bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motivations for Cannabis Use in Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Authors: Elsaid Sonja , Wang Ruoyu , Kloiber Stefan , Le Foll Bernard , Hassan Ahmed N.
Published: December 2023

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition. Consequently, it is common for those affected to resort to cannabis to cope with their symptoms. The primary objective of this study was to understand the differences between motivations for cannabis use in adults with and without SAD. We employed convergent, mixed methods to collect the data. Twenty-six individuals (age: 27.9 ± 7.3 years; 54% female) with and twenty-six (age: 27.4 ± 6.7 years; 50% female) without SAD were administered Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM). Motivations to initiate, continue, and maintain cannabis use were assessed in 12/26 participants in both groups using in-depth interviews. Cannabis weekly consumption was 3.8-fold and frequency 1.3-fold higher in the SAD group. Coping (F = 10.02; p <0.001; η2 = 0.46) and social (F = 2.81; p = 0.036; η2 = 0.19) motivations were also higher in the SAD group, after controlling for age, sex, and current CUD. The need to cope with symptoms of SAD may have been the driving force for repeated cannabis consumption. Psychoeducational programs educating children about the risk of using cannabis to cope with SAD should be implemented in vocational settings early on.
Concrete for Living Walls: Current Status and a New Design Recommendation
Authors: Jakubovskis Ronaldas
Published: December 2023

Concrete may be a promising material for application in living walls, broadening existing vertical greening systems and, most importantly, reducing installation costs. This study presents the concept of layered living concrete (LLC) wall panels that were developed and field-tested over the past 3 years. Simultaneously with long-term field observations, several laboratory studies on the selection of a rational concrete mix composition were carried out. Based on field data, the results of laboratory tests, and numerical simulations, a new LLC wall panel design was proposed. The new panel design retains the previous idea of a layered structure suitable for natural colonization by plants, but also adds improved material characteristics, rational dimensions, the economical use of water, and, potentially, the ability to hasten the greening of vertical surfaces.
Evaluation of Mechanical Properties, Corrosion Resistance, and Pore Structure of Stepwise PCM Aggregate Concrete
Authors: Liu Bo , Wang Sheliang , Jia Wurong , Xie Jiangsheng , Zhong Weiling , Ying Honghao , Lu Zhe
Published: December 2023

Stepwise phase change material (PCM) aggregate concrete has advantages in controlling temperature and resisting frost heave, but its freeze–thaw resistance performance is still unclear. This paper explored the impact of replacing ordinary coarse aggregate with stepwise aggregate on the freeze–thaw resistance characteristics of concrete. Firstly, the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and their relationship were evaluated. Then, the freeze–thaw resistance properties of PCM aggregate concrete were investigated, including macroscopic changes, mass loss, relative dynamic elasticity modulus loss, and compressive strength loss. Subsequently, the pore changes before and after freeze–thaw cycles were tested through non-destructive testing and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) testing, and the evolution of pores under freeze–thaw cycles was explored. The results show that adding 100% PCM aggregate reduces the strength of concrete by 32%. However, due to the high porosity in the 100% PCM aggregate concrete, it would have an adverse impact on corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance of concrete increases firstly and then decreases with the addition of PCM aggregate, which can be attributed to PCM aggregate having a limiting effect on pore development. Overall, a substitution rate of 60% is acceptable for compressive strength and corrosion resistance.
Experimental and Numerical Study on the Shear Performance of the Stone Panel–Panel Joint in Stone Cladding
Authors: Yang Shixuan , Guo Zixiong , Ye Yong , Liu Yang
Published: December 2023

The evaluation of the shear performance of stone panel–panel joints (SPPJs) in stone cladding has important engineering significance, as it plays a crucial role in stone cladding failure. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and predict the influence of the dimension and the Young’s modulus of sealant on the shear performance of SPPJs. Based on monotonic and cyclic loading tests, the effects of Young’s modulus and the dimension of sealant on the failure characteristics, stress–strain characteristics, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation capacity of an SPPJs were investigated. According to finite element analysis, the strain distribution of an SPPJ under monotonic loading was analyzed for different sealant widths and number of sealant layers. The results indicate that the failure modes of SPPJs change with the variation of sealant amount. As the Young’s modulus of the sealant increases, the shear failure strength and shear yield strain of SPPJs increase. The increase in sealant thickness reduces the shear failure strength and stiffness of SPPJs. Based on the same shear strain, the increase in the sealant thickness enhances the cumulative energy consumption of SPPJs. The strain concentration zone of the specimens with two sealant layers in unilateral SPPJs becomes larger with the increase in sealant width.
Analysis of the Energy Consumption of Old Public Buildings in South Korea after Green Remodeling
Authors: Lee Hansol , Choi Gyeong-Seok
Published: December 2023

In Korea, green remodeling of public buildings will be mandatory from 2025, and about 30,000 old public buildings nationwide will conduct green remodeling every year. Therefore, in this study, green remodeling was promoted to improve energy efficiency for existing public buildings located in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do. A remodeling method was developed to reduce the cooling and heating load of the building and reduce construction costs. The development technology was applied to the demonstration building to improve the insulation and airtightness performance of the building. In order to analyze the effect of improving the energy performance of the building, the simulation results and energy consumption before and after remodeling were analyzed. The demand for heating energy decreased by about 68.95%, and the demand for cooling energy decreased by 35.21%. According to an analysis of actual energy consumption, the average monthly energy consumption savings from January to September was 17.4%. It was confirmed that the savings were the highest at 35.4% in February, during winter. Applying the remodeling method developed in this study is expected to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy efficiency and energy consumption of existing buildings.
Dynamic Chest Radiograph Simulation Technique with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks: A Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Yang Dongrong , Huang Yuhua , Li Bing , Cai Jing , Ren Ge
Published: December 2023

In this study, we present an innovative approach that harnesses deep neural networks to simulate respiratory lung motion and extract local functional information from single-phase chest X-rays, thus providing valuable auxiliary data for early diagnosis of lung cancer. A novel radiograph motion simulation (RMS) network was developed by combining a U-Net and a long short-term memory (LSTM) network for image generation and sequential prediction. By utilizing a spatial transformer network to deform input images, our proposed network ensures accurate image generation. We conducted both qualitative and quantitative assessments to evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of our proposed network. The simulated respiratory motion closely aligns with pulmonary biomechanics and reveals enhanced details of pulmonary diseases. The proposed network demonstrates precise prediction of respiratory motion in the test cases, achieving remarkable average Dice scores exceeding 0.96 across all phases. The maximum variation in lung length prediction was observed during the end-exhale phase, with average deviation of 4.76 mm (±6.64) for the left lung and 4.77 mm (±7.00) for the right lung. This research validates the feasibility of generating patient-specific respiratory motion profiles from single-phase chest radiographs.
A Novel Metastatic Estrogen Receptor-Expressing Breast Cancer Model with Antiestrogen Responsiveness
Authors: Langsten Kendall L. , Shi Lihong , Wilson Adam S. , Lumia Salvatore , Westwood Brian , Skeen Alexandra M. , Xie Maria T. , Surratt Victoria E. , Turner JoLyn , Langefeld Carl D. , Singh Ravi , Cook Katherine L. , Kerr Bethany A.
Published: December 2023

Most women diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) have estrogen receptor alpha-positive (ER+) disease. The current mouse models of ER+ BC often rely on exogenous estrogen to encourage metastasis, which modifies the immune system and the function of some tissues like bone. Other studies use genetically modified or immunocompromised mouse strains, which do not accurately replicate the clinical disease. To create a model of antiestrogen responsive BC with spontaneous metastasis, we developed a mouse model of 4T1.2 triple-negative (TN) breast cancer with virally transduced ER expression that metastasizes spontaneously without exogenous estrogen stimulation and is responsive to antiestrogen drugs. Our mouse model exhibited upregulated ER-responsive genes and multi-organ metastasis without exogenous estrogen administration. Additionally, we developed a second TN BC cell line, E0771/bone, to express ER, and while it expressed ER-responsive genes, it lacked spontaneous metastasis to clinically important tissues. Following antiestrogen treatment (tamoxifen, ICI 182,780, or vehicle control), 4T1.2- and E0771/bone-derived tumor volumes and weights were significantly decreased, exemplifying antiestrogen responsivity in both cell lines. This 4T1.2 tumor model, which expresses the estrogen receptor, metastasizes spontaneously, and responds to antiestrogen treatment, will allow for further investigation into the biology and potential treatment of metastasis.
Association of MGMT Promoter and Enhancer Methylation with Genetic Variants, Clinical Parameters, and Demographic Characteristics in Glioblastoma
Authors: Zappe Katja , Pühringer Katharina , Pflug Simon , Berger Daniel , Weis Serge , Spiegl-Kreinecker Sabine , Cichna-Markl Margit
Published: December 2023

The response of glioblastoma (GBM) patients to the alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ) vitally depends on the expression level of the repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). Since MGMT is strongly regulated by promoter methylation, the methylation status of the MGMT promoter has emerged as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for GBM patients. By determining the methylation levels of the four enhancers located within or close to the MGMT gene, we recently found that enhancer methylation contributes to MGMT regulation. In this study, we investigated if methylation of the four enhancers is associated with SNP rs16906252, TERT promoter mutations C228T and C250T, TERT SNP rs2853669, proliferation index Ki-67, overall survival (OS), age, and sex of the patients. In general, associations with genetic variants, clinical parameters, and demographic characteristics were caused by a complex interplay of multiple CpGs in the MGMT promoter and of multiple CpGs in enhancer regions. The observed associations for intragenic enhancer 4, located in intron 2 of MGMT, differed from associations observed for the three intergenic enhancers. Some findings were restricted to subgroups of samples with either methylated or unmethylated MGMT promoters, underpinning the relevance of the MGMT promoter status in GBMs.
LincRNA01703 Facilitates CD81+ Exosome Secretion to Inhibit Lung Adenocarcinoma Metastasis via the Rab27a/SYTL1/CD81 Complex
Authors: Huang Yun , Guo Shan , Lin Ying , Huo Liyun , Yan Hongmei , Lin Zhanwen , Chen Zishuo , Cai Junchao , Wu Jueheng , Yuan Jie , Guan Hongyu , Wu Guoyong , Wu Weibin , Tao Tianyu
Published: December 2023

Metastasis, a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, frequently occurs early in the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the precise molecular mechanisms governing the aggressive metastatic behavior of LUAD remain incompletely understood. In this study, we present compelling evidence indicating that the long noncoding RNA linc01703 is significantly downregulated in metastatic lung cancer cells. Intriguingly, in vivo experiments revealed that Linc01703 exerted a profound inhibitory effect on lung cancer metastasis without discernible impact on the in vitro proliferation or invasion capacities of LUAD cells. Mechanistically, Linc01703 enhanced the interaction between Rab27a, SYTL1, and CD81, consequently promoting the secretion of CD81+ exosomes. These exosomes, in turn, suppressed the infiltration of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, thereby impeding LUAD metastasis. Importantly, our analysis of lung cancer tissues revealed a correlation between reduced CD81 expression and an unfavorable patient prognosis. Collectively, our findings suggest that Linc01703 functions as a metastasis suppressor by facilitating the secretion of CD81+ exosomes through the formation of the Rab27a/SYTL1/CD81 complex.
Improved Prediction of Ovarian Cancer Using Ensemble Classifier and Shaply Explainable AI
Authors: Abuzinadah Nihal , Kumar Posa Sarath , Alarfaj Aisha Ahmed , Alabdulqader Ebtisam Abdullah , Umer Muhammad , Kim Tai-Hoon , Alsubai Shtwai , Ashraf Imran
Published: December 2023

The importance of detecting and preventing ovarian cancer is of utmost significance for women’s overall health and wellness. Referred to as the “silent killer,” ovarian cancer exhibits inconspicuous symptoms during its initial phases, posing a challenge for timely identification. Identification of ovarian cancer during its advanced stages significantly diminishes the likelihood of effective treatment and survival. Regular screenings, such as pelvic exams, ultrasound, and blood tests for specific biomarkers, are essential tools for detecting the disease in its early, more treatable stages. This research makes use of the Soochow University ovarian cancer dataset, containing 50 features for the accurate detection of ovarian cancer. The proposed predictive model makes use of a stacked ensemble model, merging the strengths of bagging and boosting classifiers, and aims to enhance predictive accuracy and reliability. This combination harnesses the benefits of variance reduction and improved generalization, contributing to superior ovarian cancer prediction outcomes. The proposed model gives 96.87% accuracy, which is currently the highest model result obtained on this dataset so far using all features. Moreover, the outcomes are elucidated utilizing the explainable artificial intelligence method referred to as SHAPly. The excellence of the suggested model is demonstrated through a comparison of its performance with that of other cutting-edge models.
Disturbances in Nitric Oxide Cycle and Related Molecular Pathways in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Ene Corina Daniela , Tampa Mircea , Georgescu Simona Roxana , Matei Clara , Leulescu Iulia Maria Teodora , Dogaru Claudia Ioana , Penescu Mircea Nicolae , Nicolae Ilinca
Published: December 2023

It is important to note that maintaining adequate levels of nitric oxide (NO), the turnover, and the oxidation level of nitrogen are essential for the optimal progression of cellular processes, and alterations in the NO cycle indicate a crucial step in the onset and progression of multiple diseases. Cellular accumulation of NO and reactive nitrogen species in many types of tumour cells is expressed by an increased susceptibility to oxidative stress in the tumour microenvironment. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a progressive metabolic disease in which tumour cells can adapt to metabolic reprogramming to enhance NO production in the tumour space. Understanding the factors governing NO biosynthesis metabolites in ccRCC represents a relevant, valuable approach to studying NO-based anticancer therapy. Exploring the molecular processes mediated by NO, related disturbances in molecular pathways, and NO-mediated signalling pathways in ccRCC could have significant therapeutic implications in managing and treating this condition.
Multisite Is Superior to Single-Site Intratumoral Chemotherapy to Retard the Outcomes of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma in a Murine Model
Authors: Lazarovits Janette , Epelbaum Ron , Lachter Jesse , Amikam Yaron , Ben Arie Jacob
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) has a dismal prognosis, with intratumoral therapies showing limited benefits. We assume that the dense stroma within these tumors hampers drug dispersion. Aim: This study explores the efficacy of multisite intratumoral injections in improving a drug’s distribution while minimizing its side effects. Methods and Results: In mice with orthotopic LAPC tumors, weekly intratumoral injections of oxaliplatin at four separate sites reduced the tumor growth by 46% compared with saline (p < 0.003). Oxaliplatin exhibited the greatest impact on the tumor microenvironment relative to gemcitabine, Abraxane, or their combination, with increased necrosis, apoptosis, fibroblasts, inflammation, and infiltrating lymphocytes (p < 0.008). When combined with intravenous FOLFIRINOX (FFX), multisite intratumoral oxaliplatin reduced the tumor weight by 35% compared with single-site injection (p = 0.007). No additional visible toxicity was observed even at a 10-fold occurrence of intratumoral treatment. This co-modality treatment significantly improved survival compared with other groups (p = 0.007). Conclusions: Multisite intratumoral therapy in tandem with systemic treatment holds promise for reducing the tumor size and enhancing the overall survival in LAPC.
Correction: Kato et al. Area Dose–Response and Radiation Origin of Childhood Thyroid Cancer in Fukushima Based on Thyroid Dose in UNSCEAR 2020/2021: High 131I Exposure Comparable to Chernobyl. Cancers 2023, 15, 4583
Authors: Kato Toshiko , Yamada Kosaku , Hongyo Tadashi
Published: December 2023

The authors wish to revise two points in Sections 3 [...]
Photocatalytic Efficacy and Degradation Kinetics of Chitosan-Loaded Ce-TiO2 Nanocomposite towards for Rhodamine B Dye
Authors: Clastin Indira Anish , Muthaian Jaya Rajan , Pandi Muthirulan , Mohammad Faruq , Al-Lohedan Hamad A. , Soleiman Ahmed A.
Published: December 2023

The recent advancement in the production of nanomaterials with novel architectures and functionality has allowed for the effective treatment of industrial wastewaters and contaminated soil and, in that view, the current study aimed to investigate the catalytic efficacy of biopolymer-loaded titanium nanocomposite. Therefore, Cerium (Ce)-titanium dioxide (TiO2) loaded chitosan nanocomposite was formed and studied its catalytic efficacy towards the degradation of an industrial dye pollutant. For the production of Ce-TiO2/chitosan nanocomposite, we followed the hydrothermal synthesis route and the formed nanocomposite was thoroughly analyzed for the crystallinity (using powdered X-ray diffraction, XRD), surface bonding, and nature (using Fourier transform infrared, FTIR spectroscopy), morphology (scanning electron microscopy, SEM), elemental composition (electron diffraction analysis by X-rays, EDAX), porosity (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, BET), and particles size in powdered form (transmission electron microscopy, TEM). Then the efficiency of synthesized nanocomposite was tested towards the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh B) dye by applying various parameters such as the irradiation time, solution pH, catalyst dosage, and the dye concentration. Further, the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model was employed to investigate the kinetics of RhB degradation and provided a conceivable photocatalytic mechanism. It was indicated based on the catalyst mechanism that the modification of TiO2 nanoparticles with Ce and loading onto chitosan biopolymer may have accelerated the photocurrent transport due to an increase in the number of electrons and holes generated by the photon’s irradiation. In this way, the study has witnessed the excellent photocatalytic performance of Ce-TiO2/chitosan with 95% Rh B degradation as against the pure TiO2 nanoparticles thus stressing the importance of developing novel composite photocatalysts.
The Structural Adaptations That Mediate Disuse-Induced Atrophy of Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Sayed Ramy K. A. , Hibbert Jamie E. , Jorgenson Kent W. , Hornberger Troy A.
Published: December 2023

The maintenance of skeletal muscle mass plays a fundamental role in health and issues associated with quality of life. Mechanical signals are one of the most potent regulators of muscle mass, with a decrease in mechanical loading leading to a decrease in muscle mass. This concept has been supported by a plethora of human- and animal-based studies over the past 100 years and has resulted in the commonly used term of ‘disuse atrophy’. These same studies have also provided a great deal of insight into the structural adaptations that mediate disuse-induced atrophy. For instance, disuse results in radial atrophy of fascicles, and this is driven, at least in part, by radial atrophy of the muscle fibers. However, the ultrastructural adaptations that mediate these changes remain far from defined. Indeed, even the most basic questions, such as whether the radial atrophy of muscle fibers is driven by the radial atrophy of myofibrils and/or myofibril hypoplasia, have yet to be answered. In this review, we thoroughly summarize what is known about the macroscopic, microscopic, and ultrastructural adaptations that mediated disuse-induced atrophy and highlight some of the major gaps in knowledge that need to be filled.
Simultaneous Increases in Intracellular Sodium and Tonicity Boost Antimicrobial Activity of Macrophages
Authors: Krampert Luka , Ossner Thomas , Schröder Agnes , Schatz Valentin , Jantsch Jonathan
Published: December 2023

Inflamed and infected tissues can display increased local sodium (Na+) levels, which can have various effects on immune cells. In macrophages, high salt (HS) leads to a Na+/Ca2+-exchanger 1 (NCX1)-dependent increase in intracellular Na+ levels. This results in augmented osmoprotective signaling and enhanced proinflammatory activation, such as enhanced expression of type 2 nitric oxide synthase and antimicrobial function. In this study, the role of elevated intracellular Na+ levels in macrophages was investigated. Therefore, the Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) was pharmacologically inhibited with two cardiac glycosides (CGs), ouabain (OUA) and digoxin (DIG), to raise intracellular Na+ without increasing extracellular Na+ levels. Exposure to HS conditions and treatment with both inhibitors resulted in intracellular Na+ accumulation and subsequent phosphorylation of p38/MAPK. The CGs had different effects on intracellular Ca2+ and K+ compared to HS stimulation. Moreover, the osmoprotective transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) was not upregulated on RNA and protein levels upon OUA and DIG treatment. Accordingly, OUA and DIG did not boost nitric oxide (NO) production and showed heterogeneous effects toward eliminating intracellular bacteria. While HS environments cause hypertonic stress and ionic perturbations, cardiac glycosides only induce the latter. Cotreatment of macrophages with OUA and non-ionic osmolyte mannitol (MAN) partially mimicked the HS-boosted antimicrobial macrophage activity. These findings suggest that intracellular Na+ accumulation and hypertonic stress are required but not sufficient to mimic boosted macrophage function induced by increased extracellular sodium availability.
The Burden of Yellow Fever on Migrating Humans through The Darién Gap, Adjacent Communities, and Primates’ Biodiversity
Authors: Simon Sabrina , Amaku Marcos , Massad Eduardo
Published: December 2023

Given the ongoing migratory crisis in Latin America, we aimed to assess the relationship between human mobility and the spread of yellow fever (YF) in the Darién Gap forest. We investigated how the time taken to cross the forest affects the burden of a potential YF outbreak on people migrating through the forest, the burden on adjacent communities, and the risk to primate biodiversity. Using an SEIR-SEI deterministic compartmental model for humans, monkeys, and vectors, and numerical simulations, we considered the time taken to cross the forest as a measure of exposure. If an outbreak occurs, over 23,000 human cases are projected, with approximately 19,000 infected individuals leaving the forest. Monkeys would also be significantly affected, with the number of human deaths being determined by monkey-related parameters. The pace of crossing the forest is strongly related to the number of exposed and active cases leaving the forest. Panamanian communities must receive support to prepare themselves to protect residents and thousands of people arriving in their territory daily. It would also impact the non-human primate community within the forest, preventing a YF outbreak. This reinforces the importance of a planetary health perspective which reinforces the mutual benefits and connections between efforts to protect human health and conserve biodiversity.
Modeling the Dynamic Properties of the Polyurethane Mixture with Dense Gradation Using the 2S2P1D Model
Authors: Zhao Haisheng , Gao Wenbin , Cui Shiping , Li Zhen , Zhang Peiyu , Wang Lin , Zhang Wensheng , Su Chunhua , Ma Shijie
Published: December 2023

The polyurethane (PU) mixture is a zero-emission and high-performance engineering mixture that could replace traditional asphalt mixtures for pavement paving. This paper investigated the feasibility of using the 2S2P1D model to characterize the linear viscoelastic (LVE) properties of the PU mixture in comparison to the styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt mixture with identical aggregate gradation and binder content. The PU mixture showed higher prediction precision for dynamic modulus and lower prediction precision for phase angle compared to the SBS-modified asphalt mixture. The seven constants of the 2S2P1D model for the PU mixture differed significantly from those of the SBS-modified asphalt mixture. The PU mixture exhibited higher elastic properties and lower creep properties, but the viscous properties represented by the index of η were different from the loss dynamic modulus, which reflected the mixture’s viscous properties. The index η cannot accurately characterize the viscous properties of the PU mixture. The 2S2P1D model exhibited a higher prediction accuracy than the Sigmoidal Christensen Anderson and Marasteanu (SCM) model and could accurately simulate the LVE properties of the PU- and SBS-modified asphalt mixtures. However, the 2S2P1D model should enhance the creep and dashpot elements to provide a more accurate characterization of the properties of the PU mixture.
Structural Transition in the Growth of Copper Terephthalate Metal–Organic Frameworks: Understanding the Effect of the Synthetic Protocol and Its Impact on Electrochemical Behavior
Authors: Rodríguez Sara L. , Ortega-Moreno Gabriela A. , Sánchez-Sánchez Manuel , Fernández José L. , Zamaro Juan M.
Published: December 2023

Some copper-based metal–organic frameworks show promise for use as electrocatalysts because they allow for an electrode configuration in which copper species with redox and electron-conducting properties are immobilized in a three-dimensional arrangement. This work shows that the synthesis of copper terephthalates (Cu-BDCs) can lead to rigid structures of the copper hydroxyterephthalate-type or flexible structures that are isoreticular to the MOF-2 type, depending solely on the synthesis route. Here, a detailed analysis of the syntheses of the crystals is carried out employing protocols with different solvents as well as conventional or microwave-assisted solvothermal methods. All solids were fully characterized by a combination of characterization techniques, such as FE-SEM, T-XRD, TGA, and FTIR, and their electrochemical redox responses were also evaluated by cyclic voltammetry. A correlation between the Cu-BDCs structures and their electrochemical behaviors was established and a new version of an electroactive copper hydroxyterephthalate was synthesized by a microwave method in 3 h with a dimethylformamide-free protocol. This Cu-BDC was obtained as dispersed nanoflakes with a high amount of copper sites and the capacity to be reversibly electroreduced-oxidized and showed catalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).
Performance Comparison of Directed Acyclic Graph-Based Distributed Ledgers and Blockchain Platforms
Authors: Kahmann Felix , Honecker Fabian , Dreyer Julian , Fischer Marten , Tönjes Ralf
Published: December 2023

Since the introduction of the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, in 2008, the gain in popularity of distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) has led to an increasing demand and, consequently, a larger number of network participants in general. Scaling blockchain-based solutions to cope with several thousand transactions per second or with a growing number of nodes has always been a desirable goal for most developers. Enabling these performance metrics can lead to further acceptance of DLTs and even faster systems in general. With the introduction of directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) as the underlying data structure to store the transactions within the distributed ledger, major performance gains have been achieved. In this article, we review the most prominent directed acyclic graph platforms and evaluate their key performance indicators in terms of transaction throughput and network latency. The evaluation aims to show whether the theoretically improved scalability of DAGs also applies in practice. For this, we set up multiple test networks for each DAG and blockchain framework and conducted broad performance measurements to have a mutual basis for comparison between the different solutions. Using the transactions per second numbers of each technology, we created a side-by-side evaluation that allows for a direct scalability estimation of the systems. Our findings support the fact that, due to their internal, more parallelly oriented data structure, DAG-based solutions offer significantly higher transaction throughput in comparison to blockchain-based platforms. Although, due to their relatively early maturity state, fully DAG-based platforms need to further evolve in their feature set to reach the same level of programmability and spread as modern blockchain platforms. With our findings at hand, developers of modern digital storage systems are able to reasonably determine whether to use a DAG-based distributed ledger technology solution in their production environment, i.e., replacing a database system with a DAG platform. Furthermore, we provide two real-world application scenarios, one being smart grid communication and the other originating from trusted supply chain management, that benefit from the introduction of DAG-based technologies.
Seasonal and Interannual Variability in the Phenolic Content of the Seagrass Nanozostera noltei: Characterization of Suitable Candidates for the Monitoring of Seagrass Health
Authors: Grignon-Dubois Micheline , Rezzonico Bernadette
Published: December 2023

Developing early warning indicators to accurately detect ecosystem disturbances is vital for enhancing ecosystem management. The seasonal and interannual variability of the phenolic content of Nanozostera noltei from Arcachon Bay, France, was explored over 47 consecutive months to identify suitable early indicators of the state of seagrass beds. Five phenolic acid derivatives and eight flavonoids were fully characterized using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques; a caffeic tetramer was described for the first time as a metabolite of N. noltei and of the genus Nanozostera. The individual phenolic concentrations in each of the 47 collections were determined by quantitative HPLC and analyzed as a function of year and season. The variability of the phenolic content in the rhizomes of N. noltei from Arcachon Bay was also determined over one year, as well as rhizomes of N. noltei from three other locations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean for comparison purposes. In addition, the phenolic fingerprints of Z. marina rhizomes were also characterized for the first time. The results show that leaf phenolic chemistry could be used to signify changes in the ecological health of N. noltei. In particular, it appears that diosmetin 7-sulfate, rosmarinic acid and zosteranoic acid could be reliable and easy-to-use indicators for monitoring N. noltei meadows. From a phytochemical point of view, this work is the first report of zosteranoic acid in the leaves and the rhizomes of N. noltei and in the rhizomes of Z. marina.
Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis: How to Differentiate Carriers and Patients Using Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography
Authors: Di Lisi Daniela , Brighina Filippo , Manno Girolamo , Comparato Francesco , Di Stefano Vincenzo , Macaione Francesca , Damerino Giuseppe , Di Caccamo Leandro , Cannizzo Noemi , Ortello Antonella , Galassi Alfredo R. , Novo Giuseppina
Published: December 2023

Background: Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by transthyretin (TTR) gene mutations. The aim of our study was to identify early signs of cardiac involvement in patients with a TTR gene mutation in order to differentiate carriers from patients with neurological or cardiac disease. Methods: A case–control study was carried out on 31 subjects with the TTR mutation. Patients were divided into three groups: 23% with cardiac amyloidosis and polyneuropathy (group A), 42% with only polyneuropathy (group B) and 35% carriers (group C). Speckle-tracking echocardiography (left-ventricular global longitudinal strain—GLS, atrial stiffness) was performed in all patients. The apical/basal longitudinal strain ratio (SAB) and relative apical sparing (RAS) were assessed in all subjects. Results: Analyzing groups C and B, we only found a significant difference in the SAB (p-value 0.001) and RAS (p-value 0.039). These parameters were significantly more impaired in group A compared to group B (SAB p-value 0.008; RAS p-value 0.002). Also, atrial stiffness was significantly impaired in groups A and B compared to group C. Conclusions: Our study suggests the diagnostic role of the SAB and RAS in cardiac amyloidosis. The SAB and RAS showed a gradual increase from carriers to patients with neurological and cardiac diseases. Thus, these parameters, in addition to atrial stiffness, could be used to monitor carriers. More extensive data are needed.
Association between Asthma and Periodontitis
Authors: Park Sung Joon , Jung Hahn Jin , Park Min Woo , Choi Hyo Geun , Kim Heejin , Wee Jee Hye
Published: December 2023

The current study aimed to investigate the association between asthma and periodontitis in the Korean adult population. Data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study Health Examinees between 2004 and 2016 were considered. Of the 173,209 participants, 2521 asthmatic and 132,806 control participants were selected. The participants were categorized according to their current status of asthma, as ‘well-controlled’, ‘being treated’, and ‘not being treated’. The prevalence of periodontitis was found to be significantly higher in the participants with asthma (13.1%) than in the controls (7.3%). In the fully adjusted model, the patients with asthma had a higher odds ratio (OR = 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.59–2.02, p < 0.001) for periodontitis than those without asthma. The results were consistent across all the age and sex subgroups. The adjusted ORs for periodontitis were 2.15 (95% CI = 1.68–2.76, p < 0.001) in the ‘well-controlled’ asthma group, 1.44 (95% CI = 1.16–1.78, p < 0.001) in the ‘being treated’ asthma group, and 1.86 (95% CI = 1.55–2.22, p < 0.001) in the ’not being treated’ asthma group compared to the control group. Overall, we found asthma to be associated with periodontitis in Korean adults, and the participants with well-controlled asthma had the highest ORs for periodontitis.
A Critical Analysis of the Robustness of Radiomics to Variations in Segmentation Methods in 18F-PSMA-1007 PET Images of Patients Affected by Prostate Cancer
Authors: Pasini Giovanni , Russo Giorgio , Mantarro Cristina , Bini Fabiano , Richiusa Selene , Morgante Lucrezia , Comelli Albert , Russo Giorgio , Sabini Maria , Cosentino Sebastiano , Marinozzi Franco , Ippolito Massimo , Stefano Alessandro
Published: December 2023

Background: Radiomics shows promising results in supporting the clinical decision process, and much effort has been put into its standardization, thus leading to the Imaging Biomarker Standardization Initiative (IBSI), that established how radiomics features should be computed. However, radiomics still lacks standardization and many factors, such as segmentation methods, limit study reproducibility and robustness. Aim: We investigated the impact that three different segmentation methods (manual, thresholding and region growing) have on radiomics features extracted from 18F-PSMA-1007 Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images of 78 patients (43 Low Risk, 35 High Risk). Segmentation was repeated for each patient, thus leading to three datasets of segmentations. Then, feature extraction was performed for each dataset, and 1781 features (107 original, 930 Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) features, 744 wavelet features) were extracted. Feature robustness and reproducibility were assessed through the intra class correlation coefficient (ICC) to measure agreement between the three segmentation methods. To assess the impact that the three methods had on machine learning models, feature selection was performed through a hybrid descriptive-inferential method, and selected features were given as input to three classifiers, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Random Forest (RF), AdaBoost and Neural Networks (NN), whose performance in discriminating between low-risk and high-risk patients have been validated through 30 times repeated five-fold cross validation. Conclusions: Our study showed that segmentation methods influence radiomics features and that Shape features were the least reproducible (average ICC: 0.27), while GLCM features the most reproducible. Moreover, feature reproducibility changed depending on segmentation type, resulting in 51.18% of LoG features exhibiting excellent reproducibility (range average ICC: 0.68–0.87) and 47.85% of wavelet features exhibiting poor reproducibility that varied between wavelet sub-bands (range average ICC: 0.34–0.80) and resulted in the LLL band showing the highest average ICC (0.80). Finally, model performance showed that region growing led to the highest accuracy (74.49%), improved sensitivity (84.38%) and AUC (79.20%) in contrast with manual segmentation.
Securing the Future: A Resourceful Jamming Detection Method Utilizing the EVM Metric for Next-Generation Communication Systems
Authors: Örnek Cem , Kartal Mesut
Published: December 2023

This paper addresses the escalating threat of malicious jamming in next-generation communication systems, propelled by their continuous advancement in speed, latency, and connectivity. Recognizing the imperative for communication security, we propose an efficient jamming detection method with distinct innovations and contributions. Motivated by the growing sophistication of jamming techniques, we advocate the adoption of the error vector magnitude (EVM) metric, measured in IQ symbols, deviating from traditional received signal strength and bit error rate-based measurements. Our method achieves enhanced jamming detection sensitivity, surpassing existing approaches. Furthermore, it introduces low complexity, ensuring resource-effective detection. Crucially, our approach provides vital jammer frequency information, enhancing counteraction capabilities against jamming attacks. It demonstrates stable results against varying system parameters, such as modulation type and code rate, thereby contributing to adaptability. Emphasizing practicality, the method seamlessly integrates into 5G and LTE systems without imposing additional overhead. Versatility is demonstrated through successful operations in diverse scenarios that are run by extended simulation conditions. Theoretical analysis substantiates these advantages, reinforcing the validity of our methodology. The study’s success is further validated through laboratory experiments, providing empirical evidence of its effectiveness. The proposed method represents a significant step toward fortifying next-generation communication systems against evolving jamming threats.
A Framework Integrating Augmented Reality and Wearable Sensors for the Autonomous Execution of Rehabilitation Exercises
Authors: Rizzi Jacopo , D’Antona Andrea , Proto Antonino , Piva Giovanni , Lamberti Nicola , Bonfè Marcello , Farsoni Saverio
Published: December 2023

Despite the resolution of pathology at admission, many hospitalized patients are discharged in a worse functional state, particularly in terms of walking capabilities, due to hospitalization inactivity. Early interventions to maintain the functional state through exercise such as passive mobilization, executed during hospitalization, have been proven to be effective in preventing physical and cognitive decline. Unfortunately, many patients can be excluded from such treatments due to the high number of people hospitalized and the limited availability of healthcare personnel. This paper presents a framework that allows the patient to autonomously perform the exercises without the assistance of qualified personnel. Such a framework exploits the advantages of an Augmented Reality (AR) device in which the patient can visualize real-time instructions on the exercises and directions on their execution. The monitoring of the patient’s movements during exercise is accomplished by means of dedicated wearable sensors fixed to the patient’s limb. The system was tested in preliminary experiments on healthy people.
DRL-Based Computation Offloading and Resource Allocation in Green MEC-Enabled Maritime-IoT Networks
Authors: Wei Ze , He Rongxi , Li Yunuo , Song Chengzhi
Published: December 2023

The maritime Internet of Things (MIoT), a maritime version of the Internet of Things (IoT), is envisioned as a promising solution that can provide ubiquitous connectivity over land and sea. Due to the rapid development of maritime activities and the maritime economy, there is a growing demand for computing-intensive and latency-sensitive maritime applications requiring various energy consumption, communication, and computation resources, posing a significant challenge to MIoT devices due to their limited computational ability and battery capacity. Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), which can handle computation tasks at the network’s edge more efficiently and with less latency, is emerging as a paradigm for fulfilling the ever-increasing demands of MIoT applications. However, the exponential increase in the number of MIoT devices has increased the system’s energy consumption, resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions and a negative impact on the environment. As a result, it is vital for MIoT networks to take traditional energy usage minimization into account. The integration of renewable energy-harvesting capabilities into base stations or MIoT devices possesses the potential to reduce grid energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, making an effective decision regarding task offloading and resource allocation is crucial for maximizing the utilization of the system’s potential resources and minimizing carbon emissions. In this paper, we first propose a green MEC-enabled maritime IoT network architecture to flexibly provide computing-intensive and latency-sensitive applications for MIoT users. Based on the architecture, we formulate the joint task offloading and resource allocation problem by optimizing the total system execution efficiency (including the total size of completed tasks, task execution latency, and the system’s carbon emissions) and then propose a deep-deterministic-policy-gradient-based joint optimization strategy to solve the problem, eventually obtaining an effective resolution through continuous action space learning in the changing environment. Finally, simulation results confirm that our proposal can yield good performance in system execution efficiency compared to other benchmarks; that is, it can significantly reduce the system’s carbon emissions and tasks’ delay and improve the total size of completed tasks.
An Investigation on the Effect of Watertightness Criteria on the Structural Assessment of Prestressed Concrete Substructures of Floating Wind Turbines
Authors: Oh Sho
Published: December 2023

The effect of watertightness criteria on structural assessment was investigated in this study through the design of a semi-submersible floater for a 10 MW wind turbine. A structural assessment was carried out for the ultimate, fatigue, and serviceability limit states, where six cases of combinations of the loading conditions and structural requirements were assumed for the assessment of watertightness. The different assessment conditions for watertightness resulted in different designs of prestressing tension, which also caused differences in the design margins for the ultimate limit states as well as the SN diagram used for the assessment of the fatigue limit states. The maximum stress acting on the member of the floating wind turbine differed by about 7.6 to 16.2% for the 50-year and 1-year environmental conditions. The small difference between the stresses for the two return periods can be attributed to the large component of the wind turbine thrust in the variable loads. When the partial load factor of 1.0 was used, the structural requirement in the prestressing design caused larger differences compared to the return period of the loading conditions in the watertightness assessment. The use of the partial load factor of 0.5 for the prestressing design also caused a large difference in the results of the structural assessment, indicating the necessity of further investigation of the determination of the partial load factor for floating offshore wind turbines.
Efficiency-Driven Iterative Model for Underwater Compressed Air Energy Storage (UW-CAES)
Authors: Cacciali Luca , Battisti Lorenzo , Occello Davide
Published: December 2023

The competitiveness of large-scale offshore wind parks is influenced by the intermittent power generation of wind turbines, which impacts network service costs such as reserve requirements, capacity credit, and system inertia. Buffer power plants smooth the peaks in power generation, distribute electric power when the wind is absent or insufficient, and improve the capacity factor of wind parks and their profitability. By substituting the variable pressure storage with an underwater variable volume air reservoir and reducing the wastage of compression heat using liquid Thermal Energy Storage (TES), which eliminates the combustor, the plant design allows overcoming the most common drawbacks of CAES plants. Underwater Compressed Air Energy Storage (UW-CAES) plants are investigated with a thermodynamic model to drive the power plant design toward efficiency maximization. Functional maps, constrained on the plant pressure ratio and the number of compressor/turbine phases with inter-refrigerated/inter-heating phases, are drawn by solving the model iteratively for the heat exchangers’ effectiveness to meet the target turbine discharge temperature, selected in advance to avoid unfeasible mathematical solutions.