bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations Between Geodemographic Factors and Access to Public Health Services Among Chinese Floating Population
Authors: Guan Ming
Published: December 2020

Background:The floating population in urban China is facing multiple barriers to access to comprehensive, affordable, and culturally effective public health services. However, little is known about the role of geodemographic factors. This study aimed to assess the associations between geodemographic factors and access to public health services among the Chinese floating population.

Methods:This study employed the data from the 2015 Migrant Dynamic Monitoring Survey data in China. Descriptive statistical analysis and principal component analysis were used to provide basic characteristics of the main variables. Multiple logistic models were used to analyze how province-level units, economic regions, and economic zones had significant associations with residential health records establishment, social medical insurance, and types and methods of health knowledge attainment in urban China. Using multiple indicator multiple cause models, the association between geodemographic factors and types and methods of health knowledge attainment was studied.

Results:The results indicated that there was regional unbalance in the case of residential health records. Regional differences were significantly associated with social medical insurance. Provincial differences were significantly associated with health knowledge attainment. There were regional differences in the methods of health knowledge attainment. In the most provincial units, geodemographic factors had significant associations with types and methods of health knowledge attainment.

Conclusions:This study confirmed empirical associations between geodemographic factors and access to public health services among Chinese floating population. The relevant suggestion was that provincial units with less-developed public health services should enhance their capabilities to equalize public health services.
Bio-Inspired Dielectric Resonator Antenna for Wideband Sub-6 GHz Range
Authors: Melchiorre Luigi , Marasco Ilaria , Niro Giovanni , Basile Vito , Marrocco Valeria , D’Orazio Antonella , Grande Marco
Published: December 2020

Through the years, inspiration from nature has taken the lead for technological development and improvement. This concept firmly applies to the design of the antennas, whose performances receive a relevant boost due to the implementation of bio-inspired geometries. In particular, this idea holds in the present scenario, where antennas working in the higher frequency range (5G and mm-wave), require wide bandwidth and high gain; nonetheless, ease of fabrication and rapid production still have their importance. To this aim, polymer-based 3D antennas, such as Dielectric Resonator Antennas (DRAs) have been considered as suitable for fulfilling antenna performance and fabrication requirements. Differently from numerous works related to planar-metal-based antenna development, bio-inspired DRAs for 5G and mm-wave applications are at their beginning. In this scenario, the present paper proposes the analysis and optimization of a bio-inspired Spiral shell DRA (SsDRA) implemented by means of Gielis’ superformula, with the goal of boosting the antenna bandwidth. The optimized SsDRA geometrical parameters were also determined and discussed based on its fabrication feasibility exploiting Additive Manufacturing technologies. The results proved that the SsDRA provides relevant bandwidth, about 2 GHz wide, and satisfactory gain (3.7 dBi and 5 dBi, respectively) at two different frequencies, 3.5 GHz and 5.5 GHz.
Influence of Soil Characteristics on Wood Biodeterioration by Brown Rot Fungi
Authors: Ribera Javier , Michel Elisabeth , Schwarze Francis W. M. R.
Published: December 2020

Soil conditions can directly influence the inoculum potential of wood decay fungi, which is likely to be a major factor in the premature failure of utility poles across Europe. The objective of our study was to assess the influence of soil pH, humic acid and iron on wood decay. For this purpose, we incubated Fe-impregnated wood specimens on artificial medium to evaluate the influence of the metal on the activity of brown rot fungi. Moreover, the impact of Cu-leaching from impregnated wood specimens that were exposed to humic acid solutions was measured. In addition, weight losses caused by brown rot fungi in impregnated wood pole segments and stiffness (Young’s modulus of Elasticity) of Cu-impregnated wood specimens were quantified. The pH measurements showed that the soil samples were slightly acid (pH = 6.7 ± 0.7). In comparison to non-impregnated controls, the Fe-impregnated samples significantly increased weight losses by brown rot fungi (>30–40%). In the presence of humic acid the release of copper from chromium-free wood preservatives (up to 143.34 mg L−1) was enhanced. Weight losses in impregnated wood segments by brown rot fungi ranged from 5.3 to 20.4%. The recorded reduction in stiffness by brown rot fungi ranged from approximately 3.96 to 55.52% for Cu-impregnated wood specimens after 12 weeks. Our study shows that the pH, humic acid, iron content and selected wood preservatives greatly influence susceptibility of impregnated wood to brown rot fungi during ground contact.
Stability Numbers for Unsupported Conical Excavations in Multi-Layered Cohesive Soils
Authors: Lee Kwangwoo , Ko Junyoung , Lim Hyunsung , Lee Joon Kyu
Published: December 2020

This paper presents the results of a numerical analysis into undrained stability of conical excavation in multi-layered clays. Stability predictions for a wide range of geometric and material combinations are calculated by finite element analyses. The results from the present analysis are expressed in the familiar form of stability numbers reflecting the effect of (1) angle of inclination, (2) depth ratio, which is relative top layer thickness to excavation depth, (3) strength difference between two layers on the rigid base, (4) width ratio, which is excavation height to radius at the bottom of excavation, and (5) thickness ratio, which is the ratio of the excavation height to thickness of soil 1 layers. The obtained stability numbers are compared with existing solutions published in the literature. The failure mechanism in multi-layered clays are also discussed in terms of the displacement pattern.
Updating Real-World Profiles of Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Reactivity Estimation in Tunnels of Mexico City
Authors: Mugica-Álvarez Violeta , Magaña-Reyes Miguel , Martínez-Reyes Adriana , Figueroa-Lara Jesús , Blanco-Jiménez Salvador , Goytia-Leal Valia , Páramo-Figueroa Victor H. , García-Martínez Rocío
Published: December 2020

The main objective of this work was to bring to date the exhaust and evaporative volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles from light-duty gasoline vehicles, carrying out a sampling and analysis campaign in two tunnels of Mexico City. The abundance of exhaust-emission VOC profiles was the same in 2018 as in 1998 (alkanes > aromatics > olefins > acetylene), albeit exhibiting large differences (67%, 17%, 12%, and 4% for 2018, and 50%, 26%, 16%, and 8% for 1998, respectively). An important reduction of 69% and 77% in VOC concentrations was registered inside and outside of the tunnel, respectively, in comparison with 1998. In the ambient air, alkanes accounted for 77%, since high concentrations of liquefied petroleum (LP) gas species are still present. Ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, and toluene from tunnel emissions contributed prominently to ozone formation, while the most reactive gasoline vapors were pentenes, pentanes, and butenes, although the ozone formation potential due to VOCs in tunnel emissions and ambient air also had a significant reduction. These results demonstrate that strategies carried out in the last 20 years were successful in achieving a better air quality, although the aromatic and olefin content in gasolines needs to be further reduced to lower the concentrations of toxic and reactive species.
Treatment-Resistant Depression in a Real-World Setting: First Interim Analysis of Characteristics, Healthcare Resource Use, and Utility Values of the FondaMental Cohort
Authors: Yrondi Antoine , Bennabi Djamila , Haffen Emmanuel , Quelard Delphine , Samalin Ludovic , Maruani Julia , Allauze Etienne , Pierre Damien , Bougerol Thierry , Camus Vincent , D’Amato Thierry , Doumy Olivier , Holtzmann Jérôme , Lançon Christophe , Moliere Fanny , Moirand Rémi , Nieto Isabel , Richieri Raphaëlle , Horn Mathilde , Schmitt Laurent , Stephan Florian , Genty Jean-Baptiste , Vaiva Guillaume , Walter Michel , Courtet Philippe , Leboyer Marion , Llorca Pierre-Michel , Marguet Sophie , Dennis Nathalie , Schaetz Dominique , El-Hage Wissam , Aouizerate Bruno
Published: December 2020

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most common psychiatric disorders. One-third of patients are usually unresponsive to several lines of treatment. This study aimed to describe the FondaMental French cohort of patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and to estimate utility and healthcare resource use outcomes. Methods: Patients with TRD were evaluated prospectively over four years (baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 and 48 months) in a real-world clinical setting. Interim analyses focused on the first two consecutive years. Four MDD-related states (major depressive episode (MDE), response, remission, recovery) were defined based on the MADRS (Montgomery–Åsberg depression rating scale) and other clinical events. Health status was assessed with the EuroQol 5 Dimensions 5 Level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire. Utility values were estimated as preference measures that the patients assigned to their overall health status. Results: This study was based on 252 patients with TRD. The mean utility value by health state was 0.41, 0.63, 0.80, and 0.90, for MDE, response, remission, and recovery, respectively. At baseline, 59% of patients had an MADRS score of at least 28. Their baseline average utility value was lower compared to the other patients (0.43 versus 0.58, p < 0.001). This significant difference persisted at the following visits. The rate of patients in MDEs having at least one hospitalisation for depression or other reasons than depression was generally higher than that in the other health states. Conclusion: This study documented patterns in healthcare resource consumption, quality of life, and other characteristics in patients with TRD, both globally and by health state and depression severity.
Age-Related Decline of Sensorimotor Integration Influences Resting-State Functional Brain Connectivity
Authors: Yoshimura Natsue , Tsuda Hayato , Aquino Domenico , Takagi Atsushi , Ogata Yousuke , Koike Yasuharu , Minati Ludovico
Published: December 2020

Age-related decline in sensorimotor integration involves both peripheral and central components related to proprioception and kinesthesia. To explore the role of cortical motor networks, we investigated the association between resting-state functional connectivity and a gap-detection angle measured during an arm-reaching task. Four region pairs, namely the left primary sensory area with the left primary motor area (S1left–M1left), the left supplementary motor area with M1left (SMAleft–M1left), the left pre-supplementary motor area with SMAleft (preSMAleft–SMAleft), and the right pre-supplementary motor area with the right premotor area (preSMAright–PMdright), showed significant age-by-gap detection ability interactions in connectivity in the form of opposite-sign correlations with gap detection ability between younger and older participants. Morphometry and tractography analyses did not reveal corresponding structural effects. These results suggest that the impact of aging on sensorimotor integration at the cortical level may be tracked by resting-state brain activity and is primarily functional, rather than structural. From the observation of opposite-sign correlations, we hypothesize that in aging, a “low-level” motor system may hyper-engage unsuccessfully, its dysfunction possibly being compensated by a “high-level” motor system, wherein stronger connectivity predicts higher gap-detection performance. This hypothesis should be tested in future neuroimaging and clinical studies.
Predicting Long-Term Respiratory Outcomes in Premature Infants: Is It Time to Move beyond Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia?
Authors: Jain Deepak , Feldman Alexander , Sangam Subhasri
Published: December 2020

Premature birth has been shown to be associated with adverse respiratory health in children and adults; children diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in infancy are at particularly high risk. Since its first description by Northway et al. about half a century ago, the definition of BPD has gone through several iterations reflecting the changes in the patient population, advancements in knowledge of lung development and injury, and improvements in perinatal care practices. One of the key benchmarks for optimally defining BPD has been the ability to predict long-term respiratory and health outcomes. This definition is needed by multiple stakeholders for hosts of reasons including: providing parents with some expectations for the future, to guide clinicians for developing longer term follow-up practices, to assist policy makers to allocate resources, and to support researchers involved in developing preventive or therapeutic strategies and designing studies with meaningful outcome measures. Long-term respiratory outcomes in preterm infants with BPD have shown variable results reflecting not only limitations of the current definition of BPD, but also potentially the impact of other prenatal, postnatal and childhood factors on the respiratory health. In this manuscript, we present an overview of the long-term respiratory outcomes in infants with BPD and discuss the role of other modifiable or non-modifiable factors affecting respiratory health in preterm infants. We will also discuss the limitations of using BPD as a predictor of respiratory morbidities and some of the recent advances in delineating the causes and severity of respiratory insufficiency in infants diagnosed with BPD.
Parent Mobile Phone Use in Playgrounds: A Paradox of Convenience
Authors: Bury Keira , Jancey Jonine , Leavy Justine E.
Published: December 2020

Creating social and physical environments that promote good health is a key component of a social determinants approach. For the parents of young children, a smartphone offers opportunities for social networking, photography and multi-tasking. Understanding the relationship between supervision, mobile phone use and injury in the playground setting is essential. This research explored parent mobile device use (MDU), parent–child interaction in the playground, parent attitudes and perceptions towards MDU and strategies used to limit MDU in the playground. A mixed-methods approach collected naturalistic observations of parents of children aged 0–5 (n = 85) and intercept interviews (n = 20) at four metropolitan playgrounds in Perth, Western Australia. Most frequently observed MDU was scrolling (75.5%) and telephone calls (13.9%). Increased duration of MDU resulted in a reduction in supervision, parent–child play and increased child injury potential. The camera function offered the most benefits. Strategies to prevent MDU included turning to silent mode, wearing a watch and environmental cues. MDU was found to contribute to reduced supervision of children, which is a risk factor for injury. This is an emerging area of injury prevention indicating a need for broader strategies addressing the complex interplay between the social determinants and the developmental younger years.
What Solutions Exist for Developmental Delays Facing Indigenous Children Globally? A Co-Designed Systematic Review
Authors: Macniven Rona , Jeffries Thomas Lee , Meharg David , Talbot Folau , Rambaldini Boe , Edwards Elaine , Hickie Ian B. , Sloan Margaret , Gwynne Kylie
Published: December 2020

Early childhood is important for future cognitive and educational outcomes. Programs overcoming barriers to engagement in early education for Indigenous children must address family cultural needs and target developmental delays. This systematic review identifies culturally adapted programs to improve developmental delays among young children, in response to an identified priority of a remote Indigenous community. Five databases (the Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Scopus and CINAHL) were searched for English language papers in January 2018. Study quality was assessed, and findings were analysed thematically. Findings were presented to the community at an event with key stakeholders, to determine their inclusion and face validity. Seven relevant studies, published between 1997 and 2013, were identified by the researchers and each study was supported by the community for inclusion. Three studies included on Native American children and four studies included children from non-Indigenous disadvantaged backgrounds. Findings were reported narratively across four themes: storytelling to improve educational outcomes; family involvement improved development; culturally adapted cognitive behavioural therapy to reduce trauma; rewards-based teaching to improve child attention. Limited published research on culturally adapted and safe interventions for children with developmental delays exists but these four themes from seven studies identify useful components to guide the community and early childhood program development.
Hydrophobic and Superhydrophobic Bio-Based Nano-Magnetic Epoxy Composites as Organic Coating of Steel
Authors: Wahby Mohamed H. , Atta Ayman M. , Moustafa Yaser M. , Ezzat Abdelrahman O. , Hashem Ahmed I.
Published: December 2020

New epoxy resin hardeners were prepared from the reaction of p-nonylphenol and cardanol glycidylether with pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA) to produce hydrophobic polyamines. They were used as capping to produce superhydrophobic magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs). The chemical structures, thermal stability, morphologies, and particle sizes diameters were evaluated to confirm the hydrophobicity of dicardanoxy (DCHI) and dinonylphenoxy (HPHI) polyamines. The curing exothermic reaction of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEB) epoxy resin with DCHI, HPHI, or their Fe3O4 NPs was investigated by dynamic mechanical analyzer and differential scanning calorimetry. The cured epoxy networks crosslinking densities, storage modulus, and glass transition temperatures were determined and correlated to epoxy networks chemical compositions. DGEB/DCHI and DGEB/HPHI with their stoichiometric ratio embedded with their Fe3O4 NPs were applied on the rough steel surface to produce hydrophobic and superhydrophobic epoxy coatings. The wetting characteristics of the cured epoxy nanocomposites were evaluated from seawater contact angle (WCA) measurements to prove the formation of superhydrophobic coatings in the presence of DCHI-Fe3O4 NPs having WCA > 150°. The excellent adhesion, mechanical, and anti-corrosion performances using DGEB/DCHI and DGEB/HPHI epoxy nanocomposites were obtained on the steel surfaces in the presence of seawater corrosive environment.
Performance Enhancement in Borocarburized Low-Carbon Steel by Double Glow Plasma Surface Alloying
Authors: Ding Zheng , Miao Qiang , Liang Wenping , Yang Zhengang , Zuo Shiwei
Published: December 2020

In this paper, the performance of low-carbon steel is enhanced after introducing a borocarburized diffusion layer via double glow plasma surface alloying technology. Due to the boron-carbon gradient structure of low-carbon steel, the protective coating exhibits an excellent wear and corrosion resistance. Interestingly, the borocarburized layer consists of a 64 μm carburized layer and a 27 μm boride layer, which plays an effective role in enhancing the microhardness of borocarburized low-carbon steel, exhibiting a 1440 Vickers hardness increase in the surface microhardness of low-carbon steel. The potentiodynamic polarization measurement and impedance measurement results indicate that the boride protective film can effectively prevent aggressive chloride ions from invading the substrate, which indicates an excellent property of corrosion resistance. This systematic study paves a promising way for the future application of hard coatings in severe environments.
Distance Learning Perceptions from Higher Education Students—The Case of Portugal
Authors: Gonçalves Sónia P. , Sousa Maria José , Pereira Fernanda Santos
Published: December 2020

This research study examines the attitudes of Portuguese higher education students regarding compulsory digital and distance learning university courses during the second semester of the academic year 2019–2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology was quantitative, being the undergraduate and postgraduate students surveyed to find their perceptions about distance and online education in Portugal. The findings of the study highlighted the relationship between distance and online learning. The key concern of the respondents is related to the formal and contextual dimensions of the online class regime. The values examined, taken as a whole, allow us to conclude that with this teaching regime, in terms of awareness, there is acceptance and benefit. The sense of ambiguity in which this transformation took place, as well as the climate surrounding this phase, are worth noting. The teaching and evaluation methodologies used have been embraced and show a very wide range of choices on the part of the teaching teams and the students’ various interests, just as in the teaching regime of the classroom. The fact that students feel the need for face-to-face classes, however, is of great importance for practical and laboratory classes. This reality, which is a challenge to face in the future, is hard to overcome.
Seamless Switching Control Technology for the Grid-Connected Converter in Micro-Grids
Authors: Shi Changli , Wei Tongzhen , Sun Yushu , Jia Dongqiang , Li Tianchu
Published: December 2020

In order to ensure the reliable power supply of the local load in the micro-grid (MG), a seamless switching control technology (SSCT) suitable for grid-connected converter (GCC) is proposed. This technology includes silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCR) forced shutdown control strategy (SCR-FSCS) and three-loop control strategy (TLCS). The SCR-SSCT adjusts the load voltage in real time to form a back voltage at the grid-connected inductor, which greatly reduces the SCR shutdown time and ensures the reliability of local load power supply. The TLCS can easily realize the switching between the current source mode and the voltage source mode of the GCC. An experimental platform is established to carry out the relevant experiments. The experimental results show the rationality and effectiveness of the theoretical analysis and the proposed control technology.
Full-Order Sliding Mode Observer Based on Synchronous Frequency Tracking Filter for High-Speed Interior PMSM Sensorless Drives
Authors: Bao Danyang , Wu Huiming , Wang Ruiqi , Zhao Fei , Pan Xuewei
Published: December 2020

In the research of the high-speed sensorless control strategy of an interior permanent-magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM), considering the harmonic influence of inverter nonlinearity on traditional sliding mode observer method, a full-order sliding mode observer (SMO) method based on synchronous frequency tracking filtering is proposed. This method avoids the phase delay defects caused by the use of filters in traditional second-order SMO. Then, the observed extended electromotive force (EMF) signal is filtered using a synchronous frequency tracking (SFT) function. It tracks the changing stator current and filters out harmonics that are not part of the tracking signal to achieve static tracking of the stator current. Then, the rotor speed can be estimated by a Luenberger-based observer. Experimental results verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method.
New 3D Cone Beam CT Imaging Parameters to Assist the Dentist in Treating Patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Authors: Messineo Daniela , Luzzi Valeria , Pepe Francesca , Celli Luca , Turchetti Arianna , Zambrano Anna , Celli Mauro , Polimeni Antonella , Ierardo Gaetano
Published: December 2020

(1) Background: The aim of the work is to identify some imaging parameters in osteogenesis imperfecta to assist the dentist in the diagnosis, planning, and orthodontic treatment of Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) using 3D cone beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and the Double Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) technique. (2) Methods: 14 patients (9 males and 5 females; aged mean ± SD 15 ± 1.5) with a clinical-radiological diagnosis of OI were analyzed and divided into mild and moderate to severe forms. The patients’ samples were compared with a control group of 14 patients (8 males and 6 females; aged mean ± SD 15 ± 1.7), free from osteoporotic pathologies. (3) Results: The statistical analysis allowed us to collect four datasets: in the first dataset (C1 sick population vs. C1 healthy population), the t-test showed a p-value < 0.0001; in the second dataset (C2 sick population vs. C2 healthy population), the t-test showed a p-value < 0.0001; in the third dataset (parameter X of the sick population vs. parameter X of the healthy population), the t-test showed a p-value < 0.0001; in the fourth dataset the bone mineralometry (BMD) value detected by the DEXA technique compared to the C2 value of the OI affected population only) the Welch–Satterthwaite test showed a p-value < 0.0001. (4) Conclusions: The research has produced specific imaging parameters that assist the dentist in making diagnostic decisions in OI patients. This study shows that patients with OI have a characteristic chin-bearing symphysis, thinned, and narrowed towards the center, configuring it with a constant “hourglass” appearance, not reported so far in the literature by any author.
Augmenting Nutrient Acquisition Ranges of Greenhouse Grown CBD (Cannabidiol) Hemp (Cannabis sativa) Cultivars
Authors: Kalinowski Jennifer , Edmisten Keith , Davis Jeanine , McGinnis Michelle , Hicks Kristin , Cockson Paul , Veazie Patrick , Whipker Brian
Published: December 2020

There is a growing interest in the production of hemp for the extraction of cannabidiol (CBD) due to reported therapeutic benefits. Recent policy reform has permitted state hemp pilot programs, including the land grant research institutions, the ability to investigate the potential of growing and harvesting Cannabis sativa plants (≤0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol) for these purposes in the U.S. There are vast gaps of knowledge regarding the fertility requirements of hemp cultivars grown in a horticultural production setting for floral attributes such as the cannabinoid constituents. Foliar tissue analysis provides an avenue to determine adequate ranges for nutrient uptake and estimating fertilizer requirements prior to visual symptoms of deficiency or toxicity. To facilitate a survey range of elemental nutrient acquisition in hemp cultivars propagated for CBD production, foliar analysis was executed using the most recently mature leaves (MRML) of mother stock plants. All plants were maintained in the vegetative stage for twelve weeks, prior to initiation of cutting for clone harvesting. A total of thirteen cultivars were utilized to broaden previously reported baseline survey ranges. Significant differences were found among all thirteen cultivars in accumulation of both micro and macro essential nutrients, widening the range of the fertility requirements of Cannabis plants grown in this production model for CBD harvesting.
The Methodology of Creating Variable Resolution Maps Based on the Example of Passability Maps
Authors: Pokonieczny Krzysztof
Published: December 2020

The paper presents the methodology for creating variable resolution maps, which was developed by the author and implemented to generate passability maps. These studies are used in military applications and crisis management in order to determine the possibility of crossing the area off-road. They may significantly facilitate the process of planning rescue or search operations. The developed methodology uses source data in the form of a spatial database to generate maps consisting of Voronoi polygons. The proposed solution automates the process of creating such maps, which was realized in practice by developing a dedicated IT system. It served to generate a series of passability maps in various configurations, which were then thoroughly compared. The conducted research demonstrated that variable resolution passability maps may successfully replace maps that consist of sometimes several dozen times higher numbers of primary fields. This enables reducing the amount of data stored in computer memory and shortens the time necessary to access visualization and information analysis on passability maps.
Application of Balanced Mix Design Methodology to Optimize Surface Mixes with High-RAP Content
Authors: Meroni Fabrizio , Flintsch Gerardo W. , Diefenderfer Brian K. , Diefenderfer Stacey D.
Published: December 2020

The most common use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is in the lower layers of a pavement structure, where it has been proven as a valid substitute for virgin materials. The use of RAP in surface mixes is more limited, since a major concern is that the high-RAP mixes may not perform as well as traditional mixes. To reduce risks or compromised performance, the use of RAP has commonly been controlled by specifications that limit the allowed amount of recycled material in the mixes. However, the ability to include greater quantities of RAP in the surface mix while maintaining a satisfying field performance would result in potential cost savings for the agencies and environmental savings for the public. The main purpose of this research was to produce highly recycled surface mixes capable of performing well in the field, verify the performance-based design procedure, and analyze the results. To produce the mixes, a balanced mix design (BMD) methodology was used and a comparison with traditional mixes, prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s volumetric mix design, was performed. Through the BMD procedure, which featured the indirect tensile cracking test for evaluating cracking resistance and the Asphalt Pavement Analyzer (APA) for evaluating rutting resistance, it was possible to obtain a highly recycled mix (45% RAP) capable of achieving a better overall laboratory performance than traditional mixes designed using volumetric constraints while resulting in a reduction in production cost.
Learning Medical Image Denoising with Deep Dynamic Residual Attention Network
Authors: Sharif S M A , Naqvi Rizwan Ali , Biswas Mithun
Published: December 2020

Image denoising performs a prominent role in medical image analysis. In many cases, it can drastically accelerate the diagnostic process by enhancing the perceptual quality of noisy image samples. However, despite the extensive practicability of medical image denoising, the existing denoising methods illustrate deficiencies in addressing the diverse range of noise appears in the multidisciplinary medical images. This study alleviates such challenging denoising task by learning residual noise from a substantial extent of data samples. Additionally, the proposed method accelerates the learning process by introducing a novel deep network, where the network architecture exploits the feature correlation known as the attention mechanism and combines it with spatially refine residual features. The experimental results illustrate that the proposed method can outperform the existing works by a substantial margin in both quantitative and qualitative comparisons. Also, the proposed method can handle real-world image noise and can improve the performance of different medical image analysis tasks without producing any visually disturbing artefacts.
A Consensus Model for Extended Comparative Linguistic Expressions with Symbolic Translation
Authors: Labella Álvaro , Rodríguez Rosa M. , Alzahrani Ahmad A. , Martínez Luis
Published: December 2020

Consensus Reaching Process (CRP) is a necessary process to achieve agreed solutions in group decision making (GDM) problems. Usually, these problems are defined in uncertain contexts, in which experts do not have a full and precise knowledge about all aspects of the problem. In real-world GDM problems under uncertainty, it is usual that experts express their preferences by using linguistic expressions. Consequently, different methodologies have modelled linguistic information, in which computing with words stands out and whose basis is the fuzzy linguistic approach and their extensions. Even though, multiple consensus approaches under fuzzy linguistic environments have been proposed in the specialized literature, there are still some areas where their performance must be improved because of several persistent drawbacks. The drawbacks include the use of single linguistic terms that are not always enough to model the uncertainty in experts’ knowledge or the oversimplification of fuzzy information during the computational processes by defuzzification processes into crisp values, which usually implies a loss of information and precision in the results and also a lack of interpretability. Therefore, to improving the effects of previous drawbacks, this paper aims at presenting a novel CRP for GDM problems dealing with Extended Comparative Linguistic Expressions with Symbolic Translation (ELICIT) for modelling experts’ linguistic preferences. Such a CRP will overcome previous limitations because ELICIT information allows both fuzzy modelling of the experts’ uncertainty including hesitancy and performs comprehensive fuzzy computations to, ultimately, obtain precise and understandable linguistic results. Additionally, the proposed CRP model is implemented and integrated into the CRP support system so-called A FRamework for the analYsis of Consensus Approaches (AFRYCA) 3.0 that facilitates the application of the proposed CRP and its comparison with previous models.
Structural Characterization of Fine γ′-Fe4N Nitrides Formed by Active Screen Plasma Nitriding
Authors: Jasinski Jaroslaw Jan , Kurpaska Lukasz , Fraczek Tadeusz , Lubas Malgorzata , Sitarz Maciej
Published: December 2020

The paper presents the structural characterization of γ′-Fe4N nitrides produced by active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) processes. Experiments were performed on the Fe-Armco model material at 693, 773, and 853 K for 6 h. Investigation of the properties of the substrate was realized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM, SEM–EBSD/Kikuchi lines), energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (TEM-EFTEM), X-ray diffraction (GID, grazing incidence diffraction, micro-XRD), and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). Results have confirmed that the γ′-Fe4N nitrides’ structure and morphology depend considerably on the nitriding process’s plasma conditions and cooling rate. In addition to that, γ′-Fe4N nitrides’ formation can be correlated with the surface layer saturation mechanism and recombination effect. It has been shown that the γ′-Fe4N structure depends considerably on several phenomena that occur in the diffusive layer (e.g., top layer decomposition, nitrogen, and carbon atoms’ migration). Our research proves that the nitrogen concentration gradient is a driving force of nitrogen migration atoms during the recombination of γ′-Fe4N nitrides. Finally, realized processes have allowed us to optimize active screen plasma nitriding to produce a surface layer of fine nitrides.
Melt Blown Fiber-Assisted Solvent-Free Device Fabrication at Low-Temperature
Authors: Lee Minjong , Kang Joohoon , Lee Young Tack
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we propose a solvent-free device fabrication method using a melt-blown (MB) fiber to minimize potential chemical and thermal damages to transition-metal-dichalcogenides (TMDCs)-based semiconductor channel. The fabrication process is composed of three steps; (1) MB fibers alignment as a shadow mask, (2) metal deposition, and (3) lifting-up MB fibers. The resulting WSe2-based p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) device shows an ON/OFF current ratio of ~2 × 105 (ON current of ~−40 µA) and a remarkable linear hole mobility of ~205 cm2/V·s at a drain voltage of −0.1 V. These results can be a strong evidence supporting that this MB fiber-assisted device fabrication can effectively suppress materials damage by minimizing chemical and thermal exposures. Followed by an MoS2-based n-type MOS (NMOS) device demonstration, a complementary MOS (CMOS) inverter circuit application was successfully implemented, consisted of an MoS2 NMOS and a WSe2 PMOS as a load and a driver transistor, respectively. This MB fiber-based device fabrication can be a promising method for future electronics based on chemically reactive or thermally vulnerable materials.
Micromachining of Transparent Biocompatible Polymers Applied in Medicine Using Bursts of Femtosecond Laser Pulses
Authors: Kažukauskas Evaldas , Butkus Simas , Tokarski Piotr , Jukna Vytautas , Barkauskas Martynas , Sirutkaitis Valdas
Published: December 2020

Biocompatible polymers are used for many different purposes (catheters, artificial heart components, dentistry products, etc.). An important field for biocompatible polymers is the production of vision implants known as intraocular lenses or custom-shape contact lenses. Typically, curved surfaces are manufactured by mechanical means such as milling, turning or lathe cutting. The 2.5 D objects/surfaces can also be manufactured by means of laser micromachining; however, due to the nature of light–matter interaction, it is difficult to produce a surface finish with surface roughness values lower than ~1 µm Ra. Therefore, laser micromachining alone can’t produce the final parts with optical-grade quality. Laser machined surfaces may be polished via mechanical methods; however, the process may take up to several days, which makes the production of implants economically challenging. The aim of this study is the investigation of the polishing capabilities of rough (~1 µm Ra) hydrophilic acrylic surfaces using bursts of femtosecond laser pulses. By changing different laser parameters, it was possible to find a regime where the surface roughness can be minimized to 18 nm Ra, while the polishing of the entire part takes a matter of seconds. The produced surface demonstrates a transparent appearance and the process shows great promise towards commercial fabrication of low surface roughness custom-shape optics.
Echovirus-30 Infection Alters Host Proteins in Lipid Rafts at the Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier In Vitro
Authors: Wiatr Marie , Staubach Simon , Figueiredo Ricardo , Stump-Guthier Carolin , Ishikawa Hiroshi , Schwerk Christian , Schroten Horst , Hanisch Franz-Georg , Rudolph Henriette , Tenenbaum Tobias
Published: December 2020

Echovirus-30 (E-30) is a non-polio enterovirus responsible for meningitis outbreaks in children worldwide. To gain access to the central nervous system (CNS), E-30 first has to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) or the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). E-30 may use lipid rafts of the host cells to interact with and to invade the BCSFB. To study enteroviral infection of the BCSFB, an established in vitro model based on human immortalized brain choroid plexus papilloma (HIBCPP) cells has been used. Here, we investigated the impact of E-30 infection on the protein content of the lipid rafts at the BCSFB in vitro. Mass spectrometry analysis following E-30 infection versus uninfected conditions revealed differential abundancy in proteins implicated in cellular adhesion, cytoskeleton remodeling, and endocytosis/vesicle budding. Further, we evaluated the blocking of endocytosis via clathrin/dynamin blocking and its consequences for E-30 induced barrier disruption. Interestingly, blocking of endocytosis had no impact on the capacity of E-30 to induce loss of barrier properties in HIBCPP cells. Altogether, these data highlight the impact of E-30 on HIBCPP cells microdomain as an important factor for host cell alteration.
Geochemical Controls on Uranium Release from Neutral-pH Rock Drainage Produced by Weathering of Granite, Gneiss, and Schist
Authors: Skierszkan Elliott K. , Dockrey John W. , Mayer K. Ulrich , Bondici Viorica F. , McBeth Joyce M. , Beckie Roger D.
Published: December 2020

We investigated geochemical processes controlling uranium release in neutral-pH (pH ≥ 6) rock drainage (NRD) at a prospective gold deposit hosted in granite, schist, and gneiss. Although uranium is not an economic target at this deposit, it is present in the host rock at a median abundance of 3.7 µg/g, i.e., above the average uranium content of the Earth’s crust. Field bin and column waste-rock weathering experiments using gneiss and schist mine waste rock produced circumneutral-pH (7.6 to 8.4) and high-alkalinity (41 to 499 mg/L as CaCO3) drainage, while granite produced drainage with lower pH (pH 4.7 to >8) and lower alkalinity (<10 to 210 mg/L as CaCO3). In all instances, U release was associated with calcium release and formation of weakly sorbing calcium-carbonato-uranyl aqueous complexes. This process accounted for the higher release of uranium from carbonate-bearing gneiss and schist than from granite despite the latter’s higher solid-phase uranium content. In addition, unweathered carbonate-bearing rocks having a higher sulfide-mineral content released more uranium than their oxidized counterparts because sulfuric acid produced during sulfide-mineral oxidation promoted dissolution of carbonate minerals, release of calcium, and formation of calcium-carbonato-uranyl aqueous complexes. Substantial uranium attenuation occurred during a sequencing experiment involving application of uranium-rich gneiss drainage into columns containing Fe-oxide rich schist. Geochemical modeling indicated that uranium attenuation in the sequencing experiment could be explained through surface complexation and that this process is highly sensitive to dissolved calcium concentrations and pCO2 under NRD conditions.
Interrelations of Synthesis Method, Polyethylene Glycol Coating, Physico-Chemical Characteristics, and Antimicrobial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Mohamad Kasim Amirah Shafilla , Ariff Arbakariya Bin , Mohamad Rosfarizan , Wong Fadzlie Wong Faizal
Published: December 2020

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been found to have extensive biomedical and biological applications. They can be synthesised using chemical and biological methods, and coated by polymer to enhance their stability. Hence, the changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of AgNPs must be scrutinised due to their importance for biological activity. The UV-Visible absorption spectra of polyethylene glycol (PEG) -coated AgNPs displayed a distinctive narrow peak compared to uncoated AgNPs. In addition, High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis revealed that the shapes of all AgNPs, were predominantly spherical, triangular, and rod-shaped. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis further confirmed the role of PEG molecules in the reduction and stabilisation of the AgNPs. Moreover, dynamic light scattering analysis also revealed that the polydispersity index values of PEG-coated AgNPs were lower than the uncoated AgNPs, implying a more uniform size distribution. Furthermore, the uncoated and PEG-coated biologically synthesised AgNPs demonstrated antagonisms activities towards tested pathogenic bacteria, whereas no antagonism activity was detected for the chemically synthesised AgNPs. Overall, generalisation on the interrelations of synthesis methods, PEG coating, characteristics, and antimicrobial activity of AgNPs were established in this study.
A Review on the Application of Nanocellulose in Cementitious Materials
Authors: Guo Aofei , Sun Zhihui , Sathitsuksanoh Noppadon , Feng Hu
Published: December 2020

The development of the concrete industry is always accompanied by some environmental issues such as global warming and energy consumption. Under this circumstance, the application of nanocellulose in cementitious materials is attracting more and more attention in recent years not only because of its renewability and sustainability but also because of its unique properties. To trace the research progress and provide some guidance for future research, the application of nanocellulose to cementitious materials is reviewed. Specifically, the effects of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), cellulose nanofibril (CNF), bacterial cellulose (BC), and cellulose filament (CF) on the physical and fresh properties, hydration, mechanical properties, microstructure, rheology, shrinkage, and durability of cementitious materials are summarized. It can be seen that the type, dosage, and dispersion of nanocellulose, and even the cementitious matrix type can lead to different results. Moreover, in this review, some unexplored topics are highlighted and remain to be further studied. Lastly, the major challenge of nanocellulose dispersion, related to the effectiveness of nanocellulose in cementitious materials, is examined in detail.
Synthesis, Optical Properties, and Sensing Applications of LaF3:Yb3+/Er3+/Ho3+/Tm3+ Upconversion Nanoparticles
Authors: Chien Hsiu-Wen , Huang Chien-Hao , Yang Chien-Hsin , Wang Tzong-Liu
Published: December 2020

Herein, we successfully synthesized a series of LaF3:Yb3+/Er3+/Ho3+/Tm3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and LaF3:Yb3+0.20, Er3+0.02@LaF3:Yb3+0.20 core/shell UCNPs by modifying the amount of NaOH and the reaction time. Hexagonal LaF3 nanocrystals with uniform particle sizes and bright UC emissions were obtained. The crystal structures of the lanthanide-doped LaF3 UCNPs were investigated using wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The morphologies and particle sizes of the nanocrystals were determined using transmission electron microscopy. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the LaF3 nanocrystals could be tuned by altering the doping ratio of Er3+, Ho3+, and Tm3+. In addition, the PL intensities increased after coating the UCNP cores with an active shell. The fluorescence intensities of the UCNPs synthesized via a one-hour reaction with the addition of 2.5 or 5 mmol NaOH increased by up to 17 times compared with the sample prepared without the addition of NaOH. By modifying the doping ratio of Yb/Tm, UV-emissive LaF3 nanocrystals were obtained. After surface modification by ligand exchange, the hydrophobic LaF3:Yb3+0.20, Er3+0.02@LaF3:Yb3+0.20 core/shell UCNPs became water-dispersible. These colloid UCNPs could be utilized as a fluorescent probe for the detection of Hg2+ ions under 980 nm near-infrared irradiation.
Flexible Transparent Heat Mirror for Thermal Applications
Authors: Li Shimin , Xu Qianqian , Zhou Ziji , Zhao Wenchao , Li Xiaowen , Wen Zhengji , Yao Yao , Xu Hao , Deng Huiyong , Dai Ning , Hao Jiaming
Published: December 2020

Transparent heat mirrors have been attracting a great deal of interest in the last few decades due to their broad applications, which range from solar thermal convection to energy-saving. Here, we present a flexible Polyethylene terephthalate/Ag-doped Indium tin oxide/Polydimethylsiloxane (PAIP) thin film that exhibits high transmittance in visible range and low emissivity in the thermal infrared region. Experimental results show that the temperature of the sample can be as high as 108 °C, which is ~23 °C higher than that of a blackbody control sample under the same solar radiation. Without solar radiation, the temperature of the PAIP thin film is ~6 °C higher than that of ordinary fabric. The versatility of the large-area, low-radiation-loss, highly-transparent and flexible hydrophobic PAIP thin film suggest great potential for practical applications in thermal energy harvesting and manipulation.