bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Microplastics Cycle: An In-Depth Look at a Complex Topic
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Kishore Kumar , Sivakumar Rohith , Kashian Donna
Published: October 2023

Microplastics, or plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size, have become ubiquitous in the environment, found in places ranging from remote deep ocean trenches to minute dust particulates. From the breakdown of larger plastic products and the release of synthetic clothing fibers, these particles enter the ecosystem and cycle through the various components including aquatic, terrestrial, and human systems. Due to their durability, capacity to adhere to other toxic compounds, and potential effects on humans and ecosystems, microplastics have recently risen to the forefront of environmental and health concerns. To address these critical issues, there has been a surge in research related to the microplastics cycle, examining where they originate, how and where they travel, and their environmental and human health impacts. Research on the microplastic cycle is often broken down into its various individual components such as sources, fate, and effect, and further scattered through the literature are focuses on specific environments such as land, oceans, and freshwater, as well as on human health. Here, we review the current state of the literature on the microplastic cycle across its various environmental reservoirs. In-depth examination of the microplastics cycle is necessary for understanding the scope of the problem and developing viable solutions or mitigation strategies, such as reducing plastic production and promoting recycling. Understanding the complex microplastics cycle is an urgent issue that necessitates multidisciplinary research and action.
RB_BG_MHA: A RoBERTa-Based Model with Bi-GRU and Multi-Head Attention for Chinese Offensive Language Detection in Social Media
Authors: Xu Meijia , Liu Shuxian
Published: October 2023

Offensive language in social media affects the social experience of individuals and groups and hurts social harmony and moral values. Therefore, in recent years, the problem of offensive language detection has attracted the attention of many researchers. However, the primary research currently focuses on detecting English offensive language, while few studies on the Chinese language exist. In this paper, we propose an innovative approach to detect Chinese offensive language. First, unlike previous approaches, we utilized both RoBERTa’s sentence-level and word-level embedding, combining the sentence embedding and word embedding of RoBERTa’s model, bidirectional GRU, and multi-head self-attention mechanism. This feature fusion allows the model to consider sentence-level and word-level semantic information at the same time so as to capture the semantic information of Chinese text more comprehensively. Second, by concatenating the output results of multi-head attention with RoBERTa’s sentence embedding, we achieved an efficient fusion of local and global information and improved the representation ability of the model. The experiments showed that the proposed model achieved 82.931% accuracy and 82.842% F1-score in Chinese offensive language detection tasks, delivering high performance and broad application potential.
Extracting Domain-Specific Chinese Named Entities for Aviation Safety Reports: A Case Study
Authors: Wang Xin , Gan Zurui , Xu Yaxi , Liu Bingnan , Zheng Tao
Published: October 2023

Aviation safety reports can provide detailed records of past aviation safety accidents, analyze their problems and hidden dangers, and help airlines and other aviation enterprises avoid similar accidents from happening again. In a novel way, we plan to use named entity recognition technology to quickly mine important information in reports, helping safety personnel improve efficiency. The development of intelligent civil aviation creates demands for the incorporation of big data and artificial intelligence. Because of the aviation-specific terms and the complexity of identifying named entity boundaries, the mining of aviation safety report texts is a challenging domain. This paper proposes a novel method for aviation safety report entity extraction. First, ten kinds of entities and sequences, such as event, company, city, operation, date, aircraft type, personnel, flight number, aircraft registration and aircraft part, were annotated using the BIO format. Second, we present a semantic representation enhancement approach through the fusion of enhanced representation through knowledge integration embedding (ERNIE), pinyin embedding and glyph embedding. Then, in order to improve the accuracy of specific entity extraction, we constructed and utilized the aviation domain dictionary which includes high-frequency technical aviation terms. After that, we adopted bilinear attention networks (BANs), the feature fusion approach originally used in multi-modal analysis, in our study to incorporate features extracted from both iterated dilated convolutional neural network (IDCNN) and bi-directional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) architectures. A case study of specific entity extraction for an aviation safety events dataset was conducted. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm, with an F1 score reaching 97.93%, is superior to several baseline and advanced algorithms. Therefore, the proposed approach offers a robust methodological foundation for the relationship extraction and knowledge graph construction of aviation safety reports.
Autonomous Control System with Passive Positioning for Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle-Assisted Edge Communication in 6G
Authors: Hu Yue , Jiang Yunzhe , Liu Yinqiu , He Xiaoming
Published: October 2023

UAVs can be deployed in many scenarios to provide various types of services via 6G edge communication. In these scenarios, it is necessary to obtain the position of the UAVs in a timely and accurate manner to avoid UAV collisions. In this paper, we consider improved passive localization algorithms aimed at reducing convergence time and adapting to extreme conditions. For the sake of reducing the complexity of signals and ensuring the reliability of receiving processes, we reconsidered the angle between arrival signals as the feature in positioning. Then, according to the characteristics of the positioning process, we draw on the cyclical process of the iterative greedy algorithm to construct the coding, destruction, and reorganization process to guide the movement of the UAV. Moreover, an improved Metropolis criterion is added to prevent falling into the local optimal solution. Finally, the proposed algorithm is verified in the simulation results. The results show that the algorithm can achieve precise positioning and excellent track planning within a small number of iterations, and it reduces the amount of information carried by the signal and convergence time compared with the traditional method.
Magnetron Sputter Deposition of Nanostructured AlN Thin Films
Authors: Chirumamilla Manohar , Krekeler Tobias , Wang Deyong , Kristensen Peter K. , Ritter Martin , Popok Vladimir N. , Pedersen Kjeld
Published: October 2023

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a material of growing interest for power electronics, fabrication of sensors, micro-electromechanical systems, and piezoelectric generators. For the latter, the formation of nanowire arrays or nanostructured films is one of the emerging research directions. In the current work, nanostructured AlN films manufactured with normal and glancing angle magnetron sputter depositions have been investigated with scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and optical spectroscopy. Growth of the nanostructures was realized utilizing metal seed particles (Ag, Au, and Al), allowing the control of the nucleation and following growth of AlN. It was demonstrated how variations of seed particle material and size can be used to tune the parameters of nanostructures and morphology of the AlN films. Using normal angle deposition allowed the growth of bud-shaped structures, which consisted of pillars/lamellae with wurtzite-like crystalline structures. Deposition at a glancing angle of 85° led to a film of individual nanostructures located near each other and tilted at an angle of 33° relative to the surface normal. Such films maintained a high degree of wurtzite-like crystallinity but had a more open structure and higher roughness than the nanostructured films grown at normal incidence deposition. The developed production strategies and recipes for controlling parameters of nanostructured films pave the way for the formation of matrices to be used in piezoelectric applications.
Precipitation Sensitivity to Soil Moisture Changes in Multiple Global Climate Models
Authors: Zou Xiao , Wang Guojie , Hagan Daniel Fiifi Tawia , Li Shijie , Wei Jiangfeng , Lu Jiao , Qiao Yumeng , Zhu Chenxia , Ullah Waheed , Yeboah Emmanuel
Published: October 2023

The ability of soil moisture (SM) to affect precipitation (P) is a vital part of the water-energy cycles. Accurately quantifying this coupling enhances the ability to predict hydroclimatic extremes like floods and droughts. In this study, the ability of soil moisture to affect precipitation (SM-P) is characterized by two parts: the influence of soil moisture on evapotranspiration (SM-ET), and the influence of evapotranspiration on precipitation (ET-P). We determined localized ET-P by incorporating the coupling between latent heat flux (LH) and LCL height, to optimize the estimation of the SM-P. This approach links SM more closely to P by considering the influence of surface fluxes. The results indicate that CMIP6 models exhibited the anticipated hotspot patterns for the three coupling metrics in transition regions. However, we observed that climate models generally exhibit weaker SM-P coupling compared to reanalysis models. Both SM-ET and SM-P showcase higher values wherein wet climate regions during dry years, and the converse occurs in dry regions. Due to sensitivity to climate change, the ET-P exhibits a more pronounced upward trend in the future. This study helps understand P’s response to SM shifts in climate models, crucial for predicting hydrological extremes and coupled global warming impact.
The Potential Role of C-Reactive Protein in Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease and Aging
Authors: Ding Zheng , Wei Yuqiu , Peng Jing , Wang Siyu , Chen Guixi , Sun Jiazeng
Published: October 2023

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), recently redefined as metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), is liver-metabolism-associated steatohepatitis caused by nonalcoholic factors. NAFLD/MASLD is currently the most prevalent liver disease in the world, affecting one-fourth of the global population, and its prevalence increases with age. Current treatments are limited; one important reason hindering drug development is the insufficient understanding of the onset and pathogenesis of NAFLD/MASLD. C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, has been linked to NAFLD and aging in recent studies. As a conserved acute-phase protein, CRP is widely characterized for its host defense functions, but the link between CRP and NAFLD/MASLD remains unclear. Herein, we discuss the currently available evidence for the involvement of CRP in MASLD to identify areas where further research is needed. We hope this review can provide new insights into the development of aging-associated NAFLD biomarkers and suggest that modulation of CRP signaling is a potential therapeutic target.
Assessing Feasibility of Cognitive Impairment Testing Using Social Robotic Technology Augmented with Affective Computing and Emotional State Detection Systems
Authors: Russo Sergio , Lorusso Letizia , D’Onofrio Grazia , Ciccone Filomena , Tritto Michele , Nocco Sergio , Cardone Daniela , Perpetuini David , Lombardo Marco , Lombardo Daniele , Sancarlo Daniele , Greco Antonio , Merla Arcangelo , Giuliani Francesco
Published: October 2023

Social robots represent a valid opportunity to manage the diagnosis, treatment, care, and support of older people with dementia. The aim of this study is to validate the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test administered by the Pepper robot equipped with systems to detect psychophysical and emotional states in older patients. Our main result is that the Pepper robot is capable of administering the MMSE and that cognitive status is not a determinant in the effective use of a social robot. People with mild cognitive impairment appreciate the robot, as it interacts with them. Acceptability does not relate strictly to the user experience, but the willingness to interact with the robot is an important variable for engagement. We demonstrate the feasibility of a novel approach that, in the future, could lead to more natural human–machine interaction when delivering cognitive tests with the aid of a social robot and a Computational Psychophysiology Module (CPM).
Strength of Hybrid Steel-BFRP Reinforced Concrete Beams with Openings in the D-Region Strengthened Internally and Externally
Authors: Yehia Sameh , Faihan Bader , Ibrahim Arafa M. A.
Published: October 2023

The opened beams always confused the designers due to the guidelines missing. In this research, six hybrid beams reinforced with mixed steel and basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars and having constant cross-sections of 150 mm × 300 mm and a clear span of 1800 mm were cast and tested under a four-point loading setup. Generally, five beams had symmetrical rectangular openings with dimensions of 150 mm × 250 mm located at a distance of 250 mm (equivalent to the beam effective depth) from the beam support, while an additional solid beam served as a control. The studied parameters included the effect of using internal reinforcement (steel or BFRP bars) provided adjacent to the opening sides or by incorporating an external BFRP sheet around the opening corners. Also, double enhancement with internal steel reinforcement bars together with external strengthening BFRP sheet was investigated. The relevant results showed that the opened beam without enhancement lost 75% of the maximum load compared with the solid beam. Placing internal steel or BFRP bars around the openings increased the maximum load by 62% and 60%, respectively, compared to the non-enhanced opened beams. Using an external BFRP sheet to strengthen the opening corners of the beam enhanced the maximum load by 76% compared with the non-enhanced opened beam. Consequently, by combining both the internal steel reinforcement and external BFRP sheet around the openings, the maximum load increased by 137% compared with the non-enhanced opened beam. Ultimately, a numerical analysis of the three-dimensional finite element model was performed to confirm the experimental findings, and the relevant results showed compatibility correlations with the experimental ones. Also, the effect of various parameters such as BFRP reinforcement ratio and number of BFRP sheet layers around the openings was investigated by adapting the validated numerical model.
Lower-Temperature-Ready Renovation: An Approach to Identify the Extent of Renovation Interventions for Lower-Temperature District Heating in Existing Dutch Homes
Authors: Wahi Prateek , Konstantinou Thaleia , Tenpierik Martin J. , Visscher Henk
Published: October 2023

This study presents an approach to determine the extent of renovation interventions required for existing Dutch dwellings aiming to transition to lower-temperature district heating (DH) systems. The proposed method is applied to a typical intermediate terraced house built before 1945 in the Netherlands, and it consists of two steps: first, assessing the potential of a dwelling to be heated with a lower temperature supply from DH systems and subsequently developing and evaluating alternative renovation solutions if necessary. This study defines a set of criteria for evaluating the readiness of a dwelling for lower-temperature heating (LTH), considering energy efficiency and thermal comfort as non-compensatory criteria. The application of the approach reveals that the case study dwelling is presently unsuitable for a medium-temperature (70/50 °C) and low-temperature (55/35 °C) supply compared to a high-temperature supply (90/70 °C), thus requiring energy renovations. Furthermore, this study indicates that moderate intervention levels are required for the dwelling to be lower-temperature-ready in both supply temperature goals. These interventions include strategies and measures that upgrade the building envelope to the minimum insulation levels stipulated by the Dutch Building Decree, improve airtightness, and replace existing radiators with low-temperature radiators. By systematically narrowing down renovation options, this approach aids in simplifying the decision-making process for selecting renovations for heating dwellings with LTH through DH systems, which could reduce stakeholders’ decision paralysis.
An Integrated Analysis of the Urban Form of Residential Areas in Romania
Authors: Ungureanu Teodora , Șoimoșan Teodora Melania
Published: October 2023

Romanian cities are facing two opposing patterns of urban development that are common worldwide: a significant number of small cities are undergoing a process of shrinkage, while large cities are experiencing dense urban sprawl. This study examines the framework of the current legislation and urban codes that impact the growth of Romanian cities. The aim is to establish a critical analysis of the current urban codes of residential areas in Romania and to create a framework for an integrated neighbourhood tool of analysis for Romanian residential areas, using urban form as a starting point. This direction starts from the fact that international documents such as the “New Leipzig Charter” recommend a resilient and environmentally friendly approach to urban development, while current Romanian normative documents on resilience and sustainability focus mostly on buildings, ignoring a broader vision that includes the urban scale of the neighbourhood or city while considering the multidisciplinary requirement for understanding urban morphology and phenomena. Existing urban legislation in Romania is characterised by several deficiencies resulting from the fragmentation of outdated regulatory bodies in the field of urban planning. Furthermore, this study has demonstrated that urban indicators can serve as a versatile tool for the assessment and enhancement of residential areas in the country.
Optimization of the ANN Model for Energy Consumption Prediction of Direct-Fired Absorption Chillers for a Short-Term
Authors: Hong Goopyo , Seong Namchul
Published: October 2023

With an increasing concern for global warming, there have been many attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. About 30% of total energy has been consumed by buildings, and much attention has been paid to reducing building energy consumption. There are many ways to reduce building energy consumption. One of the most relevant methods is machine learning. While machine learning methods provide accurate energy consumption predictions, they require huge datasets. The present study developed an artificial neural network (ANN) model for building energy consumption predictions with small datasets. As mechanical systems are the most energy-consuming components in the building, the present study used the energy consumption data of a direct-fired absorption chiller for the short term. For the optimization, the prediction results were investigated by varying the number of inputs, neurons, and training data sizes. After optimizing the ANN model, it was validated with the actual data collected through a building automation system. In sum, the outcome of the present study can be used to predict the energy consumption of the chiller as well as improve the efficiency of energy management. The outcome of the present study can be used to develop a more accurate prediction model with a few datasets, which can improve the efficiency of building energy management.
Effects of High Temperature and Cooling Regimes on Properties of Marble Powder-Based Cementitious Composites
Authors: Bayer İsmail Raci , Sevim Ozer , Demir Ilhami
Published: October 2023

The demand for cement is increasing every day worldwide. To meet this demand, natural resources are rapidly being depleted. The excessive consumption of natural resources encourages researchers to conduct studies on the use of waste materials instead of cement. Marble waste is one of the major natural wastes abundantly generated worldwide. It has been evaluated that there is a gap in the literature regarding a study comparing the effects of different cooling regimes on cementitious composites with a marble powder (MP) replacement that has been exposed to high temperatures. In this study, waste marble powder (MP) was used as a replacement for cement at percentages of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% by mass. The water-to-binder ratio was kept constant at 0.5 for all mixture groups. Subsequently, the prepared cementitious composites were exposed to high temperatures (300 °C, 600 °C, and 800 °C) and subjected to air- and water-cooling regimes. Within the scope of this study, unit weight (Uw), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), flexural strength (ffs), compressive strength (fcs), and mass loss tests were conducted. Additionally, a microstructure analysis was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the effect of MP replacement and the cooling regime. When examining the results of the samples tested in the laboratory, it was observed that the mortar with 5% MP replacement exhibited better mechanical properties compared with the others. In general, it can be said that the mechanical properties of samples cooled in air after exposure to high temperatures were better than those of samples cooled in water. As a result of this study, it was determined that MP replacement could positively contribute to the resistance of cementitious composites to high temperatures. Additionally, the use of a significant amount of waste MP can lead to savings in cement usage and significant reductions in CO2 emissions.
Dynamic Extrusion Control in Spot Deposition Modeling for Porous 3D Clay Structures
Authors: Tabakova Vesela , Klug Christina , Schmitz Thomas H.
Published: October 2023

The dynamic state of the viscous clay in Liquid Deposition Modeling (LDM) often leads to discrepancies between the digital model and the resulting physical object. This emergent behavior can be harnessed to produce complex physical structures that would not be possible with other methods. This study takes advantage of the viscous state and tensile strength of the extruded clay strand to explore the impact of dynamic extrusion and deformations through travel paths in LDM to manufacture complex porous physical structures. The effects of these parameters are discussed in two case studies: (1) regular and semi-random Spot Deposition surfaces with either open or thickened regions, and (2) porous 3D lattice structures created through the controlled bending of vertical extrusions. The achieved higher geometrical complexity of objects through the algorithmically programmed alternations in the sequence and rate of material deposition allows for a wide range of buildup approaches that expand the production spectrum of sustainable small- and large-scale elements.
Improving Pharmacist-Led Pediatric Patient Education on Oral Chemotherapy at Home
Authors: Patel Anika , Nguyen Christopher M. , Willins Kristin , Wang Elsabella Y. , Magedman Grace , Yang Sun
Published: October 2023

Oral chemotherapy (OC) has been increasingly used in pediatric patients diagnosed with cancer, which is primarily managed in the outpatient setting. Different from adults, pediatric patients face unique challenges in administering these hazardous medications at home. Because of the complexity of pediatric pharmaceutical care and the hazardous nature of chemotherapy agents, comprehensive patient education is imperative to mitigate the potential safety risks associated with OC administration at home. Pharmacists play a vital role in patient education and medication consultations. However, the lack of practice guidelines and limited resources supporting OC counseling are noted. Additional barriers include insufficient knowledge and training on OC, which can be improved by continuing education. In a regional children’s hospital, a comprehensive OC education checklist was developed for pediatric patients and their caregivers to standardize consultations led by pharmacists. An infographic OC handout was also formulated to improve patient knowledge and awareness. Moreover, innovative approaches such as using telepharmacy, smartphone applications, and artificial intelligence have been increasingly integrated into patient care, which can help optimize OC consultations for children and adolescents. Further studies are warranted to enhance oral chemotherapy education specifically tailored for pediatric patients in outpatient settings.
Improving the Properties of Saline Soil Using a Deep Soil Mixing Technique
Authors: Hammad Mohamed A. , Mohamedzein Yahia , Al-Aghbari Mohamed
Published: October 2023

Saline soils belong to the category of problematic soils with high compressibility and weak shear strength when exposed to water. Water dissolves the salts in soils which are the primary cementing agents. Therefore, stabilization methods that provide sustainable cementing substances are employed in this study using deep soil mixing techniques to enhance the properties of saline soil. In this regard, a laboratory-scaled deep soil mixing procedure was developed to treat the soil in a way similar to the field methods. A binder, consisting of marble powder and cement, was employed to treat the soil. This study aimed to select the most efficient binder mix design in terms of optimum marble powder/cement ratio and optimum water/binder ratio. Unconfined compressive strength, durability, density measurements and ultrasonic velocity pulse tests were conducted on the treated soil. To determine the treatment efficacy, microstructure analysis of the treated samples was conducted. The 80C20MP and 70C30MP samples exhibit a dense soil structure with minimal voids, and their microstructure is denser than the other treated specimens. Additionally, the EDX analysis shows increased calcium percentages with up to 30% MP replacement, aligning well with the microstructure analysis and the UCS values. The results indicate that the economical and eco-friendly binder mix consisted of (70% to 80%) cement and (20% to 30%) marble powder with water/binder ratio in the range of 1.1 to 1.3. This mix contributed greatly to the improvement in soil strength and integrated columns.
On Multiple Encryption for Public-Key Cryptography
Authors: Soroceanu Tudor , Buchmann Nicolas , Margraf Marian
Published: October 2023

Using multiple, individual encryption schemes is a well-established method to increase the overall security of encrypted data. These so-called multiple encryption or hybrid schemes have regained traction in the context of public-key cryptography due to the rise of quantum computers, since it allows the combination of well-known classical encryption schemes with novel post-quantum schemes. In this paper, we conduct a survey of the state-of-the-art public-key multiple encryption (M-PKE) schemes. For the first time, we describe the most relevant M-PKE schemes in detail and discuss their security in a unified model, which allows better comparison between the schemes. Hence, we compare the security, efficiency, and complexity of the schemes and offer recommendations for usage based on common use cases. Our survey emphasizes the importance of being deliberate when combining encryption schemes, as small nuances can easily break security.
Towards Real-Time On-Drone Pedestrian Tracking in 4K Inputs
Authors: Oh Chanyoung , Lee Moonsoo , Lim Chaedeok
Published: October 2023

Over the past several years, significant progress has been made in object tracking, but challenges persist in tracking objects in high-resolution images captured from drones. Such images usually contain very tiny objects, and the movement of the drone causes rapid changes in the scene. In addition, the computing power of mission computers on drones is often insufficient to achieve real-time processing of deep learning-based object tracking. This paper presents a real-time on-drone pedestrian tracker that takes as the input 4K aerial images. The proposed tracker effectively hides the long latency required for deep learning-based detection (e.g., YOLO) by exploiting both the CPU and GPU equipped in the mission computer. We also propose techniques to minimize detection loss in drone-captured images, including a tracker-assisted confidence boosting and an ensemble for identity association. In our experiments, using real-world inputs captured by drones at a height of 50 m, the proposed method with an NVIDIA Jetson TX2 proves its efficacy by achieving real-time detection and tracking in 4K video streams.
Maternal MicroRNA Profile Changes When LH Is Added to the Ovarian Stimulation Protocol: A Pilot Study
Authors: Konstantinidou Fani , Placidi Martina , Di Emidio Giovanna , Stuppia Liborio , Tatone Carla , Gatta Valentina , Artini Paolo Giovanni
Published: October 2023

While the use of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) is an established practice, the use of luteinizing hormone (LH) remains debatable. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, endogenous, non-coding transcripts that control a variety of cellular functions, such as gonadotrophin production and follicular development. The goal of this pilot study was to investigate whether the employment of recombinant LH (rLH) in ovarian stimulation protocols results in changes in the miRNA profiles in human oocytes. Patients were divided into two groups: seven received recombinant FSH (rFSH, 225 IU), and six received rFSH (150 IU) plus rLH (75 IU). MiRNA predesigned panels and real-time PCR technology were used to analyze the oocytes retrieved from the follicular ovarian retrieval. Among the miRNAs evaluated, a series of them evidenced upregulation or downregulation in their expression in the FSH plus LH group compared to the FSH group. Considering the results obtained from the functional and network analysis, the different maternal miRNA profiles in the two groups revealed a differential modulation of pathways involved in numerous biological functions. Overall, based on the pathways associated with most of these maternal miRNAs, the presence of LH may result in a different modulation of pathways regulating survival under the control of a Tp53-related mechanism. Interestingly, among the miRNAs differentially expressed in oocytes of the two groups, we have found miRNAs already investigated at ovarian, follicular, oocyte, and embryonic levels: hsa-miR-484, hsa-miR-222, hsa-miR-520d-5p, hsa-miRNA-17, hsa-miR-548, and hsa-miR-140. Thus, investigation into the role of these miRNAs in oocyte molecular pathways may help determine how LH affects oocyte competence and eventually leads to the clinical improvement of IVF.
The Feasibility of Integrating Spray-Dried and Freeze-Dried Oat β-Glucans into a Synbiotic Formulation with Akkermansia muciniphila
Authors: Sargautiene Vanda , Sargautis Darius , Podjava Anton , Jakobsone Ida , Nikolajeva Vizma
Published: October 2023

The objective of this research was to investigate the feasibility of integrating oat (1 → 3, 1 → 4)-β-D-glucan (β-glucan) dried by two different techniques (freeze drying and spray drying) into a synbiotic formulation with Akkermansia muciniphila. The study evaluated the impact of this synbiotic formulation on the growth of A. muciniphila and its effect on the fermentation process. The extracted oat β-glucans underwent freeze-drying (FD) and spray-drying (SD) processes before being introduced as supplementary carbon sources (1%) to brain heart infusion (BHI) medium containing A. muciniphila MSCL 1582. The BHI medium containing inulin, D-glucose, and BHI without added substrates served as the control. Bacterial growth and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production were measured before and after 72 h of fermentation. A light microscope and KOVA slides were used for the A. muciniphila count, and SCFA levels were measured via gas chromatography. Our findings revealed that oat β-glucans could effectively function as prebiotic substrates in complementary synbiotic composition with A. muciniphila, without inhibiting growth and causing metabolic impairment. Both FD and SD techniques demonstrated equivalent and favorable impacts on the fermentative capacity of A. muciniphila, rendering them suitable choices for the drying of β-glucans. Incorporating oat β-glucan into synbiotic formulations offers potential benefits, contributing to A. muciniphila growth and the fermentation process.
Dynamic Evolution and Convergence Analysis of the Ecological Efficiency of China’s Fisheries
Authors: Tang Wei , Huang Lei , Jiang Yiying , Fan Yingmei , Liu Yang , Liu Chen
Published: October 2023

The dynamic evolution and regional heterogeneity of fishery efficiency development must be explored from an ecological perspective to reveal the spatial pattern of fishery ecological efficiency. Thus, taking 30 provinces/cities in China between 2006 and 2020 as research objects, we measured the level of the fishery ecological efficiency and regional fishery ecological efficiency convergence indexes using the superefficiency and convergence indexes, respectively. We found the following: (1) The ecological efficiency of China’s fishery shows a wavelike upward trend with significant fluctuations, but the overall efficiency level is not high. (2) The development of regional fishery ecological efficiency is not well coordinated; however, the variation curve of fishery ecological efficiency in the eastern and central regions is gradually decreasing. (3) A trend of “catching up and surpassing” is observed in the development of fishery ecological efficiency in various regions of China, and regional fishery ecological efficiency gradually converges to the regions’ respective steady-state levels over time. The results indicate a significant gap in regional fishery ecological efficiency, as well as polarization; areas with lower fishery efficiency are catching up with high-efficiency areas at different speeds, and regional fishery ecological efficiency is stabilizing.
Current Status of Omics Studies Elucidating the Features of Reproductive Biology in Blood-Feeding Insects
Authors: Kulkarni Aditi , Delgadillo Frida , Gayathrinathan Sharan , Grajeda Brian , Roy Sourav
Published: October 2023

Female insects belonging to the genera Anopheles, Aedes, Glossina, and Rhodnius account for the majority of global vector-borne disease mortality. In response to mating, these female insects undergo several molecular, physiological, and behavioral changes. Studying the dynamic post-mating molecular responses in these insects that transmit human diseases can lead to the identification of potential targets for the development of novel vector control methods. With the continued advancements in bioinformatics tools, we now have the capability to delve into various physiological processes in these insects. Here, we discuss the availability of multiple datasets describing the reproductive physiology of the common blood-feeding insects at the molecular level. Additionally, we compare the male-derived triggers transferred during mating to females, examining both shared and species-specific factors. These triggers initiate post-mating genetic responses in female vectors, affecting not only their reproductive success but also disease transmission.
The Stream Device—A Retrospective Review of 51 Cases
Authors: Kupcs Karlis , Sproge Patricija , Kupca Katrina , Bhogal Pervinder
Published: October 2023

Mechanical thrombectomy is the gold-standard treatment for patients that have suffered large-vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke. Various different stent-retrievers, aspiration catheters, and techniques have been developed to perform this procedure. We present our initial results regarding the Stream device. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database at our high-volume centre to identify all patients treated with the Stream device between February 2021 and January 2023. We recorded baseline demographics, NIHSS, ASPECT scores, eTICI scores, complications, and 90-day mRS. Results: We identified 51 patients, 49.0% of whom were male (n = 25), with a median age of 73 (range: 51–89) and a median NIHSS score of 17 (range 4–22), and 68.6% received IV tPA. The median ASPECT score was 10 (range 6–10). Hyperdense clots were seen in 34 cases (66.7%), with a mean clot length of 12 ± 6.2 mm (range 2–26 mm). Clots were located in the anterior circulation in 49 patients. The standard Stream device was used in 78.4% of cases, with Stream 17 being used in 19.6% of cases. The FPE was observed in 25.5% of cases (n = 13), with the mFPE being seen in 31.4% of cases (n = 16). A final eTICI score of ≥2b was achieved in 90.2% of cases (n = 46), and eTICI 2c/3 was seen in 84.3% of cases (n = 43). Furthermore, 24 h CT scans showed that the median ASPECT score was 8 (range 0–10). Good functional outcomes at 90 days (mRS ≤ 2) were achieved in 21.6% of cases (n = 11). Conclusions: The Stream device shows acceptable rates of FPE and mFPE compared to existing devices. Further larger studies are required alongside an understanding of the optimal technique for this device’s use.
Dynamic Quantitative Imaging of the Masseter Muscles in Bruxism Patients with Myofascial Pain: Could It Be an Objective Biomarker?
Authors: Aydin Aksu Sibel , Kursoglu Pinar , Turker Izim , Baskak Fulya , Ozen Sutuven Elifnaz , Meric Kaan , Cabbar Fatih
Published: October 2023

We aimed to investigate whether the collaboration of shear wave elastosonography (SWE) and B-mode ultrasonography (US) could be offered as diagnostic tools to assess the presence, severity, and progress of bruxism, as well as a biomarker for the effectiveness of treatment in daily clinical practice. The study was designed as a quantitative evaluation of the masseter muscles (MMs) of the clinically diagnosed bruxism patients suffering from myofascial pain and MMs of the healthy individuals. Clinical examinations were made according to the diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (DC/TMD), and pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS). Painful MMs with VAS scores ≥ 4 were assigned to Group A, and healthy MMs were assigned to Group B. Also, the MMs of the painful bruxers were analyzed based on wearing occlusal splints. Group A was divided into two subgroups as splint users (Group AI) and non-users (Group AII). All the participants were scanned with dynamic US and SWE to quantify the size and stiffness of the MMs. Measurements of each muscle pair while the jaw is in a resting position (relaxation) and clenching position (contraction) were recorded. The significant differences in stiffness and thickness became visible in the relaxation state. Bruxism patients with myofascial pain had significantly harder and thinner MMs than healthy individuals. During the relaxation, the mean thickness and elasticity values were 9.17 ± 0.40 mm and 39.13 ± 4.52 kPa for Group A and 10.38 ± 0.27 and 27.73 ± 1.92 for Group B, respectively. Also, stiffer MMs were measured in Group AII (38.16 ± 3.61 kPa) than in Group AI (26.91 ± 2.13 kPa). In conclusion, the combination of SWE and US using a dynamic examination technique has the potential to be a valuable tool for the management of bruxism patients suffering from myofascial pain.
Groundwater Potential Zones Assessment Using Geospatial Models in Semi-Arid Areas of South Africa
Authors: Adesola Gbenga Olamide , Thamaga Kgabo Humphrey , Gwavava Oswald , Pharoe Benedict Kinshasa
Published: October 2023

Water resources are under tremendous pressure as a result of the growing demand for water to meet human needs. Hence, it is necessary to delineate groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) to sustainably develop and manage groundwater resources. In this study, the geospatial-based analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and frequency ratio (FR) techniques were used to identify the GWPZs. Seven factors (geology, rainfall, slope, lineament density, soil, drainage density, and land use/land cover), which partially or entirely influence the groundwater potentiality of an area, were accessed separately and later combined to create GWPZ maps. Weights and ranks were assigned to the factors to perform the AHP model using existing knowledge. The FR was performed by calculating the percentage ratio between the dependent variable (boreholes) and the independent variable (factors). The preparation of the contributing factors and the creation of the resulting models was done using ArcGIS 10.8. The final GWPZ maps were classified into five zones: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. About 80 boreholes in the study area were randomly subset into training and testing datasets; 58% were used for model training, and the remaining 42% were used for validation purposes. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the GWPZs models were generated, and the areas under the curves (AUC) were calculated. Validation of the models shows that the FR model is more efficient (85.3% accuracy) than the AHP model (83.2% accuracy). The findings show that the AHP and FR models are reliable and can be adopted to characterize GWPZs in arid or semi-arid environments.
Exploring Hydrochars from Lignocellulosic Wastes as Secondary Carbon Fuels for Sustainable Steel Production
Authors: Amado-Fierro Álvaro , Centeno Teresa A. , Diez María A.
Published: October 2023

This study investigates the suitability of different lignocellulosic sources, namely eucalyptus, apple bagasse, and out-of-use wood, for injection into blast furnaces (BFs). While wastes possess carbon potential, their high moisture renders them unsuitable for direct energy utilization. Additionally, the P and K impurities, particularly in apple bagasse, can pose operational and product quality challenges in BF. Thus, different thermochemical processes were performed to convert raw biomass into a more suitable carbon fuel. Low-temperature carbonization was selected for eucalyptus, yielding a biochar with properties closer to the low-rank coal. Hydrothermal carbonization was chosen for apple bagasse and out-of-use wood, resulting in hydrochars with enhanced fuel characteristics and fewer adverse inorganic species but still limiting the amount in binary PCI blends. Thermogravimetry evaluated the cause–effect relationships between coal and coal- and bio-based chars during co-pyrolysis, co-combustion and CO2-gasification. No synergistic effects for char formation were observed, while biochars benefited ignition and reactivity during combustion at the programmed temperature. From heat-flow data in combustion, the high calorific values of the chars were well predicted. The CO2-gasification profiles of in situ chars revealed that lignin-rich hydrochars exhibited higher reactivity and conversion than those with a higher carbohydrate content, making them more suitable for gasification applications.
Palladium-Based Contacts on p-GaN and Their Application in Laser Diodes
Authors: Levchenko Iryna , Kryvyi Serhii , Kamińska Eliana , Grzanka Szymon , Grzanka Ewa , Marona Łucja , Perlin Piotr
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we investigate the effect of Pd thickness and heat treatment on Pd/Ni/Au/p-GaN metal contacts. The as-deposited samples exhibit a smooth morphology and non-linear I–V characteristics. Heat treatment in a N2 atmosphere leads to degradation of the contact microstructure, resulting in diffusion of Ga, void formation on the interface and mixing of metals. Annealing in a mixture of N2 and O2 improves adhesion and reduces contact resistance. However, this process also induces GaN decomposition and species mixing. The mixing of metal–Ga and metal–metal remains unaffected by the method of thermal treatment but depends on gas composition for thin Pd contacts. To achieve low-resistance contacts (≈1 × 10−4 Ω cm2), we found that increasing the Pd thickness and using N2 + O2 as the annealing environment are effective measures. Nevertheless, the degradation effect of the annealed contact microstructure in the form of the void generation becomes evident as the thickness of Pd increases. Laser diodes (LDs) with optimized palladium-based contacts operate at a voltage of 4.1 V and a current density of 3.3 kA/cm².
Effects of Three-Dimensional Graphene–Carbon Nanotube Hybrid on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Cement Paste
Authors: Zhao Xin , Qiu Li , Kong Deyu , Huang Yangfei , Liu Jintao
Published: October 2023

This work experimentally studies the mechanical properties and microstructure of cementitious composites reinforced with a three-dimensional graphene–carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid. Firstly, the graphene–CNT (GC) hybrid is dispersed in cement pastes using ultrasonication and surfactant, and then, the effect of the GC hybrid on the early hydration of the cement pastes is investigated. The experimental results show that adding the GC hybrid shortens the setting stage of cement hydration and accelerates the early hydration process. Moreover, the macro- and micro-mechanical properties of each group are evaluated. The 7- and 28-day strength of the cement pastes improves with addition of the GC hybrid. Finally, the microstructural analysis demonstrates that the GC hybrid is reasonably well distributed in cement and forms a spatial network, which could bridge the cracks and compact the cementitious matrix.
Testing and Analysis of Ultra-High Toughness Cementitious Composite-Confined Recycled Aggregate Concrete under Axial Compression Loading
Authors: He Li , Peng Sheng , Jia Yong-Sheng , Yao Ying-Kang , Huang Xiao-Wu
Published: October 2023

In order to analyze the axial compressive properties of ultra-high-toughness cementitious composite (UHTCC)-confined recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), a batch of UHTCC-confined RAC components was designed and manufactured according to the requirements of GB/T50081-2002 specifications. After analyzing the surface failure phenomenon, load-displacement curves, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and parameter analysis of the specimen, the result shows that UHTCC-confined RAC is an effective confinement method, which can effectively improve the mechanical properties and control the degree of surface failure of RAC structures. Compared with the unconfined specimen, the maximum peak load of the UHTCC confinement layer with a thickness of 10 mm and 20 mm increased by 44.61% and 79.27%, respectively, meeting the requirements of engineering practice. Different fiber mixing amounts have different effects on improving the mechanical performance of RAC structural. The specific rule was steel fiber (SF) > polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVAF) > polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PEF) > no fiber mixture, and the SF improves the axial compression properties of UHTCC most significantly. When there are strict requirements for improving the mechanical properties of the structure, SF should be added to UHTCC. On the contrary, PVAF should be added to UHTCC.