bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Determination of meaningful block sizes for rockfall modelling
Authors: Illeditsch Mariella , Preh Alexander 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe determination of the so-called design block is one of the central elements of the Austrian guideline for rockfall protection ONR 24810. It is specified as a certain percentile (P95–P98, depending on the event frequency) of a recorded block size distribution. Block size distributions may be determined from the detachment area (in situ block size distribution) and/or from the deposition area (rockfall block size distribution). Deposition areas, if present, are generally accessible and measurable without technical aids. However, most measuring methods are subjective, uncertain, not verifiable, or inaccurate. Also, rockfall blocks are often fragmented due to the preceding fall process. The in situ block size distribution is (also) required for meaningful rockfall modelling. The statistical method seems to be the most efficient and cost-effective method to determine in situ block size distributions with many blocks within the whole range of block sizes. In the current literature, joint properties are often described by the lognormal and exponential distribution functions. Today, we can model synthetic rock masses on the basis of discrete fracture networks. They statistically describe the geometric properties of the joint sets. This way, we can carry out exact rock mass block surveys and determine in situ block size distributions. We wanted to know whether the in situ block size distributions derived from the synthetic rock mass models can be described by probability distribution functions, and if so, how well. We fitted various distribution functions to three determined in situ block size distributions of different lithologies. We compared their correlations using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and the mean-squared error method. We show that the generalized exponential distribution function best describes the in situ block size distributions across various lithologies compared to 78 other distribution functions. This could lead to more certain, accurate, verifiable, holistic, and objective results. Further investigations are required.
The Effects of Conventional and Unconventional Monetary Policy Shocks on US REITs Moments: Evidence from VARs with Functional Shocks
Authors: Wang Shixuan , Gupta Rangan , Bonato Matteo , Çepni Oğuzhan 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe use a vector autoregressive model with functional shocks, capturing the shift of the entire term structure of interest rates on monetary policy announcement dates, to empirically evaluate the effects of conventional and unconventional monetary policy decisions on the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) markets of the United States (US). Using 5-min interval intraday data, we analyze not only the impact on REITs returns, but also its realized variance (RV), realized jumps (RJ), realized skewness (RSK), and realized kurtosis (RKU) over the daily period of September 2008 to June 2021. While the effects of conventional monetary policy shocks on the moments of REITs returns tend to conform with economic theories, the same is not necessarily the case with unconventional monetary policy shocks. In addition, though monetary policy shocks have the most persistent and strongest effects on RJ, the extreme behaviour of the REITs market is also observed through RSK and RKU. Moreover, when we look into 10 REITs sectors, there is indeed heterogeneity in terms of the strength of the effect, but not so much in terms of the sign of responses of the various moments compared to the overall market. Our results have important implications for REITs market participants, given its exponential growth as an asset class.
Comprehensive analysis of energy efficiency and performance of ARM and RISC-V SoCs
Authors: Suárez Daniel , Almeida Francisco , Blanco Vicente 
Published: February 2024

AbstractOver the past few years, ARM has been the dominant player in embedded systems and System-on-Chips (SoCs). With the emergence of hardware platforms based on the RISC-V architecture, a practical comparison focusing on their energy efficiency and performance is needed. In this study, our goal is to comprehensively evaluate the energy efficiency and performance of ARM and RISC-V SoCs in three different systems. We will conduct benchmark tests to measure power consumption and overall system performance. The results of our study are valuable to developers and researchers looking for the most appropriate hardware platform for energy-efficient computing applications. Our observations suggest that RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) implementations may demonstrate lower average power consumption than ARM, but this does not automatically imply a superior performance per watt ratio for RISC-V. The primary focus of the study is to evaluate and compare these ISA implementations, aiming to identify potential areas for enhancing their energy efficiency. Furthermore, to ensure the practical applicability of our findings, we will use the Computational Fluid Dynamics software OpenFOAM. This step serves to validate the relevance of our results in real-world scenarios. It allows us to fine-tune execution parameters based on the insights gained from our initial study. By doing so, we aim not only to provide meaningful conclusions but also to investigate the transferability of our results to practical applications. Our analysis will also scrutinize the capabilities of these SoCs when handling nonsynthetic software workloads, thereby broadening the scope of our evaluation.
Trends in the surgical management of proximal humerus fractures in Ireland from 2009 to 2022: An increasing usage of reverse shoulder arthroplasty
Authors: O’Driscoll Conor S. , Vukanic Danilo , Daly Tiarnán G. , Molony Diarmuid C. , Jemelik Petr , Pomeroy Eoghan , O’Briain David E. , Cleary May S. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Proximal humeral fractures are a common injury accounting for a significant workload across orthopaedic departments. Though often managed non-operatively, surgical management is indicated for a proportion of patients.

Aims
The aim of this study is to examine the trends in the management of proximal humeral fractures within Ireland over the past 13 years.

Methods
A retrospective review of Irish Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) data was performed between January 2009 and December 2022. Information regarding demographics including age and gender, along with procedure type were collated after patients with proximal humerus fractures, were identified using relevant ICD 10 codes.

Results
Demographic details remained stable with females and those within the 55–69 year age bracket accounting for the highest proportion of patients. The mean annual number of procedures performed across the study period was 365 (273–508), with an increase from 288 cases in 2009 to 441 in 2022. Open reduction and internal fixation were the most common procedures accounting for 76.4% of cases. There has been a rising usage of total shoulder arthroplasty for fixation with an increase from < 5 cases in 2016 to 84 in 2022. A decrease in the usage of hemiarthroplasty and closed reduction internal fixation was also observed.

Conclusions
There has been an increasing volume of operatively managed proximal humeral fractures in Ireland, which sustained despite the 2015 publication of the highly publicised PROPHER trial. The increasing utilisation of total shoulder arthroplasty in acute trauma management is notable and necessitates appropriate training for trauma theatre personnel.
Effects of Zinc Compounds on the Enzymatic Activities of Lysozyme and Peroxidase and Their Antifungal Activities
Authors: Kim Yongdae , Chang Ji-Youn , Kim Yoon-Young , Lee Jae Wook , Kho Hong-Seop 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the effects of zinc compounds on the enzymatic activities of lysozyme, peroxidase, and the glucose oxidase–mediated peroxidase (GO-PO) system and their antifungal activities. Four different zinc compounds (zinc chloride, gluconate, lactate, and sulfate) were incubated with hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL), bovine lactoperoxidase (bLPO), the GO-PO system, and human unstimulated whole saliva in solution and on a hydroxyapatite surface. Enzymatic activities of lysozyme, peroxidase, and the GO-PO system were measured through the hydrolysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus, oxidation of fluorogenic 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin, and glucose assay, respectively. Interactions between zinc and enzymes were analyzed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and candidacidal activities of zinc compounds were examined against three Candida albicans strains. Zinc gluconate and sulfate significantly increased the enzymatic activities of salivary lysozyme in the solution assay and of HEWL and salivary lysozyme on the hydroxyapatite surface. However, all examined zinc compounds significantly decreased the enzymatic activities of bLPO and salivary peroxidase in solution and on the surface. SPR analyses revealed binding of zinc to lysozyme and peroxidase, with affinity differing according to the zinc compounds. The MIC of zinc compounds against C. albicans was 1.0–2.4 mM. Candidacidal activities were 17.7–38.8% and 23.7–47.0% at 1.0 and 10 mM concentrations, respectively. In conclusion, zinc compounds enhanced lysozyme activity but inhibited peroxidase activity. Zinc compounds exhibited concentration-dependent candidacidal activity against C. albicans. Zinc compounds are potential therapeutic agents for oral health, especially for geriatric patients.
A Bayesian sampling optimisation strategy for finite element model updating
Authors: Raviolo Davide , Civera Marco , Zanotti Fragonara Luca 
Published: February 2024

AbstractModel Updating (MU) aims to estimate the unknown properties of a physical system of interest from experimental observations. In Finite Element (FE) models, these unknowns are the elements’ parameters. Typically, besides model calibration purposes, MU and FEMU procedures are employed for the Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) and damage assessment of structures. In this framework, damage can be located and quantified by updating the parameters related to stiffness. However, these procedures require the minimisation of a cost function, defined according to the difference between the model and the experimental data. Sophisticated FE models can generate expensive and non-convex cost functions, which minimization is a non-trivial task. To deal with this challenging optimization problem, this work makes use of a Bayesian sampling optimisation technique. This approach consists of generating a statistical surrogate model of the underlying cost function (in this case, a Gaussian Process is used) and applying an acquisition function that drives the intelligent selection of the next sampling point, considering both exploitation and exploration needs. This results in a very efficient yet very powerful optimization technique, necessitating of minimal sampling volume. The performance of this proposed scheme is then compared to three well-established global optimisation algorithms. This investigation is performed on numerical and experimental case studies based on the famous Mirandola bell tower.
Corporate social responsibility and total factor productivity: the case of European mining industry
Authors: Yousefian Mohammad , Bascompta Marc , Sanmiquel Lluís , Vintró Carla , Sidki-Rius Nor 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe aim of this research is to investigate the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on total factor productivity (TFP) in the European mining industry, considering micro- and macroeconomic indicators of the relationship between CSR and TFP. Employing data from 40 European mining companies from content analysis, CSR Hub, and the World Bank between 2018 and 2021, this paper utilizes a combination of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and panel regression techniques to test the research hypotheses. The findings suggest that the TFP of European mining firms is positively affected by CSR initiatives implemented by the companies. Also, the empirical results depict that the CSR-TFP relationship is mainly established on institutional criteria. The results also indicate that CSR-related factors, namely, transparency and reporting, training, health and safety, and resource management, are the impacting indicators. The study broadens the horizons of this line of research and can be beneficial to CEOs, managers, experts, policymakers, decision-makers, and economists in the field of mining who are willing to promote responsible and sustainable mining.
Optimising Healthcare Communication for People with Aphasia in Hospital: Key Directions for Future Research
Authors: Lamborn Edwina , Carragher Marcella , O’Halloran Robyn , Rose Miranda L. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Purpose of Review
People with aphasia and their healthcare workers have difficulty communicating, leaving people with aphasia at risk of poorer quality care, experiences and health outcomes. It is not yet known how best to optimise healthcare communication for this population. This literature review provides directions for future research regarding interventions aiming to optimise communication between healthcare workers and people with aphasia in hospital.

Findings
This paper offers four key foci to consider when planning or evaluating interventions: (1) individual and (2) systems-level environmental factors must be targeted to facilitate successful implementation, (3) reliable and feasible outcome measures must be developed to measure communication change in actual clinical interactions and (4) studies must be designed and reported adequately to ensure replicable and comparable research.

Summary
This paper provides direction for research on interventions to enhance patient-provider communication, and quality care for people with aphasia in hospital, to enable better participation and care outcomes for this population.
Design of acoustic coating for underwater stealth in low-frequency ranges
Authors: Ranjbar Mostafa , Bayer Muhammed Umar 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this study, it is aimed to protect underwater vehicles against active sonar systems by anechoic coating. A matrix material with close acoustic impedance to water, resistivity to hydrostatic pressure, suitability for the marine environment, and high material loss factor is selected. At low frequencies, the inclusions in different shapes and sizes are added to the matrix material. Since solid inclusions will increase the coating mass considerably, air cavities are preferred as inclusions. More attention is paid to low-frequency absorption, especially below 1 kHz, because of advancing sonar technology. The acoustic performance of the designed models is compared in three frequency ranges: low (below 3 kHz), middle (3–6 kHz), and high (6–10 kHz). The designed models are constructed by considering hydrostatic pressure; hence, volume of air cavities is tried to decrease, while absorption performance is aimed to increase. Therefore, a conical cavity which commonly used in the literature is optimized by chancing its dimensions and location. Also, novel approaches, gong shape cavity, and sandglass cavities are introduced. The results show that, not only cavity shape, but also its location and dimensions are highly influential on absorption performance. High-volume cavities increase the absorption performance at the low-frequency range, but they are not effective at high frequencies. The gong shape and sandglass air cavities show broadband absorption; also, gong shape cavity volume is less than literature models. Thus, its usability increases at deep waters. The results of this study provide novel underwater acoustic coating models for various applications.
Schweizer-Sklar power aggregation operators based on complex intuitionistic fuzzy information and their application in decision-making
Authors: Liu Peide , Ali Zeeshan , Mahmood Tahir 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn 1960, Schweizer and Sklar introduced the novel Schweizer-Sklar t-norm and t-conorm which is used in the construction of aggregation operators. Schweizer-Sklar norms are more general than algebraic norms and Einstein norms. Additionally, computing the power operators based on the Schweizer-Sklar norms for complex Atanassov intuitionistic fuzzy (CA-IF) set is very awkward and complicated. In this manuscript, firstly, we propose the Schweizer-Sklar operational laws for CA-IF values, and secondly, we develop the CA-IF Schweizer-Sklar power averaging (CA-IFSSPA) operator, CA-IF Schweizer-Sklar power ordered averaging (CA-IFSSPOA) operator, CA-IF Schweizer-Sklar power geometric (CA-IFSSPG) operator, and CA-IF Schweizer-Sklar power ordered geometric (CA-IFSSPOG) operator. Some suitable and dominant properties for the above operators are also discussed. Furthermore, to simplify the above operators, we develop the procedure of decision-making technique, called multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) methods based on the proposed operators based on CA-IF values. Finally, we compare the proposed methods with some existing methods to describe the efficiency and capability of the discovered approaches by some examples.
On-Chip Micro Temperature Controllers Based on Freestanding Thermoelectric Nano Films for Low-Power Electronics
Authors: Jin Qun , Guo Tianxiao , Pérez Nicolás , Yang Nianjun , Jiang Xin , Nielsch Kornelius , Reith Heiko 
Published: February 2024

AbstractMultidimensional integration and multifunctional component assembly have been greatly explored in recent years to extend Moore’s Law of modern microelectronics. However, this inevitably exacerbates the inhomogeneity of temperature distribution in microsystems, making precise temperature control for electronic components extremely challenging. Herein, we report an on-chip micro temperature controller including a pair of thermoelectric legs with a total area of 50 × 50 μm2, which are fabricated from dense and flat freestanding Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric nano films deposited on a newly developed nano graphene oxide membrane substrate. Its tunable equivalent thermal resistance is controlled by electrical currents to achieve energy-efficient temperature control for low-power electronics. A large cooling temperature difference of 44.5 K at 380 K is achieved with a power consumption of only 445 μW, resulting in an ultrahigh temperature control capability over 100 K mW−1. Moreover, an ultra-fast cooling rate exceeding 2000 K s−1 and excellent reliability of up to 1 million cycles are observed. Our proposed on-chip temperature controller is expected to enable further miniaturization and multifunctional integration on a single chip for microelectronics.
Real non-degenerate two-step nilpotent Lie algebras of dimension eight
Authors: Borovoi Mikhail , Dina Bodgan Adrian , de Graaf Willem A. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWe classify the non-degenerate two-step nilpotent Lie algebras of dimension 8 over the field of real numbers, using known results over complex numbers. We write explicit structure constants for these real Lie algebras.
A spectroscopic study on the effect of acid concentration on the physicochemical properties of calcined halloysite nanotubes
Authors: Aydın Meryem Türkay Aytekin 
Published: February 2024

AbstractHalloysite nanotubes a naturally occurring type of clay with unique properties. This research intends to investigate of the effects of hydrochloric acid treatment on the physicochemical and pore properties of halloysite nanotubes. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, the nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm (BET), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA-DTA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze the structure of natural, calcined, and acid-treated calcined halloysite nanotubes. From the analysis of XRD, SEM, FT-IR, BET, and TGA-DTA, it was possible to infer that activation with HCl on the calcined nanotubes allowed for an increase in the specific surface area and the volume of pores while maintaining the tubular structure of these materials. Because the samples’ tubular structure was preserved, the study’s goal was to evaluate the effects of acid treatment on calcined halloysite nanotubes for use as potential adsorbents. The influence of treatment with hydrochloric acid on the structure of halloysite nanotubes calcinated at different temperatures was investigated using a surface sensitive XPS method.
New 1,2,4-triazole based eugenol derivatives as antiCOX-2 and anticancer agents
Authors: Alam Mohammad Mahboob 
Published: February 2024

AbstractDue to chronic inflammation, elevated cyclooxygenase (COX-2) level leads to tumorigenesis, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Therefore, suppression of COX-2 enzyme is a fascinating approach in cancer treatment. In the present study, natural product eugenol was modified to develop new 1,2,4-triazole derivatives as antiCOX-2 and antiproliferative agents. The structures of newly prepared derivatives were established using sophisticated analytical techniques. The antiproliferative result showed compound 10 to be equipotent to doxorubicin towards MDA-MB 231 and PC-3 cancer cells with IC50 1.42 and 5.69 μM, respectively and potent COX-2 inhibitor with IC50 0.28 μM. Compound 10 was also non carcinogenic, non mutagenic with good drug likeness property as depicted by in silico physicochemical and pharmacokinetic studies. The docking results against COX-2 protein showed highest binding energy for compound 10 which was found to be in consistent with the cytoxicity and COX-2 results. In conclusion, compound 10 could harness COX-2 and cell proliferation and could be a promising candidate in cancer therapy.
Gender-Transformative Remedies for Women Human Rights Defenders
Authors: Nissen Aleydis 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
In its 2019 report to the Human Rights Council, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on business and human rights emphasized that ‘gender-transformative’ remedies can bring ‘change to patriarchal norms and unequal power relations that underpin discrimination, gender-based violence and gender stereotyping’. This article aims to deepen our knowledge of such remediation for women human rights defenders who fight against corporate human rights abuses. Human rights remediation is highly fragmented. This has the advantage that remedies at one level can offer sources of learning for remedies at other levels. This article uses relevant communications that the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders sent to states and corporations jointly with other Special Procedures (including the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences and the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls in law and practice) between 2011 and 2020 as a source of learning.
Translation of the Preference-Based Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Scale into French
Authors: Mehdipour Ava , Teshler Lizabeth , Dal Bello-Haas Vanina , Bouchard Vanessa , Kuspinar Ayse 
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to translate the Preference-Based Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Scale to French-Canadian. After the scale underwent forward and back translations, the expert committee examined the translated versions and found minor grammatical errors and suggested idioms to be changed to better represent French-Canadian language. Cognitive debriefing interviews were carried out to assess the pre-final version for clarity, and minor changes were made. Consensus from the expert committee and people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on the measure’s clarity, word choice, and meaning were achieved, resulting in the final French version of the Preference-Based Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Scale.