bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical Care Database Comprising Patients With Infection
Authors: Xu Ping , Chen Lin , Zhu Yuanfang , Yu Shuai , Chen Rangui , Huang Wenbin , Wu Fuli , Zhang Zhongheng
Published: March 2022

Patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) are closely monitored and receive intensive treatment. Such aggressive monitoring and treatment will generate high-granularity data from both electronic healthcare records and nursing charts. These data not only provide infrastructure for daily clinical practice but also can help to inform clinical studies. It is technically challenging to integrate and cleanse medical data from a variety of sources. Although there are several open-access critical care databases from western countries, there is a lack of this kind of database for Chinese adult patients. We established a critical care database involving patients with infection. A large proportion of these patients have sepsis and/or septic shock. High-granularity data comprising laboratory findings, baseline characteristics, medications, international statistical classification of diseases (ICD) code, nursing charts, and follow-up results were integrated to generate a comprehensive database. The database can be utilized for a variety of clinical studies. The dataset is fully accessible at PhysioNet(https://physionet.org/content/icu-infection-zigong-fourth/1.0/).
Utility of Crowdsourced User Experiments for Measuring the Central Tendency of User Performance: A Case of Error-Rate Model Evaluation in a Pointing Task
Authors: Yamanaka Shota
Published: March 2022

The usage of crowdsourcing to recruit numerous participants has been recognized as beneficial in the human-computer interaction (HCI) field, such as for designing user interfaces and validating user performance models. In this work, we investigate its effectiveness for evaluating an error-rate prediction model in target pointing tasks. In contrast to models for operational times, a clicking error (i.e., missing a target) occurs by chance at a certain probability, e.g., 5%. Therefore, in traditional laboratory-based experiments, a lot of repetitions are needed to measure the central tendency of error rates. We hypothesize that recruiting many workers would enable us to keep the number of repetitions per worker much smaller. We collected data from 384 workers and found that existing models on operational time and error rate showed good fits (both R2 > 0.95). A simulation where we changed the number of participants NP and the number of repetitions Nrepeat showed that the time prediction model was robust against small NP and Nrepeat, although the error-rate model fitness was considerably degraded. These findings empirically demonstrate a new utility of crowdsourced user experiments for collecting numerous participants, which should be of great use to HCI researchers for their evaluation studies.
Nonlinear Noise Cleaning in Gravitational-Wave Detectors With Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Yu Hang , Adhikari Rana X.
Published: March 2022

Currently, the sub-60 Hz sensitivity of gravitational-wave (GW) detectors like Advanced LIGO (aLIGO) is limited by the control noises from auxiliary degrees of freedom which nonlinearly couple to the main GW readout. One promising way to tackle this challenge is to perform nonlinear noise mitigation using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which we examine in detail in this study. In many cases, the noise coupling is bilinear and can be viewed as a few fast channels' outputs modulated by some slow channels. We show that we can utilize this knowledge of the physical system and adopt an explicit “slow×fast” structure in the design of the CNN to enhance its performance of noise subtraction. We then examine the requirements in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in both the target channel (i.e., the main GW readout) and in the auxiliary sensors in order to reduce the noise by at least a factor of a few. In the case of limited SNR in the target channel, we further demonstrate that the CNN can still reach a good performance if we use curriculum learning techniques, which in reality can be achieved by combining data from quiet times and those from periods with active noise injections.
Unsupervised Quark/Gluon Jet Tagging With Poissonian Mixture Models
Authors: Alvarez E. , Spannowsky M. , Szewc M.
Published: March 2022

The classification of jets induced by quarks or gluons is important for New Physics searches at high-energy colliders. However, available taggers usually rely on modeling the data through Monte Carlo simulations, which could veil intractable theoretical and systematical uncertainties. To significantly reduce biases, we propose an unsupervised learning algorithm that, given a sample of jets, can learn the SoftDrop Poissonian rates for quark- and gluon-initiated jets and their fractions. We extract the Maximum Likelihood Estimates for the mixture parameters and the posterior probability over them. We then construct a quark-gluon tagger and estimate its accuracy in actual data to be in the 0.65–0.7 range, below supervised algorithms but nevertheless competitive. We also show how relevant unsupervised metrics perform well, allowing for an unsupervised hyperparameter selection. Further, we find that this result is not affected by an angular smearing introduced to simulate detector effects for central jets. The presented unsupervised learning algorithm is simple; its result is interpretable and depends on very few assumptions.
Distribution of Dune Landform on Mars
Authors: Chao Li , Zhibao Dong
Published: March 2022

Dune landforms are widely distributed on Mars and contain abundant information about the Martian atmosphere and sedimentary environment. At present, the understanding of Martian dunes and their environmental significance still needs to be further excavated. Sand dunes were investigated on a global scale using high-resolution remote sensing imagery covering Mars, supported by GIS technology. The object of this paper is to obtain dune landform information and analyze its distribution characteristics and patterns. The results indicated that the Martian dunefields are scattered, generally small in scale and spatially distinct. They are mainly concentrated in high-latitude and polar regions, and show latitude zonality. Similar to Earth, Martian dunes are mainly located in low-lying geomorphic units that are conducive to the accumulation of sand. We propose that the limited sand supply is an important feature of the Martian dune development conditions. The scattered distribution of dunefields reflects the lack of loose sediments on Mars as a whole, which provides an important clue to understanding the Martian environment and evolutionary history.
A Combined Field–Lab Approach for Assessing Salmonella Infantis Persistence in Broiler Litter in a Stockpile and Composting Sleeve
Authors: Avidov Ran , Varma Vempalli Sudharsan , Saadi Ibrahim , Khoury Osama , Chen Yona , Laor Yael
Published: March 2022

Broiler litter (BL) is often contaminated by a variety of zoonotic pathogens. This study attempts to assess the persistence of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis (S. Infantis) in BL based on spatial and temporal variation of physicochemical properties in a stockpile and composting sleeve. A single trial of two pilot-scale setups, ~35 m3 each, included an open static pile (stockpile) and composting in a polyethylene sleeve with forced aeration. The initial water content was adjusted only for the sleeve (~50% w/w) as in a common composting practice. Both systems were monitored weekly and then biweekly during 2 months in 47–53 sampling points each on every campaign. Measurements included temperature, water content, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), gas-phase oxygen, and ammonia, and the collected data were used to construct multiple contour grid maps. Of the stockpile volume, 83, 71, and 62% did not reach the commonly required minimum temperature of 55°C for three consecutive days during the first, second, and third weeks, respectively. Oxygen levels showed a strong gradient across the stockpile, while anaerobic conditions prevailed in the core. Variation was also recorded within the sleeve, but due to the water content adjustment and active aeration, the conditions favored more intense degradation and higher temperatures. Combining the grid maps drawn in this study with decay rate constants recently published for S. Infantis in BL under 36 combinations of temperature, water content, and pH, we assessed the spatial persistence of S. Infantis in the stockpile and the sleeve. Temperature was shown as a major factor, while water content and pH had only a small effect, in the stockpile only. Co-correlations between temperature, water content, EC, and oxygen suggest that selected physicochemical properties may be sufficient for such assessments. Up to 3 weeks would be recommended to achieve 7–8 log10 reduction in Salmonella in a stockpile, while this would be fully achieved within 1 week in a sleeve. This approach of combining high-resolution spatial field sampling along with decay rates of pathogens under controlled lab conditions may improve quantitative microbial risk assessments and future regulations of manure utilization.
Local Fixation of Colistin With Fibrin Spray: An in vivo Animal Study for the Therapy of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Authors: Janko Maren , Dust Fabian , Wagner Pia Viktoria , Gurke Robert , Frank Johannes , Henrich Dirk , Marzi Ingo , Verboket René Danilo
Published: March 2022

Objective

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are a commonly known entity of diseases associated with difficult treatment procedures. The current gold standard when there is a rapidly progressing infection of soft tissues with a risk of sepsis is radical surgical debridement accompanied by systemic antibiotic therapy. In clinical settings, local antibiotics alone or formulated within carrier material are commonly used alongside this therapy regimen. One possibility of local antibiotic application is the fixation of colistin with fibrin glue spray. It is not yet sufficiently researched how the local antibiotic concentrations remain as high as possible over time.

Methods

We conducted an animal study including 29 male Wistar rats inducing sterile back sores reaching the muscle fascia. We sprayed only colistin, simultaneously or consecutively, with fibrin glue in different groups in order to measure the tissue concentration of the antibiotic applied locally.

Results

After liquid chromatography and quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis, it could be demonstrated that in comparison to the colistin group, tissue concentrations of colistin stayed significantly higher in the wound tissue when it was fixed with fibrin glue. This was observed in both groups, the simultaneous as well as in the consecutively fibrin glue sprayed groups after colistin application.

Conclusion

The fixation of colistin with the fibrin-glue-spray technique as a carrier for local antibiotic therapy is an easy and inexpensive method and shows promising potential for the treatment of SSTI.
Wedge Resection vs. Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Clinical Stage I Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Peng Lei , Deng Han-Yu , Liu Zhen-Kun , Shang Qian-Wen , Huang Kai-Li , Zheng Qiang-Qiang , Li Wen , Wang Yun
Published: March 2022

Background

Whether wedge resection or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has better effectiveness in treatment of clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients remains unclear. Here we conducted the first meta-analysis to directly compare the survival outcomes of clinical stage I NSCLCs treated with wedge resection and SBRT.

Methods

We systematically searched studies from PubMed, Embase, and Corchrane Library up to October 1, 2021. Data for analysis mainly included overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), which were obtained directly from the text results or calculated from the Kaplan–Meier survival curve. We used the standard random-effect model test (DerSimonian and Laird method) to analyze the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The Q-test and I2-test were used to assess heterogeneity. The stability of pooled HRs was examined by sensitivity analysis.

Results

Six retrospective studies with a total of 11,813 clinical stage I NSCLCs who received wedge resection or SBRT were included. The results showed that patients receiving wedge resection had a significantly better OS (HR = 1.20, 95% CI = [1.07, 1.34], P = 0.002) than those with SBRT, but no significant difference of DFS (HR 1.53, 95% CI = [0.83–2.83], P = 0.17) was observed. There was no significant heterogeneity during our analysis, but there may be potential publication bias among these studies.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis showed that clinical stage I NSCLCs treated with wedge resection had superior OS than those treated with SBRT. However, more prospective clinical trials should be well-designed to evaluate the optimal treatment modality of early-stage NSCLCs.
Circular RNAs as Diagnostic and Prognostic Indicators of Colorectal Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of Individual Studies
Authors: Long Cong , Xu Qiu-bo , Ding Li , Huang Li-juan , Ji Yong
Published: March 2022

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have proven as a special subset of endogenous RNAs that are implicated in the tumorigenesis of various cancers. This study sought to evaluate the role of circRNAs in the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: The online databases were searched for collecting relevant studies on circRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of CRC. Two researchers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the bias and risks of included studies. The diagnostic and prognostic indicators were merged and analyzed using STATA 12.0 software, and sources of heterogeneity were traced by the sensitivity analysis and the meta-regression test.

Results: A total of 29 articles representing 2639 CRC patients were included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of circRNAs in differentiating CRC from non-tumor control were 0.75 (95% CI: 0.69–0.80) and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.69–0.78) and 0.81, respectively. The survival analysis showed that up-regulations of up-regulated circRNAs were significantly related to dismal survival in CRC patients (HR = 2.38, p < 0.001). A stratified analysis showed that the comprehensive diagnostic value of up-regualted circRNAs in CRC was higher than that of down-regualted circRNAs (AUC: 0.83 vs. 0.77; Z test, p < 0.05). The efficacy of tissue-derived circRNAs in the diagnosis of CRC was equal to that of plasma/serum-derived ones (AUC: 0.81 vs. 0.82; Z test, p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Abnormally expressed circRNAs as auxiliary biomarkers present underlying value in the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of CRC.
Adalékok a magyar fogászati (fogorvosi) ellátás és oktatás történetéhez XVIII. századtól a XX. századig
Authors: Kóbor András
Published: March 2022

A korai középkor kolostori medicina nyújtotta sebészi, fogászati ellátását – egyházi tiltást követően – felváltotta a borbélyok által biztosított szolgáltatás.A borbélyok céhekbe szerveződve látták el betegeiket.A kereskedelmi gócpontokban kialakult falvak, városok mellett a borbélyok vándorlásaik közben vásárokon is távolítottak el fogakat.A vidéki lakosság körében más foglalkozást űzők (pl. füvesasszonyok, olajárusok) is részt vettek a fájdalom csillapításában, a gyulladások csökkentésében.A XIII. századtól kezdődően a sebészet oktatását világi iskolák vették át (Párizs), ezzel megalapozva a skolasztikus medicina ezen ágát is.Hazánkban az egyetemi sebész-, majd a fogászmesteri képzés a nagyszombati, majd Budára, illetve Pestre költöző egyetemen valósult meg.Ezt követően uralkodói rendelet tiltotta meg a borbélyok sebészi-fogászati tevékenységét.Magyarországon még sokáig a vándor sebészek, fogászok látták el a vidéki lakosságot, míg a XIX. század közepén sor nem került a fogászat egyetemi oktatására, fogszakorvosok képzésére.
Molecular Pathology of Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Karamitopoulou Eva
Published: March 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a biologically aggressive malignancy showing a remarkable resistance to existing therapies and is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, leaving only about 15–20% of patients with an option for surgical resection [...]
The Contrasting Delayed Effects of Transient Exposure of Colorectal Cancer Cells to Decitabine or Azacitidine
Authors: Pawlak Alicja , Chybicka Kinga , Zioło Ewa , Strządała Leon , Kałas Wojciech
Published: March 2022

(1) Background: Decitabine and azacitidine are cytosine analogues representing the class of drugs interfering with DNA methylation. Due to their molecular homology and similar clinical application, both drugs are often regarded as interchangeable. Despite their unique mechanism of action the studies designed for observation and comparison of the prolonged activity of these drugs are rare. (2) Methods: The short-time (20–72 h) and long-term (up to 20 days) anti-cancer activity of decitabine and azacitidine has been studied in colorectal cancer cells. We observe the impact on cell culture’s viability, clonogenicity, proliferation, and expression of CDKN1A, CCND1, MDM2, MYC, CDKN2A, GLB1 genes, and activity of SA-β-galactosidase. (3) Results: Decitabine has much stronger anti-clonogenic activity than azacitidine. We show that azacitidine, despite significant immediate toxicity, has negligible long-term effects. Contrary, decitabine, which does not exert initial toxicity, profoundly worsened the condition of the cells over time. On the 13th day after treatment, the viability of cells was decreased and proliferation inhibited. These functional changes were accompanied by up-regulation of expression CDKN1A, CCND1, and CDKN2A genes and increased activation of SA-β-galactosidase, indicating cellular senescence. (4) Conclusions: Our head-to-head comparison revealed profound differences in the activities of decitabine and azacitidine important in their anti-cancer potential and clinical application. The effects of decitabine need relatively long time to develop. This property is crucial for proper design of studies and therapy concerning decitabine and undermines opinion about the similar therapeutic mechanism and interchangeability of these drugs.
NRF2 and Key Transcriptional Targets in Melanoma Redox Manipulation
Authors: Carpenter Evan L. , Becker Alyssa L. , Indra Arup K.
Published: March 2022

Melanocytes are dendritic, pigment-producing cells located in the skin and are responsible for its protection against the deleterious effects of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which include DNA damage and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS). They do so by synthesizing photoprotective melanin pigments and distributing them to adjacent skin cells (e.g., keratinocytes). However, melanocytes encounter a large burden of oxidative stress during this process, due to both exogenous and endogenous sources. Therefore, melanocytes employ numerous antioxidant defenses to protect themselves; these are largely regulated by the master stress response transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2). Key effector transcriptional targets of NRF2 include the components of the glutathione and thioredoxin antioxidant systems. Despite these defenses, melanocyte DNA often is subject to mutations that result in the dysregulation of the proliferative mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and the cell cycle. Following tumor initiation, endogenous antioxidant systems are co-opted, a consequence of elevated oxidative stress caused by metabolic reprogramming, to establish an altered redox homeostasis. This altered redox homeostasis contributes to tumor progression and metastasis, while also complicating the application of exogenous antioxidant treatments. Further understanding of melanocyte redox homeostasis, in the presence or absence of disease, would contribute to the development of novel therapies to aid in the prevention and treatment of melanomas and other skin diseases
The Prognostic Value of miR-125b, miR-200c and miR-205 in Primary Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma Is Independent of BRAF Mutational Status
Authors: Sánchez-Sendra Beatriz , González-Muñoz José F. , Pérez-Debén Silvia , Monteagudo Carlos
Published: March 2022

BRAF mutations are present in around 50% of cutaneous malignant melanomas and are related to a poor outcome in advanced-stage melanoma patients. miRNAs are epigenetic regulators that modulate different cellular processes in cancer, including melanoma development and progression. However, there are no studies on the potential associations of the genetic alterations of the BRAF gene with miRNA expression in primary cutaneous melanomas. Here, in order to analyze the influence of BRAF mutations in the ability of selected miRNAs to predict clinical outcome and patient survival at the time of diagnosis, we studied the prognostic value of miR-125b, miR-200c and miR-205 expression depending on the BRAF mutational status in fresh, frozen primary tumor specimens. For this purpose, RNA was extracted for studying both BRAF mutations by Sanger sequencing and miRNA expression. Our results indicate that, although there seems to be a slight preference for their predictive ability in the BRAF mutated group, the expression of these three miRNAs serves effectively to predict the clinical outcome of melanoma patients independently of BRAF mutational status at the time of primary tumor diagnosis.
MYH7 Genotype–Phenotype Correlation in a Cohort of Finnish Patients
Authors: Vepsäläinen Teemu , Heliö Tiina , Vasilescu Catalina , Martelius Laura , Weckström Sini , Koskenvuo Juha , Hiippala Anita , Ojala Tiina
Published: March 2022

Cardiomyopathies (CMPs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases, frequently genetic, affecting the heart muscle. The symptoms range from asymptomatic to dyspnea, arrhythmias, syncope, and sudden cardiac death. This study is focused on MYH7 (beta-myosin heavy chain), as this gene is commonly mutated in cardiomyopathy patients. Due to the high combined prevalence of MYH7 variants and severe health outcomes, it is one of the most frequently tested genes in clinical settings. We analyzed the clinical presentation and natural history of 48 patients with MYH7-related cardiomyopathy belonging to a cohort from a tertiary center at Helsinki University Hospital, Finland. We made special reference to three age subgroups (0–1, 1–12, and >12 years). Our results characterize a clinically significant MYH7 cohort, emphasizing the high variability of the CMP phenotype depending on age. We observed a subgroup of infants (0–1 years) with MYH7 associated severe DCM phenotype. We further demonstrate that patients under the age of 12 years have a similar symptom burden compared to older patients.
Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop of Nanofluid with Rod-like Particles in Turbulent Flows through a Curved Pipe
Authors: Lin Wenqian , Shi Ruifang , Lin Jianzhong
Published: March 2022

Pressure drop, heat transfer, and energy performance of ZnO/water nanofluid with rodlike particles flowing through a curved pipe are studied in the range of Reynolds number 5000 ≤ Re ≤ 30,000, particle volume concentration 0.1% ≤ Φ ≤ 5%, Schmidt number 104 ≤ Sc ≤ 3 × 105, particle aspect ratio 2 ≤ λ ≤ 14, and Dean number 5 × 103 ≤ De ≤ 1.5 × 104. The momentum and energy equations of nanofluid, together with the equation of particle number density for particles, are solved numerically. Some results are validated by comparing with the experimental results. The effect of Re, Φ, Sc, λ, and De on the friction factor f and Nusselt number Nu is analyzed. The results showed that the values of f are increased with increases in Φ, Sc, and De, and with decreases in Re and λ. The heat transfer performance is enhanced with increases in Re, Φ, λ, and De, and with decreases in Sc. The ratio of energy PEC for nanofluid to base fluid is increased with increases in Re, Φ, λ, and De, and with decreases in Sc. Finally, the formula of ratio of energy PEC for nanofluid to base fluid as a function of Re, Φ, Sc, λ, and De is derived based on the numerical data.
Assessing the Siting Potential of Low-Carbon Energy Power Plants in the Yangtze River Delta: A GIS-Based Approach
Authors: Peng Yechennan , Azadi Hossein , Yang Liang (Emlyn) , Scheffran Jürgen , Jiang Ping
Published: March 2022

China announced a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. As one of the most promising pathways to minimize carbon emissions, the low-carbon electricity supply is of high consideration in China’s future energy planning. The main purpose of this study is to provide a comparative overview of the regional siting potential of various low-carbon power plants in the Yangtze River Delta of China. First, unsuitable zones for power plants are identified and excluded based on national regulations and landscape constraints. Second, we evaluate the spatial siting potential of the seven low-carbon energy power plants by ranking their suitability with geographic information system (GIS)-based hierarchical analysis (AHP). The results revealed that around 78% of the area is suitable for power plant siting. In summary, biomass power plants have high siting potential in over half of the spatial areas. Solar photovoltaic and waste-to-electricity are encouraged to establish in the long-term future. The maps visualize micro-scale spatial siting potential and can be coupled with the sustainability assessments of power plants to design an explicit guiding plan for future power plant allocation.
Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts: Urban Perspectives in 2021
Authors: Clerici Maestosi Paola
Published: March 2022

This Special Issue of Energies, “Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts: Urban Perspectives in 2021”, introduces contemporary research on Smart Cities and on Positive Energy Districts. The present Special Issue, namely the fourth Special Issue, Smart Cities and Positive Energy Districts: Urban Perspectives in 2021, has been dedicated to tools, technologies, and system integration for Smart Cities and for Positive Energy Districts. The topic highlights the variety of research within this field, including research on: tools facilitating the evaluation of Sustainable Plus Energy neighborhoods, of enabling-technologies and procedures for Positive Energy Districts, and of multicriteria assessment for the identification of Positive Energy Districts; system integration related to optimized energy and air quality management in the COVID-19 scenario; system integration upgrading existing residential areas to the status of Positive Energy Districts; and renovation models for large scale actions.
Analysis of Circuit Parameters of New Graphene Partial Discharge Sensor Electrode Plate Based on Transmission Line Model
Authors: Zhang Huiyuan , Wu Zhensheng
Published: March 2022

Partial discharge (PD) sensors have been widely used in PD detection of power equipment. In order to adapt to the development of the new power system, the new PD sensor should not only have a wide response band but also have a large dynamic range. PD measurement devices currently used in smart grids are mainly based on traditional metal materials, which face difficulty in fully meeting these technical requirements. Graphene has a variety of excellent properties, and it is introduced to improve PD sensor materials in this paper. Based on the transmission line model, the circuit parameters of graphene PD sensor electrode plate material are theoretically derived. Various factors affecting its resistance characteristics, inductance characteristics, and capacitance characteristics are analyzed. Next, the variation curves of circuit parameters under different influencing factors are obtained. Linear regression models based on the least-square method were developed for circuit parameters. Finally, the simulation and experiment verified that the graphene PD sensor has high gain characteristics. The simulation results are consistent with the experimental results, further verifying the feasibility of the circuit parameter study. This study can be used to guide the design of the new graphene PD sensors.
Multi-Disciplinary Optimisation of Road Vehicle Chassis Subsystems
Authors: Yang Liunan , Gobbi Massimiliano , Mastinu Gianpiero , Previati Giorgio , Ballo Federico
Published: March 2022

Two vehicle chassis design tasks were solved by decomposition-based multi-disciplinary optimisation (MDO) methods, namely collaborative optimisation (CO) and analytical target cascading (ATC). A passive suspension system was optimised by applying both CO and ATC. Multiple parameters of the spring and damper were selected as design variables. The discomfort, road holding, and total mass of the spring–damper combination were the objective functions. An electric vehicle (EV) powertrain design problem was considered as the second test case. Energy consumption and gradeability were optimised by including the design of the electric motor and the battery pack layout. The standard single-level all-in-one (AiO) multi-objective optimisation method was compared with ATC and CO methods. AiO methods showed some limitations in terms of efficiency and accuracy. ATC proved to be the best choice for the design problems presented in this paper, since it provided solutions with good accuracy in a very efficient way. The proposed investigation on MDO methods can be useful for designers, to choose the proper optimisation approach, while solving complex vehicle design problems.
Ammonia and Biogas from Anaerobic and Sewage Digestion for Novel Heat, Power and Transport Applications—A Techno-Economic and GHG Emissions Study for the United Kingdom
Authors: Grasham Oliver , Dupont Valerie , Cockerill Timothy , Camargo-Valero Miller Alonso
Published: March 2022

Anaerobic digestion (AD) and sewage sludge digestion (SD) plants generate significant quantities of ammoniacal nitrogen in their digestate liquor. This article assesses the economic viability and CO2 abatement opportunity from the utilisation of this ammonia under three scenarios and proposes their potential for uptake in the United Kingdom. Each state-of-the-art process route recovers ammonia and uses it alongside AD-produced biomethane for three different end goals: (1) the production of H2 as a bus transport fuel, (2) production of H2 for injection to the gas grid and (3) generation of heat and power via solid oxide fuel cell technology. A rigorous assessment of UK anaerobic and sewage digestion facilities revealed the production of H2 as a bus fleet transport fuel scenario as the most attractive option, with 19 SD and 42 AD existing plants of suitable scale for process implementation. This is compared to 3 SD/1 AD and 13 SD/23 AD existing plants applicable with the aim of grid injection and SOFC processing, respectively. GHG emission analysis found that new plants using the NWaste2H2 technology could enable GHG reductions of up to 4.3 and 3.6 kg CO2e for each kg bio-CH4 supplied as feedstock for UK SD and AD plants, respectively.
Automated Detection of Electric Energy Consumption Load Profile Patterns
Authors: Benítez Ignacio , Díez José-Luis
Published: March 2022

Load profiles of energy consumption from smart meters are becoming more and more available, and the amount of data to analyse is huge. In order to automate this analysis, the application of state-of-the-art data mining techniques for time series analysis is reviewed. In particular, the use of dynamic clustering techniques to obtain and visualise temporal patterns characterising the users of electrical energy is deeply studied. The performed review can be used as a guide for those interested in the automatic analysis and groups of behaviour detection within load profile databases. Additionally, a selection of dynamic clustering algorithms have been implemented and the performances compared using an available electric energy consumption load profile database. The results allow experts to easily evaluate how users consume energy, to assess trends and to predict future scenarios.
Numerical Simulation on the Structural Design of a Multi-Pore Water Diffuser during the External Ice Melting Process of an Ice Storage System
Authors: Li Lei , Wu Yude , Lu Yi , Yang Xiao , Wang Qiyang , Wang Xiaoai , Wang Yulin
Published: March 2022

A water diffuser is a critical auxiliary equipment for an ice storage system during the external ice melting process. This paper proposes a linear multi-pore water diffuser for an ice storage system with 500 t of refrigeration capacity to enhance the performance of external ice melting. By establishing a three-dimensional two-phase volume of fluid (VOF) model, different structural designs of water diffusers for the ice storage device are numerically examined regarding the degree of turbulence, flow velocity, and pressure drop. The results show that the optimal water diffuser with five rows of trunk pipe and six perforated pores arranged in per row of branch pipe with a 4 mm diameter of perforated pores exhibiting a relatively lower degree of turbulence with a lower pressure drop compared with the other designs in this study. Meanwhile, the influence of the flow velocity on the ice melting process is also investigated by a numerical model of ice melting. It is found that the fed flow velocity from the main pipe inlet exhibits a great impact on the external ice melting process. Compared with the external ice melting process without the water diffuser, the external ice melting process with optimal water diffuser design under flow velocity of 1.0 m s−1 could shorten the overall ice-melting time by 16 h. Additionally, through adjusting the water flow velocity, different output cooling can be realized to provide a fast response speed to the cooling variations in demand of the terminal users with a reduced cost.
High Specific Capacity of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries with Carbon Black/Chitosan- and Carbon Black/Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Coated Separators
Authors: Paniagua-Vásquez Isaac , Zuluaga-Gómez Claudia C. , Chacón-Vargas Sofía , Calvo Allan León , Sáenz-Arce Giovanni , Katiyar Ram S. , Saavedra-Arias José Javier
Published: March 2022

In this research, the shuttle effect and the low sulfur activation of lithium–sulfur batteries were mitigated by coating the cathode side of Celgard 2400 separators with mixtures of carbon black/chitosan or carbon black/polyvinylidene fluoride using the simple slurry technique. Carbon nanoparticles and the polar groups of the polymers were responsible for boosting the reaction kinetics of sulfur and the chemical and physical trapping of lithium polysulfides. The adsorption of sulfur species in the coated separators was confirmed by the morphologic changes observed in the AFM and SEM images and by the new elements presented in the EDX spectra after 100 charge/discharge cycles. The high intensity of the peaks in the cyclic voltammograms and the long plateaus in the discharge profiles support the improvement in the reaction kinetics. The batteries with the carbon black/chitosan- and carbon black/polyvinylidene fluoride-coated separators reached high specific discharge capacities of 833 and 698 mAhg−1, respectively, after 100 cycles at 0.5 C. This is promising for this kind of technology, and detailed results are presented in the article.
A Wavelet-Based Time-Frequency Analysis on the Supersonic Jet Noise Features with Chevrons
Authors: Meloni Stefano , Jawahar Hasan Kamliya
Published: March 2022

A detailed investigation of the statistical properties of the near-field pressure fluctuations induced by an under-expanded jet, by varying the nozzle exit shapes has been presented. Experiments using different convergent Chevron nozzles were carried out in the anechoic chamber at the University of Bristol to assess the importance of the Chevron shape on the near pressure field emitted by a single stream under-expanded jet. Measurements were carried out through an axial microphone array traversed radially to various positions for jet in an under-expanded condition at Mach number M = 1.3. The intermittent behavior is investigated considering the standard statistical indicators and a wavelet-based conditional approach, including the phase angle. The intermittent degree of various features related to different scales, such as Screech tones and broadband shock associate noise were estimated. A series of recently developed wavelet-based tools were assessed as a viable approach to investigate the noise emitted by under-expanded jets.
Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Sense of Gains and Losses during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Study
Authors: Szepietowska Ewa Małgorzata , Zawadzka Ewa , Filipiak Sara
Published: March 2022

This study was primarily designed to investigate the perception of changes in selected areas of life experienced by adults of various nationalities in connection to the long-lasting COVID-19 pandemic. The second objective was to identify the factors increasing the risk of perception of negative changes in life during the pandemic. The tools applied in the study include a self-report questionnaire designed to measure sociodemographic data and health status of the subjects, COVID-19 Sense of Life Changes Questionnaire, as well as the Impact of Event Scale: Revised. The study involved over 600 adult subjects. With increased intensity of intrusions, the likelihood of negative perception of the changes emerging as a result of the pandemic was reduced by approximately 7%, whereas a higher intensity of hyperarousal increased that risk. Individuals reporting a sense of negative changes presented a greater degree of hyperarousal compared to those reporting positive changes. In the group of subjects perceiving the changes in a positive way, increasing the intensity of intrusion and/or hyperarousal corresponded to a growing conviction about a negative nature of life changes concerning the relationship with their partner and affecting their work as well as regarding a positive meaning of the changes in relations with their parents and in daily life. Generally, there was a prevailing sense of negative changes; however, there was also a group of subjects that perceived these as positive. Intrusions and hyperarousal in certain individuals may play a role in motivating them to take action in protecting against effects of the pandemic and, in others, may lead to frustration and anxiety.
Menthol Mouth Rinsing Maintains Relative Power Production during Three-Minute Maximal Cycling Performance in the Heat Compared to Cold Water and Placebo Rinsing
Authors: Crosby Seana , Butcher Anna , McDonald Kerin , Berger Nicolas , Bekker Petrus , Best Russ
Published: March 2022

Previous menthol studies have demonstrated ergogenic effects in endurance-based activity. However, there is a need for research in sports whose physiological requirements exceed maximal aerobic capacity. This study assessed the effects of 0.1% menthol mouth-rinsing upon a modified three-minute maximal test in the heat (33.0 ± 3.0 °C; RH 46.0 ± 5.0%). In a randomised crossover single blind placebo-controlled study, 11 participants completed three modified maximal tests, where each trial included a different mouth rinse: either menthol (MEN), cold water (WAT) or placebo (PLA). Participants were asked to rate their thermal comfort (TC), thermal sensation (TS) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) throughout the test. Heart rate, core temperature, oxygen uptake (VO2), ventilation (VE) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were monitored continuously throughout the test, alongside cycling power variables (W; W/kg). A blood lactate (BLa) level was taken pre- and post- test. Small to moderate effects (Cohen’s d and accompanying 90% confidence intervals) between solutions MEN, WAT and PLA were observed towards the end of the test in relation to relative power. Specifically, from 75–105 s between solutions MEN and WAT (ES: 0.795; 90% CI: 0.204 to 1.352) and MEN and PLA (ES: 1.059; 90% CI: 0.412 to 1.666), this continued between MEN and WAT (ES: 0.729; 90% CI: 0.152 to 1.276) and MEN and PLA (ES: 0.791; 90% CI: 0.202 to 1.348) from 105–135 s. Between 135–165 s there was a moderate difference between solutions MEN and WAT (ES: 1.058; 90% CI: 0.411 to 1.665). This indicates participants produced higher relative power for longer durations with the addition of the menthol mouth rinse, compared to cold water or placebo. The use of menthol (0.1%) as a mouth rinse showed small performance benefits for short duration high intensity exercise in the heat.
Exposome and Social Vulnerability: An Overview of the Literature Review
Authors: Deguen Séverine , Amuzu Mary , Simoncic Valentin , Kihal-Talantikite Wahida
Published: March 2022

Background—The exposome concept refers to the totality of exposures from internal and external sources, including chemical and biological agents from conception throughout the lifetime. Exposome is also made up of psychosocial components such as socio-economic status (SES), which will focus on in this review. Despite exposures to the same environmental nuisances, individuals and groups are impacted differently. According to the literature, health inequalities exist among different socioeconomic groups, and SES may influence the association between environmental nuisances and health outcomes. However, the variation of this interaction across ages has rarely been studied. There is a need to adopt a life course approach to understand the history of diseases better. Objective—The main objective of this review is to document how SES could modify the association between environmental nuisances and health outcomes, across different ages, as a first crucial step introducing the emerged concept of social exposome. Methods—The PubMed database was searched from January 2010 to August 2021 for systematic reviews published in English addressing the interaction between SES, environmental nuisances, and health outcomes. Socio-economic indicators considered include education, level of income, neighborhood environment. Environmental nuisances considered many environment nuisances, mainly air pollution and noise. Results—Among 242 literature reviews identified, 11 of them address the question of the effect modification. Overall, our work reveals that environmental nuisances were mostly associated with poorer health outcomes and that SES modified this association, increasing the health risk among the poorest. Very interestingly, our work reports the existence of this interaction across different ages, including pregnancy, childhood, and adulthood, and for various environmental nuisances. Conclusion—In conclusion, our work confirms that we are not all equal to face environmental nuisances. The poorest are more vulnerable to the health effect of environmental nuisances. Policy decisions and interventions should target this high-risk population as a priority. Further investigations are needed to formalize the concept of social exposome more precisely and then communicate about it.
Safety of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in the Elderly: An Analysis of Published Literature and Reports Sent to the Portuguese Pharmacovigilance System
Authors: Monteiro Cristina , Silvestre Samuel , Duarte Ana Paula , Alves Gilberto
Published: March 2022

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most frequently used agents to treat musculoskeletal disorders (principally by the elderly), thus raising the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). This work aims to monitor NSAIDs safety profile in older people by using literature and pharmacovigilance data. Published clinical studies reporting the NSAIDs safety in elderly patients (age ≥ 65) were identified by a literature search and were then deeply analyzed. In addition, suspected ADRs reports submitted to the Portuguese Pharmacovigilance System (PPS) involving patients aged ≥65 with at least one NSAID as suspected drug were explored in detail. Most studies concluded that the risk of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal ADRs was significantly lower with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-selective NSAIDs use than with nonselective NSAIDs. The PPS data analysis showed that serious gastrointestinal ADRs occurred mostly in patients taking more than one NSAID and/or another concomitant drug that increases the incidence of these events, in the absence of gastroprotection. The results suggest that while NSAID toxicity is well understood, their safe use needs to be monitored in clinical practice. Furthermore, the pharmacovigilance data analyzed also showed that monitoring NSAIDs use in elderly remains essential to mitigate the associated risks, especially in those with comorbidities and under polytherapy.
Examining Risk Absorption Capacity as a Mediating Factor in the Relationship between Cognition and Neuroplasticity in Investors in Investment Decision Making
Authors: Behera Yadav Devi Prasad , Nanda Sudhansu Sekhar , Sharma Shibani , Sahoo Tushar Ranjan
Published: March 2022

The encouragement of potential investors who are emotionally broken by past losses and market experiences is crucial to the sustainable flow of funds to the stock market. This can be established by building a knowledge-creating mechanism among investors in their cognitive dimensions, which, in turn, can develop their risk-bearing potential to reach the optimum level so that emotionally broken investors can use their cognitive abilities with their developed risk-absorption potential to further invest in the market in the near future. This study investigates the mediating effect of risk-absorption attitudes in the relationship between cognition and neuroplasticity in investors. Data for the study collected from 506 individual retail investors’ samples using a stratified random sampling technique were analyzed through covariance-based structural equation modeling. The findings of the study indicate that the constructs, viz., the investors’ cognition, risk absorption, and neuroplasticity, are valid and reliable. The structural model also supports the notion that risk absorption mediates the relationship between the investors’ cognition and neuroplasticity. The outcomes of the study are expected to aid in the policy formulation for equity-related financial product marketers, such as depository participants, brokers, mutual funds and SIP institutions, and to help in healing psychological trauma that potential investors suffered from due to losses in the past and overcoming reluctances to further invest in stock markets. The investors’ terrible psychological health developed because of past loss experience can be restored through the concept of neuroplasticity, in which different cognitive dimensions are used, while also enhancing risk absorption in potential investors.
The Roles of Extracellular Vesicles and Organoid Models in Female Reproductive Physiology
Authors: Thompson Riley E. , Bouma Gerrit J. , Hollinshead Fiona K.
Published: March 2022

Culture model systems that can recapitulate the anatomy and physiology of reproductive organs, such as three-dimensional (3D) organoid culture systems, limit the cost and welfare concerns associated with a research animal colony and provide alternative approaches to study specific processes in humans and animals. These 3D models facilitate a greater understanding of the physiological role of individual cell types and their interactions than can be accomplished with traditional monolayer culture systems. Furthermore, 3D culture systems allow for the examination of specific cellular, molecular, or hormonal interactions, without confounding factors that occur with in vivo models, and provide a powerful approach to study physiological and pathological reproductive conditions. The goal of this paper is to review and compare organoid culture systems to other in vitro cell culture models, currently used to study female reproductive physiology, with an emphasis on the role of extracellular vesicle interactions. The critical role of extracellular vesicles for intercellular communication in physiological processes, including reproduction, has been well documented, and an overview of the roles of extracellular vesicles in organoid systems will be provided. Finally, we will propose future directions for understanding the role of extracellular vesicles in normal and pathological conditions of reproductive organs, utilizing 3D organoid culture systems.