bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Parametric Deep Learning Model for Prediction of Overall Survival after Postoperative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Glioblastoma Patients
Authors: Yoon Han Gyul , Cheon Wonjoong , Jeong Sang Woon , Kim Hye Seung , Kim Kyunga , Nam Heerim , Han Youngyih , Lim Do Hoon
Published: August 2020

This study aimed to investigate the performance of a deep learning-based survival-prediction model, which predicts the overall survival (OS) time of glioblastoma patients who have received surgery followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). The medical records of glioblastoma patients who had received surgery and CCRT between January 2011 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Based on our inclusion criteria, 118 patients were selected and semi-randomly allocated to training and test datasets (3:1 ratio, respectively). A convolutional neural network–based deep learning model was trained with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and clinical profiles to predict OS. The MRI was reconstructed by using four pulse sequences (22 slices) and nine images were selected based on the longest slice of glioblastoma by a physician for each pulse sequence. The clinical profiles consist of personal, genetic, and treatment factors. The concordance index (C-index) and integrated area under the curve (iAUC) of the time-dependent area-under-the-curve curves of each model were calculated to evaluate the performance of the survival-prediction models. The model that incorporated clinical and radiomic features showed a higher C-index (0.768 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.759, 0.776)) and iAUC (0.790 (95% CI: 0.783, 0.797)) than the model using clinical features alone (C-index = 0.693 (95% CI: 0.685, 0.701); iAUC = 0.723 (95% CI: 0.716, 0.731)) and the model using radiomic features alone (C-index = 0.590 (95% CI: 0.579, 0.600); iAUC = 0.614 (95% CI: 0.607, 0.621)). These improvements to the C-indexes and iAUCs were validated using the 1000-times bootstrapping method; all were statistically significant (p < 0.001). This study suggests the synergistic benefits of using both clinical and radiomic parameters. Furthermore, it indicates the potential of multi-parametric deep learning models for the survival prediction of glioblastoma patients.
Mirroring Solar Radiation Emitting Heat Toward the Universe: Design, Production, and Preliminary Testing of a Metamaterial Based Daytime Passive Radiative Cooler
Authors: Castaldo Anna , Vitiello Giuseppe , Gambale Emilia , Lanchi Michela , Ferrara Manuela , Zinzi Michele
Published: August 2020

A radiative cooling device, based on a metamaterial able to mirror solar radiation and emit heat toward the universe by the transparency window of the atmosphere (8–13 µm), reaching and maintaining temperatures below ambient air, without any electricity input (passive), could have a significant impact on energy consumption of buildings and positive effects on the global warming prevention. A similar device is expected to properly work if exposed to the nocturnal sky, but during the daytime, its efficacy could be affected by its own heating under direct sunlight. In scientific literature, there are only few evidences of lab scale devices, acting as passive radiative cooling at daytime, and remaining few degrees below ambient air. This work describes the proof of concept of a daytime passive radiative cooler, entirely developed in ENEA labs, capable to reach well 12 °C under ambient temperature. In particular, the prototypal device is an acrylic box case, filled with noble gas, whose top face is a metamaterial deposited on a metal substrate covered with a transparent polymeric film. The metamaterial here tested, obtained by means of a semi-empirical approach, is a spectrally selective coating based on low cost materials, deposited as thin films by sputtering on the metallic substrate, that emits selectively in the 8–13 µm region, reflecting elsewhere UV_VIS_NIR_IR electromagnetic radiation. The prototype during the daytime sky could reach temperatures well beyond ambient temperature. However, the proof of concept experiment performed in a bright clear June day has evidenced some limitations. A critical analysis of the obtained experimental results has done, in order to individuate design revisions for the device and to identify future metamaterial improvements.
Acid-Assisted Organosolv Pre-Treatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cynara cardunculus L. for Glucose Production
Authors: Gelosia Mattia , Bertini Alessandro , Barbanera Marco , Giannoni Tommaso , Nicolini Andrea , Cotana Franco , Cavalaglio Gianluca
Published: August 2020

Lignocellulosic biomass is a non-edible feedstock that can be used in integrated biorefinery for the production of biochemicals and biofuel. Among lignocellulosic biomass, Cynara cardunculus L. (cardoon) is a promising crop thanks to its low water and fertilizer demand. Organosolv is a chemical treatment that uses numerous organic or aqueous solvent mixtures, and a small amount of acid catalyst, in order to solubilize the lignin and hemicellulose fractions, making the cellulose accessible to hydrolytic enzymes. Lignocellulosic residues of cardoon underwent a two-step treatment process to obtain fermentable glucose. In the first step, the milled biomass was subjected to microwave-assisted extraction using an acidified γ-valerolactone (GVL)/water mixture, yielding a solid cellulose pulp. In the second step, the pre-treated material was hydrolyzed by cellulolytic enzymes to glucose. The first step was optimized by means of a two-level full factorial design. The investigated factors were process temperature, acid catalyst concentration, and GVL/water ratio. A glucose production equal to 30.17 g per 100 g of raw material (89% of the maximum theoretical yield) was achieved after conducting the first step at 150 °C using an acidified water solution (1.96% H2SO4w/w).
Experimental Study on the Performance of an SI Engine Fueled by Waste Plastic Pyrolysis Oil–Gasoline Blends
Authors: Khairil  , Riayatsyah Teuku Meurah Indra , Bahri Samsul , Sofyan Sarwo Edhy , Jalaluddin Jalaluddin , Kusumo Fitranto , Silitonga Arridina Susan , Padli Yanti , Jihad Muhammad , Shamsuddin Abd Halim
Published: August 2020

Pyrolyzed waste plastic-based green fuel has been reported to be used as an alternate fuel for diesel engines. Some of the main challenges for implementing this in current automotive technology include evaluating engine performance, emission, noise vibration harshness (NVH), and knock characteristics of this fuel. This study focuses on the engine performance of poly-ethylene terephthalate (PET)-based waste plastic oil (WPO) at varying engine speed conditions. The pyrolysis of mixed-waste plastic was carried out at 300 °C in a fixed-bed reactor. Physicochemical properties such as viscosity, density, calorific value, sulfur, and research octane number (RON) of the plastic fuel and its blends with gasoline were analyzed using ASTM standard test methods. The WPO was blended with two different types of gasoline (RON88 and RON90) at 10, 20, and 30%, and was tested in a spark-ignition (SI) engine. The experimental results showed that different WPO–gasoline blends can be used in an SI engine without any engine modifications, and the performance indicators for different blends were found to be close to that of pure gasoline. The brake power and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were found to be 4.1 kW and 0.309 kg/kW h, respectively. The 10% WPO and 90% RON90 blend produced optimal engine performance at 3500 rpm.
Study on Well Selection Method for Refracturing Horizontal Wells in Tight Reservoirs
Authors: Feng Qihong , Ren Jiawei , Zhang Xianmin , Wang Xianjun , Wang Sen , Li Yurun
Published: August 2020

Refracturing technology is one of the key technologies to recover the productivity of horizontal wells in tight oil reservoirs, and the selection of best candidate wells from target blocks is the basis of this technology. Based on the refracturing production database, this paper analyzes the direct relationship between geological data, initial fracturing completion data, and dynamic production data, and the stimulation effect of refracturing. Considering the interaction among multiple factors, the factors affecting the stimulation effect of refracturing are classified and integrated, and a comprehensive index including geology, engineering, and production is constructed, making this index meaningful both for physical and engineering properties. The XGBoost decision tree model is established to analyze the weight of influence for the comprehensive index of geology, engineering, and production in predicting the stimulation effect of refracturing. A comprehensive decision index of refracturing well selection is formed by combining the above three for performing a fast selection of horizontal candidate wells for fracturing. Taking a horizontal well test area in Songliao Basin as an example, the target wells of refracturing are selected by this method, and field operation is carried out, and a good stimulation effect is achieved. The results show that the comprehensive decision-making index constructed by this method is reliable and has certain guiding significance for well selection and stimulation potential evaluation of tight oil reservoir.
Experimental and Computational Evaluation of Heavy Metal Cation Adsorption for Molecular Design of Hydrothermal Char
Authors: Delahaye Louise , Hobson John Thomas , Rando Matthew Peter , Sweeney Brenna , Brown Avery Bernard , Tompsett Geoffrey Allen , Ates Ayten , Deskins N. Aaron , Timko Michael Thomas
Published: August 2020

A model hydrochar was synthesized from glucose at 180 °C and its Cu(II) sorption capacity was studied experimentally and computationally as an example of molecular-level adsorbent design. The sorption capacity of the glucose hydrochar was less than detection limits (3 mg g−1) and increased significantly with simple alkali treatments with hydroxide and carbonate salts of K and Na. Sorption capacity depended on the salt used for alkali treatment, with hydroxides leading to greater improvement than carbonates and K+ more than Na+. Subsequent zeta potential and infrared spectroscopy analysis implicated the importance of electrostatic interactions in Cu(II) sorption to the hydrochar surface. Computational modeling using Density Functional Theory (DFT) rationalized the binding as electrostatic interactions with carboxylate groups; similarly, DFT calculations were consistent with the finding that K+ was more effective than Na+ at activating the hydrochar. Based on this finding, custom-synthesized hydrochars were synthesized from glucose-acrylic acid and glucose-vinyl sulfonic acid precursors, with subsequent improvements in Cu(II) adsorption capacity. The performance of these hydrochars was compared with ion exchange resins, with the finding that Cu(II)-binding site stoichiometry is superior in the hydrochars compared with the resins, offering potential for future improvements in hydrochar design.
Effects of Biodiesel Addition on the Physical Properties and Reactivity of the Exhaust Soot Particles from Diesel Engine
Authors: Zhang Xuyang , Lyu Gang , Song Chonglin , Qiao Yuehan
Published: August 2020

The present study investigated the effects of adding 20 vol.% biodiesel to petroleum diesel (to produce a mixture termed B20) on the physical properties and reactivity of the resulting exhaust soot particles. Tests were performed at different engine loads of a constant speed, and the soot particles from the combustion of B20 and petroleum diesel fuel (DF) were collected from the engine exhaust stream. Transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were employed for the analysis of soot morphology and nanostructure. The thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the oxidative reactivity of the soot. For both the DF and B20 soot, increased engine loads result in soot aggregates with more compact morphology and primary soot particles with larger size and more organized structure. Compared to the DF soot, the B20 aggregates have a slightly more compact morphology and smaller primary particle size. No appreciable differences are observed in nanostructure between the DF and B20 soot. The thermogravimetric analysis demonstrates that the B20 soot is associated with lower peak temperature, burnout temperature and apparent activation energy, suggesting that it is more reactive than the DF soot.
Electric Vehicles Plug-In Duration Forecasting Using Machine Learning for Battery Optimization
Authors: Chen Yukai , Alamin Khaled Sidahmed Sidahmed , Jahier Pagliari Daniele , Vinco Sara , Macii Enrico , Poncino Massimo
Published: August 2020

The aging of rechargeable batteries, with its associated replacement costs, is one of the main issues limiting the diffusion of electric vehicles (EVs) as the future transportation infrastructure. An effective way to mitigate battery aging is to act on its charge cycles, more controllable than discharge ones, implementing so-called battery-aware charging protocols. Since one of the main factors affecting battery aging is its average state of charge (SOC), these protocols try to minimize the standby time, i.e., the time interval between the end of the actual charge and the moment when the EV is unplugged from the charging station. Doing so while still ensuring that the EV is fully charged when needed (in order to achieve a satisfying user experience) requires a “just-in-time” charging protocol, which completes exactly at the plug-out time. This type of protocol can only be achieved if an estimate of the expected plug-in duration is available. While many previous works have stressed the importance of having this estimate, they have either used straightforward forecasting methods, or assumed that the plug-in duration was directly indicated by the user, which could lead to sub-optimal results. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of a more advanced forecasting based on machine learning (ML). With experiments on a public dataset containing data from domestic EV charge points, we show that a simple tree-based ML model, trained on each charge station based on its users’ behaviour, can reduce the forecasting error by up to 4× compared to the simple predictors used in previous works. This, in turn, leads to an improvement of up to 50% in a combined aging-quality of service metric.
Possibilities of Uranium Deposit Kuriskova Mining and Its Influence on the Energy Potential of Slovakia from Own Resources
Authors: Sofranko Marian , Khouri Samer , Vegsoova Olga , Kacmary Peter , Mudarri Tawfik , Koncek Martin , Tyulenev Maxim , Simkova Zuzana
Published: August 2020

Uranium is one of the strategic minerals used mainly in energetics. The main purpose of uranium mining is to achieve maximum production to meet the rapidly growing demand for energies. It needs to become aware that technological progress in mining processes could significantly reduce the negative impacts associated with environmental, economic, and social risks. Uranium mining is one of the most controversial topics. It is dealt with by many experts and scientists around the world. Various methods and technologies of uranium mining are encountered in professional journals, as well as political or socio-economic decisions based on the impact and importance of the energy potential of uranium deposits, or the environmental impacts of uranium mining. The deposit of Kuriskova is one of the most perspective deposits not only in Slovakia but also in the world. The deposit is located near the town of Kosice (with near 240,000 inhabitants) and near the recreational area of Jahodna in the east of the Slovak Republic. The analysis and determination of the energy potential of the deposit of Kuriskova shows that uranium reserves from this deposit would be able to fully cover the needs for nuclear power plants for the production of nuclear fuel, in the Slovak Republic, even in the longer term. With the above-mentioned energy potential of the deposit of Kuriskova at the level of 600 TWh, nuclear power plants in the Slovak Republic are able to be supplied with raw materials from the deposit of Kuriskova for about 40 years with the current amount of electricity produced (approx. 15 TWh). Therefore, for the purposes of this research, a proposal for the extraction of uranium reserves at the deposit of Kuriskova was made. Based on it, it is possible to determine the amount of recoverable uranium reserves from the deposit. A methodology has been determined with mining this proposal, which takes into account the basic criteria of uranium deposit mining, which was used for the selection of a suitable mining technology for the uranium deposit of Kuriskova.
Analysis of the DC Fault Current Limiting Characteristics of a DC Superconducting Fault Current Limiter Using a Transformer
Authors: Cho Kang-Cheol , Park Min-Ki , Lim Sung-Hun
Published: August 2020

Recently, a lot of interesting research has been conducted to solve the fault current problem of the DC system. In long-distance transmission, DC transmission is more economical than AC transmission. The connection of power grids with a DC system can also better control the power flow and provide high stability. However, the control of the fault current in a DC system is more difficult to handle than in an AC system because the DC system does not make a zero point, unlike the AC system. In addition, there is a disadvantage, in that an arc occurs when a circuit breaker operates. In this paper, a new type of DC superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) is proposed. This new type of SFCL is composed of two superconducting elements, a current limiting resistor/reactor (CLR), and a transformer. With the proposed SFCL, the DC fault current limiting experiments were performed and the DC fault current limiting characteristics of this SFCL due to the component of the CLR were analyzed.
Synthetic Data Generator for Electric Vehicle Charging Sessions: Modeling and Evaluation Using Real-World Data
Authors: Lahariya Manu , Benoit Dries F. , Develder Chris
Published: August 2020

Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have become prominent in electricity grids in the past few years. Their increased penetration introduces both challenges and opportunities; they contribute to increased load, but also offer flexibility potential, e.g., in deferring the load in time. To analyze such scenarios, realistic EV data are required, which are hard to come by. Therefore, in this article we define a synthetic data generator (SDG) for EV charging sessions based on a large real-world dataset. Arrival times of EVs are modeled assuming that the inter-arrival times of EVs follow an exponential distribution. Connection time for EVs is dependent on the arrival time of EV, and can be described using a conditional probability distribution. This distribution is estimated using Gaussian mixture models, and departure times can calculated by sampling connection times for EV arrivals from this distribution. Our SDG is based on a novel method for the temporal modeling of EV sessions, and jointly models the arrival and departure times of EVs for a large number of charging stations. Our SDG was trained using real-world EV sessions, and used to generate synthetic samples of session data, which were statistically indistinguishable from the real-world data. We provide both (i) source code to train SDG models from new data, and (ii) trained models that reflect real-world datasets.
Optimal Design of Combined Two-Tank Latent and Metal Hydrides-Based Thermochemical Heat Storage Systems for High-Temperature Waste Heat Recovery
Authors: Nyamsi Serge Nyallang , Lototskyy Mykhaylo , Tolj Ivan
Published: August 2020

The integration of thermal energy storage systems (TES) in waste-heat recovery applications shows great potential for energy efficiency improvement. In this study, a 2D mathematical model is formulated to analyze the performance of a two-tank thermochemical heat storage system using metal hydrides pair (Mg2Ni/LaNi5), for high-temperature waste heat recovery. Moreover, the system integrates a phase change material (PCM) to store and restore the heat of reaction of LaNi5. The effects of key properties of the PCM on the dynamics of the heat storage system were analyzed. Then, the TES was optimized using a genetic algorithm-based multi-objective optimization tool (NSGA-II), to maximize the power density, the energy density and storage efficiency simultaneously. The results indicate that the melting point Tm and the effective thermal conductivity of the PCM greatly affect the energy storage density and power output. For the range of melting point Tm = 30–50 °C used in this study, it was shown that a PCM with Tm = 47–49 °C leads to a maximum heat storage performance. Indeed, at that melting point narrow range, the thermodynamic driving force of reaction between metal hydrides during the heat charging and discharging processes is almost equal. The increase in the effective thermal conductivity by the addition of graphite brings about a tradeoff between increasing power output and decreasing the energy storage density. Finally, the hysteresis behavior (the difference between the melting and freezing point) only negatively impacts energy storage and power density during the heat discharging process by up to 9%. This study paves the way for the selection of PCMs for such combined thermochemical-latent heat storage systems.
Wide Input Voltage Range Operation of the Series Resonant DC-DC Converter with Bridgeless Boost Rectifier
Authors: Bakeer Abualkasim , Chub Andrii , Vinnikov Dmitri , Rosin Argo
Published: August 2020

The series resonant DC-DC converter (SRC) can regulate the input voltage in a wide range at a fixed switching frequency. In this work, the bridgeless rectifier, which is utilized intensively in the applications of the power factor correction, has been integrated into the SRC as a voltage step-up cell at the output-side of the SRC. It is shown that the conventional overlapping pulse-width modulation (PWM) of the two metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors MOSFETs in this rectification cell limits the input voltage regulation range of the converter due to excessive power losses in abnormal operating conditions. The abnormal operating conditions occur when the instantaneous voltage across the resonant capacitor is larger than the secondary voltage of the isolation transformer. This happens at high values of the DC voltage gain, i.e., low input voltages and high currents, which causes the resonant current to flow in the reverse direction in the same half-cycle through a parasitic path formed by overlapping PWM of the rectifier MOSFETs. The abnormal operation results in additional conduction loss in the converter as the MOSFETs of the bridgeless boost rectifier turn on at high current at the beginning of each half of the switching period. Accordingly, the overall efficiency of the converter significantly deteriorates. This paper proposes the hybrid PWM aiming to improve the efficiency of the SRC with a bridgeless boost rectifier in a wide input voltage regulation range. The converter swaps between the overlapping and the proposed short-pulse PWM schemes to drive the MOSFETs in the bridgeless boost rectifier. The transition between the two PWM schemes is defined according to the boundary condition that relies upon the operating point of the converter power and the input voltage. The proposed hybrid PWM scheme is analyzed and compared to the overlapping PWM at different levels of the input voltage and the load power. A 300 W prototype was studied in the laboratory to show the feasibility of the proposed hybrid PWM scheme with the closed-loop control system to switch between the two PWM schemes.
Effects of Ultra-Sonication and Agitation on Bioactive Compounds and Structure of Amaranth Extract
Authors: Ahmed Maruf , Ramachandraiah Karna , Jiang Gui-Hun , Eun Jong Bang
Published: August 2020

Amaranth is an excellent source of various bioactive compounds that could be beneficial in the prevention of some human diseases. This study investigated the extraction and characterization of bioactive compounds from amaranth using ultra-sonication and agitation at 30, 50 and 70 °C. Color L* values showed significant (p < 0.05) differences at 70 °C between ultra-sonication and agitation. Ultra-sonication temperature had significant effect on L* and a* values whereas agitation temperature did not have a significant effect on L*, a* and b* values. No significant (p < 0.05) differences were found in terms of total phenol, total flavonoid, DPPH•+, ABTS+ scavenging activity, betacyanins, betaxanthin and betanicaicd between ultra-sonication and agitation. However, temperature had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on total phenol (8.64–10.598 mg/g), DPPH+scavenging activity (84.36–94.44%), betacyanins (4585.95–5325.32 mg/100 g), betaxanthin (1312.56–1524.06 mg/100 g) and betalamic acid (1408.15–1790.22 mg/100 g) in ultra-sonication. Higher temperature (70 °C) showed greater amount of arbutin and hydroxybenzoic acid than those of lower temperature (30 °C) for both extraction methods. Meanwhile, temperature did not affect vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid for both samples. Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) spectrometry showed that ultra-sonication and agitation resulted in similar effect on the structure of amaranth extracts. Higher temperature was correlated with bioactive compounds, which were observed by principal component analysis (PCA). Therefore, agitation at 70 °C could be used as an alternative for ultra-sonication to improve the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of amaranth. In addition, agitation and ultra-sonication techniques might be served as an alternative of conventional technique.
Concentration of Potentially Bioactive Compounds in Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Various Sources by Using LC-MS and Multivariate Data Analysis
Authors: Różańska Anna , Russo Marina , Cacciola Francesco , Salafia Fabio , Polkowska Żaneta , Dugo Paola , Mondello Luigi
Published: August 2020

High quality extra virgin olive oils represent an optimal source of nutraceuticals. The European Union (EU) is the world’s leading olive oil producer, with the Mediterranean region as the main contributor. This makes the EU the greatest exporter and consumer of olive oil in the world. However, small olive oil producers also contribute to olive oil production. Beneficial effects on human health of extra virgin olive oil are well known, and these can be correlated to the presence of vitamin E and phenols. Together with the origin of the olives, extraction technology can influence the chemical composition of extra virgin olive oil. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of potentially bioactive compounds in Italian extra virgin olive oils from various sources. For this purpose, vitamin E and phenolic fractions were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with fluorescence, photodiode array and mass spectrometry detection in fifty samples of oil pressed at industrial plants and sixty-six samples of oil produced in low-scale mills. Multivariate statistical data analysis was used to determine the applicability of selected phenolic compounds as potential quality indicators of extra virgin olive oils.
Genetic Diversity of Historical and Modern Populations of Russian Cattle Breeds Revealed by Microsatellite Analysis
Authors: Abdelmanova Alexandra S. , Kharzinova Veronika R. , Volkova Valeria V. , Mishina Arina I. , Dotsev Arsen V. , Sermyagin Alexander A. , Boronetskaya Oxana I. , Petrikeeva Lidia V. , Chinarov Roman Yu , Brem Gottfried , Zinovieva Natalia A.
Published: August 2020

Analysis of ancient and historical DNA has great potential to trace the genetic diversity of local cattle populations during their centuries-long development. Forty-nine specimens representing five cattle breeds (Kholmogor, Yaroslavl, Great Russian, Novgorod, and Holland), dated from the end of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, were genotyped for nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. Using a multiple-tube approach, we determined the consensus genotypes of all samples/loci analysed. Amplification errors, including allelic drop-out (ADO) and false alleles (FA), occurred with an average frequency of 2.35% and 0.79%, respectively. A significant effect of allelic length on ADO rate (r2 = 0.620, p = 0.05) was shown. We did not observe significant differences in genetic diversity among historical samples and modern representatives of Kholmogor and Yaroslavl breeds. The unbiased expected heterozygosity values were 0.726–0.774 and 0.708–0.739; the allelic richness values were 2.716–2.893 and 2.661–2.758 for the historical and modern samples, respectively. Analyses of FST and Jost’s D genetic distances, and the results of STRUCTURE clustering, showed the maintenance of a part of historical components in the modern populations of Kholmogor and Yaroslavl cattle. Our study contributes to the conservation of biodiversity in the local Russian genetic resources of cattle.
How Jewish Refugee Critics Changed British Literary Criticism, 1970–2020
Authors: Herman David
Published: August 2020

During the mid- and late 20th century, a small group of Jewish refugee critics changed the way British culture thought about what kind of literature mattered and why. These outsiders went on to have an enormous impact on late 20th-century British literary culture. What was this impact? Why in the last third of the 20th century? Why did British literary culture become so much more receptive to critics like George Steiner, Gabriel Josipovici, Martin Esslin and SS Prawer and to a new canon of continental Jewish writers? The obstacles to Jewish refugee critics were formidable. Yet their work on writers like Kafka, Brecht and Paul Celan, and thinkers like Heidegger and Lukacs had a huge impact. They also broke the post-war silence about the Holocaust and moved the Jewish Bibl from the margins of English-speaking culture.
Fine Particulate Air Pollution, Public Service, and Under-Five Mortality: A Cross-Country Empirical Study
Authors: Liu Siming , Wei Qing , Failler Pierre , Lan Hong
Published: August 2020

The impacts of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution on health outcomes, especially those of children, have attracted worldwide attention. Based on the PM2.5 concentration data of 94 countries, including the least developed countries estimated by satellite observations in nearly 20 years, this paper investigated the impacts of PM2.5 pollution on under-five mortality rate (U5MR) and analyzed the role of public service in moderating the PM2.5-mortality relationship. Results indicated that PM2.5 pollution had significantly positive influence on U5MR globally. However, the effects of fine particulate pollution on child mortality were heterogeneous in terms of their significance and degrees in countries with different levels of development. A further test based on panel threshold model revealed that public service, measured by public education spending and sanitation service, played a positive moderating role in the PM2.5-mortality relationship. Specifically, when the ratio of public education expenditure in GDP of a country exceeded the first threshold value 3.39% and the second threshold value 5.47%, the magnitude of the impacts of PM2.5 pollution on U5MR significantly decreased accordingly. When the percentage of population with access to improved sanitation facilities in a country was over 41.3%, the health damaging effects were reduced by more than half. This paper fills the current gap of PM2.5 research in least developed countries and provides key policy recommendations.
Personalized Tracking of Physical Activity in Children Using a Wearable Heart Rate Monitor
Authors: Pérez Santiago A. , Díaz Ana M. , López Diego M.
Published: August 2020

Serious games are video games that are intended to support learning while entertaining. They are considered valuable tools to improve user-specific skills or facilitate educational or therapeutic processes, especially in children. One of the disadvantages of computer games, in general, is their promotion of sedentary habits, considered as a significant risk factor for developing diseases such as obesity and hypertension. Exergames are serious games created to overcome the disadvantages of traditional computer games by promoting physical activity while playing. This study describes the development and evaluation of an adaptive component to monitor physical activity in children while using an exergame. The system is based on wearable technology to measure heart rate and perform real-time customizations in the exergame. To evaluate the adaptive component, an experiment was conducted with 30 children between 5 and 7 years of age, where the adaptive system was contrasted with a conventional interactive system (an exergame without adaptive component). It was demonstrated that the computer game, using the adaptive component, was able to change in real-time some of its functionalities based on the user characteristics. Increased levels of heart rate and caloric expenditure were significant in some of the game scenarios using the adaptive component. Although a formal user experience evaluation was not performed, excellent game playability and adherence by users were observed.
Animal-Assisted Therapy Improves Communication and Mobility among Institutionalized People with Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Rodrigo-Claverol Maylos , Malla-Clua Belén , Marquilles-Bonet Carme , Sol Joaquim , Jové-Naval Júlia , Sole-Pujol Meritxell , Ortega-Bravo Marta
Published: August 2020

Disorders of communication, social relationships, and psychomotricity are often characterized by cognitive impairment, which hinders daily activities and increases the risk of falls. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) program in an institutionalized geriatric population with cognitive impairment. The variables evaluated included level of communication and changes in gait and/or balance. We performed a two-arm, parallel controlled, open-label, nonrandomized cluster clinical trial in two nursing home centers from an urban area. Patients in the two centers received 12 weekly sessions of physiotherapy, but the experimental group included AAT with a therapy dog. The study included a total of 46 patients (23 Control Group [CG], 23 Experimental Group [EG]) with a median age of 85.0 years. Of these, 32.6% had mild–moderate cognitive decline (Global Deterioration Scale of Reisberg [GDS] 2–4) and 67.4% severe cognitive decline (GDS 5–6). After the intervention, patients in the CG and EG showed a statistically significant improvement in all the response variables. When comparing both groups, no statistically significant differences were found in any of the Tinetti scale results (measuring gait and balance). However, the communication of patients in the EG, measured on the Holden scale, showed a statistically significant greater improvement postintervention than that of patients in the CG. AAT can be useful as a complementary, effective treatment for patients with different degrees of cognitive decline.
Improved Documentation of Electronic Cigarette Use in an Electronic Health Record
Authors: Jose Thulasee , Hays J Taylor , Warner David O.
Published: August 2020

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) can affect patient health and clinical care. However, the current documentation of e-cigarette use in the electronic health records (EHR) is inconsistent. This report outlines how the ambulatory clinical practices of a large U.S. hospital system optimized its electronic health records (EHR) framework to better record e-cigarettes used by patients. The new EHR section for e-cigarette information was implemented for outpatient appointments. During a 30-week evaluation period post-implementation, 638,804 patients (12 yrs and older) completed ambulatory appointments within the health system; of these, the new section contained e-cigarette use information for 37,906 (6%) patients. Among these patients, 1005 (2.7%) were identified as current e-cigarette users (current every day or current some day e-cigarette use), 941 (2.5%) were reported as former e-cigarette users, and 35,960 (94%) had never used e-cigarettes. A separate EHR section to document e-cigarette use is feasible within existing clinical practice models. Utilization of the new section was modest in routine clinical practice, indicating the need for more intensive implementation strategies that emphasize the health effects of e-cigarette use, and how consistent ascertainment could improve clinical practice.
The Effects of Number of Fire Dispatches and Other Situational Factors on Voluntary Exercise Training Among Korean Firefighters: A Multilevel Logistic Regression Analysis
Authors: Kwon Junhye , Park Seiyeong , Lee Chung Gun , Song Wook , Seo Dong-il , Park Jung-jun , Lee Han-joon , Kang Hyun Joo , Ahn Yeon Soon
Published: August 2020

According to previous research, participation in exercise training (ET) by South Korean firefighters varies with shift type, and the effect of shift type is greater in large cities than in small towns. However, shift types differ among regions, depending on the number of dispatches. Therefore, the present study examined the impact of the number of fire dispatches and other situational factors on ET. A series of multilevel logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the data collected from South Korean firefighters (N = 5219) in 2017. According to the firefighters, participation in ET is higher among those who have someone to instruct their ET (Coefficient (Coef) = 0.057, SE = 0.017, p < 0.001) and who can do ET while on duty (Coef = 0.048, SE = 0.014, p < 0.001). The number of fire dispatches had a significant effect on participation in ET (Coef = −0.000, SE = 0.000, p < 0.01), meaning that the firefighters’ participation in ET varies with the number of fire dispatches in each region. Our main findings indicate that the number of fire dispatches is a key factor affecting ET participation among firefighters, and the other situational factors also play a role. Therefore, ET programs that firefighters can participate in between calls should be established.
Eating Disorders among College Students in France: Characteristics, Help-and Care-Seeking
Authors: Tavolacci Marie-Pierre , Déchelotte Pierre , Ladner Joel
Published: August 2020

The aim of this paper was to identify the characteristics of broader categories of eating disorders (ED) and help- and care-seeking among college students. An online cross-sectional study was conducted among students of the University of Rouen-Normandy, France. The Expali-validated algorithmic tool, combining SCOFF test (Sick, Control, One stone, Fat, Food) and body mass index, was used to screen eating disorders into three diagnostic categories: restrictive eating disorders, bulimic eating disorders, and hyperphagic eating disorders. A total of 1493 college students were included; mean age was 20.1 years (SD = 1.9). The prevalence of likely cases of eating disorder was 24.8% (95% CI, 22.6–27.0). Percentage distributions of bulimic eating disorders, hyperphagic eating disorders, and restrictive eating disorders were 13.3%, 8.6%, and 2.9%, respectively. The two main resources for help-seeking in emotional stress situations were friends and family, whatever the ED. Students with eating disorders consulted their general practitioner more often for stress or anxiety than students without eating disorders: hyperphagic eating disorders (44.9%), restrictive eating disorders (35.1%), bulimic eating disorders (30.2%), and no eating disorder (20.4%) (p < 0.0001). The prevalence of healthcare renunciation was 21.9%, with a higher risk among students with bulimic eating disorders (AOR CI 95% 1.91 (1.34–2.72). The findings show one quarter of students screened positive for an eating disorder. Stress management was not necessarily different between students with eating disorders and students without eating disorders, but the former had a greater risk of renouncing treatment, especially related to a fear of seeing a general practitioner.
Suicidal Presentations to Emergency Departments in a Large Australian Public Health Service over 10 Years
Authors: Stapelberg Nicolas J.C. , Sveticic Jerneja , Hughes Ian , Turner Kathryn
Published: August 2020

This paper presents trends and characteristics for 32,094 suicidal presentations to two Emergency Departments (EDs) in a large health service in Australia across a 10-year period (2009–2018). Prevalence of annual suicidal presentations and for selected groups of consumers (by sex, age groups, and ethnicity) was determined from a machine learning diagnostic algorithm developed for this purpose and a Bayesian estimation approach. A linear increase in the number of suicidal presentations over 10 years was observed, which was 2.8-times higher than the increase noted in all ED presentations and 6.1-times higher than the increase in the population size. Females had higher presentation rates than males, particularly among younger age groups. The highest rates of presentations were by persons aged 15–24. Overseas-born persons had around half the rates of suicidal presentations than Australian-born persons, and Indigenous persons had 2.9-times higher rates than non-Indigenous persons. Of all presenters, 70.6% presented once, but 5.7% had five or more presentations. Seasonal distribution of presentations showed a peak at the end of spring and a decline in winter months. These findings can inform the allocation of health resources and guide the development of suicide prevention strategies for people presenting to hospitals in suicidal crisis.
Health and Habitability in the Solar Decathlon University Competitions: Statistical Quantification and Real Influence on Comfort Conditions
Authors: Herrera-Limones Rafael , Millán-Jiménez Antonio , López-Escamilla Álvaro , Torres-García Miguel
Published: August 2020

Medicine and architecture are disciplines with the main objectives of satisfying the fundamental needs of human beings: health, comfort, well-being, safety, and ensuring an acceptable quality of life in a sustainable habitat. In both areas of knowledge, the advances and the most innovative proposals in the fields of research and teaching are focused on transversal knowledge and the use of learning methods through problem solving (learning by doing). The student competitions called “Solar Decathlon” are focused on the development of these concepts, in which prototypes of sustainable and, as far as possible, healthy social housing are tested. In these university competitions, the design of energy-efficient and comfortable living environments that contribute to the health of the occupants are encouraged; however, the methodology for evaluating the “comfort conditions” stipulated in the competition rules considers only parameters that can be monitored by sensors. For this article, the prototypes presented by the “Solar Decathlon Team of the University of Seville” to the editions of said competition held in Latin America and Europe (in 2015 and 2019, respectively) are being studied. The present research starts from the fact that the unique consideration of measurable indices (such as temperature, humidity, etc.), is clearly insufficient when it comes to evaluating the real conditions of habitability and comfort that a domestic architectural space presents. For this reason, a theoretical–practical analysis is carried out by means of surveys, with the final objective of determining a methodology for evaluating comfort—complementary to that of the competition—which assesses other relevant issues and which, in short, takes into account the repercussion on people’s health. From our analysis, we conclude that at least these two methodologies should be used to evaluate comfort because they are individually considered incomplete in terms of the data provided by each one of them. The survey-based methodology provides complementary information on comfort and health that could be taken into account in future editions of Solar Decathlon.
Novel Cyclic Lipopeptide Antibiotics: Effects of Acyl Chain Length and Position
Authors: Jensen Signe Kaustrup , Thomsen Thomas T. , Oddo Alberto , Franzyk Henrik , Løbner-Olesen Anders , Hansen Paul R.
Published: August 2020

Multidrug-resistant bacteria are a global health problem. One of the last-resort antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria is the cyclic lipopeptide colistin, displaying a flexible linker with a fatty acid moiety. The aim of the present project was to investigate the effect on antimicrobial activity of introducing fatty acid moieties of different lengths and in different positions in a cyclic peptide, S3(B), containing a flexible linker. The lipidated analogues of S3(B) were synthesized by 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) solid-phase peptide synthesis. Following assembly of the linear peptide by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis, on-resin head-to-tail cyclization and fatty acid acylation were performed. The antimicrobial activity was determined against the ESKAPE pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, hemolytic activity was determined against human erythrocytes. A total of 18 cyclic lipopeptides were synthesized and characterized. It was found that introduction of fatty acids in positions next to the flexible linker was more strongly linked to antimicrobial activity. The fatty acid length altered the overall hydrophobicity, which was the driving force for both high antimicrobial and hemolytic activity. Peptides became highly hemolytic when carbon-chain length exceeded 10 (i.e., C10), overlapping with the optimum for antimicrobial activity (i.e., C8–C12). The most promising candidate (C8)5 showed antimicrobial activity corresponding to that of S3(B), but with an improved hemolytic profile. Finally, (C8)5 was further investigated in a time-kill experiment.
BrassicaEDB: A Gene Expression Database for Brassica Crops
Authors: Chao Haoyu , Li Tian , Luo Chaoyu , Huang Hualei , Ruan Yingfei , Li Xiaodong , Niu Yue , Fan Yonghai , Sun Wei , Zhang Kai , Li Jiana , Qu Cunmin , Lu Kun
Published: August 2020

The genus Brassica contains several economically important crops, including rapeseed (Brassica napus, 2n = 38, AACC), the second largest source of seed oil and protein meal worldwide. However, research in rapeseed is hampered because it is complicated and time-consuming for researchers to access different types of expression data. We therefore developed the Brassica Expression Database (BrassicaEDB) for the research community. In the current BrassicaEDB, we only focused on the transcriptome level in rapeseed. We conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of 103 tissues from rapeseed cultivar ZhongShuang11 (ZS11) at seven developmental stages (seed germination, seedling, bolting, initial flowering, full-bloom, podding, and maturation). We determined the expression patterns of 101,040 genes via FPKM analysis and displayed the results using the eFP browser. We also analyzed transcriptome data for rapeseed from 70 BioProjects in the SRA database and obtained three types of expression level data (FPKM, TPM, and read counts). We used this information to develop the BrassicaEDB, including “eFP”, “Treatment”, “Coexpression”, and “SRA Project” modules based on gene expression profiles and “Gene Feature”, “qPCR Primer”, and “BLAST” modules based on gene sequences. The BrassicaEDB provides comprehensive gene expression profile information and a user-friendly visualization interface for rapeseed researchers. Using this database, researchers can quickly retrieve the expression level data for target genes in different tissues and in response to different treatments to elucidate gene functions and explore the biology of rapeseed at the transcriptome level.