bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Direct Transformation of Milk Bottle and Wood into Wood–Plastic Composite through Injection Molding
Authors: Nur-A-Tomal Md. Shahruk , Pahlevani Farshid , Sahajwalla Veena
Published: August 2022

Plastic has transformed the world; however, it generates a huge amount of waste plastics. It is well evident that, if urgent action is not undertaken on plastic pollution, it will pose threats to not only the environment, but also human life. Just simply discarding waste plastics will result in wasting a lot of valuable materials that could be recycled. Recently, the use of waste plastics has been considered for producing wood plastic composites (WPCs), which are superior to normal wood. Waste plastics are pelletized using an extruder and are then subjected to injection molding. In this study, investigations were carried out to determine the possibility of producing WPCs without the palletization of waste plastic to turn WPC production into a shorter, simple, and easy-to-achieve process. Here, a waste milk bottle, a familiar single-use plastic, was picked as a case study. Waste plastic granules and wood particles were mixed and directly injection molded to produce valuable WPCs. The water absorption of WPCs with 20% wood is 0.35%, and this increased to 0.37% when wood content was increased to 40%. The tensile strength at yield, elongation at break, and impact strength of WPCs with 20% wood content are 19.54 MPa, 5.21%, and 33.92 KJ/m2, respectively, whereas it was 17.23 MPa, 4.05%, and 26.61 KJ/m2 for the WPCs with 40% wood content. This process can be a potential solution for two problematic wastes at the same time.
Application of Biocompatible Drug Delivery Nanosystems for the Treatment of Naturally Occurring Cancer in Dogs
Authors: Ambrosio Nicola , Voci Silvia , Gagliardi Agnese , Palma Ernesto , Fresta Massimo , Cosco Donato
Published: August 2022

Background: Cancer is a common disease in dogs, with a growing incidence related to the age of the animal. Nanotechnology is being employed in the veterinary field in the same manner as in human therapy. Aim: This review focuses on the application of biocompatible nanocarriers for the treatment of canine cancer, paying attention to the experimental studies performed on dogs with spontaneously occurring cancer. Methods: The most important experimental investigations based on the use of lipid and non-lipid nanosystems proposed for the treatment of canine cancer, such as liposomes and polymeric nanoparticles containing doxorubicin, paclitaxel and cisplatin, are described and their in vivo fate and antitumor features discussed. Conclusions: Dogs affected by spontaneous cancers are useful models for evaluating the efficacy of drug delivery systems containing antitumor compounds.
Proposals Generation for Weakly Supervised Object Detection in Artwork Images
Authors: Milani Federico , Pinciroli Vago Nicolò Oreste , Fraternali Piero
Published: August 2022

Object Detection requires many precise annotations, which are available for natural images but not for many non-natural data sets such as artworks data sets. A solution is using Weakly Supervised Object Detection (WSOD) techniques that learn accurate object localization from image-level labels. Studies have demonstrated that state-of-the-art end-to-end architectures may not be suitable for domains in which images or classes sensibly differ from those used to pre-train networks. This paper presents a novel two-stage Weakly Supervised Object Detection approach for obtaining accurate bounding boxes on non-natural data sets. The proposed method exploits existing classification knowledge to generate pseudo-ground truth bounding boxes from Class Activation Maps (CAMs). The automatically generated annotations are used to train a robust Faster R-CNN object detector. Quantitative and qualitative analysis shows that bounding boxes generated from CAMs can compensate for the lack of manually annotated ground truth (GT) and that an object detector, trained with such pseudo-GT, surpasses end-to-end WSOD state-of-the-art methods on ArtDL 2.0 (≈41.5% mAP) and IconArt (≈17% mAP), two artworks data sets. The proposed solution is a step towards the computer-aided study of non-natural images and opens the way to more advanced tasks, e.g., automatic artwork image captioning for digital archive applications.
Insulinoma-Associated Protein 1 (INSM1): Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Use in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Rocha Renato , Henrique Rui
Published: August 2022

Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is an aggressive and difficult to treat cancer. Although immunohistochemistry is not mandatory for a SCLC diagnosis, it might be required, especially in small samples. Insulinoma-associated protein 1 (INSM1) is expressed in endocrine and nervous tissues during embryogenesis, generally absent in adults and re-expressed in SCLC and other neuroendocrine neoplasms. Its high specificity propelled its use as diagnostic biomarker and an attractive therapeutic target. Herein, we aim to provide a systematic and critical review on the use of INSM1 for diagnosis, prognostication and the treatment of SCLC. An extensive bibliographic search was conducted in PubMed® focusing on articles published since 2015. According to the literature, INSM1 is a highly sensitive (75–100%) and specific (82–100%) neuroendocrine immunohistochemical marker for SCLC diagnosis. It can be used in histological and cytological samples. Although advantageous, its standalone use is currently not recommended. Studies correlating INSM1 expression and prognosis have disclosed contrasting results, although the expression seemed to entail a worse survival. Targeting INSM1 effectively suppressed SCLC growth either as a suicide gene therapy regulator or as an indirect target of molecular-targeted therapy. INSM1 represents a valuable biomarker for a SCLC diagnosis that additionally offers vast opportunities for the development of new prognostic and therapeutic strategies.
Assessment of the Centrality of the Cruise Ship Navigation Networks in Southern Europe through the Application of Social Network Analysis
Authors: Esteve-Pérez Jerónimo , del Río-González Manuel
Published: August 2022

The Mediterranean Sea has been consolidated as the second most important destination region in cruise shipping. This paper investigates the dynamics of the contemporary cruise port network in Southern Europe from the perspective of its centrality. To conduct the research, we applied the technique of social network analysis (SNA) to a set of 20 ports. The set of ports forms a network; therefore, we use the SNA to build this network based on nodes (ports) and to analyze the connections between each other. Several network and node metrics are calculated, such as outgoing and incoming centrality degree, betweenness centrality, and hub index. The goals of this research are (1) to explain the dynamics of the cruise port network for contemporary cruise calls in Southern Europe in terms of the centrality of the ports and the connections between ports, and (2) to obtain a series of graphs with the inter-port relationships of the sample of ports analyzed. Important conclusions are revealed: the cruise traffic registered in a port has an impact on several ports in terms of the number of different ports to which it connects and the intensity of the connection between pairs of ports; the role of betweenness centrality is associated with ports of the same destination region and, in some cases, with ports situated in another destination region; and four ports have been identified as hub ports. The results obtained may help itinerary planners identify alternative ports in the configuration of new itineraries to deal with the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for cruise shipping.
Rock Physics Modeling of Acoustic Properties in Gas Hydrate-Bearing Sediment
Authors: Zhan Linsen , Liu Biao , Zhang Yi , Lu Hailong
Published: August 2022

Gas hydrates (GH) are well known to have an influential effect on the velocity and attenuation of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS). Based on rock physics modeling, sediment velocity has been extensively used to characterize the distribution of gas hydrate. However, the results obtained from different models show a significant variation. In this study, we firstly review and compare the existing rock physics modeling for velocity and attenuation. The assumption, characteristics, theoretical basis, and workflow of the modeling are briefly introduced. The feasibility and limitations of the published models are then discussed and compared. This study provides insight into how to select a suitable rock physics model and how to conduct modeling in the application of the rock physics model to field data. Then, we introduce how to predict hydrate saturation, hydrate morphology, the dip angle of fracture, sediment permeability, and attenuation mechanisms from the comparison between the modeled and measured acoustic properties. The most important application of rock physics modeling is predicting the hydrate saturation and we discuss the uncertainties of the predicted saturation caused by the errors related to the velocity measurements or rock physics modeling. Finally, we discuss the current challenges in rock physics modeling related to optimizing the input parameters, choice of a suitable model, and upscaling problems from ultrasonic to seismic and well log frequencies.
A Pilot Survey Investigating Naturoid Reefs as a Tool for Sustainable Marine Ecotourism
Authors: Koulouri Panayota , Mogias Athanasios , Dounas Costas
Published: August 2022

Recreational SCUBA diving is currently a nature-based USD multibillion tourism industry across the globe. However, degradation of many recreational diving destinations all over the world due to “soft” ecotourists necessitates the adoption of innovative management measures. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) developed an innovative technology for the creation of artificial underwater ecotourism attractions (“oases”) to divert visitors away from sensitive marine natural areas of high ecological and aesthetic value. This innovative technology includes specially constructed artificial reefs in an attempt to simulate the functional and morphological characteristics and the aesthetics of the natural rocky reefs. In this study, a pilot survey was conducted in three diving centres of Crete Island, one of the most important tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, involving the participation of 144 SCUBA divers from all over the world. The survey aimed at investigating SCUBA divers’ profiles and perceptions concerning recreational diving activities and artificial reefs technology. Findings of this study indicate that large naval shipwrecks combined with innovative man-fabricated constructions simulating natural rocky reefs meet the preferences of the majority of the participants of the survey and they can be used as an alternative tool for relevant marine ecotourism sustainable applications.
Numerical Experiments of Temperature Mixing and Post-Storm Re-Stratification over the Louisiana Shelf during Hurricane Katrina (2005)
Authors: Allahdadi Mohammad Nabi , Li Chunyan , Chaichitehrani Nazanin
Published: August 2022

Studying mixing and re-stratification during and after hurricanes have important implications for the simulation of circulation and bio-geochemical processes in oceanic and shelf waters. Numerical experiments using FVCOM on an unstructured computational mesh were implemented to study the direct effect of hurricane winds on the mixing and temperature redistribution of the stratified Louisiana shelf during Hurricane Katrina (2005), as well as the post-storm re-stratification timescale. The model was forced by Katrina’s wind stress obtained from a combination of H-Wind database and NCEP model. The climatological profiles of temperature and salinity for August (the month in which Katrina occurred) from the world ocean atlas (WOA, 2013) were used as the pre-storm conditions over the shelf. Model results for sea surface temperature (SST) and mixed layer depth (MLD) were validated versus SST data from an optimally interpolated satellite product, and the MLD was calculated from the heat budget equation of the mixed layer. Model results were used to examine the temporal and spatial responses of SST and MLD over the shelf to Katrina. Results showed that intense mixing occurred within 1–1.1 RMW (RMW is the radius of maximum wind for Katrina), with turbulent mixing as the dominant mixing force for regions far from the eye, although upwelling was an important contributor to modulating SST and MLD. During the peak of Katrina and for the shelf regions severely affected by the hurricane wind, three distinct temperature zones were formed across the water column: an upper mixed layer, a transition zone, and a lower upwelling zone. Shelf re-stratification started from 3 h to more than two weeks after the landfall, depending on the distance from the track. The mixing during Hurricane Katrina affected the seasonal summertime hypoxic zone over the Louisiana shelf and likely contributed to the water column re-oxygenation.
How and Where Periglandula Fungus Interacts with Different Parts of Ipomoea asarifolia
Authors: Olaranont Yanisa , Stewart Alyssa B. , Songnuan Wisuwat , Traiperm Paweena
Published: August 2022

Periglandula is a fungal genus that is associated with plants in the family Convolvulaceae. They produce medicinally important constituents called ergot alkaloids, which are stored in their host plants. Previously, the fungi were reported to mainly interact with young leaves and seeds of Convolvulaceae species. However, knowledge about how ergot alkaloid-producing fungi interact with their host plants is still lacking. Therefore, we investigated the interaction of Periglandula fungus with different plant parts of Ipomoea asarifolia, using molecular, histochemical, anatomical and micromorphological techniques. Our findings confirm the presence of Periglandula ipomoeae on six out of the eight plant parts examined (young folded leaves, mature leaves, flower buds, mature flowers, young seeds and mature seeds). The fungus was mostly distributed along external plant surfaces, and particularly on areas that were relatively unexposed. Our results suggest that the density of fungal mycelium varies depending on glandular trichome density and the growth stage of the host plant. Detection of the fungus in the flowers of its host plant, for the first time, fills a missing link in understanding how vertical transmission of Periglandula species occurs.
Precision Medicine for Chronic Diseases: Focus on Lifestyle Changes
Authors: Di Raimondo Domenico
Published: August 2022

Virtually all chronic diseases are sustained by lifestyle factors [...]
Prediction of Mortality after Burn Surgery in Critically Ill Burn Patients Using Machine Learning Models
Authors: Park Ji Hyun , Cho Yongwon , Shin Donghyeok , Choi Seong-Soo
Published: August 2022

Severe burns may lead to a series of pathophysiological processes that result in death. Machine learning models that demonstrate prognostic performance can be used to build analytical models to predict postoperative mortality. This study aimed to identify machine learning models with the best diagnostic performance for predicting mortality in critically ill burn patients after burn surgery, and then compare them. Clinically important features for predicting mortality in patients after burn surgery were selected using a random forest (RF) regressor. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and classifier accuracy were evaluated to compare the predictive accuracy of different machine learning algorithms, including RF, adaptive boosting, decision tree, linear support vector machine, and logistic regression. A total of 731 patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The 90-day mortality of the critically ill burn patients after burn surgery was 27.1% (198/731). RF showed the highest AUC (0.922, 95% confidence interval = 0.902–0.942) among the models, with sensitivity and specificity of 66.2% and 93.8%, respectively. The most significant predictors for mortality after burn surgery as per machine learning models were total body surface area burned, red cell distribution width, and age. The RF algorithm showed the best performance for predicting mortality.
Prevalence of Physical Health, Mental Health, and Disability Comorbidities among Women Living with HIV in Canada
Authors: Heer Emily , Kaida Angela , O’Brien Nadia , Kleiner Bluma , Pierre Alie , Rouleau Danielle , Burchell Ann N. , Skerritt Lashanda , Proulx-Boucher Karène , Nicholson Valerie , Loutfy Mona , de Pokomandy Alexandra
Published: August 2022

Life expectancy for people living with HIV has increased, but management of HIV is now more complex due to comorbidities. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of comorbidities among women living with HIV in Canada. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the 18-months survey (2014–2016) of the Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS). Self-report of diagnosed conditions was used to measure lifetime prevalence of chronic physical conditions, current mental health conditions, and disabilities. We examined frequency of overlapping conditions and prevalence stratified by gender identity, ethnicity, and age. Among 1039 participants, 70.1% reported a physical health diagnosis, 57.4% reported a current mental health diagnosis, 19.9% reported a disability, and 47.1% reported both physical and mental health comorbidities. The most prevalent comorbidities were depression (32.3%), anxiety (29.5%), obesity (26.7%, defined as body mass index >30 kg/m2), asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (23.3%), sleep disorder (22.0%), drug addiction (21.9%), and arthritis/osteoarthritis (20.9%). These results highlight the complexity of HIV care and the important prevalence of comorbidities. Personalized health care that integrates care and prevention of all comorbidities with HIV, with attention to social determinants of health, is necessary to optimize health and well-being of women living with HIV.
Reforms of Corporate Governance Codes in Bangladesh: Developments and Future Directions
Authors: Islam Md Tariqul , Rahman Mahfuzur , Saha Shrabani
Published: August 2022

This research investigates corporate governance (CG) norms in Bangladesh, a developing nation. This study assesses the codes’ key aspects and how they have evolved since the first code was released in 2006. This analysis shows that BSEC changed its recommendations from voluntary to mandatory in the subsequent revisions in 2012 and 2018. The modified versions increased board independence compared to the original code, although it is still lower than in some other emerging nations. Recent changes to the rules include conditions on the nomination and remuneration committees, along with some other amendments. However, critical governance components, such as choosing an independent board member as chair, improving board independence, and assuring gender diversity, could be implemented in future code development. It is believed that investors would be more interested in Bangladesh’s capital market if the policymakers could make the proposed modifications in accordance with the distinctive institutional features of an emerging economy.
A Synergy Value Analysis of Sustainable Management Projects: Illustrated by the Example of the Aesthetic Medicine Industry
Authors: Lin Tyrone T. , Yen Hui-Tzu , Hsu Shu-Yen
Published: August 2022

This study aims to construct a mathematical model to determine the dimensions of an economic, social, and environmental project with the goal of sustainable management. By identifying the optimal weights, the synergy values for sustainable management can be maximized. Taking aesthetic medicine companies as examples, this study attempts to construct the index projects of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable management in an uncertain environment. Linear relationships (a combination of fixed synergistic values and varying synergistic values) are used to calculate the import optimal weight under optimistic, normal, and pessimistic circumstances. This study helped companies to introduce triple bottom line (TBL) indices to plan their issues under sustainable management and development, thus, enabling the parent company to achieve the optimal weight for the project costs to put in its subsidiaries. Additionally, this study prioritizes the weight of the influence on the management of the aesthetic medicine industry according to the risk probabilities, to minimize the uncertainties of risk management in corporate management and reduce the possibility of direct and indirect cost losses caused by financial distress, functional fluctuations, and negative impact on the medical equipment market, thereby maximizing the estimated total project value under sustainable management. This study constructs an aesthetic medicine-specific mathematical model concept using the triple bottom line model as the basis for sustainable corporate management and proposes an approach to obtain sustainable weight in uncertain conditions. By doing so, companies can add various managerial methods for the same industry, and new ideas are provided to the academic community to discuss the development of decision-making assessment criteria for risk assessments in sustainable management.
The Impact of Digitalization in Supporting the Performance of Circular Economy: A Case Study of Greece
Authors: Kalogiannidis Stavros , Kalfas Dimitrios , Chatzitheodoridis Fotios , Kontsas Stamatis
Published: August 2022

Digitalization has the potential to hasten the economic transition towards a more resource-efficient as well as robust circular production system. However, there is a paucity of empirical research on the influence that digitalization has on the ability of a circular economy to function effectively. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect that digitalization has on the performance of the circular economy. The research was based on an empirical analysis of quantitative data obtained from a sample size of 200 investors and entrepreneurs in the financial sector of Kozani, Greece. Regression results showed that there is a positive relationship between digital practices and performance of a circular economy, and that digital business innovations have a positive effect on performance of a circular economy. Even while a sizeable proportion of Greek companies apply new business innovations to support the strategy of resource efficiency, it is abundantly obvious that this percentage is far higher among industrial organizations that place a heavy focus on digitalization. According to the findings of the research, there is a favorable correlation between the adoption of digital business practices and innovations and the success of circular economies. This demonstrates very clearly that digitalization has the potential to function as a driving force behind the development of circular business models.
Can Ensemble Machine Learning Methods Predict Stock Returns for Indian Banks Using Technical Indicators?
Authors: Mohapatra Sabyasachi , Mukherjee Rohan , Roy Arindam , Sengupta Anirban , Puniyani Amit
Published: August 2022

This paper develops ensemble machine learning models (XGBoost, Gradient Boosting, and AdaBoost in addition to Random Forest) for predicting stock returns of Indian banks using technical indicators. These indicators are based on three broad categories of technical analysis: Price, Volume, and Turnover. Various error metrics like Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Root-Mean-Squared-Error (RMSE) have been used to check the performance of the models. Results show that the XGBoost algorithm performs best among the four ensemble models. The mean of absolute error and the root-mean-square -error vary around 3–5%. The feature importance plots generated by the models depict the importance of the variables in predicting the output. The proposed machine learning models help traders, investors, as well as portfolio managers, better predict the stock market trends and, in turn, the returns, particularly in banking stocks minimizing their sole dependency on macroeconomic factors. The techniques further assist the market participants in pre-empting any price-volume action across stocks irrespective of their size, liquidity, or past turnover. Finally, the techniques are incredibly robust and display a strong capability in predicting trend forecasts, particularly with any large deviations.
Green Nephrology
Authors: Vanholder Raymond
Published: August 2022

The greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane release resulted in an exponential rise of land temperatures over the last decades [...]
Composted Sewage Sludge Sustains High Maize Productivity on an Infertile Oxisol in the Brazilian Cerrado
Authors: Prates Adrielle Rodrigues , Kawakami Karen Cossi , Coscione Aline Renée , Filho Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira , Arf Orivaldo , Abreu-Junior Cassio Hamilton , Oliveira Fernando Carvalho , Moreira Adônis , Galindo Fernando Shintate , He Zhenli , Jani Arun Dilipkumar , Capra Gian Franco , Ganga Antonio , Nogueira Thiago Assis Rodrigues
Published: August 2022

Mato Grosso do Sul State in Brazil is characterized by the ‘Cerrado’ ecoregion, which is the most biologically rich Savannah globally. In agricultural terms, the region produces several commodities that are exported around the world. This level of productivity has been achieved through the large-scale use of synthetic fertilizers, which has created several economic and environmental concerns. New approaches in soil fertility management are required to avoid environmental degradation, pollution, and socio-environmental damages. A field experiment, lasting two years, was conducted to investigate the composted sewage sludge (CSS) effects on an infertile acidic soil (Oxisol) planted to maize (Zea mays L.). The following complete randomized complete block design with a 4 × 2 + 2 factorial scheme (four replications) was applied: four CSS increasing rates (from 5.0 to 12.5 Mg ha−1, w.b.) following two application methods (whole area and between crop rows). A control, without CSS or synthetic fertilizers, and conventional synthetic fertilization without CSS were also investigated. Evaluated parameters were: (i) soil and leaf micronutrient concentrations; (ii) maize development, yield, and production. The CSS application increased: (i) the concentration of micronutrients in both soil and leaves; and (ii) the crop yield. Both were particularly true at the higher CSS applied rates. Such organic fertilizer can be safely used as a source of micronutrients for crops as an important low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative to mineral fertilizers, thus safeguarding soil health.
Concept for Genetic Monitoring of Hemiboreal Tree Dynamics in Lithuania
Authors: Petrokas Raimundas , Kavaliauskas Darius
Published: August 2022

In this review, we focus on the importance of the dynamics of hemiboreal trees in the existing forest landscape and habitats for the genetic monitoring of community phenology, in order to obtain characteristic plant cycles as well as their responses to seasonal and climatic changes. The goal of our review is to: (i) determine the regenerative behaviour of hemiboreal tree species, (ii) propose a concept for the genetic monitoring of tree dynamics in the main forest habitat types of Lithuania’s forest landscape based on field observations, e.g., community phenology, and (iii) discuss ways of forest self-regulation, natural regeneration, and reproduction. We have chosen Lithuania as a case study for this review because it is a Northern European country that falls completely within the hemiboreal forest zone, which is often overlooked in terms of climate change effects. Our review highlights the importance of understanding the genetic responses of individual tree species and how they interact in the forest community after disturbance, as well as the need to sustainably monitor them at habitat and landscape scales. To enhance the adaptive potential and associated ecosystem services of forests, we propose the development of landscape-genetic monitoring of the differential dynamic properties of ecosystems.
Urban Heritage Conservation and Modern Urban Development from the Perspective of the Historic Urban Landscape Approach: A Case Study of Suzhou
Authors: Jiang Jun , Zhou Tiancheng , Han Yirui , Ikebe Konomi
Published: August 2022

Suzhou is one of China’s model cities due to its economic development in recent decades. Although the city deserves recognition for its efforts in urban heritage conservation, the current preservation strategy only targets the ancient city and neglects the separation of the entire urban landscape. This has become a huge hidden problem in the process of Suzhou’s sustainable development. This study, based on this background, explores the development process of Suzhou and the problems in the current urban planning, and then proposes suggestions for optimization. The historic urban landscape approach provides a solution to this problem by analyzing the urban form and urban landscape features of Suzhou in three important historical periods: pre-1949, 1949–1978, and post-1978. This study discusses the development process of Suzhou and the problems in the current urban planning, and makes the following contributions: (1) the dichotomy between modernity and tradition in the urban landscape of Suzhou is shown from a morphological perspective, revealing that this dichotomy is based on rapid urbanization and the one-sided pursuit of economic development, (2) revisits the role of Suzhou traditional gardens in order to better integrate them as structural elements in urban planning, (3) proposes the intangible value of urban heritage and combined with the historic urban landscape of looking beyond the notion of the “historic center” or “ensemble” to help all Suzhou residents form a more coherent place attachment and local identity.
Assessment of Soil Fertility Status under Soil Degradation Rate Using Geomatics in West Nile Delta
Authors: AbdelRahman Mohamed A. E. , Metwaly Mohamed M. , Afifi Ahmed A. , D’Antonio Paola , Scopa Antonio
Published: August 2022

The presence of a noticeable rate of degradation in the land of the Nile Delta reduces the efficiency of crop production and hinders supply of the increasing demand of its growing population. For this purpose, knowledge of soil resources and their agricultural potential is important for determining their proper use and appropriate management. Thus, we investigated the state of soil fertility by understanding the effect of the physical and chemical properties of the soil and their impact on the state of land degradation for the years 1985, 2002 (ancillary data), and 2021 (our investigation). The study showed that there are clear changes in the degree of soil salinity as a result of agricultural management, water conditions, and climatic changes. The soil fertility is obtained in four classes: Class one (I) represents soils of a good fertility level with an area of about 39%. Class two (II) includes soils of an average fertility level, on an area of about 7%. Class three (III) includes soils with a poor level of fertility, with an area of about 17%. Class four (IV) includes soils of a very poor level of fertility with an area of about 37% of the total area. Principal component analysis (PCA) has revealed that the parameters that control fertility in the studied soils are: C/N, pH, Ca, CEC, OM, P, and Mg. Agro-pedo-ecological units are important units for making appropriate agricultural decisions in the long term, which contribute to improving soil quality and thus increasing the efficiency of soil fertility processes.
Connecting Urban Green Spaces with Children: A Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace
Authors: Niu Yunlong , Adam Mastura , Hussein Hazreena
Published: August 2022

In recent years, the interaction between urban green spaces (UGS) and children has been a popular direction in research on child-friendly cities. Keeping up with emerging trends and key turning points in the development of collective knowledge is crucial. In this study, a quantitative analysis of publications related to UGS and children published in the Web of Science (WoS) core collection between 1980 and February 2022 was conducted by means of scientometric methods. Then, it using CiteSpace (5. 8. R3, Chaomei Chen, Philadelphia, the U.S.) to visualize collaborative networks, co-citation networks, document clustering, and bursts of keywords in the database literature. The study results show a rapid increase in the number of publications in this field in recent years. The main driving forces in these studies were from the United States (262 publications), China (68), and Australia (65). A scientometric analysis of the literature on UGS and children’s studies provides a unique and exciting snapshot of this field of knowledge. The findings offer the readers a general preliminary grasp of the research in the field. Research findings suggest that collaboration and analysis involving multiple disciplines, specialties, and perspectives will become a mainstream trend in the field. Our results may help researchers further identify potential views on collaborators, research frontiers, and topical issues.
Benefits of Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Support in Patients with Postcardiotomy Shock Requiring Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Authors: Radakovic Dejan , Penov Kiril , Hamouda Khaled , Madrahimov Nodir , Radakovic Darko , Bening Constanze , Leyh Rainer G. , Aleksic Ivan
Published: August 2022

Background: The benefit of the combined use of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) for postcardiotomy shock remains unclear. We aimed to analyse the potential benefits and safety of combining these two devices. Methods: We enrolled 200 patients treated with either VA-ECMO only or in combination with IABP (ECMO-I group) between January 2012 and January 2021. To adjust the patients’ backgrounds, we used propensity score matching for additional analyses, resulting in 57 pairs. The primary endpoint was 30-day survival. Secondary endpoints included successful weaning and complication rates. We also analysed hemodynamic parameters in both groups. Results: After propensity score matching, 30-day survival was better in the ECMO-I group (log-rank p = 0.004). The ECMO-I and ECMO-only groups differed regarding the secondary endpoints, including successful weaning (50.9% and 26.3%, respectively; p = 0.012) and the need for continuous renal replacement therapy (28.1% and 50.9%, p = 0.021). Complication rates were not statistically different between the two groups. Conclusion: Compared to VA-ECMO alone, the combined use of VA-ECMO and IABP is beneficial regarding 30-day survival in selected patients with postcardiotomy shock; successful ECMO weaning and freedom from renal replacement therapy is more common in patients supported with VA-ECMO plus IABP.
Reverse Logistics Strategies and Their Effect on the Competitiveness of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Firms in South Africa
Authors: Makaleng Mpho Sharon Makgedi , Hove-Sibanda Progress
Published: August 2022

Background: The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector contributes significantly to the gross domestic product (GDP) growth of a country. This has therefore led to the growth in importance of reverse logistics (RL) since the FMCG sector cannot avoid RL. It is therefore important for the sector to implement RL strategies that can lead to firm competitiveness. Through the implementation of RL strategies, this sector will achieve many goals as well as lead to firm competitiveness. This study mainly sought to investigate RL strategies and their effect on firm competitiveness. Methods: A positivist research philosophy was employed. Data were collected through two close-ended questionnaires via SurveyMonkey from 418 FMCG retailers and consumers. This is because customers and employees are the greatest asset for any sector. Results: The descriptive results revealed the following RL strategies as the highly implemented ones among FMCG retailers: integration of forward logistics (FL) and RL, the implementation of new technology, the adherence to environmental policies and regulations, knowledge management, eco-compatibility and strategic alliances. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed that RL strategies have a positive and significant influence on firm competitiveness. Conclusion: The results offer insight into the RL strategies that must be carried out to achieve firm competitiveness.
Toxicity Analysis of Nano-Minimum Quantity Lubrication Machining—A Review
Authors: Nouzil Ibrahim , Eltaggaz Abdelkrem , Pervaiz Salman , Deiab Ibrahim
Published: August 2022

The lubrication properties of nanoparticles are of great interest to the manufacturing industry and led to the development of the nano-minimum quantity lubrication (NMQL) cooling strategy. To evaluate the sustainability characteristics of nano-minimum quantity lubrication, apart from analyzing the benefits of increasing machining efficiency, it is also essential to evaluate the potential detrimental effects of nanoparticles on human health and the environment. Existing literature provides substantial data on the benefits of nano-minimum quantity lubrication machining. However, the current literature does not provide researchers in the machining sector a comprehensive analysis of the toxicity of the nanoparticles used in nano-minimum quantity lubrication. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review that addresses the toxicity levels of the most frequently used nanoparticles in NMQL machining. To understand the impacts of nanoparticles on the human body and the environment, in vitro studies that evaluate the nanoparticles’ toxicity on human cells and in vitro/in vivo studies on other living organisms are considered. The results from toxicity studies on each of the chosen nanoparticles are summarized and presented in chronological order. The reviewed studies indicate transition metal dichalcogenides (MoS2 and WS2) exhibit very low toxicity when compared to other nanoparticles. The toxicity of hBN and AL2O3 nanoparticles varies depending on their lengths and crystalline structures, respectively. In conclusion, a chart that maps the toxicity levels of nanoparticles on seven different human cell lines (human lung epithelial cells (A549), human bronchial epithelial cells (Nl-20), AGS human gastric cells, human epidermal cells (HEK), human liver-derived cells (HepG2), human endothelial cells and human peripheral cells), representing exposures by inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact, was developed for easy and quick insights. This is the first attempt in open literature to combine the results of the experimental investigations of nano-minimum quantity lubrication cooling and the toxicity studies of nanoparticles, allowing researchers to make informed decisions in the selection of the most sustainable nanoparticles in the nano-minimum quantity lubrication machining process.
Constructing Heterogeneous Photocatalysts Based on Carbon Nitride Nanosheets and Graphene Quantum Dots for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation
Authors: Wang Yong , Zeng Chengxin , Liu Yichen , Yang Dingyi , Zhang Yu , Ren Zewei , Li Qikun , Hao Jian , Hu Wen , Wu Yizhang , Yang Rusen
Published: August 2022

Although graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (CNs) with atomic thickness are considered as promising materials for hydrogen production, the wide band gap (3.06 eV) and rapid recombination of the photogenerated electron–hole pairs impede their applications. To address the above challenges, we synergized atomically thin CNs and graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which were fabricated as 2D/0D Van der Waals heterojunctions, for H2 generation in this study. The experimental characterizations indicated that the addition of GQDs to the π-conjugated system of CNs can expand the visible light absorption band. Additionally, the surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPV) confirmed that introducing GQDs into CNs can facilitate the transport of photoinduced carriers in the melon chain, thus suppressing the recombination of charge carriers in body. As a result, the H2 production activity of the Van der Waals heterojunctions was 9.62 times higher than CNs. This study provides an effective strategy for designing metal-free Van der Waals hetero-structured photocatalysts with high photocatalytic activity.
Mechanical Characterization of Dental Prostheses Manufactured with PMMA–Graphene Composites
Authors: Punset Miquel , Brizuela Aritza , Pérez-Pevida Esteban , Herrero-Climent Mariano , Manero José Maria , Gil Javier
Published: August 2022

The use of a PMMA composite with graphene is being commercialized for application as dental prostheses. The different proportions of fibers provide a wide range of colors that favors dental esthetics in prostheses. However, there are no studies that have explained the influence that graphene has on the mechanical properties. In this contribution, we studied the PMMA and PMMA material with graphene fibers (PMMA-G) in the form of discs as supplied for machining. The presence of graphene fibers has been studied by Raman spectroscopy and the Shore hardness and Vickers micro hardness were determined. Mechanical compression tests were carried out to obtain the values of maximum strength and Young’s modulus (E) and by means of pin-on-disc wear tests, the specific wear rate and the friction coefficients were determined following the established international standards. Finally, the samples were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to characterize the graphene’s morphology inside the PMMA. The results showed the presence of graphene in PMMA and was estimated in an amount of 0.1027% by weight in G-PMMA. The Shore hardness and Vickers microhardness values did not show statistically significant differences. Differences were observed in the compression maximum strength (129.43 MPa for PMMA and 140.23 for PMMA-G) and E values (2.01 for PMMA and 2.89 GPa for PMMA-G) as well as in the lower wear rate for the G-PMMA samples (1.93 × 10−7 for PMMA and 1.33 × 10−7 mm3/N·m) with a p < 0.005. The coefficients of friction for PMMA-G decreased from 0.4032 for PMMA to 0.4001 for PMMA-G. From the results obtained, a slight content in graphene produced a significant improvement in the mechanical properties that could be observed in the prosthesis material. Therefore, we can state that the main attraction of this material for dental prosthesis is its esthetics.
Investigation of Structural, Physical, and Attenuation Parameters of Glass: TeO2-Bi2O3-B2O3-TiO2-RE2O3 (RE: La, Ce, Sm, Er, and Yb), and Applications Thereof
Authors: Elkhoshkhany Nehal , Marzouk Samir , El-Sherbiny Mohammed , Ibrahim Heba , Burtan-Gwizdala Bozena , Alqahtani Mohammed S. , Hussien Khalid I. , Reben Manuela , Yousef El Sayed
Published: August 2022

A novel series of glass, consisting of B2O3, Bi2O3, TeO2, and TiO2 (BBTT) containing rare earth oxide RE2O3, where RE is La, Ce, Sm, Er, and Yb, was prepared. We investigated the structural, optical, and gamma attenuation properties of the resultant glass. The optical energy bands, the linear refractive indices, the molar refractions, the metallization criteria, and the optical basicity were all determined for the prepared glass. Furthermore, physical parameters such as the density, the molar volume, the oxygen molar volume, and the oxygen packing density of the prepared glass, were computed. Both the values of density and optical energy of the prepared glass increased in the order of La2O3, Ce2O3, Sm2O3, Er2O3, and then Yb2O3. In addition, the glass doped with Yb2O3 had the lowest refractive index, electronic polarizability, and optical basicity values compared with the other prepared glass. The structures of the prepared glass were investigated by the deconvolution of infrared spectroscopy, which determined that TeO4, TeO3, BO4, BO3, BiO6, and TiO4 units had formed. Furthermore, the structural changes in glass are related to the ratio of the intensity of TeO4/TeO3, depending on the type of rare earth. It is also clarified that the resultant glass samples are good attenuators against low-energy radiation, especially those that modified by Yb2O3, which exhibited superior shielding efficiency at energies of 622, 1170, and 1330 keV. The optical and gamma ray spectroscopy results of the prepared glass show that it is a good candidate for nonlinear optical fibers, laser solid material, and optical shielding protection.
Inhibition Effect and Mechanism Explanation of Perilla Seed Extract as a Green Corrosion Inhibitor on Q235 Carbon Steel
Authors: Li Yu , Xu Wenqiang , Lai Jiayu , Qiang Sheng
Published: August 2022

The development of environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitors has become a research hotspot. Aiming at the potential corrosion inhibition effect of perilla seed extract on Q235 carbon steel, the corrosion inhibition effect was quantitatively evaluated by various research methods, and the effective corrosion inhibition composition and mechanism were discussed. The research methods include potentiodynamic polarization curve method, HPLC-MS, FT-IR, XPS and chemical calculation. The experimental results show that the inhibitor prepared from perilla seed extract is a mixed inhibitor, and its adsorption behavior accords with Langmuir adsorption theory and its adsorption free energy is −22.70 kJ/mol. Combined with the experimental results and theoretical calculation, the effective corrosion inhibiting components are luteolin and apigenin. Theoretical calculation shows that both of them are adsorbed parallel to the surface of carbon steel to form thin films. The adsorption mechanism is that carbonyl O atoms in luteolin and apigenin hybridize with the 3 d empty orbit of Fe. From the point of view of quantum chemistry, the smaller the HOMO value and the energy gap value, the better the adsorption of corrosion inhibitor on the surface of carbon steel. From the point of view of molecular dynamics simulation, the greater the absolute value of adsorption energy, the better the adsorption of corrosion inhibitor on carbon steel surface.
Cylindrical Bidirectional Strain Sensors Based on Fiber Bragg Grating
Authors: Liu Xiaofei , Xie Hui , Meng Haotian , Zhang Siqing , Meng Zifeng
Published: August 2022

To realize continuous real-time monitoring of the large-scale internal strain field of coal and rock mass, a bidirectional strain sensor based on FBGs encapsulated using a hollow cylindrical steel tube was designed. The sensor’s structural parameters were optimized through unidirectional loading, and the strain change laws of the sensor were analyzed under unidirectional and bidirectional loading conditions, in which the stress-strain fitting curves of the sensor and the relationships of the strain in the vertical and horizontal directions were obtained under different lateral pressure loading conditions. A similar theoretical model was established to verify the accuracy of the linear relationship between the surrounding rock stress and the strain measured by the sensor system.
Enhanced PTC Effect in Polyamide/Carbon Black Composites
Authors: Nagel Julian , Hanemann Thomas , Rapp Bastian E. , Finnah Guido
Published: August 2022

Self-heating nanocomposites with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) provide outstanding potential for a broad range of engineering applications in automobile, spacecraft, or smart building. Therefore, extensive studies have been carried out to understand thermo-electrical behavior. However, some controversies remain, especially on the material composition, to clarify influencing factors on the PTC performance. In this study, the thermo-electrical behaviors of injection molded carbon black (CB)/polyamide (PA) nanocomposites have been investigated. Three types of CB with well-defined specific surface area and polyamides with high and low crystallinity were selected to provide a guideline for self-heating devices including PTC-Effects. Significantly reduced specific resistances up to 2.7 Ω·cm were achieved by incorporating CB with a high specific surface area into a highly crystalline PA. Noticeable PTC-Effects of ~53% and average surface temperatures up to 147 °C have been observed due to self-heating, which confirms a promising material performance as a heating device.