bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative experimental investigation on true triaxial double-sided fast unloading rockburst and biaxial compression under high stress
Authors: Li Jieyu , He Manchao , Liu Dongqiao , Elmo Davide , Zhang Jiamiao
Published: February 2023

To explore the effect of rapid excavation unloading under high pressure on delayed rockburst, a true triaxial double-sided rapid unloading rockburst experiment and a biaxial compression failure experiment without unloading were carried out. The results show that the rapid unloading of excavation before the occurrence of rockburst will cause unloading damage, and the axial strain, acoustic emission (AE) count, and AE energy will suddenly increase at the unloading point. The AE source shows that the rapid unloading produces many tensile cracks, mainly distributed near the free surface. The axial peak stress of the rockburst and the stored strain energy before failure are higher than those of biaxial compression, so the ejection velocity of free surface fragments is also higher at failure.
Carrollian and non-relativistic Jackiw–Teitelboim supergravity
Authors: Ravera Lucrezia , Zorba Utku
Published: February 2023

We present non- and ultra-relativistic Jackiw–Teitelboim (JT) supergravity as metric BF theories based on the extended Newton–Hooke and extended AdS Carroll superalgebras in two spacetime dimensions, respectively. The extended Newton–Hooke structure, and, in particular, the invariant metric necessary for the BF construction of non-relativistic JT supergravity, is obtained by performing an expansion of the $$\mathcal {N}=2$$

N
=
2

AdS$$_2$$

2

superalgebra. Subsequently, we introduce the extended AdS$$_2$$

2

Carroll superalgebra, and the associated invariant metric, as a suitable redefinition of the extended Newton–Hooke superalgebra. The mapping involved can be seen as the supersymmetric extension of the duality existing at the purely bosonic level between the extended Newton–Hooke algebra with (positive) negative cosmological constant and the extended (A)dS Carroll algebra in two dimensions. Finally, we provide the Carrollian JT supergravity action in the BF formalism. Moreover, we show that both the non-relativistic and the ultra-relativistic theories presented can also be obtained by direct expansion of $$\mathcal {N}=2$$

N
=
2

JT supergravity.
Gravitational waves from bubble collisions and fluid motion in strongly supercooled phase transitions
Authors: Lewicki Marek , Vaskonen Ville
Published: February 2023

We estimate the gravitational wave spectra generated in strongly supercooled phase transitions by bubble collisions and fluid motion. We derive analytically in the thin-wall approximation the efficiency factor that determines the share of the energy released in the transition between the scalar field and the fluid. We perform numerical simulations including the efficiency factor as a function of bubble radius separately for all points on the bubble surfaces to take into account their different collision times. We find that the efficiency factor does not significantly change the gravitational wave spectra and show that the result can be approximated by multiplying the spectrum obtained without the efficiency factor by its value at the radius $$R_{\textrm{eff}} \simeq 5/\beta $$

R
eff

≃
5
/
β

, where $$\beta $$
β
is the approximate inverse duration of the transition. We also provide updated fits for the gravitational wave spectra produced in strongly supercooled transitions from both bubble collisions and fluid motion depending on the behaviour of the sources after the collision.
First post-Newtonian N-body problem in Einstein–Cartan theory with the Weyssenhoff fluid: Lagrangian and first integrals
Authors: Battista Emmanuele , De Falco Vittorio , Usseglio Davide
Published: February 2023

The rotational dynamics of anN-body system at the first post-Newtonian order in Einstein–Cartan theory is derived. This result is achieved by performing the point-particle limit of the equations of motion of the Weyssenhoff fluid, which models the quantum spin effects residing inside the bodies. For the special case of binary systems, we determine the Lagrangian function and the resulting first integrals underlying the translational dynamics and the spin precession.
Calculations of vacuum mean values of spinor field current and energy–momentum tensor in a constant electric background
Authors: Breev Alexander I. , Gavrilov Sergey P. , Gitman Dmitry M.
Published: February 2023

In the framework of strong-field QED with x-steps, we study vacuum mean values of the current density and energy–momentum tensor of the quantized spinor field placed in the so-called L-constant electric background. The latter background can be, for example, understood as the electric field confined between capacitor plates, which are separated by a sufficiently large distance L. First, we reveal peculiarities of nonperturbative calculating of mean values in strong-field QED with x-steps in general and, in the L-constant electric field, in particular. We propose a new renormalization and volume regularization procedures that are adequate for these calculations. We find necessary representations for singular spinor functions in the background under consideration. With their help, we calculate the above mentioned vacuum means. In the obtained expressions, we show how to separate global contributions due to the particle creation and local ones due to the vacuum polarization. We demonstrate how these contributions can be related to the renormalized effective Heisenberg–Euler Lagrangian.
Non-Perturbative Treatment of Open-System Multi-Time Expectation Values in Gaussian Bosonic Environments
Authors: Smirne Andrea , Tamascelli Dario , Lim James , Plenio Martin B. , Huelga Susana F.
Published: February 2023

We determine the conditions for the equivalence between the multi-time expectation values of a general finite-dimensional open quantum system when interacting with, respectively, an environment undergoing a free unitary evolution or a discrete environment under a free evolution fixed by a proper Gorini-Kossakowski-Lindblad-Sudarshan generator. We prove that the equivalence holds if both environments are bosonic and Gaussian and if the one- and two-time correlation functions of the corresponding interaction operators are the same at all times. This result leads to a non-perturbative evaluation of the multi-time expectation values of operators and maps of open quantum systems interacting with a continuous set of bosonic modes by means of a limited number of damped modes, thus setting the ground for the investigation of open-system multi-time quantities in fully general regimes.
Human-induced reactivation of a dormant earthflow? A geomorphological interpretation of historical mining maps of the Ischl salt mine (Austria)
Authors: Laimer Hans J.
Published: February 2023

This case study from the Northern Calcareous Alps demonstrates the utilization of historical mining documents for geomorphological purposes, especially for landslide event documentation. A combination of geomorphological mapping and interpretation of up to 200 year old mining maps for the Ischl salt mine (Austria) revealed the existence of a 500 m-long earthflow in an area where the engineering geology has been well investigated. The CAD-based creation of a polythematic map (surface and subsurface features) led to the conclusion that a prehistoric earthflow has been partly reactivated between 1850 and 1934 due to mining subsidence. The depletion zone of the historical earthflow is situated directly above the major collapse zone of the mine. Reactivation was most likely to have been caused by the lowering of the slope base due to the slow development of a subsidence trough within the ductile Haselgebirge Formation. Particularly for engineering geomorphological tasks in post-mining-areas, where subsurface facilities are no longer accessible, a combined approach of historical mining map analysis and geomorphological mapping can be regarded as a promising and cost-effective working concept.

Supplementary material
: Historical ground plans and cross-sections listed in
Table 1
are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21740459

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology of the Anthropocene collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/engineering-geology-and-hydrogeology-of-the-anthropocene
Recognize News Transition from Collective Behavior for News Recommendation
Authors: Meng Qing , Yan Hui , Liu Bo , Sun Xiangguo , Hu Mingrui , Cao Jiuxin
Published: February 2023

In the news recommendation, users are overwhelmed by thousands of news daily, which makes the users’ behavior data have high sparsity. Therefore, only considering a single user’s personalized preferences cannot support the news recommendation. How to improve the relatedness of news and users and reduce data sparsity has become a hot issue. Recent studies have attempted to use graph models to enrich the relationship between users and news, but they are still limited to modeling the historical behaviors of a single user. To fill the gap, we integrate user-news relationships and the overall user historical clicked news sequences to construct a global heterogeneous transition graph. And a refinement approach is proposed to recognize the news transition patterns in the graph. Based on the global heterogeneous transition graph, we propose a heterogeneous transition graph attention network to capture the common behavior patterns of most users to enhance the representation of user interest. Fusing the users’ personalized and common interest, we propose the
GAINRec
model to recommend news effectively. Extensive experiments are conducted on two public news recommendation datasets, and the results show the superiority of the proposed
GAINRec
model compared with the state-of-the-art news recommendation models. The implementation of our model is available at
https://github.com/newsrec/GAINRec
.
Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance Based Robustness for Mobile Crowdsensing
Authors: Chen Zhiyan , Gul Omer Melih , Kantarci Burak
Published: February 2023

Mobile crowdsensing (MCS) has become a prominent paradigm to collect and share data based on sensing devices with built-in sensors in the Internet of Things era. Nevertheless, conventional MCS confronts various security and privacy vulnerabilities in terms of decentralized, openness, and non-dedicated properties. Currently, the submitted tasks are collected and managed conventionally by a centralized MCS platform. A centralized MCS platform is not safe enough to protect and prevent tampering sensing tasks since it confronts the single point of failure, which reduces the effectiveness and robustness of the MCS system. Meanwhile, fake task attack is a serious threat, as it would drain excessive resources from the participant devices and clog the MCS servers to disrupt the services offered by the MCS. To address the centralized issue and identify fake tasks, a blockchain-based decentralized MCS is designed. Integration of blockchain into MCS enables a decentralized framework. Moreover, the distributed nature of a blockchain chain prevents sensing tasks from being tampered. The blockchain uses a practical Byzantine fault tolerance consensus that can tolerate one-third faulty nodes, making the implemented MCS system robust and sturdy. In addition, an ensemble learning approach is deployed in the blockchain for eliminating fake tasks by malicious requesters. The evaluation test is conducted under two different datasets representing a big city and a small one to have an MCS campaign. Numerical results show that the ensemble approach eliminates most of the fake tasks with a detection accuracy of up to 0.99. Furthermore, the ensemble learning integrated system outperforms individual learner based centralized systems, and non-fault tolerant systems in terms of Ratio of Legitimate Tasks (RoLT) saved and Ratio of Fake Tasks (RoFT).RoFTis low to 0.01, andRoLTis high up to 0.913 via the proposed MCS blockchain-driven framework.
More Than Syntaxes: Investigating Semantics to Zero-shot Cross-lingual Relation Extraction and Event Argument Role Labelling
Authors: Wei Kaiwen , Jin Li , Zhang Zequn , Guo Zhi , Li Xiaoyu , Liu Qing , Feng Weimiao
Published: February 2023

Syntactic dependency structures are commonly utilized as language-agnostic features to solve the word order difference issues in zero-shot cross-lingual relation and event extraction tasks. However, while sentences in multiple forms can be employed to express the same meaning, the syntactic structure may vary considerably in specific scenarios. To fix this problem, we find
semantics
are rarely considered, which could provide a more consistent semantic analysis of sentences and be served as another bridge between different languages. Therefore, in this article, we introduce Syntax and Semantic Driven Network (SSDN) to equip syntax and semantic knowledge across languages simultaneously. Specifically, predicate–argument structures from semantic role labelling are explicitly incorporated into word representations. Then, a semantic-aware relational graph convolutional network and a transformer-based encoder are utilized to model both semantic dependency and syntactic dependency structures, respectively. Finally, a fusion module is introduced to integrate output representations adaptively. We conduct experiments on the widely used Automatic Content Extraction 2005 English, Chinese, and Arabic datasets. The evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves the state-of-the-art performance. Further study also indicates SSDN could produce robust representations that facilitate the transfer operations across languages.
Baselining Activity and Stability of ORR Catalysts and Electrodes for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells for Heavy-Duty Applications
Authors: Wang X. , Hu L. , Neyerlin K. C. , Ahluwalia R. K.
Published: February 2023

Activity and stability of electrodes with Pt and PtCo alloy catalysts supported on high surface area carbon, hereafter to as a-Pt/C and d-PtCo/C, were evaluated for heavy-duty applications. Both catalysts had nearly identical Pt loading (50-wt% Pt on carbon and 0.25 mgPt cm−2) and had undergone thermal treatment to stabilize them by growing the average particle size to 4–5 nm. Both were subjected to 90,000 (90 k) standard accelerated stress tests (AST) cycles consisting of 0.6–0.95 V square wave potentials, 3-s hold at upper and lower potential limits in H2/N2 at 1.5 atm, 80 °C and 100% RH. Test protocols were developed to monitor the performance losses and characterize them in terms of activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen transport in the electrode and proton transport in the membrane and cathode catalyst layer. Despite the nearly double initial ORR activity, the PtCo/C electrode degraded faster due to the leaching of Co from the catalyst that had started even before the imposition of the AST potential cycles. Commensurate with Co leaching, Co poisoning of ionomer is responsible for the inferior performance of d-PtCo/C electrode at high current densities both before and after AST.
Novel Mechanically-Alloyed Cu–La–P Ternary Alloy Electrocatalysts for the Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Sloan Arthur D. , Mir Rameez A. , Thorpe Steven J.
Published: February 2023

Transition metal phosphides, such as Cu3P, are of research interest as hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts due to a combination of good intrinsic activity and good stability. Rare earth-transition metal alloying is known to improve electrocatalytic performance, especially by the formation of intermetallic phases. Current transition metal phosphide electrocatalyst manufacturing methods are not capable of forming these intermetallic phases. Mechanical alloying is a promising technique to synthesize these intermetallic phases. Alloy powders of Cu3P, Cu19La5P12, and a novel multi-phase Cu74La4P22 composition were prepared using mechanical alloying and evaluated as electrocatalysts for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction on a geometric and intrinsic area basis. On an intrinsic basis, the novel Cu–La–P composition demonstrated excellent Tafel performance of 69.4 mV dec−1. Tafel slope, exchange current density, and overpotential data demonstrated the importance of spillover effects in multiphase Cu3P/Cu19La5P12 surface structures. These results suggest that Cu–La–P alloys are promising potential catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen production, and mechanical alloying of rare earth elements is an effective technique for improving the electrochemical performance of transition metal phosphides.
Electrooxidation of Phenol on Boron-doped Diamond and Mixed-metal Oxide Anodes: Process Evaluation, Transformation By-products, and Ecotoxicity
Authors: Đuričić Tijana , Prosen Helena , Kravos Aleksander , Mićin Saša , Kalčíková Gabriela , Malinović Borislav N.
Published: February 2023

Phenolic pollutants raise health and environmental concerns due to their widespread occurrence in industrial wastewaters. Electrooxidation was studied for phenol degradation in different supporting electrolytes: NaCl, Na2SO4, H2SO4. Experiments were performed at constant current density 20 mA cm−2. Two anode materials were tested ‒ boron-doped diamond (BDD) and mixed-metal oxide (MMO). Degradation process and its impact was investigated from technological, analytical, and ecotoxicological viewpoints. Removal efficiency was monitored by phenol index spectrophotometric method and phenol removal quantified with HPLC-DAD. Additionally, transformation by-products were tracked with GC-MS and LC-MS, as well as ion chromatography. Finally, ecotoxicity was investigated using Daphnia magna. Electrooxidation was efficient and had low energy consumption. The use of BDD anode led to higher removal efficiencies and induced more progressive degradation to simple organic acids, compared to MMO. Selection of electrolyte affected degradation pathways and detoxification pattern. Treatment by BDD in NaCl led to complete phenol removal in 30 min, but undesired chlorinated aromatic by-products were formed. Treatment in sulphate medium led to slower processes irrespective of pH, but less problematic by-products with minimal ecotoxicological impact emerged. By using multi-aspect methodology, this study reevaluates phenol electrooxidative degradation and contributes to better understanding of electrooxidation performance in water treatment.
Tuning the Cation/Anion Adsorption Balance with a Multi-Electrode Capacitive-Deionization Process
Authors: Nordstrand Johan , Toledo-Carrillo Esteban , Dutta Joydeep
Published: February 2023

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging technique for purifying water by removing ions. Recent experimental studies have reported that the anion/cation adsorption can be naturally imbalanced, even for a solution with just sodium and chloride, and suggested a link between imbalance and Faradaic leakages. However, these effects have been missing from conventional models. In this work, we developed a new circuit model to better understand the connection between Faradaic leakages and adsorption imbalance. The theory demonstrates that the effect emerges in a model that includes leakages, considers leakages on both electrodes separately, and considers different leakage resistance on the two electrodes. Having the model, it is possible to analyze and quantify the influence of the leakage resistance and other material properties on the adsorption imbalance. Leveraging these results, we further present a multi-electrode (ME) device design. The setup adds a third electrode to the spacer channel and can tune or eliminate the adsorption imbalance based on appropriately distributing the voltage across the electrodes. In conclusion, we describe a charge leakage mechanism responsible for the imbalance of ion adsorption and a flexible device design to tune the anion/cation removal.
Molten Oxide Electrolysis Using Copper-Containing Carbon-Saturated Molten Iron Anode
Authors: Natsui Shungo , Sato Takahiro , Ito Akihisa , Hayasaka Miho , Iwama Takayuki , Mori Kota , Ueda Shigeru , Nogami Hiroshi
Published: February 2023

This study focused on the use of molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) as a low-cost, clean, continuous separation method suitable for incorporation into actual steelmaking processes. We discussed interfacial behavior from molten iron to slag by anodic polarization of the copper-containing carbon-saturated molten iron (metal phase)–molten oxide (slag phase) interface and investigate the operating mechanism of MOE. The basic constant potential electrolysis between the metal phase (Fe-10 wt% Cu-5.0 wt% C) and slag phase (27 wt% CaO-27 wt% SiO2−45 wt% Al2O3−1.0 wt% CaS) by maintaining 1–2 V vs Pt at 1773 K in an Ar atmosphere is described. When polarized, a high concentration of dispersed Cu-rich phase was detected locally near the metal–slag interface but not in the phase center of the metal. At the metal–slag interface, the energies of the Fe-rich and Cu-rich phase–slag interfaces decreased due to electric capillarity, and the Cu-rich phase distributed near the interface.
Photoelectrochemical Modelling of Semiconducting Electrodes for Neural Interfacing
Authors: Chambers Andre , Prawer Steven , Ahnood Arman
Published: February 2023

Semiconducting electrodes are increasingly utilised for neural interfacing applications, such as neural recording, stimulation, and photomodulation. To characterize the performance of these electrodes, photoelectrochemical analysis is often undertaken in biologically relevant electrolytes. These include electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and for photomodulation applications, photocurrent (PC) measurements. From such measurements, it is possible to deduce key properties of semiconductor surfaces, such as electrochemical impedance and capacitance, as well as mechanisms of charge transfer. To extract these parameters from the experimental data, equivalent electrical circuit modelling is often employed, but usually only for a single technique at a time which often misses key insights about the processes occurring at the electrode-electrolyte interface. Here we present an equivalent circuit model that simultaneously describes the results from CV, EIS, and PC transient measurements. Using semiconducting nitrogen-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond (N-UNCD) electrodes in saline solution, we show that the model describes physical mechanisms that occur at the interface with electrolyte, encompassing the space charge region, the electrical double layer, and the electrolyte. Using the model we are able to optimize parameters relevant for neural interfacing and suggest that this framework may assist in the characterization of other semiconducting electrodes.
Performance-Determining Factors for Si–Graphite Electrode Evaluation: The Role of Mass Loading and Amount of Electrolyte Additive
Authors: Surace Yuri , Jeschull Fabian , Novák Petr , Trabesinger Sigita
Published: February 2023

The mass loading of Si–graphite electrodes is often considered as a parameter of secondary importance when testing their electrochemical performance. However, if a sacrificial additive is present in the electrolyte to improve the electrochemical performance, the electrode loading becomes the battery cycle-life-determining factor. The correlation between mass-loading, electrolyte additive, and binder type was investigated by analyzing the cycling behavior of Si–graphite electrodes, prepared with water-based binders, with mass loading ranging from 3 to 9.5 mg cm−2 and cycled with FEC electrolyte additive, while keeping electrolyte amount constant. A lower loading was obtained by keeping slurry preparation steps unchanged from binder to binder and resulted in a longer lifetime for some of the binders. When the final loading was kept constant instead, the performance became independent of the binder used. Since such results can lead to the misinterpretation of the influence of electrode components on the cycling stability (and to a preference of one binder over another in our case), we propose that a comparison of long-term electrochemical performance data of Si–graphite electrodes needs to be always collected by using the same mass-loading with the constant electrolyte and additive.
Combining the External Medical Knowledge Graph Embedding to Improve the Performance of Syndrome Differentiation Model
Authors: Ye Qing , Yang Rui , Cheng Chun-lei , Peng Lin , Lan Yong
Published: February 2023

The electronic medical records (EMRs) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) include a wealth of TCM knowledge and syndrome diagnosis information, which is crucial for improving the quality of TCM auxiliary decision‐making. In practical diagnosis, one disease corresponds to one syndrome, posing considerable hurdles for the informatization of TCM. The purpose of this work was to create an end‐to‐end TCM diagnostic model, and the knowledge graph (KG) created in this article is used to improve the model’s information and realize auxiliary decision‐making for TCM disorders. We approached auxiliary decision‐making for syndrome differentiation in this article as a multilabel classification task and presented a knowledge‐based decision support model for syndrome differentiation (KDSD). Specifically, we created a KG based on TCM features (TCMKG), supplementing the textual representation of medical data with embedded information. Finally, we proposed fusing medical text with KG entity representation (F‐MT‐KER) to get prediction results using a linear output layer. After obtaining the vector representation of the medical record text using the BERT model, the vector representation of various KG embedded models can provide additional hidden information to a certain extent. Experimental results show that our method improves by 1% (P@1) on the syndrome differentiation auxiliary decision task compared to the baseline model BERT. The usage of EMRs can aid TCM development more efficiently. With the help of entity level representation, character level representation, and model fusion, the multilabel classification method based on the pretraining model and KG can better simulate the TCM syndrome differentiation of the complex cases.
Comparison of Corneal Densitometry and Visual Quality after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) and Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis (LASEK): One‐Year Comparative Study
Authors: Cai Wenting , Liu Lin , Li Min , Shi Yuehui , Sun Lina , Ma Xiaoyun , Zou Jun
Published: February 2023

Purpose. To investigate changes in corneal densitometry (CD) and visual quality following small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) in patients with mild‐to‐moderate myopia. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed on 24 and 25 patients (46 eyes each) who underwent SMILE and LASEK, respectively, for mild‐to‐moderate myopia. The visual quality and CD values were recorded. Using the Pentacam Scheimpflug system, CD values were collected in three concentric optical zones at the depths of the anterior, central, and posterior layers. Efficacy, safety, predictability, corneal wavefront aberrations, and QoV scores were measured to evaluate visual quality. A correlation analysis was performed between changes in CD and clinical characteristics. Results. There were no statistical differences in efficacy and safety indices between the two groups. At 3 months postoperatively, a pronounced reduction in several zones was observed in the LASEK group (p < 0.05), whereas no obvious change was observed in the SMILE group. There were obvious changes in the CD values in several zones in the SMILE and LASEK groups (p < 0.05) after 1 year. The magnitude of the CD changes in the anterior and central corneal layers was smaller in the SMILE group than in the LASEK group (all p < 0.05). Lower HOAs, spherical aberration, and horizontal comas of the anterior and whole corneal surfaces were observed in the SMILE group. QoV scores were similar between the two groups. Conclusion. CD decreased in the SMILE and LASEK groups after 1 year; there was a smaller reduction in SMILE than in LASEK. SMILE and LASEK did not differ significantly in terms of safety and effectiveness in correcting mild‐to‐moderate myopia.
Study on Mechanical Behavior of Fully Encased Composite Slender Columns with High-Strength Concrete Using FEM Simulation
Authors: Melesse Getinet , Jima Samuel , Asale Tegegn , Moges Yayesew , Kaske Kassa Hibretu
Published: February 2023

The most common types of composite columns used in high-rise structures are concrete-filled steel tubes (CFSTs) and concrete-encased steel (CES) that are either entirely or partially encased in concrete. The attempt of this study is to develop a suitable constitutive model addressing the behavior of fully encased composite slender columns with high-strength concrete subjected to axial loading. The nonlinear finite element (FE) package ABAQUS version 6.14-2 is used to study the response of fully encased composite (FEC) slender columns. The finite element analysis (FEA) results are validated with experimental data extracted from previous experiments. Then, the parametric study is conducted on rectangular FEC columns with different shapes of encased steel encasements to investigate the axial load-carrying capacities, axial deformation, ductility, load-deformation behavior, and confinement of FEC columns. The governing parameters for the current study are the high strength of concrete (90 MPa, 100 MPa, and 120 MPa), shapes of encased steel sections (circular, I-shaped, and rectangular steel encasements), and spacing of tie bars (50 mm, 100 mm and 150 mm). 6–21% of load increment is observed by changing the concrete compressive strength. A comparison is also made between the results of reinforced concrete and FEC slender columns and 2–11% of load increment is recorded by changing the shape of structural steel and keeping other parameters constant. The results of calibrated finite element models revealed that closely spaced tie bars resulted in a good ductility of FEC column with high-strength concrete (HSC). Significant enhancements in the axial load capacity are observed in the case of FEC slender columns than in RC slender columns of the same size and shape. Ductility and residual strength after the failure of FEC columns are also observed to increase significantly with the adoption of tubular structural steel sections. However, increasing the concrete strength results in the reduction of this ductility.
Comparison of Inflation and Ventilation with Hydrogen Sulfide during the Warm Ischemia Phase on Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury in a Rat Model of Non‐Heart‐Beating Donor Lung Transplantation
Authors: Yan Junwei , Zhang Bing , Yu Junmin , Wang Xuan , Zhao Han , Li Guangqi , Yin Yanwei , Meng Chao
Published: February 2023

Donor lung ventilation and inflation during the warm ischemia could attenuate ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI) after lung transplantation. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as a kind of protective gas, has demonstrated the antilung IRI effect. This study is aimed at observing the different methods of administering H2S in the setting of warm ischemia, ventilation, and inflation on the lung graft from a rat non‐heart‐beating donor. After 1 h of cardiac arrest, donor lungs in situ were inflated with 80 ppm H2S (FS group), ventilated with 80 ppm H2S (VS group), or deflated (control group) for 2 h. Then, the lung transplantation was performed after 3 h cold ischemia. The rats without ischemia and reperfusion were in the sham group. Pulmonary surfactant in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was measured in donor lung. The inflammatory response, cell apoptosis, and lung graft function were assessed at 3 h after reperfusion. The lung injury was exacerbated in the control group, which was attenuated significantly after the H2S treatment. Compared with the FS group, the pulmonary surfactant in the donor was deteriorated, the lung oxygenation function was decreased, and the inflammatory response and cell apoptosis were increased in the graft in the VS group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, H2S inflation during the warm ischemia phase improved the function of lung graft via regulating pulmonary surfactant stability and decreased the lung graft IRI via decreasing the inflammatory response and cell apoptosis.
Effects of Dehydrated Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Leaf Powder Supplementation on Physicochemical, Antioxidant, Mineral, and Sensory Properties of Whole Wheat Flour Leavened Bread
Authors: Khan Muhammad Asif , Shakoor Sadaf , Ameer Kashif , Farooqi Muhammad Aslam , Rohi Madiha , Saeed Muhammad , Asghar Muhammad Tuseef , Irshad Muhammad Bilal , Waseem Muhammad , Tanweer Saira , Ali Umair , Mohamed Ahmed Isam A. , Ramzan Yasra
Published: February 2023

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) has excellent nutritional significance as well as medicinal and therapeutic benefits, such as antidiabetic, anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. Whole wheat flour (WWF) is associated with a reduced risk of cancer (colon cancer), constipation, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. In this regard, the objective of the study is to determine the chemical composition, nutritional value, and antioxidant activity of moringa leaves and their MLP containing snack food (bread) to make a strong recommendation for their consumption in a balanced diet. The present study was aimed at assessing the effects of dehydrated moringa leaf powder (MLP) supplementation at 0–10% MLP levels on proximate, antioxidant, mineral, and sensory quality attributes of WWF leavened bread. Further, these quality attributes for MLP and WWF were also analyzed individually. As compared to WWF, MLP exhibited significantly higher (

p
<
0.05

) antioxidant activities, such as DPPH activity (10.38 ± 0.25 μmol TE/g DW), FRAP activity (21.43 ± 0.08 μmol TE/g DW), and total phenolic content (2.33 ± 0.04 mg GAE/100 g DW). MLP-supplemented bread exhibited significantly improved proximate, antioxidant, and mineral profile. It was evident from the proximate and sensory analysis that there was significant improvement in the nutritional composition of MLP-supplemented leavened bread; however, the overall acceptability scores of WWF leavened bread showed gradually decreasing tendency with corresponding rises in the addition levels of MLP. Based on results, it was implied that maximum acceptability was exhibited by the sample T2 supplemented at MLP addition level of 5%. Moreover, the nutritional, mineral profile, and antioxidant profile of the supplemented bread were significantly improved owing to MLP addition, and it may be implied that MLP could be exploited for improving the nutritional status of people in underdeveloped and developing countries.
A Heuristic Machine Learning‐Based Optimization Technique to Predict Lung Cancer Patient Survival
Authors: Kukreja Sonia , Sabharwal Munish , Shah Mohd Asif , Gill D. S.
Published: February 2023

Cancer has been a significant threat to human health and well‐being, posing the biggest obstacle in the history of human sickness. The high death rate in cancer patients is primarily due to the complexity of the disease and the wide range of clinical outcomes. Increasing the accuracy of the prediction is equally crucial as predicting the survival rate of cancer patients, which has become a key issue of cancer research. Many models have been suggested at the moment. However, most of them simply use single genetic data or clinical data to construct prediction models for cancer survival. There is a lot of emphasis in present survival studies on determining whether or not a patient will survive five years. The personal issue of how long a lung cancer patient will survive remains unanswered. The proposed technique Naive Bayes and SSA is estimating the overall survival time with lung cancer. Two machine learning challenges are derived from a single customized query. To begin with, determining whether a patient will survive for more than five years is a simple binary question. The second step is to develop a five‐year survival model using regression analysis. When asked to forecast how long a lung cancer patient would survive within five years, the mean absolute error (MAE) of this technique’s predictions is accurate within a month. Several biomarker genes have been associated with lung cancers. The accuracy, recall, and precision achieved from this algorithm are 98.78%, 98.4%, and 98.6%, respectively.
The Role of C-Reactive Protein in the Prognosis of Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liu Tian , Zhuo Lin
Published: February 2023

Objective. To investigate the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Methods. The studies related to C-reactive protein and prostate cancer were searched by computer, including PubMed and Web of Science. The retrieval time was from the establishment of the database to August 2022. QUADAS score was employed to assess the studies’ quality, funnel plot was employed to analyze the bias of the included studies, and RevMan and STATA statistical software programs were used to draw forest maps to represent the analysis results. Results. In the initial examination, 432 articles were obtained. After removing the duplicate articles, reading the abstract and theme, and then reading the full text, 12 articles finally met the inclusion criteria. The results revealed that serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were associated with overall survival (OS) in patients with PCa (OR = 1.47 [1.19, 1.82],

P
<
0.05

), and patients with high CRP levels had an increased risk of developing prostate cancer (HR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.29). However, there was no obvious difference in circulating CRP levels between patients with prostate cancer and healthy controls (

P
>
0.05

). Conclusions. CRP levels are associated with PCa patients′ OS. High CRP levels have an elevated incidence of PCa, but there was no obvious distinction in circulating CRP levels between patients with prostate cancer and healthy controls. Therefore, C-reactive protein has certain reference value for judging the prognosis of prostate cancer.
4‐Methoxydalbergione Elicits Anticancer Effects by Upregulation of GADD45G in Human Liver Cancer Cells
Authors: Zeng Liping , Qin Yuqi , Lu Xiaomin , Fang Xianlei , Huang Jianghua , Yu Cong , Feng Zhen-Bo
Published: February 2023

Background. 4‐Methoxydalbergione (4MOD) is a flavonoid isolated from the heartwood of Dalbergia. Studies have demonstrated that 4MOD exerts anticancer activities on bladder cancer and astrocytoma. However, the anticancer activity of 4MOD in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. This study aims to examine its anticancer activities and mechanisms in human liver cancer cells. Methods. CCK‐8, colony forming, wound healing, transwell migration, and AnnexinV/PI assays were used to assess the anticancer effects of 4MOD in HCC cells. RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq) was selected to explore the possible mechanisms underlying the anti‐HCC activity of 4MOD. The mRNA expression levels of target genes were verified through quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR). A lentiviral shRNA interference technique was used to silence GADD45G expression. GADD45G knockdown was employed to confirm the crucial role of GADD45G in the 4MOD‐mediatedanti‐HCC effects. Results. 4MOD inhibited HCC cells’ proliferation and migration and promoted tumor cell apoptosis. RNA‐Seq and qRT‐PCR analyses revealed that 4MOD treatment increased GADD45G expression. Silencing GADD45G reversed 4MOD‐mediated inhibition of proliferation, migration, and promotion of apoptosis. Conclusions. Our findings show that 4MOD elicits anti‐HCC effects by upregulating GADD45G expression and could be a valuable anticancer agent for liver cancer.
Gari, a Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Derived Product: Review on Its Quality and Their Determinants
Authors: Ngoualem Kégah Franklin , Ndjouenkeu Robert
Published: February 2023

Gari or Tapioca or Rale, a roasted yellow or white granulated product found on market stalls of sub-Saharan African countries (SSA), is made from cassava through the successive steps of peeling, grating, fermentation and/or dewatering, and roasting, and is the most consumed cassava derived product. The strengthening of its value chain can contribute to food sovereignty as well as improve the lifestyle of many urban and rural dwellers of SSA. This strengthening of the Gari value chain requires the identification of its weaknesses and proposes research and development initiatives that will increase its contribution to food sovereignty. The present review aimed thus at achieving this goal through a review of up to now knowledge on (i) end-users preferences for cassava and Gari in SSA; (ii) the quality (nutritional and microbiological) of Gari found on market stalls; (iii) processing and raw material determinant of this quality; (iv) research and development trials which have been done to improve the nutritional quality of Gari. It also proposes some scientific challenges to overcome in SSA in order to have all the ingredients for success.
State-of-the-Art Graphene Synthesis Methods and Environmental Concerns
Authors: Edward Kaamil , Mamun Kabir , Narayan Sumesh , Assaf Mansour , Rohindra David , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: February 2023

Graphene, a 2D sp2 hybridized carbon sheet consisting of a honeycomb network, is the building block of graphite. Since its discovery in 2004, graphene’s exceptional electronic and mechanical properties have peaked interest in various applications. However, the inability to mass produce high-quality graphene affordably currently limits the practical application of the material. Researchers are continuously working on advancing graphene synthesis methods to alleviate these limitations. Therefore, this review looks at the overview of established graphene synthesis methods and characterization techniques, and then highlights an in-depth review of graphene production through flash joule heating. The environmental concerns related to graphene synthesis are also presented in this review paper.
Effect of ZrB2 Particles on Machining Parameters of AA7475 Alloy-Based Composites by Optimization Technique
Authors: Mahesha C. R. , Suprabha R. , Suresh Kumar R. , Chowdary Chirumamill Mallika , Upadhyay Viyat Varun , Soumya M. , Al-Ammar Essam A. , Palaniappan Sivasankar , Diriba Abdi
Published: February 2023

ZrB2 particle-reinforced AA7475 is a potential material for high-performance aeronautical engine blades because of its exceptional characteristics. The machinability of ZrB2/AA7475 metal matrix composites (MMC) is still a challenge because of the influence of ZrB2 particles. The impact of ZrB2 particulates on the machined parameters of ZrB2/aluminum matrix composites was explored experimentally in order to meet the needs of industry. Additionally, the best machining circumstances for this type of material matrix composites were studied in this research. A surface roughness (Ra) and metal removal rate (MRR) multiobjective optimization model was built, and a set of ideal parameter combinations was produced, with the surface roughness of ZrB2/AA7475 material matrix composites being lower than that of the nonreinforced alloys at the same cutting speed.
Post-Quantum Privacy-Preserving Provable Data Possession Scheme Based on Smart Contracts
Authors: Li Zhengwen , Zhang Tengjiao , Zhao De , Zha Yaxing , Sun Jun
Published: February 2023

Provable data possession (PDP) is a crucial means of protecting the integrity of data in the domain of cloud storage. In the post-quantum era, the PDP scheme that uses lattices relies too heavily on the third-party auditor (TPA), which is not entirely trustworthy and is easily affected by a single point of failure. Moreover, the scheme often leads to the leakage of private user data while attempting to satisfy the demand for public verification. In response to the above problems, this paper designs a protocol for post-quantum privacy-preserving PDP and uses it to develop a scheme based on smart contracts. The proposed scheme has the characteristics of being post quantum and can satisfy the demand for public verification while preserving user privacy. The property of noninteraction of the protocol can reduce transaction fees incurred owing to the frequent operation of the blockchain, and the smart contract with a deposit mechanism can ensure fair payments to all parties. The results of a theoretical analysis and experiments show that the proposed scheme is highly secure and efficient.
Expression of Long Noncoding RNA, HOTAIR, and MicroRNA-205 and Their Relation to Transforming Growth Factor β1 in Patients with Alopecia Areata
Authors: Mohamad Noha , Khedr Ahmed M.B. , Shaker Olfat Gamil , Hassan Mohammed
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune condition that affects anagen hair follicles. The most commonly recognized theory is that it is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disorder in a genetically susceptible individual. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were thought to play a function in the pathogenesis. The expression of lncRNA HOTAIR and miRNA-205 and their relation to transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in AA were not studied. Aim: The aim of the studywas to evaluate the role of miRNA-205, lncRNA, HOTAIR, and TGF-β1 levels in AA pathogenesis, clinical course, and severity of AA. Methods: Two groups of subjects were included in this case-control study: 50 patients with AA and 50 healthy matched controls. miRNA-205 and lncRNA HOTAIR expression levels were assayed using quantitative RT-PCR, while serum levels of TGF-β1 were assayed using ELISA techniques. Results: The serum expression of lncRNA HOTAIR was significantly downregulated in AA patients with a p value < 0.001, while the serum expression of both miRNA-205 and TGF-β1 were significantly upregulated in patients. Discussion/Conclusion: This study highlights the potential role of high serum expression of miRNA-205 and TGF-β1 and the low serum expression of lncRNA HOTAIR in AA pathogenesis. This could be used as a therapeutic target to treat AA.
Molecular Screening of Blood Donors for Babesia in Tyrol, Austria
Authors: Bloch Evan M. , Siller Anita , Tonnetti Laura , Drews Steven J. , Spencer Bryan R. , Hedges Doris , Mergenthal Tessa , Weber-Schehl Marijke , Astl Manfred , Patel Eshan U. , Gaber Manfred , Schennach Harald ,   for the ISBT TTID Working Party Parasite subgroup
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Babesia is a tick-borne intraerythrocytic parasite that is globally ubiquitous, yet understudied. Several species of Babesia have been shown to be transfusion-transmissible. Babesia has been reported in blood donors, animals, and ticks in the Tyrol (Western Austria), and regional cases of human babesiosis have been described. We sought to characterize the risk of Babesia to the local blood supply. Methods: Prospective molecular testing was performed on blood donors who presented to regional, mobile blood collection drives in the Tyrol, Austria (27 May to October 4, 2021). Testing was conducted using the cobas® Babesia assay (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.), a commercial PCR assay approved for blood donor screening that is capable of detecting the 4 primary species causing human babesiosis (i.e., B. microti, B. divergens, B. duncani, and B. venatorum). A confirmatory algorithm to manage initial PCR-reactive samples was developed, as were procedures for donor and product management. Results: A total of 7,972 donors were enrolled and screened; 4,311 (54.1%) were male, with a median age of 47 years (IQR = 34–55). No positive cases of Babesia were detected, corresponding with an overall prevalence of 0.00% (95% CI: 0.00%, 0.05%). Discussion: The findings suggest that the prevalence of Babesia is low in Austrian blood donors residing in the Tyrol, even during months of peak tick exposure. Although one cannot conclude the absence of Babesia in this population given the limited sample size, the findings suggest that the regional risk of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis is low.