bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of fragmentation pathways of norpimarane diterpenoids by mass spectrometry combined with computational chemistry
Authors: Wan Xunda , Lan Ziqiang , Yang Shushu , Yang Shanzheng , Zhu Yangjian , Wang Feng , Yang Weiran , Chen Jinlong
Published: February 2022

Rationale

Norpimarane diterpenes possess plentiful bioactivities and are widely distributed in herbs, such as Flickingeria fimbriata. Rapid characterization of these natural products in complicated plant extracts is of great importance, and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for chemical constituent profiling. However, limited researches on their fragmentation mechanisms seriously hinder identification via mass spectrometry.

Methods

Three norpimarane diterpenes isolated from F. fimbriata via multiple types of column chromatography served as reference compounds, and collision‐induced dissociation experiments were performed on them with a series of variable collision energies. Plausible fragmentation pathways were proposed based on product ions. To further validate the fragmentation mechanisms, the proton affinity and product ion energy were simulated by density functional theory at the B3LYP/6‐31+G(d, p) level.

Results

Three main cleavage reactions induced skeleton breakage and resulted in characteristic ions, methyl (CH3‐20) migration, hydrogen arrangement and Retro‐Diels–Alder reaction, among which methyl migration was firstly proposed for pimarane diterpenes. A series of common diagnostic ions were identified, such as m/z 133.1012, 121.1012, 119.0805 and 107.0855. Additionally, the constructed fragmentation mechanisms were successfully applied for fragment ion rationalization of previously reported isopimarane diterpenes.

Conclusions

Fragmentation mechanisms of norpimarane diterpenes have been uncovered. Carbocation located at the C ring tends to result in methyl (CH3‐20) migration which has been rarely reported before. This characteristic dissociation reaction allows multiple diagnostic ions to be rationalized and aids in rationalizing fragmentation patterns of other diterpenes. The uncovered mechanisms also shed light on rapid identification of norpimarane diterpenes.
Boosting Cholesterol Efflux from Foam Cells by Sequential Administration of rHDL to Deliver MicroRNA and to Remove Cholesterol in a Triple‐Cell 2D Atherosclerosis Model
Authors: Jebari‐Benslaiman Shifa , Uribe Kepa B. , Benito‐Vicente Asier , Galicia‐Garcia Unai , Larrea‐Sebal Asier , Santin Izortze , Alloza Iraide , Vandenbroeck Koen , Ostolaza Helena , Martín César
Published: February 2022

Cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality worldwide, is primarily caused by atherosclerosis, which is characterized by lipid and inflammatory cell accumulation in blood vessels and carotid intima thickening. Although disease management has improved significantly, new therapeutic strategies focused on accelerating atherosclerosis regression must be developed. Atherosclerosis models mimicking in vivo‐like conditions provide essential information for research and new advances toward clinical application. New nanotechnology‐based therapeutic opportunities have emerged with apoA‐I nanoparticles (recombinant/reconstituted high‐density lipoproteins, rHDL) as ideal carriers to deliver molecules and the discovery that microRNAs participate in atherosclerosis establishment and progression. Here, a therapeutic strategy to improve cholesterol efflux is developed based on a two‐step administration of rHDL consisting of a first dose of antagomiR‐33a‐loaded rHDLs to induce adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette transporters A1 overexpression, followed by a second dose of 1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine rHDLs, which efficiently remove cholesterol from foam cells. A triple‐cell 2D‐atheroma plaque model reflecting the cellular complexity of atherosclerosis is used to improve efficiency of the nanoparticles in promoting cholesterol efflux. The results show that sequential administration of rHDL potentiates cholesterol efflux indicating that this approach may be used in vivo to more efficiently target atherosclerotic lesions and improve prognosis of the disease.
Transformer Fault Diagnosis Technology Based on Maximally Collapsing Metric Learning and Parameter Optimization Kernel Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Han Xiaohui , Ma Shifeng , Shi Zhewen , An Guoqing , Du Zhenbin , Zhao Chunlin
Published: February 2022

Aiming at the problem of unsatisfactory diagnosis performance of conventional fault diagnosis methods for transformer, a novel method based on maximally collapsing metric learning algorithm (MCML) and parameter optimization kernel extreme learning machine (KELM) is proposed in this study. First, a new set of dissolved gas analysis (DGA) features combination, which can reflect the transformer fault information, is used to form the input feature space. Then, the MCML is employed to reduce the feature space dimension to extract a set of optimal DGA features combination. Finally, the salp swarm algorithm (SSA) is utilized to optimize the parameters in KELM to establish an SSA‐KELM model, which is adopted to diagnose and identify transformer faults. The proposed method is applied to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) TC 10 database, and the results show that the feature extraction effect of MCML is superior than that of linear discriminant analysis, neighborhood preserving embedding, and Laplacian eigenmaps. The optimal DGA feature set is more advantageous than the frequent‐used DGA data, IEC ratios, Rogers ratios, and Doernenburg Ratios. The diagnosis accuracy of SSA‐KELM is better than that of KELM, particle swarm optimization‐KELM, genetic algorithm‐KELM, and loin swarm optimization‐KELM. Furthermore, the generalization and robustness ability of the MCML and SSA‐KELM is confirmed by the China DGA samples, the obtained results verify the reliability and validity of the proposed method again. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Bacterial composition in the toheroa (Paphies ventricosa), a threatened surf clam from Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Authors: Bennion Matthew , Ross Phil M. , Lane Henry S. , McDonald Ian R.
Published: February 2022

The toheroa (Paphies ventricosa) is an Aotearoa (New Zealand) endemic surf clam that remains threatened following population collapse due to overfishing in the twentieth century. Despite protective measures being in place for more than 4 decades, toheroa populations have inexplicably failed to recover. As part of an investigation into the possible role of disease in preventing their recovery, an exploration of the bacterial composition in toheroa was conducted over their entire geographic range. The bacterial composition in toheroa tissues was dominated by Spirochaetaceae, Mycoplasmataceae, and Endozoicomonadaceae, and varied at both large (between geographically separated sites) and small spatial scales (beds < 10 km apart). At small scales, it was habitat, in this case the presence or absence of freshwater outflows, which appeared to be a major influence on bacterial composition. Given that the decline of toheroa has also coincided with changes in land use that have reduced the amount of freshwater reaching the toheroa beaches, it is possible that habitat-related shifts in the abundance of certain bacterial symbionts are affecting the health and impeding recovery of this iconic and culturally significant species.
On Huang and Wong’s algorithm for generalized binary split trees
Authors: Chrobak Marek , Golin Mordecai , Munro J. Ian , Young Neal E.
Published: February 2022

Huang and Wong (Acta Inform 21(1):113–123, 1984) proposed a polynomial-time dynamic-programming algorithm for computing optimal generalized binary split trees. We show that their algorithm is incorrect. Thus, it remains open whether such trees can be computed in polynomial time. Spuler (Optimal search trees using two-way key comparisons, PhD thesis, 1994) proposed modifying Huang and Wong’s algorithm to obtain an algorithm for a different problem: computing optimal two-way comparison search trees. We show that the dynamic program underlying Spuler’s algorithm is not valid, in that it does not satisfy the necessary optimal-substructure property and its proposed recurrence relation is incorrect. It remains unknown whether the algorithm is guaranteed to compute a correct overall solution.
Management of hepatitis B virus prophylaxis in patients treated with disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis: a multicentric Italian retrospective study
Authors: Buonomo Antonio Riccardo , Viceconte Giulio , Calabrese Massimiliano , De Luca Giovanna , Tomassini Valentina , Cavalla Paola , Maniscalco Giorgia Teresa , Ferraro Diana , Nociti Viviana , Radaelli Marta , Buscarinu Maria Chiara , Paolicelli Damiano , Gajofatto Alberto , Annovazzi Pietro , Pinardi Federica , Di Filippo Massimiliano , Cordioli Cinzia , Zappulo Emanuela , Scotto Riccardo , Gentile Ivan , Spiezia Antonio Luca , Petruzzo Martina , De Angelis Marcello , Brescia Morra Vincenzo , Solaro Claudio , Gasperini Claudio , Cocco Eleonora , Moccia Marcello , Lanzillo Roberta ,   Raising Italian Researchers in Multiple Sclerosis (RIREMS) study group
Published: February 2022

Background

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) often receive disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that can expose them to reactivation of potential occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (pOBI). We aimed to evaluate the MS Centers behavior regarding HBV screening and prophylaxis in a large cohort of MS patients receiving anti-CD20 or cladribine.

Methods

Retrospective, multicentric study recruiting Italian MS patients treated with rituximab, ocrelizumab and cladribine.

Results

We included 931 MS patients from 15 centers. All but 38 patients performed a complete HBV screening. Patients’ age > 50 years was significantly associated with no history of vaccination and HBsAb titres < 100 mIU at baseline (p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between post-vaccination HBsAb titres and type of treatment (p = 0.5), pre-or post-therapy vaccination (p = 0.2) and number of previous DMTs (p = 0.2). Among pOBI patients (n = 53), 21 received antiviral prophylaxis, while only 13 had HBV DNA monitoring and 19 patients neither monitored HBV DNA nor received prophylaxis.

Conclusions

Baseline HBV screening in patients receiving anti-CD20 and cladribine is a consolidated practice. Nonetheless, HBV vaccination coverage is still lacking in such population and age is a significant factor associated with low HBV protection. Rituximab, ocrelizumab and cladribine did not impair HBV vaccine response. Almost 35% of pOBI patients fail to receive HBVr prevention. Management of HBV prophylaxis could be improved in MS patients and further prospective studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of prophylactic strategies in such patients.
Nobel somatosensations and pain
Authors: Reeh Peter W. , Fischer Michael J. M.
Published: February 2022

The Nobel prices 2021 for Physiology and Medicine have been awarded to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian "for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch", TRPV1 and PIEZO1/2. The present review tells the past history of the capsaicin receptor, covers further selected TRP channels, TRPA1 in particular, and deals with mechanosensitivity in general and mechanical hyperalgesia in particular. Other achievements of the laureates and translational aspects of their work are shortly treated.
Caring for someone with cancer in rural Australia
Authors: Gunn Kate M. , Weeks Melanie , Spronk Kristiaan J. J. , Fletcher Chloe , Wilson Carlene
Published: February 2022

Purpose

To explore the experiences of people caring for someone with cancer, while living in rural Australia, and the impact of the cancer-caring role on their well-being.

Method

Eighteen adults in regional or remote (‘rural’) Australia who cared for a person with cancer took part in semi-structured telephone interviews. Participants were aged 32–77 years and mainly female (66%). Data were analysed using thematic analysis and an essentialist approach.

Results

Eight themes were identified: (1) travel is hard, but supports are available; (2) frustration with systems that do not demonstrate understanding of the rural context; (3) the importance of lay and peer support; (4) the impact of access to trusted, local health care services; (5) the importance of access to rurally relevant information (particularly on relevant services and what to expect); (6) living with uncertainty and balancing loss with hope; (7) reluctance to seek or accept psychological support; and (8) the gendered nature of care.

Conclusion

Rural cancer carers’ roles can be made easier by improving health systems and coordination to ease the burden of travel, providing information about available support and what to expect throughout cancer treatment that is relevant to the rural context, and increasing access to quality health, community, and support services, including palliative care, in rural areas. More training on the specific needs of rural patients and their carers is needed for urban health care professionals. Peer support groups may have particular value for cancer carers in rural settings, where there are known to be multiple barriers to accessing professional sources of psychosocial support.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Associated Factors in HPTN 071 (PopART) Study Communities in Zambia and South Africa—A Comparison by HIV Status
Authors: Sabapathy K. , Stöckl H. , Mulubwa C. , Mubekapi-Musadaidzwa C. , Hoddinott G. , Floyd S. , Seeley J. , Bond V. , Bock P. , Fidler S. , Ayles H. , Hayes R. ,   on behalf of HPTN 071 (PopART) Study Team
Published: February 2022

The HPTN 071(PopART) study was a community-randomised trial in Zambia and
South Africa, examining the impact of combination-prevention including universal
testing and treatment (UTT), on HIV-incidence. This sub-study evaluated factors
associated with IPV (physical and/or sexual) to identify differences by HIV status.
During 2015–16, a random subset of adults who participated in the first year of the
PopART intervention were recruited and standardised questionnaires were
administered. Logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios of factors associated with IPV. Among > 700 women studied (300 HIV-negative;400 HIV-positive),
~ 20% reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence in the last 12-months.
Sexual violence was similar by HIV status, but physical violence and reporting both
physical/sexual violence was more common among HIV-positive women. Spending
nights away from the community in the last 12-months was associated with higher odds
of IPV among both HIV-negative (aOR 3.17, 95% CI 1.02–9.81) and HIV-positive women
(aOR 1.79, 95% CI 0.99–3.24). Among HIV-positive women, financial autonomy was
associated with reduced IPV (aOR:0.41,95%CI:0.23-0.75) while pregnancy in the last
12-months (aOR 2.25, 95% CI 1.07–4.74), risk of alcohol dependence
(aOR 2.75, 95% CI 1.51–5.00) and risk of mental distress (aOR 2.62, 95% CI 1.33–5.16)
were associated with increased IPV. Among HIV-negative women reporting sex in the
last 12-months, transactional sex (aOR 3.97, 95% CI 1.02–15.37) and not knowing
partner’s HIV status (aOR 3.01, 95% CI 1.24–7.29) were associated with IPV. IPV was
commonly reported in the study population and factors associated with IPV differed by
HIV status. The association of mobility with IPV warrants further research. The high
prevalence of harmful alcohol use and mental distress, and their association with IPV
among HIV-positive women require urgent attention.
Digital critical archives, copyright, and feminist praxis
Authors: Wilson Nicola , Battershill Claire , Clarkson Helena , Hannah Matthew N. , Nokhrin Illya , Willson Gordon Elizabeth
Published: February 2022

With the continued proliferation of digitized materials, critical attention to the ideologies informing the creation of digital archives remains crucial. How are digital archives made and what are their goals? How do different participants in the process work together in collaborative teams towards shared ideals? This paper outlines the methodological and political considerations that underlie the creation of a critical digital archive of historical and born-digital materials relating to 20th-century publishing history,The Modernist Archives Publishing Project(MAPP). Here we outline the archival practices and critical ethos that have informed the collaborative creation ofMAPPby an international team of scholars, archivists, cultural institutions, students, and copyright estate holders. We address issues of selection that arise in creating a critical digital archive; feminist critical metadata practices; and our approaches to workflow and copyright; and conclude with an example of an archival document type in which the issues of feminist critical curation and copyright collide.
PRESSAFE-disp: a method for the fast in-plane seismic assessment of existing precast RC buildings after the Emilia earthquake of May 2012
Authors: Bovo Marco , Praticò Lucia , Savoia Marco
Published: February 2022

The existing precast reinforced concrete structures not specifically designed against earthquakes have proved to be very sensitive to seismic demands. After the lesson learnt from the Emilia earthquake of May 2012, causing many collapses and severe damage, reliable seismic design criteria have been established for the design of new precast structures and for the strengthening of the existing ones. Despite this, a large percentage of the existing precast buildings in the Italian territories actually has not been object of interventions and remains in an unsafe condition with regard to the seismic actions. In this context, the methods for a rapid seismic assessment can be very helpful both to estimate the current safety level of large building stocks and to plan the necessary strengthening interventions, possibly at the large scale of an industrial area. To this aim, the paper proposes the PRESSAFE-disp (PRecast Existing Structure Seismic Assessment by Fast Evaluation-displacements) method, useful for the fast evaluation of the fragility curves of precast structures. The damage criteria, applicable both to structural elements and non-structural cladding elements on the perimeter, have been selected in order to capture the damage mechanisms observed during the building inspections conducted by the authors in the aftermath of the 2012 Emilia earthquakes. The method allows a comprehensive explanation of the seismic in-plane behaviour of existing precast RC buildings and could be effectively adopted, for example, in earthquake loss estimations and seismic risk assessments of large Italian industrial areas, as well as of wide seismic-prone territories of the Mediterranean area.
Multicriteria decision making taxonomy of code recommendation system challenges: a fuzzy-AHP analysis
Authors: Akbar Muhammad Azeem , Khan Arif Ali , Huang Zhiqiu
Published: February 2022

The recommendation systems plays an important role in today’s life as it assist in reliable selection of common utilities. The code recommendation system is being used by the code databases (GitHub, source frog etc.) aiming to recommend the more appropriate code to the users. There are several factors that could negatively impact the performance of code recommendation systems (CRS). This study aims to empirically explore the challenges that could have critical impact on the performance of the CRS. Using systematic literature review and questionnaire survey approaches, 19 challenges were identified. Secondly, the investigated challenges were further prioritized using fuzzy-AHP analysis. The identification of challenges, their categorization and the fuzzy-AHP analysis provides the prioritization-based taxonomy of explored challenges. The study findings will assist the real-world industry experts and to academic researchers to improve and develop the new techniques for the improvement of CRS.
Effect of He and N2 gas on the mechanical and tribological assessment of SS316L coating deposited by cold spraying process
Authors: Belgroune Ahlam , Alhussein Akram , Aissani Linda , Zaabat Mourad , Obrosov Aleksei , Verdy Christophe , Langlade Cécile
Published: February 2022

In this study, simulation and experimental methods were used to investigate the influence of cold spray conditions on AISI 316L stainless steel coatings. The effect of both helium and nitrogen gases used was investigated. The temperature, particle sizes of spraying powder, and distance from the nozzle throat to the impinging point were estimated by using the Kinetics Spray Solutions GmbH software. The 316L stainless steel (SS) coatings were examined by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Microanalysis. The tribological behavior was evaluated under different loads (2 N and 5 N) in dry conditions. It was found that the nitrogen and helium propellant gas with high speed and fine particles led to produce good coatings with dense microstructures. From the nanoindentation experiments, the Young's modulus and hardness of the SS 316L samples were enhanced of about 8% with helium due to the high particle velocity. It was shown that the wear resistance of SS 316L produced with helium was higher than that of the standard SS 316L coatings. The coatings produced with helium revealed lower friction coefficient (0.65) and wear rate (6.9 × 10–4 mm3/Nm) under 2 N applied load than that obtained nitrogen. It was also found that the SS 316L cold sprayed by helium with dense structure presents high hardness and good tribological performance that can be suggested for several applications.

Graphical Abstract
Can Gestures Give us Access to Thought? A Systematic Literature Review on the Role of Co-thought and Co-speech Gestures in Children with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Lacombe Noémie , Dias Thierry , Petitpierre Geneviève
Published: February 2022

This systematic review analyzes the differential use of gestures in learning by children with intellectual disability (ID) compared to typically developing ones (TD). Eleven studies published between 2000 and 2020 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (N = 364 participants). The results identify three key elements: (1) Children with ID accompany their spoken language with more gestures than TD children; (2) Specifically, they produce more iconic gestures that provide access to the conceptualization process and understanding in students with ID; (3) Children with ID rely on gesture more than TD children to carry meaning (i.e., produce unimodal gestural utterances without accompanying speech). Possible implications for teaching and guidelines for future research are proposed.
Are we free to make the laws?
Authors: Loew Christian , Hüttemann Andreas
Published: February 2022

Humeans about laws maintain that laws of nature are nothing over and above the complete distribution of non-modal, categorical properties in spacetime. ‘Humean compatibilists’ argue that if Humeanism about laws is true, then agents in a deterministic world can do otherwise than they are lawfully determined to do because of the distinctive nature of Humean laws. More specifically, they reject a central premise of the Consequence argument by maintaining that deterministic laws of nature are ‘up to us’. In this paper, we present a new argument for Humean compatibilism. We argue that Humeans about laws indeed have resources for defending compatibilism that non-Humeans lack (though not for the reasons typically discussed in the literature). Moreover, we show that utilizing these resources does not lead to objectionable consequences. Humeans about laws should thus embrace Humean compatibilism.
Physical analysis of the environmental impacts of fishery complementary photovoltaic power plant
Authors: Li Peidu , Gao Xiaoqing , Li Zhenchao , Zhou Xiyin
Published: February 2022

Photovoltaic (PV) power plants have shown rapid development in the renewable sector, but the research areas have mainly included land installations, and the study of fishery complementary photovoltaic (FPV) power plants has been comparatively less. Moreover, the mechanism of local microclimate changes caused by FPV panels has not been reported. This work revealed this mechanism using a physical model to illustrate the impact of FPV power plants in a lake on the environment. The results indicated that the lake becomes a heat sink after deploying the PV panel on water. The comprehensive albedo (0.082) decreased by 18.8% relative to the free water surface (0.101). The water energy change was dominated by the water–air vapor pressure deficit. In addition, the FPV panels had a heating effect on the ambient environment; however, the range of this effect was related to the water depth. The installation had an obvious heating effect on surface water.
Sequential stress control and delayed support in deep shaft construction
Authors: Liu Huanxin , Tan Zhuoying , Wang Xi , Liu Xingquan , Zhao Xingdong , Li Yangyang
Published: February 2022

In constructing hard rock mine deep shafts, the failure caused by high stress is a significant problem. A construction section extending from the -930 m to -1271 m level of a 1527 m deep shaft was selected as a case study. Q, RMR, and GSI rock mass quality classifications of the surrounding rock were obtained to determine the shaft’s maximum unsupported sinking cycle height in different construction sections. The potential failure mode, failure zone shape, and failure depth of the surrounding rock shaft under high stress were then analyzed theoretically, empirically, and by numerical simulation, sequential stress control and delayed support technology was proposed according to the results. The temporary and permanent support timing parameters were calculated and verified by the empirical chart, numerical simulation, convergence-confinement theory, and theoretical formula. Results show that the surrounding rock in all the construction sections from -930 m to -1271 m belongs to the mild or severely pressure squeezed strata. The potential failure mode is stress-controlled, and the failure zone of the surrounding rock is “ear” shaped. Temporary support strengthens the rock mass, improves the shear capacity of surrounding rock, and prevents the broken rock from falling but does not release stress. Permanent support, conversely, cannot bear the stress of surrounding rock. The stress and elastic strain energy in rock mass should be released to the greatest extent possible before installing permanent support; it is not advisable to install it too early. The time and cycle height of delayed permanent shaft support were comprehensively determined to be four days and 16 m, respectively. The numerical simulation and safety factor proof show that the sequential stress control process effectively minimizes stress in surrounding rock and ensures long-term shaft stability.
Bismuth–Telluride-Gold Mineralisation from Parsoi Area in Eastern Mahakoshal Belt, Sonbhadra District, UP, India
Authors: Misra P.S. , Pandit D. , Murmu A. K. , Saleesh P. N. , Salu S.
Published: February 2022

The Palaeoproterozoic eastern Mahakoshal belt of Central India Tectonic Zone (CITZ) is known for gold occurrences. Gold occurs predominantly in quartz veins and quartz-carbonate veins. It is associated with pyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite mineral assemblages. The secondary alteration products such as ‘scorodite’ and ‘mansfieldite’ are also associated with gold mineralisation. Recent investigations carried out in Parsoi area, have indicated the association of gold with bismuth, bismuthinite and telluride. This is the first record of bismuth from the Mahakoshal belt. The studies of the bismuth tellurides contribute to the assessment and evaluation of concentrations of gold resources.
Importance of Fracturing Hard and Massive Overlying Strata for Complete Extraction of Thick Coal Seam – Case Studies
Authors: Kumar Rakesh , Mishra Arvind Kr. , Kumar Ashok , Singh Arun Kr. , Ram Sahendra , Singh Amit Kr. , Singh Rajendra
Published: February 2022

Engineering efforts need to be organized as per the rock mechanic conditions of the site for efficient underground extraction of a thick coal seam. Geo-mining conditions of Indian coalfields have favoured development of thick coal seams on Bord and Pillar (B&P) method, where single lift depillaring of total thickness (SLDTT) is vital for their final extraction. Competency of heightened pillar is an important factor for uncontrolled roof-pillar interaction during caving of the hard and massive overlying strata. An increase in extraction height by underwinning of roof coal band of the thick coal seam during retreat, developed along its floor horizon, is found to be the main reason for the strength deterioration. Conducted field studies also showed that the presence of competent overlying strata caused caving after a large overhang inside the goaf varying from 6000 m2 to 12500 m2. An attempt was made to control the roof caving by a proportional increase in width of the heightened pillars and it worked well but caused the issue of resource conservation. However, another field study with SLDTT working below laminated and weak overlying strata experienced a smooth strata control condition. This fortifies the idea of strength reduction of the competent overlying strata by fracturing for a controlled strata behaviour. This paper presents the result of the field investigations to demonstrate the role of strength reduction of overlying strata for underground extraction of total thickness of a thick coal seam in single lift.
The Effect of Discontinuity Orientation and Thickness of the Weathered Layer on the Stability of Lesser Himalayan Rock Slope
Authors: Ray Arunava , Rai Rajesh , Singh T. N.
Published: February 2022

The effect of discontinuity orientations and thickness of the weathered layer in the stability of jointed phyllite rock slopes of the Lesser Himalayan region was examined in this study. Numerical simulation was performed using the Rocscience RS2 V9 finite element software package. The performance of the slope was assessed for varying slope height, slope angle, weathered layer thickness, and orientation of the main joint and the cross joint set. The results indicate that the stability of rock slope depends on the relative orientation and distribution of the contained joint sets and the thickness of the weathered layer. Based on numerical simulation, the order of percentage reduction of a factor of safety (FOS) for the critical combination of joint sets has been identified. It was deduced that while keeping all the parameters constant, the effect of cross joint orientations is prominent in the case of shallow weathered layer and reduces as the thickness of the weathered layer increases. The effect of main joint orientations is prominent in the case of a deep weathered layer and reduces as the thickness of the weathered layer decreases. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the obtained result indicates that all the independent variables (slope height, slope angle, weathered layer thickness, main joint set, and cross joint set) are significantly predicting the dependent variable (FOS of rock slope) and the reducing order of significance is weathered layer thickness, slope angle, main joint orientation, slope height, and cross joint orientation.
Ecofriendly sustainable synthetized nano-composite for removal of heavy metals from aquatic environment
Authors: Farouz Mohamed , El-Dek S. I. , ElFaham Mohamed M. , Eldemerdash Usama
Published: February 2022

The toxicity of heavy metals in the aquatic environment is a serious challenge to the global community. Even at low concentrations, heavy metals have a cumulatively destructive effect on living organisms in the aquatic environment. Biomass wastes have been investigated for heavy metals removal in the published literature; however, the low performance and capacity of the biomass represents a drawback towards effective application. Therefore, in this study, biomass waste such as corn leaves that have low cost is investigated as a precursor for eco-friendly sustainable nanostructured composite. In this research, several experiments have been conducted focusing on upgrading the capacity of the bioresource for removing heavy metals from the aquatic environment. In addition to low-cost biomass material, nanomaterials such as zinc oxide represents an attractive combination for effective removing heavy metals such as iron and nickel ions. Characterization of the synthesized composite material was conducted using XRD–FESEM-mapping and EDX–HRTEM and SAED–Zeta size and Zeta potential. Moreover, studying the efficiency of synthesized nano-composite for heavy metals ions adsorption of iron and nickel ions shows an outstanding increase of performance. The results suggest that adding nanomaterial to biomass matter and obtaining a composite at nanosize, enables the increase of the adsorption efficiency of heavy metals.
Investigation of transonic aerodynamics on a triple-delta wing in side slip conditions
Authors: Di Fabbio Tony , Tangermann Eike , Klein Markus
Published: February 2022

The vortex-dominated flow around the triple-delta wing ADS-NA2-W1 aircraft is investigated in order to achieve a better understanding of the flow physics phenomena that occur over the aircraft particularly at the transonic speed condition. Both URANS and scale-resolving DDES have been employed in order to explore the range of suitability of current CFD methods. The Spalart–Allmaras One-Equation Model with corrections for negative turbulent viscosity and Rotation/Curvature (SA-negRC) is employed to close the RANS equations, whereas the SAneg-based DDES model is applied in the scale-resolving computations. The DLR TAU-Code is used to perform the numerical simulations. The deficiencies of the URANS results are illustrated and promising improvements are reached employing the SAneg-DDES numerical method. The hybrid method results show great advancement in the prediction of the multiple-delta wing flow by revealing physical aspects which have not been seen from URANS with sufficient accuracy like vortex–vortex interaction and shock-vortex interaction. These phenomena furthermore explain in a clear way the improved prediction of the surface pressure coefficient over the aircraft and consequently of the aerodynamic force and moment coefficients.
Clomifeencitraat voor hypogonadale klachten: bijna 10 jaar ervaring
Authors: Huijben Manou , Lock M. W. T. Tycho
Published: February 2022

Samenvatting

Hypogonadisme is een wereldwijd probleem onder mannen dat seksuele, fysieke en mentale problemen veroorzaakt. Clomifeencitraat (CC) is een alternatieve, offlabel therapie, vooral voor mannen met een actieve of toekomstige kinderwens. In deze single-centerstudie werden 153 mannen die behandeld werden met CC voor hypogonadisme retrospectief geëvalueerd. Uitkomstmaten waren onder andere hormonale evaluatie, hypogonadale symptomen, metabole en lipidenparameters, veiligheidsaspecten en bijwerkingen. Tijdens de behandeling nam het totaal testosteron toe van 9 naar 16 nmol/l, met een biochemische toename in 89% van de patiënten. Verhoogd niveau van totaal testosteron hield aan na acht jaar behandeling. Bij behandeling met CC ervoer 74% van de patiënten verbetering van de hypogonadale symptomen. Laag-normaal luteïniserend hormoon vóór CC-behandeling was voorspellend voor een betere testosteronrespons. Tijdens CC-therapie werden weinig, niet-ernstige bijwerkingen gemeld. Concluderend, CC is een effectieve therapie op korte en lange termijn, die zowel klinische symptomen als biochemische markers van mannelijk hypogonadisme verbetert met weinig bijwerkingen en goede veiligheidsaspecten.
Sentiment and structure in word co-occurrence networks on Twitter
Authors: Fudolig Mikaela Irene , Alshaabi Thayer , Arnold Michael V. , Danforth Christopher M. , Dodds Peter Sheridan
Published: February 2022

We explore the relationship between context and happiness scores in political tweets using word co-occurrence networks, where nodes in the network are the words, and the weight of an edge is the number of tweets in the corpus for which the two connected words co-occur. In particular, we consider tweets with hashtags #imwithher and #crookedhillary, both relating to Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid in 2016. We then analyze the network properties in conjunction with the word scores by comparing with null models to separate the effects of the network structure and the score distribution. Neutral words are found to be dominant and most words, regardless of polarity, tend to co-occur with neutral words. We do not observe any score homophily among positive and negative words. However, when we perform network backboning, community detection results in word groupings with meaningful narratives, and the happiness scores of the words in each group correspond to its respective theme. Thus, although we observe no clear relationship between happiness scores and co-occurrence at the node or edge level, a community-centric approach can isolate themes of competing sentiments in a corpus.
Simulation and Evaluation of Cloud Storage Caching for Data Intensive Science
Authors: Wegner Tobias , Lassnig Mario , Ueberholz Peer , Zeitnitz Christian
Published: February 2022

A common task in scientific computing is the data reduction. This workflow extracts the most important information from large input data and stores it in smaller derived data objects. The derived data objects can then be used for further analysis. Typically, these workflows use distributed storage and computing resources. A straightforward setup of storage media would be low-cost tape storage and higher-cost disk storage. The large, infrequently accessed input data are stored on tape storage. The smaller, frequently accessed derived data is stored on disk storage. In a best-case scenario, the large input data is only accessed very infrequently and in a well-planned pattern. However, practice shows that often the data has to be processed continuously and unpredictably. This can significantly reduce tape storage performance. A common approach to counter this is storing copies of the large input data on disk storage. This contribution evaluates an approach that uses cloud storage resources to serve as a flexible cache or buffer, depending on the computational workflow. The proposed model is explored for the case of continuously processed data. For the evaluation, a simulation tool was developed, which can be used to analyse models related to storage and network resources. We show that using commercial cloud storage can reduce on-premises disk storage requirements, while maintaining an equal throughput of jobs. Moreover, the key metrics of the model are discussed, and an approach is described, which uses the simulation to assist with the decision process of using commercial cloud storage. The goal is to investigate approaches and propose new evaluation methods to overcome future data challenges.
A stochastic model of word occurrences in hierarchically structured written texts
Authors: Ogura Hiroshi , Hanada Yasutaka , Amano Hiromi , Kondo Masato
Published: February 2022

In previous studies, we have treated real written texts as time series data and have tried to investigate dynamic correlations of word occurrences by utilizing autocorrelation functions (ACFs) and also by simulation of pseudo-text synthesis. The results showed that words that appear in written texts can be classified into two groups: a group of words showing dynamic correlations (Type-I words), and a group of words showing no dynamic correlations (Type-II words). In this study, we investigate the characteristics of these two types of words in terms of their waiting time distributions (WTDs) of word occurrences. The results for Type-II words show that the stochastic processes that govern generating Type-II words are superpositions of Poisson point processes with various rate constants. We further propose a model of WTDs for Type-I words in which the hierarchical structure of written texts is considered. The WTDs of Type-I words in real written texts agree well with the predictions of the proposed model, indicating that the hierarchical structure of written texts is important for generating long-range dynamic correlations of words.
Characterization and optimization of alkali-treated yushania alpina bamboo fiber properties: case study of ethiopia species
Authors: Ebissa Dawit Tessema , Tesfaye Tamrat , Worku Delele , Wood David
Published: February 2022

The mechanical properties of single Yushania alpina bamboo fibers have not been explored. This is a serious limitation on their application. The main purpose of this work is to fill up information gaps to prepare for the growing usage of Ethiopian bamboo in a variety of applications. This study looks at the characterization and optimization of Y.alpina bamboo fiber properties extracted both chemically and mechanically. Using response surface methodology (RSM) the mechanical properties were optimized and linear, quadratic and interaction of independent variables were determined. Samples of length 25–30 cm were harvested at various ages from the middle of the stem which was then soaked in different NaOH concentrations weight by volume for different times. Using a rolling machine that has three rollers, the fiber is mechanically extracted. The optimal mechanical properties were observed at plant age of 1.8 years, alkali concentration of 10%, and a soaking duration of 2.0 days. The model is significant (P ≤ 0.005) with a 95% confidence level for predicted values that were closer to the measured values, indicating that the model's fit to the measured properties was strong at the optimized values. The optimized points of age and soaking duration ware subjected to chemical, thermal and morphological analysis for each corresponding NaOH Concentration (6, 12, and 18%) levels. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine the microstructure of the fibers and discovered that the 18% NaOH treated fiber resulted in more wrinkles in the surface of bamboo fibers when compared with the 6 and 12%NaOH Bamboo fiber. Using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal gravimetric (DTG), the study investigated weight loss increased as alkali concentration increased but the scenario functioned for proper concentration.
A new method for identification of cyclic plasticity model parameters
Authors: Suchocki Cyprian , Kowalewski Zbigniew
Published: February 2022

In this study, a new method for determining the material parameters of cyclic plasticity is presented. The method can be applied to evaluate the model parameters from any loading histories measured experimentally. The experimental data require basic processing only to be utilized. The method can be applied to calibrate the parameters of different elastoplastic models such as the Chaboche–Rousselier (Ch–R) constitutive equation or other model formulations which use different rules of isotropic hardening. The developed method was utilized to evaluate the material parameters of copper for a selected group of constitutive models. It is shown that among the considered model formulations a very good description of the mechanical properties of copper is achieved for the Ch–R model with two Voce terms used for simulating the isotropic hardening and two backstress variables utilized for capturing the kinematic hardening behavior. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a model calibrated using the cyclic tension/compression data is able to properly capture the material response in torsion. Similarly, when the constitutive parameters are determined using the cyclic torsion data the model is able to properly reproduce the material behavior in tension/compression. It is concluded that for the considered type of constitutive equations the material parameters can be identified from a single mechanical test. The proposed methodology was validated using the relations derived analytically
A method to create a synthetic population with social networks for geographically-explicit agent-based models
Authors: Jiang Na , Crooks Andrew T. , Kavak Hamdi , Burger Annetta , Kennedy William G.
Published: February 2022

Geographically-explicit simulations have become crucial in understanding cities and are playing an important role in Urban Science. One such approach is that of agent-based modeling which allows us to explore how agents interact with the environment and each other (e.g., social networks), and how through such interactions aggregate patterns emerge (e.g., disease outbreaks, traffic jams). While the use of agent-based modeling has grown, one challenge remains, that of creating realistic, geographically-explicit, synthetic populations which incorporate social networks. To address this challenge, this paper presents a novel method to create a synthetic population which incorporates social networks using the New York Metro Area as a test area. To demonstrate the generalizability of our synthetic population method and data to initialize models, three different types of agent-based models are introduced to explore a variety of urban problems: traffic, disaster response, and the spread of disease. These use cases not only demonstrate how our geographically-explicit synthetic population can be easily utilized for initializing agent populations which can explore a variety of urban problems, but also show how social networks can be integrated into such populations and large-scale simulations.
Predictors of cognitive functioning in presentations to a community-based specialist addiction neuropsychology service
Authors: Gooden James R. , Cox Catherine A. , Petersen Vanessa , Curtis Ashlee , Sanfilippo Paul G. , Manning Victoria , Bolt Georgia L. , Lubman Dan I.
Published: February 2022

Introduction:

Cognitive impairment is common in individuals presenting to alcohol and other drug (AOD) settings and the presence of biopsychosocial complexity and health inequities can complicate the experience of symptoms and access to treatment services. A challenge for neuropsychologists in these settings is to evaluate the likely individual contribution of these factors to cognition when providing an opinion regarding diagnoses such as acquired brain injury (ABI). This study therefore aimed to identify predictors of cognitive functioning in AOD clients attending for neuropsychological assessment.

Methods:

Clinical data from 200 clients with AOD histories who attended for assessment between 2014 and 2018 were analysed and a series of multiple regressions were conducted to explore predictors of cognitive impairment including demographic, diagnostic, substance use, medication, and mental health variables.

Results:

Regression modelling identified age, gender, years of education, age of first use, days of abstinence, sedative load, emotional distress and diagnoses of ABI and developmental disorders as contributing to aspects of neuropsychological functioning. Significant models were obtained for verbal intellectual functioning (Adj R2 = 0.19), nonverbal intellectual functioning (Adj R2 = 0.10), information processing speed (Adj R2 = 0.20), working memory (Adj R2 = 0.05), verbal recall (Adj R2 = 0.08), visual recall (Adj R2 = 0.22), divided attention (Adj R2 = 0.14), and cognitive inhibition (Adj R2 = 0.07).

Conclusions:

These findings highlight the importance of careful provision of diagnoses in clients with AOD histories who have high levels of unmet clinical needs. They demonstrate the interaction of premorbid and potentially modifiable comorbid factors such as emotional distress and prescription medication on cognition. Ensuring that modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment are managed may reduce experiences of cognitive impairment and improve diagnostic clarity.