bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Helianthus annuus assisted green synthesis of Co3O4 and Ag‐Co3O4 and evaluation of their catalytic activities toward photodegradation of crystal violet dye
Authors: Saeed Muhammad , Haq Atta Ul , Muneer Majid , Usman Muhammad , Naqvi Syed Ali Raza , Adeel Muhammad , Nisar Asif
Published: January 2021

Nowadays, plants assisted green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles attracted the interest of researchers due to economic and environmental points of view. This article reports the Helianthus annuus (sunflower) leaves assisted green synthesis of Co3O4 and Ag‐Co3O4 particles. In this method, the leaves extract of Helianthus annuus (sunflower) is utilized as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the synthesis of Co3O4 and Ag‐Co3O4 particles. XRD and FTIR confirmed the crystalline and spinel phase of prepared Co3O4 and Ag‐Co3O4 particles. The catalytic activities of prepared particles were evaluated over the photodegradation of crystal violet dye under visible irradiation. About 63% and 98% of 100 mg/L degraded over 0.002 g/ml of Co3O4 and Ag‐Co3O4, respectively. The reaction kinetics and mechanism were described in terms of the Eley‐Rideal mechanism. The rate constant was determined as 0.0075 and 0.0167 per minute for Co3O4 and Ag‐Co3O4, respectively.
Adsorptive degradation of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution using coconut shell as a green adsorbent
Authors: Bal Dharmendra Kumar , Bhasarkar Jaykumar B.
Published: January 2021

The present study aimed to remove the heavy metal compounds present in wastewater. In this study, we used hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) as a heavy metal compound, and coconut shell was used as a promising green bio‐sorbent to remove Cr (VI) from wastewater. Coconut shells are readily available and are termed as waste materials. Various parameters such as contact time, pH of the solution, initial Cr (VI) concentration, and amount of coconut shell were studied. The adsorption data were fitted with various isotherm models. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were the best fit for the experimental data, and the maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 16.39 and 12.19 mg/g, respectively. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies were performed to assess the feasibility of the process. The pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model is also signified that the Cr (VI) adsorbent capacity was due to particle diffusion. To identify the morphological properties of the adsorbent various analysis such as Scanning Electron microscope (SEM) and BET surface area were performed. The experimental results and rate of adsorption, and the adsorption process was found to be feasible and endothermic in nature.
Provenance of the Permian–Triassic boundary volcanic ash beds in South China
Authors: Zhao Zhenyang , Li Shuangjian , Wang Genhou , Gao Jian , Yang Tianbo , Li Yingqiang , He Zhiliang
Published: January 2021

Volcanism represented by the Permian–Triassic boundary (PTB) volcanic ash beds in South China plays a vital role in the PTB mass extinction. However, the probable provenance of the PTB volcanic ashes has not been exactly identified until now. In this study, the geochemical analysis was conducted on newly found five volcanic ash beds from the Mao'ershan and Tielukou sections in the northern part of the Yangtze platform. Volcanic ashes geochemistry indicates a felsic nature and negative Eu anomalies. Zircons selected from the five ash beds yield LA‐ICP‐MS U–Pb ages varying from ca. 255 to 248 Ma, and εHf(t) values of −8.6 to 1.1, which indicates the earlier stage volcanic ash beds in Mao'ershan are likely derived from mantle material and partial melting of crustal rocks, and the later stage volcanic ash beds in Tielukou are derived largely from ancient crustal rocks. Combined with previous U–Pb ages, εHf(t) values, trace elements of zircons, and geological setting, the PTB volcanic ash beds probably drift from the Jomda–Weixi volcanic belt in Sanjiang region of SE Asia, and that are represented by the volcanic rocks in Misha regions, eastern margin of the Lanping Basin. New data and discussion on the provenance of the PTB volcanic ashes provide important implications for the trigger of PTB mass extinction.
Mirabegron for treatment of overactive bladder symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease: A double‐blind, randomized placebo‐controlled trial (Parkinson's Disease Overactive bladder Mirabegron, PaDoMi Study)
Authors: Cho Sung Yong , Jeong Seong Jin , Lee Sangchul , Kim Janghwan , Lee Seong Ho , Choo Min Soo , Oh Seung‐June
Published: January 2021

Aims

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of mirabegron for Parkinsonism patients with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms in a randomized, placebo‐controlled, multicenter study.

Materials and Methods

Inclusion criteria are Parkinsonism with OAB symptoms for 4 weeks or more, OAB symptom score (OABSS) questionnaire scores greater than 2, and OABSS urgency question scores greater than 1. After a 2‐week wash‐out period, the patients were randomized into placebo and mirabegron groups at visit 2. Visit 3 was performed after 4 weeks of medication. Mirabegron was prescribed to the two groups for the rest of the study period at visit 4.

Result

The mean age was 68.1 ± 8.1 years and 72 males and 64 females were included. A total of 136 patients were screened, 117 patients were randomized, and 25 patients dropped out. The OABSS scores were significantly different between the two groups at Weeks 4 and 8. The OABSS scores became the same in the two groups at Week 12 (visit 5). The postvoid residual urine volume showed a mild increase to 64 ml in the mirabegron group compared to the placebo group at visit 4. Adverse events occurred in 27 patients (23.1%). The degree was mild in 26 cases (78.8%), moderate in five (15.2%), and severe in two (6.1%). Only 13 cases (39.4%) showed medication‐related adverse events. Acute urinary retention occurred in a single case. The treatment satisfaction questionnaires showed no significant differences between the two groups.

Conclusion

Mirabegron was effective in treating OAB symptoms in patients with Parkinsonism with acceptable adverse events.
Lattice automorphism and zero‐divisor graphs of lattices
Authors: Ülker Alper
Published: January 2021

Let ℒ be a bounded lattice and α : ℒ → ℒ be its automorphism. In this paper, we study zero‐divisor graph of ℒ with respect to an automorphism α. It is a simple undirected graph and denoted by Γα(ℒ). Some combinatorial structures such as coloring, diameter and girth were given for Γα(ℒ).
Synthesis of 1,2‐Disubstituted Imidazole Derivatives as Potent Inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Their In Silico Studies
Authors: Nadaf AfraQuasar A. , Bulbule Sarojini R. , Yaseen Mohammed , Najare Mahesh S. , Mantur Shivaraj , Khazi Imtiyaz Ahmed M.
Published: January 2021

A multi‐step synthetic protocol was employed to accomplish the synthesis of (2Z)‐2‐((E)‐4‐(benzylideneamino)phenyl)‐3‐(1‐methyl‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐yl)acrylonitrile derivatives. The title compounds were screened for antitubercular activity. Amongst them, three of the compounds appeared promising with a MIC value 0.2 to 0.4 μg/mL whereas the other compounds have also exhibited lower MIC than the standards. Docking study was performed to check their binding interaction and to deduce the possible mechanism of action involved in the inhibition process which revealed that the newly synthesized molecules act by inhibiting the DprE1 enzymatic pathway.
Multiple Modification of Titanium Dioxide to Enhance Its Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Luo Xufei , Lai Wenchuan , Liu Xiangyang
Published: January 2021

The TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst P25/fluorinated graphene (P25/FG) was synthesized using the one‐step hydrothermal method. During hydrothermal process, the partial defluorination of FG, the surface fluorine doping of P25 as well as the deposition of P25 on graphene nanosheet were achieved. The P25/FG photocatalyst behaved excellent photocatalytic activity in photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) with degradation rate constant of 0.169 min−1, 5.6 times of that for P25 and 2.2 times for P25‐graphene catalyst under same conditions. It was demonstrated that the enhancement of photocatalytic activity of P25/FG can be attributed to the multiple modification of P25 brought by FG, including the effect of fluorine‐doped graphene, surface fluorine doping of P25 as well as dissociative fluorine ions in solution generated from UV‐assisted photocatalytic defluorination.
Design of a Non‐Cytotoxic ZnFe2O4‐CeO2/BRGO Direct Z‐Scheme Photocatalyst with Bioreduced Graphene Oxide as Cocatalyst
Authors: Barik Bapun , Maji Banalata , Bag Janmenjay , Mishra Monalisa , Singh Jaspreet , Dash Priyabrat
Published: January 2021

Herein,we report the synthesis of a non‐cytotoxic ternary ZnFe2O4‐CeO2/bioreduced graphene oxide (BRZC) nanocomposite via in situ reflux method using a green solvent. The bioreduced graphene oxide (BRGO) used in the nanocomposite was obtained by reducing graphene oxide (GO) in Ocimum tenuiflorum leaf extract. Thourough structural, morphological, and photochemical characterizations revealed that the BRZC heterojunction possesses highly crystalline nanoparticles, enhanced surface reactive sites and suitable band arrangement for photon adsorption. Such a structure was found to bebeneficial in accelerating photocatalytic reaction synergistically by inhibiting charge carrier recombination. The BRZC nanocomposite showcased superior efficiency towards Chlorpyrifos (0.0634 min−1) andRhodamine B (0.0907 min−1) photodegradation. Detailed investigations revealed a most suitable internal electric field‐driven direct Z‐scheme mechanism between ZnFe2O4 and CeO2,where BRGO acts as a cocatalyst. After multiple photochemical and radical trapping experiments, .OH and O2.− were found to be the active species behind the enahnced activity. The ternary heterojunction was also found to be effective for highly toxic real textile effluents with 82 % degradation efficiency. Moreover, Trypan Blue Exclusion (TBE) assay study demonstrated the non‐cytotoxicity nature of the photocatalyst and a significant decrease in cytotoxicity of the above photocatalytically treated pollutants.
Synthesizing High‐quality Graphene from Spent Anode Graphite and Further Functionalization Applying in ORR Electrocatalyst
Authors: Ruan Dingshan , Zhang Zhenhua , Wu Xiaofeng , Wu Lin , Wang Fengmei , Zou Ke , Du Ke , Hu Guorong
Published: January 2021

A novel green and low‐cost synthesis route converting spent graphite anode from lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) into graphene nanosheets was reported for the first time. The impurities in spent graphite were eliminated by calcining and acidic leaching. Compared with the typical Hummers method, notable oxidation efficiency enhancement was observed through introducing a 5 : 1 mixed suspension of H2SO4 and H3PO4 with slightly increased KMnO4, then high‐quality graphene sheets were obtained through glucose, thermal reduction and subsequent liquid exfoliation. By simply and efficiently chemical nitrogen doping, graphene sheets showed excellent oxygen reduction catalytic performance, which is even better than commercial Pt/C catalyst, allowing it to be a promising low‐cost catalyst candidate for fuel cells. Since LIBs and fuel cell are considered as the major two power sources for electric vehicles in very near future, we believe that synthesizing few‐layer graphene with few defects and functionalized graphene catalyst from spent LIBs paves a path towards to the full utilization of battery materials and thus reduces impacts on environment from developing electric vehicles.
Efficient Sb2(S,Se)3 Solar Modules Enabled by Hydrothermal Deposition
Authors: Han Wenhao , Gao Di , Tang Rongfeng , Ma Yuyuan , Jiang Chenhui , Li Gang , Chen Tao , Zhu Changfei
Published: January 2021

Antimony selenosulfide (Sb2(S,Se)3) is a promising solar absorber due to the excellent stability and suitable photovoltaic parameters. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) has overcome 10% in lab scale. In terms of practical applications, the efficiency should be further improved and the suitable scalable fabrication approach should also be established. Herein, a large‐area fabrication of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cell by hydrothermal deposition is demonstrated. It is found that this approach is able to generate Sb2(S,Se)3 film with high uniformity with regard to both the chemical composition and surface morphology. Taking advantage of laser scribing technology, series connected antimony selenosulfide monolithic integrated photovoltaic modules are obtained. The prepared solar cell achieved PCE of 7.43%, with an active area of 15.66 cm2, which is the highest efficiency at module scale. A convenient approach for the fabrication of large‐area series‐connected Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells is offered.
College Student Recovery and Identity Development
Authors: Rosenthal Penny J. , Buckalew‐Hedin Jamie
Published: January 2021

This chapter outlines the unique identity transformation needs of college students in recovery and suggests ways universities can support this evolving recovery identity.
Risk‐based derivation of target reliability levels for life extension of wind turbine structural components
Authors: Nielsen Jannie S. , Sørensen John D.
Published: January 2021

The main wind turbine design standard IEC61400‐1 ed. 4 includes an annual target reliability index for structural components of 3.3. Presently, no standards specify specific reliability requirements for existing wind turbines, to be used in relation to verification of structural integrity for life extension or continued operation. For existing structures in general, both economic and sustainability considerations support differentiation in reliability targets, as it is generally more expensive and requires more resources to improve the reliability. ISO2394 “General Principles on Reliability for Structures” includes tables with differentiated reliability targets depending on the consequences of failure and costs of improving reliability, which are derived using risk‐based economic optimization. However, the assumptions behind these tables do not match the specific problem of life extension of wind turbines. In this paper, the risk‐based approach is applied to derive specific target reliability levels for life extension of wind turbines, and a target annual reliability index around 3.1 is proposed.
Building a network of TP53 and IGHV testing reference centers across Spain: the Red53 initiative
Authors: Bosch Francesc , Navarro Blanca , Crespo Marta , Alcoceba Miguel , Sánchez Julio Bravo , Tazón Barbara , Serrano Alicia , Álvarez María García , Serrano Lydia González , Alonso-Torres Pablo , Villanueva Miguel , Loriente Cristina , Abrisqueta Pau , Peiró Manel , García-Marco José Antonio , González Marcos , Terol María José
Published: January 2021

Among the different biomarkers predicting response in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most influential parameters are the mutational status of the IGHV genes and the presence of TP53 gene disruptions. Nevertheless, these important assessments are not readily available in most centers dealing with CLL patients. To provide this molecular testing across the country, the Spanish Cooperative Group on CLL (GELLC) established a network of four analytical reference centers. A total of 2153 samples from 256 centers were analyzed over a period of 30 months. In 9% of the patients, we found pathological mutations in the TP53 gene, whereas 48.96% were classified as IGHV unmutated. Results of the satisfaction survey of the program showed a Net Promoter Score of 85.15. Building a national network for molecular testing in CLL allowed the CLL population a broad access to complex biomarkers analysis that should translate into a more accurate and informed therapeutic decision-making.
Steganography in animated emoji using self-reference
Authors: Zhu Zhiying , Ying Qichao , Qian Zhenxing , Zhang Xinpeng
Published: January 2021

Animated emoji is a kind of GIF image, which is widely used in online social networks (OSN) for its efficiency in transmitting vivid and personalized information. Aiming at realizing covert communication in animated emoji, this paper proposes an improved steganography framework in animated emoji. We propose a self-reference algorithm to improve the steganography security. Meanwhile, the relations between adjacent frames of the cover GIF image are considered to further improve the distortion function. After that we embed the secret message into the GIF image using the popular framework of Syndrome Trellis Coding (STC). Experimental results show that the proposed method can provide better security performances than state-of-the-art works.
Enhancing farmers’ agency in the global crop commons through use of biocultural community protocols
Authors: Halewood Michael , Bedmar Villanueva Ana , Rasolojaona Jazzy , Andriamahazo Michelle , Rakotoniaina Naritiana , Bossou Bienvenu , Mikpon Toussaint , Vodouhe Raymond , Fey Lena , Drews Andreas , Kumar P. Lava , Rasoanirina Bernadette , Rasoazafindrabe Thérèse , Aigbe Marcellin , Agbahounzo Blaise , Otieno Gloria , Garforth Kathryn , Kiene Tobias , Nnadozie Kent
Published: January 2021

Crop genetic resources constitute a ‘new’ global commons, characterized by multiple layers of activities of farmers, genebanks, public and private research and development organizations, and regulatory agencies operating from local to global levels. This paper presents sui generis biocultural community protocols that were developed by four communities in Benin and Madagascar to improve their ability to contribute to, and benefit from, the crop commons. The communities were motivated in part by the fact that their national governments’ had recently ratified the Plant Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol, which make commitments to promoting the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities and farmers, without being prescriptive as to how Contracting Parties should implement those commitments. The communities identified the protocols as useful means to advance their interests and/or rights under both the Plant Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol  to be recognized as managers of local socio-ecological systems, to access genetic resources from outside the communities, and to control others’ access to resources managed by the community.
Treating (low-risk) DCIS patients: What can we learn from real-world cancer registry evidence?
Authors:   on behalf of the Grand Challenge PRECISION consortium, Byng Danalyn , Retèl Valesca P. , Schaapveld Michael , Wesseling Jelle , van Harten Wim H.
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Results from active surveillance trials for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) will not be available for > 10 years. A model based on real-world data (RWD) can demonstrate the comparative impact of non-intervention for women with low-risk features.

Methods

Multi-state models were developed using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) data for three treatment strategies (no local treatment, breast conserving surgery [BCS], BCS + radiotherapy [RT]), and for women with DCIS low-risk features. Eligible cases included women aged ≥ 40 years, diagnosed with primary DCIS between 1992 and 2016. Five mutually exclusive health states were modelled: DCIS, ipsilateral invasive breast cancer (iIBC) ≤ 5 years and > 5 years post-DCIS diagnosis, contralateral IBC, death preceded by and death not preceded by IBC. Propensity score-weighted Cox models assessed effects of treatment, age, diagnosis year, grade, ER status, and race.

Results

Data on n = 85,982 women were used. Increased risk of iIBC ≤ 5 years post-DCIS was demonstrated for ages 40–49 (Hazard ratio (HR) 1.86, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.34–2.57 compared to age 50–69), grade 3 lesions (HR 1.42, 95%CI 1.05-1.91) compared to grade 2, lesion size ≥ 2 cm (HR 1.66, 95%CI 1.23–2.25), and Black race (HR 2.52, 95%CI 1.83–3.48 compared to White). According to the multi-state model, propensity score-matched women with low-risk features who had not died or experienced any subsequent breast event by 10 years, had a predicted probability of iIBC as first event of 3.02% for no local treatment, 1.66% for BCS, and 0.42% for BCS+RT.

Conclusion

RWD from the SEER registry showed that women with primary DCIS and low-risk features demonstrate minimal differences by treatment strategy in experiencing subsequent breast events. There may be opportunity to de-escalate treatment for certain women with low-risk features: Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women aged 50–69 at diagnosis, with ER+, grade 1 + 2, < 2 cm DCIS lesions.
Effect of Impurities on the Initiation of the Methanol-to-Olefins Process: Kinetic Modeling Based on Ab Initio Rate Constants
Authors: Amsler Jonas , Plessow Philipp N. , Studt Felix
Published: January 2021

The relevance of a selection of organic impurities for the initiation of the MTO process was quantified in a kinetic model comprising 107 elementary steps with ab initio computed reaction barriers (MP2:DFT). This model includes a representative part of the autocatalytic olefin cycle as well as a direct initiation mechanism starting from methanol through CO-mediated direct C–C bond formation. We find that the effect of different impurities on the olefin evolution varies with the type of impurity and their partial pressures. The reactivity of the considered impurities for initiating the olefin cycle increases in the order formaldehyde < di-methoxy methane < CO < methyl acetate < ethanol < ethene < propene. In our kinetic model, already extremely low quantities of impurities such as ethanol lead to faster initiation than through direct C–C bond formation which only matters in complete absence of impurities.

Graphic Abstract
ValSten: a new wild species derived allotetraploid for increasing genetic diversity of the peanut crop (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: Gao Dongying , Araujo Ana C. G. , Nascimento Eliza F. M. B. , Chavarro M. Carolina , Xia Han , Jackson Scott A. , Bertioli David J. , Leal-Bertioli Soraya C. M.
Published: January 2021

Introgression of desirable traits from wild relatives plays an important role in crop improvement, as wild species have important characters such as high resistance to pests and pathogens. However, use of wild peanut relatives is challenging because almost all wild species are diploid and sexually incompatible with cultivated peanut, which is tetraploid (AABB genome type; 2n = 4x = 40). To overcome the ploidy barrier, we used 2 wild species to make a tetraploid with the same allotetraploid genome composition as cultivated peanut. Crosses were made between 2 diploid wild species,Arachis validaKrapov. and W.C. Greg. (BB genome; 2n = 2x = 20) andArachis stenospermaKrapov. and W.C. Greg. (AA genome; 2n = 2x = 20). Cuttings from the diploid F1AB hybrid were treated with colchicine to induce chromosome doubling thus generating an induced allotetraploid. Chromosome counts confirmed polyploidy (AABB genome; 2n = 4x = 40). We named the new allotetraploid ValSten. Plants had well-developed fertile pollen, produced abundant seed and were sexually compatible with cultivated peanut. ValSten exhibits the same high resistance to early and late leaf spot and rust as its diploid parents. Notably, we observed morphological variations, including flower width and branch angles in the earliest generation (S0) of allotetraploids. A SNP array was used to genotype 47 S0allotetraploids. The great majority of markers showed the additive allelic state from both parents (AABB). However, some loci were AAAA or BBBB, indicating homeologous recombination. ValSten provides a new, vigorous, highly fertile, disease resistant germplasm for peanut research and improvement.
Identification of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) Subgroups with Distinct Trajectories on Ultimate Outcomes in Norway
Authors: Keles Serap , Taraldsen Knut , Røyrhus Olseth Asgeir
Published: January 2021

The effect of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) treatment for serious behavior problems among adolescents has been established through multiple studies. However, variations across individuals should also be examined to better understand how MST works or for whom. In this study, we explored and identified subgroups of youth with serious problems in Norway regarding their responses to MST in terms of ultimate MST outcomes (e.g., living at home, abstaining from violence) over time. We further explored whether immigrant background, in addition to gender and age of the youth at intake, predicted belonging to the subgroups. Data came from 1674 adolescents (MeanAge = 14.55,SDAge = 1.58; 60.7% boys) and their families referred to MST treatment by the municipal Child Welfare Services for serious and persistent antisocial behavior. The outcomes were assessed at five time-points from intake to 18-months after discharge for youth and families who completed the treatment. Latent class growth analyses revealed heterogeneous trajectories regarding youths’ responses to MST. Results indicated a high and sustained degree of improvement across the ultimate outcomes for the vast majority of the youths. However, there was still variation in the groups, with improvement and deterioration trajectories for various outcomes. Most of these trajectories were predicted by gender and youth’s age at intake, but not by immigrant status. Not every youth-at-risk responds similarly to MST, and more studies examining heterogeneity will help us to identify factors to be targeted to better tailor the MST interventions for youth with serious problems.
Nuclear forensic signatures and structural analysis of uranyl oxalate, its products of thermal decomposition and Fe impurity dopant
Authors: Thompson Nathan B. A. , Stennett Martin C. , Gilbert Matthew R. , Hyatt Neil C.
Published: January 2021

Uranyl oxalate (UO2C2O4·xH2O) may exist at the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) as an intermediate in spent fuel reprocessing. The conditions used in aqueous reprocessing and thermal treatment can affect the physical and chemical properties of the material. Furthermore, trace impurities, such as Fe, may incorporate into the structure of these materials. In nuclear forensics, understanding relationships between processing variables aids in determination of provenance and processing history. In this study, the thermal decomposition of UO2C2O4·3H2O and phase analysis of its thermal products are examined. Their morphologies are discussed with respect to a matrix of solution processing conditions.
Neural coupling mechanism in fMRI hemodynamics
Authors: Peng Jun , Wang Yihong , Wang Rubin , Kong Wanzeng , Zhang Jianhai
Published: January 2021

Neural activity alters with the changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and blood oxygen saturation. Despite that these changes can be detected with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the underlying physiological mechanism remains obscure. Upon activation of the specific brain region, CBF increases substantially, albeit with 6–8 s delay. Neuroscience has no scientific explanation for this experimental discovery yet. This study proposed a physiological mechanism for generating hemodynamic phenomena from the perspective of energy metabolism. The ratio of reduction (NADH) and oxidation states (NAD+) of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in cell was considered as the variable for CBF regulation. After the specific brain region was activated, brain glycogen was rapidly consumed as reserve energy, resulting in no significant change in the ratio of NADH and NAD+ concentrations. However, when the stored energy in the cell is exhausted, the dynamic equilibrium state of the transition between NADH and NAD + is changed, and the ratio of NADH and NAD+ concentrations is significantly increased, which regulates the blood flow to be greatly increased. Based on this physiological mechanism, this paper builds a large-scale visual nervous system network based on the Wang–Zhang neuron model, and quantitatively reproduced the hemodynamics observed in fMRI by computer numerical simulation. The results demonstrated that the negative energy mechanism, which was previously reported by our group using Wang–Zhang neuronal model, played a vital role in governing brain hemodynamics. Also, it precisely predicted the neural coupling mechanism between the energy metabolism and blood flow changes in the brain under stimulation. In nature, this mechanism is determined by imbalance and mismatch between the positive and negative energy during the spike of neuronal action potentials. A quantitative analysis was adopted to elucidate the physiological mechanism underlying this phenomenon, which would provide an insight into the principle of brain operation and the neural model of the overall brain function.
Poultry disease occurrences and their impacts in Ethiopia
Authors: Asfaw Yohannes T. , Ameni Gobena , Medhin Girmay , Gumi Balako , Hagos Yohannes , Wieland Barbara
Published: January 2021

Poultry production contributes significantly to the livelihoods of Ethiopian farmers and to the national economy although it is hampered by different factors, including poultry diseases. There is scarcity of published evidences on the occurrence and impacts of poultry diseases although such evidences are important for policy makers in designing appropriate interventions. A total of 595 households were interviewed and 11 FGDs were conducted to collect data on the occurrence of diseases and the number of dead chickens in the last 12 months. Hence, respiratory diseases, sudden death, and eye-face-head diseases were mentioned in all of the FGDs as the most frequently occurring disease in the districts. Of households interviewed, 86.1% reported poultry disease occurrence in the last 12 months, and gastrointestinal, eye-face-head, and neurological diseases were identified to be the top three ranked diseases of chickens in the districts. Flocks with access to diagnostic services (Adj. OR = 4.16; P = 0.004) and/or access to animal health providers (Adj. OR = 10.50; P = 0.001) were more likely to report disease occurrence. In the studied population, the diseases resulted in deaths of 2219 chickens valued at 352,219.5 Birr (11,740.65 USD) and a mean crude mortality of 31.87%. Female-lead households (mean difference = 5.95%; P = 0.018) and multiple age units present on the farm (mean difference = 20.92%; P = < 0.000) had higher chicken mortality. Similarly, higher mortality was reported in flocks without access to diagnosis (mean difference = 9.97%; P = < 0.000) and vaccination (mean difference = 12.34%; P = < 0.000) services. The high occurrence of disease and mortalities might be explained by a lack of an organized poultry health service delivery system in the country. Therefore, a carefully designed health service delivery system addressing needs of poultry producers, supported by relevant policy and corresponding strategies, is recommended to address the indicated challenges. Moreover, private health providers with well-defined roles need to be engaged to successfully and sustainably solve the poultry disease problems.
Mortality in chronic kidney disease patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cai Ruyi , Zhang Jinshi , Zhu Yifan , Liu Lin , Liu Yueming , He Qiang
Published: January 2021

At the beginning of 2020, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to a worldwide pandemic and mass panic. The number of infected people has been increasing exponentially since, and the mortality rate has also been concomitantly increasing. At present, no study has summarized the mortality risk of COVID-19 in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to conduct a literature review and meta-analysis to understand the frequency of mortality among CKD patients infected with COVID-19. A comprehensive systematic search was conducted on the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to find articles published until May 15, 2020. Study quality was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. After careful screening based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 3,867,367 patients from 12 studies were included. The mortality rate was significantly higher among CKD patients with COVID-19 infection than among CKD patients without COVID-19 infection, as indicated by a pooled OR of 5.81 (95% CI 3.78–8.94, P < 0.00001, I2 = 30%). The patients were then stratified into ≥ 70 and < 70 years, and subgroup analysis revealed that among CKD patients with COVID-19 infection, the mortality rate was higher in the < 70 years group (OR 8.69, 95% CI 7.56–9.97, P < 0.0001) than in the ≥ 70 years group (OR 2.44, 95% CI 0.75–6.63, P = 0.15). Thus, COVID-19 patients with CKD have a high mortality risk and require a comprehensive multidisciplinary management strategy.
The MVTec Anomaly Detection Dataset: A Comprehensive Real-World Dataset for Unsupervised Anomaly Detection
Authors: Bergmann Paul , Batzner Kilian , Fauser Michael , Sattlegger David , Steger Carsten
Published: January 2021

The detection of anomalous structures in natural image data is of utmost importance for numerous tasks in the field of computer vision. The development of methods for unsupervised anomaly detection requires data on which to train and evaluate new approaches and ideas. We introduce the MVTec anomaly detection dataset containing 5354 high-resolution color images of different object and texture categories. It contains normal, i.e., defect-free images intended for training and images with anomalies intended for testing. The anomalies manifest themselves in the form of over 70 different types of defects such as scratches, dents, contaminations, and various structural changes. In addition, we provide pixel-precise ground truth annotations for all anomalies. We conduct a thorough evaluation of current state-of-the-art unsupervised anomaly detection methods based on deep architectures such as convolutional autoencoders, generative adversarial networks, and feature descriptors using pretrained convolutional neural networks, as well as classical computer vision methods. We highlight the advantages and disadvantages of multiple performance metrics as well as threshold estimation techniques. This benchmark indicates that methods that leverage descriptors of pretrained networks outperform all other approaches and deep-learning-based generative models show considerable room for improvement.
Geotourism Potential Assessment: a Case Study of the Czech-Austrian cross-border area
Authors: Rypl Jiří , Havlíček Marek , Dostál Ivo
Published: January 2021

The aim of the study is to assess the potential of tourism in the Novohradské Mountains and the Gratzen Mountains on the borderland of the Czech Republic and Austria, with a focus on geotourism. A partial objective was to evaluate the accompanying infrastructure in the background of geomorphologically attractive localities, especially the accessibility of the area by means of hiking trails and accommodation facilities. Five geomorphosites in the Czech Republic and four geomorphosites in Austria were examined for characteristics and relationships. The overall density of recreational routes is much higher on the Austrian side than on the Czech territory. Similarly, the use of car traffic, cycling and hiking on the Czech side is worse than on the Austrian side. The total number of beds is currently larger on the Czech side of the territory. However, beds on the Czech side are located in smaller accommodation capacities, which experienced unprecedented development after 1989, especially with the possibility of visiting previously unavailable territory. On the Austrian side of the territory, the larger bed capacity is concentrated in hotel complexes focusing on wellness and balneology; this is mainly due to the undisturbed, long-term development of the territory and the greater purchasing power of Austrian citizens. At a distance of up to 5 km and within 10 km of the geomorphosites, there are significantly larger accommodation capacities on the Czech side of the territory. In a wider area within 15 km, the accommodation capacities in both territories are similar. This is due to the location of geomorphosites in Austria, which are located in more central and interesting parts of the mountainous area, far from settlements. The availability of accommodation facilities in the wider area combined with other attractions has great potential for multi-day stays in the region.
An extension of the entropic chaos degree and its positive effect
Authors: Inoue Kei , Mao Tomoyuki , Okutomi Hidetoshi , Umeno Ken
Published: January 2021

The Lyapunov exponent is used to quantify the chaos of a dynamical system, by characterizing the exponential sensitivity of an initial point on the dynamical system. However, we cannot directly compute the Lyapunov exponent for a dynamical system without its dynamical equation, although some estimation methods do exist. Information dynamics introduces the entropic chaos degree to measure the strength of chaos of the dynamical system. The entropic chaos degree can be used to compute the strength of chaos with a practical time series. It may seem like a kind of finite space Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy, which then indicates the relation between the entropic chaos degree and the Lyapunov exponent. In this paper, we attempt to extend the definition of the entropic chaos degree on a d-dimensional Euclidean space to improve the ability to measure the stength of chaos of the dynamical system and show several relations between the extended entropic chaos degree and the Lyapunov exponent.
Efficient approach to produce functional polypropylene via solvent assisted solid-phase free radical grafting of multi-monomers
Authors: Wang Dengfei , Wang Jian , He Shuyan , Yan Yibin , Zhang Jianwei , Dong Jie
Published: January 2021

Herein an efficient approach to produce functional polypropylene via solvent assisted solid-phase grafting process is reported, in which acrylic acid, methyl methacrylate and maleic anhydride are used as multi-monomers, 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) as initiator and ether as swelling solvent and carrier. The effects of various factors such as the swelling solvent species and dosage, swelling time and temperature, monomer and initiator concentrations, reaction time and temperature, nitrogen flow rate and the stirring speed on the grafting percentage and grafting efficiency were investigated. To verify the polar species was grafted onto polypropylene, the resulted polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, water contact angle measurement, tensile strength and melt flow rate measurement. All the results showed that using the ether assisted solid-phase free radical grafting process is an efficient and versatile approach to produce functional polypropylene.
Recent advancements in transparent carbon nanotube films: chemistry and imminent challenges
Authors: Siwal Samarjeet Singh , Saini Adesh Kumar , Rarotra Saptak , Zhang Qibo , Thakur Vijay Kumar
Published: January 2021

Carbon nanotube (CNT)-doped transparent conductive films (TCFs) is an encouraging option toward generally utilized indium tin oxide-depended TCFs for prospective stretchable optoelectronic materials. Industrial specifications of TCFs involve not just with high electrical performance and transparency but also amidst environmental resistance and mechanical characteristic; those are usually excused within the research background. Though the optoelectronic properties of these sheets require to be developed to match the necessities of various strategies. While, the electrical stability of single-walled CNT TCFs is essentially circumscribed through the inherent resistivity of single SWCNTs and their coupling confrontation in systems. The main encouraging implementations, CNT-doped TCFs, is a substitute system during approaching electronics to succeed established TCFs, that utilize indium tin oxide. Here we review, a thorough summary of CNT-based TCFs including an overview, properties, history, synthesis protocol covering patterning of the films, properties and implementation. There is the attention given on the optoelectronic features of films and doping effect including applications for sophisticated purposes. Concluding notes are given to recommend a prospective investigation into this field towards real-world applicability.

Graphic abstract

This graphical abstract shows the overview of different properties (mechanical, electrical, sensitivity and transportation), synthesis protocols and designing (dry and wet protocol, designing by surface cohesive inkjet-printed and the support of polymers), doping effect (general doping, metal halides, conductive polymers and graphene for transparent electrodes) and implementations (sensing panels, organic light-emitting diodes devices, thin-film transistors and bio-organic interface) of carbon nanotubes transparent conductive films.
A multi-objective hyper-heuristic algorithm based on adaptive epsilon-greedy selection
Authors: Yang Tailong , Zhang Shuyan , Li Cuixia
Published: January 2021

A variety of meta-heuristics have shown promising performance for solving multi-objective optimization problems (MOPs). However, existing meta-heuristics may have the best performance on particular MOPs, but may not perform well on the other MOPs. To improve the cross-domain ability, this paper presents a multi-objective hyper-heuristic algorithm based on adaptive epsilon-greedy selection (HH_EG) for solving MOPs. To select and combine low-level heuristics (LLHs) during the evolutionary procedure, this paper also proposes an adaptive epsilon-greedy selection strategy. The proposed hyper-heuristic can solve problems from varied domains by simply changing LLHs without redesigning the high-level strategy. Meanwhile, HH_EG does not need to tune parameters, and is easy to be integrated with various performance indicators. We test HH_EG on the classical DTLZ test suite, the IMOP test suite, the many-objective MaF test suite, and a test suite of a real-world multi-objective problem. Experimental results show the effectiveness of HH_EG in combining the advantages of each LLH and solving cross-domain problems.
An innovative picture fuzzy distance measure and novel multi-attribute decision-making method
Authors: Ganie Abdul Haseeb , Singh Surender
Published: January 2021

Picture fuzzy set (PFS) is a direct generalization of the fuzzy sets (FSs) and intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs). The concept of PFS is suitable to model the situations that involve more answers of the type yes, no, abstain, and refuse. In this study, we introduce a novel picture fuzzy (PF) distance measure on the basis of direct operation on the functions of membership, non-membership, neutrality, refusal, and the upper bound of the function of membership of two PFSs. We contrast the proposed PF distance measure with the existing PF distance measures and discuss the advantages in the pattern classification problems. The application of fuzzy and non-standard fuzzy models in the real data is very challenging as real data is always found in crisp form. Here, we also derive some conversion formulae to apply proposed method in the real data set. Moreover, we introduce a new multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) method using the proposed PF distance measure. In addition, we justify necessity of the newly proposed MADM method using appropriate counterintuitive examples. Finally, we contrast the performance of the proposed MADM method with the classical MADM methods in the PF environment.
Fractional two-stage transshipment problem under uncertainty: application of the extension principle approach
Authors: Garg Harish , Mahmoodirad Ali , Niroomand Sadegh
Published: January 2021

In this paper, a fuzzy fractional two-stage transshipment problem where all the parameters are represented by fuzzy numbers is studied. The problem uses the ratio of costs divided by benefits as the objective function. A solution method which employs the extension principle is used to find the fuzzy objective value of the problem. For this purpose, the fuzzy fractional two-stage transshipment problem is decomposed into two sub-problems where each of them is tackled individually using various$$\alpha$$αlevels to obtain the fuzzy objective function value and its associated membership function. To deal with the nonlinearity of the objective function the Charnes–Cooper transformation method is embedded to the proposed approach. The superior efficiency of the presented formulation and the proposed solution method is examined over a numerical example as well as a case study comparing to the literature.
Imaging the Subsurface: How Different Visualizations of Cross-sections Affect the Sense of Uncertainty
Authors: Bang-Kittilsen Ane , Midtbø Terje
Published: January 2021

Geologists struggle to communicate the uncertainty that arise when mapping and interpreting the geological subsurface. Today, open data sharing policies make new value of geological information possible for a broader user group of non-experts. It is crucial to develop standard methods for visualizing uncertainty to increase the usability of geological information. In this study, a web experiment was set up to analyze whether and how different design choices influence the sense of uncertainty. Also, questions about the intuitiveness of symbols were asked. Two-hundred ten participants from different countries completed the experiment, both experts and non-experts in geology. Traditional visualization techniques in geology, like dashed lines, dotted lines and question mark, were tested. In addition, other visualizations were tested, such as hatched area and variations of symbol size, zoom levels and reference information. The results show that design choices have an impact on the participants’ assessment of uncertainty. The experts inquire about crucial information if it is not present. The results also suggest that when visualizing uncertainty, all the elements in the representation, and specifically the line and area symbols that delineate and colour the features, must work together to make the right impression.
Flow pattern and pressure drop for oil–water flows in and around 180° bends
Authors: Ayegba Paul Onubi , Edomwonyi-Otu Lawrence C. , Abubakar Abdulkareem , Yusuf Nurudeen
Published: January 2021

Pressure drop and flow pattern of oil–water flows were investigated in a 19-mm ID clear polyvinyl chloride pipe consisting ofU-bend with radius of curvature of 100 mm. The range for oil and water superficial velocities tested was$$0.04 \le U_{{{\text{so}}}} \le 0.950 \;{\text{m/s}}$$0.04≤Uso≤0.950m/sand$$0.13 \le U_{{{\text{sw}}}} \le 1.10 \;{\text{m/s}}$$0.13≤Usw≤1.10m/s, respectively. Measurements were carried out under different flow conditions in a test section that consisted of four different parts: upstream of the bend, at the bend and at two redeveloping flow locations after the bend. The result indicated that the bend had limited influence on downstream flow patterns. However, the shear forces imposed by the bend caused some shift flow pattern transition and bubble characteristics in the redeveloping flow section after the bend relative to develop flow before the bend. Generally, pressure gradient at all the test sections increased with both oil fraction and water superficial velocity and there was a sharp change of pressure gradient profile during phase inversion. The transition point where phase inversion occurred was always within the range of$$0.4 \le U_{{{\text{sw}}}} \le 0.54 \;{\text{m/s}}$$0.4≤Usw≤0.54m/s. Pressure losses differed at the various test sections, and the difference was strongly linked to the superficial velocity of the phases and the flow pattern. At high mixture velocity, pressure losses at the redeveloping section after the bend were higher than that at the bend and that for fully developed flows. At low mixture velocity, pressure losses at the bend are higher than in the straight sections. Pressure drop generally decreased with level of flow development downstream of the bend.