bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Wear Performance of Surface Alloy Coating of Inner Lining Pipe under Different Load and Mineralization Conditions
Authors: Xi Yuntao , Bi Yucong , Wang Yang , Wang Lan , Su Shikai , Wang Lei , Ding Liqin , Xu Shanna , Liu Haitao , Xiao Xinke , Liu Ruifan , Ji Jiangtao
Published: October 2024

Testing was carried out in this study to evaluate the friction and wear performance of 45# steel inner liner pipes with cladding, along with four different types of centralizing materials (45# steel, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and surface alloy coating) in oil field conditions. Under dry-friction conditions, the coefficients of friction and rates of wear are significantly higher than their counterparts in aqueous solutions. This is attributed to the lubricating effect provided by the aqueous solution, which reduces direct friction between contact surfaces, thereby lowering wear. As the degree of mineralization in the aqueous solution increases, the coefficient of friction tends to decrease, indicating that an elevated level of mineralization enhances the lubricating properties of the aqueous solution. The wear pattern in an aqueous solution is similar to that in dry-friction conditions under different loads, but with a lower friction coefficient and wear rate. The coating has played an important role in protecting the wear process of 45# steel, and the friction coefficient and wear rate of tubing materials under various environmental media have been significantly reduced. In terms of test load, taking into account the friction coefficient and wear rate, the suggested order for centralizing materials for lining oil pipes with the surface alloy coating is as follows: (i) surface alloy coating, (ii) nylon, (iii) PTFE, and (iv) 45# steel.
Comprehensive Evaluation of the Massively Parallel Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Kernel “Stochastic Parallel Rarefied-Gas Time-Accurate Analyzer” in Rarefied Hypersonic Flows—Part B: Hypersonic Vehicles
Authors: Klothakis Angelos , Nikolos Ioannis K.
Published: October 2024

In the past decade, there has been significant progress in the development, testing, and production of vehicles capable of achieving hypersonic speeds. This area of research has garnered immense interest due to the transformative potential of these vehicles. Part B of this paper initially explores the current state of hypersonic vehicle development and deployment, as well as the propulsion technologies involved. At next, two additional test cases, used for the evaluation of DSMC code SPARTA are analyzed: a Mach 12.4 flow over a flared cylinder and a Mach 15.6 flow over a 25/55-degree biconic. These (2D-axisymmetric) test cases have been selected as they are tailored for the assessment of flow and heat transfer characteristics of present and future hypersonic vehicles, for both their external and internal aerodynamics. These test cases exhibit (in a larger range compared to the test cases presented in Part A of this work) shock–boundary and shock–shock interactions, which can provide a fair assessment of the SPARTA DSMC solver accuracy, in flow conditions which characterize hypersonic flight and can adequately test its ability to qualitatively and quantitatively capture the complicated physics behind such demanding flows. This validation campaign of SPARTA provided valuable experience for the correct tuning of the various parameters of the solver, especially for the use of adequate computational grids, thus enabling its subsequent application to more complicated three-dimensional test cases of hypersonic vehicles.
Effects of Radiation Damage on Metal-Binding Sites in Thermolysin
Authors: Nam Ki Hyun
Published: October 2024

Radiation damage is an inherent problem in macromolecular crystallography because it impairs the diffraction quality of crystals and produces inaccurate structural information. Understanding radiation damage in protein structures is crucial for accurate structural interpretation and effective data collection. This study undertook X-ray data collection and structure determination of thermolysin (TLN), which contains Zn and Ca ions, by using three different X-ray doses to improve our understanding of the radiation damage phenomena on metal ions in proteins. Data processing revealed typical global radiation damage in TLN, such as an increase in unit cell volume, Rmerge value, and Wilson B-factor. An analysis of the B-factor indicated that radiation damage at the Zn and Ca sites in TLN increased with higher X-ray doses. However, the distance between the metal ions and their interacting residues in TLN was not significantly affected, suggesting that radiation damage to the metal ions has a minimal effect on these interactions. Moreover, the increase in the B-factor of the metal ions according to the X-ray dose was similar to that in the B-factor of the residues interacting with the metal ions. These results expand our understanding of radiation damage phenomena in macromolecules and can be used to improve data collection strategies.
Sharing Mono-Institutional Experience of Treating Pancreatic Cancer with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
Authors: Waheed Asmara , Murland Shannah , Yip Eugene , Heikal Amr , Ghosh Sunita , Abraham Aswin , Paulson Kim , Tankel Keith , Usmani Nawaid , Severin Diane , Wong Clarence , Joseph Kurian
Published: October 2024

Background: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an evolving treatment for the local management of pancreatic cancer (PC). The main purpose of this study is to report our initial experience in terms of local control (LC) and toxicity for PC patients treated with SBRT. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients treated with SBRT using abdominal compression (AC) or an end-expiratory breath-holding (EEBH) technique. The median prescribed dose was 35 Gy, delivered in five fractions. Toxicities were recorded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v5.0, and survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: From 2017 to 2023, 17 PC patients were offered SBRT. Their median age was 69 years. The median follow-up from the date of diagnosis was 22.37 months. The overall survival (OS) was 94% at 1 year and 60.9% at 2 years. The progression-free survival (PFS) was 63.1% at 6 months and 56.1% at 9 months. The median OS was 26.3 months, and the median PFS was 20.6 months. The 6-month and 1-year LC rates were 71% and 50.8%, respectively. Conclusion: We are successful in implementing the SBRT program at our centre. SBRT appears to be a promising treatment option for achieving LC with limited acute toxicities.
Assessment of the Breast Density Prevalence in Swiss Women with a Deep Convolutional Neural Network: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kaiser Adergicia V. , Zanolin-Purin Daniela , Chuck Natalie , Enaux Jennifer , Wruk Daniela
Published: October 2024

Background/Objectives: High breast density is a risk factor for breast cancer and can reduce the sensitivity of mammography. Given the influence of breast density on patient risk stratification and screening accuracy, it is crucial to monitor the prevalence of extremely dense breasts within local populations. Moreover, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding breast density prevalence in Switzerland. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of breast density in a selected Swiss population. Methods: To overcome the potential variability in breast density classifications by human readers, this study utilized commercially available deep convolutional neural network breast classification software. A retrospective analysis of mammographic images of women aged 40 years and older was performed. Results: A total of 4698 mammograms from women (58 ± 11 years) were included in this study. The highest prevalence of breast density was in category C (heterogeneously dense), which was observed in 41.5% of the cases. This was followed by category B (scattered areas of fibroglandular tissue), which accounted for 22.5%. Conclusions: Notably, extremely dense breasts (category D) were significantly more common in younger women, with a prevalence of 34%. However, this rate dropped sharply to less than 10% in women over 55 years of age.
Enhancing Influenza Detection through Integrative Machine Learning and Nasopharyngeal Metabolomic Profiling: A Comprehensive Study
Authors: Sumon Md. Shaheenur Islam , Hossain Md Sakib Abrar , Al-Sulaiti Haya , Yassine Hadi M. , Chowdhury Muhammad E. H.
Published: October 2024

Background/Objectives: Nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs are commonly used for detecting respiratory viruses, including influenza, which significantly alters host cell metabolites. This study aimed to develop a machine learning model to identify biomarkers that differentiate between influenza-positive and -negative cases using clinical metabolomics data. Method: A publicly available dataset of 236 nasopharyngeal samples screened via liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight (LC/Q-TOF) mass spectrometry was used. Among these, 118 samples tested positive for influenza (40 A H1N1, 39 A H3N2, 39 Influenza B), while 118 were negative controls. A stacking-based model was proposed using the top 20 selected features. Thirteen machine learning models were initially trained, and the top three were combined using predicted probabilities to form a stacking classifier. Results: The ExtraTrees stacking model outperformed other models, achieving 97.08% accuracy. External validation on a prospective cohort of 96 symptomatic individuals (48 positive and 48 negatives for influenza) showed 100% accuracy. SHAP values were used to enhance model explainability. Metabolites such as Pyroglutamic Acid (retention time: 0.81 min, m/z: 84.0447) and its in-source fragment ion (retention time: 0.81 min, m/z: 130.0507) showed minimal impact on influenza-positive cases. On the other hand, metabolites with a retention time of 10.34 min and m/z 106.0865, and a retention time of 8.65 min and m/z 211.1376, demonstrated significant positive contributions. Conclusions: This study highlights the effectiveness of integrating metabolomics data with machine learning for accurate influenza diagnosis. The stacking-based model, combined with SHAP analysis, provided robust performance and insights into key metabolites influencing predictions.
Short-Term Metformin Therapy in Clomiphene Citrate Resistant PCOS Patients Improves Fertility Outcome by Regulating Follicular Fluid Redox Balance: A Case-Controlled Study
Authors: Tas Mustafa
Published: October 2024

Objectives: To determine the effect of short-term metformin administration on follicular fluid (FF) total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) in women with clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: Fifty-eight patients aged 23–34 who were planned to have intracytoplasmic sperm injection due to clomiphene citrate-resistant PCOS were included in the study. Participants were divided into two groups according to whether they used metformin or not. While 30 of 58 PCOS patients were using short-term metformin in combination with controlled ovarian stimulation, 28 PCOS patients were not using metformin. Metformin was started in the mid-luteal period and continued until the day before oocyte retrieval at 850 mg twice daily. To determine FF-NF-kB, TAS, TOS and OSI values, a dominant follicle ≥17–18 mm in diameter was selected for aspiration. Results: The number of mature follicles and fertilization rates of the metformin group were significantly higher than those not taking metformin. FF-TOS and OSI of the metformin group were significantly lower than those of the group not receiving metformin. Patients receiving metformin had higher FF-TAS than the group not receiving metformin. FF-NF-kB levels of the metformin group were significantly lower than the group not receiving metformin. Insulin resistance, FF-NF-kB and FF-TOS were negatively correlated with the number of mature oocytes. FF-TAS was positively correlated with the number of oocytes. Conclusions: Short-term metformin treatment in clomiphene-resistant PCOS improves the number of mature follicles and fertilization rates by regulating the intra-follicle redox balance.
Assessing Differential Transfusion Requirements for Children with Congenital Malformations vs. Pediatric Acute Abdomen Emergencies
Authors: Ionescu Alin , Mihăilescu Alexandra , Chiriță-Emandi Adela , Munagala Nitesh , David Vlad Laurențiu , Dumache Raluca , Săndesc Dorel , Bedreag Ovidiu , Folescu Roxana , Bratosin Felix , Barata Paula Irina , Cristescu Dan-Mihai , Săndesc Mihai Alexandru
Published: October 2024

Background and Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative blood transfusions in correcting anemia for pediatric patients with congenital malformations (CMs) versus those with acute abdomen (AA) conditions. The study hypothesized that the response to transfusions might vary significantly between these groups due to the differences in the underlying pathology and clinical status. Methods: The study included 107 pediatric patients admitted to Timisoara ‘Louis Turcanu’ Emergency Hospital for Children between January 2015 and May 2023, who required blood transfusions for preoperative anemia. Hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), and red blood cell counts (RBC) were assessed at admission, 48 h post-transfusion, and at discharge. Statistical analyses, including Student’s t-test, Pearson correlation, and chi-square tests, were utilized to compare outcomes between the groups. The study population was divided into 53 children with CM and 54 with AA. Results: Initial analyses showed that children with CM had statistically significantly higher baseline HGB (8.54 ± 1.00 g/dL vs. 7.87 ± 1.02 g/dL, p = 0.001) and HCT (26.07 ± 3.98% vs. 23.95 ± 2.90%, p = 0.002) compared to those with AA. Post-transfusion, children with CM exhibited a greater increase in HGB, with the highest increases noted in patients with central nervous system defects (mean increase of 3.67 g/dL, p = 0.038). In contrast, the increases in HGB for children with AA were less pronounced, with the highest being 2.03 g/dL in those with peritonitis (p = 0.078). Conclusions: No significant gender differences were noted in response to transfusion. Children with congenital malformations respond more effectively to preoperative blood transfusions compared to those with acute abdomen conditions. These findings suggest that differential transfusion strategies may be required based on the underlying medical condition to optimize the management of preoperative anemia in pediatric patients. Tailoring transfusion approaches according to specific patient needs and conditions could enhance clinical outcomes and resource utilization in pediatric surgical settings.
Distribution of Immunomodulation, Protection and Regeneration Factors in Cleft-Affected Bone and Cartilage
Authors: Vaivads Mārtiņš , Pilmane Māra
Published: October 2024

Background: Craniofacial clefts can form a significant defect within bone and cartilage, which can negatively affect tissue homeostasis and the remodeling process. Multiple proteins can affect supportive tissue growth, while also regulating local immune response and tissue protection. Some of these factors, like galectin-10 (Gal-10), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells protein 65 (NF-κB p65), heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and 70 (HSP70) and cathelicidin (LL-37), have not been well studied in cleft-affected supportive tissue, while more known tissue regeneration regulators like type I collagen (Col-I) and bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 4 (BMP-2/4) have not been assessed jointly with immunomodulation and protective proteins. Information about the presence and interaction of these proteins in cleft-affected supportive tissue could be helpful in developing biomaterials and improving cleft treatment. Methods: Two control groups and two cleft patient groups for bone tissue and cartilage, respectively, were organized with five patients in each group. Immunohistochemistry with the semiquantitative counting method was implemented to determine Gal-10-, NF-κB p65-, HSP60-, HSP70-, LL-37-, Col-I- and BMP-2/4-positive cells within the tissue. Results: Factor-positive cells were identified in each study group. Multiple statistically significant correlations were identified. Conclusions: A significant increase in HSP70-positive chondrocytes in cleft patients could indicate that HSP70 might be reacting to stressors caused by the local tissue defect. A significant increase in Col-I-positive osteocytes in cleft patients might indicate increased bone remodeling and osteocyte activity due to the presence of a cleft. Correlations between factors indicate notable differences in molecular interactions within each group.
State Regulation of the Digital Transformation of Agribusiness in the Context of the Climate Crisis Intensification
Authors: Imanbayeva Zauresh , Abuselidze George , Bukharbayeva Akmaral , Jrauova Kuralay , Oralbayeva Aizhan , Kushenova Maira
Published: October 2024

The research states that the exacerbation of the climate crisis observed in recent years is accompanied by an increase in ground-level temperatures, natural disasters, loss of water resources, and other extreme weather events, which significantly impact the economy, water, and food security of water-dependent countries and the expected consequences shortly. For this purpose, during this research, data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan were studied, and a sample of private indicators of the country’s agribusiness digitalization potential was made, which were further normalized to construct a mathematical model of the correlation between the level of digitalization of the agricultural sector and the volume of water consumed by agribusiness. The feasibility of using agricultural notes (electronic agricultural receipts) in Kazakhstan’s agribusiness as an innovative tool for attracting funds to develop agricultural production is justified. It is highlighted that the agricultural note has the potential to become a successful tool for attracting funds for the digitalization of the agricultural sector, provided it acquires the status of a full-fledged market product, in which state regulation of Kazakhstan’s agribusiness digital transformation plays a significant role.
Training Staff to Implement Free-Operant Preference Assessment: Effects of Remote Behavioral Skills Training
Authors: Li Tangchen , Alber-Morgan Sheila R.
Published: October 2024

Behavior Skills Training (BST) was used remotely to teach four special education teachers who lived in China to conduct free-operant preference assessments. A multiple baseline across participant design demonstrated a functional relationship between remote BST and the percentage of assessment steps completed correctly. Additionally, two of the four participants demonstrated generalization. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.
Dropout Intention among University Students with ADHD Symptoms: Exploring a Path Model for the Role of Self-Efficacy, Resilience, and Depression
Authors: Müller Vanessa , Mellor David , Pikó Bettina F.
Published: October 2024

Major conceptual models of ADHD and learning disabilities underscore the adverse effects they have on academic performance and dropout from university. Therefore, identifying psychological risks and protective factors can aid in managing academic challenges and decreasing dropout rates. In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 395 Hungarian college students (66.6% female, mean age 23.72 years [SD = 3.87]) responded to an online survey including the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Academic Resilience Scale, and the Higher Education Retention Questionnaire. Path analysis indicated that depression and academic resilience mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and dropout intention, while self-efficacy moderates this association. The findings highlight the critical role of psychological factors in shaping academic dropout for college students with ADHD symptoms. Enhancing academic resilience and self-efficacy may help mitigate the negative impact of ADHD symptoms on college retention.
The Use of Guided Reflections in Learning Proof Writing
Authors: Hoffman Kathleen , Williams Tory H. , Kephart Kerrie
Published: October 2024

We investigated written self-reflections in an undergraduate proof-writing course designed to mitigate the difficulty of a subsequent introductory analysis course. Students wrote weekly self-reflections guided by mechanical, structural, creative, and critical thinking modalities. Our research was guided by three research questions focused on the impact of student self-reflections on student metacognition and performance in the interventional and follow-up class. To address these questions, we categorized the quality of the students’ reflections and calculated their average course grades within each category in the proof-writing, the prerequisite, and the introductory analysis courses. The results demonstrated that writing high-quality self-reflections was a statistically significant predictor of earning higher average course grades in the proof-writing course and the analysis course, but not in the prerequisite course. Convergence over the semester of the students’ self-evaluations toward an experts’ scorings on a modality rubric indicates that students improve in their understanding of the modalities. The repeated writing of guided self-reflections using the framework of the modalities seems to support growth in the students’ awareness of their proof-writing abilities.
“A Win for All of Us”: A Counterstory on What Counts as Success in Latinx Students’ College Decision-Making
Authors: Luqueño Leslie Patricia
Published: October 2024

This paper utilizes a composite counterstory to address how Latinx first-generation-to-college, low-income students describe what ‘success’ looks like within their college decision-making processes and counter traditional perspectives on what should matter as they contemplate whether and where to pursue higher education. Building upon calls within college decision-making literature that better encompass the social ecologies of marginalized students, this study centers the voices of 14 Latinx students who apply to college and, oftentimes, challenge educators and mainstream narratives about how they should select which institution to attend. What I found is that students’ decision-making processes cannot be explained through mainstream narratives such as meritocracy, undermatching theory, or the importance of school prestige; rather, these discourses, when perpetuated by educators and peers, can be incredibly discouraging and cause dissonance among students. Instead, students portray the importance of family and collective well-being when considering where to pursue college, showing the non-academic prioritizations that shape students’ perspectives on ‘success’. Overall, this study provides an essential counterstory against deficit perspectives surrounding Latinx first-generation, low-income students’ college decision-making and encourages further exploration of how government funding and initiatives can support students regardless of what institution they attend.
Architectural Proposal for Low-Cost Portable Digital Oscilloscopes Based on Microcontrollers and Operational Amplifiers
Authors: Sierra-García J. Enrique , Sanza Carlos
Published: October 2024

Recently, an increasing number of people have employed do-it-yourself (DIY) and do-it-with-others (DIWO) techniques and processes to develop unique technology products. This trend is commonly called the maker movement and fosters the creation of own electronic and mechanical devices and tools. Oscilloscopes are really useful tools to diagnose problems and analyze electronic devices and electrical circuits, and thus they should not stay outside this trend. To contribute to this field, an architecture to make low-cost portable digital oscilloscopes is proposed. The proposal is mainly based on general-purpose microcontrollers and operational amplifiers. Following this approach, a portable oscilloscope with two input channels, a graphic display, a synchronism detector, internal and external triggers, and a digital signal analyzer function is designed. Furthermore, different options for the implementation are proposed and discussed.
A Unified-Mode Analysis Method for Symmetric Networks and Its Application to Balun Design
Authors: Li Lei , Li Qingbo , Shen Zhongxiang , Wu Wen
Published: October 2024

A unified-mode analysis method for modeling symmetric networks is proposed in this paper. Adjusting to the characteristics of Marchand balun circuits, a unified-mode circuit model is constructed by introducing virtual impedance. The tenable condition of a Marchand balun with connecting segments is then derived. The parameter constraint of Marchand balun’s input matching is given in a quarter-saddle diagram. Simulated results under different parameter conditions verify the validity of the derived formulas. Based on the derived formulas, the traditional isolation circuit and impedance matching circuit are merged with a Marchand balun to achieve matching for all ports and full-frequency isolation between output ports. A microstrip balun with input and output impedance values of 50 Ω, operating at 1.5 GHz, is simulated, fabricated, and measured. The simulated and measured results of the microstrip balun are in good agreement. When the core parameters remain unchanged, an impedance transformer is inserted in front of the input port of the balun to realize a balun with a topology characterized by flexible impedance transformation. A balun with an input impedance of 35 Ω and different output impedances of 50 Ω and 75 Ω is simulated and fabricated to verify the design concept. Measured results show that an amplitude balance of less than 0.4 dB and a phase balance of less than 3° for a fractional bandwidth of 50%. It should be mentioned that all design equations are closed-form and can be readily employed to design symmetric networks.
Geometric Algebra Framework Applied to Single-Phase Linear Circuits with Nonsinusoidal Voltages and Currents
Authors: Cieśliński Jan L. , Walczyk Cezary J.
Published: October 2024

We apply a well known technique of theoretical physics, known as geometric algebra or Clifford algebra, to linear electrical circuits with nonsinusoidal voltages and currents. We rederive from the first principles the geometric algebra approach to the apparent power decomposition. The important new point consists of endowing the space of Fourier harmonics with a structure of a geometric algebra (it is enough to define the Clifford product of two periodic functions). We construct a set of commuting invariant imaginary units which are used to define impedance and admittance for any frequency.
GPU@SAT DevKit: Empowering Edge Computing Development Onboard Satellites in the Space-IoT Era
Authors: Benelli Gionata , Todaro Giovanni , Monopoli Matteo , Giuffrida Gianluca , Donati Massimiliano , Fanucci Luca
Published: October 2024

Advancements in technology have driven the miniaturization of embedded systems, making them more cost-effective and energy-efficient for wireless applications. As a result, the number of connectable devices in Internet of Things (IoT) networks has increased significantly, creating the challenge of linking them effectively and economically. The space industry has long recognized this challenge and invested in satellite infrastructure for IoT networks, exploiting the potential of edge computing technologies. In this context, it is of critical importance to enhance the onboard computing capabilities of satellites and develop enabling technologies for their advancement. This is necessary to ensure that satellites are able to connect devices while reducing latency, bandwidth utilization, and development costs, and improving privacy and security measures. This paper presents the GPU@SAT DevKit: an ecosystem for testing a high-performance, general-purpose accelerator designed for FPGAs and suitable for edge computing tasks on satellites. This ecosystem provides a streamlined way to exploit GPGPU processing in space, enabling faster development times and more efficient resource use. Designed for FPGAs and tailored to edge computing tasks, the GPU@SAT accelerator mimics the parallel architecture of a GPU, allowing developers to leverage its capabilities while maintaining flexibility. Its compatibility with OpenCL simplifies the development process, enabling faster deployment of satellite-based applications. The DevKit was implemented and tested on a Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC evaluation board from Xilinx, integrating the GPU@SAT IP core with the system’s embedded processor. A client/server approach is used to run applications, allowing users to easily configure and execute kernels through a simple XML document. This intuitive interface provides end-users with the ability to run and evaluate kernel performance and functionality without dealing with the underlying complexities of the accelerator itself. By making the GPU@SAT IP core more accessible, the DevKit significantly reduces development time and lowers the barrier to entry for satellite-based edge computing solutions. The DevKit was also compared with other onboard processing solutions, demonstrating similar performance.
Provably Quantum Secure Three-Party Mutual Authentication and Key Exchange Protocol Based on Modular Learning with Error
Authors: Park Hyewon , Son Seunghwan , Park Youngho , Park Yohan
Published: October 2024

With the rapid development of quantum computers, post-quantum cryptography (PQC) has become critical technology in the security field. PQC includes cryptographic techniques that are secure against quantum-computer-based attacks, utilizing methods such as code-based, isogeny-based, and lattice-based approaches. Among these, lattice-based cryptography is the most extensively studied due to its ease of implementation and efficiency. As quantum computing advances, the need for secure communication protocols that can withstand quantum computer-based threats becomes increasingly important. Traditional two-party AKE protocols have a significant limitation: the security of the entire system can be compromised if either of the communicating parties behaves maliciously. To overcome this limitation, researchers have proposed three-party AKE protocols, where a third party acts as an arbiter or verifier. However, we found that a recently proposed three-party AKE protocol is vulnerable to quantum-computer-based attacks. To address this issue, we propose a provably quantum secure three-party AKE protocol based on MLWE. The proposed scheme leverages the user’s biometric information and the server’s master key to prevent the exposure of critical parameters. We analyzed the security of the protocol using simulation tools such as the Burrows–Abadi–Needham (BAN) logic, Real-or-Random (RoR) model, and Automated Validation of Internet Security Protocols and Applications (AVISPA). Furthermore, comparative analysis with similar protocols demonstrates that our protocol is efficient and suitable.
Distributed Ledger-Based Authentication and Authorization of IoT Devices in Federated Environments
Authors: Jarosz Michał , Wrona Konrad , Zieliński Zbigniew
Published: October 2024

One of the main security challenges when federating separate Internet of Things (IoT) administrative domains is effective Identity and Access Management, which is required to establish trust and secure communication between federated IoT devices. The primary goal of the work is to develop a “lightweight” protocol to enable authentication and authorization of IoT devices in federated environments and ensure the secure communication of IoT devices. We propose a novel Lightweight Authentication and Authorization Framework for Federated IoT (LAAFFI) which takes advantage of the unique fingerprint of IoT devices based on their configuration and additional hardware modules, such as Physical Unclonable Function, to provide flexible authentication and authorization based on Distributed Ledger technology. Moreover, LAAFFI supports IoT devices with limited computing resources and devices not equipped with secure storage space. We implemented a prototype of LAAFFI and evaluated its performance in the Hyperledger Fabric-based IoT framework. Three main metrics were evaluated: latency, throughput (number of operations or transactions per second), and network resource utilization rate (transmission overhead introduced by the LAAFFI protocol). The performance tests conducted confirmed the high efficiency and suitability of the protocol for federated IoT environments. Also, all LAAFFI components are scalable as confirmed by tests. We formally evaluated LAAFFI security using Verifpal as a formal verification tool. Based on the models developed for Verifpal, we validated their security properties, such as message secrecy, authenticity, and freshness. Our results show that the proposed solution can improve the security of federated IoT environments while providing zero-day interoperability and high scalability. Compared to existing solutions, LAAFFI is more efficient due to the use of symmetric cryptography and algorithms adapted for operations involving IoT devices. LAAFFI supports multiple authorization mechanisms, and since it also offers authentication and accountability, it meets the requirements of Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA). It uses Distributed Ledger (DL) and smart contracts to ensure that the request complies with the policies agreed between the organizations. LAAFFI offers authentication of devices belonging to a single organization and different organizations, with the assurance that the encryption key will be shared with another device only if the appropriate security policy is met. The proposed protocol is particularly useful for ensuring the security of federated IoT environments created ad hoc for special missions, e.g., operations conducted by NATO countries and disaster relief operations Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) involving military forces and civilian services, where immediate interoperability is required.
STC-BERT (Satellite Traffic Classification-BERT): A Traffic Classification Model for Low-Earth-Orbit Satellite Internet Systems
Authors: Liu Kexuan , Zhang Yasheng , Lu Shan
Published: October 2024

The low-Earth-orbit satellite internet supports the transmission of multiple business types. With increasing business volume and advancements in encryption technology, the quality of service faces challenges. Traditional models lack flexibility in optimizing network performance and ensuring service quality, particularly showing poor performance in identifying encrypted traffic. Therefore, designing a model that can accurately identify multiple business scenarios as well as encrypted traffic with strong generalization capabilities is a challenging issue to resolve. In this paper, addressing the characteristics of diverse low-Earth-orbit satellite traffic and encryption, the authors propose STC-BERT (satellite traffic classification-BERT). During the pretraining phase, this model learns contextual relationships of large-scale unlabeled traffic data, while in the fine-tuning phase, it utilizes a semantic-enhancement algorithm to highlight the significance of key tokens. Post semantic enhancement, a satellite traffic feature fusion module is introduced to integrate tokens into specific low-dimensional scales and achieve final classification in fully connected layers. The experimental results demonstrate our approach’s outstanding performance compared to other models: achieving 99.31% (0.2%↑) in the USTC-TFC task, 99.49% in the ISCX-VPN task, 98.44% (0.9%↑) in the Cross-Platform task, and 98.19% (0.8%↑) in the CSTNET-TLS1.3 task.
Inclined Installation Effect on the Offset Strip Finned Heat Exchanger Designed for a Hybrid Electric Propulsion System in Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing
Authors: Lee Sangyoon , Jun Sangook , Huh Jae-Sung , Park Poomin , Lim Byeung-Jun
Published: October 2024

The plate-fin heat exchanger was designed for the liquid cooling thermal management system of the hybrid electric propulsion system for an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. The offset-strip fin design was applied, and the performance of the heat exchanger was evaluated, particularly with respect to the inclination of the airflow entering the heat exchanger. The estimated performance during the design phase matched well with the experimental results. The inclination of the heat exchanger had a minimal effect on thermal performance, with a slight increase in performance as the inclination increased. However, the pressure difference along the airflow was affected, likely increasing as the inclination increased. The sensitivity of various parameters on coolant temperature was also investigated. The air inlet temperature had a significant effect on coolant temperature, followed by the coolant flow rate. Therefore, when designing the thermal management system, careful consideration should be given to the ambient air temperature and coolant flow rate.
Modeling and Characterization of Li-Ion 18650 Nickel–Cobalt–Alumina Battery Jellyroll Subjected to Static and Dynamic Compression Loading
Authors: Santosa Sigit Puji , Fadillah Hafiz
Published: October 2024

This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation of the mechanical response of the jellyroll and complete Li-ion 18650 Nickel–Cobalt–Alumina (NCA) battery under axial compression, highlighting the effects of strain rate and state-of-charge (SOC). The jellyroll was subjected to both static (1 mm/min) and dynamic (10–30 m/s) axial compression using a Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB). A key innovation of this work is the investigation of the role of electrolytes under both static and dynamic conditions, revealing their significant impact on stress and strain behavior due to hydrostatic pressure. Additionally, the complete NCA battery was tested under various SOC levels (0–75%) using flat plate compression. The results demonstrate the jellyroll’s sensitivity to strain rate, with increased stress responses at higher loading speeds. Furthermore, the inclusion of electrolytes markedly amplified the stress and strain response. The Fu-Chang model was successfully employed to numerically replicate the observed static and dynamic behaviors. Critically, the full battery tests revealed a negative correlation between voltage cutoff and SOC, with the risk of fire and explosion increasing at higher SOC levels. This research provides novel insights into the safety and mechanical resilience of Li-ion batteries under compression.
Estimation of Water Demand for Riparian Forest Vegetation Based on Sentinel-2 Data: A Case Study of the Kokyar River Basin
Authors: Liu Xianhe , Alifujiang Yilinuer , Abliz Abdugheni , Asaiduli Halidan , Ye Panqing , Nurahmat Buasi
Published: October 2024

In recent years, due to the shortage of water resources and the fragile ecological environment in arid areas, the relationship between vegetation and water resources has been relatively close. The unreasonable allocation of water resources and the excessive demand for ecological water use have led to ecological and environmental problems such as river interruption, land desertification, and the extensive withering of vegetation in arid areas; therefore, rapid, accurate estimation of the vegetation ecological water demand has become a hot research topic in related fields. In this study, we classified the land use types in the lower reaches of the Kokyar River Basin based on Sentinel-2A data and calculated the water requirements of each type of vegetation using a combination of the area quota method and improved Penman–Monteith (PM) based on different vegetation coverage levels. The results revealed that in 2020, the water demand of planted woodlands within 0–2 km of the watershed will be the highest, and the water demand of naturally growing arboreal woodlands will be the lowest, and the water demand of the surrounding desert riparian vegetation forests will be very small in relation to the ecological base flow and will not affect the downstream water use for agriculture, industry, and domestic use for the time being. The ecological water demand of the vegetation in the study area can be accurately estimated using Sentinel-2A data, and the research results provide technical support and a theoretical basis for rapid estimation of the ecological water demand of vegetation in typical riparian forests in arid areas and for the allocation of water resources.
Tradeoffs between Stand Volume and Understory Vegetation Diversity in Quercus wutaishanica Forests under Climate Change
Authors: Liu Bingbing , Yu Pengtao , Wang Xiao , Zhang Xue , Yu Yipeng , Wan Yanfang , Wang Yanhui , Liu Zebin , Xu Lihong
Published: October 2024

Natural forests play a crucial role in providing various ecosystem services, including timber production and biodiversity conservation. However, climate change and anthropogenic factors pose a severe threat to competing forest ecosystem services functions. Therefore, to optimize and sustainably utilize competing forest services, tradeoffs are often necessary. This study was conducted in Northwest China to explore tradeoffs aimed at improving the quality of Quercus wutaishanica Mayr natural forests under climate change conditions, focusing on stand volume, timber production, and understory vegetation diversity conservation. Data from 77 field surveys were used to construct a coupled model for stand growth, stand structure, and site conditions. Changes in understory vegetation species number (UVSN) with crown cover were quantified. These models and relationships can be used as tools to estimate tradeoffs. As stand density increased, single-tree volume decreased, whereas timber volume increased. UVSN increased and then decreased with increasing crown cover and was able to maintain a relative maximum at 0.5–0.65. Under the current climatic conditions, the optimum stand densities corresponding to 30, 40, 50, and 60 years were 1390, 1153, 1042, and 871 trees/ha, respectively, to maintain a high UVSN and adequate stand volume. When mean annual temperature rose, stand densities could be reduced to maintain high-quality timber. Although only two major services were considered, the tradeoffs presented in this study can inform future research to improve the quality of natural forests.
Research and Application of CO2 Fire Prevention Mechanism and Key Technologies in Mines: A Review
Authors: Guo Jun , Gao Bo , Liu Yin , Chen Changming , Cai Guobin , Wang Lei
Published: October 2024

Spontaneous coal combustion adversely affects coal mine safety and restricts safe, efficient, and green coal mining. Inert gas fire prevention and extinguishing technology is a widely used fire prevention and extinguishing method in coal mines. CO2 is often used as the primary raw material for inert gas fire prevention and extinguishing, owing to its good inerting and cooling characteristics. However, the lack of data on the physical and chemical properties and fire extinguishing mechanism of CO2 by field personnel has limited the efficient application of CO2 in coal mine fire prevention and extinguishing. To explore the practical application effects of CO2 fire prevention and extinguishing technology on coal mine sites, this paper summarised and analysed the research and development status of CO2 fire prevention and extinguishing technology and expounded the physical and chemical properties, phase characteristics, and fire prevention and extinguishing mechanisms of CO2. The CO2 pipeline, CO2 pipeline intelligent monitoring and control system, CO2 inerting mechanism, and comprehensive gas fire prevention and extinguishing technology are summarised and discussed. This study provides a systematic theoretical basis for the field application of CO2 fire prevention and extinguishing technology.
Improving the Quality and Safety of Fish Products with Edible Coatings Incorporating Piscicolin CM22 from a Psychrotolerant Carnobacterium maltaromaticum Strain
Authors: González-Gragera Elías , García-López José David , Boutine Abdelkader , García-Marín María Luisa , Fonollá Juristo , Gil-Martínez Lidia , Fernández Inmaculada , Martínez-Bueno Manuel , Baños Alberto
Published: October 2024

The consumption of raw or smoked fish entails significant microbiological risks, including contamination by pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause severe foodborne illnesses. This study explores the preservative use of piscicolin CM22, a novel bacteriocin derived from the psychrotolerant strain Carnobacterium maltaromaticum CM22, in two types of edible coatings (EC): chitosan-based and fish gelatin-based. An initial in vitro characterization of the technological and antimicrobial properties of these ECs with and without bacteriocin was conducted. The efficacy of the edible coatings was subsequently evaluated through shelf life and challenge tests against L. monocytogenes in raw and smoked fish products. The results demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, with the chitosan-based coating containing piscicolin CM22 being the most effective in reducing microbial counts and maintaining pH and color stability. Furthermore, in the challenge test studies, both ECs effectively controlled L. monocytogenes, showing significant reductions in bacterial counts compared to the controls in fresh tuna, salmon, and smoked salmon. The ECs containing piscicolin CM22 reduced Listeria counts by up to 4 log CFU/g in raw and smoked fish samples, with effective control in smoked salmon for up to 15 days at refrigeration temperature. While further research is required to fully assess their preservation potential, these findings strongly indicate that piscicolin CM22-functionalized edible coatings hold significant potential for improving the quality and safety of fish products.
The Effect of Body Composition on Osteoporosis Risk in Adults with Celiac Disease
Authors: Skoracka Kinga , Michalak Michał , Ratajczak-Pawłowska Alicja Ewa , Rychter Anna Maria , Zawada Agnieszka , Dobrowolska Agnieszka , Krela-Kaźmierczak Iwona
Published: October 2024

Background: Celiac disease (CD) has been linked with increased susceptibility to osteoporosis; therefore, we aimed to explore whether, in a group of patients with CD, body composition parameters impact bone parameters. Methods: This study covered 56 adults—47 women and 9 men—with CD, and 20 healthy controls—16 women and 4 men. Densitometry of the lumbar spine (L1–L4) and femoral neck (FN) was conducted using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Body mass was measured by bioimpedance method. Furthermore, serum 25(OH)D and ionized calcium concentration were determined. Results: We found osteopenia in the FN in 19.65% of patients and in L1–L4 in 26.79% of the patients. One patient displayed evidence of osteoporosis in the L1–L4 region, while two patients (3.57%) exhibited similar findings in the FN. Significant positive correlations were observed between bone mineral density (BMD) and body mass, fat-free mass (FFM), muscle mass, and basal metabolic rate (BMR) for both L1–L4 and the FN, and body mass index (BMI) of L1–L4. Conclusions: In conclusion, people with CD are at an increased risk of decreased BMD. Patients with lower body mass, FFM, muscle mass, BMI, and BMR more often present with osteopenia and osteoporosis.