bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Encapsulation of Boron Nanoparticles Using Reduced Graphene Oxide on their Oxidation Characteristics
Authors: Zhang Hongyi , Du Xinyi , Li Gang 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBoron is a well‐known high‐energy solid. A thick oxide coating on the particle, however, inhibits its ignition and reduces its energy significantly. In this work, graphene nanosheets were used as a protective material for encapsulating boron nanoparticles (NPs) to prevent their oxidation from the air at room temperature. Boron‐reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composites were prepared under hydrothermal conditions using graphene oxide (GO) and commercial or washed boron NPs as precursors. Boron‐RGO composites were characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetry (TG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). XPS data show that no boron oxide or boric acid was present on the surface of washed boron particles and boron‐RGO composites. It seems that the removal of boron oxide or boric acid layer on the commercial boron particle surface and the reduction of graphene oxide occurred simultaneously during hydrothermal treatment. XRD data show that boric acid re‐formed on washed boron NPs but not on the boron‐RGO composites after these two samples had been exposed to ambient temperature air for four months. This indicates that the anti‐oxidation stability of boron against air at room temperature was improved greatly after encapsulation of reduced graphene oxide. The heat of combustion of boron‐RGO composites (46.6∼49.3 kJ ⋅ g−1) measured by oxygen bomb calorimetry was higher than that of the commercial boron NPs (43.4 kJ ⋅ g−1). Upon heating, the boron‐RGO composite begins oxidizing at a lower temperature than the commercial boron particles. A mechanism was proposed for encapsulation of boron NPs with RGO.
Causal mediation analysis with sure outcomes of random events model
Authors: Li Wei , Geng Zhi , Zhou Xiao‐Hua 
Published: April 2021

AbstractMediation analysis is a useful tool in randomized trials for understanding how a treatment works, in particular how much of the treatment's effect on an outcome is explained by a mediator variable. The traditional approach to mediation analysis makes sequential ignorability assumption which precludes the existence of unobserved confounders between the mediator and outcome variables. Since the randomized experiment does not randomize the mediator, sequential ignorability may not be plausible. In this article, based on a statistical model termed sure outcomes of random events model, we propose an alternative approach to causal mediation analysis without relying on the sequential ignorability assumption for the case of binary treatment and mediator variables. When the outcome is also binary, we establish the identifiability of the average natural direct and indirect effects in the presence of an unobserved confounder between mediator and outcome variables. More importantly, if the identifiability conditions are violated, we provide new bounds that are narrower than those in the previous studies, and these bound results are extended to the case of an arbitrary bounded outcome. Simulation studies show good performance for the proposed estimators in finite samples. Finally, we use a job training intervention on the mental health study to illustrate our approach.
s‐MoO3/MoO2@C Hollow Tubes as Polysulfide‐Filter for Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Guo Jian , Zhang Jizong , Yang Ting , Zheng Xuewen , Chen Mingming 
Published: April 2021

AbstractIncreasing the active sites to adsorb polysulfides and catalyze its conversion to Li2S/Li2S2 is considered an effective approach to accelerate redox kinetics lithium‐sulfur (Li−S) battery. In this paper, shortened s‐MoO3/MoO2@C hollow tube with abundant adsorption/catalytic active sites is prepared by self‐etching/thermal reduction. Due to the abundant active sites and good Li+ transport of the composite, the redox kinetics of polysulfides is enhanced. Under the condition of 1.56 mg cm−2 of sulfur loading and E/S=12 μL mg−1, the activation energy for Li2S/Li2S2 formation in Li−S cell is reduced to 14.08 kJ mol−1, and the discharging specific capacity remains 488.4 mAh g−1 at 5 C.
Influence of Ethanolic Plant Extracts on Morphology and Size Distribution of Sol‐Gel Prepared TiO2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Rodríguez‐Jiménez Rafael‐Aurelio , Panecatl‐Bernal Yesmin , Carrillo‐López Jesús , Méndez‐Rojas Miguel‐Ángel , Romero‐López Anabel , Pacio‐Castillo Mauricio , Vivaldo Israel , Morales‐Sánchez Alfredo , Arce Roberto D. , Caram Jorge , Villanueva‐Cab Julio , Alvarado Joaquín 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe influence of ethanolic extracts of three common plants (Equisetum arvense, Syzygium aromaticum and Camellia sinensis) on the morphology and size distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles prepared using the sol‐gel method is presented. The phytochemicals extracted from the plants acted as surfactants, modifying the growth mechanism and stabilizing high‐quality small, quasi‐spherical, non‐aggregated TiO2 nanoparticles with sizes in the range from 20–50 nm. The most satisfactory result was achieved using extracts of E. arvense. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of TiO2 nanoparticles prepared using E. arvense ethanolic extracts are discussed. After thermal treatment at 550 °C, the TiO2 nanoparticles were present only in the anatase crystalline phase, with a bandgap of 3.27 eV, as confirmed by X‐ray diffraction and UV‐vis analyses, respectively. These small morphologically homogeneous TiO2 nanoparticles stabilized by low‐cost, abundant and eco‐friendly capping agents may be useful as components in photovoltaic cells, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, as well as for photocatalytic uses.
Improving the Cyclic Stability of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Cathode by Modifying the Interface Film with 8‐Hydroxyquinoline
Authors: Shang Huimin , Zhou Hanxiao , Jingjing Gao , Zhang Huan , Li Tianhui , Qiao Yingjun , Niu Wenchao , Qu Meizhen , Xie Zhengwei , Peng Gongchang 
Published: April 2021

Abstract8‐Hydroxyquinoline (8‐HDQN) is used as a bifunctional film‐forming additive to improve the capacity retention of Li/LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) cell. Electrochemical analysis and ex‐situ analysis prove that 8‐HDQN can preferentially oxidize on the surface LNMO cathode to modify the Cathode Electrolyte Interface (CEI) film. The modified film effectively reduces the oxidation reaction of the electrolyte and the increase of polarization during the cycle. The CEI film derived from 8‐HDQN also inhibits the dissolution of transition metals ions from the LNMO electrode, and reduces the self‐discharge of the Li/ LNMO cell. Moreover, 8‐HDQN can also reduce the side reaction of PF5 by coordination with PF5 to improve the thermal stability of the electrolyte.
Sunlight Photocatalytic Synthesis of Aryl Hydrazides by Decatungstate‐Promoted Acylation under Room Temperature
Authors: Xie Pan , Shi Sanshan , Hu Xueqing , Xue Cheng , Du Dongdong 
Published: April 2021

AbstractA sunlight photocatalytic synthesis of aryl hydrazides was achieved via a decatungstate‐promoted addition process of aromatic aldehydes to azo compounds. Aryl hydrazides can be produced in good to excellent yields under room temperature, even if the reaction was carried out as “window ledge” mode. This process is easy to be operated and no additional additives are needed, which makes the practicability and application value increase obviously.
Decentralized secure storage of medical records using Blockchain and IPFS: A comparative analysis with future directions
Authors: Kumar Shivansh , Bharti Aman Kumar , Amin Ruhul 
Published: April 2021

AbstractMost of the hospitals store their patient's data locally and some even do not have any backup storage. This poses a real threat of data loss or data corruption. Although many hospitals are migrating to cloud storage, the clouds have their own threat vectors. Recently, various health care providers were hit by ransomware and Distributed Denial of Service attacks during the COVID‐19 outbreak. Due to these attacks, many emergency services were halted, affecting hundreds of thousands without any healthcare. Another problem with these traditional database practices is that they often misplace or mix the patient's data, which, needless to say, have severe complications. Many researchers are working on IPFS and Blockchain technology to improve the storage of medical records. This article presents a detailed study of the IPFS and Blockchain based healthcare secure storage solutions. It analyzes the existing solutions and their architecture, which will further facilitate the future research and development of emerging IPFS and Blockchain technologies.
Mitigating distributed denial of service attack: Blockchain and software‐defined networking based approach, network model with future research challenges
Authors: Kumar Shivansh , Amin Ruhul 
Published: April 2021

AbstractWith the rise of technology and easy access to the internet, it is nowadays very easy to perform distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. The main target of a DDoS attack is to suspend or interrupt any available services online. It can be done for personal profits or professional reasons, and sometimes over political reasons too. Some of the recent attacks are as follows: the largest ever recorded packet per second based DDoS attack on Akamai servers, the attack on Amazon, and the attacks on the website of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Cutting‐edge technology like Blockchain and software‐defined networking (SDN) are very helpful in developing a mitigating architecture with their collaborative approach, where SDN can authenticate the legitimate IP address and Blockchain can help to store the legitimate user in the trust list with a complex architecture of different assistant Blockchain. This paper proposes three different network architectures for the protection of DDOS attack by enabling Blockchain technology with SDN concept.
Agriculture and Wetland Applications
Authors: Lopez-Sanchez J. M. , Ballester-Berman J. D. , Vicente-Guijalba F. , Cloude S. R. , McNairn H. , Shang J. , Skriver H. , Jagdhuber T. , Hajnsek I. , Pottier E. , Marechal C. , Hubert-Moy L. , Corgne S. , Wdowinski S. , Touzi R. , Gosselin G. , Brooks R. , Yamaguchi Y. , Singh G. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractBased on experimental results, this chapter describes applications of SAR polarimetry to extract relevant information on agriculture and wetland scenarios by exploiting differences in the polarimetric signature of different scatterers, crop types and their development stage depending on their physical properties. Concerning agriculture, crop type mapping, soil moisture estimation and phenology estimation are reviewed, as they are ones with a clear benefit of full polarimetry over dual or single polarimetry. For crop type mapping, supervised or partially unsupervised classification schemes are used. Phenology estimation is treated as a classification problem as well, by regarding the different stages as different classes. Soil moisture estimation makes intensive use of scattering models, in order to separate soil and vegetation scattering and to invert for soil moisture from the isolated ground component. Then, applications of SAR polarimetry to wetland monitoring are considered that include the delineation of their extent and their characterisation by means of polarimetric decompositions. In the last section of the chapter, the use of a SAR polarimetric decomposition is shown for the assessment of the damages consequential to earthquakes and tsunamis.
What are markets? Selected market theories under genuine uncertainty in comparison
Authors: Schmiel Ute , Sander Hendrik 
Published: April 2021

AbstractSince market economies are the dominant form of regulating economic action all over the world, the question arises how markets are conceived theoretically. Answering this is relevant because we need to know how existing and hypothetical markets work in general, what they “can do”, and how one can improve the market order. There are three different market approaches that consider genuine uncertainty. According to the new institutional economics approach, markets are institutions that increase boundedly rational actors’ utility. The markets-as-institutional-arrangements approach denies that markets maximize or minimize market outcomes and argues that they enable harmony between individual and common interests. According to the political-cultural approach, markets are political arenas with conflicts between the relevant actors. Deciding reasonably for a theory requires answering whether one theory is more adequate than another. Since literature has not answered this so far, the present paper deals with this issue from a critical-rationalist perspective. It finds that the institutional economics approach is not adequate because its assumptions contradict reality and each other. In contrast, the markets-as-institutional-arrangements approach and the political-cultural approach fulfill critical-rationalist requirements. Therefore, the paper compares them and finds that there are reasons to prefer the political-cultural approach and to interpret the markets-as-institutional-arrangements approach as its special case. Referring to the political-cultural approach has different consequences for analyzing and improving the market order. Taking a political-cultural view implies, e.g., not only focusing on desirable social values and market rules but also on the relevance of interpretative frameworks and power.
Tame torsion and the tame inverse Galois problem
Authors: Bisatt Matthew , Dokchitser Tim 
Published: April 2021

AbstractFix a positive integer g and a squarefree integer m. We prove the existence of a genus g curve $$C/{\mathbb {Q}}$$

C
/
Q

such that the mod m representation of its Jacobian is tame. The method is to analyse the period matrices of hyperelliptic Mumford curves, which could be of independent interest. As an application, we study the tame version of the inverse Galois problem for symplectic matrix groups over finite fields.
Modal conversion of transverse mode-locked laser beams
Authors: Schepers Florian , Fallnich Carsten 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe conversion of transverse mode-locked (TML) laser beams from a Hermite-Gaussian (HG) to a Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) mode set using a cylindrical lens mode converter was demonstrated experimentally. By changing the spatial symmetry of the beams new spatio-temporal dynamics for TML lasers were enabled. In particular, the fast linear motion of an oscillating laser spot, generated by a TML laser based on HG modes, was translated into the circular motion of a TML laser beam based on LG modes. The mode conversion was demonstrated successfully for different average mode orders. Apart from an average ellipticity of about $$6\%$$

6
%

, the converted beam profiles remained circular over the propagation from the near- into the far-field. The remaining ellipticity seemed to be introduced by astigmatism of the incident HG TML beam, which could be compensated before conversion. Due to their radial symmetry and high scanning speed TML laser beams based on LG modes are well suited for precision applications like STED or Minflux microscopy.
Evaluation of stereoacuity with a digital mobile application
Authors: Bonfanti Silvia , Gargantini Angelo , Esposito Gabriele , Facchin Alessio , Maffioletti Marta , Maffioletti Silvio 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Purpose
Stereopsis is a fundamental skill in human vision and visual actions. There are many ways to test and quantify stereoacuity: traditional paper and new digital applications are both valid ways to test the stereoacuity. The aim of this study is to compare the results obtained using standard tests and the new Stereoacuity Test App developed by the University of Bergamo.

Methods
A group of 497 children (272 males), aged between 6 and 11 years old, were tested using different tests for the quantification of stereopsis at near. These tests were TNO, Weiss EKW, and the new developed Stereoacuity Test App.

Results
A one-way repeated measure ANOVA showed that the three tests give different thresholds of stereoacuity (p < 0.0001). Post hoc analyses with Bonferroni correction showed that all tests showed different thresholds (p < 0.0001). The lower threshold was obtained by Titmus Stereo Test followed by Stereoacuity App, Weiss MKW, and TNO.

Conclusion
The stereoacuity based on global stereopsis showed that the better values were obtained in order by Stereoacuity Test App, TNO, and Weiss EKW. However, the clinical significance of their values is similar. The new digital test showed a greater compliance by the child, showing itself in tune with the digital characteristics of today’s children.
Statistical analysis of the reproducibility of residual stress measurements in cold extruded parts
Authors: Jaeger Fabian , Franceschi Alessandro , Hoche Holger , Groche Peter , Oechsner Matthias 
Published: April 2021

AbstractCold extruded components are characterized by residual stresses, which originate from the experienced manufacturing process. For industrial applications, reproducibility and homogeneity of the final components are key aspects for an optimized quality control. Although striving to obtain identical deformation and surface conditions, fluctuation in the manufacturing parameters and contact shear conditions during the forming process may lead to variations of the spatial residual stress distribution in the final product. This could lead to a dependency of the residual stress measurement results on the relative axial and circumferential position on the sample. An attempt to examine this problem is made by the employment of design of experiments (DoE) methods. A statistical analysis of the residual stress results generated through X-Ray diffraction is performed. Additionally, the ability of cold extrusion processes to generate uniform stress states is analyzed on specimens of austenitic stainless steel 1.4404 and possible correlations with the pre-deformed condition are statistically examined. Moreover, the influence of the coating, consisting of oxalate and a MoS2 based lubricant, on the X-Ray diffraction measurements of the surface is investigated.
A learning robot for cognitive camera control in minimally invasive surgery
Authors: Wagner Martin , Bihlmaier Andreas , Kenngott Hannes Götz , Mietkowski Patrick , Scheikl Paul Maria , Bodenstedt Sebastian , Schiepe-Tiska Anja , Vetter Josephin , Nickel Felix , Speidel S. , Wörn H. , Mathis-Ullrich F. , Müller-Stich B. P. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Background
We demonstrate the first self-learning, context-sensitive, autonomous camera-guiding robot applicable to minimally invasive surgery. The majority of surgical robots nowadays are telemanipulators without autonomous capabilities. Autonomous systems have been developed for laparoscopic camera guidance, however following simple rules and not adapting their behavior to specific tasks, procedures, or surgeons.

Methods
The herein presented methodology allows different robot kinematics to perceive their environment, interpret it according to a knowledge base and perform context-aware actions. For training, twenty operations were conducted with human camera guidance by a single surgeon. Subsequently, we experimentally evaluated the cognitive robotic camera control. A VIKY EP system and a KUKA LWR 4 robot were trained on data from manual camera guidance after completion of the surgeon’s learning curve. Second, only data from VIKY EP were used to train the LWR and finally data from training with the LWR were used to re-train the LWR.

Results
The duration of each operation decreased with the robot’s increasing experience from 1704 s ± 244 s to 1406 s ± 112 s, and 1197 s. Camera guidance quality (good/neutral/poor) improved from 38.6/53.4/7.9 to 49.4/46.3/4.1% and 56.2/41.0/2.8%.

Conclusions
The cognitive camera robot improved its performance with experience, laying the foundation for a new generation of cognitive surgical robots that adapt to a surgeon’s needs.
Neural substrates involved in the cognitive information processing in teleost fish
Authors: Calvo R. , Schluessel V. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractOver the last few decades, it has been shown that fish, comprising the largest group of vertebrates and in many respects one of the least well studied, possess many cognitive abilities comparable to those of birds and mammals. Despite a plethora of behavioural studies assessing cognition abilities and an abundance of neuroanatomical studies, only few studies have aimed to or in fact identified the neural substrates involved in the processing of cognitive information. In this review, an overview of the currently available studies addressing the joint research topics of cognitive behaviour and neuroscience in teleosts (and elasmobranchs wherever possible) is provided, primarily focusing on two fundamentally different but complementary approaches, i.e. ablation studies and Immediate Early Gene (IEG) analyses. More recently, the latter technique has become one of the most promising methods to visualize neuronal populations activated in specific brain areas, both during a variety of cognitive as well as non-cognition-related tasks. While IEG studies may be more elegant and potentially easier to conduct, only lesion studies can help researchers find out what information animals can learn or recall prior to and following ablation of a particular brain area.
Risk of early failure of VP shunts implanted for hydrocephalus after craniotomies for brain tumors in adults
Authors: Hosainey Sayied Abdol Mohieb , Hald John K. , Meling Torstein R. 
Published: April 2021

AbstractRisks and survival times of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts implanted due to hydrocephalus after craniotomies for brain tumors are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the overall timing of VP shunting and its failure after craniotomy for brain tumors in adults. The authors also wished to explore risk factors for early VP shunt failure (within 90 days). A population-based consecutive patient cohort of all craniotomies for intracranial tumors leading to VP shunt dependency in adults (> 18 years) from 2004 to 2013 was studied. Patients with pre-existing VP shunts prior to craniotomy were excluded. The survival time of VP shunts, i.e., the shunt longevity, was calculated from the day of shunt insertion post-craniotomy for a brain tumor until the day of shunt revision requiring replacement or removal of the shunt system. Out of 4774 craniotomies, 85 patients became VP shunt-dependent (1.8% of craniotomies). Median time from craniotomy to VP shunting was 1.9 months. Patients with hydrocephalus prior to tumor resection (N = 39) had significantly shorter time to shunt insertion than those without (N = 46) (p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference with respect to early shunt failure. Median time from shunt insertion to shunt failure was 20 days (range 1–35). At 90 days, 17 patients (20%) had confirmed shunt failure. Patient age, sex, tumor location, primary/secondary craniotomy, extra-axial/intra-axial tumor, ventricular entry, post-craniotomy bleeding, and infection did not show statistical significance. The risk of early shunt failure (within 90 days) of shunts after craniotomies for brain tumors was 20%. This study can serve as benchmark for future studies.