bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retinal Blood Vessels Segmentation With Improved SE‐UNet Model
Authors: Wan Yibo , Wei Gaofeng , Li Renxing , Xiang Yifan , Yin Dechao , Yang Minglei , Gong Deren , Chen Jiangang
Published: July 2024

Accurate segmentation of retinal vessels is crucial for the early diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, for example, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Due to the intricate structure of retinal vessels, it is essential to extract their features with precision for the semantic segmentation of medical images. In this study, an improved deep learning neural network was developed with a focus on feature extraction based on the U‐Net structure. The enhanced U‐Net combines the architecture of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with SE blocks (squeeze‐and‐excitation blocks) to adaptively extract image features after each U‐Net encoder's convolution. This approach aids in suppressing nonvascular regions and highlighting features for specific segmentation tasks. The proposed method was trained and tested on the DRIVECHASE_DB1 and STARE datasets. As a result, the proposed model had an algorithmic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Dice coefficient (Dc), and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 95.62/0.9853/0.9652, 0.7751/0.7976/0.7773, 0.9832/0.8567/0.9865, 82.53/87.23/83.42, and 0.7823/0.7987/0.8345, respectively, outperforming previous methods, including UNet++, attention U‐Net, and ResUNet. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method improved the retinal vessel segmentation performance.
Using plasma products in small animal practice
Authors: Allcock Lauren , Hagley Simon
Published: July 2024

Background: A variety of plasma products are commercially available for veterinary use in the UK. These products have a wide array of beneficial properties and can be considered for use in multiple clinical scenarios. Although a large proportion of the available information surrounding their use is gathered from human scientific data, recent veterinary studies have provided new evidence for their safe administration in veterinary patients.

Aim of the article: This article provides a detailed view of fresh frozen plasma and offers readers an easy‐to‐digest guide on how to use it in practice. It describes some of the recent evidence supporting fresh frozen plasma use, allowing readers to evaluate whether administration is indicated in their patients. Finally, the article briefly summarises other plasma products available for veterinary use in the UK.
Dealing with waste anaesthetic gases safely
Authors: Brown Scott
Published: July 2024

Anaesthetic gases are administered more regularly in veterinary practices than in the human sector to ensure compliance of the animal. Waste anaesthetic gases can pose a risk to veterinary staff and should not leak into the clinical environment. Moreover, they also pose an environmental risk. Efficient management of anaesthetic gases can be achieved in a number of ways, and emerging technologies now allow for the recovery of waste gases, which can in turn be captured and reprocessed. This article explores the available options for managing the safe disposal of waste anaesthetic gases.
Females and Housing First: An analysis of 18‐month outcomes in a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Isaak Corinne A. , Nelson Geoffrey , Roebuck Maryann , Aubry Tim , Macnaughton Eric , Kirst Maritt , O'Campo Patricia , Woodhall‐Melnik Julia , Agha Ayda , Faruquzzaman Oeishi , Purcell Sarah
Published: July 2024

The main objective of this research was to qualitatively examine the impacts of Housing First (HF) specifically on those participants who identified themselves as female in response to question asking what their gender was. The data analyzed are from a larger, muti‐site, randomized controlled trial. χ2 analysis was used to compare the life changes (coded as positive, neutral, or negative) experienced by 64 females (42 HF and 22 TAU). An in‐depth qualitative analysis was conducted on 45 of these participants (23 HF and 22 TAU). Significantly more female HF participants reported making positive life changes from baseline to 18‐month than those in TAU. Relative to females in TAU, female HF participants reported a number of specific positive changes, including enhanced safety, improved recovery in mental illness, greater reductions in drug use, and individual changes. The implications of findings for strengthening HF programs to meet the unique needs of female participants are discussed.
Changes in risk behaviour following a network peer education intervention for HIV prevention among male Tajik migrants who inject drugs in Moscow: a cluster‐randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mackesy‐Amiti Mary Ellen , Bahromov Mahbatsho , Levy Judith A. , Jonbekov Jonbek , Luc Casey M.
Published: July 2024

Introduction

The “Migrants’ Approached Self‐Learning Intervention in HIV/AIDS for Tajiks” (MASLIHAT) recruits and trains Tajik labour migrants who inject drugs as peer educators (PEs) in delivering HIV prevention information and encouragement to adopt risk‐reduction norms and practices within their diaspora social networks while reducing their own HIV risk.

Methods

The MASLIHAT intervention was tested in Moscow in a cluster‐randomized controlled trial with 12 recruitment sites assigned to either the MASLIHAT intervention or an equal‐time peer‐educator training focused on other health conditions (TANSIHAT). From October 2021 to April 2022, 140 male Tajik migrants who inject drugs were recruited as PEs to attend the 5‐session MASLIHAT training or the TANSIHAT non‐HIV comparison condition. Each participant in both groups recruited two network members (NMs) who inject drugs with the intent to share with them the information and positive strategies for change they had learned (n = 280). All PEs and NMs (n = 420) participated in baseline and follow‐up interviews at 3‐month intervals for 1 year. All received HIV counselling and testing. Modified mixed effects Poisson regressions tested for group differences in injection practices, sexual risk behaviours and heavy alcohol use over time.

Results

At baseline, across both groups, 75% of participants reported receptive syringe sharing (RSS), 42% reported condomless sex and 20% reported binge drinking at least once a month. In contrast to TANSIHAT where HIV risk behaviours remained the same, significant intervention effects that were sustained over the 12 months were observed for receptive syringe and ancillary equipment sharing among both MASLIHAT PEs and NMs (p < 0.0001). Significant declines in the prevalence of sexual risk behaviours were also associated with the MASLIHAT intervention (p < 0.01), but not the comparison condition. Binge alcohol use was not affected in either condition; the MASLIHAT intervention had a transitory effect on drinking frequency that dissipated after 9 months.

Conclusions

The MASLIHAT peer‐education intervention proved highly effective in reducing HIV‐related injection risk behaviour, and moderately effective in reducing sexual risk behaviour among both PEs and NMs. Network‐based peer education is an important tool for HIV prevention among people who inject drugs, especially in environments that are not amenable to community‐based harm reduction.
Fast screening of α‐glucosidase inhibitors from Ginkgo biloba leaf by using α‐glucosidase immobilized on magnetic metal‐organic framework
Authors: Li Yue , Liu Hongmei , Wang Sikai , Fang Wei , Jiang Xinxin , Zhang Guoqi , Zhao Yan
Published: July 2024

In this study, a ligand fishing method for the screening of α‐glucosidase inhibitors from Ginkgo biloba leaf was established for the first time using α‐glucosidase immobilized on the magnetic metal‐organic framework. The immobilized α‐glucosidase exhibited enhanced resistance to temperature and pH, as well as good thermal stability and reusability. Two ligands, namely quercitrin and quercetin, were screened from Ginkgo biloba leaf and identified by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. The half‐maximal inhibitory concentration values for quercitrin and quercetin were determined to be 105.69 ± 0.39 and 83.49 ± 0.79 µM, respectively. Molecular docking further confirmed the strong inhibitory effect of these two ligands. The proposed approach in this study demonstrates exceptional efficiency in the screening of α‐glucosidase inhibitors from complex natural medicinal plants, thus exhibiting significant potential for the discovery of antidiabetic compounds.
A low SLL series‐fed patch array antenna using simple and compact ridge waveguide‐based unequal feeding network
Authors: Chen Zhi Xing , Farahbakhsh Ali , Li Ze Hao , Su Huafeng , Zhang Xiu Yin
Published: July 2024

In this paper, the design of a low sidelobe level (SLL) 10 × 10‐element series‐fed patch antenna array is presented. A ridge waveguide‐based nonuniform feeding layer is employed to excite the array. Each column of the antenna array includes a tapered 10‐element series fed patch antenna array. By using a simple and compact center‐fed ridge waveguide, a low loss feeding layer is achieved. The coupling between the ridge waveguide and the standard WR‐75 flange is performed by employing a proposed stepped transition. The measured results indicate that the maximum gain is 24.1 dBi and the SLL is lower than −20 dB in both H‐ and E‐planes at 12.7 GHz. The proposed low SLL planar series‐fed patch antenna array can be utilized as an acceptable candidate for radar applications.
Optimal short carbon fiber‐reinforced polyamide 6 composites with lifted high strength and toughness for fused filament fabrication
Authors: Zhang Jianfang , Dong Weiping , Li Xiping , Wei Yicheng , Hu Zhonglue , Shiju E. , Zheng Jiajia , Chen Hongxuan , Wang Sisi
Published: July 2024

The high‐strength and lightweight carbon fiber‐reinforced composites are widely used in various industries. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), the most cost‐effective Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology, has gained significant application advantages in the industry. The objective of this study is to improve the toughness of the carbon fiber‐reinforced polyamide composites used for FFF. In this work, HDPE was selected to reduce the hygroscopicity of PA6 while lowering the cost, carbon fiber was introduced to reinforce the PA6/HDPE blend. The elastomer POE‐g‐MAH was applied to increase the toughness of the composites as well as to improve the compatibility of the incompatible system of PA6/HDPE. Mechanical tests and micromorphology observation were carried on the FFF printed samples. The test results show that when 20 phr POE‐g‐MAH was added, optimum mechanical properties were obtained for the composites with about 18.9 wt% carbon fiber content. The tensile strength reached 94.1 MPa, and the notched impact strength reached 21.0 kJ/m2, which were 180.8% and 610.7% higher than that of the neat PA6, respectively. It is applicable for various applications that require high‐impact strength, including automotive parts and some machine components.

Highlights

The PA‐2CF‐C20 composite exhibits high strength and high toughness, the tensile strength reaches 94.1 MPa and the notched impact strength reaches 21.0 kJ/m2.

Successfully prepared cost‐effective and high‐performance filament for FFF 3D printers.
Shifts in plant functional trait dynamics in relation to soil microbiome in modern and wild barley
Authors: Kumar Amit , Kuznetsova Olga , Gschwendtner Silvia , Chen Hao , Alonso‐Crespo Inés M. , Yusuf Mohammad , Schulz Stefanie , Bonkowski Michael , Schloter Michael , Temperton Vicky M.
Published: July 2024

Societal Impact Statement

Understanding domestication's impact on crop root traits and interactions with soil microbiomes is vital for improving crop resilience and agricultural sustainability. Using this knowledge to enhance root systems, reduce chemical inputs, and adapt crops to environmental stress will help to increase global food production, promote eco‐friendly farming, and mitigate the effects of climate change. Additionally, identifying microorganisms specific to plant species may help in biodiversity conservation. Advancing scientific understanding and educating future generations on the intricate relationships between plants, soil, and microorganisms is integral to developing innovative, sustainable agricultural practices and improved food security.

Domestication and intensive management practices have significantly shaped characteristics of modern crops. However, our understanding of domestication's impact had mainly focused on aboveground plant traits, neglecting root and rhizospheric traits, as well as trait–trait interactions and root‐microbial interactions.

To address this knowledge gap, we grew modern (Hordeum vulgare L. var. Barke) and wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum K. Koch var. spontaneum) in large rhizoboxes. We manipulated the soil microbiome by comparing disturbed (sterilized soil inoculum, DSM) versus non‐disturbed (non‐sterilized inoculum, NSM) microbiome. Results showed that modern barley grew faster and increased organic‐carbon exudation (OCEXU) compared to wild barley.

Both barley species exhibited accelerated root growth and enhanced OCEXU under DSM, indicating their ability to partially compensate and exploit the soil resources independently of microbes if need be. Plant trait network analysis revealed that modern barley had a denser, larger, and less modular network of microbes than wild barley indicating domestication's impact on trait–trait coordination. In addition, the relative abundance of bacteria did not vary between wild and modern barley rhizospheres; however, species‐specific unique bacteria were identified, with stronger effects under DSM.

Overall, our findings highlight domestication‐driven shifts in root traits, trait coordination, and their modulation by the soil microbiome.
Review on Preparation, Modification and Application of Nano‐Calcium Carbonate
Authors: Qiu Jun , Lyu Jing‐Wei , Yang Jing‐Lei , Cui Kai‐Bo , Liu Hao‐Ze , Wang Gui‐Fang , Liu Xiao
Published: July 2024

Nano‐calcium carbonate (nano‐CaCO3) is a tiny inorganic filler created in the 1980s. It boasts a high specific surface area, excellent biocompatibility, and nontoxicity. As a result, it finds extensive applications in the rubber, plastic, and paper industries. This paper intends to give a general overview of the preparation process, surface modification, and application of nano‐CaCO3. In particular, the preparation process conditions, the characteristics of the prepared nano‐CaCO3, the method and mechanism of surface modification, and also the main application research progress of nano‐CaCO3 are described comprehensively. This paper has a good guiding effect for the researchers and related staff engaged in the study of nano‐CaCO3.
Identifying Performance Conditions for a Radical Scavenging Active Packaging Material
Authors: Kay Ian P. , Goddard Julie M.
Published: July 2024

Global food waste remains a significant economic and environmental burden throughout the food supply chain. Oxidative degradation and microbial growth are two of the most prominent causes of post‐manufacturing food spoilage and are thus often targets of active packaging technologies that seek to maintain or improve shelf life by adding preservative functionality to the packaging material. In non‐migratory active packaging, the active agent is bound to the polymer backbone preventing its migration to the foodstuff in support of consumer demands for cleaner labels. Critical to commercial translation of such non‐migratory active packaging technologies is identifying circumstances conducive to their optimal performance as well as those for which performance falls short of predicted behaviour. Here, we present an applications study to identify conditions of optimal performance of a non‐migratory radical scavenging active packaging material, polypropylene‐graft‐polyethyleneimine (PP‐g‐PEI5), synthesized by reactive extrusion of polyethylenimine with maleic anhydride functionalized polypropylene. Polyethylenimine was selected as an active agent for its reported radical scavenging and antimicrobial behaviour. Despite introduction of a hygroscopic and relatively low molecular weight active ligand, PP‐g‐PEI5 retained desirable low water vapour transmission rates (value) and excellent mechanical properties, supporting its covalent bonding to the base polymer. Interfacial pKa was determined via a pH‐dependent characterization of surface primary amine to be 10.07 (9.66–11.42, 95% CI), explaining its antioxidant mechanism at food and beverage relevant pH values (under 7) due to radical scavenging and not transition metal sequestering behaviour. Antimicrobial efficacy was demonstrated against gram‐positive Listeria monocytogenes. Finally, a viscosity‐dependent radical scavenging assay demonstrated the efficacy of PP‐g‐PEI5 as an antioxidant active packaging material in food products up to 812.9 cPs (2.98 nmol/cm2 Troloxeq). These results suggest that these active packaging materials would be most effective in inhibiting radical induced oxidative degradation in foods and beverages of acidic to neutral pH values and viscosities from liquid to loose gel, for example, preventing lipid oxidation in salad dressings or enhancing stability of natural colours in juices or smoothies. The reported active packaging material offers industry and consumers another tool for extending the shelf life of foods while addressing clean label market demands, which may help to decrease food waste by reducing losses post‐retail due to oxidative degradation and microbial growth.
Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Micrometastasis: Insights from an Unconventional Cutaneous Presentation
Authors: Fardos Mohammad , Kopecky Heather , Sligh James , Browning Jill
Published: July 2024

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a highly lethal cancer known for its propensity to metastasise, yet the mechanisms underlying metastasis are not well defined. Cutaneous metastases from ccRCC are uncommon and typically occur within 3 years post-nephrectomy, predominantly affecting the scalp, chest or abdomen. Here, we present a unique case of a 75-year-old male, previously treated for ccRCC with right radical nephrectomy, who developed a singular skin lesion on the left side of the neck 19 years post-nephrectomy. The lesion was confirmed as metastatic ccRCC through histopathological analysis, despite negative imaging findings. Micrometastases, characterised by microscopic tumour cell foci in distant sites, pose a significant diagnostic challenge, frequently evading detection on conventional imaging modalities like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. This case contributes to our understanding of ccRCC metastasis, emphasising the necessity for continued clinical vigilance and thorough diagnostic scrutiny, particularly concerning atypical metastatic sites.
Großflächige Membrandachkonstruktionen: Windbelastung und dynamische Reaktion
Authors: Wacker Tobias , Wacker Jürgen
Published: July 2024

Windlasten auf großflächige, leichte Membrandachtragwerke werden nach heutigem Stand der Technik projektspezifisch in Windkanaltests ermittelt. Simultane Winddruck‐Zeitreihenmessungen an der Dachober‐ und ‐unterseite ermöglichen die Berechnung instationärer Windlastverteilungen, deren Wichtigkeit für die Ermittlung der bemessungsrelevanten Windlastfälle aufgezeigt wird. Die zeitabhängigen Windlastverteilungen dienen auch als Basis für Simulationen windbedingter dynamischer resonanter Reaktionen großer, leichter Dächer. Diesbezüglich wird gezeigt, dass neben der zur Grundeigenfrequenz des Dachs gehörigen Modalform auch zu höheren Eigenfrequenzen gehörige Schwingungsmoden windbedingt angeregt werden können und folglich bei der statischen Bemessung zu berücksichtigen sind. Weiterhin wird verdeutlicht, dass die Definition nur eines konstanten dynamischen Lasterhöhungsfaktors für das Dach (meistens) nicht zielführend ist. Letztendlich wird aufgezeigt, dass Windkanaluntersuchungen für die Ermittlung zeitlich schwankender Windlasten und zugehöriger dynamischer resonanter Lasten geeigneter sind als numerische Simulationen (CFD).
T1 colorectal cancer patients' perspective on information provision and therapeutic decision‐making after local resection
Authors: Dekkers Nik , Dang Hao , de Graaf Manon , Nobbenhuis Kate , Verhoeven Daan A. , van der Kraan Jolein , de Vos tot Nederveen Cappel Wouter H. , Alkhalaf Alaa , van Westreenen Henderik L. , Basiliya Kirill , Peeters Koen C. M. J. , Westerterp Marinke , Doornebosch Pascal G. , Hardwick James C. H. , Langers Alexandra M. J. , Boonstra Jurjen J.
Published: July 2024

Background

Decision‐making after local resection of T1 colorectal cancer (T1CRC) is often complex and calls for optimal information provision as well as active patient involvement.

Objective

The aim was to evaluate the perceptions of patients with T1CRC on information provision and therapeutic decision‐making.

Methods

This multicenter cross‐sectional study included patients who underwent endoscopic or local surgical resection as initial treatment. Information provision was assessed using the EORTC QLQ‐INFO25 questionnaire. In patients with high‐risk T1CRC, we evaluated decisional involvement and satisfaction regarding the choice as to whether to undergo additional treatment after local resection, and the level of decisional conflict using the Decisional Conflict Scale.

Results

Ninety‐eight patients with T1CRC were included (72% response rate; 79/98 endoscopic and 19/98 local surgical resection; 45/98 high‐risk T1CRC). Median time since local resection was 28 months (IQR 18); none had developed recurrence. Unmet information needs were reported by 29 patients (30%; 18 low‐risk, 11 high‐risk), mostly on post‐treatment related topics (follow‐up visits, recovery time, recurrence prevention). After local resection, 24 of the 45 high‐risk patients (53%) underwent additional treatment, while others were subjected to surveillance. Higher‐educated patients were more often actively involved in decision‐making (93% vs. 43%, p = 0.002) and more frequently underwent additional treatment (79% vs. 40%, p = 0.02). Decisional conflict (p = 0.19) and satisfaction (p = 0.78) were comparable between higher‐ and lower‐educated high‐risk patients.

Conclusion

Greater attention should be given to the post‐treatment course during consultations following local T1CRC resection. The differences in decisional involvement and selected management strategies between higher‐ and lower‐educated high‐risk patients warrant further investigation.
An incredible journey from veterinary nursing to human‐animal bond researcher
Authors: McCune Sandra
Published: July 2024

Sandra McCune volunteered at her local animal shelter aged 13 and, fascinated by dog and cat behaviour, she went on to become an RVN and then a leading researcher in the field of human‐animal interactions.
Geopolitics
Authors: Höglund Johan
Published: July 2024

This chapter focuses on American Climate Emergency Narratives that describe how climate breakdown has created international geopolitical tension and conflict. These are narratives that show the US and other major powers such as China, India, and Russia leveraging their considerable military resources to compete over and secure vital natural resources, in the process of which they establish new command over, or lose, hegemony over the world-system. These texts thus register the fact that continued socio-ecological erosion may produce world wars in the future, but they see no alternative to such development. The questions these texts pose are ultimately how such future wars can be won by the American security apparatus or the nightmare that follows if other actors in the world-system take advantage of American failure.
Developmental Challenges in the Post-Independence Era
Authors: Chanda Chiseni Michael
Published: July 2024

This book aims to explore the enduring influence of Christian missionaries in Zambia over the long term. Considering the longitudinal nature of this study, a crucial aspect is to provide an overview of Zambia’s economic development since gaining independence. In this chapter, the focus is on accentuating Zambia’s journey in the post-independence era, detailing significant economic shifts, and examining challenges encountered in the education and health sectors.
Research on Salt Corrosion Resistance Design of Highway Concrete Structures
Authors: Tang Xiong , Xiang Guoqiang , Zou Jie
Published: July 2024

In response to the problem of salt corrosion on highway concrete structures in high-altitude areas, this article studies the effects of water cement ratio, admixtures, and admixtures on the salt corrosion resistance of concrete through salt freezing cycle tests and salt freezing erosion resistance tests. The results indicate that under the conditions of meeting the workability of concrete, when the water cement ratio is below 0.4, the resistance to salt freezing and erosion is excellent. When the air content of concrete is between 0 and 3.8%, the salt freezing resistance and corrosion resistance of concrete increase with the increase of air content. When the air content exceeds 3.8%, the impact of the increase of air content on its performance decreases. It is advisable to use silica fume as the active mineral admixture for concrete in the admixture. If fly ash or mineral powder is used as the mineral admixture, the curing period must be extended.
Modeling Resilient Self-centering Concrete Walls with Repairable Structural Fuses to Predict Earthquake Performance
Authors: Yagoub Nouraldaim F. A. , Shehzad Aqdas , Ally Hikma , Wang Xiuxin
Published: July 2024

In the last decades, earthquake-resilient structural systems have become popular in rocking structures and are considered a viable option for buildings in seismic regions. Self-centering concrete shear wall systems offer numerous benefits, including reduced seismic damage. Designing buildings, especially in areas with weak earthquakes, needs a simple damper for energy dissipation in terms of design, execution, and ease of removal after the seismic. Extensive experimental studies have demonstrated excellent seismic performance of the self-centering shear walls. However, the analytical models currently used still have some limitations for modeling the gap rocking behavior. This study presents a self-centering concrete wall with energy dissipation (ED) steel angle devices and evaluates it to achieve seismic-resilient building structures. The angle devices are externally installed on the wall corners to achieve controllable energy dissipation and are easily replaceable. The numerical study was performed using displacement control cyclic loading, and verification of the self-centering (SC) reinforced concrete RC wall was first introduced. Subsequently, five different configurations with different thicknesses of ED steel angles were investigated. The outcome demonstrates that the proposed system structure has excellent load-bearing capability, energy absorption, lower damage, and self-centering capability. In addition to improving the self-centering wall’s lateral stiffness, strength, and energy dissipation, increasing the angle damper thickness can also increase residual drift if it surpasses a certain threshold. Compared to rocking RC walls, the proposed RC walls offer a promising solution for low-performance structural systems required by resilient and sustainable civil infrastructure.
Selection of Construction Materials for a Thermal Insulation Layer of a Road
Authors: Galkin A. F. , Plotnikov N. A. , Pankov V. Yu
Published: July 2024

Safety of the roads in the permafrost region is largely determined by their thermal regime. The aim of the present work was to discover a function to determine the thermal conductivity coefficient of materials used to construct a thermal insulation layer of a road to prevent foundation soils from thawing over a permitted thawing depth. Two cases were surveyed: when the natural temperature of the soil is equal to ice melting temperature and when it is not equal to ice melting temperature. Engineering formulas permitting to quickly select the required thermal resistance property of an insulation material based on the known Biot number were derived. An expedient regularity is observed: the thermal resistance of the thermal insulation layer is roughly proportional to the dimensionless thawing depth. Correspondingly, when selecting the construction materials for a thermal insulation layer it can be considered that the increase in permissible thawing depth increases proportionally to the increase of the thermal conductivity coefficient of the insulation material. Considering that the physical and mechanical properties of the soil are not constant along the road length, the thermal resistance of the thermal insulation layer should be determined for individual sections of the road rather than for the entire route. Accordingly, the construction materials can also vary depending on the selected solutions for the road construction.
Use of Temporal Convolutional Network with an Attention Mechanism and a Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit to Capture and Predict Slope Debris Flow Risk
Authors: Wei Kai , Li Qing , Yao Yi , Sun Yeqing
Published: July 2024

A novel approach for predicting slope debris flow risk is proposed to address the issue of single-factor data modeling in current slope debris flow risk prediction. The DA-TCN-BiGRU approach combines the dual attention mechanism, temporal convolutional network, and bidirectional gated recurrent unit. Based on the slope debris flow simulation platform, rainfall, soil shear wave velocity, surface displacement, soil pressure and soil moisture data are collected. The data warning features of debris flow risk are captured using the TOSIS entropy method, and the risk level of the slope debris flow is represented based on this. Compared to similar models, this model achieves better slope debris flow risk prediction results.
Experimental Study on the Influence of Superplasticizer on the Performance of Ecotype Ultra-High Performance Concrete (E-UHPC)
Authors: Xu Gao , Deng Chungang , Xu Weiyu
Published: July 2024

A kind of Ecotype Ultra High Performance Concrete (E-UHPC) with silicate high strength cement and a variety of industrial tailings as cementing system, green sand as aggregate and ecotype organic fiber as reinforcing material is proposed. The fluidity, flexural strength and compressive strength of E-UHPC under different factors were studied by different superplasticizer content and sand particle size. The results show that the variation trend of fluidity with particle size can be expressed as an exponential function. The peaceability of E-UHPC with Superplasticizer content of 8% is better, and the flexural strength and compressive strength are better than that of E-UHPC with superplasticizer content of 15%. The research results can provide reasonable suggestions for the content of superplasticizer and the optimization of sand particle size of E-UHPC.
Research on the Installation Plan of Stiffening Beam and Bridge Deck for Single Tower and Single Span Steel Truss Suspension Bridge
Authors: Man Xianhui , Wang Yingjia , Yi Yanan
Published: July 2024

Taking a certain super large bridge with a main span of 256 m as the engineering background, the construction sequence of the stiffening beam and bridge deck of a single tower and single span steel truss suspension bridge was studied. The results show that different construction sequences of stiffening beams and bridge decks have a significant impact on the stress of stiffening beam members and suspension rods. Through simulation analysis, it is found that the stiffening beam of the bridge is lifted from the beam end to the B6 closure section, and the construction sequence of the bridge deck is symmetrical from the middle of the stiffening beam span to both ends. The steel truss stiffening beam members and suspension rods are the most reasonable in terms of stress, and the rationality of the installation construction plan is verified through actual measurement and monitoring data.
Operational Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction Benefits of Concrete MiC Building’s Envelope
Authors: Hou Miaomiao , Lin Yaoyu , Wang Qiong , He Xiaolu , Zheng Yiqian , Shen Pengyuan
Published: July 2024

Modular integrated Construction (MiC) is an off-site construction method of the highest level and has been fast developed to meet the demand for fast, low-cost and eco-friendly construction. As the construction industry is the main contributor to global energy consumption and carbon emissions, MiC has great potential to improve its thermal and energy performance through better envelope design. However, fewer existing papers study the environmental performance of MiC during the operational phase, especially for concrete MiC. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the environmental performance of MiC during the operation phase through a case study of a real project and a comparative LCA analysis. The simulation modeling was calibrated and validated with real-time measurement readings. The temporal and spatial variations of the indoor thermal environment were analyzed. Finally, the energy consumption was simulated and a whole-life-cycle assessment was conducted, to provide a holistic quantitative energy saving and carbon reduction analysis for MiC compared to normal prefabricated construction. This research can help to improve the envelope design guidance of MiC and the resulting environmental performance.
The Integration of Prefabricated Construction and Vertical Greening
Authors: Sun Jingjing , Zhou Fang
Published: July 2024

To harness the synergy of prefabricated construction and vertical greening, this study focuses on two key aspects: component fusion and technological refinement, and the evaluation of ecological benefits and carbon sequestration potential. This involves optimizing materials, construction methods, and digitalization, along with analyzing carbon sequestration and ecological gains. Emphasizing cohesive design and systematic integration is crucial, with system integration and intelligentization serving as cornerstones for harmonized collaboration between these domains.
Encourage the Use of Prefabricated Building Technology to Improve the Quality of Life in Rural Areas During the Process of Rural Revitalization
Authors: Wang Qi , Li Yu , Wang Fei
Published: July 2024

The connotation of rural revitalization not only includes rural economic development and rural landscape reconstruction, but more importantly, the return of rural family integrity and the reshaping of rural pastoral life. The use of prefabricated building technology can quickly improve the quality of rural life at a low cost. Rooms, stairs, kitchens, bathrooms, and various building components can be prefabricated in the factory, while on-site workers are only responsible for overall assembly. Made of fiberglass material, the cost of prefabricated septic tanks and biogas digesters can be greatly reduced, and replacement and recycling are convenient, all of which can be completed in the factory. In addition to creating job opportunities, prefabricated building technology can also attract urban populations to settle in rural areas, creating a happy Chinese style rural pastoral life together.
Whole Process Management and Collaboration of Prefabricated Building Based on BIM
Authors: Yang Jing , Zuo Caixia
Published: July 2024

As a modern construction method, prefabricated building has been widely used in the construction field for its high efficiency, fast and sustainable characteristics. However, the traditional construction method has some problems such as low efficiency, high cost and difficult quality control. In order to solve these problems, this paper adopts Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology as the main application method, and discusses the application of BIM in prefabricated buildings. BIM technology can improve the efficiency of design and construction, reduce errors and conflicts, and improve building quality and sustainability. Through the application of BIM technology, prefabricated buildings can better meet people’s needs for efficient, fast and sustainable construction. Through the research in this paper, the application of BIM technology enables the design and construction of building projects to be carried out more efficiently, and the application of BIM in prefabricated buildings can provide better user experience and satisfaction. This can promote the development of the construction industry in a digital and intelligent direction.
Glycaemic patterns during breastfeeding with postpartum use of closed-loop insulin delivery in women with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Donovan Lois E. , Bell Rhonda C. , Feig Denice S. , Lemieux Patricia , Murphy Helen R. , Sigal Ronald J. , Ho Josephine , Virtanen Heidi , Crawford Susan , Yamamoto Jennifer M.
Published: July 2024

Aims/hypothesis

This study aimed to describe the relationship between breastfeeding episodes and maternal glucose levels, and to assess whether this differs with closed-loop vs open-loop (sensor-augmented pump) insulin therapy.

Methods

Infant-feeding diaries were collected at 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks postpartum in a trial of postpartum closed-loop use in 18 women with type 1 diabetes. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data were used to identify maternal glucose patterns within the 3 h of breastfeeding episodes. Generalised mixed models adjusted for breastfeeding episodes in the same woman, repeat breastfeeding episodes, carbohydrate intake, infant age at time of feeding and early pregnancy HbA1c. This was a secondary analysis of data collected during a randomised trial (ClinicalTrials.gov registration no. NCT04420728).

Results

CGM glucose remained above 3.9 mmol/l in the 3 h post-breastfeeding for 93% (397/427) of breastfeeding episodes. There was an overall decrease in glucose at nighttime within 3 h of breastfeeding (1.1 mmol l−1 h−1 decrease on average; p=0.009). A decrease in nighttime glucose was observed with open-loop therapy (1.2 ± 0.5 mmol/l) but was blunted with closed-loop therapy (0.4 ± 0.3 mmol/l; p<0.01, open-loop vs closed-loop).

Conclusions/interpretation

There is a small decrease in glucose after nighttime breastfeeding that usually does not result in maternal hypoglycaemia; this appears to be blunted with the use of closed-loop therapy.

Graphical Abstract
Effect of oxygen in shielding gas on weldability in plasma-GMA hybrid welding process of high-tensile strength steel
Authors: Trinh Quang Ngoc , Tashiro Shinichi , Suga Tetsuo , Yamaoka Hiroto , Inose Kotaro , Watanabe Kosuke , Hyoma Kengo , Tanabe Yoshihiro , Bui Van Hanh , Tanaka Manabu
Published: July 2024

This study aims to clarify the effect of oxygen in shielding gas on weldability in the plasma-GMA (Gas Metal Arc) hybrid welding process of high-tensile strength steel plates. The difference in keyhole profile and bead formation, when the GMA shielding gas was pure Ar, Ar + 2% O2, or Ar + 20% CO2, was investigated for plate thicknesses of 6 and 9 mm for the first time. It was found that the weld beads were in good condition for 6 mm thickness plates for all shielding gases, which implied that the window of welding conditions for this thickness is wide. In contrast, for 9 mm thickness plates, a fully penetrated weld bead was achieved only in Ar + 20% CO2, and weld bead penetration in Ar + 20% CO2 is higher than in pure Ar and Ar + 2% O2 in the same welding condition. Due to decreased surface tension caused by sufficiently increased oxygen absorbed into the weld pool, the keyhole diameter increased to penetrate the bottom side of the plate, and the depressing weld pool surface under GMA allowed the heat input from the GMA to be directly applied to a deeper position. Consequently, the plasma-GMA hybrid welding process with Ar + 20% CO2 achieved a complete penetration for a plate of 9 mm thickness, owing to the effects of both phenomena. It proved a potential to increase penetrability in welding thicker plates by controlling oxygen content in shielding gas of GMA adequately.
Finitely and non-finitely related words
Authors: Glasson Daniel
Published: July 2024

An algebra is finitely related (or has finite degree) if its term functions are determined by some finite set of finitary relations. Nilpotent monoids built from words, via Rees quotients of free monoids, have been used to exhibit many interesting properties with respect to the finite basis problem. We show that much of this intriguing behaviour extends to the world of finite relatedness by using interlocking patterns called chain, crown, and maelstrom words. In particular, we show that there are large classes of non-finitely related nilpotent monoids that can be used to construct examples of: ascending chains of varieties alternating between finitely and non-finitely related; non-finitely related semigroups whose direct product are finitely related; the addition of an identity element to a non-finitely related semigroup to produce a finitely related semigroup.
Safety and efficacy of L-Glutamine in reducing the frequency of acute complications among patients with sickle cell disease: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Ebeid Fatma Soliman Elsayed , Aly Nihal Hussien , Shaheen Naglaa Mohammed , Abdellatif Samah Mohammed Ahmed , Okba Ahmed Ashraf Mahmoud , Gad Nada Ayman , Makkeyah Sara Mostafa
Published: July 2024

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of L-glutamine in reducing vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and improving cerebral arterial blood flow in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). This is an interventional randomized controlled trial that recruited sixty SCD patients, aged 9.2 ± 3.7 years, who had at least two VOCs during the last 12 months and on a stable dose of hydroxyurea. They were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive glutamine (0.3 gm/kg/dose/12h) orally for 24 weeks or the standard of care (SOC). All patients had VOCs in the last year > 3, those on glutamine had a higher number of VOCs and hospitalization for VOC in the last year. There was a decreasing trend in the number, severity, and hospitalization of VOC and a significantly lower cumulative number of VOCs and hospitalizations in the glutamine group than in SOC (p = 0.008, p < 0.001 respectively). Time-averaged mean maximum velocity for the glutamine group had a marginal increase in both middle cerebral arteries, all values remained normal within a normal range, and in both internal carotid arteries, values increased from abnormally low to normal ranges at week 24. Glutamine reduced the number of VOCs and severity and may have a potentially favorable impact on the cerebral arterial flow velocities.
Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (FABP4) as a potential biomarker for predicting metabolically driven low-grade and organ damage in thalassemia syndromes
Authors: Ezzat Eman Mahmoud , Bakr Salwa , Golam Rehab M. , Abdelgyed Basma Atiya , Nasr Nourhan Mohamed
Published: July 2024

Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP; FABP4) plays a significant role in the pathogenesis and progression of metabolically driven low-grade inflammation and organ damage. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of circulating FABP4 as a predictive and diagnostic biomarker for thalassemia-associated cardiometabolic events. This case-control study enrolled 50 adults with β-thalassemia and 30 age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched controls. Participants underwent a comprehensive evaluation, including complete blood count, liver and kidney function tests, serum blood glucose, lipid profile, and ferritin levels, pelviabdominal ultrasound, ECG, and echocardiography after taking a full medical history and conducting a clinical examination. Serum levels of FABP4 were measured using an Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay. The diagnostic performance of FABP4 was assessed using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine optimal values for excluding and confirming cardiometabolic metflammation. The thalassemia cohort exhibited a statistically significant higher concentration of FABP4 compared to the control group (p-value < 0.001). Positive correlations were found between FABP4 and ferritin serum levels above 800 or 1000 ug/L, as well as with ALT, TGS, and LDL (p-value < 0.05). Circulating FABP4 was identified as a statistically significant risk factor for thalassemia-associated cardiometabolic comorbidities (OR = 84.00, 95%CI:18.6–378.6, p-value < 0.001). ROC analysis determined that the FABP4 exclusionary cut-off value > 2.30 ng/ml could effectively discriminate between thalassemia-associated adverse metaflammation and controls, while the FABP4 confirmatory cut-off value was > 2.58 ng/ml. In conclusion, circulating FABP4 appears to be a potential risk factor for predicting progression to cardiometabolic events in thalassemia-associated adverse metaflammation. FABP4 holds promise as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for disease monitoring and risk stratification. Further validation through large-scale, multicenter, prospective studies is warranted.
Preference heterogeneity over the aspects of individual well-being: towards the construction of an applied well-being index
Authors: Arad Adi , Laufer Steven , Sharvit Zohar Or , Reingewertz Yaniv , Hartal Michael
Published: July 2024

Measuring the well-being of individuals is a significant challenge for social scientists, policy makers, and suppliers of social programming, since well-being consists of many dimensions that are difficult to measure, both individually and collectively. Moreover, the relative contribution of each of the various aspects to overall well-being is unknown. We try to answer this challenge using the methodology of Benjamin et al. (Am Econ Rev 104(9):2698–2735, 2014) and using a survey that measures preferences over 27 aspects of individual well-being. We provide estimates of these preferences for a representative sample of the Israeli population. We also document heterogeneity in preferences for respondents with different current levels of well-being and for different demographic groups. For some aspects of well-being, we provide evidence of decreasing marginal utility. For other aspects, we find evidence for what appears to be an increasing marginal utility but we argue that it likely reflects an endogenous determination of the level of well-being. We discuss the policy implications of our findings and how our results could be aggregated to a well-being index that could be used to evaluate and compare the effects of different policy interventions.
The awareness of operators: a goal-directed task analysis in SOCs for critical infrastructure
Authors: Ofte Håvard Jakobsen
Published: July 2024

Security operation centers (SOCs) are increasingly established to meet the growing threat against cyber security. The operators of SOCs respond to complex incidents under time constraints. Within critical infrastructure, the consequences of human error or low performance in SOCs may be detrimental. In other domains, situation awareness (SA) has proven useful to understand and measure how operators use information and decide the correct actions. Until now, SA research in SOCs has been restricted by a lack of in-depth studies of SA mechanisms. Therefore, this study is the first to conduct a goal-directed task analysis in a SOC for critical infrastructure. The study was conducted through a targeted series of unstructured and semi-structured interviews with SOC operators and their leaders complemented by a review of documents, incident reports, and in situ observation of work within the SOC and real incidents. Among the presented findings is a goal hierarchy alongside a complete overview of the decisions the operators make during escalated incidents. How the operators gain and use SA in these decisions is presented as a complete set of SA requirements. The findings are accompanied by an analysis of contextual differences in how the operators prioritize goals and use information in network incidents and security incidents. This enables a discussion of what SA processes might be automated and which would benefit from different SA models. The study provides a unique insight into the SA of SOC operators and is thus a steppingstone for bridging the knowledge gap of Cyber SA.