bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Progress in the Application of Flame-Retardant Modified Epoxy Resins and Fire-Retardant Coatings
Authors: Sun Shuang , Yu Qiangliang , Yu Bo , Zhou Feng
Published: September 2023

Due to the enhancement of people’s environmental awareness, flame-retardant epoxy resin (EP) tends to be non-toxic, efficient, and multi-functional, and its development is systematic. At present, many new flame retardants or intrinsic modification methods reported in studies can effectively improve the flame retardability and thermal stability of EP. However, many aspects still need to be further improved. In this review, the flame-retardant mechanism and method of flame-retardant epoxy resins are briefly analyzed. The research progress of the flame-retardant modification of epoxy resin by physical addition and chemical reaction is summarized and discussed. Furthermore, the research trend of flame-retardant epoxy resin in the field of fire-protective coatings is discussed, and future problems in this field are put forward. This work may provide some new insights for the design of multi-functional integrated epoxy resin fireproof coatings.
Effect of Metakaolin on the Water Resistance of Magnesium Phosphate Cement Mortar
Authors: Wu Bin , Jiao Yuxin , Cao Ruidong , Zhai Jianming , Zhang Qiang
Published: September 2023

In order to study the effect of metakaolin on the water resistance of magnesium phosphate cement mortar, we took four factors as research objects: the setting time, fluidity, compressive strength, and water resistance of magnesium phosphate cement mortar. These were studied after adding equal gradations of metakaolin, and we then carried out SEM microcosmic experiments on the best group. The results showed that with the increase in metakaolin content, the setting time of magnesium phosphate cement decreased gradually, and the fluidity of the mortar decreased as a whole. The effect of metakaolin on the fluidity of the magnesium phosphate cement mortar was not significant when the content of metakaolin was less than 8%. Metakaolin was able to improve the pore structure of magnesium phosphate cement mortar; for example, it improved its compressive strength and water resistance due to both chemical and physical interactions. The water resistance of mortar samples in the same timeframe increased first and then decreased with the increase in metakaolin content. When the content of metakaolin was 12%, the water resistance of magnesium phosphate cement mortar achieved the optimal results. A 50.32% improvement of the 56 d strength retention rate and a 54.89% improvement of the 90 d strength retention rate proves its effective long-term water resistance.
Learning from Latin America: Coordinating Policy Responses across National and Subnational Levels to Combat COVID-19
Authors: Touchton Michael M. , Knaul Felicia Marie , Arreola-Ornelas Hector , Calderon-Anyosa Renzo , Otero-Bahamón Silvia , Hummel Calla , Pérez-Cruz Pedro , Porteny Thalia , Patino Fausto , Garcia Patricia J. , Insua Jorge , Mendez-Carniado Oscar , Boulding Carew , Nelson-Nuñez Jami , Velasco Guachalla V. Ximena
Published: September 2023

We provide policy lessons for governments across Latin America by drawing on an original dataset of daily national and subnational non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic for eight Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru. Our analysis offers lessons for health system decision-making at various levels of government and highlights the impact of subnational policy implementation for responding to health crises. However, subnational responses cannot replace coordinated national policy; governments should emphasize the vertical integration of evidence-based policy from national to local levels while tailoring local policies to local conditions as they evolve. Horizontal policy integration across sectors and jurisdictions will also improve coordination at each level of government. The Latin American experiences with policy and politics during the COVID-19 pandemic project glocal health policy recommendations that connect global considerations with local needs.
Li4Ln[PS4]2Cl: Chloride-Containing Lithium Thiophosphates with Lanthanoid Participation (Ln = Pr, Nd and Sm)
Authors: Lange Pia L. , Bette Sebastian , Strobel Sabine , Dinnebier Robert E. , Schleid Thomas
Published: September 2023

The synthesis and structural analysis of three new chloride-containing lithium thiophosphates(V) Li4Ln[PS4]2Cl with trivalent lanthanoids (Ln = Pr, Nd and Sm) are presented and discussed. Single crystals of Li4Sm[PS4]2Cl were obtained and used for crystal structure determination by applying X-ray diffraction. The other compounds were found to crystallize isotypically in the monoclinic space group C2/c. Thus, Li4Sm[PS4]2Cl (a = 2089.31(12) pm, b = 1579.69(9) pm, c = 1309.04(8) pm, β = 109.978(3)°, Z = 12) was used as a representative model to further describe the crystal structure in detail since Li4Pr[PS4]2Cl and Li4Nd[PS4]2Cl were confirmed to be isotypic using powder X-ray diffraction measurements (PXRD). In all cases, a trigonal structure in the space group R3¯ (e.g., a = 1579.67(9) pm, c = 2818.36(16) pm, c/a = 1.784, Z = 18, for Li4Sm[PS4]2Cl) displaying almost identical building units worked initially misleadingly. The structure refinement of Li4Sm[PS4]2Cl revealed bicapped trigonal prisms of sulfur atoms coordinating the two crystallographically distinct (Sm1)3+ and (Sm2)3+ cations, which are further coordinated by four anionic [PS4]3− tetrahedra. The compounds also contain chloride anions residing within channel-like pores made of [PS4]3− units. Eight different sites for Li+ cations were identified with various coordination environments (C.N. = 4–6) with respect to chlorine and sulfur. EDXS measurements supported the stoichiometric formula of Li4Ln[PS4]2Cl, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy revealed optical band gaps of 2.69 eV, 3.52 eV, and 3.49 eV for Li4Sm[PS4]2Cl, Li4Nd[PS4]2Cl, and Li4Pr[PS4]2Cl, respectively. The activation energy for Li+-cation mobility in Li4Sm[PS4]2Cl was calculated as Ea(Li+) = 0.88 eV using BVEL, which indicates potential as a Li+-cation conductor.
Twin-Roll Casting as a Grain Refinement Method and Its Influence on the Microstructure and Deformation Behavior of an AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Wire
Authors: Moses Marie , Ullmann Madlen , Prahl Ulrich
Published: September 2023

Due to a combination of casting and rolling in one process step, twin-roll casting is an effective grain refinement method. This study compares the direct-chill cast (DC) state and the twin-roll cast (TRC) state of an AZ31 magnesium alloy in different steps regarding the microstructure, deformation behavior, and mechanical properties. In the initial state, the TRC AZ31 exhibits a significantly finer grain size and a slight rolling texture compared to the DC AZ31. Therefore, the TRC materials exhibit higher strengths and ductility. After a short heat treatment of 400 °C and 12 h for the DC state and 460 °C and 15 min for the TRC state, cylindric compression tests of the heat-treated samples were conducted at different temperatures (300–400 °C) and strain rates (0.1–10 s−1). To reproduce the deformation behavior at higher strain rates, hot rolling tests (350 °C, 15 s−1) of the heat-treated samples were performed. For both alloys, discontinuous dynamic recrystallization and twinning-induced dynamical recrystallization could be detected. A fine grain size and similar strengths were present after five passes. The AZ31 TRC exhibited a higher ductility due to a higher texture intensity, as the stress direction corresponds to the rolling direction in the case of tensile testing.
Assessing the Efficacy of a 28-Day Comprehensive Online Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) in Facilitating Engagement of Prostate Cancer Patients in Their Survivorship Care: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Ilie Gabriela , MacDonald Cody , Richman Hal , Rendon Ricardo , Mason Ross , Nuyens Alexandra , Bailly Greg , Bell David , Patil Nikhilesh , Bowes David , Champion Emmi , Wilke Derek , Massoeurs Lia , Hassan Nada , Rutledge Robert David Harold
Published: September 2023

A 28-day Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) developed through patient engagement was successful at promoting mental and physical health. Thirty prostate cancer patients from Halifax, Canada participated in the 28-day PC-PEP intervention in early 2019. PC-PEP encompassed daily patient education and empowerment videos, prescribed physical activities (including pelvic floor exercises), a mostly plant-based diet, stress reduction techniques, intimacy education, social connection, and support. Quantitative exit surveys and semi-structured interviews (conducted in focus groups of ten) were used to assess perceived factors that facilitated or impeded adherence to the program. The program received high praise from the patients and was deemed extremely useful by the participating men, who rated it 9 out of 10. Patients expressed that the multifaceted, online, home-based nature of the program helped them adhere to it better than they would have had to a single or less comprehensive intervention. Feedback from the participants indicated that the program, when viewed as a whole, was perceived as greater than the sum of its individual parts. Furthermore, the program addressed various issues, including emotional vulnerability and distress, physical fitness, urinary incontinence, challenges in expressing emotions, perceived lack of control over healthcare decisions, emotional fragility, and hesitancy to discuss prostate cancer-related matters in social settings. Patients highly (9.6/10) endorsed integrating the program into the standard care regimen from the very beginning of diagnosis. However, challenges such as work commitments were noted. Patients’ high endorsement of PC-PEP suggests that its implementation into the standard of care from day one of diagnosis may be warranted.
Current Evidence for Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Foy Victoria , McNamara Mairéad G. , Valle Juan W. , Lamarca Angela , Edeline Julien , Hubner Richard A.
Published: September 2023

The treatment of advanced unresectable HCC (aHCC) remains a clinical challenge, with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. The results of IMbrave150 and HIMALAYA have changed the treatment paradigm for HCC and established immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI), either combined with anti-angiogenic therapy or dual ICI, as preferred first-line therapy for eligible patients with aHCC. Numerous other combination regimens involving ICI are under investigation with the aim of improving the tumour response and survival of patients with all stages of HCC. This review will explore the current evidence for ICI in patients with advanced HCC and discuss future directions, including the unmet clinical need for predictive biomarkers to facilitate patient selection, the effects of cirrhosis aetiology on response to ICI, and the safety of its use in patients with impaired liver function.
A Functional Assay for the Determination of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia via Flow Cytometry
Authors: Skornova Ingrid , Simurda Tomas , Stanciakova Lucia , Lauko Viliam , Holly Pavol , Samos Matej , Bolek Tomas , Schnierer Martin , Drotarova Miroslava , Belakova Kristina Maria , Sokol Juraj , Stasko Jan , Mokan Marian , Gumulec Jaroslav , Chrastinova Leona
Published: September 2023

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a life-threatening complication of heparin therapy (both unfractionated heparin and low-molecular-weight heparin). In our study, we examined a group of 122 patients with suspected HIT. The samples of all patients were analyzed in the first step using an immunoassay (ID-PaGIA Heparin/PF4, Hemos1L-Acustar HIT IgG, ZYMUTEST HIA Monostrip IgG) to detect the presence of antibodies against heparin–PF4 complexes (platelet factor 4). When the immunoassay was positive, the sample was subsequently analyzed for HIT with a functional flow cytometry assay, the HITAlert kit, the purpose of which was to demonstrate the ability of the antibodies present to activate platelets. A diagnosis of HIT can be made only after a positive functional test result. In this article, we present an overview of our practical experience with the use of the new functional method of analysis, HIT, with flow cytometry. In this work, we compared the mutual sensitivity of two functional tests, SRA and the flow cytometry HITAlert kit, in patients perceived as being at risk for HIT. This work aims to delineate the principle, procedure, advantages, pitfalls, and possibilities of the application of the functional test HITAlert using flow cytometry.
Molecular Characterization of Patients with Cryptorchidism: Preliminary Search for an Expression Profile Related to That of Testicular Germ-Cell Tumors
Authors: García-Andrade Fabiola , Vigueras-Villaseñor Rosa María , Chávez-Saldaña Margarita Dolores , Rojas-Castañeda Julio César , Bahena-Ocampo Ivan Uriel , Aréchaga-Ocampo Elena , Flores-Fortis Mauricio , Díaz-Chávez José , Herrera Luis Alonso , Landero-Huerta Daniel Adrian
Published: September 2023

Cryptorchidism (CO) is a risk factor for the development of testicular germ-cell tumors (TGCT). This is supported by reports showing the persistence of gonocytes in CO patients. These cells are proposed to be related to the development of germ-cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS), which is considered the precursor stage/lesion of TGCT. Therefore, it is proposed that some patients with CO could express some molecular markers related to TGCT. In this study, we analyzed testicular tissue samples from CO, TGCT, and controls. We determined the expression of POU5F1, PLAP, and KIT by immunohistochemistry and that of the hsa-miR-371-373 cluster, hsa-miR-367, and LATS2, PTEN, and IGFR1 genes by RT-qPCR. We then carried out a bioinformatic analysis to identify other possible candidate genes as tumor biomarkers. We found that 16.7% (2/12) of the CO patients presented increased expression of POU5F1, KIT, PLAP, hsa-miR-371-373, and hsa-miR-367 and decreased expression of LATS2 and IGF1R. Finally, the genes ARID4B, GALNT3, and KPNA6 were identified as other possible candidate tumor biomarkers. This is the first report describing the expression of the hsa-miR-371-373 cluster, hsa-miR-367, LATS2, and IGF1R in the testicular tissues of two CO patients with cells immune-positive to POU5F1, PLAP, and KIT, which is similar to what is observed in TGCT.
Complications Arising from Dental Trauma Incurred from Falls Involving Geriatric Patients: A Case Report
Authors: Arroyo Bote Sebastiana , Bennasar Verges Catalina , Ribas-Perez David , Rodriguez Menacho Diego , Villalva Hernandez-Franch Paloma , Barbero Navarro Ignacio , Castaño Séiquer Antonio
Published: September 2023

Elderly patients have a high incidence of falls that result in facial injuries. Many cases present with dental crown fractures and soft-tissue lacerations. The initial diagnosis is especially important in this type of dental trauma, since an initial error can result in the failure to establish the correct treatment from the very beginning, worsening the prognosis, which, in the worst case, can compromise the teeth affected by the trauma. Case report: We present the case of a patient, a 79-year-old woman, who suffered an accidental fall. The patient was examined by a dentist in the emergency room. She was diagnosed with a simple crown fracture of the right upper central incisor and right upper lateral incisor without any pulpal involvement and with laceration of the lower lip. Months later, she had an episode of inflammation in the lower lip, and she developed edema and pain. An X-ray of the lower lip revealed a radiopaque mass compatible with a fragment of dental tissue due to the inclusion of remnants of the dental tissue resulting from the previous accident fall. Conclusions: The population of geriatric patients is steadily increasing in our society, and a higher frequency of falls has been observed in this age group, affecting the maxillofacial region, with consequent dental trauma on many occasions. Therefore, as professionals, we must pay special attention to the prevention and treatment of this problem, insisting on the importance of routine investigation in the emergency visit for dental trauma, which includes a meticulous examination of the soft tissues accompanied by a radiographic examination, when the inclusion of foreign bodies is suspected.
Head and Neck Low Grade Chondrosarcoma—A Rare Entity
Authors: Mireștean Camil Ciprian , Simionescu Cristiana Eugenia , Iancu Roxana Irina , Stan Mihai Cosmin , Iancu Dragoș Petru Teodor , Bădulescu Florinel
Published: September 2023

Chondrosarcoma represents approximately 0.1% of all neoplasms of the head and neck and is considered a rare disease with a relatively good prognosis. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate is estimated at 70–80%, being considered a disease with a low growth rate. Approximately 13% of all cases of chondrosarcoma are located in the region of the head and neck. We present the case of a 30-year-old patient without a medical history who reported dysphagia, swallowing difficulty, neck mass sensation and dysphonia that started insidiously after an upper respiratory tract infection. Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with a low-grade glosso-epiglottic region chondrosarcoma and was multimodally treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The radiation treatment was delivered with a Rokus M40 former Soviet Union cobalt machine without any image guidance capabilities. The inability to obtain resection margin information justified an aggressive adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The early loss from the oncological record without recurrence of the disease could be associated in this case with the consequence of a major complication, of which we could assume an aspiration pneumonia secondary to a dysphagia associated with an aggressive multidisciplinary treatment. Large tumor size and positive resection margins (R1 resection) are risk factors that support an intensive adjuvant approach in order to reduce the risk of recurrence, but the low grade of tumor associated with a lower risk of recurrence as well as the adverse events (AE) of adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy justify a more reserved therapeutic approach. Taking into account the longer life expectancy of these patients, it is recommended to use a more conformal irradiation technique in order to reduce doses to radiosensitive structures as well as to omit elective neck irradiation, taking into account the lower risk of lymph node involvement. The lack of guidelines, which include very rare tumors including low grade chondrosarcoma of the head and neck, makes a unified approach difficult, but the data presented in case reports could contribute to choosing the regimen that offers the best therapeutic ratio.
Entropy-Based Multifractal Testing of Heart Rate Variability during Cognitive-Autonomic Interplay
Authors: Arsac Laurent M.
Published: September 2023

Entropy-based and fractal-based metrics derived from heart rate variability (HRV) have enriched the way cardiovascular dynamics can be described in terms of complexity. The most commonly used multifractal testing, a method using q moments to explore a range of fractal scaling in small-sized and large-sized fluctuations, is based on detrended fluctuation analysis, which examines the power–law relationship of standard deviation with the timescale in the measured signal. A more direct testing of a multifractal structure exists based on the Shannon entropy of bin (signal subparts) proportion. This work aims to reanalyze HRV during cognitive tasks to obtain new markers of HRV complexity provided by entropy-based multifractal spectra using the method proposed by Chhabra and Jensen in 1989. Inter-beat interval durations (RR) time series were obtained in 28 students comparatively in baseline (viewing a video) and during three cognitive tasks: Stroop color and word task, stop-signal, and go/no-go. The new HRV estimators were extracted from the f/α singularity spectrum of the RR magnitude increment series, established from q-weighted stable (log–log linear) power laws, namely: (i) the whole spectrum width (MF) calculated as αmax − αmin; the specific width representing large-sized fluctuations (MFlarge) calculated as α0 − αq+; and small-sized fluctuations (MFsmall) calculated as αq− − α0. As the main results, cardiovascular dynamics during Stroop had a specific MF signature while MFlarge was rather specific to go/no-go. The way these new HRV markers could represent different aspects of a complete picture of the cognitive–autonomic interplay is discussed, based on previously used entropy- and fractal-based markers, and the introduction of distribution entropy (DistEn), as a marker recently associated specifically with complexity in the cardiovascular control.
I DiG STEM: A Teacher Professional Development on Equitable Digital Game-Based Learning
Authors: Villa Anthony Muro , Sedlacek Quentin C. , Pope Holly Yvonne
Published: September 2023

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) has the potential to promote equity in K–12 STEM education. However, few teachers have expertise in DBGL, and few professional development models exist to support teachers in both acquiring this expertise and advancing equity. To support the development of such models, we conducted a professional development to explore teacher acquisition of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge for games (TPACK-G) during a DGBL workshop series informed by culturally relevant pedagogy. This mixed methods pilot study used pre- and post-surveys and interviews to investigate shifts in teachers’ (n = 9) TPACK-G, perceptions of DGBL, and operationalizations of equity and cultural relevance. The survey findings showed increases in teachers’ TPACK-G, and corroboration between the surveys and interviews showed teachers’ expanded ideas about the range of applications of digital games in STEM education. However, the interviews revealed that teachers’ conceptualizations of equity and cultural relevance varied considerably.
Student Teacher Experiences of Learning and Pedagogical Involvement Using a Student-Centered Learning Approach
Authors: Sørensen Arne , Lagestad Pål , Mikalsen Hilde K.
Published: September 2023

To optimize students’ levels of skills, knowledge, and competence in higher education, teachers have been encouraged to work systematically to understand how their pedagogical approaches affect the students’ learning process and learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a student-centered learning design (SCL) in the subject of PE. A total of 24 PETE students were given the responsibility to create the schedule for their own education in a subject for a semester. During the semester, the students wrote reflections note on three occasions related to their learning process and learning outcome. The thematical analysis of the reflection notes revealed two main findings concerning the learning process: an invitation to participate and develop professional ownership, and mixed reflections on the need for teacher scaffolding. Furthermore, the analyses revealed two main findings concerning the learning outcome: improved learning and meaningful learning. Our findings indicate that students’ participation, motivation, enjoyment, and learning outcomes increased due to the use of SCL as a pedagogical strategy. These findings are supported by other investigations, identifying SCL as a preferred strategy according to students’ learning process and learning outcomes. The main pedagogical implication of our findings is a recommendation to implement SCL as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in teacher education.
Successful School Leadership in the USA: The Role of Context in Core Leadership Practices
Authors: Johnson Lauri , Moyi Peter , Ylimaki Rose M.
Published: September 2023

This article draws on findings from a secondary analysis of selected U.S. case studies of successful school principals in the United States. All original ISSPP cases were selected with a common sampling strategy whereby we purposely selected schools with improved student outcomes and nominations by school district leaders and organizations. Data sources include semi-structured qualitative interviews with the district leaders, principal, teachers, parents, and students to provide a more elaborated understanding of the phenomena, i.e., school success and the principal’s leadership contribution. The study selected twenty published articles describing complete ISSPP case studies from different U.S. geographic areas for secondary analysis of the principal’s core leadership practices. These practices include setting directions, developing people, redesigning the organization, and managing the instructional program. The U.S. cases since 2002 reflect the dynamics of multiple layers of influence and increasing complexities from student diversity, policy pressures, and the impact of the principals’ background and professional identity. These cases provide qualitative, contextualized understandings of school success and principal contributions to that success at particular points in time over the past 20 years and point toward knowledge gaps that we seek to fill in future steps of ISSPP.
Property Analysis of Gateway Refinement of Object-Oriented Petri Net with Inhibitor-Arcs-Based Representation for Embedded Systems
Authors: Xia Chuanliang , Qin Mengying , Sun Yan , Guo Maibo
Published: September 2023

This paper focuses on embedded system modeling, proposing a solution to obtain a refined net via the refinement operation of an extended Petri net. Object-oriented technology and Petri net with inhibitor-arcs-based representation for embedded systems (PIRES+) are combined to obtain an object-oriented PIRES+ (OOPIRES+). A gateway refinement method of OOPIRES+ is proposed, and the preservation of the liveness, boundedness, reachability, functionality, and timing of the refined net system is investigated. The modeling analysis of a smart home system is taken as an example to verify the effectiveness of the refinement method. The results can provide an effective way for the investigation of the refined properties of a Petri net system and a favorable means for large-scale complex embedded system modeling, which has broad application prospects.
Convolutional Neural Networks Adapted for Regression Tasks: Predicting the Orientation of Straight Arrows on Marked Road Pavement Using Deep Learning and Rectified Orthophotography
Authors: Cira Calimanut-Ionut , Díaz-Álvarez Alberto , Serradilla Francisco , Manso-Callejo Miguel-Ángel
Published: September 2023

Arrow signs found on roadway pavement are an important component of modern transportation systems. Given the rise in autonomous vehicles, public agencies are increasingly interested in accurately identifying and analysing detailed road pavement information to generate comprehensive road maps and decision support systems that can optimise traffic flow, enhance road safety, and provide complete official road cartographic support (that can be used in autonomous driving tasks). As arrow signs are a fundamental component of traffic guidance, this paper aims to present a novel deep learning-based approach to identify the orientation and direction of arrow signs on marked roadway pavements using high-resolution aerial orthoimages. The approach is based on convolutional neural network architectures (VGGNet, ResNet, Xception, and DenseNet) that are modified and adapted for regression tasks with a proposed learning structure, together with an ad hoc model, specially introduced for this task. Although the best-performing artificial neural network was based on VGGNet (VGG-19 variant), it only slightly surpassed the proposed ad hoc model in the average values of the R2 score, mean squared error, and angular error by 0.005, 0.001, and 0.036, respectively, using the training set (the ad hoc model delivered an average R2 score, mean squared error, and angular error of 0.9874, 0.001, and 2.516, respectively). Furthermore, the ad hoc model’s predictions using the test set were the most consistent (a standard deviation of the R2 score of 0.033 compared with the score of 0.042 achieved using VGG19), while being almost eight times more computationally efficient when compared with the VGG19 model (2,673,729 parameters vs VGG19′s 20,321,985 parameters).
Open-Source HW/SW Co-Simulation Using QEMU and GHDL for VHDL-Based SoC Design
Authors: Biagetti Giorgio , Falaschetti Laura , Crippa Paolo , Alessandrini Michele , Turchetti Claudio
Published: September 2023

Hardware/software co-simulation is a technique that can help design and validate digital circuits controlled by embedded processors. Co-simulation has largely been applied to system-level models, and tools for SystemC or SystemVerilog are readily available, but they are either not compatible or very cumbersome to use with VHDL, the most commonly used language for FPGA design. This paper presents a direct, simple-to-use solution to co-simulate a VHDL design together with the firmware (FW) that controls it. It aims to bring the power of co-simulation to every digital designer, so it uses open-source tools, and the developed code is also open. A small patch applied to the QEMU emulator allows it to communicate with a custom-written VHDL module that exposes a CPU bus to the digital design, controlled by the FW emulated in QEMU. No changes to FW code or VHDL device code are required: with our approach, it is possible to co-simulate the very same code base that would then be implemented into an FPGA, enabling debugging, verification, and tracing capabilities that would not be possible even with the real hardware.
A Hierarchical Resource Scheduling Method for Satellite Control System Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Li Yang , Guo Xiye , Meng Zhijun , Qin Junxiang , Li Xuan , Ma Xiaotian , Ren Sichuang , Yang Jun
Published: September 2023

Space-based systems providing remote sensing, communication, and navigation services are essential to the economy and national defense. Users’ demand for satellites has increased sharply in recent years, but resources such as storage, energy, and computation are limited. Therefore, an efficient resource scheduling strategy is urgently needed to satisfy users’ demands maximally and get high task execution benefits. A hierarchical scheduling method is proposed in this work, which combines improved ant colony optimization and an improved deep Q network. The proposed method considers the quality of current task execution and resource load balance. The entire resource scheduling process contains two steps, task allocation and resource scheduling in the timeline. The former mainly implements load balance by improved ant colony optimization, while the latter mainly accomplishes the high task completion rate by an improved deep Q network. Compared with several other heuristic algorithms, the proposed approach is proven to have advantages in terms of CPU runtime, task completion rate, and resource variance between satellites. In the simulation scenarios, the proposed method can achieve up to 97.3% task completion rate, with almost 50% of the CPU runtime required by HAW and HADRT. Furthermore, this method has successfully implemented load balance.
Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Solar Irradiance and PV Modeling and Forecasting
Authors: Harrou Fouzi , Sun Ying , Taghezouit Bilal , Dairi Abdelkader
Published: September 2023

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems represent key and transformative technology at the forefront of the global shift towards sustainable energy solutions [...]
Assessment of Combustion Cavern Geometry in Underground Coal Gasification Process with the Use of Borehole Ground-Penetrating Radar
Authors: Pilecki Zenon , Hildebrandt Robert , Krawiec Krzysztof , Pilecka Elżbieta , Lubosik Zbigniew , Łątka Tomasz
Published: September 2023

In this study, the shape and size of a combustion cavity with a fracture zone in the gasified coal seam was determined with the use of control boreholes and a ground-penetrating radar (BGPR) test. The underground coal gasification (UCG) field-scale experiment was performed in Carboniferous strata in coal seam 501 at a depth of approx. 460 m in the Wieczorek hard coal mine in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland. After the termination of the UCG reactor, five coring boreholes were drilled to identify the geometry of the resulting combustion cavity and the impact of the UCG process on the surrounding rock mass. Borehole ground-penetrating radar measurements were performed using a 100 MHz antenna in three boreholes with a length of about 40–50 m. This enabled the identification of the boundaries of the combustion cavity and the fracture zone in the coal seam. The fracture zones of rock layers and lithological borders near the control borehole were also depicted. As a result, the cavity was estimated to have a length of around 32 m, a width of around 7 m and a height of around 5 m. The analyses performed with the control boreholes and the BGPR provided sufficient information to determine the geometry of the combustion cavity and the fracture zone.
Multi-Objective Parameter Optimized Design of Self-Oscillating Cavitation Jet Nozzles
Authors: Wang Tengwei , Li Guohui , Song Mengbin , Zhao Yuanyuan , Xu Wei , Zhao Fujian , Wang Xiuli
Published: September 2023

Self-oscillating cavitation jet technology has become a research hotspot of scholars in various fields. However, existing research lacks a summary of the rules of the influence of various factors on the cavitation performance, such that efficient and stable extensive engineering applications are impossible to achieve. This paper aims at optimizing the design of the self-oscillating cavitation jet nozzle (SOCJN) as the objective; this is carried out by the experimental design, optimal Latin hypercube method, and response surface method in (design of experiment) DOE methods on the basis of the ISIGHT optimization method. In addition, taking the vapor volume fraction and cavitation number as a research objective, the obtained optimal structural parameters of the nozzles are applied under the condition of clear water to establish the function mapping relationship between the external geometric characteristics and the vapor volume fraction and cavitation number; then, this is compared with the experiment. The results indicate that the second-order response surface approximate model is suitable for the SOCJN and there is an error smaller than 8% between the approximate model results and the calculated results of the nozzle response. When the diameter of the upper nozzle is D1 = 4.7 mm, the ratio of the upper nozzle’s diameter to the lower’s diameter (D1/D2) is 2.6 and the ratio of the chamber length to the chamber diameter (L/D) is 0.63; pulse jets from the SOCJN have the best pitting effect on the sample at the monitoring point when the convergence angle of collision wall α is 120°. When the structural parameters of the nozzle are optimal structural parameters, the cavitation performance is the best at the initial pressure of 4.8 MPa. This research provides a reference for the optimized design of the SOCJN for industrial applications.
Cooking Fuel Choice and Wellbeing: A Global Perspective
Authors: Scott Nigel , Nsengiyaremye Jerome , Todd Jacob Fodio , Leary Jon
Published: September 2023

This paper assesses the relationship between the proportion of the population with primary reliance on different types of fuels for cooking (national averages) and a number of key wellbeing indices. The study uses a data set created from a combination of the Gallup World Poll database and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Household Energy Database. The Gallup database comprises multinational survey data and contains wellbeing indices (Personal Health, Social Life, Civic Engagement, Life Evaluation, Negative Experience, etc.). The WHO database gives the proportion of a population with primary reliance on different types of cooking fuels. In order to understand the relative importance of the choice of cooking fuels in terms of wellbeing, regression modelling is used to control for the effects of demographic variables (income per capita, age, education level, employment, etc.), available in the Gallup database, on the wellbeing indices. The regression analysis results show that clean cooking fuels are strongly influential in health-related indices. By adding access to electricity as an additional predictor variable, the analysis highlights the potential for integrating eCooking into national electrification plans as part of sustainable energy transitions, given that health outcomes appear to be as closely linked to the choice of cooking fuels as to access to electricity.
Enhancing the Fuel Efficiency of Cogeneration Plants by Fuel Oil Afterburning in Exhaust Gas before Boilers
Authors: Kornienko Victoria , Radchenko Mykola , Radchenko Andrii , Koshlak Hanna , Radchenko Roman
Published: September 2023

Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) has found wide application in various industries because it very effectively meets the growing demand for electricity, steam, hot water, and also has a number of operational, environmental, economic advantages over traditional electrical and thermal systems. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the afterburning of fuel oil in the combustion engine exhaust gas at the boiler inlet were carried out in order to enhance the efficiency of cogeneration power plants; this was achieved by increasing the boiler steam capacity, resulting in reduced production of waste heat and exhaust emissions. The afterburning of fuel oil in the exhaust gas of diesel engines is possible due to a high the excess air ratio (three to four). Based on the experimental data of the low-temperature corrosion of the gas boiler condensing heat exchange surfaces, the admissible values of corrosion rate and the lowest exhaust gas temperature which provide deep exhaust gas heat utilization and high efficiency of the exhaust gas boiler were obtained. The use of WFE and afterburning fuel oil provides an increase in efficiency and power of the CPPs based on diesel engines of up to 5% due to a decrease in the exhaust gas temperature at the outlet of the EGB from 150 °C to 90 °C and waste heat, accordingly. The application of efficient environmentally friendly exhaust gas boilers with low-temperature condensing surfaces can be considered a new and prosperous trend in diesel engine exhaust gas heat utilization through the afterburning of fuel oil and in CPPs as a whole.
Mathematical Modeling of Alkaline Direct Glycerol Fuel Cells
Authors: Pezzini Alessandra , de Castro Ubiranilson João , de Oliveira Deborah S. B. L. , Tremiliosi-Filho Germano , de Sousa Júnior Ruy
Published: September 2023

Mathematical modeling and computer simulation are tools of great importance for the development of fuel cells. Thus, the objective of this work is to carry out the kinetic modeling of glycerol oxidation in a DGFC (direct glycerol fuel cell), considering two different approaches: (1) realistic phenomenological models for the partial oxidation of glycerol in Pt/C, considering its adsorbed intermediates; (2) models of artificial neural networks (ANN—artificial neural networks) for oxidation mainly of PtAg/C and PtAg/MnOx/C. The models were fitted to experimental data already available for validation and determination of their parameters, both using Matlab software, v. R2018a (MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA). Results for the phenomenological models developed showed excellent fits for the polarization curve, with an RMSE (root mean squared error) value on the order of 0.352 to 0.404 mA/cm2, in addition to coverage fractions consistent with the literature for the adsorbed species. The kinetic parameters with the greatest influence on the response of the models were those associated with the consumption of glyceric acid and the formation of tartronic acid and with the dissociative adsorption of water and the formation of Pt-Oads active sites. Regarding the neural models, excellent prediction fits were obtained for all of them, with RMSE values on the order of 0.008 to 0.014 mA/cm2, indicating the possibility of representing the functional interdependence between input variables and the density cell current for cases where it would be too complex to do so via mechanistic modeling (i.e., for PtAg/C and PtAg/MnOx/C oxidation).
Machine Learning-Based Real-Time Prediction of Formation Lithology and Tops Using Drilling Parameters with a Web App Integration
Authors: Khalifa Houdaifa , Tomomewo Olusegun Stanley , Ndulue Uchenna Frank , Berrehal Badr Eddine
Published: September 2023

The accurate prediction of underground formation lithology class and tops is a critical challenge in the oil industry. This paper presents a machine-learning (ML) approach to predict lithology from drilling data, offering real-time litho-facies identification. The ML model, applied via the web app “GeoVision”, achieves remarkable performance during its training phase with a mean accuracy of 95% and a precision of 98%. The model successfully predicts claystone, marl, and sandstone classes with high precision scores. Testing on new data yields an overall accuracy of 95%, providing valuable insights and setting a benchmark for future efforts. To address the limitations of current methodologies, such as time lags and lack of real-time data, we utilize drilling data as a unique endeavor to predict lithology. Our approach integrates nine drilling parameters, going beyond the narrow focus on the rate of penetration (ROP) often seen in previous research. The model was trained and evaluated using the open Volve field dataset, and careful data preprocessing was performed to reduce features, balance the sample distribution, and ensure an unbiased dataset. The innovative methodology demonstrates exceptional performance and offers substantial advantages for real-time geosteering. The accessibility of our models is enhanced through the user-friendly web app “GeoVision”, enabling effective utilization by drilling engineers and marking a significant advancement in the field.
Comparative Study of Musical Timbral Variations: Crescendo and Vibrato Using FFT-Acoustic Descriptor
Authors: Gonzalez Yubiry , Prati Ronaldo C.
Published: September 2023

A quantitative evaluation of the musical timbre and its variations is important for the analysis of audio recordings and computer-aided music composition. Using the FFT acoustic descriptors and their representation in an abstract timbral space, variations in a sample of monophonic sounds of chordophones (violin, cello) and aerophones (trumpet, transverse flute, and clarinet) sounds are analyzed. It is concluded that the FFT acoustic descriptors allow us to distinguish the timbral variations in the musical dynamics, including crescendo and vibrato. Furthermore, using the Random Forest algorithm, it is shown that the FFT-Acoustic provides a statistically significant classification to distinguish musical instruments, families of instruments, and dynamics. We observed an improvement in the FFT-Acoustic descriptors when classifying pitch compared to some timbral features of Librosa.
Development of Commercial Eucalyptus Clone in Soil with Indaziflam Herbicide Residues
Authors: Maciel Josiane Costa , Duque Tayna Sousa , Carvalho Aline Cristina , Alencar Brenda Thaís Barbalho , Ferreira Evander Alves , Zanuncio José Cola , de Castro e Castro Bárbara Monteiro , da Silva Francisca Daniele , Silva Daniel Valadão , dos Santos José Barbosa
Published: September 2023

The pre-emergent herbicide indaziflam is efficient in the management of weeds in eucalyptus crops, but this plant may develop less in soil contaminated with it. The objective was to evaluate the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent electron transport rate (ETR), growth and dry mass of leaves, stems and roots of Clone I144, in clayey soil, contaminated with the herbicide indaziflam and the leaching potential of this herbicide. The design was completely randomized in a 3 × 5 factorial scheme, with four replications. The leaching of indaziflam in the clayey soil profile (69% clay) was evaluated in a bioassay with Sorghum bicolor, a plant with high sensitivity to this herbicide. The injury and height of this plant were evaluated at 28 days after sowing (DAS). We believe that this is the first work on Eucalyptus in soil with residues of the herbicide indaziflam. Chlorophyll a and b contents and ETR, and height and stem dry mass of Clone I144, were lower in soil contaminated with indaziflam residues. The doses of indaziflam necessary to cause 50% (C50) of injury and the lowest height of sorghum plants were 4.65 and 1.71 g ha−1 and 0.40 and 0.27 g ha−1 in clayey soil and sand, respectively. The sorption ratio (SR) of this herbicide was 10.65 in clayey soil. The herbicide indaziflam leached up to 30 cm depth at doses of 37.5 and 75 g ha−1 and its residue in the soil reduced the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent ETR and the growth of Clone I144.
Identification and Genome Characterization of a Dahlia Common Mosaic Virus Isolate from China
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhou Jiaying , Chen Ming , Li Zhengnan , Song Shuang
Published: September 2023

Dahlia (Dahlia variabilis) is a widely cultivated ornamental and medicinal plant in China. Recently, dahlia plants with symptoms of leaf mottling and distortion were collected in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. The presence of dahlia common mosaic virus (DCMV), an unassigned species in the genus Caulimovirus, was confirmed by high-throughput sequencing. Three fragments of DCMV Inner Mongolia isolate (DCMV-IN) were PCR-amplified with specific primers, sequenced and assembled into the complete genome sequence with a GenBank accession number of OR494328. The double-stranded circular DNA genome of DCMV-IN consists of 7949 bp and contains six open reading frames (ORFs). Sequence analysis showed that DCMV-IN shared high sequence identities with other DCMV isolates available in the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis of DCMV isolates and other representative caulimoviruses based on genome sequence clustered four DCMV isolates to a single branch which was closest to dahlia mosaic virus (DMV). No recombination event was detected among the four DCMV isolates.
Unlocking the Potential of the CA2, CA7, and ITM2C Gene Signatures for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer: A Comprehensive Analysis of RNA-Seq Data by Utilizing Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Maurya Neha Shree , Kushwaha Sandeep , Vetukuri Ramesh Raju , Mani Ashutosh
Published: September 2023

Colorectal cancer affects the colon or rectum and is a common global health issue, with 1.1 million new cases occurring yearly. The study aimed to identify gene signatures for the early detection of CRC using machine learning (ML) algorithms utilizing gene expression data. The TCGA-CRC and GSE50760 datasets were pre-processed and subjected to feature selection using the LASSO method in combination with five ML algorithms: Adaboost, Random Forest (RF), Logistic Regression (LR), Gaussian Naive Bayes (GNB), and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The important features were further analyzed for gene expression, correlation, and survival analyses. Validation of the external dataset GSE142279 was also performed. The RF model had the best classification accuracy for both datasets. A feature selection process resulted in the identification of 12 candidate genes, which were subsequently reduced to 3 (CA2, CA7, and ITM2C) through gene expression and correlation analyses. These three genes achieved 100% accuracy in an external dataset. The AUC values for these genes were 99.24%, 100%, and 99.5%, respectively. The survival analysis showed a significant logrank p-value of 0.044 for the final gene signatures. The analysis of tumor immunocyte infiltration showed a weak correlation with the expression of the gene signatures. CA2, CA7, and ITM2C can serve as gene signatures for the early detection of CRC and may provide valuable information for prognostic and therapeutic decision making. Further research is needed to fully understand the potential of these genes in the context of CRC.