bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon Dioxide and Methane Sequestration in Organic-Rich Shales: Nanoscale Insights into Adsorption and Transport Mechanisms
Authors: Alafnan Saad
Published: March 2022

Shales are clastic sedimentary rocks consisting mainly of clays, quartz, calcite, and fragments of organic matters. The latter is present as finely dispersed inclusions within the shale matrix. Organic matters, also known as kerogen, are microstructures with their petrophysics being characteristically different from other constituents in the shale matrix. Despite their existence as micro- and nanoscale constituents, kerogen is capable of storing a significant amount of gas in the sorbed form due to its relatively large surface area. Kerogen can be created on a computational platform to delineate crucial reservoir aspects such as porosity, pore size distribution, adsorption behavior, and self-diffusivity. Kerogen's characteristics were found to be characteristically different from typical sedimentary rocks. These properties are crucial in the assessment of kerogen's storing capacity. In this study, several kerogen prototypes were formed to evaluate the microporous media of organic-rich shales for their potential of sequestrating greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. To add to the discourse on the kerogen assessment, a concise review of the well-known storage and transport models was summarized and presented. These models are different from the classical ones applied to the typical porous media. Additional parameters accounting for the non-Darcian transport and the storage of sorbed fluid are used.
A Comprehensive Review on Analytical Formulations of Wind Turbine Wake Models and Future Scope in the Development of Wind Farms of Assorted Configurations
Authors: Siram Ojing , Kumar Ravi , Saha Ujjwal K. , Sahoo Niranjan
Published: March 2022

Of late, the design and development of large and small wind farms are gaining importance to meet the growing energy demand. In this aspect, several wind turbine wake models have been proposed over the years, some of which are the legacy of Jensen, Larsen, Lissaman, Frandsen, and Ainslie wake models. Despite their robustness, the analytical formulations of these models are widely explored as research tools for estimating the performance of wind farms. However, because of several limitations and assumptions like top-hat shape, Gaussian profile, axisymmetric, negligible atmospheric boundary layer effect, and others, these models often overestimate the flow characteristics. In view of this, there is always a scope for developing better correlations to predict the performance of wind farms more accurately. This article gives a conspectus of various wind turbine wake models that have evolved over the years and then recommends some conceptual wind farm designs of assorted configurations.
On the physical origin of the electro-mechano-acoustical analogy
Authors: Bertuccio Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

The electro-mechano-acoustical (EMA) analogy, introduced in the early 1900s, allows for the modeling of mechanical, acoustical, and EMA devices and systems using schematics of basic electrical elements, making possible the application of the well-established electrical network theory for studying, designing, and characterizing complex systems. By means of this elegant modeling, the behavior of intrinsically heterogeneous devices, such as microphones and loudspeaker drivers and systems, can be explained in each of the three domains and the mutual interactions between the electrical, mechanical, and acoustical parts can be precisely predicted. However, an open issue remains still unsolved: in all publications and textbooks, the EMA analogy has been always introduced only from the formal similarity of the equations describing the physical laws that regulate the basic EMA elements and a lack of insight into its physical fundamentals can be remarked. In this paper, an investigation on the existence of physical origins of the correspondences and similarities between the quantities and the laws describing the elements of electrical, mechanical, and acoustical domains is proposed and discussed. Historical research on the birth of EMA analogy theory with the fundamental contributions on its development given by the scientists and engineers is presented as well.
Optimized design of windowed-sinc anti-aliasing filters for phase-preserving decimation of hydrophone data
Authors: Zhang Yanwu , McGill Paul R. , Ryan John P.
Published: March 2022

Passive acoustic monitoring generates large data sets for which decimation is beneficial to analysis and portability for data sharing. Among the goals for effective decimation are avoidance of aliasing in the passband, accurate and complete control of the attenuation profile, phase preservation, and high efficiency in processing. We present an approach to decimator design that addresses each of these goals, and we demonstrate its application to ocean audio recordings. Anti-aliasing is achieved by windowed-sinc filters that also preserve phase. Control of the passband attenuation profile is based on the specification of the maximum allowed attenuation at a certain percentage of the final output Nyquist frequency. The window type is selected to meet the stopband attenuation requirement. Efficiency is achieved through optimization of the anti-aliasing filters applied in each decimation stage, and through parallelization of processing. The best combination of the sinc function's cutoff frequency and the mainlobe bandwidth of the window function generates the shortest qualifying filter, optimizing the trade-off between filter performance and computational load. Parallelization is enabled by applying the overlap-add method to contiguous segments of audio data, consistent with the commonly used storage of contiguous audio data in files of limited duration. Beyond addressing common goals for effective decimation of audio data, the approach presented is deployable in open-source environments.
An overview of ambient sound using Ocean Observatories Initiative hydrophones
Authors: Ragland John , Schwock Felix , Munson Matthew , Abadi Shima
Published: March 2022

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) sensor network provides a unique opportunity to study ambient sound in the north-east Pacific Ocean. The OOI sensor network has five low frequency (Fs = 200 Hz) and six broadband (Fs = 64 kHz) hydrophones that have been recording ambient sound since 2015. In this paper, we analyze acoustic data from 2015 to 2020 to identify prominent features that are present in the OOI acoustic dataset. Notable features in the acoustic dataset that are highlighted in this paper include volcanic and seismic activity, rain and wind noise, marine mammal vocalizations, and anthropogenic sound, such as shipping noise. For all low frequency hydrophones and four of the six broadband hydrophones, we will present long-term spectrograms, median time-series trends for different spectral bands, and different statistical metrics about the acoustic environment. We find that 6-yr acoustic trends vary, depending on the location of the hydrophone and the spectral band that is observed. Over the course of six years, increases in spectral levels are seen in some locations and spectral bands, while decreases are seen in other locations and spectral bands. Last, we discuss future areas of research to which the OOI dataset lends itself.
Increasing the transmission efficiency of transcranial ultrasound using a dual-mode conversion technique based on Lamb waves
Authors: Kang Ki Chang , Kim Young Hun , Kim Jeong Nyeon , Kabir Minoo , Zhang Yichi , Ghanouni Pejman , Park Kwan Kyu , Firouzi Kamyar , Khuri-Yakub Burtus T.
Published: March 2022

Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) is a noninvasive treatment for brain tumors and neuromodulation. Based on normal incidence, conventional FUS techniques use a focused or an array of ultrasonic transducers to overcome the attenuation and absorption of ultrasound in the skull; however, this remains the main limitation of using FUS. A dual-mode conversion technique based on Lamb waves is proposed to achieve high transmission efficiency. This concept was validated using the finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments based on changes in the incident angle. Aluminum, plexiglass, and a human skull were used as materials with different attenuations. The transmission loss was calculated for each material, and the results were compared with the reflectance function of the Lamb waves. Oblique incidence based on dual-mode conversion exhibited a better transmission efficiency than that of a normal incidence for all of the specimens. The total transmission losses for the materials were 13.7, 15.46, and 3.91 dB less than those associated with the normal incidence. A wedge transducer was designed and fabricated to implement the proposed method. The results demonstrated the potential applicability of the dual-mode conversion technique for the human skull.
Robust selection of clean swept-sine measurements in non-stationary noise
Authors: Prawda Karolina , Schlecht Sebastian J. , Välimäki Vesa
Published: March 2022

The exponential sine sweep is a commonly used excitation signal in acoustic measurements, which, however, is susceptible to non-stationary noise. This paper shows how to detect contaminated sweep signals and select clean ones based on a procedure called the rule of two, which analyzes repeated sweep measurements. A high correlation between a pair of signals indicates that they are devoid of non-stationary noise. The detection threshold for the correlation is determined based on the energy of background noise and time variance. Not being disturbed by non-stationary events, a median-based method is suggested for reliable background noise energy estimation. The proposed method is shown to detect reliably 95% of impulsive noises and 75% of dropouts in the synthesized sweeps. Tested on a large set of measurements and compared with a previous method, the proposed method is shown to be more robust in detecting various non-stationary disturbances, improving the detection rate by 30 percentage points. The rule-of-two procedure increases the robustness of practical acoustic and audio measurements.
Reconstruction of echoes reaching bats in flight from arbitrary targets by acoustic simulation
Authors: Teshima Yu , Hasegawa Yuta , Tsuchiya Takao , Moriyama Ryota , Genda Shoko , Kawamura Taku , Hiryu Shizuko
Published: March 2022

Echolocating bats perceive their environment by emitting ultrasonic pulses and listening to echoes that are reflected back from their surroundings. Behavioral decisions of bats are mainly dependent on echo information, and acoustical analysis of echoes is useful for understanding their behavioral decisions. To date, echoes have been measured using a telemetry microphone mounted on the bat's head; however, due to technical difficulties, it was not enough to measure all the echoes reaching the bats in flight. In this paper, we propose an approach to reconstruct the echoes of bats in flight using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method simulations based on the measured flight path, speed, and sound information from behavioral experiments. As a result, echoes from any target in flight can be correctly reconstructed, including the Doppler effect. We also analyzed the spatiotemporal transition among attended walls for Doppler shift compensation (DSC) during circling flight in the context of DSC behavior and found that the bats switch their attention to different walls and focus on the wall ahead of them in the direction of flight.
Ambient Temperature and Field-Based Cycling Performance: Insights From Male and Female Professional Cyclists
Authors: Valenzuela Pedro L. , Mateo-March Manuel , Zabala Mikel , Muriel Xabier , Lucia Alejandro , Barranco-Gil David , Pallarés Jesús G.
Published: March 2022

Purpose: Ambient temperature affects endurance exercise performance. However, most research has been conducted in a laboratory-based setting, and whether there are sex-specific trends remains unclear. The present study aimed to analyze the influence of ambient temperature on cycling performance in male and female professional cyclists using field-based data collected during both training and racing. Methods: A total of 74 cyclists (48 male and 26 female; age 29 [5] y, 8 [5] y of experience in the professional category) were included in the analyses. We registered the participants’ record power profile using data from both training and competitions over 8 years (2013–2020; 8 [5] seasons per cyclist). We analyzed their mean maximal power (MMP) values attained for efforts lasting 5 seconds, 30 seconds, 5 minutes, and 20 minutes at ambient temperatures ranging from <5°C to >35°C. Results: A significant influence of ambient temperature on MMP values was found in male and female cyclists (P < .001 for both), with no significant differences between sexes (P = .512). Cyclists attained the highest MMP values at temperate conditions (10–30°C in males and 5–25°C in females), whereas an impairment in performance was found at colder and hotter temperatures, particularly for the more extreme conditions (performance impairment at <5°C and >35°C of −18% to −9% and −16% to −9%, respectively). Conclusions: Ambient temperature influences field-based cycling performance, following a reverse U-shaped relationship, with the highest MMP values attained in the range of ∼10°C to 25°C and with no major differences between sexes.
Frequency-selective acoustic and haptic smart skin for dual-mode dynamic/static human-machine interface
Authors: Park Jonghwa , Kang Dong-hee , Chae Heeyoung , Ghosh Sujoy Kumar , Jeong Changyoon , Park Yoojeong , Cho Seungse , Lee Youngoh , Kim Jinyoung , Ko Yujung , Kim Jae Joon , Ko Hyunhyub
Published: March 2022

Accurate transmission of biosignals without interference of surrounding noises is a key factor for the realization of human-machine interfaces (HMIs). We propose frequency-selective acoustic and haptic sensors for dual-mode HMIs based on triboelectric sensors with hierarchical macrodome/micropore/nanoparticle structure of ferroelectric composites. Our sensor shows a high sensitivity and linearity under a wide range of dynamic pressures and resonance frequency, which enables high acoustic frequency selectivity in a wide frequency range (145 to 9000 Hz), thus rendering noise-independent voice recognition possible. Our frequency-selective multichannel acoustic sensor array combined with an artificial neural network demonstrates over 95% accurate voice recognition for different frequency noises ranging from 100 to 8000 Hz. We demonstrate that our dual-mode sensor with linear response and frequency selectivity over a wide range of dynamic pressures facilitates the differentiation of surface texture and control of an avatar robot using both acoustic and mechanical inputs without interference from surrounding noise.
LAMP2A regulates the loading of proteins into exosomes
Authors: Ferreira João Vasco , da Rosa Soares Ana , Ramalho José , Máximo Carvalho Catarina , Cardoso Maria Helena , Pintado Petra , Carvalho Ana Sofia , Beck Hans Christian , Matthiesen Rune , Zuzarte Mónica , Girão Henrique , van Niel Guillaume , Pereira Paulo
Published: March 2022

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles of endosomal origin that are released by practically all cell types across metazoans. Exosomes are active vehicles of intercellular communication and can transfer lipids, RNAs, and proteins between different cells, tissues, or organs. Here, we describe a mechanism whereby proteins containing a KFERQ motif pentapeptide are loaded into a subpopulation of exosomes in a process that is dependent on the membrane protein LAMP2A. Moreover, we demonstrate that this mechanism is independent of the ESCRT machinery but dependent on HSC70, CD63, Alix, Syntenin-1, Rab31, and ceramides. We show that the master regulator of hypoxia HIF1A is loaded into exosomes by this mechanism to transport hypoxia signaling to normoxic cells. In addition, by tagging fluorescent proteins with KFERQ-like sequences, we were able to follow the interorgan transfer of exosomes. Our findings open new avenues for exosome engineering by allowing the loading of bioactive proteins by tagging them with KFERQ-like motifs.
Highly Sensitive Lineage Discrimination of SARS-CoV-2 Variants through Allele-Specific Probe PCR
Authors: Ratcliff Jeremy , Al-Beidh Farah , Bibi Sagida , Bonsall David , Costa Clemens Sue Ann , Estcourt Lise , Evans Amy , Fish Matthew , Folegatti Pedro M. , Gordon Anthony C. , Jay Cecilia , Jennings Aislinn , Laing Emma , Lambe Teresa , MacIntyre-Cockett George , Menon David , Mouncey Paul R. , Nguyen Dung , Pollard Andrew J. , Ramasamy Maheshi N. , Roberts David J. , Rowan Kathryn M. , Rynne Jennifer , Shankar-Hari Manu , Williams Sarah , Harvala Heli , Golubchik Tanya , Simmonds Peter
Published: March 2022

Tools to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and track the ongoing evolution of the virus are necessary to support public health efforts and the design and evaluation of novel COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines. Although next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been adopted as the gold standard method for discriminating SARS-CoV-2 lineages, alternative methods may be required when processing samples with low viral loads or low RNA quality.
Variations of Electron Fluxes in the Outer Radiation Belt: Influence of High-Latitude Traps in the Dayside Cusps
Authors: Kropotkin A. P.
Published: March 2022

Bifurcation of the drift trajectory of an energetic particle, which occurs near the daytime magnetopause, transfers it from the equatorial region to high-latitude zones located in the vicinity of the dayside magnetospheric cusps. With strong rearrangements of the magnetospheric field occurring during a magnetic storm, the approach of the drift trajectory to the dayside magnetopause, leading to the loss of particles from the belt (“dropout”) upon crossing it, also gives rise to the simultaneous exit of the near-equatorial drift trajectory into the bifurcation zone. The processes of violation of adiabatic invariants occurring in this case should lead to the exchange of particles between high-latitude traps and the near-equatorial trapping zone. These effects should be taken into account in further modeling of variations in the outer radiation belt in the course of a magnetic storm, carried out in relation to individual storms.
Metabolic dysfunction-related liver disease as a risk factor for cancer
Authors: Taylor Alasdair , Siddiqui Moneeza K , Ambery Philip , Armisen Javier , Challis Benjamin G , Haefliger Carolina , Pearson Ewan R , Doney Alex S F , Dillon John F , Palmer Colin N A
Published: March 2022

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between obesity, diabetes and metabolic related liver dysfunction and the incidence of cancer.

Design

This study was conducted with health record data available from the National Health Service in Tayside and Fife. Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research Tayside, Scotland (GoDARTS), Scottish Health Research Register (SHARE) and Tayside and Fife diabetics, three Scottish cohorts of 13 695, 62 438 and 16 312 patients, respectively, were analysed in this study. Participants in GoDARTS were a volunteer sample, with half having type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). SHARE was a volunteer sample. Tayside and Fife diabetics was a population-level cohort. Metabolic dysfunction-related liver disease (MDLD) was defined using alanine transaminase measurements, and individuals with alternative causes of liver disease (alcohol abuse, viruses, etc) were excluded from the analysis.

Results

MDLD associated with increased cancer incidence with a HR of 1.31 in a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for sex, type 2 diabetes, body mass index(BMI), and smoking status (95% CI 1.27 to 1.35, p<0.0001). This was replicated in two further cohorts, and similar associations with cancer incidence were found for Fatty Liver Index (FLI), Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Homozygous carriers of the common non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) risk-variant PNPLA3 rs738409 had increased risk of cancer. (HR=1.27 (1.02 to 1.58), p=3.1×10−2). BMI was not independently associated with cancer incidence when MDLD was included as a covariate.

Conclusion

MDLD, FLI, FIB-4 and NASH associated with increased risk of cancer incidence and death. NAFLD may be a major component of the relationship between obesity and cancer incidence.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation for children with dysphagia: a systematic review
Authors: Propp Roni , Gill Peter J , Marcus Sherna , Ren Lily , Cohen Eyal , Friedman Jeremy , Mahant Sanjay
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Dysphagia in childhood has important health impacts for the child and their family as well as the healthcare system. This systematic review aims to determine the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia in children.

Methods

A search was performed on November 2020 in MEDLINE (from 1946), EMBASE (from 1947), PsycINFO (from 1806), CINAHL (from 1937), CENTRAL (from 1996) and Scopus (from 1970) databases. Studies of children (≤18 years) diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia using NMES in the throat/neck region were included. Screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and a modified Newcastle-Ottawa assessment for observational studies. A meta-analysis was not conducted due to clinical heterogeneity in studies.

Results

Ten studies were included (5 RCTs, 4 case series, 1 cohort study; including 393 children, mean or median age below 7 years, including children with neurologic impairments). In all studies, swallowing function improved after NMES treatment. The standardised mean difference (SMD) for improvement of swallowing dysfunction in treatment compared with control groups in the RCTs ranged from 0.18 (95% CI −0.7 to 1.06) to 1.49 (95% CI 0.57 to 2.41). Eight of 10 studies reported on the child’s feeding ability, and, with one exception, there was improvement in feeding ability. Few studies reported on health status (N=2), impact on caregiver (N=1), adverse events and harms (N=2), and child’s quality of life (N=1). In most studies, outcome follow-up was less than 6 months. The studies demonstrated moderate to high risk of bias.

Conclusions

NMES treatment may be beneficial in improving swallowing function for children with dysphagia, however, given the quality of the studies, inadequate outcome reporting, and short follow-up duration, uncertainty remains. Well-designed RCTs are needed to establish its effectiveness before its adoption in clinical practice.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019147353.
Long-term complications of unintentional dural puncture during labor epidural analgesia: a case–control study
Authors: Lacombe Alexandre , Downey Kristi , Ye Xiang Y , Carvalho Jose C A
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Epidural analgesia is the preferred method to manage pain during labor and delivery. The insertion of the epidural catheter can be complicated by unintentional dural puncture that may result in postdural puncture headache. There is limited evidence on the long-term implications of this complication. We sought to investigate if women who sustained a dural puncture have a higher risk of developing chronic headache, low back pain and visual or auditory impairment.

Methods

We conducted a 1:1 case–control study with women who delivered at our institution from January 2015 to December 2019. Cases were women who received epidural analgesia and sustained an unintentional dural puncture, and controls were women who received epidural analgesia but did not sustain such complication. We matched cases and controls for date of delivery, age, and body mass index. All women completed an online survey with validated questionnaires for diagnosis of chronic headache and chronic back pain. We used dichotomic (yes/no) questions to look for the presence of chronic visual and auditory impairment.

Results

Sixty-three case–control pairs were studied. Women who sustained a dural puncture during their epidural catheter insertion had a higher risk of developing chronic headache (14.3%, vs 4.8%, p=0.057, adjusted OR (AOR): 3.67 (95% CI 1.05 to 12.82)) and chronic back pain (39.7% vs 19.1%, p=0.009, AOR: 2.67 (95% CI 1.25 to 5.72)) than women who did not sustain a dural puncture. The incidence of chronic auditory impairment was also higher in the dural puncture group (14.3% vs 1.6%, p=0.01, AOR: 9.98 (95% CI 1.21 to 82.62)).

Conclusions

An unintentional dural puncture during epidural catheter insertion in parturients is associated with increased risk of chronic headache, back pain and auditory impairment.
A path-based approach to analyzing the global liner shipping network
Authors: LaRock Timothy , Xu Mengqiao , Eliassi-Rad Tina
Published: March 2022

The maritime shipping network is the backbone of global trade. Data about the movement of cargo through this network comes in various forms, from ship-level Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, to aggregated bilateral trade volume statistics. Multiple network representations of the shipping system can be derived from any one data source, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. In this work, we examine data in the form of liner shipping service routes, a list of walks through the port-to-port network aggregated from individual shipping companies by a large shipping logistics database. This data is inherently sequential, in that each route represents a sequence of ports called upon by a cargo ship. Previous work has analyzed this data without taking full advantage of the sequential information. Our contribution is to develop a path-based methodology for analyzing liner shipping service route data, computing navigational trajectories through the network that both respect the directional information in the shipping routes and minimize the number of cargo transfers between routes, a desirable property in industry practice. We compare these paths with those computed using other network representations of the same data, finding that our approach results in paths that are longer in terms of both network and nautical distance. We further use these trajectories to re-analyze the role of a previously-identified structural core through the network, as well as to define and analyze a measure of betweenness centrality for nodes and edges.
Content Addressable Memory Design in 3D pNML for Energy-Aware Sustainable Computing
Authors: Pathak Nirupma , Bhoi Bandan Kumar , Misra Neeraj Kumar , Kumar Santosh
Published: March 2022

As the semiconductor industry strives for downsizing and high speed, it is confronted with increasing scaling uncertainty as devices decrease to the nanoscale. Nano-magnetic logic (NML) is an alternative approach to synthesize the digital logic circuits with high-density and low-power consumption. We introduced an optimal design of content addressable memory (CAM) memory based on perpendicular nano-magnetic logic (pNML). The main aim of this implementation is to synthesize CAM memory in terms of latency and other design parameters. The implementation of the design is a multilayer approach, which is optimal. The synthesis approach and optimization are perfectly scalable across layout construction of designs. Here a new logic gate in pNML technology is designed which is mainly used for matching of two input numbers. According to insight, both memory unit and a matching unit in the pNML are introduced in the state-of-the-artwork for the first time to synthesize design in high-speed pNML application. MAGCAD tool is used for the design of all the proposed pNML layouts.
A note on classification of dust static plane symmetric space-times via proper curvature collineations in f(R) gravity
Authors: Nazir Aasma , Shabbir Ghulam , Hussain Fiaz , Jamal S. , Ramzan M.
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we classify dust static plane symmetric (SPS) space-times via proper curvature collineations (CCs) in the [Formula: see text] gravity using the rank of [Formula: see text] Riemann matrix and direct integration technique. Classifying the above mentioned space-times, we find that there arise six cases corresponding to specific values of the function [Formula: see text]. Inspecting all the cases, we reach at the fact that there exist two cases where the space-times admit proper CCs which form an infinite dimensional vector space (IDVS). In rest of the four cases, the space-time becomes either flat or CCs become the killing vector fields (KVFs).
Saddle Point Method for Transient Processes in Waveguides
Authors: Shanin Andrey V. , Korolkov Andrey I. , Kniazeva Kseniia S.
Published: March 2022

A modification of the saddle point method is proposed for computation of nonstationary wave processes (pulses) in waveguides. The dispersion diagram of the waveguide is continued analytically. A set of possible saddle points on the dispersion diagram is introduced. A method of checking whether the particular saddle points contribute terms to the field decomposition is proposed. A classification of the waveguides based on the topology of the set of possible saddle points is outlined.
Improving Chinese-Vietnamese Neural Machine Translation with Linguistic Differences
Authors: Yu Zhiqiang , Yu Zhengtao , Xian Yantuan , Huang Yuxin , Guo Junjun
Published: March 2022

We present a simple, efficient data augmentation approach for boosting Chinese-Vietnamese neural machine translation performance by leveraging the linguistic difference between the two languages. We first define the formalized representation of modifier symmetry, which is one of the most representative linguistic differences between Chinese and Vietnamese. We then propose and test two data augmentation strategies for leveraging the linguistic difference, which can be integrated naturally with different translation models. Results indicate that both strategies can introduce linguistic rules to boost translation accuracy. Tests on Chinese-Vietnamese benchmarks show significant accuracy improvements. To facilitate studies in this domain, we also release an open-source toolkit

1

with flexible implementation for Chinese-Vietnamese linguistic difference tagging.
A Survey of Knowledge-enhanced Text Generation
Authors: Yu Wenhao , Zhu Chenguang , Li Zaitang , Hu Zhiting , Wang Qingyun , Ji Heng , Jiang Meng
Published: March 2022

The goal of text-to-text generation is to make machines express like a human in many applications such as conversation, summarization, and translation. It is one of the most important yet challenging tasks in natural language processing (NLP). Various neural encoder-decoder models have been proposed to achieve the goal by learning to map input text to output text. However, the input text alone often provides limited knowledge to generate the desired output, so the performance of text generation is still far from satisfaction in many real-world scenarios. To address this issue, researchers have considered incorporating (i) internal knowledge embedded in the input text and (ii) external knowledge from outside sources such as knowledge base and knowledge graph into the text generation system. This research topic is known as
knowledge-enhanced text generation
. In this survey, we present a comprehensive review of the research on this topic over the past five years. The main content includes two parts: (i) general methods and architectures for integrating knowledge into text generation; (ii) specific techniques and applications according to different forms of knowledge data. This survey can have broad audiences, researchers and practitioners, in academia and industry.
Analysis and Correlation of Visual Evidence in Campaigns of Malicious Office Documents
Authors: Casino Fran , Totosis Nikolaos , Apostolopoulos Theodoros , Lykousas Nikolaos , Patsakis Constantinos
Published: March 2022

Many malware campaigns use Microsoft (MS) Office documents as droppers to download and execute their malicious payload. Such campaigns often use these documents because MS Office is installed on billions of devices and that these files allow the execution of arbitrary VBA code. Recent versions of MS Office prevent the automatic execution of VBA macros, so malware authors try to convince users into enabling the content via images that, e.g., forge system or technical errors.

In this article, we propose a mechanism to extract and analyse the different components of the files, including these visual elements, and construct lightweight signatures based on them. These visual elements are used as input for a text extraction pipeline which, in combination with the signatures, is able to capture the intent of MS Office files and the campaign they belong to. We test and validate our approach using an extensive database of malware samples, obtaining an accuracy above 99% in the task of distinguishing between benign and malicious files. Furthermore, our signature-based scheme allowed us to identify correlations between different campaigns, illustrating that some campaigns are either using the same tools or collaborating between them.
Natural Transformation in Gram-Positive Bacteria and Its Biotechnological Relevance to Lactic Acid Bacteria
Authors: O'Connell Laura M. , Kelleher Philip , van Rijswijck Irma M.H. , de Waal Paul , van Peij Noël N.M.E. , Mahony Jennifer , van Sinderen Douwe
Published: March 2022

Competence refers to the specialized physiological state in which bacteria undergo transformation through the internalization of exogenous DNA in a controlled and genetically encoded process that leads to genotypic and, in many cases, phenotypic changes. Natural transformation was first described in Streptococcus pneumoniae and has since been demonstrated in numerous species, including Bacillus subtilis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Homologs of the genes encoding the DNA uptake machinery for natural transformation have been reported to be present in several lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactococcus spp. In this review, we collate current knowledge of the phenomenon of natural transformation in Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, we describe the mechanism of competence development and its regulation in model bacterial species. We highlight the importance and opportunities for the application of these findings in the context of bacterial starter cultures associated with food fermentations as well as current limitations in this area of research.
Modeling Temperature-, Humidity-, and Material-Dependent Kinetics of the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Shibata Masao , Inaba Masanori , Shinozaki Kazuma , Kodama Kensaku , Jinnouchi Ryosuke
Published: March 2022

We propose a mathematical model that examines the temperature-, humidity-, and material-dependent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. We extended a conventional theoretical ORR micro-kinetic model by considering the temperature dependencies of the free energies of the adsorbed intermediate species and the solvent reorganization energic barrier. This model was validated by experimental analyses: Temperature- and material-dependent activities were experimentally measured by rotating disk electrode tests using Cu/Pt (111) near-surface alloy catalysts, while humidity-dependent activity was examined by fuel cell tests using a mesoporous carbon as the catalyst support, which reduces the effect of ionomer poisoning. Both the theoretical and experimental results showed that the activities are lowered with increasing temperature on catalysts with weak OH binding energy, whereas the opposite trend was observed on catalysts with strong OH binding energy. The results also showed that the activity on pure Pt, whose OH binding energy is strong, increases with a decrease in the relative humidity. These trends are reasonably explained from the shift in the thermodynamics of the limiting steps. Further calculations over a wider range of temperature and relative humidity suggested that the optimal OH binding strength (catalyst material) and catalytic activity strongly depend on operating conditions.
Limiting Current Density in Single-Ion-Conducting and Conventional Block Copolymer Electrolytes
Authors: Hoffman Zach J. , Ho Alec S. , Chakraborty Saheli , Balsara Nitash P.
Published: March 2022

The limiting current density of a conventional polymer electrolyte (PS-PEO/LiTFSI) and a single-ion-conducting polymer electrolyte (PSLiTFSI-PEO) was measured using a new approach based on the fitted slopes of the potential obtained from lithium-polymer-lithium symmetric cells at a constant current density. The results of this method were consistent with those of an alternative framework for identifying the limiting current density taken from the literature. We found the limiting current density of the conventional electrolyte is inversely proportional to electrolyte thickness as expected from theory. The limiting current density of the single-ion-conducting electrolyte was found to be independent of thickness. There are no theories that address the dependence of the limiting current density on thickness for single-ion-conducting electrolytes.
Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Across Disciplines
Authors: Suroviec Alice H.
Published: March 2022

In this issue we examine diversity, inclusion, and equity through several different lenses. This issue is of continuing importance to ECS, science, and the greater world population.
Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion in Our Professions: A Thin and Leaky Pipeline
Authors: Bock Christina
Published: March 2022

The world is moving forward and our leaders appear to be set to make Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) a household name. The DEI abbreviation has become a frequent topic appearing on many agendas, it appears in publications and lectures, studies are devoted to it, symposiums are being organized, committees are sprouting up, and politicians say they are committed to it. There is no doubt, DEI has become a topic for the working and political worlds. Governments, universities, and many organisations are setting quotas to achieve DEI. Yet, data shows that in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professions, DEI is lagging, thus begging the questions: “Where is DEI standing in STEM?” and “Why should we, as STEM researchers and as a not for profit scientific society be devoted to DEI?”
Nanocarbon-Induced Etching Property of Semiconductor Surfaces: Testing Nanocarbon’s Catalytic Activity for Oxygen Reduction Reaction at a Single-Sheet Level
Authors: Ogasawara Ayumi , Kawai Kentaro , Yamamura Kazuya , Arima Kenta
Published: March 2022

In the field of fuel cells, the microscopic understanding of the catalytic activity of nanocarbons or graphene-based materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is highly demanded. In the current study, a novel concept is presented to achieve it, which is a different approach from familiar electrochemical measurements. To prove this concept, we prepared two nanocarbon materials, whose ORR activities were tested and compared via macroscale cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry. Next, considering the electrochemical potential of ORR and the band-edge position of semiconductors, we chose single-crystalline Ge as the substrate on which the single-sheet nanocarbons were dispersed. We found that etched hollows formed under the loaded nanocarbons after immersing the nanocarbon/Ge sample into O2-containing water. The histogram analysis of the hollows represented the difference in catalytic activities to promote Ge etching between the used nanocarbons, and the corresponding trends agreed qualitatively with the electrochemical measurements.
Theoretical Research on Grouting in Deep Loose Layers Based on the Cylindrical Diffusion Model of Radial Tube Flow
Authors: Wang Xuesong , Cheng Hua , Yao Zhishu , Rong Chuanxin , Huang Xianwen , Guo Longhui
Published: March 2022

Grouting in deep, loose layers are a complex process in which many modes such as infiltration, splitting, and compaction coexist. It is of great significance to establish a realistic, simplified physical model to study the law of slurry diffusion. Herein, a cylindrical diffusion model of radial tube flow is established, and the control differential equations of both the Bingham slurry diffusion velocity in a single tube and the diffusion velocity of the radial tube flow are deduced. Additionally, the calculation formulas for the diffusion radius and slurry pressure distribution function are obtained. The rationality of the theory is verified by combining our results with those of the field grouting test of the Guotun coal mine. The results show that the cylindrical diffusion model of radial tube flow can successfully characterize the slurry diffusion law of grouting in a deep, loose layer. The slurry pressure attenuation shows distinguishable stages: within the first 30% of the diffusion radius, the slurry pressure decreased sharply by approximately 70%, and the slurry pressure decreases slowly in the later stages. Furthermore, the diffusion radius has a nonlinear, negative correlation with the height of the grouting section and the comprehensive injection rate of formation; the change rate is relatively more gradual, and there are no distinguishable stages. The research results provide a theoretical basis for reasonably determining the grouting parameters of deep, loose layers in the future.
Rapid Rehabilitation Program Can Promote the Recovery of Gastrointestinal Function, Speed Up the Postoperative Rehabilitation Process, and Reduce the Incidence of Complications in Patients Undergoing Radical Gastrectomy
Authors: Wang Xi , Li Yan , Yang Wei
Published: March 2022

Objective. To explore the influence of rapid rehabilitation programs on gastrointestinal function, rehabilitation process, and complications of patients undergoing radical gastrectomy. Methods. Of ninety-eight radical gastrectomy cases assessed for eligibility from January 2018 to July 2020, 43 patients who received routine perioperative nursing were assigned to the control group (CG), and 55 patients given a rapid rehabilitation program were assigned to the research group (RG). The recovery of gastrointestinal function, pain, nutritional status, complications, rehabilitation process, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction were compared. Results. After nursing, in contrast to the CG, the RG showed significantly better recovery of gastrointestinal function (the first time to eat (t = 7.701,

P
<
0.01

), the first time to anal exhaust (t = 9.342,

P
<
0.01

), the first time to defecation (t = 2.061,

P
=
0.040

), and the recovery time to bowel sounds (t = 16.030,

P
<
0.01

)), notably improved pain and nutritional status, and showed fewer complications (X2 = 9.385,

P
=
0.002

). Rapid rehabilitation protocol also showed shorter recovery time and higher quality of life and nursing satisfaction of patients versus the routine perioperative nursing (all

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. The rapid rehabilitation program can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function and postoperative rehabilitation and reduce the incidence of complications in patients undergoing radical gastrectomy.
Application of a Hybrid Model of Big Data and BP Network on Fault Diagnosis Strategy for Microgrid
Authors: Jiang Chundi , Xia Zhiliang
Published: March 2022

Aiming at the characteristics of timely transmission, rapid update, and large magnitude of microgrid data, based on the large data samples generated by microgrid operation, a fault diagnosis and analysis method of microgrid systems supported by big data is proposed in this paper. The multisource joint feature vectors of microgrid are extracted using Wavelet transform, Rayleigh entropy, and big data technology, which combine short-circuit current and voltage. The extracted feature dataset is clustered and segmented to realize deep data mining. Combining BP neural network and big data, the fault diagnosis of microgrid is realized. The simulation results show that the BP neural network algorithm based on big data support can accurately identify the type and phase of internal faults in microgrid, which is more suitable for extracting the temporal characteristics of information and spatiotemporal correlation of data to realize the prediction of big data and solve the core problems in the analysis of big data of microgrid faults, and the accuracy is as high as 96.8%.
A Transaction Traffic Control Approach Based on Fuzzy Logic to Improve Hyperledger Fabric Performance
Authors: Hang Lei , Kim BumHwi , Kim DoHyeun
Published: March 2022

Blockchain is a potential technology for migrating the central server’s processing burden into a decentralized, secure, and transparent manner. This technology has had significant influence and revolution in various industries. However, the limited transaction processing power is a stumbling block, especially compared to proven alternatives like distributed database systems. This paper proposes a transaction traffic control approach based on fuzzy logic to enhance the blockchain network’s transaction processing capacity. The proposed fuzzy controller is implemented in the smart contract to adjust the transaction traffic flow in real-time network conditions automatically. An experiment environment is built on Hyperledger Fabric to demonstrate the design approach’s significance. According to the experiment results, the blockchain performance is significantly improved compared to the baseline. Furthermore, the proposed approach is integrated with an existing blockchain performance-enhancing tool, and the results indicate that the proposed approach is flexible enough to integrate with other existing approaches.
New Insights into the Estimation of Impact Load of Granular Flow against a Rigid Wall
Authors: Siyou Xiao , Junwei Yang , Zhongju Wei
Published: March 2022

The installation of a rigid wall is a main approach to mitigate a granular flow. The methods of the impact load against a rigid wall still remains a challenge. In this study, the progresses in the estimation of the impact load of granular flow against a rigid wall are introduced in detail. The influences of the slope angle, the installed angle of rigid wall, the volume of granular flow are not fully considered into the present models. The discrete element method is employed to reveal the effects of these factors on the impact load. The numerical results show that the volume of granular flow is a key factor to determine the evolution of the impact load on a rigid wall. The dynamic impact load of granular flow at the initial stage is decided by the angle between the rigid wall and slope surface. If the installation angle is same, the slope angle mainly determines the static load of granular flow. Based on these findings, we propose simplified model that the relationship between the impact load and the multiple physical parameters, such as slope angle, installation angle, repose angle, flow height and flow velocity, basal friction angle, and the volume of granular flow, is taken into account.