bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
One-step ball milling synthesis of VO2 (M) nanoparticles with exemplary thermochromic performance
Authors: Wang Chiyuan , Xu Huiyan , Liu Tongyao , Yang Shuaijun , Nie Yong , Wang Cheng , Guo Xiaodan , Wang Binbin , Ma Xin , Jiang Xuchuan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractVanadium dioxide (VO2) has demonstrated highly potential for smart windows because of its thermochromic property. This study represents the development of a facile but efficient method for the synthesis of VO2 (M) nanoparticles by ball milling method under ambient conditions, without release of waste liquid or gases. The key variables related to synthesis, including milling time and molar ratio of raw materials, have been investigated. It was found that the pure-phase VO2 (M) nanoparticles with the sizes of the particles ranged from 20 to 50 nm and relatively good dispersivity could be prepared by optimizing process parameters. For practice use to decrease the phase transition temperature, elemental W doping amount of 2 at.%, V1−xWxO2 (M) nanoparticles were also studied, and their glass coating exhibits high thermochromic performance with luminous transmittance (Tlum) of 44.18%, solar regulation efficiency (∆Tsol) of 9.64%, and the critical phase transition temperature (Tc) of ~ 42 °C. This work demonstrates a green and promising ball milling method to fabricate large scale VO2 (M) and V1−xWxO2 (M) nanoparticles for smart windows.
The plastic waste problem in Malaysia: management, recycling and disposal of local and global plastic waste
Authors: Chen Hui Ling , Nath Tapan Kumar , Chong Siewhui , Foo Vernon , Gibbins Chris , Lechner Alex M. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractPlastic waste is one of the world’s most pressing human health and environmental concerns. Plastic constitutes the third highest waste source globally, with the total volume of plastic waste growing in-line with increases in the global population and per capita consumption. Malaysia is tracking global trends in both the overall generation of plastic waste and the consumption of single-use plastics and since 2017 has been the world’s largest importer of plastic waste. These elements create a number of major challenges for the country’s waste management system. This review outlines the current state of plastic waste production and management in Malaysia, including options for landfill, recycling and incineration. It presents information on the scale and both the human and ecological risks of plastic waste in the country (i.e. microplastics, landfill, incineration), outlines key plastic waste management policy initiatives (including plastics alternatives such as biodegradable plastics) and highlights key constraints on the success of these. Significant internal constraints stem from the inconsistent application of policy initiatives by state governments, in addition to the lack of public awareness and interest in household recycling. The paper closes by discussing options for and constraints on the switch to biodegradable alternatives and proposes a model of plastic management based on a circular economy approach and solid waste management hierarchy. Success in reducing the problems posed by plastic in Malaysia will require sustained effort at many levels, but positive experiences in other countries give some cause for optimism.
Numerical and perturbative analysis on non-axisymmetric Homann stagnation-point flow of Maxwell fluid
Authors: Sajid M. , Jagwal M. R. , Ahmad I. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we examined the numerical and perturbative analysis of non-Newtonian fluid towards non-axisymmetric Homann stagnation-point flow. The Maxwell fluid model is applied to investigate the behavior of viscoelastic fluid for this particular geometry. The influence of Maxwell parameter $${\beta }_{1}$$

β
1

and ratio $$\gamma$$
γ
on different profiles are addressed in this analysis. The governed partial differential equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations with the help of similarity transformations. The numerical and perturbative outcomes of the resulting system of differential equations are obtained by applying the shooting technique. The solution is achieved for diverse values of relaxation time parameter $${\beta }_{1}$$

β
1

and ratio $$\gamma$$
γ
. The wall shear stress is compared to their large-$$\gamma$$
γ
asymptotic behaviors and displacement thicknesses are also presented. The numerical data for velocity profiles are obtained in terms of plots. It is predicted through analysis that a gradual increase in relaxation time raises wall skin friction components. On the other hand, velocity decreases which constitutes to reduce the reverse flow. Meanwhile, displacement thicknesses in $$x$$
x
and $$y$$
y
direction decreases. However, three-dimensional displacement thickness increases due to more viscoelastic material like Maxwell fluid than viscous fluid.
Numerical studies on the self-heating phenomenon of elastomers based on finite thermoviscoelasticity
Authors: Schröder Jonas , Lion Alexander , Johlitz Michael 
Published: March 2021

AbstractDue to their typical material characteristics, elastomer components are used in almost all areas of engineering. In many cases, these components are subject to large cyclic deformations which result in hysteresis and dissipation-induced self-heating. Further they are exposed to varying ambient temperatures. Increased component temperatures can lead to the loss of a function or to total failure. Therefore, it is important to understand the causes and influences of critical temperatures and to identify them early in the development process under the condition of efficient applicability. In addition to the calculation time and accuracy, this also includes the experimental effort required to identify the material parameters and perform validation measurements. Within this work, the phenomenon of dissipative heating in elastomers is investigated in a numerical study using a modified model of the finite thermoviscoelasticity. For this purpose, a sufficiently simple material model was formulated and implemented under the assumption of the quasi-incompressible material behaviour. Based on this, the type and the characteristic features of the self-heating effect are specifically considered, and its dependence on thermal and mechanical initial and boundary conditions is studied. Thus, a new suitable parameter is introduced, which is particularly useful to identify critical loads. Analogously, the identification of dissipation-sensitive temperature ranges is presented. The utility of the general steadystate equilibrium condition as initial condition is also shown. Furthermore, the influence of the material properties on the steadystate equilibrium is demonstrated for the first time through parameter studies. Based on these findings, recommendations for modelling, calculation and experimental parameterisation are proposed.
Multichannel search patterns and webrooming behaviours in the service industries: the case of motor insurance
Authors: Hu Tun-I , Tracogna Andrea 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis article aims at analysing the empirical categories and the main determinants of channel choices in the contractualized individual services category, with particular reference to multichannel search patterns and webrooming behaviours, whereby customers search online but purchase offline (namely, at the service provider’s premises). Based on an international survey of motor insurance customers, a set of hypotheses on the determinants of customers’ shopping journeys, inclusive of search and purchase channel decisions, have been tested with a multinomial logistic regression. Our results show that channel choices—both relative to search and to purchase—are significantly influenced by the customer’s preference for personal interaction (which typically favours the personal, offline, channels); overall, the relevance of channel choice determinants differs in the different shopping phases: indeed, while the search patterns (mono vs. multiple; digital vs. personal) are mainly determined by the customer need for information and by her/his preference for shopping innovation and enjoyment, the purchase channel choices are mainly driven by the customer’s preference for service quality (personal purchase) and by his/her price consciousness (digital purchase). In particular, webrooming behaviours occur when a less price-conscious customer, after having actively explored multiple channels to satisfy the appetite for information, eventually prefers to purchase the service at the provider’s physical store (i.e. the insurance agent) to satisfy his/her preference for personal interaction and service quality. These results shed light on multichannel behaviours in service industries and may help providers better inform the retail strategies of contractualized individual services.
Striatal dopamine D2/3 receptors in medication-naïve schizophrenia: an [123I] IBZM SPECT study
Authors: Chen Kao Chin , Yang Yen Kuang , Howes Oliver D. , Lee I Hui , Yeh Tzung Lieh , Chiu Nan Tsing , Chen Po See , David Anthony S. , Bramon Elvira 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe hyper-function of the striatal dopamine system has been suggested to underlie key pathophysiological mechanisms in schizophrenia. Moreover, patients have been observed to present a significant elevation of dopamine receptor availability compared to healthy controls. Although it is difficult to measure dopamine levels directly in humans, neurochemical imaging techniques such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) provide indirect indices of in vivo dopamine synthesis and release, and putative synaptic levels.MethodsWe focused on the role of dopamine postsynaptic regulation using [123I] iodobenzamide (IBZM) SPECT. We compared D2/3 receptor availability between 53 healthy controls and 21 medication-naive patients with recent-onset schizophrenia.ResultThe mean specific striatal binding showed no significant difference between patients and controls (estimated difference = 0.001; 95% CI −0.11 to 0.11; F = 0.00, df = 1, 69; p = 0.99). There was a highly significant effect of age whereby IBZM binding declined with advancing age [estimated change per decade of age = −0.01(binding ratio); 95% CI −0.01 to −0.004; F = 11.5, df = 1, 69; p = 0.001]. No significant correlations were found between the mean specific striatal binding and psychopathological or cognitive rating scores.ConclusionsMedication-naïve patients with recent-onset schizophrenia have similar D2/3 receptor availability to healthy controls. We suggest that, rather than focusing exclusively on postsynaptic receptors, future treatments should target the presynaptic control of dopamine synthesis and release.
Beyond Identity: What Explains Hezbollah's Popularity among Non-Shi‘a Lebanese?
Authors: Karakoç Ekrem , Özcan Mesut , Alkan Özcan Sevinç 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis study delves into how non-Shi‘a Lebanese assess Hezbollah and its activities. Having provided empirical evidence that Hezbollah has garnered positive perception in Lebanon, it asks what explains a substantial increase or decrease in favorable attitudes toward Hezbollah among Christians, Sunnis, and Druze? It argues that those who perceive Hezbollah as a resistance organization, as it often describes itself; the political alliance across sectarian groups; as well as insecurity caused by armed groups such as Sunni militant groups and ISIS, all combine to moderate people's views toward Hezbollah. Using an original, nationally representative face-to-face survey in Lebanon in 2015 and employing a multivariate statistical method, it finds that those who hold unfavorable views of the United States, those who support the political alliance of which Hezbollah is part, and those who support the Assad regime in Syria are likely to have a positive perception of Hezbollah and or its activities in the region.
A Transient in Surface Motions Dominated by Deep Afterslip Subsequent to a Shallow Supershear Earthquake: The 2018 Mw7.5 Palu Case
Authors: Nijholt N. , Simons W. J. F. , Efendi J. , Sarsito D. A. , Riva R. E. M. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe 2018 Palu earthquake is a remarkable strike‐slip event due to its nature as a shallow supershear fault rupture across several segments and a destructive tsunami that followed coseismic deformation. GPS offsets in the wake of the 2018 earthquake display a transient in the surface motions of northwest Sulawesi. A Bayesian approach identifies (predominantly aseismic) deep afterslip on and below the coseismic rupture plane as the dominant physical mechanism causing the cumulative, postseismic, surface displacements whereas viscous relaxation of the lower crust and poro‐elastic rebound contribute negligibly. We confirm a correlation between shallow supershear rupture and postseismic surface transients with afterslip activity in the zone below an interseismically locked fault plane where the slip rate tapers from zero to creeping.
The Mabja Dome Structure in Southern Tibet Revealed by Deep Seismic Reflection Data and Its Tectonic Implications
Authors: Li Hongqiang , Gao Rui , Li Wenhui , Carbonell Ramon , Yelisetti Subbarao , Huang Xingfu , Shi Zhuoxuan , Lu Zhanwu 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe ongoing India‐Asia collision has led to the formation of the northern Himalayan gneiss domes belt in southern Tibet. The domes are the result of the ongoing convergence and were formed by geological processes that may include crustal thickening, metamorphism, partial melting, and exhumation of middle crustal rocks to the surface. A combination of compressional, extensional, and diapiric processes has been invoked to explain the formation and evolution of these domes. Differentiating among these competing hypotheses requires well‐defined geophysical images of the internal structure of the domes. The Mabja dome is the largest dome within the northern Himalayan gneiss domes belt. A 70‐km long deep seismic reflection profile across Mabja dome was acquired in 2016. The seismic data could provide new information about the structural elements beneath the domes to the depth of 25 Km. We address the structure of the Mabja dome by conducting an integrated analysis of shallow crustal velocity structure and a normal‐incidence seismic reflection image of deeper crust. Our work suggests that the Mabja dome is underlain by shear zones at depths of 10–15 km and two high‐velocity bodies at depths of 3 km possibly representing the eclogitic‐facies rocks or mafic intrusions. We propose that the dome formation may have been controlled by collision‐induced north‐south shortening expressed by thrust stacking of middle crustal rocks, which led to the doming of the upper‐crustal rocks. The proposed mechanism inferred for Mabja dome can be applied to interpret the widespread domes throughout the southern Tibet and other related structures in orogenic mountain belts.
Impacts of Historical Land Use/Cover Change (1980–2015) on Summer Climate in the Aral Sea Region
Authors: He Huili , Hamdi Rafiq , Cai Peng , Luo Geping , Ochege Friday Uchenna , Zhang Miao , Termonia Piet , De Maeyer Philippe , Li Chaofan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn the Aral Sea region, significant land use/cover change (LUCC) occurred in the past 50 years, especially the shrinking of Aral Sea due to unreasonable usage of water resources under intensified agricultural activities. However, to date, regional climatic feedbacks on fine‐scale exerted by such LUCC in Central Asia have not been studied clearly. In this study, ALARO‐SURFEX regional climate model was used to perform climate simulations under different underlying surface scenarios with 4 km spatial resolution to explore the impacts of historical LUCC on summer climate during 1980–2015. Our results show that compared to default land surface conditions, the modified ones improved the model's ability in simulating temperature, precipitation, and surface energy fluxes. During the period 1980–2015, LUCC accelerated the warming trend, reduced the summer precipitation and altered allocation of surface energy fluxes. Exposed dry bottom of Aral Sea has undergone the most conspicuous warming, which caused increase of the 2 m maximum temperature, average temperature, and diurnal temperature range by 2.56 ± 0.88°C, 1.04 ± 0.53°C, and 3.42 ± 1.10°C, respectively, while minimum temperature decrease by 1.14 ± 0.56°C. The summer precipitation (mainly convective precipitation) decreased by about 2.33 mm overlay the exposed dry bottom of Aral Sea and approximately 400 km “buffer” region in its eastern side. Additionally, the energy balance changed as follows: −47.9, 50.19, −78.67, and −23.72 W m−2 for net radiation, sensible heat, latent heat, and soil heat, respectively. Quantified contribution of LUCC on regional climate provides useful information for developing mitigation and adaption strategies under the global warming threat.
Diagnosing the Temperature Sensitivity of Ecosystem Respiration in Northern High‐Latitude Regions
Authors: Wu Dongxing , Liu Shaomin , Wu Xiuchen , Yang Xiaofan , Xu Tongren , Xu Ziwei , Shi Hanyu 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe accurate estimation of the temperature sensitivity of ecosystem respiration (Q10) is important to understanding the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle, especially in northern high‐latitude regions (NHLs). Q10 estimated by the conventional approach at the annual scale is influenced by seasonal confounding effects. Based on singular spectrum analysis, scale‐dependent parameter estimation (SCAPE) is considered an effective approach to eliminate confounding effects. Nevertheless, the performance of the decomposition and reconstruction schemes in the SCAPE approach in Q10 estimation remains limited, which hampers its further application in larger‐scale systems. In this study, we utilized an improved scale‐dependent parameter estimation (iSCAPE) approach to analyze trends of the unconfounded Q10 and its environmental controls in NHLs. The results showed that in NHLs, the confounding effects in forest ecosystems were smaller than those in cropland and grassland ecosystems. The apparent Q10 estimated by the conventional approach varied among 32 sites with a mean value of 2.82 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.72–2.91), while the mean intrinsic Q10 estimated by the iSCAPE approach across the 32 sites was 1.53 (95% CI: 1.48–1.57). The apparent Q10 increased with the annual mean temperature. The intrinsic Q10 decreased with the increasing of spatial temperature gradient. The current study indicates that ecosystem respiration in NHLs is less sensitive to climate warming than previously reported. The seasonality of ecosystem respiration should be eliminated when estimating Q10 to avoid overestimating climate‐carbon cycle feedback.
3D-microtissue derived secretome as a cell-free approach for enhanced mineralization of scaffolds in the chorioallantoic membrane model
Authors: Otto Lukas , Wolint Petra , Bopp Annina , Woloszyk Anna , Becker Anton S. , Boss Andreas , Böni Roland , Calcagni Maurizio , Giovanoli Pietro , Hoerstrup Simon P. , Emmert Maximilian Y. , Buschmann Johanna 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBone regeneration is a complex process and the clinical translation of tissue engineered constructs (TECs) remains a challenge. The combination of biomaterials and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may enhance the healing process through paracrine effects. Here, we investigated the influence of cell format in combination with a collagen scaffold on key factors in bone healing process, such as mineralization, cell infiltration, vascularization, and ECM production. MSCs as single cells (2D-SCs), assembled into microtissues (3D-MTs) or their corresponding secretomes were combined with a collagen scaffold and incubated on the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) for 7 days. A comprehensive quantitative analysis was performed on a cellular level by histology and by microcomputed tomography (microCT). In all experimental groups, accumulation of collagen and glycosaminoglycan within the scaffold was observed over time. A pronounced cell infiltration and vascularization from the interface to the surface region of the CAM was detected. The 3D-MT secretome showed a significant mineralization of the biomaterial using microCT compared to all other conditions. Furthermore, it revealed a homogeneous distribution pattern of mineralization deposits in contrast to the cell-based scaffolds, where mineralization was only at the surface. Therefore, the secretome of MSCs assembled into 3D-MTs may represent an interesting therapeutic strategy for a next-generation bone healing concept.
Identification of allergens for food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis to shrimp
Authors: Akimoto Shiori , Yokooji Tomoharu , Ogino Ryohei , Chinuki Yuko , Taogoshi Takanori , Adachi Atsuko , Morita Eishin , Matsuo Hiroaki 
Published: March 2021

AbstractShrimp is a causative food that elicits food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA). In this study, we sought to identify IgE-binding allergens in patients with shrimp-FDEIA. Sera were obtained from eight patients with shrimp-FDEIA and two healthy control subjects. Proteins were extracted from four shrimp species by homogenization in Tris buffer. Immunoblot analysis revealed that IgE from patient sera bound strongly to a 70-kDa and a 43-kDa protein in a preparation of Tris-soluble extracts fromLitopenaeus vannamei. Mass spectrometry identified the 70-kDa and 43-kDa proteins as a P75 homologue and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBPA), respectively. To confirm that the putative shrimp allergens were specifically recognized by serum IgE from shrimp-FDEIA patients, the two proteins were purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by reversed-phase HPLC and/or anion-exchange hydrophobic interaction chromatography and then subjected to immunoblot analysis. Purified P75 homologue and FBPA were positively bound by serum IgE from one and three, respectively, of the eight patients with shrimp-FDEIA, but not by sera from control subjects. Thus, P75 homologue and FBPA are identified as IgE-binding allergens for shrimp-FDEIA. These findings could be useful for the development of diagnostic tools and desensitization therapy for shrimp-FDEIA patients.