bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Applications of differential equations to model the physical phenomenon of heat transfer with an internal energy source
Authors: Cadena-Morales J J , López-Castro C A , Alba-Maldonado J M
Published: November 2021

The mathematical modeling of the physical phenomenon of conduction in the presence of heat sources has various uses in engineering ranging from heat diffusion, pollution generation in large cities and chemical reactions. From the mathematical theory, the study of physical phenomena with the presence of heat is approached from techniques of polynomial approximation, analysis of variations and numerical methods. In this research a mathematical model is proposed to study the heat conduction in a metal bar with a heat source. In the first part of the work, by the application of the method of the parameter variation, the exact solution of the mathematical model is calculated. Subsequently, by means of a case study of the physical phenomenon of heat conduction with internal energy source, with the use of computational simulation, the convergence of the Fourier series linked to the physical phenomenon is shown. The mathematical method proposed in the paper can be applied to other physical phenomena such as wave propagation, electric potential, and chemical reactions.
FM-CW compact reflectometer using DDS signal generation
Authors: Silva A. , Dias J. , Santos J. , da Silva F. , Gonçalves B.
Published: November 2021

A prototype of a compact coherent fast frequency sweeping RF back-end is being developed at IPFN-IST using commercial Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC). On this work we present the usability of this concept of compact reflectometry associated with a Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) source. Flexibility is one of the design goals for the back-end prototype, so that it can easily match the required frequency range. The backend alone covers the NATO J-band (10 GHz to 20 GHz) and is designed to drive external full band frequency multipliers, resulting in an ultra-wideband coverage of up to 140 GHz. FM-CW radar precision is strongly dependent on the probing source linearity. DDS nowadays plays an important role in signal generation in many fields of applications for communication systems as well as in radar technology. Modern DDSs are fully integrated, low-cost, single chip solutions that only need an external clock source for generating sinusoidal output signals up to several gigahertz. The DDS benefits from the totally digital generation of the output signal, which allows full control of the signal’s frequency and phase, both with very high precision and resolution. Recent implementations feature automatic sweeping capability, thus allowing the DDS to generate very linear and agile frequency chirps, assuming a high quality and constant frequency reference clock source. We propose to implement a DDS signal generation solution with the capability of a full band sweep in 1 μs. On the receiver side the IF and reference signals will be digitised allowing the use of high flexible data processing techniques. Input/output signals will allow the synchronisation of several systems.
Aerosol–light interactions reduce the carbon budget imbalance
Authors: O’Sullivan Michael , Zhang Yuan , Bellouin Nicolas , Harris Ian , Mercado Lina M , Sitch Stephen , Ciais Philippe , Friedlingstein Pierre
Published: November 2021

Current estimates of the global land carbon sink contain substantial uncertainties on interannual timescales which contribute to a non-closure in the global carbon budget (GCB) in any given year. This budget imbalance (BIM) partly arises due to the use of imperfect models which are missing or misrepresenting processes. One such omission is the separate treatment of downward direct and diffuse solar radiation on photosynthesis. Here we evaluate and use an improved high-resolution (6-hourly), gridded dataset of surface solar diffuse and direct fluxes, over 1901–2017, constrained by satellite and ground-level observations, to drive two global land models. Results show that tropospheric aerosol–light interactions have the potential for substantial land carbon impacts (up to 0.4 PgCyr-1 enhanced sink) at decadal timescales, however large uncertainties remain, with models disagreeing on the direction of change in carbon uptake. On interannual timescales, results also show an enhancement of the land carbon sink (up to 0.9 PgCyr-1) and subsequent reduction in BIM by 55% in years following volcanic eruptions. We therefore suggest GCB assessments include this dataset in order to improve land carbon sink estimates.
On scalar products and form factors by separation of variables: the antiperiodic XXZ model
Authors: Pei Hao , Terras Véronique
Published: November 2021

We consider the XXZ spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain with antiperiodic boundary conditions. The inhomogeneous version of this model can be solved by separation of variables, and the eigenstates can be constructed in terms of Q-functions, solution of a Baxter TQ-equation, which have double periodicity compared to the periodic case. We compute in this framework the scalar products of a particular class of separate states which notably includes the eigenstates of the transfer matrix. We also compute the form factors of local spin operators, i.e. their matrix elements between two eigenstates of the transfer matrix. We show that these quantities admit determinant representations with rows and columns labelled by the roots of the Q-functions of the corresponding separate states, as in the periodic case, although the form of the determinant are here slightly different. We also propose alternative types of determinant representations written directly in terms of the transfer matrix eigenvalues.
Comparison of cost indicators of Ukrainian wind farms with cost indicators of wind energy global producers
Authors: Podhurenko V , Kutsan Yu , Terekhov V
Published: November 2021

Efficiency improvement in wind conversion field is the most critical scientific-and-technical problem, which is chiefly settled by increasing the power of wind turbines. A new technique was pioneered for determining the efficiency of wind turbines operation in the wind conditions of the Northern Black Sea region of Ukraine. It is found out that the main parameters that have an impact on the cost of electricity are as follows: the cost of a wind turbine itself and annual electric energy production. The cost indicators of wind turbines of the Ukrainian wind farms were defined in the wind conditions of the Northern Black Sea region in 2018, according to which it was ascertained that the cost of electric energy generated in Ukraine was by 17 % cheaper as compared to the world cost value. In illustration of application of the first ever developed technique, we have made the assessment of effective operation of the Ukrainian wind farms in the years of 2019 – 2020. The results obtained bear compelling evidence as to the correlations between the cost of produced electric energy and the size of wind turbines. In view of the above, application of wind turbines of super-large sizes in the conditions of the Northern Black Sea area of Ukraine (as well as in other regions of the world) is hardly expedient due to increase in the cost of electric power generated by them.
The impact of climate change on the investment attractiveness of agricultural enterprises
Authors: Davydenko N , Titenko Z , Buriak A , Polova O
Published: November 2021

The trend of climate change has a direct impact on the economic development of any country. Ukraine is an agrarian country and climatic conditions have a direct impact on its economic stability. The purpose of this work is to highlight the tightness of climate change and their direct impact on the development of the agricultural sector of Ukraine’s economy on the example of a particular agricultural enterprise and develop recommendations for adapting the enterprise to climate change. The conducted research clearly shows the negative consequences of climate change and the forms of their manifestation, which threaten not only the studied enterprise, but also the agricultural sector of Ukraine. It is established that the main ones are the following: instability of temperature indicators, soil degradation and the spread of diseases and pests of crops.
“Green” finance as a modern tool for social and environmental security
Authors: Cheberyako O V , Varnalii Z S , Borysenko O A , Miedviedkova N S
Published: November 2021

The article is devoted to the study of the essence of “green” finance and is intended to give an idea of the existing “green” financial instruments and problems of their application in Ukraine, to outline ways to improve the use of “green” financial instruments to ensure social and environmental security. The study calls for a review and improvement of practices in the use of “green” financial instruments, taking into account the international experience. The research paper is structured as follows: firstly, theoretical approaches to the essence of “green” finance are disclosed; secondly, the impact of “green” finance on social and environmental security is considered; thirdly, “green” finance is examined financial instruments to enhance national security in both the environmental and social spheres. The results of the study allowed to provide directions for the development of “green” finance in the context of social and environmental security in Ukraine, in particular, to strengthen the use of public-private partnerships, climate risk insurance and investment in education to create a skilled labor force in “green” finance.
Environmental component of socially responsible policy of multinational companies
Authors: Privarnikova I , Zinchenko O , Meshko N , Apalkova V
Published: November 2021

The article is aimed at studying environmental responsibility of multinational enterprises in electronics and IT sectors. The main aspects of environmental policy of global business enterprises have been systematized, their characteristics for such high-tech market leaders as Alphabet Inc, IBM and Intel Corporation have been given. Corporate policies have been analyzed and compared in three aspects of environmental activity of the companies selected for this study: waste recycling, energy use and environmental impact. The results of the analysis of eco-responsible companies’ practices show that each company forms management style and tools by implementing environmental responsibility, but none of them has managed to hold higher positions in the ranking of business environmental responsibility. Reserves for activating eco-oriented companies’ policy in IT sector have been identified.
Circular law as a legal basis for a circular economy
Authors: Mikichurova O V , Vlialko I V
Published: November 2021

The article is devoted to the study of the legal basis for the development of the circular economy, clarifying the essence of the concept of circular law, and analysis of international and national legal acts in this area. Research has shown humanity’s awareness of modern global threats and its gradual movement from the traditional to circular economic model. The legal basis for such a transition lies in circular law, which is a set of legal norms that define and regulate social relations in the field of circular economy. The article explores legal acts in the field of circular economy at the universal, regional and national levels across the globe. The main purpose of the article is to analyze the legal basis for the development of the circular economy. International law is currently being enriched with a number of new legal acts devoted to this subject matter. This may indicate the emergence of a new branch of international law – a circular law. An increased attention of international financial institutions towards financing of circular projects stipulates the further development and spread of the circular concept.
The impact of e-commerce on the sustainable development: case of Ukraine, Poland, and Austria
Authors: Fedirko O , Zatonatska T , Dluhopolskyi O , Londar S
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically and irreversibly transformed global e-commerce trends. The process of internationalization has been slowed down considerably, the level of globalization impact has decreased, that, consequently, has led to a strong lag in the development of some countries. The aim of the study is to determine the nature of e-commerce socio and economic effects in Ukraine, Poland, and Austria. For analysis, a modern mathematical apparatus was used – the Cobb-Douglas model and the Markov chain methodology. The study shows a significant positive impact of e-commerce on employment and GDP in the three countries. Thus, with an increase in investment levels in e-commerce and ICT by 1%, employment in Ukraine will increase by 0.02%, in Poland – by 0.14%, and in Austria – by 0.17%. Similarly, Ukraine’s GDP may rise by 0.07%, Poland’s – by 0.2% and Austria’s – by 0.07%. Therefore, a stable flow of investment in e-commerce will provide countries with a faster way out of the crisis, create more jobs and opportunities for business development.
Multimodal freight transportation as a direction of ensuring sustainable development of the transport system of Ukraine
Authors: Hryhorak M , Lyakh O , Sokolova O , Chornogor N , Mykhailichenko I
Published: November 2021

The article analyzes the dynamics and structure of freight transport in Ukraine. It is established that container transportation in Ukraine occupies a small share in the total volume of cargo transportation compared to EU countries. In order to optimize the realization of trade, economic and transit potential of the country, multimodal schemes of cargo transportation are considered. One of the key issues in ensuring the sustainable development of the country’s transport system is to reduce emissions of CO2 and other pollutants. To achieve a set of environmental goals in Ukraine, it is necessary to intensify the formation of a sustainable transport system based on the development of multimodal container transportation with the involvement of “clean” modes of transport, primarily rail. Conceptual requirements for the formation of an environmentally sustainable system of multimodal container transportation in Ukraine are determined. Based on the calculations of the scenario, it was proved that the development of container rail transportation allows to obtain environmental and economic effects as a result of reducing CO2 emissions.
Priority areas of state regulation of the industry in the context of sustainable development
Authors: Shmygol N , Galtsova O , Yelisyeyeva O , Tarlopov  , Belozertsev V
Published: November 2021

In the article it is proved, that the economic development of any industry depends on the results of the economic activities of the enterprises that are part of it. Based on the available statistical data, we proposed a model for diagnosing the results of the mining industry and conducted a comparative analysis of the results of the study in the context of economic activities. Given the high integration of mining enterprises into the system of intersectoral relations, this problem cannot be solved within the framework of one industry. Therefore, it is proved that, taking into account the existing experience, it requires complex measures: accounts receivable are formed as a result of late payment for delivered products. The main consumers of the extractive industry are: the processing industry, the supply of electricity, gas, air conditioning and transport. They consume more than 87% of the products of this industry in the intermediate consumption market and are the most debtors; on the other hand, these regions are also the largest suppliers of raw materials, materials and semi-finished products for the extractive industry. Therefore, in the end, the accumulation of current accounts payable at the enterprises of the extractive industry for the delivered goods and services is the least desirable for them.
Monitoring of resource-efficient provision of Ukrainian dairy processing enterprises with high-quality raw milk on the basis of international requirements
Authors: Kushnir N , Ventsuryk A , Zhemba A , Tsaruk D
Published: November 2021

The article provides information on the main problems of development of dairy enterprises in Ukraine on the criteria of sustainable development and taking into account the vector of the European integration course of the country. The level of providing milk processing enterprises with the quality of raw milk is analyzed. The main trends in the supply of raw milk from agricultural enterprises and households of Ukraine by varieties are presented and analyzed. The dynamics of milk supply and its price are also presented. It is established that the use of quality raw milk directly affects the efficiency of milk processing enterprises. Important aspects of quality control of raw dairy products at enterprises are outlined. High-quality dairy production and reduction of production costs are impossible without the functioning of the raw material quality monitoring system. To this end, it is necessary to introduce the principles of hazard analysis and critical control points in the management structure of dairy companies. It is proved that the key factor of global economic development is the state of the environment, so monitoring the supply of milk - raw materials should also be accompanied by the definition of a set of resource efficiency indicators.
Continuous assessment of sweat lactic acid secretion using microfluidic sweat lactic acid monitoring system
Authors: Goto Y , Suzuki Y , Morisawa K , Hosoyama A , Taira Y , Kudo H
Published: November 2021

A microfluidic sweat lactic acid (LA) monitoring system for non-invasive and continuous assessment of sweat LA was constructed and tested. Our system transports whole secretions from the skin to an electrochemical LA biosensor using a continuous flow of phosphate buffered saline at the skin’s surface. The LA biosensor was fabricated by modifying screen printed carbon electrodes with osmium wired horseradish peroxidase and lactate oxidase. For continuous monitoring purposes, the microfluidic LA biosensor was connected with a flow cell made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The sampling device was fabricated by laminating a medical plaster on a PDMS flow-channel. Before the clinical tests, the characteristics of the LA biosensor were evaluated. Sufficient sensitivity (0.4232 nA/µM) and selectivity to LA (> 50fold against glucose, glutamic acid, phenylalanine, ammonia and ethanol) were confirmed. Besides, the medical plaster-based attachment contributed to the reduced leakage between the skin and the sampling device. Under the approval of the ethical committees, LA monitoring of patients with cardiovascular disease at the intensive care unit was carried out. As a result, temporal changes of sweat LA were successfully monitored.
Rapid Screening of Microfibrillated Cellulose Tructure Through FTIR and Principal Component Analsysis
Authors: Nor N F N M , Azmin N F M , Asnawi A L , Jimat D N , Abdullah S
Published: November 2021

Analysis of FTIR spectra combined with multivariate statistical analysis technique specifically Principal Component Analysis was used for rapid screening of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) structure. The current methods used to extract the MFC are by using the chemical and physical approaches. To date, most researchers focused on bench (lab) scale experiment to identify the structure of MFC. Lack of mathematical models focusing on this goal has motivated this project. Principal component analysis is applied to identify the chemical composition of the MFC. The dataset comprises FTIR spectra of 12 samples that comes from MFC with different particles sizes, 200 µm, 250 µm and 800 µm. The result shows that the wavelength region which represents the MFC structure is in the range of 2950 cm-1 to 2978 cm-1 for particle size of 200 micrometer since it has larger surface area for penetration of fungal into the biomass due to lower diffusion of air, water and metabolite intermediates of which cellulose can be easily hydrolyzed due to increase in pore size of substance through greater removal of hemicellulose and lignin. The overall result indicates that the combination of FTIR analysis and PCA is a useful technique for rapid screening of MFC structure.
Incorporation of Various Nanoclays in Semi-refined Carrageenan Film Composite
Authors: Sedayu B B , Fransiska D , Wullandari P , Novianto T D , Handoyo W T , Assadad L
Published: November 2021

In current investigation, various commercial nanoclays with different level of hydrophilicity i.e., hydrophilic bentonite (HB), cloisite 10A, and cloisite® 30B were incorporated to a hydrophilic semi-refined carrageenan (SRC) films to observe their presence in film matrix in regards with the final film’s properties. High shear mixing and sonication were applied to the film preparation to obtain high dispersion of nanoclays in the matrix. As expected, the hydrophilic clay showed better dispersion within the matrix as shown in Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) image. The more hydrophilic clay inclusion resulted in higher tensile strength, while the more hydrophobic resulted in higher stiffness of the films. The water vapour permeability was decreased in corresponded to the more hydrophobic clay incorporated, and the thermal properties of the films were overall enhanced by the nanoclays reinforcement. In general, nanoclays incorporation in SRC film improved the overall properties of the SRC film.
Effect of 45S5 bioactive glass on the sintering temperature of titanium-hydroxyapatite composite
Authors: Abu Bakar D S , Kutty M G , Yahya N A
Published: November 2021

Titanium (Ti) is widely known for its good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, it has poor biocompatibility. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a biocompatible material but has poor mechanical properties. Making Ti-HA composite creates a promising choice of biomaterial in dental and medical applications. However, creating a Ti-HA composite requires sintering at high temperatures which leads to oxidation of Ti. The aim of this study was to reduce the sintering temperature of Ti-HA composite by incorporating 45S5 Bioactive Glass (BG) without compromising the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of the composite. In this study, a Ti-HA-BG composite with wt% of 45-45-10 respectively was produced via powder metallurgy. This was compared with the control composite consisting of 50 wt% Ti- 50 wt% HA. Powders according to the above-mentioned ratio were milled at 200 rpm for 5 hours by using a planetary ball milling machine. Samples were then compacted into cylindrical pellets via uniaxial pressing at 1500 psi and sintered in an atmospheric furnace at 1000 °C, 1100 °C and 1200 °C for 4 hours. Ti-HA and Ti-HA-BG sample characteristics were examined and compared by using Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The density and volumetric expansion of the composites were also measured and compared. Results from XRD data indicate the reduction of oxidation of Ti and decomposition of HA in Ti-HA-BG composite at lower temperature in comparison to Ti-HA composite. The density of Ti-HA-BG composites are higher compared to Ti-HA composite while the volumetric expansion of Ti-HA-BG composites is lesser than Ti-HA composite. Therefore, BG is a low melting point additive that acts as a good sintering aid to effectively lower the sintering temperature while maintaining the desired properties of initial components.
Virtual Screening and In Silico Interactions Studies for Potential Antivirals and Diagnostics against the Spike protein from the Novel Coronavirus SARS-Cov-2
Authors: Che Abd Aziz F I , Ahmad Fuad F A , Tanbin S
Published: November 2021

COVID-19 is a newly-emerged respiratory disease that is caused by the SARS-CoV-2, the seventh known Coronaviruses strain that has struck a global pandemic. The sharp increase in the number of positive cases worldwide necessitates highly-sensitive diagnostics kits and effective antiviral drugs to be developed for the populations. One of the antigens that is targeted for antibody neutralisation is the coronavirus Spike protein that consists of the S1 and S2 subunits, which mediated the entry pathway into the host’s cell. Thus, the Spike protein has been suggested as a potential target for Covid-19 diagnostics and drug design. This study aims to evaluate the interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the known monoclonal antibodies from Coronaviruses and to screen for potential Spike protein inhibitors. Virtual screening was conducted based on two compounds, N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine (NAG) and Hesperetin, which is a small molecule that binds to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein structure and a natural compound that has prophylactic agents against SARS-CoV-2 infection as it binds to Spike protein, respectively. Protein-protein interaction studies were conducted by using the STRING webserver, prior to performing rigid docking using SWISSDOCK and visualised using USCF Chimera. Meanwhile, ligand-based screening was conducted through Ultrafast Shape Recognition Virtual Screening Database (USR-VS), and structure-based screening was performed via AutoDock4 software. The toxicity of the compounds was predicted using ProTox-II database. Possible interactions have been observed between the known monoclonal antibodies with the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, where M396 monoclonal antibody has shown the strongest interaction with a binding energy of -8.50 kcal/mol. Meanwhile, virtual screening has yielded several compounds that indicate the possibility to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, where Tamarixetin has shown the strongest binding energy of -7.93 kcal/mol. These findings have potentials to be further evaluated in the future for the development of improved diagnostic kits and potential therapeutic drugs that specifically target the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.
Activated carbon assisted electrocoagulation process for treating biotreated palm oil mill effluent
Authors: Tahreen A , Jami M S , Ali F
Published: November 2021

Electrocoagulation (EC) is a sustainable wastewater treatment alternative that is widely studied because of its environmentally friendly nature, versatility, and simplicity in setup and operation. However, EC alone cannot treat wastewater up to reusable standards and requires integration with other processes, mostly by adding highly hazardous oxidants. This work aims to investigate the combination of powdered activated carbon (AC) with biotreated palm oil mill effluent (BPOME) as wastewater sample, in the EC reactor, and to optimize its concentration for maximum pollutant removal efficiency. Ranging from 0.5-1.5 wt. % concentration of AC mixed with EC reactor, EC was carried out with its critical parameters set to a current of 1.75 A (i.e., 160 mA/cm2 current density) and initial pH 6 and 10 mm interelectrode distance with aluminum electrodes. The EC treated wastewater was sampled from 5 minutes to 60 minutes and the parameters monitored were total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity, color and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Turbidity, TSS and color were removed nearly to completion within 5 to 15 minutes of EC, whereas maximum COD removal was determined to be 84.6 % with 1 wt. % powdered AC combined with EC, which is an increase of about 14.6% compared to EC with no AC addition. The optimum concentration of AC for maximum removal efficiency on BPOME was 1 wt. % (2 g per 200 ml). Addition of AC in EC resulted in a faster pollutant removal rate, with enhanced process efficiency.
The efficiency of steam production by the Parabolic Trough Collector PTC with the use of nanofluids in the region of Ouargla
Authors: Achouri Intissar , Soudani Mouhamed Elbar , Salah Tlili
Published: November 2021

Concentrated solar power plants (CSP) contribute to global production (at present) with a capacity of 400 MW, and by 2020 they will reach approximately 20 GW, then nearly 800 GW by 2050, This will prevent the emission of 32 million tons of CO2 annually in 2020, and rise to 1.2 billion tons in 2050, according to the International Greenpeace “Solar Thermal Electricity” 2016 report.

Among all the concentrated solar power (CSP) technology available to date, Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) is the most promising, cost-effective, and efficient solution to generating electrical power, as PTC plants contribute in terms of global production capacity by 73.58% of the overall capacity of concentrated solar power plants (CSP).

PTC stations in the production of electricity depend on the generation of hot and pressurized steam that rotates the turbines and to increase the effectiveness of PTC in the production of steam, we use in this study nanofluids by adding copper nanomaterials in different proportions to improve the Thermal efficiency of PTC. We also studied the effect of the width of the PTC slot on the fluid temperature. And from it on the amount of steam produced.

The results of the study showed that the Thermal efficiency increases with the increase in the ratio of copper nanomaterials in the water, as the temperature of outlet water reaches 98°C, for the ratio of nanomaterials, 20%, in order to water flow 0.01 Kg/s and display the aperture 3.5 m.
Wastewater treatment by adsorption process on mineral actived carbon: modeling and prediction using an intelligent artificial approach
Authors: Meriem Sediri , Salah Hanini
Published: November 2021

Currently there are several wastewater treatments processes, and several adsorbent materials consist of separating and purifying the various industrial effluents. In this work an artificial neural network (ANN) was developed to describe the dynamic adsorption of sodium decanesulfonate using actived carbon obtained by the calcination of mineral biomass under different conditions. Three inputs (time, mass of adsorbent and fixed bed height) were used in the input layer, three neurons in the hidden layer and one in the output layer for the reduced concentration. The Levenberg Marquardt back-propagation algorithm was applied. The tangent sigmoid and linear transfer functions are used for the hidden layer and the output layer respectively. The results showed a correlation coefficient R2 = 0.9965 with root mean squared error RMSE = 0.0276. An interpolation and an extrapolation stage are made to test the accuracy of the network. The results showed a high correlation coefficient R2 = 0.9969 and 0.984 respectively for the interpolation and the extrapolation. These results show the robustness and the high capacity of ANN to describe the dynamic adsorption of sodium decanesulfonate onto actived carbon.
Rheological behavior of the composite matrix Diglycidylether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA/wt% blast furnace slag (BFS)
Authors: Irekti Amar , Oualit Mehena , Ykene Zohra , Dorel Buncianu
Published: November 2021

This paper reports experiments on the rheological behavior of DGEBA epoxy resin filled with blast furnace slag nanoparticles. The study of the variation of stress and viscosity as a function of shear rate is emphasized.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the rheological behavior of DGEBA loaded with blast furnace slag (BFS), the selected mixtures cannot exceed 10% in wt%, given the fineness of grinding which SSB= 44.5 m2.g-1. We tested the compositions of DGEBA/%wt blast furnace slag (BFS) at filling ratios of (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%). Viscosity and shear stress as a function of temperature and filler rate were investigated. In this study, formulations were developed to test the best compositions with favorable rheological behavior for better processing of these matrices.
The importance of designer-contractor communication in geotechnical design as exemplified by a cut slope failure
Authors: Anafarta D , Turk E , Akbas S O
Published: November 2021

A shallow slope failure has occurred on the cut slopes of the Bigadic-Simav-Abide highway at the section located between Km:125+530-125+870, during construction. A detailed investigation of the landslide mechanism, which includes site specific surveys, laboratory studies, and stability analyses indicates that the main reason of the failure lies within the construction procedure details. This study focuses on the forensic geotechnical engineering procedures applied for determining the cause of the slope failure. An emphasis was placed on the importance of strictly following the construction sequence as illustrated in the design documents in detail, as well as on the indispensable role of continuous communication between the designer and the contractor for successful performance of geotechnical works.
Human-engineered auricular reconstruction (hEAR) by 3D-printed molding with human-derived auricular and costal chondrocytes and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Landau Shira , Szklanny Ariel A , Machour Majd , Kaplan Ben , Shandalov Yulia , Redenski Idan , Beckerman Margarita , Harari-Steinberg Orit , Zavin Janet , Karni-Katovitch Oryan , Goldfracht Idit , Michael Inbal , Waldman Stephen D , Duvdevani Shay I , Levenberg Shulamit
Published: November 2021

Microtia is a small, malformed external ear, which occurs at an incidence of 1–10 per 10 000 births. Autologous reconstruction using costal cartilage is the most widely accepted surgical microtia repair technique. Yet, the method involves donor-site pain and discomfort and relies on the artistic skill of the surgeon to create an aesthetic ear. This study employed novel tissue engineering techniques to overcome these limitations by developing a clinical-grade, 3D-printed biodegradable auricle scaffold that formed stable, custom-made neocartilage implants. The unique scaffold design combined strategically reinforced areas to maintain the complex topography of the outer ear and micropores to allow cell adhesion for the effective production of stable cartilage. The auricle construct was computed tomography (CT) scan-based composed of a 3D-printed clinical-grade polycaprolactone scaffold loaded with patient‐derived chondrocytes produced from either auricular cartilage or costal cartilage biopsies combined with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Cartilage formation was measured within the construct in vitro, and cartilage maturation and stabilization were observed 12 weeks after its subcutaneous implantation into a murine model. The proposed technology is simple and effective and is expected to improve aesthetic outcomes and reduce patient discomfort.
Investigating the physics of disruptions with real-time tomography at JET
Authors: FERREIRA Diogo R , CARVALHO Pedro J , CARVALHO Ivo S , STUART Chris I , LOMAS Peter J
Published: November 2021

As JET is developing and testing operational scenarios for higher fusion performance, an increase in pulse disruptivity is being observed. On a deeper analysis, we find that several radiative phenomena play an active role in determining the outcome of the pulse. The analysis is enabled by the use of real-time tomography based on the bolometer diagnostic. Even though plasma tomography is an inverse problem, we use machine learning to train a forward model that provides the radiation profile directly, based on a single matrix multiplication step. This model is used to investigate radiative phenomena including sawtooth crashes, ELMs and MARFE, and their relationship to the radiated power in different regions of interest. In particular, we use real-time tomography to monitor the core region, and to throw an alarm whenever core radiation exceeds a certain threshold. Our results suggest that this measure alone can anticipate a significant fraction of disruptions in the JET baseline scenario.
Melismas in the Speculum musicae
Authors: Kelly Thomas Forrest
Published: November 2021

Eight melodies, one for each of the ecclesiastical modes, are given as optional additions to responsories and other chants in the 14th-century Speculum musicae of Jacobus of Liège. The melodies have paired phrases resembling those of contemporaneous dance music. The paucity of surviving melodies of this sort, and their almost exclusive association with secular music, make this series particularly fascinating.
A shift in women’s health? Older workers’ self-reported health and employment settings during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wels Jacques , Hamarat Natasia
Published: November 2021

Background

The first wave of COVID-19 has had a massive impact on work arrangements settings in many European countries with potential effects on health that are likely to vary across gender.

Methods

Focusing on the workforce aged 50 and over in 27 European countries using data from SHARE wave 8 (N = 11,221), the study applies a generalized logit mixed-effects model to assess the relationship between negative and positive change in self-reported health since the start of the pandemic and change in employment settings using an interaction effect between gender and employment arrangements to distinguish their specific association by gender after controlling for socio-economic covariates and multicollinearity.

Results

Female respondents have higher probabilities to declare a positive health when working fully or partially from home or when temporarily and permanently unemployed. However, introducing the main effect of gender exacerbates discrepancies and such benefits fade away. Differences across countries do not significantly change the estimates.

Conclusion

The benefits of work arrangements to improve women’s health during the first wave of COVID-19 have not compensated the negative effect of gender discrepancies exacerbated by the pandemic to the extent that employment arrangements have no role, or just a negative impact, in modulating them.
A data library of Candida albicans functional genomic screens
Authors: Gervais Nicholas C , Halder Viola , Shapiro Rebecca S
Published: November 2021

Functional genomic screening of genetic mutant libraries enables the characterization of gene function in diverse organisms. For the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, several genetic mutant libraries have been generated and screened for diverse phenotypes, including tolerance to environmental stressors and antifungal drugs, and pathogenic traits such as cellular morphogenesis, biofilm formation and host–pathogen interactions. Here, we compile and organize C. albicans functional genomic screening data from ∼400 screens, to generate a data library of genetic mutant strains analyzed under diverse conditions. For quantitative screening data, we normalized these results to enable quantitative and comparative analysis of different genes across different phenotypes. Together, this provides a unique C. albicans genetic database, summarizing abundant phenotypic data from functional genomic screens in this critical fungal pathogen.
Genetic Data and the Right to Privacy: Towards a Relational Theory of Privacy?
Authors: Costello Róisín Á
Published: November 2021

This article examines the lacunae in contemporary understandings of the right to privacy which genetic data exposes. In particular, the article argues that the nature of genetic data challenges modern, individualistic conceptions of privacy which have come to dominate human rights law in the twenty-first century. The article suggests that the seeds of a new understanding of privacy which integrates existing individualistic understanding with the need to acknowledge the relational nature of modern privacy can be located in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and Court of Justice of the European Union. The article offers some initial thoughts on how a relational theory of privacy based on this jurisprudence would function, and argues that further engagement with how to reconcile the collective impacts of genetic data processing and individualistic understandings of privacy is needed.
Intra- and inter-annual variability in the fat content of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) as revealed by routine industry monitoring
Authors: Kenyon Susan , Pastoors Martin , Mackinson Steven , Cornulier Thomas , Marshall C Tara
Published: November 2021

Fat content indicates individual condition and fuels annual reproductive cycles in many fish species. These cycles, coupled with ecosystem changes, can result in large intra- and inter-annual fluctuations in fat content. However, quantifying this variability is challenging when scientific sampling does not cover the full reproductive cycle. Scottish and Dutch fish processors routinely measure muscle fat content of North Sea autumn-spawning herring (Clupea harengus) throughout fishing seasons. We validated these high temporal resolution data by estimating a strong intra-annual signal in fat content, which matched herring reproductive status. Fat content increased from 4.5% 95% CI [0.03, 0.06] to 16.1% 95% CI [0.15, 0.17] during May and June before plateauing and decreasing to 9.1% 95% CI [0.08, 0.10] in September, which coincided with the onset of spawning. We also examined inter-annual variability in the seasonal pattern and the timing and magnitude of peak fat content from 2006 to 2020. Inter-annually, fat content differed from the mean pattern during the feeding or spawning periods in years 2013, 2015–2017, 2019, and 2020. There was no difference in the timing and magnitude of peak fat content between years. Our study validates the scientific use of routinely collected fat content data from pelagic fish processors.
Enhancing PCORnet Clinical Research Network data completeness by integrating multistate insurance claims with electronic health records in a cloud environment aligned with CMS security and privacy requirements
Authors: Waitman Lemuel R , Song Xing , Walpitage Dammika Lakmal , Connolly Daniel C , Patel Lav P , Liu Mei , Schroeder Mary C , VanWormer Jeffrey J , Mosa Abu Saleh , Anye Ernest T , Davis Ann M
Published: November 2021

Objective

The Greater Plains Collaborative (GPC) and other PCORnet Clinical Data Research Networks capture healthcare utilization within their health systems. Here, we describe a reusable environment (GPC Reusable Observable Unified Study Environment [GROUSE]) that integrates hospital and electronic health records (EHRs) data with state-wide Medicare and Medicaid claims and assess how claims and clinical data complement each other to identify obesity and related comorbidities in a patient sample.

Materials and Methods

EHR, billing, and tumor registry data from 7 healthcare systems were integrated with Center for Medicare (2011–2016) and Medicaid (2011–2012) services insurance claims to create deidentified databases in Informatics for Integrating Biology & the Bedside and PCORnet Common Data Model formats. We describe technical details of how this federally compliant, cloud-based data environment was built. As a use case, trends in obesity rates for different age groups are reported, along with the relative contribution of claims and EHR data-to-data completeness and detecting common comorbidities.

Results

GROUSE contained 73 billion observations from 24 million unique patients (12.9 million Medicare; 13.9 million Medicaid; 6.6 million GPC patients) with 1 674 134 patients crosswalked and 983 450 patients with body mass index (BMI) linked to claims. Diagnosis codes from EHR and claims sources underreport obesity by 2.56 times compared with body mass index measures. However, common comorbidities such as diabetes and sleep apnea diagnoses were more often available from claims diagnoses codes (1.6 and 1.4 times, respectively).

Conclusion

GROUSE provides a unified EHR-claims environment to address health system and federal privacy concerns, which enables investigators to generalize analyses across health systems integrated with multistate insurance claims.
Adsorption of Therapeutic and Recreational Drugs During Prolonged Storage of Plasma Samples in Gel Separator Tubes
Authors: Shepard Cara L , Bliumkin Liora
Published: November 2021

Hospital samples collected in gel separator tubes are often submitted to forensic toxicology laboratories for analysis in impaired driving and death investigations. Drug adsorption to the gel separator material may lead to underestimation of the drug concentration present at the time of sample collection, potentially affecting the interpretation of analytical results. Using liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry (LC--MS-MS), decreases in plasma concentration of 53 drugs and metabolites relevant to forensic toxicology casework were investigated in samples stored in BD Vacutainer® PSTTM tubes for up to 3 months. After storage for only 1 day, approximately 50% of the drugs and metabolites had significantly lower concentrations in plasma separation tubes (PSTs) compared to non-gel tubes (up to 27% lower). After storage for 3 months, approximately 75% of the drugs and metabolites had significantly lower concentrations in PSTs compared to non-gel tubes (up to 69% lower). Fentanyl, carfentanil, ketamine, diphenhydramine and several antidepressants were among the drugs most susceptible to adsorption. Central nervous system stimulants (e.g., methamphetamine and amphetamine) as well as naturally-occurring and semi-synthetic opioids (e.g., morphine, hydromorphone and oxycodone) were among the drugs least susceptible to adsorption and displayed only minimal relative decreases in concentration (if any) over the 3-month sample storage period. The potential for decreases in drug concentration due to adsorption of drugs to the gel material should be considered for toxicological interpretation based on the analysis of a sample collected in a gel separator tube.
The impacts of marking on bats: mark-recapture models for assessing injury rates and tag loss
Authors: Mellado Breno , Carneiro Lucas de Oliveira , Nogueira Marcelo Rodrigues , Monteiro Leandro Rabello
Published: November 2021

The individual identification of animals is essential for long-term population ecology studies. Injuries and tag loss can negatively impact animal welfare and parameter estimates. We used time-to-failure curves and multistate mark-recapture models to estimate injury rates, body condition decline, tag loss and survival probabilities associated with two tags commonly used in bats: metallic arm bands and steel ball chain collars. We monitored two colonies of Carollia perspicillata at União Biological Reserve, southeastern Brazil, from 2013 to 2019. Every other month, we marked individuals with arm bands, collars or both. Collars did not cause noticeable injuries, but were lost at a higher rate than arm bands (1.5–2.5 times). The arm band-related injury probability between captures was ~ 0.2, and after 17 months half the marked animals developed injuries. Animals marked as juveniles were less likely to get injured than adults. Injuries were associated with a lower body condition in females. Body condition was positively associated with apparent survival; however, a direct effect of arm band injuries on survival estimates was not observed. The tag loss rates caused a negative bias in survival estimates. Mark-recapture studies should evaluate the efficacy of the marking technique, accounting for potential animal injury, tag loss, and bias in parameter estimation. Marking individuals should be limited to studies that monitor species with high recapture probability, using the least harmful tags possible, and balancing the burden to the animals with the potential to generate knowledge.