bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Procedural Safety and Device Performance of the Portico™ Valve from Experienced TAVI Centers: 30-Day Outcomes in the Multicenter CONFIDENCE Registry
Authors: Mollmann Helge , Linke Axel , Nombela-Franco Luis , Sluka Martin , Dominguez Juan Francisco Oteo , Montorfano Matteo , Kim Won-Keun , Arnold Martin , Vasa-Nicotera Mariuca , Conradi Lenard , Camuglia Anthony , Bedogni Francesco , Manoharan Ganesh
Published: August 2022

A total of 1001 subjects (82.0 years, 62.5% female, 63.7% NYHA III/IV at baseline) with severe aortic stenosis at high surgical risk were enrolled in the prospective CONFIDENCE registry and treated with a Portico™ transcatheter heart valve (THV) using either a first-generation delivery system (DS) or the FlexNav™ DS. The objective of this registry is to characterize the procedural safety and device performance of the Portico™ THV at 30 days. The study collected ‘standard-of-care’ clinical and device performance data, with adverse events adjudicated by an independent clinical event committee according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria. The implantation of a single Portico™ THV was successful in 97.5% of subjects. The 30-day all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and disabling stroke rates were 2.6%, 2.1%, and 1.8%, respectively. A new pacemaker was implanted in 19.0% of subjects at 30 days. At 30 days, the effective orifice area and mean gradient values were 1.82 cm2 and 7.1 mmHg, respectively. The 30-day rate of moderate paravalvular leak (PVL) was 2.1%, with no occurrence of severe PVL. The Portico™ THV demonstrated improved hemodynamic performance and low rates of safety events at 30 days in a large cohort of subjects implanted with the Portico™ THV with either the first-generation DS or FlexNav™ DS.
Will the Kaplan Fiber Complex Be the ‘‘New Anterolateral Ligament’’? Insights from Direct Surgical Exploration in the Context of ACL Injury and Reconstruction
Authors: Grassi Alberto , Caravelli Silvio , Mosca Massimiliano , Zaffagnini Stefano
Published: August 2022

According to the most popular scientific literature database in 2022, nearly 20 papers mentioning the “Kaplan Fiber” complex have been published in the last 2 years, highlighting the role of this anatomical structure in the context of anterior cruciate ligament tear [...]
Arterial Stiffness—What Do We Know about It and What Do We Expect from This Biomarker?
Authors: Reiner Željko
Published: August 2022

It is well known that arterial stiffening is one of the earliest detectable signs of structural and functional alterations of the arterial wall [...]
Speckled Tracking of Pleura—A Novel Tool for Lung Ultrasound; Distinguishing COVID-19 from Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Tzadok Batsheva , Blumberg Yair , Shubert Moti , Halabi Majdi , Tal-Or Eran , Bachner-Hinenzon Noa , Carasso Shemy
Published: August 2022

For the acutely dyspneic patient, discerning bedside between acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and COVID-19 is crucial. A lung ultrasound (LUS) is sensitive for detecting these conditions, but not in distinguishing between them; both have bilateral B-lines. The Blue protocol uses pleural sliding to differentiate decreased pneumonia; however, this is not the case in ADHF. Nonetheless, this pleural sliding has never been quantified. Speckled tracking is a technology utilized in the echocardiography field that quantifies the motion of tissues by examining the movement of ultrasound speckles. We conducted a retrospective study of LUS performed in emergency room patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speckled tracking of the pleura by applying software to the B-mode of pleura was compared between COVID-19 patients, ADHF patients, and patients with no respiratory complaints. A significant difference was found between the patient groups on speckled tracking both in respect of displacement and velocity. ADHF had the highest displacement, followed by COVID-19, and then non-respiratory patients: 1.63 ± 1.89, 0.59 ± 0.71, and 0.24 ± 0.45, respectively (p < 0.01). A similar trend was seen in velocity with ADHF having the highest velocity 0.34 ± 0.37, followed by COVID-19 0.14 ± 0.71, and non-respiratory patients 0.02 ± 0.09 (p <0.01). Speckled tracking of the pleura is a potential tool for discerning between different causes of dyspnea.
Unmet Health Needs among Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy in Ireland: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ryan Jennifer M. , Walsh Michael , Owens Mary , Byrne Michael , Kroll Thilo , Hensey Owen , Kerr Claire , Norris Meriel , Walsh Aisling , Lavelle Grace , Fortune Jennifer
Published: August 2022

Data describing the unmet health needs of young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) may support the development of appropriate health services. This study aimed to describe unmet health needs among young adults with CP in Ireland and examine if these differed between young adults who were and were not yet discharged from children’s services. In this cross-sectional study, young adults with CP aged 16–22 years completed a questionnaire assessing unmet health needs. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between discharge status and unmet health needs. Seventy-five young adults (mean age 18.4 yr; 41% female; 60% in GMFCS levels I-III) were included in the study. Forty (53%) had been discharged from children’s services. Unmet health need, as a proportion of those with needs, was highest for speech (0.64), followed by epilepsy (0.50) and equipment, mobility, control of movement and bone or joint problems (0.39 or 0.38). After adjusting for ambulatory status, unmet health needs did not differ according to discharge status. The proportion of young adults with unmet health needs highlights the importance of taking a life-course approach to CP and providing appropriate services to people with CP regardless of age.
Investigating the Prediction Accuracy of Recently Updated Intraocular Lens Power Formulas with Artificial Intelligence for High Myopia
Authors: Omoto Miki , Sugawara Kaoruko , Torii Hidemasa , Yotsukura Erisa , Masui Sachiko , Shigeno Yuta , Nishi Yasuyo , Negishi Kazuno
Published: August 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the prediction accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) power formulas with artificial intelligence (AI) for high myopia. Cases of highly myopic patients (axial length [AL], >26.0 mm) undergoing uncomplicated cataract surgery with at least 1-month follow-up were included. Prediction errors, absolute errors, and percentages of eyes with prediction errors within ±0.25, ±0.50, and ±1.00 diopters (D) were compared using five formulas: Hill-RBF3.0, Kane, Barrett Universal II (BUII), Haigis, and SRK/T. Seventy eyes (mean patient age at surgery, 64.0 ± 9.0 years; mean AL, 27.8 ± 1.3 mm) were included. The prediction errors with the Hill-RBF3.0 and Kane formulas were statistically different from the BUII, Haigis, and SRK/T formulas, whereas there was not a statistically significant difference between those with the Hill-RBF3.0 and Kane. The absolute errors with the Hill-RBF3.0 and Kane formulas were smaller than that with the BUII formula, whereas there was not a statistically significant difference between the other formulas. The percentage within ±0.25 D with the Hill-RBF3.0 formula was larger than that with the BUII formula. The prediction accuracy using AI (Hill-RBF3.0 and Kane) showed excellent prediction accuracy. No significant difference was observed in the prediction accuracy between the Hill-RBF3.0 and Kane formulas.
Personalized Therapy and Clinical Outcome for Heart Failure
Authors: Aceña Alvaro , de Juan Bagudá Javier , Rincón Luis M.
Published: August 2022

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome that results from the structural and/or functional impairment of systolic function or ventricular filling, which in turn causes elevated intracardiac pressure and/or inadequate cardiac output at rest and/or during exercise [...]
Incidence and Characteristics of Cranial Nerve Injuries: A Nationwide Observational Study in Japan
Authors: Hirose Tomoya , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Katayama Yusuke , Tanaka Kenta , Tachino Jotaro , Nakao Shunichiro , Ishida Kenichiro , Ojima Masahiro , Kiguchi Takeyuki , Umemura Yutaka , Kiyohara Kosuke , Oda Jun
Published: August 2022

Background: Large-scale data on cranial nerve injuries are scarce. Methods: This study enrolled 361,706 patients registered in the Japanese Trauma Data Bank from 2004 to 2018. We selected patients with cranial nerve injury using the corresponding Abbreviated Injury Scale codes and examined the incidence and characteristics. Results: In total, 347,101 patients were eligible for inclusion in our analysis. By mechanism of trauma, all cranial nerve injuries occurred in <1% of registered cases. The highest incidence was 0.2190% (55/25,117) for facial nerve injury in bicycle crash. By cause of trauma, all cranial nerve injuries occurred in <1% of registered cases. The highest incidence was 0.1943% (37/19,044) for facial nerve injury in occupational injury. No patients with spinal accessory nerve injury were observed. The most common cranial nerve injury was to the facial nerve (n = 278). Most cranial nerve injury patients are in the 30s to 50s age range, and there was a male predominance. Multiple cranial nerve injuries were observed in 81 patients. Many cranial nerve injury cases are complicated by skull base fractures. Conclusions: We revealed the incidence and characteristics of cranial nerve injury. Our findings may help physicians detect these injuries at an early stage in patients at risk.
Independent Clinical Impacts of Procedural Complexity on Ischemic and Bleeding Events in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Long-Term Clinical Study
Authors: Lee Kwan Yong , Hwang Byung-Hee , Lim Sungmin , Kim Chan Jun , Choo Eun-Ho , Lee Seung Hoon , Kim Jin-Jin , Choi Ik Jun , Oh Gyu Chul , Yang In-Ho , Yoo Ki Dong , Chung Wook Sung , Ahn Youngkeun , Jeong Myung Ho , Chang Kiyuk
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between a complex percutaneous coronary intervention (C-PCI) and long-term clinical outcomes in the AMI cohort. A total of 10,329 patients were categorized into the C-PCI and non-C-PCI groups. The primary ischemic endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and revascularization). The primary bleeding endpoint was the risk of overt bleeding (BARC 2, 3 or 5). The median follow-up duration was 4.9 (2.97, 7.16) years. The risks of MACEs and bleeding were significantly higher in the C-PCI group (hazard ratio (HR): 1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60 to 1.85; p < 0.001; and HR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.50; p < 0.001, respectively). After propensity score matching, compared to the non-C-PCI group, the adjusted MACE rate in C-PCI remained significantly higher (p < 0.001), but no significant interaction (p = 0.273) was observed for bleeding. Significant differences in overt bleeding were observed only within the first three months (p = 0.024). The MACEs were consistently higher in the C-PCI group with or without severe comorbid conditions (p < 0.001 for both). Patients with AMI who undergo C-PCI experience worse long-term ischemic outcomes after successful PCI, regardless of the presence of severe comorbidities.
A Narrative Review on the Effectiveness of Bone Regeneration Procedures with OsteoBiol® Collagenated Porcine Grafts: The Translational Research Experience over 20 Years
Authors: Romasco Tea , Tumedei Margherita , Inchingolo Francesco , Pignatelli Pamela , Montesani Lorenzo , Iezzi Giovanna , Petrini Morena , Piattelli Adriano , Di Pietro Natalia
Published: August 2022

Over the years, several bone regeneration procedures have been proposed using natural (autografts, allografts, and xenografts) and synthetic (i.e., metals, ceramics, and polymers) bone grafts. In particular, numerous in vitro and human and animal in vivo studies have been focused on the discovery of innovative and suitable biomaterials for oral and maxillofacial applications in the treatment of severely atrophied jaws. On this basis, the main objective of the present narrative review was to investigate the efficacy of innovative collagenated porcine bone grafts (OsteoBiol®, Tecnoss®, Giaveno, Italy), designed to be as similar as possible to the autologous bone, in several bone regeneration procedures. The scientific publications were screened by means of electronic databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, finally selecting only papers that dealt with bone substitutes and scaffolds for bone and soft tissue regeneration. A total of 201 papers have been detected, including in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. The effectiveness of over 20 years of translational research demonstrated that these specific porcine bone substitutes are safe and able to improve the biological response and the predictability of the regenerative protocols for the treatment of alveolar and maxillofacial defects.
Cystathionine Gamma-Lyase Regulate Psilocybin Biosynthesis in Gymnopilus dilepis Mushroom via Amino Acid Metabolism Pathways
Authors: Yao Sen , Wei Chuanzheng , Lin Hui , Zhang Peng , Liu Yuanyuan , Deng Youjin , Huang Qianhui , Xie Baogui
Published: August 2022

As a potential medicine for the treatment of depression, psilocybin has gradually attracted attention. To elucidate the molecular mechanism regulating psilocybin synthesis in Gymnopilus dilepis, ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was used to detect the changes in psilocybin content after S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (SAH) treatment and the changes of psilocybin content in different parts (stipe and pileus), and RNA-Seq was used to explore the mechanism of psilocybin content changes. In this study, the psilocybin content in G. dilepis mycelia treated with SAH was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the content of psilocybin in the stipe was significantly higher than that in the pileus. Transcriptome analysis revealed that differential expression genes (DEGs) were associated with cysteine and methionine metabolism. In particular, the transcription levels of genes encoding Cystathionine gamma-lyase (CTH) in different treatments and different parts were positively correlated with psilocybin content. In addition, we found that the exogenous addition of CTH activity inhibitor (DL-propargylglycine, PAG) could reduce the content of psilocybin and L-serine, and the content of psilocybin and L-serine returned to normal levels after L-cysteine supplementation, suggesting that psilocybin synthesis may be positively correlated with L-cysteine or CTH, and L-cysteine regulates the synthesis of psilocybin by affecting L-serine and 4-hydroxy-L-tryptophan. In conclusion, this study revealed a new molecular mechanism that affects psilocybin biosynthesis, which can provide a theoretical basis for improving psilocybin synthesis and the possibility for the development of biomedicine.
In Vitro Activity of Novel Lipopeptides against Triazole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Fioriti Simona , Cirioni Oscar , Simonetti Oriana , Franca Lucia , Candelaresi Bianca , Pallotta Francesco , Neubauer Damian , Kamysz Elzbieta , Kamysz Wojciech , Canovari Benedetta , Brescini Lucia , Morroni Gianluca , Barchiesi Francesco
Published: August 2022

Aspergillosis, which is mainly sustained by Aspergillus fumigatus, includes a broad spectrum of diseases. They are usually severe in patients with co-morbidities. The first-line therapy includes triazoles, for which an increasing incidence of drug resistance has been lately described. As a consequence of this, the need for new and alternative antifungal molecules is absolutely necessary. As peptides represent promising antimicrobial molecules, two lipopeptides (C14-NleRR-NH2, C14-WRR-NH2) were tested to assess the antifungal activity against azole-resistant A. fumigatus. Antifungal activity was evaluated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), time–kill curves, XTT assay, optical microscopy, and checkerboard combination with isavuconazole. Both lipopeptides showed antifungal activity, with MICs ranging from 8 mg/L to 16 mg/L, and a dose-dependent effect was confirmed by both time–kill curves and XTT assays. Microscopy showed that hyphae growth was hampered at concentrations equal to or higher than MICs. The rising antifungal resistance highlights the usefulness of novel compounds to treat severe fungal infections. Although further studies assessing the activity of lipopeptides are necessary, these molecules could be effective antifungal alternatives that overcome the current resistances.
Health and Lifestyle of Patients with Mesothelioma: Protocol for the Help-Meso Study
Authors: Taylor Leah , Swainston Katherine , Hurst Christopher , Aujayeb Avinash , Poulter Hannah , Dismore Lorelle
Published: August 2022

Patients with mesothelioma (PwM) have a poor prognosis and are at risk of adverse health outcomes and poor health-related quality of life. Sarcopenia and malnutrition are important prognostic factors for cancer patients and can be partially reversed with adequate nutrition and physical activity/exercise. There is a limited evidence base about the nutritional status of PwM, the understanding of which might potentially influence interventions in PwM. The primary aim of the Help-Meso (Health and Lifestyle of PwM) study is to describe the nutrition, appetite, physical activity and attitude towards lifestyle interventions of PwM. Patients, informal carers and health professionals will be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis will be performed. The secondary aim of Help-Meso is to assess the feasibility of nutritional screening of PwM via a validated quantitative tool (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool). The findings from this study will provide an understanding of the health and lifestyle of PwM and the corresponding attitudes of their informal carers and healthcare providers. This information will inform the design of future targeted interventions to improve the nutrition, quality of life of PwM and outcomes. The study has Research Ethics Committee (REC) and Health Research Authority approvals obtained from Wales REC7 (Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) project ID 287193).
What’s in a Name? Parents’ and Healthcare Professionals’ Preferred Terminology for Pathogenic Variants in Childhood Cancer Predisposition Genes
Authors: Hunter Jacqueline D. , Robertson Eden G. , Hetherington Kate , Ziegler David S. , Marshall Glenn M. , Kirk Judy , Marron Jonathan M. , Denburg Avram E. , Barlow-Stewart Kristine , Warby Meera , Tucker Katherine M. , Lee Brittany M. , O’Brien Tracey A. , Wakefield Claire E.
Published: August 2022

Current literature/guidelines regarding the most appropriate term to communicate a cancer-related disease-causing germline variant in childhood cancer lack consensus. Guidelines also rarely address preferences of patients/families. We aimed to assess preferences of parents of children with cancer, genetics professionals, and pediatric oncologists towards terminology to describe a disease-causing germline variant in childhood cancer. Using semi-structured interviews we asked participants their most/least preferred terms from; ‘faulty gene,’ ‘altered gene,’ ‘gene change,’ and ‘genetic variant,’ analyzing responses with directed content analysis. Twenty-five parents, 6 genetics professionals, and 29 oncologists participated. An equal number of parents most preferred ‘gene change,’ ‘altered gene,’ or ‘genetic variant’ (n = 8/25). Parents least preferred ‘faulty gene’ (n = 18/25). Half the genetics professionals most preferred ‘faulty gene’ (n = 3/6); however this was least preferred by the remaining genetics professionals (n = 3/6). Many oncologists most preferred ‘genetic variant’ (n = 11/29) and least preferred ‘faulty gene’ (n = 19/29). Participants across all groups perceived ‘faulty gene’ as having negative connotations, potentially placing blame/guilt on parents/children. Health professionals described challenges selecting a term that was scientifically accurate, easily understood and not distressing to families. Lack of consensus highlights the need to be guided by families’ preferred terminology, while providing accurate explanations regarding implications of genetic findings.
Enhanced Child Care: Contrast Correction for Pediatric Hip Ultrasound Using Hyperanalytic Wavelets
Authors: Arvinti Beatrice , Iacob Emil Radu , Isar Alexandru , Iacob Daniela , Costache Marius
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: The prevention of critical situations is a key ability in medicine. Hip ultrasound for neonates is a standard procedure to prevent later critical outcomes, such as hip dysplasia. Additionally, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has put worldwide stress upon healthcare units, resulting often in a lack of sufficient medical personnel. This work aims to develop solutions to ease and speed up the process of coming to a correct diagnosis. (2) Methods: Traditional medical procedures are envisaged, but they are enhanced to reduce diagnosing errors due to the movements of the neonates. Echographic noise filtering and contrast correction methods are implemented the Hyperanalytic Wavelet Transform, combined with an adaptive Soft Thresholding Filter. The algorithm is tailored to infants’ structure and is tested on real ultrasounds provided by the “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Denoising and contrast correction problems are targeted. (3) Results: In available clinical cases, the noise affecting the image was reduced and the contrast was enhanced. (4) Discussion: We noticed that a significant amount of noise can be added to the image, as the patients are neonates and can hardly avoid movements. (5) Conclusions: The algorithm is personalized with no fixed reference value. Any device easing the clinical procedures of physicians has a practical medical application.
MicroRNAs as Regulators of Cancer Cell Energy Metabolism
Authors: Suriya Muthukumaran Natarajaseenivasan , Velusamy Prema , Akino Mercy Charles Solomon , Langford Dianne , Natarajaseenivasan Kalimuthusamy , Shanmughapriya Santhanam
Published: August 2022

To adapt to the tumor environment or to escape chemotherapy, cancer cells rapidly reprogram their metabolism. The hallmark biochemical phenotype of cancer cells is the shift in metabolic reprogramming towards aerobic glycolysis. It was thought that this metabolic shift to glycolysis alone was sufficient for cancer cells to meet their heightened energy and metabolic demands for proliferation and survival. Recent studies, however, show that cancer cells rely on glutamine, lipid, and mitochondrial metabolism for energy. Oncogenes and scavenging pathways control many of these metabolic changes, and several metabolic and tumorigenic pathways are post-transcriptionally regulated by microRNA (miRNAs). Genes that are directly or indirectly responsible for energy production in cells are either negatively or positively regulated by miRNAs. Therefore, some miRNAs play an oncogenic role by regulating the metabolic shift that occurs in cancer cells. Additionally, miRNAs can regulate mitochondrial calcium stores and energy metabolism, thus promoting cancer cell survival, cell growth, and metastasis. In the electron transport chain (ETC), miRNAs enhance the activity of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and cytochrome c, and these apoptosome proteins are directed towards the ETC rather than to the apoptotic pathway. This review will highlight how miRNAs regulate the enzymes, signaling pathways, and transcription factors of cancer cell metabolism and mitochondrial calcium import/export pathways. The review will also focus on the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells to promote survival, proliferation, growth, and metastasis with an emphasis on the therapeutic potential of miRNAs for cancer treatment.
Agricultural Population Supported in Rural Areas under Traditional Planting Mode Based on Opportunity Cost Analysis
Authors: Bi Qingsheng , Chen Weiqiang , Li Ling , Wang Xiuli , Cai Enxiang
Published: August 2022

The return of rural migrant workers through increasing agricultural income by expanding farming scale is significant for rural sustainable development without rural population loss. This paper selected six representative counties in Henan Province, China’s major grain-producing province, to conduct a questionnaire survey, investigated the incomes of farmers from farming and migrant workers, calculated moderate farming scale under different opportunity costs, and also estimated the agricultural population that can be supported by arable land resources. Results are as follows: (1) Under the traditional planting mode, annual per capita income of farmers in farming was USD 342.18, which was substantially lower than USD 5255.63 in migrant workers. This huge income gap has led to continuous rural population loss. (2) Under the opportunity cost of farming income equal to migrant workers income, moderate farming scales of the six selected counties were 1.39, 1.17, 1.22, 1.08, 1.34, and 1.01 ha, respectively. Under the 0.8x and 0.6x opportunity cost, corresponding moderate farming scales were 1.11, 0.94, 1.11, 0.86, 1.07, and 1.34 ha; and 0.84, 0.70, 0.73, 0.65, 0.80 and 1.01 ha, respectively. (3) On the basis of the three moderate farming scales and status quo of arable land resources, agricultural populations that can be supported by rural Henan Province were 8.0386 million, 10.0479 million and 13.3942 million, respectively. Findings can guide the formulation of rural revitalization strategic measures and the preparation of village territorial spatial planning.
Latent Rural Depopulation in Latin American Open-Pit Mining Scenarios
Authors: Uribe-Sierra Sergio Elías , Mansilla-Quiñones Pablo , Mora-Rojas Alejandro Israel
Published: August 2022

The increasing expansion of open-pit mining and the drastic transformations of land use in Latin America have led to processes of rural depopulation among traditional inhabitants, causing unsustainability in rural life systems. In the context of profound, worldwide territorial and environmental transformations, it is necessary to anticipate change scenarios and identify territories prone to rural depopulation. The objective of this article is to determine rural depopulation propensities through an exploratory multivariate study of the demographic, social, economic, and environmental conditions of territories where open-pit mining projects are being installed. First, a theoretical model is created using the grounded theory method for the literature review. Subsequently, indicators are analyzed using quantitative methods and geographic information systems. The results show that latent rural depopulation tends to be generated in territories with socio-environmental vulnerability, where advanced mining extractivism makes them prone to future depopulation. Some factors possibly leading to decreased rural population include the reduction of water availability; deforestation and depeasantization, due to urban development; gentrification, due to real estate speculation in providing lodging and food services to the mining project; and drastic changes in land use.
Effects of Urban Form on Carbon Emissions in China: Implications for Low-Carbon Urban Planning
Authors: Zheng Sheng , Huang Yukuan , Sun Yu
Published: August 2022

Carbon emissions are closely related to global warming. More than 70% of global carbon emissions have been generated in cities. Many studies have analyzed the effects of cities on carbon emissions, from the perspective of urbanization, economics, and land use, yet a detailed understanding of the relationship between urban form and carbon emissions is lacking due to the absence of a reasonable set of urban form metrics. The aim of this research is to explore the effects of urban form on carbon emissions through empirical research. By eliminating collinearity, we established a set of urban form landscape metrics comprising Class Area (CA), Mean Perimeter–Area Ratio (PARA-MN), Mean Proximity Index (PROX-MN), and Mean Euclidian Nearest Neighbor Distance (ENN-MN) representing urban area, complexity, compactness, and centrality, respectively. Through spatial autocorrelation analysis, the results show that there is a positive spatial autocorrelation of carbon emissions. The high–high agglomeration regions are located in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei and Yangtze River Delta, while the low–low agglomeration regions are concentrated in the Southwest and Heilongjiang Province. Based on a spatial error model, for the whole study area, CA, PARA-MN, and ENN-MN show a positive correlation with carbon emissions, but PROX-MN is the opposite. Based on ordinary least squares, PARA-MN in the Northeast and East, PROX-MN in the North and Mid-South, and ENN-MN in the North are significantly correlated with carbon emissions. These findings are helpful for low-carbon urban planning.
Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soils of the Typical Karst and Non-Karst Areas
Authors: Li Weijie , Zhu Tongbin , Yang Hui , Zhang Chunlai , Zou Xia
Published: August 2022

To investigate the distribution characteristics and hazard levels of eight heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in karst soil with a high geological background of heavy metals, 32 and 40 surface soil samples were collected from limestone and clastic rock areas, respectively, in the northern part of Mashan County, Guangxi Province, a typical mountainous county dominated by primary industries in China. Geostatistical methods, Pearson’s correlation analysis, the geo-accumulation index, and the potential ecological hazard index were applied to explore the influencing factors of those heavy metals and evaluate their potential contamination risks. The results show that (1) the levels of the eight heavy metal elements in the surface soils of karst areas exceeded the background values of soil for Mashan County, the background value of soil (layer A) in China, and abundance value of upper crust. According to the soil pollution risk screening values specified in the Soil Environmental Quality: Risk Control Standard for Contamination of Agricultural Land, the proportions of heavy metals in the soils of karst areas were ranked as Cd (100%) > As (90.6%) > Cr (84.4%) > Zn (68.8%) > Ni (37.5%). Meanwhile, the heavy metals in the soils of non-karst areas did not exceed the overall values for Mashan County, and Ni, Pb, and Zn did not exceed the overall national soil values. One-quarter of Cd in non-karst samples exceeded the risk-threshold screening value. There was a high degree of variation and a significant difference in the contents of heavy metal elements between karst and non-karst areas. (2) The element combinations of As-Cd-Cu-Hg-Ni-Pb-Zn and Cr in karst areas were characterized by the influence of carbonate rock parent material. The non-karst areas were characterized by Ni-Cu-Pb-Zn, As-Cr-Hg, and Cd assemblages, which were mainly influenced by the mixture of laterite parent materials, sand shale parent materials, and basic-rock residual materials, and that may be affected by element migration caused by soil erosion and anthropogenic activities. (3) Analysis of the geo-accumulation index showed that karst areas were generally found to be at the clean to light pollution level, except for in the areas whose samples exhibited medium/high pollution levels for Cd and Cr, with the Cd pollution being the more serious of the two. Small amounts of Cd and Cu were present in the non-karst areas at a light contamination level, while other elements were at the level of no pollution. (4) The results of the potential ecological risk index showed that Cd and Hg were the main ecologically hazardous heavy metal elements in the soils of the study areas. The potential ecological risk level in karst areas was much higher than in non-karst areas, especially for Cd, and was mainly influenced by the carbonate rock parent material.
The (In)Ability of a Multi-Stakeholder Platform to Address Land Conflicts—Lessons Learnt from an Oil Palm Landscape in Myanmar
Authors: Lundsgaard-Hansen Lara M. , Oberlack Christoph , Hunt Glenn , Schneider Flurina
Published: August 2022

Oil palm landscapes are often characterised by land conflicts. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSP) may be a promising means to contribute to conflict resolution. However, the merits of MSPs are limited in contexts with strong power imbalances and entrenched conflict histories. This study analyses an MSP from Myanmar. We developed an analytical framework based on literature on MSPs and social learning and used qualitative methods such as participatory observation and interviews. The study investigates how the MSP was designed and governed and whether it was effective in addressing the land conflicts around oil palm concessions. The study discusses several promising factors of the MSP for being effective, such as adequate inclusion of stakeholders, secured resources, or effective facilitation. However, the analysis also reveals how hindering factors such as lack of a clear mandate, goal, and decision-making competences of the MSP, insufficient communication, or lack of legal and land governance expertise contributed to only limited effectiveness of the MSP. Further, we discuss whether the MSP was a suitable approach in the given context of nontransparent land governance mechanisms, persisting power disparities, and longstanding conflict history. We conclude that designing and governing an MSP in such a context needs to be done very cautiously—if at all—and recommend paying special attention to ten specific points.
Adoption of Digital Aerial Photogrammetry in Forest Planning: A Case Study of Canavese Forestry Consortium, NW Italy with Technical and Economic Issues
Authors: Borgogno-Mondino Enrico , De Petris Samuele , Sarvia Filippo , Momo Evelyn Joan , Sussio Fabio , Pari Paolo
Published: August 2022

The forestry sector has been significantly affected by the recent advances in geomatics. Photogrammetric aerial acquisitions provide full coverage of forests, making possible a wall-to-wall mapping of the main forestry key variables, such as tree height and tree density, needed for forest planning and management purposes. This work summarizes the role that digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP) is expected to have in the forest planning context and analyzes the main products from DAP that are significantly required. According to their technical features, some strategies are proposed to program acquisitions in order to consciously set operational parameters needed for obtaining accuracy of measures compliant with forest planning requirements. Admitting that, in most cases, forest planners externalize DAP acquisitions to flying companies, the authors propose simple strategies for making an ex-post evaluation of flight conditions through a conscious processing of the external orientation parameters of images resulting after the bundle adjustment. Theoretical aspects are exemplified with reference to a practical case study relying on an aerial acquisition that, in 2019, the Canavese Forestry Consortium (NW Italy) made to support the ongoing redaction of its new forest plans. Finally, some economic concerns are presented to demonstrate the capability of this technique to absorb the most of costs associated with ground surveys, especially when large areas have to be investigated. In particular, about 66% of cost savings were found when comparing DAP-based forest mapping to traditional forest inventory strategies.
New Advances in Human Thermophysiology
Authors: Priego-Quesada Jose Ignacio
Published: August 2022

Human thermoregulation is the integrative physiological responses of the body used to maintain a core temperature with values close to 37 °C, even in a wide range of activities and environments [...]
A Comparative Study of Hardfacing Deposits Using a Modified Tribological Testing Strategy
Authors: Slota Ján , Kubit Andrzej , Gajdoš Ivan , Trzepieciński Tomasz , Kaščák Ľuboš
Published: August 2022

In this study, hardfacing deposits using materials of different surface hardness are investigated using an innovative strategy for tribological testing. The abrasive wear behaviour of AISI 316L stainless steel is compared to the Cr–Ni–Mn alloy (OK Autrod 16.95) and the Cr-Mo alloy (Fluxofil 58), deposited on a substrate of S355JR steel. A modified three-body abrasion test and a modified scratch test were used to evaluate the tribological behaviour and wear mechanisms of these materials. The modified double-pass scratch test on the abraded surfaces is analysed using the geometrical parameters of grooves to aid in predicting the lifetime of machinery parts in abrasive working conditions. This leads to a shortening of the resistance to abrasion wear time of the evaluation of the abrasion wear resistance of materials. The validation of the results obtained in the double-pass scratch tests was carried out using three-body abrasion tests, according to the ASTM G65 standard. Wear mechanism investigations were carried out by scanning electron microscopy and three-dimensional surface topography and was analysed using an optical microscope. The results obtained from experimental research show that double-pass scratch tests demonstrated that it is possible to shorten the time needed to predict the abrasive behaviour of materials using this method.
Chlorido-(η6-p-cymene)-(bis(pyrazol-1-yl)methane-κ2N,N′)Osmium(II) Tetrafluoroborate, C17H22BClF4N4Os
Authors: Mambanda Allen , Kanyora Amos K. , Ongoma Peter , Gichumbi Joel , Omondi Reinner O.
Published: August 2022

The powder of the arene osmium(II) complex, [Os(II)(dpzm)(η6-p-cym)Cl]BF4 (dpzm = di(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methane; η6-p-cym = para-cymene), with a formula of C17H22BClF4N4Os (referred to herein as 1) was isolated from the reaction of [(η6-p-cym)Os(μ-Cl)(Cl)]2 with dpzm dissolved in acetonitrile and under a flow of nitrogen gas. It was characterized by spectroscopic techniques (viz., FTIR, 1H NMR, UV-Visible absorption). Yellow crystal blocks of 1 were grown by the slow evaporation from the methanolic solution of its powder. The single-crystal X-ray structure of 1 was solved by diffraction analysis on a Bruker APEX Duo CCD area detector diffractometer using the Cu(Kα), λ = 1.54178 Å as the radiation source, and 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system and the C2/c (no. 15) space group.
On the Relationship between Contact Resistance and Load Force for Electrode Materials with Rough Surfaces
Authors: Zhang Chao , Ren Wanbin , Liao Xiaoyu
Published: August 2022

Higher contact resistance not only increases power consumption and temperature rise but also causes undesirable interconnectivity between electrode materials, which further influences the electrical lifespan and reliability of switching devices. However, relevant studies on the relationship between contact resistance and load force, and on the reduction of contact resistance by controlling the micro-structure of rough surfaces, especially for electrode materials with larger Sq (root mean square) values, are very limited. In this study, the contact resistance calculation method, based on classical Holm theory in combination with the elastic and plastic deformation, was reviewed. Then, typical curves of measured contact resistance and load force were analyzed and compared with the calculation results for smooth surfaces. Furthermore, experimental results for electrodes with bright and matt surfaces were compared. It was found that the average contact resistance of samples with matt surfaces was 0.162 mΩ for a load force of 5 N, which decreased by 18.52% compared to that of the bright surface. The standard deviation of the contact resistance greatly decreased to 0.008 mΩ for samples with matt surfaces, which indicated that the matt electrode surface could effectively produce low and stable contact resistance. In addition, the influences of the numbers and sizes of contact a-spots on the relationship between contact resistance and load force were investigated. It was found that denser asperities with smaller curvature radii for the matt surface were beneficial for lower contact resistance, even for the electrode material with larger Sq values. Finally, an empirical model of the contact resistance with error bands based on the experimental results was established and verified.
Driving Third-Order Optical Nonlinearities in Photoluminescent Si Nanoparticles by Nitrogen Co-Implantation in a Silica Matrix
Authors: Bornacelli Jhovani , Araiza-Sixtos Fernando Arturo , Torres-Torres Carlos , Hernández-Acosta Marco Antonio , Oliver Alicia , Rangel-Rojo Raúl
Published: August 2022

The photoluminescence and third-order nonlinear optical effects of co-implanted silicon nanoparticles and nitrogen ions in a silica matrix were studied. Experimental evidence shows the potential of nitrogen ions for changing optical properties exhibited by silicon nanoparticles implanted in an integrated system. The modification of the optical bandgap and photoluminescent intensity in the studied nanomaterials by the incorporation of nitrogen was analyzed. Standard two−wave mixing experiments were conducted using nanosecond and picosecond laser pulses at 532 nm wavelength. At this off-resonance condition, only multiphoton excitation can promote electrons at energies above the optical bandgap of the silicon nanoparticles. The picosecond results show that the co-implanted sample with nitrogen exhibits a three-fold enhancement of the nonlinear Kerr response. Femtosecond z-scan measurements were undertaken at 800 nm in order to explore the modification of the ultrafast nonlinear response of the samples that revealed a purely electronic Kerr nonlinearity together to saturable absorption of the SiNPs in the near-infrared. Remarkably, femtosecond results reveal that nitrogen co-implantation in the SiNPs system derives from the quenching of the third-order nonlinear optical behavior. These findings pointed out a simple approach for engineering the optical bandgap of nanocomposites, which can be controlled by a doping process based on ion-implanted nitrogen. It is highlighted that the enhanced light-matter interactions induced by nitrogen implantation can be useful for developing nonlinear integrated silicon photonics nanodevices with low power excitation.
Experimental Study on the Slip Behaviour of Stainless Steel High-Strength Bolted Connections with a New Surface Treatment
Authors: Zhang Tianxiong , Bu Yidu , Wang Yuanqing , Chen Zhihua , He Wei
Published: August 2022

The conventional surface treatments on stainless steel plates yield slip factors less than the required value for a friction grip, which hinders the application of stainless steel high-strength bolts. The slip factor and the treatment process of stainless steel surfaces are not clearly specified in most of the existing design codes. Existing studies also show different slip factors from similarly treated surfaces. In this paper, a new surface treatment is proposed: the two touching surfaces of the bolted connection are grit-blasted on one side and coated with high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) on the other side. The slip behaviour of the new method was compared with four conventional methods. The roughness and hardness of different surfaces were measured prior to a total of 30 slip tests where the slip factors of multiple stainless steel surfaces were tested. It was shown that the new proposed surface treatment method can yield a slip factor of 0.61, much higher than the conventional surface treatments, meeting the requirements as a slip-resistant connection. The preload relaxation of stainless steel high-strength bolts was also monitored and compared to standard grade 10.9 high-strength bolts. We found that the preload relaxation in stainless steel high-strength bolts is negligible.
Residual Stress Enhancement by Laser Shock Treatment in Chromium-Alloyed Steam Turbine Blades
Authors: Fameso Festus , Desai Dawood , Kok Schalk , Armfield Dylan , Newby Mark
Published: August 2022

In-service turbine blade failures remain a source of concern and research interest for engineers and industry professionals with attendant safety and economic implications. Very high-pressure shock impacts from laser shots represent an evolving technique currently gaining traction for surface improvement and failure mitigation in engineering components. However, the physical characteristics and effects of parameter variations on a wide range of materials are still not fully understood and adequately researched, especially from a computational point of view. Using the commercial finite element code ABAQUS©, this paper explores the application of laser shock peening (LSP) in the enhancement of residual stresses in Chromium-based steel alloyed turbine blade material. Results of the numerically developed and experimentally validated LSP model show that peak compressive residual stresses (CRS) of up to 700 MPa can be induced on the surface and sub-surface layers, while the informed varying of input parameters can be used to achieve an increase in the magnitude of CRS imparted in the peened material. Analysis of the hierarchy of influence of the five input parameters under investigation on residual stress enhancement reveals the laser shock intensity as the most influential, followed in descending order of influence by the exposure time, shot size, degree of overlaps, and the angle of shot impact.
Insight into the Structural, Electronic, Elastic, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of Cubic Fluoroperovskites ABF3 (A = Tl, B = Nb, V) Compounds: Probed by DFT
Authors: Shah Saima Ahmad , Husain Mudasser , Rahman Nasir , Sohail Mohammad , Khan Rajwali , Alataway Abed , Dewidar Ahmed Z. , Elansary Hosam O. , Abu El Maati Lamia , Yessoufou Kowiyou , Ullah Asad , Khan Aurangzeb
Published: August 2022

This work displays the structural, electronic, elastic, optical, and magnetic properties in spin-polarized configurations for cubic fluoroperovskite ABF3 (A = Tl, B = Nb, V) compounds studied by density functional theory (DFT) by means of the Tran-Blaha-modified Becke-Johnson (TB-mBJ) approach. The ground state characteristics of these compounds, i.e., the lattice parameters a0, bulk modulus (B), and its pressure derivative B′ are investigated. The structural properties depict that the selected compounds retain a cubic crystalline structure and have stable ground state energy. Electronic-band structures and DOS (density of states) in spin-polarized cases are studied which reports the semiconducting nature of both materials. The TDOS (total density of states) and PDOS (partial density of states) studies in both spin configurations show that the maximum contributions of states to the different bands is due to the B-site (p-states) atoms as well as F (p-states) atoms. Elastic properties including anisotropy factor (A), elastic constants, i.e., C11, C12, and C44, Poisson’s ratio (υ), shear modulus and (G), Young’s modulus (E) are computed. In terms of elastic properties, the higher (bulk modulus) “B” and ratio of “B/G” yield that these materials exhibit a ductile character. Magnetic properties indicate that both the compounds are ferromagnetic. In addition, investigations of the optical spectra including the real (ε1ω) and imaginary (ε2ω) component of the dielectric function, refractive index nω, optical reflectivity Rω, optical conductivity σω, absorption coefficient αω, energy loss function Lω, and electron extinction coefficient kω are carried out which shows the transparent nature of TlVF3 and TlNbF3. Based on the reported research work on these selected materials, their applications can be predicted in many modern electronic gadgets.