bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swelling behavior of super‐absorbent lipophilic polyelectrolytes based on poly(lauryl acrylate‐co‐styrene) comprised quaternary ammonium compounds with tetrafluoroborate anion in organic solvents
Authors: Ghasemi Soheila , Abareshi Habib
Published: July 2021

In recent years, organic pollutants have caused many environmental problems by polluting water and soil. Therefore, developing a low‐cost, high‐efficiency super‐absorbent remains a major challenge. Molecular super‐absorbents, due to their high ability to absorb organic solvents, have been considered to eliminate the risks of leakage and spillage of waste oils and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this paper, a new set of lipophilic polyelectrolyte organogels based on poly(lauryl acrylate‐co‐styrene) was synthesized using common radical reactions. The synthesized organogels absorbed a set of organic solvents with varied dielectric constants from hexane to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (with ε = 1.89‐46.5). Swelling percentage of these modified organogels in divers organic solvents becomes more than 100 times greater their dried weights and become up to 1600 times their dry dimension in CHCl3. By the expansion of polymer networks, even in low‐dielectric mediums (3 < ε < 10), ion separation occurs well and increases the ability of organogels to swell. In addition, due to their flexibility, the lipophilic polyelectrolyte organogels can easily release adsorbed solvents over time and can be reused. Therefore, these types of lipophilic polyelectrolyte organogels can be suitable absorbents for the absorption of organic pollutants.
Automatically adaptive stabilized finite elements and continuation analysis for compaction banding in geomaterials
Authors: Cier Roberto J. , Poulet Thomas , Rojas Sergio , Veveakis Manolis , Calo Victor M.
Published: July 2021

Under compressive creep, viscoplastic solids experiencing internal mass transfer processes can accommodate singular cnoidal wave solutions as material instabilities at the stationary wave limit. These instabilities appear when the loading rate is significantly faster than the material's capacity to diffusive internal perturbations, leading to localized failure features (e.g., cracks and compaction bands). These cnoidal waves, generally found in fluids, have strong nonlinearities that produce periodic patterns. Due to the singular nature of the solutions, the applicability of the theory is currently limited. Additionally, practical simulation tools require proper regularization to overcome the challenges that singularity induces. We focus on the numerical treatment of the governing equation using a nonlinear approach building on a recent adaptive stabilized finite element method. This automatic refinement method provides an error estimate that drives mesh adaptivity, a crucial feature for the problem at hand. We compare the performance of this adaptive strategy against analytical and standard finite element solutions. We then investigate the sensitivity of the diffusivity ratio, the parameter controlling the process, and identify multiple possible solutions with several stress peaks. Finally, we show the evolution of the spacing between peaks for all solutions as a function of that parameter.
RETRACTED: Democracy and local political participation in Sumedang, Indonesia
Authors: Djuyandi Yusa , Darmawan Wawan Budi , Jumroh
Published: July 2021

Indonesia is a country that implements a democratic political system. As such, the involvement of society in the political process becomes very important. The purpose of this article is to research the democracy and local political participation in Sumedang. The study uses qualitative methods with primary data obtained from field observations and direct interviews of several informants. Additionally, the researchers use secondary data as a complement to the analysis. The results of this study indicate that the community at the local level truly understands the importance of political participation. However, due to disappointment in government performance, a part of the community has become discouraged from participating in the political process conducted by local governments. Several factors hinder efforts to encourage political participation. These include limited access to political aspirations that are still rare and the process of political education that is still low.
Effect of ultrasonication and fiber treatment on mechanical and thermal properties of polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose fiber nano‐biocomposite film
Authors: Somvanshi Kritika Singh , Gope Prakash Chandra
Published: July 2021

In recent years, due to increased awareness and push toward more environmentally sustainable technology, nanocomposite materials obtained from natural and renewable resources have received significant interest. Nanofibrous composite thin film consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan, and cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from sugarcane bagasse were prepared by solution casting method and ultrasonic processing. The dispersion of nanofiller in a solution is obtained by energetic agitation using the method of sonication, which resulted in improved mechanical properties. The results showed that an appropriate sonication time (30 min) with 40 wt% of bagasse cellulose nanofibers improved the film performance significantly as compared to other weight percentages of nanocellulose. The performance of the films containing different weight percentages of bagasse nanocellulose was comprehensively investigated in terms of mechanical properties, thermal stability, biodegradability, and antimicrobial properties. The highest mechanical strength of 80.47 MPa is recorded with treated CNF as compared to 70.13 MPa for untreated CNF. Thermal degradation of antibacterial PVA/CNF film was evaluated by thermogravimetric (TG%) values. The weight loss occurred at three temperature ranges, that is, 80–130, 250–350, and 380–430°C. The three spectrums reveal loss in water content, thermal deprivation of polymer chain, and detachment of bonds into molecules. Moreover, the homogeneous dispersion resulted due to the sonication process which was studied using scanning electron micrographs. Furthermore, the developed film exhibited strong antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria and can be used in various applications in the field of agriculture and food packaging.
Online self‐presentation and identity development: The moderating effect of neuroticism
Authors: Kawamoto Tetsuya
Published: July 2021

Using social media, which provides ways to socialize and present oneself, has become normal for young people. Although previous research shows that self‐presentation via social media is associated with a sense of identity, little attention has been given to the association with identity‐development processes. Therefore, the present study examined these associations while controlling for offline self‐presentation and tested the potential moderating effect of neuroticism. A sample of 647 Japanese young adults (401 women; Mean age = 22.70; SD age = 3.25) were recruited to complete an online questionnaire, including measures of identity‐development processes, online and offline self‐presentation, and neuroticism. A correlation analysis revealed that identity‐development processes were associated with online surface‐level self‐presentation (SSP) but not online inner‐level self‐presentation (ISP). Further, a moderated regression analysis indicated that the negative associations between online ISP and identity processes were only found among those high in neuroticism. The results of this study suggest that neuroticism may produce variations in young people's identity development.
The role of infant and early childhood mental health consultation in reducing racial and gender relational and discipline disparities between Black and white preschoolers
Authors: Shivers Eva M. , Faragó Flóra , Gal‐Szabo Diana E.
Published: July 2021

This study presents findings from an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) initiative in Arizona called Smart Support. The IECMHC used an early childhood mental health consultation model as an early childhood education intervention to address the needs of preschoolers with challenging behaviors. Disparities in teacher‐child relationships and discipline are some of the most persistent racial disparities impacting young Black children. The goal of IECMHC is to facilitate teachers' skills to respond to challenging child behavior and to shift teachers' internal representations of young children. This study is one of the first to link a statewide IECMHC intervention to the analysis of racial and gender teacher‐child relational and discipline disparities. Multilevel growth analyses examined whether child scores at baseline and growth over time differed as a function of child race and gender. At baseline, Black children, compared to white peers, and Black boys, compared to white boys, had higher teacher‐child conflict scores. These scores decreased more strongly over the course of IECMHC such that Black children's outcomes surpassed those of white peers by the end of consultation. A trend was also seen for the reduction of Black boys' preschool expulsion risk, although this trend was only marginally significant.
Substituent effects of fused Hammick silylenes via density functional theory survey
Authors: Heravi Mohammad Reza Poor , Habibzadeh Sepideh , Ebadi Abdol Ghaffar , Nezhad Parvaneh Delir Kheirollahi , Vessally Esmail
Published: July 2021

We compared and contrasted the substituent effects on ΔΕs‐t (singlet‐triplet energy difference), band gap (ΔΕHOMO‐LUMO), aromaticity, atomic polar tensor (APT) charge distribution and reactivity of 54 singlet and triplet fused Hammick silylenes derived from silabenzopyridine‐4‐ylidene (1s‐27s, and 1t‐27t), and the synthesized dialkylsilylene by Kira, respectively. In this investigation we found the following: (1) The most and the least thermodynamic stability compared to Kira's silylene is demonstrated by fusion of two thiophene rings in para‐position and two phosphole rings in ortho‐position, respectively (ΔΕs‐t = 331.0 and 115.1 vs. 138.6 kJ/mol, respectively). (2) Although fusion of benzene, pyrrole, furan, thiophene, and phosphole ring kinetically stabilizes the corresponding silylenes, fusion of pyridine and phosphinine ring destabilizes their silylenes versus the isolated silylene's Kira (with the range of ΔEHOMO‐LUMO from 312.8 to 410.2 vs. 351.7 kJ/mol). (3) The trend of substituent effects per number and size of rings is two five‐membered rings > one five‐membered rings > one six‐membered rings > two six‐membered rings. (4) Almost all cases, singlet Hammick silylenes reveal greater nucleophilicity, lesser electrophilicity, lower chemical potential, and greater global hardness than the scrutinized silylene by Kira. (5) We are waiting for experimental testing and verifications that place the heteroatom in the silapyridine's plane in a favorable spatial position to act not only as π electron donor but also acceptor of σ electron density.
Factors governing the affinity and selectivity of histone deacetylase inhibitors for the HDAC8 enzyme active site: Implications for anticancer therapy
Authors: Toshev Nikolay , Cheshmedzhieva Diana , Dudev Todor
Published: July 2021

Disruptions in post‐translational modifications of chromatin structure promote uncontrollable cell growth branded as a hallmark of tumor lesions. The overexpression/hyperactivity of histone deacetylases (HDACs) is a common feature for the tumorogenesis and cancer progression. Several inhibitors of histone deacetylases (mainly hydroxamic acid derivatives) have been successfully used as drugs in fighting tumor formations. However, there is no systematic study on the factors controlling the affinity and selectivity of this type of inhibitors to the host enzyme thus hampering successful rational design of more potent and selective anticancer drugs. Herein, in an attempt to unravel the mechanism of the host–guest interactions in these systems at atomic level, we systematically study the effect of various factors in the process and elucidate its key determinants. Density functional theory calculations have been employed. Our findings have the potential to be employed as guidelines in designing new HDAC inhibitors with improved anticancer properties.
Conflicting demands, coping, and adjustment: A grounded theory to understand rehabilitation processes in long‐term breast cancer survivors
Authors: Hiltrop Kati , Heidkamp Paula , Breidenbach Clara , Kowalski Christoph , Streibelt Marco , Ernstmann Nicole
Published: July 2021

Objective

This study explores rehabilitation processes in long‐term cancer survivors (CSs) and explains the causes, contexts, and consequences under which decisions related to rehabilitation are made.

Methods

Within the mixed‐methods Breast Cancer Patients' Return to Work (B‐CARE) project, conducted from 2018–2020, data were collected through a written survey and semi‐structured interviews with CSs 5–6 years after their diagnosis. In total, 184 female CSs participated in the survey, and 26 were interviewed. A qualitative grounded theory approach was applied.

Results

The 26 interviewees were 57 years old on average, 70% were married, and 65% had children. The participants experienced incompatibilities caused by the cancer disease in their areas of life and the demands that arose from it. To reconcile demands from the areas family, work, leisure time, household, and disease, the interviewed CSs used different coping mechanisms and adjusted their lives by prioritizing certain areas as a consequence. This prioritizing was often to the detriment of work and rehabilitation. Furthermore, it worked as a barrier for participation in rehabilitation programs and explains why CSs experienced job changes after their return to work.

Conclusions

Physical and mental long‐term effects were observed in the interviewees' lives 5–6 years into survival. The study results stress the importance of individualized and needs‐oriented survivorship care.
During the COVID‐19 pandemic where has respiratory syncytial virus gone?
Authors: Di Mattia Greta , Nenna Raffaella , Mancino Enrica , Rizzo Valentina , Pierangeli Alessandra , Villani Alberto , Midulla Fabio
Published: July 2021

The diffusion of the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus and the implementation of restrictive measures led to a drastic reduction of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) diffusion. Few RSV cases have been detected worldwide, even after the removal of the restrictions. We review the current literature and present possible explanations on why there has been a significant reduction of RSV detection during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We also hypothesize what may happen when RSV begins to circulate again. The increase of an immunologically naïve population, with infants born from mothers who have not reinforced their immunity to RSV, could lead to greater RSV epidemics in the coming seasons. It is crucial to prepare the scientific community and to keep RSV surveillance active to avoid dramatic consequences.
Cuticle thickening associated with fenitrothion and imidacloprid resistance and influence of voltage‐gated sodium channel mutations on pyrethroid resistance in the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus
Authors: Soh Li‐Shen , Veera Singham G
Published: July 2021

Background

The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., and the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus (F.), are now widely regarded as important public health pests following their rapid global resurgence, largely due to insecticide resistance and an increased rate of global travel. The insecticide resistance mechanisms are well documented in C. lectularius, however, only one mechanism is validated in C. hemipterus thus far. This demands further understanding on the resistance mechanisms involved in C. hemipterus.

Results

Here, we identified differences in resistance to fenitrothion (organophosphate) and imidacloprid (neonicotinoid) related cuticle thickness in C. hemipterus. There is evidence of a possible association between cuticle thickness and resistance, but the association can be tenuous, likely because resistance is multifactorial in C. hemipterus. We also discovered a novel T1011 residue in domain IIS6 of the voltage‐gated sodium channel that likely enhanced susceptibility to deltamethrin (pyrethroid) despite the presence of a L1014F mutation known to confer pyrethroid resistance in C. hemipterus. Our findings also confirmed that the M918I mutation enhanced resistance to pyrethroid when present with the L1014F mutation, which was consistent with a super‐kdr phenotype, as reported previously. Multiple resistance mechanisms can be found within a single C. hemipterus population, and the presence of both M918I + L1014F mutations likely masked the influence of cuticle thickness in conferring resistance against deltamethrin. The elevated metabolic enzyme activities in some strains were not necessarily associated with increased insecticide resistance.

Conclusion

This study has enhanced our understanding on the penetration resistance mechanism and target site insensitivity of sodium channels in C. hemipterus.
Pharmacological secondary prevention of MI
Authors: Beggs Simon , Gardner Roy S
Published: July 2021

Patients remain at high risk of recurrent ischaemic events following a myocardial infarction (MI), and the goal of secondary prevention therapy is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events while reducing symptom burden and extending life expectancy. This article provides an overview of the recommended secondary prevention strategies post‐MI, focusing on pharmacological therapy.
Heavy versus extreme rainfall events in southeast Australia
Authors: Warren Robert A. , Jakob Christian , Hitchcock Stacey M. , White Bethan A.
Published: July 2021

Focussing on the major cities of Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne in southeast Australia, this study seeks to determine the environmental factors that distinguish between heavy rainfall events (HREs) and extreme rainfall events (EREs). Using daily rain gauge observations, HREs and EREs are defined for each domain based, respectively, on the 95th and 99th percentiles of wet‐day rainfall for the period 1979–2018. K‐means clustering is applied to mean sea‐level pressure, data from ERA5 to obtain a set of representative large‐scale circulation patterns associated with these events. Composite synoptic maps, mean vertical profiles, and a series of column‐integrated diagnostics are then examined for each cluster and used to compare the environmental characteristics of HREs and EREs. For all three cities, HREs are associated with an upper‐level trough to the west, with large‐scale ascent, positive column water vapour (CWV) anomalies, and strong moisture transport over the analysis domain. For Brisbane and Sydney, the clusters are characterised by a coastal trough/low with moist onshore flow from the Tasman and Coral Seas. For Melbourne, circulation patterns are more distinct, with clusters characterised by a front, a cut‐off low, and an inland trough. Compared with HREs, EREs show a more amplified upper‐level trough, with stronger vertical motion and larger CWV anomalies over the analysis domain. In Brisbane and Sydney, EREs also feature stronger and deeper onshore flow, promoting enhanced moisture transport. A diagnostic termed upward vapour transport, which combines the key ingredients of high CWV and large‐scale ascent, is shown to discriminate well between HREs and EREs in all three domains. In contrast, surface temperature, which is frequently linked to rainfall extremes via Clausius–Clapeyron scaling, shows significant overlap between the different event categories, particularly for Brisbane and Sydney.
Predictability of moisture flux anomalies indicating central European extreme precipitation events
Authors: Gvoždíková Blanka , Müller Miloslav
Published: July 2021

Forecasting heavy precipitation has an important role in mitigating floods and associated hazards, but it remains one of the main challenges in operational meteorology. Our previous study confirmed the close connection between large‐scale extreme precipitation events and anomalous moisture fluxes in central Europe. In this study, we introduce a variable accounting for the accumulated ascending moisture flux, which could potentially support extreme precipitation event forecasts. The variable reflects the total amount of transported water vapour in combination with extra high upward vertical velocity, which are important factors required for extreme precipitation occurrence. Looking at ERA‐Interim forecasts, we aim to determine a practical predictability and forecast skill of accumulated ascending moisture flux and compare it with the forecast skill of precipitation. While the predictability of moisture flux itself is satisfactory, generally less accurate forecasts of the vertical velocity negatively affect the predictability of accumulated ascending moisture flux, especially in the case of summer precipitation events with prevailing northern moisture flux. Nevertheless, the forecast of the proposed variable was adequate and stable up to 6 days in advance in all cases of maximum events that produced major central European summer floods. There were no such stable forecasts for less extreme events or false‐alarm precipitation extremes. Thus, we hypothesize that the calculation of the accumulated ascending moisture flux from numerical weather prediction could be useful as a supporting tool in extreme precipitation warnings in central Europe.
Habitat occupancy by semi‐aquatic reptiles on an aridity gradient in the western Mediterranean
Authors: Escoriza Daniel , Pascual Guillem
Published: July 2021

The influence of aquatic and riparian habitats on the composition of the local herpetofauna has not been studied extensively. We used redundancy analysis and multivariate ordination methods to evaluate the occurrence of semi‐aquatic reptiles in south‐eastern France, the Iberian Peninsula, and Morocco where the climate transitions from humid temperate to subtropical desert. All the semi‐aquatic reptile species present in this region were studied, including two native turtles (Emys orbicularis and Mauremys leprosa), three native snakes (Natrix astreptophora, N. helvetica, and N. maura), and one introduced turtle (Trachemys scripta). We hypothesized that these species will vary in their responses to differences in the composition of riparian habitats (vegetative community and relative proportion of trees, shrubs, grasses, water and bare ground surface) along the aridity gradient in the region. We found that the habitat niche marginality and niche breadth varied widely across species and climatic regions, although most of the species display a greater habitat niche breadth in the transitional semi‐arid belt. Mauremys leprosa and N. maura were the more generalist species, occupying a wide range of freshwater habitats, including streams associated with impoverished vegetation communities, characteristic of the arid southern Mediterranean region.
Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on inflammatory bowel disease: The role of emotional stress and social isolation
Authors: Nass Boukje Yentl Sundari , Dibbets Pauline , Markus C. Rob
Published: July 2021

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic health condition exacerbated by negative emotional stress experiences. In the current study, we examined whether the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic coincided with an increase in stress experiences and accordingly an aggravation of disease activity in IBD patients. Sixty‐three IBD patients (30 Crohn's disease or CD, 33 ulcerative colitis) completed an online survey during the COVID‐19‐related lockdown, assessing clinical disease activity, disease‐related quality of life, presence of functional gastrointestinal symptoms, social isolation and stress experiences. Scores were then compared to pre‐lockdown baseline screening. The pandemic yielded a significant baseline‐to‐lockdown increase in emotional stress and social isolation. Stress increments, particularly those occasioned by interpersonal tension and excessive interpersonal proximity, were associated with a worsening of functional gastrointestinal symptoms. Exacerbations of loneliness coincided with an escalation of CD activity, functional gastrointestinal symptoms and a decline in subjective health. Lastly, COVID‐19 anxiety was significantly related to CD symptom severity and social dysfunction. The findings show that shifts in IBD expression are closely linked to changes in emotional stress experiences and interpersonal relatedness. As such, they contribute to a better understanding of inter‐individual differences in IBD progression and provide leads for therapeutic interventions.
Nanoconfinement Effect for Signal Amplification in Electrochemical Analysis and Sensing
Authors: Zhang Jie , Zhang Lin , Li Zhishang , Zhang Qi , Li Yanbin , Ying Yibin , Fu Yingchun
Published: July 2021

Owing to the urgent need for electrochemical analysis and sensing of trace target molecules in various fields such as medical diagnosis, agriculture and food safety, and environmental monitoring, signal amplification is key to promoting analysis and sensing performance. The nanoconfinement effect, derived from nanoconfined spaces and interfaces with sizes approaching those of target molecules, has witnessed rapid development for ultra‐sensitive analyzing and sensing. In this review, the two main types of nanoconfinement systems – confined nanochannels and planes – are assessed and recent progress is highlighted. The merits of each nanoconfinement system, the nanoconfinement effect mechanisms, and applications for electrochemical analysis and sensing are summarized and discussed. This review aims to help deepen the understanding of nanoconfinement devices and their effects in order to develop new analysis and sensing applications for researchers in various fields.
Tuning the Magnetic Anisotropy of Lanthanides on a Metal Substrate by Metal–Organic Coordination
Authors: Parreiras Sofia O. , Moreno Daniel , Cirera Borja , Valbuena Miguel A. , Urgel José I. , Paradinas Markos , Panighel Mirco , Ajejas Fernando , Niño Miguel A. , Gallego José M. , Valvidares Manuel , Gargiani Pierluigi , Kuch Wolfgang , Martínez José I. , Mugarza Aitor , Camarero Julio , Miranda Rodolfo , Perna Paolo , Écija David
Published: July 2021

Taming the magnetic anisotropy of lanthanides through coordination environments is crucial to take advantage of the lanthanides properties in thermally robust nanomaterials. In this work, the electronic and magnetic properties of Dy‐carboxylate metal–organic networks on Cu(111) based on an eightfold coordination between Dy and ditopic linkers are inspected. This surface science study based on scanning probe microscopy and X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism, complemented with density functional theory and multiplet calculations, reveals that the magnetic anisotropy landscape of the system is complex. Surface‐supported metal–organic coordination is able to induce a change in the orientation of the easy magnetization axis of the Dy coordinative centers as compared to isolated Dy atoms and Dy clusters, and significantly increases the magnetic anisotropy. Surprisingly, Dy atoms coordinated in the metallosupramolecular networks display a nearly in‐plane easy magnetization axis despite the out‐of‐plane symmetry axis of the coordinative molecular lattice. Multiplet calculations highlight the decisive role of the metal–organic coordination, revealing that the tilted orientation is the result of a very delicate balance between the interaction of Dy with O atoms and the precise geometry of the crystal field. This study opens new avenues to tailor the magnetic anisotropy and magnetic moments of lanthanide elements on surfaces.
A Silurian ophiuroid with soft‐tissue preservation
Authors: Carter Reece P. , Sutton Mark D. , Briggs Derek E. G. , Rahman Imran A. , Siveter David J. , Siveter Derek J.
Published: July 2021

Most Palaeozoic brittle stars lack the fused arm ossicles (vertebrae) that facilitate the remarkable mode of walking that characterizes living forms. Here we describe a stem ophiuroid from the Herefordshire Lagerstätte (Silurian, Wenlock Series), which is exceptional in preserving the body cavity uncompacted and the long tube feet. We assign the specimen to the order Oegophiurida. The morphology of the arms and attitude of the specimen suggest that locomotion may have been achieved by arm propulsion combined with podial walking. This ophiuroid increases the diversity of echinoderm higher taxa with preserved soft parts represented in the Herefordshire Lagerstätte.
Microstructural analysis of recycled brick aggregate concrete modified by silane
Authors: Ge Pei , Huang Wei , Zhang Jiarui , Quan Wenli , Guo Yuting
Published: July 2021

There are essential differences between recycled brick aggregate (RBA) and recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). The weak area of RCA is the old mortar attached to the aggregate surface, while the weak area of RBA is its own larger porosity. Silane has a small molecular structure, which can penetrate into the concrete with water as the medium and react with the active functional groups in the concrete to form a network structure of silane polymer. In this paper, 8% silane solution was used to modify recycled brick aggregate concrete (RBAC) in two schemes. The first scheme was that RBA was soaked in 8% silane solution, and the second scheme was that 8% silane solution was added in the mixing process of RBAC instead of water. The results showed that compared with the unmodified RBA, after silane modification of RBA its apparent density increased by 5.48%, water absorption decreased by 61.12%, crushing index decreased by 11.09%. The average compressive strength of RBAC with RBA modified by silane was 11.72% higher than that of unmodified RBAC, and the average compressive strength of RBAC mixed with silane was 9.12% lower than that of unmodified RBAC. The pores and cracks on the surface of RBA were significantly reduced and the interface transition zone (ITZ) of RBA was compacted after silane modification of RBA. RBA contained Si, Fe, Al, Ca elements and a small amount of Na, K, Mg elements brought by mineral powder; the content of Ca, O, Si elements in ITZ and cement mortar were rich, which indicated that there were a large amount of calcium silicate hydrate (C‐S‐H) in ITZ and cement mortar; ITZ and cement mortar contained Al elements, which indicated that there were ettringite and monosulfate; the content of Ca element in RBA and ITZ increased after silane modification of RBA, which indicated that silane hydrolyzed and reacted with free calcium ions to form calcium silicate.
Data‐Driven Tuning Using Only One‐Shot Control Signal and Initial Controller Parameters
Authors: Suzuki Motoya , Ikezaki Taichi , Kaneko Osamu
Published: July 2021

New parameter‐tuning methods, called data‐driven tuning, have been proposed, which can derive the controller parameters without using plant models. These include iterative feedback tuning (IFT), virtual reference feedback tuning (VRFT), and fictious reference iterative tuning (FRIT). In this study, a simple data‐driven tuning method is proposed. Through closed‐loop experiments, one‐shot input data and the initial controller parameters are obtained, based on which the control system is tuned. The tuned control system can realize a high tracking performance, and the desired response can be obtained. Furthermore, the validity of the proposed method is investigated through numerical simulation and experiments, which establish that the control performance is improved by the proposed parameter‐tuning method. The proposed method can obtain appropriate controller parameters. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Practical Control Performance Index with Weighting Factors of Controller
Authors: Ohnishi Yoshihiro , Kinoshita Takuya , Yamamoto Toru
Published: July 2021

MV‐index that quantitatively evaluates the steady state control performance is a method of setting the minimum variance as a benchmark, and it is widely used mainly for process control. However, since the minimum variance is intended to make the output of the dead time ahead coincide with the reference signal, realizing this is not realistic. This research proposes a new control performance index considering with the weighting factors of controller. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 with saikatsugekito: A case series
Authors: Irie Yasuhito , Nakae Hajime , Fukui Shin
Published: July 2021

Aim

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a serious disease that has spread worldwide. In the absence of any effective treatment for mild‐to‐moderate‐stage COVID‐19, we report that treating patients with Kampo medicines could reduce or prevent disease progression. Herein, we report the current status of COVID‐19 treatment with a Kampo medicine, saikatsugekito.

Methods

The clinical course of COVID‐19 in patients treated with saikatsugekito was retrospectively investigated from January 2020 to January 2021 at a hospital designated for infectious diseases in Akita City.

Results

Saikatsugekito was administered to 30 COVID‐19 patients, but the nine patients with infections caused by other pathogens or no symptoms and treated with steroids were excluded; finally, 21 patients were included in the study. Patients with symptoms such as fever and nasal discharge/obstruction were relieved about a week after hospitalization following treatment with saikatsugekito. However, hyposmia and ageusia persisted for a long time.

Conclusion

Most patients recovered within a week without worsening. Our study suggests that saikatsugekito may be considered a treatment choice to relieve symptoms of mild‐to‐moderate‐stage COVID‐19.
Seroprevalence of bovine foot and mouth disease (FMD) and its associated risk factors in selected districts of Afar region, Ethiopia
Authors: Dubie Teshager , Negash Wossene
Published: July 2021

Background

A cross‐sectional study was conducted from November 2018 to May 2019 to estimate seroprevalence of foot and mouth disease virus for cattle and assess associated risk factors in selected districts of afar region. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study areas. A total of 384 bovine sera were collected from 72 herds and seroprevalence of the disease was determined using 3ABC‐ELISA technique. Data were recorded and coded using Microsoft Excel spread sheet and analysed using STATA. Potential risk factors of the disease were also assessed using logistic regression analysis.

Results

Out of 384 sera tested at National Veterinary Institute, the overall seroprevalence of foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus was 19.8% (n = 76; 95% CI = 15.8‐23.79) at animal level and 56.94% at herd level. The herd level seroprevalence was higher in animals tested from Dubti (85%, n = 17) than Asayita (48.13%, n = 13) and Chifra (44%, n = 11). Among the associated risk factors, age, herd size, district and contact with wild life were statistically associated with foot and mouth disease serostatus (p < 0.05). Medium and large herd size animals were 2.49 (95% CI: 1.33‐6.63) and 6.05 (95% CI: 2.54‐14.43) times more likely to develop the disease as compared to animals from small herd size, respectively.

Conclusions

The current study finding revealed that FMD was more prevalent and economically significant disease in the study districts. Hence, further studies ought to be conducted to estimate the region wise serostatus magnitude of the disease, to assess its economic impact and to identify the circulating serotypes and strains in the areas.
Intramuscular adipocyte and fatty acid differences between high‐fat and control rabbit groups subject to a restricted diet
Authors: Li YanHong , Gan Mingchuan , Tang Tao , Shao Jiahao , Lai Tianfu , Ma Yuan , Elzo Mauricio A. , Jia Xianbo , Hu Shenqiang , Wang Jie , Lai SongJia
Published: July 2021

Fatty acids of intramuscular fat (IMF) in rabbits can influence meat quality, but it is unclear which fatty acids benefit to human health. A rabbit model of weight gain and weight loss was constructed using two rabbit groups and two growth stages. Stage 1 included control group1 fed a commercial diet(CG1) and experimental group1 fed a high fat diet (EG1). Stage 2 include control group2(CG2) and experimental group2 (EG2) both fed a restricted commercial diet. We detected differences in blood biochemical indicators as well as changes in intramuscular adipose cells and intramuscular fatty acid content in control and experiment groups at two stages. High fat induction can make rabbits become obese, have higher concentrations of glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (LDL‐C) and free fatty acid (FFA), and lower concentrations of insulin (INS). In addition, a high‐fat diet promotes hypertrophy of precursor adipocytes in femoral muscles. Conversely, a restricted diet causes weight loss, decreases the concentration of TG, FFA, and INS in CG2 and EG2, and increases the deposition of unsaturated fatty acids in the femoral muscle. The content of monounsaturated trans oleic acid (C18:1n‐9T) in EG2 was significantly higher than in CG2, whereas oleic acid (C18:1n‐9C) was significantly lower in EG2 than in CG2. The polyunsaturated fatty acids Linolenate (C18:3 n‐3) and cis‐5,8,11,14,17‐Eicosapentaenoate (C20:5 n‐3) increased in CG2 and EG2. The content of Linoleate (C18:2 n‐6) and γ‐Linolenic acid (C18:3 n‐6) significantly increased in CG2. The content of cis‐11,14‐Eicosatrienoic acid (C20:2) decreased significantly in CG2, but increased significantly in EG2.Thus, a high‐fat diet can increase the formation of unhealthy fatty acids. Conversely, weight loss due to a restricted diet leads to an increase in unsaturated fatty acids in the femoral muscle, indicating that it reduces obesity symptoms and it may improve meat quality in rabbit.
Value(s) Creation
Authors: Jonker Jan , Faber Niels
Published: July 2021

This is the most challenging building block of the Business Model Template (BMT), defining how you shape and use transactions in your business model. Our society can be looked at as an endless flow of transactions translated into daily activities. They are based on either money, or on time or energy (for example); the latter we call hybrid transactions. They are the operational acts that demonstrate an appreciation of the value created between parties. In this chapter, we present a typology of transactions and related strategies, which in turn we link to the concept of multiple (hybrid) values (e.g. sales, take-back, deposit, rent and use). What we want to explain as clearly and as unambiguously as possible is how multiple value(s) creation can be achieved within and through a broad variety of transactions. If this chapter shows anything, it is how difficult it is to make multiple value creation concrete.
Motive and Context
Authors: Jonker Jan , Faber Niels
Published: July 2021

In this chapter, we will address the motive to start developing a business model and the context in which you are doing so. It is important to use this first building block of the Business Model Template (BMT) to carefully look for the social and ecological components and the context of your idea. The idea of looking carefully at the context is essential because this will steer the possibilities and choices that you have at a later stage. In this way, you can also expand your line of reasoning and motivation into one in which sustainability is central. Looking at a context with respect to its complexity is of the essence: trying your best to discover what truly matters, as well as where you see the opportunities to do things. Getting clear about what motivates you to start working on a specific issue is, after all, the basis for all the steps that are still to come.
A Lean Framework for Starting a New Venture
Authors: Shepherd Dean A. , Patzelt Holger
Published: July 2021

The lean startup framework is one of the most popular contributions in the practitioner-oriented entrepreneurship literature. This chapter builds on a recent paper (Shepherd & Gruber in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258719899415, 2020) to highlight new insights into how new ventures are started based on the lean startup framework. Specifically, we describe the origin of the lean startup framework and its five main building blocks—(1) identifying and evaluating market opportunities in startups, (2) designing business models, (3) engaging in validated learning (including customer development), (4) building minimum viable products, and (5) learning whether to persevere with or pivot from the current course of action. We organize these building blocks into a framework suggesting how considering the contextual characteristics of and the interdependencies between the building blocks can enrich our understanding of using the lean startup framework to start a new venture.
Scalable Polyhedral Verification of Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Ryou Wonryong , Chen Jiayu , Balunovic Mislav , Singh Gagandeep , Dan Andrei , Vechev Martin
Published: July 2021

We present a scalable and precise verifier for recurrent neural networks, calledProverbased on two novel ideas: (i) a method to compute a set of polyhedral abstractions for the non-convex and non-linear recurrent update functions by combining sampling, optimization, and Fermat’s theorem, and (ii) a gradient descent based algorithm for abstraction refinement guided by the certification problem that combines multiple abstractions for each neuron. UsingProver, we present the first study of certifying a non-trivial use case of recurrent neural networks, namely speech classification. To achieve this, we additionally develop custom abstractions for the non-linear speech preprocessing pipeline. Our evaluation shows thatProversuccessfully verifies several challenging recurrent models in computer vision, speech, and motion sensor data classification beyond the reach of prior work.
Balancing Automation and Control for Formal Verification of Microprocessors
Authors: Goel Shilpi , Slobodova Anna , Sumners Rob , Swords Sol
Published: July 2021

Formal methods are becoming an indispensable part of the design process in software and hardware industry. It takes robust tools and proofs to make formal validation of large scale projects reliable. In this paper, we will describe the current status of formal verification at Centaur Technology. We will explain our challenges and our methodology—how various proofs and verification artifacts are interconnected and how we keep them consistent over the duration of a project. We also describe our main engine—a powerful symbolic simulator with rewriting capabilities that is integrated in a theorem prover and proven correct.
An Iterative Scheme of Safe Reinforcement Learning for Nonlinear Systems via Barrier Certificate Generation
Authors: Yang Zhengfeng , Zhang Yidan , Lin Wang , Zeng Xia , Tang Xiaochao , Zeng Zhenbing , Liu Zhiming
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we propose a safe reinforcement learning approach to synthesize deep neural network (DNN) controllers for nonlinear systems subject to safety constraints. The proposed approach employs an iterative scheme where alearnerand averifierinteract to synthesize safe DNN controllers. Thelearnertrains a DNN controller via deep reinforcement learning, and theverifiercertifies the learned controller through computing a maximal safe initial region and its corresponding barrier certificate, based on polynomial abstraction and bilinear matrix inequalities solving. Compared with the existing verification-in-the-loop synthesis methods, our iterative framework is a sequential synthesis scheme of controllers and barrier certificates, which can learn safe controllers with adaptive barrier certificates rather than user-defined ones. We implement the tool SRLBC and evaluate its performance over a set of benchmark examples. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach efficiently synthesizes safe DNN controllers even for a nonlinear system with dimension up to 12.
Hybrid SynchAADL: Modeling and Formal Analysis of Virtually Synchronous CPSs in AADL
Authors: Lee Jaehun , Kim Sharon , Bae Kyungmin , Ölveczky Peter Csaba
Published: July 2021

We present the$$\textsc {Hybrid}\textsc {Synch}\textsc {AADL}$$HYBRIDSYNCHAADLmodeling language and formal analysis tool for virtually synchronous cyber-physical systems with complex control programs, continuous behaviors, bounded clock skews, network delays, and execution times. We leverage the Hybrid PALS equivalence, so that it is sufficient to model and verify the simpler underlying synchronous designs. We define the$$\textsc {Hybrid}\textsc {Synch}\textsc {AADL}$$HYBRIDSYNCHAADLlanguage as a sublanguage of the avionics modeling standard AADL for modeling such designs in AADL, and demonstrate the effectiveness of$$\textsc {Hybrid}\textsc {Synch}\textsc {AADL}$$HYBRIDSYNCHAADLon a number of applications.
Algebraic Program Analysis
Authors: Kincaid Zachary , Reps Thomas , Cyphert John
Published: July 2021

This paper is a tutorial on algebraic program analysis. It explains the foundations of algebraic program analysis, its strengths and limitations, and gives examples of algebraic program analyses for numerical invariant generation and termination analysis.
Pre-deployment Security Assessment for Cloud Services Through Semantic Reasoning
Authors: Cauli Claudia , Li Meng , Piterman Nir , Tkachuk Oksana
Published: July 2021

Over the past ten years, the adoption of cloud services has grown rapidly, leading to the introduction of automated deployment tools to address the scale and complexity of the infrastructure companies and users deploy. Without the aid of automation, ensuring the security of an ever-increasing number of deployments becomes more and more challenging. To the best of our knowledge, no formal automated technique currently exists to verify cloud deployments during the design phase. In this case study, we show that Description Logic modeling and inference capabilities can be used to improve the safety of cloud configurations. We focus on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) proprietary declarative language, CloudFormation, and develop a tool to encode template files into logic. We query the resulting models with properties related to security posture and report on our findings. By extending the models with dataflow-specific knowledge, we use more comprehensive semantic reasoning to further support security reviews. When applying the developed toolchain to publicly available deployment files, we find numerous violations of widely-recognized security best practices, which suggests that streamlining the methodologies developed for this case study would be beneficial.
Program Sketching by Automatically Generating Mocks from Tests
Authors: Bragg Nate F. F. , Foster Jeffrey S. , Roux Cody , Solar-Lezama Armando
Published: July 2021

Sketch is a popular program synthesis tool that solves for unknowns in a sketch or partial program. However, while Sketch is powerful, it does not directly support modular synthesis of dependencies, potentially limiting scalability. In this paper, we introduce Sketcham, a new technique that modularizes a regular sketch by automatically generating mocks—functions that approximate the behavior of complete implementations—from the sketch’s test suite. For example, if the function f originally calls g, Sketcham creates a mock $$g_m$$

g
m

from g’s tests and augments the sketch with a version of f that calls $$g_m$$

g
m

. This change allows the unknowns in f and g to be solved separately, enabling modular synthesis with no extra work from the Sketch user. We evaluated Sketcham on ten benchmarks, performing enough runs to show at a 95% confidence level that Sketcham improves median synthesis performance on six of our ten benchmarks by a factor of up to 5$$\times $$
×
compared to plain Sketch, including one benchmark that times out on Sketch, while exhibiting similar performance on the remaining four. Our results show that Sketcham can achieve modular synthesis by automatically generating mocks from tests.