ahmedabdelwahed/Medical_papers_title_and_abstract_NLP_dataset huggingface dataset:
Computational analysis of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 surveillance by wastewater-based epidemiology locally and globally: Feasibility, economy, opportunities and challenges

With the economic and practical limits of medical screening for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 coming sharply into focus worldwide, scientists are turning now to wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a potential tool for assessing and managing the pandemic. We employed computational analysis and modeling to examine the feasibility, economy, opportunities and challenges of enumerating active coronavirus infections locally and globally using WBE. Depending on local conditions, detection in community wastewater of one symptomatic/asymptomatic infected case per 100 to 2,000,000 non-infected people is theoretically feasible, with some practical successes now being reported from around the world. Computer simulations for past, present and emerging epidemic hotspots (e.g., Wuhan, Milan, Madrid, New York City, Teheran, Seattle, Detroit and New Orleans) identified temperature, average in-sewer travel time and per-capita water use as key variables. WBE surveillance of populations is shown to be orders of magnitude cheaper and faster than clinical screening, yet cannot fully replace it. Cost savings worldwide for one-time national surveillance campaigns are estimated to be in the million to billion US dollar range (US$), depending on a nation's population size and number of testing rounds conducted. For resource poor regions and nations, WBE may represent the only viable means of effective surveillance. Important limitations of WBE rest with its inability to identify individuals and to pinpoint their specific locations. Not compensating for temperature effects renders WBE data vulnerable to severe under-/over-estimation of infected cases. Effective surveillance may be envisioned as a two-step process in which WBE serves to identify and enumerate infected cases, where after clinical testing then serves to identify infected individuals in WBE-revealed hotspots. Data provided here demonstrate this approach to save money, be broadly applicable worldwide, and potentially aid in precision management of the pandemic, thereby helping to accelerate the global economic recovery that billions of people rely upon for their livelihoods. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Assessment and sources of heavy metals in suspended particulate matter in a tropical catchment, northeast Thailand

Since the suspended particulate matter (SPM) is a vital heavy metal transporter of the river systems, assessment of heavy metals contamination in SPM is significant as the first step of the high-efficiency surface water environment management and further foundation of water resources sustainability. However, this assessment is rare in developing countries (e.g., Thailand, agriculture is the main economic pillar). Fluvial heavy metal pollution prevention strategy is urgently required in these areas for reducing human exposure to metal contamination. For this purpose, the assessment of eight selected heavy metals of 52 SPM samples in a Thailand tropical river (Mun River) was conducted. The findings suggest that the contents of heavy metals in SPM are Mn (4616.7 mg kg(-1)) > Zn (223.9 mg kg(-1)) > V (109.1 mg kg(-1)) > Cr (100.1 mg kg(-1)) > Ni (51.0 mg kg(-1)) > Cu (27.6 mg kg(-1)) > Pb (14.3 mg kg(-1)) > Cd (10.7 mg kg(-1)). A relatively large proportion of heavy metals (e.g., Mn, 89.5%; Zn, 54.2%) are transported in suspended loads in Mun River. Heavy metals accumulation assessment suggests that Cd (EF = 17.5, I-geo = 3.7) and Mn (EF = 14.3, I-geo = 2.1) are extremely enriched in SPM, while the other metals are slightly enriched or not enriched. Principal component (PC) analysis extracted three PCs. PC 1 with a high loading of Mn, Zn, Cd, Pb reflecting these metals mainly from anthropogenic emissions, PC 2 (V and Cu) is primarily characterized by the natural sources (e.g., rock weathering), while PC 3 (Cr and Ni) can be defined as the result of combined action of natural and anthropogenic inputs. Risk assessment denotes that Cd is the major toxicity of SPM with a high toxic risk index (TRICd = 9.4, 54% of the total TRI) and the V, Cr, Mn, and Cd in SPM are the major exposure health risk, particularly for children (hazard index, HI > 0.1), more focus is required for these metals. In total, this study provides powerful support for the prevention of heavy metal pollution and the sustainability of water resources in the Mun River in such a developing country (Thailand).
The response and simulation of ecosystem services value to land use/land cover in an oasis, Northwest China

The oasis ecosystem is integral to the socio-economic stability and development in arid areas. This study illuminates the relationship between land use/land cover (LULC) and ecosystem services value (ESV) in Zhangye oasis from 1980 to 2015 and predicts changes in ESV in 2030. The coefficients for assessing ESV and the future land use simulation (FLUS) model for LULC simulation were modified by introducing natural geography and socio-economic data. The study found that the patterns of LULC and ESV in Zhangye oasis changed dramatically in 2000. Forest, grassland, and wetland were severely damaged due to the weak awareness of environmental protection, resulting in a significant decline in the ESV before 2000. Thanks to a number of ecological projects that have been put into practice and the improvement in climate conditions since 2000, the ESV has started to recover. The FLUS model reasonably predicted the LULC in 2015, and the kappa coefficient was 0.8991 after comparing with the actual LULC in 2015. On this basis, the land use scenario in 2030 is predicted, and the value of ecosystem services is estimated. The results show that the value of ecosystem services will continue to increase. This study can guide future land-use planning and raise public awareness of the need for ecosystem protection.
Application of simultaneous thermoelectric cooling and heating to improve the performance of a solar still: An experimental study and exergy analysis

The performance of solar stills is affected by various parameters (e.g. solar radiation, water depth, thermal insulation, and the temperature difference between glass and water). There are two alternatives to increase the temperature difference between glass and water: increasing the water or reducing the glass temperatures. The present study aims to investigate the effect of simultaneous thermoelectric cooling and heating on the performance of a solar still. The experiments were conducted during 8 days in Tehran, Iran (35 degrees 41'N, 51 degrees 19'E). The setup consisted of a double-slope solar still and a thermoelectric enhancing system that was used to cool the glass cover and heat the water, simultaneously. The cold side of the thermoelectric modules cools a water stream which passes on the glass cover. On the other side (hot side) of the thermoelectric modules, there flows another water stream passing through a helical coil heat exchanger which is located inside the solar still in the water. The obtained results, compared to the passive solar still, indicated that this modification improves the productivity by 2.32 times and generates 76.4% of the efficiency. Moreover, it is observed that the maximum exergy efficiency in the conventional and modified solar stills is about 1.48% and 0.8%, respectively. Also, the economic analysis showed that the price of the produced water for active and passive solar stills were about 0.105 and 0.176 $/L/m(2) respectively.
A semi-standardized music therapy intervention for girls with Rett syndrome: A descriptive essay

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder resulting in a wide range of functional impairments and therefore greatly impacts the lives of both patients and their families. While genetic and medical aspects have been studied for several decades, rehabilitation intervention research is still in its infancy. In this study, the investigating researchers have presented a rehabilitative framework by using music therapy for girls with RTT. This model is founded upon the use of music therapy in light of Stern's proposal of subjective experience and affect attunement; it also refers to Rosenbaum's family-centered rehabilitation medicine perspective. This study both describes the theory behind this intervention and presents a newly developed outcome measure. This novel tool may have future clinical and research applications. Music therapy for patients with RTT has not been well researched yet, and, as a result, is not universally recommended. However this study's findings suggest that music therapy is an important component of multidisciplinary therapy. Further collaborative research should be encouraged in order to study and implement the use of music therapy in the treatment of severe disabilities. Projects such as the Enablin+ program with the support from the European Commission constitute fundamental tools in promoting integrative medical research and international networks.
Hacking macrophages to combat cancer and inflammatory diseases - Current advances and challenges

Recently, immunotherapy has been served as the treatment of choice for various human pathophysiologies, including inflammatory diseases and cancer. Though most of the current approaches target the lymphoid compartment, macrophages intimately implicated in the induction or resolution of inflammation have rationally gained their place into the therapeutics arena. In this review, I discuss the past and novel ground-breaking strategies focusing on macrophages in different human diseases and highlight the current challenges and considerations underlying their translational potentials.
Does the development of renewable energy promote carbon reduction? Evidence from Chinese provinces

Developing renewable energy is a crucial measure in addressing climate change and achieving carbon reduction. However, research evidence on its impact is mixed. To fill this gap, we construct a panel quantile regression model in this study to examine whether China's renewable energy development has effectively promoted a reduction in carbon emissions using panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2005 to 2016. The results show that: (1) Improving China's renewable energy development level is conducive to carbon emission reductions. Specifically, carbon intensity could drop by 0.084%-0.149% for every 1% increase in renewable energy generation. However, the inhibitory effect is limited due to trapped electricity as well as the fact that substituting renewable energy for fossil energy has not yet sufficiently transformed the energy consumption structure. (2) Renewable energy development has a greater impact on carbon intensity reduction in regions with high or low carbon intensity than in areas with intermediate carbon intensity. (3) The main factor in the decline in carbon intensity in China is a decrease in energy intensity. Nonetheless, the role of renewable energy in carbon reduction has increased over time.
Microgrids: Overview and guidelines for practical implementations and operation

A microgrid is a small portion of a power distribution system with distributed generators along with energy storage devices and controllable loads which can give rise to a self-sufficient energy system. From the utility grid side, a microgrid is seen as an equivalent generator that is able to seamlessly disconnect and operate autonomously once a fault affects the main grid. The design, installation and operation of such systems lead to dealing with a number of technical and operational challenges including control, protection and infrastructure requirements. To help designers and researchers address these challenges and draw potential recommendations for practical microgrid implementations, in this paper a review of the main design features of existing microgrids is undertaken, also in light of the experience gained during the realization of the Prince Lab microgrid at Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy. The main control functions required to guarantee an economic, reliable and secure operation of a microgrid are also reviewed. Finally, key practical guidelines for monitoring, operation and implementation of microgrids are provided.
Immunoenhancing Effects of Euglena gracilis on a Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppressive Mouse Model

In this study, the effects of the immune stimulator Euglena gracilis (Euglena) in cyclophosphamide (CCP)-induced immunocompromised mice were assessed. The key component β-1,3-glucan (paramylon) constitutes 50% of E. gracilis. Mice were orally administered Euglena powder (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (B.W.)) or β-glucan powder (250 mg/kg B.W.) for 19 days. In a preliminary immunology experiment, ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected with 80 mg of CCP/kg B.W. during the final 3 consecutive days. In the main experiment, BALB/c mice were treated with CCP for the final 5 days. To evaluate the enhancing effects of Euglena on the immune system, mouse B.W., the spleen index, natural killer (NK) cell activity and mRNA expression in splenocytes lungs and livers were determined. To detect cytokine and receptor expression, splenocytes were treated with 5 μg/ml concanavalin A or 1 μg/ml lipopolysaccharide. The B.W. and spleen index were significantly increased and NK cell activity was slightly enhanced in all the experimental groups compared to the CCP group. In splenocytes, the gene expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, and IL-12 receptor were increased in the E. gracilis and β-glucan groups compared to the CCP group, but there was no significant difference. Treatment with 500mg of Euglena/kg B.W. significantly upregulated dectin-1 mRNA expression in the lung and liver compared to the CCP group. These results suggest that Euglena may enhance the immune system by strengthening innate immunity through immunosuppression.
Does the interaction between growth determinants a drive for global environmental sustainability? Evidence from world top 10 pollutant emissions countries

Economic interdependence through foreign direct investment and trade of energy resources in a globalized world filled with mixed heritage sites stimulates economic activities thereby serving as a great catalyst for economic growth. However, the importance of these economies' interdependence transcends economic and sodo-cultural-political benefits to coastal protection, carbon sequestration, flood prevention and soil stabilization among others. To this end, this study seeks to examine whether the interdependence and interaction among foreign direct investment, energy consumption, real income is a drive for global environmental sustainability targets or not. In order to achieve our research objective, we make use of a panel-based study of world's top 10 pollutant emissions that comprises 37 developed countries of the world, using the Dynamic Autoregressive Distributed Lag techniques of Pooled Mean Group, Mean Group and Dynamic Fixed Effects estimators over the periods of 1995-2014 that incorporate tourism as an additional variable. Panel cointegration result shows that increase in the explanatory variables contributes to environmental degradation in the long-run. A 1% increase in kg oil equivalent of energy consumed led to 0.918% increase in environmental degradation, while a 1% increase real income and foreign direct investment decrease environmental degradation by 0.635% and 0.064%, with tourism insignificant impact in the long-run. Consequently, economic and environmental sustainability measures that would help to promote a cleaner and healthy environment globally for both the immediate and future generation were suggested. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Stability of nanofluid: A review

Nanofluid is a suspension of nanoparticles (at least one dimension less than 100 nm) in a basefluid having superior thermal, rheological and wettability properties, which improves the performance of several applications i.e. heat transfer, lubrication, drug delivery and enhanced oil recovery etc. However, the critical bottleneck for widespread use of nanofluid is its stability. The instability of nanofluid leads to reduction in system performance with passage of time. Addressing the long term stability of nanofluid and its reusability are essential requirements for successful industrial use. This article focuses on different aspects of nanofluid stability starting from the preparation stage till implementation in practical applications. Specific attention has been given on nanofluid stability as a function of operating conditions i.e. high temperature, pressure, confinement, composition, salinity, external magnetic field and shear rate etc. in several applications i.e. heat transfer, microfluidics, lubrication, enhanced oil recovery and drag reduction etc. It is expected that the present review will provide guidance and contribute towards wider adoption of nanofluid in practical applications. Future research on stability issues related to techno-economic performance, hybrid nanofluid, quantum dot, hybrid stabilization technique, wall effect in microfluidics and porous media will further enhance the usability of nanofluid in widespread practical systems.
Analysis of the robustness of energy supply in Japan: Role of renewable energy

Today, the security of energy has become one of the primary concerns of all the countries around the world due to the limited energy sources, increasing population, energy prices fluctuations and limitations in energy supply. Japan is considered as one of the largest energy consumers and energy importers throughout the world which almost 96% of its primary energy supply in national level relies on the imports from other countries. After experiencing several harsh energy supply conditions over the last 40 years, Japan realized the sensitivity of its energy supply and decided to fundamentally restructure its energy supply and rely more on energy mix diversification, renewable energies, energy efficiency improvement, and carbon emissions reduction. In this article the energy security improvement and the government actions to boost diversification of energy by focusing more on renewable energies and reducing energy intensity, increasing energy efficiency and decreasing energy import dependency in Japan is studied. In addition, various renewable energy technologies as a substitute source of energy and promising ways of domestic energy supply as well as the factors to improve the security of energy supply are studied thoroughly. Moreover, it was realized that the most primary energy sources in Japan are biofuel and waste energy followed by hydropower and geothermal energy respectively. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Associations Between Blood Pressure and Accelerated DNA Methylation Aging

Background Individuals of the same chronological age may exhibit diverse susceptibilities to death. However, few studies have investigated the associations between blood pressure and the accelerated aging. Methods and Results A cross-sectional study was conducted in 288 adults aged ≥50 years. We assessed the DNA methylation-based measures of biological age using CpG sites on the Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC BeadChip. Epigenetic age acceleration metrics were derived by regressing residuals (ΔAge) and ratios (aging rate) of DNA methylation age on chronological age. Dose-response relationships between blood pressure and epigenetic age acceleration were quantified using multiple linear regression and restricted cubic regression models. We found that each 10-mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure was associated with 0.608 (95% CI, 0.231-0.984) years increase in ΔAge and 0.007 (95% CI, 0.002-0.012) increase in aging rate; meanwhile, for pulse pressure, the increase was 1.12 (95% CI, 0.625-1.61) years for ΔAge and 0.013 (95% CI, 0.007-0.020) for aging rate. Subgroup analysis showed that the significant associations of systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure with epigenetic age acceleration appeared to be limited to women, although interactions between blood pressure and sex were not significant (P values for interaction >0.05). The combination of women and hypertension was associated with a much higher increase in ΔAge (β [95% CI], 4.05 [1.07-7.02]) and aging rate (β [95% CI], 0.047 [0.008-0.087]), compared with male participants without hypertension. Conclusions Our findings suggested that high systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were associated with the epigenetic age acceleration, providing important clues for relationships between blood pressure and epigenetic aging.
Optimal operation of microgrid with multi-energy complementary based on moth flame optimization algorithm

Recently, hybrid distributed generation system has become a popular energy supply mode. It is obvious that the integrated system could improve energy efficiency and reduce costs. However, the system scheduling is a problem that would determine the operation cost. In this paper, a hybrid energy system including wind power, photovoltaics, gas turbines, and energy storage was introduced. In order to obtain the minimum operation cost, an operation optimization model was built. The schedule plan of each unit was optimized by moth flame optimization algorithm. Finally, through empirical research on a microgrid project, the optimization results in three configuration case of wind power, photovoltaics, and storage indicated that the operation optimization model in this paper could effectively reduce system operation cost, and the optimal output plan of each unit was obtained. And it is proved that the model proposed in this paper has a certain guiding role on economically dispatch of hybrid energy system.
The effect of renewable energy consumption on economic growth: Evidence from the renewable energy country attractive index

The use of non-renewable resources emits a high quantity of CO2 into environment, leading to a greenhouse effect, to reduce CO2 emissions all countries have shifted to use renewable energy sources. Therefore, this study re-examines the effect of renewable energy consumption on economic growth across 38 renewable-energy-consuming countries from 1990 to 2018. The dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and heterogeneous non-causality approaches are applied. The empirical analysis confirms the presence of a long-run relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth. Further, we noted that renewable energy, non-renewable energy, capital and labor have positive impact on economic growth, particularly, renewable energy consumption has a positive impact on economic growth for 58% of the sample countries. The empirical results suggest that international cooperation agencies, energy organizers, governments, and associated bodies must act together in increasing renewable energy investment for low carbon growth in most of these economies. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.