bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toluene Decomposition in Plasma–Catalytic Systems with Nickel Catalysts on CaO-Al2O3 Carrier
Authors: Woroszył-Wojno Joanna , Młotek Michał , Ulejczyk Bogdan , Krawczyk Krzysztof
Published: June 2022

The decomposition of toluene as a tar imitator in a gas composition similar to the gas after biomass pyrolysis was studied in a plasma–catalytic system. Nickel catalysts and the plasma from gliding arc discharge under atmospheric pressure were used. The effect of the catalyst bed, discharge power, initial toluene, and hydrogen concentration on C7H8 decomposition, calorific value, and unit energy consumption were studied. The gas flow rate was 1000 NL/h, while the inlet gas composition (molar ratio) was CO (0.13), CO2 (0.15), H2 (0.28–0.38), and N2 (0.34–0.44). The study was conducted using an initial toluene concentration in the range of 2000–4500 ppm and a discharge power of 1500–2000 W. In plasma–catalytic systems, the following catalysts were compared: NiO/Al2O3, NiO/(CaO-Al2O3), and Ni/(CaO-Al2O3). The decomposition of toluene increased with its initial concentration. An increase in hydrogen concentration resulted in higher activity of the Ni/(CaO-Al2O3) catalysts. The gas composition did not change by more than 10% during the process. Trace amounts of C2 hydrocarbons were observed. The conversion of C7H8 was up to 85% when NiO/(CaO-Al2O3) was used. The products of the toluene decomposition reactions were not adsorbed onto its surface. The calorific value was not changed during the process and was higher than required for turbines and engines in every system studied.
Effects of Promoter’s Composition on the Physicochemical Properties of Cu/ZnO/Al2O3-ZrO2 Catalyst
Authors: Zulkifli Nur Insyirah , Zabidi Noor Asmawati Mohd , Merican Zulkifli Merican Aljunid , Tasfy Sara Faiz Hanna
Published: June 2022

Cu/ZnO catalysts were synthesized via an impregnation method on an Al2O3-ZrO2 support and modified by the addition of manganese and niobium as promoters. The effect of the selected promoters on the physicochemical properties and performance toward the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol are presented in this paper. The Mn and Nb promoters improved the reducibility of the catalyst as evidenced by the shifting of the H2-TPR peaks from 315 °C for the un-promoted catalyst to 284 °C for the Mn- and Nb-promoted catalyst. The catalytic performance in a CO2 hydrogenation reaction was evaluated in a fixed-bed reactor system at 22.5 bar and 250 °C for 5 h. Amongst the catalysts investigated, the catalyst with equal ratio of Mn and Nb promoters exhibited the smallest particle size of 6.7 nm and highest amount of medium-strength basic sites (87 µmol/g), which resulted in the highest CO2 conversion (15.9%) and methanol selectivity (68.8%).
Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production from Formic Acid Solution with Titanium Dioxide with the Aid of Simultaneous Rh Deposition
Authors: Suhag Mahmudul Hassan , Tateishi Ikki , Furukawa Mai , Katsumata Hideyuki , Khatun Aklima , Kaneco Satoshi
Published: June 2022

Photocatalytic hydrogen production was studied with a formic acid solution with titanium dioxide (TiO2) with the aid of simultaneous Rh deposition. The optimum conditions were as follows: Rh loading, 0.1 wt%; formic acid concentration, 1.0%; solution, pH 2.2; temperature, 50 °C. Under the optimum conditions, the photocatalytic hydrogen production with TiO2 by the simultaneous deposition of Rh was 5.0 mmol g−1, 12.2 mmol g−1 and 16.0 mmol g−1 after 1 h, 3 h and 5 h of irradiation time for black light, respectively. Rh/TiO2 photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, photoluminescence spectra, diffuse reflectance spectra and the BET surface area. The reaction mechanism of photocatalytic hydrogen production from formic acid by Rh/TiO2 was also proposed.
The Dielectric Behavior of Protected HKUST-1
Authors: Sorbara Simona , Casati Nicola , Colombo Valentina , Bossola Filippo , Macchi Piero
Published: June 2022

We investigated the adsorption properties and the dielectric behavior of a very well-known metal-organic framework (MOF), namely Cu3(BTC)2 (known as HKUST-1; BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate), before and after protection with some amines. This treatment has the purpose of reducing the inherent hygroscopic nature of HKUST-1, which is a serious drawback in its application of as low-dielectric-constant (low-κ) material. Moreover, we investigated the structure of HKUST-1 under a strong electric field, confirming the robustness of the framework. Even under dielectric perturbation, the water molecules adsorbed by the MOF remained almost invisible to X-ray diffraction, apart from those directly bound to the metal ions. However, the replacement of H2O with a more visible guest molecule such as CH2Br2 made the cavity that traps the guest more visible. Finally, in this work we demonstrate that impedance spectroscopy is a valuable tool for identifying water sorption in porous materials, providing information that is complementary to that of adsorption isotherms.
The Role of Cracks in Chloride-Induced Corrosion of Carbon Steel in Concrete—Review
Authors: Poursaee Amir , Ross Brandon
Published: June 2022

The majority of works in the field of chloride-indued corrosion of steel in concrete are focused on the cracks formed by the corrosion products. However, the number of studies on the influence of cracks (pre-cracked concrete) on corrosion is limited. Cracks create preferential/free paths for the penetration of chlorides, water, and oxygen into concrete; thus, the presence of cracks in concrete can intensify chloride-induced corrosion of steel reinforcement. This paper presents a review of the effects of cracking on the corrosion of steel in concrete. It was widely reported in the reviewed papers that cracks have a negative impact on concrete durability. They influence the chloride penetration and the chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement in terms of the initiation and propagation stages. This influence is a complex function of many factors, including mix design, exposure conditions, crack frequency, crack orientation, crack width, and cover depth. Although there is a general agreement on the effects of cracks on the initiation of corrosion, the role of cracks and their widths on the propagation of corrosion in the long term is still under debate.
Microstructure and Wear Behavior of TC4 Laser Cladding Modified via SiC and MoS2
Authors: Liu Yan , Li Junjie , Xu Qian , Zhang Yunhua , Yan Xiulin , Chen Yong , He Huabing
Published: June 2022

A TC4 composite coating reinforced by SiC ceramic phase and MoS2 self-lubricating phase was prepared on a muzzle brake by laser cladding to improve its wear resistance properties. In this study, we investigated the microstructure and wear behavior of the composite coating. The results show that the composite coating consisted of equiaxed grains with grain sizes ranging from 102.39 to 255.31 μm on the surface and columnar grains on the bottom. The grains with mesh basket microstructure were mainly with α-Ti and β-Ti phases. When wearing against H70 brass, the main wear mechanism of the composite coating at room temperature was adhesive wear, while the wear mechanism was dominated by adhesive wear, oxidation wear, and slight abrasive wear at high temperature. Compared with TC4 coating without SiC and MoS2, the wear rate of the composite coating was reduced by 15%–35% when the temperature was below 400 °C, and the wear rate was reduced by about 55% at 600 °C, resulting from the addition of SiC. Moreover, the friction coefficient of the composite coating was about 10%, which was 30% lower than that of the substrate and TC4 coating when the temperature was below 400 °C and at 600 °C due to the forming of the dense oxide film and the MoS2 friction transfer film on the friction contact surface of the titanium-based composite coating.
The Impact of Graphene Oxide on Polycaprolactone PCL Surfaces: Antimicrobial Activity and Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cell
Authors: Ferroni Letizia , Gardin Chiara , Rigoni Federica , Balliana Eleonora , Zanotti Federica , Scatto Marco , Riello Pietro , Zavan Barbara
Published: June 2022

In dentistry, bone regeneration requires osteoinductive biomaterial with antibacterial properties. Polycaprolactone (PCL) may be combined with different nanofillers including reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Here, the amount of rGO filler was defined to obtain a biocompatible and antibacterial PCL-based surface supporting the adhesion and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Compounds carrying three different percentages of rGO were tested. Among all, the 5% rGO-PCL compound is the most bacteriostatic against Gram-positive bacteria. All scaffolds are biocompatible. MSCs adhere and proliferate on all scaffolds; however, 5% rGO-PCL surface supports the growth of cells and implements the expression of extracellular matrix components necessary to anchor the cells to the surface itself. Moreover, the 5% rGO-PCL surface has superior osteoinductive properties confirmed by the improved alkaline phosphatase activity, mineral matrix deposition, and osteogenic markers expression. These results suggest that 5% rGO-PCL has useful properties for bone tissue engineering purposes.
Electrochemical Corrosion Behavior of Ni–TiO2 Composite Coatings Electrodeposited from a Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Electrolyte
Authors: Protsenko Vyacheslav S. , Butyrina Tetyana E. , Bobrova Lina S. , Korniy Sergiy A. , Danilov Felix I.
Published: June 2022

The need to develop new electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices requires the creation of new, available, low-cost and high-performance electrocatalytic materials, which can be produced as coatings by electrodeposition technique. The electrodeposited composite coatings based on nickel seem to be very promising in this context. We studied the corrosion resistance of electrocatalytic Ni–TiO2 composite coatings fabricated by electrodeposition method using a plating solution based on deep eutectic solvents, a new environmentally friendly and affordable type of room-temperature ionic liquids. We investigated the corrosion behavior of Ni and Ni–TiO2 coatings (5 and 10 wt.% of TiO2) in a 3% NaCl aqueous solution as a corrosive medium. The corrosion parameters were determined by linear voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was established that the inclusion of titania particles in the Ni matrix and an increase in their content in the coating leads to a shift in corrosion potential towards positive values, a decrease in corrosion current density and an increase in polarization resistance. The observed effects of improving the corrosion resistance of coatings are associated with the barrier action of particles of the dispersed phase and the formation of corrosion microcells contributing to the inhibition of local corrosion.
Numerical Simulation and Experimental Investigation of SiC/Ti-6Al-4V Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Laser Melt Injection
Authors: Zhai Zijia , Zhang Jian , He Peng , Luo Guoqiang , Shen Qiang
Published: June 2022

In this work, a 3D transient finite element (F.E.) model was established to investigate the temperature field distribution in laser processing of the Ti-6Al-4V substrate. The influences of laser power and scanning velocity on the molten pool state were analyzed. In an integrated model considering the length, temperature, and lifetime of the tail area of the molten pool, a laser power of 2.5 kW and a scanning velocity of 60 mm/s are thought to be suitable for laser melt injection. Particle reinforced metal matrix composite coating with a thickness of about 250 μm was prepared on the Ti-6Al-4V surface under the above process. It was found that the microstructure and hardness of the coating gradient varied along the depth direction. The maximum hardness of the coating can reach 1729.5 HV, which is much higher than that of the Ti-6Al-4V substrate.
Effects of Gypsum and Limestone Powder on Fresh Properties and Compressive Strength of Concrete Containing Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag under Different Curing Temperatures
Authors: Gyabaah Gerald , Miyazawa Shingo , Nito Nobukazu
Published: June 2022

Usage of industrial by-products such as ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), gypsum, and limestone powder have gained prominence in concrete production. It is, therefore, very important to conduct research into the various materials and their attendant influence on properties of concrete at different ambient temperatures. This study focused on the slump, setting time, and compressive strength of concrete with GGBFS at a constant replacement ratio, in which different forms of gypsum, namely anhydrous and di-hydrate gypsum, were also added at different SO3 contents. Effect of addition of limestone powder was also investigated. The results of the tests indicated that both gypsum and limestone powder when added to a mix proportion containing GGBFS can improve slump and compressive strength of concrete. Anhydrous gypsum produced higher optimum compressive strength as compared with di-hydrate gypsum. An increase in SO3 content from gypsum contributed to strength development at early ages but reduced its long-term strength. Gypsum added to the mix delayed initial and final setting time. Limestone powder accelerated both initial and final setting times and contributed to increasing compressive strength after one day, thus three to seven days; however, the long-term strength was reduced. Curing temperature of concrete influenced strength development and the time required to remove formwork was determined for different mixtures using “maturity function”.
Morphology Modulation in Self-Assembly of Chiral 2-Hydroxy-2-Phenylacetic Acids in Polymeric Diluents
Authors: Safitri Baiq Firyal Salsabila , Woo Eamor M.
Published: June 2022

This study focused on the chirality effects that control the lamellar bending sense in self-assembled crystals of chiral 2-hydroxy-2-phenylacetic acids. 2-Hydroxy-2-phenylacetic acid or mandelic acid (MA) was crystallized in the presence of poly(4-vinyl phenol) (PVPh), and its crystalline structures and morphologies were assessed using polarized optical microscopy (POM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). MA of two opposite chiral forms (S- and R-) was crystallized with PVPh as the morphology modulator; with adjustment of the PVPh content, the morphology of MA crystals transforms from ring-banded spherulites to highly dendritic spherulites. For MA/PVPh (50/50 wt./wt.) blend and neat MA at same Tc, the dendritic spherulites are packed with single crystals where the lamellae bend at a specific direction varying with Tc and chirality. Contrary to conventional thought, the bending senses of the MA lamellae in the dendritic spherulites are not solely governed by the MA molecular chirality (S or R), but also by Tc. Only at high Tc (>65 °C) is the lamellar bending direction in dendritic spherulites of (S)-MA or (R)-MA blended with PVPh dictated by the chirality, i.e., displaying counterclockwise and clockwise bending direction for (S)-MA/PVPh and (R)-MA/PVPh, respectively. Nevertheless, at low Tc (45 °C), the bending sense of dendritic spherulites displays an opposite direction from those at the higher Tc, which is to say that the chirality alone does not control the lamellar bending direction.
Ferroelectric Smectic Liquid Crystals as Electrocaloric Materials
Authors: Tipping Peter John , Gleeson Helen Frances
Published: June 2022

The 1980s saw the development of ferroelectric chiral smectic C (SmC*) liquid crystals (FLCs) with a clear focus on their application in fast electro-optic devices. However, as the only known fluid ferroelectric materials, they also have potential in other applications, one of which is in heat-exchange devices based on the electrocaloric effect. In particular, ferroelectric liquid crystals can be both the electrocaloric material and the heat exchanging fluid in an electrocaloric device, significantly simplifying some of the design constraints associated with solid dielectrics. In this paper, we consider the electrocaloric potential of three SmC* ferroelectric liquid crystal systems, two of which are pure materials that exhibit ferroelectric, antiferroelectric, and intermediate phases and one that was developed as a room-temperature SmC* material for electro-optic applications. We report the field-induced temperature changes of these selected materials, measured indirectly using the Maxwell method. The maximum induced temperature change determined, 0.37 K, is currently record-breaking for an FLC and is sufficiently large to make these materials interesting candidates for the development for electrocaloric applications. Using the electrocaloric temperature change normalised as a function of electric field strength, as a function of merit, the performances of FLCs are compared with ferroelectric ceramics and polymers.
Doping Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles by Magnetic and Nonmagnetic Nanocomposites Using Organic Species for Fast Removal of Industrial Pollutants from Water in UV Light
Authors: Saber Osama , Osama Mostafa , Shaalan Nagih M. , Osama Aya , Alshoaibi Adil , Osama Doaa
Published: June 2022

Advanced photo-active materials have attracted attention for their potential uses in water purification. In this study, a novel and facile route was used for designing nanohybrids to be valuable sources for producing effective photocatalysts for purifying water from the colored pollutants. Host-guest interaction and intercalation reactions used long chains of hydrocarbons of n-capric acid and stearic acid to facilitate incorporation of fine particles of cobalt iron oxide nanocomposite with the internal surface of the nanolayers of Al/Zn for building nanohybrids. The thermal decomposition of the prepared nanohybrids led to formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles doped with multi-oxides of magnetic and non-magnetic dopants. These dopants created new optical centers causing a strong reduction in the band gap energy from 3.30 eV to 2.60 eV. This positive effect was confirmed by a complete removal of the dye of Naphthol green B from water after 15 min of light irradiation. Moreover, a kinetic study showed that the reaction rate of photocatalytic degradation of the pollutants was faster than that of the conventional photocatalysts. Finally, this route was effective for producing benign and fast solutions for purifying water in addition to environment-related problems.
Non-Destructive Analysis of a High-Power Capacitor Using High-Energy X-ray Compton Scattering
Authors: Suzuki Kosuke , Takano Kodai , Suzuki Shunta , Hanawa Hirotaka , Tsuji Naruki , Ando Tomoya , Hoshi Kazushi , Minato Yoshihiro , Ishimoto Shuichi , Sakurai Yoshiharu , Sakurai Hiroshi
Published: June 2022

Changes in the internal state of a high-power capacitor during progressive charge–discharge cycling were measured non-destructively using high-energy synchrotron X-ray Compton scattering. The stacked structure of a laminated capacitor was clearly indicated by a Compton scattered X-ray intensity analysis and a line shape (S-parameter) analysis of a Compton scattered X-ray energy spectrum. Moreover, apparent differences in the progress of charge and discharge cycles were observed in the correlation between Compton scattered X-ray intensities and S-parameters obtained from the center and edge positions within the in-plane of the electrode. This difference in the correlation was obtained from the shifting of the stacked structure at the edge position, induced by the drift of the electrolyte material within the capacitor cells.
Assessing Compositional and Quality Parameters of Unconcentrated and Refractive Window Concentrated Milk Based on Color Components
Authors: Al-Hilphy Asaad R. , Ali Haider I. , Al-IEssa Sajedah A. , Gavahian Mohsen , Mousavi-Khaneghah Amin
Published: June 2022

In this study, a multiple linear regression equation was developed to measure and predict quality parameters of unconcentrated and concentrated milk based on color components. The viscosity, density, pH, moisture, and fat content could be measured using image processing technology. The multiple linear regression model had a good fitting on experimental data considering the limited errors (0.00–1.12%), standard deviation (0.000–0.043), and root mean square error (0.0007–0.3721). Therefore, these models can be used to predict the quality parameters of milk, including fat percentage, pH, viscosity, density, and moisture content, based on color components of unconcentrated and concentrated milk. The maximum and minimum of color change were 12.28 and 5.96, respectively. The values of browning index were also well-predicted and were within the standard limits. The non-destructive and quick procedure that proposed in this study showed a percentage of accuracy in assessing and predicting the quality parameters milk based on color components. Overall, the color correlates with different compositional and physical characteristics, and provide a possible internet of things (IoT)-based approach to accompany the conventional approaches in the future after further evaluation at large scale for various types of milks subjected to various processes.
Deep Learning Dataset for Estimating Burned Areas: Case Study, Indonesia
Authors: Prabowo Yudhi , Sakti Anjar Dimara , Pradono Kuncoro Adi , Amriyah Qonita , Rasyidy Fadillah Halim , Bengkulah Irwan , Ulfa Kurnia , Candra Danang Surya , Imdad Muhammad Thufaili , Ali Shadiq
Published: June 2022

Wildland fire is one of the most causes of deforestation, and it has an important impact on atmospheric emissions, notably CO2. It occurs almost every year in Indonesia, especially during the dry season. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the burned areas from remote sensing images to establish the zoning map of areas prone to wildland fires. Many methods have been developed for mapping burned areas from low-resolution to medium-resolution satellite images. One of the popular approaches for mapping tasks is a deep learning approach using U-Net architecture. However, it needs a large amount of representative training data to develop the model. In this paper, we present a new dataset of burned areas in Indonesia for training or evaluating the U-Net model. We delineate burned areas manually by visual interpretation on Landsat-8 satellite images. The dataset is collected from some regions in Indonesia, and it consists of 227 images with a size of 512 × 512 pixels. It contains one or more burned scars or only the background and its labeled masks. The dataset can be used to train and evaluate the deep learning model for image detection, segmentation, and classification tasks related to burned area mapping.
Circulating Lymphocytes Reflect the Local Immune Response in Patients with Colorectal Carcinoma
Authors: Waidhauser Johanna , Nerlinger Pia , Sommer Florian , Wolf Sebastian , Eser Stefan , Löhr Phillip , Rank Andreas , Märkl Bruno
Published: June 2022

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) correlate with the number and size of the surrounding lymph nodes in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and reflect the quality of the antitumor immune response. In this prospective study, we analyzed whether this response correlated with the circulating lymphocytes in peripheral blood (PB). In 47 patients with newly diagnosed CRC, flow cytometry was performed to analyze the B cells, T cells, NK cells, and a variety of their subsets in PB. The results were correlated with TILs in the resected tumor and with the number and size of the surrounding lymph nodes in nodal negative (N- patients (LN5: number of lymph nodes measuring ≥5 mm) and the metastasis-to-lymph node size ratio (MSR) in nodal positive patients (N+). Differences between the number of TILs could be seen between N+ and N- patients, dependent on the LN5 and MSR categories, with higher values in N- cases and in patients with a higher LN5 category or a lower MSR. Additionally, higher values of various circulating lymphocyte subgroups were observed in these patients. For the total PB lymphocytes, CD8 cells, and some of their subgroups, a positive correlation with the TILs was found. This study shows that circulating lymphocytes—in particular, cytotoxic T cells—correlate with the local antitumor immune response displayed by TILs and lymph node activation. Our findings indicate that local and generalized antitumor immune responses are concordant with their different components.
Detection of Embryonic Trisomy 21 in the First Trimester Using Maternal Plasma Cell-Free RNA
Authors: Weiner Carl P. , Weiss Mark L. , Zhou Helen , Syngelaki Argyro , Nicolaides Kypros H. , Dong Yafeng
Published: June 2022

Prenatal trisomy 21 (T21) screening commonly involves testing a maternal blood sample for fetal DNA aneuploidy. It is reliable but poses a cost barrier to universal screening. We hypothesized maternal plasma RNA screening might provide similar reliability but at a lower cost. Discovery experiments used plasma cell-free RNA from 20 women 11–13 weeks tested by RNA and miRNA microarrays followed by qRT-PCR. Thirty-six mRNAs and 18 small RNAs of the discovery cDNA were identified by qPCR as potential markers of embryonic T21. The second objective was validation of the RNA predictors in 998 independent pregnancies at 11–13 weeks including 50 T21. Initial analyses identified 9–15 differentially expressed RNA with modest predictive power (AUC < 0.70). The 54 RNAs were then subjected to machine learning. Eleven algorithms were trained on one partition and tested on an independent partition. The three best algorithms were identified by Kappa score and the effects of training/testing partition size and dataset class imbalance on prediction were evaluated. Six to ten RNAs predicted T21 with AUCs up to 1.00. The findings suggest that maternal plasma collected at 11–13 weeks, tested by qRT-PCR, and classified by machine learning, may accurately predict T21 for a lower cost than plasma DNA, thus opening the door to universal screening.
Comment on Skrebinska et al. Who Could Be Blamed in the Case of Discrepant Histology and Serology Results for Helicobacter pylori Detection? Diagnostics 2022, 12, 133
Authors: Kocsmár Éva , Lotz Gábor
Published: June 2022

In their article, Skebrinska and colleagues analysed the potential pitfalls of detecting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) by serology, histological (Giemsa) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. However, in the Introduction, the authors state: “…IHC is recommended only in individuals with active gastritis without H. pylori identification by histochemistry”. Although this is a widely-held view, it does not seem to hold up in view of the results of the study by Kocsmár et al., which showed that the diagnostic sensitivity of Giemsa in the absence of activity is only 33.6%, but it is 92.6% in the presence of active gastritis, which is close to the 99.4% sensitivity of IHC. Considering that chronic active gastritis with the features of H. pylori gastritis is also common in other entities, if active inflammation is present in the sample, there is a very small chance that a Giemsa-negative case will be confirmed as H. pylori-positive by IHC. Based on this, the use of IHC is more reasonable in Giemsa-negative cases with no activity in which the etiological role of H. pylori is suggested by clinical, anamnestic or other data. However, it may also be reasonable to routinely use IHC as the primary staining method instead of Giemsa.
Influence of the Fluoroscopy Setting towards the Patient When Identifying the MPFL Insertion Point
Authors: Korthaus Alexander , Dust Tobias , Berninger Markus , Frings Jannik , Krause Matthias , Frosch Karl-Heinz , Thürig Grégoire
Published: June 2022

(1) The malposition of the femoral tunnel in medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction can lead to length changes in the MPFL graft, and an increase in medial peak pressure in the patellofemoral joint. It is the cause of 36% of all MPFL revisions. According to Schöttle et al., the creation of the drill canal should be performed in a strictly lateral radiograph. In this study, it was hypothesized that positioning the image receptor to the knee during intraoperative fluoroscopy would lead to a relevant mispositioning of the femoral tunnel, despite an always adjusted true-lateral view. (2) A total of 10 distal femurs were created from 10 knee CT scans using a 3D printer. First, true-lateral fluoroscopies were taken from lateral to medial at a 25 cm (LM25) distance from the image receptor, then from medial to lateral at a 5 cm (ML5) distance. Using the method from Schöttle, the femoral origin of the MPFL was determined when the femur was positioned distally, proximally, superiorly, and inferiorly to the image receptor. (3) The comparison of the selected MPFL insertion points according to Schöttle et al. revealed that the initial determination of the point in the ML5 view resulted in a distal and posterior shift of the point by 5.3 mm ± 1.2 mm when the point was checked in the LM25 view. In the opposite case, when the MPFL insertion was initially determined in the LM25 view and then redetermined in the ML5 view, there was a shift of 4.8 mm ± 2.2 mm anteriorly and proximally. The further positioning of the femur (distal, proximal, superior, and inferior) showed no relevant influence. (4) For fluoroscopic identification of the femoral MPFL, according to Schöttle et al., attention should be paid to the position of the fluoroscopy in addition to a true-lateral view.
Osteoprotegerin Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in the Mexican Mestizo Population
Authors: Cazarín-Santos Benny Giovanni , Pérez-Hernández Nonanzit , Posadas-Sánchez Rosalinda , Vargas-Alarcón Gilberto , Pérez-Méndez Óscar , Rodríguez-Silverio Juan , Roque-Ramírez Bladimir , Borgonio-Cuadra Verónica Marusa , Rodríguez-Pérez José Manuel
Published: June 2022

Subclinical atherosclerosis (SA) is the presence of coronary calcification in the absence of cardiovascular symptoms, and it usually progresses to atherosclerotic disease. Studies have shown an association of osteoprotegerin gene (OPG) variants with calcification process in cardiovascular diseases; however, to this day there are no studies that evaluate individuals in the asymptomatic stage of atherosclerotic disease. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the association of four genetic variants and haplotypes of the OPG gene with the development of SA, through TaqMan genotyping assays. We also aimed to identify potential response elements for transcription factors in these genetic variants. The study included 1413 asymptomatic participants (1041 were controls and 372 were individuals with SA). The rs3102735 polymorphism appeared as a protective marker (OR = 0.693; 95% CI = 0.493–0.974; pheterozygote = 0.035; OR = 0.699; 95% CI = 0.496–0.985; pcodominant 1 = 0.040) and two haplotypes were associated with SA, one as a decreased risk: GACC (OR = 0.641, 95% CI = 0.414–0.990, p = 0.045) and another as an increased risk: GACT (OR = 1.208, 95% CI = 1.020–1.431, p = 0.029). Our data suggest a lower risk of SA in rs3102735 C carriers in a representative sample of Mexican mestizo population.
The Role of Circulating Collagen Turnover Biomarkers and Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Patients with Non-Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Revnic Radu , Cojan-Minzat Bianca Olivia , Zlibut Alexandru , Orzan Rares-Ilie , Agoston Renata , Muresan Ioana Danuta , Horvat Dalma , Cionca Carmen , Chis Bogdan , Agoston-Coldea Lucia
Published: June 2022

Background: Myocardial scarring is a primary pathogenetic process in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) that is responsible for progressive cardiac remodeling and heart failure, severely impacting the survival of these patients. Although several collagen turnover biomarkers have been associated with myocardial fibrosis, their clinical utility is still limited. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) determined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has become a feasible method to detect myocardial replacement fibrosis. We sought to evaluate the association between collagen turnover biomarkers and replacement myocardial scarring by CMR and, also, to test their ability to predict outcome in conjunction with LGE in patients with NIDCM. Method: We conducted a prospective study on 194 patients (48.7 ± 14.3 years of age; 74% male gender) with NIDCM. The inclusion criteria were similar to those for the definition of NIDCM, performed exclusively by CMR: (1) LV dilation with an LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) of over 97 mL/m2; (2) global LV dysfunction, expressed as a decreased LVEF of under 45%. CMR was used to determine the presence and extent of LGE. Several collagen turnover biomarkers were determined at diagnosis, comprising galectin-3 (Gal3), procollagen type I carboxy-terminal pro-peptide (PICP) and N-terminal pro-peptide of procollagen type III (PIIINP). A composite outcome (all-cause mortality, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, heart failure hospitalization) was ascertained over a median of 26 months. Results: Gal3, PICP and PIIINP were considerably increased in those with LGE+ (p < 0.001), also being directly correlated with LGE mass (r2 = 0.42; r2 = 0.44; r2 = 0.31; all p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed a significant ability to diagnose LGE, with an area under the ROC of 0.816 for Gal3, 0.705 for PICP, and 0.757 for PIIINP (all p < 0.0001). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that at a threshold of >13.8 ng/dL for Gal3 and >97 ng/dL for PICP, they were able to significantly predict outcome (HR = 2.66, p < 0.001; HR = 1.93, p < 0.002). Of all patients, 17% (n = 33) reached the outcome. In multivariate analysis, after adjustment for covariates, only LGE+ and Gal3+ remained independent predictors for outcome (p = 0.008; p = 0.04). Nonetheless, collagen turnover biomarkers were closely related to HF severity, providing incremental predictive value for severely decreased LVEF of under 30% in patients with NIDCM, beyond that with LGE alone. Conclusions: In patients with NIDCM, circulating collagen turnover biomarkers such as Gal3, PICP and PIIINP are closely related to the presence and extent of LGE and can significantly predict cardiovascular outcome. The joint use of LGE with Gal3 and PICP significantly improved outcome prediction.
Novel Methods to Measure Height and Volume in Healthy and Degenerated Lumbar Discs in MRIs: A Reliability Assessment Study
Authors: Guellil Nadya , Argawal Neha , Krieghoff Magnus , Kaden Ingmar , Hohaus Christian , Meisel Hans-Joerg , Schenk Philipp
Published: June 2022

Background: In the regeneration and therapy of degenerated intervertebral discs, the height, volume or categorizing assessments, such as Pfirrmann classification, are used to quantify the discs themselves and the effects of therapy. Here, the question of transferability, in the sense of reliability, of the results arises in the common exchange. Methods: We have investigated two established and a newly developed (9-point measurement), easy to use methods for height measurement and volume measurement on degenerated and healthy lumbar intervertebral discs of 66 patients regarding inter- and intra-observer reliability. Results: In overview, we found very different reliabilities. While the intra-observer reliability showed good to excellent agreement for both healthy and degenerated lumbar discs for the height and volume measurements, the inter-observer reliability was low or moderate in some cases. The 9-point method for height determination consistently showed better reliability for both healthy and degenerated discs, for both intra- and inter-observer reliability, compared to the two established methods. Conclusions: We recommend using the 9-point measurement as the method to communicate lumbar disc height, both for healthy and degenerated discs. Due to the partly low or moderate reliability, significant differences in the measured heights can already occur, which can lead to a worsened comparability.
Traversing Disability: Employers’ Perspectives of Disability Inclusion
Authors: Ebrahim Adèle , Lorenzo Theresa , Kathard Harsha
Published: June 2022

Persons with disabilities still experience challenges in obtaining employment even though obligations associated with their employment are in place in legislative frameworks that strive to support transformation within the labour market. This paper explores employers’ perspectives on the employment of persons with disabilities in South Africa identified in a case study. The influence of social capital on disability inclusive employment was explored from the perspective of two employers who employed trainees who completed an auxiliary training programme for persons with disabilities, which provides opportunities to facilitate pathways to economic inclusion and/or employment. Findings reveal that despite the call for increased labour inclusivity, the development of social capital is not clearly apparent when persons with disabilities are considered for employment. Organisational attitudes and beliefs seem to stem from the obligatory standpoint of the organisations. The paper highlights the need for employers to look beyond impairments so that employment goals are shared and re-enforced by understanding and possibly re-evaluating their views on their organisation’s obligations, norms, values and mission, and goals. Insights can guide employers to think more holistically about ways to facilitate the economic inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Satisfying Basic Psychological Needs among People with Complex Support Needs: A Self-Determination Theory-Guided Analysis of Primary Relatives’ Perspectives
Authors: van Tuyll van Serooskerken Jacqueline M. , Willemen Agnes M. , de la Croix Anne , Embregts Petri J. C. M. , Schuengel Carlo
Published: June 2022

Background: The fulfilment of basic psychological needs (BPNs) is seen as an integral part of human self-determination, subjective wellbeing, and overall quality of life. However, the meaning of these psychological constructs for individuals with the most extensive support needs remains elusive. Methods: Primary relatives of nine people diagnosed with severe or profound intellectual and multiple disabilities were interviewed about their perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness regarding their family member with complex care needs, and about the ways in which they tried to support their family member in fulfilling specific BPNs. The interview analysis followed a grounded theory with the sensitizing concepts approach. Results: The relatives assigned important meaning to the BPNs, providing insights into their subtle nature, their implicit drivers, and how they were experienced. The relatives also identified serious challenges in detecting, clarifying, and creating opportunities for BPNs. Conclusions: The themes in the relatives’ perspectives can be summarized into a conceptual framework that may contribute to better mutual understanding between people with complex care needs, their relatives, and healthcare providers.
Association between Periodontitis and COVID-19 Based on Severity Scores of HRCT Chest Scans
Authors: Mishra Supriya , Gupta Vineeta , Rahman Waheda , Gazala M. P. , Anil Sukumaran
Published: June 2022

Background: A relationship between periodontitis and COVID-19 may exist, as highlighted by several hypothetical models. However, the evidence is limited. Hence, the present study was conducted to determine whether an association exists between periodontitis and COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were divided into three groups—mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19—based on the COVID-19 severity score of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest scans. Periodontal parameters—including the plaque index (PI), ratio of sites with gingival bleeding (BOP), pocket depth (PD), gingival recession (REC), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and mean numbers of mobile and missing teeth due to periodontitis—were recorded for all three groups. Statistical analyses were applied to the data. Results: Of 294 patients with COVID-19, approximately 50.68% (n = 149) had periodontitis, and the highest percentage (87.5%) was reported in the severe COVID-19 group. Additionally, severe and advanced stages of periodontitis (stage III–IV) were found to be significantly more frequent in subjects with severe COVID-19 than in the other two groups. The HRCT severity score (CT-SS) was moderately correlated with increased levels of periodontal parameters. Conclusions: Results of logistic regression analyses showed that the probability of developing severe COVID-19 was 2.81 times higher in patients with periodontitis. An association exists between periodontitis and severe COVID-19.
Financial Development, Human Resources, and Economic Growth in Transition Countries
Authors: Nguyen Thi Anh Nhu
Published: June 2022

This study explored the linkage between financial development, human resources, and economic growth in a group of twenty-five transition countries during the period 1995–2019. The author applied a range of estimations such as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), fixed effects model, and two-step GMM methods in order to estimate the empirical research model. Different from previous research, financial development in this paper was a proxy variable that was assessed based on the level of outcomes of financial institutions and the financial market in three aspects: depth, access, and efficiency. In addition, the labor force participation rate and the human development index were employed as the comprehensive proxies for human resources. Generally, financial development and human resources exert positive impacts on economic growth. Financial access and financial efficiency boost economic growth, while financial depth does not. Human development was also documented as the driver of economic growth. In addition, the interaction between aggregate financial development and the human development index demonstrated a robust spur to economic growth. These findings contribute to the literature on economic growth and have considerable implications for policymakers in transition economies.
Comparing Guidance via Implicit and Explicit Model Progressions in a Collaborative Inquiry-Based Learning Environment with Different-Aged Learners
Authors: Lehtinen Antti , Nieminen Pasi , Pehkonen Salla , Hähkiöniemi Markus
Published: June 2022

There is a need for research on the effect of different types of model progressions and learner age on learning and engagement in inquiry-based science settings. This study builds on the Scientific Discovery as Dual Search model to introduce less specific implicit model progression and compares them to the traditional explicit model progression. The data come from Finnish 8-, 10-, and 12-year-olds collaboratively using two different configurations of an inquiry-based learning environment about balance. Balance scale tasks were used to assess learning. Students also rated their situation-specific engagement. Both types of model progressions were beneficial for learning but there was no difference in the normalized change scores between them. The 12-year-olds had a higher normalized change score than the 8-year-olds. There were no differences in situation-specific engagement between the two types of model progression. These results suggest that implicit model progression offers a way to provide less specific guidance and a more open learning environment for primary-aged learners compared to the more specific explicit model progression.
Capturing the Nature of Teacher and Learner Agency Demonstrating Creativity: Ethical Issues and Resolutions
Authors: McGregor Debra , Frodsham Sarah
Published: June 2022

This article will focus on the ethical dilemmas and concerns related to eliciting the nature of agency in classrooms that emerges in learning contexts. Agency is a somewhat elusive phenomena to evidence because it involves capturing signs and indications of thinking involved in negotiating meanings, the capacity for initiating, and constructional decision-making. These processes are often made explicit through dialogic and actional exchanges between teachers and/or learners. This includes taking account of activities engaged in, either independently or collaboratively. It also requires evidence of earlier happenings or interactions between classroom participants that might influence and shape later events. There is also concern about the ways that teachers’ and learners’ demonstrable originality or creativity are recognised and communicated for scrutiny by others. Additionally, ethical approval procedures (BERA 2018) require that research protects participants’ anonymity, confidentiality, and dignity; therefore, research has to be carried out with integrity. Ensuring benefits from research are maximised and that no-one is harmed or made to feel uncomfortable requires the utmost care and balance between eliciting insightful data while maintaining the appropriate duty of care for participants. To achieve these objectives, multiple research methods were used. Audio and video recordings were transcribed and analysed to make sense of teacher and learner agency. The findings include an events map, photographic images, and dialogic episodes illustrating the nature of contrasting teacher and learner agency. The conclusion considers tensions that emerge as researchers seeking to characterize agency without compromising privacy.
Introducing the ReaLISED Dataset for Sound Event Classification
Authors: Mohino-Herranz Inma , García-Gómez Joaquín , Aguilar-Ortega Miguel , Utrilla-Manso Manuel , Gil-Pita Roberto , Rosa-Zurera Manuel
Published: June 2022

This paper presents the Real-Life Indoor Sound Event Dataset (ReaLISED), a new database which has been developed to contribute to the scientific advance by providing a large amount of real labeled indoor audio event recordings. They offer the scientific community the possibility of testing Sound Event Classification (SEC) algorithms. The full set is made up of 2479 sound clips of 18 different events, which were recorded following a precise recording process described along the proposal. This, together with a described way of testing the similarity of new audio, makes the dataset scalable and opens up the door to its future growth, if desired by the researchers. The full set presents a good balance in terms of the number of recordings of each type of event, which is a desirable characteristic of any dataset. Conversely, the main limitation of the provided data is that all the audio is recorded in indoor environments, which was the aim behind this development. To test the quality of the dataset, both the intraclass and the interclass similarities were evaluated. The first has been studied through the calculation of the intraclass Pearson correlation coefficient and further discard of redundant audio, while the second one has been evaluated with the creation, training and testing of different classifiers: linear and quadratic discriminants, k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), and Deep Neural Networks (DNN). Firstly, experiments were carried out over the entire dataset, and later over three different groups (impulsive sounds, non-impulsive sounds, and appliances) composed of six classes according to the results from the entire dataset. This clustering shows the usefulness of following a two-step classification process.