bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Clinical Dilemma of Esophagogastroduodenoscopy for Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Cardiovascular Disease Patients: A Nationwide-Based Retrospective Study
Authors: Chang Chao-Feng , Chien Wu-Chien , Chung Chi-Hsiang , Lin Hsuan-Hwai , Huang Tien-Yu , Chen Peng-Jen , Chang Wei-Kuo , Huang Hsin-Hung
Published: June 2022

Performing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in recently occurring peri-coronary artery disease (CAD) accident settings is always a dilemma. This study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to identify patients with CAD and gastrointestinal bleeding who had received EGD or not between 2000 and 2013.The final population included in this study was 15,147 individuals, with 3801 individuals having received EGD (study cohort group) and 11,346 individuals not having received EGD (comparison cohort group). We initially performed a sensitivity test for CAD recurrence-related factors using multivariable Cox regression during the tracking period. A relatively earlier EGD intervention within one week demonstrated a lower risk of CAD recurrence (adjusted HR = 0.712). Although there were no significant differences in the overall tracking period, the adjusted HR of CAD recurrence was still lower in patients in the EGD group. Furthermore, our findings revealed that there were no remarkably short intervals to CAD recurrence in the study group. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve demonstrated that individuals who underwent EGD were not associated with a significantly increased CAD recurrence rate compared with the control (Log-rank test, p = 0.255). CAD recurrence is always an issue in recent episodes of peri-CAD accident settings while receiving EGD. However, there is not a higher risk in comparison with the normal population in our study, and waiting periods may not be required.
Photo-Dependent Reflex Seizures—A Scoping Review with Proposal of Classification
Authors: Strzelecka Jolanta , Mazurkiewicz Dariusz Wojciech , Skadorwa Tymon , Gąsior Jakub S. , Jóźwiak Sergiusz
Published: June 2022

Children and adolescents are the largest at-risk group for the appearance of reflex seizures or epilepsy syndromes with a photoparoxysmal response. The aim of this study was to present an overview of the literature regarding photo-dependent reflex seizures. Epilepsy with seizures provoked by intermittent light stimulation is a distinct group of epilepsies; therefore, we focused on reflex seizures provoked by different factors whose common feature is the patient’s response to intermittent photic stimulation. A qualitative search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library electronic databases for selected terms was carried out for scientific articles published up to May 2020 outlining the outcomes of control, observational, and case studies. This scoping review was developed and followed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. The review of the qualitative evidence for the synthesis of photosensitive epilepsy allowed us to distinguish the following categories: light-induced seizures and light-deprived seizures. Differentiating between intermittent photic stimulation-related epilepsy syndromes and seizures is essential in order to determine the length of appropriate treatment. Photo-dependent reflex seizures make up the majority of this type of disorder among reflex seizures. Since there are many seizures provoking factors in the world around us, it is important to distinguish amongst them in order to be able to protect the patient exposed to this factor. It is recommended that the photostimulation procedure be performed during a routine electroencephalogram study.
Remdesivir in Very Old Patients (≥80 Years) Hospitalized with COVID-19: Real World Data from the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry
Authors: Ramos-Rincon Jose-Manuel , López-Carmona María-Dolores , Cobos-Palacios Lidia , López-Sampalo Almudena , Rubio-Rivas Manuel , Martín-Escalante María-Dolores , de-Cossio-Tejido Santiago , Taboada-Martínez María-Luisa , Muiño-Miguez Antonio , Areses-Manrique Maria , Martinez-Cilleros Carmen , Tuñón-de-Almeida Carlota , Abella-Vázquez Lucy , Martínez-Gonzalez Angel-Luís , Díez-García Luis-Felipe , Ripper Carlos-Jorge , Asensi Victor , Martinez-Pascual Angeles , Guisado-Vasco Pablo , Lumbreras-Bermejo Carlos , Gómez-Huelgas Ricardo ,   on behalf of the SEMI-COVID-19 Network
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: Large cohort studies of patients with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir have reported improved clinical outcomes, but data on older patients are scarce. Objective: This work aims to assess the potential benefit of remdesivir in unvaccinated very old patients hospitalized with COVID-19; (2) Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients ≥ 80 years hospitalized in Spain between 15 July and 31 December 2020 (SEMI-COVID-19 Registry). Differences in 30-day all-cause mortality were adjusted using a multivariable regression analysis. (3) Results: Of the 4331 patients admitted, 1312 (30.3%) were ≥80 years. Very old patients treated with remdesivir (n: 140, 10.7%) had a lower mortality rate than those not treated with remdesivir (OR (95% CI): 0.45 (0.29–0.69)). After multivariable adjustment by age, sex, and variables associated with lower mortality (place of COVID-19 acquisition; degree of dependence; comorbidities; dementia; duration of symptoms; admission qSOFA; chest X-ray; D-dimer; and treatment with corticosteroids, tocilizumab, beta-lactams, macrolides, and high-flow nasal canula oxygen), the use of remdesivir remained associated with a lower 30-day all-cause mortality rate (adjusted OR (95% CI): 0.40 (0.22–0.61) (p < 0.001)). (4) Conclusions: Remdesivir may reduce mortality in very old patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
Extracorporeal Life Support and Temporary CentriMag Ventricular Assist Device to Salvage Cardiogenic-Shock Patients Suffering from Prolonged Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Chen Jia-Lin , Tsai Yi-Ting , Lin Chih-Yuan , Ke Hong-Yan , Lin Yi-Chang , Yang Hsiang-Yu , Liu Chien-Ting , Sung Shih-Ying , Chang Jui-Tsung , Wang Ying-Hsiang , Lin Tso-Chou , Tsai Chien-Sung , Hsu Po-Shun
Published: June 2022

Background: The extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and temporary bilateral ventricular assist device (t-BiVAD) are commonly applied in patients with cardiogenic shock. Prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has poor prognosis. Herein, we report our findings on a combined ECLS and t-BiVAD approach to salvage cardiogenic-shock patients with CPR for more than one hour. Methods: Fifty-nine patients with prolonged CPR and rescued by ECLS and subsequent t-BiVAD were retrospectively collected between January 2015 and December 2019. Primary diagnoses included ischemic, dilated cardiomyopathy, acute myocardial infarction, post-cardiotomy syndrome, and fulminant myocarditis. The mean LVEF was 16.9% ± 6.56% before t-BiVAD. The median ECLS-to-VAD interval is 26 h. Results: A total of 26 patients (44%) survived to weaning, including 13 (22%) bridged to recovery, and 13 (22%) bridged to transplantation. Survivors to discharge demonstrated better systemic perfusion and hemodynamics than non-survivors. The CentriMag-related complications included bleeding (n = 22, 37.2%), thromboembolism (n = 5, 8.4%), and infection (n = 4, 6.7%). The risk factors of mortality included Glasgow Coma Scale (Motor + Eye) ≤ 5, and lactate ≥ 8 mmol/L at POD-1, persistent ventricular rhythm or asystole, and total bilirubin ≥ 6 mg/dL at POD-3. Mortality factors included septic shock (n = 11, 18.6%), central failure (n = 10, 16.9%), and multiple organ failure (n = 12, 20.3%). Conclusions: Combined ECLS and t-BiVAD could be a salvage treatment for patients with severe cardiogenic shock, especially for those already having prolonged CPR. This combination can correct organ malperfusion and allow sufficient time to bridge patients to recovery and heart transplantation, especially in Asia, where donation rates are low, as well as intracorporeal VAD or total artificial heart being seldom available.
Comorbidity and Prognosis in Octogenarians with Infective Endocarditis
Authors: Perez-Rivera Jose-Angel , Armiñanzas Carlos , Muñoz Patricia , Kestler Martha , Pinilla Blanca , Fariñas Maria-Carmen , Alvarez-Rodriguez Ignacio , Cuervo Guillermo , Rodriguez-Esteban Angeles , de Alarcón Aristides , Gutiérrez-Villanueva Andrea , Pello-Lazaro Ana , Martínez Sellés Manuel ,   on behalf of the Spanish Collaboration on Endocarditis—Grupo de Apoyo al Manejo de la Endocarditis Infecciosa en ESpaña (GAMES)
Published: June 2022

Background. Infective endocarditis (IE) in older patients is associated with a high morbidity, mortality, and functional impairment. The purpose of this study was to describe the current profile of IE in octogenarians and to analyze the prognostic impact of baseline comorbidities in this population. Methods. Patients ≥ 80 years and definite IE from the Spanish IE Prospective Database were included. The effect of Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) on in-hospital and 12-month mortality was analyzed. Results. From 726 patients, 357 (49%) had CCI ≥ 3 and 369 (51%) CCI < 3. A total of 265 patients (36.6%) died during hospital admission and 338 (45.5%) during 1-year follow-up. CCI ≥ 3 was an independent predictor of in-hospital and 1-year mortality (odds ratio 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.07–1.99, p = 0.017; hazard ratio 1.34, 95% confidence interval 1.08–1.66, p = 0.007, respectively). Surgical management was less common in patients with high comorbidity (CCI ≥ 3 68 [19.0%] vs. CCI < 3 112 ((30.4%) patients, p < 0.01). From 443 patients with surgical indication, surgery was only performed in 176 (39.7%). Patients with surgical indication treated conservatively had higher mortality than those treated with surgery (in-hospital mortality: 147 (55.1%) vs. 55 (31.3%), p < 0.001), (1-year mortality: 172 (64.4%) vs. 68 [38.6%], p < 0.001). Conclusion. About half of octogenarians with IE had high comorbidity with CCI ≥ 3. CCI ≥ 3 was a strong independent predictor of in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Our data suggest that the underperformance of cardiac surgery in this group of patients might have a role in their poor prognosis.
Comparison of the Effects of High-Power Diode Laser and Electrocautery for Lingual Frenectomy in Infants: A Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Mazzoni Adriana , Navarro Ricardo Scarparo , Fernandes Kristianne Porta Santos , Mesquita-Ferrari Raquel Agnelli , Horliana Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini , Silva Tamiris , Santos Elaine Marcílio , Sobral Ana Paula Taboada , Júnior Aldo Brugnera , Nammour Samir , Motta Lara Jansinski , Bussadori Sandra Kalil
Published: June 2022

The aim of the study was to evaluate the release of the lingual frenulum through frenectomy in newborns zero to 90 days of age who breastfed and had diagnosis of ankyloglossia with an indication for surgery, comparing two methods: electrocautery and a high-power diode laser. Fifty-seven patients were randomly allocated to two groups (23 submitted to electrocautery and 34 submitted to a high power diode laser). Tongue movements were evaluated based on a clinical assessment and using the Bristol Tongue Assessment Tool (BTAT) before and 15 days after the surgical procedures. The visual analog scale was administered to the mothers on the same occasions for the measurement of pain during breastfeeding. Both groups had an increased BTAT score (favorable outcome) at the post-surgical evaluation, but the anterior third of the tongue was not always free to enable the movements necessary for lingual functions. It is fundamental for surgeons to have skill and in-depth knowledge of the equipment used to avoid accidents and complications in the region of important structures. Both techniques employed in this study were safe and effective, causing little bleeding and few postoperative complications. The group submitted to a high-power diode laser exhibited less post-surgical bleeding compared to the group submitted to electrocautery and no inflammation at the edges of the surgical cut.
Occurrence and Health Risk Assessment of Cadmium Accumulation in Three Tricholoma Mushroom Species Collected from Wild Habitats of Central and Coastal Croatia
Authors: Širić Ivan , Kumar Pankaj , Eid Ebrahem M. , Bachheti Archana , Kos Ivica , Bedeković Dalibor , Mioč Boro , Humar Miha
Published: June 2022

This study deals with the biomonitoring of cadmium (Cd) heavy metal in the three selected Tricholoma mushroom species collected from wild habitats of central and coastal Croatia. For this, mushroom (T. columbetta: n = 38, T. portentosum: n = 35, and T. terreum: n = 34) and surface soil samples were collected from nine forest localities of Croatia and analyzed for Cd concentration using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP–OES) through the acid digestion method. The findings revealed that Cd was present in Tricholoma spp. and surface soil. However, the maximum mean Cd concentration (mg/kg dry weight) was recorded in T. portentosum (cap: 0.98; stipe: 0.72), followed by T. columbetta (cap: 0.96; stipe: 0.73) and T. terreum (cap: 0.81; stipe: 0.63). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) value (>1) revealed that the selected Tricholoma spp. had the potential for Cd accumulation. Moreover, the principal component (PC) and hierarchical cluster (HC) analyses were used to derive the interactions and similarities between Cd levels Tricholoma spp. and sampling localities. The multivariate analysis suggested that central sampling localities had higher Cd levels as compared to coastal localities. However, the daily intake of metals (DIM < 0.426) and health risk index (HRI < 1) showed that there was no potential health risk associated with the consumption of selected Tricholoma spp. The findings of this study are helpful to understand the Cd accumulation behavior of wild edible Tricholoma spp. collected from Croatia.
Immunomodulatory Molecular Mechanisms of Luffa cylindrica for Downy Mildews Resistance Induced by Growth-Promoting Endophytic Fungi
Authors: Rauf Mamoona , Ur-Rahman Asim , Arif Muhammad , Gul Humaira , Ud-Din Aziz , Hamayun Muhammad , Lee In-Jung
Published: June 2022

Downy mildew (DM), caused by P. cubensis, is harmful to cucurbits including luffa, with increased shortcomings associated with its control through cultural practices, chemical fungicides, and resistant cultivars; there is a prompt need for an effective, eco-friendly, economical, and safe biocontrol approach. Current research is therefore dealt with the biocontrol of luffa DM1 through the endophytic fungi (EF) consortium. Results revealed that T. harzianum (ThM9) and T. virens (TvA1) showed pathogen-dependent inducible metabolic production of squalene and gliotoxins by higher gene expression induction of SQS1/ERG9 (squalene synthase) and GliP (non-ribosomal peptide synthetase). Gene expression of lytic enzymes of EF was also induced with subsequently higher enzyme activities upon confrontation with P. cubensis. EF-inoculated luffa seeds showed efficient germination with enhanced growth potential and vigor of seedlings. EF-inoculated plants showed an increased level of growth-promoting hormone GA with higher gene expression of GA2OX8. EF-pre-inoculated seedlings were resistant to DM and showed an increased GSH content and antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, POD). The level of MDA, H2O2, REL, and disease severity was reduced by EF. ACC, JA, ABA, and SA were overproduced along with higher gene expression of LOX, ERF, NCED2, and PAL. Expression of defense-marker genes (PPO, CAT2, SOD, APX, PER5, LOX, NBS-LRR, PSY, CAS, Ubi, MLP43) was also modulated in EF-inoculated infected plants. Current research supported the use of EF inoculation to effectively escalate the systemic immunity against DM corresponding to the significant promotion of induced systemic resistance (ISR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) responses through initiating the defense mechanism by SA, ABA, ET, and JA biosynthesis and signaling pathways in luffa.
Assessment of the Operative Feasibility and Ventilation Distribution during Nonintubation Thoracoscopic Surgery Using Electrical Impedance Tomography
Authors: Lin Kuan-Hsun , Chu Pei-Yi , Zhao Zhanqi , Chang Hung , Yun Po-Jen , Huang Tsai-Wang
Published: June 2022

Background: To investigate the feasibility, ventilation distribution, and physiological effect of iatrogenic pneumothorax generated during nonintubated thoracoscopic surgery using electrical impedance tomography. Methods: Patients who underwent resections for pulmonary nodules between April 2016 and April 2019 were enrolled prospectively. Electrical impedance tomography was performed, and the measurements were recorded at five different timepoints. The patient characteristics, pathological characteristics, surgical procedures, operation times, and intraoperative parameters were recorded and analyzed. Results: Two hundred sixty-five perioperative electrical impedance tomography measurements during nonintubated thoracoscopic surgery were recorded in fifty-three patients. Fifty-one patients underwent wedge resections, and two patients underwent segmentectomies. The preoperative lateral decubitus position time point showed greater ventilation in the right lung than in the left lung. For left-sided surgery, the nonoperative lung had better ventilation (64.5% ± 14.1% for the right side vs. 35.5% ± 14.1% for the left side, p < 0.0001). For right-sided surgery, the nonoperative lung did not have better ventilation (52.4% ± 16.1% for the right side vs. 47.6% ± 16.1% for the left side, p = 0.44). The center of ventilation was significantly increased after surgery (p < 0.001). The global index of ventilation showed no difference after surgery. Conclusions: The nonintubated thoracoscopic surgical side had different ventilation distributions but reached ventilation equilibrium after the operation. Electrical impedance tomography is feasible and safe for monitoring ventilation without adverse effects.
Pharmacogenomics of Leukotriene Modifiers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhao Yuxuan , Zhang Xinyi , Han Congxiao , Cai Yuchun , Li Sicong , Hu Xiaowen , Wu Caiying , Guan Xiaodong , Lu Christine , Nie Xiaoyan
Published: June 2022

Pharmacogenetics research on leukotriene modifiers (LTMs) for asthma has been developing rapidly, although pharmacogenetic testing for LTMs is not yet used in clinical practice. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the impact of pharmacogenomics on LTMs response. Studies published until May 2022 were searched using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Pharmacogenomics/genetics studies of patients with asthma using LTMs with or without other anti-asthmatic drugs were included. Statistical tests of the meta-analysis were performed with Review Manager (Revman, version 5.4, The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark) and R language and environment for statistical computing (version 4.1.0 for Windows, R Core Team, Vienna, Austria) software. In total, 31 studies with 8084 participants were included in the systematic review and five studies were also used to perform the meta-analysis. Two included studies were genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which showed different results. Furthermore, none of the SNPs investigated in candidate gene studies were identified in GWAS. In candidate gene studies, the most widely studied SNPs were ALOX5 (tandem repeats of the Sp1-binding domain and rs2115819), LTC4S-444A/C (rs730012), and SLCO2B1 (rs12422149), with relatively inconsistent conclusions. LTC4S-444A/C polymorphism did not show a significant effect in our meta-analysis (AA vs. AC (or AC + CC): −0.06, 95%CI: −0.16 to 0.05, p = 0.31). AA homozygotes had smaller improvements in parameters pertaining to lung functions (−0.14, 95%CI: −0.23 to −0.05, p = 0.002) in a subgroup of patients with non-selective CysLT receptor antagonists and patients without inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) (−0.11, 95%CI: −0.14 to −0.08, p < 0.00001), but not in other subgroups. Variability exists in the pharmacogenomics of LTMs treatment response. Our meta-analysis and systematic review found that LTC4S-444A/C may influence the treatment response of patients taking non-selective CysLT receptor antagonists for asthma, and patients taking LTMs not in combination with ICS for asthma. Future studies are needed to validate the pharmacogenomic influence on LTMs response.
Taking Advantages of Blood–Brain or Spinal Cord Barrier Alterations or Restoring Them to Optimize Therapy in ALS?
Authors: Alarcan Hugo , Al Ojaimi Yara , Lanznaster Debora , Escoffre Jean-Michel , Corcia Philippe , Vourc’h Patrick , Andres Christian R. , Veyrat-Durebex Charlotte , Blasco Hélène
Published: June 2022

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that still lacks an efficient therapy. The barriers between the central nervous system (CNS) and the blood represent a major limiting factor to the development of drugs for CNS diseases, including ALS. Alterations of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) or blood–spinal cord barrier (BSCB) have been reported in this disease but still require further investigations. Interestingly, these alterations might be involved in the complex etiology and pathogenesis of ALS. Moreover, they can have potential consequences on the diffusion of candidate drugs across the brain. The development of techniques to bypass these barriers is continuously evolving and might open the door for personalized medical approaches. Therefore, identifying robust and non-invasive markers of BBB and BSCB alterations can help distinguish different subgroups of patients, such as those in whom barrier disruption can negatively affect the delivery of drugs to their CNS targets. The restoration of CNS barriers using innovative therapies could consequently present the advantage of both alleviating the disease progression and optimizing the safety and efficiency of ALS-specific therapies.
Atlas of PD-L1 for Pathologists: Indications, Scores, Diagnostic Platforms and Reporting Systems
Authors: Marletta Stefano , Fusco Nicola , Munari Enrico , Luchini Claudio , Cimadamore Alessia , Brunelli Matteo , Querzoli Giulia , Martini Maurizio , Vigliar Elena , Colombari Romano , Girolami Ilaria , Pagni Fabio , Eccher Albino
Published: June 2022

Background. Innovative drugs targeting the PD1/PD-L1 axis have opened promising scenarios in modern cancer therapy. Plenty of assays and scoring systems have been developed for the evaluation of PD-L1 immunohistochemical expression, so far considered the most reliable therapeutic predictive marker. Methods. By gathering the opinion of acknowledged experts in dedicated fields of pathology, we sought to update the currently available evidence on PD-L1 assessment in various types of tumors. Results. Robust data were progressively collected for several anatomic districts and leading international agencies to approve specific protocols: among these, TPS with 22C3, SP142 and SP263 clones in lung cancer; IC with SP142 antibody in breast, lung and urothelial tumors; and CPS with 22C3/SP263 assays in head and neck and urothelial carcinomas. On the other hand, for other malignancies, such as gastroenteric neoplasms, immunotherapy has been only recently introduced, often for particular histotypes, so specific guidelines are still lacking. Conclusions. PD-L1 immunohistochemical scoring is currently the basis for allowing many cancer patients to receive properly targeted therapies. While protocols supported by proven data are already available for many tumors, dedicated studies and clinical trials focusing on harmonization of the topic in other still only partially explored fields are surely yet advisable.
Exploring Functional Diversity and Community Structure of Diazotrophic Endophytic Bacteria Associated with Pennisetum glaucum Growing under Field in a Semi-Arid Region
Authors: Gupta Garima , Paul Sangeeta , Singh Sachidanand , Pietramellara Giacomo , Pathan Shamina Imran , Danish Subhan , Jabborova Dilfuza , Datta Rahul , Jha Prabhat Nath
Published: June 2022

Diazotrophic endophytic bacteria (DEB) are the key drivers of nitrogen fixation in rainfed soil ecosystems and, hence, can influence the growth and yield of crop plants. Therefore, the present work investigated the structure and composition of the DEB community at different growth stages of field-grown pearl millet plants, employing the cultivation-dependent method. Diazotrophy of the bacterial isolates was confirmed by acetylene reduction assay and amplification of the nifH gene. ERIC-PCR-based DNA fingerprinting, followed by 16S rRNA gene analysis of isolates recovered at different time intervals, demonstrated the highest bacterial diversity during early (up to 28 DAS (Days after sowing)) and late (63 DAS onwards) stages, as compared to the vegetative growth stage (28–56 DAS). Among all species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most dominant endophyte. Assuming modulation of the immune response as one of the tactics for successful colonization of P. aeruginosa PM389, we studied the expression of the profile of defense genes of wheat, used as a host plant, in response to P. aeruginosa inoculation. Most of the pathogenesis-related PR genes were induced initially (at 6 h after infection (HAI)), followed by their downregulation at 12 HAI. The trend of bacterial colonization was quantified by qPCR of 16S rRNAs. The results obtained in the present study indicated an attenuated defense response in host plants towards endophytic bacteria, which is an important feature that helps endophytes establish themselves inside the endosphere of roots.
Multi-Scenario Simulation of Land Use Changes with Ecosystem Service Value in the Yellow River Basin
Authors: Lou Yuanyuan , Yang Dan , Zhang Pengyan , Zhang Ying , Song Meiling , Huang Yicheng , Jing Wenlong
Published: June 2022

Land use change plays a crucial role in global environmental change. Understanding the mode and land use change procedure is conducive to improving the quality of the global eco-environment and promoting the harmonized development of human–land relationships. Large river basins play an important role in areal socioeconomic development. The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is an important ecological protective screen, economic zone, and major grain producing area in China, which faces challenges with respect to ecological degradation and water and sediment management. Simulating the alterations in ecosystem service value (ESV) owing to land use change in the YRB under multiple scenarios is of great importance to guaranteeing the ecological security of the basin and improve the regional ESV. According to the land use data of 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2018, the alterations in the land use and ESV in the YRB over the past 30 years were calculated and analyzed on the basis of six land use types: cultivated land, forestland, grassland, water area, built-up land, and unused land. The patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model was used to simulate the land use change in the study area under three scenarios (natural development, cultivated land protection, and ecological protection in 2026); estimate the ESV under each scenario; and conduct a comparative analysis. We found that the land use area in the YRB changed significantly during the study period. The ESV of the YRB has slowly increased by ~USD 15 billion over the past 30 years. The ESV obtained under the ecological protection scenario is the highest. The simulation of the YRB’s future land use change, and comparison and analysis of the ESV under different scenarios, provide guidance and a scientific basis for promoting ecological conservation and high-quality development of river basins worldwide.
Image Classification and Land Cover Mapping Using Sentinel-2 Imagery: Optimization of SVM Parameters
Authors: Yousefi Saleh , Mirzaee Somayeh , Almohamad Hussein , Al Dughairi Ahmed Abdullah , Gomez Christopher , Siamian Narges , Alrasheedi Mona , Abdo Hazem Ghassan
Published: June 2022

Land use/cover (LU/LC) classification provides proxies of the natural and social processes related to urban development, providing stakeholders with crucial information. Remotely sensed images combined with supervised classification are common to define land use, but high-performance classifiers remain difficult to achieve, due to the presence of model hyperparameters. Conventional approaches rely on manual adjustment, which is time consuming and often unsatisfying. Therefore, the goal of this study has been to optimize the parameters of the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm for the generation of land use/cover maps from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery in selected humid and arid (three study sites each) climatic regions of Iran. For supervised SVM classification, we optimized two important parameters (gamma in kernel function and penalty parameter) of the LU/LC classification. Using the radial basis function (RBF) of the SVM classification method, we examined seven values for both parameters ranging from 0.001 to 1000. For both climate types, the penalty parameters (PP) showed a direct relationship with overall accuracy (OA). Statistical results confirmed that in humid study regions, LU/LC maps produced with a penalty parameter >100 were more accurate. However, for regions with arid climates, LU/LC maps with a penalty parameter >0.1 were more accurate. Mapping accuracy for both climate types was sensitive to the penalty parameter. In contrast, variations of the gamma values in the kernel function had no effect on the accuracy of the LU/LC maps in either of the climate zones. These new findings on SVM image classification are directly applicable to LU/LC for planning and environmental and natural resource management.
Electrochemical Performance of Graphene Oxide/Black Arsenic Phosphorus/Carbon Nanotubes as Anode Material for LIBs
Authors: Hou Yanyan , Ma Shufang , Xu Yang , Zhang Shuai , Hao Xiaodong , Xu Bingshe
Published: June 2022

As a new two-dimensional material, black arsenic phosphorus (B-AsP) has emerged as a promising electrode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its large theoretical capacity and ability to absorb large amounts of Li atoms. However, the poor electronic conductivity and large volume expansion during the lithiation/delithiation process have largely impeded the development of B-AsP electrodes. In this study, graphene oxide (GO)/B-AsP/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with remarkable lithium-storage property were fabricated via CVD and ultrasound-assisted method. The electrochemical behavior of the GO/B-AsP/CNTs was investigated as an anode in lithium-ion batteries. From the results, as a new-type anode for LIBs, GO/B-AsP/CNTs composite demonstrated a stable capacity of 1286 and 339 mA h g−1 at the current density of 0.1 and 1 A g−1, respectively. The capacity of GO/B-AsP/CNTs was 693 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles, resulting in capacity retention of almost 86%. In addition, the stable P-C and As-C bonds were formed between B-AsP, GO, and CNTs. Thus, volume expansion of B-AsP was alleviated and the capacity was increased due to the confining effect of GO and CNTs.
Silanized Graphene Oxide-Supported Pd Nanoparticles and Silicone Rubber for Enhanced Hydrogen Elimination
Authors: Wang Yu , Xing Tao , Deng Yongqi , Zhang Kefu , Wu Yihan , Yan Lifeng
Published: June 2022

Hydrogen is a dangerous gas because it reacts very easily with oxygen to explode, and the accumulation of hydrogen in confined spaces is a safety hazard. Composites consisting of polymers and catalysts are a common getter, where the commonly used catalyst is usually commercial Pd/C. However, it often shows poor compatibility with polymers, making it difficult to form a homogeneous and stable composite. In this work, palladium chloride (PdCl2) was converted to palladium (Pd) nanoparticles by reduction reaction and supported on graphene oxide (GO) modified by silanization. Spherical Pd nanoparticles with a size of 2–36 nm were uniformly distributed over the Silanized graphene oxide (SGO) matrix. When mixed with Pd/SGO, polymethylvinylsiloxane can be cured to silicone rubber (SR) by B2O3. Afterwards, the vinyl in the polymer can interact with hydrogen under the catalysis of Pd through the addition reaction, thus achieving the purpose of hydrogen elimination. The polymer elastomers with excellent self-healing properties and improved hydrogen elimination performance were prepared and were superior to the commercial Pd/C. In addition, excellent environmental adaptability was also demonstrated. The new getter SR-Pd/SGO provides a new avenue for developing polymer getters with superior properties.
Seismic Behavior of Shear Keys Enhanced with Novel Energy Absorption Devices in Immersion Joints Based on Pseudo-Static Tests
Authors: Cheng Xinjun , Xu Xiang , Jing Liping , Liang Haian , Cui Jie
Published: June 2022

Shear keys are usually installed as crucial shear-resistant members of an immersion joint; thus, the mechanical behavior of the shear keys, especially under earthquake loading, deserves more attention. This paper presents a novel arc-shaped energy absorption device developed for shear keys. In order to verify the seismic performance of shear keys strengthened by the arc-shaped energy absorption devices, a series of pseudo-static tests were conducted, in which different axial pressures (300 kN, 400 kN) were also taken into consideration. The testing results indicated that failure mode of the shear key enhanced by the energy absorption devices was a synthesis of the oblique shear failure of the rubber blankets, the buckling of the energy absorption devices, and the concrete fracture of the shear key. In view of load-displacement hysteretic curves of testing specimens, loops of the reinforced shear keys were plumper than those from a traditional shear key. In addition, the load-bearing capacity (cracking load, yield load, peak load, and failing load) differences of the shear keys with and without energy absorption devices reinforcement under the same axial pressure were 33.0%, 36.7%, 26.0%, and 23.6%, respectively. The maximum equivalent viscous coefficient values of the shear keys with and without energy absorption devices reinforcement were 0.37, 0.38, and 0.32, respectively. The arc-shaped energy absorption devices can contribute to the hysteretic behavior of the shear keys. However, the axial pressure had a positive influence on the load bearing capacity, accumulated energy absorption capacity, and initial stiffness of the shear keys. In contrast to that, the axial pressure had negative influence on ductility ratio of the reinforced shear keys (equivalent viscous coefficient values of two enhanced shear keys were roughly equal). A reasonable stiffness scheme of an energy absorption device should be given attention during the anti-seismic design of an immersion joint. The study can provide scientific support for further study on the seismic responses of immersion joints and promote the application of earthquake control technology in immersed tunnels.
Morphological Analysis of Laser Surface Texturing Effect on AISI 430 Stainless Steel
Authors: Moldovan Edit Roxana , Concheso Doria Carlos , Ocaña José Luis , Istrate Bogdan , Cimpoesu Nicanor , Baltes Liana Sanda , Stanciu Elena Manuela , Croitoru Catalin , Pascu Alexandru , Munteanu Corneliu , Tierean Mircea Horia
Published: June 2022

Laser surface texturing (LST) is a method to obtain micro-structures on the material’s surface for improving tribological performances, wetting tuning, surface treatment, and increasing adhesion. The material selected for LST is AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel, distinguished by the low cost in manufacturing, corrosion resistance, and high strength at elevated temperature. The present study addresses the morphology of new pattern designs (crater array, ellipse, and octagonal shapes). The patterns are applied on the stainless-steel surface by a non-contact method with high quality and precision nanosecond pulsed laser equipment. The investigation of laser parameter influence on thermal affected area and micro-structures is accomplished by morphological and elemental analysis (SEM + EDX). The parameters of the laser micro-patterning have a marked influence on the morphology, creating groove-type sections with different depths and recast material features. From the SEM characterization, the highest level of recast material is observed for concentric octagon LST design. Its application is more recommended for the preparation of the metal surface before hybrid welding. Additionally, the lack of the oxygen element in the case of this design suggests the possible use of the pattern in hybrid joining.
Facile Synthesis of Diatomite/β-Cyclodextrin Composite and Application for the Adsorption of Diphenolic Acid from Wastewater
Authors: Hou Min , Wang Zhiyi , Yu Qian , Kong Xianming , Zhang Miao
Published: June 2022

Diphenolic acid (DPA) is a kind of endocrine-disrupting compound, which brings serious health problems to humans and animals. An eco-friendly and cost-effective adsorbent was prepared through a simple method, in which the β-Cyclodextrin(β-CD) was crosslinked onto the surface of diatomite (DA), the as-prepared DA/β-CD composite showed higher adsorption efficiency for DPA than DA as the host–guest interaction between DPA and β-CD. DA is a kind of biosilica with a hierarchical pore structure that provides enough surface area for the DA/β-CD. The surface area and pore size of DA/β-CD were investigated by nitrogen adsorption and desorption. The DA/β-CD composite illustrated a good adsorption capability, and was used for removing DPA from wastewater. The adsorption ratio of DPA could achieve 38% with an adsorption amount of 9.6 mg g−1 under room temperature at pH = 6. The adsorption isotherm curves followed the Langmuir (R2 = 0.9867) and Freundlich (R2 = 0.9748) models. In addition, the regeneration rate of the DA/β-CD was nearly at 80.32% after three cycles of regeneration. These results indicated that the DA/β-CD has the potential for practical removal of the EDC contaminants from wastewater.
Optimizing System Reliability in Additive Manufacturing Using Physics-Informed Machine Learning
Authors: Wenzel Sören , Slomski-Vetter Elena , Melz Tobias
Published: June 2022

Fused filament fabrication (FFF), an additive manufacturing process, is an emerging technology with issues in the uncertainty of mechanical properties and quality of printed parts. The consideration of all main and interaction effects when changing print parameters is not efficiently feasible, due to existing stochastic dependencies. To address this issue, a machine learning method is developed to increase reliability by optimizing input parameters and predicting system responses. A structure of artificial neural networks (ANN) is proposed that predicts a system response based on input parameters and observations of the system and similar systems. In this way, significant input parameters for a reliable system can be determined. The ANN structure is part of physics-informed machine learning and is pretrained with domain knowledge (DK) to require fewer observations for full training. This includes theoretical knowledge of idealized systems and measured data. New predictions for a system response can be made without retraining but by using further observations from the predicted system. Therefore, the predictions are available in real time, which is a precondition for the use in industrial environments. Finally, the application of the developed method to print bed adhesion in FFF and the increase in system reliability are discussed and evaluated.
The Unsteady-State Response of Tires to Slip Angle and Vertical Load Variations
Authors: Ma Yao , Lu Dang , Yin Hengfeng , Li Lun , Lv Manyi , Wang Wei
Published: June 2022

The tire is the only part that connects the vehicle and the road surface. Many important properties of vehicles are related to the mechanical properties of tires, such as handling stability, braking safety, vertical vibration characteristics, and so on. Although a great deal of research on tire dynamics has been completed, mainly focusing on steady-state tire force and moment characteristics, as well as linear unsteady force characteristics, less research has been conducted on nonlinear unsteady characteristics, especially when the vertical load changes dynamically. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to improve the tire unsteady-state model and verify it by experiment. To achieve this goal, we first study the nonlinear unsteady tire cornering theoretical model and obtain clear force and torque frequency response functions. Then, based on the results of the theoretical model, a high-precision and high-efficiency semi-physical model is developed. Finally, model identification and accuracy verification are carried out based on the bench test data. The model developed in this paper has high accuracy, and it significantly improves the expression of the aligning torque, which helps to improve the virtual simulation of transient conditions, such as vehicle handling and dynamic load conditions.
A Magnetic Abrasive Finishing Process with an Auxiliary Magnetic Machining Tool for the Internal Surface Finishing of a Thick-Walled Tube
Authors: Yang Yanzhen , Xue Yuan , Li Binxun , Fu Yongjian , Jiang Yinghan , Chen Rongxin , Hang Wei , Sun Xu
Published: June 2022

This paper proposes a novel magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) process that uses an auxiliary magnetic machining tool for the internal surface finishing of a thick-walled tube. The auxiliary magnetic machining tool and external poles form a closed magnetic field circuit. Thus, a stronger magnetic force can be generated during the process. In the current study, we focus on analyzing the distribution of the magnetic field and magnetic flux density and investigating the finishing characteristics of a mixed magnetic abrasive finishing process and speed of relative revolutions. Based on the finishing characteristics, we also conduct a stage-by-stage finishing process by changing the combinations of the mixed magnetic abrasive finishing process. The finishing quality of the internal surface was mainly evaluated by the measured roundness and surface roughness. The experimental results show that the roundness and surface roughness Ra are affected when the total amount of WA abrasive and iron powder is too much; a better surface roughness could be obtained when the difference in the speed of relative revolutions is considerable, but the roundness is the worst. Furthermore, the original roundness measurement of 270 µm can reach 10 µm, and the surface roughness Ra can increase from an original surface roughness of 4.1 µm to reach 10 nm after 105 min of the stage-by-stage finishing process.
Tuning Machine Learning Models Using a Group Search Firefly Algorithm for Credit Card Fraud Detection
Authors: Jovanovic Dijana , Antonijevic Milos , Stankovic Milos , Zivkovic Miodrag , Tanaskovic Marko , Bacanin Nebojsa
Published: June 2022

Recent advances in online payment technologies combined with the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic has led to a significant escalation in the number of online transactions and credit card payments being executed every day. Naturally, there has also been an escalation in credit card frauds, which is having a significant impact on the banking institutions, corporations that issue credit cards, and finally, the vendors and merchants. Consequently, there is an urgent need to implement and establish proper mechanisms that can secure the integrity of online card transactions. The research presented in this paper proposes a hybrid machine learning and swarm metaheuristic approach to address the challenge of credit card fraud detection. The novel, enhanced firefly algorithm, named group search firefly algorithm, was devised and then used to a tune support vector machine, an extreme learning machine, and extreme gradient-boosting machine learning models. Boosted models were tested on the real-world credit card fraud detection dataset, gathered from the transactions of the European credit card users. The original dataset is highly imbalanced; to further analyze the performance of tuned machine learning models, in the second experiment performed for the purpose of this research, the dataset has been expanded by utilizing the synthetic minority over-sampling approach. The performance of the proposed group search firefly metaheuristic was compared with other recent state-of-the-art approaches. Standard machine learning performance indicators have been used for the evaluation, such as the accuracy of the classifier, recall, precision, and area under the curve. The experimental findings clearly demonstrate that the models tuned by the proposed algorithm obtained superior results in comparison to other models hybridized with competitor metaheuristics.
The Dimensionality Reduction of Crank–Nicolson Mixed Finite Element Solution Coefficient Vectors for the Unsteady Stokes Equation
Authors: Luo Zhendong
Published: June 2022

By means of a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to cut down the dimensionality of unknown finite element (FE) solution coefficient vectors in the Crank–Nicolson (CN) mixed FE (CNMFE) method for two-dimensional (2D) unsteady Stokes equations in regard to vorticity stream functions, a reduced dimension recursive-CNMFE (RDR-CNMFE) method is constructed. In this case, the RDR-CNMFE method has the same FE basis functions and accuracy as the CNMFE method. The existence, stability, and errors of RDR-CNMFE solutions are analyzed by matrix analyzing, resulting in very simple theory analysis. Some numerical tries are used to check on the validity of the RDR-CNMFE method. The RDR-CNMFE method has second-order time accuracy and few unknowns so as to be able to shorten CPU runtime and retard the error cumulation in simulation calculating process, and improve real-time calculating accuracy.
On Dihedralized Gyrogroups and Their Cayley Graphs
Authors: Maungchang Rasimate , Suksumran Teerapong
Published: June 2022

The method of constructing the generalized dihedral group as a semidirect product of an abelian group and the group Z2 of integers modulo 2 is extended to the case of gyrogroups. This leads to the study of a new class of gyrogroups, which includes generalized dihedral groups and dihedral groups as a special case. In this article, we show that any dihedralizable gyrogroup can be enlarged to a dihedralized gyrogroup. Then, we establish algebraic properties of dihedralized gyrogroups as well as combinatorial properties of their Cayley graphs.
Research on a Decision Prediction Method Based on Causal Inference and a Multi-Expert FTOPJUDGE Mechanism
Authors: Zhao Qiang , Guo Rundong , Feng Xiaowei , Hu Weifeng , Zhao Siwen , Wang Zihan , Li Yujun , Cao Yewen
Published: June 2022

Legal judgement prediction (LJP) is a crucial part of legal AI, and its goal is to predict the outcome of a case based on the information in the description of criminal facts. This paper proposes a decision prediction method based on causal inference and a multi-expert FTOPJUDGE mechanism. First, a causal inference algorithm was adopted to process unstructured text. This process did not require very much manual intervention to better mine the information in the text. Then, a neural network dedicated to each task was set up, and a neural network that simultaneously served multiple tasks was also set up. Finally, the pre-trained language model Lawformer was used to provide knowledge for downstream tasks. By using the public data set CAIL2018 and comparing it with current mainstream decision prediction models, it was shown that the model significantly improved the performance of downstream tasks and achieved great improvements in multiple indicators. Through ablation experiments, the effectiveness and rationality of each module of the proposed model were verified. The method proposed in this study achieved reasonably good performance in legal judgment prediction, which provides a promising solution for legal judgment prediction.