bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causes of red blood cell loss during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Bilodeau Kyle S. , Saifee Nabiha H. , Chandler Wayne L.
Published: January 2023

Background

Pediatric patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) often receive repeated red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. This study aims to quantify and characterize causes of RBC loss on ECMO.

Methods

This retrospective, single‐center, observational study includes 91 ECMO patients (age 1 day–20 years). An RBC loss index (RLI), equal to ml RBCs lost per liter of patient + circuit volume per hour, was calculated from the changes in hematocrit and transfused RBCs. To measure the contribution of RBC injury/activation, RBC extracellular vesicle (REV) generation was measured by flow cytometry.

Results

Median RLI on ECMO was 1.9 ml/L/h, 13‐fold higher than normal RBC production rate (0.15 ml/L/h) and equivalent to a 4.6 drop in hematocrit/day. Median RBC loss was higher in patients who died (2.95 ml/L/h) versus survived (1.70 ml/L/h, p = .0008). RLI correlated with transfusion rate (r2 = 0.71); however, transfusion rate (ml/kg) underestimated RBC loss in patients with large changes in hematocrit and over‐estimated RBC loss in neonates where the circuit volume is greater than the patient blood volume. In non‐bleeding patients, intravascular hemolysis represented 16% of total RBC loss and diagnostic phlebotomy 24%, suggesting that ~60% of RBC loss was due to other causes. REV generation was increased sevenfold to ninefold during ECMO.

Discussion

RLI (ml/L/h) is a more reliable quantitative indicator of RBC loss than transfusion rate (ml/kg) for pediatric patients on ECMO. Phlebotomy and intravascular hemolysis only account for 40% of RBC loss in non‐bleeding ECMO patients. High REV generation suggests sublethal damage and extravascular clearance may be a cause of RBC loss on ECMO.
EMI (English‐medium instruction) in Cambodian higher education
Authors: Lin Benedict , Bolton Kingsley , Bacon‐Shone John , Khan Bophan
Published: January 2023

This article is based on empirical research carried out at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), Cambodia, between 2018 and 2019. The research involved both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the case of the former, the researchers conducted a large‐scale survey of students involving 956 respondents, of whom 79 were postgraduate students, while the overwhelming majority were studying at the undergraduate level. The qualitative data collected in this project comprised detailed interviews with undergraduates studying at RUPP. The results of both types of data collection indicated that, although many students faced difficulties in studying through the medium of English, there was widespread support across the student body for the use of English in Cambodian higher education.
Control of Autonomous Vehicles Via Multistage Linear Feedback Design
Authors: Radisavljevic-Gajic Verica
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we show how autonomous vehicles performing a certain task can be controlled from one command center in order to achieve certain goals. The command center provides individual feedback gains to each vehicle in the form of one compounded feedback gain that in fact carries feedback gain information for each individual vehicle. Vehicles may be of different nature: satellites, cars, tanks, drowns, robots, unmanned aircraft, underwater vehicles, and ships. It is assumed that their dynamic is weakly coupled, namely, dynamics of each individual vehicle is weakly coupled to dynamics of all other vehicles and that they have the same control input. The weak coupling among the vehicles is represented either by physical interactions among vehicles or coordinating or communication signals. The results obtained are applicable to vehicles having different mathematical linear/linearized state space models. In the case when no interaction/coordination/communication among vehicles is present, and all feedback signals come from the command center (central controller) controller, the vehicle mathematical models can be identical. An important feature of the presented results is that different local feedback controllers can be facilitated for different vehicles using a unique global feedback controller signal designed by the command center. In this paper, we will consider cases of two and three vehicles, but the presented multistage feedback design methodology can be potentially extended to N vehicles. The presentation is done in continuous time. Similar derivations hold in the discrete-time domain.
Co-Optimization of Design and Control of Energy Efficient Hybrid Electric Vehicles Using Coordination Schemes
Authors: Fahim Muhammad Qaisar , Villani Manfredi , Anwar Hamza , Ahmed Qadeer , Ramakrishnan Kesavan
Published: January 2023

Design and control co-optimization studies for hybrid vehicles have been proposed in the past. However, such works suffer from difficulties arising due to (a) diverse real- and integer-valued variables, (b) complex nonlinear powertrain dynamics and design interconnections, (c) conflicting objective functions with path constraints, and (d) high computational resources requirements. To meet these challenges, this study presents an efficient co-optimization framework for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) which is built using existing algorithms and coordination schemes. Particular emphasis is given to the simultaneous scheme and the decomposition-based scheme. The decomposition-based scheme with the problem decomposition proposed in this work can efficiently handle multitime scale state variables and both integer- and real-valued design and control optimization variables. This is demonstrated by solving the mixed-integer optimal design and control problem of a series hybrid vehicle over a 1-h long drive cycle with time discretization of 1 s. The problem complexity is elevated by using an increasing number of state variables (including battery state of charge, battery energy, and after-treatment system temperature), control variables (such as the engine power and engine on/off), and design parameters (such as the number of battery cells and the type and size of the engine). In addition, a multi-objective cost function is used to find a tradeoff solution between fuel consumption and emissions minimization. The results show that in terms of optimality of the solution, the decomposition-based scheme is comparable with the simultaneous but can give a 14% improvement in computational performance. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated by comparing the co-optimization results against a baseline case in which only the optimal control problem is solved. The co-optimized solution yields up to 3.7% average genset efficiency improvement and a fuel consumption reduction to 1.6 kg from 2.5 kg, which is further reduced to 1.5 kg by adding the engine on-off control. Finally, a decision matrix is developed to provide guidance on the selection of the optimization algorithm and coordination scheme for any problem at hand.
Pressure Loss Coefficients of Ductwork Fitting Combinations With and Without Vanes (Baffles)
Authors: Tawackolian Karsten , Kriegel Martin
Published: January 2023

Ductwork components in ventilation systems are often installed in close proximity to each other due to space constraints. Published pressure loss coefficients are, however, only valid if there are sufficient distances between components. In this work, pressure losses of common combinations of two, three, and four bends and the addition of internal vanes were investigated with computational fluid dynamic simulations and validated with reference data. Pressure losses of combinations of bends without vanes were higher or lower than the sum of the single pressure losses of the components (combination effect), depending on the components and orientation. For bends with abrupt deflections, strong combination effects occurred; in some cases, pressure losses doubled. The spacing between the components was also a relevant factor. Combination effects were most pronounced for spacing lengths of the same order as the length of the flow separation region of the upstream bends. Consequently, certain spacer lengths were particularly unfavorable. Combination effects were found to be complex to predict and fluid simulations proved to be useful for analyzing the interactions. Adding vanes was found to be very useful. For bends and combinations with sharp deflections, the pressure loss coefficients were reduced by a factor of ten with vanes. Vanes also effectively reduced detrimental combination effects. The combination pressure losses with vanes were in all cases lower than the sum of the single components pressure losses. Pressure loss coefficients for combinations with vanes had a strong dependency on the Reynolds number. Furthermore, the downstream flow distributions were more homogeneous with vanes.
Inter-Stage Pressure Drop of Multi-Stage Brush Seal With Differentiated Structure
Authors: Zhao Huan , Li Yelong , Sun Dan , Li Yu , Wen Shuaifang , Sun Jisheng
Published: January 2023

Uneven pressure drops among stages of multistage brush seal (MBS) leads to early failure of single-stage seal units, which directly affects service life of the seal used in aeroengines, gas turbines, and steam turbines. In this paper, influence factors of interstage pressure drop were studied to analyze formation mechanism of the uneven pressure drops. Moreover, an MBS with differentiated structure was presented, and its interstage pressure drops were further investigated. The results showed that the MBS with several same single-stage seal units had uneven pressure drops among stages under high inlet/outlet pressure ratios. In view of remarkably increasing velocity and decreasing pressure in downstream region of bristle pack near rotor surface during flow of airflow, adjustments of structural parameters (i.e., increasing height of backing plate to rotor surface Hb, increasing seal clearance Hg, and decreasing axial width of bristle pack B) could improve the uneven pressure drops among different stages due to increasing outlet air flow area of the stage. The closer pressure drop proportions of different stages to ideal average value indicated increase of Hb had a more effective effect to balance the pressure drops among different stages compared to increase of Hg and decrease of B. An MBS with differentiated structure, in which both Hb and Hg of all the single-stage seal units were increased progressively and B was decreased step by step, showed a good performance to obtain even interstage pressure drops.
Characterization of Properties of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Three-Dimensional-Printed Inconel 718 for Centrifugal Turbomachinery Applications
Authors: Lea Hannah G. , Wooding Rochelle S. , Kuhr Sam , Rotella John , Córdova José Luis
Published: January 2023

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive effort to characterize the properties of Inconel 718 produced by a form of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM) or three-dimensional (3D)-printing, subsequently subjected to hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and heat treatment according to standards F3055-14a and AMS 5663, respectively. Material property data, while broadly available for traditional Inconel 718 presentations (e.g., forgings or castings) is currently lacking for the 3D-printed material. It is expected that while limited in size, the experimental data sets presented provide sufficient information to glean the capability of LPBF Inconel 718. These include: (1) chemical composition, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS) characterization of 3D-printed material structure; (2) tensile properties—0.2% yield stress, ultimate stress, modulus of elasticity, and elongation to failure—based on 108 samples, as functions of temperature and sample print orientation; (3) creep rupture data including the Larson-Miller parameter, based on 21 samples; and (4) high cycle fatigue data based on 21 samples as a function of temperature. Results are compared to available standards and/or data for forged, cast, and other AM Inconel 718. A key observation of this study, based on the EBSD results, is that while the material appears to approach full recrystallization following heat treatment, there is a detectable fraction of the material that does not fully recrystallize, resulting in a material with mechanical properties (e.g., yield stress and creep rupture) measurably lower than those of forgings, but higher than those of castings.
The Effects of Vibration Exposure on Lower-Limb Extensor Muscles’ Stiffness, Elasticity, and Strength Responses in Untrained Young Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Başol Filiz , Kara İlke , Saldıran Tülay Çevik
Published: January 2023

Objectives: The whole-body vibration (WBV) effects on muscle strength show inconsistent results. Moreover, there is no study about the WBV effect on stiffness, elasticity, and muscle strength. Therefore, the study aimed to examine the effect of WBV exposure with static squat posture on the stiffness, elasticity, and strength of the lower-limb extensor muscles. Material and Methods: Forty healthy untrained young adults were divided into WBV and control groups. The experimental group received WBV exposure on 2 nonconsecutive days of the week, for 6 weeks. The MyotonPRO device was used for the assessment of the knee extensor and the ankle dorsiflexors’ stiffness and elasticity. Isometric muscle strength was evaluated with a hand-held dynamometer. All measurements were done by the same assessor at baseline, and the following 6 weeks. Results: Significant group-by-time interactions were found for the elasticity scores of the right (d = 0.84, P = .01) and left (d = 0.77, P = .02) ankle dorsiflexors. Similar to the elasticity measurements, significant group-by-time interactions were observed in the muscle strength scores of the right (d = 0.45, P = .046) and left (d = 1.25, P < .001) ankle dorsiflexors. No significant effects were observed in any of the evaluated muscle stiffness measurements (P > .05), and there was no significant group-by-time interaction in knee-extensor muscle strength and elasticity scores (P > .05). Conclusions: The study results indicate that if the ankle dorsiflexor strength and elasticity are desired to be increased, the 6-week WBV exposure in a static squat posture can be used in healthy individuals.
Monitoring and assessment of a cross-passage twin tunnel long-term performance using wireless sensor network
Authors: Wang Chao , Friedman Miles , Li Zili
Published: January 2023

The monitoring and assessment of ageing underground tunnels is critical to ensure their serviceability, stability, and safety as arteries for a transport network in the long term. This paper first comprehensively reviewed the long-term tunnel performance monitoring case studies, aimed at highlighting the limited field monitoring data and identifying research gaps. It was found that previous studies largely focused on the performance of single tunnel sections subject to short-term disturbances (e.g., adjacent excavation), whereas limited efforts concentrated on the long-term performance of twin tunnels, let alone those with cross passages, under the influence of deteriorations. To this end, a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) was deployed at a critical vehicle cross passage (VCP) twin tunnel section of Dublin Port Tunnel to monitor its long-term ageing performance with time, in addition to the existing long-term water leakage and lining crack monitoring. The evolvement of lining crack and water leakage since 2010 indicated the progressive deteriorations of the monitoring section, and the deployed WSN monitoring of lining inclination demonstrated a robust sensor deployment layout and monitoring plan for (quasi) real-time monitoring for a confined underground cross passage twin tunnel network. An analytical solution was proposed to convert tunnel inclination to horizontal deformation, with the converted measurements suggesting that even more than one decade after construction, both twin tunnels are still moving horizontally towards the VCP centreline in the long term, primarily due to twin tunnel interaction. Along tunnel longitudinal direction, the closer to the VCP, the greater tunnel deformation rate is, revealing the effect of cross passage on tunnel differential longitudinal behaviour, in agreement with hypotheses and numerical results in previous studies. The field observations were believed to be attributed to the two mechanisms which are hydro-geological degradation of the surrounding ground and hydro-mechanical deterioration of the tunnel, where the correlation between tunnel deformation and deteriorations was detailed.
Warm inflation in hybrid metric-Palatini gravity under standard and irreversible thermodynamical approach
Authors: Shahid Iqra , Saleem Rabia , Kausar Hafiza Rizwana
Published: January 2023

The idea of hybrid metric-Palatini $$f({\mathcal {X}})$$

f
(
X
)

gravity (HMPG) is a blend of Einstein Hilbert (EH) action having non-linear function f(R) and linear scalar curvature R by Palatini gravity. The goal of this paper is to investigate the warm inflationary model (WIM) via standard and irreversible thermodynamical approach in $$f({\mathcal {X}})$$

f
(
X
)

gravity. We start our work by obtaining the field equations (FEs) for HMPG and then investigate the cosmic inflation in $$f({\mathcal {X}})$$

f
(
X
)

theory of gravity by looking at cosmic parameters such as slow-roll parameters, spectral index $$(n_s)$$

(

n
s

)

, running of spectral index $$(\alpha _s)$$

(

α
s

)

and tensor-to-scalar ratio (r). Next, the early universe is considered as an open system. The thermodynamics and dynamical equations in $$f({\mathcal {X}})$$

f
(
X
)

gravity are applied to interacting cosmic fluid, which leads us to adapt the basic formalism of WIM. This analysis is done using Higgs Potential (HP). Numerical results of the thermodynamical equations such as scale factor (a(t)), scalar-field energy density $$(\rho _\varphi )$$

(

ρ
φ

)

and radiation energy density $$(\rho _\gamma )$$

(

ρ
γ

)

, number of scalar-field particles $$(n_\varphi )$$

(

n
φ

)

and temperature $$({\mathcal {T}})$$

(
T
)

are derived and presented graphically using slow-roll approach and defining several dimensionless variables. From obtained results, we calculate cosmic parameters. In the end, we constraint the model parameters, and compare our calculated results to the Planck-2018 data.
Graph Algorithm Based Submodular Function for Sparsest Cut Problem
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Chang Hong , Guo Longkun , Du Donglei , Zou Gaokai , Xiong Yuanyuan
Published: January 2023

Sparsest cut problems are very important graph partitions, which have been widely applied in expander graphs, Markov chains, and image segmentation. In this paper, we study the edge-weighted version of the Sparse Cut Problem, which minimizes the ratio of the total weight of edges between blocks and the total weight of edges incident to vertices in one block. We first prove that the problem is even NP-hard for an edge-weighted graph with bridges. Then, we combine and generalize submodular functions and principal partition to design a graph algorithm to improve the initial bipartition, which runs in polynomial time by using network flow as its subroutines.
Nb2C MXenes with surface chalcogenation and halogenation as high capacity electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Xiao Mei-Xia , Yan Tong-Xin , Lu Xiao , Wang Bo , Song Hai-Yang , Li Zhao , Lv Ying , Xiao Bei-Bei
Published: January 2023

MXenes show extremely competitive potential applications in electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their excellent specific surface area, high electrical conductivity, and compositional tunability. However, limited interlayer spacing and undesired surface functional group on MXene surface impede the Li-ions accessibility and mobility. Herein, the structural, electronic, mechanical and electrochemical properties of the representative Nb2C MXene with surface chalcogenation and halogenation resulting in the formation of Nb2CT2 ([Formula: see text], S, Se, Cl and Br) materials as anodes for LIBs were investigated using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. The results reveal that Nb2CT2 can exhibit metallic conductivity with improved mechanical strength, which renders the enhanced rate performance and endures the repeated lattice expansion and contraction during charge/discharge process, respectively. In particular, Nb2CS2 and Nb2CCl2 render the enhanced Li-ion storage and mobility with a theoretical Li storage capacity of 613.76 mA[Formula: see text]h/g and 597.79 mA[Formula: see text]h/g and diffusion energy barrier of 0.275 eV and 0.294 eV, respectively. Moreover, chalcogenation and halogenation yield the expanded interlayer spacing, which improve the Li-ions accessibility in Nb2CT2. The results demonstrate that sulfurized and chlorinated Nb2C MXenes are the promising anode materials with high capacity, low diffusion barrier and lower open circuit voltage for next-generation LIBs.
Effects of different amounts of N heteroatoms on the structural and electronic properties of graphene and the adsorption behavior of Li atoms
Authors: Wen Yan-Ni , Zhang Quan , Yang Hui-Hui , Xie You
Published: January 2023

This paper investigates the effects of different amounts of N heteroatoms on the structural and electronic properties of pristine graphene and the adsorption behavior of Li atoms on N-doped graphene via first-principles calculations. The obtained results suggest that new N hexagonal structures are formed around the C hexagonal structure. The third-nearest neighbor structures are always maintained between the new N atoms and one of the original ones. Among the different N-doped graphene samples, the di- and tetra-N-doped and superlattice C3N exhibit semiconductor properties, while the others exhibit non-magnetic metallic properties. Studies on superlattice C3N reveal that N-doped graphene does not exhibit the aggregation of Li adatoms typical of pristine graphene. Single Li and two Li adatoms show non-magnetic metallic properties and semiconductor properties, respectively. The formation of multiple N-doped graphene samples explains the physical formation process of superlattice C3N. Their corresponding electronic properties and Li adsorption behavior are expected to motivate graphene applications in gas storage and sensing, catalysts, and biological devices.
Enhanced thermoelectric performance of p-type PbTe thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering via incorporating SnS
Authors: Zhang Manhong , Liang Shaojun , Zhu Hanming , Yue Song
Published: January 2023

Incorporating second phase or solid solution into the thermoelectric (TE) material matrix has been proven effective to promote its performance. Recent investigations manifest that the synergistical optimization of the electrical and phonon transport properties could be achieved in the PbTe–SnSe system. Being an analogue of SnSe and more environmental, here, SnS was introduced into p-type PbTe film through intermittent magnetron co-sputtering technique. Small amount SnS was observed to induce the shift of predominant orientation from the (200) plane to the (222) plane as well as distinct change in the surface morphology. After the quite possible SnS solid solution and appropriate subsequent annealing, the electrical conductivity and the power factor (PF) have been optimized prominently. In comparison with that of the pristine PbTe film, the maximum PF has been increased by 217% in the annealed film with the intermediate SnS content.
Influence of Process Parameters and Convective Heat Transfer on Thermophysical Properties of SiO2 Nanofluids by Multiobjective Function Analysis (DFA)
Authors: Suprabha R. , Mahesha C. R. , Nanjundappa C. E.
Published: January 2023

From the requirements, high-performance cooling systems in the applications of solar, heat exchangers, and chemical industries are needed to improve efficiency. The metal-oxides-based nanofluids composed the better thermal properties with exchange of heat-transfer mechanisms. Therefore, this study mainly focused on nanosilicon dioxide materials to produce the nanofluids with blending of water-base medium by two-step techniques. The scanning electron microscope was used to analyze the presence of silicon dioxide nanoparticles from the procured material. During the two-step method input aspects like weight fraction of silicon dioxide (1.5–4.5 wt%), particle sizes (10–30 µm), pH range of water (5–9), and sonication process time (2–4 hr) were considered. The outcomes like thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and viscosity were selected as thermal physical properties. The desirability techniques were implemented to identify the best optimal input parameters from the nanofluid processing. From the desirability outcomes, the processed nanosilicon dioxide fluids with respective input parameters were 0.9623 W/mK for thermal conductivity, 688 J/kg K forspecific heat capacity, and 0.00162 for viscosity, respectively. The heat-transfer coefficient was successfully identified with processed nanosilicon dioxide fluids, and the Nusselt number and Reynolds number were attained with respective heat-transfer coefficients.
Suitability Assessment of Surface Water Quality for Irrigation: A Case Study of Modjo River, Ethiopia
Authors: Tekile Andinet Kebede
Published: January 2023

Water quality change due to industrial pollution is one of the major environmental concerns in developing countries. The majority of industries in Ethiopia release their wastewaters into the nearby water bodies with limited or without any forms of treatment. The main objective of this study was to assess the suitability of Modjo River for irrigation use based on the assessment of salinity, reduced water infiltration rate, specific ion toxicity, and miscellaneous chemicals as water quality-related problems in irrigated agriculture. Water samples were collected from six sampling stations along the river, and the relevant physicochemical parameters were determined in the laboratory by the standard procedures. Besides, the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and irrigation water quality index (IWQI) were determined to evaluate the suitability of the river water for irrigation. Cluster and principal component analyses of the data set were carried out. The results of this study showed that the river water in the vicinity of industries was saline and thus affects sensitive crops. The SAR value varied from 57.6 to 122.3. The concentration of chromium in the lower reaches of the river was also above the standard value of 0.1 mg/L. Among the miscellaneous chemicals, concentration of potassium, carbonate, and bicarbonate at all the sampling stations were above the standard values set by FAO for irrigation use. Based on the computed IWQI of 30.6, Modjo River is in the medium class of suitability for irrigation. Effluents from industrial establishments, namely, tannery, abattoir houses, and poultry farms and domestic waste dumping, were identified as the main sources of water pollution in the study area. Based on the findings of the study, Modjo River water is not suitable for irrigation use without some forms of physical and chemical treatment.
Analysis of Risk Factors of Coal Chemical Enterprises Based on Text Mining
Authors: Li Zheng , Yao Min , Luo Zhenmin , Wang Xinping , Huang Qianrui , Su Chang
Published: January 2023

Coal chemical enterprises have many risk factors, and the causes of accidents are complex. The traditional risk assessment methods rely on expert experience and previous literature to determine the causes of accidents, which has the problems such as lack of objectivity and low interpretation ability. Analyzing the accident report helps to identify typical accident risk factors and determines the accident evolution rule. However, experts usually judge this work manually, which is subjective and time-consuming. This paper developed an improved approach to identify safety risk factors from a volume of coal chemical accident reports using text mining (TM) technology. Firstly, the accident report was preprocessed, and the Term Frequency Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) was used for feature extraction. Then, the K-means algorithm and apriori algorithm were developed to cluster and for the association rule analysis of the vectorized documents in the TF-IDF matrix, respectively to quickly identify the hidden risk factors and the relationship between risk factors in the accident report and to propose targeted safety management measures. Using the sample data of 505 accidents in a large coal chemical enterprise in Western China in the past seven years, the enterprise accident reports were analyzed by text clustering analysis and association rule analysis methods. Through the analysis, six accident clusters and 13 association rules were obtained, and the main risk factors of each accident cluster were further mined, and the corresponding management suggestions were put forward for the enterprise. This method provides a new idea for coal chemical enterprises to make safety management decisions and helps to prevent safety accidents.
Contribution Evaluation of Physical Hole Structure, Hydrogen Bond, and Electrostatic Attraction on Dye Adsorption through Individual Experiments
Authors: Wang Wengang , Wang Lei , Zhang Ming , Yu Bo , Li Xiaoning , Yan Han
Published: January 2023

Disagreements over various unanswered questions about contribution of the adsorption process and functional groups on dye adsorption still exist. The main aim of this research was to evaluate the contributions of physical hole structure, hydrogen bond, and electrostatic attraction on dye adsorption. Three ideal representatives, namely, a sponge with porous structure, P(AM) containing -CONH2 groups, and P(AANa/AM) containing -COONa groups, were chosen to evaluate the above contributions. The methylene blue (MB) removal rates of these three products were compared through individual experiments. The results revealed that physical hole structure did not play a role in decreasing dye concentration. Hydrogen bond existed in dye adsorption but did not remarkably reduce dye concentration. The excellent removal results of P(AANa/AM) demonstrated that electrostatic attraction was critical in enriching dye contaminants from the solution into solid adsorbent. The results could provide insights into the dye adsorption mechanisms for further research.
Socioecological Challenges of Polio Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ahmad Hanis , Sanef Siti Aishah , Shahabudin Winda Zulaiha , Mohtar Norfaqihah , Hassan Mohd Rohaizat , Jeffree Mohammad Saffree , Lukman Khamisah Awang , Ghazi Hasanain Faisal , Syed Abdul Rahim Syed Sharizman
Published: January 2023

Background. Polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) are one of the polio eradication pillars in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) that increased the immunization coverage and made progress towards polio eradication. However, socioecological challenges faced during SIAs contribute to suboptimal campaign quality. The aim of this review is to identify the reported challenges during polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) and associated improvement strategies based on the socioecological model (SEM). Methods. Articles were searched from three databases which were WOS, Scopus, and PubMed. The systemic review identified the primary articles related to SIA that focused on the impact of immunization coverage, challenges, and improvement strategies. The inclusion criteria were open access English articles that were published between 2012 and 2021 and conducted in the Asia region. Results. There are nine articles described and explained regarding some form of supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in their findings across Asia region. The majority of studies selected reported on post vaccination coverage and revealed a multifaceted challenge faced during SIAs which are widely diverse range from the microlevel of interpersonal aspects up to the macrolevel of government policy. Upon further analysis, the intervention at community level was the most dominant strategies reported during the SIA program. Conclusions. An effective SIAs program provides the opportunity to increase the national capacity of the polio immunization program, reducing inequities in service delivery and offering additional public health benefits in controlling polio outbreaks in both endemic and nonendemic countries. Strengthening routine immunization (RI) programmes is also important for the sustainability of SIA’s programs. Despite the challenges and hurdles, many Asian countries exhibited great political willingness to boost polio immunization coverage through SIA efforts.
On-Site Solid Waste Handling Practice and Associated Factors among Condominium Residents in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Shiferaw Alemtshay , Tsega Nuhamin Tesfa , Alemu Amare , Endalew Mastewal , Bitew Bikes Destaw
Published: January 2023

Background. Solid waste is one type of waste that is released from human day-to-day activities and it is considered useless or unwanted for further use. Population growth, rapid urbanization, a booming economy, and an increase in the standards of living of the community have substantially enhanced the rate of solid waste generation in developing countries. Solid wastes can be used as a resource for industrial production or energy generation. However, it causes environmental and human health problems due to poor management. There is scanty information about on-site solid waste management practice in the study area. Therefore, assessing on-site solid management practices and their associated factors, especially for condominium residents is very important. Objective. To assess on-site solid waste handling practice and its associated factors among condominium residents in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia, 2021. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to June 15/2021 among condominium residents in Gondar city. The study included a total of 450 condominium households, with a 99.3% response rate. A binary logistic regression model was used to assess the association between dependent and independent variables. Those variables which have a

p

value <0.25 in the bivariate analysis were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model. A

p

value of less than 0.05 with 95% CI was considered a statistically significant factor. Result. In this study, 79.8% with 95% CI (76.4%, 83.3%) of condominium residents had poor on-site solid waste handling practices. The finding also showed that 42.2% and 50.2% of study participants have favorable attitudes and good knowledge towards on-site solid waste handling practices, respectively. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, male household heads (AOR = 1.90; 95% CI, 1.11–3.28), large family size (AOR = 1.87; 95% CI, 1.03–3.40), negative attitude towards on-site solid waste handling practices (AOR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.07–3.00), not receiving training (AOR = 3.40; 95% CI, 1.77–6.55), and not having legal enforcement (AOR = 2.85; 95% CI, 1.39–5.84) were significantly associated with on-site solid waste handling practices. Conclusion. The on-site solid waste handling practice of condominium households was very poor. The provision of training and enforcement of rules regarding solid waste handling is necessary.
Effect of Social Beliefs on Consumption of Dairy Products and Its Predicting Factors Based on the Transtheoretical Model: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Vakili Veda , Vakili Kourosh , Zamiri Bidari Mohammad , Azarshab Adele , Vakilzadeh Mohammad Moein , Kazempour Kiyoumars
Published: January 2023

Background. Social beliefs on the consumption of dairy products are associated with health conditions, and the aim of this study is to investigate associated factors with the rate of dairy product intake, in accordance with social health-related beliefs and the elements predicting dairy consumption, based on the transtheoretical Model (TTM). Methods. 981 subjects (chosen from Mashhad citizens, Iran) were surveyed in random public places in 2014, using demographic surveys and questionnaires based on TTM and advantage/disadvantage by trained interviewers. Results. 981 Subjects with a mean age of 30.39 ± 14.83 were surveyed in dairy nonconsumer and dairy consumer groups. There was a significant relationship between dairy consumption and gender (

P
<
0.001

). Factors such as age, educational level, job status, and opium addiction were found to be significantly associated with dairy consumption status. Young and female subjects consume more dairy products than their older and male counterparts, respectively. People with a diploma degree and lower levels of education consumed substantially more dairy products than their educated equals. Unemployed participants consumed considerably more dairy products than their fellow employed participants. Opium-addicted subjects were more likely to avoid dairy products. Conclusions. Despite the general belief of dairy consumption being beneficial, subjects in the precontemplation stage as nonconsumers described dairy products as of poor taste having low diversity in markets. Also, among the reasons, dairies’ short shelf-life and behaviours under the influence of society and family were the mains. The termination stage’s subjects as consumers consumed dairy products mostly for losing weight.
Application of Nanocellulose Biofilter from Pineapple Peel Waste for Water Microbes Removal
Authors: Rini  , Suryanto Heru , Hari Purnama Dini , Syukri Daimon , Jaswandi  , Kurniawan Fredy , Makky Muhammad
Published: January 2023

This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of nanocellulose biofilter (NCB) made from pineapple peel waste to reduce the number of microbes in water. Further processing of cellulose from nata de pina into nano size was proposed, then transformed into a filter membrane. Three types of NCB were developed: bacterial cellulose acetate membrane, bacterial cellulose acetate membrane with TiO2 treatment, and bacterial cellulose acetate membrane with TiO2 and graphite nanoplatelet treatment. These NCBs were used to filter microbes in several water sources in Padang City, West Sumatra Province. The filtering process was carried out using a filter holder where the NCB had been installed. The number of microbes contained in the water, including E. Coli, was determined before and after filtering. As a result, all NCBs reduced the total microbes in water by about 50%. Furthermore, when applied to water pollutant bacteria, E. Coli, all prepared NCBs reduced them by more than 90%. The effectiveness of all NCBs to remove microbes’ contamination, especially bacteria, looks very promising with or without TiO2 and graphene reinforcement. Although the efficacy of all NBC for microbial water purification was relatively similar, further experiments to clarify the superior of TiO2 and graphite nanoplatelet on NCB need to be carried out, especially in reducing chemical contamination.
Finite Element-Based Performance Analysis of Encased Composite Columns under Monotonic Axial Compression Load
Authors: Zerfu Kefiyalew , Yadeta Regasa
Published: January 2023

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the performance of fully encased composite columns under monotonic axial load using finite element simulation. The damage characteristics and the performance investigation of the specimen were mainly focused on the influence of the compressive strength of concrete and the size of reinforcement. The concrete material was modeled using concrete damage plasticity (CDP), which incorporates the hardening and softening behaviors, and the steel was modeled using metal plasticity. The results obtained from the current study were validated by using previously conducted experimental work and manual calculation based on Eurocode 4. According to the FEA result, damage to the concrete matrix was significantly minimized with the increase in the strength of the concrete. By keeping other parameters constant, an increase in longitudinal reinforcement diameter minimizes the equivalent plastic strain both in structural steel and reinforcement bars. Furthermore, the results showed that the numerical simulation fairly validated the analytical solution.
Toward Detecting Malware Based on Process-Aware Behaviors
Authors: Du Chunlai , Tong Ying , Chen Xiaohui , Liu Yongji , Ding Zhenquan , Xu Huixuan , Ran Qingyun , Zhang Yi , Meng Lingxiang , Cui Lei , Hao Zhiyu
Published: January 2023

Malware continuously evolve and become more and more sophisticated. Learning on execution behavior is proven to be effective for malware detection. However, little work has been done to delve into the implications of full process information for malware detection. In this paper, we present a deep neural network based malware detection approach that performs learning on process-aware behaviors for Windows programs. It first employs logistic regression-based weighting method and machine learning-based API score learning method to aware the inner-process behavior, including API sequences and their run-time arguments. Next, it constructs the process graph by inter-process interactions from which a set of attributes are extracted, for characterizing the relationship among various processes in term of invoke actions. Finally, it feeds the process-aware features into the deep neural network for training a binary classifier to detect malware. In addition to designing, we have implemented and evaluated our proposed method on two datasets. The results demonstrate that our method outperforms naïve models when taking raw APIs as input, verifying the effectiveness of our method. Moreover, we have evaluated the robustness to adversarial attacks and concept drift on our model, and the results demonstrates the robustness of our method.
Genetic Variants of SIRT1 Gene Promoter in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Pang Shuchao , Zhang Zhengjun , Zhou Yu , Zhang Jie , Yan Bo
Published: January 2023

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a highly heterogeneous and polygenic disease. To date, genetic causes and underlying mechanisms for T2D remain unclear. SIRT1, one member of highly conserved NAD-dependent class III deacetylases, has been implicated in many human diseases. Accumulating evidence indicates that SIRT1 is involved in insulin resistance and impaired pancreatic β-cell function, the two hallmarks of T2D. Thus, we speculated that altered SIRT1 levels, resulting from the genetic variants within its regulatory region of SIRT1 gene, may contribute to the T2D development. In this study, the SIRT1 gene promoter was genetically analyzed in T2D patients (n = 218) and healthy controls (n = 358). A total of 20 genetic variants, including 7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), were identified. Five heterozygous genetic variants (g.4114-15InsA, g.4801G > A, g.4816G > C, g.4934G > T, and g.4963_64Ins17bp) and one SNP (g.4198A > C (rs35706870)) were identified in T2D patients, but in none of the controls. The frequencies of two SNPs (g.4540A > G (rs3740051) (OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.24–2.47,

P
<
0.001

in dominant genetic model) and g.4821G > T (rs35995735)) (OR: 3.58, 95% CI: 1.94–6.60,

P
<
0.001

in dominant genetic model) were significantly higher in T2D patients. Further association and haplotype analyses confirmed that these two SNPs were strongly linked, contributing to the T2D (OR: 1.442, 95% CI: 1.080–1.927,

P
<
0.05

). Moreover, most of the genetic variants identified in T2D were disease-specific. Taken together, the genetic variants within SIRT1 gene promoter might contribute to the T2D development by altering SIRT1 levels. Underlying molecular mechanism needs to be further explored.
Association between Intrapancreatic Fat Deposition and Lower High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Individuals with Newly Diagnosed T2DM
Authors: Wang Jianliang , Cai Qingyun , Wu Xiaojuan , Wang Jiaxuan , Chang Xiaona , Ding Xiaoyu , Liu Jia , Wang Guang
Published: January 2023

Background. Intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) usually occurs in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but its physiopathological influence remains controversial. The present study aimed to investigate IPFD and its associations with various aspects of glucose and lipid metabolism in individuals with newly diagnosed T2DM. Methods. A total of 100 individuals were included, consisting of 80 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Then, we assessed IPFD using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and various parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism. Results. Individuals with newly diagnosed T2DM had a significantly higher IPFD (median: 12.34%; IQR, 9.19–16.60%) compared with healthy controls (median: 6.35%; IQR, 5.12–8.96%)

p
<
0.001

. In individuals with newly diagnosed T2DM, IPFD was significantly associated with FINS and HOMA-IR in unadjusted model (β = 0.239,

p
=
0.022

; β = 0.578,

p
=
0.007

, respectively) and adjusted model for age and sex (β = 0.241,

p
=
0.022

; β = 0.535,

p
=
0.014

, respectively), but these associations vanished after adjustment for age, sex, and BMI. The OR of lower HDL-C for the prevalence of high IPFD was 4.22 (95% CI, 1.41 to 12.69;

p
=
0.010

) after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, and HbA1c. Conclusions. Lower HDL-C was an independent predictor for a high degree of IPFD.
The Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Value of Chinese Firms: Exploring from Degree of Internationalization
Authors: Wu Renhong , Hossain Md. Alamgir , Teng Zhuoqi , Shen Xiangdong
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm value in the Chinese market and identify factors that may influence it. We discuss the relationship between CSR engagement in Chinese firms and firm value from a nonlinear perspective. In addition, we examine how the degree of internationalization in a firm may affect the relationship between CSR and firm value. We employ the Hausman test to compare a random-effects and a fixed-effects model, and after testing and comparison, the fixed-effects model was chosen in our paper. Using data from 314 firms listed in China’s A-shares market from 2010 to 2017, we verify the U-shaped relationship between CSR and firm value. Meanwhile, the degree of internationalization will affect firm value but cannot positively regulate the relationship between corporate social responsibility and firm value.