bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcriptomic Comparison of Human Peripartum and Dilated Cardiomyopathy Identifies Differences in Key Disease Pathways
Authors: Taylor Jude , Yeung Anna C. Y. , Ashton Anthony , Faiz Alen , Guryev Victor , Fang Bernard , Lal Sean , Grosser Mark , dos Remedios Cristobal G. , Braet Filip , McLachlan Craig S. , Li Amy
Published: April 2023

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare form of acute onset heart failure that presents in otherwise healthy pregnant women around the time of delivery. While most of these women respond to early intervention, about 20% progress to end-stage heart failure that symptomatically resembles dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In this study, we examined two independent RNAseq datasets from the left ventricle of end-stage PPCM patients and compared gene expression profiles to female DCM and non-failing donors. Differential gene expression, enrichment analysis and cellular deconvolution were performed to identify key processes in disease pathology. PPCM and DCM display similar enrichment in metabolic pathways and extracellular matrix remodeling suggesting these are similar processes across end-stage systolic heart failure. Genes involved in golgi vesicles biogenesis and budding were enriched in PPCM left ventricles compared to healthy donors but were not found in DCM. Furthermore, changes in immune cell populations are evident in PPCM but to a lesser extent compared to DCM, where the latter is associated with pronounced pro-inflammatory and cytotoxic T cell activity. This study reveals several pathways that are common to end-stage heart failure but also identifies potential targets of disease that may be unique to PPCM and DCM.
Model Predictive Controller Design Based on Residual Model Trained by Gaussian Process for Robots
Authors: Wu Changjie , Tang Xiaolong , Xu Xiaoyan
Published: April 2023

Model mismatch is inevitable in robot control due to the presence of unknown dynamics and unknown perturbations. Traditional model predictive control algorithms are usually based on constant value assumptions and are not able to overcome the degradation of controller performance due to model mismatch. In this paper, a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm based on Gaussian process regression (GPR) is proposed. Firstly, the kinematic equations of the mobile robot are established by the mechanistic analysis method; similarly, the dynamics of the mobile robot system are modeled using the second-class Lagrangian equations. Secondly, the problem of stability and reliability degradation due to model mismatch during the operation of mobile robot is considered. This paper uses a MPC algorithm with a main model plus residual model to solve the MPC closed-loop control strategy. The state at each moment is decomposed into a predicted state based on the first-principles model and a residual state. The residual state is learned by GPR in real-time and used to compensate for deviations between the real process model and the predicted model. The proposed method requires fewer data samples, enhancing the technique’s practicality. Finally, the simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is more stable and achieves the desired tracking faster. Compared with the MPC algorithm, the arrival time of the system is reduced by 28% and the speed error is controlled within 0.07.
Research Progress on Porous Carbon-Based Non-Precious Metal Electrocatalysts
Authors: Yu Hongda , Wu Luming , Ni Baoxia , Chen Tiehong
Published: April 2023

The development of efficient, stable, and economic electrocatalysts are key to the large-scale application of electrochemical energy conversion. Porous carbon-based non-precious metal electrocatalysts are considered to be the most promising materials to replace Pt-based catalysts, which are limited in large-scale applications due to high costs. Because of its high specific surface area and easily regulated structure, a porous carbon matrix is conducive to the dispersion of active sites and mass transfer, showing great potential in electrocatalysis. This review will focus on porous carbon-based non-precious metal electrocatalysts and summarize their new progress, focusing on the synthesis and design of porous carbon matrix, metal-free carbon-based catalysts, non-previous metal monatomic carbon-based catalyst, and non-precious metal nanoparticle carbon-based catalysts. In addition, current challenges and future trends will be discussed for better development of porous carbon-based non-precious metal electrocatalysts.
Determination of Shear Bond Strength between PEEK Composites and Veneering Composites for the Production of Dental Restorations
Authors: Erjavec Anamarija Kuchler , Črešnar Klementina Pušnik , Švab Iztok , Vuherer Tomaž , Žigon Majda , Brunčko Mihael
Published: April 2023

We studied the shear bond strength (SBS) of two PEEK composites (BioHPP, BioHPP plus) with three veneering composites: Visio.lign, SR Nexco and VITA VM LC, depending on the surface treatment: untreated, sandblasted with 110 μm Al2O3, sandblasted and cleaned ultrasonically in 80% ethanol, with or without adhesive Visio.link, with applied Visio.link and MKZ primer. For the BioHPP plus, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed a slightly lower glass transition temperature (Tg 150.4 ± 0.4 °C) and higher melting temperature (Tm 339.4 ± 0.6 °C) than those of BioHPP (Tg 151.3 ± 1.3 °C, Tm 338.7 ± 0.2 °C). The dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed a slightly higher storage modulus of BioHPP (E’ 4.258 ± 0.093 GPa) than of BioHPP plus (E′ 4.193 ± 0.09 GPa). The roughness was the highest for the untreated BioHPP plus, and the lowest for the polished BioHPP. The highest hydrophobicity was achieved on the sandblasted BioHPP plus, whereas the highest hydrophilicity was found on the untreated BioHPP. The highest SBSs were determined for BioHPP and Visio.lign, adhesive Visio.link (26.31 ± 4.17 MPa) or MKZ primer (25.59 ± 3.17 MPa), with VITA VM LC, MKZ primer and Visio.link (25.51 ± 1.94 MPa), and ultrasonically cleaned, with Visio.link (26.28 ± 2.94 MPa). For BioHPP plus, the highest SBS was determined for a sandblasted surface, cleaned ultrasonically, with the SR Nexco and Visio.link (23.39 ± 2.80 MPa).
Investigation of the Rheological Properties and Storage Stability of Waste Polyethylene/Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate-Modified Asphalt with Crosslinking and a Silicone Coupling Agent
Authors: Ma Yuhao , Zhou Tao , Song Hao , Zhang Hong
Published: April 2023

As the market for polyethylene consumption continues to expand, the amount of waste polyethylene is also increasing. Modifying asphalt with waste polyethylene (PE) is economical and environmentally friendly. The low-temperature performance and storage stability of PE-modified asphalt has long been an insurmountable problem. The high vinyl acetate (VA) content of ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) and PE blended into asphalt can improve the compatibility of PE and asphalt. It compensates for the high VA content of EVA brought about by the lack of high-temperature resistance to permanent deformation but is still not conducive to the stable storage of PE at high temperatures. The effect of furfural extraction oil, a crosslinking (DCP) agent, a silicone coupling agent (KH-570), and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) on the rheological properties and compatibility of PE/EVA-modified asphalt was investigated in this study. The conventional physical properties of PE/EVA-modified asphalt were tested after introducing furfural extraction oil, DCP, KH570, and CaCO3 to determine the correlations of these materials. In addition, frequency sweep, multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR), and linear amplitude sweep (LAS) were utilized to characterize the rheological properties and fatigue behavior. The results reveal that the addition of suitable ratios of furfural extract oil, DCP, KH-570, and CaCO3 to PE/EVA-modified asphalt produces a remarkable improvement in the viscoelastic characteristics and viscosity compared with PE/EVA-modified asphalt. Furthermore, fluorescence microscopy (FM) was utilized to evaluate the modification mechanism, which shows that PE/EVA undergoes significant crosslinking in asphalt, forming a three-dimensional network structure that dissolves in the asphalt. The storage stability of the PE-modified bitumen was fully determined, and its high-temperature rheology was substantially improved.
Advances in Sheet Metal Forming Processes of Lightweight Alloys
Authors: Kopec Mateusz , Politis Denis J.
Published: April 2023

With the continuously growing need for more fuel-efficient and sustainable vehicles, the characterization and modeling of metal-forming processes have been indispensable in the development of new products [...]
Common Failures in Hydraulic Kaplan Turbine Blades and Practical Solutions
Authors: Khalid Mohammed Ridha Waleed , Reza Kashyzadeh Kazem , Ghorbani Siamak
Published: April 2023

Kaplan turbines, as one of the well-known hydraulic turbines, are generally utilized worldwide for low-head and high-flow conditions. Any failure in each of the turbine components can result in long-term downtime and high repair costs. In a particular case, if other parts are damaged due to the impact of the broken blades (e.g., the main shaft of the turbine), the whole power plant may be shut down. On the other hand, further research on the primary causes of failures in turbines can help improve the present failure evaluation methodologies in power plants. Hence, the main objective of this paper is to present the major causes of Kaplan turbine failures to prevent excessive damage to the equipment and provide practical solutions for them. In general, turbines are mainly subjected to both Internal Object Damage (IOD) and Foreign Object Damage (FOD). Accordingly, this paper presents a state-of-the-art review of Kaplan turbine failures related to material and physical defects, deficiencies in design, deficits in manufacturing and assembly processes, corrosion failures, fatigue failure, cavitation wear, types of cavitation in hydro turbines, hydro-abrasive problems, and hydro-erosion problems. Eventually, the authors have attempted to discuss practical hints (e.g., nanostructured coatings) to prevent damages and improve the performance of Kaplan turbines.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of a CFRP Tendon–Wedge Assembly Loaded under Transverse Compressive Loading
Authors: Han Qinghua , Zheng Xiwen , Wang Lichen
Published: April 2023

Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) tendons have become a viable alternative to steel cables in cable roof structures owing to their high tensile strength, low weight, and resistance to corrosion. However, the effective anchoring of CFRP tendons is a challenge because of their poor transverse mechanical properties. Therefore, the mechanical properties of CFRP tendons and a tendon–wedge assembly under transverse compression were investigated by simulating the force environment of the CFRP tendon inside an integrated-wedge anchorage. The deformation of and local damage to CFRP tendons under transverse compression were explored using load–strain curves and full-field strain measured using digital image correlation. The experimental and numerical results show that large-diameter CFRP tendons with a length in the range of 90–110 mm had better cross-sectional deformation resistance and more stable transverse mechanical properties. Longer CFRP tendons with larger diameters have lower contact compressive stress and local maximal shear stress under the same transverse compressive load. Based on the analysis of the experimental and numerical results, we propose design suggestions for tendon size selection and integrated-wedge design details, such as the manufacturing materials of the wedge, the radius through the gap of the wedge, and the radial difference of the groove, to improve the anchoring properties and efficiency of the integrated-wedge anchorage.
Ferroelectricity and Oxide Reliability of Stacked Hafnium–Zirconium Oxide Devices
Authors: Liao Ruo-Yin , Chen Hsuan-Han , Lin Ping-Yu , Liang Ting-An , Su Kuan-Hung , Lin I-Cheng , Wen Chen-Hao , Chou Wu-Ching , Hsu Hsiao-Hsuan , Cheng Chun-Hu
Published: April 2023

In this work, we investigate the ferroelectricity of stacked zirconium oxide and hafnium oxide (stacked HfZrO) with different thickness ratios under metal gate stress and simultaneously evaluate the electrical reliability of stacked ferroelectric films. Based on experimental results, we find that the stacked HfZrO films not only exhibited excellent ferroelectricity but also demonstrated a high performance on reliability. The optimized condition of the 45% Zr proportion exhibited a robust ferroelectric polarization value of 32.57 μC/cm2, and a polarization current with a peak value of 159.98 μA. Besides this, the ferroelectric stacked HfZrO also demonstrated good reliability with a ten-year lifetime under >−2 V constant voltage stress. Therefore, the appropriate modulation of zirconium proportion in stacked HfZrO showed great promise for integrating in high-performance ferroelectric memory.
Microwave Soldering of Low-Resistance Conductive Joints—Technical and Economic Aspects
Authors: Savu Sorin Vasile , Ghelsingher Cristian Daniel , Stefan Iulian , Sîrbu Nicusor-Alin , Tarniță Daniela , Simion Dalia , Savu Ionel Dănuț , Bucșe Ionela Gabriela , Țunescu Traian
Published: April 2023

Soldering processes are applied in the fabrication of electronic circuits used in most modern domestic and industrial technologies. This article aims to introduce a new soldering technology based on the microwave joining of copper materials used in electronic applications. The study was focused on microwave technology used as the thermal source for soldering. A simulation model of temperature distributions in copper plates with overall dimensions of 50 × 10 × 0.8 mm was developed in order to determine the necessary microwave power for soldering. For 270 °C simulated on the surface of copper plates, the microwave-injected power was determined to be 598.89 W. An experimental program for 600, 650, 700, and 750 W was set in order to achieve soldering of copper plates in less than 1 min. Soldered copper plates were subject to electrical resistance measurements being obtained with variations up to ±1.5% of the initial electrical resistance of the base materials. The quality of joints has also been analyzed through microscopy after the soldering process. In addition, mechanical properties were determined using a universal testing machine. The results have shown similar behavior of the samples layered with SAC on the one-side and double-side but also a significantly lower force before breaking for one-side-layered samples. An economic analysis was performed and the results obtained have shown that in terms of energy efficiency and total costs for microwave soldering compared with manual soldering, microwave soldering is cost-effective for industrial processing.
Enhanced Induction Heating and Self-Healing Properties of Steel Slag Powder Based Asphalt and Asphalt Mixture under Microwave Irradiation
Authors: Xu Hao , Sun Mingzhi , Luo Guobao
Published: April 2023

This paper aims to study the application feasibility of steel slag powder (SSP) in replacing limestone powder (LP) to enhance the heat release and self-healing properties of asphalt and an asphalt mixture. First, the microwave-heating characteristics of SSP and LP asphalt mortar were analyzed, and the differences in the microstructure and chemical composition between SSP and LP were compared. Secondly, through the DSR frequency sweep test, the optimal healing temperature of the two asphalt mortars was determined. Finally, asphalt mixtures with different SSP contents were prepared by replacing part of LP in the mixture in a gradation with SSP. Under microwave radiation, the temperature distribution of the mixture was explored, and the self-healing properties and factors affecting the healing were analyzed. Results demonstrated that there are metal oxides with high electromagnetic parameters such as Fe2O3 and CaO in SSP, therefore, asphalt and a mixture containing SSP were seen to have excellent microwave absorption capacity. The healing temperature of the two kinds of asphalt mortar was between ~50 °C and 60 °C. Under microwave radiation, the temperature of the asphalt mixture increased with the increase in SSP content, and the temperature difference decreased with the increase in SSP content. Asphalt mixtures with an LP content of 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70% replaced by SSP increased the healing index by 8.7%, 17.3%, 22.1%, 26.9%, and 27.7% compared with conventional asphalt mixtures. Temperature is the most important factor affecting the healing behavior of the asphalt mixture. With the increase in the damage times of the asphalt mixture, the overall healing index of the asphalt mixture showed a downward trend. However, the healing index of an asphalt mixture containing SSP can still be maintained at more than 50% after repeated mechanical damage.
Bismuth Vanadate Decked Polyaniline Polymeric Nanocomposites: The Robust Photocatalytic Destruction of Microbial and Chemical Toxicants
Authors: Algethami Jari S. , Hassan M. Shamshi , Amna Touseef , Alqarni Laila S. , Alhamami Mohsen A. M. , Seliem Amal F.
Published: April 2023

Functional materials have long been studied for a variety of environmental applications, resource rescue, and many other conceivable applications. The present study reports on the synthesis of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) integrated polyaniline (PANI) using the hydrothermal method. The topology of BiVO4 decked PANI catalysts was investigated by SEM and TEM. XRD, EDX, FT-IR, and antibacterial testing were used to examine the physicochemical and antibacterial properties of the samples, respectively. Microscopic images revealed that BiVO4@PANI are comprised of BiVO4 hollow cages made up of nanobeads that are uniformly dispersed across PANI tubes. The PL results confirm that the composite has the lowest electron-hole recombination compared to others samples. BiVO4@PANI composite photocatalysts demonstrated the maximum degradation efficiency compared to pure BiVO4 and PANI for rhodamine B dye. The probable antimicrobial and photocatalytic mechanisms of the BiVO4@PANI photocatalyst were proposed. The enhanced antibacterial and photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the high surface area and combined impact of PANI and BiVO4, which promoted the migration efficiency of photo-generated electron holes. These findings open up ways for the potential use of BiVO4@PANI in industries, environmental remediation, pharmaceutical and medical sectors. Nevertheless, biocompatibility for human tissues should be thoroughly examined to lead to future improvements in photocatalytic performance and increase antibacterial efficacy.
Influence of Plasma Treatment on Surface Characteristics of Aluminum Alloy Sheets and Bonding Performance of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic/Al Composites
Authors: Tsai Du-Cheng , Chang Zue-Chin , Chen Erh-Chiang , Huang Yen-Lin , Jiang Yun-Chen , Shieu Fuh-Sheng
Published: April 2023

This study focuses on modifying the surface of an AA 5052-H32 aluminum alloy using plasma treatment. Discharge power, exposure time, and working gas were adjusted as process parameters to improve the adhesion between the aluminum alloy and glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (GFRTP) polycarbonate composite. The surface composition and morphology of the aluminum alloy sheet were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and surface roughness and wettability were evaluated using a surface roughness-measuring instrument and contact angle goniometry, respectively. The bonding performance of GFRTP/aluminum alloy was also assessed. The surface of the aluminum alloy was subjected to chemical treatment prior to plasma treatment. The results revealed that nitrogen plasma treatment led to a substantial increase (25%) in bonding strength due to the synergistic effect of rough surface mechanical bonding and chemical bonding through functional groups between the aluminum alloy and GFRTP. However, the improvement in surface wettability by plasma treatment is time dependent and may gradually diminish over time due to the re-adsorption of hydrocarbon contamination from the surrounding air.
A Comparative Investigation of the Surface Properties of Corn-Starch-Microfibrillated Cellulose Composite Films
Authors: Żołek-Tryznowska Zuzanna , Bednarczyk Ewa , Tryznowski Mariusz , Kobiela Tomasz
Published: April 2023

Starch-based materials seem to be an excellent alternative for conventional plastics used in various applications. Microfibralted cellulose can be used to improve the surface properties of starch-based materials. This study aims to analyze the surface properties of starch-microfibrillated cellulose materials. The surface properties of films were evaluated by ATR-FTIR, surface roughness, water wettability, and surface free energy. The surface homogeneity between corn starch and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) fibers was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Microscopic analyses of the film surfaces confirm good compatibility of starch and MFC. The addition of MFC increased the surface roughness and polarity of developed starch/MFC materials. The surface roughness parameter has increased from 1.44 ± 0.59 to 2.32 ± 1.13 for pure starch-based materials and starch/MFC material with the highest MFC content. The WCA contact angle has decreased from 70.3 ± 2.4 to 39.1 ± 1.0°, while the surface free energy is 46.2 ± 3.4 to 66.2 ± 1.5 mJ·m−2, respectively. The findings of this study present that surface structure starch/MFC films exhibit homogeneity, which would be helpful in the application of MFC/starch materials for biodegradable packaging purposes.
First-Principles Study of Nitrogen Adsorption and Dissociation on ZrMnFe(110) Surface
Authors: Yang Qiaobin , Zeng Fanhao , Chen Meiyan , Dai Yu , Gao Yafang , Huang Rui , Gu Yi , Song Jiangfeng
Published: April 2023

The adsorption, dissociation and penetration processes of N2 on the surface of ZrMnFe(110) were investigated using the first-principles calculation method in this paper. The results indicate that the vacancy Hollow 1 composed of 4Zr1Fe on the surface of ZrMnFe(110) is the best adsorption site for the N2 molecule and N atom, and the adsorption energies are 10.215 eV and 6.057 eV, respectively. Electron structure analysis indicates that the N2 molecule and N atoms adsorbed mainly interact with Zr atoms on the surface. The transition state calculation shows that the maximum energy barriers to be overcome for the N2 molecule and N atom on the ZrMnFe(110) surface were 1.129 eV and 0.766 eV, respectively. This study provides fundamental insight into the nitriding mechanism of nitrogen molecules in ZrMnFe.
Influence of Hydrogen Reduction Stage Conditions on the Microwave Properties of Fine Iron Powders Obtained via a Spray-Pyrolysis Technique
Authors: Artemova Anastasia V. , Maklakov Sergey S. , Shiryaev Artem O. , Osipov Alexey V. , Petrov Dmitry A. , Rozanov Konstantin N. , Lagarkov Andrey N.
Published: April 2023

The relationship between the chemical purity of one-size particles and microwave properties in ferromagnetic materials is not clearly studied. Ferromagnetic nanostructured iron powders were synthesized from iron nitrate solution using ultrasonic spray-pyrolysis and then reduced in H2 flow at 350, 400, 450, and 500 °C. A rise in the concentration of solutions of a precursor from 10 to 20 wt. % led to an increase in mean particle size. The interrelationship was studied between chemical composition and the microwave dispersion of the powders obtained. An increase in the temperature of reduction changes the chemical composition and increases the amplitude of complex microwave permeability, which was studied using solid-state physics methods (XRD, STA, SEM, and VNA). It was found that annealing at 400 °C is the optimal treatment that allows the production of iron powders, consisting of about 90% of α-Fe phase, possessing a particle surface with low roughness and porosity, and demonstrating intense microwave absorption. Annealing at a higher temperature (500 °C) causes an even higher increase in permeability but leads to the destruction of nanostructured spheres into smaller particles due to grain growth. This destruction causes an abrupt increase in permittivity and therefore significantly reduces potential applications of the product. The insight into chemical–magnetic relationships of these materials enhances the data for design applications in magnetic field sensing.
Hyperelastic Modeling and Validation of Hybrid-Actuated Soft Robot with Pressure-Stiffening
Authors: Roshanfar Majid , Taki Salar , Sayadi Amir , Cecere Renzo , Dargahi Javad , Hooshiar Amir
Published: April 2023

Soft robots have gained popularity, especially in intraluminal applications, because their soft bodies make them safer for surgical interventions than flexures with rigid backbones. This study investigates a pressure-regulating stiffness tendon-driven soft robot and provides a continuum mechanics model for it towards using that in adaptive stiffness applications. To this end, first, a central single-chamber pneumatic and tri-tendon-driven soft robot was designed and fabricated. Afterward, the classic Cosserat’s rod model was adopted and augmented with the hyperelastic material model. The model was then formulated as a boundary-value problem and was solved using the shooting method. To identify the pressure-stiffening effect, a parameter-identification problem was formulated to identify the relationship between the flexural rigidity of the soft robot and internal pressure. The flexural rigidity of the robot at various pressures was optimized to match theoretical deformation and experiments. The theoretical findings of arbitrary pressures were then compared with the experiment for validation. The internal chamber pressure was in the range of 0 to 40 kPa and the tendon tensions were in the range of 0 to 3 N. The theoretical and experimental findings were in fair agreement for tip displacement with a maximum error of 6.40% of the flexure’s length.
Static and Eigenvalue Analysis of Electrostatically Coupled and Tunable Shallow Micro-Arches for Sensing-Based Applications
Authors: Ouakad Hassen M. , Alneamy Ayman M.
Published: April 2023

This paper investigated the mechanical performance of an electrostatically tunable microbeams-based resonators. The resonator was designed based on two initially-curved microbeams that are electrostatically coupled, offering the potential for improved performance compared to single-beam based resonators. Analytical models and simulation tools were developed to optimize the resonator design dimensions and to predict its performance, including its fundamental frequency and motional characteristics. The results show that the electrostatically-coupled resonator exhibits multiple nonlinear phenomena including mode veering and snap-through motion. A coexistence of two stable branches of solutions for a straight beam case was even obtained due to the direct effect of the coupling electrostatic force with the other curved beam. Indeed, the results are promising for the better performance of coupled resonators compared to single-beam resonators and offer a platform for future MEMS applications including mode-localized based micro-sensors.
Direct Shear Stress Mapping Using a Gallium Nitride LED-Based Tactile Sensor
Authors: Dvořák Nathan , Fazeli Nima , Ku Pei-Cheng
Published: April 2023

An experiment was performed to calibrate the capability of a tactile sensor, which is based on gallium nitride (GaN) nanopillars, to measure the absolute magnitude and direction of an applied shear force without the need for any post-processing of data. The force’s magnitude was deduced from monitoring the nanopillars’ light emission intensity. Calibration of the tactile sensor used a commercial force/torque (F/T) sensor. Numerical simulations were carried out to translate the F/T sensor’s reading to the shear force applied to each nanopillar’s tip. The results confirmed the direct measurement of shear stress from 3.71 to 50 kPa, which is in the range of interest for completing robotic tasks such as grasping, pose estimation, and item discovery.
Theoretical Analysis and Numerical Simulation of the Motion of RDX Deflagration-Driven Flyer Plate Based on Laser-Initiated Micro-Pyrotechnic Devices
Authors: Xian Mingchun , Zhao Kang , Liu Xuwen , Meng Yangang , Xie Junyao , Li Jingwei , Tong Lele , Huang Meng , Wu Lizhi
Published: April 2023

Miniaturized laser-initiated pyrotechnic devices have great application prospects in aerospace and modern weapon systems due to their excellent energy output performance and reliability. In order to develop a low-energy insensitive laser detonation technology based on a two-stage charge structure, it is important to deeply analyze the motion law of a titanium flyer plate driven by the deflagration of the first-stage charge (RDX). The effects of the charge mass of RDX, flyer plate mass, and barrel length on the motion law of flyer plates were studied through a numerical simulation method based on the Powder Burn deflagration model. The consistency between the numerical simulation and the experimental results was analyzed using the paired t confidence interval estimation method. The results show that the Powder Burn deflagration model can effectively describe the motion process of the RDX deflagration-driven flyer plate with a 90% confidence level, and its velocity error is ≤6.7%. The speed of the flyer plate is proportional to the mass of the RDX charge, inversely proportional to the mass of the flyer plate, and exponentially related to its moving distance. As the moving distance of the flyer plate increases, the RDX deflagration products and air in front of the flyer plate are compressed, which inhibits the motion of the flyer plate. In the optimum state (the mass of the RDX charge is 60 mg, the mass of the flyer is 85 mg, and the length of the barrel is 3 mm), the speed of the titanium flyer reaches 583 m/s, and the peak pressure of the RDX deflagration reaches 2182 MPa. This work will provide a theoretical basis for the refined design of a new generation of miniaturized high-performance laser-initiated pyrotechnic devices.
The Growth Inhibition of Polyethylene Nanoplastics on the Bait-Microalgae Isochrysis galbana Based on the Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Xiao Xinfeng , Li Wenfang , Li Shuangwei , Zuo Xingsheng , Liu Jie , Guo Linke , Lu Xiao , Zhang Linlin
Published: April 2023

The adverse effects of microplastics on microalgae species have been extensively studied, but their impact on the bait microalgae entering the food chain has not been well understood. This study investigated the cytological and physiological response of Isochrysis galbana to polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs, 10 μm) and nanoplastics (PE-NPs, 50 nm). The results showed that PE-MPs had no significant impact on I. galbana, while PsE-NPs obviously inhibited cell growth, reduced chlorophyll content, and caused a decline in carotenoids and soluble protein. These changes in the quality of I. galbana could negatively affect its use as aquaculture feed. To understand the molecular response mechanism of I. galbana to PE-NPs, transcriptome sequencing was performed. The result revealed that the TCA cycle, purine metabolism, and some key amino acid syntheses were down-regulated by PE-NPs, while the Calvin cycle and fatty acid metabolism were up-regulated to tolerate PE-NP pressure. Microbial analysis showed that the bacterial community structure associated with I. galbana was significantly altered at the species level by PE-NPs. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the physiological stress response caused by microplastic pollution based on transcriptome and bacterial community analysis. The findings highlight the need to mitigate the release of microplastics into the environment to prevent their harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems and will be helpful in understanding the impact of polyethylene nanoplastics on the bait microalgae.
An Integrated Deep Learning Framework for Classification of Mineral Thin Sections and Other Geo-Data, a Tutorial
Authors: Dell’Aversana Paolo
Published: April 2023

Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of machine learning methods for fast and accurate mineral classification based on microscope thin sections. Such methods can be extremely useful to support geoscientists during the phases of operational geology, especially when mineralogical and petrological data are fully integrated with other geological and geophysical information. In order to be effective, these methods require robust machine learning models trained on pre-labeled data. Furthermore, it is mandatory to optimize the hyper-parameters of the machine learning techniques in order to guarantee optimal classification accuracy and reliability. Nowadays, deep learning algorithms are widely applied for image analysis and automatic classification in a large range of Earth disciplines, including mineralogy, petrography, paleontology, well-log analysis, geophysical imaging, and so forth. The main reason for the recognized effectiveness of deep learning algorithms for image analysis is that they are able to quickly learn complex representations of images and patterns within them. Differently from traditional image-processing techniques based on handcrafted features, deep learning models automatically learn and extract features from the data, capturing, in almost real-time, complex relationships and patterns that are difficult to manually define. Many different types of deep learning models can be used for image analysis and classification, including fully connected deep neural networks (FCNNs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs or ConvNet), and residual networks (ResNets). In this paper, we compare some of these techniques and verify their effectiveness on the same dataset of mineralogical thin sections. We show that the different deep learning methods are all effective techniques in recognizing and classifying mineral images directly in the field, with ResNets outperforming the other techniques in terms of accuracy and precision. In addition, we compare the performance of deep learning techniques with different machine learning algorithms, including random forest, naive Bayes, adaptive boosting, support vector machine, and decision tree. Using quantitative performance indexes as well as confusion matrixes, we demonstrate that deep neural networks show generally better classification performances than the other approaches. Furthermore, we briefly discuss how to expand the same workflow to other types of images and geo-data, showing how this deep learning approach can be generalized to a multiscale/multipurpose methodology addressed to the analysis and automatic classification of multidisciplinary information. This article has tutorial purposes, too. For that reason, we will explain, with a didactical level of detail, all the key steps of the workflow.
Comparing Lifestyle Modifications and the Magnitude of Their Associated Benefit on Cancer Mortality
Authors: Dougherty Timothy P. , Meyer Joshua E.
Published: April 2023

Many cancers are associated with poor diet, lack of physical activity, and excess weight. Improving any of these three lifestyle factors would likely reduce cancer deaths. However, modifications to each of these—better nutrition, enhanced activity and fitness, and loss of extra body fat—have different effect sizes on cancer mortality. This review will highlight the relative benefit that each lifestyle change, enacted prior to a diagnosis of cancer, might impart on cancer-related deaths, as well as attempt to quantify the changes required to derive such a benefit. The review relies primarily on epidemiological data, with meta-analyses serving as the backbone for comparisons across interventions and individual studies within the larger meta-analyses providing the data necessary to form more quantitative conclusions. The reader can then use this information to better understand, recommend, and implement behaviors that might ultimately reduce cancer mortality. Of all the interventions, it seems clear that exercise, specifically improving cardiorespiratory fitness, is the best way to decrease the risk of dying from cancer.
Highly Cytotoxic Copper(II) Mixed-Ligand Quinolinonato Complexes: Pharmacokinetic Properties and Interactions with Drug Metabolizing Cytochromes P450
Authors: Medvedíková Martina , Ranc Václav , Vančo Ján , Trávníček Zdeněk , Anzenbacher Pavel
Published: April 2023

The effects of two anticancer active copper(II) mixed-ligand complexes of the type [Cu(qui)(mphen)]Y·H2O, where Hqui = 2-phenyl-3-hydroxy- 1H-quinolin-4-one, mphen = bathophenanthroline, and Y = NO3 (complex 1) or BF4 (complex 2) on the activities of different isoenzymes of cytochrome P450 (CYP) have been evaluated. The screening revealed significant inhibitory effects of the complexes on CYP3A4/5 (IC50 values were 2.46 and 4.88 μM), CYP2C9 (IC50 values were 16.34 and 37.25 μM), and CYP2C19 (IC50 values were 61.21 and 77.07 μM). Further, the analysis of mechanisms of action uncovered a non-competitive type of inhibition for both the studied compounds. Consequent studies of pharmacokinetic properties proved good stability of both the complexes in phosphate buffer saline (>96% stability) and human plasma (>91% stability) after 2 h of incubation. Both compounds are moderately metabolised by human liver microsomes (<30% after 1 h of incubation), and over 90% of the complexes bind to plasma proteins. The obtained results showed the potential of complexes 1 and 2 to interact with major metabolic pathways of drugs and, as a consequence of this finding, their apparent incompatibility in combination therapy with most chemotherapeutic agents.
Geant4 Simulation of the Effect of Different Composites on Polyimide Photon and Neutron Shielding Properties
Authors: Akhdar Hanan , Alotaibi Rawan
Published: April 2023

Polymers are widely used materials that have many medical and industrial applications. Some polymers have even been introduced as radiation-shielding materials; therefore, many studies are focusing on new polymers and their interactions with photons and neutrons. Research has recently focused on the theoretical estimation of the shielding effectiveness of Polyimide doped with different composites. It is well known that theoretical studies on the shielding properties of different materials through modeling and simulation have many benefits, as they help scientists to choose the right shielding material for a specific application, and they are also much more cost-effective and take much less time compared to experimental studies. In this study, Polyimide (C35H28N2O7) was investigated. It is a high-performance polymer, well known for its outstanding chemical and thermal stability, as well as for its high mechanical resistance. Because of its exceptional properties, it is used in high-end applications. The performance of Polyimide and Polyimide doped with different weight fractions of composites (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt.%) as a shielding material against photons and neutrons were investigated using a Monte Carlo-based simulation toolkit Geant4 within a wide range of energies of both photons and neutrons from 10 to 2000 KeVs. Polyimide can be considered a good neutron shielding material, and its photon shielding abilities could be further enhanced when adding different high atomic number composites to it. The results showed that Au and Ag gave the best results in terms of the photon shielding properties, while ZnO and TiO2 had the least negative effect on the neutron shielding properties. The results also indicate that Geant4 is a very reliable tool when it comes to evaluating the shielding properties against photons and neutrons of any material.
Effects of Processing Method and Parameters on the Wall Thickness of Gas-Projectile-Assisted Injection Molding Pipes
Authors: Kuang Tangqing , Wang Jiamin , Liu Hesheng , Yuan Zhihuan
Published: April 2023

Gas-Projectile-Assisted Injection Molding (G-PAIM) is a new injection molding process derived from the Gas-Assisted Injection Molding (GAIM) process by introducing a projectile to it. In this study, the short-shot method and the overflow method of both the G-PAIM and GAIM processes were experimentally compared and investigated in terms of the wall thickness of the pipes and its uniformity. The results showed that the wall thickness of the G-PAIM molded pipe was thinner and more uniform than that of the GAIM molded pipe, and the wall thickness of the pipe molded by the Gas-Projectile-Assisted Injection Molding Overflow (G-PAIM-O) process was the most uniform. For the G-PAIM-O process, the influence of processing parameters, including melt temperature, gas injection delay time, gas injection pressure, melt injection pressure and mold temperature, on the wall thickness and uniformity of the G-PAIM-O pipes were studied via the single-factor experimental method. It was found that the effects of gas injection delay time and gas injection pressure on the wall thickness of the G-PAIM-O pipes were relatively significant. The wall thickness of the pipes increased with the increase in gas injection delay time and decreased with the increase in gas injection pressure. The melt temperature, melt injection pressure and mold temperature had little effect on the wall thickness of the G-PAIM-O pipes. In general, the wall thickness uniformity of the G-PAIM-O pipes was slightly affected by these processing parameters.
Advances in Functional Hydrogel Wound Dressings: A Review
Authors: Shen Zihao , Zhang Chenrui , Wang Ting , Xu Juan
Published: April 2023

One of the most advanced, promising, and commercially viable research issues in the world of hydrogel dressing is gaining functionality to achieve improved therapeutic impact or even intelligent wound repair. In addition to the merits of ordinary hydrogel dressings, functional hydrogel dressings can adjust their chemical/physical properties to satisfy different wound types, carry out the corresponding reactions to actively create a healing environment conducive to wound repair, and can also control drug release to provide a long-lasting benefit. Although a lot of in-depth research has been conducted over the last few decades, very few studies have been properly summarized. In order to give researchers a basic blueprint for designing functional hydrogel dressings and to motivate them to develop ever-more intelligent wound dressings, we summarized the development of functional hydrogel dressings in recent years, as well as the current situation and future trends, in light of their preparation mechanisms and functional effects.
Polymer Coated Functional Catalysts for Industrial Applications
Authors: Arya Raj Kumar , Thapliyal Devyani , Pandit Anwesha , Gora Suchita , Banerjee Chitrita , Verros George D. , Sen Pramita
Published: April 2023

Surface engineering of conventional catalysts using polymeric coating has been extensively explored for producing hybrid catalytic material with enhanced activity, high mechanical and thermal stability, enhanced productivity, and selectivity of the desired product. The present review discusses in detail the state-of-the-art knowledge on surface modification of catalysts, namely photocatalysts, electrocatalysts, catalysts for photoelectrochemical reactions, and catalysts for other types of reactions, such as hydrodesulfurization, carbon dioxide cycloaddition, and noble metal-catalyzed oxidation/reduction reactions. The various techniques employed for the polymer coating of catalysts are discussed and the role of polymers in enhancing the catalytic activity is critically analyzed. The review further discusses the applications of biodegradable and biocompatible natural polysaccharide-based polymers, namely, chitosan and polydopamine as prospective coating material.
The Miraculous Narratives in The Biographies of Eminent Nuns and The Further Biographies of Eminent Nuns
Authors: Zhong Haoqin
Published: April 2023

This paper introduces miraculous narratives in The Biographies of Eminent Nuns (BQNZ) and The Further Biographies of Eminent Nuns (XBQNZ) and provides a comparative examination based on the relevant narratives in the above-mentioned collections and The Biographies of Eminent Monks (GSZ). First, this paper suggests that eminent nuns’ miracles in the BQNZ seem to be more limited than those of their male contemporaries in the GSZ, which might reflect their comparatively limited agency in social engagements. Furthermore, the BQNZ’s silence on the eminence of foreign nuns, in sharp contrast to the special attention afforded to foreign monks in the GSZ, might suggest androcentrism in both the Saṅgha and Chinese society. Second, the entries containing “intentionally performed miracles” in the BQNZ outnumber those in the XBQNZ in terms of the percentage of all entries and diversity. Moreover, in later records of the XBQNZ, most miracles are only related to death. This might point to the lower esteem that eminent nuns enjoyed during and after late imperial China, partly because of Buddhism’s development and social status. Alternatively, this might have resulted from special social circumstances. Finally, this paper suggests that the androcentric inclination of the male compilers of the BQNZ and XBQNZ, or the sources on which the two collections are based, might have undermined eminent nuns’ prominence in upholding and spreading Buddhism. Such an androcentric bias is reflected in their selective use and adaptation of the materials.
Plasmonic Resonance Coupling of Nanodisk Array/Thin Film on the Optical Fiber Tip for Integrated and Miniaturized Sensing Detection
Authors: He Hao , Wei Xinran , He Yijin , Liang Yuzhang , Fang Yurui , Peng Wei
Published: April 2023

Fiber-optic surface plasmon resonance (FOSPR) sensing technology has become an appealing candidate in biochemical sensing applications due to its distinguished capability of remote and point-of-care detection. However, FOSPR sensing devices with a flat plasmonic film on the optical fiber tip are seldom proposed with most reports concentrating on fiber sidewalls. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate the plasmonic coupled structure of a gold (Au) nanodisk array and a thin film integrated into the fiber facet, enabling the excitation of the plasmon mode on the planar gold film by strong coupling. This plasmonic fiber sensor is fabricated by the ultraviolet (UV) curing adhesive transferring technology from a planar substrate to a fiber facet. The experimental results demonstrate that the fabricated sensing probe has a bulk refractive index sensitivity of 137.28 nm/RIU and exhibits moderate surface sensitivity by measuring the spatial localization of its excited plasmon mode on Au film by layer-by-layer self-assembly technology. Furthermore, the fabricated plasmonic sensing probe enables the detection of bovine serum albumin (BSA) biomolecule with a detection limit of 19.35 μM. The demonstrated fiber probe here provides a potential strategy to integrate plasmonic nanostructure on the fiber facet with excellent sensing performance, which has a unique application prospect in the detection of remote, in situ, and in vivo invasion.