bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AAR:Attention Remodulation for Weakly Supervised Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Lin Yu-e , Li Houguo , Liang Xingzhu , Li Mengfan , Liu Huilin
Published: September 2023

Weakly Supervised Semantic Segmentation (WSSS) is a crucial task in computer vision. However, existing methods that utilize Class Activation Maps (CAMs) with classification tasks can only identify a small part of the region. To address this limitation, we propose a novel Attention Activation Remodulation (AAR) scheme that leverages traditional CAMs and the remodulation branch to obtain weighted CAMs for recalibrated supervision. The AAR scheme re-arranges important features' distribution from the channel and space perspectives, which regulates segmentation-oriented activation responses. In addition, we propose a Feature Pixel Extraction Module (FPEM) that utilizes contextual information to improve pixel prediction. Furthermore, the proposed scheme can be combined with other methods to improve overall performance. Extensive experiments on the PASCAL VOC 2012 dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of the AAR mechanism and FPEM module.
Contemporary National Outcomes of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
Authors: Toppen William , Cho Nam Yong , Sareh Sohail , Kjellberg Anders , Medak Anthony , Benharash Peyman , Lindholm Peter
Published: September 2023

Background:
The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) is mainly based on small prospective and retrospective studies. A previous study based on the 1998-2009 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) by Soh et al found HBOT to be associated with decreased mortality in NSTI. Given the argument of advancements in critical care, we aimed to investigate the continued role of HBOT in NSTI.
Methods:
The 2012-2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried for admissions with NSTI including only hospitalized patients who received surgery; 60,481 patients from 2012-2020 were included. Of these, 600 (<1%) underwent HBOT. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality, while secondary outcomes included amputation, hospital length of stay, and costs. A multivariate model was constructed to account for baseline differences in groups.
Results:
Age, gender, Elixhauser comorbidity index were similar between the two groups. On bivariate comparison, the HBOT group had lower mortality rate (<2% vs 5.9%, p<0.001) and lower amputation rate (11.8% vs 18.3%, p<0.001) however, longer lengths of stay (16.9 days vs 14.6 days, p<0.001) and higher costs ($54,000 vs $46,000, p<0.001) were observed. Findings persisted after adjustments for potential confounders including sepsis. After multivariate analysis, HBOT was associated with decreased mortality (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.22, 95% CI 0.09-0.53, P<0.001) and lower risk of amputation (AOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.96, P=0.03). While the HBO group was associated with longer stays by 1.6 days (95% CI 0.4-2.7 days) and increased costs by $7,800 (95% CI $2,200-$13,300), they also had significantly lower risks of non-home discharges (AOR 0.79, 95%CI 0.65-0.96).
Conclusions:
After correction for differences between groups, HBOT was associated with decreased mortality, amputations, and non-home discharges in NSTI with the tradeoff of modest increase to costs and length of stay.
Numerical simulations on thermocapillary flow on heated sinusoidal topography
Authors: Kim Min Chan
Published: September 2023

The interaction between thermocapillary flow and substrate geometry is analyzed numerically. Taking surface tension into account, the momentum equation is derived and solved using a commercial FEM solver, Comsol Multiphysics where the effects of surface tension and surface deflection can be easily incorporated into the momentum equation. In the case of Ma ≈ Ma𝑐, the strong symmetric thermocapillary flow is observed when the wavelength of topography, 𝜆𝑇, and the wavelength of instability motion, 𝜆, are nearly the same. This interesting phenomenon has been called flow-structure resonance. Through the numerical simulations, various flow modes, such as symmetric two-cell and four-cell modes, asymmetric two-cell mode, and oscillatory asymmetric two-cell mode are identified by changing the Marangoni number and wavelength of topography. It is clearly shown that for a certain 𝜆𝑇-system, the transition from oscillatory mode to steady one is possible by relaxing the previous nondeformable surface condition due to high surface tension, i.e., Cr → 0. The present study reveals that the preferred flow mode is the complex function of the various parameters such as the Marangoni number, the Biot number, the wavelength of topography, and the capillary number.
Types of behaviors and experiences at work and health condition in the group of nurses at Accident and Emergency Units
Authors: Betke Katarzyna , Prof Anna Andruszkiewicz , MA Katarzyna Adamczyk
Published: September 2023

Introduction
Nursing is a profession associated with a high workload and high levels of emotional tension. The way an employee functions in a professional environment is one of the many health risks. Schaarschmid and Fischer distinguished patterns of behavior and experiences in the area of ​​professional activity.
Material and Methods
The study included 150 nurses employed in Hospital Emergency Departments in central Poland. The AVEM questionnaire was used to assess the types of behavior and experiences at work, and the GHQ-28 questionnaire was used to assess the general state of mental health.
Results
The surveyed nurses most often functioned at work according to type S - economical or B - burned out, and least frequently according to type A - overloaded. The mean severity of health abnormalities was at the average level of M = 4.72 sten (SD = 1.56). The surveyed nurses did not reveal any depressive disorders, the most common health problems were social functioning disorders and complaints about somatic ailments. There were significant differences in health between nurses working in a healthy, economical or burned-out manner, especially in the experienced anxiety and insomnia as well as in the scope of depressive symptoms. Individuals functioning in accordance with type B – burned-out significantly more often complained of perceived anxiety and sleep problems than individuals functioning in accordance with type G - healthy. The analyzes showed that the intensification of complaints about the health condition can be inferred from lower education, low perfectionism in the performance of professional tasks and an increased tendency to resign in the event of failure.
Conclusion
Employers should conduct an individual analysis of the types of work behavior in the group of nurses in order to eliminate factors contributing to the deterioration of their health condition.
Hydrological Responses of the Brahmaputra River Basin using CMIP6 GCM Projections for Supporting Climate Resilient Infrastructure Design
Authors: Abdullah Faruque , Mamoon Wasif Bin , Islam AKM Saiful , Islam GM Tarekul , Bala Sujit Kumar , Kaiser Shadman , Mohammed Khaled , Billah Maruf , Das Mohan Kumar
Published: September 2023

Bangladesh is one of South Asia's leading countries sensitive to climate change because of its unique geography and the dominant hydro-meteorological influence of torrential monsoon rainfall. The central north of Bangladesh, which possesses low density and quality of sustainable rural infrastructures, is affected by seasonal flooding and frequent river erosions. Districts under this region are among the country's poorest and most vulnerable due to environmental stress and socioeconomic circumstances. Flooding has become a regular phenomenon in the Teesta-Brahmaputra river basin during monsoon, which causes severe damage to rural infrastructures every year. As mentioned in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), burgeoning climate variability will aggravate the situation, leaving millions more vulnerable to these extreme natural events. This study aims to assess the future impact of climate change on the discharge and water level of the Teesta-Brahmaputra river system through rigorous data processing, detailed modeling, and frequency analysis, as well as to develop a guideline for designing climate-resilient infrastructures in flood-prone areas. The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model is used to simulate future discharges using 13 bias-corrected General Circulation Models (GCMs) under moderate SSP2-4.5 and extreme SSP5-8.5 scenarios for near (2025–2054) and far (2071–2100) future periods with respect to baseline (1985–2014). Future water level fluctuations of six major rivers in the study region have been assessed using these flow outputs by simulating the HEC-RAS model and frequency analysis. Results indicate that the dry season will experience a more significant flow increment than the wet season under both SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios due to the impact of climate change in the Brahmaputra basin. The consequent rise in water level in the Jamuna river will vary from 38 cm in the near future (2025–2054) to 83 cm in the far future (2071–2100) for a return period of 100 years. The Old Brahmaputra, Dharala, and the Brahmaputra will also experience a sharp increase of 39 cm to 90 cm, 33 cm to 74 cm, and 25 cm to 63 cm, respectively. Based on these future projected water level values, required updates to existing design principles have been recommended for building sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructures in the study area.
Spatial and Temporal Assessment of China's Skiing Climate Resources
Authors: Yu Dandan , Lin Zhanglin , Fang Yan , Zhang Weijia , Guo Juan
Published: September 2023

The primary objective of this study is to analyze the characteristics of ski climate resources and quantitatively assess the suitability for skiing by utilizing a more appropriate Ski Climate Index. Taking China as a case study, this paper collected daily meteorological data from 733 weather stations spanning the period from 1991 to 2020, along with information on 415 ski resorts. Subsequently, GIS 10.5 spatial analysis tools were employed to examine the temporal and spatial variations in ski climate resources across China during this timeframe. In order to illustrate the relationship between skiing climate resources and the development of ski resorts more clearly, a comparison was thus drawn between the distribution of ski climate resources and the vitality of ski resorts in China. The results show that:1) the SCI was developed using fuzzy logic, with a predominant influence from the snow reliability facet on overall performance. Furthermore, the aesthetics and comfort facet, which includes factors such as sunshine, wind, and thermal comfort conditions, contributed to further refinement of the index. 2) Areas with high SCI values are primarily concentrated in the northwestern and northeastern regions of China, as well as certain parts of northern China. Against the backdrop of climate change, there has been a significant increase in ski climate resources in regions like Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia regions, southwest Tibet, and Sichuan, and noticeable declines have occurred in southern regions within Northeast China.3) Through comparison with vitality of ski resorts,SCI can partially reflect the development of ski resorts. The suitability evaluation model for skiing based on climate resources provides valuable insights for management decision-making in developing and operating ski resorts. It also offers scientific support for promoting ice-snow economic development.
Cost-reduction implicit exponential Runge-Kutta methods for highly oscillatory systems
Authors: Hu Xianfa , Wang Wansheng , Wang Bin , Fang Yonglei
Published: September 2023

In this paper, two novel classes of implicit exponential Runge--Kutta (ERK) methods are studied for solving highly oscillatory systems. Firstly, we analyze the symplectic conditions for two kinds of exponential integrators and obtain the symplectic method. In order to effectively solve highly oscillatory problems, we try to design the highly accurate implicit ERK integrators. By comparing the Taylor series expansion of numerical solution with exact solution, it can be verified that the order conditions of two new kinds of exponential methods are identical to classical Runge--Kutta (RK) methods, which implies that using the coefficients of RK methods, some highly accurate numerical methods are directly formulated. Furthermore, we also investigate the linear stability properties for these exponential methods. Finally, numerical results not only display the long time energy preservation of the symplectic method, but also present the accuracy and efficiency of these formulated methods in comparison with standard ERK methods.
Inhibitory effects evaluation of Thymoquinone and Nanoliposome formulation against Candida parapsilosis isolates
Authors: Shamloo Ardalan Ghiaee , Yadegari Mohammad Hossein , Jaafari Mahmoud Reza , Zarrinfar Hossein
Published: September 2023

Background: Candida parapsilosis as an opportunistic pathogen can cause various fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. In the last few years, resistance to common antifungal drugs has been frequently reported and the aim of this study is design and synthesis of liposomal thymoquinone as an antifungal agent and evaluated the inhibitory effects on C. parapsilosisisolates.
Materials and Methods: TQ was encapsulated in liposomal formulation by using a thin-film hydration technique and then were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), MTT assay was measured on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for cell metabolic activity. The antifungal activity of TQ-Lip-NP against 15 clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis, was adjusted and examined based on the M27-A3 guideline.
Results: TQ-Lip-NP didn’t show any toxic effect on PBMCs and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range of free TQ and liposomal formulation with inhibitory effects on Candida isolates was between 50 to 6.25 µg/mL and 150 to 18.75, respectively the MIC50 and MIC90 values of free TQ and TQ-Lip-NP were also 25, 50, and 75, 150 µg/mL.
Conclusion: Finally, we demonstrated the good efficacy of synthesized TQ-Lip-NP with significant antifungal activity against C. parapsilosiscomplex isolates compared to free TQ.
Perceptual binding occurs independently beyond early neural adaptation stages in human color cone pathways
Authors: Matias Francisca C. , Castelhano João , Castelo-Branco Miguel
Published: September 2023

Color perception entails competing temporal context mechanisms such as adaptation versus memory persistence1. Perceptual dynamics in color cone pathways can be studied using the phenomenon of hysteresis, well-known in the framework of physical dynamical systems. It postulates analogous mechanisms: a) visual persistence defining positive hysteresis b) adaptation or habituation (negative hysteresis). Adaptation causes early perceptual switches to competing states. We investigated competition between these mechanisms in human color cone pathways. Color adaptation occurs within early visual pathways up to V4, involved in local scene analysis, but it is unknown if they underlie global perceptual binding of visual elements2. We tested if the neural locus of perceptual binding occurs at visual and memory stages beyond the locus of color adaptation, using a dynamic color matching task in cone contrast space, along Blue-Yellow (S-(L + M) and Green-Red processing channels (L-M). Simple vs Compound stimuli required or not holistic perceptual binding, under visual or memory-guided conditions. Adaptation (negative hysteresis) dominated for the former condition, was stored in memory, but vanished when binding was required either in vision or memory. In sum, cone pathway adaptation mechanisms dominate in early vision, while perceptual binding occurs at a second stage as predicted by the feature integration theory.
Study on damage evaluation using cavitation-bubble collapsing time
Authors: Kawashima Hiroyuki , Kogawa Hiroyuki , Tanaka Nobuatsu , Futakawa Masatoshi
Published: September 2023

Cavitation bubbles grow and collapse due to impulsive pressure change in liquids and the damage could be imposed on the interfaces between liquid and solid walls. Liquid heavy metals are applied as high-intensity spallation neutron sources, e.g., mercury targets in SNS (spallation neutron source in ORNL) and MLF/J-PARC, etc. The cavitation damage gets to be one of crucial issues from the viewpoint of structural integrity, i.e., durability under high power operation. The relationship between the dynamic behavior of cavitation bubbles and the local impact which generated at the cavitation collapse and causes the damage was systematically investigated using the direct visualization technique with a high-speed camera and electric spark thermal loading technique under water as comparing with the numerical simulation based on the Keller-Miksis equation. The results show a linear correlation between the impact energy of cavitation bubble collapse and the volume change of the bubble. In addition, this volume change can be evaluated from the collapsing time of the cavitation bubble. The collapsing time furthermore can be derived from the cavitation bubble development time using the simplified equation, and the local impact and damage due to cavitation collapse can be qualitatively estimated from bubble collapsing time.
Dynamics of solitons in nonlinear lattices with Morse potential
Authors: Bhat Muzzammil Ahmad
Published: September 2023

With Jacobi Elliptic Functions (JEF) we obtain soliton solutions of wave motion in lattices composed of particles interacting by nonlinear forces. The interaction in lattices is between the nearest-neighbors with realistic Morse potential gaps. This yields soliton solutions both in continuum and discrete lattices as depicted.
Patterns of childhood cancer mortality in Hungary since the turn of the millennium, including the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Németh Kristóf , Nyári Tibor András , Lantos Tamás
Published: September 2023

Background: During the COVID-19 period health care had to be cut back which may also have affected the numbers and patterns of childhood cancer deaths in Hungary. We aimed to analyse the pattern of childhood cancer mortality among children under 15 years in Hungary. Death rates were compared during the periods 2020–2021 (pandemic) and 2001–2019 (non-pandemic). In addition, cyclical trends were examined.
Methods: Mortality data were obtained from the nationwide population register. Monthly deaths were investigated using Walter–Elwood and Poisson regression methods.
Results: Overall, 14,931 childhood deaths (1,092 from cancers) were registered between 2001-2021. The cancer mortality risk was significantly higher among boys than girls. Furthermore, this risk was significantly lower in older age groups (5–14 years) than in the under-5 group (IRR = 0.816; 95% CI: 0.756–0.879; p < 0.001). A significantly decreasing trend was detected for yearly childhood cancer mortality rates with an annual IRR of 0.976 (95% CI: 0.966–0.986; p < 0.001). This tendency was not influenced by the pandemic. However, different patterns of seasonal variation were revealed in childhood cancer mortality rates during 2020–2021 and 2001–2019.
Conclusions: Although the annual trend in childhood cancer mortality was not affected by
the coronavirus pandemic, there was a significant change in the pattern of childhood cancer mortality during the pandemic and non-pandemic period in Hungary. The seasonal variation of monthly childhood cancer mortality rates suggests that environmental factors play an important role in the aetiology of childhood cancer deaths.
Urban parrots in Sothern South America: Conservation challenges and opportunities
Authors: Lera Daiana Noelia , Cozzani Natalia , Camina Julia Laura , Tella José Luis , Zalba Sergio
Published: September 2023

Data on the interactions between the order Psittaciformes and the anthropogenic environment are still insufficient and have not been systematized, especially in the Neotropical region. This is despite the fact that cities are the everyday territory shared by these birds and the vast majority of those of us who study them. As a consequence of this coexistence, the volume of accumulated knowledge is probably significantly greater than the formal scientific contributions on the subject. In this survey, information was compiled on the wild parrots inhabiting cities in the Southern Cone of South America, based on surveys with key informants. The results obtained highlighted the presence of a large number of parrots species that form part of the urban avifauna of the region, between 67% to 90% of the total number of species of the order cited for each territory evaluated. The greatest species richness and the number of breeding species was associated with the large cities located in middle and low latitudes. We confirmed breeding within the cities for more than 40% of the species mentioned. Seventy-five per cent of the species reported are native to the study area, the rest originating from other regions of South America or other continents. Quarter of the reported species are considered threatened and almost 50% have declining populations. Urban parrots represent a challenge in the search for urban models compatible with biodiversity conservation, in the designing of innovative conservation strategies that respond to the new challenges posed by a constantly growing human population.
R. arboreum’s altitudinal and latitudinal shift in future climate pivots on emission scenarios
Authors: Veera Sai , Behera Mukunda Dev , Goel Shailendra , Barik Saroj K
Published: September 2023

Global warming leads to changes in distribution of species across the globe. Himalayan altitudinal gradients are one of the most susceptible ecosystems to varying climatic drivers and predicting distribution of species on this rugged topography in future climate seeks attention in terms of both ecological and economic importance. Western Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand shelter one-tenth of world’s known higher-altitude plant species. Rhododendron arboreum, the most widely distributed tree in Himalayas, was studied for its distribution in future climate. Ensemble models were employed to predict distribution by 2070 in Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and RCP 6.0 scenarios. Altitudinal shift was studied by incorporating spatial measures, considering minimum horizontal distance the species can move. Centroidal shift was estimated in terms of both direction and magnitude, and altitudinal analysis was performed at centroidal shift. Results showed that, Himalayan locations in RCP 4.5 scenario would get warmer than RCP 6.0 scenario, and species is just as likely to shift upwards (higher elevations in RCP 4.5 scenario) as downward (lower elevations in RCP 6.0 scenario) despite consistent warming across the study area. Highest suitable elevation range for the species presence is likely to be ~ 2100m in current scenario, 2200m – 2400m in RCP 4.5 scenario, and 1800m – 2100m in RCP 6.0 scenario. Temperate zone of Himalayas may turn out as the most suitable zone for R. arboreum and species is likely to move in Northwest direction with a horizontal distance of 60km and 25km in RCP 4.5 and RCP 6.0 scenarios, respectively.
Dimensional Considerations in the Evaluation and Design of Energy Dissipaters
Authors: Rakhio Allah
Published: September 2023

This paper presents an experimental and simulation-based investigation into the force characteristics of rubber ball-based energy dissipaters. The study focuses on exploring the dimensional considerations in energy dissipation, where rubber balls serve as a medium to control vibrations. The paper scrutinizes the force properties through various approaches, including filling ratio, rotor speed, dissipater dimensions, and ball size. The results indicate that the size of the rubber balls significantly improves the performance of the energy dissipater, suggesting that larger balls enhance its effectiveness. Additionally, enhancing the filling ratio and the dimensions of the energy dissipater results in greater force. To supplement the experimental findings, a numerical simulation technique based on the discrete element analysis method is employed for an exhaustive quantitative and qualitative analysis of the energy dissipater. The close correlation observed between the experimental and simulation results confirms the accuracy of the proposed model, especially for large-scale energy dissipation systems.
Modeling customer portfolios in competitive B2B service markets to evaluate the relationship between loyalty and customer attractiveness
Authors: Tsai Ming‑Chih , Merkert Rico , Wu Andy
Published: September 2023

In competitive B2B service markets, customer loyalty may be a necessary but not sufficient condition for achieving firm profitability. Assuming this, we design a portfolio analysis approach with a novel four-quadrant taxonomy to evaluate the relationship between loyalty and customer attractiveness. Employing an attractiveness matrix and stepwise stratification analysis, we evaluate 158,639 transactions associated with 616 business customers of a Taiwanese global freight forwarder. Our results indicate that in this competitive B2B service market, customers in the “pure loyalty” and “profitable disloyalty” segments accounted for 6% and 19% of customers, respectively. Customers with “pure loyalty” supported long-term profits through relational attractiveness, and those with “profitable disloyalty” supported short-term profits through transactional attractiveness. The largest group of customers (34%) exhibited “spurious loyalty” with low transactional value, and they are therefore less attractive from a firm value generation perspective. As traditional customer classification methods suffer from time lags and do not account for competition effects, our approach (using short-term observations around attractiveness and profitable loyalty) offers service suppliers aiming to enhance their profitability a tool to quickly identify segment customer portfolios and reveal distinctive characteristics of “golden customers”.
An Improved Multi innovation Adaptive Robust Dual Kalman Filter Algorithm for Estimating Battery State
Authors: guan zhe , Yang FaZhi , Yu Taohua , An AiMing
Published: September 2023

In response to the inaccurate estimation of State of Charge (SOC) in current power battery management systems, and considering that SOC may be subject to offset constraints from State of Health (SOH) when estimated separately. A method combining adaptive robust Kalman filtering with multiple innovation theories and online identification of dual Kalman filtering parameters is proposed. This control method is based on adaptive robust Kalman control. It corrects the estimated values using multiple innovation values and Kalman gains at different times. Dual Kalman filtering is used for online parameter identification and joint estimation of battery health status, which increases the amount of error information and provides an optimized method for accurate estimation of SOC and SOH. To verify the rationality of the algorithm, a second-order RC equivalent circuit model is used to characterize the dynamic characteristics of the battery, and experimental verification is carried out under different operating conditions. The experimental results show that the average error of SOC under three operating conditions: UDDS, FUDS, and US06 is 0.56\%, 0.31\%, and 1.23\%, respectively. The estimated error of SOH after stabilization is less than 1.73\%. The estimation error is the lowest among the five estimation algorithms. The proposed algorithm has been verified to have good accuracy and convergence. The multi-innovation adaptive robust dual Kalman filtering algorithm provides a theoretical basis for accurate state estimation and widespread application of lithium batteries.
Quark stars in the pure pseudo-Wigner phase
Authors: Su Li-Qun , Shi Chao , Huang Yong-Feng , Yan Yan , Li Cheng-Ming , Zong Hong-Shi
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we take a different scenario of a pure quark star which is completely composed of quarks in the pseudo-Wigner phase. The equation of state (EOS) of deconfined quark stars is studied in the framework of the two-flavor NJL model, and the self-consistent mean field approximation is employed by introducing a parameter α combining the original Lagrangian and the Fierz-transformed Lagrangian, LR = (1 − α)L + αLF, to measure the weights of different interaction channels. We assume deconfinement phase transition happens along with the chiral phase transition. Thus, due to the lack of description of confinement in the NJL model, the vacuum pressure is set to confine quarks at low densities, which is the pressure corresponding to the critical point of chiral phase transition. We find that deconfined quark stars can reach over two-solar-mass, and the bag constant therefore shifts from (130 MeV)4 to (150 MeV)4 as α grows. In addition, the tidal deformability Λ is found to range from 253 to 482 along with the decrease of α, which satisfies the astronomical constraint of Λ < 800 for 1.4-solar-mass neutron stars.
Physical, Thermal and Mechanical Characterization of Ceramic (SiC) Filled Woven Glass Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polymer Composites
Authors: Rout Laxmi Narayan , Mishra Debasmita , Swain Priyadarshi Tapas Ranjan
Published: September 2023

The heat shielding and thermal stability capability of ceramic fillers brings it to the forefront for utilisation in polymer composites for thermally variable applications. The present work focusses to study the physical, mechanical and thermal behaviour of ceramic filler (SiC) in glass fiber reinforced hybrid polymer composites. During the investigation, different weight percentages of SiC filler (0–40 with step of 5) was added with glass fiber epoxy composites. The tensile, flexural, impact strength, hardness of both types of the composites were determined. The experimental results indicate varied rate of deterioration of tensile and flexural strength of the hybrid composites with respect to the SiC filler content. However, the impact strength and hardness of the composites enhanced due to the incorporation of SiC ceramic fillers. Further thermogravimetric analysis and thermal conductivity test was performed to study the effect of ceramic filler and glass fiber on the thermal behaviour of the developed composites. The experimental thermal conductivity values of composites were compared with those of analytical models. The inclusion of SiC ceramic filler enhanced the thermal stability and conductivity of epoxy-based composites. However, the hybridization of SiC filler with glass fiber further improved the thermal properties of the composites. The microscopic analysis of the developed composites was carried out to ascertain deformation mechanisms of under tensile, flexural and impact loading.
Assessment of Stigma, Coping Mechanisms and Vulnerability to Violence Among HIV Infected People Who Inject Drugs in Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria
Authors: Kalaiwo Abiye , Motilewa Olugbemi , Amechi Paul , Sanni Olaniyi Felix , Umoh Paul , Abang Roger , Emmanuel Godwin , Boniface Ochonye Bartholomew
Published: September 2023

Introduction:
People who inject drugs (PWIDs) living with HIV face high levels of stigma, violence, and rape due to their risky lifestyles, potentially facilitating the spread of HIV. This study assessed the level and type of stigma and violence among PWIDs attending Heartland Alliance in Akwa Ibom State and their coping mechanisms.
Methods
This descriptive cross-sectional study of 442 PWIDs receiving care at four one-stop shops in the state was conducted using mixed methods. Quantitative data were collected through pretested structured questionnaires and an adopted stigma scale, administered by trained research assistants using Computer Assisted Personal Interviewer (CAPI). For qualitative data, one focus group discussion (FGD) was held at each site with 8–10 purposively selected PWIDs, and transcripts were analysed thematically.
Results
Most respondents were male (78%) with a mean age of 32.7 ± 7 years. Pentazocine use was common (52%), and 18% shared needles, with 15% sharing blood after injections among friends. More than half (58%) missed more than one dose of ARVs in the past week. Perceived stigma (59%) was more common than internal stigma (18%), with predictors being student status, non-disclosure of HIV status, and non-adherence to treatment. PWIDs Physical violence (47.5%) and verbal abuse (37.1%) were prevalent among PWIDs. Female PWIDs had a ninefold higher risk of rape. Coping mechanisms included isolation, increased substance use, battle readiness, and positive reframing.
Conclusion
PWIDs face significant levels of stigma, violence, and non-adherence, jeopardising treatment outcomes and perpetuating STI, HIV, and blood-borne infection transmission. Establishing harm-reduction programs is essential to address these vulnerabilities and the consequences associated with drug use.
On the linear structure of the interlaced Alfvén vortices in the tail of Uranus at solstice.
Authors: Pantellini Filippo
Published: September 2023

Incompressible vortex flow are observed in a large variety of astrophysical plasmas such as the convection zone and the atmosphere of stars, in astrophysical jets in stellar winds and in planetary magnetospheres. More specifically, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations have shown that two large scale interlaced Alfvénic vortices structure the magnetic tail of Uranus at solstice time. Assuming identical vortices, we compute the general linear structure of the flow near their centers within the frame of ideal MHD. We then use the analytic results to interpret and qualify the vortices observed in a 3D MHD simulation of a fast rotating Uranus-type planet.
Can Long-short Term Memory Neural Network With Symbolic Genetic Algorithm Predict Stock Price Change Basing on Fundamental Indicators
Authors: Li Qi , Kamaruddin Norshaliza , Al-Jaifi Hamdan Ali
Published: September 2023

This paper presents an enhanced framework that combines Symbolic Genetic Algorithm (SGA) with Long-Short Term Memory Neural Network (LSTM) for predicting cross-sectional price returns using fundamental indicators of 4,500 listed stocks in China. The study addresses the challenges posed by fundamental indicators resembling smart beta factors in efficient markets and the low frequency of fundamental indicator updates for deep learning models (DNN). The proposed DNN framework incorporates data augmentation and feature selection techniques, resulting in significant improvements in Rank Information coefficient (Rank IC) and IC information ratio (ICIR) by 1,128% and 5,360% for fundamental driven data. Additionally, a rule-based strategy based on the hybrid SGA-LSTM model outperforms major Chinese stock indexes, generating impressive average annualized excess returns compared to the CSI 300 and CSI 500 indexes. These findings highlight the effectiveness of LSTM with SGA in optimizing cross-sectional stock return predictions based on fundamental indicators, providing valuable insights for financial professionals..
Comparative anuran diversity and abundance in sprayed and unsprayed transplanted rice crop fields
Authors: SINGH SHELLY , SINGH RAJWINDER
Published: September 2023

Agriculture intensification and management practises is a significant threat to biodiversity. However, changed habitats such as irrigated rice fields could offer as potential refuges for some anurans species. This study examined diversity and abundance of anurans in transplanted rice crop fields under sprayed and unsprayed conditions. Six anuran species were recorded from transplanted rice crop fields (D. melanostictus, D. stomaticus, E. cyanophlyctis, E. adolfi, F. limnocharisi and H. tigerinus) with patchy occurrence of E. adolfi. However, 36.03–37.93% increase in anuran population was recorded in unsprayed as compared to sprayed transplanted rice crop fields. Total mean population in unsprayed fields was 37.05% higher as compared to sprayed fields. Increase in body weight of males (2.96–14.21%) was more than females (3.87–11.17%) in unsprayed than sprayed fields.A positive correlation was found between amphibian population with atmospheric temperature (˚C), mean relative humidity (%), rainfall (mm), soil pH, soil OC except for soil EC. The study suggests rice agroecosystems, in partnership with neighboring natural aquatic and terrestrial habitats with no use of pesticides can serve as a sanctuary for anuran biodiversity.
Graph Convolutional Network Based on Transformer(Tran-GCN) Model for Improving Monitoring Vidwo Person Re-Identification
Authors: Hong Xiaobin , Ghazali Masitah Binti , Adam Tarmizi bin
Published: September 2023

With the rapid development of society and economy, video monitoring networks are widely used in many fields. In real-world scenarios, camera installation is limited by height and density, and most of the images captured in videos are incomplete persons. In complex scenes with high person flow density, it is difficult to accurately identify, track, and detect a certain person. The person Re-Identification method is mainly divided into two stages: the first stage is to detect all persons in the monitoring video, and the second stage is to compare persons in numerous videos based on a certain target object, in order to find the same character. This study proposes a Transformer graph based Convolutional neural network (Tran-GCN) model to improve person recognition in monitoring video. The Tran-GCN model includes two parts: First, design a person graph convolutional network learning model. Firstly, the basic CNN is used to extract the global appearance features of persons. Then, through the OpenPose human pose estimation network, the rich pose information of persons is fully combined with the inherent skeletal structure information of persons to obtain key point information of persons. Through the graph convolutional network, the relationship information of person joint structure is integrated to obtain the relationship features between nodes. Secondly, design a person Re-Identification model for the Transformer learning branch, learning more fine-grained semantic local feature relationships of persons, so that the model focuses on more important local regions. Finally, through experimental verification, more accurate discriminative person features were captured to re identify personnel in monitoring videos, improving recognition accuracy and effectiveness.
Computational peptide discovery with a genetic programming approach
Authors: Scalzitti Nicolas , Miralavy Iliya , Korenchan David E. , Farrar Christian T. , Gilad Assaf A. , Banzhaf Wolfgang
Published: September 2023

Background The development of peptides for therapeutic targets or biomarkers for disease diagnosis is a challenging task in protein engineering. Current approaches are tedious, often time-consuming and require complex laboratory data due to the vast search space. In silico methods can accelerate research and substantially reduce costs. Evolutionary algorithms are a promising approach for exploring large search spaces and facilitating the discovery of new peptides.
Results This study presents the development and use of a variant of the initial POET algorithm, called POETRegex, which is based on genetic programming, where individuals are represented by a list of regular expressions. The program was trained on a small curated dataset and employed to predict new peptides that can improve the problem of sensitivity in detecting peptides through magnetic resonance imaging using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST). The resulting model achieves a performance gain of 20% over the initial POET variant and is able to predict a candidate peptide with a 58% performance increase compared to the gold-standard peptide.
Conclusions By combining the power of genetic programming with the flexibility of regular expressions, new potential peptide targets were identified to improve the sensitivity of detection by CEST. This approach provides a promising research direction for the efficient identification of peptides with therapeutic or diagnostic potential.
Significance of the number space and coordinate system in physics for elementary particles and the planetary system
Authors: SCHMIDT Helmut Christian
Published: September 2023

In physics, a single center of gravity is assumed for forces. However, at least 3 points π, π2, π3 are required as the center, orthograde for the 3 spatial dimensions. With this approach, the universe can be understood as a set of rational numbers Q. This is to be distinguished from how we see the world, a 3-dimensional space with time. Observations from the past is the subset Q+ for physics. A system of 3 objects, each with 3 spatial coordinates on the surface and time, is sufficient for physics. For the microcosm, the energy results from the 10 independent parameters as a polynomial P(2). For an observer, the local coordinates are the normalization for the metric. Our idea of a space with revolutions of 2π gives the coordinates in the macrocosm in epicycles. This means a transformation of the energies into polynomials P(2π) and thus corresponds to quantum theory. The moon and earth are unique and are in a ground state. c can be calculated from the units meter and day.
π/2 c m day = rEarth2
This formula provides the equatorial radius of the earth with an accuracy of 489 m. Orbits can be calculated using polynomials P(2π) and orbital times in the planetary system with P(8). A common constant can be derived from h, G and c with the consequence for H0:
h G c5 s8/m10 (π4- π2-π-1-π-3)1/2 = 1.00000 H0theory= π 1/2 h G c3 s5/m8
mneutron/me = (2π)4 +(2π)3+(2π)2-(2π)1-(2π)0-(2π)-1+2(2π)-2+ (2π)-4-2(2π)-6 +6(2π)-8 = 1838.6836611
Theory: 1838.6836611 me measured: 1838.68366173(89) me
For each charge there is an energy EC = -π+2π-1- π-3+2π-5-π-7+π-9-π-12
Together with the neutron mass, the result for the proton is:
mproton=mneutron + C me= 1836.15267363me
Fine-structure constant:
1/= π4+ π3+ π2-1- π-1 + π-2- π-3 + π-7 - π-9- 2 π-10-2 π-11-2 π-12 = 137.035999107
The muon and tauon masses as well as calculations for the inner planetary system are given.
Determining the Cause of Optic Nerve Atrophy in Syndromic Craniosynostosis Using Logistic Regression
Authors: Obaidellah Salem Saleh Saeed Ban , Mohamed Nur Anisah , Abdullah Norli Anida , Ramli Norlisah Mohd , Kuo Tan Li , Hariri Firdaus
Published: September 2023

The restricted intracranial volume in syndromic craniosynostosis is due to limited skull expansion caused by early fusion of multiple cranial sutures. This led to progressive increased in intracranial pressure which has long been established as the cause of optic nerve damage. Optic nerve damage secondary to the narrowing of optic canal in syndromic craniosynostosis has been reported but not comprehensively explored. The objective of this study is to predict using logistic regression the cause of optic nerve atrophy is caused by increased intracranial pressure or structural narrowing of optic canal. The study involved 11 measurements of features of the optic canals as predictor variables. A binary logistic regression and variable selection method were applied to the 11 measurements to choose the best combination of the predictors. The results show good models that could be considered a suitable representation of the data. The height at the optical cranial side is the most dominant feature in the top 20 models that specifies the syndromic patients, followed by the area and the perimeter for both optic canals, then the length of the medial wall and the diameter at the mid canal for right and left canal respectively. The paper's findings provide significant evidence for using this method as an alternative to determine if the cause of optic nerve atrophy is related to either increased intracranial pressure or narrowing optic canal structure among syndromic craniosynostosis patients, thus saving the patient from ineffective operations, additional risks, and waste of resources.
Results from a Phase I study of 4-L-[131I]iodo-phenylalanine ([ 131 I]IPA) in combination with external radiation therapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (IPAX-1)
Authors: Pichler Joseph , Traub-Weidinger Tatjana , Spiegl Kurt , Imamovic Larisa , Braat Arthur J. A. T. , Snijders Tom J. , Verhoeff Joost J. C. , Flamen Patrick , Tachmanova Libuse , Hayward Colin , Kluge Andreas
Published: September 2023

Purpose: Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common malignant brain tumor, is associated with devastating outcomes. IPAX-1 was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm Phase I study to evaluate carrier-added 4-L-[131I]iodo-phenylalanine ([131I]IPA) plus external radiation therapy (XRT) in recurrent GBM.
Methods: A total of 10 adults with recurrent GBM who had received first-line debulking surgery plus radiochemotherapy, were randomized to a single dose regimen (1f; 131I-IPA 2 GBq before XRT); a fractionated parallel dose regimen (3f-p; three 131I-IPA 670 MBq fractions, in parallel with second-line XRT), or a fractionated sequential dose regimen (3f-s; three 131I-IPA 670 MBq fractions before and after XRT). Metabolic tumor responses were determined using O-(2- [18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine positron emission tomography, while single-photon emission computed tomography was used to guide [131I]IPA tumor dosimetry.
Results: All dose regimens were well tolerated. Organ-absorbed radiation doses in red marrow (0.38 Gy) and kidney (1.28 Gy) confirmed no radiation-based toxicity. Stable disease was observed in 4 of 9 patients at 3-month (mo) post-treatment (3-mo follow-up [FU], 1 patient did not reach protocol-mandated end of study), yielding a response rate of 44.4%. At the 3-mo FU, 6 patients demonstrated metabolic stable disease. Median progression-free survival was 4.3 months (95% confidence interval, 3.3–4.5), while median overall survival was 13 months (95% confidence interval, 7.1–27).
Conclusion: Single or fractionated doses of [131I]IPA plus XRT were associated with acceptable tolerability and specific tumor targeting in patients with recurrent GBM, warranting further investigation.
AVALIAÇÃO QUANTITATIVA DE ÁCIDOS AMARGOS, XANTHOHUMOL E ÓLEOS ESSENCIAIS PRESENTES EM FLORES DE DIFERENTES CULTIVARES DE Humulus lupulus L. PRODUZIDAS NA REGIÃO NORDESTE DO BRASIL
Authors: Marques Samuel , Trevisan Maria , Owen Robert , Silva Ana , Nascimento Francisco , Lima Francisca , Lima Thales , de Brito Edy , Magalhães Hilton , da Silva Francisco
Published: September 2023

QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF BITTER ACIDS, XANTHOHUMOL AND ESSENTIAL OILS PRESENT IN FLOWERS OF DIFFERENT CULTIVARS OF Humulus lupulus L. GROWN IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL. Hop flowers contain chemical substances that are used to confer sensory properties to beer. Hop flower products have very high commercial value, but national production represents less than 2% of domestic consumption. In this work, flowers from different hop cultivars grown in northeast of Brazil (Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará) were analyzed to quantitate metabolites of industrial interest. Flowers from the initial and three consecutive harvests were collected, and bitter acids and xanthohumol were evaluated by HPLC-UV and essential oils by GC-MS. The cultivar Columbus was subjected to only 10% of the irrigation time during the third flowering phase to evaluate the effect of water stress on the formation of metabolites. Compounds were detected in appreciable quantities in all samples, and consecutive flowering of some cultivars showed a significant increase in total bitter acids with successive harvests. Plants subjected to water stress showed an abrupt decrease in the concentration of compounds. The cultivars evaluated by liquid and gas chromatography showed a significant concentration of bitter acids and essential oils within the expected range, and the chemical composition of the oils showed different compounds characteristic of hops.