bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An investigation into the causes of abnormal waste of Ortho-K lenses
Authors: Fan Yuzhuo , Zuo Lili , Ma Jiahui , Peng Zisu , Li Yan , Wang Kai , Zhao Mingwei
Published: August 2022

Purpose

To investigate the reasons for wasting orthokeratology (OK) lenses due to breakage or loss, provide more comprehensive guidelines for the clinical care of lenses and minimize time and costs for patients due to excessive broken and lost lenses.

Methods

A survey was administered to clinic outpatients who had broken or lost their OK lenses before the regularly scheduled replacement cycle (1–1.5 years). The association between the frequency of OK lens breakage and daily care was assessed using Fisher's exact test and multivariable ordered logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 306 valid questionnaires were collected. Among the subjects, 141 were male, and 165 were female, with a mean age of 10.57 ± 2.00 years (range: 6–18 years). In the investigation of the causes of OK lens waste, 81.4% of the patients reported lens breakage, 13.1% lost their lenses, and 5.6% of patients experienced both fragmentation and lens loss. More than half of the patients (52.90%) used incorrect lens cleaning techniques. In further analysis of the relationship between the frequency of OK lens fragmentation within a year and daily care habits, a significant difference was observed between the caregiver (P = 0.03) and whether the lenses were cleaned promptly after removal (P < 0.001). Mothers as daily caregivers of OK lenses had a lower frequency of fragmentation in a year compared to nanny or grandparents (P = 0.014, OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.80). The failure to clean the lenses according to eye care practitioners' guidance was a risk factor for the frequent breakage of OK lenses (P < 0.001. OR = 5.29, 95% CI = 3.15, 8.89).

Conclusions

The causes of OK lens waste were mainly attributed to caregivers, care practices and some unexpected situations that can be avoided through optometrists' reminders. Regardless of the reasons for noncompliant behavior leading to breakage or loss of OK lenses, all of the complications can probably be addressed by better and more frequent reinforcement of care procedures by practitioners. Better clinical guidance measures and more frequent reminders could prevent a large proportion of abnormal waste of OK lenses.
Toward a digital citizen lab for capturing data about alternative ways of self-managing chronic pain: An attitudinal user study
Authors: Khalili-Mahani Najmeh , Woods Sandra , Holowka Eileen Mary , Pahayahay Amber , Roy Mathieu
Published: August 2022

Background

Myriad psychosocial and cultural factors influence personal ways of coping with chronic pain (CP). Mobile health (mHealth) apps facilitate creation of citizen laboratories outside clinical frameworks. However, issues of safety, privacy and technostress must be addressed. This attitudinal user study aimed to assess whether persons with persistent pain (PwPP) would be open to sharing qualitative and quantitative data about their self-management of CP via mHealth platforms.

Methods

In March 2020, we invited PwPPs, their personal or medical caregivers, or those interested in the development of an app for researching alternative ways of self-managing CP to complete an anonymous survey. We formulated an attitudinal survey within the theoretical framework of stress to estimate whether the novelty, unpredictability, and risks of data-sharing via mHealth apps concerned users. Descriptive statistics (% Part/Group) were used to interpret the survey, and open comments were reflectively analyzed to identify emerging themes.

Results

Of 202 responses (June 2021), 127 identified as PwPPs (average age 43.86 ± 14.97; 100/127 female), and listed several primary and secondary CP diagnoses. In almost 90% of PwPPs, physical and emotional wellbeing were affected by CP. More than 90% of PwPPs used alternative therapies (acupuncture, homeopathy, massage therapy, etc.). Attitude toward mHealth apps were positive even though nearly half of PwPPs were unfamiliar with them. More than 72% of respondents were open to using a health-related app as a research tool for data collection in real life situations. Comprehensive data collection (especially about psychosocial factors) was the most important requirement. More respondents (especially medical professionals) were concerned about health hazards of misinformation communicated via health-related information and communication systems (maximum 80%) than about privacy (maximum 40%). Qualitative analyses revealed several promises and impediments to creation of data-sharing platforms for CP.

Conclusions

This study shows a general willingness among PwPPs to become partners in studying alternative pain management. Despite a generally positive attitude toward the concept of sharing complex personal data to advance research, heterogeneity of attitudes shaped by personal experiences must be considered. Our study underlines the need for any digital strategy for CP research to be person-centered and flexible.
Relationship between the level of willingness to learn about anti-doping and objective knowledge among Japanese university athletes: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Murofushi Yuka , Kawata Yujiro , Yamaguchi Shinji , Nakamura Miyuki , Takazawa Yuji , Naito Hisashi
Published: August 2022

Previous studies have indicated that athletes' anti-doping knowledge is inadequate. Athletes' willingness to learn about anti-doping (willingness to learn) may influence their anti-doping knowledge, but the actual situation is unclear. This study aimed to determine the relationship between athletes' willingness to learn about anti-doping and their objective measurement knowledge and explore directions for educational interventions. The eligible participants were 971 male and 802 female university athletes. We used the ALPHA test (12 questions/four choices; passing index: ≥10 points/80% correct answer rate) to assess objective anti-doping knowledge. The willingness to learn question was, “Would you like to learn more about anti-doping?” Responses were given on a 4-point scale ranging from 1: strongly disagree to 4: strongly agree. An ANCOVA was conducted with four levels of willingness to learn as the independent variable and ALPHA correct answer rate as the dependent variable, adjusting for confounding factors (years of athletic experience and anti-doping education experience). The percentage of athletes (%) and each ALPHA correct answer rate (%) by the level of willingness to learn was 1: strongly disagree, n = 1.64%, 61.78%; 2: somewhat disagree, n = 13.14%, 62.38%; 3: somewhat agree, n = 62.94%, 64.08%; 4: strongly agree, n = 22.28%, 67.11%. The ALPHA correct answer rates showed significant differences in the main effect by the level of willingness to learn [F(3, 1767) = 2.873, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.01], although the effect size was small, and multiple comparisons showed no significant differences between the levels. The results indicated that the ALPHA correct answer rate did not reach 80% even for the “strongly agree” level of willingness to learn, suggesting that information on anti-doping may be inadequate. The need to provide sufficient educational content to improve knowledge was evident.
The Impact of Education and Lifestyle Factors on Disability-Free Life Expectancy From Mid-Life to Older Age: A Multi-Cohort Study
Authors: Rahman Md. Mijanur , Jagger Carol , Leigh Lucy , Holliday Elizabeth , Princehorn Emily , Loxton Deb , Kowal Paul , Beard John , Byles Julie
Published: August 2022

Objectives: Low education and unhealthy lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, and no exercise are modifiable risk factors for disability and premature mortality. We aimed to estimate the individual and joint impact of these factors on disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and total life expectancy (TLE).

Methods: Data (n = 22,304) were from two birth cohorts (1921–26 and 1946–51) of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health and linked National Death Index between 1996 and 2016. Discrete-time multi-state Markov models were used to assess the impact on DFLE and TLE.

Results: Compared to the most favourable combination of education and lifestyle factors, the least favourable combination (low education, obesity, current/past smoker, and no exercise) was associated with a loss of 5.0 years TLE, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 3.2–6.8 and 6.4 years DFLE (95%CI: 4.8–7.8) at age 70 in the 1921–26 cohort. Corresponding losses in the 1946–51 cohort almost doubled (TLE: 11.0 years and DFLE: 13.0 years).

Conclusion: Individual or co-ocurrance of lifestyle risk factors were associated with a significant loss of DFLE, with a greater loss in low-educated women and those in the 1946–51 cohort.
Nanocomposite Janus Gel Polymer Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Morina Riccardo , Baroni Rebecca , Callegari Daniele , Quartarone Eliana , Mustarelli Piercarlo
Published: August 2022

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are a key product for sustainable and efficient electric transport. Long-life and safe LMBs require the development of solid or semisolid (e.g., gel polymer) electrolytes capable of blocking lithium dendrites. In this context, Janus double-faced membranes (JMs) offer interesting perspectives, as they allow for modulating the properties of each side according to specific requests. In this paper, we report on facile fabrication via the solvent casting of JMs based on poly(vinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP). Here, an electronically insulating layer containing Al2O3 is in contact with the anode, whereas a mixed ionically–electronically conducting layer containing Al2O3, carbon nanotubes, and Super P carbon black is in contact with the cathode. We also investigate the role of the JM thickness and show that a 40 μm membrane allows for ~45% of the specific nominal capacity at 2C with Coulombic efficiency of ~100%. The proposed JMs are very promising for LMBs.
Biomass-Derived Advanced Carbon-Based Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Das Srijib , Ghosh Souvik , Kuila Tapas , Murmu Naresh Chandra , Kundu Aniruddha
Published: August 2022

Noble metal-based materials are enormously used as a cathode material for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which plays an important role in determining the performance of energy conversion and storage devices such as fuel cells, metal-air battery, and so on. The practicability of these energy devices is mainly related to the cost of the cathodic ORR electrocatalyst. Hence, a cost-effective and environmentally benign approach is highly demanding to design the electrocatalyst for ORR and replacing noble metal-based electrocatalyst. In this regard, biomass-derived hierarchically porous carbon-based materials have become attractive options compared to metal-based electrocatalysts due to their several advantages such as abundance in nature, economic viability, characteristic sustainability, environmental friendliness, and excellent physicochemical properties. Moreover, harsh chemicals are not being involved during their synthesis, and they intrinsically possess a variety of heteroatoms (N, P, S, etc.), which are key for augmenting the electrocatalytic activity. In the present review article, the recent progress on biomass-derived cathode electrocatalysts has been summarized for ORR including a brief account of bioresource selection, synthesis methods, and processing criteria that greatly influences the electrocatalytic activity.
Role of Dietary and Environmental Factors on Thyroid Cancer in Romania: A Brief Review
Authors: Kermoison Gilles , Draganescu Ciprian
Published: August 2022

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine tumor, accounting for about 1% of all human malignancies. There are environmental factors that can potentiate the onset of thyroid cancer, in particular pollutants, lifestyle or radiation exposure. Another major cause responsible for the appearance of thyroid cancer is the habitat in endemic areas where there is a deficit of iodine in the soil, drinking water and food. We operated using the PubMed database in order to find the articles of interest. After a wary review of the literature, we designated the relevant articles necessary for our study including various factors such as alimentation, effects of the Chernobyl fallout radiation and the iodine and vitamin D deficiency in Romania. The aim of this article is to make a correlation between the different environmental and dietary factors in Romania, and the increased incidence of thyroid cancer.
Payload Capacities of Remotely Piloted Aerial Application Systems Affect Spray Pattern and Effective Swath
Authors: Martin Daniel E. , Latheef Mohamed A.
Published: August 2022

Production agriculture has recently witnessed exponential growth in the use of UAS technology to obtain site-specific, real-time spectral reflectance data for the management of spatial and temporal variability in agricultural ecosystems. The integration of this novel technology and remotely piloted aerial application systems (RPAASs) for pest management requires data curation on spray pattern uniformity, droplet distribution and the operational factors governing such data. The effects of application height and ground speed on spray pattern uniformity and droplet spectra characteristics for four commercially available RPAAS platforms configured with four different payload capacities (5, 10, 15 and 20 L) and factory-supplied nozzles were investigated. Spray pattern was determined by a cotton string deposition analysis system. Spray droplets captured on water-sensitive paper cards were analyzed using a computer-based scanner system. The test results indicated that each RPAAS platform of varying payload capacity was able to produce an acceptable spray pattern. As the payload capacity increased, so did the effective swath. However, the effective swath was comparable between 15 and 20 L units. The theoretical spray application rate decreased with ground speed. The fundamental data reported here may provide guidance to aerial applicators and help in the furtherance of RPAASs as an effective pest management tool.
Research on Risk Contagion among Financial Submarkets in China Based on Complex Networks
Authors: Xu Yuhua , Zhao Yue , Liu Mengna , Xie Chengrong
Published: August 2022

As the COVID-19 outbreak has an impact on the global economy, there will be interest in how China’s financial markets function during the outbreak. To investigate the path of risk contagion in China’s financial sub-markets before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, we divided the 2016–2021 period into two phases. Based on the time of the COVID-19 outbreak, we divided the new stage of economic development into pre-epidemic and post-epidemic stages and employed the DCC-GARCH model to investigate the dynamic correlation coefficients among the financial sub-markets in China. Furthermore, we employed complex network theory and the minimum tree model to describe the risk contagion path between two-stage Chinese financial submarkets. Finally, we provided pertinent recommendations for investors and policymakers and conducted a brief discussion based on the findings of the research.
Cross-Sectional Associations between Playing Sports or Electronic Games in Leisure Time and Life Satisfaction in 12-Year-Old Children from the European Union
Authors: Gomez-Baya Diego , Sarmento Hugo , Nicoletti Javier Augusto , Garcia-Moro Francisco Jose
Published: August 2022

Leisure time activities in childhood may have a crucial role in the development of subjective well-being. Nevertheless, more research is needed with cross-national samples concerning the differential effects of lifestyles on life satisfaction. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyze the associations between the frequency of playing sports/exercise or playing electronic games on life satisfaction in a sample of 12-year-old children from nine countries from the European Union. The data used in this publication come from the third wave of the Children’s Worlds project, an international survey of children’s lives and well-being whose administration started in 2017. The sample was composed of 10,626 children (50.9% boys) from Estonia, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Spain. They completed the Student Life Satisfaction Scale and answered two questions to assess the frequency of playing sport or exercise, and the frequency of playing electronic games. The results indicated notable scores in life satisfaction in all participating countries. The results showed some differences between boys and girls, and among the countries, in the frequency of sport practice and electronic games in the leisure time, as well as in the overall level of life satisfaction. The results also underlined that sport practice had a greater positive effect on life satisfaction than the use of electronic games. Thus, this study highlights the need to design programs to promote sport practice in leisure time for 12-year-old children in Europe, in order to protect their subjective well-being.
Courage as Mediator between Positive Resources and General/Domain-Specific Well-Being Indices
Authors: Lodi Ernesto , Perrella Lucrezia , Zarbo Rita , Patrizi Patrizia
Published: August 2022

Background: the current post-pandemic situation has exacerbated the effects already present due to the recent socio-economic crises belonging to the first two decades of this century: perception of instability, fears, concern for the future, underemployment, undignified work. This situation has negatively impacted life in general, career paths, and perceived quality of life, especially for new generations. Positive resources such as optimism and hope can have a positive effect in countering these effects which are impacting student academic satisfaction, life satisfaction, and flourishing. In the hypothesis, courage acts as a mediator for both domain-specific and general well-being, as perceived by college students. Methods: the research involved 410 Italian university students. Five rating scales were used: Visions About the Future, Courage Measure, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Flourishing Scale, and College Satisfaction Scale. Results: All research variables were significantly and positively correlated. The mediation model almost totally confirmed the hypotheses, as the relationship between optimism and academic satisfaction was totally mediated by courage. In other cases, optimism and hope had both a direct and an indirect effect, mediated by courage, on the life satisfaction, academic satisfaction, and flourishing of college students. Conclusions: the findings are discussed with recent theories and research on this topic, and suggestions are provided with practical implications for those involved in supporting the choice and construction of career paths.
Capacity Measurements for Second Life EV Batteries
Authors: Mubenga Ngalula Sandrine , Stuart Thomas
Published: August 2022

After they reached the end of their useful EV life, lithium-ion batteries are still satisfactory for second life (SL) energy storage applications. However, the spread in their SL cell capacities may be much wider than in the EV, and this raises a question as to what type of cell voltage equalizer (EQU) should be used. Most users plan to retain the same passive EQU (PEQ) from the EV, but this means the battery capacity will be the same as the worst cell in the battery, just as it was in the EV. Unfortunately, the SL cell capacity spread may be much wider than it was in the EV, and if so, most of the cells will be under-utilized. This can be corrected by using an active EQU (AEQ) or a hybrid, such as the bilevel EQU (BEQ), to provide a capacity close to the cell average; but first, measured data is needed on the actual size of the cell capacity spread. To simplify and reduce the cost of these measurements, a new method is proposed that provides the capacities of the worst cell and the cell average.
Multi-Objective Optimization of an Irreversible Single Resonance Energy-Selective Electron Heat Engine
Authors: He Jinhu , Chen Lingen , Ge Yanlin , Shi Shuangshuang , Li Fang
Published: August 2022

Based on the model of irreversible single resonance energy-selective electron heat engine established in the previous literature, this paper applies finite-time thermodynamic theory and NSGA-II algorithm to perform multi-objective optimization. Single-, bi-, tri- and quadru-objective optimizations are performed when the energy boundary and the resonance width are taken as the optimization variables, and the power output, thermal efficiency, efficient power and ecological function are taken as the optimization objectives. The deviation indexes of different optimization objective combinations are obtained by using LINMAP, TOPSIS and Shannon entropy approaches. The results show that the values of energy boundary and resonance width can be reasonably selected according to the design requirements of the system. When power output and efficiency are optimized, the minimal deviation index is obtained by TOPSIS approach and the value is 0.0748, which is the most ideal design scheme.
Coupling Chemical Heat Pump with Nuclear Reactor for Temperature Amplification by Delivering Process Heat and Electricity: A Techno-Economic Analysis
Authors: Gupta Aman , Sabharwall Piyush , Armatis Paul , Fronk Brian , Utgikar Vivek
Published: August 2022

The energy economy is continually evolving in response to socio-political factors in the nature of primary energy sources, their conversions to useful forms, such as electricity and heat, and their utilization in different sectors. Nuclear energy has a crucial role to play in the evolution of energy economy due to its clean and non-carbon-emitting characteristics. A techno-economic analysis was undertaken to establish the viability of selling heat along with electricity for an advanced 100 MWth small modular reactor (SMR) and four nuclear hybrid energy system (NHES) configurations featuring the SMR paired with chemical heat pump (ChHP) systems providing a thermal output ranging from 1 to 50 MWth. Net present value, payback period, discounted cash flow rate of return, and levelized cost of energy were evaluated for these systems for different regions of U.S. reflecting a range of electricity and thermal energy costs. The analysis indicated that selling heat to high temperature industrial processes showed profitable outcomes compared to the sale of only electricity. Higher carbon taxes improved the economic parameters of the NHES alternatives significantly. Providing heat to high temperature industries could be very beneficial, helping to cut down the greenhouse gases emission by reducing the fossil fuel consumption.
Design and Improvement of SD3-Based Energy Management Strategy for a Hybrid Electric Urban Bus
Authors: Wang Kunyu , Yang Rong , Zhou Yongjian , Huang Wei , Zhang Song
Published: August 2022

With the rapid development of machine learning, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithms have recently been widely used for energy management in hybrid electric urban buses (HEUBs). However, the current DRL-based strategies suffer from insufficient constraint capability, slow learning speed, and unstable convergence. In this study, a state-of-the-art continuous control DRL algorithm, softmax deep double deterministic policy gradients (SD3), is used to develop the energy management system of a power-split HEUB. In particular, an action masking (AM) technique that does not alter the SD3′s underlying principles is proposed to prevent the SD3-based strategy from outputting invalid actions that violate the system’s physical constraints. Additionally, the transfer learning (TL) method of the SD3-based strategy is explored to avoid repetitive training of neural networks in different driving cycles. The results demonstrate that the learning performance and learning stability of SD3 are unaffected by AM and that SD3 with AM achieves control performance that is highly comparable to dynamic planning for both the CHTC-B and WVUCITY driving cycles. Aside from that, TL contributes to the rapid development of SD3. TL can speed up SD3’s convergence by at least 67.61% without significantly affecting fuel economy.
Pressure Drop Prediction of Crude Oil Pipeline Based on PSO-BP Neural Network
Authors: Wei Lixin , Zhang Yu , Ji Lili , Ye Lin , Zhu Xuanchen , Fu Jin
Published: August 2022

Pipeline transportation of crude oil has great advantages over traditional oil transmission methods, in terms of economic and environmental protection. The main costs in the oilfield surface system are the fuel costs for heating the crude oil during transportation and the electricity costs for the pumping units. In the northeast of China, where winter temperatures are extremely low and the oil has a high freezing point and high viscosity, higher temperatures, and pressures are required to transport crude oil. With machine learning widely used in many industries and achieving better results, the digital management of oil pipelines has stored a large amount of production and operation data, which has laid the foundation for the research of oil pipeline process calculation using machine learning methods. In this paper, a crude oil pressure drop calculation of an oil pipeline in Northeast China is carried out based on a neural network. For pipeline pressure drop calculation, the back propagation neural network (BP) pressure drop calculation model and particle swarm optimization for back propagation neuron network (PSO-BP) pressure drop calculation model are established. Two models were used to calculate and compare the measured data, and the average absolute error of the PSO-BP model was the smallest, which was 0.015%. Compared with the BP model, the average relative error is reduced by 13.16%. Therefore, The PSO-BP pressure drop calculation model has high accuracy and is of practical significance for predicting pipeline pressure drop.
Development and Tests of the Water Cooling System Dedicated to Photovoltaic Panels
Authors: Sornek Krzysztof , Goryl Wojciech , Figaj Rafał , Dąbrowska Gabriela , Brezdeń Joanna
Published: August 2022

Among all the energy production technologies based on renewables, the photovoltaic panels are the ones with the highest rate of development and applications worldwide. In this context, significant efforts are put into research on innovative materials in order to improve the performance of photovoltaic cells. Nevertheless, possibilities available to enhance the energy yield of existing technologies also exist and are explored, such as the cooling of photovoltaic modules. This approach can decrease the mean operation temperature of photovoltaic cells, leading to an increase in efficiency and energy produced. In the present paper, this method is investigated by developing and testing a dedicated water cooling system for photovoltaic panels. In order to investigate the performance of the cooling system, two market-available monocrystalline photovoltaic panels with a power of 50 and 310 Wp were tested under laboratory and real operation conditions, respectively. Based on the results obtained under laboratory conditions, the most promising variant of the cooling system was selected and assessed under real operation conditions. For this system, the maximum temperature of the water-cooled 310 Wp panel was lower by approx. 24 K compared to an uncooled panel, as pointed out by a measurement performed during a typical sunny day when solar irradiation was approximately 850 W/m2. This improvement of the cell temperature led to a 10% increase in power generated by the water-cooled photovoltaic panel compared to the uncooled one. The economic analysis revealed that the estimated simply payback time for installing the cooling system in typical domestic photovoltaic installations can be less than 10 years, while from the point of view of net present value, the introduction of the water cooling system can be a profitable option for a 10-year period when a discount rate of 5% is considered.
Topical Collection “The Rise of Forensic Anthropology and Documented Human Osteological Collections”
Authors: Alves-Cardoso Francisca , Campanacho Vanessa , Plens Cláudia R.
Published: August 2022

The idea behind this Topical Collection derives from the growing interest in forensic sciences, specifically forensic anthropology and the study of human remains, supporting the argument that forensic anthropology has favored interest in Documented Human Osteological Collections (DHOCs) [...]
Approximate Controllability of Non-Instantaneous Impulsive Stochastic Evolution Systems Driven by Fractional Brownian Motion with Hurst Parameter H∈(0,12)
Authors: Liu Jiankang , Wei Wei , Xu Wei
Published: August 2022

This paper initiates a study on the existence and approximate controllability for a type of non-instantaneous impulsive stochastic evolution equation (ISEE) excited by fractional Brownian motion (fBm) with Hurst index 0<H<1/2. First, to overcome the irregular or singular properties of fBm with Hurst parameter 0<H<1/2, we define a new type of control function. Then, by virtue of the stochastic analysis theory, inequality technique, the semigroup approach, Krasnoselskii’s fixed-point theorem and Schaefer’s fixed-point theorem, we derive two new sets of sufficient conditions for the existence and approximate controllability of the concerned system. In the end, a concrete example is worked out to demonstrate the applicability of our obtained results.
Asymptotic Synchronization of Fractional-Order Complex Dynamical Networks with Different Structures and Parameter Uncertainties
Authors: He Xiliang , Li Tianzeng , Liu Dehui
Published: August 2022

This paper deals with the asymptotic synchronization of fractional-order complex dynamical networks with different structures and parameter uncertainties (FCDNDP). Firstly, the FCDNDP model is proposed by the Riemann–Liouville (R-L) fractional derivative. According to the property of fractional calculus and the Lyapunov direct method, an original controller is proposed to achieve the asymptotic synchronization of FCDNDP. Our controller is more adaptable and effective than those in other literature. Secondly, a sufficient condition is given for the asymptotic synchronization of FCDNDP based on the asymptotic stability theorem and the matrix inequality technique. Finally, the numerical simulations verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Hybrid Renewable Hydrogen Energy Solution for Remote Cold-Climate Open-Pit Mines
Authors: Kalantari Hosein , Ghoreishi-Madiseh Seyed Ali
Published: August 2022

Contemporary off-grid mining operations rely on diesel fuel for the provision of their total energy including electricity, heat, and haulage. Given the high cost of diesel and its imposed greenhouse gas emissions, mining companies are looking for more affordable and cleaner sources of energy for their operations. Although renewable energy systems, such as solar photovoltaic and wind provide efficient solutions to address this challenge, full decarbonization has shown to be very challenging, mainly due to the high cost of battery storage along with the inability to meet total site energy demand. Integrating hydrogen and thermal storage with battery banks can facilitate a full transitioning off diesel. In this sense, the present study intends to offer an innovative decarbonized solution by integrating wind turbines with a multi-storage system (battery, hydrogen, and thermal storage) to supply the total energy (electricity, heat, and haulage) for remote open-pit mines. Among the different proposed fully decarbonized configurations in this study, it is shown that a renewable system with a hydrogen-powered fleet and hybridized battery/hydrogen storage configuration can present the most economically viable case for open-pit mines with a considerably less life-of-mine cost.
The Link between Gut Microbiota and Hepatic Encephalopathy
Authors: Won Sung-Min , Oh Ki Kwang , Gupta Haripriya , Ganesan Raja , Sharma Satya Priya , Jeong Jin-Ju , Yoon Sang Jun , Jeong Min Kyo , Min Byeong Hyun , Hyun Ji Ye , Park Hee Jin , Eom Jung A. , Lee Su Been , Cha Min Gi , Kwon Goo Hyun , Choi Mi Ran , Kim Dong Joon , Suk Ki Tae
Published: August 2022

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a serious complication of cirrhosis that causes neuropsychiatric problems, such as cognitive dysfunction and movement disorders. The link between the microbiota and the host plays a key role in the pathogenesis of HE. The link between the gut microbiome and disease can be positively utilized not only in the diagnosis area of HE but also in the treatment area. Probiotics and prebiotics aim to resolve gut dysbiosis and increase beneficial microbial taxa, while fecal microbiota transplantation aims to address gut dysbiosis through transplantation (FMT) of the gut microbiome from healthy donors. Antibiotics, such as rifaximin, aim to improve cognitive function and hyperammonemia by targeting harmful taxa. Current treatment regimens for HE have achieved some success in treatment by targeting the gut microbiota, however, are still accompanied by limitations and problems. A focused approach should be placed on the establishment of personalized trial designs and therapies for the improvement of future care. This narrative review identifies factors negatively influencing the gut–hepatic–brain axis leading to HE in cirrhosis and explores their relationship with the gut microbiome. We also focused on the evaluation of reported clinical studies on the management and improvement of HE patients with a particular focus on microbiome-targeted therapy.
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Stress Response and Resilience
Authors: Kageyama Kazunori , Nemoto Takahiro
Published: August 2022

A variety of stressors induce various physiological responses by modulating sympathetic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral systems [...]
Comparison of the Behavior of Perivascular Cells (Pericytes and CD34+ Stromal Cell/Telocytes) in Sprouting and Intussusceptive Angiogenesis
Authors: Díaz-Flores Lucio , Gutiérrez Ricardo , García Maria Pino , González-Gómez Miriam , Díaz-Flores Lucio , Carrasco Jose Luis , Madrid Juan Francisco , Rodríguez Bello Aixa
Published: August 2022

Perivascular cells in the pericytic microvasculature, pericytes and CD34+ stromal cells/telocytes (CD34+SCs/TCs), have an important role in angiogenesis. We compare the behavior of these cells depending on whether the growth of endothelial cells (ECs) from the pre-existing microvasculature is toward the interstitium with vascular bud and neovessel formation (sprouting angiogenesis) or toward the vascular lumen with intravascular pillar development and vessel division (intussusceptive angiogenesis). Detachment from the vascular wall, mobilization, proliferation, recruitment, and differentiation of pericytes and CD34+SCs/TCs, as well as associated changes in vessel permeability and functionality, and modifications of the extracellular matrix are more intense, longer lasting over time, and with a greater energy cost in sprouting angiogenesis than in intussusceptive angiogenesis, in which some of the aforementioned events do not occur or are compensated for by others (e.g., sparse EC and pericyte proliferation by cell elongation and thinning). The governing mechanisms involve cell–cell contacts (e.g., peg-and-socket junctions between pericytes and ECs), multiple autocrine and paracrine signaling molecules and pathways (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, angiopoietins, transforming growth factor B, ephrins, semaphorins, and metalloproteinases), and other factors (e.g., hypoxia, vascular patency, and blood flow). Pericytes participate in vessel development, stabilization, maturation and regression in sprouting angiogenesis, and in interstitial tissue structure formation of the pillar core in intussusceptive angiogenesis. In sprouting angiogenesis, proliferating perivascular CD34+SCs/TCs are an important source of stromal cells during repair through granulation tissue formation and of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in tumors. Conversely, CD34+SCs/TCs have less participation as precursor cells in intussusceptive angiogenesis. The dysfunction of these mechanisms is involved in several diseases, including neoplasms, with therapeutic implications.
Protein Profiling of a Cellular Model of NAFLD by Advanced Bioanalytical Approaches
Authors: Altomare Alessandra Anna , Aiello Gilda , Garcia Jessica Leite , Garrone Giulia , Zoanni Beatrice , Carini Marina , Aldini Giancarlo , D’Amato Alfonsina
Published: August 2022

Advanced quantitative bioanalytical approaches in combination with network analyses allow us to answer complex biological questions, such as the description of changes in protein profiles under disease conditions or upon treatment with drugs. In the present work, three quantitative proteomic approaches—either based on labelling or not—in combination with network analyses were applied to a new in vitro cellular model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) for the first time. This disease is characterized by the accumulation of lipids, inflammation, fibrosis, and insulin resistance. Hepatic G2 cells were used as model, and NAFLD was induced by a complex of oleic acid and bovine albumin. The development of the disease was verified by lipid vesicle staining and by the increase in the expression of perilipin-2—a protein constitutively present in the vesicles during NAFLD. The nLC–MS/MS analyses of peptide samples obtained from three different proteomic approaches resulted in accurate and reproducible quantitative data of protein fold-change expressed in NAFLD versus control cells. The differentially regulated proteins were used to evaluate the involved and statistically enriched pathways. Network analyses highlighted several functional and disease modules affected by NAFLD, such as inflammation, oxidative stress defense, cell proliferation, and ferroptosis. Each quantitative approach allowed the identification of similar modulated pathways. The combination of the three approaches improved the power of statistical network analyses by increasing the number of involved proteins and their fold-change. In conclusion, the application of advanced bioanalytical approaches in combination with pathway analyses allows the in-depth and accurate description of the protein profile of an in vitro cellular model of NAFLD by using high-resolution quantitative mass spectrometry data. This model could be extremely useful in the discovery of new drugs to modulate the equilibrium NAFLD health state.
SIRT7 Deficiency Protects against Aβ42-Induced Apoptosis through the Regulation of NOX4-Derived Reactive Oxygen Species Production in SH-SY5Y Cells
Authors: Mizutani Hironori , Sato Yoshifumi , Yamazaki Masaya , Yoshizawa Tatsuya , Ando Yukio , Ueda Mitsuharu , Yamagata Kazuya
Published: August 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by irreversible memory loss and cognitive decline. The deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ), especially aggregation-prone Aβ42, is considered to be an early event preceding neurodegeneration in AD. Sirtuins (SIRT1–7 in mammals) are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent lysine deacetylases/deacylases, and several sirtuins play important roles in AD. However, the involvement of SIRT7 in AD pathogenesis is not known. Here, we demonstrate that SIRT7 mRNA expression is increased in the cortex, entorhinal cortex, and prefrontal cortex of AD patients. We also found that Aβ42 treatment rapidly increased NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) expression at the post-transcriptional level, and induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis in neuronal SH-SY5Y cells. In contrast, SIRT7 knockdown inhibited Aβ42-induced ROS production and apoptosis by suppressing the upregulation of NOX4. Collectively, these findings suggest that the inhibition of SIRT7 may play a beneficial role in AD pathogenesis through the regulation of ROS production.
The Role of the TSK/TONSL-H3.1 Pathway in Maintaining Genome Stability in Multicellular Eukaryotes
Authors: Huang Yi-Chun , Yuan Wenxin , Jacob Yannick
Published: August 2022

Replication-dependent histone H3.1 and replication-independent histone H3.3 are nearly identical proteins in most multicellular eukaryotes. The N-terminal tails of these H3 variants, where the majority of histone post-translational modifications are made, typically differ by only one amino acid. Despite extensive sequence similarity with H3.3, the H3.1 variant has been hypothesized to play unique roles in cells, as it is specifically expressed and inserted into chromatin during DNA replication. However, identifying a function that is unique to H3.1 during replication has remained elusive. In this review, we discuss recent findings regarding the involvement of the H3.1 variant in regulating the TSK/TONSL-mediated resolution of stalled or broken replication forks. Uncovering this new function for the H3.1 variant has been made possible by the identification of the first proteins containing domains that can selectively bind or modify the H3.1 variant. The functional characterization of H3-variant-specific readers and writers reveals another layer of chromatin-based information regulating transcription, DNA replication, and DNA repair.
Increased Epidermal Nerve Growth Factor without Small-Fiber Neuropathy in Dermatomyositis
Authors: Wong Lai-San , Lee Chih-Hung , Yen Yu-Ta
Published: August 2022

Small-fiber neuropathy (SFN) is suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of some types of autoimmune connective tissue diseases. SFN with a reduction in epidermal nerve fibers might affect sensory fibers and cause neuropathic symptoms, such as pruritus and pain, which are common in both dermatomyositis (DM) and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Nerve growth factor (NGF) has been recognized as important in nociception by regulating epidermal nerve fiber density and sensitizing the peripheral nervous system. The present study aimed to investigate whether SFN was associated with the cutaneous manifestations of DM and CLE. We also investigated the relationship between SFN and axon guidance molecules, such as NGF, amphiregulin (AREG), and semaphorin (Sema3A) in DM and CLE. To explore the molecular signaling, interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-31, which have been implicated in the cutaneous manifestation and neuropathic symptoms in DM, were examined in keratinocytes. Our results revealed that intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) was unchanged in patients with DM, but significantly reduced in IENFD in patients with CLE compared with healthy control. Increased epidermal expression of NGF and decreased expression of Sema3A were demonstrated in patients with DM. Furthermore, IL-18 and IL-31 both induced the production of NGF from keratinocytes. Taken together, IL-18 and IL-31 mediated epidermal NGF expression might contribute to the cutaneous neuropathic symptoms in DM, while SFN might be important for CLE.
Improvement of Drought Tolerance by Exogenous Spermidine in Germinating Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plants Is Accompanied with Changes in Metabolite Composition
Authors: Gholizadeh Fatemeh , Janda Tibor , Gondor Orsolya Kinga , Pál Magda , Szalai Gabriella , Sadeghi Amirali , Turkoglu Aras
Published: August 2022

Drought is one of the most important environmental factors reducing the yield and production of crops, including wheat. Polyamines are closely associated with plant stress tolerance. The present study investigated the mechanisms through seed germination with spermidine protecting wheat varieties from drought stress. In the first experiment, the effects of spermidine on the germination of wheat varieties, namely Rakhshan, Mihan, Sirvan and Pishgam, were investigated in three drought levels, namely 0, −2, and −4 MPa induced by polyethylene glycol 6000. Analysis of variance indicated that spermidine, drought stress and interaction between varieties and drought stress were significant for all traits, and with severity of stress, all traits significantly decreased. In the second experiment, detailed gene expression and non-targeted metabolomics analyses were carried out using the Rakhshan and Mihan varieties after germination, with or without spermidine treatment and/or drought stress. According to the biomass parameters, the Mihan variety showed relatively better growth compared to the other variety, but the Rakhshan one showed more pronounced responses at gene expression level to exogenous spermidine than the Mihan variety. Overall, these results showed that spermidine increased the drought tolerance of wheat at the germination stage, due to specific role of polyamine metabolism in the development of effective responses under drought stress.
Effect of Hydroxyapatite Coating by Er: YAG Pulsed Laser Deposition on the Bone Formation Efficacy by Polycaprolactone Porous Scaffold
Authors: Zhang Ye , Jo Jun-Ichiro , Chen Liji , Hontsu Shigeki , Hashimoto Yoshiya
Published: August 2022

Composite scaffolds obtained by the combination of biodegradable porous scaffolds and hydroxyapatite with bone regeneration potential are feasible materials for bone tissue engineering. However, most composite scaffolds have been fabricated by complicated procedures or under thermally harsh conditions. We have previously demonstrated that hydroxyapatite coating onto various substrates under a thermally mild condition was achieved by erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er: YAG) pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The purpose of this study was to prepare a polycaprolactone (PCL) porous scaffold coated with the hydroxyapatite by the Er: YAG-PLD method. Hydroxyapatite coating by the Er: YAG-PLD method was confirmed by morphology, crystallographic analysis, and surface chemical characterization studies. When cultured on PCL porous scaffold coated with hydroxyapatite, rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells adhered, spread, and proliferated well. The micro-CT and staining analyses after the implantation of scaffold into the critical-sized calvaria bone defect in rats indicate that PCL porous scaffold coated with hydroxyapatite demonstrates accelerated and widespread bone formation. In conclusion, PCL porous scaffold coated with hydroxyapatite obtained by the Er: YAG-PLD method is a promising material in bone tissue engineering.