bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly Dispersed Mo2C Nanodots in Carbon Nanocages Derived from Mo‐Based Xerogel: Efficient Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Du Qianqian , Zhao Ruihua , Guo Tianyu , Liu Lu , Chen Xiaojun , Zhang Jie , Du Jianping , Li Jinping , Mai Liqiang , Asefa Tewodros
Published: September 2021

The production of hydrogen via electrochemical water splitting has the potential to enable the utilization of hydrogen‐powered fuel cells on a large scale. However, to realize this technology, inexpensive, noble metal‐free electrocatalysts possessing high performances for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are needed. Mo2C nanoparticles recently receive much attention as alternative noble metal‐free electrocatalysts because their electronic structures are akin to that of Pt. However, the synthesis of Mo2C at nanoscale with high catalytic activity for HER remains a great challenge. Moreover, although efforts have been made to prevent their aggregation, the particles coalesce during high temperature carbonization, which is typically used to produce such transition metal carbides. Here, the synthesis of Mo2C nanodots that are well‐dispersed within 3D cage‐like carbon microparticles using rationally designed Mo‐based xerogels, which are prepared via the sol–gel process as precursors, is reported. During their pyrolysis, the xerogels maintain their structures while the Mo species in them transform into well‐dispersed Mo2C nanodots in situ. The as‐synthesized Mo2C nanodots exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity for HER, in both alkaline and acidic media, while remaining largely stable. The work also demonstrates a promising synthetic route and procedure to other well‐dispersed yet stable nanocatalysts.
The Significance of Mn Prepartitioning on Bainitic Transformation and Mechanical Properties of a Low‐Carbon Bainitic Steel
Authors: Yao Chunxia , Lan Huifang , Tao Zhen , Misra Raja Devesh Kumar , Du Linxiu
Published: September 2021

The significance of manganese prepartitioning treatment (Mn‐PrPT) in the intercritical region on bainitic transformation behavior, microstructure evolution, and mechanical properties of a low‐carbon bainitic steel is elucidated, herein. The results indicate that the Mn‐depleted and Mn‐enriched regions existed in the austenite after austenitizing as a result of Mn‐PrPT, which are evaluated by thermodynamic calculation, and validated by dilatometric and wavelength dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (WDS) measurement. The introduction of Mn‐PrPT before austenitizing has little effect on the prior austenite grain size, whereas it affects martensite start (M
S) temperature remarkably, which increased by 30 °C. Moreover, the dilatation rate with Mn‐PrPT shows a two‐peak feature during the bainitic transformation, which is believed to be attributed to the varied bainitic transformation domain for Mn‐depleted and Mn‐enriched regions. In addition, the Mn‐PrPT contributes to an increase in both fraction of retained austenite and its carbon concentration, and consequently, the elongation is significantly improved without compromising the tensile strength, leading to an enhancement of the product of strength and elongation. However, it has a slightly negative effect on impact toughness due to an increment in the fraction of blocky retained austenite with low mechanical stability.
A few FERPA training perspectives: Unexpected questions, Part 2
Authors: Rainsberger Richard
Published: September 2021

Robert Burns had it right. The best laid plans oft go awry … or encounter the unexpected.
Consider 5 practical strategies for improving veterans resource centers
Authors: Mungal Angus S. , Court Clarence L. , Johnson Kristopher D.
Published: September 2021

The influx of military service‐members into the world of higher education casts a spotlight on the veterans resource centers at colleges and universities. Such veterans resource centers can provide support to student‐veterans who seek assistance in navigating higher education bureaucracy and institutional culture. Student‐veterans rely heavily on the centers, and find them to be a support and a bureaucratic hindrance, according to our research.
Mechanisms, challenges, and opportunities of dual Ni/photoredox‐catalyzed C(sp2)–C(sp3) cross‐couplings
Authors: Yuan Mingbin , Gutierrez Osvaldo
Published: September 2021

The merging of photoredox and nickel catalysis has revolutionized the field of C–C cross‐coupling. However, in comparison to the development of synthetic methods, detailed mechanistic investigations of these catalytic systems are lagging. To improve the mechanistic understanding, computational tools have emerged as powerful tools to elucidate the factors controlling reactivity and selectivity in these complex catalytic transformations. Based on the reported computational studies, it appears that the mechanistic picture of catalytic systems is not generally applicable, but is rather dependent on the specific choice of substrate, ligands, photocatalysts, etc. Given the complexity of these systems, the need for more accurate computational methods, readily available and user‐friendly dynamics simulation tools, and data‐driven approaches is clear in order to understand at the molecular level the mechanisms of these transformations. In particular, we anticipate that such improvement of theoretical methods will become crucial to advance the understanding of excited‐state properties and dynamics of key species, as well as to enable faster and unbiased exploration of reaction pathways. Further, with greater collaboration between computational, experimental, and spectroscopic communities, the mechanistic investigation of photoredox/Ni dual‐catalytic reactions is expected to thrive quickly, facilitating the design of novel catalytic systems and promoting our understanding of the reaction selectivity.

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Reaction Mechanisms and Catalysis

Electronic Structure Theory > Density Functional Theory

Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Dynamics and Monte‐Carlo Methods
Defect Types
Authors: Faisal Nadimul , Cora Ömer Necati , Bekci Muhammed Latif , Śliwa Romana Ewa , Sternberg Yehuda , Pant Shashank , Degenhardt Richard , Prathuru Anil
Published: September 2021

This chapter provides an overview of the common types of defects found in various structural materials and joints in aircraft. Materials manufacturing methods (including large-scale production) have been established in the aircraft industry. However, as will be seen in this chapter, manufacturing defects and defects during in-service conditions are very common across all material types. The structural material types include metals, composites, coatings, adhesively bonded and stir-welded joints. This chapter describes the defect types as a baseline for the description of their detection with the methods of Chap. 10.1007/978-3-030-72192-3_5 to 10.1007/978-3-030-72192-3_8. Based on the understanding of the defect types, there is great expectation for a technical breakthrough for the application of structural health monitoring (SHM) damage detection systems, where continuous monitoring and assessment with high throughput and yield will produce the desired structural integrity.
New physics explanations of aμ in light of the FNAL muon g − 2 measurement
Authors: Athron Peter , Balázs Csaba , Jacob Douglas H. J. , Kotlarski Wojciech , Stöckinger Dominik , Stöckinger-Kim Hyejung
Published: September 2021

Abstract

The Fermilab Muon g −2 experiment recently reported its first measurement of the anomalous magnetic moment $$ {a}_{\mu}^{\mathrm{FNAL}} $$

a
μ
FNAL

, which is in full agreement with the previous BNL measurement and pushes the world average deviation $$ \Delta {a}_{\mu}^{2021} $$
∆

a
μ
2021

from the Standard Model to a significance of 4.2σ. Here we provide an extensive survey of its impact on beyond the Standard Model physics. We use state-of-the-art calculations and a sophisticated set of tools to make predictions for aμ, dark matter and LHC searches in a wide range of simple models with up to three new fields, that represent some of the few ways that large ∆aμ can be explained. In addition for the particularly well motivated Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, we exhaustively cover the scenarios where large ∆aμ can be explained while simultaneously satisfying all relevant data from other experiments. Generally, the aμ result can only be explained by rather small masses and/or large couplings and enhanced chirality flips, which can lead to conflicts with limits from LHC and dark matter experiments. Our results show that the new measurement excludes a large number of models and provides crucial constraints on others. Two-Higgs doublet and leptoquark models provide viable explanations of aμ only in specific versions and in specific parameter ranges. Among all models with up to three fields, only models with chirality enhancements can accommodate aμ and dark matter simultaneously. The MSSM can simultaneously explain aμ and dark matter for Bino-like LSP in several coannihilation regions. Allowing under abundance of the dark matter relic density, the Higgsino- and particularly Wino-like LSP scenarios become promising explanations of the aμ result.
Statistical optimisation of polyhydroxyalkanoate production in Bacillus endophyticus using sucrose as sole source of carbon
Authors: Geethu M. , Chandrashekar H. Raghu , Divyashree M. S.
Published: September 2021

Microorganisms have been contemplated as a promising source for the inexhaustible synthesis of many novel materials utilizing renewable sources. Among many of such products, polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) remains as an essential biodegradable polymer with functions similar to conventional plastics. Bacillus endophyticus is capable of accumulating biopolymer PHA in nutrient limiting conditions with excess of carbon source. Screening and optimizing the parameters for increased PHA production was done statistically. The optimized medium gave a maximum yield of 46.57% which was in well agreement with the given predicted value provided by response surface methodology model yield of 47.02%. Optimal media conditions when extrapolated in bioreactor gave an even higher production percentage of 49.9. This is the first report highlighting 49% of polyhydroxybutyrate statistically using sucrose as a source. The main highlight of the study was the use of wild type strain for producing high quality PHA using simple carbon source which can be a starting platform for using this strain for large scale PHA production industrially. FTIR and 1HNMR analysis confirmed the polymer produced.
Association of iron rim lesions with brain and cervical cord volume in relapsing multiple sclerosis
Authors: Weber Claudia E. , Krämer Julia , Wittayer Matthias , Gregori Johannes , Randoll Sigurd , Weiler Florian , Heldmann Stefan , Roßmanith Christina , Platten Michael , Gass Achim , Eisele Philipp
Published: September 2021

Objectives

In multiple sclerosis (MS), iron rim lesions (IRLs) are indicators of chronic low-grade inflammation and ongoing tissue destruction. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of IRLs with clinical measures and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers, in particular brain and cervical cord volume.

Methods

Clinical and MRI parameters from 102 relapsing MS patients (no relapses for at least 6 months, no contrast-enhancing lesions) were included; follow-up data obtained after 12 months was available in 49 patients. IRLs were identified on susceptibility-weighted images (SWIs). In addition to standard brain and spinal cord MRI parameters, normalised cross-sectional area (nCSA) of the upper cervical cord was calculated.

Results

Thirty-eight patients had at least one IRL on SWI MRI. At baseline, patients with IRLs had higher EDSS scores, higher lesion loads (brain and spinal cord), and lower cortical grey matter volumes and a lower nCSA. At follow-up, brain atrophy rates were higher in patients with IRLs. IRLs correlated spatially with T1-hypointense lesions.

Conclusions

Relapsing MS patients with IRLs showed more aggressive MRI disease characteristics in both the cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.

Key Points

• Multiple sclerosis patients with iron rim lesions had higher EDSS scores, higher brain and spinal cord lesion loads, lower cortical grey matter volumes, and a lower normalised cross-sectional area of the upper cervical spinal cord.

• Iron rim lesions are a new lesion descriptor obtained from susceptibility-weighted MRI. Our data suggests that further exploration of this lesion characteristic in regard to a poorer prognosis in multiple sclerosis patients is warranted.
Failure rates of common grafts used in ACL reconstructions: a systematic review of studies published in the last decade
Authors: Haybäck Gerwin , Raas Christoph , Rosenberger Ralf
Published: September 2021

Introduction

In this review paper, graft failure rates of different graft types (hamstring tendon autografts, bone–patellar tendon–bone autografts, quadriceps tendon autografts and diverse allografts) that are used for surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament are compared and statistically analysed.

Methods

Literature search was conducted in PubMed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) criteria. A total of 194 studies, which reported graft failure rates of at least one of the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction methods mentioned above, were included in this systematic review. To be able to compare studies with different follow-up periods, a yearly graft failure rate for each reconstruction group was calculated and then investigated for significant differences by using the Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results

Overall, a total of 152,548 patients treated with an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were included in the calculations. Comparison of graft types showed that hamstring tendon autografts had a yearly graft failure rate of 1.70%, whereas the bone–patellar tendon–bone autograft group had 1.16%, the quadriceps tendon autograft group 0.72%, and the allografts 1.76%.

Conclusion

The findings of this meta-data study indicate that reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament using quadriceps tendon autografts, hamstring tendon autografts, patellar tendon autografts or allografts does not show significant differences in terms of graft failure rates.
Pulses of anthropogenic food availability appear to benefit parents, but compromise nestling growth in urban red-winged starlings
Authors: Catto Sarah , Sumasgutner Petra , Amar Arjun , Thomson Robert L. , Cunningham Susan J.
Published: September 2021

The provision of anthropogenic food undoubtedly influences urban bird fitness. However, the nature of the impact is unclear, with both benefits and costs of urban diets documented. Moreover, the influence of short-term fluctuations in food availability, linked to urban weekday/weekend cycles of human presence, is largely unknown. We explored whether breeding red-winged starlings Onychognathus morio in Cape Town, South Africa, altered foraging and provisioning behaviour between days with high human presence (HHP) and days with low human presence (LHP)—i.e. weekdays versus weekends and vacation days. We investigated the relationship between starling diet, adult body mass and nestling development. Breeding adults consumed and provisioned the same quantity of food, but a significantly greater proportion of anthropogenic food on HHP compared to LHP days. Adults apparently benefited from the anthropogenic diet, experiencing significantly greater mass gain on HHP days. However, nestlings experienced a cost, with the number of HHP days during the nestling period associated negatively with nestling size. Adults may, therefore, benefit from the high calorie content of anthropogenic food, while nestlings may be negatively affected by nutrient limitation. The quantity of food available in urban environments may, therefore, benefit adult survival, while its quality imposes a cost to nestling growth.
Pharmacokinetic properties of a novel formulation of S-adenosyl-l-methionine phytate
Authors: Francioso Antonio , Fanelli Sergio , d’Erme Maria , Lendaro Eugenio , Miraglia Niccolò , Fontana Mario , Cavallaro Rosaria A. , Mosca Luciana
Published: September 2021

S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM), the main endogenous methyl donor, is the adenosyl derivative of the amino acid methionine, which displays many important roles in cellular metabolism. It is widely used as a food supplement and in some countries is also marketed as a drug. Its interesting nutraceutical and pharmacological properties prompted us to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of a new form of SAM, the phytate salt. The product was administered orally to rats and pharmacokinetic parameters were evaluated by comparing the results with that obtained by administering the SAM tosylated form (SAM PTS). It was found that phytate anion protects SAM from degradation, probably because of steric hindrance exerted by the counterion, and that the SAM phytate displayed significant better pharmacokinetic parameters compared to SAM PTS. These results open to the perspective of the use of new salts of SAM endowed with better pharmacokinetic properties.
Learning social networks from text data using covariate information
Authors: Yang Xiaoyi , Niezink Nynke M. D. , Nugent Rebecca
Published: September 2021

Accurately describing the lives of historical figures can be challenging, but unraveling their social structures perhaps is even more so. Historical social network analysis methods can help in this regard and may even illuminate individuals who have been overlooked by historians, but turn out to be influential social connection points. Text data, such as biographies, are a useful source of information for learning historical social networks but the identifcation of links based on text data can be challenging. The Local Poisson Graphical Lasso model models social networks by conditional independence structures, and leverages the number of name co-mentions in the text to infer relationships. However, this method does not take into account the abundance of covariate information that is often available in text data. Conditional independence structure like Poisson Graphical Model, which makes use name mention counts in the text can be useful tools to avoid false positive links due to the co-mentions but given historical tendency of frequently used or common names, without additional distinguishing information, we may introduce incorrect connections. In this work, we therefore extend the Local Poisson Graphical Lasso model with a (multiple) penalty structure that incorporates covariates, opening up the opportunity for similar individuals to have a higher probability of being connected. We propose both greedy and Bayesian approaches to estimate the penalty parameters. We present results on data simulated with characteristics of historical networks and show that this type of penalty structure can improve network recovery as measured by precision and recall. We also illustrate the approach on biographical data of individuals who lived in early modern Britain between 1500 and 1575. We will show how these covariates affect the statistical model’s performance using simulations, discuss how it helps to better identify links for the people with common names and those who are traditionally underrepresented in the biography text data.
Addressing inequal risk exposure in the development of automated vehicles
Authors: Dietrich Manuel
Published: September 2021

Automated vehicles (AVs) are expected to operate on public roads, together with non-automated vehicles and other road users such as pedestrians or bicycles. Recent ethical reports and guidelines raise worries that AVs will introduce injustice or reinforce existing social inequalities in road traffic. One major injustice concern in today’s traffic is that different types of road users are exposed differently to risks of corporal harm. In the first part of the paper, we discuss the responsibility of AV developers to address existing injustice concerns regarding risk exposure as well as approaches on how to fulfill the responsibility for a fairer distribution of risk. In contrast to popular approaches on the ethics of risk distribution in unavoidable accident cases, we focus on low and moderate risk situations, referred to as routine driving. For routine driving, the obligation to distribute risks fairly must be discussed in the context of risk-taking and risk-acceptance, balancing safety objectives of occupants and other road users with driving utility. In the second part of the paper, we present a typical architecture for decentralized automated driving which contains a dedicated module for real-time risk estimation and management. We examine how risk estimation modules can be adjusted and parameterized to redress some inequalities.
Technical and radiological characterisation of fly ash and bottom ash from thermal power plant
Authors: Fidanchevski Emilija , Angjusheva Biljana , Jovanov Vojo , Murtanovski Pece , Vladiceska Ljubica , Aluloska Nikolina Stamatovska , Nikolic Jelena Krneta , Ipavec Andrej , Šter Katarina , Mrak Maruša , Dolenec Sabina
Published: September 2021

Huge quantities of fly ash and bottom ash are generated from thermal power plants and it presents great concern for country, mainly due to the environmental effects. In this study, fly ashes and bottom ash were characterized from technical and radiological aspects. Health effect due to the activity of radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K was estimated via radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazards index (Hex), the external absorbed dose rate (D) and annual effective dose rate (EDR). The specific surface area (40.25 m2 g−1), particle density (1.88 g cm−3) and LOI (23.49%) were typical for bottom ash. Siliceous fly ash contained 32% reactive silica. The annual effective dose rate for all ashes is ≤ 0.2 mSv y−1. Both, fly ash and bottom ash present potential secondary raw materials to be used for building purposes as result of their technological and radiological assessment.
Crystalline structure and reinforcement in hybrid PP composites
Authors: Várdai R. , Schäffer Á. , Ferdinánd M. , Lummerstorfer T. , Jerabek M. , Gahleitner M. , Faludi G. , Móczó J. , Pukánszky B.
Published: September 2021

Hybrid composites were prepared from a PP homopolymer, talc and PVA fibers by twin-screw extrusion and injection molding. Talc was added to improve stiffness, while the fibers serve to increase impact resistance. Mechanical properties were characterized by tensile and impact testing, while structure was studied by SEM and optical microscopy. The results showed that talc has a strong nucleating effect in the PP used in spite of the fact that the grade contained a nucleating agent inherently. PVA also nucleated the PP slightly, with trans-crystallization occurring around the fibers. The effect of the two components was independent of each other on lamella thickness, but crystallinity decreased with increasing PVA content in the hybrid composites. The results clearly showed that crystalline structure changes considerably upon the addition of the two components, both lamella thickness and crystallinity increasing. However, somewhat contradictorily, the effect of these changes on the mechanical properties of the composites is small. Model calculations have shown that stiffness increases by about 0.5 GPa due to nucleation, while moduli as large as 7 GPa are reached by the addition of talc. Impact resistance is completely independent of lamella thickness or crystallinity; this property is determined mainly by local deformation processes initiated by the PVA fibers. Dispersed structure and the direct effect of the additive determine properties in the hybrid composites studied, and the role of crystalline structure is of secondary importance.
Documentary quality versus veracity of information of the websites on syphilis and gonorrhea
Authors: Sanz-Lorente María , Moles-Caballero Natalia , Wanden-Berghe Carmina , Sanz-Valero Javier
Published: September 2021

Objective: Analyze the possible relation between the documentary quality (DQ) versus the veracity of information (VI) on the syphilis and gonorrhea web pages. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of websites containing information about syphilis and gonorrhea, by accessing this population through a Google. The quality was studied by using 8 variables belonging to DQ and 7 variables of the VI. Results: A total of 440 active websites mainly belonging to mass media and private entities was assessed. The fulfillment of DQ gave the following results: Mean 3.46 ± 0.07, median 4 and range from 0 to 7. The VI result was: median 4.07 ± 0.09, median 4 and range from 0 to 7. According to the search athwart syphilis or gonorrhea, the contrast of the median of the two indicators was: 3.55 vs 3.37 p = 0.181 and 4.14 vs 4.00 p = 0.442. No correlation was verified amid the data of DQ and VI (R = 0.04); p = 0.368. Similarly, no significance was observed when segregating data by disease, in the case of syphilis R = -0.03; p = 0.625 and on gonorrhea R = 0.12; p = 0.064. Conclusions: The DQ and VI bestowed low outcomes, which implies poor quality of syphilis and gonorrhea websites. According to infection (syphilis or gonorrhea), there were no meaningful differences amid the median values of the two indicators. Being acquainted with the authorship and affiliation of a website and the fact that it is tied to a prestigious web may be a factor to be deemed when predicting the VI of a website. The correlation amid the two indicators did not demonstrate an association, thus, knowing the DQ does not imply having the security of an adequate VI.
The Gender Life Satisfaction/Depression Paradox
Authors: Becchetti Leonardo , Conzo Gianluigi
Published: September 2021

According to the gender life satisfaction/depression paradox women are significantly more likely to report higher levels of life satisfaction than men after controlling for all relevant socio-demographic factors, but also significantly more likely to declare they are depressed. We find that the paradox holds in the cross-country sample of the European Social Survey and is stable across age, education, self-assessed health, macroregion and survey round splits. We find support for the affect intensity rationale showing that women are relatively more affected in their satisfaction about life by the good or bad events or achievements occurring during their existence and less resilient (less likely to revert to their standard levels of happiness after a shock). We as well discuss biological, genetic, cultural, personality rationales advocated in the literature that can explain our findings.
Systematic and data-driven literature review of the energy and indoor environmental performance of swimming facilities
Authors: Smedegård Ole Øiene , Aas Bjørn , Stene Jørn , Georges Laurent , Carlucci Salvatore
Published: September 2021

During the last few decades, focus on measures for energy conservation in buildings has increased considerably. The European Commission implemented the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which gave instructions to the member states about how to reduce energy consumption in residential and non-residential buildings. In the process of making the building sector more energy efficient, the building codes generally have become stricter with some simplifications applied in the requirements. For swimming facilities in Norway, these simplifications are undermining the purpose of the code by excluding the energy use related to the operation of swimming pools, which is the main part of the energy use in this building category. In other words, the energy use related to operation of the facility is not regulated. Furthermore, guidelines for the planning and operation of these types of facilities are outdated and research for this building category is sparse. These three aspects mean that there is a considerable potential for improvement. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review with bibliometric and thematic analyses of the contextualized research in swimming facilities from a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning perspective. It maps the major trends during the past few decades, where areas like solar heating for outdoor pools, energy consumption, and air quality stand out. Except for air quality and disinfection by-products, research on these facilities is highly fragmented without any strong contributors to the various fields.

Graphical abstract
Massive cryptic microbe-sponge deposits in a Devonian fore-reef slope (Elbingerode Reef Complex, Harz Mts., Germany)
Authors: Gischler Eberhard , Fuchs Arnold , Bach Wolfgang , Reitner Joachim
Published: September 2021

A massive occurrence of microbial carbonates, including abundant sponge remains, within the Devonian Elbingerode Reef Complex was likely deposited in a former cavity of the fore-reef slope during the early Frasnian. It is suggested that the formation of microbial carbonate was to a large part favored by the activity of heterotrophic, i.e., sulfate-reducing bacteria, in analogy to Quaternary coral reef microbialites. The Elbingerode Reef Complex is an example of an oceanic or Darwinian barrier reef system. In modern barrier reef settings, microbialite formation is commonly further facilitated by weathering products from the central volcanic islands. The Devonian microbialites of the Elbingerode Reef Complex occur in the form of reticulate and laminated frameworks. Reticulate framework is rich in hexactinellid glass sponges, the tissue decay of which led to the formation of abundant micrite as well as peloidal and stromatactis textures. Supposed calcimicrobes such as Angusticellularia (formerly Angulocellularia) and Frutexites, also known from cryptic habitats, were part of the microbial association. The microbial degradation of sponge tissue likely also contributed to the laminated framework accretion as evidenced by the occurrence of remains of so-called “keratose” demosponges. Further typical textures in the microbialite of the Elbingerode Reef Complex include zebra limestone, i.e., the more or less regular intercalation of microbial carbonate and cement. Elevated concentrations of magnesium in the microbialite as compared to the surrounding metazoan (stromatoporoid-coral) reef limestone suggests that the microbialite of the Elbingerode Reef Complex was initially rich in high-magnesium calcite, which would be yet another parallel to modern, cryptic coral reef microbial carbonates. Deposition and accretion of the microbialite largely occurred in oxygenated seawater with suboxic episodes as indicated by the trace element (REE + Y) data.
Optimizing the development strategy of combined steam flooding & cyclic steam stimulation for enhanced heavy oil recovery through reservoir proxy modeling
Authors: Swadesi Boni , Ahmad Muraji Suranto , Kurniawan Aditya , Widiyaningsih Indah , Widyaningsih Ratna , Budiarto Agung , Aslam Billal Maydika
Published: September 2021

Thermal injection methods are usually used for high viscosity oil. The results of previous studies showed that the combination of SF and SFF had the highest increase in oil recovery but still requires further study to determine the optimum strategy. This work is purposed to optimize the development scenario of a combined CSS-SF applied to a heavy oil field located in Sumatera, Indonesia. The recovery factor and NPV become the objective function, and several given and controlled parameters sensitivity toward the objective function are studied. A proxy model based on quadratic multivariate regression is developed to evaluate and get the desired objective function. The reservoir simulation of the thermal recovery process is done using CMG-STARS simulator. The overall workflow of scenario optimization is conducted using CMOST™ module. Optimum development scenario is obtained through maximization of the objective function. This work shows that the combination of proxy model development and optimization results in the best scenario of combined CSS-SF for heavy oil recovery.
Starlikeness of certain non-univalent functions
Authors: Lecko Adam , Ravichandran V. , Sebastian Asha
Published: September 2021

We consider three classes of functions defined using the class$${\mathcal {P}}$$Pof all analytic functions$$p(z)=1+cz+\cdots $$p(z)=1+cz+⋯on the open unit disk having positive real part and study several radius problems for these classes. The first class consists of all normalized analytic functionsfwith$$f/g\in {\mathcal {P}}$$f/g∈Pand$$g/(zp)\in {\mathcal {P}}$$g/(zp)∈Pfor some normalized analytic functiongand$$p\in {\mathcal {P}}$$p∈P. The second class is defined by replacing the condition$$f/g\in {\mathcal {P}}$$f/g∈Pby$$|(f/g)-1|<1$$|(f/g)-1|<1while the other class consists of normalized analytic functionsfwith$$f/(zp)\in {\mathcal {P}}$$f/(zp)∈Pfor some$$p\in {\mathcal {P}}$$p∈P. We have determined radii so that the functions in these classes to belong to various subclasses of starlike functions. These subclasses includes the classes of starlike functions of order$$\alpha $$α, parabolic starlike functions, as well as the classes of starlike functions associated with lemniscate of Bernoulli, reverse lemniscate, sine function, a rational function, cardioid, lune, nephroid and modified sigmoid function.
Drug combination screening as a translational approach toward an improved drug therapy for chordoma
Authors: Scheipl Susanne , Barnard Michelle , Lohberger Birgit , Zettl Richard , Brcic Iva , Liegl-Atzwanger Bernadette , Rinner Beate , Meindl Claudia , Fröhlich Eleonore
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Drug screening programmes have revealed epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRis) as promising therapeutics for chordoma, an orphan malignant bone tumour, in the absence of a known genetic driver. Concurrently, the irreversible EGFRi afatinib (Giotrif®) is being evaluated in a multicentric Phase II trial. As tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) monotherapies are invariably followed by resistance, we aimed to evaluate potential therapeutic combinations with EGFRis.

Methods

We screened 133 clinically approved anticancer drugs as single agents and in combination with two EGFRis (afatinib and erlotinib) in the clival chordoma cell line UM-Chor1. Synergistic combinations were analysed in a 7 × 7 matrix format. The most promising combination was further explored in clival (UM-Chor1, MUG-CC1) and sacral (MUG-Chor1, U-CH1) chordoma cell lines. Secretomes were analysed for receptor tyrosine kinase ligands (EGF, TGF-α, FGF-2 and VEGF-A) upon drug treatment.

Results

Drugs that were active as single agents (n = 45) included TKIs, HDAC and proteasome inhibitors, and cytostatic drugs. Six combinations were analysed in a matrix format: n = 4 resulted in a significantly increased cell killing (crizotinib, dabrafenib, panobinostat and doxorubicin), and n = 2 exhibited no or negligible effects (regorafenib, venetoclax). Clival chordoma cell lines were more responsive to combined EGFR-MET inhibition. EGFR-MET cross-talk (e.g. via TGF-α secretion) likely accounts for the synergistic effects of EGFR-MET inhibition.

Conclusion

Our screen revealed promising combinations with EGFRis, such as the ALK/MET-inhibitor crizotinib, the HDAC-inhibitor panobinostat or the topoisomerase-II-inhibitor doxorubicin, which are part of standard chemotherapy regimens for various bone and soft-tissue sarcomas.
Electronic structure and enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance of RuxZn1−xO/Ti electrodes
Authors: Shao Yanqun , Feng Keke , Guo Jie , Zhang Rongrong , He Sijiang , Wei Xinli , Lin Yuting , Ye Zhanghao , Chen Kongfa
Published: September 2021

Modification is one of the most important and effective methods to improve the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) performance of ZnO. In this paper, the RuxZn1−xO/Ti electrodes were prepared by thermal decomposition method and the effect of Ru content on those electrodes’ electronic structure was analyzed through the first-principles calculation. Various tests were also performed to observe the microstructures and PEC performance. The results showed that as the Ru4+ transferred into ZnO lattice and replaced a number of Zn2+, the conduction band of ZnO moved downward and the valence band went upward. The number of photogenerated electron-hole pairs increased as the impurity levels appeared in the band gap. In addition, ZnO nanorods exhibited a smaller grain size and a rougher surface under the effect of Ru. Meanwhile, the RuO2 nanoparticles on the surface of ZnO nanorods acted as the electron-transfer channel, helping electrons transfer to the counter electrode and delaying the recombination of the electron-hole pairs. Specifically, the RuxZn1−xO/Ti electrodes with 9.375 mol% Ru exhibited the best PEC performance with a rhodamine B (RhB) removal rate of 97%, much higher than the combination of electrocatalysis (EC, 12%) and photocatalysis (PC, 50%), confirming the synergy of photoelectrocatalysis.
Optimized sintering and mechanical properties of Y-TZP ceramics for dental restorations by adding lithium disilicate glass ceramics
Authors: Li Ke , Rao Jiancun , Ning Congqin
Published: September 2021

The novel dental ceramics can be fabricated at lower temperatures when sol-gel derived lithium disilicate glass ceramics (LDGC) was used as an additive for yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP) ceramics. The effect of LDGC on the sintering, mechanical, and translucent properties of Y-TZP ceramics was investigated in the present study. The results showed that the LDGC additive effectively improved the densification of Y-TZP at 1100 °C, which was much lower than the sintering temperature for pure Y-TZP. When sintered at 1100 °C, the Y-TZP with 1 wt% LDGC reached a relative density of 95.45%, and prossessed a flexural strength of 482.4 MPa and a fracture toughness of 5.94 MPa·m1/2. Moreover, its translucency was also improved. While, the addition of LDGC could result in an escape of yttrium atoms from the grain lattice of zirconia, which induced the tetragonal-monoclinic transformation of zirconia and abnormal growth of monoclinic grains. The escaped yttrium atoms diffused into the intergranular glass phase. The results indicated that the novel Y-TZP-LDGC ceramics has a great potential to be used for all-ceramic restorations.
Criteria for Good Qualitative Research: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Yadav Drishti
Published: September 2021

This review aims to synthesize a published set of evaluative criteria for good qualitative research. The aim is to shed light on existing standards for assessing the rigor of qualitative research encompassing a range of epistemological and ontological standpoints. Using a systematic search strategy, published journal articles that deliberate criteria for rigorous research were identified. Then, references of relevant articles were surveyed to find noteworthy, distinct, and well-defined pointers to good qualitative research. This review presents an investigative assessment of the pivotal features in qualitative research that can permit the readers to pass judgment on its quality and to condemn it as good research when objectively and adequately utilized. Overall, this review underlines the crux of qualitative research and accentuates the necessity to evaluate such research by the very tenets of its being. It also offers some prospects and recommendations to improve the quality of qualitative research. Based on the findings of this review, it is concluded that quality criteria are the aftereffect of socio-institutional procedures and existing paradigmatic conducts. Owing to the paradigmatic diversity of qualitative research, a single and specific set of quality criteria is neither feasible nor anticipated. Since qualitative research is not a cohesive discipline, researchers need to educate and familiarize themselves with applicable norms and decisive factors to evaluate qualitative research from within its theoretical and methodological framework of origin.
Re-engineering the Past: Countrywide Geo-referencing of Archival Aerial Imagery
Authors: Heisig Holger , Simmen Jean-Luc
Published: September 2021

Archival aerial imagery (AAI) represents a unique and relatively unexploited resource for assessing long-term environmental changes at a very high spatial resolution. A major constraint for the wider use of AAI often lies in the difficulties of establishing precise geo-referencing, namely in the difficult and time-consuming task of assigning ground reference through manual digitization of Ground control points (GCPs). We present a highly automated photogrammetric workflow for orientation of AAI. The workflow substitutes manual GCP measurements by generating image matches to a digital reference. The resulting abundant observations are algorithmically filtered and used in a bundle block adjustment (BBA) to obtain final image orientations. The proposed workflow has successfully been employed to process a complete coverage of AAI over the territory of Switzerland based on images acquired between 1985 and 1991. The accuracies obtained from the orientation process are very satisfying and allow for generating meaningful 2D and 3D products. The absolute accuracy for derived orthophotos and their mosaics is about 1 m. The relative accuracies are in the subpixel range and allow for generation of country-wide Digital surface models (DSMs) through dense-image matching. The obtained accuracies are comparable to those obtained at the authors’ affiliation using classical workflows that involve manual GCP identification from digital reference data. With regard to human working time, the workflow has, in our case, proven to be at least five times more efficient than classical workflows whilst the required computational resources are very moderate.
Pediatric's giant bladder stone: A proposed new terminology
Authors: Husein Ali , Sigumonrong Yacobda
Published: September 2021

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Bladder stones constitute approximately 5% of all urinary tract stones. In recent years, improved access to health care and improved nutritional status in children has led to a reduction of stone cases in many Asian countries. In the case of bladder stone in children, the term giant bladder stone which is based only on the stone burden cannot be applied, considering the capacity of a child's bladder that continues to increase with age.

Objective:

This current study aims to propose a new term related to giant bladder stones in pediatric patient populations concerning the stone burden, bladder capacity, and renal impairment related to the bladder stone.

Methods:

Thirty-four children with bladder stones in our center between January 2014 to August 2019 were admitted to the study. Data regarding patient's age, clinical symptoms, dietary history, socioeconomic status, laboratory investigations include complete blood examination, urinalysis and urine culture, presence of hydronephrosis, stone size, nutritional status, and type of procedure were collected. Estimated stone volume (ESV) was measured using Ackermann's formula, while estimated bladder capacity (EBC) was calculated using Koff formulas. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to determine the best cut-off value for determining what ESV to EBC ratio value at which a bladder stone cause hydronephrosis.

Result:

Hydronephrosis was noted in 12 patients. A significant difference in the mean ESV and ESV to EBC ratio was found between those two groups (p < 0.001 and 0.006 respectively). ROC curve was used to assess the accuracy of the ESV to EBC ratio as a predictor of hydronephrosis incidence with the area under the curve 0.768 (95% CI 0.624 to 0.949). Cut-off value of this ESV to EBC ratio is 0.0286 with a sensitivity 94.40%, specificity 62.50%, positive predictive value 73.91%, and negative predictive value 90.90%.

Conclusion:

We propose to use the term giant in pediatric cases using the EBV to EBC ratio above 0.028.

Highlights
Acquiring knowledge through management consultancy: a national culture perspective
Authors: O'Mahoney Joe , Sturdy Andrew , Galazka Anna
Published: September 2021

This paper examines how national culture informs the sourcing of management knowledge through external consultancy. First, it hypothesises and compares the relationship between quantitative measures of Hofstede's cultural indices with adjusted expenditure on consulting in nine countries. Two cultural indices are found to correlate with consulting use – power distance (negatively) and individualism (positively). However, the disparity between our findings and prior research suggests limitations of generalisation in studies solely employing quantitative cultural indices to understand the purchasing of business knowledge. We therefore propose the use of supplementary, qualitative data with sensitivity to local contexts and briefly apply this by using secondary sources to provide historical narratives for two countries – the UK and Japan. Overall, we find and tentatively explain significant statistical relationships between Hofstede's cultural indices and adjusted expenditure on consultancy. We then draw attention to wider implications for consulting research and for practitioners involved in this context.
Thailandina and Neothailandina and their family Thailandinidae salvaged: a valid taxonomic group of peculiar Permian fusuline Foraminifera
Authors: Ueno Katsumi
Published: September 2021

The fusuline genera Thailandina Toriyama and Kanmera, 1968 and Neothailandina Toriyama and Kanmera, 1968 were established by Toriyama and Kanmera (1968) based on material from the Khao Phlong Phrab section of the Permian Rat Buri Limestone in central Thailand that is currently assigned to the Khao Khad Formation of the Saraburi Group (Ueno and Charoentitirat, 2011). These fusuline genera are peculiar in having parachomata and replaced tests by secondary mineralization. Moreover, Neothailandina was described to have a test with transverse septula, considered to be characteristic for Neoschwagerinidae. Based on these remarkable test features, Toriyama and Kanmera (1968) newly introduced the subfamily Thailandininae to accommodate these two new genera and assigned it to the Neoschwagerinidae, despite the lack of septula in Thailandina. Later, Kobayashi et al. (2010) argued that Thailandina and Neothailandina are just a mixed grouping of several known genera of schwagerinids, verbeekinids, and neoschwagerinids that are too altered by recrystallization to be recognizable, and rejected the taxonomic validity of these two genera as well as Thailandininae.

The Khao Phlong Phrab section represents one of the standard late Cisuralian−Guadalupian (late early−middle Permian) fusuline successions in the eastern Paleotethys (Zhang and Wang, 2018) and contains not only Thailandina and Neothailandina but also abundant schwagerinid, verbeekinid, and neoschwagerinid fusulines (Toriyama, 1975; Fig. 1). I investigated the original specimens described by Toriyama and Kanmera (1968) and Toriyama (1975) from the section that are housed in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences of Kyushu University, Japan. I found that most of the grounds for Kobayashi et al.'s (2010) arguments to regard the thailandinin genera as taxonomically invalid are not supported by observations on these specimens as explained in the account that follows. In this taxonomic note, I propose that Thailandina and Neothailandina, and their family Thailandinidae, should be retained as valid taxonomic groups.