bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Effect of Hydraulic Energy Storage on the Performance of Electro-Mechanical-Hydraulic Power-Coupled Electric Vehicles
Authors: Chen Yihui , Zhang Tiezhu , Zhang Hongxin , Zhang Zhen , Jia Qingxiao , Chen Hao , Xu Haigang , Zhang Yanjun
Published: October 2022

In order to address the problems of low energy storage capacity and short battery life in electric vehicles, in this paper, a new electromechanical-hydraulic power coupling drive system is proposed, and an electromechanical-hydraulic power coupling electric vehicle is proposed based on this system. The system realizes the mutual conversion between mechanical energy, hydraulic energy, and electric energy through the electromechanical–hydraulic coupler. This paper describes the structural characteristics and working principles of the system and analyzes the different working modes during the driving of the vehicle. We established a mathematical model of the hydraulic accumulator and the hydraulic pump and motor. Based on the vehicle dynamics model, an AME Sim vehicle model was built and the vehicle, and the relevant hydraulic parameters were set in combination with the actual situation. The braking energy recovery and release process was jointly simulated by AME Sim and Simulink. The simulation results show that the hydraulic accumulator size of the accumulator volume can influence the maximum working pressure of the accumulator and the SOC of the vehicle battery, and it is verified that 35 L is the best capacity. This study has an important reference value for matching electromechanical–hydraulic coupling parameters of electric vehicles.
Recent Advances in the Characterized Identification of Mono-to-Multi-Layer Graphene and Its Biomedical Applications: A Review
Authors: Parvin Nargish , Kumar Vineet , Joo Sang Woo , Park Sang-Shin , Mandal Tapas Kumar
Published: October 2022

The remarkable mechanical, electrical, and thermal capabilities of monolayer graphene make it a wonder substance. As the number of layers in graphene flakes increases to few-layer graphene (number of layers ≤ 5) and multi-layer graphene (number of layers ≤ 10), its properties are affected. In order to obtain the necessary qualities, it is crucial to manage the number of layers in the graphene flake. Therefore, in the current review, we discuss the various processes for producing mono- and few-/multi-layer graphene. The impact of mono-/few-/multi-layer graphene is then assessed with regard to its qualities (including mechanical, thermal, and optical properties). Graphene possesses unique electrical features, such as good carrier mobility, typical ambipolar behaviour, and a unique energy band structure, which might be employed in field effect transistors (FETs) and utilized in radio frequency (RF) circuits, sensors, memory, and other applications. In this review, we cover graphene’s integration into devices for biomolecule detection as well as biomedical applications. The advantages of using graphene in each situation are explored, and samples of the most cutting-edge solutions for biomedical devices and other applications are documented and reviewed.
MSEDTNet: Multi-Scale Encoder and Decoder with Transformer for Bladder Tumor Segmentation
Authors: Wang Yixing , Ye Xiufen
Published: October 2022

The precise segmentation of bladder tumors from MRI is essential for bladder cancer diagnosis and personalized therapy selection. Limited by the properties of tumor morphology, achieving precise segmentation from MRI images remains challenging. In recent years, deep convolutional neural networks have provided a promising solution for bladder tumor segmentation from MRI. However, deep-learning-based methods still face two weakness: (1) multi-scale feature extraction and utilization are inadequate, being limited by the learning approach. (2) The establishment of explicit long-distance dependence is difficult due to the limited receptive field of convolution kernels. These limitations raise challenges in the learning of global semantic information, which is critical for bladder cancer segmentation. To tackle the problem, a newly auxiliary segmentation algorithm integrating a multi-scale encoder and decoder with a transformer is proposed, which is called MSEDTNet. Specifically, the designed encoder with multi-scale pyramidal convolution (MSPC) is utilized to generate compact feature maps which capture the richly detailed local features of the image. Furthermore, the transformer bottleneck is then leveraged to model the long-distance dependency between high-level tumor semantics from a global space. Finally, a decoder with a spatial context fusion module (SCFM) is adopted to fuse the context information and gradually produce high-resolution segmentation results. The experimental results of T2-weighted MRI scans from 86 patients show that MSEDTNet achieves an overall Jaccard index of 83.46%, a Dice similarity coefficient of 92.35%, and a complexity less than that of other, similar models. This suggests that the method proposed in this article can be used as an efficient tool for clinical bladder cancer segmentation.
Numerical Evaluation of Biochar Production Performance of Downdraft Gasifier by Thermodynamic Model
Authors: Shin Donghoon , Francis Akhil , Aravind Purushothaman Vellayani , Woudstra Theo , de Jong Wiebren , Roekaerts Dirk
Published: October 2022

A theoretical evaluation of the biochar production process using a biomass gasifier has been carried out herein. Being distinguished from the previous research trend examining the use of a biomass gasifier, which has been focused on energy efficiency, the present study tries to figure out the effect of biochar production rate on the overall process performance because biochar itself has now been given a spotlight as the main product. Biochar can be utilized for agricultural and industrial purposes, along with the benefit of climate change mitigation. A thermodynamic model based on chemical equilibrium analysis is utilized to demonstrate the effect of biochar production rate on the producer gas characteristics such as gas composition, LHV (lower heating value) and cold gas efficiency. Three gasifier models using chemical equilibrium model are reconstructed to simulate biochar-producing gasifiers, and seven kinds of biomass are considered as feed material. Depending on the assumptions applied to the models as well as the biomass types, the results of the simulation show a large variance, whereas the biochar yield rate increases. Through regression analysis with a generalized reduced gradient optimization method, simplified equations to estimate the cold gas efficiency (CGE) and LHV of producer gas of the biochar production process were derived as having six parameters of biomass LHV, fractions of ash, carbon and water, reduction zone temperature, and biochar yield rate. The correlation factors between the thermodynamic model and the regression model are 96.54% and 98.73% for the LHV of producer gas and CGE, respectively. These equations can supply the pre-estimation of the theoretical maximum performance of a planning biochar plant.
Process Optimization of the Flaring Gas for Field Applications
Authors: Ibañez-Gómez Luisa Fernanda , Albarracín-Quintero Sebastian , Céspedes-Zuluaga Santiago , Montes-Páez Erik , Ando Junior Oswaldo Hideo , Carmo João Paulo , Ribeiro João Eduardo , Moreira Melkzedekue Moraes Alcântara , Siqueira Adriano Almeida Goncalves , Guerrero-Martin Camilo Andrés
Published: October 2022

During petroleum industry operations, burning flammable gas components in the flaring stacks is common, normally a symbol for stable production, but flaring these components creates harmful emissions for the environment. This flaring gas has components with a high quantity of heating power, an important measurement that quantifies the energy that can potentially be obtained from this wasted resource. This paper aims to evaluate the energy usage of the flaring gas, estimating the possible energy produced with this usable resource by modeling a treatment and energy generation process employing the Aspen HYSYS® simulator. The flaring gas is characterized using different models and compositional ranges of natural gas to know what kind of gas it is and identify what type of equipment could be used for treatment and energy generation from this resource. After the gas characterization, the selection of the equipment of treatment and energy generation is necessary; this is done using a multicriteria analysis by taking into consideration the variables of gas composition, electrical efficiency, economic performance, and GHG emissions, ensuring to generate the greatest amount of energy possible to be produced with this flaring gas. By increasing the LHV, 0.95 MMSCF of flared gas of an oilfield in the VMM basin produced 5133 kW, enough energy to supply gas treatment and power generation facilities and four times the total gross consumption energy of a model oilfield in the basin, while the CO2 emissions were reduced 11.4%, and cost savings using this resource instead of diesel were obtained. In conclusion, to minimize flaring and to recover and reuse these waste components, looking for alternatives for the use of this gas-like power generation is an important option that reduces pollutants emission, gives a new source of fuel, and gives an energy usefulness to this wasted resource.
Effect of Wettability Heterogeneity on Water-Gas Two-Phase Displacement Behavior in a Complex Pore Structure by Phase-Field Model
Authors: Gong Wenbo , Liu Jinhui
Published: October 2022

Understanding the immiscible displacement mechanism in porous media is vital to enhancing the hydrocarbon resources in the oil and gas reservoir. Improving resource recovery requires quantitatively characterizing the effect of wettability heterogeneity on the immiscible displacement behaviors at the pore scale, which can be used to predict the displacement distribution of multiphase fluids and evaluate the optimal wettability strategy in porous media. The heterogeneity of fluid wettability in a natural rock makes it extremely hard to directly observe the fluid displacement behaviors in the reservoir rocks and quantify the sensitivity of preferential displacement path and displacement efficiency to wettability distribution. In this study, the phase-field model coupling wettability heterogeneity was established. The gas-water two-phase displacement process was simulated under various wettability distributions and injecting flux rates in a complex pore structure. The effect of wettability heterogeneity on immiscible displacement behavior was analyzed. The results indicated that wettability heterogeneity significantly affects the fluid displacement path and invasion patterns, while the injecting flux rate negatively influences the capillary–viscous crossover flow regime. The continuous wetting patches enhanced the preferential flow and hindered displacement, whereas the dalmatian wetting patches promoted a higher displacement efficiency. The results of the fractal dimensions and specific surface area also quantitatively show the effects of wettability distribution and heterogeneity on the complexity of the two-phase fluid distribution. The research provides the theoretical foundation and analysis approach for designing an optimal wettability strategy for injecting fluid into unconventional oil and gas reservoirs.
Research in Life Extension of Electrical Motors by Controlling the Impact of the Environment through Employing Peltier Effect
Authors: Lucas Stephen , Marian Romeo , Lucas Michael , Bari Saiful , Ogunwa Titilayo , Chahl Javaan
Published: October 2022

This paper explores the application of thermoelectric cooler/heater (TEC) modules (Peltier heat pumps devices) to control core and winding temperatures, aiming to reduce the effects of thermal cycling and moisture issues that affect the life of electrical machines. Electrical windings in a motor will fail for a variety of reasons, and a major contributor to adverse effects of a motor’s life is humidity. Due to thermal cycling, air containing moisture is drawn into a motor through a variety of access points such as terminal boxes, bearings, end covers and mounting systems. Even spare or replacement motors specially stored in heated spare equipment stores suffer from moisture ingress because of normal daily temperature changes. The better a machine can be kept warm, the less it is affected by moisture and the effects of mechanical stresses from cycling temperatures. A series of experiments were conducted, whereby a TEC was attached to a section of motor core and was set up to pump heat into the core segment. The thermal properties of the core material and the capacity to control winding temperatures along the core in specific locations and over time was measured. The results of this research demonstrate that the temperature of the motor can be tightly controlled, thus enabling the reduction of the effects of moisture, and reducing core and winding temperature differences. This has a positive influence in reducing the thermal stresses, which will result in improved insulation life and machine reliability.
Numerical Simulation of Tail Over-Fire Air Supply of a Grate Biomass Boiler
Authors: Chi Shidan , Liang Yan , Chen Weixi , Hou Zhen , Luan Tao
Published: October 2022

By taking a 130 t/h water-cooled grate biomass boiler as the research object, the ANSYS software is applied to simulate the effects of the tail burnout air’s incidence angle, wind speed, and pipe diameter on flow field distribution in the furnace, the movement of unburned carbon particles at the tail of the grate under cold operation. The influence rules of the incidence angle, pipe diameter, and wind speed of the tail burnout air on the combustion in the furnace and the movement of the tail particles were obtained. The results show that the setting of burnout air at the tail of the grate can better organize the air flow field at the grate tail, change the particle distribution, prevent small density particles from directly falling into the ash hopper, and prolong the residence time of particles on the grate. Under the study conditions, with an increase in the outlet velocity and the pipe diameter of the tail burnout air, as the movement degree and the burnout degree of grate particles increase, the boiler efficiency increases. With an increase in the incidence angle of the tail burnout air, the flow field in the furnace and the reduction ratio of the tail particles increases at first and then decreases, and the optimal incidence angle is 11–13°.
Performance Analysis of an Optimized Asymmetric Multilevel Inverter on Grid Connected SPV System
Authors: Kumar Devineni Gireesh , Ganesh Aman , Sireesha Nagineni Venkata , Kshatri Sainadh Singh , Mishra Sachin , Sharma Naveen Kumar , Bajaj Mohit , Kotb Hossam , Milyani Ahmad H. , Azhari Abdullah Ahmed
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this research is to develop an efficient single-phase grid-connected PV system using a better performing asymmetrical multilevel inverter (AMI). Circuit component reduction, harmonic reduction, and grid integration are critical criteria for better inverter efficiency. The proposed inverter’s optimized topology requires seven unidirectional switches, three symmetric dc sources, and three diodes to produce an asymmetric fifteen level output; whereas, the same configuration will generate 7, 11, and 15-level output with an appropriate choice of dc source magnitudes. It is possible to reduce inverter losses and boost efficiency by decreasing the number of switches used. The integration of an asymmetric 15-level inverter with a grid-connected solar photovoltaic system is discussed in this article. A grid-connected solar photovoltaic (GCSPV) system is modelled and simulated using an asymmetric 15-level inverter. The dc sources of the 15-level inverter are replaced with PV sources. The results were analyzed with different operating temperatures and solar irradiance conditions. The GCSPV system is controlled by a closed-loop control system using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Harris Hawk Optimization (HHO), and Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization-Genetic Algorithm (PSOGA) based Proportional plus Integral (PI) controllers. Grid voltage, grid current, grid power, and total harmonic distortion (THD) of grid currents were analyzed. The performance of the 15-level asymmetric inverter was evaluated by comparing the THD of the grid current and the efficiency of the grid-connected photovoltaic system.
Resilience Enhancement of an Urban Microgrid during Off-Grid Mode Operation Using Critical Load Indicators
Authors: Shirzadi Navid , Rasoulian Hadise , Nasiri Fuzhan , Eicker Ursula
Published: October 2022

Microgrids (MGs) can be used as a solution to ensure resilience against power supply failures in electricity grids caused by extreme weather conditions, unavailability of generation capacities, and problems with transmission components. The literature is rich in research focusing on strengthening the planning of microgrids based on overall load demand. In this study, a critical load demand indicator will be calculated and used to identify optimum operation strategies of microgrids in a power failure mode. An urban microgrid with a large educational building is selected for the case study. Operation dispatch scenarios are developed to reinforce the system’s resiliency in severe conditions. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) approach is employed to identify global optimum dispatch solutions based on a next 48 h plan for different seasons to formulate a whole-year operational model. The results show that the loss of power supply probability (LPSP), as an indicator of resiliency, could be lowered to near zero while minimizing operational cost.
Role of Chitin and Chitosan in Ruminant Diets and Their Impact on Digestibility, Microbiota and Performance of Ruminants
Authors: Shah Ali Mujtaba , Qazi Izhar Hyder , Matra Maharach , Wanapat Metha
Published: October 2022

The slow progress in the development of the subsector, particularly of alternative feed sources such as agro-industrial byproducts and unconventional feed resources, has deepened the gap in the availability of and accessibility to animal feed. Production of animal feed is highly resource demanding. Recently, it has been shown that increasing climate change, land degradation, and the recurrence of droughts have worsened the feed gap. In the backdrop of these challenges, there has been attention to food-not-feed components, which have great potential to substitute human-edible components in livestock feeding. Chitosan, a non-toxic polyglucosamine, is widely distributed in nature and used as a feed additive. Chitosan is obtained from the de-acetylation process of the chitin and is mostly present in shrimp, crabs, and insect exoskeletons, and has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, antitumor, and immune-stimulatory hypo-cholesterolemic properties. This review article discusses the results of recent studies focusing on the effects of chitosan and chitin on the performance of dairy cows, beef steers, sheep, and goats. In addition, the effects of chitosan and chitin on feed intake, feed digestibility, rumen fermentation, and microbiota are also discussed. Available evidence suggests that chitosan and chitin used as a feed additive for ruminants including dairy cows, beef steers, sheep, goats, and yaks have useful biological effects, including immune-modulatory, antimicrobial, and other important properties. These properties of chitosan and chitin are different from the other feed additives and have a positive impact on production performance, feed digestibility, rumen fermentation, and bacterial population in dairy cows, beef steers, sheep, goats, and yaks. There is promising evidence that chitosan and chitin can be used as additives in livestock feed and that well-designed feeding interventions focusing on these compounds in ruminants are highly encouraged.
Cecal Reduction of Brachyspira and Lesion Severity in Laying Hens Supplemented with Fermented Defatted ‘Alperujo’
Authors: Rebollada-Merino Agustín , Ugarte-Ruiz María , Gómez-Buendía Alberto , Bárcena Carmen , García Nerea , Domínguez Lucas , Rodríguez-Bertos Antonio
Published: October 2022

Antimicrobial resistance demands the development of therapeutic alternatives such as prebiotics, probiotics, and nutraceuticals. The aim of this study was to assess the antimicrobial proprieties of the nutraceutical fermented defatted “alperujo”, derived from olive oil production, in a laying hen farm (n = 122,250) endemic with avian intestinal spirochetosis (Brachyspira spp.). Part of the batch (n = 1440) was divided into six groups of 240 hens each that included 80 or 108-week-old laying hens, supplemented with 0%, 2%, or 6% fermented defatted ‘alperujo’ for a month. At the end of the experiment, eight hens from each group were autopsied and cecal content was subjected to (i) Brachyspira culture and species identification by PCRs, and (ii) direct DNA extraction and Brachyspira qPCR. Furthermore, the ceca were processed for histopathology. Microbiological isolation revealed B. pilosicoli and B. hyodysenteriae co-infection in all groups. The 80-week-old hen group 2% supplemented showed a reduction in the cecal Brachyspira content (qPCR) compared with non-supplemented hens. Cecal histopathology showed a diffuse mild infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and heterophils; and hyperplasia of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue hyperplasia which decreased in severity in 80-week-old supplemented hens. The reduction in Brachyspira colonization and the severity of the lesions observed in supplemented hens highlights a potential protective function against avian intestinal spirochetosis.
CFD Investigation into the Effects of Surrounding Particle Location on the Drag Coefficient
Authors: Dodds David , Sarhan Abd Alhamid R. , Naser Jamal
Published: October 2022

In the simulation of dilute gas-solid flows such as those seen in many industrial applications, the Lagrangian Particle Tracking method is used to track packets of individual particles through a converged fluid field. In the tracking of these particles, the most dominant forces acting upon the particles are those of gravity and drag. In order to accurately predict particle motion, the determination of the aforementioned forces become of the upmost importance, and hence an improved drag force formula was developed to incorporate the effects of particle concentration and particle Reynolds number. The present CFD study examines the individual effects of particles located both perpendicular and parallel to the flow direction, as well as the effect of a particle entrain within an infinite matrix of evenly distributed particles. Results show that neighbouring particles perpendicular to the flow (Model 2) have an effect of increasing the drag force at close separation distances, but this becomes negligible between 5–10 particle diameters depending on particle Reynolds number (Rep). When entrained in an infinite line of particles co-aligned with the flow (Model 1), the drag force is remarkably reduced at close separation distances and increases as the distance increases. The results of the infinite matrix of particles (Model 3) show that, although not apparent in the individual model, the effect of side particles is experienced many particle diameters downstream.
Fractal Geometry and Convolutional Neural Networks for the Characterization of Thermal Shock Resistances of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics
Authors: Wang Shanxiang , Chen Zailiang , Qi Fei , Xu Chenghai , Wang Chunju , Chen Tao , Guo Hao
Published: October 2022

The accurate characterization of the surface microstructure of ultra-high temperature ceramics after thermal shocks is of great practical significance for evaluating their thermal resistance properties. In this paper, a fractal reconstruction method for the surface image of Ultra-high temperature ceramics after repeated thermal shocks is proposed. The nonlinearity and spatial distribution characteristics of the oxidized surfaces of ceramics were extracted. A fractal convolutional neural network model based on deep learning was established to realize automatic recognition of the classification of thermal shock cycles of ultra-high temperature ceramics, obtaining a recognition accuracy of 93.74%. It provides a novel quantitative method for evaluating the surface character of ultra-high temperature ceramics, which contributes to understanding the influence of oxidation after thermal shocks.
Chemical Overview of Gel Dosimetry Systems: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Macchione Micaela A. , Lechón Páez Sofía , Strumia Miriam C. , Valente Mauro , Mattea Facundo
Published: October 2022

Advances in radiotherapy technology during the last 25 years have significantly improved both dose conformation to tumors and the preservation of healthy tissues, achieving almost real-time feedback by means of high-precision treatments and theranostics. Owing to this, developing high-performance systems capable of coping with the challenging requirements of modern ionizing radiation is a key issue to overcome the limitations of traditional dosimeters. In this regard, a deep understanding of the physicochemical basis of gel dosimetry, as one of the most promising tools for the evaluation of 3D high-spatial-resolution dose distributions, represents the starting point for developing new and innovative systems. This review aims to contribute thorough descriptions of the chemical processes and interactions that condition gel dosimetry outputs, often phenomenologically addressed, and particularly formulations reported since 2017.
Criminalized Intimacies between POWs and ‘Unworthy War Wives’ and Their Soldier-Husbands’ Responses to Racial, Sexual Wartime Justice in Nazi Germany
Authors: Joshi Vandana
Published: October 2022

The article places itself in the burgeoning literature on fraternization between POWs and local women during the twentieth century world wars. Though fraternization with the enemy was considered undesirable by all warring nations, incarcerating women for prolonged periods and suspending their citizenship for even longer was a hallmark of the Nazi system of (in)justice. War wives came in for harsher treatment as double traitors: to the nation and their soldier-husbands. The author has selected a few love triangles from a large cache of Gestapo reports; regional, local and ‘Special Court’ trials; and soldier-husbands’ clemency appeals for a qualitative analysis. Her interrogation of the archival sources from a people’s perspective goes into hitherto unexplored emotions, subjectivities and experiences of the affected people and deliniates how they appropriated, negotiated, rejected and defied the penal code in their own ways through a display of willful conduct. The interiority of their experience is juxtaposed with the discourse analysis of honor and shame surrounding criminalized intimacies to expose the gap between wartime discourse and social practice.
Applying Factor Analysis and the CCME Water Quality Index for Assessing Groundwater Quality of an Aegean Island (Rhodes, Greece)
Authors: Alexakis Dimitrios E.
Published: October 2022

Globally, water quality indices (WQIs) are beneficial for evaluating groundwater and surface water quality. The Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) was combined with the parametric values given by Directive 98/83/EC to investigate the possible suitability of groundwater resources for human consumption on Rhodes Island. Chloride (Cl−), pH, calcium (Ca2+), electrical conductivity (CND), carbonate (CO32−), bicarbonate (HCO3−), potassium (K+), magnesium (Mg2+), sulfate (SO42−), sodium (Na+),nitrate (NO3−), nitrite (NO2−), ammonium (NH4+), and phosphate (PO43−) were included in the dataset applied in this study. Statistical analysis, GIS database, and WQI estimation were successfully used to evaluate the groundwater resources of the study area. All studied groundwater parameters have mean and median values lower than the corresponding parametric values established by Directive 98/83/EC. The high CND values (up to 2730 μs cm−1) in groundwater collected from Rhodes’ coastal aquifers indicate a direct relationship with seawater intrusion. CCME-WQI classifies the groundwater samples for most monitoring stations on Rhodes aquifers as “excellent”, Class 5, for 2019 and 2020. The findings of this study may be helpful for scientists and stakeholders monitoring the study area and applying measures to protect the groundwater resources.
Impact of Social Media on Aesthetic Dentistry: General Practitioners’ Perspectives
Authors: Abbasi Maria Shakoor , Lal Abhishek , Das Gotam , Salman Fatima , Akram Aisha , Ahmed Abdul Razzaq , Maqsood Afsheen , Ahmed Naseer
Published: October 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate general dentists’ observations of various aesthetic dental procedures among social media users. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Prosthodontics, Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine, over a duration of six months. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire comprising 21 predefined responses. The questionnaire was uploaded and disseminated through Google Surveys by forwarding web page links through emails and WhatsApp. The data collected were analysed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-Version 25). The majority (90.7%) of the dental practitioners surveyed believed that there is an increase in the demand for aesthetic dental procedures and social media is a major contributor to it. Moreover, most of the 377 (81.8%) participants agreed that social media is a beneficial platform enabling them to educate, advertise, and communicate with patients. Concerning popular aesthetic procedures, teeth whitening (54.7%), Hollywood smile (17.1%), dental veneers (11.9%), and Invisalign (10.4%) were the most commonly demanded aesthetic procedures. The patients showed desire for these procedures because they were trending on social media platforms. Almost half of the general dental practitioners used social media to post their content related to aesthetic dentistry and to promote their work. They preferred using before and after pictures (48.6%) for advertising their content related to aesthetic dentistry. Within the limitations of the study, it is concluded that the demand for aesthetic dentistry is rapidly growing, and social media is the main driving force behind this revolution as the general population has direct access to the profiles of celebrities and influencers, who all appear to have ‘the perfect smile’. This shift in people’s self-image has created a surge in patients seeking cosmetic treatments.
Orthostatic Intolerance in Long-Haul COVID after SARS-CoV-2: A Case-Control Comparison with Post-EBV and Insidious-Onset Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients
Authors: van Campen C. (Linda) M. C. , Visser Frans C.
Published: October 2022

Background: As complaints of long-haul COVID patients are similar to those of ME/CFS patients and as orthostatic intolerance (OI) plays an important role in the COVID infection symptomatology, we compared 14 long-haul COVID patients with 14 ME/CFS patients with a post-viral Ebstein-Barr (EBV) onset and 14 ME/CFS patients with an insidious onset of the disease. Methods: In all patients, OI analysis by history taking and OI assessed during a tilt test, as well as cerebral blood flow measurements by extracranial Doppler, and cardiac index measurements by suprasternal Doppler during the tilt test were obtained in all patients. Results: Except for disease duration no differences were found in clinical characteristics. The prevalence of POTS was higher in the long-haul patients (100%) than in post-EBV (43%) and in insidious-onset (50%) patients (p = 0.0002). No differences between the three groups were present in the prevalence of OI, heart rate and blood pressure changes, changes in cerebral blood flow or in cardiac index during the tilt test. Conclusion: OI symptomatology and objective abnormalities of OI (abnormal cerebral blood flow and cardiac index reduction during tilt testing) are comparable to those in ME/CFS patients. It indicates that long-haul COVID is essentially the same disease as ME/CFS.
Competence in Spiritual and Emotional Care: Learning Outcomes for the Evaluation of Nursing Students
Authors: Sarrión-Bravo Juan Antonio , González-Aguña Alexandra , Abengózar-Muela Ricardo , Renghea Alina , Fernández-Batalla Marta , Santamaría-García José María , Ruiz-Moral Roger
Published: October 2022

Spiritual and emotional care is an important part of the person, especially in situations such as changes in health or a community coping with a pandemic. However, nurses report scarce university training in this area of care. The aim of the study is to define a catalogue of learning outcomes for spiritual and emotional care for undergraduate nurses. The design used a mixed method for the development and validation of learning outcomes. The first phase designs the catalogue of learning outcomes through a coordinating group and uses a bibliographic search and nursing legislation. The second phase validates the proposal through a group of experts, with a questionnaire using the modified Delphi technique in two rounds. The initial proposal was 75 learning outcomes, of which 17 were eliminated, 36 changed their wording and the experts proposed 7 new ones. The experts validated 65 learning outcomes: 14 for Assessment and diagnosis; 5 for Planning; 17 for Intervention; 4 for Evaluation and quality; 8 for Communication and interpersonal relationship and 17 for Knowledge and intrapersonal development. In conclusion, the academic curriculum can include these learning outcomes to help undergraduate nurses in the process of acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes in spiritual and emotional care.
Monocyte and Macrophage Function Diversity
Authors: Kloc Malgorzata , Kubiak Jacek Z.
Published: October 2022

In the last decade, there has been a tremendous revival of interest in monocyte and macrophages [...]
Truncated Analogues of a G-Quadruplex-Forming Aptamer Targeting Mutant Huntingtin: Shorter Is Better!
Authors: Riccardi Claudia , D’Aria Federica , Fasano Dominga , Digilio Filomena Anna , Carillo Maria Rosaria , Amato Jussara , De Rosa Laura , Paladino Simona , Melone Mariarosa Anna Beatrice , Montesarchio Daniela , Giancola Concetta
Published: October 2022

Two analogues of the MS3 aptamer, which was previously shown to have an exquisite capability to selectively bind and modulate the activity of mutant huntingtin (mHTT), have been here designed and evaluated in their physicochemical and biological properties. Featured by a distinctive propensity to form complex G-quadruplex structures, including large multimeric aggregates, the original 36-mer MS3 has been truncated to give a 33-mer (here named MS3-33) and a 17-mer (here named MS3-17). A combined use of different techniques (UV, CD, DSC, gel electrophoresis) allowed a detailed physicochemical characterization of these novel G-quadruplex-forming aptamers, tested in vitro on SH-SY5Y cells and in vivo on a Drosophila Huntington’s disease model, in which these shorter MS3-derived oligonucleotides proved to have improved bioactivity in comparison with the parent aptamer.
Upregulation of Reg IV and Hgf mRNAs by Intermittent Hypoxia via Downregulation of microRNA-499 in Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Takasawa Shin , Itaya-Hironaka Asako , Makino Mai , Yamauchi Akiyo , Sakuramoto-Tsuchida Sumiyo , Uchiyama Tomoko , Shobatake Ryogo , Takeda Yoshinori , Ota Hiroyo
Published: October 2022

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is characterized by recurrent episodes of oxygen desaturation and reoxygenation (intermittent hypoxia [IH]), and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and insulin resistance/Type 2 diabetes. However, the mechanisms linking IH stress and CVD remain elusive. We exposed rat H9c2 and mouse P19.CL6 cardiomyocytes to experimental IH or normoxia for 24 h to analyze the mRNA expression of several cardiomyokines. We found that the mRNA levels of regenerating gene IV (Reg IV) and hepatocyte growth factor (Hgf) in H9c2 and P19.CL6 cardiomyocytes were significantly increased by IH, whereas the promoter activities of the genes were not increased. A target mRNA search of microRNA (miR)s revealed that rat and mouse mRNAs have a potential target sequence for miR-499. The miR-499 level of IH-treated cells was significantly decreased compared to normoxia-treated cells. MiR-499 mimic and non-specific control RNA (miR-499 mimic NC) were introduced into P19.CL6 cells, and the IH-induced upregulation of the genes was abolished by introduction of the miR-499 mimic, but not by the miR-499 mimic NC. These results indicate that IH stress downregulates the miR-499 in cardiomyocytes, resulting in increased levels of Reg IV and Hgf mRNAs, leading to the protection of cardiomyocytes in SAS patients.
mTOR Contributes to the Proteome Diversity through Transcriptome-Wide Alternative Splicing
Authors: Cheng Sze , Fahmi Naima Ahmed , Park Meeyeon , Sun Jiao , Thao Kaitlyn , Yeh Hsin-Sung , Zhang Wei , Yong Jeongsik
Published: October 2022

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is crucial in energy metabolism and cell proliferation. Previously, we reported transcriptome-wide 3′-untranslated region (UTR) shortening by alternative polyadenylation upon mTOR activation and its impact on the proteome. Here, we further interrogated the mTOR-activated transcriptome and found that hyperactivation of mTOR promotes transcriptome-wide exon skipping/exclusion, producing short isoform transcripts from genes. This widespread exon skipping confers multifarious regulations in the mTOR-controlled functional proteomics: AS in coding regions widely affects the protein length and functional domains. They also alter the half-life of proteins and affect the regulatory post-translational modifications. Among the RNA processing factors differentially regulated by mTOR signaling, we found that SRSF3 mechanistically facilitates exon skipping in the mTOR-activated transcriptome. This study reveals a role of mTOR in AS regulation and demonstrates that widespread AS is a multifaceted modulator of the mTOR-regulated functional proteome.
Automatic Evaluation for Bioengineering of Human Artificial Ovary: A Model for Fertility Preservation for Prepubertal Female Patients with a Malignant Tumor
Authors: Wang Wanxue , Pei Cheng , Isachenko Evgenia , Zhou Yang , Wang Mengying , Rahimi Gohar , Liu Wensheng , Mallmann Peter , Isachenko Vladimir
Published: October 2022

Introduction: The in vitro culture of primordial follicles is the only available option for preserving fertility in prepubertal girls with malignant tumors. The cultivation of primordial follicles in scaffolds as artificial ovaries is a promising approach for this. Methods: Dissociated follicles were placed into an artificial ovarian scaffold composed of fibrinogen and thrombin. The follicles were cultured in a dish dedicated to live cell imaging and observed for growth using immunofluorescence and development via optical microscopy. The morphology of the follicles in the scaffold was three-dimensionally reconstructed using the Imaris software. Growth and development were also quantified. Results: The morphology of artificial ovaries began to degrade over time. Within approximately 7 days, primordial follicles were activated and grew into secondary follicles. A comparison of optical and confocal microscopy results revealed the superior detection of live cells using confocal microscopy. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the confocal microscopy data enabled the automatic enumeration and evaluation of the overall morphology of many follicles. Conclusions: The novel artificial ovary-enabled primordial follicles to enter the growth cycle after activation and grow into secondary follicles. The use of a fibrin scaffold as a carrier preserves the developmental potential of primordial germ cells and is a potentially effective method for preserving fertility in prepubertal girls.
Polydopamine Copolymers for Stable Drug Nanoprecipitation
Authors: Niezni Danna , Harris Yuval , Sason Hagit , Avrashami Maytal , Shamay Yosi
Published: October 2022

Polydopamine (PDA), a biomaterial inspired by marine mussels, has attracted interest in cancer nanomedicine due to its photothermal properties, nanoparticle coating, and pi-pi stacking-based drug encapsulation abilities. Despite numerous one-pot and post-polymerization modifications, PDA copolymers have not been sufficiently studied in the context of stabilizing hydrophobic drugs in the process of nanoprecipitation. In this study, we tested combinatorial panels of comonomers with PDA to optimize drug loading efficiency, particle size and stability of nano formulations made via drug nanoprecipitation. As a selection criterion for optimal comonomers, we used drug aggregation-induced emission (AIE). We identified 1,1,2-Trimethyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl)benz[e]indolium (In820) as a novel and highly useful comonomer for catecholamines and optimized the conditions for its incorporation into PDA copolymers used for drug nanoprecipitation. Surprisingly, it was superior to polyethylene glycol modifications in every aspect. The leading copolymer, poly(dopamine)-poly(L-dopa)-co-In820 (PDA-PDO-In820 1:1:1), was shown to be a good stabilizer for several hydrophobic drugs. The resulting nanoparticles showed stability for up to 15 days, high encapsulation efficiency of at least 80%, low toxicity, and high antitumor efficacy in vitro. Nanoprecipitation of hydrophobic drugs can be greatly enhanced by the use of PDA copolymers containing In820, which are easy-to-prepare and highly effective stabilizers.
Impact of CFTR Modulators on the Impaired Function of Phagocytes in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease
Authors: Meoli Aniello , Eickmeier Olaf , Pisi Giovanna , Fainardi Valentina , Zielen Stefan , Esposito Susanna
Published: October 2022

Cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common genetically inherited disease in Caucasian populations, is a multi-systemic life-threatening autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. In 2012, the arrival of CFTR modulators (potentiators, correctors, amplifiers, stabilizers, and read-through agents) revolutionized the therapeutic approach to CF. In this review, we examined the physiopathological mechanism of chronic dysregulated innate immune response in the lungs of CF patients with pulmonary involvement with particular reference to phagocytes, critically analyzing the role of CFTR modulators in influencing and eventually restoring their function. Our literature review highlighted that the role of CFTR in the lungs is crucial not only for the epithelial function but also for host defense, with particular reference to phagocytes. In macrophages and neutrophils, the CFTR dysfunction compromises both the intricate process of phagocytosis and the mechanisms of initiation and control of inflammation which then reverberates on the epithelial environment already burdened by the chronic colonization of pathogens leading to irreversible tissue damage. In this context, investigating the impact of CFTR modulators on phagocytic functions is therefore crucial not only for explaining the underlying mechanisms of pleiotropic effects of these molecules but also to better understand the physiopathological basis of this disease, still partly unexplored, and to develop new complementary or alternative therapeutic approaches.
Characterisation of Trichomonas vaginalis Isolates Collected from Patients in Vienna between 2019 and 2021
Authors: Lesiak-Markowicz Iwona , Walochnik Julia , Stary Angelika , Fürnkranz Ursula
Published: October 2022

Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral sexually transmitted disease. TV can carry symbionts such as Trichomonas vaginalis virus (TVV) or Mycoplasma hominis. Four distinct strains of TV are known: TVV1, TVV2, TVV3, and TVV4. The aim of the current study was to characterise TV isolates from Austrian patients for the presence of symbionts, and to determine their effect on metronidazole susceptibility and cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. We collected 82 TV isolates and detected presence of TVV (TVV1, TVV2, or TVV3) in 29 of them (35%); no TVV4 was detected. M. hominis was detected in vaginal/urethral swabs by culture in 37% of the TV-positive patients; M. hominis DNA was found in 28% of the TV isolates by PCR. In 15% of the patients, M. hominis was detected in the clinical samples as well as within the respective TV isolates. In 22% of the patients, M. hominis was detected by culture only. In 11 patients, M. hominis was detected only within the respective cultured TV isolates (13%), while the swab samples were negative for M. hominis. Our results provide a first insight into the distribution of symbionts in TV isolates from Austrian patients. We did not observe significant effects of the symbionts on metronidazole susceptibility, cytotoxicity, or severity of symptoms.
The Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Feiner Solís Ángela , Avedillo Salas Ana , Luesma Bartolomé María José , Santander Ballestín Sonia
Published: October 2022

Vitamin D has an immune-modulating effect on respiratory tract infections. For this reason, it has been proposed as part of the treatment in COVID-19. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with worse clinical outcomes of this disease. The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether vitamin D supplementation modifies the disease course. Therefore, eleven studies involving randomised clinical trials are analysed, in which groups of COVID-19 patients with or without vitamin D supplementation as part of the treatment are compared. A control group was treated with best available therapy, and in some of the clinical trials, also with a placebo. According to the outcomes, it seems that patients benefit from receiving a daily or maintained in time vitamin D dose regardless of vitamin D serum levels at the beginning of the trial. The administration of a single vitamin D dose does not seem to have any effect on the health status of these patients. However, the outcomes are heterogeneous and larger clinical trials are necessary.
The PSI Domain of the MET Oncogene Encodes a Functional Disulfide Isomerase Essential for the Maturation of the Receptor Precursor
Authors: Altintas Dogus Murat , Gallo Simona , Basilico Cristina , Cerqua Marina , Bocedi Alessio , Vitacolonna Annapia , Botti Orsola , Casanova Elena , Rancati Ilaria , Milanese Chiara , Notari Sara , Gambardella Giorgia , Ricci Giorgio , Mastroberardino Pier Giorgio , Boccaccio Carla , Crepaldi Tiziana , Comoglio Paolo Maria
Published: October 2022

The tyrosine kinase receptor encoded by the MET oncogene has been extensively studied. Surprisingly, one extracellular domain, PSI, evolutionary conserved between plexins, semaphorins, and integrins, has no established function. The MET PSI sequence contains two CXXC motifs, usually found in protein disulfide isomerases (PDI). Using a scrambled oxidized RNAse enzymatic activity assay in vitro, we show, for the first time, that the MET extracellular domain displays disulfide isomerase activity, abolished by PSI domain antibodies. PSI domain deletion or mutations of CXXC sites to AXXA or SXXS result in a significant impairment of the cleavage of the MET 175 kDa precursor protein, abolishing the maturation of α and β chains, of, respectively, 50 kDa and 145 kDa, disulfide-linked. The uncleaved precursor is stuck in the Golgi apparatus and, interestingly, is constitutively phosphorylated. However, no signal transduction is observed as measured by AKT and MAPK phosphorylation. Consequently, biological responses to the MET ligand—hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)—such as growth and epithelial to mesenchymal transition, are hampered. These data show that the MET PSI domain is functional and is required for the maturation, surface expression, and biological functions of the MET oncogenic protein.