bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How to Calculate Energy Contents of Different Cell Chemistries: Is There a Universal Factor between Theory and Practice?
Authors: Betz Johannes , Bieker Georg , Meister Paul , Placke Tobias , Winter Martin , Schmuch Richard
Published: February 2020

The economical storage of electric energy at a large scale is one of the main technological challenges of this century. The state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries (LIBs) has several advantages as, e.g., high energy efficiency and safety. However, to improve the energy storage capabilities, the scientific community is intensively exploring various alternative rechargeable battery concepts as, e.g., lithium metal-based all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), lithium/sulfur batteries (LSBs) or magnesium/sulfur batteries (MSBs) that could outperform LIBs in different aspects [1, 2]. This goes often along with the promise of a very high theoretical energy per mass or volume. The theoretical values, however, exclude numerous parameters relevant for the practical battery cell and, thus, might translate very differently into practically achievable energy values [3]. The discharge voltages achieved in practice and especially the required amount of inactive materials on stack level can vary substantially between the different cell chemistries. Consequently, the theoretical energy values, which are commonly quoted for emerging battery chemistries (mostly at the material level), could highly overestimate the realistic potential of these systems in comparison to established LIBs [3].

In this study, we calculated the energy for several battery technologies on stack and cell level, including LIBs, ASSBs, LSBs and MSBs to evaluate their practical specific energy (Wh/kg) and energy density (Wh/L) [3]. In order to provide a high comparability, the energy values are calculated in six successive steps, each adding further weight and volume of inactive material, like different amounts of electrolyte, inactive materials in the electrodes, separator, and an 18650 cell housing [3]. With a special emphasis on the amount of electrolyte and the volume expansion during charge and discharge, this study illustrates the impact these cell components have on the practical energy values in the individual cell chemistries. Thereby, the most critical cell components for achieving higher energy values are identified for each battery system [3]. By providing insights how to calculate the energy values of the different battery technologies with different necessary assumptions made evident, this study aims for more transparency and reliability in the comparison of the different cell chemistries.

[1] J.W. Choi, D. Aurbach, Nat. Rev. Mater., 1 (2016) 16013.

[2] T. Placke, R. Kloepsch, S. Dühnen, M. Winter, J. Solid State Electr., 21 (2017) 1939-1964.

[3] J. Betz, G. Bieker, P. Meister, T. Placke, M. Winter, R. Schmuch, Adv. Energy Mater., (2018) 1803170.
Biopolymer Sol-Gel Synthesis of Anion/Cation Doped Garnet Electrolyte Materials for Solid-State Batteries
Authors: Dong Bo , Slater Peter Raymond
Published: February 2020

Garnet solid-state electrolytes have attracted great interest due to its high Li ion conductivity and good electrochemical stability with electrode materials [1]. To enable the All-Solid-State Batteries, several issues need to be addressed, such as to increase the Li+ ion ionic conductivity, lower the interfacial resistance between electrolyte and electrode materials and prevent the dendrite growth of Li metal through electrolyte materials.

There has been significant work investigating doping strategies to improve the conductivity of Li5La3Nb(Ta)2O12 and Li7La3Zr2O12 systems [2-5], with the key conclusions being that Li ion contents of the order of 6.4-6.7 are optimal. In this work, we show that Ce and Zn can be successfully doped into the structure with extensive solid solutions, leading to improved conductivities and lower activation energies compared to the undoped samples. Unlike cation doping, there has been little research on anion doping strategies. Both experimental and computational work [6] has shown that the incorporation of F to give Li7-xLa3Zr2O12-xFx leads to a change from a tetragonal to a cubic cell, along with an enhancement in Li ion conductivity. Specifically, the synthesis of F-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 has been examined through solid state synthesis route using polymer reagents (PTFE) as the fluorine source, a route that we have previously shown to be a very flexible means of F incorporation in solids [7].

As well as the preparation of the above systems via standard solid state synthesis, we present results on the use of a novel low temperature biopolymer sol-gel route. Both undoped and Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 has been made successfully at 700 oC in air, with comparable conductivity to the literature. The detailed characterisation of these systems is reported.

References:

[1]Thangadurai V. et al. Chem Soc Rev. 2014, 43, 4714.

[2] Percival, J. et al. Dalton Tran. 2009, 26, 5177.

[3] Awaka, J. et al. J Solid State Chem. 2009, 182, 2046.

[4] Awaka, J. et al. J Solid State Chem. 2010, 183, 180.

[5] Howard, M.A. et al. J Alloys Compd. 2016, 670, 78.

[6] Yeandel S.R. et al. J. Phys. Chem. C. 2018, 122, 27811.

[7] Clemens O. et al. Reviews in Inorg. Chem. 2013, 33, 105.
Highly Isolated Cobalt Sulfide Nanoparticles Encapsulated in 3D Hollow Nitrogen Doped Carbon Sheells for Superior Lithium and Sodium Storage
Authors: Huang Wei , Shangguan Huihui , Engelbrekt Christian , Zheng Xiaowen , Shen Fei , Xiao Xinxin , Ci Lijie , Si Pengchao , Zhang Jingdong
Published: February 2020

Highly Isolated Cobalt Sulfide Nanoparticles Encapsulated in 3D Hollow Nitrogen Doped Carbon Sheells for Superior Lithium and Sodium Storage

Wei Huang, a, b Huihui Shangguan, b Christian Engelbrekt, a Xiaowen Zheng, b Fei Shen, a Xinxin Xiao, a Lijie Ci, b Pengchao Si b, * and Jingdong Zhang a, *

a Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.

b SDU & Rice Joint Center for Carbon Nanomaterials, Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, P. R. China.

Hollow materials derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) present a class of promising electrode materials for energy storage technology. Herein, we report the design and nanoengineering of highly isolated cobalt sulfide nanoparticles embedded in hollow nitrogen-doped carbon shells (Co9S8/HNCS) for superior lithium and sodium storage. Initially, hollow intermediates with preserved cobalt component were prepared by simultaneously dissociating cobalt containing zeolitic-imidazolate-frameworks-67 (ZIF-67), and polymerizing dopamine in a Tris-HCl solution (pH = 8.5). The poly-dopamine (PDA) wrapped intermediates inherited the polyhedron structure of the ZIF-67 crystals. The final Co9S8/HNCS composite was obtained via a combined carbonization and sulfurization treatment of the intermediates, allowing the formation of hollow polyhedrons of nitrogen-doped carbon layers (900 ± 100 nm) derived from PDA and the encapsulation of highly monodispersed cobalt sulfide nanoparticles (11 ± 2 nm). This configuration not only shortened the ionic diffusion distance, and accommodated volume expansion during lithium or sodium ion insertion/extraction, but also promoted the overall electronic conductivity, and provided more active sites during cycling. As a result, Co9S8/HNCS composite exhibited an impressive reversible capacity of 755 mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1 after 200 cycles for lithium ion storage, and capacities of 327 mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1 after 200 cycles and 224 mA h g-1 at 1000 mA g-1 after 300 cycles for sodium ion storage. Essential factors associated with the structural stability and changes during cycling have been identified and the discharge/charge mechanism has been discussed.

Figure 1
A Single Test Strip with Two Enzymes for Detecting Two Targets of Blood Sample
Authors: Hu Jun
Published: February 2020

Diabetes is a metabolic disease affecting diabetic patients every day. According to the report from WHO in 2016, more than 500 million people have been suffered from diabetes mellitus worldwide and some 150 million Chinese people are diagnosed with the disease. Lactate levels in blood or tissues are correlated to the presence of several diseases such as tissue hypoxia, lactic acidosis and disorders derived from neoplasic diseases, thus the development of highly sensitive and reliable lactate monitoring methods are of great interest in clinical diagnostics and the field of sports medicine.

As these two substances mentioned above need to be tested in great amount daily, we described the development and fabrication of these two enzyme electrodes (glucose and lactate) integrating into a single test strip by using screen-printing technology. The twin electrodes test strip can be used to detect two targets in one drop of blood sample based on amperometric principle. This method offers the possibility of mass-production of test strips at easy way and cost effective. There have many investigations and studies for the different kind of biosensors respectively, but one shot leading to two test results with single test strip is rare commercially available in the market.

Result:

Fabrication of the twin test strip

Fig1. The scheme of the twin test strip

PE base support; 2, 3.silver conducting track; 4.silver/silver chloride layer; 5.carbon layer; 6.insulate layer; 7.hydrophilic membrane; 8. Spacer; 9.surface bonding; 10.enzyme layer

Conclusions

The twin test strip is compatible with commercially available platform of glucose testing system. This improvement substantially decreases the cost of detection and reduces sufferings of patients. Further, a multi-functional test strip such as 4-in-1 test strip is in developing in authors’ laboratory.

Reference

Hu, J., CN patent ZL 206531813U (2017)

Figure 1
Nitrogenase Bioelectrocatalysis
Authors: Minteer Shelley D.
Published: February 2020

Nitrogenase is the only enzyme capable of nitrogen reduction to ammonia. This talk will discuss cobaltocene and methyl viologen mediation schemes for MoFe and VFe nitrogenase, as well as strategies for nitrogenase bioelectrocatalysis in air. Bioelectrocatalysis of proton reduction, azide reduction, nitrite reduction, nitrogen reduction, and carbon dioxide reduction by MoFe and VFe nitrogenase will be shown. These preliminary data showed the many applications of nitrogenase bioelectrocatalysis, but to be technologically useful, direct bioelectrocatalysis is needed. This talk will discuss the design and synthesis of a pyrene modified linear polyethylenimine and its use for MoFe, VFe and FeFe nitrogenase bioelectrocatalysis. This direct bioelectrocatalysis has allowed us to mechanistically study nitrogenases in more detail.
Performance Evaluations of Biofuel Cells Using Biocatalysts Consisting of Mediator and Enzyme Immobilized Carbon Nanotube Based Substrate
Authors: Kwon Yongchai
Published: February 2020

Enzyme based biofuel cells (BC) utilizing glucose and oxygen fuels are devices converting chemical energy of the fuels to electrical energy with a help of the enzyme based biocatalysts. Because the BC can run even in the physiological conditions, the glucose and oxygen which are flowed in human body can be considered as the fuels for the devices implanted into the human body. In spite of that, there are still problems to be resolved. Especially, the slow reaction rate issue of the biocatalyst should be improved. To address the issue, adopting mediator with the enzyme and substrate materials is a plausible way. When the appropriate mediator is introduced, electron transfer rate for the anodic reactions including glucose oxidation reaction (GOR) and the cathodic reactions including oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is promoted and as a result, the generated current will increase. To maximize the electron transfer rate and elucidate the electron transfer mechanism, we propose a new electron transfer mechanism, so called, a mediator embedded electron transfer (EMET). With this EMET mechanism, the corresponding mediator that is cheap and has a low-overpotential range for redox reaction is well immobilized on the enzyme and substrate materials, such as carbon nanotube (CNT). More specifically, in terms of anode, glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme and dye mediators were considered for the purpose, while in cathode, GOx and iron porphyrin mediator were utilized for the goal. The use of the redox couple induced superior catalytic activity of the biocatalysts and BC performance. In this conference, I will explain the related electron transfer theory, the synthetic procedure of corresponding biocatalysts and the configuration and performance of BC utilized.
Proteus vulgaris Microbial System for Urea Removal and Sensing in Synthetic Urine
Authors: Morales Myreisa , Cabrera Carlos R
Published: February 2020

One of the most challenging problems when trying to recycle urine for different purposes is the removal of urea. In this project we studied an ureolysis system using the bacterium Proteus vulgaris for the transformation of urea to ammonia and its subsequent oxidation to nitrogen at a Pt electrode. Our system was tested under different conditions, e.g. pH, microbial reaction time, and urea and bacteria concentrations. Our results indicate that a pH 8 is optimal for the Proteus vulgaris urease activity and the ammonia oxidation reaction at a Pt electrode. The reaction time and concentration dependence on the produced ammonia oxidation reaction current densities was studied. Results also showed limited ammonia oxidation under high urea concentrations in ~ 2.5 x 109 cfu/mL Proteus vulgaris in synthetic urine. A sensing device was developed using the microbial reaction at a Pt microchip.

This work demonstrates the possibility of P. vulgaris being used for an ureolysis system for water recovery from synthetic urine (see Figure 1). The urea in urine solution was converted to ammonia by the bacterial urease. The ammonia oxidation reaction was detected by cyclic voltammetry. The optimal conditions for both processes, the urea to ammonia microbial conversion and ammonia oxidation electrochemical reaction, were determined. High concentrations of urea in the synthetic urine system may reduce the Pt electrode oxidation efficiency by urea poisoning. The bacteria concentration in the ureolysis system is crucial to avoid this ammonia oxidation reaction efficiency problem. For the average urea concentration in urine of 0.22 M, the current ammonia oxidation peak obtained may be improved by increasing the exposure time of the bacteria with the urine before the ammonia oxidation, or by increasing the bacteria concentration in order to increase the amount of urea converted to ammonia in an interval of time. Further improvements are needed to obtain ammonia oxidation reaction currents from the system in order to make a self-sustainable ureolysis system.

An electrochemical whole cell sensor for the detection of urea in synthetic urine was also developed. For this, a custom-made platinum miniature microchip electrode onto a Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC) substrate, utilizing lift-off photolithography technique was done. P. vulgaris was placed at the Pt electrode surface and exposed to different urea concentration in synthetic urine for urea electrochemical determination. Urea was indirectly monitored by electrochemically measuring the ammonia electro-oxidation liberated by the microbial urease. Results showed that a calibration curve was possible after measuring the ammonia oxidation peak density current vs. the urea concentration in synthetic urine solution

Figure 1
Bio-Inspired Nife Catalysts for H2 Production
Authors: Brazzolotto Deborah , Wang Lianke , Gennari Marcello , Orio Maylis , Meyer Franc , Hall Michael , Artero Vincent , Dey Abhishek , Duboc Carole
Published: February 2020

Hydrogen production through water splitting appears to be the best solution in the long run for the storage of renewable energies. Hydrogenases are organometallic enzymes containing iron and/or nickel metal centers, whose catalytic performances rival that of platinum for hydrogen evolution. Their fascinating properties make them the ideal inspiration for the design of new molecular catalysts for technological devices. However, all heterodinuclear NiFe models reported so far do not reproduce the reactivity that occurs at the active site of [NiFe] hydrogenases, a mainly Ni-centered chemistry. We will report on structural and functional NiFe mimics that display redox activity at the Ni site. We were indeed able to isolate and experimentally characterize an active NiIFeIIintermediate modelling the Ni-L state, as well as to generate a NiIIFeIIhydride species.1 A mechanistic theoretical investigation carried outby Hall et al. revealed that even if this NiIIFeIIhydride species is a relevant model of the Ni-R state,2 it requires further reductive activation before H2evolution can proceed under mild acidic conditions.Under electrocatalytic conditions, these bio-inspired catalysts display high turnover frequency for H2 evolution from mildly acidic solutions.3 More recently, we have demonstrated that such an electrocatalyst is also efficient in acidic aqueous solution.4

References

Brazzolotto, D.; Gennari, M.; Queyriaux, N.; Simmons, T. R.; Pécaut, J.; Demeshko, S.; Meyer, F.; Orio, M.; Artero, V.; Duboc, C. Nature Chem.
2016,
8, 1054–1060.

Tang, H.; Hall, M. B. J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2017,
139(49), 18065-18070.

Brazzolotto, D. ; Wang, L.; Tang, H.; Gennari, M.; Queyriaux, N.; Philouze, C.; Demeshko, S.; Meyer, F.; Orio, M.; Artero, V.; Hall, M.B.; Duboc, C. 2018, ACS
Catal. 8 (11), 10658-10667.

Md Estak, A.; Chattopadhyay, S.; Wang, L.; Brazzolotto, D.; Pramanik, D.; Aldakov, D.; Fize, J.; Morozan, A.; Gennari, M.;Duboc, C.; Dey, A.; Artero, V. 2018, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 57 (49), 16001-16004.
Mesoscale Rh Structures Electrocatalysis for Hydrogen Evolution and Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Acidic Electrolyte
Authors: Hwang Gyu Soep , Kim Yang-Rae
Published: February 2020

Today, people are concerned environment pollution and energy crisis as a consequence of using fossil fuel. To solve these problems, conventional energy sources need to alternate another energy sources. Fuel cell is expected to be one of promising energy sources because it allows high energy density with little environment contamination. Hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction are main reactions which convert chemical energy into electricity at fuel cell. However, the major drawback is that these reactions typically need platinum-based electrocatalysts for high performance. But they have some disadvantages such as high cost and carbon monoxide poisoning, For substitution to platinum, it is significantly important to design and synthesize new catalysts.

In this study, mesoscale Rh structures have been employed for hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions. We used three Rh materials with shell, frame, porous mesoscale structures. It is expected that they show highly electrocatalytic activity because they have abundant exposed active sites and accessible surfaces. Herein, we mainly investigated electrocatalytic performances of these Rh electrocatalysts in a view of kinetics, electrochemical active surface area, lower electrochemical resistance than commercial catalyst, and electrocatalytic durability.
Modelling the Air Ticket Purchase Behavior Incorporating Latent Class Model
Authors: Lu Jing , Wang Zheqing , Gu Yingjing , Yang Wenhui
Published: February 2020

As passengers are proved to be preference heterogeneous in air travel, this paper tries to model the air ticket purchase behavior incorporating market segmentation. In the research, a latent-NL model, established on the latent class structure and the nested logit model, integrates the personal features as well as the purchase preferences into the forecast of segment-specific purchase probability. In order to calibrate the model, a stated preference survey is designed with the choice profiles using real service information, and the survey is conducted in four cities in China for data collection. The results show that the proposed model provides an effective approach for predicting the air travel demand in particular for air ticket pricing, and the estimation results outperforms the traditional-nested logit model with higher goodness-of-fit. Besides, the model is then adopted to test the efficiency of different pricing strategies, showing its advantages in improving the flight revenues.
Sparsity-Based Robust Bistatic MIMO Radar Imaging in the Presence of Array Errors
Authors: Gao Wenyu , Li Jun , Zhang Daming , Guo Qinghua
Published: February 2020

A sparse recovery method for robust transmit-receive angle imaging in a bistatic MIMO radar is proposed to deal with the effect of array gain-phase errors. The impact of multiplicative array gain-phase errors is changed to be additive through model reformulation, and transmit-receive angle imaging is formulated to a sparse total least square signal problem. Then, an iterative algorithm is proposed to solve the optimization problem. Compared with existing methods, the proposed method can achieve a significant performance gain in the case that the number of snapshots is small. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Thoracic Myelopathy Caused by Ossification of the Yellow Ligament as a Distal Adjacent Segmental Disease after Posterior Cervical-Middle Thoracic Fusion Surgery
Authors: Funayama Toru , Mataki Kentaro , Abe Tetsuya , Noguchi Hiroshi , Miura Kousei , Kumagai Hiroshi , Nagashima Katsuya , Shibao Yosuke , Sato Kosuke , Koda Masao , Yamazaki Masashi
Published: February 2020

Although adjacent segmental disease after posterior thoracic fusion surgery is rare, thoracic myelopathy due to ossification of the yellow ligament in the lower thoracic spine could develop because of mechanical stress when the lower instrumented vertebra has been set to the middle thoracic spine during the initial surgery. We report an extremely rare case of distal adjacent segmental disease after posterior cervical-middle thoracic fusion surgery requiring reoperation after exhibiting thoracic myelopathy due to ossification of the yellow ligament in the lower thoracic spine. An obese 53-year-old man with diabetes had undergone C3-6 laminoplasty and C7-T8 posterior decompression plus fusion due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament at C5-T5. Although the short-term clinical course after the initial surgery was good, symptoms of myelopathy reappeared because of the ossification of the yellow ligament that developed at T9-11 with local flexibility. Thus, reoperation with fusion extension surgery was needed 1 year and 6 months after the initial surgery. Altogether, we recommend careful monitoring of the postoperative clinical progression and, if necessary, reoperation at the earliest.
Performance Comparison of KOMPSAT-5 Precision Orbit Determination with GRACE
Authors: Roh Kyoung-Min , Hwang Yoola
Published: February 2020

The Korean Multipurpose Satellite-5 (KOMPSAT-5) launched on 22 August 2013 was equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for precision orbit determination (POD). Even though the GPS receiver of KOMPSAT-5 shares the same heritage as the BlackJack receiver onboard in Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites, KOMPSAT-5 has a lower orbital position accuracy (~10 cm) compared with GRACE (~2 cm). The reduced dynamic and kinematic methods are applied for POD of KOMPSAT-5 and GRACE to investigate the GPS observation quality due to the satellite operation concept and hardware design. The results are analyzed in terms of the number of observations and their spatial distribution, GPS signal quality, and orbital position accuracies. The results show that the frequent attitude maneuvers of KOMPSAT-5 affect the quality of the GPS signals and solutions obtained from the kinematic method compared with that determined from the reduced-dynamic method. The onboard patch GPS antenna installed in KOMPSAT-5 and its geometrical position resulted in more erratic measurement residuals by 140% compared with the choke ring antenna of GRACE. The POD accuracy is dependent on the hardware design and regular attitude tilting for the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging even though the same GPS receiver performances.
Housing Demand in Urban Areas and Sanitary Requirements of Dwellings in Italy
Authors: Dettori Marco , Altea Lucia , Fracasso Donatella , Trogu Federica , Azara Antonio , Piana Andrea , Arghittu Antonella , Saderi Laura , Sotgiu Giovanni , Castiglia Paolo
Published: February 2020

The phenomenon of urbanisation is becoming increasingly prevalent on a global level, and the health issues regarding the urban environment are of primary importance in public health. Accordingly, the present manuscript describes an analysis of the housing conditions of Italian urban areas, referring to the city of Sassari (Sardinia), Italy, focused on the dwelling structural and sanitary conditions issued by the Italian regulations. Data relating to the housing conditions of the population were acquired by the Local Hygiene and Public Health Service (SISP), in a period between 2012 and 2016. Qualitative variables were summarised with absolute and relative (percentages) frequencies, whereas quantitative variables with means and standard deviations depending on their parametric distribution. Statistical comparisons for qualitative and quantitative variables were performed with the χ2 test or Student’s t-test, respectively. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Finally, the dwellings and the collected variables were georeferenced on a city map. During the 2012–2016 observation period, 363 certification requests were received from 193 (53.2%) foreign-born citizens and 170 (46.8%) Italians at the SISP offices. The main reasons relate to the request for a residency permit (46.6%) and to obtain a subsidy from the local government (32.8%). Overall, 15.4% of dwellings were found to be improper, while 35.3% and 22.0% were found to be unhygienic and uninhabitable, respectively. The foreigners’ homes were found to be suitable in 82.7% of cases; the housing of Italian citizens, on the contrary, was found to be suitable in 28% of the observations. The present study offers a cross section of the housing conditions of Italian urban areas, referring to the city of Sassari. To the authors’ best knowledge, this observation is the first one carried out in Sardinia and one of the first observations in Italy. It has emerged that “hygienically unsuitable” homes are those that, in most cases, are located in the city centre. Moreover, the Italian population is hit by a significant housing problem, due to overcrowding, uninhabitability, and unhygienic conditions. Overall, our findings suggest that it is necessary to develop a multidisciplinary approach to guarantee public health, with safe dwellings homes and the surrounding urban context alongside the development of social relations. Nevertheless, there is still little evidence available today on the population housing conditions, especially regarding the private indoor environment, and further research is needed to bridge this knowledge gap.
Serum Zinc-α2-Glycoprotein Levels in Patients with or without Coronary Artery Disease in Chinese North Population
Authors: Liu Meijuan , Liu Zeyu , Zhu Huijuan , Wang Linjie , Yang Hongbo , Yan Kemin , Gong Fengying , Pan Hui , Zeng Yong
Published: February 2020

Coronary artery disease (CAD), the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, has imposed huge health and economic burdens globally. Zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) is a novel adipokine. Increasing evidence suggests the close relationship between serum ZAG levels and various cardiometabolic risk factors. However, the relationship between serum ZAG levels and CAD is still not fully clarified. We conducted this study to evaluate serum ZAG levels and its association with cardiovascular risk factors. A total of 129 patients with CAD, 99 patients with noncoronary artery disease (NCAD), and 121 controls were recruited in this retrospective study. CAD (coronary artery stenosis ≥50%) or NCAD (coronary artery stenosis <50%) patients who underwent coronary angiography were diagnosed according to the American Heart Association criteria. Serum ZAG levels were determined via commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The results showed that serum ZAG levels in CAD and NCAD groups were significantly decreased when compared with those in the control group. Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that the grouping variable (control, NCAD, and CAD) was an independent determinant of serum ZAG levels (β = −0.328, P<0.001) after controlling other confounding factors. Further multivariate ordinary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk of grouping at one level higher in subjects with the lowest tertile of ZAG levels was 2.28-fold higher than those with the highest tertile levels (OR = 3.281, 95% CI 1.782–6.038, P<0.001). The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that serum ZAG could distinguish CAD patients (AUC = 0.706, 95% CI, 0.643–0.770, P<0.05), NCAD patients (AUC = 0.673, 95% CI, 0.602–0.743, P<0.05), and NCAD and CAD patients (AUC = 0.692, 95% CI, 0.633–0.750, P<0.05) from controls. In conclusion, serum ZAG levels were significantly decreased in NCAD/CAD patients. The decreased serum ZAG levels were independently associated with the presence of NCAD/CAD. ZAG might serve as a candidate diagnostic biomarker for NCAD/CAD.
Diffuse Neurofibroma: An Uncommon Cause of Alopecia
Authors: Lee I-Ting , Chang Jian-Min , Fu Yu
Published: February 2020

Alopecia (hair loss) is reported to be associated with infection, genetics, hormonal changes, drugs, or inflammation. The most frequent causes of hair loss in pediatric patients include tinea capitis, alopecia areata, traction alopecia, and trichotillomania. In the adult population, causes to be considered are alopecia areata and hair loss associated with systemic disease and hormonal influence. The clinician must be able to separate the types and causes of hair loss into those that reflect primary dermatologic conditions and those that represent a reaction to systemic disease. Benign cutaneous tumors have also been known to develop alopecia via occupying the place for hair follicles or tumor-induced inflammatory responses. However, the mechanism of alopecia by neurofibroma (NF) has not been well investigated. We present a 32-year-old patient who developed scalp plaque with alopecia within 6 years. He denies any itching or pain in the area, and has not tried any treatments. In this study, the unusual association between NF and alopecia is shown.
Memória - Homenagem Maria Aparecida Baccega (1943-2020)
Authors: Fígaro Roseli , Nonato Claudia , Soares Ismar De Oliveira
Published: February 2020

Nos primeiros dias de janeiro de 2020, ano em que a revista Comunicação & Educação completa 25 anos, uma de suas principais idealizadoras, primeira editora e mentora, nos deixou. A professora Maria Aparecida Baccega perdeu a batalha para uma série de problemas de saúde, mas não sem deixar um legado invejável, que está registrado nas milhares de fotografias e mensagens deixadas nas redes sociais de alunos, orientandos, colegas de trabalho, amigos e admiradores. Sua trajetória foi marcada por firmeza de princípios e coragem, fraternidade e luta, como é possível observar na homenagem a seguir.
The Sacred Geometry of Velázquez's Las Meninas
Authors: Bouc Petr
Published: February 2020

This study reveals the crucial role played by sacred geometry in the spatial structure of Velázquez's Las Meninas. It further explains how Velázquez, by means of geometric composition, achieved double centrality and why nearly half of those who look at his masterpiece perceive that the point of view is opposite the mirror. The spatial analysis of the floor plan confirms that, according to the law of reflection, the image in the mirror is coming from the large canvas. The correct floor plan follows from the Renaissance perspective system, and its understanding leads to further revelation of its universal use.
Chronicle of Mud: Cross-Disciplinary Conversation Extends Our Perception in the Anthropocene
Authors: Santos Julie Poitras
Published: February 2020

Chronicle of Mud is a video that places human experience next to geologic timescales and is sited in the Sprague River intertidal zone and salt marshes on the Phippsburg peninsula in Maine. The author worked with a geologist and ecopsychologist to allow for thinking together across disciplines and time-scales about radical planetary changes and our responsibilities to respond, all parties bringing different perspectives to the table in order to extend perceptions in the Anthropocene.
Composite fault diagnosis of gearbox based on empirical mode decomposition and improved variational mode decomposition
Authors: Wang Jingyue , Li Jiangang , Wang Haotian , Guo Lixin
Published: February 2020

In order to identify the nonlinear nonstationary pitting-wear fault signal of gears in gearbox, a new method of composite fault diagnosis for gearbox is proposed, which combines empirical mode decomposition with improved variational mode decomposition. Aiming at the problem of false modes in the results of empirical mode decomposition when processing signals, the energy method is used to eliminate and update the mode components, and the correlation coefficient method is used to calculate the correlation between the updated mode components and the original signal. The components with strong correlation are selected to form the combined mode components to weaken the noise and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Aiming at the problem that variational mode decomposition method needs to manually determine the number of mode components [Formula: see text] and the penalty factor [Formula: see text] during signal decomposition, a combination of envelope spectral entropy and waveform method is proposed to determine the optimal parameter combination. By analyzing the pitting-wear composite fault vibration signals of gears in the gearbox and the normal signals of the gearbox, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified, and a comparative analysis with the empirical mode decomposition method is performed to highlight the superiority of the proposed method.
Addressing the EU's East-West Brain Drain: Why a Tax Solution would be in Vain
Authors: Golovics József
Published: February 2020

In the 1970s Jagdish Bhagwati proposed the introduction of a brain drain tax to compensate less developed countries for the welfare losses they suffered as a result of outward skilled migration, but the proposal was never implemented. In light of tensions in Europe caused by the mobility of highly-skilled labour from ‘East’ to ‘West’ following the 2004 EU enlargement, this paper re-examines the feasibility of such a proposal within the Union. The disparity between levels of income and economic development in (some of) the ‘new’ and ‘old’ member states, combined with the specific European institutional environment to trigger a brain drain from the accession countries to the EU-15. Mindful of the values and specificities of the EU, I address the question of whether Bhagwati's brain drain tax could provide a solution to this problem in the European context. Combining empirical research with EU integration theory, I argue that it cannot: implementation would face obstacles even in the limited context of the EU because of the lack of appropriate supranational competences; moreover, the tax – as a compensation mechanism - could not reduce the major differences in development levels, which is the underlying cause of the problem. Nonetheless, addressing this question illuminates broader issues of the politics of enlargement and the inequities of the current EU, in spite of the benefits it has brought to its 2004 and 2007 entrants.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Authors: Rodriguez-Galindo Carlos , Allen Carl E.
Published: February 2020

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is caused by clonal expansion of myeloid precursors that differentiate into CD1a+/CD207+ cells in lesions that leads to a spectrum of organ involvement and dysfunction. The pathogenic cells are defined by constitutive activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Treatment of LCH is risk-adapted: patients with single lesions may respond well to local treatment, whereas patients with multisystem disease require systemic therapy. Although survival rates for patients without organ dysfunction is excellent, mortality rates for patients with organ dysfunction may reach 20%. Despite progress made in the treatment of LCH, disease reactivation rates remain above 30%, and standard second-line treatment is yet to be established. Treatment failure is associated with increased risks for death and long-term morbidity, including LCH-associated neurodegeneration. Early case series report promising clinical responses in patients with relapsed and refractory LCH treated with BRAF or MEK inhibitors, although potential for this strategy to achieve cure remains uncertain.
Association of clinical severity with FANCB variant type in Fanconi anemia
Authors: Jung Moonjung , Ramanagoudr-Bhojappa Ramanagouda , van Twest Sylvie , Rosti Rasim Ozgur , Murphy Vincent , Tan Winnie , Donovan Frank X. , Lach Francis P. , Kimble Danielle C. , Jiang Caroline S. , Vaughan Roger , Mehta Parinda A. , Pierri Filomena , Dufour Carlo , Auerbach Arleen D. , Deans Andrew J. , Smogorzewska Agata , Chandrasekharappa Settara C.
Published: February 2020

Fanconi anemia (FA) is the most common genetic cause of bone marrow failure and is caused by inherited pathogenic variants in any of 22 genes. Of these, only FANCB is X-linked. We describe a cohort of 19 children with FANCB variants, from 16 families of the International Fanconi Anemia Registry. Those with FANCB deletion or truncation demonstrate earlier-than-average onset of bone marrow failure and more severe congenital abnormalities compared with a large series of FA individuals in published reports. This reflects the indispensable role of FANCB protein in the enzymatic activation of FANCD2 monoubiquitination, an essential step in the repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks. For FANCB missense variants, more variable severity is associated with the extent of residual FANCD2 monoubiquitination activity. We used transcript analysis, genetic complementation, and biochemical reconstitution of FANCD2 monoubiquitination to determine the pathogenicity of each variant. Aberrant splicing and transcript destabilization were associated with 2 missense variants. Individuals carrying missense variants with drastically reduced FANCD2 monoubiquitination in biochemical and/or cell-based assays tended to show earlier onset of hematologic disease and shorter survival. Conversely, variants with near-normal FANCD2 monoubiquitination were associated with more favorable outcome. Our study reveals a genotype-phenotype correlation within the FA-B complementation group of FA, where severity is associated with level of residual FANCD2 monoubiquitination.
Identification of microRNAs in developing wheat grain that are potentially involved in regulating grain characteristics and the response to nitrogen levels
Authors: Hou Gege , Du Chenyang , Gao Honghuan , Liu Sujun , Sun Wan , Lu Hongfang , Kang Juan , Xie Yingxin , Ma Dongyun , Wang Chenyang
Published: February 2020

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the regulation of plant development and growth, but little information is available concerning their roles during grain development under different nitrogen (N) application levels. Our objective was to identify miRNAs related to the regulation of grain characteristics and the response to different N fertilizer conditions.

Results

A total of 79 miRNAs (46 known and 33 novel miRNAs) were identified that showed significant differential expression during grain development under both high nitrogen (HN) and low nitrogen (LN) treatments. The miRNAs that were significantly upregulated early in grain development target genes involved mainly in cell differentiation, auxin-activated signaling, and transcription, which may be associated with grain size; miRNAs abundant in the middle and later stages target genes mainly involved in carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism, transport, and kinase activity and may be associated with grain filling. Additionally, we identified 50 miRNAs (22 known and 28 novel miRNAs), of which 11, 9, and 39 were differentially expressed between the HN and LN libraries at 7, 17, and 27 days after anthesis (DAA). The miRNAs that were differentially expressed in response to nitrogen conditions target genes involved mainly in carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism, the defense response, and transport as well as genes that encode ubiquitin ligase. Only one novel miRNA (PC-5p-2614_215) was significantly upregulated in response to LN treatment at all three stages, and 21 miRNAs showed significant differential expression between HN and LN conditions only at 27 DAA. We therefore propose a model for target gene regulation by miRNAs during grain development with N-responsive patterns.

Conclusions

The potential targets of the identified miRNAs are related to various biological processes, such as carbohydrate/nitrogen metabolism, transcription, cellular differentiation, transport, and defense. Our results indicate that miRNA-mediated networks, via posttranscriptional regulation, play crucial roles in grain development and the N response, which determine wheat grain weight and quality. Our study provides useful information for future research of regulatory mechanisms that focus on improving grain yield and quality.
Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: a rare case and review of literature
Authors: Drevinskaite Mingaile , Patasius Ausvydas , Kevlicius Lukas , Mickys Ugnius , Smailyte Giedre
Published: February 2020

Background

Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis is a rare tumour which comprises less than 1% of all mesotheliomas.

Case presentation

69-years old patient with painful hard mass and hydrocele in the right scrotum to whom a right hydrocelectomy was performed. Any history of scrotal trauma or exposure to asbestos was not present. Excisional biopsy revealed a multinodular tumour with focal areas of necrosis and infiltrative growth. According to morphological and immunohistochemical findings, diagnosis of malignant biphasic mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis was made. Two months after hydrocelectomy, right inguinal orchidectomy was performed. Post-surgical whole body CT scan revealed paraaortic and pararenal lymphadenopathy, likely to be metastatic. Adjuvant treatment with 6 cycles of cisplatin and pemetrexed was applied. After 3 cycles of chemotherapy, CT scan showed progression and the treatment was changed to gemcitabine 1 month after.

Conclusions

Although malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis is a rare malignancy, it poses a diagnostic challenge which can mimic common inguinal or scrotal diseases such as hydrocele. Despite aggressive surgical procedures or adjuvant therapies, the prognosis remains poor.
Syntenin overexpression in human lung cancer tissue and serum is associated with poor prognosis
Authors: Luo Pengyong , Yang Xuli , Huang Shiren , Feng Shu , Ou Zongxing
Published: February 2020

Background

Lung cancer is the major malignant tumour. The present study was conducted to determine the expression level of syntenin in lung cancer tissues and serum from lung cancer patients and to explore its clinical significance.

Methods

Syntenin expression levels were determined in paraffin-embedded lung cancer tissue specimens (n = 191) using immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expressions of syntenin in fresh lung cancer tissues and the paracancerous tissues were examined by RT-qPCR (n = 25). Syntenin and VEGF expression levels were measured in serum from patients with lung cancer (n = 60) and control subjects (n = 30) using ELISA. The associations between syntenin and the clinicopathological features or prognosis in 191 patients with lung cancer were analysed. The correlation between the syntenin and VEGF levels in serum from 60 lung cancer patients was analysed.

Results

The expression levels of syntenin were significantly higher in lung cancer tissues than in paracancerous tissues based on immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR, and elevated syntenin expression was significantly associated with tumour size (P = 0.002), TNM stage (P = 0.020), tumour distant metastasis (P = 0.033), overall survival (OS) (P = 0.002) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that increased expression of syntenin was an independent risk factor for OS (P = 0.006) and PFS (P < 0.001) in lung cancer patients. The expression levels of syntenin and VEGF in serum from lung cancer patients were higher than those from control subjects (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively), and their expression levels were positively correlated (r = 0.49, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Syntenin expression is upregulated in lung cancer patients, and its serum expression level is positively correlated with VEGF. Moreover, syntenin overexpression was correlated with poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer.
Psychometric properties of the Persian version of postpartum distress measure scale
Authors: Shokuhi Zahra Bakht , Ranjbar Fatemeh , Hakimi Sevil , Bahri Rogayeh , Ghaffarifar Saeideh
Published: February 2020

Background

The purpose of the present study was to determine psychometric properties of the Persian version of Postpartum Distress Measure Scale (PDM Scale).

Methods

In this psychometric explorative study, the data were collected using a questionnaire containing demographic information, PDM Scale, and Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The content, face and construct validity of the questionnaire was examined with participation of ten experts, 10 and 150 women referring to health care centers, who were under common care during their postpartum period, respectively. The concurrent validity of the tool was evaluated using DASS-21. The reliability of the items was evaluated with the participation of 30 women, calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and intra-class correlation coefficient.

Results

The Content Validity Index, Content Validity Ratio and Impact Score of the Persian version of the PDM were 0.94, 0.73, and 2.97, respectively. The ten items of the questionnaire were loaded in two factors (general distress and obsessive compulsive symptoms subscale). Those two factors explained 50.78% of the total variance of women’s distress. Internal consistency of the items and stability of the results were confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha of 0.72 and Intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.75.

Conclusion

According to the study results, the Persian version of PDM Scale has acceptable psychometric properties. Care providers and researchers can use it as a tool for screening anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder in women.