bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Evidence Supporting That AN11127 Encodes an Aspergillus Nidulans Sec12 Orthologous Protein. Reply to Bravo-Plaza et al. Comment on “Dimou et al. Profile of Membrane Cargo Trafficking Proteins and Transporters Expressed under N Source Derepressing Conditions in Aspergillus nidulans. J. Fungi 2021, 7, 560”
Authors: Dimou Sofia , Georgiou Xenia , Sarantidi Eleana , Diallinas George , Anagnostopoulos Athanasios K.
Published: December 2021

Prof. Peñalva and co-workers provided evidence that AN11127 is related by sequence and function to Sec12 [...]
What’s New in Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy?—Review Article
Authors: Bodys-Pełka Aleksandra , Kusztal Maciej , Raszeja-Wyszomirska Joanna , Główczyńska Renata , Grabowski Marcin
Published: December 2021

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is a relatively new medical term. The constant development of novel diagnostic and clinical tools continuously delivers new data and findings about this broad disorder. The purpose of this review is to summarize current facts about CCM, identify gaps of knowledge, and indicate the direction in which to prepare an updated definition of CCM. We performed a review of the literature using scientific data sources with an emphasis on the latest findings. CCM is a clinical manifestation of disorders in the circulatory system in the course of portal hypertension. It is characterized by impaired left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and electrophysiological abnormalities, especially QT interval prolongation. However, signs and symptoms reported by patients are non-specific and include reduced exercise tolerance, fatigue, peripheral oedema, and ascites. The disease usually remains asymptomatic with almost normal heart function, unless patients are exposed to stress or exertion. Unfortunately, due to the subclinical course, CCM is rarely recognized. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) seems to improve circulatory function although there is no consensus about its positive effect, with reported cases of heart failure onset after transplantation. Researchers indicate a careful pre-, peri-, and post-transplant cardiac assessment as a crucial point in detecting CCM and improving patients’ prognosis. There is also an urgent need to update the CCM definition and establish a diagnostic algorithm for early diagnosis of CCM as well as a specific treatment of this condition.
Personal Network Inference Unveils Heterogeneous Immune Response Patterns to Viral Infection in Children with Acute Wheezing
Authors: Coleman Laura A. , Khoo Siew-Kim , Franks Kimberley , Prastanti Franciska , Le Souëf Peter , Karpievitch Yuliya V. , Laing Ingrid A. , Bosco Anthony
Published: December 2021

Human rhinovirus (RV)-induced exacerbations of asthma and wheeze are a major cause of emergency room presentations and hospital admissions among children. Previous studies have shown that immune response patterns during these exacerbations are heterogeneous and are characterized by the presence or absence of robust interferon responses. Molecular phenotypes of asthma are usually identified by cluster analysis of gene expression levels. This approach however is limited, since genes do not exist in isolation, but rather work together in networks. Here, we employed personal network inference to characterize exacerbation response patterns and unveil molecular phenotypes based on variations in network structure. We found that personal gene network patterns were dominated by two major network structures, consisting of interferon-response versus FCER1G-associated networks. Cluster analysis of these structures divided children into subgroups, differing in the prevalence of atopy but not RV species. These network structures were also observed in an independent cohort of children with virus-induced asthma exacerbations sampled over a time course, where we showed that the FCER1G-associated networks were mainly observed at late time points (days four–six) during the acute illness. The ratio of interferon- and FCER1G-associated gene network responses was able to predict recurrence, with low interferon being associated with increased risk of readmission. These findings demonstrate the applicability of personal network inference for biomarker discovery and therapeutic target identification in the context of acute asthma which focuses on variations in network structure.
The Potential of Gamma Secretase as a Therapeutic Target for Cardiac Diseases
Authors: Sen Sujoita , Hallee Logan , Lam Chi Keung
Published: December 2021

Heart diseases are some of the most common and pressing threats to human health worldwide. The American Heart Association and the National Institute of Health jointly work to annually update data on cardiac diseases. In 2018, 126.9 million Americans were reported as having some form of cardiac disorder, with an estimated direct and indirect total cost of USD 363.4 billion. This necessitates developing therapeutic interventions for heart diseases to improve human life expectancy and economic relief. In this review, we look into gamma-secretase as a potential therapeutic target for cardiac diseases. Gamma-secretase, an aspartyl protease enzyme, is responsible for the cleavage and activation of a number of substrates that are relevant to normal cardiac development and function as found in mutation studies. Some of these substrates are involved in downstream signaling processes and crosstalk with pathways relevant to heart diseases. Most of the substrates and signaling events we explored were found to be potentially beneficial to maintain cardiac function in diseased conditions. This review presents an updated overview of the current knowledge on gamma-secretase processing of cardiac-relevant substrates and seeks to understand if the modulation of gamma-secretase activity would be beneficial to combat cardiac diseases.
Documenting Pharmacogenomic Test Results in Electronic Health Records: Practical Considerations for Primary Care Teams
Authors: Gammal Roseann S. , Berenbrok Lucas A. , Empey Philip E. , Massart Mylynda B.
Published: December 2021

With increasing patient interest in and access to pharmacogenomic testing, clinicians practicing in primary care are more likely than ever to encounter a patient seeking or presenting with pharmacogenomic test results. Gene-based prescribing recommendations are available to healthcare providers through Food and Drug Administration-approved drug labeling and Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium guidelines. Given the lifelong utility of pharmacogenomic test results to optimize pharmacotherapy for commonly prescribed medications, appropriate documentation of these results in a patient’s electronic health record (EHR) is essential. The current “gold standard” for pharmacogenomics implementation includes entering pharmacogenomic test results into EHRs as discrete results with associated clinical decision support (CDS) alerts that will fire at the point of prescribing, similar to drug allergy alerts. However, such infrastructure is limited to the few institutions that have invested in the resources and personnel to develop and maintain it. For the majority of clinicians who do not practice at an institution with a dedicated clinical pharmacogenomics team and integrated pharmacogenomics CDS in the EHR, this report provides practical tips for documenting pharmacogenomic test results in the problem list and allergy field to maximize the visibility and utility of results over time, especially when such results could prevent the occurrence of serious adverse drug reactions or predict therapeutic failure.
miRNA Levels as a Biomarker for Anti-VEGF Response in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema
Authors: Vader Maartje J. C. , Habani Yasmin I. , Schlingemann Reinier O. , Klaassen Ingeborg
Published: December 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether miRNA levels in the circulation could serve as a predictive biomarker for responsiveness to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in patients with diabetic macular edema. Methods: Whole blood samples were collected at baseline from 135 patients who were included in the BRDME study, a randomized controlled comparative trial of monthly bevacizumab or ranibizumab treatment for 6 months in patients with diabetic macular edema (Trialregister.nl, NTR3247). Best corrected visual acuity letter score (BCVA) and retinal central area thickness (CAT) were measured monthly during the 6-month follow-up. Levels of selected miRNAs were quantified. Results: Following linear regression analysis, the levels of four miRNAs were negatively associated with baseline CAT. Multivariable regression analysis confirmed this association for miR-181a. No associations with changes in CAT after 3 or 6 months of anti-VEGF treatment were found. In addition, no associations with miRNA levels with baseline BCVA or change in BCVA after 3 or 6 months of anti-VEGF treatment were found. Conclusions: Circulating miR-181a levels were negatively associated with CAT at baseline. However, no associations between miRNA levels and the response to anti-VEGF therapy were found.
Clinical Relevance of Isoagglutinin Rebound in Adult ABO-Incompatible Living Donor Liver Transplantation
Authors: Lee Wei-Chen , Lee Chen-Fang , Wu Tsung-Han , Hung Hao-Chien , Lee Jin-Chiao , Wang Yu-Chao , Cheng Chih-Hsien , Wu Ting-Jung , Chou Hong-Shiue , Chan Kun-Ming
Published: December 2021

ABO-incompatible (ABO-I) living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) can be performed successfully. However, anti-ABO isoagglutinin rebound may cause antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and graft loss. The risk threshold of isoagglutinin rebound is still not defined. 76 ABO-I LDLT recipients were divided into group A (n = 56) with low isoagglutinin titers (<1:256), and group B (n = 20) with high isoagglutinin titers (≥1:256), at initial assessment for liver transplantation. The last 12 patients in group B received a modified desensitization regimen by adding bortezomib to deplete plasma cells. Six (10.7%) patients in group A and 10 (50.0%) patients in group B had postoperative isoagglutinin rebound (p < 0.001). Three patients (5.54%) in group A and two patients (10%) in group B developed clinical AMR (p = 0.602). The cutoff value of postoperative isoagglutinin rebound to cause clinical AMR was ≥1:1024. Among the 12 patients in group B with bortezomib administration, isoagglutinin rebounded up to 1:128 only, and no clinical AMR occurred. In conclusion, the patients with high isoagglutinin titers had a higher rate of postoperative isoagglutinin rebound. Isoagglutinin rebound ≥1:1024 is risky for developing clinical AMR. Adding bortezomib into the desensitization regimen may mitigate isoagglutinin rebound, and avoid clinical AMR.
Predictors of Efavirenz Plasma Exposure, Auto-Induction Profile, and Effect of Pharmacogenetic Variations among HIV-Infected Children in Ethiopia: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Chala Adugna , Tadesse Birkneh Tilahun , Chaka Tolossa Eticha , Mukonzo Jackson , Kitabi Eliford Ngaimisi , Tadesse Sintayehu , Pohanka Anton , Makonnen Eyasu , Aklillu Eleni
Published: December 2021

(1) Background: Efavirenz plasma concentration displays wide between-patient variability partly due to pharmacogenetic variation and autoinduction. Pediatric data on efavirenz pharmacokinetics and the relevance of pharmacogenetic variation are scarce, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa, where >90% of HIV-infected children live and population genetic diversity is extensive. We prospectively investigated the short- and long-term effects of efavirenz auto-induction on plasma drug exposure and the influence of pharmacogenetics among HIV-infected Ethiopian children. (2) Method: Treatment-naïve HIV-infected children aged 3–16 years old (n = 111) were enrolled prospectively to initiate efavirenz-based combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Plasma efavirenz concentrations were quantified at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 weeks of cART. Genotyping for CYP2B6, CYP3A5, UGT2B7, ABCB1, and SLCO1B1 common functional variant alleles was performed. (3) Results: The efavirenz plasma concentration reached a peak at two months, declined by the 3rd month, and stabilized thereafter, with no significant difference in geometric mean over time. On average, one-fourth of the children had plasma efavirenz concentrations ≥4 µg/mL. On multivariate analysis, CYP2B6*6 and ABCB1c.3435 C > T genotypes and low pre-treatment low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly associated with higher plasma efavirenz concentration regardless of treatment duration. Duration of cART, sex, age, nutritional status, weight, and SLCO1B, CYP3A5, UGT2B7, and ABCB1 rs3842 genotypes were not significant predictors of efavirenz plasma exposure. (4) Conclusion: Pre-treatment LDL cholesterol and CYP2B6*6 and ABCB1c.3435 C > T genotypes predict efavirenz plasma exposure among HIV-infected children, but treatment-duration-dependent changes in plasma efavirenz exposure due to auto-induction are not statistically significant.
Performance, Risk, and Cost of Capital: Trends and Opportunities for Future CSR Research
Authors: Saeed Asif , Sroufe Robert
Published: December 2021

The information within this study reviews the financial management literature focusing on proponents and opponents of corporate social responsibility (CSR). We review how CSR affects different areas of corporate finance. This study’s core objective is to explore the last 20 years (2000–2019) of CSR top-tier literature to develop and theoretically support CSR and environmental management. Twenty years of publications provide a considerable amount of evidence on CSR’s impacts on firm financial characteristics and some paradoxical findings. The majority of our insights support the argument that doing good is good for business. This study also highlights existing gaps in the literature. Based on our findings, we highlight three areas to further explore in the context of CSR and corporate finance: (1) Does CSR improve specific information contents in stock prices? (2) Does CSR mitigate financial distress risk? and (3) Is CSR good for firm trade credit?
How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Perceptions of Public Space Employees?
Authors: Han Soyoung , Bohannon Cermetrius Lynell , Kwon Yoonku
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this study is to derive the subjective perception about COVID-19 of public space employees and to identify the characteristics of COVID-19 related issues. By using the Q-method, 24 workers in four public spaces located in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA were selected as P-Sample and Q-Sorting was conducted. Three types of perceptions were identified; Type 1 (Expansion of Non-Face-To-Face Service), Type 2 (Expansion of Professional Labor), and Type 3 (Expansion of Welfare Service Type). All three types recognized that when a confirmed case occurs in a public space, the right and safety of users or communities to know is important, and accurate information must be provided, because it is necessary to prevent the spread of infection. Above all, these results show another side of the COVID-19 situation, as the participants in this study are currently in charge of various tasks such as quarantine and service provision in public spaces. This study can be used as basic data for policy response and system improvement of public spaces in the event of an infectious disease such as COVID-19 in the future.
Industrial Structure and Economic Resilience of Non-Metropolitan Regions: An Empirical Base for the Smart Specialization Policies
Authors: Ženka Jan , Chreneková Marcela , Kokešová Lucie , Svetlíková Veronika
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we aim to describe and explain the regional disparities in economic resilience in Slovakia in the period 1997–2017. We focus on the effects of economic structure in combination with the vertical (potential accessibility) and horizontal geographical location. Since the early 1990s, Slovak (non-)metropolitan regions exhibited deep changes in the sectoral structure of the economy that were followed by sharp unemployment increases. Due to the FDI-fueled economic growth in the last two decades, however, considerable progress in regional economic growth and reduction in unemployment was recorded. Therefore, Slovak non-metropolitan regions provide valuable lessons for the analysis of regional economic resilience in a long-term period. We ask if, and to what extent were, the prospects of regional renewal after economic crises associated with the geographical location, economic diversity, firm size and sectoral structure of the economy. We employed spatial regression models to test the effects of the potential accessibility, horizontal geographical location and industrial diversity, and sectoral (agriculture, manufacturing) and firm size structure. The dependent variable, Economic Resilience, was measured by the Regional Development Index, combining the indicators of demographic ageing, net migration, income per capita and registered unemployment rate. Potential accessibility and horizontal geographical location were the key predictors of regional economic resilience. Districts with tertiarized and diversified industrial and firm size structures scored, on average, higher in RDI than specialized districts with large firms and/or a high share of agriculture/manufacturing in total employment.
Where to Revitalize, and How? A Rural Typology Zoning for China
Authors: Zhou Yaojin , Shen Yao , Yang Xuexi , Wang Zhifang , Xu Liyan
Published: December 2021

Under China’s Rural Revitalization program, it is essential to accurately determine the prospects of revival or decay for the villages alongside specific goals and paths, which existing literature lacks a systematic coverage. Based on rural typology theories, this paper proposes an analytical framework to determine the type of village revitalization from the perspective of factor endowments. Utilizing five groups of 45 indicators characterizing the natural, socio-economic, and cultural endowments of villages, this paper applies the Self-Organizing Mapping neural network to cluster 2,388,579 natural villages in 48,322 townships across the nation into the four basic types of rural revitalization as directed by China’s Strategic Plan for Rural Revitalization (2018–2022): (1) Agglomerative Promotion, (2) Suburban Annexation, (3) Special Endowment-based Development, and (4) Out-migration and Relocation. The results of cluster analysis are spatially visualized to form a national rural revitalization zoning map at the township level, the first attempt to our knowledge. We conclude the paper with discussions on the revitalization paths of the various types of villages, particularly the seemingly gloomy prospect of 2/3 of the villages falling into the fourth category, and ways to interpret the deterministic nature of the conclusion. The paper expands the understanding of rural typology to a national scale with both innovative categorization processes and strong linkages to revitalization practices.
Combined Impact of Climate Change and Land Qualities on Winter Wheat Yield in Central Fore-Caucasus: The Long-Term Retrospective Study
Authors: Erokhin Vasilii , Esaulko Alexander , Pismennaya Elena , Golosnoy Evgeny , Vlasova Olga , Ivolga Anna
Published: December 2021

Progressing climate change has been increasingly threatening the agricultural sector by compromising the resilience of ecosystems and endangering food security worldwide. Altering patterns of major climatic parameters require the perspectives of agricultural production to be assessed in a holistic way to understand the interactions of climatic and non-climatic factors on crop yield. However, it is difficult to distinguish the direct influence of changing temperature and precipitation on the productivity of crops while simultaneously capturing other contributing factors, such as spatial allocation of agricultural lands, economic conditions of land use, and soil fertility. Wide temporal and spatial fluctuations of climatic impacts substantially complicate the task. In the case of the 170-year retrospective analysis of the winter wheat sector in the south of Russia, this study tackles the challenge by establishing the multiplicative function to estimate crop yields as a long-term result of a combined influence of agricultural output parameters, qualities of soils, and climate variables. It is found that within the climate–land–yield triangle, linkages tighten or weaken depending on the strength of noise effects of economic and social perturbations. Still, the overall pressure of climate change on the cultivation of winter wheat has been aggravating. The inter-territory relocation of areas under crops based on the matching of soil types, precipitation, air temperature, and erodibility of lands is suggested as a climate response option. The approach can be employed as a decision support tool when developing territory-specific land management policies to cope with adverse climate impacts on the winter wheat sector.
The Impact of the Spectral Radiation Environment on the Maximum Absorption Wavelengths of Human Vision and Other Species
Authors: Konatham Samuel , Martín-Torres Javier , Zorzano Maria-Paz
Published: December 2021

Since the earliest development of the eye (and vision) around 530 million years ago (Mya), it has evolved, adapting to different habitats, species, and changing environmental conditions on Earth. We argue that a radiation environment determined by the atmosphere played a determining role in the evolution of vision, specifically on the human eye, which has three vision regimes (photopic-, scotopic-, and mesopic vision) for different illumination conditions. An analysis of the irradiance spectra, reaching the shallow ocean depths, revealed that the available radiation could have determined the bandwidth of the precursor to vision systems, including human vision. We used the radiative transfer model to test the existing hypotheses on human vision. We argue that, once on the surface, the human photopic (daytime) and scotopic (night-time) vision followed different evolutionary directions, maximum total energy, and optimum information, respectively. Our analysis also suggests that solar radiation reflected from the moon had little or no influence on the evolution of scotopic vision. Our results indicate that, apart from human vision, the vision of only a few birds, rodents, and deep-sea fish are strongly correlated to the available radiation within their respective habitats.
Association of Genetic Polymorphisms of Fibrinogen, Factor XIII A-Subunit and α2-Antiplasmin with Fibrinogen Levels in Pregnant Women
Authors: Schwedler Christian , Heymann Guido , Bukreeva Larisa , Hoppe Berthold
Published: December 2021

Fibrinogen synthesis is stimulated by proinflammatory triggers and depends on α-, β- and γ-fibrinogen (FGA, FGB, FGG) genotypes. Constellations of fibrinogen, factor XIII A-subunit (F13A) and α2-antiplasmin (A2AP) genotypes predisposing for dense fibrin gels with high antifibrinolytic capacity (e.g., FGB rs1800790 A-allele carriage in F13A 34Val/Val or A2AP 6Arg/Arg wildtypes) are related with reduced inflammation. As both relationships are likely to influence each other, we tested whether the association of fibrinogen genotypes with fibrinogen levels is influenced by F13A and A2AP genotypes in a population under proinflammatory stress. In total, 639 women were followed during pregnancy (2218 observations). The relationship between fibrinogen genotypes and levels was statistically assessed in univariate and multivariate analyses without and with stratification for F13A Val34Leu and A2AP Arg6Trp. Strong associations with fibrinogen levels could be found for FGB rs1800790G > A, FGA rs2070016T > C and FGG rs1049636T > C. For FGB rs1800790G > A and FGA rs2070016T > C, this relationship significantly depended on F13A Val34Leu and A2AP Arg6Trp genotypes. Specifically, in F13A 34Val/Val wildtypes, carriage of FGB rs1800790A was related to significantly lower fibrinogen levels compared with FGB rs1800790GG wildtypes (p < 0.01). For A2AP 6Arg/Arg wildtypes, a comparable relationship could be found (p < 0.04). As these genotype constellations related to lower fibrinogen levels have previously been shown to be associated with reduced inflammatory activity, these findings suggest that the influence of fibrinogen, F13A and A2AP genotypes on inflammation could affect the control of fibrinogen levels and vice versa.
The Effects of Vitamin C on the Multiple Pathophysiological Stages of COVID-19
Authors: Miranda-Massari Jorge R. , Toro Alondra P. , Loh Doris , Rodriguez Jose R. , Borges Raul Morales , Marcial-Vega Victor , Olalde Jose , Berdiel Miguel J. , Riordan Neil H. , Martinez Juan Manuel , Gil Armando , Gonzalez Michael J.
Published: December 2021

Currently available anti-viral drugs may be useful in reducing the viral load but are not providing the necessary physiological effects to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 complications efficiently. Treatments that provide better clinical outcomes are urgently needed. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, AA) is an essential nutrient with many biological roles that have been proven to play an important part in immune function; it serves as an antioxidant, an anti-viral, and exerts anti-thrombotic effects among many other physiological benefits. Research has proven that AA at pharmacological doses can be beneficial to patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and other respiratory illnesses, including sepsis. In addition, High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C (HDIVC) has proven to be effective in patients with different viral diseases, such as influenza, chikungunya, Zika, and dengue. Moreover, HDIVC has been demonstrated to be very safe. Regarding COVID-19, vitamin C can suppress the cytokine storm, reduce thrombotic complications, and diminish alveolar and vascular damage, among other benefits. Due to these reasons, the use of HDIVC should be seriously considered in complicated COVID-19 patients. In this article, we will emphasize vitamin C’s multiple roles in the most prominent pathophysiological processes presented by the COVID-19 disease.
Study on Damage Statistical Constitutive Model of Triaxial Compression of Acid-Etched Rock under Coupling Effect of Temperature and Confining Pressure
Authors: Chen Youliang , Xiao Peng , Du Xi , Wang Suran , Wang Zhoulin , Azzam Rafig
Published: December 2021

Based on Lemaitre’s strain equivalence hypothesis theory, it is assumed that the strength of acid-etching rock microelements under the coupling effect of temperature and confining pressure follows the Weibull distribution. Under the hypothesis that micro-element damage meets the D-P criterion and based on continuum damage mechanics and statistical theory, chemical damage variables, thermal damage variables and mechanical damage variables were introduced in the construction of damage evolution equations and constitutive models for acid-etching rocks considering the coupled effects of temperature and confining pressure. The required model parameters were obtained by theoretical derivation, and the model was verified based on the triaxial compression test data of granite. Comparing the experimental stress-strain curve with the theoretical stress-strain curve, the results show that they were in good agreement. By selecting reasonable model parameters, the damage statistical constitutive model can accurately reflect the stress-strain curve characteristics of rock in the process of triaxial compression. The comparison between the experimental and theoretical results also verifies the reasonableness and reliability of the model. This model provides a new rock damage statistical constitutive equation for the study of rock mechanics and its application in engineering, and has certain reference significance for rock underground engineering.
Reaction Behavior of Porous TiAl3 Intermetallics Fabricated by Thermal Explosion with Different Particle Sizes
Authors: Li Kaiyang , Zhang Tiance , Zhu Yuanzhi
Published: December 2021

Porous TiAl3 intermetallics were prepared by the thermal explosion (TE) and space holder method with different particle sizes of Ti and Al powders, and their reaction behaviors were investigated. The results showed that with the increase in the particle size of the Ti and Al powders, the interfacial contact between the particles decreased, resulting in low interfacial energy and reaction activity, making the process difficult to initiate. Meanwhile, the heat flow rose from 358.37 J/g to 730.17 J/g and 566.74 J/g due to the extension of the solid–liquid diffusion time. The TiAl3 structures obviously expanded, and the formation of connected pore channels promoted the porosity. Only when the Ti and Al particle sizes were both small did the solid–solid diffusion significantly appear. At the same time, the TE reaction weakened, so the product particles had no time to fully grow. This indicates that the particle size of the raw materials controlled the TE reaction process by changing the solid–liquid diffusion reaction time and the degree of solid-phase diffusion.
Characterization and Reliability of Caprylic Acid-Stearyl Alcohol Binary Mixture as Phase Change Material for a Cold Energy Storage System
Authors: Ayaz Hamza , Chinnasamy Veerakumar , Cho Honghyun
Published: December 2021

This study reports the in-depth investigation of the thermophysical properties and thermal reliability of caprylic acid-stearyl alcohol (CA-SA) eutectic phase change material (PCM) for cooling applications. The phase diagram of CA-SA showed a eutectic point at a 90:10 molar ratio. The onset melting/freezing temperature and latent heat of fusion of caprylic acid-stearyl alcohol from the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were 11.4 °C/11.8 °C and 154.4/150.5 J/g, respectively. The thermal conductivity for the prepared eutectic PCM in the solid phase was 0.267 W/m.K (0 °C), whereas, in the liquid phase, it was 0.165 W/m.K (20 °C). In addition, the maximum relative percentage difference (RPD) marked at the end of 200 thermal cycles was 5.2% for onset melting temperature and 18.9% for phase change enthalpy. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) result shows that the eutectic PCM holds good chemical stability. Corrosion tests showed that caprylic acid-stearyl alcohol could be a potential candidate for cold thermal energy storage applications.
Shrinkage Study and Strength Aspects of Concrete with Foundry Sand and Coconut Shell as a Partial Replacement for Coarse and Fine Aggregate
Authors: Raja Kalyana Chakravarthy Polichetty , Thaniarasu Ilango , Elkotb Mohamed Abdelghany , Ansari Khalid , Saleel C Ahamed
Published: December 2021

The demand for natural aggregates (river sand) is increasing day by day, leading to the destruction of the environment, a burden that will be passed on to young people. Further, wastes from various industries are being dumped in landfills, which poses serious environmental problems. In order to ensure sustainability, both the issues mentioned above can be solved by utilizing industrial waste as aggregate replacement in the concrete construction industry. This research is done to find out the results using two substances viz., waste foundry sand (WFS) and coconut shell (CS) substitute for river sand and coarse aggregate. Many researchers have found the maximum benefits of substituted substances used in cement, which has material consistency. This current observation explores these strong waste properties of waste-infused concrete and cement, which experience shrinkage from drying out. The replacement levels for waste foundry sand were varied, between 10%, 20%, and 30%, and for CS, it was 10% and 20%. The experimental outcomes are evident for the strength, which increases by using WFS, whereas the strength decreases by increasing the CS level. The concrete that experiences shrinkage from drying out is included in the waste material, showing a higher magnitude of drying shrinkage than conventional concrete.
Numerical Study on the Dynamic Fracture Energy of Concrete Based on a Rate-Dependent Cohesive Model
Authors: Zhang Penglin , Wu Zhijun , Liu Yang , Chu Zhaofei
Published: December 2021

As an important parameter for concrete, fracture energy is difficult to accurately measure in high loading rate tests due to the limitations of experimental devices and methods. Therefore, the utilization of numerical methods to study the dynamic fracture energy of concrete is a simple and promising choice. This paper presents a numerical investigation on the influence of loading rate on concrete fracture energy and cracking behaviors. A novel rate-dependent cohesive model, which was programmed as a user subroutine in the commercial explicit finite element solver LS-DYNA, is first proposed. After conducting mesh sensitivity analysis, the proposed model is calibrated against representative experimental data. Then, the underlying mechanisms of the increase in fracture energy due to a high strain rate are determined. The results illustrate that the higher fracture energy during dynamic tension loading is caused by the wider region of the damage zone and the increase in real fracture energy. As the loading rate increases, the wider region of the damage zone plays a leading role in increasing fracture energy. In addition, as the strain rate increases, the number of microcracks whose fracture mode is mixed mode increases, which has an obvious effect on the change in real fracture energy.
Facile Synthesis of BiVO4@ZIF−8 Composite with Heterojunction Structure for Photocatalytic Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Guo Runjiang , Xing Yurui , Liu Mengqian , Bai Tanglong , Pu Chaodan , Zhang Hongti
Published: December 2021

Water pollution has always been a serious problem across the world; therefore, facile pollutant degradation via light irradiation has been an attractive issue in the field of environmental protection. In this study, a type of Zn-based metal–organic framework (ZIF−8)-wrapped BiVO4 nanorod (BiVO4@ZIF−8) with high efficiency for photocatalytic wastewater treatment was synthesized through a two-step hydrothermal method. The heterojunction structure of BiVO4@ZIF−8 was confirmed by morphology characterization. Due to the introduction of mesoporous ZIF−8, the specific surface area reached up to 304.5 m2/g, which was hundreds of times larger than that of pure BiVO4 nanorods. Furthermore, the band gap of BiVO4@ZIF−8 was narrowed down to 2.35 eV, which enabled its more efficient utilization of visible light. After irradiation under visible light for about 40 min, about 80% of rhodamine B (RhB) was degraded, which was much faster than using pure BiVO4 or other BiVO4-based photocatalysts. The synergistic photocatalysis mechanism of BiVO4@ZIF−8 is also discussed. This study might offer new pathways for effective degradation of wastewater through facile design of novel photocatalysts.
A Phase-Field Study of Microstructure Evolution in Tungsten Polycrystalline under He/D Irradiation
Authors: Han You-Sung
Published: December 2021

Analyses in the present study focus on understanding the evolution of the tungsten microstructure under He/D irradiation. A fractal dimension analysis was utilized to characterize the structural pattern of the microstructure irradiated by both low (10–80 eV) and high (8–30 keV) irradiation energy. All examined W microstructures show a direct correlation between the fractal dimension and irradiation energy. Analyses establish an empirical relation expressing a change in the microstructure as a function of the irradiation energy based on the changes in the fractal dimension of the microstructures. The proposed relation was implemented in the phase-field model formulation with an account of the interfacial energy induced by the crystallographic mismatch between grains under irradiation. The current phase-field model captures the evolution of the void under irradiation, including nucleation and the growth of voids, and sink efficiency for vacancy annihilation in the vicinity of grain boundaries.
The Technology Transfer from Europe to China in the 17th–18th Centuries: Non-Invasive On-Site XRF and Raman Analyses of Chinese Qing Dynasty Enameled Masterpieces Made Using European Ingredients/Recipes
Authors: Colomban Philippe , Gironda Michele , Vangu Divine , Kırmızı Burcu , Zhao Bing , Cochet Vincent
Published: December 2021

Two masterpieces of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912 CE), one in gilded brass (incense burner) decorated with cloisonné enamels stylistically attributed to the end of the Kangxi Emperor’s reign, the other in gold (ewer offered by Napoleon III to the Empress as a birthday present), decorated with both cloisonné and painted enamels bearing the mark of the Qianlong Emperor, were non-invasively studied by optical microscopy, Raman microspectroscopy and X-ray microfluorescence spectroscopy (point measurements and mapping) implemented on-site with mobile instruments. The elemental compositions of the metal substrates and enamels are compared. XRF point measurements and mappings support the identification of the coloring phases and elements obtained by Raman microspectroscopy. Attention was paid to the white (opacifier), blue, yellow, green, and red areas. The demonstration of arsenic-based phases (e.g., lead arsenate apatite) in the blue areas of the ewer, free of manganese, proves the use of cobalt imported from Europe. The high level of potassium confirms the use of smalt as the cobalt source. On the other hand, the significant manganese level indicates the use of Asian cobalt ores for the enamels of the incense burner. The very limited use of the lead pyrochlore pigment (European Naples yellow recipes) in the yellow and soft green cloisonné enamels of the Kangxi incense burner, as well as the use of traditional Chinese recipes for other colors (white, turquoise, dark green, red), reinforces the pioneering character of this object in technical terms at the 17th–18th century turn. The low level of lead in the cloisonné enamels of the incense burner may also be related to the use of European recipes. On the contrary, the Qianlong ewer displays all the enameling techniques imported from Europe to obtain a painted decoration of exceptional quality with the use of complex lead pyrochlore pigments, with or without addition of zinc, as well as cassiterite opacifier.
Optical Properties of Bulk Single-Crystal Diamonds at 80–1200 K by Vibrational Spectroscopic Methods
Authors: Shi Zitao , Yuan Qilong , Wang Yuezhong , Nishimura Kazuhito , Yang Guojian , Zhang Bingxue , Jiang Nan , Li He
Published: December 2021

Bulk diamonds show great potential for optical applications such as for use in infrared (IR) windows and temperature sensors. The development of optical-grade bulk diamond synthesis techniques has facilitated its extreme applications. Here, two kinds of bulk single-crystal diamonds, a high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) diamond and a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond, were evaluated by Raman spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy at a range of temperatures from 80 to 1200 K. The results showed that there was no obvious difference between the HPHT diamond and the CVD diamond in terms of XRD and Raman spectroscopy at 300–1200 K. The measured nitrogen content was ~270 and ~0.89 ppm for the HPHT diamond and the CVD diamond, respectively. The moderate nitrogen impurities did not significantly affect the temperature dependence of Raman spectra for temperature-sensing applications. However, the nitrogen impurities greatly influence FTIR spectroscopy and optical transmittance. The CVD diamond showed higher transmittance, up to 71% with only a ~6% drop at temperatures as high as 873 K. This study shows that CVD bulk diamonds can be used for IR windows under harsh environments.
Non-Destructive Possibilities of Thermal Performance Evaluation of the External Walls
Authors: Nowak Henryk , Nowak Łukasz
Published: December 2021

Identification of the actual thermal properties of the partitions of building enclosures has a significant meaning in determining the actual energy consumption in buildings and in their thermal comfort parameters. In this context, the total thermal resistance of the exterior walls (and therefore their thermal transmittance) in the building is a major factor which influences its heat losses. There are many methods to determine the total thermal resistance of existing walls, including the quantitative thermography method (also used in this study). This paper presents a comparison of the calculated total thermal resistance values and the measured ones for three kinds of masonry walls without thermal insulation and the same walls insulated with expanded polystyrene boards. The measurements were carried out in quasi-stationary conditions in climate chambers. The following three test methods were used: the temperature-based method (TBM), the heat flow meter method (HFM) and the infrared thermography method (ITM). The measurement results have been found to be in good agreement with the theoretically calculated values: 61% of the measured values were within 10% difference from the mean value of total thermal resistance for a given external wall and 79% of the results were within 20% difference. All of the used measuring methods (TBM, HFM and ITM) have proven to be similarly approximate in obtained total thermal resistances, on average between 6% and 11% difference from the mean values. It has also been noted that, while performing measurements, close attention should be paid to certain aspects, because they can have a major influence on the quality of the result.
Influence of Different Heater Structures on the Temperature Field of AlN Crystal Growth by Resistance Heating
Authors: Yu Ruixian , Chen Chengmin , Wang Guodong , Liu Guangxia , Wang Shouzhi , Hu Xiaobo , Lei Ma , Xu Xiangang , Zhang Lei
Published: December 2021

Based on the actual hot zone structure of an AlN crystal growth resistance furnace, the global numerical simulation on the heat transfer process in the AlN crystal growth was performed. The influence of different heater structures on the growth of AlN crystals was investigated. It was found that the top heater can effectively reduce the axial temperature gradient, and the side heater 2 has a similar effect on the axial gradient, but the effect feedback is slightly weaker. The axial temperature gradient tends to increase when the bottom heater is added to the furnace, and the adjustable range of the axial temperature gradient of the side 1 heater + bottom heater mode is the largest. Our work will provide important reference values for AlN crystal growth by the resistance method.
CO2 Adsorption on Activated Carbons Prepared from Molasses: A Comparison of Two and Three Parametric Models
Authors: Kiełbasa Karolina , Kamińska Adrianna , Niedoba Oliwier , Michalkiewicz Beata
Published: December 2021

Activated carbons with different textural characteristic were derived by the chemical activation of raw beet molasses with solid KOH, while the activation temperature was changed in the range 650 °C to 800 °C. The adsorption of CO2 on activated carbons was investigated. Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, Toth, Unilan, Fritz-Schlunder, Radke-Prausnitz, Temkin-Pyzhev, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Jovanovich equations were selected to fit the experimental data of CO2 adsorption. An error analysis (the sum of the squares of errors, the hybrid fractional error function, the average relative error, the Marquardt’s percent standard deviation, and the sum of the absolute errors) was conducted to examine the effect of using various error standards for the isotherm model parameter calculation. The best fit was observed to the Radke-Prausnitz model.
The Friction of Structurally Modified Isotactic Polypropylene
Authors: Wierzbicka Natalia , Sterzyński Tomasz , Nowicki Marek
Published: December 2021

The purpose of studies was to analyse an impact of heterogeneous nucleation of modified isotactic polypropylene (iPP) on its tribological properties. The iPP injection molded samples, produced by mold temperature of 20 and 70 °C, were modified with compositions of two nucleating agents (NA’s), DMDBS creating α-form and mixture of pimelic acid with calcium stearate (PACS) forming β–phase of iPP, with a total content 0.2 wt.% of NA’s. A polymorphic character of iPP, with both, monoclinic (α) and pseudo-hexagonal (β) crystalline structures, depending on the NA’s ratio, was verified. The morphology observation, DSC, hardness and tribological measurements as test in reciprocating motion with “pin on flat” method, were realized, followed by microscopic observation (confocal and SEM) of the friction patch track. It was found that Shore hardness rises along with DMBDS content, independent on mold temperature. The friction coefficient (COF) depends on NA’s content and forming temperature—for upper mold temperature (70 °C), its value is higher and more divergently related to NA’s composition, what is not the case by 20 °C mold temperature. The height of friction scratches and the width of patch tracks due to its plastic deformation, as detected by confocal microscopy, are related to heterogeneous nucleation modified structure of iPP.
A Variant Cubic Exponential B-Spline Scheme with Shape Control
Authors: Zhang Baoxing , Zheng Hongchan
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a variant scheme of the cubic exponential B-spline scheme, which, with two parameters, can generate curves with different shapes. This variant scheme is obtained based on the iteration from the generation of exponentials and a suitably chosen function. For such a scheme, we show its C2-convergence and analyze the effect of the parameters on the shape of the generated curves and also discuss its convexity preservation. In addition, a non-uniform version of this variant scheme is derived in order to locally control the shape of the generated curves. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the performance of the new schemes in this paper.
Global and Local Analysis for a Cournot Duopoly Game with Two Different Objective Functions
Authors: Askar Sameh , Foul Abdulaziz , Mahrous Tarek , Djemele Saleh , Ibrahim Emad
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a Cournot game with two competing firms is studied. The two competing firms seek the optimality of their quantities by maximizing two different objective functions. The first firm wants to maximize an average of social welfare and profit, while the second firm wants to maximize their relative profit only. We assume that both firms are rational, adopting a bounded rationality mechanism for updating their production outputs. A two-dimensional discrete time map is introduced to analyze the evolution of the game. The map has four equilibrium points and their stability conditions are investigated. We prove the Nash equilibrium point can be destabilized through flip bifurcation only. The obtained results show that the manifold of the game’s map can be analyzed through a one-dimensional map whose analytical form is similar to the well-known logistic map. The critical curves investigations show that the phase plane of game’s map is divided into three zones and, therefore, the map is not invertible. Finally, the contact bifurcation phenomena are discussed using simulation.
Canonical Coordinates and Natural Equation for Lorentz Surfaces in R13
Authors: Kanchev Krasimir , Kassabov Ognian , Milousheva Velichka
Published: December 2021

We consider Lorentz surfaces in R13 satisfying the condition H2−K≠0, where K and H are the Gaussian curvature and the mean curvature, respectively, and call them Lorentz surfaces of general type. For this class of surfaces, we introduce special isotropic coordinates, which we call canonical, and show that the coefficient F of the first fundamental form and the mean curvature H, expressed in terms of the canonical coordinates, satisfy a special integro-differential equation which we call a natural equation of the Lorentz surfaces of a general type. Using this natural equation, we prove a fundamental theorem of Bonnet type for Lorentz surfaces of a general type. We consider the special cases of Lorentz surfaces of constant non-zero mean curvature and minimal Lorentz surfaces. Finally, we give examples of Lorentz surfaces illustrating the developed theory.