bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) modeling of nanoscale hydrodynamics of clay‐water system at elevated temperature
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Song Xiaoyu 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe engineering problems involving clay under non‐isothermal conditions (e.g., geothermal energy harvest, landfill cover system, and nuclear waste disposal) are multiscale and multiphysics by nature. The nanoscale hydrodynamics of clay at elevated temperature is essential in developing a physics‐based multiscale model for clay under non‐isothermal conditions. The nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) is a useful tool to study the nanoscale hydrodyndamics of clay. This article presents an NEMD modeling of hydrodynamics of clay nanopores at elevated temperatures. Water flow confined in pyrophyllite and montmorillonite clay nanopores is investigated. The nonequilibrium state is maintained by uniformly exerting an external force on each water molecule. The NEMD simulations have provided a molecular‐scale perspective of temperature effect on clay‐water density, water flow velocity, shear viscosity, clay‐water slip length, hydraulic conductivity, and clay‐water friction coefficient. The numerical results have shown a strong temperature dependence of fluid flow velocity, shear viscosity, clay‐water slip length, and hydraulic conductivity at the nanoscale. We have validated the applicability of cubic law in determining hydraulic conductivity at the nanopore scale at elevated temperatures. It is found from our numerical results that slip clay‐water boundary condition is an essential factor in properly determining nanoscale fluid flow velocity. By numerical examples, we also study the impact of nanopore size and clay layer thickness on the hydrodynamics of the clay‐water system.
Saturation‐prolongated and inhomogeneity‐mitigated chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging with parallel transmission
Authors: Qian Zihua , Liu Ruibin , Wu Zhe , Hsu Yi‐Cheng , Fu Caixia , Sun Yi , Wu Dan , Zhang Yi 
Published: January 2022

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging benefits from a longer saturation duration and a higher saturation duty cycle. Dielectric shading effects occur when the radiofrequency (RF) wavelength approaches the object size. Here, we proposed a simultaneous parallel transmission‐based CEST (pTx‐CEST) sequence to prolongate the saturation duration at a 100% duty cycle and improve the RF saturation homogeneity in CEST imaging. The simultaneous pTx‐CEST sequence was implemented by switching the CEST saturation module from the non‐pTx to pTx mode, using the pTx functionality with both transmit channels being driven simultaneously (instead of time‐interleaved). The optimization of amplitude ratio and phase difference settings between RF channels for best B1 homogeneity was performed in phantoms of two different sizes mimicking the human brain and abdomen. The optimal amplitude and phase settings generating the best B1 homogeneity in the phantoms were used in pTx‐CEST scans of the human study. The comparison of the maximum achievable saturation duration between the non‐pTx‐CEST and pTx‐CEST sequences was performed in a protein phantom, healthy volunteers, and a metastatic brain tumor patient. The optimal amplitude ratio and phase difference setting between transmit channels manifested circular and elliptical polarization in the head‐sized and abdomen‐sized phantoms. In the brain, the maximum saturation durations achieved at a 100% duty cycle using the simultaneous pTx‐CEST sequence were prolonged to 2240, 3220, and 4200 ms compared with 980 ms using the non‐pTx‐CEST sequence at repetition times of 3, 4, and 5 s, respectively. The longer saturation duration helped improve the image contrast between the tumor and the normal tissue in the patient. The optimized elliptical polarization mode saturation pulses yielded improved uniformity of CEST signals acquired from the human abdomen. The proposed simultaneous pTx‐CEST sequence enabled essentially arbitrarily long saturation duration at a 100% duty cycle and helped reduce the dielectric shading effects with the optimized RF setting.
Acute and chronic effects of oral administration of a medium‐chain fatty acid, capric acid, on locomotor activity and anxiety‐like and depression‐related behaviors in adult male C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Shoji Hirotaka , Kunugi Hiroshi , Miyakawa Tsuyoshi 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAimCapric acid (also known as decanoic acid or C10) is one of the fatty acids in the medium‐chain triglycerides (MCTs) commonly found in dietary fats. Although dietary treatment with MCTs is recently of great interest for the potential therapeutic effects on neuropsychiatric disorders, the effects of oral administration of C10 on behavior remain to be examined. This study investigated acute and chronic effects of oral administration of C10 on locomotor activity and anxiety‐like and depression‐related behaviors in adult male C57BL/6J mice.MethodsTo explore the acute effects of C10 administration, mice were subjected to a series of behavioral tests in the following order: light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, Porsolt forced swim, and tail suspension tests, 30 minutes after oral gavage of either vehicle or C10 solution (30 mmol/kg dose in Experiment 1; 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0 mmol/kg doses in Experiment 2). Next, to examine chronic effects of C10, mice repeatedly administered with either vehicle or C10 solution (0.3, 3.0 mmol/kg doses per day, for 21 days, in Experiment 3) were subjected to behavioral tests without oral administration immediately before each test.ResultsThe mice administrated with the high dose of C10 (30 mmol/kg) showed lower body weights, shorter distance traveled, and more anxiety‐like behavior than vehicle‐treated mice, and the results reached study‐wide statistical significance. The C10 administration at a lower dose of 0.3 mmol/kg had no significant effects on body weights and induced nominally significantly longer distance traveled than vehicle administration. Repeated administration of C10 at a dose of 3.0 mmol/kg for more than 21 days caused lower body weights and decreased depression‐related behavior, although the behavioral differences did not reach study‐wide significance.ConclusionsAlthough these results suggest dose‐dependent effects of oral administration of capric acid on locomotor activity and anxiety‐like and depression‐related behaviors, further study will be needed to replicate the findings and explore the underlying brain mechanisms.
Valorization of Esparto Grass Cellulosic Derivatives for the Development of Promising Energetic Azidodeoxy Biopolymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Isoconversional Thermal Kinetic Analysis
Authors: Tarchoun Ahmed Fouzi , Trache Djalal , Klapötke Thomas M. , Slimani Kheireddine , Belouettar Baha‐eddine , Abdelaziz Amir , Bekhouche Slimane , Bessa Wissam 
Published: January 2022

AbstractIn the frame of developing new high‐energy materials from bioresources, emergent cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose functionalized with explosophoric azides were successfully synthesized from a prominent alternative esparto grass fibres. The designed insensitive nitrogen‐rich cellulosic biopolymers, namely, azidodeoxy esparto grass cellulose (AEGC) and azidodeoxy esparto grass microcrystalline cellulose (AEGMCC), displayed outstanding features, such as nitrogen content (w/w) of 18.24–18.68 %, the density of 1.601–1.626 g/cm3, and thermal decomposition of 203–218 °C. Their kinetic triplet was also determined under non‐isothermal DSC conditions employing isonversional integral approaches. Interestingly, the apparent activation energy and the decimal logarithm of a pre‐exponential factor of the developed AEGC and AEGMCC were found to be better than those of the common nitrocellulose. In addition, the reaction model examination based on Trache‐Abdelaziz‐Siwani (TAS) approach revealed that the produced AEGC and AEGMCC were accurately presented by an autocatalytic Avrami‐Erofeev decomposition process. These results established that esparto grass fibres could be considered as a valuable alternative feedstock for the synthesis of outstanding energetic cellulose‐rich polymers for potential applications in solid propellant formulations.
A modular agricultural robotic system (MARS) for precision farming: Concept and implementation
Authors: Xu Rui , Li Changying 
Published: January 2022

AbstractIncreasing global population, climate change, and shortage of labor pose significant challenges for meeting the global food and fiber demand, and agricultural robots offer a promising solution to these challenges. This paper presents a new robotic system architecture and the resulting modular agricultural robotic system (MARS) that is an autonomous, multi‐purpose, and affordable robotic platform for in‐field plant high throughput phenotyping and precision farming. There are five essential hardware modules (wheel module, connection module, robot controller, robot frame, and power module) and three optional hardware modules (actuation module, sensing module, and smart attachment). Various combinations of the hardware modules can create different robot configurations for specific agricultural tasks. The software was designed using the Robot Operating System (ROS) with three modules: control module, navigation module, and vision module. A robot localization method using dual Global Navigation Satellite System antennas was developed. Two line‐following algorithms were implemented as the local planner for the ROS navigation stack. Based on the MARS design concept, two MARS designs were implemented: a low‐cost, lightweight robotic system named MARS mini and a heavy‐duty robot named MARS X. The autonomous navigation of both MARS X and mini was evaluated at different traveling speeds and payload levels, confirming satisfactory performances. The MARS X was further tested for its performance and navigation accuracy in a crop field, achieving a high accuracy over a 537 m long path with only 15% of the path having an error larger than 0.05 m. The MARS mini and MARS X were shown to be useful for plant phenotyping in two field tests. The modular design makes the robots easily adaptable to different agricultural tasks and the low‐cost feature makes it affordable for researchers and growers.
Time in a bottle: Use of soil archives for understanding long‐term soil change
Authors: Bergh Emma L. , Calderon Francisco J. , Clemensen Andrea K. , Durso Lisa , Eberly Jed O. , Halvorson Jonathan J. , Jin Virginia L. , Margenot Andrew J. , Stewart Catherine E. , Pelt Scott Van , Liebig Mark A. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractSoil archives preserve a snapshot of soils from a specific time and location, allowing researchers to re‐evaluate soils of the past in the context of the present for an improved understanding of long‐term soil change. To date, the extent of soil archive use in the peer‐reviewed literature is poorly inventoried. Here, we document the characteristics and distribution of global soil archive use, as found in 245 publications, following an exhaustive search of English language journals. Soil archive use has increased substantially since 1980, reaching 59 publications between 2016 and 2020. The age of soil archives across the compilation ranged from 5 to 160 yr, with mean and median archive ages of 48 and 37 yr, respectively. Publications using soil archives originated mostly from countries in the northern hemisphere, with the top five reporting countries including the United States (61), United Kingdom (52), New Zealand (21), Canada (18), and China (14). Land uses associated with soil archive publications were dominated by agroecosystems, specifically land planted to annual crops. Forty‐seven percent of investigations focused on changes in soil C, N, or organic matter, whereas investigations of other subjects did not exceed 20% each. The compilation is publicly available online. As demands on soils increase, archives will serve as an invaluable tool for understanding long‐term soil change in the Anthropocene era. Multiregional coordination and increased investment in curation and retention of soil archives are recommended to preserve these irreplaceable resources.
Nano Drug Delivery Systems: Effective Therapy Strategies to Overcome Multidrug Resistance in Tumor Cells
Authors: Shen Jiayan , Sun Chengtao , Liu Qun , Kai Guoyin , Qian Jun 
Published: January 2022

AbstractMultidrug resistance (MDR) of tumor cells refers to the fact that tumor cells are resistant to one drug while also to others with different types and structures. MDR is an important reason for the failure of many chemotherapies. And researchers have been trying to break through this fatal problem for a long time. Fortunately, the rapid development of nano drugs in recent years has brought new ideas to overcome the MDR. Based on its inherent small size and easy modification characteristics, nano drug can easily reach tumor cells and prolong the circulation time in vivo. This review summarizes three most extensive and in‐depth strategies for counteracting MDR based on nano drug delivery systems, including: 1) controlling ROS levels and stimulus response; 2) co‐delivery of P‐gp inhibitors; 3) directly targeting the nucleus. Furthermore, other innovative and cutting‐edge anti‐MDR strategies are also discussed in this review. It is hoped that the overview of the above treatment strategies can provide inspiration for the design of anti‐cancer nano drugs in the future.
What Does It Mean? EL‐Identified Adolescents’ Interpretations of Testing and Course Placement
Authors: Brooks Maneka Deanna 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAdultism within English learner (EL) policy in the United States relegates youth to the status of objects whose English proficiency and academic achievement is assessed, monitored, and developed. This study challenges this institutionalized adultism by centering youths’ interpretations of their own schooling experiences. It uses an intersectional anti‐adultism conceptual lens to investigate how 20 high school youths understood the relationship between two routine EL practices—English language proficiency (ELP) testing and EL‐related course placement—and their institutional EL classification. The primary data source for this study is semi‐structured interviews with youth that were contextualized by student records, administrator interviews, policy documents, and analytic memos. The findings indicate that in the absence of mandated direct communication about their EL classification from school‐affiliated adults, most participants did not use ELP testing or EL‐related course placement to recognize their labeling. Although adult‐determined significance of these routine EL practices shaped all youths’ educational trajectories, it did not dominate how most youths interpreted their significance. Youths’ interpretations of meaning were related to how they understood themselves and their experiences of schooling. The findings highlight the necessity to create structures for multidirectional and intergenerational communication between youth and adults that challenge institutionalized adultism within EL policy.
Antagonistic effect of selenium on mercuric chloride in the central immune organs of chickens: The role of microRNA‐183/135b‐FOXO1/TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome axis
Authors: Gao Pei‐Chao , Chen Xue‐Wei , Chu Jia‐Hong , Li Lan‐Xin , Wang Zhen‐Yong , Fan Rui‐Feng 
Published: January 2022

AbstractMercury (Hg) is a persistent environmental and industrial pollutant that accumulated in the body and induces oxidative stress and inflammation damage. Selenium (Se) has been reported to antagonize immune organs damage caused by heavy metals. Here, we aimed to investigate the prevent effect of Se on mercuric chloride (HgCl2)‐induced thymus and bursa of Fabricius (BF) damage in chickens. The results showed that HgCl2 caused immunosuppression by reducing the relative weight, cortical area of the thymus and BF, and the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Meanwhile, HgCl2 induced oxidative stress and imbalance in cytokines expression in the thymus and BF. Further, we found that thioredoxin‐interacting protein (TXNIP) and the NOD‐like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome mediated HgCl2‐induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Mechanically, the targeting and inhibitory effect of microRNA (miR)‐135b/183 on forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) were an upstream event for HgCl2‐activated TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Most importantly, Se effectively attenuated the aforementioned damage in the thymus and BF caused by HgCl2 and inhibited the TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome pathway by reversing the expression of FOXO1 through inhibiting miR‐135b/183. In conclusion, the miR‐135b/183‐FOXO1/TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome axis might be a novel mechanism for Se to antagonize HgCl2‐induced oxidative stress and inflammation in the central immune organs of chickens.
Serological, virological and molecular diagnosis of an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among cattle in Butana area, Eastern Sudan
Authors: Hussien Mohammed O. , Osman Adam A. , Bakri Eman O. , Elhassan Amira M. , Elmahi Molhima M. , Alfaki Shima H. , El Hussein Abdel Rahim M. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBackgroundLumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a virus of the Poxviridae family, genus Capripoxvirus. The disease has great economic effects on the global cattle industry. In this study, an outbreak of LSD among cattle which occurred in Nahr Atbara and Halfa El Jadida locations in Butana area, Kassala State in November, 2020 is described.MethodsLumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) antibody and nucleic acid were detected in specimens (n = 50) using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsThe virus was isolated on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken eggs and identified by PCR. The number of animals at risk was 295 with a morbidity rate of 4.1% and a mortality rate of 2.4%.ConclusionsLSDV was diagnosed for the first time in the Butana region, Kassala State, Eastern Sudan in 2020.
Erosion of Professional Integrity: The Collapse of the Canterbury TV Building in Christchurch on 22 February 2011
Authors: Seibel Wolfgang 
Published: January 2022

AbstractFrom 4 September 2010 on, a series of earthquakes shattered New Zealand for more than one year the most devastating of which caused the Canterbury TV (CTV) building in downtown Christchurch to collapse on 22 February 2011. One hundred and fifteen people were killed. A Royal Commission found out that, in 1986, the Christchurch City Council (CCC) had granted a building permit despite concerns about structural design issues. Moreover, the authority did not insist on structural analyses of the building after the initial earthquake of 4 September 2010. Thorough investigations after the disaster of 22 February 2011 revealed that the early concerns about insufficient joints between floors and shear walls had been entirely justified since the failure of the joints, according to all likelihood, had triggered the collapse of the building.
Politicization of the Non-politicizable: The Collapse of the Ice Skating Rink in Bad Reichenhall on 2 January 2006
Authors: Seibel Wolfgang 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAfter heavy snowfall, the skating rink of the city of Bad Reichenhall collapsed on 2 January 2006. Fifteen people, twelve children between the age of 7 and 15 and three mothers, were killed by the falling debris of the roof, 34 people were injured. Court trials came to the conclusion that the City of Bad Reichenhall, over a long period of time, had seriously neglected the maintenance of the hall despite clear indication of water ingress and related weak points in the roof structure. The Lord Mayor admitted before court to have purposefully obstructed the decision of the municipal parliament to renovate the hall since he had intended to have the hall dismantled anyway and to build a modern pastime and wellness center instead.
Mixed Reality (MR) for Generation Z in Cultural Heritage Tourism Towards Metaverse
Authors: Buhalis Dimitrios , Karatay Nurshat 
Published: January 2022

AbstractGeneration Z is transforming tourism by demanding the cocreation of transformative experiences. Cultural heritage professionals must comprehend the needs and desires of the Gen Z to support the cocreation of transformative experiences. This study analysed the role of Mixed Reality (MR) from the perspective of Gen Z guests through 18 semi-structured interviews and inductive qualitative research. Participants believe that cultural heritage experiences can benefit from immersive technology. Technology supports cocreation of experiences between developers, service providers, DMOs, and consumers. Cultural heritage sites, as a key element of tourism destinations, should consider how to use MR to enhance consumer experiences. Participants express the opinion that cultural heritage sites and tourism destinations require considerable modernisation to create transformative experiences. Metaverse in tourism and cultural heritage sites will undoubtedly support Gen Z to cocreate transformational experiences.
Exploring the Utilitarian and Hedonic Value Derived from Tourism Pre-experiences with Virtual Reality: Differences Between Destinations and Accommodations
Authors: Flavián Carlos , Ibáñez-Sánchez Sergio , Orús Carlos 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe tourism industry is in a convulsive situation of great uncertainty. The recovery of the sector depends on boosting digitalization processes. In this sense, virtual reality represents an essential tool that can generate added value in the customer experience. This study analyzes the impact of virtual reality tourism pre-experiences on the utilitarian and hedonic value perceived by the customer. In addition, given the heterogeneity of tourism products and offers, it is proposed that the influence of virtual reality on the dimensions of perceived value will depend on whether the product is evaluated on an attribute basis (hotels) or holistically (destinations). The results will provide interesting implications for understanding and generating tourism experiences with high added value. Particularly, these results will be helpful for tourism managers to design effective virtual reality pre-experiences according to the features of the tourism products they are promoting, fostering the corresponding hedonic/utilitarian value in the tourist’s pre-experience.
Online Travel Planning for Families with a Child with a Disability
Authors: Khomsi Mohamed Reda , Delorme Karl , Martin-Colonna Cyril 
Published: January 2022

AbstractWhereas the search for information when starting to plan a trip is generally perceived as enjoyable, families with a disabled child may associate this step with anxiety and stress. This is due to a lack of information and poor consideration of disabled children’s needs in most tourist websites, making it difficult for such families to find answers to their questions. In this context, the present research attempts to understand the online travel planning process of families with a child with a disability in order to propose solutions adapted to these families’ needs.