bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen Cofiring Demonstration at Constellation Hillabee Siemens Energy SGT6-6000G Power Plant
Authors: Harper Jim , Gibeaut Duane , Lozier Mark , Sake Richard , Wolf Thorsten , Noble David R.
Published: November 2024

Gas turbines will need to reduce CO2 emissions and prove their flexibility based on market needs and new proposed rules. Economically, utilizing existing gas turbine assets to meet these requirements will be of great benefit as compared to building new turbines. Even better, determining the lowest cost least intrusive upgrades required is of great interest to power producers. The demonstration described here was conducted on one (1) gas turbine (GT) unit at the Constellation Hillabee power plant (Siemens Energy SGT6-6000G 2 × 1 configuration), which doubled the mass flow of hydrogen of previous record-breaking dry low NOx (DLN) demonstrations. The testing was done on an unaltered, existing GT asset, which provides great value for those GTs, which are already providing power using natural gas. The demonstrated hydrogen blending percentage of 38.8% (resulting in approximately 18% reduction in CO2 emissions) proved the system capable of meeting the first best system of emissions reduction goals set forth in recent proposed U.S. EPA gas turbine rules. Such demonstrations are of critical importance as they show the inherent capability to meet reduced carbon power generation requirements without more significant cost outlays. This report documents the evaluation, preparation, execution, and results from this demonstration testing. The results are provided for the gas turbine community to use as insight into the capability and flexibility of existing assets to meet the future demands of reduced carbon power generation. Specific information around safety, reliability, emissions, and operability are discussed to provide context around existing asset capability.
Substrate induced composition change during Ge2Sb2Te5 atomic layer deposition and study of initial reactions on SiO2 surface
Authors: Sinha Jyoti , Nyns Laura , Delabie Annelies
Published: November 2024

Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) is a well-known phase change material used in nonvolatile memory devices, photonics, and nonvolatile displays. This study investigates the impact of precursor sequence during atomic layer deposition (ALD) of GST from GeCl2.C4H8O2, SbCl3, and Te[(CH3)3Si]2 on Si/SiO2 substrates, focusing on growth per cycle, morphology, and composition along with initial precursor reactions on the substrate. We found that while thick layers approach stoichiometric Ge2Sb2Te5, a Ge-rich interfacial layer is initially formed, regardless of the binary ALD sequence used to start the deposition (GeTe vs Sb2Te3). Starting the ALD process with the GeTe-Sb2Te3 sequence results in a higher Ge content near the GST/SiO2 interface compared to the Sb2Te3-GeTe sequence. To understand these phenomena, we examine the initial precursor reactions on the SiO2 substrate by total reflection x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The analysis reveals that SbCl3 exhibits lower reactivity with the SiO2 substrate than GeCl2.C4H8O2, and not all Ge adspecies react with the Te[(CH3)3Si]2 precursors. Additionally, the impact of the initial SiO2 surface on deposition extends over several ALD cycles, as the SiO2 surface only gradually gets covered by GST due to island growth. These processes contribute to the formation of a Ge-rich GST layer at the interface, irrespective of the precursor pulse sequence. These insights from the study may contribute to optimizing the initial deposition stages of GST and other ternary ALD processes to enable better composition control and enhanced device performance.
Experimental study of a distributed active noise control system with multi-device nodes based on augmented diffusion strategy
Authors: Li Tianyou , Zhao Sipei , Rao Li , Zou Haishan , Chen Kai , Lu Jing , Burnett Ian S.
Published: November 2024

Recently, distributed active noise control (DANC) algorithms have been explored as a way to reduce computational complexity while ensuring system stability, thereby outperforming conventional centralized and decentralized algorithms. Most existing DANC algorithms assume that each node has only one pair of loudspeaker and microphone, limiting their flexibility in practical applications. In contrast, this paper proposes a DANC algorithm with general multi-device nodes based on the recently developed augmented diffusion strategy, allowing flexible and scalable ANC applications. A real-time distributed ANC system based on a multi-core digital signal processor platform is developed in order to compare the control performance of the proposed extended augmented diffusion algorithm with that of existing centralized, decentralized and augmented diffusion algorithms. Real-time experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm exhibits noise reduction performance consistent with that of the centralized algorithm while achieving lower global computational complexity and avoiding the system instability risk of the decentralized algorithm. Further, the new algorithm improves convergence speed and reduces the global communication cost compared to the previous augmented diffusion algorithm. Experimental results indicate the application potential of the proposed DANC algorithm for a generalized system configuration.
The solution of sound propagation modeling problems for environment impact assessment by the mode parabolic equations method
Authors: Tyshchenko Andrey G. , Sorokin Mikhail A. , Kozitskiy Sergey B. , Petrov Pavel S.
Published: November 2024

The method of sound propagation modeling based on the mode parabolic equations (MPEs) theory is applied to the verification scenarios for environmental impact assessment. The results for selected scenarios from the 2022 Cambridge Joint Industry Programme Acoustic Modelling Workshop and the configuration of the computational programs AMPLE and MPE for these scenarios is discussed. Furthermore, it is revealed how the results for these scenarios change in the case of the bottom slope across and along the propagation path. It is observed that for the cross-slope propagation scenario, the distribution of acoustic energy over decidecade frequency bands does not depend on the slope angle and is practically the same as that for range-independent environment. At the same time, the dependence of energy distribution is noticeable for up- and downslope propagation scenarios, where greater slope angles result in higher propagation loss. It is also shown that MPEs are capable of adequately handling typical sound propagation problems related to the environmental impact assessment for frequencies up to 1000 Hz. A possibility of using frequency-dependent mesh size and number of modes must be implemented in codes based on this approach.
Starship super heavy acoustics: Far-field noise measurements during launch and the first-ever booster catch
Authors: Gee Kent L. , Pulsipher Noah L. , Kellison Makayle S. , Mathews Logan T. , Anderson Mark C. , Hart Grant W.
Published: November 2024

Far-field (9.7–35.5 km) noise measurements were made during the fifth flight test of SpaceX's Starship Super Heavy, which included the first-ever booster catch. Key results involving launch and flyback sonic boom sound levels include (a) A-weighted sound exposure levels during launch are 18 dB less than predicted at 35 km; (b) the flyback sonic boom exceeds 10 psf at 10 km; and (c) comparing Starship launch noise to Space Launch System and Falcon 9 shows that Starship is substantially louder; the far-field noise produced during a Starship launch is at least ten times that of Falcon 9.
Injury Incidence and Severity Rates in Male Professional Rugby-15’s: A Systematic Review
Authors: Thomas Adam , Davis Kelsea , Regnier Abigail , Lopes Alexandre Dias
Published: November 2024

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to identify the injury and severity rates of injuries experienced by male professional rugby-15 players. Method: A systematic review was conducted utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Studies were included if published within the past 10 years (2013-present), were peer-reviewed, provided injury incidence rate during matches or training, and focused on male, professional, Rugby-15 players. The review was preregistered in PROSPERO before starting the search process (CRD42023471046). Four electronic databases (PubMed Central, Embase, CINAHL Complete, and SPORTDiscus) were searched. The modified Downs and Black scale was used for each article to assess the risk of bias. Results: Forwards were estimated to experience injuries at a rate of 5.7–106.4/1,000 player-hours, whereas backs were estimated at a rate of 8.6–86.8/1,000 player-hours. Muscles/tendons (1.38–46.6/1,000 player-hours) and joints/ligaments (1.49–54.5/1,000 player-hours) were most frequently affected. The knee (11.1–14.6/1,000 player-hours) and head/face (11.2–18.3/1,000 player-hours) were the most injured body regions, with recurrent injuries resulting in more time lost than new injuries (28–51 days vs. 22–35 days). Conclusions: The existing literature demonstrates heterogeneous injury incidence and severity estimates for male professional rugby-15 players. Data suggests an increased injury incidence rate among forwards compared with backs and for match play versus training, with recurrent injuries increasing the burden on athletes.
The Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Association Between 24-Hour Movement Behavior Compositions With Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in 6-Year-Old Children
Authors: Bourke Matthew , Alsop Tahlia , Peters Rachel L. , Cassim Raisa , Wake Melissa , Tang Mimi L.K. , Koplin Jennifer J.
Published: November 2024

Background: Few studies have examined the association between 24-hour movement behaviors and health in children in their first 2 years of primary school. This study aimed to examine how 24-hour movement behavior compositions at age 6 were related to body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms at ages 6 and 10. Methods: A subsample of 361 children from the HealthNuts cohort study with valid accelerometer data was included in the cross-sectional analysis. Of these, 279 had longitudinal data for social-emotional outcomes and 113 had longitudinal anthropometric data. Children’s 24-hour movement behaviors (ie, sleep, sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity, and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity [MVPA]) were assessed over 8 days using accelerometery and activity logs. BMI z score and waist circumference were assessed using standardized protocols, and parents reported on their child’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations were estimated using compositional data analysis and compositional isotemporal substitution analysis. Results: Overall, 24-hour movement behaviors were significantly related to internalizing symptoms cross-sectionally and longitudinally and BMI z-score cross-sectionally. Results from compositional isotemporal substitution models indicated that replacing sedentary time or light-intensity physical activity with MVPA was associated with fewer internalizing symptoms at ages 6 and 10. Replacing time spent sedentary and in light-intensity physical activity or MVPA with sleep was associated with lower BMI z score at age 6. Conclusion: Spending more time in MVPA relative to other movement behaviors is associated with fewer internalizing symptoms. In additional, spending more time sleeping is associated with lower BMI z score and waist circumference in children.
Pain Catastrophizing, Beliefs and Perception, and Their Association With Profiling Characteristics in Athletes
Authors: Maestroni Luca , Rabey Martin , Mariani Camilla , Villa Vittoria , Landi Laura , Rodi Alessia , Civera Fabio , Bettariga Francesco , Turner Anthony
Published: November 2024

Context: Variables associated with pain catastrophizing and beliefs in athletes presenting with musculoskeletal pain and/or sports-related injuries are largely unexplored. Objective: We aimed to evaluate which anthropometric, sociodemographic, sporting, injury history, and care-seeking characteristics were associated with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Pain Beliefs and Perceptions Inventory (PBAPI) scores in athletes. Design: This study followed a cross-sectional design. Methods: Three hundred and twelve athletes (40% females) from different sports and levels completed a questionnaire including demographic information, details regarding sports practice, injury history, health care use, PCS, and PBAPI. Univariable associations between PCS and PBAPI scores and each variable were assessed using linear regression. Variables with univariable associations where P < .05 were entered into multivariable regression models. Results: The final multivariable model including gender, recurrent and persistent pain, a history of a severe atraumatic injury, and a history of more than 5 atraumatic injuries explained 14.9% of the variance in PBAPI scores. Performing a team sport and a history of more than 5 atraumatic injuries explained 5.1% of the variance in PCS scores. Conclusions: Gender, sporting, and injury history characteristics explained only a small portion of the variance in PCS and PBAPI scores, whereas having received healthcare support and the number of appointments did not. Most of the variance was left unexplained.
Protective threshold of a potent neutralizing Zika virus monoclonal antibody in rhesus macaques
Authors: Nkolola Joseph P. , Hope David , Guan Ruoran , Colarusso Alessandro , Aid Malika , Weiss Deborah , Misamore John , Andersen Hanne , Lewis Mark G. , Williamson Lauren , Carnahan Robert H. , Crowe James E. , Barouch Dan H.
Published: November 2024

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that caused a global pandemic in 2016–2017 with continued ongoing transmission at low levels in several countries. In the absence of an approved ZIKV vaccine, neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) provide an option for the prevention and treatment of ZIKV infection. Previous studies identified a potent neutralizing human mAb ZIKV-117 that reduced fetal infection and death in mice following ZIKV challenge. In this study, we report exquisite potency of ZIKV-117-LALA-YTE, which has been engineered to reduce Fc receptor binding and to extend half-life, in a titration study in rhesus macaques to protect against ZIKV challenge. We show complete protection at a dose of 0.016 mg/kg ZIKV-117-LALA-YTE, which resulted in median serum concentrations of 0.13 µg/mL. The high potency of this mAb supports its potential clinical development as a novel biotherapeutic intervention for ZIKV.

IMPORTANCE

In this study, we report the potency of the Zika virus (ZIKV)-specific neutralizing antibody ZIKV-117-LALA-YTE against ZIKV challenge in a titration study rhesus macaques. This high potency supports the further development of this monoclonal antibody for ZIKV.
Discovery and characterization of complete genomes of 38 head-tailed proviruses in four predominant phyla of archaea
Authors: Xu Tianqi , Ni Yimin , Li Hailing , Wu Shuang , Yan Shuling , Chen Lanming , Yu Yongxin , Wang Yongjie
Published: November 2024

Archaea play a significant role in natural ecosystems and the human body. Archaeal viruses exert a considerable influence on the structure and composition of archaeal communities and their associated ecological environments. The present study revealed the complete genomes of 38 archaeal head-tailed proviruses through comprehensive data mining. The hosts of these proviruses were identified as belonging to the following four dominant phyla:
Halobacteriota
,
Thermoplasmatota
,
Thermoproteota
, and
Nanoarchaeota
. In addition to the 14 proviruses of halophilic archaea related to the
Graaviviridae
family, the remaining proviruses exhibited limited genetic similarities to known (pro)viruses, suggesting the existence of 14 potential novel families. Of the 38 archaeal proviruses, 30 have the potential to lyse host cells. Eleven proviruses contain genes linked to antiviral defense mechanisms, including those involved in restriction modification (RM), clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated (CRISPR–Cas) nucleases, defense island system associated with restriction-modification (DISARM), and DNA degradation (Dnd). Moreover, auxiliary metabolic genes were identified in the proviruses of
Bathyarchaeia
and
Halobacteriota
archaea, including those involved in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Our findings indicate the diversity of archaeal viruses, their interactions with archaeal hosts, and their roles in the adaptation of the host.

IMPORTANCE

The field of archaeal virology has seen a rapid expansion through the use of metagenomics, yet the diversity of these viruses remains largely uncharted. In this study, the complete genomes of 38 novel archaeal proviruses were identified for the following four dominant phyla:
Halobacteriota
,
Thermoplasmatota
,
Thermoproteota
, and
Nanoarchaeota
. Two families and six genera of Archaea were the first to be identified as hosts for viruses. The proviruses were found to contain diverse genes that were involved in distinct adaptation strategies of viruses to hosts. Our findings contribute to the expansion of the lineages of archaeal viruses and highlight their intricate interactions and essential roles in enabling host survival and adaptation to diverse environmental conditions.
Performance evaluation of the high-throughput quantitative Alinity m Epstein-Barr virus assay
Authors: Goldstein D. Yitzchak , Sasaki Mark M. , Narlieva Momka , Nhan Nhi , Liu Tianxi , Kegl April , Akter Tanjina , Dickerson Tanisha , Thornton Eriel , Jim Patricia , Young Stephen , Lucic Danijela , Hirschhorn Julie W.
Published: November 2024

Molecular testing for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is a cornerstone of care to prevent adverse outcomes in immunocompromised patients, including transplant recipients. We evaluated the analytical and clinical performance of the quantitative Alinity m EBV assay for plasma sample testing on the fully automated Alinity m platform. Assay lower limit of detection and precision were determined using commercially available panels in plasma. Alinity m EBV detected 100% of panels at 1.3 Log IU/mL, and precision ranged from 1.9% to 5.2% coefficients of variance (SD ≤ 0.14 Log IU/mL). Remnant-de-identified specimens initially tested with the Eurofins Viracor EBV Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) (
n
= 357), ELITech EBV LDT (
n
= 113), University of Washington (UW) LDT (
n
= 151), or Roche cobas EBV assay (
n
= 148) were subsequently tested with the Alinity m EBV assay. Comparison of the Alinity m EBV assay and Eurofins Viracor EBV assay demonstrated a correlation coefficient of 0.762 and mean bias of −0.48 Log IU/mL, comparison of the Alinity m EBV assay with UW LDT demonstrated a correlation coefficient of 0.970 and mean bias of −0.24 Log IU/mL, and comparison of the Alinity m EBV assay with cobas EBV demonstrated a correlation coefficient of 0.964 and mean bias of 0.35 Log IU/mL. The Alinity m EBV assay demonstrated high precision across the analytical measurement range and produced comparable results to the EBV test of record assays. These findings support the utility of the fully automated Alinity m EBV assay in transplant patient management.

IMPORTANCE

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and reactivation are associated with increased risk for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) in transplant recipients with the development of PTLD occurring predominantly within a year of transplant. Quantitative PCR for EBV is used to monitor the viral load of EBV with a negative result as a good negative predictor of PTLD. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) with high sensitivity and specificity are available on fully automated high-throughput instruments to provide accurate quantitation and improve test result turn-around time. This study evaluates the analytical and clinical performance of one such NAAT, the Alinity m EBV assay.
Consequences of delaying non-urgent surgeries during COVID-19: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Sauro Khara , Vatanpour Shabnam , Thomas Abigail , D'Souza Adam G , Southern Danielle A , Eastwood Cathy , Ibadin Seremi , Ademola Ayoola , Brindle Mary
Published: November 2024

Objectives

To ensure sufficient resources to care for patients with COVID-19, healthcare systems delayed non-urgent surgeries to free capacity. This study explores the consequences of delaying non-urgent surgery on surgical care and healthcare resource use.

Design

This is a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Setting

This study took place in Alberta, Canada, from December 2018 to December 2021.

Participants

Adult patients scheduled for surgery in Alberta during the study period were included.

Primary and secondary outcomes measures

The proportion of surgeries completed and surgery wait time were the primary outcomes. The secondary outcomes were healthcare resource use (hospital length of stay, emergency room visits and physician visits). The association between the primary outcomes and patient and surgery-related variables was explored using regression.

Results

There were 202 470 unique patients with 259 677 scheduled surgeries included. Fewer surgeries were completed throughout the pandemic compared with before; in the fourth wave, there was a decrease from 79% pre-COVID-19 to 67%. There was a decrease in wait time for those who had surgery completed during COVID-19 (from 105 to 69 days). Having surgery completed and the wait for surgery were associated with the geographical zone, COVID-19 wave, and the surgery type and priority. There was a decrease in all measures of healthcare resource use and an increase in hospital and all-cause mortality during COVID-19 compared with before COVID-19.

Conclusions

The change in the proportion of scheduled surgeries completed and the wait time for completed surgery was modest and associated with COVID-19 wave and surgery-related variables, which was aligned with policies enacted during COVID-19 for surgery. The decrease in healthcare resource use suggests the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may be delayed and may result in many patients presenting with advanced disease requiring surgical care.
SARS-CoV-2 testing, test positivity and vaccination in social housing residents compared with the general population: a retrospective population-based cohort study
Authors: Agarwal Gina , Keshavarz Homa , Angeles Ricardo , Pirrie Melissa , Marzanek Francine , Nguyen Francis , Brar Jasdeep , Paterson J Michael
Published: November 2024

Background

The consideration of unique social housing needs has largely been absent from the COVID-19 response, particularly in tailoring strategies to improve access to testing and vaccine uptake among vulnerable and high-risk populations in Ontario. Given the growing population of social housing residents, this study aimed to compare SARS-CoV-2 testing, positivity, and vaccination rates in a social housing population with those in a general population cohort in Ontario, Canada.

Methods

This population-based cohort study used administrative health data from Ontario to examine SARS-CoV-2 testing, positivity and vaccination rates in social housing residents compared with the general population from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021. All comparisons were unadjusted, stratified by sex and age and evaluated using standardised differences.

Results

The rates of SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing were lower among younger age groups and higher among older adults within the social housing cohort, compared with the general population cohort. SARS-CoV-2 test positivity was higher in social housing than in the general population among individuals aged 60–79 years (7.9% vs 5.3%, respectively) and 80 years and older (12.0% vs 7.9%, respectively). Overall, 34.3% of social housing residents were fully vaccinated, compared with 29.6% of the general population cohort. However, a smaller proportion of social housing residents had received a booster vaccine (36.7%) compared with the general population (52.4%).

Conclusion

Improved and targeted outreach strategies are needed to increase the uptake of COVID-19 booster vaccines among social housing residents.
Embolization of indirect carotid cavernous fistulas via the vein of Labbé using contralateral approach
Authors: Tran Dang-Khoi , Huang Chih Wei , Chen Wen-Hsien , Lee Meng-Ju , Tsuei Yuang-Seng
Published: November 2024

In our report, we present the case of a 60-year-old adult with symptomatic indirect carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs). All venous outflow routes from the cavernous sinus were absent except for an engorged left superficial middle cerebral vein, which extended through the left vein of Labbé to the left transverse sinus and then to right transverse-sigmoid sinus. We approached the diseased cavernous sinus retrogradely, starting from the right femoral vein and passing through the right transverse-sigmoid sinus, left transverse sinus, and left vein of Labbé, ultimately reaching the left CCFs. Embolization was performed using coils, successfully obliterating the fistulas without complications. This case represents the second reported approach through the vein of Labbé for CCFs and the first using a trans-Labbé vein from a contralateral approach (video 1), proving advantageous by avoiding an acute angle between the vein of Labbé and the ipsilateral sigmoid sinus.1–6

Video 1

Embolization of CCF using a Trans-Labbé vein from a contralateral approach.‍
Model-independent analysis of new physics effects in $$B\rightarrow K^*_2(1430)\mu ^+ \mu ^-$$ decay
Authors: Vardani Juhi , Sain Ria
Published: November 2024

Recently, the LHCb Collaboration provided updated measurements for the lepton flavour ratios $$R_K$$

R
K

and $$R_{K^*}$$

R

K
∗

. The currently observed values align with the predictions of the standard model. In light of these recent updates, our investigation delves into the repercussions of new physics characterized by universal couplings to electrons and muons. We specifically focus on their impact on various observables within the $$B\rightarrow K_2^*(1430)(\rightarrow K\pi )\mu ^+ \mu ^-$$

B
→

K
2
∗

(
1430
)

(
→
K
π
)

μ
+

μ
-

decay. These observables include the differential branching ratio, forward-backward asymmetry ($$A_{FB}$$

A

FB

), longitudinal polarization asymmetry ($$F_L$$

F
L

), and a set of optimized observables ($$P_i$$

P
i

). Our findings indicate that the branching ratio of $$B\rightarrow K_2^*(\rightarrow K\pi )\mu ^+ \mu ^-$$

B
→

K
2
∗

(
→
K
π
)

μ
+

μ
-

decay can be suppressed up to $$25\%$$

25
%

for various new physics solutions. Furthermore, all permissible new physics scenarios demonstrate finite enhancement in the muon forward-backward asymmetry $$(A_{FB})$$

(

A

FB

)

as well as an increase in the value of the optimized angular observable $$P_2$$

P
2

. Moreover, in the presence of new physics zero crossing points for $$A_{FB}$$

A

FB

and $$P_2$$

P
2

shift towards higher $$q^2$$

q
2

. The current data have a mild deviation from SM predictions in $$P_5'$$

P
5
′

observable in the low-$$q^2$$

q
2

bin. We also explored massive $$Z'$$

Z
′

models, which can generate universal 1D new physics scenarios, characterized by $$C_9^{NP}<0$$

C
9

NP

<
0

, $$C_9^{NP}=-C_{10}^{NP}$$

C
9

NP

=
-

C

10

NP

, and $$C_9^{NP}=-C_9'$$

C
9

NP

=
-

C
9
′

. Using additional constraints coming from $$B_s-\overline{B_s}$$

B
s

-

B
s

¯

mixing and neutrino trident process, we find that the conclusions of the model-independent analysis remain valid.
On the entropy of a stealth vector-tensor black hole
Authors: Chagoya Javier , Díaz-Saldaña I. , López-Domínguez J. C. , Martínez-Robles C.
Published: November 2024

We apply Wald’s formalism to a Lagrangian within generalised Proca gravity that admits a Schwarzschild black hole with a non-trivial vector field. The resulting entropy differs from that of the same black hole in General Relativity by a logarithmic correction modulated by the only independent charge of the vector field. We find conditions on this charge to guarantee that the entropy is a non-decreasing function of the black hole area, as is the case in GR. If this requirement is extended to black hole mergers, we find that for Planck scale black holes, a non-decreasing entropy is possible only if the area of the final black hole is several times larger than the initial total area of the merger. Finally, we discuss some implications of the vector Galileon entropy from the point of view of entropic gravity.
Exploring the Versatility of Spiking Neural Networks: Applications Across Diverse Scenarios
Authors: Cavaleri Matteo , Zandron Claudio
Published: November 2024

In the last few decades, Artificial Neural Networks have become more and more important, evolving into a powerful tool to implement learning algorithms. Spiking neural networks represent the third generation of Artificial Neural Networks; they have earned growing significance due to their remarkable achievements in pattern recognition, finding extensive utility across diverse domains such as e.g. diagnostic medicine. Usually, Spiking Neural Networks are slightly less accurate than other Artificial Neural Networks, but they require a reduced amount of energy to perform calculations; this amount of energy further reduces in a very significant manner if they are implemented on hardware specifically designed for them, like neuromorphic hardware. In this work, we focus on exploring the versatility of Spiking Neural Networks and their potential applications across a range of scenarios by exploiting their adaptability and dynamic processing capabilities, which make them suitable for various tasks. A first rough network is designed based on the dataset’s general attributes; the network is then refined through an extensive grid search algorithm to identify the optimal values for hyperparameters. This dual-step process ensures that the Spiking Neural Network can be tailored to diverse and potentially very different situations in a direct and intuitive manner. We test this by considering three different scenarios: epileptic seizure detection, both considering binary and multi-classification tasks, as well as wine classification. The proposed methodology turned out to be highly effective in binary class scenarios: the Spiking Neural Networks models achieved significantly lower energy consumption compared to Artificial Neural Networks while approaching nearly 100% accuracy. In the case of multi-class classification, the model achieved an accuracy of approximately 90%, thus indicating that it can still be further improved.
A data-efficient surrogate modeling method for a cyclotron-based proton therapy beamline based on active learning
Authors: Chen Yu , Qin Bin , Liu Xu , Wang Wei , Liao Yicheng
Published: November 2024

High-fidelity beamline models typically involve particle-tracking and particle–matter interaction, which are intensive computationally demanding and time-consuming. This has led researchers to adopt data-driven surrogate models as an alternative to complex physics simulations. Training a data-driven model requires many labeled data, prompting researchers to simulate diverse beamline settings and obtain corresponding labels. However, the required dataset grows increasingly large as the number of adjustable parameters increases. Therefore, this study proposes a data-efficient surrogate modeling method that employs a student–teacher framework combined with active learning (AL) query strategies to minimize labeled samples while ensuring model accuracy. The proposed method is evaluated on the energy selection system (ESS) design of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology proton therapy facility (HUST-PTF). The results show that: (i) Training the surrogate model using 684 labeled samples selected via query strategy achieves a relative error below 5% for 90% of the samples in the test set. (ii) Compared to the beamline model built by Beam Delivery Simulation (BDSIM), the computational efficiency of the surrogate model is enhanced by a factor of [Formula: see text].
Impact of new physics on polarization asymmetries of Σb→Σl+l− decays in nonuniversal Z′ model
Authors: Biswas S. , Ray R. , Mandal M. , Mahata S. , Mahapatra H. , Sahoo S.
Published: November 2024

Baryonic decays induced by [Formula: see text] quark transition is an important area of interest nowadays to probe the sensitivities of new physics (NP). The exploration of the baryonic channels was prompted by the observation of [Formula: see text] decays at the accelerators. Motivated by the recent experimental studies of baryonic decays, we have studied various polarization asymmetries for [Formula: see text] baryon in the model beyond the standard model (SM). From the theoretical inspections of branching ratios for [Formula: see text] channels in the SM indicate that these decays can be observed at the colliders. In this paper, we have studied the various [Formula: see text] lepton polarization asymmetries within the whole allowed kinematic region for all three leptonic channels considering the effect of nonuniversal [Formula: see text] boson. We expect that the obtained results for [Formula: see text] decays will help the experimental groups investigate these decays at colliders and will probe NP with heavy baryons.
Lightweight Safety Activity Recognition Algorithm for Railway Field Personnel Based on Portable Cards
Authors: Zuo Hailu , Deng Jiukai , Liu Zihan , Tian Guangjun , Xiao Shuo
Published: November 2024

In recent years, railway construction has been plagued by frequent safety accidents, with workers’ safety during the construction process remaining a major concern. To mitigate this issue, intelligent monitoring of railway workers’ activity has been proposed as a means of improving the safety coefficient of construction. Human activity recognition (HAR) based on wearable devices holds significant application value in areas such as health monitoring, motion analysis, and intelligent assistance. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have gained extensive adoption and demonstrated outstanding performance in HAR. However, current HAR research still faces some challenges, including problems with establishing spatial–temporal dependencies and addressing the demand for lightweight models. To address the above issues, we propose a lightweight dual-stream convolution model (LDSC) based on deformable convolution and hierarchical segmentation. The model adaptively captures significant variations in sensor readings over time from portable cards of railway personnel through a temporal stream and learns the interactive information among sensor channels over a spatial stream. LDSC consists of three lightweight convolutional modules that combine deep convolution and point convolution to reduce model parameters, thus meeting the demand for a lightweight model. Experiments and ablation studies are conducted on three available datasets (UCI-HAR, UniMiB-SHAR, and WISDM) to evaluate the proposed model. The experimental results indicate that our model outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods in terms of recognition accuracy, validating the effectiveness and feasibility of LDSC. In addition, theoretical analysis and ablation experiments demonstrate that the proposed LDSC embodies lightweight characteristics.
XAttentionHAR Ensemble: Leveraging Cross-Modal Attention for Enhanced Activity Recognition
Authors: Sahni Sarita , Jain Sweta , Saritha Sri Khetwat
Published: November 2024

Human Activity Recognition (HAR) is pivotal in ubiquitous computing, offering benefits to human-centric services such as health monitoring, smart homes, and eldercare systems. HAR leverages smartphones, smartwatches, and other wearable devices to collect sensory data annotated with activity labels, which are then used to train machine learning or deep learning models for automatic activity recognition. Effective HAR systems must integrate information from multiple modalities to accurately assist users. This paper introduces the XAttentionHAR model, an innovative cross-modality attention-based ensemble model for HAR. Our approach utilizes a self-attention module to extract features within each modality and an inter-domain cross-attention module to capture and integrate long-term dependencies across domains. The cross-modality attention mechanism enhances the fusion of diverse modalities, enriching the semantic information. We conducted extensive experiments on the WISDM public dataset, which includes accelerometer and gyroscope data from smartwatches and smartphones. Our results demonstrate that XAttentionHAR outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in activity recognition, achieving 98.48% accuracy for smartphone-based HAR and 98.73% accuracy for smartwatch-based HAR, paving the way for improved human-centric services.
Sentiment Analysis of Consumer Web Reviews Based on CNN–BiLSTM
Authors: Niu Tao , Shi Xingfen
Published: November 2024

In the evolving e-commerce landscape, numerous subjective evaluations of products are surfacing on diverse online platforms. These user-generated reviews encapsulate sentiments towards various product attributes, aiding sellers in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their offerings. Consequently, this feedback facilitates product enhancement and informs prospective buyers, enabling more judged purchasing decisions. Leveraging sentiment analysis on voluminous review datasets can elucidate customer attitudes towards specific goods or services, thus providing businesses with insights into customer emotions. This study introduces a hybrid Convolutional Neural Network combined with Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (CNN–BiLSTM) model designed for sentiment analysis of consumer reviews. This approach exhibits robust scalability, sustaining high-performance metrics such as accuracy, recall and F1 scores above 92%, even with the addition of fresh datasets. The proposed CNN–BiLSTM model surpasses conventional CNN and RNN models by integrating the superior predictive power of the BiLSTM component, which is adept at capturing long-range dependencies and context. Contrasted with a standalone BiLSTM model, our proposed architecture leverages the strengths of both technologies: the CNN layer for efficient feature dimensionality reduction and the BiLSTM layer for extracting temporal and contextual information. This synergy enhances the extraction of pertinent features from online consumer reviews, thereby boosting prediction accuracy and operational efficiency.
A Multi-Objective Task Mapping Method for Enhancing Security Against Hardware Trojans in Heterogeneous Multi-Core System
Authors: Mei Bo , Zhang Wenbo , Cao Zhipeng , Guo Wei , Zhang Mingquan , Liu Wenbin , Du Zheng
Published: November 2024

Once triggered, Hardware Trojans (HT) can damage the performance or functionality of a heterogeneous multi-core system (HMCS) to fulfill the attacker’s intentions. Existing methods cannot guarantee a system to be 100% Trojan-free prior to deployment. This paper introduces a task mapping strategy based on application redundancy execution to address the HT threat in HMCS. The primary aim is to minimize the probability of HT triggering during computing unit (CU) operation while minimizing the makespans of application under security constraints. Initially, the probability of HT activation HT is converted into a function tied to CU runtime. Subsequently, a security enhanced NSGA-II algorithm (SEA-NSGA-II) is devised to solve this multi-objective optimization problem. Specifically, the algorithm introduces security enhanced adjustable heterogeneous earliest finish time (SEA-HEFT), security enhanced adjustable heterogeneous minimum trigger probability (SEA-HMTP), and security enhanced adjustable random scheduling (SEA-RS) to accelerate the convergence speed and increase the diversity of solutions. Extensive experiments on real-world benchmarks and randomly generated applications demonstrate that SEA-NSGA-II solutions have higher HV values, along with better convergence and diversity. In real-world benchmarks, the HV value of SEA-NSGA-II is increased by an average of 54.677% and 2113.778% compared to DRHEFT and NSGA-II, respectively. In randomly generated applications, the HV values of SEA-NSGA-II are also higher than those of DRHEFT and NSGA-II.
Toward a Pattern-Based Comprehensive Framework Using Process Mining for RBAC Conformance Checks
Authors: Nguyen Duc-Hieu , Sei Yuichi , Tahara Yasuyuki , Ohsuga Akihiko
Published: November 2024

Event logs often record the execution of business process instances. Detecting traces in the event logs that do not comply with access control policies, such as role-based access control (RBAC) policies, is essential to ensuring system security. Moreover, process mining has been extensively utilized for security analysis in recent years. However, pattern-based approaches for designing and analyzing RBAC policies in the context of business processes through process mining are notably absent. In this paper, we present a systematic framework for checking the conformance of RBAC implemented in the event logs of business processes with the RBAC policies specified in domain knowledge. To facilitate the representation of the RBAC policies derived from the domain knowledge, we employ an RBAC domain-specific language (DSL) combined with our RBAC-driven object constraint language (OCL) invariant patterns built from the various types of RBAC constraints. The implemented RBAC in an event log is represented as snapshots within our framework. Then, we validate the snapshots with the RBAC policies to be able to detect RBAC conformance issues. The proposed framework is experimented with and evaluated on two business process logs, one simulated log and one real-world event log named “BPI Challenge 2017”.
On the v-number of binomial edge ideals of some classes of graphs
Authors: Dey Deblina , Jayanthan A. V. , Saha Kamalesh
Published: November 2024

Let G be a finite simple graph, and [Formula: see text] denote the binomial edge ideal of G. In this paper, we first compute the [Formula: see text]-number of binomial edge ideals corresponding to Cohen–Macaulay closed graphs. As a consequence, we obtain the [Formula: see text]-number for paths. For cycle and binary tree graphs, we obtain a sharp upper bound for [Formula: see text] using the number of vertices of the graph. We characterize all connected graphs G with [Formula: see text]. We show that for a given pair [Formula: see text], there exists a graph G with an associated monomial edge ideal I having [Formula: see text]-number equal to k and regularity m. We also show that if [Formula: see text], then there exists a binomial edge ideal with [Formula: see text]-number k and regularity m. Finally, we compute [Formula: see text]-number of powers of binomial edge ideals with linear resolution, thus proving a conjecture on the [Formula: see text]-number of powers of a graded ideal having linear powers, for the class of binomial edge ideals.
The braid indices of pretzel links: A comprehensive study, part II
Authors: Diao Yuanan , Ernst Claus , Hetyei Gabor
Published: November 2024

This paper is the second installment of our in-depth study on the braid index problem of pretzel links. We classify pretzel links into three categories based on the Seifert circle decompositions in their standard link diagrams. In our initial paper, we successfully identified the braid indices for all Type 1 and Type 2 pretzel links. In this paper, we share our findings on Type 3 pretzel links. We are able to determine the exact braid indices for most Type 3 pretzel links. For the small subset of Type 3 pretzel links where exact braid indices remain undetermined, we establish their braid indices within a range of two consecutive integers. With some numerical evidence, we conjecture that in such an exceptional case, the braid index of the Type 3 pretzel link is given by the larger of the two consecutive integers given by our formulas.
Short-range correlations in A=3 nuclei within the dibaryon model for nuclear forces
Authors: Rubtsova O. A. , Pomerantsev V. N. , Platonova M. N.
Published: November 2024

High-momentum components of wave functions and two-nucleon short-range correlations (SRC) for the lightest nuclei with [Formula: see text] are studied within the dibaryon model for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] forces. This model accounts for a possibility of an intermediate six-quark (dibaryon) state formation in the two-nucleon system at short distances. The one- and two-nucleon momentum distributions for 3He and 3H nuclei are compared with those resulting from the widely-used realistic model for nuclear forces. The results obtained are interpreted in view of the recent inclusive [Formula: see text] and semi-inclusive [Formula: see text] experiments.
OPTIMIZING FSW PARAMETERS FOR AZ31B–AA6082 ALLOYS USING HYBRID MCDM AND MULTI-OBJECTIVE RSM MODELS: A NUMERICAL DECISION-MAKING APPROACH
Authors: JOHN SOLOMON I. , SEVVEL P. , GUNASEKARAN J. , VASANTHE ROY J.
Published: November 2024

This paper presents the development of an innovative numerical decision-making model aimed at identifying the optimal combination of process parameters during friction stir welding (FSW) of dissimilar AZ31B magnesium (Mg) and AA6082 aluminum (Al) alloy plates. The study considered not only the tool’s traverse speed and rotational speed as input parameters but also the positioning of the AZ31B Mg alloy on either the advancing side (AS) or the retreating side (RS). A total of 21 experimental runs were conducted, with tensile strength, elongation percentage, impact energy, and hardness evaluated as performance outcomes. In the first phase, a multi-criterion decision-making (MCDM) methodology was employed to develop the numerical model and identify the ideal set of parameters. To ensure the model’s reliability and accuracy, a sensitivity analysis was conducted. The results obtained from the MCDM model were validated by comparing them with those derived from a fuzzy logic-based decision-making approach. In the second phase, a response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to construct a numerical model using multivariate regression. A trade-off analysis, utilizing a multi-objective RSM approach, was performed to optimize the parameter combination. The optimal solution, computed through this approach, was further validated via a confirmation experiment. The ideal combination of process parameters — rotational speed of 841.42[Formula: see text]rpm, traverse speed of 0.5[Formula: see text]mm/s, and positioning of AZ31B Mg alloy on the advancing side — yielded a tensile strength of 214.65[Formula: see text]MPa, elongation of 10.76%, hardness of 74.89[Formula: see text]HV, and an impact energy of 6.01[Formula: see text]J. This research paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid MCDM-RSM model in accurately determining the optimal FSW parameters and highlights its potential application in similar joining processes.