bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase-Field Modelling and Morphological Classification of Uranium Dendrites for the Electrorefining of Used Nuclear Fuel
Authors: Zhao Ding , Yan Liuming , Jiang Tao , Peng Shuming , Yue Baohua
Published: February 2023

Electrorefining is an important unit operation for the pyroprocessing of used nuclear fuel; however, the uncontrolled growth of uranium dendrites on the cathode is hindering its engineering application. In this study, the phase-field modelling is applied to the study of the growth of uranium dendrites using the finite element method, and the fractal dimension and the perimeter-to-area ratio are employed to classify quantitatively the morphologies of uranium dendrites. It is shown that uranium dendrites can form sprout-like, fishbone-like, and tree-like morphologies, and the effects of anisotropic strength, symmetry index, overpotential, and temperature to the morphologies of uranium dendrites are discussed. It is concluded that the diffusion of uranium cations (diffusion rate-controlling) in molten salt and the electrode kinetics (kinetic rate-controlling) are the two rate-controlling steps for the electrodeposition of uranium, and the diffusion rate-controlling mechanism is responsible for the growth of complicated dendritic morphologies.
Temperature Sensing of Indoor Environment Using Resistive and Capacitive Sensors
Authors: Subhani Sheraz Arif
Published: February 2023

In this work, we present the fabrication of interdigitated capacitive and resistive temperature sensors for interior environment monitoring that are eco-friendly, low-cost, and based on pencil on paper. The fabrication of the graphite pencil is done on paper, without the use of solvents or clean rooms, and with inexpensive, biodegradable materials. The temperature sensor displays a -0.35 pf/°C negative temperature coefficient of capacitance. This strategy advances the creation of green electronics sensors and ensures that neither their manufacture nor disposal pollute the environment.
Perioperative Fast-Track Surgery Nursing Intervention for Patients with Kidney Stone Disease under Computed Tomography Imaging
Authors: Chen Yingmei , Yang Jun
Published: February 2023

This research aims to analyze the clinical intervention effect of perioperative fast-track surgery (FTS) nursing on patients with kidney stone disease (KSD) under computed tomography (CT) imaging. One-hundred KSD patients were selected as research objects and grouped after CT examination. These objects were randomly divided into a research group (FTS nursing intervention, n = 50) and a control group (general routine nursing intervention, n = 50). The preoperative psychological status of patients was compared between the two groups, using Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Self-rating Depression Scale. The hunger and thirst situations were compared using Numerical Rating Scale; postoperative recovery time, incidence of complications, and nursing satisfaction were also compared. The high-density shadow could be clearly observed in the right kidney of the patients in the CT imaging examination. The nursing outcomes suggested that there was no notable difference in hunger between the two groups, and anxiety, depression, and thirst in the research group were highly better than those in the control group (

P
<
0.01

). The time of the first exhaust, the time of body temperature returning to normal, the time of getting out of bed, and the length of hospital stay in the research group were all shorter than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). The total postoperative satisfaction of the research group (98.00%) was greatly better than the 88.00% in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). As the FTS concept was applied in the perioperative nursing of KSD patients under CT imaging, the preoperative and postoperative negative emotions of patients could be improved. Thereby, the postoperative recovery rate of patients was promoted, postoperative complications and patients’ pain were reduced, and the postoperative quality of life of patients was also improved.
Calculation of Cementing ECD for Well Annuli with Narrow or Varied Radial Sizes
Authors: Liao Maolin , Wang Yuxi , Ma Jiaze , Liu Zhipeng , Ji Caiyin
Published: February 2023

In this present work, cement slurry flowing in well annuli with narrow or varied radial sizes is investigated, whose purpose is to precisely calculate the equivalent circulating density (ECD) during well cementing in the petroleum industry. The theoretical Metzner-Reed (MR) method and the direct numerical simulation (DNS) are applied to calculate the cementing ECD for different types of cement slurries by considering both the Bingham and Power-Law rheological models. The cementing ECD calculated by the theoretical MR method is verified to be in accordance with the DNS result. Moreover, for the narrow annulus, the cementing ECD is demonstrated to be sensitive to the rheological model. In addition, based on the obtained DNS results, the accuracies of the cementing ECD calculated by three commercial software, including DRILL BENCH (DB), LANDMARK (LM), and PVI, are compared, to determine their corresponding adaptability for different rheological models. According to the detailed comparisons, LM shows the highest accuracy in calculating the cementing ECD for the Power-Law fluid, while PVI is optimal for the Bingham fluid. However, sharp fluctuations of the calculation errors are observed when DB is applied.
First Data on Sexual Dimorphic Growth of Cultured Pacific Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus orientalis (Temminck et Schlegel), and Its Sex Manipulation by Treatment with an Aromatase Inhibitor
Authors: Hayashida Takao , Higuchi Kentaro , Okita Kogen , Kazeto Yukinori , Hamasaki Masaomi , Yoshikawa Sota , Takashi Toshinori , Gen Koichiro
Published: February 2023

Tuna (genus Thunnus), particularly Pacific bluefin tuna (T. orientalis; PBT), are commercially important fish in the aquaculture industry worldwide. The objective of this study was to investigate sexual dimorphism in the growth performance of aquaculture-produced PBT and develop techniques for its sex manipulation, for the first time in tuna. A comparison of the body size between sexes revealed that male-cultured PBTs were larger than females at harvest. We also confirmed that cyp19a1a (encoding a gonadal aromatase) expression increased specifically in the genotypic female PBT gonads during sex differentiation. This suggested that aromatase plays an important role in ovarian differentiation and that the suppression of aromatase activity may effectively induce masculinization in genotypic females. Therefore, we administered letrozole—an aromatase inhibitor (AI)—into sexually undifferentiated PBT through the oral route. AI administration resulted in a 100% sex reversal of genotypic females into phenotypic males at the molecular level. Our results provide the basis for future studies on the establishment of mono-sex male production technology in PBT, which would help improve the productivity of closed-cycle PBT aquaculture. Furthermore, this study offers important insights into the understanding of the sex-wise growth of tuna species in aquacultural settings, and developing sex manipulation techniques.
Miniaturized Quadband High-Temperature Superconducting Bandpass Filter with a Wide Frequency Ratio
Authors: Shen Liejun , Ju Jiaqi , Shang Zhaojiang
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a miniaturized quadband high-temperature superconducting (HTS) bandpass filter based on a multistub-loaded resonator. Owing to the symmetrical structure of the proposed resonator, the odd- and even-mode analysis method can be used to derive its resonance frequencies. First, the frequency ratio between passbands may be significantly changed by adjusting the impedance ratio and fold spacing of the resonator. Moreover, the proposed filter exhibits well-controlled center frequencies and bandwidths for the four passbands, resulting in a considerably enhanced design possibility of quadband bandpass filters. A low insertion loss within each band is obtained using HTS technology. Additionally, the proposed filter was etched on an MgO substrate with a thickness of 0.5 mm and combined with YBCO thin films for demonstration. The results obtained were highly consistent with those of the simulation, validating the effectiveness and viability of the proposed method.
Synergistic Impact of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans on Solid-State Fermentation of Astragalus and Effects of Fermentation Products on Disease Resistance of Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus)
Authors: Shi Lisha , Xue Mingyang , Xu Chen , Jiang Nan , Fan Yuding , Chen Jianwu , Liu Wei , Wu Yeying , Zeng Lingbing , Zhou Yong
Published: February 2023

Dietary supplementation with fermentation products of Astragalus can enhance the immune function of aquaculture animals. We explored the synergistic effects of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans on the solid-state fermentation of Astragalus to investigate whether feeding fermentation products to crucian carp can improve disease resistance. The optimal ratio of Astragalus + (L. plantarum + B. coagulans) (ALB), temperature, and number was 3 : 3, 37°C, and 1.0 × 108 CFU/g, respectively. After 48 h mixed fermentation, the number of probiotics increased to 2.2 × 109 CFU/g, pH decreased to 3.2, and high molecular weight proteins disintegrated into small molecular weight or soluble proteins. In addition, several holes appeared on the Astragalus surface. Compared with unfermented Astragalus, the content of Astragalus polysaccharide and calycosin increased by 3.82- and 1.31-fold, respectively, on fermentation and that of total Astragalus saponins decreased by 0.77-fold. Furthermore, on Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) and Aeromonas veronii (A. veronii) challenges, the cumulative survival rates of crucian carp fed common feed and ALB were 80.00% and 65.00%, respectively. Overall, feeding mixed fermentation products to crucian carp positively impacted their health and disease resistance. We believe that our results provide theoretical guidance for developing effective plant-based agents to prevent diseases in crucian carp.
Analytical Model of Wellbore Stability Analysis of Inclined Well Based on the Advantageous Synergy among the Five Strength Criteria
Authors: Shi Yufan , Ma Tianshou , Zhang Dongyang , Chen Yingjie , Liu Yang , Deng Changsong
Published: February 2023

The proper drilling mud density is vital for wellbore stability maintenance, which relies on both stress distribution on the borehole wall and rock strength. Thus, the selection of rock strength criterion is vital for wellbore stability analysis (WSA), and several strength criteria have been developed and employed to perform WSA, but the real collapse pressure does not comply with any single strength criterion. Therefore, to accurately predict the critical mud weight against wellbore collapse, an analytical model of WSA was proposed for inclined wells based on the advantageous synergy among the five types of strength criteria, such as the Mohr-Coulomb criterion, Mogi-Coulomb criterion, Drucker-Prager criterion, modified Wiebols-Cook criterion, and modified Lade criterion. The predicted results among these analytical and five conventional models were compared under three kinds of typical stress regimes, such as normal, strike-slip, and reverse faults. Finally, five kinds of typical oil and gas field data were collected to further verify the accuracy of this new model. The results indicated that different models predicted different collapse pressure, owing to the Mohr-Coulomb criterion ignoring the intermediate principal stress (

σ

2

), so as to always give the greatest collapse pressure, followed by the present analytical model and the Mogi-Coulomb criterion, while the other three types of strength criteria gave different results, because of the difference in the influence of

σ

2

, while the present analytical model integrated the advantageous synergy among the five strength criteria. The prediction error of the conventional analytical model ranges from 9.4 to 34.2% with an average of 22.1%, while the prediction error of this new model ranges from 2.3 to 12.5% with an average of 7.1%, so that the present analytical model has much higher accuracy than that of any single strength criterion. In addition, this new analytical model can be simplified as the conventional analytical model by adjusting the weight coefficients.
Enhancing the Electrochemical Energy Storage Performance of Bismuth Ferrite Supercapacitor Electrodes via Simply Induced Anion Vacancies
Authors: Jo Seunghwan , Pak Sangyeon , Lee Young-Woo , Cha SeungNam , Hong John , Sohn Jung Inn
Published: February 2023

Increasing the content of anion vacancies may yield significant improvement in the overall electrochemical energy-storing performance of perovskite materials, where the vacancy sites act as highly favorable ion diffusion paths. However, a detailed study on energy storage mechanism at binary cation sites under the anion deficiency should be further explored in supercapacitor electrode materials. In this study, a simple hydrothermal method and hydrogen gas exposure processes were used to generate oxygen vacancies in the crystal of BiFeO3 (BiFeO3-X) to enhance the overall electrochemical properties. At a current density of 1 A g−1, the BiFeO3-X supercapacitor electrode exhibits a large specific capacitance (461.9 F g−1, 923.8 mF cm-2, and 145.3 mAh g-1) and a high cycling stability (94.4%) after 2,000 cycles. Electrochemical analysis reveals that the oxygen vacancy sites can further increase the electrochemical activity of Bi sites, which is mostly suppressed in the pure crystal lattice, resulting in synergistic energy storage behavior of binary cation sites.
Thermal Performance and Energy Analysis of Phase Change Material-Integrated Building with the Auxiliary Heating System in Different Climate Regions
Authors: Guo Teng , Sang Guochen , Zhang Yangkai , Cui Xiaoling
Published: February 2023

Phase change material (PCM) embedded in the building contributes to enhancing indoor thermal comfort and reducing the heating load in winter by absorbing/releasing solar energy. The application effects of PCM incorporated into a single-space passive solar building with the auxiliary heating system (AHS) were investigated numerically in the six representative regions of western China. In the calculation and analysis by the enthalpy model, it was found that the effectiveness of PCM greatly depended on local climate conditions, thickness, and location of PCM. The results indicated that it was necessary to adopt the AHS for winter heating of the passive solar building. On this basis of using AHS, it showed a favorable thermal energy storage effect after the application of PCM resulting in the minimum indoor air temperature being maintained above 15°C within the comfort range stably. The integrated discomfort degree in each region was decreased by more than 96% compared to the original building, and the average temperature in Lhasa was 2°C higher than that in Urumqi. Furthermore, the highest rate of energy saving and carbon dioxide emission saving in the six regions was 19.7% and 17.4% in Lhasa, and the lowest were 4.3% and 4.2% in Urumqi, while other regions were relatively close, respectively. As a result, it can be stated that for a passive solar building using the AHS during the heating period, PCM was the most suitable for application in Lhasa, unsuitable in Urumqi, and generally suitable in other regions.
Fault‐Level Grading of Photovoltaic Cells Employing Lightweight Deep Learning Models
Authors: Khosa Ikramullah , Rahman Abdur , Ali Khurram , Akhtar Jahanzeb , Armghan Ammar , Arshad Jehangir , Amentie Melkamu Deressa
Published: February 2023

The deployment of photovoltaic (PV) cells as a renewable energy resource has been boosted recently, which enhanced the need to develop an automatic and swift fault detection system for PV cells. Prior to isolation for repair or replacement, it is critical to judge the level of the fault that occurred in the PV cell. The aim of this research study is the fault‐level grading of PV cells employing deep neural network models. The experiment is carried out using a publically available dataset of 2,624 electroluminescence images of PV cells, which are labeled with four distinct defect probabilities defined as the defect levels. The deep architectures of the classical artificial neural networks are developed while employing hand‐crafted texture features extracted from the EL image data. Moreover, optimized architectures of the convolutional neural network are developed with a specific emphasis on lightweight models for real‐time processing. The experiments are performed for two‐way binary classification and multiclass classification. For the first binary categorization, the proposed CNN model outperformed the state‐of‐the‐art solution with a margin of 1.3% in accuracy with a significant 50% less computational complexity. In the second binary classification task, the CPU‐based proposed model outperformed the GPU‐based solution with a margin of 0.9% accuracy with an 8× lighter architecture. Finally, the multiclass categorization of PV cells is performed and the state‐of‐the‐art results with 83.5% accuracy are achieved. The proposed models offer a lightweight, efficient, and computationally cheaper CPU‐based solution for the real‐time fault‐level categorization of PV cells.
A DRL-Based Intelligent Jamming Approach for Joint Channel and Power Optimization
Authors: Wang Luguang , Li Guoxin , Song Fei , Qin Yunyi , Li Yangyang , Liu Songyi , Gong Yuping , Xu Yifan
Published: February 2023

The traditional jamming methods mainly focus on the optimization of a single domain, such as frequency domain. However, in the practical wireless communication, the jamming methods in single dimension domain are limited and difficult to cope with multidomain scenarios. To overcome these issues, this paper investigates the problem of joint decision-making for jamming channel and power in a dynamic spectrum environment. Firstly, the Markov decision process (MDP) is used to formulate the jamming channel and power joint selection problem. Then, a deep reinforcement learning- (DRL-) based jamming algorithm is proposed with the function of parallel learning and joint decision-making. Specially, to accelerate the learning speed of the algorithm, the prioritized experience reply (PER) technology is introduced. Finally, a practical jamming testbed is built to evaluate the proposed algorithm. The simulation results and the testbed results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, which can guarantee the jamming effect and maximize the utilization of jamming resources.
Sulfur-Rich N-Doped Co9S8 Catalyst for Highly Efficient and Durable Overall Water Electrolysis Application
Authors: Ahmed Abu Talha Aqueel , Han Jonghoon , Shin Giho , Park Sunjung , Yeon Seungun , Park Youngsin , Kim Hyungsang , Im Hyunsik
Published: February 2023

Facile template–free controllable growth of freestanding polyhedron–like CoS onto microporous Ni foam with three-dimensional architecture via a mild hydrothermal technique is reported. The as-obtained CoS catalyst phase was first tailored to N-Co9S8 (nitrogen doped Co9S8), and its inherent reaction kinetics and conductivity were then enhanced through sulfur incorporation via a hydrothermal process. The electrochemical performance of the pristine CoS and a sulfur-enriched N-Co9S8 (S, N-Co9S8) electrode in alkaline 1.0 M KOH was examined. The optimized polyhedral S, N-Co9S8 structured catalyst exhibits significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity for both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). As a result, low overpotentials of 244 and −92 mV is required to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 for the OER and HER, respectively. Furthermore, when the polyhedral S, N-Co9S8 catalyst was employed as a bifunctional catalyst in a two-electrode electrolyzer cell exhibiting a cell voltage of 1.549 V at 10 mA cm−2 and demonstrates excellent long-term (50 hrs.) chronopotentiometric electrolysis at various current rate, reveals excellent bifunctional OER and HER activities at different applied current densities. The superior OER and HER activities of the S, N-Co9S8 catalyst is result of the improved electronic conductivity and enhanced intrinsic reaction kinetics, which led to the enhanced electrocatalytically active sites after the incorporation of heteroatoms in the catalyst structure.
Fuzzy Decision-Based Energy Management of Energy Grids with Hubs considering Participation of Hubs and Networks in the Energy Markets
Authors: Kohansal Omid , Zadehbagheri Mahmoud , Kiani Mohammad Javad , Nejatian Samad
Published: February 2023

With the creation of competitive environments, such as electricity market, it is expected that energy networks and active consumers such as energy hubs participate in the market to promote their economic situation. So, the article proposes the optimal involvement of energy networks and hubs in energy markets in two wholesale and retail designs based on the energy management system at the same time. The proposed scheme is expressed as two-objective optimization. The first objective is to minimize the cost of different types of energy in electricity-gas-thermal networks. In another objective function, the cost of energy (which is the difference between the energy purchase cost and energy sale income) of energy hubs in the retail market is minimized. The scheme is bound to optimal power flow equations of the mentioned networks and operating model of power sources and active loads. Then, the Pareto optimization mixed with the sum of weighted functions helps extract an optimal compromise solution on the basis of fuzzy decision-making. Finally, the scheme is applied to a test system, and the obtained numerical results confirm that energy hubs are improved financially, and economic and operation conditions of the electricity-gas-thermal networks are enhanced simultaneously. So, significant profit can be achieved for EHs in the retail energy market. The economic situation of the networks enhances up to roughly 10% compared with that of power flow studies. Also, operating situation of the networks enhances by about 12% to 53% compared with a case without EHs.
Recent Advancements in Deep Learning Frameworks for Precision Fish Farming Opportunities, Challenges, and Applications
Authors: Kaur Gaganpreet , Adhikari Nirmal , Krishnapriya Singamaneni , Wawale Surindar Gopalrao , Malik R. Q. , Zamani Abu Sarwar , Perez-Falcon Julian , Osei-Owusu Jonathan
Published: February 2023

The growth of the fish is influenced by a variety of scientific factors. So, profit can be easily achieved by using some clever techniques, for example, maintaining the correct pH level along with the dissolved oxygen (DO) level and temperature, as well as turbidity for good growth of fish. Fully grown fish are generally sold at a good price because price of fish in the market is governed by weight as well as size of nurtured fish. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems may be created to regulate key water quality factors including salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature. The software programme operates on an application server and is connected to multiparameter water quality meters in this system. This study examines smart fish farming methods that show how complicated science and technology may be simplified for use in seafood production. This research focuses on the use of artificial intelligence in fish culture in this setting. The technical specifics of DL approaches used in smart fish farming which includes data and algorithms as well as performance was also examined. In a nutshell, our goal is to provide academics and practitioners with a better understanding of the current state of the art in DL implementation in aquaculture, which will help them deploy smart fish farming applications as well their benefits.
Nonintrusive Sensor System Developed Using a Force-Sensing Resistor for Pipeline Integrity Monitoring
Authors: Park Jin-woo , Jung Byung Chang , Lee Sang Hyuk , Huh Young Cheol , Shin Yun-ho
Published: February 2023

Pipelines are crucial for transporting liquid and gaseous resources at various industrial sites. As unexpected pipeline failures and improper spill responses often cause detrimental effects on the environment and public safety, real-time leakage monitoring and detection are important. This study proposes a nonintrusive sensor system to measure the pressure and integrity of a pipeline in real time by easily installing nonintrusive sensors on the exterior of the pipelines. Initially, a prototype of the nonintrusive pressure-monitoring sensor was designed and fabricated. This sensor correlated the changes in pressure inside a pipe with those in the contact force exerted between the pipe and the surrounding high-stiffness band; a force-sensing resistor was used to measure the contact force. Furthermore, parametric studies were performed on a six-inch pipe, which indicated that the developed sensor can accurately monitor the inner pressure of the pipe. We also developed a methodology to determine the optimal sensor placement in a pipeline network for detecting damages using the Euclidean distance method. This was combined with the methodology of determining the decision boundary for classifying the damage location using a support vector machine to rapidly detect the damage using a minimum number of sensors. Finally, a nonintrusive sensor system was installed on the fire main pipeline system, and the damage detection performance was experimentally validated. The developed nonintrusive sensor system can be easily installed on operating pipes to monitor the inner pressure of a pipe in real-time and accurately detect damages in a pipeline network.
Effect of Supplemental Dietary α-linolenic Acid (18:3n-3) on the Growth Performance, Body Composition, and Fatty Acid Profile of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Alevins Cultured in Freshwater
Authors: Yu Hairui , Li Lingyao , Yu Leyong , Zhang Ling , Li Fanghui , Guo Mengjie , Zhang Jiayi , Hou Jiyun , Zhang Yijing
Published: February 2023

The present study evaluated the effects of supplemental dietary α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3) on growth performance, body composition, hepatic fat metabolizing enzymes, and fatty acid profiles of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) alevins cultured in freshwater. Six isonitrogenous and isolipidic experimental diets were formulated to attain different levels of ALA (0.09, 0.41, 0.76, 1.03, 1.32, and 1.68% dry weight) by adding linseed oil in a basal diet, respectively. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of alevins (50 fish in each tank) with initial mean body weight of 0.352 ± 0.002 g. Fish were reared in a freshwater flow-through rearing system and fed to apparent satiation 4 times daily for 12 weeks. The specific growth rate (SGR) increased with increasing dietary ALA level, which reached the peak at 1.03% ALA group (

p
<
0.05

). The final body weight (FBW) and SGR showed linear, quadratic, and cubic responses with the dietary ALA level. The whole-body crude protein increased with increasing dietary ALA level while lipid content was the opposite trend (

p
<
0.05

). However, the content of crude lipid in the whole-body of fish showed quadratic and cubic responses with the dietary ALA level. In addition, except for fatty acid synthase (FAS), the hepatic enzymes activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL), and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) showed linear, quadratic, and cubic response with the dietary ALA level (

p
<
0.05

) The activities of hepatic LPL and HL in 1.32% ALA group were significantly higher than other groups (

p
<
0.05

). The activities of hepatic MDH and FAS in 1.32% ALA group were the lowest, which were significantly lower than those in ALA groups (form 0.09% to1.03%) (

p
<
0.05

). Except for the content of MUFA, the contents of other fatty acids showed linear, quadratic, and cubic response with the dietary ALA level. The ALA and ∑n-3 PUFA content significantly increased with increasing dietary ALA levels (

p
<
0.05

). These results indicated that dietary ALA actively impacted fish growth performance, hepatic lipid metabolizing enzymes, and muscle fatty acid profile. The cubic regression analysis based on SGR as evaluation indices indicated that the optimal dietary ALA content was 1.33% dry weight of diet for alevins.
Fuzzy Airflow-Based Active Structural Control of Integrated Oscillating Water Columns for the Enhancement of Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Stabilization
Authors: M’zoughi Fares , Garrido Izaskun , Garrido Aitor J. , De La Sen Manuel
Published: February 2023

This paper presents the modeling and stabilization of a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) using oscillating water columns (OWCs) as active structural control. The novel concept of this work is to design a new FOWT platform using the ITI Energy barge with incorporated OWCs at opposite sides of the tower, in order to alleviate the unwanted system oscillations. The OWCs provide the necessary opposing forces to the bending moment of the wind upon the tower and the waves upon the floating barge platform. However, the forces have to be synchronized with the tilting of the system which will be ensured by the proposed fuzzy airflow control strategy. Using the platform pitch angle, the fuzzy airflow control opens the valve of one side and closes the valve of the other side accordingly. Results of simulation in comparison with the standard FOWT and a PID-based airflow control show the efficiency of the fuzzy airflow control and its superiority to decrease the platform pitching and the top tower fore-aft displacement.
Characterization of Infiltrating Immune Cells and Secretory or Membrane-Associated Proteins in KRAS Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Bian Yunyi , Bi Guoshu , Shan Guangyao , Liang Jiaqi , Sui Qihai , Hu Zhengyang , Wang Qun , Zhang Yi , Fan Hong
Published: February 2023

Background. This study identified the expression and prognosis significance of secretory or membrane-associated proteins in KRAS lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and depicted the characteristics between the immune cell infiltration and the expression of these genes. Methods. Gene expression data of LUAD samples (

n
=
563

) were accessed from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The expression of secretory or membrane-associated proteins was compared among the KRAS-mutant, wild-type, and normal groups, as well as the subgroup of the KRAS-mutant group. We identified the survival-related differentially expressed secretory or membrane-associated proteins and conducted the functional enrichment analysis. Then, the characterization and association between their expression and the 24 immune cell subsets were investigated. We also constructed a scoring model to predict KRAS mutation by LASSO and logistic regression analysis. Results. Secretory or membrane-associated genes with differential expression (

n
=
74

) across three groups (137 KRAS LUAD, 368 wild-type LUAD, and 58 normal groups) were identified, and the results of GO and KEGG indicated that they were strongly associated with immune cell infiltrations. Among them, ten genes were significantly related to the survival of patients with KRAS LUAD. The expression of IL37, KIF2, INSR, and AQP3 had the most significant correlations with immune cell infiltration. In addition, eight DEGs from the KRAS subgroups were highly correlated with immune infiltrations, especially TNFSF13B. Using LASSO-logistic regression, a KRAS mutation prediction model based on the 74 differentially expressed secretory or membrane-associated genes was built, and the accuracy was 0.79. Conclusion. The research investigated the relationship between the expression of KRAS-related secretory or membrane-associated proteins in LUAD patients with prognostic prediction and immune infiltration characterization. Our study demonstrated that secretory or membrane-associated genes were closely associated with the survival of KRAS LUAD patients and were strongly correlated to immune cell infiltration.
Immunological, Clinical, and Epidemiological Features of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Restrepo-Vera Juan Luis , Llauradó Arnau , Palasí Antoni , González-Martínez Victoria , Gratacòs Margarida , Salvadó Maria , Sánchez-Tejerina Daniel , Sotoca Javier , Raguer Núria , Juntas-Morales Raul
Published: February 2023

Objectives. There is a growing interest in understanding the association between Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this study was to analyse various characteristics of GBS before and after the pandemic outbreak and thus identify possible distinctive features of GBS associated with SARS-CoV-2 (GBS-S). Material and Methods. In our centre, we retrospectively reviewed the records of patients diagnosed with GBS between January 2018 and March 2022. Epidemiological, clinical, and immunological data were analysed and compared between patients with GBS according to the time of diagnosis and antecedent events. Results. Thirty-nine patients with GBS were included: nine (23.1%) were diagnosed with GBS-S. GBS-S was most frequent in 2020 (6/13, 46.1%). Most of these patients developed a postinfectious classic demyelinating variant (4/9, 44.4%) with frequent bilateral facial paralysis (4/9, 44.4%). Serum antiganglioside antibodies (AGAs) were found in 1/9 patients with GBS-S. Serum anti-SSA/Ro60 antibodies were highly prevalent in GBS-S (7/9 (77.8%) vs. 3/11 (27.3%),

p
=
0.019

). Three cases associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (GBS-V) were detected. Of note, two had bilateral facial paralysis and anti-SSA/Ro60 antibodies. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 has become an important antecedent event associated with GBS in our setting. GBS-S shows a postinfectious demyelinating immune-mediated profile with negative serological testing for AGAs. Serum anti-SSA/Ro60 antibodies were found frequently in these patients. Bilateral facial paralysis stands out as a possible characteristic clinical feature both in GBS-S and GBS-V. Larger, prospective studies are needed for a better understanding of its immunopathogenesis.
Assessment of Structural, Optical, and Antibacterial Properties of Green Sn(Fe : Ni)O2 Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract
Authors: Aloufi Abeer S.
Published: February 2023

Metal oxide nanoparticles have attained notable recognition due to their interesting physicochemical properties. Although these nanoparticles can be synthesized using a variety of approaches, the biological method involving plant extracts is preferred since it provides a simple, uncomplicated, ecologically friendly, efficient, rapid, and economical way for synthesis. In this study, the Azadirachta indica leaf extract was used as a reducing agent, and a green process was used to synthesize tin(ferrous: nickel)dioxide (Sn(Fe : Ni)O2) nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were subjected to characterization by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and photoluminescence (PL) measurement. Furthermore, Sn(Fe : Ni)O2 nanoparticles were analyzed for their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial strains. XRD patterns revealed that Sn(Fe : Ni)O2 nanoparticles exhibited a tetragonal structure. The hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoparticles was 143 nm, as confirmed by the DLS spectrum. The FESEM image showed the spherical form of the synthesized nanoparticles. Chemical composites and mapping analyses were performed through the EDAX spectrum. The Sn–O–Sn and Sn–O stretching bands were 615 cm−1 and 550 cm−1 in the FTIR spectrum, respectively. Various surface defects of the synthesized Sn(Fe : Ni)O2 nanoparticles were identified by photoluminescence spectra. Compared to traditional antibiotics like amoxicillin, the inhibition zone revealed that Sn(Fe : Ni)O2 nanoparticles displayed remarkable antibacterial activity against all tested organisms, indicating the valuable potential of nanoparticles in the healthcare industry.
Fabrication, Properties, and Performance of Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites for Organic Dye Removal from Aqueous Media
Authors: Tsekpo Yao Mawuena , Appiah Augustine Nana Sekyi , Damoah Lucas Nana Wiredu , Amusah Daniel , Annan Ebenezer
Published: February 2023

Methylene blue dye (MB dye) is a harmful contaminant for wastewater streams of industries and is harmful to human and aquatic life. An ecofriendly sugar templating process was used to generate porous bentonite/polydimethylsiloxane (PB) and porous magnetite nanoparticles/bentonite/polydimethylsiloxane (PBNP) composite absorbents to remove MB dye in this study. During the infiltration of PDMS solution into the sugar template in the vacuum chamber, bentonite and magnetite particles were integrated on the surface of the PDMS, and the porous structure was generated during the leaching out of sugar particles in water. The absorbents were characterized using Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The absence of the methyl bond at 2924 cm-1 and phenol bond at 3325 cm-1 in the FTIR spectra of the formed membrane proves that the food grade sugar was completely removed. The SEM images confirm that porosity was achieved as well as uniform mixing of the in the formation of composite. MB dye was effectively removed from wastewater using the as-prepared composite as absorbent. The removal efficiencies of the composite PBNP and PB were ~91% and ~85%, respectively. The experimental data was applied to pseudo-first-order (PFO) and pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetic models as well as the Dubinin-Radushkevich, Harkins-Jura, and Elovich models for the adsorption isotherm. The data was found to fit the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models, respectively. The results show that the presence of magnetite nanoparticles improved MB dye removal significantly.
SMYD Family Members Serve as Potential Prognostic Markers and Correlate with Immune Infiltrates in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Liu Donghui , Liu Menglin , Wang Wenxin , Li Xiaoxue , Shi Enhong , Zhang Chenyao , Wang Yinghui , Zhang Yan , Wang Liru , Wang Xuyao
Published: February 2023

Background. The SMYD family comprises a group of genes encoding lysine methyltransferases, which are closely related to tumorigenesis. However, a systematic understanding of their role in gastric cancer (GC) is lacking. Methods. Using databases and tools such as the Cancer Genome Atlas, Human Protein Atlas, Kaplan–Meier Plotter, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, and Metascape, we comprehensively analyzed differences in SMYD expression and its prognostic value as well as the association of SMYDs with immune cell infiltration, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI). We conducted functional enrichment analysis and explored a competing endogenous RNA mechanism regulating SMYD mRNA and protein levels in patients with GC. Results. In GC, the expression of SMYD2/3/4/5 mRNA was significantly upregulated, as opposed to that of SMYD1 mRNA, which was significantly downregulated. The protein levels of SMYDs were consistent with mRNA levels. SMYD1/2/4/5 was negatively correlated with overall survival; SMYD1/2/3/5 was negatively correlated with progression-free survival. Our SMYD-based signature and nomogram model may be useful for inferring the prognosis of GC. All SMYDs were closely associated with the infiltration of six immune cell types: uncharacterized, CD8+T, CD4+T, macrophage, endothelial, and B cells. TMB was significantly negatively correlated with SMYD1 expression, while a significant positive correlation was observed with SMYD2/5. Furthermore, MSI was significantly positively correlated with SMYD2/5 expression. Long non-coding RNAs, such as chr22-38_28785274-29006793.1, XLOC_002309, and CTD-2008N3.1, were suggested to regulate SMYD expression by sponging multiple microRNAs. Conclusion. SMYDs are differentially expressed in GC and are thus potential prognostic markers. SMYD expression is closely related to immune infiltration, TMB, and MSI, all of which are closely related to the response to targeted immune therapy.
Effect of Exosomal lncRNA MALAT1/miR-370-3p/STAT3 Positive Feedback Loop on PI3K/Akt Pathway Mediating Cisplatin Resistance in Cervical Cancer Cells
Authors: Hu Yi , Li Genlin , Ma Yan , Luo Guifang , Wang Qian , Zhang Shufen
Published: February 2023

Background. Exosomes can encapsulate lncRNA to mediate intercellular communication in cancer progression. Our study devoted to research the effect that long noncoding RNA Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (lncRNA MALAT1) influence on cervical cancer (CC). Methods. MALAT1 and miR-370-3p levels in CC was assessed using qRT-PCR. CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were devoted to confirm the influence on MALAT1 influencing the proliferation in cisplatin-resistant CC cells. Futher more, MALAT1, combined with miR-370-3p was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Results. In CC tissues, MALAT1 turned into substantially expressed, cisplatin-resistant cell lines, as well as exosomes. Cell proliferation was restrained and cisplatin-induced apoptosis was promoted by way of Knockout MALAT1. And promoted the miR-370-3p level, MALAT1 targeted miR-370-3p. Promoting effect of MALAT1 on cisplatin resistance of CC was partially reversed through miR-370-3p. In addition, STAT3 may induce up-regulation of MALAT1 expression in cisplatin-resistant CC cells. It was further confirmed that the effect of MALAT1 on cisplatin-resistant CC cells was achieved by activating PI3K/Akt pathway. Conclusion. The positive feedback loop of exosomal MALAT1/miR-370-3p/STAT3 mediates the cisplatin resistance of cervical cancer cells affecting PI3K/Akt pathway. Exosomal MALAT1 may become a promising therapeutic target for treating cervical cancer.
Effects of Ipratropium Bromide Combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention on the Pulmonary Function and Psychological Status of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Ye Wen-Yi , Zhao Hong , Ye Jing , Sang Hai-Jin , Zhou Lin-Shui , Lv Jia-Ni , Li Juan-Juan
Published: February 2023

Recently, most scholars have advocated multidisciplinary comprehensive intervention measures for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to improve lung function, relieve symptoms of dyspnea, and improve quality of life. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has rich experience in the treatment of various respiratory system diseases and the rehabilitation of their syndrome differentiation. In this study, total 68 patients with COPD from November 2019 to November 2021 in the hospitals were divided into the control group, ipratropium bromide (IB)‐treated group, and IB + TCM‐treated group for clinical efficacy observation and to explore the effect of IB combined with TCM on the pulmonary function and psychological status of COPD patients. Patients in the control group were subjected to routine oxygen inhalation, cough and expectorant, and antiviral treatments, while the patients in the IB‐treated group were treated with IB and those received in the control group. Patients in the IB + TCM‐treated group were treated with IB and TCM intervention. All patients were treated for a month. The results showed that after different interventions, the levels of FEV1, FEV1% pred, FVC, and PEF (P < 0.05) were significantly increased in all the groups, while levels of TNF‐α, IL‐6, IL‐8, and CRP in serum as well as Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression scores were significantly decreased. Compared with the control group and IB‐treated group, the IB + TCM‐treated group presented the greatest changes on all abovementioned indicators and the lowest total incidence of adverse reactions, indicating the biggest improvement of IB + TCM on the symptoms of COPD patients. Therefore, the combination of IB and TCM intervention effectively improved the pulmonary function and psychological status of COPD patients and could be used as an important adjunct for COPD treatment.
Synthesis and Characterization of CeO2/Ag3PO4 p-n Heterojunction Photocatalyst: Its Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Alizarin Yellow Dye
Authors: Bekele Tigabu
Published: February 2023

Novel single and binary photocatalysts were synthesized by coprecipitation method. The crystal structure, surface area, morphology, bandgap energy, functional groups, and optical properties were characterized using XRD, BET, SEM-EDX, UV/vis, FTIR, and PL instruments, respectively. Aqueous solutions of the model contaminant alizarin yellow (AY) dye and real wastewater sample solutions were used to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of single and binary nanocomposite. We found that the photocatalytic activity of CeO2/Ag3PO4 binary nanocomposite is higher than that of their individual counterparts. We investigated the effects of operating parameters such as pH, initial dye concentration, and photocatalytic loading on AY dye degradation. Under optimal conditions, the binary system showed an efficiency of 96.99%. The binary photocatalyst showed relatively higher AY photolysis efficiencies than actual wastewater, about 96.56% and 57.76%, respectively. The actions of various scavengers suggest that ·O2 and ·OH scavengers play an important role in AY decomposition. When the reusability of the photocatalyst was tested, only a reduction of about 20% was observed after four consecutive runs. The degradation of AY follows pseudo-first-order kinetics for newly synthesized nanocomposite. This result indicates that the binary nanocomposite can serve as an excellent medium for electron transport.
Construction and Evaluation of Recombinant Lactococcus lactis Expressing the vscO Gene as a Safe Live Oral Vaccine against Vibrio alginolyticus
Authors: Yang Shiping , Wu Yuanzhi , Huang Yucong , Ma Shaohong , Wei Guangben , Jian Jichang , Cai Shuanghu
Published: February 2023

Vibrio alginolyticus is responsible for significant economic losses in the fish industry. It is urgent to develop a vaccine against V. alginolyticus. In this study, a recombinant Lactococcus lactis expressing the VscO protein of V. alginolyticus (Lc-pMG36e-vscO) is constructed. The Lc-pMG36e-vscO has good hereditary stability. The immune responses in pearl gentian grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (♀) × E. lanceolatu (♂)) vaccinated with Lc-pMG36e-vscO are evaluated. The titers of specific antibody in the immunized grouper displayed an upward and then downward tendency during the total experiments and reached the peak value of 9.6 at the fourth week after booster immunization. The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-16, TNF-α, and MHC-1α gene in the Lc-pMG36e-vscO group were significantly upregulated after vaccination, indicating that the Lc-pMG36e-vscO could induce an effective and durable immune response. In vivo challenge of the Lc-pMG36e-vscO-immunized fish with V. alginolyticus showed a relative survival percentage of 68%. These results indicated that Lc-pMG36e-vscO could be promising as a candidate oral vaccine against V. alginolyticus.