkiewicz Jacek , Gaszyńska Ewelina
Published: August 2023

Background and Objectives: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, are commonly used in the treatment of various, particularly frequent, as well as chronic, conditions in older patients. Due to common polypragmasia in these patients and a high risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and drug interactions, pain management poses a therapeutic challenge. This study describes the importance of ADR reports in the identification of polypharmacy and the ensuing interactions. Materials and Methods: Both healthcare professionals (HPs) and non-healthcare professionals (non-HPs) reports collected in the EudraVigilance database of NSAIDs, including most commonly co-reported medications and reported reactions, were analysed and differences between HPs and non-HPs reports were identified. Results: In the analysed period and group, non-HPs reported more reactions but indicated fewer drugs as suspect or concomitant. The outcomes of our analysis indicate more HP engagement and more detailed reports of serious ADRs when compared to non-serious individual case safety reports (ICSRs) by non-HPs, which appeared more detailed. Such reactions as kidney failure and increased risk of bleeding are known adverse reactions to NSAIDs and common symptoms of their interactions, which were described in the available literature. They were much more frequently reported by HPs than by non-HPs. Non-HPs more frequently reported reactions that may have been considered less significant by HPs. Conclusions: The differences between healthcare professionals’ (HPs) and non-healthcare professionals’ (non-HPs) reports may result from the fact that the reports from patients and their caregivers require a professional medical diagnosis based on symptoms described by the patient or additional diagnostic tests. This means that when appropriately classified, medically verified, and statistically analysed, the data may provide new evidence for the risks of medication use or drug interactions.
The Effect of Defect Characteristics on Prediction of Fatigue Life of TC4 Titanium Alloy Welded Joints
Authors: Guo Yupeng , Chen Furong , Li Mingkai , Yu Huan , Li Wei , Deng Hailong
Published: August 2023

The size and depth of defects significantly affect fatigue performance; the main purpose of this article is to clarify the effect of stress correction factors caused by defects on the fatigue life of α + β Type titanium alloy welded joints. In order to investigate the fatigue characteristics of α + β Type titanium alloy welded joints, axial constant amplitude loading fatigue tests were performed with a stress ratio of −1. The test results show that the fatigue life continues to increase as the stress amplitude decreases, and the failure modes can be classified into two types: interior failure and surface failure. A fatigue parameter (λ) determined by both defect depth and size was proposed which allowed for a good generalization of the data point distribution in short and long-life regions. The stress correction factor (W) related to the S–N characteristics was constructed by combining the λ and average defect size, and it effectively improved the dispersion of the test data. Continuing, the fatigue life prediction model was established under the condition that the defect type and size can be estimated or detected on the basis of the dislocation energy method. The results indicated that the evaluated values of the new life model associated with W are in good agreement with the test results.
Quality Control in Targeted GC-MS for Amino Acid-OMICS
Authors: Tsikas Dimitrios , Beckmann Bibiana
Published: August 2023

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is suitable for the analysis of non-polar analytes. Free amino acids (AA) are polar, zwitterionic, non-volatile and thermally labile analytes. Chemical derivatization of AA is indispensable for their measurement by GC-MS. Specific conversion of AA to their unlabeled methyl esters (d0Me) using 2 M HCl in methanol (CH3OH) is a suitable derivatization procedure (60 min, 80 °C). Performance of this reaction in 2 M HCl in tetradeutero-methanol (CD3OD) generates deuterated methyl esters (d3Me) of AA, which can be used as internal standards in GC-MS. d0Me-AA and d3Me-AA require subsequent conversion to their pentafluoropropionyl (PFP) derivatives for GC-MS analysis using pentafluoropropionic anhydride (PFPA) in ethyl acetate (30 min, 65 °C). d0Me-AA-PFP and d3Me-AA-PFP derivatives of AA are readily extractable into water-immiscible, GC-compatible organic solvents such as toluene. d0Me-AA-PFP and d3Me-AA-PFP derivatives are stable in toluene extracts for several weeks, thus enabling high throughput quantitative measurement of biological AA by GC-MS using in situ prepared d3Me-AA as internal standards in OMICS format. Here, we describe the development of a novel OMICS-compatible QC system and demonstrate its utility for the quality control of quantitative analysis of 21 free AA and metabolites in human plasma samples by GC-MS as Me-PFP derivatives. The QC system involves cross-standardization of the concentrations of the AA in their aqueous solutions at four concentration levels and a quantitative control of AA at the same four concentration levels in pooled human plasma samples. The retention time (tR)-based isotope effects (IE) and the difference (δ(H/D) of the retention times of the d0Me-AA-PFP derivatives (tR(H)) and the d3Me-AA-PFP derivatives (tR(D)) were determined in study human plasma samples of a nutritional study (n = 353) and in co-processed QC human plasma samples (n = 64). In total, more than 400 plasma samples were measured in eight runs in seven working days performed by a single person. The proposed QC system provides information about the quantitative performance of the GC-MS analysis of AA in human plasma. IE, δ(H/D) and a massive drop of the peak area values of the d3Me-AA-PFP derivatives may be suitable as additional parameters of qualitative analysis in targeted GC-MS amino acid-OMICS.
Monolithic Saturable Absorber with Gallium Arsenide Nanowires Integrated on the Flexible Substrate for Optical Pulse Generation
Authors: Zhao Yifan , Yang He , Khayrudinov Vladislav , Lipsanen Harri , Su Xinyang , Qi Mei , Lu Baole , Song Ningfang
Published: August 2023

In this work, we demonstrated a kind of flexibly monolithic saturable absorber (SA) with GaAs nanowires (NWs) on polyimide (PI) plastic substrate for broadband optical modulation at 1.0 and 1.5 µm, separately. The monolithic SA sample was prepared by the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) method. The crystal structure and element analysis were examined carefully by high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HRSTEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). We observed a high-density distribution of NWs on the flexible substrate by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, linear and nonlinear optical properties of the sample were examined by testing the photoluminescence and absorption properties, which showed its potential application as an optical switch due to the pure semiconducting properties. After the characterizations, we experimentally demonstrated this monolithic SA for laser modulation at 1.0 and 1.5 µm, which yielded the minimum optical pulse widths of 1.531 and 6.232 µs, respectively. Our work demonstrated such a kind of monolithic flexible NW substrate-integrated device used for broadband optical modulation, which not only eased the integration process of NWs onto the fiber endface, but also proved the potential of easily integrating with more semiconducting nanomaterials (e.g., graphene, MoS2, …) to realize monolithic active flexible photonic systems, such as a microscale phase modulator, delay-line, and so on, paving an easy avenue for the development of both active and flexible photonic devices.
Network Bursts in 3D Neuron Clusters Cultured on Microcontact-Printed Substrates
Authors: Liang Qian , Chen Zhe , Chen Xie , Huang Qiang , Sun Tao
Published: August 2023

Microcontact printing (CP) is widely used to guide neurons to form 2D networks for neuroscience research. However, it is still difficult to establish 3D neuronal cultures on the CP substrate even though 3D neuronal structures are able to recapitulate critical aspects of native tissue. Here, we demonstrate that the reduced cell-substrate adhesion caused by the CP substrate could conveniently facilitate the aggregate formation of large-scale 3D neuron cluster networks. Furthermore, based on the quantitative analysis of the calcium activity of the resulting cluster networks, the effect of cell seeding density and local restriction of the CP substrate on network dynamics was investigated in detail. The results revealed that cell aggregation degree, rather than cell number, could take on the main role of the generation of synchronized network-wide calcium oscillation (network bursts) in the 3D neuron cluster networks. This finding may provide new insights for easy and cell-saving construction of in vitro 3D pathological models of epilepsy, and into deciphering the onset and evolution of network bursts in developmental nerve systems.
A Review of Single-Cell Microrobots: Classification, Driving Methods and Applications
Authors: Wang Yuhang , Chen Jun , Su Guangfei , Mei Jiaxi , Li Junyang
Published: August 2023

Single-cell microrobots are new microartificial devices that use a combination of single cells and artificial devices, with the advantages of small size, easy degradation and ease of manufacture. With externally driven strategies such as light fields, sound fields and magnetic fields, microrobots are able to carry out precise micromanipulations and movements in complex microenvironments. Therefore, single-cell microrobots have received more and more attention and have been greatly developed in recent years. In this paper, we review the main classifications, control methods and recent advances in the field of single-cell microrobot applications. First, different types of robots, such as cell-based microrobots, bacteria-based microrobots, algae-based microrobots, etc., and their design strategies and fabrication processes are discussed separately. Next, three types of external field-driven technologies, optical, acoustic and magnetic, are presented and operations realized in vivo and in vitro by applying these three technologies are described. Subsequently, the results achieved by these robots in the fields of precise delivery, minimally invasive therapy are analyzed. Finally, a short summary is given and current challenges and future work on microbial-based robotics are discussed.
Plasmonic Coupled Modes in a Metal–Dielectric Periodic Nanostructure
Authors: Coello Victor , Abdulkareem Mas-ud A. , Garcia-Ortiz Cesar E. , Sosa-Sánchez Citlalli T. , Téllez-Limón Ricardo , Peña-Gomar Marycarmen
Published: August 2023

In this study we investigate the optical properties of a 2D-gap surface plasmon metasurface composed of gold nanoblocks (nanoantennas) arranged in a metal–dielectric configuration. This novel structure demonstrates the capability of generating simultaneous multi-plasmonic resonances and offers tunability within the near-infrared domain. Through finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations, we analyze the metasurface’s reflectance spectra for various lattice periods and identify two distinct dips with near-zero reflectance, indicative of resonant modes. Notably, the broader dip at 1150 nm exhibits consistent behavior across all lattice periodicities, attributed to a Fano-type hybridization mechanism originating from the overlap between localized surface plasmons (LSPs) of metallic nanoblocks and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) of the underlying metal layer. Additionally, we investigate the influence of dielectric gap thickness on the gap surface plasmon resonance and observe a blue shift for smaller gaps and a spectral red shift for gaps larger than 100 nm. The dispersion analysis of resonance wavelengths reveals an anticrossing region, indicating the hybridization of localized and propagating modes at wavelengths around 1080 nm with similar periodicities. The simplicity and tunability of our metasurface design hold promise for compact optical platforms based on reflection mode operation. Potential applications include multi-channel biosensors, second-harmonic generation, and multi-wavelength surface-enhanced spectroscopy.
HedgeRank: Heterogeneity-Aware, Energy-Efficient Partitioning of Personalized PageRank at the Edge
Authors: Gong Young-Ho
Published: August 2023

Personalized PageRank (PPR) is a widely used graph processing algorithm used to calculate the importance of source nodes in a graph. Generally, PPR is executed by using a high-performance microprocessor of a server, but it needs to be executed on edge devices to guarantee data privacy and network latency. However, since PPR has a variety of computation/memory characteristics that vary depending on the graph datasets, it causes performance/energy inefficiency when it is executed on edge devices with limited hardware resources. In this paper, we propose HedgeRank, a heterogeneity-aware, energy-efficient, partitioning technique of personalized PageRank at the edge. HedgeRank partitions the PPR subprocesses and allocates them to appropriate edge devices by considering their computation capability and energy efficiency. When combining low-power and high-performance edge devices, HedgeRank improves the execution time and energy consumption of PPR execution by up to 26.7% and 15.2% compared to the state-of-the-art PPR technique.
Tunable Broadband Terahertz Metamaterial Absorber Based on Vanadium Dioxide and Graphene
Authors: Zheng Laifang , Feng Rui , Shi Huanting , Li Xuanjing
Published: August 2023

We propose a dynamically tunable ultra-broadband terahertz metamaterial absorber, which was based on graphene and vanadium oxide (VO2) and numerically demonstrated. The excellent absorption bandwidth almost entirely greater than 90% was as wide as 6.35 THz from 2.30 to 8.65 THz under normal incidence. By changing the conductivity of VO2 from 20 S/m to 3 × 105 S/m, the absorption intensity could be dynamically tuned from 6% to 99%. The physical mechanism of the ultra-wideband absorption is discussed based on the interference cancelation, impedance matching theory, and field distributions, and the influences of the structural parameters on absorption are also discussed. According to the symmetric configuration, the absorption spectra of the considered polarizations were very close to each other, resulting in a polarization-insensitive structure. Such a tunable ultra-broadband absorber may have promising potential in the applications of modulating, cloaking, switching, and imaging technology.
A New Elementary Method for Determining the Tip Radius and Young’s Modulus in AFM Spherical Indentations
Authors: Kontomaris Stylianos Vasileios , Stylianou Andreas , Chliveros Georgios , Malamou Anna
Published: August 2023

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful tool for characterizing biological materials at the nanoscale utilizing the AFM nanoindentation method. When testing biological materials, spherical indenters are typically employed to reduce the possibility of damaging the sample. The accuracy of determining Young’s modulus depends, among other factors, on the calibration of the indenter, i.e., the determination of the tip radius. This paper demonstrates that the tip radius can be approximately calculated using a single force–indentation curve on an unknown, soft sample without performing any additional experimental calibration process. The proposed method is based on plotting a tangent line on the force indentation curve at the maximum indentation depth. Subsequently, using equations that relate the applied force, maximum indentation depth, and the tip radius, the calculation of the tip radius becomes trivial. It is significant to note that the method requires only a single force–indentation curve and does not necessitate knowledge of the sample’s Young’s modulus. Consequently, the determination of both the sample’s Young’s modulus and the tip radius can be performed simultaneously. Thus, the experimental effort is significantly reduced. The method was tested on 80 force–indentation curves obtained on an agarose gel, and the results were accurate.
Mucispirillum schaedleri: Biofilm Architecture and Age-Dependent Pleomorphy
Authors: Desjardins Aléhandra , Zerfas Patricia , Filion Dominic , Palmer Robert J. , Falcone Emilia Liana
Published: August 2023

Round bodies in spirochete cultures have been a controversial subject since their description seven decades ago. We report the existence of round bodies (spherical cells) in cultures of Mucispirillum schaedleri, a spiral bacterium phylogenetically distant from spirochetes. Furthermore, when grown in biofilms, M. schaedleri demonstrates a unique morphology known as cording, which has been previously described only in mycobacteria. Thus, M. schaedleri has two distinct features, each previously thought to be unique to two different phylogenetically distant groups of bacteria.
Gut Dysbiosis and Hemodynamic Changes as Links of the Pathogenesis of Complications of Cirrhosis
Authors: Efremova Irina , Maslennikov Roman , Poluektova Elena , Zharkova Maria , Kudryavtseva Anna , Krasnov George , Fedorova Maria , Shirokova Elena , Kozlov Evgenii , Levshina Anna , Ivashkin Vladimir
Published: August 2023

The aim was to evaluate the relationship between gut dysbiosis and hemodynamic changes (hyperdynamic circulation) in cirrhosis, and between hemodynamic changes and complications of this disease. This study included 47 patients with cirrhosis. Stool microbiome was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Echocardiography with a simultaneous assessment of blood pressure and heart rate was performed to assess systemic hemodynamics. Patients with hyperdynamic circulation had more severe cirrhosis, lower albumin, sodium and prothrombin levels, higher C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin levels, and higher incidences of portopulmonary hypertension, ascites, overt hepatic encephalopathy, hypoalbuminemia, hypoprothrombinemia, systemic inflammation, and severe hyperbilirubinemia than patients with normodynamic circulation. Patients with hyperdynamic circulation compared with those with normodynamic circulation had increased abundance of Proteobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacilli, Streptococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Fusobacteria, Micrococcaceae, Intestinobacter, Clostridium sensu stricto, Proteus and Rumicoccus, and decreased abundance of Bacteroidetes, Bacteroidaceae, Holdemanella, and Butyrivibrio. The systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output values correlated with the abundance of Proteobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacilli, Streptococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Micrococcaceae, and Fusobacteria. Heart rate and cardiac output value were negatively correlated with the abundance of Bacteroidetes. The mean pulmonary artery pressure value was positively correlated with the abundance of Proteobacteria and Micrococcaceae, and negatively with the abundance of Holdemanella.
The Impact of the Soil Survival of the Pathogen of Fusarium Wilt on Soil Nutrient Cycling Mediated by Microorganisms
Authors: Yan Xuecheng , Guo Shuhan , Gao Kexiang , Sun Shuaibin , Yin Chenglin , Tian Yehan
Published: August 2023

Fusarium wilt of Momordica charantia in the greenhouse is one of the most severe crop diseases in Shandong Province, P.R. China. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of accumulation and long-term survival of the pathogen in naturally pathogenic soils. Soil physicochemical properties were tested after applying a highly virulent strain of Fusarium wilt to M. charantia in an artificial disease nursery. The functional structure of soil microorganisms was analyzed through amplicon sequencing. The highly virulent strain SG−15 of F. oxysporum f. sp. momordicae was found to cause Fusarium wilt in M. charantia in Shandong Province. The strain SG−15 could not infect 14 non-host crops, including Solanum melongena and Lycopersicon esculentum, but it had varying degrees of pathogenicity towards 11 M. charantia varieties. In the artificial disease nursery for Fusarium wilt of M. charantia, the F. oxysporum was distributed in the soil to a depth of 0–40 cm and was mainly distributed in crop residues at 0–10 cm depth. During crop growth, F. oxysporum primarily grows and reproduces in susceptible host plants, rather than disease-resistant hosts and non-host crops. The colonization of the pathogen of Fusarium wilt significantly changed the soil physicochemical properties, the functional structure of soil microorganisms and the circulation of soil elements such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Soil pH value, organic matter content, available iron content, available manganese content, FDA hydrolase activity and polyphenol oxidase activity were significantly correlated with the relative abundance of Fusarium wilt pathogens in the soil. In general, this study suggests that susceptible host plants facilitate the accumulation of Fusarium wilt pathogens in the soil. These pathogens can mediate the decomposition process of plant residues, particularly those of diseased plants, and indirectly or directly affect soil’s chemical properties.
Occurrence Mode of Sodium in Zhundong Coal, China: Relationship to Maceral Groups
Authors: He Xin , Che Kexin , Pan Jinhe , Sun Hao , Zhou Changchun , Wang Wenfeng
Published: August 2023

The occurrence and separation relationships of Na and maceral groups in Zhundong coals were investigated in this study. The sequential extraction results indicate that the total Na content of all samples decreased with increasing sampling depth, and the level in inertinite-enriched samples (inertinite content 81.0%–84.0%) was significantly higher than that in corresponding raw coals and vitrinite-enriched samples (vitrinite content 90%). Additionally, H2O-Na (soluble salt species) and insoluble Na (acid-insoluble residues) were found to be concentrated in the inertinite-enriched samples. In combined SEM–EDS and microscope observations, local Na enrichments were detected in all raw coal and inertinite-enriched samples except for the vitrinite-enriched samples, but only inertinite-enriched samples were found to generally have over 10 wt% of Na enrichments, all of which occurred as NaCl. Moreover, Na is mostly filled or associated with cell-filling minerals in cells of fusinite. The maceral separation and Na removal of Zhundong coal were simultaneously achieved using triboelectrostatic separation. The vitrinite content in concentrates increased up to 60%, along with a reduced Na level, while the inertinite and sodium levels were both evidently raised in tailings. The obvious positive occurrence and separation correlation between sodium and inertinite offers new insight into, and a technical reference for, the sodium removal and maceral processing of Zhundong coal.
Study on the Leaching Kinetics of Weathered Crust Elution-Deposited Rare Earth Ores by Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose
Authors: Yang Huifang , Sha Aoyang , He Zhengyan , Wu Chenjie , Xu Yuanlai , Hu Jingjing , Xu Zhigao , Chi Ruan
Published: August 2023

In the process of the in situ leaching of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores (WCE-DREOs), there are many problems in the conventional leaching agent, such as a slow leaching rate, low leaching yield and long leaching period. In order to solve the above problems, 2.0 wt% ammonium sulfate was mixed with hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). The effects of the HPMC concentration, temperature, pH and flow rate on the leaching kinetics of rare earth (RE) and aluminum (Al) were investigated. The results showed that when the concentration of HPMC was 0.05 wt%, the leaching equilibrium time of RE and Al was about 60% shorter than that of single ammonium sulfate. With an increase in the leaching temperature, the leaching equilibrium time of RE and Al decreased, and the apparent activation energy of RE and Al was 23.13 kJ/mol and 17.31 kJ/mol, respectively. The leaching process was in line with the internal diffusion kinetic control model. When the pH of the leaching agent was 4.02~8.01, the leaching yield of RE and Al was basically the same, but the leaching yield of Al was greatly increased at pH 2.0 due to a large amount of adsorbed hydroxy-Al in the RE ore eluded. The leaching yield reached the maximum when the flow rate was 0.7 mL/min. The leaching time and the leaching cost of RE can be saved by the composite leaching agent. The results provide theoretical guidance for the development and industrial application of the new composite leaching agent.
Gathering the Evidence on Diet and Depression: A Protocol for an Umbrella Review and Updated Meta-Analyses
Authors: Bodnaruc Alexandra M. , Vincent Coralie , Soto Carolina , Duquet Miryam , Prud’homme Denis , Giroux Isabelle
Published: August 2023

Our objectives are to perform (1) an umbrella review on diet and depression, (2) a systematic review update on dietary patterns and depression, and (3) updated meta-analyses using studies from the previous two objectives. Systematic reviews examining the relationships between diet and depression and primary studies on the relationship between dietary patterns and depression will be systematically retrieved via several databases. All articles identified through the database searches will be imported into Covidence. Following duplicates removal, two authors will independently perform title and abstract screening and full-text assessment against eligibility criteria. Data will be extracted using tables developed for both systematic reviews and primary studies. The methodological quality of systematic reviews will be assessed using the AMSTAR-2 tool. The risk of bias in randomized trials, cohort and cross-sectional studies, as well as case-control studies, will be assessed with the Cochrane risk-of-bias (RoB-2) tool, the NHLBI Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies, and the NHLBI Quality Assessment Tool for Case-Control studies, respectively. For each dietary variable, data extracted will be used to produce: (1) a summary of systematic reviews’ characteristics and results table, (2) a summary of the primary studies characteristics table, (3) a qualitative summary of results from the primary studies table, and (4) a quantitative summary of results in the form of forest plots. The certainty of evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Upon completion, this systematic review will be the most comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of currently available evidence on the relationships between diet and depression. It will serve as a key reference to guide future research and as a resource for health professionals in the fields of nutrition and psychiatry. PROSPERO CRD42022343253.
Photonic/Electronic Material Performance and Application Based on Nanocrystals and Nanostructures
Authors: Lee Eun-Cheol
Published: August 2023

Electronic, optoelectronic, and optical devices have become integral to the fabric of the modern life, underpinning critical advancements in information technology, energy utilization, biotechnology, environmental monitoring, and nanotechnology [...]
Sol–Gel-Processed Y2O3–Al2O3 Mixed Oxide-Based Resistive Random-Access-Memory Devices
Authors: Kim Hae-In , Lee Taehun , Cho Yoonjin , Lee Sangwoo , Lee Won-Yong , Kim Kwangeun , Jang Jaewon
Published: August 2023

Herein, sol–gel-processed Y2O3–Al2O3 mixed oxide-based resistive random-access-memory (RRAM) devices with different proportions of the involved Y2O3 and Al2O3 precursors were fabricated on indium tin oxide/glass substrates. The corresponding structural, chemical, and electrical properties were investigated. The fabricated devices exhibited conventional bipolar RRAM characteristics without requiring a high-voltage forming process. With an increase in the percentage of Al2O3 precursor above 50 mol%, the crystallinity reduced, with the amorphous phase increasing owing to internal stress. Moreover, with increasing Al2O3 percentage, the lattice oxygen percentage increased and the oxygen vacancy percentage decreased. A 50% Y2O3–50% Al2O3 mixed oxide-based RRAM device exhibited the maximum high-resistance-state/low-resistance-state (HRS/LRS) ratio, as required for a large readout margin and array size. Additionally, this device demonstrated good endurance characteristics, maintaining stability for approximately 100 cycles with a high HRS/LRS ratio (>104). The HRS and LRS resistances were also retained up to 104 s without considerable degradation.
Lasing from Micro- and Nano-Scale Photonic Disordered Structures for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Gayathri R. , Suchand Sandeep C. S. , Vijayan C. , Murukeshan V. M.
Published: August 2023

A disordered photonic medium is one in which scatterers are distributed randomly. Light entering such media experiences multiple scattering events, resulting in a “random walk”-like propagation. Micro- and nano-scale structured disordered photonic media offer platforms for enhanced light–matter interaction, and in the presence of an appropriate gain medium, coherence-tunable, quasi-monochromatic lasing emission known as random lasing can be obtained. This paper discusses the fundamental physics of light propagation in micro- and nano-scale disordered structures leading to the random lasing phenomenon and related aspects. It then provides a state-of-the-art review of this topic, with special attention to recent advancements of such random lasers and their potential biomedical imaging and biosensing applications.