bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Study of a Lab Scale Carbonator for CO2 Capture Purpose
Authors: Lorreyte Clarisse , Parmaksiz Hazal , Lachmann Bruno , Tescari Stefania , de Oliveira Lamark , D’Arc de Fátima Palhares Dayana , Moumin Gkiokchan , Rincon Duarte Juan Pablo , Fend Thomas , Roeb Martin , Sattler Christian
Published: September 2024

Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) and Calcium Looping (CaL) have emerged as promising technologies for reducing CO2 emissions, particularly in industries like cement production. The synergy of these processes relies on a reversible chemical reaction involving calcium oxide (CaO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Two reactors, a calciner and a carbonator, facilitate this process, releasing and capturing CO2 from CaCO3 and CaO particles, respectively.

This study introduces a lab-scale carbonator designed for CO2 capture within the context of CCU and CaL technologies. The innovative design details are elaborated upon in this paper. Experimental tests, varying parameters such as CO2 concentration (10–30 vol%) and the mass flow of CaO particles, were conducted to assess carbonation efficiency. CO2 capture efficiencies between 64 and 82% were measured.

While these results are preliminary, indicating the potential of the novel reactor concept, an ongoing study further explores and refines these findings. In addition to unveiling the design intricacies, this study emphasizes the feasibility of integrating the novel reactor concept into a CaL cycle, showcasing its adaptability to a broader size distribution of particles.
Techno-Economic Modeling of CO2 Hydrate Slurry Formation for Carbon Sequestration
Authors: Bhati Awan , Bahadur Vaibhav
Published: September 2024

Significant carbon sequestration capacity (up to 10 Gigatons/yr) will be needed by 2050 to limit the Earth’s temperature rise to < 1.5 °C. The current worldwide capacity is ∼40MT/yr, which highlights the need for the development of new and scalable sequestration approaches. One novel technology for long-term sequestration of CO2 is the deposition of CO2 hydrates (ice-like solids made with water and CO2) on the seabed (under marine sediments or with artificial sealing). This involves rapid formation of CO2 hydrate slurries in a bubble column reactor (BCR) by bubbling CO2 gas at high flow rates in a BCR with the unreacted CO2 being recirculated; this approach is being pioneered by the present research group. This study utilizes recent experimental results on ultra-fast hydrate formation to conduct a techno-economic analysis of the hydrate slurry-making process. All analysis is conducted for a 1 Megaton/yr sequestration project, which is expected to run for 30 years. Our analysis shows that the total cost of hydrate slurry production is $16.2/ton. Such projects would require an initial investment of $74M, and the energy requirement will be 641 MWh/day. Contributions of each part of the process to the total cost are identified. Our results show that gas recirculation in a BCR contributes minimally (0.04%) to the overall energy requirement. Furthermore, the cost of BCR is only 0.3% of the total investment cost. This suggests that a low conversion of gas into hydrates in each pass of the BCR is not detrimental from a techno-economic standpoint. The findings of this study set the stage for more detailed analysis of hydrates-based sequestration, which is essential to add this technology to the existing bank of established carbon sequestration solutions.
Leak Tightness of Valves for the Hydrogen Industry
Authors: Fischer Felix , Schmitz Katharina
Published: September 2024

As part of the energy transition from a fossil-based system to a system based on climate-friendly energy sources, a new energy carrier for mobile applications is needed, replacing conventional fossil-based fuels. With its high energy density, compressed hydrogen is a promising candidate for such an energy carrier. In recent times, there has been an increased industry and research interest in hydrogen technology.

Due to the inherent difficulty as well as dangers of working with inflammable and low-viscosity hydrogen, there is a need for the development of specialized components for the transport and storage of pressurized hydrogen. Due to hydrogen-specific damage on polymeric seals, metallic sealing is the preferable method to hinder the flow of hydrogen through closed valves or unwanted leakage between connecting components such as screw fittings. Until the writing of this paper, the sealing mechanism of seals formed by metals for gases has not been well understood. Existing theories describing liquid leakage through metallic seals cannot be applied without modification to describe gaseous systems.

This article was written to describe how gas leakage can be modeled. In it, a procedure based on the contact mechanics model developed by Persson is presented. It discusses possible solutions to modify the existing flow models utilizing this theory and presents possible adaptations of this theory to sealing relevant to the hydrogen industry.

To support the presented methods, the flow models developed for this paper were compared to measurements on a sample system. The leakage was described using a valve consisting of a steel ball lying on a steel seat, sealing off pressurized air. This experimental validation highlights the successes and shortcomings of the used methods and can be used for the development of a refined model in future works.
Fluid Flow and Combustion Characteristics of Triangular Rotary Engines With Port Configuration Designs
Authors: Hsieh Chiu-Fan , Wang Sheng-Yao
Published: September 2024

The utilization of hydrogen energy in Triangular Rotary Engines (TRE) presents a promising opportunity for the development of environmentally friendly engines and advanced power generation equipment. However, the primary challenge lies in the design and performance prediction of TRE. This study employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to investigate the fluid flow characteristics of a side-ported triangular rotating engine. The impact of varying the number of ports, port positions, and port designs on rotary engine performance is thoroughly examined and compared with the efficiency of a previously modeled triangular rotary peripheral port engine. The analysis considers two types of side ports, single and double, and evaluates three different port designs based on the angle of the port slopes. Additionally, two port position configurations for intake/exhaust openings are explored to comprehensively study port opening geometry. The fluid simulation results reveal differences in mass flow rate, average velocity, and average pressure between peripheral and side-ported TRE, as well as between single and double side-ported configurations. Furthermore, predictions based on fluid moment and vortex number statistics suggest that the side-ported TRE offers lower fluid flow resistance, lower risk of leakage, and higher combustion efficiency compared to the peripheral-ported TRE. Moreover, vortex number statistics in combustion and non-combustion zones are introduced to predict leakage risk and combustion performance, respectively. Predictions indicate that the side-ported TRE has a relatively low risk of leakage and higher combustion efficiency compared to the peripheral-ported TRE. These predictions are further validated through combustion simulations using hydrogen fuel.
Sensor Anomalies Characterization and Detection via Machine Learning Methods for Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Pohlmann Liam M. , Bhowmik Palash K. , Wang Congjian , Sabharwall Piyush
Published: September 2024

Next-generation nuclear reactors pose challenges for effective system monitoring and data management, necessitating the differentiation of anomalous sensor data from noise. While digital twin models hold promise, fundamental analyses using simplified models are needed. This study proposes a foundational approach utilizing simulated data from PCTRAN-generated datasets to emulate reference pressurized-water reactor (PWR) conditions and introduces typical sensor performance and anomalies. The method employs data partitioning, linear regression for preprocessing, and a K-means clustering algorithm for anomaly detection, achieving over 95% precision in identifying anomalies. A parametric study using Monte Carlo Sampling on the anomaly detection algorithm’s input values reveals critical factors such as window size’s impact on accuracy and computational time. Utilizing the Risk Analysis Virtual Environment (RAVEN) tools, a Pareto optimal frontier is determined to balance accuracy and execution time. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis highlight window size as a critical factor. While further refinement is necessary for practical application, these techniques show promise for enhancing nuclear system monitoring and data management.
System and Component Development of Particle-Based Pumped Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Ma Zhiwen , McTigue Josh , Gifford Jeffrey , Hirschey Jason , Jeong Shin Young , Shah Munjal Purnkant , Martinek Janna
Published: September 2024

Reliable power supply from variable renewable resources requires energy storage at various scales to overcome resource intermittency. Long-duration energy storage (LDES, 10–100 hours) can improve dispatchability and grid reliability with increasing levels of renewable power supply. Thermal energy storage (TES) has siting flexibility and the ability to store a large capacity of energy, and thus has the potential to meet the LDES need and provide charging and discharging durations beyond the economic capacity of conventional batteries. TES technology has evolved from concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) generation and is recognized as an economic large-scale energy storage method. A standalone electric-thermal energy storage system supporting renewable integration of wind and solar power without CSP solar field can firm renewable generation and boost overall grid resilience and security.
An Ultra-Short-Term Power Prediction Method for Wind Farms in Northwest China Based on Federated Learning
Authors: Rong Wu , Lin Xiaojie , Cong Feiyun , Zhong Wei
Published: September 2024

Wind power is highly favored due to its minimal environmental impact, great economic benefits, and mature technology. China is developing large-scale wind farms in its northwestern region as a significant part of its Carbon Neutrality strategy. Accurate power prediction for large-scale wind farms is one of the keys to the safe operation of China’s future power grid. Farms of diverse scale and a variety of start-up time have to overcome communication barriers. These factors collectively present challenges to achieving precise power predictions for wind farms. To address this, this paper presents a universal ultra-short-term prediction method for multiple wind farms using an encoder-decoder network based on federated learning. The prediction power sequences are separated into trend and fluctuation components to be predicted separately. While considering the data privacy of different farm owners, this approach overcomes the low accuracy and lack of model universality in power predictions for various wind farms. In experiments, this method achieves an average prediction accuracy of 87.41% in the twelve federated farms, about 5.9% improvement compared to conventional wind power prediction methods. This approach also addresses the challenges of small-sample predictions in newly established wind farms, reaching an 86% average accuracy in five non-federated farms.
Energy Transition Through Voluntary Carbon Credit System
Authors: Vijayamohan Mankayarkarasi Brathikan , Ramalakshmi Murugan Aparna
Published: September 2024

This paper introduces a framework designed to facilitate the transition to clean energy while taking environmental considerations into account. The shift from fossil fuels to clean energy is anticipated to impact the global energy market, emphasizing the need for socio-economic considerations. The rapid adoption of clean energy faces challenges, primarily due to the current underdevelopment of renewable technologies, rendering them insufficient for meeting the escalating energy demand. This situation raises concerns about the potential for an economic recession. Effectively addressing these challenges is of paramount importance, necessitating a prompt transition towards clean energy and eco-friendly technology. A key player in this endeavor is the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a crucial component of the 2005 Kyoto Protocol designed to mitigate emissions. Simultaneously, the Carbon Credit market assumes a significant role by facilitating the trading of carbon emissions, generating revenues that can be strategically invested in the renewable sector. The Carbon Credit system promotes a global culture of responsibility for environmentally conscious actions while also taking into account economic considerations. As the global community grapples with the urgent need for climate action, the collaboration between these mechanisms offers a promising pathway towards a more sustainable and resilient future.
Experimental Insights Into Thermal-Hydraulic Performance of a Compact Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger With Airfoil Fins Using High-Pressure Water
Authors: Liu Weitong , Zhi Haoxing , Qi Han , Fu Yanchen
Published: September 2024

Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) has emerged as a promising candidate for advanced thermal management systems, owing to its high compactness, efficiency, and remarkable reliability under harsh conditions such as high pressure and temperature. The present study constructs an experimental platform with two high-pressure water loops to experimentally investigate the thermal-hydraulic performance of the airfoil-fin PCHE with a hydraulic diameter of 0.87 mm. The heat transfer capacity of the PCHE is beyond 175 kW and the surface-area-to-volume ratio is larger than 1500 m2/m3. The experimental data is obtained at the Reynolds number (Re) ranging from 65.4 to 444 and inlet pressure ranging from 1.58 MPa to 2.75 MPa. The friction coefficient correlation is developed within ±10% deviation with the experimental data. The Nu correlation is also proposed, having a maximum deviation of ±20%. The thermal-hydraulic characteristics of high-pressure water in the PCHE are analyzed, indicating that airfoil-fin PCHE exhibits excellent thermal-hydraulic performance. At extremely low Re (Reh = 199.4 and Rec = 165.4), the overall heat transfer coefficient can still reach 1370.5 W/m2/K. The present work can contribute to designing and optimizing high-performance PCHE with airfoil fins.
Numerical and Experimental Transient Analysis of Water Flash Heating of Mini Channel Heat Exchangers
Authors: Challa Ganga Raju , Rezaei Ehsan , Marangolo Bruno , Bernardini Leonardo , Di Marco Paolo
Published: September 2024

This study aims to design and simulate the dynamic behavior of three prototypes of mini-channel heat exchangers, with water as the working fluid, using COMSOL Multiphysics software and experimentation. The experimental setup comprised a thermally insulated aluminum - Mini Channel Heat Exchanger, where the channels were 3 mm deep and 2 mm wide, with a total exchange area of 0.02 m2. The inlet was connected to a recirculating water-storage tank at 80°C. Calibrated thermocouples were placed at the fluid inlet and outlet to measure the absolute temperature throughout the experiment. The fluid flow rate was maintained at a constant rate of 500 ml/min using PID controllers and monitored continuously using the LabVIEW software. Six resistive heaters were placed symmetrically at the center of each geometry, where the voltage was regulated to achieve the required power for the experiment. The prototypes differ in the amount of metal (aluminum), excluding the heating elements, where the channel geometry remains the same, to check the influence of the dimensions on the material efficiency and its thermal performance. The three prototypes weigh 288 g, 196 g, and 178 g, respectively. Two different heating powers provided by resistive heaters, 675 W, and 1000 W, were considered for this study. The focus of this study, owing to the requirement of instantaneous heating of the working fluid, is the transient study for a very short time, that is, for 10 s and 20 s. During the experimental testing and simulations, the outlet of the third prototype reached 100°C in 6.2 seconds, compared with 15 s and 7 s for the first and second prototypes, respectively.
Thermal Conductivity Characterisation and Quantification of Solid Dielectrics in Nano/Micro Scale Thin Film Systems
Authors: Khaled Mohammad Ehsan , Zhang Liangchi
Published: September 2024

Crystalline dielectrics are better for thermal management in thin films due to higher thermal conductivity, κ than their amorphous counterparts. A powerful tool for investigating the mechanical, thermal, and structural properties of such dielectrics is Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics (EMD). However, EMD with the Green-Kubo (GK) approach, suffer from the selection of interatomic potentials. Conventional EMD/GK also becomes inadequate for bonded atoms with different masses as the Heat Current Autocorrelation Function (HCACF) decays differently compared to a monoatomic system. In this study instead of the conventional scheme to average the HCACF integral, a novel approach is proposed targeting only converged HCACF region eradicating substantial statistical error. This study aims to establish a modified EMD-GK approach to quantify the thermal conductivities of some important solid dielectrics including quartz, sapphire, and Wurtzite AlN. Applying the modified Systematic EMD/GK approach, Thermal conductivity in crystalline dielectrics with EMD-GK is successfully investigated. The uncertainty in the selection of empirical potentials is tackled by validating potentials against experimental thermal conductivity, atomic energy, atomic structure, and phonon properties.
Effect of Different Vertical Curved Surfaces on Bubble Merger Using Lattice Boltzmann Model With Large Density Ratio
Authors: Gao Hongtao , Guo Wenjie , Liu Huaqiang , Niu Dong , Yan Yuying
Published: September 2024

The cross-sectional shape of the lift pipe of the bubble pump is considered to have a significant impact on the merging of rising bubbles. The effects of cross-sectional shapes of pipes and Reynolds number on the rise and coalescence of near-wall bubbles in lithium bromide solutions are investigated. A hybrid thermal multiphase model incorporating the D3Q15 pseudopotential multiphase lattice Boltzmann model with a large density ratio and the finite difference method is utilized. And the volume translated Peng-Robinson (VTPR) state equation is adopted. It is found that the merging time of rising bubbles near the walls of rectangular, circular, elliptical, and triangular cross-section pipes increases in order at the same Reynolds number. Under the same cross-sectional conditions of the pipes, a suitable increase in the Reynolds number will accelerate the merging of bubbles near the wall. This study may offer valuable insights for informing the design of pipe types for bubble pumps in absorption refrigeration systems.
Three-Dimensional Oscillating Heat Pipe: Flow Pattern Transition and Heat Transfer Performance
Authors: Liu Zhang , Ji Yulong , Zhang Dengke
Published: September 2024

The three-dimensional oscillating heat pipe (OHP) could utilize asymmetric heating and cooling to facilitate stable unidirectional flow. At low power levels, the working fluid mainly exhibits a reciprocating oscillation pattern and unidirectional flow is unstable due to insufficient driving force. As power increases, the working fluid can establish stable unidirectional flow within the OHP. With higher power, flow velocity increases, accompanied by localized small-scale oscillations in this process. During low-power oscillatory flow, temperature on both sides of the adiabatic section of the same bend fluctuate significantly. In contrast, during unidirectional flow there is a clear temperature stratification. Additionally, based on flow direction, temperature at the connected pipeline with the higher-temperature adiabatic side. Under anti-gravity conditions, the OHP consistently operates in an oscillatory manner, with temperatures on both sides of the adiabatic section of the same bend being chaotic and overlapping. The flow and flow patterns of the working fluid inside the OHP significantly impact heat transfer performance. Compared to gravity environment, heat transfer resistance and temperature difference increase significantly under anti-gravity conditions, resulting in deteriorated heat transfer performance and lower efficiency.
Pore-Scale Turbulent Physics Informed Neural Network of Turbulent Flow Over Porous Media
Authors: Jang Seohee , Jadidi Mohammad , Mahmoudi Yasser
Published: September 2024

This study explored the application of Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) in pore scale composite-porous fluid systems, where the fluid-saturated porous media interact with the surrounding fluid across the porous-fluid interface. The PINN model deploys two different forms of governing equation: explicit Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and implicit RANS equation with turbulence modelling. Two cases were examined: zero-porous block and non-zero porous block with 36.38% porosity. The comparison between different PINN models focused on the first and second-order statistics of flow fields and prominent flow physics including flow recirculation, wake, channeling and leakage. The implicit RANS PINN exhibited superior accuracy in zero-porous block case with error reduction of 69.56%, 64.07% and 112.30% for Reynolds normal and shear stresses. In the non-zero porous block case, the incorporation of increased numbers of internal training data in implicit PINN resulted in accurate predictions. However, the L2 norm error, which quantifies the prediction accuracy of the PINN model, revealed that the flow variables related to the vertical velocity components caused substantial error. Pore-scale flow physics, including flow channeling and leakage were observed with a similar location of vortical structure around porous media when compared to reference Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) data in the implicit PINN predictions.
Flow Boiling of Zeotropic Refrigerant Mixture R456a in Microchannels
Authors: Xia Yu , Suulker Dilara , Long Zhen , Wang Hua Sheng
Published: September 2024

Zeotropic refrigerant mixtures are widely considered as the alternatives to refrigerants currently used in vapor-compression refrigeration systems for the purpose of lowering GWP. Microchannel heat exchangers prove to be highly efficient and compact. This paper reports local heat flux and local heat-transfer coefficient during flow boiling heat transfer of zeotropic refrigerant mixture R456A in microchannels using an inverse measurement method. The test section is made of two aluminium blocks. Ten parallel horizontal microchannels are machined on the mating surface of the lower block. The channel is 1.0 mm in width, 1.5 mm in height and 440 mm in length. 100 temperature values are measured by 100 thermocouples inserted in holes with 0.6 mm in diameter and 20 mm in depth drilled in the upper and lower blocks, respectively. The local channel surface temperature and local heat flux are obtained by the inverse method using the 100 temperatures measured. The mass flux varied from 200 to 400 kg/m2s, pressure varied from 7 to 9 bar, heating water inlet temperature ranged between 45 and 55°C, and heating water flow rate changed from 310 to 1540 ml/min. The experimental data of flow boiling heat transfer are presented and discussed.
Application of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanoparticles in Thermal Improvement of Oil-Based Nanofluids Stabilized With Non-Ionic Surfactant
Authors: Alsaady Mustafa , Ray Tong Chan , Ilyas Suhaib Umer , Abdulrahman Ayman , Shamsuddin Rashid
Published: September 2024

Nanofluids are known for their exceptional thermo-physical properties, especially in improving the efficiency of the heat transfer process. This work explores the technological complexities of dispersing Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN) nanoparticles in transformer oil, focusing on the application in distributor transformers for heat dissipation and electrical insulation. The work experimentally examines two crucial aspects, i.e., the stability of nano-dispersions and the thermal behavior of oil nanofluids. A non-ionic surfactant, in combination with optimum ultrasonication, is utilized to achieve stable nanofluids. Experiments with different concentrations of h-BN (0–2 wt.%) show that nanofluids with lower particle concentrations have better stability than higher loadings (1–2 wt.%). The experiments are performed to measure the effective thermal conductivity of h-BN/oil nanofluids, which show a direct increase in proportion to the amount of particles added, reaching the highest point at 48 %. Further, the degradation and the lifespan of the nano-oil are experimentally assessed using thermogravimetric analysis that reveals a significant increase of 3 °C in the lifespan of insulating nano-oil when exposed to higher loadings of particles. The findings provide information about the technical feasibility and effectiveness of h-BN-based nanofluids to improve the heat transfer properties of transformer oil.
Double-Sided Spectrally Splitting Contrast Grating for an Asymmetric Thermal Regulation Window
Authors: Araki Ken , Zhang Richard Z.
Published: September 2024

A window with tailored asymmetric thermal regulation can be achieved with thin film coupled gratings that demonstrate spectral splitting. The proposed double-sided contrast gratings can split the incoming beam between the solar wavelength and mid-infrared ranges. This study investigates grating and multilayer material configurations with selective and mixed transparency I the visible versus the infrared. Our computational methodology to build and stack successive grating structures with broadband spectral reflection and transmission is based on Bayesian optimization. The geometric parameters are optimized so that it allows directional transmission through 0th order and 1st order diffraction orders. The mechanism of the proposed stacks is achieved with zero contrast grating (ZCG) whose exit plane of the grating have no index gradient. As a result, the window rejects visible light through normal direction, while mid-infrared light passes through. Vice-versa, visible light exits the window in oblique angle. Without solar energy incoming directly normal to the window, it prevents direct heating of the medium in the normal direction underneath the window. Meanwhile, thermal radiative heat exchange with surroundings is only limited to the normal direction. This nano/microscale grating-based spectral beam splitting strategy can promote passive thermal regulation of automotive, home, and industrial environments.
Application of FEFF to the x-ray spectroscopy of cerium dioxide
Authors: Tobin J. G.
Published: September 2024

The spectral analysis program FEFF has been used to address a series of x-ray spectroscopic results from cerium based materials. Specifically, the experimental results of the M4,5 x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) of γ-Ce, the M4,5 x-ray absorption spectroscopy of γ-Ce, and the L3 XAS of CeO2 are simulated with FEFF, with varying degrees of success. Cerium’s role as a surrogate for Pu is introduced and the strengths and shortcomings of the FEFF computational results will be noted.
Plaque to the future
Authors: Baek Amy E.
Published: September 2024

Early exposure to cholesterol primes later atherosclerosis through phenotypic changes to resident-like arterial macrophages.
Molecular insights into the evolutionary trajectory of a
Klebsiella aerogenes
clinical isolate with a complex trade-off between resistance and virulence
Authors: Sereme Youssouf , Faury Hélène , Gravrand Victor , Ageron Elisabeth , Poyart Claire , Skurnik David , Mammeri Hedi
Published: September 2024

The fitness cost associated with antimicrobial resistance has an important influence on evolutionary dynamics. We compared the genomes of three
Klebsiella aerogenes
isolates recovered from blood samples or deep abscess cultures from the same patient: the wild-type strain (CT_WT), a piperacillin-tazobactam-resistant strain (CT_PENI), and an extended-spectrum-cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant strain (CT_R). Whole-genome sequencing revealed that CT_PENI had acquired a TEM-1 β-lactamase with a mutated promoter, accounting for overproduction. CT_PENI then acquired an E240G substitution in the TEM-1 β-lactamase (resulting in TEM-207) and lost the porin-encoding
ompK36
gene to give CT_R. All three strains showed the same virulence in a mouse model of intraperitoneal infection. The results of recombination and transformation assays indicated that when present separately, the TEM-207 overproduction and the
ompK36
gene deletion had only small effects on susceptibility to ESCs. However, the combination of the two changes led to a much lower susceptibility to ESCs. Moreover, the levels of fitness
in vitro
and
in vivo
in a murine model of gut colonization were significantly lower after TEM-1 β-lactamase overproduction and lower still after E240G substitution and OmpK36 loss. We hypothesize that the chosen courses of antibiotics led to the stepwise emergence of a clone with resistance to penicillins and ESCs and no loss of virulence. However, acquired resistance may have a fitness cost that limits evolutionary success. Our results might explain why the overproduction of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (which should confer a high level of piperacillin-tazobactam resistance) is not observed in clinical practice and why TEM-207 has rarely been detected in clinical isolates.
Complete coding sequence of Tembusu virus isolate 2211-5 isolated in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Yen-Ping , Liao Chien-Hui , Huang Chih-Wei , Lee Fan
Published: September 2024

We reported the complete coding sequence of a Tembusu virus from sick geese in Taiwan in 2022. The nucleotide sequence of the 2211-5 isolate was most closely related to the strain CTLN isolated from chicken in China and classified into Cluster 3 of Tembusu virus.
Draft genome sequence of carbapenem resistant
Escherichia coli
ST2083 carrying NDM-5, TEM-1, and CMY-42
Authors: Banerjee Rittwika , V. S. Ramanakishore , S. Vignesh , G. Karthic , B. Janani , Raj Marquess , Perumal Kumar
Published: September 2024

The draft genome sequence of the
Escherichia coli
strain (CREC-9) of sequence type (ST2083), which was isolated from the urine sample of a 69-year-old male and harbors the antimicrobial resistance genes
TEM-1, blaCMY-42,
and
blaNDM-5
encoding resistance to β-lactams, cephalosporins, carbapenems, and fluoroquinolones and coding various virulence factors, is presented here.
AmpC induction by imipenem in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
occurs in the absence of OprD and impacts imipenem/relebactam susceptibility
Authors: Freed, Jr Shawn , Hanson Nancy D.
Published: September 2024

In the United States, carbapenem resistance in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is linked to the regulation of chromosomal resistance determinants, AmpC and OprD. The β-lactamase AmpC requires overexpression and genetic modifications to be capable of inhibiting imipenem activity. The outer membrane porin OprD can be downregulated or undergo genetic modifications that strongly correlate with imipenem non-susceptibility. Co-administration of imipenem and the β-lactamase inhibitor, relebactam, can lower imipenem minimal inhibitory concentrations and restore susceptibility. However, it is not understood how this occurs in
P. aeruginosa
isolates that do not overproduce AmpC or produce a functional OprD for imipenem entry. Therefore, we investigated whether imipenem could enter
P. aeruginosa
in the absence of OprD and whether any of the chromosomal β-lactamases (AmpC, OXA-50, and PIB-1) contributed to imipenem and/or imipenem/relebactam non-susceptibility. This investigation evaluated 17 imipenem non-susceptible clinical isolates and three laboratory strains of PAO1, two of which were porin transposon mutants for either
oprD
or
opdP
. Expression of OXA-50 and PIB-1 RNA was similar to PAO1. However, all 20 isolates exhibited

bla
ampC

induction under sublethal exposure to imipenem. This occurred in the absence of detectable OprD protein in 18 isolates. Collectively, our data identify that (i) OprD was not the only channel required for imipenem entry and (ii) imipenem susceptibility can be restored by imipenem/relebactam due to the interaction between relebactam and

bla
ampC

overexpression due to imipenem induction.

IMPORTANCE

Infections caused by
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
are associated with high mortality and worsened clinical outcomes. The carbapenem, imipenem, has been combined with the β-lactamase inhibitor relebactam to treat carbapenem-resistant
P. aeruginosa
. Downregulation of the outer membrane porin, OprD is the major mechanism of imipenem resistance; however, relebactam inhibits the chromosomally encoded AmpC β-lactamase. We investigated how relebactam was able to reduce
P. aeruginosa
imipenem minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in isolates in which OprD was downregulated. Our data show that imipenem is capable of entering the cell in the absence of OprD and capable of inducing the AmpC β-lactamase. The induction of AmpC provides a substrate for relebactam, impacting the imipenem MIC. The data presented support the use of an alternative porin(s) for entry of imipenem. This study provides the basis for further investigation into modifications of imipenem or similar molecules that would increase the affinity for other porins in isolates resistant to imipenem.
Potential habitat suitability of
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus and genetic diversity of its prophages across China
Authors: You Ping , Zhou Jun , Muhammad Bilal Amir , Bao Minli , Yang Jin , Fang Shujie , Li Xiang , Yi Long
Published: September 2024

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a severe citrus disease in China caused by
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus (
C
Las). Since its initial identification, the pathogen has spread to 10 mainland provinces in China and caused devastating loss. Three distinct prophage types have been identified in
C
Las; however, their distribution and diversity in China remain inadequately understood. In this study, we collected 500
C
Las samples from 10 provinces in China, employing three specific genomic loci to identify prophage types. Subsequently, Sanger sequencing was employed to analyze the genetic diversity of prophage within populations of
C
Las in China. In addition, the MaxEnt model optimized by the ENMeval software package, was used to predict the habitat suitability of populations of
C
Las and assess the potential impact of future climate change on its distribution in China. Our analysis revealed that type 2 prophage is the most prevalent, accounting for 55% in China. Among the 10 provinces tested,
C
Las populations in Yunnan and Sichuan demonstrated higher genetic diversity. Further analysis reveals that
C
Las populations harboring type 1 prophage remain relatively stable, whereas those carrying type 2 and type 3 prophages undergo population expansion. Furthermore, our predictive models indicate that the presently suitable habitat for
C
Las populations is concentrated in the southern and certain central regions of China, with an anticipated expansion under future climate change conditions. Presently, the center of populations of
C
Las characterized by favorable living conditions is situated in Zunyi City, Guizhou Province. Nevertheless, a projected trend indicates a shift toward the northeast, particularly targeting Tongren City in the foreseeable future.

IMPORTANCE

This study offers significant insights into the distribution and genetic diversity of three types of prophages associated with
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus (
C
Las) in China. Our predictions underscore the implications of climate change on the future distribution of
C
Las. These findings contribute to a better understanding of Huanglongbing management strategies and can facilitate the development of effective measures to control the spread of this devastating disease within the citrus industry.
A novel pathogenic germline chromosome 3 inversion in von Hippel-Lindau disease
Authors: Vocke Cathy D , Ricketts Christopher J , Pack Svetlana , Raffeld Mark , Hewitt Stephen , Lebensohn Alexandra P , O’Brien Lidenys , Gautam Rabindra , Reynolds Krista , Schmidt Laura S , Choo Kristin , Kenigsberg Alex , Gurram Sandeep , Chew Emily Y , Nilubol Naris , Chittaboina Prashant , Merino Maria J , Ball Mark W , Linehan W Marston
Published: September 2024

von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is an autosomal-dominant hereditary tumour susceptibility disease associated with pathogenic germline variants in the
VHL
tumour suppressor gene. VHL patients are at increased risk of developing multiple benign and malignant tumours. Current CLIA-based genetic tests demonstrate a very high detection rate of germline
VHL
variants in patients with clinical manifestations of VHL. In this report, we describe a large family with canonical VHL manifestations, for which no germline alteration had been detected by conventional germline testing. We identified a novel 291 kb chromosomal inversion involving chromosome 3p in affected family members. This inversion disrupts the
VHL
gene between exon 2 and exon 3 and is thereby responsible for the disease observed in this family.
Dupuytren’s disease and occupational mechanical exposures: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jahn Alexander , Andersen Johan Hviid , Descatha Alexis , Dalbøge Annett
Published: September 2024

The risk of developing Dupuytren’s disease among workers exposed to occupational mechanical exposures has been reported in few systematic reviews, mainly related to vibration. Expanding the investigation to all occupational mechanical exposures is essential for advancing scientific knowledge, health policies and improving workplace safety. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to study the association between occupational mechanical exposures and Dupuytren’s disease.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using guidelines stated by PRISMA. The systematic literature search was performed in Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases in April 2023. Inclusion criteria were conducted using the PECOS. Two independent authors conducted the literature screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment. In the meta-analyses, data was pooled using random-effects models and stratified by the risk of bias and study design. The level of evidence was evaluated using GRADE.

The literature search identified 563 unique articles and 15 were deemed eligible for inclusion, categorised into hand-transmitted vibration, lifting/carrying loads and combined mechanical exposures. Exposure to hand-transmitted vibration showed an OR of 2.0 (95% CI 1.5 to 2.7, I2=64%), lifting/carrying loads had an OR of 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.0, I2=77%) and combined mechanical exposures had an OR of 2.1 (95% CI 1.4 to 3.1, I2=94%). When grading the level of evidence, we found moderate evidence for hand-transmitted vibration, while low evidence was found for lifting/carrying loads and combined mechanical exposures.

We found an association between hand-transmitted vibration, lifting/carrying loads and combined mechanical exposures. The level of evidence was considered moderate for hand-transmitted vibration and low for lifting/carrying loads and combined mechanical exposures.
Genes deregulated in giant cell arteritis by Nanostring nCounter gene expression profiling in temporal artery biopsies
Authors: Ferrigno Ilaria , Bonacini Martina , Rossi Alessandro , Nicastro Maria , Muratore Francesco , Boiardi Luigi , Cavazza Alberto , Bisagni Alessandra , Cimino Luca , Ghidini Angelo , Malchiodi Giuseppe , Zerbini Alessandro , Pipitone Nicolò , Salvarani Carlo , Croci Stefania
Published: September 2024

Objective

To identify differentially expressed genes in temporal artery biopsies (TABs) from patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) with different histological patterns of inflammation: transmural inflammation (TMI) and inflammation limited to adventitia (ILA), compared with normal TABs from patients without GCA.

Methods

Expression of 770 immune-related genes was profiled with the NanoString nCounter PanCancer Immune Profiling Panel on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded TABs from 42 GCA patients with TMI, 7 GCA patients with ILA and 7 non-GCA controls.

Results

Unsupervised clustering of the samples revealed two distinct groups: normal TABs and TABs with ILA in one group, 41/42 TABs with TMI in the other one. TABs with TMI showed 31 downregulated and 256 upregulated genes compared with normal TABs; they displayed 26 downregulated and 187 upregulated genes compared with TABs with ILA (>2.0 fold changes and adjusted p values <0.05). Gene expression in TABs with ILA resembled normal TABs although 38 genes exhibited >2.0 fold changes, but these changes lost statistical significance after Benjamini-Yekutieli correction. Genes encoding TNF superfamily members, immune checkpoints, chemokine and chemokine receptors, toll-like receptors, complement molecules, Fc receptors for IgG antibodies, signalling lymphocytic activation molecules, JAK3, STAT1 and STAT4 resulted upregulated in TMI.

Conclusions

TABs with TMI had a distinct transcriptome compared with normal TABs and TABs with ILA. The few genes potentially deregulated in ILA were also deregulated in TMI. Gene profiling allowed to deepen the knowledge of GCA pathogenesis.
HARNESSING BLOCKCHAIN WITH ENSEMBLE DEEP LEARNING-BASED DISTRIBUTED DOS ATTACK DETECTION IN IOT-ASSISTED SECURE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS
Authors: ALRAYES FATMA S. , ALJEBREEN MOHAMMED , ALGHAMDI MOHAMMED , ALRSLANI FAHEED A. F. , ALSHUHAIL ASMA , ALMUKADI WAFA SULAIMAN , BASHETI IMAN , SHARIF MAHIR MOHAMMED
Published: September 2024

Consumer electronics (CE) and the Internet of Things (IoTs) are transforming daily routines by integrating smart technology into household gadgets. IoT allows devices to link and communicate from the Internet with better functions, remote control, and automation of various complex systems simulation platforms. The quick progress in IoT technology has continuously driven the progress of further connected and intelligent CEs, shaping more smart cities and homes. Blockchain (BC) technology is emerging as a promising technology offering immutable distributed ledgers that improve the security and integrity of data. However, even with BC resilience, the IoT ecosystem remains vulnerable to Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. In contrast, the malicious actor overwhelms the network with traffic, disrupting services and compromising device functionality. Incorporating BC with IoT infrastructure presents groundbreaking techniques to alleviate these threats. IoT networks can better detect and respond to DDoS attacks in real time by leveraging BC cryptographic techniques and decentralized consensus mechanisms, which safeguard against disruptions and enhance resilience. There must be a reliable mechanism of recognition based on adequate techniques to detect and identify whether these attacks have happened or not in the system. Artificial intelligence (A) is the most common technique that uses machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) to recognize cyber threats. This research presents a new Blockchain with Ensemble Deep Learning-based Distributed DoS Attack Detection (BCEDL-DDoSD) approach in the IoT platform. The primary intention of the BCEDL-DDoSD approach is to leverage BC with a DL-based attack recognition process in the IoT platform. BC technology is utilized to enable a secure data transmission process. In the BCEDL-DDoSD approach, Z-score normalization is initially employed to measure the input data. Besides, the selection of features takes place using the Fractal Wombat optimization algorithm (WOA). For attack recognition, the BCDL-DDoSD technique applies an ensemble of three models, namely denoising autoencoder (DAE), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and long short-term memory (LSTM). Lastly, an orca predator algorithm (OPA)-based hyperparameter tuning procedure has been implemented to select the parameter value of DL models. A sequence of simulations is made on the benchmark database to authorize the performance of the BCDL-DDoSD approach. The simulation results showed that the BCDL-DDoSD approach performs better than other DL techniques.
Optimal Periodic Control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Based on Fourier Integral Pseudospectral and Edge-Detection Methods
Authors: Elgindy Kareem T.
Published: September 2024

The endurance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a critical factor in expanding the scope of their applications. Extended flight times enable UAVs to undertake longer missions, cover larger areas and perform tasks such as persistent surveillance, data collection and search and rescue operations. Optimal trajectory planning is a cost-effective method to significantly enhance UAV endurance and performance by minimizing fuel consumption. This study introduces a novel numerical optimization framework to maximize UAV endurance. Specifically, we address the problem of determining optimal thrust and cruise angle of attack for a UAV in 2D space under specific initial, periodic and boundary conditions. By normalizing the free final time optimal control problem and employing Fourier collocation and quadrature, we transform it into a nonlinear programming problem. A key contribution of this work is accurately detecting and reconstructing the thrust history, including jump discontinuities, directly from Fourier pseudospectral data without smoothing techniques. The proposed method outperforms existing approaches in solving the periodic energy-optimal path planning problem for UAVs, as it effectively reconstructs the bang-bang thrust profile, facilitating rapid and efficient thrust adjustments essential for various flight maneuvers. Furthermore, the algorithm aligns with the UAV model, ensuring seamless integration into real-world control systems. The method’s independence from prediction horizon length, due to the use of Fourier collocation on the normalized interval [Formula: see text], is a notable advantage. This characteristic offers potential for future applications in various fields involving nonsmooth optimal control problems. This research generally provides a valuable tool for researchers and engineers working on UAV design and operation, paving the way for more efficient and effective UAV systems.
Radio Environment Map Construction by Residual Kriging Based on Bayesian Hierarchical Model
Authors: Xia Haiyang , Zha Song , Ding Hao , Huan Jijun , Liu Peiguo
Published: September 2024

Radio environment maps (REMs) have demonstrated their significance in spectrum sensing, control, and sharing, particularly in relation to unmanned systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), and 5G communication. However, they encounter challenges related to meeting the increasing accuracy requirements. This paper introduces the BHM-RK algorithm, a novel approach for constructing REMs in scenarios with multiple transmitters. The algorithm utilizes spatial clustering for transmitter partitioning, Bayesian posterior inference within partitions, and residual Kriging interpolation to address challenges posed by diverse transmitter influences. Experimental validation demonstrates the superior performance of the BHM-RK algorithm in terms of construction accuracy compared to existing methods, highlighting its effectiveness in enhancing precision in REM construction for scenarios with multiple transmitters.