bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parental Lifestyle Changes and Correlations with Children’s Dietary Changes during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Greece: The COV-EAT Study
Authors: Saltaouras Georgios , Perperidi Maria , Georgiou Christos , Androutsos Odysseas
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the eating behaviour of parents during the first lockdown implemented in Greece due to COVID-19 and to explore possible associations with corresponding changes in the eating behaviour of their children. A quantitative cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 397 parents with children aged 2–18 years, who were recruited from 63 municipalities in Greece. It was observed that the percentage of parents and children reporting consumption of breakfast during the lockdown period increased by 10.6% and 5%, respectively. Also, 75% of the parents increased their snack consumption and 61% their sweets consumption. Parents increased home-cooking during lockdown (6.4 times/week), compared to 5.6 times/week before (p < 0.001), which was associated with decreased consumption of fast foods for both parents and children (p < 0.001 for all comparisons) and also correlated with increased consumption of fruit and vegetables for children (p < 0.05). More than half parents tried to lose weight during lockdown (58.4%). In conclusion, both favourable (home-cooking) and unfavourable (increased snacking) lifestyle changes during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Greece were reported for parents.
TRPA1 Polymorphisms Modify the Hypotensive Responses to Propofol with No Change in Nitrite or Nitrate Levels
Authors: de Melo Isabela Borges , Oliveira-Paula Gustavo H. , Ferezin Letícia Perticarrara , Ferreira Graziele C. , Pinheiro Lucas C. , Tanus-Santos Jose E. , Garcia Luis V. , Lacchini Riccardo , Paula-Garcia Waynice N.
Published: December 2022

Anesthesia with propofol is frequently associated with hypotension. The TRPA1 gene contributes to the vasodilator effect of propofol. Hypotension is crucial for anesthesiologists because it is deleterious in the perioperative period. We tested whether the TRPA1 gene polymorphisms or haplotypes interfere with the hypotensive responses to propofol. PCR-determined genotypes and haplotype frequencies were estimated. Nitrite, nitrates, and NOx levels were measured. Propofol induced a more expressive lowering of the blood pressure (BP) without changing nitrite or nitrate levels in patients carrying CG+GG genotypes for the rs16937976 TRPA1 polymorphism and AG+AA genotypes for the rs13218757 TRPA1 polymorphism. The CGA haplotype presented the most remarkable drop in BP. Heart rate values were not impacted. The present exploratory analysis suggests that TRPA1 genotypes and haplotypes influence the hypotensive responses to propofol. The mechanisms involved are probably other than those related to NO bioavailability. With better genetic knowledge, planning anesthesia with fewer side effects may be possible.
CLARA: Building a Socially Assistive Robot to Interact with Elderly People
Authors: Romero-Garcés Adrián , Bandera Juan Pedro , Marfil Rebeca , González-García Martín , Bandera Antonio
Published: December 2022

Although the global population is aging, the proportion of potential caregivers is not keeping pace. It is necessary for society to adapt to this demographic change, and new technologies are a powerful resource for achieving this. New tools and devices can help to ease independent living and alleviate the workload of caregivers. Among them, socially assistive robots (SARs), which assist people with social interactions, are an interesting tool for caregivers thanks to their proactivity, autonomy, interaction capabilities, and adaptability. This article describes the different design and implementation phases of a SAR, the CLARA robot, both from a physical and software point of view, from 2016 to 2022. During this period, the design methodology evolved from traditional approaches based on technical feasibility to user-centered co-creative processes. The cognitive architecture of the robot, CORTEX, keeps its core idea of using an inner representation of the world to enable inter-procedural dialogue between perceptual, reactive, and deliberative modules. However, CORTEX also evolved by incorporating components that use non-functional properties to maximize efficiency through adaptability. The robot has been employed in several projects for different uses in hospitals and retirement homes. This paper describes the main outcomes of the functional and user experience evaluations of these experiments.
Alkaloids of Solanum xanthocarpum Stem as Green Inhibitor for Mild Steel Corrosion in One Molar Sulphuric Acid Solution
Authors: Thapa Onisha , Thapa Magar Jamuna , Oli Hari Bhakta , Rajaure Anil , Nepali Durga , Bhattarai Deval Prasad , Mukhiya Tanka
Published: December 2022

The residual ions of the acid cleaning processes induce the further corrosion of the metals, and this could be minimized using green inhibitors. Alkaloids extracted from plant parts could be cost effective and efficient inhibitors. In this work, alkaloids from Solanum xanthocarpum stem were successfully extracted, and they were characterized by qualitative chemical tests and spectroscopic measurements. As-extracted alkaloids were employed as green corrosion inhibitors for mild steel. The effectiveness of the inhibitor was determined by the weight loss and electrochemical measurement methods. From the weight loss measurement, the maximum inhibition efficiency of 93.14% was achieved. The temperature effect study revealed that the inhibitor can work up to a temperature of 58 °C. This could be one of the highest working temperatures among the reported green inhibitors. The electrochemical measurement reveals that the alkaloids could inhibit effectively up to 98.14% of the corrosion and serve as a mixed-type green inhibitor. A study on the kinetic parameters reflects that the inhibitor forms a potential barrier for the protection of a mild steel surface against corrosion. The values obtained from the thermodynamic parameters study reflect that the process is a spontaneous endothermic process. Based on the findings, it is revealed that the alkaloids extracted from S. xanthocarpum can serve as an excellent, eco-friendly and a promising green inhibitor against mild steel corrosion.
NiFeOx and NiFeCoOx Catalysts for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis
Authors: Ahmed Khaja Wahab , Jang Myeong Je , Habibpour Saeed , Chen Zhongwei , Fowler Michael
Published: December 2022

Hydrogen production using an Anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer allows the use of non-platinum group metal catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Nickel and Cobalt-based oxides are active in an alkaline environment for OER and are relatively inexpensive compared to IrO2 catalysts used in Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis. Mixed metal oxide catalysts NiFeOx and NiFeCoOx catalysts were synthesized by the coprecipitation method using NaOH. X-ray diffraction results showed mainly NiO diffraction peaks for the NiFeOx catalyst due to the low concentration of Fe, for the NiFeCoOx catalyst, NiCo2O4 diffraction peaks were observed. NiFeCoOx catalysts showed a higher Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) performance compared to NiFeOx and commercial NiO, the highest current density at 2 V was 802 mA cm−2 at 70 °C using 1 M KOH as an electrolyte. The effect of electrolyte concentration was studied by using 0.01 M, 0.1 M and 1 M KOH concentrations in an electrolysis operation. Electrochemical Impedance spectroscopy was performed along with the equivalent circuit fitting to calculate ohmic and activation resistances, the results showed a decrease in ohmic and activation resistances with the increase in electrolyte concentration. Commercially available AEM (Fumasep FAA-3-50 and Sustainion dioxide membrane X-37-50 grade T) were tested at similar conditions and their performance was compared. EIS results showed that X-37-50 offered lower ohmic resistance than the FAA-3-50 membrane.
Effectiveness in Mitigating Forest Fire Ignition Sources: A Statistical Study Based on Fire Occurrence Data in China
Authors: Wang Haihui , Jin Bangxin , Zhang Kaixuan , Aktar Shamima , Song Zhilong
Published: December 2022

Control of forest fire ignition sources is the top priority in fire management practices. China has gained great success in reducing forest fires in recent years, and the relevant safety measures taken during this process are worthy of investigation and publicity. Based on fire statistical data through the years between 2003 and 2017, we analyzed the detailed classification of fire ignition sources and their contribution to the annual forest fire occurrence. The role of different ignition sources in altering fire occurrence was quantified and ranked by defining a contribution extent parameter. A statistical tool was also applied to conduct correlation analysis to identify variation patterns of time series data from individual fire causes. The annual fire numbers declined after 2008 and stabilized at a level < 2000 in recent years, pointing to the containment of several major ignition sources. Starting from the legislative development, an accountability system was established at all levels from administrative heads to local residents, paving the way for the multifaceted and full-coverage fire prevention publicity and education as well as the fire use restriction in particular seasons. The effectiveness of management measures in lessening forest fire occurrence was interpreted using the results of correlation analysis among the fire numbers initiated by individual ignition sources.
Attention-Based Multiscale Spatiotemporal Network for Traffic Forecast with Fusion of External Factors
Authors: Nadarajan Jeba , Sivanraj Rathi
Published: December 2022

Periodic traffic prediction and analysis is essential for urbanisation and intelligent transportation systems (ITS). However, traffic prediction is challenging due to the nonlinear flow of traffic and its interdependencies on spatiotemporal features. Traffic flow has a long-term dependence on temporal features and a short-term dependence on local and global spatial features. It is strongly influenced by external factors such as weather and points of interest. Existing models consider long-term and short-term predictions in Euclidean space. In this paper, we design an attention-based encoder–decoder with stacked layers of LSTM to analyse multiscale spatiotemporal dependencies in non-Euclidean space to forecast traffic. The attention weights are obtained adaptively and external factors are fused with the output of the decoder to evaluate region-wide traffic predictions. Extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed attention-based non-Euclidean spatiotemporal network (ANST) on real-world datasets. The proposed model has improved prediction accuracy over previous methods. The insights obtained from traffic prediction would be beneficial for daily commutation and logistics.
Self-Standing Bioinspired Polymer Films Doped with Ultrafine Silver Nanoparticles as Innovative Antimicrobial Material
Authors: Kukushkina Ekaterina A. , Duarte Ana Catarina , Tartaro Giuseppe , Sportelli Maria Chiara , Di Franco Cinzia , Fernández Lucía , García Pilar , Picca Rosaria Anna , Cioffi Nicola
Published: December 2022

Thin self-standing films with potential antimicrobial synergistic activity have been produced by a simple green chemical synthesis with overnight thermal treatment. Their properties have been studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and other techniques to understand their potential range of applications. In this work, the focus was set on the development of a potential novel and effective alternative to conventional antimicrobial materials. By creating an antimicrobial polymer blend, and using it to develop and immobilize fine (~25 nm) silver nanophases, we further aimed to exploit its film-forming properties and create a solid composite material. The resulting polymer matrix showed improved water uptake percentage and better stability in the presence of water. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the films, which is due to both organic and inorganic components, has been evaluated by Kirby–Bauer assay against common foodborne pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica) and resulted in a clear inhibition zone of 1.2 cm for the most complex nanocomposition. The excellent performance against bacteria of fresh and 6-month-old samples proves the prospects of this material for the development of smart and biodegradable food packaging applications.
New Understandings from the Biophysical Study of the Structure, Dynamics, and Function of Nucleic Acids 2.0
Authors: Lee Joon-Hwa
Published: December 2022

Nucleic acids play an essential role in all biological processes related to genetic information, such as replication, transcription, translation, repair, and recombination [...]
MTARC1 and HSD17B13 Variants Have Protective Effects on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Kalinowski Piotr , Smyk Wiktor , Nowosad Małgorzata , Paluszkiewicz Rafał , Michałowski Łukasz , Ziarkiewicz-Wróblewska Bogna , Weber Susanne N. , Milkiewicz Piotr , Lammert Frank , Zieniewicz Krzysztof , Krawczyk Marcin
Published: December 2022

The severity of hepatic steatosis is modulated by genetic variants, such as patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA3) rs738409, transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2) rs58542926, and membrane-bound O-acyltransferase domain containing 7 (MBOAT7) rs641738. Recently, mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component 1 (MTARC1) rs2642438 and hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17B13) rs72613567 polymorphisms were shown to have protective effects on liver diseases. Here, we evaluate these variants in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. A total of 165 patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and intraoperative liver biopsies and 314 controls were prospectively recruited. Genotyping was performed using TaqMan assays. Overall, 70.3% of operated patients presented with hepatic steatosis. NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) was detected in 28.5% of patients; none had cirrhosis. The increment of liver fibrosis stage was associated with decreasing frequency of the MTARC1 minor allele (p = 0.03). In multivariate analysis MTARC1 was an independent protective factor against fibrosis ≥ 1b (OR = 0.52, p = 0.03) and ≥ 1c (OR = 0.51, p = 0.04). The PNPLA3 risk allele was associated with increased hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and NASH (OR = 2.22, p = 0.04). The HSD17B13 polymorphism was protective against liver injury as reflected by lower AST (p = 0.04) and ALT (p = 0.03) activities. The TM6SF2 polymorphism was associated with increased ALT (p = 0.04). In conclusion, hepatic steatosis is common among patients scheduled for bariatric surgery, but the MTARC1 and HSD17B13 polymorphisms lower liver injury in these individuals.
Application of Metabolic Reprogramming to Cancer Imaging and Diagnosis
Authors: Yang Yi-Fang , Li Chien-Hsiu , Cai Huei-Yu , Lin Bo-Syuan , Kim Cheorl-Ho , Chang Yu-Chan
Published: December 2022

Cellular metabolism governs the signaling that supports physiological mechanisms and homeostasis in an individual, including neuronal transmission, wound healing, and circadian clock manipulation. Various factors have been linked to abnormal metabolic reprogramming, including gene mutations, epigenetic modifications, altered protein epitopes, and their involvement in the development of disease, including cancer. The presence of multiple distinct hallmarks and the resulting cellular reprogramming process have gradually revealed that these metabolism-related molecules may be able to be used to track or prevent the progression of cancer. Consequently, translational medicines have been developed using metabolic substrates, precursors, and other products depending on their biochemical mechanism of action. It is important to note that these metabolic analogs can also be used for imaging and therapeutic purposes in addition to competing for metabolic functions. In particular, due to their isotopic labeling, these compounds may also be used to localize and visualize tumor cells after uptake. In this review, the current development status, applicability, and limitations of compounds targeting metabolic reprogramming are described, as well as the imaging platforms that are most suitable for each compound and the types of cancer to which they are most appropriate.
Changes in the Phytochemical and Bioactive Compounds and the Antioxidant Properties of Wolfberry during Vinegar Fermentation Processes
Authors: Xia Ting , Qiang Xiao , Geng Beibei , Zhang Xiaodong , Wang Yiming , Li Shaopeng , Meng Yuan , Zheng Yu , Wang Min
Published: December 2022

Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.), as a kind of functional fruit, has various nutritional and bioactive components, which exhibit healthy benefits. However, wolfberry is not easy to preserve, and the intensive processing of wolfberry needs to be developed. In the present study, the changes in the phytochemical and bioactive compounds, as well as the antioxidant properties of wolfberry, were evaluated in the brewed processes. We found that the sugar contents were significantly decreased, and the total acids values were significantly increased during the fermentation processes. The sugar and fat contents were low in the wolfberry fruit vinegar after fermentation, which is of benefit to human health. In addition, amino acids were examined during the fermentation processes, and histidine, proline, and alanine were found to be the main amino acids in vinegar. The total phenolics and flavonoids contents were significantly increased by 29.4% and 65.7% after fermentation. 4-Hydroxy benzoic acid, 3-hydroxy cinnamic acid, and chlorogenic acid were the primary polyphenols in the wolfberry fruit vinegar. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of wolfberry fruit vinegar was significantly increased compared with that of wolfberry fruit after the fermentation processes. Polysaccharides and polyphenolics were strongly correlated with the antioxidant activity during the fermentation processes. The findings suggest that wolfberry fruit vinegar has a high antioxidant capability, and could be a beneficial food in the human diet.
Synthesis, Antiproliferative Evaluation and QSAR Analysis of Novel Halogen- and Amidino-Substituted Benzothiazoles and Benzimidazoles
Authors: Rep Kaulić Valentina , Racané Livio , Leventić Marijana , Šubarić Domagoj , Rastija Vesna , Glavaš-Obrovac Ljubica , Raić-Malić Silvana
Published: December 2022

Syntheses of 6-halogen-substituted benzothiazoles were performed by condensation of 4-hydroxybenzaldehydes and 2-aminotiophenoles and subsequent O-alkylation with appropriate halides, whereas 6-amidino-substituted benzothiazoles were synthesized by condensation of 5-amidino-2-aminothiophenoles and corresponding benzaldehydes. While most of the compounds from non-substituted and halogen-substituted benzothiazole series showed marginal antiproliferative activity on tested tumor cell lines, amidino benzazoles exhibited stronger inhibitory activity. Generally, imidazolyl benzothiazoles showed pronounced and nonselective activity, with the exception of 36c which had a strong inhibitory effect on HuT78 cells (IC50 = 1.6 µM) without adverse cytotoxicity on normal BJ cells (IC50 >100 µM). Compared to benzothiazoles, benzimidazole structural analogs 45a–45c and 46c containing the 1,2,3-triazole ring exhibited pronounced and selective antiproliferative activity against HuT78 cells with IC50 < 10 µM. Moreover, compounds 45c and 46c containing the methoxy group at the phenoxy unit were not toxic to normal BJ cells. Of all the tested compounds, benzimidazole 45a with the unsubstituted phenoxy central core showed the most pronounced cell growth inhibition on THP1 cells in the nanomolar range (IC50 = 0.8 µM; SI = 70). QSAR models of antiproliferative activity for benzazoles on T-cell lymphoma (HuT78) and non-tumor MDCK-1 cells elucidated the effects of the substituents at position 6 of benzazoles, demonstrating their dependence on the topological and spatial distribution of atomic mass, polarizability, and van der Waals volumes. A notable cell cycle perturbation with higher accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase, and a significant cell increase in subG0/G1 phase were found in HuT78 cells treated with 36c, 42c, 45a–45c and 46c. Apoptotic morphological changes, an externalization of phosphatidylserine, and changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential of treated cells were observed as well.
Bi-Allelic DES Gene Variants Causing Autosomal Recessive Myofibrillar Myopathies Affecting Both Skeletal Muscles and Cardiac Function
Authors: Onore Maria Elena , Savarese Marco , Picillo Esther , Passamano Luigia , Nigro Vincenzo , Politano Luisa
Published: December 2022

Mutations in the human desmin gene (DES) may cause both autosomal dominant and recessive cardiomyopathies leading to heart failure, arrhythmias and atrio-ventricular blocks, or progressive myopathies. Cardiac conduction disorders, arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies usually associated with progressive myopathy are the main manifestations of autosomal dominant desminopathies, due to mono-allelic pathogenic variants. The recessive forms, due to bi-allelic variants, are very rare and exhibit variable phenotypes in which premature sudden cardiac death could also occur in the first or second decade of life. We describe a further case of autosomal recessive desminopathy in an Italian boy born of consanguineous parents, who developed progressive myopathy at age 12, and dilated cardiomyopathy four years later and died of intractable heart failure at age 17. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis identified the homozygous loss-of-function variant c.634C>T; p.Arg212*, which was likely inherited from both parents. Furthermore, we performed a comparison of clinical and genetic results observed in our patient with those of cases so far reported in the literature.
Development and Analysis of Solutions to Improve the Efficiency of Volute Inlet Pipes in Radial Turboexpanders
Authors: Osipov Sergey , Rogalev Nikolay , Rogalev Andrey , Komarov Ivan , Lvov Dmitriy
Published: December 2022

The annual increase in demand for electrical power is accompanied by a significant combustion of hydrocarbon fuels and, accordingly, significant CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, which, in turn, result in increasing the surface temperature of our planet. In addition, hydrocarbon fuel reserves are also depleted every year, which raises the question of the efficient use of fossil fuels. One of the promising solutions to this problem is introducing a technology that allows using the excess gas pressure at gas distribution points in order to generate additional electrical energy. As a rule, a radial turboexpander is used to convert the kinetic energy of natural gas at low power. In this paper, we study a method to reduce losses in a volute inlet of a radial expander. Based on our research, we could find that the use of two symmetrical fins in the volute inlet pipe makes it possible to decrease the turbulent kinetic energy by 1.29% and to reduce the energy losses in the inlet pipe by 2.18%.
Processing and Mechanical Characterisation of Titanium Metal Matrix Composites: A Literature Review
Authors: Shetty Raviraj , Hegde Adithya , Shetty SV Uday Kumar , Nayak Rajesh , Naik Nithesh , Nayak Madhukar
Published: December 2022

Today, Discontinuously Reinforced Particulate Titanium Matrix Composites (DRPTMCs) have been the most popular and challenging in consideration with development and heat treatment due to their significant weight-saving capacity, high specific strength, stiffness and oxidising nature compared with other metals and alloys. Owing to their excellent capabilities, DRPTMCs are widely used in aerospace, automobiles, biomedical and other industries. However, regardless of the reinforcements, such as continuous fibres or discontinuous particulates, the unique properties of DRPTMCs have dealt with these composites for widespread research and progress around the domain. Even though DRPTMCs are one of the most studied materials, expedient information about their properties, processing, characterisation and heat treatment is still scattered in the literature. Hence, this paper focuses on a literature review that covers important research work that has led to advances in DRPTMCs material systems. Further, this paper also deals with broad details about the particulates, manufacturing processes and heat treatment processes.
Sustainable Manufacturability of Archimedes Screw Turbines: A Critical Review
Authors: Ubando Aristotle T. , Marfori Isidro Antonio V. , Peradilla Marnel S. , Sy Charlle L. , Calapatia Andre Marvin A. , Chen Wei-Hsin
Published: December 2022

Archimedes screw turbines are considered a new technology in small- or microscale hydropower. Archimedes screw turbines are easy and practical to operate. However, their manufacturing presents some challenges owing to their screw-shaped design. Most of the previous works on Archimedes screw turbines focused on the turbines’ design, while limited studies were found on their manufacturing processes. In addition, no review work was found on the manufacturability of the Archimedes screw turbine. Hence, this work aims to address this gap by reviewing the various manufacturing methods of Archimedes screw turbines. Moreover, one of the objectives of the study is to assess the sustainable manufacturability of the Archimedes screw turbine. The results show that Archimedes screw turbines are mainly manufactured using conventional manufacturing methods for larger turbines and 3D printers for relatively smaller ones. Traditional methods of manufacturing entailed high skill proficiency, while 3D-printing methods for Archimedes screw turbines are still in their early developmental stages. Sustainable assessment studies have identified additive manufacturing as having a relatively lower environmental impact than conventional manufacturing on turbine blades. These trade-offs must be accounted for in the design and development of Archimedes screw turbines. Moreover, integrating sustainability assessment and the employment of Industry 4.0 enables the smart production and sustainable assessment of AST manufacturability.
Management of Cholelithiasis in Cirrhotic Patients
Authors: Viscosi Francesca , Fleres Francesco , Cucinotta Eugenio , Mazzeo Carmelo
Published: December 2022

Gallstone disease (GD) is a common disease worldwide and has a higher incidence in cirrhotic patients than in the general population. The main indications for cholecystectomy surgery in cirrhotic patients remain symptomatic cholelithiasis and its complications. Over the past two decades, numerous published reports have attested to the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in cirrhotic patients. Surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis represents an additional source of stress for an already impaired liver function and perioperative complications are remarkably high compared to non-cirrhotic patients, despite significant advances in surgical management. Therefore, preoperative risk stratification and adequate patient selection are mandatory to minimize postoperative complications. We have conducted a systematic review of the literature over the last 22 years for specific information on indications for surgery in cirrhotic patients and individual percentages of Child–Pugh grades undergoing treatment. There are very few reported cases of cholecystectomy and minimally invasive treatment, such as percutaneous transhepatic cholecystostomy (PTC), in patients with Child–Pugh grade C cirrhosis. With this work, we would like to pay attention to the treatment of cholelithiasis in cirrhotic patients who are still able to undergo cholecystectomy, thus also encouraging this type of intervention in cases of asymptomatic cholelithiasis in patients with Child–Pugh grades A and B.
Preparation of Flexible Liquid Crystal Films with Broadband Reflection Based on PD&SLC
Authors: Zhang Xuetao , Han Rui , Li Hui , Zhao Xiaohui , Cao Hui , Chen Yinjie , Yang Zhou , Wang Dong , He Wanli
Published: December 2022

A simple and efficient method for the preparation of a film with flexible characteristic and selective reflection of near-infrared light is proposed. Based on the coexistence system (PD&SLC) of polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) and polymer stabilized liquid crystals (PSLC), it combines the flexibility of PDLC with the selectively reflection of PSLC. Innovative use of step-by-step light curing to achieve microstructural differences in the three-dimensional orientation of the material is proposed. That is, the difference between PDLC and PSLC in the planar orientation, as well as the gradient distribution of cholesteric phase liquid crystal pitch in the cell thickness direction, is observed. While realizing the flexibility of the material, the function of broadening the reflection bandwidth is fulfilled. This method of preparing liquid crystal films is expected to have great potential for applications, such as flexible smart windows, infrared light shielding, and sensors.
Planar Perovskite Solar Cells Using Perovskite CsPbI3 Quantum Dots as Efficient Hole Transporting Layers
Authors: Liang Tsair-Chun , Su Hsin-Yu , Chen Sih-An , Chen Yen-Ju , Chiang Chung-Yu , Chiang Chih-Hsun , Kao Tzung-Ta , Chen Lung-Chien , Lin Chun-Cheng
Published: December 2022

Perovskite CsPbI3 quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized as a hole-transporting layer (HTL) of a planar perovskite solar cell (PSC). By using the Octam solution during the ligand engineering, CsPbI3 QDs exhibits a denser grain and a larger grain size due to the short-chain ligands of Octam. In addition, CsPbI3 QDs with the Octam solution showed a smooth and uniform surface on MAPbI3 film, indicating the QDs improved the microstructure of the MAPbI3 perovskite film. As a result, the PSC with CsPbI3 QDs as an HTL has the optimal open-circuit voltage as 1.09 V, the short-circuit current as 20.5 mA/cm2, and the fill factor (FF) as 75.7%, and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) as 17.0%. Hence, it is inferred that introducing QDs as a HTL via the ligand engineering can effectively improve the device performance of the PSC.
Effect of Residual Oxygen Concentration on the Lattice Parameters of Aluminum Nitride Powder Prepared via Carbothermal Reduction Nitridation Reaction
Authors: Kim Jaegyeom , Ahn Heewon , Kim Seung-Joo , Kim Jong-Young , Pee Jae-Hwan
Published: December 2022

Residual oxygen in wurtzite-type aluminum nitride (AlN) crystal, which significantly affects phonon transport and crystal growth, is crucial to thermal conductivity and the crystal quality of AlN ceramics. In this study, the effect of residual oxygen on the lattice of AlN was examined for as-synthesized and sintered samples. By controlling reaction time in the carbothermal reduction nitridation (CRN) procedure, AlN powder was successfully synthesized, and the amount of residual oxygen was systematically controlled. The evolution of lattice parameters of AlN with respect to oxygen conc. was carefully investigated via X-ray diffraction analysis. With increasing amounts of residual oxygen in the as-synthesized AlN, lattice expansion in the ab plane was induced without a significant change in the c-axis lattice parameter. The lattice expansion in the ab plane owing to the residual oxygen was also confirmed with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, in contrast to the invariant lattice parameter of the sintered AlN phase. Micro-strain values from XRD peak broadening confirm that stress, induced by residual oxygen, expands the AlN lattice. In this work, the lattice expansion of AlN with increasing residual oxygen was elucidated via X-ray diffraction and HR-TEM, which is useful to estimate and control the lattice oxygen in AlN ceramics.
Complex Building Forms Roofed with Transformed Shell Units and Defined by Saddle Surfaces
Authors: Abramczyk Jacek , Chrzanowska Katarzyna
Published: December 2022

A novel method and description of creating diversified complex original building forms roofed with a number of transformed folded shell units developed on the basis of a novel reference polyhedral network and arranged according to a reference surface with the negative Gaussian curvature is presented. For that purpose, specific reference polyhedral networks is are defined as a complex material deliberately composed of many regular tetrahedrons that are arranged regularly to obtain original attractive complex general building forms. The proposed method is a significant extension of the previous method for shaping roof structures with the positive Gaussian curvature and fills existing gaps in current scientific knowledge. The extended method enables the designer to significantly increase the variety of the created complex shell roof forms and plane-walled folded elevation forms of buildings and to define the shapes of their rod structural systems. It allows one to overcome the existing significant geometric and material limitations related to shape transformations of nominally flat rectangular folded steel sheets into different shell forms. The developed extension is based on formation of a set of properly connected tetrahedra as a material determining different (a) inclination of elevation walls to the vertical, and (b) distribution of many individual warped roof shells in accordance with the properties of a regular surface with negative Gaussian curvature. A number of the adopted specific sets of division coefficients (parameters) is used for determining the entire network and its complete tetrahedra. The presented description makes it possible to adopt appropriate assumptions and data and then employ the innovative method to obtain the expected characteristics of the unconventional building form shaped. The presented three different special forms created with the help of the novel method and the appropriately selected diversified values of the division coefficients of pairs of the vertices of a polyhedral reference network, a polygonal eaves network and points of a reference surface confirm the innovative scientific nature of the obtained results. The method has to be computationally aided due to the complexity of mathematical operations and the need to visualize the designed forms.
Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA)—A Multidisciplinary Approach of a Case Report
Authors: Trandafir Cornelia M. , Balica Nicolae Constantin , Horhat Delia I. , Mot Ion C. , Sarau Cristian A. , Poenaru Marioara
Published: December 2022

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is an atypical, multisystem disease with unknown etiology that generally affects both genders equally, with a predominance in the Caucasian racial group for individuals in their fourth decade. The disease affects the small vessels of the respiratory system, lungs, and kidneys. ENT manifestations are common, but ocular involvement is also frequent and can occur as an initial harbinger of the disease. The signs and symptoms of the disease are non-pathognomonic and sometimes localized, but it carries a poor prognosis if left untreated. Early diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis can be difficult and is established by a clinical examination along with laboratory tests for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and anatomopathological exam results that showcase necrosis, granulomatous inflammation, and vasculitis. Although the ocular involvement is not life threatening, it can cause blindness and may also be a sign of the active form of this systemic fatal disease. Treatment strategies involving immunosuppression and adjuvant therapies improve the prognosis. In this article we present a rare case of a patient diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis in our ENT department in 2003, with a follow-up for19 years in our clinic.
Antifeedant Potential of Geranylacetone and Nerylacetone and Their Epoxy-Derivatives against Myzus persicae (Sulz.)
Authors: Wróblewska-Kurdyk Anna , Dancewicz Katarzyna , Gliszczyńska Anna , Gabryś Beata
Published: December 2022

Geranylacetone and nerylacetone are natural sesquiterpenoids, which play various roles in plant-insect interactions, including the deterrent and repellent effects on herbivores. The structural modifications of natural compounds often change their biological activities. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of geranylacetone, nerylacetone and their epoxy-derivatives on the probing and settling behavior of Myzus persicae (Sulz.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The no-choice test using the Electrical Penetration Graph (EPG) technique showed that the probes before the first phloem phase were usually shorter than 3 min, which means that they were terminated within the epidermis and/or outer layers of mesophyll. This resulted in a tendency to delay the initiation of the phloem phase in aphids, which reflects a weak preingestive deterrent activity of the studied compounds at the level of non-vascular tissues. Most M. persicae showed bouts of sustained phloem sap ingestion. However, the 24-h free-choice test demonstrated that aphids did not settle on the leaves treated with geranylacetone, nerylacetone, and their epoxy-derivatives. The refusal to settle after the consumption of phloem sap on treated plants indicated that the studied compounds had postingestive deterrent activity. The epoxidation of geranylacetone and nerylacetone did not evoke significant changes in their activity profiles.
Non-Covalent Dimer as Donor Chromophore for Constructing Artificial Light-Harvesting System in Water
Authors: Zhang Liangliang , Qian Hongwei , Wu Zhiying , Zhang Qiaona , Li Shengke , Cheng Ming , Xiao Tangxin
Published: December 2022

Dynamic emissive materials in aqueous media have received much attention owing to their ease of preparation, tunable luminescence and environmental friendliness. However, hydrophobic fluorophores usually suffer from aggregation-caused quenching in water. In this work, we constructed an artificial light-harvesting system by using a non-covalent aggregation-induced emission dimer as antenna and energy donor. The dimer is quadruple hydrogen bonded from a ureidopyrimidinone derivative (M) containing a tetraphenylethylene group. The dispersed nano-assemblies based on the dimer in aqueous media were fabricated with the help of surfactant. By loading a hydrophobic acceptor molecule DBT into the nano-assemblies, man-made light-harvesting nanoparticles were fabricated, showing considerable energy transfer efficiency and a relatively high antenna effect. Additionally, the fluorescence color of the system can be gradually tuned by varying the content of the acceptors. This study provides a general way for the construction of an aqueous light-harvesting system based on a supramolecular dimer, which is important for potential application in luminescent materials.
The Design and Implementation of the ECOVIR Project: A Primary Health Care Surveillance System to Strengthen Co-Detection of Respiratory Viruses in Normandy
Authors: Petat Hortense , Schuers Matthieu , Corbet Sandrine , Humbert Xavier , Le Bas François , Marguet Christophe , Pellerin Lucille , Rabiaza Andry , Vabret Astrid , Ar Gouilh Meriadeg
Published: December 2022

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) need to be better understood and treated, as they are critical to public health, especially during crises such as the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. These are the most abundant infections in the general population and are seen primarily in primary care by general practitioners (GPs). Many different viruses are involved, according to epidemic variations. Viral co-detections account for a significant proportion of ARIs in hospital cohorts. The objective of the ECOVIR cohort was to study viral co-detections by setting up a biobank of respiratory tract samples from patients consulting their general practitioner for ARI symptoms. We report here on the course of the study: the design, the conduct, and the difficulties encountered. ECOVIR (Etude des CO-detections VIrales dans les prélèvements Respiratoires) was a prospective, multicenter cohort conducted in France during two epidemic seasons (2018–2019 and 2019–2020). We recruited GPs. Each GP investigator (GPI) saw patients weekly for examination, clinical data collection, and nasopharyngeal swabbing. Each sample was sent to the virology unit for biobanking and molecular analysis. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected 7 days after inclusion. ECOVIR involved 36 GPIs. Patients with symptoms of an ARI were included (n = 685). The median number of inclusions was 16 patients per GPI over both seasons (IC25–75% [4.75; 27]). Patients aged 18 to 64 years were the most numerous (57%), followed by children (30%), and the elderly (13% over 65 years). This age distribution emphasizes the young adult and middle-aged population. Residents participated in the project and called patients on day 7 to obtain clinical and sociodemographic data. Our study triggered the creation of an original network, which plans to establish a functional link between research and primary health care. Primary care is unfortunately poorly represented in research protocols, particularly in respiratory infections, even though it is a cornerstone of our French health care system, as demonstrated every day in this period of crisis.
Virtual Reality in Health Science Education: Professors’ Perceptions
Authors: Antón-Sancho Álvaro , Fernández-Arias Pablo , Vergara Diego
Published: December 2022

Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience in a three-dimensional (3D) computer-simulated world. Recent advances in technology position VR as a multipurpose technology in the healthcare sector and as a critical component in achieving Health 4.0. In this article, descriptive and correlationally quantitative research is carried out on the assessments made by Latin American health sciences university professors on the didactic use of virtual reality technologies. The main objective was to analyze the differences in the perceptions expressed by the public or private tenure of the universities where the professors teach. In addition, gender and age gaps were identified in the assessments obtained from each of the types of universities. The results reveal that Latin American health science professors at private universities have a higher selfconcept of their digital skills for the use of virtual reality in the lectures. This greater selfconcept also leads to a reduction in the gender and age gaps in the participating private universities with respect to the public counterparts. It is advisable to increase both faculty training in the didactic use of virtual reality and funding for its use, mainly in public universities.
Parametrization of Deceleration Parameter in f(Q) Gravity
Authors: Gadbail Gaurav N. , Mandal Sanjay , Sahoo Pradyumn Kumar
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we investigate the modified symmetric teleparallel gravity or f(Q) gravity, where Q is the nonmetricity, to study the evolutionary history of the universe by considering the functional form of f(Q)=αQn, where α and n are constants. Here, we consider the parametrization form of the deceleration parameter as q=q0+q1z/(1+z)2 (with the parameters q0(q at z=0), q1, and the redshift, z), which provides the desired property for a sign flip from a decelerating to an accelerating phase. We obtain the solution of the Hubble parameter by examining the mentioned parametric form of q, and then we impose the solution in Friedmann equations. Employing the Bayesian analysis for the Observational Hubble data (OHD), we estimated the constraints on the associated free parameters (H0,q0,q1) with H0 the current Hubble parameter to determine if this model may challenge the ΛCDM (Λ cold dark matter with the cosmological constant, Λ) limitations. Furthermore, the constrained current value of the deceleration parameter q0=−0.832−0.091+0.091 shows that the present universe is accelerating. We also investigate the evolutionary trajectory of the energy density, pressure, and EoS (equation-of-state) parameters to conclude the accelerating behavior of the universe. Finally, we try to demonstrate that the considered parametric form of the deceleration parameter is compatible with f(Q) gravity.
Is Circular Economy for the Built Environment a Myth or a Real Opportunity?
Authors: Charef Rabia
Published: December 2022

Our world is facing a dilemma: we have a linear economy based on perpetual growth which, due to finite resources, now needs to reduce that growth to avoid endangering the planet [...]
Establishment of Diagnostic Reference Levels in Cone Beam Computed Tomography Scans in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Abuzaid Mohamed M. , Elshami Wiam , Jayachandran Deepa , Korappil Noushad , Tekin Huseyin O.
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to address the knowledge gap in assessing the radiation doses from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) procedures, establishing a typical value, and estimating effective and organ doses. A total of 340 patients aged 18–80 years were included in this study. Organ doses were estimated using VirtualDose IR software. The typical values were based on median values estimated as 1000 mGy cm2. The mean ED (µSv) per procedure was 149.5 ± 56, and the mean of the peak skin dose during the CBCT examination was 39.29 mGy. The highest organ dose was received by the salivary glands (2.71 mGy), the extrathoracic region (1.64 mGy), thyroid (1.24 mGy) and eyes (0.61 mGy). The patients’ doses were higher than in previous studies. Staff awareness, education, training and dose optimisation are highly recommended. With the establishment of local DRLs, patient dosages can be reduced successfully without compromising image quality.
DIGITAL ECONOMY: DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS AND POSSIBLE RISKS
Authors: Kirichenko Irina A. , Marshova Tatiana N. , Migunov Ivan N.
Published: December 2022

The formation of a digital economy is one of the current trends of our time, opening up new prospects and opportunities for the development of high-tech business, improving public administration, and improving the quality of life of people. However, digitalization contains challenges and threats, in particular to the national interests of the country in the economic sphere. The article analyzes the main risks and threats to economic security associated with digitalization and identifies two groups: risks resulting from digitalization and risks that hinder digitalization. It is noted that the maximum use of the benefits and advantages that digitalization brings, and the neutralization of potential threats require active regulation by the state. The most important document that determines the development of digitalization in the country is analyzed — the national program “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” from the point of view of taking into account potential threats and risks of the development of digital processes in its constituent federal projects in order to neutralize their possible negative impact on the socio-economic sphere. Based on the assessment of the implementation of the national program, the types of risks that may hinder its effective implementation have been identified. In order to create an effective risk management system that arises in the process of digitalization, it is proposed to form at the federal level a unified standard classifier of the risks of implementing the digital transformation of the economy and, on its basis, a register of identified risks. The organization of systematic work to identify and neutralize risks will contribute to the successful digital transformation of the country.