bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Hypertrophy and Related Dysfunctions in Cushing Syndrome Patients—Literature Review
Authors: Kanzaki Akinori , Kadoya Manabu , Katayama Satoru , Koyama Hidenori
Published: November 2022

The survival rate of adrenal Cushing syndrome patients has been greatly increased because of the availability of appropriate surgical and pharmacological treatments. Nevertheless, increased possibility of a heart attack induced by a cardiovascular event remains a major risk factor for the survival of affected patients. In experimental studies, hypercortisolemia has been found to cause cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via glucocorticoid receptor activation, including the possibility of cross talk among several hypertrophy signals related to cardiomyocytes and tissue-dependent regulation of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1. However, the factors are more complex in clinical cases, as both geometric and functional impairments leading to heart failure have been revealed, and their associations with a wide range of factors such as hypertension are crucial. In addition, knowledge regarding such alterations in autonomous cortisol secretion, which has a high risk of leading to heart attack as well as overt Cushing syndrome, is quite limited. When considering the effects of treatment, partial improvement of structural alterations is expected, while functional disorders are controversial. Therefore, whether the normalization of excess cortisol attenuates the risk related to cardiac hypertrophy has yet to be fully elucidated.
Multiple Bismuth Quadruple Therapy Containing Tetracyclines Combined with Other Antibiotics and Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy
Authors: Sun Yingchao , Zhu Mengjia , Yue Lei , Hu Weiling
Published: November 2022

Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is closely associated with the development of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. However, the resistance rate of H. pylori strains to antibiotics such as clarithromycin, metronidazole, and levofloxacin has increased significantly, resulting in a significant decrease in the eradication efficacy of commonly used regimens. Tetracycline has received the attention of domestic and foreign scholars because of its low resistance. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the tetracycline-containing bismuth quadruple eradication therapy for H. pylori infection and review the efficacy and safety of the regimens, hoping to provide guidance for clinical practice.
The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Domain-Specific Creativity: The Mediating Role of Resilience and the Moderating Effects of Gratitude
Authors: Tong Dandan , Kang Hanxiao , Li Minghui , Yang Junyi , Lu Peng , Xie Xiaochun
Published: November 2022

Creativity incorporates both domain-general and domain-specific ideas. While previous studies have explored the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on creativity in both domains, a consensus has not been reached, and the mechanism is currently unclear. In the present study, we examined which aspect of creativity EI was most strongly associated with in a group of undergraduates. Moreover, we explored the moderated mediation effect between EI and domain-specific creativity. In Study 1, 532 undergraduates completed questionnaires measuring EI, convergent and divergent creative thinking, and creative achievement. The results revealed that the most reliable positive correlations were between EI and domain-specific creativity. In Study 2, 926 undergraduates completed measurements of EI, resilience, gratitude, and creative achievement. The results revealed that resilience mediates the relationship between EI and creative achievement. Furthermore, gratitude moderated the indirect effect of EI on creative achievement through resilience. The indirect effect of EI on creative achievement was stronger for high-gratitude individuals than for low-gratitude individuals. This orientation and other results are discussed. Overall, our findings add further nuance to the relationship between EI and creativity in different domains. This study serves as a basis for other contributions aligned with these concepts.
Hardware Solutions for Low-Power Smart Edge Computing
Authors: Martin Wisniewski Lucas , Bec Jean-Michel , Boguszewski Guillaume , Gamatié Abdoulaye
Published: November 2022

The edge computing paradigm for Internet-of-Things brings computing closer to data sources, such as environmental sensors and cameras, using connected smart devices. Over the last few years, research in this area has been both interesting and timely. Typical services like analysis, decision, and control, can be realized by edge computing nodes executing full-fledged algorithms. Traditionally, low-power smart edge devices have been realized using resource-constrained systems executing machine learning (ML) algorithms for identifying objects or features, making decisions, etc. Initially, this paper discusses recent advances in embedded systems that are devoted to energy-efficient ML algorithm execution. A survey of the mainstream embedded computing devices for low-power IoT and edge computing is then presented. Finally, CYSmart is introduced as an innovative smart edge computing system. Two operational use cases are presented to illustrate its power efficiency.
Potential Use of IFMIF-DONES Target Back-Plate for Material Specimens
Authors: Qiu Yuefeng , Arbeiter Frederik , Bernardi Davide , Frisoni Manuela , Gordeev Sergej , Hernández Rebeca , Serikov Arkady
Published: November 2022

In the IFMIF-DONES facility of the future, the back-plate behind the Li target will receive strong irradiation from high-energy neutrons. The potential use of the back-plate for material specimens is attractive with respect to providing complementary irradiation data for Eurofer. In this work, DPA (displacement per atom) and gas production rates as well as DPA gradients and temperature distributions have been studied for the center segment of the back-plate, using both a nominal beam and a reduced beam footprint. It is shown that specimens can be produced with high DPA in similar conditions to the DEMO first-wall. Based on the size of the SSTT (small specimen test technology) specimens, the limited number of samples obtainable from the adopted arrangement scheme is driven by a major constraint: the thickness of the back-plate. A parametric study of the back-plate’s thickness provides an alternative arrangement scheme; thus, the DPA and gradient of the specimens are remarkably improved.
Impacts of Biogas Slurry Fertilization on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities in the Rhizospheric Soil of Poplar Plantations
Authors: Yu Xing-Ye , Wang Bao-Teng , Jin Long , Ruan Hong-Hua , Lee Hyung-Gwan , Jin Feng-Jie
Published: November 2022

The majority of terrestrial plants are symbiotic with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Plants supply carbohydrates to microbes, whereas AMF provide plants with water and other necessary nutrients—most typically, phosphorus. Understanding the response of the AMF community structure to biogas slurry (BS) fertilization is of great significance for sustainable forest management. This study aimed to look into the effects of BS fertilization at different concentrations on AMF community structures in rhizospheric soil in poplar plantations. We found that different fertilization concentrations dramatically affected the diversity of AMF in the rhizospheric soil of the poplar plantations, and the treatment with a high BS concentration showed the highest Shannon diversity of AMF and OTU richness (Chao1). Further analyses revealed that Glomerales, as the predominant order, accounted for 36.2–42.7% of the AMF communities, and the relative abundance of Glomerales exhibited negligible changes with different BS fertilization concentrations, whereas the order Paraglomerales increased significantly in both the low- and high-concentration treatments in comparison with the control. Furthermore, the addition of BS drastically enhanced the relative abundance of the dominant genera, Glomus and Paraglomus. The application of BS could also distinguish the AMF community composition in the rhizospheric soil well. An RDA analysis indicated that the dominant genus Glomus was significantly positively correlated with nitrate reductase activity, while Paraglomus showed a significant positive correlation with available P. Overall, the findings suggest that adding BS fertilizer to poplar plantations can elevate the diversity of AMF communities in rhizospheric soil and the relative abundance of some critical genera that affect plant nutrient uptake.
Application of Fabric Phase Sorptive Extraction (FPSE) Engaged to Tandem LC-MS/MS for Quantification of Brorphine in Oral Fluid
Authors: Florou Dimitra , Vlachou Thalia , Sakkas Vasilios , Boumba Vassiliki
Published: November 2022

Brorphine (1-[1-[1-(4-bromophenyl) ethyl]-piperidin-4-yl]-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzo [d]imidazol-2-one) is one of the most recent novel synthetic opioids (NSOs) on the novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) market, involved in over 100 deaths in 2020. Brorphine is a substituted piperidine-benzimidazolone analogue that retains structural similarities to fentanyl, acting as a full agonist at the μ-opioid receptor. Oral Fluid (OF) is an alternative matrix, frequently analyzed for the detection of NPS. Fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) is a superior, green-sample -preparation technology recently applied for drug analysis. This contribution presents the development and validation of a method, based on the application of FPSE and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), to determine/quantitate brorphine in OF. The method’s linearity ranged between 0.05 and 50 ng/mL (R2 = 0.9993), the bias ranged between 12.0 and 16.8%, and inter- and intra-day precisions ranged between 6.4 and 9.9%. Accuracy and extraction efficiency lied between 65 and 75%. LOD/LOQ were 0.015 ng/mL/0.05 ng/mL. Analyte’s post-preparative stability was higher than 95%, while no matrix interferences and carryover between runs were observed. This is the first report introducing the application of FPSE for NPS determination, specifically, the quantification of brorphine in OF, thereby presenting a simple, rapid, sensitive, specific, effective, and reliable procedure engaged to LC-MS/MS that is suitable for routine application and the analysis of more NPSs.
Immunogenetic Profiling of SLE and LN among Jordanian Patients
Authors: Khdair Sawsan I. , Al-Bdour Rawan , Jarrar Wassan , Hammad Alaa , Al-Jayeh Aya , Masa’deh Mohammad , Adwan Marwan , Farah Randa
Published: November 2022

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a prolonged inflammatory autoimmune disease, which is characterized by a high titer of serological autoantibodies. Interactions between environmental and genetic factors play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of SLE. Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes, namely HLA-class II genes, are one of the main candidate genes that increase susceptibility to SLE. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time, the association of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 genes among Jordanian patients diagnosed with SLE and Lupus Nephritis (LN) using the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Sequence-Specific Primer (PCR-SSP) technique. This study showed that SLE is positively associated with DRB1*0301, DRB1*1101, DRB1*1102 and HLA-DQB1*0601. Furthermore, HLA-DRB1*0301, DRB1*1101, HLA-DRB1*1501 and HLA-DQB1*0601 were found to be linked to SLE patients with LN. In addition, haplotypes HLA-DRB1*0301/DQB1*0201 and HLA-DRB1*1501/DQB1*0601 were found to be linked to SLE and LN. Our findings may serve as possible predictive markers for early screening for LN risk in SLE patients. In light of these results, the role of HLA gene polymorphisms may help in understanding the clinical course, prognosis of the disease and developing better treatment strategies for SLE patients. In addition, it may help in early diagnosis, prevention, intervention and management of the disease.
Peptic Ulcer Disease Associated with Central Obesity
Authors: Loke Song-Seng , Li Wen-Cheng
Published: November 2022

This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate associations between peptic ulcer disease (PUD), bone mineral density, and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in healthy populations. Data were collected from the health examination database of a tertiary medical center in southern Taiwan from January 2015 to December 2016. Subjects who had undergone metabolic factors assessment, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans were enrolled. In total, 5102 subjects were included, with mean age 52.4 ± 12.0 years. Among them, 1332 (26.1%) had PUD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR 1.03, p < 0.001), male (OR 1.89, p < 0.001), diabetes (OR 1.23, p = 0.004), BMI (OR 1.03, p = 0.001), and GOT (OR 1, p = 0.003) are risk factors for PUD. Regarding MetS parameters, larger waist circumference (OR 1.26, p = 0.001) is associated with PUD, and high triglycerides (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01–1.43) is associated with gastric ulcer, while low HDL (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.07–1.59) and osteoporosis (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08–1.91) are associated with duodenal ulcer. In conclusion, central obesity is associated with PUD in a middle-aged healthy population. Subjects with high triglycerides are prone to gastric ulcers, and those with osteoporosis and low HDL are prone to duodenal ulcers.
The Impact of Intellectual Capital and Ownership Structure on Firm Performance
Authors: Ahmed Znar , Hussin Muhammad Rosni Amir , Pirzada Kashan
Published: November 2022

Even though several studies have been done on intellectual capital, ownership structure, and firm performance, their status has remained uncertain in developing countries like Malaysia. Prior studies have generally focused on a single industry and overlooked the input of all Malaysian non-financial firms. This study investigates the impact of intellectual capital, its components, and ownership structure on firm performance. This study employs a balanced panel data examination for the data of 409 non-financial firms from 11 sectors listed on Bursa, Malaysia for five years (2016–2020). The modified value-added intellectual coefficient model was applied to examine the effect of IC efficiency on firm performance. The empirical findings revealed that IC efficiency, human capital efficiency, structural capital efficiency, capital employed efficiency, and relational capital efficiency are positively and significantly related to firm performance. However, physical and structural capital is the most substantial element of intellectual capital efficiency in augmenting profitability. In addition, government and foreign ownership positively affect firm performance. The research will help managers, policymakers, and investors understand how IC investments increase performance and make prudent investment choices in government and foreign ownership firms.
Employment Transfer of Rural Female Labor and Family Welfare Effect in Mountainous Areas: An Empirical Analysis Based on Panel Data
Authors: Shui Yue , Zhong Jia , Yang Yingjie , Zeng Yajie , Liu Shaoquan
Published: November 2022

Improving the understanding of rural female labor employment transfer and its impact on family welfare is of great significance to the improvement of rural family welfare and the rational transfer of labor forces. However, there are few studies on the effect of rural female transfer and there is a lack of comprehensive quantitative measurement and mechanism analysis of influences of female employment transfer on themselves and their families. Based on the peasant household survey in the mountainous rural areas of Sichuan Province, China, in 2013, 2016, and 2019, results were organized as panel data and divided the employment features into three aspects: employment industry, employment locations and whether the migrant was working or not. The family welfare effects (impact on children and impact on the elderly) of rural female labor transfer for employment were investigated by using the fixed effect and random effect regression models. Some major conclusions could be drawn: (1) age, education degree, employment industry and locations of rural females all had a significant impact on their children’s education degree; (2) age, urbanization rate and industry of rural females had a significant impact on their number of children; (3) age, education degree of females, employment location and urbanization rate had a significant positive influence on the number of elderly in the family: only the age of rural females had a significant negative influence on the health condition of the elderly. This study can enhance our understanding of the relationship between rural women’s employment and family welfare effects, the results can provide a reference for rural women’s rational employment mobility and maximizing of family welfare.
Impact of Farmland Rental Contract Disputes on Farmland Rental Market Participation
Authors: Li Xingguang , Huo Xuexi
Published: November 2022

In the context of an ambiguous structure of farmland property rights, farmland rental contract disputes exhibited an upward tendency over the past decade, in practice, which damaged the expectations of land tenure security and, consequently, influenced the willingness of people to participate in farmland rental markets. Thus, the main aim of this paper was to analyze the impact of farmland rental contract disputes on farmland rental market participation, which was empirically tested by using a logit model, IV-probit model, and survey data for 762 apple growers. The results indicated that (1) farmland rental contract disputes significantly boosted the transfer of farmland to relatives and friends, (2) obtaining reasonable compensation in the process of solving farmland rental contract disputes significantly boosted farmland rental market participation for all types of objects of farmland transfers, and (3) farmland rental contract disputes significantly promoted farmers’ choice of relatives as the objects of farmland transfers. Participating in farmland rental markets was a freely pursued decision-making process, based on the actual situation, and farmers improved their expectations of the risks to farmland property rights by resorting to the reputation mechanism. However, obtaining reasonable compensation was conducive to reducing market segmentation and discrimination. Based on our analysis, the key factor in enhancing farmland rental market participation and reducing market segmentation was improving the stability of farmland property rights, and, in practice, farmland rental contract disputes should be reasonably reduced and regulated. This paper not only emphasizes the importance of solving farmland rental contract disputes reasonably, but also provides a reference for improving relevant laws and regulations on farmland transfers, which is conducive to developing farmland rental markets in the context of an ambiguous structure of farmland property rights in some developing countries.
Identifying the Spatiotemporal Transitions and Future Development of a Grazed Mediterranean Landscape of South Greece
Authors: Chouvardas Dimitrios , Karatassiou Maria , Stergiou Afroditi , Chrysanthopoulou Garyfallia
Published: November 2022

Spatiotemporal changes over previous decades in grazed Mediterranean landscapes have taken the form of woody plant encroachment in open areas (e.g., grasslands, open shrublands, silvopastoral areas), altering its structure and diversity. Demographic and socioeconomic changes have played a significant role in landscape transformations, mainly by causing the abandonment of traditional management practices such as pastoral activities, wood harvesting, and agricultural practices in marginal lands. This study aimed to quantify and evaluate the spatiotemporal changes in a typical grazed Mediterranean landscape of Mount Zireia during 1945–2020, and to investigate the effect of these changes on the future development (2020–2040) of land use/land cover (LULC) types. Cartographic materials such as aerial orthophotos from 1945, land use maps of 1960, Corine Land Cover of 2018, and recent satellite images were processed with ArcGIS software. To estimate the future projection trends of LULC types, logistic regression analyses were considered in the framework of CLUE modeling. The results indicated that the strongest trend of spatiotemporal changes were forest expansion in open areas, and grasslands reduction, suggesting that the LULC types that were mainly affected were forest, grasslands, and silvopastoral areas. Future development prediction showed that forests will most probably continue to expand over grassland and silvopastoral areas, holding a high dynamic of expansion into abandoned areas. The reduction in grasslands and silvopastoral areas, independent of environment and biodiversity implications, represents a major threat to sustainable livestock husbandry based on natural grazing resources.
Cytokines as Potential Biomarkers of Clinical Characteristics of Schizophrenia
Authors: Mednova Irina A. , Boiko Anastasiia S. , Kornetova Elena G. , Semke Arkadiy V. , Bokhan Nikolay A. , Ivanova Svetlana A.
Published: November 2022

Immune activation plays a major role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, as confirmed by many studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The important role of neuroinflammation in the formation of the relation between impaired neurobiological processes and schizophrenia psychopathology is being actively discussed. We quantified serum concentrations of 22 cytokines in 236 patients with schizophrenia and 103 mentally and somatically healthy individuals by a multiplex assay. We found higher TGF-α (p = 0.014), IFN-γ (p = 0.036), IL-5 (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p = 0.047), IL-8 (p = 0.005), IL-10 (p <0.001), IL-15 (p = 0.007), IL-1RA (p = 0.007), and TNF-α (p < 0.001) levels in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy individuals. Subgroup analysis revealed a much greater number of statistically significant differences in cytokine levels among females than among males. Patients with a continuous course of schizophrenia showed statistically significantly higher levels of IL-12p70 (p = 0.019), IL-1α (p = 0.046), and IL-1β (p = 0.035) compared with patients with an episodic course. Most cytokines were positively correlated with positive, general, and total PANSS scores. In patients with a duration of schizophrenia of 10 years or more, the level of IL-10 was higher than that in patients with a disease duration of 5 years or less (p = 0.042). Thus, an imbalance in cytokines was revealed in patients with schizophrenia, depending on sex and clinical characteristics of the disease.
Catheter-Directed Interventions for the Treatment of Lower Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
Authors: Shah Kajol J. , Roy Trisha L.
Published: November 2022

Lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) leads to significant morbidity including pain, swelling, and difficulty walking in the affected limb. If left untreated, DVT increases the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE), recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), and post thrombotic syndrome (PTS). The objective of this review was to identify catheter-directed interventions and their success rates for the treatment of lower extremity DVT. A comprehensive search of current and emerging catheter-directed interventions for lower extremity DVT treatment was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar. Clinical trials, retrospective and prospective observational studies, and case reports were identified to classify percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT), catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), and pharmacomechanical CDT (PCDT) devices based on their mechanism of action and indication of use. Catheter-directed interventions such as PMT, CDT, and PCDT offer an alternative therapeutic strategy for DVT management, particularly in patients with limb-threatening conditions and absolute contraindications to anticoagulants. Currently, there are limited guidelines for the use of mechanical and pharmacomechanical devices because of the lack of clinical evidence available for their use in treatment. Future studies are required to determine the short and long-term effects of using catheter-directed interventions as well as their effectiveness in treating acute versus subacute and chronic DVT.
An Overview of the Stability and Fretting Corrosion of Microgrooved Necks in the Taper Junction of Hip Implants
Authors: Feyzi Mohsen , Fallahnezhad Khosro , Taylor Mark , Hashemi Reza
Published: November 2022

Fretting corrosion at the head–neck interface of modular hip implants, scientifically termed trunnionosis/taperosis, may cause regional inflammation, metallosis, and adverse local tissue reactions. The severity of such a deleterious process depends on various design parameters. In this review, the influence of surface topography (in some cases, called microgrooves/ridges) on the overall performance of the microgrooved head–neck junctions is investigated. The methodologies together with the assumptions and simplifications, as well as the findings from both the experimental observations (retrieval and in vitro) and the numerical approaches used in previous studies, are presented and discussed. The performance of the microgrooved junctions is compared to those with a smooth surface finish in two main categories: stability and integrity; wear, corrosion, and material loss. Existing contradictions and disagreements among the reported results are reported and discussed in order to present a comprehensive picture of the microgrooved junctions. The current research needs and possible future research directions on the microgrooved junctions are also identified and presented.
Research on Three-Dimensional Porous Composite Nano-Assembled α-MnO2/Reduced Graphene Oxides and Their Super-Capacitive Performance
Authors: Luo Liming , Peng Huiyun , Sun Hongjuan , Peng Tongjiang , Yuan Mingliang
Published: November 2022

A series of three-dimensional porous composite α-MnO2/reduced graphene oxides (α-MnO2/RGO) were prepared by nano-assembly in a hydrothermal environment at pH 9.0–13.0 using graphene oxide as the precursor, KMnO4 and MnCl2 as the manganese sources and F− as the control agent of the α-MnO2 crystal form. The α-MnO2/RGO composites prepared at different hydrothermal pH levels presented porous network structures but there were significant differences in these structures. The special pore structure promoted the migration of ions in the electrolyte in the electrode material, and the larger specific surface area promoted the contact between the electrode material and the electrolyte ions. The introduction of graphene solved the problem of poor conductivity of MnO2, facilitated the rapid transfer of electrons, and significantly improved the electrochemical performance of materials. When the pH was 12.0, the specific surface area of the 3D porous composite material αMGs-12.0 was 264 m2·g−1, and it displayed the best super-capacitive performance; in Na2SO4 solution with 1.0 mol·L−1 electrolyte, the specific capacitance was 504 F·g−1 when the current density was 0.5 A·g−1 and the specific capacitance retention rate after 5000 cycles was 88.27%, showing that the composite had excellent electrochemical performance.
Metallurgical Process Simulation and Optimization
Authors: Zhang Jiangshan , Liu Yuhong , Liu Qing
Published: November 2022

Metallurgy involves the art and science of extracting metals from their ores and modifying them for use [...]
High-Iron Bauxite Residue (Red Mud) Valorization Using Hydrochemical Conversion of Goethite to Magnetite
Authors: Shoppert Andrei , Valeev Dmitry , Diallo Mamodou Malal , Loginova Irina , Beavogui Marie Constance , Rakhmonov Abdukhakim , Ovchenkov Yevgeniy , Pankratov Denis
Published: November 2022

Bauxite residue (BR), also known as red mud, is a byproduct of the alumina production using the Bayer process. This material is not used to make iron or other iron-containing products worldwide, owing to its high content of sodium oxide and other impurities. In this study, we investigated the hydrochemical conversion of goethite (FeOOH) to magnetite (Fe3O4) in high-iron BR from the Friguia alumina refinery (Guinea) by Fe2+ ions in highly concentrated alkaline media. The simultaneous extraction of Al and Na made it possible to obtain a product containing more than 96% Fe3O4. The results show that the magnetization of Al-goethite and Al-hematite accelerates the dissolution of the Al from the iron mineral solid matrix and from the desilication product (DSP). After ferrous sulfate (FeSO4·7H2O) was added directly at an FeO:Fe2O3 molar ratio of 1:1 at 120 °C for 150 min in solution with the 360 g L−1 Na2O concentration, the alumina extraction ratio reached 96.27% for the coarse bauxite residue size fraction (Sands) and 87.06% for fine BR obtained from red mud. The grade of iron (total iron in the form of iron elements) in the residue can be increased to 69.55% for sands and 58.31% for BR. The solid residues obtained after leaching were studied by XRD, XRF, TG-DTA, VSM, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and SEM to evaluate the conversion and leaching mechanisms, as well as the recovery ratio of Al from various minerals. The iron-rich residues can be used in the steel industry or as a pigment.
Tribological Properties of Cu-MoS2-WS2-Ag-CNT Sintered Composite Materials
Authors: Piasecki Adam , Kotkowiak Mateusz , Tulinski Maciej , Čep Robert
Published: November 2022

In this work, in order to produce Cu-MoS2-WS2-Ag-CNT self-lubricating materials, powder metallurgy was used. Several different compositions containing single solid lubricant MoS2, WS2, Ag and CNTs as well as multi-component lubricants in the copper matrix were prepared. Friction and wear tests were carried out using the pin-on-disc method at room temperature. Light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the wear mechanism of sintered materials. The tribofilm on the worn surfaces of sintered materials and counter-specimens was observed. The influence of single solid lubricants and the synergistic interaction of two, three or four solid lubricants on tribological properties of sintered composite materials were determined.
An Efficient Method for Optimizing HPC-FRP Retrofit Systems of Flexural Strengthened One-Way Continuous Slabs Based on ACI 440.2R
Authors: Nguyen Huy Q. , Yang Kijae , Kim Jung J.
Published: November 2022

An innovative retrofit system consisting of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) and high-performance concrete (HPC) considering the difficulty of the accessibility and installation of FRP on the underside of reinforced concrete (RC) slabs was found to be efficient in the flexural strengthening of existing RC slabs. It is important to note that continuous slabs using the FRP-HPC retrofit systems are less effective in exploiting FRP tensile strength and can cause sudden failure once excessively enhanced flexural strength exceeds shear strength. A design method to ensure ductile failure mode was also proposed for strengthened continuous RC slabs in the previous literature. Thus, it is necessary to optimize retrofit systems in terms of mechanical performance aspects to improve the efficiency of retrofitted slabs in serviceability. This study proposes a design method for optimizing the strength of materials and inducing ductile failure of continuous slab retrofitting FRP-HPC systems. The proposed approach demonstrated its effectiveness for strengthening a continuous RC slab with various FRP-HPC retrofit systems through a case study. The results show that the design factored load in the serviceability limit state does not change appreciably from a decrease in carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) of 38%; the design factored load decreased only by 9% and the ultimate failure load by 13% while reducing CFRP by 20% and HPC by 25%.
Optimization of Titanium Alloy Drilling to Minimize the Secondary Burr after Deburring Process
Authors: Franczyk Emilia , Zębala Wojciech
Published: November 2022

The formation of burrs on the edges of machined surfaces is one of the inherent problems during machining. The burrs are formed both on the tool entry surface and exit surfaces. The paper proposes a modification of the drill involving an additional cutting insert located in the shank part. This innovative solution allowed the drill and deburring insert to be integrated, enabling both processes to be performed within one machining operation. The impact of the selected insert geometry and deburring process parameters on the size of burrs was determined during the experimental studies. Using the proposed deburring process for the Ti6Al4V titanium alloy, with appropriately chosen tool geometry and cutting parameters, reduces the secondary burr height by more than 90% compared to the original value.
New Insights in Wettability and Surface Repellency of Advanced Materials
Authors: Wang Jie , Hou Xianghui
Published: November 2022

“New Insights in Wettability and Surface Repellency of Advanced Materials” is a new Special Issue of Materials, which commits to publishing original and review papers on the recent progress of wettability and surface repellency of materials, including new findings and understanding of surface repellent materials and related theory, design, fabrication, characterization, and applications [...]
Forecasting the Fatigue Strength of DC01 Cold-Formed Angles Using the Anisotropic Barlat Model
Authors: Miksza Mateusz , Bohdal Łukasz , Kałduński Paweł , Patyk Radosław , Kukiełka Leon
Published: November 2022

The objective of this work is to present the numerical simulation of the air-bending process of DC01 steel. There are plenty of works concerned with assessing the springback phenomenon in the bending process also using anisotropic material models (Hill’s model is widely used). However, very few recent publications are concerned about the fatigue life assessment of bent products. As ensuring the proper fatigue resistance of products is vital for increasing safety and widening the service intervals there is certainly a need to perform investigations in this field. In this work, the air bending simulation of anisotropic DC01 steel with the usage of Barlat’s plastic anisotropy model was presented. Together with springback analysis and the equivalent plastic strain cumulation during incremental bending. Strain cumulation is believed to be an important factor in predicting fatigue life. It was shown that the strain development rate depends on the bending process parameters, especially from the bending line orientation to the sheet rolling direction.
Phase Formation of Iron-Based Superconductors during Mechanical Alloying
Authors: Vlasenko Vladimir A. , Degtyarenko Alena Yu. , Shilov Andrei I. , Tsvetkov Alexey Yu. , Kulikova Lyudmila F. , Medvedev Alexey S. , Pervakov Kirill S.
Published: November 2022

We successfully synthesized bulk Ba0.6Na0.4Fe2As2 and Sr0.5Na0.5Fe2As2 compounds by high-energy mechanical alloying (MA) technique. The MA process results in homogeneous amorphous phases of BaFe2As2 and SrFe2As2. It was found that the optimum time for high-energy milling in all cases is about 1.5–2 h, and the maximum amount of amorphous phase could be obtained when energy of 50–100 MJ/kg was absorbed by the powder. After a short-term heat treatment, we obtained nearly optimum sodium-doped Ba1−xNaxFe2As2 and Sr1−xNaxFe2As2 superconducting bulk samples. Therefore, MA is a potential scalable method to produce bulk superconducting material for industrial needs.
Structural Damage Identification Using the Optimal Achievable Displacement Variation
Authors: Peng Xi , Tian Cunkang , Yang Qiuwei
Published: November 2022

To ensure the safe use of structures, it is essential to develop efficient damage identification techniques. In this paper, a brand-new approach to identifying structural deterioration based on static displacement is proposed. First, the relationship between the displacement variation and the damaged element is derived from the static response equations before and after damage. Subsequently, the optimal achievable displacement variation is defined to determine the damage location in the structure. A progressive elimination strategy is suggested to identify the real damaged parts and weed out the pseudo-damaged elements by measuring the distance between the measured and the best possible displacement variation. After determining the damage location, the corresponding damage extent can be calculated by a system of linear equations. The proposed approach has been tested on a beam structure and truss structure using simulated and experimental data. Compared with the existing static sensitivity method, the suggested method does not result in misjudgment and has higher identification accuracy. It has been demonstrated that the suggested approach is effective at locating and assessing the extent of structural damage.
Effect of Sn Addition on Microstructure, Aging Properties and Softening Resistance of Cu-Cr Alloy
Authors: Xu Gaolei , Zhu Yunqing , Peng Lijun , Xie Haofeng , Li Zengde , Huang Shuhui , Yang Zhen , Zhang Wenjing , Mi Xujun
Published: November 2022

The relationship between microstructure evolution and properties of a Cu-Cr-Sn alloy during aging and high-temperature softening was investigated in detail in the present work. The results show that the addition of Sn refines obviously the size of the Cr phase and enhances the thermal stability of the alloy, which improves the peak-aged hardness of the Cu-Cr-Sn alloy reaching 139 HV after aging at 450 °C for 240 min. In addition, the recrystallization behavior of the Cu-Cr alloy with the 0.12 wt.% of Sn at high temperature is also significantly inhibited. Lots of precipitated Cr phases and a high density of dislocations are found in the Cu-Cr-Sn alloy annealed at high temperature, resulting in the softening temperature of the Cu-Cr-Sn alloy reaching 565 °C, which is higher than (about 50 °C) that of the Cu-Cr alloy.
Recent Advances on Composition-Microstructure-Properties Relationships of Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel
Authors: Cui Puchang , Xing Geshu , Nong Zhisheng , Chen Liang , Lai Zhonghong , Liu Yong , Zhu Jingchuan
Published: November 2022

Precipitation hardening stainless steels have attracted extensive interest due to their distinguished mechanical properties. However, it is necessary to further uncover the internal quantitative relationship from the traditional standpoint based on the statistical perspective. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress on the relationships among the composition, microstructure, and properties of precipitation hardened stainless steels. First, the influence of general chemical composition and its fluctuation on the microstructure and properties of PHSS are elaborated. Then, the microstructure and properties under a typical heat treatment regime are discussed, including the precipitation of B2-NiAl particles, Cu-rich clusters, Ni3Ti precipitates, and other co-existing precipitates in PHSS and the hierarchical microstructural features are presented. Next, the microstructure and properties after the selective laser melting fabricating process which act as an emerging technology compared to conventional manufacturing techniques are also enlightened. Thereafter, the development of multi-scale simulation and machine learning (ML) in material design is illustrated with typical examples and the great concerns in PHSS research are presented, with a focus on the precipitation techniques, effect of composition, and microstructure. Finally, promising directions for future precipitation hardening stainless steel development combined with multi-scale simulation and ML methods are prospected, offering extensive insight into the innovation of novel precipitation hardening stainless steels.
Resource Utilization of Red Mud from the Solid Waste of Aluminum Industry Used in Geothermal Wells
Authors: Wu Zhiqiang , Li Lihua , Gao Fei , Zhang Gaoyin , Cai Jingxuan , Cheng Xiaowei
Published: November 2022

It is difficult for the commonly used Class G oil well cement to withstand the high-temperature environment of geothermal wells, and it is easy to deteriorate the mechanical properties and damage the integrity of the cement sheath. Industrial solid waste red mud can be used as supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) to improve its mechanical properties at high temperatures. In addition, compared to Class G oil well cement, high belite cement (HBC) has lower energy consumption and better mechanical properties at high temperatures. In this study, the mechanical properties of HBC as a gel material and quartz sand and red mud as SCMs were studied at high temperatures. The ratio of HBC to SCMs and the ratio of quartz sand to red mud in SCMs were optimized using the response surface method (RSM). The response surface was established using the three-level factorial design model, which fit well with the experimental data. The optimization results show that the best mass ratio of SCMs/HBC is 37.5% and that the best quality ratio of quartz sand/red mud is 9 under the curing conditions of 180 °C. However, the best mass ratio of SCMs/HBC is 49.3%, and the best quality ratio of quartz sand/red mud is 7 under 220 °C. With the addition of SCMs, the silicon-to-calcium ratio of HBC hydration products decreases, and high-temperature-stable xonotlite and tobermorite can be formed. After adding SCMs, the cement sample is denser without obvious cracks.
Role of ZnO Nanoparticles Loading in Modifying the Morphological, Optical, and Thermal Properties of Immiscible Polymer (PMMA/PEG) Blends
Authors: Hammani Salim , Daikhi Sihem , Bechelany Mikhael , Barhoum Ahmed
Published: November 2022

High-performance hybrid polymer blends can be prepared by blending different types of polymers to improve their properties. However, most polymer blends exhibit phase separation after blending. In this study, polymethylmethacrylate/polyethylene glycol (PMMA/PEG) polymer blends (70/30 and 30/70 w/w) were prepared by solution casting with and without ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) loading. The effect of loading ZnO nanoparticles on blend morphology, UV blocking, glass transition, melting, and crystallization were investigated. Without loading ZnO NP, the PMMA/PEG blends showed phase separation, especially the PEG-rich blend. Loading PMMA/PEG blend with ZnO NPs increased the miscibility of the blend and most of the ZnO NPs dispersed in the PEG phase. The interaction of the ZnO NPs with the blend polymers slightly decreased the intensity of infrared absorption of the functional groups. The UV-blocking properties of the blends increased by 15% and 20%, and the band gap energy values were 4.1 eV and 3.8 eV for the blends loaded with ZnO NPs with a PMMA/PEG ratio of 70/30 and 30/70, respectively. In addition, the glass transition temperature (Tg) increased by 14 °C, the crystallinity rate increased by 15%, the melting (Tm) and crystallization(Tc) temperatures increased by 2 °C and 14 °C, respectively, and the thermal stability increased by 25 °C compared to the PMMA/PEG blends without ZnO NP loading.
Solid-State Reaction in Cu/a-Si Nanolayers: A Comparative Study of STA and Electron Diffraction Data
Authors: Moiseenko Evgeny T. , Yumashev Vladimir V. , Altunin Roman R. , Zeer Galina M. , Nikolaeva Nataliya S. , Belousov Oleg V. , Zharkov Sergey M.
Published: November 2022

The kinetics of the solid-state reaction between nanolayers of polycrystalline copper and amorphous silicon (a-Si) has been studied in a Cu/a-Si thin-film system by the methods of electron diffraction and simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), including the methods of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). It has been established that, in the solid-state reaction, two phases are formed in a sequence: Cu + Si → η″-Cu3Si → γ-Cu5Si. It has been shown that the estimated values of the kinetic parameters of the formation processes for the phases η″-Cu3Si and γ-Cu5Si, obtained using electron diffraction, are in good agreement with those obtained by DSC. The formation enthalpy of the phases η″-Cu3Si and γ-Cu5Si has been estimated to be: ΔHη″-Cu3Si = −12.4 ± 0.2 kJ/mol; ΔHγ-Cu5Si = −8.4 ± 0.4 kJ/mol. As a result of the model description of the thermo-analytical data, it has been found that the process of solid-state transformations in the Cu/a-Si thin-film system under study is best described by a four-stage kinetic model R3 → R3 → (Cn-X) → (Cn-X). The kinetic parameters of formation of the η″-Cu3Si phase are the following: Ea = 199.9 kJ/mol, log(A, s−1) = 20.5, n = 1.7; and for the γ-Cu5Si phase: Ea = 149.7 kJ/mol, log(A, s−1) = 10.4, n = 1.3, with the kinetic parameters of formation of the γ-Cu5Si phase being determined for the first time.
The Effect of Magnetic Composites (γ-Al2O3/TiO2/γ-Fe2O3) as Ozone Catalysts in Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Wang Cheng , Zhou Guangzhen , Xu Yanhua , Yu Peng
Published: November 2022

Using municipal sewage as a source of reclaimed water is an important way to alleviate the shortage of water resources. At present, advanced oxidation technology (AOPs), represented by ozone oxidation, is widely used in wastewater treatment. In this study, γ-Al2O3, a low-cost traditional ozone catalyst, was selected as the matrix. By modifying magnetic γ-Fe2O3 with a titanate coupling agent, in situ deposition, and calcination, the final formation of a γ-Al2O3/TiO2/γ-Fe2O3 micrometer ozone catalyst was achieved. A variety of material characterization methods were used to demonstrate that the required material was successfully prepared. The catalyst powder particles have strong magnetic properties, form aggregates easily, and have good precipitation and separation properties. Subsequently, ibuprofen was used as the degradation substrate to investigate the ozone catalytic performance of the prepared catalyst, and this proved that it had good ozone catalytic activity. The degradation process was also analyzed. The results showed that in the ozone system, some of the ibuprofen molecules will be oxidized to form 1,4-propanal phenylacetic acid, which is then further oxidized to form 1,4-acetaldehyde benzoic acid and p-phenylacetaldehyde. Finally, the prepared catalyst was applied to the actual wastewater treatment process, and it also had good catalytic performance in this context. GC–MS detection of the water samples after treatment showed that the types of organic matter in the water were significantly reduced, among which nine pollutants with high content, such as bisphenol A and sulfamethoxazole, were not detected after treatment.
Assessment of the Synergetic Performance of Nanostructured CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 Mixed Oxides on Automobile Exhaust Control
Authors: Jayachandran Varuna , Dhandapani Vishnu Shankar , Muniappan Elango , Park Dongkyou , Kim Byungki , Arun A. P. , Ayyappan P. R.
Published: November 2022

In order to control diesel exhaust emission, CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 (CTA) mixed oxides were prepared and coated on perforated stainless steel (SS) filter plates, and the catalytic activities were analyzed in this work. The CeO2-SnO2 (different compositions of Ce/Sn—2:8; 1:1; 8:2) composites and Al2O3 were prepared separately via a co-precipitation approach, and CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 (CTA) mixed oxides were attained by mechanical mixing of 75 wt% CeO2-SnO2 composites with 25 wt% Al2O3. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were performed for all three CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 (CTA) mixed oxides; the CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 (Ce/Sn-1:1) sample confirmed the presence of cubic and tetragonal mixed faces, which enhances the redox nature (catalytic activities). Various characterizations such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were employed on CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 (Ce/Sn-1:1) sample to investigate the structural, textural, compositional, and morphological properties. The CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 (Ce/Sn-1:1) sample was coated on a perforated stainless steel (SS) filter plate via a simple, cost-effective, and novel method, and an exhaust emission test for various compression ratios (CR), injection pressure (IP), and load (L) was completed using an AVL Digas analyzer. The CeO2-SnO2/Al2O3 (Ce/Sn-1:1) sample, with a size of 10.22 nm and a high surface area of about 73 m2 g−1, exhibit appreciable catalytic properties.