bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laboratory synthesis of C3A on the kilogram scale: Preliminary results
Authors: Scheinherrová L , Krejsová J , Beneš M , Šteffek M , Černý R
Published: November 2023

This paper focuses on tricalcium aluminate (C3A) synthesis on the kilogram scale in laboratory conditions. The proposed design aims to produce more than 97 wt% of C3A. The remaining three wt% could be associated with residual lime, CaO, which is preferable over mayenite (C12A7). The maximally used temperatures for the synthesis were 1350 °C and the borderline temperature of 1400 °C, beyond which C3A and liquid phase can be formed. The preliminary results showed that using the CaO:Al2O3 ratio of 62.5:37.5 and a temperature of 1400 °C, it was possible to achieve pure cubic C3A of the desired quality. Moreover, it was shown that the time for which was the maximal temperature kept before removing the samples from the furnace was an essential parameter that influenced most significantly the amount of mayenite in the structure of C3A.
Calibration of microwave antenna for porous materials moisture evaluation using frequency domain analysis
Authors: Tabiś K , Suchorab Z , Szczepaniak Z , Majerek D , Rogala T , Knioła M , Susek W
Published: November 2023

The article presents the possibility to use microwave contactless measuring system for evaluation of moisture of porous media, mainly building materials utilizing the frequency domain analysis. In the article the description of microwave sensing technique is presented and the methods of microwave data analysis described. In the second part of the manuscript, microwave readouts are presented and the apparent permittivity values estimated in the red brick samples depending on moisture. With the calculated data, calibration model is estimated and fitting quality evaluated. Using the achieved data and calculated values the potential of microwave sensing technique is evaluated and advantages and disadvantages presented.
Thermal vacuum evaporation peculiarities of perovskite-type barium-strontium hafnate
Authors: Taran A , Kyslytsyn O , Podshyvalova O , Taran S , Okhrimovskyy A
Published: November 2023

Experimental results are presented on the thermal vacuum evaporation of barium hafnate BaHfO3 and double barium-strontium hafnate Ba0.5Sr0.5HfO3, which are included together with finely dispersed tungsten as components in sintered composites. It is found that at T = 1900 K only barium and barium oxide are the products of BaHfO3 evaporation, i.e., congruent evaporation of BaHfO3 does not occur. Investigations of Ba0.5Sr0.5HfO3 evaporation at T = 1600 K showed that it also does not evaporate congruently. At the same time, the nucleation of a new phase of BaO·SrO in the form of structures with D6 symmetry was detected. Using a high-current vacuum arc discharge, congruent evaporation of Ba0.5Sr0.5HfO3 takes place, forming various crystalline formations of double barium-strontium hafnate on the substrate.
The nature of kaolinitic clays and their impact on the performance of SCM
Authors: Vejmelková E , Pommer V , Šádková K , Koňáková D
Published: November 2023

Nowadays, metakaolin is currently widely used as a supplementary cementitious material in the concrete industry. However, there are significant differences between kaolinitic clays, which can be used for the production of metakaolin. They can vary in the granulometry as well in the mineralogical composition (more precisely the content of varying impurities can differ widely). The main aim of this article is to assess the impact of mentioned variation on the thermal activation of such kaolinitic clays. For this purpose, four clays from the Czech Republic were chosen and examined. Primarily, their characterization composed of XRD, DSC, granulometry, and specific surface area was studied. Then these clays were thermally activated at temperatures from 500°C to 650°C. Afterwards, the changes in determined properties were investigated. Then the samples of blended cement pastes with a replacement level of 15% were produced, and basic physical and mechanical properties were determined. It was proved that for particular clays, different temperature treatments were optimal, which further lead to varying results of the mechanical performance of blended cement-based pastes. Such variation can be linked to the phase composition of studied clays.
Application of numerical modelling to evaluate the influence of smoke extraction flaps on fire safety of the buildings
Authors: Wlazlo M , Paśnikowska-Łukaszuk M , Szulżyk-Cieplak J , Zaburko J , Suchorab Z , Guz Ł
Published: November 2023

The aim this paper is to present the simulation of the building in the computer program PyroSim by Thunderhead Engineering based on the FDS calculation engine. The article presents simulations of the use of smoke vents and their impact on fire safety in a public building based on the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) calculation engine. Two scenarios were analysed in the simulation. The first simulation shows 180 seconds of fire without the smoke vent, while the second simulation shows 150 seconds of fire with the smoke vent open. A fire power density of 500 kW/m2 was adopted and is used in each case as well as the fire development coefficient, which was calculated on the basis of literature data. On their basis, simulations were carried out, the results of which were used to draw conclusions.
Thermal diffusivity and thermal expansion investigations of WLV steel
Authors: Zieliňski M , Koniorczyk P
Published: November 2023

WLV steel (32CrMoV12-28) with a density 7.80 g/cm3 at room temperature (RT) was used to study the temperature characteristics of thermal diffusivity and thermal expansion in the temperature range from RT to 1100°C Two types of NETZSCH flash devices were used, i.e. low-temperature LFA 467 and high-temperature LFA 427. A sample of NETZSCH Inconel 600 with a density of 8.35 g/cm3 at room temperature in the temperature range from RT to 480°C was used as the reference material. The reference material was used to determine the thermal conductivity and specific heat by the comparative method. The results of thermal diffusivity tests of WLV steel made with the LFA 467 and LFA 427 apparatus turned out to be consistent with each other. Measurements of thermal expansion of WLV steel were carried out using a NETZSCH DIL 402 C dilatometer. The results of thermal expansion studies indicated a ferrite-austenite phase transition at 835°C, which causes shrinkage of the material. WLV steel has been tested for military use as barrel steel. The paper presents the thermophysical properties of this steel in a wide range of temperatures so that they can be used as input data for numerical simulations of heat transfer in cannon barrels.
Fisheries characteristics and biology of Indo-Pacific King Mackerel in Tarakan Waters, North Kalimantan
Authors: Yusuf Helman Nur , Baihaqi  , Hufiadi  , Chodrijah Umi , Pane Andina Ramadhani Putri , Noegroho Tegoeh , Mahiswara
Published: November 2023

The Indo-Pacific king mackerel (Scomberomorus gutatus) is one of the catches of drift gill nets in the waters of Tarakan, north Kalimantan, and makes an important contribution to fisheries production in the region. In order for its use to be sustainable, it is necessary to make efforts to manage fish resources based on studies of fisheries and their biology. Monthly data for the period January to November 2021 were obtained from tangkahan based on tarakan with the aim of obtaining information and analyzing the dimensions of fishing gear, fishing grounds, catch composition, frequency of fish size, and fishing effort (cpue). Furthermore, fish biology data were analyzed by the analytical method. the results showed that there was a change in the dimensions of the longer fishing gear; the abundance of fish caught by drift gill nets was dominated by indo-pacific king mackerel (Scomberomorus gutatus) (49.3%), dorab wolf-herring (Chirocentrus dorab) (12.8%), fourfinger threadfin (Eleutheronema tetradactylum) (8.5%), silver grunt (Pomadasys argenteus) (4.7%), narrowbar spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) (4.3%), barramundi (Lates calcarifer) (2.3%), goldstripe sardinella (Sardinella gibbosa) (2.2%), common pike conger (Muraenesox bagio) (2.2%), daggertooth pike conger (Muraenesox cinereus) (1.9%), needleskin queenfish (Scomberoides tol) 1.7%, great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) 1.3%, and other fish (11.1%). The distribution of fishing grounds is dominated by grid 6005 by 46.5%, grid 6004 by 7.08%, and grid 5760 by 6.7%. The length at first capture (lc) of mackerel was 38.06 cmfl. The yield per unit effort (cpue) of drift gill nets in Tarakan is an average of 44.3 kg/day.
Wave Reflection of Concrete Armour Unit: A 2D Physical Model Study
Authors: Armono H D , Irawan C , Utami W , Sahid A I , Maula A I , Hafiz M B D G , Arifin M F , Luthfi A Q
Published: November 2023

A breakwater is a coastal structure that breaks the wave energy coming towards the beach. When a wave hits an object, it will be reflected entirely or partially. Initially, the primary layer units on the coastal protection structure were only composed of large piles of natural stone. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a natural stone of the right size, and to prevent its scarcity; natural stones are commonly replaced with concrete blocks. This study conducted the reflection coefficient analysis on the BPPT Lock concrete armor unit. Physical model testing was carried out on the wave channel of the Coastal and Port Infrastructure Laboratory, Department of Ocean Engineering ITS. From this study, it was found that the reflection coefficient on BPPT Lock ranges from 0.512 to 0.828 at a wave steepness of 0.002088 to 0.0117 with a structural slope angle of 1: 2. The reflection coefficient value is influenced by wave height, wave period, and the slope angle of the structure.
Evaporation Rate Analysis Of Raw Water In Salt Production Using a Prototype At Salt House
Authors: Nuzula Nike Ika , Masruroh Ika , Kartika Ary Giri Dwi , Efendy Makhfud , Setiyawan Fany
Published: November 2023

In Indonesia, the famous method of the salt production process is evaporation using solar energy. The important aspect of this method is the evaporation rate. The evaporation rate is nearly related to the physical conditions of the surrounding environment. The aim of this study is to determine the evaporation rate of raw water in the production process using a prototype and determine the effect of physical parameters on the rate of evaporation of raw water in the production process in the salt house. The causal method with a quantity approach was used in this research. The results obtained are the total evaporation rate on the prototype at the Salt House is 1.68 litters/day and the results of Spearman rank correlation show that luminous intensity, air temperature, and wind speed have a significant impact on the evaporation rate because the significant value is <0.005 while the humidity level is not s significant effect.
Numerical Study of the of Proposed Hexaloc Concrete Armor Units under Static Loading
Authors: Irawan C , Armono H D
Published: November 2023

Concrete armor units are commonly used to protect shorelines and rubble mound coastal structures. This paper presents the numerical modeling test results for the proposed Hexaloc armor unit under static load. The model shows some value of tensile stress exceeds the critical stress. It was found that the cracking occurred at the top surface of the leg. In the design, the moment due to hydrodynamic and impact loads is not permitted to exceed the cracking moment.
Exploitable biomass and acceptable biological catch (ABC) for spiny lobster Panulirus polyphagus from the coast of North Kalimantan, Indonesia using data-limited fisheries
Authors: Tirtadanu  , Chodrijah Umi , Amri Khairul
Published: November 2023

The acceptable biological catch (ABC) can be applied as a management tool to maintain the lobster stock sustainability in North Kalimantan waters where the overfishing condition of lobsters has been detected. Using data-limited fisheries, this study determines the exploitable biomass and ABC of mud spiny lobster (Panulirus polyphagus). The biomass was estimated based on biomass-based length cohort analysis. The exploitable biomass is considered from the biomass at a size larger than the minimum landing size (≥80 mm). The results showed that the total exploitable biomass was estimated as 51,062 kg, and the ABC can be considered as 14,306 kg. The reduction of yields is needed as 26% from the current annual yield to reach the ABC. The catch quota can be given to each fisherman to manage their fishing effort to fill the allowable catch quota. The cooperation between the government, fisherman and market agents is critical to support the implementation of the catch quota system.
Phytotoxicity test of cadmium and lead on Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as first step in phytoremediation
Authors: Nirwisaya Pertiwi Margarana , Titah Harmin Sulistiyaning
Published: November 2023

Phytoremediation is a remediation process by using a plant to eliminate, accumulate, or absorb contaminated material by utilizing hyperaccumulator plants, such as sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). This method was chosen because it is eco-friendly, effective, low cost, and easy to be implemented. The aim of this study is to determine maximum concentration which Helianthus annuus L. can survive. This research was carried out for five weeks starting in August – September 2022 which began with preparation by seeding of sunflower seeds on garden soil, then continued with range finding test using variations of sunflowers and media composition. The contaminated soil was obtained from Tamangapa Landfill Makassar. The pH, temperature, and moisture of each variation media composition were also monitored. Based on the results, all variations of Helianthus annuus L. can survive without any apparent negative side effects in 100% contaminated soil media with cadmium and lead concentration at 2.233 mg/kg and 166 mg/kg, respectively.
Neural Network Modelling for Prediction of Coagulant Dosage
Authors: Salsabila Berliana Khansa , Nurhayati Ervin , Raditya Murry , Shiddiqi Ary Mazharuddin
Published: November 2023

Water treatment plants (WTP) in Indonesia commonly applied conventional treatment that, among others, relies on the coagulation process to treat turbid surface water to produce clean and safe water for daily purposes. Meanwhile, standard Jar-Test methods for coagulant dosage determination are inefficient, inaccurate, and possibly will not function well for water with high variability of quality. This study aims to improve and optimize the coagulant dosing process by considering the main parameter that greatly affects the coagulation process, i.e., turbidity. For this purpose, a multilayer artificial neural network model (ANN) with an adaptive backpropagation algorithm was developed using MATLAB software. A network architecture with 1 input, 5 hidden and 1 output was implemented. For the input, 4465 turbidity data of the raw water taken from Surabaya Municipal Water Enterprise (PDAM) were used, while the output is the optimal dose obtained from the results of the Jar-test. This study resulted in an empirical model of the optimum dosage of coagulants as a function of the turbidity of the raw water. Training and testing on the given ANN resulted in R2 (determination coefficient) of 0.99444 from regression analysis with the following equation: output = 0.99 x target + 0.66. This study showed that the ANN model provides a very high success rate for coagulant dose prediction.
Removal of Remazol Black B dye using recirculation batch electrocoagulation
Authors: Hanako A , Bagastyo A Y
Published: November 2023

Textile industry wastewater mainly contains high concentration of organic matter including the active dye of Remazol Black B. This wastewater effluent needs to be properly treated before discharge into water bodies. Electrocoagulation is one of physico-chemical methods that can be used as an alternative of wastewater treatment in the textile industries because it has a good efficiency in removing colour. A wide range of pH measured in the textile industry wastewater (i.e., 3.9-14) may affect the effectiveness of electrocoagulation process. Other factors that affect electrocoagulation process were current intensity and wastewater flow. This study aims to determine the optimum of electrocoagulation process in the recirculation batch method using recirculation batch reactor. The applied current tested were 10 A, 15 A and 20 A, with flow rate of 2 L/min, 3 L/min, and 4 L/min. A synthetic textile wastewater was prepared with a Remazol Black B dye colour concentration of 10 ppm, 3 g/L of NaCl, and pH of 11. The parameters tested periodically in this study were pH, TDS and removal of colour and COD. Result of this study showed that by increasing the electric current strength and decreasing the flowrate, efficiency of pollutants removal was increased. Highest removal percentage of COD and colour were 100% and 88,78%% with current strength of 20 A, and flow rate of 2 L/min, the final pH was 11,4, whereas total dissolved solid fluctuated (i.e., 1785 mg/L– 1902 mg/L).
Coral recruits on concrete hemispherical artificial reef (HSAR) with different composition in Pasir Putih, Situbondo, Indonesia
Authors: Muzaki F K , Saptarini D , Armono R H D , Sari I K , Afifah A N
Published: November 2023

Artificial reefs (AR) are artificial habitats laid in seabed by mimicking some of the characteristics of natural reefs, hence can be used as natural substrates for recruitment process for coral larvae. One of well-developed AR is concrete hemispherical artificial reef (HSAR) which serve as a solid platform for settlement and recruitment processes of coral larvae. In this study, we constructed HSAR made of concrete with crushed shell waste (CSW) and fly ash-bottom ash (FABA) as substitutes for coarse and/or fine aggregates. The purpose of the research is to compare the diversity, density and level of coral recruitment on HSAR with different composition; namely C1), conventional concrete composed by a mixture of Portland cement, sand and gravel (1:3:2); C2), concrete with CSW as substitutes for gravel or coarse aggregates (1:3:2); and C3) concrete composed by Portland cement, FABA, sand and CSW (1:2:2:1). Observation of coral recruits conducted in-situ in Pasir Putih beach, Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia. All observed ambient environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, lucidity, level of dissolved oxygen and sedimentation level) are in range for tolerance level of coral growth and development as well as to support larval settlement and recruitment. Results of one-way Anova and LSD test (p = 0.05) showed that there was no difference in term of density of recruits in C1 (9.5±2.07 colonies/m2) and C2 (8.7±2.5 colonies/m2), yet significantly differed with C3 (6.5±1.43 colonies/m2). We identified at least 12 genera of coral recruits grown on the surface of HSAR, dominated by Acropora (60.08%), Porites (26.98%) and Seriatopora (17.06%), respectively; with relatively similar genera composition on each AR. These results suggest that addition of CSW to concrete AR may not have significant positive effect on the coral larval settlement. Furthermore, concrete AR contain FABA was presumably less suitable for coral recruitment process.
An Environmental Impact Framework for the Construction Stage of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Mining: A Study on Piyungan Landfill in Indonesia
Authors: Kasam  , Iresha Fajri Mulya , Putra Hijrah Purnama
Published: November 2023

At present, the predominant method of urban waste management in Yogyakarta is centered around landfill disposal, resulting in a swift depletion of available capacity, notably at the Piyungan landfill site. Consequently, the exploration of landfill mining, a process that entails the retrieval of fully decomposed waste, is being contemplated as a potential alternative. Nevertheless, the execution of this initiative may give rise to environmental consequences. The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive framework for assessing the ecological consequences of landfill mining operations in the initial stage of construction. The methodology encompasses a preliminary stage known as scoping, wherein potential impacts are identified and significant hypothetical impacts are assessed. Subsequently, a thorough assessment is conducted to examine the potential significant effects of the hypothetical scenario. This evaluation involves a detailed analysis of the various environmental elements and parameters associated with each activity that may serve as a potential source of impact. The present analysis employs a straightforward matrix and a flow chart. The assessment indicates that the implementation stage of landfill mining has the potential to generate substantial hypothetical effects on multiple facets of the environment, encompassing physical, chemical, biological, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions. The potential impacts encompass various factors such as air pollution, gas explosions, reduced surface air quality, odor problems, and unfavorable public attitudes and perceptions. These impacts collectively contribute to the overall consequences of the situation.
Recycling Waste Lubricants with Different Types of Base Oil into Low Sulfur Fuel with Two Stage Distillation Pyrolysis Process
Authors: Lestari S RR , Lestari P , Damanhuri E , Sukandar
Published: November 2023

The intent and purpose of the research is to improve fuel performance by recycling waste lubricants into low sulfur fuel, using waste lubricants made of various types, namely mineral, semi-synthetic, full synthetic, and mixtures from different sampling sites, with the scope of lubricant waste coming from motorcycles. Recycling waste lubricants is chosen in 2 stages, to get purer fuel and better fuel performance, it is called a distillation pyrolysis process. The advantage of using this distillation pyrolysis process is that it does not use high temperatures, and is cheap and fast. Waste lubricant recycling using a two-stage distillation pyrolysis process produces a fuel with a sulfur content that decreases by 61.98 %wt -68.61%wt in stage I and 66.32 %wt - 70.66 %wt in stage II for waste lubricants with four different base oil. Thus, proving that the two-stage distillation pyrolysis process can reduce sulfur content and can also improve fuel performance at the characteristic values of several other chemical properties.
Macroorganism-Assisted Bioconversion of Organic Waste by Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor): An Investigation of Process Efficiency and Sustainability
Authors: Iresha Fajri Mulya , Lathifah Annisa Nur , Maharani Salsabila Dyah , Rahmat Ali
Published: November 2023

Organic waste management is still a big challenge that still requires a solution. Currently composting is a method that is commonly used, but ordinary composting takes a long time to reduce the mass of organic waste. Utilization of bioconversion agents is one strategy that can be used in processing organic waste. Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) is an insect that can be used as bioconversion. This study aims to determine the feed consumption rate, mealworm growth, and the physical and chemical of the compost. The results showed that feed consumption increased during the incubation period with the highest level in reactor 1 with fermented vegetables using EM4 + wheat bran as feed. While the highest weight of mealworm larvae was found in reactor 3 with a weight of 196 g. The values for water content, temperature, colour are in accordance with the Indonesian Compost Standard (SNI: Indonesian National Standard). The pH decreased with the incubation period. The pH of the compost from Reactor 1 and Reactor 2 complies with SNI. Compost content of P and C/N ratio are not in accordance with quality standards, while for K the results obtained are in accordance with SNI. Where the P value obtained ranges from 0.0007 - 0.0032%, K values range from 26 - 45% and C/N ratio values range from 0.55 to 1.99.
Is Neutrality Possible? A Critique of the CJEU on Headscarves in the Workplace from a Comparative Perspective
Authors: Tourkochoriti Ioanna
Published: November 2023

This Article discusses critically and from a comparative perspective the idea of neutrality mentioned in the two recent decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on headscarves in the workplace. The decisions indicate a trend common in many European states that shows little willingness to accommodate for the manifestation of religion in the public sphere. This Article discusses the criteria posed in the decisions on the permissibility of limiting the wearing of headscarves in the workplace and compares them to those used by courts and equality commissions in the United States. It makes a normative argument on what the CJEU should have said in its decisions in order to provide more concrete guidance to national courts. The concept of neutrality, as understood in certain CJEU and European Court of Human Rights cases actually discriminates against some religious groups. It is impossible to be neutral in these issues because neutrality is culturally defined and has a disparate impact in its application upon minority religious groups. This is due to the dominant understanding of neutrality towards religion or secularism in Europe. This understanding should change due to the incoming waves of immigrants that should be integrated. For a number of social and historical reasons there is in the United States greater tolerance for religious expression in the workplace and in the public sphere more generally. The U.S. approach accommodates a spectrum of religious interests and operates to integrate minority religious groups rather than to exclude them. Understanding the philosophical ideas which underlie the differences in the law can inspire a normative reflection on the proper criteria to balance the employee’s freedom of religion and the employers’ rights to define their business. The American approach on headscarves in the workplace is preferable to the European on a deontological and a consequentialist basis as it provides a better accommodation of the relevant interests. It is furthering inclusion in the labor market through respect of differences that allows human flourishing.
Involuntary social isolation and alcohol consumption: an ecological momentary assessment in Germany amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Haucke Matthias , Heinzel Stephan , Liu Shuyan
Published: November 2023

Aims

Alcohol consumption often occurs in a social setting, which was affected by social distancing measures amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, we examine how involuntary social isolation (i.e. comparing a no-lockdown stage with a lockdown stage) affects the association between loneliness, social activities, and drinking behavior.

Method

We performed an ecological momentary assessment eight times per day for 7 days amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. We recruited 280 participants and assessed their trait loneliness, daily state loneliness, social activities, and drinking behaviors.

Results

We found that a lockdown condition moderates the association between trait and daily state loneliness and alcohol consumption. During a lockdown stage, trait loneliness was positively associated, whereas state loneliness was negatively associated with alcohol consumption. During a no-lockdown stage, trait and state loneliness were both negatively associated with alcohol consumption. For both no-lockdown and lockdown stages, duration of social interaction, male gender, and weekends was positively associated with alcohol consumption.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that an involuntary social isolation condition (i.e. a lockdown stage) changes how trait loneliness is associated with alcohol consumption.
The Use of Carboxytherapy for the Treatment of Deep Partial-Thickness Skin Burns After Circumferential and High-Definition Liposuction: Promising Clinical Results in 5 Consecutive Cases
Authors: Waked Karl , Kierdaj Monika , Aslani Alexander
Published: November 2023

Background

Literature on skin burn treatment after liposuction is limited. To date, no publication has discussed possible treatments for this complication despite its relatively frequent incidence.

Objectives

The objective of this study is to report the early experiences of the use of carboxytherapy for the treatment of Grade IIB partial-thickness skin burns after liposuction. We aim to analyze its potential beneficial effects on wound healing and skin pigmentation, without the need for additional corrective surgery or permanent scarring.

Methods

Five patients who showed Grade IIB skin burns within 24 h after circumferential and high-definition liposuction were treated with carboxytherapy. Wound healing was evaluated after 1 and 2 weeks. Scar formation and skin pigmentation were evaluated after 3 months.

Results

Carboxytherapy treatments were either performed every day or every other day for 1 or 2 weeks, depending on the wound healing. At 2 weeks postoperatively, all skin burns showed complete or near-complete healing. At 3 months, there were no zones of hypertrophic scarring or skin contracture. No complications with regard to the carboxytherapy treatment were observed.

Conclusions

Carboxytherapy is an easy-to-use, affordable, and safe treatment for Grade IIB skin burns postliposuction. Its known influence on neo-angiogenesis and oxygen release in a hypoxic environment has beneficial effects on wound healing and avoidance of hypertrophic scarring and skin hyperpigmentation after skin burns. It can potentially become a useful addition for surgeons who perform liposuction and body contouring. Further studies with larger numbers of patients are necessary to determine its full potential.

Level of Evidence: 4
Automated exploitation of deep learning for cancer patient stratification across multiple types
Authors: Sun Pingping , Fan Shijie , Li Shaochuan , Zhao Yingwei , Lu Chang , Wong Ka-Chun , Li Xiangtao
Published: November 2023

Motivation

Recent frameworks based on deep learning have been developed to identify cancer subtypes from high-throughput gene expression profiles. Unfortunately, the performance of deep learning is highly dependent on its neural network architectures which are often hand-crafted with expertise in deep neural networks, meanwhile, the optimization and adjustment of the network are usually costly and time consuming.

Results

To address such limitations, we proposed a fully automated deep neural architecture search model for diagnosing consensus molecular subtypes from gene expression data (DNAS). The proposed model uses ant colony algorithm, one of the heuristic swarm intelligence algorithms, to search and optimize neural network architecture, and it can automatically find the optimal deep learning model architecture for cancer diagnosis in its search space. We validated DNAS on eight colorectal cancer datasets, achieving the average accuracy of 95.48%, the average specificity of 98.07%, and the average sensitivity of 96.24%, respectively. Without the loss of generality, we investigated the general applicability of DNAS further on other cancer types from different platforms including lung cancer and breast cancer, and DNAS achieved an area under the curve of 95% and 96%, respectively. In addition, we conducted gene ontology enrichment and pathological analysis to reveal interesting insights into cancer subtype identification and characterization across multiple cancer types.

Availability and implementation

The source code and data can be downloaded from https://github.com/userd113/DNAS-main. And the web server of DNAS is publicly accessible at 119.45.145.120:5001.
Claustral colony founding is limited by body condition: experimental feeding increases brood size of Lasius niger queens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Szabó Norbert , Nagy Jenő , Tartally András
Published: November 2023

Ants can found colonies in different ways. One is by claustral colony foundation, when fertilized queens typically have enough nutrients reserved in their bodies to raise the first ‘nanitic’ worker generation without any foraging activity. This colony-foundation strategy evolved in response to selective pressures (e.g. predators), but it limits the number of nanitic workers. We, therefore, assumed that fed queens might initially rear more nanitic workers, although feeding might also be associated with risks and stress. In this study, we analysed the effects of stress and different diets during the colony-foundation period on the success of colony founding by claustral black garden ant Lasius niger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) queens. Our findings confirm that regularly fed claustral ant queens raise more pupae and workers, reflecting that limited brood size is a cost of safety behaviour for claustral ant queens. There is another notable aspect of our findings for laboratories: in order to maximize the size of the nanitic worker generation, they can feed claustral ant queens with crickets.
Targeting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by neutralizing seeding-competent TDP-43 in CSF
Authors: Audrain Mickael , Egesipe Anne-Laure , Tentillier Noémie , Font Laure , Ratnam Monisha , Mottier Lorene , Clavel Mathieu , Le Roux-Bourdieu Morgan , Fenyi Alexis , Ollier Romain , Chevalier Elodie , Guilhot Florence , Fuchs Aline , Piorkowska Kasia , Carlyle Becky , Arnold Steven E , Berry James D , Luthi-Carter Ruth , Adolfsson Oskar , Pfeifer Andrea , Kosco-Vilbois Marie , Seredenina Tamara , Afroz Tariq
Published: November 2023

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease driven by abnormal transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa aggregation, CSF may contain pathological species of transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa contributing to the propagation of pathology and neuronal toxicity. These species, released in part by degenerating neurons, would act as a template for the aggregation of physiological protein contributing to the spread of pathology in the brain and spinal cord. In this study, a robust seed amplification assay was established to assess the presence of seeding-competent transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa species in CSF of apparently sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. These samples resulted in a significant acceleration of substrate aggregation differentiating the kinetics from healthy controls. In parallel, a second assay was developed to determine the level of target engagement that would be necessary to neutralize such species in human CSF by a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa. For this, evaluation of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic effect for the monoclonal antibody, ACI-5891.9, in vivo and in vitro confirmed that a CSF concentration of ≍1100 ng/mL would be sufficient for sustained target saturation. Using this concentration in the seed amplification assay, ACI-5891.9 was able to neutralize the transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa pathogenic seeds derived from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient CSF. This translational work adds to the evidence of transmission of transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa pathology via CSF that could contribute to the non-contiguous pattern of clinical manifestations observed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and demonstrates the ability of a therapeutic monoclonal antibody to neutralize the toxic, extracellular seeding-competent transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa species in the CSF of apparently sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
Magistral Phage Preparations: Is This the Model for Everyone?
Authors: Pirnay Jean-Paul , Verbeken Gilbert
Published: November 2023

Phage therapy is increasingly put forward as a promising additional tool to help curb the global antimicrobial resistance crisis. However, industrially manufactured phage medicinal products are currently not available on the European Union and United States markets. In addition, it is expected that the business purpose–driven phage products that are supposed to be marketed in the future would mainly target commercially viable bacterial species and clinical indications, using fixed phage cocktails. hospitals or phage therapy centers aiming to help all patients with difficult-to-treat infections urgently need adequate phage preparations. We believe that national solutions based on the magistral preparation of personalized (preadapted) phage products by hospital and academic facilities could bring an immediate solution and could complement future industrially manufactured products. Moreover, these unlicensed phage preparations are presumed to be more efficient and to elicit less bacterial phage resistance issues than fixed phage cocktails, claims that need to be scientifically substantiated as soon as possible. Just like Belgium, other (European) countries could develop a magistral phage preparation framework that would exist next to the conventional medicinal product development and licensing pathways. However, it is important that the current producers of personalized phage products are provided with pragmatic quality and safety assurance requirements, which are preferably standardized (at least at the European level), and are tiered based on benefit–risk assessments at the individual patient level. Pro bono phage therapy providers should be supported and not stopped by the imposition of industry standards such as Good Manufacturing Practice requirements.

Keywords: antimicrobial resistance; antibiotic resistance; bacterial infection; bacteriophage therapy; magistral preparation.
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Obstacles for Phage Therapy From the Perspective of Clinical Practice
Authors: Międzybrodzki Ryszard , Kasprzak Hubert , Letkiewicz Sławomir , Rogóż Paweł , Żaczek Maciej , Thomas Jamon , Górski Andrzej
Published: November 2023

Bacteriophages present unique features that enable targeted killing of bacteria, including strains resistant to many antibiotics. However, phage pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics constitute much more complex and challenging aspects for researchers than those attributable to antibiotics. This is because phages are not just chemical substances, but also biological nanostructures built of different proteins and genetic material that replicate within their bacterial hosts and may induce immune responses acting as simple antigens. Here, we present a few examples of how primary general assumptions on phage pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are verified by current preclinical and clinical observations, leading to conclusions that may not be obvious at first but are of significant value for the final success of phage therapy in humans.
Phage Therapy as a Novel Therapeutic for the Treatment of Bone and Joint Infections
Authors: Suh Gina A , Ferry Tristan , Abdel Matthew P
Published: November 2023

Solutions for bone and joint infection (BJI) are needed where conventional treatments are inadequate. Bacteriophages (phages) are naturally occurring viruses that infect bacteria and have been harnessed for refractory bone and joint infections (BJI) in many case reports. Here we examine the safety and efficacy of English-language published cases of BJI since 2010 with phage therapy. From 33 reported cases of BJI treated with phage therapy, 29 (87%) achieved microbiological or clinical success, 2 (5.9%) relapsed with the same organisms, and 2 (5.9%) with a different organism. Of these 4 relapses, all but 1 had eventual clinical resolution with additional surgery or phage treatments. Eight out of 33 cases (24%) reported mild, transient adverse events with no serious events reported. Further work is needed to understand the true efficacy of phages and the role of phages in BJI. Opportunities lay ahead for thoughtfully designed clinical trials adapted to individualized therapies.
Percutaneous embolization of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in adult patient with Rendu–Osler–Weber: a case report
Authors: Schutyser Wouter , Budts Werner , Verhamme Peter
Published: November 2023

Background

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), or Rendu–Osler–Weber syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the development of telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) throughout the body. We present a case of percutaneous embolization of pulmonary AVMs in an adult patient.

Case summary

A 26-year-old male patient with polycythaemia of unknown origin and a family history of secundum atrial septal defect underwent cardiac evaluation which revealed clubbing as a sign of peripheral cyanosis. Transthoracic echocardiography showed no intracardiac shunting, but further imaging revealed pulmonary AVMs in the lower lobe of the left lung. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain detected vascular-ischaemic lesions, likely due to embolization through the pulmonary malformations. Right heart catheterization and pulmonary angiography confirmed the presence of large AVMs in the left lower pulmonary lobe. Percutaneous closure using Amplatzer devices was performed, followed by temporary anticoagulation therapy. Oxygen saturation improved and follow-up imaging confirmed successful closure of the AVMs. Genetic testing using whole exome sequencing identified a mutation in the ENG gene, confirming the diagnosis of HHT.

Discussion

Our case highlights the importance of investigating both intra- and extracardiac shunting in patients with clinical features of right-to-left shunting. Arteriovenous malformations can serve as a pathway for paradoxical emboli, potentially leading to ischaemic brain events, and might cause pulmonary arterial hypertension. Screening for arteriovenous malformations in various organs and embolization of significant shunts are essential aspects of managing HHT. Genetic testing aids in confirming the diagnosis and guides family testing.
Network analysis of the social media activities around the #TeleCheckAF project
Authors: Betz Konstanze , Van Haren Joep , Duncker David , Manninger Martin , Lemmink Jos , Linz Dominik
Published: November 2023

Aims

TeleCheck-AF is a novel remote on-demand mobile health infrastructure around teleconsultations for patients with atrial fibrillation. Social media (SoMe) communication on Twitter contributed to the dissemination of this healthcare innovation by using the hashtag #TeleCheckAF. This study aims to analyse the SoMe network behind #TeleCheckAF and determine the key opinion leaders.

Methods and results

Publicly available data on actors and interactions around the hashtag #TeleCheckAF were collected by web scraping from the platform Twitter. With tools based on social network analysis, a social network was created, different communities were identified, and key opinion leaders were determined by their centrality in the network. The SoMe network consisted of 413 086 accounts with 636 502 ties in 22 different communities. A total of 287 accounts that diffused information and/or used the TeleCheck-AF infrastructure were analysed in depth. Those accounts involved users from >15 different countries and multidisciplinary professions. Further, 20 opinion leaders were identified, including four official accounts of societies and associated journals among key opinion leaders. Peaks in #TeleCheckAF tweets were seen after (virtual) conferences and other activities involving national and international cardiology societies. Social network analysis of the TeleCheck-AF Twitter hashtag revealed a wide, multidisciplinary potential reach for the diffusion of a healthcare innovation.

Conclusion

Official society SoMe accounts can amplify the dissemination of research findings by featuring abstract presentations during conferences and published manuscripts. This underlines the synergistic effects between traditional and SoMe-based research dissemination strategies for novel healthcare approaches, such as the TeleCheck-AF project.
Video-assisted thoracic surgery or thoracotomy for lung cancer surgery in obese patients? An analysis of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons database
Authors: Guerrera Francesco , Brunelli Alessandro , Falcoz Pierre-Emmanuel , Filosso Pier Luigi , Szanto Zalan , Lausi Paolo Olivo , Filippini Claudia , Lyberis Paraskevas , Rosboch Giulio Luca , Ruffini Enrico
Published: November 2023

OBJECTIVES

There is a lack of evidence on whether perioperative outcomes differ in obese patients after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or open lobectomy. We queried the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons database to assess morbidity and postoperative length of hospital stay in obese patients submitted to VATS and open pulmonary lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer.

METHODS

We collected all consecutive patients from 2007 to 2021 submitted to lobectomy through VATS or thoracotomy with a body mass index greater than or equal to 30. An intention-to-treat analysis was carried out. Primary outcomes were morbidity rate, mortality and postoperative length of stay (LOS). Differences in outcomes were assessed through univariable, multivariable-adjusted and propensity score-matched analysis.

RESULTS

Out of a total of 78 018 patients submitted to lung lobectomy, 13 999 cases (17.9%) were considered in the analysis, including 5562 VATS lobectomies and 8437 thoracotomy lobectomies. The VATS group showed a lower complication rate (23.2% vs 30.2%, P < 0.001), mortality (0.8% vs 1.5%, P < 0.001) and postoperative LOS (median 5 vs 7 days, P < 0.001). After propensity score matching, the VATS approach confirmed a lower complication rate (24.7% vs 29.7%, P = 0.002) and postoperative LOS (median 5 vs 7 days, P < 0.001). Moreover, these results were consistently observed when analyzing the severe obese subgroup (body mass index 35–39.9) and morbid obese subgroup (body mass index ≥40).

CONCLUSIONS

In obese patients with non-small cell lung cancer, VATS lobectomy was found to be associated with improved postoperative outcomes than open lobectomy. Consequently, it should be considered the approach of choice for the Obese population.
Matching variants for functional characterization of genetic variants
Authors: Cevik Sebiha , Zhao Pei , Zorluer Atiyye , Pir Mustafa S , Bian Wenyin , Kaplan Oktay I
Published: November 2023

Rapid and low-cost sequencing, as well as computer analysis, have facilitated the diagnosis of many genetic diseases, resulting in a substantial rise in the number of disease-associated genes. However, genetic diagnosis of many disorders remains problematic due to the lack of interpretation for many genetic variants, especially missenses, the infeasibility of high-throughput experiments on mammals, and the shortcomings of computational prediction technologies. Additionally, the available mutant databases are not well-utilized. Toward this end, we used Caenorhabditis elegans mutant resources to delineate the functions of eight missense variants (V444I, V517D, E610K, L732F, E817K, H873P, R1105K, and G1205E) and two stop codons (W937stop and Q1434stop), including several matching variants (MatchVar) with human in ciliopathy associated IFT-140 (also called CHE-11)//IFT140 (intraflagellar transport protein 140). Moreover, MatchVars carrying C. elegans mutants, including IFT-140(G680S) and IFT-140(P702A) for the human (G704S) (dbSNP: rs150745099) and P726A (dbSNP: rs1057518064 and a conflicting variation) were created using CRISPR/Cas9. IFT140 is a key component of IFT complex A (IFT-A), which is involved in the retrograde transport of IFT along cilia and the entrance of G protein-coupled receptors into cilia. Functional analysis of all 10 variants revealed that P702A and W937stop, but not others phenocopied the ciliary phenotypes (short cilia, IFT accumulations, mislocalization of membrane proteins, and cilia entry of nonciliary proteins) of the IFT-140 null mutant, indicating that both P702A and W937stop are phenotypic in C. elegans. Our functional data offered experimental support for interpreting human variants, by using ready-to-use mutants carrying MatchVars and generating MatchVars with CRISPR/Cas9.