bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supplementing clinical diagnostics of erosive joint diseases with bio-inspired ratiometric sensors
Authors: Yang Kylie , Pavic Katrina , Bowyer Amy A. , Manolios Nicholas , New Elizabeth J.
Published: August 2022

Inflammatory rheumatological disorders are often characterised by altered levels of matrix metalloproteinase levels in joint fluid and joint membranes. Therefore, monitoring of MMP activity in synovial fluid is essential to enable timely diagnosis, prognosis, and effective treatment. Here we report a novel fluorescence assay to measure protease activity in aspirated synovial fluid. Our fluorescent reporters contain cleavable linkers based on the peptide sequences of protease substrates, showing a ratiometric output upon cleavage. We have validated our reporters in patient-derived synovial fluid, and demonstrated their ability to characterise disease type.
Re-visiting systematic observation: A pedagogical tool to support coach learning and development
Authors: Cope Ed , Cushion Christopher J. , Harvey Stephen , Partington Mark
Published: August 2022

Systematic observation has been one of the most employed data collection methods in sport coaching literature. Initial work, originally undertaken in the 1970's, and gaining traction in the 80's and 90's looked to predominately offer descriptions of coaches' behavior. While this research continues to offer a significant contribution to the fields understanding of what coaches do during practice, systematic observation used only in this way has unfulfilled potential. The premise of this paper is to consider systematic observation as a coach development tool—a precedent which has been set in the literature. The arguments made are based on an alternative way of thinking about systematic observation, as a pedagogical tool that supports coaches in better understanding themselves and their pedagogical practice. Principles of dialogic pedagogy are used as the basis of our argument whereby “researchers” and “coaches” work collaboratively to co-construct knowledge and support coach reflection, and ultimately develop coaches' practice.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Vascular Surgery Unit activity in Central Romania
Authors: Emil-Marian Arbănași , Reka Kaller , Vasile Adrian Mureșan , Septimiu Voidăzan , Eliza-Mihaela Arbănași , Eliza Russu
Published: August 2022

The COVID-19 outbreak has placed substantial pressure on the medical systems worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the influence of the prepandemic vs. pandemic period on the activity of the Vascular Surgery Unit of a large emergency hospital in Eastern Europe. We performed a retrospective review of the vascular surgery cases admitted, comparing the statistics from the two time periods. We examined data of a total of 1,693 patients over the two periods. We report a 34.51% decrease in the surgical procedures performed during the pandemic period, with a disproportionate 80.6% decrease in the number of cases admitted with a diagnosis of venous insufficiency diagnosis and an increase of 67.21% in the number of patients admitted with acute arterial ischemia. Furthermore, individuals not classed as emergencies were delayed or denied surgical care. The number of nonurgent procedures conducted by our Vascular Surgery Unit decreased significantly, whereas the number of emergency surgeries increased. COVID-19′s effect is projected to have a long-term impact on how surgical treatments are provided in Romania.
Construction of prognostic signature of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma based on pyroptosis-related long non-coding RNAs
Authors: Xin Yuqi , Zhang Jieyuan , Jiang Qingkun , Qiu Jiaxuan
Published: August 2022

Background and objective

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant tumor in the head and neck, and its morbidity and mortality are increasing year by year. Changes in key genes are thought to be closely related to the occurrence and development of OSCC. Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed cell death that has been implicated in malignancies and inflammatory diseases. Changes in the expression of long noncoding RNAs may also affect tumorigenesis and progression. In this study, our main objective was to evaluate the association between pyroptosis-related lncRNAs and prognosis in patients with OSCC.

Methods

The RNA-seq data and clinicopathological data of OSCC patients are from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The pyroptosis gene set is obtained from Gene Set Enrichment Analysis database. Univariate COX, Lasso and multivariate COX regression analyses were used for the construction of risk prognostic models of OSCC, eight lncRNAs were incorporated into prognostic models. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to evaluate the differences of overall survival between patients in high-risk and low-risk groups. The reliability of predictions across the dataset was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The immune signature score was calculated using the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis.

Results

Eight pyroptosis-related lncRNAs were used to construct prognostic signature of OSCC, including AC136475.2, AC024075.2, JPX, ZFAS1, TNFRSF10A-AS1, LINC00847, AC099850.3 and IER3-AS1. According to this prognostic signature, patients with OSCC were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the survival rate of the high-risk group was significantly lower than the low-risk group. ROC area for risk score was 0.716, and ROC area of the 8 lncRNAs are all between 0.5 and 1, implied that these lncRNAs had high accuracy in predicting the prognosis of OSCC patients. Immune Infiltration findings suggested that these lncRNAs affected immune responses in the microenvironment of OSCC.

Conclusion

The prognostic signature based on pyroptosis-related lncRNAs potentially serves as an independent prognostic indicator for OSCC patients. And this signature facilitates research on targeted diagnosis and treatment of patients diagnosed with OSCC.
Effects of a whole food diet on immune function and inflammatory phenotype in healthy dogs: A randomized, open-labeled, cross-over clinical trial
Authors: Jaffey Jared A. , Su Dan , Monasky Ross , Hanratty Brenna , Flannery Elizabeth , Horman Melissa
Published: August 2022

Whole foods in humans decrease inflammation and risk for various diseases, as well as increase weight loss and immune function. Nutrition has been shown to be an integral component in the management of various diseases in dogs but the immunologic and anti-inflammatory effects of whole food diets have not been explored. Therefore, our objective was to assess the effect of feeding a whole food diet on immune function and inflammatory phenotype in healthy dogs. A prospective, randomized, open-labeled, cross-over clinical trial was performed. Sixteen healthy client-owned dogs were fed either a whole food or an extruded dry diet, and after 67 days, they were fed the alternate diet for an additional 67 days. Blood samples were obtained at the completion of each treatment arm (i.e., days 67 and 134). Serum c-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), and serum amyloid-A (SAA) were measured with ELISA assays. Whole blood cultures were performed with exposure to a phosphate-buffered solution (PBS), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and lipoteichoic acid (LTA). A canine specific multiplex bead-based assay was then used to measure tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-2, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 concentrations. Granulocyte/monocyte (GM) phagocytosis and oxidative burst associated with Escherichia coli were evaluated via flow cytometry. Dogs fed a whole food diet had significantly lower TNF-α-to-IL-10 ratios (P = 0.05) and higher production of IL-8 (P = 0.03) with LTA-exposed leukocytes compared to dogs fed an extruded dry diet. There were no between-treatment differences in the remaining leukocyte cytokine responses, serum CRP, Hp, SAA concentrations, or GM phagocytic and oxidative burst capacities. Whole food diets could have immunomodulatory effects in dogs. Future studies in non-healthy dogs are warranted.
Application of Adaptive Weighted Strong Tracking Unscented Kalman Filter in Non-Cooperative Maneuvering Target Tracking
Authors: Huang Pu , Li Hengnian , Wen Guangwei , Wang Zhaokui
Published: August 2022

An adaptive weighted strong tracking unscented Kalman filter is proposed in this paper for long-range relative navigation alongside non-cooperative maneuvering targets. First, an equation for obtaining the relative motion of two bodies is derived, it can be well adapted for a problem that has medium or long-distance. Secondly, a variance statistics function is introduced in the method to calculate residual weight in real time. The residual weight can be used to adjust the contribution of different measurement information to the fading factor. In this way, the sensitivity of the system to small pulse maneuvers is improved. Finally, the mean and covariance of the posterior state are calculated by the unscented transformation. A replacement equation for the fading factor is derived to improve the first-order approximation accuracy for a strong tracking system. Impulsive maneuvers with three different magnitudes are employed in a series of tests. Results from different methods showed that the proposed method could effectively detect pulse maneuvers with low latency. The proposed method is also numerically stable.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Strategies Including Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) for Pediatric Patients with Upper-Respiratory-Tract Infections in Primary Care: A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations
Authors: Vicentini Costanza , Vola Lorenzo , Previti Christian , Brescia Valerio , Dal Mas Francesca , Zotti Carla Maria , Bert Fabrizio
Published: August 2022

Upper-respiratory-tract infections (URTIs) are among the main causes of antibiotic prescriptions in pediatric patients. Over one-third of all antibiotic prescriptions for URTIs in children are estimated to be inappropriate, as the majority of URTIs are caused by viral agents. Several strategies, including clinical scoring algorithms and different point-of-care tests (POCTs) have been developed to help discriminate bacterial from viral URTIs in the outpatient clinical setting. A systematic review of the literature was conducted following PRISMA guidelines with the objective of summarizing evidence from health–economic evaluations on the use of POCT for URTIs in pediatric outpatients. A total of 3375 records identified from four databases and other sources were screened, of which 8 met the inclusion criteria. Four studies were classified as being of high reporting quality, and three were of medium quality. Five out of eight studies concluded in favor of strategies that included POCTs, with an additional study finding several POCTs to be cost-effective compared to usual care but over an acceptable WTP threshold. This review found POCT could be a valuable tool for antimicrobial stewardship strategies targeted towards childhood URTIs in primary care.
Microbial and Chemical Dynamics during Marula Wine Fermentation
Authors: Phiri Archie , La Grange Daniel , Moganedi Kgabo
Published: August 2022

Marula wine is traditionally produced through a spontaneous fermentation process and has a huge economic potential in Africa. The current study investigated the contributing microbiota and the metabolites produced during the wine fermentation process. Microbial communities were analyzed by selective cultivation and identified by biotyping and rDNA sequencing. Sugars and volatile compounds were determined with the high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography, respectively. Different Lactobacillus spp. were present throughout the fermentation process but dominated the earlier stages of fermentation, together with non-Saccharomyces yeasts, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae and acetic acid bacteria dominated the latter stages. Sucrose, glucose and fructose were detected during the early stages, while ethanol and butanol were present during the latter stages of fermentation. Interestingly, acetic acid and formic acid were detected in relatively high amounts at the latter stages of fermentation. Lactobacillus spp. and S. cerevisiae were identified as the primary contributing microbiota, and Acetobacter aceti and Acetobacter pasteuriannus were associated with the off taste and spoilage of the marula wine.
Adverse Neonatal Outcome of Pregnancies Complicated by Preeclampsia
Authors: Tousty Piotr , Fraszczyk-Tousty Magda , Ksel-Hryciów Joanna , Łoniewska Beata , Tousty Joanna , Dzidek Sylwia , Michalczyk Kaja , Kwiatkowska Ewa , Cymbaluk-Płoska Aneta , Torbé Andrzej , Kwiatkowski Sebastian
Published: August 2022

Despite many available treatments, infants born to preeclamptic mothers continue to pose a serious clinical problem. The present study focuses on the evaluation of infants born to preeclamptic mothers for the occurrence of early-onset complications and attempts to link the clinical status of such infants to the angiogenesis markers in maternal blood (sFlt-1, PlGF). The study included 77 newborns and their mothers diagnosed with preeclampsia. The infants were assessed for their perinatal outcomes, with an emphasis on adverse neonatal outcomes such us infections, RDS, PDA, NEC, IVH, ROP, or BPD during the hospitalization period. The cutoff point was established using the ROC curve for the occurrence of any adverse neonatal outcome and it was 204 for the sFlt-1/PlGF and 32 birth week with AOC 0.644 and 0.91, respectively. The newborns born to mothers with high ratios had longer hospitalization times and, generally, were more frequently diagnosed with any of the aforementioned adverse neonatal outcomes. Also, the neonates born prior to or at 32 wkGA with higher sFlt-1/PlGF ratios were statistically significantly more common to be diagnosed with any of the adverse neonatal outcomes compared to those with lower ratio born prior to or at 32 wkGA. The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio can be a useful tool in predicting short-term adverse neonatal outcomes. Infants born after a full 33 weeks gestation developed almost no severe neonatal complications. Appropriate screening and preventive healthcare for preeclampsia can contribute significantly to reducing the incidence of neonatal complications.
Design and Validation of a Handheld Optical Polarization Imager for Preoperative Delineation of Basal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Jermain Peter R. , Iorizzo Tyler W. , Maloney Mary , Mahmoud Bassel , Yaroslavsky Anna N.
Published: August 2022

Background: Accurate removal of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is challenging due to the subtle contrast between cancerous and normal skin. A method aiding with preoperative delineation of BCC margins would be valuable. The aim of this study was to implement and clinically validate a novel handheld optical polarization imaging (OPI) device for rapid, noninvasive, in vivo assessment of skin cancer margins. Methods: The handheld imager was designed, built, and tested. For clinical validation, 10 subjects with biopsy-confirmed BCC were imaged. Presumable cancer margins were marked by the study surgeon. The optical images were spectrally encoded to mitigate the impact of endogenous skin chromophores. The results of OPI and of the surgeon’s preoperative visual assessment were compared to clinical intraoperative histopathology. Results: As compared to the previous prototype, the handheld imager incorporates automated image processing and has 10-times shorter acquisition times. It is twice as light and provides twice as large a field of view. Clinical validation demonstrated that margin assessments using OPI were more accurate than visual assessment by the surgeon. The images were in good correlation with histology in 9 out of 10 cases. Conclusions: Handheld OPI could improve the outcomes of skin cancer treatments without impairing clinical workflows.
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Subunit 2 (CKS2) as a Prognostic Marker for Stages I–III Invasive Non-Mucinous Lung Adenocarcinoma and Its Role in Affecting Drug Sensitivity
Authors: Feng Junkai , Hu Menglong , Li Zongkuo , Hu Guiming , Han Yuting , Zhang Yan , Zhang Min , Ren Jingli
Published: August 2022

With the aim of improving the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), we identified the biomarker related to the sensitivity of patients to chemotherapy drugs and explored the potential mechanisms. As a cell cycle-related protein, CKS2 has an essential role to play in tumor progression and prognosis. CKS2 expression was measured using TCGA RNA-sequencing data and immunohistochemistry. The sensitivity data of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs for lung cancer was acquired from the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP) database. A range of bioinformatics methods was used to explore the mechanisms of CKS2 upregulation. The biological functions of CKS2 were predicted using GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, as well as GSEA. CKS2 expression was up-regulated in stages I–III invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma and varied significantly between various histological subtypes. High CKS2 expression worsened the prognosis of patients. The CKS2 expression level was linked to the sensitivity of LUAD cells to carboplatin and paclitaxel. CKS2 upregulation was associated with the immune microenvironment, mRNA methylation, and competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). CKS2 can serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for stages I–III invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma and modulate the effect of paclitaxel and carboplatin by regulating microtubule binding and influencing carboplatin binding to DNA.
The Interplay between Telomeres, Mitochondria, and Chronic Stress Exposure in the Aging Egg
Authors: Derevyanko Aksinya , Skowronska Agnieszka , Skowronski Mariusz T. , Kordowitzki Paweł
Published: August 2022

While at the organismal level, biological aging can be estimated by telomere length and DNA methylation signatures, reliable biomarkers that can predict reproductive age are much needed to gauge the quality of an oocyte. Reproductive medicine and fertility centers often merely quantitate the ovarian reserve to predict the likelihood of fertilization and pregnancy in women of advanced reproductive age. It is highly important to address the level of age-related decline in oocyte quality since it leads to an increased risk of miscarriages and aneuploidy. Conversely, the pathways behind oocyte aging remain, in large part, elusive. Telomere shortening upon chronic stress exposure regulates mitochondria function and biogenesis by various pathways; therefore, establishing a link between these two important players and extrapolating them for the aging of oocytes will be the purpose of our commentary.
Targeting on Nrf2/Sesn2 Signaling to Rescue Cardiac Dysfunction during High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity
Authors: Krause-Hauch Meredith , Fedorova Julia , Zoungrana Linda Ines , Wang Hao , Fatmi Mohammad Kasim , Li Zehui , Iglesias Migdalia , Slotabec Lily , Li Ji
Published: August 2022

Obesity is of concern to the population because it is known to cause inflammation and oxidative stress throughout the body, leading to patient predisposition for health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and some cancers. However, some proteins that are activated in times of oxidative stress may provide cytoprotective properties. In this study, we aim to gain further understanding of the interconnection between Nrf2 and Sesn2 during obesity-related stress and how this relationship can play a role in cardio-protection. Cardiomyocyte-specific Sesn2 knockout (cSesn2−/−) and Sesn2 overexpressed (tTa-tet-Sesn2) mice and their wildtype littermates (Sesn2flox/flox and tet-Sesn2, respectively) were assigned to either a normal chow (NC) or a high-fat (HF) diet to induce obesity. After 16 weeks of dietary intervention, heart function was evaluated via echocardiography and cardiac tissue was collected for analysis. Immunoblotting, histology, and ROS staining were completed. Human heart samples were obtained via the LifeLink Foundation and were also subjected to analysis. Overall, these results indicated that the overexpression of Sesn2 appears to have cardio-protective effects on the obese heart through the reduction of ROS and fibrosis present in the tissues and in cardiac function. These results were consistent for both mouse and human heart samples. In human samples, there was an increase in Sesn2 and Nrf2 expression in the obese patients’ LV tissue. However, there was no observable pattern of Sesn2/Nrf2 expression in mouse LV tissue samples. Further investigation into the link between the Sesn2/Nrf2 pathway and obesity-related oxidative stress is needed.
Herbal Approaches to Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain
Authors: Cherry Rebecca N. , Blanchard Samra S. , Chogle Ashish , Santucci Neha R. , Mehta Khyati , Russell Alexandra C.
Published: August 2022

Chronic abdominal pain is one of the most common problems seen by both pediatricians and pediatric gastroenterologists. Abdominal-pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (AP-FGIDs) are diagnosed in children with chronic and recurrent abdominal pain meeting clinical criteria set forth in the Rome IV criteria. AP-FGIDs affect approximately 20% of children worldwide and include functional dyspepsia (FD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional abdominal pain (FAP), and abdominal migraine. IBS accounts for 45% of pediatric AP-FGIDs. The pathophysiology of functional abdominal pain involves an interplay of factors including early life events, genetics, psychosocial influences, and physiologic factors of visceral sensitivity, motility disturbance, altered mucosal immune function, and altered central nervous system processing. Treatment approaches are varied and can include dietary, pharmacologic, and complementary medicine interventions, as well as psychosocial support, depending on the many aspects of the disorder and the needs of the individual patient. There is a strong interest in complementary and integrative medicine approaches to pediatric pain from both patients, providers, and families. In this article, we discuss popular herbal treatments typically used in the field of complementary medicine to treat pediatric AP-FGIDs: peppermint oil, Iberogast®, cannabis, fennel, and licorice. While high-quality data are rather limited, studies generally show that these remedies are at least as effective as placebo, and are well tolerated with minimal side effects. We will need more placebo-controlled, double-blind, and unbiased prospective studies to document and quantify efficacy.
Improving Future Estimation of Cheliff-Mactaa-Tafna Streamflow via an Ensemble of Bias Correction Approaches
Authors: Renima Mohammed , Zeroual Ayoub , Hamitouche Yasmine , Assani Ali , Zeroual Sara , Soltani Ahmed Amin , Mulowayi Mubulayi Cedrick , Taibi Sabrina , Bouabdelli Senna , Kabli Sara , Ghammit Allal , Bara Idris , Kastali Abdennour , Alkama Ramdane
Published: August 2022

The role of climate change in future streamflow is still very uncertain, especially over semi-arid regions. However, part of this uncertainty can be offset by correcting systematic climate models’ bias. This paper tries to assess how the choice of a bias correction method may impact future streamflow of the Cheliff-Mactaa-Tafna (CMT) rivers. First, three correction methods (quantile mapping (QM), quantile delta mapping (QDM), and scaled distribution mapping (SDM)) were applied to an ensemble of future precipitation and temperature coming from CORDEX-Africa, which uses two Representative Concentration Pathways: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Then, the Zygos model was used to convert the corrected time series into streamflow. Interestingly, the findings showed an agreement between the three methods that revealed a decline in future streamflow up to [−42 to −62%] in autumn, [+31% to −11%] in winter, [−23% to −39%] in spring, and [−23% to −41%] in summer. The rate of decrease was largest when using QM-corrected model outputs, followed by the raw model, the SDM-corrected model, and finally, the QDM-corrected model outputs. As expected, the RCP presents the largest decline especially by the end of the 21st Century.
Substitution Experiment of Biodegradable Paper Mulching Film and White Plastic Mulching Film in Hexi Oasis Irrigation Area
Authors: Zhao Yiming , Zhang Fangyuan , Li Lu , Yang Xiangjun , Zhang Fengwei , Zhao Wuyun , He Qiang
Published: August 2022

Biodegradable paper mulch has the advantages of being easily degradable and environmentally benign, but its own performance and adaptability to harsh environments have not been tested. This paper uses scanning electron microscopy and three-dimensional morphometry to microscopically characterize biodegradable paper mulch and white plastic mulch. To analyze and compare their mechanical and hydrophobic properties, and weather resistance, the two mulches were measured through tensile tear load and static contact angle. A comparative analysis of the effect of mulching in the dry crop area of the Hexi Corridor was conducted by comparing the growth index, farm water heat, soil oxygen content, and yield using maize and flax. The test results show that biodegradable paper mulch films were slightly inferior to traditional white mulch films in terms of mechanical and hydrophobic properties, with inadequate insulation and moisture retention, but better in terms of aging resistance, soil oxygen content, and crop insulation and water storage capacity in the middle and growth stages. White mulch film had a better yield enhancement effect on maize, while with biodegradable paper mulch film, this was more significant with flax.
Structural Optimization of Sorghum Straw Powder/ZnO/PVA Nanocomposite Films
Authors: Li Juan , Zhang Guantao , Zhang Dongjie
Published: August 2022

This study sought to improve the utilization of sorghum straw resources and promote the industrial production of new biomass materials. Herein, we fabricated SSP/ZnO/PVA nanocomposite films from sorghum straw powder (SSP), corn starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and nanostructured ZnO via the casting method. Then, we used response surface methodology to examine the effects of the mass concentrations of SSP, glycerol (Gly), and nanostructured ZnO, as well as the starch–PVA mass ratio on the tensile strength (TS) and water vapor permeability (WVP) of the SSP/ZnO/PVA nanocomposite films. The optimum preparation conditions were as follows: SSP mass concentration of 2.0 g/150 mL, Gly mass concentration of 2.5 g/150 mL, starch–PVA mass ratio of 6:4.5, and nanostructured ZnO mass concentration of 0.7 g/150 mL. The TS and WVP of the prepared films were 47.57% higher and 27.07% lower, respectively, than those of ZnO/PVA composite films without SSP. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy showed that the SSP/ZnO/PVA nanocomposite films had smooth surfaces and dense cross-sections, without obvious delamination or phase separation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyses revealed that SSP was highly compatible with the ZnO/PVA matrix. Thus, SSP addition could improve the crystallinity, thermal stability, and matrix interactions of SSP/ZnO/PVA nanocomposite films.
Bifunctional Electrocatalysts Materials for Non-Aqueous Li–Air Batteries
Authors: Yue Guanghui , Hong Zheyu , Xia Yongji , Yang Tianlun , Wu Yuanhui
Published: August 2022

Rechargeable lithium–air batteries (LABs), particularly the nonaqueous form, are demonstrated as the next-generation energy conversion and storage equipment for many applications. The air cathode has been certified as one of the critical aspects to affect the full performance of the LABs. At present, the main challenge for the commercial application of air cathode is to exploit some new cathode catalysts with lower prices, higher efficiency, and better stability. In the last decade, tremendous efforts have been dedicated to developing new structure design and fabrication processes of the cathode materials to promote the full capability of the LABs. The recent research progress of bifunctional cathode catalysts for LABs, including the main improvement strategies and performance of cathode materials, is introduced in this paper. Besides, related technical challenges are analyzed, and possible resolving strategies for the challenges to develop the nonaqueous Li–air battery catalytic cathodes are elaborated on in this review.
The Role of Climate in the Spread of COVID-19 in Different Latitudes across the World
Authors: Rasul Azad , Balzter Heiko
Published: August 2022

Most transmittable diseases appear in a specific season and the effect of climate on COVID-19 is of special interest. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between climatic variables and the R0 of COVID-19 cases in a list of areas in different latitudes around the world. The daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 and climatic data of each area per day from January 2020 to March 2021 were utilized in the study. The GWR and MLR methods were used to identify the relationship between the R0 of COVID-19 cases and climatic variables. The MLR results showed a significant (p-value < 0.05) weak inverse relationship between the R0 of COVID-19 cases and wind speed, but a positive significant (p-value < 0.01) relationship with precipitation. This implies that lower COVID-19 cases were recorded with high wind speed and low precipitation. Based on GWR, the R0 of COVID-19 infection assessed against air temperature, rh, and precipitation was found to be statistically significant using the Monte Carlo p-value test, and the effect of climatic variables on COVID-19 infection appears to vary geographically. However, besides climatic variables, many socioeconomic factors could influence the virus’s transmission and will need to be considered in future studies.
Patterns of First-Line Systemic Therapy Delivery and Outcomes in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Ontario
Authors: Liu Shiru L. , Chan Wing C. , Bouchard-Fortier Geneviève , Lheureux Stephanie , Ferguson Sarah E. , Krzyzanowska Monika K.
Published: August 2022

Background: First-line treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) consists of a combination of cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. Recently, targeted therapies such as bevacizumab have been shown to improve oncologic outcomes in a subset of a high-risk population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the patterns of practice and outcomes of first-line systemic treatment of advanced EOC, focusing on the adoption of bevacizumab. Methods: A population cohort study was conducted using administrative data in Ontario, Canada. Patients diagnosed with advanced stage non-mucinous EOC between 2014 and 2018 were identified. Datasets were linked to obtaining information on first-line treatment including surgery, systemic therapy, providers of care, systemic therapy facilities, and acute care utilization (emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations) during systemic treatment. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with systemic therapy utilization. Results: Among 3726 patients with advanced EOC, 2838 (76%) received chemotherapy: 1316 (47%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 1060 (37%) underwent primary cytoreductive surgery followed by chemotherapy, and 462 (16%) received chemotherapy only. The median age was 67 (range: 20–100). Most chemotherapies were prescribed by gynecologic oncologists (60%) and in level 1 academic cancer centres (58%). Only 54 patients (3.1%) received bevacizumab in the first-line setting after its approval in Ontario in 2016. Bevacizumab was more likely to be administered by medical oncologists compared to gynecologic oncologists (OR 3.95, 95% CI 2.11–7.14). In total, 1561 (55%) and 1594 (56%) patients had at least one ED visit and/or hospitalization during systemic treatment, respectively. The most common reasons for ED visits were fever and bowel obstruction. Conclusion: Patterns of care for EOC in Ontario differed between care providers. The uptake of bevacizumab for first-line treatment of EOC was low. Acute care utilization related to EOC was high.
A Faster Approach to Quantify Large Wood Using UAVs
Authors: Sanhueza Daniel , Picco Lorenzo , Paredes Alberto , Iroumé Andrés
Published: August 2022

Large wood (LW, log at least 1 m-long and 0.1 m in diameter) in river channels has great relevance in fluvial environments. Historically, the most used approach to estimate the volume of LW has been through field surveys, measuring all the pieces of wood, both as single elements and those forming accumulation. Lately, the use of aerial photographs and data obtained from remote sensors has increased in the study of the amount, distribution, and dynamics of LW. The growing development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology allows for acquisition of high-resolution data. By applying the structure from motion approach, it is possible to reconstruct the 3D geometry through the acquisition of point clouds and then generate high-resolution digital elevation models of the same area. In this short communication, the aim was to improve a recently developed procedure using aerial photo and geographic information software to analyze LW wood stored in wood jams (WJ), shortening the entire process. Digital measurement was simplified using only AgiSoft Metashape® software, greatly speeding up the entire process. The proposed improvement is more than five times faster in terms of measuring LW stored in jams.
Entropy of the Universe and Hierarchical Dark Matter
Authors: Frampton Paul H.
Published: August 2022

We discuss the relationship between dark matter and the entropy of the universe, with the premise that dark matter exists in the form of primordial black holes (PBHs) in a hierarchy of mass tiers. The lightest tier includes all PBHs with masses below one hundred solar masses. The second-lightest tier comprises intermediate-mass PIMBHs within galaxies, including the Milky Way. Supermassive black holes at galactic centres are in the third tier. We are led to speculate that there exists a fourth tier of extremely massive PBHs, more massive than entire galaxies. We discuss future observations by the Rubin Observatory and the James Webb Space Telescope.
The Impact of Body Mass Index in Patients with Severe Burn Injury
Authors: Walger Aline C. V. , Cardoso Lucienne T. Q. , Tanita Marcos T. , Matsuo Tiemi , Carrilho Alexandre J. F. , Grion Cintia M. C.
Published: August 2022

This study evaluated the association of body mass index (BMI) with mortality, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), and length of hospital stay in major burn patients. It was a retrospective cohort study that was originally conducted from January 2017 to January 2020 and that used data from patients admitted to the intensive care unit for burns at a university hospital. The patients were divided into groups for the purposes of comparing relevant variables according to their BMI. We evaluated 288 patients: 52.8% were classified as eutrophic, 33.7% were classified as overweight, and 13.5% were classified as obese. The median length of stay in the ICU was 11 days for all patients, 9 days for eutrophic patients, 13 days for overweight patients, and 16 days for obese patients (p = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, age (HR = 1.026; p < 0.001), total body surface area (HR = 1.047; p < 0.001), and the presence of inhalation injury (HR = 1.658; p = 0.026) were associated with mortality. Obesity was not associated with higher hospital mortality in this sample of burn patients. The length of stay in the ICU was longer among obese patients. Age, burned body surface, and the presence of inhalation injury were the major determinants of death in these patients.
The Design and Optimization of Ground-Side Coils for Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer Considering Coupling Variations
Authors: Wang Wenbo , Deng Junjun , Wang Zhenpo , Wang Shuo
Published: August 2022

Dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) has attracted widespread attention for its charging flexibility; short-segmented DWPT systems are more suitable for EV charging scenarios because of their higher charging efficiency and lower electromagnetic radiation, compared to long-track DWPT systems. For short-segmented DWPT systems, the structural design of the ground-side coil affects the coupling characteristics of the system, while simultaneously the electric vehicle driving speed and coil arrangement also cause coupling variations, and this will inevitably have an impact on the system’s performance. Therefore, this paper demonstrates the coupler design of a short-segmented system for electric vehicles, focusing on the optimization of ground-side coil. The coupling variations causing by driving speed of EV and coil arrangement are taken into account. Considering the tradeoffs and restrictions, a multi-objective optimization process of coils in DWPT systems is proposed based on the Pareto optimizing method, with three objectives: transfer power, high efficiency and low cost. A reasonable optimal solution is selected from the Pareto front to verify the optimizing method through a constructed prototype.
Constant Power Factor Model of DFIG-Based Wind Turbine for Steady State Load Flow Studies
Authors: Gianto Rudy
Published: August 2022

DFIG (Doubly Fed Induction Generator)-based WPP (Wind Power Plant) is the most popular type of wind-driven electric power generation configuration. The main reason for its popularity is that the DFIG system can capture wind energy more optimally than other WPP configurations. Due to the increasing penetration of WPP in power systems, the need to study its impact on power system performance is becoming increasingly important. To enable such a study to be conducted properly, the first and probably the most crucial step is to model all system components (including the WPP). This paper proposes a new steady state model of DFIG-based WPP for load flow analysis. The proposed model is derived based on DFIG power formulas (i.e., DFIG stator and rotor power formulas). The model in the present work is simple and can easily be incorporated into load flow analysis. Representation of the DFIG in both sub-synchronous and super-synchronous conditions can be carried out by using a single mathematical model. Furthermore, since DFIG can be operated at a constant power factor (i.e., unity, leading, or lagging power factor), this important feature is also considered in the proposed model development.
Probabilistic Peak Demand Estimation Using Members of the Clayton Generalized Gamma Copula Family
Authors: Kelner Moshe , Landsman Zinoviy , Makov Udi E.
Published: August 2022

Climate change impacts many aspects of life and requires innovative thinking on various issues. The electricity sector is affected in several ways, including changes in the production components and consumption patterns. One of the most important issues for Independent System Operators, a state-controlled organization responsible for ensuring the reliability, availability, and quality of electricity delivery in the country, is the response to climate change. This is reflected in the appropriate design of production units to cope with the increase in demand due to extreme heat and cold events and the development of models aimed at predicting the probability of such events. In our work, we address this challenge by proposing a novel probability model for peak demand as a function of wet temperature (henceforth simply temperature), which is a weighting of temperature and humidity. We study the relationship between peak demand and temperature using a new Archimedean copula family, shown to be effective for this purpose. This family, the Clayton generalized Gamma, is a multi-parameter copula function that comprises several members. Two new measures of fit, an economic measure and a conditional coverage measure, were introduced to select the most appropriate family member based on the empirical data of daily peak demand and minimum temperature in the winter. The Clayton Gamma copula showed the lowest cost measure and the best conditional coverage and was, therefore, proven to be the most appropriate member of the family.
Special Cement Slurries for Strengthening Salt Rock Mass
Authors: Stryczek Stanisław , Gonet Andrzej , Kremieniewski Marcin
Published: August 2022

Every year, the number of exploited mine workings necessary to seal the exploited mines increases in the world. As a result of experiments, technologies are developed that allow slurry to be pumped to fill free rock spaces or to liquidate rock mass discontinuities. The slurry preparation technologies can be divided into: subsurface and surface preparation and injection. Due to the pressure that forces the sealing slurry to move, the following can be distinguished: pressure technologies and technologies of gravity injection. The effectiveness of the work is determined by the correct selection of the technique and technology of the treatment and the selection of the optimal cement slurry recipe. The type of sealing liquid is especially important during works related to filling the exploited mine workings in salt mines. Therefore, this article presents the criteria for the selection of slurry recipes and their technological parameters, used for sealing and strengthening the salt rock mass. For this purpose, laboratory tests are carried out on various formulas of sealing slurries, prepared on the basis of full saturated brine and CEM I 32.5R Portland cement, ground granulated blast furnace slag, fly ash, and silt. The proposed concept for the selection of sealing slurry formulas has been positively verified during the performed works on sealing and strengthening the salt rock mass.
Scalable Residential Building Geometry Characterisation Using Vehicle-Mounted Camera System
Authors: Dai Menglin , Ward Wil O. C. , Arbabi Hadi , Densley Tingley Danielle , Mayfield Martin
Published: August 2022

Residential buildings are an important sector in the urban environment as they provide essential dwelling space, but they are also responsible for a significant share of final energy consumption. In addition, residential buildings that were built with outdated standards usually face difficulty meeting current energy performance standards. The situation is especially common in Europe, as 35% of buildings were built over fifty years ago. Building retrofitting techniques provide a choice to improve building energy efficiency while maintaining the usable main structures, as opposed to demolition. The retrofit assessment requires the building stock information, including energy demand and material compositions. Therefore, understanding the building stock at scale becomes a critical demand. A significant piece of information is the building geometry, which is essential in building energy modelling and stock analysis. In this investigation, an approach has been developed to automatically measure building dimensions from remote sensing data. The approach is built on a combination of unsupervised machine learning algorithms, including K-means++, DBSCAN and RANSAC. This work is also the first attempt at using a vehicle-mounted data-capturing system to collect data as the input to characterise building geometry. The developed approach is tested on an automatically built and labelled point cloud model dataset of residential buildings and shows capability in acquiring comprehensive geometry information while keeping a high level of accuracy when processing an intact model.
A Study on a Casing Consisting of Three Flow Deflectors for Performance Improvement of Cross-Flow Wind Turbine
Authors: Tanino Tadakazu , Yoshihara Ryo , Miyaguni Takeshi
Published: August 2022

We investigated the effective use of cross-flow wind turbines for small-scale wind power generation to increase the output power by using a casing, which is a kind of wind-collecting device, composed of three flow deflector plates having the shape of a circular-arc airfoil. Drag-type vertical-axis wind turbines have an undesirable part of about half of the swept area where the inflow of wind results in low output performance. To solve this problem, we devised a casing consisting of three flow deflector plates, two of which were to block the unwanted inflow of wind and the remaining flow deflector plate having an angle of attack with respect to the wind direction to increase the flow toward the rotor. In this study, output performance experiments using a wind tunnel and numerical fluid analysis were conducted on a cross-flow wind turbine with three flow deflector plates to evaluate the effectiveness of the casing on output performance improvement. As a result, it was confirmed that the casing could improve the output performance of the cross-flow wind turbine by approximately 60% at the maximum performance point and could also maintain the output performance about 50% higher compared to the bare cross-flow wind turbine without the casing within a deviation angle of ±10 degrees, even when the casing direction was inclined against the wind direction due to changes in wind direction.
A Novel Energy Efficient Threshold Based Algorithm for Wireless Body Sensor Network
Authors: Arumugam Suresh Kumar , Mohammed Amin Salih , Nagarajan Kalpana , Ramasubramanian Kanagachidambaresan , Goyal S. B. , Verma Chaman , Mihaltan Traian Candin , Safirescu Calin Ovidiu
Published: August 2022

Wireless body sensor networks (WBSNs) monitor the changes within the human body by having continuous interactions within the nodes in the body network. Critical issues with these continuous interactions include the limited energy within the node and the nodes becoming isolated from the network easily when it fails. Moreover, when the node’s burden increases because of the failure of other nodes, the energy utilization as well as the heat dissipated increases much more, causing damage to the network as well as human body. In this paper, we propose a threshold-based fail proof lifetime enhancement algorithm which schedules the nodes in an optimal way depending upon the available energy level. The proposed algorithm is experimented with a real time system setup and the proposed algorithm is compared with different routing mechanisms in terms of various network parameters. It is inferred that the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing routing mechanisms.
Undecidability and Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Noce Canio , Romano Alfonso
Published: August 2022

Recently, great attention has been devoted to the problem of the undecidability of specific questions in quantum mechanics. In this context, it has been shown that the problem of the existence of a spectral gap, i.e., energy difference between the ground state and the first excited state, is algorithmically undecidable. Using this result herein proves that the existence of a quantum phase transition, as inferred from specific microscopic approaches, is an undecidable problem, too. Indeed, some methods, usually adopted to study quantum phase transitions, rely on the existence of a spectral gap. Since there exists no algorithm to determine whether an arbitrary quantum model is gapped or gapless, and there exist models for which the presence or absence of a spectral gap is independent of the axioms of mathematics, it infers that the existence of quantum phase transitions is an undecidable problem.