bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Botulinum Neurotoxin A in the Treatment of Pharyngocutaneous Fistula after Salvage Surgery in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Our Preliminary Results
Authors: Marchese Maria Raffaella , Di Cesare Tiziana , De Corso Eugenio , Petracca Martina , Oliveto Giuseppe , Almadori Giovanni
Published: September 2022

Objective: To analyze the effect of intraparotid injection of botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) on salivary production and the course of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) in post-radiation therapy salvage surgery. Methods: A total of 13 patients who had undergone total laryngectomy or pharyngolaryngectomy were treated with BoNT-A to both parotid glands, within three days from PCF onset. The salivary flow was evaluated using a subjective rating scale as the percentage of normal function from 0% (no saliva) to 100% (normal saliva flow), before injection, every day for 2 weeks, and once a week for three months. PCFs were monitored daily. Results: Spontaneous closure of PCF occurred in 7/13 (53.84%) cases 13.6 days (range: 7–18) after treatment; 6/13 (46.16%) patients needed revision surgery. Salivary flow significantly decreased in all patients seven days after injection (from 67.2% to 36.4%; p < 0.05). Patients who had undergone either conservative or surgical treatment did not differ in salivary flow before injection, whereas the mean percentages of salivary flow calculated at each time point after injection were different (p < 0.05). Conclusions: BoNT-A contributed to the closure of the fistula in most of our cases. The subjective perception of salivary flow predicted the closure of PCF. The mean time to closure may contribute to establishing the timing of PCF surgical treatment.
Treatments for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: The Multiple Options for Precision Medicine
Authors: Pons-Tostivint Elvire , Bennouna Jaafar
Published: September 2022

In recent years, advances in molecular diagnostics have transformed the management of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), allowing for increasingly personalized approaches [...]
Psychoneurological Symptoms and Biomarkers of Stress and Inflammation in Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Network Analysis
Authors: Santoso Angelina M. M. , Jansen Femke , Peeters Carel F. W. , Baatenburg de Jong Robert J. , Brakenhoff Ruud H. , Langendijk Johannes A. , Leemans C. René , Takes Robert P. , Terhaard Chris H. J. , van Straten Annemieke , Verdonck-de Leeuw Irma M.
Published: September 2022

Psychoneurological symptoms are commonly reported by newly diagnosed head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, yet there is limited research on the associations of these symptoms with biomarkers of stress and inflammation. In this article, pre-treatment data of a multi-center cohort of HNC patients were analyzed using a network analysis to examine connections between symptoms (poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and oral pain), biomarkers of stress (diurnal cortisol slope), inflammation markers (c-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]), and covariates (age and body mass index [BMI]). Three centrality indices were calculated: degree (number of connections), closeness (proximity of a variable to other variables), and betweenness (based on the number of times a variable is located on the shortest path between any pair of other variables). In a sample of 264 patients, poor sleep quality and fatigue had the highest degree index; fatigue and CRP had the highest closeness index; and IL-6 had the highest betweenness index. The model yielded two clusters: a symptoms—cortisol slope—CRP cluster and a IL-6—IL-10—TNF-α—age—BMI cluster. Both clusters were connected most prominently via IL-6. Our findings provide evidence that poor sleep quality, fatigue, CRP, and IL-6 play an important role in the interconnections between psychoneurological symptoms and biomarkers of stress and inflammation in newly diagnosed HNC patients.
Palliative Care Outcome Scale Assessment for Cancer Patients Eligible for Palliative Care: Perspectives on the Relationship between Patient-Reported Outcome and Objective Assessments
Authors: Nakajima Nobuhisa
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: The importance of patient-reported outcome (PRO), i.e., prioritizing patient voice, has increased in cancer treatment, as well as palliative and supportive settings. The Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS), a hybrid evaluation consisting of “patient evaluation” (PRO) and “peer evaluation” by medical professionals, was developed as a successor version of the Support Team Assessment Schedule (STAS) in 2013 and has been utilized worldwide. The Japanese version of the IPOS (IPOS-J) was developed and released in 2019. The purpose of this study was to explore the applicability of the IPOS-J to clinical practice in the future. (2) Methods: We conducted the following two studies with terminally ill cancer patients: (i) Can an evaluation with the IPOS-J performed by medical professionals (peer evaluation) replace the STAS-J evaluation? (ii) Can the quality of palliative care improve by combining the IPOS-J patient evaluation with the peer evaluation? (3) Results: The overall intervention rate and urgent intervention rate for the STAS-J and IPOS-J was 34.4 vs. 34.1% (p = 0.91) and 10.4 vs. 9.9% (p = 0.78), respectively. The patients selected “intervention required” but the medical professionals selected “no intervention required” in 47 cases. The medical team performed appropriate intervention after re-assessment. As a result, more than 70% of the patients were “intervention-free” after 1 week of intervention. (4) Conclusions: The IPOS-J peer evaluation was as useful as the STAS-J evaluation. A hybrid type of evaluation, combining patient evaluation (PRO) and peer evaluation, may help us to understand patient needs and improve the quality of palliative care.
Genotypic and Phenotypic Selection of Newly Improved Putra Rice and the Correlations among Quantitative Traits
Authors: Chukwu Samuel C. , Rafii Mohd Y. , Oladosu Yusuff , Okporie Emmanuel O. , Akos Ibrahim S. , Musa Ibrahim , Swaray Senesie , Jalloh Momodu , Al-Mamun Md.
Published: September 2022

This experiment was conducted to genotypically and phenotypically select new rice lines pyramided with blast and bacterial leaf blight disease resistance genes after a marker-assisted backcross breeding programme. The inter-relationship among agro-morphological characteristics and their effect on yield was also studied. The polymorphic functional and microsatellite markers Xa21FR and pTA248 (Xa21), Xa13prom (xa13), RM21 (xa5), MP (Xa4), RM6836 (Pi2, Pi9 & Piz) and RM8225 (Piz) were first confirmed for the target genes. The selected markers were used for foreground selection of BC2F2 homozygous progenies with the target genes. Plants that had homozygous IRBB60 alleles for these markers were evaluated for their recovery of the recurrent parent genome. IRBB60 was used as the donor parent for bacterial blight resistance genes while Putra-1 served as a recipient/recurrent parent with background blast-resistance genes and high yield. After the foreground selection, 79 polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers identified from the marker polymorphism survey were used for marker-assisted background selection to determine the percentage recovery of the recurrent parent genome. In order to make a selection on a phenotypic basis, 14 agro-morphological traits were measured and recorded. The result obtained from the study showed that 16 lines received the seven resistance genes in sufficiently varied numbers and were selected. The distribution of yield per hectare showed that about 50% of the selected lines had yields as high as 5 t/ha and above. Some of the lines produced as high as 8.4 t/ha. These lines demonstrated the potential of recording uniform 8t/ha upon recombination at BC2F2. The study also indicated that the number of panicles per hill correlated strongly, significantly and positively with the number of tillers (r = 0.962 **), total grain weight per hill (r = 0.928 **) and yield per hectare (r = 0.927 **). It was concluded that the newly improved resistant lines which were selected have the capability to compete with Putra-1 in terms of its productivity and yield. The newly developed lines would be useful in future breeding programmes as donors for bacterial leaf blight and blast resistance genes. These lines are recommended for release to farmers in Malaysia and other rice-growing agro-ecologies for commercial cultivation.
Cheating, Trust and Social Norms: Data from Germany, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, and Japan
Authors: Huynh Toan L. D. , Rieger Marc Oliver , Wang Mei , Berens David , Bui Duy-Linh , Chen Hung-Ling , Emering Tobias Peter , Geng Sen , Liu-Gerhards Yang , Neumann Thomas , Nguyen Thanh Dac , Nguyen Thong Trung , Peng Diefeng , Phan Thuy Chung , Reinhardt Denis , Shen Junyi , Takahashi Hiromasa , Vogt Bodo
Published: September 2022

The data presented here contain information on cheating behavior from experiments and general self-reported attitudes related to honesty-related social norms and trust, together with individual-level demographic variables. Our sample included 493 university students in five countries, namely, Germany, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, and Japan. The experiment was monetarily incentivized based on the performance on a matrix task. The participants also answered a survey questionnaire. The dataset is valuable for academic researchers in sociology, psychology, and economics who are interested in honesty, norms, and cultural differences.
Could Chronic Rhinosinusitis Increase the Risk of Ulcerative Colitis? A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Lee Il Hwan , Ha Seung-Su , Son Gil Myeong , Yang Hee Gyu , Kim Dong-Kyu
Published: September 2022

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the sinonasal mucosa with an inflammatory or infectious etiology. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes chronic intestinal inflammation. Thus, both diseases share innate immune and epithelial barrier dysfunctions of the mucosa. However, the association between sinusitis and IBD is not well-known. We aimed to determine the association between CRS and the risk for IBDs, such as Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). In this long-term retrospective cohort study, 15,175 patients with CRS and 30,350 patients without CRS (comparison group) were enrolled after 1:2 propensity score matching. The incidence rates of CD and UC were 0.22 and 0.51 (1000 person-years), respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for developing CD and UC in CRS patients was 1.01 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.66–1.54) and 1.72 (95% CI, 1.26–2.36), respectively. Additionally, in the subgroup analysis using the CRS phenotype, the adjusted HRs of UC were significantly increased in patients with CRS without nasal polyps (adjusted HR = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.24–2.35), but not in those with CRS with nasal polyps. CRS without nasal polyps is associated with an increased incidence of UC but not CD. Therefore, clinicians should pay attention to the early detection of UC when treating patients with CRS without nasal polyps.
Assessment of Risk Factors Associated with Severe Endometriosis and Establishment of Preoperative Prediction Model
Authors: Yang Yanhua , Li Jing , Chen Hui , Feng Weiwei
Published: September 2022

Approximately 10% (176 million) of women of reproductive age worldwide suffer from endometriosis, which has a high rate of postoperative recurrence. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors of severe endometriosis and establish a preoperative prediction model. A retrospective analysis of a database established between January 2020 and March 2022 including 491 women with a pathology-based endometriosis diagnosis was conducted. Subjects were divided into two groups: the non-severe group (ASRM ≤ 40) and the severe group (ASRM > 40). Age ≥ 40 years, bilateral lesions, pelvic nodules, adenomyosis, APTT, CA125 ≥ 34.5 U/mL, D-dimer ≥ 0.34 mg/L, and maximum cyst diameter ≥ 58 mm were independent correlation factors for severe endometriosis. The logistic regression equation for these factors showed good diagnostic efficiency (AUC = 0.846), which was similar to the model with intraoperative indicators (AUC = 0.865). Patients with severe endometriosis also had a shorter APTT and higher D-dimer and PLT, indicating hypercoagulability. In conclusion, we constructed a simple and feasible formula involving parameters that are preoperatively accessible to predict the severity of endometriosis. This study is of reference value for determining the timing of and alternatives to surgery. At the same time, attention should be paid to the primary prevention of venous thrombosis and cardiovascular metabolic diseases in patients with severe endometriosis.
Cardiovascular Factors Associated with COVID-19 from an International Registry of Primarily Japanese Patients
Authors: Matsumori Akira , Auda Matthew E. , Bruno Katelyn A. , Shapiro Katie A. , Kato Toru , Nakamura Toshihiro , Hasegawa Koji , Saleh Ahmed , Abdelrazek Sherif , Negm Hany , Karunawan Niyata Hananta , Cooper Leslie T. , Fairweather DeLisa
Published: September 2022

Aims: We developed an international registry to examine cardiovascular complications of COVID-19. Methods: A REDCap form was created in March 2020 at Mayo Clinic in collaboration with the International Society of Cardiomyopathy, Myocarditis and Heart Failure (ISCMF) and data were entered from April 2020 through April 2021. Results: Of the 696 patients in the COVID-19 Registry, 411 (59.2%) were male and 283 (40.8%) were female, with a sex ratio of 1.5:1 male to female. In total, 95.5% of the patients were from Japan. The average age was 52 years with 31.5% being >65 years of age. COVID-19 patients with a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) had more pre-existing conditions including type II diabetes (p < 0.0001), cancer (p = 0.0003), obesity (p = 0.001), and kidney disease (p = 0.001). They also had a greater mortality of 10.1% compared to 1.7% in those without a history of CVD (p < 0.0001). The most common cardiovascular conditions in patients with a history of CVD were hypertension (33.7%), stroke (5.7%) and arrhythmias (5.1%). We found that troponin T, troponin I, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP), C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 and lambda immunoglobulin free light chains (Ig FLC) were elevated above reference levels in patients with COVID-19. Myocarditis is known to occur mainly in adults under the age of 50, and when we examined biomarkers in patients that were ≤50 years of age and had no history of CVD we found that a majority of patients had elevated levels of troponin T (71.4%), IL-6 (59.5%), creatine kinase/CK-MB (57.1%), D-dimer (57.8%), kappa Ig FLC (75.0%), and lambda Ig FLC (71.4%) suggesting myocardial injury and possible myocarditis. Conclusions: We report the first findings to our knowledge of cardiovascular complications from COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic in a predominantly Japanese population. Mortality was increased by a history of CVD and pre-existing conditions including type II diabetes, cancer, obesity, and kidney disease. Our findings indicate that even in cases where no abnormalities are found in ECG or ultrasound cardiography that myocardial damage may occur, and cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers may be useful for the diagnosis.
Untangling Synergistic Effects of Intersecting Social Identities with Partial Information Decomposition
Authors: Varley Thomas F. , Kaminski Patrick
Published: September 2022

The theory of intersectionality proposes that an individual’s experience of society has aspects that are irreducible to the sum of one’s various identities considered individually, but are “greater than the sum of their parts”. In recent years, this framework has become a frequent topic of discussion both in social sciences and among popular movements for social justice. In this work, we show that the effects of intersectional identities can be statistically observed in empirical data using information theory, particularly the partial information decomposition framework. We show that, when considering the predictive relationship between various identity categories such as race and sex, on outcomes such as income, health and wellness, robust statistical synergies appear. These synergies show that there are joint-effects of identities on outcomes that are irreducible to any identity considered individually and only appear when specific categories are considered together (for example, there is a large, synergistic effect of race and sex considered jointly on income irreducible to either race or sex). Furthermore, these synergies are robust over time, remaining largely constant year-to-year. We then show using synthetic data that the most widely used method of assessing intersectionalities in data (linear regression with multiplicative interaction coefficients) fails to disambiguate between truly synergistic, greater-than-the-sum-of-their-parts interactions, and redundant interactions. We explore the significance of these two distinct types of interactions in the context of making inferences about intersectional relationships in data and the importance of being able to reliably differentiate the two. Finally, we conclude that information theory, as a model-free framework sensitive to nonlinearities and synergies in data, is a natural method by which to explore the space of higher-order social dynamics.
Source Identification, Toxicity, and Persistence of PAHs in Sediment Core from a Natural Protected Area in Mexico
Authors: Queb-Suarez Jose Emilio , Ruiz-Marin Alejandro , Canedo-Lopez Yunuen , Aguilar-Ucan Claudia Alejandra , Montalvo-Romero Carlos , Flores-Trujillo Juan Gabriel , Perez-Morga Nancy
Published: September 2022

Sediment cores maintain a historical record of the various sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In 2020, one sediment core was collected within the oyster farming area of the Pom–Atasta lagoon system and the Terminos lagoon. A total of 16 PAH compounds were analyzed to identify the historical patterns of PAH inputs and the relationship with sediment materials. The core was classified into three strata at depths of 0.0–0.2 m, 0.2–0.6 m, and 0.6–1.1 m, in which the high content of silt–sand, organic matter, and carbonates indicates a system of high energy and productivity. The hydrology and characteristics of the sediment suggest a free access of adsorbed PAHs to the study area, mainly of pyrolytic origin. The concentration of ∑PAHs decreases from the surface (527.0 ng g−1 dw) to a greater depth (75.7 ng g−1 dw), which corresponds to 60% of the HMW (high molecular weight) of the total PAHs as combustion products at low temperatures, while LWM-PAH (low molecular weight) inputs are from discharges of petroleum products. The core sediments showed a low probability of toxicity quotient of 9%. The analysis of the carcinogenic toxic equivalent (TEQcarc) in each section of the core was variable, decreasing with the depth from 107.91 ng TEQ g−1 dw to 57.65 ng TEQ g−1 dw, with the compounds benzo(a)pyrene (53.55 ng TEQ g−1 dw) and dibenzo(a,h) anthracene (29.2 ng TEQcarc g−1 dw) having the highest TEQcarc. The anthropogenic activities around the study area may increase the carcinogenic and mutagenic risk to human health. However, in the present study, the low toxic carcinogenic equivalents (TEQBaP) and mutagenic equivalents (MEQBaP) indicate a low probability of sediment toxicity. The ecosystem could be under constant threat from increasing anthropogenic activity; therefore, monitoring programs for the conservation of these ecosystems and oyster farms should be considered.
Efficiency Improvement of an Electric-Grid Transformer Using the Diamagnetism Characteristics of a Bulk Superconductor
Authors: Shaked Daniel , Holdengreber Eldad
Published: September 2022

An innovative method to improve the efficiency of a single-phase electric-grid 125 kVA, 50 Hz shell type and distribution transformer is presented. The diamagnetism characteristic of a bulk high-temperature superconductor (HTS), designed in a specific dimension, is used to construct a magnetic shield around the air gaps that form between the core joints and among the coils of the transformer. Consequently, the shielded flux engages the core area and increases the flux density in the core, resulting in an increase in the output power, and hence an improved transformer efficiency. The transformer was designed and simulated using advanced electromagnetic software. Simulation results indicate that the width and thickness of the HTS material, as its precise location placed on the air gaps around the core and the coils, can be a substantial factor in generating a magnetic shield that results in an efficiency improvement, superior compared to conventional transformers. The most enhanced performance was received for HTS thickness of 2.6 mm, around 2.4% output power improvement compared with a conventional transformer model. In a transformer of this type that efficiency improvement can lead to great energy savings, around 10,000 kWh for half a year of working under load.
Multifractal Analysis of the Mechanical PropOKerties of the Texture of Biopolymer-Inorganic Composites of Chitosan-Silicon Dioxide
Authors: Meshalkin V. P. , Butusov O. B. , Reverberi Andrea , Kolmakov A. G. , Sevostyanov M. A. , Garabadzhiu A. V. , Alexandrova A. G.
Published: September 2022

An original multifractal algorithm is proposed for calculating the fractal characteristics of the cluster texture of biopolymer-inorganic (BIN) composites from microphotographic images (MPIs) of their texture, which allows one to determine the quantitative dependence of the mechanical properties of biopolymer–inorganic composites on the characteristics of their cluster texture. As a result of the studies conducted on the MPI texture of the “chitosan-silicon dioxide” BIN composites using a multifractal algorithm, it was found that such important indicators as strength and plasticity can be quantitatively described using generalized fractal pixel dimensions of MPI samples of the BIN composite. It was established that when the amount of silicon dioxide in the samples of the BIN composite changes, the mechanical characteristics of the BIN composites, such as strength and plasticity, can be quantitatively described using generalized fractal pixel dimensions of the MPIs of the BIN composite samples.
A Study on the Impact of Various Meteorological Data on the Design Performance of Rooftop Solar Power Projects in Vietnam: A Case Study of Electric Power University
Authors: Pham Manh-Hai , Phap Vu Minh , Trung Nguyen Ngoc , Son Tran Thanh , Kien Duong Trung , Anh Tho Vu Thi
Published: September 2022

People are increasingly using clean energy sources, contributing to environmental protection according to the general trend of the world. In the form of renewable energy, solar energy has contributed to solving current pressing problems, such as environmental pollution and air pollution, improving people’s quality of life. The design of solar power projects in Vietnam is mainly based on meteorological data sources from Meteonorm and NASA. However, the accuracy assessment of two data sources compared to the actual solar power data in Vietnam is not available, so there is no basis to determine better meteorological data source quality to serve the design of rooftop solar power projects. The content of this paper analyzes the simulation results of a typical rooftop solar power station at the Electric Power University, Hanoi city based on meteorological data sources from Meteonorm and NASA. After that, the simulation results will be compared with the actual operating data of a rooftop solar power station near the Electric Power University and other real PV systems in the world. The study results showed that the amount of electricity production using the Meteonorm meteorological data was closer to the actual data than the NASA data source. Therefore, solar power projects in Vietnam should use Meteonorm data source for the design process to determine the best economic and technical efficiency for investors.
Heat and Mass Transfer in Structural Ceramic Blocks: An Analytical and Phenomenological Approach
Authors: Silva Stephane , Araújo Carlos , Delgado João , Gomez Ricardo , Magalhães Hortência , Figueredo Maria , Figueirôa Juliana , Brito Mirenia , Neto José , Pereira Adriana , Silva Leonardo , Lima Antonio
Published: September 2022

The ceramic industry is one of the pillars of the Brazilian economy, characterized by making low-cost products and an obsolete manufacturing process from a technological point of view. Among the various stages of production of ceramic materials, drying is one of the most energy-consuming and, in general, causes structural damage to the product, compromising its mechanical performance and final quality. Despite the relevance, studies on the drying of ceramic materials are mostly conducted at the experimental level and limited to some specific operational conditions. In this scenario, this research aims to theoretically study the heat and mass transfers in industrial ceramic blocks during drying. Based on the lumped analysis method, and considering the dimensional variations of the material, new phenomenological mathematical models and their respective analytical solutions are proposed to describe the kinetics of mass loss and heating of the material. The predicted results referring to the thermal and gravimetric behavior of the block during the oven drying process under different conditions are compared with the experimental data, obtaining excellent agreement between the results. Furthermore, the transport coefficients were estimated, proving the dependence of these parameters on the drying air conditions. The convective mass transfer coefficient ranged from 6.69 × 10–7 to 15.97 × 10–7 m/s on the outer surface of the block and from 0.70 × 10–7 to 1.03 × 10–7 m/s on the inner surface of the material when the drying air temperature ranged from 50 to 100 °C. The convective heat transfer coefficient ranged from 4.79 to 2.04 W/(m2.°C) on the outer surface of the block and from 1.00 to 0.94 W/(m2.°C) on the inner surface of the material when air temperature ranged from 50 to 100 °C.
Monitoring of Thermal and Flow Processes in the Two-Phase Spray-Ejector Condenser for Thermal Power Plant Applications
Authors: Madejski Paweł , Michalak Piotr , Karch Michał , Kuś Tomasz , Banasiak Krzysztof
Published: September 2022

The paper deals with the problem of accurate measuring techniques and experimental research methods for performance evaluation of direct contact jet-type flow condensers. The nominal conditions and range of temperature, pressure and flow rate in all characteristic points of novel test rig installation were calculated using the developed model. Next, the devices for measurement of temperature, pressure and flow rate in a novel test rig designed for testing the two-phase flow spray ejector condensers system (SEC) were studied. The SEC can find application in gas power cycles as the device dedicated to condensing steam in exhaust gases without decreasing or even increasing exhaust gas pressure. The paper presents the design assumptions of the test rig, its layout and results of simulations of characteristic points using developed test rig models. Based on the initial thermal and flow conditions, the main assumptions for thermal and flow process monitoring were formulated. Then, the discussion on commercially available measurement solutions was presented. The basic technical parameters of available sensors and devices were given, discussed with details.
On the Existence and Applicability of Extremal Principles in the Theory of Irreversible Processes: A Critical Review
Authors: Donskoy Igor
Published: September 2022

A brief review of the development of ideas on extremal principles in the theory of heat and mass transfer processes (including those in reacting media) is given. The extremal principles of non-equilibrium thermodynamics are critically examined. Examples are shown in which the mechanical use of entropy production-based principles turns out to be inefficient and even contradictory. The main problem of extremal principles in the theory of irreversible processes is the impossibility of their generalization, often even within the framework of a class of problems. Alternative extremal formulations are considered: variational principles for heat and mass transfer equations and other dissipative systems. Several extremal principles are singled out, which make it possible to simplify the numerical solution of the initial equations. Criteria are proposed that allow one to classify extremal principles according to their areas of applicability. Possible directions for further research in the search for extremal principles in the theory of irreversible processes are given.
Artificial Intelligence Methodologies in Smart Grid-Integrated Doubly Fed Induction Generator Design Optimization and Reliability Assessment: A Review
Authors: Behara Ramesh Kumar , Saha Akshay Kumar
Published: September 2022

The reliability assessment of smart grid-integrated distributed power-generating coordination is an operational measure to ensure appropriate system operational set-ups in the appearance of numerous issues, such as equipment catastrophes and variations of generation capacity and the connected load. The incorporation of seasonable time-varying renewable energy sources such as doubly fed generator-based wind turbines into the existing power grid system makes the reliability assessment procedure challenging to a significant extent. Due to the enormous number of associated states involved in a power-generating system, it is unusual to compute all possible failure conditions to determine the system’s reliability indicators. Therefore, nearly all of the artificial intelligence methodology-based search algorithms, along with their intrinsic conjunction mechanisms, encourage establishing the most significant states of the system within a reasonable time frame. This review’s finding indicates that machine learning and deep learning-based predictive analysis fields have achieved fame because of their low budget, simple setup, shorter problem-solving time, and high level of precision. The systems analyzed in this review paper can be applied and extended to the incorporated power grid framework for improving functional and accurate analytical tools to enrich the power system’s reliability and accuracy, overcome software constraints, and improve implementation strategies. An adapted IEEE Reliability Test System (IEEE-RTS) will be applied to authenticate the relevance and rationality of the proposed approach.
Effects of Increasing pH on Nitrous Oxide and Dinitrogen Emissions from Denitrification in Sterilized and Unsterilized Forest Soils
Authors: Wang Yajing , Cao Wenchao , Guo Jingheng , Zhang Minghu
Published: September 2022

Denitrification, as an important part of the soil nitrogen cycle, is widely considered to be a major source of nitrous oxide (N2O). Both biotic and abiotic denitrification processes contribute significantly to soil N2O emission, especially under acidic conditions. Increasing soil pH was found to suppress N2O emissions from denitrification, while the underlying mechanism remains uncertain. In this study, we incubated fresh forest soil anaerobically after increasing soil pH and adding nitrate (NO3−) under both sterilized and unsterilized conditions. The dynamic changes of NO3−, nitrite (NO2−), N2O and dinitrogen (N2) were monitored continuously during the 15 days of incubation. The results showed that nitrate reduction rates increased with soil pH in both sterilized and unsterilized soils, with the former having higher rates. The obvious production and consumption of nitrite were found at pH 7.1, rather than at pH 5.5, especially in sterilized soils. In both sterilized and unsterilized soils, accumulative emission of N2O and N2O-N/(N2O+N2)-N product ratios decreased significantly with increasing pH, while N2 showed the opposite trend. In sterilized soils, N2O was the dominant end gas product, accounting for 40.88% and 29.42% of the added nitrate at pH 5.5 and 7.1, respectively. In unsterilized soils, N2 was the only final gas product at pH 7.1 (59.34% of the added nitrate), whereas N2O dominated at pH 5.5 (26.67% of the added nitrate). Our results here showed that increasing soil pH promoted the conversion of N2O to N2 under both sterilized and unsterilized conditions, and highlighted the potential importance of abiotic denitrification on N2O emission.
Butyric Acid Production by Fermentation: Employing Potential of the Novel Clostridium tyrobutyricum Strain NRRL 67062
Authors: Qureshi Nasib , Liu Siqing , Saha Badal C.
Published: September 2022

In this study, the ability of a novel strain of Clostridium tyrobutyricum NRRL 67062 to produce butyric acid during glucose fermentation was evaluated. The strain was evaluated for substrate and product inhibition in batch experiments using anaerobic tubes. To characterize glucose inhibition, initial glucose concentrations ranging from 60 to 250 g L−1 were used, and it was demonstrated that a glucose concentration of 250 g L−1 exerted strong inhibition on cell growth and fermentation. To evaluate butyric acid inhibition, the culture was challenged with 5–50 g L−1 of butyric acid at an initial pH of 6.5. These experiments were performed without pH control. When challenged with a butyric acid concentration of 50 g L−1, cell growth was slow; however, it produced 8.25 g L−1 of butyric acid. This suggested that the butyric acid tolerance of the culture was 58 g L−1. In a scaled-up batch experiment, which was performed in a 2.5 L fermentor with an initial glucose concentration of 100 g L−1, the pH was controlled at 6.5. In this experiment, the strain produced 57.86 g L−1 of butyric acid and 12.88 g L−1 of acetic acid, thus producing 70.74 g L−1 of total acids with a productivity of 0.69 g·L−1·h−1. A concentration of 70.74 g L−1 of acids equates to a yield of 0.71 g of acid per g consumed glucose. The maximum cell concentration was 3.80 g L−1, which may have been the reason for high productivity in the batch culture. Finally, corn steep liquor (CSL; a commercial nutrient solution) provided greater growth and acid production than the refined medium.
Effects of Sour Yogurt as an Alternative Additive in Second Crop Corn Silage
Authors: Soycan Önenç Sibel , Erten Kadir , Canbolat Önder
Published: September 2022

In this study, we evaluated the influence of sour yogurt as a natural microbial inoculant in second-crop corn silages. For this purpose, two trials with different dilution rates were conducted. In Trial I, the groups 10 g sour yogurt + 5 g distilled water (SY10-2), 20 g sour yogurt + 10 g distilled water (SY20-2), 30 g sour yogurt + 15 g distilled water (SY30-2), 40 g sour yogurt + 20 g distilled water (SY40-2), 50 g sour yogurt + 25 g distilled water (SY50-2) and no additives were added to the control (CON) group. The groups in Trial II, 10 g sour yogurt + 10 g distilled water (SY10-1), 20 g sour yogurt + 20 g distilled water (SY20-1), 30 g sour yogurt + 30 g distilled water (SY30-1), 40 g sour yogurt + 40 g distilled water (SY40-1), 50 g sour yogurt + 50 g distilled water (SY50-1) and 10 g of distilled water were added to the control (WCON) group. For the silages opened on the 90th day of ensiling, the highest lactic acid content was determined in the SY20-2 and SY20-1 groups (p < 0.05). The lowest amount of ammonia nitrogen was in the SY30-2 group (p < 0.05). In the aerobic period, the SY10-2 and SY20-2 groups remained more stable than the others. As a result, the SY20-2, SY30-2, SY20-1, and SY30-1 groups improved the fermentation quality of corn silages, but the effect on aerobic stability was not significant and was similarly found with the homofermentative bacterial inoculants.
Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KC39 Immobilized on Prebiotic Wheat Bran to Manufacture Functional Soft White Cheese
Authors: Shehata Mohamed G. , Abd El-Aziz Nourhan M. , Darwish Amira G. , El-Sohaimy Sobhy A.
Published: September 2022

In the current study, probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KC39 was immobilized on wheat bran as a carrier. The immobilized synbiotic biocatalyst was freeze-dried and used as an adjunct during the production of functional soft white cheese. Free freeze-dried Lc. paracasei cells as an adjunct and a control cheese with a commercial starter were used for comparison. In addition to a fiber content of 1.12%, the functional cheese made using the synbiotic biocatalyst showed higher cell viabilities in the gastric and intestinal phases as well as an enhanced microstructure and favorable sensory characteristics. The presented immobilization method could be applied to the production of soft cheese and other functional food products for the stabilized delivery of both probiotics and dietary fibers.
Homozygous Inversion on Chromosome 13 Involving SGCG Detected by Short Read Whole Genome Sequencing in a Patient Suffering from Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Pluta Natalie , Hoffjan Sabine , Zimmer Frederic , Köhler Cornelia , Lücke Thomas , Mohr Jennifer , Vorgerd Matthias , Nguyen Hoa Huu Phuc , Atlan David , Wolf Beat , Zaum Ann-Kathrin , Rost Simone
Published: September 2022

New techniques in molecular genetic diagnostics now allow for accurate diagnosis in a large proportion of patients with muscular diseases. Nevertheless, many patients remain unsolved, although the clinical history and/or the muscle biopsy give a clear indication of the involved genes. In many cases, there is a strong suspicion that the cause must lie in unexplored gene areas, such as deep-intronic or other non-coding regions. In order to find these changes, next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods are constantly evolving, making it possible to sequence entire genomes to reveal these previously uninvestigated regions. Here, we present a young woman who was strongly suspected of having a so far genetically unsolved sarcoglycanopathy based on her clinical history and muscle biopsy. Using short read whole genome sequencing (WGS), a homozygous inversion on chromosome 13 involving SGCG and LINC00621 was detected. The breakpoint in intron 2 of SGCG led to the absence of γ-sarcoglycan, resulting in the manifestation of autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 5 (LGMDR5) in the young woman.
Effects of β-1,6-Glucan Synthase Gene (FfGS6) Overexpression on Stress Response and Fruit Body Development in Flammulina filiformis
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Ma Xinbin , Long Ying , Yao Sen , Wei Chuanzheng , Han Xing , Gan Bingcheng , Yan Junjie , Xie Baogui
Published: September 2022

β-1, 6-glucan synthase is a key enzyme of β-1, 6-glucan synthesis, which plays a vital role in the cell wall cross-linking of fungi. However, the role of the β-1, 6-glucan synthase gene in the development of the fruiting body and the stress response of macrofungi is largely unknown. In this study, four overexpression transformants of the β-1, 6-glucan synthase gene (FfGS6) were successfully obtained, and gene function was studied in Flammulina filiformis. The overexpression of FfGS6 can increase the width of mycelium cells and improve the tolerance ability under mechanical injury and oxidative stress. Moreover, FfGS6 gene expression fluctuated in up-regulation during the recovery process of mycelium injury but showed a negative correlation with H2O2 concentration. Fruiting body phenotype tests showed that mycelia’s recovery ability after scratching improved when the FfGS6 gene was overexpressed. However, primordia formation and the stipe elongation ability were significantly inhibited. Our findings indicate that FfGS6 is involved in regulating mycelial cell morphology, the mycelial stress response, and fruit body development in F. filiformis.
Concealed Substrates in Brugada Syndrome: Isolated Channelopathy or Associated Cardiomyopathy?
Authors: Di Resta Chiara , Berg Jan , Villatore Andrea , Maia Marianna , Pili Gianluca , Fioravanti Francesco , Tomaiuolo Rossella , Sala Simone , Benedetti Sara , Peretto Giovanni
Published: September 2022

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an inherited autosomal dominant genetic disorder responsible for sudden cardiac death from malignant ventricular arrhythmia. The term “channelopathy” is nowadays used to classify BrS as a purely electrical disease, mainly occurring secondarily to loss-of-function mutations in the α subunit of the cardiac sodium channel protein Nav1.5. In this setting, arrhythmic manifestations of the disease have been reported in the absence of any apparent structural heart disease or cardiomyopathy. Over the last few years, however, a consistent amount of evidence has grown in support of myocardial structural and functional abnormalities in patients with BrS. In detail, abnormal ventricular dimensions, either systolic or diastolic dysfunctions, regional wall motion abnormalities, myocardial fibrosis, and active inflammatory foci have been frequently described, pointing to alternative mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis which challenge the definition of channelopathy. The present review aims to depict the status of the art of concealed arrhythmogenic substrates in BrS, often resulting from an advanced and multimodal diagnostic workup, to foster future preclinical and clinical research in support of the cardiomyopathic nature of the disease.
Unravelling Tumour Microenvironment in Melanoma at Single-Cell Level and Challenges to Checkpoint Immunotherapy
Authors: Bai Xinyu , Quek Camelia
Published: September 2022

Melanoma is known as one of the most immunogenic tumours and is often characterised by high mutation burden, neoantigen load and immune infiltrate. The application of immunotherapies has led to impressive improvements in the clinical outcomes of advanced stage melanoma patients. The standard of care immunotherapies leverage the host immunological influence on tumour cells, which entail complex interactions among the tumour, stroma, and immune cells at the tumour microenvironmental level. However, not all cancer patients can achieve a long-term durable response to immunotherapy, and a significant proportion of patients develops resistance and still die from their disease. Owing to the multi-faceted problems of tumour and microenvironmental heterogeneity, identifying the key factors underlying tumour progression and immunotherapy resistance poses a great challenge. In this review, we outline the main challenges to current cancer immunotherapy research posed by tumour heterogeneity and microenvironment complexities including genomic and transcriptomic variability, selective outgrowth of tumour subpopulations, spatial and temporal tumour heterogeneity and the dynamic state of host immunity and microenvironment orchestration. We also highlight the opportunities to dissect tumour heterogeneity using single-cell sequencing and spatial platforms. Integrative analyses of large-scale datasets will enable in-depth exploration of biological questions, which facilitates the clinical application of translational research.
In Vitro Studies on Seed Germination of the Mediterranean Species Anthyllis barba-jovis to Facilitate Its Introduction into the Floriculture Industry
Authors: Bertsouklis Konstantinos , Vlachou Georgia , Trigka Marina , Papafotiou Maria
Published: September 2022

Anthyllis barba-jovis is a salt and drought tolerant evergreen shrub, native of the western-central Mediterranean coasts, with ornamental characteristics that make it worthy to be exploited for commercial use as an ornamental and landscape plant. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine germination as affected by seed-coat, temperature, photoperiod, and seed storage period, as a first approach to introduce the species into the floriculture industry. Seeds scarified or non-scarified, recently harvested or after storage at room temperature in the dark for 12, 24, or 36 months were placed for germination in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, under 16 h photoperiod (LD) or continuous darkness, at 5–35 °C, at 5 °C intervals. Seed pre-treatment by mechanical scarification with sandpaper highly promoted their germinability. Seeds germinated in all treatments at varying percentages. Photoperiod had no significant effect on germination. Cardinal temperatures for germination were defined at 35 °C and 5 °C (possibly even lower, particularly for up to 1-year-old seeds, which germinated at 30–58% at 5 °C when scarified). Temperatures from 15 to 25 °C were optimal for germination of recently harvested or 1-year-old seeds (82–98% when scarified), whereas older seeds germinated at higher percentages at 20 °C (65–97% when scarified), thus long storage affected both the range of optimal temperatures for germination and the germination percentage. Storage reduced germination mostly of non-scarified seeds. Three years after harvesting A. barba-jovis seeds germinated at high percentages (77%) at 20 °C and LD when scarified, while without scarification germination was less than 10% in all treatments.
The Relationship between the Gut Microbiota and Exercise: A Narrative Review
Authors: Domínguez-Balmaseda Diego , García-Pérez-de-Sevilla Guillermo
Published: September 2022

The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the homeostasis of the intestinal tract, and the fact that exercise could have an impact on its functionality is currently the subject of various studies. Exercise is used as a strong preventive and treatment strategy in numerous chronic diseases, influencing metabolism, immunity, and physiological functions. Some recent studies provide information on exercise as a factor that could favor the growth of beneficial species and increase the diversity of the intestinal microbiota. However, the difficulty in determining the true effect of exercise is only due to the confounding influence of lifestyle and dietary habits. Regardless, there is still interest in the implications of the gut microbiota for elite sports because the details are considered crucial for success in different competitions. This narrative review tries to collect the information available in the literature on the role that exercise plays in the modulation of the balance of the intestinal microbiota.
The Effect of Coaching Types on Moral Disengagement in Taekwondo Athletes: The Mediating Role of Pride
Authors: Oh Young-Taek , Uhm Jun-Phil , Lee Hyun-Woo
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study was to examine how coaching styles affect athletes’ moral disengagement. To achieve our objectives, we examined the relationships among perceived coaching types, pride, and moral disengagement in the context of elite taekwondo athletes (N = 322). Direct and indirect effects among coaching types, pride, and moral disengagement were assessed through path analysis. The results indicated that the autonomy-support coaching type reduced moral disengagement by decreasing hubristic pride, while the controlled coaching type increased moral disengagement through hubristic pride. Our study found a chain of effects according to the controlled coaching type perceived by taekwondo athletes, hubristic pride, and moral disengagement; therefore, the controlled coaching type and hubristic pride should be closely managed in sport society, as they elicit greater moral disengagement. Managerial strategies to diminish hubristic pride through the autonomy-support coaching type are recommended.