bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Growth Pattern of Tiger Prawn (TP) Arthropoda in a Pond by Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP)
Authors: Khan Adnan Alam , Ali Asif
Published: March 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a versatile term that is a conclusive remedy to solve the problem using past rational data after deep contemplation using these terms i-e basic statistics, carving data, familiarity with common AI algorithms. Seafood especially tiger prawn export as a busi-ness will provide enormous foreign exchange to any country if the farmers overcome the corre-lated vulnerabilities in prawn farming. This research is elucidating lacking in Tiger prawn (TP) farming like curbing of Oxygen, pH, water temperature, and nutrients, etc. Moreover, hatchery statistics in terms of juveniles will depict this study's clear picture of curbed aquaculture. For normative decisions, the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) is used. The problem which has been faced by local prawn farmers that there is a stagnant TP growth in ponds, the reason is the predominant sensitivity factor in TP. For this reason, they need indemnification of thirteen fac-tors with natural resources to get the plausible results to get calmness in their lives. This study will solely focus on the TP growth model, and the monitoring effect will be established by the Artificial Intelligence algorithm. This study will employ the AHP, 0-1 scaling method, data cura-tion techniques, and ecological statistics. The life of Tiger Prawn (TP) depends upon these factors mainly, a) Physical and b) Chemical parameters. Physical parameters contain environment (E) provided to TP like season (S) and temperature (T) etc. whereas the quality of Ammonia NH3 (N) from fish waste, Oxygen level (O), and water quality hard & soft (W) lies in chemicals do-main. This research will Elucidate the factors which cause conceptual muddles in the aquamarine life of TP, for this reason, Statistical tools will assess the current result, forecast the gap. AHP will analyze the domain inputs, circumspect ramification which will depict visceral factors, later results depict which pond suits the TP. In curtail, these factors will be curbed to improve the growth of TP in a control conditioned environment.
Six steps in the right direction: guiding the development of competency frameworks in healthcare professions
Authors: Batt Alan , Williams Brett , Brydges Madison , Leyenaar Matthew , Tavares Walter
Published: March 2021

The development of competency frameworks in healthcare professions is characterised by potentially inadequate descriptions of practice, variable developmental approaches, and inconsistent reporting and evaluating of outcomes. This may be in part due to limited existing guidance, which neglects broader contexts, lacks organising frameworks, and fails to provide guidance on selection of methods. To address such concerns, this paper first outlines a ‘systems thinking’ conceptual framework by which to conceptualise and describe clinical practice when developing competency frameworks. This is achieved through combining Ecological Systems Theory and complexity thinking to identify, and explore the contexts and components of clinical practice. The ‘systems thinking’ conceptual framework is then integrated into a six-step model for developing competency frameworks that synthesises and organises existing advice. The six steps include (1) identify practicalities (e.g. purpose, scope, detail, timeline), (2) identify influencing contexts and factors using ‘systems thinking’, (3) use aligned mixed-methods, (4) translate data into competency frameworks, (5) report processes and outcomes, and (6) plan to evaluate, update and maintain the competency framework. The model provides a logical organising structure of principles to guide assumptions and commitments when developing competency frameworks. Additionally, the model affords the flexibility required when exploring professional practice across varying contexts, and suggests employing mixed methodological approaches that are aligned with purpose and scope. The model acknowledges changing and complex contexts, considers existing guidance, and adds a unique and complementary means to conceptualise and improve the competency framework development process.
Research on Transient Power Quality of Large-capacity Electric Arc Furnace
Authors: Yang Liu , Tan Qinyue , Xiong Di , Liu Zhengguang
Published: March 2021

The overrun of transient power quality index caused by the large-capacity electric arc furnace (EAF) has become a prominent problem affecting the safe and stable operation of the power system. (1) In this paper, the relationship between arc furnace volt-age and current is derived based on the different stages of arc combustion, and the random variation of chaotic phenomenon of the arc voltage are simulated. Established an EAF model suitable for the study of transient power quality problems. (2) Take 50t AC EAF as an example to analyze the reactive power impact and the influence on the point of common coupling (PCC) voltage caused by the three-phase short circuit of the electrode. The results show that the experimental results are consistent with the theoretical analysis, verifying the correctness and effectiveness of the model. (3) When the three-phase short-circuit occurs, the reactive power impact is nearly 6 times that of normal operation, the short-circuit current is 2.66 times that of normal operation, and the effective value of the PCC voltage has dropped by 40.37%, which provides a theoretical basis for real-time compensation of impulsive reactive power and improvement of the transient power quality of the EAF.
Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Analysis in Infrastructure Projects: A Systematic Review
Authors: Alaloul Wesam Salah , Altaf Muhammad , Musarat Muhammad Ali , Faisal Javed Muhammad , Mosavi Amir
Published: March 2021

The comfort of human life depends on the quality, size, and reliability of the infrastructure projects. In the infrastructure systems, rapid growth is found, where the economic and sustainable impact has become a topic of significant concern for policies and government officials. To achieve con-straints of sustainable development, all the policies and actions over the infrastructure project's life cycle must be assessed. Decision-makers have adopted approaches for economic, social, and en-vironmental initiatives through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analyses (LCCA) of infrastructure projects. The purpose of this review is to highlight the impact of per-forming LCA and LCCA in infrastructure projects. To achieve this goal, a systematic literature review methodology is adopted in which renowned databases, i.e., Web of Science, Science Direct, Emerald and Scopus were selected to extract the relevant literature. Using the PRISMA approach, 1251 publications were identified which were then filtered and 55 documents were included in the final review. In the extracted publications most, researchers were biased toward LCA and LCA individually, whereas few focused on integrated LCA and LCCA. The researchers assessed the costs and impact associated with the infrastructure project while there were less focused on the environmental cost. Besides this, techniques of economic, social, and environmental growth of infrastructure projects have been emphasized during the design phase because of substantial relations between infrastructure design and operation management. Moreover, a conceptual framework has been developed that will assist the decision-makers to consider the effects of LCA and LCCA on various aspects of the infrastructure project and how it impacts sustainability. In the last, a case study was performed to assess the developed framework with the incorporation of environmental impact cost.
On the use of a cell-centered finite-volume scheme on prismatic meshes in boundary layers
Authors: Bakhvalov Pavel Alexeevisch
Published: March 2021

We consider the cell-centered finite-volume scheme with the quasi-one-dimensional reconstruction and generalize it to anisotropic prismatic meshes suitable for high-Reynolds-number problems. We offer a new algorithm of flux computation based on the reconstruction along the wall surface, whereas in the original schemes it was along the tangent to the wall surface. We also study how does the curvature of mesh elements influence the accuracy if taken into account.
Variational principle for local fields
Authors: Gavrikov Mikhail Borisovich
Published: March 2021

The simplest variational problems (with free, fixed boundaries, the Bolz problem) in Banach spaces are considered. Necessary conditions for a local extremum in these problems are derived. An important class of Lagrangian mechanical systems is considered – local loaded fields, for which the Lagrangian has the form of an integral functional. Necessary conditions for the action functional – the Euler-Ostrogradsky equations and transversality conditions – are obtained. The equations of the theory of elasticity and Maxwell electrodynamics are derived from the variational principle for local fields.
Use of SiO2 Nanoparticles in Water-Based Drilling Fluids for Improved Energy Consumption and Rheology: A Laboratory Study
Authors: Rashidi Masoud , Sedaghat Ahmad , Misbah Biltayib , Sabati Mohammad , Vaidyan Koshy
Published: March 2021

In wellbore drilling, it is appreciable to devise methods to study the rheology of high-speed annulus fluid flows. In this paper, a high-speed Taylor-Couette system (TCS) was devised to explore non-Newtonian fluid flow behavior appraised by SiO2 nanoparticles toward friction reduction, power saving, and rheology modeling of nanofluids. Water-based mud (WBM) as an environmentally friendly drilling fluid is investigated by adding SiO2 nanoparticles at four low-volume concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1% at speeds from 0 to 1,600 rev/min with 200 rev/min intervals in the TCS. Five rheology models based on the Herschel-Bulkley-Extended (HBE) model and a generalized Reynolds number were optimized to fit with the experimental data. All models except the Newtonian model have fitted all nanofluids with high accuracy, especially Bingham and HBE models. Negative deviation from Darcy friction was avoided for power-law (PL) and Herschel-Bulkley (HB) models using the modification to the generalized Reynolds number. Higher energy saving and enhanced rheology is reported particularly at lower volume concentrations of SiO2 WBM nanofluids. The Darcy friction factor deviated from laminar flow at the generalized Reynolds number beyond 2,000 into turbulent, which is a good indicator for the flow condition of complex non-Newtonian nanofluids in real-life application.
The diagnostic and prognostic value of mature and total adrenomedullin for sepsis: a prospective, observational study
Authors: Yonaha Tetsu , Maruta Toyoaki , Otao Go , Igarashi Koji , Nagata Sayaka , Yano Takeshi , Taniguchi Masahiko , Kitamura Kazuo , Tsuneyoshi Isao
Published: March 2021

Background: Biologically active adrenomedullin (mature AM) has received considerable attention as a new biomarker of sepsis and septic shock. However, information about this peptide is limited. In this study, we further investigated the value of mature AM for diagnosis and outcome prediction in sepsis.Methods: This was a prospective, observational, single-centre study. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were retrospectively categorised into non-sepsis or sepsis groups, according to the Sepsis-3 definitions. Plasma levels of mature and total (the sum of the levels of intermediate and mature forms) AM were measured, and their usefulness was compared with those of other sepsis biomarkers, such as procalcitonin and presepsin. Results: Of the 98 patients included in the final analysis, 42 were assigned to the non-sepsis and 56 to the sepsis group. Levels of mature and total AM on admission were significantly higher in patients with sepsis than in those without sepsis. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of mature and total AM for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis became significant on day 3 after admission. A good correlation between the AM forms was found, indicating that the changes in their plasma levels may directly reflect each other.Conclusion: Because the levels of mature and total AM increased significantly in patients with sepsis on admission, both forms may be used as reliable and early biomarkers for diagnosing sepsis according to the Sepsis-3 definitions. However, prediction of 28-day mortality in such patients would require several days of ICU stay.
A Bayesian spatio-temporal analysis of malaria in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana from 2015 to 2019.
Authors: Donkor Elorm , Kelly Matthew , Eliason Cecilia , Amotoh Charles , Gray Darren , Clements Archie , Wangdi Kinley
Published: March 2021

Efforts towards malaria control in Ghana have had positive impacts. However, these efforts need to be locally tailored to further accelerate progress. The aim of this study was to examine the climatic drivers of malaria transmission in the Greater Accra Region and identify inter-district variation of malaria burden. Monthly malaria cases for the Greater Accra Region were obtained from the Ghanaian District Health Information and Management System. Malaria cases were decomposed using the seasonal-trend decomposition, based on locally weighted regression to analyse the seasonality. A Poisson regression model with a conditional autoregressive prior structure was used to quantify associations between climatic variables and malaria risk, and spatial dependence. Posterior parameters were estimated using Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation with Gibbs sampling. A total of 1,105,370 malaria cases was recorded in the region from 2015–2019. The overall malaria incidence rate for the region was approximately 1 per 1,000,000 population. Malaria transmission was highly seasonal with an irregular inter-annual pattern. Malaria incidence was found to increase by 0.1% (95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.02–0.16%) for a 1°C rise in monthly maximum temperature lagged at 6 months and 0.2% (95% CrI: 0.5–0.3%) for 1°C rise in monthly minimum temperature without lag. No spatial dependency was observed after accounting for climatic variables. Only five districts located in the south-central part of the region had a malaria incidence rate that was lower than the regional average at > 95% probability level. The distribution of malaria cases was heterogeneous, seasonal and significantly associated with climatic variables. Targeted malaria control and prevention in high-risk districts at the appropriate time points could result in a significant reduction in malaria transmission in the Greater Accra Region.
Prediction of the prognosis of somatoform disorders using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
Authors: Sato Akiko , Itagaki Syuntaro , Matsumoto Takatomo , Ise Yoko , Yokokura Syunya , Wada Tomohiro , Hayashi Kaoru , Kakamu Takeyasu , Fukushima Tetsuhito , Nikaido Takuya , Konno Shinichi , Yabe Hirooki
Published: March 2021

Background: To elucidate the possibility of using the Minnesota Multifaceted Personality Inventory (MMPI) to predict the prognosis of somatoform disorders, which are often treatment-resistant, we investigated the prognosis of somatoform disorders predicted using the MMPI. Methods: During the period from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2017, 125 cases of somatoform disorder were diagnosed in the psychiatric department of Fukushima Medical University Hospital, among which, 67 were consultation-liaison psychiatry cases and 58 cases were only psychiatric cases. Clinical information, MMPI scores, and prognosis information were collected from medical records in each case, and then statistical analysis was performed. Results: The results showed that the unchanged group had significantly higher scores than the improved group on only the Hy scale. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of the Hy scale scores of the improved and unchanged group was then conducted to calculated a cutoff value. The cutoff point was 73.5 with a sensitivity of 0.557 and a specificity of 0.717. Conclusion: For patients diagnosed with somatoform disorder who had an MMPI Hy scale score higher than the cutoff value, improvement with conventional supportive psychotherapy or drug therapy was predicted to be difficult. Therefore, the cutoff point identified in this study appears to be an important index for selecting treatment for somatoform disorders.
Trilateral Spearman Katz Centrality Based Least Angle Regression for Influential Node Tracing in Social Network
Authors: P. VIMAL KUMAR , C. Balasubramanian
Published: March 2021

With the epidemic growth of online social networks (OSNs), a large scale research on information dissemination in OSNs has been made an appearance in contemporary years. One of the essential researches is influence maximization (IM). Most research adopts community structure, greedy stage, and centrality measures, to identify the influence node set. However, the time consumed in analyzing the influence node set for edge server placement, service migration and service recommendation is ignored in terms of propagation delay. Considering the above analysis, we concentrate on the issue of time-sensitive influence maximization and maximize the targeted influence spread. To solve the problem, we propose a method called, Trilateral Spearman Katz Centrality-based Least Angle Regression (TSKC-LAR) for influential node tracing in social network is proposed. Besides, two algorithms are used in our work to find the influential node in social network with maximum influence spread and minimal time, namely Trilateral Statistical Node Extraction algorithm and Katz Centrality Least Angle Influence Node Tracing algorithm, respectively. Extensive experiments on The Telecom dataset demonstrate the efficiency and influence performance of the proposed algorithms on evaluation metrics, namely, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, time and influence spread
Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Nitrile Rubber Reinforced by SiO2: Molecular Dynamics Simulation Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Nitrile Rubber Reinforced by SiO2: Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Liu Xueshen , Zhou Xincong , Kuang Fuming , Zuo Houxiu , Huang Jian
Published: March 2021

This paper investigated the mechanism of enhancing the mechanical and tribological properties of nitrile rubber (NBR) with SiO 2 on the molecular scale. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on molecular structure models of pure NBR, NBR/SiO 2 and three-layer friction pairs. The results showed that the hydrogen bonds and interfacial interaction between SiO 2 and NBR molecular chains decreased the fractional free volume of NBR nanocomposites, and increased the shear modulus of NBR by 25% compared with that of pure NBR. During the friction process, SiO 2 decreased the radius of gyration of NBR molecular chains and effectively lowered the peak atomic velocity, the peak temperature and the peak friction stress at the interface between NBR and copper atoms. The average friction stress on NBR/SiO 2 was 34% lower than that on NBR, which meant the tribological properties of NBR were significantly improved by SiO 2 . The mechanism of SiO 2 reinforcing NBR on a molecular scale can lay a theoretical foundation for the design of water-lubricated rubber bearings.
Land Misallocation and Urban Air Quality in China 
Authors: Liu Jianjiang , Jiang Zhuqing , Chen Weitao
Published: March 2021

In China, local government's "land for development" strategy has led to a large number of urban construction land allocated to the industrial field, which has promoted the rapid development of industry and economy in the short term, but also brought serious environmental quality losses. This paper systematically sets out how land misallocation works on urban air quality and employs the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to conduct an empirical analysis on the panel data of 283 China's cities at or above the prefecture level. The result shows that, stimulated by financial maximization and political promotion, in order to obtain more fiscal revenue and growth performance, local governments prefer to allocate a large number of urban construction land to industry and related fields, which leads to the underestimation of industrial land price and the misallocation of land resources. Land misallocation has exerted significant inhibiting effects on the air quality of local and their surrounding cities through inhibiting the upgrading of industrial structure. Further analysis reveals that the bigger the city, the less the inhibition effects of land misallocation on upgrading of industrial structure and urban air quality, and vice versa. The conclusions of this paper can provide useful reference for local governments to optimize land allocation, promote economic restructuring and environmental quality upgrading. JEL Classification: R52; E62; P28
A Bivariate Chebyshev Polynomials Method for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems With Interval Uncertainties
Authors: Wei Tonghui , Li Feng , Meng Guangwei
Published: March 2021

A bivariate Chebyshev polynomials approach is proposed to estimate the dynamic response bounds of nonlinear systems with interval uncertainties. The existing collocation method directly searches the maximum and minimum values of the surrogate model in the entire interval space by the scanning method (SM). The presence of too many uncertain parameters will lead to expansive computational cost. To overcome this shortcoming, the dynamic response is decomposed by a bivariate function decomposition (BFD), established based on high-order Taylor expansion, into the sum of multiple univariate and bivariate response functions. The above univariate and bivariate functions are fitted using Chebyshev polynomials, and polynomial coefficients are obtained through one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) interpolation points. Thus, the solution of the nonlinear dynamic systems with uncertain parameters can be transformed into that of univariate and bivariate Chebyshev interval functions. The extremum values of the low-dimensional Chebyshev interval functions can be found by SM, and then the bounds of dynamic response are acquired by interval arithmetic. Since SM searches for extreme values only in 1D and 2D uncertain domains, the amount of calculation is reduced compared to searching the whole uncertain space. The efficiency, practicability and effectiveness of the proposed interval uncertainty analysis method are proved by three dynamic examples.
Increased Malat1 Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Primary Gastrointestinal Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
Authors: Qian Zhengzi , Chen Leiyuan , Wang Xinyuan , Kan Yutian , Wang Yafei , Yu Yong , Wang Xiaofang , Zhao Zhigang , Yang Hongliang , Ge Peng , Ding Tingting , Zhai Qiongli , Zhao Haifeng
Published: March 2021

Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) has been involved in the pathogenesis and progression of several cancers. However, the exact effect of MALAT1 in primary gastrointestinal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PGI-DLBCL) has not been elucidated. This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of MALAT1 in PGI-DLBCL patients. Quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of MALAT1 in 90 patients with PGI-DLBCL. MALAT1 was remarkably up-regulated in PGI-DLBCL tissues as compared to that of paired adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.001), and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.838. MALAT1 expression was further increased in the non-germinal center B-cell-like (non-GCB) group, advanced stage (stages IIE-IV) group and International Prognostic Index (IPI) score (3-5) group (P=0.01, P<0.001and P<0.001, respectively). Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that elevated MALAT1 expression was correlated with inferior Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) in PGI-DLBCL patients (P<0.001and P<0.001, respectively), and multivariate analysis suggested that up-regulation of MALAT1 and high IPI score (3-5) were two unfavorable prognostic factors of PGI-DLBCL. In conclusion, our results demonstrates that MALAT1 might serve as a novel prognostic biomarker and an ideal therapeutic target for PGI-DLBCL patients in the future.
Influence of Compression Coil Geometry in Electromagnetic Forming Using Experimental and Finite Element Method
Authors: Soni Manoj , Ahmed Meraj , Panthi Sanjay Kumar , Kumar Surendra , Gavel Khushwant Singh
Published: March 2021

Electromagnetic forming process is a high velocity forming technique which is widely used in automotive and aerospace sectors for forming and joining metallic sheet/tubes. The geometrical structure of compression coil have significant effect on the performance of the system in terms of current output and deformation of workpiece. The present work aims to analyse the effect of structural parameters of compression coil like cross-section of turns (X), pitch circular diameter (PCD) and effective turn (n) using both experimental and numerical simulation. A bitter compression coil of variable geometrical structure have been considered to see the effect of its parameters by deforming an AA6061 tube experimentally. Parameters like magnetic field, velocity, Lorentz force, displacement and stress are difficult to measure experimentally but have significant indication on performance of the coil in EMF. The trends of numerically predicated parameters find good agreement with experimental deformation value of tube. The Finite element analysis is carried out to correlate deformation results.The results indicate that n have higher significant in performance of compression coil as compared to X and PCD of coil.
Mental health-related impact applying a scalp cooling technology solution in chemotherapy: a scoping review
Authors: Ranieri Jessica , Guerra Federica , Giacomo Dina Di
Published: March 2021

Background and ObjectiveA scalp cooling system, particularly, a digitised scalp-cooling system, is currently assuming an important role during adjuvant treatment within the oncological setting, promising the prevention of hair loss and turning an efficient procedure to reinforce the mental health of patients during chemotherapy by preventing chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). We conducted a scoping review to map the literature on the efficacy of the scalp cooling technology in chemotherapy. We focused on the efficacy of the scalp cooling system in preventing CIA and the associated mental health effects, such as reducing mood changes, depression, anxiety, anger, sleep disorders, and fatigue.MethodsWe performed a systematic search of MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus in May 2020. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the included literature. Based on the exclusion/inclusion criteria, a total of 17 articles were included in the scoping review process.ResultsThis review demonstrated the lack of research on the efficacy of adopting the scalp cooling system as preventive care for the well-being of patients through the prevention of their hair loss. Nevertheless, research on this topic is progressively increasing, and future studies should address specific key points.ConclusionThis study aimed to identify emerging and urgent research domains in order to design better clinical outcomes for innovative solutions, integrating the physical and mental health of oncological patients in survivorship.
Deoxygenation of oleic acid methyl ester in FCC process conditions over protonated and sodium exchanged Y and ZSM-5 zeolites
Authors: Padilha Jose Fernando , Frety Roger , Santos Alane P. , Pontes Luiz A. M. , Santos Marilia Ramalho , Arias Santiago , Pacheco Jose Geraldo Andrade
Published: March 2021

One way to take advantage from out of specification biodiesel and waste from biodiesel tank bottom drainage is to co-process them in a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit. The present work deals with the cracking of oleic acid methyl ester (OAME) as a biodiesel model, under conditions close to that of FCC process over ZSM-5 and Y zeolites, either in protonated or sodium forms, for the production of deoxygenated compounds. Catalytic fast cracking of OAME pre-adsorbed on the catalyst surface was performed, with a catalyst:OAME mass ratio of 10:1 in a micro-pyrolysis system at 650°C, coupled to a GC/MS for on line analysis of the products. Results show that the cracking of OAME without a catalyst favored the formation of linear alkenes and polyenes. Fast cracking of OAME over HZSM-5 and HY acidic zeolites led to the production of aromatics, due to hydrogen transfer. Cracking over NaY and HY zeolites produced remarkable amounts of ramified saturated hydrocarbons. The formation of alkylated hydrocarbons was not significant over ZSM-5 zeolite probably due to a small pore size of this zeolite. NaY catalyst favored the production of hydrocarbons in the range of kerosene (C8-C12). Low acidic zeolites favored the production of non-aromatic hydrocarbons. Product distribution was affected by catalyst shape selectivity and acidity. These results show that residues from the biodiesel chain can be directly co-processed in FCC units to obtain high value hydrocarbons, mainly in the jet fuel and gasoline ranges.
Marine by-products tested as feed for almaco jack Seriola rivoliana and their effect on fatty acids and sterols in different tissues.
Authors: Benitez-Hernández Asahel , Palacios Elena , Arjona Olivia , Civera-Cerecedo Roberto
Published: March 2021

Marine by-products can compose up to 70% of the total weight of produce from fisheries; most of these by-products are discarded. However, these by-products are rich in highly unsaturated fatty acids that are not synthetized by most marine animals that are produced by aquaculture. Here, we used three marine by-products (shrimp head, Catarina scallop viscera, and Pen shell viscera) to produce meals without the step used to separate lipids as is traditionally done; this separation can promote hydrolysis of lipids and ultimately, oxidation of fatty acids and sterols. Lipid-rich meals were used to partially substitute commercial fishmeal on feeds that were used to grow almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) juveniles for 10 weeks. The content of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 in tissues of fish fed shrimp and Pen shell presented values similar to controls, but the former had had a better effect on growth, lipid, and phytosterols levels. However, Catarina meal had lower concentration of 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 but higher proportion of 20:4n-6 in muscle and 22:6n-3 in liver, indicating a selective conservation in relation to other fatty acids. Catarina meal contained traces of 18:5n-3 (0.02 g/kg) indicating that these scallops, albeit their healthy aspect, were in contact with toxins (okadaic acid) produced by dinoflagellates, a setback that needs to be addressed previous to meal manufacturing. In conclusion, marine by-products processed to maintain lipid composition can be used to reduce the use of fishmeal in the diet, and their use improve the lipid content and growth compared to control diet with fishmeal.
An Empirical Study on Industrial Ecological Efficiency in Arid Resource Exploitation Region of Northwest China
Authors: Zhou Xudong , Xue Zhengkai , Seydehmet Jumeniyaz
Published: March 2021

Located in the northwest of China, Xinjiang is a typical arid desert area and mineral resources development zone. Lacking water resources and a fragile ecological environment restricts the sustainable development of the region. Based on the industrial panel data of Xinjiang from 2001 to 2015, this paper uses the Undesirable Output SBM model, Malmquist index model, and Tobit regression model to comprehensively and systematically measure and evaluate the industrial eco-efficiency and its change characteristics from provincial, regional and prefectural levels. The results show that:(1) The level of industrial eco-efficiency in Xinjiang is generally low, lower than the national average, but it has been rising steadily over time, from 0.36 in 2001 to 1.00 in 2008, and from 0.41 in the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period to 0.99 in the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period. (2) The industrial ecological efficiency of Xinjiang is not balanced in space. Northern Xinjiang is larger than that of eastern Xinjiang and southern Xinjiang. The prefectures have uneven and asynchronous development, which can be divided into two development modes: industrial region and agriculture and animal husbandry region. (3) Through the decomposition analysis of the Malmquist index, it is found that the technology progress index is the restriction factor of the changing trend of TFP, while the technical efficiency index and the pure technical efficiency index are the promoting factors. (4) The main factors causing the loss of ecological efficiency are industrial sulfur dioxide emissions, industrial nitrogen oxide emissions, total industrial water consumption, general industrial solid waste. It can be seen that the emission of air pollutants and excessive industrial water are the main problems in the region. (5) Industrial ecological efficiency is positively correlated with industrial development level, scientific and technological innovation, industrial structure, and environmental planning, and negatively correlated with opening up and industrial agglomeration degree. (6) Xinjiang is an extremely arid and water-scarce region. These are the key and prerequisite of saving water resources and strengthening the comprehensive utilization of water resources. Water- saving should be given top priority no matter in industrial areas, or agricultural and animal husbandry areas.
Does the School Environment Exert Influence on Quality of Life Related to the Occurrence of Traumatic Dental Injuries in School Children? 
Authors: Quezada-Conde Maritza D. C. , Alvarez-Velasco Patricia Lourdes , Balseca-Ibarra Mariela C. , Freitas Raiza Dias , Ardenghi Thiago Machado , Michel-Crosato Edgard , Pannuti Claudio Mendes , Frias Antonio Carlos , Raggio Daniela Prócida , Mendes Fausto Medeiros
Published: March 2021

Purpose: To assess whether favourable factors related to school characteristics have a positive effect on the impact on OHRQoL related to occurrence TDI.Methods: An epidemiological survey of oral health was conducted with 12-year-old scholars from Quito, Ecuador. Children were examined regarding TDI, dental caries, and malocclusion. Individual socioeconomic data was collected. Information on the physical environment, health practices and occurrence of negative episodes in the schools were collected with the school’s coordinators. The Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14) was answered to evaluate the OHRQoL (outcome variable). Multilevel Poisson regression analysis was conducted. Results: Occurrence of severe TDI was associated with higher CPQ11-14 scores, even in the multiple model adjusted for oral health conditions, sex, individual socioeconomic variables, and school-related variables. Children from schools that had an appropriate tooth brushing environment for their students exhibited a lower impact on OHRQoL, even when adjusted for occurrence of TDI and other variables. Conclusion: A favourable school environment may exert a positive effect on the OHRQoL, independently of the occurrence of TDI.
Effects of Population Flow on Regional Carbon Emissions: Evidence From China
Authors: Wu lei , Jia Xiaoyan , Gao Li , Zhou Yuanqi
Published: March 2021

Population flow can influence the growth of regional carbon emissions. This paper analyzes the dual transmission mechanism of population flow’s impact on population structure and carbon emission. On this basis, it empirically studies the impact of population flow and other related factors on carbon emissions in China by using panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2005 to 2018 with panel econometric regression and heterogeneity analysis. The results show that, i) Over all, no matter in long-term or short-term, China’s population flow can reduce the growth of carbon emissions. ii) The aging of regional population and knowledge structure improvement caused by population flow helps reduce carbon emissions, while the regional urbanization caused by population flow and household miniaturization have no significant correlation with the growth of carbon emissions. iii) From the perspective of geographical heterogeneity, the northwest of "Hu Huangyong line" has poor ecological environment, low population density and low level of economic development. Population flow promotes the increase of carbon emissions, while the southeast of "Hu Huangyong line" is on the contrary. iv) The consumption level of Chinese residents, per capita GDP, energy intensity and energy consumption structure have positive effects on carbon emissions, while carbon emission intensity has negative effects. Finally, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions from the perspective of coordinating population policy and energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction policy.
Pairwise Interact-and-Imitate Dynamics
Authors: Bilancini Ennio , Boncinelli Leonardo , Campigotto Nicola
Published: March 2021

This paper introduces and studies a class of evolutionary dynamics --- Pairwise Interact-and-Imitate Dynamics (PIID) --- in which agents are matched in pairs, engage in a symmetric game, and imitate the opponent with a probability that depends on the difference in their payoffs. We provide a condition on the underlying game, named supremacy, and show that the population state in which all agents play the supreme strategy is globally asymptotically stable. We extend the framework to allow for payoff uncertainty, and check the robustness of our results to the introduction of some heterogeneity in the revision protocol followed by agents. Finally, we show that PIID can allow the survival of strictly dominated strategies, leads to the emergence of inefficient conventions in social dilemmas, and makes assortment ineffective in promoting cooperation.
A comparison of structure-activity of Cu-modified over different mesoporous silica supports for catalytic conversion of levulinic acid
Authors: Balla Putrakumar , Kumar Seelam Prem , Srinivasa Ginjupalli , Rajan Karthikeyan , Harishekar Mitta , Riitta Keiski , Liang Tong Xiang
Published: March 2021

Catalytic hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) was investigated over four different types of mesoporous silica (SBA-15, MCM-48, MCM-41, and KIT-6) supported copper (5 wt.%) catalysts. The Cu was incorporated into mesoporous silica supports by a sequential impregnation method. A detailed investigation of the support structure-activity correlation was done and the performance of the catalysts in LA conversion was studied. Detailed characterisation techniques were used to evaluate the physical and catalytic properties of the studied catalysts. The structure type and physicochemical properties of the silica support had a significant effect on the overall performance of the catalysts. Among them, over Cu/SBA-15 catalyst, a complete levulinic acid (LA) conversion with 98% gamma valerolactone (GVL) selectivity was achieved at 265°C under ambient H2 pressure. The superior performance of Cu/SBA-15 catalyst was due to the high surface acidity, reducibility of Cu oxides species, and highly dispersed Cu particles over SBA-15 structure. The results confirmed that the activity of the catalysts is significantly affected by the textural properties, surface acidity and copper dispersion. Durability of all the catalysts were tested for 50 h time on stream and over the SBA-15 catalyst, only a small drop in the activity was observed.
Investigating Functional Performance and Substituent Effect in Modelling Molecular Structure, UV-Visible Spectra and Optical Properties of D-π-A Conjugated Organic Dye Molecules: A DFT and TD-DFT Study.
Authors: Chanana Garima , Batra Kriti
Published: March 2021

The molecular structure, UV-Visible spectra, and optical properties of D-π-A conjugated organic dye molecules (Disperse Red 1 (DR1) and Disperse Red 73 (DR73)) were analyzed using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) and compared with Azobenzene molecule to study the effect of Donor and Acceptor substituents on the molecular properties. The performance of DFT functionals is investigated using B3LYP hybrid functional and three long-range corrected functionals (CAM-B3LYP, LC-ωPBE, and ωB97XD) in conjunction with 6-31G(d,p) basis set. Using TD-DFT, we calculate the vertical excitation energies and transition dipole moment values for 100 excited states. These values were further utilized to calculate frequency dependent polarizability under Sum-Over-States (SOS) formalism and refractive index of these molecular systems. We observe that for Azobenzene and DR1 molecules, ωB97XD predicted wavelengths corresponding to peak absorbance closest to the experimental results, while for DR73 molecule, B3LYP gave better prediction. Large polarizability response is also observed for these molecules (DR1 and DR73) in comparison to parent Azobenzene structure due to charge transfer between donor and acceptor groups. For DR1 and DR73 molecules, αxx component of polarizability dominates in contrast to azobenzene where αzz dominates. The HOMO→LUMO transition during excitation contributes to the peak molecular response in simulated UV-Visible spectra. The high polarizability response of selected D-π-A conjugated molecules in comparison to parent molecule suggests that these molecules are promising candidates for tailor-made photonic and optoelectronic device development
Impact of nutrient warning labels on choice of ultra-processed food and drinks high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fat in Colombia: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Mora-Plazas Mercedes , Higgins Isabella , Gomez Luis Fernando , Hall Marissa G. , Parra Maria Fernanda , Bercholz Maxime , Murukutla Nandita , Taillie Lindsey Smith
Published: March 2021

ObjectiveThis study assessed the impact of nutrient warning labels on product selection and ability to correctly identify less healthy products, among other outcomes, in Colombia. MethodsWe conducted an online randomized experiment among 8,061 Colombians in October 2020. Participants were assigned to a condition: nutrient warning, guideline daily amounts (GDA), Nutri-Score, or no-label. First, participants viewed two fruit drinks labeled according to their assigned condition, one with added sugar and one without, and indicated which they would prefer to buy and which was higher in sugar. Next, they viewed four food products with their assigned condition and answered questions. Finally, they selected which label type would most discourage them from consuming a specified ultra-processed food. ResultsFewer participants in the nutrient warning condition (20%) preferred to buy the added sugar fruit drink compared to 24% in the GDA condition (p<.01), 29% in the no-label condition, and 33% in the Nutri-Score condition (both, p<.001). More participants who saw the nutrient warning (88%) correctly identified the fruit drink higher in sugar compared to those who saw no-label (68%) or Nutri-Score (65%) (both, p<.001). In the GDA condition, 91% correctly identified the fruit drink higher in sugar compared to the nutrient warning condition (p<.01). Most participants (72%) selected the nutrient warning label as most discouraging. ConclusionsNutrient warning labels are a promising policy strategy to prevent obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases in Colombia. Future research should assess nutrient warning labels’ impact on actual food purchases in Colombia. Trial Registration: NCT04567004
Synergic Fabrication of Naringin Molecule into Polymeric Nanoparticles for the Treatment and Nursing Care of Lung Cancer Therapy
Authors: Yan Lingqiao , Chen Hui , Xie Mindan
Published: March 2021

Lung cancer is the third most common cause of death and the main factor of cancer-related deaths in both males and females in the United States to the rest of the world. Diagnosis at an important level is associated with high mortality in the population of cases. Herein, we present a very easy and cost-effective method that incorporates drugs reconstruction, tumor-specific targeting supramolecular nanoassembly, and therapeutically to overcome the different challenges raised by the distribution of the pharmaceutical potential anticancer drug Naringin. On covalent conjugations of hydrophobic linoleic acid by hydroxyl group, the Naringin prodrugs were skilled in impulsively nanoassembly into extremely steady nanoparticles size (~100 nm). Electron microscopic techniques have verified the newly synthesized morphology of Naringin-NPs. The anticancer properties of Naringin and Naringin-NPs against A549 and HEL-299 (lung carcinoma) cancer cell lines have been evaluated after successful synthesis. Other research, such as dual staining acridine orange/ethidium bromide, Hoechst 33344 and flow cytometry study on the apoptosis mechanisms have shown that proliferation in lung cancer cells is associated with apoptosis. Compared to Naringin, Naringin-NPs demonstrate excellent biocompatibility, this study clarified the Naringin-NPs as a healthy and positive lung cancer treatment and care chemotherapeutics technique and deserve further clinical evaluations.
The Analysis of Pre-Monsoon Dust Storm Over Delhi Using Ground Based Observations
Authors: parde avinash , Pithani Prakash , Ghude Sachin D. , Dhangar Narendra G. , Jena Chinmay , Lal D.M. , Krishna Gopal
Published: March 2021

Three major sequential widespread dust events were experienced in the northern parts of India in May 2018. A significant impact of these pre-monsoon dust storms on the aerosol characteristics over the Indian National capital region (NCR) has been studied using remotely sensed ceilometer and ground-based measurements at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, New Delhi, India. From the results, it is noticed that after each consecutive dust activity, the significant inclusion of dust aerosols loaded in the Free Troposphere (FT). Consequently, the direct impact on the lower atmospheric parameters like increase in daily average temperature (by 4–5 K), stepped up (stepped down) diurnal cycles of longwave fluxes (shortwave fluxes) has been recorded within 15 days of dust span. Mainly, the adverse meteorological and radiation features noticed before first dust storm (DS1), which pinpoints the sudden intrusion of dust over NCR, Delhi. However, this dust storm has extensively impacted in terms of the vertical dust loading, surface boundary layer mechanisms, and socioeconomic way. Therefore, the detailed analysis of vertical dust distribution and its interaction with middle tropospheric processes has been carried by using the vertical normalized attenuated backscatter coefficients accompanying the radiosonde observation. The aloft floating dust layer up to 3–4 km has been noticed even after shallow rainfall and persisted at almost the same height for the next 34 hrs due to low-level clouds. Meanwhile, the sub dust layer below 1 km is formed due to local activity, which also sustains for a long time. Moreover, the cumulative losses in terms of the impediment in airline operations (delay and diversion), live causalities, and deaths were estimated at US$1.3 million over these dust period.