Initial Sample Research Articles

Does non-financial information matter? Mapping and clustering literature on the value relevance of comprehensive disclosure

The paper aims to contribute to understanding the value relevance of compre-hensive disclosure, covering different types of information provided in addi-tion to traditional financial reporting. This research is based on an initial sam-ple of 361 documents available on the Scopus database as of December 2022. The study adopts a bibliometric analysis based on the similarity visualization technique on a final sample of 179 articles using the VOSViewer software, and it also performs a content analysis on a subsample of 49 articles. The study mapped and clustered research networks, providing a systematic literature overview. A steady increase of interest in the topic investigated has been observed in re-cent years, driven by the growing attention investors and other users deserve on the role of extended information in disclosing how the firm creates value. The network analysis reveals the existence of four main research streams re-ferring to the following topics: Intangibles, Intellectual Capital Disclosure (ICD) and corporate reputation; ESG and Sustainability disclosure; Environ-mental disclosure and capital market effects; Integrated Reporting and Value Creation. Results highlight prominent research fields and emerging trends, which calls for in-depth consideration of the value relevance of comprehen-sive disclosure within the academic and political space. This article adds to prior research on the topic investigated, combining quantitative and qualita-tive methods to systematize literature. In contrast to other review publications that rely primarily on specific reporting tools, our study refers to different types of reports, providing a systematic picture of the state of the art and fu-ture directions of literature on the value relevance of non-financial infor-mation.

Cyclic liquefaction in transitional and non-transitional tailings

Tailings have previously been identified as having the types of mixed mineralogies and gradings that can make them susceptible to having non-unique critical states and normally compressed states in laboratory element tests. This paper addresses how this mode of behaviour would affect their resistance to undrained cyclic loading, contrasting two triaxial studies, one on a tailings that has a conventional behaviour and one transitional. To demonstrate the influence of transitional behaviour it was necessary to create samples with as wide a range of initial specific volumes as possible, while trying keep the sample preparation methods the same for loose and dense samples. It was also necessary to examine the cyclic data in non-conventional ways, notably in the volumetric plane to highlight better the effects of initial sample specific volume. It is shown that, as previously determined for monotonic loading, the initial density has much less influence on the cyclic behaviour of a soil with transitional behaviour than it would for a conventional soil, and it is instead the stress history that is very much more important. Samples following their respective normal compression lines exhibit similar behaviour, but overconsolidation significantly enhances resistance and a sample that arrives at a given state by the undrained reduction of p′ due to cycling also has a much higher resistance.

Abstract 4233: Rapid and robust generation of ex vivo tumoroid samples from fresh patient samples in a serum-free, conditioned medium-free system

Abstract Functional precision oncology describes a method in which an individual patient’s cancer cells are tested for response to various treatments ex vivo to aid in therapy selection. In many cases, these cultures take the form of tumoroids, which are 3D, patient-derived “mini tumors” that retain phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of the patient cancer. While interest in functional precision oncology is increasing due to strong correlation between patient responses and those experimentally observed using matched tumoroid models in the literature, a lack of standardization has precluded its widespread translation to clinical settings. To study the ability to generate short-term tumoroid cultures using a commercially available, serum-free, and conditioned medium-free system, we processed fresh tumor resection samples and performed culture in Gibco™ OncoPro™ Tumoroid Culture Medium. Tumor resection samples spanning a variety of indications were stored in supplemented Hibernate™-A Medium (including antibiotics) and shipped overnight on gel packs to a central tissue processing site. Samples were minced, enzymatically dissociated, and counted. Average yields of ~2000-12,000 cells per mg of tumor resection tissue were observed, with lower yields in lung, head and neck, and breast cancer samples and higher yields in endometrial and colorectal cancer samples. Donor-to-donor variability generated a wide range of yields within a given indication. Similarly, cell viability following dissociation ranged widely, reaching as low as 20% for some samples and exceeding 90% for others. Though yields and initial viability varied, dissociated cells that were plated in OncoPro Tumoroid Culture Medium formed tumoroids in >85% of samples within 7 days of tissue receipt. Both mutational profiles and gene expression patterns were highly conserved (>90%) between initial tumor samples and cells cultured in OncoPro for 7 days. Computational approaches designed to identify cell-type specific signatures from bulk RNA sequencing data indicated that immune cell population signatures were present after one week in OncoPro medium. Additionally, we have developed methods to analyze tumoroid response to compounds and candidate cell therapies by both plate reader- and imaging-based analyses using ~1.2e6 initial tumor cells per 96-well plate. Due to the high success rate of tumoroid formation from fresh tumor samples and retention of donor-specific characteristics in OncoPro Tumoroid Culture Medium, we believe that it will be a valuable tool for functional precision oncology of solid tumor samples. Citation Format: Colin Paul, Amber Bullock, Anthony Chatman, Brittany Balhouse, Chris Yankaskas, Pradip Shahi Thakuri, Matt Dallas, David Kuninger. Rapid and robust generation of ex vivo tumoroid samples from fresh patient samples in a serum-free, conditioned medium-free system [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4233.

Incidental finding of a human-like tusavirus in a lamb with lip lesions and fatal pneumonia.

Tusaviruses in the genus Protoparvovirus of family Parvoviridae were first identified in a diarrhoeic Tunisian child in 2014. Thereafter, high prevalence of a genetically similar virus was demonstrated in faeces from caprine and ovine species in Hungary. Here, we describe an investigation into the cause of scabby lip lesions in a 6 month-old lamb, submitted from a farm experiencing weight loss and scouring in lambs in England. Transmission electron microscopy visualised small circular particles of 18 and 22 nm in diameter in lip lesions identified as tusavirus and flumine parvovirus by Next Generation Sequencing. Liver, kidney, lung, small intestine content and faeces were also strongly positive for the tusavirus DNA as well as 10 % of faecal samples of the flock collected 2 months after the initial lip sampling. NS1 and VP1 amino acid sequences of this tusavirus displayed 99.5 and 92.89 % identity to those of a human tusavirus, respectively. These amino acid identities were at 95.5 and 89.68 % when compared to those of a goat tusavirus. Phylogenetic analysis of the NS1 and VP1 also grouped the virus in the genus Protoparvovirus and close to tusaviruses detected in human, ovine and caprine species. Wider surveillance of the virus indicated a broader geographical distribution for the virus in England. Histology of the lip tissue revealed localised areas of epidermal hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis affecting haired skin, with mild leucocyte infiltration of the subjacent dermis, but no changes to implicate virus involvement. Flumine parvovirus was concluded to be an environment contaminant. Broader studies in prevalence of these virus in UK sheep flocks and human population, animal models and experimental infections could provide insights into the pathogenesis of these novel viruses and their zoonotic potential.

Microbial-Transferred Metabolites and Improvement of Biological Activities of Green Tea Catechins by Human Gut Microbiota.

Green tea catechins (GTCs) are dietary polyphenols with broad bioactivities that undergo extensive microbial metabolism in the human gut. However, microbial-transferred metabolites and their health benefits are not fully understood. Herein, the microbial metabolism of GTCs by human fecal microbiota and dynamic alteration of the microbiota were integrally investigated via in vitro anaerobic fermentation. The results showed that the human gut microbiota exhibited a strong metabolic effect on GTCs via UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. A total of 35 microbial-transferred metabolites were identified, far more than were identified in previous studies. Among them, five metabolites, namely EGCG quinone, EGC quinone, ECG quinone, EC quinone, and mono-oxygenated EGCG, were identified for the first time in fermented GTCs with the human gut microbiota. Consequently, corresponding metabolic pathways were proposed. Notably, the antioxidant, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the GTCs sample increased after fermentation compared to those of the initial unfermented sample. The results of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the GTCs significantly altered gut microbial diversity and enriched the abundancy of Eubacterium, Flavonifractor, etc., which may be further involved in the metabolisms of GTCs. Thus, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the interactions between GTCs and gut microbiota, as well as the health benefits of green tea consumption.

48 The ruminal microbiome of conventionally and artificially raised lambs fed high-concentrate and high-forage post-weaning diets

Abstract Artificially rearing lambs on milk replacer impacts development of the ruminal microbiome. The objective was to evaluate the extent to which pre-weaning management influences the ruminal microbiome of lambs during finishing. A finishing study was conducted using 32 Polypay conventionally-raised (CR; n = 10 rams, 6 ewes) or artificially raised (AR; n = 10 rams, 6 ewes) lambs weaned at 56 d of age. Following weaning, lambs were adapted to a HC (85:15 concentrate:forage) diet for 35 d. Lambs were then blocked by sex and body weight and randomly assigned to either continue receiving HC or abruptly transition to a HF (50:50 concentrate:forage) diet. Individually-housed lambs were fed ad libitum through a target slaughter weight (rams: 59.0; ewes: 54.4 kg). Rumen fluid samples were collected via oral intubation on d 0, 14, 28, and when lambs reached slaughter weight. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences was conducted in QIIME 2 (v.2023.2). Taxonomy was assigned with SILVA (SSU 138). Diversity was analyzed by PERMANOVA. Random forest classification was applied to determine if pre-weaning management and diet could be predicted using microbial composition. Alpha diversity did not differ in CR vs. AR lambs at the initial sampling (P > 0.22), but species richness was greater in HR lambs regardless of pre-weaning management from d 14 through slaughter (P < 0.01). Beta diversity did differ between CR and AR at the initial sampling (P ≤ 0.02). The influence of pre-weaning management was still present in weighted UniFrac distances by d 14 (P = 0.09), but effects of pre-weaning management were no longer apparent from d 28 through slaughter (P ≥ 0.28). Similarly random forest modeling was able to predict pre-weaning management in initial samples (accuracy: 0.75 ± 0.15). Accuracies decreased over the study period (d 14: 0.58 ± 0.07; d 28: 0.50 ± 0.15; slaughter: 0.45 ± 0.07), whereas model performance improved for prediction of diet (d 14: 0.83 ± 0.15; d 28: 0.87 ± 0.12; slaughter: 0.97 ± 0.07). The most important feature in predicting pre-weaning management at initial sampling belonged to Ruminococcus, and 9 ASV assigned to Prevotella were among the most important features in the model. Five features were present in the top 20 most important features for both the initial and finishing models, and included ASV assigned to Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium. These results illustrated continued impacts of early-life management on ruminal microbiome composition at the beginning of the finishing period, even though CR and AR lambs had been adapted to the same diet for more than 1 mo. While pre-weaning effects were muted over the course of finishing as diet became the predominant factor, the influence of early-life management was still detectable by the end of the finishing period.

Quaia, the Gaia-unWISE Quasar Catalog: An All-sky Spectroscopic Quasar Sample

We present a new, all-sky quasar catalog, Quaia, that samples the largest comoving volume of any existing spectroscopic quasar sample. The catalog draws on the 6,649,162 quasar candidates identified by the Gaia mission that have redshift estimates from the space observatory’s low-resolution blue photometer/red photometer spectra. This initial sample is highly homogeneous and complete, but has low purity, and 18% of even the bright (G < 20.0) confirmed quasars have discrepant redshift estimates (∣Δz/(1 + z)∣ > 0.2) compared to those from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). In this work, we combine the Gaia candidates with unWISE infrared data (based on the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer survey) to construct a catalog useful for cosmological and astrophysical quasar studies. We apply cuts based on proper motions and colors, reducing the number of contaminants by approximately four times. We improve the redshifts by training a k-Nearest Neighbor model on SDSS redshifts, and achieve estimates on the G < 20.0 sample with only 6% (10%) catastrophic errors with ∣Δz/(1 + z)∣ > 0.2 (0.1), a reduction of approximately three times (approximately two times) compared to the Gaia redshifts. The final catalog has 1,295,502 quasars with G < 20.5, and 755,850 candidates in an even cleaner G < 20.0 sample, with accompanying rigorous selection function models. We compare Quaia to existing quasar catalogs, showing that its large effective volume makes it a highly competitive sample for cosmological large-scale structure analyses. The catalog is publicly available at 10.5281/zenodo.10403370.

Research on aircraft skin rivet detection technology based on the normal vector-density clustering algorithm.

Riveting quality is crucial to an aircraft's overall aerodynamic performance and fatigue life. In order to effectively extract the point cloud of rivet heads and analyze the quality of riveting, this paper proposes a rivet flushness detection method based on the normal vector-density clustering algorithm. First, initial point cloud data sampling is based on normal vectors. Then, the density clustering algorithm is employed to cluster and extract the point cloud of rivet heads. Subsequently, the obtained point cloud of rivet heads is subjected to the random sample consensus algorithm for fitting the contour and obtaining the model parameters of the rivet head. The paper introduces a quality detection metric to describe the flushness of the rivet head. Finally, the proposed method is applied to analyze the skin and theoretical model point cloud data of rivets. The results demonstrate that the proposed method yields small errors and high accuracy compared to theoretical values. The method is further employed for quality detection and analysis of rivet flushness in practical aircraft engineering. A visualization system for rivet flushness quality detection is developed to represent the results visually. This system enhances the intuitive identification of rivet detection outcomes. Therefore, the proposed method holds significant engineering application value in rivet flushness detection.

The Effect of Ultrasound on the Extraction and Functionality of Proteins from Duckweed (Lemna minor).

The inclusion of protein in the regular human diet is important for the prevention of several chronic diseases. In the search for novel alternative protein sources, plant-based proteins are widely explored from a sustainable and ecological point of view. Duckweed (Lemna minor), also known as water lentil, is an aquatic plant with potential applications for human consumption due to its protein content and carbohydrate contents. Among all the conventional and novel protein extraction methods, the utilization of ultrasound has attracted the attention of scientists because of its effects on improving protein extraction and its functionalities. In this work, a Box-Behnken experimental design was proposed to optimize the alkaline extraction of protein from duckweed. In addition, an exploration of the effects of ultrasound on the morphological, structural, and functional properties of the extracted protein was also addressed. The optimal extraction parameters were a pH of 11.5 and an ultrasound amplitude and processing time of 60% and 20 min, respectively. These process conditions doubled the protein content extracted in comparison to the value from the initial duckweed sample. Furthermore, the application of ultrasound during the extraction of protein generated changes in the FTIR spectra, color, and structure of the duckweed protein, which resulted in improvements in its solubility, emulsifying properties, and foaming capacity.

Criterion-Related Validity of Consumer-Wearable Activity Trackers for Estimating Steps in Primary Schoolchildren under Controlled Conditions: Fit-Person Study.

The purposes were to examine the criterion-related validity of the steps estimated by consumer-wearable activity trackers (wrist-worn activity trackers: Fitbit Ace 2, Garmin Vivofit Jr, and Xiomi Mi Band 5; smartphone applications: Pedometer, Pedometer Pacer Health, and Google Fit/Apple Health) and their comparability in primary schoolchildren under controlled conditions. An initial sample of 66 primary schoolchildren (final sample = 56; 46.4% females), aged 9-12 years old (mean = 10.4 ± 1.0 years), wore three wrist-worn activity trackers (Fitbit Ace 2, Garmin Vivofit Jr 2, and Xiaomi Mi Band 5) on their non-dominant wrist and had three applications in two smartphones (Pedometer, Pedometer Pacer Health, and Google Fit/Apple Health for Android/iOS installed in Samsung Galaxy S20+/iPhone 11 Pro Max) in simulated front trouser pockets. Primary schoolchildren's steps estimated by the consumer-wearable activity trackers and the video-based counting independently by two researchers (gold standard) were recorded while they performed a 200-meter course in slow, normal and brisk pace walking, and running conditions. Results showed that the criterion-related validity of the step scores estimated by the three Samsung applications and the Garmin Vivofit Jr 2 were good-excellent in the four walking/running conditions (e.g., MAPE = 0.6-2.3%; lower 95% CI of the ICC = 0.81-0.99), as well as being comparable. However, the Apple applications, Fitbit Ace 2, and Xiaomi Mi Band 5 showed poor criterion-related validity and comparability on some walking/running conditions (e.g., lower 95% CI of the ICC < 0.70). Although, as in real life primary schoolchildren also place their smartphones in other parts (e.g., schoolbags, hands or even somewhere away from the body), the criterion-related validity of the Garmin Vivofit Jr 2 potentially would be considerably higher than that of the Samsung applications. The findings of the present study highlight the potential of the Garmin Vivofit Jr 2 for monitoring primary schoolchildren's steps under controlled conditions.

Heat 'n Beat: A Universal High-Throughput End-to-End Proteomics Sample Processing Platform in under an Hour.

Proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry of small (≤2 mg) solid tissue samples from diverse formats requires high throughput and comprehensive proteome coverage. We developed a nearly universal, rapid, and robust protocol for sample preparation, suitable for high-throughput projects that encompass most cell or tissue types. This end-to-end workflow extends from original sample to loading the mass spectrometer and is centered on a one-tube homogenization and digestion method called Heat 'n Beat (HnB). It is applicable to most tissues, regardless of how they were fixed or embedded. Sample preparation was divided into separate challenges. The initial sample washing and final peptide cleanup steps were adapted to three tissue sources: fresh frozen (FF), optimal cutting temperature (OCT) compound embedded (FF-OCT), and formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE). Third, for core processing, tissue disruption and lysis were decreased to a 7 min heat and homogenization treatment, and reduction, alkylation, and proteolysis were optimized into a single step. The refinements produced near doubled peptide yield when compared to our earlier method ABLE delivered a consistently high digestion efficiency of 85-90%, reported by ProteinPilot, and required only 38 min for core processing in a single tube, with the total processing time being 53-63 min. The robustness of HnB was demonstrated on six organ types, a cell line, and a cancer biopsy. Its suitability for high-throughput applications was demonstrated on a set of 1171 FF-OCT human cancer biopsies, which were processed for end-to-end completion in 92 h, producing highly consistent peptide yield and quality for over 3513 MS runs.

Conjoint Application of Lime, Organics, Inorganic Fertilizers, and Bio-fertilizers Increases Groundnut Productivity, Available Phosphorus and Microbial Biomass Phosphorus in Acidic Soil of Tripura, India

In Tripura, India the soil productivity is less due to its light texture, acidic in nature, low fertility status, low microbial activity. Thus, a field experiment on groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was carried out on acidic soil of Khowai district of Tripura during 2017 and 2018 to evaluate the impact of the application of various combinations of lime, farm yard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), and rhizobium with the recommended doses of NPK on groundnut productivity, available phosphorus (P) and microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) content of acidic experimental soil. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design (RBD) with 13 treatments with various combinations of application of lime, farm yard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), and rhizobium with the recommended doses (RD) of NPK, each having 3 replications. Both initial and post-harvest soil samples were collected and analyzed to estimate the available P and MBP content. Results indicated that the use of the different combinations of the RD of NPK accompanied by the application of lime, organic manure (FYM or PM) and seed treatment with Rhizobium significantly increased available P and MBP content in the post-harvest soil which has resulted in increased seed yield of groundnut compared to the RD of NPK alone. Again, the use of RD of NPK @ 20:60:40 kg ha-1 conjointly with lime (@ 1/5th LR), PM (@ 5 t ha-1), and treating the seeds with Rhizobium @ 20 g kg-1 of seed might be recommended to the growers in achieving higher groundnut productivity with better return in acid soil of Tripura, India, as it showed maximum enhancement in groundnut productivity as well as available P2O5 content in post-harvest soil.

Community and individual socioeconomic inequalities and dental caries from childhood to adolescence: A 10-year cohort study.

To evaluate the effect of individual and contextual socioeconomic inequalities in the occurrence of untreated dental caries during the transition from childhood to adolescence. This 10-year prospective cohort study followed up an initial sample of 639 1-5 years old schoolchildren from southern Brazil. After 7 and 10 years from the baseline (T1), two other reassessments were conducted (T2 and T3), respectively. Untreated dental caries was measured through the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS- scores 3, 5 and 6) at T1 and T3. Socioeconomic status (SES) at the contextual and individual level was assessed at T1. At T2, socioeconomic, behavioural and psychosocial characteristics were evaluated as possible pathways of explanation. Structural equation modelling was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects among the variables over 10 years. A total of 429 adolescents were reevaluated at 10-year follow-up (cohort retention rate of 67.1%). About 30.6% presented untreated dental caries at T3. Low individual SES at T1 directly impacted a higher occurrence of dental caries at T3. Non-white skin colour at T1 also indirectly impacted a higher occurrence of dental caries at T3 through low individual SES at T1 and lower household income at T2. Contextual SES did not predict, directly or indirectly, dental caries at T3. There is strong evidence that socioeconomic inequalities at the individual level play an important role on the occurrence of dental caries from childhood to adolescence. On the other hand, there was no evidence that contextual SES influences the occurrence of dental caries over time.

Surface integrity and fatigue behavior of AISI 4340 steel after hybrid laser-ultrasonic assisted ball burnishing process

The final surface modification processes enhance the fatigue strength, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of the workpiece by improving the surface quality, enhancing the microhardness, generating compressive residual stresses on the surface, and creating favorable changes in the microstructure. In this regard, using processes with different mechanisms is regarded as an optimal method to increase the efficiency of the final surface modification processes. This research seeks to experimentally investigate the hybrid laser-ultrasonic assisted ball burnishing (LUAB) process and its effect on the surface integrity and fatigue strength of 4340 alloy steel. The effect of the process on the sample’s microstructure was evaluated by the images obtained from the optical microscope and SEM. Further, the parameters of mean surface roughness and microhardness, as well as the results of the uniaxial tensile test and fatigue test of the workpiece were evaluated. In the case of using appropriate parameters in the process, the results indicated a 93.38% reduction in mean surface roughness and an increase of surface microhardness by 3.4 times compared to the initial sample. Additionally, the investigation of microstructure revealed the accessibility of homogeneous and refinement martensitic structures without surface melting. The results of uniaxial tensile and fatigue tests indicated a 6.29% increase in tensile strength and a 20.71% increase in the endurance limit of the treated sample (LUAB) compared to the initial sample. Finally, the results also showed a change in the fracture mode in the uniaxial tensile test and a reduction in the final fracture area in the fatigue test.

Safety, feasibility, and impact on the gut microbiome of kefir administration in critically ill adults

BackgroundDysbiosis of the gut microbiome is frequent in the intensive care unit (ICU), potentially leading to a heightened risk of nosocomial infections. Enhancing the gut microbiome has been proposed as a strategic approach to mitigate potential adverse outcomes. While prior research on select probiotic supplements has not successfully shown to improve gut microbial diversity, fermented foods offer a promising alternative. In this open-label phase I safety and feasibility study, we examined the safety and feasibility of kefir as an initial step towards utilizing fermented foods to mitigate gut dysbiosis in critically ill patients.MethodsWe administered kefir in escalating doses (60 mL, followed by 120 mL after 12 h, then 240 mL daily) to 54 critically ill patients with an intact gastrointestinal tract. To evaluate kefir’s safety, we monitored for gastrointestinal symptoms. Feasibility was determined by whether patients received a minimum of 75% of their assigned kefir doses. To assess changes in the gut microbiome composition following kefir administration, we collected two stool samples from 13 patients: one within 72 h of admission to the ICU and another at least 72 h after the first stool sample.ResultsAfter administering kefir, none of the 54 critically ill patients exhibited signs of kefir-related bacteremia. No side effects like bloating, vomiting, or aspiration were noted, except for diarrhea in two patients concurrently on laxatives. Out of the 393 kefir doses prescribed for all participants, 359 (91%) were successfully administered. We were able to collect an initial stool sample from 29 (54%) patients and a follow-up sample from 13 (24%) patients. Analysis of the 26 paired samples revealed no increase in gut microbial α-diversity between the two timepoints. However, there was a significant improvement in the Gut Microbiome Wellness Index (GMWI) by the second timepoint (P = 0.034, one-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank test); this finding supports our hypothesis that kefir administration can improve gut health in critically ill patients. Additionally, the known microbial species in kefir were found to exhibit varying levels of engraftment in patients’ guts.ConclusionsProviding kefir to critically ill individuals is safe and feasible. Our findings warrant a larger evaluation of kefir’s safety, tolerability, and impact on gut microbiome dysbiosis in patients admitted to the ICU.Trial registrationNCT05416814; trial registered on June 13, 2022.

Improved flux linkage observer for position estimation of permanent magnet synchronous linear motor

Abstract. With the development of motor technology, sensorless control attracts more and more attention. In this paper, an improved flux linkage observer is proposed to overcome issues including inaccurate initial positions and sampling noise. The voltage and current models are combined, and a sliding-mode observer is designed based on the hybrid model to obtain the compensation voltage. Therefore, the estimated flux linkage after compensation can greatly resist the influence caused by inaccurate initial positions or sampling noise. Phase-locked loop technology is used to process the estimated flux linkage to get the stable estimated speed and position. The proposed scheme has a simple structure and only one parameter. It is easy to use and adjust in practice. The simulation and experimental results verify that the proposed algorithm is effective, and the estimated flux linkage and position is accurate with an inaccurate initial position.

Modelling the mechanical behaviour of clay using particle-scale simulations

This paper demonstrates the latest developments in particle-scale modelling of a clay. It shows that by creating an initial sample of platelets featuring aggregated stacks, excellent macroscopic behaviour is achieved. This approach is justified by examining SEM images of clay slurries, and is consistent with the behaviour of real clays. The use of aggregated stacks allows a wider range of platelet interactions and micro properties to be simulated and investigated, and significantly, enables interactions to be modelled that are based on a range of real measurements obtained from surface force experiments.Graphical

Testing the Biodegradability and Biodegradation Rate of Bio-based Film Products in Composting Environment

Bio-based film products have a considerable interest as a replacement for petroleum synthetic polymers of plastics. They are manufactured with a blend of corn starch such as Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) and Poly Butylene Adipate-co-Terephthalate (PBAT) based raw materials that have been specifically engineered to facilitate the process of biodegradation and compost ability. Hence, biodegradable polymers have been regarded as a promising solution to tackle the pollution caused by the wide use of conventional polymers. As the main responsible institute for integrating environmental considerations into the country‘s development process, the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka has taken an action to ban food wrappers (lunch sheets) made from conventional polymers in Sri Lanka. Thus, this study was to determine the biodegradability of bioplastic materials lunch sheets, available on the Sri Lankan market that are labeled as 100% biodegradable but not certified as compostable. The other specific objectives are to identify the biodegradability rate of each brand of lunch sheets, categorize those lunch sheets according to their biodegradability and finally get an idea to determine the optimum conditions for the biodegradation of a bio- based lunch sheet. In this study, the test was carried out in a controlled composting environment located in Gampaha–Dompe Green Park. Three different brands of biodegradable bio-based film products were tested together with cellulose paper as the positive control and nonbiodegradable lunch sheet (LDPE) as the negative control. The project length was 15 weeks. Samples were placed into frames which are made of wooden slats as width=280 mm, length=340 mm and height=50 mm and a 1x1 mm polyethylene mesh was fixed onto the frames. The methodology adopted was based on the study conducted in the Czech Republic in 2016. The emphasis was put on discovering whether bio-based film products are biodegradable or not. The biodegradability of each bio-based film product was tested using Visual inspection; the decomposed samples were inspected visually comparing with initial samples, Weight loss measurement; the initial weight and the weight after decomposition were measured using an analytical balance, FTIR and TGA analysis. Furthermore, the quality of the compost was analyzed using quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, moisture, organic carbon%, nitrogen%, phosphorous%, potassium%, C/N ratio and S. The visual inspection of Sample C revealed large cracks and porous structure than Sample A and Sample B. Positive control was completely digested and the negative control stayed as it is. According to the weight loss measurement analysis, the positive control totally degraded and degradation order was Sample C&gt;Sample A&gt;Sample B. The TGA only suggested a partial degradation of samples. FTIR analysis indicated that the positive control was totally biodegradable, Sample B and sample C partially biodegradable and Sample A and negative control were not biodegradable. Based on the results it can be concluded that bio- based film products have not decomposed completely but their color, texture changed. Sample B exhibited the highest degradation rate and exhibited a high degree ofdecomposition. The degradation rate can be summarized as Positive control&gt;Sample B&gt;Sample C&gt;Sample A&gt; Negative Control respectively. The main conclusion from this study is that the biodegradation of bioplastics materials strongly depends on both the environment in which they are placed and the chemical nature of the material. &#x0D; Keywords: Biodegradation, Biobased film products, Composting environment

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Seismic Performance of RC Moment Resisting Frames

The rehabilitation of concrete structures has been a subject of extensive investigation, exploring various facets. One such avenue involves the incorporation of fiber additives into concrete materials. In parallel, the construction of reinforced concrete structures inevitably encounters construction errors, necessitating constant efforts from researchers to devise solutions for mitigating their impact. In the context of this research, a series of experiments was conducted involving the construction and testing of five reinforced concrete moment-resisting frames. The initial sample served as the control, while two additional samples were integrated with polypropylene and metal fibers. The subsequent two samples deliberately introduced a manufacturing error through the application of air-entraining admixture materials at the beam-to-column connection. This deliberate error aimed to assess the influence of additive fibers on frames affected by manufacturing errors. Several critical parameters were subjected to evaluation, including ultimate strength, stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and strength reduction factor. The results of these assessments demonstrated that the utilization of additive fibers contributes to an enhanced overall performance of the frames, as inferred from the aforementioned seismic parameters. Furthermore, it was established that the incorporation of these additive fibers substantially alleviates the impact of manufacturing errors on moment-resisting reinforced concrete frames. Although a significant reduction in energy dissipation capacity was observed in samples with manufacturing errors, the other seismic parameters remained relatively unaffected. Subsequently, numerical models were generated in ABAQUS software to validate the experimental findings, and their outcomes were compared with the results derived from the physical experiments.

Forecasting model of building energy consumption based on parallel Kriging sampling algorithm

Parallel Kriging sampling approach (PEIGF) with minimum computing resourcesis proposed to promote the speed ofbuilding energy consumption. In each iteration of PEIGF, the initial sample point is obtained by maximizing the standard expected improvement global fit (EIGF) criterion andthe parallel EIGF function is constructed to obtain multiple new sample points by maximizing the PEIGF criterion. Performance of PEIGF is evaluated by comparing the obtained results with four other existing sequence approaches and four artificial intelligence (AI) based models. Theresults reveal that PEIGF stands out for most of the test cases with goodpredictive accuracy and computing efficiency. PEIGF runs 4.7–11.6 times, 5.1–12.4 times, 5.0–14.8 times, and 19.7–158.6 times faster than thoseof combined expectation (CE), EIGF, expected improvement for global fit based on gradient (EIGFG) and maximum mean square error (MMSE) sampling.Itobtains the least root mean squared errors for energy consumption prediction, and reduces the total number of samples by 14.9% (heating load) and 14.1% (cooling load), as well as 16.7%compared with other four AI-based models.It isprovento bea promising technique toplan low-cost energy managementandfacilitate early designs or renovation of energy conserving buildings.