bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Short‐term test method for durability of AAC
Authors: Straube Berit , Walczak Pawel , Sargeant Graham , Menzel Yvonne , Laskawiec Katarzyna 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAutoclaved aerated concrete is a building material with a high compressive strength at a low bulk density and an excellent thermal insulation. AAC with a bulk density <400 kg/m3 was investigated for their long‐term stability of masonry in 2002 at the Leipnitz University Hannover. During the outdoor storage of the AAC blocks the material from one German producer developed cracks and losses in compressive strength after 18 months. Subsequently AAC manufactures, organized in the European Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Association (EAACA), started a research program for identification of AAC with insufficient long‐term behavior. In the first step numerous AAC products with bulk densities between 260 kg/m3 and 750 kg/m3 were stored in ambient air, rain‐protected for 18 months. No losses in compressive strength for all examined AAC products were measured. That means that the AAC of this one German producer is not representative of building material AAC. Parallel to the outdoor storage a short‐term method was developed, which has a good correlation to the results of the outdoor storage. In a round robin for the new test method, it was shown that the method is applicable.
Lightweight blocks made of coarse AAC‐granules ‐ Recycled again!
Authors: Hlawatsch Frank , Peters Maike , Ufermann‐Wallmeier Daniel 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe MPA Bremen has been dealing with the development of recycling methods for autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) rubble for many years. The aim is to enable the highest possible reuse of AAC as a secondary raw material.In addition to a functional coating for the reduction of methane emissions from landfill bodies, the results so far have been dry premixed mortars for masonry, masonry blocks and lightweight blocks, which contain only AAC rubble of all fractions occurring during processing instead of natural aggregates.The aim in the development of these recycling methods was always the technical/physical use of the existing characteristic AAC‐structure with continuing to use the gray energies associated with the granules.The technique of the “Lightweight Blocks made of coarse AAC‐Granules” enables the production of recycling products that are particularly similar to the primary building material AAC. The principle of the “Lightweight Blocks” is based on the fact that coarse AAC granules are filled into a formwork with the desired component geometry and the remaining pore space is filled with an artificially porous matrix using an injection process.This approach was optimized and extended in a recently completed research project: The particle size range was expanded, the share of AAC Granules was increased and the required use of binder was reduced. In addition, the working hypothesis not only allows the use of granules from the primary building material AAC, but also granules from the recycling product “Lightweight Blocks”. This new approach has been successfully tested for different binder systems. Autoclaved Aerated concrete becomes consequently a real circular building material for two recycling cycles.
Evolution of EC 6—Influence on masonry constructions made from AAC
Authors: Loderer Franz 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWithin the scope of developing a new generation of Eurocodes also the European masonry standards are subjected to an evolution. Thereby new drafts for all four parts of EN 1996 have been elaborated and the final versions are available. Aim of the evolution was to implement the application experiences of the actual version, improving the ease of use and reducing the number of National determined parameters. The most severe changes of the new versions of the standards are the modifications of the calculation methods in EN 1996 parts 1‐1 and 3. Especially for masonry walls with a compressive strength and for constructions with partly supported ceilings the new simplified calculation methods showed a significant difference in the maximum capacities. Basing on this finding the conditions and rules for the design of AAC masonry according to EN 1996‐3 were adapted and thus improved for the final draft. This was a result of a big number of comparing calculations which took into account the special properties and behaviour of AAC masonry especially the ratio between compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. Regarding fire resistance of masonry walls several new test results have been implemented in EN 1996‐1‐2 for revising the tabulated values. The new tables also provide clearer allocations in terms of minimum thicknesses of walls for fulfilling the conditions regarding the different periods of fire resistance.
Determination of the initial shear strength of AAC masonry with and without pre‐compression according to EN 1052‐3
Authors: Miccoli Lorenzo , Ferretti Daniele , Michelini Elena , Loderer Franz 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAim: In this paper, a comparative study on the initial shear strength of aerated autoclaved concrete (AAC) masonry is presented. Shear tests were carried out according to EN 1052–3 to characterize the shear‐bond behavior of masonry assemblages constructed with AAC blocks with different compressive strengths.Method: To assess the influence of the axial pre‐compression on shear strength, the two different testing procedures suggested in EN 1052–3 were followed and compared. The first procedure (called A) imposes three levels of axial pre‐compression, in the second procedure (called B) shear tests are carried out without axial pre‐compression.Results: For tests performed according to the procedure A, the dispersion of values of the shear strength increases as the pre‐compression level decreases. The so obtained mean values of the initial shear strength are close to the characteristic value suggested by Eurocode 6 (EN 1996–1–1). For tests performed according to the procedure B. often the mean value of the initial shear strength is higher than the value obtained for the procedure A. However, in this case most of the specimens were characterized by crushing or by a splitting failure in the units.Conclusions: According to the authors' opinion, the higher values of initial shear strength obtained with the procedure B can be justified in view of some criticisms probably caused by the rotation of the blocks in the test setup.
Influence of material properties on the modulus of elasticity of AAC masonry
Authors: Miccoli Lorenzo , Loderer Franz 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAimThe goal of the presented study is to evaluate the influence of material properties on the modulus of elasticity of autoclaved aerated concrete masonry. In addition, it was assessed the reliability of the KE value included in the Eurocode 6 to calculate the modulus of elasticity of AAC masonry in relation to its characteristic compressive strength.MethodAn experimental campaign for the determination of modulus of elasticity of AAC masonry with a characteristic compressive strength in the range of 1.3‐2.0 MPa, was carried out. AAC units from different plants in Europe have been tested as well as the thin layer mortar used for the samples. The values of bulk density range between 270 and 350 kg/m3. Moreover, the testing comprised the determination of compressive strength as well as modulus of elasticity of masonry erected by using these blocks. Basis for testing of the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity was EN 1052‐1.ResultsThe experimental results were compared with the values of modulus of elasticity E calculated according to EN 1996‐1‐1. The comparison shows how the current range of values of KE reported by the German annex DIN EN 1996‐1‐1/NA fits well to the experimental results obtained.
An Artificial Liposome Compartment with Size Exclusion Molecular Transport
Authors: Zhang Shiwei , Nakata Eiji , Lin Peng , Morii Takashi 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe cellular compartment plays an essential role in organizing the complex and diverse biochemical reactions within the cell. By mimicking the function of such cellular compartments, the challenge of constructing artificial compartments has been taken up to develop new biochemical tools for efficient material production and diagnostics. The important features required for the artificial compartment are that it isolates the interior from the external environment and is further functionalized to control the transport of target chemicals to regulate the interior concentration of both substrate and reaction products. In this study, an artificial compartment with size‐selective molecular transport function was constructed by using a DNA origami‐guided liposome prepared by modifying the method reported by Perrault et al. This completely isolates the liposome interior, including the DNA origami skeleton, from the external environment and allows the assembly of a defined number of molecules of interest inside and/or outside the compartment. By incorporating a bacterial membrane protein, OmpF, into the liposome, the resulting artificial compartment was shown to transport only the molecule of interest with a molecular weight below 600 Da from the external environment into the interior of the compartment.
Enabling Stereochemical Communication and Stimuli‐Responsive Chiroptical Properties in Biphenyl‐Capped Cyclodextrins
Authors: Preda Giovanni , Jung Sebastian , Pescitelli Gennaro , Cupellini Lorenzo , Armspach Dominique , Pasini Dario 
Published: September 2023

AbstractChiroptical materials are gaining increasing interest due to their innovative character and their applications in optoelectronics and data encryption technologies. Fully harnessing the potential of building blocks from the “chiral pool”, such as native cyclodextrins (CDs), as they often lack chromophores suitable for the construction of materials with significant chiroptical properties. Here, we present the synthesis and characterization of a two‐level molecular stack consisting of a point‐chiral element (CD) and an axially chiral element (biphenyl), capable of effectively translating the overall stereochemical information contained in CDs into stimuli‐responsive chiroptical properties. α‐ and β‐permethylated CDs were efficiently capped with two different 2,2’‐difunctionalized 1,1′‐biphenyl units. In CD derivatives containing the rigid 2,2′‐dihydroxy‐1,1′‐biphenyl cap, two intramolecular hydrogen bonds act synergistically as stereoselective actuators, enabling effective communication between the two levels and the transfer of nonchromophoric stereochemical information from the cyclic‐oligosaccharide to the atropoisomeric cap. The chiroptical properties can be finely tuned by external stimuli such as temperature and solvent. The way chirality is transferred from the CD platform to the biphenyl cap was revealed thanks to crystallographic and computational analyses, together with electronic circular dichroism (ECD) studies.
Drug‐eluting stent and drug‐coated balloon for the treatment of de novo diffuse coronary artery disease lesions: A retrospective case series study
Authors: Xu Haobo , Qiao Shubin , Cui Jingang , Yuan Jiansong , Yang Weixian , Liu Rong , Wang Tianjie , Guan Hao , Tian Tao , Zhu Fasheng , Wang Juan , Chang Yue , Yang Zhuoxuan , Liu Shengwen 
Published: September 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe hybrid strategy of a combination of drug‐eluting stent (DES) and drug‐coated balloon (DCB) is promising for the treatment of de novo diffuse coronary artery disease (CAD).HypothesisTo investigate the efficacy and functional results of hybrid strategy.MethodsThis case series study included patients treated with a hybrid approach for de novo diffuse CAD between February 2017 and November 2021. Postprocedural quantitative flow ratio (QFR) was used to evaluate the functional results. The primary endpoint was procedural success rate. The secondary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI) (including peri‐procedural MI), and target vessel revascularization.ResultsA total of 109 patients with 114 lesions were treated. DES and DCB were commonly used in larger proximal segments and smaller distal segments, respectively. The mean QFR value was 0.9 ± 0.1 and 105 patients (96.3%) had values >0.8 in all the treated vessels. Procedural success was achieved in 106 (97.2%) patients. No cases of cardiac death were reported at a median follow‐up of 19 months. Spontaneous MI occurred in three (2.8%) patients and target vessel revascularization in six (5.5%) patients. Estimated 2‐year rate of MACE excluding peri‐procedural MI was higher in the group with lower QFR value (12.1 ± 5.7% vs. 5.6 ± 4.4%, log‐rank p = .035) (cut‐off value 0.9).ConclusionHybrid strategy is a promising approach for the treatment of de novo diffuse CAD. Postprocedural QFR has some implications for prognosis and may be helpful in guiding this approach.
Free boundary partial regularity in the thin obstacle problem
Authors: Franceschini Federico , Serra Joaquim 
Published: September 2023

AbstractFor the thin obstacle problem in , , we prove that at all free boundary points, with the exception of a ‐dimensional set, the solution differs from its blow‐up by higher order corrections. This expansion entails a C1, 1‐type free boundary regularity result, up to a codimension 3 set.
Flexible Composites for Piezocatalysis
Authors: Li Fujing , Guo Sufang , Shi Jing , An Qi 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDespite piezoelectric materials have a long history of application, piezoelectric catalysis has continued to be a hot topic in recent years. Flexible piezoelectric materials have just emerged in recent years due to their versatility and designability. In this paper, we review the recent advances in flexible piezoelectric materials for catalysis, discuss the fundamentals of the catalytic properties of composite materials, and detail the typical structures of these materials. We pay special attention to the types of filler in flexible piezoelectric composites, their role and the interaction between the particles and the flexible substrate. Notable examples of flexible piezoelectric materials for organic pollutants degradation, enhanced piezo‐photocatalysis and antibacterial applications are also presented. Finally, we present key issues and future prospects for the development of flexible piezoelectric catalysts.
Single‐Atom and Dual‐Atom Electrocatalysts: Synthesis and Applications
Authors: Yang Jianjian , Liu Qiang , Chen Shian , Ding Xiangnong , Chen Yuqi , Cai Dongsong , Wang Xi 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDistinguishing themselves from nanostructured catalysts, single‐atom catalysts (SACs) typically consist of positively charged single metal and coordination atoms without any metal‐metal bonds. Dual‐atom catalysts (DACs) have emerged as extended family members of SACs in recent years. Both SACs and DACs possess characteristics that combine both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, offering advantages such as uniform active sites and adjustable interactions with ligands, while also inheriting the high stability and recyclability associated with heterogeneous catalyst systems. They offer numerous advantages and are extensively utilized in the field of electrocatalysis, so they have emerged as one of the most prominent material research platforms in the direction of electrocatalysis. This review provides a comprehensive review of SACs and DACs in the field of electrocatalysis: encompassing economic production, elucidating electrocatalytic reaction pathways and associated mechanisms, uncovering structure‐performance relationships, and addressing major challenges and opportunities within this domain. Our objective is to present novel ideas for developing advanced synthesis strategies, precisely controlling the microstructure of catalytic active sites, establishing accurate structure‐activity relationships, unraveling potential mechanisms underlying electrocatalytic reactions, identifying more efficient reaction paths, and enhancing overall performance in electrocatalytic reactions.
Plasma‐Promoted Ammonia Decomposition over Supported Ruthenium Catalysts for COx‐Free H2 Production
Authors: Wang Zhijun , He Ge , Zhang Huazhou , Liao Che , Yang Chi , Zhao Feng , Lei Guangjiu , Zheng Guoyao , Mao Xinchun , Zhang Kun 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe efficient decomposition of ammonia to produce COx‐free hydrogen at low temperatures has been extensively investigated as a potential method for supplying hydrogen to mobile devices based on fuel cells. In this study, we employed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma, a non‐thermal plasma, to enhance the catalytic ammonia decomposition over supported Ru catalysts (Ru/Y2O3, Ru/La2O3, Ru/CeO2 and Ru/SiO2). The plasma‐catalytic reactivity of Ru/La2O3 was found to be superior to that of the other three catalysts. It was observed that both the physicochemical properties of the catalyst (such as support acidity) and the plasma discharge behaviours exerted significant influence on plasma‐catalytic reactivity. Combining plasma with a Ru catalyst significantly enhanced ammonia conversion at low temperatures, achieving near complete NH3 conversion over the 1.5 %‐Ru/La2O3 catalyst at temperatures as low as 380 °C. Under a weight gas hourly space velocity of 2400 mL gcat−1 h−1 and an AC supply power of 20 W, the H2 formation rate and energy efficiency achieved were 10.7 mol gRu−1 h−1 and 535 mol gRu−1 (kWh)−1, respectively, using a 1.5 %‐Ru/La2O3 catalyst.
Intercarrier interference analysis for massive MIMO fractional Fourier transform‐OFDM systems over time‐varying channels
Authors: Chawla Tanvi , Kansal Ankush 
Published: September 2023

SummaryMassive multiple‐input multiple‐output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO‐OFDM) system is an approach to increase data rate and spectral efficiency of 5G wireless communication systems. It's easy to analyze the performance of any system with the assumption of immobile users, but if the user is moving with varying velocity, then the communication between user and base station (BS) is very difficult to maintain. Under high mobility, rapidly fading, doubly dispersive, and nonstationary environment, the conventional system fails to respond and leads to the problem of intercarrier interference (ICI). To overcome these problems, fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) has been used in place of Fourier transform (FT) to increase the correlation coefficient, to mitigate effect of ICI, and to improve bit error rate. In this paper, novel formulae for correlation coefficient, average power of ICI, and closed form bit error expression have been derived for the proposed system by considering fast‐fading model and imperfect channel state information. Finally, the comparison of both the systems conventional and proposed proved that the proposed system has improved bit error rate by 40% and intercarrier interference cancelation by 70%.
Production and engineering of nanobody‐based quenchbody sensors for detecting recombinant human growth hormone and its isoforms
Authors: Jung Jaehoon , Jeong Yujin , Xu Yinglan , Yi Joonyeop , Kim Minyoung , Jeong Hee‐Jin , Shin Sang Hoon , Yang Yung‐Hun , Son Junghyun , Sung Changmin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDue to athletes' misuse of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) for performance improvement, the World Anti‐Doping Agency has designated rhGH as a prohibited substance. This study focuses on the development and improvement of a simple and fast rhGH detection method using a fluorescence‐incorporated antibody sensor “Quenchbody (Q‐body)” that activates upon antigen binding. Camelid‐derived nanobodies were used to produce stable Q‐bodies that withstand high temperatures and pH levels. Notably, pituitary human growth hormone (phGH) comprises two major isoforms, namely 22 and 20 kDa GH, which exist in a specific ratio, and the rhGH variant shares the same sequence as the 22 kDa GH isoform. Therefore, we aimed to discriminate rhGH abuse by analyzing its specific isoform ratio. Two nanobodies, NbPit (recognizing phGH) and NbRec (preferentially recognizing 22 kDa rhGH), were used to develop the Q‐bodies. Nanobody production in Escherichia coli involved the utilization of a vector containing 6xHis‐tag, and Q‐bodies were obtained using a maleimide‐thiol reaction between the N‐terminal of the cysteine tag and a fluorescent dye. The addition of tryptophan residue through antibody engineering resulted in increased fluorescence intensity (FI) (from 2.58‐fold to 3.04‐fold). The limit of detection (LOD) was determined using a fluorescence response, with TAMRA‐labeled NbRec successfully detecting 6.38 ng/ml of 22 kDa rhGH while unable to detect 20 kDa GH. However, ATTO520‐labeled NbPit detected 7.00 ng/ml of 20 kDa GH and 2.20 ng/ml 22 kDa rhGH. Q‐bodies successfully detected changes in the GH concentration ratio from 10 to 40 ng/ml in human serum within 10 min without requiring specialized equipment and kits. Overall, these findings have potential applications in the field of anti‐doping measures and can contribute to improved monitoring and enforcement of rhGH misuse, ultimately enhancing fairness and integrity in competitive sports.
Abundance and population growth estimates for bare‐nosed wombats
Authors: Knoblauch Wiebke , Carver Scott , Driessen Michael M. , Gales Rosemary , Richards Shane A. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWildlife managers often rely on population estimates, but estimates can be challenging to obtain for geographically widespread species. Spotlight surveys provide abundance data for many species and, when conducted over wide spatial scales, have potential to provide population estimates of geographically widespread species. The bare‐nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) has a broad geographical range and is subject to spotlight surveys. We used 19 years (2002–2020) of annual spotlight surveys to provide the first estimates of population abundance for two of the three extant bare‐nosed wombat subspecies: V. u. ursinus on Flinders Island; and V. u. tasmaniensis on the Tasmanian mainland. Using distance sampling methods, we estimated annual rates of change and 2020 population sizes for both subspecies. Tasmanian mainland surveys included habitat data, which allowed us to also look for evidence of habitat associations for V. u. tasmaniensis. The average wombat density estimate was higher on Flinders Island (0.42 ha−1, 95% CI = 0.25–0.79) than on the Tasmanian mainland (0.11 ha−1, CI = 0.07–0.19) and both wombat subspecies increased over the 19‐year survey period with an estimated annual growth rate of 2.90% (CI = −1.7 to 7.3) on Flinders Island and 1.20% (CI = −1.1 to 2.9) on mainland Tasmania. Habitat associations for V. u. tasmaniensis were weak, possibly owing to survey design; however, we detected regional variation in density for this subspecies. We estimated the population size of V. u. ursinus to be 71,826 (CI = 43,913–136,761) on Flinders Island, which when combined with a previously published estimate of 2599 (CI = 2254–2858) from Maria Island, where the subspecies was introduced, provides a total population estimate. We also estimated 840,665 (CI = 531,104–1,201,547) V. u. tasmaniensis on mainland Tasmania. These estimates may be conservative, owing to individual heterogeneity in when wombats emerge from burrows. Although these two subspecies are not currently threatened, our population estimates provide an important reference when assessing their population status in the future, and demonstrate how spotlight surveys can be valuable to inform management of geographically widespread species.