bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological Activities of Bismuth Compounds: An Overview of the New Findings and the Old Challenges Not Yet Overcome
Authors: Rosário Jânia dos Santos , Moreira Fábio Henrique , Rosa Lara Hewilin Fernandes , Guerra Wendell , Silva-Caldeira Priscila Pereira
Published: August 2023

Bismuth-based drugs have been used primarily to treat ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori and other gastrointestinal ailments. Combined with antibiotics, these drugs also possess synergistic activity, making them ideal for multiple therapy regimens and overcoming bacterial resistance. Compounds based on bismuth have a low cost, are safe for human use, and some of them are also effective against tumoral cells, leishmaniasis, fungi, and viruses. However, these compounds have limited bioavailability in physiological environments. As a result, there is a growing interest in developing new bismuth compounds and approaches to overcome this challenge. Considering the beneficial properties of bismuth and the importance of discovering new drugs, this review focused on the last decade’s updates involving bismuth compounds, especially those with potent activity and low toxicity, desirable characteristics for developing new drugs. In addition, bismuth-based compounds with dual activity were also highlighted, as well as their modes of action and structure–activity relationship, among other relevant discoveries. In this way, we hope this review provides a fertile ground for rationalizing new bismuth-based drugs.
Temperature-Dependent Optical Properties of Oxidized Graphenes
Authors: Tene Talia , Vinueza-Naranjo Paola G. , Cevallos Yesenia , Arias Arias Fabian , La Pietra Matteo , Scarcello Andrea , Salazar Yolenny Cruz , Polanco Melvin Arias , Straface Salvatore , Vacacela Gomez Cristian , Caputi Lorenzo S. , Bellucci Stefano
Published: August 2023

In this study, we investigate how changing important synthesis-related parameters can affect and control the optical characteristics of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). These parameters include drying time and reduction time at two different temperatures. We obtain an understanding of their impact on optical transitions, optical bandgap, absorption coefficient, and absorbance spectrum width by analyzing these factors. Accordingly, GO has an optical bandgap of about 4 eV, which is decreased by the reduction process to 1.9 eV. Both GO and rGO display greater absorption in the visible spectrum, which improves photon capture and boosts efficiency in energy conversion applications. Additionally, our results show that GO and rGO have higher absorption coefficients than those previously reported for dispersions of exfoliated graphene. Defects in GO and rGO, as well as the presence of functional oxygen groups, are the main contributors to this increased absorption. Several measurements are carried out, including spectroscopic and morphological studies, to further support our findings.
The Effect of Nanobubble Water Containing Cordyceps Extract and Withaferin A on Free Fatty Acid-Induced Lipid Accumulation in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Han Hanlin , Sun Yixin , Zhang Weixu , Zhang Zhenya , Yuan Tian
Published: August 2023

Cordyceps extract and withaferin A (Wi-A) are natural compounds that have therapeutic effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, their efficacy is limited and a long treatment duration is usually required. To enhance their efficiency, the synergistic effects of nanobubble water (NBW) derived from nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen gases were investigated. Results showed that the physical properties of all three NBWs, including nanobubble density (108 particles/mL) and zeta potential (below −22 mV), were stable during 48 h of storage. Hydrogen and nitrogen NBWs did not reduce, but instead promoted, free fatty acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. In contrast, oxygen NBW synergistically enhanced the effects of cordyceps extract and Wi-A. The lipid content decreased by 29% and 33% in the oxygen NBW + cordyceps extract and oxygen NBW + Wi-A groups, respectively, compared to reductions of 22% and 16% by aqueous extracts without NB. This study found that NBW may enhance the lipid-reducing effects of natural compounds, such as cordyceps extract and withaferin A, in hepatic cells. Further studies in animal experiments are needed to determine whether NBW has a potential application in NAFLD.
Transport Property of Wrinkled Graphene Nanoribbon Tuned by Spin-Polarized Gate Made of Vanadium-Benzene Nanowire
Authors: Yu Hong , Shang Yan , Hu Yangyang , Pei Lei , Zhang Guiling
Published: August 2023

A series of four-terminal V7(Bz)8-WGNR devices were established with wrinkled graphene nanoribbon (WGNR) and vanadium-benzene nanowire (V7(Bz)8). The spin-polarized V7(Bz)8 as the gate channel was placed crossing the plane, the concave (endo-positioned) and the convex (endo-positioned) surface of WGNR with different curvatures via Van der Waals interaction. The density functional theory (DFT) and nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) methods were adopted to calculate the transport properties of these devices at various bias voltages (VS) and gate voltages (VG), such as the conductance, spin-polarized currents, transmission spectra (TS), local density of states (LDOS), and scattering states. The results indicate that the position of V7(Bz)8 and the bending curvature of WGNR play important roles in tuning the transport properties of these four-terminal devices. A spin-polarized transport property is induced for these four-terminal devices by the spin-polarized nature of V7(Bz)8. Particularly, the down-spin channel disturbs strongly on the source-to-drain conductance of WGNR when V7(Bz)8 is endo-positioned crossing the WGNR. Our findings on the novel property of four-terminal V7(Bz)8-WGNR devices provide useful guidelines for achieving flexible graphene-based electronic nanodevices by attaching other similar multidecker metal-arene nanowires.
The Influence of Personality Type on Patient Outcome Measures and Therapeutic Alliance in Patients with Low Back Pain
Authors: Hanney William J. , Dhalla Fahim , Kelly Chase , Tomberlin Alicia , Kolber Morey J. , Wilson Abigail T. , Salamh Paul A.
Published: August 2023

Background: Low back pain (LBP) has been shown to have various biological, psychological, and social factors that affect prognosis. However, it is unclear how personality may influence self-reported outcome measures and therapeutic alliance (TA). Methods: Eysenck’s personality inventory was used to assess personality, while the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), Global Rating of Change (GROC), and the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) measured patient progress and relationship strength. All outcome measures were formulated in a single survey that both the therapist and patient completed electronically. Results: Sixty-seven patients with LBP and twenty-two licensed physical therapists participated. For personality measures, there was a significant positive correlation between neuroticism and GROC (rho = 0.295, p = 0.015) and a significant negative correlation between extraversion and WAI (rho = −0.243, p = 0.048). Significant correlations were found between ODI and TSK (rho = 0.462, p ≤ 0.001) and between ODI and GROC (rho = −0.416, p ≤ 0.001). A significant negative correlation was found between TSK and GROC (rho = −0.301, p = 0.013). Conclusions: Patients with higher levels of disability seemed to report higher levels of kinesiophobia and less overall improvement in physical therapy. Patients classified as neurotic reported higher levels of improvement while extraverted patients demonstrated a weaker therapeutic alliance with their therapist.
The Potential of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 14917 in the Development of Alginate-Based Gel Formulations with Anti–Staphylococcus aureus Properties
Authors: Sodré Monaliza Teresa Campos , Ferraz Fernanda Avelino , Alencar Amanda Karoline Vieira , Silva Karinny Farias , Silva Douglas Henrique dos Santos , Silva Lucas dos Santos , Araújo Carneiro Jéssica Silva dos Santos , Monteiro Cristina Andrade , Silva Luis Cláudio Nascimento , Monteiro Andrea de Souza
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in developing alginate-based gel formulations to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus. Initially, the antagonistic actions of three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 10863, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 14917, Limosilactobacillus fermentum ATCC 23271) were evaluated against S. aureus ATCC 25923. All tested LAB inhibited S. aureus, but the highest activity was observed for L. plantarum ATCC 14917 (p < 0.05). The antimicrobial effects of L. plantarum ATCC 14917 cell suspensions, sonicate cells extract, and cell-free supernatants (pH 5 or 7) were analyzed using a broth-based assay. The cell suspensions inhibited S. aureus at concentrations ≥ 10%, and these effects were confirmed by a time-kill assay. Alginate-based gels were formulated with cell suspensions, sonicate cells extract, and cell-free supernatant (pH 5). These formulations inhibited S. aureus growth. Based on the results, the alginate gel with cell suspensions at 10% was selected for further characterization. L. plantarum ATCC 14917 survived in the alginate-based gel, especially when stored at 5 °C. At this temperature, the L. plantarum-containing alginate gel was stable, and it was in compliance with microbiological standards. These findings suggest it can be a promising agent for the topical treatment of infections induced by S. aureus.
Effect of Soil Acidification on the Production of Se-Rich Tea
Authors: Yang Bin , Zhang Huan , Ke Wenpei , Jiang Jie , Xiao Yao , Tian Jingjing , Zhu Xujun , Zong Lianggang , Fang Wanping
Published: August 2023

Selenium (Se)-enriched tea is a well-regarded natural beverage that is often consumed for its Se supplementation benefits. However, the production of this tea, particularly in Se-abundant tea plantations, is challenging due to soil acidification. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of changes in Se under acidified soil conditions. Eight tea plantation soil monitoring sites in Southern Jiangsu were first selected. Simulated acid rain experiments and experiments with different acidification methods were designed and soil pH, as well as various Al-ion and Se-ion concentrations were systematically determined. The data were analyzed using R statistical software, and a correlation analysis was carried out. The results indicated that as the pH value dropped, exchangeable selenium (Exc-Se) and residual selenium (Res-Se) were transformed into acid-soluble selenium (Fmo-Se) and manganese oxide selenium (Om-Se). As the pH increased, exchange state aluminum (Alex) and water-soluble aluminum (Alw) decreased, Fmo-Se and Om-Se declined, and Exc-Se and Res-Se increased, a phenomenon attributed to the weakened substitution of Se ions by Al ions. In the simulated acid rain experiment, P1 compared to the control (CK), the pH value of the YJW tea plantation decreased by 0.13, Exc-Se decreased by 4 ug mg−1, Res-Se decreased by 54.65 ug kg−1, Fmo-Se increased by 2.78 ug mg−1, and Om-Se increased by 5.94 ug mg−1 while Alex increased by 28.53 mg kg−1. The decrease in pH led to an increase in the content of Alex and Alw, which further resulted in the conversion of Exc-Se to Fmo-Se and Om-Se. In various acidification experiments, compared with CK, the pH value of T6 decreased by 0.23, Exc-Se content decreased by 8.35 ug kg−1, Res-Se content decreased by 40.62 ug kg−1, and Fmo-Se content increased by 15.52 ug kg−1 while Alex increased by 33.67 mg kg−1, Alw increased by 1.7 mg kg−1, and Alh decreased by 573.89 mg kg−1. Acidification can trigger the conversion of Exc-Se to Fmo-Se and Om-Se, while the content of available Se may decrease due to the complexation interplay between Alex and Exc-Se. This study provides a theoretical basis for solving the problem of Se-enriched in tea caused by soil acidification.
Bottom-Up Effects of Drought-Stressed Cotton Plants on Performance and Feeding Behavior of Aphis gossypii
Authors: Liu Jinping , Wang Chen , Li Huatong , Gao Yu , Yang Yizhong , Lu Yanhui
Published: August 2023

Drought, a major stress for crop plants, is expected to increase in frequency due to climate change. Drought can alter crop growth and levels of secondary plant metabolites, which in turn can affect herbivores, but this latter point is still controversial. This study used three different polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) levels (0%, 1%, and 3%) to simulate drought stress and evaluated their effects on cotton plants and the impacts on the performance of the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii. Cotton plants under drought stress showed decreased water content, above-ground biomass, and nitrogen content and increased soluble protein, soluble sugar, and tannin contents. Based on analysis of the developmental time and fecundity data from individuals and at the population level, a significantly lower fecundity and population abundance of A. gossypii were detected on cotton plants with drought stress, which supports the “plant vigor hypothesis”. The poor development of A. gossypii is possibly related to lower xylem sap and phloem ingestion under drought stress. In addition, the increased tannin content of cotton plants induced by drought and lower detoxification enzyme activities of A. gossypii may have affected the responses of aphids to drought-stressed plants. Overall, the results showed that drought stress altered the physiological characteristics of the cotton plants, resulting in adverse bottom-up effects on cotton aphid performances. This implies that the adoption of drip irrigation under plastic film that can help alleviate drought stress may favor the population growth of cotton aphids.
Isotropic and Anisotropic Complex Refractive Index of PEDOT:PSS
Authors: Velasco Davoise Lara , Peña Capilla Rafael , Díez-Pascual Ana M.
Published: August 2023

In this work, the complex refractive indexes of seven PEDOT:PSS samples, three with isotropic behavior and four with optical anisotropy, were determined. For the anisotropic samples, the ordinary and extraordinary components of the refractive index were described. The effect of the film thickness, measurement technique and preparation method on the extinction coefficient (k) and refractive index (n) of each sample was also discussed. Important differences (up to 20% in the average n) were found among the samples investigated. In most anisotropic films, the mean value of the extraordinary component was between 7 and 10% higher than that of the ordinary. In the three isotropic films, the average k rose when the film thickness increased. Moreover, the different sets of refractive index data were fitted to three different models: the original Forouhi–Bloomer model, the Liu (2007) model and the revised version of the Forouhi–Bloomer model (2019). In general, Liu’s model gave better results, with small errors in n and k (<7.81 and 4.68%, respectively, in all the cases). However, this model had seven fitting parameters, which led to significantly longer computation time than the other two models. The influence of the differences in the measurement of the complex refractive index on the simulation of the optical properties of PEDOT:PSS multilayers was discussed. The results showed that n must be known precisely to accurately calculate the light absorption in a multilayer, without ignoring the isotropic or anisotropic behavior of the material or the influence of the layer thickness on its optical properties. This study aids in the development of simulation and optimization tools that allow understanding the optical properties of PEDOT:PSS films for their potential applications in organic optoelectronic devices, such as organic solar cells.
Fabrication of Highly Sensitive Capacitive Pressure Sensors Using a Bubble-Popping PDMS
Authors: Jang Yunseok , Jo Jeongdai , Lee Seung-Hyun , Kim Inyoung , Lee Taik-Min , Woo Kyoohee , Kwon Sin , Kim Hyunchang
Published: August 2023

Attempts have been made to introduce microstructures or wrinkles into the elastomer surface to increase the sensitivity of the elastomer. However, the disadvantage of this method is that when a force is applied to the pressure sensor, the contact area with the electrode is changed and the linear response characteristic of the pressure sensor is reduced. The biggest advantage of the capacitive pressure sensor using an elastomer is that it is a characteristic that changes linearly according to the change in pressure, so it is not suitable to introduce microstructures or wrinkles into the elastomer surface. A method of increasing the sensitivity of the capacitive pressure sensor while maintaining the linearity according to the pressure change is proposed. We proposed a bubble-popping PDMS by creating pores inside the elastomer. The sensitivity of the pressure sensor made of the bubble-popping PDMS was approximately 4.6 times better than that of the pressure sensor without pores, and the pressure sensor made of the bubble-popping PDMS showed a high linear response characteristic to the external pressure change. These results show that our pressure sensor can be used to detect applied pressures or contact forces of e-skins.
Behaviour of the Peri-Implant Soft Tissue with Different Rehabilitation Materials on Implants
Authors: Baus-Domínguez María , Maza-Solano Serafín , Vázquez-Pachón Celia , Flores-Cerero Marta , Torres-Lagares Daniel , Serrera-Figallo María-Ángeles , Macías-García Laura
Published: August 2023

(1) Background: Mucointegration seems to gain interest when talking about success in the maintenance of dental implants. As we well know, collagen fibres cannot be inserted due to the lack of root structure on the implant surface, so the structural integration of peri-implant tissues that provide a firm seal around implants seems to be of interest when it comes to ensuring the survival of dental implants. To achieve a good epithelial barrier, the physicochemical characteristics of the surfaces of the restorative materials are of vital importance; therefore, the objective of this study is to analyse the histological behaviour of the peri-implant soft tissues in three different restorative materials. (2) Methods: Histological analysis of biopsied peri-implant keratinised mucosa, inflammatory epithelium and connective tissue in contact with a reinforced composite (BRILLIANT Crios), a cross-linked polymethylmethacrylate (TELIO CAD), and a hybrid ceramic (Vita Enamic), restored on a customised Atlantis-type abutment (Dentsply Sirona) between 60 and 180 days after restoration. (3) Results: A greater number of cells per mm2 of keratinised epithelium is observed in the reinforced composite, which could indicate greater surface roughness with greater inflammatory response. In this way, the greater number of lymphocytes and the lateral cellular composition of the inflammatory cells confirm the greater inflammatory activity towards that material. The best material to rehabilitate was hybrid ceramic, as it shows a better cellular response. (4) Conclusions: Knowing the limitations of the proposed study, despite the fact that greater inflammation is observed in the reinforced composite relative to the other materials studied, no statistically significant differences were found.
Predicting High-Density Polyethylene Melt Rheology Using a Multimode Tube Model Derived Using Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
Authors: Konstantinou Pavlina C. , Stephanou Pavlos S.
Published: August 2023

Based on the Generalized bracket, or Beris–Edwards, formalism of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, we recently proposed a new differential constitutive model for the rheological study of entangled polymer melts and solutions. It amended the shortcomings of a previous model that was too strict regarding the values of the convective constraint release parameter for the model not to violate the second law of thermodynamics, and it has been shown capable of predicting a transient stress undershoot (following the overshoot) at high shear rates. In this study, we wish to further examine this model’s capability to predict the rheological response of industrial polymer systems by extending it to its multiple-mode version. The comparison with industrial rheological data (High-Density Polyethylene resins), which was based on comparison with experimental data available in (a) Small Amplitude Oscillatory shear, (b) start-up shear, and (c) start-up uniaxial elongation, was noted to be good.
Preparation and Characterization of Polyhedron Mn(III) Oxide/-β-Mn(IV) Oxide/Poly-o-chloroaniline Porous Nanocomposite for Electroanalytical Photon Detection
Authors: Rabia Mohamed , Elsayed Asmaa M. , Alnuwaiser Maha Abdallah
Published: August 2023

Poly-o-chloroaniline (POCA) and Mn2O3/β-MnO2/POCA porous nanocomposite are both synthesized using oxidative polymerization, with K2S2O8 and KMnO4 as oxidants, respectively. The materials are characterized to confirm their optical, morphological, crystalline, chemical, and elemental properties. The nanocomposite exhibits superior optical properties compared to POCA. The promising optical characteristics make the nanocomposite an attractive candidate for light-sensing applications. Through electrical estimation, the nanocomposite photodetector displays the highest sensitivity between 340 and 440 nm, with Jph (current density) of 0.14 and 0.13 mA cm−2, correspondingly, and an estimated photon number of 7.461021 and 6.93 × 1021 photons/s, respectively. At 340 and 440 nm, the calculated photoresponsivity (R) values are 0.73 and 0.64 mA W−1, respectively, while the estimated detectivity (D) values are 1.64 × 108 and 1.45 × 108 Jones, respectively. These promising results indicate that the fabricated photodetector can soon potentially estimate light wavelengths and photon numbers in various industrial applications.
A Multidisciplinary Study of Wild Grapevines in the River Crati Natural Reserve, South Italy (Calabria): Implications in Conservation Biology and Palaeoecological Reconstructions
Authors: Clò Eleonora , Torri Paola , Baliva Michele , Brusco Agostino , Marchianò Roberto , Sgarbi Elisabetta , Palli Jordan , Mercuri Anna Maria , Piovesan Gianluca , Florenzano Assunta
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, wild grapevine populations are quite limited and sporadic mainly due to habitat destruction, land-use change, and the spread of pathogens that have reduced their distribution range. Palaeoecological, archaeobotanical, and genetic studies indicate that modern cultivars of Vitis vinifera are the results of the domestication of the dioecious, and sometimes hermaphrodite, wild species standing in riparian zones and wet environments. Wild grapevine populations have declined as a consequence of various forms of anthropogenic disturbance and were assigned by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to the Least Concern category. The River Crati Natural Reserve (Riserva Naturale Foce del Crati), located in southern Italy, hosts a population of Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris in a rewilding wet forest close to the Ionian Sea. These protected areas are of high scientific, biogeographic, and conservation interest in terms of Mediterranean biodiversity. Dendroecological and pollen morpho-biometric analyses of the wild grapevine are presented in this study. Palaeoecological perspectives for a landscape management strategy aimed at conserving and restoring the relic grapevine population are discussed.
Sicily, Constantinople, and Jerusalem: A Geographical Pattern in Crusading Expectations along the Centuries
Authors: Giardini Marco
Published: August 2023

Among the aims of Charles VIII’s Italian expedition, the reappropriation of the kingdoms of Naples and Jerusalem served as the main purpose for preparing the decisive crusade that would regain Jerusalem to Christianity. However, the connection established by several early modern sources between Charles VIII’s claims to the kingdom of Naples and the expedition to the Levant had already been expressed in previous centuries in very similar terms. Also, in the case of Charles I of Anjou in the thirteenth century, the acquisition of the kingdom of Sicily was perceived as a necessary precondition for setting military campaigns aiming at recovering Constantinople and Jerusalem. The same pattern appears also in Benzo of Alba’s Ad Heinricum imperatorem (eleventh century), where the pacification of Southern Italy is presented as the first step towards the reunification of the Constantinopolitan empire and the conquest of Jerusalem under the rule of Henry IV. The paper intends to shed light on a geographical pattern that periodically emerges in various iterations of crusading (and pre-crusading) propaganda (very often intertwined with prophetic expectations) which implied a tight interconnection between the recovery of the Holy Land and the unification of the orbis christianus under one universal ruler.
Parallax Theology: Reframing Compensation Theodicy
Authors: Shammas Victor L.
Published: August 2023

The reality of suffering and the existence of natural and moral evils appear to present significant obstacles to the doctrine of God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. Theodicy is an attempt to resolve the problem of evil. One formerly prominent theodicean response can be termed “compensation theodicy” (or “afterlife theodicy”), premised on the notion that, in the words of the philosopher Stephen Maitzen, “Heaven swamps everything,” that is, that God compensates for earthly suffering by way of heavenly reward. This approach has fallen into disrepute. Here, two minor responses and one major response are sketched, drawing on restorative justice, phenomenology, and the concept of parallax. Building on the critical philosophies of Kojin Karatani and Slavoj Žižek, parallax denotes a perspectival shift, or optical cycling, between two irreconcilable positions that nevertheless is in some sense productive. Viewed through the lens of parallax, compensation theodicy appears far less controversial than some theological thinkers have contended.
Teaching Moral Ethics through Sermons: A Case Study on Gregory of Nyssa
Authors: Farrugia Jonathan
Published: August 2023

This article studies six sermons related to proper social behavior from a Christian perspective by fourth-century theologian Gregory of Nyssa. A brief comment on the dating and the context of the sermons is given before the different themes discussed in the different liturgical seasons are analyzed, and then the content of each of these sermons is explored in some depth. Following this, an analysis of the persuasive and instructive styles in these sermons is made, underlining the different ways the bishop exhorts his people according to the matters at hand. When discussing issues that set a bad example, such as the practice of usury and the rejection of correction, the language used is very harsh; in other cases, the tone is softer, such as when it comes to deciding whether one should postpone his baptism or not or how one should behave vis-à-vis the more needy in society; when dealing with sensitive issues like fornication, given the natural human weakness in this aspect, the language is much more pastoral. Finally, a comment on the narratives used concludes the study.
Have the Inhabitants of France, Great Britain, Spain, and the US Been Secularized? An Analysis Comparing the Religious Data in These Countries
Authors: Díaz de Rada Vidal , Gil-Gimeno Javier
Published: August 2023

This paper carries out a comparative analysis of the religious beliefs and practices of residents in France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, using two waves of the World Values Survey. The main objective is to investigate the impact that secularization has had on the religious experience in these countries. More specifically, the prospection is carried out around the Christian creed in its Protestant and Catholic manifestations, understood as the majority beliefs in these countries. To carry out this task, we compiled a series of data distributed around the following categories: Contextualization: The importance of religion within different aspects of life; level of religiosity and membership in religious denominations; the sphere of beliefs: Belief in God, belief in life after death, belief in hell, and belief in heaven; scope of practices; and the nones. Subsequently, we carry out an explanatory-interpretative analysis articulated around four questions or challenges faced by these religious forms in the context of secularization: 1. The crisis of Christianity; 2. the thesis of European exceptionalism; and 3. the rise of the nones. In conclusion, the data analyzed allow us to affirm—with nuances—the following: 1. The existence of a process of dechurching in the heart of Christianity; 2. the confirmation that the European case is exceptional if we compare it with other trends or other cultural programs of secularization; 3. that the area of greatest dechurching is linked to community practice, something that allows this research to adhere to Davie’s thesis, which defines the current religious situation as believing without belonging; and 4. as a consequence of the process of dechurching, there is a rise of a social group without religious adscription: The nones.
SceneGATE: Scene-Graph Based Co-Attention Networks for Text Visual Question Answering
Authors: Cao Feiqi , Luo Siwen , Nunez Felipe , Wen Zean , Poon Josiah , Han Soyeon Caren
Published: August 2023

Visual Question Answering (VQA) models fail catastrophically on questions related to the reading of text-carrying images. However, TextVQA aims to answer questions by understanding the scene texts in an image–question context, such as the brand name of a product or the time on a clock from an image. Most TextVQA approaches focus on objects and scene text detection, which are then integrated with the words in a question by a simple transformer encoder. The focus of these approaches is to use shared weights during the training of a multi-modal dataset, but it fails to capture the semantic relations between an image and a question. In this paper, we proposed a Scene Graph-Based Co-Attention Network (SceneGATE) for TextVQA, which reveals the semantic relations among the objects, the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tokens and the question words. It is achieved by a TextVQA-based scene graph that discovers the underlying semantics of an image. We create a guided-attention module to capture the intra-modal interplay between the language and the vision as a guidance for inter-modal interactions. To permit explicit teaching of the relations between the two modalities, we propose and integrate two attention modules, namely a scene graph-based semantic relation-aware attention and a positional relation-aware attention. We conduct extensive experiments on two widely used benchmark datasets, Text-VQA and ST-VQA. It is shown that our SceneGATE method outperforms existing ones because of the scene graph and its attention modules.
On Scalability of FDD-Based Cell-Free Massive MIMO Framework
Authors: Hassan Beenish , Baig Sobia , Aslam Saad
Published: August 2023

Cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems have the potential of providing joint services, including joint initial access, efficient clustering of access points (APs), and pilot allocation to user equipment (UEs) over large coverage areas with reduced interference. In cell-free massive MIMO, a large coverage area corresponds to the provision and maintenance of the scalable quality of service requirements for an infinitely large number of UEs. The research in cell-free massive MIMO is mostly focused on time division duplex mode due to the availability of channel reciprocity which aids in avoiding feedback overhead. However, the frequency division duplex (FDD) protocol still dominates the current wireless standards, and the provision of angle reciprocity aids in reducing this overhead. The challenge of providing a scalable cell-free massive MIMO system in an FDD setting is also prevalent, since computational complexity regarding signal processing tasks, such as channel estimation, precoding/combining, and power allocation, becomes prohibitively high with an increase in the number of UEs. In this work, we consider an FDD-based scalable cell-free network with angular reciprocity and a dynamic cooperation clustering approach. We have proposed scalability for our FDD cell-free and performed a comparative analysis with reference to channel estimation, power allocation, and precoding/combining techniques. We present expressions for scalable spectral efficiency, angle-based precoding/combining schemes and provide a comparison of overhead between conventional and scalable angle-based estimation as well as combining schemes. Simulations confirm that the proposed scalable cell-free network based on an FDD scheme outperforms the conventional matched filtering scheme based on scalable precoding/combining schemes. The angle-based LP-MMSE in the FDD cell-free network provides 14.3% improvement in spectral efficiency and 11.11% improvement in energy efficiency compared to the scalable MF scheme.
Colorimetric Chemosensor for Cu2+ and Fe3+ Based on a meso-Triphenylamine-BODIPY Derivative
Authors: Pinto Sónia C. S. , Gonçalves Raquel C. R. , Costa Susana P. G. , Raposo M. Manuela M.
Published: August 2023

Optical chemosensors are a practical tool for the detection and quantification of important analytes in biological and environmental fields, such as Cu2+ and Fe3+. To the best of our knowledge, a BODIPY derivative capable of detecting Cu2+ and Fe3+ simultaneously through a colorimetric response has not yet been described in the literature. In this work, a meso-triphenylamine-BODIPY derivative is reported for the highly selective detection of Cu2+ and Fe3+. In the preliminary chemosensing study, this compound showed a significant color change from yellow to blue–green in the presence of Cu2+ and Fe3+. With only one equivalent of cation, a change in the absorption band of the compound and the appearance of a new band around 700 nm were observed. Furthermore, only 10 equivalents of Cu2+/Fe3+ were needed to reach the absorption plateau in the UV-visible titrations. Compound 1 showed excellent sensitivity toward Cu2+ and Fe3+ detection, with LODs of 0.63 µM and 1.06 µM, respectively. The binding constant calculation indicated a strong complexation between compound 1 and Cu2+/Fe3+ ions. The 1H and 19F NMR titrations showed that an increasing concentration of cations induced a broadening and shifting of the aromatic region peaks, as well as the disappearance of the original fluorine peaks of the BODIPY core, which suggests that the ligand–metal (1:2) interaction may occur through the triphenylamino group and the BODIPY core.
A Feedback Control Sensing System of an Electrorheological Brake to Exert a Constant Pressing Force on an Object
Authors: Spotowski Tomasz , Osowski Karol , Musiałek Ireneusz , Olszak Artur , Kęsy Andrzej , Kęsy Zbigniew , Choi SeungBok
Published: August 2023

The paper presents the application of a strain gauge sensor and a viscous brake filled with an electrorheological (ER) fluid, which is a smart material with controlled rheological properties, by an electric field to the fluid domain. For experimental tests, a cylindrical viscous brake was designed. The tests were carried out on a test stand especially prepared for this purpose and suitable for the examination of the impact of the rotational speed of the input shaft and the value of the electric voltage supplied to the viscous brake on pressing forces, taking into account the ER fluid temperature and brake fluid filling level. On the basis of the experimental research results, a viscous brake control system to exert constant pressing forces with feedback from a strain gauge sensor, based on the programmable logic controller, was designed and implemented. This system, using its own control algorithm, ensured a control pressing force within the assumed range, both during the constant and follow-up control. The measurement results obtained during the tests of the viscous brake designed to exert a force were presented in the form of time courses, showing the changes of the pressing force, the electric voltage applied to the brake and the rotational speed of the brake input shaft. The developed ER fluid brake control system with feedback was tested for constant and follow-up control, taking into account the impact of the working fluid temperature. During the test it was possible to obtain a maximum pressing force equal to 50 N for an electric voltage limited to 2.5 kV. The resultant error was lower than 1 N, wherein the adjustment time after changing the desired value of the force was around 1.5 s. The correct operation of both the brake and the control system, as well as the compatibility of the pressing force value and time adjustment, were determined. The main technical contribution described in this article is the design of a new type of DECPF and a new method for its control with the use of a specifically programmed programmable logic controller which simulates the proportional-integral controllers’ operation.
Multi-Camera-Based Human Activity Recognition for Human–Robot Collaboration in Construction
Authors: Jang Youjin , Jeong Inbae , Younesi Heravi Moein , Sarkar Sajib , Shin Hyunkyu , Ahn Yonghan
Published: August 2023

As the use of construction robots continues to increase, ensuring safety and productivity while working alongside human workers becomes crucial. To prevent collisions, robots must recognize human behavior in close proximity. However, single, or RGB-depth cameras have limitations, such as detection failure, sensor malfunction, occlusions, unconstrained lighting, and motion blur. Therefore, this study proposes a multiple-camera approach for human activity recognition during human–robot collaborative activities in construction. The proposed approach employs a particle filter, to estimate the 3D human pose by fusing 2D joint locations extracted from multiple cameras and applies long short-term memory network (LSTM) to recognize ten activities associated with human and robot collaboration tasks in construction. The study compared the performance of human activity recognition models using one, two, three, and four cameras. Results showed that using multiple cameras enhances recognition performance, providing a more accurate and reliable means of identifying and differentiating between various activities. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the advancement of human activity recognition and utilization in human–robot collaboration in construction.
An Investigation of Surface EMG Shorts-Derived Training Load during Treadmill Running
Authors: Ashcroft Kurtis , Robinson Tony , Condell Joan , Penpraze Victoria , White Andrew , Bird Stephen P.
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to determine the sensitivity of the sEMG shorts-derived training load (sEMG-TL) during different running speeds; and (2) to investigate the relationship between the oxygen consumption, heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), accelerometry-based PlayerLoadTM (PL), and sEMG-TL during a running maximum oxygen uptake (V˙O2max) test. The study investigated ten healthy participants. On day one, participants performed a three-speed treadmill test at 8, 10, and 12 km·h−1 for 2 min at each speed. On day two, participants performed a V˙O2max test. Analysis of variance found significant differences in sEMG-TL at all three speeds (p < 0.05). A significantly weak positive relationship between sEMG-TL and %V˙O2max (r = 0.31, p < 0.05) was established, while significantly strong relationships for 8 out of 10 participants at the individual level (r = 0.72–0.97, p < 0.05) were found. Meanwhile, the accelerometry PL was not significantly related to %V˙O2max (p > 0.05) and only demonstrated significant correlations in 3 out of 10 participants at the individual level. Therefore, the sEMG shorts-derived training load was sensitive in detecting a work rate difference of at least 2 km·h−1. sEMG-TL may be an acceptable metric for the measurement of internal loads and could potentially be used as a surrogate for oxygen consumption.
Critical Examination of Distance-Gain-Size (DGS) Diagrams of Ultrasonic NDE with Sound Field Calculations
Authors: Ono Kanji , Su Hang
Published: August 2023

Ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation, which has been used widely, can detect and size critical flaws in structures. Advances in sound field calculations can further improve its effectiveness. Two calculation methods were used to characterize the relevant sound fields of an ultrasonic transducer and the results were applied to construct and evaluate Distance-Gain-Size (DGS) diagrams, which are useful in flaw sizing. Two published DGS diagrams were found to be deficient because the backward diffraction path was overly simplified and the third one included an arbitrary procedure. Newly constructed DGS diagrams exhibited transducer size dependence, revealing another deficiency in the existing DGS diagrams. However, the extent of the present calculations must be expanded to provide a catalog of DGS diagrams to cover a wide range of practical needs. Details of the new construction method are presented, incorporating two-way diffraction procedures.
Research on the Impact of Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Policies on Carbon Emission Efficiency of the Yellow River Basin: A Perspective of Policy Collaboration Effect
Authors: Ren Lingzhi , Yi Ning , Li Zhiying , Su Zhaoxian
Published: August 2023

With China’s proposed carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, energy conservation and emission reduction are becoming increasingly urgent for the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. Based on a systematic combing through of the energy saving and emission reduction (ESER) policies in the Yellow River Basin, this paper empirically analyzed the impacts of objectives collaboration and measures collaboration of ESER policies on the carbon emission efficiency of prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin, by comprehensively adopting the super-slack-based measure (Super-SBM) model and the two-way fixed-effect model. The results of the study found that: (1) with the continuous improvement in policies, the collaboration level of ESER policies in the Yellow River Basin has been significantly improved; (2) the dual-objective collaboration of ESER policies has a significant promotional effect on the carbon emission efficiency of the Yellow River Basin with a lag effect, while the impact of multi-objective collaboration is not significant; (3) the dual-measure collaboration and multi-measure collaboration of ESER policies can effectively promote the improvement in carbon emission efficiency in the Yellow River Basin. This indicates that, in terms of carbon emission reduction in the Yellow River Basin, the objective setting of ESER policies can not be too much, and should pay attention to the mutual coordination of different policy measures to strengthen the carbon reduction effect of ESER policies collaboration.
Competence Development in an Undergraduate Physiotherapy Internship Program during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Blended Learning Approach
Authors: Ruiz-Ruiz Beatriz , García-Arrabé María , del Prado-Álvarez Rebeca , Bermejo-Franco Alberto , Diaz-Meco Conde Raquel , González-Fernández Laura , Aladro-Gonzalvo Arian Ramón
Published: August 2023

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the creation of different teaching adaptations shared in health degrees, such as blended teaching methods, including face-to-face learning combined with online learning. Objectives: One objective was to compare the academic performance scores aligned to worked competencies during physiotherapy internships between two groups: one exposed to a blended learning (b-learning) educational model and another exposed to a face-to-face teaching system during internships. Another objective was to study the correlation of the marks of the following year’s internship subject. Design: Analytical study of retrospective cohorts. Settings: Physiotherapy university degree program. Participants: Three hundred students working towards attaining Physiotherapy degrees. Methods: Two groups were studied: the Non-Exposed Cohort, which had 100% face-to-face attendance at the clinical center, and the Exposed Cohort, which experienced b-learning and had 50% attendance at the clinical practice center and 50% completion of asynchronous online complementary training during lockdown. Results: The results show that both in the Exposed Cohort and in the Non-Exposed Cohort, the qualifications and, therefore, the competence development achieved by the students were similar. A stronger correlation with skills activities developed in the Exposed Cohort in relation to the final mark of the following year’s internship subject has been found. Discussion and Conclusions: For all the competencies developed during CS II, participants obtained the same grades in both groups, so it is concluded that the online activities implemented during confinement mixed with face-to-face teaching were useful for the achievement of these skills. Thus, b-learning is a good method for developing clinical practice competencies in physiotherapy students. Contribution of the Paper: Blended teaching (b-teaching) is useful for developing internship competencies. It is necessary to align the activities developed in internships with the evaluated skills.
Social Impact Assessment of Transitional Social Housing and Service Interventions for Low-Income Families: The Case of Hong Kong
Authors: Chan Siu-Ming , Wong Hung , Tang Yuen-Ki , Li Shen-Nan
Published: August 2023

Hong Kong is a typical global city with growing levels of substandard housing and a reduction in basic living quality. The government implemented a policy of transitional social housing (TSH) in 2018 to enhance the livelihood of low-income families. Nam Cheong 220 (NC220) is the first structural steel TSH project in Hong Kong. This study aims to evaluate the social impact and effectiveness of the project, and quantitative data were collected from individuals in three stages between 2020 and 2022. The first stage (T0) involved interviewing 106 successful applicants of NC220, followed by 91 participants in the second stage (T1) and 88 in the third stage (T2). Longitudinal analysis was implemented to scrutinize the changes observed over time, namely that the living area per capita substantially increased and housing expenses per capita decreased significantly due to residents’ relocation to NC220. Housing conditions and community problems also showed significant improvement. Living satisfaction, neighbour and family relationships also demonstrated positive changes. The most difficult issue for residents was finding suitable housing after staying at NC220. The findings reveal that the first TSH in Hong Kong as an intervention significantly improved the housing circumstances of residents. The social dimensions of housing for enhancing residents’ well-being is worth additional attention.