bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Potential of Deflamin against Colorectal Cancer Development and Progression
Authors: Silva Sara , Cavaco Ana , Basso Bianca , Mota Joana , Cruz-Duarte Raquel , Costa Miguel , Carvalho Lara , Lima Ana , Costa Luis , Ferreira Ricardo , Martins Marta
Published: December 2022

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes that play a crucial role in tumor microenvironment remodeling, contributing to inflammatory and angiogenic processes, and ultimately promoting tumor maintenance and progression. Several studies on bioactive polypeptides isolated from legumes have shown anti-migratory, anti-MMPs, and anti-tumor effects, potentially constituting novel strategies for both the prevention and progression of cancer. In this work, we investigated the anti-tumor role of deflamin, a protein oligomer isolated from white lupine seeds (Lupinus albus) reported to inhibit MMP-9 and cell migration in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. We found that deflamin exerts an inhibitory effect on tumor growth and metastasis formation, contributing to increased tumor apoptosis in the xenotransplanted zebrafish larvae model. Furthermore, deflamin resulted not only in a significant reduction in MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity but also in impaired cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro. Using the xenograft zebrafish model, we observed that deflamin inhibits collagen degradation and angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment in vivo. Overall, our work reveals the potential of deflamin as an agent against CRC development and progression.
Mechanisms and Management of Thyroid Disease and Atrial Fibrillation: Impact of Atrial Electrical Remodeling and Cardiac Fibrosis
Authors: Takawale Abhijit , Aguilar Martin , Bouchrit Yasmina , Hiram Roddy
Published: December 2022

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The pathophysiology of AF is characterized by electrical and structural remodeling occurring in the atrial myocardium. As a source of production of various hormones such as angiotensin-2, calcitonin, and atrial natriuretic peptide, the atria are a target for endocrine regulation. Studies have shown that disorders associated with endocrine dysregulation are potential underlying causes of AF. The thyroid gland is an endocrine organ that secretes three hormones: triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and calcitonin. Thyroid dysregulation affects the cardiovascular system. Although there is a well-established relationship between thyroid disease (especially hyperthyroidism) and AF, the underlying biochemical mechanisms leading to atrial fibrosis and atrial arrhythmias are poorly understood in thyrotoxicosis. Various animal models and cellular studies demonstrated that thyroid hormones are involved in promoting AF substrate. This review explores the recent clinical and experimental evidence of the association between thyroid disease and AF. We highlight the current knowledge on the potential mechanisms underlying the pathophysiological impact of thyroid hormones T3 and T4 dysregulation, in the development of the atrial arrhythmogenic substrate. Finally, we review the available therapeutic strategies to treat AF in the context of thyroid disease.
Identification of Spinal Inhibitory Interneurons Required for Attenuating Effect of Duloxetine on Neuropathic Allodynia-like Signs in Rats
Authors: Ishibashi Tadayuki , Sueto Daichi , Yoshikawa Yu , Koga Keisuke , Yamaura Ken , Tsuda Makoto
Published: December 2022

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition that occurs after nerve damage; allodynia, which refers to pain caused by generally innocuous stimuli, is a hallmark symptom. Although allodynia is often resistant to analgesics, the antidepressant duloxetine has been used as an effective therapeutic option. Duloxetine increases spinal noradrenaline (NA) levels by inhibiting its transporter at NAergic terminals in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH), which has been proposed to contribute to its pain-relieving effect. However, the mechanism through which duloxetine suppresses neuropathic allodynia remains unclear. Here, we identified an SDH inhibitory interneuron subset (captured by adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors incorporating a rat neuropeptide Y promoter; AAV-NpyP+ neurons) that is mostly depolarized by NA. Furthermore, this excitatory effect was suppressed by pharmacological blockade or genetic knockdown of α1B-adrenoceptors (ARs) in AAV-NpyP+ SDH neurons. We found that duloxetine suppressed Aβ fiber-mediated allodynia-like behavioral responses after nerve injury and that this effect was not observed in AAV-NpyP+ SDH neuron-selective α1B-AR-knockdown. These results indicate that α1B-AR and AAV-NpyP+ neurons are critical targets for spinal NA and are necessary for the therapeutic effect of duloxetine on neuropathic pain, which can support the development of novel analgesics.
Research and Experimental Application of New Slurry Proportioning for Slag Improvement of EPB Shield Crossing Sand and Gravel Layer
Authors: Sun Yongshuai , Zhao Dongjie
Published: December 2022

Based on the construction practice of the Beijing Metro Line 10 shield tunneling project, this paper describes research on soil improvement technology for Beijing stratum characteristics (sandy gravel stratum) and covers similar engineering conditions. It also describes the development of a new type of mud improver. Based on the laboratory tests with bentonite as the base mud and different additives, the effects of guar gum, CMC, xanthan gum, and clay medium particles on mud performance are analyzed. Then, two kinds of mud were used to conduct indoor simulated muck improvement tests (mixing test, slump test, sliding plate test, and adhesion resistance test), and the improvement effects of new mud and ordinary mud applied in pebble/round gravel and sandy soil layers were compared. The results show that xanthan gum is the best material to improve the performance of slurry, using the contrast test of bentonite-based slurry and different additives. The optimum slurry preparation scheme is 4% bentonite, 0.2% xanthan gum, 0.04% soda ash, and 1% clay particles. Using indoor simulated muck improvement tests (mixing test, slump test, slide plate test, and adhesion resistance test), the improvement effects of applying new mud and ordinary mud in pebble/round gravel and sandy soil layers are compared, and the advantages of the new mud in the application of the above two formations are verified. Among them, the new slurry has great advantages for improving the two parameters of the soil adhesion resistance coefficient and slump during shield tunneling. When the improved soil mass reaches the flowing plastic state, the proportion of new mud added to different soil mass is different. The proportion of new mud added to improved pebble/pebble soil is 28%, and that of sand and clay is 32%. It can be seen that new mud is more suitable for improving pebble/pebble soil.
The Immobilization of Laccase on Mixed Polymeric Microspheres for Methyl Red Decomposition
Authors: Aricov Ludmila , Raducan Adina , Gifu Ioana Catalina , Alexandrescu Elvira , Precupas Aurica , Neculae Alexandru Vincentiu Florian , Visan Raluca Marieta , Morosan Alina , Leonties Anca Ruxandra
Published: December 2022

Means of eliminating water pollutants or transforming them into less hazardous compounds by green catalysis are desired. The current work was developed with the goal of discovering supports suited for laccase (Lc) immobilization. The effect of the chitosan (CS) molecular weight (Mw) or the polyacrylic acid (PAA) addition was evaluated in microsphere formulation and enzyme immobilization by ESEM, rheology, operational stability, and kinetics. As a practical application, the synthesized products were tested in the methyl red (MR) decomposition and the product identification was performed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Depending on the required properties, the laccase activity profile (pH, temperature, storage, and Michaelis–Menten parameters) and rheological strength can be modulated by varying the molecular mass of CS or by adding PAA in the support formulation. The immobilized products having the best features regarding MR degradation and recycling abilities were the medium Mw CS microspheres and the system with low Mw CS complexed by PAA, respectively. The degradation mechanism of the dye was proposed accordingly with the identified products by mass spectroscopy. The findings emphasize the potential of the proposed immobilization products to be exploited as viable biocatalysts for dye-contaminated water.
Parameters Sensitivity Analysis of COVID-19 Based on the SCEIR Prediction Model
Authors: Ni Guanhua , Wang Yan , Gong Li , Ban Jing , Li Zhao
Published: December 2022

At the end of 2019, COVID-19 outbreaks occurred one after another in countries worldwide. Managing the outbreak efficiently and stably is an essential public health issue facing countries worldwide. In this paper, based on the SEIR model, we propose a SCEIR model that incorporates close contacts (C) and self-protectors (P). Firstly, the epidemic data of China, the USA, and Italy are predicted and compared with the actual data. Secondly, sensitivity analysis of each parameter in the SCEIR model was conducted using Anylogic. The study shows that the SCEIR model established in this paper has a certain validity. The infection rate in contact with E (𝛽) etc., has positive effects on the basic regeneration number (R0); the self-isolation rate (φ) etc., has a negative effect on the basic regeneration number (R0). Emergency management measures are proposed according to the influencing factors corresponding to the model parameters. These can provide theoretical guidance for developing effective epidemic prevention and control measures in areas where the epidemic has not yet been controlled. It also provides some reference for formulating prevention and control policies for similar epidemics that may occur in the future.
Application of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion in the Evaluation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Transarterial Chemoembolization
Authors: Yue Xiaofei , Lu Yuting , Jiang Qiqi , Dong Xiangjun , Kan Xuefeng , Wu Jiawei , Kong Xiangchuang , Han Ping , Yu Jie , Li Qian
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: To assess the efficacy of the quantitative parameters of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). (2) Methods: Fifty HCC patients after TACE were included and underwent MRI. All of the patients were scanned with the IVIM-DWI sequence and underwent TACE retreatment within 1 week. Referring to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and MR enhanced images, two readers measured the f, D, and D* values of the tumor active area (TAA), tumor necrotic area (TNA), and adjacent normal hepatic parenchyma (ANHP). Then, the distinctions of the TAA, TNA, and ANHP were compared and we analyzed the differential diagnosis of the parameters in three tissues. (3) Results: For values of f and D, there were significant differences between any of the TAA, TNA, and ANHP (p < 0.05). The values of f and D were the best indicators for identifying the TAA and TNA, with AUC values of 0.959 and 0.955, respectively. The values of f and D performed well for distinguishing TAA from ANHP, with AUC values of 0.835 and 0.753, respectively. (4) Conclusions: Quantitative IVIM-DWI was effective for evaluating tumor viability in HCC patients treated with TACE and may be helpful for non-invasive monitoring of the tumor viability.
Resilience as a Factor Influencing Psychological Distress Experience in Patients with Neuro-Oncological Disease
Authors: Ilgen Jan , Renovanz Mirjam , Stengel Andreas , Zipfel Stephan , Schäffeler Norbert
Published: December 2022

Cancer causes psychological distress. Approximately one-third of all patients with cancer suffer from distress requiring psycho-oncological treatment. Examining factors contributing to their distress can inform approaches to counteracting them. Among such factors, resilience is considered to be a psychological adaptive capacity resulting from complex genetic, epigenetic, psychological, and environmental influences. For that reason, we investigated resilience as a factor of psychological distress experience among patients with neuro-oncological disease. To assess distress among patients with neuro-oncological diseases, we performed electronic psycho-oncological screening in the Department of Neurosurgery at Tübingen University Hospital (n = 100) following tumor surgery (T0) using the Resilience Scale 13, the Hornheider Screening Instrument, the Patient Health Questionnaire-2, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-2, and the Distress Thermometer, all administered on tablets. Follow-up was done 6 months after (T1). The distress of patients with neuro-oncological disease decreased significantly after 6 months (p < 0.01). Most patients (87%) showed moderate to high resilience. Although significant correlations with distress are measurable at the T0 time point (ρ = −0.318 **, p < 0.01), no significant correlations were observed at T1. Thus, resilience seems to significantly impact distress in the acute phase of the neuro-oncological disease. For clinical practice, our findings suggest that resilience-focused screening can provide useful information about patients at risk of experiencing distress.
Diversity of Auger Beetles (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) in the Mid-Cretaceous Forests with Description of Seven New Species
Authors: Legalov Andrei A. , Háva Jiří
Published: December 2022

The diversity and abundance of auger beetles were compared with ecologically similar families of other beetles. It was shown that the ecological niche in dead wood, which in the Paleogene belonged to bark and ambrosia beetles, was occupied by Bostrichidae in the Mesozoic. Seven new species, Poinarinius aristovi sp. nov., P. antonkozlovi sp. nov., P. lesnei sp. nov., P. perkovskyi sp. nov., P. zahradniki sp. nov., P. borowskii sp. nov., and P. cretaceus sp. nov. from the subfamily Alitrepaninae of the family Bostrichidae are described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The key to the species of the genus Poinarinius Legalov, 2018 is given. The new synonym, Alitrepanum Peng, Jiang, Engel & Wang, 2022, syn. nov. to Poinarinius, was established. A list of the fossil Bostrichidae was compiled.
Cryptic Lineage and Genetic Structure of Acanthopagrus pacificus Populations in a Natural World Heritage Site Revealed by Population Genetic Analysis
Authors: Islam Md Rakeb-Ul , Tachihara Katsunori , Imai Hideyuki
Published: December 2022

Recent studies have revealed extensive genetic differentiation among some populations of marine taxa that were previously believed to be essentially homogeneous because larvae are widely dispersed in ocean currents. Acanthopagrus pacificus is a commercially and ecologically important teleost fish that is endemic to shallow coastal waters and estuaries of some tropical and sub-tropical areas in the West Pacific Ocean. Here, we examined genetic structure and the inferred demographic history of A. pacificus populations from mtDNA control region sequence data. A 677–678 base-pair fragment was sequenced from 159 individuals sampled at three localities across the West Pacific Ocean. Haplotype diversity was high, ranging from 0.915 to 0.989, while nucleotide diversity was low to medium, ranging from 0.8% to 2.60%. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant genetic subdivision (FST = 0.155, p < 0.05) among sampled populations while pairwise FST estimates also revealed strong genetic differentiation among populations indicating that gene flow was restricted. Two distinct cryptic lineages were identified that were estimated to have diverged during the Pleistocene. In summary, contemporary factors including regional oceanic currents and self-recruitment are considered to have played significant roles in producing the population structure in this fish. In particular, the genetic information generated in the current study will allow appropriate fisheries management and conservation strategies to be developed for this important local fish in the waters around Iriomotejima Island, a World Heritage site.
Recent Changes in Genetic Diversity, Structure, and Gene Flow in a Passerine Experiencing a Rapid Population Decline, the Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti)
Authors: Bustillo-de la Rosa Daniel , Traba Juan , Calero-Riestra María , Morales Manuel B. , Barrero Adrián , Viñuela Javier , Pérez-Granados Cristian , Gómez-Catasús Julia , Oñate Juan J. , Reverter Margarita , Hervás Israel , Hernández Justribó Jorge , García de la Morena Eladio L. , López-Iborra Germán M. , García Jesús T.
Published: December 2022

Monitoring temporal dynamics in genetic diversity is of great importance for conservation, especially for threatened species that are suffering a rapid population decline and increased fragmentation. Here, we investigate temporal variation in genetic diversity, structure, and gene flow in the Dupont’s lark (Chersophilus duponti) across most of its range. This species shows increasing levels of population fragmentation, substantial population declines, and severe range contraction, so temporal losses of genetic diversity, increasing differentiation, and decreasing gene flow are expected when comparing present day data with previous situations. To address this, we resampled sites (nine regions in two countries) after 12–15 years (five-to-seven generations) and assessed changes in genetic parameters using 11 microsatellite markers. We found no substantial loss in genetic diversity over time at the species level, but we detected considerable variation among regions in the amount of allelic diversity and heterozygosity lost over time. Temporal variation in allele frequencies (common, rare, and private alleles), and changes in genetic differentiation and gene flow over time suggest a major role of connectivity for the stability of the overall metapopulation. Our results agree with the hypothesis that connectivity rescues genetic diversity via immigration and gene flow. However, evidence of recent genetic bottleneck and the substantial changes detected in some regions are clear signs of genetic erosion and may be signalling a rapid decline of the populations. Urgent actions must be carried out to stop and reverse human impacts on this threatened lark and its habitat.
An Image Encryption Algorithm Using Cascade Chaotic Map and S-Box
Authors: Zheng Jiming , Bao Tianyu
Published: December 2022

This paper proposed an image algorithm based on a cascaded chaotic system to improve the performance of the encryption algorithm. Firstly, this paper proposed an improved cascaded two-dimensional map 2D-Cosine-Logistic-Sine map (2D-CLSM). Cascade chaotic system offers good advantages in terms of key space, complexity and sensitivity to initial conditions. By using the control parameters and initial values associated with the plaintext, the system generates two chaotic sequences associated with the plaintext image. Then, an S-box construction method is proposed, and an encryption method is designed based on the S-box. Encryption is divided into bit-level encryption and pixel-level encryption, and a diffusion method was devised to improve security and efficiency in bit-level encryption. Performance analysis shows that the encryption algorithm has good security and is easily resistant to various attacks.
The Impact of Local Government Capacity on Public Service Delivery: Lessons Learned from Decentralized Indonesia
Authors: Setiawan Arif , Tjiptoherijanto Prijono , Mahi Benedictus Raksaka , Khoirunurrofik Khoirunurrofik
Published: December 2022

The issue of poor local government capacity has been considered one of the problems impeding the implementation of decentralization, especially in developing countries. This study addresses this issue in the case of Indonesia, a country that has implemented massive decentralization (administrative, fiscal, and political) over the last two decades. The study aims to provide empirical evidence for the impact of local government capacity on public service delivery in the decentralization regime. Local government capacity is measured based on a policy capacity framework at the organizational level that includes three types of capacities: analytical, operational, and political. The regression of the panel data model, estimated with the Hausman–Taylor method, reveals that government capacity in terms of interactions of three types of capacities has a positive impact on public service delivery. This finding indicates the three types of capacities are complementary and effectively improve local government’s achievement in delivering public services. While operational capacity (including fiscal capacity) has long been reckoned in designing decentralization, this result gives empirical evidence that other critical capacities should be well considered, political and analytical capacities. It underpins the efforts to internalize local government capacity in designing and implementing decentralization programs.
Face-to-Face or Online Learning in Applied Statistics in Health Sciences? Failed Experiment or Opportunity after COVID-19?
Authors: García-Camacha Gutiérrez Irene , Pozuelo-Campos Sergio , García-Camacha Gutiérrez Aurora , Jiménez-Alcázar Alfonso
Published: December 2022

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 worldwide led to the migration of the traditional education system based on the face-to-face classroom into an improvised online system, among many other preventive measures. Thus, all teaching methods had to be adapted to this new modality. This work is aimed at studying the viability of the online teaching of the subject of Applied Statistics in Health Sciences in higher education based on the teaching experience lived during COVID-19. In addition to this, possible technological difficulties and COVID-19-derived problems were investigated. A retrospective observational cross-sectional study was performed to analyze the students’ satisfaction according to the teaching methodologies in both face-to-face and online modalities. An exploratory and inferential analysis revealed that online teaching is feasible for the subject under study, although face-to-face learning still continues to significantly revert in favor of the quality of teaching. Therefore, further research is required to develop new online teaching methods given the feasibility of the proposal found in this research. Most of the students reported not having technological learning difficulties, whether related to their connectivity or technological resources, which did not have a significative impact on their teaching perception. Despite the psychological sequalae of COVID-19, this did not affect the students’ teaching satisfaction.
Co-Operative Optimization Framework for Energy Management Considering CVaR Assessment and Game Theory
Authors: Xiong Yan , Fang Jiakun
Published: December 2022

In this paper, a bi-level energy management framework based on Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) and game theory is presented in the context of different ownership of multiple microgrid systems (MMGS) and microgrid aggregators (MAs). The energy interaction between MMGS and MAs can be regarded as a master–slave game, where microgrid aggregators as the leaders set the differentiated tariff for each MG to maximize its benefits, and MMGS as the follower responds to the tariff decision specified by the leader through peer-to-peer (P2P) energy sharing. The P2P energy sharing of MMGS can be regarded as a co-operative game, employing asymmetric Nash bargaining theory to allocate the co-operative surplus. The Conditional Value at Risk model was used to characterize the expected losses by microgrid aggregators due to the uncertainties of renewable energy resources. The Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions, Big-M method, and strong duality theory were employed to transform the bi-level nonlinear model of energy management into a single-level mixed integer linear programming model. The simulation results show that when MGs adopt the P2P energy-sharing operation mode, the total operating cost of MMGS can be reduced by 7.82%. The simulation results show that the proposed co-operative optimization framework can make the multiple microgrid systems obtain extra benefits and improve the risk resistance of microgrid aggregators.
Shale Oil Occurrence Mechanisms: A Comprehensive Review of the Occurrence State, Occurrence Space, and Movability of Shale Oil
Authors: Lu Yangbo , Yang Feng , Bai Ting’an , Han Bing , Lu Yongchao , Gao Han
Published: December 2022

Shale oil resources are important supplements for the gradually decreasing oil production from conventional reservoirs. Although the exploitation and development of shale oil have achieved considerable progress in the last decade, the commercial extraction of hydrocarbons from shales is still difficult, especially in the lacustrine sedimentary basins of China. One of the key points controlling the successful extraction of hydrocarbons from shale systems is the understanding of the occurrence mechanism of shale oil. This study comprehensively summarizes the theories and techniques to characterize oil occurrence state, occurrence space, oil content, and oil movability in shale systems. Sophisticated instruments, such as high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and high-energy ray imaging, were utilized to qualitatively analyze the pore networks of shales. Advanced physical experiments and numerical simulation techniques, including step-by-step rock pyrolysis, solvent extraction, and NMR, were introduced to characterize shale oil adsorption and movability. By the comparative analysis of the occurrence space, it is found that the image observation technique especially focuses on concentrated pores, such as organic matter-hosted pores. The fluid injection technology yields particular pore size information, which should be calibrated using other information. The 3D digital core, demonstrating the spatial distribution of minerals and pores, is an effective input for shale oil flow simulation. Geological controls analysis about oil retention in organic-rich shales has found that the inorganic matter pores and fractures are probably the “sweet spot” of shale oil, due to the low oil adsorption and high light hydrocarbons content. Many physical experiments measure the total free oil content but neglect the hydrocarbon–rock interaction and the sequential migration of hydrocarbon compounds. Thus, micro-scaled experiments measuring the hydrocarbon adhesion forces are needed to uncover the occurrence mechanism of shale oil in the future.
Sterical Driving Minor Actinide Selectivity of Bi-pyridyl Diamides: Ortho- vs. Para-Substitution
Authors: Borisova Nataliya , Sumyanova Tsagana , Ivanov Alexey , Kharcheva Anastasia , Matveev Petr , Patsaeva Svetlana , Petrov Vladimir
Published: December 2022

Hybrid donor extractants are a promising class of compounds for the separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides. In this paper, we present a new ligand from the bipyridyl-dicarboxylic acid diamide family—N,N’-diethyl-N,N’-bis(2,4,5-trimethylphenyl)-[2,2’-bipyridine]-6,6’-dicarboxamide. The synthesis of N-ethyl-2,4,5-trimethylaniline from pseudocumene by selective acetylation is presented. The target ligand was obtained using this aminylene. Chemical synthesis of its complexes with Ln(NO3)3 and their spectroscopic analysis showed that the structure of the complexes is near to the corresponding structures of well-known di-methylated dianilides. A series of studies on the photophysical, complexing, and extraction properties of this ligand and its complexes were carried out. It was shown that the extraction system based on this ligand can selectively isolate americium from the solution of high-level waste imitator.
Power Performance Analysis Based on Savonius Wind Turbine Blade Design and Layout Optimization through Rotor Wake Flow Analysis
Authors: Im Heejeon , Kim Bumsuk
Published: December 2022

Savonius vertical axis wind turbines have simple structures, can self-start in environments with low wind speed and strong turbulence intensity, and can be installed at low costs. Therefore, installation is possible in urban centers with low wind speeds, which may contribute to the construction of a decentralized power system. Savonius wind turbines are operated by drag force, with the blades moving in the same direction as the flow current providing the thrust force and those moving in the opposite direction of the wind being rotated by the drag force. In this study, the Savonius wind turbine design was examined to develop a stable wind turbine for use in urban centers at low wind speeds. The Savonius rotor design variables (aspect and overlap ratios) and blade forms (semi-circular, Bach, and elliptical type) were examined using computational fluid dynamics analysis. Moreover, a rotor capable of providing the target output was designed and maximum rotor efficiency of 18% was realized. Further, changes to the flow corresponding with various turbine layouts were analyzed to determine the arrangement that would maximize turbine performance. The results showed that the maximum efficiency of the turbines was in the 17–19% range and without significant variation.
Coal Mine Belt Conveyor Foreign Objects Recognition Method of Improved YOLOv5 Algorithm with Defogging and Deblurring
Authors: Mao Qinghua , Li Shikun , Hu Xin , Xue Xusheng
Published: December 2022

The belt conveyor is the main equipment for underground coal transportation. Its coal flow is mixed with large coal, gangue, anchor rods, wooden strips, and other foreign objects, which easily causes failure of the conveyor belt, such as scratching, tearing, and even broken belts. Aiming at the problem that it was difficult to accurately identify the foreign objects of underground belt conveyors due to the influence of fog, high-speed operation, and obscuration, the coal mine belt conveyor foreign object recognition method of improved YOLOv5 algorithm with defogging and deblurring was proposed. In order to improve the clarity of the monitoring video of the belt conveyor, the dark channel priori defogging algorithm is applied to reduce the impact of fog on the clarity of the monitoring video, and the image is sharpened by user-defined convolution method to reduce the blurring effect on the image in high-speed operation condition. In order to improve the precision of foreign object identification, the convolution block attention module is used to improve the feature expression ability of the foreign object in the complex background. Through adaptive spatial feature fusion, the multi-layer feature information of the foreign object image is more fully fused so as to achieve the goal of accurate recognition of foreign objects. In order to verify the recognition effect of the improved YOLOv5 algorithm, a comparative test is conducted with self-built data set and a public data set. The results show that the performance of the improved YOLOv5 algorithm is better than SSD, YOLOv3, and YOLOv5. The belt conveyor monitoring video of resolution for 1920 × 1080 in Huangling Coal Mine is used for identification verification, the recognition accuracy can reach 95.09%, and the recognition frame rate is 56.50 FPS. The improved YOLOv5 algorithm can provide a reference for the accurate recognition of targets in a complex underground environment.
Signal Spectrum-Based Machine Learning Approach for Fault Prediction and Maintenance of Electrical Machines
Authors: Raja Hadi Ashraf , Kudelina Karolina , Asad Bilal , Vaimann Toomas , Kallaste Ants , Rassõlkin Anton , Khang Huynh Van
Published: December 2022

Industrial revolution 4.0 has enabled the advent of new technological advancements, including the introduction of information technology with physical devices. The implementation of information technology in industrial applications has helped streamline industrial processes and make them more cost-efficient. This combination of information technology and physical devices gave birth to smart devices, which opened up a new research area known as the Internet of Things (IoT). This has enabled researchers to help reduce downtime and maintenance costs by applying condition monitoring on electrical machines utilizing machine learning algorithms. Although the industry is trying to move from scheduled maintenance towards predictive maintenance, there is a significant lack of algorithms related to fault prediction of electrical machines. There is quite a lot of research going on in this area, but it is still underdeveloped and needs a lot more work. This paper presents a signal spectrum-based machine learning approach toward the fault prediction of electrical machines. The proposed method is a new approach to the predictive maintenance of electrical machines. This paper presents the details regarding the algorithm and then validates the accuracy against data collected from working electrical machines for both cases. A comparison is also presented at the end of multiple machine learning algorithms used for training based on this approach.
Experimental Evaluation of Shale Oil Development Effectiveness by Air Injection
Authors: Chen Chao , Tang Xiang , Qin Ming , Zhou Rui , Ding Zhenhua , Lian Guihui , Qi Huan , Chen Xin , Liu Zheyu , Li Yiqiang
Published: December 2022

In recent years, as an important part of unconventional resources, the effective development of shale oil has been a key area of research in petroleum engineering. Given the widespread availability and low cost of air, the evaluation of air injection in shale reservoirs is a topic worth exploring. This paper analyzes the production performance of different methods of air injection development in the shale reservoir, including air flooding and air huff and puff (HnP), based on full-diameter core air injection experiments. Meanwhile, the characteristics of the residual oil and produced oil are revealed by forming a systematic evaluation method that includes nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), and gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. The results show that air flooding development is characterized by early gas breakthrough, long oil production period, and “L” shape oil production decline; while air HnP is characterized by first producing gas and then producing oil, rapid oil production, and high oil recovery efficiency in the first round. Compared with air flooding, the replacement efficiency of the first round of air HnP is significantly higher, demonstrating higher feasibility of air HnP in the early stages of development, although the cumulative recovery of three rounds air HnP (17.17%) is lower than that of air flooding (23.36%). The large pores (T2 > 10 ms) are the main source of air injection recovery, while the residual oil is mainly concentrated in the medium pores (1–10 ms). Air injection development has a higher recovery factor for light components (C15−), resulting in a higher level of heavy components in the residual oil. This paper discusses the feasibility and development effectiveness of air injection in shale oil reservoirs, and its development characteristics are further clarified.
Renewable Energy Communities in Islands: A Maltese Case Study
Authors: Micallef Alexander , Spiteri Staines Cyril , Licari John
Published: December 2022

Renewable energy communities are considered as key elements for transforming the present fossil fuel-based energy systems of islands into renewable-based energy systems. This study shows how renewable energy communities can be deployed in the Maltese context to achieve higher penetration of residential-scale photovoltaic systems. Case studies for five renewable energy communities in the Maltese LV distribution network have been analyzed in detail. A novel community battery energy storage sizing strategy was proposed to determine the optimal storage capacity at each energy community. The main objective of the community battery storage in each REC is to minimize the reverse power injection in the grid (minimize the total reverse energy and reverse peak power values), as well as to reduce the peak evening electricity demand. The optimal sizes for communal BESSs were determined to be of 57 kWh (EC 1), 55 kWh (EC 2), 31 kWh (EC 3), 37 kWh (EC 4) and 10 kWh (EC 5), respectively. The community storage systems were observed to reduce the overall impact of all five energy communities on the grid infrastructure. Power system simulations were performed for a typical spring day to evaluate the impact of communal BESS placement on the node voltages for all five energy communities. The results showed that the community storage was more effective at reducing the node rms voltage magnitudes when deployed at the end of the respective energy communities, rather than at the beginning of the community. During peak generation hours, reductions of up to 0.48% in the node rms voltage magnitudes were observed. This contrasts with reductions of only 0.19% when the community storage was deployed at the beginning of the energy communities.
Evaluating the Mechanical Response of Agarose-Xanthan Mixture Gels Using Tensile Testing, Numerical Simulation, and a Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (LAOS) Approach
Authors: Jung Hwabin , Oyinloye Timilehin Martins , Yoon Won Byong
Published: December 2022

Large deformation stress response characteristics of hydrocolloid mixture gel systems were investigated based on texture and rheological measurements. Agarose and xanthan mixtures at different ratios (1:0, 0.75:0.25, and 0.5:0.5) were chosen as the model systems. A decrease in failure stress from 2.65 to 1.82 MPa and an increase in failure strain from 0.08 to 0.13 with higher xanthan ratios were obtained based on the ring tensile test, indicating that xanthan molecules could improve the flexibility of the agarose network. The gels showed severe water loss by compression, particularly for the pure agarose gel (6.74%). Compared to the compression test, the gels presented low water loss after the ring tensile test (<1.3%) indicating that the ring tensile test could calculate the correct stress–strain relationship. Digital image correlation (DIC) and numerical simulation revealed that agarose-xanthan gel systems possess a deformation behavior with homogeneous strain distribution before failure. Elastic and viscous Lissajous–Bowditch curves from the large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) measurement at different strains and frequencies elucidated that the agarose-xanthan gel was dominated by the agarose structure with a similar magnitude of elasticity at a low frequency. The large deformation approach from this study has great potential for elucidating and understanding the structure of food and biopolymer gels.
Development and Physico-Chemical Characterization of Healthy Puff Pastry Margarines Made from Olive-Pomace Oil
Authors: Álvarez María Dolores , Cofrades Susana , Pérez-Mateos Miriam , Saiz Arancha , Herranz Beatriz
Published: December 2022

Due to its characteristic aroma and flavor, puff pastry (PP) prepared with butter is more accepted than that made with margarine, yet a high saturated fat consumption is associated with cardiovascular disease. This work studies the potential of olive-pomace oil (OPO) as main ingredient of PP margarines together with different organogelator agents to imitate the technological properties of a commercial fatty preparation (CFP). Rheological and textural properties were measured in all formulated margarines (FM) and, additionally, thermal and microstructural properties, and fatty acid (FA) profiles were analyzed in some selected FM. The different FM had viscous modulus (G″) and loss factor (tan δ) values lower than those of CFP, thus reflecting a different viscoelasticity and plasticity. The crystallization and melting temperatures of FM were also different from those of CFP, indicating the presence of a dissimilar polymorphic fat-crystal structure. Nevertheless, the FM containing an oleogel prepared with 5% beeswax and OPO was more similar to CFP. The FA profile of CFP and FM, with 80% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and 60% oleic acid, is healthier than that of a PP commercial butter (CB), evidencing that, although improvements in margarine plasticity are still necessary, OPO is technologically viable to produce healthier PP margarines.
Proteomic and Transcriptomic Landscapes of Alström and Bardet–Biedl Syndromes
Authors: Smyczynska Urszula , Stanczak Marcin , Kuljanin Miljan , Włodarczyk Aneta , Stoczynska-Fidelus Ewelina , Taha Joanna , Pawlik Bartłomiej , Borowiec Maciej , Mancias Joseph D. , Mlynarski Wojciech , Rieske Piotr , Fendler Wojciech , Zmysłowska Agnieszka
Published: December 2022

Alström syndrome (ALMS) and Bardet–Biedl syndrome (BBS) are rare genetic diseases with a number of common clinical features ranging from early-childhood obesity and retinal degeneration. ALMS and BBS belong to the ciliopathies, which are known to have the expression products of genes, encoding them as cilia-localized proteins in multiple target organs. The aim of this study was to perform transcriptomic and proteomic analysis on cellular models of ALMS and BBS syndromes to identify common and distinct pathological mechanisms present in both syndromes. For this purpose, epithelial cells were isolated from the urine of patients and healthy subjects, which were then cultured and reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The pathways of genes associated with the metabolism of lipids and glycosaminoglycan and the transport of small molecules were found to be concomitantly downregulated in both diseases, while transcripts related to signal transduction, the immune system, cell cycle control and DNA replication and repair were upregulated. Furthermore, protein pathways associated with autophagy, apoptosis, cilium assembly and Gli1 protein were upregulated in both ciliopathies. These results provide new insights into the common and divergent pathogenic pathways between two similar genetic syndromes, particularly in relation to primary cilium function and abnormalities in cell differentiation.
Snoring Index and Neck Circumference as Predictors of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Chiang Jui-Kun , Lin Yen-Chang , Lu Chih-Ming , Kao Yee-Hsin
Published: December 2022

Background. Snoring is the cardinal symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The acoustic features of snoring sounds include intra-snore (including snoring index [SI]) and inter-snore features. However, the correlation between snoring sounds and the severity of OSA according to the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) is still unclear. We aimed to use the snoring index (SI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to predict OSA and its severity according to the AHI among middle-aged participants referred for polysomnography (PSG). Methods. In total, 50 participants (mean age, 47.5 ± 12.6 years; BMI: 29.2 ± 5.6 kg/m2) who reported snoring and were referred for a diagnosis of OSA and who underwent a whole night of PSG were recruited. Results. The mean AHI was 30.2 ± 27.2, and the mean SI was 87.9 ± 56.3 events/hour. Overall, 11 participants had daytime sleepiness (ESS > 10). The correlation between SI and AHI (r = 0.33, p = 0.021) was significant. Univariate linear regression analysis showed that male gender, body mass index, neck circumference, ESS, and SI were associated with AHI. SI (β = 0.18, p = 0.004) and neck circumference (β = 2.40, p < 0.001) remained significantly associated with AHI by the multivariate linear regression model. Conclusion. The total number of snores per hour of sleep and neck circumference were positively associated with OSA among adults referred for PSG.
Rabies Outbreak in the Urban Area of Delhi: An Investigation Report and One Health Perspective for Outbreak Management
Authors: Singhai Monil , Sood Vishesh , Singh Girraj , Siddiqui Cordelia , Nale Tushar , Jha Prabhakar , Yadav Priyanka , Jaiswal Rekha , Bala Manju , Singh Sujeet K. , Tiwari Simmi
Published: December 2022

Rabies is a global problem and is endemic in India. Rabies cases occur throughout the year, and the majority of cases are associated with dog bites. We report a rabies outbreak investigation in an urban area of Delhi conducted by our multidisciplinary team, and its role in proactively controlling a rabies outbreak by concerted efforts and timely advice to various stakeholders using a “One Health Approach.” A veterinary care NGO from Delhi picked up a suspected rabid stray dog and submitted a brain sample for diagnosis of rabies, as they had received information from a resident of the locality about an unprovoked animal bite incident involving a girl (category III bite) and close contact of two more stray dogs living in the vicinity of the suspected rabid dog. The laboratory diagnosis of rabies in the suspected dog brain sample was confirmed by using Fluorescence Antibody Test (FAT). A multi-expert investigation team with expertise in medicine, microbiology, veterinary sciences, laboratory diagnosis, and public health was constituted to investigate the outbreak. The timely, adequate, and appropriate anti-rabies management initiated for the animal bite victims in this incident could prevent rabies. Proactive involvement of multiple stakeholders and knowledge attributes and practice of local residents could prevent human rabies. As there were no further reports of dog bites from the area, the chain of rabies transmission in that area could be controlled. The presented work is a classical case scenario where concerted efforts of all stakeholders achieved effective control and prevention of rabies by adopting the “One Health approach”.
Sentiment Analysis in Understanding the Potential of Online News in the Public Health Crisis Response
Authors: Marques Thiago , Cezário Sidemar , Lacerda Juciano , Pinto Rafael , Silva Lyrene , Santana Orivaldo , Ribeiro Anna Giselle , Cruz Agnaldo Souza , Miranda Angélica Espinosa , Cadaxa Aedê , Núñez Lucía Sanjuán , Gonçalo Oliveira Hugo , Atun Rifat , Valentim Ricardo
Published: December 2022

This study analyzes online news disseminated throughout the pre-, during-, and post-intervention periods of the “Syphilis No!” Project, which was developed in Brazil between November 2018 and March 2019. We investigated the influence of sentiment aspects of news to explore their possible relationships with syphilis testing data in response to the syphilis epidemic in Brazil. A dictionary-based technique (VADER) was chosen to perform sentiment analysis considering the Brazilian Portuguese language. Finally, the data collected were used in statistical tests to obtain other indicators, such as correlation and distribution analysis. Of the 627 news items, 198 (31.58%) were classified as a sentiment of security (TP2; stands for the news type 2), whereas 429 (68.42%) were classified as sentiments that instilled vulnerability (TP3; stands for the news type 3). The correlation between the number of syphilis tests and the number of news types TP2 and TP3 was verified from (i) 2015 to 2017 and (ii) 2018 to 2019. For the TP2 type news, in all periods, the p-values were greater than 0.05, thus generating inconclusive results. From 2015 to 2017, there was an ρ = 0.33 correlation between TP3 news and testing data (p-value = 0.04); the years 2018 and 2019 presented a ρ = 0.67 correlation between TP3 news and the number of syphilis tests performed per month, with p-value = 0.0003. In addition, Granger’s test was performed between TP3 news and syphilis testing, which resulted in a p-value = 0.002, thus indicating the existence of Granger causality between these time series. By applying natural language processing to sentiment and informational content analysis of public health campaigns, it was found that the most substantial increase in testing was strongly related to attitude-inducing content (TP3).