bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing Waterborne Protective Coatings Through Manipulating the Nanostructure of Acrylic-Based Nanocomposites
Authors: Ji S. , Gui H. , Guan G. , Zhou M. , Guo Q. , Tan M. Y. J.
Published: July 2023

Waterborne coatings with intended functionalities have been designed by manipulating acrylic-based nanocomposites with different nanostructures. Taking advantage of the favorable structure of acrylic copolymers, three waterborne coatings with various desired properties were created through molecular engineering either by copolymerizing with other components or through nanocomposite formation. This approach was demonstrated by synthesizing acrylic-based waterborne coatings with three different nanostructures, namely homogeneous, worm-like, and spherical-like nanostructures. The properties of coating samples prepared by this new approach and by traditional physical blending were compared experimentally, which revealed that the incorporation of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS)-modified nanoparticle TiO2 in an acrylic base enabled the formation of a nanocomposite with nanoparticles uniformly distributed in the acrylic base. The coating film with this acrylic-TiO2 nanocomposite showed significantly better UV absorption performance than the coating made by physical blending. The copolymerization of acrylic copolymers with an organic polymer (alkyd) created a worm-like nanostructure of acrylic–alkyd composite that allowed uniform distribution of the acrylic–alkyd nanocomposite in a more closely packed dense coating film, leading to enhanced barrier property and significantly improved corrosion resistance as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and salt spray tests. The copolymerization of acrylic monomers with an inorganic polymer (polydimethylsiloxane [PDMS]) led to a spherical-like nanostructure of acrylic–PDMS composite film. The formation of this nanostructure arose from the migration of PDMS segments, and a PDMS-rich phase formed on the film’s surface, which resulted in a coating film with PDMS functionalities such as low dirt-picking behavior. Overall, these three cases demonstrated that acrylic copolymer are an excellent base for developing various nanocomposite waterborne coatings with different functionalities through copolymerization and that the nanocomposites with different nanostructures have a significant influence on the coatings’ performance.
Influence of Reinforcement on the Loading Capacity of Geopolymer Concrete Pipe
Authors: Dangol S. , Li J. , Sirivivatnanon V. , Kidd P.
Published: July 2023

Geopolymer concrete is emerging as a sustainable construction material due to utilization of industrial by-products, which greatly reduces its carbon footprint. Past studies of the mechanical properties and resistance to sulfuric acid reaction of cement-less geopolymer concrete indicated its suitability for precast concrete pipes over ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete. In the present study, a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model of reinforced concrete pipe was developed using commercial software ANSYS-LSDYNA. The load-carrying capacity of reinforced and non-reinforced geopolymer concrete pipes under the three-edge bearing (TEB) test was investigated and compared with OPC concrete pipes. The results indicated geopolymer concrete with comparable compressive strength to OPC concrete showed higher loading capacity in a pipe structure due to its better tensile performance. The effect of steel reinforcement area on the loading capacity of geopolymer concrete pipes was quantitatively analyzed, and they met the specified strength requirement for OPC concrete in the ASTM standard, with up to 20% reduction in the reinforcement area.
Development of High-Strength Light-Weight Cementitious Composites with Hollow Glass Microspheres
Authors: Li X. , Yao Y. , Zhang D. , Zhang Z. , Zhuge Y.
Published: July 2023

Achieving both light-weight and high-strength cementitious composites (HSLWCCs) is challenging. In this study, hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) were used to develop a HSLWCC. Different amounts of HGMs were incorporated in the cement mixture and the associated effects on the engineering properties and microstructure were investigated. The results showed that the density and strength decreased with increasing HGM content. Compressive strength of the HSLWCC decreased significantly when the HGM content increased from 30 to 40% and decreased slightly with further increasing HGM content, while the density generally reduced linearly with increasing HGM content. Structural efficiency of the HSLWCC increased when the HGM content was 30% and then decreased significantly at HGM content of 40%. In particular, a floatable cementitious composite with a density of ~970 kg/m3 and compressive strength of ~31 MPa was developed by incorporating 60% of HGMs. Additionally, two failure modes (i.e., (i) debonding of interface and (ii) crush of HGM) were found in the high-strength light-weight cementitious composite (HSLWCC), with the former dominating in HSLWCC with high HGM content and the later dominating in HSLWCC with low HGM content.
Advances in Characterization of Carbonation Behavior in Slag-Based Concrete Using Nanotomography
Authors: Mehdizadeh B. , Vessalas K. , Ben B. , Castel A. , Deilami S. , Asadi H.
Published: July 2023

Exposure of concrete to the atmosphere causes absorption of CO2and carbonation via a chemical reaction between the CO2and calcium hydroxide and calcium-silicate-hydrate reaction products inside the concrete. A greater understanding of carbonation behavior and its micro- and nanoscale impacts is needed to predict and model concrete durability, cracking potential and steel depassivation behaviors. New and sophisticated techniques have emerged to analyze the microstructural behavior of concrete subjected to carbonation. High-resolution full-field X-ray imaging is providing new insights to nanoscale behavior. Full-field nano-images provide significant insight into 3D structural identification and mapping. Nanotomographic modeling of an accelerated carbonated test specimen can also provide a 3D view of the pore structure that resides inside slag-based concrete. This is critical for better understanding of the capillary porosity and pore solution behaviors of concrete in situ. We investigated the analysis of durability properties, including the carbonation behavior of slag-based concrete, by evaluating microstructural and nanotomographic identification techniques.
Application of Surface-Modified Nanosilica for Performance Enhancement of Asphalt Pavement
Authors: He D. , Chan H. H. , Xiao Z. H. , Wu T. , Leung L. M. , Sham M. , Chen B. , Lee S. F. S. , Kwan C. K. K.
Published: July 2023

The fatigue performance of asphalt binder can be significantly increased by incorporating nanosilica, but due to the poor dispersion of nanosilica in asphalt, high mechanical energy is required to achieve good homogeneity. The viscosity of asphalt is nearly double when 3% nanosilica is added. Consequently, the mixing temperature of asphalt with aggregate is dozens of degrees higher to compensate for its high viscosity. To solve this problem, modification of nanosilica was introduced and the effects of its performance on asphalt are reported here. Several types of nanosilica at various dosages were modified and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The properties of asphalt, such as viscosity, rutting, fatigue, softening point, penetration and ductility were investigated. The viscosity of asphalt with 3% modified nanosilica was 80% lower than that of the asphalt with unmodified nanosilica and a 20 °C reduction in temperature for mixing the asphalt binder with aggregate was achieved. Moreover, the rutting and fatigue performance of asphalt with modified nanosilica were significantly enhanced. The asphalt with modified nanosilica not only had lower viscosity but also has similar performance to asphalt with unmodified nanosilica. The asphalt with modified nanosilica had excellent performance and thus good practical application potential.
An Intelligent Multi-objective Design Optimization Method for Nanographite-Based Electrically Conductive Cementitious Composites
Authors: Dong W. , Huang Y. , Lehane B. , Ma G.
Published: July 2023

Nanographite (NG) is a promising conductive filler for producing effective electrically conductive cementitious composites for use in structural health monitoring methods. Since the acceptable mechanical strength and electrical resistivity are both required, the design of NG-based cementitious composite (NGCC) is a complicated multi-objective optimization problem. This study proposes a data-driven method to address this multi-objective design optimization (MODO) issue for NGCC using machine learning (ML) techniques and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). Prediction models of the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and electrical resistivity (ER) of NGCC are established by Bayesian-tuned XGBoost with prepared datasets. Results show that they have excellent performance in predicting both properties with high R2 (0.95 and 0.92, 0.99 and 0.98) and low mean absolute error (1.24 and 3.44, 0.15 and 0.22). The influence of critical features on NGCC’s properties are quantified by ML theories, which help determine the variables to be optimized and define their constraints for the MODO. The MODO program is developed on the basis of NSGA-II. It optimizes NGCC’s properties of UCS and ER simultaneously, and successfully achieves a set of Pareto solutions, which can facilitate appropriate parameters selections for the NGCC design.
Non-probabilistic Informed Structural Health Assessment with Virtual Modelling Technique
Authors: Wang Q. , Feng Y. , Wu D. , Gao W.
Published: July 2023

In real-life engineering, non-probabilistic structural information is very common in many and varied disciplines. This class of information is characterized by incompleteness and imprecision, such as interval, fuzzy sets, etc. Non-probabilistic structural information can be reflected in the structural performance and cause it to fluctuate within a specific range, instead of being deterministic. Thus, without appropriate consideration of non-probabilistic information, serious or even disastrous accidents may occur. Therefore, fully estimating the structural health status using non-probabilistic information, especially detecting the lower and upper bounds of the concerned structural response, is extremely significant in uncertainty-sensitive fields. To conquer this challenge, a virtual modeling technique underpinning a structural health assessment framework is introduced. The twin extended support vector regression (T-X-SVR) approach is embedded for virtual model construction. Continuous, differentiable expression of the established virtual model allows the optimal solutions for each interval analysis to be easily achieved. Information update is another inherent feature, which enables structural health assessment to be implemented with updated conditions without rebuilding the virtual model. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed virtual modeling technique underpinned structural health assessment framework, the non-probabilistic informed elastoplastic nonlocal damage analysis was investigated for engineering structures.
Recycled Glass-Based Capping Layer for Foundations in Expansive Soils
Authors: Karami H. , Robert D. , Costa S. , Li J. , Setunge S. , Venkatesan S.
Published: July 2023

Construction on weak expansive soils is challenging due to their low bearing capacity and high-volume susceptibility under moisture fluctuation. The uplift pressure from expansive clay can induce significant swelling pressure on foundations, but on the other hand, shrinkage of clay can result in substantial foundation settlement during dry seasons. This differential movement of the foundation can distress the superstructure of a building, resulting in serviceable and ultimate limit state failures. The current approach to dealing with foundations in expansive clay soils is to construct a rigid slab that can withstand the anticipated movement or a pier-type approach using engineering design principles or a normal-type slab based on the fill being placed under controlled conditions. We introduce a capping layer under the foundation to control moisture fluctuation and increase the bearing capacity of the foundation using a recycled glass-based stabilization approach. A prototype foundation was constructed in the laboratory using an optimum stabilization mix design that was derived using glass and other sustainable additives. Slab movements and soil conditions were monitored over a 6 month period under simulated dry/wetting moisture fluctuations and operational loads. Results revealed that the performance of the foundation under controlled conditions was outperformed by the capping layered foundation during service loadings including seasonal moisture fluctuation. The outcomes from this research will have a significant impact on improving foundation performance in expansive soils, as well as proposing a sustainable foundation construction process using recycled glass waste.
Effect of Carbon Nanotubes on the Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Cemented Rockfill
Authors: Yu Z. , Jing H. , Gao Y. , Wei X. , Wang A.
Published: July 2023

The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to reinforce cemented rockfill is attracting considerable interest due to the remarkable improvement in performance and the extremely low dose of the added nanomaterial. To reveal the enhancement mechanism of the CNTs on cemented rockfill, the acoustic emission (AE) characteristics of cemented rockfill specimens during the Brazilian split test were investigated. The results demonstrated that CNTs improved tensile strength by 17.2% and decreased the AE count. The nucleation and micropore-filling effects of the CNTs promoted the cement hydration reaction and formation of a denser structure, thereby improving resistance to loads. Meanwhile, finer pores avoid stress concentration, resulting in AE activity becoming more sparse. Finally, the AE b-value increased by 14.8%, which further indicated that the overall failure process was at a lower intensity.
Indirekte Orbitafrakturen nach okzipitalem Trauma (Geserick-Zeichen)
Authors: Gerling Moritz , Ondruschka Benjamin , Kniep Inga , Anders Sven
Published: July 2023

Eine 41-jährige Frau wurde am Morgen bewusstlos im Bett einer Pflegeeinrichtung aufgefunden. Bei Aufnahme ins Krankenhaus wurden ein Brillenhämatom, eine okzipitale Kalottenfraktur, beidseitige Orbitafrakturen, frontal betonte Subarachnoidalblutungen und Hirnkontusionen festgestellt. Die Prognose galt als infaust. Klinisch wurde aufgrund des Verletzungsbildes eine mehrfache Gewalteinwirkung angenommen und die Polizei benachrichtigt. Zum Ausschluss eines Fremdverschuldens wurde eine rechtsmedizinische Untersuchung beauftragt. Als äußerlich sichtbare Kopfschwartenverletzung wurde eine frische Schürfung am Hinterkopf festgestellt. Die klinischen Feststellungen wurden in einer eigenen forensischen Befundung des kranialen CT bestätigt. Seitens der Ermittlungsbehörden gab es keine Anhaltspunkte für eine Fremdbeibringung. In der Zusammenschau der polizeilichen Ermittlungsergebnisse und der klinischen sowie rechtsmedizinischen Befunde war von einem Sturzereignis mit okzipitalem Anprall und indirekten beidseitigen Orbitafrakturen auszugehen. Bei dem vorliegenden Fall handelt es sich um die erst zweite Mitteilung des sog. Geserick-Zeichens aus dem Bereich der klinischen Rechtsmedizin.
Dynamic modeling of fluid-conveying pipes restrained by a retaining clip
Authors: Dou Bo , Ding Hu , Mao Xiaoye , Wei Sha , Chen Liqun
Published: July 2023

Although most pipes are restrained by retaining clips in aircrafts, the influence of the clip parameters on the vibration of the fluid-conveying pipe has not been revealed. By considering the clip width, a new dynamic model of a fluid-conveying pipe restrained by an intermediate clip is established in this paper. To demonstrate the necessity of the proposed model, a half pipe model is established by modeling the clip as one end. By comparing the two models, it is found that the half pipe model overestimates the critical velocity and may estimate the dynamical behavior of the pipe incorrectly. In addition, with the increase in the clip stiffness, the conversion processes of the first two modes of the pipe are shown. Furthermore, by ignoring the width of the clip, the effect of the flow velocity on the accuracy of a concentrated restraint clip model is presented. When the flow velocity is close to the critical velocity, the accuracy of the concentrated restraint clip model significantly reduces, especially when the width of the clip is large. In general, the contribution of this paper is to establish a dynamic model of the fluid-conveying pipe which can describe the influence of the clip parameters, and to demonstrate the necessity of this model.
Records of neglect: the significance of archives in redress processes
Authors: Grönroos Ida
Published: July 2023

In 2005, a Swedish television documentary that revealed gross misconduct and abuse in Swedish children’s homes led to a number of inquiries that culminated with the passing of the Redress Act. This act entitled everyone that had suffered from abuse in out-of-home care to 250,000 Swedish crowns (close to 25,000 Euros). However, only 42 percent of the Swedish claimants were granted the compensation, a very low number in international comparison. The starting point of this study is this—in many accounts failed—redress process. Why did Sweden, self-appointed moral superpower, produce such deviating results? This question is addressed by an inquiry into the Swedish scheme of redress, focusing on the role of archives and recordkeeping with particular focus on the concepts of total archives and politics of regret. This paper argues that it was impossible for the Swedish Board of Redress to make satisfactory assessments of redress claims, given the set criteria and the archival material on which they were required to base their decisions, and that it is a futile task to base the writing of individual life stories on official documentation.
Extreme events in the multi-proxy South Pacific drought atlas
Authors: Higgins Philippa A. , Palmer Jonathan G. , Andersen Martin S. , Turney Christian S. M. , Johnson Fiona
Published: July 2023

Droughts are a natural occurrence in many small Pacific Islands and can have severe impacts on local populations and environments. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a well-known driver of drought in the South Pacific, but our understanding of extreme ENSO events and their influence on island hydroclimate is limited by the short instrumental record and the infrequency of ENSO extremes. To address this gap, we developed the South Pacific Drought Atlas (SPaDA), a multi-proxy, spatially resolved reconstruction of the November–April Standardised Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index for the southwest Pacific islands. The reconstruction covers the period from 1640 to 1998 CE and is based on nested principal components regression. It replicates historical droughts linked to ENSO events with global influence, compares well to previously published ENSO reconstructions, and is independently verified against fossil coral records from the Pacific. To identify anomalous hydroclimatic states in the SPaDA that may indicate the occurrence of an extreme event, we used an Isolation Forest, an unsupervised machine learning algorithm. Extreme El Niño events characterised by very strong southwest Pacific drought anomalies and a zonal SPCZ orientation are shown to have occurred throughout the reconstruction interval, providing a valuable baseline to compare to climate model projections. By identifying the spatial patterns of drought resulting from extreme events, we can better understand the impacts these events may have on individual Pacific Islands in the future.
Numerical Analysis of Geosynthetic-Reinforced and Pile-Supported Embankments Considering Integrated Soil-Structure Interactions
Authors: Pham Tuan A. , Tran Quoc-Anh , Villard Pascal , Dias Daniel
Published: July 2023

Geosynthetic-reinforced and pile-supported (GRPS) embankments are becoming more popular as a solution for addressing soil structural instability. The interaction between the geosynthetic-pile-subsoil-embankment elements is crucial to the load transfer mechanism and performance of GRPS embankments. Several analytical models for GRPS embankment design have been proposed, but their performance and applicability still require further validation. This research presents a three-dimensional numerical investigation of the load transfer mechanism of GRPS embankments using the finite difference approach, considering the combined interaction between the soil embankment, geosynthetics, pile, and subsoil. The importance of these crucial aspects in the GRPS embankment design technique is highlighted, as well as their influence and sensitivity. The following elements, in descending order, influence the load and settlement efficacies of the GRPS embankments: soft soil stiffness, embankment height, geosynthetic stiffness, and embankment soil density, according to this research. Furthermore, the use of geosynthetics reduces differential settlements and mitigates soil yielding above the pile heads. The numerical findings are then compared to four well-known design standards, with the subsurface stiffness, geosynthetic stiffness, embankment height, and fill soil density all being varied simultaneously to measure their performance. The findings of the comparison revealed that these techniques differ greatly in their ability to forecast load efficacy and differential settlement. Depending on the geometric properties of the embankment and material properties, all of the selected design methods produce over-predictions or under-predictions.
Changes in the wild bee community (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) over 100 years in relation to land use: a case study in a protected steppe habitat in Eastern Austria
Authors: Zimmermann Dominique , Schoder Sabine , Zettel Herbert , Hainz-Renetzeder Christa , Kratschmer Sophie
Published: July 2023

The wild bee community of a sand steppe habitat in Eastern Austria was surveyed in the years 2018 and 2019, complemented with historical data from over 100 years, and analyzed in relation to land use change. The mapping of land use categories was based on historical aerial photographs and orthophotos. Changes in bee community composition were analyzed by a multivariate statistical approach and took ecological traits into account (lecty, nesting type, habitat requirements, flight period, parasitism). In total, 310 bee species were recorded in the area, with the oldest records dating back to 1882. The bee species composition differed significantly among four defined time periods. Across the two most intensively sampled time periods (1931–1966 vs 2001–2021), a decline in species richness of over 50% was observed. We observed a disproportionally high decline of steppe- and sand-associated species, and a distinct shift from ground nesting species to above-ground nesting species. The area covered with woods increased from 1966 to 2018, while the total area covered with grassland and fallows decreased slightly between 1966 and 1994. The oligolectic species assemblage was specialized on Dipsacaceae, Brassicaceae and Fabaceae in the two earlier periods, and on Asteraceae and specifically on Carduoideae during the two later ones.

Implications for insect conservation

stronger reference to historic land management practices as short time periods of intensive grazing and small-scaled, staggered mowing would be desirable to improve the habitat quality. More drastic measures, such as removal of the topsoil in some parts and changes in the landscape re-establishing exposure to wind erosion, might be necessary, if the area is to be fully restored to the condition it was in a century ago.
Exploring Seismic Hazard in the Groningen Gas Field Using Adaptive Kernel Smoothing
Authors: van Lieshout M. N. M. , Baki Z.
Published: July 2023

The discovery of gas in Groningen in 1959 has been a massive boon to the Dutch economy. From the 1990s onwards, though, gas production has led to induced seismicity. In this paper, we carry out a comprehensive exploratory analysis of the spatio-temporal earthquake catalogue. We develop a non-parametric adaptive kernel smoothing technique to estimate the spatio-temporal hazard map and to interpolate monthly well-based gas production statistics. Second- and higher-order inhomogeneous summary statistics are used to show that the state-of-the-art rate-and-state models for the prediction of seismic hazard fail to capture inter-event interaction in the earthquake catalogue. Based on these findings, we suggest a modified rate-and-state model that also takes into account changes in gas production volumes and uncertainty in the pore pressure field.
A test for the absence of aliasing or white noise in two-dimensional locally stationary wavelet processes
Authors: Palasciano Henry Antonio , Nason Guy P.
Published: July 2023

Either intentionally or unintentionally, sub-sampling is a common occurrence in image processing and can lead to aliasing if the highest frequency in the underlying process is higher than the Nyquist frequency. Several techniques have already been suggest in order to prevent aliasing from occurring (for example applying anti-aliasing filters), however there is little work describing methods to detect for it. Recently, Eckley and Nason (Biometrika 105(4), 833–848, 2018) developed a test for the absence of aliasing and/or white noise in locally stationary wavelet processes. Following Eckley and Nason (Biometrika 105(4), 833–848, 2018), we derive the corresponding theoretical consequences of sub-sampling a two-dimensional locally stationary wavelet process and develop a procedure to test for the absence of aliasing and/or white noise confounding at a fixed point, demonstrating its effectiveness and use through appropriate simulation studies and an example. In addition, we outline some possibilities for extending these methods further, from images to videos.
Toroidal PCA via density ridges
Authors: García-Portugués Eduardo , Prieto-Tirado Arturo
Published: July 2023

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a well-known linear dimension-reduction technique designed for Euclidean data. In a wide spectrum of applied fields, however, it is common to observe multivariate circular data (also known as toroidal data), rendering spurious the use of PCA on it due to the periodicity of its support. This paper introduces Toroidal Ridge PCA (TR-PCA), a novel construction of PCA for bivariate circular data that leverages the concept of density ridges as a flexible first principal component analog. Two reference bivariate circular distributions, the bivariate sine von Mises and the bivariate wrapped Cauchy, are employed as the parametric distributional basis of TR-PCA. Efficient algorithms are presented to compute density ridges for these two distribution models. A complete PCA methodology adapted to toroidal data (including scores, variance decomposition, and resolution of edge cases) is introduced and implemented in the companion R package . The usefulness of TR-PCA is showcased with a novel case study involving the analysis of ocean currents on the coast of Santa Barbara.
Disruption mitigation in the semiconductors supply chain by using public blockchains
Authors: Magdy Mirna , Grida Mohamed , Hussein Gawaher
Published: July 2023

Supply chain management has become increasingly complex, leading to information loss and delayed transmission, exacerbating the bullwhip effect. Furthermore, the need for more reliable information storage, traceability, and accountability has slowed supply chain management. In this context, blockchain technology (BCT) solves the bullwhip effect problem, as it supports distributed networking, information synchronization among nodes, digital encryption, traceable information, and unchangeable block content. This paper proposes using public blockchain to solve the bullwhip effect problem in the supply chain (SC), which has yet to be discussed in published academic research papers. To this end, a framework has been developed to determine the readiness of a supply chain for blockchain adoption. This framework includes a checklist to evaluate the motivation, timing, and appropriate platform for adopting blockchain. The framework has been validated using a case study of personal computer devices, which were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and resulted in semiconductors supply chain disruption. The study involved polling four executives The study involved polling four executives (of large organizations in Egypt and some Middle Eastern countries) representing different stages in the supply chain, they are retail, distribution, manufacturing, and supply. The results showed that while the executives recognized the benefits of adopting blockchain, they were still determining if it was the right time for adoption and did not see the technology ready for their supply chains. Finally, some public blockchain platforms were introduced to help businesses choose the most suitable platform for adoption.
Perspectivalism about temporal reality
Authors: Eker Bahadir
Published: July 2023

It is usually agreed that reality is temporal in the sense of containing entities that exist in time, but some philosophers, roughly those who have been traditionally called A-theorists, hold that reality is temporal in a far more profound sense than what is implied by the mere existence of such entities. This hypothesis ofdeep temporalitytypically involves two ideas: that reality istemporally compartmentalisedinto distinct present, past, and future ‘realms’, and that this compartmentalisation istemporally dynamicin the sense that the boundaries of those temporal realms change from one moment to the next. The truth of something like this hypothesis is commonly thought to require that at least some of the facts that fundamentally constitute reality betensed. While this seems plausible, realism about fundamental tensed facts does not seem to entail deep temporality. Nor is it clear exactly what realism about tense amounts to, given that no informative answer has been given to the question of what it is for a fact to be tensed. In this paper, I introduce a novel approach,perspectivalism about temporal reality, that seeks to vindicate the hypothesis of deep temporality by ascribing to reality a certain kind of temporally perspectival structure, which also provides a straightforward answer to the question of what the tensedness of facts consists in as well as to the question of what it is for reality to be constituted by such facts.
The Perspective of Community Members in the Assessment of the Social Value Generated by Non-profit and Voluntary Organizations
Authors: Mannarini Terri , Pozzi Maura , Marta Elena
Published: July 2023

This study aimed at developing a scale to measure Social Added Value (SAV) according to the perspective of community members, building on the relational framework and complementing the work of Mannarini et al. (Voluntas: Int J Voluntary Nonprofit Organ 29(6):1315–1329, 2018). The study was conducted on 720 Italian citizens who were not directly involved in Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations (NPVOs) as active members to examine the statistical validity and psychometric properties of the SAV scale. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that good and satisfactory fit indexes were obtained by a third-order factor model saturated by two second-order variables (contribution to community and quality of external relationships) and eight first-order variables (services and tasks, vision, social responsibility, control mutuality, communality relationship, trust, commitment, capacity to build community connections). Additional analyses revealed that both perceived NPVOs target values and sense of belonging to the community were positively associated with SAV. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
MYH7 p.(Arg1712Gln) is pathogenic founder variant causing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with overall relatively delayed onset
Authors: Marsili Luisa , van Lint Freyja H. M. , Russo Francesco , van Spaendonck-Zwarts Karin Y. , Ader Flavie , Bichon Marie-Line , Faivre Laurence , Houweling Arjan C. , Isidor Bertrand , Lekanne Deprez Ronald H. , Cox Moniek G. P. J. , Wilde Arthur A. M. , Mazel Benoit , Mercier Sandra , Dooijes Dennis , Millat Gilles , Nguyen Karine , Post Jan G. , Richard Pascale , van de Beek Irma , Vermeer Alexa M. C. , Boven Ludolf , Jongbloed Jan D. H. , van Tintelen J. Peter ,   The European Reference Network for Rare and Low Prevalence Complex Diseases of the Heart, Marsili Luisa , van Lint Freyja H. M. , van Tintelen J. Peter , Houweling Arjan C. , Lekanne Deprez Ronald H. , Wilde Arthur A. M. , Dooijes Dennis , Post Jan G. , van de Beek Irma , Vermeer Alexa M. C. , van Spaendonck-Zwarts Karin Y. , Ader Flavie , Richard Pascale , Isidor Bertrand , Bichon Marie-Line , Mercier Sandra
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The MYH7 c.5135G > A p.(Arg1712Gln) variant has been identified in several patients worldwide and is classified as pathogenic in the ClinVar database. We aimed to delineate its associated phenotype and evaluate a potential founder effect.

Methods

We retrospectively collected clinical and genetic data of 22 probands and 74 family members from an international cohort.

Results

In total, 53 individuals carried the MYH7 p.(Arg1712Gln) variant, of whom 38 (72%) were diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Mean age at HCM diagnosis was 48.8 years (standard deviation: 18.1; range: 8–74). The clinical presentation ranged from asymptomatic HCM to arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation and malignant ventricular arrhythmias). Aborted sudden cardiac death (SCD) leading to the diagnosis of HCM occurred in one proband at the age of 68 years, and a family history of SCD was reported by 39% (5/13) probands. Neither heart failure deaths nor heart transplants were reported. Women had a generally later-onset disease, with 14% of female carriers diagnosed with HCM at age 50 years compared with 54% of male carriers. In both sexes, the disease was fully penetrant by age 75 years. Haplotypes were reconstructed for 35 patients and showed a founder effect in a subset of patients.

Conclusion

MYH7 p.(Arg1712Gln) is a pathogenic founder variant with a consistent HCM phenotype that may present with delayed penetrance. This suggested that clinical follow-up should be pursued after the seventh decade in healthy carriers and that longer intervals between screening may be justified in healthy women < 30 years.
DIFLD: domain invariant feature learning to detect low-quality compressed face forgery images
Authors: Zou Yan , Luo Chaoyang , Zhang Jianxun
Published: July 2023

With the rapid development of deep learning, face forgery detection methods have also achieved remarkable progress. However, most methods suffer significant performance degradation on low-quality compressed face images. It is due to: (a) The image artifacts will be blurred in the process of image compression, resulting in the model learning insufficient artifact traces; (b) Low-quality images will introduce a lot of noise information, and minimizing the training error causes the model to absorb all correlations in the training dataset recklessly, leading to the over-fitting problem. To solve the above problems, we consider learning domain invariant representations to inscribe the correct relevance, i.e., artifacts, to improve the robustness of low-quality images. Specifically, we propose a novel face forgery detector, called DIFLD. The model has the following components: (1) a high-frequency invariant feature learning module(hf-IFLM), which effectively retrieves the blurred artifacts in low-quality compressed images; and (2) a high-dimensional feature distribution learning module(hd-FDLM), that guides the network to learn more about the consistent features of distribution. With the above two modules, the whole framework can learn more discriminative correct artifact features in an end-to-end manner. Through extensive experiments, we show that our proposed method is more robust to image quality variations, especially in low-quality images. Our proposed method achieves a 3.67% improvement over the state-of-the-art methods on the challenging dataset NeuralTextures.
Adaptive fractional tracking control of robotic manipulator using fixed-time method
Authors: Ahmed Saim , Azar Ahmad Taher
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes an adaptive fractional-order sliding mode controller to control and stabilize a nonlinear uncertain disturbed robotic manipulator in fixed-time. Fractional calculus is used to construct a fractional-order sliding mode controller (FtNTSM) that suppresses chattering to help the robotic manipulator converge to equilibrium in a fixed-settling time based on fixed-time stability theory. Then, adaptive control is introduced and combined with FtNTSM to overcome the unknown system dynamics. The convergence time of the proposed fixed-time fractional-order sliding mode controller (AFtNTSM) is independent of beginning circumstances and can be precisely assessed, unlike the finite-time control approach. Finally, numerical simulations show that the adaptive fractional-order sliding mode controller outperforms finite-time sliding mode controller.
Evaluation of airlift pump performance for vertical conveying of coal particles
Authors: Enany Parviz , Shevchenko Oleksandr , Drebenshtedt Carsten
Published: July 2023

One of the crucial aspects of reducing air consumption when conveying particles with an airlift pump is to know the factors that affect the process of particle motion at an initial velocity of zero. To determine the influence of submergence ratio and physical properties of particles (such as size, shape, and mass) on the onset of vertical particle motion, the airlift pump was taken as the research object, and spherical glass together with irregular shaped coal were used as experimental test particles. The results show that unlike the water-solid environment, the start of particle motion in the water-air mixture does not always occur at a certain value of superficial water velocity and this value also increases with increasing submergence level. Among the parameters considered, the role of submergence ratio is much more effective than the dimensions and the shape of the particle, because by increasing submergence from 0.3 to 0.8, it is possible to reduce air consumption by up to 8 times. Based on this study the corresponding theoretical model derived by Fujimoto et al. is optimized, wherein the overall agreement between the modified theory and present experimental data is particularly good. Contrary to Fujimoto, the minimum superficial water velocity for lifting solids in the air-water mixture is not always smaller than water ambient which indicates on optimum submergence ratio higher than 0.7. Finally, a new criterion was introduced to describe the moment of onset of the particle motion as a function of the superficial fluid velocity ratio for each submergence value.
Effects of particle size and morphology on microwave cracking characteristics and cracking mechanism of three Fe-containing ores
Authors: Lin Feng , Feng Xia-Ting , Li Shi-Ping , Zhang Jiu-Yu , Su Xiang-Xin , Tong Tian-Yang
Published: July 2023

Microwave irradiation is a potential technology for use in rock fracturing. It is of great significance for the application of microwave technology in metal mines to understand the microwave cracking characteristics of ores and the mechanism of microwave action of ores. Taking Hongtoushan copper ore, Sishanling iron ore, and Dandong gold ore as research objects, the microwave cracking characteristics of ores with different morphologies (bulk/particle samples) and particle sizes were investigated. The microwave action mechanism of ores was revealed based on dielectric properties and arc characteristics. The results show that the change in morphology of the ore affects the microwave cracking characteristics thereof. The failure of iron ore and gold ore is characterized by the generation of cracks and the crack direction is related to the ore morphology. The bulk copper ore is not damaged after microwave irradiation, but the damage to particles of copper ore is characterized by scorching or scorching and melting accompanied by cracks. The more power applied, the larger the particles, and the stronger the arcing. Compared with the type and morphology of ore, particle size has little effect on dielectric properties. The microwave action mechanism of bulk copper ore (smooth surface) is a reflection effect and that of bulk copper ore (rough surface) is a discharge effect. The microwave mechanism of action on particulate copper ore is the combined action of discharge and heating effects, which leads to fracture. The microwave mechanism of action on iron ore and gold ore is mainly one of heating. The research results provide guidance for the development of microwave ore-cracking equipment and the selection of the optimal heating sequence.
A Test Stand for Quantifying the Core Gas Release and the Gas Permeability of Inorganically-Bound Foundry Cores
Authors: Kirchebner Benedikt , Kammerloher Simon , Fuchs Georg , Reberger Erwin , Volk Wolfram , Lechner Philipp
Published: July 2023

Environmental and work safety aspects necessitate a radical change in the foundry industry. Organic binder systems for foundry sand cores create toxic combustion products and are, therefore, more and more often substituted by inorganic binder systems. While providing an environmental advantage by mainly releasing water vapor, inorganic binder systems impose new challenges for the casting process. The gas release of inorganically-bound foundry cores can lead to increased gas porosity in the cast parts and thus to high scrap rates. The present work aims to gain more understanding of the gas generation and transport in inorganic sand binder systems. We developed a test stand to measure the temperature-dependent core gas release in inorganically-bound foundry cores and their gas permeability. Samples were prepared in a core blowing process and analyzed using the test stand. The measurement results are in good agreement with validation experiments and existing literature.
Diversity of epistemologies in African higher education: an interdisciplinary perspective on the contribution of digital communities of practice to equitable knowledge production
Authors: Schoelen Leonie , Sebihi Abbes , Azab-Els Sherif , Sano Mariame
Published: July 2023

This interdisciplinary article proposes a holistic approach to address challenges faced by African higher education owing to the shift to digital technology and online learning. The approach draws on theories of knowledge to promote equitable knowledge production and bridge the digital divide. The article highlights the potential of communities of practice as a complementary tool to indigenous methods and calls for the use of all available resources, including indigenous languages, to overcome existing inequalities and promote dynamic knowledge construction. The importance of understanding the historical influence of colonial and pre-colonial practices on epistemology is also emphasized. The article offers innovative approaches and insights to support equitable and inclusive knowledge production in African higher education contexts, with a focus on the Western region of the continent, facilitated by novel technologies that have been rolled out in learning institutions globally.
From The Anfield Wrap to Boss Night and the Paris Protests: Football, Politics, Identity and the Cultural Evolution of Fan Media and Supporter Activism in Liverpool
Authors: Rookwood Joel , Hoey Paddy
Published: July 2023

There have been significant recent developments in media produced by football fans, from social media and online magazines to podcasts, YouTube channels and live events. 21st century technologies have facilitated new types of supporter-produced media, rendering the means of production more accessible to fans. In Liverpool, fan channels have emerged, influenced by the city’s musical heritage and political and cultural identity. For instance, modern events such as Boss Night and podcasts produced by The Anfield Wrap (TAW) have helped provide an authentic voice for the city’s contemporary football culture, political identity and connected social activism. Due to globalised media networks, they can also offer an educational mobilising hub for those interested in Liverpool’s current idiosyncratic cultural and political civic context. This research is informed by literature on fan media and activism and draws on collective identity theory and Bourdieu’s notion of habitus. In-depth interviews were conducted with experienced supporters and various individuals closely associated with the production of fan media. Structurally, the paper outlines Liverpool’s historical, cultural, sporting and fan media context. It then analyses data detailing the evolution of Boss Mag to Boss Night events and examining The Anfield Wrap as an innovative site of content creation. Contextually, the paper explores fan activism through the mediatised protest of Liverpool’s ownership and collective expressions of political identity. Finally, it draws on the experiences of supporters at the 2022 Champions League final in Paris and the use of technology and fan media in capturing and responding to the mistreatment of supporters.
Construction of the hierarchical porous biochar with an ultrahigh specific surface area for application in high-performance lithium-ion capacitor cathode
Authors: Zhu Haotian , Li Jiayuan , Wu Dichao , Zhang Gaoyue , Sun YunJuan , Wang Ao , Sun Kang
Published: July 2023

Biochar with a highly accessible specific surface area can display a higher performance when it is used as the cathode of lithium-ion capacitors. Facing the complex composition and diversity of biomass precursors, there is a lack of a universally applicable method to construct hierarchical porous biochar controllably. In this work, a multi-stage activation strategy combining the feature of different activation methods is proposed for this target. To confirm the porous characteristic in prepared samples, N2adsorption–desorption and transmission electron microscope were used. As the optimal sample, BC-P3K4S had the highest specific surface area of 3583.3 m2 g−1. Evaluated as the electrode for a lithium-ion capacitor, BC-P3K4S displayed a capacity of 139.1 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. After coupling it with pre-lithiated hard carbon, the full device exhibited a high energy density of 129.3 W h kg−1at 153 W kg−1. The work outlined herein offers some insights into the preparation of hierarchical porous biochar from complex biomass by multistep activation method.

Graphical Abstract
The many meanings of meaningful human control
Authors: Robbins Scott
Published: July 2023

The concept of Meaningful Human Control (MHC) has gained prominence in the field of Artificial Intelligence ethics. MHC is discussed in relation to lethal autonomous weapons, autonomous cars, and more recently, AI systems in general. Little, however, has been done to analyze the concept. Those using MHC tend to look at it narrowly and intuitively—as if it is clear what it means. They fail to see the many issues concerning human control over machines. In this article, I break the concept into its three constitutive words (‘meaningful’, ‘human’, and, ‘control’) to outline the many meanings of MHC. While the intention is not to come to the real meaning of MHC, this analysis brings up the many issues that should be considered if meaningful human control is to be realized. These include: which humans count as meaningful in the application context, whether the control those humans are given must be meaningful, whether humans must retain control over the things that are meaningful in life, whether the style of control is human-like, whether each actor (designer, operator, subject, government) has the control they need, and what it is exactly that a human is controlling (e.g., the training data, the inputs, the outputs, etc. of the AI system).