Additional Methods Research Articles

Development of Education and Training Scenarios to Improve the Ability of Fire Safety Managers to Realize Situations and Induce Evacuation in Case of Fire

This study developed an education and training scenario to improve the ability of fire safety managers to recognize situations during a fire and induce evacuation. By reflecting on the characteristics of evacuation facilities and the occupants of multi-occupancy buildings, a scenario similar to that of a real situation was designed through unexpected situations that could occur during actual evacuation induction. Each evacuation facility in the scenario was developed by applying additional methods considering the factors influencing the evacuation in the previous case, referring to Article 4 (1) of the adaptability of evacuation equipment according to the installation location of firefighting objects. The developed scenario was a multi-occupancy building with four basement levels and 50 floors above the ground with a piloti structure and was designed based on the order of evacuation initiation → induction of evacuation → gather at the evacuation site → rescue recipient state report. The details were designed to be applied to practical training by assigning elements that can occur in real situations by causing evacuation using evacuation facilities according to the number of fire floors, assigning situations through various characteristics of occupants, and inserting role conflict elements through unexpected situations. By conducting practical and feasible education for fire safety managers, they can flexibly cope with unexpected situations that may occur in the process of inducing occupants to evacuate in the event of a fire while on duty and improve their skills in using evacuation facilities.

Nutritional value and mineral content analysis of selected landrace barley (Hordeum vulgare L) varieties grown in highland area of Wolaita zone, Ethiopia

In the highland area of Wolaita zone, almost all agrarian communities cultivate landrace barley as a basic grain and consume it daily as a staple food by preparing various types of traditional dishes, but has no scientific research-based nutritional information on these varieties and hence this study was conducted to investigate and validate mineral and nutritional information for landrace food barley varieties (Duiya, Gaga, Koysha and Murka) grown in Kawo Koysha district of Wolaita Zone. The sample digestion was carried out by an optimal wet digestion procedure with percentage recovery developed for four barley samples using the standard addition (spiking) method. The concentration of minerals (mg/100g of dry weight) investigated in the barley grains are in the ranges: Na (30.48–59.72), K (141.46–171.7), Mg (44.17–54.71), Ca (62.91–95.5), Mn (2.95–10.98), Fe (16.62–28.98), Cu (3.58–7.51) and Zn (1.04–5.30) whereas the nutrients content (%) observed are in the ranges of moisture (8.09–10.13), ash (2.83–3.78), crude fiber (3.63–4.82), crude protein (8.01–9.64), crude fat (0.93–1.82), carbohydrate (70.63–75.65) and energy (cal/kg) (333.69–347.66). The results indicate that the barley varieties are rich in dietary minerals and nutrients; of all categories K and Carbohydrate of Murka Variety were the highest average values and hence, suitable for human consumption though they are unimproved landrace varieties.

Highly-efficient additive manufacturing of Inconel 625 thin wall using hot-wire laser metal deposition: Process optimization, microstructure, and mechanical properties

Hot-wire-based laser metal deposition (HW-LMD) technique was used for additive manufacturing of Inconel 625 thin-walled parts. The desired process window was obtained through the Taguchi experiment design, and the defect-free Inconel 625 thin-walled structures were efficiently manufactured with a wire deposition rate of 1.72 kg/h. The microstructure, phase composition, microhardness, and tensile properties of the Inconel 625 thin walls were studied in detail. The results showed that the microstructure of the Inconel 625 thin wall was mainly composed of a large number of columnar dendrites with an average grains size of 12.5 μm, and the growth direction of the columnar dendrites was perpendicular to the substrate surface. γ-Ni was the base phase of the as-deposited Inconel 625 thin walls and irregularly shaped Laves precipitates were observed in the inter-dendritic region. The microhardness of the Inconel 625 thin wall over the build direction was homogenous and the average microhardness was 258 HV1, which was 35.7 % higher than that of the wrought alloy. The tensile strength of the as-deposited Inconel 625 thin walls exhibited anisotropy according to the relationships between stress loading direction and microstructural texture. The maximum tensile strength and elongation of the as-deposited Inconel 625 thin wall were respectively 825.91 MPa and 55.62 %, which were close to the wrought alloy 625. Meanwhile, through comparative analysis, it was found that the tensile properties of the Inconel 625 samples fabricated in this study were superior to samples produced using conventional arc additive manufacturing methods.

From Satirical Poems and Invisible Poisons to Radical Surgery and Organized Cervical Cancer Screening-A Historical Outline of Cervical Carcinoma and Its Relation to HPV Infection.

Over the last century, the narrative of cervical cancer history has become intricately tied to virus research, particularly the human papillomavirus (HPV) since the 1970s. The unequivocal proof of HPV's causal role in cervical cancer has placed its detection at the heart of early screening programs across numerous countries. From a historical perspective, sexually transmitted genital warts have been already documented in ancient Latin literature; the remarkable symptoms and clinical descriptions of progressed cervical cancer can be traced back to Hippocrates and classical Greece. However, in the new era of medicine, it was not until the diagnostic-pathological accomplishments of Aurel Babeş and George Nicolas Papanicolaou, as well as the surgical accomplishments of Ernst Wertheim and Joe Vincent Meigs, that the prognosis and prevention of cervical carcinoma were significantly improved. Future developments will likely include extended primary prevention efforts consisting of better global access to vaccination programs as well as adapted methods for screening for precursor lesions, like the use of self-sampling HPV-tests. Furthermore, they may also advantageously involve additional novel diagnostic methods that could allow for both an unbiased approach to tissue diagnostics and the use of artificial-intelligence-based tools to support decision making.

Environmentally friendly voltammetric determination of melatonin in river water: Development and validation studies

AbstractMelatonin (MEL) is a hormone that can discharge into aquatic bodies and act as an endocrine disruptor; thus, its determination is important. In this study, a boron‐doped diamond electrode was used to develop an electroanalytical method based on square‐wave voltammetry to determine trace concentrations of MEL in river water. The electroanalytical method was developed and optimized in 0.1 mol L−1 sodium phosphate (pH=4.0) with parameters f=10 s−1, a=50 mV, and ΔES=2 mV. The validation study was carried out in the working range of 1.2–10.8 μmol L−1 using the parameters and statistical tools recommended by the validation guidelines of regulatory agencies. The matrix effect was significant; therefore, an analytical curve was directly constructed in the sample matrix by standard addition method. Results of linear regression indicated that the standard addition curve data presented a good adjust to linear model and have therefore a good linearity. Low limits of detection (0.29 μmol L−1) and quantification (0.86 μmol L−1) were observed. The estimates for precision (RSD (%)<15 %) and accuracy (mean recovery>99.5 %) were suitable according to the limits established in the literature; thus, the method was precise and accurate for the adopted working range. The study findings indicate that square‐wave voltammetry combined with a boron‐doped diamond electrode can be used for reliable and consistent determination of trace concentrations of MEL in river water. Furthermore, it presents interesting features such as lower environmental impact, speed, and low cost.

SLAM Meets NeRF: A Survey of Implicit SLAM Methods

In recent years, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems have shown significant performance, accuracy, and efficiency gains, especially when Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs) are implemented. NeRF-based SLAM in mapping aims to implicitly understand irregular environmental information using large-scale parameters of deep learning networks in a data-driven manner so that specific environmental information can be predicted from a given perspective. NeRF-based SLAM in tracking jointly optimizes camera pose and implicit scene network parameters through inverse rendering or combines VO and NeRF mapping to achieve real-time positioning and mapping. This paper firstly analyzes the current situation of NeRF and SLAM systems and then introduces the state-of-the-art in NeRF-based SLAM. In addition, datasets and system evaluation methods used by NeRF-based SLAM are introduced. In the end, current issues and future work are analyzed. Based on an investigation of 30 related research articles, this paper provides in-depth insight into the innovation of SLAM and NeRF methods and provides a useful reference for future research.

Analysis of home-made cannabis edibles by UHPLC-HRMS after standard addition method.

With recent evolution of cannabis legalization around the world, cannabis edibles are booming, and determining their concentration in Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the regulated psychoactive substance, remains a challenge for toxicology laboratories, which must prove the legal status or not of the product. Cannabinoids are a large family of structurally similar and lipophilic molecules, requiring dedicated pre-analytical methods, as well as efficient chromatographic separation to differentiate cannabinoid isomers which are distinguished by their psychoactive properties and their legal status. Here, we present two independent cases of cannabis edibles, for which we performed analysis of home-made cannabis chocolate cakes, and of the resins and herbs used for cooking. Quantitation was carried out with a new developed standard addition method, to avoid matrix effects and matrix dependent calibration. Extraction by QuEChERs method, followed by targeted and nontargeted analysis by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) allowed the identification of several phytocannabinoids, mainly Δ9-THC, CBD and their acid precursors THCA and CBDA. Δ9-THC was identified in significant concentrations (mg/g) in both edibles, even though one was prepared with CBD herb. This work highlights the need to analyze cannabis edibles, as well as the resins and herbs used in their preparation if it is homemade, and it proposes a reliable analytical method for toxicology laboratories.

Preparation and Characterization of Functionzliaed Silicone Oil for High Temperature Mold Release Agent

Silicohydrogen addition method was utilized to prepare long-chain alkyl silicone oils using high hydrogen-containing silicone oil, α-methylstyrene, and 1-tetradecene as raw materials and chloroplatinic acid as catalyst. FTIR and 1H-NMR were used to characterize the structure of the products, and the effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, catalyst dosage, and n(Si-H): n(C=C) on the Si-H conversion were investigated experimentally to determine the optimal reaction process. The experimental results showed that the optimized process conditions were n(Si-H): n(C=C) =1:1.1, reaction time of 6 h, reaction temperature of 150 °C, catalyst dosage of 2 ppm, and the Si-H conversion of the product was 96.3%.

Structure and its defects in additive manufacturing of stainless steels by laser melting and electric arc surfacing

Currently, there is an active development and study of additive technologies. Metal 3D printing makes it possible to obtain parts and structures of complex configuration using a minimum of shaping operations, which can lead to a reduction in overall cost of the resulting products. In this paper, we studied the structure formation in manufacture of products made of stainless steels 10Cr12Ni10Ti (analogue of AISI 321) and 08Cr18Ni9 (analogue of AISI 304) by additive methods – SLM (Selective Laser Melting) and WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing). In the course of microstructural analysis, it was found that during the manufacture of products using SLM technology, small austenitic grains oriented in the direction of heat removal are formed, and with WAAM method, austenite is formed mainly in form of dendrites. It is shown that porosity is formed during manufacture of the samples by SLM method, which is associated with non-melting of individual powder particles. When implementing additive manufacturing by WAAM (electric arc surfacing), there is no increased porosity. In the course of the study, a new defect of the structure formed during the manufacture of products by both methods was revealed – formation of interface boundaries between layers, which is associated with the technology of additive manufacturing itself. When manufacturing a WAAM product, it manifests itself more clearly than when obtaining metal by SLM. Boundaries of the surfacing rollers in the manufacture of products by SLM accumulate various intermetallides and structural defects more intensively, relative to WAAM. As a result of the small relative volume of one surfacing roller, compared with WAAM, accumulation of these defects and intermetallides can act as an effective barrier during movement of dislocations, which can lead to an increase in the strength properties of products.

T1 mapping in patients with cervical spinal canal stenosis with and without decompressive surgery: A longitudinal study.

Cervical spinal canal stenosis (cSCS) is a common cause of spinal impairment in the elderly. With conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suffering from various limitations, high-resolution single-shot T1 mapping has been proposed as a novel MRI technique in cSCS diagnosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of conservative and surgical treatment on spinal cord T1 relaxation times in cSCS. T1-mapping was performed in 54 patients with cSCS at 3 Tesla MRI at the maximum-, above and below the stenosis. Subsequently, intraindividual T1-differences (ΔT1) intrastenosis were calculated. Twenty-four patients received follow-up scans after 6 months. Surgically treated patients showed higher ΔT1 at baseline (154.9 ± 81.6vs. 95.3 ± 60.7), while absolute T1-values within the stenosis were comparable between groups (863.7 ± 89.3milliseconds vs. 855.1 ± 62.2milliseconds). In surgically treated patients, ΔT1 decreased inverse to stenosis severity. After 6 months, ΔT1 significantly decreased in the surgical group (154.9 ± 81.6milliseconds to 85.7 ± 108.9milliseconds, p = .021) and remained unchanged in conservatively treated patients. Both groups showed clinical improvement at the 6-month follow-up. Baseline difference of T1 relaxation time (ΔT1) might serve as a supporting marker for treatment decision and change of T1 relaxation time might reflect relief of spinal cord narrowing indicating regenerative processes. Quantitative T1-mapping represents a promising additional imaging method to indicate a surgical treatment plan and to validate treatment success.

Analysis of the Subtitle Translation of The Shawshank Redemption from the Perspective of the Skopos Theory

Translation is an important communication skill between different languages. In modern society, audiovisualproducts are distributed to worldwide areas as a popular means of mass media. As the globalization of economy and culture is advancing in the new century, audiovisual subtitle translation plays an increasingly important part. Good subtitles can enhance the audience’s experience of appreciating foreign films and make cultural communication more effective. This thesis conducts a brief survey on the strategies for film subtitle translation using the case study of the famous film The Shawshank Redemption. In this paper, based on Skopos theory, the author made a comprehensive analysis of subtitling activities and pointed out that subtitling, as a specialized area of translation, is not only guided by translation studies but also under the constraints of film properties. The Skopos theory of film subtitle translation is to provide, within the constraints of time and space, a well-translated subtitle that can contribute to a good understanding of what is happening on the screen. In short, the end justifies the means. Therefore, during the process of subtitle translation, the subtitler should take all the factors into consideration to identify the translation purpose, and then adopt corresponding translationstrategies. From this perspective, the author takes the Skopos theory as instruction and applies the reduction and addition method to analyze the film subtitle translation. In the age of globalization, foreign films are increasingly entering people’s lives. Watching foreign films is a popular and effective way to understand foreign cultures. However, in China, subtitle translation has not attracted as much academic attention as it deserves and few theories could be appropriately applied to subtitle translation. Therefore, the author hopes that subtitle translation could be paid more attention in terms of crosscultural communication.

Microstructure and performance optimization of laser cladding nano-TiC modified nickel-based alloy coatings

In this study, different alloy powders containing nano-sized TiC were prepared using a combination of mixed ball milling adsorption, electroless Ni-P-TiC, and Ni-B-TiC plating techniques. The effects of different nano-TiC addition methods on the microstructure, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of laser-coated nickel-based self-fusing alloy coatings were comprehensively studied. The effects of the nano-TiC method on the microstructure, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of laser-coated nickel-based self-fusing alloy coatings were comprehensively studied. The results show that agglomerated TiC particles appeared in the coatings prepared with ball-milled powder. In contrast, the coatings produced by introducing nano-sized TiC through the chemical plating methods exhibited a uniform distribution of the TiC phase. The coatings prepared with Ni-B-TiC plating powder showed a bimodal microstructure and most of the TiC particles are distributed at grain boundaries, which hinders grain growth and refines the microstructure of the coating. The corrosion resistance of the Ni2 coating prepared with ball milling adsorbed nano TiC powder shows the best corrosion resistance. The wear resistance of the Ni4 coating prepared with the Ni-B-TiC plating powder was significantly better than that of the other samples. This study provides an effective way to improve the wear or corrosion resistance of laser cladding nickel-based self-fluxable alloy coatings.

Analyzing Pile-Up Crash Severity: Insights from Real-Time Traffic and Environmental Factors Using Ensemble Machine Learning and Shapley Additive Explanations Method

Pile-up (PU) crashes, which involve multiple collisions between more than two vehicles within a brief timeframe, carry substantial consequences, including fatalities and significant damages. This study aims to investigate the real-time traffic, environmental, and crash characteristics and their interactions in terms of their contributions to severe PU crashes, which have been understudied. This study investigates and interprets the effects of Total Volume/Capacity (TV/C), “Heavy Vehicles Volume/Total Volume” (HVV/TV), and average speed. For this purpose, the PU crash severity was modelled and interpreted using the crash and real-time traffic data of Iran’s freeways over a 5-year period. Among six machine learning methods, the CatBoost model demonstrated superior performance, interpreted via the SHAP method. The results indicate that avg.speed > 90 km/h, TV/C < 0.6, HVV/TV ≥ 0.1, horizontal curves, longitudinal grades, nighttime, and the involvement of heavy vehicles are associated with the risk of severe PU crashes. Additionally, several interactions are associated with severe PU crashes, including the co-occurrence of TV/C ≈ 0.1, HVV/TV ≥ 0.25, and nighttime; the interactions between TV/C ≈ 0.1 or 0.45, HVV/TV ≥ 0.25, and avg.speed > 90 km/h; horizontal curves and high average speeds; horizontal curves; and nighttime. Overall, this research provides essential insights into traffic and environmental factors driving severe PU crashes, supporting informed decision-making for policymakers.

The gut-joint axis: Genetic evidence for a causal association between gut microbiota and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

This study aimed to assess the causal relationship between GM and RA (seropositive RA and seronegative RA). A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to assess the causality of GM on seropositive RA and seronegative RA. GM's genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used as the exposure, whereas the GWAS datasets of seropositive RA and seronegative RA were the outcomes. The primary analysis approach was used as inverse-variance weighted (IVW), followed by 3 additional MR methods (MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode). Cochran's Q test was used to identify heterogeneity. The MR-Egger intercept test and leave-one-out analyses were used to assess horizontal pleiotropy. All statistical analyses were performed in R software. We discovered that Alloprevotella (IVW OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71-0.99, P = .04) and Christensenellaceae R 7 group (IVW OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.99, P = .04) were negatively correlated with seropositive RA, Ruminococcaceae UCG002 (IVW OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10-1.54, P = .002) was positively associated with seropositive RA. Actinomyces (IVW OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54-0.99, P = .04), Christensenellaceae R 7 group (IVW OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.97, P = .04), Terrisporobacter (IVW OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.44-0.93, P = .02), Lactobacillales (IVW OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47-0.90, P = .01) were negatively correlated with seronegative RA. The present MR analysis showed a protective effect of Alloprevotella and Christensenellaceae R 7 group and a potentially anti-protective effect of Ruminococcaceae UCG002 on seropositive RA; and a protective effect of Actinomyces, Christensenellaceae R 7 group, Terrisporobacter, and Lactobacillales on seronegative RA. Further experimental studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings.

A method for selecting the optimal warping path of dynamic time warping in gait analysis.

This study aims to demonstrate that when performing dynamic time warping (DTW) on gait data, multiple optimal warping paths (OWPs) with a minimum sum of local costs can occur and to propose an additional OWP selection method to address this problem. A 3-dimensional motion analysis experiment was conducted on 55 adult participants, including both males and females, to acquire gait data. This study analyzed 990 instances of DTW on gait data to examine the occurrence of multiple OWPs with the minimum sum of local costs. We subsequently applied an additional selection method to the multiple OWPs to determine the feasibility of identifying a single OWP. Multiple OWPs through DTW were observed 82 times, accounting for 8.28%. Notably, on the ankle joint of males, the rate was the highest at 11.11%. Cases with two multiple OWPs were the most prevalent at 56.10%, and cases with ten or more multiple OWPs accounted for 19.51%. The additional selection method proposed in this study was applied to the 82 instances in which multiple OWPs occurred. The results demonstrated the ability to identify a unique OWP in all cases. These results hold significance in identifying the shortcomings of conventional OWP selection methods previously employed and proposing solutions. It enhances the reliability, validity, and accuracy of studies utilizing DTW.

Crash performance of a novel bio-inspired energy absorber produced by additive manufacturing using PLA and ABS materials

Abstract Thin-walled structures are one of the important safety components used in vehicles. They are placed in the front parts of the vehicles to minimize the impacts that occur in the event of a collision, and they absorb the impact force by changing shape in the event of a collision. Crash boxes have high-impact absorption, low weight, and low-cost expectations. In the design of crash boxes, thin-walled structures are preferred due to their high deformation capability. In this study, the additive manufacturing method was used to produce thin-walled structures. Thin-walled structures were produced by additive manufacturing methods using PLA and ABS materials. The manufactured crash boxes were tested using an impact test. In the experimental results, the energy absorption ability of the crash boxes produced from PLA and ABS materials was examined, and high fragility was observed. The experimental results were verified by finite element analysis of the crash boxes made using PLA and ABS materials.

Simple and sensitive voltammetric sensor for in‐situ clinical and environmental 17‐β‐estradiol monitoring

AbstractThe direct electrochemical oxidation of 17‐β‐estradiol (E2) at conventional electrodes gives weak current signals making detection at trace levels difficult, as required for clinical and environmental applications. In order to strengthen the electrochemical behavior of E2, a simple and sensitive sensor has been realized based on a graphite screen printed electrode (GSPE) functionalized according to a two‐step procedure: i) drop‐casting deposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs); ii) electropolymerization of methylene blue (MB). The final PMB‐AuNPs‐GSPE platform was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The pH value was optimized in order to obtain the best detection efficiency and the highest peak current response was obtained at pH 7.0. The synergistic contributions of both AuNPs and PMB allowed the proposed sensor to show a wide linear range from 0.5 to 125.0 μmol L−1 with a LOD of 41 nmol L−1, long‐term stability and good reproducibility (RSD=2.9 % for n=10). Moreover, the sensor was able to distinguish E2 from several interfering compounds commonly present in urine and river water as well as from other endocrine‐ disrupting chemicals (EDCs), denoting its high specificity to E2 molecule. Finally, the developed electrode platform was successfully applied to the determination of E2 in both human urine and river water samples without any purification step under the standard addition method.

Effect of rare earth on primary carbides in H13 die steel and their addition method: a review

Effect of rare earth on primary carbides in H13 die steel and their addition method: a review

Effect of phase distribution and defect passivation on amplified spontaneous emission of quasi-2D Dion–Jacobson perovskite

Quasi-2D Dion–Jacobson (DJ) halide perovskites with large exciton binding energy, self-assembled quantum wells, and high quantum yield attract growing attention in light-emitting diodes and solar devices. DJ-layered perovskites have the eliminated van der Waals gap and show improved photophysical features. However, there are a variety of defects and complex phase distributions produced during the solution procedure and the fast crystal development. In this paper, we reveal the effect of phase distribution and defect passivation on amplified spontaneous emission of quasi-2D perovskite (PDMA)(MA)2Pb3Br10 thin films through solvent engineering and additive methods, by establishing the correlation between the precursor compositions and the photophysical performance of the layered DJ perovskites. The energy transfer rate and the photoluminescence quantum yield increase due to the spatially homogeneous domain distribution and the reduced defect density after the addition of KBr in the DMSO:DMF. More importantly, we realize green amplified spontaneous emission and single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasing with low thresholds of 8.8 and 10.5 μJ cm−2, respectively. This work provides a guideline to achieve low-threshold multicolor lasers based on DJ perovskites.

Comment on Naef, R.; Acree, W.E., Jr. Calculation of the Three Partition Coefficients logPow, logKoa and logKaw of Organic Molecules at Standard Conditions at Once by Means of a Generally Applicable Group Additivity Method. Preprints2023, 2023120275.

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