bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
FeSe2 and Its Composites for Pollutants Removal: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Application Potential
Authors: Xu Wenbo , Huang Danlian , Li Sai , Wang Guangfu , Zhou Wei , Du Li , Huang Hai 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn recent years, the research of FeSe2 and its composites in environmental remediation has been gradually carried out. And the FeSe2 materials show great catalytic performance in photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and Fenton‐like reactions for pollutants removal. Therefore, the studies and applications of FeSe2 materials are reviewed in this work, including the common synthesis methods, the role of Fe and Se species as well as the catalyst structure, and the potential for practical environmental applications. Hereinto, it is worth noting in particular that the lower‐valent Se (Se2−), unsaturated Se (Se−), and Se vacancies (VSe) can play different roles in promoting pollutants removal. In addition, the FeSe2 material also demonstrates high stability, reusability, and adaptability over a wider pH range as well as universality to different pollutants. In view of the overall great properties and performance of FeSe2 materials compared with other typical Fe‐based materials, it deserves and needs further research. And finally, this paper presents some challenges and perspectives in future development, looking forward to providing helpful guidance for the subsequent research of FeSe2 and its composites for environmental application.
Surfactant Micelle‐Driven High‐Efficiency and High‐Resolution Length Separation of Carbon Nanotubes for Electronic Applications
Authors: Ling Shuang , Wei Xiaojun , Luo Xin , Li Xiao , Li Shilong , Xiong Feibing , Zhou Weiya , Xie Sishen , Liu Huaping 
Published: March 2024

AbstractHigh‐efficiency extraction of long single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with excellent optoelectronic properties from SWCNT solution is critical for enabling their application in high‐performance optoelectronic devices. Here, a straightforward and high‐efficiency method is reported for length separation of SWCNTs by modulating the concentrations of binary surfactants. The results demonstrate that long SWCNTs can spontaneously precipitate for binary‐surfactant but not for single‐surfactant systems. This effect is attributed to the formation of compound micelles by binary surfactants that squeeze the free space of long SWCNTs due to their large excluded volumes. With this technique, it can readily separate near‐pure long (≥500 nm in length, 99% in content) and short (≤500 nm in length, 98% in content) SWCNTs with separation efficiencies of 26% and 64%, respectively, exhibiting markedly greater length resolution and separation efficiency than those of previously reported methods. Thin‐film transistors fabricated from extracted semiconducting SWCNTs with lengths >500 nm exhibit significantly improved electrical properties, including a 10.5‐fold on‐state current and 14.7‐fold mobility, compared with those with lengths <500 nm. The present length separation technique is perfectly compatible with various surfactant‐based methods for structure separations of SWCNTs and is significant for fabrication of high‐performance electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Two dimensional shear wave elastography—Basic principles and current applications
Authors: O'Hara Sandra , Edwards Christopher , Zelesco Marilyn 
Published: March 2024

AbstractUltrasound‐based elastography techniques are increasingly available on modern ultrasound systems. The application of elastography extends the utility of ultrasound, yielding new information about the impact of disease on tissue biomechanics. By modifying the B‐mode imaging pulse, an Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse produces shear waves in selected tissue. Quantifying the speed of the resultant shear wave provides an indirect assessment of tissue stiffness, with stiffer tissue producing faster shear wave movement than softer tissue. Two main types of ultrasound shear wave elastography are currently in use. Point shear wave elastography uses one or two pulses to measure shear wave speeds over a small fixed area. Alternatively, two‐dimensional shear‐wave elastography provides a colour elastogram map over a larger area, allowing the operator to select specific regions of interest to measure shear wave speed. This article will discuss the essential physics principles, and clinical uses of two‐dimensional shear wave elastography, aiming to provide sonographers with a basic understanding of the technology and current applications.
Dynamical analysis of a 40 m span precast posttensioned concrete girder during lifting operations
Authors: de Lima Gabriel Henrique Arruda Tavares , Krahl Pablo Augusto , Siqueira Tiago Morkis , de Lima Maria Cristina Vidigal 
Published: March 2024

AbstractCranes are employed to lift precast concrete girders during their construction. Presently, there is no recommendation for operational velocities during girder assemblage, particularly for long elements; simultaneously, several accidents have been reported during the transitory phase of girder motion. Since this mechanical problem has been examined in technical literature using a static approach, the present research study aims to investigate the dynamical behavior of a long, prestressed concrete girder by determining critical operational velocities according to crane movements. Prestressing cables' eccentricity and lifting loop position deviation were accounted for in 3D finite element simulations of a 40 m span precast prestressed concrete girder. Transient nonlinear analyses to obtain stresses and deflections were performed, so as to account for the large deformation behavior of the motion. A frequency domain approach was employed to analyze the time history results using the girder's natural frequencies obtained by modal analysis. The finite element model was developed to simulate upward, downward, and lateral girder movements. The most significant displacements and stresses were observed in the highest girder acceleration peaks, amplified by eccentricities. Safety against cracking and subsequent failure during vertical and lateral movements was ensured for crane operating accelerations of 0.02 g (v = 20 cm/s) and 0.007 g (v = 7 cm/s), respectively. Compared with the usual static analysis, for the critical case investigated, the inertial effect intensified the tensile stresses by 27 times, increased the compressive stresses by 11%, and increased the girder deflection by 3 times.
Soil salinization in Portugal: An in‐depth exploration of impact, advancements, and future considerations
Authors: Ramos Tiago B. , Gonçalves Maria C. , van Genuchten Martinus Th. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractSoil salinization poses a significant threat to agricultural production in Portugal. Collaborative research spanning three decades with the U.S. Salinity Laboratory in Riverside, California, has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of this issue. This study provides a concise overview of the causes of soil salinization in Portugal, focusing on ongoing efforts to comprehensively address this challenge. Key advancements highlighted in this study encompass the meticulous characterization of soil hydraulic and solute transport parameters, the application of cutting‐edge modeling tools for water flow and solute transport in diverse agricultural systems, and the utilization of innovative proximal and remote sensing methods for mapping soil salinity. Noteworthy results and practical implications of these advancements underscore their relevance in real‐world scenarios. While celebrating these achievements, the study emphasizes the current nature of the ongoing research, highlighting the dynamic landscape of soil salinization. The study underscores the imperative need for further advancements to effectively cope with soil salinization, especially in anticipation of the intensification of agricultural practices and the looming impacts of climate change. This comprehensive overview not only encapsulates past achievements but also sets the stage for future research endeavors in mitigating the pervasive effects of soil salinization on agricultural sustainability in Portugal.
Association between frailty, long‐term mortality and functional outcomes for older adults undergoing emergency laparotomy
Authors: Park Brittany , Vandal Alain , Sulistio Edrick , Bhat Sameer , Welsh Fraser , Eglinton Tim , Koea Jonathan , Taneja Ashish , Hill Andrew G. , Barazanchi Ahmed W.H. , MacCormick Andrew D. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundAn increasing number of older patients are undergoing emergency laparotomy (EL). Frailty is thought to contribute to adverse outcomes in this group. The best method to assess frailty and impacts on long‐term mortality and other important functional outcomes for older EL patients have not been fully explored.MethodsA prospective multicenter study of older EL patients was conducted across four hospital sites in New Zealand from August 2017 to September 2022. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) was used to measure frailty—defined as a CFS of ≥5. Primary outcomes were 30‐day and one‐year mortality. Secondary outcomes were postoperative morbidity, admission for rehabilitation, and increased care level on discharge. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted, adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity.ResultsA total of 629 participants were included. Frailty prevalence was 14.6%. Frail participants demonstrated higher 30‐day and 1‐year mortality—20.7% and 39.1%. Following adjustment, frailty was directly associated with a significantly increased risk of short‐ and long‐term mortality (30‐day aRR 2.6, 95% CI 1.5, 4.3, p = <0.001, 1‐year aRR 2.0, 95% CI 1.5, 2.8, p < 0.001). Frailty was correlated with a 2‐fold increased risk of admission for rehabilitation and propensity of being discharged to an increased level of care, complications, and readmission within 30 days.ConclusionFrailty was associated with increased risk of postoperative mortality up to 1‐year and other functional outcomes for older patients undergoing EL. Identification of frailty in older EL patients aids in patient‐centered decision‐making, which may lead to improvement in outcomes.
Planning for Equitable Urban Agriculture: Opportunities and Quandaries
Authors: Raja Samina 
Published: March 2024

AbstractUrban agriculture initiatives have rekindled the imagination of city residents and advocates across the United States for various reasons. Enthusiasts use UA as a source of material benefits – such as food and green infrastructure – while others use UA as a lever for social transformation in cities. UA is not without complications: Information asymmetry and elite capture within US cities limit its potential. Given these contradictions, how does one plan for equitable urban agriculture in US cities? This chapter, which introduces a collection of writings in honor of Jerome L. Kaufman, the father of food systems planning, attempts to answer this question. The overall volume explores the opportunities and quandaries in addressing questions of equity in the research, pedagogy, and practice of planning for urban agriculture.
The Urgent Role of Urban Agriculture and Food Systems Planning in the Global South
Authors: Hoey Lesli 
Published: March 2024

AbstractWhat can US urban agriculture (UA) planners and scholars learn from the Global South? For many urban growers in low and middle income countries, UA is a lifeline – a vital source of their family’s food and income security – in a way not often experienced in the US. UA also plays an important role in enhancing the environmental sustainability of some city regions. In the name of “modernization” and development, however, many Global South governments actively resist UA, while others are encouraging the rapid growth of supermarkets and the restriction of informal food markets, potentially undoing any positive impacts of UA on urban food security and poverty. Food policy initiatives that have emerged to intervene in urban food systems holistically, however, could help to ensure that urban food systems are simultaneously equitable, health-promoting and sustainable. Despite the more extreme circumstances in which UA is often practiced in the Global South, urban planning scholars and practitioners in the US can draw a number of lessons about the benefits of intentionally scaling up UA, the wider lens that could be applied to address urban food system inequities, and further research that could enhance understanding about the process and impact of UA expansion.
Planning [for Urban Agriculture] as Public Nurturance
Authors: Raja Samina , Caton Campbell Marcia , Judelsohn Alexandra 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis concluding chapter of a book honoring the late Jerome Kaufman, an urban planning scholar who drew attention to food systems, highlights the power of urban agriculture as a lever for promoting equity in cities. The authors argue for the idea of planning as public nurturance – an approach that can be illustrated through urban agriculture. Planning as public nurturance has several features. Planning as public nurturance is a value-explicit process that centers an ethic of care, especially protecting the interests of publics that are marginalized. It builds the capacity of marginalized groups to authentically co-design and participate in planning/policy processes. Such a planning approach requires that progress toward equitable outcomes is consistently evaluated through accountability measures. And, finally, such an approach requires attention to structural and institutional inequities. Addressing these four elements is more likely to create a condition under which urban agriculture may be used as a lever in the planning and development of more just and equitable cities.
Indicators and Data in Spain Regarding an Overview of Worst Performing Segments of the National Building Stock, Rented Properties and Energy Poverty
Authors: Beltrán-Velamazán Carlos , Arbulu Markel , Gómez-Gil Marta , Rueda-Esteban Markel , Espinosa-Fernández Almudena , López-Mesa Belinda 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIndicators are necessary to assess the effectiveness of building renovation policies and to know whether the European Union Member States’ long-term renovation strategies deliver the necessary progress towards the transformation of the building stock into a decarbonized one. Worst performing segments, rental properties, and energy poverty have been identified as key issues to be addressed in the decarbonization of the building sector in Europe. In this chapter, we propose indicators to measure the evolution in Spain of the worst performing segments of the building stock regarding energy, the energy performance of rented properties, and energy poverty following the European Commission recommendations and directives. We also studied the sources of information available in Spain for the development of these indicators and developed them when there were data. This study allowed us to conclude that in this country, there are good sources of data to develop energy poverty indicators, which could be improved by systematically collecting information on the percentage of population living in inadequate housing thermal conditions in summer. It is necessary to improve and unify the information from the energy performance certificates of buildings published by the different regions of Spain in order to better develop indicators relating to the worst segments of the building stock. There is a lack of data to develop indicators on the energy efficiency of rented properties.
Numerical modeling of fill-level and residence time in starve-fed single-screw extrusion: a dimensionality reduction study from a 3D CFD model to a 2D convection-diffusion model
Authors: Olofsson Erik Holmen , Dan Ashley , Roland Michael , Jokil Ninna Halberg , Ramachandran Rohit , Hattel Jesper Henri 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis research delves into the numerical predictions of fill-level and residence time distribution (RTD) in starve-fed single-screw extrusion systems. Starve-feeding, predominantly used in ceramic extrusion, introduces challenges which this study seeks to address. Based on a physical industrial system, a comprehensive 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed using a porous media representation of the complex multi-hole plate die. Validations performed using real sensor data, accounting for partial wear on auger screw flights, show an ~11% discrepancy without accounting for screw wear and ~6% when considering it. A 2D convection-diffusion model was introduced as a dimensionality reduced order model (ROM) with the intention of bridging the gap between comprehensive CFD simulations and real-time applications. Central to this model’s prediction ability was both the velocity field transfer from the CFD model and calibration of the ROM diffusion coefficient such that a precise agreement of residence time distribution (RTD) curves could be obtained. Some discrepancies between the CFD and the ROM were observed, attributed to the loss of physical information of the system when transitioning from a higher fidelity CFD model to a semi-mechanistic ROM and the inherent complexities of the starved flow in the compression zone of the extruder. This research offers a comprehensive methodology and insights into reduced order modeling of starve-fed extrusion systems, presenting opportunities for real-time optimization and enhanced process understanding.
Positive Representations with Zero Casimirs
Authors: Ip Ivan Chi-Ho , Man Ryuichi 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we construct a new family of generalization of the positive representations of split-real quantum groups based on the degeneration of the Casimir operators acting as zero on some Hilbert spaces. It is motivated by a new observation arising from modifying the representation in the simplest case of $$\mathcal {U}_q(\mathfrak {sl}(2,\mathbb {R}))$$

U
q

(
sl

(
2
,
R
)

)

compatible with Faddeev’s modular double, while having a surprising tensor product decomposition. For higher rank, the representations are obtained by the polarization of Chevalley generators of $$\mathcal {U}_q(\mathfrak {g})$$

U
q

(
g
)

in a new realization as universally Laurent polynomials of a certain skew-symmetrizable quantum cluster algebra. We also calculate explicitly the Casimir actions of the maximal $$A_{n-1}$$

A

n
-
1

degenerate representations of $$\mathcal {U}_q(\mathfrak {g}_\mathbb {R})$$

U
q

(

g
R

)

for general Lie types based on the complexification of the central parameters.
Speciation Features of Ferdinandcohnia quinoae sp. nov to Adapt to the Plant Host
Authors: Saati-Santamaría Zaki , Flores-Félix José David , Igual José M. , Velázquez Encarna , García-Fraile Paula , Martínez-Molina Eustoquio 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe bacterial strain SECRCQ15T was isolated from seeds of Chenopodium quinoa in Spain. Phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic, and phenotypic analyses, as well as genome similarity indices, support the classification of the strain into a novel species of the genus Ferdinandcohnia, for which we propose the name Ferdinandcohnia quinoae sp. nov. To dig deep into the speciation features of the strain SECRCQ15T, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of the genome of this strain and those of the type strains of species from the genus Ferdinandcohnia. We found several genes related with plant growth-promoting mechanisms within the SECRCQ15T genome. We also found that singletons of F. quinoae SECRCQ15T are mainly related to the use of carbohydrates, which is a common trait of plant-associated bacteria. To further reveal speciation events in this strain, we revealed genes undergoing diversifying selection (e.g., genes encoding ribosomal proteins) and functions likely lost due to pseudogenization. Also, we found that this novel species contains 138 plant-associated gene-cluster functions that are unique within the genus Ferdinandcohnia. These features may explain both the ecological and taxonomical differentiation of this new taxon.
Predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index combined with serum chloride levels for the prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure
Authors: Gu Wenyi , Zhou Yanji , Hua Baotong , Ma Wenfang , Dong Ling , Shi Tao , Zou Jie , Zhu Na , Chen Lixing 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundThe prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and serum chloride level are related to adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure. However, little is known about the relationship between the PNI and serum chloride level in predicting the poor prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).Methods and resultsWe reviewed 1221 consecutive patients with ADHF admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2017 to October 2021. After excluding patients with in hospital death, missing follow-up data, missing chloride data, missing lymphocyte (LYM) count data, or missing serum albumin data, 805 patients were included. PNI was calculated using the formula: serum albumin (ALB) (g/L) + 5 × LYM count (10^9/L). Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the quartiles of the PNI, and the highest PNI quartile (PNI Q4: PNI ≥ 47.3) was set as the reference group. The patients in the lowest PNI quartile (PNI Q1: PNI < 40.8) had the lowest cumulative survival rate, and mortality risk decreased progressively through the quartiles (log-rankχ2142.283,P < 0.0001). Patients with ADHF were divided into 8 groups by quartiles of PNI and median levels of serum chloride. After adjustment, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in ADHF patients in Group 1 was 8.7 times higher than that in the reference Group 8. Furthermore, the addition of serum chloride level and PNI quartile to the Cox model increased the area under the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve by 0.05, and the area under the ROC curve of the new model was higher than that of the original model with traditional risk factors.ConclusionsBoth the lowest PNI quartiles and low chloride level indicate a higher risk of all-cause death in patients with ADHF.
Cannabis use, health problems, and criminal offences in Germany: national and state-level trends between 2009 and 2021
Authors: Manthey Jakob , Klinger Sinja , Rosenkranz Moritz , Schwarzkopf Larissa 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe German federal government plans to decriminalise cannabis. The impact of this policy on use prevalence, cannabis-related health and legal problems cannot be fully anticipated and should be viewed in context with current trends. We used routine data on (a) cannabis use (population-based surveys), (b) cannabis-related diagnoses (ICD-10 code F12) in outpatient medical settings and (c) minor law offences (registered violations against the narcotics law for possessing small amounts) to analyse age and sex-specific trends by federal state between 2009 and 2021. To enable comparisons across time and federal state besides crude prevalence rates, age-standardised rates were calculated. Between 2009 and 2021, the age-standardised prevalence of cannabis use (5.7–10.6%), rate of diagnoses (1.1–3.7 per 1,000), and legal offences (1.8–3.1 per 1,000) increased, with the largest increase noted for cannabis-related diagnoses. Relatively, increases were most pronounced for older users (40-to-59-year-olds: use and offences; 35-to-44-year-olds: cannabis-related diagnoses) and rather stagnant for minors. Cannabis use and health problems appear to be more pronounced in Northern and city states, while no clear geographic trend was observed for law offences. Cannabis-related outpatient treatment demand has risen more steeply than use prevalence suggesting an increasing challenge for the health care system. Despite rising rates for documented offences, the long-term implications of law violations on social and occupational life are poorly understood but may be considered for evaluations of the proposed law changes.