ahmedabdelwahed/Medical_papers_title_and_abstract_NLP_dataset huggingface dataset:
Levelized cost of solar photovoltaics and wind supported by storage technologies to supply firm electricity

Energy storage technologies can assist intermittent solar and wind power to supply firm electricity by forming flexible hybrid systems. However, evaluating these hybrid systems has proved to be a major challenge, since their techno-economic performance depends on a large number of parameters, including the renewable energy generation profile, operational parameters of storage technologies and their associated costs. In this study, we develop a method to simulate the performance and determine the levelized cost of hybrid systems to provide firm electricity supply under various supply strategies such as peak demand and baseload at three different scales (representative sizes). The methodology is implemented for Switzerland, however, it can also be replicated for other geographies. Our results show that the optimal choice for a hybrid system depends on the scale rather than the supply mode strategy. We find that solar photovoltaics in combination with lithium-ion battery at the residential (0.39 to 0.77 EUR/kWh) and utility scale (0.17 to 0.36 EUR/kWh) as well as with pumped hydro storage at the bulk scale (0.13 to 0.18 EUR/kWh) offer the lowest levelized costs. Reducing the cost of both renewable and storage technologies as well as the storage size by allowing some level of curtailment or distortion in the firm supply profile improves the cost-competitiveness of hybrid systems.
Daily consumption of wild olive (acebuche) oil reduces blood pressure and ameliorates endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodelling in rats with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced hypertension

Despite numerous reports on the beneficial effects of olive oil in the cardiovascular context, very little is known about the olive tree's wild counterpart (Olea europaea, L. var. sylvestris), commonly known as acebuche (ACE) in Spain. The aim of this study was to analyse the possible beneficial effects of an extra virgin ACE oil on vascular function in a rodent model of arterial hypertension (AH) induced by NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Four experimental groups of male Wistar rats were studied: (1) normotensive rats (Control group); (2) normotensive rats fed a commercial diet supplemented with 15 % (w/w) ACE oil (Acebuche group); (3) rats made hypertensive following administration of L-NAME (L-NAME group); and (4) rats treated with L-NAME and simultaneously supplemented with 15 % ACE oil (LN + ACE group). All treatments were maintained for 12 weeks. Besides a significant blood pressure (BP)-lowering effect, the ACE oil-enriched diet counteracted the alterations found in aortas from hypertensive rats in terms of morphology and responsiveness to vasoactive mediators. In addition, a decrease in hypertension-related fibrotic and oxidative stress processes was observed in L-NAME-treated rats subjected to ACE oil supplement. Therefore, using a model of AH via nitric oxide depletion, here we demonstrate the beneficial effects of a wild olive oil based upon its vasodilator, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antihypertrophic and antifibrotic properties. We postulate that regular inclusion of ACE oil in the diet can alleviate the vascular remodelling and endothelial dysfunction processes typically found in AH, thus resulting in a significant reduction of BP.
Use of a purified reconstituted bilayer matrix in the management of chronic diabetic foot ulcers improves patient outcomes vs standard of care: Results of a prospective randomised controlled multi-centre clinical trial

Diabetic foot infections continue to be a major challenge for health care delivery systems. Following encouraging results from a pilot study using a novel purified reconstituted bilayer matrix (PRBM) to treat chronic diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), we designed a prospective, multi-centre randomised trial comparing outcomes of PRBM at 12 weeks compared with a standard of care (SOC) using a collagen alginate dressing. The primary endpoint was percentage of wounds closed after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included assessments of complications, healing time, quality of life, and cost to closure. Forty patients were included in an intent-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analysis, with 39 completing the study protocol (n = 19 PRBM, n = 20 SOC). Wounds treated with PRBM were significantly more likely to close than wounds treated with SOC (ITT: 85% vs 30%, P = .0004, PP: 94% vs 30% P = .00008), healed significantly faster (mean 37 days vs 67 days for SOC, P = .002), and achieved a mean wound area reduction within 12 weeks of 96% vs 8.9% for SOC. No adverse events (AEs) directly related to PRBM treatment were reported. Mean PRBM cost of healing was $1731. Use of PRBM was safe and effective for treatment of chronic DFUs.
Random forest regression evaluation model of regional flood disaster resilience based on the whale optimization algorithm

This study proposes a flood disaster resilience evaluation model based on an improved random forest model, which is used to solve the fuzziness problem in resilience evaluations. The model uses the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) to determine the key parameters in the traditional random forest regression (RFR) model and combines the evaluation index set constructed by the Driving forces-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model to output the resilience index of the study area. This approach has certain advantages in solving the spatiotemporal distribution problem of disaster resilience and can analyze the temporal and spatial variability of the research area and the key driving factors. Taking the Jiansanjiang Administration of Heilongjiang Province of China as an example, the model was used to analyze the resilience of flood disasters in 15 farms under the jurisdiction of the region from 2002 to 2016. The results showed that the level of resilience to flood disasters in the Jiansanjiang Administration was generally increasing at a growth rate of 4.175/10a. In addition, the level of flood resilience was spatially different as shown by the high level of resilience in the southwest and low level in the northeast. The degree of differentiation between farms increased between 2006 and 2011 and decreased between 2012 and 2016. The study also found that economic indicators and population indicators have a greater impact on the assessment results. Compared with the stochastic forest regression model optimized by particle swarm optimization (PSO-RFR) and the RFR model, the WOA-RFR model has outstanding advantages in fitting accuracy, generalization performance. The rationality coefficient and stability coefficient of the WOA-RFR are 0.964 and 0.976, respectively, which have reached a high level. The proposed WOA-RFR model can be used to perform regional disaster resilience evaluation, provide stable technical support and establish a scientific basis for regional disaster prevention and mitigation to ensure regional production safety and sustainable development. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Do foreign direct investments influence environmental degradation? Evidence from a panel autoregressive distributed lag model approach to low-, lower-middle-, upper-middle-, and high-income countries

The main aim of the present study is to examine the possible nonlinear relations between foreign direct investments and environmental deterioration for subpanels separated according to the income levels of countries by using the classification made by the World Bank. Total energy consumption, economic growth, and renewable energy share are also considered as determinants of environmental deterioration in the model. Cross-sectional dependence is observed; hence, appropriate panel data unit root and cointegration tests are utilized for which results pointed out mixed integration order. Pooled mean group (PMG) estimator panel auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL, hereafter) approach is adapted to observe short- and long-run relationships between the variables. Long-run results supported the pollution haven hypothesis as foreign direct investments caused an increase in ecological footprint. Findings are sensitive to different income levels of the subpanels of countries. This empirical study suggests tailored policymaking for every income level subpanel to ensure sustainable development.
Research on the performance of radiative cooling and solar heating coupling module to direct control indoor temperature

The energy crisis and environmental pollution pose great challenges to human development. Traditional vapor-compression cooling consumes abundant energy and leads to a series of environmental problems. Radiative cooling without energy consumption and environmental pollution holds great promise as the next generation cooling technology, applied in buildings mostly in indirect way. In this work, a temperature-regulating module was introduced for direct summer cooling and winter heating. Firstly, the summer experiments were conduct to investigate the radiative cooling performance of the module. And the results indicated that the maximum indoor temperature reached only 27.5 degrees C with the ambient temperature of 34 degrees C in low latitude areas and the air conditioning system was on for only about a quarter of the day. Subsequently, the winter experiments were performed to explore the performance of the module in cooling and heating modes. The results indicated that indoor temperature can reach 25 degrees C in the daytime without additional heat supply and about a quarter of the day didn't require heating in winter. Additionally, the transient model of the module and the building revealed that the electricity saving of 42.4% (963.5 kWh) can be achieved in cooling season with the module, and that was 63.7% (1449.1 kWh) when coupling with energy storage system. Lastly, further discussion about the challenges and feasible solutions for radiative cooling to directly combine with the buildings were provided to advance the application of radiative cooling. Furthermore, with an acceptable payback period of 8 years, the maximum acceptable incremental cost reached 26.2 $/m(2). The work opens up a new avenue for the application mode of the daytime radiative cooling technology.
COVID-19 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Threat to Solidarity or an Opportunity?

COVID-19, as a pandemic, is impacting institutions around the world. Its scope and economic dimensions also mean that it poses a major threat towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article discusses how the coronavirus pandemic may influence the SDGs and could affect their implementation. The methods used entail an analysis of the literature, observations and an assessment of current world trends. The results obtained point out that, while COVID-19 has become a priority to many health systems in developing nations, they still need to attend to many other existing diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and others. Further, the study shows that strong concerns in dealing with COVID-19 are disrupting other disease prevention programs. As a result, problems such as mental health are also likely to be overlooked, since the isolation of social distancing may mask or lead to an increase in the percentage of suffers. The paper suggests that, due to its wide scope and areas of influence, COVID-19 may also jeopardize the process of the implementation of the SDGs. It sends a cautious warning about the need to continue to put an emphasis on the implementation of the SDGs, so that the progress achieved to date is not endangered.
Phylogeography of a canopy-forming kelp, Eisenia bicyclis (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae), based on a genome-wide sequencing analysis

Analyses of phylogeographic patterns and genetic diversity provide fundamental information for the management and conservation of species. However, little is published about these patterns in Japanese kelp species. In this study, we conducted phylogeographic analyses of a canopy-forming kelp, Eisenia bicyclis, based on genome-wide SNPs identified by ddRAD-seq. We obtained 1,299 SNPs for 76 samples from nine localities across the distribution. STRUCTURE, NeighborNet, and discriminant analysis of principal components consistently showed high genetic differentiation among the Eastern Pacific, Central Pacific, and Sea of Japan coastal regions. Relatively strong gene flow was detected only within populations in the Eastern Pacific and in the Sea of Japan. Genetic diversity and genetic uniqueness were high in the Central Pacific and low in the Sea of Japan. These results suggest that there were at least three independent refugia corresponding to the three regions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Furthermore, relatively larger populations in the Central Pacific and smaller populations in the Sea of Japan have been maintained in the demographic history from before the LGM to the present. These phylogeographic histories were supported by an Approximate Bayesian Computation analysis. From a conservation genetics perspective, the loss of southern populations in the Central Pacific would greatly reduce the total genetic diversity of the species. Southern populations in the Sea of Japan, which have relatively low genetic diversity, may be highly vulnerable to environmental change, such as heat waves and increased feeding. Therefore, careful monitoring and conservation are needed in the two regions.
Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Household Food Waste Behavior in Japan

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had various influences on people's ordinary lives, including their thoughts and behaviors related to food consumption. Food waste has been cited as a serious issue with environmental, social, and economic consequences. In this study, we investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic altered the social consciousness and behavior related to food waste in Japan. We conducted a nationwide online-based survey and collected a cross-sectional dataset from 1959 adult respondents. The results showed that people in regions highly impacted by the pandemic reported a clearer understanding of the situation of their household food waste, more careful food preparation and purchasing, and were more strongly influenced to change their behaviors due to COVID-19. Further analyses revealed that thoughts and behaviors related to food waste significantly differed by sociodemographic characteristics, such as gender, household size, and employment status. This study also implied that the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged some improvements in peoples' behaviors and thoughts with regard to food, such as paying attention to food waste, making efforts to reduce food waste, and attempting cooking by themselves at home.
Survey of mange mite infesting sheep in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia

The study was performed to survey the Sarcoptic mange in sheep and the effect of infection on the local strains during a specific period in different regions of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1745 sheep were examined clinically and were selected from the suspected cases for laboratory investigation of skin scrapings for disease diagnosis. The examined animals included (509) Naimi, (396) Najdi, (518) Hurri, and (322) Rufidi native sheep. The results showed that the infestation rate was (12.77%) in all sheep. The highest strain was recorded (17.2%, 14.3%, 9.6%, and 8.6%), respectively. The infestation was highest in sheep over two years of age (15.2%) while it was lowest in sheep under two years of age (11.2 %). In addition, the infection rate in females was higher than in males. The prevalence of mange mites in females was (14%) compared to (11.2%) in males. The highest percentage of infestation was recorded in the head region at 67.2%, followed by that in the neck (4.4%), back (16.5%), tail (11.6%), and legs (0%). The presence of mange mites was discovered by microscopic examination of deep skin scrapings of infected animals that were identified morphologically. The infection was assured by histological investigations. This study revealed that mange mite is one of the most significant sheep health constraints in Riyadh. Therefore, proper prevention measures must be implemented to take into consideration other non-host-related risk factors.
p-d Orbital Hybridization Induced by a Monodispersed Ga Site on a Pt3 Mn Nanocatalyst Boosts Ethanol Electrooxidation

Constructing monodispersed metal sites in heterocatalysis is an efficient strategy to boost their catalytic performance. Herein, a new strategy using monodispersed metal sites to tailor Pt-based nanocatalysts is addressed by engineering unconventional p-d orbital hybridization. Thus, monodispersed Ga on Pt3 Mn nanocrystals (Ga-O-Pt3 Mn) with high-indexed facets was constructed for the first time to drive ethanol electrooxidation reaction (EOR). Strikingly, the Ga-O-Pt3 Mn nanocatalyst shows an enhanced EOR performance with achieving 8.41 times of specific activity than that of Pt/C. The electrochemical in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results and theoretical calculations disclose that the Ga-O-Pt3 Mn nanocatalyst featuring an unconventional p-d orbital hybridization not only promote the C-C bond-breaking and rapid oxidation of -OH of ethanol, but also inhibit the generation of poisonous CO intermediate species. This work discloses a promising strategy to construct a novel nanocatalysts tailored by monodispersed metal site as efficient fuel cell catalysts.
Performance enhancement of stepped double slope solar still by using nanoparticles and linen wicks: Energy, exergy and economic analysis

This work aims to improve the thermal and economic analysis of stepped double slope solar still (SDSSS) that integrated with linen wicks (LWs) and carbon black nanoparticles (CBNs). The LWs and CBNs were used to increase the evaporation surface area and enhance heat transfer of basin saline water. The SDSSS with LWs and LWs with CBNs were evaluated, and compared with traditional solar still (TSS). The energy and exergy for convection and evaporation and exergy efficiency for different modifications were analyzed, and its costs were discussed. Results indicated that adding LWs and CBNs to SDSSS increased the freshwater productivity and energy efficiency by 80.57 and 110.5%, respectively, compared to TSS. The SDSSS fractional exergy of evaporation was the highest in the case of integrating LWs and CBNs with the solar still due to the high basin water temperature. This modification caused the highest exergy efficiency for SDSSS because of enhanced photothermal properties of CBNs, and heat storage characteristic of LWs. Economic analysis indicated that the total costs per liter of produced freshwater for SDSSS without any modifications, SDSSS with LWs, SDSSS with CBNs, and SDSSS with LWs and CBNs were lower than TSS by 13.73, 19.91, 23.83, and 47.22%, respectively.
Primary and secondary cardiac tumors: clinical presentation, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and results

Cardiac tumours are some of the rarest primary tumours, while cardiac metastasis are more common yet still relatively rare. Seventy five percent of primary cardiac tumours are benign tumours. Cardiac tumours present with a range of obstructive, embolic, arrhythmic or systemic symptoms, and in many cases may present asymptomatically. The clinical presentation depends largely on the size and location of the mass. With advances in cardiac imagining and the introduction of cardiopulmonary bypass, the diagnosis and surgical treatment of these rare tumours has improved the prognosis and outlook for benign and malignant tumours. Management depends on tumour histology, size and location as well as the clinical presentation. Conservative management is reserved for small, benign tumours that can undergo regular echocardiographic follow-up. Symptomatic benign tumours are treated with surgical resection and the results are excellent. Malignant primary cardiac tumours have a poor prognosis with high rates of relapse and a median survival of 10-24 months.
Chemical Ecology and Olfaction in Short-Horned Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Chemoreception plays a crucial role in the reproduction and survival of insects, which often rely on their sense of smell and taste to find partners, suitable habitats, and food sources, and to avoid predators and noxious substances. There is a substantial body of work investigating the chemoreception and chemical ecology of Diptera (flies) and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies); but less is known about the Orthoptera (grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, and wēta). Within the Orthoptera, the family Acrididae contains about 6700 species of short-horned grasshoppers. Grasshoppers are fascinating organisms to study due to their significant taxonomic and ecological divergence, however, most chemoreception and chemical ecology studies have focused on locusts because they are agricultural pests (e.g., Schistocerca gregaria and Locusta migratoria). Here we review studies of chemosensory systems and chemical ecology of all short-horned grasshoppers. Applications of genome editing tools and entomopathogenic microorganism to control locusts in association with their chemical ecology are also discussed. Finally, we identify gaps in the current knowledge and suggest topics of interest for future studies.
A ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe for signal amplification monitoring of intracellular telomerase activity

Telomerase is considered a valuable diagnostic and prognostic cancer biomarker. Accurate and reliable detection of telomerase activity is of great value in clinical diagnosis, screening of inhibitors, and therapeutics. Here, we developed a novel amplified fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) nanoprobe for highly sensitive and reliable monitoring of intracellular telomerase activity. The nanoprobe (QDSA@DNA) was composed of a streptavidin-modified quantum dot (QDSA) which was functionalized with a telomerase primer sequence (TP) and Cy5-tagged signal switching sequence (SS) through biotin-streptavidin interaction. When the nanoprobe was assembled, the Cy5 was in close proximity to the QDSA, resulting in high FRET efficiency from the QDSA to Cy5. In the presence of telomerase, the TP could be extended to produce telomeric repeat units, which was complementary to the loop of SS. Thus, the SS could hybridize with elongated sequences to form a rigid double-stranded structure, which forced the Cy5 away from the surface of the QDSA, causing low FRET efficiency. Furthermore, due to the production of multiple repeat units by telomerase, multiple hairpin structures could be opened, yielding significant fluorescence ratio (FQDsa/FCy5) enhancement for sensing of telomerase activity. In this way, the combination of a FRET and target-assisted strategy in a nanoprobe improved the detection accuracy and amplified the detection signal, respectively. The QDSA@DNA nanoprobe also showed high selectivity, excellent nuclease stability, and good biocompatibility. More importantly, this nanoprobe was found to be an excellent platform for efficient monitoring of intracellular telomerase activity, providing a potential platform in tumor diagnosis and screening of telomerase-related inhibitors.