bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Role of Terminal Stolon of Marine Invasive Green Macroalga Caulerpa taxifolia in the Removal of Inorganic Nitrogen from Seawater
Authors: Huang Bingxin , Wang Zhan , Chu Yue , Ding Lanping
Published: December 2022

The marine benthic green macroalga Caulerpa taxifolia is an invasive seaweed found in Europe, America, and Australia, and it forms into huge algal meadows on shallow seafloors with its stolon and rhizoid systems. It has bloomed along the coast of the South China Sea, causing serious environmental problems. However, its ecological impact has not been well studied. Therefore, this study investigated the changes in concentration of NH4-N and NO2-N in artificial seawater in which C. taxifolia was cultivated under laboratory conditions during the circadian rhythm. Results showed that concentrations of NH4-N and NO2-N decreased with the increase in culture time during the circadian rhythm. In 24 h, the NH4-N-removal efficiency increased during the light period, and the maximum reached 71.4%; that of NO2-N increased with time extension in the dark period, and the maximum reached 9.2%. The absorption of NH4-N and NO2-N by terminal stolon of C. taxifolia was different. NH4-N was absorbed more preferentially than NO2-N. However, there was no obvious correlation between NH4-N and NO2-N absorption. Therefore, the terminal stolon of C. taxifolia can be used to clean up inorganic nitrogen, and showed great application potential in the remediation of eutrophic waters as the algal-bacterial symbiotic system could facilitate NO2-N removal.
Ghosts of the Holobiont: Borings on a Miocene Turtle Carapace from the Pisco Formation (Peru) as Witnesses of Ancient Symbiosis
Authors: Collareta Alberto , Varas-Malca Rafael , Bosio Giulia , Urbina Mario , Coletti Giovanni
Published: December 2022

In spite of the widespread occurrence of epibiotic turtle barnacles (Coronuloidea: Chelonibiidae and Platylepadidae) on extant marine turtles (Chelonioidea: Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae), and although the association between these cirripedes and their chelonian hosts has existed for more than 30 million years, only a few studies have investigated the deep past of this iconic symbiotic relationship on palaeontological grounds. We describe probable platylepadid attachment scars in the form of hemispherical/hemiellipsoidal borings on an Upper Miocene (Tortonian) fragmentary turtle carapace, identified herein as belonging to Cheloniidae, from the Pisco Lagerstätte (East Pisco Basin, southern Peru). When coupled with the available molecular data, this and other similar ichnofossils allow for hypothesising that platylepadid symbionts were hosted by sea turtles as early as in early Oligocene times and became relatively widespread during the subsequent Miocene epoch. Chelonian fossils that preserve evidence of colonisation by platylepadid epibionts in the form of pits on the turtle shell should be regarded as fossil holobionts, i.e., palaeontological witnesses of discrete communal ecological units formed by a basibiont and the associated symbionts (including the epibiota). A greater attention to the bone modifications that may be detected on fossil turtle bones is expected to contribute significantly to the emerging field of palaeosymbiology.
Severe Sporotrichosis Caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis: Antifungal Susceptibility and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Fichman Vivian , Almeida-Silva Fernando , Francis Saraiva Freitas Dayvison , Zancopé-Oliveira Rosely Maria , Gutierrez-Galhardo Maria Clara , Almeida-Paes Rodrigo
Published: December 2022

Itraconazole is the first choice for treating sporotrichosis. Amphotericin B is indicated for severe and disseminated forms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antifungal susceptibility of Sporothrix brasiliensis strains isolated from patients with severe sporotrichosis treated with amphotericin B and correlate with clinical outcomes. Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained from severe sporotrichosis cases caused by S. brasiliensis. Antifungal susceptibility tests against amphotericin B, itraconazole, terbinafine, posaconazole, and 5-flucytosine were performed. Moreover, possible synergisms between amphotericin B and posaconazole or 5-flucytosine were assessed. Relationships between clinical and laboratorial data were then analyzed. Forty-six S. brasiliensis isolates from 37 patients were studied. Clinical forms included disseminated (94.6%) and disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis (5.4%). The median treatment time was 784 days (range: 7 to 3115 days). Cure occurred in 45.9% of the cases and death due to sporotrichosis in 24.3%. Forty-three (93.5%) S. brasiliensis isolates were classified as wild-type for all the antifungals tested according to their in vitro antifungal susceptibility. There was no synergism for the combinations studied. Finally, we found no association between higher Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values of amphotericin B or itraconazole with unfavorable outcomes; however, there were higher MIC values of itraconazole in strains isolated from alcoholic patients. Possibly, clinical factors, such as the extent of dissemination, immunosuppression, and late treatment onset, are the main determinants of patient outcomes, rather than antifungal resistance. The current study suggests that the need to use amphotericin B therapy is not associated with the emergence of S. brasiliensis resistant strains.
A Novel Prognostic Prediction Model Based on Pyroptosis-Related Clusters for Breast Cancer
Authors: Tian Baoxing , Yin Kai , Qiu Xia , Sun Haidong , Zhao Ji , Du Yibao , Gu Yifan , Wang Xingyun , Wang Jie
Published: December 2022

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer affecting women and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Compelling evidence indicates that pyroptosis is inextricably involved in the development of cancer and may activate tumor-specific immunity and/or enhance the effectiveness of existing therapies. We constructed a novel prognostic prediction model for BC, based on pyroptosis-related clusters, according to RNA-seq and clinical data downloaded from TCGA. The proportions of tumor-infiltrating immune cells differed significantly in the two pyroptosis clusters, which were determined according to 38 pyroptosis-related genes, and the immune-related pathways were activated according to GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. A 56-gene signature, constructed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression, was significantly associated with progression-free interval (PFI), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS) of patients with BC. Cox analysis revealed that the signature was significantly associated with the PFI and DSS of patients with BC. The signature could efficiently distinguish high- and low-risk patients and exhibited high sensitivity and specificity when predicting the prognosis of patients using KM and ROC analysis. Combined with clinical risk, patients in both the gene and clinical low-risk subgroup who received adjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly lower incidence of the clinical event than those who did not. This study presents a novel 56-gene prognostic signature significantly associated with PFI, DSS, and OS in patients with BC, which, combined with the TNM stage, might be a potential therapeutic strategy for individualized clinical decision-making.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Children with Down Syndrome: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Borrelli Melissa , Corcione Adele , Rongo Roberto , Cantone Elena , Scala Iris , Bruzzese Dario , Martina Stefano , Strisciuglio Pietro , Michelotti Ambrosina , Santamaria Francesca
Published: December 2022

A comprehensive evaluation of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) may allow for the development of more efficient management of Down syndrome (DS). We aimed to evaluate the effect of a multidisciplinary approach to DS with OSA. A total of 48 DS children aged 4–12 years were prospectively investigated with nasal endoscopy, orthodontic examination, and overnight polygraphy (PG); the Italian Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ-IT) was filled out by the mothers. The total CSHQ-IT score was 63 (96% of children reporting sleep problems). The major ear, nose, and throat characteristics were enlarged palatine tonsils (62%), adenoid tonsils (85%), and chronic rhinosinusitis (85%). DS children showed orthognathic profile in 68% of cases, class I relationship in 63%, and cross-bite in 51%. PG revealed OSA in 67% of cases (37% mild, 63% moderate–severe). The oxygen desaturation index (ODI) was higher in the group with OSA (5.2) than with non-OSA (1.3; p < 0.001). The ODI was higher (p = 0.001) and SpO2 lower (p = 0.03) in children with moderate–severe OSA than with mild OSA. The apnoea–hypopnea index (AHI) and percentage time with SpO2 < 90% were higher in DS children with grade III than with grade I or II adenoids (5 vs. 1, p = 0.04, and 1.2 vs. 0.1, p = 0.01, respectively). No significant correlations were found between PG and the total CSHQ-IT score or orthodontic data. However, children showing associated cross-bite, grade III adenoids and size 3 or 4 palatine tonsils showed higher AHI and ODI than those without (p = 0.01 and p = 0.04, respectively). A coordinated multidisciplinary approach with overnight PG is a valuable tool when developing diagnostic protocols for OSA in DS.
Object-Based Informal Settlement Mapping in Google Earth Engine Using the Integration of Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and PlanetScope Satellite Data
Authors: Matarira Dadirai , Mutanga Onisimo , Naidu Maheshvari , Vizzari Marco
Published: December 2022

Mapping informal settlements’ diverse morphological patterns remains intricate due to the unavailability and huge costs of high-resolution data, as well as the spatial heterogeneity of urban environments. The accessibility to high-spatial-resolution PlanetScope imagery, coupled with the convenience of simple non-iterative clustering (SNIC) algorithm within the Google Earth Engine (GEE), presents the potential for Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) to map the spatial morphology of deprivation pockets in a complex built-up environment of Durban. Such advances in multi-sensor satellite image inventories on GEE also afford the possibility to integrate data from sensors with different spectral characteristics and spatial resolutions for effective abstraction of informal settlement diversity. The main objective is to exploit Sentinel-1 radar data, Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope optical data fusion for more accurate and precise localization of informal settlements using GEOBIA, within GEE. The findings reveal that the Random Forests classification model achieved informal settlement identification accuracy of 87% (F-score) and overall accuracy of 96%. An assessment of agreement between observed informal settlement extents and ground truth dimensions was conducted through regression analysis, yielding root mean square log error (RMSLE) = 0.69 and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) = 0.28. The results demonstrate reliability of the classification model in capturing variability of spatial characteristics of informal settlements. The research findings confirm efficacy of combined advantages of GEOBIA within GEE, and integrated datasets for more precise capturing of characteristic morphologic informal settlement features. The outcomes suggest a shift from standard static conventional approaches towards more dynamic, on-demand informal settlement mapping through cloud computing, a powerful analysis platform that simplifies access to and the processing of voluminous data. The study has important implications for identifying the most effective ways to map informal settlements in a complex urban landscape, thus providing a benchmark for other regions with significant landscape heterogeneity.
Modelling the Effect of Keyline Practice on Soil Erosion Control
Authors: Giambastiani Yamuna , Biancofiore Gherardo , Mancini Matteo , Di Giorgio Antonio , Giusti Riccardo , Cecchi Stefano , Gardin Lorenzo , Errico Alessandro
Published: December 2022

The global agricultural sector needs to implement good soil management practices, in particular to prevent erosion and to improve water-retention capacity. The introduction of tillage techniques along particular theoretical lines, called keylines, can make a significant contribution to improving the management of the soil and agricultural crops. The keyline system has been around for less than 100 years. With this preliminary work, we performed a comparative analysis of two small river basins (less than 100 ha) before and after keyline application, based on GIS computational models (TWI and SIMWE). The calculation models were elaborated starting from a DTM with 2 m resolution, obtained from a LIDAR survey. The comparative analysis, in qualitative terms, showed a positive effect of the keylines, both in terms of erodibility and infiltration of runoff water. The use of GIS models to verify the effectiveness in the planning phase can constitute a decision support system that guides agronomists, technicians, and farmers.
Sustainable Food Supply by Peri-Urban Diversified Farms of the Agri-Food Region of Central Córdoba, Argentina
Authors: Marinelli María Victoria , Argüello Caro Evangelina Beatriz , Petrosillo Irene , Kurina Franca Giannini , Giobellina Beatriz Liliana , Scavuzzo Carlos Marcelo , Valente Donatella
Published: December 2022

Peri-urban vegetable cropping areas, such as horticultural farms, provide several ecosystem services, such as the provision of fresh food. However, food supply must be estimated on the basis of the current and potential demand of future populations, taking into account the landscape carrying capacity towards sustainable agricultural planning. From this perspective, the study aimed at estimating the resilience of the “Agri-food Region of Central Córdoba” (ARCC) and its role in supporting the provisioning of ecosystem services, such as proximal services, provided by the diversified agricultural landscape in the peri-urban area of Córdoba (Argentina). A direct field survey has been carried out to collect data on the main species and types of crops, the annual productivity, and the area covered by each species and type of horticultural crops. The data have been statistically elaborated to test the spatial and temporal variability of productivity as well as the spatial autocorrelation. In relation to crop diversification, a total of 30 vegetable species have been recorded in the diversified farms under study, with 15 species identified as the most frequent crops as on the basis of the area dedicated to each vegetable species sampled in the farms (in %). The productivity of 30 species has been integrated into a single value of “vegetable crop productivity mean” (kg/m2), proposed and measured in this study, which has been 3.46 kg/m2. It can be a useful monitoring indicator in diversified production contexts. The estimated food supply (ton/year) of vegetable crops for the 170 farmlands has been 72,881 ton/year. An accurate measurement of the biomass harvested on a given surface area can be useful to assign productivity data to the pixel of each land use/cover class, providing accurate input data for remotely sensed-based models supporting decision-making on food provision in peri-urban systems. In this sense, the paper proposes a methodological framework that can be useful worldwide when up-to-date official productivity data are not available, but they are a necessary basis for planning, decision-making, and the implementation of public policies. Thus, diversity in farming systems can combine high ecological and socio-economic benefits, in terms of ecosystem service provision and sustainable food production.
Assessment of Biological and Environmental Factors Influence on Fire Hazard in Pine Forests: A Case Study in Central Forest-Steppe of the East European Plain
Authors: Slavskiy Vasiliy , Litovchenko Daria , Matveev Sergey , Sheshnitsan Sergey , Larionov Maxim V.
Published: December 2022

Vast forest areas are spreaded in Russia and perform environment-forming, nature-protective and climate-regulating functions, including carbon sequestration. At the same time, increasing of destructive forest fires scale in recent decades has led to depletion of forest resources. To combat forest fires, it is necessary to develop preventive measures to reduce the number and severity of forest fires and establish reliable evaluation criteria for fire hazard assessment in forestry. However, indices of fire hazard assessment that exist in Russia are not always allowed to determine the degree of fire hazard reliably. The studies were performed in pine forests on the territory of the Central Forest-Steppe. The key forestry factors influencing the fire hazard situation in pine stands are identified: the presence and amount of combustible materials, the state of the stand, as well as the age structure of tree stand. According to burning indices, the highest fire hazard was common for young and middle-aged pine stands, while for ripening, mature and old-growth forests, fire hazard increasing was not observed. A set of parameters that characterize soil moisture and ground cover peculiarities have also a significant impact. Forest growth conditions were shown to be an important indicator for assessment of fire hazard class. Identified factors that have a key impact on the fire hazard in forests will make it possible to improve methodological approach for monitoring and preservation of forests.
International and National in Contemporary Private Law
Authors: Avtonomov Alexei
Published: December 2022

Private international law as a branch of law still causes discussions regarding its subject, nature and sources. Therefore, all these as yet unresolved problems, having practical importance and theoretical interest, still require attention. The study is carried out using such methods as synchronous and diachronic comparative legal, historical, legal-linguistic, dialectical-materialistic, descriptive, analysis and synthesis. The present article is devoted to the main trends in the development of private international law in modern conditions from the point of view of the ratio of domestic (national) and inter-state (international and supranational) regulation. A brief historical overview provides the key to a better understanding of the current state of affairs. The competition of several factors contributing to the internationalization and nationalization of private law is one of the objects of exploration in the article. The development of private law is characterized by mutually contradictory trends, which, on the one hand, show the strengthening of the internationalization of legal regulation, and on the other hand, reflect the consolidation of the nationalization of legal means of streamlining the interaction of individuals and legal entities. The interweaving of factors (of legal and meta-legal nature) that feed both one and the other trend is specifically studied.
Surgical Interventions for Late Aortic Valve Regurgitation Associated with Continuous Flow-Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy: Experience Gained and Lessons Learned
Authors: Gyoten Takayuki , Amiya Eisuke , Ono Minoru
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of surgical interventions for symptomatic moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation (AR), including aortic valve replacement (AVR) and repair (AVP), in 184 patients who underwent continuous flow-left ventricular assist device (Cf-LVAD) implantation as a bridge-to-transplant (BTT) between November 2007 and April 2020. Ten patients (median age, 34 (25–41) years; 60% men) underwent surgical interventions (AVR, n = 6; AVP, n = 4) late after cf-LVAD implantation. The median duration after the device implantation was 34 (24–44) months. Three patients required additional tricuspid valve repair. Aortic valve suturing resulted in severe recurrent AR 6 months postoperatively, due to leaflet cutting in one patient. Seven patients with AVR survived without regurgitation during the study period, except for one non-survivor complicated by liver failure due to postoperative right heart failure. Therefore, six patients after AVP (n = 4) and AVR (n = 2) underwent successful heart transplantation 7 (4–13) months after aortic intervention. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed no significant difference in overall survival through 5 years after cf-LVAD implantation, regardless of the surgical AV intervention chosen (log-rank test, p = 0.86). In conclusion, surgical interventions (AVR or AVP) for patients with an ongoing cf-LVAD are safe, effective, and viable options.
Improvement of Pain and Function by Using Botulinum Toxin Type A Injection in Patients with an Osteoarthritic Knee with Patellar Malalignment: An Electromyographic Study
Authors: Tang Alice Chu Wen , Chen Chih-Kuang , Wu Szu Yuan , Tang Simon F. T.
Published: December 2022

Objective: To determine the pain and electromyographic (EMG) amplitude ratio of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) to the vastus lateralis (VL) after botulinum toxin type A (BTA) was injected in the bilateral osteoarthritic knee of patients with patellar malalignment for analysis. Material and methods: A total of fifteen patients were recruited; the more symptomatic knee of each patient received a BTA injection (BTA side). The other set of patients were left untreated. In all, fifteen healthy participants comprised the control group. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain were assessed. The EMG amplitude of VL and VMO activity was recorded using an isokinetic dynamometer and synchronized using the BIOPAC MP100. The data were collected before and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks post–BTA injection. Results: The EMG ratios of the patient group were lower than those of the control group at all testing velocities (p < 0.05). The VMO/VL ratio improved significantly on the BTA side only. The VMO/VL ratios on the BTA side were higher than those on the untreated side (p < 0.05). Knee pain decreased significantly after the BTA injection. The EMG ratios were negatively correlated with the NRS and WOMAC scores. Conclusion: BTA injection effectively reduces knee pain and restores the EMG ratio between the VMO and VL.
Effect of Hydrogen Exposure Temperature on Hydrogen Embrittlement in the Palladium–Copper Alloy System (Copper Content 5–25 wt.%)
Authors: Roy Brandon , LaPointe Erin , Holmes Andrew , Camarillo Dillon , Jackson Bonolo , Mathew Daniel , Craft Andrew
Published: December 2022

The yield strength, ultimate strength, and elongation/ductility properties of a series of palladium–copper alloys were characterized as a function of the temperature at which each alloy underwent absorption and desorption of hydrogen. The alloys studied ranged in copper content from 5 weight percent copper to 25 wt.% copper. Compared to alloy specimens that had been well-annealed in a vacuum and never exposed to hydrogen, alloys with copper content up to 15 wt.% showed strengthening and loss of ductility due to hydrogen exposure. In these alloys, it was found that the degree of strengthening and loss of ductility was dependent on the hydrogen exposure temperature, though this dependence decreased as the copper content of the alloy increased. For alloys with copper contents greater than 15 wt.%, hydrogen exposure had no discernible effect on the strength and ductility properties compared to the vacuum-annealed alloys, over the entire temperature range studied.
In Situ Construction of TiC-Ti3SiC2 Gradient Hybrid Interphase Coated SiC Fibers for Suppression of Specular Reflection and Non-Specular Scattering
Authors: Yang Haitang , Li Yinrui , Luo Heng , Zou Yangjun , He Jun
Published: December 2022

TiC-Ti3SiC2 gradient hybrid interphase on the surface of SiC fibers was successfully obtained through the molten salt method. The electromagnetic parameters of the prepared samples can be accurately controlled by adjusting the reaction temperature. A significant bimodal effect is observed in electromagnetic parameters patterns, corresponding to the double interface layer. TiC-Ti3SiC2 gradient hybrid interphase plays a dominant role in impedance matching, as well as in the attenuation layer through multi-interfacial polarization and conduction loss. Through the co-evaluation of the suppression of specular reflection and non-specular scattering properties of the samples, the SiC fiber with the TiC-Ti3SiC2 gradient hybrid interphase is expected to be a high temperature resistant radar absorbing material for future stealth aircraft.
A Neural Network Framework for Validating Information–Theoretics Parameters in the Applications of Acoustic Emission Technique for Mechanical Characterization of Materials
Authors: Barile Claudia , Pappalettera Giovanni , Paramsamy Kannan Vimalathithan , Casavola Caterina
Published: December 2022

A multiparameter approach is preferred while utilizing Acoustic Emission (AE) technique for mechanical characterization of composite materials. It is essential to utilize a statistical parameter, which is independent of the sensor characteristics, for this purpose. Thus, a new information–theoretics parameter, Lempel–Ziv (LZ) complexity, is used in this research work for mechanical characterization of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) composites. CFRP specimens in plain weave fabric configurations were tested and the acoustic activity during the loading was recorded. The AE signals were classified based on their peak amplitudes, counts, and LZ complexity indices using k-means++ data clustering algorithm. The clustered data were compared with the mechanical results of the tensile tests on CFRP specimens. The results show that the clustered data are capable of identifying critical regions of failure. The LZ complexity indices of the AE signal can be used as an AE descriptor for mechanical characterization. This is validated by studying the clustered signals in their time–frequency domain using wavelet transform. Finally, a neural network framework based on SqueezeNet was trained using the wavelet scalograms for a quantitative validation of the data clustering approach proposed in this research work. The results show that the proposed method functions at an efficiency of more than 85% for three out of four clustered data. This validates the application of LZ complexity as an AE descriptor for AE signal data analysis.
Experimental Investigation and Optimization of Rough EDM of High-Thermal-Conductivity Tool Steel with a Thin-Walled Electrode
Authors: Oniszczuk-Świercz Dorota , Świercz Rafał , Kopytowski Adrian , Nowicki Rafał
Published: December 2022

The industrial application of electrical discharge machining (EDM) for manufacturing injection molding, in many cases, requires forming depth cavities with high length-to-width ratios, which is quite challenging. During slot EDM with thin-walled electrodes, short-circuits and arcing discharges occur, as a result of low efficiency in removing debris and bubble gas from the gap. Furthermore, unstable discharges can cause increases in tool wear and shape deviation of the machined parts. In order to characterize the influence of the type of electrode material and EDM parameters on the deep slot machining of high-thermal-conductivity tool steel (HTCS), experimental studies were conducted. An analytical and experimental investigation is carried out on the influence of EDM parameters on discharge current and pulse-on-time on the tool wear (TW), surface roughness (Ra), slot width (S)—dimension of the cavity, and material removal rate (MRR). The analyses of the EDS spectrum of the electrode indicate the occurrence of the additional carbon layer on the electrode. Carbon deposition on the anode surface can provide an additional thermal barrier that reduces electrode wear in the case of the copper electrode but for graphite electrodes, uneven deposition of carbon on the electrode leads to unstable discharges and leads to increase tool wear. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to build empirical models of the influence of the discharge current I and pulse-on-time ton on Ra, S, TW, and MRR. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to establish the statistical significance parameters. The calculated contribution indicated that the discharge current had the most influence (over 70%) on the Ra, S, TW, and MRR, followed by the discharge time. Multicriteria optimization with Derringer’s function was then used to minimize the surface roughness, slot width, and TW, while maximizing MRR. A validation test confirms that the maximal error between the predicted and obtained values did not exceed 7%.
Cyclic Behavior of Gabled Frames with Web-Tapered Columns and Rafters
Authors: Yang Haisheng , Su Mingzhou , Xiao Yong , Gan Dan
Published: December 2022

Cyclic loading tests were conducted on three 1/2-scale, half-bay steel gabled frames (SGFs) to investigate their seismic performance. The three specimens with reduced joint stiffness were designed based on the prototype drawing shown in China design guideline 02SG518—1: specimen SV1 with a reduced thickness of the joint end-plate and bolt diameter, specimen SV2 with a reduced number of bolts, and specimen SV3 with a reduced bolt diameter. The load capacity, rotational stiffness, rotational capacity, and ultimate failure mode of specimens SV1, SV2, and SV3 were investigated. The experimental results showed that specimen SV1 failed due to the local buckling of the lower flange of the rafter, and specimens SV2 and SV3 due to the local buckling of upper flange of the rafter. The joint zone of all specimens kept well, indicating that the prototype joint had a large margin of safety. The hysteresis curves of all specimens were not full, and the ductility and energy dissipation capacity were limited. The end-plate thickness, bolt diameter, and steel grade affected the hysteresis performance of the SGF little. A refined finite element model was established, and the predicted results compared well with the test results. The test and analysis results demonstrated that there was slight utilization and distribution of post-buckling strength.
Controlled Silanization of Transparent Conductive Oxides as a Precursor of Molecular Recognition Systems
Authors: Domaros Anna , Zarzeczańska Dorota , Ossowski Tadeusz , Wcisło Anna
Published: December 2022

The search for new molecular recognition systems has become the goal of modern electrochemistry. Creating a matrix in which properties can be controlled to obtain a desired analytical signal is an essential part of creating such tools. The aim of this work was to modify the surface of electrodes based on transparent conductive oxides with the use of selected alkoxysilanes (3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, trimethoxy(propyl)silane, and trimethoxy(octyl)silane). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry techniques, as well as contact angle measurements, were used to determine the properties of the obtained layers. Here, we prove that not only was the structure of alkoxysilanes taken into account but also the conditions of the modification process—reaction conditions (time and temperature), double alkoxysilane modification, and mono- and binary component modification. Our results enabled the identification of the parameters that are important to ensure the effectiveness of the modification process. Moreover, we confirmed that the selection of the correct alkoxysilane allows the surface properties of the electrode material to be controlled and, consequently, the charge transfer process at the electrode/solution interface, hence enabling the creation of selective molecular recognition systems.
Rheological Modeling of Bituminous Mixtures Including Polymer-Modified Binder and Fine Crumb Rubber Added through Dry Process
Authors: Bocci Edoardo , Prosperi Emiliano , Bocci Maurizio
Published: December 2022

In recent years, both dry and wet processes to include waste rubber (WR) in bituminous mixtures have had little success in Italy due to technical and economic reasons. However, the necessity to recycle this waste material and the increasing interest in low-noise emitting pavement is encouraging researchers and stakeholders to explore new solutions. In this context, a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) manufactured with polymer-modified bitumen and fine WR added through a dry method has been recently developed. This paper deals with the rheological characterization and modeling of this innovative HMA, in comparison with two reference mixtures, with ordinary polymer-modified bitumen and with an asphalt rubber binder produced through a wet process. The complex modulus was measured through uniaxial cyclic compression tests at different temperatures and frequencies. The Huet-Sayegh rheological model was used to simulate the experimental data. The results showed that the time-temperature superposition principle is valid, despite the presence of polymers and WR. The Huet-Sayegh model allows a good fitting of the dynamic modulus and loss angle data to be achieved. The viscous response of the mixture including polymer-modified bitumen and rubber powder is higher than the other HMAs, which is mainly associated with the nature of the modifiers, the binder content in the mix and the less severe short-term aging.
Plasma Nitriding of Inner Surface of Slender Tubes using Small Diameter Helicon Plasma
Authors: Jin Chenggang , Zhang Yongqi , Wang Chen , Liu Manxing , Ling Wenbin , He Liang , Yang Yan , E Peng
Published: December 2022

A steady-state, high-flux N2/Ar helicon wave plasma (HWP) with a small diameter (10 mm) was used to nitride the interior of a slender austenitic stainless steel (ASS) 316L tube at a temperature of 450 °C. N2 and Ar were fed to a 500 mm long slender tube with 10 mm inner diameter and were ionized inside the tube using a helicon wave in the magnetic field of 2000 G. The microstructure and depth of the nitrided layers, in addition to the morphology and hardness of the nitrided surfaces, were intensively characterized by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), as well as microhardness tests. The results confirmed that the nitrided layer consisted primarily of the expanded austenite phase γN, and neither CrN nor iron nitride precipitates. An increasing trend in microhardness was observed in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and HWP modes; however, the increase in HWP nitriding (up to HV 1820 with a thickness of 14 μm) was approximately 1.5 times greater than that achieved through ICP plasma nitriding. This was owing to the higher N+ ion density in the HWP mode. Considering the successful control of N2 plasma discharge in a slender tube with a small diameter, this study opens up a new avenue for achieving high-yield nitride layers inside slender tubes.
An Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Recycled Carbon Fiber Reinforced Ultra-High-Performance Concrete
Authors: Patchen Andrew , Young Stephen , Penumadu Dayakar
Published: December 2022

Carbon fiber-reinforced concrete as a structural material is attractive for civil infrastructure because of its light weight, high strength, and resistance to corrosion. Ultra-high performance concrete, possessing excellent mechanical properties, utilizes randomly oriented one-inch long steel fibers that are 200 microns in diameter, increasing the concrete’s strength and durability, where steel fibers carry the tensile stress within the concrete similar to traditional rebar reinforcement and provide ductility. Virgin carbon fiber remains a market entry barrier for the high-volume production of fiber-reinforced concrete mix designs. In this research, the use of recycled carbon fiber to produce ultra-high-performance concrete is demonstrated for the first time. Recycled carbon fibers are a promising solution to mitigate costs and increase sustainability while retaining attractive mechanical properties as a reinforcement for concrete. A comprehensive study of process structure–properties relationships is conducted in this study for the use of recycled carbon fibers in ultra-high performance concrete. Factors such as pore formation and poor fiber distribution that can significantly affect its mechanical properties are evaluated. A mix design consisting of recycled carbon fiber and ultra-high-performance concrete was evaluated for mechanical properties and compared to an aerospace-grade and low-cost commercial carbon fiber with the same mix design. Additionally, the microstructure of concrete samples is evaluated non-destructively using high-resolution micro X-ray computed tomography to obtain 3D quantitative spatial pore size distribution information and fiber clumping. This study examines the compression, tension, and flexural properties of recycled carbon fibers reinforced concrete considering the microstructure of the concrete resulting from fiber dispersion.
Modeling Analysis of a Polygeneration Plant Using a CeO2/Ce2O3 Chemical Looping
Authors: Magnolia Greta , Santarelli Massimo , Ferrero Domenico , Papurello Davide
Published: December 2022

In the current context of complexity between climate change, environmental sustainability, resource scarcity, and geopolitical aspects of energy resources, a polygenerative system with a circular approach is considered to generate energy (thermal, electrical, and fuel), contributing to the control of CO2 emissions. A plant for the multiple productions of electrical energy, thermal heat, DME, syngas, and methanol is discussed and analyzed, integrating a chemical cycle for CO2/H2O splitting driven using concentrated solar energy and biomethane. Two-stage chemical looping is the central part of the plant, operating with the CeO2/Ce2O3 redox couple and operating at 1.2 bar and 900 °C. The system is coupled to biomethane reforming. The chemical loop generates fuel for the plant’s secondary units: a DME synthesis and distillation unit and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). The DME synthesis and distillation unit are integrated with a biomethane reforming reactor powered by concentrated solar energy to produce syngas at 800 °C. The technical feasibility in terms of performance is presented in this paper, both with and without solar irradiation, with the following results, respectively: overall efficiencies of 62.56% and 59.08%, electricity production of 6.17 MWe and 28.96 MWe, and heat production of 111.97 MWt and 35.82 MWt. The fuel production, which occurs only at high irradiance, is 0.71 kg/s methanol, 6.18 kg/s DME, and 19.68 kg/s for the syngas. The increase in plant productivity is studied by decoupling the operation of the chemical looping with a biomethane reformer from intermittent solar energy using the heat from the SOFC unit.
Federated Learning for the Internet-of-Medical-Things: A Survey
Authors: Prasad Vivek Kumar , Bhattacharya Pronaya , Maru Darshil , Tanwar Sudeep , Verma Ashwin , Singh Arunendra , Tiwari Amod Kumar , Sharma Ravi , Alkhayyat Ahmed , Țurcanu Florin-Emilian , Raboaca Maria Simona
Published: December 2022

Recently, in healthcare organizations, real-time data have been collected from connected or implantable sensors, layered protocol stacks, lightweight communication frameworks, and end devices, named the Internet-of-Medical-Things (IoMT) ecosystems. IoMT is vital in driving healthcare analytics (HA) toward extracting meaningful data-driven insights. Recently, concerns have been raised over data sharing over IoMT, and stored electronic health records (EHRs) forms due to privacy regulations. Thus, with less data, the analytics model is deemed inaccurate. Thus, a transformative shift has started in HA from centralized learning paradigms towards distributed or edge-learning paradigms. In distributed learning, federated learning (FL) allows for training on local data without explicit data-sharing requirements. However, FL suffers from a high degree of statistical heterogeneity of learning models, level of data partitions, and fragmentation, which jeopardizes its accuracy during the learning and updating process. Recent surveys of FL in healthcare have yet to discuss the challenges of massive distributed datasets, sparsification, and scalability concerns. Because of this gap, the survey highlights the potential integration of FL in IoMT, the FL aggregation policies, reference architecture, and the use of distributed learning models to support FL in IoMT ecosystems. A case study of a trusted cross-cluster-based FL, named Cross-FL, is presented, highlighting the gradient aggregation policy over remotely connected and networked hospitals. Performance analysis is conducted regarding system latency, model accuracy, and the trust of consensus mechanism. The distributed FL outperforms the centralized FL approaches by a potential margin, which makes it viable for real-IoMT prototypes. As potential outcomes, the proposed survey addresses key solutions and the potential of FL in IoMT to support distributed networked healthcare organizations.
Quasar Identification Using Multivariate Probability Density Estimated from Nonparametric Conditional Probabilities
Authors: Farmer Jenny , Allen Eve , Jacobs Donald J.
Published: December 2022

Nonparametric estimation for a probability density function that describes multivariate data has typically been addressed by kernel density estimation (KDE). A novel density estimator recently developed by Farmer and Jacobs offers an alternative high-throughput automated approach to univariate nonparametric density estimation based on maximum entropy and order statistics, improving accuracy over univariate KDE. This article presents an extension of the single variable case to multiple variables. The univariate estimator is used to recursively calculate a product array of one-dimensional conditional probabilities. In combination with interpolation methods, a complete joint probability density estimate is generated for multiple variables. Good accuracy and speed performance in synthetic data are demonstrated by a numerical study using known distributions over a range of sample sizes from 100 to 106 for two to six variables. Performance in terms of speed and accuracy is compared to KDE. The multivariate density estimate developed here tends to perform better as the number of samples and/or variables increases. As an example application, measurements are analyzed over five filters of photometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 17. The multivariate estimation is used to form the basis for a binary classifier that distinguishes quasars from galaxies and stars with up to 94% accuracy.
Quantum Inspired Task Optimization for IoT Edge Fog Computing Environment
Authors: Ahanger Tariq , Dahan Fadl , Tariq Usman , Ullah Imdad
Published: December 2022

IoT-Edge-Fog Computing presents a trio-logical model for decentralized computing in a time-sensitive manner. However, to address the rising need for real-time information processing and decision modeling, task allocation among dispersed Edge Computing nodes has been a major challenge. State-of-the-art task allocation techniques such as Min–Max, Minimum Completion time, and Round Robin perform task allocation, butv several limitations persist including large energy consumption, delay, and error rate. Henceforth, the current work provides a Quantum Computing-inspired optimization technique for efficient task allocation in an Edge Computing environment for real-time IoT applications. Furthermore, the QC-Neural Network Model is employed for predicting optimal computing nodes for delivering real-time services. To acquire the performance enhancement, simulations were performed by employing 6, 10, 14, and 20 Edge nodes at different times to schedule more than 600 heterogeneous tasks. Empirical results show that an average improvement of 5.02% was registered for prediction efficiency. Similarly, the error reduction of 2.03% was acquired in comparison to state-of-the-art techniques.
A Framework to Analyze Function Domains of Autonomous Transportation Systems Based on Text Analysis
Authors: Huang Xiangzhi , Cen Xuekai , Cai Ming , Zhou Rui
Published: December 2022

With the development of information and communication technologies, the current intelligent transportation systems (ITSs) will gradually become automated and connected, and can be treated as autonomous transportation systems (ATSs). Function, which unites cutting-edge technology with ATS services as a fundamental component of ATS operation, should be categorized into function domains to more clearly show how ATS operates. Existing ITS function domains are classified mostly based on the experience of experts or the needs of practitioners, using vague classification criteria. To ensure tractability, we aim to categorize ATS functions into function domains based on text analysis, minimizing the reliance on subjective experience. First, we introduce the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model to extract text features of functions into distribution weights, reflecting the semantics of the text data. Second, based on the LDA model, we categorize ATS functions into twelve function domains by the k-means method. The comparison between the proposed function domains and the existing counterparts of other ITS framework demonstrates the effectiveness of the LDA-based classification method. This study provides a reference for text processing and function classification of ATS architecture. The proposed functions and function domains reveal the objectives in future transportation systems, which could guide urban planners or engineers to better design control strategies when facing new technologies.
Entropy Principle and Shock-Wave Propagation in Continuum Physics
Authors: Cimmelli Vito Antonio
Published: December 2022

According to second law of thermodynamics, the local entropy production must be nonnegative for arbitrary thermodynamic processes. In 1996, Muschik and Ehrentraut observed that such a constraint can be fulfilled in two different ways: either by postulating a suitable form of the constitutive equations, or by selecting among the solutions of the systems of balance laws those which represent physically realizable thermodynamic processes. Hence, they proposed an amendment to the second law which assumes that reversible process directions in state space exist only in correspondence with equilibrium states. Such an amendment allowed them to prove that the restriction of the constitutive equations is the sole possible consequence of non-negative entropy production. Recently, Cimmelli and Rogolino revisited the classical result by Muschik and Ehrentraut from a geometric perspective and included the amendment in a more general formulation of the second law. Herein, we extend this result to nonregular processes, i.e., to solutions of balance laws which admit jump discontinuities across a given surface. Two applications of these results are presented: the thermodynamics of an interface separating two different phases of a Korteweg fluid, and the derivation of the thermodynamic conditions necessary for shockwave formation. Commonly, for shockwaves the second law is regarded as a restriction on the thermodynamic processes rather than on the constitutive equations, as only perturbations for which the entropy continues to grow across the shock can propagate. We prove that this is indeed a consequence of the general property of the second law of thermodynamics that restricts the constitutive equations for nonregular processes. An analysis of shockwave propagation in different thermodynamic theories is developped as well.