bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Analysis of Watertightness Performance of Interfaces between Masonry and Steel Structures Subjected to Accelerated Aging
Authors: Bhering Alex de Freitas , Franco Rayane Neves , Santos Mariana Araújo dos , Sathler Lorena de Melo , Pedroti Leonardo Gonçalves , Varum Humberto , Veríssimo Gustavo de Souza , Paes José Luiz Rangel
Published: August 2023

Steel buildings often experience failure at the interfaces between their vertical exterior enclosure systems (VEESs) and structural elements. This phenomenon generates various pathological manifestations in steel buildings, resulting in the precocious decay of the structure and the diminishment of its service life. The treatment of these interfaces is essential for ensuring their proper performance and watertightness, and to protect the durability of the steel structure. This paper proposes a method for treating common interface joints between masonry and steel structures with the application of an EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) elastomer membrane. The main goal of this building technique is to ensure the durability and watertightness of the interface’s joints when they are subjected to aging triggered by heat exposure and thermal shock. The experimental models tested consisted of a steel frame and a conventional masonry vertical enclosure system with ceramic blocks plastered with cement mortar. The models were subjected to ten cycles of heat exposure and thermal shock for the purpose of simulating accelerated aging, followed by a watertightness experiment that simulated the action of both rain and wind pressure. The interfaces between masonry and the steel structure proposed in this study allowed adequate differential movements between the parts, without damage to joints and masonry. Only small cracks were observed in the outer test region of all of the interfaces tested. In the regions of the joints treated with the EPDM membrane, no alterations were visible to the naked eye. During the cycles of the heat exposure and thermal shock test, the maximum relative horizontal displacements observed in the joints were 0.743 mm for vertical joints and 0.230 mm for horizontal joints, indicating the accurate reproduction of the behavior expected from an untied interface. The results obtained in the previously mentioned watertightness test showed that no humidity stains were found on the inner face of any of the specimens, even after the continuous application of a pneumatic pressure of 400 Pa for eight hours. Therefore, the results indicated satisfactory performance in terms of durability and watertightness in all evaluated cases, indicating that the application of an EPDM membrane can be effective in preventing water leaks in the interfaces between masonry and steel elements, thus contributing to ensuring the steel structure’s durability.
Experimental Study on the Bond Performance between Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Bars and Concrete
Authors: Wang Bo , Liu Gejia , Miao He
Published: August 2023

By investigating the bond performance between glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars and concrete, GFRP bars can be better applied to concrete structures as a building material. This paper considered the effects of three different GFRP bar surface treatments, three bonding lengths, corrosive solution, and immersion time on the bonding strength. The test results indicated that the bond strength decreases with the increase in the diameter and bond length. The bonding between GFRP bars and concrete can be improved by treating the surface of the bars in different ways. Compared with the control group, the bond strength of the specimens in the saline solution decreased by 1.3–21.4%, and the bond strength of the specimens in the alkaline solution decreased by 26.5–38.8%. In the corrosive environment, the bond properties are degraded. A bond strength calculation formula considering the surface treatment method of the GFRP bars was proposed. The prediction formula of the bond strength retention rate between the GFRP bar and concrete in the corrosive environment was established. The formula was validated with the available research data and the calculated values agreed well with the test values. The MBPE model and CMR model are modified to establish the bond-slip model of the GFRP bars and concrete in the corrosive environment. The model curve is close to the test curve. This paper provides a theoretical basis for future research on the bond-slip performance of GFRP bars and concrete.
Research on Bearing Difference between Single-Pile Composite Foundation Field Test and Group-Pile Composite Foundation of High-Rise Buildings
Authors: Zhang Liang , Wang Tiehang , Zhao Zaikun , Jin Xin
Published: August 2023

The reliability of high-rise buildings’ rigid-pile composite foundations primarily relies on the load test results of single-pile composite foundations. Field load tests were conducted for a high-rise building in the loess area of China, the results conformed to the design requirements. Nevertheless, the buildings experienced significant settlement after construction, which was quite different from the test results. Investigating bearing disparities between the single-pile and group-pile composite foundations in high-rise structures was necessary. Firstly, conducting an indoor interface shear test to propose a pile–soil hyperbolic contact model and integrate it into the numerical model. Subsequently, a finite element model was employed that accounts for pile–soil interactions in order to analyze discrepancies in bearing. The results show that the settlement difference rises by 56.4% as the load escalates by 100 kPa from the initial level and increases by 28.9% as the load ascends by 100 kPa to the final level. The settlement difference changes with an increasing load in a hardened curve pattern. Furthermore, differences in pile bearing characteristics and pile–soil interaction were analyzed. Negative friction occurs within 1/4 of the pile length within group-pile composite foundations, while in single-pile composite foundations, the range contracts to 1/10.
Real-World Outcomes of Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab, and Atezolizumab Treatment Efficacy in Korean Veterans with Stage IV Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Ham Ahrong , Lee Young , Kim Hae Su , Lim Taekyu
Published: August 2023

Purpose: To provide a comprehensive analysis of ICI usage and treatment outcomes in elderly Korean veterans with stage IV NSCLC. Methods: Patients diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC between 2016 and 2021 were included, and three cohorts were derived according to the type of ICI received. Thereafter, the clinical characteristics and survival outcomes were compared. Results: Of the 180 patients with NSCLC (median age, 76 years) included in this study, 49 (27.7%), 61 (33.9%), and 70 (38.9%) received pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and atezolizumab, respectively, and 19.4%, 36.1%, and 34.4% had PD-L1 expressions < 1%, 1–49%, and ≥50%, respectively. The pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and atezolizumab groups, the objective response rates (ORR), and the disease control rates (DCR) were 22.4%, 8.2%, and 4.3% (p = 0.004), and 59.2, 55.7%, and 30.0% (p = 0.001), respectively. However, no difference in the overall survival (OS) rate was noted among the groups (12.6 months vs. 8.4 months vs. 7.7 months, p = 0.334). Similarly, there was no treatment specific OS benefit with respect to the tumor PD-L1 expression status. Interestingly, multivariate analysis identified bone metastasis as a significant poor prognostic factor for OS (HR = 2.75 [95% CI, 1.31–5.76], p = 0.007). Conclusion: Pembrolizumab and nivolumab showed stronger associations with increases in ORR and DCR than atezolizumab, but no statistically significant differences were observed with respect to OS.
Overexpression of E6/E7 mRNA HPV Is a Prognostic Biomarker for Residual Disease Progression in Women Undergoing LEEP for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 3
Authors: Bruno Maria Teresa , Bonanno Giulia , Sgalambro Francesco , Cavallaro Antonino , Boemi Sara
Published: August 2023

The risk of overtreatment or not treating an occult carcinoma exists in women at risk of residual disease after a LEEP excision for CIN3. Our goal was to discover an efficient method to select patients requiring a second LEEP from those requiring a FU only through an mRNA-detection test. In a population of 686 women undergoing a LEEP excision for CIN 3, we selected 285 women at risk of residual disease and subjected them to a search for E6/E7 mRNA HPV. The women with negative mRNA were subjected to a follow up, while the women with positive mRNA were subjected to a second LEEP. The histological examination of the second cone revealed 120 (85.7%) cases of residual disease in the mRNA-positive women: 40 cases of CIN2, 51 cases of CIN3, 11 cases of squamous microinvasive carcinoma, 7 cases of squamous carcinoma, 9 cases of AIS (adenocarcinoma in situ) and 2 cases of adenocarcinoma. Among the mRNA-negative women undergoing a follow up, there were only five cases of residual disease. During the follow-up period of about 6 years, we witnessed the regression of the residual disease and the elimination of the virus, just as predicted by the negative result of the mRNA test. Testing patients for E6/E7 mRNA allowed us to identify women with residual disease (CIN2+) and treat them appropriately.
Radiomic Analysis of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Non-Invasive Prediction of Pathology Data: A Multicenter Study to Develop a Clinical–Radiomic Model
Authors: Fiz Francesco , Rossi Noemi , Langella Serena , Ruzzenente Andrea , Serenari Matteo , Ardito Francesco , Cucchetti Alessandro , Gallo Teresa , Zamboni Giulia , Mosconi Cristina , Boldrini Luca , Mirarchi Mariateresa , Cirillo Stefano , De Bellis Mario , Pecorella Ilaria , Russolillo Nadia , Borzi Martina , Vara Giulio , Mele Caterina , Ercolani Giorgio , Giuliante Felice , Ravaioli Matteo , Guglielmi Alfredo , Ferrero Alessandro , Sollini Martina , Chiti Arturo , Torzilli Guido , Ieva Francesca , Viganò Luca
Published: August 2023

Standard imaging cannot assess the pathology details of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). We investigated whether CT-based radiomics may improve the prediction of tumor characteristics. All consecutive patients undergoing liver resection for ICC (2009-2019) in six high-volume centers were evaluated for inclusion. On the preoperative CT, we segmented the ICC (Tumor-VOI, i.e., volume-of-interest) and a 5-mm parenchyma rim around the tumor (Margin-VOI). We considered two types of pathology data: tumor grading (G) and microvascular invasion (MVI). The predictive models were internally validated. Overall, 244 patients were analyzed: 82 (34%) had G3 tumors and 139 (57%) had MVI. For G3 prediction, the clinical model had an AUC = 0.69 and an Accuracy = 0.68 at internal cross-validation. The addition of radiomic features extracted from the portal phase of CT improved the model performance (Clinical data+Tumor-VOI: AUC = 0.73/Accuracy = 0.72; +Tumor-/Margin-VOI: AUC = 0.77/Accuracy = 0.77). Also for MVI prediction, the addition of portal phase radiomics improved the model performance (Clinical data: AUC = 0.75/Accuracy = 0.70; +Tumor-VOI: AUC = 0.82/Accuracy = 0.73; +Tumor-/Margin-VOI: AUC = 0.82/Accuracy = 0.75). The permutation tests confirmed that a combined clinical–radiomic model outperforms a purely clinical one (p < 0.05). The addition of the textural features extracted from the arterial phase had no impact. In conclusion, the radiomic features of the tumor and peritumoral tissue extracted from the portal phase of preoperative CT improve the prediction of ICC grading and MVI.
Recent Advances in Synergistic Modulation of Transition-Metal-Based Electrocatalysts for Water Oxidation: A Mini Review
Authors: Li Zhen , Wang Ying , Lee Lawrence Yoon Suk
Published: August 2023

Synergistic modulation has been extensively explored to develop highly efficient transition-metal-based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) because coupling effects among intrinsic activity, conductivity, mass transfer, mass diffusion, and intermediates adsorption can further promote catalytic activity. In this review, recent progress in both experimental and theoretical research on synergistic modulation for transition-metal-based alkaline OER electrocatalysts is focused. Specifically, synergistic effects will be presented in the following aspects: (1) metal reactive sites and heterogeneous atoms; (2) heterogeneous atoms and crystallographic structure; (3) electronic structure and morphology; (4) elementary reaction steps; and (5) external fields. Finally, the remaining challenges and prospects of synergistic modulation for efficient OER are further proposed.
Effects of Phosphate and Thermal Treatments on the Characteristics of Activated Carbon Manufactured from Durian (Durio zibethinus) Peel
Authors: Damayanti Astrilia , Wulansarie Ria , Bahlawan Zuhriyan Ash Shiddieqy , Suharta  , Royana Mutia , Basuki Mikhaella Wai Nostra Mannohara , Nugroho Bayu , Andri Ahmad Lutvi
Published: August 2023

The availability of fossil energy is dwindling, so renewable fuels are the alternative choices, one of which is bioethanol. To increase the purity of the ethanol produced via the fermentation process, activated carbon (AC) was made from durian (Durio zibethinus) peel. The steps for making AC consist of carbonization (300 °C and 400 °C), chemical activation using phosphoric acid (10–40%), pyrolysis (700 °C and 800 °C), and neutralization. The results showed that the maximum surface area (326.72 m2/g) was obtained from 400 °C carbonization, 800 °C pyrolysis, and activation using a 40% phosphoric acid solution. Other characteristics are the surface area of 326.72 m2/g, pore radius of 1.04 nm, and total pore volume of 0.17 cc/g with phosphate residue in the form a P2O5 molecule of 3.47% by weight, with COOH, OH, CO, C=C, C=O, P-OC, and Fe-O groups with wavenumbers (cm−1), respectively, of 3836, 3225, 2103, 1555, 1143, and 494. The AC also demonstrated the highest number of carbon (86.41%) upon detection using EDX, while XRF analysis verified an average carbon content of 94.45 wt%. The highest ethanol adsorption efficiency (%) and the lowest yield (%) of AC (%) were 90.01 ± 0.00 and 23.26 ± 0.01. This study shows that durian peel has great potential as the raw material for the activated carbon manufacture of ethanol adsorbents.
Progress on Electrochemical Sensing of Pharmaceutical Drugs in Complex Biofluids
Authors: Fu Elain , Khederlou Khadijeh , Lefevre Noël , Ramsey Stephen A. , Johnston Matthew L. , Wentland Lael
Published: August 2023

Electrochemical detection, with its advantages of being rapid, multi-time point, compatible with cost-effective fabrication methods, and having the potential for miniaturization and portability, has great promise for point-of-care drug monitoring. However, a continuing challenge concerns the robust and sensitive electrochemical detection of pharmaceutical analytes from biological fluids. These complex matrices, such as saliva, sweat, interstitial fluid, urine, and blood/serum, contain multiple components that can contribute to an increased background or reduced analyte signal. In this mini-review, we discuss progress on electrochemical sensing in complex biofluids. We first introduce the challenge of drug titration in the management of various health conditions and provide an overview of the motivation for improved therapeutic drug monitoring, including current limitations. We then review progress on pharmaceutical drug detection from these biofluids with a focus on sample preprocessing, electrode modification for signal amplification, and/or electrode passivation to minimize fouling. Finally, we highlight promising strategies that have enabled robust drug quantification for clinical relevance and that may be useful for field-use systems.
Smartphone-Based Portable Bio-Chemical Sensors: Exploring Recent Advancements
Authors: Bui The Huy , Thangavel Balamurugan , Sharipov Mirkomil , Chen Kuangcai , Shin Joong Ho
Published: August 2023

Traditionally, analytical chemistry and diagnosis relied on wet laboratories and skilled professionals utilizing sophisticated instruments for sample handling and analysis. However, with the development of novel materials and sensing techniques, there has been a significant shift towards the use of standalone sensors, allowing tests to be conducted on-site or even in real time, leading to cost- and time-efficiency. With their widespread adoption globally, smartphones have emerged as an ideal platform for such sensors, boasting extensive sensor capabilities, advanced processing power, and communication functionalities. Smartphone-based assays make use of optical and electrochemical sensors, utilizing built-in cameras, ambient light sensors, and other features for optical sensing, while the micro-USB port, Bluetooth, and wireless connection facilitate data transmission and analog voltage application for electrochemical sensing. Previous overview papers have explored smartphone-based sensing in specific domains; this review provides a comprehensive examination of recent advancements in smartphone-based sensors, encompassing both optical and electrochemical sensing methods. The review provides the fundamental principles of these sensors and their implementation using smartphones, showcases recent applications, and presents innovative designs that take advantage of the inherent functionalities and sensor capabilities of smartphones. The review concludes by offering an outlook on the prospects of smartphone-based sensing and includes a reflective section emphasizing the potential impact of sensors in chemical and biological analyses. This comprehensive resource aims to provide information to researchers and practitioners interested in using smartphones for cutting-edge analytical methodologies.
Involvement of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β (GSK3β) in Formation of Phosphorylated Tau and Death of Retinal Ganglion Cells of Rats Caused by Optic Nerve Crush
Authors: Fukiyama Yurie , Hirokawa Takahisa , Takai Shinji , Kida Teruyo , Oku Hidehiro
Published: August 2023

Tauopathy is a neurodegenerative condition associated with oligomeric tau formation through abnormal phosphorylation. We previously showed that tauopathy is involved in death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after optic nerve crush (ONC). It has been proposed that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is involved in the hyperphosphorylation of tau in Alzheimer’s disease. To determine the roles of GSK3β in tauopathy-related death of RGCs, lithium chloride (LiCl), a GSK3β inhibitor, was injected intravitreally just after ONC. The neuroprotective effects of LiCl were determined by counting Tuj-1-stained RGCs on day 7. Changes of phosphorylated (ser 396) tau in the retina were determined by Simple Western analysis (WES) on day 3. Retinal GSK3β levels were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and an ELISA. There was a 1.9- and 2.1-fold increase in the levels of phosphorylated tau monomers and dimers on day 3 after ONC. LiCl significantly suppressed the increase in the levels of phosphorylated tau induced by ONC. GSK3β was mainly present in somas of RGCs, and ELISA showed that retinal levels increased to 2.0-fold on day 7. IHC showed that the GSK3β expression increased over time and remained in RGCs that were poorly stained by Tuj-1. The GSK3β and tau expression was colocalized in RGCs. The number of RGCs decreased from 1881 ± 188 (sham control) to 1150 ± 192 cells/mm2 on day 7, and LiCl preserved the levels at 1548 ± 173 cells/mm2. Accordingly, GSK3β may be a promising target for some optic nerve injuries.
Encephalopathy Caused by Human Parvovirus B19 Genotype 1 Associated with Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis in a Newborn
Authors: Ferreira Noely Evangelista , da Costa Antonio C. , Kallas Esper G. , Silveira Cassia G. T. , de Oliveira Ana Carolina S. , Honorato Layla , Paião Heuder G. O. , Lima Silvia H. , de M. Vasconcelos Dewton , Côrtes Marina F. , Costa Silvia F. , Mendoza Tania R. T. , Gomes Hélio R. , Witkin Steven S. , Mendes-Correa Maria C.
Published: August 2023

Parvovirus B19 infection is associated with a wide range of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic to severe neurological disorders. Its major clinical symptoms, fever and rash, are common to multiple viruses, and laboratory tests to detect B19 are frequently not available. Thus, the impact of B19 on public health remains unclear. We report the case of a 38-day old girl admitted to São Paulo Clinical Hospital, Brazil, with an initial diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, seizures, and acute hydrocephalus. Antibiotic therapy was maintained for one week after admission and discontinued after negative laboratory results were obtained. Nine days after symptoms onset, a cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) sample revealed persistent pleocytosis. The complete B19 complete genome was subsequently identified in her CSF by a metagenomic next-generation sequencing approach. This report highlights the possible involvement of B19 in the occurrence of acute neurological manifestations and emphasizes that its possible involvement might be better revealed by the use of metagenomic technology to detect viral agents in clinical situations of unknown or uncertain etiology.
Ionic Liquid/Na-Bentonite/Microcrystalline Cellulose Ionogels as Conductive Multifunctional Materials
Authors: Alekseeva Olga , Shibaeva Valeriya , Noskov Andrew , Agafonov Alexander
Published: August 2023

For the synthesis of ionogels containing microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and Na-bentonite (Na-Bent), ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate was used as an MCC solvent. Characterization and research of the physicochemical properties of the synthesized materials were carried out using methods such as SEM, WAXS, thermal analysis, FTIR, conductometry, and viscometry. WAXS analysis showed an increase in the interlayer distance of Na-bentonite in composites due to the intercalation of IL molecules. Based on the data on the characteristic temperatures of thermal degradation, enhanced thermal stability of triple IL/Na-Bent/MCC ionogels was revealed compared to that for cellulose-free systems. It was found that the electrical conductivity of both triple IL/Na-Bent/MCC and binary IL/MCC ionogels was non-monotonous. The data obtained can be used in the formation of multifunctional coatings with enhanced thermal stability.
Analysis and Impact of Activated Carbon Incorporation into Urea-Formaldehyde Adhesive on the Properties of Particleboard
Authors: Ergun Mehmet Emin , Özlüsoylu İsmail , İstek Abdullah , Can Ahmet
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, the particleboard industry cannot meet the market’s demand. Therefore, filler materials have started to be used both to conserve raw materials and to enable the use of wood-based boards in different areas. This study investigates the effects of incorporating different ratios of activated carbon (0%, 1.5%, 4.5%, 7.5%) on the properties of particleboards. The physical properties were examined, including density, moisture content, thickness swelling, and water absorption. The results reveal that the density increased with increasing activated carbon content while the moisture content decreased, indicating improved dimensional stability and water resistance. Additionally, the color properties were influenced by activated carbon, leading to a darker appearance with decreased lightness and yellow-blue components. The mechanical properties, such as internal bond strength, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity, showed significant enhancements with the addition of activated carbon, indicating improved bonding and increased strength. Moreover, the thermal conductivity decreased with increasing activated carbon content and improved insulation performance. Scanning electron microscope analysis confirmed the uniform distribution of activated carbon within the particleboard matrix, without agglomeration, positively impacting the mechanical performance. According to the thermogravimetric analysis results, the addition of activated carbon led to a decrease of up to 6.15% in mass loss compared to the control group. The incorporation of activated carbon at a ratio of 4.5% in particleboards confers notable enhancement to their physical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics. These findings contribute to understanding the potential benefits and considerations of using activated carbon as an additive in particleboard production.
Highly Efficient Photocathodic Protection Performance of ZIS@CNNs Composites under Visible Light
Authors: Li Weitao , Yang Zhanyuan , Li Yanhui , Zhang Pengfei , Li Hong
Published: August 2023

Low isolation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and inadequate utilization of visible light limit the application of g-C3N4 nanosheets (CNNs) in photocathodic protection (PCP). Therefore, indium zinc sulfide (ZnIn2S4, ZIS) nanolayers with nano-leaf structures were fabricated on CNNs using a simple hydrothermal method and used as visible light sensitizer and electron donor to improve its PCP performance. Under visible light illumination, the 30% ZIS@CNNs photoelectrode coupled with 316 stainless steel (SS) exhibited the largest photocurrent density of 17.30 μA cm−2 and the highest potential drop of 0.37 V, which was approximately 4 and 7.5 times higher than that of pure CNNs, respectively. The improvement in protection performance may be attributable to the crucial increase in visible light absorption and the terrific enhancement in rapid migration pathways provided using heterogeneous junctions.
Enhanced Authentication for Decentralized IoT Access Control Architecture
Authors: Kang Jeong Hwa , Seo Minhye
Published: August 2023

The internet of things (IoT) enables a hyperconnected society, offering intelligent services and convenience through various connections between people, objects, and services. However, the current state of the IoT still faces limitations in security. Security issues in the IoT are of significant concern, leading to the proposal of numerous security frameworks and solutions to address these challenges. Authentication and authorization are crucial security requirements in the IoT environment, considering the potential risks posed by inadequate authentication and incorrect authorization. To comprehensively mitigate these issues, we presents a novel IoT access control architecture in this paper. The proposed architecture leverages the OAuth framework for authorization and the decentralized identity technology to enhance the authentication and authorization processes.
Absorption of Light in Vertical III-V Semiconductor Nanowires for Solar Cell and Photodetector Applications
Authors: Anttu Nicklas
Published: August 2023

Vertical III-V semiconductor nanowires have shown promising absorption of light for solar cell and photodetector applications. The absorption properties can be tuned through the choice of III-V materials and geometry of the nanowires. Here, we review the recent progress in the design of the absorption properties of both individual nanowires and nanowire arrays. Future directions for the research field are proposed.
Effect of Liquid Crystalline Acrylates on the Electro-Optical Properties and Micro-Structures of Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal Films
Authors: Ma Cong , Wu Yishuo , Yu Meina , Gao Yanzi , Xiao Jiumei , Zou Cheng , Yang Huai
Published: August 2023

Polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal (PDLC) films have wide applications in light shutters, smart windows for cars and buildings, dimming glasses, and smart peep-proof films due to their switchable optical states under electrical fields as well as large area processibility. They are usually prepared with liquid crystals (LCs) and non-liquid crystalline monomers (NLCMs). Introduction of liquid crystalline monomers (LCMs) into PDLCs might spark new functionality or high-performance devices such as polymer-dispersed and -stabilized liquid crystals. In this study, the effect of molecular structures and doping concentrations of acrylate LCMs on the electro-optical properties and micro-structures of PDLC films is systematically studied. The pore size of polymer networks and the driving voltage of the PDLC films are affected by the molecular polarity and degree of functionality of the LCMs. The electro-optical properties of the PDLC films are affected by the synergistic influence of molecular structure of LCMs and micro-structures of PDLCs. These results might provide the experimental and theoretical basis for constructing the relationship between the molecular structure of LCM, micro-structure and electro-optical response of PDLC films.
Changes in Bacterial Community Structure in Reservoir Sediments before and after the Flood Season
Authors: He Xianting , Chen Min , Zhou Luxin , He Wenyan , Liao Ning , Tuo Youcai
Published: August 2023

Bacterial communities are important components of reservoir ecosystems, participating in and determining the material–energy transformations within reservoirs. The intense material–energy transport during the flood season can cause perturbations to the stratified environment and material distribution within the reservoir, with the bacterial community being the most sensitive indicator of these changes. In this study, we analyzed sediments from four representative sampling sites before and after the flood season in a seasonally stratified reservoir and compared the diversity and composition of bacterial communities before and after the flood season using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that the bacterial community structure was different before and after flood season, and the bacterial abundance and α diversity were slightly higher before flood season than after flood season, and the relative abundance of bacteria was relatively low, and the dominant genera were not obvious. After flood season, the dominant genera were mainly Acinetobacter, Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, and Massilia, all of which were aerobic denitrifying bacteria with strong denitrification ability. It is clear that the reservoir bacterial community structure changes significantly between flood seasons and plays a key role in later stages of aquatic ecology restoration. These results provide a new way of interpreting the dynamic changes in reservoir aquatic ecology.
How Much Is Enough? A Surgical Perspective on Imaging Modalities to Estimate Function and Volume of the Future Liver Remnant before Hepatic Resection
Authors: Milana Flavio , Famularo Simone , Diana Michele , Mishima Kohei , Reitano Elisa , Cho Hwui-Dong , Kim Ki-Hun , Marescaux Jacques , Donadon Matteo , Torzilli Guido
Published: August 2023

Liver resection is the first curative option for most hepatic primary and secondary malignancies. However, post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) still represents a non-negligible postoperative complication, embodying the most frequent cause of hepatic-related mortality. In the absence of a specific treatment, the most effective way to deal with PHLF is its prevention through a careful preoperative assessment of future liver remnant (FLR) volume and function. Apart from the clinical score and classical criteria to define the safe limit of resectability, new imaging modalities have shown their ability to assist surgeons in planning the best operative strategy with a precise estimation of the FLR amount. New technologies leading to liver and tumor 3D reconstruction may guide the surgeon along the best resection planes combining the least liver parenchymal sacrifice with oncological appropriateness. Integration with imaging modalities, such as hepatobiliary scintigraphy, capable of estimating total and regional liver function, may bring about a decrease in postoperative complications. Magnetic resonance imaging with hepatobiliary contrast seems to be predominant since it simultaneously integrates hepatic function and volume information along with a precise characterization of the target malignancy.
Observing Individuals and Behavior of Hainan Gibbons (Nomascus hainanus) Using Drone Infrared and Visible Image Fusion Technology
Authors: Li Shengshi , Wang Guanjun , Zhang Hui , Zou Yonghua
Published: August 2023

The Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is one of the most endangered primates in the world. Infrared and visible images taken by drones are an important and effective way to observe Hainan gibbons. However, a single infrared or visible image cannot simultaneously observe the movement tracks of Hainan gibbons and the appearance of the rainforest. The fusion of infrared and visible images of the same scene aims to generate a composite image which can provide a more comprehensive description of the scene. We propose a fusion method of infrared and visible images of the Hainan gibbon for the first time, termed Swin-UetFuse. The Swin-UetFuse has a powerful global and long-range semantic information extraction capability, which is very suitable for application in complex tropical rainforest environments. Firstly, the hierarchical Swin Transformer is applied as the encoder to extract the features of different scales of infrared and visible images. Secondly, the features of different scales are fused through the l1-norm strategy. Finally, the Swing Transformer blocks and patch-expanding layers are utilized as the decoder to up-sample the fusion features to obtain the fused image. We used 21 pairs of Hainan gibbon datasets to perform experiments, and the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves excellent fusion performance. The infrared and visible image fusion technology of drones provides an important reference for the observation and protection of the Hainan gibbons.
Multi-UAV Cooperative and Continuous Path Planning for High-Resolution 3D Scene Reconstruction
Authors: Sui Haigang , Zhang Hao , Gou Guohua , Wang Xuanhao , Wang Sheng , Li Fei , Liu Junyi
Published: August 2023

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are extensively employed for urban image captures and the reconstruction of large-scale 3D models due to their affordability and versatility. However, most commercial flight software lack support for the adaptive capture of multi-view images. Furthermore, the limited performance and battery capacity of a single UAV hinder efficient image capturing of large-scale scenes. To address these challenges, this paper presents a novel method for multi-UAV continuous trajectory planning aimed at the image captures and reconstructions of a scene. Our primary contribution lies in the development of a path planning framework rooted in task and search principles. Within this framework, we initially ascertain optimal task locations for capturing images by assessing scene reconstructability, thereby enhancing the overall quality of reconstructions. Furthermore, we curtail energy costs of trajectories by allocating task sequences, characterized by minimal corners and lengths, among multiple UAVs. Ultimately, we integrate considerations of energy costs, safety, and reconstructability into a unified optimization process, facilitating the search for optimal paths for multiple UAVs. Empirical evaluations demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in facilitating collaborative full-scene image captures by multiple UAVs, achieving low energy costs while attaining high-quality 3D reconstructions.
Teachers’ Involvement in Inclusive Education: Attitudes of Future Teachers
Authors: Fernandez Idoia Legorburu , Dosil-Santamaria Maria , Idoiaga Mondragon Nahia , Ozamiz-Etxebarria Naiara
Published: August 2023

Background: inclusive education seeks to ensure that all students can access quality education and requires education systems to commit to providing students with equal opportunities to participate in all aspects of school life. While progress has been made in this regard, the full implementation of educational inclusivity remains hindered by significant challenges and barriers. Teacher involvement is necessary for this inclusion, and it is important to study the attitudes that affect their inclusive practices in schools. Therefore, this study aims to determine the attitudes of future teachers (current student teachers at the University of the Basque Country) towards inclusive education. Methods: 369 primary and early childhood education students participated in this study. An ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, and the Revised Scale of Feelings, Attitudes, and Concerns Towards Inclusive Education (SACIE-R) was administered using Google Forms. Results: the results indicate that 34.9% of the respondents have close contact with people with functional diversity, while 62.7% state that they have never worked with people with diversity. Male primary and lower grade students are generally less negative toward functional diversity. Conclusions: this study shows where the main efforts should be focused to highlight the importance of inclusive schools, and for this purpose, university education will be essential.
Joint Latency-Oriented, Energy Consumption, and Carbon Emission for a Space–Air–Ground Integrated Network with Newly Designed Power Technology
Authors: Wang Yonghao , Li Bo , He Jiahao , Dai Jiaxing , Liu Yidong , Yang Yuxin
Published: August 2023

Ubiquitous connectivity is envisaged for the space–air–ground-integrated network (SAGIN) of future communication to meet the needs of quality of service (QoS), green communication, and “dual carbon” targeting. However, the offloading and computation of massive latency-sensitive tasks dramatically increase the energy consumption of the network. To address these issues, we first propose a SAGIN architecture with energy-harvesting devices, where the base station (BS) is powered by both renewable energy (RE) and the conventional grid. The BS explores wireless power transfer (WPT) technology to power an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for stable network operation. RE sharing between neighboring BSs is designed to fully utilize RE to reduce carbon emissions. Secondly, on the basis of task offloading decisions, the UAV trajectory, and the RE sharing ratio, we construct cost functions with joint latency-oriented, energy consumption, and carbon emission. Then, we develop a twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (TD3PG) algorithm based on deep reinforcement learning to minimize the cost function. Finally, simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the benchmark algorithm in terms of reducing latency, energy saving, and lower carbon emissions.
VSLAM Optimization Method in Dynamic Scenes Based on YOLO-Fastest
Authors: Song Zijing , Su Weihua , Chen Haiyong , Feng Mianshi , Peng Jiahe , Zhang Aifang
Published: August 2023

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is one of the core technologies for intelligent mobile robots. However, when robots perform VSLAM in dynamic scenes, dynamic objects can reduce the accuracy of mapping and localization. If deep learning-based semantic information is introduced into the SLAM system to eliminate the influence of dynamic objects, it will require high computing costs. To address this issue, this paper proposes a method called YF-SLAM, which is based on a lightweight object detection network called YOLO-Fastest and tightly coupled with depth geometry to remove dynamic feature points. This method can quickly identify the dynamic target area in a dynamic scene and then use depth geometry constraints to filter out dynamic feature points, thereby optimizing the VSLAM positioning performance while ensuring real-time and efficient operation of the system. This paper evaluates the proposed method on the publicly available TUM dataset and a self-made indoor dataset. Compared with ORB-SLAM2, the root-mean-square error of the Absolute Trajectory Error (ATE) can be reduced by 98.27%. The system successfully locates and constructs an accurate environmental map in a real indoor dynamic environment using a mobile robot. It is a VSLAM system that can run in real-time on low-power embedded platforms.
Influence Factors on User Manual Engagement in the Context of Smart Wearable Devices
Authors: Simon Aniko , Qiu Xinyu , Selmeczi-Kovacs Nikolett , Feher Ildiko , Alexi Gabriella , Kara Peter A.
Published: August 2023

The emergence of smart wearable devices has gradually introduced a vast array of functions that may greatly serve the everyday needs of users. Although their ever-increasing list of capabilities may be compensated for by intuitive design, users may still have numerous reasons to engage with their user manuals. In this paper, we present four research efforts on the user manuals of smart wearable devices. Our work tackles various influence factors, investigates user behavior, and studies how the device itself affects user manual engagement, as well as the other way around. The research efforts address user experience and behavior, personal preference, device attributes, and the performance metrics of user manuals. We specifically studied smartwatches and smart bands, and explored engagement with medical-purpose smart wearables and their user manuals. As a novelty of our contribution, we classify test participants as regular users, professional users, and technical writers, based on their connection to user manuals, and separately analyze their responses to our questionnaire-based research efforts. The obtained results indicate that user experience and device complexity as influence factors have a statistically significant impact on user manual engagement for regular users, and highlight how regular users and technical writers differ in preference and search-related tasks.
BeneWinD: An Adaptive Benefit Win–Win Platform with Distributed Virtual Emotion Foundation
Authors: Kim Hyunbum , Ben-Othman Jalel
Published: August 2023

In recent decades, online platforms that use Web 3.0 have tremendously expanded their goods, services, and values to numerous applications thanks to its inherent advantages of convenience, service speed, connectivity, etc. Although online commerce and other relevant platforms have clear merits, offline-based commerce and payments are indispensable and should be activated continuously, because offline systems have intrinsic value for people. With the theme of benefiting all humankind, we propose a new adaptive benefit platform, called BeneWinD, which is endowed with strengths of online and offline platforms. Furthermore, a new currency for integrated benefits, the win–win digital currency, is used in the proposed platform. Essentially, the proposed platform with a distributed virtual emotion foundation aims to provide a wide scope of benefits to both parties, the seller and consumer, in online and offline settings. We primarily introduce features, applicable scenarios, and services of the proposed platform. Different from previous systems and perspectives, BeneWinD can be combined with Web 3.0 because it deliberates based on the decentralized or distributed virtual emotion foundation, and the virtual emotion feature and the detected virtual emotion information with anonymity are open to everyone who wants to participate in the platform. It follows that the BeneWinD platform can be connected to the linked virtual emotion data block or win–win digital currency. Furthermore, crucial research challenges and issues are addressed in order to make great contributions to improve the development of the platform.
Object Detection Network Based on Module Stack and Attention Mechanism
Authors: Dou Xinke , Wang Ting , Shao Shiliang , Cao Xianqing
Published: August 2023

Currently, visual computer applications based on convolutional neural networks are rapidly developing. However, several problems remain: (1) high-quality graphics processing equipment is needed, and (2) the trained network model has several unnecessary convolution operations. These problems result in a single-stage target detection network that often requires unnecessary computing power and is difficult to apply to equipment with insufficient computing resources. To solve these problems, based on YOLOv5, a YOLOv5-L (YOLOv5 Lightweight) network structure is proposed. This network is improved using YOLOv5. First, to enhance the inference speed of the detector on the CPU, the PP-LCNet (PaddlePaddle-Lightweight CPU Net) is employed as the backbone network. Second, the focus module is removed, and the end convolution module in the head network is replaced by a deep separable convolution module, which eliminates redundant operations and reduces the amount of computation. The experimental results show that YOLOv5-L enables a 48% reduction in model parameters and computation compared to YOLOv5, a 35% increase in operation speed, and a less than 2% reduction in accuracy, which is significant in the environment of low-performance computing equipment.
Research on Propagation Characteristics Based on Channel Measurements and Simulations in a Typical Open Indoor Environment
Authors: Hou Chunzhi , Li Qingliang , Zhang Jinpeng , Zhang Yushi , Guo Lixin , Zhu Xiuqin , Ji Hanjie , Li Shuangde
Published: August 2023

At present, it is difficult to obtain the indoor propagation loss quickly and accurately by directly using measurements in the millimeter wave band. To solve this problem, in this paper, a ray tracing method suitable for indoor scenes based on geometric optics theory, the uniform theory of diffraction and image theory is presented; the space-alternation generalized expectation-maximization (SAGE) algorithm is used to analyze the measured data and the multipath information of the wireless channel is analyzed; three deep learning models are used to predict the path loss at different receiving distances based on 1600 sets of path loss data. The results show that the comparison between the ray tracing and experimental results shows a good agreement. Moreover, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) of the long short-term memory (LSTM) network are the smallest, and the LSTM has a better fitting effect on the propagation loss sequences predicted at more distant locations when compared with the recurrent neural network (RNN) and gate recurrent unit (GRU) methods, which can better reflect the propagation trend. This provides theoretical support for the layout of base stations and network optimization in typical open indoor environments.
An Improved CSMA/CA Protocol Anti-Jamming Method Based on Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Ming Zidong , Liu Xin , Yang Xiaofei , Wang Mei
Published: August 2023

The CSMA/CA algorithm uses the binary backoff mechanism to solve the multi-user channel access problem, but this mechanism is vulnerable to jamming attacks. Existing research uses channel-hopping to avoid jamming, but this method fails when the channel is limited or hard to hop. To address this problem, we first propose a Markov decision process (MDP) model with contention window (CW) as the state, throughput as the reward value, and backoff action as the control variable. Based on this, we design an intelligent CSMA/CA protocol based on distributed reinforcement learning. Specifically, each node adopts distributed learning decision-making, which needs to query and update information from a central status collection equipment (SCE). It improves its anti-jamming ability by learning from different environments and adapting to them. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is significantly better than CSMA/CA and SETL algorithms in both jamming and non-jamming environments. And it has little performance difference with the increase in the number of nodes, effectively improving the anti-jamming performance. When the communication node is 10, the normalized throughputs of the proposed algorithm in non-jamming, intermittent jamming, and random jamming are increased by 28.45%, 21.20%, and 17.07%, respectively, and the collision rates are decreased by 83.93%, 95.71%, and 81.58% respectively.