bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Variations in Warm and Cold Events in Nanjing, China: Roles of Synoptic Weather Patterns and Urbanization
Authors: Tian Weishou , Zong Lian , Dong Yakun , Liu Duanyang , Yang Yuanjian
Published: January 2023

Studying the long-term variations in warm and cold events and their causes under global warming is important for understanding urban climate change, planning, and green development, as well as for disaster prevention and mitigation. In this study, taking the megacity of Nanjing in China as an example, we analyzed the trends and characteristics of the daily average temperature, daily maximum temperature, daily minimum temperature, and warm and cold events from 1960 to 2021, and their association with synoptic weather patterns (SWPs) and urbanization. The results showed that, over the past 62 years, the maximum/average/minimum temperatures in Nanjing have trended upward significantly (at the urban station they increased at rates of 0.17, 0.34, and 0.67 °C/decade), with the minimum temperatures being the most significant. In spring, the warming rate of the average temperature was the greatest, reaching 0.45 °C/decade. All other seasons had their highest warming rate in their minimum temperatures, reaching 0.38 °C/decade, 0.73 °C/decade, and 0.67 °C/decade in the summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The extreme high temperatures showed a decreasing trend until the mid-1980s, closely related to the decrease in the two SWPs with prevailing southwesterly winds (Types 1 and 2), while a significant increasing trend was apparent thereafter, mainly related to the increase in the SWPs with prevailing southeasterly winds (Types 3 and 4). The number of warm days was strongly positively correlated with extreme high temperatures during the study period, and about 91% of the warm day interannual variation can be explained by extreme high temperature variation. The extreme low temperatures showed a significant decreasing trend. The number of cold nights was strongly and positively correlated with extreme low temperatures, and about 85% of the cold night interannual variation can be explained by extreme low temperature variation. The effect of urbanization was basically positive, contributing the most to the average temperatures and second-most to the minimum temperatures, with warming contributions of 26.5% and 20.9%, respectively, and an insignificant contribution to the maximum temperatures. The effect of urbanization on extreme high temperatures was not significant, but the contribution of warming to extreme low temperatures reached 27.9%. Our results have important implications for future urban climate prediction, as well as for impact assessment and decision making in urban planning.
The Effectiveness of Mindful Hypnotherapy on Psychological Inflexibility, Pain Acceptance, Headache Disability and Intensity in Females with Chronic Migraine Headache: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Khazraee Hassan , Bakhtiari Maryam , Kianimoghadam Amir Sam , Hajmanouchehri Reza
Published: January 2023

This study was a randomized controlled design and examined the feasibility and effectiveness of mindful hypnotherapy on psychological inflexibility, pain acceptance, headache disability, and headache intensity in patients with chronic migraine headaches. The sample consisted of 38 females with chronic migraine who were randomly assigned to mindful hypnotherapy and medical treatment as usual groups. Psychological inflexibility pain scale (PIPS), chronic pain acceptance questionnaire-revised (CPAQ-R), headache disability inventory (HDI), diary scale for headache, and short-form McGill pain questionnaire 2 (SF-MPQ-2) were administered at baseline and post-treatment in both groups. The psychological inflexibility mean (SD) score was 81.00 (12.15) at baseline, which significantly decreased to 53.28 (17.06) after the intervention (p < 0.001). Additionally, the mean (SD) score of the pain acceptance was 46.44 (11.16), which significantly increased to 73.61 (15.65) in post-intervention (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean (SD) score of headache disability was 73.55 (19.48), which significantly decreased to 23.33 (19.88) in post-intervention (p < 0.001). Finally, headache intensity was 7.33 (0.98) and 5.78 (1.83), which significantly decreased to 2.77 (2.04), and 1.38 (1.48) after the intervention based on the Diary Scale for Headache and McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ-2), respectively (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the results show that mindful hypnotherapy is a feasible and effective treatment for chronic migraine.
A Minority Class Balanced Approach Using the DCNN-LSTM Method to Detect Human Wrist Fracture
Authors: Rashid Tooba , Zia Muhammad Sultan , Najam-ur-Rehman  , Meraj Talha , Rauf Hafiz Tayyab , Kadry Seifedine
Published: January 2023

The emergency department of hospitals receives a massive number of patients with wrist fracture. For the clinical diagnosis of a suspected fracture, X-ray imaging is the major screening tool. A wrist fracture is a significant global health concern for children, adolescents, and the elderly. A missed diagnosis of wrist fracture on medical imaging can have significant consequences for patients, resulting in delayed treatment and poor functional recovery. Therefore, an intelligent method is needed in the medical department to precisely diagnose wrist fracture via an automated diagnosing tool by considering it a second option for doctors. In this research, a fused model of the deep learning method, a convolutional neural network (CNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM) is proposed to detect wrist fractures from X-ray images. It gives a second option to doctors to diagnose wrist facture using the computer vision method to lessen the number of missed fractures. The dataset acquired from Mendeley comprises 192 wrist X-ray images. In this framework, image pre-processing is applied, then the data augmentation approach is used to solve the class imbalance problem by generating rotated oversamples of images for minority classes during the training process, and pre-processed images and augmented normalized images are fed into a 28-layer dilated CNN (DCNN) to extract deep valuable features. Deep features are then fed to the proposed LSTM network to distinguish wrist fractures from normal ones. The experimental results of the DCNN-LSTM with and without augmentation is compared with other deep learning models. The proposed work is also compared to existing algorithms in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, the F1-score, and kappa. The results show that the DCNN-LSTM fusion achieves higher accuracy and has high potential for medical applications to use as a second option.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Endocrine Disruptors (Bisphenols, Parabens, and Triclosan)—A Systematic Review
Authors: Srnovršnik Tinkara , Virant-Klun Irma , Pinter Bojana
Published: January 2023

Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can result in alterations of the female reproductive system, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of this review was to summarize the knowledge about the association of EDCs (bisphenols, parabens, and triclosan) with PCOS. We conducted an electronic literature search using PubMed for studies published between January 2007 and October 2022 on EDCs related to PCOS, and evaluated the association of PCOS with bisphenols, parabens and triclosan in 15 articles. Most studies revealed significantly higher plasma, urinary or follicular fluid levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in women with PCOS, and some showed a positive correlation of BPA with insulin resistance, polycystic morphology on ultrasound, hepatic steatosis, bilirubin levels, as well as free androgen index, androstenedione and testosterone serum levels, and markers of low-grade chronic inflammation. There was a negative correlation of BPA with markers of ovarian reserve, sex hormone binding globulin and vitamin D–binding protein. Parabens and triclosan have been studied in only one study each, with no significant associations with PCOS observed. Our review revealed an association of BPA with PCOS and negative effects of BPA on human ovaries; more research is needed to assess the potential associations of parabens and triclosan with PCOS.
Oromaxillofacial Surgery: Both a Treatment and a Possible Cause of Obstructive Sleep Apnea—A Narrative Review
Authors: Martinovic Dinko , Tokic Daria , Puizina-Mladinic Ema , Kadic Sanja , Lesin Antonella , Lupi-Ferandin Slaven , Kumric Marko , Bozic Josko
Published: January 2023

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic, sleep-related breathing disorder. It is characterized by a nocturnal periodic decrease or complete stop in airflow due to partial or total collapse of the oropharyngeal tract. Surgical treatment of OSA is constantly evolving and improving, especially with the implementation of new technologies, and this is needed because of the very heterogeneous reasons for OSA due to the multiple sites of potential airway obstruction. Moreover, all of these surgical methods have advantages and disadvantages; hence, patients should be approached individually, and surgical therapies should be chosen carefully. Furthermore, while it is well-established that oromaxillofacial surgery (OMFS) provides various surgical modalities for treating OSA both in adults and children, a new aspect is emerging regarding the possibility that some of the surgeries from the OMFS domain are also causing OSA. The latest studies are suggesting that surgical treatment in the head and neck region for causes other than OSA could possibly have a major impact on the emergence of newly developed OSA, and this issue is still very scarcely mentioned in the literature. Both oncology, traumatology, and orthognathic surgeries could be potential risk factors for developing OSA. This is an important subject, and this review will focus on both the possibilities of OMFS treatments for OSA and on the OMFS treatments for other causes that could possibly be triggering OSA.
Molecular Detection of Rickettsia and Other Bacteria in Ticks and Birds in an Urban Fragment of Tropical Dry Forest in Magdalena, Colombia
Authors: Rodriguez Miguel Mateo , Oviedo Angel , Bautista Daniel , Tamaris-Turizo Diana Patricia , Flores Fernando S. , Castro Lyda R.
Published: January 2023

Birds are important hosts in the life cycle of some species of ticks. In Colombia, there are few eco-epidemiological studies of tick-borne diseases; the existing ones have been focused on areas where unusual outbreaks have occurred. This study describes the identification of ticks collected from birds and vegetation, and the detection of bacteria in those ticks and in blood samples from birds in an urban fragment of tropical dry forest in the department of Magdalena, Colombia. Bird sampling was carried out monthly in 2021, and 367 birds, distributed among 41 species, were captured. All collected ticks were identified as Amblyomma sp. or Amblyomma dissimile. The presence of rickettsiae in ticks collected from birds was evaluated by molecular analysis of the gltA, ompA and sca1 genes. 16S rRNA meta-taxonomy was used to evaluate rickettsiae in ticks collected from vegetation and in blood samples from birds. The presence of the species “Candidatus Rickettsia colombianensi” was detected in ticks from birds. Bacteria of the family Rickettsiacea was the most abundant in ticks collected from vegetation. Bacteria of the families Staphylococcaceae, Comamonadaceae and Pseudomonadaceae were prevalent in the samples of blood from birds. Rickettsia spp. was also detected in low abundance in some of the bird blood samples.
Density and Dynamic Viscosity of Perfluorodecalin-Added n-Hexane Mixtures: Deciphering the Role of Fluorous Liquids
Authors: Deepika Deepika , Pandey Siddharth
Published: January 2023

Fluorous solvents are deputed as prominent solvent systems owing to their salient features, unique physical properties, and ecological importance. In this study, the temperature- and composition-dependence of physical properties, density (ρ/g·cm−3), and dynamic viscosity (η/mPa·s), of neat perfluorodecalin (PFD) and PFD-added n-hexane mixtures with select compositions are reported. Density follows a linear decrease with temperature and a quadratic increase with the mole fraction of PFD. The sensitivity or dependence of density on temperature increases with an increase in PFD mole fraction. The temperature-dependence of the dynamic viscosity of the investigated mixtures follows the Arrhenius-type expression from which the resultant activation energy of the viscous flow (Ea,η) is determined. Interestingly, the composition-dependence of dynamic viscosity shows exponential growth with an increase in PFD mole fraction. Excess molar volumes (VE) and deviation in the logarithmic viscosities ∆(ln η) of the mixtures are calculated to highlight the presence of strong repulsive interactions between the two mixture components.
Effect of Zirconium Diboride and Titanium Diboride on the Structure and Properties of 316L Steel-Based Composites
Authors: Sulima Iwona , Hyjek Paweł , Podsiadło Marcin , Boczkal Sonia
Published: January 2023

The effect of zirconium diboride (ZrB2) and titanium diboride (TiB2) on the microstructure as well as the physical, mechanical, and tribological properties of composites based on 316 L steel is presented. Each reinforcing phase was added to the base alloy in the amount of 5 wt% and 10 wt%. The composites were fabricated by the SPS process (Spark Plasma Sintering). The results show that the weight fraction of the reinforcing phase affects the physical, mechanical, and tribological properties of the sintered composites. The sintered materials were characterized by a very high level of density. The addition of TiB2 has proved to be effective in increasing the hardness and compressive strength of the composites. The hardness of the composites with the addition of 10% TiB2 increased by 100% compared to the hardness of sintered 316L steel. It was found that introducing ZrB2 to the steel matrix significantly improved the wear resistance of the composites. The results showed that compared to 316L steel with the wear rate of 519 × 10−6 mm3/Nm, the wear rate of the composites containing 10% ZrB2 decreased more than twice, i.e., to 243 × 10−6 mm3/Nm.
Study of Transition Areas in Press-Hardened Steels in a Combined Tool for Hot and Cold Forming
Authors: Votava Filip , Jirková Hana , Kučerová Ludmila , Jeníček Štěpán
Published: January 2023

Press-hardening, also known as hot stamping, is a manufacturing process for producing car body parts that must meet the high demands of their mechanical properties and safety parameters. Moreover, these components often require different mechanical properties in different parts of the component. This work presents the press-hardening process in a special combined tool where one half of the tool is heated and the other half is cooled. The cooled part has been 3D printed due to the complexity of the internal cooling channels. The aim of this work is to investigate the variation of the microstructures in the sheet metal and the mechanical properties in relation to the cooling process in the tool and to determine the transition area where these properties cross over. Two steels were chosen for the experiment. The most commonly used steel 22MnB5, and an experimental high-strength steel with 0.2% C alloyed with manganese and aluminium. A temperature of 425 °C was set in the heated part of the tool, and different holding times in the tool were tested. In the heated part of the tool, a bainitic structure with a fraction of ferrite and retained austenite was formed, while in the quenched part of the tool, a martensitic transformation was promoted due to rapid cooling. In addition to microscopic analyses, mechanical tests and hardness measurements were also performed.
Effect of Scanning Strategy on Thermal Stresses and Strains during Electron Beam Melting of Inconel 625: Experiment and Simulation
Authors: Zhao Xiaoyu , Wei Yuan , Mansour Rami , Dadbakhsh Sasan , Rashid Amir
Published: January 2023

This paper develops a hybrid experimental/simulation method for the first time to assess the thermal stresses generated during electron beam melting (EBM) at high temperatures. The bending and rupture of trusses supporting Inconel 625 alloy panels at ~1050 °C are experimentally measured for various scanning strategies. The generated thermal stresses and strains are thereafter simulated using the Finite-Element Method (FEM). It is shown that the thermal stresses on the trusses may reach the material UTS without causing failure. Failure is only reached after the part experiences a certain magnitude of plastic strain (~0.33 ± 0.01 here). As the most influential factor, the plastic strain increases with the scanning length. In addition, it is shown that continuous scanning is necessary since the interrupted chessboard strategy induces cracking at the overlapping regions. Therefore, the associated thermal deformation is to be minimized using a proper layer rotation according to the part length. Although this is similar to the literature reported for selective laser melting (SLM), the effect of scanning pattern is found to differ, as no significant difference in thermal stresses/strains is observed between bidirectional and unidirectional patterns from EBM.
Hybrid Data-Driven Deep Learning Framework for Material Mechanical Properties Prediction with the Focus on Dual-Phase Steel Microstructures
Authors: Cheloee Darabi Ali Cheloee , Rastgordani Shima , Khoshbin Mohammadreza , Guski Vinzenz , Schmauder Siegfried
Published: January 2023

A comprehensive approach to understand the mechanical behavior of materials involves costly and time-consuming experiments. Recent advances in machine learning and in the field of computational material science could significantly reduce the need for experiments by enabling the prediction of a material’s mechanical behavior. In this paper, a reliable data pipeline consisting of experimentally validated phase field simulations and finite element analysis was created to generate a dataset of dual-phase steel microstructures and mechanical behaviors under different heat treatment conditions. Afterwards, a deep learning-based method was presented, which was the hybridization of two well-known transfer-learning approaches, ResNet50 and VGG16. Hyper parameter optimization (HPO) and fine-tuning were also implemented to train and boost both methods for the hybrid network. By fusing the hybrid model and the feature extractor, the dual-phase steels’ yield stress, ultimate stress, and fracture strain under new treatment conditions were predicted with an error of less than 1%.
Influence of Thickness of Opaque Porcelain and Alloy Color on the Final Color of Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Restorations
Authors: Vichi Alessandro , Corciolani Gabriele , Carrabba Michele , Munoz Alvaro , Louca Chris
Published: January 2023

Despite the advent of metal-free solutions, porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations (PFM) are still widely used. Particularly for the latest ceramic systems, scarce information is present in the scientific literature about the ideal opaque layer thickness and the alloy color impact to achieve the desired final color of PFM restorations. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of opaque thickness variation layered on different metal alloys on the final color of PFM restorations. Opaque porcelain of one metal–ceramic system (VITA VM13) was layered in four different thicknesses (0.10 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.20 mm, and 0.25 mm) on three differently colored dental alloys: a gold–platinum alloy (yellowish), a gold–palladium alloy (light grayish), and a nickel–chromium alloy (dark grayish). The veneering porcelain layered over the opaque was kept constant (Base Dentine 0.45 mm, Transpa Dentine 0.50 mm, and Enamel 0.20 mm). Sixty specimens were fabricated, five samples for each combination of alloy/opaque thickness. The color difference (ΔE) between specimen and reference was measured using a clinical spectrophotometer. The two-way ANOVA revealed that the thickness of both the opaque (p < 0.001) and the metal alloy (p < 0.001) significantly influenced the ΔE values. Gray-colored alloys covered by a 0.10 mm thick opaque layer enabled the closest color match, whereas this occurred for yellow-color alloys covered by a 0.15 mm thick opaque layer. In contrast, the samples covered by a 0.25 mm thick opaque layer obtained the worst ΔE.
Effect of Blend Composition on Barrier Properties of Insulating Mats Produced from Local Wool and Waste Bast Fibres
Authors: Kicińska-Jakubowska Anna , Broda Jan , Zimniewska Małgorzata , Bączek Marcin , Mańkowski Jerzy
Published: January 2023

This paper concerns the management of natural waste fibres. The aim of this research was the production of multifunctional acoustic and thermal insulation materials from natural protein and lignocellulosic fibre wastes, according to a circular bioeconomy. For the manufacture of the materials, local mountain sheep wool and a mixture of bast fibre waste generated by string production were used. Insulating materials in the form of mats produced by the needle-punching technique with different fibre contents were obtained. The basic parameters of the mats, i.e., the thickness, surface weight and air permeability were determined. To assess barrier properties, sound absorption and noise reduction coefficients, as well as thermal resistance and thermal conductivity, were measured. It was shown that the mats exhibit barrier properties in terms of thermal and acoustic insulation related to the composition of the mat. It was found that mats with a higher content of the bast fibres possess a greater ability to absorb sounds, while mats with higher wool contents exhibit better thermal insulation properties. The produced mats can serve as a good alternative to commonly used acoustic and thermal insulating materials. The production of the described materials allows for a reduction in the amount of natural fibre waste and achieves the goal of “zero waste” according to the European Green Deal strategy.
Fatigue Life Assessment of API Steel Grade X65 Pipeline Using a Modified Basquin Parameter of the Magnetic Flux Leakage Signal
Authors: Firdaus Syed Muhamad , Arifin Azli , Abdullah Shahrum , Singh Salvinder Singh Karam , Nor Noorsuhada Md
Published: January 2023

This paper presents a modified fatigue life model of the Basquin equation using the stress parameter of the magnetic flux leakage signal. Most pipeline steels experience cyclic loading during service and the influence of the load history makes assessing fatigue behaviour more difficult. The magnetic flux leakage signal’s response to a uniaxial cyclic test of API X65 steel was measured with eight levels of ultimate tensile stress loads. The influence of dH(y)/dx on fatigue failure was the main concern in this study, the aim being to represent localised stress parameters in the modified Basquin equation. Both fatigue lives, experimental and predicted from the modified Basquin equation, were validated through reliability analysis, producing a 60% value when approaching 1.8 × 105 cycles. The fatigue data from the experiment produced a higher mean-cycle-to-failure value than the prediction data, with slightly different values of 3.37 × 105 and 3.28 × 105. Additionally, the modified Basquin equation’s predicted and the experimental fatigue lives were found to have a high R2 correlation value of 0.9022. The Pearson correlation also showed a good relationship between the fatigue lives, with an r value of 0.9801. Finally, the modified Basquin equation based on dH(y)/dx signals provided an accurate and alternative method for durability assessment.
Dispersion of Long and Isolated Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes by Using a Hydrodynamic Cavitation Method
Authors: Fujii Shunjiro , Honda Shin-ichi , Oka Yoshihiro , Kuwahara Yuki , Saito Takeshi
Published: January 2023

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are promising materials for electronic applications, such as transparent electrodes and thin-film transistors. However, the dispersion of isolated SWCNTs into solvents remains an important issue for their practical applications. SWCNTs are commonly dispersed in solvents via ultrasonication. However, ultrasonication damages SWCNTs, forming defects and cutting them into short pieces, which significantly degrade their electrical and mechanical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a novel approach toward the large-scale dispersion of long and isolated SWCNTs by using hydrodynamic cavitation. Considering the results of atomic force microscopy and dynamic light-scattering measurements, the average length of the SWCNTs dispersed via the hydrodynamic cavitation method is larger than that of the SWCNTs dispersed by using an ultrasonic homogenizer.
Surface Modification and Properties of Thin Ink Films with Added TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles Applied on Paperboard Substrates
Authors: Mahović Poljaček Sanja , Tomašegović Tamara , Strižić Jakovljević Maja , Donevski Davor
Published: January 2023

In this study, the surface modification of thin ink films with added nanoparticles was used to improve the functional properties of ink applied on paperboard substrates. The surface modification was performed by additional exposure of the samples to xenon radiation. Anatase TiO2, rutile TiO2 and ZnO were added to the base ink. The effect of surface modification on the surface, structural, and mechanical properties of the printed ink films was determined by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, calculating the surface free energy and adhesion parameters, performing the rub resistance test of the printed samples, and by measuring the resistance to bending. Color measurements on the ink films were performed in order to observe the optical properties of unmodified and modified samples. The results showed that surface modification significantly improved the adhesion properties of the thin ink films and the mechanical properties of the samples. The results obtained on uncoated and coated paperboard showed that the addition of rutile TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles had the greatest effect on the rub resistance of the ink films. The results of the color analysis showed that the addition of nanoparticles did not change the optical properties of the modified ink films and that rutile TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles improved the lightfastness of the applied ink films.
Properties and Cementation Mechanism of Geopolymer Backfill Paste Incorporating Diverse Industrial Solid Wastes
Authors: Wang Haoyu , Zhao Xianhui , Wang Jing , He Lili , Zhang Aijuan , Gao Han , Yang Jing , Liang Luhui
Published: January 2023

Industrialization has resulted in a large number of industrial waste slags being produced, which severely pollute the environment. This urgently needs resourceful treatment. The objective of this paper is to investigate the preparation, performance, and cementation mechanism of a novel geopolymer backfill paste for goaf. We reused diverse industrial waste slags based on low-calcium silica–alumina precursors (two fly ashes FAI, FAII, and red mud RM), high-calcium-based slags (carbide slag CS, soda residue SR, briquette residue slag BRS, and granulated blast furnace slag GBFS), and two additives (gypsum powder GP and lime powder LP). The hardening of backfill pastes was investigated by analyzing the effects of FAI, GBFS, RM, and LP on physical and chemical performance. The cementation mechanism of the prepared backfill paste was revealed through morphology, mineralogy, and chemical products through the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the prepared backfill paste incorporating various solid wastes (FAI, FAII, RM, CS, SR, GBFS, RBS, etc.) yields a 28-d compressive strength of 2.1 MPa (higher than the required value of 0.6 MPa) and a fluidity of 201 mm. Geopolymer gels (N,C)-A-S-H, calcium silicate hydrated C-S-H, and calcium aluminosilicate hydrated C-A-S-H gels serve as chemical cementers, whereas unreacted particles serve as physical filler skeletons. These findings provide an experimental and theoretical basis for the interchangeable use of various identical component solid wastes in backfill engineering materials.
An Extended Model for Analyzing the Heat Transfer in the Skin–Microenvironment–Fabric System during Firefighting
Authors: Lei Ying , Wang Faming , Yang Jie
Published: January 2023

This study proposed an extended multi–layer heat transfer model to simulate skin burns of firefighters during firefighting. The proposed model takes into account the effect of fabric movement frequencies, fabric movement amplitudes and human body movement speeds on the heat transfer between the skin and the heat source under low–level radiative exposure. The simulation performance was validated against the simulations in the published literature in terms of the heat transfer in the multi–layer fabric system, skin temperature and skin burns. The results indicated that the fabric periodic movement caused by human body movement decreased the time to skin burns and the skin temperature increased with increasing fabric movement amplitude. During firefighting, the time to 2nd degree burn was 33.3–35.2% shorter at medium human body movement speed than at low and high movement speeds. Furthermore, at low movement speeds, the time to 2nd degree burn was negatively associated with fabric movement amplitude, whereas it was delayed by 12.9–29.8% at the fabric movement amplitude of 2.5 mm at medium and high human body movement speeds. This research provides foundational knowledge for the development of a new generation of firefighters’ protective clothing (FPC) and the assessment of skin burns in firefighters.
Superior Comprehensive Mechanical Properties of a Low-Carbon Medium Manganese Steel for Replacing AISI 4330 Steel in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Sun Xinjun , Liu Gang , Liang Xiaokai , Tong Shuai
Published: January 2023

A low-carbon medium manganese steel (0.12C-3.13Mn) containing Cr, Ni, Mo, V, and Cu elements was designed to replace the AISI 4330 steel applied in the oil and gas industry. The mechanical properties, microstructures, and fatigue crack growth rate were comparatively analyzed using uniaxial tension tests, microstructure characterization, and compact tension with fatigue crack growth characterization. The results showed that the ductility and −40 °C impact energy of 0.12C-3.13Mn steel were better than AISI 4330 steel (from 115 J to 179 J), while the yield strength of 957 MPa of the former was lower than the latter of 1060 MPa after being subjected to the same tempering process. The microstructure of 0.12C-3.13Mn steel was composed of a mixture of tempered martensite, reversed austenite, and nanosized precipitation particles, while the microstructure of S4330 steel contained ferrite and large-size Fe3C with lath and near-spherical morphologies. Compared to Cr-rich Fe3C, (V, Mo)C and Cu-rich particles have smaller sizes and, thus, provide more strengthening increment, leading to a higher yield ratio. The impressive fatigue-resistance property was obtained in 0.12C-3.13Mn steel because the threshold value was 5.23 MPa*m1/2 compared to the value of 4.88 MPa*m1/2 for S4330 steel. Even if the fatigue crack grew, the stress intensity factor range of 0.12C-3.13Mn steel was obviously wider than that of AISI 4330 steel due to the presence of reversed austenite and secondary cracks. Overall, the AISI 4330 steel could be replaced with the designed 0.12C-3.13Mn steel due to the similar strength and better ductility, low-temperature toughness, and fatigue-resistance property.
Ultrathin Graphene Oxide-Based Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Purification
Authors: Soomro Faheeda , Memon Fida Hussain , Khan Muhammad Ali , Iqbal Muzaffar , Ibrar Aliya , Memon Ayaz Ali , Lim Jong Hwan , Choi Kyung Hyon , Thebo Khalid Hussain
Published: January 2023

Two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO)-based lamellar membranes have been widely developed for desalination, water purification, gas separation, and pervaporation. However, membranes with a well-organized multilayer structure and controlled pore size remain a challenge. Herein, an easy and efficient method is used to fabricate MoO2@GO and WO3@GO nanocomposite membranes with controlled structure and interlayer spacing. Such membranes show good separation for salt and heavy metal ions due to the intensive stacking interaction and electrostatic attraction. The as-prepared composite membranes showed high rejection rates (˃70%) toward small metal ions such as sodium (Na+) and magnesium (Mg2+) ions. In addition, both membranes also showed high rejection rates ˃99% for nickel (Ni2+) and lead (Pb2+) ions with good water permeability of 275 ± 10 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. We believe that our fabricated membranes will have a bright future in next generation desalination and water purification membranes.
Initiation and Mechanisms of Plasticity in Bimetallic Al-Cu Composite
Authors: Krasnikov Vasiliy S. , Mayer Alexander E.
Published: January 2023

We studied the shear deformation of a laminar Al-Cu composite with (100) and (110) interfaces with a shear perpendicular to the lamellae in comparison with pure single crystal Al and Cu at strain rates of 109 s−1 and 108 s−1 and different initial pressures in the range from −3 GPa to +50 GPa. The results of molecular dynamics (MD) for the plasticity initiation are generalized by means of an artificial neural network (ANN) trained by MD data for the (100) interface, and a rate sensitivity parameter identified using MD data for different strain rates. The ANN-based approach allows us to extrapolate MD data to much lower strain rates, which are more relevant for typical dynamic loadings. The considered problem is of interest as an example of the application of the developed ANN-based approach to bimetallic systems, whereas previously it was tested only for pure metals; in addition, Al-Cu composites are of practical interest for technology. The interface between metals reduces the shear strength of the composite in comparison with both pure metals. At an initial pressure below 10 GPa, the plasticity begins in the aluminum part of the composite, while at higher pressures, the plasticity of the copper part starts first. At a pressure above 40 GPa, a phase transition in the aluminum part governs the plasticity development. All this leads to a nonmonotonic pressure dependence of the critical shear stress of the Al-Cu composite in the case of (100) and (110) interfaces without misorientation. Misorientation decreases the critical stress of the nucleation of lattice dislocation and makes the pressure dependence of this stress monotonic. Deformation modes, with a defect-free copper part and a strain-accommodating aluminum part are observed in the MD and can be useful for technological applications related to deformable conducting materials.
Role of Carbon Content on Microstructure Evolution and Impact Toughness in Coarse-Grained Heat-Affected Zone of High-Strength Steel
Authors: Wang Xuelin , Xie Zhenjia , Su Wenjuan , Shang Chengjia
Published: January 2023

The effect of carbon content in the base metals of high-strength steel on the microstructure and impact toughness of simulated welding focusing on a coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) at different heat inputs was systematically investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron back-scattering diffraction (EBSD). The Charpy impact test confirmed that there was an optimal heat input, which caused the CGHAZ to obtain the highest impact toughness. The optimal heat input is ~20 kJ/cm and remains unchanged with an increase in carbon content from 0.04 to 0.12 wt.%. However, the impact toughness of the CGHAZ decreases with the increase in carbon content at each heat input. Microstructure characterization showed that a CGHAZ with 0.04 wt.% carbon gradually changed from lath bainite (LB) to granular bainite (GB) with an increase in heat input, while it changed from lath martensite (LM) to LB and then to GB for a CGHAZ with 0.12 wt.% carbon. Although the density of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) obtained at 20 kJ/cm in the high-carbon sample is higher than that of the low-carbon sample, its impact toughness is lower, which is related to the parallel structure of the lath bundles and the morphology the austenite penetration.
Biomarkers of Drug Resistance in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Adults
Authors: Panina Yulia S. , Timechko Elena E. , Usoltseva Anna A. , Yakovleva Kristina D. , Kantimirova Elena A. , Dmitrenko Diana V.
Published: January 2023

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common type of focal epilepsy in adults. Experimental and clinical data indicate that neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration accompanying epileptogenesis make a significant contribution to the chronicity of epilepsy and the development of drug resistance in TLE cases. Changes in plasma and serum concentrations of proteins associated with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration can be predictive biomarkers of the course of the disease. This study used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of the following plasma proteins: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa), and high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) in patients with mesial TLE to search for biomarkers of the disease. The objective of the study was to examine biomarkers of the neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration of plasma: BDNF, TNFa, and HMGB1. The aim of the study was to identify changes in the concentration of circulating pro-inflammatory and neurotrophic factors that are prognostically significant for the development of drug resistance and the course of TLE. A decrease in the concentration of BDNF, TNFa, and HMGB1 was registered in the group of patients with TLE compared with the control group. A significant decrease in the concentration of HMGB1 in patients with drug-resistant TLE was observed. Aberrations in plasma concentrations of BDNF, TNFa, and HMGB1 in patients with TLE compared with the controls have been confirmed by earlier studies. A decrease in the expression of the three biomarkers may be the result of neurodegenerative processes caused by the long course of the disease. The results of the study may indicate the acceptability of using HMGB1 and TNFa as prognostic biological markers to indicate the severity of the disease course and the risk of developing drug resistance.
Airplane Emergency Landing Due to Quick Development of Mesoscale Convective Complexes
Authors: Leirias Renata Barros Vasconcelos , Fedorova Natalia , Levit Vladimir
Published: January 2023

Some meteorological phenomena in South America develop quickly and take on large dimensions. These phenomena cause disasters for aviation, such as incidents and accidents. Mesoscale convective complexes (MCCs) forced a commercial airplane into an emergency landing at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in October 2018. The airplane took off from São Paulo (Brazil) to Santiago (Chile) and had to alternate to Ezeiza after encountering unanticipated agglomerations of MCCs along the flight route; its structure was seriously damaged, which affected the safety of the flight. A synoptic and thermodynamic analysis of the atmosphere, prior to the event, was made based on GOES16 infrared satellite data, radiosonde data, maps of several variables such as stream lines, temperature advection, surface synoptic maps and layer thickness from CPTEC/INPE and NCEP reanalysis data. The main observed processes that influenced the formation and development of conglomerates of MCCs were the following: (1) the cyclogenesis of a baroclinic cyclone on the cold front; (2) the coupling of subtropical and polar jet streams; (3) the advection of warm and humid air along a low-level jet stream. Recommendations for meteorologists in weather forecasting and for aviators in flight safety were prepared.
Formation of the Chalukou High Fluorine-Type Mo (–Zn–Pb) Deposit, NE China: Constraints from Fluorite and Sphalerite Rare Earth Elements and Sr–Nd Isotope Compositions
Authors: Jin Luying , Qin Kezhang , Li Guangming , Zhao Junxing , Li Zhenzhen , Chu Zhuyin , Song Guoxue
Published: January 2023

Fluorite is a widespread mineral in porphyry and hydrothermal vein Mo-polymetallic deposits. Here, fluorite is utilised as a probe to trace the fluid source and reveal the fluid evolution process in the Chalukou giant Mo (Pb–Zn) deposit, Northeast China, which is characterised as early porphyry Mo and later vein-style Zn–Pb mineralisation. A detailed rare earth element (REE) and Sr–Nd isotope study of fluorite combined with Sr isotopes of sphalerite is conducted for the Chalukou deposit. The chondrite-normalised REE patterns of fluorites from molybdenite veins show light REE (LREE)-enriched patterns, with negative Eu anomalies (δEu = 0.60) and weakly negative Y anomalies (Y/Y* = 0.72). The fluorites associated with sphalerite veins exhibit rare earth element (REE)-flat patterns with negative Eu anomalies (δEu = 0.65 to 0.99) and positive Y anomalies (Y/Y* = 1.37 to 3.08). In addition, during the progression from Mo to Zn–Pb mineralisation, the total concentration of REEs decreases from 839 ppm to 53.7 ppm, and Y/Ho ratios increase from 22.1 to 92.5. These features may be explained by the different mobilities of REE complexes during fluid migration. The Eu anomalies are considered to be inherited from source fluids. All the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of fluorite and sphalerite are between those of ore-forming porphyries and wall rocks (rhyolite), with fluorite ratios ranging from 0.706942 to 0.707386 and sphalerite ratios varying from 0.705221 to 0.710417. The majority of εNd(t) values of fluorite varying from −6.4 to −3.6 are also located between the ratios exhibited by ore-forming porphyries and rhyolite, whereas three εNd(t) values of fluorites ranging from −0.26 to 0.36 are close to those of ore-forming porphyries. All the isotopic features indicate that the Sr-Nd isotope ratios of hydrothermal fluid are derived from porphyries and disturbed by fluid–rock reactions. Together with a two-stage Sr–Nd isotope mixing model, we suggest that different sources and fluid–rock interactions (syn-ore intrusions and strata) finally influence the Sr–Nd isotopes of the ore-forming fluids, which are recorded by the majority of fluorite and sphalerite.
Significantly Suppressed Dielectric Loss and Enhanced Breakdown Strength in Core@Shell Structured Ni@TiO2/PVDF Composites
Authors: Zhou Juanjuan , Zhou Wenying , Yuan Mengxue , Dong Xinbo , Zhang Jiebing , Zhang Xuejiao , Zhang Yanqing , Chen Xiaolong , Chen Yanrong , Liu Xiangrong
Published: January 2023

An insulating shell on the surface of conductive particles is vital for restraining the dielectric loss and leakage current of polymer composites. So as to inhibit the enormous loss and conductivity of pristine nickel (Ni)/poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF) composites but still harvest a high dielectric permittivity (εr) when filler loading approaches or exceeds the percolation threshold (fc), pristine Ni particles were covered by a layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2) shell via a sol–gel approach, and then they were composited with PVDF. The impacts of the TiO2 coating on the dielectric performances of the Ni/PVDF composites were explored as a function of the filler concentration, the shell thickness and frequency. In addition, the dielectric performances were fitted using the Havriliak–Negami (H–N) equation in order to further understand the TiO2 shell’s effect on polarization mechanism in the composites. The Ni@TiO2/PVDF composites exhibit high εr and enhanced breakdown strength (Eb) but remarkably suppressed loss and conductivity when compared with pristine Ni/PVDF because the TiO2 shell can efficiently stop the direct contact between Ni particles thereby suppressing the long–range electron transportation. Further, the dielectric performances can be effectively tuned through finely adjusting the TiO2 shell’ thickness. The resulting Ni@TiO2/PVDF composites with high εr and Eb but low loss show appealing applications in microelectronics and electrical fields.
Synthesis of fluorescent Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles Sensing Small Neurotransmitters with High Selectivity Using Immobilized Templates with Regulated Surface Density
Authors: Yoshimi Yasuo , Katsumata Yuto , Osawa Naoya , Ogishita Neo , Kadoya Ryota
Published: January 2023

To develop nanosensors to probe neurotransmitters, we synthesized fluorescent-functionalized molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticles (fMIP-NPs) using monoamine neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) immobilized on glass beads as templates. The size and fluorescence intensity of the fMIP-NPs synthesized with blended silane couplers increased with the presence of the target but were insensitive to the target analogs (L-tryptophan and L-dopa, respectively). However, when the template is anchored by a pure silane agent, both the fluorescence intensity and particle size of the fMIP-NPs were sensitive to the structural analog of the template. Another fMIP-NP was synthesized in the presence of poly([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (METMAC)-co-methacrylamide) grafted onto glass beads as a dummy template for acetylcholine. Acetylcholine increased the diameter and fluorescence intensity of the fMIP-NP, but choline had no effect. When the homopolymer of METMAC was used as a template, the fluorescence intensity and size of the resulting nanoparticles were not responsive to either acetylcholine or choline. The principle of increased fluorescence intensity due to specific interaction with the target substance is probably due to the increased distance between the fluorescent functional groups and decreased self-quenching due to the swelling caused by the specific interaction with the template. The results also indicate that MIP nanoparticles prepared by solid-phase synthesis can be used for targeting small molecules, such as the neurotransmitters addressed in this study, by adjusting the surface density of the template.
Improvement of Carbonyl Groups and Surface Defects in Carbon Nanotubes to Activate Peroxydisulfate for Tetracycline Degradation
Authors: Wang Wenxi , Zhang Junjie , Hou Zhiran , Chen Pei , Zhou Xu , Wang Wei , Tan Fatang , Wang Xinyun , Qiao Xueliang
Published: January 2023

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were considered a promising activator for persulfates due to their high electrical conductivity, large specific surface area and low toxicity. The functional groups and surface defects of CNTs could significantly affect their activation performance. In this study, CNTs with high C=O ratio and defect density (CNT-O-H) were prepared through a facile treatment of raw CNTs with HNO3 oxidation followed by calcination at 800 °C under an argon atmosphere. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman results showed that the C=O proportion and defect degree (ID/IG) rose to 75% and 1.53, respectively. The obtained CNT-O-H possessed a superior performance towards peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation, and the degradation efficiency of tetracycline (TC) in the CNT-O-H/PDS system was increased to 75.2% from 56.2% of the raw CNTs/PDS system within 40 min. Moreover, the activity of CNT-O-H after use could be easily recovered with re-calcination. In addition, the CNT-O-H/PDS system exhibited high adaptabilities towards wide solution pH (2–10), common coexisting substances and diverse organic pollutants. Singlet oxygen (1O2) was confirmed to be the dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in the CNT-O-H/PDS system. It was inferred that surface C=O groups and defects of CNTs were the key site to activate PDS for TC degradation.
Thermophysical Properties of Nanocolloids and Their Potential Applications
Authors: Minea Alina Adriana
Published: January 2023

This Special Issue is a continuation of the previous successful Special Issue, entitled “Future and Prospects in Nanofluids Research”, co-edited by the present Editor and dedicated to the topic of “Thermophysical Properties of Nanocolloids and Their Potential Applications” [...]