bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Agricultural land use weakens the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning
Authors: Feckler Alexander , Schnurr Jacob , Kalčíková Gabriela , Truchy Amélie , McKie Brendan G. , Schäfer Ralf B. , Schulz Ralf , Bundschuh Mirco
Published: August 2023

Leaf litter decomposition is a significant ecosystem process for streams' energy provisioning, while species‐specific decomposition rates often form a continuum from slow to fast decomposing species allowing for resources' availability to stream consumers over a longer time period after leaf fall. Leaf litter mixtures in streams typically comprise leaf species varying in their traits, allowing for litter diversity effects on decomposition. At the same time, agricultural land use, habitat characteristics, water quality and invertebrate composition modulate leaf litter decomposition. To identify leaf litter diversity effects and disentangle the roles of agricultural intensity, habitat characteristics, water quality and invertebrate composition for leaf litter processing in streams, we quantified leaf litter decomposition of three leaf species covering a gradient from slow to fast decomposing species, tested either individually or as a three‐species mixture. The study was conducted over 21 days across 18 streams with a gradient of agricultural intensity (percent agricultural land use) in their catchments. We found leaf litter diversity effects in terms of complementarity under low to intermediate agricultural intensity, given that slow decomposing leaf species decomposed almost twice as fast in the three‐species mixture compared to the observations on individual leaf species. This leaf litter diversity effect decreased with increasing agricultural intensity, suggesting that agriculture weakens the biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationship. However, pathways by which agriculture affected decomposition differed between single‐species and mixed‐species scenarios. For the single‐species scenario, negative effects of agriculture appeared to be mediated through effects on the proportion of sensitive detritivore species and altered habitat characteristics. For the mixed‐species scenario, altered water quality negatively affected the proportion of sensitive detritivore species, in turn reducing the diversity effect on functioning. Our results suggest that the weakened biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationship under increasing agricultural intensity might be a significant factor threatening carbon cycling and food web integrity in streams.
Translation and analogical reasoning
Authors: Larsen Svend Erik
Published: August 2023

This article argues that the dissemination of literatures across historical and cultural divides follow partly random analogical pathways, not least pushed by translations. By contrast, within traditional comparative literature hierarchical centre/periphery models for literary transmissions were to a large extent based on the idea of a unilateral influence moving from dominant source cultures and their canonical writers and texts to other cultures. With the aim of revising this model I will as necessary suggest analogical reasoning, understood as a bi‐directional and non‐hierarchical approach to literary dissemination as it is embedded in translatory, aesthetic and performative practices across languages and cultures. My examples are two: an early nineteenth‐century direct Danish translation from 1805 of William Shakespeare's Hamlet; and an early twentieth‐century case of cross‐media use of an indirect German translation of Chinese poetry in Gustav Mahler's symphonic work Das Lied von der Erde (1908–1909).
Agency: Let's mind what's fundamental1
Authors: Wallace Robert H.
Published: August 2023

The standard event‐causal theory of action says that an intentional action is caused in the right way by the right mental states. This view requires reductionism about agency. The causal role of the agent must be nothing over and above the causal contribution of the relevant mental event‐causal processes. But commonsense finds this reductive solution to the “agent‐mind problem”, the problem of explaining the relationship between agents and the mind, incredible. Where did the agent go? This paper suggests that this challenge against event‐causal reductionism is importantly related to debates about fundamentality. It also suggests that extant event‐causal answers to the agent‐mind problem, ones that suggest that part of an agent's mind can stand proxy for the agent herself, fail against the challenge. It sketches an alternative reductive view that appeals to entity grounding. This view resolves the commonsense challenge and promises to be theoretically fruitful with respect to other longstanding problems with the event‐casual view. The paper concludes with a burden‐shifting argument against emergentist agent‐causal theories and non‐reductive event‐causal theories of agency.
Is sunscreen alone effective at preventing sunburn on a high‐solar beach vacation: A modeling study?
Authors: Diffey Brian L. , Schmalwieser Alois W.
Published: August 2023

Beach holidays in areas of strong sunlight are popular and sunscreen is often the primary means of photoprotection favored by many people. The object of this study was to estimate how effective sunscreen is in preventing sunburn under high ultraviolet (UV) levels. We used a computational model to determine how the quantity, frequency, substantivity, and labeled SPF of applied sunscreens impact on the predicted erythemal response in unacclimatized skin over the course of a 7‐day holiday in a high‐solar environment. Our results indicated that sunscreen on its own may be insufficient to prevent sunburn in white skin on a sun‐seeking holiday that combines prolonged exposure with high UV levels. Nevertheless, sunscreens have a valuable role to play on a beach holiday especially if an SPF30 or higher is chosen, the product is applied liberally and uniformly, application is started early into the sun exposure period and repeated at 2‐hourly intervals throughout the day, and the product binds well to the skin. The main limitation of our investigation is that it is not an observational study but rather a computational model and while all models are wrong, some, including this one, are useful.
In silico prediction and analysis of transmembrane‐coiled‐coil resistance gene analogues in 27Brassicaceaespecies
Authors: Cantila Aldrin Y. , Thomas William J. W. , Bayer Philipp E. , Edwards David , Batley Jacqueline
Published: August 2023

TheBrassicaceaefamily is composed of a broad range of species, including the economically important crops fromBrassica,Raphanus,CamelinaandSinapisgenera. The production ofBrassicaceaespecies, particularly the crop members, is threatened by major diseases. However, the impact of diseases can be minimized or even negated by improving disease resistance. Transmembrane‐coiled‐coil (TM‐CC) genes are a type of resistance gene analogue (RGA) that have been proven to play specific roles in resistance to several diseases. Here, TM‐CCs have been predicted in 27 genomes fromBrassicaceaegenera includingArabidopsis,Arabis,Barbarea,Boechera,Brassica,Camelina,Capsella,Cardamine,Eutrema,Leavenworthia,Lepidium,Raphanus,Sinapis,Sisymbrium,SchrenkiellaandThlaspi. The number of TM‐CCs varies throughout the studied genomes, as well as between genera, diploids and polyploids, andBrassicagenomes and subgenomes. In total, 6788 TM‐CCs were identified, with 708 of them predicted with signalling function, 172 colocalized with previously known disease resistance regions and 70 phylogenetically related to cloned resistance genes, indicating the possible functional involvement of TM‐CCs in resistance. This study provides a resource for the identification of functionalBrassicaceaeTM‐CCs along with their clustering and duplication patterns and provides a benchmark for further studies investigating TM‐CCs.
Traveling waves in a coarse‐grained model of volume‐filling cell invasion: Simulations and comparisons
Authors: Crossley Rebecca M. , Maini Philip K. , Lorenzi Tommaso , Baker Ruth E.
Published: August 2023

Many reaction–diffusion models produce traveling wave solutions that can be interpreted as waves of invasion in biological scenarios such as wound healing or tumor growth. These partial differential equation models have since been adapted to describe the interactions between cells and extracellular matrix (ECM), using a variety of different underlying assumptions. In this work, we derive a system of reaction–diffusion equations, with cross‐species density‐dependent diffusion, by coarse‐graining an agent‐based, volume‐filling model of cell invasion into ECM. We study the resulting traveling wave solutions both numerically and analytically across various parameter regimes. Subsequently, we perform a systematic comparison between the behaviors observed in this model and those predicted by simpler models in the literature that do not take into account volume‐filling effects in the same way. Our study justifies the use of some of these simpler, more analytically tractable models in reproducing the qualitative properties of the solutions in some parameter regimes, but it also reveals some interesting properties arising from the introduction of cell and ECM volume‐filling effects, where standard model simplifications might not be appropriate.
Brief relationship support as a selective suicide prevention intervention: Piloting the Relationship Checkup in veteran couples with relationship and mental health concerns
Authors: Crasta Dev , Funderburk Jennifer S. , Gray Tatiana D. , Cordova James V. , Britton Peter C.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Close relationship problems play a key role in many contemporary theories of suicide. However, the potential of relationship support in suicide prevention is understudied. This study explores the feasibility, safety, acceptability, and promise of utilizing the 3‐session Relationship Checkup (RC) in veterans with mental health and romantic relationship concerns.

Methods

We conducted a single‐arm pilot of telehealth RC in veterans with a positive mental health screen and their romantic partners. Couples completed baseline and post‐treatment assessments of study outcomes.

Results

Feasibility analyses showed we were able to recruit an elevated‐risk sample (30% history of attempts or interrupted attempts), take them through the service (90% treatment completion), and had minimal harm events (no suicidal behavior, no physical harm in arguments). Multimethod acceptability analyses suggested high satisfaction with the program, though some desired more intensive services. Couples reported improvements in relationship functioning, emotional intimacy, thwarted belongingness, depression, and posttraumatic stress. Perceived burdensomeness only improved for identified patients and drinking did not change for either partner.

Conclusion

The RC is a feasible, safe, and acceptable strategy for providing relationship support to couples at elevated risk. Although further randomized trials are needed, RC shows promise to reduce relationship‐level and individual‐level suicide risk factors.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐DRB3*02:193 allele by sequencing‐based typing
Authors: Blandin Lucie , Milhes Jean , Congy‐Jolivet Nicolas , Lemal Richard , Rouzaire Paul
Published: August 2023

HLA‐DRB3*02:193 differs from DRB3*02:02:01:11 by one nucleotide substitution in exon 1, and intronic changes.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐A*33:246 allele using next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Pedini Pascal , Brami Beila , Walencik Alexandre , Frassati Coralie , Picard Christophe
Published: August 2023

HLA‐A*33:246 differs from HLA‐A*33:01:01:01 allele by one nucleotide substitution in codon 135 in exon 3.
Clinical and immune features of human parvovirus B19 infection in allogeneic stem cell transplantation recipients: A retrospective monocentric study
Authors: Sammut Rinzine , Feghoul Linda , Xhaard Alienor , Dhedin Nathalie , Robin Marie , Michonneau David , Loschi Michael , Legoff Jerome , de Peffault de Latour Regis , de Sicre de Fontbrune Flore
Published: August 2023

Background

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection is associated with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) in immunocompromised patients; however, the spectrum of manifestations associated with B19V in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients (alloHSCT) has rarely been reported.

Methods

In this study, we aimed to report clinical and immune features of B19V infection after alloHSCT. We retrospectively collected and analyzed clinical and microbiological data of all transplanted patients with B19V DNAmia or tissue infection detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in our center from 2010 to 2021.

Results

We report 35 cases of B19V infections in 33 patients. Median time from transplant to B19V first PCR positivity was 6.9 months (interquartile range (IQR) [1.6–18.9]). No preferential immune profile, type of transplantation or conditioning was identified. Hematological impairment was the most frequent sign, followed by rash and fever. Unconventional clinical forms were also detected, such as acute myelitis and myositis. For some cases, the direct relationship between symptoms and B19V infection was difficult to prove but was suggested by targeted tissue PCR positivity. When hematological impairment was not at the forefront, reticulocytopenia helped to diagnose B19V infections. Treatment was mainly based on high dose intravenous immunoglobulin.

Conclusion

Although hematological impairment was the most frequent sign, B19V can affect multiple targets and lead to atypical manifestations. Because of its heterogeneous clinical presentation, B19V infection is likely under‐diagnosed. Diagnosis of unusual B19V organ involvement needs combination of arguments which can include targeted tissue PCR.

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Antimicrobials in patients with hematologic malignancies and recipients of hematopoietic cell transplantation and other cellular therapies
Authors: Tverdek Frank , Escobar Zahra Kassamali , Liu Catherine , Jain Rupali , Lindsay Julian
Published: August 2023

Background

Appropriate use of antimicrobials for hematologic malignancy, hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, and other cellular therapies is vital, with infection causing significant morbidity and mortality in this unique population of immunocompromised hosts. However, often in this population the choice and management of antimicrobial therapy is complex. When selecting an antimicrobial agent, key considerations include the need for dose adjustments due to renal or hepatic impairment, managing drug interactions, the potential for additive drug toxicity among those receiving polypharmacy and therapeutic drug monitoring. Other factors include leveraging pharmacodynamic principles to enable optimization of directed therapy against challenging pathogens, as well as judicious use of antimicrobials to limit drug resistance and adverse drug reactions.

This review summarizes the clinical considerations for commonly used antimicrobials in this setting, including antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents.

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Does foreign direct investment benefit local firms? Evidence from a natural experiment study
Authors: Nguyen Cuong Viet , Tran Tuyen Quang , Vu Huong Van
Published: August 2023

We examine the spillover effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on domestic firms in Vietnam. We use distance between each district center and the 17th parallel north latitude as an instrumental variable for FDI firm density at the district level. The rationale for this instrument is that districts which are closer to the 17th parallel north latitude, are more likely to suffer from unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the Indochina wars and therefore attract fewer FDI firms. We find that 1% increase in FDI firm density leads to 0.2% increase in revenue and profit per employee of domestic firms. The main mechanism for this positive effect does not take place through technology spillovers but through backward linkages where domestic firms in districts with a higher FDI firm density have more FDI customers. Our study also shows the long‐term effect of war on the efficacy of domestic firms. In particular, 1% increase in the proportion of UXO‐contaminated areas reduces revenue and profit per employee of domestic firms by 0.28% and 0.29%, respectively.
NITROGEN, POTASSIUM, AND SILICON FERTILIZATION TO ACHIEVE LOWER PANICLE BLAST SEVERITY AND IMPROVE YIELD COMPONENTS OF RICE USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY
Authors: Esa NurulNahar , Misman Siti Norsuha , Mohamad Saad Maisarah , Masarudin Mohd Fitri
Published: August 2023

Rice blast is one of the most critical limiting factors for rice plant growth performance, and it occurs in 85 countries, causing 10-35% grain yield losses. Several findings have indicated the positive benefits of nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and Silicon (Si) fertilization on plant development, yield, and biotic stress relief. However, due to rice blast attacks, its growth, development, and yield may be restricted or limited by insufficient or unbalanced N, K, and Si fertilizers. This study was conducted to optimize the fertilization strategies for rice panicle blast control and improve rice grain yield. The methods used were Central Composite Design and Response Surface Methodology. The application of N, K and Si did not influence the number of spikelets per meter square, filled grain (%) and 1000- grain weight (g). An increase in K and Si significantly reduced the rice blast severity in the off-season 2021 and the main-season 2021/2022. On the other hand, only Si had influenced rice grain yield production. An increase in Si showed a positive linear trend in rice grain yield. Based on these results, panicle blast disease is expected to be controlled with the recommended rate of 104 N kg/ha, 42 P2O5, 80 kg K2O, and an additional 200 Si kg/ha, which minimizes the rice blast severity (%) but at the same time maximizes the rice grain yield. The findings of this study provide a scientific base and technical advice for high-yield rice grain-growing under panicle blast disease hot spot areas.
SUB-ACUTE TOXICITY STUDY OF DIABECINE RECONSTITUTE IN SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY IN THE EVALUATION AS AN ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIA AGENT
Authors: Ab Rahman Nur Syukriah , Abd Majid Fadzilah Adibah , Abd Wahid Effendy , Zainuddin Ain Nabihah , Ismail Hassan Fahmi
Published: August 2023

Diabecine reconstitute is a combination of well-known herbs such as Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Eugenia polyantha, Curcuma xanthorizza, Orthosiphon stamineus and Andrographis paniculata which are believed to give promising finding especially in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, no scientific studies have been performed to investigate its toxicological effect. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate its safety profile using sub-acute toxicity (14 days repeated doses) in rat model. The sub-acute toxicity study was evaluated by daily administration of different doses (250, 600 and 2000 mg/kg) of diabecine reconstitute for 14 days. Clinical signs, body weight changes, food and water intake, white blood count and relative organ weight were recorded. While the liver and kidney were removed for histological analysis. The result indicated that administration of diabecine reconstitute did not show significant differences in food consumption, water intake and white blood count (p>0.05) as compared to the control. However, there is significant difference observed in body weight and relative organ weight (p<0.05). Diabecine reconstitute at 600 and 2000 mg/kg proved to be toxic to kidney and liver in histopathology studies. However, the diabecine reconstitute at concentration of 250 mg/kg is safe to be used and showed no toxicity effect. Therefore, diabecine reconstitute at dose of 250 mg/kg was found to be toxicologically safe and it may be a good potential polyherbal formula to be incorporated in the diabetes mellitus treatment.
NUMERICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON COMBINED EFFECT OF WELDING RESIDUAL STRESS AND AXIAL COMPRESSIVE LOAD ON BUCKLING CAPACITY OF THIN LOW CARBON STEEL PLATES
Authors: N. S. Sivasubramaniyan , M. S. Sumanlal , V. M. Joy Varghese
Published: August 2023

Arc welding is the most commonly used metal joining process and its broad range of applications from large structural fabrications such as bridges to delicate satellite and aerospace components. Welding Residual Stress (WRS) and cracks developed during welding, reduce the quality of welds. Aerospace structures are normally fabricated using thin metal sheets to reduce mass and are always susceptible to buckling. Many researchers have published WRS numerical models and experimental validations, but the impact of WRS on the buckling of thin low carbon steel plates is yet to be studied. The main objective of this study is to analyse the influence of external compressive load and tendon force generated by welding residual stress on buckling strength of the TIG welded low-carbon steel plates. Linear buckling of welded plates under the combined effect of external compressive load and WRS generated due to various weld lengths were numerically modelled and its critical buckling loads are computed. The numerical simulation findings show that the critical buckling strength decreases by 80% when the weld length to plate width ratio (w/wl) is equal to unity and it reduces to minimum when the w/wl ratio is 0.5. After w/wl ratio is 0.5, buckling strength increases and this behavior is caused by the stress field interaction that arises from both the applied axial compressive load and the WRS on the plate.
DETERIORATION KINETICS OF NEUTRALIZED RED FRUIT (Pandanus conoideus L.) OIL DURING STORAGE
Authors: Sarungallo Zita Letviany , Santoso Budi , Letsoin Yuyun Yuanita Digna , Epriliati Indah
Published: August 2023

This study’s goal was to obtain a kinetics model of neutralized red fruit oil (NRFO) quality change during storage.  The NRFO was stored in dark bottles at 60 °C, 75 °C and 90 °C for ± 15 days to evaluate the quality. The results showed that the quality of NRFO decreased along with the increase in temperature and storage time. This was indicated by increasing moisture content, Free Fatty Acid (FFA), peroxide number, as well as decreasing of the total carotenoids and total tocopherols. The FFA content and peroxide number of NRFO increase followed the kinetics zeroth order model, with activation energy (Ea) of 6372 cal/moloK and 9954 cal/moloK, respectively. Meanwhile, the decrease in carotenoid and tocopherol content followed the kinetics first order model, with Ea 9581 cal/moloK and 14242 cal/moloK, respectively. Estimation of shelf life of NRFO was based on peroxide number equation. The shelf life of NRFO is 398.5 days or 13.3 months if it is stored at 20 °; and the shelf life is 277.6 days or 9.3 months if it is stored 30 °C.
ANALYSIS OF ACTIVE SECONDARY SUSPENSION WITH MODIFIED SKYHOOK CONTROLLER TO IMPROVE RIDE PERFORMANCE OF RAILWAY VEHICLE
Authors: Mohamed Jamil Fathiah , Abdullah Mohd Azman , Harun Mohd Hanif , Ibrahim Munaliza , Ahmad Fauzi , Ubaidillah Ubaidillah
Published: August 2023

The aim of this work is to determine the effectiveness of active suspension control systems in improving the ride quality of railway vehicles. A 13-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) full-body model is provided, including lateral, yaw, and rool motions of the body and bogies, and lateral displacement of the four wheelsets. The suspension system of railway vehicles and the dynamics of track irregularities are combined in a set of governing equations. MATLAB/Simulink is used to build a full-body dynamics model of a rail vehicle. The effectiveness of the active suspension systems equipped with the suggested controller has been tested for the purpose of evaluating its performance. Compared to passive systems, the results showed a more than 60 % improvement in vehicle performance on irregular tracks.
A REVIEW ON 4D ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING - THE APPLICATIONS, SMART MATERIALS & EFFECT OF VARIOUS STIMULI ON 4D PRINTED OBJECTS
Authors: Maidin Shajahan , Jin Wee Kuek , Sharum Mohamad Afiq , Rajendran Thavinnesh Kumar , Mohd Ali Latifah , Ismail Shafinaz
Published: August 2023

Additive Manufacturing, often known as 3D printing, is a process that uses a variety of materials to manufacture highly accurate items layer by layer. However, this technology has its limitations. One such limitation is the inability to print components larger than the printer's size due to the limited size of the build chamber. 4D additive manufacturing or 4D printing is an innovative development based on 3D printing that allows objects to be reshaped after printing, using stimuli-responsive materials that require external stimuli. This article present a review on 4D printing. Four databases, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore, and Scopus database, were systematically searched for relevant review articles to identify and classify research studies. Specific keywords (4D printing, additive manufacturing, smart materials, stimuli, and application) were identified and used to guide the discovery of relevant studies. A total of 28 full articles were reviewed to study the applications of 4D printing, smart materials for 4D printing, as well as the effect of various stimuli on 4D printed objects. In conclusion, this review gives a summary of 4D printing and highlights its potential for revolutionizing manufacturing and further research is required to solve the limitations posed by this technology.
EFFECTS OF DEFICIT IRRIGATION ON BARLEY YIELD USING SEVERAL IRRIGATION SCENARIOS
Authors: I. Naser Alaa , Mahmood Mohammad Tariq , Mahmood Agha Omar M. A.
Published: August 2023

Deficient irrigation is a very significant study, especially with the limited water. Therefore, the current research aims to study the deficit irrigation depending on several different scenarios, by adding different amounts of water and irrigation rates (10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 90%) of the full irrigation with changing irrigation time and studying its effect on productivity. The results showed that there is a clear effect on the productivity of barley at the level of irrigation (10%-30%) of the full irrigation and for all irrigation dates when changing the date of the first irrigation only, while the results showed when changing the second irrigation only and the first and second irrigation at the level of irrigation (10% - 30% -50%) of the full irrigation, the productivity will decrease by 13.75 - 84.7 kg/ha. It was also noticed that changing the irrigation level for the first irrigation has a very small effect on productivity compared to changing the irrigation level for the second irrigation and for all irrigation dates, and the reason for this is the difference in the stages of yield growth. While the results showed that changing the irrigation level for the first and second irrigation together will have a greater effect on productivity than the rest of the other scenarios.
NUMERICAL AND THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION ON COMPOSITE COLD-FORMED STEEL JOINTS WITH LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE
Authors: Tan Cher Siang , Choo Xiuwen , Moy Jian Jun , Sulaiman Arizu
Published: August 2023

This research intends to investigate behaviour of composite cold-formed steel joint numerically through finite element analysis by using ABAQUS and theoretically by referring to BS 5950-1:2000 and Green book P213 “Joint in Steel Construction-Composite Connection”. A composite joint is modelled by combination of composite beam and steel column with connection of HRS gusset plate and M12 bolts. The significant failure mode is local buckling in CFS column web which similar in experimental study, FEM numerical simulation and theoretical component calculation. The behaviour of the cold-formed steel composite joint will be expressed in moment-rotational and load-deflection relationship to determine the initial rotational stiffness and ultimate moment resistance. The findings from numerical and theoretical investigations are compared with the full-scale experimental study in three different thicknesses of gusset plate. A correlation in stiffness ratio and strength ratio are obtained in the range of 1.76 to 2.25, and 1.00 to 1.60 respectively indicating that the numerical modelling tends to underpredict the behaviour of the composite structures.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CONFIGURATIONS FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC-THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR COGENERATION SYSTEM
Authors: Ayop Razman , Tan Chee Wei , Md Ayob Shahrin , Kwan Yiew Lau , Wai Shin Ho
Published: August 2023

Photovoltaic (PV) converts solar energy to electrical energy directly. During this process, the PV produce energy losses in the form of heat energy. To improve the system's efficiency, this heat energy is converted into electrical energy using the thermoelectric generator (TEG). The PV and TEG have a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic and it requires a power converter with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) to properly extract the energy. There are several configurations of power converters available for the PV-TEG cogeneration system (PTCS). Nonetheless, the literature that compares the performance of the configurations is unavailable. This paper compares 4 configurations for the PTCS, which include the separate boost full MPPT (SBFM), separate boost partial MPPT, series source boost MPPT, and PV boost MPPT with series TEG. The boost converter with perturb and observe MPPT method is used for all configurations to ensure a fair comparison. The results show that SBFM can efficiently extract the energy from both PV and TEG up to 98.5%. The other configurations can efficiently extract energy from the PV (more than 98.5%). However, the energy extracts from the TEG have a low efficiency down to 87%. Overall, the configuration chosen for the PTCS affects the efficiency of the system.
Helical Fins for Concentrated Solar Receivers: Design Optimization and Entropy Analysis
Authors: Pidaparthi Bharath , Missoum Samy , Xu Ben , Li Peiwen
Published: August 2023

Concentrated solar power (CSP) with thermal energy storage (TES) has the potential to achieve grid parity. This can be realized by operating CSP systems at temperatures above 700 °C with high-efficiency sCO2 power cycles. However, operating CSP systems at such temperatures poses several challenges, among which the design of solar receivers to accommodate increased thermal loads is critical. To this end, this work explores and optimizes various swirl-inducing internal fin designs for solar receiver tubes. These fin designs not only improve the thermal performance of receiver tubes but also levelize temperature unevenness caused by non-uniform thermal loading. In this work, the geometric parameters of the fin designs are optimized to maximize the Nusselt number with a constraint on the friction factor. This optimization, however, is computationally intensive, requiring hundreds of simulation calls to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. To circumvent this problem, surrogate models are used to approximate the simulation outputs needed during the optimization. In addition, this study also examines the fin designs from an entropy generation perspective. To this end, the entropy contributions from thermal and viscous effects are quantitatively compared while varying the operational Reynolds number.
Mathematical Modeling and Experimental Characterization of the Piezoelectric Servo Valve System
Authors: Zhang Yixin , Pan Wei , Chen Shujiang , Zhang Yongtao , Lu Changhou
Published: August 2023

The dynamic performance of the hydraulic system depends on the dynamic characteristics of the servo valve. In this article, the control characteristics of the piezoelectric servo valve are studied theoretically and experimentally. The mathematical model of the system is established by considering the influence of the piezoelectric servo valve, the influence of the pipeline, and the interaction between them. The frequency response characteristics of the system and the influence of the pipeline parameters on the control characteristics of the system are discussed. The simulation results are compared with the experimental results to verify the accuracy and efficiency of the piezoelectric servo valve dynamic model established in this article.
Energy Forecasting in Buildings Using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Migliori Mariana , Najafi Hamidreza
Published: August 2023

The building sector is responsible for the largest portion of the total energy consumption in the United States. Conventional physics-based building energy models (BEMs) consider all of the building characteristics in order to accurately simulate their energy usage, requiring an extensive, complex, and costly process, particularly for existing buildings. In recent years, data-driven models have emerged as an additional path toward the prediction of energy consumption in buildings. The purpose of this work is to present a methodology for predicting the energy consumption of buildings using deep neural networks (NNs). Three machine learning algorithms, including a linear regression model, a multilayer perceptron NN, and a convolutional NN (CNN) model, are proposed to solve an energy consumption regression problem using outside dry-bulb temperature as the only input. To assess these methods, a building in Melbourne, FL, is considered and modeled in EnergyPlus. Ten years of data were used as inputs to the EnergyPlus model, and the energy consumption was calculated accordingly. The input to the machine learning algorithm (average daily dry-bulb temperature) and the output (daily total energy consumption) are used for training. Cross-validation was performed on the trained model using actual weather data measured onsite at the building location. The results showed that all three proposed machine learning algorithms were trained successfully and were able to solve the regression problem with high accuracy. However, the CNN model provided the best results when compared with the other two methods. This work also investigates different data filtering techniques that provide the best positive correlation between inputs and outputs for a similar type of problem. Results from this work aim to be used toward accurate energy forecasting that facilitates achieving higher energy efficiency in the building sector. The presented framework provides a readily simple model that allows accurate prediction of outputs when supplied with new inputs and can be used by a wide range of end users.
Fractures, Glycemic Control, and Bone Mineral Density in Females With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Lee Antoinette , Uriegas Nancy A. , Adams Morgan G. , Hand Amy F.
Published: August 2023

Clinical scenarios have risen where females with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1-DM), whose demographics are similar to their male counterparts, have sustained bone injuries, whereas the males with T1-DM have not. These scenarios bring into question the effect of T1-DM on various aspects of bone health and injury risk in females. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of T1-DM in females on their fracture risk, glycemic control abilities, and bone mineral density when compared to their male counterparts. Results were consistent across all studies, indicating that individuals with T1-DM had poor glycemic control abilities during ages within peak bone accrual, had significantly lower bone mineral density, and had a greater fracture incidence. Given these results, there is a need for future education to emphasize the importance of glycemic management, future research to investigate differences in physically active populations, and for clinicians to recognize their at-risk patients and take the necessary measures to prevent injury.
Harvesting Twitter Data for Studying Motor Behavior in Disabled Populations: An Introduction and Tutorial in Python
Authors: Fears Nicholas E. , Chatterjee Riya , Tamplain Priscila M. , Miller Haylie L.
Published: August 2023

Social media platforms are rich and dynamic spaces where individuals communicate on a person-to-person level and to broader audiences. These platforms provide a wealth of publicly available data that can shed light on the lived experiences of people from numerous clinical populations. Twitter can be used to examine individual expressions and community discussions about specific characteristics (e.g., motor skills, burnout) associated with a diagnostic group. These data are useful for understanding the perspectives of a diverse, international group of self-advocates representing a wide range of clinical populations. Here, we provide a framework for how to harvest data from Twitter through their free, academic researcher application programming interface access using Python, a free, open-source programming language. We also provide a sample data set harvested using this framework and a set of analyses on these data specifically related to motor differences in neurodevelopmental conditions. This framework offers a cost-effective and flexible means of harvesting and analyzing Twitter data. Researchers should utilize these resources to advance our understanding of the lived experiences of clinical populations through social media platforms and to determine the critical questions that are of most importance to improving quality of life.
Pore-forming activity of
S. pneumoniae
pneumolysin disrupts the paracellular localization of the epithelial adherens junction protein E-cadherin
Authors: Xu Shuying , Mo Devons , Rizvi Fatima Z. , Rosa Juan P. , Ruiz Jorge , Tan Shumin , Tweten Rodney K. , Leong John M. , Adams Walter
Published: August 2023

Streptococcus pneumoniae,
a common cause of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, can cross the respiratory epithelial barrier to cause lethal septicemia and meningitis.
S. pneumoniae
pore-forming toxin pneumolysin (PLY) triggers robust neutrophil (PMN) infiltration that promotes bacterial transepithelial migration
in vitro
and disseminated disease in mice. Apical infection of polarized respiratory epithelial monolayers by
S. pneumoniae
at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 20 resulted in recruitment of PMNs, loss of 50% of the monolayer, and PMN-dependent bacterial translocation. Reducing the MOI to 2 decreased PMN recruitment two-fold and preserved the monolayer, but apical-to-basolateral translocation of
S. pneumoniae
remained relatively efficient. At both MOI of 2 and 20, PLY was required for maximal PMN recruitment and bacterial translocation. Co-infection by wild-type
S. pneumoniae
restored translocation by a PLY-deficient mutant, indicating that PLY can act in
trans
. Investigating the contribution of
S. pneumoniae
infection on apical junction complexes in the absence of PMN transmigration, we found that
S. pneumoniae
infection triggered the cleavage and mislocalization of the adherens junction (AJ) protein E-cadherin. This disruption was PLY-dependent at MOI of 2 and was recapitulated by purified PLY, requiring its pore-forming activity. In contrast, at MOI of 20, E-cadherin disruption was independent of PLY, indicating that
S. pneumoniae
encodes multiple means to disrupt epithelial integrity. This disruption was insufficient to promote bacterial translocation in the absence of PMNs. Thus,
S. pneumoniae
triggers cleavage and mislocalization of E-cadherin through PLY-dependent and -independent mechanisms, but maximal bacterial translocation across epithelial monolayers requires PLY-dependent neutrophil transmigration.
Characterization of a mouse-adapted strain of bat severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus
Authors: Lin Hao-Feng , Liu Mei-Qin , Jiang Ren-Di , Gong Qian-Chun , Su Jia , Guo Zi-Shuo , Chen Ying , Jia Jing-Kun , Dong Tian-Yi , Zhu Yan , Li Ang , Shen Xu-Rui , Wang Yi , Li Bei , Xie Ting-Ting , Yang Xing-Lou , Hu Ben , Shi Zheng-Li
Published: August 2023

Bats carry genetically diverse severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoVs). Some of them utilize human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) as a receptor and cannot efficiently replicate in wild-type mice. Our previous study demonstrated that the bat SARSr-CoV rRsSHC014S induces respiratory infection and lung damage in hACE2 transgenic mice but not wild-type mice. In this study, we generated a mouse-adapted strain of rRsSHC014S, which we named SMA1901, by serial passaging of wild-type virus in BALB/c mice. SMA1901 showed increased infectivity in mouse lungs and induced interstitial lung pneumonia in both young and aged mice after intranasal inoculation. Genome sequencing revealed mutations in not only the spike protein but the whole genome, which may be responsible for the enhanced pathogenicity of SMA1901 in wild-type BALB/c mice. SMA1901 induced age-related mortality similar to that observed in SARS and COVID-19. Drug testing using antibodies and antiviral molecules indicated that this mouse-adapted virus strain can be used to test prophylactic and therapeutic drug candidates against SARSr-CoVs.

IMPORTANCE

The genetic diversity of SARSr-CoVs in wildlife and their potential risk of cross-species infection highlights the importance of developing a powerful animal model to evaluate the antibodies and antiviral drugs. We acquired the mouse-adapted strain of a bat-origin coronavirus named SMA1901 by natural serial passaging of rRsSHC014S in BALB/c mice. The SMA1901 infection caused interstitial pneumonia and inflammatory immune responses in both young and aged BALB/c mice after intranasal inoculation. Our model exhibited age-related mortality similar to SARS and COVID-19. Therefore, our model will be of high value for investigating the pathogenesis of bat SARSr-CoVs and could serve as a prospective test platform for prophylactic and therapeutic candidates.
Blended diets for tube-fed children and young people: a rapid review update
Authors: Phillips Gemma , Coad Jane
Published: August 2023

Background

Many children and young people with complex health and care needs use enteral feeding tubes to optimise their nutritional intake in the UK and other countries. Blended diets as an alternative to the exclusive use of commercial formula are becoming more commonly used, and there is evidence to support the benefits of using a blended diet on the child or young person and their wider family.

A rapid review was published in 2017 exploring blended diets as a valid alternative to commercial formula for enteral feeding for children and young people. An update was necessary to ensure that professional practice is informed by the latest evidence, which has expanded significantly since the publication of the original article.

Methods

A rapid review method was used and the PRISMA checklist formed the basis of the protocol devised ahead of data collection. Key databases included: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Google Scholar.

Results

29 articles were included and four themes were identified from the collated data. (1) Symptom improvement and clinical outcomes, (2) nutritional content, (3) caregiver experiences and (4) blended diet practices. Findings showed that blended diets can have a positive impact on physical symptoms as well as social influences extending to families and carers.

Conclusion

Nutritional content, food hygiene and viscosity of food blends are important considerations for professionals and families to ensure safe practice when using blended diets for enteral feeding.
Five-year follow-up of phase II trial of stromal cells for bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Ahn So Yoon , Chang Yun Sil , Lee Myung Hee , Sung Sein , Kim Ai-Rhan , Park Won Soon
Published: August 2023

Background

We previously performed a phase II randomised double-blind clinical trial of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSCs) transplantation to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely premature infants. Subsequently, we followed the infants enrolled in this clinical trial to determine the safety and effectiveness of MSCs against bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 5-year follow-up.

Methods

We evaluated infants at 5 years of age receiving placebo or MSCs in a prospective follow-up study.

Results

In terms of the primary end point of composite respiratory morbidities, including respiratory problem-related readmission, emergency department visits or oxygen therapy, the MSC group had a rate of 60.7% for composite morbidities, while the control group showed a tendency of higher rate of 83.9% for the same outcomes without statistical significance. In terms of the secondary outcomes, the MSC group infants showed a tendency of being less likely to visit emergency department (control 67.7% vs MSC 35.7%) and to receive oxygen therapy (control 29.0% vs MSC 3.6%). No difference was observed in the incidence of respiratory problem-related hospital readmission or wheezing episodes between the groups.

Conclusion

Intratracheally instilled MSCs showed the possibility of potential to decrease respiratory symptom-related emergency department visits and oxygen therapy episodes in infants born extremely preterm during the 5 years after a phase II randomised controlled, double-blind trial of MSCs transplantation for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. This small size study suggests preliminary insights that can be further tested using larger sample sizes.

Trial registration number

NCT01897987.
Monthly dynamics of phenolic release and allelopathic effect in hollow and hummock Sphagnum
Authors: Liu Chao , Chen Yong-Da , Mallik Azim , Jassey Vincent E.J. , Rochefort Line , Bu Zhao-Jun
Published: August 2023

Monthly variation in accumulation and release of phenolics in bryophytes, and their allelopathic effects are little known despite their ecological significance. We conducted a field transplant experiment to investigate Sphagnum growth and extracellular enzymes that modulate phenolic contents and release along water table level (WTL) gradient. Specifically, we assessed monthly changes in height increment, phenolic release, and allelopathic effect during the growing season, as well as extracellular enzymes at the end of the experiment, for the two Sphagnum species: Sphagnum angustifolium C.E.O. Jensen, 1896, a hollow dwelling species, and Sphagnum magellanicum Bridel, 1798, a hummock species. Both Sphagnum species showed season- and WTL-dependent height increment and released phenolics. Sphagnum angustifolium exhibited negative allelopathy regardless of WTL, while S. magellanicum demonstrated mainly positive allelopathy at high WTL and negative allelopathy at low WTL. The degree of allelopathy was not contingent on phenolic release, but phenolic production was negatively correlated with height growth of the two species at their atypical habitats. Moreover, phenoloxidase or peroxidase did not show high activity at low WTL compared to high WTL. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that the strength and direction of allelopathy in Sphagnum may vary depending on the growing precipitation and temperature, WTL, and inter- and intraspecific trait variability. Longer term experiments may further elucidate the seasonal dynamics and mechanism of Sphagnum allelopathy.