bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deconstruction of Dryness and Wetness Patterns with Drought Condition Assessment over the Mun River Basin, Thailand
Authors: Li Sisi , Pi Huawei
Published: December 2022

Agriculture is one of the dominant industries in the Mun River Basin, but farmlands are frequently affected by floods and droughts due to the water resource management mode of their rainfed crop, especially in the context of climate change. Drought risk assessment plays an important role in the Mun River Basin’s agricultural sustainable development. The objective of this study was to identify the tempo-spatial variation in dryness and wetness patterns; the drought intensity, frequency, and duration; and the potential causes behind drought using the methods of the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), correlation analysis, and the Pettitt test over the basin. Results showed that the Mun River Basin underwent a drying climate pattern, which is explained by the significant decreasing trend of SPEI_12M during the study period. In addition, the downstream area of the Mun River Basin was subjected to more intense, extreme dryness and wetness events as the decreased amplitude of SPEI_12M and SPEI_3M was higher than that over the upper and middle reaches. Drought intensity presented a remarkable decadal variation over the past 36 years, and an average 7% increase per decade in the drought intensity was detected. Besides, there have been more mild and moderate droughts frequently appearing over the Mun River Basin in recent decades. For the underlying causes behind the drought condition, on the one hand, the shortened precipitation day over the rainy season accounted more for the intense drought events than the precipitation amount. On the other hand, El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-brought sea surface temperature anomalies aggravated the potential evapotranspiration (ETr), which might be closely related to the drought intensity and frequency variation. These tempo-spatial maps of dryness and wetness and drought occurrence characteristics can be conducive to local stakeholders and agricultural operators to better understand the agriculture industry risks and vulnerabilities and properly cope with pre-disaster planning and preparedness and post-disaster reconstruction over the Mun River Basin.
The Realization of Information Focus in Catalan
Authors: Cruschina Silvio , Mayol Laia
Published: December 2022

Answers to wh-questions are the most widespread method to elicit information focus. When studying the syntax of focus, however, this method is problematic because the most natural answer to a wh-question is often a fragment that only includes the focus. This problem has led to considerable controversy in the literature about the position in which information focus is realized, particularly for Spanish, but also for Catalan. In order to enhance the naturalness and reliability of the question-answer test, we designed an experiment with a new elicitation technique (i.e., questions with a delayed answer) in which some material is inserted between the question and the point in which the participant is asked to answer the question, so that the Catalan participants would spontaneously utter a full sentence instead of a fragment, without being explicitly instructed to do so. The material of this production experiment was then adapted in a rating experiment on the acceptability of preverbal and postverbal information foci in Catalan. The results of this second study confirm the findings of the production experiment: postverbal focus is always preferred over preverbal focus, both in the case of subjects and objects.
Associations between Cord Blood Leptin Levels and Childhood Adiposity Differ by Sex and Age at Adiposity Assessment
Authors: Blais Kasandra , Doyon Myriam , Arguin Mélina , Bouchard Luigi , Perron Patrice , Hivert Marie-France
Published: December 2022

Lower cord blood leptin levels have been associated with lower and higher adiposity in childhood and associations seem to differ according to the child’s age, methods of adiposity assessment and sex. Our aim was to investigate sex-specific associations of cord blood leptinemia with childhood adiposity at birth, 3 and 5 years of age. We measured cord blood leptin using Luminex immunoassays in 520 offspring from the Gen3G cohort. We tested associations between cord blood leptin and body mass index (BMI) z-score, skinfolds thicknesses (SFT), and body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, adjusted for confounders. At birth, girls had almost twice as much leptin in cord blood as boys (15.5 [8.9; 25.6] vs. 8.6 [4.9; 15.0] ng/mL; p < 0.0001) as well as significantly greater adiposity. Lower levels of cord blood leptin were associated with higher sum of SFT (β = −0.05 ± 0.02; p = 0.03) and higher BMI z-score (β= −0.22 ± 0.08; p = 0.01) in 3-year-old boys only. We did not observe these associations at age 5, or in girls. Our results suggest a sexual dimorphism in the programming of leptin sensitivity and childhood adiposity, but further observational and functional studies are needed to better understand the role of leptin in early life.
High Post-Treatment Leptin Concentration as a Prognostic Biomarker of the High Risk of Luminal Breast Cancer Relapse: A Six-Year Comprehensive Study
Authors: Kwiatkowska Katarzyna , Rhone Piotr , Wrzeszcz Katarzyna , Ruszkowska-Ciastek Barbara
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: Nowadays, obesity is well-recognised as a significant risk factor for many chronic diseases, for example, hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis and cancer. This study is designed to investigate the prognostic value of the pre- and post-treatment serum levels of adiponectin and leptin in luminal A and B invasive breast cancer (IBrC) patients based on six-years follow-up. (2) Methods: Among 70 patients who underwent breast surgery, 35 were Stage I and 35 were Stage II. The concentrations of pre- and post-treatment adiponectin and leptin were evaluated with a specific ELISA kit. The median follow-up was 68.5 months (inter-quartile range (IQR) = 59–72 months) with a recurrence rate of 15.71%. (3) Results: Generally, concentrations of leptin and adiponectin increased after adjuvant therapy. Follow-up showed a significantly higher incidence of disease relapse in IBrC patients with a high post-treatment concentration of leptin (25.71% vs. 5.71% of cases with a low post-treatment concentration of leptin). A post-treatment leptin concentration of 26.88 ng/mL with a specificity of 64.9% and a sensitivity of 88.9% was determined as the best cut-off value to distinguish patients with disease recurrence from those without disease relapse. (4) Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that only the post-treatment serum leptin concentration may be of value as a prognostic indicator and could contribute to predicting a future outcome for patients with early-stage IBrC.
The Role of Extracellular Matrix and Hydrogels in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Chondrogenesis and Cartilage Regeneration
Authors: Strecanska Magdalena , Danisovic Lubos , Ziaran Stanislav , Cehakova Michaela
Published: December 2022

Diseases associated with articular cartilage disintegration or loss are still therapeutically challenging. The traditional treatment approaches only alleviate the symptoms while potentially causing serious side effects. The limited self-renewal potential of articular cartilage provides opportunities for advanced therapies involving mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are characterized by a remarkable regenerative capacity. The chondrogenic potential of MSCs is known to be regulated by the local environment, including soluble factors and the less discussed extracellular matrix (ECM) components. This review summarizes the process of chondrogenesis, and also the biological properties of the ECM mediated by mechanotransduction as well as canonical and non-canonical signaling. Our focus is also on the influence of the ECM’s physical parameters, molecular composition, and chondrogenic factor affinity on the adhesion, survival, and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. These basic biological insights are crucial for a more precise fabrication of ECM-mimicking hydrogels to improve cartilage tissue reconstruction. Lastly, we provide an overview of hydrogel classification and characterization. We also include the results from preclinical models combining MSCs with hydrogels for the treatment of cartilage defects, to support clinical application of this construct. Overall, it is believed that the proper combination of MSCs, hydrogels, and chondrogenic factors can lead to complex cartilage regeneration.
Primary Cutaneous B-Cell Lymphoma Co-Existing with Mycosis Fungoides—A Case Report and Overview of the Literature
Authors: Chilom Doriana Sorina , Farcaș Simona Sorina , Andreescu Nicoleta Ioana
Published: December 2022

The existence of two sequential lymphomas, one localized and one systemic, either both with B or T lymphocytes, or one with B cells and one with T cells, with the same patient, is a known possibility. The second lymphoma is often induced by immunodepression or by the initial treatment. However, the existence of two cutaneous lymphomas with different cell lines, without systemic involvement, represents an uncommon situation. In this report, we describe the case of a 37-year-old man with an initial diagnosis of PMZBCL that over 10 months also developed a MF patch/plaque on the left leg.
Performance of Derived Laboratory Biomarkers with Regard to 30-Day Mortality in Kidney Transplant Recipients with COVID-19
Authors: Domjanović Josipa , Domjanović Škopinić Tea , Radić Josipa , Luketin Mirko , Jeličić Ivo , Matetic Andrija
Published: December 2022

There are limited data on the performance of laboratory-derived biomarkers in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) with COVID-19. This observational study enrolled 65 KTR with COVID-19 who were treated at the University Hospital of Split up to March 2022. Laboratory-derived biomarkers (neutrophile-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, De Ritis ratio, C-reactive protein (CRP)-to-albumin ratio, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-to-hemoglobin ratio, CRP-to-lymphocyte ratio, red cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio, platelet-to-albumin ratio, D-Dimer-to-albumin ratio, D-Dimer-to-NLR ratio, LDH-to-albumin ratio, and LDH-to-white blood cell (WBC) ratio) were calculated, and their performance with regard to 30-day mortality was determined. Mortality events occurred in 12 patients (18.5%), which was significantly associated with increased De Ritis (HR 3.83, 95% CI 1.57–9.35, p = 0.003), CRP-to-albumin (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.13–1.64, p = 0.001), LDH-to-hemoglobin (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.07–1.92, p = 0.015), CRP-to-lymphocyte (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.07, p = 0.003), D-dimer-to-albumin (HR 4.94, 95% CI 1.38–7.24, p = 0.038), LDH-to-albumin (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05–1.36, p = 0.008), and LDH-to-WBC (HR 1.03 95% CI 1.01–1.05, p = 0.024) ratios. Out of these, the best area-under-the-curve (AUC) values were achieved with De Ritis (AUC 0.691), CRP-to-albumin (AUC 0.764), LDH-to-hemoglobin (AUC 0.877), CRP-to-lymphocyte (AUC 0.739), and LDH-to-albumin (AUC 0.827) ratios, while the best discrimination displayed LDH-to-hemoglobin ratio (Harrell’s C 0.808 and Somers’ D 0.616). The overall calibration was satisfactory for all models. Derived laboratory biomarkers such as the de Ritis, CRP-to-albumin, LDH-to-hemoglobin, CRP-to-lymphocyte, and LDH-to-albumin ratios show significant association and discrimination with all-cause mortality in KTR with COVID-19, suggesting its potential risk stratification role.
Computational Model Exploring Characteristic Pattern Regulation in Periventricular Vessels
Authors: Takigawa-Imamura Hisako , Hirano Saito , Watanabe Chisato , Ohtaka-Maruyama Chiaki , Ema Masatsugu , Mizutani Ken-ichi
Published: December 2022

The developing neocortical vasculature exhibits a distinctive pattern in each layer. In murine embryos, vessels in the cortical plate (CP) are vertically oriented, whereas those in the intermediate zone (IZ) and the subventricular zone (SVZ) form a honeycomb structure. The formation of tissue-specific vessels suggests that the behavior of endothelial cells is under a specific regulatory regime in each layer, although the mechanisms involved remain unknown. In the present study, we aimed to explore the conditions required to form these vessel patterns by conducting simulations using a computational model. We developed a novel model framework describing the collective migration of endothelial cells to represent the angiogenic process and performed a simulation using two-dimensional approximation. The attractive and repulsive guidance of tip cells was incorporated into the model based on the function and distribution of guidance molecules such as VEGF and Unc ligands. It is shown that an appropriate combination of guidance effects reproduces both the parallel straight pattern in the CP and meshwork patterns in the IZ/SVZ. Our model demonstrated how the guidance of the tip cell causes a variety of vessel patterns and predicted how tissue-specific vascular formation was regulated in the early development of neocortical vessels.
Effect of h-BN Support on Photoluminescence of ZnO Nanoparticles: Experimental and Theoretical Insight
Authors: Barilyuk Danil V. , Sukhanova Ekaterina V. , Popov Zakhar I. , Korol Artem A. , Konopatsky Anton S. , Shtansky Dmitry V.
Published: December 2022

Herein we report a simple and easily scalable method for fabricating ZnO/h-BN composites with tunable photoluminescence (PL) characteristics. The h-BN support significantly enhances the ultraviolet (UV) emission of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), which is explained by the ZnO/h-BN interaction and the change in the electronic structure of the ZnO surface. When h-BN NPs are replaced with h-BN microparticles, the PL in the UV region increases, which is accompanied by a decrease in visible light emission. The dependence of the PL properties of ZnO NPs on the thickness of h-BN carriers, observed for the first time, is explained by a change in the dielectric constant of the support. A quantum chemical analysis of the influence of the h-BN thickness on the electron density redistribution at the wZnO/h-BN interface and on the optical properties of the wZnO/h-BN composites was carried out. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show the appearance of hybridization at the h-BN/wZnO interface and an increase in the intensity of absorption peaks with an increase in the number of h-BN layers. The obtained results open new possibilities for controlling the properties of ZnO/h-BN heterostructures for various optical applications.
Effect of Cellulose Ether and Starch Ether on Hydration of Cement Processes and Fresh-State Properties of Cement Mortars
Authors: Spychał Edyta , Stępień Piotr
Published: December 2022

The production of factory-made mortars is a multicomponent system. Viscosity-modifying admixtures (VMAs) are an inherent ingredient of these materials. The correct choice of the amount and type of these admixtures is important from the practical and scientific points of view. In this article, the use of cellulose ether (CE) and starch ether (SE) in cement pastes and mortars is studied. This research focuses on the hydration process and fresh-state properties of mortars because this subject determines the correct choice of the amount and type of admixture used, and the results determine the application and properties of hardened mortars. Polymers were added in the range from 0.056% to 0.22% in relation to the dry ingredients of the mortar. The research showed that cellulose ether had the greatest impact on the consistency, air content, bulk density, and water retention of ordinary dry-mix mortars. On the other hand, starch ether affected the hydration process, delaying the setting and hardening processes much more than cellulose ether. The action of these admixtures rose with the increase in the amount of polymer used in different ways (depending on the type of ether).
Modification of Electrospun CeO2 Nanofibers with CuCrO2 Particles Applied to Hydrogen Harvest from Steam Reforming of Methanol
Authors: Hsu Kai-Chun , Yu Chung-Lun , Lei Heng-Jyun , Sakthinathan Subramanian , Chen Po-Chou , Lin Chia-Cheng , Chiu Te-Wei , Nagaraj Karuppiah , Fan Liangdong , Lee Yi-Hsuan
Published: December 2022

Hydrogen is the alternative renewable energy source for addressing the energy crisis, global warming, and climate change. Hydrogen is mostly obtained in the industrial process by steam reforming of natural gas. In the present work, CuCrO2 particles were attached to the surfaces of electrospun CeO2 nanofibers to form CeO2-CuCrO2 nanofibers. However, the CuCrO2 particles did not readily adhere to the surfaces of the CeO2 nanofibers, so a trace amount of SiO2 was added to the surfaces to make them hydrophilic. After the SiO2 modification, the CeO2 nanofibers were immersed in Cu-Cr-O precursor and annealed in a vacuum atmosphere to form CeO2-CuCrO2 nanofibers. The CuCrO2, CeO2, and CeO2-CuCrO2 nanofibers were examined by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller studies (BET). The BET surface area of the CeO2-CuCrO2 nanofibers was 15.06 m2/g. The CeO2-CuCrO2 nanofibers exhibited hydrogen generation rates of up to 1335.16 mL min−1 g-cat−1 at 773 K. Furthermore, the CeO2-CuCrO2 nanofibers produced more hydrogen at lower temperatures. The hydrogen generation performance of these CeO2-CuCrO2 nanofibers could be of great importance in industry and have an economic impact.
Study on Microstructure of Fiber Laser Welding of CoCrCuFeNi High Entropy Alloy
Authors: Li Juan , Zhao Honglong , Zhou Nian , Zhang Yingzhe , Qin Qingdong , Wang Daoyi , Jiao Jianguo , Tang Guoli , Li Yonghua
Published: December 2022

A CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy was successfully welded in this study using fiber laser welding. The effects of the welding parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. Three zones were formed: the fusion zone, partial melting zone, and base metal. The base metal exhibited a typical dendrite structure, and the Cu element segregated in the interdendrite. The fusion zone consisted of fine equiaxed crystals and columnar crystals with the same crystalline structure as the base metal. The fusion zone exhibited minimal compositional microsegregation after laser welding. Electron backscatter diffraction results showed that the low-angle grain boundary fraction in the fusion zone increased. Furthermore, some dislocations and dislocation pile-ups were present in the fusion zone, and the densities of the dislocations and dislocation pile-ups were higher than those of the base metal. The hardness of the fusion zone was considerably higher than that of the base metal, while the ultimate tensile strength and elongation values were lower than those of the base metal for all conditions. The ultimate tensile strength and the elongation increased gradually and then decreased with increasing laser power. The maximum ultimate tensile strength exceeded that of the base metal by 90%.
Mixed Mode Fracture Investigation of Rock Specimens Containing Sharp V-Notches
Authors: Arabnia Ali , Akbardoost Javad , Cicero Sergio , Torabi Ali Reza
Published: December 2022

This work aims to assess both experimentally and analytically the fracture behavior of rock specimens containing sharp V-notches (SV-notches) subjected to mixed mode I/II loading. To this end, firstly, several mixed mode fracture tests were conducted on Brazilian disk specimens weakened by an SV-notch (SVNBD sample), performed in their corresponding center and with various notch opening angles. Secondly, the fracture resistance of the tested samples was predicted using a criterion named MTS-FEM. This approach is based on the maximum tangential stress (MTS) criterion, in which the tangential stress is determined from the finite element method (FEM). Additionally, in the present research, the required critical distance is calculated directly from finite element analyses performed on cracked samples. Comparing the experimental results and the analytical predictions, it is shown that the fracture curves obtained from the MTS-FEM criterion are in agreement with the experimental results. These results are achieved without the need for the calculation of stress series expansion coefficients, as an additional advantage of the proposed approach.
The Effect of Silicon Phase Morphology on Microstructure and Properties of AlSi10Mg Alloys Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Wu Liyun , Zhao Zhanyong , Bai Peikang , Zhang Zhen , Li Yuxin , Liang Minjie , Du Wenbo
Published: December 2022

This paper investigated the effect of silicon phase morphology and size on microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of the AlSi10Mg alloys fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM). Using different heat treatment conditions for SLM-fabricated alloys, the microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties are analyzed. The corrosion behavior analysis is also performed using potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical and immersion tests. Results show that the AlSi10Mg alloy directly fabricated by SLM has a continuous eutectic silicon network, which has a small driving force for corrosion and facilitates the deposition of corrosion products and generates a dense protective film. On the contrary, the formation of large isolated and uniformly distributed silicon particles produces a greater corrosion driving force after heat treatment, which makes most of the corrosion products transfer to the solution. The corrosion resistance of AlSi10Mg alloy directly fabricated by SLM is better than that of the alloys with heat treatment. Moreover, the heat treatment reduces the hardness of AlSi10Mg alloys due to the decrease in the solid solution strengthening effect.
Preparation of Wide-Domain pH Color-Changing Nanocapsules and Application in Hydrogel Fibers
Authors: Hou Xuemei , Zhao Huijing , Zhang Ke-Qin , Meng Kai
Published: December 2022

In recent years, there has been an increase in demand for pH color-changing materials. These materials can visually communicate signals to people by connecting pH changes with color information. Embedding pH indicators into fibers to create flexible color-changing materials is an effective way to develop daily wearable products. For the stability of the indicator and the indirect contact of the indicator with the human body, it is usually necessary to encapsulate it in capsules. In this study, different pH indicators (Thymol Blue-TB, Bromocresol Green-BCG, and Bromocresol Purple-BCP) were mixed into a wide-domain pH color-changing indicator and encapsulated with ethyl cellulose (EC) by the flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) method using a new-type droplet-shaped confined impinging jet mixer. The effects of flow rate, core-to-wall ratio, and mixed solution concentration on the formation of the nanocapsules were investigated. In addition, the morphology, particle size, size distribution, dispersion stability, and encapsulation efficiency were systematically studied. At a core-to-wall ratio of 1:2, a mixed solution with a concentration of 6 mg/mL and a feed flow rate of 40 mL/min produced nanocapsules with an average particle size of 141.83 ± 0.98 nm and a PDI of 0.125 ± 0.01. Furthermore, a zeta potential with a range of −31.83 ± 0.23 mV and an encapsulation efficiency of 75.20 ± 1.72% were observed at 1:2 core-to-wall ratios. It was concluded that the color of the nanocapsules continuously changed from yellow to green and green to blue when the pH range was increased from 3 to 10. The color-changing nanocapsules were then embedded into sodium alginate hydrogel fibers, resulting in the same color-changing trend (pH 3–10) as that obtained for the nanocapsules. This study can be useful for the pH monitoring of various body fluids, such as wound exudate, urine, and sweat.
Fuzzy Logic Tools Application to the Characterization of Stress–Strain Processes in Waste Construction Dam Geopolymers: A New Circular Mining
Authors: Terrones-Saeta Juan María , Fortes Juan Carlos , Luís Ana Teresa , Aroba Javier , Díaz-Curiel Jesús , Romero Emilio , Grande Jose Antonio
Published: December 2022

The ceramics industry dedicated to the manufacture of building materials is a very significant cause of environmental pollution, and various research projects are being carried out to reduce the associated environmental impact. One of the most important research lines is the generation and development of new materials, from waste, through more sustainable production processes. All of this is framed in circular mining. In this research study, geopolymers were developed with biomass bottom ashes and brick dust in order to replace the traditional ceramics used to construct bricks. For this, different families of test tubes were formed with different percentages of both residues, and their physical and mechanical properties were studied. In this way, the properties of geopolymers could be compared with traditional ceramics. In addition, in order to determine the cause–effect relationships between physical properties and compressive strength, data were processed using fuzzy logic and data mining techniques. The results showed the feasibility of geopolymers generation with biomass bottom ashes and brick dust with acceptable properties to replace conventional ceramics. In addition, the fuzzy logic analysis allowed for establishing clear and objective relationships between the physical properties and the compressive strength of the geopolymers, with the aim of developing the highest quality geopolymer.
Constituent Parameter Identification of Braided Composite Based on Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Jiang Dong , Xie Shitao , Qin Furong , Zhang Dahai , Zhu Rui
Published: December 2022

Mechanical properties of the constituent material of fiber-reinforced braided composites will inevitably change after the manufacturing process. An approach to constituent parameters’ identification of braided composites was proposed to obtain the basic information of composites for structural analysis. Identification of the constituent parameters was transformed as an optimization problem, which was solved by adopting the sensitivity analysis method, iteratively minimizing the discrepancies between the numerically calculated displacement field and the measured displacement field. The sensitivity matrix of displacements with respect to the constituent parameters was directly derived based on the constitutive material model for the first time. Considering that the large magnitude differences between parameters will lead to an ill-posed problem of the sensitivity matrix, the identification was susceptible to noise from the experimental data, the relative sensitivity was adopted, and a condition number-based response point selection was applied to improve the robustness of the parameter identification. A 2.5-dimensional braided composite was employed to illustrate the constituent parameter identification method by comparing with the finite difference method. In addition, the influence of selected measuring points and measuring errors on the proposed method were discussed. The results showed that the proposed method can be used to identify the constituent parameters efficiently and accurately. When the measured displacements are polluted by noise, the condition number of the sensitivity matrix is an effective indicator of preceding information to enhance the identification accuracy.
Effect of Temperature on Ultrasonic Nonlinear Parameters of Carbonated Concrete
Authors: Zhao Jinzhong , Wu Jin , Chen Xuejun , Zeng Ruifu
Published: December 2022

In order to explore the monitoring technique of concrete carbonation in various temperatures, longitudinal ultrasonic nonlinear parameters of carbonated concrete are measured by using an embedded composite piezoelectric transducer (ECPT) and a surface-mounted transducer. The effect of temperature from −20 ∘C to 40 ∘C with a temperature interval of 5 ∘C and water–cement ratio on the measurements of ultrasonic parameters for carbonated concrete is investigated. The ultrasonic transmission detection method and the second harmonic generation (SHG) technique for longitudinal waves are used in the study. Results of the experiment demonstrate that ECPT is effective in the monitoring of the changes in ultrasonic parameters of carbonated concrete. At the temperature ranging from 15 ∘C to 40 ∘C, the increasing temperature slightly increases the relative nonlinear parameters of carbonated concrete. It decreases significantly that the relative nonlinear parameters of carbonated concrete measured at 0 ∘C compared with that at 10 ∘C. The configuration in this measurement is also appropriate for the assessment of carbonated concrete during carbonation time in low-temperature environments (below 0 ∘C). In the same carbonation time, the relative nonlinear parameters also increase slightly when the temperature is at −20 ∘C to 0 ∘C, but it does not change too much. Furthermore, there is a more significant variation of the nonlinear parameters in the same carbonation time for the specimens with a high water–cement ratio than that with a low one.
Effects of Ambient Humidity on Water Migration and Hydrate Change in Early-Age Hardened Cement Paste
Authors: Li Dafu , Tian Bo , Niu Kaimin , Li Lihui , Quan Lei , Zhu Xuwei
Published: December 2022

Ultra-low humidity environments will lead to changes in the microstructure of C–S–H, which will reduce the mechanical properties and service life of cement-based concrete. Thus, to further explore the mechanism on the microscale, this paper studied the water migration and the changes in the hydration products in white cement that was cured for 7 days at 20 °C and at different ambient relative humidities (RHs). The migration and transformation of different types of water in cement paste were studied by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). At the same time, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze semi-quantitatively the crystal phase in the hydration products. The results showed that in the first 7 days of the curing process, the content of the different types of water and the hydration products in the cement samples were influenced by the ambient RH. The total water content of the samples will decrease with the decrease in the RH; when the RH decreases to 54% or below, the chemically bound water in the samples will increase with the decline in the RH. Additionally, when the ambient RH is lower than 54%, the grossular will gradually transform into hydrogrossular crystals with the decrease in the RH, and the hibschite with less chemically bound water will transform into katoite with more chemically bound water. In future research, the water migration and hydrate changes under different curing ages, drying processes, and coupling effects should be explored.
High Seebeck Coefficient from Screen-Printed Colloidal PbSe Nanocrystals Thin Film
Authors: Sousa Viviana , Savelli Guillaume , Lebedev Oleg I. , Kovnir Kirill , Correia José H. , Vieira Eliana M. F. , Alpuim Pedro , Kolen’ko Yury V.
Published: December 2022

Thin-film thermoelectrics (TEs) with a thickness of a few microns present an attractive opportunity to power the internet of things (IoT). Here, we propose screen printing as an industry-relevant technology to fabricate TE thin films from colloidal PbSe quantum dots (QDs). Monodisperse 13 nm-sized PbSe QDs with spherical morphology were synthesized through a straightforward heating-up method. The cubic-phase PbSe QDs with homogeneous chemical composition allowed the formulation of a novel ink to fabricate 2 μm-thick thin films through robust screen printing followed by rapid annealing. A maximum Seebeck coefficient of 561 μV K−1 was obtained at 143 °C and the highest electrical conductivity of 123 S m−1 was reached at 197 °C. Power factor calculations resulted in a maximum value of 2.47 × 10−5 W m−1 K−2 at 143 °C. To the best of our knowledge, the observed Seebeck coefficient value is the highest reported for TE thin films fabricated by screen printing. Thus, this study highlights that increased Seebeck coefficients can be obtained by using QD building blocks owing to quantum confinement.
Research on the Gearbox Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Multi-Model Feature Fusion
Authors: Xie Fengyun , Liu Hui , Dong Jiankun , Wang Gan , Wang Linglan , Li Gang
Published: December 2022

The gearbox is an important component of rotating machinery and is of great significance for gearbox fault diagnosis. In this paper, a gearbox fault diagnosis model based on multi-model feature fusion was proposed that addressed the limitations of a single or few features reflecting the gearbox’s fault state. The time–frequency feature of the vibration signal was extracted, and the sensitive feature was selected. The sensitive features were extracted using a one-dimensional convolutional neural network. The parallel fusion method was used to fuse the two domain features as inputs to the support vector machine model. The radial basis kernel function and penalty factor of the support vector machine were optimized by improving the particle swarm optimization algorithm. Finally, the gearbox states were identified using the optimized support vector machine model. The results show that the recognition rate of the proposed model is 98.3%, which is higher than that of other models.
Optimal Test Plan of Step Stress Partially Accelerated Life Testing for Alpha Power Inverse Weibull Distribution under Adaptive Progressive Hybrid Censored Data and Different Loss Functions
Authors: Alotaibi Refah , Almetwally Ehab M. , Hai Qiuchen , Rezk Hoda
Published: December 2022

Accelerated life tests are used to explore the lifetime of extremely reliable items by subjecting them to elevated stress levels from stressors to cause early failures, such as temperature, voltage, pressure, and so on. The alpha power inverse Weibull (APIW) distribution is of great significance and practical applications due to its appealing characteristics, such as its flexibilities in the probability density function and the hazard rate function. We analyze the step stress partially accelerated life testing model with samples from the APIW distribution under adaptive type II progressively hybrid censoring. We first obtain the maximum likelihood estimates and two types of approximate confidence intervals of the distributional parameters and then derive Bayes estimates of the unknown parameters under different loss functions. Furthermore, we analyze three probable optimum test techniques for identifying the best censoring under different optimality criteria methods. We conduct simulation studies to assess the finite sample performance of the proposed methodology. Finally, we provide a real data example to further demonstrate the proposed technique.
Dynamic Stability Measurement and Grey Relational Stability Sensitivity Analysis Methods for High-Speed Long-Span 4-1 Cable Robots
Authors: Liu Peng , Tian Haibo , Cao Xiangang , Zhang Xuhui , Qiao Xinzhou , Su Yu
Published: December 2022

High-speed long-span 4-1 cable robots (4-1HSLSCRs) have the characteristics of a simple structure, superior performance and easy control, and they can be used comprehensively in coal quality sampling, water quality monitoring, aerial panoramic photographing, etc. However, because of the high-speed movement of the end-effector and the unidirectional constraint property and nonlinear characteristics of the long-span cables, the dynamic stability of the 4-1HSLSCRs presents severe challenges. This paper, as a result, focuses on the two special problems of carrying out dynamic stability measurement and a stability sensitivity analysis for the 4-1HSLSCRs. First, a systematic approach that combines the cable tension, position and velocity of the end-platform based on both the dynamic model and the determinations of the cable tension is proposed for the high-speed robot, in which two cable tension and two position influencing factors are developed, respectively, whereas a velocity function is constructed, which represents the influence of the end-effector velocity on the dynamic stability of the 4-1HSLSCRs. Second, a grey relational analysis method for analyzing the dynamic stability of the 4-1HSLSCRs is developed, where the relationship between the dynamic stability of the 4-1HSLSCRs and the influencing factors (the position and velocity of the end-effector, as well as the cable tension) is investigated in detail. Finally, the measure approach and sensitivity analysis method for dynamic stability of 4-1HSLSCRs, namely, a camera robot with a high speed and long-span cables, is verified through simulation results. The results show that the large-span cable sags have significant effects on both the cable tensions and the dynamic stability of the camera robot, whereas the stability sensitivity evaluation results indicate that the effect of the stability sensitivity of the cable tensions on the dynamic stability of the camera robot is the greatest, followed by the velocity of the end-effector, and last is the position of the end-effector.
Adaptive Fuzzy Command Filtered Finite-Time Tracking Control for Uncertain Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems with Unknown Input Saturation and Unknown Control Directions
Authors: Deng Xiongfeng , Huang Yiqing , Wei Lisheng
Published: December 2022

This paper investigates the finite-time consensus tracking control problem of uncertain nonlinear multi-agent systems with unknown input saturation and unknown control directions. An adaptive fuzzy finite-time consensus control law is proposed by combining the fuzzy logic system, command filter, and finite-time control theory. Using the fuzzy logic systems, the uncertain nonlinear dynamics are approximated. Considering the command filter and backstepping control technique, the problem of the so-called “explosion of complexity” in the design of virtual control laws and adaptive updating laws is avoided. Meanwhile, the Nussbaum gain function method is applied to handle the unknown control directions and unknown input saturation problems. Based on the finite-time control theory and Lyapunov stability theory, it was found that all signals in the closed-loop system remained semi-global practical finite-time stable, and the tracking error could converge to a sufficiently small neighborhood of the origin in the finite time. In the end, simulation results were provided to verify the validity of the designed control law.
PreRadE: Pretraining Tasks on Radiology Images and Reports Evaluation Framework
Authors: Coleman Matthew , Dipnall Joanna F. , Jung Myong Chol , Du Lan
Published: December 2022

Recently, self-supervised pretraining of transformers has gained considerable attention in analyzing electronic medical records. However, systematic evaluation of different pretraining tasks in radiology applications using both images and radiology reports is still lacking. We propose PreRadE, a simple proof of concept framework that enables novel evaluation of pretraining tasks in a controlled environment. We investigated three most-commonly used pretraining tasks (MLM—Masked Language Modelling, MFR—Masked Feature Regression, and ITM—Image to Text Matching) and their combinations against downstream radiology classification on MIMIC-CXR, a medical chest X-ray imaging and radiology text report dataset. Our experiments in the multimodal setting show that (1) pretraining with MLM yields the greatest benefit to classification performance, largely due to the task-relevant information learned from the radiology reports. (2) Pretraining with only a single task can introduce variation in classification performance across different fine-tuning episodes, suggesting that composite task objectives incorporating both image and text modalities are better suited to generating reliably performant models.
Dual-Population Adaptive Differential Evolution Algorithm L-NTADE
Authors: Stanovov Vladimir , Akhmedova Shakhnaz , Semenkin Eugene
Published: December 2022

This study proposes a dual-population algorithmic scheme for differential evolution and specific mutation strategy. The first population contains the newest individuals, and is continuously updated, whereas the other keeps the top individuals throughout the whole search process. The proposed mutation strategy combines information from both populations. The proposed L-NTADE algorithm (Linear population size reduction Newest and Top Adaptive Differential Evolution) follows the L-SHADE approach by utilizing its parameter adaptation scheme and linear population size reduction. The L-NTADE is tested on two benchmark sets, namely CEC 2017 and CEC 2022, and demonstrates highly competitive results compared to the state-of-the-art methods. The deeper analysis of the results shows that it displays different properties compared to known DE schemes. The simplicity of L-NTADE coupled with its high efficiency make it a promising approach.
Elevated Preoperative NMPR Predicts an Unfavorable Chance of Survival in Resectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Peng Meng-Ying , Zuo Zhi-Gang , Cao Feng-Jun , Yu Yuan-Dong , Cai Xiao-Jun , Wan Guo-Xing
Published: December 2022

Background and objectives: Combined peripheral neutrophil–platelet indexes reflecting the systemic inflammatory status have been reported to predict the clinical outcome in patients with various types of cancer. However, the prognostic value of combined neutrophil–platelet indexes in operable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. The study introduced a novel combined neutrophil–meanplateletvolume–platelet ratio (NMPR) index and investigated its clinical and prognostic value in patients with operable ESCC receiving curative surgery. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinicopathologic data of 277 consecutive ESCC patients who received curative resection at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital in China between January 2007 and December 2010 was conducted (the training cohort). In addition, the clinicopathologic data of 101 resectable ESCC patients at Renmin Hospital of Hubei University of Medicine between December 2018 and June 2021 were collected (the external validation cohort). The optimal cutoff value of NMPR concerning overall survival (OS) in the training cohort was determined by X-tile software. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic value of NMPR along with other variables in the training cohort, which was further validated with the same cutoff value in the external validation cohort. Significant predictors of OS were used to construct the nomogram, of which the discrimination and calibration was evaluated by concordance index (C-index) and calibration plots. Results: With a cutoff value of 16.62, the results from both the training and external validation cohorts supported the association of high NMPR (>16.62) with increased tumor length and advanced T stage but not with other variables. In the training cohort, a significant association between shorter OS and high NMPR (p = 0.04) as well as high CRP (p < 0.001), poor tumor differentiation (p = 0.008), advanced T stage (p = 0.006), advanced N stage (p < 0.001) and high CEA (p = 0.007) was revealed. Additionally, the high NMPR was verified to independently predict unfavorable OS (p = 0.049) in the external validation cohort. The C-index of the OS nomogram cooperating significant predictors in the training cohort was 0.71 and the calibration plots of the OS nomogram fitted well. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that high NMPR is an independent predictor of unfavorable OS in resectable ESCC patients without neoadjuvant therapy.
All-in-One Process for Mass Production of Membrane-Type Carbon Aerogel Electrodes for Solid-State Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries
Authors: Jo Hye-Rin , Park Seung-Hee , Ahn Sung Hoon
Published: December 2022

This study presents a mass-production process for conductive carbon membrane-type sponge electrodes derived from recyclable cellulose biowaste. It includes an all-in-one hydrogel fabrication process for mass production, which significantly shortens the complex and expensive process for the conventional process of catalytic electrodes based on conductive supporting substrates such as the gas diffusion layer (GDL). The presence of pre-adsorbed melamine powder in the all-in-one hydrogel induces internal diffusion of the gaseous reactant for the uniform growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto the sponge-like porous carbon aerogel with a relatively thick and tortuous pore structure, thereby providing the electrochemical properties and mechanical strength simultaneously required for the air electrodes of rechargeable and quasi solid-state zinc-air batteries.
Core-Shell Structured Carbon@Al2O3 Membrane with Enhanced Acid Resistance for Acid Solution Treatment
Authors: Wu Qianlian , Zhang Huimiao , Zhou Yi , Tang Zhishu , Li Bo , Fu Tingming , Zhang Yue , Zhu Huaxu
Published: December 2022

Ceramic membrane has an important application prospect in industrial acid solution treatment. Enhancement of the acid resistance is the key strategy to optimize the membrane treatment effect. This work reports a core–shell structured membrane fabricated on alumina ceramic substrates via a one-step in situ hydrothermal method. The acid resistance of the modified membrane was significantly improved due to the protection provided by a chemically stable carbon layer. After modification, the masses lost by the membrane in the hydrochloric acid solution and the acetic acid solution were sharply reduced by 90.91% and 76.92%, respectively. Kinetic models and isotherm models of adsorption were employed to describe acid adsorption occurring during the membrane process and indicated that the modified membrane exhibited pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir model adsorption. Compared to the pristine membrane, the faster adsorption speed and the lower adsorption capacity were exhibited by the modified membrane, which further had a good performance with treating various kinds of acid solutions. Moreover, the modified membrane could be recycled without obvious flux decay. This modification method provides a facile and efficient strategy for the fabrication of acid-resistant membranes for use in extreme conditions.
Numerical Analysis of Natural Gas Injection in Shougang Jingtang Blast Furnace
Authors: Wang Kai , Zhou Heng , Si Yunpeng , Li Shuo , Ji Pengfei , Wu Jianlong , Zhang Jianliang , Wu Shengli , Kou Mingyin
Published: December 2022

A static model of blast furnace operation of natural gas (NG) injection was developed. The effect of NG injection on the raceway adiabatic flame temperature, the amount and composition of bosh gas, the direct reduction degree and fuel ratio were studied. The results showed that under no thermal compensation, the heat loss of the whole blast furnace increases, which means the heat surplus of the whole furnace is sufficient. However, the heat in the high-temperature zone of the blast furnace is insufficient, showing the characteristics of “cold at bottom and hot at the top”. Based on the comparison of heat loss in the high-temperature zone after NG injection with the reference condition, if the heat loss is consistent with the reference case, the suitable NG injection volumes are 17.3, 34.6, 52 and 69.3 m3/t when the coal ratio is reduced by 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg/t, respectively. With the increase of the suitable NG injection volumes, the adiabatic flame temperature gradually decreases, the amount of bosh gas slightly increases, and the overall fuel ratio reduces gradually. The effect of other thermal compensation operations, such as increasing blast temperature and addition of oxygen on the NG injection, were also investigated. The findings of this work can be used as a theoretical basis to guide plant operations for NG injection in blast furnaces.