bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation Microgrid Design for Remote Areas with the Integration of Renewable Energy: A Case Study of Con Dao Island in Vietnam
Authors: Tran Quynh T. , Davies Kevin , Sepasi Saeed
Published: November 2021

In remote areas, extending a power line to the primary electricity grid can be very expensive and power losses are high, making connections to the grid almost impossible. A well-designed microgrid that integrates renewable energy resources can help remote areas reduce investment costs and power losses while providing a reliable power source. Therefore, investigating the design of an independent and economically practical microgrid system for these areas is necessary and plays an important role. This paper introduces a design procedure to design an isolated microgrid using HOMER software (HOMERPro 3.14.5) for remote areas. In Vietnam, due to the obstruction of the mountainous terrain or the isolated island location, many remote areas or islands need electrification. A simple case study of a hybrid system with a 60 kW peak load demand on Con Dao island in Vietnam is used to illustrate the proposed design method. Specifically, a hybrid system that includes a PV system, batteries, and a diesel generator is designed. To provide the full information of the designed hybrid system designed, each solution is analyzed and evaluated in detail according to the sensitivity parameters.
Thermodynamic Coupling Simulation of CrN/Cr Composite Coating Barrel Bore
Authors: Wang Shaowei , Wang Chuanbin , Li Wenjun
Published: November 2021

The barrel is the core component of the artillery, and its inner coating is the key material to effectively protect the barrel and improve its service lifetime. Due to its good properties, CrN/Cr composite is a potential alternative to the currently used Cr coating. In this study, finite element simulation has been performed using the software Ansys Workbench to analyze the temperature field and coupled stress field of the Cr coating barrel and the CrN/Cr composite coating barrel, respectively, during the firing. The results showed that compared with Cr coating barrel, the CrN/Cr coating can reduce the temperature and significantly mitigate the stress in the coating/steel matrix interface; thus, it is expected the CrN/Cr coating can better protect the artillery barrel.
Miniaturized Sample Preparation Methods to Simultaneously Determine the Levels of Glycols, Glycol Ethers and Their Acetates in Cosmetics
Authors: Celeiro Maria , Rubio Laura , Garcia-Jares Carmen , Lores Marta
Published: November 2021

Two environmentally friendly methodologies based on ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and micro-matrix solid-phase dispersion (µMSPD) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis are proposed for the first time for the simultaneous analysis of 17 glycols, glycol ethers, and their acetates in cosmetics. These sample preparation approaches result in efficient and low-cost extraction while employing small amounts of sample, with a low consumption of reagents and organic solvents. The use of a highly polar column allows for the direct analysis of the obtained extracts by GC-MS without a previous derivatization step, drastically reducing the sample preparation time and residues and thus complying with green analytical chemistry (GAC) principles. Both the UAE and µMSPD methodologies were validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, and precision, providing satisfactory results. LODs were found to be lower than 0.75 µg g−1, allowing the determination of trace levels of the forbidden target compounds. Finally, the validated methodologies were applied to real cosmetics and personal care products, showing suitability, and providing a reliable and useful tool for cosmetics control laboratories.
Impact of Pretreatment Ischemic Location on Functional Outcome after Thrombectomy
Authors: Xie Yu , Oster Julien , Micard Emilien , Chen Bailiang , Douros Ioannis K. , Liao Liang , Zhu François , Soudant Marc , Felblinger Jacques , Guillemin Francis , Hossu Gabriela , Bracard Serge ,   on behalf of the THRACE Investigators
Published: November 2021

Pretreatment ischemic location may be an important determinant for functional outcome prediction in acute ischemic stroke. In total, 143 anterior circulation ischemic stroke patients in the THRACE study were included. Ischemic lesions were semi-automatically segmented on pretreatment diffusion-weighted imaging and registered on brain atlases. The percentage of ischemic tissue in each atlas-segmented region was calculated. Statistical models with logistic regression and support vector machine were built to analyze the predictors of functional outcome. The investigated parameters included: age, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, and lesional volume (three-parameter model), together with the ischemic percentage in each atlas-segmented region (four-parameter model). The support vector machine with radial basis functions outperformed logistic regression in prediction accuracy. The support vector machine three-parameter model demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.77, while the four-parameter model achieved a higher area under the curve (0.82). Regions with marked impacts on outcome prediction were the uncinate fasciculus, postcentral gyrus, putamen, middle occipital gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, and posterior corona radiata in the left hemisphere; and the uncinate fasciculus, paracentral lobule, temporal pole, hippocampus, inferior occipital gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, pallidum, and anterior limb of the internal capsule in the right hemisphere. In conclusion, pretreatment ischemic location provided significant prognostic information for functional outcome in ischemic stroke.
Quantum Representations and Scaling Up Algorithms of Adaptive Sampled-Data in Log-Polar Coordinates
Authors: Li Chan , Lu Dayong , Dong Hao
Published: November 2021

In log-polar coordinates, the conventional data sampling method is to sample uniformly in the log-polar radius and polar angle directions, which makes the sample at the fovea of the data denser than that of the peripheral. The central oversampling phenomenon of the conventional sampling method gives no more efficient information and results in computational waste. Fortunately, the adaptive sampling method is a powerful tool to solve this problem in practice, so the paper introduces it to quantum data processing. In the paper, the quantum representation model of adaptive sampled data is proposed first, in which the upper limit of the sampling number of the polar angles is related to the log-polar radius. Owing to this characteristic, its preparation process has become relatively complicated. Then, in order to demonstrate the practicality of the model given in the paper, the scaling up algorithm with an integer scaling ratio based on biarcuate interpolation and its circuit implementation of quantum adaptive sampled data is given. However, due to the special properties of the adaptive sampling method in log-polar coordinates, the interpolation process of adaptive sampled data becomes quite complicated as well. At the end of this paper, the feasibility of the algorithm is verified by a numerical example.
Private Property Rights, Dynamic Efficiency and Economic Development: An Austrian Reply to Neo-Marxist Scholars Nieto and Mateo on Cyber-Communism and Market Process
Authors: Wang William Hongsong , Espinosa Victor I. , Peña-Ramos José Antonio
Published: November 2021

The Austrian school economics and neo-Marxist theories both have been reviving in recent years. However, the current academic discussion lacks a debate between two schools of economics with diametrically opposed views. This paper is the first and an initial Austrian challenge to Neo-Marxist scholars Nieto and Mateo’s argumentation that cyber-communism and the Austrian theory of dynamic efficiency are consistent to enhance economic development. Their argument focuses on two issues: (a) the existence of circular reasoning in the Austrian theory of dynamic efficiency, and (b) dynamic efficiency and full economic development could be strongly promoted in a socialist system through new information and communication technologies (ICT) and the democratization of all economic life. While cyber-communism refers to cyber-planning without private property rights through ICT, dynamic efficiency refers to the entrepreneurs’ creative and coordinative natures. In this paper, first, we argue that the hypothesis that dynamic efficiency and cyber-communism is not compatible. Contrary to the above cyber-communist criteria, the Austrian theory of dynamic efficiency argues that to impede private property rights is to remove the most powerful entrepreneurial incentive to create and coordinate profit opportunities. Second, we argue that the cyber-communism system is inconsistent with economic development. In this regard, we explain how the institutional environment can cultivate or stifle dynamic efficiency and economic development. Having briefly outlined the central argument of Nieto and Mateo, we examine the institutional arrangement supporting cyber-communism. After that, we evaluate the implications of cyber-communism in the dynamic efficiency process. It becomes manifest that Nieto and Mateo’s accounts are too general to recognize the complexity of how economic development works.
Pedagogy of Emerging Technologies in Chemical Education during the Era of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chiu Wang-Kin
Published: November 2021

The technological advancement and rapid development of artificial intelligence have led to a growing number of studies investigating pedagogical innovations incorporated with emerging technologies in this digital era. An increasing amount of empirical evidence has suggested the potential benefits of incorporating digital technologies and artificial intelligence in various educational contexts, such as the K-12 education, and a change in learning modality in the unprecedented period of COVID-19. In chemical education, various types of emerging technologies, such as eye-tracking techniques, learning analytics, robotics, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), have seen wide applications and promising prospects. In this paper, a systematic review of emerging technologies adopted in chemical education during this era of digitalization and artificial intelligence is presented. The current study aims to identify the major types of technologies adopted in chemical education and analyze the empirical findings from relevant studies. A total of 45 studies between 2010 and 2021 were analyzed through a literature search in three inter-disciplinary databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and the Educational Information Resource Center. Full-text retrieval and analysis of the included studies were conducted. The present study finds that AR and VR applications were most extensively investigated among the identified types of technologies adopted in chemical education, while the major focus areas were associated with virtual chemistry laboratories, visualization and interaction with chemical structures, and classroom hands-on activities. The evidence presented in this study also indicates the promising applications of artificial intelligence and learning analytics in the analysis of students’ feedback and behavior, assessment of students’ understanding of chemical concepts, and investigations of students’ reasoning and cognitive processes during chemical tasks such as spectral interpretation. Furthermore, areas requiring more research, investigations, potential future applications, as well as pedagogical implications of education for sustainable development will be identified based on the evidence presented in this study. The findings of this study are expected to give insight on the evolving areas of chemical education research and technology-enhanced teaching and learning.
Actualizing Change after Experiencing Significant Mathematics PD: Hearing from Teachers of Color about Their Practice and Mathematical Identities
Authors: Kitchen Richard , Martinez-Archuleta Monica , Gonzales Lorenzo , Bicer Ali
Published: November 2021

While it is well-documented that students of color and students from low-income communities have often been denied access to a challenging education in mathematics in the United States, less is known about how teachers of color have overcome their deprived educational backgrounds to become teachers of mathematics who implement inquiry-based instructional methods as a means to improve their students’ learning and mathematical identities. In this article, we use a sociopolitical theoretical framework to examine how seven elementary school teachers of color characterized their experiences as mathematics students, themselves as teachers of mathematics, and their mathematical identities after experiencing significant professional development in mathematics. All the participants in this study had experienced extensive professional development support in mathematics over a sustained period of time. We demonstrate through the teachers’ narratives that, given the deprived mathematics education that the majority of the participants experienced as PK-12 students, having opportunities to participate in significant and focused PD in mathematics over a sustained period transformed how teachers viewed themselves as teachers and positively impacted their mathematical identities.
Asymmetric Split-Gate 4H-SiC MOSFET with Embedded Schottky Barrier Diode for High-Frequency Applications
Authors: Cha Kyuhyun , Kim Kwangsoo
Published: November 2021

4H-SiC Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) with embedded Schottky barrier diodes are widely known to improve switching energy loss by reducing reverse recovery characteristics. However, it weakens the static characteristics such as specific on-resistance and breakdown voltage. To solve this problem, in this paper, an Asymmetric 4H-SiC Split Gate MOSFET with embedded Schottky barrier diode (ASG-MOSFET) is proposed and analyzed by conducting a numerical TCAD simulation. Due to the asymmetric structure of ASG-MOSFET, it has a relatively narrow junction field-effect transistor width. Therefore, despite using the split gate structure, it effectively protects the gate oxide by dispersing the high drain voltage. The Schottky barrier diode (SBD) is also embedded next to the gate and above the Junction Field Effect transistor (JFET) region. Accordingly, since the SBD and the MOSFET share a current path, the embedded SBD does not increase in RON,SP of MOSFET. Therefore, ASG-MOSFET improves both static and switching characteristics at the same time. As a result, compared to the conventional 4H-SiC MOSFET with embedded SBD, Baliga′s Figure of Merit is improved by 17%, and the total energy loss is reduced by 30.5%, respectively.
Economic Analysis and Modelling of Rooftop Photovoltaic Systems in Spain for Industrial Self-Consumption
Authors: Rodríguez-Martinez Álvaro , Rodríguez-Monroy Carlos
Published: November 2021

This article has been developed to assess the economic feasibility of a rooftop photovoltaic installation of industrial self-consumption. Numerical models that enable an interested person to obtain the main expected parameters will be generated, with those models being the article’s main contribution to the field. To do this, a calculation methodology will be developed through which the reader, knowing the location of the facility and dimensions of the roof, will be able to calculate the maximum installable power, the main parameters related to production, the cost of the installation, and the LCOE of the plant. The use of actual costs will be facilitated in case they are known. Still, it will remain possible to apply the major equipment costs (modules, inverter, and structure) considered throughout the article. This developed calculation methodology will also allow a quick comparison of the forecasts of production, CAPEX, and LCOE of plants designed with different inclinations and different types of modules. Consequently, it will be especially useful in decision-making before developing the plant’s basic engineering. Moreover, the calculations used for modeling the LCOE will be analyzed in depth. This analysis will allow evaluating how the different technical variables affect the profitability of a photovoltaic installation, such as the selected tilt, the location, the module’s technology, or the available area.
Numerical Investigation on the Flame Structure and CO/NO Formations of the Laminar Premixed Biogas–Hydrogen Impinging Flame in the Wall Vicinity
Authors: Wei Zhilong , Wang Lei , Liu Hu , Liu Zihao , Zhen Haisheng
Published: November 2021

The near-wall flame structure and pollutant emissions of the laminar premixed biogas-hydrogen impinging flame were simulated with a detailed chemical mechanism. The spatial distributions of the temperature, critical species, and pollutant emissions near the wall of the laminar premixed biogas–hydrogen impinging flame were obtained and investigated quantitatively. The results show that the cold wall can influence the premixed combustion process in the flame front, which is close to the wall but does not touch the wall, and results in the obviously declined concentrations of OH, H, and O radicals in the premixed combustion zone. After flame quenching, a high CO concentration can be observed near the wall at equivalence ratios (φ) of both 0.8 and 1.2. Compared with that at φ = 1.0, more unburned fuel is allowed to pass through the quenching zone and generate CO after flame quenching near the wall thanks to the suppressed fuel consumption rate near the wall and the excess fuel in the unburned gases at φ = 0.8 and 1.2, respectively. By isolating the formation routes of NO production, it is found that the fast-rising trend of NO concentration near the wall in the post flame region at φ = 0.8 is attributed to the NO transportation from the NNH route primarily, while the prompt NO production accounts for more than 90% of NO generation in the wall vicinity at φ = 1.2. It is thus known that, thanks to the effectively increased surface-to-volume ratio, the premixed combustion process in the downsized chamber will be affected more easily by the amplified cooling effects of the cold wall, which will contribute to the declined combustion efficiency, increased CO emission, and improved prompt NO production.
A New Method of Sectional Expression of Wind Turbine Airfoil Function
Authors: Zhang Zhaohuang , Gao Di , Li Jia , Jia Xiaona
Published: November 2021

To expand the airfoil database and realize the reverse digital airfoil design, this paper proposes a new sectional expression function of wind turbine airfoil based on the Joukowski transformation and derives the function equation for the novel airfoil. Compared with the existing airfoil function, the new airfoil function can adjust the parameter values to control the relative thickness, relative thickness position, relative camber, and relative camber position of the airfoil. Taking the common airfoil (NACA63-212) as an example, the existing airfoil is fitted according to the expected direction. The maximum fitting deviation is 1.22135×10-3, better than the four existing methods for airfoil shape fitting, which demonstrates well the practicability and accuracy of this method. It also shows that changing the parameter values can generate a new airfoil to enrich the airfoil database. Therefore, the proposed method broadens the ideas for airfoil design and method research.
Thermal Storage for District Cooling—Implications for Renewable Energy Transition
Authors: Michaelides Efstathios E.
Published: November 2021

The utilization of air conditioning in public and private buildings is continuously increasing globally and is one of the major factors fueling the growth of the global electricity demand. The higher utilization of renewable energy sources and the transition of the electricity-generating industry to renewable energy sources requires significant energy storage in order to avoid supply–demand mismatches. This storage-regeneration process entails dissipation, which leads to higher energy generation loads. Both the energy generation and the required storage may be reduced using thermal energy storage to provide domestic comfort in buildings. The development and utilization of thermal storage, achieved by chilled water, in a community of two thousand buildings located in the North Texas region are proven to have profound and beneficial effects on the necessary infrastructure to make this community independent of the grid and self-sufficient with renewable energy. The simulations show that both the necessary photovoltaics rating and the capacity of the electric energy storage system are significantly reduced when thermal storage with a chilled water system is used during the air conditioning season.
Providing Energy Self-Sufficiency to LoRaWAN Nodes by Means of Thermoelectric Generators (TEGs)-Based Energy Harvesting
Authors: Cappelli Irene , Parrino Stefano , Pozzebon Alessandro , Salta Alessio
Published: November 2021

The aim of this paper is to present the viability of an energy-harvesting system prototype, based on thermoelectric generators (TEGs), to be embedded in a Long-Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN)-based wireless sensor node, allowing continuous quasi-real-time data transmission even for low temperature gradients and for frequent transmissions. To this end, an RFM95x LoRa module is used in the system. The energy management of the entire node is achieved by exploiting a nano power boost charger buck converter integrated circuit, which allows power extraction from the energy-harvesting source and, at the same time, regulates the charging/discharging process of a Li-Po battery that supplies the wireless node. The first phase of the project was dedicated to understanding the electrical characteristics of the TEG. A series of tests were performed to study the open circuit voltage, the current and the power generated by the TEG at different temperature gradients. Following this first phase, tests were then set up to study the charging/discharging process of the battery by changing two crucial parameters: the temperature between the faces of the TEG and the frequency of the transmissions performed by the transceiver. Experimental results show a positive balance for the battery charging at different conditions, which suggests two important conclusions: first of all, with high temperature gradients, it is possible to set relatively high transmission frequencies for the LoRaWAN module without discharging the battery. The second important consideration concerns the operation of the system at extremely low temperature gradients, with a minimum of 5 °C reached during one of the measurements. This suggests the usability of thermoelectric energy-harvesting systems in a wide range of possible applications even in conditions of low temperature gradients.
A Validation Study for RANS Based Modelling of Swirling Pulverized Fuel Flames
Authors: Benim Ali Cemal , Deniz Canal Cansu , Boke Yakup Erhan
Published: November 2021

A swirling pulverized coal flame is computationally investigated. A Eulerian–Lagrangian formulation is used to describe the two-phase flow. Turbulence is modelled within a RANS (Reynolds averaged numerical simulation) framework. Four turbulence viscosity- (TV) based models, namely the standard k-ε model, realizable k-ε model, renormalization group theory k-ε model, and the shear stress transport k-ω model are used. In addition, a Reynolds stress transport model (RSM) is employed. The models are assessed by comparing the predicted velocity fields with the measurements of other authors. In terms of overall average values, the agreement of the predictions to the measurements is observed to be within the range 20–40%. A better performance of the RSM compared to the TV models is observed, with a nearly twice as better overall agreement to the experiments, particularly for the swirl velocity. In the second part of the investigation, the resolution of the discrete particle phase in modelling the turbulent particle dispersion (TPD) and particle size distribution (SD) is investigated. Using the discrete random walk model for the TPD, it is shown that even five random walks are sufficient for an accuracy that is quite high, with a less than 1% mean deviation from the solution obtained by thirty random walks. The approximation of the measured SD is determined by a continuous Rosin–Rammler distribution function, and inaccuracies that can occur in its subsequent discretization are demonstrated and discussed. An investigation on the resolution of the SD by discrete particle size classes (SC) indicates that 12 SC are required for an accuracy with a less than 1% mean deviation from the solution with 18 SC. Although these numbers may not necessarily be claimed to be sufficiently universal, they may serve as guidance, at least for SD with similar characteristics.
Neurological Manifestations and Outcomes in a Retrospective Cohort of Mexican Inpatients with SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia: Design of a Risk Profile
Authors: García Silvia , Cuatepotzo-Burgos Francisco Manuel , Toledo-Lozano Christian Gabriel , Balderrama-Soto Adriana , Alcaraz-Estrada Sofía Lizeth , Montiel-López Luis , De la Vega-Bravo Alberto Hilarión , Mondragón-Terán Paul , Santosbeña-Lagunes Maribel , Escarela-Serrano Maricela , Rodríguez-Martínez Celia Mireya , Méndez-Vidrio María del Carmen , Muñoz-López Sandra , Merino-Rajme José Alfredo , Rodríguez-Briseño Rodrigo Alberto , Cerda-Téllez Fidel , Coral-Vázquez Ramón Mauricio , Sauri-Suárez Sergio , Quiñonez-Aguilar Sandra , Pineda-Juárez Juan Antonio , Suárez-Cuenca Juan Antonio
Published: November 2021

We analyzed the neurological manifestations in Mexican patients hospitalized with pneumonia due to COVID-19 and investigated the association between demographic, clinical, and biochemical variables and outcomes, including death. A retrospective, analytical study was conducted using the electronic records of patients hospitalized between 1 April 2020 and 30 September 2020. Records of 1040 patients were analyzed: 31.25% died and 79.42% had neurological symptoms, including headache (80.62%), anosmia (32.20%), ageusia (31.96%), myopathy (28.08%), disorientation (14.89%), encephalopathy (12.22%), neuropathy (5.4%), stroke (1.3%), seizures (1.3%), cerebral hemorrhage (1.08%), encephalitis (0.84%), central venous thrombosis (0.36%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (0.24%). Patients also had comorbidities, such as hypertension (42.30%), diabetes mellitus (38.74%), obesity (61.34%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3.17%), and asthma (2.01%). Factors associated with neurological symptoms were dyspnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, advanced respiratory support, prolonged hospitalization, and worsening fibrinogen levels. Factors associated with death were older age, advanced respiratory support, amine management, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, intensive care unit management, dyspnea, disorientation, encephalopathy, hypertension, neuropathy, diabetes, male sex, three or more neurological symptoms, and obesity grade 3. In this study we designed a profile to help predict patients at higher risk of developing neurological complications and death following COVID-19 infection.
Remote Monitoring of Patient Respiration with Mask Attachment—A Pragmatic Solution for Medical Facilities
Authors: Koh Vivian Ci Ai , Ang Yi Yang , Ser Wee , Tan Rex Xiao
Published: November 2021

Remote monitoring of vital signs in infectious patients minimizes the risks of viral transmissions to healthcare professionals. Donning face masks could reduce the risk of viral transmissions and is currently practiced in medical facilities. An acoustic-sensing device was attached to face masks to assist medical facilities in remotely monitoring patients’ respiration rate and wheeze occurrence. Usability and functionality studies of the modified face mask were evaluated on 16 healthy participants. Participants were blindfolded throughout the data collection process. Respiratory rates of the participants were evaluated for one minute. The wheeze detection algorithm was assessed by playing 176 wheezes and 176 normal breaths through a foam mannequin. No discomfort was reported from the participants who used the modified mask. The mean error of respiratory rate was found to be 2.0 ± 1.3 breath per minute. The overall accuracy of the wheeze detection algorithm was 91.9%. The microphone sensor that was first designed to be chest-worn has been proven versatile to be adopted as a mask attachment. The current findings support and suggest the use of the proposed mask attachment in medical facilities. This application can be especially helpful in managing a sudden influx of patients in the face of a pandemic.
A Unique Case of Inferior Vena Cava Aneurysm Complicated with Pulmonary Embolism and Cerebral Infarction
Authors: Chang Hyunglan , Bae Jinkun , Chung Tae Nyoung
Published: November 2021

Inferior vena cava (IVC) aneurysms rarely occur. They are commonly detected incidentally since they present with mild or no symptoms. This was the first study to report a fatal case of a saccular IVC aneurysm with pulmonary embolism and cerebral infarction. The patient developed cardiac arrest five minutes after arriving at the emergency department, and spontaneous circulation was restored after two minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Computed tomography scans of the brain, chest, and abdomen–pelvis were obtained. The patient was diagnosed with a saccular aneurysm of the IVC measuring 8 × 11 cm, massive embolism of both pulmonary arteries, and cerebral infarction. An electroencephalogram, taken on the third day of hospitalization, suggested brain death, and the patient died on the eleventh day of hospitalization. This case report highlights that an IVC aneurysm with pulmonary embolism can be associated with paradoxical emboli-induced cerebral infarction, which is fatal.
Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Vascular Cells: Recent Progress and Future Directions
Authors: Oh Jee Eun , Jung Cholomi , Yoon Young-sup
Published: November 2021

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold great promise for cardiovascular regeneration following ischemic injury. Considerable effort has been made toward the development and optimization of methods to differentiate hiPSCs into vascular cells, such as endothelial and smooth muscle cells (ECs and SMCs). In particular, hiPSC-derived ECs have shown robust potential for promoting neovascularization in animal models of cardiovascular diseases, potentially achieving significant and sustained therapeutic benefits. However, the use of hiPSC-derived SMCs that possess high therapeutic relevance is a relatively new area of investigation, still in the earlier investigational stages. In this review, we first discuss different methodologies to derive vascular cells from hiPSCs with a particular emphasis on the role of key developmental signals. Furthermore, we propose a standardized framework for assessing and defining the EC and SMC identity that might be suitable for inducing tissue repair and regeneration. We then highlight the regenerative effects of hiPSC-derived vascular cells on animal models of myocardial infarction and hindlimb ischemia. Finally, we address several obstacles that need to be overcome to fully implement the use of hiPSC-derived vascular cells for clinical application.
Putative Biomarkers for Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Exhaled Breath Condensate
Authors: Gade Inger Lise , Schultz Jacob Gammelgaard , Brøndum Rasmus Froberg , Kjærgaard Benedict , Nielsen-Kudsk Jens Erik , Andersen Asger , Kristensen Søren Risom , Honoré Bent
Published: November 2021

Current diagnostic markers for pulmonary embolism (PE) are unspecific. We investigated the proteome of the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) in a porcine model of acute PE in order to identify putative diagnostic markers for PE. EBC was collected at baseline and after the induction of autologous intermediate-risk PE in 14 pigs, plus four negative control pigs. The protein profiles of the EBC were analyzed using label-free quantitative nano liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 897 proteins were identified in the EBCs from the pigs. Alterations were found in the levels of 145 different proteins after PE compared with the baseline and negative controls: albumin was among the most upregulated proteins, with 14-fold higher levels 2.5 h after PE (p-value: 0.02). The levels of 49 other proteins were between 1.3- and 17.1-fold higher after PE. The levels of 95 proteins were lower after PE. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (fold change 0.3, p-value < 0.01) was among the most reduced proteins 2.5 h after PE. A prediction model based on penalized regression identified five proteins including albumin and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin. The model was capable of discriminating baseline samples from EBC samples collected 2.5 h after PE correctly in 22 out of 27 samples. In conclusion, the EBC from pigs with acute PE contained several putative diagnostic markers of PE.
Hunger and Satiety Peptides: Is There a Pattern to Classify Patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome?
Authors: Bueno Marta , Boixadera-Planas Ester , Blanco-Hinojo Laura , Esteba-Castillo Susanna , Giménez-Palop Olga , Torrents-Rodas David , Pujol Jesús , Corripio Raquel , Deus Joan , Caixàs Assumpta
Published: November 2021

Hyperphagia is one of the main problems of patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) to cope with everyday life. The underlying mechanisms are not yet well understood. Gut-brain hormones are an interrelated network that may be at least partially involved. We aimed to study the hormonal profile of PWS patients in comparison with obese and healthy controls. Thirty adult PWS patients (15 men; age 27.5 ± 8.02 years; BMI 32.4 ± 8.14 kg/m2), 30 obese and 30 healthy controls were studied before and after eating a hypercaloric liquid diet. Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), leptin, total and active ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY), pancreatic polypeptide (PP), Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and amylin were determined at times 0′, 30′, 60′ and 120′. Cluster analysis was used. When considering all peptides together, two clusters were established according to fasting hormonal standardized concentrations. Cluster 1 encompassed most of obese (25/30) and healthy controls (28/30). By contrast, the majority of patients with PWS were located in Cluster 2 (23/27) and presented a similar fasting profile with hyperghrelinemia, high levels of leptin, PYY, GIP and GLP-1, compared to Cluster 1; that may reflect a dysfunction of these hunger/satiety hormones. When peptide behavior over the time was considered, PP concentrations were not sustained postprandially from 60 min onwards in Cluster 2. BDNF and amylin did not help to differentiate the two clusters. Thus, cluster analysis could be a good tool to distinguish and characterize the differences in hormone responses between PWS and obese or healthy controls.
Assessing Soil-like Materials for Ecosystem Services Provided by Constructed Technosols
Authors: Ivashchenko Kristina , Lepore Emanuela , Vasenev Viacheslav , Ananyeva Nadezhda , Demina Sofiya , Khabibullina Fluza , Vaseneva Inna , Selezneva Alexandra , Dolgikh Andrey , Sushko Sofia , Marinari Sara , Dovletyarova Elvira
Published: November 2021

Urbanization results to a wide spread of Technosols. Various materials are used for Technosols’ construction with a limited attention to their ecosystem services or disservices. The research focuses on the integral assessment of soil-like materials used for Technosols’ construction in Moscow megalopolis from the ecosystem services’ perspective. Four groups of materials (valley peats, sediments, cultural layers, and commercial manufactured soil mixtures) were assessed based on the indicators, which are integral, informative, and cost-effective. Microbial respiration, C-availability, specific respiration, community level physiological profile, and Shannon’ diversity index in the materials were compared to the natural reference to assess and rank the ecosystem services and disservices. The assessment showed that sediments and low-peat mixtures (≤30% of peat in total volume) had a considerably higher capacity to provide C-sequestration, climate regulation and functional diversity services compared to peats and high-peat mixtures. Urban cultural layers provided ecosystem disservices due to pollution by potentially toxic elements and health risks from the pathogenic fungi. Mixtures comprising from the sediments with minor (≤30%) peat addition would have a high potential to increase C-sequestration and to enrich microbial functional diversity. Their implementation in urban landscaping will reduce management costs and increase sustainability of urban soils and ecosystem.
Build-a-Cell: Engineering a Synthetic Cell Community
Authors: Frischmon Caroline , Sorenson Carlise , Winikoff Michael , Adamala Katarzyna P.
Published: November 2021

Build-a-Cell is a global network of researchers that aims to develop synthetic living cells within the next decade. These cells will revolutionize the biotechnology industry by providing scientists and engineers with a more complete understanding of biology. Researchers can already replicate many cellular functions individually, but combining them into a single cell remains a significant challenge. This integration step will require the type of large-scale collaboration made possible by Build-a-Cell’s open, collective structure. Beyond the lab, Build-a-Cell addresses policy issues and biosecurity concerns associated with synthetic cells. The following review discusses Build-a-Cell’s history, function, and goals.
Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: The Labyrinth of Investigations. Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Simion Paul , Artene Bogdan , Achiței Ionut , Matei Iulian Theodor , Petriș Antoniu Octavian , Tesloianu Nicolae-Dan
Published: November 2021

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA) accounts for approximately 5–15% of acute myocardial infarctions (MI). This infarction type raises a series of questions about the underlying mechanism of myocardial damage, the diagnostic pathway, optimal therapy, and the outcomes of these patients when compared to MI associated with obstructive coronary artery disease. We present the case of a 60-year-old patient with multiple cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities who is admitted in an emergency setting. The patient is known with a conservatively treated inferior myocardial infarction which occurred 3 months prior, with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Emergency coronary angiography revealed normal epicardial coronary arteries, which led to further investigations of the underlying cause. Considering the absence of epicardial and microvascular spasm, CMR (cardiac magnetic resonance) confirmation of two transmural myocardial infarctions in the territories tributary to coronary arteries, and a high index of myocardial resistance in culprit arteries, we concluded the diagnosis of MINOCA due to the microvascular endothelial dysfunction. Although the concept of MINOCA was devised almost a decade ago, and these patients are an important part of MI presentations, it still represents a diagnostic challenge with multiple explorations required to establish the precise etiology.
Dual Role of SIRT1 in Autophagy and Lipid Metabolism Regulation in Osteoarthritic Chondrocytes
Authors: Papageorgiou Aliki-Alexandra , Goutas Andreas , Trachana Varvara , Tsezou Aspasia
Published: November 2021

Background and Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common and highly prevalent types of arthritis, also considered a multiphenotypic disease with a strong metabolic component. Ageing is the primary risk factor for OA, while the age-related decline in autophagic activity affects cell function and chondrocyte homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in autophagy dysregulation and lipid metabolism in human OA chondrocytes. Materials and Methods: OA chondrocytes were treated with Resveratrol, Hydroxycloroquine (HCQ) or 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) and HCQ or 3-MA followed by siRNA against SIRT1 (siSIRT1). Then, SIRT1, AcNF-κBp65, LOX-1 and autophagy-related proteins ATG5, ATG13, PI3K class III, Beclin-1, LC3 and ULK protein levels were evaluated using Western blot. Normal articular chondrocytes were treated under serum starvation and/or siSIRT1, and the protein expression levels of the above autophagy-related proteins were evaluated. The staining patterns of LC3/p62 and LOX-1 were analyzed microscopically by immunofluorescence. SIRT1/LC3 complex formation was analyzed by immunoprecipitation. Results: SIRT1 and LOX-1 protein expression were negatively correlated in OA chondrocytes. SIRT1 regulated LOX-1 expression via NF-κΒ deacetylation, while treatment with Resveratrol enhanced SIRT1 enzymatic activity, resulting in LOX-1 downregulation and autophagy induction. In OA chondrocytes, SIRT1 was recognized as an autophagy substrate, formed a complex with LC3 and was consequently subjected to cytoplasmic autophagosome-lysosome degradation. Moreover, siSIRT1-treated normal chondrocytes showed decreased autophagic activity, while double-treated (siSIRT1 and serum starvation) cells showed no induction of autophagy. Conclusions: Our results suggest that SIRT1 regulates lipid homeostasis through LOX-1 expression regulation. Additionally, we indicate that the necessity of SIRT1 for autophagy induction in normal chondrocytes, together with its selective autophagic degradation in OA chondrocytes, could contribute to autophagy dysregulation in OA. We, therefore, suggest a novel regulatory scheme that functionally connects lipid metabolism and autophagy in late-stage OA.
The SPFH Protein Superfamily in Fungi: Impact on Mitochondrial Function and Implications in Virulence
Authors: Heredia Marienela Y. , Rauceo Jason M.
Published: November 2021

Integral membrane proteins from the ancient SPFH (stomatin, prohibitin, flotillin, HflK/HflC) protein superfamily are found in nearly all living organisms. Mammalian SPFH proteins are primarily associated with mitochondrial functions but also coordinate key processes such as ion transport, signaling, and mechanosensation. In addition, SPFH proteins are required for virulence in parasites. While mitochondrial functions of SPFH proteins are conserved in fungi, recent evidence has uncovered additional roles for SPFH proteins in filamentation and stress signaling. Inhibitors that target SPFH proteins have been successfully used in cancer and inflammation treatment. Thus, SPFH proteins may serve as a potential target for novel antifungal drug development. This review article surveys SPFH function in various fungal species with a special focus on the most common human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans.
Application of Ultrasonic Atomization on a Micro Jet Engine Using Biofuel for Improving Performance
Authors: Alajmi Amer , Alajmi Fnyees , Alrashidi Ahmed , Alrashidi Naser , Adam Nor Mariah
Published: November 2021

Jet engines are commonly used in aeronautical applications, and are one of the types of gas turbine engines. The circulation of air releases heat energy to expand the volume of hot fluids and impact the turbine wheel to generate power of hot gases. The present study investigates the potential of using ultrasonic atomization technology to assist in the combustion process. An experimental rig was set up to determine the performance of jet engines using ultrasonic droplets. A gas analyzer was used to measure various greenhouse emissions of exhaust gas. The performance of the engine was tested under three load levels (high, medium, low), starting from 10 psi at a steady state, to the minimum value. A significant result was tested for a low value of nitrogen monoxide at the three levels of load, and a specific result was tested for an efficiency value of 2% at the three levels of load. Carbon dioxide was found to decrease at the low load level. The use of an ultrasonic atomization device to assist in the combustion process was useful in achieving engine efficiency of 1% and a reduction of 25% in carbon dioxide exhaust gas.
Erratum: Lewicka et al. Sources and Markets of Limestone Flour in Poland. Resources 2020, 9, 118
Authors: Lewicka Ewa , Szlugaj Jarosław , Burkowicz Anna , Galos Krzysztof
Published: November 2021

The authors wish to make a change to the published paper [...]
Region-Enhancing Network for Semantic Segmentation of Remote-Sensing Imagery
Authors: Zhong Bo , Du Jiang , Liu Minghao , Yang Aixia , Wu Junjun
Published: November 2021

Semantic segmentation for high-resolution remote-sensing imagery (HRRSI) has become increasingly popular in machine vision in recent years. Most of the state-of-the-art methods for semantic segmentation of HRRSI usually emphasize the strong learning ability of deep convolutional neural network to model the contextual relationship in the image, which takes too much consideration on every pixel in images and subsequently causes the problem of overlearning. Annotation errors and easily confused features can also lead to the confusion problem while using the pixel-based methods. Therefore, we propose a new semantic segmentation network—the region-enhancing network (RE-Net)—to emphasize the regional information instead of pixels to solve the above problems. RE-Net introduces the regional information into the base network, to enhance the regional integrity of images and thus reduce misclassification. Specifically, the regional context learning procedure (RCLP) can learn the context relationship from the perspective of regions. The region correcting procedure (RCP) uses the pixel aggregation feature to recalibrate the pixel features in each region. In addition, another simple intra-network multi-scale attention module is introduced to select features at different scales by the size of the region. A large number of comparative experiments on four different public datasets demonstrate that the proposed RE-Net performs better than most of the state-of-the-art ones.
Novel Solutions to the Three-Anchor ToA-Based Three-Dimensional Positioning Problem
Authors: Khalaf-Allah Mohamed
Published: November 2021

At least four non-coplanar anchor nodes (ANs) are required for the time-of-arrival (ToA)-based three-dimensional (3D) positioning to enable unique position estimation. Direct method (DM) and particle filter (PF) algorithms were developed to address the three-anchor ToA-based 3D positioning problem. The proposed DM reduces this problem to the solution of a quadratic equation, exploiting the knowledge about the workspace, to first estimate the x- or z-coordinate, and then the remaining two coordinates. The implemented PF uses 1000 particles to represent the posterior probability density function (PDF) of the AN’s 3D position. The prediction step generates new particles by a resampling procedure. The ToA measurements determine the importance of these particles to enable updating the posterior PDF and estimating the 3D position of the AN. Simulation results corroborate the viability of the developed DM and PF algorithms, in terms of accuracy and computational cost, in the pursuit and circumnavigation scenarios, and even with a horizontally coplanar arrangement of the three ANs. Therefore, it is possible to enable applications requiring real-time positioning, such as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) autonomous docking and circling a stationary (or moving) position, without the need for an excessive number of ANs.