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Water is vital for life, and without it, biomolecules and cells cannot maintain their structures and functions. The remarkable properties of water originate from its ability to form hydrogen-bonding networks and dynamics, which the connectivity constantly alters because of the orientation rotation of individual water molecules. Experimental investigation of the dynamics of water, however, has proven challenging due to the strong absorption of water at terahertz frequencies. In response, by employing a high-precision terahertz spectrometer, we have measured and characterized the terahertz dielectric response of water from supercooled liquid to near the boiling point to explore the motions. The response reveals dynamic relaxation processes corresponding to the collective orientation, single-molecule rotation, and structural rearrangements resulting from breaking and reforming hydrogen bonds in water. We have observed the direct relationship between the macroscopic and microscopic relaxation dynamics of water, and the results have provided evidence of two liquid forms in water with different transition temperatures and thermal activation energies. The results reported here thus provide an unprecedented opportunity to directly test microscopic computational models of water dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents research results on building a model to reproduce ship vibrations based on a parallel robot with 6 degrees of freedom on the Gough-Stewart platform. Vibration data at the ship's center of gravity, calculated by simulation software, will be inputted into the model. The regenerative control system uses a simple PID controller to control input trajectory tracking. Simulation results on Matlab/Simulink software have demonstrated the reproduction of ship vibrations within the allowable error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: It has been confirmed that the aerial intelligent reflecting surface (AIRS) can dramatically improve the coverage and quality of service of wireless communication systems. This paper proposes to exploit an AIRS to enhance the physical layer security (PLS) of wireless communication systems. In particular, the AIRS flies at convenient positions for enhancing legitimate channel gain and reducing eavesdropping channel gain. Moreover, the worst‐case security is determined where the legitimate user is affected by hardware impairments (HIs) while the eavesdropper hardware is ideal (ID). The analytical expression of secrecy outage probability (SOP) of the considered systems (referred to as the AIRS‐HI systems) is derived over realistic Nakagami‐ m channels recommended for application in the fifth and beyond generations (5G & B5G). To clarify the behaviors of the considered systems, the asymptotic expressions of signal‐to‐distortion‐plus‐noise ratio (SDNR) at the legitimate user, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) at the eavesdropper, and SOP are also provided. Monte‐Carlo simulations are employed to confirm the accuracy of the derived theorem. Numerical results confirm that the SOP of the AIRS‐HI systems is dramatically higher than the SOP of the AIRS‐ID systems. In other words, a strong effect of HIs on the SOP of the AIRS‐HI systems is clearly indicated. Consequently, utilizing the high transmit power is not an effective solution to improve the secrecy performance of the AIRS‐HI systems. In contrast, it is essential to employ an appropriate transmit power tailored to the specific system parameters. Furthermore, the considerable advantages of incorporating AIRS are demonstrated through a comparison between the SOPs of AIRS‐HI systems and HI systems lacking AIRS. Additionally, a comprehensive examination of AIRS‐HI system behaviors is conducted by varying various system parameters, including the predefined secrecy rate, HI level, the number of reflecting elements (REs) in AIRS, WiFi network frequency, AIRS altitude, bandwidth, and channel fading order. These observations lead to the identification of numerous recommended solutions for enhancing the SOP performance of the considered AIRS‐HI systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article evaluates performance metrics in terms of outage probability (OP), throughput, and energy efficiency (EE) of the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) assisted full-duplex (FD) wireless communication systems under the joint and separate effects of imperfect conditions such as residual transceiver hardware impairments (RTHIs) and residual self-interferences (SIs). More specifically, we derive the exact formulas of OP, throughput, and EE of the RSI-aided-FD systems with the joint effects of RTHIs and residual SIs. From the obtained expressions, it is easy to formulate the formulas of the relevant systems such as RIS-aided-FD systems without RTHIs and RIS-aided-half-duplex (HD) systems without and with RTHIs. Numerical illustrations clarify the huge impacts of RTHIs and residual SIs on the OP, throughput, and EE of the RIS-aided-FD systems, especially in the high data rate. In this situation, utilizing a large number of reflecting elements (REs) can dramatically enhance the OP, throughput, and EE performance of the RIS-aided-FD systems with RTHIs and residual SIs. Finally, the derived formulas are validated by using Monte-Carlo simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In practice, hardware impairments (HIs) often exist in wireless devices, especially in low‐cost device systems. However, previous reports usually ignored HIs due to the computational complexity in mathematical derivations, particularly in millimeter‐wave (mmWave) communications. This article proposes the usage of transmit antenna selection (TAS) and multiple reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) to address HIs in mmWave communications. In particular, TAS is utilized at the source to increase the received signal power at the destination and reduce the effects of HIs. Multiple channel gains from RISs are combined with the classical source‐destination channel gain at the destination. The symbol error probability (SEP) expression of the mmWave communications with TAS and RISs under the effects of HIs (shortened as the TAS‐RISs‐HIs communications) is formulated over Nakagami‐ m channels and verified through Monte Carlo simulations. The effects of HIs on the SEP of TAS‐RISs‐HIs communications are demonstrated through numerical illustrations. Specifically, the SEP of the TAS‐RISs‐HIs communications is significantly higher than the SEP of the ideal hardware communications with TAS and RISs, especially in the high transmit power regime. As a result, ignoring HIs when evaluating the SEP of the mmWave communications can result in some inappropriate conclusions. Moreover, the joint and separate advantages of TAS and RISs are thoroughly analyzed when comparing the SEPs in the cases with and without TAS, with and without RISs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by combining the inertial technique and the gradient descent method with Polyak's stepsizes, we propose a novel inertial self-adaptive gradient algorithm to solve the split feasibility problem in Hilbert spaces and prove some strong and weak convergence theorems of our method under standard assumptions. We examine the performance of our method on the sparse recovery problem beside an example in an infinite dimensional Hilbert space with synthetic data and give some numerical results to show the potential applicability of the proposed method and comparisons with related methods emphasize it further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Population ageing and the associated increase in the healthcare needs of older people are putting pressure on the healthcare system in Viet Nam. The country prioritizes healthcare for older people and has developed financial protection policies to mitigate financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health expenditures (OOPHEs) borne by their households. This study examines the level and determinants of the financial burden of OOPHE among households with people aged ≥ 60 years in Viet Nam.Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted among a sample of 1536 older people living in 1477 households in three provinces representing the North, Central and South regions of Viet Nam during 2019-2020. The financial outcomes were catastrophic health expenditure (CHE), using WHO's definition, and financial distress due to OOPHE. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the factors associated with these outcomes.Results: OOPHE for older household members accounted for 86.3% of total household health expenditure. Of households with older people, 8.6% (127) faced CHE, and 12.2% (181) experienced financial distress due to OOPHE. Households were at a higher risk of incurring financial burdens related to health expenditures if they had fewer household members; included only older people; were in rural or remote, mountainous areas; and had older members with noncommunicable diseases. There was no significant association between health insurance coverage and financial burden. However, when older people sought tertiary care or private care, the possibility of a household facing CHE increased. Regardless of the type and level of care, health service utilization by older people results in a higher likelihood of a household encountering financial distress.Conclusions: This study reveals that OOPHE for older people can impose substantial financial burdens on households, leading them to face CHE and financial distress. This study provides evidence to justify reforming financial protection policies and introducing policy interventions targeted at better protecting older people and their households from the financial consequences of OOPHE. There is also the need to strengthen the grassroots health facilities to provide primary care closer to home at lower costs, particularly for the management of noncommunicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, flexural wave impulse response (IR) tests, which provide better accessibility for inspecting the partially exposed foundations of in-service bridges or buildings, are not used for frequency analysis due to the dispersion characteristics of bending waves at low frequencies. Despite a drawback at low frequencies, both the velocity and frequency span become constant in the high-frequency range. This article uses frequency spectrum-based analysis to evaluate the lengths of three partially embedded model concrete piles subject to lateral impact. The empirical mode decomposition (EMD) approach is used to determine the lower bound frequency, where two requirements, ie constant velocity and regular frequency span, can be fulfilled in order to apply the one-dimensional (1D) wave concept at high frequencies. Beyond the lower bound frequency, the 1D wave concept is reasonably used to predict the pile lengths, with an estimated error below 5% based on frequency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of the wear of high-speed steel cutting tools modified mechanochemically by shot peening their rake faces with a mixture of Al2O3 and Cu2S particles. This treatment has been recently proved to reduce cutting forces significantly, but little is known about the wear resistance of the modified tools. To pave the way for practical implementation of this technology, here we bridge this gap. Orthogonal cutting tests performed under base oil lubrication demonstrate at least a twofold increase in the tool life compared to the untreated references. This is attributed to the formation of iron sulfide and its ability to retain oil at the cutting interface, which results in lower stresses and temperature. This environmentally friendly technique shows good potential to lower manufacturing costs, reduce energy consumption, and improve machining quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Fe3O4 nanoparticles are prepared by the co‐precipitation method. γ‐Fe2O3 and α‐Fe2O3 nanoparticles are obtained by calcining Fe3O4 nanoparticles for 6 h at 200 and 600 °C. The physicochemical properties of the prepared nanoparticles are investigated by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda methods. The gas sensors based on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) coated with Fe3O4, γ‐Fe2O3, and α‐Fe2O3 nanoparticles are fabricated and analyzed. The as‐fabricated QCM sensors displayed a high capability for detecting SO2 at room temperature. Among the sensors, the γ‐Fe2O3 nanoparticles coated QCM sensor exhibited the best response. Moreover, the sensor shows good repeatability and long‐term stability. The correlation between the phase composition of the iron oxide nanoparticles and SO2 sensing performance is also discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comprehensive exploration of the synergy between transmit antenna selection (TAS) and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) in millimeter-wave (MW) communication systems, considering the impact of practical conditions. Notably, it accounts for imperfect transceiver hardware (ITH) at both the transmitter and receiver. Additionally, real-world channel models and receiver noise statistics are integrated into the analysis, providing a realistic representation of wireless systems in future networks. Mathematical formulas of outage probability (OP) and system throughput (ST) of the multi-RIS-assisted MW communications with ITH and TAS (shortened as the considered communications) are derived for analyzing the system behaviors. These formulas facilitate a comprehensive examination of system behavior. Through a series of comparative scenarios, including evaluations of OP and ST with and without TAS, with and without RISs, and with and without ITH (where the absence of ITH is denoted as perfect transceiver hardware, or PTH), the study substantiates the substantial advantages of TAS and RISs while shedding light on the significant influence of ITH. It is demonstrated that even in the presence of ITH, MW communication performance can be dramatically enhanced by optimizing the number of transmit antennas, selecting suitable carrier frequencies and RIS placements, and utilizing appropriate bandwidth. Ultimately, the derived formulas are rigorously validated through Monte-Carlo simulations, reinforcing the credibility of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot-scale experiment was conducted within an improved extensive pond to evaluate the efficiency of co-culturing black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and red seaweed (Gracilaria tenuistipitata) at different densities with partially reduced feed rations. Six treatments were established at random in triplicate with three stocking densities (2, 4, and 6 ind. m−2), and each density monocultured with either a 100% feed ration or co-cultured with red seaweed and a 50% feed ration. The culture system consisted of eighteen net enclosures (16 m2 each) installed in an improved extensive pond. After 4 months of culture, the growth rates of the shrimp decreased with increasing stocking density and shrimp yields at densities of 4 and 6 ind. m−2 were similar to each other (p > 0.05) and significantly higher (p < 0.05) than at a density of 2 ind. m−2. Notably, the growth rates, survival, and yield of shrimp in co-culture receiving a 50% feed ration were comparable to, and feed conversion ratio and feed cost were much lower than those in monoculture receiving a 100% feed ration at the same stocking density. The proximate composition of the shrimp meat in terms of moisture and protein levels was nearly equivalent in all treatments, while co-culture groups had lower lipid and higher ash content than monoculture groups. The results revealed that a co-culture of black tiger shrimp and red seaweed at a density of 4 ind. m−2 with a 50% feed ration maintained normal growth and increased shrimp yield while saving 40.45% of feed costs compared with monoculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a combination of solid mechanics and reaction kinetics models, this work simulates a mechanochemical reaction in dual shot peening with a mixture of Al2O3 and Cu2S particles used to form a tribologically beneficial iron sulfide layer on treated surfaces. The model predicts that the dissociation of the Fe-Fe and Cu-S bonds needed for the formation of Fe-S bonds accelerates monotonically with an increase in the shot peening particle speed, whereas its rate reaches a local maximum at the impact angle of about 75 deg. The latter finding is validated by treating the rake faces of high-speed steel cutting tools and performing orthogonal cutting experiments in which the tools peened at the impact angle of 75 deg exhibit lower cutting and thrust forces than those peened at 40 deg. Additional peening parameters, namely, the particle volume ratio and the stage speed, are found to be much less statistically significant under the conditions tested. The developed approach may be instrumental in guiding process optimization to improve the tribological performance of mechanochemically treated surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been various researches regarding routing in wireless sensor networks for many years, but underground wireless communication in complex environments like soil-air or water-air is a new and tough problem for researchers. Replacement of the battery of sensor nodes is already a challenging task under normal conditions. However, the difficulty increases significantly when deploying them in environments like cultivation soils; therefore maintaining the network lifetime as well as the total number of living nodes in such an adverse setting is a challenging task for researchers. In this paper, we propose a new energy-efficient routing model in wireless underground sensor networks (WUSN) that considers the path loss energy of the energy model and the energy efficiency of the total network. The proposed FCM-WUSN model is compared against the well-known fuzzy routing method namely FCM in terms of network lifetime, energy consumption, total node alive, and underground node alive. It has been observed that the network lifetime of the proposed method is 1.5 × longer than that of the FCM, and the number of alive nodes including the underground nodes are 1.6 × higher than that of the FCM. The results are better even when running data sets with more sensors in the network and sensor positioning based on the depth of sensors deployed underground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gantry crane, positioned atop the bridge pier cap for the installation of Super-T girders, is a specialized construction unit within the bridge construction industry. The article presents a summary of research results investigating dynamic parameters and their influence on the operation of gantry cranes with assembled structures on the cap of bridge piers, serving the installation of Super-T beams in two scenarios: lifting with pre-stressed cable and moving with load (Super-T beam). To examine the dynamic parameters affecting the operation of the gantry crane, the authors first constructed a dynamic model. Subsequently, the influential parameters were determined, and the Matlab Simulink software was employed to develop a survey model corresponding to different values of each parameter and under various working conditions of the gantry crane. This process aimed to identify patterns and unfavorable values of these parameters affecting the operation of the gantry crane. The research results revealed that in both scenarios of lifting with pre-stressed cable and moving with a load (loading), factors such as lifting speed (Vn), stiffness of the main steel structure (S3), conversion stiffness of the lifting cable (S1), oscillation mass of the main structure (m3), wind load acting on the beam (Pg2), wind load acting on the main steel structure (Pg1), and stiffness of the hanging cable (S1) significantly influence the operation of the gantry crane. The survey results also indicated reasonable values for these influential factors during the operation of the gantry crane. The obtained research results can serve as a basis for computational design problems and effective utilization of gantry cranes with assembled structures on the cap of bridge piers for the installation of Super-T beams. Through analysis and simulation using Matlab-Simulink software, specific data on cable tension, main structure acceleration, and structural deformation were collected. The results emphasize the importance of limiting the lifting speed to 2 m/min to ensure stability during cable tensioned lifting and restricting the crane's moving speed to 7.85 m/min to maintain safety and performance when moving loads with tensioned cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a long period of use, some important technical parameters of the main marine diesel engines (MDE) gradually become worse, such as the turbine speed, intake pressure, exhaust temperature, engine power, and specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC). This paper studies the affections of the turbine nozzle cross-sectional area (AT) to MDE and presents a method of AT adjustment to improve the performances of MDE. A mathematical model of an engine was built based on the existent engine construction and the theory of the diesel engine working cycle and the simulation was programmed by Matlab/Simulink. This simulation model accuracy was evaluated through the comparison of simulation results and experimental data of the MDE. The accuracy testing results were acceptable (within 5%). The influences of AT on the engine working parameters and the finding optimization point were conducted by using the simulation program to study. The predicted optimization point of the nozzle was used to improve the engine’s performances on board. The integration of the simulation and experiment studies showed its effectiveness in the practical application of the marine diesel engine field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of seaweeds (extractive, low-footprint species) into aquaculture systems has been considered an alternative approach for the sustainable development of the shrimp industry, which aims to expand in an environmentally friendly way. Two consecutive experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of integrating various densities of black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon post-larvae (PL) and red seaweed Gracilaria tenuistipitata on water quality and shrimp performance in the nursery phase. The first experiment involved a 3 × 4 factorial design with three levels of shrimp density (1000; 2000 and 3000 PL m−3) and four levels of red seaweed density (0, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kg m−3) randomly allocated in triplicate tanks for 30 days. Shrimp PL (with a mean weight of 0.012 ± 0.002 g and length of 1.12 ± 0.09 cm) and red seaweed were reared in 150 L tanks at a salinity of 15 g L−1. Significant synergistic effects between shrimp and seaweed densities were observed for the NO3− total nitrogen (TN) and PO43− contents, as well as for the survival (p < 0.05) and production of shrimp (p < 0.01). The integration of shrimp and red seaweed significantly decreased the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in the rearing tanks and greatly enhanced the survival and growth rate of shrimp. In particular, increased stocking density resulted in poorer growth performance but enhanced production. Applying stocking densities of 1000 and 2000 PL m−3 obtained larger shrimp size, while a density of 3000 PL m−3 achieved the highest production output in the integrated system. In the second experiment, which followed the 30-day growth trial, shrimp quality was assessed via an immersion challenge test using pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus (a concentration of 2 × 108 CFU mL−1) on the shrimp groups previously stocked at a density of 3000 PL m−3 and integrated with different quantities of seaweed. After 14 days of challenge, the cumulative mortality in the monoculture system averaged 75.6%, which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those in the integrated groups (17.8–31.1%). It is concluded that the integration of P. monodon shrimp and G. tenuistipitata improved tank water quality as well as shrimp survival and growth while also enhancing the antibacterial activity of shrimp against V. parahaemolyticus infection in the nursery phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemia culture in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, is becoming more and more important to satisfy the global demands of cyst production. Nevertheless, Artemia cyst productivity in the Mekong Delta has been fluctuating largely due to not only technical inefficiencies and external factors but also farms' characteristics. This study employed a data envelopment analysis to evaluate the production efficiencies in correlation with biological and cost inputs of Artemia culture in Vinh Chau and Bac Lieu located in the Mekong Delta. The key factors affecting technical efficiency (TE) were determined using ordinary least squares regression model. The empirical results indicated that production efficiencies of farms in Vinh Chau and Bac Lieu were similar with metatechnology ratios of 0.97 and 0.96 respectively. About 62.8% of surveyed farms were operating in technically inefficient circumstances. Farmers' experience, educational level and culture technique training participation had positive effects on TE, while climate effects and water problems have been proved to have negative effects on TE. To improve production efficiency, inefficient farms are suggested to have moderately increasing combinations of organic fertilizer, chemical and feed. The use of probiotics should be reduced as it increases production cost and affects TE. Notably, a collaboration of scientists and feed processing companies is recommended to produce a specific formulated feed for Artemia in commercial scales. This study also proposes adaptive policies for local governments and cooperatives to assist coastal famers in the Mekong Delta overcome technical inefficiencies, improve cyst productivity and obtain economic sustainability in Artemia culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a new algorithm which combines the inertial projection and contraction method and the viscosity method for solving monotone variational inequality problems in real Hilbert spaces and prove a strong convergence theorem of our proposed algorithm under the standard assumptions imposed on cost operators. Finally, we give some numerical experiments to illustrate the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including critical engagements with the bureaucratic regime, Jews as refugees in Canada, and runaway slave advertisements as a counter-intuitive resource.

In this paper, we propose a CQ-type algorithm for solving the split feasibility problem (SFP) in real Hilbert spaces. The algorithm is designed such that the step-sizes are directly computed at each iteration. We will show that the sequence generated by the proposed algorithm converges in norm to the minimum-norm solution of the SFP under appropriate conditions. In addition, we give some numerical examples to verify the implementation of our method. Our result improves and complements many known related results in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a new iterative scheme by combining the hyperplane projection method and the inertial technique for constrained equilibrium problems in real Hilbert spaces. The convergence of the proposed algorithm is established without requiring strict paramonotonicity property. The results presented in the paper extend and improve some recent results in the literature. In addition, a numerical example is given to illustrate the efficiency and performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a self-adaptive inertial gradient projection algorithm for solving monotone or strongly pseudomonotone variational inequalities in real Hilbert spaces. The algorithm is designed such that the stepsizes are dynamically chosen and its convergence is guaranteed without the Lipschitz continuity and the paramonotonicity of the underlying operator. We will show that the proposed algorithm yields strong convergence without being combined with the hybrid/viscosity or linesearch methods. Our results improve and develop previously discussed gradient projection-type algorithms by Khanh and Vuong (J. Global Optim. 58, 341–350 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, electrodeposition and electronucleation of cobalt on a glassy carbon electrode from CoCl2·6H2O dissolved in ethylene glycol-based solutions (with and without NaCl as supporting electrolyte) were studied. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry have shown that cobalt can be easily electrodeposited from these nonaqueous solvents through one-step of two electrons with high cathodic efficiencies and insignificant effect of the side reaction. The analyses of current density transients were performed using the three-dimensional nucleation and diffusion-controlled growth model of Co metallic nuclei, to derive kinetic parameters such as nucleation frequency, A, density number of active sites, N0, and diffusion coefficient, D. Characterization methods, such as scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, verified the presence of high-purity (electrodeposited) Co nanoparticles with the hexagonal close-packed structure on the electrode surfaces. It was found that the supporting electrolyte influenced the morphology and size distribution of Co nanoparticles and their preferred growth along the electrodeposition plane. Finally, linear sweep voltammetric curves indicated a strong electrocatalytic activity of cobalt electrodeposited from ethylene glycol-based solutions towards hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline solutions, even better than platinum for the case of cobalt directly electrodeposited from ethylene glycol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early disease prevention by vaccination requires understanding when fry fish develop specific immunity to a given pathogen. In this research, we explored the immune responses of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) at the stages of 35- and 42- days post-hatching (dph) to an immersive heat-killed Streptococcus iniae (Si) vaccine to determine whether fish can produce specific antibodies against the pathogen. The vaccinated fish of each stage (V35 and V42) were immersed with the Si vaccine at 107 CFU/ml for 3 h, whereas the control groups (C35 and C42) were immersed with tryptic soy broth (TSB) in the same manner. Specific antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and post-immunization (i.e., 0, 7, and 14 days post-immunization, dpi). Expression of innate (TNFα and IL-1β) and adaptive (MHCI, MHCII , CD4, CD8, IgM-like, IgT-like, and IgD-like) immune-related genes were evaluated at the same time points with the addition of 1 dpi. The results showed that a subset of immunized fish from both V35 and V42 fry could elicit specific antibodies (IgM) against Si at 14 dpi. All tested innate and adaptive immune genes upregulated at 7 dpi among fish in V35 group. Interestingly, 42 dph fish appeared to respond to the Si vaccine faster than that of 35 dph, as a significant increase in transcripts was observed in CD4 , IL-1β, IgM-like, and IgD-like at 1 dpi; and specific antibody titers of some fish, although not all, were higher than a threshold (p = 0.05) since 7 dpi. In conclusion, this study reveals that 35–42 dph Asian seabass fry can elicit specific immunity to Si immersion vaccine, suggesting that early vaccination of 35 dph fry Asian seabass is feasible. • Immunological response of 35–42 dph Asian seabass fry to Streptococcus iniae immersion vaccine was investigated. • Innate and adaptive immune-related genes (TNFa , IL-1 β , MHCI, MHCII, CD4 , CD8 , IgM - like , IgT - like , and IgD - like) were upregulated post-vaccination. • Asian seabass fry were able to mount anti- S. iniae specific antibodies. • This study suggests that early vaccination of 35–42 dph fry Asian seabass is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve new organoplatinum(II) complexes: [PtCl(Saf)(2-Me-8-OquiN)] (1), [PtCl(Saf)(5,7-Cl2-8-OquiN)] (2), [PtCl(Saf)(5,7-Cl2-2-Me-8-OquiN)] (3), [PtCl(Meteug)(5,7-Cl2-8-OquiN)] (4), [PtCl(Meteug)(5,7-Cl2-2-Me-8-OquiN)] (5), [Pt(Saf-1H)(2-Me-8-OquiN)] (6), [Pt(Saf-1H)(5,7-Cl2-8-OquiN)] (7), [Pt(Saf-1H)(5,7-Cl2-2-Me-8-OquiN)] (8), [Pt(Eteug-1H)(2-Me-8-OquiN)] (9), [Pt(Eteug-1H)(2-OHC-8-OquiN)] (10), [Pt(Eteug-1H)(5,7-Cl2-8-OquiN)] (11) and [Pt(Eteug-1H)(5,7-Cl2-2-Me-8-OquiN)] (12) (Saf: Safrole, Meteug: Methyl eugenoxyacetate, Saf-1H: Deprotonated safrole, Eteug-1H: Deprotonated ethyl eugenoxyacetate, OquiN: substituted quinolin-8-olate) were synthesized. These complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR, for several also by NOESY, MS spectra and 9 by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It is shown that in 1-5 the Pt(II) ion is surrounded by a Cl ion and the ethylenic double bond of the aryl olefin, and by N and O atoms of the 8-OquiN, its donor N is in trans-position in comparison with the ethylenic double bond. In 6-12 the Pt(II) ion is surrounded by an aromatic C atom and the ethylenic C = C double bond of the aryl olefin, and by N and O atoms of the 8-OquiN resulting in a slightly distorted square-planar coordination environment; the donor N is in cis-position in comparison with the ethylenic double bond. Complexes 2, 4 and 7 exhibit high activities on human cancer cells KB, Hep-G2, Lu and MCF-7 with most IC50 values lower than those of cisplatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce several new extragradient-like approximation methods for solving variational inequalities in Hilbert spaces. Our algorithms are based on Tseng's extragradient method, subgradient extragradient method, inertial method, hybrid projection method and shrinking projection method. Strong convergence theorems are established under appropriate conditions. Our results extend and improve some related results in the literature. In addition, the efficiency of our algorithms is shown through numerical examples which are defined by the hybrid projection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the problem of finding a common element of the set of zero points of the sum of two operators and the fixed point set of a quasi-nonexpansive mapping. We introduce modified forward-backward splitting methods based on the so-called inertial forward-backward splitting algorithm, Mann algorithm and viscosity method. We establish weak and strong convergence theorems for iterative sequences generated by these methods. Our results extend and improve some related results in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a mechano-chemical surface modification to improve cutting tool performance is proposed. We applied this surface modification via shot peening the rake faces of high-speed steel tools with a blend of Al2O3 and Cu2S particles that serve as a plastic deformation medium and a chemical precursor, respectively. Orthogonal cutting experiments under base oil lubrication demonstrated that the proposed treatment results in a reduction of cutting and thrust forces, as well as in a reduction of built-up edge formation. These effects are explained by favorable changes in the lubricity and roughness of the rake face, and they suggest that this method has the potential to increase cutting tool life, lower energy consumption, and improve the dimensional accuracy and surface quality of a machined workpiece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A single liquid drop solidifying on a vertical cold wall is investigated by direct numerical simulations. • A front-tracking method combined with an interpolation technique is used. • Effects of various parameters on the evolution of the solid–liquid and liquid–gas interfaces are investigated. • The solidified drop shape and tip shift and the solidification time are investigated. Abstract Solidification of a liquid drop on a vertical wall is a typical phase change heat transfer problem that exists widely in natural and engineering situations. In this study, we present the fully resolved two-dimensional simulations of such a problem by a front-tracking/finite difference method. Because of gravity, the liquid drop assumed stick to the cold wall shifts to the bottom during solidification. Numerical results show that the conical tip at the solidified drop top is still available with the presence of volume expansion, but the tip location is shifted downward, resulting in an asymmetric drop after complete solidification. The tip shift, height and shape of the solidified drop are investigated under the influences of various parameters such as the Prandtl number Pr , the Stefan number St , the Bond number, the Ohnesorge number Oh , and the density ratio of the solid to liquid phases ρ sl. We also consider the effects of the growth angle ϕ gr (at the triple point) and the initial drop shape (in terms of the contact angle ϕ 0) on the solidification process. The most influent parameter is Bo whose increase in the range of 0.1–3.16 makes the drop more deformed with the tip shift linearly increasing with Bo. The tip shift also increases with an increase in ϕ 0. However, increasing Oh (from 0.001 to 0.316), St (from 0.01 to 1.0) or ρ sl (from 0.8 to 1.2) leads to a decrease in the tip shift. Concerning time for completing solidification, an increase in Bo , ϕ gr or ϕ 0 , or a decrease in St , or ρ sl results in an increase in the solidification time. The effects of these parameters on the drop height are also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of high voltage direct current (HVDC) circuit breakers (CBs) with the capabilities of bidirectional fault interruption, reclosing, and rebreaking can improve the reliable and safe operation of HVDC grids. Although several topologies of CBs have been proposed to perform these capabilities, the limitation of these topologies is either high on-state losses or long time interruption in the case bidirectional fault current interruption. Long time interruption results in the large magnitude of the fault current in the voltage source converter based HVDC (VSC-HVDC) system due to the high rate of rise of fault current. This paper proposes a new topology of hybrid CB (HCB) with lower conduction loss and lower interruption time to solve the problems. The proposed topology is based on the inverse current injection method, which uses the capacitor to enforce the fault current to zero. In the case of the bidirectional fault current interruption, the capacitor does not change its polarity after identifying the direction of fault current, which can reduce the interruption time accordingly. A switching control algorithm for the proposed topology is presented in detail. Different operation modes of proposed HCB, such as normal current mode, breaking fault current mode, discharging, and reversing capacitor voltage modes after clearing the fault, are considered in the proposed algorithm. The proposed topology with the switching control algorithm is tested in a simulation-based system. Different simulation scenarios such as temporary and permanent faults are carried out to verify the performance of the proposed topology. The simulation is performed in the Matlab/Simulink environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was withdrawn from International Journal of Pharmaceutics in order to be published in International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we jointly design linear source and relay precoders for two-hop MIMO relaying. The involved channels encounter spatially correlated fading, the source data symbols are mutually correlated, and the noises are colored not only at the destination but also at the relay. Two different scenarios of channel state information (CSI) are assumed to be available at the transmitters: full CSI of both hops (the full CSIT) and full CSI of the source-relay hop only plus the covariance information of the relay-destination hop (the partial CSIT). First, with the full CSIT, we derive optimal precoders by maximizing the instantaneous mutual information (MI). Secondly, with the partial CSIT knowledge we derive suboptimal precoders by maximizing the average MI. For both the CSIT cases, we propose an iterative algorithm to perform power allocation iteratively and alternatively between the source antennas and the relay antennas. Its simplified version in which the power allocation is performed separately between the source antennas and the relay antennas is also developed. Simulation results show that our proposed precoding schemes with the full CSIT provide significantly higher capacity than the existing schemes. Besides, the proposed schemes with the partial CSIT also perform well especially when the channels are spatially correlated at the transmit sides and at medium-to-high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), while they require much lower computational complexity and less feedback overhead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma itself accounts for 80% of all malignant primary brain tumors, and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) accounts for 55% of such tumors. Diffuse reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy have the potential to discriminate healthy tissues from abnormal tissues and therefore are promising noninvasive methods for improving the accuracy of brain tissue resection. Optical properties were retrieved using an experimentally evaluated inverse solution. On average, the scattering coefficient is 2.4 times higher in GBM than in low grade glioma (LGG), and the absorption coefficient is 48% higher. In addition, the ratio of fluorescence to diffuse reflectance at the emission peak of 460 nm is 2.6 times higher for LGG while reflectance at 650 nm is 2.7 times higher for GBM. The results reported also show that the combination of diffuse reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy could achieve sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 90% in discriminating GBM from LGG during ex vivo measurements of 22 sites from seven glioma specimens. Therefore, the current technique might be a promising tool for aiding neurosurgeons in determining the extent of surgical resection of glioma and, thus, improving intraoperative tumor identification for guiding surgical intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research we used an energy harvesting system based on ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) to absorb the kinetic energy of the ocean waves and generate electricity. The experimental results showed that IPMC materials have many advantages, including softness and durability; they also respond rapidly to wave parameters such as frequency, amplitude, and wavelength. In addition, the 296-day recorded data showed that the average power density generated each day remained stable at approximately 245 μW/m 2 , the degradation of the IPMC's electrical performance in long-term operation being trivial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the split feasibility problem (SFP) in infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces and propose some subgradient extragradient-type algorithms for finding a common element of the fixed-point set of a strict pseudocontraction mapping and the solution set of a split feasibility problem by adopting Armijo-like stepsize rule. We derive convergence results under mild assumptions. Our results improve some known results from the literature. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Ni(H2O)6](C12H12BrN2 O5S)2πH2O, contains a half hexaaquanickel(II) complex cation with the NiII ion lying on an inversion center, one 5-bromo-7-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]-1-methyl-6-oxidoquinolin-1-ium-3-sulfonate (QAO) anion and a half lattice water molecule on a twofold rotation axis. In the crystal, QAO anions are stacked in a column along the c axis byπ-π stacking interactions [centroid-centroid distances 3.5922 (10)-3.7223 (11) Å ]. The columns are interlinked by hexaaquanickel(II) cations through O-H...O and N-H...O hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materialized views are logically excess stored query results in SQL-oriented databases. This technology can significantly improve the performance of database systems. Although the idea of materialized views came up in the 1980s, only three database management systems, i.e. DB2, Oracle, SQL Server, have been successfully developed completely enough with materialized views so far. The barrier lies in building a module that can incrementally update the materialized views automatically, which corresponds to data changes in the base tables. This paper presents the algorithm to incrementally update the materialized views with inner join, focusing on one with aggregate functions, and building of a program that automatically generates codes inPL/pgSQL for triggers, which can undertake synchronous incremental updates of the materialized views in PostgreSQL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dewatering of sludge from sewage treatment plants is proving to be a significant challenge due to the large amounts of residual sludges generated annually. In recent years, research and development have focused on improving the dewatering process in order to reduce subsequent costs of sludge management and transport. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to establish reliable indices that reflect the efficiency of sludge dewatering. However, the evaluation of sludge dewaterability is not an easy task due to the highly complex nature of sewage sludge and variations in solid–liquid separation methods. Most traditional dewatering indices fail to predict the maximum cake solids content achievable during full-scale dewatering. This paper reviews the difficulties in assessing sludge dewatering performance, and the main techniques used to evaluate dewatering performance are compared and discussed in detail. Finally, the paper suggests a new dewatering index, namely the modified centrifugal index, which is demonstrated to be an appropriate indicator for estimating the final cake solids content as well as simulating the prototype dewatering process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutual information (MI) based approaches are a popular paradigm for feature selection. Most previous methods have made use of low-dimensional MI quantities that are only effective at detecting low-order dependencies between variables. Several works have considered the use of higher dimensional mutual information, but the theoretical underpinning of these approaches is not yet comprehensive. To fill this gap, in this paper, we systematically investigate the issues of employing high-order dependencies for mutual information based feature selection. We first identify a set of assumptions under which the original high-dimensional mutual information based criterion can be decomposed into a set of low-dimensional MI quantities. By relaxing these assumptions, we arrive at a principled approach for constructing higher dimensional MI based feature selection methods that takes into account higher order feature interactions. Our extensive experimental evaluation on real data sets provides concrete evidence that methodological inclusion of high-order dependencies improve MI based feature selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Dengue endangers billions of people in the tropical world, yet no therapeutic is currently available. In part, the severe manifestations of dengue reflect inflammatory processes affecting the vascular endothelium. In addition to lipid lowering, statins have pleiotropic effects that improve endothelial function, and epidemiological studies suggest that outcomes from a range of acute inflammatory syndromes are improved in patients already on statin therapy. Methods. Following satisfactory review of a short pilot phase (40 mg lovastatin vs placebo in 30 cases), we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 5 days of 80 mg lovastatin vs placebo in 300 Vietnamese adults with a positive dengue NS1 rapid test presenting within 72 hours of fever onset. The primary outcome was safety. Secondary outcomes included comparisons of disease progression rates, fever clearance times, and measures of plasma viremia and quality of life between the treatment arms. Results. Adverse events occurred with similar frequency in both groups (97/151 [64%] placebo vs 82/149 [55%] lovastatin; P = .13), and were in keeping with the characteristic clinical and laboratory features of acute dengue. We also observed no difference in serious adverse events or any of the secondary outcome measures. Conclusions. We found lovastatin to be safe and well tolerated in adults with dengue. However, although the study was not powered to address efficacy, we found no evidence of a beneficial effect on any of the clinical manifestations or on dengue viremia. Continuing established statin therapy in patients who develop dengue is safe. Clinical Trials Registration. ISRCTN03147572. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to recover the intrinsic fluorescence of biological fluorophores is crucial to accurately identify the fluorophores and quantify their concentrations in the media. Although some studies have successfully retrieved the fluorescence spectral shape of known fluorophores, the techniques usually came with heavy computation costs and did not apply for strongly absorptive media, and the intrinsic fluorescence intensity and fluorophore concentration were not recovered. In this communication, an experimental approach was presented to recover intrinsic fluorescence and concentration of fluorescein in the presence of hemoglobin (Hb). The results indicated that the method was efficient in recovering the intrinsic fluorescence peak and fluorophore concentration with an error of 3% and 10%, respectively. The results also suggested that chromophores with irregular absorption spectra (e.g., Hb) have more profound effects on fluorescence spectral shape than chromophores with monotonic absorption and scattering spectra (e.g., black India ink and polystyrene microspheres). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing treemaps achieve the space utilization of a single geometrical area, mostly rectangle. Limiting visualization to rectangles could block the human capability on graph recognition, including orientation, shape and differentiation etc. To relax rectangular constraint, we propose a flexible enclosure approach with three algorithms. It partitions large hierarchical structures within a confined display area with different shapes for real-time applications. Our approach is based on the combination of Divide-and-Conquer method and the treemap paradigm. The partitioning algorithms generate three types of layouts with polygonal, angular and rectangular titling, which are flexible to be used separately or combined. We present technical details including the visualization results in the experiments and in the cases studies with real data sets. We evaluated the visualization based on graph drawing aesthetics and optimization criteria. Our usability study shows that (1) treemaps with layout variability support utilization of human capability in graph perception and (2) treemaps adopted in different shaped containers could have a positive impact on user satisfaction and awareness during visual data exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The under-rib convection-driven flow-field design for the uniform distribution of reacting gas and the generation of produced water generates broad scientific interest, especially among those who study the performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, we simulate the effects of an under-rib convection-driven serpentine flow-field with sub-channel and by-pass (SFFSB) and a conventional advanced serpentine flow-field (CASFF) on single cell performance, and we compare the simulation results with experimental measurements. In the under-rib convection-driven flow-field configuration with SFFSB, the pressure drop is decreased because of the greater cross-sectional area for gas flow, and the decreased pressure drop results in the reduction of the parasitic loss. The anode liquid water mass fraction increases with increasing channel height because of increased back diffusion, while the cathode liquid water mass fraction does not depend upon the sub-channels but is ascribed mainly to the electro-osmotic drag. Simulation results verify that the maximum current and the power densities of the SFFSB are increased by 18.85% and 23.74%, respectively, due to the promotion of under-rib convection. The findings in this work may enable the optimization of the design of under-rib convection-driven flow-fields for efficient PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we proposed a 2-axis MEMS-based force sensor to directly measure the interaction forces during the sliding of a water droplet on a superhydrophobic surface with a micropillar array. In our sensor design, a 300-nm-thick silicon (Si) structure was fabricated beneath a single micrometer-sized pillar as the sensing element. Two piezoresistors were formed at the root of two opposite Si beams to detect the forces acting on the pillar surface in the normal and shear directions. The proposed sensor has a sensing resolution of less than 20 nN for both normal and shear forces. This resolution is confirmed to be sufficient to measure the forces of a droplet acting on a micropillar. The fabricated sensor was demonstrated to be able to measure the interaction forces during the sliding of a 7.5 μL water droplet on the micropillar array. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]