bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening of Popcorn Genotypes for Drought Tolerance Using Canonical Correlations
Authors: Kamphorst Samuel Henrique , Gonçalves Gabriel Moreno Bernardo , Amaral Júnior Antônio Teixeira do , Lima Valter Jário de , Leite Jhean Torres , Schmitt Kátia Fabiane Medeiros , Santos Junior Divino Rosa dos , Santos Juliana Saltires , Oliveira Fábio Tomaz de , Corrêa Caio Cézar Guedes , Rodrigues Weverton Pereira , Campostrini Eliemar
Published: October 2020

Getting around the damage caused by drought is a worldwide challenge, particularly in Brazil, given that economy is based on agricultural activities, including popcorn growing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate popcorn inbred lines under water stressed (WS) and well-watered (WW) conditions regarding agronomic attributes, root morphology, and leaf “greenness” index (SPAD index), besides investigating the viability of indirect selection by canonical correlations (CC) of grain yield (GY) and popping expansion (PE). Seven agronomic, six morphological root traits were evaluated and SPAD index at five different dates during grain filling. The WS (−29% less water than WW) affected significantly the GY (−55%), PE (−28%), increased the brace and crown root density, and more vertically oriented the brace and crown angles. Higher SPAD index is associated with a higher yield, and these measures were the only ones with no significant genotype × water condition interaction, which may render concomitant selection for WS and WW easier. For associating the corrections of the different traits, CC proved to have better potential than simple correlations. Thus, the evaluation of SPAD index at 29 days after the anthesis showed the best CC, and based on the previous results of SPAD index, may be used regardless of the water condition.
Chlorophyll-a Fluorescence Analysis Reveals Differential Response of Photosynthetic Machinery in Melatonin-Treated Oat Plants Exposed to Osmotic Stress
Authors: Alyammahi Onoud , Gururani Mayank Anand
Published: October 2020

In this study, the effects of melatonin-induced enhancement on the principal photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant machinery were investigated in Avena sativa (oat) plants exposed to polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced osmotic stress. The parameters of growth, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, proline accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and electrolyte leakage showed noteworthy improvements between the groups. Melatonin treatment caused upregulation of the genes that encode the three major antioxidant enzymes: ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Chlorophyll-a fluorescence kinetic analyses revealed that melatonin treatment improved performance indices (PIABS and PItotal), quantum yields, and efficiencies of photosystem II (PSII) in oat plants subjected to PEG-induced osmotic stress. Furthermore, upregulation of five genes (PsbA, PsbB, PsbC, PsbD, and PsbO) that encode the core proteins of PSII implied melatonin exerted a positive influence on photosynthesis under conditions of osmotic stress.
A Neurally Inspired Model of Figure Ground Organization with Local and Global Cues
Authors: Ramenahalli Sudarshan
Published: October 2020

Figure Ground Organization (FGO)-inferring spatial depth ordering of objects in a visual scene-involves determining which side of an occlusion boundary is figure (closer to the observer) and which is ground (further away from the observer). A combination of global cues, like convexity, and local cues, like T-junctions are involved in this process. A biologically motivated, feed forward computational model of FGO incorporating convexity, surroundedness, parallelism as global cues and spectral anisotropy (SA), T-junctions as local cues is presented. While SA is computed in a biologically plausible manner, the inclusion of T-Junctions is biologically motivated. The model consists of three independent feature channels, Color, Intensity and Orientation, but SA and T-Junctions are introduced only in the Orientation channel as these properties are specific to that feature of objects. The effect of adding each local cue independently and both of them simultaneously to the model with no local cues is studied. Model performance is evaluated based on figure-ground classification accuracy (FGCA) at every border location using the BSDS 300 figure-ground dataset. Each local cue, when added alone, gives statistically significant improvement in the FGCA of the model suggesting its usefulness as an independent FGO cue. The model with both local cues achieves higher FGCA than the models with individual cues, indicating SA and T-Junctions are not mutually contradictory. Compared to the model with no local cues, the feed-forward model with both local cues achieves ≥8.78% improvement in terms of FGCA.
Distinct Animal Food Allergens Form IgE-Binding Amyloids
Authors: Pérez-Tavarez Raquel , Castellanos Milagros , Loli-Ausejo David , Pedrosa María , Hurtado José Luis , Rodriguez-Pérez Rosa , Gasset María
Published: October 2020

Several animal food allergens assemble into amyloids under gastric-like environments. These aggregated structures provide Gad m 1 with an enhanced immunoglobulin E (IgE) interaction due to the fibrillation of the epitope regions. However, whether these properties are unique to Gad m 1 or shared by other food allergens has not yet been addressed. Using Bos d 5, Bos d 12 and Gal d 2 as allergen models and Gad m 1 as the control, aggregation reactions and the sera of milk, egg and fish allergic patients have been analyzed, assessing the IgE interactions of their amyloids. We found that amyloids formed by Bos d 12 and Gal d 2 full-length and truncated chains are recognized by the IgEs of milk and egg allergic patient sera. As with Gad m 1, in most cases amyloid recognition is higher than that of the native structure. Bos d 5 was not recognized under any fold by the IgE of the sera studied. These results suggest that the formation of IgE-binding amyloids could be a common feature to animal food allergens.
Colon Bioaccessibility under In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion of a Red Cabbage Extract Chemically Profiled through UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS
Authors: Izzo Luana , Rodríguez-Carrasco Yelko , Pacifico Severina , Castaldo Luigi , Narváez Alfonso , Ritieni Alberto
Published: October 2020

Red cabbage is a native vegetable of the Mediterranean region that represents one of the major sources of anthocyanins. The aim of this research is to evaluate the antioxidant capability and total polyphenol content (TPC) of a red cabbage extract and to compare acquired data with those from the same extract encapsulated in an acid-resistant capsule. The extract, which was qualitatively and quantitatively profiled by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS analysis, contained a high content of anthocyanins and phenolic acids, whereas non-anthocyanin flavonoids were the less abundant compounds. An in vitro gastrointestinal digestion system was utilized to follow the extract’s metabolism in humans and to evaluate its colon bioaccessibility. Data obtained showed that during gastrointestinal digestion, the total polyphenol content of the extract digested in the acid-resistant capsule in the Pronase E stage resulted in a higher concentration value compared to the extract digested without the capsule. Reasonably, these results could be attributed to the metabolization process by human colonic microflora and to the genesis of metabolites with greater bioactivity and more beneficial effects. The use of red cabbage extract encapsulated in an acid-resistant capsule could improve the polyphenols’ bioaccessibility and be proposed as a red cabbage-based nutraceutical formulation for counteracting stress oxidative diseases.
Raman Spectroscopy as Noninvasive Method of Diagnosis of Pediatric Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Acri Giuseppe , Venuti Valentina , Costa Stefano , Testagrossa Barbara , Pellegrino Salvatore , Crupi Vincenza , Majolino Domenico
Published: October 2020

We propose here a spectroscopic method to diagnose and differentiate inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) with pediatric onset, in a complete noninvasive way without performing any duodenal biopsy. In particular, the Raman technique was applied to proteic extract from fecal samples in order to achieve information about molecular vibrations that can potentially furnish spectral signatures of cellular modifications occurring as a consequence of specific pathologic conditions. The attention was focused on the investigation of the amide I region, quantitatively accounting the spectral changes in the secondary structures by applying deconvolution and curve-fitting. Inflammation is found to give rise to a significant increasing of the nonreducible (trivalent)/reducible (divalent) cross-linking ratio R of the protein network. This parameter revealed an excellent marker in order to distinguish IBD subjects from non-IBD ones, and, among IBD patients, to differentiate between UC and CD. The proposed methodology was validated by statistical analysis using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.
Age-Dependent and Tissue-Specific Alterations in the rDNA Clusters of the Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer Cultivated Cell Lines
Authors: Chelomina Galina N. , Rozhkovan Konstantin V. , Burundukova Olga L. , Gorpenchenko Tatiana Y. , Khrolenko Yulia A. , Zhuravlev Yuri N.
Published: October 2020

Long-term cultivation of Panax ginseng cell lines leads to a decreasing synthesis of the biologically active substances used in traditional medicine. To gain insight into the cellular mechanisms which may influence this process, we analyzed variations within the rDNA cluster of the Oriental ginseng cell lines. The cell lines were cultivated for 6 and 24 years; the number of nucleoli and chromosomes was analyzed. The complete 18S rDNA sequences were cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide polymorphism and phylogenetic relations of the sequences were analyzed, and the secondary structures for separate 18S rRNA regions were modeled. The 18S rDNA accumulated mutations during cell cultivation that correlate well with an increase in the number of chromosomes and nucleoli. The patterns of nucleotide diversity are culture-specific and the increasing polymorphism associates with cytosine methylation sites. The secondary structures of some 18S rRNA regions and their interaction can alter during cultivation. The phylogenetic tree topologies are particular for each cell line.The observed alterations in rDNA clusters are associated with a somaclonal variation, leading to changes in the pattern of intracellular synthesis during cell cultivation. The identified divergent rRNAs could provide additional gene expression regulation in P. ginseng cells by forming heterogeneous ribosomes.
Association of Common Variants of TNFSF13 and TNFRSF13B Genes with CLL Risk and Clinical Picture, as Well as Expression of Their Products—APRIL and TACI Molecules
Authors: Jasek Monika , Bojarska-Junak Agnieszka , Sobczyński Maciej , Wagner Marta , Chocholska Sylwia , Roliński Jacek , Wołowiec Dariusz , Karabon Lidia
Published: October 2020

Interactions between APRIL (TNFSF13) and its receptor TACI (TNFRSF13B) are implicated in providing survival benefits for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) cells. Here we explored the relationship between TNFSF13 and TNFRSF13B SNPs and expression of APRIL and TACI molecules and performed extended case-control study to evaluate earlier observations. Expression of APRIL and TACI was detected by FACS for 72 and 145 patients, respectively, and soluble APRIL was measured by ELISA in plasma of 122 patients. Genotypes were determined in 439 CLL patients and 477 control subjects with TaqMan Assays or restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The rs4968210GG genotype of TNFSF13 was associated with a lower percentage of CD19+APRIL+ cells in CLL patients when compared to (AA + GA) genotypes (p-value = 0.027). Homozygosity at rs11078355 TNFRSF13B was associated with higher CD19+ TACI+ cell percentage in CLL patients (p-value = 0.036). The analysis of extended groups of patients and healthy controls confirmed the association of TNFSF13 rs3803800AA genotype with a higher CLL risk (OR = 2.13; CI95% = 1.21; 3.75; p-value = 0.007), while the possession of TNFRSF13B rs4985726G allele (CG + GG) genotype was associated with lower risk of CLL (OR = 0.69; CI95% = 0.51; 0.95; p-value = 0.02). Genetic variants of TNFSF13 and TNFRSF13B may have an impact on APRIL and TACI expression and may be considered as possible CLL risk factors.
DNA Repair Expression Profiling to Identify High-Risk Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Define New Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Gabellier Ludovic , Bret Caroline , Bossis Guillaume , Cartron Guillaume , Moreaux Jérôme
Published: October 2020

Cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemias (CN-AML) represent about 50% of total adult AML. Despite the well-known prognosis role of gene mutations such as NPM1 mutations of FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD), clinical outcomes remain heterogeneous in this subset of AML. Given the role of genomic instability in leukemogenesis, expression analysis of DNA repair genes might be relevant to sharpen prognosis evaluation in CN-AML. A publicly available gene expression profile dataset from two independent cohorts of patients with CN-AML were analyzed (GSE12417). We investigated the prognostic value of 175 genes involved in DNA repair. Among these genes, 23 were associated with a prognostic value. The prognostic information provided by these genes was summed in a DNA repair score, allowing to define a group of patients (n = 87; 53.7%) with poor median overall survival (OS) of 233 days (95% CI: 184–260). These results were confirmed in two validation cohorts. In multivariate Cox analysis, the DNA repair score, NPM1, and FLT3-ITD mutational status remained independent prognosis factors in CN-AML. Combining these parameters allowed the identification of three risk groups with different clinical outcomes in both training and validation cohorts. Combined with NPM1 and FLT3 mutational status, our GE-based DNA repair score might be used as a biomarker to predict outcomes for patients with CN-AML. DNA repair score has the potential to identify CN-AML patients whose tumor cells are dependent on specific DNA repair pathways to design new therapeutic avenues.
Playing Jekyll and Hyde—The Dual Role of Lipids in Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Molenaar Martijn R. , Penning Louis C. , Helms J. Bernd
Published: October 2020

Lipids play Jekyll and Hyde in the liver. On the one hand, the lipid-laden status of hepatic stellate cells is a hallmark of healthy liver. On the other hand, the opposite is true for lipid-laden hepatocytes—they obstruct liver function. Neglected lipid accumulation in hepatocytes can progress into hepatic fibrosis, a condition induced by the activation of stellate cells. In their resting state, these cells store substantial quantities of fat-soluble vitamin A (retinyl esters) in large lipid droplets. During activation, these lipid organelles are gradually degraded. Hence, treatment of fatty liver disease is treading a tightrope—unsophisticated targeting of hepatic lipid accumulation might trigger problematic side effects on stellate cells. Therefore, it is of great importance to gain more insight into the highly dynamic lipid metabolism of hepatocytes and stellate cells in both quiescent and activated states. In this review, part of the special issue entitled “Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms underlying the Pathogenesis of Hepatic Fibrosis 2020”, we discuss current and highly versatile aspects of neutral lipid metabolism in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Non-Contact Video-Based Neonatal Respiratory Monitoring
Authors: Rossol Scott L. , Yang Jeffrey K. , Toney-Noland Caroline , Bergin Janine , Basavaraju Chandan , Kumar Pavan , Lee Henry C.
Published: October 2020

Respiratory rate (RR) has been shown to be a reliable predictor of cardio-pulmonary deterioration, but standard RR monitoring methods in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) with contact leads have been related to iatrogenic complications. Video-based monitoring is a potential non-contact system that could improve patient care. This iterative design study developed a novel algorithm that produced RR from footage analyzed from stable NICU patients in open cribs with corrected gestational ages ranging from 33 to 40 weeks. The final algorithm used a proprietary technique of micromotion and stationarity detection (MSD) to model background noise to be able to amplify and record respiratory motions. We found significant correlation—r equals 0.948 (p value of 0.001)—between MSD and the current hospital standard, electrocardiogram impedance pneumography. Our video-based system showed a bias of negative 1.3 breaths and root mean square error of 6.36 breaths per minute compared to standard continuous monitoring. Further work is needed to evaluate the ability of video-based monitors to observe clinical changes in a larger population of patients over extended periods of time.
West African Summer Monsoon Precipitation Variability as Represented by Reanalysis Datasets
Authors: Quagraine Kwesi Akumenyi , Nkrumah Francis , Klein Cornelia , Klutse Nana Ama Browne , Quagraine Kwesi Twentwewa
Published: October 2020

Focusing on West Africa, a region riddled with in situ data scarcity, we evaluate the summer monsoon monthly rainfall characteristics of five global reanalysis datasets: ERA5, ERA-Interim, JRA-55, MERRA2, and NCEP-R2. Their performance in reproducing the West African monsoon (WAM) climatology, interannual variability, and long-term trends for the main monsoon months are compared to gauge-only and satellite products. We further examine their ability to reproduce teleconnections between sea surface temperatures and monsoon rainfall. All reanalyses are able to represent the average rainfall patterns and seasonal cycle; however, regional biases can be marked. ERA5, ERA-Interim, and NCEP-R2 underestimate rainfall over areas of peak rainfall, with ERA5 showing the strongest underestimation, particularly over the Guinea Highlands. The meridional northward extent of the monsoon rainband is well captured by JRA-55 and MERRA2 but is too narrow in ERA-Interim, for which rainfall stays close to the Guinea Coast. Differences in rainband displacement become particularly evident when comparing strong El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years, where all reanalyses except ERA-Interim reproduce wetter Sahelian conditions for La Niña, while overestimating dry conditions at the coast except for NCEP-R2. Precipitation trends are not coherent across reanalyses and magnitudes are generally overestimated compared to observations, with only JRA-55 and NCEP-R2 displaying the expected positive trend in the Sahel. ERA5 generally outperforms ERA-Interim, highlighting clear improvements over its predecessor. Ultimately, we find the strengths of reanalyses to strongly vary across the region.
64Cu-DOTATATE Positron Emission Tomography (PET) of Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection: In Vivo Imaging of Macrophages in Experimental Model of Lyme Arthritis
Authors: Skovsbo Clausen Anne , Ørbæk Mathilde , Renee Pedersen Regitze , Oestrup Jensen Peter , Lebech Anne-Mette , Kjaer Andreas
Published: October 2020

Macrophages play a key role in the inflammatory response in Lyme arthritis (LA) and could be a target for diagnosing and monitoring active Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bb) infection. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of macrophage imaging using 64Cu-DOTATATE PET/CT for detection of Bb activity in a murine model of LA. LA was established in C3H/HeNRj mice infected with Bb B31 strain ML23 pBBE22luc. Bioluminescence imaging was performed to detect migration of spirochetes and inflammatory phagocytes to the joints. Three weeks post-infection 64Cu-DOTATATE PET/CT imaging was performed at an early (3 h) and late (48 h) time point. Plasma levels of a systemic macrophage marker in plasma CD163 were measured. 64Cu-DOTATATE uptake in infected joints was increased at the early (p < 0.0001) and late time points (p = 0.0005) compared with uptake in non-infected controls. No significant difference in plasma levels of CD163 was measured. 64Cu-DOTATATE PET allows for in vivo detection and quantification of LA locally in the joints through non-invasive visualization of macrophages. In contrast, measurement of a systemic macrophage marker in plasma, CD163, did not allow to detect disease. We suggest that 64Cu-DOTATATE PET could become a valuable diagnostic tool for in situ detection of Bb infection-related inflammation.
Contrast-Enhanced Harmonic Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration versus Standard Fine-Needle Aspiration in Pancreatic Masses: A Propensity Score Analysis
Authors: Facciorusso Antonio , Cotsoglou Christian , Chierici Andrea , Mare Ruxandra , Crinò Stefano Francesco , Muscatiello Nicola
Published: October 2020

Background: Whether endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) contrast-enhanced fine-needle aspiration (CH-EUS-FNA) determines superior results in comparison to standard EUS-FNA in tissue acquisition of pancreatic masses remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare these two techniques on a series of patients with solid pancreatic lesions. Methods: 362 patients underwent EUS-FNA (2008–2019), after the propensity score matching of two groups were compared; 103 treated with CH-EUS-FNA (group 1) and 103 with standard EUS-FNA (group 2). The primary outcome was the diagnostic accuracy. Secondary outcomes were sensitivity, specificity, and sample adequacy. Results: Diagnostic sensitivity was 87.6% in group 1 and 80% in group 2 (p = 0.18). The negative predictive value was 56% in group 1 and 41.5% in group 2 (p = 0.06). The specificity and positive predictive values were 100% for both groups. Diagnostic accuracy was 89.3% and 82.5%, respectively (p = 0.40). Sample adequacy was 94.1% in group 1 and 91.2% in group 2 (p = 0.42). The rate of adequate core histologic samples was 33% and 28.1%, respectively (p = 0.44), and the number of needle passes to obtain adequate samples were 2.4 ± 0.6 and 2.7 ± 0.8, respectively (p = 0.76). These findings were confirmed in subgroup analyses, conducted according to lesion size and contrast enhancement pattern. Conclusions: CH-EUS-FNA does not appear to be superior to standard EUS-FNA in patients with pancreatic masses.
Photobiomodulation Dose Parameters in Dentistry: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cronshaw Mark , Parker Steven , Anagnostaki Eugenia , Mylona Valina , Lynch Edward , Grootveld Martin
Published: October 2020

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials examines a possible relationship between optical spot size at surface tissue, irradiance, radiant exposure, total energy delivered, operator technique and reported clinical outcomes. Background: Clinical photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy has achieved a high level of evidence-based acceptance in the mitigation of oral mucositis associated with cancer radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and supportive clinical research in relation to orthodontic tooth movement, oral medical conditions, including burning mouth syndrome, xerostomia and lichen planus. Inconsistent outcomes have been reported not withstanding a substantial body of primary supportive research from clinical, in vitro and animal studies. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Database of Reviews and Google Scholar search engines were applied to identify human clinical trials of PBM therapy in clinical dentistry. A total of 766 articles between February 2009 and June 2020 were identified and following a full text evaluation, 38 papers with sufficient data to permit analyses are included in this investigation. Results: Following a detailed assessment of potential factors that may have an influence in clinical outcome, a clear trend is apparent associating optical spot size to a positive or negative effect. Furthermore, there is a clear difference in the reported results in relation to total energy applied, delivery techniques and optical parameters, which merits further investigation. Factorial statistical analyses identified an association between smaller optical surface applications and an overall lower level of reported clinical success in treating superficial and deeper targets, and correspondingly sub-surface larger target tissues were found to be more responsive to therapy by use of a larger optical surface spot size. Moreover, use of multiple small diameter probe applications was found to provide inconsistent results. Conclusions: Many factors can confound clinical success including variations in anatomy, site location, clinical condition and subject individuality. To achieve higher levels of predictable outcome, a mature appreciation of these factors, plus an expanded understanding of laser parametry, tissue volume and target depth to deliver an adequate dose within current recommended guidelines, is essential.
Non-Equilibrium Living Polymers
Authors: Michieletto Davide
Published: October 2020

Systems of “living” polymers are ubiquitous in industry and are traditionally realised using surfactants. Here I first review the theoretical state-of-the-art of living polymers and then discuss non-equilibrium extensions that may be realised with advanced synthetic chemistry or DNA functionalised by proteins. These systems are not only interesting in order to realise novel “living” soft matter but can also shed insight into how genomes are (topologically) regulated in vivo.
Transforming Lindblad Equations into Systems of Real-Valued Linear Equations: Performance Optimization and Parallelization of an Algorithm
Authors: Meyerov Iosif , Kozinov Evgeny , Liniov Alexey , Volokitin Valentin , Yusipov Igor , Ivanchenko Mikhail , Denisov Sergey
Published: October 2020

With their constantly increasing peak performance and memory capacity, modern supercomputers offer new perspectives on numerical studies of open many-body quantum systems. These systems are often modeled by using Markovian quantum master equations describing the evolution of the system density operators. In this paper, we address master equations of the Lindblad form, which are a popular theoretical tools in quantum optics, cavity quantum electrodynamics, and optomechanics. By using the generalized Gell–Mann matrices as a basis, any Lindblad equation can be transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations with real coefficients. Recently, we presented an implementation of the transformation with the computational complexity, scaling as O(N5logN) for dense Lindbaldians and O(N3logN) for sparse ones. However, infeasible memory costs remains a serious obstacle on the way to large models. Here, we present a parallel cluster-based implementation of the algorithm and demonstrate that it allows us to integrate a sparse Lindbladian model of the dimension N=2000 and a dense random Lindbladian model of the dimension N=200 by using 25 nodes with 64 GB RAM per node.
Residential Natural Gas Demand Response Potential during Extreme Cold Events in Electricity-Gas Coupled Energy Systems
Authors: Speake Andrew , Donohoo-Vallett Paul , Wilson Eric , Chen Emily , Christensen Craig
Published: October 2020

In regions where natural gas is used for both power generation and heating buildings, extreme cold weather events can place the electrical system under enormous stress and challenge the ability to meet residential heating and electric demands. Residential demand response has long been used in the power sector to curtail summer electric load, but these types of programs in general have not seen adoption in the natural gas sector during winter months. Natural gas demand response (NG-DR) has garnered interest given recent extreme cold weather events in the United States; however, the magnitude of savings and potential impacts—to occupants and energy markets—are not well understood. We present a case-study analysis of the technical potential for residential natural gas demand response in the northeast United States that utilizes diverse whole-building energy simulations and high-performance computing. Our results show that NG-DR applied to residential heating systems during extreme cold-weather conditions could reduce natural gas demand by 1–29% based on conservative and aggressive strategies, respectively. This indicates a potential to improve the resilience of gas and electric systems during stressful events, which we examine by estimating the impact on energy costs and electricity generation from natural gas. We also explore relationships between hourly indoor temperatures, demand response, and building envelope efficiency.
Ag-Modified LiMn2O4 Cathode for Lithium-Ion Batteries: Coating Functionalization
Authors: Abbas Somia M. , Hashem Ahmed M. , Abdel-Ghany Ashraf E. , Ismail Eman H. , Kotlár Mário , Winter Martin , Li Jie , Julien Christian M.
Published: October 2020

In this work, the properties of silver-modified LiMn2O4 cathode materials are revisited. We study the influence of calcination atmosphere on the properties of the Ag-coated LiMn2O4 (Ag/LMO) and highlight the silver oxidation. The effect of the heat treatment in vacuum is compared with that in air by the characterization of the structure, specific surface area, Li transport properties and electrochemical performance of Ag/LMO composites. Surface analyses (XPS and Raman spectroscopy) show that the nature of the coating (~3 wt.%) differs with the calcination atmosphere: Ag/LMO(v) calcined in vacuum displays Ag nanospheres and minor AgO content on its surface (specific surface area of 4.1 m2 g−1), while Ag/LMO(a) treated in air is mainly covered by the AgO insulating phase (specific surface area of 0.6 m2 g−1). Electrochemical experiments emphasize that ~3 wt.% Ag coating is effective to minimize the drawbacks of the spinel LiMn2O4 (Mn dissolution, cycling instability, etc.). The Ag/LMO(v) electrode shows high capacity retention, good cyclability at C/2 rate and capacity fade of 0.06% per cycle (in 60 cycles).
Decoupled Modelling Approaches for Environmental Interactions with Monopile-Based Offshore Wind Support Structures
Authors: van der Male Pim , Vergassola Marco , van Dalen Karel
Published: October 2020

To meet the political goals regarding renewable energy production, offshore wind keeps expanding to waters with larger depths and harsher conditions, while the turbine size continues to grow and ever-larger foundation structures are required. This development can only be successful if further cuts in the levelized cost of energy are established. Regarding the design of the foundation structures, a particular challenge in this respect relates to the reduction of the total computational time required for the design. For both practical and commercial reasons, the decoupled modelling of offshore wind support structures finds a common application, especially during the preliminary design stage. This modelling approach aims at capturing the relevant characteristics of the different environment-structure interactions, while reducing the complexity as much as possible. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art modelling approaches of environmental interactions with offshore wind support structures. In this respect, the primary focus is on the monopile foundation, as this concept is expected to remain the prominent solution in the years to come. Current challenges in the field are identified, considering as well the engineering practice and the insights obtained from code comparison studies and experimental validations. It is concluded that the decoupled analysis provides valuable modelling perspectives, in particular for the preliminary design stage. In the further development of the different modelling strategies, however, the trade-off with computational costs should always be kept in mind.
Coastal Wind Power in Southern Santa Catarina, Brazil
Authors: Pires César Henrique Mattos , Pimenta Felipe M. , D'Aquino Carla A. , Saavedra Osvaldo R. , Mao Xuerui , Assireu Arcilan T.
Published: October 2020

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) wind profiler was used to estimate the wind speed in the southern coast of Santa Catarina State, Brazil. This profiler was installed on a coastal platform 250 m from the beach, and recorded wind speed and direction from January 2017 to December 2018. The power generation from three wind turbines was simulated, to obtain estimations of the average power, energy generation and capacity factor, as well as to assess the performance of a hypothetical wind farm. The scale and shape parameters of the Weibull distribution were evaluated and compared with those of other localities in the state. The prevailing winds tend to blow predominantly from the northeast and southwest directions. Wind magnitudes are higher for the NE and SW ocean sectors where the average wind power density can reach 610–820 W m−2. The Vestas 3.0 turbine spent the largest percentage of time in operation (>76%). The higher incidence of strong northeasterly winds in 2017 and more frequent passage of cold fronts in 2018 were attributed to the cycle of the South Atlantic subtropical high. The results demonstrate a significant coastal wind power potential, and suggest that there is a significant increase of resources offshore.
The Influence of Winglet Pitching on the Performance of a Model Wind Turbine: Aerodynamic Loads, Rotating Speed, and Wake Statistics
Authors: Aju Emmanuvel Joseph , Suresh Dhanush Bhamitipadi , Jin Yaqing
Published: October 2020

The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of winglet pitching as an aero-brake on the performance of a model wind turbine by wind tunnel experiments. Time-resolved particle image velocimetry, force sensor, and datalogger were used to characterize the coupling between wake statistics, aerodynamic loads, and rotation speed. Results highlighted that, for a winglet with 4% of the rotor diameter length, the increase of its pitching angle can significantly reduce the turbine rotation speed up to ∼28% and thrust coefficient of ∼20%. The winglet pitching induced minor influence on the velocity deficit in the very near wake regions, while its influence on accelerating the wake recovery become clear around three diameters downstream the turbine rotor. The turbulence kinetic energy exhibited a distinctive increase under large pitching angles in the near wake region at the turbine hub height due to the strong vertical flow fluctuations. Further investigation on the spectra of wake velocities revealed that the pitching of winglet can suppress the high-pass filtering effects of turbines on wake fluctuations; such large-scale turbulence facilitated the flow mixing and accelerated the wake transport.
Methane Hydrate Formation and Dissociation in Sand Media: Effect of Water Saturation, Gas Flowrate and Particle Size
Authors: Benmesbah Fatima Doria , Ruffine Livio , Clain Pascal , Osswald Véronique , Fandino Olivia , Fournaison Laurence , Delahaye Anthony
Published: October 2020

Assessing the influence of key parameters governing the formation of hydrates and determining the capacity of the latter to store gaseous molecules is needed to improve our understanding of the role of natural gas hydrates in the oceanic methane cycle. Such knowledge will also support the development of new industrial processes and technologies such as those related to thermal energy storage. In this study, high-pressure laboratory methane hydrate formation and dissociation experiments were carried out in a sandy matrix at a temperature around 276.65 K. Methane was continuously injected at constant flowrate to allow hydrate formation over the course of the injection step. The influence of water saturation, methane injection flowrate and particle size on hydrate formation kinetics and methane storage capacity were investigated. Six water saturations (10.8%, 21.6%, 33%, 43.9%, 55% and 66.3%), three gas flowrates (29, 58 and 78 mLn·min−1) and three classes of particle size (80–140, 315–450 and 80–450 µm) were tested, and the resulting data were tabulated. Overall, the measured induction time obtained at 53–57% water saturation has an average value of 58 ± 14 min minutes with clear discrepancies that express the stochastic nature of hydrate nucleation, and/or results from the heterogeneity in the porosity and permeability fields of the sandy core due to heterogeneous particles. Besides, the results emphasize a clear link between the gas injection flowrate and the induction time whatever the particle size and water saturation. An increase in the gas flowrate from 29 to 78 mLn·min−1 is accompanied by a decrease in the induction time up to ~100 min (i.e., ~77% decrease). However, such clear behaviour is less conspicuous when varying either the particle size or the water saturation. Likewise, the volume of hydrate-bound methane increases with increasing water saturation. This study showed that water is not totally converted into hydrates and most of the calculated conversion ratios are around 74–84%, with the lowest value of 49.5% conversion at 54% of water saturation and the highest values of 97.8% for the lowest water saturation (10.8%). Comparison with similar experiments in the literature is also carried out herein.
Assessing the Magnitude and Likely Causes of Summertime Overheating in Modern Flats in UK
Authors: Gupta Rajat , Gregg Matt
Published: October 2020

There has been increasing recognition that climate change may lead to risk of summertime overheating in UK dwellings with potentially adverse consequences for human comfort and health. This paper investigates the magnitude of summertime overheating over one month in 2017, in four new flats built to identical thermal standards, with similar occupancy patterns and located in the same block in a development in Southeast England. Both static and adaptive methods were used to assess the overheating risk, while the variation in indoor temperatures across the flats was examined through key building characteristics including floor level, glazing orientation, exposed surface area to floor area ratio (SA/FA), glazing area to floor area ratio, and ventilation. Data collection included continuous monitoring of indoor and outdoor temperature, relative humidity, CO2 levels and opening/closing of windows. Summertime overheating was found to be prevalent in all four flats but was most pronounced in two top floor flats with high SA/FA ratio and east/west facing glazing. Due to limited window opening and locational limitations of one flat, some conclusions were derived from three flats. Though the study sample is small, it is clear that overheating in new housing is a current issue and designing for avoidance of summertime overheating should become mainstream.
Life Cycle Analysis of the Bioethanol Production from Food Waste—A Review
Authors: Konti Aikaterini , Kekos Dimitris , Mamma Diomi
Published: October 2020

Food Waste (FW) because of its composition is considered as an ideal feedstock for the production of biofuels and in particular bioethanol. The production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic materials has been studied over a long time. The process consists of the stages of pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and product recovery. However, the legal framework regarding biofuels has established specific environmental criteria for their production which are regularly updated. The most common tool for the assessment of the environmental performance of a process or product is the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). In the present review, the results of LCA studies on the production of bioethanol from food waste are presented. Significant differences are observed among the studies in terms of the methodological choices made. Despite the high heterogeneity observed which does not allow a direct comparison among them, there is strong evidence that the production of bioethanol from food waste is an eco-friendly process which can substantially contribute to Green House Gas (GHG) emissions savings.
Role of Inflow Turbulence and Surrounding Buildings on Large Eddy Simulations of Urban Wind Energy
Authors: Vita Giulio , Hashmi Syeda Anam , Salvadori Simone , Hemida Hassan , Baniotopoulos Charalampos
Published: October 2020

Predicting flow patterns that develop on the roof of high-rise buildings is critical for the development of urban wind energy. In particular, the performance and reliability of devices largely depends on the positioning strategy, a major unresolved challenge. This work aims at investigating the effect of variations in the turbulent inflow and the geometric model on the flow patterns that develop on the roof of tall buildings in the realistic configuration of the University of Birmingham’s campus in the United Kingdom (UK). Results confirm that the accuracy of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) predictions is only marginally affected by differences in the inflow mean wind speed and turbulence intensity, provided that turbulence is not absent. The effect of the presence of surrounding buildings is also investigated and found to be marginal to the results if the inflow is turbulent. The integral length scale is the parameter most affected by the turbulence characteristics of the inflow, while gustiness is only marginally influenced. This work will contribute to LES applications on the urban wind resource and their computational setup simplification.
The Effect of the Vadasz Number on the Onset of Thermal Convection in Rotating Bidispersive Porous Media
Authors: Capone Florinda , De Luca Roberta
Published: October 2020

The onset of thermal convection in uniformly rotating bidispersive horizontal porous layer, uniformly heated from below, is analyzed. A generalized Darcy equation for the macro-phase is considered to take the Vadasz number into account. It is proved that the presence of the Vadasz number can give rise to oscillatory motion at the loss of stability of thermal conduction solution.
The Effects of Systematic Environmental Manipulation on Gait of Older Adults
Authors: Toepfer Max , Padilla Alejandra , Ponto Kevin , Mason Andrea H , Pickett Kristen A
Published: October 2020

Quantification of gait changes in response to altered environmental stimuli may allow for improved understanding of the mechanisms that influence gait changes and fall occurrence in older adults. This study explored how systematic manipulation of a single dimension of one’s environment affects spatiotemporal gait parameters. A total of 20 older adult participants walked at a self-selected pace in a constructed research hallway featuring a mobile wall, which allowed manipulation of the hallway width between three conditions: 1.14 m, 1.31 m, and 1.48 m. Spatiotemporal data from participants’ walks were captured using an instrumented GAITRite mat. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed older adults spent significantly more time in double support in the narrowest hallway width compared to the widest, but did not significantly alter other spatiotemporal measures. Small-scale manipulations of a single dimension of the environment led to subtle, yet in some cases significant changes in gait, suggesting that small or even imperceptible environmental changes may contribute to altered gait patterns for older adults.
Simulation of the Number of Strawberry Transplants Produced by an Autotrophic Transplant Production Method in a Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting
Authors: Park Seon Woo , Kim Sung Kyeom , Kwack Yurina , Chun Changhoo
Published: October 2020

To verify the productivity of the autotrophic transplant production method (ATPM), a novel propagation method in a plant factory with artificial lighting for transplant production (T-PFAL), strawberry transplants were produced by the ATPM for 365 days. A total of 3497 transplants were produced by the ATPM over 365 days with nine propagules in a cultivation area of 3.6 m2 in the T-PFAL. When the simulated results were fit with the measured results, the propagation cycle timescales from planting propagules to producing the first, second, and third runner plants were 15, 27, and 43 days, respectively. The cumulative number of transplants (CNT) produced from 5, 10, and 20 initial propagules in a cultivation area of 36 m2 over 365 days was simulated by the verified program along with the propagation cycles, and these values were 27,970, 30,010, and 31,900, respectively. The simulated CNTs from nine initial propagules in 18 and 72 m2 over 365 days were 15,950 and 55,940, respectively. These results indicate that the ATPM is an appropriate propagation method to produce transplants rapidly in a T-PFAL, especially when the number of propagules or propagules is limited.
Exploring the Intersection between Social Determinants of Health and Unmet Dental Care Needs Using Deep Learning
Authors: Hung Man , Hon Eric S. , Ruiz-Negron Bianca , Lauren Evelyn , Moffat Ryan , Su Weicong , Xu Julie , Park Jungweon , Prince David , Cheever Joseph , Licari Frank W.
Published: October 2020

The goals of this study were to develop a risk prediction model in unmet dental care needs and to explore the intersection between social determinants of health and unmet dental care needs in the United States. Data from the 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were used for this study. A chi-squared test was used to examine the difference in social determinants of health between those with and without unmet dental needs. Machine learning was used to determine top predictors of unmet dental care needs and to build a risk prediction model to identify those with unmet dental care needs. Age was the most important predictor of unmet dental care needs. Other important predictors included income, family size, educational level, unmet medical needs, and emergency room visit charges. The risk prediction model of unmet dental care needs attained an accuracy of 82.6%, sensitivity of 77.8%, specificity of 87.4%, precision of 82.9%, and area under the curve of 0.918. Social determinants of health have a strong relationship with unmet dental care needs. The application of deep learning in artificial intelligence represents a significant innovation in dentistry and enables a major advancement in our understanding of unmet dental care needs on an individual level that has never been done before. This study presents promising findings and the results are expected to be useful in risk assessment of unmet dental care needs and can guide targeted intervention in the general population of the United States.
Beach Tourism in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Critical Issues, Knowledge Gaps and Research Opportunities
Authors: Zielinski Seweryn , Botero Camilo M.
Published: October 2020

The strict quarantine measures employed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic have led the global tourism industry to a complete halt, disrupting the livelihoods of millions. The economic importance of beach tourism for many destinations has led many governments to reopen tourist beaches, as soon as the number of infection cases decreased. The objective of this paper is to provide a scientific basis for understanding the key issues for beach tourism management in these circumstances. These issues include risk perception, environmental considerations directly related to beaches and COVID-19, and management strategies designed to limit the risk of contagion on the beach. The contribution of this paper lies in its interdisciplinary approach to delivering the findings from the latest studies, highly relevant for beach tourism, in psychology, health science, and environmental science (often in preprint and in press format). Particular attention was given to identifying the knowledge gaps evident in the areas of COVID-19 risk perception, with the drivers explaining the risk-taking behavior and the protective strategies employed by beachgoers. Gaps were also found in areas such as the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in bathing waters and the sand, the potential of contaminated sand being a viable route of transmission, and the impact of the use of chemical disinfectants on the marine environment and on bathers. The paper identifies research prospects in these areas, additionally pointing out other questions such as new carrying capacity methods, the opportunity given by COVID-19 in estimation of the impacts of visitation and beach-litter.