bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Energy Storage System with Renewable Energy Coupling Hydrogen Technology
Authors: Jung Hye Young
Published: July 2023

At 100% penetration, intermittent renewable energy causes outages. To flatten the leaping supply and demand curves of renewable energy, an energy storage medium and carrier are required. The Hydrogen energy stotrage system (HydESS), which combines a proton exchange membrane (PEM)-based water electrolysis (WE) system and a fuel cell (FC), has the quickest response time, the longest duration, and the greatest storage capacity. HOMER tools for techno-economic analysis are used to evaluate the HydESS hybrid system. Kyiv, Ukraine, is appealing due to its spatial-temporal wind speed, solar irradiance, and energy security. With an LCOE of $0.245 kWh−1 and 9.3% fuel cell power output, the most feasible solution is onshore wind turbine-coupled PEMFC HydESS. As a result 1,000-kW wind power, 250-kW PEMFC, 250-kW PEMWE, and 441-kW BESS are optimized to serve a 3,900 kWh day academic residence load. When compared to a diesel generator and a BESS, the hybrid HydESS reduces CO2 emissions by 4,132 tons over a 25-year period. The LCOE of a hybrid HydESS system is determined by the SOFC lifetime rather than the PEMFC's 2% difference between 40,000 and 50,000 h with the same rated power. This study recommends accelerating PEMFC development with fluctuation-endurable materials and design.
Predicting High-Density Polyethylene Melt Rheology Using a Multimode Tube Model Derived Using Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics
Authors: Konstantinou Pavlina C. , Stephanou Pavlos S.
Published: July 2023

Based on the Generalized bracket, or Beris-Edwards, formalism of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, we have recently proposed [Stephanou et al. Materials, 13, 2867 (2020)] a new differential constitutive model for the rheology of entangled polymer melts and solutions. It has amended the shortcomings of a previous model that was too strict in the values of the convective constraint release parameter for the model not to violate the second law of thermodynamics and has been shown capable of predicting a transient stress undershoot (following the overshoot) at high shear rates. In this work, we wish to further examine this model’s capability of predicting the rheological response of industrial polymer systems by extending it to its multiple-mode version. The comparison against industrial rheological data (High-Density Polyethylene resins), as compared against available experimental data in (a) Small Amplitude Oscillatory shear, (b) start-up shear, and (c) start-up uniaxial elongation, is noted to be good.
Early Universe Cosmology in The Light of Hubble Tension
Authors: Kumar Dhruv
Published: July 2023

Our comprehension of fundamental cosmological principles hinges on a thorough understanding of the early universe. The Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) model has emerged as a valuable framework for elucidating various cosmic phenomena, uniting a cosmological constant (Λ) with cold dark matter (CDM). Nevertheless, recent observations, particularly data from the Planck, WMAP, and DES missions that probe the early universe, alongside local measurements of the Hubble constant, have unveiled significant inconsistencies. These inconsistencies have magnified the perplexing issue known as the Hubble Tension, thereby challenging our current understanding of the universe. To address this conundrum, we adopt a comprehensive approach encompassing a review of cosmological fundamentals, an exploration of the ΛCDM model, an examination of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), power spectrum, and perturbation theory, a thorough review of existing research, and finally, an investigation of real data. By undertaking these early universe processes, we aim to understand more about Hubble constant and its consequence in ΛCDM model.
Evaluating Interfacial Layer Thickness from Phonon Characteristics of Novel Carbon-Based Strained Superlattices
Authors: Talwar Devki N. , Becla P
Published: July 2023

Systematic results of lattice dynamical calculation are reported for the novel (SiC)m/(GeC)n superlattices (SLs) by exploiting a modified-linear chain model (M-LCM) and a realistic rigid-ion- model (RIM). By employing the bond polarizability method in the framework of M-LCM, we have simulated Raman intensities for the graded (SiC)10-D/(Si0.5Ge0.5C)D/(GeC)10-D/(Si0.5Ge0.5C)D SLs by carefully integrating interfacial layer thickness D (≡ 0, 1, 2, 3 monolayers (MLs)). The variation of D has initiated considerable up (down) shifts of GeC-, (SiC)-like Raman peaks in the middle of the optical phonon frequency region. With D = 3 MLs, the maximum energy shift (by ~ 47 cm-1) of SiC-like modes has caused substantial changes in the Raman intensity profiles linked to the localization of atomic displacements at the interfacial transition regions. This effect can be considered as a vital tool for authenticating the interfacial structures in technologically important SLs. By using a RIM, we have reported SL phonon dispersions along the growth [001] as well as in the plane [100], [110] perpendicular to the growth. Our simulations of phonons in the acoustic mode region have not only confirmed the formation of minigaps at the zone center and zone edges but also provided evidence of anti-crossing and phonon confinement. Besides examining angular dependence of zone-center optical modes, we have also discussed phonon folding, confinement and anisotropic behavior in (SiC)m/(GeC)n SLs.
The Role of Hydrogen Incorporation into Amorphous Carbon Films in the Change of the Secondary Electron Yield
Authors: Bundaleski Nenad , Adame Carolina F , Alves Eduardo , Barradas Nuno P , Cerqueira Maria F , Deuermeier Jonas , Delaup Yorick , Ferraria Ana M , Ferreira Isabel , Neupert Holger , Himmerlich Marcel , Rego Ana Maria M.B. do , Rimoldi Martino , Teodoro Orlando M.N.D. , Vasilevskiy Mikhail I. , Costa Pinto Pedro
Published: July 2023

The interest on amorphous carbon thin films with low secondary electron yield (SEY) has been increasing in the last years, to mitigate electron multipacting in particle accelerators and in RF devices. Previous works found that the SEY increases with the hydrogen amount and correlates with the Tauc gap. In this work, we analyse films produced by magnetron sputtering with different contents of hydrogen and deuterium, incorporated via target poisoning and sputtering of CxDy molecules. XPS was implemented to estimate the phase composition of the films. The maximal SEY was found to decrease linearly with the fraction of the graphitic phase in the films. These results are supported by Raman scattering and UPS. The graphitic phase decreases almost linearly for hydrogen and deuterium concentrations between 12% and 46% (at.), but abruptly decreases when the concentration reaches 53%. This vanishing of the graphitic phase is accompanied by a strong increase of SEY and of the Tauc gap. These results suggest that the SEY is not dictated directly by the concentration of H/D but by the fraction of graphitic phase. The results are supported by a model used to calculate SEY of films consisting of a mixture of graphitic and polymeric phases.
Kimura’s Theory of Non-adaptive Radiation and Peto’s Paradox: A Missing Link?
Authors: Herrick John
Published: July 2023

A strong correlation between karyotype diversity and species richness in mammals was first reported over forty years ago: in mammalian phylogenetic clades, standard deviation of karyotype diversity (KD) closely corresponds to the standard deviation of species richness (SR). These initial studies, however, did not control for phylogenetic signal, raising the possibility that the correlation was due to phylogenetic relatedness among species in a clade. Accordingly, karyotype diversity trivially reflects species diversity simply as a passive consequence of adaptive radiations. A more recent study in mammals has controlled for phylogenetic signal and established the correlation as phylogenetically independent, suggesting that species diversity cannot, in itself, explain the observed corresponding karyotype diversity. The correlation is therefore remarkable because the mechanisms contributing to karyotype diversity are evolutionarily independent of the mechanisms contributing to species diversity. Recently, it was shown in salamanders that the two processes generating genetic diversity and species diversity are indeed independent and operate in parallel, suggesting a potential non-adaptive and non-causal relationship between the two fundamental variables involved in adaptive radiations. The following will examine the relationship between KD and SR in the context of Motoo Kimura’s theory of non-adaptive radiation.
Research on E-commerce Platform’s Return Strategies Considering Consumer Abusing Return Policies
Authors: Liu Huixin , Du Feng
Published: July 2023

Currently, major e-commerce platforms are competing to improve their return services, while merchants are experiencing abuse of return policies by consumers. The effectiveness of lenient return policies is examined in helping e-commerce platforms gain a competitive advantage in this paper. A dual oligopoly model is established consisting of one platform that offers a lenient return policy with services like Instant Refunds and the other does not provide similar ones. The scenario where consumers are single-homing, while merchants are partial multi-homing is analyzed. In the scenario, many factors are examined to assess their impact on the scale of the bilateral user base and the profits for both platforms, including the proportion of consumer abusing return policies, the benefits derived from abusive returns, penalties. and costs. The findings indicate that: (1) With an increasing proportion of consumer abusing return policies, the multi-homing merchants on platform that offer lenient return service will choose to be exclusively affiliated with rival platform, accounting for a decrease in consumer base and lower platform profits compared to competitors. (2) Platform that provides lenient return policies should restrict the amount of returns to mitigate the impact of consumer abusing return policies on its profits. (3) When the proportion of consumers abusing return policies is relatively low, platform should choose moderate levels of penalty to increase the scale of both sides of users without excessively increasing costs. However. when this proportion is high, platforms should cease to offer lenient return and refund services.
Factors Associated with Late Diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in a University Hospital in Brazil: Challenges to Achieving the 2030 Target
Authors: Arantes Ligia Maria Nascimento , Pedroso Andrey Oeiras , Menegueti Mayra Gonçalves , Gir Elucir , Botelho Eliã Pinheiro , Silva Ana Cristina de Oliveira e , Reis Renata Karina
Published: July 2023

Introduction: This study aimed to identify factors associated with late diagnosis and clinically monitor newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS patients. Method: Retrospective longitudinal study, based on secondary data from a specialized unit at a tertiary hospital. Data collection included sociodemographic, behavioral, clinical, and laboratory data of newly diagnosed HIV patients between 2015-2019. Data analysis adopted inferential statistical tests using the SPSS program, considering α ≤ 0.05. Results: 314 individuals were newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. 70.3% (208) had a late diagnosis, and 57.1% (169) were diagnosed very late. There was an association of the very late diagnosis with the variables sex and education and with origin, entry, occurrence of opportunistic diseases, use of ARV therapy, and death, associated with late and very late diagnosis, respectively. The results of the regression model indicate that males had 2.28 [95% CI 1.11 - 4.46] higher chances of having a late diagnosis compared to females. Conclusions: This study evidenced a high prevalence of late and very late diagnoses in newly diagnosed male HIV patients who presented with opportunistic diseases, requiring hospitalization, and having a significant risk of progressing to death.
`I Consent to These Terms’: A Legal and Technical Approach for Obtaining Valid Consent in Solid
Authors: Florea Marcu , Esteves Beatriz
Published: July 2023

Personal Information Management Systems (PIMS) are acquiring a prominent role in the data economy by promoting products and services that help individuals to manage and control their online identity and thus have more control over the processing of their personal data, in line with the European strategy for data. One of the highlighted solutions in this area is Solid, a new protocol which is decentralising the storage of data, through the usage of interoperable Web standards and semantic vocabularies, to empower its users to have more control over the agents and applications that can access their data. However, to fulfil this vision and gather widespread adoption, Solid needs to be aligned with the law governing the processing of personal data in Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). To assist with this process, we analyse the current efforts to introduce a policy layer in the Solid ecosystem, in particular, related to the challenge of obtaining consent focusing on the GDPR. Furthermore, we investigate if, in the context of using personal data for biomedical research, consent can be expressed in advance, discuss the conditions for valid consent and how it can be obtained in this decentralised setting, namely through the matching of privacy preferences, set by the user, with requests for data and whether this can signify informed consent. Finally, we discuss the technical challenges of an implementation that caters to the previously identified legal requirements.
Field Study for the Assessment of the Water Losses Through the Open Irrigation Network Canals in Middle Egypt to the East Side of the River Nile
Authors: Ashour Mohamed , Sabry Mahmoud , Abu-Zaid Tarek S.
Published: July 2023

Egyptians face a significant challenge in meeting the growing population's water needs for agriculture and food production. To address this, policymakers and researchers have implemented the National Great Project for Lining and Rehabilitation of All Open Canals of the Irrigation Network to reduce irrigation water losses through seepage, evaporation, and evapotranspiration. The current field study evaluates water losses from the Al Maanna canal network in Assiut governorate, Middle Egypt, using empirical formulas and field ponding methods. The obtained results indicated that the Moleth-Worth formula is more compatible and gives results that are in good agreement with the field measurements carried out. The estimated seepage losses from the existing, distorted Al Maanna canal network using the Moleth-Worth formula and field ponding method were about 2.07 and 2.20 million m3/month, respectively. Also, the calculated maximum evaporation and evapotranspiration losses were about 0.086 and 1.133 million m3/month, respectively. Consequently, the total water losses might be about 3.42 million m3/month, representing nearly 13.63% of the Al Maanna canal’s total discharge. After completing the lining process, seepage losses from lined canals were determined to be only about 0.472 million m3/month using the ponding method, while evaporation and evapotranspiration losses will be significantly decreased after canal rehabilitation. Hence, lining the Al Maanna canal network can decrease the total water losses by about 84%, which is sufficient to recommend and encourage the lining processes where the value of the gained quantities of water exceeds all the implementation expenses, in addition to other moral, cultural, and environmental gains.
Microstructure and Superelasticity of Cu-Sn Shape-Memory Microwires by Glass-Coated Melt Spinning
Authors: Zhao Yangyong , Bai Yuanyuan , Li Tie , Zhang Yong
Published: July 2023

Cu-Sn shape-memory microwires were fabricated by a glass-coated melt spinning method. Effects of Sn content on the microstructure and mechanical property of microwires were investigated. The phase transforms from martensite to austenite with Sn content increasing from 14.0 atomic percent (at.%) to 16.5 at.%, and highly ordered intermetallic phase, δ, formed with higher Sn content. The fracture stress, σf, and the critical stress for martensitic transformation, σMs, increases with Sn content increasing. The mechanical property as well as superelasticity were improved greatly by high cooling rate of the glass-coated melt spinning method.
IMU Networks for Trajectory Reconstruction in Logistics Applications
Authors: Sequeira João Silva
Published: July 2023

This paper discusses the use of networks of Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) for the reconstruction of trajectories from sensor data. Logistics is a natural application domain, to verify the quality of the handling of goods. This is a mass application and the economics of logistics impose that IMUs to be used must be low cost and use basic computational devices. The approach in the paper converts a strategy from the literature, used in the multi-target following problem, to reaching a consensus in a network of IMUs. The paper presents results on how to achieve the consensus in trajectory reconstruction, along with covariance intersection data fusion of the information obtained by all nodes in the network.
Injectable pH and Thermo‐Responsive Hydrogel Scaffold with Enhanced Osteogenic Differentiation of Preosteoblasts for Bone Regeneration
Authors: King Jasmine L. , Shrivastava Roopali , Shah Pooja D , Maturavongsadit Panita , Benhabbour S. Rahima
Published: July 2023

Bone fractures are very common in the geriatric population and poses a great economic burden worldwide. While traditional methods for repairing bone defects have primarily been autografts, there are several drawbacks limiting its use. Bone graft substitutes have been used as alternative strategies to improve bone healing. However, there remains several impediments to achieving the desired healing outcomes. Injectable hydrogels have become attractive scaffold materials for bone regeneration given their high performance in filling irregularly sized bone defects, ability to encapsulate cells and bioactive molecules, and mimic the native ECM of bone. We investigated the use of an injectable chitosan-based hydrogel scaffold to promote differentiation of preosteoblasts in vitro. The hydrogels were characterized by evaluating cell homogeneity, cell viability, rheological and mechanical properties, and differentiation ability of preosteoblasts in hydrogel scaffolds. Cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds exhibited shear thinning behavior and the ability to maintain shape fidelity after injection. The CNC-CS hydrogels exhibited higher mechanical strength and significantly upregulated the osteogenic activity and differentiation of preosteoblasts as shown by ALP activity assays and histological analysis of hydrogel scaffolds. These results suggest that this injectable hydrogel is suitable for cell survival, can promote osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblasts, and structurally support new bone growth.
Effect of Correction of Bilateral Differences in Masseter Muscle Functional Pressure on the Mandible of Growing Rats
Authors: Mizuno Shuhei , Matsunaga Satoru , Kasahara Norio , Kasahara Masaaki , Shimoo Yoshiaki , Abe Shinichi , Nakano Takayoshi , Ishimoto Takuya , Hikita Atsuhiko , Nojima Kunihiko , Nishii Yasushi
Published: July 2023

The objective of this study is to clarify the effect of restoring the lowered masticatory muscle functional pressure and correcting the imbalance of bilateral masticatory muscle functional pressure on jawbone growth during growth and development with quantitative evaluation of the changes in micro/nanostructural characteristics of entheses. Male Wistar rats aged 4 weeks were divided into an experimental group injected with a botulinum toxin serotype A (BoNT/A) formulation to reduce muscle function (BTX group) and a control group (CTRL group). They were euthanized after 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16 weeks after measuring the difference between the midline of the upper and lower incisors. The mandibles were harvested for histological examination, second harmonic generation imaging, and quantitative evaluation of biological apatite (BAp) crystal alignment. The midline difference decreased with age in weeks. In rats from 6 weeks after BoNT/A administration to 12 weeks after administration, collagen fibre bundle diameter was significantly smaller in the BTX group; the difference between the two groups decreased with increasing age. BAp crystal alignment was significantly different on the X-axis and the Y-axis on the BTX group from 6 weeks after BoNT/A administration to 10 weeks after administration. Asymmetry of mandibular bone formation caused by load imbalance during growth could be corrected by adjustment of the function of the masseter muscle on either side.
Technology to Automatically Record Eating Behavior in Real Life: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hiraguchi Haruka , Perone Paola , Toet Alexander , Camps Guido , Brouwer Anne-Marie
Published: July 2023

To monitor adherence to diets and to design and evaluate nutritional interventions it is essential to obtain objective knowledge about eating behavior. In most research, measures of eating behavior are based on self-reporting, such as 24-h recalls, food records (food diaries), and food frequency questionnaires. Self-reporting is prone to inaccuracies due to inaccurate and subjective recall and other biases. Recording behavior using non-obtrusive technology in daily life would overcome this. We here provide an up-to-date systematic overview encompassing all (close-to) publicly or commercially available technologies to automatically record eating behavior in real-life settings. 1328 studies were screened and after applying defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 122 studies were included for in-depth evaluation. Technologies in these studies were categorized by what type of eating behavior they measure and which type of sensor technology they use. In general, we found that relatively simple sensors are often used. Depending on the purpose, these are mainly motion sensors, microphones, weight sensors, and photo cameras. While several of these technologies are commercially available, there is still a lack of publicly available algorithms that are needed to process and interpret the resulting data. We argue that future work should focus on developing robust algorithms and validating these technologies in real-life settings. Combining technologies (e.g., prompting individuals for self-reports at sensed, opportune moments) is a promising route toward ecologically valid studies of eating behavior.
Synthesis and Modification of Magnetic Nanoparticles for Biosensing and Bioassay Applications: A Review
Authors: Carinelli Soledad , Luis-Sunga Maximina , González-Mora José Luis , Salazar-Carballo Pedro Ángel
Published: July 2023

Biosensors are analytical devices that utilize biological interactions to detect and quantify clinical biomarkers, contaminants, allergens, and microorganisms. They combine different disciplines including analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and electrical engineering. Biosensors operate by coupling a bioreceptor, such as nucleic acid or proteins, with a transducer that converts the biological interaction into an electrical signal. Electrochemical and optical transduction are commonly used approaches due to their high detection capability and compatibility with miniaturization. Biosensors provide both high specificity and sensitivity and can be integrated into low-cost microfluidic platforms for rapid and point-of-care applications. These attributes make these devices valuable tools in analytical chemistry, particularly for early diagnostic applications. However, conventional biosensors face challenges related to the immobilization of biorecognition elements on the transducer surface, leading to issues like lost of sensitivity and selectivity. To address these problems, the introduction of nanomaterials, particularly magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and magnetic beads (MBs), has been implemented. MNPs combine their magnetic properties with other interesting characteristics such as small size, high surface-to-volume ratio, and excellent biocompatibility. They can be tailored for specific applications and have been extensively used in various fields, including biosensing and clinical diagnosis. Furthermore, MNPs simplify sample preparation by isolating target analytes through magnetic separation, thus improving sensitivity, and reducing analysis time and interference phenomena. The synthesis and modification of MNPs play a crucial role in adjusting their properties for different applications. This review presents an overview of the synthesis and surface modifications of magnetic nanoparticles, their role in the development of biosensors and bioassays, and their applications across various scientific areas.
Contrary Perceptions on Environmental Health and its Governance in the Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia
Authors: Rojas Alexander , Molina-Orjuela Douglas , Peña-Rodríguez Laura , Hernández-Quirama Andrea , Rojas-Betancur Mauricio , Amaya-Castellanos Claudia , Rodríguez-Villamizar Laura A. , Idrovo Alvaro J.
Published: July 2023

The participation of civil society is essential for environmental health policies to be effective. The objective of this study was to know the perceptions of government officials, members of civil society, and academics about environmental health problems and its governance in Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia. In the region there is a strong citizen movement that defends the moorland ecosystem (paramo) as source of drinking water, of large-scale mining projects. A multi-method study was carried out including the review of newspaper and scientific articles, a citizen survey, and interviews and focus groups with identified key stakeholders. The findings indicate that government officials prioritize their actions on issues related to air and water pollution and environmental education. In contrast, citizens prioritize water availability from the moorland ecosystem. There are some advances in the management of environmental health, mainly related to greater citizen awareness. The participation of civil society in the environmental health governance must be enforced to broaden the issues of interest and prioritize the activities in the short- and long-term policy planning. An experience between high school students and the academy that measures air pollutants can be the first meeting point with government officials in the pathway to improve the environmental governance in the territory.
Routes for Hydrogen Introduction in the Industrial Hard-to-Abate Sectors for Promoting Energy Transition
Authors: Franco Alessandro , Giovannini Caterina
Published: July 2023

This paper offers a set of comprehensive guidelines aimed at facilitating the widespread adoption of hydrogen in the industrial hard-to-abate sectors. The authors begin by conducting a detailed analysis of these sectors, providing an overview of their unique characteristics and challenges. The paper delves into specific elements related to hydrogen technologies, shedding light on their potential applications and discussing feasible implementation strategies. By exploring the strengths and limitations of each technology, the paper offers valuable insights into its suitability for specific applications. Finally, through a particular analysis focused on the steel sector, the authors provide in-depth information on the potential benefits and challenges associated with hydrogen adoption in this particular context. By emphasizing the steel sector as a focal point, the authors contribute to a more nuanced understanding of hydrogen's role in decarbonizing industrial processes and inspire further exploration of its applications in other challenging sectors.
Multimodal Federated Learning: A Survey
Authors: Che Liwei , Wang Jiaqi , Zhou Yao , Ma Fenglong
Published: July 2023

Federated learning (FL) has become a burgeoning and attractive research area, which provides a collaborative training scheme for distributed data sources with privacy concerns. Most existing FL studies focus on taking unimodal data, such as images and text, as the model input and resolving the heterogeneity challenge, i.e., the non-identically distributed (non-IID) challenge caused by data distribution imbalance related to data labels and data amount. In real-world applications, data are usually described by multiple modalities. However, to the best of our knowledge, only a handful of studies have been proposed to improve the system performance by utilizing multimodal data. In this survey paper, we identify the significance of this emerging research topic – multimodal federated learning (MFL) and perform a literature review on the state-of-art MFL methods. Furthermore, we categorize multi-modal federated learning into congruent and incongruent multimodal federated learning based on whether all clients possess the same modal combinations. We investigate the feasible application tasks and related benchmarks for MFL. Lastly, we summarize the promising directions and fundamental challenges in this field for future research.
Avatar Intervention for cannabis use disorder in a patient with schizoaffective disorder: A case report
Authors: Giguère Sabrina , Dellazizzo Laura , Beaudoin Mélissa , Lapierre Marie-Andrée , Villeneuve Marie , Phraxayavong Kingsada , Potvin Stéphane , Dumais Alexandre
Published: July 2023

Considering the harmful effects of cannabis on individuals with a severe mental disorder and the limited effectiveness of current interventions, this case report showcases the beneficial results of a 10-session Avatar intervention for cannabis use disorder (CUD) on a polysubstance user with a comorbid schizoaffective disorder. Virtual reality allowed the creation of an Avatar representing a person significantly related to the patient’s drug use. Avatar intervention for CUD aims to combine exposure, relational, and cognitive behavioral therapies while practicing real-life situations and learning how to manage negative emotions and cravings. Throughout therapy and later on, Mr. C managed to maintain abstinence from all substances. Also, an improvement in the severity of CUD as well as a greater motivation to change consumption, were observed after therapy. As observed by his mother, his psychiatrist, and himself, the benefits of Avatar intervention for CUD extended to other spheres of his life. The drastic results observed in this patient could be promising as an alternative to the current treatment available for people with a dual diagnosis of cannabis use disorder and psychotic disorder, which generally lack effectiveness. A single-blind randomized control trial comparing the treatment with a classical intervention in a larger sample is currently underway to evaluate whether the results are reproducible on a larger sample.
A Pilot Study Examining the Dielectric Response of Human Forearm Tissues
Authors: Yu Yang , Kalra Anubha Manju , Anand Gautam , Lowe Andrew
Published: July 2023

This work aims to describe the dielectric behaviours of four main tissues in the human forearm using mathematical modelling, including fat, muscle, blood, and bone. Determining the electrical response of multiple tissues can help develop physiological monitoring of an organ or a body’s section by filtering out the impedance contributions from the surrounding tissues to blood flow-induced impedance variations. Multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis (MF-BIA) was initially performed using the finite element method (FEM) with a 3D forearm model followed by a pilot study to characterise the response of actual forearm tissues from 1 kHz to 349 kHz. Both the simulation and experimental results were fitted to a single-dispersion Cole model (SDCM) and a multi-dispersion Cole model (MDCM) to determine the Cole parameters for each tissue. The correlation analysis and Bland-Altman plot indicated a good fit between raw and fitted impedance values using both SDCM and MDCM. Overall, MDCM exhibited better performance in fitting and estimation of the Cole parameters with correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.99 and 0.97, root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.09 Ω and 0.14 Ω, and mean difference (mean±standard deviation) of 0.00±0.09 Ω and -0.03±0.14 Ω for the real part and imaginary part of impedance, respectively.
Different Chemometric Approaches to Detect Adulteration of Cold‐Pressed Flaxseed oil with Refined Rapeseed Oil Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Authors: Islam Mahbuba , Kaczmarek Anna , Montowska Magdalena , Tomaszewska-Gras Jolanta
Published: July 2023

Flaxseed oil is one of the best sources of n-3 fatty acids, thus its adulteration with refined oils can lead to a reduction in its nutritional value and overall quality. The purpose of this study was to use the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique to detect adulterations of cold-pressed flaxseed oil with refined rapeseed oil (RP). Based on the melting phase transition curve, parameters such as peak temperature (T), peak height (h), and percentage of area (P) were determined for pure and adulterated flaxseed oils with a RP concentration of 5, 10, 20, 30, 50% (w/w). Significant linear correlations (p ≤ 0.05) between the RP concentration and all DSC parameters were observed, except for h1. In order to assess the usefulness of the DSC technique for detecting adulterations, three chemometric approaches were compared: 1) classification models (Linear Discriminant Analysis, LDA Adaptive Regression Splines, MARS, Support Vector Machine, SVM, Artificial Neural Networks, ANNs); 2) regression models (Multiple Linear Regression, MLR, MARS, SVM, ANNs, PLS) and 3) a combined model of Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). With the LDA model, the highest accuracy of 99.5% in classifying the samples, followed by ANN> SVM > MARS was achieved. Among the regression models, the ANN model showed the highest correlation between observed and predicted values (R= 0.996), while other models showed goodness of fit as following MARS> SVM> MLR. Comparing OPLS-DA and PLS methods, higher values of R2X(cum) =0.986 and Q2 =0.973 were observed with the PLS model than OPLS-DA. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the DSC technique combined with chemometrics for predicting the adulteration of cold-pressed flaxseed oil with refined rapeseed oil.
Nonvascularized Double Metatarsal Transfer After Excision of Epithelioid Hemangioma of Hand
Authors: Raj Pallapati Samuel C. , Joyson D R Kathir , Kiran Sasi P. , Thomas Binu Prathap , Prabhu Anne Jennifer
Published: July 2023

Case:

Epithelioid hemangioma (EH) is an uncommon, benign, locally aggressive neoplasm, and it may present as multifocal lytic lesions with soft tissue involvement in the hand. We report the midterm follow-up of a patient with recurrent EH of the hand that was reconstructed successfully, with a nonvascularized double metatarsal transfer, after tumor excision. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report where a nonvascularized double metatarsal transfer has been used successfully after tumor resection.

Conclusion:

Osteoarticular replacement with matched metatarsal transfer after en bloc resection may be used successfully for reconstruction, after the resection of EH involving the metacarpal.
Fluid-Solid Coupling Mechanism of Shale Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Based on True Triaxial Test and Numerical Analysis
Authors: Zhang Bohu , Hu Yao , Hu Xinxin , Xu Qian
Published: July 2023

Hydraulic fracture propagation has a great influence on reservoir reconstruction in shale gas exploitation. The study on mechanism of hydraulic fracture propagation is important. Based on the fluid-solid coupling theory, the propagation criterion under hydraulic pressure of shale is deduced in this paper. In combination with large-scale true triaxial experiment and numerical simulation, the law of hydraulic fracture propagation is researched, and the mechanism of hydraulic fracture propagation is obtained. The results show that shale will produce tensile failure and shear failure under the interaction of water pressure and ground stress. Acoustic emission monitoring data show that the initiation of microfracture is related to water pressure. When the fracture occurs, the number of acoustic emission events increases, and the water pressure drops sharply. Tensile failure occurs mainly at the crack tip, while shear failure occurs mainly at the weak structural plane. When bedding is encountered, hydraulic fracture will be diverted and spread along the bedding. If the strength of the cement inside the bedding is high, the hydraulic fracture passes directly through the weak structural plane. In this paper, the mechanism of shale hydraulic fracture propagation is studied, which has a certain theoretical and practical significance for shale gas fracturing effect evaluation and reservoir stimulation.
Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Rifting Along the Margins of Archean Bundelkhand Craton North-Central India: Timing the Event from U–Pb SHRIMP Zircon Data and Their Geodynamic Implications
Authors: Shrivastava Anuj K. , Raza Mohammad B. , Saha Lopamudra , Yi Keewook , Nasipuri Pritam , Pati Jayanta K.
Published: July 2023

In this article, novel geochronological (U–Pb SHRIMP) and geochemical data are presented from the lowermost sandstone unit (Par formation), basement granites of Gwalior Basin and sandstones from the Bhopal Basin, located along margins of the Archaean Bundelkhand Craton. The geochemical variation diagrams imply that sandstone units in the Gwalior and Bhopal Basins were deposited in rift-induced passive margin tectonic settings. In contrast to the magmatic features that are preserved in the zircons of granite of the Gwalior Basins, detrital zircons from sandstones of both basins are fragmentary and polymodal in size. The magmatic zircon grains from the basement granites yield a 207Pb/206Pb concordant age of 2538 ± 2 Ma. A group of detrital zircons from the sandstone of the Gwalior Basin with concentric magmatic zonation yield a weighted mean average age of 2564 ± 24 Ma. The detrital zircons from Gwalior Basin exhibit a patchy U-Th distribution overgrowing the magmatic zonation yield average age of 2044 ± 2 Ma. The detrital zircons from the Bhopal basin yield three distinct concordant ages of 2511 ± 5, 1694 ± 6, and 1355±9 Ma. The presence of ~2540 Ma concordant zircon population with concentric zonation in the sandstone of Bhopal Basin suggests their derivation from the granite of similar age. Therefore, an extension of Bundelkhand Craton granite below the Bhopal Basin is suggested. The 2500 Ma ages from the Gwalior granites are linked to global magmatic activity leading to the stabilization of extended Ur at ~2500 Ma. The 2048 and 1355 Ma ages from the Gwalior and Bhopal Basins, respectively, are concluded as the maximum depositional age (MDA) of the lowermost stratigraphic units within the basins. The MDAs are concluded to be the timings of passive margin basin formations along margins of the Bundelkhand Craton during extended Ur and Nuna or Columbia disintegration, respectively, during plume-driven tectonics.
The Best Scenario for Geostatistical Modeling of Porosity in the Sarvak Reservoir in an Iranian Oil Field, Using Electrofacies, Seismic Facies, and Seismic Attributes
Authors: Mehdipour Vali , Rabbani Ahmad Reza , Kadkhodaie Ali
Published: July 2023

The lateral and vertical variations in porosity significantly impact the reservoir quality and the volumetric calculations in heterogeneous reservoirs. With a case study from Iran’s Zagros Basin Sarvak reservoir in the Dezful Embayment, this paper aims to demonstrate an efficient methodology for distributing porosity. Four facies models (based on electrofacies analysis data and seismic facies) with different geostatistical algorithms were used to examine the effect of different facies types on porosity propagation. Both deterministic and stochastic methods are adopted to check the impact of geostatistical algorithms on porosity modeling in the static model. A total of 40 scenarios were run and validated for porosity distribution through a blind test procedure to check the reliability of the models. The study’s findings revealed high correlation values in the blind test data for all porosity realizations linked to seismic facies, ranging from 0.778 to 0.876. In addition, co-kriging to acoustic impedance (AI), as a secondary variable, increases the correlation coefficient in all related cases. Unlike deterministic algorithms, using stochastic methods reduces the uncertainty and causes the porosity model to have an identical histogram compared with the original data. This study introduced a comprehensive workflow for porosity distribution in the studied carbonate Sarvak reservoir, considering the electrofacies, and seismic facies, and applying different geostatistical algorithms. As a result, based on this workflow, simultaneously linking the porosity distribution to seismic facies, co-kriging to AI, and applying the sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) algorithm result in the best spatial modeling of porosity.
A New Approach for the Relationship Between the Contact Stiffness and the Interference of Journal and Bearing Shrink-Fitted
Authors: Jin Lan , Rui zhiyuan , Li weibing , Zhao guoxing
Published: July 2023

Shrink-fit connections often experience detachment of the contact surface as speed increases, resulting in a separation distance that determines the interference fit. This study proposes a new approach to investigate the relationship between contact stiffness at the microscale and macroscopic interference in shrink-fit connections between the journal and bearing of high-speed spindles. A model for contact stiffness and macroscopic interference is established, and the results indicate that contact stiffness varies with interference due to the micro-convexity mechanism under compressive deformation. Therefore, the effect of speed should be considered when selecting appropriate interference design parameters. This study provides theoretical evidence to support the selection of optimal interference design parameters at multiple scales.
The Role Of Triamcinolone In Seroma Prevention In Extended Latissimus Dorsi Flap In Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Alajy Yacoub , Ammar Ali , Al-Aissami Maen
Published: July 2023

Background: Seroma remains a common complication of surgeries involving the extended latissimus dorsi flap (ELDF) for breast reconstruction. However, there are several methods that have been used to treat seroma. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of topical administration of triamcinolone acetonide in reducing seroma incidence in breast reconstruction surgeries.
Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted at Al-Mouwasat University Hospital in Damascus-Syria. Between 2022-2023 including patients who came to the breast unit clinic seeking for breast reconstruction. 20 patients were injected with triamcinolone acetonide 80 mg on the fifth and seventh day of the surgery through the drain tube in the donor site. And the drain was removed directly on the seventh day of surgery. Follow up continued till 3 month post operation to report the seroma cases and other complications.
Results : Mean age was 47 years (range 30-60), mean body mass index (BMI) was 26 kg/m2, 11 flaps were for immediate reconstructions, and 9 cases were for delayed reconstruction. one case of seroma (n=1) 5% was reported , mastectomy flap necrosis was in 3 cases (15%), breast flap seroma was seen in just one case ( 5%) .
Conclusion: triamcinolone acetonide is considered easy and not expensive method for preventing seroma, therefore we recommend the topical usage of triamcinolone acetonide for prevention of seroma at the donor site of extended latissimus dorsi flap.
Trial registration: researchregistry9062
The circadian rhythms of mitochondrial function after transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Horiguchi Michiko , Mizukami Yoichi , Watanabe Kenji , Yoshihara Kenichi , Tsurudome Yuya , Ushijima Kentaro
Published: July 2023

Regenerative therapy involving stem cell transplantation has become an option for the radical treatment of diabetes mellitus. Disruption in the clock genes of stem cells affects the homeostasis of transplanted tissues. This is possibly the first study to examine the circadian rhythm of genes in transplanted adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells derived from a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM-ADSC). The clock genes (PER2, CLOCK1, CRY1, and ARNTL[BMAL1]) exhibited similar daily fluctuations in phase and amplitude between a group transplanted with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells derived from a healthy individual (N-ADSC) and a group transplanted with T2DM-ADSC. The findings demonstrated that clock genes in stem cells are synchronized with those in living organisms. Moreover, mitochondrial genes and functions showed daily fluctuations in the N-ADSC group. However, such fluctuations were not noted in the T2DM-ADSC group. In the T2DM-ADSC group, daily fluctuations in MTATP8P1 and NDUFA7_2 genes disappeared. In the N-ADSC transplant, the results showed the circadian rhythm in the number of mitochondrial DNA copies, Mitophagy, the mitochondrial membrane potential and NF-kB signaling. In contrast, no daily fluctuations were observed in the T2DM-ADSC transplant. The circadian rhythms of mitochondrial function and NF-kB signaling revealed in this study may be a new marker for the efficiency of stem cell transplantation in patients with diabetes.
Association of schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder with sarcopenia-related traits: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhu Dong , Yang Qifan , Wang Xinyu , Liu Yanwei , Liu Jing , Jiang Ye , Lin Liangxin , Lu SHiyuan , Chen Chunzheng , Wang Weixue
Published: July 2023

The rising incidence of schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses have an association with sarcopenia (SP). Observational studies are susceptible to confounding factors. Mendelian randomization (MR) studies offer a way to mitigate the influence of such factors when assessing causality. The causal connection between schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and SP was evaluated using inverse-variance weighted (IVW) and other MR methods. Sensitivity analyses were also performed. We found schizophrenia exhibited a negative association with increased whole-body FFM (fat free mass) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.987, 95% CI: 0.979–0.996, P = 0.03), that was attributed to a reduction in FFM in both lower legs (OR = 0.990, 95% CI: 0.981–0.999, P = 0.037; OR = 0.984, 95% CI: 0.975–0.993, P = 0.000). Schizophrenia were negatively correlated in both upper limb, with OR = 0.987, 95% CI: 0.979–0.994, P = 0.001, OR = 0.986, 95% CI: 0.997–0.996, P = 0.004. Major depression and walking pace were negatively related (OR = 0.965, 95% CI: 0.935–0.996, P = 0.027). Bipolar disorder was associated with decreased left leg FFM (OR = 0.979, 95% CI: 0.960–0.999, P = 0.036). Both upper limbs showed a reduction in FFM, with the left and right limbs having an OR = 0.973, 95% CI: 0.953–0.993, P = 0.008 and OR = 0.973, 95% CI: 0.951–0.994, P = 0.014, respectively. Additionally, bipolar disorder was associated with increased walking pace (OR = 1.021, 95% CI: 1.005–1.038, P = 0.012).A potential causal relationship existed among SP-related traits, schizophrenia, and major depression, in addition to bipolar disorder. In conclusion, significant causal relationships exist between schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, and SP. SP worsens with the increasing severity of mental illness. SP demonstrated a potential causal relationship with schizophrenia and major depression, apart from bipolar disorder.