bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Requirements and Hardware Limitations of High-Frame-Rate 3-D Ultrasound Imaging Systems
Authors: Giangrossi Claudio , Ramalli Alessandro , Dallai Alessandro , Mazierli Daniele , Meacci Valentino , Boni Enrico , Tortoli Piero
Published: June 2022

The spread of high frame rate and 3-D imaging techniques has raised pressing requirements for ultrasound systems. In particular, the processing power and data transfer rate requirements may be so demanding to hinder the real-time (RT) implementation of such techniques. This paper first analyzes the general requirements involved in RT ultrasound systems. Then, it identifies the main bottlenecks in the receiving section of a specific RT scanner, the ULA-OP 256, which is one of the most powerful available open scanners and may therefore be assumed as a reference. This case study has evidenced that the “star” topology, used to digitally interconnect the system’s boards, may easily saturate the data transfer bandwidth, thus impacting the achievable frame/volume rates in RT. The architecture of the digital scanner was exploited to tackle the bottlenecks by enabling a new “ring“ communication topology. Experimental 2-D and 3-D high-frame-rate imaging tests were conducted to evaluate the frame rates achievable with both interconnection modalities. It is shown that the ring topology enables up to 4400 frames/s and 510 volumes/s, with mean increments of +230% (up to +620%) compared to the star topology.
Energy Trading Strategy for Heat and Electricity-Coupled Microgrid Based on Cooperative Game
Authors: Zhou Cheng , Zheng Chang Bao
Published: June 2022

This paper proposes an energy trading framework for a combined heat and power (CHP) microgrid (MG) integrated with a Photovoltaic (PV) generation system. The parties involved in the CHP-MG energy market are a single MG operator (MGO) and multiple users with electric and thermal demand response (DR). The energy trading process between the MGO and users is formulated as a Nash bargaining game, where the users can bargain with the MGO regarding trading volumes and the prices of electricity and heat. The relationship between the Nash bargaining solution (NBS) and social welfare maximum is studied. A distributed optimization algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is adopted to achieve NBS. Case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed trading framework, and show the promotion of economic benefits.
Applied Optimization in Clean and Renewable Energy: New Trends
Authors: Fiore Ugo , Munapo Elias , Vasant Pandian , Thomas Joshua , Panchenko Vladimir
Published: June 2022

In recent years, more and more countries have paid close attention to energy and environmental issues [...]
Game-Based Simulation and Study of Pedestrian-Automated Vehicle Interactions
Authors: Pappas Georgios , Siegel Joshua E. , Kassens-Noor Eva , Rutkowski Jacob , Politopoulos Konstantinos , Zorpas Antonis A.
Published: June 2022

We identify the need for enhanced pedestrian–vehicle simulation tools and build such a tool to explore the interaction among pedestrian “players” and virtual human- and automated-vehicles for different scenarios taking place in an urban environment. We first present contemporary research tools and then propose the design and development of a new desktop application that facilitates pedestrian-point-of-view research. We then conduct a three-step user experience experiment, in which a small number of participants answer questions before and after using the application to interact with virtual human and automated vehicles in diverse road-crossing scenarios. Behavioral results observed in virtuality, especially when motivated by consequence, tend to simulate real life sufficiently well to inform design choices. From the simulation, we observed valuable insights into human–vehicle interactions. Upon completing this preliminary testing, we iterated the tool’s design and ultimately conducted an 89-participant study of human–vehicle interactions for three scenarios taking place in a virtual environment. Our tool raised participant awareness of autonomous vehicles and their capabilities and limitations, which is an important step in overcoming public distrust of AVs. We additionally saw that participants trust humans and technology less as drivers than in other contexts, and that pedestrians feel safer around vehicles with autonomy indicators. Further, we note that study participants increasingly feel safe with automated vehicles with increased exposure. These preliminary results, as well as the efficacy of the tool’s design, may inform future socio-technical design for automated vehicles and their human interactions.
Characterization of the Oncogenic Potential of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4A1 in Lung Adenocarcinoma via Cell Cycle Regulation and Immune Microenvironment Reprogramming
Authors: Wu Kuan-Li , Huang Yung-Chi , Wu Yu-Yuan , Chang Chao-Yuan , Chang Yung-Yun , Chiang Hung-Hsing , Liu Lian-Xiu , Tsai Ying-Ming , Hung Jen-Yu
Published: June 2022

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a common type of lung cancer. Although the diagnosis and treatment of LUAD have significantly improved in recent decades, the survival for advanced LUAD is still poor. It is necessary to identify more targets for developing potential agents against LUAD. This study explored the dysregulation of translation initiation factors, specifically eukaryotic initiation factors 4A1 (EIF4A1) and EIF4A2, in developing LUAD, as well as their underlying mechanisms. We found that the expression of EIF4A1, but not EIF4A2, was higher in tumor tissue and associated with poor clinical outcomes in LUAD patients. Elevated expression of EIF4H with poor prognosis may potentiate the oncogenic role of EIF4A1. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that upregulation of EIF4A1 was related to cell cycle regulation and DNA repair. The oncogenic effect of EIF4A1 was further elucidated by Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA). The GSVA score of the gene set positively correlated with EIF4A1 was higher in tumors and significantly associated with worse survival. In the meantime, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) also indicated that elevated EIF4A1 expression in LUAD patients was associated with a decreased infiltration score for immune cells by reducing anticancer immune cell types and recruiting immunosuppressive cells. Consistent with the results, the GSVA score of genes whose expression was negatively correlated with EIF4A1 was lower in the tumor tissue of LUAD cases with worse clinical outcomes and was strongly associated with the disequilibrium of anti-cancer immunity by recruiting anticancer immune cells. Based on the results from the present study, we hypothesize that the dysregulation of EIF4A1 might be involved in the pathophysiology of LUAD development by promoting cancer growth and changing the tumor immune microenvironment. This can be used to develop potential diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for LUAD.
Comparing Bayesian-Based Reconstruction Strategies in Topology-Based Pathway Enrichment Analysis
Authors: Wang Yajunzi , Li Jing , Huang Daiyun , Hao Yang , Li Bo , Wang Kai , Chen Boya , Li Ting , Liu Xin
Published: June 2022

The development of high-throughput omics technologies has enabled the quantification of vast amounts of genes and gene products in the whole genome. Pathway enrichment analysis (PEA) provides an intuitive solution for extracting biological insights from massive amounts of data. Topology-based pathway analysis (TPA) represents the latest generation of PEA methods, which exploit pathway topology in addition to lists of differentially expressed genes and their expression profiles. A subset of these TPA methods, such as BPA, BNrich, and PROPS, reconstruct pathway structures by training Bayesian networks (BNs) from canonical biological pathways, providing superior representations that explain causal relationships between genes. However, these methods have never been compared for their differences in the PEA and their different topology reconstruction strategies. In this study, we aim to compare the BN reconstruction strategies of the BPA, BNrich, PROPS, Clipper, and Ensemble methods and their PEA and performance on tumor and non-tumor classification based on gene expression data. Our results indicate that they performed equally well in distinguishing tumor and non-tumor samples (AUC > 0.95) yet with a varying ranking of pathways, which can be attributed to the different BN structures resulting from the different cyclic structure removal strategies. This can be clearly seen from the reconstructed JAK-STAT networks by different strategies. In a nutshell, BNrich, which relies on expert intervention to remove loops and cyclic structures, produces BNs that best fit the biological facts. The plausibility of the Clipper strategy can also be partially explained by intuitive biological rules and theorems. Our results may offer an informed reference for the proper method for a given data analysis task.
Rational and Translational Implications of D-Amino Acids for Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: From Neurobiology to the Clinics
Authors: de Bartolomeis Andrea , Vellucci Licia , Austin Mark C. , De Simone Giuseppe , Barone Annarita
Published: June 2022

Schizophrenia has been conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with synaptic alterations and aberrant cortical–subcortical connections. Antipsychotics are the mainstay of schizophrenia treatment and nearly all share the common feature of dopamine D2 receptor occupancy, whereas glutamatergic abnormalities are not targeted by the presently available therapies. D-amino acids, acting as N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) modulators, have emerged in the last few years as a potential augmentation strategy in those cases of schizophrenia that do not respond well to antipsychotics, a condition defined as treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), affecting almost 30–40% of patients, and characterized by serious cognitive deficits and functional impairment. In the present systematic review, we address with a direct and reverse translational perspective the efficacy of D-amino acids, including D-serine, D-aspartate, and D-alanine, in poor responders. The impact of these molecules on the synaptic architecture is also considered in the light of dendritic spine changes reported in schizophrenia and antipsychotics’ effect on postsynaptic density proteins. Moreover, we describe compounds targeting D-amino acid oxidase and D-aspartate oxidase enzymes. Finally, other drugs acting at NMDAR and proxy of D-amino acids function, such as D-cycloserine, sarcosine, and glycine, are considered in the light of the clinical burden of TRS, together with other emerging molecules.
Gut Bless Your Pain—Roles of the Gut Microbiota, Sleep, and Melatonin in Chronic Orofacial Pain and Depression
Authors: Lassmann Łukasz , Pollis Matteo , Żółtowska Agata , Manfredini Daniele
Published: June 2022

Background. Increased attention has been paid to the gut–brain axis recently, but little is known so far regarding how this translates into pain susceptibility. Aim. The aim of this review is to determine whether gastroenterological disorders and sleep disorders (directly or indirectly) contribute to an increased susceptibility to depression and chronic orofacial pain. Method. A search was performed in the U.S. National Library of Medicine (PubMed) database in order to find studies published before 19 December 2021. We used the following terms: gut microbiome, OR sleep quality, OR melatonin, OR GERD, OR IBS, AND: depression OR chronic pain, in different configurations. Only papers in English were selected. Given the large number of papers retrieved in the search, their findings were described and organized narratively. Results. A link exists between sleep disorders and gastroenterological disorders, which, by adversely affecting the psyche and increasing inflammation, disturb the metabolism of tryptophan and cause excessive microglial activation, leading to increased susceptibility to pain sensation and depression. Conclusions. Pain therapists should pay close attention to sleep and gastrointestinal disorders in patients with chronic pain and depression.
Molecular Measurable Residual Disease Assessment before Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients: A Retrospective Study by the I-BFM Study Group
Authors: Benetton Maddalena , Merli Pietro , Walter Christiane , Hansen Maria , Da Ros Ambra , Polato Katia , Tregnago Claudia , Abrahamsson Jonas , Strocchio Luisa , Sonneveld Edwin , Fogelstrand Linda , Von Neuhoff Nils , Reinhardt Dirk , Hasle Henrik , Pigazzi Martina , Locatelli Franco
Published: June 2022

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative post-remission treatment in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but relapse after transplant is still a challenging event. In recent year, several studies have investigated the molecular minimal residual disease (qPCR-MRD) as a predictor of relapse, but the lack of standardized protocols, cut-offs, and timepoints, especially in the pediatric setting, has prevented its use in several settings, including before HSCT. Here, we propose the first collaborative retrospective I-BFM-AML study assessing qPCR-MRD values in pretransplant bone marrow samples of 112 patients with a diagnosis of AML harboring t(8;21)(q22; q22)RUNX1::RUNX1T1, or inv(16)(p13q22)CBFB::MYH11, or t(9;11)(p21;q23)KMT2A::MLLT3, or FLT3-ITD genetic markers. We calculated an ROC cut-off of 2.1 × 10−4 that revealed significantly increased OS (83.7% versus 57.1%) and EFS (80.2% versus 52.9%) for those patients with lower qPCR-MRD values. Then, we partitioned patients into three qPCR-MRD groups by combining two different thresholds, 2.1 × 10−4 and one lower cut-off of 1 × 10−2, and stratified patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. We found that the 5-year OS (83.7%, 68.6%, and 39.2%, respectively) and relapse-free survival (89.2%, 73.9%, and 67.9%, respectively) were significantly different independent of the genetic lesion, conditioning regimen, donor, and stem cell source. These data support the PCR-based approach playing a clinical relevance in AML transplant management.
Changes in Sensitization Patterns in the Last 25 Years in 619 Patients with Confirmed Diagnoses of Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions to Beta-Lactams
Authors: Campanón Toro María del Valle , Moreno Rodilla Esther , Gallardo Higueras Alicia , Laffond Yges Elena , Muñoz Bellido Francisco J. , Gracia Bara María Teresa , Martin García Cristina , Moreno Rodilla Vidal , Macías Iglesias Eva M. , Arriba Méndez Sonia , Sobrino García Miriam , Dávila Ignacio
Published: June 2022

Beta-lactam (BL) drugs are the antibiotics most prescribed worldwide due to their broad spectrum of action. They are also the most frequently implied in hypersensitivity reactions with a known specific immunological mechanism. Since the commercialization of benzylpenicillin, allergic reactions have been described; over the years, other new BL drugs provided alternative treatments to penicillin, and amoxicillin is now the most prescribed BL in Europe. Diagnosis of BL allergy is mainly based on skin tests and drug provocation tests, defining different sensitization patterns or phenotypes. In this study, we evaluated 619 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of BL-immediate allergy during the last 25 years, using the same diagnostic procedures with minor adaptations to the successive guidelines. The initial eliciting drug was benzylpenicillin, which changed to amoxicillin with or without clavulanic acid and cephalosporins in recent years. In skin tests, we found a decrease in sensitivity to major and minor penicillin determinants and an increase in sensitivity to amoxicillin and others; this might reflect that the changes in prescription could have influenced the sensitization patterns, thus increasing the incidence of specific reactions to side-chain selective reactions.
Cytokine Landscape in Central Nervous System Metastases
Authors: Marin Julie , Journe Fabrice , Ghanem Ghanem E. , Awada Ahmad , Kindt Nadège
Published: June 2022

The central nervous system is the location of metastases in more than 40% of patients with lung cancer, breast cancer and melanoma. These metastases are associated with one of the poorest prognoses in advanced cancer patients, mainly due to the lack of effective treatments. In this review, we explore the involvement of cytokines, including interleukins and chemokines, during the development of brain and leptomeningeal metastases from the epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition and blood–brain barrier extravasation to the interaction between cancer cells and cells from the brain microenvironment, including astrocytes and microglia. Furthermore, the role of the gut–brain axis on cytokine release during this process will also be addressed.
Vaccine mRNA Can Be Detected in Blood at 15 Days Post-Vaccination
Authors: Fertig Tudor Emanuel , Chitoiu Leona , Marta Daciana Silvia , Ionescu Victor-Stefan , Cismasiu Valeriu Bogdan , Radu Eugen , Angheluta Giulia , Dobre Maria , Serbanescu Ana , Hinescu Mihail Eugen , Gherghiceanu Mihaela
Published: June 2022

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines effectively reduce incidence of severe disease, hospitalisation and death. The biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of the mRNA-containing lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in these vaccines are unknown in humans. In this study, we used qPCR to track circulating mRNA in blood at different time-points after BNT162b2 vaccination in a small cohort of healthy individuals. We found that vaccine-associated synthetic mRNA persists in systemic circulation for at least 2 weeks. Furthermore, we used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate SARS-CoV-2 spike protein expression in human leukemic cells and in primary mononuclear blood cells treated in vitro with the BNT162b2 vaccine. TEM revealed morphological changes suggestive of LNP uptake, but only a small fraction of K562 leukemic cells presented spike-like structures at the cell surface, suggesting reduced levels of expression for these specific phenotypes.
Identification of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in ZNF469 in a Patient with Aortoiliac Aneurysmal Disease
Authors: Wolf Adam , Khimani Faria , Sathyamoorthy Mohanakrishnan
Published: June 2022

Thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections often have inter-related pathologies that are increasingly recognized to have a genetic basis. A patient with a vascular history consisting of a spontaneous aorto-iliac dissection and thoracic aortic aneurysm belonged to a family with a significant self-reported history of aneurysmal disease. Suspecting a genetic component, genetic investigation was undertaken. Three variants of unknown significance were found in the ZNF469 gene, which is responsible for the production of a collagen-related zinc finger protein involved in multiple aspects of the development and regulation of major extracellular matrix components. This is the first report to associate this gene with vasculopathy, and further investigation by our group is underway to understand the role it plays in the development of aneurysmal diseases.
Psychotropic Medications Use among Children with Autism in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alenezi Shuliweeh , Alnemary Fahad , Alamri Asma , Albakr Dalal , Abualkhair Lamees , Alnemary Faisal
Published: June 2022

Psychotropic medication use is rising among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in Saudi Arabia. Two hundred ninety-three parents of children diagnosed with ASD completed a parental concerns questionnaire (PCQ) online to examine children’s family socio-demographics, health conditions and comorbidities, and past and current exposure to psychotropic medication as prescribed by their primary doctor. Findings revealed that more than one-third of the parents (39.08%) reported that their children were using medications at the time of the survey; risperidone (53%), methylphenidate (30%), and valproic acid (9%) were the most commonly used. A smaller number of parents stated that their children had previously used medications (16.09%). The most often prescribed drugs among this group were risperidone (45%), followed by methylphenidate (32%) and valproic acid (17%). The variables that showed a statistically significant association with the current use of psychotropic drugs were the child’s age (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.40, p < 0.001), presence of comorbidities (OR = 7.75, 95% CI: 3.48, 17.24, p < 0.001), communication difficulties (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.95, p < 0.021), and anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.87, p < 0.049). Similarly, the child’s age (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.40, p < 0.002) and presence of comorbidities (OR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.16, 6.29, p < 0.022) showed statistically significant associations with previous use.
Association between Maternal Factors, Preterm Birth, and Low Birth Weight of Chilean Singletons
Authors: Rodríguez-Fernández Alejandra , Ruíz-De la Fuente Marcela , Sanhueza-Riquelme Ximena , Parra-Flores Julio , Dolores Marrodán María , Maury-Sintjago Eduard
Published: June 2022

There has been an increase in preterm (PT) births in Western countries in recent years, which is associated with low-birthweight (LBW) children. The aim of this study was to determine the association between maternal factors and PT and LBW Chilean newborns. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study of a national sample of 903,847 newborns and their mothers. The newborn gestational age, birth weight, maternal age, marital status, education, employment situation, and residence were analyzed. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied (α = 0.05) (STATA v.15). The prevalence was 6.8% and 5.0% for PT and LBW, respectively. The probability of the newborns being PT and LBW was 1.18 and 1.22 times if their mothers had <12 years of education and 1.38 and 1.29 times if the mothers were ≥35 years old, respectively. Mothers with <12 years education and ≥35 years were risk factors for PT and LBW newborns. Maternal educational attainment was a protective factor for the Chilean newborns, and a maternal age ≥35 years was a risk factor for PT and LBW.
Attitudes and Behaviors of Physical Activity in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Findings from PLAY Questionnaire
Authors: Sugimoto Dai , Rabatin Amy E. , Shea Jodie E. , Parmeter Becky , Shore Benjamin J. , Stracciolini Andrea
Published: June 2022

To investigate the domains of physical activity in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and to compare these findings to typically developed (TD) children. Methods: A cross-sectional study design. Responses of the four domains in Play Lifestyle and Activity in Youth (PLAY) questionnaire were descriptively analyzed and compared between children with CP (GMFCS I-II) and TD children. Results: Fifty-three children with CP (N = 53, 36 males and 17 females, age of 8.4 ± 1.7 years) and 58 TD children (N = 58, 34 males and 24 females, age of 7.6 ± 1.4 years) participated in this study. In analyses of daily behavior, reported participation in weekly (adaptive) physical education (PE) and sports were more frequent in children with CP (0.6 ± 0.5 days per week) compared to TD children (0.4 ± 0.6 days per week, p = 0.040). Outside play time including free play, organized (adaptive) sports and recess were higher in children with CP (2.7 ± 0.8 days per week) than TD children (2.4 ± 0.7 days per week, p = 0.022). About motivation/attitudes, a higher proportion of TD children feel sad if they are not able to play sports during the day (74.1%) compared to children with CP (48.7%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Physical activity level was comparable between children with CP and age-matched TD children, while TD children showed higher scores in knowledge and understanding, motivation/attitudes, and physical competence.
Targeted Genotyping of MIS-C Patients Reveals a Potential Alternative Pathway Mediated Complement Dysregulation during COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Gavriilaki Eleni , Tsiftsoglou Stefanos A. , Touloumenidou Tasoula , Farmaki Evangelia , Panagopoulou Paraskevi , Michailidou Elissavet , Koravou Evaggelia-Evdoxia , Mavrikou Ioulia , Iosifidis Elias , Tsiatsiou Olga , Papadimitriou Eleni , Papadopoulou-Alataki Efimia , Papayanni Penelope Georgia , Varelas Christos , Kokkoris Styliani , Papalexandri Apostolia , Fotoulaki Maria , Galli-Tsinopoulou Assimina , Zafeiriou Dimitrios , Roilides Emmanuel , Sakellari Ioanna , Anagnostopoulos Achilles , Tragiannidis Athanasios
Published: June 2022

Complement dysregulation has been documented in adults with COVID-19 and implicated in relevant pediatric inflammatory responses against SARS-CoV-2. We propose that signatures of complement missense coding SNPs associated with dysregulation could also be identified in children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). We investigated 71 pediatric patients with RT-PCR validated SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized in pediatric COVID-19 care units (November 2020–March 2021) in three major groups. Seven (7) patients suffered from MIS-C (MIS-C group), 32 suffered from COVID-19 and were hospitalized (admitted group), whereas 32 suffered from COVID-19, but were sent home. All patients survived and were genotyped for variations in the C3, C5, CFB, CFD, CFH, CFHR1, CFI, CD46, CD55, MASP1, MASP2, MBL2, COLEC11, FCN1, and FCN3 genes. Upon evaluation of the missense coding SNP distribution patterns along the three study groups, we noticed similarities, but also considerably increased frequencies of the alternative pathway (AP) associated with SNPs rs12614 CFB, rs1061170, and rs1065489 CFH in the MIS-C patients. Our analysis suggests that the corresponding substitutions potentially reduce the C3b-inactivation efficiency and promote slower and weaker AP C3bBb pre-convertase assembly on virions. Under these circumstances, the complement AP opsonization capacity may be impaired, leading to compromised immune clearance and systemic inflammation in the MIS-C syndrome.
Identification of Putative Plant-Based ALR-2 Inhibitors to Treat Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Saeed Mohd , Tasleem Munazzah , Shoib Ambreen , Kausar Mohd Adnan , Sulieman Abdel Moneim E. , Alabdallah Nadiyah M. , El Asmar Zeina , Abdelgadir Abdelmuhsin , Al-Shammary Asma , Alam Md Jahoor , Badroui Riadh , Zahin Maryam
Published: June 2022

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common diabetes complication (DM). Aldose reductase -2 (ALR-2) is an oxidoreductase enzyme that is most extensively studied therapeutic target for diabetes-related complications that can be inhibited by epalrestat, which has severe adverse effects; hence the discovery of potent natural inhibitors is desired. In response, a pharmacophore model based on the properties of eplarestat was generated. The specified pharmacophore model searched the NuBBEDB database of natural compounds for prospective lead candidates. To assess the drug-likeness and ADMET profile of the compounds, a series of in silico filtering procedures were applied. The compounds were then put through molecular docking and interaction analysis. In comparison to the reference drug, four compounds showed increased binding affinity and demonstrated critical residue interactions with greater stability and specificity. As a result, we have identified four potent inhibitors: ZINC000002895847, ZINC000002566593, ZINC000012447255, and ZINC000065074786, that could be used as pharmacological niches to develop novel ALR-2 inhibitors.
Cleaner Technology and Natural Resource Management: An Environmental Sustainability Perspective from China
Authors: Shaheen Fiza , Lodhi Muhammad Saeed , Rosak-Szyrocka Joanna , Zaman Khalid , Awan Usama , Asif Muhammad , Ahmed Waqas , Siddique Maria
Published: June 2022

In economies, cleaner technology, increased demand for renewable energy, and more efficient use of natural resources contribute to meeting environmental sustainability targets. The Chinese economy is no exception in its attempts to conserve economic and natural resources via collaborative efforts to embrace cleaner technology, green energy sources, and resource conservation management to preserve resources for future generations. This research examines the influence of cleaner technologies, green energy sources, and natural resource management on reducing greenhouse gas emissions using quarterly data for the Chinese economy from 2000Q1 to 2020Q4. The findings demonstrate that increasing demand for green energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions, hence substantiating the premise of ‘green is clean’ energy development. Additionally, optimum resource usage enhances environmental quality, corroborating the ‘resource cleaner blessing’ hypothesis. The positive link between inward foreign direct investment and greenhouse gas emissions substantiates the ‘pollution haven’ concept, according to which inward foreign direct investment uses unsustainable technology in manufacturing processes, hence degrading air quality indicators. Inadequate access to clean cooking technology and increased population density has a detrimental effect on the country’s environmental sustainability agenda, which must be corrected via sustainable regulations. The causality estimates show the feedback relationship between renewable energy demand (and economic growth) and cleaner technology, between economic growth and green energy (and inbound foreign direct investment), and between population density and economic growth (and green energy). The Impulse Response function estimates suggested that economic growth and population density would likely increase GHG emissions. In contrast, cleaner technology, green energy demand, natural resource management, and inbound foreign direct investment would likely decrease greenhouse gas emissions for the next ten-year time period. The sustainability of the environment and natural resources in China is bolstered by developing cleaner technologies, a greater reliance on renewable energy sources, and better management of natural resources.
Implementation of a Programmable Electronic Load for Equipment Testing
Authors: Serna-Motoya León Felipe , Ortiz-Castrillón José R. , Gil-Vargas Paula Andrea , Muñoz-Galeano Nicolás , Cano-Quintero Juan Bernardo , López-Lezama Jesús M.
Published: June 2022

This paper presents the implementation of an AC three-phase programmable electronic load (PEL) that emulates load profiles and can be used for testing equipment in microgrids (MGs). The implemented PEL topology is built with a voltage source inverter (VSI) which works as a current controlled source and a Buck converter which permits the dissipation of active power excess. The PEL operation modes according to the interchange of active and reactive power and its operation in four quadrants were determined. The power and current limits which establish the control limitations were also obtained. Three control loops were implemented to independently regulate active and reactive power and ensure energy balance in the system. The main contribution of this paper is the presentation a detailed analysis regarding hardware limitations and the operation of the VSI and Buck converter working together. The PEL was implemented for a power of 1.8 kVA. Several experimental results were carried out with inductive, capacitive, and resistive scenarios to validate the proper operation of the PEL. Experimental tests showed the correct behavior of the AC three-phase currents, VSI input voltage, and Buck converter output voltage of the PEL for profile changes, including transient response.
Recent Trends in the Integrated Management of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Naik Piyu Parth
Published: June 2022

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is one of the most prevalent neoplasms worldwide. Important risk factors for cSCC include sun exposure, immunosuppression, pale skin, and aging. White people are more likely to develop cSCC, and men are more affected than women. In advanced cases, surgery and/or radiotherapy are no longer effective. Due to a historical lack of treatment options, some medications have been used in these patients without sufficient recommendation. There is an urgent need to identify patients at an increased risk of recurrence and spread early for timely diagnosis and treatment. Despite extensive data on the high-risk features and prognostication, considerable variation remains globally regarding high-risk cSCC and the delivery of oncology services. The current comprehensive review evaluated and summarized contemporary knowledge of various management options for cSCC to simplify the integrated treatment plans.
Operational Excellence in a Biogas Plant through Integration of Lean Six Sigma Methodology
Authors: Cinar Samet , Önen Cinar Senem , Staudter Christian , Kuchta Kerstin
Published: June 2022

Process optimization with Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has become more popular every day for years in almost every kind of industry. This integration has brought an even wider variety of possible application areas for industries and research institutes. Recently, the use of LSS for process optimization in biological fields has become more and more common. In this study, LSS methodology is used for process optimization in an industrial scale biogas plant in Hamburg, Germany. The methodology used includes all the DMAIC cycle and related tools. Hypothesis tests were used to calculate the p-value of each experiment for the LSS interpretation. Due to the experimental factors, one-way ANOVA and 1-sample Z-test were used to determine the p-values. By conducting hypothesis testing after the analysis phase of this study, it was found that particle size, freshness of the substrate, and the amount of sand content in the substrate had a significant effect on the desired amount of biogas produced with a p-value of less than 0.01. These root causes led to approaches that focused on high quality feedstock and sufficient pretreatment methods. This paper represents a pioneering example of integrating Lean Six Sigma into biogas plant operation.
Numerical Study of Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchanger in Low-Pressure Environment: Air-Side Heat Transfer and Frictional Performance, Entropy Generation Analysis, and Model Development
Authors: Zhang Lei , Wang Junwei , Liu Ran , Li Guohua , Han Xiao , Zhang Zhiqiang , Zhao Jiayi , Dai Baomin
Published: June 2022

Heat transfer and frictional performance at the air-side is predominant for the application and optimization of finned tube heat exchangers. For aerospace engineering, the heat exchanger operates under negative pressure, whereas the general prediction models of convective heat transfer coefficient and pressure penalty for this scenario are rarely reported. In the current study, a numerical model is developed to determine the air-side heat transfer and frictional performance. The influence of air pressure (absolute pressure) is discussed in detail, and the entropy generation considering the effect of heat transfer and pressure drop are analyzed. Furthermore, prediction models of air-side thermal and frictional factors are also developed. The results indicate that both the convective heat transfer coefficient and pressure penalty decrease significantly with decreasing air pressure, and the air-side heat transfer coefficient is decreased by 64.6~73.3% at an air pressure of 25 kPa compared with normal environment pressure. The entropy generation by temperature difference accounts for the highest proportion of the total entropy generation. The prediction correlations of Colburn j-factor and friction factor f show satisfactory accuracy with the absolute mean deviations of 7.48% and 9.42%, respectively. This study can provide a reference for the practical application of fined tube heat exchangers under a negative pressure environment.
A Multi-Strategy Adaptive Comprehensive Learning PSO Algorithm and Its Application
Authors: Zhang Ye’e , Song Xiaoxia
Published: June 2022

In this paper, a multi-strategy adaptive comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed by introducing the comprehensive learning, multi-population parallel, and parameter adaptation. In the proposed algorithm, a multi-population parallel strategy is designed to improve population diversity and accelerate convergence. The population particle exchange and mutation are realized to ensure information sharing among the particles. Then, the global optimal value is added to velocity update to design a new velocity update strategy for improving the local search ability. The comprehensive learning strategy is employed to construct learning samples, so as to effectively promote the information exchange and avoid falling into local extrema. By linearly changing the learning factors, a new factor adjustment strategy is developed to enhance the global search ability, and a new adaptive inertia weight-adjustment strategy based on an S-shaped decreasing function is developed to balance the search ability. Finally, some benchmark functions and the parameter optimization of photovoltaics are selected. The proposed algorithm obtains the best performance on 6 out of 10 functions. The results show that the proposed algorithm has greatly improved diversity, solution accuracy, and search ability compared with some variants of particle swarm optimization and other algorithms. It provides a more effective parameter combination for the complex engineering problem of photovoltaics, so as to improve the energy conversion efficiency.
Is Flow Possible in the Emergency Remote Teaching Foreign Language Classroom?
Authors: Dewaele Jean-Marc , Albakistani Alfaf , Kamal Ahmed Iman
Published: June 2022

The present study focuses on the experience of flow among 168 Arab and Kurdish English Foreign Language (EFL) learners in both in-person and emergency remote teaching (ERT) classes. Statistical analyses of questionnaire data revealed that learners did experience flow in their ERT classes but for a significantly shorter time than in the pre-pandemic in-person classes. Those who experienced flow in in-person classes were also more likely to experience it in ERT classes. In the in-person classes, the proportion of time in flow was linked to age, self-rated proficiency, attitudes toward English, attitudes toward the teacher, and the teacher frequency of use of English. In contrast, in ERT classes, the proportion of time in flow was only linked to attitude toward the teacher. This is interpreted as evidence that the ERT does not just cause physical and social isolation but also mental isolation.
An Organizational Model of Online Learning in the Pandemic Period: Comparison with Traditional Face-to-Face Learning
Authors: Checa-Morales Cristina , De-Pablos-Heredero Carmen , Díaz Ocampo Eduardo , Torres Yenny Guiselli , García Antón
Published: June 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a paradigm shift in educational systems. During the lockdown, higher education became digital. This caused a change in communication within the educational ecosystem. Relational coordination (RC) is a communication and relationship model associated with the improvement of organizational results. Therefore, the objective of this research is to build an organizational model of online learning applied during the pandemic period and compare it with the previous face-to-face learning. A sample of 2774 students from two Ecuadorian universities was selected. A two-stage methodology was applied: First, an organizational model of online learning was built using multivariate methods. The RC model was linked to student satisfaction using generalized linear models (GLM). In the second stage, the organizational differences between the 2018 face-to-face and the 2020 online learning were identified. Finally, the online learning model was validated with external data. The components associated with a higher level of RC were institutional cooperation, institutional problem-solving, and administrative communication. Administrative communication lost importance in the online model. Significant differences between the satisfaction of the two models were not found. Nevertheless, since online learning was not associated with an improvement in satisfaction, the creation of a third educational model that combines the best practices of online and face-to-face learning in a hybrid system could be an alternative that improves the satisfaction of students.
The Challenges of Modular Learning in the Wake of COVID-19: A Digital Divide in the Philippine Countryside Revealed
Authors: Bustillo Ermelyn , Aguilos Maricar
Published: June 2022

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is a global health crisis that has affected educational systems worldwide. North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU), a typical countryside academic institution in the Southern Philippines, did not escape this dilemma. The advent of remote learning to continue the students’ learning process has caused difficulties for both the students and the educational institutions. Thus, we conducted this study to assess the students’ level of submission of assigned tasks from printed remote learning modular materials under the College of Teacher Education of NEMSU. We evaluated whether the distance of students’ residences to the campus or the nearest online learning facilities affects the level of modular task retrievals. We also determined the current situation, challenges, and struggles of the students with remote learning. Our results showed that out of 392 printed learning modules sent to Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) students, 299 or 76% were retrieved. There were also 292 Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) students who received the learning modules, and 237, or 81%, complied with their tasks. We found that 68% of the total number of students reside within a <30 km radius, while 32% were within a 30–40 km radius. We also found that the distance of their residences from the NEMSU campus slightly affected the percentage of modular learning material retrievals for both the BEED and BSED students, with R2 = 0.38 and R2 = 0.07, respectively. Nonstructured interview results showed that most students were constrained by many challenges and struggles in complying with the tasks. These include internet connectivity problems, inadequate learning resources, difficulty understanding the module contents and assessment instructions, overloaded remote learning tasks, poor learning environment, and mental health problems. This study also revealed that the country’s digital divide became more apparent as we navigated this new mode of the remote learning system.
A Computation Offloading Strategy in LEO Constellation Edge Cloud Network
Authors: Dong Feihu , Huang Tao , Zhang Yasheng , Sun Chenhua , Li Chengcheng
Published: June 2022

With the rise of a new generation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations and the advancement of the 6G network, satellite–terrestrial integrated Internet of Things (IoT) in the future will achieve global coverage through the integration of LEO constellation, and extend computing to the edge of the network through the deployment of edge computing services in LEO constellation so as to meet the demand of mass connection and low latency data processing. The LEO constellation network of the future will be an edge cloud network combining network and computing. In this paper, we propose a computation offloading strategy for the combined optimization of energy and computational load in a LEO constellation edge cloud network (hereinafter referred to as LEO-ECN). First, we establish the LEO-ECN system model, in which the user task can be offloaded to the satellite through the multi-hop path. Then, a cost model considering energy consumption and load calculation is proposed. Finally, a joint optimization problem to minimize energy consumption and balance the LEO-ECN load is established, which is a convex optimization problem. The simulation result demonstrates that, compared with the benchmark strategy, our proposed strategy has better performance and can improve the computing resource utilization of LEO-ECN.
Research on the Life Prediction Method of Meters Based on a Nonlinear Wiener Process
Authors: Chen Jiayan , Zhong Chaochun , Peng Xiaoxiao , Zhou Shaoyuan , Zhou Juan , Zhang Zhenyu
Published: June 2022

Due to the high reliability of present meters, it is difficult to obtain the failure time of meters through accelerated life tests. Based on the failure data of the accelerated life test, this paper studies the mathematical model based on the Wiener process and establishes the degradation model of the instrument by the maximum likelihood to estimate the parameters of the Wiener model. With full consideration of the possible nonlinear effects in modeling, the time scale transformation method is used to study and obtain the reliability life prediction model of smart meters based on nonlinear data. Finally, the reliability life prediction model of meters is verified and evaluated through the example data of the accelerated life test of smart meters. Compared with the conventional method, this method has less error in calculating the reliability, greatly saves test time, and has a higher accuracy than estimating the lifetime model using the Wiener process directly.
SV-FPN: Small Object Feature Enhancement and Variance-Guided RoI Fusion for Feature Pyramid Networks
Authors: Yang Qianhui , Zhang Changlun , Wang Hengyou , He Qiang , Huo Lianzhi
Published: June 2022

Small object detection is one of the research difficulties in object detection, and Feature Pyramid Networks (FPN) is a common feature extractor in deep learning; thus, improving the results of small object detection based on FPN is of great significance in this field. In this paper, SV-FPN is proposed for a small object detection task, which consists of Small Object Feature Enhancement (SOFE) and Variance-guided Region of Interest Fusion (VRoIF). When using FPN as a feature extractor, an SOFE module is designed to enhance the finer-resolution level feature maps from which the small object features are extracted. VRoIF takes the variance of RoI features as the data driver to learn the completeness of several RoI features from different feature layers, which avoids wasting information and introducing noise. Ablation experiments on three public datasets (KITTI, PASCAL VOC 07+12 and MS COCO 2017) demonstrate the effectiveness of SV-FPN, and the mean Average Precision (mAP) of SV-FPN in the three datasets achieves 41.5%, 53.9% and 38.3%, respectively.
Uniform Circular-Array-Based Borehole Pulsed Eddy-Current System for Asymmetry Defect Inspection in Downhole Casings
Authors: Yang Ling , Dang Bo , Ren Zhiping , Liu Changzan , Dang Jingxin , Zhao Yang , An Baixin , Dang Ruirong
Published: June 2022

The inspection of wellbore casings has been extensively investigated owing to the increasing concern for safety in oil and gas production. However, efficient techniques for inspecting asymmetry defects have not been achieved. In this study, we developed a uniform circular array (UCA) to address the problem of borehole pulsed eddy current (PEC) techniques for asymmetry defect inspection in downhole casings. Based on the borehole PEC system model, the UCA developed with multiple independent probes was designed to achieve asymmetry defect inspection, and the three-dimensional magnetic field data of borehole depths, circumferential azimuths, and sampling times could be obtained. Furthermore, a multichannel data acquisition circuit, which guarantees downhole operation at 150 °C, was developed for the synthesized UCA. Using azimuth dimension information from the synthesized UCA at a certain borehole depth, we obtained an inspection approach for the width and penetration depth of asymmetry defects in the circumferential and radial directions, respectively. Simulations and field experiments were conducted, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in inspecting asymmetry defects.