bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Isolation of cellulose microfibers and nanofibers by mechanical fibrillation in a water-free solvent
Authors: Hernández-Becerra E. , Osorio M. , Marín D. , Gañán P. , Pereira M. , Builes D. , Castro C. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractCellulose from vegetable sources is the most abundant biopolymer on earth. In plants, cellulose is a reinforcement element that conforms to a hierarchical structure. Cellulose micro-/nanofibers can be isolated from the cell wall by top-down strategies involving mechanical processes to be used in applications as a reinforcing material. Nonetheless, its use has been limited as its extraction in an aqueous medium is unfavorable when employed in low-hydrophilic matrices. Therefore, this work proposes a novel homogenization route in which cellulose micro-/nanofibers are directly obtained and dispersed in propylene glycol (PG), which generates more possibilities for these (nano) structures in applications that require water-free environments. Moreover, the influence on the cycle numbers in the morphological, chemical, thermal, and rheological properties was researched. Thus, the obtained micro-/nanofibers presented TEM diameters even below 20 nm. XRD analysis evidenced crystalline planes located at $$1\overline{1 }0$$

1

1
¯

0

, 110, and 200, and crystallinity degree values up to 80%. Also, FTIR spectra bands in 3340 cm−1, 2890 cm−1, 1314 cm−1, and in the fingerprint region corresponded to native cellulose Iβ. FTIR and TGA confirmed no influence of mechanical cycles on cellulose fibers’ chemical and thermal properties. Furthermore, the increase in the cycle number evidenced a shear-thinning rheological behavior of the suspensions. Considering the above results, it was concluded that the proposed high-pressure homogenization within PG is an approach for vegetable nanocellulose homogenization while maintaining high crystallinity, thermal, and chemical features with huge importance for subsequent processes in the development of nanocomposites with hydrophilic matrices for industrial applications.
Graphical abstract
Rapid cellulose nanomaterial characterisation by rheology
Authors: Cainglet Hans Estrella , Tanner Joanne , Nasiri Naghmeh , Browne Christine , Garnier Gil , Batchelor Warren 
Published: April 2023

AbstractCellulose nanomaterial (CNM) aspect ratio strongly influences sheet formation and resulting mechanical, optical, and barrier properties. However, there is a lack of fast and reliable methods for CNM aspect ratio determination, limiting the reliable production of nanocellulose at industrial-scale. Current laboratory approaches comprise microscopic (e.g. atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)), and sedimentation methods, which are time-consuming and limited to specific CNM fibre sizes. Here, we describe a new rheological method to determine the aspect ratios for the whole size range of cellulose fibres using rheology. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibres (CNFs), and wood fibres in the form of Bleached Eucalyptus Kraft (BEK) were investigated. The aspect ratios of these three scales of cellulose fibres were determined by measuring the specific viscosity profiles of their suspensions at different concentrations from high to low shear rates (2000–0.001 s−1), and evaluating whether the fibre suspensions exhibited entangled or disentangled behaviour. The rheological results agreed well with those produced by AFM and sedimentation methods. Furthermore, cellulose fibre aspect ratios determined with specific viscosity measurements were generated in 5 hours for each feedstock, while sedimentation and AFM required at least 2 days to produce the same results. Ultimately, we demonstrate that rheology is a rapid and accurate method to determine the aspect ratio for the whole range of cellulose fibre sizes, a critical step towards facilitating their full-scale application.
An investigation of the fluid-holding cavities in a lignocellulose-based bamboo matrix via a combined X-ray microtomography and proton time-domain NMR approach
Authors: da Rocha Rodrigues Elton Jorge , Pinto Cucinelli Neto Roberto , Diniz Lopes Alves Haimon , Paciornik Sidnei , Santos de Sá Druval , Ghavami Khosrow , Ginoble Pandoli Omar 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus) is a functionally graded material with well-organized hierarchical structures. Its micrometer-sized vascular bundles and parenchymatic living cells allow an efficient upward flow of water and nutrients, endowing the organism with remarkably fast growth. As demonstrated recently, the hollow microstructure channels can be explored as a natural template for microfluidics applications in chemical synthesis, analytical detection, solar steam generation, and electrochemical devices. Thus, the knowledge of the kinetics of the imbibition and spatial distribution of fluid through the microcavities of the bamboo vegetal tissue became of interest. Here, we employed a combination of X-ray microtomography (µCT) and proton time-domain NMR (TD-NMR) to identify, measure, and investigate empty volumes embedded in the bamboo’s tissue as experienced by different organic and inorganic fluids, namely dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and distilled water (H2O). Results have shown that the extensive communication between the voids (parenchymal cells and vascular channels) does not prevent the individuation of fluid reservoirs with different behaviors, as evidenced by the H2O desorption profile. Bamboo parenchyma was the tissue that retained more residual H2O after desorption. The difference in wettability of bamboo tissues by DMSO and H2O was detected.
Graphical abstract
Differentially private tree-based redescription mining
Authors: Mihelčić Matej , Miettinen Pauli 
Published: April 2023

AbstractDifferential privacy provides a strong form of privacy and allows preserving most of the original characteristics of the dataset. Utilizing these benefits requires one to design specific differentially private data analysis algorithms. In this work, we present three tree-based algorithms for mining redescriptions while preserving differential privacy. Redescription mining is an exploratory data analysis method for finding connections between two views over the same entities, such as phenotypes and genotypes of medical patients, for example. It has applications in many fields, including some, like health care informatics, where privacy-preserving access to data is desired. Our algorithms are the first tree-based differentially private redescription mining algorithms, and we show via experiments that, despite the inherent noise in differential privacy, it can return trustworthy results even in smaller datasets where noise typically has a stronger effect.
Elementium: design and pilot evaluation of a serious game for familiarizing players with basic chemistry
Authors: Filippas Alexandros , Xinogalos Stelios 
Published: April 2023

AbstractSerious games (SGs) about Chemistry have the potential to cope with challenges, such as students’ low performance and lack of motivation for the subject. However, the majority of existing SGs for Chemistry have the form of educational applications infused with some elements of entertaining games. The aim of the study presented was to design and evaluate a new SG with rich game mechanics for Chemistry. The game is called Elementium and revolves around basic topics of Chemistry, such as chemical elements and compound terminology, creation and everyday usage of such elements. The main goal of the game is to familiarize junior high school students with the aforementioned subjects. The design of Elementium was carried out implementing the dimensions described in the Four-Dimensional framework, as proposed by de Freitas and Jarvis in 2006. After the development process, Elementium was evaluated by people in the field of education that are currently teaching or have taught Chemistry in the past. The participants play-tested the game at leisure in their homes and evaluated it based on the key criteria for SGs design proposed by Sanchez in 2011, as well as other quality indicators established in the literature. Elementium was positively evaluated by Chemistry teachers in terms of its acceptance, usability, didactic utility, and game environment. The positive results concluded from this evaluation show that Elementium is fulfilling its main purpose and can be used as a supplementary tool in the teaching process. However, its true didactical effectiveness has to be confirmed through a study with high school students.
The microbiome of the endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae in corals exposed to thermal stress
Authors: Gardner Stephanie Grace , Leggat William , Ainsworth Tracy Danielle 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe coral reef crisis has influenced research for over two decades, during which time the capacity of corals to withstand and respond to environmental stress has been documented from the cellular to ecosystem level. Over the past decade, research is increasingly working towards uncovering the extent of coral–bacterial interactions, finding that diverse and stable microbial interactions can be indicative of the health of the coral host. However, we have yet to determine at which level of organismal organisation these interactions occur, in particular those with the coral’s photosynthetic dinoflagellate symbionts. This information is critical if we are to understand the impact of stress on meta-organism functioning. Using 16S gene amplicon sequencing, we investigated the bacterial microbiome of endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae from thermally stressed Acropora aspera, under 3 ecologically relevant temperature trajectories (defined as protective, repetitive and single) that are expected under a changing climate. We show that endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae host a distinct and diverse bacterial assemblage when compared with the A. aspera host. Alphaproteobacteria (mainly Rhodobacteraceae and Bradyrhizobiaceae), from the Rhizobiales order dominated the Symbiodiniaceae microbiome, while Gammaproteobacteria (mainly Endozoicomonadaceae) dominated the coral microbiome. The Symbiodiniaceae core microbiome also reflected the distinct microbiomes of the two partners, specifically, Rhizobiales were not present in the A. aspera core, while Endozoicomonadaceae were not present in the Symbiodiniaceae core. We show the Symbiodiniaceae-associated microbiome was highly responsive to increases in temperature, and the microbial consortium was significantly altered in the Symbiodiniaceae retained in the host exposed to different temperature. Most notably, Myxococcolaes were up to 25-fold higher relative abundance in dinoflagellate partner microbiomes under the single temperature trajectory, compared with the repetitive and control treatments. The distinct composition of bacteria associated with Symbiodiniaceae suggests a previously unrecognised, yet important functional role of these associations to overall coral health, which is increasingly important as reefs decline worldwide. Our study provides the first characterisation of Symbiodiniaceae-associated microbes from a coral host under a range of temperature trajectories occurring on the Great Barrier Reef.
How to Be Indigenous in India?
Authors: Bhagabati Dikshit Sarma 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAlthough international law grants a distinct juristic personality to indigenous peoples, this subjecthood is premised on a hierarchical reading of ethnicity and indigeneity. Through illustrations of Adivasi experiences in India, this article interrogates the prejudices of the global juridical discourse that are reproduced by the domestic jurisdiction, exposing the voyeuristic performance of legality in constructing indigenousness.
The Role of Intervention Fidelity, Culture, and Individual-Level Factors on Health-Related Outcomes Among Hispanic Adolescents with Unhealthy Weight: Findings from a Longitudinal Intervention Trial
Authors: Lovan Padideh , Lozano Alyssa , Estrada Yannine , Lebron Cynthia , Lee Tae Kyoung , Messiah Sarah E. , Prado Guillermo 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Previous studies have suggested the impact of intervention fidelity on the management and prevention of chronic diseases; however, little is known about the effect of the contributing determinants (at multiple levels of influence) that can impact health-related interventions intending to improve the health status of Hispanic adolescents with overweight or obesity. The current study aimed to assess whether fidelity (i.e., dosage and quality of the program delivery), acculturation (i.e., orientation to the American culture, retention of Hispanic cultural values), and individual-level socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., income, education) predict changes in family processes (e.g., parent control), which in turn may affect adolescent health-related outcomes including body mass index (BMI), physical activity, dietary intake, and adolescents’ health-related quality of life. A pathway analysis model was utilized to explore the study variables among 140 Hispanic parent-adolescent dyads randomized to Familias Unidas Health and Wellness (FUHW) intervention. Results indicated that fidelity was significantly associated with changes in parent-adolescent communication, parent monitoring, limit-setting, and control. Parents’ education was associated with changes in parent limit-setting, and parent Hispanicism was associated with changes in parent limit-setting and discipline. The examination between family processes and adolescent health outcomes revealed that parents’ higher discipline and improved communication with their adolescents were significantly associated with improved adolescents’ quality of life, and parent control was positively associated with physical activity and negatively associated with BMI in adolescents. Our findings demonstrated the significant contribution of intervention fidelity and participants’ characteristics in parenting strategies leading to adolescents’ health outcomes to prevent obesity-related chronic diseases. Future research is needed to investigate the effect of environmental and organizational factors on the delivery of the intervention materials.
Loss, Loneliness, and the Question of Subjectivity in Old Age
Authors: Hughes Emily 
Published: April 2023

AbstractWhen a loved one dies, it is common for the bereaved to feel profoundly lonely, disconnected from the world with the sense that they no longer belong. In philosophy, this experience of ‘loss and loneliness’ has been interpreted according to both a loss of possibilities and a loss of the past. But it is unclear how these interpretations apply to the distinctive way in which loss and loneliness manifest in old age. Drawing on the phenomenological analyses of old age given by de Beauvoir and Améry, I consider how the diminishment of the capacity for projection and recollection complicate recent interpretations of loss and loneliness, whilst nevertheless reinforcing the conclusion that in old age subjectivity is necessarily impoverished. Developing a critical stance on de Beauvoir and Améry’s underlying conception of subjectivity, I turn to Levinas in considering whether or not there is a way to reimagine subjectivity such that the estrangement and alienation of older adults might be ameliorated rather than exacerbated. Grounded in the passive body-in-itself rather than the self-transcending capacity of the body-for-itself, I suggest it becomes possible to reconceptualise the experience of loss and loneliness in old age; both in terms of what is lost and what needs to be restored if older adults are to be helped to find themselves at home in the world in the midst of, and indeed because of, manifold loss.
Investigation of the Different Models of Elliptical-Lopac Gate Performance under Submerged Flow Conditions
Authors: Pilbala Ashkan , Shafai Bejestan Mahmood , Sajjadi Seyed Mohsen , Fraccarollo Luigi 
Published: April 2023

AbstractThe effect of the elliptic ratio on the hydraulic performance of the LOPAC gate has been investigated using experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics $$CFD$$

CFD

simulations (Flow-$$3D$$

3
D

Hydro). Experiments and simulations were carried out at three different flow discharges, three different submerged ratios, and five different elliptic ratios. In this context, the $$CFD$$

CFD

model was first calibrated and verified using the measured data, and then $$CFD$$

CFD

simulation was performed. The ratio of upstream/downstream flow depth, the flow discharge coefficient, and the energy dissipation through the gate have been calculated and analyzed, and the three-dimensional features of the flow have been described. Based on the results, the elliptical LOPAC gates with circular weirs determine extreme values of the controlled flow parameters. Asymmetric recirculation downstream of the gate is sometimes observed in the model predictions. The use of Coriolis coefficients relevant to the entire cross-section, here deployed just for the circular and the traditional rectangular Lopac gates, has allowed a concise way to report and compare complex flows for any experimental condition.
Application of High-Resolution Near-Infrared Imaging Spectroscopy to Detect Microplastic Particles in Different Environmental Compartments
Authors: Munz Matthias , Kreiß Jasper , Krüger Lisa , Schmidt Lena Katharina , Bochow Mathias , Bednarz Marius , Bannick Claus Gerhard , Oswald Sascha E. 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Microplastic particles (MPP) occur in various environmental compartments all over the world. They have been frequently investigated in oceans, freshwaters, and sediments, but studying their distribution in space and time is somewhat limited by the time-consuming nature of the available accurate detection strategies. Here, we present an enhanced application of lab-based near-infrared imaging (NIR) spectroscopy to identify the total number of MPP, classify polymer types, and determine particle sizes while maintaining short measuring times. By adding a microscopic lens to the hyperspectral camera and a cross slide table to the setup, the overall detectable particle size has been decreased to 100 µm in diameter. To verify and highlight the capabilities of this enhanced, semi-automated detection strategy, it was applied to key areas of microplastic research, such as a lowland river, the adjacent groundwater wells, and marine beach sediments. Results showed mean microplastic concentrations of 0.65 MPP/L in the Havel River close to Berlin and 0.004 MPP/L in the adjacent groundwater. The majority of MPP detected in the river were PP and PE. In 8 out of 15 groundwater samples, no MPP was found. Considering only the samples with quantifiable MPP, then on average 0.01 MPP/L was present in the groundwater (98.5% removal during bank filtration). The most abundant polymers in groundwater were PE, followed by PVC, PET, and PS. Mean MPP concentrations at two beaches on the German Baltic Sea coast were 5.5﻿~MPP/kg at the natural reserve Heiligensee and Hüttelmoor and 47.5 MPP/kg at the highly frequented Warnemünde beach.
Resource allocation scheme for eMBB and uRLLC coexistence in 6G networks
Authors: Al-Ali Muhammed , Yaacoub Elias 
Published: April 2023

Abstract5G technology is intended to support three promising services with heterogeneous requirements: Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communication (uRLLC), enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), and massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC). 6G is required to support even more challenging scenarios, including the presence of a large number of uRLLC devices, under the massive uRLLC (mURLLC) use case scenario. The presence of these services on the same network creates a challenging task of resource allocation to meet their diverse requirements. Given the critical nature of uRLLC applications, uRLLC traffic will always have the highest priority which causes a negative impact on the performance of other services. In this paper, the problem of uRLLC/eMBB resource allocation is investigated. An optimal resource allocation scheme is proposed with two scenarios including a guaranteed fairness level and minimum data rate among eMBB users. In addition, a knapsack-inspired punctured resource allocation algorithm is proposed where the users’ channel qualities of both services are considered at each time slot leading to the most suitable Resource Block (RB) selection for puncturing in a way that minimizes the negative impact on eMBB performance. The proposed solution was compared with three puncturing baseline reference algorithms and the performance was evaluated in terms of eMBB Sum throughput and Fairness level. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the above-mentioned reference algorithms in all evaluation metrics and is proved to be comparable to the optimal solution given its low complexity.
Use of a deep learning algorithm for non-mass enhancement on breast MRI: comparison with radiologists’ interpretations at various levels
Authors: Goto Mariko , Sakai Koji , Toyama Yasuchiyo , Nakai Yoshitomo , Yamada Kei 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the diagnostic performance of deep learning using the Residual Networks 50 (ResNet50) neural network constructed from different segmentations for distinguishing malignant and benign non-mass enhancement (NME) on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and conduct a comparison with radiologists with various levels of experience.

Materials and methods
A total of 84 consecutive patients with 86 lesions (51 malignant, 35 benign) presenting NME on breast MRI were analyzed. Three radiologists with different levels of experience evaluated all examinations, based on the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon and categorization. For the deep learning method, one expert radiologist performed lesion annotation manually using the early phase of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI. Two segmentation methods were applied: a precise segmentation was carefully set to include only the enhancing area, and a rough segmentation covered the whole enhancing region, including the intervenient non-enhancing area. ResNet50 was implemented using the DCE MRI input. The diagnostic performance of the radiologists’ readings and deep learning were then compared using receiver operating curve analysis.

Results
The ResNet50 model from precise segmentation achieved diagnostic accuracy equivalent [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90, 0.93] to that of a highly experienced radiologist (AUC = 0.89, 95% CI 0.81, 0.96; p = 0.45). Even the model from rough segmentation showed diagnostic performance equivalent to a board-certified radiologist (AUC = 0.80, 95% CI 0.78, 0.82 vs. AUC = 0.79, 95% CI 0.70, 0.89, respectively). Both ResNet50 models from the precise and rough segmentation exceeded the diagnostic accuracy of a radiology resident (AUC = 0.64, 95% CI 0.52, 0.76).

Conclusion
These findings suggest that the deep learning model from ResNet50 has the potential to ensure accuracy in the diagnosis of NME on breast MRI.