bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real-time revenue and firm disclosure
Authors: Blankespoor Elizabeth , Hendricks Bradley E. , Piotroski Joseph , Synn Christina
Published: August 2022

We examine firm disclosure choice when information is received on a real-time, continuous basis. We use transaction-level credit and debit card sales for a sample of retail firms to construct a weekly measure of abnormal revenue for each firm. We validate the informativeness of this abnormal real-time revenue information, confirming its positive correlation with abnormal returns, unexpected revenue realizations, and management revenue forecast news. Using revenue forecasts, we find that firms are less likely to disclose abnormally negative news early in the quarter. As the quarter progresses, firms reduce their withholding of negative news. These results are consistent with impending earnings announcements disciplining managers to provide negative news. This pattern of initial withholding and then disclosure exists primarily in firms with high analyst coverage, high institutional ownership, or high litigation risk. Finally, we find increased insider stock sales in weeks with abnormally negative news and no firm disclosure. Overall, our study provides evidence of the informativeness of real-time information and manager discretion in its release.
Writing a synthesis versus reading: strategies involved and impact on comprehension
Authors: Castells Núria , Minguela Marta , Nadal Esther
Published: August 2022

Little evidence is available regarding the differential impact of reading versus reading and writing on multiple source comprehension. The present study aims to: (1) compare the inferential comprehension performance of students in reading versus reading/synthesis conditions; (2) explore the impact of performing the tasks on paper versus on screen withRead&Answer(R&A) software; and (3) explore the extent to which rereading, notetaking, and the quality of the written synthesis can explain student’s comprehension scores. For the students in the synthesis condition, we also examined the relationship between the quality of the synthesis they produced and the comprehension they achieved. 155 psychology undergraduates were randomly assigned either to the reading (n = 78) or to the reading/synthesis condition (n = 77). From this sample, 79 participants carried out the task with theRead&Answersoftware, and 76 solved the task on paper. All the students took a prior knowledge questionnaire, and read three complementary texts about the conception of intelligence. Students in the reading condition answered an inferential comprehension test, whereas students in the synthesis condition were asked to write a synthesis before taking the same test. Results show no differences in comprehension between students in the four conditions (task and media). There was no significant association between rereading and task condition. However, students in the synthesis condition were more likely to take notes. We found that two of the categories for the quality of the synthesis, textual organization and accuracy of content had an impact on inferential comprehension for the participants who wrote it. The quality of the synthesis mediated between student’s prior knowledge and inferential comprehension.
Certificateless network coding scheme from certificateless public auditing protocol
Authors: Bian Genqing , Song Mingxuan , Shao Bilin
Published: August 2022

In recent years, network coding has received extensive attention and has been applied to various computer network systems, since it has been mathematically proven to enhance the network robustness and maximize the network throughput. However, it is well-known that network coding is extremely vulnerable to pollution attacks. Certificateless network coding scheme (CLNS) is a recently proposed mechanism to defend against pollution attacks for network coding, which avoids tedious management of certificates and key-escrow attack. Until now, only a few constructions were presented, and more ones should be given so as to enrich this field. In this paper, for the first time, we study the general construction of CLNS from certificateless public auditing protocol (CL-PAP), although the two areas seem to be quite different in their nature and are studied independently. Since there are many candidates of CL-PAPs, we can naturally obtain abundant constructions of CLNSs according to our systematic way. In addition, in order to show the power of the general construction, we also present a concrete implementation given a specific CL-PAP. The performance analysis and experimental results show that the implemented CLNS is competitive in the existing network coding schemes.
Natural language quantification is not polysemous
Authors: Collins John
Published: August 2022

The paper argues that natural language quantification, as expressed by determiner phrases, is not polysemous. The foil for this claim is Hofweber (Ontology and the ambitions of metaphysics. Oxford University Press, 2016; Mind, 128:699–734, 2019), who contends that natural language quantification is polysemous between a domain reading and an inferential reading. The thesis is intended to support a more general division between externalist and internalist positions in semantics. The paper, to the contrary, argues that there is no linguistic evidence for polysemous quantification, and Hofweber’s proposal proves to be non-compositional. Further, an approach at least consistent with internalism is available independent of an inferential reading, for natural language quantification can be read as ontologically neutral, which removes the rationale for the polysemy hypothesis. The paper remains neutral on so-called heavyweight (thick) vs. lightweight (thin) construals of quantification, which are not claims about natural language semantics.
Do your own research!
Authors: Levy Neil
Published: August 2022

Philosophical tradition and conspiracy theorists converge in suggesting that ordinary people ought to do their own research, rather than accept the word of others. In this paper, I argue that it’s no accident that conspiracy theorists value lay research on expert topics: such research is likely to undermine knowledge, via its effects on truth and justification. Accepting expert testimony is a far more reliable route to truth. Nevertheless, lay research has a range of benefits; in particular, it is likely to lead to greater understanding, even when it does not lead to knowledge. I argue that we can reap most of the genuine benefits of lay research while minimizing the risks by engaging in exploratory, rather than truth-directed, inquiry. To engage in exploratory inquiry is to engage dogmatically, expecting to be unable to confirm the expert view or to disconfirm rivals.
Three-dimensional fully coupled hydro-mechanical-chemical model for solute transport under mechanical and osmotic loading conditions
Authors: Masum Shakil A. , Zhang Zhihong , Tian Gailei , Sultana Mimnun
Published: August 2022

Mechanical deformation and chemico-osmotic consolidation of clay liners can change its intrinsic transport properties in all direction and can alter fluid and solute transport processes in the entire model domain. These phenomena are described inadequately by lower-dimensional models. Based on the Biot’s consolidation theory, fluid and solute mass conservation equations, a three-dimensional (3D) fully-coupled hydro-mechanical-chemical (HMC) model has been proposed in this study. The impacts of mechanical consolidation and chemico-osmotic consolidation on permeability, hydrodynamic dispersion, solute sorption, membrane efficiency, and chemical osmosis are considered in the model. The model is applied to evaluate performances of a single compacted clay liner (CCL) and a damaged geomembrane-compacted clay composite liner (GMB/CCL) to contain a generic landfill contaminant. Effect of model dimensionality on solute spread for CCL is found to be marginal, but for GMB/CCL the effect is significantly large. After 50-year simulation period, solute concentration at the half-length of the GMB/CCL liner is predicted to be 40% of the source concentration during 1D simulation, which is only 6% during the 3D simulation. The results revealed approximately 74% over-estimation of liner settlement in 1D simulation than that of the 3D for GMB/CL system. Solute spread accelerates (over-estimates) vertically than horizontally since overburden load and consequent mechanical loading-induced solute convection occurs in the same direction. However, in homogeneous and isotropic soils, horizontal spread retards the overall migration of contaminants, and it highlights the importance of 3D models to study solute transports under mechanical and chemico-osmotic loading conditions in semi-permeable clays, especially, for damaged geomembrane-clay liners. The results show the utility of geomembranes to reduce soil settlement, undulation, and restriction of solute migration. Furthermore, application of geomembrane can inhibit development of elevated negative excess pore water pressure at deeper portion of a clay liner.
Spatiotemporal variations of ozone exposure and its risks to vegetation and human health in Cyprus: an analysis across a gradient of altitudes
Authors: Agathokleous Stefanos , Saitanis Costas J. , Savvides Chrysanthos , Sicard Pierre , Agathokleous Evgenios , De Marco Alessandra
Published: August 2022

Ground-level ozone (O3) affects vegetation and threatens environmental health when levels exceed critical values, above which adverse effects are expected. Cyprus is expected to be a hotspot for O3concentrations due to its unique position in the eastern Mediterranean, receiving air masses from Europe, African, and Asian continents, and experiencing a warm Mediterranean climate. In Cyprus, the spatiotemporal features of O3are poorly understood and the potential risks for forest health have not been explored. We evaluated O3and nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2) at four regional background stations at different altitudes over 2014−2016. O3risks to vegetation and human health were estimated by calculating accumulated O3exposure over a threshold of 40 nmol mol−1(AOT40) and cumulative exposure to mixing ratios above 35 nmol mol−1(SOMO35) indices. The data reveal that mean O3concentrations follow a seasonal pattern, with higher levels in spring (51.8 nmol mol−1) and summer (53.2 nmol mol−1) and lower levels in autumn (46.9 nmol mol−1) and winter (43.3 nmol mol−1). The highest mean O3exposure (59.5 nmol mol−1) in summer occurred at the high elevation station Mt. Troodos (1819 m a.s.l.). Increasing (decreasing) altitudinal gradients were found for O3(NOx), driven by summer–winter differences. The diurnal patterns of O3showed little variation. Only at the lowest altitude O3displayed a typical O3diurnal pattern, with hourly differences smaller than 15 nmol mol−1. Accumulated O3exposures at all stations and in all years exceeded the European Union’s limits for the protection of vegetation, with average values of 3-month (limit: 3000 nmol mol−1 h) and 6-month (limit: 5000 nmol mol−1 h) AOT40 for crops and forests of 16,564 and 31,836 nmol mol−1 h, respectively. O3exposures were considerably high for human health, with an average SOMO35 value of 7270 nmol mol−1 days across stations and years. The results indicate that O3is a major environmental and public health issue in Cyprus, and policies must be adopted to mitigate O3precursor emissions at local and regional scales.
The Role of Pharmacogenomics in Opioid Prescribing
Authors: Wong Aaron K. , Somogyi Andrew A. , Rubio Justin , Philip Jennifer
Published: August 2022

Opinion statement

Pharmacogenomics is increasingly important to guide objective, safe, and effective individualised prescribing. Personalised prescribing has revolutionised treatments in the past decade, allowing clinicians to maximise drug efficacy and minimise adverse effects based on a person’s genetic profile. Opioids, the gold standard for cancer pain relief, are among the commonest medications prescribed in palliative care practice. This narrative review examines the literature surrounding opioid pharmacogenomics and its applicability to the palliative care cancer population. There is currently limited intersection between the fields of palliative care and pharmacogenomics, but growing evidence presents a need to build linkages between the two disciplines. Pharmacogenomic evidence guiding opioid prescribing is currently available for codeine and tramadol, which relates to CYP2D6 gene variants. However, these medications are prescribed less commonly for pain in palliative care. Research is accelerating with other opioids, where oxycodone (CYP2D6) and methadone (CYP2B6, ABCB1) already have moderate evidence of an association in terms of drug metabolism and downstream analgesic response and side effects. OPRM1 and COMT are receiving increasing attention and have implications for all opioids, with changes in opioid dosage requirements observed but they have not yet been studied widely enough to be considered clinically actionable. Current evidence indicates that incorporation of pharmacogenomic testing into opioid prescribing practice should focus on the CYP2D6 gene and its actionable variants. Although opioid pharmacogenomic tests are not widely used in clinical practice, the progressively reducing costs and rapid turnover means greater accessibility and affordability to patients, and thus, clinicians will be increasingly asked to provide guidance in this area. The upsurge in pharmacogenomic research will likely discover more actionable gene variants to expand international guidelines to impact opioid prescribing. This rapidly expanding area requires consideration and monitoring by clinicians in order for key findings with clinical implications to be accessible, meaningfully interpretable and communicated.
Partial response to first generation SSA guides the choice and predict the outcome of second line therapy in acromegaly
Authors: Chiloiro Sabrina , Costa Denise , Lauretta Rosa , Mercuri Valeria , Sbardella Emilia , Samperi Irene , Appetecchia Marialuisa , Bianchi Antonio , Giampietro Antonella , Gargiulo Patrizia , Isidori Andrea M. , Poggi Maurizio , Pontecorvi Alfredo , De Marinis Laura
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Treatment of acromegaly resistant to first generation somatostatin analogues (first gen-SSA) is often difficult. We aimed to investigate the role of partial response and resistance to first gen-SSA in the choice of second line treatments and their outcomes.

Patients and methods

A retrospective and multicenter study was conducted on 100 SSA-resistant acromegaly patients and treated with Pasireotide Lar (Pasi-Lar), Peg-V in monotherapy (m-Peg-V) or in combination with first gen-SSA (c-Peg-V).

Results

Thirty-three patients (33%) were treated with m-Peg-V, 36 (36%) with c-Peg-V and 31 with Pasi-Lar (31%). According to logistic regression, m-Peg-V was chosen in older patients (p = 0.01) and with not-invasive adenomas (p = 0.009), c-Peg-V therapy in younger patients (p = 0.001), with invasive adenomas (p = 0.02), Pasi-Lar was in invasive adenomas (p = 0.01) and in patients partially responsive to first-gen SSA (p = 0.01). At the last follow-up, 68 patients (68%) reached the acromegaly control: 22 with m-Peg-V (32.4%), 23 with c-Peg-V (33.8%) and 23 with Pasi-Lar (33.8%). Patients non-responsive to c-Peg-V had higher IGF-I levels (median 3.2 x ULN, IQR: 1.6, p < 0.001) and required higher Peg-V dosage (median 30 mg/daily IQR: 10, p = 0.002) as compared to responsive patients (median IGF-I x ULN: 2.1 IQR: 1.4; median Peg-V dosage 20 mg/daily IQR: 10). All patients responsive to Pasi-Lar were partially responsive to first gen-SSAs (p = 0.02).

Conclusion

Our data showed that c-Peg-V and Pasi-Lar are chosen for the treatment of invasive tumors. The partial response to first gen-SSA seems to be the main determinant for the choice of Pasi-Lar and positively predicts the treatment outcome.
Operation rate and cancer prevalence among thyroid nodules with FNAC report of suspicious for malignancy (TIR4) or malignant (TIR5) according to Italian classification system: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Trimboli Pierpaolo , Ferrarazzo Giulia , Piccardo Arnoldo , Lucchini Barbara , Durante Cosimo
Published: August 2022

Background

In the Italian system for reporting thyroid cytology (ICCRTC), nodules suspicious for (TIR4) and consistent with (TIR5) malignancy are thought being 5% and 4–8% of all biopsies and having risk of malignancy of 60–80% and >95%, respectively. However, no evidence-based data exist about these figures. The present systematic review aimed at achieving solid estimates about TIR4 and TIR5 also considering potential influencing factors.

Methods

The review was conducted according to MOOSE. Databases of Google Scholar and Cochrane were searched. No language restriction was used. The last search was performed on February 26th 2022. Quality assessment was performed. Proportion meta-analyses were performed using random-effect model. Statistical analyses were performed using OpenMeta [Analyst].

Results

The online search retrieved 271 articles and 16 were finally included for quantitative analysis. The risk of bias was generally low. The pooled cancer prevalence in TIR4 was 92.5% (95%CI 89.4–95.6%) with unexplained moderate heterogeneity. The pooled cancer rate among TIR5 was 99.7% (95%CI 99.3–100%) without heterogeneity. The resection rate in TIR4 and TIR5 showed heterogeneity, being the latter explained when using their prevalence among biopsies: the higher the prevalence, the higher the operation rate. The pooled risk difference between TIR5 and TIR4 was significant (OR 11.153).

Conclusions

These figures can form the basis for the next updated version of ICCRTC. Any institution using ICCRTC should revise its series of TIR4/TIR5 to calculate the cancer rate, and, importantly, consider the modifiers of the risk of malignancy. A cross check among institutions is advised.
EBRAINS Live Papers - Interactive Resource Sheets for Computational Studies in Neuroscience
Authors: Appukuttan Shailesh , Bologna Luca L. , Schürmann Felix , Migliore Michele , Davison Andrew P.
Published: August 2022

We present here an online platform for sharing resources underlying publications in neuroscience. It enables authors to easily upload and distribute digital resources, such as data, code, and notebooks, in a structured and systematic way. Interactivity is a prominent feature of the Live Papers, with features to download, visualise or simulate data, models and results presented in the corresponding publications. The resources are hosted on reliable data storage servers to ensure long term availability and easy accessibility. All data are managed via the EBRAINS Knowledge Graph, thereby helping maintain data provenance, and enabling tight integration with tools and services offered under the EBRAINS ecosystem.
miR-488-5p mitigates hepatic stellate cell activation and hepatic fibrosis via suppressing TET3 expression
Authors: Qiu Jiannan , Wu Shasha , Wang Peng , Zhou Yan , Wang Zhongxia , Sun Yong , Jiang Chunping
Published: August 2022

Background and aims

Numerous studies have demonstrated that hepatic fibrosis, a progressive condition as an endpoint of multiple chronic hepatic diseases, is largely characterized with the extensive activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The precise effect of miR-488-5p in HSCs during hepatic fibrosis has not been elucidated.

Methods

In our study, qRT‐PCR was applied to assess the level of miR-488-5p in activated HSCs stimulated by TGF-β1. We built murine liver fibrosis models with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), high-fat diet (HFD) and bile duct ligation (BDL). In vitro, the effects of miR-488-5p in HSCs were examined through cell proliferation assay and apoptosis. Luciferase reporter assay was applied to identify the underlying target of miR-488-5p. In vivo, the effects of miR-488-5p were explored through mouse liver fibrosis models.

Results

The reduction of miR-488-5p in the activated HSCs induced by TGF-β1 and three mouse hepatic fibrosis models were identified. The in vitro functional experimentations verified that miR-488-5p restrained expression of fibrosis-related markers and proliferative capacity in HSCs. Mechanically, we identified that miR-488-5p inhibited tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 3 (TET3) expression via straightly binding onto the 3′ UTR of its mRNA, which sequentially restrained the TGF-β/Smad2/3 pathway. TET3 inhibition induced by the overexpression of miR-488-5p reduced extracellular matrix deposition, which contributed to mitigating mouse liver fibrosis.

Conclusion

We highlight that miR-488-5p restrains the activation of HSCs and hepatic fibrosis via targeting TET3 which is involved in the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. Collectively, miR-488-5p is identified as a potential therapeutic target for hepatic fibrosis.
ClearSpeechTogether: a Rater Blinded, Single, Controlled Feasibility Study of Speech Intervention for People with Progressive Ataxia
Authors: Lowit Anja , Cox Jessica , Loucas Melissa , Grassly Jennifer , Egan Aisling , van Brenk Frits , Hadjivassiliou Marios
Published: August 2022

Background

Progressive ataxias frequently lead to speech disorders and consequently impact on communication participation and psychosocial wellbeing. Whilst recent studies demonstrate the potential for improvements in these areas, these treatments generally require intensive input which can reduce acceptability of the approach.

A new model of care—ClearSpeechTogether—is proposed which maximises treatment intensity whilst minimising demands on clinician. This study aimed to establish feasibility and accessibility of this approach and at the same time determine the potential benefits and adverse effects on people with progressive ataxias.

Method

This feasibility study targeted people with progressive ataxia and mild-moderate speech and gross motor impairment. ClearSpeechTogether consisted of four individual sessions over 2 weeks followed by 20 patient-led group sessions over 4 weeks. All sessions were provided online. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected for evaluation.

Results

Nine participants completed treatment. Feasibility and acceptability were high and no adverse effects were reported. Statistical tests found significantly reduced vocal strain, improved reading intelligibility and increased participation and confidence. Participant interviews highlighted the value of group support internalisation of speech strategies and psycho-social wellbeing.

Discussion

ClearSpeechTogether presented a feasible, acceptable intervention for a small cohort of people with progressive ataxia. It matched or exceeded the outcomes previously reported following individual therapy. Particularly notable was the fact that this could be achieved through patient led practice without the presence of a clinician. Pending confirmation of our results by larger, controlled trials, ClearSpeechTogether could represent an effective approach to manage speech problems in ataxia.
The network of commodity risk
Authors: Foroni Beatrice , Morelli Giacomo , Petrella Lea
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we investigate the interconnections among and within the Energy, Agricultural, and Metal commodities, operating in a risk management framework with a twofold goal. First, we estimate the Value-at-Risk (VaR) employing GARCH and Markov-switching GARCH models with different error term distributions. The use of such models allows us to take into account well-known stylized facts shown in the time series of commodities as well as possible regime changes in their conditional variance dynamics. We rely on backtesting procedures to select the best model for each commodity. Second, we estimate the sparse Gaussian Graphical model of commodities exploiting the Graphical LASSO (GLASSO) methodology to detect the most relevant conditional dependence structure among and within the sectors. A novel feature of our framework is that GLASSO estimation is achieved exploring the precision matrix of the multivariate Gaussian distribution obtained using a Gaussian copula with marginals given by the residuals of the aforementioned selected models. We apply our approach to the sample of twenty-four series of commodity futures prices over the years 2005–2022. We find that Soybean Oil, Cotton, and Coffee represent the major sources of propagation of financial distress in commodity markets while Gold, Natural Gas UK, and Heating Oil are depicted as safe-haven commodities. The impact of Covid-19 is reflected in increased heterogeneity, as captured by the strongest relationships between commodities belonging to the same commodity sector and by weakened inter-sectorial connections. This finding suggests that connectedness does not always increase in response to crisis events.
Improving suitability of urban canals and canalized rivers for transportation, thermal energy extraction and recreation in two European delta cities
Authors: van der Meulen E. Suzanne , van de Ven Frans H. M. , van Oel Pieter R. , Rijnaarts Huub H. M. , Sutton Nora B.
Published: August 2022

Canals and canalized rivers form a major part of surface water systems in European delta cities and societal ambitions to use these waters increase. This is the first assessment of how suitability of these waters can improve for three important uses: transportation, thermal energy extraction (TEE) and recreation. We assess suitability with Suitability Indices (SIs) and identify which alterations in the water system are needed to improve SI scores in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Ghent, Belgium. The results show spatial variability in suitability scores. Current suitability for transportation is low (SI score = 1) to excellent (SI score = 4), for TEE fair (SI score = 2) to excellent (SI score = 4), and suitability for recreation is low (SI score = 1). Suitability could improve by enlarging specific waterway dimensions, increasing discharge and clarity, and by enhancing microbiological water quality. The same methodology can be applied to optimize designs for new water bodies and for more water uses.
Hemopatch® is effective and safe to use: real-world data from a prospective European registry study
Authors: Lombardo Carlo , Lopez-Ben Santiago , Boggi Ugo , Gutowski Piotr , Hrbac Tomas , Krska Lukas , Marquez-Rivas Javier , Russello Domenico , York Elisa , Zacharias Mario
Published: August 2022

Surgical procedures are often impeded by bleeding and/or leakage of body fluids. These complications cannot always be resolved by conventional surgical techniques. Hemopatch® is a hemostatic patch that also functions as a sealant. Here we document the effectiveness and safety of Hemopatch® for routine procedures of multiple surgical disciplines. To this end, we performed a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, observational registry study. Patients were eligible if they had received Hemopatch® during an open or minimally invasive procedure in one of these specialties: hepatobiliary, cardiovascular, urological, neurological/spinal, general, or lung surgery. Patients were excluded if they had a known hypersensitivity to bovine proteins or brilliant blue, intraoperative pulsatile or severe bleeding and/or infection at the target application site (TAS). The primary endpoint for intraoperative effectiveness was hemostasis assessed as the percentage of patients achieving hemostasis within 2 min and the percentage of patients achieving hemostasis without re-bleeding at the time of surgical closure. The registry enrolled 621 patients at 23 study sites in six European countries. Six hundred twenty patients had completed follow-up information. Hemostasis within 2 min was achieved at 463 (74.5%) of all 621 TASs. Hemostasis without re-bleeding was observed at 620 (99.8%) TASs. Adverse events were reported in 64 patients (10.3%). This Hemopatch® registry shows that Hemopatch® efficiently establishes hemostasis and sealing in a variety of surgical specialties, including minimally invasive procedures. Furthermore, we provide evidence for the safety of Hemopatch® across all the specialties included in the registry. This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03392662.
Promising applications of seedcake of Jatropha curcas plants: bioethanol production and bio-sorbent material for dye and heavy metal removal
Authors: Taha Zahraa S. , Labena Ahmed , Madian Hekmat R. , Ahmed Hala S. , Hassan H. M.
Published: August 2022

Jatropha curcas L. as a member of Euphorbiaceae family had many copious applications due to its richness content of oil, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Therefore, this work was directed to increase the value of the seedcakes of Jatropha curcas by their applications in bioethanol production and removal of methylene blue dye (MB) as well as hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) from contaminated wastewater. The seedcakes sources were collected from different irrigation treatments: tap water (1), sewage water (2), sewage water and sludge (3), sewage water and sludge sprayed with tap water, 100, 200, 300, and 400 ppm of chlorocholine chloride (cycocel or abbreviated as CCC), (4), (5), (6), (7), and (8), respectively. Results showed that sewage water only (2) and the combination between sewage water and sludge irrigation (3) produced the highest ethanol quantity (4.59 & 5.15 ml/l, respectively) after the fermentation of the hydrolysates by Candida tropicalis Y-26. In respect to CCC spraying, the maximum ethanol concentration (5.57 ml/l) was achieved from Jatropha curcas seedcake irrigated with CCC at a concentration of (300 ppm). In the other application, a preliminary screening experiment was demonstrated for the different forms of Jatropha curcas seedcake and results revealed that the Jatropha curcas seedcake irrigated with sewage water only (2) achieved the highest removal efficiencies of 78.8% and 41% for MB and Cr (VI), respectively. After that, the optimization process stated the optimum parameters; Jatropha curcas seedcake dose of 15 and 5 g/l, conc. 50 ppm, pH 7 and 5, and contact time 240 & 120 min were the optimum factors that achieved high (methylene blue (MB)) and hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] removal efficiencies, respectively. Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-first-order model were stated as selected models that explain the adsorption mechanism of MB and Cr by Jatropha curcas seedcake.
Lactic acid fermentation of food waste at acidic conditions in a semicontinuous system: effect of HRT and OLR changes
Authors: Pau Simone , Tan Lea Chua , Arriaga Sonia , Lens Piet N. L.
Published: August 2022

Lactic acid production through fermentation is an established technology, however, improvements are necessary to reduce the process costs and to decrease its market price. Lactic acid is used in many industrial sectors and its market has increased in the last decade for its use as the raw material for polylactic acid product. Using food waste as a cheap and renewable substrate, as well as fermentation at uncontrolled pH, helps to make the production cheaper and to simplify the downstream purification process. Lactic acid production at acidic conditions and the role of varying organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) were tested in two different semicontinuous batch fermentation systems. Reactor performances indicated that lactic acid fermentation was still possible at pH < 3.5 and even up to a pH of 2.95. The highest lactic acid production was recorded at 14-day HRT, 2.14 g VS/L·day OLR, and pH 3.11 with a maximum lactic acid concentration of 8.72 g/L and a relative yield of 0.82 g lactate/g carbohydrates. The fermentation microbial community was dominated by Lactobacillus strains, the organism mainly responsible for lactic acid conversion from carbohydrates. This study shows that low pH fermentation is a key parameter to improve lactic acid production from food waste in a semicontinuous system. Acidic pH favored both the selection of Lactobacillus strains and inhibited VFA producers from utilizing lactic acid as primary substrate, thus promoting the accumulation of lactic acid. Finally, production yields tend to decrease with high OLR and low HRT, while lactic acid production rates showed the opposite trend.
Territorial Resilience Through Visibility Analysis for Immediate Detection of Wildfires Integrating Fire Susceptibility, Geographical Features, and Optimization Methods
Authors: Sakellariou Stavros , Sfoungaris George , Christopoulou Olga
Published: August 2022

Climate change effects tend to reinforce the frequency and severity of wildfires worldwide, and early detection of wildfire events is considered of crucial importance. The primary aim of this study was the spatial optimization of fire resources (that is, watchtowers) considering the interplay of geographical features (that is, simulated burn probability to delimit fire vulnerability; topography effects; and accessibility to candidate watchtower locations) and geo-optimization techniques (exact programming methods) to find both an effective and financially feasible solution in terms of visibility coverage in Chalkidiki Prefecture of northern Greece. The integration of all geographical features through the Analytical Hierarchy Process indicated the most appropriate territory for the installment of watchtowers. Terrain analysis guaranteed the independence and proximity of location options (applying spatial systematic sampling to avoid first order redundancy) across the ridges. The conjunction of the above processes yielded 654 candidate watchtower positions in 151,890 ha of forests. The algorithm was designed to maximize the joint visible area and simultaneously minimize the number of candidate locations and overlapping effects (avoiding second order redundancy). The results indicate four differentiated location options in the study area: (1) 75 locations can cover 90% of the forests (maximum visible area); (2) 47 locations can cover 85% of the forests; (3) 31 locations can cover 80.2% of the forests; and (4) 16 locations can cover 70.6% of the forests. The last option is an efficient solution because it covers about 71% of the forests with just half the number of watchtowers that would be required for the third option with only about 10% additional forest coverage. However, the final choice of any location scheme is subject to agency priorities and their respective financial flexibility.
Investigation of non-motor symptoms in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Hirayama Takehisa , Shibukawa Mari , Yanagihashi Masaru , Warita Hitoshi , Atsuta Naoki , Yamanaka Koji , Kano Osamu
Published: August 2022

[Objective] Few studies have comprehensively investigated the non-motor symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aimed to investigate this aspect of ALS. [Methods] We held a nationwide webinar, titled “ALS Café,” and distributed self-report questionnaires to ALS patients. In addition to the frequency of non-motor symptoms such as fatigue, pain, sleep disorders, defecation disorders, sialorrhea, and sexual problems, we evaluated the quality of life (QoL), ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). [Results] The average age of the 33 respondents (19 male, 14 female) was 60.8 ± 11.2; 96.7% of respondents had some non-motor symptoms. The median ALSFRS-R was 32.0, and seven (21.2%) of the respondents had a PHQ-9 score of 10 or higher. Fatigue was the most common non-motor symptom (81.8%), followed by pain (60.6%), defecation disorders (57.6%), sleep disorders (48.5%), sialorrhea (48.5%), and sexual problems (24.2%). Fatigue was more frequent in females (P = 0.03). Among the non-motor symptoms, pain was the most common factor affecting QoL, followed by fatigue. More than 90% of ALS patients answered that they had never consulted a physician/counselor about sexual problems. Patients with pain had higher PHQ-9 scores than those without (P = 0.01). There was no correlation between the ALSFRS-R score and QoL and PHQ-9. [Conclusions] Most patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis had non-motor symptoms, and fatigue and pain were the most common. We showed that many non-motor symptoms affected QoL without correlating with ALSFRS-R score. Attention should be paid to those even if the motor symptoms of ALS are mild.
Secondary zoonotic dog-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 suggested by timeline but refuted by viral genome sequencing
Authors: Hoppe John M. , Füeßl Louise U. , Hartmann Katrin , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina , Graf Alexander , Krebs Stefan , Blum Helmut , Badell Irina , Keppler Oliver T. , Muenchhoff Maximilian
Published: August 2022

Purpose

The risk of secondary zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from pet animals remains unclear. Here, we report on a 44 year old Caucasian male presenting to our clinic with COVID-19 pneumonia, who reported that his dog displayed respiratory signs shortly prior to his infection. The dog tested real-time-PCR (RT-PCR) positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the timeline of events suggested a transmission from the dog to the patient.

Methods

RT-PCR and serological assays were used to confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection in the nasopharyngeal tract in the dog and the patient. We performed SARS-CoV-2-targeted amplicon-based next generation sequencing of respiratory samples from the dog and patient for sequence comparisons.

Results

SARS-CoV-2 infection of the dog was confirmed by three independent PCR-positive pharyngeal swabs and subsequent seroconversion. Sequence analysis identified two separate SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the canine and the patient’s respiratory samples. The timeline strongly suggested dog-to-human transmission, yet due to the genetic distance of the canine and the patient’s samples paired-transmission was highly unlikely.

Conclusion

The results of this case support current knowledge about the low risk of secondary zoonotic dog-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 and emphasizes the strength of genomic sequencing in deciphering viral transmission chains.
Return to Sports: A Risky Business? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors for Graft Rupture Following ACL Reconstruction
Authors: Cronström Anna , Tengman Eva , Häger Charlotte K.
Published: August 2022

Background

The risk of sustaining a graft rupture after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is high. Contributing risk factors are, however, still not clearly identified.

Objective

The aim of this systematic review was to identify and quantify risk factors for graft rupture after ACLR.

Methods

A systematic review with meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42020140129) based on PRISMA guidelines was performed. MEDLINE, CINAHL and EMBASE were searched from inception to September 2021. Prospective and retrospective studies addressing risk factors for graft rupture after ACLR in males/females of all ages were considered. Meta-analyses using a random effect model (effect measure: odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]) were performed. The GRADE tool was used to assess evidence quality.

Results

Following full-text screening of 310 relevant papers, 117 were eventually included, incorporating up to 133,000 individuals in each meta-analysis. Higher Tegner activity level (≥ 7 vs < 7) at primary injury (OR 3.91, 95% CI 1.69–9.04), increased tibial slope (degrees) (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.26–3.86), lower psychological readiness to return to sport (RTS) (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.32–3.61), early surgery (< 12 vs ≥ 12 months) (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.58–2.22), RTS (pre-injury level) (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.21–2.91) and family history of ACL injury (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.34–2.31) were all associated with increased odds of graft rupture. Higher age (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.39–0.59), female sex (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79–0.98), fewer self-reported knee symptoms pre-reconstruction (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69–0.95) and concomitant cartilage injuries (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.62–0.79) instead decreased the odds. Meta-analysis revealed no association between body mass index, smoking, joint laxity, RTS time, knee kinematics, muscle strength or hop performance and graft rupture.

Conclusion

Conspicuous risk factors for graft rupture were mainly sports and hereditary related. Few studies investigated function-related modifiable factors or included sports exposure data.
Generative knowledge-based transfer learning for few-shot health condition estimation
Authors: Kang Weijie , Xiao Jiyang , Xue Junjie
Published: August 2022

In the field of high-end manufacturing, it is valuable to study few-shot health condition estimation. Although transfer learning and other methods have effectively improved the ability of few-shot learning, they still cannot solve the lack of prior knowledge. In this paper, by combining data enhancement, knowledge reasoning, and transfer learning, a generative knowledge-based transfer learning model is proposed to achieve few-shot health condition estimation. First, with the effectiveness of data enhancement on machine learning, a novel batch monotonic generative adversarial network (BM-GAN) is designed for few-shot health condition data generation, which can solve the problem of insufficient data and generate simulated training data. Second, a generative knowledge-based transfer learning model is proposed with the performance advantages of the belief rule base (BRB) method on few-shot learning, which combines expert knowledge and simulated training data to obtain a generalized BRB model and then fine-tunes the generalized model with real data to obtain a dedicated BRB model. Third, through uniform sampling of NASA lithium battery data and simulating few-shot conditions, the generative transfer-belief rule base (GT-BRB) method proposed in this paper is verified to be feasible for few-shot health condition estimation and improves the estimation accuracy of the BRB method by approximately 17.3%.
Atomically Dispersed Iron Active Sites Promoting Reversible Redox Kinetics and Suppressing Shuttle Effect in Aluminum–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Wang Fei , Jiang Min , Zhao Tianshuo , Meng Pengyu , Ren Jianmin , Yang Zhaohui , Zhang Jiao , Fu Chaopeng , Sun Baode
Published: August 2022

Rechargeable aluminum–sulfur (Al–S) batteries have been considered as a highly potential energy storage system owing to the high theoretical capacity, good safety, abundant natural reserves, and low cost of Al and S. However, the research progress of Al–S batteries is limited by the slow kinetics and shuttle effect of soluble polysulfides intermediates. Herein, an interconnected free-standing interlayer of iron single atoms supported on porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (FeSAs-NCF) on the separator is developed and used as both catalyst and chemical barrier for Al–S batteries. The atomically dispersed iron active sites (Fe–N4) are clearly identified by aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption near-edge structure. The Al–S battery with the FeSAs-NCF shows an improved specific capacity of 780 mAh g−1 and enhanced cycle stability. As evidenced by experimental and theoretical results, the atomically dispersed iron active centers on the separator can chemically adsorb the polysulfides and accelerate reaction kinetics to inhibit the shuttle effect and promote the reversible conversion between aluminum polysulfides, thus improving the electrochemical performance of the Al–S battery. This work provides a new way that can not only promote the conversion of aluminum sulfides but also suppress the shuttle effect in Al–S batteries.
One-Dimensional Magnetic FeCoNi Alloy Toward Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Wave Absorption
Authors: Yang Bintong , Fang Jiefeng , Xu Chunyang , Cao Hui , Zhang Ruixuan , Zhao Biao , Huang Mengqiu , Wang Xiangyu , Lv Hualiang , Che Renchao
Published: August 2022

Rational designing of one-dimensional (1D) magnetic alloy to facilitate electromagnetic (EM) wave attenuation capability in low-frequency (2–6 GHz) microwave absorption field is highly desired but remains a significant challenge. In this study, a composite EM wave absorber made of a FeCoNi medium-entropy alloy embedded in a 1D carbon matrix framework is rationally designed through an improved electrospinning method. The 1D-shaped FeCoNi alloy embedded composite demonstrates the high-density and continuous magnetic network using off-axis electronic holography technique, indicating the excellent magnetic loss ability under an external EM field. Then, the in-depth analysis shows that many factors, including 1D anisotropy and intrinsic physical features of the magnetic medium-entropy alloy, primarily contribute to the enhanced EM wave absorption performance. Therefore, the fabricated EM wave absorber shows an increasing effective absorption band of 1.3 GHz in the low-frequency electromagnetic field at an ultrathin thickness of 2 mm. Thus, this study opens up a new method for the design and preparation of high-performance 1D magnetic EM absorbers.
Multi-perspective Data Modelling in Cyber Physical Production Networks: Data, Services and Actors
Authors: Bagozi Ada , Bianchini Devis , Rula Anisa
Published: August 2022

In recent years, Cyber Physical Production Systems and Digital Threads opened the vision on the importance of data modelling and management to lead the smart factory towards a full-fledged vertical and horizontal integration. Vertical integration refers to the full connection of smart factory levels from the work centers on the shop floor up to the business layer. Horizontal integration is realised when a single smart factory participates in multiple interleaved supply chains with different roles (e.g., main producer, supplier), sharing data and services and forming a Cyber Physical Production Network. In such an interconnected world, data and services become fundamental elements in the cyberspace to implement advanced data-driven applications such as production scheduling, energy consumption optimisation, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, change management in Product Lifecycle Management, process monitoring and so forth. In this paper, we propose a methodology that guides the design of a portfolio of data-oriented services in a Cyber Physical Production Network. The methodology starts from the goals of the actors in the network, as well as their requirements on data and functions. Therefore, a data model is designed to represent the information shared across actors according to three interleaved perspectives, namely, product, process and industrial assets. Finally, multi-perspective data-oriented services for collecting, monitoring, dispatching and displaying data are built on top of the data model, according to the three perspectives. The methodology also includes a set of access policies for the actors in order to enable controlled access to data and services. The methodology is tested on a real case study for the production of valves in deep and ultra-deep water applications. Experimental validation in the real case study demonstrates the benefits of providing a methodological support for the design of multi-perspective data-oriented services in Cyber Physical Production Networks, both in terms of usability of the data navigation through the services and in terms of service performances in presence of Big Data.