bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reducing parametrization errors for polar surface turbulent fluxes using machine learning
Authors: Cummins Donald P. , Guemas Virginie , Blein Sébastien , Brooks Ian M. , Renfrew Ian A. , Elvidge Andrew D. , Prytherch John
Published: March 2023

Turbulent exchanges between sea ice and atmosphere are known to influence the melting rate of sea ice, the development of atmospheric circulation anomalies and, potentially, teleconnections between the Arctic and non-polar regions. Large model errors remain in the parametrization of turbulent heat fluxes over sea ice in climate models, resulting in significant uncertainties in projections of future climate. Fluxes are typically calculated using bulk formulae, based on Monin-Obukhov similarity theory, which have shown particular limitations in polar regions. Parametrizations developed specifically for polar conditions (e.g. representing form drag from ridges or melt ponds in sea ice) rely on sparse observations and thus may not be universally applicable.
In this study, new data-driven parametrizations have been developed for surface turbulent fluxes of momentum, sensible heat and latent heat in the Arctic. Machine learning has already been used outside the polar regions to provide accurate and computationally inexpensive estimates of surface turbulent fluxes. To investigate the feasibility of this approach in the Arctic, we have fitted neural network models to a reference dataset (SHEBA). Predictive performance has been tested using data from other observational campaigns. For momentum and sensible heat, performance of the neural networks is found to be comparable to, and in some cases substantially better than, that of state-of-the-art bulk formulations.
These results offer an efficient alternative to the traditional bulk approach in cases where the latter fails, and can serve to inform further physically based developments.
Characteristics and Spatial Distribution of Highway Damage caused by the Ms6.8 Luding Earthquake
Authors: Zhao Fei , Zhu Ming , Li Jie , Xu Yifei , Dan Chen , Xiao Yi , Qiu Ruicheng , Dong Jianhui
Published: March 2023

On September 5, 2022, an Ms6.8 earthquake struck Luding County, Kardze Prefecture, Sichuan Province—an area that is particularly vulnerable to geological changes. The earthquake caused considerable damage along the highway, leading to road disruptions and blockages, further isolating earthquake-stricken areas. This mandated investigations on the traffic conditions and road damage. Accordingly, a rapid survey of the main highways in this area was conducted, and 507 damage points were identified. Roadbed damage accounted for >70% of the total damage. Co-seismic disasters were primarily distributed along the highways on both sides of the Dadu River in the reservoir area of the Dagangshan Hydropower Station, Caoke Township, and Detuo Township. Further, six factors under three categories of the spatial distribution of highway damage in the earthquake-stricken areas were analyzed. The rate of highway damage was positively correlated with the seismic intensity but negatively correlated with the fault and river distances. The earthquake intensity had the most significant impact: 37.5% of road disruptions were found in areas with an intensity of IX; this percentage was 1.6 and 5.8 times greater than those found in areas with intensities of VIII and VII, respectively. The roads with the most significant damage were in regions with intensities above VIII, faults within 5 km, slopes within 30°–70°, rivers within 100 m, and the presence of granite. This indicated that these factors aggravated highway disruption, resulting in >90% of damaged highways in strongly shaken regions. Our findings may provide guidance for efficient highway recovery following earthquakes.
Molecular detection and characterization of three novel parvoviruses belonging to two different subfamilies in zoo birds
Authors: Wang Yan , Sun Yijie , Li Xin , Chen Rong , Li Wang , Ji Li , Zhao Qifan , Ji Likai , Yang Shixing , Zhang Wen
Published: March 2023

Birds carry a large number of viruses that may cause diseases in animals or human. At present, virome of zoo birds are limited. In this study, using viral metagenomics method, we investigated the feces virome of zoo birds collected from a zoo of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. Three novel parvoviruses were obtained and characterized. The genome of the three viruses are 5,909 bp, 4,411 bp and 4,233 bp in length respectively which encoded four or five ORFs. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these three novel parvoviruses clustered with other strains formed three different clades. Pairwise comparison of NS1 amino acid sequences showed that Bir-01-1 shared 44.30%-74.92% aa sequence identity with other parvoviruses belonging to the genus Aveparvovirus, while Bir-03-1 and Bir-04-1 had lower than 66.87% and 53.09% aa sequence identity with other parvoviruses belonging to the genus Chaphamaparvovirus. These three viruses were identified as three novel species of the genus Aveparvovirus and Chaphamaparvovirus respectively basing on the species demarcation criteria of parvovirus. Our findings broaden the knowledge of the genetic diversity of parvovirus and provide epidemiological data for the outbreak of potential bird’s parvovirus disease.
High-Performance PE/Graphene Composites with Improved Atomic Oxygen Resistance via Synergistic Effect of Graphene Defects and Structure
Authors: Gao Wensheng , Wang Wenjie , Li Yi , Xu Min , Xie Kefeng
Published: March 2023

High-performance polymer/graphene composites have displayed some potentials for atomic oxygen (AO) resistance in low earth orbit spacecraft. However, such polymer composites have not yet exhibited the desired properties due to the lack of understanding of the protective mechanism. Here, the designed graphene with different kind of defects and structure were successfully synthesized to enhance the polymer, polyethylene (PE) was selected as a model polymer matrix. The theoretical and experimental results revealed that the improved AO resistance originates from synergistic effects of structure defects and exfoliation degree of graphene, where the process of defective graphene binding and stabilizing AO is thermodynamically more favorable, and the higher exfoliation of graphene results in the better dispersion in polymer matrix.Finally, Diameter-Thickness (D/T) was employed as an enhancing descriptor to study the structure-performance relationship of the composites, which is expected to provide the reference to tailor the high-performance polymer composites.
Generalized linear(convex) combination of overlap functions on bounded lattices
Authors: Jiang Nan , She Yanhong , Ma Nana , Wu Hongwei
Published: March 2023

In the present article, the notion of the generalized linear(convex) combination of overlap functions, which extend the notion of linear(convex) combination of overlap functions on the unit interval to bounded lattices. Moreover, some algebraic and analytical properties such as associativity, idempotency, conjugacy of the generalized combination are investigated. Particularly, we prove that a generalized convex combination Ka,NO,G(x,y) of two arbitrary overlap functions under the condition G(a,N(a)) = 1 L is also an overlap function in the sense of bi-Scott continuous. Furthermore, we introduce an overlap function induced by equivalence classes in the sense of bi-Scott continuous, and discuss some basic properties related to it.
The redistributive effects of inflation: a microsimulation analysis for Italy
Authors: Curci Nicola , Savegnago Marco , Zevi Giordano , Zizza Roberta
Published: March 2023

We analyse the impact of the marked and unexpected increase in inflation recorded in 2021 and 2022 on Italian households’ purchasing power. Exploiting microsimulation tools we quantify the extent to which government measures supporting households’ incomes and lessening energy price hikes mitigated the distributional impact of the inflationary shock. We show that, if evaluated on the basis of both their cost for the public finances and their impact on inequality, the interventions explicitly targeted towards the less well-off households were the most effective, while the untargeted reductions of energy and fuel prices were the least effective.
JEL Classification: O17; H26; E26; E42.
Population pharmacokinetics of naloxegol in paediatric subjects receiving opioids
Authors: Mascelli Mary Ann , Hruska Matthew W , Liao Sam , Liao Lori , Davies Patrick , Kong Jennifer , Marsteller Douglas A
Published: March 2023

Purpose To characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of naloxegol in paediatric subjects (≥ 6 months to <18 years of age) who are either with or at risk of developing opioid-induced constipation (OIC) following single dose administration.
Methods Subjects in three age groups (≥12 to <18 years [adolescents], ≥6 to <12 years, and ≥6 months to <6 years) received at least one low or high dose of naloxegol estimated to achieve plasma exposures comparable to adult 12.5 mg or 25 mg doses, respectively. Plasma naloxegol concentrations were used to estimate PK parameters using non-compartmental (NCA; ≥6 to <18 years) and Population PK (PPK; ≥6 months to < 18 years of age) analyses. The PPK model was developed using previously collected adult data and paediatric data from the current study.
Results Naloxegol exhibits comparable PK characteristics in paediatric and adult subjects. Neither age nor body weight was identified as a significant covariate in the prior (adult only data), or current model. Naloxegol NCA- and PPK-derived AUC0–∞ values normalized to the adult 12.5 mg or 25 mg dose in the ≥6 to <12 years and ≥12 to <18 years age groups were comparable to adults. PPK model-predicted naloxegol AUC0–∞ values for the 25 mg adult equivalent dose for all paediatric age groups were comparable to adults.
Conclusion
The PK of naloxegol was well characterized in paediatric subjects ≥ 6 months of age utilizing both NCA and PPK analysis and was shown to be comparable to adult subjects.
Blockchain Technology in Healthcare, Current and Future Trends – A Systematic Review
Authors: Louis Vernon , Maheshwari Piyush
Published: March 2023

Background: Blockchain, since its advent in 2009, found purpose in various fields like supply chain, e-governance, healthcare, and dispute settlements. This study brings into perspective the current security status of data in the healthcare domain and identifies blockchain use cases in the same. The aim is to circle down on the reasons for adoption of the blockchain technology and the challenges faced by these implementations.
Methods: An automated literature search was conducted on selected databases which specifically focused on healthcare implementations between the years 2016 and 2021 using “blockchain” as the primary keyword. This article considers implementations and proposals of blockchains within the healthcare domain and focuses on identifying why a particular blockchain has been selected over the pool available.
Results: The search convened with 92 identified blockchain healthcare systems. The study identified that the most popular blockchains in the healthcare domain is Ethereum (33.6%) and Hyperledger (17.3%). Data sharing (44.5%) and data integrity (41.3%) are identified as the major challenges that have been addressed by the identified literature. This study concludes by bringing the future of blockchains into perspective, which helps identify the necessity of continued research work.
Conclusions: Building on current healthcare security status, the most popular blockchains in the healthcare domains were identified and the reasons for the adoption of specific blockchain over the various available today were discussed in detail. The stakeholders of such blockchain implementations were also identified along with the challenges that have been successfully addressed including data sharing, integrity, verification, and traceability.
Injuries in professional women’s elite soccer players in Kosovo: a descriptive epidemiological injuries study
Authors: Gashi Feim , Kovacic Tine , Shalaj Ismet , Haxhiu Bekim , Boshnjaku Arben
Published: March 2023

Background: Soccer presents a sport that requires higher intensity and peak performance. An emphasis has been given lately towards women’s engagement together with their potential in soccer. Furthermore, it is believed that the progressive increase in the levels of this sport, keeps demanding increased physical fitness as well as high levels of skills. With the increase in game levels, a proportional increase in the probability of injuries is expected. Having this in mind, we aimed to investigate the major injuries that occur in women’s soccer players.
Methods: This descriptive epidemiological study invited all 286 women’s soccer players from the 12 participating women clubs in the Kosovo 1st Soccer League (elite football level) during the 2021/2022 season, out of which 142 from 12 clubs participated. The FIFA recommendations were followed for defining the type, severity, and duration of soccer-related injuries.
Results: In total 84 injuries were registered with an overall injury ratios (IRs) being 3.21 (CI: 2.56, 3.98) injuries/1000 exposure hours. During the competitive season, each player sustained 1.4 injuries on average. Injury IRs were significantly higher during competition (n = 50; IR = 1.57; CI: 1.52, 1.62) compared to training (n = 34; IR = 0.26, CI: 0.25, 0.27). Location and severity of the injury. Out of a total of 142 women players, 84 (59.2%) injuries occurred, and no record of injuries was made in 58 (40.8%) players.
Conclusion: The women injury IR in Kosovo women’s soccer players is lower than in many other countries while being circa 11% below the international average. Almost 2 out of every 4 injuries were categorized as traumatic, with the injury IRs being more than 5-fold larger during games than during training. Additionally, these findings emphasize the higher rate of injuries amongst younger athletes, suggesting caution to be taken by the coaches when planning for the match. We believe the data we have collected may help coaches and trainers create more targeted women’s soccer injury prevention programs.
Dominant role of early winter Barents-Kara sea ice extent anomalies in subsequent atmospheric circulation changes in CMIP6 models
Authors: Delhaye Steve , Massonnet François , Fichefet Thierry , Msadek Rym , Terray Laurent , Screen James
Published: March 2023

The mid-latitude climate responses to Arctic sea ice loss remain unclear, partly because the atmospheric responses depend sensitively to the location of sea ice anomalies. Evaluating the role of regional Arctic sea ice extent anomalies is therefore essential to appreciate the extent of atmospheric responses. We investigated these responses but also the atmospheric precursors to regional Arctic sea ice extent anomalies in long pre-industrial control simulations from 36 CMIP6 climate models. This study examines changes in various atmospheric variables at different lead and lag times by performing a composite analysis between years of low and high sea ice extents in different Arctic seas. Stronger and more statistically significant relationships are found when the atmosphere leads to changes in sea ice than the reverse direction, suggesting that in the CMIP6 models the atmosphere drives the sea ice rather than the opposite. The atmospheric circulation is found to be relatively insensitive to regional sea ice anomalies except in the Barents-Kara (BAKA) Seas, where the negative anomalies in December are followed by a robust negative winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)-like pattern. Consistent with the so-called stratospheric pathway, a weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex (SPV) is simulated one month prior to the NAO change and can be partially explained by the sea ice anomaly in BAKA in preceding months. Moreover, the responses of the SPV and the NAO index scale approximately linearly with the magnitude of the BAKA sea ice anomaly. These results highlight the inter-model consistency of the role played by the BAKA sea ice extent anomaly for the atmospheric responses under pre-industrial conditions. In upcoming work, the loss of sea ice in this region should therefore primarily be considered, but under future conditions.
Defining the Infant Male Urobiome and Moving Towards Mechanisms in Urobiome Research
Authors: Hadjifrangiskou Maria , Reasoner Seth , Flores Viktor , Horn Gerald Van , Morales Grace , Peard Leslie , Abelson Benjamin , Manuel Carmila , Lee Jessica , Baker Bailey , Williams Timothy , Schmitz Jonathan , Clayton Douglass
Published: March 2023

The urinary bladder harbors a community of microbes termed the urobiome, which remains understudied. In this study, we present the urobiome of healthy infant males from samples collected by transurethral catheterization. Using a combination of extended culture and amplicon sequencing, we identify several common bacterial genera that can be further investigated for their effects on urinary health across the lifespan. Many genera were shared between all samples suggesting a consistent urobiome composition among this cohort. We note that, for this cohort, early life exposures including mode of birth (vaginal vs. Caesarean section), or prior antibiotic exposure did not influence urobiome composition. In addition, we report the isolation of culturable bacteria from the bladders of these infant males, including Actinotignum schaalii, a bacterial species that has been associated with urinary tract infection in older male adults. Herein, we isolate and sequence 9 distinct strains of A. schaalii enhancing the genomic knowledge surrounding this species and opening avenues for delineating the microbiology of this urobiome constituent. Furthermore, we present a framework for using the combination of culture-dependent and sequencing methodologies for uncovering mechanisms in the urobiome.
Formation of the Xigaze Metamorphic Sole under the Tibetan continental margin reveals generic characteristics of the subduction initiation process
Authors: Guilmette Carl , Hinsbergen Douwe van , Smit Matthijs , Godet Antoine , Fournier-Roy Francois , Butler Jared , Maffione Marco , Li Shun , Hodges Kip
Published: March 2023

Metamorphic soles found under allochthonous oceanic lithosphere, or ophiolites, are derived from the earliest lower plate oceanic crust accreted to upper plate mantle and are considered diagnostic of intraoceanic subduction initiation. Their metamorphic evolution is inferred to reflect the thermal structure at the site of subduction nucleation, with granulite-bearing soles linked to initiation at hot spreading centers. Here we present garnet Lu-Hf geochronology for the granulite-bearing sole of the Xigaze ophiolite in South Tibet, whose oceanic crust formed around 130 Ma through continental forearc extension. Our study shows that sole metamorphism was ongoing by 144 Ma, 14 million years before oceanic forearc spreading. The granulite-bearing sole thus formed following subduction initiation under a continental margin and not a spreading center. Our results imply that the metamorphic characteristics of soles are independent of the specific tectonic setting at the subduction nucleation site and rather provide generic constraints on the subduction initiation process.
Lava flow impacts on the built environment: Insights from a new global dataset
Authors: Meredith Elinor S. , Jenkins Susanna F. , Hayes Josh L. , Lallemant David , Deligne Natalia Irma , Teng Natalie R.X.
Published: March 2023

The recent destruction of thousands of homes by lava flows from Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, Spain and Nyiragongo volcano, Democratic Republic of Congo, serves as a reminder of the devastating impact that lava flows can have on communities living in volcanically active regions. Damage to buildings and infrastructure in particular can have widespread and long-lasting effects on rehabilitation and livelihoods. Our understanding of how lava flows interact with buildings is limited and based upon sparse empirical data. Often a binary impact is assumed (lava flows destroy buildings), although previous events have shown this to be an oversimplification. Empirical damage data collected after past events can provide an evidence base from which to better understand lava flow impacts across a range of building types, environments and eruption styles, as well as temporal and spatial trends. However, information on lava flow impacts is scattered across literature, reports and maps; no comprehensive dataset of lava flow impacts exists. In this study, we review, compile and standardise lava flow impact information in published literature to create the first comprehensive global dataset of lava flow events with impacts on the built environment. We found that since the first recorded event between 5494 year B.P. and 5387 year B.P., lava flows from at least 127 eruptions impacted buildings or infrastructure, with the most (34%; n = 43) located in Europe. There are almost six lava flow impact events per decade, with 57 events occurring in the past 100 years (or 39 events without infrastructure-only impacts). This greatly expands on the past estimate of lava flow impact frequency of two events per decade. Impacts from lava flows are documented in less than 10% of recorded lava flows globally, with this remaining constant since ∼1800 CE; prior to 1800 CE, impacts were recorded much more variably representing between 0 and 35% of lava flows in any 10 year time bin. The most destructive recorded events were the 1669 CE lava flows at Etna volcano, Italy, which destroyed up to 12 villages and part of the city of Catania, and the 2002 CE lava flows at Nyiragongo volcano, Democratic Republic of Congo which destroyed at least 4,500 buildings. We found that few studies in the dataset report building typology, damage severity, hazard intensity, or damage at the structure-level scale, limiting our ability to assess past building-lava interactions. Future collection of structure-level hazard and impact data can be used to inform models to forecast future impacts, support lava flow risk assessments and develop potential mitigation measures.
Characteristics of Physical Activity During Beginner–Level Group Tennis Lessons and the Effect Daily Activity
Authors: Kawakami Ryo , Yamakawa Satoshi , Konda Shoji , Ogasawara Issei , Hasegawa Ryosuke , Yamasaki Keita , Kanamoto Takashi , Yokoyama Teruki , Yoshida Akiyo , Marutani Yoshihiro , Ueda Yuko , Mitsuoka Hideo , Horie Shintaro , Horio Daigo , Nakata Ken
Published: March 2023

Tennis is a popular leisure sport, and studies have indicated that playing tennis regularly provides many health benefits. We aimed to clarify the characteristics of physical activity during beginner– level group tennis lessons and daily physical activity of the participants. Physical activity was measured using an accelerometer sensor device for four weeks, including the 80–minute duration tennis lessons held twice a week. Valid data were categorized for tennis and non-tennis days. The mean physical activity intensity during the tennis lesson was 3.37 METs. The mean ratio of short-bout rest periods to the tennis lesson time in 90 and 120 seconds was 7% and 4%, respectively. Compared to the day of tennis lessons, the mean physical activity intensity and steps taken were significantly lower on days with no tennis (p < 0.0001 and, p < 0.0001, respectively). Tennis lessons provide continuous moderate– to– vigorous– intensity physical activity without continuous rest during the tennis lesson and raise the mean intensity of physical activity throughout the day. Tennis lessons enhance daily physical activity intensity, steps, and duration of vigorous –intensity physical activity.
Identification of two aggregation pheromone components from female cypress bark beetles and evaluation of their activity in the laboratory and the field
Authors: Bozsik Gábor , Molnár Béla Péter , Hegedüs Kristóf , Soós Tibor , Schulz Stefan , Tröger Armin , Francke Wittko , Szőcs Gábor
Published: March 2023

The cypress bark beetle, Phloeosinus aubei Perris (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae),
is of increased concern in the European market of scale-leafed conifers (Cupressaceae). Surprisingly, its chemical communication has only scarcely been studied and no specific trap-based monitoring system is available for detection of flight of the adults. In order to unravel the pheromone communication channel, hindgut extracts of unmated females were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to an electroantennographic detector (GC-EAD), using male antennae. The structure assignment of antennally active components was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Two antennally active compounds from gut extracts were identified as (–)-myrtenol and (–)-α-pinene by enantioselective GC/MS. Synthetic enantiomers of the identified components were tested separately by electroantennography. The attractiveness of different mixtures of these compounds was compared by a 4-arm olfactometer tests, followed by field trapping tests. To prove that the production of the compounds is related to reproduction, we pre-treated females with juvenile hormone III (JHIII). The gut extracts from these sexually mature individuals showed an elevated content of (–)-α-pinene compared to the control of untreated females. In olfactometer tests, 4:1 mixtures of racemic α-pinene and (–)- or (+)-myrtenol attracted both males and females in significant numbers. In the field tests using multifunnel traps a 5:1 mixture of (–)-α-pinene and (–)-myrtenol caught significantly more males and females than an unbaited control. These results are discussed in the context of the complex chemical communication system of cypress bark beetle.
Study the electronic properties in a ZnO cluster with the substitution of Aluminum to form Al- ZnO
Authors: Zaragoza Irineo-Pedro , Pacheco-Sánchez Juan-Horacio , Huerta-Garcia David , Echevarria-Chan Ivonne
Published: March 2023

The substitution of aluminum atoms by Zinc in a Zn-O aggregate generates structural changes as a result of geometry optimization calculations, visualizing the changes in atomic positions to explain the bonds between atoms through relevant electrical properties, observing how the formation of tetrahedrons from the values of the electrostatic potentials as an evaluation to keep the forces that aluminum exerts on the oxygens, in addition to the analysis of the bond orders, the changes in the value of the electronic distribution are determined as an effect on the orbitals of frontier and have criteria of the phenomenon that occurs when zinc oxide is substituted. The calculations use a DFT level of theory to describe the electronic and structural properties applying the measure of electrical properties to determine changes in morphology.
Baseline Requirements for Establishing Trust in Consumable IoT Devices to Achieve Common Criteria Certification
Authors: Moazen Mohsen , Karamizadeh Sasan
Published: March 2023

The Internet of Things paradigm offers a significant opportunity to improve our lives. Powered by connected applications, consumable IoT devices which are now ubiquitous in businesses, industries, smart homes/cities, traffic monitoring, surveillance, etc. present significant security and privacy risks since they frequently lack robust security features. In this paper, we focused on defining Security Functional Requirements (SFRs) for a final IoT device supplied to end users for an intended use case based on part 2 of the Common Criteria SFRs catalog. A consumable IoT device consists of an end-user connected application running on top of generic hardware, firmware, and/or system software. Thus, we tried to address security requirements not only for the IoT computing platform but also for connected applications of an IoT device. Finally, the proposed requirements can also constitute a framework for security evaluation of consumable IoT devices under the Common Criteria evaluation methodology.
Kerpiç production and environmental dynamics in an early sedentary community: Micromorphological evidence from Aşıklı Höyük, Central Anatolia (Turkey)
Authors: Uzdurum Melis , Mentzer Susan M. , Duru Güneş , Kuzucuoğlu Catherine , Özbaşaran Mihriban
Published: March 2023

This article illustrates how changes in the sediment source, tempering strategies, and shaping process in early Neolithic earthen architecture in Aşıklı Höyük have a major impact on many aspects of techno-environmental know-how traces. Archaeological micromorphology analyses of sun-dried mudbricks (in Turkey, called a specific term:kerpiç), mortars, daub, and their paleoenvironmental contexts were used to examine the tempo and modes of exploitation of the local environment, andchaîne opératoireof kerpiç and mortar recipes, and the possible reasons behind the relationships among material choices, building forms, and wall construction techniques of the earlier inhabitants in Central Anatolia during the establishment of the early settlement, i.e. 8400-7750 BCE. The nature of and changes in the built environment can be traced especially through the mortar recipes, that provide various insights into the agro-pastoral activities at the site, including middens, open areas, and penning deposits. During the early Neolithic occupation at Aşıklı Höyük, vegetal tempering occurs as a micro-invention was developed in relation with the management of fecal and domestic waste used in construction materials. Furthermore, the variability of tempering strategies can be regarded as a cognitive development that resulted from the long-term learning and experimentation background of the Aşıklı people in kerpiç production. The main motivation behind these changes and testing of the recipes was the need for more durable and long-lasting construction of earthen buildings as used by this early sedentary community in the region.
Identifying gender-specific risk factors for income poverty in urban Mexican households
Authors: Munguía Juan Armando Torres
Published: March 2023

In this paper, the aim is to identify a subset of factors for income-to-poverty ratio in urban Mexican households. Special emphasize is paid to examine differences between women- and men-headed families. To this, an original dataset with 45 theoretical factors at the individual/household, community, and regional levels, integrating information from nine sources is created. To these data, additive quantile models are estimated via the boosting algorithm. From a gender standpoint, the following main contributions come from this paper. First, educational lag is particularly relevant for women-headed households. Second, there is a gendered-life cycle in the income trajectory for poor households with a head holding a medium level of education. Third, it is identified some households, traditionally disregarded, that may be even poorer: those lacking social connectedness, without credit card, with an extended composition, in which the woman head spends a large part of her time on housework, and families headed by a young woman with a medium level of education. Finally, communities and regions where families have a lower income-to-poverty ratio are characterized for having and unequal income distribution, with a low human development, a low women’s economic participation, with a poor quality of services, with low levels of gender-based violence in the public sphere but high levels of gender-based violence in the family context.
Experimental investigation on physical and mechanical properties of granite under high temperatures thermal cycles
Authors: Yu Li , Li Haonan , Wu Yue , Wang Weihao , Zhang Xinyuan
Published: March 2023

In this study, the physical and mechanical properties of granite after tenth cycles at 25–450℃, combined with scanning electron microscope observation, the development and expansion laws of internal fractures in granite under different temperature cycles, and the relationship among P-wave velocity, porosity, permeability, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), elastic modulus (E) and peak strain have been established by regression analysis. The experimental results show that the P-wave velocity of granite reduces the fastest in the first third cycle, which decreased by 10.27%, 21.44%, 31.08%, and 41.35%, respectively. The porosity and permeability showed a logarithmic increase trend with the increase in temperature; the porosity and permeability increased logarithmically with the increase of cycle temperature and stabilized after 5 cycles. With the increase in cyclic temperature, the UCS and E of granite decrease. After ten cycles, UCS decreased by 28.84, 34.37, 40.95, and 45.53%, and E decreased by 19.45, 32.18, 44.92, and 49.01%, respectively. The longitudinal wave velocity is fitted with porosity, permeability, uniaxial compressive strength, E, and peak strain, and it is found that they all show a high correlation. The P-wave velocity has a logarithmic relationship with porosity, permeability, and peak strain and a power function relationship with UCS and E. The experimental results reveal the deterioration mechanism of physical and mechanical properties of geothermal energy mining. The physical and mechanical properties of granite can be inferred by measuring the P-wave velocity, which has a specific guiding significance for geothermal energy mining.
Actual birth weight Prediction at term using Clinical and Ultrasound methods at Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State: A comparative Approach
Authors: Ojurongbe Adegoriola Olubisi , Fijabiyi Matthew Olusegun , Odekunle Jelil Olansile , Taiwo William Oladiran , Akanni Oluwasegun Ajala , Abubakar Usman Abdulfatai , Fijabiyi Toyin Oluwumi
Published: March 2023

Objective:The study sought to compare the predictive accuracy of clinical and ultrasound fetal weight estimation in predicting the actual birth weight of pregnant women at term at the FMC, Keffi, North central Nigeria.Materials and Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study that enrolled 360 consecutive pregnant women at term (37 weeks + 0day - 41weeks +6days), who met the inclusion criteria between 10thDecember 2018 to 25thJuly 2019. Informed consent was obtained from participants and a proforma was interviewer-administered. The clinical estimate was done using the Dare’s formula in the lying- in ward and labour ward. The ultrasound fetal weight estimation was done using an ultrasound scan machine imputed with the Hadlock formula mode (BPD, HC, AC, and FL) while the actual birth weight was measured in the labour room using the infant weighing scale. The data collected were analyzed using the Pearson’s Chi- square or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate, Pearson’s correlation analysis and student’s t test. Accuracy was determined using percentage error, absolute error, and proportion of estimates within 10% of actual birth weight; and compared using the Poisson’s z-test for two proportions. All analyses were performed, using the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 20.0. (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA) and Minitab, version 18.Results:Analysis showed that the clinical fetal weight estimation within 10% of the actual birth weight was not significantly lower than that of ultrasound fetal weight estimation for babies of all birth weight ( 41.5% vs. 55.0%, P = 0.064). The actual birth weight had a strong correlation with both clinical and ultrasound fetal weight estimation (r = 0.53, P <0.001 and r = 0.55, P < 0.001 respectively). The mean percentage error and mean absolute percentage error for normal weight babies (2.5- 3.99kg) was significantly higher in clinical method than ultrasound method (-13.29kg vs. 4.49 kg, P< 0.001) and (14.14kg vs. 9.47 kg, P< 0.001) respectively. Overall in most cases, the clinical method of fetal weight estimation overestimated the actual birth weight.Conclusion: It was concluded that, ultrasound method of fetal weight estimation is a better predictor of actual birth weight than the clinical method. However, clinical weight estimation can still be used in a low-resource setting such as ours.
Analog, graded choices in the human brain
Authors: Kubanek Jan , Xie Tao , Adamek Markus , Cho Hohyun , Adamo Matthew , Ritaccio Anthony , Willie Jon , Brunner Peter
Published: March 2023

Decision-makers objectively commit to a definitive choice, yet at the subjective level, human decisions appear to be associated with a degree of certainty. Whether decisions are definitive—concluding in all-or-none choices, or whether the underlying representations are graded, has been unclear. To address this issue, we recorded neural signals directly from the brain while naive human subjects made perceptual decisions. The recordings revealed that each individual’s decisions formed within broadband gamma activity. The gamma activity was graded by decision evidence. Crucially, this analog, grading effect prevailed beyond the time of choice, instead of assuming a switch-like command. The effect was strongest in parietal and premotor cortex, brain regions traditionally implicated in decision-making. These data provide neural evidence for a graded nature of the decision process.
Electronic Health Record data is unable to effectively characterize measurement error from pulse oximetry: a simulation study
Authors: Sarraf Elie
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Articles utilizing large data sets from electronic health records (EHR) have been used to demonstrate race-based imprecision in pulse oximetry (SpO2) measurements. These articles do not appear to recognize the impact of the variability of the SpO2 values with respect to time (“time deviation”). This manuscript seeks to demonstrate that due to this variability, EHR data should not be used to quantify SpO2 error

Methods

Utilizing the MIMIC-IV Waveform dataset, SpO2 values are sampled and used as reference samples. The error derived from the EHR data is simulated using a set of time deviations. The laboratory oxygen saturation measurements are also simulated using an average root mean squared (ARMS) error of 2%. The analysis is then undertaken to quantify the mean error, the standard deviation of the error, the ARMS error, and the Bland-Altman Limits of Agreements.

Results

All measured parameters appeared to increase as a function of the logarithm of the deviation time. At 10 minutes, the ARMS error increased from a baseline of 2% to over 4%

Conclusion

EHR data cannot be reliably used to quantify SpO2 error. Caution should be used in interpreting prior manuscripts.
Spatiotemporally Controlled Drug Delivery via Photothermally Driven Conformational Change of Self-integrated Plasmonic Hybrid Nanogels
Authors: Lee Seungki , Kim Subeen , Kim Doyun , You Jieun , Kim Ji Soo , Kim Hakchun , Park Jungwon , Song Jihwan , Choi Inhee
Published: March 2023

Background
Spatiotemporal regulation is one of the major considerations for developing a controlled and targeted drug delivery system to treat diseases efficiently. Light-responsive plasmonic nanostructures take advantage due to their tunable optical and photothermal properties by changing size, shape, and spatial arrangement.
Results
In this study, self-integrated plasmonic hybrid nanogels (PHNs) are developed for spatiotemporally controllable drug delivery through light-driven conformational change and photothermally-boosted endosomal escape. PHNs are easily synthesized through the simultaneous integration of gold nanoparticles (GNPs), thermo-responsive poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide), and linker molecules during polymerization. Wave-optic simulations reveal that the size of the PHNs and the density of the integrated GNPs are crucial factors in modulating photothermal conversion. Several linkers with varying molecular weights are inserted for the optimal PHNs, and the alginate-linked PHN (A-PHN) achieves more than 2-fold enhanced heat conversion compared with others. Since light-mediated conformational changes occur transiently, drug delivery is achieved in a spatiotemporally controlled manner. Furthermore, light-induced heat generation from cellular internalized A-PHNs enables pinpoint cytosolic delivery through the endosomal rupture. Finally, the deeper penetration for the enhanced delivery efficiency by A-PHNs is validated using multicellular spheroid.
Conclusion
This study offers a strategy for synthesizing light-responsive nanocarriers and an in-depth understanding of light-modulated site-specific drug delivery.
Recycled post-consumer HDPE as a matrix for Hemp Hurd Bio-composites for Commercial Scale-up Operations
Authors: Jubinville Dylan , Mekonnen Tizazu H.
Published: March 2023

Two types of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were studied, post-consumer HDPE (P.C. HDPE) and virgin HDPE (vHDPE), to observe how properties may change after a polymer has undergone additional thermal, environmental, and service histories. The difference between the virgin and P.C. HDPE was analyzed via rotational rheology as well as thermal and mechanical evaluations. Hemp hurd powder (HP) was then melt compounded with the P.C. and vHDPE polymers at 30 and 50 wt.% to fabricate hemp plastic composites (HPCs). Finally, 3 wt.% maleated HDPE was introduced as a compatibilizer to better ease stress transfer and particle distribution. All melt mixing operations were prepared using a melt kinetic mixer followed by injection molding. The P.C. HDPE had undergone severe cross-linking reactions, shown by a substantial increase in melt viscosity, which correlated to changes with weight average molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, obtained via rotation rheometry. The crosslinking-mediated increase in viscosity also led to an increase in tensile strength and notched izod impact strength. After compatibilizing, there were notable increases in all tensile and impact strengths while also displaying a decrease in apparent thermal conductivity due to a reduction in crystallinity. Finally, when scaling up a selected composite it was found that a twin screw extruder bestows enhanced properties, due to higher shear forces and better mixing when compared to a lab scale processes.
MHD Flow in Simple Cubic Periodic Array Geometry
Authors: Buligins Leonids , Bucenieks I. , Grants I. , Kaldre I. , Kravalis Kalvis , Mikanovskis O.
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study is to investigate the behavior of liquid metal flow in Capillary Porous System (CPS) under strong external magnetic field. Overlapping simple cubic (SC) periodic array of electrically nonconductive spheres with diameter 6 mm and distance between spheres centers 5.6 mm is 3D printed from PLA filament. Flow of up to 50 ml/s of In-Ga-Sn in pore space in magnetic field of superconducting magnet up to 5T is investigated. Three orientations of magnetic field in relation to the main flow in SC cell are considered – colinear with main flow and perpendicular to it. The values of Reynolds, Hartmann and Stuart numbers in experiment are up to 1160, 90 and 350. The results indicate that parallel to the main flow orientation of magnetic field has little influence on the flowrate, while perpendicular orientation strongly reduces flowrate with dependence close to 1/Ha, which agrees well with ANSYS Fluent simulations in a unit SC cell, resembling results for channel flow in magnetic field.
Diversity, distribution, and conservation status of wild edible fruit species in Sumatra, Indonesia: A case study in western and eastern Bukit Barisan Mountains
Authors: Suwardi Adi Bejo , Syamsuardi Syamsuardi , Mukhtar Erizal , Nurainas Nurainas
Published: March 2023

Bukit Barisan Mountains in Sumatra, Indonesia is home to a diverse range of plant species. However, this area has been subjected to intense human pressure resulting in various biological resources such as wild edible fruit species (WEFs) being under threat. The study aimed to 1) investigate the diversity of WEFs in the Bukit Barisan Mountains, Sumatra; 2) evaluate the suitable habitat and potential geographic distribution of WEFs in the Bukit Barisan Mountains, Sumatra; and 3) determine the conservation status of WEFs in Sumatra. This study was conducted in four provinces of Sumatra, Indonesia, including Sumatera Barat, Jambi, Riau, and Bengkulu, which are divided into two zones: the western of Bukit Barisan Mountains and the eastern of Bukit Barisan Mountains. At each study area, a line transect of 1,000 meters was laid from the forest's edge into the forest. WEFs discovered along the transect were collected and given local names. A total of 326 WEFs belonged to 74 botanical families and 170 genera were recorded. Of the 326 species, 125 species are found in the western of the Bukit Barisan Mountains and 228 species in the eastern Bukit Barisan Mountains. Our study highlights nearly half of the WEFs found in the Bukit Barisan Mountains are listed as threatened on the IUCN red list.
Effects of the data resolution and quantitative analysis of dynamic mode decomposition
Authors: Lee Jeonghoon , Zimmer Laurent , Saito Takeshi , Nakaya Shinji , Tsue Mitsuhiro
Published: March 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Predicting Long-term Neurocognitive Outcome after Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Admission - Exploring the Potential of Machine Learning
Authors: Sonnaville Eleonore S.V. , Vermeule Jacob , Oostra Kjeld , Knoester Hennie , Woensel Job B.M. , Allouch Somaya Ben , Oosterlaan Jaap , Kӧnigs Marsh
Published: March 2023

Purpose: For successful prevention and intervention, it is important to unravel the complex constellation of factors that affect neurocognitive functioning after Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) admission. This study aims (1) to elucidate the potential relevance of patient and PICU-related characteristics for long-term neurocognitive outcome after PICU admission; and (2) to determine the potential of machine learning to improve outcome prediction.
Methods: In this single-center cohort study we investigated 65 children aged 6-12 years with previous PICU admission for bronchiolitis (age ≤1 year). Patient and PICU-related characteristics used for the prediction models were: demographic characteristics, perinatal and disease parameters, laboratory results and intervention characteristics, including hourly validated mechanical ventilation parameters. Neurocognitive outcome was measured by intelligence and computerized neurocognitive testing. Prediction models were developed for each of the neurocognitive outcomes using Regression Trees, k-Nearest Neighbors and conventional Linear Regression analysis.
Results: Lower intelligence was predicted by lower birth weight and lower socioeconomic status (R2 = 25.9%). Poorer performance on the Speed and Attention domain was predicted by younger age at follow-up (R2 = 53.5%). Poorer verbal memory was predicted by lower birth weight, younger age at follow-up, and greater exposure to acidotic events (R2 = 50.6%). The machine learning models did not reveal added value in terms of model performance as compared to Linear Regression.
Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that in children with previous PICU admission for bronchiolitis: (1) lower birth weight and lower socioeconomic status are associated to poorer neurocognitive outcome; and (2) greater exposure to acidotic events during PICU admission is associated with poorer verbal memory outcome. Findings of this study provide no evidence for added value of machine learning models as compared to linear regression analysis in the prediction of long-term neurocognitive outcome in a relatively small sample of children.
Enhancing Security of Cognitive Radio Network with Rate Splitting
Authors: Sultana Rezwana
Published: March 2023

In this paper, Rate Splitting (RS) technique has been proposed in Cognitive Radio Network (CRN) in the presence of eavesdropper. Applying RS the message transmitted from Primary User (PU) and Secondary User (SU) are splitted into common and private parts where the common message can be decoded by any one whereas the private one can only be decoded by the intended user. Authors are interested to develop a mathematical model consists of the closed-form analytical expression for the secrecy capacity (SC) to protect that confidential information from eavesdropping. After that, Constructive Interfrence (CI) precoding and Zero Forcing (ZF) precoding techniques have been applied with RS technology. The results shows that CI with RS outperforms ZF with RS.