bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation of PBI membranes with controlled thickness for use in PEMFCs and the impact on water and phosphoric acid uptake
Authors: Galvão Douglas Felipe , Ellakkis Samah , Becker Márcia Regina 
Published: April 2024

AbstractProtonated poly (2,2′‐m‐phenylene‐5,5′‐bibenzimidazole) (PBI) membranes are good electrolytes for proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) as they can be operated at high temperatures, thus favoring catalysis reaction kinetics, CO elimination, and water management. Electrolyte production from polymeric membranes with controlled thickness is important for the study of their properties and their use in fuel cells (FCs). When preparing PBI membranes by casting with controlled thickness, polymer solubility in different solvents was assessed as well as the relation between petri dish diameter and solution concentration. Membranes with different thicknesses were phosphonated and had their phosphoric acid (PA) and water uptake measured. A systematic procedure was established to prepare membranes with predetermined thickness using 12 mL of 5–8% PBI in N,N‐dimethylacetamide in petri dishes measuring 5–9 cm. Membranes with predicted thickness of 60 ± 20 μm and 200 ± 40 μm showed a maximum water uptake of 8.34 ± 0.01% and PA uptake of 32 ± 1% and 18 ± 2%, respectively. This study contributed significantly to systematize procedures for producing high‐quality membranes with predefined thickness and to understand the influence of their thickness on their degree of phosphonation.
Enhanced performance of environmental resistance and reprocessability of epoxidized natural rubber via incorporating fluorinated short side chains and β‐hydroxyl ester bonds
Authors: Wang Chunlin , Fu Hao , Fu Yaru , Li Wenqi , Zhu Shijiang , Liao Shuangquan , Zhao Fuchun 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe current challenge of recycling rubber articles beyond the failure time has created an increasingly huge burden on the environment. Therefore, there is a growing focus on enhancing the environmental resistance and reprocessability of rubber materials. In this work, we present a simple way to introduce the fluorinated short‐side chains on the molecular chains of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) via the reaction of epoxy groups and carboxyl groups. The results indicated that the short fluorinated side chains endowed ENR the excellent environmental resistance such as thermal stability, thermal oxygen resistance and solvent resistance. At the same time, the cross‐linking network formed by the thermally reversible β‐hydroxyl ester bonds enables the rubber to a good reprocessability. The second recycled ENR‐DTSA‐F had achieved 90.4% of the retention ratio of the tensile strength and reached 69.9% of the retention ratio of the elongation at break compared to the original sample. This work provides a simple method for preparing ENR materials with good environmental resistance and reprocessability.
Development of single‐stream resin transfer molding using in‐situ anionic polymerization of ε‐caprolactam with preprocessing on carbon fibers
Authors: Shim Yoon‐Bo , Park Young‐Bin 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThermoplastic resin transfer molding (T‐RTM) is one of the composites manufacturing processes using anionic ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactam (CPL). Because of very fast reaction among materials, traditional T‐RTM requires two different channels before transferring resin into the mold cavity. Single‐stream method has been researched for robust and simple process, which has several advantages in aspect of manufacturing process. Carbon fibers were preprocessed including polyamide sizing, plasma treatment and activator sizing for modified single‐channel T‐RTM. Through quantitative calculation of required sizing content, concentration of sizing agent was controlled. Thermal stability of preprocessed carbon fibers during molding was measured by TGA. Crystallinity of anionic‐polyamide 6 (A‐PA6) manufactured by single‐stream T‐RTM was measured by DSC and 3.0% lower than traditional T‐RTM. Mechanical properties were measured, which are short‐beam strength and flexural strength/modulus. The short‐beam strength and flexural strength of the composites fabricated through single‐stream T‐RTM were 29.7% and 17.0% higher than those fabricated through conventional T‐RTM while strain and toughness decreased. Fracture surface of carbon fibers/A‐PA6 composites manufactured by single‐stream T‐RTM showed more adhesive bonding between carbon fiber and matrix.Highlights
Surface treatment on carbon fibers to develop single‐channel T‐RTM process.
Effects of surface treatment researched by thermal, quantitative, and IR analysis.
Improved interfacial fracture mechanisms due to higher adhesion at the interface.
Strain cartography of bilayer graphene‐PDMS nanocomposites using Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Sarma Shrutidhara , Srivastava Ritu 
Published: April 2024

AbstractEffective transmission of stress between fillers and the host matrix is instrumental in enhancing the properties of nanocomposites and optimizing filler reinforcement. This study delves into understanding stress transfer in materials, exploring the impact of synthesis methods and matrix materials through a comprehensive examination of a bilayer graphene (BLG)‐polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposite. BLG was synthesized via chemical exfoliation and subjected to various strain conditions within a PDMS matrix. A precisely controlled strain, ranging from 0% to 0.19%, was applied using a meticulous 4‐point bending method, monitored with a standard strain gauge. The study unveiled significant shifts in the Raman spectra's 2D band, indicating a direct linear relationship with applied strain. Utilizing contour mapping techniques on well‐defined Raman spectra and stress‐induced band shifts, we mapped strain distribution within the BLG layer. The results revealed a gradual increase in strain from the lower to the upper end of the BLG structure, resembling strain behaviors observed in differently shaped fibers. These compelling findings advance our understanding of strain dynamics within BLG‐PDMS nanocomposites, highlighting the crucial role of strain mapping methodologies in scrutinizing the material's structural response to deformation.Highlights
The study reports successful synthesis of high‐quality bilayer graphene (BLG) using a chemical exfoliation method, as evidenced by the sharp 2D and G Raman peaks.
Significant shifts in 2D band exhibited linear correlation between applied strain; observed within precise strain levels of 0% to 0.19%.
Contour maps revealed a gradual increase in strain from the lower to the upper end of the BLG structure, akin to strain behaviors observed in differently shaped fibers.
“The anxiety coming up to every scan—It destroyed me”: A qualitative study of the lived experience of cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy
Authors: Tripathi Tanya , Watson Jotara , Skrzypek Hannah , Stump Hanako , Lewis Sharon , Hui Lisa 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundEmerging evidence supporting the use of valaciclovir to reduce fetal infection after maternal primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has stimulated interest in routine CMV serological screening in pregnancy. It is important to understand the healthcare consumer perspective of a CMV infection during pregnancy to minimize unintended harms of screening.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews with Australian women who had a lived experience of CMV infection following serological testing during pregnancy. Participants were recruited via social media and healthcare consumer networks, and purposively selected to capture a range of perinatal outcomes. Interview transcripts were analyzed using inductive content analysis.ResultsTwelve participants were interviewed: 6 had a live birth, 4 had terminations of pregnancy, 1 had a neonatal death and 1 was pregnant at the time of interview. Four major categories emerged from the analysis. Women reported a lack of CMV awareness among themselves, their social networks, and among their health care providers. The participants described their experience as “hard” and “stressful”. Uncertainty and variability characterized their clinical decision‐making process. The pregnancy and postpartum periods were marked by ongoing anxiety about the long‐term impacts of CMV. Women supported screening for CMV, decision making and reproductive choice, but acknowledged that routine testing may not be desired by everyone and may increase stress and terminations of pregnancy. Important coping strategies included obtaining support from partners, family, and other families with lived experience of CMV, as well as having access to knowledgeable and sensitive healthcare professionals.ConclusionSerological diagnosis of maternal CMV infection during pregnancy can have severe and prolonged psychological impacts on parents, regardless of the pregnancy outcome. Improving healthcare professionals' knowledge and public awareness are essential before widespread serological screening can be responsibly introduced. Healthcare administrators that are considering implementing a prenatal screening program for secondary prevention of fetal CMV infection should pay attention to consumer perspectives to minimize unintended harms to women and their families.
Generalizing minimum safe operating altitudes for fixed‐wing UAVs in real‐time
Authors: Milne Ashford , McConville Alex , Richardson Thomas , Watson Matt , Schellenberg Ben 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis paper discusses a method of determining the minimum safe altitude of an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) at any point within a designated airspace by conducting a glide reachability analysis. Recently, fixed‐wing UAVs are more regularly deployed near population centers and in extreme environments, requiring increasingly robust emergency systems and planning. The long‐ranges and adverse terrain associated with monitoring the Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala by a team from the University of Bristol (UoB) increases the likelihood that motor failure would result in the aircraft being unable to Return To Home (RTH) and impossible to retrieve. A method for delineating a boundary representing the minimum safe altitude required for the aircraft to safely glide to the airfield in the event of a motor failure was developed within MATLAB, defined by the UAV's minimum glide angle in wind. This model was subsequently compared with flight data from UoB missions around Fuego to better improve its accuracy and analyze the limitations of the missions.
The value added of solidarity economies: Bureaucratic constructions of value for alternative economic policy in Ecuador
Authors: D'Aloia Alexander 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe National Institute of the Popular Solidarity Economy (IEPS) in Ecuador was created to promote an alternative form of economy—the Popular Solidarity Economy (PSE). As a precarious institute with limited funding, IEPS staff worked hard to find alternative ways to support the PSE. In this article, I examine their work through the lens of valor agregado (added value), a commonly used local term for how economic value is created. Government bureaucrats intervened primarily by creating an audience that was interested in the social aspects of the alternative economy. Because valor agregado ambiguously refers to both monetary and social value, it helped the PSE better integrate with the wider economy. With this approach, I offer a potential new path for analyzing government support for alternative economies. By refocusing our attention on key actors' understandings of value creation, anthropologists can sidestep questions of whether alternative economies have been “co‐opted” by capitalism and instead examine the necessary interfaces between these alternatives and the mainstream.
Syntheses, Crystal Structure and Theoretical Properties of Schiff Bases Obtained from Isoniazid and Pyridine‐2‐, 3‐, 4‐Carboxaldehyde and Their Zinc(II) Complexes
Authors: Aydoğdu Ömer , Uğurlu Güventürk , Necefoğlu Hacali , Öztürkkan Füreya Elif , Hökelek Tuncer 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe series of Schiff base ligands, N’‐(pyridine‐2‐ylmethylene)isonicotinohydrazide (I), N’‐(pyridine‐3‐ylmethylene)isonicotinohydrazide (II) and N’‐(pyridine‐4‐ylmethylene)isonicotinohydrazide (III), and the Zn(II) complexes of the ligands (I and II), [N’‐(pyridine‐2‐ylmethylene)isonicotinohydrazide]‐trichlorozincoate (IV) and [N’‐(Pyridin‐3‐ylmethylene) isonicotinohydrazide] trichlorozincoate (V) have been newly synthesized and their structures have been characterized by 1H, 13C NMR and FT‐IR spectroscopies, elemental analysis and single crystal X‐ray diffraction technique. The Hirshfeld surface analyses have been confirmed the importance of H‐atom contacts in establishing the packings. The ground state equilibrium geometries of the synthesized compounds are optimized at DFT/B3LYP/6‐311++G (d, p) and HF/6‐311++G (d, p) levels of theory (for the ligands) and B3LYP/GENECP method is used as the mixed basis sets of LANL2DZ (for Zn) and 6–311G (for other atoms) in the gas‐phase. The structural parameters obtained from the theoretical studies of the compounds are compared with their experimental ones. Their linear and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are also calculated by the same methods. In the ground state, the energy band gaps (Eg) of the Schiff bases (I, II and III) have been calculated as 4.38 eV, 4.36 eV and 4.46 eV (at B3LYP) and 9.94 eV, 9.81 eV and 10.20 eV (at HF), respectively.
Competing for attention on digital platforms: The case of news outlets
Authors: Meyer Tim , Kerkhof Anna , Cennamo Carmelo , Kretschmer Tobias 
Published: April 2024

AbstractResearch SummaryPlatforms are often assumed to benefit firms, especially smaller ones, by facilitating access to a broader consumer base and increasing visibility. However, this logic relies on platforms” ability to match consumer preferences to complement characteristics. In addition to this matching mechanism, we posit that platforms also broker consumer attention towards complements, which then compete for this attention. We propose that this attention mechanism is particularly prominent in settings where complement characteristics cannot be observed ex‐ante, and argue that complementors' with larger scale and broader scope are better positioned to capture attention than smaller and less broad ones. We formalize and test this intuition in the context of news aggregators, highlighting the significance of complementors' ability to draw attention in evaluating their benefits from platform participation.Managerial SummarySmall firms are often assumed to benefit most from joining a platform to expand their market reach and visibility. However, this will only be the case if the main function of platforms is to match consumer preferences to product characteristics. We argue that platforms also direct attention towards some products at the expense of others on the platform. This “attention mechanism” is particularly important whenever product characteristics cannot be observed prior to consumption, and we propose that in such settings, larger scale and broader scope of products drive attention towards specific firms on the platform. We test these predictions in the context of online news aggregators, which feature news content by newspapers of different sizes and with different range of articles. We find that indeed large and generalist newspapers benefit most from being on a news aggregators, while small and focused newspapers perform better when they are not featured on the news aggregator at all.
Systematic literature review: Digital twins' role in enhancing security for Industry 4.0 applications
Authors: El‐Hajj Mohammed , Itäpelto Taru , Gebremariam Teklit 
Published: April 2024

AbstractConnectivity and data exchange are key features of Industry 4.0. In this paradigm, (Industrial) Internet of Things ((I)IoT) devices are a vital component facilitating the collection and transmission of environmental data from the physical system to the central station for processing and analysis (digital twin [DT]). However, although (I)IoT devices play a critical role in this process, they are not inherently equipped to run strong encryption mechanisms to secure the data they transmit over wired or wireless channels. This research aims to explore the potential of DTs in securing Industry 4.0 applications and the security mechanism employed to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and authentication of data communicated between (I)IoT and DT through a systematic literature review (SLR). This SLR, based on the analysis of 67 papers published between 2018 and 2023, underscores the evolving significance of DT technology, particularly within the ambit of Industry 4.0. The findings illuminate the pervasive influence of DT technology across multiple industrial sectors. The result SLR revealed that DT is growing and being widely adopted as a security tool particularly in Industry 4.0 using enabling technology like machine learning, data analytics, blockchain, and 5G networks to provide security solutions such as intrusion detection, vulnerability assessment, cyber range, and threat intelligence.
Comparing the effectiveness of k$$ k $$‐different treatments through the area under the ROC curve
Authors: Martínez‐Camblor Pablo , Pérez‐Fernández Sonia , Dwiel Lucas L. , Doucette Wilder T. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUC) has become a popular index not only for measuring the overall prediction capacity of a marker but also the strength of the association between continuous and binary variables. In the current considered study, the AUC was used for comparing the association size of four different interventions involving impulsive decision making, studied through an animal model, in which each animal provides several negative (pretreatment) and positive (posttreatment) measures. The problem of the full comparison of the average AUCs arises therefore in a natural way. We construct an analysis of variance (ANOVA) type test for testing the equality of the impact of these treatments measured through the respective AUCs and considering the random‐effect represented by the animal. The use (and development) of a post hoc Tukey's HSD‐type test is also considered. We explore the finite‐sample behaviour of our proposal via Monte Carlo simulations, and analyse the data generated from the original problem. An R package implementing the procedures is provided in the supporting information.
Protein Engineering of Novel Thermostable Pullulanase from Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Starch Saccharification Application
Authors: Lin Lin , Li Ruiqi , Wang Ziyu , Yuan Jing , Hu Xiaojun 
Published: April 2024

AbstractA novel thermostable type I pullulanase gene (named pulGSM) is cloned from Geobacillus stearothermophilus DSMZ456. The purified PulGSM shows optimal activity at pH 6.0 and 65 °C. Protein engineering method (site‐directed mutagenesis and enzyme immobilization) is used to further improve the thermostability and catalytic efficiency of PulGSM. Through site‐directed mutagenesis, three mutants (carrying the mutations L211C, E306I and R471E named PulGSM‐M211, PulGSM‐M306 and PulGSM‐M471) are generated and characterized in detail. As showing the best enzymatic properties, PulGSM‐M471 is directly immobilized on epoxy‐functionalized supports to obtain the immobilized enzyme lx‐PulGSM‐M471. The temperature tolerance results show an enhanced T1/2 of 6.5 h (mutated PulGSM‐M471) and 8.5 h (mutated and immobilized lx‐PulGSM‐M471) at 70 °C in comparison to the wild type (4 h). Compared to the commercial pullulanase from Bacillus acidopullulyticus (PDB:2WAN), PulGSM or PulGSM‐M471 can be used directly in maize starch saccharification process without adjusting the pH, which reduces cost and improves efficiency.
Assessment of potential maladaptive pain in dogs with elbow osteoarthritis using a von Frey aesthesiometer
Authors: Dalla Fontana Maria , Anesi Simone , Czopowicz Michal , Corr Sandra A. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the possible presence of maladaptive pain in the thoracic limbs of dogs with elbow osteoarthritis (OA) using an electronic von Frey aesthesiometer (eVFA).MethodsTwenty‐eight client‐ and staff‐owned dogs (OA, n = 14; controls, n = 14) were enrolled in the study. Every dog underwent a full orthopaedic examination, and then five von Frey measurements were obtained from each carpal pad of each dog. A maximum test threshold of 400 g was set and approved by an ethics committee.ResultseVFA thresholds were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in dogs with OA (median 248 g, range 128–369 g) than in control dogs (median 390 g, range 371–400 g). In the OA group, the sensory threshold was significantly lower (p = 0.048) in the more severely affected limb than the less severely affected limb.LimitationThe low maximum threshold required for ethical approval may influence the variability in the control group.ConclusionsDogs with elbow OA had significantly lower sensory thresholds than control dogs, which is compatible with the presence of maladaptive pain, potentially due to central sensitisation. Further research is required to evaluate the potential use of the eVFA for monitoring clinical progression and treatment response in dogs with elbow OA.
Stoichiometry of long noncoding RNA interactions with other RNAs: Insights from OIP5‐AS1
Authors: Yang Jen‐Hao , Tsitsipatis Dimitrios , Gorospe Myriam 
Published: April 2024

AbstractLong noncoding (lnc)RNAs modulate gene expression programs in a range of developmental processes in different organs. In skeletal muscle, lncRNAs have been implicated in myogenesis, the process whereby muscle precursor cells form muscle fibers during embryonic development and regenerate muscle fibers in the adult. Here, we discuss OIP5‐AS1, a lncRNA that is highly expressed in skeletal muscle and is capable of coordinating protein expression programs during myogenesis. Given that several myogenic functions of OIP5‐AS1 involve interactions with MEF2C mRNA and with the microRNA miR‐7, it was critical to carefully evaluate the precise levels of OIP5‐AS1 during myogenesis. We discuss the approaches used to examine lncRNA copy number using OIP5‐AS1 as an example, focusing on quantification by quantitative PCR analysis with reference to nucleic acids of known abundance, by droplet digital (dd)PCR measurement, and by microscopic visualization of individual lncRNAs in cells. We discuss considerations of RNA stoichiometry in light of developmental processes in which lncRNAs are implicated.This article is categorized under:
Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs
2‐Pyridylmetallocenes, Part VII. Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Cycloaurated Pyridylmetallocenes
Authors: Weigand Stefan , Sünkel Karlheinz 
Published: April 2024

AbstractTreatment of the 2‐pyridylferrocenes [CpFe(C5H3R{C5H4N})] (R=H, Me) with HAuCl4 or NaAuCl4 in aqueous acetonitrile yields the cycloaurated complexes [CpFe(C5H2R{C5H4N}AuCl2)] (R=H, 2 a; Me, 2 b). Reaction of 2 a,b with phenylacetylene in the presence of CuI and NEt3 produces the monoalkynyl complexes [CpFe(C5H2R{C5H4N}AuI{CCPh})] (R=H, 3 a; Me, 3 b), while the reaction of 2 a with NaCN/ LiCl yields.the bis‐cyanide [CpFe(C5H3{C5H4N}Au{CN}2)] 4 a. The molecular structures of 2 a, 3 a, 3 b and 4 a were determined by X‐ray diffraction.
From Innermost to Full Almost-Sure Termination of Probabilistic Term Rewriting
Authors: Kassing Jan-Christoph , Frohn Florian , Giesl Jürgen 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThere are many evaluation strategies for term rewrite systems, but proving termination automatically is usually easiest for innermost rewriting. Several syntactic criteria exist when innermost termination implies full termination. We adapt these criteria to the probabilistic setting, e.g., we show when it suffices to analyze almost-sure termination (AST) w.r.t. innermost rewriting to prove full AST of probabilistic term rewrite systems. These criteria also apply to other notions of termination like positive AST. We implemented and evaluated our new contributions in the tool .