bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Adequate Pharmaceutical Quality System for Personalized Preparation
Authors: Uriel Marta , Marro Diego , Gómez Rincón Carlota
Published: March 2023

The pharmacy compounding of personalized preparations has evolved a great deal, and with it, the way of working and the legal requirements have also evolved. An adequate pharmaceutical quality system for personalized preparations presents fundamental differences with respect to the system designed for industrial medicines since the size, complexity, and characteristics of the activity of the manufacturing laboratory and the applications and uses of the manufactured medicines must be taken into account. Legislation must advance and adapt to the needs of personalized preparations, filling the deficiencies currently found in this field. The limitations of personalized preparation in its pharmaceutical quality system are analysed and a method based on a proficiency testing program specially designed to overcome these limitations is proposed: the Personalized Preparation Quality Assurance Program (PACMI). This method makes it possible to expand the samples and destructive tests, and dedicate more resources, facilities, and equipment. It allows for more in-depth knowledge of the product and the processes used, and for proposed improvements that increase the overall quality for improved patient health. PACMI introduces tools used in risk management in order to guarantee the quality of an essentially heterogeneous service: personalized preparation.
Method for the Quantum Metric Tensor Measurement in a Continuous Variable System
Authors: Lin Ling-Shan , Zhang Hao-Long , Yang Zhen-Biao
Published: March 2023

As a fundamental concept, geometry is widely used in understanding physical phenomena. In quantum mechanics, geometry is related to the system’s quantum state and can be characterized by the quantum geometric tensor (QGT), whose real part is referred to as the quantum metric tensor (QMT), which defines the distance between two neighboring quantum states in the projected Hilbert space. Several pieces of research based on discrete variables have been proposed to extract the QMT, but research with the use of continuous variables is lacking. Here, we propose a method to extract the QMT of a continuous variable system, specified here as a cat-qubit. The method is developed by constructing the Kerr nonlinear parametric oscillator (KNPO) and by modulating it with external drives to induce adiabatic dynamics process within the state subspace spanned by the even and odd Scho¨dinger cat states. The method paves the way for exploring the geometry for continuous variable systems.
FPGA-Based Hardware Implementation of Homodyne Demodulation for Optical Fiber Sensors
Authors: Jiménez Abimael , Sauceda Ángel , Muñoz Antonio , Duarte José , Mireles José
Published: March 2023

Homodyne demodulation is a convenient technique for signal detection in interferometric sensors. The demodulation process is typically developed using analog circuits. However, to improve the performance of the demodulator, a digital system must be employed. In this study, we developed an optical fiber sensor by combining: (a) a Michelson interferometer, (b) a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device, and (c) a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based interrogator. Signal processing was integrated into the FPGA-embedded system. The homodyne demodulation algorithm was implemented with hardware modules developed in the hardware description language (HDL) to provide a portable, low-cost, and scalable digital system. The present study successfully demonstrates the development and validation of an FPGA-based interrogator capable of processing interferograms through a homodyne demodulation scheme. The experimental results reveal proper displacement measurements of the proof-mass MEMS and the low amount of hardware resources used. The displacement measurements obtained from the system matched those obtained from a certified characterization system. As the system can be easily reconfigured to the required measured signal, a similar measurement methodology can be developed using other demodulation schemes and optical fiber sensors.
The Interplay between Coronal Holes and Solar Active Regions from Magnetohydrostatic Models
Authors: Terradas Jaume
Published: March 2023

Coronal holes (CHs) and active regions (ARs) are typical magnetic structures found in the solar corona. The interaction of these two structures was investigated mainly from the observational point of view, but a basic theoretical understanding of how they are connected is missing. To address this problem, in this paper, magnetohydrostatic models are constructed by numerically solving a Grad–Shafranov equation in two dimensions. A common functional form for the pressure and temperature in the CH and in the AR are assumed throught the study. Keeping the parameters of the CH constant and modifying the parameters of the nearby bipolar AR, one finds essentially three types of solutions depending on the magnitude and sign of the magnetic field at the closest foot of the AR to the CH. Two of the three solutions match well with the observation, but the third solution predicts the existence of closed magnetic field lines with quite low density and temperature with opposite characteristics to those in typical ARs. Simple analytical expressions are obtained for the pressure, temperature and density at the core of the AR and their dependence upon several major physical parameters are studied. The results obtained in this paper need to be contrasted with observations.
Electrocoalescence of Water Droplets
Authors: Shavlov A. V. , Dzhumandzhi V. A. , Yakovenko E. S.
Published: March 2023

An experimental setup has been created to study the electrocoalescence of submillimeter- and millimeter-sized water droplets on a hydrophobic dielectric surface. The dependences of the interdroplet distance on the droplet radius are studied. It is shown that drops on a hydrophobic surface exhibit patterns of spatial arrangement that are characteristic of drops of a droplet cluster and fog. The electric field strengths at which mass coalescence of droplets begin are measured. A new model of electrocoalescence based on the state diagram of a drop-ion plasma is proposed. The possible role of electrocoalescence in the problem of rapid rain formation in atmospheric clouds is discussed.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Compressive Membrane Action in GFRP-Reinforced Concrete Slabs
Authors: Tharmarajah Gobithas , Taylor Su , Robinson Desmond
Published: March 2023

Experimental and numerical analyses of eight in-plane restrained slabs (1425 mm (length) × 475 mm (width) × 150 mm (thickness)) reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars are reported in this paper. The test slabs were installed into a rig, that provided 855 kN/mm in-plane stiffness and rotational stiffness. The effective depths of the reinforcement in the slabs varied from 75 mm to 150 mm, and the amount of reinforcement changed from 0 to 1.2% with 8, 12, and 16 mm bar diameters. A comparison of the service and ultimate limit state behavior of the tested one-way spanning slabs shows that a different design approach is necessary for GFRP-reinforced in-plane restrained slabs that demonstrate compressive membrane action behavior. Design codes based on yield line theory, which considers simply supported and rotationally restrained slabs, are not sufficient to predict the ultimate limit state behavior of restrained GFRP-reinforced slabs. Tests reported a higher failure load for GFRP-reinforced slabs by a factor of 2, which was further validated by numerical models. The experimental investigation was validated by a numerical analysis, and the acceptability of the model was further confirmed by consistent results obtained by analyzing in-plane restrained slab data from the literature.
Functionality Versus Sustainability for PLA in MEX 3D Printing: The Impact of Generic Process Control Factors on Flexural Response and Energy Efficiency
Authors: Petousis Markos , Vidakis Nectarios , Mountakis Nikolaos , Karapidakis Emmanuel , Moutsopoulou Amalia
Published: March 2023

Process sustainability vs. mechanical strength is a strong market-driven claim in Material Extrusion (MEX) Additive Manufacturing (AM). Especially for the most popular polymer, Polylactic Acid (PLA), the concurrent achievement of these opposing goals may become a puzzle, especially since MEX 3D-printing offers a variety of process parameters. Herein, multi-objective optimization of material deployment, 3D printing flexural response, and energy consumption in MEX AM with PLA is introduced. To evaluate the impact of the most important generic and device-independent control parameters on these responses, the Robust Design theory was employed. Raster Deposition Angle (RDA), Layer Thickness (LT), Infill Density (ID), Nozzle Temperature (NT), Bed Temperature (BT), and Printing Speed (PS) were selected to compile a five-level orthogonal array. A total of 25 experimental runs with five specimen replicas each accumulated 135 experiments. Analysis of variances and reduced quadratic regression models (RQRM) were used to decompose the impact of each parameter on the responses. The ID, RDA, and LT were ranked first in impact on printing time, material weight, flexural strength, and energy consumption, respectively. The RQRM predictive models were experimentally validated and hold significant technological merit, for the proper adjustment of process control parameters per the MEX 3D-printing case.
Preparation and Characterization of a Novel Cassava Starch-Based Phosphorus Releasing Super-Absorbent Polymer, and Optimization of the Performance of Water Absorption and Phosphorus Release
Authors: Bai Wenbo , Ji Bingyi , Fan Liren , Peng Qin , Liu Qi , Song Jiqing
Published: March 2023

To prepare a novel cassava starch-based phosphorus releasing super-absorbent polymer (CST-PRP-SAP), the single factor and orthogonal experiment were applied to analyze the effects of different reaction conditions on the absorption and phosphorus release capacities of CST-PRP-SAP samples. The structural and morphological characteristics of the cassava starch (CST), powdered rock phosphate (PRP), cassava starch-based super-absorbent polymer (CST-SAP) and CST-PRP-SAP samples were all compared with various technologies, such as the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction pattern, etc. The results showed that the CST-PRP-SAP samples had good performances of water retention and phosphorus release which were synthesized, such as the reaction temperature, starch content, P2O5 content, crosslinking agent, initiator, neutralization degree, and acrylamide content, which were 60 °C, 20% w/w, 10% w/w, 0.02% w/w, 0.6% w/w, 70% w/w, and 15% w/w, respectively. The water absorbency of CST-PRP-SAP was almost larger than that of the CST-SAP sample with a P2O5 content of 5.0% and 7.5%, and they all gradually decreased after three consecutive water absorption cycles. The CST-PRP-SAP sample could maintain about 50% of the initial water content after 24 h, even at the temperature of 40 °C. The swelling process of CST-PRP-SAP conformed to the non-Fickian diffusion, which was determined by the diffusion of water molecules and the relaxation process of polymer chain segments. The cumulative phosphorus release amount and release rate of the CST-PRP-SAP samples were increased with the increasing PRP content and the decreasing neutralization degree. After a 216 h immersion, the cumulative phosphorus release amount and release rate of the CST-PRP-SAP samples with different PRP contents were increased by 17.4 and 3.7 times, respectively. The rough surface of the CST-PRP-SAP sample after swelling was beneficial to the performance of water absorption and phosphorus release. The crystallization degree of PRP in the CST-PRP-SAP system was decreased and most of the PRP existed in the form of physical filling, and the available phosphorus content was increased to a certain extent. It was concluded that the CST-PRP-SAP synthesized in this study has excellent properties of continuous water absorption and retention with functions of promotion and the slow-release phosphorus.
Ion-Induced Polysaccharide Gelation: Peculiarities of Alginate Egg-Box Association with Different Divalent Cations
Authors: Makarova Anastasiya O. , Derkach Svetlana R. , Khair Tahar , Kazantseva Mariia A. , Zuev Yuriy F. , Zueva Olga S.
Published: March 2023

Structural aspects of polysaccharide hydrogels based on sodium alginate and divalent cations Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Ni2+ and Mn2+ was studied using data on hydrogel elemental composition and combinatorial analysis of the primary structure of alginate chains. It was shown that the elemental composition of hydrogels in the form of freezing dried microspheres gives information on the structure of junction zones in the polysaccharide hydrogel network, the degree of filling of egg-box cells by cations, the type and magnitude of the interaction of cations with alginate chains, the most preferred types of alginate egg-box cells for cation binding and the nature of alginate dimers binding in junction zones. It was ascertained that metal–alginate complexes have more complicated organization than was previously desired. It was revealed that in metal–alginate hydrogels, the number of cations of various metals per C12 block may be less than the limiting theoretical value equal to 1 for completely filled cells. In the case of alkaline earth metals and zinc, this number is equal to 0.3 for calcium, 0.6 for barium and zinc and 0.65–0.7 for strontium. We have determined that in the presence of transition metals copper, nickel and manganese, a structure similar to an egg-box is formed with completely filled cells. It was determined that in nickel–alginate and copper–alginate microspheres, the cross-linking of alginate chains and formation of ordered egg-box structures with completely filled cells are carried out by hydrated metal complexes with complicated composition. It was found that an additional characteristic of complex formation with manganese cations is the partial destruction of alginate chains. It has been established that the existence of unequal binding sites of metal ions with alginate chains can lead to the appearance of ordered secondary structures due to the physical sorption of metal ions and their compounds from the environment. It was shown that hydrogels based on calcium alginate are most promising for absorbent engineering in environmental and other modern technologies.
Investigation of the Influence of Fiber Content, Processing Conditions and Surface Roughness on the Polymer Filling Behavior in Thermoset Injection Molding
Authors: Tran Ngoc Tu , Seefried Andreas , Gehde Michael
Published: March 2023

A completely opposite injection molding filling behavior of thermosets and thermoplastics by an effective and useful method developed by the authors was found. Specifically, for the thermoset injection molding, there is a strong slip between the thermoset melt and wall surface, which is not found for the injection molding of thermoplastic materials. In addition, the variables, such as the filler content, the mold temperature, the injection speed, and the surface roughness that could lead to or influence the slip phenomenon of thermoset injection molding compounds, were also investigated. Furthermore, microscopy was conducted to verify the correlation between the mold wall slip and fiber orientation. The results obtained in this paper open challenges in the field of the calculation, analysis, and simulation of mold filling behavior of highly glass fiber-reinforced thermoset resins in the injection molding process with consideration of wall slip boundary conditions.
Copolymerization of Parylene C and Parylene F to Enhance Adhesion and Thermal Stability without Coating Performance Degradation
Authors: Xu Han , Yang Zhou , Guo Yechang , Xu Qingmei , Dou Songtao , Zhang Pan , Jin Yufeng , Kang Jiajie , Wang Wei
Published: March 2023

Parylene C has been widely used in the fields of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and electronic device encapsulation because of its unique properties, such as biocompatibility and conformal coverage. However, its poor adhesion and low thermal stability limit its use in a wider range of applications. This study proposes a novel method for improving the thermal stability and enhancing the adhesion between Parylene and Si by copolymerizing Parylene C with Parylene F. The successful preparation of Parylene copolymer films containing different ratios of Parylene C and Parylene F was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and surface energy calculations. The proposed method resulted in the copolymer film having an adhesion 10.4 times stronger than that of the Parylene C homopolymer film. Furthermore, the friction coefficients and cell culture capability of the Parylene copolymer films were tested. The results indicated no degradation compared with the Parylene C homopolymer film. This copolymerization method significantly expands the applications of Parylene materials.
What Does the “Elephant-Equus” Event Mean Today? Reflections on Mammal Dispersal Events around the Pliocene-Pleistocene Boundary and the Flexible Ambiguity of Biochronology
Authors: Iannucci Alessio , Sardella Raffaele
Published: March 2023

The dispersal of primitive elephantines and monodactyl equids in Eurasia has long been regarded as representative of a substantial turnover in mammal faunas, denoting the spread of open environments linked to the onset of cold and dry conditions in the Northern Hemisphere. During the 1980s, this event was named the “Elephant-Equus event” and it was correlated with the Gauss-Matuyama reversal, today corresponding to the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition and the beginning of the Quaternary, dated at ~2.6 Ma. Therefore, the Elephant-Equus event became a concept of prominent biochronological and paleoecological significance, especially in western Europe. Yet, uncertainties surrounding the taxonomy and chronology of early “elephant” and “Equus”, as well as conceptual differences in adopting (or understanding) the Elephant-Equus event as an intercontinental dispersal event or as a stratigraphic datum, engendered ambiguity and debate. Here, we provide a succinct review of the Elephant-Equus event, considering separately the available evidence on the “elephant” and the “Equus”. Elephantines dispersed out of Africa during the Pliocene (Piacenzian). Their earliest calibrated occurrences from eastern Europe date at ~3.2 Ma and they are usually referred to Mammuthus rumanus, although the allocation of several samples to this species is tentative. Available dating constraints for other localities do not resolve whether the dispersal of Mammuthus was synchronous across Eurasia, but this possibility cannot be ruled out. The spread of Mammuthus was part of an intercontinental faunal exchange between Africa and Eurasia that occurred during the Piacenzian, but in this scenario, Mammuthus is quite unique in being the only genus of African origin dispersing to western Eurasia. The arrival of monodactyl equids from North America coincides with the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition, with several occurrences dated or calibrated at ~2.6 Ma and no compelling evidence prior to this age. In Europe, early monodactyl equids are often aligned to Equus livenzovensis, but the material from the type locality of this species is chronologically time-averaged and taxonomically heterogeneous, and western European samples are seldom abundant or informative. Regardless, this does not diminish the biochronological significance of the “Equus event”. Indeed, while the term “Elephant-Equus event” should no longer be used, as the appearance of elephantines in the European fossil record markedly precedes that of monodactyl equids, we endorse the use of the “Equus event” as a valid alternative to refer to the intercontinental dispersal event that characterizes the middle Villafranchian faunal turnover, epitomized by but not limited to monodactyl equids.
A Review of Magnetic Shielding Technology for Space Radiation
Authors: Ferrone Kristine , Willis Charles , Guan Fada , Ma Jingfei , Peterson Leif , Kry Stephen
Published: March 2023

The space radiation environment outside the protection of the Earth’s magnetosphere is severe and difficult to shield against. The cumulative effective dose to astronauts on a typical Mars mission would likely introduce risk exceeding permissible limits for carcinogenesis without innovative strategies for radiation shielding. Damaging cardiovascular and central nervous system effects are also expected in these space environments. There are many potential options for advanced shielding and risk mitigation, but magnetic shielding using superconductors offers several distinct advantages including using the conditions in space to help maintain the superconductor’s critical temperature and lower mass compared to equivalent passive shielding materials. Despite these advantages, the development of magnetic shielding technology has remained primarily in conceptual stages since the introduction of the idea in 1961. Over the last several decades, magnetic shielding has experienced periods of high and low attention by the human spaceflight community, leading to computational tools with single-use or other limitations and a non-uniform distribution of publications on the topic over time. Within the context of technology development and the surrounding space policy environment, this paper reviews and summarizes the available literature on the application of active magnetic shielding for space radiation protection, identifies challenges, and highlights areas for future research.
UV/VIS-Spectroscopic Inline Measurement for the Detection of Fouling Processes during the Polymerization of N-Vinylpyrrolidone
Authors: Spoor Erik , Welzel Stefan , Nieken Ulrich , Rädle Matthias
Published: March 2023

With the goal to better process the monitoring of occurring fouling, a backscatter probe was developed to perform in-line measurements in a half-shell reactor during the reaction of N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) to polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The measurement technique detects the changes of bands in the UV range, which allows a direct correlation with the concentration. Thus, the measured absorbance signal allows a conclusion on the accumulation of fouling in the reactor and on changes in the conversion at the measurement location.
Impact of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor on Aurora A Kinase and the G2/M Phase Pathway in Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells
Authors: Franchini Anthony M. , Vaughan Keegan L. , Bhattacharya Soumyaroop , Singh Kameshwar P. , Gasiewicz Thomas A. , Lawrence B. Paige
Published: March 2023

Recent evidence suggests that the environment-sensing transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is an important regulator of hematopoiesis. Yet, the mechanisms and extent of AHR-mediated regulation within the most primitive hematopoietic cells, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), are poorly understood. Through a combination of transcriptomic and flow cytometric approaches, this study provides new insight into how the AHR influences hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Comparative analysis of intraphenotypic transcriptomes of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and multipotent progenitor (MPP) cells from AHR knockout (AHR KO) and wild type mice revealed significant differences in gene expression patterns. Notable among these were differences in expression of cell cycle regulators, specifically an enrichment of G2/M checkpoint genes when Ahr was absent. This included the regulator Aurora A kinase (Aurka, AurA). Analysis of AurA protein levels in HSPC subsets using flow cytometry, in combination with inducible AHR KO or in vivo AHR antagonism, showed that attenuation of AHR increased levels of AurA in HSCs and lineage-biased MPP cells. Overall, these data highlight a potential novel mechanism by which AHR controls HSC homeostasis and HSPC differentiation. These findings advance the understanding of how AHR influences and regulates primitive hematopoiesis.
Resource Optimization for Multi-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Formation Communication Based on an Improved Deep Q-Network
Authors: Li Jie , Li Sai , Xue Chenyan
Published: March 2023

With the widespread application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) formation technology, it is very important to maintain good communication quality with the limited power and spectrum resources that are available. To maximize the transmission rate and increase the successful data transfer probability simultaneously, the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) and value decomposition network (VDN) algorithm were introduced on the basis of a deep Q-network (DQN) for a UAV formation communication system. To make full use of the frequency, this manuscript considers both the UAV-to-base station (U2B) and the UAV-to-UAV (U2U) links, and the U2B links can be reused by the U2U communication links. In the DQN, the U2U links, which are treated as agents, can interact with the system and they intelligently learn how to choose the best power and spectrum. The CBAM affects the training results along both the channel and spatial aspects. Moreover, the VDN algorithm was introduced to solve the problem of partial observation in one UAV using distributed execution by decomposing the team q-function into agent-wise q-functions through the VDN. The experimental results showed that the improvement in data transfer rate and the successful data transfer probability was obvious.
Discrimination of Deoxynivalenol Levels of Barley Kernels Using Hyperspectral Imaging in Tandem with Optimized Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Fan Ke-Jun , Liu Bo-Yuan , Su Wen-Hao
Published: March 2023

Deoxynivalenol (DON) in raw and processed grain poses significant risks to human and animal health. In this study, the feasibility of classifying DON levels in different genetic lines of barley kernels was evaluated using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) (382–1030 nm) in tandem with an optimized convolutional neural network (CNN). Machine learning methods including logistic regression, support vector machine, stochastic gradient descent, K nearest neighbors, random forest, and CNN were respectively used to develop the classification models. Spectral preprocessing methods including wavelet transform and max-min normalization helped to enhance the performance of different models. A simplified CNN model showed better performance than other machine learning models. Competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) in combination with successive projections algorithm (SPA) was applied to select the best set of characteristic wavelengths. Based on seven wavelengths selected, the optimized CARS-SPA-CNN model distinguished barley grains with low levels of DON (<5 mg/kg) from those with higher levels (5 mg/kg < DON ≤ 14 mg/kg) with an accuracy of 89.41%. The lower levels of DON class I (0.19 mg/kg ≤ DON ≤ 1.25 mg/kg) and class II (1.25 mg/kg < DON ≤ 5 mg/kg) were successfully distinguished based on the optimized CNN model, yielding a precision of 89.81%. The results suggest that HSI in tandem with CNN has great potential for discrimination of DON levels of barley kernels.
A Decision-Aware Ambient Assisted Living System with IoT Embedded Device for In-Home Monitoring of Older Adults
Authors: Ghorbani Fatemeh , Ahmadi Amirmasoud , Kia Mohammad , Rahman Quazi , Delrobaei Mehdi
Published: March 2023

Older adults’ independent life is compromised due to various problems, such as memory impairments and decision-making difficulties. This work initially proposes an integrated conceptual model for assisted living systems capable of providing helping means for older adults with mild memory impairments and their caregivers. The proposed model has four main components: (1) an indoor location and heading measurement unit in the local fog layer, (2) an augmented reality (AR) application to make interactions with the user, (3) an IoT-based fuzzy decision-making system to handle the direct and environmental interactions with the user, and (4) a user interface for caregivers to monitor the situation in real time and send reminders once required. Then, a preliminary proof-of-concept implementation is performed to evaluate the suggested mode’s feasibility. Functional experiments are carried out based on various factual scenarios, which validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The accuracy and response time of the proposed proof-of-concept system are further examined. The results suggest that implementing such a system is feasible and has the potential to promote assisted living. The suggested system has the potential to promote scalable and customizable assisted living systems to reduce the challenges of independent living for older adults.
A Comprehensive Survey on Certificate-Less Authentication Schemes for Vehicular Ad hoc Networks in Intelligent Transportation Systems
Authors: Sripathi Venkata Naga Santhosh Kumar , Yesuraj Rajkumar , Munuswamy Selvi , Arputharaj Kannan
Published: March 2023

Data transmission in intelligent transportation systems is being challenged by a variety of factors, such as open wireless communication channels, that pose problems related to security, anonymity, and privacy. To achieve secure data transmission, several authentication schemes are proposed by various researchers. The most predominant schemes are based on identity-based and public-key cryptography techniques. Due to limitations such as key escrow in identity-based cryptography and certificate management in public-key cryptography, certificate-less authentication schemes arrived to counter these challenges. This paper presents a comprehensive survey on the classification of various types of certificate-less authentication schemes and their features. The schemes are classified based on their type of authentication, the techniques used, the attacks they address, and their security requirements. This survey highlights the performance comparison of various authentication schemes and presents the gaps in them, thereby providing insights for the realization of intelligent transportation systems.
Methodology for the Generation of High-Quality Ultrasonic Images of Complex Geometry Pieces Using Industrial Robots
Authors: Aparicio Secanellas Sofía , Gauna León Iñaki , Parrilla Montserrat , Acebes Montserrat , Ibáñez Alberto , de Matías Jiménez Héctor , Martínez-Graullera Óscar , Álvarez de Pablos Alberto , González Hernández Margarita , Anaya Velayos José Javier
Published: March 2023

Industrial robotic arms integrated with server computers, sensors and actuators have revolutionized the way automated non-destructive testing is performed in the aeronautical sector. Currently, there are commercial, industrial robots that have the precision, speed and repetitiveness in their movements that make them suitable for use in numerous non-destructive testing inspections. Automatic ultrasonic inspection of complex geometry parts remains one of the most difficult challenges in the market. The closed configuration, i.e., restricted access to internal motion parameters, of these robotic arms makes it difficult for an adequate synchronism between the movement of the robot and the acquisition of the data. This is a serious problem in the inspection of aerospace components, where high-quality images are necessary to assess the condition of the inspected component. In this paper, we applied a methodology recently patented for the generation of high-quality ultrasonic images of complex geometry pieces using industrial robots. The methodology is based on the calculation of a synchronism map after a calibration experiment and to introduce this corrected map in an autonomous, independent external system developed by the authors to obtain precise ultrasonic images. Therefore, it has been shown that it is possible to establish the synchronization of any industrial robot with any ultrasonic imaging generation system to generate high-quality ultrasonic images.
A Fiber Optic Sensor for Monitoring the Spectral Alterations and Depth in Ex Vivo and In Vivo Cryosurgery
Authors: Ikiades Aris , Bassukas Ioannis D. , Kourkoumelis Nikolaos
Published: March 2023

This article discusses how to monitor the freezing depth during cryotherapy using a fiber optic array sensor. The sensor was used to measure the backscattered and transmitted light from frozen and unfrozen ex vivo porcine tissue and in vivo human skin tissue (finger). The technique exploited the variations in optical diffusion properties of the frozen and unfrozen tissues to determine the extent of freezing. Ex vivo and in vivo measurements yielded comparable results, despite spectral variations attributable to the hemoglobin absorption peak in the human frozen and unfrozen tissues. However, because the spectral fingerprints of the freeze-thaw process in the ex vivo and in vivo experiments were similar, we could extrapolate the maximum depth of freezing. Therefore, this sensor has the potential to be utilized for monitoring cryosurgery in real time.
Comparison of COVID-19 Severity and Mortality Rates in the First Four Epidemic Waves in Hungary in a Single-Center Study with Special Regard to Critically Ill Patients in an Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Nagy Éva , Golopencza Péter , Barcs István , Ludwig Endre
Published: March 2023

Different variants of coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a virus responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome, caused several epidemic surges in Hungary. The severity of these surges varied due to the different virulences of the variants. In a single-center, retrospective, observational study, we aimed to assess and compare morbidities and mortality rates across the epidemic waves I to IV with special regard to hospitalized, critically ill patients. A significant difference was found between the surges with regard to morbidity (p < 0.001) and ICU mortality (p = 0.002), while in-hospital mortality rates (p = 0.503) did not differ significantly. Patients under invasive ventilation had a higher incidence of bloodstream infection (aOR: 8.91 [4.43–17.95] p < 0.001), which significantly increased mortality (OR: 3.32 [2.01–5.48]; p < 0.001). Our results suggest that Waves III and IV, caused by the alpha (B.1.1.7) and delta (B.1.617.2) variants, respectively, were more severe in terms of morbidity. The incidence of bloodstream infection was high in critically ill patients. Our results suggest that clinicians should be aware of the risk of bloodstream infection in critically ill ICU patients, especially when invasive ventilation is used.
Inextensible Flows of Null Cartan Curves in Minkowski Space R2,1
Authors: Gaber Samah , Al Elaiw Abeer
Published: March 2023

This research focused on studying the flows of a null Cartan curve specified by the velocity and acceleration fields. We have proven that the tangential and normal velocities are influenced by the binormal velocity along the motion. The velocity fields are used to drive the time evolution equations for the Cartan frame and the torsion of the null curve. The objective of this work is to construct a family of inextensible null Cartan curves from the flows of the initial null Cartan curve. The surface formed by this family of inextensible flows of the null Cartan curve is obtained numerically and visualized. In this paper, we refer to the surface traced out by the family of the null Cartan curve as the generated or constructed surface. We present a novel model for the inextensible null Cartan curve, which moves with a constant binormal velocity to describe the process of constructing a family of null Cartan curves. Through this model, the time evolution equation for the torsion of the inextensible null Cartan curve arises as the Korteweg-de Vries (K-dV) equation, and we obtain and visualize the soliton solutions. The soliton solutions represent the torsion of the family of null Cartan curves at various time values. We construct the family of inextensible null Cartan curves and visualize the generated surface. In addition, we investigate the flows of inextensible null Cartan curves specified by acceleration fields, and we obtain the explicit relationships between the acceleration and velocity functions. Finally, we provide an application for the inextensible flows of the null Cartan curve with constant normal acceleration.
Stark Broadening of Al IV Spectral Lines
Authors: Dimitrijević Milan S. , Christova Magdalena D.
Published: March 2023

Stark widths for 23 transitions in Al IV have been calculated by employing the modified semiempirical method. The results are obtained for an electron density of 1017 cm−3 and temperatures from 10,000 K to 160,000 K. The results obtained in this investigation are used for the examination of the influence of Stark broadening in Al IV stellar spectra, as well as to check the Stark width regular behavior and similarites within the Al IV spectrum.
Individual Genomic Loci and mRNA Levels of Immune Biomarkers Associated with Pneumonia Susceptibility in Baladi Goats
Authors: Ateya Ahmed , Al-Sharif Mona , Abdo Mohamed , Fericean Liana , Essa Bothaina
Published: March 2023

The effectiveness of breeding for inherent disease resistance in animals could be considerably increased by identifying the genes and mutations that cause diversity in disease resistance. One hundred and twenty adult female Baladi goats (sixty pneumonic and sixty apparently healthy) were used in this study. DNA and RNA were extracted from blood samples collected from the jugular vein of each goat. SLC11A1, CD-14, CCL2, TLR1, TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, β defensin, SP110, SPP1, BP1, A2M, ADORA3, CARD15, IRF3, and SCART1 SNPs that have been previously found to be associated with pneumonia resistance/susceptibility were identified via PCR-DNA sequencing. The pneumonic and healthy goats differed significantly, according to a Chi-square analysis of the discovered SNPs. The mRNA levels of the studied immune markers were noticeably greater in the pneumonic goats than in the healthy ones. The findings could support the significance of the use of immune gene expression profiles and nucleotide variations as biomarkers for the susceptibility/resistance to pneumonia and provide a practical management technique for Baladi goats. These results also suggest a potential strategy for lowering pneumonia in goats by employing genetic markers linked to an animal’s ability to fend off infection in selective breeding.
Research on the Ethology and Diet of the Stray Dog Population in the Areas Bordering the Municipality of Suceava, Romania
Authors: Dănilă Gabriel , Simioniuc Valerian , Duduman Mihai Leonard
Published: March 2023

This paper analyses aspects of the ethology and feeding of stray dogs in the areas bordering the city of Suceava and the nearby towns. The study area is located in the hunting grounds (HG), which are managed by the “Ștefan cel Mare” University in Suceava. Between October 2017 and April 2022, the behaviour and the types of food consumed by stray dogs captured in the outskirts of the localities in the study area were analysed. A sample of 183 stray dogs were used for the study, and the analysis established the distribution and density of the dogs in the free-range area compared to the density of the wild animals of hunting interest. The tracks and travel routes of the stray dogs were highlighted. Areas where packs of feral dogs camp were also identified. Observations were made of the individual and social behaviours of the dogs, their gregariousness and the way in which they hunt. The types of food consumed were analysed for each specimen. Through the collected and analysed data, the opportunistic predatory behaviour of the stray dogs was highlighted. Thus, stray dogs revert to the typical wild canid ways of behaving. As for food, our results showed the dogs’ predilection for meat, both wild and domestic. On the other hand, the diet of roaming dogs is much more varied compared to that of wild canids. This is due to the fact that the way in which domestic dogs feed has changed over thousands of years as a result of living alongside humans.
Detection of the Bedload Movement with an Acoustic Sensor in the Yangtze River, China
Authors: Tian Mi , Yang Shengfa , Zhang Peng
Published: March 2023

The acoustic method, which enables continuous monitoring with great temporal resolution, is an alternative technique for detecting bedload movement. In order to record the sound signals produced by the impacts between gravel particles and detect the bedload motion, in this study, a hydrophone is placed close to the riverbed at the upper Yangtze River. Three categories of raw audio signals—moving gravel particles, ship engines, and flow turbulence—are collected and investigated. Signal preprocessing is performed using spectral subtraction to reduce the noise of the background sound, and the sound signal characteristic parameters are then calculated. In this paper, we propose a novel method for detecting and extracting bedload motion parameters, including peak frequency, pitch frequency, and energy eigenvector. When a segment of a speech signal meets the indicators for all three feature parameters simultaneously, the segment signal is classified as a bedload motion sound signal. Further work will be conducted to investigate bedload transport using the extracted audio signal.
Croatian Combat Athletes’ Attribution Patterns for Their Successes and Failures
Authors: Prosoli Rebeka , Jelić Margareta , Barić Renata , Sisneros Cassandra , Lochbaum Marc
Published: March 2023

Successes and failures are integral outcomes to the sport experience. Based on decades of research, how athletes process both outcomes influence their thoughts, emotions, and subsequent achievement endeavors. Attribution theory details three dimensions as to the causes of success and failure. Since the 1980s, attribution theory has found a home in sport psychology literature. However, research across countries requires valid and reliable questionnaires. One such country is Croatia where attribution research is scant. Thus, in a Croatian combat athlete sample, we examined athletes’ attributions for the most and least successful performances via retrospection. Croatian athletes (N = 154) from three combat sports (judo, karate, and taekwondo) who all competed at least once on an international stage completed the Croatian Causal Dimension Scale-II, answered in reference to a specific reason for their best and worst competitive experience. Results showed that the combat sport athletes attributed their most and least successful competitive achievement to psychological reasons more than other reasons (i.e., general preparation and physical preparation). Furthermore, based on a series of two-tailed paired samples t-tests and the nonparametric equivalent, Wilcoxon signed rank test, the participants made, from small to medium in meaningfulness (Cohen’s d), more internal (d = 0.30), stable (d = 0.56), personal (d = 0.30), and external (d = 0.21) controllable attributions for success than for failure (all t-test p-values < 0.01). Our results suggest the athletes made the self-serving attribution bias across both the success and failure competitive events. Our results contribute to better understanding of specific reasons for success and failure and the attribution dimensions explaining the competitive outcomes in competitive combat sport. Specific to Croatian sport, our results provide Croatian combat sport with theory driven research applicable to improving development of Croatian combat athletes on the international stage.
Migration processes in the Magadan region: problems and prospects
Authors:   Magadan Regional State Autonomous Cultural Institution ", Khaldeeva N.V. ,   Magadan Regional Museum of Local Lore"
Published: March 2023

The decline in the population of the Far North regions of the Far Eastern Federal District over the past decades has led to an increase in the need not only for specialists, but also for low wages, which does not meet extreme working and living conditions. Despite the fact that the problem of remuneration in the regions of the Far North has been studied for a long time, the issue remains relevant at present.
Transition to domestic software for BIM design — the nearest prospect or an unreal dream?
Authors:   BIM Academy LLC, Moscow, Osipov A.N.
Published: March 2023

The article discusses the issues of import substitution in the field of software for the design and information modeling of buildings and structures. The impact of sanctions on the work of project organizations and the potential for switching to domestic software is considered.
Trilhas educativas e a hidrodiversidade: o caso das lagoas da Flona de Nísia Floresta (RN)
Authors: Barbosa Diego , Correia João
Published: March 2023

Em Nísia Floresta, município do Rio Grande do Norte, o Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) realiza um trabalho de monitoramento e divulgação de estratégias para a preservação ambiental da Floresta Nacional de Nísia Floresta (FLONA). Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho é compreender o papel da hidrodiversidade das lagoas Vaquinha, Coruja e Seca para a sustentabilidade dessa UC e região. A metodologia é baseada em levantamento de literatura, trabalhos de campo e análise das práticas desenvolvidas na FLONA. Os resultados apontam que as lagoas encontradas na FLONA são fundamentais para a manutenção do ecossistema local e servem de laboratório para a realização de práticas de Educação Ambiental.
O orçamento participativo e o seu papel como instrumento de participação popular democrática
Authors: Araujo Margarete Panerai , Alcântara Letícia dos Santos Rosa , Franco Rafaela Santos
Published: March 2023

O artigo discute o orçamento participativo - OP e o seu papel como instrumento de gestão social e cidadania deliberativa na constituição de 1988. Objetiva-se trazer a gestão social para o centro das análises, visando promover um conceito gerencial que se aproxime do exercício direto da cidadania pela sociedade, em consonância com a ordem constitucional. Com o intuito de exemplificar essa dinâmica, o presente artigo recorre ao orçamento participativo, usando-o como exemplo do exercício direto do poder pelo povo e do processo gerencial dialógico, no qual a autoridade decisória é compartilhada entre os participantes da ação. Como encaminhamento metodológico qualitativo utilizou-se pesquisa bibliográfica acerca do tema. Os resultados revelam o potencial democrático participativo, porém apontam a necessidade de maior publicização dessa responsabilidade junto à sociedade civil quanto a sua função.