bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Stable Stripe Rust Resistance Loci in a Chinese Wheat Landrace Panel Using the 660K SNP Array
Authors: Yao Fangjie , Guan Fangnian , Duan Luyao , Long Li , Tang Hao , Jiang Yunfeng , Li Hao , Jiang Qiantao , Wang Jirui , Qi Pengfei , Kang Houyang , Li Wei , Ma Jian , Pu Zhien , Deng Mei , Wei Yuming , Zheng Youliang , Chen Xianming , Chen Guoyue
Published: December 2021

Stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) is one of the most severe diseases affecting wheat production. The disease is best controlled by developing and growing resistant cultivars. Chinese wheat (Triticum aestivum) landraces have excellent resistance to stripe rust. The objectives of this study were to identify wheat landraces with stable resistance and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to stripe rust from 271 Chinese wheat landraces using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach. The landraces were phenotyped for stripe rust responses at the seedling stage with two predominant Chinese races of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici in a greenhouse and the adult-plant stage in four field environments and genotyped using the 660K wheat single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Thirteen landraces with stable resistance were identified, and 17 QTL, including eight associated to all-stage resistance and nine to adult-plant resistance, were mapped on chromosomes 1A, 1B, 2A, 2D, 3A, 3B, 5A, 5B, 6D, and 7A. These QTL explained 6.06–16.46% of the phenotypic variation. Five of the QTL, QYrCL.sicau-3AL, QYrCL.sicau-3B.4, QYrCL.sicau-3B.5, QYrCL.sicau-5AL.1 and QYrCL.sicau-7AL, were likely new. Five Kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) markers for four of the QTL were converted from the significant SNP markers. The identified wheat landraces with stable resistance to stripe rust, significant QTL, and KASP markers should be useful for breeding wheat cultivars with durable resistance to stripe rust.
Melatonin Participates in Selenium-Enhanced Cold Tolerance of Cucumber Seedlings
Authors: Yang Ning , Sun Kaining , Wang Xiao , Wang Kean , Kong Xianghua , Gao Jianwei , Wen Dan
Published: December 2021

Melatonin is an important and widespread plant hormone. However, the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms of melatonin as a secondary messenger in improving cold tolerance by selenium are limited. This study investigated the effects of selenite on the cold stress of cucumber seedlings. The results showed that exogenous application of selenite improved the cold tolerance of cucumber seedlings, which was dependent on the concentration effect. In the present experiment, 1 μM of selenite showed the best effect on alleviating cold stress. Interestingly, we found that in the process of alleviating cold stress, selenite increased the content of endogenous melatonin by regulating the expression of melatonin biosynthesis genes (TDC, T5H, SNAT, and COMT). To determine the interrelation between selenite and melatonin in alleviating cold stress, melatonin synthesis inhibitor p-chlorophenylalanine and melatonin were used for in-depth study. This study provides a theoretical basis for cucumber cultivation and breeding.
Transdiagnostic Mechanisms of Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adults and Families in Germany: Study Protocol of a Cross-Sectional and 1-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Volkert Jana , Taubner Svenja , Berning Anna , Kling Laura , Wießner Hannah , Georg Anna K. , Holl Julia
Published: December 2021

Background: Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, psychological distress is increased. Transdiagnostic mechanisms, including trauma, personality functioning, mentalizing and emotion regulation are considered relevant to the development and maintenance of mental health problems and therefore may play a role in individuals’ reactions to the pandemic.

Aim: To identify moderating and mediating factors associated with pandemic-related distress and mental health problems in adults and families, we aim to investigate the interactions of interpersonal trauma (childhood trauma and domestic violence), psychological capacities (personality functioning, mentalizing and emotion regulation) and pandemic-related adversity on psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we aim to investigate behavioral and cognitive consequences of the pandemic (e.g., media consumption, vaccination status, conspiracy beliefs).

Methods: Using an online-based cross-sectional and longitudinal design, we will investigate a sample of adult participants recruited via online platforms in German-speaking countries over the course of 1 year with four measurements points via self-report instruments (personality functioning: PID5BF +; mentalizing: MentS, PRFQ; emotion regulation: DERS-SF; mental health problems: PHQ-9, GAD-7; a composite pandemic-related stress score). Structural equation and multi-level modeling will be performed for data analyses.

Implications: This study will provide data on the moderating and mediating effects of trauma, personality functioning and mentalizing during the pandemic in a large community sample, particularly on vulnerable groups like families. Identifying transdiagnostic mechanisms of psychopathology in the course of a pandemic crisis may provide valuable insight for the development of pre- and intervention measures for potential psychological distress during and post the pandemic.
Effects of 15-Day Head-Down Bed Rest on Emotional Time Perception
Authors: Qian Yiming , Jiang Shan , Jing Xiaolu , Shi Yusheng , Qin Haibo , Xin Bingmu , Chi Lizhong , Wu Bin
Published: December 2021

Accurate time perception is clearly essential for the successful implementation of space missions. To elucidate the effect of microgravity on time perception, we used three emotional picture stimuli: neutral, fear, and disgust, in combination with a temporal bisection task to measure 16 male participants’ time perception in 15 days of –6° head-down bed rest, which is a reliable simulation model for most physiological effects of spaceflight. We found that: (1) participants showed temporal overestimation of the fear stimuli in the middle phase (day 8), suggesting that when participants’ behavioral simulations were consistent with the action implications of the emotional stimuli, they could still elicit an overestimation of time even if the subjective arousal of the emotional stimuli was not high. (2) Participants’ temporal sensitivity tends to get worse in the bed rest phase (days 8 and 15) and better in the post-bed rest phase, especially for neutral and fear stimuli, suggesting that multiple presentations of short-term emotional stimuli may also lead to a lack of affective effects. This reduced the pacemaker rate and affected temporal perceptual sensitivity. Also, this may be related to changes in physiological factors in participants in the bed rest state, such as reduced vagal excitability. These results provide new evidence to support the theory of embodied cognition in the context of time perception in head-down bed rest and suggest important perspectives for future perception science research in special environments such as microgravity.
“A Two-Edged Sword”: Paternalistic Leadership and Nurses Performance: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Safdar Samyia , Faiz Shazia , Mubarak Namra
Published: December 2021

Background: The study investigates the impact of paternalistic leadership on the performance of nurses. Furthermore, it looks into the role of self-efficacy as a mediator in the relationship between paternalistic leadership and performance. It also looks into the role of power distance as a moderator.

Methods: The study used a quantitative survey-based research approach, with questionnaire responses collected over time. Initially, 315 Chinese nurses were surveyed about their views on paternalistic leadership, self-efficacy, and power distance. While their supervisors were called after 6 weeks for a dyadic answer, they were asked to offer their thoughts on their performance. The AMOS 22 software was used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while the SPSS 22 software was employed for descriptive statistics, such as the correlation and regression analysis.

Results: The findings demonstrated that paternalistic leadership had a beneficial impact on performance. Furthermore, the role of self-efficacy as a mediator and power distance as a moderating mediator in this relationship has been evidenced.

Conclusion: The results suggest that paternalistic leadership has a good impact on nurse performance. Furthermore, self-efficacy as a mediator explains the association between paternalistic leadership and nursing performance adequately. Furthermore, power distance appeared to be a powerful moderator, as the moderated mediation results revealed that in high-power-distant societies, such as China, self-efficacy enhances the link between paternalistic leadership and nursing performance. Limitations and future directions were also discussed.
Modeling COVID-19 Transmission Dynamics With Self-Learning Population Behavioral Change
Authors: Chan Tsz-Lik , Yuan Hsiang-Yu , Lo Wing-Cheong
Published: December 2021

Many regions observed recurrent outbreaks of COVID-19 cases after relaxing social distancing measures. It suggests that maintaining sufficient social distancing is important for limiting the spread of COVID-19. The change of population behavior responding to the social distancing measures becomes an important factor for the pandemic prediction. In this paper, we develop a SEAIR model for studying the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission with population behavioral change. In our model, the population is divided into several groups with their own social behavior in response to the delayed information about the number of the infected population. The transmission rate depends on the behavioral changes of all the population groups, forming a feedback loop to affect the COVID-19 dynamics. Based on the data of Hong Kong, our simulations demonstrate how the perceived cost after infection and the information delay affect the level and the time period of the COVID-19 waves.
From Tokenization to Self-Supervision: Building a High-Performance Information Extraction System for Chemical Reactions in Patents
Authors: Wang Jingqi , Ren Yuankai , Zhang Zhi , Xu Hua , Zhang Yaoyun
Published: December 2021

Chemical reactions and experimental conditions are fundamental information for chemical research and pharmaceutical applications. However, the latest information of chemical reactions is usually embedded in the free text of patents. The rapidly accumulating chemical patents urge automatic tools based on natural language processing (NLP) techniques for efficient and accurate information extraction. This work describes the participation of the Melax Tech team in the CLEF 2020—ChEMU Task of Chemical Reaction Extraction from Patent. The task consisted of two subtasks: (1) named entity recognition to identify compounds and different semantic roles in the chemical reaction and (2) event extraction to identify event triggers of chemical reaction and their relations with the semantic roles recognized in subtask 1. To build an end-to-end system with high performance, multiple strategies tailored to chemical patents were applied and evaluated, ranging from optimizing the tokenization, pre-training patent language models based on self-supervision, to domain knowledge-based rules. Our hybrid approaches combining different strategies achieved state-of-the-art results in both subtasks, with the top-ranked F1 of 0.957 for entity recognition and the top-ranked F1 of 0.9536 for event extraction, indicating that the proposed approaches are promising.
Rigid–Soft Interactive Design of a Lobster-Inspired Finger Surface for Enhanced Grasping Underwater
Authors: Jiang Haiyang , Han Xudong , Jing Yonglin , Guo Ning , Wan Fang , Song Chaoyang
Published: December 2021

Bio-inspirations from soft-bodied animals provide a rich design source for soft robots, yet limited literature explored the potential enhancement from rigid-bodied ones. This paper draws inspiration from the tooth profiles of the rigid claws of the Boston Lobster, aiming at an enhanced soft finger surface for underwater grasping using an iterative design process. The lobsters distinguish themselves from other marine animals with a pair of claws capable of dexterous object manipulation both on land and underwater. We proposed a 3-stage design iteration process that involves raw imitation, design parametric exploration, and bionic parametric exploitation on the original tooth profiles on the claws of the Boston Lobster. Eventually, 7 finger surface designs were generated and fabricated with soft silicone. We validated each design stage through many vision-based robotic grasping attempts against selected objects from the Evolved Grasping Analysis Dataset (EGAD). Over 14,000 grasp attempts were accumulated on land (71.4%) and underwater (28.6%), where we selected the optimal design through an on-land experiment and further tested its capability underwater. As a result, we observed an 18.2% improvement in grasping success rate at most from a resultant bionic finger surface design, compared with those without the surface, and a 10.4% improvement at most compared with the validation design from the previous literature. Results from this paper are relevant and consistent with the bioresearch earlier in 1911, showing the value of bionics. The results indicate the capability and competence of the optimal bionic finger surface design in an amphibious environment, which can contribute to future research in enhanced underwater grasping using soft robots.
Virtual Reality and Three-Dimensional Printed Models Improve the Morphological Understanding in Learning Mandibular Sagittal Split Ramus Osteotomy: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Zhang Henglei , He Yu , Chen Ying , Liu Jianfeng , Jin Qi , Xu Shixing , Fu Xi , Qiao Jia , Yu Bing , Niu Feng
Published: December 2021

Background: The mandibular sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) is a routine operation performed to correct mandibular deformity including mandibular retrusion, protrusion, deficiency, and asymmetry. The SSRO remains a challenging procedure for junior surgeons due to a lack of adequate morphological knowledge necessary for success in clinical practice. Virtual reality (VR) and three-dimensional printed (3DP) models have been widely applied in anatomy education. The present randomized, controlled study was performed to evaluate the effect of traditional educational instruments, VR models, and 3DP models on junior surgeons learning the morphological information required to perform SSRO.

Methods: Eighty-one participants were randomly assigned to three learning groups: Control, VR, and 3DP. Objective and subjective tests were used to evaluate the learning effectiveness of each learning instrument. In the objective test, participants were asked to identify 10 anatomical landmarks on normal and deformed models, draw the osteotomy line, and determine the description of SSRO. In the subjective test, participants were asked to provide feedback regarding their subjective feelings about the learning instrument used in their group.

Results: The objective test results showed that the VR and 3DP groups achieved better accuracy in drawing the osteotomy line (p = 0.027) and determining the description of SSRO (p = 0.023) than the Control group. However, there was no significant difference among the three groups regarding the identification of anatomical landmarks. The VR and 3DP groups gave satisfactory subjective feedback about the usefulness in learning, good presentation, and enjoyment. The Control and 3DP groups reported positive feelings about ease of use.

Conclusion: The current findings suggest that VR and 3DP models were effective instruments that assisted in the morphological understanding of SSRO-related anatomical structures. Furthermore, 3DP models may be a promising supplementary instrument to bridge the gap between conventional learning and clinical practice.
A Study of Prognostic Factors in Young Patients With Non-HPV Oral Cancer in Central Europe
Authors: Csurgay Katalin , Zalatnai Attila , Benczik Márta , Csomó Benedek Krisztián , Horváth Ferenc , Lőrincz Ádám , Komlós György , Németh Zsolt
Published: December 2021

The etiological factors of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck have been well known for a long time. It is also well known that the incidence of oral cancer diagnosed in younger patients is on the rise. Due to the young age of these patients, the increase in the number of these cases and the fact that many of them neither smoke nor drink alcohol it has been suggested that other factors might be at play in the carcinogenesis of oral cancer. Thus, along the classic etiological factors of smoking and alcohol abuse certain molecular marker anomalies and the human papilloma virus (HPV) have emerged as potential factors. The aim of the present study is to verify the potential prognostic factors and to map the differences in biomarker expression between the young and the old patient groups. In the present study the immunohistochemical profile of samples obtained from oral squamous cell carcinomas was studied and compared with various clinico-pathological parameters. In 88 samples the expressions of p16, p53, Ki67, EGFR were studied with a tissue microarray technique under standard reaction conditions as well as the detection and typing of HPV infection with the Full Spectrum HPV DNA method. The biomarker expression profile of young patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma was compared to that of older patients (above 50). A significant difference was found between the immunohistochemical profile of the young and old patient groups in p16, Ki67 expression. The overall survival and progression free survival were influenced by p16 expression in young age.
Low-Noise Design of Medium-Range Aircraft for Energy Efficient Aviation
Authors: Domogalla Vincent , Bertsch Lothar , Plohr Martin , Stumpf Eike , Spakovszky Zoltán S.
Published: December 2021

Promising low-noise aircraft architectures have been identified over the last few years at DLR. A set of DLR aircraft concepts was selected for further assessment in the context of sustainable and energy-efficient aviation and was established at the TU Braunschweig in 2019, the Cluster of Excellence for Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Aviation (SE2A). Specific Top-Level aircraft requirements were defined by the cluster and the selected DLR aircraft designs were improved with focus on aircraft noise, emissions, and contrail generation. The presented paper specifically addresses the reduction of aviation noise with focus on noise shielding and modifications to the flight performance. This article presents the state of the art of the simulation process at DLR and demonstrates that the novel aircraft concepts can reduce the noise impact by up to 50% in terms of sound exposure level isocontour area while reducing the fuel burn by 6%, respective to a conventional aircraft for the same mission. The study shows that a tube-wing architecture with a top-mounted, forward-swept wing and low fan pressure ratio propulsors installed above the fuselage at the wing junction can yield significant noise shielding at improved low-speed performance and reduce critical fuel burn and emissions.
Design and Fabrication of Modified SMA-Connector Sensor for Detecting Water Adulteration in Honey and Natural Latex
Authors: Nuan-On Adisorn , Angkawisittpan Niwat , Piladaeng Nawarat , Soemphol Chaiyong
Published: December 2021

A detection system for water adulteration in honey is proposed. It consists of a modified SMA-connector sensor and a vector network analyzer. A modified SMA-connector sensor is applied to measure complex relative permittivity, electrical conductivity, and phase constant of honey samples with the open-ended method. The system is tested in the frequency range of 0.5–4.0 GHz at the sample temperature of 25 °C. The relationships between the complex relative permittivity, electrical conductivity, the phase constant, and the honey samples with different concentrations (0–30%w/w) are determined. The experimental results show that the real part of the complex relative permittivity is significantly proportional in honey samples with adulteration of water in the range of 0–30%w/w. The frequency of 0.6 GHz is a suitable frequency for detection with a real part of complex relative permittivity as an indicator. The frequency of 3.74 GHz is an appropriate frequency for detection with electrical conductivity as in indicator while the frequency of 4.0 GHz is suitable for detection with phase constant as an indicator. In addition, the data are analyzed with regression analysis. This technique is also performed on natural latex samples to determine the dry rubber content. The frequency of 0.5 GHz is a suitable frequency with a real part of complex relative permittivity as an indicator while the frequency of 4.0 GHz is a suitable frequency with an imaginary part of complex relative permittivity, electrical conductivity, and phase constant as the indicators. The results demonstrate that it is possible to apply this technique to determine the dry rubber content in the natural latex samples as well.
Electron Impact Ionization of Metastable States of Diatomic Molecules
Authors: Laricchiuta Annarita , Celiberto Roberto , Colonna Gianpiero
Published: December 2021

The Binary-Encounter Bethe approach was applied to the estimation of total ionization induced by electron impact in metastable states of diatomic molecules. The cross sections recently obtained for N2 and CO are reviewed and the new results for H2 are presented, discussing their reliability through the comparison with other theoretical methods.
A Conserved uORF Regulates APOBEC3G Translation and Is Targeted by HIV-1 Vif Protein to Repress the Antiviral Factor
Authors: Libre Camille , Seissler Tanja , Guerrero Santiago , Batisse Julien , Verriez Cédric , Stupfler Benjamin , Gilmer Orian , Cabrera-Rodriguez Romina , Weber Melanie M. , Valenzuela-Fernandez Agustin , Cimarelli Andrea , Etienne Lucie , Marquet Roland , Paillart Jean-Christophe
Published: December 2021

The HIV-1 Vif protein is essential for viral fitness and pathogenicity. Vif decreases expression of cellular restriction factors APOBEC3G (A3G), A3F, A3D and A3H, which inhibit HIV-1 replication by inducing hypermutation during reverse transcription. Vif counteracts A3G at several levels (transcription, translation, and protein degradation) that altogether reduce the levels of A3G in cells and prevent its incorporation into viral particles. How Vif affects A3G translation remains unclear. Here, we uncovered the importance of a short conserved uORF (upstream ORF) located within two critical stem-loop structures of the 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR) of A3G mRNA for this process. A3G translation occurs through a combination of leaky scanning and translation re-initiation and the presence of an intact uORF decreases the extent of global A3G translation under normal conditions. Interestingly, the uORF is also absolutely required for Vif-mediated translation inhibition and redirection of A3G mRNA into stress granules. Overall, we discovered that A3G translation is regulated by a small uORF conserved in the human population and that Vif uses this specific feature to repress its translation.
Study of Radiation Embitterment and Degradation Processes of Li2ZrO3 Ceramic under Irradiation with Swift Heavy Ions
Authors: Abyshev Baurzhan , Kozlovskiy Artem L. , Zhumadilov Kassym Sh , Trukhanov Alex V.
Published: December 2021

The work is devoted to the study of radiation damage and subsequent swelling processes of the surface layer of Li2ZrO3 ceramics under irradiation with heavy Xe22+ ions, depending on the accumulation of the radiation dose. The samples under study were obtained using a mechanochemical synthesis method. The samples were irradiated with heavy Xe22+ ions with an energy of 230 MeV at irradiation fluences of 1011–1016 ion/cm2. The choice of ion types is due to the possibility of simulating the radiation damage accumulation processes as a result of the implantation of Xe22+ ions and subsequent atomic displacements. It was found that, at irradiation doses above 5 × 1014 ion/cm2, point defects accumulate, which leads to a disordering of the surface layer and a subsequent decrease in the strength and hardness of ceramics. At the same time, the main process influencing the decrease in resistance to radiation damage is the crystal structure swelling as a result of the accumulation of defects and disordering of the crystal lattice.
Isolation of an Extract from the Soft Coral Symbiotic Microorganism Salinispora arenicola Exerting Cytoprotective and Anti-Aging Effects
Authors: Louka Xanthippi P. , Sklirou Aimilia D. , Le Goff Géraldine , Lopes Philippe , Papanagnou Eleni-Dimitra , Manola Maria S. , Benayahu Yehuda , Ouazzani Jamal , Trougakos Ioannis P.
Published: December 2021

Cells have developed a highly integrated system responsible for proteome stability, namely the proteostasis network (PN). As loss of proteostasis is a hallmark of aging and age-related diseases, the activation of PN modules can likely extend healthspan. Here, we present data on the bioactivity of an extract (SA223-S2BM) purified from the strain Salinispora arenicola TM223-S2 that was isolated from the soft coral Scleronephthya lewinsohni; this coral was collected at a depth of 65 m from the mesophotic Red Sea ecosystem EAPC (south Eilat, Israel). Treatment of human cells with SA223-S2BM activated proteostatic modules, decreased oxidative load, and conferred protection against oxidative and genotoxic stress. Furthermore, SA223-S2BM enhanced proteasome and lysosomal-cathepsins activities in Drosophila flies and exhibited skin protective effects as evidenced by effective inhibition of the skin aging-related enzymes, elastase and tyrosinase. We suggest that the SA223-S2BM extract constitutes a likely promising source for prioritizing molecules with anti-aging properties.
Flexabrasion Applied to the Evaluation of the Photodegradation of Hair Fibers
Authors: de Oliveira Nathália F. , Rakshit Rima , Galliano Anthony , Mercurio Daiane Garcia , de Oliveira Elcio Cruz , Monteiro Elisabeth Costa
Published: December 2021

Solar radiation is a significant source of damage to hair fibers. However, the instrumental measurement of the consequences of its interaction with hair fibers’ constituents remains a challenge. In this work, the flexabrasion methodology was investigated as a potential tool to quantify the damage to mechanical hair properties caused by solar rays. The in vitro experiment developed for this study simulated four initial conditions of human hair samples, which subsequently underwent different periods of exposure to the radiation emitted by a Xenon arc lamp source. The statistical analysis of the results characterized the methodology’s ability to evaluate the impact of solar radiation on the hair’s mechanical resistance. More evident effects were observed on natural fibers subjected to exposures of up to 60 h and over, corresponding to about 1.5 h per day of sun exposure in Rio de Janeiro over five months. The results point to flexabrasion as an option to evaluate the photoprotection efficacy offered by hair-care products.
On the Safety of the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Treatment: Thrombotic and Thromboembolic Concerns
Authors: Elrashdy Fatma , Redwan Elrashdy M. , Uversky Vladimir N.
Published: December 2021

Recently, it was reported that near-sourced COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CP) is more efficient than distantly sourced CP. What was left behind in this analysis is the investigation of the possible causes of mortality associated with the CP transfusion itself. Knowing this information is important for determining whether not receiving CP of near source is the main cause of high rate of death in the group of patients who received distantly sourced CP. We argue that the thrombotic and thromboembolic events may act as risk factors for adverse complications and death associated with CP transfusion. Therefore, they have to be considered and carefully accounted for in population studies as they can affect the CP safety profiles and change the interpretation of the cause of death in the studied groups.
Management Strategies for Older Patients with Low-Risk Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Physician Survey
Authors: Alzahrani Mashari , Clemons Mark , Chang Lynn , Vendermeer Lisa , Arnaout Angel , Larocque Gail , Cole Katherine , Hsu Tina , Saunders Deanna , Savard Marie-France
Published: December 2021

When managing older patients with lower-risk hormone-receptor-positive (HR+), HER2 negative (HER2−) early-stage breast cancer (EBC), the harms and benefits of adjuvant therapies should be taken into consideration. A survey was conducted among Canadian oncologists on the definitions of “low risk” and “older”, practice patterns, and future trial designs. We contacted 254 physicians and 21% completed the survey (50/242). Most respondents (68%, 34/50) agreed with the definition of “low risk” HR+/HER2− EBC being node-negative and either: ≤3 cm and low histological grade, ≤2 cm and intermediate grade, or ≤1 cm and high grade. The most popular chronological and biological age definition for older patients was ≥70 (45%, 22/49; 45% 21/47). In patients ≥ 70 with low risk EBC, most radiation and medical oncologists would recommend post-lumpectomy radiotherapy (RT) and endocrine therapy (ET). Seventy-eight percent (38/49) felt that trials are needed to evaluate RT and ET’s role in patients ≥ 70. The favored design was ET alone, vs. RT plus ET (39%, 15/38). The preferred primary and secondary endpoints were disease-free survival and quality of life, respectively. Although oncologists recommended both RT and ET, there is interest in performing de-escalation trials in patients ≥ 70.
The Relationship between Cancer Caregiver Burden and Psychological Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Social Connectedness
Authors: Yuen Eva Y. N. , Wilson Carlene J.
Published: December 2021

The present study: (a) examined the extent of caregiver burden and psychological wellbeing and (b) tested whether social connectedness moderated the association between caregiver burden and psychological symptoms in caregivers of people with cancer. The cross-sectional survey study included 189 cancer caregivers (mean age = 36.19 years, standard deviation = 11.78; 80.4% female). Data were collected on caregiver burden, social connectedness, and depression and anxiety. Moderation analysis was conducted to examine the effect of social connectedness on the relationship between caregiver burden and depression and anxiety. Caregiver burden was positively associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Controlling for significant demographic and caregiver characteristics, the moderation model showed as perceived social connectedness increased, the relationship between caregiver burden and depression decreased (β = −0.007, se = 0.004, 95% CI: −0.014, 0.000, p = 0.05). By contrast, social connectedness did not moderate the association between caregiver burden and anxiety. Findings have implications for the management of depression in cancer caregivers. Social connectedness appears to provide a protective buffer from the negative impacts of caregiving, providing increased psychological resources to manage the burden associated with caregiving, resulting in lower depression. Research on strategies to improve caregiver wellbeing through enhancing engagement with social networks in ways that improve perceived sense of connectedness with others is warranted.
Inspecting Buildings Using Drones and Computer Vision: A Machine Learning Approach to Detect Cracks and Damages
Authors: Munawar Hafiz Suliman , Ullah Fahim , Heravi Amirhossein , Thaheem Muhammad Jamaluddin , Maqsoom Ahsen
Published: December 2021

Manual inspection of infrastructure damages such as building cracks is difficult due to the objectivity and reliability of assessment and high demands of time and costs. This can be automated using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for aerial imagery of damages. Numerous computer vision-based approaches have been applied to address the limitations of crack detection but they have their limitations that can be overcome by using various hybrid approaches based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques. The convolutional neural networks (CNNs), an application of the deep learning (DL) method, display remarkable potential for automatically detecting image features such as damages and are less sensitive to image noise. A modified deep hierarchical CNN architecture has been used in this study for crack detection and damage assessment in civil infrastructures. The proposed architecture is based on 16 convolution layers and a cycle generative adversarial network (CycleGAN). For this study, the crack images were collected using UAVs and open-source images of mid to high rise buildings (five stories and above) constructed during 2000 in Sydney, Australia. Conventionally, a CNN network only utilizes the last layer of convolution. However, our proposed network is based on the utility of multiple layers. Another important component of the proposed CNN architecture is the application of guided filtering (GF) and conditional random fields (CRFs) to refine the predicted outputs to get reliable results. Benchmarking data (600 images) of Sydney-based buildings damages was used to test the proposed architecture. The proposed deep hierarchical CNN architecture produced superior performance when evaluated using five methods: GF method, Baseline (BN) method, Deep-Crack BN, Deep-Crack GF, and SegNet. Overall, the GF method outperformed all other methods as indicated by the global accuracy (0.990), class average accuracy (0.939), mean intersection of the union overall classes (IoU) (0.879), precision (0.838), recall (0.879), and F-score (0.8581) values. Overall, the proposed CNN architecture provides the advantages of reduced noise, highly integrated supervision of features, adequate learning, and aggregation of both multi-scale and multilevel features during the training procedure along with the refinement of the overall output predictions.
Use of the Maximum Power Point Tracking Method in a Portable Lithium-Ion Solar Battery Charger
Authors: Szczepaniak Marcin , Otręba Paweł , Otręba Piotr , Sikora Tomasz
Published: December 2021

The use of solar panels in low-power applications is an increasingly developing topic. Various methods are currently used to obtain the highest possible solar panel power generation efficiency. The methods of determining the maximum power point (MPP) and its tracking are under constant development, resulting in the creation of new algorithms to accelerate the operational efficiency while maintaining good parameters. Typically, these methods are only used in high-power photovoltaic installations. Due to the problems resulting from the adjustment to MPP working conditions for low-power solar panels used to charge a Li-Ion battery, an attempt was made to check the feasibility of operating control based on a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) method and a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm like the one used in high-power solar systems also for low-power systems. The article presents adaptation of PWM and MPPT methods for small chargers, including the stages of modelling a solar charger and the results of a computer simulation of the charger operation. The stages of building a real, physical device are also presented. From the analysis of the test results of the constructed charger in real- and laboratory conditions with the use of a device imitating sunlight, the so-called solar box, and comparisons with computer simulations show that the assumed goal was achieved. The results obtained with the PWM method were compared with the MPPT method. The optimization of the device operation parameters and improvement of the algorithms used in the MPPT method resulted in better optimalization of maximum point tracking, improving the efficiency of energy storage from solar cells.
The Coordinated Operation of Vertically Structured Power Systems for Electric Vehicle Charge Scheduling
Authors: Adianto Yuana , Baguley Craig , Madawala Udaya , Hariyanto Nanang , Suwarno Suwarno , Kurniawan Teguh
Published: December 2021

Charge scheduling can mitigate against issues arising from excessive electric vehicle (EV) charging loads and is commonly implemented using time-of-use pricing. A charge scheduling strategy to suit vertically structured power systems without relying on time-of-use pricing has not yet been reported, despite being needed by industry. Therefore, a novel charge scheduling strategy to meet this need is proposed in this paper. Key aspects include the provision of a decision-making framework that accommodates for the considerations of transmission and distribution network operators, and the allowance for dynamically changing charging loads through timely forecast updates with reduced communication requirements. A case study based on the Indonesian Java-Bali power system is undertaken to demonstrate the strategy’s effectiveness. Different and realistic EV uptake scenarios are considered, using probabilistic modeling, survey work, and a Monte Carlo modeling approach. Even under slow EV charging conditions case study results show assets are overloaded and high electricity production costs are incurred. These are alleviated through adopting the proposed strategy.
A Sensor Data Processing Algorithm for Wind Turbine Hydraulic Pitch System Diagnosis
Authors: Elorza Iker , Arrizabalaga Iker , Zubizarreta Aritz , Martín-Aguilar Héctor , Pujana-Arrese Aron , Calleja Carlos
Published: December 2021

Modern wind turbines depend on their blade pitch systems for start-ups, shutdowns, and power control. Pitch system failures have, therefore, a considerable impact on their operation and integrity. Hydraulic pitch systems are very common, due to their flexibility, maintainability, and cost; hence, the relevance of diagnostic algorithms specifically targeted at them. We propose one such algorithm based on sensor data available to the vast majority of turbine controllers, which we process to fit a model of the hydraulic pitch system to obtain significant indicators of the presence of the critical failure modes. This algorithm differs from state-of-the-art, model-based algorithms in that it does not numerically time-integrate the model equations in parallel with the physical turbine, which is demanding in terms of in situ computation (or, alternatively, data transmission) and is highly susceptible to drift. Our algorithm requires only a modest amount of local sensor data processing, which can be asynchronous and intermittent, to produce negligible quantities of data to be transmitted for remote storage and analysis. In order to validate our algorithm, we use synthetic data generated with state-of-the-art aeroelastic and hydraulic simulation software. The results suggest that a diagnosis of the critical wind turbine hydraulic pitch system failure modes based on our algorithm is viable.
Thermal Management of Bone Drilling Based on Rotating Heat Pipe
Authors: Chen Jiajia , Yuan Dongdong , Jiang Huafei , Zhang Liyong , Yang Yong , Fu Yucan , Qian Ning , Jiang Fan
Published: December 2021

Bone drilling is a common surgical operation, which often causes an increase in bone temperature. A temperature above 47 °C for 60 s is the critical temperature that can be allowed in bone drilling because of thermal bone osteonecrosis. Therefore, thermal management in bone drilling by a rotating heat pipe was proposed in this study. A new rotating heat pipe drill was designed, and its heat transfer mechanism and thermal management performance was investigated at occasions with different input heat flux and rotational speed. Results show that boiling and convection heat transfer occurred in the evaporator and film condensation appears in the condenser. The thermal resistance decreases with the increase of the rotational speed at the range from 1200 to 2000 rpm and it decreases as the input heat flux rises from 5000 to 10,000 W/m2 and increases at 20,000 W/m2. The temperature on the drill tip was found to be 46.9 °C with an input heat flux of 8000 W/m2 and a rotational speed of 2000 rpm. The new designed rotating heat pipe drill showed a good prospect for application to bone drilling operations.
Energy Recovering Using Regenerative Braking in Diesel–Electric Passenger Trains: Economical and Technical Analysis of Fuel Savings and GHG Emission Reductions
Authors: Fayad Ahmad , Ibrahim Hussein , Ilinca Adrian , Sattarpanah Karganroudi Sasan , Issa Mohamad
Published: December 2021

Rail transport, specifically diesel–electric trains, faces fundamental challenges in reducing fuel consumption to improve financial performance and reduce GHG emissions. One solution to improve energy efficiency is the electric brake regenerative technique. This technique was first applied on electric trains several years ago, but it is still considered to improve diesel–electric trains efficiency. Numerous parameters influence the detailed estimation of brake regenerative technique performance, which makes this process particularly difficult. This paper proposes a simplified energetic approach for a diesel–electric train with different storage systems to assess these performances. The feasibility and profitability of using a brake regenerative system depend on the quantity of energy that can be recuperated and stored during the train’s full and partial stop. Based on a simplified energetic calculation and cost estimation, we present a comprehensive and realistic calculation to evaluate ROI, net annual revenues, and GHG emission reduction. The feasibility of the solution is studied for different train journeys, and the most significant parameters affecting the impact of using this technique are identified. In addition, we study the influence of electric storage devices and low temperatures. The proposed method is validated using experimental results available in the literature showing that this technique resulted in annual energy savings of 3400 MWh for 34 trains, worth USD 425,000 in fuel savings.
Forecast of Economic Tight Oil and Gas Production in Permian Basin
Authors: Saputra Wardana , Kirati Wissem , Patzek Tadeusz
Published: December 2021

We adopt a physics-guided, data-driven method to predict the most likely future production from the largest tight oil and gas deposits in North America, the Permian Basin. We first divide the existing 53,708 horizontal hydrofractured wells into 36 spatiotemporal well cohorts based on different reservoir qualities and completion date intervals. For each cohort, we fit the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) statistics to the annual production and calculate the means to construct historical well prototypes. Using the physical scaling method, we extrapolate these well prototypes for several more decades. Our hybrid, physico-statistical prototypes are robust enough to history-match the entire production of the Permian mudstone formations. Next, we calculate the infill potential of each sub-region of the Permian and schedule the likely future drilling programs. To evaluate the profitability of each infill scenario, we conduct a robust economic analysis. We estimate that the Permian tight reservoirs contain 54–62 billion bbl of oil and 246–285 trillion scf of natural gas. With time, Permian is poised to be not only the most important tight oil producer in the U.S., but also the most important tight gas producer, surpassing the giant Marcellus shale play.
Design of Batteries for a Hybrid Propulsion System of a Training Aircraft
Authors: Janovec Michal , Čerňan Jozef , Škultéty Filip , Novák Andrej
Published: December 2021

In this article, we propose the parameters of a battery that would be suitable for the conceptual design of a small training aircraft. The mass design of the battery is based on the requirements for real training flights performed by students in pilot training. Such a serial hybrid propulsion aircraft could be used in our UNIZA aviation, training and education center for pilot training. Due to socio-political pressures in reducing emissions generated by vehicles, there has also been massive research in the aviation industry in the field of hybrid and electric aircraft propulsion. In the introduction, the article deals with the energy sources used in aircraft propulsion. In hybrid propulsion, a combination of aviation fuel and electricity is used as the energy source. The required total energy must choose a suitable combination of these two energy sources. The biggest drawback of batteries that can be used in hybrid systems is their low energy density. Low energy density means that larger and heavier batteries need to be used to achieve the required performance, which is their main disadvantage. Therefore, it is necessary to find a suitable compromise between the hybrid’s percentage, i.e., the ratio between conventional and electric drive. We applied the hybrid aircraft system’s calculations to the real training flights to determine the necessary parameters of the hybrid aircraft suitable for pilot training. This calculation will help in obtaining an idea of the basic parameters of the hybrid drive and the battery parameters, which are necessary for particular applications in the training aircraft. The performed calculations of the hybrid configuration and, especially, the determination of the battery of the hybrid propulsion parameters provide the basic information necessary for the design of the hybrid system of a small training aircraft. These outputs can be used to determine the parameters of batteries that would be used in hybrid systems. A limiting factor to consider with hybrid aircrafts is that the aircraft must be charged on the ground before the flight, which poses interesting logistical and infrastructure problems at the airport.
Biorefinery Based on Waste Biomass
Authors: Castro Eulogio , Romero Inmaculada
Published: December 2021

In a broad sense, all materials with a biological origin can be called biomass, which includes those materials that have been obtained from the direct conversion of solar energy, such as plants and crops, their residues, the materials obtained from their industrial transformation as well as subproducts and residues and the organic fraction of the municipal solid wastes [...]
Analysis of the Heating Process of Hydraulic Motors during Start-Up in Thermal Shock Conditions
Authors: Jasiński Ryszard
Published: December 2021

Conditions that prevail during harsh winters and hot summers pose a serious challenge for machine designers building devices suitable for operation in extreme weather. It is essential for the designers and the users to define the principles and conditions for the safe operation of machines and devices with hydraulic drive in low ambient temperatures. Bearing in mind the above, the author tested the hydraulic motors in thermal shock conditions (cold motors were fed with a hot working medium). This enterprise required the design and construction of a specialized stand for testing hydraulic motors, including satellite motors, in thermal shock conditions. The stand was equipped with the apparatus and a system for measuring the temperature of the moving parts of the satellite motor. The experimental tests were conducted in the laboratory of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology at Gdańsk University of Technology. The paper presents the results of tests of a correctly and incorrectly operating satellite motor during start-up in thermal shock conditions. The results concerned the course of oil temperatures, temperatures of heated elements, oil pressures, and the pressure drop in the motor. The influence of the oil pressure drop in the motor on its temperature increase was determined. The distributions of the temperature fields of the heated elements of the satellite motor during start-up in thermal shock conditions were derived by means of computer simulation. The utilization of the distribution of the temperature fields of the motor elements enables the evaluation and analysis of the work of this unit. The conducted tests may determine the conditions for the proper operation of hydraulic motors started in thermal shock conditions.