bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
International Distribution and Development of Rock Mass Classification: A Review
Authors: Erharter Georg H. , Bar Neil , Hansen Tom F. , Jain Sumit , Marcher Thomas 
Published: October 2024

AbstractSince the 1950s, numerous rock mass classification systems (RMCS) have emerged for applications such as tunneling, mining, and slope engineering. The continued proliferation of these systems reflects the complexity of the issue and the absence of a universally accepted approach within the rock engineering community. This review offers an up-to-date examination of the global utilization of RMCS across applications such as tunnels, caverns, mining slope stability, and more. A “family tree of rock mass classification systems” is presented that traces their evolution over the decades. The family tree illustrates a prolific period of system development between 1970 and 2000, followed by a decline in progress and increasing specialization of systems. Based on surveys within the rock engineering community carried out between 2022 and 2024, the dominant systems for underground engineering and slope-related tasks were found to be GSI, RMR, and the Q-system, which have demonstrated their practical efficacy over 5 decades. Based on the surveys, two “world maps of rock mass classification” have been produced that visualize the international RMCS distribution. However, the survey shows that only some new or derived systems developed in the last 25 years have gained global acceptance. The paper closes with an outlook to possible future developments in rock mass classification and characterization.
Warm, rainy winter onset increases the risk of hard, icy snow layers and the occurrence of mycotoxins in reindeer winter pastures
Authors: Kumpula Jouko , Rämö Sari , Holkeri Leena , Pekkarinen Antti-Juhani , Siitari Jukka , Tuomenvirta Heikki , Lehtonen Ilari , Rasmus Sirpa 
Published: October 2024

AbstractWhen thick wet snow covers unfrozen ground at the beginning of winter, herders fear the development of a hard, icy bottom snow layer and the appearance of noxious moulds (microfungi) in semi-domesticated reindeer pastures. Such winter onsets were experienced in 2019 and 2021 in the reindeer herding area of Finland, after which significant reindeer losses, along with collapses in calf production and slaughter animals, were encountered. We studied the development of weather and snow conditions in the late autumn and early winter of 2021–2022 and measured snow conditions in March 2022 in 11 reindeer cooperatives. We also collected samples from reindeer winter forage plants for mycotoxin analysis. We found that the weather and snow conditions during the late autumn and early winter of 2021 caused the formation of a hard, icy bottom snow layer and the development of mycotoxins in pastures. Alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), produced by Alternaria spp., were found in all 33 samples (104–2562, 61–808 µg/kg DM) and zearalenone (ZEN) by Fusarium spp. in 16 samples (14–206 µg/kg). Certain significant correlations in the concentrations of mycotoxins with snow conditions and ground surface temperatures were found. We assume that besides difficult grazing conditions in the winters of 2019–2020 and 2021–2022, the presence of mycotoxins in pastures has contributed to reindeer losses and reduced the body condition, health, and reproduction of reindeer. As onsets of winters become warmer and rainier, the risk of similar pasture conditions in reindeer herding may increase.
Revisiting a Drag Partition Model For Canopy-Like Roughness Elements
Authors: Buono Elia , Katul Gabriel G. , Vettori Davide , Poggi Davide , Manes Costantino 
Published: October 2024

AbstractTurbulent flows over a large surface area (S) covered by n obstacles experience an overall drag due to the presence of the ground and the protruding obstacles into the flow. The drag partition between the roughness obstacles and the ground is analyzed using an analytical model proposed by Raupach (Boundary-Layer Meteorol 60:375-395, 1992) and is hereafter referred to as R92. The R92 is based on the premise that the wake behind an isolated roughness element can be described by a shelter area A and a shelter volume V. The individual sizes of A and V without any interference from other obstacles can be determined from scaling analysis for the spread of wakes. To upscale from an individual roughness element to n/S elements where wakes may interact, R92 adopted a background stress re-normalizing instead of reducing A or V with each element addition. This work demonstrates that R92’s approach results in a linear background stress reduction in A and V only when the ratio of n/S is small, due to a low probability of wake interactions. This probabilistic nature suggests that up-scaling from individual to multiple roughness elements can be re-formulated using stochastic averaging methods proposed here. The two approaches are shown to recover R92 under plausible conditions. An alternative scaling for the shelter volume is also proposed here using thermodynamic arguments of work and dissipation though the final outcome remains similar to R92. Comparisons between R92 and available data spanning more than two decades after R92 on blocks and vegetation-like roughness elements confirm the practical utility of R92. The agreement between R92 and this updated databases of experiments and simulations confirm the potential use of R92 in large-scale models provided that the relevant parameters accommodate certain features of the roughness element type (cube versus vegetation-like) and, to a lesser extent, their configuration throughout S. Last, a comparison between R92 and models based on first-order closure principles with constant mixing length suggests that R92 can outperform such models when evaluated across a wide range of roughness densities.
Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Bullying and Intervention Responses: A Systematic and Meta-analytic Review
Authors: Dawes Molly , Malamut Sarah T. , Guess Hannah , Lohrbach Emily 
Published: October 2024

AbstractTeachers are key to antibullying efforts, and their attitudes toward bullying can influence their intervention responses. There has been a proliferation of this type of research but thus far no review has been performed to coalesce the evidence. Following PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines, we performed a systematic and meta-analytic review. A total of 3990 titles and abstracts identified across 7 databases (PsycINFO, Education Source, ERIC via EBSCOhost, ERIC via ProQuest, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Google Scholar) were screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. After screening, 27 studies were included in the systematic review, 25 of which were included in meta-analyses. The association between antibullying attitudes and intervention responses differed depending on whether (1) measures assessed retrospective reports of intervention responses (i.e., how often teachers used that response) versus intervention intentions (i.e., likelihood they would intervene in hypothetical scenarios) and (2) the specific type of intervention response. Results indicate that teachers’ antibullying attitudes were positively related to some responses (disciplining/punishing bullying, victim support, involving parents, involving peer bystanders), negatively related to some responses (advocating avoidance, encouraging independent coping), and unrelated to others (advocating assertion, enlisting other adults, separating students). Results also indicate a positive overall association between antibullying attitudes and intervention likelihood. No moderation by form of bullying was found. Implications for preservice training and in-service teachers’ professional development to target bullying attitudes are discussed.
Decentralising mathematics: Mutual development of spontaneous and mathematical concepts via informal reasoning
Authors: Uegatani Yusuke , Otani Hiroki , Fujita Taro 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
This paper aims to shed light on an overlooked but essential aspect of informal reasoning and its radical implication to mathematics education research: Decentralising mathematics. We start to problematise that previous studies on informal reasoning implicitly overfocus on what students infer. Based on Walton’s distinction between reasoning and argument, and Ernest’s concept of intrapersonal dialogue, we propose two theoretical perspectives for understanding the roles of informal reasoning in argumentation: the semi-formal, and the negotiation perspectives. From the latter perspective, we can say that informal reasoning involves creating alternatives, eschewing the relatively unpromising ones, and choosing the most promising one. To illustrate the advantage of the negotiation perspective over the semi-formal perspective, we present two examples of students’ statistical written reports from a previous study. These examples illustrate that spontaneous concepts influenced the students’ creation of multiple alternatives, and choice of the most promising one, in informal reasoning. Therefore, to better understand the development of mathematical concepts, we need to recognise the role of spontaneous concepts through decentralising mathematics. Finally, we introduce inferentialism as an additional theoretical perspective for investigating both the mathematical development of spontaneous concepts, and the spontaneous development of mathematical concepts. The inferentialist idea of the game of giving and asking for reasons indicates how to empirically investigate the mutual development of spontaneous and mathematical concepts.
Evaluating fructose content in poultry feed: electrochemical insights
Authors: Sha Mizaj Shabil , Alejli Assem , Devarajan Surya , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar , Al-Maadeed Somaya , Maalej Ramzi , Chaari Mohamed Zied 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThe global demand for poultry meat has increased, but consumers have become more picky in their nutritional choices. The fat content of poultry meat has risen since genetic advancement has resulted in higher rates of body weight gain and fat deposition, which are closely linked. The increase in further processing for fast-food poultry items has resulted in larger birds with more body fat. Usually, carbohydrates are used for easy weight gain in poultry. This study focuses on the electrochemical detection of fructose as a feed additive in poultry. The catalyst used was silver–silver oxide–zinc oxide (Ag–AgO–ZnO) and it was prepared by sol–gel method. Further, the surface morphology of the catalyst was analysed using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (XRD, FTIR and TEM). Cyclic voltammetry was carried out to find out the effectiveness of this catalyst in detecting fructose and our results revealed a sensitivity of 0.3 M with an electrochemical current of 1 mA cm−2, indicating the effectiveness of the chosen electrochemical approach. And further investigation was carried out to monitor effects of various parameters including scan rate, catalyst loading and fructose concentration. This research contributes valuable insights into assessing fructose levels in poultry feed, with potential implications for optimising nutritional formulations and enhancing overall poultry health. The electrochemical method demonstrates promise as a reliable tool for sensitively analysing fructose in feed additives. Precision and accuracy assessments further underscore the reliability of our electrochemical approach in differentiating fructose content within the poultry feed matrix.
Graphical Abstract
Utility of Microwave-Synthesized Silver Nano Particles as Spectrofluorimetric Sensors for the Determination of Nano Concentrations of Favipravir: Application to Dosage Forms and Spiked Human Plasma
Authors: Zaid Mona H. Abo , El-Enany Nahed , Mostafa Aziza E. , Hadad Ghada M. , Belal Fathalla 
Published: October 2024

AbstractA simple and facile microwave-assisted method was developed for the synthesis of highly fluorescent silver-nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). The synthesis of silver-nanoparticles depends on a redox reaction between silver nitrate and ascorbic acid using chitosan as a stabilizing agent. The produced Ag-NPs were characterized using Zeta potential and transmission electron microscope micrograph where they are spherical in shape with smooth surface morphology and size of 26.81 ± 2.2 nm. Favipiravir (FAV) was found to cause an obvious enhancement in the fluorescence of Ag-NPs; hence, they were used for its spectrofluorimetric estimation. The fluorescence intensity was measured at 430 nm after excitation at 360 nm. Under optimum conditions, a good linear relationship was accomplished between the FAV concentration and the fluorescence intensity in a range of (5.0–200.0) ng/mL with a limit of detection of 1.59 ng/mL. The method was successfully applied for the assay of the drug in its commercial tablets and spiked human plasma samples, and the results obtained were satisfactory.
Serial batching to minimize the weighted number of tardy jobs
Authors: Hermelin Danny , Mnich Matthias , Omlor Simon 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
The

$$1\vert \text {s-batch}(\infty ),r_j\vert \sum w_jU_j$$

1
|
s-batch

(
∞
)

,

r
j

|
∑

w
j

U
j

scheduling problem takes as input a batch setup time

$$\Delta $$

Δ

and a set of n jobs, each having a processing time, a release date, a weight, and a due date; the task is to find a sequence of batches that minimizes the weighted number of tardy jobs. This problem was introduced by Hochbaum and Landy (Oper Res Lett 16(2):79–86, 1994); as a wide generalization of Knapsack, it is

$$\textsf{NP}$$

NP

-hard. In this work, we provide a multivariate complexity analysis of the

$$1\vert \text {s-batch}(\infty ), r_j\vert \sum w_jU_j$$

1
|
s-batch

(
∞
)

,

r
j

|
∑

w
j

U
j

problem with respect to several natural parameters. That is, we establish a classification into fixed-parameter tractable and

$$\textsf{W}[1]$$

W
[
1
]

-hard problems, for parameter combinations of (i)

$$\#p$$

#
p

= number of distinct processing times, (ii)

$$\#w$$

#
w

= number of distinct weights, (iii)

$$\#d$$

#
d

= number of distinct due dates, (iv)

$$\#r$$

#
r

= number of distinct release dates. Thereby, we significantly extend the work of Hermelin et al. (Ann Oper Res 298:271–287, 2018) who analyzed the parameterized complexity of the non-batch variant of this problem without release dates. As one of our key results, we prove that

$$1\vert \text {s-batch}(\infty ), r_j\vert \sum w_jU_j$$

1
|
s-batch

(
∞
)

,

r
j

|
∑

w
j

U
j

is

$$\textsf{W}[1]$$

W
[
1
]

-hard parameterized by the number of distinct processing times and distinct due dates. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first parameterized intractability results for scheduling problems with few distinct processing times. Further, we show that

$$1\vert \text {s-batch}(\infty ), r_j\vert \sum w_jU_j$$

1
|
s-batch

(
∞
)

,

r
j

|
∑

w
j

U
j

is fixed-parameter tractable parameterized by

$$\#d + \#p + \#r$$

#
d
+
#
p
+
#
r

, and parameterized by

$$\#d + \#w$$

#
d
+
#
w

if there is just a single release date. Both results hold even if the number of jobs per batch is limited by some integer b.
Simultaneous optimal system and controller design for multibody systems with joint friction using direct sensitivities
Authors: Verulkar Adwait , Sandu Corina , Sandu Adrian , Dopico Daniel 
Published: October 2024

AbstractReal-world multibody systems are often subject to phenomena like friction, joint clearances, and external events. These phenomena can significantly impact the optimal design of the system and its controller. This work addresses the gradient-based optimization methodology for multibody dynamic systems with joint friction using a direct sensitivity approach. The Brown–McPhee model has been used to characterize the joint friction in the system. This model is suitable for the study due to its accuracy for dynamic simulation and its compatibility with sensitivity analysis. This novel methodology supports codesign of the multibody system and its controller, which is especially relevant for applications like robotics and servo-mechanical systems, where the actuation and design are highly dependent on each other. Numerical results are obtained using a software package written in Julia with state-of-the-art libraries for automatic differentiation and differential equations. Three case studies are provided to demonstrate the attractive properties of simultaneous optimal design and control approach for certain applications.
Structural changes in troponin during activation of skeletal and heart muscle determined in situ by polarised fluorescence
Authors: Sevrieva Ivanka R , Kampourakis Thomas , Irving Malcolm 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Calcium binding to troponin triggers the contraction of skeletal and heart muscle through structural changes in the thin filaments that allow myosin motors from the thick filaments to bind to actin and drive filament sliding. Here, we review studies in which those changes were determined in demembranated fibres of skeletal and heart muscle using fluorescence for in situ structure (FISS), which determines domain orientations using polarised fluorescence from bifunctional rhodamine attached to cysteine pairs in the target domain. We describe the changes in the orientations of the N-terminal lobe of troponin C (TnCN) and the troponin IT arm in skeletal and cardiac muscle cells associated with contraction and compare the orientations with those determined in isolated cardiac thin filaments by cryo-electron microscopy. We show that the orientations of the IT arm determined by the two approaches are essentially the same and that this region acts as an almost rigid scaffold for regulatory changes in the more mobile regions of troponin. However, the TnCN orientations determined by the two methods are clearly distinct in both low- and high-calcium conditions. We discuss the implications of these results for the role of TnCN in mediating the multiple signalling pathways acting through troponin in heart muscle cells and the general advantages and limitations of FISS and cryo-EM for determining protein domain orientations in cells and multiprotein complexes.
Design of self-emulsifying oral delivery systems for semaglutide: reverse micelles versus hydrophobic ion pairs
Authors: Sandmeier Matthias , Ricci Fabrizio , To Dennis , Lindner Sera , Stengel Daniel , Schifferle Michaela , Koz Saadet , Bernkop-Schnürch Andreas 
Published: October 2024

AbstractIt was the aim of this study to evaluate the potential of reverse micelles (RM) and hydrophobic ion pairs (HIP) for incorporation of semaglutide into self-emulsifying oral drug delivery systems. Reverse micelles loaded with semaglutide were formed with a cationic (ethyl lauroyl arginate, ELA) and an anionic surfactant (docusate, DOC), whereas HIP were formed between semaglutide and ELA. Maximum solubility of the peptide and the rate of dissolution was evaluated in various lipophilic phases (glycerol monocaprylocaprate:caprylic acid 1:4 (m/m), glycerol monolinoleate:caprylic acid 1:4 (m/m) and glycerol monocaprylocaprate:glycerol monolinoleate 1:4 (m/m)). Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) loaded with RM and HIP were characterized regarding size distribution, zeta potential, cytocompatibility and Caco-2 permeability. Droplet sizes between 50 and 300 nm with polydispersity index (PDI) around 0.3 and zeta potentials between − 45 mV (RMDOC) and 36 mV (RMELA) were obtained. RM provided an almost 2-fold higher lipophilicity of semaglutide than HIP resulting in a 4.2-fold higher payload of SEDDS compared to HIP. SEDDS containing RM or HIP showed high cytocompatibilities with a cell survival above 75% for concentrations up to 0.1% on Caco-2 cells and acceptable hemolytic activity. Permeation studies across Caco-2 monolayer revealed an at least 2-fold increase in permeability of semaglutide for the developed formulations.
Adaptive Line Enhancer for Passive Sonars Based on Frequency-Domain Sparsity, Shannon Entropy Criterion and Mixed-Weighted Error
Authors: Li Zhe , Cheng Yusheng , Qiu Jiaxing 
Published: October 2024

AbstractAdaptive line enhancer (ALE) is one of the vital signal processing techniques to the detection and recognition of underwater acoustic targets for passive sonars. Conventional ALEs, based on Gaussian noise assumption and least mean square (LMS) algorithm, can achieve good line enhancement property in Gaussian noise background. However, limited by the high steady-state misadjustment of LMS algorithm, the performance of conventional ALEs deteriorates under non-Gaussian noise background and degrades severely in processing signals with comparably lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Therefore, it’s of great necessity to improve the line enhancement performances of ALE techniques to meet the demands of engineering application in passive sonars. In order to optimize the robustness and adaptability of conventional ALEs in dealing with underwater acoustic signals with much lower-SNR and in non-Gaussian noise background, a modified ALE algorithm called frequency-domain ALE based on l1-norm, Shannon entropy criterion and mixed-weighted norm (l1-SE-MWE-FALE) is proposed in this paper. The proposed l1-SE-MWE-FALE algorithm is based on the integration of frequency-domain sparsity, Shannon entropy (SE) criterion along with mixed-weighted error of LMS and least absolute deviation (LAD) to improve the ALE performance in situations above. The simulation results demonstrate that, when the input SNR is as low as – 25 dB, the local SNR (LSNR) gain for line spectrums by l1-SE-MWE-FALE is 9.8 dB, 3.7 dB and 2.3 dB higher than conventional ALE, l1-norm-based frequency-domain ALE (l1-FALE) and l1 norm-Shannon entropy criterion-based frequency-domain ALE (l1-SE-FALE), respectively. Meanwhile, the simulation results also indicate that the parameters of the proposed method can be chosen loosely and hence are insensitive to the choice of their values. Furthermore, the processing results of two different kinds of real ship-radiated noise signals recorded by passive sonars also imply the advantages of the proposed method over the other three ALEs both qualitatively and quantitatively in the respect of line spectrum LSNR gain and parameter insensitivity. The simulation and experiment results both validate the performance insensitivity to parameter adjustment and hence exhibit a good perspective of applications for passive sonars.