bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Affordances, aesthetics, and sustainability: on the relationship between materials, language and space in everyday object perception
Authors: Grasso Eduardo Naddei , Strappini Francesca , Borghi Anna M. , Scorolli Claudia 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Everyday objects offer invitations to act (affordances). Most empirical work on affordances has focused on the shape and size of objects, neglecting the analysis of other visual properties, such as texture, investigated instead by designers. Texture perception depends on the type of material, which changes the familiarity, aesthetics, and action(s) an object offers.
Here, we investigated the influence of aesthetics and material sustainability on affordance activation. We thus employed objects in materials. We re-adapted a well established paradigm in literature, showing objects with the same shape, made from sustainable and non-sustainable materials (namely, plastic vs. wood) with varying degrees of familiarity and pleasantness. The objects were positioned at a near or far distance, and followed by different kinds of verbs (observation, manipulation, function, interaction). Participants also completed the Pro-Environmental Behaviors Scale (PEBS), and rated the objects according to seven dimensions: pleasantness, familiarity, sustainability, hardness, heaviness, ownership, and sociality.
Results showed greater facilitation with plastic objects compared to the wooden ones when presented in the near space and followed by function verbs. However, wooden objects had generally shorter response times (RTs), especially when followed by interaction verbs in the far space and by observation verbs in the near. Affordances might have been affected by various features that differentiate the two materials. No correlation between RTs and PEBS was found, though several significant interactions occurred. We argue that the material component may lead to different effects depending on the specific interplay that takes place within the object location and the linguistic elaboration, hypothesizing that beauty might have transversely modulated the responses.
Control of Coronavirus with New Cosh Inverse Exponential Distribution
Authors: Hemeda Saeed E. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Our study is focused on generating a new model of Hyperbolic Cosine Family (HCF) of distributions with inverse exponential distribution called Cosh Inverse Exponential Distribution (CIE). Important properties of the proposed distribution including explicit expressions for the moments, the quantiles, the mode, the moment generating function, the estimating parameters of CIE distribution are obtained by Maximum Likelihood (ML) method. Furthermore, the CIE model will be used to control of the coronavirus. The Pontryagin's Minimum Principle (PMP) algorithm is applied on various cases. The results obtained show that the proposed model can applied and used in practical life and in all areas.
Study of Preparation and Property of Alkali- activated cementitious materials Prepared by Red Mud and Slag
Authors: Yan Yuqing , Qin fang 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Alkali- activated cementitious materials is referred to as a green building material and a kind of eco-friendly cementitious material due to the low energy requirements compared to traditional cement and associated low CO2 emissions from using common aluminosilicate wastes. Red and Slag are two kinds of aluminosilicate waste, respectively from aluminum industry and ironmaking industry. In this paper, a new alkali- activated cementitious material is prepared by red mud and slag. Respectively the raw material ratio, different activator dosage and hydration reaction time are evaluated. The results showed that when the sintering red mud and slag blend with a mass ratio of 5:5 were activated by sodium carbonate, the optimized content of sodium carbonate was 5.5%(calculated by mass of sodium oxide). Under this condition, the compressive strength of alkali- activated cementitious materials synthesized reached 54.4 MPa at 28d. The effects of TG, XRD and SEM-EDS showed that the main hydration products were amorphous substances including hydrated calcium silicate (C-S-H) and hydrated calcium alumino silicate( C-S-A-H). Higher strength material had more fine microstructures and much more activated products. The compressive strength of the product reachs the standard requirements of Portland cement P.O42.5.
Human uncultured adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction shows therapeutic potential against osteoarthritis in immunodeficient rats by enhancing anabolism-promoting and catabolism-inhibiting effects via direct effects of transplanted M2 macrophages
Authors: Onoi Yuma , Matsumoto Tomoyuki , Anjiki Kensuke , Hayashi Shinya , Nakano Naoki , Kuroda Yuichi , Tsubosaka Masanori , Kamenaga Tomoyuki , Ikuta Kemmei , Tachibana Shotaro , Suda Yoshihito , Wada Kensuke , Maeda Takuma , Saitoh Akira , Hiranaka Takafumi , Sobajima Satoshi , Iwaguro Hideki , Matsushita Takehiko , Kuroda Ryosuke 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background
The uncultured adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF), consisting of adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs), M2 macrophages (M2Φ) and others, has shown therapeutic potential against osteoarthritis (OA), however, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of the SVF on OA in a human–immunodeficient rat xenotransplantation model.
Methods
OA model was induced in the knees of female immunodeficient rats by destabilization of the medial meniscus. Immediately after the surgery, human SVF (1 × 105), ADSCs (1 × 104), or phosphate buffered saline as a control group were transplanted into the knees. At 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, OA progression and synovitis were analyzed by macroscopic and histological analyses, and the expression of collagen II, SOX9, MMP-13, ADAMTS-5, F4/80, CD86 (M1), CD163 (M2), and human nuclear antigen (hNA) were evaluated immunohistochemically. In vitro, flow cytometry was performed to collect CD163-positive cells as M2Φ from the SVF. Chondrocyte pellets (1×105) were co-cultured with SVF (1×105), M2Φ (1×104), and ADSCs (1×104) or alone as a control group, and the pellet size was compared. TGF-β, IL-10 and MMP-13 concentrations in the medium were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results
In comparison with the control and ADSC groups, the SVF group showed significantly slower OA progression and less synovitis with higher expression of collagen II and SOX9, lower expression of MMP-13 and ADAMTS-5, and lower F4/80 and M1/M2 ratio in the synovium. Only the SVF group showed partial expression of hNA-, CD163-, and F4/80-positive cells in the rat synovium. In vitro, the SVF, M2Φ, ADSC and control groups, in that order, showed larger pellet sizes, higher TGF-β and IL-10, and lower MMP-13 concentrations.
Conclusions
The M2Φ in the transplanted SVF directly affected recipient tissue, enhancing the secretion of growth factors and chondrocyte-protecting cytokines, and partially improving chondrocytes and joint homeostasis. These findings indicate that the SVF is as an effective option for regenerative therapy for OA, with mechanisms different from those of ADSCs.
Molluscan Marvels of Gujarat: Unveiling Biodiversity and Conservation Strategies with the aid of Spatial approach
Authors: Agravat Pooja , Baldaniya Ajay , Banerjee Biplab , Mohanta Agradeep , Raval Jatin , Mankodi Pradeep 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

This study delves into the Molluscan diversity along the Gujarat coast, India, focusing on the distribution and habitat suitability of four key species: Cerithium caeruleum, Lunella coronata, Peronia verruculata, and Trochus radiatus. Utilizing Species Distribution Models (SDMs) integrated with machine learning algorithms, we assessed the impact of environmental variables on the distribution patterns of these molluscs. Our findings reveal a nuanced understanding of habitat preferences, highlighting the critical roles of salinity, chlorophyll concentration, and water temperature. The MaxEnt model, with the highest Area Under the Curve (AUC) value of 0.63, demonstrated moderate discrimination capability, suggesting room for enhancement in capturing complex ecological interactions. The spatial distribution analysis indicated a random arrangement of species, with no significant spatial autocorrelation observed. This research underscores the significance of advanced modelling techniques in predicting Molluscan distributions, providing insights crucial for the conservation and sustainable management of marine biodiversity along the Gujarat coast.
Spatial Approach to Assess Multidimensional Vulnerability to Urban Flooding: A Proposal for Indicators
Authors: Vaca Ana Noemí Gomez , Rodríguez-Roda Ignasi , Popartan Lucía Alexandra , Nuss-Girona Sergi 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

This study introduces a methodology for evaluating vulnerability to urban flooding across different dimensions, by employing spatial data analysis. The methodology consists of four steps: (1) selection of indicators that reflect the vulnerability of an urban area, (2) normalization of the data for each selected indicator across all dimensions, (3) assignment of weights for each indicator and dimension, and (4) mapping and classification using spatial analysis, resulting in a regular grid. This study proposes a comprehensive list of 31 potential indicators for quantifying vulnerability, with each indicator falling under one of the five dimensions (social, economic, environmental, physical, and institutional) and three components of vulnerability (exposure, susceptibility, and resilience), which are part of Step 1. Additionally, the methodology is complemented by a data generation and spatial analysis technique for Step 4. The proposed methodology can serve planners and policymakers to make objective decisions, based on vulnerability quantification, considering each dimension separately, as well as integrating with each other, using a multidimensional and spatial representation of flood risk vulnerability.
A computational fluid dynamics study on the optimisation of a circular sedimentation tank using perforated inlet baffles
Authors: Hirom Kirpa , Devi Thiyam Tamphasana 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

A numerical study on a circular sedimentation tank is done to investigate the effect of perforated inlet baffles on the efficiency and performance of the sedimentation tank. A total of three new modified geometries with perforated baffles placed at strategic locations in the inlet region were studied and compared with the original sedimentation tank that contains an ordinary stilling well and a McKinney baffle. The Euler-Lagrange approach of multiphase modelling is employed in this study using the Discrete Phase Model. The numerical model employed in this study was validated using experimental data from the literature. It was observed that the perforated baffles are effective in dissipating the kinetic energy in the inlet region and also helps in producing a more distributed and tranquil flow in the settling region. Of the four cases studied, case-4 is found to be the most efficient with 58.36% total settling efficiency, which is an increase of 10.96% from that of the original tank. However, it was also found that case-3 can also be considered a viable option for the retrofitting project if a slight compromise in performance enhancement could be tolerated in exchange for a more efficient utilisation of the added materials. Comparisons of the different cases studied have also been conducted through quantitative and qualitative assessments, employing calculated settling efficiencies and the analysis of velocity magnitude contours, turbulence kinetic energy contours, and particle trajectories obtained through the numerical simulations.
Assessing self-sufficiency: analyzing the gap between national food production and food-based dietary guidance
Authors: Stehl Jonas , Vonderschmidt Alexander , Vollmer Sebastian , Alexander Peter , Jaacks Lindsay 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In light of increasing nationalist trends, recent disruptions to global food supply chains, and efforts to concurrently promote sustainable diets, we utilize the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Livewell report to assess national food self-sufficiency. We observed that one in three countries cannot meet self-sufficiency for more than two of the seven essential food groups. This underscores significant inter-regional trade reliance, notably in the Caribbean, West Africa, and Gulf states.
Effects of agro-ecological zones on the chemical composition of feed resources in the Gera district, southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Abazinab Hassen , Duguma Belay , Muleta Eyerus 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

The poor quality of available feed resources is the major limiting factor forlivestock productivity in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the chemical composition of major feed resources in three agro-ecologicalzones (AEZs) of the Gera District, southwest Ethiopia. Three representative samples of natural pasture (Cynodon dactylon, Pavonia schimperiana Hochst and Rhynchosia ferruginea), three indigenous fodder trees and shrubs (IFTSs)(Erythrina abyssinica, Vernonia amygdalina and Maytenus undat), two cultivated forages (Pennisetum purpureum and Pennisetum pedicellatum) and five crop residues (Hordeum vulgare (barley), Zea mays (maize), Sorghumbicolor (sorghum), Triticum aestivum (wheat) and Eragrostis tef (Teff)) were collected from the Highland (HL), midland (ML) and lowland (LL) AEZs. The samples were analyzed for ash, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), ether extract (EE), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) content. The results showed that different AEZs showed a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the most of the chemical composition parameters of sampled feeds. Regardless of the AEZs, the mean DM, CP, ash, EE, NDF, ADF, ADL and CF varied from 89.17% in Pennisetum purpureum to 92.22±0.51 in Erythrina abyssinica, 2.90±0.22% in Triticum aestivum to 10.70±0.52 in Vernonia amygdalina, 7.24±0.19% in Sorghum bicolor to 13.25±0.51% in Pavonia Schimperiana Hochst, 1.33±0.04% in Triticum aestivum to 2.39±0.15% in Maytenus undata, 57.65±1.19% in Erythrina Abyssinica to 79.16±1.04%in Triticum aestivum, 34.57% in Pennisetum purpureum to 59.41±0.98% in Sorghum bicolor, 8.15±0.62%in Rhynchosia ferruginea to 12.65±0.57% in Triticum aestivum and 37.51% in Pennisetum pedicelatum to 69.93±0.65% DM in Triticum aestivum, respectively. In conclusion, IFTSs had the highest CP and the lowest NDF, implying their potential as a supplement to low-quality feeds, whereas crop residues had the lowest CP and the highest NDF compared to other feed types, indicating the need for their treatment with urea or supplementing animals with protein-rich feeds, especially during the dry season.
Hydroxychloroquine and a low activity bisphosphonate conjugate prevent and reverse ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice through dual antiresorptive and anabolic effects
Authors: Yao Zhenqiang , Ayoub Akram , Sriniva Venkatesan , Wu Jun , Tang Churou , Duan Rong , Milosavljevic Aleksa , Ebetino Frank , Frontier Alison , Boyce Brendan 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Osteoporosis is incurable because there are no dual antiresorptive and anabolic therapeutic agents that can be administered long-term. The most widely used antiresorptive agents, bisphosphonates (BPs), also inhibit bone formation and thus have limited effect in preventing osteoporotic fracture. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, prevents the lysosomal degradation of TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3), an NF-κB adaptor protein that limits bone resorption and maintains bone formation. We attempted to covalently link HCQ to a hydroxyalklyl BP (HABP) with anticipated low antiresorptive activity, to target delivery of HCQ to bone to test if this targeting increases its efficacy to prevent TRAF3 degradation in the bone microenvironment and thus reduce bone resorption and increase bone formation, while reducing its systemic side effects. Unexpectedly, HABP-HCQ was found to exist as a salt in aqueous solution, composed of a protonated HCQ cation and a deprotonated HABP anion. Nevertheless, it inhibited osteoclastogenesis, stimulated osteoblast differentiation, and increased TRAF3 protein levels in vitro. HABP-HCQ significantly inhibited both osteoclast formation and bone marrow fibrosis in mice given multiple daily PTH injections. In contrast, HCQ inhibited fibrosis, but not osteoclast formation, while the HABP alone inhibited osteoclast formation, but not fibrosis, in the mice. HABP-HCQ, but not HCQ, prevented trabecular bone loss following ovariectomy in mice and, importantly, increased bone volume in ovariectomized mice with established bone loss because HABP-HCQ increased bone formation and decreased bone resorption parameters simultaneously. In contrast, HCQ increased bone formation, but did not decrease bone resorption parameters, while HABP also restored the bone lost in ovariectomized mice, but it inhibited parameters of both bone resorption and formation. Our findings suggest that the combination of HABP and HCQ could have dual antiresorptive and anabolic effects to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
Medi-Plant: A Deep Learning Approach for Medicinal Plant Classification with Pix2Pix Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: P Swathika , A Ajithar , Z Hishaamudin , E Nitheeswaran 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background
Biodiversity conservation is crucial due to the risk of extinction faced by many plant species. Traditional medicinal systems heavily rely on the diverse array of plants, offering an alternative to manufactured medications and promoting healthy living. Despite the significance of these plants, datasets for therapeutic herbs are not readily available. To address this gap, this study proposes an automatic system for identifying medicinal plants based on computer vision and deep learning techniques, utilizing various neural network approaches.
Results
The study introduces the Medi-plant dataset, comprising 6000 leaf images from 50 different Indian plant species. To validate the dataset, pre-trained deep convolutional neural network architectures including MobileNetV2, ResNet-50, and Xception were employed. The proposed Medi-Plant model, leveraging all three architectures, achieved an impressive accuracy of 97.96%.
Conclusions
The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the Medi-plant dataset and the proposed Medi-Plant model in accurately identifying medicinal plants. Additionally, a cross-platform application named Medi-Plant Identification was developed, capable of swiftly identifying herb images and providing pertinent information from the database. By continuing to expand the dataset, this research aims to benefit stakeholders and society at large by fostering awareness and understanding of herbs and their therapeutic properties.
Once upon a time in the Oort cloud; when did the
Sun Lost its Siblings
Authors: Zwart Simon Portegies , Huang Shuo 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

The Sun was born together with a few thousand other stars in a clustered environment. So long as it was a cluster member, no asteroid ejected by the giant planets could remain bound to the Sun, preventing the formation of an Oort cloud. The number of asteroids in the Oort cloud and their combined mass can then be used to time the moment the Sun left the nest. If the Sun left within the first 5 Myr, the Oort cloud would have been up to 4 times more massive than today’s best estimate. The Oort cloud would be considerably less massive than today’s best estimate if the Sun left later than 17 Myr. The orbital distribution of the inner Oort cloud (between ∼ 100 and ∼ 104 au) and the detached Kuiper-belt populations are even more sensitive to the moment the Sun lost its siblings. The morphology of the low-eccentricity inner-Oort cloud are most sensitive to the Sun’s escape time and can further constrain the parent-cluster parameters.
Characterisation of microplastics in an isolated mangrove island using multiple ecosystem components including brachyuran crabs
Authors: Sivan Gopika , M.S Jestin , K.P Apreshgi , P Priyaja 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Mangroves serving as interfaces between land and sea, function as significant filtration and interception systems for environmental microplastics (MPs). The structural complexity of mangrove roots enhances their trapping potential, making them prospective sinks for plastics. MPs have a strong affinity for mangrove leaves due to their lipophilic surface, temporarily accumulating MPs from both air and water. Brachyuran crabs, the core processors of mangrove litter can ingest MPs bound to leaves, potentially transferring them through the food chain to apex predators. Currently, studies from isolated mangrove islands are lacking. So, we conducted a holistic study examining MPs within multiple ecosystem components of an isolated mangrove island including water, sediment, leaves, stilt root and fallen leaves of mangrove as well as body parts of three species of mangrove crabs along southwest coast of India. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was carried out to confirm the suspected MPs in root and leaf. MPs were detected in water, sediment, fallen leaves and crabs. Abundance of MPs in water and sediment was 5.42 ± 0.2 particles/L and 400 ± 86 particles/Kg respectively, with the size range > 350 µ. Fallen leaves showed an abundance of 0.062 ± 0.054 particles/cm2. A higher abundance of MPs was observed in the gastro-intestinal tract of mangrove crabs. Fibre was the dominant morphotype in all components, revealing trophic transfer from water and sediment to crabs via fallen leaves and direct ingestion. The findings indicate that even isolated mangrove islands serve as repositories for MPs, affecting the mangrove food chain.
Individualized optimal strategy in racing sports: the case study of the team pursuit in track cycling.
Authors: Boillet Alice , Noble Maxence , Sachet Iris , Messonnier Laurent A. , Cohen Caroline 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In track cycling, performance in the team pursuit depends on the mechanical and physiological abilities of each member of the team, but also on the choice of racing strategy. Athletes must cover the 4000 m of the race, sharing the effort between them in successive relays. This raises the question of the optimum strategy. We propose a method for resolving this question by coupling a mechanical model of the race to physiological models (digital twins) of the athletes. The mechanical model enables one to predict a theoretical finishing time for a given strategy, while the physiological model enables one to determine whether or not a given strategy is feasible. By coupling the two models and using numerical optimization, an optimal strategy for a given team can then be predicted. Simplified team composition case studies are explored. For each case studied, an optimal strategy to maximize performance is obtained and composed of a set of three variables: relay lengths, power values for each relay, and the starting order of cyclists. The proposed method can be used for real athletes and extended to other disciplines.
On the complex displacement-velocity method forseventh-order galloping oscillations
Authors: Karama Mohammed 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel complexdisplacement-velocity method (CDVM) based on thedisplacement and velocity complex variables, whichis compared with the multiple scales method (MSM)when applied to the Duffing oscillator under a seventhorderaeroelastic galloping force. Furthermore, we obtainthe approximate solutions by using CDVM andcompare them to those obtained by the MSM. TheRaphsen-Newton method is employed to solve the obtainedpolynomial equations for steady states, confirmingthe validity of the proposed method through numericalsimulations. The stability chart is establishedby utilizing the Jacobian matrix of slow-flow equations.