bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A composite adaptive robust control for nonlinear systems with model uncertainties
Authors: Chen Ye , Tao Guoliang , Yao Yitao 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis article is concerned with a composite adaptive robust control (CARC) for non‐strict feedback nonlinear systems with model uncertainties including parametric uncertainties and uncertain nonlinearities. It is assumed that the model uncertainties of the nonlinear system are bounded but unknown. Firstly, prescribed tracking performance is achieved by the CARC control law even the unknown parameters are time‐varying. This is accomplished firstly by designing a discontinuous projection that confines the unknown parameters in an estimated region. Then the robustness of the closed‐loop system is guaranteed by leveraging the deterministic robust control philosophy. Also, a command filter has been designed to avoid computing complex derivatives of virtual control law in the backstepping procedure. Secondly, a composite adaptation law that intelligently integrates information of both tracking error and prediction error is constructed for improving the performance of controllers. The high adaptation gain of CARC leads to higher parameter convergence speed and smaller tracking errors. Moreover, if the actual parameters are within the design range, asymptotic stability can be achieved in presence of parametric uncertainties only. In addition, exponential convergence of tracking errors and parameters can be shown under certain conditions. Finally, numerical examples are made to validate the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Disease progression based feature screening for ultrahigh‐dimensional survival‐associated biomarkers
Authors: Peng Mengjiao , Xiang Liming 
Published: March 2023

SummaryThe increased availability of ultrahigh‐dimensional biomarker data and the high demand of identifying biomarkers importantly related to survival outcomes made feature screening methods commonplace in the analysis of cancer genome data. When survival outcomes include endpoints of overall survival (OS) and time‐to‐progression (TTP), a high concordance is typically found in both endpoints in cancer studies, namely, patients' OS would most likely be extended when tumour progression is delayed. Existing screening procedures are often performed on a single survival endpoint only and may result in biased selection of features for OS in ignorance of disease progression. We propose a novel feature screening method by incorporating information of TTP into the selection of important biomarker predictors for more accurate inference of OS subsequent to disease progression. The proposal is based on the rank of correlation between individual features and the conditional distribution of OS given observations of TTP. It is advantageous for its flexible model nature, which requires no marginal model assumption for each endpoint, and its minimal computational cost for implementation. Theoretical results show its ranking consistency, sure screening and false rate control properties. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed screener leads to more accurate feature selection than the method without considering the prior observations of disease progression. An application to breast cancer genome data illustrates its practical utility and facilitates disease classification using selected biomarker predictors.
Microwave‐mediated One‐step Synthesis of CeVO4‐rGO Composites with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity under Visible Light
Authors: Mishra Sanjibani , Soren Siba , Debnath Anil Krishna , Muthe Kunal , Das Nigamananda , Parhi Purnendu 
Published: March 2023

AbstractCeVO4‐rGO nanocomposites with varying proportions of CeVO4: rGO (10, 20 and 30 wt% CeVO4) were synthesized by a rapid microwave hydrothermal method. The prepared samples were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV‐visible spectroscopy to evaluate their structural, morphological and optical properties respectively. Lowering band gaps of CeVO4‐rGO composites (∼2.15 eV) made the sample active for photodegradation of Bromophenol blue (BRB) and Eosin Yellow (EY) dyes under visible light. Among all, the sample with 20 wt% CeVO4 was the most efficient and almost complete degradation of EY (60 mg/L) was achieved within 60 min with a catalyst dose of 0.4 g/L. In comparison, 91.6 % of BRB dye (20 mg/L) was degraded in 105 min. Recyclability study up to the fourth cycle showed that the composites are fairly stable for reuse.
In‐vitro Investigation of Anti‐Parasite, Anti‐Oxidant Activities, Cytotoxicity and GC/MS analysis of Ehanolic Extracts for Rhynchosia memnonia var. memnonia and Sonchus oleraceus used in Sudanese Ethnomedicine
Authors: Elshikh Ahmed A. , Elnour Mawahib , Elkamali Hatil , Elbalola Abdelrahim , Garbi Mohamed 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the anti‐parasite, anti‐oxidant activities, cytotoxicity and chemical contents of Rhynchosia memnonia var. memnonia and Sonchus oleraceus aerial parts. The study showed the efficacy of the ethanolic extracts of R. memnonia var. memnonia and S. oleraceus against Giardia lamblia. R. memnonia var. memnonia was a high effect of (76 %) at a concentration of 500 ppm after 72 h, while the highest result of the crude extract of S. oleraceus was (86 %) at the same concentration after 72 h. The antioxidant activity of S. oleraceus ethanolic crude extract showed high activity (72 %). At the same time, the ethanolic extract of R. memnoniavar. memnonia showed weak activity (36 %). This was done using the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The results of cytotoxicity testing revealed that the ethanolic extract of R. memnonia var. memnonia is highly toxic, while the toxicity was slight for the ethanolic extract of S. oleraceus used to brine shrimp. In addition, the cytotoxicity (MTT‐assay) of these plants′ ethanolic extracts against the normal Vero cell line verified the safety of the examined extracts with an IC50 less than 100 μg/ml. In order to detect the constituents of crude extracts, GC‐MS was used. The analysis revealed the presence of 22 compounds in the ethanolic extract of R. memnonia var. memnonia and eleven compounds in the S. oleraceus crude extract. From R. memnonia var. memnonia and S. oleraceus, the main compounds detected were n‐Hexadecadnoic acid and Lup‐20(29)‐en‐3b‐ol, respectively. Also, many other compounds were identified at low area percent from these extracts.
Novel Graphene Oxide/Zinc Phthalocyanine Composites Bearing 3‐Chloro‐4‐Fluorophenoxy: Potential Usage for Sono/Photochemical Applications
Authors: Günsel Armağan , Mutlu Nazire , Yaşa Atmaca Göknur , Günsel Hilal , Bilgiçli Ahmet T. , Erdoğmuş Ali , Nilüfer Yarasir M. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to explore the therapeutic contribution of graphene oxide (GO) to new sono/photosensitizers through sono/photochemical studies for the first time. For this purpose, new zinc (II) phthalocyanine bearing 3‐chloro‐4‐fluorophenoxy 2 was synthesized and then its GO‐based composites were prepared by non‐covalently coating ZnPc 2 on the graphene oxide surface. The photoactivity of these materials was compared and discussed in terms of their potential ability to be used in photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and sono‐photodynamic therapy (SPDT). In these application areas, GO can serve as photosensitizer carrier, while ZnPc 2 can be acting as PDT/SPDT agent. Therefore, phthalocyanine composites containing different percentages of graphene oxide by weight (wt.% GO) were prepared. SEM (scanning electron microscopy) results supported the interaction between GO and ZnPc 2. In the sono‐photochemical study, both ZnPc 2 and its composites gave very higher ΦΔ values than the photochemical study. The sono‐photochemical ΦΔ values were found to be 0.928 for 0 wt.% GO, 0.869 for 0.25 wt.% GO, 0.891 for 0.50 wt.% GO, 0.868 for 1 wt.% GO, 0.908 for 3 wt.% GO, 0.845 for 5 wt.% GO and 0.851 for 10 wt.% GO, respectively. According to obtained results, these materials could be promise as good photosensitizers for both the photochemical study and the sono‐photochemical study due to their very high singlet oxygen generation.
Ultrahigh Mass Activity Pt Entities Consisting of Pt Single atoms, Clusters, and Nanoparticles for Improved Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Zeng Zhiqiang , Küspert Sven , Balaghi S. Esmael , Hussein Haytham E. M. , Ortlieb Niklas , Knäbbeler‐Buß Markus , Hügenell Philipp , Pollitt Stephan , Hug Niclas , Melke Julia , Fischer Anna 
Published: March 2023

AbstractPlatinum is one of the best‐performing catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, high cost and scarcity severely hinder the large‐scale application of Pt electrocatalysts. Constructing highly dispersed ultrasmall Platinum entities is thereby a very effective strategy to increase Pt utilization and mass activities, and reduce costs. Herein, highly dispersed Pt entities composed of a mixture of Pt single atoms, clusters, and nanoparticles are synthesized on mesoporous N‐doped carbon nanospheres. The presence of Pt single atoms, clusters, and nanoparticles is demonstrated by combining among others aberration‐corrected annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, and electrochemical CO stripping. The best catalyst exhibits excellent geometric and Pt HER mass activity, respectively ≈4 and 26 times higher than that of a commercial Pt/C reference and a Pt catalyst supported on nonporous N‐doped carbon nanofibers with similar Pt loadings. Noteworthily, after optimization of the geometrical Pt electrode loading, the best catalyst exhibits ultrahigh Pt and catalyst mass activities (56 ± 3 A mg−1Pt and 11.7 ± 0.6 A mg−1Cat at −50 mV vs. reversible hydrogen electrode), which are respectively ≈1.5 and 58 times higher than the highest Pt and catalyst mass activities for Pt single‐atom and cluster‐based catalysts reported so far.
Single‐Atom Catalysts for Hydrogen Activation
Authors: Gao Wenwen , Liu Shihuan , Sun Guangxun , Zhang Chao , Pan Yuan 
Published: March 2023

AbstractSelective hydrogenation is one of the most important reactions in fine chemical industry, and the activation of H2 is the key step for hydrogenation. Catalysts play a critical role in selective hydrogenation, and some single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are highly capable of activating H2 in selective hydrogenation by virtue of the maximized atom utilization and the highly uniform active sites. Therefore, more research efforts are needed for the rational design of SACs with superior H2‐activating capabilities. Herein, the research progress on H2 activation in typical hydrogenation systems (such as alkyne hydrogenation, hydroformylation, hydrodechlorination, hydrodeoxygenation, nitroaromatics hydrogenation, and polycyclic aromatics hydrogenation) is reviewed, the mechanisms of SACs for H2 activation are summarized, and the structural regulation strategies for SACs are proposed to promote H2 activation and provide schemes for the design of high‐selectivity hydrogenation catalysts from the atomic scale. At the end of this review, an outlook on the opportunities and challenges for SACs to be developed for selective hydrogenation is presented.
Assessment of the number of mast cells in the soft palate of dogs affected by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome
Authors: Pérez López Pablo , Café Marçal Valéria , Leece Elizabeth A. , Hattersley Rachel D. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundOedema is described in the soft palate of dogs affected by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Activated mast cells (MCs) release vasoactive mediators that temporarily increase vascular permeability.MethodsData and caudal soft palate tissue were prospectively collected from a population of dogs undergoing surgical management of BOAS and a control group of greyhound cadavers with no previous history of respiratory signs. Histological assessment was performed to quantify the number of MCs within the lamina propria of each group.ResultsThe mean number of MCs in the BOAS group (53 MCs/10 400× high‐power fields [HPF]; standard deviation [SD] = 23) was significantly greater than that in the greyhound group (24 MCs/10 400×HPF; SD = 10).LimitationsThe small size of the control group and the heterogeneous nature of the dogs in the BOAS group limit the generalisability of the findings. The use of different surgical techniques in the BOAS group may have also affected the degree of inflammation present within the samples. The cohort was not screened for concurrent disease processes that could potentially increase the number of circulating MCs.ConclusionThis study demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the numbers of MCs in the soft palate of brachycephalic dogs with clinically significant BOAS and the greyhound control group.
Sterile omental fat abscess in a dog
Authors: Hertel Beatrice , Jones Ian D. , Kovak McClaran Janet 
Published: March 2023

AbstractA 12‐year‐old female neutered cockapoo was presented for further investigation of a suspected abdominal mass. Physical examination revealed a palpable abdominal mass and mild abdominal discomfort. No other clinical signs were reported. Haematological and coagulation factor analysis was normal. Serum biochemical analysis revealed a mild increase in alkaline phosphatase. Abdominal radiographs were acquired. A large, clearly marginated soft tissue mass was identified in the mid‐abdomen. A large, non‐specific mass originating from the body of the spleen was also suspected. A computed tomographic study of the thorax and abdomen revealed a large, clearly marginated, spherical mass of unknown origin within the mid‐abdomen. A peritoneal cyst was suspected, and an exploratory laparotomy was performed. A large, fluid‐filled, well‐encapsulated peritoneal mass was removed from the mid‐abdomen. Histological examination of the mass was consistent with severe chronic steatitis compatible with an omental fat abscess.
Severe lobar pulmonary cryptococcosis with a fatal outcome in a clinically normal Allen's swamp monkey (Allenopithecus nigroviridis)
Authors: Batek Christina , Garner Michael M. , Drees Randi , Sim Richard R. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractA clinically normal, 13.5‐year‐old male Allen's swamp monkey (Allenopithecus nigroviridis) developed cardiac arrest and died shortly after anaesthetic induction for a routine examination. Gross examination of the lung revealed consolidation of the left caudal lobe, and cut surfaces exuded a purulent haemorrhagic discharge. Tissue impressions of the pulmonary tissue were consistent with Cryptococcus sp. Histological examination revealed that the infection was isolated to a single lung lobe, and Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans was confirmed by culture. This case report discusses the postmortem findings of a monkey with pulmonary cryptococcosis and the importance of considering routine screening in clinically normal guenons.
Association of Pyramidal Boron Lewis Superacids with Pyridines: Bending 2,4,6‐Collidine with the 10‐Sulfonium‐9‐boratriptycene
Authors: Osi Arnaud , Niessen Nicolas , Mahaut Damien , Champagne Benoît , Chardon Aurélien , Tumanov Nikolay , Wouters Johan , Berionni Guillaume 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe association of pyridine and of 2,4,6‐trimethylpyridine (collidine) with a pyramidal triarylborane belonging to the 9‐boratriptycene family is investigated by NMR spectroscopy and by X‐ray diffraction analysis. Despite of the large size of the ortho‐disubstituted collidine Lewis base and of the large steric hindrance of the boron Lewis superacid used (9‐boratriptycene‐10‐sulfonium), the superacidity at its boron atom is enabling the formation of a B‐N bond and is resulting in a very stabe Lewis adduct. Single‐ crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed an exceptional deformation of the collidine moiety with a deviation from planarity of nearly 41° between the pyridine C−N bonds and the ortho‐methyl groups C−Me bonds, which is even resulting a small twist of the collidine six‐membered heteroaromatic ring into a boat‐like conformation. Computational investigations indicate that the steric repulsions are reducing the Gibbs free energy of Lewis adduct formation by approximately 50 kJ mol−1.
Early Career Workers’ Agency in the Workplace: Learning and Beyond in Cross-Country Comparative Perspective
Authors: Hefler Günter , Fedáková Denisa , Steinheimer Eva , Studená Ivana , Wulz Janine 
Published: March 2023

AbstractWorkplace learning opportunities are closely linked to the type of job an individual has, and people’s use of available opportunities differs. Learning opportunities do not translate automatically into learning: individuals need to take advantage of them. This chapter presents a novel approach to investigating individual agency in workplace learning, studying early career employees in three sectors (Retail, Metals and Adult Education) across nine countries. It develops accounts of 71 workers’ learning across 17 organisations, thereby investigating workplace learning as embedded both in contexts of work and individuals’ wider life structures. When individuals’ agency in workplace learning is considered in isolation from its context, it cannot be properly explained; other areas of life add to and/or limit individuals’ learning opportunities. Employment interacts with other parts of life.
Bounded Agency in Policy and Action: Empowerment, Agency and Belonging
Authors: Clancy Sharon , Holford John 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis chapter explores theories of bounded agency, and what we think they offer the study of lifelong learning for young adults, partly by theoretical discussion, but also through a qualitative case study of a personalised youth employability project which places the young people’s personal experience centrally, as ‘experts’ in their own lives. Theoretically, it discusses the relationships between such concepts as agency, empowerment and belonging. The case study illustrates how important belonging can be to adult learning, particularly among the most socially and politically excluded young adults, for whom social isolation and mental ill-health can compound pre-existing social and structural barriers.
Adult Education as a Pathway to Empowerment: Challenges and Possibilities
Authors: Boyadjieva Pepka , Ilieva-Trichkova Petya 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis chapter develops a theoretical framework for conceptualising adult education’s role in individual empowerment using a capability approach perspective. It also provides empirical evidence on how adult education can contribute to individuals’ empowerment. Adult education is both a sphere of, and a factor for, empowerment. Empowerment through adult education is embedded in institutional structures and socio-cultural contexts and has both intrinsic and instrumental value; it is neither linear nor unproblematic. Adult education’s empowerment role is revealed in expanded agency; this enables individuals and social groups to gain power over their environment. Using quantitative and qualitative data, the chapter shows that participation in non-formal adult education can empower individuals, increasing their self-confidence, capacity to find employment, and to control their daily lives.
Revisiting the second law and weak cosmic censorship conjecture in high-dimensional charged-AdS black hole: an additional assumption
Authors: Ali Md Sabir , El Moumni Hasan , Khalloufi Jamal , Masmar Karima 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
The verification of the second law of black hole mechanics and the WCCC in the context of enthalpy as mass of the black hole and its related thermodynamic properties has not been tested through a vast number of literature in the recent past. Such studies are of great physical importance as they provide us with a large number of information regarding the thermodynamics and the dynamics of AdS black hole systems. We invest the prior limited surveys of such analysis to investigate the WCCC for the D- dimensional asymptotically AdS-charged black holes characterized by its mass (M), electric charge (Q), and AdS radius (l) under the absorption of scalar particles of charge q. We examine the WCCC by analyzing the energy-momentum condition of the electrically charged particles as absorbed by the black holes. We prove that the conjecture is well verified irrespective of whether the initial black hole configurations are extremal or non-extremal by changing its charge, the AdS radius, and their variations. We show that the first law and the WCCC are valid for all spacetime dimensions (D) independent of the choice of the parameters characterizing the black holes. But to verify the second law in the extremal and non- extremal configurations one has to be very cautious as it gets strongly affected by the choices of the values of the black hole parameters and their variations. In other words, we use charged particle dynamics as described by the Hamilton-Jacobi equation to obtain the energy-momentum relation as the charged particle dropped into the higher dimensional charged AdS black hole and verify the thermodynamic laws when the scalar charged particle gets absorbed by the black holes and correspondingly the black hole neutralization in different manners. Additionally, we further probe the validity of WCCC in such a black hole background. In the context of the extended phase space, taking the grand canonical potential into account allow us to obtain the missing information about the variation of the cosmological constant necessary to construct the extended phase space, namely the notion of the black hole pressure, and which is absent in the previous literature so far.
An effective description of charge diffusion and energy transport in a charged plasma from holography
Authors: He Temple , Loganayagam R. , Rangamani Mukund , Virrueta Julio 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
We discuss the physics of sound propagation and charge diffusion in a plasma with non-vanishing charge density. Our analysis culminates the program initiated in [1] to construct an open effective field theory of low-lying modes of the stress tensor and charge current in such plasmas. We model the plasma holographically as a Reissner-Nordström-AdSd+1 black hole, and study linearized fluctuations of longitudinally polarized scalar gravitons and photons in this background. We demonstrate that the perturbations can be decoupled and repackaged into the dynamics of two designer scalars, whose gravitational coupling is modulated by a non-trivial dilatonic factor. The holographic analysis allows us to isolate the phonon mode from the charge diffusion mode, and identify the combination of currents that corresponds to each of them. We use these results to obtain the real-time Gaussian effective action, which includes both the retarded response and the associated stochastic (Hawking) fluctuations, accurate to quartic order in gradients.