bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantification of microfibre release from textiles during domestic laundering
Authors: Hazlehurst Alice , Tiffin Lucy , Sumner Mark , Taylor Mark
Published: January 2023

Domestic laundering of textiles is being increasingly recognised as a significant source of microfibre pollution. Reliable quantification of microfibre release is necessary to understanding the scale of this issue and to evaluate the efficacy of potential solutions. This study explores three major factors that influence the quantification of microfibres released from the domestic laundering of textiles: test methodologies, laundering variables, and fabric variables.

A review of different test methods is presented, highlighting the variation in quantification created by using different methodologies. A reliable and reproducible method for quantifying microfibre release from domestic laundering is used to explore the impact of laundering and fabric variables experimentally. The reproducibility and reliability of the method used was validated through inter-laboratory trials and has informed the development of European and international testing standards. Our results show that increasing the wash liquor ratio and wash agitation results in a greater mass of microfibres released, but we found that fabric variables can have a greater influence on microfibre release than the laundering variables tested in this study. However, no single fabric variable appeared to have a dominant influence.

Using the data obtained and assumptions for washing load size and frequency, results were scaled to reflect possible annual microfibre release from untreated domestic laundering in the UK. Depending on different laundering and fabric variables, these values range from 6490 tonnes to 87,165 tonnes of microfibre discharged in the UK each year.
A hybrid hierarchical strategy for registration of 7T TOF-MRI to 7T PC-MRI intracranial vessel data
Authors: Spitz Lena , Gaidzik Franziska , Stucht Daniel , Mattern Hendrik , Preim Bernhard , Saalfeld Sylvia
Published: January 2023

Purpose

7T time-of-flight (TOF) MRI provides high resolution for the evaluation of cerebrovascular vessels and pathologies. In combination with 4D flow fields acquired with phase-contrast (PC) MRI, hemodynamic information can be extracted to enhance the analysis by providing direct measurements in the larger arteries or patient-specific boundary conditions. Hence, a registration between both modalities is required.

Methods

To combine TOF and PC-MRI data, we developed a hybrid registration approach. Vessels and their centerlines are segmented from the TOF data. The centerline is fit to the intensity ridges of the lower resolved PC-MRI data, which provides temporal information. We used a metric that utilizes a scaled sum of weighted intensities and gradients on the normal plane. The registration is then guided by decoupled local affine transformations. It is applied hierarchically following the branching order of the vessel tree.

Results

A landmark validation over Monte Carlo simulations yielded an average mean squared error of 184.73 mm and an average Hausdorff distance of 15.20 mm. The hierarchical traversal that transforms child vessels with their parents registers even small vessels not detectable in the PC-MRI.

Conclusion

The presented work combines high-resolution tomographic information from 7T TOF-MRI and measured flow data from 4D 7T PC-MRI scan for the arteries of the brain. This enables usage of patient-specific flow parameters for realistic simulations, thus supporting research in areas such as cerebral small vessel disease. Automatization and free deformations can help address the limiting error measures in the future.
Oxidation Behavior of the Polycrystalline Ni-Base Superalloy VDM® Alloy 780
Authors: Kirchmayer A. , Weiser M. , Randelzhofer P. , Freund L. P. , Gehrmann B. , Hafez Haghighat M. , Huenert D. , Göken M. , Neumeier S.
Published: January 2023

VDM® Alloy 780 is a newly developed polycrystalline Ni-base superalloy with high contents of Co, Cr, and Al intended for operating temperatures up to 750 °C. The alloy is precipitation strengthened by the γ′ phase, which is analyzed by atom probe tomography. Additionally, δ and η phases are utilized for grain boundary pinning. It is shown that the δ and η phases precipitate either plate like or in a fine lamellar structure inside each other. VDM® Alloy 780 shows superior oxidation resistance in comparison with Udimet 720Li and A718Plus, as seen by a lower mass gain and thinner oxide layers at 800 °C and 900 °C. This superior behavior is analyzed in detail by TEM and STEM investigations of the oxide scales from which it is concluded that the Al/Ti ratio in these alloys plays an important role on the oxidation behavior.
Controlling interstory drift ratio profiles via topology optimization strategies
Authors: Gao Wenjun , Lu Xilin
Published: January 2023

An approach to control the profiles of interstory drift ratios along the height of building structures via topology optimization is proposed herein. The theoretical foundation of the proposed approach involves solving a min–max optimization problem to suppress the maximum interstory drift ratio among all stories. Two formulations are suggested: one inherits the bound formulation and the other utilizes a p-norm function to aggregate all individual interstory drift ratios. The proposed methodology can shape the interstory drift ratio profiles into inverted triangular or quadratic patterns because it realizes profile control using a group of shape weight coefficients. The proposed formulations are validated via a series of numerical examples. The disparity between the two formulations is clear. The optimization results show the optimal structural features for controlling the interstory drift ratios under different requirements.
The Augmented Lagrangian Method as a Framework for Stabilised Methods in Computational Mechanics
Authors: Burman Erik , Hansbo Peter , Larson Mats G.
Published: January 2023

In this paper we will present a review of recent advances in the application of the augmented Lagrange multiplier method as a general approach for generating multiplier-free stabilised methods. The augmented Lagrangian method consists of a standard Lagrange multiplier method augmented by a penalty term, penalising the constraint equations, and is well known as the basis for iterative algorithms for constrained optimisation problems. Its use as a stabilisation methods in computational mechanics has, however, only recently been appreciated. We first show how the method generates Galerkin/Least Squares type schemes for equality constraints and then how it can be extended to develop new stabilised methods for inequality constraints. Application to several different problems in computational mechanics is given.
Trojans in the Antipodes: The Fabrication of Epic Ancestry and Imperial Destiny in Colonial Australian Literature
Authors: Midford Sarah
Published: January 2023

When Europeans settled on the Australian continent, Britain’s connections to the Greco-Roman classical tradition were being actively promoted as an inherent component of the empire’s cultural heritage. Since the foundation of the Australian colony of New South Wales, comparisons between the British dominion and classical antiquity were made in the hope that one day soon the history and literature of the new settlement would rival that of their cultural ancestors. Colonial Australian literature often focussed on the great potential the young civilization might enjoy. Because the geographical distance between Australia and Europe was so vast, connections to European cultural heritage were often laboriously constructed. This article focusses on the work of Michael Massey Robinson, a freed convict employed to write poetry by the New South Wales Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, from 1810. Drawing on the British legend of Brutus of Troy, recorded by the twelfth-century cleric Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae, Robinson casts the British decedents of Aeneas as the founders of the Australian continent, and ancestors of the Trojan people. By emphasizing Australia’s connections to the ancient world through ancestral lineage, the great potential of the young civilization could be celebrated, and by linking Australia’s European settlement to the foundation of both Rome and Britain, colonial Australia was characterized as being at the beginning of a very long history that, based on historical precedent, would eventually result in a great and esteemed empire.
Biphasic Cholinergic Modulation of Reverberatory Activity in Neuronal Networks
Authors: Li Xiao-Wei , Ren Yi , Shi Dong-Qing , Qi Lei , Xu Fang , Xiao Yanyang , Lau Pak-Ming , Bi Guo-Qiang
Published: January 2023

Acetylcholine (ACh) is an important neuromodulator in various cognitive functions. However, it is unclear how ACh influences neural circuit dynamics by altering cellular properties. Here, we investigated how ACh influences reverberatory activity in cultured neuronal networks. We found that ACh suppressed the occurrence of evoked reverberation at low to moderate doses, but to a much lesser extent at high doses. Moreover, high doses of ACh caused a longer duration of evoked reverberation, and a higher occurrence of spontaneous activity. With whole-cell recording from single neurons, we found that ACh inhibited excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) while elevating neuronal firing in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, all ACh-induced cellular and network changes were blocked by muscarinic, but not nicotinic receptor antagonists. With computational modeling, we found that simulated changes in EPSCs and the excitability of single cells mimicking the effects of ACh indeed modulated the evoked network reverberation similar to experimental observations. Thus, ACh modulates network dynamics in a biphasic fashion, probably by inhibiting excitatory synaptic transmission and facilitating neuronal excitability through muscarinic signaling pathways.
Catch-Up Saccades in Vestibular Hypofunction: A Contribution of the Cerebellum?
Authors: Hermann Ruben , Robert Camille , Lagadec Vincent , Dupre Mathieu , Pelisson Denis , Froment Tilikete Caroline
Published: January 2023

Long-term deficits of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) elicited by head rotation can be partially compensated by catch-up saccades (CuS). These saccades are initially visually guided, but their latency can greatly decrease resulting in short latency CuS (SL-CuS). It is still unclear what triggers these CuS and what are the underlying neural circuits. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the impact of cerebellar pathology on CuS by comparing their characteristics between two groups of patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction, with or without additional cerebellar dysfunction. We recruited 12 patients with both bilateral vestibular hypofunction and cerebellar dysfunction (BVH-CD group) and 12 patients with isolated bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH group). Both groups were matched for age and residual VOR gain. Subjects underwent video head impulse test recording of the horizontal semicircular canals responses as well as recording of visually guided saccades in the step, gap, and overlap paradigms. Latency and gain of the different saccades were calculated. The mean age for BVH-CD and BVH was, respectively, 67.8 and 67.2 years, and the mean residual VOR gain was, respectively, 0.24 and 0.26. The mean latency of the first catch-up saccade was significantly longer for the BVH-CD group than that for the BVH group (204 ms vs 145 ms, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the latency of visually guided saccades between the two groups, for none of the three paradigms. The gain of covert saccades tended to be lower in the BVH-CD group than in BVH group (t test; p = 0.06). The mean gain of the 12° or 20° visually guided saccades were not different in both groups. Our results suggest that the cerebellum plays a role in the generation of compensatory SL-CuS observed in BVH patients.
A new pterodactyloid pterosaur with a unique filter-feeding apparatus from the Late Jurassic of Germany
Authors: Martill David M. , Frey Eberhard , Tischlinger Helmut , Mäuser Matthias , Rivera-Sylva Héctor E. , Vidovic Steven U.
Published: January 2023

A new long-legged, spatula-beaked, filter-feeding pterodactyloid pterosaur from Upper Jurassic plattenkalk limestones at Wattendorf, Bavaria, Southern Germany, is remarkable for its completeness, unusual dentition and hints of the preservation of soft tissues, including wing membranes. The fully articulated specimen displays both jaws each side with over one hundred sub-parallel-sided teeth with a small, slightly hooked expansion at the crown tip. There are at least 480 teeth in total. The tip of the rostrum widens to a spatula-like, laterally concave structure with teeth only along its lateral margins. The straight anterior margin is devoid of teeth allowing plankton-rich water to stream in, while the teeth interdigitate forming a fine mesh trap. A slightly up swept rostrum assisted filtering by probable pulsating movements of the long neck, while wading or swimming through shallow water.
Analysis of Gender Differences in Online Handwriting Signals for Enhancing e-Health and e-Security Applications
Authors: Faundez-Zanuy Marcos , Mekyska Jiri
Published: January 2023

Handwriting is a complex perceptual–motor skill that is mastered around the age of 8. Although its computerized analysis has been utilized in many biometric and digital health applications, the possible effect of gender is frequently neglected. The aim of this paper is to analyze different online handwritten tasks performed by intact subjects and explore gender differences in commonly used temporal, kinematic, and dynamic features. The differences were explored in the BIOSECUR-ID database. We have identified a significant gender difference in on-surface/in-air time of genuine and skilled forgery signatures, on-surface time in cursive letters and numbers, and pressure, speed, and acceleration in text written in capital letters. Our findings accent the need to consider gender as an important confounding factor in studies dealing with online handwriting signal processing.
Melt Enhanced Deformation in Migmatites of Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC), India
Authors: Singh Sandeep , Kushwaha Aman
Published: January 2023

Migmatites of Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC) along different river valleys are present above the Vaikrita Thrust in the upper package. They have experienced anatexis and protracted growth of in situ melt between ca. 46 Ma and ca. 20 Ma. Melt-filled conjugate set of extensional crenulation cleavage (ECC) of late-stage deformation indicating extension parallel to the preexisting foliation (Sm) and shortening normal to foliation plane. The field evidence indicates that ECC was formed during partial melting and later filled by the melt. During partial melting, the deformation got enhanced because of the accumulation of strain due to the prolonged presence of melt. That caused the increase in the melt pressure eventually leading to crossing the critical limit and forming extensional crenulation cleavage and making it the conduit for the emplacement of melt within the migmatite zone. The phenomenon of melt-filled ECC is due to melt-enhanced deformation occurring at the time of orogen parallel extension. The presence of episodic fluxing of melt as evident from U-Pb ages of zircon is very well be correlated with the building up of partial melt leading to an increase and drop of the melt pressure due to draining followed by rising of melt from the system along with the newly formed ECC until the next event. This episodic nature of fluxing appears to be a convenient mode to extract melt from partially melted terrains of migmatites leading to chaotic structures.
Gold-Sulfide Mineralization in Banded Iron Formation at Girar, Bundelkhand Craton, India: Inferences from Field Observations and Petrography
Authors: Sahoo Ajit Kumar , Krishnamurthi Rajagopal , Dinkar Gautam Kumar , Chalapathi Rao N.V. , Ojha Arun Kumar , Raghuvanshi Sneha , Bhunia Sudipa
Published: January 2023

Gold mineralization associated with quartz veins and sulfide minerals has been reported in Banded Iron Formation (BIF) at Girar, Bundelkhand Craton, India. The BIF is deformed with the development of tight-isoclinal folds in high strain zones and hosts four types of quartz veins viz., (i) folded veins, (ii) band parallel veins, (iii) low angle cross-cutting veins, and (iv) high angle crosscutting veins. Folded and band parallel veins are continuous with each other and spatially restricted to zones of tight-isoclinal folds in BIF. Shape of quartz aggregates in the folded and band parallel veins is interlobate, and these veins contain pyrite and chalcopyrite as dominant sulfide minerals along with gold. Microstructure of quartz grains and presence of fragments of BIF in sulfide mineral-gold bearing folded and band parallel veins indicate that the formations of these veins were related to a single deformation episode. Spatial association of folded and band parallel veins to intensely folded zones in BIF is attributed to epigenetic nature of sulfide and gold mineralization.
Petrologic Evolution of Post-collisional Magmas of Spinel-lherzolite Subcontinental Mantle Contaminated by Continental Crust; Palandöken (Erzurum) Volcanic Rocks in the East Anatolia, Turkey
Authors: Kürüm S. , Sar A. , Nas N.
Published: January 2023

The Palandöken volcanics are made up of a thick volcanic sequence consisting dominantly of tuffs and intercalated lava flows in Erzurum-Tekman basin. According to the data obtained from geochemical analyses, the silica contents of the lavas range from 47.44 % (basalt) to 67.68 % (dacite) and Mg# 11-53%. While alkaline (latite and benmoreite) and subalkaline lavas are generally enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE) in conformity with each other, they show significant negative Nb, Ta anomalies and very weak Eu anomaly. There are also examples (N15, N19) in these rocks that differ in their elements behavior. These geochemical characteristics indicate that, starting from the source magma, various differentiation processes like magma mixing and melt effect, occurred. Whereas the Nd (143Nd/144Ndi) isotope values of the volcanic rocks vary in a narrow range of 0.51281 and 0.51267, Sr isotope (87Sr/86Sri) values have a relatively wider range between 0.70362 and 0.70500, and εNd(t) values (+0.71 to +5.14). Isotope and geochemical data; supports that these volcanics were formed by the partial melting of spinel-lherzolite subcontinental lithospheric mantle-derived magma at different rates, but assimilation of continental crust also played an important role, along with magma mixing and fractional crystallization, which constitute the main differentiation process.

Palandöken volcanic rocks have similar geochemical characteristics with the nearby Ilica, Kandilli and Yolçatý volcanics in general and their properties are compatible with eastern Anatolian magmatism that was formed in a geodynamic setting of post-collisional extension.
Assessment of Metal Pollution of Overburden in a Tropical Coalfield, Ib valley, India: A Case Study
Authors: Sahoo Bishnu Prasad , Sahu Himanshu Bhushan , Kanuri Vishnu Vardhan , Biswas Mrinal Kanti , Vidyarthi Ajit Kumar
Published: January 2023

Mining of Coal is one of the chief sources of power generation globally to meet the energy demand. However, the mining operations and power production leads to the generation of overburdens and fly ash in huge quantities. These became severe threat to the environment during backfilling via leaching of contaminants and forming acid mine drainages. To understand the chemical characteristics of overburden, seven locations from the Ib valley coalfield were sampled. Also, a fly ash sample was collected from NTPC, Kaniha, Odisha. Subsequently, laboratory-based experiments were conducted under controlled condition to estimate the leachate characteristics of the overburden and overburden-fly ash (30%) composite samples through various leaching agents viz., distilled water, rain water and 0.1N acetic acid. Overburden samples were found to be slightly acidic in nature, whereas fly ash was almost neutral. The mean concentration of the metals in the OBs showed a decreasing trend of Fe>Al>K>Mg>Ca>Na>Mn>Cr>Cu> Zn> Co>Ni>Cd>Pb. The leachability potential is found to be high with acetic acid followed by rainwater and distilled water. The estimated possible total metal leachate from the 0.1% (0.1219 Million tonnes) of total overburden generated during 2017-18 in Mahanadi coalfields (MCL) was found to be 0.00023%. The results from the metal indices i.e. contamination factor showed that the overburdens are critically contaminated with Se followed by Cd, As and Cu, as their associated shale have quite low values. Also the potential ecological risk (PER) for the overburdens is low if Se, Cd, and Cu are excluded.
The Star-shaped Resting Traces Asteriacites lumbricalis from Thaiat Member (Early Jurassic -Bajocian) of Lathi Formation of the Jaisalmer Basin, Western India
Authors: Parihar V. S. , Meghwal V. K. , Singh Abhimanyu
Published: January 2023

About 30 star-shaped resting traces of ophiuroids Asteriacites lumbricalis have been recorded and described herein from the Thaiat Member (early Jurassic - Bajocian) of Lathi Formation, Jaisalmer Basin, western India. This is the first report of Asteriacites lumbricalis traces from the Lathi Formation of the Jaisalmer basin. The studied material occurr as star-shaped traces with five long and slender arms/rays structured morphology in yellowish to pinkish brown fine-grained silty-sandstone. The traces of A. lumbricalis show both positive and negative epirelief preservations in Thaiat Member of Lathi Formation. Here the recorded A. lumbricalis traces are found in size ranges of 2 cm - 5 cm (measured dimensions from arm tip to arm tip) indicating its larger forms. The presence of overlapped arms/rays printing traces of A. lumbricalis in Thaiat Member of Lathi Formation has shown horizontal movement of ophiuroids in searching for resting and hiding areas.
Petrography of the Bajocian Sandstone of Joyan Member, Jaisalmer Basin, Western Rajasthan: Implications for Provenance and Basin Evolution
Authors: Javed Aashna , Khan K. F. , Quasim M. A.
Published: January 2023

Detailed petrographic, dense minerals and petrofacies investigations were performed on forty nine medium-to fine grained, well-cemented and moderately to well-sorted sandstone samples from the Joyan Member of the Jaisalmer Formation. The grains are sub-angular to sub-rounded in shape, with some well-rounded quartz grains. The framework composition of sandstone consists mostly of monocrystalline and polycrystalline quartz, low-to high-grade metamorphic and sedimentary rock fragments, as well as subordinate feldspar with low plagioclase to total feldspar ratios and accessory minerals. Petrographic investigations reveal that sandstones from the Joyan Member of the Jaisalmer Formation are sublitharenite to litharenite. The sandstone composition suggests that the detritus are derived from the metamorphic, plutonic-volcanic felsic, and recycled sedimentary rocks. Dense mineral analyses also confirm the possibility of mixed provenance for the Joyan Member Sandstone. The sandstone petrofacies indicates their derivation from cratonic interiors, as well as recycled orogenic and quartzose recycled provenances under humid climatic conditions. The petrographic, sedimentological, and dense mineral analyses in agreement with palaeocurrent data suggest that the Joyan Member Sandstone was primarily derived from Erinpura-Godhra-Mount Abu-Sirohi (Balda) granites and Malani volcanics, with a contribution from Archean Aravalli (Berach) granitoids and Aravalli and Delhi orogens. The shift in sediment supply from Aravalli (Berach) granitoids and Aravalli and Delhi orogens to Erinpura-Godhra-Mount Abu-Sirohi (Balda) granites and Malani volcanics supports sedimentation in a tectonically active basin.
Prioritization by Innovative Approach for Implementation of Groundwater Management Strategies
Authors: Phulpagar Sanju R. , Kale Ganesh D.
Published: January 2023

The groundwater level (GWL) declination is the critical problem in the Rajasthan. So, the implementation of appropriate groundwater (GW) management strategies are required in the Rajasthan state. Before that, it is necessary to know the areas where these are essential and for that identification of critical locations and their prioritization is very important. In the present study, innovative approach is used for prioritization of divisions and districts in these prioritized divisions (PRDIVs) of the Rajasthan. Innovative approach is applied by analyzing trends in the four seasonal GWL time series. Results showed that, in north-eastern, eastern and central Rajasthan, significant declination in GW and significant increasing trends in GWLs is observed in some districts corresponding to all seasons. Also, divisions are prioritized as: Jaipur, Bharatpur, Udaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota and Bikaner, with first division having highest priority, second is having 2nd highest priority and so on. Prioritized districts in corresponding PRDIVs are also identified.
Geospatial Data Analysis Using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process to Delineate Groundwater Potential Zone in a Semi-arid Hard Rock Terrain
Authors: Saha Rajarshi , Wankhede Tushar , Das Iswar Chandra , Kumaranchat Vinod Kumar , Satyanarayana Reddy K.
Published: January 2023

Delineation of groundwater potential zone (GWPZ) is the fundamental need to achieve sustainable development/management of groundwater resources. The hybrid approach of geospatial data analysis using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) is a very potent application which can effectively delineate GWPZ. The present research is carried out with an aim to evaluate the applicability of this hybrid method towards groundwater sustainability in semi-arid hard rock terrain of South Indian shield region, Mahabubnagar district of Telangana. Geomorphology, lineament density (LD), lithology, landuse, slope, soil texture, drainage density (DD) and rainfall are used as controlling thematic variables. The derived result classified the study area into five distinct GWPZ namely, very poor, poor, moderate, good and very good GWPZ. Around 70% of the study area falls under moderate to very poor GWPZ, whereas only around 30% of the study area is falling under good to very good GWPZ. Research authenticity is carried out by comparing well yield data with GWPZ index (GWPZI). Critical parameter overall quality percentage (OQP) (81.75%) value demonstrated very good prediction accuracy.
Analysis of bacterial diversity and community structure in gastric juice of patients with advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Wei Qiang , Zhang Qi , Wu Yinhang , Han Shuwen , Yin Lei , Zhang Jinyu , Gao Yuhai , Shen Hong , Zhuang Jing , Chu Jian , Liu Jiang , Wei Yunhai
Published: January 2023

Background

The occurrence and development of gastric cancer are related to microorganisms, which can be used as potential biomarkers of gastric cancer.

Objective

To screen the microbiological markers of gastric cancer from the microorganisms of gastric juice.

Methods

Gastric juice samples were collected from 61 healthy people and 78 patients with gastric cancer (48 cases of early gastric cancer and 30 cases of advanced gastric cancer). The bacterial 16 S rRNA V1-V4 region of gastric juice samples was sequenced. The Shannon index, Simpson index, Ace index and Chao index were used to analyze the diversity of gastric juice samples. The RDP classifier Bayesian algorithm was used to analyze the community structure of 97% OTU representative sequences with similar levels. Linear discriminant analysis and ST-test were used to analyze the differences. Six machine learning algorithms, including the logistic regression algorithm, random forest algorithm, neural network algorithm, support vector machine algorithm, Catboost algorithm and gradient lifting tree algorithm, were used to construct risk prediction models for gastric cancer and advanced gastric cancer.

Results

The microbiota diversity and the abundance of bacteria was different in the healthy group, early gastric cancer and advanced gastric cancer (P < 0.05). The top five abundant bacteria among the three groups wereStreptococcus, Rhodococcus, Prevotella, PseudomonasandHelicobacter.Bacterial flora such asStreptococcus, RhodococcusandOchrobactrumwere significantly different between the healthy group and the gastric cancer group. The accuracy of the random forest prediction model is the highest (82.73% correct). The bacteria with the highest predictive value includedStreptococcus, LactobacillusandOchrobactrum. The abundance of bacteria such asFusobacterium, Capnocytophaga, Atopobium, Corynebacteriumwas high in the advanced gastric cancer group.

Conclusion

Gastric juice bacteria can be used as potential biomarkers to predict the occurrence and development of gastric cancer.
Genetic relationships among populations of the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) introduced in Japan
Authors: Sato Takuma , Watari Yuya , Jogahara Takamichi
Published: January 2023

The small Indian mongoose, Urva auropunctata, is one of the most notorious invasive species in the world. In Japan, the mongoose was introduced to Amami, Kyushu (Kiire region), and Okinawa Islands. Currently, an eradication program for the Amami population is proving successful. To prevent reinvasion and conserve biodiversity, it would be advantageous to investigate the origin and dispersal history of introduced mongoose populations in Japan. We determined the mitochondrial genome of a mongoose from the Okinawa population and confirmed that the systematic status of the mongoose is Urva auropunctata. We also found two haplotypes of cytochrome b in the Amami population, one of which is common among the Okinawa, Amami, and Kiire populations. Based on our microsatellite analysis, the three populations were genetically different from each other. Furthermore, with a low pairwise FST value, the Kiire population was closer to the Okinawa than the Amami population. Our results suggest that the Okinawa population could be the source of the Amami and Kiire populations. These results align with historical records of mongoose in Japan and clarify its genetic status. Our results should aid the prediction of the pathway through which a new invasion will likely occur.
Recent Advances and Challenges Toward Application of Fibers and Textiles in Integrated Photovoltaic Energy Storage Devices
Authors: Rafique Amjid , Ferreira Isabel , Abbas Ghulam , Baptista Ana Catarina
Published: January 2023

Flexible microelectronic devices have seen an increasing trend toward development of miniaturized, portable, and integrated devices as wearable electronics which have the requirement for being light weight, small in dimension, and suppleness. Traditional three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) electronics gadgets fail to effectively comply with these necessities owing to their stiffness and large weights. Investigations have come up with a new family of one-dimensional (1D) flexible and fiber-based electronic devices (FBEDs) comprising power storage, energy-scavenging, implantable sensing, and flexible displays gadgets. However, development and manufacturing are still a challenge owing to their small radius, flexibility, low weight, weave ability and integration in textile electronics. This paper will provide a detailed review on the importance of substrates in electronic devices, intrinsic property requirements, fabrication classification and applications in energy harvesting, energy storage and other flexible electronic devices. Fiber- and textile-based electronic devices for bulk/scalable fabrications, encapsulation, and testing are reviewed and presented future research ideas to enhance the commercialization of these fiber-based electronics devices.
Chemistry in light-induced 3D printing
Authors: Salas Alejandra , Zanatta Marcileia , Sans Victor , Roppolo Ignazio
Published: January 2023

In the last few years, 3D printing has evolved from its original niche applications, such as rapid prototyping and hobbyists, towards many applications in industry, research and everyday life. This involved an evolution in terms of equipment, software and, most of all, in materials. Among the different available 3D printing technologies, the light activated ones need particular attention from a chemical point of view, since those are based on photocurable formulations and in situ rapid solidification via photopolymerization. In this article, the chemical aspects beyond the preparation of a formulation for light-induced 3D printing are analyzed and explained, aiming at giving more tools for the development of new photocurable materials that can be used for the fabrication of innovative 3D printable devices.

Graphical abstract
Study of Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of Cast Zn–Al–Mg Alloys
Authors: Hammam Rania E. , Abdel-Gawad Soha A. , Moussa Mohamed E. , Shoeib Madiha , El-Hadad Shimaa
Published: January 2023

Zn-based alloys have found increasing interest as orthopedic biodegradable implantable materials, hence it was the aim of this work to investigate the microstructure and corrosion behavior of Zn–0.5Al–xMg cast alloys with different Mg additions in simulated body fluid (SBF). The cast samples were prepared using a simple stir casting method and the molten alloys were poured in a cast iron mold. The SEM results showed that adding Mg greatly influenced the microstructure of the Zn-based alloys where the degree of fineness of the microstructure increased with a rise in the Mg content. Moreover, polarization measurements revealed that the Zn–0.5Al–0.6Mg alloy attained the lowest degradation rate of 0.33 mm/year as compared to the other investigated alloys which complies the requirements of ideal corrosion rates for biodegradable bone implants. This corrosion rate helps the implantable metal alloy to last in the body until healing of the bone tissue proceeds. The fine structure and uniform distribution of Aluminum oxide and MgZn2 intermetallic phases along the grain boundaries were most likely the main factors in the superior corrosion stability of the Zn–0.5Al–0.6Mg alloy in SBF. However, higher concentrations of Mg (1 wt%) lowered the corrosion resistance of the Zn–Al–Mg alloy which was attributed to the accelerated galvanic corrosion between Zn and Mg2 Zn11 phases and the inhomogeneous distribution of corrosion products on the alloy surface due to the increased grain size and the coarse structure of the Zn alloy.
The role of nanoparticles inclusion in monitoring the physical properties of PVDF
Authors: Ismail A. M. , Ramadan Rania , El-Masry Mai M.
Published: January 2023

In this work, the effects of CoxZn1-xFe2O4(x= 0, 0.5, 1) nanofillers on the PVDF polymer were scientifically studied. The structure and magnetic and optical properties were studied. XRD confirms the synthesis of nanofiller in a single phase. FTIR confirms the formation of nanoferrites. HRTEM shows that the prepared nanoferrites have a cubic-like shape. Also, the size and agglomeration increase with Co-Zn Fe2O4nanoferrites compared to the other singles one. The effect of adding nanoferrites into PVDF matrix was studied using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, VSM, and UV-Vis. XRD and FTIR approved the complexation between PVDF polymer and nanoferrites. Also, addition of nanoferrites into PVDF leads to decrease the semi-crystalline nature of PVDF. FESEM showed that embedding nanoferrites into PVDF polymers creates pores and PVDF/Co-Zn Fe2O4increases the pore size on the PVDF surface. The magnetic properties of PVDF were enhanced by adding the nanofiller. For example, saturation magnetization was increased from 269.31E−6to 62.052E−3by adding CoFe2O4to PVDF polymer. Band gap calculation showed that PVDF/Co-Zn Fe2O4has the lowest band gap energy which makes it useful in photochemical and electronic applications.
Outcomes of Three Vasovasostomy Surgical Techniques in Vasectomized Men: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature
Authors: Duijn M. , van der Zee J. A. , Bachour Y.
Published: January 2023

To investigate which surgical technique, macroscopic, microscopic or robot-assisted microscopic, shows highest postoperative patency- and pregnancy rates for vasectomy reversal (VR) by vasovasostomy (VV). This study is an updated version of the systematic review and meta-analysis entitled: “Outcomes of Macrosurgical Versus Microsurgical Vasovasostomy in Vasectomized Men: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis” published in 2021. We performed a systematic review of the English-, Dutch-, and German-language literature that described postoperative outcomes of macroscopic, microscopic, or robot-assisted microscopic VV for VR. PubMed National Library of Medicine/MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus were searched from inception to June 2021. Two reviewers independently examined the studies and associated data for eligibility. Primary outcomes were postoperative patency and pregnancy rates. Data on interval to reversal (≤ 7 years and > 7 years) and postoperative complications were also extracted. Forty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. We identified 46 retrospective studies and three randomized controlled trials (RCT). A total of 10,088 procedures were included. 6822 patients remained after loss to follow-up. The mean age at reversal of vasectomy was 38.0 years, and the mean interval to reversal was 6.5 years. The pooled mean postoperative patency rate was slightly higher after robot-assisted microsurgical VV (92.7%), compared to macrosurgical (81.9%) and pure microsurgical (90.1%) VV. Postoperative pregnancy rates were 42.7%, 69.7%, and 33.3% after macroscopic, pure microscopic and robot-assisted microscopic VV, respectively. Our results showed that microsurgical and robot-assisted microsurgical VV are associated with higher postoperative patency rates compared to the macrosurgical technique. VV with microsurgical assistance showed the highest post-operative pregnancy rates. However, more research is needed due to lack of RCTs and data on robot-assisted microsurgical VV.
Visual measurement method of crop height based on color feature in harvesting robot
Authors: Wang Shanqin , Wang Lihui , Xiao Huidi , Qin Chengshuai
Published: January 2023

Focusing on the problem of inefficiency and labor waste in contact and sensing crop altimetric methods, a method is proposed for crop height measurement using machine vision. Firstly, a crops height measurement model was established based on aperture image principle, and then segmentation lines extraction of crops and background was implemented by a series of morphological operations. Secondly, the foreground information is segmented according to the H channel in the HSV color space. To help extract the complete crop area, a global scan was performed on the image using multiple images to obtain a segmentation threshold with a certain fault tolerance, and the inter-frame sum method and large-scale filter template are also adopted for image enhancement. Considering of the uneven height lines and porous holes in the crop area, the boundary line between the crop region and the background is strengthened through morphological operations such as dilation and erosion. Finally, the Sobel operator is applied to detect the horizontal line. The parameters of the height line could be calculated, and thus achieving crop height measurement. Experiment results show that the inter-frame enhanced image is filtered using the median and morphology of the large-scale window, and the complete upper boundary line of rice and wheat is obtained through hole filling to realize height measurement. Average error of crop height is less than 1.6%, and processing time per frame within 50 ms.
Unstable Shear Slip Failure and Seismic Potential Investigation Using DEM in Underground Mining
Authors: Ma Xu , Zhang Ping
Published: January 2023

Perturbations arising from mining operations significantly affect the stability of rock masses, and the influences aggerates with the rapid increase of mining-operation depths during recent years. The subsurface structures with major discontinuities subject to seismic hazards resulted from the shear-slip behaviors of rock masses. In order to identify the shear-slip regime of discontinuities and calculate seismic moment and seismic energy involved with shear-slip behaviors, we use discrete element modeling to study the shear slip failure along discontinuities in an underground mine. The recorded characteristic and properties of sub-contacts in DEM provide a basis for computing and visualizing the temporal and spatial distribution of seismic moment and seismic energy with mining operations. We computed the seismic energy and seismic moment using the numerical modeling method and the analytic method. We compared the result of summing seismic energy and seismic moment from the subcontacts of numerical models and the result of the analytic method. We confirmed that this tool can be used in comparative analyses. We also found that seismic moment and seismic energy, associated with shear stress drop and shear displacement increase, accumulate in the vicinity of major discontinuities. Mining operations at a greater depth cause greater changes of seismic moment and seismic energy, leading to a higher risk of inducing seismic hazards. Quantifying seismic potential using discrete element modeling can greatly facilitate the investigation of instability of geological discontinuities and thereby can help estimate the potential of seismic hazards.
Experimental and numerical study of free-falling streams of particles impacting an inclined surface
Authors: Dodds David , Sarhan Abd Alhamid Rafea , Naser Jamal
Published: January 2023

This paper presents a detailed experimental and numerical analysis of free-falling particle streams impacting a 45° inclined surface of differing materials. The particles used in this study were glass spheres with average diameters of 136 and 342 µm and a density of 2500 kg/m3. The three mass flow rates considered are 50, 150, and 250 grams per minute (gpm). The effect of wall material on the collision process was also analysed. Special attention was paid to the influence of wall roughness. Therefore, a plate of stainless steel with polished surface, an aluminium sheet, and a Perspex plate with similar properties to those of the rest of the wall sections were used. The experimental data were used to improve and validate a wall collision model in the frame of the Lagrangian approach. A new drag force formula that includes the effects of particle concentration as well as particle Reynolds number was implemented into commercially available codes from CFX4-4 package. It was found that the improved CFD model better predicted the experimental measurements for the particle rebound properties. The rough-wall model in these results showed greater effect on smaller particles than on larger particles. The results also showed that the improved CFD model predicted the velocity changes slightly better than the standard model, and this was confirmed by both the quantitative velocity comparisons and the qualitative concentration plots. Finally, the inclusion of the particle-particle collision was shown to be the dominant factor in providing the dispersion of the particles post collision. Without a sufficient particle-particle collision model, the standard model showed all particles behaving virtually identical, with the main particle stream continuing after the collision process.
Facile fabrication of triboelectric nanogenerators based on paper and natural rubber as low-cost bio-derived materials
Authors: Williams K. Paige , Hann-Deschaine Noah , Chamria Div , Benze Hans T. , Adhikari Ramesh Y.
Published: January 2023

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are devices capable of effectively harvesting electrical energy from mechanical motion prevalent around us. With the goal of developing TENGs with a small environmental footprint, herein we present the potential of using rubber and paper as biological materials for constructing triboelectric nanogenerators. We explored the performance of these TENGs with various contact material combinations, electrode sizes, and operational frequencies. The optimally configured TENG achieved a maximum open circuit output voltage of over 30 V, and a short circuit current of around 3 µA. Additionally, this optimally configured TENG was capable of charging various capacitors and achieved a maximum power output density of 21 mW/m2. This work demonstrates that biologically derived materials can be used as effective, sustainable, and low-cost contact materials for the development of triboelectric nanogenerators with minimal environmental footprint.
A Deep Reinforcement Learning Real-Time Recommendation Model Based on Long and Short-Term Preference
Authors: Hou Yan-e , Gu Wenbo , Dong WeiChuan , Dang Lanxue
Published: January 2023

With the development of Internet technology, the problem of information overload has increasingly attracted attention. Nowadays, the recommendation system with excellent performance in information retrieval and filtering would be widely used in the business field. However, most existing recommendation systems are considered a static process, during which recommendations for internet users are often based on pre-trained models. A major disadvantage of these static models is that they are incapable of simulating the interaction process between users and their systems. Moreover, most of these models only consider users’ real-time interests while ignoring their long-term preferences. This paper addresses the abovementioned issues and proposes a new recommendation model, DRR-Max, based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL). In the proposed framework, this paper adopted a state generation module specially designed to obtain users’ long-term and short-term preferences from user profiles and user history score item information. Next, Actor-Critical algorithm is used to simulate the real-time recommendation process.Finally, this paper uses offline and online methods to train the model. In the online mode, the network parameters were dynamically updated to simulate the interaction between the system and users in a real recommendation environment. Experimental results on the two publicly available data sets were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed model.
RivQNet: Deep Learning Based River Discharge Estimation Using Close‐Range Water Surface Imagery
Authors: Ansari S. , Rennie C. D. , Jamieson E. C. , Seidou O. , Clark S. P.
Published: January 2023

Streamflow data is often the most critical input for hydrologic and hydraulic research, modeling, and design studies. Streamflow measurement using close range non‐contact sensing such as image velocimetry is a new technique that is yet far from maturity. Most current image‐based surface velocimetry techniques use correlation approaches that require user input to run the algorithms. This input can bias results if the operator is inexperienced. The main goal of this study is to develop a novel, accurate and fast river velocimetry scheme called RivQNet that does not require subjective user input. RivQNet processes close‐range non‐contact water surface images using artificial intelligence techniques. The algorithm is a deep‐learning optical flow estimation using a preferred available convolutional neural network architecture (i.e., FlowNet architecture). In this study the presented method is validated with common standard measurement methods and compared with conventional optical flow methodologies. The results indicate that the presented method yields accurate and dense spatial distributions of surface velocities.