bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate on Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Not Receiving Reperfusion Therapies
Authors: Eun Mi-Yeon , Park Jin-Woo , Cho Bang-Hoon , Cho Kyung-Hee , Yu Sungwook
Published: October 2021

Background: We aimed to determine whether estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is an independent predictor of clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke not treated with reperfusion therapy. Methods: A total of 1420 patients with acute ischemic stroke from a hospital-based stroke registry were included in this study. Patients managed with intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular reperfusion therapy were excluded. The included patients were categorized into five groups according to eGFR, as follows: ≥90, 60–89, 45–59, 30–44, and <30 mL/min/1.73 m2. The effects of eGFR on functional outcome at discharge, in-hospital mortality, neurologic deterioration, and hemorrhagic transformation were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Results: In univariable logistic regression analysis, reduced eGFR was associated with poor functional outcome at discharge (p < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality (p = 0.001), but not with neurologic deterioration and hemorrhagic transformation. However, no significant associations were observed between eGFR and any clinical outcomes in multivariable analysis after adjusting for clinical and laboratory variables. Conclusions: Reduced eGFR was associated with poor functional outcomes at discharge and in-hospital mortality but was not an independent predictor of short-term clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke who did not undergo reperfusion therapy.
Recent Advances in the Treatment of Spasticity: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy
Authors: Yang En , Lew Henry L. , Özçakar Levent , Wu Chueh-Hung
Published: October 2021

Spasticity is a common sequala of the upper motor neuron lesions. For instance, it often occurs in the first 4 weeks after stroke and is seen in more than one-third of stroke survivors after 12 months. In recent years, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been recognized as a safe and effective method for reducing muscle spasticity. Possible/relevant mechanisms include nitric oxide production, motor neuron excitability reduction, induction of neuromuscular transmission dysfunction, and direct effects on rheological properties. There are two types of ESWT, focused and radial, with the radial type more commonly applied for treating muscle spasticity. Concerning the optimal location for applying ESWT, the belly muscles and myotendinous junction seem to produce comparable results. The effects of ESWT on spasticity are known to last at least four to six weeks, while some studies report durations of up to 12 weeks. In this review, the authors will focus on the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of ESWT in spasticity, as well as certain technical parameters of ESWT, e.g., the intensity, frequency, location, and number of sessions. The pertinent literature has been reviewed, with an emphasis on post-stroke upper limbs, post-stroke lower limbs, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. In short, while ESWT has positive effects on parameters such as the modified Ashworth scale, mixed results have been reported regarding functional recovery. Of note, as botulinum toxin injection is one of the most popular and effective pharmacological methods for treating spasticity, studies comparing the effects of ESWT and botulinum toxin injections, and studies reporting the results of their combination, are also reviewed in this paper.
One Session Effects of Knee Motion Visualization Using Immersive Virtual Reality in Patients with Hemophilic Arthropathy
Authors: Ucero-Lozano Roberto , Pérez-Llanes Raúl , López-Pina José Antonio , Cuesta-Barriuso Rubén
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: Hemophilic knee arthropathy is characterized by a loss of muscle mass and decreased strength of the quadriceps muscle. The visualization of movement aims to favor the recruitment of the motor system in the same premotor and parietal areas, as would happen with the active execution of the observed action. The aim was to evaluate changes in quadriceps activation in patients with hemophilic knee arthropathy following immersive VR visualization of knee extension movements. (2) Methods: We recruited 13 patients with severe hemophilia A and knee arthropathy. Patients underwent a 15 min session of immersive VR visualization of knee extension movements. The quadriceps muscle activation was evaluated by surface electromyography. (3) Results: After the intervention, there were no changes in the muscle activation of vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, or rectus femoris muscles. There was a large effect size of changes in rectus femoris muscle activation. Age and knee joint damage did not correlate with changes in quadriceps activation. Dominance, inhibitor development, and type of treatment were not related with post-intervention muscle activation. (4) Conclusions: A session of immersive VR visualization of knee extension movement does not modify quadriceps muscle activation. A specific protocol for patients with hemophilic knee arthropathy may be effective in improving the activation of the rectus femoris muscle.
Postoperative Pain Is Driven by Preoperative Pain, Not by Endometriosis
Authors: Kanellos Panagiotis , Nirgianakis Konstantinos , Siegenthaler Franziska , Vetter Christian , Mueller Michael D. , Imboden Sara
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of endometriosis on postoperative pain following laparoscopic hysterectomy; (2) Methods: A total of 214 women who underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy between January 2013 and October 2017 were divided into four subgroups as follows: (1) endometriosis with chronic pain before the surgery (n = 57); (2) pain-free endometriosis (n = 50); (3) pain before the surgery without endometriosis (n = 40); (4) absence of both preoperative pain and endometriosis (n = 67). Postoperative pain was compared by using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores and by tracking the use of painkillers during the day of surgery and the first two postoperative days; (3) Results: Women with chronic pain before the surgery reported higher VAS scores during the first postoperative days, while the use of analgesics was similar across the groups. There was no difference in the postoperative pain when comparing endometriosis patients to non-endometriosis patients; (4) Conclusions: Women with chronic pelvic pain demonstrated increased postoperative pain after laparoscopic hysterectomy, which was independent of the presence or severity of endometriosis. The increased VAS scores did not, however, translate into equally greater use of painkillers, possibly due to the standardised protocols of analgesia in the immediate postoperative period. These findings support the need for careful postsurgical pain management in patients with pain identified as an indication for hysterectomy, independent of the extent of the surgery or underlying diagnosis.
Effect of Ivabradine on Cardiac Ventricular Arrhythmias: Friend or Foe?
Authors: Oknińska Marta , Paterek Aleksandra , Zambrowska Zuzanna , Mackiewicz Urszula , Mączewski Michał
Published: October 2021

Life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation remain an ongoing clinical problem and their prevention and treatment require optimization. Conventional antiarrhythmic drugs are associated with significant proarrhythmic effects that often outweigh their benefits. Another option, the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, though clearly the primary therapy for patients at high risk of ventricular arrhythmias, is costly, invasive, and requires regular monitoring. Thus there is a clear need for new antiarrhythmic treatment strategies. Ivabradine, a heartrate-reducing agent, an inhibitor of HCN channels, may be one of such options. In this review we discuss emerging data from experimental studies that indicate new mechanism of action of this drug and further areas of investigation and potential use of ivabradine as an antiarrhythmic agent. However, clinical evidence is limited, and the jury is still out on effects of ivabradine on cardiac ventricular arrhythmias in the clinical setting.
The Effects of Income Level on Susceptibility to COVID-19 and COVID-19 Morbidity/Mortality: A Nationwide Cohort Study in South Korea
Authors: Kim So Young , Yoo Dae Myoung , Min Chanyang , Choi Hyo Geun
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to investigate the association of income level with susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Using the Korean National Health Insurance COVID-19 Database cohort, medical claim data from 2015 through 2020 were collected. A total of 7943 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 from 1 January 2020 to 4 June 2020 were included. A total of 118,914 participants had negative COVID-19 PCR tests. Income levels were classified by 20th percentiles based on 2019 Korean National Health Insurance premiums. The 20th percentile income levels were categorized into three groups (low, middle, and high). The relationship of income level with susceptibility to COVID-19 and COVID-19 morbidity and mortality was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. A high income level was related to lower odds of COVID-19 infection (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.75–0.83, p < 0.001). The negative association between income level and COVID-19 infection was maintained in all subgroups. Patients with low income levels were susceptible to COVID-19 infection; however, there was no relation of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality with income level in the Korean population.
Use of a Plasma-Sprayed Titanium-Hydroxyapatite Femoral Stem in Hip Arthroplasty in Patients Older than 70 Years. Is Cementless Fixation a Reliable Option in the Elderly?
Authors: Piolanti Nicola , Neri Elisabetta , Bonicoli Enrico , Parchi Paolo Domenico , Marchetti Stefano , Manca Mario , Bonini Luca , Banci Lorenzo , Scaglione Michelangelo
Published: October 2021

Background: Although cementless implants are increasing in popularity, the use of cementless femoral stems for total hip arthroplasty (THA) and hip hemiarthroplasty (HH) in elderly patients remains controversial. The aim of this study was to report the outcomes of a cementless stem used in a large multicentric cohort of elderly patients receiving elective THA and HH for displaced femoral neck fracture. Methods: A total of 293 patients (301 hips) aged 70 years or older (mean age, 78 years; range, 70–93) who received the same cementless plasma-sprayed porous titanium–hydroxyapatite stem were retrospectively evaluated after primary THA and HH to investigate stem survival, complications, and clinical and radiographic results. Results: Cumulative stem survival was 98.5% (95% CI, 96.4–99.4%; 91 hips at risks) with revision due to any reason as the end-point at 10-year follow-up (mean 8.6 years, range 4–12). No stem was revised due to aseptic loosening. The mean Forgotten Joint Score was 98.7. Radiographically, the implants showed complete osseointegration, with slight stress-shieling signs in less than 10% of the hips. Conclusion: The use of cementless stems was proven to be a reliable and versatile option even in elderly patients for elective THA and HH for femoral neck fracture.
The Importance of miRNA in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Rogucki Mariusz , Buczyńska Angelika , Krętowski Adam Jacek , Popławska-Kita Anna
Published: October 2021

In recent years, the global incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing. Despite the significant progress in the diagnostic tools applied for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) diagnosis, commonly used methods require undergoing invasive diagnostic procedures, such as liquid biopsy, which still, in some cases, remains imprecise. In this case, novel screening and diagnostic biomarkers are still being evaluated using highly specialized techniques, which could increase PTC detection. Currently, a number of genes and proteins associated with PTC development are currently under investigation to assess their clinical utility. Accordingly, a literature search was undertaken to collect novel information about the diagnosis of and prognosis for PTC with a particular emphasis on the role of microRNA (miRNA) evaluation. The early identification of novel biomarkers is essential for facilitating appropriate therapeutic decisions. Moreover, the evaluation of plasma- and serum-derived miRNA measurements could be considered as equivalent thyroid cancer screening tools in the future. On the other hand, the PTC pathogenesis could be evaluated further with the use of miRNA evaluation, which may bring novel insights for potential medical target determination.
Triangular Functionally Graded Porous Moderately Thick Plates—Deformations and Free Vibrations
Authors: Muc Aleksander
Published: October 2021

Since the finite element analysis of deformations for plates made of functionally graded materials cannot be carried out with the use of commercial FE packages, aconsistent method of analytical analysis is proposed in the paper. The method of the analysis is based on the application of the weighted residuals and the Bubnov–Galerkin method. The 2D formulation of moderately thick plates is adopted herein for classical and transverse shear deformation plate models (first and third order). Plate deformations subjected to uniform normalpressure and free vibrations are considered. The validity of the analytical model was verified by the comparison of results with FE analysis for isotropic plates. Two correction multipliers were proposed in order to take into account the unsymmetric composition of functionally graded porous plate walls.
Long-Term Shoreline Evolution Using DSAS Technique: A Case Study of Quang Nam Province, Vietnam
Authors: Quang Dinh Nhat , Ngan Vu Huong , Tam Ho Sy , Viet Nguyen Trung , Tinh Nguyen Xuan , Tanaka Hitoshi
Published: October 2021

A Quang Nam coastline, located in the central of Vietnam, has been strongly affected by severe erosion and accretion due to climate change and human activities. Thus, understanding the causes and mechanisms of coastal morphology changes is essential to offer optimal coastal management and protection solutions. In this research, the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) technique developed by the United States Geological Survey was adopted to calculate rate-of-change statistics from multiple historical coastline positions of Quang Nam province extracted from satellite images, i.e., Landsat and Sentinel images from 1990 to 2019. The coastal dynamic was digitized, visualized, and compared by two statistical parameters provided in DSAS, namely End Point Rate (EPR) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR). The final results reveal that the Quang Nam coast experienced remarkable phenomena of erosion and accumulation over the past three decades. The total number of erosional and accretional transects obtained from the EPR results are 401 and 414, with annual change rates of −1.7 and 0.77 m/year, respectively. The LRR parameter was also considered and illustrated a significant correlation with the EPR, as the obtained R2 value of 0.96. The lowest value of EPR over the period 1990–2019 is −42.4 m/year, highlighting the most significant erosion at the north of Cua Dai estuary, whereas coastline advance is recorded in the south segment. As a result, this study’s outcomes provide helpful information for better and sustainable coastal management in Quang Nam province of Vietnam.
Classification and Visualization of Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Volumetric Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Lin Kai-Yi , Chen Vincent , Tsai Yuan-Hsiung , McIntyre Roger , Weng Jun-Cheng
Published: October 2021

Breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide, and breast cancer accounts for 30% of female cancers. Of all the treatment modalities, breast cancer survivors who have undergone chemotherapy might complain about cognitive impairment during and after cancer treatment. This phenomenon, chemo-brain, is used to describe the alterations in cognitive functions after receiving systemic chemotherapy. Few reports detect the chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) by performing functional MRI (fMRI) and a deep learning analysis. In this study, we recruited 55 postchemotherapy breast cancer survivors (C+ group) and 65 healthy controls (HC group) and extracted mean fractional amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuations (mfALFF) from resting-state fMRI as our input feature. Two state-of-the-art deep learning architectures, ResNet-50 and DenseNet-121, were transformed to 3D, embedded with squeeze and excitation (SE) blocks and then trained to differentiate cerebral alterations based on the effect of chemotherapy. An integrated gradient was applied to visualize the pattern that was recognized by our model. The average performance of SE-ResNet-50 models was an accuracy of 80%, precision of 78% and recall of 70%; on the other hand, the SE-DenseNet-121 model reached identical results with an average of 80% accuracy, 86% precision and 80% recall. The regions with the greatest contributions highlighted by the integrated gradients algorithm for differentiating chemo-brain were the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobe. These regions were consistent with other studies and strongly associated with the default mode and dorsal attention networks. We constructed two volumetric state-of-the-art models and visualized the patterns that are critical for identifying chemo-brains from normal brains. We hope that these results will be helpful in clinically tracking chemo-brain in the future.
Univariate and Multivariate Machine Learning Forecasting Models on the Price Returns of Cryptocurrencies
Authors: Miller Dante , Kim Jong-Min
Published: October 2021

In this study, we predicted the log returns of the top 10 cryptocurrencies based on market cap, using univariate and multivariate machine learning methods such as recurrent neural networks, deep learning neural networks, Holt’s exponential smoothing, autoregressive integrated moving average, ForecastX, and long short-term memory networks. The multivariate long short-term memory networks performed better than the univariate machine learning methods in terms of the prediction error measures.
Volatility Spillovers among Cryptocurrencies
Authors: Smales Lee A.
Published: October 2021

The cryptocurrency market has experienced stunning growth, with market value exceeding USD 1.5 trillion. We use a DCC-MGARCH model to examine the return and volatility spillovers across three distinct classes of cryptocurrencies: coins, tokens, and stablecoins. Our results demonstrate that conditional correlations are time-varying, peaking during the COVID-19 pandemic sell-off of March 2020, and that both ARCH and GARCH effects play an important role in determining conditional volatility among cryptocurrencies. We find a bi-directional relationship for returns and long-term (GARCH) spillovers between BTC and ETH, but only a unidirectional short-term (ARCH) spillover effect from BTC to ETH. We also find spillovers from BTC and ETH to USDT, but no influence running in the other direction. Our results suggest that USDT does not currently play an important role in volatility transmission across cryptocurrency markets. We also demonstrate applications of our results to hedging and optimal portfolio construction.
Urban Environment during Post-War Reconstruction: Architectural Dominants and Nodal Points as Measures of Changes in an Urban Landscape
Authors: Czarnecki Bartosz , Chodorowski Michał Pawel
Published: October 2021

Modernist planners were given the opportunity to apply the idea of the Modern Movement in the implementation of cities transforming after the World War II blitz, which was not possible before in long-term evolving structures. However, they could not alter everything: some urban and even architectural elements were necessary to be preserved. As a result, the elements of the ancient landscapes of these cities—historical objects and spaces—necessary for the continuity of evidence of history and identity were preserved, often being completely reconstructed. Finally, in some of these cities, both old and new elements contribute to the contemporary urban landscape. The aim of the research is to examine two key categories of urban structure in this perspective: (1) architectural dominants (landmarks) and (2) urban network nodes. For this purpose, (1) the changes in the number and rank of the spaces through which the landmarks expositions were carried out are compared, and (2) the changes in the rank of nodes in the urban structure, both these in the pre-war and in the present structures, as well as changes in their distribution and concentration areas are analyzed. The number of individual elements is compared and the changes in the structure of their arrangement are analyzed with the use of a polygon grid. A medium-scale European city (Bialystok) is used as the case study. Results of our analysis indicate that the post-war reconstruction led to a decrease in the number of elements of the urban grid (streets, nodal points), especially those of low rank. The rank of many others also decreased: 57% of all nodal points within the historical grid of the selected area does not exist in the post-war structure. The number of main rank directions of exposition decreased by 18% and in the subordinate group by 38%. The research is an attempt to construct a new criteria of evaluating changes in the quality of the cityscape, which is described in the article.
Is Expansion or Regulation more Critical for Existing Protected Areas? A Case Study on China’s Eco-Redline Policy in Chongqing Capital
Authors: Zhu Benhui , Hashimoto Shizuka
Published: October 2021

Protecting areas of important ecological value is one of the main approaches to safeguarding the Earth’s ecosystems. However, the long-term effectiveness of protected areas is often uncertain. Focusing on China’s ecological conservation redline policy (Eco-redline policy) introduced in recent years, this study attempted to examine the effectiveness of alternative policy interventions and their implications on future land-use and land-cover (LULC) patterns. A scenario analysis was employed to elucidate the implications of different policy interventions for Chongqing capital, one of the most representative cities in China. These interventions considered the spatial extent of Eco-redline areas (ERAs) and the management intensity within these areas. LULC data for two different periods from 2000 (first year) to 2010 (end year) were derived from satellite images and then used for future (2050) LULC projections, incorporating the various policy interventions. Furthermore, several landscape indices, including the shape complexity, contrast, and aggregation of forest patches were calculated for each scenario. After comparing the scenarios, our analysis suggests that the current extent of ERAs may not be sufficient, although their management intensity is. Therefore, we suggest that during the optimization of the Eco-redline policy, ERAs are gradually increased while maintaining their current management intensity.
Attitudes and Behaviors toward the Use of Public and Private Green Space during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran
Authors: Khalilnezhad Mohammad Reza , Ugolini Francesca , Massetti Luciano
Published: October 2021

This paper reports the results of an exploratory study carried out in Birjand, Iran, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to explore the behavioral change in the use and the motivation to visit a green space (public or private) during the pandemic as compared to the pre-pandemic period, the effect of green spaces (private and public) on users’ feelings, the relations between the extent to which the access to green spaces was missed, and characteristics of respondents and the place they live. A survey was carried out through an online questionnaire in winter 2020 and about 400 responses were collected. The results showed a decrease in visitation of public green spaces during the pandemic, and higher visitation of private green spaces such as gardens or courtyards by those with access. In addition, both public and private green spaces enhance positive feelings and decrease the negative ones. Respondents missed access to green spaces, especially when their visitation before the pandemic was high, and women missed them more than men. Therefore, private green spaces might represent an opportunity for psychological respite in time of a pandemic, but also for socialization. The study reports respondents’ useful suggestions for urban landscape planning for the city of Birjand that might also be useful for other cities in dry lands; improving the quality of green spaces beyond the quantity may play a role in enhancing the connection to nature in the time of a pandemic, with positive effects on mental health, and this can also can improve recreation opportunities and reduce inequalities.
Four Years Continuous Monitoring Reveals Different Effects of Urban Constructed Wetlands on Bats
Authors: Li Han , Petric Radmila , Alazzawi Zinah , Kauzlarich Jake , Mahmoud Rania H. , McFadden Rasheed , Perslow Niklas , Rodriguez Flores Andrea , Soufi Hadi , Morales Kristina , Kalcounis-Rueppell Matina C. , Schug Malcolm D. , Zarecky Lindsey A.
Published: October 2021

Proactive artificial wetland constructions have been implemented to mitigate the loss of wetlands and their ecosystem services. As wetlands are habitats for bats, short-term (one or two years) studies find that constructed wetlands can immediately increase local bat activity and diversity. However, it is not clear how constructed wetlands affect bats through time while the wetlands are aging. We collected four years of continuous bat acoustic monitoring data at two constructed wetlands in an urban park in Greensboro, NC, USA. We examined bat activity and community composition patterns at these wetlands and compared them with reference sites in the city. With four years of data, we found that the effects of constructed wetlands were both habitat- and species-specific. The wetland in forests significantly increased bat activity, while the wetland in the open grass altered bat community composition. Specifically, in terms of species, we found that over time, constructed wetlands no longer attracted more big brown, silver-haired, or evening bats than control sites while the wetlands aged, highlighting the need to study broadly how each bat species uses natural and artificial wetlands. We emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring and the periodical evaluation of wildlife conservation actions.
The Internal Structure of Spanish–German Verbalizations and the Sophistication of Bilinguals’ Linguistic Knowledge
Authors: Fábregas Antonio , Rothman Jason
Published: October 2021

The present article reassesses some available data regarding word-internal language mixing (Spanish–German) involving verbs and nouns. The empirical generalization is that Spanish roots can be combined with German verbalizers, but not vice versa. Data of this type highlight the sophisticated knowledge of the underlying representations that code-switching bilinguals must have of both contributing grammars and, in turn, how these contribute to the formation of the grammar that underlies their rule-governed systems for amalgamating them. Despite agreeing with the general conclusions of González-Vilbazo and López’s 2011 study regarding what the data tell us about code-switching more generally, we refine their analysis to better capture the patterns. Our proposal is that these mixtures are the only instances where the structural and lexical properties of verbal exponents used in both languages overlap, parting ways with previous analyses based on the possible zero nature of Spanish verbalizers or the absence of conjugation classes in German.
Slosh Simulation in a Computer Model of Canine Syringomyelia
Authors: Cirovic Srdjan , Rusbridge Clare
Published: October 2021

The exact pathogenesis of syringomyelia is unknown. Epidural venous distention during raised intrathoracic pressure (Valsalva) may cause impulsive movement of fluid (“slosh”) within the syrinx. Such a slosh mechanism is a proposed cause of syrinx dissection into spinal cord parenchyma resulting in craniocaudal propagation of the cavity. We sought to test the “slosh” hypothesis by epidural excitation of CSF pulse in a computer model of canine syringomyelia. Our previously developed canine syringomyelia computer model was modified to include an epidural pressure pulse. Simulations were run for: cord free of cavities; cord with small syringes at different locations; and cord with a syrinx that was progressively expanding caudally. If small syringes are present, there are peaks of stress at those locations. This effect is most pronounced at the locations at which syringes initially form. When a syrinx is expanding caudally, the peak stress is typically at the caudal end of the syrinx. However, when the syrinx reaches the lumbar region; the stress becomes moderate. The findings support the “slosh” hypothesis, suggesting that small cervical syringes may propagate caudally. However, when the syrinx is large, there is less focal stress, which may explain why a syrinx can rapidly expand but then remain unchanged in shape over years.
Interfacial Dissipative Phenomena in Tribomechanical Systems
Authors: Papangelo Antonio
Published: October 2021

The last decade has experienced a tremendous development of several technologies that are likely to shape our future [...]
Viscosity Approximation of PDMS Using Weibull Function
Authors: Chmielowiec Andrzej , Woś Weronika , Gumieniak Justyna
Published: October 2021

The viscosity of a fluid is one of its basic physico-chemical properties. The modelling of this property as a function of temperature has been the subject of intensive studies. The knowledge of how viscosity and temperature variation are related is particularly important for applications that use the intrinsic friction of fluids to dissipate energy, for example viscous torsional vibration dampers using high viscosity poly(dimethylsiloxane) as a damping factor. This article presents a new method for approximating the dynamic viscosity of poly(dimethylsiloxane). It is based on the three-parameter Weibull function that far better reflects the relationship between viscosity and temperature compared with the models used so far. Accurate mapping of dynamic viscosity is vitally important from the point of view of the construction of viscous dampers, as it allows for accurate estimation of their efficiency in the energy dissipation process.
High-Performance Method of Recovery of Metals from EAF Dust—Processing without Solid Waste
Authors: Małecki Stanisław , Gargul Krzysztof , Warzecha Marek , Stradomski Grzegorz , Hutny Artur , Madej Mateusz , Dobrzyński Michał , Prajsnar Ryszard , Krawiec Grzegorz
Published: October 2021

A highly effective method of the processing of steelmaking dust in an arc-resistant furnace has been presented. The aim of the research was to investigate the possibility of processing steelmaking dust in terms of waste minimization and selective recovery of valuable components. For this purpose, an electric arc resistance furnace was used. Granulated steelmaking dust with reducer (coal dust) was the input material. The products of the process are zinc oxide, iron alloy and slag, with properties meeting high ecological requirements. The technology does not generate solid waste. Zinc recovery is over 99% and iron recovery over 98%. The content of heavy metals (Zn + Pb + Cu) in glassy slag is below 0.2%, which ensures very low leachability.
Textile-Based Mechanical Sensors: A Review
Authors: Zhou Zaiwei , Chen Nuo , Zhong Hongchuan , Zhang Wanli , Zhang Yue , Yin Xiangyu , He Bingwei
Published: October 2021

Innovations related to textiles-based sensors have drawn great interest due to their outstanding merits of flexibility, comfort, low cost, and wearability. Textile-based sensors are often tied to certain parts of the human body to collect mechanical, physical, and chemical stimuli to identify and record human health and exercise. Until now, much research and review work has been carried out to summarize and promote the development of textile-based sensors. As a feature, we focus on textile-based mechanical sensors (TMSs), especially on their advantages and the way they achieve performance optimizations in this review. We first adopt a novel approach to introduce different kinds of TMSs by combining sensing mechanisms, textile structure, and novel fabricating strategies for implementing TMSs and focusing on critical performance criteria such as sensitivity, response range, response time, and stability. Next, we summarize their great advantages over other flexible sensors, and their potential applications in health monitoring, motion recognition, and human-machine interaction. Finally, we present the challenges and prospects to provide meaningful guidelines and directions for future research. The TMSs play an important role in promoting the development of the emerging Internet of Things, which can make health monitoring and everyday objects connect more smartly, conveniently, and comfortably efficiently in a wearable way in the coming years.
Concurrent Synthesis and Immobilization of Ag Nanoparticles over TiO2 via Plasma Reduction for Photocatalytic Treatment of Methyl Blue in Water
Authors: Altaf Noor Ul Huda , Naz Muhammad Yasin , Shukrullah Shazia , Ghaffar Abdul , Irfan Muhammad , Walczak Dominik , Głowacz Adam , Mahnashi Mater H. , Rahman Saifur , Królczyk Grzegorz , Alqarni Ali O. , Niazi Usama Muhammad
Published: October 2021

Pure TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) were produced via the sol–gel method and then coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to reduce their optical band gap. The concurrent synthesis and immobilization of AgNPs over TiO2NPs was achieved through the interaction of an open-air argon plasma jet with a solution of silver nitrate/stabilizer/TiO2NPs. The one-pot plasma synthesis and coating of AgNPs over TiO2NPs is a more straightforward and environmentally friendly method than others. The plasma-produced Ag/TiO2 nanocomposites were characterized and tested for their photocatalytic potential by degrading different concentrations of methyl blue (MB) in water. The dye concentration, oxidant dose, catalyst dose, and reaction time were also optimized for MB degradation. XRD results revealed the formation of pure AgNPs, pure TiO2NPs, and Ag/TiO2 nanocomposites with an average grain size of 12.36 nm, 18.09 nm, and 15.66 nm, respectively. The immobilization of AgNPs over TiO2NPs was also checked by producing SEM and TEM images. The band gap of AgNPs, TiO2NPs, and Ag/TiO2 nanoparticles was measured about 2.58 eV, 3.36 eV, and 2.86 eV, respectively. The ultraviolet (UV) results of the nanocomposites were supportive of the degradation of synthetic dyes in the visible light spectrum. The AgNPs in the composite not only lowered the band gap but also obstructed the electron–hole recombinations. The Ag/TiO2 composite catalyst showed 90.9% degradation efficiency with a 5 ppm dye concentration after 120 min of light exposure.
Aluminum Matrix Composites with Weak Particle Matrix Interfaces: Effective Elastic Properties Investigated Using Micromechanical Modeling
Authors: Farkash Aharon , Mittelman Brigit , Hayun Shmuel , Priel Elad
Published: October 2021

The impact of weak particle-matrix interfaces in aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) on effective elastic properties was studied using micromechanical finite-element analysis. Both simplified unit cell representations (i.e., representative area or volume elements) and “real” microstructure-based unit cells were considered. It is demonstrated that a 2D unit cell representation provides accurate effective properties only for strong particle-matrix bond conditions, and underpredicts the effective properties (compared to 3D unit cell computations) for weak interfaces. The computations based on real microstructure of an Al–TiB2 composite fabricated using spark plasma sintering (SPS) show that, for weak interfaces, the effective elastic properties under tension are different from those obtained under compression. Computations show that differences are the result of the local stress and strain fields, and contact mechanics between particles and the matrix. Preliminary measurements of the effective elastic properties using the ultrasonic pulse-echo technique and compression experiments support the trends observed in computational analysis.
Self-Compacting Recycled Concrete Using Biomass Bottom Ash
Authors: Cabrera Manuel , Martinez-Echevarria M. J. , López-Alonso Mónica , Agrela Francisco , Rosales Julia
Published: October 2021

In recent years, the use of self-compacting concrete has been a great advantage and garnered undoubted interest in construction. Due to the environmental impact caused by the consumption of natural aggregates in the manufacture of concrete, a more sustainable approach is needed. An approach for more sustainable construction is to use industrial waste such as bottom ash from the combustion of biomass as a replacement for natural aggregates. This research aims to use biomass bottom ash as a replacement for natural sand (10%, 20% and 30% replacement); in addition, by utilizing a crushing process of the bottom ash, the ash has been used as a filler replacement (replacement 20%, 40% and 60%). The fresh and hardened properties have been evaluated according to the standard. The results show the feasibility of using biomass bottom ash in self-compacting concrete, providing a sustainable alternative in order to minimise environmental impacts related to the extraction and depletion of natural resources.
Bergenia ciliate–Mediated Mixed-Phase Synthesis and Characterization of Silver-Copper Oxide Nanocomposite for Environmental and Biological Applications
Authors: Rehman Fazal Ur , Mahmood Rashid , Ali Manel Ben , Hedfi Amor , Almalki Mohammed , Mezni Amine , Rehman Wajid , Haq Sirajul , Afsar Humma
Published: October 2021

Bergenia ciliate (B. ciliate) leaf extract was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the synthesis of silver-copper oxide nanocomposite (Ag-CuO NC). Scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM) were used to examine the structural morphology, and the average particle size was determined to be 47.65 nm. The phase confirmation and crystalline structure were examined through the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, where cubic and monoclinic geometries were assigned to Ag and CuO. The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultra-violet and visible (UV-Visible) spectroscopies were operated to analyse the elemental composition, functional groups and light absorption phenomena of the Ag-CuO NC. Under the full light spectrum, the photodegradation of Rhodamine 6G was recorded, and 99.42 percent of the dye degraded in 80 min. The Agar well diffusion method was followed to perform antibacterial activity against selected pathogens, and the activity was found to increase with increasing concentration of Ag-CuO NC. The ABTS free radical scavenging activity suggests that the activity of Ag-CuO NC is higher than ascorbic acid.
Synthesis and Tribological Characterization of Ti3SiC2/ZnO Composites
Authors: Zhang Rui , Feng Wei , Wei Qi , Ma Shuai
Published: October 2021

Dense Ti3SiC2/ZnO composites were sintered at different temperatures by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The effects of sintering temperature on composition and mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2/ZnO composites were studied. The tribological behaviors of Ti3SiC2/ZnO composites/Inconel 718 alloy tribo-pairs at elevated temperature from 25 °C to 800 °C were discussed. The experimental results showed that the initial decomposition temperature of the Ti3SiC2/ZnO composite was 1150 °C, and Ti3SiC2 decomposed into TiC. When the decomposition temperature was higher than 1150 °C, the compositions of the Ti3SiC2/ZnO composites were Ti3SiC2, ZnO, and TiC. It was found that Ti3SiC2/ZnO composites had better self-lubricating performance than Ti3SiC2 at elevated temperature from 600 °C to 800 °C, which was owing to material transfers of tribo-pairs and sheared oxides generated by tribo-oxidation reactions.
Growing Interface with Phase Separation and Spontaneous Convection during Hydrodynamically Stable Displacement
Authors: Ban Takahiko , Tanaka Ryohei , Suzuki Ryuta X. , Nagatsu Yuichiro
Published: October 2021

The displacement of one fluid by another is an important process, not only in industrial and environmental fields, such as chromatography, enhanced oil recovery, and CO2 sequestration, but also material processing, such as Lost Foam Casting. Even during hydrodynamically stable fluid displacement where a more viscous fluid displaces a less viscous fluid in porous media or in Hele-Shaw cells, the growing interface fluctuates slightly. This fluctuation is attributed to thermodynamic conditions, which can be categorized as the following systems: fully miscible, partially miscible, and immiscible. The dynamics of these three systems differ significantly. Here, we analyze interfacial fluctuations under the three systems using Family–Vicsek scaling and calculate the scaling indexes. We discovered that the roughness exponent, α, and growth exponent, β, of the partially miscible case are larger than those of the immiscible and fully miscible cases due to the effects of the Korteweg convection as induced during phase separation. Moreover, it is confirmed that fluctuations in all systems with steady values of α and β are represented as a single curve, which implies that accurate predictions for the growing interface with fluctuations in Hele-Shaw flows can be accomplished at any scale and time, regardless of the miscibility conditions.
On Invariant Operations on a Manifold with a Linear Connection and an Orientation
Authors: Gordillo-Merino Adrián , Martínez-Bohórquez Raúl , Navarro-Garmendia José
Published: October 2021

We prove a theorem that describes all possible tensor-valued natural operations in the presence of a linear connection and an orientation in terms of certain linear representations of the special linear group. As an application of this result, we prove a characterization of the torsion and curvature operators as the only natural operators that satisfy the Bianchi identities.
The Pauli Problem for Gaussian Quantum States: Geometric Interpretation
Authors: de Gosson Maurice A.
Published: October 2021

We solve the Pauli tomography problem for Gaussian signals using the notion of Schur complement. We relate our results and method to a notion from convex geometry, polar duality. In our context polar duality can be seen as a sort of geometric Fourier transform and allows a geometric interpretation of the uncertainty principle and allows to apprehend the Pauli problem in a rather simple way.
New Criteria for Oscillation of Half-Linear Differential Equations with p-Laplacian-like Operators
Authors: Bazighifan Omar , Ghanim F. , Awrejcewicz Jan , Al-Ghafri Khalil S. , Al-Kandari Maryam
Published: October 2021

In this paper, new oscillatory properties for fourth-order delay differential equations with p-Laplacian-like operators are established, using the Riccati transformation and comparison method. Moreover, our results are an extension and complement to previous results in the literature. We provide some examples to examine the applicability of our results.
Thraustochytrids of Mangrove Habitats from Andaman Islands: Species Diversity, PUFA Profiles and Biotechnological Potential
Authors: Kalidasan Kaliyamoorthy , Vinithkumar Nambali Valsalan , Peter Dhassiah Magesh , Dharani Gopal , Dufossé Laurent
Published: October 2021

Thraustochytrids are the most promising microbial source for the commercial production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for its application in the human health, aquaculture, and nutraceutical sectors. The present study isolated 127 thraustochytrid strains from mangrove habitats of the south Andaman Islands, India to study their diversity, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and biotechnological potential. The predominant strains were identified as belonging to two major genera (Thraustochytrium, Aurantiochytrium) based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The strain ANVKK-06 produced the maximum biomass of 5.42 g·L−1, while ANVKK-03 exhibited the maximum total lipid (71.03%). Omega-3 PUFAs such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) accumulated up to 11.03% in ANVKK-04, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) up to 8.65% in ANVKK-07, and DHA up to 47.19% in ANVKK-06. ANVKK-06 showed the maximum scavenging activity (84.79 ± 2.30%) while ANVKK-03 and ANVKK-10 displayed the highest antibacterial activity against human and fish pathogens, S. aureus (18.69 ± 1.2 mm) and V. parahaemolyticus (18.31 ± 1.0 mm), respectively. All strains were non-toxic as evident by negative blood agar hemolysis, thus, the thraustochytrids are suggested to be a potential source of DHA for application in the health care of human and fish.
Research Progress in Anti-Inflammatory Bioactive Substances Derived from Marine Microorganisms, Sponges, Algae, and Corals
Authors: Li Chao-Qun , Ma Qin-Yuan , Gao Xiu-Zhen , Wang Xuan , Zhang Bei-Li
Published: October 2021

Inflammation is the body’s defense reaction in response to stimulations and is the basis of various physiological and pathological processes. However, chronic inflammation is undesirable and closely related to the occurrence and development of diseases. The ocean gives birth to unique and diverse bioactive substances, which have gained special attention and been a focus for anti-inflammatory drug development. So far, numerous promising bioactive substances have been obtained from various marine organisms such as marine bacteria and fungi, sponges, algae, and coral. This review covers 71 bioactive substances described during 2015–2020, including the structures (65 of which), species sources, evaluation models and anti-inflammatory activities of these substances. This review aims to provide some reference for the research progress of marine-organism-derived anti-inflammatory metabolites and give more research impetus for their conversion to novel anti-inflammatory drugs.
In Vitro Anti-Orthohantavirus Activity of the High-and Low-Molecular-Weight Fractions of Fucoidan from the Brown Alga Fucus evanescens
Authors: Krylova Natalia V. , Silchenko Artem S. , Pott Anastasia B. , Ermakova Svetlana P. , Iunikhina Olga V. , Rasin Anton B. , Kompanets Galina G. , Likhatskaya Galina N. , Shchelkanov Mikhail Y.
Published: October 2021

The Hantaan orthohantavirus (genovariant Amur–AMRV) is a rodent-borne zoonotic virus; it is the causative agent of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans. The currently limited therapeutic options require the development of effective anti-orthohantavirus drugs. The ability of native fucoidan from Fucus evanescens (FeF) and its enzymatically prepared high-molecular-weight (FeHMP) and low-molecular-weight (FeLMP) fractions to inhibit different stages of AMRV infection in Vero cells was studied. The structures of derivatives obtained were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. We found that fucoidan and its derivatives exhibited significant antiviral activity by affecting the early stages of the AMRV lifecycle, notably virus attachment and penetration. The FeHMP and FeLMP fractions showed the highest anti-adsorption activity by inhibiting AMRV focus formation, with a selective index (SI) > 110; FeF had an SI of ~70. The FeLMP fraction showed a greater virucidal effect compared with FeF and the FeHMP fraction. It was shown by molecular docking that 2O-sulphated fucotetrasaccharide, a main component of the FeLMP fraction, is able to bind with the AMRV envelope glycoproteins Gn/Gc and with integrin β3 to prevent virus–cell interactions. The relatively small size of these sites of interactions explains the higher anti-AMRV activity of the FeLMP fraction.