bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A randomized controlled trial assessing the safety and efficacy of palmitoylethanolamide for treating diabetic-related peripheral neuropathic pain
Authors: Pickering Emily , Steels Elizabeth L. , Steadman Kathryn J. , Rao Amanda , Vitetta Luis
Published: September 2022

Background

Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes. The management of the associated neuropathic pain remains difficult to treat.

Objective

This study explored the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) formulation in treating diabetic-related peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). Secondary outcomes included systemic inflammation, sleep and mood changes in patients diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and PNP.

Design

This study was a single-centre, quadruple-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with 70 participants receiving 600 mg of PEA or placebo daily, for 8 weeks, with a 94% rate of study participation completion. Primary outcomes were neuropathic pain and specific pain types (the BPI-DPN and NPSI). The secondary outcomes were sleep quality (MOS sleep scale), mood (DASS-21), glucose metabolism and inflammation.

Results

There was a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.001) in BPI-DPN total pain and pain interference, NPSI total score and sub-scores, except for evoked pain (P = 0.09) in the PEA group compared with the placebo group. The MOS sleep problem index and sub-scores significantly improved (P ≤ 0.001). DASS-21 depression scores significantly reduced (P = 0.03), but not anxiety or stress scores. Interleukin-6 and elevated C-reactive protein levels significantly reduced in the PEA group (P = 0.05), with no differences in fibrinogen between groups (P = 0.78) at treatment completion. There were no changes in safety pathology parameters, and the treatment was well tolerated.

Conclusions

The study demonstrated that the PEA formulation reduced diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and inflammation along with improving mood and sleep. Further studies on the mechanistic effectiveness of PEA as an adjunct medicine and as a monotherapy pain analgesic are warranted.

Clinical Trial Registration

Registry name: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), Registration number: ACTRN12620001302943, Registration link: https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380826, Actual study start date: 20 November 2020.
Habitat diversity and peat moss cover drive the occurrence probability of the threatened ground beetle Carabus menetriesi (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in a Bavarian mire
Authors: Harry Ingmar , Assmann Thorsten , Dormann Carsten F. , Skarbek Carl J.
Published: September 2022

Within the Natura 2000 network, there is a legal imperative to protect endangered species. A lack of knowledge about habitat requirements for these species undermines the ability to make informed decisions about appropriate conservation measures, especially for isolated populations that may have developed habitat preferences specific to their region.Carabus menetriesiis an endangered ground beetle found in Europe and warrants protection under EU law. We collected occupancy data ofC. menetriesiusing live pitfall traps over two seasons in 2016 and 2018 at a protected nature reserve in southern Bavaria, Germany. Here, we present the results of a patch-occupancy modeling approach to determine habitat preferences forC. menetriesiat this site. Our model shows that increasingSphagnumcover and habitat diversity led to higher occupancy levels forC. menetriesiat this site, while tree cover was negatively correlated with occupancy, but increased the detectability of the species.

Implications for insect conservation

Measures for protecting theC. menetriesipopulation at the study site were taken in accordance with our results. Areas with high tree cover were thinned at several sites, although the success of this measure has yet to be determined. Our findings about habitat diversity suggest that expansion of low intensity grazing in the area, a measure that was suggested as a result of our survey and is currently in process of implementation, might benefit the species. Whether our results can be transferred toC. menetriesipopulations in different habitats remains to be investigated, however, our methodological approach with regard to both the data collection and analysis can be used to assess other populations and provide important information about relevant habitat parameters for that population. This will allow conservation managers to make well-informed decisions about conservingC. menetriesi,or indeed other similar carabid species with isolated populations.
Insights into the electrocatalytic behavior of nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanotubes toward oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media
Authors: Rambabu Gutru , Turtayeva Zarina , Xu Feina , Maranzana Gael , Emo Mélanie , Hupont Sébastien , Mamlouk Mohamed , Desforges Alexandre , Vigolo Brigitte
Published: September 2022

This study examines the effect of pretreatment and doping to enhance the ORR activity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Melamine and thio-urea are chosen as precursors for mono and co-doping, respectively. A series of samples with pristine and pretreated CNTs are prepared and characterized physicochemically by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The obtained results show that co-doping is an effective way for improving ORR activity, due to the synergistic effect of N and S for changing the charge and spin density, respectively. Moreover, thio-urea favors the proportion of pyridinic and graphitic nitrogen configurations within doped samples. As a consequence, our synthesis method gives samples with superior ORR activity. The maximum ORR activity is obtained for NS-OX-CNTs which shows an over potential of 0.95 V vs RHE at 0.1 mA/cm2, which is comparable to Pt/C (0.98 V vs RHE). The electron transfer number (n) is calculated as 3.9 at 0.4 V which suggests that the ORR proceeds through a dominant 4 e− path. These comparable half-cell results to that of Pt/C pave the way for further testing as cathode materials for anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFC).

Graphical abstract
Silibinin-modified Hydroxyapatite coating promotes the osseointegration of titanium rods by activation SIRT1/SOD2 signaling pathway in diabetic rats
Authors: Tao Zhou-Shan , Wang Hai-Sheng , Li Tian-Lin , Wei Shan
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of Silibinin (SIL)-modified Hydroxyapatite coating on osseointegration in diabetes in vivo and in vitro and explore the mechanism of osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1. RT-qPCR, Immunofluorescence, and Western blot were used to measure the expression level of oxidative Stress Indicators and osteogenic markers proteins. Moreover, CCK-8 assay was conducted to detect cell viability in hyperglycemia. Alizarin red staining and alkaline phosphatase staining were used to examine osteogenic function and calcium deposits. The diabetic rat model receive titanium rod implantation was set up successfully and Von-Gieson staining was used to examine femoral bone tissue around titanium rod. Our results showed that intracellular oxidative stress in hyperglycemia was overexpressed, while FoxO1, SIRT1, GPX1, and SOD2 were downregulated. SIL suppressed oxidative stress to promote osteogenic differentiation. Additionally, it was confirmed that SIL promoted osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 and obviously restored the osseointegration ability of diabetic rats. Further study indicated that SIL exerted its beneficial function through activation SIRT1/SOD2 signaling pathway to restore osteoblast function, and improved the osseointegration and stability of titanium rods in vivo. Our research suggested that the SIL-modulated oxidative Stress inhibition is responsible for the activation of the process of osteogenic differentiation through activation SIRT1/SOD2 signaling pathway in hyperglycemia, providing a novel insight into improving prosthetic osseointegration in diabetic patients.
Toward a More Comprehensive Understanding of Pathogenic Beliefs: Theory and Clinical Implications
Authors: Gazzillo Francesco
Published: September 2022

According to Control-Mastery Theory, an integrative cognitive-dynamic theory of mental functioning, psychopathology, and psychotherapy process, functional psychopathology derives from pathogenic beliefs. Pathogenic beliefs associates a healthy and adaptive goal to a danger, are generally developed during the developmental period to adapt to traumas and are unconsciously tested by patients in psychotherapy to be disproved. We propose the existence of pathogenic beliefs that are mainly encoded as bodily tensions, sensations, emotions, intensions, mental images and expectations, and only secondarily or not at all as words. These non-verbal pathogenic beliefs painfully affect patients’ bodily states, emotions and behaviours without the patients being able to understand the reasons of their own sensations, reactions and actions. In order to disprove these non-verbal pathogenic beliefs in therapy, it is not enough that clinician help their patients make them explicit; clinicians have also to adapt their overall attitude, non-verbal and paraverbal communications, and to adjust the setting, the nuances and the “atmosphere” of the therapeutic relationship according to the specific developmental traumas that gave rise to these beliefs, the goals thwarted by them and to how the patient test them. The disconfirmation of pre-verbal pathogenic beliefs may also be facilitated by psychotherapy techniques that address the problems of patients on a bodily level. In order to disprove preverbal pathogenic beliefs, an embodied corrective emotional experience is needed.
Effect of reaction time, heating and stirring rate on the morphology of HAp obtained by hydrothermal synthesis
Authors: Szterner Piotr , Biernat Monika
Published: September 2022

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) whiskers were prepared in reaction of calcium lactate pentahydrate and orthophosphoric acid. Synthesis were carried out in different conditions with using hydrothermal reactor. The benefit of the hydrothermal technique is the simple and precise control of the HAp crystals morphology, which is achieved by employing varying initial concentrations of starting reagents as well as different conditions of synthesis. The effect of time of synthesis, stirring and heating rate of the reaction on HAp morphology and composition was investigated. During the synthesis the following experimental parameters were varied independently: time of synthesis (3, 5, 7 h), stirring rate (0, 62.5, 125, 250, 500, 750 rpm), the reaction heating rate (0.2, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5 °C min−1). All syntheses were carried out with the constant molar Ca/P ratio of 1.67 in starting solutions, which is equivalent to that of stoichiometric HAp. The Ca2+ ion concentrations in starting solutions for synthesis were 0.05 and 0.1 mol dm−3. Syntheses were carried out under 20 bar. The obtained products were characterized using different method like XRD, SEM, and FTIR. It was shown that the significant majority of samples prepared were identified as pure HAp.
Phenotypic and environmental correlates of natal dispersal movements in fragmented landscapes
Authors: Robles Hugo , Ciudad Carlos , Porro Zeno , Fattebert Julien , Pasinelli Gilberto , Tschumi Matthias , Vila Marta , Grüebler Martin U.
Published: September 2022

Context

Natal dispersal critically influences eco-evolutionary dynamics and the persistence of spatially structured populations. As both short- and long-distance movements contribute to population persistence in fragmented landscapes, understanding dispersal requires assessing phenotypic and environmental effects on a wide range of distances.

Objectives

To assess phenotypic and environmental correlates of dispersal movements in fragmented landscapes.

Methods

We radio-tracked juvenile middle spotted woodpeckers in fragmented landscapes to assess phenotypic and environmental effects on emigration age, transfer duration (in days), and transfer distances.

Results

Large fledglings and those in good condition emigrated earlier than smaller individuals and those in worse condition. Birds in better condition also reduced transfer duration. Overall, females dispersed earlier, remained shorter at transfer and moved further than males. However, while females increased transfer distances with increasing connectivity, males increased distances with decreasing connectivity. Emigration age increased with decreasing patch size and increasing patch quality, and with decreasing population density in patches with soft edges. Both transfer duration and distance increased with decreasing population density.

Conclusions

The correlations between phenotypic traits of fledglings and their posterior movements suggest that early-life conditions influenced dispersal through carry-over effects. Early emigration from low-quality and high-populated patches can be a behavioural mechanism to quickly escape adverse natal conditions, but population density effects were modulated by edge hardness. Finally, because reductions in connectivity led to similar transfer distances between sexes through a reduction in female distances, a lack of sex-biased dispersal can be a previously overlooked effect of habitat isolation that may alter eco-evolutionary dynamics.
Development and characterization of microsatellite primers for Triops granarius (Branchiopoda: Notostraca) using MiSeq technology
Authors: Ahmed Lina , Al-Najjar Yousef , Cramer Emily R. A. , Thareja Gaurav , Suhre Karsten , Chen Kuei-Chiu
Published: September 2022

Background

Next-generation sequencing technology has allowed for the rapid development of microsatellites, neutral polymorphic markers that can be used for the analysis of population structure.

Methods and Results

In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq system and de novo assembly to design microsatellite primers for Triops granarius populations in Qatar. The developed microsatellites are suitable for future studies of genetic structuring among geographically isolated freshwater pools. A total of 23 different primer pairs produced typical microsatellite results, with each pair successfully amplified in up to 40 individuals. Only five of the loci produced a significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Conclusions

Some of the underlying mechanisms regarding the few loci that deviated from HWE may be further investigated to determine the source of deviation. As T. granarius is the most widely distributed species of the family, the development of these molecular markers would be useful for conducting population genetics and biogeographical studies broadly.
Functional equations with multiple recursive terms
Authors: Adan Ivo , Boxma Onno , Resing Jacques
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we study a functional equation for generating functions of the form $$f(z) = g(z) \sum _{i=1}^M p_i f(\alpha _i(z)) + K(z)$$

f

(
z
)

=
g

(
z
)

∑

i
=
1

M

p
i

f

(

α
i

(
z
)

)

+
K

(
z
)

, viz. a recursion with multiple recursive terms. We derive and analyze the solution of this equation for the case that the $$\alpha _i(z)$$

α
i

(
z
)

are commutative contraction mappings. The results are applied to a wide range of queueing, autoregressive and branching processes.
Changes in older people’s quality of life in the COVID-19 era: a population-based study in Finland
Authors: Siltanen Sini , Ilmarinen Katja , Luoma Minna-Liisa , Leppäaho Suvi , Kehusmaa Sari
Published: September 2022

Purpose

We investigated how quality of life (QoL) changed between 2018 and 2020, and how its related factors, i.e., communication with friends and family, loneliness, and sleeping difficulties changed amid the early-phase COVID-19 pandemic among Finnish older people.

Methods

This study utilizes data from a repeated cross-sectional, population-based FinSote survey in 2018 and 2020. Participants were community-dwelling people aged 75 years or older (N = 9781 in 2018 and N = 9919 in 2020). QoL was assessed with the EUROHIS-QoL-8 scale. Changes in QoL-related factors were self-evaluated in 2020. Statistical methods included t test, Cohen’s D, and chi-square test. To identify potential risk groups, all analyses were stratified by socio-demographic features including sex, age, economic deprivation, living alone, and difficulties in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL).

Results

QoL improved slightly from 2018 to 2020 (means 3.68 and 3.81, respectively). Only those reporting economic deprivation demonstrated a slight decrease in QoL (3.24 vs. 3.14). Of respondents, 63% reported having less communication with friends and family, 42% having felt lonelier, and 20% having more sleeping difficulties amid the pandemic. Negative changes were more often reported by women, the oldest old, those living alone, reporting economic deprivation, or manifesting IADL difficulties.

Conclusion

Finnish older people’s QoL was not affected as much as expected amid the pandemic, although some population groups were, however, more susceptible to the negative effects of the pandemic on QoL-related factors. Results imply that various socio-demographic features may shape the effects of a global pandemic and its control measures on wellbeing.
Distribution of DDS-cerberus authenticated facial recognition streams
Authors: Park Andrew T. , Peck Nathaniel , Dill Richard , Hodson Douglas D. , Grimaila Michael R. , Henry Wayne C.
Published: September 2022

Successful missions in the field often rely upon communication technologies for tactics and coordination. One middleware used in securing these communication channels is Data Distribution Service (DDS) which employs a publish-subscribe model. However, researchers have found several security vulnerabilities in DDS implementations. DDS-Cerberus (DDS-C) is a security layer implemented into DDS to mitigate impersonation attacks using Kerberos authentication and ticketing. Even with the addition of DDS-C, the real-time message sending of DDS also needs to be upheld. This paper extends our previous work to analyze DDS-C’s impact on performance in a use case implementation. The use case covers an artificial intelligence (AI) scenario that connects edge sensors across a commercial network. Specifically, it characterizes how DDS-C performs between unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the cloud, and video streams for facial recognition. The experiments send a set number of video frames over the network using DDS to be processed by AI and displayed on a screen. An evaluation of network traffic using DDS-C revealed that it was not statistically significant compared to DDS for the majority of the configuration runs. The results demonstrate that DDS-C provides security benefits without significantly hindering the overall performance.
Prevalence and characteristics of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) in Italy
Authors: Ciaffi Jacopo , Borlandelli Elena , Visani Gaia , Facchini Giancarlo , Miceli Marco , Ruscitti Piero , Cipriani Paola , Giacomelli Roberto , Ursini Francesco
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a benign condition characterized by ossification of the spine and prominent enthesopathies. Highly heterogeneous epidemiological figures have been reported in the literature, while in Italy the largest study has been conducted in 1992. The aim of our research is to contribute updated information about prevalence of DISH in Italy and to describe the clinical and radiographic characteristics associated with the disorder.

Material and methods

A retrospective review of lumbosacral spine, thoracic spine and pelvis radiographs was performed. Consecutive patients visiting the emergency department of our Institution over 3 years were enrolled. Presence of DISH was evaluated applying the Resnick and Niwayama criteria. Clinical and radiological features were also assessed.

Results

We included 1012 individuals (60.6% women), and DISH was present in 130 cases. The overall prevalence of DISH was 12.8% (95% CI 10.8–15.1), with higher figures in the male sample (16.8%) than in females (10.3%). In binary logistic regression adjusted for age, BMI (OR 1.50, p < 0.001) diabetes (OR 1.85, p = 0.003), hypertension (OR 2.04, p = 0.007) ischiopubic enthesopathy (OR 7.08, p < 0.001), iliac crest enthesopathy (OR 4.63, p < 0.001) and greater trochanter enthesopathy (OR 3.51, p < 0.001), were significantly associated with the condition.

Conclusion

The prevalence of DISH observed in our study is consistent with previous literature, and we confirm that the disorder is more frequently retrieved in men and that it is associated with the presence of metabolic disorders and pelvic enthesopathy. Knowledge about the epidemiology and characteristics of DISH is needed to properly identify the condition.
Poverty and inequality implications of carbon pricing under the long-term climate target
Authors: Zhao Shiya , Fujimori Shinichiro , Hasegawa Tomoko , Oshiro Ken , Sasaki Katsuya
Published: September 2022

Many countries have taken stringent climate policies to minimize the risks by climate change. But these policies could burden households and the poor with the extra costs and threaten their wellbeing. However, the consequences of climate policies on poverty and welfare loss are seldom presented in stringent long-term climate change mitigation projections. Carbon pricing is a cost-effective approach; how it affects households varies among countries. This study investigated the distributional effects and poverty implications of carbon pricing in China during the transition towards carbon neutrality and the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals. We assessed multiple poverty and equity standards in future scenarios with a newly developed integrated assessment model. It was found that climate change mitigation efforts would not greatly hinder poverty alleviation in China, with the poverty headcount under the $3.2/cap/day-threshold being less than 0.3 million people in 2050 in most scenarios. A carbon tax became a regressive factor mainly due to price increases in food and energy goods. This indicates that the distributional effects on carbon pricing should be considered. For example, supplementary policies that compensate for price changes, such as subsidies and early mitigation actions, that lead to modest price increases in the long term are worthy of consideration as valid instruments for the just transition towards the 2 °C or even 1.5 °C pathway.
Numerical Investigation of River Discharge and Tidal Variation Impact on Salinity Intrusion in a Generic River Delta Through Idealized Modelling
Authors: Matsoukis Constantinos , Amoudry Laurent O. , Bricheno Lucy , Leonardi Nicoletta
Published: September 2022

Salinity in deltaic systems is expected to increase in the near future due to sea level rise. This will cause severe environmental consequences because salinity can be detrimental to agriculture, aquaculture and human consumption. Tidal dynamics are important in regulating salinity in river deltas. However, there is still uncertainty about the influence of different tidal amplitudes on deltas’ salinity. This paper investigates the impact of various tidal amplitudes on the spatiotemporal salinity distribution in deltas through three-dimensional idealized modelling. Numerical simulations are carried out with a common hydrograph and different tidal ranges. Both tide-influenced and river-dominated cases were considered. Results suggest that small increases in the tidal amplitude in river-dominated or low tidal regimes cases can have positive effects against salinization. Tide-induced mixing helps to increase freshwater areas and volumes. The water in the delta remains fresh for longer periods in scenarios representative of microtidal regimes. Further increases in the tidal amplitude to meso- and macrotidal levels reverse these effects and reduce freshwater areas and volumes. Results were used to test how salinity correlates with channel orders and river discharge in the presence of tides. These correlations are controlled more by bathymetry than tidal forcing. This study provides important insights into how changes in tidal range could impact spatiotemporal salinity distributions in deltas.
Empires and the acceleration of wealth inequality in the pre-Islamic Near East: an archaeological approach
Authors: Squitieri Andrea , Altaweel Mark
Published: September 2022

We present an approach comparing wealth inequality between c. 3000 BCE and 224 CE in the Near East using house sizes and urban area from 1060 houses in 98 archaeological sites. We divide this dataset into two chronological phases, firstly c. 3000-800 BCE and secondly 800 BCE - 224 CE. The first phase is characterised by small, relatively weak states, while the second phase is characterised by major empires and large states, termed as the Age of Empire (AoE). For these two periods, inequality is measured using house size in relation to settlement scaling, and applying, in addition, the Gini and Atkinson indices on house sizes. Results demonstrate that pre-AoE houses have a lower scaling metric (β) that measures house size relative to site size (0.24), while for the AoE the value is higher (0.41). This indicates more rapid median house size expansion during the AoE as cities grew larger. For the pre-AoE, Gini and Atkinson inequality measures result in 0.45 and 0.16, respectively, while the AoE demonstrates 0.54 and 0.24 for the same measures, respectively. This demonstrates greater house size inequality in the AoE. Overall, we see that wealth inequality is not only greater in the AoE, but that increased wealth inequality has a likely power law relationship to increased settlement area. Alternative metrics to minimise data biases affecting results, including median house size and bootstrap sampling, are applied to strengthen these results and overall conclusions.
Primary angioembolization in liver trauma: major hepatic necrosis as a severe complication of a minimally invasive treatment—a narrative review
Authors: Segalini Edoardo , Morello Alessia , Leati Giovanni , Di Saverio Salomone , Aseni Paolo
Published: September 2022

The liver is the second most commonly solid organ injured in blunt abdominal trauma. Liver injuries are classified according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Injury Scale. The choice of Non-Operative Management is based on generalized clinical patients’ conditions combined with the evidence on CT scan imaging. To date, there are no consensus guidelines on appropriate patient selection criteria for those who would benefit from angiography and angioembolization. Major hepatic necrosis is a clinical condition of extended liver damage and is the most common complication after angioembolization. Large amounts of necrotic liver require therapy, but it is unclear if the better technique is debridements supplemented by percutaneous drainage procedures or definitive resection. A systematic review of the literature was performed with a computerized search in a database such as Medline for published papers on the use of angioembolization in trauma patients with hepatic injuries and on the most common complication, the major hepatic necrosis. The systematic review was conducted according to the recommendations of the 2020 updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 3643 patients were included in the study, suffering liver trauma and 1703 (47%) were treated with Non-Operative Management; angioembolization was performed 10% of cases with a variable rate between 2 and 20%. Patients developed different complications. Hepatic necrosis accounted for 16% ranging from 0 to 42%. 74% of patients underwent operative management with a mortality rate of 11%. High-grade liver injuries pose significant challenges to surgeons who care for trauma patients. Many patients can be successfully managed nonoperatively. In hemodynamically stable patients with arterial blush, without other lesions requiring immediate surgery, selective and super-selective AE of the hepatic artery branches is an effective technique. However, these therapies are not without complications and major hepatic necrosis is the most common complication in high-grade injures. Level III, Systematic review
Local administration of large surface area microparticle docetaxel to solid carcinomas induces direct cytotoxicity and immune-mediated tumoricidal effects: preclinical and clinical studies
Authors: Maulhardt Holly , Verco Shelagh , Baltezor Michael , Marin Alyson , diZerega Gere
Published: September 2022

This report describes local administration of large surface area microparticle docetaxel (LSAM-DTX: ~ 3.5- to 7.5-µm-sized particles with high relative surface area) in preclinical oncology models and in a clinical trial in urothelial carcinoma. Reductions in tumor volumes were found following intratumoral (IT) injection of LSAM-DTX into human urologic carcinoma cell lines and syngeneic murine renal and breast cancer cell lines. Compared to IT injections of docetaxel solution typically administered intravenously, IT LSAM-DTX results in 40-fold more docetaxel retained within the tumor. The long residence time of LSAM-DTX within the tumor acts as a drug depot, allowing for continuous release of docetaxel, exposing tumor cells to high, therapeutic levels of chemotherapeutic for several weeks. Local LSAM-DTX results in tumoricidal effects at the site of deposition as well as in distant tumors, and IT LSAM-DTX in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy reduces or eliminates metastatic spread. Tumoricidal effects of local LSAM-DTX are accompanied by immunomodulation including increases in innate and adaptive immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and peripheral blood. Encouraging clinical results indicate that local administration of LSAM-DTX may provide therapeutic benefits for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and muscle invasive bladder cancer patients; treatments were well-tolerated with few local and systemic adverse events and negligible systemic docetaxel exposure. Results of preclinical and clinical investigations summarized here indicate that local administration of LSAM-DTX may augment tumor response to systemically administered chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy without contributing to systemic toxicity.

Graphical abstract
Methods and benefits of measuring non-hydrocarbon gases from surface casing vents
Authors: Utting N. , Osadetz K. , Darrah T. H. , Brennwald M. S. , Mayer B. , Lawton D.
Published: September 2022

Surface casing vents divert natural gas migration along oil and gas boreholes to bypass groundwater, with the gas venting to the atmosphere. While this strategy is designed to protect groundwater, it constitutes a source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. In instances where gas leakage occurs, the characterization of the molecular and isotopic composition of natural gas emitted from surface casing vent flows can be used to assist in identifying the gas source. We compare concentration measurements of non-hydrocarbon gases (within natural gas) of samples analyzed by laboratory-based gas chromatography (N2, Ar, CO2 and O2) and magnetic sector noble gas mass spectrometry (He, Ar and Kr) with field measurements conducted using a field portable quadrupole mass spectrometer (miniRUEDI). The standard deviation of miniRUEDI concentration results was within plus/minus one standard deviation of samples measured using laboratory-based GC (N2, O2, Ar and He) and magnetic sector noble gas mass spectrometry (He, Ar). Additional laboratory-based determination of isotope ratios of methane and argon (δ13CCH4, δ2HCH4, and 40Ar/36Ar) enabled a comparison between information provided by the analysis of reactive gases compared with noble gas isotopes. Gases from different sources displayed quantifiable differences in δ13CCH4 and δ2HCH4, but these changes may or may not be distinguished if only one sampling event is conducted. By comparison, 40Ar/36Ar further enabled the differentiation of various gas sources. The objective of this paper is to discuss the advantages and trade-offs of the three different analysis methods considered, and the feasibility of their application in different environmental monitoring scenarios.
Stabilization of a uniform rotating disk-beam-mass system with boundary input disturbance
Authors: Aouragh My Driss , Nahli Mohamed , Segaoui M’hamed
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we study the stabilization problem of a disk beam structure with disturbance. Specifically, the structure consists of a beam clamped at one end to the center of a rotating rigid disk, while the other end is attached to a tip mass subject to a non-uniform bounded disturbance. We start the investigation by designing the controller via the Active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) approach. The high gain extended state observer (ESO) is first designed to estimate the disturbance, then the feedback observer-based controller is designed to employ the estimation to cancel the disturbance effect. Furthermore, the well-posedeness of the controlled system is proved using the semigroup theory. Using the Lyapunov method, the exponential stability is proved. Finally, the performance of the control method is illustrated by simulation results.
Lie symmetry analysis and conservation laws of non-linear (2+1) elastic wave equation
Authors: Usman M. , Zaman F. D.
Published: September 2022

The elastic wave propagation in inelastic media gives rise to non-linear wave equation. We study such a nonlinear wave in two dimensions using Murnaghan model. Lie symmetries, invariant exact solutions and conservation laws using the Noether theorem have been found. The nonlinear elastic wave equation with a damping term has been dealt with using the partial Noether approach.
Alteration of the Graphite Morphology in Solid Solution-Strengthened Ductile Iron Due to High Contents of Cerium and Bismuth
Authors: Stieler Felix , Funk Daniel , Tonn Babette
Published: September 2022

The impact of combined addition of high levels of bismuth up to 120 wt ppm and cerium up to 2000 wt ppm on the graphite morphology in GJS 450-18 with 3.2 wt% carbon and 3.2 wt% silicon was studied. Experiments were conducted with insulated keel blocks with a solidification time of 40 min. Samples from the thermal centre of the castings were analysed by optical microscopy, and the forms and sizes of graphite particles were characterised. Bismuth addition, even at 25 wt ppm, resulted in an altered graphite form in the last-to-freeze regions resembling intercellular lamellar graphite (ILG). Additions of 45 wt ppm or more Ce to these Bi-containing melts prevented the formation of ILG and produced chunky graphite (CHG) instead. ILG did not appear for ratios Bi/Ce > 1.5, while CHG could not be found for ratios Bi/Ce < 0.7. Only one type of graphite degeneration (either ILG or CHG) was present in each sample, thus rendering their formation mutually exclusive. Larger amounts of Ce between 300 and 500 wt ppm resulted in the formation of predominantly graphite form V, while no degenerations could be observed. The addition of Ce to a Bi-contaminated cast iron melt to avoid ILG formation and achieve a regular graphite structure with mainly form VI graphite is not possible. Instead, form V replaces form VI as the predominantly formed morphology. Ce levels higher than 1000 wt ppm resulted in the formation of large areas of undercooled graphite in the last-to-freeze regions regardless of the Bi content in the cast iron melt.
The collective vs individual nature of mountaineering: a network and simplicial approach
Authors: Krishnagopal Sanjukta
Published: September 2022

Mountaineering is a sport of contrary forces: teamwork plays a large role in mental fortitude and skills, but the actual act of climbing, and indeed survival, is largely individualistic. This work studies the effects of the structure and topology of relationships within climbers on the level of cooperation and success. It does so using simplicial complexes, where relationships between climbers are captured through simplices that correspond to joint previous expeditions with dimension given by the number of climbers minus one and weight given by the number of occurrences of the simplex. First, this analysis establishes the importance of relationships in mountaineering and shows that chances of failure to summit reduce drastically when climbing with repeated partners. From a climber-centric perspective, it finds that climbers that belong to simplices with large dimension were more likely to be successful, across all experience levels. Then, the distribution of relationships within a group is explored to categorize collective human behavior in expeditions, on a spectrum from polarized to cooperative. Expeditions containing simplices with large dimension, and usually low weight (weak relationships), implying that a large number of people participated in a small number of joint expeditions, tended to be more cooperative, improving chances of success of all members of the group, not just those that were part of the simplex. On the other hand, the existence of small, usually high weight (i.e., strong relationships) simplices, subgroups lead to a polarized style where climbers that were not a part of the subgroup were less likely to succeed. Lastly, this work examines the effects of individual features (such as age, gender, climber experience etc.) and expedition-wide factors (number of camps, total number of days etc.) that are more important determiners of success in individualistic and cooperative expeditions respectively. Centrality indicates that individual features of youth and oxygen use while ascending are the most important predictors of success. Of expedition-wide factors, the expedition size and number of expedition days are found to be strongly correlated with success rate.
Fuzzy energy management strategy for hybrid electric vehicles on battery state-of-charge estimation by particle filter
Authors: Feng Na , Ma Tiehua , Chen Changxin
Published: September 2022

The battery/ultracapacitor hybrid power supply system can solve the problems of high cost and short life of a single power system, and the energy management of hybrid power system has become a vital issue in the field of electric vehicles. In this paper, a fuzzy energy management strategy on the state-of-charge (SOC) estimation of power battery is proposed. Particle filter (PF) algorithm is used to estimate SOC of power battery, then estimated result is regarded as the input variable of fuzzy energy management controller, and the energy distribution result is obtained after fuzzy logic operation. The simulation results show that the SOC estimation result of the PF algorithm is closer to the actual value of power battery SOC. When the SOC estimation result of PF is embedded into the fuzzy controller for joint simulation, it is found that the charge and discharge current, and SOC consumption of the power battery are reduced, which shows the algorithm’s effectiveness. It also provides a specific reference value for the further study of the power supply control strategy of hybrid electric vehicles.
Efficient one-dimensional turbomachinery design method based on transfer learning and Bayesian optimization
Authors: Chen Junfeng , Liu Changxing
Published: September 2022

Aerodynamic optimization is a powerful approach used in turbomachinery design to shorten design cycles and reduce manual intervention. The design task is to find the optimal design variables with optimal efficiency. However, most design optimization algorithms must start from scratch for each new design task because they cannot reuse previous design experience, in contrast to human experts, who can identify a near-optimal solution based on prior design experience. To address this issue, this paper proposes a transfer optimization learning method for one-dimensional (1D) turbine aerodynamic design. It can transfer the knowledge from the samples accumulated from past design optimizations (source tasks) to accelerate the target design optimization (target task). For each task, a Gaussian process-based surrogate model is established. These models are combined by a probability weighting strategy to build an ensemble model that achieves knowledge transfer. The method is validated on a 1D design case of a single-stage turbine. The results show that, compared with other state-of-the-art optimization algorithms that do not use prior design experience, the proposed method can reduce the computational cost by more than 30% while maintaining the same aerodynamic performance. This paper demonstrates an efficient transfer optimization method for the high-nonlinear 1D turbine design problem.
An extended gate field-effect transistor (EG-FET) type non-enzymatic glucose sensor with inkjet-printed copper oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Shibata Kohei , Nakamura Atsushi
Published: September 2022

We develop a disposable and cost-effective non-enzymatic glucose sensor consisting of an extended gate field effect transistor (EG-FET) to obtain effortless operation. The sensor is fabricated by printing, gold (Au) precursor ink and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) inks using a commercial inkjet printer on a flexible Polyimide (PI) substrate. First, sensing properties are tested electrochemically. The sensor shows a sensitivity of 728.5 μA cm−2 mM−1 and a detection limit of 0.01 mM with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.998. The observed linear dynamic range is from 0.5 to 7 mM. After that, the sensing electrode is adapted to the EG-FET. Two linear response ranges extend from 0.1 to 4 mM of a low concentration range of glucose with a sensitivity of 1295 μA cm−2 mM−1, and from 5 to 30 mM of a high concentration range of glucose with a sensitivity of 164 μA cm−2 mM−1 are observed. The EG-FET approach can enhance the detection sensitivities using amplification for a low concentration glucose range and extending a detection range for high concentration glucose. The presented work demonstrates that simply printed CuO NPs sensors can be used at low cost for disposable wide-range glucose detection devices.

Article Highlights

A non-enzymatic printed glucose sensor using an inkjet printer has been successfully developed.

CuO nanoparticles ink is printed on thin gold electrodes on Polyimide film.

We evaluate the glucose detection of extended-gate field-effect transistor (EG-FET) sensors.

The sensitivity is estimated to be 1295 μA cm−2 mM−1.

The EG-FET structure has the merit of a simple operation and cost-effective personal health care devices.
Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo inversion of surface-based transient electromagnetic data
Authors: Deng Shengqiang , Zhang Nuoya , Kuang Bo , Li Yaohua , Sun Huaifeng
Published: September 2022

Conventional linearized deterministic inversions of transient electromagnetic (TEM) data inherently simplify the non-uniqueness and ill-posed nature of the problem. While Monte-Carlo-type approaches allow for a comprehensive search of the solution space, gaining the ensemble of inferred solutions as comprehensive as possible may be limited utility in high-dimensional problems. To overcome these limitations, we utilize a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) inversion approach for surface-based TEM data, which incorporates Bayesian concepts into Monte-Carlo-type global search strategies and can infer the posterior distribution of the models satisfying the observed data. The proposed methodology is first tested on synthetic data for a range of canonical earth models and then applied to a pertinent field dataset. The results are consistent with those obtained by standard linearized inversion approaches, but, as opposed to the latter, allow us to estimate the associated non-linear, non-Gaussian uncertainty.
Flexural performance of reinforced HS-HVFA-SCC beam with spliced plain bar
Authors: Kristiawan Stefanus A. , Rohman Rosyid Kholilur , Ferdyan Ecky F.
Published: September 2022

This research presents the use of flexural performance criteria for determining the required spliced length of tensile plain bar embedded in unconfined high strength-high volume fly ash-self compacting concrete (HS-HVFA-SCC) beam. Subsequently, the obtained splice length is compared with the splice length database of other concrete types. For the purpose of the investigation, five beams are designed with various spliced bars within the pure bending area. In addition, a beam with continuous bar is prepared as a reference beam. The beams are tested by a four-point loading scheme. The results show that splice lengths within a 342–570 mm (34.2db–57db) range provide sufficient development of strength in the reinforcements to sustain a higher flexural load than the reference beam. However, in term of stiffness and ductility, only beams with a splice length of at least 380 mm (38db) are superior compared to the reference beam. Based on the above consideration, the minimum splice length of tensile plain reinforcement for the investigated beams is 380 mm (38db). Comparison of the result with other concrete types suggests that the required splice length of tensile plain bar embedded in HS-HVFA-SCC follows the equations for estimating splice length of general concrete and self-compacting concrete (SCC) even though the equations are derived for deformed bars. This finding implies that an efficient splice length in HS-HVFA-SCC beam can be expected.

Article Highlights

HS-HVFA-SCC beam with a lap-spliced plain bar of 38db gives an equal flexural performance to the beam with continuous bar.

The required splice length of plain bar in HS-HVFA-SCC beam is comparable to that of deformed bar in other concrete types.

An expected efficiency of splice length can encourage the use of HS-HVFA-SCC for a variety of structural applications.