bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep-sea mineral deposits as a future source of critical metals, and environmental issues - a brief review
Authors: Vysetti Balaram
Published: May 2023

For the whole world to deliver net zero by 2050, large-scale mining is more critical for metals such as lithium, cobalt, platinum, palladium, REE, gallium, tungsten, tellurium, and indium as these metals are essential for green technology applications such as making wind turbines, solar panels, fuel-cells, electric vehicles, and data storage systems required to transition to a low-carbon economy. Since land-based mineral deposits are depleting fast, seabed resources are seen as a new resource frontier for mineral exploration and extraction. They include mainly deep-ocean mineral deposits, such as massive sulfides, manganese nodules, ferromanganese crusts, phosphorites, and REE-rich marine muds. Manganese nodules contain mainly manganese and iron, but also valuable metals like nickel, cobalt, and copper, as well as REE and platinum, which are used in making several high-technology and green technology products. For example, deep-sea mud enriched in REE (> 2000 µg/g) was found in the western North Pacific Ocean. High concentrations of REE range from 1,727 to 2,511 μg/g in the crust samples collected from the Afanasy Nikitin Seamount (ANS) in the Indian Ocean. However, these deposits usually have lower REE grades than land-based REE deposits such as carbonatite-hosted deposits but form greater potential volumes. Though the mining companies and their sponsoring countries are in the process of developing the required technologies to mine the three deep-sea environments: abyssal plains, seamounts, and hydrothermal vents, due to severe concerns about the possible environmental damages, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has not granted any mining permissions so far, although deep-sea mining becomes inevitable in the future green energy revolution.
Burn Severity and Land-Use Legacy Influence Bird Abundance in the Atlantic-Mediterranean Biogeographic Transition
Authors: García-Redondo Concepción , Fernández-Moure Paula , Cánibe Miguel , Tapia Luis , Gil-Carrera Alberto , Lombao Alba , Díaz-Raviña Montserrat , Regos Adrian
Published: May 2023

Fire regimes in mountain landscapes of southern Europe have been shifting from their baselines due to rural abandonment and fire exclusion policies. Understanding the effects of fire on biodiversity is paramount to implement adequate management. Herein, we evaluated the relative role of burn severity and heterogeneity on bird abundance in an abandoned mountain range located in the biogeographic transition between the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean region (the Natural Park ‘Baixa Limia–Serra do Xurés’). We surveyed the bird community in 206 census plots distributed across the Natural Park, both inside and outside areas affected by wildfires over the last 11 years (from 2010 to 2020). We used satellite images of Sentinel 2 and Landsat missions to quantify the burn severity and heterogeneity of each fire within each surveyed plot. We also accounted for the past land use (forestry or agropastoral use) by using a land cover information for year 2010 derived from satellite image classification. We recorded 1,735 contacts from 28 bird species. Our models, fitted by using GLMs with Poisson error distribution (pseudo-R2-average of 0.22 ± 0.13), showed that up to 71% of the modelled species were linearly correlated with at least one attribute of the fire regime. The spatiotemporal variation in burnt area and severity were relevant factors for explaining the local abundance of our target species (39% of the species; Akaike weights > 0.75). We also found a quadratic effect of at least one fire regime attribute on bird abundance for 60% of the modeled species. The past land use, and its legacy after 10 years, was critical to understand the role of fire (Akaike weights > 0.75). Our findings confirm the importance of incorporating remotely sensed indicators of burn severity into the toolkit of decision makers to accurately anticipate the response of birds to fire management.
Numerical Analysis of SO2 Absorption inside a Wet Scrubber
Authors: Amoresano Amedeo , Langella Giuseppe , Iodice Paolo , Roscioli Silvia
Published: May 2023

The production of SOX by ship engines is a serious environmental problem and has been addressed by international standards. The restrictions limit the sulphur content of the fuel to 0.5% by mass to reduce SOX emissions; however, using low sulphur fuels such as LNG causes logistical and operational problems and a higher costs. For these reasons, there has been renewed interest in developing devices such as the Seawater Scrubber (SWS). This paper describes a simplified numerical model to simulate the absorption of SO2 in a drop of water during a dynamic "wet scrubbing" process. The dependence on the initial conditions is demonstrated by running multiple simulations as the initial droplet diameter, temperature and SO2 concentration in the flue gas vary. The work shows how the amount of sulphur dioxide absorbed is strongly related to the concentration in the exhaust gases and the initial diameter of the droplet, and highlights how distributions of droplets smaller than an upper limit value optimize the absorption process.
Application of the DMD Approach to High Reynolds Number Flow Over an Idealized Ground Vehicle
Authors: Misar Adit S , Tison Nathan A , Korivi Vamshi M , Uddin Mesbah
Published: May 2023

This paper attempts to develop a Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) based Reduced Order Model (ROMs) which can quickly but accurately predict the forces and moments experienced by a road vehicle such that they be used by an on-board controller to determine the vehicle's trajectory. DMD can linearize a large dataset of high-dimensional measurements by decomposing them into low-dimensional coherent structures and associated time-dynamics. This ROM then also can be applied to predict the future state of the fluid flow. Existing literature on DMD is limited to low Reynolds number applications. This paper presents DMD analyses of the flow around an idealized road vehicle, called the Ahmed body, at a Reynolds number of 2.7E6. The high dimensional dataset used in this paper was collected from a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation performed using Menter's shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model within the context of Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulations (IDDES). The DMD algorithm, as available in literature, was found to suffer nonphysical dampening of the medium-to-high frequency modes. Enhancements to the existing algorithm were explored, and a modified DMD approach is presented in this paper which includes: (a) a requirement of higher sampling rate to obtain higher resolution of data, and (b) a custom filtration process to remove spurious modes. The modified DMD algorithm thus developed was applied to the high Reynolds number, separation dominated flow past the idealized ground vehicle. The effectiveness of the modified algorithm was tested by comparing future predictions of force and moment coefficients as predicted by the DMD-based ROM to the reference CFD simulation data, and found to offer significant improvement.
Lead-Free Halide Double Perovskite for High-Performance Photodetectors: Progress and Perspective
Authors: Li Xiaoyan , Shi Junzhe , Chen Jianjun , Tan Zuojun , Lei Hongwei
Published: May 2023

Lead halide perovskite has become a promising candidate for high-performance photodetector (PD) applications due to its attractive optical and electrical properties such as high optical absorption coefficient, high carrier mobility, and long carrier diffusion length. However, the presence of highly toxic lead in these devices has limited their practical applications and even hindered their progress toward commercialization. Therefore, the scientific community has been committed to searching for low-toxic and stable perovskite-type alternative materials. Lead-free double perovskite materials, which are still in the preliminary stage of exploration, have achieved inspiring results in recent years. In this review, we mainly focused on two types of lead-free double perovskite based on different Pb substitution strategies, including A2M(I)M(Ⅲ)X6 and A2M(IV)X6. We reviewed the research progress and prospects of lead-free double perovskite photodetectors in the past three years. And more importantly, from the perspective of optimizing inherent defects in materials and improving device performance, we proposed some feasible pathways and made an encouraging perspective for the future development of lead-free double perovskite photodetectors.
Dyes Confinement in the Nano Scale and Converting Poly Vinyl Alcohol to be Optical-active Polymeric Nanocomposites with High Thermal Stability
Authors: Alshoaibi Adil
Published: May 2023

In the present research, groups of nanolayered structures and nanohybrids based on organic green dyes and inorganic species are designated to act as fillers for PVA for inducing new optical sites and increasing its thermal stability through producing polymeric nanocomposites. In this trend, different percentages of Naphthol green B were intercalated as pillars inside the Zn-Al nanolayered structures to form green organic-inorganic nanohybrids. The two-dimensional green nanohybrids were identified by X-ray diffraction, TEM and SEM. According to the thermal analyses, the nanohybrid, which has the highest amount of green dyes, was used for modifying the PVA through two series. In the first series, three nanocomposites were prepared depending on the green nanohybrid as prepared. In the second series, the yellow nanohybrid, which was produced from the green nanohybrid by thermal treatment, was used to produce another three nanocomposites. The optical properties revealed that the polymeric nanocomposites depending on green nanohybrids became optical-active in UV and visible regions because the energy band gap decreased to be 2.2 eV. In addition, the energy band gap of the nanocomposites depended on yellow nanohybrids was 2.5 eV. The thermal analyses indicated that the polymeric nanocomposites are thermally more stable than that of the original PVA. Finally, the dual functionality of organic-inorganic nanohybrids that produced from the confinement of organic dyes and the thermal stability of inorganic species converted the non-optical PVA to optical-active polymer in a wide range with high thermal stability
Recent Advances in Distribution System State Estimation Algorithms: from Model-based to Data-driven Approach
Authors: Sulaimon Wasiu , Habiballah Ibrahim
Published: May 2023

This article presents a review of the distribution system state estimation (DSSE) algorithms from the model-based approach to the recent data-driven methodologies. The insufficient measurements which result in low observability have motivated the need to shift from the conventional algorithm to data-driven approaches that can successfully estimate states despite the DSSE challenges. This article discusses the nonlinearity in the DSSE problem formulation and how different model-based methods have been proposed to mitigate the problems of robustness, ill-conditioning, and complexity. Moreover, approximate DSSE to obviate nonlinearity were discussed: complex linearization, small angle approximation, convexification and compressed sensing. Furthermore, probabilistic DSSE methods were also discussed in the need to quantify the uncertainty associated with the state estimation results. Also, data-driven methods applicable to DSSE, pseudo measurement generations, and topology identification were also discussed using machine and deep learning methods. Lastly, a recent approach that employs a hybrid of model-based and data-driven methods using matrix and tensor completion is surfacing because they work in a low observable condition of the network and can estimate the states satisfactorily. With this review, researchers can look further into developing and improving on the model-based data-driven methods less susceptible to the barriers in conventional DSSE algorithms.
Rational Truncation of Aptamer for Ultrasensitive Aptasensing of Chloramphenicol: Studies Using Bio-Layer Interferometry
Authors: Sharma Richa , Mukherjee Monali , Bhatt Praveena , Raghavarao KSMS
Published: May 2023

Aptamers are excellent choices for selective detection of small molecules. However, the previously reported aptamer for chloramphenicol suffers from low affinity, probably as a result of steric hin-drance due to its bulky nature (80 nucleotides) leading to lower sensitivity in analytical assays. The present work was aimed at improving this binding affinity by truncating the aptamer without compromising its stability and three-dimensional folding. Shorter aptamer sequences were designed by systematically removing bases from each or both ends of the original aptamer. Thermodynamic factors were evaluated computationally to give insights into the stability and folding patterns of the modified aptamers. Binding affinities were evaluated by bio-layer interferometry. Among the 11 sequences generated, one aptamer was selected based on its low dissociation constant, length and regression of model fitting with association and dissociation curves. The dissociation constant could be lowered by 86.93% by truncating 30 bases from the 3’ end of the previously reported aptamer. The selected aptamer was used for gold nanospheres based colorimetric detection of chloram-phenicol in real samples. The detection limit could be reduced 32.87 times (1.673 pg mL-1) using the modified length aptamer, indicating its improved affinity as well as suitability in real sample analysis for ultrasensitive detection of chloramphenicol.
Overlapping of Lévai’s and Milson’s E-Tangent-Polynomial Potentials along Symmetric Curves
Authors: Natanson Gregory
Published: May 2023

The paper examines common elements between Lévai’s and Milson’s potentials obtained by Liouville transformations of two rational canonical Sturm-Liouville equations (RCSLEs) with even density functions which are exactly solvable via Jacobi polynomials in a real or accordingly imaginary argument. We refer to the polynomial numerators of the given rational density function as ‘tangent polynomial’ (TP) and thereby term the aforementioned potentials as ‘e-TP’ A special attention is given to the overlap between the two potentials along symmetric curves which represent two different forms of the Ginocchio potential exactly quantized via Gegenbauer and Masjed-Jamei polynomials respectively. Our analysis reveals that the actual interconnection between Lévai’s parameters for these two rational realizations of the Ginocchio potential is much more complicated than one could expect based on the striking resemblance between two quartic equations derived by Lévai for ‘averaged’ Jacobi indexes.
Three Wind Farm Developments, Three Different Planning Difficulties: Cases from Denmark
Authors: Borch Kristian , Kirkegaard Julia Kirch , Nyborg Sophie
Published: May 2023

The aim of this paper is to provide a new perspective on the conditions for the multiple dimensions of concerns, and to understand why some wind power projects run smoothly while others lead to unexpected outcomes due to local resistance. The paper described how multiple community concerns about wind power project planning can be described using conflict management theory and by using different procedures to handle tangible and intangible concerns. Policy recommendations are given on how: to minimise overflowing and the risk of the conflicts; to avoid “boxing” community concerns in categories; to give more attention to the intangible and less calculable concerns; to secure appropriate and early planning with proactive involvement of local communities.
Life Origin in the Milky Way Galaxy: III. Spatial Distribution of Overheated Stars in the Solar Neighborhood
Authors: Safronov Alexander N.
Published: May 2023

A concept of ensemble averaged stellar reactors is developed to study the dynamics of processes occurring in stars, allocated in the ~ 200 pc solar neighborhood. According to the effective temperature value, four stellar classes are identified, for which the correlation coefficients and standard deviation are counted. The theory of the buoyancy terrestrial elements is generalized to stellar systems. It was suggested that stars are over-heated due to the shift parameters of the nuclear processes occurring inside the stars, which leads to the synthesis of transuranium elements until the achievement of a critical nuclear mass and star explosion. The heavy transuranium elements sink downward and are concentrated in the stellar depth layers. The physical explanation of the existence of the critical Chandrasekhar star limit has been offered. Based on the spatial analysis of overheated stars, it was suggested that the withdrawal of the stellar reactor from the equilibrium state is a consequence of extragalactic compression inside the galaxy arm due to the arm spirality (not to be confused with the spirality of the galaxy itself).
Auxiliary Power Supply System Using Parallel-Connected DC-AC Inverter for Low-Floor Light Rail Vehicle
Authors: Kerdtuad Paiwan , Chaiamarit Kunjana , Kittiratsatcha Supat
Published: May 2023

This research proposes a roof-mounted auxiliary power supply (APS) system for 600VDC low-floor light rail vehicle (LRV). The proposed APS system consists of five parallel-connected dc-ac inverter modules (modules 1-5). The inverter modules 1 and 2 are three-phase dc-ac inverters for compressor motors of the cooling system, and the inverter modules 3 and 4 are three-phase dc-ac inverters for air pump motors of the braking system. The inverter module 5 is single-phase dc-ac inverter for 220VAC power supply for onboard electric loads. Simulations and experiments were carried out under variable load torque and output frequency for modules 1 – 4; and under full and no resistive loads for the inverter module 5. The measured total input current and total input power of the proposed APS system under full load condition are 118.76A and 71.25kW. Essentially, the proposed APS system is operationally applicable to the 600VDC low-floor RLV. Besides, the novelty of this research lies in the use of five parallel-connected inverter modules, unlike in the conventional APS systems which require three-phase output transformer or isolated dc-dc converter. Specifically, the proposed APS system requires neither three-phase output transformer nor isolated dc-dc converter.
Risks in the Tourism Sector from the Increase in Energy Prices
Authors: Menegaki Angeliki N , Poutakidou Georgia
Published: May 2023

Energy, with very low demand and replacement elasticity, is a key component of production as well as a good for consumption. Inflation as a whole is instantly impacted by rising energy prices. After lockdowns were lifted in 2020–2021 and the global economy started to recover, oil prices began to rise. This trend continued with escalating geopolitical tensions and the eventual crisis in Ukraine brought on by Russia's invasion in February 2022. The current paper examines how the tourism industry has been impacted by rising energy commodity prices from the perspectives of travelers and hotel managers. Hereby a qualitative and a quantitative process is being used for a thorough examination of the consequences of inflated prices. More specifically, the three methods which were used are: descriptive analysis, correlation matrices and regression analysis. For the latter, all models appear to explain well the variation of the variables and provide reliable results. This study concludes that, although the overall inflation caused by higher energy prices was impactful for the individuals as well as for the businesses, however the touristic season of 2023 is expected to be one of the most fruitful ones yet, especially for the Greek economy, since strong numbers are reported (in revenues, expenditure and percentage of expected guests), while tourists are seemingly not willing to sacrifice their holidays altogether, but make other modifications in their lifestyle and choices. Finally, it is important to stress that governments should start integrating sustainable energy as a key component.
The Roots of First-Generation Farmers: The Role of Inspiration in Starting an Organic Farm
Authors: DeLong Alia , Swisher Marilyn E. , Chase Carlene A. , Irani Tracy , Ruiz-Menjivar Jorge
Published: May 2023

This research aimed to determine salient factors affecting the decision to become a beginning organic farmer. New and beginning organic farmers have unique characteristics, showcasing their dedication to environmental justice and social justice at the expense of their own businesses. This research employed a multiple-case case study design. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 first-generation farmers who operate organic farms in Arkansas, Florida, or Georgia. We analyzed interview transcripts using the qualitative analysis approach of coding. Our results revealed the reasons that people with little practical knowledge start farms. They are inspired by those around them who succeed and encouraged by influential characters in the field who assure them they can do something they love and be profitable. This research showed that first-generation farmers find inspiration and develop values rooted in food justice. Our findings have implications for developing and implementing current and future programmatic activities that aim to enhance beginning farmer training and workforce development. Identifying sources of inspiration will help researchers and service providers target newer and beginning farmers to support a vibrant food system, including a burgeoning market opportunity, developing strong communities around food, and building grassroots solutions.
Evaluating the Benefits of a Novel Community-based Social Engagement Organization for Improving Mental Health and Reducing Clinical Visits
Authors: VanHorssen Barbara Lee , Andrews Travis , Lee Gloria
Published: May 2023

Cost-effective community engagement is needed to address causes of mental illness related to social issues (i.e. isolation, stigma and lack of purpose) that are typically outside the scope of healthcare. This pilot study evaluated the relationship between clinical healthcare resources and a community-based social engagement organization in a medium-sized community in the midwestern US. Analyses were based on a retrospective longitudinal comparison of clinical visit frequency from two cohorts that joined the Momentum Center for Social Engagement (MC) and either frequently participated (Engaged; n = 9) or had extenuating circumstances limiting participation (Non-engaged; n = 3). The frequency of >1800 visits to the member’s primary mental healthcare provider were compared during the period from November 2016 - May 2021. Engaged MC members reduced frequency of regular visits to their primary mental healthcare provider by 50%, while Non-engaged MC members maintained clinical visit frequency. The financial value of reduced healthcare visits and associated wellbeing improvements was estimated to be $1.0 million, 95% CI: [$0.6-1.4 million], or roughly four times the budget received by the MC from the healthcare provider. Thus, the MC appears to be a valuable approach to improving mental health in conjunction with existing community healthcare services. Clinical implications include considering the unique MC-style community-based support as a component of practice.
Interpretation of Entropy by Complex Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Fujino Seiji
Published: May 2023

We consider that the relationship between the entropy in statistical mechanics, which is the Boltzmann principle, and the complex velocity potential in complex fluid dynamics. We define the generalized complex entropy which extends the entropy from real space to complex space. We show that the change of entropy can be expressed by the composition of the source and the sink of the complex velocity potential. Therefore, the complex entropy is considered a special case of the complex fluid dynamics, that is, the complex velocity potential. Moreover, we show that a complex number is expressed by the complex entropy. Thus, we show that the complex velocity potential is expressed by the complex entropy.
Passive Fuzzy Controller Design for Parameter-Dependent Polynomial Fuzzy Model
Authors: Ku Cheung-Chieh , Sun Chein-Chung , Jian Shao-Hao , Chang Wen-Jer
Published: May 2023

This paper discusses a passive control issue for Nonlinear Time-Varying (NTV) systems subject to stability and attenuation performance. Based on the modeling approaches of Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy model and the Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) model, a Parameter-Dependent Polynomial Fuzzy (PDPF) model is constructed to represent the NTV systems. According to Parallel Distributed Compensation (PDC) concept, a parameter-dependent polynomial fuzzy controller is built to achieve robust stability and passivity of PDPF model. Furthermore, the passive theory is applied to achieve the performance constraining the disturbance effect on the PDPF systems. To develop the stability criteria, by introducing a parameter-dependent polynomial Lyapunov function, one can derive some stability conditions which belong to the term of Sum-Of-Squares (SOS) form. Based on the Lyapunov function, two stability criteria are proposed to design the corresponding PDPF controller such that the NTV system is robustly stable and passive. Finally, a numerical example is applied to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed stability criterion.
Frequency-Shift of Quartz Crystal Microbalance Depends on the Length of Actin Filaments
Authors: Matsumoto Naoki , Kobayashi Honoka , Nishimura Taiki , Ashizawa Hideki , Kuwahara Takashi , Honda Hajime , Fujiwara Ikuko
Published: May 2023

Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) is a well-known method to measure the mass of ligands bound to receptor-covered surfaces in various fields, ranging from materials science to biology. Actin molecule is essential in various cellular processes through its function of monomer-to-filament polymerization, forming a double-stranded filament with a 75 nm pitch. In this study, QCM was applied to measure the physical properties of actin, finding that the frequency shifted negatively when monomeric actin bound to the QCM surface, whereas the frequency shifted positively when filaments bound. Using fluorescence light microscopic observations, we have examined whether negative and positive frequency shifts originated from their length. In order to control this process, a severing protein, fragmin was used to change the length of actin filament. When the average length of filaments shortened, the magnitude of positive shift decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. However, shorter filaments showed a negative frequency shift depending on their concentration, showing that the weight derived from the loaded concentration and the function derived from actin polymerization dynamics are detectable. Interestingly, the transition from positive to negative occurred when the average length of actin was ~33 nm, or approximately equal to the half-pitch of filaments. Thus, actin filaments can serve as an excellent standard to measure the mechanical properties of biopolymers. Our results show that the QCM sensor could be both a "weight" and a "function" sensor of biomolecules in vitro.
The Health Silk Road: A Double-Edged Sword? Assessing the Implications of China's Health Diplomacy under Covid-19
Authors: Yuan Shaoyu
Published: May 2023

This study examines the Health Silk Road (HSR) as a critical component of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its implications for global health and international relations. The HSR aims to enhance public health and foster international cooperation in the healthcare sector, with objectives including strengthening healthcare infrastructure, expanding China's global health leadership, and enhancing international health cooperation. Through an in-depth analysis of the China-Pakistan collaboration on healthcare under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a case study, this research explores the motives, implications, and potential concerns associated with the HSR. This research posits that the HSR has a mix of positive and negative implications, making it challenging to categorize the initiative as simply good or bad. While the HSR contributes to improved healthcare services, infrastructure, and capacity-building in participating countries, it also raises concerns about debt sustainability, transparency, and China's geopolitical influence. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of the HSR's multifaceted impacts and underscores the importance of open dialogue, cooperation, and the sharing of best practices among stakeholders in order to maximize the initiative's benefits and minimize potential negative consequences. By assessing the motives, implications, and concerns of the HSR, this study offers valuable insights for policymakers, global health practitioners, and scholars, highlighting the significance of international collaboration in addressing shared health challenges and promoting sustainable development.
Computed Tomographic Features of Thymus Gland in Dogs: Correlation with Age, Gender, Breed and Body Fat Content
Authors: Molazem Mohammad , Soroori Sarang , Bahonar Alireza , Karimi Saghar
Published: May 2023

: Background: The thymus gland is the first lymphoid organ formed to regulate a newborn's immunity. It reaches its maximum size during puberty, after which it undergoes an atrophic procedure called involution, but its ability to grow again in response to some stresses, such as infections, neoplasia, surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy is maintained. There is not any comprehensive study on computed tomographic features of thymus gland in dogs. So, the goal of the present study is to achieve some information about thymus gland using computed tomography as a non-invasive method. Methods: One hundred and fifty dogs classified in 5 age groups and 2 breed groups were entered to this study and the thymus gland was evaluated using 2-slice computed tomography machine. The inclusion criteria for the present study were having normal complete blood count, plain and post-contrast CT scan examination of thoracic region and no history of neoplasia, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The visibility, density, enhancement, grade, size, volume, shape, borders and lateralization of the thymus were evaluated and statistical analysis were performed. The effect of obesity on thymic grade and volume were also investigated. Results: The visibility, density, dorsal length, volume and grade decreased with increasing age. The thymic shape and lateralization were mostly wedge-shaped and left sided respectively. The borders became concave with aging and increasing body fat content caused to increase fatty degeneration of thymus. Conclusions: Declining of thymic density, grade, size and volume with aging was related to thymic involution and fatty degeneration was accelerated by increasing body fat content. Females and Males were different only in thymic shape and small and large breeds were different only in thymic volume. The thymus was visible in some geriatric dogs with no underlying disease. We hope that the present work can be used by radiologists in reading thoracic computed tomography but investigation of thymic characteristics in dogs with neoplasia and history of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and thoracic surgeries can complete this study.
Assessment of the Smart Mechatronics Application in Agricultural: A Review
Authors: Gebresenbet Girma , Finecomess Sairoel Amertet
Published: May 2023

Smart mechatronics system in agriculture can be traced back to the mid-1980s, when research into automated fruit harvesting systems began in Japan, Europe, and the United States. Since then, impressive advances have been made smart mechatronics systems. Furthermore, smart mechatronics systems are promising areas, as results, we were intrigued to learn more about them. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to examine the smart mechatronic systems that have been applied to agricultural areas so far, with inspiration from smart mechatronic system in other sectors. To get an overview of the current state of the art, benefits and drawbacks of the smart mechatronics systems, various approaches were investigated. Moreover, smart mechatronic modules, and various networks applied in agriculture processing were examined. Finally, we were explored how the data retrieved using the one-way analysis of variance related to each other. The result showed that there were strong related keywords for different journals. The virtually limited use of sophisticated mechatronics in the agricultural industry, and at the same time, the low production rate, the demand for food security has fallen dramatically. Therefore, the application of smart mechatronics system in agricultural sectors would be taken into consideration in order to overcome these issues.
Inhibitive Effect of Locally Dioscorea Spp Leaf Extracts as a Green Corrosion Inhibitor In Selected Media
Authors: Idu Hyacinth Kevin , Ifeanyichukwu Blessing Jacintha , Idenyi Ndubuisi Edennaya
Published: May 2023

In this study, we investigated the inhibiting effect of Dioscorea spp leaf extracts on the corrosion of mild steel in selected media using the weight loss method. The mild steel samples were pre-weighed and immersed in NaOH, NaCl and H2SO4 solutions respectively containing the leaf extracts, with the control samples immersed in solutions of the media containing no extract. The samples were allowed to stand for 672 hours, with a set of samples from each environment withdrawn at intervals of 168 hours for corrosion characterization. The results obtained from all the environments indicate that the corrosion rate increased as concentrations of Dioscorea spp increased. Results also confirmed that the extract was an effective and excellent inhibitor in the alkaline, salt, and acidic media. Conclusively it was proven that the higher concentration of Dioscorea spp leaf extracts in the media had the best inhibition characteristic on the mild steel in the selected environments. The results show good potential for application in manufacturing industries. The microstructure analysis of the various test coupons in the test media should be carried out to reveal the influence of adding the leaf extracts to the stimulated media on the grain structure distribution of the mild steel.
Supersymmetric polaron
Authors: Lakhno Victor Dmitrievich
Published: May 2023

A polaron sypersymmetry theory is developed. The superpartner of this quasiparticle is a charged phonon. The theory can be applied to different polarons which have their superpartners in each case. A possible experimental verification of the theory is discussed.
Geophysical Modeling and Its Contribution on the Reservoir Characterization of Al Baraka in El Gallaba Plain, South Egypt
Authors: Ebraheem Mohamed O. , Ibrahim Hamza A. , Ewida Hatem F. , Senosy Ahmed H.
Published: May 2023

The early Cretaceous formations in recent years are considered significant potential hydrocarbon-bearing rocks in many rift basins such as Komombo, south Egypt. Therefore, this study is focused on the critical analysis and interpretation of well logging together with seismic reflection data on the Al Baraka petroliferous reservoir in the Komombo subbasin. The interpretation of these data was used to construct the first 3D geophysical models in this area which were subsequently interpreted in terms of their potential to be hydrocarbon-bearing or not. The 3D petrophysical models were deduced to illustrate the spatial distribution and propagation of the petrophysical properties (laterally and vertically) within the reservoir. Additionally, 3D seismic models were prepared to get a comprehensive, in-depth picture of how the productive hydrocarbon reservoir zones are structurally controlled in different depths. So, these models are crucial for explaining reservoir characteristics and providing supported geological reservoir models for precise reservoir performance prediction. This study aims to differentiate and determine hydrocarbon potential zones in terms of the petroleum system. The results of these progressive analyses showed that only two zones (C and D) in the Six Hills Formation are considered the most productive zones because they have a large thickness of sand bodies, low-water saturation values, high porosity, and high permeability. These zones are located in the northeastern and central parts of the studied area, which represent the depocenter of the subbasin. This evidence supported and confirmed the presence of petroleum accumulations in certain zones within the Six Hills Formation. Therefore, this work can give and encourage experts with adequate knowledge to understand the development of the rift basins in Komombo and other basins in middle and south Egypt.
Curcumin regulates cell proliferation and invasion of human triple-negative breast cancer Hs578T cells via the mTOR signaling pathway
Authors: Chen Ze , Li MengHan , Zhang Qing , He Tao , Gan Lin
Published: May 2023

Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound isolated from the herb turmeric rhizome, is of interest for its potent biological activity, and in vitro studies have shown that it has broad anticancer activity. We investigated the impact of curcumin on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TNBC Hs578T cells and further explored the underlying mechanisms. It was confirmed that the proliferation and motility of curcumin-treated Hs578T cells were inhibited, and bioinformatic RNA sequencing techniques further complemented the results we obtained. Finally, the sequencing results were validated using western blot experiments. Thus, we confirmed that curcumin could inhibit the proliferation and cell motility of TNBC Hs578T cells through the mTOR signaling pathway and the migration and invasion of Hs578T cells through EMT, which provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the clinical treatment of TNBC with curcumin by complementing each other through multiple approaches.
Application of multi-criteria group decision-making for water quality management
Authors: AHVAZI AMIN KARBASI , Ebadi Taghi , Zarghami Mahdi , Hashemi Seyed Hossein
Published: May 2023

The water quality of the Haraz River basin has been adversely affected by various factors, including domestic sewage discharge, agricultural runoff, population density, and proximity to the Amol landfill. The presence of 11 point sources (PS) of pollution, primarily in the form of domestic sewage, has led to high concentrations of CBOD, COD, and ammonium in the downstream reaches of the river. To investigate the water quality of the basin, a one-dimensional water quality model, QUAL2Kw, was employed to simulate and calibrate the water quality along the river. The model was validated using river quality data collected during a period of low flow in September 2020 and February 2020. The simulation results reveal that the downstream water quality, as assessed using the IRWQIsc index, is relatively bad. To mitigate this issue, various scenarios for waste load allocation (WLA) were evaluated, including no treatment, primary treatment, advanced secondary treatment utilizing the Activated Sludge (AS) method, and advanced treatment via the Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) method. Utilizing the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and Fuzzy TOPSIS decision-making model, it was determined that the optimal solution was the implementation of secondary treatment utilizing the Activated Sludge method for the 11 PS of pollution, while still adhering to Iranian water quality standard.
Necrosis-associated long noncoding RNA for predicting prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wang Xin , Yang Jun , Ma Zhenglai , Hu Zhongjie
Published: May 2023

Background and aim Histiocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks second in the world's most deadly diseases, with a high mortality rate. Unlike apoptosis, necroptosis causes the release of molecular factors that elicit an immune response. As of yet, it has not been fully investigated how necroptotic machinery interacts with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in HCC .
Methods 374 patients and 50 healthy controls were analyzed using TCGA gene expression profiles, long noncoding RNA data and clinical characteristics. By analyzing lncRNA-seq data from 374 patients with HCC, an investigation of the relationships between necroptosis-related genes and tumor-infiltrating cells was conducted. A two-step multivariate Cox model and an univariate Cox model were analyzed to predict the prognosis . Nomograms were generated by combining necroptosis-related gene signatures with clinical characteristics. An analysis of HCC for PD-L1 was examined along with tumor-infiltrating immune cells .
Results Necroptosis-related pathways were enriched in lncRNA expression profiles in HCC tissues. The gene signature associated with necroptosis significantly reduced the survival rate of high-risk patients . The necroptosis-related gene signature demonstrated a high degree of predictive ability for OS (AUC= 0.781). Low-risk subgroups had significantly fewer aDCs, macrophages, and Treg cells than high-risk subgroups. In addition, scores indicating risk were positively correlated with uncharacterized cells, cancer associated fibroblast, monocyte, Macrophage/Monocyte and T cell regulatory (Tregs).
Conclusions These results revealed that the immunogenetic role of necroptosis may be influential in HCC prognosis. Exploring new possibilities for diagnostics and immunotherapy, the immune environment which was associated with necroptotic signatures needs to be assessed further based on its specific composition and functional characteristics.
Testing a Deliberative Democracy Engagement Intervention to Increase Guideline-Concordance Among Oral Health Providers: Results from the DISGO Cluster-Randomized, Stepped-Wedge Trial
Authors: Polk Deborah , Shah Nilesh H. , Dawson Tim , Gruß Inga , Pihlstrom Daniel J. , Kaplan Charles D. , Guerrero Erick G. , Fellows Jeffrey L.
Published: May 2023

Background
Dental caries affects billions worldwide and in the U.S. is among the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases in both children and adults. Early in the caries process, it can be arrested by dental sealants, which are non-invasive and thus tooth sparing, however, few dentists have adopted this approach. Deliberative engagement processes enable participants to engage with diverse perspectives on a policy issue and develop and share with policy makers informed opinions about the policy issue. We examined the effects of a deliberative engagement process on the ability of oral health providers to endorse implementation interventions and to apply dental sealants.
Methods
Using a stepped wedge design, 16 dental clinics were cluster randomized, and 680 providers and staff were exposed to a deliberative engagement process that included an introductory session, workbook, facilitated small group deliberative forum, and post-forum survey. Forum participants were assigned to forums to ensure diverse role representation. Mechanisms of action examined included sharing voice and diversity of opinion. Three months after each clinic’s forum, the clinic manager was interviewed about implementation interventions deployed. There were 98 clinic-months in the non-intervention period and 101 clinic-months in the intervention period.
Results
Compared with providers and staff in small clinics, providers and staff in medium and large clinics more strongly agreed that their clinic should adopt two of the three proposed implementation interventions targeting the first barrier and one of the two proposed implementation interventions targeting the second barrier. Compared with the non-intervention period, in the intervention period providers did not place more sealants on occlusal non-cavitated carious lesions. Survey respondents reported sharing both promotive and prohibitive voice. From the beginning to the end of the forums, most forum participants did not change their opinions about the possible implementation interventions. At the end of the forums, there was no significant within-group variability in implementation interventions endorsed.
Conclusions
Deliberative engagement intervention may help clinic leadership identify implementation interventions when there is a challenging problem, a network of semi-autonomous clinics, and autonomous providers within those clinics. It remains to be determined whether there is a range of perspectives within clinics.
Trial Registration:
This project is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with ID NCT04682730. The trial was first registered on 12/18/2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04682730
Weeding Out the Deadly Threats Behind the Boom
Authors: Zou Bin , Song Yiliang , An Hongjun , Li Youlin
Published: May 2023

As global climate and environmental issues continue to increase, Green Gross Domestic Product (GGDP) has become a more suitable indicator of economic health and development than Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This paper proposes a new climate-environment cost-based GGDP model in macro form, using shadow price that is more economically sound than existing GGDP models. We also introduce a new method called relation chain analysis to export the GGDP model to micro form. Our mathematical analysis predicts a positive impact of using our model on the global economy and climate. We demonstrate the feasibility of the model using China as an example and combining actual data to forecast the future impact.
Non-canonical cortico-thalamic dynamics gate avoidance decisions
Authors: Penzo Mario , Ma Jun , O'Malley John , Kreiker Malaz , Leng Yan , Khan Isbah
Published: May 2023

The mammalian cortex exerts top-down control of the thalamus by either enhancing or suppressing incoming sensory signals. This is thought to be accomplished via direct and indirect corticothalamic pathways that respectively increase and decrease the activity of thalamic relays1–4. Here, we discovered that in a reciprocally connected thalamocortical loop involving the dorsal midline thalamus, and unlike for sensory systems, top-down control by the cortex is predominantly indirect and through the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). Specifically, we found that the prelimbic area of the medial prefrontal cortex—a region mediating the selection and execution of emotional and motivated behavior5–8—shapes the decision to engage in and initiate instrumental avoidance responses via TRN projections to the paraventricular thalamus. Our findings reveal novel intra-thalamic circuit dynamics that gate cortical cognitive signals to shape goal-oriented actions.