bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forecasting of the Short-Term Electricity Load Based on WOA-BILSTM
Authors: Zhao Huaxin , Zhou Zhenliu , Zhang Pizhen
Published: July 2023

One of the biggest difficulties, which China’s power infrastructure is now experiencing, is the capacity to estimate demand of short-term electricity. It can accurately estimate changes in the total power load in particular locations. Accurate forecasting results, which also serve as a dependable guide for power system operation, may increase the flexibility and resource usage of the contemporary power market. Power load characteristics are impacted by several things. This study presents an estimate method for short-term demand of electricity based on WOA-BILSTM in order to comprehensively evaluate the time series features presented in the power load data and improve the accuracy of power load forecasting. After extracting features for the variables that influence power load, this method uses the bidirectional long-term and short-term memory (BILSTM) neural network layer for bidirectional time series feature learning. Using the local electricity load data from Quanzhou from 2018 as the data set, the prediction model is constructed by screening the multi-dimensional input parameters and selecting the feature vectors with good association as the input carefully. By comparing the outcomes of three popular load forecasting models, including LSTM network, BILSTM network, and WOA-BILSTM, it is demonstrated that the WOA-BILSTM neural network method is more accurate and effective than others two. By building an optimal combination model, this technique could increase the accuracy of power load data’s short-term predictions. At the same time, it also reduces the time of personnel debugging.
A Modeling and Verification Method of Cyber-Physical Systems Based on AADL and Process Algebra
Authors: Li Zhen , Cao Zining , Wang Fujun , Xing Chao
Published: July 2023

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are the next generation of intelligent systems that integrate information control devices with physical resources. With increasingly close connections between CPS components and frequent interactions, potential defects grow exponentially, rendering the operating environment of CPS unreliable. Therefore, research on methods and theories to ensure the correctness, safety and reliability of CPS is not only an important research topic but also an inevitable challenge. In this paper, we propose a CPS modeling and verification method based on Architecture Analysis & Design Language (AADL) and process algebra to address this challenge. Due to the continuous, time-constrained, stochastic, uncertain and concurrent characteristics of CPS, this paper considers both flexibility and rigor in the modeling process. We first extend the ability of AADL to describe the multiple characteristics of CPS and propose Hybrid Probability-AADL (HP-AADL). Second, this paper introduces conditional execution, conditional interruption and probability operators into Temporal Calculus of Communication Systems (TCCS) and designs a new formal modeling language Hybrid Probability-Temporal Calculus of Communication Systems (HP-TCCS). However, HP-AADL is a semi-formal modeling language that cannot be directly used for formal verification, it cannot strictly guarantee the quality of the established CPS models, including its functional correctness and safety. Therefore, this paper proposes transformation rules from HP-AADL to HP-TCCS, which enables model checking of CPS models described in HP-AADL within HP-TCCS. Additionally, this paper designs a new formal specification language HPAT-Spatial Temporal Logic (HPAT-STL) based on Probabilistic Computation Tree Logic (PCTL) and Spatial Logic, which characterizes the temporal, probabilistic and spatial properties of CPS model. To achieve formal verification of HP-TCCS model and HPAT-STL formulas, this paper proposes a model checking algorithm HPAT-Model Checking Algorithm (HPAT-MCA). Finally, we discuss a typical CPS example to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method in ensuring correct, safe and reliable CPS.
Octahedral developing of knot complement II: Ptolemy coordinates and applications
Authors: Kim Hyuk , Kim Seonhwa , Yoon Seokbeom
Published: July 2023

It is known that a knot complement (minus two points) decomposes into ideal octahedra with respect to a given knot diagram. In this paper, we study the Ptolemy variety for such an octahedral decomposition in perspective of Thurston’s gluing equation variety. More precisely, we compute explicit Ptolemy coordinates in terms of segment and region variables, the coordinates of the gluing equation variety motivated from the volume conjecture. As a consequence, we present an explicit formula for computing the obstruction to lifting a boundary-parabolic [Formula: see text]-representation to boundary-unipotent [Formula: see text]-representation. We also present a diagrammatic algorithm to compute a holonomy representation of the knot group.
EVALUATION OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF A-TIG AND TIG WELDMENTS OF INCONEL 617
Authors: SENTHIL KUMAAR S. , KORRA NANDA NAIK , DEVAKUMARAN K. , GANESH KUMAR K.
Published: July 2023

This work is based on a comparative study of the weldments fabricated by Activated Flux Tungsten Inert Gas (A-TIG) welding and autogenous Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding of 10 mm thick Inconel 617 plates. Flux powders used for A-TIG welding were Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and Silicon dioxide (SiO2). Macrostructure and microstructure analyses and characterization of mechanical properties of both A-TIG and TIG weldments were investigated. The microstructure of Inconel 617 was made up of several secondary phases and fine austenitic grains. Mechanical testing carried out in this study included Bend Test, Tensile Test, Vicker’s Micro-Hardness Test and Charpy Impact Test at room temperature (RT) and a sub-zero temperature (SZT) of −50[Formula: see text]C. The Bend test was found satisfactory for both A-TIG and TIG weldments. TIG weldments’ tensile strength and microhardness were determined to be 782 MPa and 265.44 HV, respectively. However, it was determined that the base metal had a tensile strength of 756 MPa and that the tensile strength and microhardness of the A-TIG weldment were 707 MPa and 252.73 HV, respectively. The TIG weldment was proved to have the highest tensile strength and microhardness due to the availability of strengthening elements like Molybdenum (Mo) and Chromium (Cr), as carbides in the fusion zone. Impact toughness of the A-TIG weldment was higher than that of the TIG weldment both at room and sub-zero temperatures due to the application of TiO2as flux and the high heat input during A-TIG welding. The ductile mode of fracture was observed in all weldments.
A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE EFFECT OF PRECURSOR CONCENTRATIONS ON THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LOW-COST KESTERITES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC APPLICATIONS
Authors: AKSHAYA C. V. , PARVATHI E. , DILRAJ N. , ARJUN G. , DEEPAK N. K.
Published: July 2023

In the ongoing few years, electricity cost is bound to increase so as a result, innovations in the photovoltaic industry are worth promising. One of the new ventures, kesterite (Cu2ZnSnS4) plays a significant role in fulfilling the energy demands due to its high earth abundance, non-toxicity, and low-cost processing characteristics. This semiconductor thin film can be considered as an alternative to CIGS where the expensive and scarce resources such as indium (In) and gallium (Ga) are replaced with cost-effective and abundant zinc (Zn) and tin (Sn). In this paper, the variations in the concentration of precursors of kesterite– copper, zinc, tin, and sulfur, and their influence on structural and optoelectrical characteristics of kesterite thin films have been reviewed and their effects are discussed.
Damping Enhancement Solution for Wind Turbines Through Amplifying Damping Transfer Systems
Authors: Wang Meng , Lu Hai-Qiang , Wang Pi-Guang , Nagarajaiah Satish , Du Xiu-Li
Published: July 2023

This paper proposed a novel amplifying damping transfer system (ADTS) as a new damping enhancement solution for high-rise structures like wind turbines. The proposed ADTS can transfer the upper rotation of turbine tower to its bottom with damping amplification mechanism. Hence, viscous damper can be installed on wind turbines in a very convenient and efficient way. The dynamic characteristics of wind turbines equipped with ADTS were parametrically investigated concerning the influence of the damping, stiffness, and position of the ADTS based on complex frequency analysis. It was found that each mode has a maximum damping ratio, which is affected by the ADTS stiffness and position. The optimal ADTS position of the first mode is about 0.7 H (turbine height), and the optimal positions of the second mode are at 0.3 H and 0.86 H. The proposed ADTS considerably attenuated both drift and acceleration responses of wind turbines caused by winds and earthquakes. For example, as compared to the optimized tuned mass damper, ADTS further decreases the displacement (acceleration) of wind turbine tower by about 22% (38%).
A Hybrid Genetic Algorithm-Based Parameter Identification Method for Nonlinear Hysteretic System with Experimental Verification
Authors: Lu Zheng , Zhao Shengqiang , Fan Qiaoqiao , Zhu Xudong
Published: July 2023

The Bouc–Wen nonlinear hysteretic model is widely used in nonlinear systems, and it is difficult to identify the parameters of Bouc–Wen model because of its high nonlinearity. In the paper, a hybrid genetic algorithm combined with sequential quadratic programming is proposed to solve the problem about the parameter identification of Bouc–Wen model. Sequential quadratic programming method has good local convergence and superlinear convergence rate. Therefore, compared with the genetic algorithm, the proposed identification method can accelerate the convergence speed in parameter recognition of Bouc–Wen model and achieve excellent recognition accuracy. Through the function test and the numerical simulation of the shear structure, it is proved that the proposed method has high convergence speed and accurate identification. In addition, the theory and method proposed in this paper are combined with Bouc–Wen model to identify parameters of overall restoring force model of the energy-dissipation structures, the identification results are in good agreement with the experimental results, verifying reliability and accuracy of the model and robustness of the proposed identification method.
Recognition of Brauer indecomposability for a Scott module
Authors: Koshitani Shigeo , Tuvay İpek
Published: July 2023

We give a handy way to have a situation that the [Formula: see text]-Scott module with vertex [Formula: see text] remains indecomposable under taking the Brauer construction for any subgroup [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] as [Formula: see text]-module, where [Formula: see text] is a field of characteristic [Formula: see text]. The motivation is that the Brauer indecomposability of a [Formula: see text]-permutation bimodule is one of the key steps in order to obtain a splendid stable equivalence of Morita type by making use of the gluing method, that then can possibly lift to a splendid derived equivalence. Further our result explains a hidden reason why the Brauer indecomposability of the Scott module fails in Ishioka’s recent examples.
Biderivations of complete Lie algebras
Authors: Bartolo Alfonso Di , Rosa Gianmarco La
Published: July 2023

The authors of this article intend to present some results obtained in the study of biderivations of complete Lie algebras. Firstly they present a matricial approach to do this, which was a useful and explanatory tool not only in the study of biderivations but also in the synthesis of these results. Then they study all biderivations of a Lie algebra [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], called complete. Moreover, as an application of the previous result, they describe all biderivations of a semisimple Lie algebra (that are complete), extending a result obtained by Tang in [X. Tang, Biderivations of finite-dimensional complex simple Lie algebras, Linear Multilinear Algebra 66(2) (2018) 250–259] that describes all biderivations of a complex simple Lie algebra. And thirdly, results on symmetric and skew-symmetric biderivations are also presented.
CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK-BASED MULTI-REGION SINGLE INSPECTION TECHNIQUE FOR AT-HOME, SELF-PRESCREENING OF ORAL/LARYNGEAL TUMORS
Authors: HWANG YOUNG JUN , KIM GUN HO , LEE HONGJE , SUNG EUI-SUK , NAM KYOUNG WON
Published: July 2023

Late detection of oral/laryngeal cancers or squamous cell carcinoma results in high patient mortality. Therefore, the detection of early-stage disease symptoms and timely medical treatment are important for improving long-term survival rates. Here, three deep learning models (single-shot detector, Yolo V4 and Tiny Yolo) were developed for target detection and binary type classification (normal/suspicious) for four representative oral/laryngeal regions (tongue, epiglottis, vocal cords, and tonsils) with a single-inspection process. The model performance was evaluated quantitatively on desktop and embedded platforms. We collected 1,632 endoscopic still-images and 20 diagnostic videos from the hospital database to train, validate, and test the models. Experimental results demonstrated that implemented models showed F1-scores ranging between 0.74–0.86, 0.86–1.00, and 0.74–0.87, and average precision ranging between 0.60–0.82, 0.92–1.00, and 0.72–0.98 for the tongue, epiglottis, and vocal cords, respectively, on the desktop platform. In addition, the Yolo V4 model showed performances of 0.92, 0.82, and 2.00 frames per second for the F1-score, average precision, and inference speed, respectively, on the embedded platform. Based on these results, we conclude that the implemented deep-learning-based at-home self-prescreening technique may be a reliable tool for personal oral/laryngeal healthcare, which will be especially important in endemic situations.
Introducing higher-order Haar wavelet method for solving three-dimensional partial differential equations
Authors: Sinha Arvind Kumar , Sahoo Radhakrushna
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we develop a collocation method for solving three-dimensional partial differential equations using Haar wavelet and Kronecker tensor product. The approach is based on a series of Haar wavelet basis functions to approximate sixth-order mixed derivatives. The proposed method is mathematically fast, less error and straightforward for the numerical solution of many types of three-dimensional Poisson, biharmonic and Helmholtz equations. Some numerical examples verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Finally, we conclude that numerical results computed by our proposed method are more accurate than numerical results obtained in the existing methods in the literature. We find that the CPU time consumed by the suggested approach is lesser than the CPU time of existing methods. Thus, the process is fast, efficient and has a low numerical error.
Optical solitons of a cubic-quartic nonlinear Schrödinger equation with parabolic law nonlinearity in optical metamaterials
Authors: Das Sebahat Ebru , Ozisik Muslum , Bayram Mustafa , Secer Aydin , Albayrak Pinar
Published: July 2023

This paper aims to reveal the effects of the fourth-order dispersion and parabolic law which comes from self-phase modulation on the soliton behavior of the cubic-quartic nonlinear Schrödinger equation (CQ-NLSE) by using the modified new Kudryashov method. First, applying the complex wave transformation, the nonlinear ordinary differential form (NODE) has been obtained. Then, the modified new Kudryashov method (mNKM) has been expressed and applied. In the next step, linear algebraic system has been gained and solved. Then analytical soliton solution of the CQ-NLSE has been derived and checked for accuracy so that it satisfies the main equation. For the obtained solution functions, bright and singular soliton solutions have been gained and their graphical presentations have been made. The effects of both the fourth-order dispersion parameter and the parabolic law nonlinearity on the soliton dynamics have been examined and the necessary comments have been made. To our best knowledge, no such study has been reported for the equation examined.
Numerical solution of stochastic Volterra integral equations based on uniform Haar wavelets by using direct method
Authors: Montazer Meisam , Khodabin Morteza , Ezzati Reza , Fallahpour Mohsen
Published: July 2023

Nowadays, wavelets have played a crucial role in approximating the solution of a wide range of problems arising in science and engineering. Wavelets have been used in numerous areas of applied mathematics as diverse as signal analysis, statistics, computer-aided geometric, image processing and numerical analysis. The uniform Haar wavelets are most widely used wavelets for solving stochastic integral equations, outperforming Legendre, Daubechies, etc. The uniform Haar wavelets are generated from pairs of piecewise constant functions and can be simply integrated. Furthermore, the uniform Haar functions are orthogonal and form a good transform basis. In this paper, we have proposed an efficient numerical method to solve a class of stochastic linear Volterra integral equations (SLVIEs) based on the uniform Haar wavelets. The aim of this paper is to apply numerical method to obtain approximate solution of SLVIEs. By using this method, the SLVIEs can be reduced to a linear system of algebraic equations. Also, the error analysis of this method is performed. Finally, some numerical examples are given to demonstrate pertinent features of this method. Furthermore, we compare obtained results from this method with the achieved results from relevant studies.
Monte Carlo Study on the Magnetic Properties of the Silicene–Germanene Junction-Like Nanostructure
Authors: Eraki H. , Saber N. , Fadil Z. , Mhirech A. , Kabouchi B. , Bahmad L.
Published: July 2023

In this work, we study the ground state phase diagrams and the magnetic properties of the mixed spins ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]) of the silicene–germanene junction-like nanostructure. In the first step, the ground state phase diagrams have been established to show the more stable configurations corresponding in different physical parameter planes. Besides, we have used the Monte Carlo simulations in order to study the magnetization and the susceptibility as a function of the temperature and the exchange coupling interaction and external magnetic field effects. Finally, we have presented and discussed the hysteresis cycles for specific values of the studied physical parameters.
Efficient Box Approximation for Data-Driven Probabilistic Geofencing
Authors: Wu Pengcheng , Chen Jun
Published: July 2023

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) using electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is an emerging way of air transportation within metropolitan areas. A key challenge for the success of AAM is how to manage large-scale flight operations with safety guarantees in high-density, dynamic, and uncertain airspace environments in real time. To address these challenges, we introduce the concept of a data-driven probabilistic geofence, which can guarantee that the probability of potential conflicts between eVTOL aircraft is bounded under data-driven uncertainties. To evaluate the probabilistic geofences online, Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is customized to model data-driven uncertainties. Based on the FFT-KDE values from data-driven uncertainties, we introduce an optimization framework of Integer Linear Programming (ILP) to find a parallelogram box to approximate the data-driven probabilistic geofence. To overcome the computational burden of ILP, an efficient heuristic algorithm is further developed. Numerical results demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed algorithms.
Effect of Alula Span and Deflection Angle on Aerodynamic Efficiency of Bio-Inspired UAV Wings
Authors: Eftekhari Shahrooz , Al-Obaidi Abdulkareem Sh. Mahdi , Phang Swee King , Eftekhari Hesam
Published: July 2023

The flight conditions, small length scale, and low altitude flight of mini-UAVs lend them to the low Reynolds number of less than 300,000 in which the aircraft performance is significantly degraded. In such operating conditions, the aerodynamic performance of aircraft is critically dependent on its lifting surface which is the wing configuration and high-cambered airfoils are equipped to generate enough lift to keep the aircraft and its payload airborne at low operating speeds. However, the aerodynamic performance of airfoils at low Reynolds number is significantly degraded due to the early separation of flow. This results in higher form of drag and lower lift which leads to higher power required to generate thrust for the aircraft to overcome drag and remain airborne. Consequently, the range and endurance are significantly reduced. This paper investigates the interactive effects of different Alula deflection angles and span ratios on the aerodynamic efficiency of a three-dimensional (finite) swept back wing during cruise flight. A total of nine wing configurations are designed with different Alula deflection angles (4°, 13°, and 22°) and span ratios (5%, 10%, and 15%). Investigations are carried out using numerical simulations and wind tunnel experiments. Overall, an enhanced aerodynamic efficiency is achieved for wings equipped with Alula configuration at 13° deflection angle and 15% span ratio as well as 22° deflection angle and 5% span ratio, and they have 9.3% and 4.5% higher aerodynamic efficiency compared to the clean wing. The endurance of electric-powered mini-UAVs is exponentially proportional to aerodynamic efficiency. Hence, the resulting wing configurations from this research with improved aerodynamic efficiency have a promising effect on the endurance enhancement of UAVs during the cruise envelope of flight.
Morpheme-Based Neural Machine Translation Models for Low-Resource Fusion Languages
Authors: Gezmu Andargachew Mekonnen , Nürnberger Andreas
Published: July 2023

Neural approaches, which are currently state-of-the-art in many areas, have contributed significantly to the exciting advancements in machine translation. However, Neural Machine Translation (NMT) requires a substantial quantity and good quality parallel training data to train the best model. A large amount of training data, in turn, increases the underlying vocabulary exponentially. Therefore, several proposed methods have been devised for relatively limited vocabulary due to constraints of computing resources such as system memory. Encoding words as sequences of subword units for so-called open-vocabulary translation is an effective strategy for solving this problem. However, the conventional methods for splitting words into subwords focus on statistics-based approaches that mainly conform to agglutinative languages. In these languages, the morphemes have relatively clean boundaries. These methods still need to be thoroughly investigated for their applicability to fusion languages, which is the main focus of this article. Phonological and orthographic processes alter the borders of constituent morphemes of a word in fusion languages. Therefore, it makes it difficult to distinguish the actual morphemes that carry syntactic or semantic information from the word’s surface form, the form of the word as it appears in the text. We, thus, resorted to a word segmentation method that segments words by restoring the altered morphemes. We also compared conventional and morpheme-based NMT subword models. We could prove that morpheme-based models outperform conventional subword models on a benchmark dataset.
Deep Learning for Logo Detection: A Survey
Authors: Hou Sujuan , Li Jiacheng , Min Weiqing , Hou Qiang , Zhao Yanna , Zheng Yuanjie , Jiang Shuqiang
Published: July 2023

Logo detection has gradually become a research hotspot in the field of computer vision and multimedia for its various applications, such as social media monitoring, intelligent transportation, and video advertising recommendation. Recent advances in this area are dominated by deep learning-based solutions, where many datasets, learning strategies, network architectures, and loss functions have been employed. This article reviews the advance in applying deep learning techniques to logo detection. First, we discuss a comprehensive account of public datasets designed to facilitate performance evaluation of logo detection algorithms, which tend to be more diverse, more challenging, and more reflective of real life. Next, we perform an in-depth analysis of the existing logo detection strategies and their strengths and weaknesses of each learning strategy. Subsequently, we summarize the applications of logo detection in various fields, from intelligent transportation and brand monitoring to copyright and trademark compliance. Finally, we analyze the potential challenges and present the future directions for the development of logo detection. This study aims better to inform readers about the current state of logo detection and encourage more researchers to get involved in logo detection.
Effects of Gas Macromixing in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell
Authors: Ma Yulei , Kageyama Miho , Kawase Motoaki
Published: July 2023

For PEFCs’ grand-scale commercialization, their performance should be further improved. The performance of PEFC is results of the distributions of local current density and materials concentration, especially oxygen and water. In addition, the in-plane transport of reactant gas in the gas diffusion layer (GDL), which is difficult to measure, affects the distribution of oxygen partial pressure and relative humidity (RH) by mixing the gas with different residence time. In this study, the PEFC was regarded as a reactor, the gas macromixing in which was evaluated by residence time distribution (RTD) in the perspective of chemical engineering. The cell performance with different active area and gas flow rate in parallel and serpentine gas channels was measured experimentally and predicted by the compartment models. According to the model, the gas macromixing in the 1 mm-manifold parallel channel is more obvious than that in the serpentine model, and has better performance at low oxygen conversion, since appropriate water humidification is beneficial to the cell performance. The results also indicate that the gas macromixing should be promoted to improve the water humidification and the cell performance at low oxygen conversion. The computationally inexpensive compartment model is potentially applicable for system simulator and design procedure.
Clarifying the Origin of Ordering Effect of PtCo Intermetallic Catalysts in Catalyzing Oxygen Reduction
Authors: Song Tian-Wei , Zuo Ming , Zhang Wan-Qun , Chu Sheng-Qi , Kong Yuan , Liang Hai-Wei
Published: July 2023

Pt intermetallic catalysts exhibit higher activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) than the disordered counterparts, but the origin of exact effect of structural ordering has not been fully clarified yet. Herein, by comparing the PtCo catalysts with changed ordering degree but the exactly same alloying degree, we distinguish the ordering effect from alloying effect of intermetallic catalysts in catalyzing ORR; the ordering effect is identified to increase the ORR activity by ∼1.5 times. The highly ordered PtCo intermetallic catalyst is first prepared by separating the alloying and ordering stages, then the disordered counterpart with the same alloying degree is obtained by quenching the ordered catalyst at high temperatures to freeze the random atomic arrangement. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that both alloying effect and ordering effect of intermetallic alloy catalysts intrinsically originate from the compressive strain effect, which leads to the weakened adsorbate bonding towards oxygen-containing adsorbate and thus the promoted ORR kinetics.
Binder-Free LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2/Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Prepared by One-Step Electrophoretic Deposition Method for Efficient Li-Ion-Battery Cathodes
Authors: Poursalehi Fatemeh , Javanbakht Mehran , Daryakenari Ahmad Ahmadi , Gao Bia
Published: July 2023

A binder-free composite electrode of LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) with an extremely high NMC811 mass ratio (91 wt%) is prepared using an electrophoretic deposition process in a quick time (∼3 min). The spherical NMC811 particles are homogenously incorporated in the network created by MWCNTs, with desirable contact between these two components of the composite. The NMC811/MWCNT composite electrode showed a high first discharge capacity of 1.89 mAh cm−2 (163.4 mAh g−1) and 1.67 mAh cm−2 after 150 cycles at 0.1C with 88.3% capacity retention in the charge-discharge process. Compared with the conventional NMC811 electrodes prepared by the electrophoretic process (with carbon black and polyvinylidene fluoride) or doctor-blade strategy, superior electrochemical performance achieved in the binder-free composite NMC811/MWCNT electrode prepared by the electrophoretic process. This improvement is possible because the NMC811/MWCNT composite electrode could allow for a higher surface area and conductivity of the cathode material, a reactive interphase and adjustable available space in the electrode, and a homogenous distribution of the NMC particles in the MWCNT network. This scale-able, simple, binder and NMP-free, time-saving method with controllable growth deposit can be used to fabricate a variety of electrodes in storage systems.
Polyelectrolyte Membranes Based on Nafion/Chitosan Blends for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application
Authors: Bagherzadeh Amirsalar , Tohidian Mahdi , Sadafi Yeganeh Mollamohammadi , Shamsabadi Amirsaeed , Makki Hesam
Published: July 2023

In this study, polyelectrolyte membranes (PEMs) were fabricated by blending chitosan and Nafion with various compositions for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application. The incorporation of Nafion caused increasing the glass transition temperature (Tg), as well as decreasing the crystallinity of chitosan based matrix, which has roots in the attractive interaction between –SO3H groups in Nafion and –NH2 groups in chitosan structure. In addition, the proton conductivity, as well as the methanol permeability of the studied membranes increased with an increase in the loading weight of Nafion. The selectivity parameter (the ratio of proton conductivity to methanol permeability) of the membrane containing 25 wt% of Nafion was comparable to neat Nafion. In parallel, the results of the DMFC performance test showed a maximum power density of 39 mW cm−2 at 319 mA cm−2 current density (at 5 M methanol concentration and 75 °C) for the mentioned membrane which is near to that for recast Nafion. The results showed that the chitosan/Nafion complex can be considered as a PEM for DMFC application.
Liposomal nanocarriers of preassembled glycocalyx expeditiously restore endothelial glycocalyx in endotoxemia
Authors: Ishiko Shinya , Ben Rahoma Ghada , Kandhi Sharath , Huang An , Sun Dong
Published: July 2023

Vascular endothelial cells represent the first line of exposure to bacterial endotoxins. Here, we propose a novel therapeutic strategy using liposomes to deliver preassembled glycocalyx to vascular endothelial cell surface and consequently restore endothelial glycocalyx (EG). We tested liposomal nanocarriers of preassembled glycocalyx (LNPG) in vivo and ex vivo to establish for the first time their expeditious therapeutic efficacy in improving survival of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-treated mice, as achieved by the restoration of EG and recovery of endothelial function.
The Success of Treatment Free Remission in Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia in Clinical Practice: A Single-Centre Retrospective Experience from South Africa
Authors: Hoosen Siddeeq , Mackraj Irene , Rapiti Nadine
Published: July 2023

Introduction. Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) management has evolved from a disease once considered to be incurable just over 2 decades ago to that of one of a “functional cure” as defined by the sustained molecular response on stopping tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI) therapy. The next goal of CML management has been treatment-free remission (TFR). The past 4 years have seen much international data on TFR attempts in CML in clinical practice. However, Africa as a continent has lagged behind the rest of the world, in keeping up with the latest trends in CML management, and so this study aims to address this gap by assessing the outcome of TFR in CML in a single centre in South Africa (SA). Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study in 12 CML patients in the chronic phase to assess the success of TKI discontinuation. The patients were treated in King Edward VIII Hospital (KEH), a tertiary, academic hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and the study period was from June 2020 to May 2022. Patients included had to have been on TKI therapy for a minimum of 5 years and achieved a deep molecular response (DMR) for a minimum period of 3 years. Results. The overall TFR cohort showed a success rate of 75% at a median follow-up of 12 months. All patients who failed TFR, defined as a loss of major molecular remission (MMR), failed within 6 months of stopping TKI therapy. All patients who failed TFR regained DMR after retreatment with TKI, with no disease progression reported. The only factor influencing the success of TFR was the total period of TKI therapy. Conclusion. Despite our study having a small cohort of patients, this study demonstrated that TFR in CML is an attainable goal, even in a resource-limited setting.
Data from Clec4A4 Acts as a Negative Immune Checkpoint Regulator to Suppress Antitumor Immunity
Authors: Uto Tomofumi , Fukaya Tomohiro , Mitoma Shuya , Nishikawa Yotaro , Tominaga Moe , Choijookhuu Narantsog , Hishikawa Yoshitaka , Sato Katsuaki
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Clec4A4 is a C-type lectin receptor (CLR) exclusively expressed on murine conventional dendritic cells (cDC) to regulate their activation status. However, the functional role of murine Clec4A4 (mClec4A4) in antitumor immunity remains unclear. Here, we show that mClec4A4 serves as a negative immune checkpoint regulator to impair antitumor immune responses. Deficiency of mClec4A4 lead to a reduction in tumor development, accompanied by enhanced antitumor immune responses and amelioration of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) mediated through the enforced activation of cDCs in tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, antagonistic mAb to human CLEC4A (hCLEC4A), which is the functional orthologue of mClec4A4, exerted protection against established tumors without any apparent signs of immune-related adverse events in hCLEC4A-transgenic mice. Thus, our findings highlight the critical role of mClec4A4 expressed on cDCs as a negative immune checkpoint molecule in the control of tumor progression and provide support for hCLEC4A as a potential target for immune checkpoint blockade in tumor immunotherapy.
O conceito do político de Carl Schmitt e Chantal Mouffe: "antagonismo” ou “agonismo”?
Authors: Silva Natália Pereira Ribeiro da
Published: July 2023

A pensadora política Chantal Mouffe desenvolve sua teoria afirmando o antagonismo e o conflito como categorias centrais e essenciais do político, enfatizando deste modo a importância do dissenso como elemento fundamental da democracia. Mouffe nos direciona em suas obras à reflexão do que seria um modelo agonístico de democracia radical, onde o pluralismo político, a cidadania e o dissenso estabelecem os elementos essenciais para a constituição dessa sociedade. Os pensamentos de Chantal Mouffe se apoiam em sua leitura de Carl Schmitt, desenvolvendo a partir deste uma crítica ao individualismo liberal e a uma perspectiva racionalista do político, para então enfatizar o caráter "agonístico" da disputa política e enunciar as razões pelas quais o consenso não pode ser o fim último de uma política democrática.
Dos tentilhões de Darwin ao combate da pandemia: um olhar histórico e atual sobre a importância da Teoria Evolutiva
Authors: Silva Felipe André , Nery Mariana Freitas
Published: July 2023

A Teoria da Evolução atualmente é conhecida por dar significado e coesão aos diferentes campos da Biologia. Esse conhecimento é fundamental para aspectos importantes da vida em sociedade, exemplificado agora na pandemia da SARS-CoV-2. O surgimento de um novo vírus, sua dispersão e origem de novas cepas só podem ser entendidas através de conceitos evolutivos tais como mutação, variabilidade genética e seleção natural. Assim, este trabalho faz um resgate histórico da Teoria Evolutiva para mostrar à importância do entendimento da evolução no enfrentamento da pandemia, a qual se mantém atual e fundamental na busca de soluções para questões complexas. Enfatizando a responsabilidade de um ensino crítico que permita a construção do conhecimento evolutivo de forma significativa.
Empreendedorismo e gestão ambiental: uma análise dos Projetos Pedagógicos dos cursos de Ciências Biológicas em Minas Gerais
Authors: Lima Igor Adão , Rezende Alexandre Azenha Alves de , Ferreira Gabriela Lícia Santos , Calábria Luciana Karen
Published: July 2023

Com o recente surgimento do termo Bioempreendedorismo, deu-se início a uma indústria nova e promissora em áreas relacionadas às Ciências da Vida. Juntamente com a gestão ambiental, o empreendedorismo integra a investigação fundamental e a produção de valor econômico, ocupando espaço importante para os Biólogos. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a oferta de componentes curriculares e/ou temas relacionados ao empreendedorismo e gestão ambiental nos Projetos Pedagógicos dos Cursos de Ciências Biológicas das Universidades Federais de Minas Gerais. Os dados revelaram que a maioria dos cursos não aborda satisfatoriamente os temas, apresentando lacunas no ensino dessas temáticas, verificando a necessidade da sua revisão para a implementação dos componentes curriculares, proporcionando o contato dos estudantes com o mercado de trabalho.
Prognostic Power of Quantitative Assessment of Functional Mitral Regurgitation and Myocardial Scar Quantification by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Wang Tom Kai Ming , Kocyigit Duygu , Choi Harry , Anthony Chris M. , Chan Nicholas , Bullen Jennifer , Popović Zoran B. , Kapadia Samir R. , Krishnaswamy Amar , Griffin Brian P. , Flamm Scott D. , Tang W.H. Wilson , Kwon Deborah H.
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND:

The severity classification of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) remains controversial despite adverse prognosis and rapidly evolving interventions. Furthermore, it is unclear if quantitative assessment with cardiac magnetic resonance can provide incremental risk stratification for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) or non-ICM (NICM) in terms of FMR and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). We evaluated the impact of quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance parameters on event-free survival separately for ICM and NICM, to assess prognostic FMR thresholds and interactions with LGE quantification.

METHODS:

Patients (n=1414) undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance for cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction<50%) assessment from April 1, 2001 to December 31, 2017 were evaluated. The primary end point was all-cause death, heart transplant, or left ventricular assist device implantation during follow-up. Multivariable Cox analyses were conducted to determine the impact of FMR, LGE, and their interactions with event-free survival.

RESULTS:

There were 510 primary end points, 395/782 (50.5%) in ICM and 114/632 (18.0%) in NICM. Mitral regurgitation-fraction per 5% increase was independently associated with the primary end point, hazards ratios (95% CIs) of 1.04 (1.01–1.07;
P
=0.034) in ICM and 1.09 (1.02–1.16;
P
=0.011) in NICM. Optimal mitral regurgitation-fraction threshold for moderate and severe FMR were ≥20% and ≥35%, respectively, in both ICM and NICM, based on the prediction of the primary outcome. Similarly, optimal LGE thresholds were ≥5% in ICM and ≥2% in NICM. Mitral regurgitation-fraction×LGE emerged as a significant interaction for the primary end point in ICM (
P
=0.006), but not in NICM (
P
=0.971).

CONCLUSIONS:

Mitral regurgitation-fraction and LGE are key quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance biomarkers with differential associations with adverse outcomes in ICM and NICM. Optimal prognostic thresholds may provide important clinical risk prognostication and may further facilitate the ability to derive selection criteria to guide therapeutic decision-making.
Association of Depression and Cognitive Dysfunction With Patient-Centered Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: El-Sabawi Bassim , Cloud Harrison , Patel Jay N. , Bell Susan P. , Elmariah Sammy , Fearon William F. , Kim Juyong B. , Piana Robert N. , Kapadia Samir R. , Kumbhani Dharam J. , Gillam Linda D. , Whisenant Brian K. , Quader Nishath , Zajarias Alan , Welt Frederick G. , Bavry Anthony A. , Coylewright Megan , Vatterott Anna , Jackson Natalie , Huang Shi , Lindman Brian R.
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND:

Depression and cognitive dysfunction (CD) are not routinely screened for in patients before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and their association with postprocedural outcomes is poorly understood. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of depression and CD in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR and evaluate their association with mortality and quality of life.

METHODS:

We analyzed a prospective, multicenter TAVR registry that systematically screened patients for preexisting depression and CD with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and Mini-Cog, respectively. The associations with mortality were assessed with Cox proportional hazard models and quality of life (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and EuroQol visual analogue scale) were evaluated using multivariable ordinal regression models.

RESULTS:

A total of 884 patients were included; median follow-up was 2.88 years (interquartile range=1.2–3.7). At baseline, depression was observed in 19.6% and CD in 31.8%. In separate models, after adjustment, depression (HR, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.13–1.86];
P
<0.01) and CD (HR, 1.27 [95% CI, 1.02–1.59];
P
=0.04) were each associated with increased mortality. Combining depression and CD into a single model, mortality was greatest among those with both depression and CD (n=62; HR, 2.06 [CI, 1.44–2.96];
P
<0.01). After adjustment, depression was associated with 6.6 (0.3–13.6) points lower on the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire 1-year post-TAVR and 6.7 (0.5–12.7) points lower on the EuroQol visual analogue scale. CD was only associated with lower EuroQol visual analogue scale.

CONCLUSIONS:

Depression and CD are common in patients that undergo TAVR and are associated with increased mortality and worse quality of life. Depression may be a modifiable therapeutic target to improve outcomes after TAVR.
Climatology of Tropical Cyclone Precipitation in the S2S Models
Authors: García-Franco Jorge L. , Lee Chia-Ying , Camargo Suzana J. , Tippett Michael K. , Kim Daehyun , Molod Andrea , Lim Young-Kwon
Published: July 2023

This study evaluates the representation of tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) in reforecasts from the Subseasonal to Seasonal (S2S) Prediction Project. The global distribution of precipitation in S2S models shows relevant biases in the multimodel mean ensemble that are characterized by wet biases in total precipitation and TCP, except for the Atlantic. The TCP biases can contribute more than 50% of the total precipitation biases in basins such as the southern Indian Ocean and South Pacific. The magnitude and spatial pattern of these biases exhibit little variation with lead time. The origins of TCP biases can be attributed to biases in the frequency of tropical cyclone occurrence. The S2S models simulate too few TCs in the Atlantic and western North Pacific and too many TCs in the Southern Hemisphere and eastern North Pacific. At the storm scale, the average peak precipitation near the storm center is lower in the models than observations due to a too high proportion of weak TCs. However, this bias is offset in some models by higher than observed precipitation rates at larger radii (300–500 km). An analysis of the mean TCP for each TC at each grid point reveals an overestimation of TCP rates, particularly in the near-equatorial Indian and western Pacific Oceans. These findings suggest that the simulation of TC occurrence and the storm-scale precipitation require better representation in order to reduce TCP biases and enhance the subseasonal prediction skill of mean and extreme total precipitation.
Association of Nicotine Cessation Time on the Incidence of Recurrent Incisional Hernia Repair and Postoperative Surgical Site Occurrences
Authors: McBee Patrick J. , Larsen Nicholas K. , Reilly Matthew J. , Walters Ryan W. , Olson Molly A. , Fitzgibbons Robert J.
Published: July 2023

Background

Nicotine products are believed to be associated with a higher incidence of incisional hernia (IH) recurrence and postoperative complications after IH repair.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) database was performed. Outcomes included risk of IH recurrence, 30-day surgical site infection (SSI), and 30-day surgical site occurrence (SSO).

Results

We included 14,663 patients. Nicotine users who quit within 1 year of surgery had a 26% higher risk of IH recurrence compared to patients who quit more than a year before surgery or never users. Patients who quit using nicotine within 1 year of surgery had a 54% higher odds of SSI compared to former nicotine users who quit more than a year before surgery.

Conclusion

Former nicotine users with less than 1 year of nicotine use cessation before surgery exhibited worse outcomes than those with more than a year of cessation or no prior use.
An Analysis of the Position of Speaker in Lok Sabha in India from 1952 to 2020 withSpecial Reference to the Position of Speaker of House of Representatives in the United States
Authors: Chhachhar Varun
Published: July 2023

The Speaker of Lok Sabha in India is regarded as the most important office of legislative functioning. The office of the Speaker is regarded with high esteem and respect in the Parliament. The election of the Lok Sabha Speaker in India carries with it a unanimous trust of different parties in one chair. The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is regarded as the presiding officer of the popular chamber there. The Speaker is simultaneously House’s presiding officer and the institution’s administrative head but he/she is also the parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives. This article attempts to understand the election and overall working of the Speaker’s office. This article further explores judicial intervention in the Speaker’s office in India in comparison with its counterpart in the USA.