bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studies on the Processing and Characterization of Fiber Reinforced/Epoxy-Nanoclay
Authors: Mogiligidda Rajashekar , Hosur Mahesh
Published: October 2023

In recent years, advent of nanomaterials has opened new avenues for design of structural fiber reinforced polymeric (FRP) composites that are stronger, lighter, and more durable than the conventional FRP composites. The current study is to develop and characterize next generation lightweight, ultra-strong FRP composites through the incorporation of multifunctional nanoparticles in polymers. In order to determine which type of nanoclay works well with the resin system chosen, four different types of nanoclay were tried and the one which performed the best was used to further fabricate nanophased glass and carbon epoxy composites. In order to determine which among the four different types of nanoclay would yield better mechanical properties, nanophased epoxy resin systems with 1 and 2 wt.% of nanoclay were used. The results show that Kaolin Clay nanoclay performed better when compared to the other 3 types: 35–45 wt.% Dimethly diaalkyl, Stearyl ammonium 25–30 wt.% and 15–35 wt.% Octadeylamine. There is about 2.88% increase in the strength and about 6.7% increase in the strength for the 1 wt.% and 2 wt.% Kaolin nanoclay respectively, when compared to just resin sample. All the other nanoclay yielded a decrease in the strength. This indicated that Kaolin Clay dispersed and bonded better with epoxy. Carbon and glass fabric epoxy laminated plates were then manufactured using the VARTM method with Kaolin nanoclay and tested for their flexural properties. There is a significant increase in the properties of composites with about 20.88% increase in the strength for 1 wt.% and 17.94% for 2 wt.% for the carbon/epoxy nanocomposites. For the glass/epoxy nanocomposites, the corresponding increase and in the strength is by 27.64% for 1 wt.% and 16.21% for 2 wt.% with Kaolin nanoclay. Additionally, increased strain to failure indicates higher strain energy for the nanophased systems.
Machine Learning-Aided Cohesive Zone Modeling of Fatigue Delamination
Authors: Zhang Liang , Liu Xin , Tian Su , Gao Zhenyuan , Yu Wenbin
Published: October 2023

The objective of this paper is to develop a machine learning-aided cohesive zone model (CZM) for fatigue delamination in composite structures. The so-called string-based CZM can handle pure and mixed fatigue delamination. Its solid thermodynamic foundation enables it to handle spectrum loading sequences well. An implicit integration scheme for this CZM is developed for improved accuracy and to generate needed training data. A conditional recurrent neural network (RNN) model can solve mixed sequential and time-invariant data problems. The time-invariant data are first input into a feed-forward neural network to predict the initial state of an RNN model. The RNN model will take the state and sequential data to recurrently predict the time series outputs. The conditional RNN model is trained to take the place of computationally costly finite element analysis (FEA) and then used for interface parameter calibration. The Dakota toolkit (a general-purpose optimizer), along with the trained conditional RNN model, can parameterize, automate, and accelerate model calibration. The trial-and-error process is then accomplished with Dakota and parameterized and automated with Python scripts and accelerate global optimum search with surrogate models. The present CZM is validated by calibrating its associated interface parameters from a series of constant amplitude double cantilever beam (DCB) tests on unidirectional E-glass fiber/E722 composite beams. It may be modified to accommodate other types of fracture or interfacial debonding.
Numerical and Experimental Shock Study on a Logging-While-Drilling Mockup Assembly
Authors: Song Fei , Olivio Amanda , Li Ke
Published: October 2023

To determine formation properties surrounding the wellbore, it is necessary to identify the hydrocarbon-producing zones and to obtain an improved understanding of the subsurface before initiating production. Logging while drilling is an effective modern technique in which the physical formation properties are recorded during drilling operations. Timely logging-while-drilling (LWD) data are generally transmitted to the surface through mud pulses. These data can also be used to guide well placement so that the wellbore remains within the zone of interest or in the most productive portion of a reservoir. In practice, the LWD tools are often placed in the bottomhole assembly at the lowest portion of the drillstring.

LWD tools can operate in harsh environments during drilling operations. The increasingly aggressive drilling conditions subject the tools to varying degrees of shock and vibration, which have become the leading cause of mechanical failures for drilling and measurement tools. Furthermore, the aggressive shock and vibration loads can be transmitted from the drill collar to the internal components, which frequently results in premature failures of the expensive electronics or other measurement devices. These failures can have a major impact on operators and service companies, costing millions of dollars in repairs and nonproductive hours of rig time.

In this paper, a high-fidelity 3D finite element analysis (FEA) model that can describe contact interactions between the collar, the chassis, and the mounted electronic board is developed for an LWD mockup assembly. A shock test system of the same (i.e., device under test held by shock arms) instrumented with multiple accelerometers is also presented to mimic such dynamics that the tool could experience while drilling in a controlled laboratory environment. Favorable agreement is observed between experimental measurements and the FEA model predictions, which validates the developed FEA model. The validated numerical model can be employed for virtual qualification of newly developed drilling and measurement tools and for post-job root cause analysis of tool failures.
Dynamic Analysis of Variable Thickness Shells in Aerospace Applications via CUF Adaptive Finite Elements
Authors: Cinefra Maria , Moruzzi Martino Carlo
Published: October 2023

New technologies and tools lead to design structures with increasingly more complex and disruptive geometries. In the field of thin structures, such as plates and shells, it is necessary to have numerical analysis tools that take into account these innovations and the use of advanced materials, such as composites, metamaterials or sandwich plates, or in general muti-layer materials. Within the Carrera’s Unified Formulation (CUF) framework, this article proposes a formulation based on adaptive finite elements that can study complex geometries, as variable thickness plates or with edges not orthogonal to the midsurface, while retaining the advantages of CUF theories for the study of multi-layer structures, both in terms of accuracy and reduced computational cost. The adaptability of these new elements concerns both the geometry and the possibility of using different structural models within the same element. Two case studies are presented in the following paper in order to demonstrate the new formulation: a plate with a topology optimized thickness and a semi-cylinder with a sinusoidal thickness.
Physics-Informed Multitask Learning for Material Development
Authors: Wu Yulun , Li Yumeng
Published: October 2023

Accurately predicting the materials’ responses, such as strain and energy, under certain loading conditions is crucial for developing fundamental structure-property relationships and facilitating material design. However, this process can be computationally expensive and challenging, especially for heterogeneous material systems with a large design space, where physics-based repetitive numerical simulations may be required. Furthermore, conducting physical experiments over such a large design space can be both time-consuming and costly. To address these challenges, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have become increasingly popular as a computationally feasible way to make high-fidelity predictions for various materials, based on simulation results or experimental data. CNNs are particularly useful for materials with complex microstructures that are difficult to characterize or quantify, especially when suitable descriptors are not available. However, these models often suffer from poor transferability and reduced robustness due to limited training data. To overcome this challenge, we propose using multi-task learning (MTL) to provide deep learning models with more knowledge of material behaviors. MTL can improve the performance of multiple related learning tasks by leveraging useful information among them. In this paper, we explore a novel MTL model to improve the fidelity of predictions for both displacement and strain energy. We verify the ability of our proposed model by using the Material MNIST dataset as a case study, where one task is to predict strain energy based on different material microstructures. We demonstrate that, through MTL, the CNN model can achieve a better understanding of materials’ responses and achieve more robust performance in predicting responses for previously unseen material structures.
Free Vibration Analysis of Rotating Rayleigh Cantilever Beam Using P-Type Finite Element Method
Authors: Dhar Dipannoy , Sarkar Korak
Published: October 2023

Rotating beams are widely used in various mechanical structures like propeller blades, turbines etc. In this paper, we investigate the free vibration of rotating non-uniform Rayleigh cantilever beam. Rayleigh beam theory accounts for rotary inertia which is ignored in Euler beam theory (EBT). p-FEM has been incorporated for analysing the free vibration of non-uniform beam. Various natural frequencies and mode shapes have been achieved using p-FEM code and compared with benchmark solutions. Convergence study has been conducted in order to prove superiority of p-FEM over h-FEM. CAD simulation has also been analysed in this paper for better insight.
Electronic Conduction Mechanism in Van Der Waals Flake Thin Film
Authors: Roy Ajit K. , Lee Jonghoon , Nepal Dhriti , Ferguson John
Published: October 2023

Despite the wide sample by sample variation, the electrical conduction mechanism of van der Waals flake thin film is characterized by the variable range hopping over wide range of temperature and subsequent transition into an Arrhenius type conduction at higher temperature. Using the reduced activation energy analysis and a multi-channel conduction model, we discuss how to characterize the nature of the Arrhenius type conduction at high temperature between the nearest neighbor hopping and the band conduction. Also, we examine how those conduction mechanisms are related to the microscopic structure in the electronic density of states of the sample. For the graphene flake thin film sample we synthesized, Mott VRH and band conduction are identified.
Focused ion beams from GaBiLi liquid metal alloy ion sources for nanofabrication and ion imaging
Authors: Nadzeyka Achim , Richter Torsten , Mazarov Paul , Meyer Fabian , Ost Alexander , Bruchhaus Lars
Published: October 2023

In this work, we present an overview of nanopatterning and imaging applications using newly developed workflows with focused ion beams (FIBs) produced with a GaBiLi liquid metal alloy ion source. The primary beam of this source type contains gallium, bismuth, and lithium as well as cluster ions which can be separated quickly using a Wien filter. Lithium ion milling has been applied to generate heptamer-arranged nanohole arrays in gold films with high resolution. Workflows for two-step bowtie nanofabrication using lithium and bismuth ions from the same source have been established. Furthermore, we present ion beam imaging results that were obtained with lithium ions on various sample materials. Combining the large sputter yield and high depth resolution of heavy bismuth ions with the high lateral imaging resolution of light lithium ions enables 3D nanoscale tomography using different ion species generated from the same source. Sample tilt is not required due to the top-down geometry of the FIB.
Finite element-based diffraction correction for piezoelectric transducers accounting for diffraction at transmission, propagation, and reception
Authors: Mosland Eivind Nag , Lunde Per , Kocbach Jan
Published: October 2023

Existing diffraction correction models for ultrasonic transmit-receive measurement systems rely on simplifying assumptions with respect to the boundary conditions at the transmitter or receiver. Common simplifications include approximating the sound field radiated by a piezoelectric transducer using a baffled piston model and assuming that the receiver's electrical response is proportional to the spatially averaged free-field pressure over its front surface. In many applications, such simplifications may be adequate, but their validity and accuracy need to be evaluated and quantified. Here, a diffraction correction model utilizing the full set of electrical and mechanical boundary conditions at the transmitter and receiver is presented, avoiding these simplifications. The model is based on finite element modeling of coaxially aligned piezoelectric transducers in a fluid medium. Comparison is made with existing models for an example case of cylindrical piezoelectric ceramic disk transducers operating in air at 50–300 kHz and 0.03–2 m apart, relevant for, e.g., sound velocity and absorption measurements in fluids and ultrasonic gas flow metering. In the near-field, errors introduced by the simplifications are up to 3 dB and 47° for the first radial resonance. Generally, such errors are application-specific and depend on distance, frequency, transducer construction, vibration pattern, and medium properties.
Scale-dependent changes in ecosystem temporal stability over six decades of succession
Authors: Meng Yani , Li Shao-peng , Wang Shaopeng , Meiners Scott J. , Jiang Lin
Published: October 2023

A widely assumed, but largely untested, tenet in ecology is that ecosystem stability tends to increase over succession. We rigorously test this idea using 60-year continuous data of old field succession across 480 plots nested within 10 fields. We found that ecosystem temporal stability increased over succession at the larger field scale (γ stability) but not at the local plot scale (α stability). Increased spatial asynchrony among plots within fields increased γ stability, while temporal increases in species stability and decreases in species asynchrony offset each other, resulting in no increase in α stability at the local scale. Furthermore, we found a notable positive diversity-stability relationship at the larger but not local scale, with the increased γ stability at the larger scale associated with increasing functional diversity later in succession. Our results emphasize the importance of spatial scale in assessing ecosystem stability over time and how it relates to biodiversity.
Immaturity of immune cells around the dural venous sinuses contributes to viral meningoencephalitis in neonates
Authors: Kim Young-Chan , Ahn Ji Hoon , Jin Hokyung , Yang Myung Jin , Hong Seon Pyo , Yoon Jin-Hui , Kim Sang-Hoon , Gebre Tirhas Niguse , Lee Hyuek Jong , Kim You-Me , Koh Gou Young
Published: October 2023

High neonatal susceptibility to meningitis has been attributed to the anatomical barriers that act to protect the central nervous system (CNS) from infection being immature and not fully developed. However, the mechanisms by which pathogens breach CNS barriers are poorly understood. Using the Armstrong strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) to study virus propagation into the CNS during systemic infection, we demonstrate that mortality in neonatal, but not adult, mice is high after infection. Virus propagated extensively from the perivenous sinus region of the dura mater to the leptomeninges, choroid plexus, and cerebral cortex. Although the structural barrier of CNS border tissues is comparable between neonates and adults, immunofluorescence staining and single-cell RNA sequencing analyses revealed that the neonatal dural immune cells are immature and predominantly composed of CD206
hi
macrophages, with major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII)
hi
macrophages being rare. In adults, however, perivenous sinus immune cells were enriched in MHCII
hi
macrophages that are specialized for producing antiviral molecules and chemokines compared with CD206
hi
macrophages and protected the CNS against systemic virus invasion. Our findings clarify how systemic pathogens enter the CNS through its border tissues and how the immune barrier at the perivenous sinus region of the dura blocks pathogen access to the CNS.
Complete genome sequence of
Agrobacterium fabrum
ARqua1
Authors: Lan Bo , Zhang Qian , Yin Kangquan
Published: October 2023

We report the complete genome of
Agrobacterium fabrum
ARqua1 generated from Oxford Nanopore and Illumina sequencing. The genome of ARqua1 has a total length of 5,714,310 bp, comprising a circular chromosome, a linear chromosome, and two plasmids. In total, 5,446 genes were predicted, of which 5,288 were annotated.
Performance of two plasma separation devices for HIV-1 viral load measurement in primary healthcare settings
Authors: Vubil Adolfo , Zicai Ana Flora , Sitoe Nádia , Nhachigule Carina , da Costa Paulino , Magul Cacildo , Meggi Bindiya , Viegas Sofia , Mabunda Nédio , Jani Ilesh
Published: October 2023

Dried blood spot (DBS) may overestimate the viral RNA, mainly in patients with low viral load (VL), due to proviral DNA and intracellular RNA. The Burnett and HemaSpot provide integrated solutions for the collection, separation, and drying of plasma from whole blood. This study aims to evaluate the performance of both devices compared to plasma to identify antiretroviral therapy (ART) failure. The devices were separately evaluated in a cross-sectional design. Patients on ART were included for the studies (Burnett: 611, October 2019 to January 2020) and (HemaSpot: 620, November 2020 to April 2021). VL was tested using CAP/CTM96. The sensitivity and specificity of DBS, Burnett, and HemaSpot were determined, and plasma results were considered as a reference at a threshold of 1,000 copies/ml. For the Burnett study, 2,444 specimens, including plasma, DBS, venous Burnett (vBurnett), and capillary Burnett (cBurnett), were collected. Sensitivity of DBS, vBurnett, and cBurnett was 97.4%, 98.3%, and 97.5%, respectively, whereas specificity was 86.8% for DBS, 96.9% for vBurnett, and 93.9% for cBurnett. For the HemaSpot study, 1,860 specimens were collected, including plasma, DBS, and vHemaSpot. Sensitivity of DBS and vHemaSpot was 95.0% and 91.3%, respectively, whereas specificity was 86.9% for DBS and 94.5% for vHemaSpot. The misclassification rate was more prominent in DBS (4.8%) and HemaSpot (8.4%) but lower in vBurnett (2.0%) and cBurnett (3.2%). The Burnett showed better performance than DBS, whereas HemaSpot showed poorer performance than DBS. Nevertheless, both Burnett and HemaSpot have high rate of non-reportable results. In the current format, neither of the two devices is feasible for VL scale-up in resource-limited settings.

IMPORTANCE

Burnett and HemaSpot are two novel technologies that allow whole blood collection and plasma separation and stabilization at room temperature without the need of additional equipment. Hence, these devices are potential alternatives to fresh plasma as a suitable specimen for viral load scale-up to monitor antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings
Concurrence of Late Triassic lithostratigraphic, radioisotopic, and biostratigraphic data support a Carnian age for the Popo Agie Formation (Chugwater Group), Wyoming, USA
Authors: Lovelace David M. , Fitch Adam J. , Schwartz Darin , Schmitz Mark
Published: October 2023

The Upper Triassic Popo Agie Formation of the Chugwater Group of Wyoming, northeastern Utah, and northwestern Colorado has been an enigmatic unit since its definition and is commonly excluded from large-scale studies of continental Upper Triassic strata in the western USA. Lithostratigraphic correlations of Popo Agie Formation outcrops are documented from west-central Wyoming through northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado, which demonstrates the presence of the Popo Agie Formation throughout this region. Unique detrital zircon age distributions have led previous workers to hypothesize a paleodrainage connecting basal units of the Dockum in west Texas and eastern New Mexico, USA, with the Gartra Grit, a basal unit of the Popo Agie in northeastern Utah. Biostratigraphically informative taxa such as parasuchid phytosaurs in the absence of leptosuchmorph phytosaurs support an assignment of the Gartra Grit and Popo Agie Formation to the Otischalkian estimated holochronozone. We present the first detrital zircon age distributions for the Popo Agie Formation. Multidimensional scaling analysis of zircon populations shows that the Popo Agie samples are similar to other Upper Triassic units surrounding the Ancestral Uncompahgre Highlands, Central Colorado Trough, and the Ancestral Front Range. Additionally, we present the first maximum depositional ages (youngest population) for the Popo Agie Formation at a location where the top of the ochre unit is no older than 225 ± 4 Ma, and the upper purple to ochre transition is no older than 230 ± 5 Ma. By leveraging existing biostratigraphy, regional lithostratigraphy, and new radioisotopic ages we temporally constrain the Popo Agie Formation, enabling us to integrate the upper Chugwater Group, Chinle Formation, and Dockum Group strata into a testable Late Triassic chronostratigraphic framework for the western USA. The consilience of data support a Carnian age for the majority (if not entirety) of the Popo Agie Formation, making this—and equivalent strata in the Dockum Group (i.e., Camp Springs Conglomerate, and strata of the Tecolotito and Los Esteros members of the Santa Rosa Formation)—among the oldest continental Late Triassic stratigraphic units in the western USA.
Dynamic Changes in the Activities and Contents of Particular Proteasome Forms in the Cerebral Cortex of C57BL/6 Mice during Aging
Authors: Burov A. V. , Funikov S. Yu. , Astakhova T. M. , Teterina E. V. , Nebogatikov V. O. , Erokhov P. A. , Ustyugov A. A. , Karpov V. L. , Morozov A. V.
Published: October 2023

Abstract—Proteasomes are key components of the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Various forms of proteasomes are known. During aging, disturbances in the functioning of proteasomes have been revealed, as well as increased expression of their particular forms. Considering these data, we studied the expression of genes encoding the constitutive and immune subunits of proteasomes in cerebral cortex samples from C57BL/6 mice at the ages of 60, 190, 380, and 720 days. In addition, the contents of constitutive and immune proteasome subunits, chymotrypsin-like and caspase-like activities of proteasome pools, as well as the activity of the β5i immune subunit were studied in tissue homogenates. The chymotrypsin-like activity and the activity of the β5i subunit of different forms of proteasomes separated by electrophoresis in native gel were characterized. Compared with samples from young animals, in the cerebral cortex of animals at an age of 720 days the following changes in the expression patterns of proteasome genes were revealed: a decreased expression of the PSMB5 gene encoding constitutive proteasome subunit β5; increased expression of genes encoding immune proteasome subunits β5i and β1i. In tissue homogenates of aged mice, an increase in the content of immune subunits β1i and β2i was shown. In samples from old animals, chymotrypsin-like activity was decreased and a tendency to a decrease in caspase-like activity of proteasomes as well as the β5i subunit activity was revealed. Analysis of the activity of native complexes in tissues obtained from old animals revealed decreased chymotrypsin-like activity of 26S and 20S proteasomes containing the β5i subunit. Based on the obtained data, it can be assumed that changes in the pool of nonconstitutive proteasomes reflect aging-associated adaptive processes in the mouse brain.
Iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome in a case of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis treated with oral itraconazole and inhaled budesonide
Authors: Garg Vipul Kumar , Tickoo Vidya , Prasad Virender Pratibh , Maturu Venkata Nagarjuna
Published: October 2023

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a hypersensitivity reaction toAspergillus fumigatusthat occurs in patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. Here, we report a case of a young female with bronchial asthma who presented to our hospital with worsening breathlessness on exertion. She was diagnosed to have ABPA and was initiated on oral itraconazole while continuing inhaled long acting beta-2 adrenergic agonist and medium dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) for her asthma. Three months after initiation of therapy, the patient had significant improvement in breathlessness. However, she had weight gain, facial puffiness, increased facial hair and development of striae on her inner thighs, calf and lower abdomen. Her serum cortisol levels were found to be suppressed and hence a diagnosis of iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome was made. Our case describes the potentially serious interaction between ICS and oral itraconazole, a treatment very commonly prescribed in patients with ABPA.
Political and socioeconomic factors that shaped health taxes implementation in Peru
Authors: Zuleta Mario , Perez-Leon Silvana , Mialon Melissa , Delgado-Zegarra Jaime
Published: October 2023

Background

In 2016 and 2018, the Peruvian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MoEF) significantly reformulated taxes on tobacco products, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). During these processes, different actors advanced arguments supporting or opposing the taxes. This study examines Peru’s political and socioeconomic factors, the role of other actors and framing strategies, shaping health taxes introduction.

Methods

We conducted qualitative analysis by collecting information from three sources, such as: (1) media material (n=343 documents), (2) government documents (n=34) and (3) semistructured interviews (n=11). That data allowed us to identify and characterise the actors involved in implementing health taxes in Peru. We combined the data from these sources, synthesised our findings and conducted a stakeholder analysis.

Results

Key actors supporting taxes were the MoEF and civil society organisations, while trade associations and the alcohol, SSBs and tobacco industries opposed them using economic, trade-related arguments and criticised the policy process. The supporting group used arguments related to the economy and health to legitimate its narrative. The framing strategies employed by these stakeholders shaped and determined the outcome of the policy process.

Conclusion

Peruvian stakeholders against health taxes demonstrated a strong capacity to convey their messages to the media and high-level policy-makers. Despite these efforts, attempts to interfere with health taxes were unsuccessful in 2016 and 2018 and failed to overcome state institutions, particularly the MoEF. Strong institutions and individual decision-makers in Peru also contributed to the successful implementation of health taxes in Peru in 2016 and 2018.
Health taxes in Indonesia: a review of policy debates on the tobacco, alcoholic beverages and sugar-sweetened beverage taxes in the media
Authors: Ahsan Abdillah , Amalia Nadira , Rahmayanti Krisna Puji , Adani Nadhila , Wiyono Nur Hadi , Endawansa Althof , Utami Maulida Gadis , Yuniar Adela Miranti
Published: October 2023

Introduction

One of the WHO’s ‘best buys’ in controlling non-communicable diseases and their risk factors is to impose health taxes. While the Indonesian political process inhibits the implementation of health tax policy, studies to discuss the issue remain limited.

Methods

We employed media analysis to document health tax policy dynamics, for example, the changes in policy timeline and key actors’ statements. We conducted an article search in the Open-Source Intelligence database using appropriate terminology on three commodities, for example, tobacco, alcoholic beverages and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).

Results

Throughout the 15 years of implementation (2007–2022), tobacco has received the most policy attention compared with the other two commodities. This is mainly related to the increasing tariff and reforming the tax structure. As Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country, alcohol consumption is low, and a tax on alcoholic beverages was nearly unchanging and lacked media coverage. Ministry of Finance (MoF) officials are key opinion leaders often cited in the media for health taxes. MoF’s support for health taxes is important to pass and implement health taxes. While SSB taxation is emerging, key opinion leaders’ media statements imply policy contestation, leading to delayed implementation. The policy debates on tobacco taxation implied election years as a major challenge for health tax passages. During the political years, anti-health tax arguments emerged from politicians. While the political contestation on SSB concluded that accentuating the health tax arguments in favour of public health generates the strongest opposition against taxation from the industry.

Conclusions

Politics of tobacco tax implementation are complex—compared with the other two commodities. The political context drives the divided views among policy-makers. Policy recommendations include generating public allies with key religious opinion leaders, continuing capacity building for politicians and Ministry of Health, and generating evidence-based arguments in favour of public health for MoF.
Health and economic impacts of introducing specific excise tax to waterpipe tobacco in Egypt: a simulation model of simple and mixed tax policy approaches
Authors: Mostafa Aya , Chalak Ali , Nakkash Rima , Abla Ruba , Khader Yousef S , Abu-Rmeileh Niveen ME , Salloum Ramzi G , Jawad Mohammed
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Waterpipe tobacco is taxed at half the rate of cigarettes in Egypt and, unlike cigarettes, does not have a specific excise component. We aimed to simulate the introduction of a specific excise tax on waterpipe tobacco consumption, premature deaths and government waterpipe tobacco revenue in Egypt.

Methods

We took model inputs from the latest available data on consumption, market shares and market share prices, price elasticities of demand, tax structure and from discussions with government officials. We modelled increases to specific excise to produce a 45%, 55%, 65% and 75% tax burden and compared a simple (specific only) structure with a mixed (specific and ad valorem) structure.

Results

Under the simple approach, introducing a US$2.1 specific tax would result in a 75% tax burden with 67% fewer waterpipe tobacco units smoked, 1 004 604 averted premature deaths and a 236% increase in government revenue relative to the current tax structure. At the 75% tax burden, the simple approach resulted in 1.5% fewer waterpipe tobacco units consumed, 9000 more averted premature deaths and 12.7% more government revenue compared with the mixed approach. Results for other tax burdens are presented and remained robust to sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Introducing a specific excise tax on waterpipe tobacco in Egypt can yield considerable government revenue and public health gains. We recommend the simple approach, in line with the WHO recommendations, which produces greater economic and public health gains than the mixed approach and is easier to administer for the Egyptian government.
Genetic complexity of diagnostically unresolved Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Authors: Vandersteen Anthony M , Weerakkody Ruwan A , Parry David A , Kanonidou Christina , Toddie-Moore Daniel J , Vandrovcova Jana , Darlay Rebecca , Santoyo-Lopez Javier , Meynert Alison ,   NIHR BioResource, Kazkaz Hanadi , Grahame Rodney , Cummings Carole , Bartlett Marion , Ghali Neeti , Brady Angela F , Pope F Michael , van Dijk Fleur S , Cordell Heather J , Aitman Timothy J
Published: October 2023

Background

The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are heritable disorders of connective tissue (HDCT), reclassified in the 2017 nosology into 13 subtypes. The genetic basis for hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) remains unknown.

Methods

Whole exome sequencing (WES) was undertaken on 174 EDS patients recruited from a national diagnostic service for complex EDS and a specialist clinic for hEDS. Patients had already undergone expert phenotyping, laboratory investigation and gene sequencing, but were without a genetic diagnosis. Filtered WES data were reviewed for genes underlying Mendelian disorders and loci reported in EDS linkage, transcriptome and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). A genetic burden analysis (Minor Allele Frequency (MAF) <0.05) incorporating 248 Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) controls sequenced as part of the UK10K study was undertaken using TASER methodology.

Results

Heterozygous pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants were identified in known EDS and Loeys-Dietz (LDS) genes. Multiple variants of uncertain significance where segregation and functional analysis may enable reclassification were found in genes associated with EDS, LDS, heritable thoracic aortic disease (HTAD), Mendelian disorders with EDS symptomatology and syndromes with EDS-like features. Genetic burden analysis revealed a number of novel loci, although none reached the threshold for genome-wide significance. Variants with biological plausibility were found in genes and pathways not currently associated with EDS or HTAD.

Conclusions

We demonstrate the clinical utility of large panel-based sequencing and WES for patients with complex EDS in distinguishing rare EDS subtypes, LDS and related syndromes. Although many of the P and LP variants reported in this cohort would be identified with current panel testing, they were not at the time of this study, highlighting the use of extended panels and WES as a clinical tool for complex EDS. Our results are consistent with the complex genetic architecture of EDS and suggest a number of novel hEDS and HTAD candidate genes and pathways.
Wearable motion-based platform for functional spine health assessment
Authors: Mageswaran Prasath , Dufour Jonathan , Aurand Alexander , Knapik Gregory , Hani Hamed , Blakaj Dukagjin M , Khan Safdar , Hussain Nasir , Tiwari Maneesh , Vallabh Jayesh , Weaver Tristan , Marras William S
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Low back pain is a significant burden to society and the lack of reliable outcome measures, combined with a prevailing inability to quantify the biopsychosocial elements implicated in the disease, impedes clinical decision-making and distorts treatment efficacy. This paper aims to validate the utility of a biopsychosocial spine platform to provide standardized wearable sensor-derived functional motion assessments to assess spine function and differentiate between healthy controls and patients. Secondarily, we explored the correlation between these motion features and subjective biopsychosocial measures.

Methods

An observational study was conducted on healthy controls (n=50) and patients with low back pain (n=50) to validate platform utility. The platform was used to conduct functional assessments along with patient-reported outcome assessments to holistically document cohort differences. Our primary outcomes were motion features; and our secondary outcomes were biopsychosocial measures (pain, function, etc).

Results

Our results demonstrated statistically significant differences in motion features between healthy and patient cohorts across anatomical planes. Importantly, we found velocity and acceleration in the axial plane showed the largest difference, with healthy controls having 49.7% and 55.7% higher values, respectively, than patients. In addition, we found significant correlations between motion features and biopsychosocial measures for pain, physical function and social role only.

Conclusions

Our study validated the use of wearable sensor-derived functional motion metrics in differentiating healthy controls and patients. Collectively, this technology has the potential to facilitate holistic biopsychosocial evaluations to enhance spine care and improve patient outcomes.

Trial registration number

NCT05776771.
Real hypersurfaces with Ricci–Bourguignon soliton in the complex two-plane Grassmannians
Authors: Suh Young Jin
Published: October 2023

The study of Ricci-Bourguignon soliton on real hypersurfaces in the complex two-plane Grassmannian [Formula: see text] is first investigated. It is proved that there exists a shrinking Ricci-Bourguignon soliton on a Hopf real hypersurface [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] by using pseudo-anticommuting Ricci tensor. Moreover, we have proved that there does not exist a nontrivial gradient Ricci-Bourguignon soliton ([Formula: see text]) on real hypersurfaces with isometric Reeb flow in the complex two-plane Grassmannian [Formula: see text]. Among the class of contact hypersurface in [Formula: see text], we also prove that there does not exist a nontrivial gradient Ricci-Bourguignon in [Formula: see text] over the totally geodesic and totally real quaternionic projective space [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text].
Delving into new physics in semileptonic b→cτν̄ transitions
Authors: Bhatta Aishwarya , Mohanta Rukmani
Published: October 2023

In recent times, there have been several observations suggesting deviations from lepton universality in semileptonic decays of [Formula: see text] mesons. These deviations have been noticed both in the neutral-current transitions ([Formula: see text]) and charged-current transitions ([Formula: see text]). Motivated by these intriguing findings, we investigate the semileptonic decays involving the quark-level transitions of [Formula: see text]. To explore the presence of new physics, we adopt a model-independent approach and analyze the processes [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] represent the four lightest excited charm mesons. Considering a comprehensive effective Hamiltonian, we perform a global fit using various sets of new coefficients and incorporate measurements of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], as well as the upper limit on the branching ratio of [Formula: see text]. Subsequently, we examine the impact of constrained new couplings on the branching ratios, forward–backward asymmetry parameters, lepton nonuniversality (LNU) ratios, as well as lepton and hadron polarization asymmetries in these decay modes.
Significance role of dual porosity and interfacial nanolayer mechanisms on hybrid nanofluids flow: A symmetry flow model
Authors: Raza Qadeer , Wang Xiaodong , Akbar Qureshi M. Zubair , Siddique Imran , Ahmad Moeed , Ali Bagh , Ahmad Hijaz , Tchier Fairouz
Published: October 2023

The investigation of heat and mass transfer between two porous disks containing porous media is the focus of this paper. In this research, (Ag–Al2O3/water)-based hybrid nanofluid is used. Governing partial differential equations are converted to nonlinear ordinary differential equations by similarity transformations. Numerical solutions to nonlinear systems of equations are achieved using the shooting technique. It is examined how the particle’s diameter and nanolayer thickness affect the thermal conductivity of a hybrid nanofluid. Due to the increment of nanolayer thickness, the Nusselt number increases and vice versa for the radius of the particle. Tables and graphs show how the governing parameters influence velocity, temperature, and mass concentration profiles, as well as physical quantities such as skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number. As the values of the porous medium parameters ([Formula: see text]–13) and nanolayer thickness ([Formula: see text]–12) elevate, the flow of skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number escalate in both porous disks. Moreover, as the values of the particle radius ([Formula: see text]% to 12%) and Reynolds number ([Formula: see text]1 to 2) amplify, the flow of heat transfer rate is diminished in the lower disk. Porous materials have a high surface area, which increases the contact area between the nanofluids and the porous medium. Porous materials can enhance the permeability of the fluid, reducing the pressure drop in the system. This can be advantageous in applications where high flow rates and low-pressure drops are desired, such as in heat exchangers or cooling systems. Porous materials can provide trapping sites or adhesion points for the nanoparticles, enhancing their dispersion and stability within the hybrid nanofluids. The porosity of the flow medium can therefore influence the purification and filtration efficiency of the hybrid nanofluids, ensuring their cleanliness and functionality. Understanding and controlling the porosity can help optimize the flow characteristics of the nanofluids in various applications. Overall this field will focus on refining hybrid nanofluid compositions, improving modeling techniques, validating experimental findings, optimizing system designs, and exploring new applications.
An Efficient Approach of Assessing Quality of Blurred Image
Authors: Baig Md Amir , Moinuddin Athar A. , Khan Ekram , Ghanbari Mohammed
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a method for evaluating the quality of images altered by Gaussian blur. The method is based on the observation of bokeh mode images where the region of interest (foreground) is sharp, while the remaining parts (background) are intentionally blurred to enhance the perceptual quality of the image. The blurriness of the background increases attention towards the foreground part of the image. The proposed quality metric is obtained by combining the attention factor and the sharpness of the region of interest. The accuracy, in terms of Spearman’s-rank-order correlation-coefficient (SROCC), for popular and publicly available databases such as LIVE, VCL, TID2008, CSIQ, and TID2013, is 0.963, 0.925, 0.900, 0.930, and 0.930, respectively. The proposed method achieves high and consistent Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient (SROCC) values compared to the majority of state-of-the-art algorithms. Furthermore, in terms of speed, the proposed method surpasses other state-of-the-art methods. The MATLAB code of the proposed metric is publicly available at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SRmUp0N157Ati9l3kV13uoCxw5PhMgQn?usp=sharing .
A Lightweight Multimodal Footprint Recognition Network Based on Progressive Multi-Granularity Feature Fusion
Authors: Cao Ruike , Li Luowei , Zhang Yan , Wu Jun , Zhao Xinyu
Published: October 2023

The main differences in images of footprints are the proportion of the parts of foot and the distribution of pressure, which can be considered as fine-grained image classification. Moreover, the deviation of human body weight and muscle strength increases the difficulty of identifying the left and right feet. While using a fine-grained image classification network to solve the footprint image classification problem is certainly a feasible approach, the number of parameters in a fine-grained image classification network is generally large, and therefore we would like to build a lightweight classification network that is suitable for several small footprint datasets. In this paper, a multimodal footprint recognition algorithm based on progressive multi-granularity feature fusion is proposed. First, the shallow dense connection network is used to extract features. The feature extraction ability of the model is improved with the help of channel splicing and feature multiplexing. Second, to learn footprint images of different granularities, the progressive training strategy and puzzle scrambler are applied to the model. Finally, factorized bilinear coding can aggregate local features to obtain more discriminative global representation features. Experiments show that our network achieves comparable classification accuracy to some fine-grained image classification models (PMG, MSEC) on the complete pressure footprint dataset, but the number of parameters in our network is greatly reduced. Meanwhile, our network also achieves good classification results on several other footprint datasets, which demonstrates the effectiveness of our network. At the same time, an ablation experiment was carried out to verify the effectiveness of the progressive strategy and the factorized bilinear coding.
Medical Image Segmentation and Classification Using Modified DoubleU-Net and PolyNet Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Sasikumar S. , Pugalenthi R. , Sasikala G. M. , Rajakumar M. P.
Published: October 2023

With the advent of deep neural networks, medical image analysis is able to predict results in advance in early detection and diagnosis of diseases found in the human body. Several deep neural network methodologies have been implemented for a quick and efficient analysis of medical images that detect and diagnose cancerous cell growth in any part of the human body. For improving the segmentation and classification accuracy, the paper has proposed a framework comprising modified DoubleU-Net for image segmentation and PolyNet architecture for image classification. The modified DoubleU-Net is composed of two U-Net architectures, in which U-Net1 makes use of ResNet-50 as an encoder in the place of VGG-16 (existing) and Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling (ASPP) is replaced by Waterfall Atrous Spatial Pooling (WASP) architecture in both U-Nets to improve the semantic image segmentation. For classifying the segmented medical images as benign or malignant, PolyNet architecture is implemented in the research. The research involves experiments on the brain tumor dataset and lung cancer dataset to analyze the performance of the proposed approach. The processing of the DoubleU-Net and modified DoubleU-Net is evaluated based on precision, Recall, Intersection over Union (IoU), and Dice Score as the performance metrics. Experimental findings indicate that the modified DoubleU-Net design outperformed the existing DoubleU-Net architecture in terms of performance parameters for segmentation. The efficiency of the PolyNet classifier has been evaluated against VGG-16 and Inception-V3 classifiers, in terms of accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, error rate, and computation time as the performance metrics. From the experimental results, it has been proved that the PolyNet classifier performs better than VGG-16 and Inception-V3 with improved accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and computation time.
THERMAL SHOCK BEHAVIOR OF LANTHANUM ZIRCONATE-BASED THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS
Authors: KARABAŞ MUHAMMET , BAL EMRE
Published: October 2023

In this study, La2Zr2O7, Yb2O3 and Gd2O3-doped La[Formula: see text](Gd, Yb)[Formula: see text]Zr2O7 thermal barrier coatings have been manufactured from the crystalline and amorphous feedstock by plasma spraying. The thickness of the bond coat is 100±25 [Formula: see text]m and the thickness of the top coat is 250±25 [Formula: see text]m. Thermal shock tests were carried out in furnace temperature of 1200∘C. The thermal shock tests indicate that lifetime of the La[Formula: see text]Gd[Formula: see text]Zr2O7 coating has 55 cycles which is the highest thermal shock lifetime compared to other coatings in this study. The type of feedstock, amorphous or crystalline, strongly affects the thermal shock lifetime of La2Zr2O7 coatings. Coating damage after thermal shock tests was investigated using scanning electron microscope to observe the microstructure and X-ray diffraction techniques to analyze the phase composition. The failure of coatings is mainly in consequence of the accumulation of stress between bond coat–ceramic coat interface due to thermal expansion coefficient differences and thermally grown oxide layer formation during thermal shock cycling tests.
Finite groups with integer harmonic mean of element orders
Authors: Pleşca Iulia Cătălina , Tărnăuceanu Marius
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we introduce a new function computing the harmonic mean of element orders of a finite group. We present a series of properties for this function, and then we study groups for which the value of the function is an integer.