bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rating of Spring Wheat Varieties (Triticum aestivum L.) According to Their Suitability for Organic Agriculture
Authors: Feledyn-Szewczyk Beata , Cacak-Pietrzak Grażyna , Lenc Leszek , Stalenga Jarosław
Published: December 2020

The selection of a proper variety is one of the main factors influencing the quantity and quality of cereal grain yield in organic agriculture. The aim of the study was to determine the suitability of 13 varieties of spring wheat for cultivation in organic farming according to their competitive potential against weeds, susceptibility to fungal diseases and grain yield. Due to the large share of cereals in organic farms both in Poland and in Europe, the research results could be applied by organic farming system farmers and advisors. High-yielding varieties in the organic system were: KWS Torridon, Kandela, Arabella, Zadra and Waluta. The KWS Torridon and Kandela varieties were resistant to fungal pathogens infestation, while Brawura, Izera, Korynta and Ostka Smolicka showed the highest infestation rate. Ethos variety yields were the lowest due to its low plant density, with a high weed infestation rate. The wheat yields proved to be significantly correlated with plant density and the thousand grain weight, but no significant negative effects of weed infestation and pathogen infestation were found. A synthesis of the three-year results showed that the varieties most useful for organic farming were: Arabella, KWS Torridon, Kandela, Katoda, Waluta and Zadra.
On the Computation of Concept Stability Based on Maximal Non-Generator for Social Networking Services
Authors: Gao Jie , Hao Fei , Park Doo-Soon
Published: December 2020

The concept stability measure under the Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) theory is useful for improving the accuracy of structure identification of social networks. Nevertheless, the stability calculation is an NP-complete task which is the primary challenges in practical. Most existing studies have focused on the approximate estimate to calculate the stability. Therefore, we focus on introducing the Maximal Non-Generator-based Stability Calculation (MNG-SC) algorithm that directly deals with accurate stability calculation to pave the way for FCA’s application in structures identification of social networks. Specifically, a novel perspective of stability calculation by linking it to Maximal Non-Generator (MNG) is first provided. Then, the equivalence between maximal non-generator and lower neighbor concept is first proved, which greatly improves scalability and reduces computational complexity. The performed experiments show that the MNG-SC outperforms the pioneering approaches of the literature. Furthermore, a case study of identifying abnormal users in social networks is presented, which demonstrates the effectiveness and potential application of our algorithm.
Can Bone Compaction Improve Primary Implant Stability? An In Vitro Comparative Study with Osseodensification Technique
Authors: Antonelli Alessandro , Bennardo Francesco , Brancaccio Ylenia , Barone Selene , Femiano Felice , Nucci Ludovica , Minervini Giuseppe , Fortunato Leonzio , Attanasio Ferdinando , Giudice Amerigo
Published: December 2020

Background: This study aims to analyze bone compaction and osseodensification techniques and to investigate how cancellous bone compaction could influence primary implant stability (PS). Methods: Two different surgical protocols (bone compactors—BC; osseodensification drills—OD) were compared by placing 20 implants into 20 fresh pig ribs for each procedure. Peak insertion torque (PIT) and peak removal torque (PRT) were investigated using an MGT-12 digital torque gauge, and implant stability quotient (ISQ) was analyzed using an Osstell® Beacon device. Results: Analysis of our data (T-test p < 0.05) evidenced no statistically significant difference between BC and OD in terms of PIT (p = 0.33) or ISQ (p = 0.97). The comparison of PRT values showed a statistically significant difference between BC and OD protocols (p = 0.009). Conclusions: Cancellous bone compaction seems to improve PS, preserving a significant amount of bone and evenly spreading trabeculae on the entire implant site. While the PIT and ISQ values obtained are similar, the PRT values suggest different physical responses from the surrounding bone tissue. Nevertheless, a larger sample and further in vivo studies are necessary to validate the usefulness of BC protocol in several clinical settings.
Mycotoxins in Beverages
Authors: González-Peñas Elena
Published: December 2020

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi that contaminate raw materials such as cereals, fruits, dried fruits, coffee, and grapes when they have been produced or maintained in a temperature and/or humidity conditions that favor fungi growth [...]
Pathways of Photosynthesis in Non-Leaf Tissues
Authors: Henry Robert J. , Furtado Agnelo , Rangan Parimalan
Published: December 2020

Plants have leaves as specialised organs that capture light energy by photosynthesis. However, photosynthesis is also found in other plant organs. Photosynthesis may be found in the petiole, stems, flowers, fruits, and seeds. All photosynthesis can contribute to the capture of carbon and growth of the plant. The benefit to the plant of photosynthesis in these other tissues or organs may often be associated with the need to re-capture carbon especially in storage organs that have high respiration rates. Some plants that conduct C3 photosynthesis in the leaves have been reported to use C4 photosynthesis in petioles, stems, flowers, fruits, or seeds. These pathways of non-leaf photosynthesis may be especially important in supporting plant growth under stress and may be a key contributor to plant growth and survival. Pathways of photosynthesis have directionally evolved many times in different plant lineages in response to environmental selection and may also have differentiated in specific parts of the plant. This consideration may be useful in the breeding of crop plants with enhanced performance in response to climate change.
Co-Immobilization of Xylanase and Scaffolding Protein onto an Immobilized Metal Ion Affinity Membrane
Authors: Wong Ho-Lam , Hu Nien-Jen , Juang Tzong-Yuan , Liu Yung-Chuan
Published: December 2020

Lignocellulosic biomass conversion technology seeks to convert agricultural waste to sugars through the use of various cellulases and hemicellulases. In practice, the application of free enzymes might increase the cost of the process due to difficulties with recovery of the enzymes and products. Immobilization might be an effective approach for recovering the hydrolysis products and improving the stability and reusability of the enzymes. In this study, we used a recombinant genetic engineering approach to construct a scaffold protein gene (CipA) and a xylanase gene (XynC) fused to a dockerin gene (DocT). After expressing CipA and XynC-DocT (XynCt) genes using E. coli hosts, the crude extracts were collected. An immobilized metal ion affinity membrane/Co2+ ion (IMAM-Co2+) system was prepared to adsorb CipA in its crude extract, thereby allowing simultaneous purification and immobilization of CipA protein. A similar approach was applied for the adsorption of XynCt protein, exploiting the interaction between the cohesin units in IMAM-Co2+-CipA and the dockerin unit in XynCt. The activity of the xylanase unit was enhanced in the presence of Co2+ for both the free XynCt enzymes and the immobilized CipA-XynCt. The heat resistance and stability over a wide range of values of pH of the immobilized CipA-XynCt were superior to those of the free XynCt. Furthermore, the immobilized CipA-XynCt retained approximately 80% of its initial activity after seven reaction cycles. The values of Km and νmax of IMAM-Co2+-CipA-XynCt (1.513 mg/mL and 3.831 U/mg, respectively) were the best among those of the other tested forms of XynCt.
Highly Productive Synthesis of 1-Propenyloxybutan-1-ol Under Solvent-Free Homogeneous Ruthenium Catalyst Conditions
Authors: Urbala Magdalena
Published: December 2020

The 1-propenyl ethers bearing free hydroxyl groups of CH3CH=CH–O–A–OH type (hydroxyalkyl 1-propenyl ethers, 1-propenyloxyalcohols) are the most desired as the reactive diluents for photopolymerizable systems with enhanced reactivity or intermediates for the synthesis of hybrid monomers for special applications. The ruthenium complexes-catalyzed isomerization of allyl ethers under solvent-free conditions is an atom-economical and environmentally sustainable method for their production. Here, the reaction conditions and limitations for the highly productive and selective synthesis of model 4-(1-propenyloxy)butan-1-ol have been investigated. The minimal loading of ruthenium pre-catalysts needed for completion of reaction within reasonable times was priority assumption. It was found that [RuClH(CO)(PPh3)3] or [RuCl2(PPh3)3] exhibited extremely high catalytic activity under optimized non-oxidative reaction conditions. The key effect of reaction temperature on the activation pre-catalyst and the exothermal effects of isomerization was discovered. The practically quantitative yields of 4-(1-propenyloxy)butan-1-ol were achieved with using of very low loading of [Ru] (5 ppm) and Bu3N (to maintain reaction chemoselectivity) at the temperature of 120 °C for only 0.5 h. Consequently, the attained TON (turnover number) and TOF (turnover frequency) values of ca. 198,000 and 390,000 h−1 were unprecedentedly high and industrial attractive. On the other hand, the direct recycling of ruthenium catalyst is not a reasonable method for improving catalyst productivity.
Facilitators and Barriers to the Implementation of Preschool Oral Healthcare Programme in Malaysia from the Perspective of Dental Therapists: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Nurdin Muhammad Farid , Yusof Zamros Yuzadi Mohd
Published: December 2020

The Preschool Oral Healthcare Programme (POHP) was introduced in Malaysia by the Ministry of Health in 1984 to provide oral healthcare for 5–6-year-old children. Most of its evaluations were directed towards assessing children’s oral health status. Little emphasis has been placed on assessing the programme feasibility from the perspectives of the oral health personnel. The objective of the study was to explore the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the POHP using the perspectives of dental therapists (DT) in Selangor state, Malaysia. This study took a qualitative approach using focus group discussion (FGD) as the data collection method. The data were transcribed verbatim followed by thematic analysis using NVivo 12 Pro version software. A total of 13 FGDs had been conducted involving 114 DT. The main facilitators were good dental teamwork, assistance from schools and teachers, sufficient training of DT, adequate support from dental administration, and good cooperation from the children. The main barriers were lack of financial support, manpower, time, inadequate support from preschools and children, language barrier, and accessibility to sugary food and drinks at schools. The study provided important insights regarding the POHP that would be useful for programme improvement through policy changes, workforce training, and enhanced school participation.
Mathematical Modeling of Plastic Deformation of a Tube from Dispersion-Hardened Aluminum Alloy in an Inhomogeneous Temperature Field
Authors: Matvienko Oleg , Daneyko Olga , Kovalevskaya Tatiana
Published: December 2020

The effect of temperature distribution on a stress–strain state tube made of disperse-hardened aluminum alloy subjected to internal pressure was investigated. The mathematical model is based on equations of physical plasticity theory and principles of mechanics of deformable solids. The results of this investigation demonstrate that varying the outer wall temperature in the range of 200 K at a fixed temperature of the inner wall leads to a significant change in the plastic resistance limit (for the considered tube sizes, this change is approximately 15%). An increase of the tube wall temperature reduces the resistance to plastic deformation. For the same absolute temperature difference between the outer and inner walls, the plastic resistance limit is less for the higher temperature of the inner wall of the tube. A decrease of the distances between the hardening particles at the same volume fraction of second phase leads to a significant increase in the pressure required to achieve plastic deformation of the tube walls. An increase in tube wall temperature reduces the resistance to plastic deformation. For the same absolute temperature difference between the outer and inner walls, the plastic resistance limit is lower for the higher temperature of the inner tube wall. The decrease of the distance between the hardening particles at the same volume fraction of the second phase leads to a significant increase in the pressure required to achieve plastic deformation of the tube walls.
Effective Collaboration of Entrepreneurial Teams—Implications for Entrepreneurial Education
Authors: Krawczyk-Bryłka Beata , Stankiewicz Katarzyna , Ziemiański Paweł , Tomczak Michał T.
Published: December 2020

In the situation of a permanent change and increased competition, business ventures are more and more often undertaken not by individuals but by entrepreneurial teams. The main aim of this paper is to examine the team principles implemented by effective entrepreneurial teams and how they differ in nascent and established teams. We also focused on the relationship between the implementation of these rules by entrepreneurial team members and their evaluation of venture performance and personal satisfaction. The quantitative method was used: a list of nine items describing the principles important for the entrepreneurial teams’ collaboration was included in a questionnaire conducted in a group of 106 Polish entrepreneurs who run their businesses as members of entrepreneurial teams. The results of the research showed that all the collaboration principles included in the prepared scale are implemented by the tested entrepreneurial teams; in the case of two particular items, the obtained scores were higher in nascent teams. The correlation between principle implementation and venture performance as well as the correlation between principle implementation and entrepreneurs’ professional satisfaction was confirmed. In addition, the goal was to emphasize the importance of the entrepreneurial team’s collaboration due to its effectiveness, and propose the prepared scale as a tool for entrepreneurial reflective learning. Finally, statements by members of two entrepreneurial teams concerning team collaboration are presented to deliver case studies that can be used during entrepreneurship courses.
Dimensionality Reduction for Smart IoT Sensors
Authors: Vizárraga Jorge , Casas Roberto , Marco Álvaro , Buldain J. David
Published: December 2020

Smart IoT sensors are characterized by their ability to sense and process signals, producing high-level information that is usually sent wirelessly while minimising energy consumption and maximising communication efficiency. Systems are getting smarter, meaning that they are providing ever richer information from the same raw data. This increasing intelligence can occur at various levels, including in the sensor itself, at the edge, and in the cloud. As sending one byte of data is several orders of magnitude more energy-expensive than processing it, data must be handled as near as possible to its generation. Thus, the intelligence should be located in the sensor; nevertheless, it is not always possible to do so because real data is not always available for designing the algorithms or the hardware capacity is limited. Smart devices detecting data coming from inertial sensors are a good example of this. They generate hundreds of bytes per second (100 Hz, 12-bit sampling of a triaxial accelerometer) but useful information comes out in just a few bytes per minute (number of steps, type of activity, and so forth). We propose a lossy compression method to reduce the dimensionality of raw data from accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, while maintaining a high quality of information in the reconstructed signal coming from an embedded device. The implemented method uses an adaptive vector-quantisation algorithm that represents the input data with a limited set of codewords. The adaptive process generates a codebook that evolves to become highly specific for the input data, while providing high compression rates. The codebook’s reconstruction quality is measured with a peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) above 40 dB for a 12-bit representation.
Scene Recognition Based on Recurrent Memorized Attention Network
Authors: Shao Xi , Zhang Xuan , Tang Guijin , Bao Bingkun
Published: December 2020

We propose a new end-to-end scene recognition framework, called a Recurrent Memorized Attention Network (RMAN) model, which performs object-based scene classification by recurrently locating and memorizing objects in the image. Based on the proposed framework, we introduce a multi-task mechanism that contiguously attends on the different essential objects in a scene image and recurrently performs memory fusion of the features of object focused by an attention model to improve the scene recognition accuracy. The experimental results show that the RMAN model has achieved better classification performance on the constructed dataset and two public scene datasets, surpassing state-of-the-art image scene recognition approaches.
Comparison between Specialized Quadrature Rules for Method of Moments with NURBS Modelling Applied to Periodic Multilayer Structures
Authors: Florencio Rafael , Somolinos Álvaro , González Iván , Cátedra Felipe , Lozano Lorena
Published: December 2020

A comparison between Ma-Rokhlin-Wandzura (MRW) and double exponential (DE) quadrature rules for numerical integration of method of moments (MoM) matrix entries with singular behavior is presented for multilayer periodic structures. Non Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) modelling of the layout surfaces is implemented to provide high-order description of the geometry. The comparison is carried out in order to show that quadrature rule is more suitable for MoM matrix computation in terms of sampling, accuracy of computation of MoM matrix, and CPU time consumption. The comparison of CPU time consumption shows that the numerical integration with MRW samples is roughly 15 times faster than that numerical integration using DE samples for results with similar accuracies. These promising results encourage to carry out a comparison with results obtained in previous works where a specialized approach for the specific analysis of split rings geometries was carried out. This previous approach uses spectral MoM version with specific entire domain basis function with edge singularities defined on split ring geometry. Thus, the previous approach provides accurate results with low CPU time consumption to be compared. The comparison shows that CPU time consumption obtained by MRW samples is similar to the CPU time consumption required by the previous work of specific analysis of split rings geometries. The fact that similar CPU time consumptions are obtained by MRW quadrature rules for modelling of general planar geometries and by the specialized approach for split ring geometry provides an assessment for the usage of the MRW quadrature rules and NURBS modelling. This fact provides an efficient tool for analysis of reflectarray elements with general planar layout geometries, which is suitable for reflectarray designs under local periodicity assumption where a huge number of periodic multilayer structures have to be analyzed.
Environmental Life Cycle Impacts of Automotive Batteries Based on a Literature Review
Authors: Aichberger Christian , Jungmeier Gerfried
Published: December 2020

We compiled 50 publications from the years 2005–2020 about life cycle assessment (LCA) of Li-ion batteries to assess the environmental effects of production, use, and end of life for application in electric vehicles. Investigated LCAs showed for the production of a battery pack per kWh battery capacity a median of 280 kWh/kWh_bc (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 200–500 kWh/kWh_bc) for the primary energy consumption and a median of 120 kg CO2-eq/kWh_bc (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 70–175 kg CO2-eq/kWh_bc) for greenhouse gas emissions. We expect results for current batteries to be in the lower range. Over the lifetime of an electric vehicle, these emissions relate to 20 g CO2-eq/km (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 10–50 g CO2-eq/km). Considering recycling processes, greenhouse gas savings outweigh the negative environmental impacts of recycling and can reduce the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by a median value of 20 kg CO2-eq/kWh_bc (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 5–29 kg CO2-eq/kWh_bc). Overall, many LCA results overestimated the environmental impact of cell manufacturing, due to the assessments of relatively small or underutilized production facilities. Material emissions, like from mining and especially processing from metals and the cathode paste, could have been underestimated, due to process-based assumptions and non-regionalized primary data. Second-life applications were often not considered.
3D Concrete Printing for Sustainable Construction
Authors: Kaszyńska Maria , Skibicki Szymon , Hoffmann Marcin
Published: December 2020

Despite the rapid development of 3D printing technology for cement composites, there are still a number of unsolved issues related to extrusion printing. One of them is proper mix design that allows for meeting criteria related to the printing of cementitious materials, such as pumpability, buildability, consistency on the materials, flowability and workability, simultaneously incorporating sustainable development ideas. In the case of mixes for 3D printing, the modification of the composition which increases the overall performance does not always go hand in hand with the reduction of negative environmental impact. The article presents the results of tests of eight mixtures modified with reactive and inert mineral additives designed for 3D printing. The mixes were evaluated in terms of their rheological and mechanical properties as well as environmental impact. Initial test results were verified by printing hollow columns up until collapse. Later, the differences between the compressive strength of standard samples and printed columns were determined. In order to summarize the results, a multi-faceted analysis of the properties of the mixes was carried out, introducing assessment indicators for its individual parameters. The article proves that appropriate material modification of mixes for 3D printing can significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment without hindering required 3D printing properties.
Modeling the Idaho National Laboratory Thermal-Energy Distribution System (TEDS) in the Modelica Ecosystem
Authors: Frick Konor , Bragg-Sitton Shannon , Rabiti Cristian
Published: December 2020

Integrated energy systems (IES)—including the intimate coupling between thermal generators, the grid, ancillary processes, and energy storage—are becoming increasingly pertinent to the energy grid. To facilitate a better understanding of IES, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has developed the experimental Thermal Energy Distribution System (TEDS) to test the interoperability of nuclear reactors, energy storage, and ancillary processes in a real-world setting. This paper provides an overview of the development of TEDS within INL’s Modelica dynamic process modeling ecosystem as part of the IES initiative. The model will bridge the gap between lab-scale experimental results and desired grid-scale energy solutions. Two simulation sets were run. The first was a 5-h test simulating a facility shakedown test, putting the facility through five potential operating modes and showcasing the ability of the valving, control sensors, and component controllers to meet system demands. The second case imposed a typical summer day demand on the system from a region with mixed commercial and residential electrical needs. In this case, the generator alone could not meet peak demand but instead required the thermal-storage unit to act as a peaking unit.
Special Issue “Recent Developments in Building Physics”
Authors: Kočí Jan , Černý Robert
Published: December 2020

The Special Issue “Recent Developments in Building Physics” was established to provide extended outputs from the 4th Central European Symposium on Building Physics that was held in Prague, Czech Republic, on 2–5 September 2019 [...]
Convolutional Neural Network for Dust and Hotspot Classification in PV Modules
Authors: Cipriani Giovanni , D’Amico Antonino , Guarino Stefania , Manno Donatella , Traverso Marzia , Di Dio Vincenzo
Published: December 2020

This paper proposes an innovative approach to classify the losses related to photovoltaic (PV) systems, through the use of thermographic non-destructive tests (TNDTs) supported by artificial intelligence techniques. Low electricity production in PV systems can be caused by an efficiency decrease in PV modules due to abnormal operating conditions such as failures or malfunctions. The most common performance decreases are due to the presence of dirt on the surface of the module, the impact of which depends on many parameters and conditions, and can be identified through the use of the TNDTs. The proposed approach allows one to automatically classify the thermographic images from the convolutional neural network (CNN) of the system, achieving an accuracy of 98% in tests that last a couple of minutes. This approach, compared to approaches in literature, offers numerous advantages, including speed of execution, speed of diagnosis, reduced costs, reduction in electricity production losses.
Is It Possible to Develop Electromobility in Urban Passenger Shipping in Post-Communist Countries? Evidence from Gdańsk, Poland
Authors: Połom Marcin , Tarkowski Maciej , Puzdrakiewicz Krystian , Dopierała Łukasz
Published: December 2020

Reducing emissions of pollutants from transport is clearly one of the main challenges of the constantly developing world. Because the environmental impact of different means of transport is significant, it is necessary to cut down on fossil fuels and turn to more eco-friendly solutions, e.g., electric vehicles. Almost all European countries are now adapting their transport policies to this new paradigm. Nonetheless, due to large economic disparities, these processes are currently at different levels of implementation in Western and Eastern Europe. The main focus is on private electric cars and more traditional means of transport, rather than water trams. This article presents possible means of developing water tram lines in Gdańsk served by hybrid or full-electric vehicles. The analysis presented herein reflects the multidimensional nature of the issue. The article provides data on the socio-economic situation in the city, technical issues related to the implementation of such tram lines, and the possible consequences of introducing a new means of transportation into the existing system. A key part of the analysis is the identification of anticipated economic and environmental consequences of introducing both hybrid and full-electric vehicles into the system. A comprehensive socio-economic and technical-environmental analysis of the possibilities of developing urban electromobility in the form of urban passenger shipping in post-communist countries, such as that presented in this paper, has not been previously published.
Hybrid Renewable Hydrogen Energy Solution for Application in Remote Mines
Authors: Kalantari Hosein , Ghoreishi-Madiseh Seyed Ali , Sasmito Agus P.
Published: December 2020

Mining operations in remote locations rely heavily on diesel fuel for the electricity, haulage and heating demands. Such significant diesel dependency imposes large carbon footprints to these mines. Consequently, mining companies are looking for better energy strategies to lower their carbon footprints. Renewable energies can relieve this over-reliance on fossil fuels. Yet, in spite of their many advantages, renewable systems deployment on a large scale has been very limited, mainly due to the high battery storage system. Using hydrogen for energy storage purposes due to its relatively cheaper technology can facilitate the application of renewable energies in the mining industry. Such cost-prohibitive issues prevent achieving 100% penetration rate of renewables in mining applications. This paper offers a novel integrated renewable–multi-storage (wind turbine/battery/fuel cell/thermal storage) solution with six different configurations to secure 100% off-grid mining power supply as a stand-alone system. A detailed comparison between the proposed configurations is presented with recommendations for implementation. A parametric study is also performed, identifying the effect of different parameters (i.e., wind speed, battery market price, and fuel cell market price) on economics of the system. The result of the present study reveals that standalone renewable energy deployment in mine settings is technically and economically feasible with the current market prices, depending on the average wind speed at the mine location.
Methodology and Software Tool for Energy Consumption Evaluation and Optimization in Multilayer Transport Optical Networks
Authors: Przystupa Krzysztof , Beshley Mykola , Kaidan Mykola , Andrushchak Volodymyr , Demydov Ivan , Kochan Orest , Pieniak Daniel
Published: December 2020

In communication networks, the volume of traffic, the number of connected devices and users continues to grow. As a result, the energy consumption generated by the communication infrastructure has become an important parameter that needs to be carefully considered and optimized both when designing the network and when operating it in real-time. In this paper, the methodology of calculation of complex parameters of energy consumption for transport telecommunication networks is proposed. Unlike the known techniques, the proposed methodology takes into account heterogeneity and multilayer networks. It also takes into account the energy consumption parameter during the downtime of the network equipment in the process of processing the service data blocks, which is quite an important task for improving the accuracy of energy consumption at the stage of implementing the energy-saving network. We also developed simulation software to estimate and manage the energy consumption of the optical transport network using the LabVIEW environment. This software tool allows telecommunication network designers to evaluate energy consumption, which allows them to choose the optimal solution for the desired projects. The use of electro-and acousto-optical devices for optical transport networks is analyzed. We recommended using electro-optical devices for optical modulators and acousto-optical devices for optical switches. The gain from using this combination of optical devices and the parameter of rij electro-optical coefficient and M2 acousto-optical quality parameter found in the paper is about 36.1% relative to the complex criterion of energy consumption.
Effect of Demagnetization on a Consequent Pole IPM Synchronous Generator
Authors: Palomo Roberto Eduardo Quintal , Gwozdziewicz Maciej
Published: December 2020

The design and analysis of a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) are presented. The interior permanent magnet (IPM) rotor was designed asymmetric and with the consequent pole approach. The basis for the design was a series-produced three-phase induction motor (IM) and neodymium iron boron (Nd-Fe-B) cuboid magnets were used for the design. For the partial demagnetization analysis, some of the magnets were extracted and the results are compared with the finite element analysis (FEA).
An Exact Algorithm for the Optimal Chiller Loading Problem and Its Application to the Optimal Chiller Sequencing Problem
Authors: Acerbi Federica , Rampazzo Mirco , De Nicolao Giuseppe
Published: December 2020

The optimal management of multiple chiller systems calls for the solution of the so-called optimal chiller loading (OCL) problem. Due to the interplay of continuous and logical constraints, OCL is an NP-hard problem, so that a variety of heuristic algorithms have been proposed in the literature. Herein, an algorithm for its exact solution, named X-OCL, is developed under the assumption that the chillers’ power consumption curves are quadratic. The proposed method hinges on a decomposition of the solution space so that the overall OCL problem is decomposed to a set of equality constrained quadratic programming problems that can be solved in closed form. By applying the new X-OCL solver to well known case studies, we assess and compare the performances of several literature algorithms, highlighting also some errors in the published results. Moreover, X-OCL is used to design a greedy optimal chiller sequencing (OCS) solver, called X-OCS. The X-OCS is tested on two literature benchmarks and on the model of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system of a semiconductor plant, over a two-year period. The performances of X-OCS are remarkably close to the theoretical optimal performance.
A Multi-Physics Adaptive Time Step Coupling Algorithm for Light-Water Reactor Core Transient and Accident Simulation
Authors: Cherezov Alexey , Park Jinsu , Kim Hanjoo , Choe Jiwon , Lee Deokjung
Published: December 2020

A new reactor core multi-physics system addresses the pellet-to-cladding heat transfer modeling to improve full-core operational transient and accident simulation used for assessment of reactor core nuclear safety. The rigorous modeling of the heat transfer phenomena involves strong interaction between neutron kinetics, thermal-hydraulics and nuclear fuel performance, as well as consideration of the pellet-to-cladding mechanical contact leading to dramatic increase in the gap thermal conductance coefficient. In contrast to core depletion where parameters smoothly depend on fuel burn-up, the core transient is driven by stiff equation associated with rapid variation in the solution and vulnerable to numerical instability for large time step sizes. Therefore, the coupling algorithm dedicated for multi-physics transient must implement adaptive time step and restart capability to achieve prescribed tolerance and to maintain stability of numerical simulation. This requirement is met in the MPCORE (Multi-Physics Core) multi-physics system employing external loose coupling approach to facilitate the coupling procedure due to little modification of constituent modules and due to high transparency of coupling interfaces. The paper investigates the coupling algorithm performance and evaluates the pellet-to-cladding heat transfer effect for the rod ejection accident of a light water reactor core benchmark.
Economic Effect of Dust Particles on Photovoltaic Plant Production
Authors: Alonso-Montesinos Joaquín , Martínez Francisco Rodríguez , Polo Jesús , Martín-Chivelet Nuria , Batlles Francisco Javier
Published: December 2020

The performance of photovoltaic panels decreases depending on the different factors to which they are subjected daily. One of the phenomena that most affects their energy production is dust deposition. This is particularly acute in desert climates, where the level of solar radiation is extreme. In this work, the effect of dust soiling is examined on the electricity generation of an experimental photovoltaic pilot plant, installed at the Solar Energy Research Center (CIESOL) at the University of Almería. An average reduction of 5% of the power of a photovoltaic plant due to dust contamination has been obtained, this data being used to simulate the economic effect in plants of 9 kWp and 1 and 50 MWp. The economic losses have been calculated, and are capable of being higher than 150,000 €/year in industrial plants of 50 MWp. A cleaning strategy has also been presented, which represents a substantial economic outlay over the years of plant operation.
Effect of Cold Plasma on Meat Cholesterol and Lipid Oxidation
Authors: Pérez-Andrés Juan M. , Cropotova Janna , Harrison Sabine M. , Brunton Nigel P. , Cullen Patrick J. , Rustad Turid , Tiwari Brijesh K.
Published: December 2020

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel non-thermal technology with potential applications in inactivating microorganisms in food products. However, its impact on food quality is not yet fully understood. The aim of this research is to study the impact of in-package plasma technology on the stability of cholesterol and total lipid in four different types of meat (beef, pork, lamb and chicken breast). Additionally, any changes in the primary or secondary lipid oxidation, which is undesirable from a health perspective, is investigated. CAP was not found to have any impact on the cholesterol or lipid content. However, higher peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values were found for the treated samples, indicating that plasma can induce the acceleration of primary and secondary lipid oxidation. Finally, color was not affected by the treatment supporting the suitability of the technology for meat products.
Colectomy among Fee-for-Service Medicare Enrollees Coded as DRG 330: A Potential Platform to Allow Consumer Cost Transparency?
Authors: Hughes Byron D. , Sommerhalder Christian , Sieloff E Martin , Williams Kari E. , Tyler Douglas S. , Senagore Anthony J.
Published: December 2020

The use of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Diagnosis Related Group (CMS-DRG) codes define hospital reimbursement for Medicare beneficiaries. Our objective was to assess all patients with comorbidities on admission who were discharged in the DRG 330 category to determine the impact of postoperative complications on Medicare costs. The 5% Medicare Database was used to evaluate patients who underwent a colectomy and were coded as CMS-DRG 330. Patients were divided into two groups: No surgical complications (NSC) and surgical complications (SC). Length of stay (LOS), complications, hospital charges, CMS reimbursement, discharge destination, and inpatient mortality were assessed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. In total, 13,072 patients were identified. The SC group had higher inpatient mortality, a longer LOS (p < 0.0001) and was more likely to be discharged with post-acute care support (p = 0.0005). The use of CMS-DRG coding has the potential to provide Medicare fiscal intermediaries, beneficiaries, and providers with a more accurate understanding of the relative impact of their baseline health. The data further suggest that providers may benefit by more fully understanding the cost of preventive measures as a means of reducing total cost of care for this population.
Geodiversity Assessment with Crowdsourced Data and Spatial Multicriteria Analysis
Authors: Jankowski Piotr , Najwer Alicja , Zwoliński Zbigniew , Niesterowicz Jacek
Published: December 2020

This paper presents an approach to geodiversity assessment based on spatial multicriteria analysis. Instead of relying solely on weighted linear combination (WLC) for aggregating factor ratings and weights to compute a synthetic measure of geodiversity, the approach employs WLC in concert with its local version called L-WLC to provide a more comprehensive assessment approach. As part of the approach, the assessment input data comprised of geodiversity factor ratings and weights were obtained through crowdsourcing. A geoinformation crowdsourcing tool called the geo-questionnaire was used to obtain data from 57 Earth science researchers worldwide. These data served as the bases for a group assessment of geodiversity. The reliability of assessment was evaluated by means of spatially explicit uncertainty analysis. The results showed the efficacy of local spatial multicriteria analysis techniques (L-WLC) used in concert with a global technique (WLC) on the example of geodiversity assessment for Karkonosze National Park in southwestern Poland.
Identification of Potent CD19 scFv for CAR T Cells through scFv Screening with NK/T-Cell Line
Authors: Kang Chung Hyo , Kim Yeongrin , Lee Heung Kyoung , Lee So Myoung , Jeong Hye Gwang , Choi Sang Un , Park Chi Hoon
Published: December 2020

CD19 is the most promising target for developing chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T cells against B-cell leukemic cancer. Currently, two CAR-T-cell products, Kymriah and Yescarta, are approved for leukemia patients, and various anti-CD19 CAR T cells are undergoing clinical trial. Most of these anti-CD19 CAR T cells use FMC63 single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) for binding CD19 expressed on the cancer cell surface. In this study, we screened several known CD19 scFvs for developing anti-CD19 CAR T cells. We used the KHYG-1 NK/T-cell line for screening of CD19 scFvs because it has advantages in terms of cell culture and gene transduction compared to primary T cells. Using our CAR construct backbone, we made anti-CD19 CAR constructs which each had CD19 scFvs including FMC63, B43, 25C1, BLY3, 4G7, HD37, HB12a, and HB12b, then made each anti-CD19 CAR KHYG-1 cells. Interestingly, only FMC63 CAR KHYG-1 and 4G7 CAR KHYG-1 efficiently lysed CD19-positive cell lines. In addition, in Jurkat cell line, only these two CAR Jurkat cell lines secreted IL-2 when co-cultured with CD19-positive cell line, NALM-6. Based on these results, we made FMC63 CAR T cells and 4G7 CAR T cells from PBMC. In in vitro lysis assay, 4G7 CAR T cells lysed CD19-positive cell line as well as FMC63 CAR T cells. In in vivo assay with NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) mice, 4G7 CAR T cells eradicated NALM-6 as potently as FMC63 CAR T cells. Therefore, we anticipate that 4G7 CAR T cells will show as good a result as FMC63 CAR T cells for B-cell leukemia patients.
Cell Cycle-Dependence of Autophagic Activity and Inhibition of Autophagosome Formation at M Phase in Tobacco BY-2 Cells
Authors: Hanamata Shigeru , Kurusu Takamitsu , Kuchitsu Kazuyuki
Published: December 2020

Autophagy is ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells and plays an essential role in stress adaptation and development by recycling nutrients and maintaining cellular homeostasis. However, the dynamics and regulatory mechanisms of autophagosome formation during the cell cycle in plant cells remain poorly elucidated. We here analyzed the number of autophagosomes during cell cycle progression in synchronized tobacco BY-2 cells expressing YFP-NtATG8a as a marker for the autophagosomes. Autophagosomes were abundant in the G2 and G1 phases of interphase, though they were much less abundant in the M and S phases. Autophagosomes drastically decreased during the G2/M transition, and the CDK inhibitor roscovitine inhibited the G2/M transition and the decrease in autophagosomes. Autophagosomes were rapidly increased by a proteasome inhibitor, MG-132. MG-132-induced autophagosome formation was also markedly lower in the M phases than during interphase. These results indicate that the activity of autophagosome formation is differently regulated at each cell cycle stage, which is strongly suppressed during mitosis.
How Far Are We from Prescribing Fasting as Anticancer Medicine?
Authors: Deligiorgi Maria V. , Liapi Charis , Trafalis Dimitrios T.
Published: December 2020

(1) Background: the present review provides a comprehensive and up-to date overview of the potential exploitation of fasting as an anticancer strategy. The rationale for this concept is that fasting elicits a differential stress response in the setting of unfavorable conditions, empowering the survival of normal cells, while killing cancer cells. (2) Methods: the present narrative review presents the basic aspects of the hormonal, molecular, and cellular response to fasting, focusing on the interrelationship of fasting with oxidative stress. It also presents nonclinical and clinical evidence concerning the implementation of fasting as adjuvant to chemotherapy, highlighting current challenges and future perspectives. (3) Results: there is ample nonclinical evidence indicating that fasting can mitigate the toxicity of chemotherapy and/or increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. The relevant clinical research is encouraging, albeit still in its infancy. The path forward for implementing fasting in oncology is a personalized approach, entailing counteraction of current challenges, including: (i) patient selection; (ii) fasting patterns; (iii) timeline of fasting and refeeding; (iv) validation of biomarkers for assessment of fasting; and (v) establishment of protocols for patients’ monitoring. (4) Conclusion: prescribing fasting as anticancer medicine may not be far away if large randomized clinical trials consolidate its safety and efficacy.
A Long-Read Sequencing Approach for Direct Haplotype Phasing in Clinical Settings
Authors: Maestri Simone , Maturo Maria Giovanna , Cosentino Emanuela , Marcolungo Luca , Iadarola Barbara , Fortunati Elisabetta , Rossato Marzia , Delledonne Massimo
Published: December 2020

The reconstruction of individual haplotypes can facilitate the interpretation of disease risks; however, high costs and technical challenges still hinder their assessment in clinical settings. Second-generation sequencing is the gold standard for variant discovery but, due to the production of short reads covering small genomic regions, allows only indirect haplotyping based on statistical methods. In contrast, third-generation methods such as the nanopore sequencing platform developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) generate long reads that can be used for direct haplotyping, with fewer drawbacks. However, robust standards for variant phasing in ONT-based target resequencing efforts are not yet available. In this study, we presented a streamlined proof-of-concept workflow for variant calling and phasing based on ONT data in a clinically relevant 12-kb region of the APOE locus, a hotspot for variants and haplotypes associated with aging-related diseases and longevity. Starting with sequencing data from simple amplicons of the target locus, we demonstrated that ONT data allow for reliable single-nucleotide variant (SNV) calling and phasing from as little as 60 reads, although the recognition of indels is less efficient. Even so, we identified the best combination of ONT read sets (600) and software (BWA/Minimap2 and HapCUT2) that enables full haplotype reconstruction when both SNVs and indels have been identified previously using a highly-accurate sequencing platform. In conclusion, we established a rapid and inexpensive workflow for variant phasing based on ONT long reads. This allowed for the analysis of multiple samples in parallel and can easily be implemented in routine clinical practice, including diagnostic testing.
IP3R Channels in Male Reproduction
Authors: Zhang Xiaoning , Huang Rongzu , Zhou Yang , Zhou Wenwen , Zeng Xuhui
Published: December 2020

As a second messenger in cellular signal transduction, calcium signaling extensively participates in various physiological activities, including spermatogenesis and the regulation of sperm function. Abnormal calcium signaling is highly correlated with male infertility. Calcium signaling is mainly regulated by both extracellular calcium influx and the release of calcium stores. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) is a widely expressed channel for calcium stores. After being activated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and calcium signaling at a lower concentration, IP3R can regulate the release of Ca2+ from stores into cytoplasm, and eventually trigger downstream events. The closure of the IP3R channel caused by a rise in intracellular calcium signals and the activation of the calcium pump jointly restores the calcium store to a normal level. In this review, we aim to discuss structural features of IP3R channels and the underlying mechanism of IP3R channel-mediated calcium signaling and further focus on the research progress of IP3R expression and function in the male reproductive system. Finally, we propose key directions and strategies for research of IP3R in spermatogenesis and the regulation of sperm function to provide more understanding of the function and mechanism of IP3R channel actions in male reproduction.