bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alternaria as an Inducer of Allergic Sensitization
Authors: Hernandez-Ramirez Guadalupe , Barber Domingo , Tome-Amat Jaime , Garrido-Arandia Maria , Diaz-Perales Araceli
Published: October 2021

Alternaria alternata is a saprophytic mold whose spores are disseminated in warm dry air, the typical weather of the Mediterranean climate region (from 30° to 45°), with a peak during the late summer and early autumn. Alternaria spores are known to be biological contaminants and a potent source of aeroallergens. One consequence of human exposure to Alternaria is an increased risk of developing asthma, with Alt a 1 as its main elicitor and a marker of primary sensitization. Although the action mechanism needs further investigation, a key role of the epithelium in cytokine production, TLR-activated alveolar macrophages and innate lymphoid cells in the adaptive response was demonstrated. Furthermore, sensitization to A. alternata seems to be a trigger for the development of co-sensitization to other allergen sources and may act as an exacerbator of symptoms and an elicitor of food allergies. The prevalence of A. alternata allergy is increasing and has led to expanding research on the role of this fungal species in the induction of IgE-mediated respiratory diseases. Indeed, recent research has allowed new perspectives to be considered in the assessment of exposure and diagnosis of fungi-induced allergies, although more studies are needed for the standardization of immunotherapy formulations.
Transcription Factor MaMsn2 Regulates Conidiation Pattern Shift under the Control of MaH1 through Homeobox Domain in Metarhizium acridum
Authors: Song Dongxu , Cao Yueqing , Xia Yuxian
Published: October 2021

The growth pattern of filamentous fungi can switch between hyphal radial polar growth and non-polar yeast-like cell growth depending on the environmental conditions. Asexual conidiation after radial polar growth is called normal conidiation (NC), while yeast-like cell growth is called microcycle conidiation (MC). Previous research found that the disruption of MaH1 in Metarhizium acridum led to a conidiation shift from NC to MC. However, the regulation mechanism is not clear. Here, we found MaMsn2, an Msn2 homologous gene in M. acridum, was greatly downregulated when MaH1 was disrupted (ΔMaH1). Loss of MaMsn2 also caused a conidiation shift from NC to MC on a nutrient-rich medium. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that MaH1 could bind to the promoter region of the MaMsn2 gene. Disrupting the interaction between MaH1 and the promoter region of MaMsn2 significantly downregulated the transcription level of MaMsn2, and the overexpression of MaMsn2 in ΔMaH1 could restore NC from MC of ΔMaH1. Our findings demonstrated that MaMsn2 played a role in maintaining the NC pattern directly under the control of MaH1, which revealed the molecular mechanisms that regulated the conidiation pattern shift in filamentous fungi for the first time.
Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis: Disease Severity Using Image Analysis and Correlation with Systemic Proinflammation and Predictors of Clinical Outcome
Authors: Huang Shiang-Fen , Huang Chia-Chang , Chou Kun-Ta , Chan Yu-Jiun , Yang Ying-Ying , Wang Fu-Der
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: The presentation of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) ranges from single granuloma to fibrosis in the affected lung. CPA can be divided into five categories according to European Respirology Society (ERS) guidance but is usually assessed by clinical physicians. Computer-based quantitative lung parenchyma analysis in CPA and its correlation with clinical manifestations, systemic inflammation, and angiogenesis have never been investigated. (2) Method: Forty-nine patients with CPA and 36 controls were prospectively enrolled. Pulmonary function tests (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and FEV1/FCV) and biomarkers in the peripheral blood (the chemokines interleukin (IL)-1B, IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, CRP, ESR, MMP1, MMP7, MMP8, TNF-α, calprotectin, SDF-1α, and VEGFA) were measured before antifungal treatment. The disease severity was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe based on chest computed tomography (CT) images. The oxygen demand and overall mortality until the end of the study were recorded. Quantitative parenchyma analysis was performed using the free software 3Dslicer. (3) Results: The results of quantitative parenchyma analysis concorded with the visual severity from the chest CT, oxygen demand, FVC, and FEV1 in the study subjects. The decrease in kurtosis and skewness of the lung density histograms on CT, increase in high attenuation area (HAA), and reduced lung volume were significantly correlated with increases in the PMN %, CRP, IL-1B, SDF-1α, MMP1, and Calprotectin in peripheral blood in the multivariable regression analysis. TNF-α and IL-1B at study entry and the CPA severity from either a visual method or computer-based evaluation were predictors of long-term mortality. (4) Conclusion: The computer-based parenchyma analysis in CPA agreed with the categorization on a visual basis and was associated with the clinical outcomes, chemokines, and systemic proinflammation profiles.
What Can We Learn from Sex Differences in MS?
Authors: Coyle Patricia K.
Published: October 2021

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the major acquired central nervous system disease of young adults. It is a female predominant disease. Multiple aspects of MS are influenced by sex-based differences. This has become an important area of research and study. It teaches us how the impact of sex on a disease can lead to new insights, guidelines, management, and treatments.
Integrality in the Design of Urban Development Plans. Analysis of the Initiatives Promoted by the EU in Spain
Authors: Dorado-Rubín María José , Guerrero-Mayo María José , Navarro-Yáñez Clemente Jesús
Published: October 2021

Policy integration is a substantive and innovative strategy, used to address complex problems that go beyond the scope of sectoral policies, and require a joint and integrated response. While theoretical advances have been made in the field, there have not been many empirical proposals of a comparative nature. This paper develops a proposal for the analysis of integrality in the domain of urban policies, in which the integrated strategy has become a key component. Following a literature review, three dimensions were defined, referring to the diagnosis, the action strategy, and the project governance, which have allowed us to examine the presence of an integrated strategy in the designs of the projects developed within the framework of the URBAN and URBANA, initiatives implemented in Spain between 1994 and 2013, promoted by the European Union (EU). The results show that, as occurs in other public policies, the extent of the integrated strategy is limited and varies according to the dimensions. Moreover, the differences found between the two initiatives support the idea that policy integration is a gradual and dynamic process, with a certain learning effect, which develops over time and in which the dimensions of integration do not evolve in a coordinated manner.
Natural Selection beyond Life? A Workshop Report
Authors: Charlat Sylvain , Ariew André , Bourrat Pierrick , Ferreira Ruiz María , Heams Thomas , Huneman Philippe , Krishna Sandeep , Lachmann Michael , Lartillot Nicolas , Le Sergeant d'Hendecourt Louis , Malaterre Christophe , Nghe Philippe , Rajon Etienne , Rivoire Olivier , Smerlak Matteo , Zeravcic Zorana
Published: October 2021

Natural selection is commonly seen not just as an explanation for adaptive evolution, but as the inevitable consequence of “heritable variation in fitness among individuals”. Although it remains embedded in biological concepts, such a formalisation makes it tempting to explore whether this precondition may be met not only in life as we know it, but also in other physical systems. This would imply that these systems are subject to natural selection and may perhaps be investigated in a biological framework, where properties are typically examined in light of their putative functions. Here we relate the major questions that were debated during a three-day workshop devoted to discussing whether natural selection may take place in non-living physical systems. We start this report with a brief overview of research fields dealing with “life-like” or “proto-biotic” systems, where mimicking evolution by natural selection in test tubes stands as a major objective. We contend the challenge may be as much conceptual as technical. Taking the problem from a physical angle, we then discuss the framework of dissipative structures. Although life is viewed in this context as a particular case within a larger ensemble of physical phenomena, this approach does not provide general principles from which natural selection can be derived. Turning back to evolutionary biology, we ask to what extent the most general formulations of the necessary conditions or signatures of natural selection may be applicable beyond biology. In our view, such a cross-disciplinary jump is impeded by reliance on individuality as a central yet implicit and loosely defined concept. Overall, these discussions thus lead us to conjecture that understanding, in physico-chemical terms, how individuality emerges and how it can be recognised, will be essential in the search for instances of evolution by natural selection outside of living systems.
Low-Temperature Rheology and Thermoanalytical Investigation of Lubricating Oils: Comparison of Phase Transition, Viscosity, and Pour Point
Authors: Conrad Andreas , Hodapp Annika , Hochstein Bernhard , Willenbacher Norbert , Jacob Karl-Heinz
Published: October 2021

According to the ASTM D97, the pour point is the temperature below which petroleum products cease to flow. To evaluate the relevance of pour point measurements for synthetic lubricating oils, we investigated the crystallization, melting temperature and low-temperature flow behavior of one mineral and five synthetic lubricating oils. The classification of three groups emerged from this process. The formation of paraffin crystals in mineral oils (I) below the crystallization temperature causes shear-thinning behavior and a yield point. The crystallization temperature determined in the thermal analysis and rheology correlates well with the pour point. Synthetic lubricating oils, which solidify glass-like (II), exhibit a steady viscosity increase with falling temperature. The temperature at which viscosity reaches 1000 Pas corresponds well to the pour point. Synthetic oils, especially esters, with complex crystallization behavior (III), exhibit supercooling depending on the shear rate and cooling conditions. For these lubricating oils, the pour point provides no information for low-temperature applicability.
A Review on the High Temperature Strengthening Mechanisms of High Entropy Superalloys (HESA)
Authors: Joele Malefane , Matizamhuka Wallace Rwisayi
Published: October 2021

The studies following HEA inceptions were apparently motivated to search for single-phase solid solution over intermetallic phases, accordingly made possible by the concept of high configurational entropy. However, it was realised that the formation of intermetallic phases in HEAs is prevalent due to other criterions that determine stable phases. Nonetheless, recent efforts have been directed towards attributes of microstructural combinations. In this viewpoint, the techniques used to predict microstructural features and methods of microstructural characterisation are elucidated in HESA fields. The study further analyses shortcomings regarding the design approaches of HESAs. A brief history is given into how HESAs were developed since their birth, to emphasize the evaluation techniques used to elucidate high temperature properties of HESAs, and the incentive thereof that enabled further pursuit of HESAs in the direction of optimal microstructure and composition. The theoretical models of strengthening mechanisms in HEAs are explained. The impact of processing route on the HESAs performance is analysed from previous studies. Thereafter, the future of HESAs in the market is conveyed from scientific opinion. Previous designs of HEAs/HESAs were more based on evaluation experiments, which lead to an extended period of research and considerable use of resources; currently, more effort is directed towards computational and theoretical methods to accelerate the exploration of huge HEA composition space.
Photodegradation Process of Organic Dyes in the Presence of a Manganese-Doped Zinc Sulfide Nanowire Photocatalyst
Authors: Żaba Adam , Sovinska Svitlana , Kirish Tetiana , Węgrzynowicz Adam , Matras-Postołek Katarzyna
Published: October 2021

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanowires represent a promising candidate in many fields, including optoelectronics and photocatalysis because of their advantages such as excellent optical properties, chemical stability and an easy-scalable simple synthesis method. In this study, an energy-friendly microwave radiation process was used to develop the single-step, solvothermal process for the growth of manganese-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS) and undoped nanocrystals (NCs) in the forms of nanowires using two short amines as a stabilizer, e.g. ethylenediamine and hydrazine, respectively. ZnS nanowires doped with Mn atoms show absorbance in UV and in the visible region of the spectrum. The photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B in the presence of Mn-doped and undoped ZnS nanocrystals illuminated with only a 6-W UV lamp has been comprehensively studied. The effect of Mn doping and the presence of a nanocrystal stabilizer on the degradation process was determined. It was found that the efficiency of a photocatalytic degradation process was strongly affected by both factors: the doping process of nanowires with Mn2+ atoms and the attachment of ligands to the nanocrystal surface.
Influence of Stacking Sequence on Strength and Stability of Suspension System Control Arm CFRP Laminate Rods
Authors: Mierzejewska Paula , Świniarski Jacek , Kubiak Tomasz
Published: October 2021

The paper deals with buckling and strength analysis of suspension system rods made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminate. The whole suspension system of urban solar vehicle, Eagle Two, designed by Lodz University of Technology students was considered. The calculations and analysis focused on suspension rods, where the traditional metal material was replaced with CFRP laminate. The influence of layer arrangement on rod strength, static, and dynamic buckling were analysed. The research was conducted using numerical simulations employing finite element method software. The static and dynamic load was considered. The obtained results show that the plies’ order in the laminate influences both the strength and stiffness of the considered rod. The best results considering both failure force and longitudinal elasticity modulus were obtained for the stacking sequences with axially oriented (0°) plies on the outside of the rod.
Sustainable Chitosan-Dialdehyde Cellulose Nanocrystal Film
Authors: Gao Cong , Wang Shuo , Liu Baojie , Yao Shuangquan , Dai Yi , Zhou Long , Qin Chengrong , Fatehi Pedram
Published: October 2021

In this study, we incorporated 2,3-dialdehyde nanocrystalline cellulose (DANC) into chitosan as a reinforcing agent and manufactured biodegradable films with enhanced gas barrier properties. DANC generated via periodate oxidation of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) was blended at various concentrations with chitosan, and bionanocomposite films were prepared via casting and characterized systematically. The results showed that DANC developed Schiff based bond with chitosan that improved its properties significantly. The addition of DANC dramatically improved the gas barrier performance of the composite film, with water vapor permeability (WVP) value decreasing from 62.94 g·mm·m−2·atm−1·day−1 to 27.97 g·mm·m−2·atm−1·day−1 and oxygen permeability (OP) value decreasing from 0.14 cm3·mm·m−2·day−1·atm−1 to 0.026 cm3·mm·m−2·day−1·atm−1. Meanwhile, the maximum decomposition temperature (Tdmax) of the film increased from 286 °C to 354 °C, and the tensile strength of the film was increased from 23.60 MPa to 41.12 MPa when incorporating 25 wt.% of DANC. In addition, the chitosan/DANC (75/25, wt/wt) films exhibited superior thermal stability, gas barrier, and mechanical strength compared to the chitosan/CNC (75/25, wt/wt) film. These results confirm that the DANC and chitosan induced films with improved gas barrier, mechanical, and thermal properties for possible use in film packaging.
The Influence of Annealing on the Optical Properties and Microstructure Recrystallization of the TiO2 Layers Produced by Means of the E-BEAM Technique
Authors: Jurek Katarzyna , Szczesny Robert , Trzcinski Marek , Ciesielski Arkadiusz , Borysiuk Jolanta , Skowronski Lukasz
Published: October 2021

Titanium dioxide films, about 200 nm in thickness, were deposited using the e-BEAM technique at room temperature and at 227 °C (500K) and then annealed in UHV conditions (as well as in the presence of oxygen (at 850 °C). The fabricated dielectric films were examined using X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The applied experimental techniques allowed us to characterize the phase composition and the phase transformation of the fabricated TiO2 coatings. The films produced at room temperature are amorphous but after annealing consist of anatase crystallites. The layers fabricated at 227 °C contain both anatase and rutile phases. In this case the anatase crystallites are accumulated near the substrate interface whilst the rutile crystallites were formed closer to the surface of the TiO2 film. It should be emphasized that these two phases of TiO2 are distinctly separated from each other.
Design and Evaluation of an Ultrahigh-Strength Coral Aggregate Concrete for Maritime and Reef Engineering
Authors: Liu Jinming , Ju Boyu , Xie Wei , Yu Huang , Xiao Haiying , Dong Shanliang , Yang Wenshu
Published: October 2021

In this paper, an ultrahigh-strength marine concrete containing coral aggregates is developed. Concrete fabricated from marine sources is considered an effective and economical alternative for marine engineering and the construction of remote islands. To protect sea coral ecosystems, the coral aggregates used for construction are only efflorescent coral debris. To achieve the expected mechanical performance from the studied concrete, an optimal mixture design is conducted to determine the optimal proportions of components, in order to optimize the compressive strength. The mechanical properties and the autogenous shrinkage, as well as the heat flow of early hydration reactions, are measured. The hydration products fill up the pores of coral aggregates, endowing our concrete with flowability and self-compacting ability. The phases in the marine concrete are identified via X-ray diffraction analysis. The 28-day compressive and flexural strength of the developed marine concrete achieve 116.76 MPa and 18.24 MPa, respectively. On account of the lower cement content and the internal curing provided by coral aggregates, the volume change resulting from autogenous shrinkage is only 63.11% of that of ordinary reactive powder concrete.
Phosphorus Substitution Preference in Ye’elimite: Experiments and Density Functional Theory Simulations
Authors: Zhao Jiuye , Huang Jiazhi , Yu Chunyang , Cui Chunyi , Chang Jun
Published: October 2021

Density functional theory (DFT) simulation has been recently introduced to understand the doping behavior of impurities in clinker phases. P-doped ye’elimite, a typical doping clinker phase, tends to form when phosphogypsum is used to manufacture calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSA) clinkers. However, the substitution mechanism of P has not been uncovered yet. In this study, the influence of different doping amounts of P on the crystalline and electronic structure of ye’elimite was investigated using backscattered scanning electron microscopy–energy X-ray dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction tests, Rietveld quantitative phase analysis, and DFT simulations. Furthermore, the substitution preference of P in ye’elimite was revealed. Our results showed that increasing the doping amount of P increased the impurity contents in CSA clinkers, transforming the ye’elimite crystal system from the orthorhombic to the cubic system and decreasing the interplanar spacing of ye’elimite. Based on the calculation results of the defect formation energies, additional energies were required for P atoms to substitute Ca/Al atoms compared with those required for P atoms to substitute S atoms in both orthorhombic and cubic systems of ye’elimite. Combined calculation results of the bond length–bond order and partial density of states showed that the doped P atoms preferably substituted S atoms; the second possible substituted atoms were Al atoms, while there was only a slight possibility for substitution of Ca atoms. The substitution of P atoms for S atoms can be verified based on the elemental distribution in P-doped ye’elimite and the increasing residual CaSO4 contents. The transition of the crystal system and a decrease in the interplanar spacing for ye’elimite can also prove that the substitution of P atoms for Al atoms occurred substantially.
Machinery Foundations Dynamical Analysis: A Case Study on Reciprocating Compressor Foundation
Authors: Giorgetti Stefano , Giorgetti Alessandro , Tavafoghi Jahromi Reza , Arcidiacono Gabriele
Published: October 2021

A faulty dynamical interaction between a machine and a foundation can lead to unexpected and dangerous failures, impacting human lives and the environment. Some machines, as reciprocating compressors, have a low rotation speed; this can lead to dangerous frequency for the foundation blocks. For this reason, a careful analysis shall be done during the design phase to avoid the range of the frequency of resonances and low vibration speeds. Designers can approach this problem by relying both on Analytical Theory and Finite Element Analysis. This article compares these methods by studying the dynamical response of different foundation geometries in a case study of a reciprocating compressor foundation. The applicability limits of Analytical theory are explored and an evaluation of the difference in the estimation of natural frequencies of the system using Analytical Theory and Finite Elements Analysis are made for different foundation geometries. The comparison shows similar results until the foundation geometry is rigid; reference geometries limits are provided so that designers can choose which of the methods better suits their type of analysis.
Optimal Prefetching in Random Trees
Authors: Keshava Kausthub , Jean-Marie Alain , Alouf Sara
Published: October 2021

We propose and analyze a model for optimizing the prefetching of documents, in the situation where the connection between documents is discovered progressively. A random surfer moves along the edges of a random tree representing possible sequences of documents, which is known to a controller only up to depth d. A quantity k of documents can be prefetched between two movements. The question is to determine which nodes of the known tree should be prefetched so as to minimize the probability of the surfer moving to a node not prefetched. We analyzed the model with the tools of Markov decision process theory. We formally identified the optimal policy in several situations, and we identified it numerically in others.
On the Calculation of the Moore–Penrose and Drazin Inverses: Application to Fractional Calculus
Authors: Sayevand Khosro , Pourdarvish Ahmad , Machado José A. Tenreiro , Erfanifar Raziye
Published: October 2021

This paper presents a third order iterative method for obtaining the Moore–Penrose and Drazin inverses with a computational cost of O(n3), where n∈N. The performance of the new approach is compared with other methods discussed in the literature. The results show that the algorithm is remarkably efficient and accurate. Furthermore, sufficient criteria in the fractional sense are presented, both for smooth and non-smooth solutions. The fractional elliptic Poisson and fractional sub-diffusion equations in the Caputo sense are considered as prototype examples. The results can be extended to other scientific areas involving numerical linear algebra.
μ-Synthesis FO-PID for Twin Rotor Aerodynamic System
Authors: Mihaly Vlad , Şuşcă Mircea , Dulf Eva H.
Published: October 2021

μ-synthesis is a NP-hard optimization problem based on the generalized Robust Control framework which manages to find a controller which fulfills both robust stability and robust performance. In order to solve such problems, nonsmooth optimization techniques are employed to find nearly-optimal parameters values. However, the free parameters available for tuning must be involved only in classical arithmetic operations, which leads to a problem for the fractional-order operator or for its integer-order approximation, exponential operations being involved. The main goal of the current article consists of presenting a possibility to integrate a fixed-structure multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) fractional-order proportional-integral-derivative (FO-PID) controller in the μ-synthesis optimization problem. The solution consists in a possibility to find a set of tunable parameters isomorphic with the fractional-order such that the coefficients involved in the approximation of the fractional element, along with the formulation of a fixed-structure mixed-sensitivity loop shaping μ-synthesis control problem. The proposed design procedure is applied to a twin rotor aerodynamic system (TRAS) using both MATLAB numerical simulation and practical experiments on laboratory scale equipment. Moreover, a comparison with the unstructured μ-synthesis is performed, highlighting the advantages of the proposed solution: simpler form and guaranteed robust stability and performance.
Energy Based Calculation of the Second-Order Levitation in Magnetic Fluid
Authors: Trbušić Mislav , Jesenik Marko , Trlep Mladen , Hamler Anton
Published: October 2021

A permanent magnet immersed in magnetic fluid experiences magnetic levitation force which is of the buoyant type. This phenomenon commonly refers to self-levitation or second-order buoyancy. The stable levitation height of the permanent magnet can be attained by numerical evaluation of the force. Various authors have proposed different computational methods, but all of them rely on force formulation. This paper presents an alternative energy approach in the equilibrium height calculation, which was settled on the minimum energy principle. The problem, involving a cylindrical magnet suspended in a closed cylindrical container full of magnetic fluid, was considered in the study. The results accomplished by the proposed method were compared with those of the well-established surface integral method already verified by experiments. The difference in the results gained by both methods appears to be under 2.5%.
Two-Dimensional Compact-Finite-Difference Schemes for Solving the bi-Laplacian Operator with Homogeneous Wall-Normal Derivatives
Authors: Amo-Navarro Jesús , Vinuesa Ricardo , Conejero J. Alberto , Hoyas Sergio
Published: October 2021

In fluid mechanics, the bi-Laplacian operator with Neumann homogeneous boundary conditions emerges when transforming the Navier–Stokes equations to the vorticity–velocity formulation. In the case of problems with a periodic direction, the problem can be transformed into multiple, independent, two-dimensional fourth-order elliptic problems. An efficient method to solve these two-dimensional bi-Laplacian operators with Neumann homogeneus boundary conditions was designed and validated using 2D compact finite difference schemes. The solution is formulated as a linear combination of auxiliary solutions, as many as the number of points on the boundary, a method that was prohibitive some years ago due to the large memory requirements to store all these auxiliary functions. The validation has been made for different field configurations, grid sizes, and stencils of the numerical scheme, showing its potential to tackle high gradient fields as those that can be found in turbulent flows.
Investigation of Drift Phenomena at the Pore Scale during Flow and Transport in Porous Media
Authors: Ayuba Ibrahim , Akanji Lateef T. , Gomes Jefferson L. , Falade Gabriel K.
Published: October 2021

This paper reports an analytical study conducted to investigate the behaviour of tracers undergoing creeping flow between two parallel plates in porous media. A new coupled model for the characterisation of fluid flow and transport of tracers at pore scale is formulated. Precisely, a weak-form solution of radial transport of tracers under convection–diffusion-dominated flow is established using hypergeometric functions. The velocity field associated with the radial transport is informed by the solution of the Stokes equations. Channel thickness as a function of velocities, maximum Reynolds number of each thickness as a function of maximum velocities and concentration profile for different drift and dispersion coefficients are computed and analysed. Analysis of the simulation results reveals that the dispersion coefficient appears to be a significant factor controlling the concentration distribution of the tracer at pore scale. Further analysis shows that the drift coefficient appears to influence tracer concentration distribution but only after a prolonged period. This indicates that even at pore scale, tracer drift characteristics can provide useful information about the flow and transport properties of individual pores in porous media.
Convergence Analysis and Dynamical Nature of an Efficient Iterative Method in Banach Spaces
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Kumar Sunil , Sharma Janak Raj , Jantschi Lorentz
Published: October 2021

We study the local convergence analysis of a fifth order method and its multi-step version in Banach spaces. The hypotheses used are based on the first Fréchet-derivative only. The new approach provides a computable radius of convergence, error bounds on the distances involved, and estimates on the uniqueness of the solution. Such estimates are not provided in the approaches using Taylor expansions of higher order derivatives, which may not exist or may be very expensive or impossible to compute. Numerical examples are provided to validate the theoretical results. Convergence domains of the methods are also checked through complex geometry shown by drawing basins of attraction. The boundaries of the basins show fractal-like shapes through which the basins are symmetric.
Construction and Analysis of Queuing and Reliability Models Using Random Graphs
Authors: Tsitsiashvili Gurami
Published: October 2021

In this paper, the use of the construction of random processes on graphs allows us to expand the models of the theory of queuing and reliability by constructing. These problems are important because the emphasis on the legal component largely determines functioning of these models. The considered models are reliability and queuing. Reliability models arranged according to the modular principle and reliability networks in the form of planar graphs. The queuing models considered here are queuing networks with multi server nodes and failures, changing the parameters of the queuing system in a random environment with absorbing states, and the process of growth of a random network. This is determined by the possibility of using, as traditional probability methods, mathematical logic theorems, geometric images of a queuing network, dual graphs to planar graphs, and a solution to the Dirichlet problem.
Searching for a New Model of Governance in the High Seas: Game Theory Applied to International Commons Management
Authors: Coelho Manuel Pacheco , Filipe José António
Published: October 2021

In the last decade, the United Nations took important steps for the creation of a new instrument for biodiversity protection in areas beyond national jurisdiction. This put under discussion the central issues of international commons management and of the governance model for the High Seas. The aim of this paper is to discuss and evaluate critically the political negotiations already made and yet to come, as well as their rationale. For this purpose, the paper applies game theory to fisheries management to get insights. This research aims to contribute toward more qualified and grounded decisions. The key role of cooperation in the sustainable use of common resources is stressed.
Environmental Management through Coopetitive Urban Waste Recycling in Eco-Industrial Parks
Authors: Carfí David , Donato Alessia
Published: October 2021

In this article, we consider the coexistence of competing actors within a specific eco-industrial park. The competing firms dynamics evolves by means of an interplay agreement determined among the competitors themselves. In particular, we show a possible scenario in which the selected eco-industrial competitors could greatly benefit from a coopetitive interaction, within their common eco-park, while improving the general conditions of a near residential area. The associated dynamical coopetitive agreement, aims at the growth and improvement of the firms themselves and of their industrial network (within a virtuous environmental path). As an example, we assume the existence of two competitors selling the same good on the same market, so that, from a competitive point of view, we construct a classic Cournot duopoly model upon which we build up a multidimensional coopetitive agreement. Our eco-friendly deal allows to “enlarge the pie” of possible gains by diminishing sunk costs and other forms of costs, especially the environmental costs associated to the management of urban waste recycling. Consequently, we suggest production methods and production quantitative profiles in order to “share the gains fairly”. We show a complete mathematical analysis of our new economic game and show some of its possible and relevant solutions.
Automatically Tightening Tiny Screw Using Two Images and Positioning Control
Authors: Chen Shou-Yu , Ho Jeng-Rong , Tung Pi-Cheng , Lin Chih-Kuang
Published: October 2021

This paper describes how to tighten M1.4 screws by controlling a manipulator. The whole process is based on a human–machine interface designed using Visual Studio C++ to run image processing algorithms and control the position of a manipulator. Two charge-coupled device cameras are used. One is fixed on the stationary frame above screw holes and used to take pictures of the holes. The positions of the holes are determined using image processing algorithms and then transformed into the coordinate system of the manipulator by using coordinate transformation. The other camera, installed on the end effect of the manipulator, photographs the screw hole to fine-tune the position of the manipulator, improving positioning control. The image processing methods including grayscale, Gaussian filter, bilateral filter, binarization, edge detection, center of gravity, and minimum circumcircle are used to find the center coordinates of the target holes. Experimental study shows that M1.4 screws can be tightened into the target holes with the manipulator.
Optimized Task Group Aggregation-Based Overflow Handling on Fog Computing Environment Using Neural Computing
Authors: Arri Harwant Singh , Singh Ramandeep , Jha Sudan , Prashar Deepak , Joshi Gyanendra Prasad , Doo Ill Chul
Published: October 2021

It is a non-deterministic challenge on a fog computing network to schedule resources or jobs in a manner that increases device efficacy and throughput, diminishes reply period, and maintains the system well-adjusted. Using Machine Learning as a component of neural computing, we developed an improved Task Group Aggregation (TGA) overflow handling system for fog computing environments. As a result of TGA usage in conjunction with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), we may assess the model’s QoS characteristics to detect an overloaded server and then move the model’s data to virtual machines (VMs). Overloaded and underloaded virtual machines will be balanced according to parameters, such as CPU, memory, and bandwidth to control fog computing overflow concerns with the help of ANN and the machine learning concept. Additionally, the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm, which is a neural computing system, is employed as an optimization technique to separate the services and users depending on their individual qualities. The response time and success rate were both enhanced using the newly proposed optimized ANN-based TGA algorithm. Compared to the present work’s minimal reaction time, the total improvement in average success rate is about 3.6189 percent, and Resource Scheduling Efficiency has improved by 3.9832 percent. In terms of virtual machine efficiency for resource scheduling, average success rate, average task completion success rate, and virtual machine response time are improved. The proposed TGA-based overflow handling on a fog computing domain enhances response time compared to the current approaches. Fog computing, for example, demonstrates how artificial intelligence-based systems can be made more efficient.
Advances of Laparoscopy for the Diagnosis of Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
Authors: Arnaoutoglou Christos , Variawa Rita S. , Zarogoulidis Paul , Ioannidis Aris , Machairiotis Nikolaos
Published: October 2021

The objective of this review is to describe the effectiveness of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS). PCS is a cause of chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and is associated with dysfunction of the pelvic venous system. PCS is more common in women of reproductive age, and hormonal changes are associated with its development along with other reasons (e.g., working and living habits). There is an urgent need to establish an effective algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of CPP, which could have a dramatic effect in patients’ everyday life. This algorithm should be able to overcome known issues that lead to the underdiagnosis of PCS, such as the overlap of its symptoms with other diseases. Here, we present our findings from literature articles about the methods used in practice today for the diagnosis of this syndrome. We also compare the methods to propose the most promising technique for providing a diagnosis with high accuracy. In our understanding, laparoscopy is superior when compared to other methods. It can provide a diagnosis of PCS while excluding or identifying other comorbidities and can also lead toward the next steps for the treatment of PCS.
Cutoff Values for Providing the Ideal Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia According to the Intensity of Postoperative Pain—A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: So Keum Young , Kim Sang Hun
Published: October 2021

Background and Objectives: The cutoff values were analyzed for providing the ideal intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) that could reduce rescue analgesics or antiemetics requirements, based on the grades of postoperative pain intensity (PPI). Materials and Methods: PCA regimens of 4106 patients were retrospectively analyzed, and they were allocated into three groups with low, moderate, and high PPI grades (groups L, M, and H, respectively) based on numeric rating scores obtained 6 h postoperatively. Opioid and non-opioid analgesic doses were converted into fentanyl-equivalent doses (DOSE-FEN-OP and DOSE-FEN-NONOP, respectively). The primary endpoint was the cutoff values of these parameters. Results: With respect to the PCA settings to reduce rescue analgesic and antiemetic requirements, group L required a background infusion rate (BIR) of 1.75–3 mL/h, bolus volume of 0.5–1.25 mL, and lockout interval of ≤12.5 min. Group M required a BIR of 1.75 mL/h, bolus volume of 0.5–1.75 mL, and lockout interval of ≤5 min. Group H required a BIR of 1.75 mL/h, bolus volume of 0.5 mL, and lockout interval of ≤5 min. In assessments of the analgesic doses to reduce rescue analgesic requirement, the DOSE-FEN-OP was at least 950 μg of fentanyl regardless of group, while the DOSE-FEN-NONOP was ≥250 μg, ≥550 μg, and ≥700 μg for the L, M, and H groups, respectively. In assessments of the analgesic doses to reduce rescue antiemetic requirement, DOSE-FEN-OP was ≤950 μg for groups L and M and ≤850 μg for Group H, while DOSE-FEN-NONOP was ≤50 μg, ≤450 μg, and ≤700 μg for groups L, M, and H, respectively. Conclusion: The ideal PCA for reduction in rescue analgesics or antiemetics can be achieved by adjustment of PCA settings and drug dosages carefully with these cutoff values depending on the expected grades of PPI. Especially, the ideal PCA can be provided by adjusting the lockout interval and bolus volume rather than BIR and by applying smaller bolus doses and shorter lockout intervals with an increasing PPI grade.
Procalcitonin Levels in COVID-19 Patients Are Strongly Associated with Mortality and ICU Acceptance in an Underserved, Inner City Population
Authors: Feng Theresa , James Alecia , Doumlele Kyra , White Seth , Twardzik Wendy , Zahid Kanza , Sattar Zeeshan , Ukponmwan Osato , Nakeshbandi Mohamd , Chow Lillian , Foronjy Robert
Published: October 2021

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to identify demographic and clinical factors at the time of critical care consultation associated with mortality or intensive care unit acceptance in a predominantly Afro-Caribbean population during the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, single-center observational cohort study included 271 COVID19 patients who received a critical care consult between March 11 and April 30, 2020 during the first wave of the COVID19 pandemic at State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University. Results: Of the 271 patients with critical care consults, 33% survived and 67% expired. At the bivariate level, age, blood urea nitrogen, and blood neutrophil percentage were significantly associated with mortality (mean age: survivors, 61.62 ± 1.50 vs. non-survivors, 68.98 ± 0.85, p < 0.001). There was also a significant association between neutrophil% and mortality in the univariate logistic regression model (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: odd ratio 2.73, 95% confidence interval (1.28–5.82), p trend = 0.044). In the multivariate analyses, increasing levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein were significantly associated with mortality, adjusting for age, sex, and race/ethnicity (for procalcitonin quartile 4 vs. quartile 1: odds ratio 5.65, 95% confidence interval (2.14–14.9), p trend < 0.001). In contrast, higher platelet levels correlated with significantly decreased odds of mortality (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1, odds ratio 0.47, 95% CI (0.22–0.998), p trend = 0.010). Of these factors, only elevated procalcitonin levels were associated with intensive care unit acceptance. Conclusions: Procalcitonin showed the greatest magnitude of association with both death and likelihood of intensive care unit acceptance at the bivariate level. Our data suggests that procalcitonin reflects pneumonia severity during COVID-19 infection. Thus, it may help the intensivist identify those COVID19 patients who require intensive care unit level care.
Fungal Depsides—Naturally Inspiring Molecules: Biosynthesis, Structural Characterization, and Biological Activities
Authors: Ibrahim Sabrin R. M. , Sirwi Alaa , Eid Basma G. , Mohamed Shaimaa G. A. , Mohamed Gamal A.
Published: October 2021

Fungi represent a huge reservoir of structurally diverse bio-metabolites. Although there has been a marked increase in the number of isolated fungal metabolites over the past years, many hidden metabolites still need to be discovered. Depsides are a group of polyketides consisting of two or more ester-linked hydroxybenzoic acid moieties. They possess valuable bioactive properties, such as anticancer, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antifouling, and antioxidant qualities, as well as various human enzyme-inhibitory activities. This review provides an overview of the reported data on fungal depsides, including their sources, biosynthesis, physical and spectral data, and bioactivities in the period from 1975 to 2020. Overall, 110 metabolites and more than 122 references are confirmed. This is the first review of these multi-faceted metabolites from fungi.
A Metabolomics Investigation of the Metabolic Changes of Raji B Lymphoma Cells Undergoing Apoptosis Induced by Zinc Ions
Authors: Yoon Naeun , Lee Hyunbeom , Lee Geonhee , Kim Eun Hye , Kim Seong Hwan , Lee Jeong-O , Song Yunseon , Park Jinyoung , Kim So-Dam , Kim Yeojin , Jung Byung Hwa
Published: October 2021

Zinc plays a pivotal role in the function of cells and can induce apoptosis in various cancer cells, including Raji B lymphoma. However, the metabolic mechanism of Zn-induced apoptosis in Raji cells has not been explored. In this study, we performed global metabolic profiling using UPLC−Orbitrap−MS to assess the apoptosis of Raji cells induced by Zn ions released from ZnO nanorods. Multivariate analysis and database searches identified altered metabolites. Furthermore, the differences in the phosphorylation of 1380 proteins were also evaluated by Full Moon kinase array to discover the protein associated Zn−induced apoptosis. From the results, a prominent increase in glycerophosphocholine and fatty acids was observed after Zn ion treatment, but only arachidonic acid was shown to induce apoptosis. The kinase array revealed that the phosphorylation of p53, GTPase activation protein, CaMK2a, PPAR−γ, and PLA−2 was changed. From the pathway analysis, metabolic changes showed earlier onset than protein signaling, which were related to choline metabolism. LC−MS analysis was used to quantify the intracellular choline concentration, which decreased after Zn treatment, which may be related to the choline consumption required to produce choline-containing metabolites. Overall, we found that choline metabolism plays an important role in Zn-induced Raji cell apoptosis.
Simultaneous Patch-Group Sparse Coding with Dual-Weighted ℓp Minimization for Image Restoration
Authors: Zhang Jiachao , Tong Ying , Jiao Liangbao
Published: October 2021

Sparse coding (SC) models have been proven as powerful tools applied in image restoration tasks, such as patch sparse coding (PSC) and group sparse coding (GSC). However, these two kinds of SC models have their respective drawbacks. PSC tends to generate visually annoying blocking artifacts, while GSC models usually produce over-smooth effects. Moreover, conventional ℓ1 minimization-based convex regularization was usually employed as a standard scheme for estimating sparse signals, but it cannot achieve an accurate sparse solution under many realistic situations. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for image restoration via simultaneous patch-group sparse coding (SPG-SC) with dual-weighted ℓp minimization. Specifically, in contrast to existing SC-based methods, the proposed SPG-SC conducts the local sparsity and nonlocal sparse representation simultaneously. A dual-weighted ℓp minimization-based non-convex regularization is proposed to improve the sparse representation capability of the proposed SPG-SC. To make the optimization tractable, a non-convex generalized iteration shrinkage algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) framework is developed to solve the proposed SPG-SC model. Extensive experimental results on two image restoration tasks, including image inpainting and image deblurring, demonstrate that the proposed SPG-SC outperforms many state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of both objective and perceptual quality.