bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Advanced Oxidation Process in the Presence of TiO2 Semiconductor as Photocatalyst: Property, Principle, Kinetic Analysis, and Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Navidpour Amir Hossein , Abbasi Sedigheh , Li Donghao , Mojiri Amin , Zhou John L.
Published: January 2023

Water pollution is considered a serious threat to human life. An advanced oxidation process in the presence of semiconductor photocatalysts is a popular method for the effective decomposition of organic pollutants from wastewater. TiO2 nanoparticles are widely used as photocatalysts due to their low cost, chemical stability, environmental compatibility and significant efficiency. The aim of this study is to review the photocatalytic processes and their mechanism, reaction kinetics, optical and electrical properties of semiconductors and unique characteristics of titanium as the most widely used photocatalyst; and to compare the photocatalytic activity between different titania phases (anatase, rutile, and brookite) and between colorful and white TiO2 nanoparticles. Photocatalytic processes are based on the creation of electron–hole pairs. Therefore, increasing stability and separation of charge carriers could improve the photocatalytic activity. The synthesis method has a significant effect on the intensity of photocatalytic activity. The increase in the density of surface hydroxyls as well as the significant mobility of the electron–hole pairs in the anatase phase increases its photocatalytic activity compared to other phases. Electronic and structural changes lead to the synthesis of colored titania with different photocatalytic properties. Among colored titania materials, black TiO2 showed promising photocatalytic activity due to the formation of surface defects including oxygen vacancies, increasing the interaction with the light irradiation and the lifetime of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Among non-metal elements, nitrogen doping could be effectively used to drive visible light-activated TiO2.
Facile Synthesis of Poly(o-anisidine)/Graphitic Carbon Nitride/Zinc Oxide Composite for Photo-Catalytic Degradation of Congo Red Dye
Authors: Jalalah Mohammed , Nabi Zubair , Anjum Muhammad Naveed , Ahmad Mirza Nadeem , Haq Atta Ul , Qadir Muhammad Bilal , Faisal Mohd , Alsaiari Mabkhoot , Irfan Muhammad , Harraz Farid A.
Published: January 2023

Growing industry and its effluents create a serious environmental concern. Various industrial wastes such as toxic dyes and volatile organic compounds are posing a threat to a clean environment because of their non-biodegradable nature and high chemical stability. In recent years, the degradation of toxic dyes and drugs by photo-catalysts has gained much importance and proved a successful approach to capture light by hybrid photo-catalysts for decomposing toxic organic molecules. This work presents the synthesis of a poly(o-anisidine)-based composite with graphitic carbon nitride and zinc oxide (POA/g-C3N4/ZnO) and its utilization as a photo-catalyst. Various analytical techniques investigated the synthesized photo-catalysts’ chemical structure, crystallinity, and morphology. The degradation of Congo red dye evaluated the efficiency of the photo-catalyst in an aqueous medium under ultraviolet light. It was revealed that the photo-catalytic activity of the synthesized POA/g-C3N4/ZnO composites show 81.43%, 92.28%, and 87.05% degradation. This sustainable composite will be highly beneficial to treat industrial wastewater to make our environment clean.
Efficient Muscle Regeneration by Human PSC-Derived CD82+ ERBB3+ NGFR+ Skeletal Myogenic Progenitors
Authors: Xie Ning , Chu Sabrina N. , Schultz Cassandra B. , Chan Sunny S. K.
Published: January 2023

Differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) is a promising approach to obtaining large quantities of skeletal myogenic progenitors for disease modeling and cell-based therapy. However, generating skeletal myogenic cells with high regenerative potential is still challenging. We recently reported that skeletal myogenic progenitors generated from mouse PSC-derived teratomas possess robust regenerative potency. We have also found that teratomas derived from human PSCs contain a skeletal myogenic population. Here, we showed that these human PSC-derived skeletal myogenic progenitors had exceptional engraftability. A combination of cell surface markers, CD82, ERBB3, and NGFR enabled efficient purification of skeletal myogenic progenitors. These cells expressed PAX7 and were able to differentiate into MHC+ multinucleated myotubes. We further discovered that these cells are expandable in vitro. Upon transplantation, the expanded cells formed new dystrophin+ fibers that reconstituted almost ¾ of the total muscle volume, and repopulated the muscle stem cell pool. Our study, therefore, demonstrates the possibility of producing large quantities of engraftable skeletal myogenic cells from human PSCs.
Bacillus subtilis Modulated the Expression of Osteogenic Markers in a Human Osteoblast Cell Line
Authors: Sojan Jerry Maria , Licini Caterina , Marcheggiani Fabio , Carnevali Oliana , Tiano Luca , Mattioli-Belmonte Monica , Maradonna Francesca
Published: January 2023

Several in vivo trials have previously demonstrated the beneficial effects of the administration of various probiotic forms on bone health. In this study, we explored the potency of two probiotics, Bacillus subtilis and Lactococcus lactis, alone or in combination with vitamin D (VD), to modulate the transcription of genes involved in the ossification process in a human osteoblast cell line. Genes that mark the “osteoblast proliferation phase”, such as RUNX2, TGFB1, and ALPL, “extracellular matrix (ECM) maturation”, such as SPP1 and SPARC, as well as “ECM mineralization”, such as BGN, BGLAP, and DCN, were all highly expressed in osteoblasts treated with B. subtilis extract. The observed increase in the transcription of the ALPL mRNA was further in agreement with its protein levels as observed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. Therefore, this higher transcription and translation of alkaline phosphatase in osteoblasts treated with the B. subtilis extract, indicated its substantial osteogenic impact on human osteoblasts. Although both the probiotic extracts showed no osteogenic synergy with VD, treatment with B. subtilis alone could increase the ECM mineralization, outperforming the effects of L. lactis and even VD. Furthermore, these results supported the validity of employing probiotic extracts rather than live cells to investigate the effects of probiotics in the in vitro systems.
Systemically Identifying Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Subtype-Specific Prognosis Signatures, Based on Single-Cell RNA-Seq Data
Authors: Xing Kaiyuan , Zhang Bo , Wang Zixuan , Zhang Yanru , Chai Tengyue , Geng Jingkai , Qin Xuexue , Chen Xi Steven , Zhang Xinxin , Xu Chaohan
Published: January 2023

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous disease with different molecular subtypes. Although progress has been made, the identification of TNBC subtype-associated biomarkers is still hindered by traditional RNA-seq or array technologies, since bulk data detected by them usually have some non-disease tissue samples, or they are confined to measure the averaged properties of whole tissues. To overcome these constraints and discover TNBC subtype-specific prognosis signatures (TSPSigs), we proposed a single-cell RNA-seq-based bioinformatics approach for identifying TSPSigs. Notably, the TSPSigs we developed mostly were found to be disease-related and involved in cancer development through investigating their enrichment analysis results. In addition, the prognostic power of TSPSigs was successfully confirmed in four independent validation datasets. The multivariate analysis results showed that TSPSigs in two TNBC subtypes-BL1 and LAR, were two independent prognostic factors. Further, analysis results of the TNBC cell lines revealed that the TSPSigs expressions and drug sensitivities had significant associations. Based on the preceding data, we concluded that TSPSigs could be exploited as novel candidate prognostic markers for TNBC patients and applied to individualized treatment in the future.
Blood-Brain Barrier-Associated Proteins Are Elevated in Serum of Epilepsy Patients
Authors: Bronisz Elżbieta , Cudna Agnieszka , Wierzbicka Aleksandra , Kurkowska-Jastrzębska Iwona
Published: January 2023

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction emerges as one of the mechanisms underlying the induction of seizures and epileptogenesis. There is growing evidence that seizures also affect BBB, yet only scarce data is available regarding serum levels of BBB-associated proteins in chronic epilepsy. In this study, we aimed to assess serum levels of molecules associated with BBB in patients with epilepsy in the interictal period. Serum levels of MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, S100B, CCL-2, ICAM-1, P-selectin, and TSP-2 were examined in a group of 100 patients who were seizure-free for a minimum of seven days and analyzed by ELISA. The results were compared with an age- and sex-matched control group. Serum levels of MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and S100B were higher in patients with epilepsy in comparison to control group (p < 0.0001; <0.0001; 0.001; <0.0001; <0.0001, respectively). Levels of CCL-2, ICAM-1, P-selectin and TSP-2 did not differ between the two groups. Serum levels of MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and S100B are elevated in patients with epilepsy in the interictal period, which suggests chronic processes of BBB disruption and restoration. The pathological process initiating epilepsy, in addition to seizures, is probably the factor contributing to the elevation of serum levels of the examined molecules.
Aurora B SUMOylation Is Restricted to Centromeres in Early Mitosis and Requires RANBP2
Authors: Di Cesare Erica , Moroni Sara , Bartoli Jessica , Damizia Michela , Giubettini Maria , Koerner Carolin , Krenn Veronica , Musacchio Andrea , Lavia Patrizia
Published: January 2023

Conjugation with the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modulates protein interactions and localisation. The kinase Aurora B, a key regulator of mitosis, was previously identified as a SUMOylation target in vitro and in assays with overexpressed components. However, where and when this modification genuinely occurs in human cells was not ascertained. Here, we have developed intramolecular Proximity Ligation Assays (PLA) to visualise SUMO-conjugated Aurora B in human cells in situ. We visualised Aurora B-SUMO products at centromeres in prometaphase and metaphase, which declined from anaphase onwards and became virtually undetectable at cytokinesis. In the mitotic window in which Aurora B/SUMO products are abundant, Aurora B co-localised and interacted with NUP358/RANBP2, a nucleoporin with SUMO ligase and SUMO-stabilising activity. Indeed, in addition to the requirement for the previously identified PIAS3 SUMO ligase, we found that NUP358/RANBP2 is also implicated in Aurora B-SUMO PLA product formation and centromere localisation. In summary, SUMOylation marks a distinctive window of Aurora B functions at centromeres in prometaphase and metaphase while being dispensable for functions exerted in cytokinesis, and RANBP2 contributes to this control, adding a novel layer to modulation of Aurora B functions during mitosis.
Androgens and NGF Mediate the Neurite-Outgrowth through Inactivation of RhoA
Authors: Di Donato Marzia , Bilancio Antonio , Auricchio Ferdinando , Castoria Gabriella , Migliaccio Antimo
Published: January 2023

Steroid hormones and growth factors control neuritogenesis through their cognate receptors under physiological and pathological conditions. We have already shown that nerve growth factor and androgens induce neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells through a reciprocal crosstalk between the NGF receptor, TrkA and the androgen receptor. Here, we report that androgens or NGF induce neuritogenesis in PC12 cells through inactivation of RhoA. Ectopic expression of the dominant negative RhoA N19 promotes, indeed, the neurite-elongation of unchallenged and androgen- or NGF-challenged PC12 cells and the increase in the expression levels of βIII tubulin, a specific neuronal marker. Pharmacological inhibition of the Ser/Thr kinase ROCK, an RhoA effector, induces neuritogenesis in unchallenged PC12 cells, and potentiates the effect of androgens and NGF, confirming the role of RhoA/ROCK axis in the neuritogenesis induced by androgen and NGF, through the phosphorylation of Akt. These findings suggest that therapies based on new selective androgen receptor modulators and/or RhoA/ROCK inhibitors might exert beneficial effects in the treatment of neuro-disorders, neurological diseases and ageing-related processes.
Smart Sensor for Lithium Detection: An Environmental Application
Authors: Vitale Ilaria Antonia , Selvolini Giulia , Marrazza Giovanna
Published: January 2023

In this work, we propose a potentiometric smart sensor for lithium detection in environmental samples based on a screen-printed cell. The graphite screen-printed electrode (GSPE) was first modified by gold and silver nanoparticles to increase the conductivity, and then by an ion-selective membrane, which was directly deposited onto the nanostructured electrode surface. The potentiometric cell, thanks to its small size, was integrated with a portable instrument connected to a smartphone for decentralized analysis. The developed sensor was used in drop- and microflow-configurations and showed a high sensitivity for lithium with a low detection limit (1.6 µM). It was also applied in the analysis of real samples from the industrial recycling of automotive batteries and complex matrices, such as contaminated soils.
Tunnel Magnetoresistance-Based Sensor for Biomedical Application: Proof-of-Concept
Authors: Ghemes Crina , Dragos-Pinzaru Oana-Georgiana , Tibu Mihai , Lostun Mihaela , Lupu Nicoleta , Chiriac Horia
Published: January 2023

The aim of this work was to investigate and prove the possibility of the real-time detection of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) distributed in solid material by using a tunnel magnetoresistance-based (TMR) sensor. Following the detection tests of FeCrNbB magnetic nanoparticles distributed in transparent epoxy resin (EPON 812) and measuring the sensor output voltage changes at different particle concentrations, the detection ability of the sensor was demonstrated. For the proposed TMR sensor, we measured a maximum magnetoresistance ratio of about 53% and a sensitivity of 1.24%/Oe. This type of sensor could facilitate a new path of research in the field of magnetic hyperthermia by locating cancer cells.
Tribocorrosion Behaviour of a Ti–25Nb–3Zr–2Sn–3Mo Alloys Induction Nitride Layer in a Simulated Body Fluid Solution
Authors: Dai Yan , Jiang Xueting , Ou Meigui , Li Kunmao , Xiang Qing , Yang Feng , Liu Jing
Published: January 2023

Ti–25Nb–3Zr–2Sn–3Mo (TLM) alloys have been used in orthopaedics due to their excellent biocompatibility. However, the poor tribological performance caused by the low shear strength limits the applicability of TLM alloy. Herein, the surface of the TLM alloy was strengthened by induction nitriding technology, and the microstructure of the formed nitride layer as well as its corrosion property were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical workstation. The results showed that a gradient nitride layer with a thickness of ~30 μm was obtained on the surface of the TLM alloy after induction nitriding and the surface microhardness of the TLM alloy also increased from approximately 230 HV to 1253 HV. Meanwhile, the corrosion resistance of the TLM alloy in simulated body fluids (SBFs), was significantly improved by the nitride layer, which was supported by the corrosion potential value increasing from −665.77 (the raw sample) to −241.00 mV (the nitrided sample). Triborrosion behaviour is also characterized by a reciprocating sliding wear tester connected to an electrochemical workstation with different electrochemical conditions. The results evidenced that the TLM alloy has excellent tribocorrosion resistance after induction nitriding, who’s the mechanical material loss (WA) was only 0.23% of that of the raw sample under a 10 N load, and the total material loss (WT) was 15% of that of the raw sample.
Editorial for the Special Issue “Organic/Metal Oxide Thin Films for Optoelectronic/Photovoltaic and Sensing Applications”
Authors: Alam Mir Waqas , Ansari Sajid Ali , Ahmed Faheem
Published: January 2023

The Special Issue entitled “Organic/Metal Oxide Thin Films for Optoelectronic/Photovoltaic and Sensing Applications” is comprised of thirteen original research articles devoted to the development and designing of new and novel organic/metal oxide thin film-based nanomaterials (NMs) for electrochemical and optoelectronic applications [...]
ECG Changes during Adult Life in Fabry Disease: Results from a Large Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: El Sayed Mohamed , Postema Pieter G. , Datema Mareen , van Dussen Laura , Kors Jan A. , ter Haar Cato C. , Bleijendaal Hidde , Galenkamp Henrike , van den Born Bert-Jan H. , Hollak Carla E. M. , Langeveld Mirjam
Published: January 2023

Background: Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked, lysosomal storage disorder leading to severe cardiomyopathy in a significant proportion of patients. To identify ECG markers that reflect early cardiac involvement and disease progression, we conducted a long term retrospective study in a large cohort of FD patients. Methods: A total of 1995 ECGs from 133 patients with classical FD (64% females, 80% treated with enzyme replacement therapy), spanning 20 years of follow-up, were compared to ECGs from 3893 apparently healthy individuals. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the effect of age, FD and sex on: P-wave duration, PR-interval, QRS-duration, QTc, Cornell index, spatial QRS-T angle and frontal QRS-axis. Regression slopes and absolute values for each parameter were compared between FD patients and control subjects. Results: At a younger age (<40 years), the Cornell index was higher and frontal QRS-axis more negative in FD patients compared to controls (p < 0.05). For the other ECG parameters, the rate of change, more than the absolute value, was greater in FD patients compared to controls (p < 0.05). From the fifth decade (men) or sixth (women) onwards, absolute values for P-wave duration, QRS-duration, QTc and spatial QRS-T angle were longer and higher in FD patients compared to control subjects. Conclusions: ECG abnormalities indicative of FD are age and sex dependent. Tracking the rate of change in ECG parameters could be a good way to detect disease progression, guiding treatment initiation. Moreover, monitoring ECG changes in FD can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography for the Diagnosis of Skin Carcinomas
Authors: Cinotti Elisa , Brunetti Tullio , Cartocci Alessandra , Tognetti Linda , Suppa Mariano , Malvehy Josep , Perez-Anker Javiera , Puig Susanna , Perrot Jean Luc , Rubegni Pietro
Published: January 2023

Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a new, noninvasive imaging technique for the diagnosis of skin cancers. A total of 243 benign (54%) and malignant (46%) skin lesions were consecutively enrolled from 27 August 2020, to 6 October 2021 at the Dermatology Department of the University Hospital of Siena, Italy. Dermoscopic- and LC-OCT-based diagnoses were given by an expert dermatologist and compared with the ground truth. Considering all types of malignant skin tumours (79 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), 22 squamous cell carcinomas, and 10 melanomas), a statistically significant increase (p = 0.013) in specificity was observed from dermoscopy (0.73, CI 0.64–0.81) to LC-OCT (0.87, CI 0.79–0.93) while sensitivity was the same with the two imaging techniques (0.95 CI 0.89–0.98 for dermoscopy and 0.95 CI 0.90–0.99 for LC-OCT). The increase in specificity was mainly driven by the ability of LC-OCT to differentiate BCCs from other diagnoses. In conclusion, our real-life study showed that LC-OCT can play an important role in helping the noninvasive diagnosis of malignant skin neoplasms and especially of BCCs. LC-OCT could be positioned after the dermoscopic examination, to spare useless biopsy of benign lesions without decreasing sensitivity.
Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw—Comparison between Bone and Soft Tissue Injury and Their Influence on Surgical Outcomes—A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ristow Oliver , Birgel Jan Lukas , Rückschloß Thomas , Held Thomas , Lang Kristin , Smielowski Maximilian , Zittel Sven , Moratin Julius , Pilz Maximilian , Engel Michael , Hoffmann Jürgen , Semmelmayer Karl
Published: January 2023

Surgical therapy of osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORN) is challenging and requires treatment of the affected hard and soft tissue. To understand how tissue injury after irradiation influences surgical outcomes, the objective of this study was to find out whether (a) bone-related, (b) soft tissue-related, and (c) treatment-related parameters influence the surgical success of patients with ORN. A total of 175 patients (324 lesions) were included in this retrospective, single-center study. All patients were diagnosed with ORN and underwent surgical therapy. The primary outcome was complete soft tissue recovery (mucosa/skin) and the absence of symptoms 3 months after surgery. At the time of follow-up, 58% of patients (189 of 324 lesions) had intact intraoral or extraoral soft tissue. The extent of bone destruction had no effect on treatment success, whereas soft tissue injury due to fibrosis (OR: 0.344; CI 0.142–0.834; p = 0.01818) and xerostomia (OR: 0.163; CI 0.064–0.419; p = 0.00016) increased the probability of treatment failure. Soft tissue reconstruction with a microvascular graft improved therapeutic success compared to local wound closure (OR: 2.998; CI 1.371–6.555; p = 0.006). Thus, for the treatment of ORN, it is extremely important to pay attention not only to the extent of bone destruction but especially to soft tissue defects. Because the extent of soft tissue injury is a predictor for therapeutic success, it should influence the choice of surgical treatment.
Primary Effusion Lymphoma: A Rare and Challenging Diagnosis for Recurrent Pleural Effusion
Authors: Pereira Letícia Jacome , Mohrbacher Sara , Neves Precil Diego Miranda de Menezes , Zacchi Flavia Fernandes Silva , Medeiros Ivan Ucella Dantas , Sato Victor Augusto Hamamoto , Oliveira Érico Souza , Pereira Leonardo Victor Barbosa , Cuvello-Neto Américo Lourenço , Baiocchi Otávio , Chocair Pedro Renato
Published: January 2023

Primary Effusion Lymphoma is an extremely rare and aggressive subtype of B-cell lymphoma, accounting for only <1% of all cases of this neoplasm. It has a unique clinical presentation because it has a predilection for appearing in body cavities, such as the pleural space, pericardium and peritoneum. It mainly affects immunocompromised individuals and may also affect individuals in the Mediterranean region and in areas endemic for human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). Herein, we report the case of an 83-year-old immunocompetent male complaining of coughing, fever and progressive dyspnea for 3 days. His past medical history revealed a recurrent pleural effusion for the last three years, as well as losing weight and malaise. A subsequent investigation revealed a PEL diagnosis of the pleura.
Diagnostic Performance of Ovarian Morphology on Ultrasonography across Anovulatory Conditions—Impact of Body Mass Index
Authors: Vanden Brink Heidi , Jarrett Brittany Y. , Pereira Nigel , Spandorfer Steven D. , Hoeger Kathy M. , Lujan Marla E.
Published: January 2023

The study objectives were to determine whether ovarian morphology can distinguish between women with regular menstrual cycles, normo-androgenic anovulation (NA-Anov), and PCOS and whether body mass index (BMI)-specific thresholds improved diagnostic potential. Women with PCOS (biochemical and/or clinical hyperandrogenism and irregular cycles; N = 66), NA-Anov (irregular cycles without clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism; N = 64), or regular cycles (controls; cycles every 21–35 days in the absence of clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism; N = 51) were evaluated. Participants underwent a reproductive history, physical exam, transvaginal ultrasound, and a fasting blood sample. Linear regression analyses were used to assess the impact of BMI on ovarian morphology across groups. The diagnostic performance of ovarian morphology for anovulatory conditions, and by BMI (lean: <25 kg/m2; overweight: ≥25 kg/m2), was tested using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. Follicle number per ovary (FNPO) and ovarian volume (OV), but not follicle number per cross-section (FNPS), increased across controls, NA-Anov, and PCOS. Overall, FNPO had the best diagnostic performance for PCOS versus controls (AUCROC = 0.815) and NA-Anov and controls (AUCROC = 0.704), and OV to differentiate between PCOS and NA-Anov (AUCROC = 0.698). In lean women, FNPO best differentiated between PCOS and controls (AUCROC = 0.843) and PCOS versus NA-Anov (AUCROC = 0.710). FNPS better distinguished between NA-Anov and controls (AUCROC = 0.687), although diagnostic performance was lower than when thresholds were generated using all participants. In women with overweight and obesity, OV persisted as the best diagnostic feature across all analyses (PCOS versus control, AUCROC = 0.885; PCOS versus NA-Anov, AUCROC = 0.673; NA-Anov versus controls, AUCROC = 0.754). Ovarian morphology holds diagnostic potential to distinguish between NA-Anov and PCOS, with marginal differences in diagnostic potential when participants were stratified by BMI suggesting that follicle number may provide better diagnostic performance in lean women and ovarian size in those with overweight.
Quantum Annealing in the NISQ Era: Railway Conflict Management
Authors: Domino Krzysztof , Koniorczyk Mátyás , Krawiec Krzysztof , Jałowiecki Konrad , Deffner Sebastian , Gardas Bartłomiej
Published: January 2023

We are in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices’ era, in which quantum hardware has become available for application in real-world problems. However, demonstrations of the usefulness of such NISQ devices are still rare. In this work, we consider a practical railway dispatching problem: delay and conflict management on single-track railway lines. We examine the train dispatching consequences of the arrival of an already delayed train to a given network segment. This problem is computationally hard and needs to be solved almost in real time. We introduce a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) model of this problem, which is compatible with the emerging quantum annealing technology. The model’s instances can be executed on present-day quantum annealers. As a proof-of-concept, we solve selected real-life problems from the Polish railway network using D-Wave quantum annealers. As a reference, we also provide solutions calculated with classical methods, including the conventional solution of a linear integer version of the model as well as the solution of the QUBO model using a tensor network-based algorithm. Our preliminary results illustrate the degree of difficulty of real-life railway instances for the current quantum annealing technology. Moreover, our analysis shows that the new generation of quantum annealers (the advantage system) does not perform well on those instances, either.
Relevant Analytic Spontaneous Magnetization Relation for the Face-Centered-Cubic Ising Lattice
Authors: Tambaş Başer
Published: January 2023

The relevant approximate spontaneous magnetization relations for the simple-cubic and body-centered-cubic Ising lattices have recently been obtained analytically by a novel approach that conflates the Callen–Suzuki identity with a heuristic odd-spin correlation magnetization relation. By exploiting this approach, we study an approximate analytic spontaneous magnetization expression for the face-centered-cubic Ising lattice. We report that the results of the analytic relation obtained in this work are nearly consistent with those derived from the Monte Carlo simulation.
Further Properties of Tsallis Entropy and Its Application
Authors: Alomani Ghadah , Kayid Mohamed
Published: January 2023

The entropy of Tsallis is a different measure of uncertainty for the Shannon entropy. The present work aims to study some additional properties of this measure and then initiate its connection with the usual stochastic order. Some other properties of the dynamical version of this measure are also investigated. It is well known that systems having greater lifetimes and small uncertainty are preferred systems and that the reliability of a system usually decreases as its uncertainty increases. Since Tsallis entropy measures uncertainty, the above remark leads us to study the Tsallis entropy of the lifetime of coherent systems and also the lifetime of mixed systems where the components have lifetimes which are independent and further, identically distributed (the iid case). Finally, we give some bounds on the Tsallis entropy of the systems and clarify their applicability.
TFP in the Manufacturing Sector: Long-Term Dynamics, Country and Regional Comparative Analysis
Authors: Harb Georges , Bassil Charbel
Published: January 2023

We employ a recent empirical strategy to estimate country-specific and time-varying total factor productivity (TFP) levels for the manufacturing sector of 63 countries over 40 years. The methodology is based on estimated country-specific production functions while accounting for cross-section dependence and nonstationary series. We then analyze the derived TFP series across the entire sample and several regional groupings (Asia, Europe and Central Asia (ECA), Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and the USA). Our analysis reveals the following. Firstly, the TFP that is common across countries has an upward trend with a significant slump in 2008. Secondly, the leading positions in terms of productivity in the manufacturing sector remained the prerogative of major developed countries. Thirdly, several countries succeeded in climbing the ladder through outstanding productivity growth. Fourthly, despite a clear hierarchy in terms of manufacturing productivity across regional blocs, all regions witnessed an increase in productivity over the period. Fifthly, there is evidence of convergence in the TFP across countries and within Asia and ECA before a potential break in 2008.
Availability and Quality of School Facilities as a Determinant of Local Economic Development: The Slovak Experience
Authors: Papcunová Viera , Dvořák Marek , Vavrek Roman , Mižičková Jarmila , Harasimová Petra , Víchová Monika , Váňa Tomáš
Published: January 2023

The availability and quality of school facilities has long been a hot topic, not only at the level of self-government, but also in respect of the whole public administration within the context of Slovakia. COVID-19 and the current military conflict in Ukraine are jointly putting increased pressure on local self-governments as the founders of kindergartens and primary schools. Whether the availability and quality of school facilities is a determinant of local development is a question for which there are very few studies. The aim of this paper is to identify long-term satisfaction with the availability and quality of kindergartens and primary schools in the Červený Kameň microregion; this is understood in the context of these institutions serving as an important determinant of local development. In this paper, a qualitative evaluation (survey) of parents of students in the Čerevený Kameň microregion was conducted. In order to increase the objectivity of the obtained results, the survey was conducted two times with an interval of 7 years (2014 vs. 2021). Our results show that parents perceive the availability and quality in the same way even over a long period, but without confirmed statistically significant differences. At the same time, however, we found that satisfaction with the analyzed school facilities changed over time.
HD/FD Cooperative NOMA under UAV Deployment for a Novel Disaster-Management Model
Authors: Kumar Rampravesh , Kumar Sanjay
Published: January 2023

This work presents a novel system model consisting of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a half/full-duplex relay (HDR/FDR) operating as a near-user in the downlink non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems. In a disaster situation, there is no direct connectivity of the active base station (BS) to the far user due to the out-of-coverage range. Therefore, UAV communication is established to aid the transmission from the same BS to the far user via the UAV. To quantify the effect, outage probability and throughput expressions in the exact and asymptotic forms were developed over the Weibull distribution (WD) fading channel. Additionally, the separation distance of the UAV from the base station is considered to quantify the effect. In particular, this paper helps to determine the optimal location of the UAV deployment from the BS at a fixed height from the ground to either maximize the far-user throughput or attain far-user throughput over different conditions of the WD fading channel. In addition, the performance results of the UAV-HDR/FDR-NOMA system are compared with those of a conventional downlink orthogonal multiple access (OMA) system. The comparison reveals that the UAV-HDR/FDR-NOMA systems outperform corresponding OMA systems in terms of outage probability and throughput over different values of the Weibull shaping index. The analytical results are then validated through numerical simulations on MATLAB.
BERT-Based Joint Model for Aspect Term Extraction and Aspect Polarity Detection in Arabic Text
Authors: Chouikhi Hasna , Alsuhaibani Mohammed , Jarray Fethi
Published: January 2023

Aspect-based sentiment analysis (ABSA) is a method used to identify the aspects discussed in a given text and determine the sentiment expressed towards each aspect. This can help provide a more fine-grained understanding of the opinions expressed in the text. The majority of Arabic ABSA techniques in use today significantly rely on repeated pre-processing and feature-engineering operations, as well as the use of outside resources (e.g., lexicons). In essence, there is a significant research gap in NLP with regard to the use of transfer learning (TL) techniques and language models for aspect term extraction (ATE) and aspect polarity detection (APD) in Arabic text. While TL has proven to be an effective approach for a variety of NLP tasks in other languages, its use in the context of Arabic has been relatively under-explored. This paper aims to address this gap by presenting a TL-based approach for ATE and APD in Arabic, leveraging the knowledge and capabilities of previously trained language models. The Arabic base (Arabic version) of the BERT model serves as the foundation for the suggested models. Different BERT implementations are also contrasted. A reference ABSA dataset was used for the experiments (HAAD dataset). The experimental results demonstrate that our models surpass the baseline model and previously proposed approaches.
BFCN: A Novel Classification Method of Encrypted Traffic Based on BERT and CNN
Authors: Shi Zhaolei , Luktarhan Nurbol , Song Yangyang , Tian Gaoqi
Published: January 2023

With the speedy advancement of encryption technology and the exponential increase in applications, network traffic classification has become an increasingly important research topic. Existing methods for classifying encrypted traffic have certain limitations. For example, traditional approaches such as machine learning rely heavily on feature engineering, deep learning approaches are susceptible to the amount and distribution of labeled data, and pretrained models focus merely on the global traffic features while ignoring local features. To solve the above problem, we propose a BERT-based byte-level feature convolutional network (BFCN) model consisting of two novel modules. The first is a packet encoder module, in which we use the BERT pretrained encrypted traffic classification model to capture global traffic features through its attention mechanism; the second is a CNN module, which captures byte-level local features in the traffic through convolutional operations. The packet-level and byte-level features are concatenated as the traffic’s final representation, which can better represent encrypted traffic. Our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on the publicly available ISCX-VPN dataset for the traffic service and application identification task, achieving F1 scores of 99.11% and 99.41%, respectively, on these two tasks. The experimental results demonstrate that our method further improves the performance of encrypted traffic classification.
A Compact Current-Transfer Model in Resonant-Tunneling Structures with Consideration of Interelectronic Interaction
Authors: Vetrova Natalia , Kuimov Evgeny , Meshkov Sergey , Makeev Mstislav , Sinyakin Vladimir , Shashurin Vasiliy
Published: January 2023

A compact analytical model of current transfer was developed to estimate the characteristics of heterostructured devices. The absence of empirical correction factors and the explicit accounting of the interelectronic interaction differentiates it from previous similar models. The model obtains an estimates of the electron density in the quantum well of the heterostructural channel and applies a self-consistent correction for resonance levels. It also provides accuracy in the positive differential resistance region of the I–V characteristics in the AlGaAs structures, with an average relative error not exceeding 2%. The time complexity of the calculations of the I–V characteristics using this model is several orders of magnitude less than that of calculations using ab initio models. Its high accuracy and low temporal complexity of calculations of I–V characteristics allow this model to be integrated in systems for the design and calculation of reliability indicators for devices, including terahertz devices.
Testing and Modeling of Vehicle Li-Ion Battery Module with Prismatic Cells under Abuse Conditions
Authors: Logakannan Krishna Prasath , Zhu Feng , Sypeck David , Xu Sida , Deng Jie , Kim Sangyeon
Published: January 2023

The damage behavior of Li-ion vehicle battery modules with prismatic cells has been investigated through mechanical experiments and numerical simulations. The modules were subjected to quasi-static indentation using a V-shaped stainless-steel wedge along three orthogonal directions. One higher speed test was also performed. Force and voltage were measured as a function of displacement to monitor damage during loading. A detailed finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate force-displacement with very good comparison to experimental results. Based on the FE model, energy absorption contributions of four major component groups were analyzed along with detailed effects of enclosure weld defects. Analysis indicates the steel parts absorbed significant amounts of energy irrespective of indentation direction. The welds connecting the side plates were the weak link in the protective structure. Increasing the thickness of the steel plates could help absorb more energy.
Investigation on Convection Heat Transfer Augment in Spirally Corrugated Pipe
Authors: Li Xiuzhen , Liu Shijie , Mo Xun , Sun Zhaoyang , Tian Guo , Xin Yifan , Zhu Dongsheng
Published: January 2023

A numerical simulation on the heat transport augmentation and flow drag behavior of spirally corrugated pipes was performed. The simulation was conducted on the basis of the experimental results documented in the published literature. The influence of the thread height and pitch on the hydraulic–thermal performance as well as the mechanism of the convection heat transport development inside the spirally corrugated pipe were explored. It was discovered that the convection heat transport performance elevates in the Reynolds number region of 4000~13,000 as the thread height rises or the Reynolds number enlarges, but it declines when the thread pitch extends. The convection heat transport performance marked by the Nusselt number of the spirally corrugated pipe could reach 2.77 times that of the plain pipe, while the flow resistance coefficients of spirally corrugated pipes are 89~324% above that of the plain pipe. It enlarges with the rise in thread height but declines with the extension of the thread pitch. It also reduces when the Reynolds number enlarges. The factors of overall heat transmission performance for all the spirally corrugated pipes are above 1.00, and they increase in the Reynolds number region of 4000~7000 and then decrease in the Reynolds number region of 7000 to 13,000. The secondary flow at the cross-sections and the vortex between two adjacent corrugated grooves are the basic causes of the promotion of convection heat transport inside the spirally corrugated pipes. The secondary flow near the pipe wall both disrupts the border layer and boosts the radial interfusion of the fluid. In addition, the existence of vortexes makes the secondary flow act on the convection heat transmission continuously and positively in the region close to the pipe wall.
Review on Nano Enhanced PCMs: Insight on nePCM Application in Thermal Management/Storage Systems
Authors: Mebarek-Oudina Fateh , Chabani Ines
Published: January 2023

Phase change materials (PCMs) proved to be valuable and drew the attention of numerous scientists striving to establish novel techniques to minimize energy consumption and expand heat storage; yet a number of challenges hampered their research. This paper provides an overall overview on how to overcome those constraints by adapting nano-enhanced phase change materials, the motivation behind their investigation, their advantages, area of applications, and their impact on thermal management and storage equipment. Recent computational and experimental studies have revealed that nanoparticles are extremely useful in terms of improving the thermo-physical properties of PCMs, allowing nano-PCMs, mainly nano-paraffin, to have a major positive influence on thermal concepts at the economical, ecological, and effectiveness levels. In this context, nano-enhanced PCMs are now able to store and release large amounts of heat in short intervals of time, which is relevant to thermal storage systems and contributes to augmenting and boosting their efficiency. It also improves the thermal performance of cooling and heating systems in buildings and regulates the operating temperature of PV systems, electronic components, and batteries.
A New Methodology for Early Detection of Failures in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Carbonó dela Rosa Mario Eduardo , Velasco Herrera Graciela , Nava Rocío , Quiroga González Enrique , Sosa Echeverría Rodolfo , Sánchez Álvarez Pablo , Gandarilla Ibarra Jaime , Velasco Herrera Víctor Manuel
Published: January 2023

The early fault detection and reliable operation of lithium-ion batteries are two of the main challenges the technology faces. Here, we report a new methodology for early failure detection in lithium-ion batteries. This new methodology is based on wavelet spectral analysis to detect overcharge failure in batteries that is performed for voltage data obtained in cycling tests, subjected to a standard charge/discharge protocol. The main frequencies of the voltage temporal signal, the harmonic components in the regular cycling test, and a low frequency pattern were identified. For the first time, battery failure can be anticipated by wavelet spectral analysis. These results could be the key to the new early detection of battery failures in order to reduce out-of-control explosions and fire risks.
Economic Growth and Pollution Nexus in Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela (G-3 Countries): The Role of Renewable Energy in Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Authors: Nahrin Rifat , Rahman Md. Hasanur , Majumder Shapan Chandra , Esquivias Miguel Angel
Published: January 2023

The primary aspiration of this paper is to learn about the effects of economic growth (GDPG) and energy consumption (ENRC) on environmental pollution (EP) in G-3 countries and to show the significance of renewable energy consumption (RENEW) on environmental pollution (EP). The data covers the period from 1970 to 2020 by applying the “Pooled Mean Group-Autoregressive Distributed Lag” (PMG-ARDL) model. The results indicate that GDPG is negatively co-integrated with CO2 emissions (pollution) in the short run (SR) but positively co-integrated in the long run (LR). Energy consumption has a positive impact in the long run, but there is no positive impact in the short run to accelerate pollution. In both the short and long run, renewable energy has a significant role in reducing environmental degradation. However, according to the Dumitrescu Hurlin panel, there was bidirectional causality (BC) involving energy consumption and pollution. Because of the large volume of energy emphasized in economic growth and development activities, energy use increases pollution. In addition, there was a BC involving energy consumption and economic growth. At the country level, a significant contribution implies sustainable development and the implication of environmental quality assurance policies.
Energy Savings in Buildings Based on Image Depth Sensors for Human Activity Recognition
Authors: Mata Omar , Méndez Juana Isabel , Ponce Pedro , Peffer Therese , Meier Alan , Molina Arturo
Published: January 2023

A smart city is a city that binds together technology, society, and government to enable the existence of a smart economy, smart mobility, smart environment, smart living, smart people, and smart governance in order to reduce the environmental impact of cities and improve life quality. The first step to achieve a fully connected smart city is to start with smaller modules such as smart homes and smart buildings with energy management systems. Buildings are responsible for a third of the total energy consumption; moreover, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems account for more than half of the residential energy consumption in the United States. Even though connected thermostats are widely available, they are not used as intended since most people do not have the expertise to control this device to reduce energy consumption. It is commonly set according to their thermal comfort needs; therefore, unnecessary energy consumption is often caused by wasteful behaviors and the estimated energy saving is not reached. Most studies in the thermal comfort domain to date have relied on simple activity diaries to estimate metabolic rate and fixed values of clothing parameters for strategies to set the connected thermostat’s setpoints because of the difficulty in tracking those variables. Therefore, this paper proposes a strategy to save energy by dynamically changing the setpoint of a connected thermostat by human activity recognition based on computer vision preserving the occupant’s thermal comfort. With the use of a depth sensor in conjunction with an RGB (Red–Green–Blue) camera, a methodology is proposed to eliminate the most common challenges in computer vision: background clutter, partial occlusion, changes in scale, viewpoint, lighting, and appearance on human detection. Moreover, a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) is implemented for human activity recognition (HAR) because of its data’s sequential characteristics, in combination with physiological parameters identification to estimate a dynamic metabolic rate. Finally, a strategy for dynamic setpoints based on the metabolic rate, predicted mean vote (PMV) parameter and the air temperature is simulated using EnergyPlus™ to evaluate the energy consumption in comparison with the expected energy consumption with fixed value setpoints. This work contributes with a strategy to reduce energy consumption up to 15% in buildings with connected thermostats from the successful implementation of the proposed method.