bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Electrolyte-Gated Graphene Field-Effect Transistor for Detection of Gadolinium(III) in Aqueous Media
Authors: Gadroy Charlène , Boukraa Rassen , Battaglini Nicolas , Le Derf Franck , Mofaddel Nadine , Vieillard Julien , Piro Benoît
Published: March 2023

In this work, an electrolyte-gated graphene field-effect transistor is developed for Gd3+ ion detection in water. The source and drain electrodes of the transistor are fabricated by photolithography on polyimide, while the graphene channel is obtained by inkjet-printing a graphene oxide ink subsequently electro-reduced to give reduced graphene oxide. The Gd3+-selective ligand DOTA is functionalized by an alkyne linker to be grafted by click chemistry on a gold electrode without losing its affinity for Gd3+. The synthesis route is fully described, and the ligand, the linker and the functionalized surface are characterized by electrochemical analysis and spectroscopy. The as functionalized electrode is used as gate in the graphene transistor so to modulate the source-drain current as a function of its potential, which is itself modulated by the concentration of Gd3+captured on the gate surface. The obtained sensor is able to quantify Gd3+ even in a sample containing several other potentially interfering ions such as Ni2+, Ca2+, Na+ and In3+. The quantification range is from 1 pM to 10 mM, with a sensitivity of 20 mV dec−1 expected for a trivalent ion. This paves the way for Gd3+ quantification in hospital or industrial wastewater.
Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Functionalized Carbon Nanodots from Cashew Nut Skin Waste for Bioimaging
Authors: Kishore Somasundaram Chandra , Perumal Suguna , Atchudan Raji , Edison Thomas Nesakumar Jebakumar Immanuel , Sundramoorthy Ashok K. , Alagan Muthulakshmi , Sangaraju Sambasivam , Lee Yong Rok
Published: March 2023

In this study, Anacardium occidentale (A. occidentale) nut skin waste (cashew nut skin waste) was used as a raw material to synthesize functionalized carbon nanodots (F-CNDs). A. occidentale biomass-derived F-CNDs were synthesized at a low temperature (200 °C) using a facile, economical hydrothermal method and subjected to XRD, FESEM, TEM, HRTEM, XPS, Raman Spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR, and Ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy to determine their structures, chemical compositions, and optical properties. The analysis revealed that dispersed, hydrophilic F-CNDs had a mean diameter of 2.5 nm. XPS and ATR-FTIR showed F-CNDs had a crystalline core and an amorphous surface decorated with –NH2, –COOH, and C=O. In addition, F-CNDs had a quantum yield of 15.5% and exhibited fluorescence with maximum emission at 406 nm when excited at 340 nm. Human colon cancer (HCT-116) cell assays showed that F-CNDs readily penetrated into the cells, had outstanding biocompatibility, high photostability, and minimal toxicity. An MTT assay showed that the viability of HCT-116 cells incubated for 24 h in the presence of F-CNDs (200 μg mL–1) exceeded 95%. Furthermore, when stimulated by filters of three different wavelengths (405, 488, and 555 nm) under a laser scanning confocal microscope, HCT-116 cells containing F-CNDs emitted blue, red, and green, respectively, which suggests F-CNDs might be useful in the biomedical field. Thus, we describe the production of a fluorescent nanoprobe from cashew nut waste potentially suitable for bioimaging applications.
Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nostoc sp. and Their Multiple Biomedical Properties
Authors: Minhas Lubna Anjum , Mumtaz Abdul Samad , Kaleem Muhammad , Farraj Dunia Al , Kamal Khalid , Minhas Malik Aamer Hassan , Waqar Rooma , Mahmoud Rania M.
Published: March 2023

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are the top candidate in the field of biological applications because of their high surface area and excellent catalytic activities. In the present study, the cyanobacteria-mediated biosynthesis of zinc oxide NPs using Nostoc sp. extract as a stabilizing, chelating, and reducing agent is reported. ZnONPs were biologically synthesized using an eco-friendly and simple technique with a minimal reaction time and calcination temperature. Various methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize the biosynthesized zinc oxide NPs. XRD analysis depicted the crystalline form of zinc oxide NPs, and the Scherrer equation determined a mean crystalline size of ~28.21 nm. The SEM results reveal the spherical shape of the biosynthesized nanoparticles. Various functional groups were involved in the capping and stabilization of the zinc oxide NPs, which were confirmed by FTIR analysis. The zinc oxide NPs showed strong UV-vis absorption at 340 nm. Multiple in vitro biological applications showed significant therapeutic potential for zinc oxide NPs. Potential antimicrobial assays were reported for zinc oxide NPs via the disc-diffusion method and food poisoning method, respectively. All other activities mentioned below are described with the concentration and IC50 values. Biocompatibility with human erythrocytes and macrophages (IC50: 433 µg/mL, IC50 > 323 µg/mL) and cytotoxic properties using brine shrimps (IC50: 11.15 µg/mL) and Leishmania tropics (Amastigotes IC50: 43.14 µg mL−1 and Promastigotes IC50: 14.02 µg mL−1) were determined. Enzyme inhibition assays (protein kinase and alpha amylase) were performed and showed strong potential. Free radical scavenging tests showed strong antioxidant capacities. These results indicate that zinc oxide NPs synthesized by Nostoc sp. have strong biological applications and are promising candidates for clinical development.
NLRP7 Enhances Choriocarcinoma Cell Survival and Camouflage in an Inflammasome Independent Pathway
Authors: Reynaud Déborah , Alfaidy Nadia , Collet Constance , Lemaitre Nicolas , Sergent Frederic , Miege Céline , Soleilhac Emmanuelle , Assi Alaa Al , Murthi Padma , Courtois Gilles , Fauvarque Marie-Odile , Slim Rima , Benharouga Mohamed , Abi Nahed Roland
Published: March 2023

Background: Gestational choriocarcinoma (GC) is a highly malignant trophoblastic tumor that often develops from a complete hydatidiform mole (HM). NLRP7 is the major gene responsible for recurrent HM and is involved in the innate immune response, inflammation and apoptosis. NLRP7 can function in an inflammasome-dependent or -independent pathway. Recently, we have demonstrated that NLRP7 is highly expressed in GC tumor cells and contributes to their tumorigenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which NLRP7 controls these processes in malignant (JEG-3) and non-tumor (HTR8/SVneo) trophoblastic cells. Cell survival, dedifferentiation, camouflage, and aggressiveness were compared between normal JEG-3 cells or knockdown for NLRP7, JEG-3 Sh NLRP7. In addition, HTR8/SVneo cells overexpressing NLRP7 were used to determine the impact of NLRP7 overexpression on non-tumor cells. NLRP7 involvement in tumor cell growth and tolerance was further characterized in vivo using the metastatic mouse model of GC. Results: We demonstrate that NLRP7 (i) functions in an inflammasome-dependent and -independent manners in HTR8/SVneo and JEG-3 cells, respectively; (ii) differentially regulates the activity of NF-κB in tumor and non-tumor cells; (iii) increases malignant cell survival, dedifferentiation, and camouflage; and (iv) facilitates tumor cells colonization of the lungs in the preclinical model of GC. Conclusions: This study demonstrates for the first time the mechanism by which NLRP7, independently of its inflammasome machinery, contributes to GC growth and tumorigenesis. The clinical relevance of NLRP7 in this rare cancer highlights its potential therapeutic promise as a molecular target to treat resistant GC patients.
Miniaturized NIR Spectrometers in a Nutshell: Shining Light over Sources of Variance
Authors: Gorla Giulia , Taborelli Paolo , Ahmed Hawbeer Jamal , Alamprese Cristina , Grassi Silvia , Boqué Ricard , Riu Jordi , Giussani Barbara
Published: March 2023

The increasing portability and accessibility of miniaturized NIR spectrometers are promoting the spread of in-field and online applications. Alongside the successful outcomes, there are also several problems related to the acquisition strategies for each instrument and to experimental factors that can influence the collected signals. An insightful investigation of such factors is necessary and could lead to advancements in experimental set-up and data modelling. This work aimed to identify variation sources when using miniaturized NIR sensors and to propose a methodology to investigate such sources based on a multivariate method (ANOVA—Simultaneous Component Analysis) that considers the effects and interactions between them. Five different spectrometers were chosen for their different spectroscopic range and technical characteristics, and samples of worldwide interest were chosen as the case study. Comparing various portable sensors is interesting since results could significantly vary in the same application, justifying the idea that this kind of spectrometer is not to be treated as a general class of instruments.
Aptamer Sensor Based on Hybrid Chain Reaction and CRISPR-Cas9 System for STX Detection
Authors: Zhao Qinguo , Li Guizhen , Li Xuemei
Published: March 2023

In recent years, pollution incidents caused by red tide occur frequently, and the red tide biotoxins brought by it make the food safety problem of seafood become a difficult problem to be solved urgently, which has caused great damage to the mariculture industry. Red tide toxin is also known as “shellfish toxin”. Saxitoxin (STX), is one of the strongest paralytic shellfish toxins and is also one of the most toxic marine toxins, which is extremely harmful. Aiming at the problems existing in the current research on the detection of red tide biotoxin in complex water bodies, this research developed an aptamer sensor based on hybrid chain reaction and a CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system to detect the toxins of the clam and analyzed the feasibility of this method for the detection of the toxins of the clam. The results showed that the linear range of this method is 5.0 fM to 50 pM, and the detection limit is 1.2 fM. Meanwhile, the recovery rate of this sensor for the detection of toxins is 102.4–104.1% when applied in shellfish extract, which shows significant specificity and the reliability of this detection method.
Neuroimaging and Cognitive Function in Sickle Cell Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Abdi Suad S. , De Haan Michelle , Kirkham Fenella J.
Published: March 2023

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited single-gene disease. Complications include chronic anaemia, reduced oxygen-carrying capability, and cerebral vasculopathy, resulting in silent cerebral infarction, stroke, and cognitive dysfunction with impairments in measures of executive function, attention, reasoning, language, memory, and IQ. This systematic review aims to investigate the association between neuroimaging findings and cognition in children with SCD. Searches of PubMed and Embase were conducted in March 2022. Studies were included if participants were <18 years, if original data were published in English between 1960 and 2022, if any genotype of SCD was included, and if the relationship between cognition and neuroimaging was examined. Exclusion criteria included case studies, editorials, and reviews. Quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Case Control Checklist. A total of 303 articles were retrieved; 33 met the eligibility criteria. The presence of overt or silent strokes, elevated blood flow velocities, abnormal functional connectivity, and decreased fMRI activation were associated with neuropsychological deficits in children with SCD when compared to controls. There is a critical need to address the disease manifestations of SCD early, as damage appears to begin at a young age. Most studies were cross-sectional, restricting the interpretation of the directionality of relationships. Future research employing longitudinal neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments could improve our understanding of the cumulative consequences of SCD on the developing brain.
The Psychological and Professional Burden Experienced by Nurses Who Worked in COVID-19 Clinics during the Pandemic: A Content Analysis
Authors: Stavropoulou Areti , Prasianaki Maria , Papageorgiou Dimitris , Kaba Evridiki , Misouridou Evdokia , Dafogianni Chrysoula , Gerogianni Georgia , Kelesi Martha
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Since the beginning of the pandemic, nurses have played a key role in providing care for COVID-19 patients. Infection risk and fear, use of personal protective equipment, and social isolation were related to high levels of stress and extreme psychological drain among front-line healthcare providers. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore how front-line nurses experienced psychological and professional burdens during the coronavirus outbreak. Material and Methods: The study used a qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews were applied as the method of data collection. Ten nurses from COVID-19 wards and units of two general public hospitals participated in the study. A content analysis approach was employed to analyze the data. Results: Data analysis revealed two main categories, namely: (A) front-line experience “From fear to empowerment”, and (B) caring and management “From powerlessness to adaptation”. Eight sub-categories were developed and included within the corresponding main categories. The study’s findings demonstrated that the pandemic caused significant psychological and professional strain on front-line nurses, with feelings of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty predominating. Nonetheless, the process of adaptation and adjustment brought about sentiments of self-actualization and empowerment. Conclusions: A thorough understanding of the psychological and professional burden experienced by the front-line nurses is crucial to ensure that nurses receive appropriate support and that quality care is sustained under highly demanding healthcare conditions.
Biopigments of Microbial Origin and Their Application in the Cosmetic Industry
Authors: Kiki Manal Jameel
Published: March 2023

Along with serving as a source of color, many microbial pigments have gained attention as interesting bioactive molecules with potential health advantages. These pigments have several applications in the food, agrochemical, medicine, and cosmetic industries. They have attracted the attention of these industries due to their high production value, low cost, stability, and biodegradability. Recently, many consumers worldwide have noted the impact of synthetic dyes; thus, natural pigments are more in demand than synthetic colors. On the other hand, the cosmetic industry has been moving toward greener manufacturing, from the formulation to the packaging material. Microbial pigments have several applications in the field of cosmetics due to their photoprotection, antioxidant, and antiaging properties, including inhibiting melanogenesis and acting as natural colorants for cosmetics, as some microorganisms are rich in pigments. More investigations are required to estimate the safety and efficacy of employing microbial pigments in cosmetic products. Furthermore, it is necessary to obtain information about DNA sequencing, metabolic pathways, and genetic engineering. In addition, unique habitats should be explored for novel pigments and new producing strains. Thus, new microbial pigments could be of consideration to the cosmetic industry, as they are ideal for future cosmetics with positive health effects.
Cybersecurity Test Bed for Smart Contracts
Authors: DeCusatis Casimer , Gormanly Brian , Iacino John , Percelay Reed , Pingue Alex , Valdez Justin
Published: March 2023

Blockchain, smart contracts, and related concepts have emerged in recent years as a promising technology for cryptocurrency, NFTs, and other areas. However, there are still many security issues that must be addressed as these technologies evolve. This paper reviews some of the leading social engineering attacks on smart contracts, as well as several vulnerabilities which result from insecure code development. A smart contract test bed is constructed using Solidity and a Metamask wallet to evaluate vulnerabilities such as insecure arithmetic, denial of service, and re-entrancy attacks. Cross-chain vulnerabilities and potential vulnerabilities resulting from layer 2 side-chain processing were also investigated. Mitigation best practices are proposed based on the experimental results.
The Reliability of the Complex Components under Temperature Cycling, Random Vibration, and Combined Loading for Airborne Applications
Authors: Cui Hao , Tian Wenchao , Xu Hanyang , Wang Heng , Huang Jiabo , Peng Chunxi , Chen Zhiqiang
Published: March 2023

The electronic devices suffer great vibration and temperature fluctuation in an airborne environment, which has been always a big challenge for reliability design. In this paper, the reliability of the complex electronic components for airborne applications under a thermal cycling test, random vibration and combined loading has been investigated by experiment tests and finite element simulation. The fatigue life and failure location under different loadings have been compared and discussed, respectively. The results indicated that the combined fatigue life was much shorter than a single-factor experiment. The failed solder joints mostly appeared at the interface between the solder and the copper pad on the component side and the location was at the corner for all three harsh environment tests. Nevertheless, several differences could be observed. For temperature cycling, all the specimens failed due to the increase in daisy chain resistance rather than the open circuit for the combined loading test. That is because the degeneration of the solder caused by temperature variation led to lower stress levels and fatigue life. Moreover, the pins fractured at the welding regions have been observed. The modified Coffin—Manson model, Miner’s linear fatigue damage criterion and Steinberg’s model and rapid life-prediction approach were used to predict the fatigue life under temperature cycling, random vibration and combined loading, respectively. With these methods, the accurate numerical models could be developed and validated by experiment results. Thanks to the simulation, the design time could be effectively shortened and the weak point could be determined.
Survival Benefits of Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Positive Soft Tissue Surgical Margins Following Radical Cystectomy in Bladder Cancer with Extravesical Extension
Authors: Murthy Prithvi B. , Naidu Shreyas , Davaro Facundo , Spiess Philippe E. , Zemp Logan , Poch Michael , Jain Rohit , Vosoughi Aram , Grass G. Daniel , Yu Alice , Sexton Wade J. , Gilbert Scott M. , Li Roger
Published: March 2023

Introduction and Objective: Muscle invasive bladder cancer with extravesical extension is an aggressive disease entity that requires multimodal therapy. The benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in patients with a positive soft-tissue surgical margin (STSM), however, are relatively unknown due to exclusion of this population in randomized controlled trials of AC. We sought to define survival benefits in this patient population through our institutional bladder cancer database. Methods: Retrospective review of all patients undergoing radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder from 2004–2020 with ≥pT3b disease irrespective of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) use was conducted. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) estimates were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test, and the Cox-proportional hazards model was used to identify predictors of improved PFS and OS. AC was defined by any chemotherapy use within 90 days of cystectomy, regardless of STSM status. Results: 476 patients with pT3b disease or worse were identified. Median follow-up was 12.3 months. An amount of 21% of patients were treated with AC. An amount of 24% of patients had positive STSM. Median OS for patients with positive STSM was 8.4 months [95% CI 7–11.5] and 18.3 months [95% CI 15.6–20.8] (p < 0.001) for patients with negative STSM. In the overall cohort, positive STSM (HR 1.93, 95% CI 1.45–2.57, p < 0.001), AC use (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51–0.90, p = 0.007), and pN1–3 disease (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.16–1.87, p = 0.002) were independent predictors of OS when adjusted for performance status, pT-stage, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy use. In patients with positive STSM, median survival was seven months [95% CI 5.2–8.4] without AC, compared to 16.2 months [95% CI 11.5–52.5] with AC (p = 0.0038). For patients with negative STSM, median survival was 17.4 months [95% CI 14–20.1] without AC compared to 22.3 months [95% CI 17.2–36.9] with AC (p = 0.23). In patients with positive STSM, AC use was the only factor associated with an OS benefit with a HR of 0.41 (95% CI 0.21–0.78, p = 0.007). In patients with negative STSM, pT4 and pN1–3 disease were the only factors associated with worse overall survival with a HR of 1.32 (95% CI 1.00–1.74, p = 0.050) and 1.97 (95% CI 1.49–2.60, p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusions: Administration of adjuvant chemotherapy is of particular benefit in patients with positive STSM following radical cystectomy for gross extravesical disease. Positive STSM may be a representative of “early metastatic” or micrometastatic disease.
The Use of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) as a Diagnostic Scale for Infants with Autism
Authors: Kochav-Lev Mooly , Bennett-Back Odeya , Lotan Meir , Stein-Zamir Chen
Published: March 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disabilities presenting difficulties in social interaction and language and an increased occurrence of cognitive, sensory, and motor gaps. Early intervention has been reported to improve the function of children with ASD. However, motor screening for children with ASD is difficult, as there are no specific tools for identifying this specific population. This study reports the results of using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), which assesses gross infant motor skills from ages 0 to 18 months, as a screening tool for detecting motor developmental delay (MDD) in small children with ASD. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all children registered at one health care organization in Israel born between 2011 and 2017 (N = 240,299). Early childhood MDD was defined as having at least one recorded developmental physiotherapy (DPT) visit before the age of 2 years. Reasons for referral to DPT and the results of using AIMS as an appropriate tool for revealing developmental delays in infants with ASD are presented. Results: ASD diagnosis was reported in 1821 children (prevalence rate 0.75%). Of those, 388 (odds ratio 4.1, 95% CI 3.6–4.6) children were referred to DPT. Children with ASD mostly received DPT for motor delays (46.19%), torticollis (19.52%), developmental delay (15.48%), and preterm birth (7.38%). The use of AIMS as an early detection tool suggests that more than 87% of children with ASD and MDD present with a developmental delay or risk for one when using this scale. Conclusions: The prevalence of ASD among children referred to DPT for MDD is higher than its prevalence within the general population. The most common reasons for a child with ASD to be referred for DPT services are MMDs. AIMS was found to be a sensitive tool to pinpoint relevant candidates for ASD screening among children treated in DPT. Possible effects of the study: The use of AIMS as a relevant assessment scale for this group of clients is recommended. Training DPTs in identifying initial ASD signs and developing their clinical reasoning abilities will increase the chance of implementing early intervention with this group of clients.
The Use of Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy in the Diagnostic Evaluation of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions: A Paradigm Shift
Authors: Hammad Altaq Hiba , Parmar Miloni , Syed Hussain Talal , Salim Daouk J. , Chaudry Fawad A.
Published: March 2023

Despite recent developments, evaluation of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL) remains clinically challenging, and the diagnostic yield of many image-guided and bronchoscopy methods is still poor. Furthermore, complications from such procedures, such as pneumothorax and airway hemorrhage, are a major concern. Recently launched robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB) platforms are still in the early exploration stage and may provide another tool for achieving PPL evaluation. We present our experience here as a retrospective cohort study describing the 12-month diagnostic yield with the shape-sensing Ion™ platform for minimally invasive peripheral lung biopsy. The study describes forty-two patients undergoing shape sensing robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (ssRAB) at our institute. The early performance trend reveals a lesion localization of 100% and an overall 12-month diagnostic yield of 88.10%. The diagnostic yield for lesions less than 20 mm was 76% and for lesions greater than 20 mm was 100%. We also report our complication profile; we noted no pneumothoraces, excessive bleeding, or post-operative complications. In comparison to traditional bronchoscopy and image-guided modalities, our experience shows that ssRAB can be utilized successfully to travel to extremely small peripheral lesions with a higher diagnostic yield and better safety profile.
Multidrug-Resistant Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Hospitalized Newborn Infants
Authors: Chew Ching Hoong , Yeo Chew Chieng , Che Hamzah Ainal Mardziah , Al-Trad Esra’a I. , Jones Sherry Usun , Chua Kek Heng , Puah Suat Moi
Published: March 2023

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a significant challenge in healthcare management, and addressing it requires a comprehensive approach. In this study, we employed a combination of phenotypic and genotypic approaches, along with whole genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate five hospital-associated MDR methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains that were isolated from newborn infants. Our analysis revealed the following for the MDR-MRSA strains: SauR31 was resistant to three antimicrobial classes; SauR12, SauR91 and SauR110 were resistant to four antimicrobial classes; and SauR23 exhibited resistance to seven classes. All the MDR-MRSA strains were capable of producing slime and biofilms, harbored SCCmec type IV, and belonged to different spa types (t022, t032, and t548), with varying profiles for microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs) and virulence genes. The WGS data for the MDR SauR23 and SauR91 strains revealed that most of the antimicrobial resistance genes were present in the chromosomes, including blaZ, mecA, norA, lmrS, and sdrM, with only the ermC gene found in a small (<3 kb) plasmid. The presence of MDR-MRSA strains among neonates raises public concern, hence implementation of multifaceted interventions is recommended to address this issue. In addition, metadata is needed to improve the investigation of antimicrobial resistance genes in MDR isolates.
Salivary Flow Rate and Oral Status in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome and Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Glavina Ana , Božić Ivona , Parat Katica , Perković Dijana , Biočina-Lukenda Dolores , Martinović Kaliterna Dušanka , Radić Mislav
Published: March 2023

Determination of salivary flow rate and oral status in patients with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) and comparison with control subjects. Thirty-one pSS patients, 28 dcSSc patients, and 28 control subjects participated in this single-center, cross-sectional study. Unstimulated whole salivary flow rate (UWSFR) and stimulated whole salivary flow rate (SWSFR), salivary pH, DMFT index (D—decayed, M—missing, F—filled tooth), periodontal pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), interincisal distance, and OHRQoL (oral health-related quality of life) were analyzed in all three groups of subjects. Primary SS and dcSSc patients had statistically significant lower values of UWSFR (0.20; 0.38 vs. 0.91 mL/min) and SWSFR (0.56; 0.70 vs. 1.64 mL/min) compared with control subjects (p < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test). Salivary pH values were statistically significantly lower in pSS and dcSSc patients compared with control subjects (6.00; 6.25 vs. 7.00, respectively) (p < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test). The DMFT index of dcSSc patients was higher (28.50) and statistically significant compared to control subjects (20.00) (p = 0.01). The prevalence of periodontitis was the same in pSS and dcSSc patients and control subjects (p = 0.384). Primary SS and dcSSc patients had a statistically significant decreased interincisal distance compared to control subjects (43.80; 38.00 vs. 48.00) (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively). Primary SS and dcSSc patients show decreased UWSFR and SWSFR, salivary pH values closer to an acidic medium, higher DMFT index, higher prevalence of periodontitis, decreased interincisal distance, and poorer OHRQoL, i.e., poor oral and periodontal health.
Tri-Training Algorithm for Adaptive Nearest Neighbor Density Editing and Cross Entropy Evaluation
Authors: Zhao Jia , Luo Yuhang , Xiao Renbin , Wu Runxiu , Fan Tanghuai
Published: March 2023

Tri-training expands the training set by adding pseudo-labels to unlabeled data, which effectively improves the generalization ability of the classifier, but it is easy to mislabel unlabeled data into training noise, which damages the learning efficiency of the classifier, and the explicit decision mechanism tends to make the training noise degrade the accuracy of the classification model in the prediction stage. This study proposes the Tri-training algorithm for adaptive nearest neighbor density editing and cross-entropy evaluation (TTADEC), which is used to reduce the training noise formed during the classifier iteration and to solve the problem of inaccurate prediction by explicit decision mechanism. First, the TTADEC algorithm uses the nearest neighbor editing to label high-confidence samples. Then, combined with the relative nearest neighbor to define the local density of samples to screen the pre-training samples, and then dynamically expand the training set by adaptive technique. Finally, the decision process uses cross-entropy to evaluate the completed base classifier of training and assign appropriate weights to it to construct a decision function. The effectiveness of the TTADEC algorithm is verified on the UCI dataset, and the experimental results show that compared with the standard Tri-training algorithm and its improvement algorithm, the TTADEC algorithm has better classification performance and can effectively deal with the semi-supervised classification problem where the training set is insufficient.
Data Mining Approach to Predict Success of Secondary School Students: A Saudi Arabian Case Study
Authors: Alghamdi Amnah Saeed , Rahman Atta
Published: March 2023

A problem that pervades throughout students’ careers is their poor performance in high school. Predicting students’ academic performance helps educational institutions in many ways. Knowing and identifying the factors that can affect the academic performance of students at the beginning of the thread can help educational institutions achieve their educational goals by providing support to students earlier. The aim of this study was to predict the achievement of early secondary students. Two sets of data were used for high school students who graduated from the Al-Baha region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this study, three models were constructed using different algorithms: Naïve Bayes (NB), Random Forest (RF), and J48. Moreover, the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) technique was applied to balance the data and extract features using the correlation coefficient. The performance of the prediction models has also been validated using 10-fold cross-validation and direct partition in addition to various performance evaluation metrics: accuracy curve, true positive (TP) rate, false positive (FP) rate, accuracy, recall, F-Measurement, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The NB model achieved a prediction accuracy of 99.34%, followed by the RF model with 98.7%.
A Digital Timing-Mismatch Calibration Technique for Time-Interleaved ADCs Based on a Coordinate Rotational Digital Computer Algorithm
Authors: Kang Tong , Zhang Zhenwei , Xiong Wei , Sun Lin , Liu Yu , Zhong Wei , Lang Lili , Shan Yi , Dong Yemin
Published: March 2023

Timing-mismatch errors among channels in time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters (TIADCs) greatly degrade the whole performance of the system. Therefore, techniques for calibrating timing mismatch are indispensable, and a new fully-digital calibration technique is presented in this article. Based on a Hilbert filter, modified moving averagers (MMAs) and inverse cosine functions, the proposed estimation algorithm is fast (within 1200 sample points) and accurate. Meanwhile, the coordinate rotational digital computer (CORDIC) algorithm, which is used to implement inverse cosine functions, is also improved, giving it higher precision. In addition, a compensation method based on second-order Taylor series approximation with less hardware resource consumption is provided. Through analyses and simulations, this calibration technique proved to be suitable for TIADCs with an arbitrary number of channels, in which the signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) and the spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) were, respectively, improved from 24.06 dB and 24.57 dB to 67.96 dB and 85.69 dB.
An Experimental Study on SO2 Emission and Ash Deposition Characteristics of High Alkali Red Mud under Large Proportional Co-Combustion Conditions in Fluidized Bed
Authors: Yu Xiaoliang , Yan Jin , Sun Rongyue , Mei Lin , Li Yanmin , Wang Shuyuan , Wang Fan , Gu Yicheng
Published: March 2023

As an industrial solid waste, the discharge of a large amount of red mud (RM) causes serious environmental problems; thus, a large proportion of RM co-combustion has been proposed to solve the consumption problem. In this paper, an experiment with various proportions of RM co-combustion was conducted on a 0.2 t/h circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler. Desulfurization performance, combustion characteristics, and ash deposition characteristics were analyzed, especially under the large proportional co-combustion conditions. As the study results showed, the desulfurization efficiency was positively correlated with the RM co-combustion proportion. When the RM co-combustion proportion reached 50%, the desulfurization efficiency was over 94%. After a period of cyclic combustion, the highest desulfurization efficiency exceeded 99.5%. The smaller size of RM was beneficial to improve the combustion efficiency and the combustion stability. However, a large area of sintering formed on the top of the heating surface in the furnace, which was lighter than the sintering of high alkali fuels such as Zhundong coal. Meanwhile, the content of sulfates, such as Na2SO4 and CaSO4, in the ash increased, which clearly proves that RM has the desulfurization effect. Therefore, a large proportion of co-combustion could meet the requirements of in-situ desulfurization and realize the resource utilization of RM.
External Identification of a Reciprocal Lossy Multiport Circuit under Measurement Uncertainties by Riemannian Gradient Descent
Authors: Fiori Simone , Wang Jing
Published: March 2023

The present paper deals with the external identification of a reciprocal, special passive, 2n-port network under measurement uncertainties. In the present context, the multiport model is represented by an admittance matrix and the condition that the network is ‘reciprocal special passive’ refers to the assumption that the real part of the admittance matrix is symmetric and positive-definite. The key point is to reformulate the identification problem as a matrix optimization program over the matrix manifold S+(2n)×S(2n). The optimization problem requires a least-squares criterion function designed to cope with over-determinacy due to the incoherent data pairs whose cardinality exceeds the problem’s number of degrees of freedom. The present paper also proposes a numerical solution to such an optimization problem based on the Riemannian-gradient steepest descent method. The numerical results show that the proposed method is effective as long as reasonable measurement error levels and problem sizes are being dealt with.
Analysis of Improved In-Cylinder Combustion Characteristics with Chamber Modifications of the Diesel Engine
Authors: Doppalapudi Arun Teja , Azad Abul Kalam , Khan Mohammad Masud Kamal
Published: March 2023

This study numerically analyses the effects of chamber modifications to investigate the improvement of in-cylinder combustion characteristics of the diesel engine using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. Five different modified chambers, namely, the double swirl combustion chamber (DSCC), bathtub combustion chamber (BTCC), double toroidal re-entrant combustion chamber (DTRCC), shallow depth combustion chamber (SCC), and stepped bowl combustion chamber (SBCC) were developed and compared with a reference flat combustion chamber (FCC). The effects of chamber modifications on temperature formation, velocity distribution, injection profiles, and in-cylinder turbulent motions (swirl and tumble ratio) were investigated. During the compression stroke, near top dead centre, the SCC showed a peak temperature of 970 K, followed by the FCC (968 K), SBCC (967 K), and DTRCC (748 K to 815 K). The DSCC and the SCC showed a high swirl ratio above 0.6, whereas the DTRCC and the BTCC showed a high tumble ratio of approximately 0.4. This study found that the SCC, BTCC, and DSCC have better combustion rates than the FCC in terms of temperature, heat release rate, and velocity distribution. However, the DTRCC showed poor temperature formation rates and rapid heat release rates (approx. 150 J/°CA), which can lead to rapid combustion and knocking tendencies. In conclusion, the DSCC and the SCC showed better combustion rates than the other chambers. In addition, turbulent motions inside the chambers avoided combustion in crevice regions. This study recommends avoiding chambers with wider bowls in order to prevent uneven combustion across the cylinder. Furthermore, split bowls such as the DSCC, along with adjusted injection rates, can provide better results in terms of combustion.
A Review of Carbon Capture and Valorization Technologies
Authors: Podder Jiban , Patra Biswa R. , Pattnaik Falguni , Nanda Sonil , Dalai Ajay K.
Published: March 2023

Global fossil fuel consumption has induced emissions of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), which has emanated global warming. Significant levels of CO2 are released continually into the atmosphere from the extraction of fossil fuels to their processing and combustion for heat and power generation including the fugitive emissions from industries and unmanaged waste management practices such as open burning of solid wastes. With an increase in the global population and the subsequent rise in energy demands and waste generation, the rate of CO2 release is at a much faster rate than its recycling through photosynthesis or fixation, which increases its net accumulation in the atmosphere. A large amount of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere from various sources such as the combustion of fossil fuels in power plants, vehicles and manufacturing industries. Thus, carbon capture plays a key role in the race to achieve net zero emissions, paving a path for a decarbonized economy. To reduce the carbon footprints from industrial practices and vehicular emissions and attempt to mitigate the effects of global warming, several CO2 capturing and valorization technologies have become increasingly important. Hence, this article gives a statistical and geographical overview of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions based on source and sector. The review also describes different mechanisms involved in the capture and utilization of CO2 such as pre-combustion, post-combustion, oxy-fuels technologies, direct air capture, chemical looping combustion and gasification, ionic liquids, biological CO2 fixation and geological CO2 capture. The article also discusses the utilization of captured CO2 for value-added products such as clean energy, chemicals and materials (carbonates and polycarbonates and supercritical fluids). This article also highlights certain global industries involved in progressing some promising CO2 capture and utilization techniques.
Experimental Study on Heat Storage/Release Performances of Composite Phase Change Thermal Storage Heating Wallboards Based on Photovoltaic Electric-Thermal Systems
Authors: Mi Xue , Chen Chao , Fu Haoqi , Li Gongcheng , Jiao Yongxiang , Han Fengtao
Published: March 2023

The rapid development of photovoltaic technology provides more possibilities for the efficient application of solar energy in buildings. This research proposed a phase change material (PCM) heat storage wall system with a “four-layer” structure. A performance test platform using low voltage DC was built to study the mechanism of electric thermal conversion of the graphene electrothermal film and the heat transfer characteristics of the “four-layer” structure. As shown in the experimental results, under the voltages of 24 V, 32 V and 42 V, (1) with the increase in voltage, the temperature of the electrothermal film increases, while its electrothermal conversion efficiency decreases from 85% to 75%; (2) during the heat storage process, because of its latent heat storage characteristics, the temperature of the PCM wallboard is 3~5 °C lower than that of the cement wallboard, but the effective heat storage increases by 59~65%; (3) during the heat release process, the effective heat release of the PCM wallboard increases by 41–78%, and the maximum heat storage and release efficiency is 98%; and (4) at 32 V, the PCM can completely change phase. The theoretical calorific value of the electrothermal film is equivalent to the hourly power generation of 1.45 m2 of photovoltaic modules. The results provide basic data for the integration of photovoltaic and phase change technology and their efficient application in buildings.
Operating Modes Optimization for the Boiler Units of Industrial Steam Plants
Authors: Varganova Aleksandra V. , Khramshin Vadim R. , Radionov Andrey A.
Published: March 2023

The free market forces energy-intensive industrial enterprises to continuously compete. A possible competitive advantage for such enterprises is reducing the finished products cost. This may be achieved by reducing the share of energy in this cost, including by rationalizing the use of energy resources. This study develops a system for the automated analysis and calculation of feasible boiler unit loads, defined according to the criterion of the minimum cost of live steam in a separate steam plant pipeline. The calculations consider the balance limit on the steam, the boiler unit’s wear and tear, performance specifications, and economic indicators of fuel consumption in the calculation. The software also defines the optimal fuel mix composition when forecasting the operating modes of the power plant boiler units in real-time mode. The calculation algorithm is based on the dynamic programming technique combined with the sequential equivalenting method, which ensures the convergence of calculations. When a steam plant model is developed, much attention is paid to the thermal scheme and technical and economic specifications of boiler units. In the system, the boiler models are set as a table containing the ratio between the boiler unit’s steam capacity and energy consumption while considering the cost of a ton of live steam with the specified parameters. The key economic effect of implementing the system is determined by reducing the fuel cost due to its rational redistribution between the power plant boiler units. Implementing the system allows the reduction of energy costs by 1.4%.
Cooperative Game-Based Collaborative Optimal Regulation-Assisted Digital Twins for Wide-Area Distributed Energy
Authors: Ni Pengcheng , Ye Zhiyuan , Cao Can , Guo Zhimin , Zhao Jian , He Xing
Published: March 2023

With the wide use of renewable energy sources and the requirement for energy storage technology, the field of power systems is facing the need for further technological innovation. This paper proposes a wide-area distributed energy model based on digital twins. This model was constructed to more fully optimize the coordination of wide-area distributed energy in order to rationally deploy and utilize new energy units. Moreover, the minimization of the power deviation between the dispatch command and the actual power regulation output was also taken into account. In contrast to previous dispatch research, the cooperative game co-optimization algorithm was applied to this model, enabling a distributed approach that can quickly obtain a high-quality power command scheduling scheme. Finally, the simulation and comparison experiments using this algorithm with the wide-area distributed energy (WDE) model showed that it had the advantages of significantly reducing the tracking error, average error, and total error and effectively improving the tracking accuracy. The proposed method can help reduce total power deviations by about 61.1%, 55.7%, 53.1%, and 74.8%.
Pore Structure and Its Controls of Shale in the Qingshankou Formation, Sanzhao Sag, Songliao Basin
Authors: Zhang Surong , Wu Songtao , Zhu Rukai , Zhang Jingya , Liu Chang , Zhang Tianshu , Cai Yi , Li Mengying , Hua Ganlin , Kang Yuan , Wang Bo
Published: March 2023

The exploration and development of Gulong shale oil in the Songliao Basin has achieved a major breakthrough, with the result that a national shale oil demonstration area is being built. The shale in the Sanzhao Sag is abundant in organic matter and is an important replacement area. For this reason, it has recently become a focus for research and exploration. Compared with the Gulong Sag, the Qingshankou Formation in the Sanzhao Sag is relatively immature, and comparatively little is known about its pore structure. For this study, well ZY1, a key well in the Sanzhao Sag, was selected as the research object. Thin section observation, high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy, Modular Automated Processing Systemimaging, X-ray diffraction of whole rock and clay, TOC pyrolysis, and Low-pressure N2 adsorption were used to investigate the pore structure in the sag to determine the factors influencing pore development. The principal understandings are as follows: (1) The Qingshankou Formation in the Sanzhao Sag is predominantly clay shale, with a high content of clay minerals (32.8 to 70%) and TOC contents of 0.7 to 11%. These values indicate good hydrocarbon generation potential. (2) Interparticle pores, intraparticle pores, and organic matter pores are developed. Intergranular pores are the main type, mostly observed between granular minerals or between granular minerals and clays. Intraparticle pores are observed in pyrite mass and dissolved unstable minerals. Organic matter pores (OMP) occur in primary organic matter and migrate into solid bitumen. (3) The shale pores in the Sanzhao Sag are mainly H3-type slit pores, with specific surface areas of 5.4~22.9 m2/g and pore volumes of 0.03~0.07 cm3/g. Mesopores make the largest contribution to pore volume and specific surface area. Scanning electron microscope (MAPS) imaging shows that the pore size distribution of shale is mainly 20~30 nm and 100~200 nm and that large pores, especially pores of 100~200 nm and 1~2 μm, make the largest contribution to the facies. (4) The pore structure in the Sanzhao Sag is affected by mineral composition, abundance of organic matter, thermal evolution degree, and diagenesis. Organic-inorganic interactions influence and determine the pore structure characteristics of the Qingshankou Formation shale. This paper is intended to provide scientific guidance and technical support for evaluating the effectiveness of shale oil reservoirs and selecting sweet spots in the Sanzhao Sag.