bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paclitaxel Inhibits KCNQ Channels in Primary Sensory Neurons to Initiate the Development of Painful Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Wu Zizhen , Toro Gabor , Xu Guoying , Dang Danny , Prater Charmaine , Yang Qing
Published: December 2022

Cancer patients undergoing paclitaxel infusion usually experience peripheral nerve degeneration and serious neuropathic pain termed paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN). However, alterations in the dose or treatment schedule for paclitaxel do not eliminate PIPN, and no therapies are available for PIPN, despite numerous studies to uncover the mechanisms underlying the development/maintenance of this condition. Therefore, we aimed to uncover a novel mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of PIPN. Clinical studies suggest that acute over excitation of primary sensory neurons is linked to the pathogenesis of PIPN. We found that paclitaxel-induced acute hyperexcitability of primary sensory neurons results from the paclitaxel-induced inhibition of KCNQ potassium channels (mainly KCNQ2), found abundantly in sensory neurons and axons. We found that repeated application of XE-991, a specific KCNQ channel blocker, induced PIPN-like alterations in rats, including mechanical hypersensitivity and degeneration of peripheral nerves, as detected by both morphological and behavioral assays. In contrast, genetic deletion of KCNQ2 from peripheral sensory neurons in mice significantly attenuated the development of paclitaxel-induced peripheral sensory fiber degeneration and chronic pain. These findings may lead to a better understanding of the causes of PIPN and provide an impetus for developing new classes of KCNQ activators for its therapeutic treatment.
Virtual Filter Membranes in a Microfluidic System for Sorting and Separating Size-Based Micro Polystyrene Beads by Illumination Intensity Design in Optically Induced Dielectrophoresis (ODEP)
Authors: Yang Chia-Ming , Wu Ai-Yun , Yu Jian-Cyun , Chu Po-Yu , Hsieh Chia-Hsun , Wu Min-Hsien
Published: December 2022

In biomedical diagnosis, the efficient separation and purification of specific targets from clinical samples is the desired first step. Herein, the concept of virtual filter membranes based on optically-induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) manipulation in a microfluidic channel is proposed as a light screening membrane for the separation of polystyrene (PS) microparticles with three different diameters of 15.8, 10.8 and 5.8 µm. The ODEP manipulation velocity of three types of PS microparticles reacted with the color brightness setting was investigated to determine the light intensity to induce an ODEP force higher than the drag force of fluid speed. The color brightness of the light bar in three areas of the light screening membrane was selected as 60%, 70% and 100% to isolate PS microparticles with diameters of 15.8, 10.8 and 5.8 µm, respectively. With a double light bar and a flow rate of 3 µL/min, the recovery rate and isolation purity was improved by 95.1~100% and 94.4~98.6% from the mixture of three types of PS microparticles within 2 min, respectively. This proposed light screening membrane could be a candidate for the separation of small-volume and rare biomedical samples, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and bacteria in the blood.
Diagnosis and Management of Keratoconus—A Narrative Review of Clinicians’ Perspectives
Authors: Song Minji , Chen Tanya , Moktar Adam , Chan Elsie , Chong Elaine W , Daniell Mark , Sahebjada Srujana
Published: December 2022

This review discusses the current practices, attitudes, and trends in diagnosing and managing keratoconus (KC) in adults and children by optometrists and ophthalmologists in order to highlight the differences on a global scale. Two independent reviewers searched the electronic databases and grey literature for all potential articles published from 1 January 2000 to 1 June 2022 on management of KC. Keywords used in searches included “keratoconus”, “diagnosis”, “management”, “treatment”, “attitude”, “practices”, “opinion”, “optometrist”, “ophthalmologist”, “consensus”, and “protocol”. A total of 19 articles was included in this review—12 from the database search and seven from the grey literature. Although a common stepwise approach of non-surgical management was noted, there were differences in the rates of prescribing rigid gas permeable lenses. Furthermore, while clinicians agreed on the need for early diagnosis, the timeline and type of referral varied significantly. A similar discordance was found in the milestones for surgical intervention and preferred surgical techniques. Practice patterns in keratoconus diagnosis and management vary throughout the world. Multiple recommendations and suggestions to minimise the differences have been provided in the literature, with the main themes being improvement in education, interdisciplinary patient care, and further research to reach consensus.
The Associations between Father Involvement and Father–Daughter Relationship Quality on Girls’ Experience of Social Bullying Victimization
Authors: Thrasher Shawndaya S. , Malm Esther K. , Kim Cana
Published: December 2022

With much research into physical, cyber, and verbal bullying victimization, social bullying victimization is a type of victimization that can be hidden. Studies about Black father involvement have found involvement to be a buffer to adverse and risky behaviors of children, including different forms of victimization experienced by their daughters. This study examined one gap in the literature: the direct and potentially indirect associations between father involvement and father–child relationship quality on child reports of social bullying victimization among girls. The cross-sectional sample of 368 Black fathers and their daughters was sourced from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Data from wave 5 were selected for the child (age 9) and father because social bullying victimization was first measured at this time point. Logistic regression analysis findings showed father involvement was associated with lower social bullying victimization. In addition, talking and sharing ideas quite well rather than extremely well with their fathers was associated with higher odds of social bullying victimization. Father–daughter relationship quality did not mediate the father involvement and social bullying victimization relationship. Findings provide additional support to include fathers, particularly Black fathers, in intervention/prevention efforts and the importance of increasing awareness and benefits of father involvement in subtle forms of victimization such as social bullying victimization among Black families.
Real-Time Muscle Activity and Joint Range of Motion Monitor to Improve Shoulder Pain Rehabilitation in Wheelchair Basketball Players: A Non-Randomized Clinical Study
Authors: Farì Giacomo , Megna Marisa , Fiore Pietro , Ranieri Maurizio , Marvulli Riccardo , Bonavolontà Valerio , Bianchi Francesco Paolo , Puntillo Filomena , Varrassi Giustino , Reis Victor Machado
Published: December 2022

Wheelchair basketball (WB) involves sports gestures that expose the shoulder to high biomechanical stress and frequently lead to shoulder pain (SP). Due to their physical peculiarities and sporting performance, these athletes require specific rehabilitation programs that are as fast, personalized and effective as possible. However, there are few studies specifically dedicated to these purposes. Surface electromyography (sEMG) seems a promising tool for better customization and achieving more targeted rehabilitation results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of sEMG to monitor SP rehabilitation outcomes in WB players. Thirty-three athletes were enrolled in this non-randomized clinical study and divided into two groups. Both groups underwent a shoulder rehabilitation protocol, but only the experimental group was monitored in real time with sEMG on the shoulders. At enrollment (T0), at the end of 4 weeks of the rehabilitation program (T1), and 8 weeks after T1 (T2), the following outcome measures were collected: Wheelchair User’s Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI), 20 m straight line test, shoulder abduction range of motion (ROM). There was a statistically significant difference for WUSPI and ROM scores in the comparison between groups (p < 0.001), and for all outcomes in the comparison between times and in the interaction between time and group (p < 0.001). Therefore, the experimental group showed a better improvement at all detection times compared to the control group. sEMG seems a useful tool for improving the monitoring of SP rehabilitation outcomes in WB players. This monitoring speeds up and improves the rehabilitative results, limiting the risk of sport abandonment and increasing the possibility for people with disabilities to quickly return to practice physical activity.
Crystal Structure, Raman Spectrum and Tl+ Lone-Pair Luminescence of Thallium(I) Dodecahydro-Monocarba-closo-Dodecaborate Tl[CB11H12]
Authors: Bareiß Kevin U. , Enseling David , Jüstel Thomas , Schleid Thomas
Published: December 2022

Tl[CB11H12] was prepared with a reaction of Tl2[CO3] with the acid of the monocarba-closo-dodecaborate anion (H3O)[CB11H12] in aqueous solution as prismatic colorless single crystals by isothermal evaporation from the clear brine. It crystallizes in a monoclinic primitive structure with the space group P21/c (a = 685.64(3) pm, b = 1978.21(9) pm, c = 1006.89(5) pm, β = 132.918(3)° for Z = 4), which can be derived from the halite-type arrangement if the closo-carbaborate cages are considered as spheres. Due to the different atoms in the [CB11H12]− anion, Tl[CB11H12] features interesting C–Hδ+ ∙∙∙ δ−H–B interactions near to non-classical hydrogen bridges (“dihydrogen bonds”) and exhibits considerably different luminescence properties compared to regular closo-hydroborates, such as Tl2[B10H10], Tl2[B12H12] and Tl3Cl[B12H12]. Tl[CB11H12] shows strong photoluminescence (PL) at 390 nm, while the excitation bands for this broad band are located at 245 and 280 nm. It is caused by an interconfigurational [Xe]4f145d106s2 (3P1) to [Xe]4f145d106s16p1 (1S0) transition, which is also known as lone-pair luminescence. The quantum yield is rather low (<10 %), which is likely caused by the rather large Stokes shift. In addition, temperature-dependent emission spectra were recorded to determine the thermal quenching curve and the respective quenching temperature.
Protein Glycosylation as Biomarkers in Gynecologic Cancers
Authors: Shen Hung , Lee Chia-Yi , Chen Chi-Hau
Published: December 2022

Gynecologic cancers are the leading cause of death in women. Endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancer are the three main types of gynecologic cancers. Poor prognoses and high mortality rates of advanced-stage cancer are still challenges of all three types. Diagnostic tools for early cancer detection could be the cornerstone for further cancer treatment and prevention. Glycosylation plays a vital role in cell proliferation, adhesion, motility, and angiogenesis, and is aberrantly expressed in cancer cells. Alterations of glycosylation may represent promising biomarkers with potential diagnostic and monitoring applications, as well as disease prognosis. Many glycosylated biomarkers, including glycoprotein, glycan, and enzyme, were discovered and well-studied for application in gynecologic cancers. Some of them have been developed as targets for cancer treatment. The use of certain biomarkers for diagnostics and monitoring of gynecologic cancers has clinical advantages, as it is quantitative, comparable, convenient, and inexpensive. However, one of the single markers have sufficient sensitivity for the screening of gynecologic cancers. In this review, we introduced the details of glycosylation and the current application of glycosylated biomarkers in these three cancers. Moreover, we also reviewed the different roles of each biomarker in other cancers and aimed to understand these glycosylated biomarkers comprehensively.
Aptamer-Based Electrochemical Biosensors for the Detection of Salmonella: A Scoping Review
Authors: Zambry Nor , Ahmad Najib Mohamad , Awang Mohd , Selvam Kasturi , Khalid Muhammad , Bustami Yazmin , Hamzah Hairul , Ozsoz Mehmet , Abd Manaf Asrulnizam , Aziah Ismail
Published: December 2022

The development of rapid, accurate, and efficient detection methods for Salmonella can significantly control the outbreak of salmonellosis that threatens global public health. Despite the high sensitivity and specificity of the microbiological, nucleic-acid, and immunological-based methods, they are impractical for detecting samples outside of the laboratory due to the requirement for skilled individuals and sophisticated bench-top equipment. Ideally, an electrochemical biosensor could overcome the limitations of these detection methods since it offers simplicity for the detection process, on-site quantitative analysis, rapid detection time, high sensitivity, and portability. The present scoping review aims to assess the current trends in electrochemical aptasensors to detect and quantify Salmonella. This review was conducted according to the latest Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A literature search was performed using aptamer and Salmonella keywords in three databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Springer. Studies on electrochemical aptasensors for detecting Salmonella published between January 2014 and January 2022 were retrieved. Of the 787 studies recorded in the search, 29 studies were screened for eligibility, and 15 studies that met the inclusion criteria were retrieved for this review. Information on the Salmonella serovars, targets, samples, sensor specification, platform technologies for fabrication, electrochemical detection methods, limit of detection (LoD), and detection time was discussed to evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of the developed electrochemical aptasensor platform for the detection of Salmonella. The reported electrochemical aptasensors were mainly developed to detect Salmonella enterica Typhimurium in chicken meat samples. Most of the developed electrochemical aptasensors were fabricated using conventional electrodes (13 studies) rather than screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) (two studies). The developed aptasensors showed LoD ranges from 550 CFU/mL to as low as 1 CFU/mL within 5 min to 240 min of detection time. The promising detection performance of the electrochemical aptasensor highlights its potential as an excellent alternative to the existing detection methods. Nonetheless, more research is required to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the electrochemical sensing platform for Salmonella detection, particularly in human clinical samples, to enable their future use in clinical practice.
A Dual Adaptive Interaction Click-Through Rate Prediction Based on Attention Logarithmic Interaction Network
Authors: Li Shiqi , Cui Zhendong , Pei Yongquan
Published: December 2022

Click-through rate (CTR) prediction is crucial for computing advertisement and recommender systems. The key challenge of CTR prediction is to accurately capture user interests and deliver suitable advertisements to the right people. However, there are an immense number of features in CTR prediction datasets, which hardly fit when only using an individual feature. To solve this problem, feature interaction that combines several features via an operation is introduced to enhance prediction performance. Many factorizations machine-based models and deep learning methods have been proposed to capture feature interaction for CTR prediction. They follow an enumeration-filter pattern that could not determine the appropriate order of feature interaction and useful feature interaction. The attention logarithmic network (ALN) is presented in this paper, which uses logarithmic neural networks (LNN) to model feature interactions, and the squeeze excitation (SE) mechanism to adaptively model the importance of higher-order feature interactions. At first, the embedding vector of the input was absolutized and a very small positive number was added to the zeros of the embedding vector, which made the LNN input positive. Then, the adaptive-order feature interactions were learned by logarithmic transformation and exponential transformation in the LNN. Finally, SE was applied to model the importance of high-order feature interactions adaptively for enhancing CTR performance. Based on this, the attention logarithmic interaction network (ALIN) was proposed for the effectiveness and accuracy of CTR, which integrated Newton’s identity into ALN. ALIN supplements the loss of information, which is caused by the operation becoming positive and by adding a small positive value to the embedding vector. Experiments are conducted on two datasets, and the results prove that ALIN is efficient and effective.
Ising Model: Recent Developments and Exotic Applications
Authors: Lipowski Adam
Published: December 2022

Solving in his PhD thesis the one-dimensional version of a certain lattice model of ferromagnetism formulated by his supervisor Lenz [...]
SDA-RDOS: A New Secure Data Aggregation Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks in IoT Resistant to DOS Attacks
Authors: Dener Murat
Published: December 2022

In a typical Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), thousands of sensor nodes can be distributed in the environment. Then, each sensor node transmits its detected data to the base station with the help of cooperation. In this type of network, data aggregation protocols are used to increase the network’s lifetime and reduce each sensor node’s communication load and energy consumption. With Data Clustering, the density of data circulating in the network is reduced, thus increasing the network’s life. Energy, delay, and efficiency are essential criteria in Data Clustering; however, security is another crucial aspect to be considered. A comprehensive solution for secure data clustering has yet to be seen when the literature is examined. In the solutions developed, data availability, which means that the WSN is resistant to Denial of Service (DOS) attacks, has been neglected too much, even though confidentiality, integrity, and authentication are met with different algorithms. This study developed a comprehensive, secure clustering protocol by considering all security requirements, especially data availability. The developed protocol uses the blowfish encryption algorithm, EAX mode, and RSA algorithm. The proposed protocol was theoretically analyzed, empirically evaluated, and simulated from many perspectives. Comparisons were made with LSDAR, SUCID, and OOP-MDCRP protocols. As a result of the study, a comprehensive security solution is provided and more successful results were obtained according to Energy Efficiency, Network Lifetime, Average Delay, and Packet delivery ratio criteria.
A Book-Influence-Evaluation Method Based on User Ratings of E-Commerce Platform
Authors: Lu Junwen , Zhan Xinrong , Zhan Xintao , Shi Lihui
Published: December 2022

In online social networks, finding high-influence nodes is a crucial component of complex network research. A new book impact evaluation method based on user rating is proposed in this research for the social network created by the buying and selling behaviors on the e-commerce platform. It intends to rank the book nodes in accordance with customer feedback data following user purchases. The method calculates the influence score of a book by predicting its popularity based on user evaluations of the book. To verify the validity and accuracy of the method, the research analyzes a real review dataset from Amazon, a large e-commerce platform, and designs two comparison experiments with different time spans and compares them with five other web analytics metrics. The experimental findings show that the method is efficient and precise in evaluating the influence of book nodes.
ACUTE: Attentional Communication Framework for Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning in Partially Communicable Scenarios
Authors: Zhao Chengzhang , Zhao  Jidong , Du Zhekai , Lu  Ke
Published: December 2022

Multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) aims to study the behavior of multiple agents in a shared environment. Existing communication-based MARL methods seldom consider the case of communication interference. However, such situations are not rare in real-world inter-agent communication. The majority of previous MARL methods struggle to design effective communication techniques for better cooperation between agents without considering communication reliability or channel capacity constraints. In addition, these models are typically not ready to be extended to large-scale multi-agent systems. To address these issues, in this paper, we propose a method named the Attentional CommUnicaTion FramEwork (ACUTE), which enables efficient communication between agents in a dynamic environment and improves the effectiveness of decision-making by using the most useful information from other agents. Specifically, we introduce an attention mechanism for the feature extraction of information during communication which determines the importance of messages received by agents. We evaluate the performance of our approach under different channel capacity constraints. Experimental results show that our model can efficiently exploit messages transmitted in unreliable channels for higher returns when compared to existing methods and can be applied to large-scale multi-agent systems.
Power Consumption and Effectiveness of Azimuth Stern-Drive (ASD) Tug While Assisting at Ship’s Bow
Authors: Artyszuk Jarosław , Zalewski Paweł
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this article is to present a methodical approach to increasing the efficiency of a tug with an azimuth stern drive (ASD). The difficulties in the bow-to-bow (as a reverse tractor) operations of an azimuth stern-drive tug, while pulling at the assisted (towed) ship’s bow, are investigated through a parametric study. The authors’ original generic analytical model of a tug in a steady state is utilised. Various design and operation options are also compared, which cover the escort speed, hawser angle, and relative location of the towing point, among others. The latter also means a shift to stern-to-bow operation. The thruster power required and the remaining surplus for executing new alignment (steering) orders are assessed. The study is, thus, aimed at energy savings for the whole operation and, consequently, at long-term harbour-tug-fleet energy effectiveness. The basic output of the present research is the comparison of the behavioural and control patterns of various tug arrangements at a ship’s bow. The results of the study show a slight advantage for a midship winch tug working through her stern for bow operation (stern-to-bow) over the reverse tractor acting bow-to-bow. Comparing various tug designs or operation options is difficult due to complicated tug dynamics and statics patterns under the hawser action. Both relative and absolute towing forces have to be considered (a high relative force may result in a low absolute force, much less than ordered by the pilot), with some geometrical and safety constraints additionally. The practical implementation of the conducted research should cover the guidance and training rendered to tug masters in the scope of the operational limitations of a particular tug and towards the design or acquisition of the tug that is best-suited for a particular harbour operation.
Study on Heat Transfer Characteristics and Performance of the Full Premixed Cauldron Stove with Porous Media
Authors: Zheng Dingming , Su Lei , Ou Haoyu , Ruan Shijie
Published: December 2022

The cauldron stoves used in restaurants and canteens usually adopt the combustion mode of blast diffusion. Low combustion efficiency leads to low thermal efficiency and high CO and NOx emissions. To address these problems, a 52 kW fully premixed stove with porous media is designed, and the heat transfer characteristics of the stove are analyzed by theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. The results show that under the rated power, the thermal efficiency of the stove reaches 68.55%, which is more than twice the thermal efficiency of the traditional blast diffusion stove. Among them, the radiant heat efficiency of the stove reaches 47.16%; thus, radiation heat transfer has become an important way of heat transfer of the porous media stove. Moreover, increasing the diameter and emissivity of porous media will increase the radiant thermal efficiency of the stove, but it will significantly reduce the flame temperature. In addition, the influence of the diameter is greater than the emissivity. The increase of the thickness of porous media can significantly improve the preheating temperature of the premixed gas, thus improving the ignition performance of the stove. Additionally, the stove has an appropriate thickness (approximately 3 mm), which not only ensures the preheating temperature but also does not easily allow for breakage and damage of porous media. Increasing the pore density or reducing the porosity of porous media can enhance the ignition performance of the stove. Moreover, the results of numerical simulation verify the theoretical results to a certain extent and shows that there is an optimal flue position as well.
Experimental Study on the Optimal-Based Vibration Control of a Wind Turbine Tower Using a Small-Scale Electric Drive with MR Damper Support
Authors: Martynowicz Paweł
Published: December 2022

The paper presents an experimental implementation of an optimal-based vibration control for a scaled wind turbine tower-nacelle structure. A laboratory model of the approximate power scale of 340 W, equipped with a nonlinear tuned vibration absorber (TVA), is analysed. For control purposes, a combined operation of a small-scale electric servo drive and a magnetorheological (MR) damper is used in the TVA system. Nonlinearities of both the electric drive and the MR damper are intrinsic parts of the adopted nonlinear control concept. The aim of the research is the simple-hardware real-time implementation and the experimental investigation of the simultaneous actuator and damper control, including the analysis of the influence of optimal control law parameters and quality function weights on the vibration attenuation efficiency and actuator energy demand. As a reference, an optimal-based, modified ground-hook control with the single goal of the primary structure deflection minimisation is used along with the passive system with zero MR damper current and idling electric actuator, proving the advantages of the proposed method. The regarded solutions guarantee 57% maximum structure deflection reduction concerning the passive TVA configuration, using an MR damper of 32 N maximum force and an electric drive of 12.5 N nominal force and 0.76 W nominal power. An interesting alternative is the optimal control concept tuned with regard to the actuator power minimisation—it provides 30% maximum structure deflection attenuation (concerning the passive TVA configuration) while using a passive damper of 3.3 N maximum force and an actuator of 0.17 W nominal power only. It makes evident the advantage of the properly tuned optimal control algorithm over the modified ground-hook law—it requires 51% less actuator energy than the latter parametrised to exhibit the same vibration attenuation properties.
Solar Energy Powered Decentralized Smart-Grid for Sustainable Energy Supply in Low-Income Countries: Analysis Considering Climate Change Influences in Togo
Authors: Amega Kokou , Laré Yendoubé , Bhandari Ramchandra , Moumouni Yacouba , Egbendewe Aklesso , Sawadogo Windmanagda , Madougou Saidou
Published: December 2022

A smart and decentralized electrical system, powered by grid-connected renewable energy (RE) with a reliable storage system, has the potential to change the future socio-economic dynamics. Climate change may, however, affect the potential of RE and its related technologies. This study investigated the impact of climate change on photovoltaic cells’ temperature response and energy potential under two CO2 emission scenarios, RCP2.6 and 8.5, for the near future (2024–2040) and mid-century (2041–2065) in Togo. An integrated Regional Climate Model version 4 (RegCM4) from the CORDEX-CORE initiative datasets has been used as input. The latter platform recorded various weather variables, such as solar irradiance, air temperature, wind speed and direction, and relative humidity. Results showed that PV cells’ temperature would likely rise over all five regions in the country and may trigger a decline in the PV potential under RCP2.6 and 8.5. However, the magnitude of the induced change, caused by the changing climate, depended on two major factors: (1) the PV technology and (2) geographical position. Results also revealed that these dissimilarities were more pronounced under RCP8.5 with the amorphous technology. It was further found that, nationally, the average cell temperature would have risen by 1 °C and 1.82 °C under RCP2.6 and 8.5, in that order, during the 2024–2065 period for a-Si technology. Finally, the PV potential would likely decrease, on average, by 0.23% for RCP2.6 and 0.4% for RCP8.5 for a-Si technology.
Prospects for the Implementation of Underground Hydrogen Storage in the EU
Authors: Uliasz-Misiak Barbara , Lewandowska-Śmierzchalska Joanna , Matuła Rafał , Tarkowski Radosław
Published: December 2022

The hydrogen economy is one of the possible directions of development for the European Union economy, which in the perspective of 2050, can ensure climate neutrality for the member states. The use of hydrogen in the economy on a larger scale requires the creation of a storage system. Due to the necessary volumes, the best sites for storage are geological structures (salt caverns, oil and gas deposits or aquifers). This article presents an analysis of prospects for large-scale underground hydrogen storage in geological structures. The political conditions for the implementation of the hydrogen economy in the EU Member States were analysed. The European Commission in its documents (e.g., Green Deal) indicates hydrogen as one of the important elements enabling the implementation of a climate-neutral economy. From the perspective of 2050, the analysis of changes and the forecast of energy consumption in the EU indicate an increase in electricity consumption. The expected increase in the production of energy from renewable sources may contribute to an increase in the production of hydrogen and its role in the economy. From the perspective of 2050, discussed gas should replace natural gas in the chemical, metallurgical and transport industries. In the longer term, the same process will also be observed in the aviation and maritime sectors. Growing charges for CO2 emissions will also contribute to the development of underground hydrogen storage technology. Geological conditions, especially wide-spread aquifers and salt deposits allow the development of underground hydrogen storage in Europe.
Review of Bus Differential Protection Using IEC 61850
Authors: Lima Diomar A. C. , Bernardon Daniel P. , Morais Adriano P. , Oliveira Aécio L. , Hokama Wagner S. , Conceição Júlia B. R. , Sartori Ângelo F.
Published: December 2022

The electrical power system is susceptible to several faults, which can cause the system to malfunction. Among these, the ones that occur in the busbars of substations stand out. The main bus of a substation can concentrate a large amount of power and many derivations to service electrical loads, making it an element of high importance for the reliability of the system. Although the buses have a low incidence of faults, they are considered critical elements of the electrical power system, as their operating output can cause a large number of forced outages. This situation makes the protection of this component of paramount importance. There are currently two widely used bus differential protection techniques: high-impedance and low-impedance bus differential protection. The second technique is more commonly used due to the possibility of sharing current transformers (CTs). However, the high cost and greater requirements for maintenance makes the differential protection of busbars in distribution or sub-transmission substations unfeasible. With the advent and implementation of the IEC 61850 standard, modern protection systems based on this standard offer significant advantages, such as lower expenses with installation, wiring, commissioning and maintenance; adaptable bus configuration; use of different CT ratios; considerably minimized susceptibility to CT saturation; lower risks of open secondary CT circuits and viability of implantation in distribution substations. The objective of this review is to present an overview of the works found in the literature on substation busbar differential protection, considering classical methods and those based on the IEC 61850 standard.
Analysis on Position Estimation Error of Sensorless Control Based on Square-Wave Injection for SynRM Caused by Dead-Time Harmonic Current
Authors: Huang Yuhao , Yang Kai , Luo Cheng
Published: December 2022

Sensorless control based on high-frequency square-wave voltage injection (HFSVI) is one of the most common sensorless control methods for synchronous reluctance motors (SynRMs). However, the injection frequency for SynRMs cannot be too high due to various factors. As the injection frequency decreases, the dead-time harmonic current will greatly affect the separation of high frequency signals. This paper analyzes the effect of dead-time harmonic current on the HFSVI-based sensorless control performance of SynRMs and proposes a source of position estimation error. Then, a dead-time compensation method suitable for filter-free HFSVI is proposed. It can estimate current vector spatial orientation without any low-pass filters (LPFs) and effectively compensate the impact of dead-time setting. The correctness of the theoretical analysis and the feasibility of the proposed methods in this paper are verified by experiments.
Guest Editorial: Special Issue on Short-Term Load Forecasting 2019, Results and Future Perspectives
Authors: Gabaldón Antonio , Ruiz-Abellón María Carmen , Fernández-Jiménez Luis Alfredo
Published: December 2022

In December 2018, the call for the Special Issue “Short-Term Load Forecasting 2019” of the journal Energies was launched [...]
Influence of the Three-Dimensional Effect of Pile-Soil System on the Vertical Dynamic Response of Large-Diameter Piles in Low-Strain Integrity Testing
Authors: Guan Wenjie , Zhang Meixia , Wang Zekun , Jiang Guosheng , Liu Wenqi , Cao Sheng , Leo Chin Jian , An Elieen , Gao Xiaodong , Wu Wenbing
Published: December 2022

The low-strain integrity testing of large-diameter piles has attracted more and more attention because of its wide application in offshore engineering, such as for wind turbines, etc. Body and Rayleigh waves generate on the top surface of large-diameter piles after the excitation load. The multi-reflections of these waves from the pile side result in the obvious three-dimensional effect at the pile top. Therefore, one-dimensional wave theory is no longer suitable for interpreting the wave propagation in the pile body under vertical excitation. In this paper, based on the “pile in pile” conception, both the pile and soil were simulated using a three-dimensional continuum model, considering the vertical displacement, to investigate the influence of the three-dimensional effect of the pile-soil system on the vertical dynamic response of large-diameter piles in low-strain integrity testing. The axisymmetric solution to the three-dimensional pile-soil system was obtained, and the rationality of the proposed solution was verified by comparing it with the results of the finite element method and the results of other existing solutions. Arithmetic examples were used to describe the influence of the three-dimensional effect of the pile-soil system on the vertical dynamic response of large-diameter piles.
Bridging the Affordability between Battery-Supported Electric Cooking and Conventional Cooking Fuel
Authors: Keddar Shafiqa , Strachan Scott , Galloway Stuart
Published: December 2022

Cooking with electricity (eCook) in low-and-middle-income developing countries is still an expensive option compared to using conventional fuels such as charcoal and firewood, so there is a need to identify solutions to make it affordable for all in line with the targets of SDG7. The initial aim of this paper is to understand and provide a comparative analysis of the cooking energy costs through a range of contextualized cooking scenarios—when cooking either with conventional fuels (e.g., charcoal, firewood) or with eCook appliances (e.g., electric pressure cookers (EPC) or hotplates), that are connected to and supplied from an integrated or portable battery (eCook battery). The cooking cost for the eCook cooking scenarios is assessed with and without fuel stacking where a degree of eCook exists alongside other conventional fuels. These studies offer a more realistic concept of the cooking practice to characterize the best fit for cooking scenarios and the main factors required to close the gap between the energy cost of conventional fuel and eCook batteries. The results suggest that to close the affordability gap between firewood and battery-based eCook, three main factors must be considered when estimating the cooking cost: the non-market cost of firewood; ensuring a low mini-grid tariff that is within range of the national grid tariff; and using an optimal eCook battery size with the capability to meet the required demand. In fact, when taking these factors into account; for the 2022 analysis, cooking 100% using an eCook battery is in a range of USD 29–30/month implying that there could be an opportunity for parity when the firewood cost reaches USD 29/month. The same applies to the cooking prediction costs for 2030, reducing further to USD 20–21/month. However, if the firewood is harvested sustainably, ensuring it is high in quality and dry, it would be difficult for battery eCook to compete. It should be emphasized that this research has relevance for governments, practitioners, and researchers.
Quantitative Identification of Water Sources of Coalbed Methane Wells, Based on the Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes of Produced Water—A Case of the Zhijin Block, South China
Authors: Lu Lingling , Guo Chen , Chen Zhenlong , Yuan Hang
Published: December 2022

The quantitative identification of water sources is an important prerequisite for objectively evaluating the degree of aquifer interference and predicting the production potential of coalbed methane (CBM) wells. However, this issue has not been solved yet, and water sources are far from being completely understood. Stable water isotopes are important carriers of water source information, which can be used to identify the water sources for CBM wells. Taking the Zhijin block in the Western Guizhou Province as an example, the produced water samples were collected from CBM wells. The relationships between the stable isotopic compositions of the produced water samples and the production data were quantitatively analyzed. The following main conclusions were obtained. (1) The δD and δ18O values of the produced water samples were between −73.37‰ and −27.56‰ (average −56.30‰) and between −11.04‰ and −5.93‰ (average −9.23‰), respectively. The water samples have D-drift characteristics, showing the dual properties of atmospheric precipitation genesis and water–rock interaction modification of the produced water. An index d was constructed to enable the quantitative characterization of the degree of D-drift of the produced water. (2) The stable isotopic compositions of produced water showed the control of the water sources on the CBM productivity. The probability of being susceptible to aquifer interference increased with the increasing span of the producing seam combination, reflected in the lowering δD and δ18O values and the decreasing gas productivity. (3) Three types of water, namely, static water, dynamic water, and mixed water, were identified. The characteristic values of the isotopic compositions of the static and dynamic water were determined. Accordingly, a quantitative identification method for the produced water sources was constructed, based on their stable isotopic compositions. The identification results have a clear correlation with the gas production, and the output of the static water contributes to the efficient CBM production. The method for the quantitative identification of the water sources proposed in this study, can help to improve the CBM development efficiency and optimize the drainage technology.
Characterization of Biofilm Microbiome Formation Developed on Novel 3D-Printed Zeolite Biocarriers during Aerobic and Anaerobic Digestion Processes
Authors: Chioti Afroditi G. , Tsioni Vasiliki , Patsatzis Stefanos , Filidou Eirini , Banti Dimitra , Samaras Petros , Economou Eleni Anna , Kostopoulou Eleni , Sfetsas Themistoklis
Published: December 2022

Background: Aerobic or anaerobic digestion is involved in treating agricultural and municipal waste, and the addition of biocarriers has been proven to improve them further. We synthesized novel biocarriers utilizing zeolites and different inorganic binders and compared their efficiency with commercially available biocarriers in aerobic and anaerobic digestion systems. Methods: We examined BMP and several physicochemical parameters to characterize the efficiency of novel biocarriers on both systems. We also determined the SMP and EPS content of synthesized biofilm and measured the adherence and size of the forming biofilm. Finally, we characterized the samples by 16S rRNA sequencing to determine the crucial microbial communities involved. Results: Evaluating BMP results, ZSM-5 zeolite with bentonite binder emerged, whereas ZSM-5 zeolite with halloysite nanotubes binder stood out in the wastewater treatment experiment. Twice the relative frequencies of archaea were found on novel biocarriers after being placed in AD batch reactors, and >50% frequencies of Proteobacteria after being placed in WWT reactors, compared to commercial ones. Conclusions: The newly synthesized biocarriers were not only equally efficient with the commercially available ones, but some were even superior as they greatly enhanced aerobic or anaerobic digestion and showed strong biofilm formation and unique microbiome signatures.
Replacement of Dietary Fishmeal by Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Hermetia illucens) Meal in Practical Diets for Juvenile Tench (Tinca tinca)
Authors: Carral Jose M. , Sáez-Royuela María
Published: December 2022

The development of specific diets for the juvenile stage is a main target for culture intensification of tench (Tinca tinca). Aquafeeds still rely heavily on the use of fishmeal (FM) but concerns about economic and ecological sustainability make the use of alternative protein sources necessary. Insect meals are considered a promising substitute to replace FM. In a 90-day experiment, 6 diets with different replacement levels of FM by partially defatted black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM): 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, 60% and 75%, were tested on juvenile tench. Survival rates were high (95.8–100%) without differences between treatments. Diet with 45% FM replacement allowed for best growth performance in terms of total length (TL = 66.4 mm) and weight (W = 4.19 g), without differences with 60% and 75% of replacement. A cubic relationship was evidenced between the level of FM replacement and growth. From the regression equations, the estimated optimal level of FM replacement was 47% (356 g BSFLM kg−1 diet). Externally visible deformities were always under 0.05%. The whole-body lipid content of the fish had a significantly negative linear regression with BSFLM (r2 = 0.80). The content of the essential amino acids (EAA) arginine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, methionine, and threonine in diets decreased with dietary BSFLM inclusion. However, it did not have a negative effect on growth performance, suggesting that EAA requirements were covered. The amount of essential amino acids in whole-body juveniles was similar independently of the diet provided. The results allow considering BSFLM as a sustainable protein source for juvenile tench feeding.
A Power Compensation Strategy for Achieving Homogeneous Microstructures for 4D Printing Shape-Adaptive PNIPAM Hydrogels: Out-of-Plane Variations
Authors: Tan Liyuan , Lee Hyunjin , Fang Li , Cappelleri David J.
Published: December 2022

In the last decade, 3D printing has attracted significant attention and has resulted in benefits to many research areas. Advances in 3D printing with smart materials at the microscale, such as hydrogels and liquid crystalline polymers, have enabled 4D printing and various applications in microrobots, micro-actuators, and tissue engineering. However, the material absorption of the laser power and the aberrations of the laser light spot will introduce a decay in the polymerization degree along the height direction, and the solution to this problem has not been reported yet. In this paper, a compensation strategy for the laser power is proposed to achieve homogeneous and high aspect ratio hydrogel structures at the microscale along the out-of-plane direction. Linear approximations for the power decay curve are adopted for height steps, discretizing the final high aspect ratio structures. The strategy is achieved experimentally with hydrogel structures fabricated by two-photon polymerization. Moreover, characterizations have been conducted to verify the homogeneity of the printed microstructures. Finally, the saturation of material property is investigated by an indirect 3D deformation method. The proposed strategy is proved to be effective and can be explored for other hydrogel materials showing significant deformation. Furthermore, the strategy for out-of-plane variations provides a critical technique to achieve 4D-printed homogeneous shape-adaptive hydrogels for further applications.
The Effects of Motor Imagery on Pain in Lower Limb Sports Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Plakoutsis George , Paraskevopoulos Eleftherios , Zavvos Athanasios , Papandreou Maria
Published: December 2022

This review evaluated the efficacy of Motor Imagery intervention in athletes with lower limb sports injuries that could affect their pain levels during rehabilitation. We carried out a thorough research of the scientific literature for RCT studies in athletes with lower limb musculoskeletal sports injuries including search terms Motor Imagery AND pain, Motor Imagery AND sport injuries, Motor Imagery AND lower limb. We searched 3 major databases, PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect, with the search period ranging from their inception until May 2022. We assessed the quality of the studies using the PEDro Scale and the data was recorded and extracted with the use of Mendeley software. The search criteria resulted in a pool of 10.107 possible articles. Upon completion of the selection procedure, only 3 RCT studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 60 injured athletes (n = 18 with ankle sprain and n = 42 with ACL injuries). The meta-analysis showed no statistically significant positive effects of MI intervention on pain intensity after lower limb sports injuries (n = 60; MD = −1.57; 95% CI: −3.60 to 0.46; I2 = 50%; p = 0.13). The limited number of studies could justify the statistically insignificant effect of MI, but although the methodological quality of the studies was moderate to high, the heterogeneity of them was also relatively high. More RCT’s are required to explore the effect of MI on pain in athletes with lower limb injuries in order to address psychophysiological processes during rehabilitation.