bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Environments and Physical Activity Among Active Black Women
Authors: Affuso Olivia , Kinsey Amber W. , Whitt-Glover Melicia C. , Segar Michelle , Bowen Pamela
Published: May 2022

Purpose

To explore the social context of physical activity (PA) among active Black women, we examine the patterns of PA engagement and the benefits of social support in PA maintenance.

Design

A cross-sectional study design and descriptive phenomenological approach were used to examine social support and lived experiences of active Black women.

Setting

The study setting was an online survey of active Black women, ages 21 to 71 years who were recruited from across the United States.

Participants

This secondary data analysis was conducted among a sample of 187 active Black women who maintained PA for ≥6 months. The mean age was 41 ± 12.3 years, 83.4% completed some college, 37.7% were married, and 30.0% had children.

Measures

Participants self-reported ‘with whom’ they engaged in PA and provided qualitative responses about their strategies for PA maintenance. Descriptive statistics were used to examine between-group differences among demographic characteristics and PA variables by category of PA engagement using SAS 9.4. Descriptive phenomenology was used to explore social support themes across and within categories of PA engagement.

Results

On average, the active Black women in this study reported engaging in 57.0 ± 18.9 minutes of moderate intensity leisure-time PA per session. Most engaged in PA alone (n = 87), with a group (n = 72), or with another individual (n = 28). Social context themes within categories included: alone – self-management, groups - motivation and accountability, family – values health, and friends – shared interests in PA. Subthemes across social context categories included: who? - people, what and how? - types of social support, and where? – place of social support.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that some Black women may need added social support from others beyond family and friends, while other Black women may prefer additional self-management skills. Nonetheless, this study provides data for developing hypotheses about the mechanisms by which social context may facilitate PA maintenance among Black women. Therefore, intervention studies targeting PA maintenance among Black women should include an in-depth query of social support needs.
Facet-level changes in mothers’ neuroticism and extraversion from early pregnancy to 6 months post-partum
Authors: Leikas Sointu , Lahti-Pulkkinen Marius , Räikkönen Katri
Published: May 2022

Becoming a parent could be expected to affect personality development, but the existing results on parenthood-personality change connection are mixed. The present study investigated 2445 primi- and multiparous mothers’ facet- and domain-level changes in Neuroticism and Extraversion from early pregnancy to 6 months post-partum, using latent difference score models. The results showed that Excitability and the affective facets of Neuroticism decreased, and the Neuroticism facets Impulsivity and Self-Consciousness increased during the follow-up. Furthermore, mother-perceived child difficult temperament attenuated desirable personality change and amplified the increases in Impulsivity. The results suggested that considering facet-level changes in personality development across significant life events is informative, and that mother-perceived child temperament may represent an important moderator of short-term personality change across the transition to parenthood.
Investigation of earing defect and thickness distribution in stamp forming of continuous glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composite laminates
Authors: Özdemir A Onur , Karatas Cetin , Kocak Harun , Demiral Murat
Published: May 2022

When lightweighting studies are examined, thermoplastic matrix composites come to the fore as they have a high specific strength, are recyclable, and can be formed by thermoforming. Some obscurity needs to be overcome for the rapid forming of three-dimensional parts from laminated thermoplastic composites. In this study, deep drawing experiments were carried out to investigate the forming capabilities of continuous glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composite laminates. The parameters of drawing depth, laminate temperature, holding pressure, and punch speed were examined at each three different levels. The effects of these parameters were evaluated on the earing defect and the thickness distribution. It was concluded that the laminate temperature affected both deformations the most. It was determined that all parameters caused a change in flange diameter, but the amount of earing increased with the increase of drawing depth. It was established that inhomogeneous thickness distributions occurred in the part and the highest thickening took place in the curve region.
Extracting Primary Emotions and Topics from the Al-Hayat Media Centre Magazine Publications, Using Topic Modelling and Lexicon-Based Approaches
Authors: Maragkos Konstantinos E. , Maravelakis Petros E.
Published: May 2022

It is well recognized that ISIS have effectively utilized several channels to disseminate their propaganda. Producing a considerable amount of unstructured data, the Al-Hayat Media Centre had a cornerstone role in the implementation of the propaganda which targeted audiences of the Western world. Although there was a considerable effort by researchers to analyse the ISIS’s online propaganda, there are very few studies which try to relate the above-mentioned material with the emotions associated with it. In this paper, we study the influence of all known issues of the Islamic State magazines, published by the Al-Hayat Media Centre, used to disseminate propaganda, and introduced ideas to audiences outside Iraq and Syria. We perform a series of natural language processing techniques, such as Emotion and Polarity Analysis using a lexicon-based approach and topic modelling with Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). We extract deep insights from the terrorist corpus, including the emotions that are dominant in the text, the combination of emotions (patterns) that the magazine authors attempt to evoke to the reader, the main topics of discussions and the overall ‘feel’ and theming of the propaganda. The combination of lexicon-based emotion analysis with the topic modelling further achieves a reduction in the ‘emotion noise’ that can be observed when applying the lexicon-based approach only, making clear which the dominant emotions are. The valuable findings discussed in this paper contribute to the existing Information Warfare literature as they provide a whole new perspective in the subject of ISIS’s propaganda. The method also aims to open an interdisciplinary discussion, with applications in politics, marketing, etc.
Role of Neighborhood Physical Disorder and Social Cohesion on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Dementia Risk
Authors: Wong Roger , Wang Yi
Published: May 2022

Objectives: To analyze how neighborhood physical disorder and social cohesion are associated with racial and ethnic disparities in dementia risk. Methods: Nine years of data (2011–2019) were retrieved from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative U.S. older adult (age 65+) sample. Cox regression analyzed time to dementia diagnosis using composite scores for neighborhood physical disorder and social cohesion. Results: Higher baseline neighborhood physical disorder (Adjusted Hazard Ratio [aHR]=1.11, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.01–1.23) and increased disorder at follow-up (aHR=1.10, 95% CI=1.01–1.19) significantly increased dementia risk. Hispanic older adults with higher physical disorder at baseline (aHR=0.62, 95% CI=0.49–0.79) and follow-up (aHR=0.81, 95% CI=0.67–0.98) had a significantly decreased dementia risk. There were no significant associations for social cohesion. Discussion: Physical but not social neighborhood characteristics are associated with dementia risk. Future research is needed to understand protective mechanisms for dementia among Hispanic older adults in neighborhoods with high physical disorder.
Radiographic Outcome of the Endodontic Treatment of 55 Fractured Canine Teeth in 43 Dogs (2013-2018)
Authors: Adrian Alexander I. , Balke Michael , Lynch Rebecca , Fink Lisa
Published: May 2022

Medical records from 4 private practice veterinary dentistry specialty clinics were reviewed for a 5-year period (2013-2018) to identify dogs that had a fractured canine tooth treated by root canal therapy and returned for subsequent follow-up evaluation. Evaluation criteria included the presence of complete medical records with diagnostic quality intraoral radiographs for each procedure visit with a minimum of 6 months between visits. Forty-three dogs with a total of 55 endodontically treated canine teeth were identified and evaluated. Root canal treatment outcome was defined as successful, no evidence of failure (NEF), or failure based on radiographic findings. Patient age, time from initial treatment to follow-up, obturation material used, radiographic quality of obturation (including voids, overfill, and retention of fractured endodontic files), radiographic evidence of periapical disease and/or presence of external inflammatory root resorption (EIRR), and the presence or absence of a full coverage metal crown were evaluated. Treatment was classified as successful in 51 (92.73%) teeth, NEF in 3 (5.45%) teeth, and failure in 1 (1.82%) tooth. The results suggest that endodontic treatment of fractured canine teeth in dogs is a successful treatment option that allows for retention of this functionally important tooth.
Making kin, not babies? Towards childist kinship in the “Anthropocene”
Authors: Mattheis Nikolas
Published: May 2022

To “make kin, not babies” is what Donna Haraway has recently proposed in response to the so-called “Anthropocene”. Building on other critical engagements with Haraway’s proposal, this paper interrogates it from a childist perspective. While striving towards a “pro-child” position on kinship, Haraway only goes so far in explicating this aim. The paper suggests that challenging adultism as well as attention to children's ongoing kinship practices are required.
Articulating encounters between children and plastics
Authors: Kraftl Peter , Hadfield-Hill Sophie , Jarman Polly , Lynch Iseult , Menzel Alice , Till Ruth , Walker Amy
Published: May 2022

In the context of global concerns about plastics, this paper sets out and exemplifies a research agenda for articulating children’s encounters with plastics. The paper analyses data co-produced with 11–15 year-olds through interviews, app-based research and experimental/arts-led workshops. It moves beyond scholarship in health and environmental sciences, and in environmental education research, to outline a far richer range of ways to conceptualise children’s encounters with plastics, based in children’s everyday, embodied and emotive interactions with plastics.
How are children coping with COVID-19 health crisis? Analysing their representations of lockdown through drawings
Authors: Idoiaga Mondragon Nahia , Eiguren Munitis Amaia , Berasategi Sancho Naiara , Picaza Gorrotxategi Maitane , Dosil Santamaria Maria
Published: May 2022

Spain is one of the European countries most affected of COVID-19, and also the one with the most stringent restrictions for children. This study aims to explore how COVID-19 lockdown affects children by analysing 151 drawings from children in lockdown. Findings were represented in four main categories: (1) Activities; (2) Emotions; (3) Socialization; and (4) Academic. The results indicate the need to manage the lockdown situation taking into account also children’s voices and by placing greater emphasis on social and inclusive policies to help alleviate the possible effects of the pandemic and the lockdown on them.
Neoliberalism and neocolonialism in Nadia Prado’s @Copyright (2003): Toward a decolonial reading
Authors: Fernández-Melleda Bárbara
Published: May 2022

This paper reads Nadia Prado’s poetry collection ©Copyright (2003) from a decolonial perspective, based on Walter Mignolo’s conceptualization of history as heterogeneous and decentred, aspects that I argue also permeate subjectivity and poetic expression. The poem delves into criticism of both Chilean neoliberal reality and a wider Latin American context in which the US has become a new economic and cultural hegemonic entity to be resisted from the margins. As a follow-up from the poetry/performance work Poesía es + (2002), co-authored with Malú Urriola, ©Copyright explores expression or its lack thereof within a profit-driven Chilean democratic transitional moment. Prado’s poetry opens up space that paves the way for a deep critique of neo-colonialism and neoliberalism. At the same time, this poem becomes part of a larger corpus of poetic, narrative and critical work that has compiled concerns and discontents since neoliberalism was imposed in Chile.
Restructuring, Redeployment and Job Churning within Internal Labour Markets
Authors: MacKenzie Robert , McLachlan Christopher J
Published: May 2022

This article explores the phenomenon of recurrent internal redeployment, through a case study of restructuring at a UK based steel firm. While redeployment reflected one of the key functions of the traditional internal labour market at SteelCo, frequent restructuring events meant some workers experienced redeployment on a recurrent basis. For these workers the experience of repeated redeployment was analogous to churning in and out of jobs on the external labour market. Adapting this term to internal organisational processes, the article presents a new way of analysing recurrent redeployment through the formulation of the concept of Internal Labour Market Churn. This new contribution to internal labour market theory highlights problems with human capital development, career progression and in-work insecurity associated with internal churning, which tarnishes the sense of mutual commitment traditionally associated with and engendered by internal labour markets.
Gurkha Warriors as Entrepreneurs in Britain: A Social Anchoring Lens on Martial Heritage and Migrant Enterprises
Authors: Adhikari Pawan , Dhakal Adhikari Shovita , Arun Shoba , Arun Thankom
Published: May 2022

Using the social anchoring approach, this article investigates the entrepreneur experience of one of the newest migrant groups in Britain, the Nepali Gurkhas. The findings derived from the semi-structured interviews show how these migrant entrepreneurs employ multiple ‘anchors’ to engage in family-based enterprises and to navigate structural constraints. Their military heritage, which has provided them with psycho-social resources in the form of subjective and mixed anchors, has been central to their exercise of agency and enabling them to gain a foothold in Britain. This has rendered Gurkha entrepreneurs a distinct group within migrant entrepreneurship. The article contributes to the literature on migrant entrepreneurship by delineating how agential capacity, by deploying different anchors, can cause variations in migrant enterprises, which in turn imbue migrant entrepreneurship with distinct characteristics.
Who counts when health counts? A case-study of multi-stakeholder initiative to promote value-creation in Swedish healthcare
Authors: Tragl Leonard , Savage Carl , Andreen-Sachs Magna , Brommels Mats
Published: May 2022

A European initiative to design a “medical information framework” conceptualised how multiple stakeholders join in collaborative networks to create innovations. It conveyed the ways in which value is created and captured by stakeholders. We applied those insights to analyse a multi-stakeholder initiative to promote improvement of Swedish healthcare. Our longitudinal case study covered totally fifty stakeholders involved in a national project, aiming at designing a system to support value-based evaluation and reimbursement. During the project the focus changed from reimbursement to benchmarking. Sophisticated case-mix adjusting algorithms were designed to make outcome comparisons valid and incorporated in a software platform enabling detailed analysis of eight patient groups across seven regional health authorities. Those were deliverables demonstrating value created. However, the project was unable to transfer the system into routine use in the regions, a failed value-capture. The initial success was promoted by collaborative processes in diagnosis-specific working groups of well-informed and engaged professionals. The change of focus away from reimbursement decreased the involvement among health authorities, leaving no centrally placed persons to push for implementation. It highlights the importance of health professionals as the key stakeholder, who has both the know-how instrumental to creating an innovation, and the local involvement guaranteeing its implementation.
High performance green composite from vanillin-based benzoxazine containing phthalonitrile and silane surface modified basalt fibers
Authors: Derradji Mehdi , Mehelli Oussama , Khiari Karim , Abdous Slimane , Soudjrari Sarah , Zegaoui Abdeldjalil , Ramdani Noureddine , Liu Wenbin , Al Hassan Mohamadou
Published: May 2022

Benzoxazine containing phthalonitrile, as one of the most advanced high performance thermosetting resin, has gained a lot of attention in the last decades. Indeed, the combination of the thermally activated ring-opening polymerization of the benzoxazine and the cyano addition reaction of the phthalonitrile allows the development of robust polymeric networks. Following this path, a renewable natural resource, vanillin, was used to develop a new benzoxazine containing phthalonitrile thermosetting system. The newly developed monomers present the advantage of a simple synthesis process along with an autocatalytic polymerization mechanism. The molecular structures of the synthesized monomers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). The curing behavior was assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The newly developed monomers were then reinforced with a silane surface modified basalt fibers (BFs) allowing the preparation of a high performance green composite. The silane surface modification of the BFs was confirmed by FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The tensile and bending tests highlighted the remarkable mechanical properties of the developed green composite. Finally, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the mechanism of stress transfer between the matrix and the fillers. Overall, the developed green composite can be seen as a promising substitute to composites made from glass fibers.
A new synthesis method for planar Rubik’s cube mechanism
Authors: Fan Dabao , Zeng Daxing , Dong Shihao , Lu Wenjuan , Li Wenchao , Zhou Zirong
Published: May 2022

Planar mechanism is a kind of important mechanism, which plays a key role in daily life and industrial life. This paper presents a new synthesis method for planar Rubik’s cube mechanism (PRCM). Firstly, the composition and motion mechanism of the PRCM are introduced combined with a symmetrical four-axis PRCM. The reconfigurable motion process of two kinds of PRCMs is described and analyzed, and the conditions of realizing reconfigurable motion of PRCMs are obtained. Next, a new synthesis method of PRCM is put forward, and the detailed process and flow chart of PRCM synthesis are given. Then, the factors affecting the topological structure of the PRCM are determined from the synthesis process. Finally, the cases of each type of PRCM are synthesized by setting specific parameters. The PRCM synthesis method is of great significance to perfect and enrich the plane reconfigurable mechanism synthesis theory.
Vibration trend measurement of hydropower generating unit based on KELM optimized with HSMAHHO algorithm and error correction
Authors: Fu Wenlong , Zou Feng , Chen Baojia , Jiang Wei
Published: May 2022

As the core equipment of hydropower plants, the healthy condition of hydropower generating unit (HGU) plays a vital role in the safe and stable operation of hydropower plants. Therefore, it is of great significance to measure the vibration trend of HGU, which can effectively reflect the health condition of HGU, allowing the development of appropriate countermeasures to improve the safety and stability operation of HGU. Given this, a hybrid approach for measuring vibration signals of HGU coupled with complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), phase space reconstruction (PSR), kernel extreme learning machine (KELM) optimized by hybrid slime mold algorithm and Harris hawks optimization (HSMAHHO), and error correction with gate recurrent unit (GRU) network is proposed in this paper. Specifically, CEEMDAN is initially applied to decompose the raw vibration signals into several intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Subsequently, PSR is adopted to convert each IMF into the input–output matrix of KELM for prediction. Meanwhile, HSMAHHO algorithm is utilized to optimize the critical parameters within KELM. Afterward, the predicted values of each IMF are superposed to obtain the predicted values of the raw vibration signals, and the error sequence to be corrected is constructed. Eventually, the error sequence is predicted by combining CEEMDAN, PSR, GRU and then summed up with the previous predicted values to get the final measuring result. In addition, the feasibility of the proposed hybrid approach is further verified by the experimental comparative analysis with seven comparative models. The experimental results demonstrate that (1) the proposed HSMAHHO algorithm could better optimize the internal parameters of KELM, which effectively improves the measuring results (2) the proposed error correction strategy could effectively enhance the measuring accuracy.
Shafts with U-shaped circumferential grooves: design charts for stress concentration factors, radial displacement and Poisson’s ratio influence
Authors: Mantovani Sara , Chiari Alessandro , Giacalone Mauro , Strozzi Antonio
Published: May 2022

Shafts with U-shaped circumferential grooves subjected to internal normal force and bending moment are investigated on the basis of finite element analysis. The classical problem of the stress concentration factors (SCFs) identification is addressed. SCF charts are provided, adopting the maximum equivalent von Mises stress in the SCF definition. The discrepancy between the uniaxial SCFs extracted from the standard reference books and the multiaxial SCF obtained by finite element increases from 5% up to 20%. The intersections between the SCF curves are studied, which reveal a non-monotonic profile of the SCFs with respect to the outer and inner diameter ratio of the notched shaft. The radial displacement at the notch root is examined and design charts of ample validity and prompt access are compiled. It is found that the radial displacement sign and magnitude are largely dependent on the geometry of the notch. Furthermore, the strain and stress state of extremely shallow grooves are analysed, and a critical discussion on their SCFs using the von Mises criterion is presented. The influence of Poisson’s ratio is considered. A simplified method for the evaluation of a multiaxial SCF is proposed to account for the Poisson’s ratio effect. Thanks to the employment of few dedicated diagrams, and the present method allows an accurate evaluation of the SCF for U-grooved shafts, when Poisson’s ratio differs from the common 0.3 value.
Optimization of cooling of three radiant heat source inside an inclined porous medium using particle swarm optimization
Authors: Nahal Ali M , Nobakhti Mohammad H , Aghanajafi Cyrus , Khayat Morteza
Published: May 2022

In this study, an optimization of the maximum cooling of three radiant heat sources inside a closed square porous environment is performed. Three radiant-heat sources are cooled by airflow in a porous medium with an inclination angle. It is applied in the cooling of electronic equipment inside laptop computers. The cooling phenomenon is a function of five independent variables, such as the length of heat source, radiation parameter, Darcy number, the angle of inclination of a porous medium, and Rayleigh number. Differential equations are solved using the finite-difference approach. And those are solved by the Gauss-Seidel approach. Simulation is a numerical solution of the vorticity–stream equations. Coding is done in MATLAB software. And it is obtained the maximum objective function using the algorithm of particle swarm optimization. Cooling simulations are performed by drawing flow lines, constant temperature lines, dimensionless velocity component profiles, local Nusselt numbers, and mean Nusselt numbers. The main goal is to find the highest cooling rate in different amounts of five independent variables. The flow is in the laminar flow regime, and inclination angles are between 0 to 360°. The present study is the first study on the numerical solution of the cooling of three radiant-heat sources with an inclination angle by the porous media-filled square environment. And it is developed from the cooling of hot radiation walls problems in an inclined enclosure with constant temperature local radiant heat sources. This investigation showed the flow lines and their direction are influenced by the inclination angle of the porous medium strongly, and the maximum heat transfer is achieved at an angle of inclination of zero degrees. This investigation showed at the Darcy number, 0.001, and the radiation parameter, 1. The maximum and minimum Nusselt number is obtained for the inclination angle 60 and 180°, respectively.
Analysis of an e-scooter and rider system dynamic response to curb traversing through physics-informed machine learning methods
Authors: Arslan Ersen , Uyulan Çağlar
Published: May 2022

The use of big data to statistically evaluate system performance with the help of Machine Learning (ML) tools is a very popular method. Classic experimental methods of system performance can be impractical when needing to test a variety of input parameters within a range of specific limits and can take enormous time and effort. Mathematical models which numerically mimic the physical system dynamics can be deployed for the same aim. In this study, a system modeling based data analysis approach has been implemented to gather the data to understand the input-output relationship of an e-scooter and rider system in terms of its stability dynamics while driving over a curb of a specific height. Based on the test conditions specified in the German e-KFV standard, a virtual driving test has been created which consists of a kinematic e-scooter model with its rider and a test track. In the range of input parameter space, over 20,000 numbers of different cases have been solved and the results are recorded. The interaction between the rider and the vehicle is achieved through elastic connections which enable not only the recording of loading data on the arms and legs, but also allows the simulation to reflect the real-time effects of the rider scooter interaction. Through statistical analysis and using ML techniques, the influence of each parameter (tire size, speed, rider mass, etc.) on the objective outputs (loading on arms, ability to ascend the curb, etc.) regarding the stability and safety while driving over the curb have been reported and shared for further analysis by the e-scooter community.
Channel flow of non-Newtonian fluid due to peristalsis under external electric and magnetic field
Authors: Asghar Zeeshan , Saeed Khan Muhammad Waris , Gondal Muhammad Asif , Ghaffari Abuzar
Published: May 2022

The overall objective of the current analysis is to examine how electroosmotic flow combined with peristaltic pumping phenomenon could ably contribute to intracellular fluid flow. The biofluid is taken as non-Newtonian Couple stress fluid, while micro-passage is approximated as two-dimensional inclined channel comprehending complex peristaltic walls. Following a traditional approach of peristaltic fluid flow problem balance of mass and momentum is utilized. Beside channel waves, flow is also generated by Lorentz force triggered by electric and magnetic fields. To integrate electric potential term Poisson-Boltzmann and Nernst Planck equation are utilized. Finally, a sixth order BVP in term of stream function is obtained by employing creeping flow, long wavelength and Debye-Hückel assumptions. A numerical solution is calculated and analyzed by plotting fluid velocity and level curves in MATLAB 2021b. It is observed that couple stress fluid flows with greater speed (in central region of the channel) as compared to Newtonian fluid. Moreover, electro-osmotic parameter and Debye-Hückel length are assistive factors to the fluid velocity in the lower half of the passage.
Wireless sensor nodes for freight trains condition monitoring based on geo-localized vibration measurements
Authors: Zanelli Federico , Sabbioni Edoardo , Carnevale Marco , Mauri Marco , Tarsitano Davide , Castelli-Dezza Francesco , Debattisti Nicola
Published: May 2022

While rail freight transportation is gradually becoming a crucial asset in the context of decarbonization of the transport sector, new standards and requirements in this field aim at improving the safety and reliability of freight vehicles and the infrastructure. From this perspective, Condition Monitoring and Condition Based Maintenance are becoming essential tools to improve systems reliability through the use of in-service instrumented vehicles. On the contrary of high-speed applications, freight trains are actually not provided with any monitoring systems able to carry out this kind of analyses. In this context, an innovative hybrid monitoring system composed by wireless sensor nodes and a gateway was developed to be suitably mounted on a freight wagon. Sensor nodes, power supplied by solar energy, are able to carry out synthetic indices from vibration measurements, while the gateway acquires correlated GPS and odometry information. In order to take advantage of the acquired data, a software based on a geo-localization algorithm created for high-speed applications was developed in order to correlate vibration data to the railway line mileage. A field campaign allowed to test the system on a real freight wagon and to acquire many experimental data. Using the collected experimental data, in the paper is shown how the developed software can be used to perform diagnostic activities of the infrastructure. Moreover, it is demonstrated that relying on the only GPS information is sufficient to get enough accurate georeferenced data for freight trains applications. This paves the way to the future development of a completely wireless system able to perform condition monitoring of both the vehicle and the infrastructure minimizing the impact on the vehicle.
Research on aero-engine performance seeking control based on the NN-PSM on-board model
Authors: Zheng Qiangang , Xiang Dewei , Chen Cheng , Zhang Haibo
Published: May 2022

In order to improve the real-time performance of performance seeking control (PSC), a neural network-propulsion system matrix(NN-PSM) on-board model is proposed and applied to PSC. First, based on NN-PSM, a large-envelope, multi-variable on-board adaptive model is established. The PSM is extracted through a small deviation linearization method. The neural network is used to map the relationship between the flight conditions, engine control parameters, and the engine performance parameters, and designed a Kalman filter to estimate engine health parameters in real-time. Then, four PSC mode of maximum thrust, minimum fuel consumption, minimum high-pressure turbine inlet temperature, and minimum infrared radiation intensity are designed using LP optimization algorithm as optimize algorithm. Finally, the simulation results show that NN-PSM has much higher precision than Compact Propulsion System Model (CPSM). The PSC simulations show that compared with the PSC based on the conventional CPSM, the proposed method has much better real-time performance and get better engine performance, such as more thrust, less specific fuel consumption, and less turbine inlet temperature.
Aerodynamic effects of surface deformities on aerofoils for low-speed stratospheric flight
Authors: Kimmons Jeremy , Thomas Peter , Colonia Simone
Published: May 2022

High-altitude pseudo-satellites are an expanding focal area of the aerospace industry which require new technologies and manufacturing processes to reduce weight and increase efficiency with the aim of increasing endurance. One such process has resulted in the occurrence of small deformities along the leading edge of a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle structure with the application of its skin, which may have a detrimental impact on its performance and efficiency. This paper focuses on the effects of these manufacturing deformities on the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle’s aerofoil when operating in low Reynolds number flow with the intention of identifying any detrimental flow variation. This analysis is achieved by comparing the lift curve, drag polar and pressure coefficient of both the deformed and undeformed cases of two aerofoils: a SG6042 and a GOE 523. This is accompanied with an examination of the local flow conditions scrutinising the near-wall y+ and turbulent kinetic energy calculations. The investigation finds that in two-dimensional flow, the deformities replicate the effects of transition trips in the shrinking or elimination of laminar separation bubbles. At Reynolds numbers below 250,000, the deformities reduce the net drag while leaving the lift largely unaffected. However, as a result, there is a slight shift in the minimum power condition in the order of 8% which would produce some performance loss for power efficiency and endurance.
Increase a real wind farm productivity through optimizing wind turbines layout
Authors: Wang Zilu , Zhang Bowen , Chen Meng , Luo Zhaohui , Wang Longyan
Published: May 2022

In this paper, a 3D wake model considering both axial and radial wind speed variations along the incoming wind direction, and the non-flat topography effect on the wind flow, is developed for the layout optimization of a real onshore wind farm. The effectiveness of two methods (i.e., the discretization method that divides the wind scenario into small intervals and the Monte Carlo method which randomly generates the discrete wind speed samples), for evaluating the overall wind farm power production under the wind speed variation of Weibull distribution is investigated for the comparative study. It is found that the Monte Carlo power evaluation method achieves a better outcome than the traditional discretization method, with more total power output and less computational cost. Through the layout optimization with a total of 15 wind turbines installed, the individual wind turbine yields more than 533 kW power out of 536 kW theoretical wake-free power. As the installed wind turbine number increases, the maximum discrepancy of the actual wind turbine power output with respect to the theoretical power increases from 3 kW (with 15 wind turbines) to 6 kW (with 20 wind turbines). Through the comparative study of different wind rotation scenarios, it is found that the maximum discrepancy of individual actual wind turbine power outputs is 8 kW and 13 kW for a rotational angle of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. Under the scenario of [Formula: see text] wind rotation scenario, the maximum individual power output deficit with 20 installed wind turbines is around 20 kW and the discrepancy of the total power output by comparing to the baseline wind model is maximally 1% proving the robustness of the optimization results with respect to the wind scenario variation.
Adaptive terminal sliding mode control of a regulated multidimensional electrospinning device for polymeric structures
Authors: Reyes-Garcia Oscar , Llorente-Vidrio Dusthon , Santillan Ricardo , Cruz-Ortiz David , Chairez Isaac
Published: May 2022

This study intends to present an automatic control design for a Cartesian electrospinning system with a dual moving platforms for the collector and the syringe subsystems which are mobilized using linear actuators. The proposed device is including a set of dual robotized structures, that is also carrying a structure to create the Taylor cone that regulates the nano-fiber deposition over the supporting platform. The suggested control form considers the synchronization between the syringe tip and the collector using a cascade tracking structure. A class of distributed state-dependent terminal sliding mode control form solves the tracking problem that yields the syringe-collector pair moves in a synchronized form tracking a bidimensional design that should be reproduced with the fibers deposition made of polyvinyl acid–based polymer. This controller also considers the working space restrictions in the Cartesian electrospinning system device using state-dependent gains which are obtained using a control barrier Lyapunov function. The application of the second stability method of Lyapunov serves to both design the state-dependent gains and prove that the tracking error trajectory is ultimate bound. The proposed controller is evaluated using a cyber-physical representation of the Cartesian electrospinning system device where the proposed controller is evaluated. This evaluation considers a comparison of the control effectiveness (using the root mean square value of the tracking error) with a traditional non-adaptive state feedback and a first-order sliding mode control. This comparison shows that the proposed adaptive controller induces the smallest root mean square among the tested control forms while reducing the magnitude of the overshoot for each actuator.
Curcumin alleviated lipopolysaccharide-evoked H9c2 cells damage via suppression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1/CD40/NF-κB signaling
Authors: Liu Yi , Li Xiaoli , Zhao Yan
Published: May 2022

Background

Curcumin has been reported to have many benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and so on. In this research, we aimed to investigate the function of curcumin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injured H9c2 cells.

Methods

H9c2 cells stimulated by LPS mimic the in vitro model of myocarditis injury. Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) was applied to detect the genes associated with curcumin. GEO database was used to analyze Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM1) and CD40 expression in myocarditis patients. KEGG enrichment analysis was employed to investigate the meaningful pathways related to differentially expressed genes. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, expression of ICAM1/CD40/P65- NF-κB, and level of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 were observed by cell counting kit-8, flow cytometry and western blotting assays, ELISA assay, respectively.

Results

After curcumin treatment, the decreased activity of H9c2 cells evoked by LPS was improved. ICAM1 and CD40, which highly expressed in myocarditis patients, were identified as targets of curcumin and negatively regulated by curcumin. Inhibition of ICAM1 or CD40 strengthened the protective effect of curcumin on LPS-evoked H9c2 cells damage, accompanied by increased cell viability and decreased cell apoptosis and inflammation. Additionally, addition of curcumin or depletion of ICAM1/CD40 suppressed p-P65 NF-κB expression.

Conclusions

Curcumin mitigated LPS-evoked H9c2 cells damage by suppression of ICAM1/CD40/NF-κB, providing a potential molecular mechanism for the clinical application of curcumin.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the cellular activity inhibition by eleutheroside B in SMMC-7721 and HeLa cells
Authors: Sun Shangfan , Zhang Yi , Xu Weili , Wang Bin , Chen Jing
Published: May 2022

Eleutheroside B, also known as syringin, has been shown to have various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-irradiation and antidepressant, but there are few studies on its anti-cancer activity. Its anti-tumor effect on SMMC-7721 cells has not been revealed. Moreover, whether it induces autophagy is still unclear. Thus, the present study investigated whether Eleutheroside B induces apoptosis, autophagy and cellular motility in SMMC-7721 cells and HeLa cells, and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. SMMC-7721 cells and HeLa cells treated with Eleutheroside B and cell viability measured by MTT assay and trypan blue dye exclusion assay. Apoptosis checked by flow cytometry combined, fluorescent staining. Apoptotic signal proteins and autophagy proteins were checked by Western blot. This study showed that Eleutheroside B inhibited the cell proliferation and blocked cell cycle, migration and invasion as well. Moreover, Eleutheroside B induced apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells and HeLa cells. It upregulated Bax expression, while simultaneously decreasing Bcl-2 expression. Further elucidation of the mechanism revealed that Eleutheroside B induced mitochondrial dysfunction, with mitochondrial membrane potential collapse and cytochrome c release, suggesting that Eleutheroside B induced apoptosis by triggering mitochondrial pathway. Most importantly, Eleutheroside B could induce autophagy in SMMC-7721 cells and HeLa cells. Taken together, these results suggested Eleutheroside B is a potential therapeutic candidate for HCC and Human cervical cancer.
Tanshinone IIA alleviate rifampicin-induced cholestasis by regulating the expression and function of bile salt export pump
Authors: Liu L , Yang Y , Li W , Li Y , Jiang X , Wang L
Published: May 2022

Objective: Rifampicin (RFP) induces cholestasis due to long-term tubercular therapy. Impairment of the canalicular bile acids efflux via the bile salt export pump (BSEP) is a well-recognized cause of cholestasis. Tanshinone IIA (TAN IIA) has a protective effect on the liver. However, there are limited studies on the effects of RFP and TAN IIA on BSEP. In present study, we aimed to elucidate the effects of RFP and TAN IIA on BSEP and provide evidence to support the treatment of RFP-induced cholestasis with TAN IIA. Methods: Firstly, liver histopathological examination and serum biochemical tests were evaluated in rats. Secondly, we evaluated BSEP expression by qRT-PCR and western blotting to explore whether RFP and TAN IIA influence liver function through BSEP. Thirdly, the accumulation of BSEP substrate taurocholic acid (TCA) in bile ducts was determined to investigate the effects of RFP and TAN IIA on BSEP function. Results: Apparent histopathological alterations and significantly increased serum biomarkers were observed in the RFP group (200 mg/kg), while these changes were attenuated in the combination groups. The mRNA and protein levels of BSEP were decreased by RFP. Whereas TAN IIA reversed the downward regulation of BSEP caused by RFP. And RFP primarily inhibited TCA excretion but co-administration of TAN IIA markedly induced TCA excretion mediated by BSEP. Conclusion: Our findings collectively demonstrated that RFP-induced cholestasis could be related to the inhibition of BSEP, and TAN IIA had the potential to prevent RFP-induced cholestasis by regulating BSEP.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio versus platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting clinical outcomes in acute methanol poisoning
Authors: Abdelwahab Hanan M. , Nafea Ola E. , Elsherif Radwa , Gharib Amal F. , Alrehaili Amani A. , Abdelhamid Walaa G.
Published: May 2022

Acute methanol poisoning is a global health concern. This study was designed to compare the prognostic roles of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and their combination in the prediction of clinical outcomes in methanol-intoxicated patients as well as to evaluate their associations with all initial patients’ characteristics. We conducted a cross-sectional study among methanol-intoxicated patients. A total of 109 patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty-four (31%) patients died during hospital admission while 30 (27.5%) patients developed visual loss. Most of the unfavorable findings were evident in patients with high NLR and PLR. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and PLR can excellently differentiate between survivors and non-survivors with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.991 vs 0.923, respectively. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio showed an accepted discrimination ability to differentiate between patients who developed and patients who did not develop visual loss, AUC of 0.734, however, NLR showed no discrimination, AUC of 0.558. We concluded that NLR and PLR can serve as valuable tools in risk-stratifying patients and prognosticating outcomes in acute methanol poisoning. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio is superior to NLR as a predictive factor in patients with permanent visual impairment. However, a combination of NLR with PLR can develop a more powerful prediction for overall clinical outcomes.
A mapping review of literature on Blockchain usage by libraries: Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Safdar Muhammad , Qutab Saima , Ullah Farasat Shafi , Siddique Nadeem , Khan Muhammad Ajmal
Published: May 2022

The Library and Information Science (LIS) community has started discussing some possible uses of Blockchain (BC) technologies in solving library-related problems and increasing the overall efficiency of libraries. This study aimed to systematically collect and review the relevant literature to comprehend the scope of BC for libraries, its benefits, as well as the challenges, and implications related to its use. The authors explored six reputed databases (Web of Science, Scopus, LISTA (Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts), LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), and Google Scholar) to conduct this review. This study was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. After the final data extraction, 21 documents were considered eligible for the systematic review. A systematic review of the selected works indicated that the usage of BC in libraries ranged from record-keeping to processing payments and ensuring security and transparency. Some of the opportunities that can be hunted from BC were the elimination of corruption, enhanced security, improved efficiency of services, and better time management. Literature also indicated that a lack of awareness of technology, unskilled staff, and financial constraints could impede the adoption of BC by libraries. It is hoped that this study would provide a holistic overview of BC technologies for libraries, thus improving the effectiveness of the decision-makers. This study is first that collected (systematically) and reviewed the literature on BC usage in libraries. The review will help educational institutions and library professionals understand the usage, challenges, and benefits of BC for libraries.
Children’s perceptions of scientists and their work: The ‘Draw a Scientist’ Test in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Dickson Martina , McMinn Melissa
Published: May 2022

Sampling students in the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi, we explored possible stereotypes of scientists and their work which may exist, and which may impact upon future career aspirations. Characteristics of scientists were identified and analysed from 234 drawings collected from upper primary aged students. Students tended to draw youthful scientists of their own gender, with stereotypical characteristics, such as wearing a lab coat, performing chemistry experiments and working alone in a lab. Unexpectedly, there were even fewer references to technology use in science than in similar studies carried out in the 1980s. We had anticipated that some elements of UAE national dress would be observed in drawings, since the majority of students were UAE Nationals, but no UAE cultural references were evident in the drawings at all. The findings suggest that work needs to be undertaken in UAE classrooms to increase perceptions of diversity of science work and scientists themselves.