bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Properties of Airplane Fabrics
Authors: Walen E. Dean 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
The author presents a brief résumé of the history of the development of cotton airplane fabrics and discusses the methods of determining the properties of airplane fabrics, with particular reference to the defining of the quantities determined, the apparatus used and the interpretation of the results obtained.
He then discusses a few typical examples of satisfactory and unsatisfactory fabrics. The purpose of the paper is to acquaint the reader with the fundamentals underlying the investigation, rather than to burden him with the tiresome details of the actual experimentation.
It is believed that there is presented a concept of textiles which, so far as is known, has been but little considered, consisting of an analysis of fabrics in much the same manner as other more commonly known structural materials are studied.
The subject suggests that the investigation applies to a very limited class of fabrics, but many of the fundamentals discussed are applicable to the study of many of the fabrics used for more familiar purposes and of more general interest than airplane fabrics.
Some Factors in Fuel Economy in Boiler Plants
Authors: Kuss Robert H. 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
According to the author’s estimates, it should be easily possible to increase the combined boiler and furnace efficiency of stationary plants burning bituminous coal from 12 to 15 per cent above that ordinarily obtained. Conditions regarding character of fuel, design of furnace and grates, facilities for introducing air, draft, etc., are accordingly stated, compliance with which should substantially effect the savings mentioned in the case of a single boiler. The case of several boilers combined for service is also considered, and the author outlines a novel scheme of operation and points out the advantages it possesses over the ordinary method of running.
Marine Practice in Valves and Fittings
Authors: Christie A. G. 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
In this paper the author discusses marine practice during the war in the selection of valves and fillings. The fabricated-ship yard, it is stated, was the chief factor in bringing about the utilization of standard types and sizes, and the scarcity of copper made it necessary to employ steel for piping. Particulars are given of the new types of flanges and fittings adopted, as well as of the progress made in conforming marine valve practice to the A.S.M.E. standards.
Disk-Wheel Stress Determination
Authors: Weaver S. H. 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
This paper describes and applies a simplified method for determining the centrifugal stresses in a disk wheel of given irregular shapes of section. Stodola’s disk theory is assumed, together with his formula for disks of hyperbolic-section profile. The formulæ are then transformed so as to give the tangential stresses at the inner and outer radii in terms of the radial stresses, ratio of radii, and shape constant of disk section.
For a given disk with a single hyperbolic outline the tangential stresses are expressed in terms of the radial stresses or loads; and if the latter are known, the stresses are determinate. In case the disk-section outline would require to be fitted by two hyperbolas meeting at the same thickness of disk, the wheel section can be divided at the meeting point of the curves into two imaginary rings. The rings at the meeting point, by the continuity of material and same thickness, are held together by a radial stress common to both and have the same elongation and tangential stress. One can then write the tangential stress of the one ring equal to the tangential stress of the other at their common radii, giving one equation with the one unknown quantity, the radial stress common to both, and all stresses are determinate. Thus any irregular-shaped disk can be fitted within hyperbolas, divided into n imaginary rings, and (n – 1) equations written for the common meeting points of the curves with (n – 1) unknown radial stresses, and the stress problem is solvable.
The six coefficients whose values are given in Equation [4] as functions of the ratio of radii and hyperbolic outline of disk section, are laborious to calculate but should be used for accurate results. For commercial work approximate equations [6] are given which cover the practical disk proportions, and within the limits shown have a range of error of less than one per cent.
As a further labor-saving device when a number of disks are to be estimated, the approximate equations can be placed in an alignment-chart form. An appendix gives the range and proportion of the five charts required which experience has shown to be the most useful. The number and size of these charts for accurate reading do not permit of reproduction.
A practical example is given showing the actual application to the usual disk wheel.
An Improved Passage-Flow Turning Model for Forward-Curved Blades of Squirrel-Cage Fan
Authors: Jiang Boyan , Yang Xiaopei , Wang Jun , Lin Zhiliang , Hu Jinkang 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
An improved passage-flow turning model (IPTM) was developed in this study to design high-performance forward-curved blades for squirrel-cage fans. The flow separation in blade passages and the corresponding fan performance were compared between IPTM and traditional methods through computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results show that correcting the blade inlet angle, based on the zero-incidence design, is crucial to prevent separation of the passage mainstream from the blade pressure surface. The blade shape with second-order smoothness also exhibits the thinnest separation and highest efficiency when other design parameters remain constant. Considering these findings, the blades designed by IPTM outperform traditional blades with the same inlet and outlet angles. The optimal values of the turning radius R¯T and the decelerating factor of the leading half blade ɛ were determined based on the CFD results. The designed blade achieves high pressure when these two parameters satisfy R¯T=−0.185ε+0.29175, while achieving high efficiency when they satisfy R¯T=−0.31ε+0.4425. To confirm the advantages of IPTM, an optimal IPTM-based blade was manufactured and measured. The results indicated that the maximum increase in fan pressure and efficiency reaches 10% and 6%, respectively.
Staphylococcus aureus
suppresses the pentose phosphate pathway in human neutrophils via the adenosine receptor A2aR to enhance intracellular survival
Authors: Vozza Emilio G. , Daly Clíodhna M. , O'Rourke Sinead A. , Fitzgerald Hannah K. , Dunne Aisling , McLoughlin Rachel M. 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus aureus
propensity for intracellular survival presents a challenge to effectively treat infection, with significant evidence suggesting
S. aureus
can hijack phagocytes for host dissemination, worsening clinical outcomes. Human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (hPMN) have been identified as an important conduit for the intracellular survival of
S. aureus,
yet this immune evasion mechanism remains incompletely understood. Multiplex gene expression analysis was used to profile the gene expression of hPMN harboring intracellular
S. aureus
and found that the anti-inflammatory adenosine receptor,
adora2a
(A2aR), was upregulated along with several A2aR- associated genes. Importantly, treatment with the A2aR inhibitor, ZM-241385, reduced intracellular survival of
S. aureus
within hPMN while enhancing ROS production and neutrophil extracellular traps. This suggests that
S. aureus
uses A2aR to dampen hPMN effector functions as a mechanism to boost intracellular survival. A2aR inhibition led to a metabolic switch from glycolysis to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in hPMN, which facilitated an increase in NADPH levels and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Taken together, our work highlights the importance of the A2aR, which is targeted by
S. aureus
to suppress the PPP, limiting ROS production, and thus creating a more hospitable intracellular niche in which to survive.

IMPORTANCE

Staphylococcus aureus
is one of the leading causes of antimicrobial-resistant infections whose success as a pathogen is facilitated by its massive array of immune evasion tactics, including intracellular survival within critical immune cells such as neutrophils, the immune system’s first line of defense. In this study, we describe a novel pathway by which intracellular
S. aureus
can suppress the antimicrobial capabilities of human neutrophils by using the anti-inflammatory adenosine receptor,
adora2a
(A2aR). We show that signaling through A2aR suppresses the pentose phosphate pathway, a metabolic pathway used to fuel the antimicrobial NADPH oxidase complex that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS). As such, neutrophils show enhanced ROS production and reduced intracellular
S. aureus
when treated with an A2aR inhibitor. Taken together, we identify A2aR as a potential therapeutic target for combatting intracellular
S. aureus
infection.
The Two-Parameter Fracture Criterion Taking into Account Two-Dimensional Deformation Constraints at the Front of a Mixed-Type Crack
Authors: Pokrovskii A. M. , Matvienko Yu. G. 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
In this article, a new fracture criterion for a mixed-type crack (type I + type II) is proposed. It is based on the assumption that the maximum tangential stresses in the prefracture region are equal to the local strength of the material. In this case, the size of the prefracture area and the local strength are determined taking into account nonsingular Тхx and Тzz stresses included in the expansion of the Williams stress function. The use of Тхx and Тzz stresses in the calculations allows one to describe the two-dimensional local constraint of the deformation along the crack front in three-dimensional bodies. In addition to KI and KII, the expression for the effective stress intensity factor (SIF) includes the ratios of the Тхx and Тzz stresses to the yield strength. This makes it possible to take into account the constraint of deformations in the transverse and longitudinal directions of the crack front, respectively. An example of the implementation of the developed criterion in relation to the determination of the fracture load of a tensile-stressed plate with a through inclined crack is given. Dependences of the Тxx and Тzz stresses on the plate thickness are presented for various crack slopes and plate thicknesses. It is shown that an increase in the plate thickness and a decrease in the crack slope lead to a decrease in the fracture load.
Long term outcomes of metabolic/bariatric surgery in adults
Authors: Courcoulas Anita P , Daigle Christopher R , Arterburn David E 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT
The prevalence of obesity continues to rise around the world, driving up the need for effective and durable treatments. The field of metabolic/bariatric surgery has grown rapidly in the past 25 years, with observational studies and randomized controlled trials investigating a broad range of long term outcomes. Metabolic/bariatric surgery results in durable and significant weight loss and improvements in comorbid conditions, including type 2 diabetes. Observational studies show that metabolic/bariatric surgery is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events, cancer, and death. Weight regain is a risk in a fraction of patients, and an association exists between metabolic/bariatric surgery and an increased risk of developing substance and alcohol use disorders, suicidal ideation/attempts, and accidental death. Patients need lifelong follow-up to help to reduce the risk of these complications and other nutritional deficiencies. Different surgical procedures have important differences in risks and benefits, and a clear need exists for more long term research about less invasive and emerging procedures. Recent guidelines for the treatment of obesity and metabolic conditions have been updated to reflect this growth in knowledge, with an expansion of eligibility criteria, particularly people with type 2 diabetes and a body mass index between 30.0 and 34.9.
Using machine learning to identify COVID-19 vaccine-hesitancy predictors in the USA
Authors: Saldarriaga Enrique M 
Published: December 2023

IntroductionVaccine hesitancy is complex, multicausative phenomenon that undermines public health efforts to contain the spread of infectious diseases. Improving our understanding of the drivers of vaccine hesitancy might improve our capacity to address it.MethodsWe used the results of the May 2021 Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation’s survey on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, which estimated the proportion of adults for every US county that felt either hesitant or unsure and strongly hesitant towards taking the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. We developed a prediction model to identify the most important predictors of vaccine hesitancy. The potential predictors included demographic characteristics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index and the Republican Party’s voting share in the 2020 presidential election as a proxy of political affiliation, all at the county level.ResultsWe found that the main drivers of vaccine hesitancy are income level, marital status, poverty, income, schooling, race/ethnicity, age, health insurance status and political affiliation. While the drivers are shared by both levels of hesitancy, the order changes. Particularly, political affiliation is a more important predictor for strong hesitancy than for hesitancy or unsure.ConclusionsThese results deepen our understanding of the phenomenon and could help design more targeted interventions to reduce hesitancy in specific subgroups of the population.
Experimental study on the shear mechanical behavior of ice-rich debris–rock interface: effects of temperature, stress, and ice content
Authors: Huang Da , Meng Qiujie , Song Yixiang , Gu Dongming , Cen Duofeng , Zhong Zhu 
Published: December 2023

Glacier collapses can occur due to shear failure at the ice-rich debris–rock interface (IDRI). To examine the shear behavior of IDRI, shear tests were conducted on artificial IDRI specimens with varying ice contents (40%, 65%, and 90%), normal stresses (150, 250, 350, 450, and 550 kPa), and temperatures (−1, −3, −5, −7, and −9 °C). Our findings reveal that temperature has the most significant impact on both peak and residual shear strength, followed by normal stress and ice content. As the temperature increases from −9 to −1 °C, the peak and residual shear stress decreased by 62.5%–78%. Notably, for IDRI with the lowest ice content (40%), the residual shear stress is highly influenced by normal stress. We have developed an improved Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion of IDRI in which the cohesion and internal friction angle are determined by ice content and temperature. Furthermore, we propose a novel constitutive model, based on the disturbed state concept, to describe the shear behavior of IDRI. This model combines a spring model and a hyperbolic model. We also discuss the mechanisms through which ice content and temperature influence the shear deformation modes and shear strength of IDRI.
Reliability and validity of modified upper limb neurodynamic tests in patients with cervical radiculopathy
Authors: Zanwar Rupa , Wani Surendra 
Published: December 2023

Background: Neurodynamic Tests (NDTs) are used to assess neural mechanosensitivity in various conditions such as neural sliding, tension or inflammatory dysfunction. But in some upper quadrant dysfunctions, standard testing procedure of NDT cannot be assessed or tolerated by patient. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the validity, intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of modified NDTs via median and ulnar nerve in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Methods: Thirty-three patients (18 men and 15 women, mean age ± SD [Formula: see text]) with cervical radiculopathy having positive response to standard NDTs were included in the study. Modified neurodynamic tests for median & ulnar nerve were performed with modification in the sequencing of standard neurodynamic test at lower degrees of glenohumeral abduction and external rotation. Outcome measures used were angle of elbow extension for median nerve and angle elbow flexion for ulnar nerve at the point of pain onset indicated by “OP” (Onset of Pain). Results: Reliability of OP was evaluated using measurement of Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) and Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) values. Results indicated high ICC values and low SEM values for OP during modified median and modified ulnar NDTs (M-MNT1 and M-UNT) on symptomatic side of patients with cervical radiculopathy. Spearman correlation analysis for validity of test score showed strong correlation ([Formula: see text]) with standard NDT. Conclusion: There was strong correlation between Modified NDTs and standard tests depicting good validity and substantial reliability of OP during M-MNT1 and M-UNT for positive NDT response in patients with cervical radiculopathy.
Dense Text Retrieval Based on Pretrained Language Models: A Survey
Authors: Zhao Wayne Xin , Liu Jing , Ren Ruiyang , Wen Ji-Rong 
Published: December 2023

Text retrieval is a long-standing research topic on information seeking, where a system is required to return relevant information resources to user’s queries in natural language. From heuristic-based retrieval methods to learning-based ranking functions, the underlying retrieval models have been continually evolved with the ever-lasting technical innovation. To design effective retrieval models, a key point lies in how to learn text representations and model the relevance matching. The recent success of pretrained language models (PLM) sheds light on developing more capable text-retrieval approaches by leveraging the excellent modeling capacity of PLMs. With powerful PLMs, we can effectively learn the semantic representations of queries and texts in the latent representation space, and further construct the semantic matching function between the dense vectors for relevance modeling. Such a retrieval approach is calleddense retrieval, since it employs dense vectors to represent the texts. Considering the rapid progress on dense retrieval, this survey systematically reviews the recent progress on PLM-based dense retrieval. Different from previous surveys on dense retrieval, we take a new perspective to organize the related studies by four major aspects, including architecture, training, indexing and integration, and thoroughly summarize the mainstream techniques for each aspect. We extensively collect the recent advances on this topic, and include 300+ reference papers. To support our survey, we create a website for providing useful resources, and release a code repository for dense retrieval. This survey aims to provide a comprehensive, practical reference focused on the major progress for dense text retrieval.
Association between Elevated Plasma Vitamin B12 and Short-Term Mortality in Elderly Patients Hospitalized in an Internal Medicine Unit
Authors: Eduin Benjamin , Roubille Camille , Badiou Stéphanie , Cristol Jean Paul , Fesler Pierre 
Published: December 2023

Background. The prognostic value of vitamin B12 blood levels remains controversial. An association between elevated vitamin B12 and mortality has been reported, particularly among elderly patients with cancers and liver or blood diseases. The present study explored the relationship between mortality and elevated vitamin B12 levels in a population of unscheduled inpatients in an internal medicine unit. Methods. This retrospective observational analysis was conducted between August 2014 and December 2018. We compared 165 patients with elevated plasma vitamin B12 levels (>600 pmol/l) with a random sample of 165 patients with normal B12 levels who were hospitalized during the same period. Demographic, clinical, and biological characteristics were assessed during hospitalization. The primary endpoint was all-cause death at 1 year. Results. Patients with elevated B12 were younger, with a lower body mass index and lower plasma albumin than those with normal B12 (75 ± 16 years vs 79 ± 13 years, p = 0.047; 23 ± 5 vs 26 ± 7 kg/m2,

p

<

0.001

; and 33 ± 5 vs 35 ± 5 g/l,

p

<

0.001

, respectively). The prevalence of auto-immune disease and referral from an intensive care unit was higher among patients with elevated B12 (11% vs 5%, p = 0.043 and 36% vs 10%,

p

<

0.001

, respectively). After 1 year of follow-up, 64 (39%) patients with elevated B12 had died compared to 43 (26%) patients with normal B12 (p = 0.018). Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, intensive care unit hospitalization, albumin level, and the presence of solid cancer or autoimmune disease revealed elevated B12 to be associated with a significant risk of death in the first year of follow-up (hazard ratio: 1.71 [1.08–2.7], p = 0.022). Conclusion. Elevated B12 is an early warning indicator of increased short-term mortality, such as independently of age, cancer, or comorbidities, in patients hospitalized in an internal medicine department.
Simplified Approach to Predicting Obstructive Coronary Disease With Integration of Coronary Calcium: Development and External Validation
Authors: Miller Robert J. H. , Gransar Heidi , Rozanski Alan , Dey Damini , Al‐Mallah Mouaz , Chow Benjamin J. W. , Kaufmann Philipp A. , Cademartiri Filippo , Maffei Erica , Han Donghee , Slomka Piotr J. , Berman Daniel S. 
Published: December 2023

Background
The Diamond‐Forrester model was used extensively to predict obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) but overestimates probability in current populations. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a useful marker of CAD, which is not routinely integrated with other features. We derived simple likelihood tables, integrating CAC with age, sex, and cardiac chest pain to predict obstructive CAD.

Methods and Results

The training population included patients from 3 multinational sites (n=2055), with 2 sites for external testing (n=3321). We determined associations between age, sex, cardiac chest pain, and CAC with the presence of obstructive CAD, defined as any stenosis ≥50% on coronary computed tomography angiography. Prediction performance was assessed using area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curves (AUCs) and compared with the CAD Consortium models with and without CAC, which require detailed calculations, and the updated Diamond‐Forrester model. In external testing, the proposed likelihood tables had higher AUC (0.875 [95% CI, 0.862–0.889]) than the CAD Consortium clinical+CAC score (AUC, 0.868 [95% CI, 0.855–0.881];
P
=0.030) and the updated Diamond‐Forrester model (AUC, 0.679 [95% CI, 0.658–0.699];
P
<0.001). The calibration for the likelihood tables was better than the CAD Consortium model (Brier score, 0.116 versus 0.121;
P
=0.005).

Conclusions
We have developed and externally validated simple likelihood tables to integrate CAC with age, sex, and cardiac chest pain, demonstrating improved prediction performance compared with other risk models. Our tool affords physicians with the opportunity to rapidly and easily integrate a small number of important features to estimate a patient's likelihood of obstructive CAD as an aid to clinical management.
Between Mind and Body? Psychoneuroimmunology, Psychology, and Cognitive Science
Authors: Gough Joseph 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Over the past half century, our best scientific understanding of the immune system has been transformed. The immune system has turned out to be extremely sophisticated, densely connected to the central nervous system and cognitive capacities, deeply involved in the production of behavior, and responsive to different kinds of psychosocial event. Such results have rendered the immune system part of the subject-matter of psychology and cognitive science. I argue that such results, alongside the history of psychoneuroimmunology, give us good reason to be skeptical about the characterization of cognitive science and psychology as studying the mind and the mental.