bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Building Façade Retrofit with Solar Passive Technologies: A Literature Review
Authors: Brito-Coimbra Sara , Aelenei Daniel , Gloria Gomes Maria , Moret Rodrigues Antonio
Published: March 2021

Worldwide, buildings have been presented as one of the main energy consumers and, for that matter, there is an increased tendency to invest in policies and measures that promote more efficient buildings. Among the chosen strategies, the need to promote the use of passive solutions and retrofit the existing building stock is often pointed out. Portuguese building stock has proven to be obsolete in terms of thermal comfort, which can directly affect the energy demand for climatization purposes. Considering the great solar availability in the country, when compared to other European locations, building retrofit with solar passive technologies can be a suitable solution. This paper aims to review studies on the application of solar passive technologies to retrofit façades in the Mediterranean climate context, with a special focus on Portugal. Four retrofit passive solar technologies were reviewed, namely glazing, sun shading, sunspaces and Trombe wall technologies.
Research on Optimal Charging of Power Lithium-Ion Batteries in Wide Temperature Range Based on Variable Weighting Factors
Authors: Wang Boshi , Min Haitao , Sun Weiyi , Yu Yuanbin
Published: March 2021

With the popularity of electric vehicles (EV), the charging technology has become one of the bottleneck problems that limit the large-scale deployment of EVs. In this paper, a charging method using multi-stage constant current based on SOC (MCCS) is proposed, and then the charging time, charging capacity and temperature increase of the battery are optimized by multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm. The influence of the number of charging stages, the cut-off voltage, the combination of different target weight factors and the ambient temperature on the charging strategy is further compared and discussed. Finally, according to the ambient temperature and users’ requirements of charging time, a charging strategy suitable for the specific situation is obtained by adjusting the weight factors, and the results are analyzed and justified on the basis of the experiments. The results show that the proposed strategy can intelligently make more reasonable adjustments according to the ambient temperature on the basis of meeting the charging demands of users.
Experts versus Algorithms? Optimized Fuzzy Logic Energy Management of Autonomous PV Hybrid Systems with Battery and H2 Storage
Authors: Gerlach Lisa , Bocklisch Thilo
Published: March 2021

Off-grid applications based on intermittent solar power benefit greatly from hybrid energy storage systems consisting of a battery short-term and a hydrogen long-term storage path. An intelligent energy management is required to balance short-, intermediate- and long-term fluctuations in electricity demand and supply, while maximizing system efficiency and minimizing component stress. An energy management was developed that combines the benefits of an expert-knowledge based fuzzy logic approach with a metaheuristic particle swarm optimization. Unlike in most existing work, interpretability of the optimized fuzzy logic controller is maintained, allowing the expert to evaluate and adjust it if deemed necessary. The energy management was tested with 65 1-year household load datasets. It was shown that the expert tuned controller is more robust to changes in load pattern then the optimized controller. However, simple readjustments restore robustness, while largely retaining the benefits achieved through optimization. Nevertheless, it was demonstrated that there is no one-size-fits-all tuning. Especially, large power peaks on the demand-side require overly conservative tunings. This is not desirable in situations where such peaks can be avoided through other means.
Experimentally Verified Flow Distribution Model for a Composite Modelling System
Authors: Fialová Dominika Babička , Jegla Zdeněk
Published: March 2021

Requirements of modern process and power technologies for compact and highly efficient equipment for transferring large heat fluxes lead to designing these apparatuses as dense parallel flow systems, ranging from conventional to minichannel dimensions according to the specific industrial application. To avoid operating issues in such complex equipment, it is vital to identify not only the local distribution of heat flux in individual parts of the heat transfer surface but also the uniformity of fluid flow distribution inside individual parallel channels of the flow system. A composite modelling system is currently being developed for accurate design of such complex heat transfer equipment. The modeling approach requires a flow distribution model enabling to yield accurate-enough predictions in reasonable time frames. The paper presents the results of complex experimental and modeling investigation of fluid flow distribution in dividing headers of tubular-type equipment. Different modeling approaches were examined on a set of header geometries. Predictions obtained via analytical and numerical models were validated using data from the experiments conducted on additively manufactured header samples. Two case studies employing parallel flow systems (mini-scale systems and a conventional-size heat exchanger) demonstrated the applicability of the distribution model and the accuracy of the composite modelling system.
Model-Based Analysis of Flow Separation Control in a Curved Diffuser by a Vibration Wall
Authors: Lu Weiyu , Fu Xin , Wang Jinchun , Zou Yuanchi
Published: March 2021

Vibration wall control is an important active flow control technique studied by many researchers. Although current researches have shown that the control performance is greatly affected by the frequency and amplitude of the vibration wall, the mechanism hiding behind the phenomena is still not clear, due to the complex interaction between the vibration wall and flow separation. To reveal the control mechanism of vibration walls, we propose a simplified model to help us understand the interaction between the forced excitation (from the vibration wall) and self-excitation (from flow instability). The simplified model can explain vibration wall flow control behaviors obtained by numerical simulation, which show that the control performance will be optimized at a certain reduced vibration frequency or amplitude. Also, it is shown by the analysis of maximal Lyapunov exponents that the vibration wall is able to change the flow field from a disordered one into an ordered one. Consistent with these phenomena and bringing more physical insight, the simplified model implies that the tuned vibration frequency and amplitude will lock in the unsteady flow separation, promote momentum transfer from the main stream to the separation zone, and make the flow field more orderly and less chaotic, resulting in a reduction of flow loss.
Determination of Fuel Properties of Char Obtained during the Pyrolysis of Waste Pharmaceutical Blisters
Authors: Pikoń Krzysztof , Ścierski Waldemar , Klejnowska Katarzyna , Myćka Łukasz , Janoszka Anna , Sinek Aleksander
Published: March 2021

The research presented in this manuscript is focused on the pyrolysis of waste pharmaceutical blisters, which are a large and neglected group of waste, that could be possibly recovered. The studies were focused on the analysis of the chemical composition, as well as fuel properties of the char generated during the process and its possible applications. The process temperatures (400, 425, and 450 °C) were determined based on the thermogravimetric study that was performed prior to the pyrolysis tests. The selected materials included the pre- and post-consumer waste pharmaceutical blisters in order to determine the possible influence of impurities on the final products. The tests were performed on a laboratory scale fixed bed reactor. The obtained solid fractions (metal and char) were separated. Char was subjected to elemental analysis (C, H, N, Cl, S), as well as the heat of combustion and fuel-related properties (content of flammable, non-flammable, and volatile components) were determined. The results were used to compare the properties of char to the properties of active carbon. The market potential was analyzed.
Micropolar Blood Flow in a Magnetic Field
Authors: Bourantas George C.
Published: March 2021

In this paper we numerically solve a flow model for the micropolar biomagnetic flow (blood flow) in a magnetic field. In the proposed model we account for both electrical and magnetic properties of the biofluid and we investigate the role of microrotation on the flow regime. The flow domain is in a channel with an unsymmetrical single stenosis, and in a channel with irregular multi-stenoses. The mathematical flow model consists of the Navier–Stokes (N–S) equations expressed in their velocity–vorticity (u–ω) variables including the energy and microrotation transport equation. The governing equations are solved by using the strong form meshless point collocation method. We compute the spatial derivatives of the unknown field functions using the discretization correction particle strength exchange (DC PSE) method. We demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed scheme by comparing the numerical results obtained with those computed using the finite element method.
Diagnostic Delay in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Yu-Tung , Lu Tsung-Hsueh , Chou Pi-Ling , Weng Meng-Yu
Published: March 2021

The diagnosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) can be challenging because the cardinal sicca syndromes may be subjective and subclinical. Diagnostic delay is common among patients with pSS. The aim of this study was to assess the time of lag between the onset of sicca symptoms and a subsequent diagnosis of pSS. We used population-based data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) claims directory spanning up to 6 years between 2006 and 2011. All NHI-covered patients receiving a first-time approved catastrophic illness certificate (CIC) for pSS in 2011 were included; their sicca symptoms and utilization of medical resources were then traced retrospectively over five years to 2006. The time of lag was identified by observing the onset of sicca symptoms, a diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome, and the related claim for CIC. A total of 1970 pSS patients were included in this study. The median time of lag between the onset of sicca symptoms and pSS diagnosis was 115 weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 27–205), and between pSS diagnosis and approval of CIC, was 6 (IQR 2–37) weeks. During the time of lag between sicca symptoms, diagnosis, and approval of a CIC for pSS, the median numbers of outpatient visits were 3 (IQR 1–8) and 3 (IQR 2–7), respectively. These numbers were higher in female and elderly groups. Patients experience a significant diagnostic delay of pSS and in the initiation of regular follow-up care. Targeted guardian programs or public health interventions are required to inform symptom interpretation and reduce delays.
Effect of 8-Day Fasting on Leukocytes Expression of Genes and Proteins Involved in Iron Metabolism in Healthy Men
Authors: Borkowska Andżelika , Tomczyk Maja , Żychowska Małgorzata , Pilis Wiesław , Zych Michał , Antosiewicz Jędrzej
Published: March 2021

The popularity of fasting and restricted food intake is increasing. While the body’s adaptability to dietary insufficiency is crucial for health, molecular mechanisms of adaptive changes are not well understood. Here, we compared the effects of fasting and exercise on the expression of leukocyte genes and proteins involved in the storage, export, and acquisition of iron, an essential element with physiological roles. Healthy men participated in the study (age, 30–70 years; body weight, 60–100 kg; body mass index, 20–29.9 kg/m2). The participants performed an exercise test with a gradually increasing intensity until the individual maximum exercise capacity was reached, before and after 8-d fast. Blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and 3 h after exercise. Gene expression was analyzed by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and protein levels were analyzed by immunobloting. Eight days of total starvation diet affected the body composition and decreased exercise capacity. Further, fasting decreased the expression of genes associated with iron storage and export, and increased the expression of genes involved in iron acquisition. Conversely, only PCBP2 protein increased after fasting; however, an upward trend was apparent for all proteins. In conclusion, the body adapts to starvation by adjusting iron economy.
Nox2 Inhibition Regulates Stress Response and Mitigates Skeletal Muscle Fiber Atrophy during Simulated Microgravity
Authors: Lawler John M. , Hord Jeffrey M. , Ryan Pat , Holly Dylan , Janini Gomes Mariana , Rodriguez Dinah , Guzzoni Vinicius , Garcia-Villatoro Erika , Green Chase , Lee Yang , Little Sarah , Garcia Marcela , Hill Lorrie , Brooks Mary-Catherine , Lawler Matthew S. , Keys Nicolette , Mohajeri Amin , Kamal Khaled Y.
Published: March 2021

Insufficient stress response and elevated oxidative stress can contribute to skeletal muscle atrophy during mechanical unloading (e.g., spaceflight and bedrest). Perturbations in heat shock proteins (e.g., HSP70), antioxidant enzymes, and sarcolemmal neuronal nitric oxidase synthase (nNOS) have been linked to unloading-induced atrophy. We recently discovered that the sarcolemmal NADPH oxidase-2 complex (Nox2) is elevated during unloading, downstream of angiotensin II receptor 1, and concomitant with atrophy. Here, we hypothesized that peptidyl inhibition of Nox2 would attenuate disruption of HSP70, MnSOD, and sarcolemmal nNOS during unloading, and thus muscle fiber atrophy. F344 rats were divided into control (CON), hindlimb unloaded (HU), and hindlimb unloaded +7.5 mg/kg/day gp91ds-tat (HUG) groups. Unloading-induced elevation of the Nox2 subunit p67phox-positive staining was mitigated by gp91ds-tat. HSP70 protein abundance was significantly lower in HU muscles, but not HUG. MnSOD decreased with unloading; however, MnSOD was not rescued by gp91ds-tat. In contrast, Nox2 inhibition protected against unloading suppression of the antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2. nNOS bioactivity was reduced by HU, an effect abrogated by Nox2 inhibition. Unloading-induced soleus fiber atrophy was significantly attenuated by gp91ds-tat. These data establish a causal role for Nox2 in unloading-induced muscle atrophy, linked to preservation of HSP70, Nrf2, and sarcolemmal nNOS.
The Multifunctional Sactipeptide Ruminococcin C1 Displays Potent Antibacterial Activity In Vivo as Well as Other Beneficial Properties for Human Health
Authors: Roblin Clarisse , Chiumento Steve , Jacqueline Cédric , Pinloche Eric , Nicoletti Cendrine , Olleik Hamza , Courvoisier-Dezord Elise , Amouric Agnès , Basset Christian , Dru Louis , Ollivier Marie , Bogey-Lambert Aurélie , Vidal Nicolas , Atta Mohamed , Maresca Marc , Devillard Estelle , Duarte Victor , Perrier Josette , Lafond Mickael
Published: March 2021

The world is on the verge of a major antibiotic crisis as the emergence of resistant bacteria is increasing, and very few novel molecules have been discovered since the 1960s. In this context, scientists have been exploring alternatives to conventional antibiotics, such as ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Interestingly, the highly potent in vitro antibacterial activity and safety of ruminococcin C1, a recently discovered RiPP belonging to the sactipeptide subclass, has been demonstrated. The present results show that ruminococcin C1 is efficient at curing infection and at protecting challenged mice from Clostridium perfringens with a lower dose than the conventional antibiotic vancomycin. Moreover, antimicrobial peptide (AMP) is also effective against this pathogen in the complex microbial community of the gut environment, with a selective impact on a few bacterial genera, while maintaining a global homeostasis of the microbiome. In addition, ruminococcin C1 exhibits other biological activities that could be beneficial for human health, as well as other fields of applications. Overall, this study, by using an in vivo infection approach, confirms the antimicrobial clinical potential and highlights the multiple functional properties of ruminococcin C1, thus extending its therapeutic interest.
Argon Attenuates Multiorgan Failure in Relation with HMGB1 Inhibition
Authors: de Roux Quentin , Lidouren Fanny , Kudela Agathe , Slassi Lina , Kohlhauer Matthias , Boissady Emilie , Chalopin Matthieu , Farjot Géraldine , Billoet Catherine , Bruneval Patrick , Ghaleh Bijan , Mongardon Nicolas , Tissier Renaud
Published: March 2021

Argon inhalation attenuates multiorgan failure (MOF) after experimental ischemic injury. We hypothesized that this protection could involve decreased High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) systemic release. We investigated this issue in an animal model of MOF induced by aortic cross-clamping. Anesthetized rabbits were submitted to supra-coeliac aortic cross-clamping for 30 min, followed by 300 min of reperfusion. They were randomly divided into three groups (n = 7/group). The Control group inhaled nitrogen (70%) and oxygen (30%). The Argon group was exposed to a mixture of argon (70%) and oxygen (30%). The last group inhaled nitrogen/oxygen (70/30%) with an administration of the HMGB1 inhibitor glycyrrhizin (4 mg/kg i.v.) 5 min before aortic unclamping. At the end of follow-up, cardiac output was significantly higher in Argon and Glycyrrhizin vs. Control (60 ± 4 and 49 ± 4 vs. 33 ± 8 mL/kg/min, respectively). Metabolic acidosis was attenuated in Argon and Glycyrrhizin vs. Control, along with reduced amount of norepinephrine to reverse arterial hypotension. This was associated with reduced interleukin-6 and HMGB1 plasma concentration in Argon and Glycyrrhizin vs. Control. End-organ damages were also attenuated in the liver and kidney in Argon and Glycyrrhizin vs. Control, respectively. Argon inhalation reduced HMGB1 blood level after experimental aortic cross-clamping and provided similar benefits to direct HMGB1 inhibition.
A Review of Ex Vivo X-ray Microfocus Computed Tomography-Based Characterization of the Cardiovascular System
Authors: Leyssens Lisa , Pestiaux Camille , Kerckhofs Greet
Published: March 2021

Cardiovascular malformations and diseases are common but complex and often not yet fully understood. To better understand the effects of structural and microstructural changes of the heart and the vasculature on their proper functioning, a detailed characterization of the microstructure is crucial. In vivo imaging approaches are noninvasive and allow visualizing the heart and the vasculature in 3D. However, their spatial image resolution is often too limited for microstructural analyses, and hence, ex vivo imaging is preferred for this purpose. Ex vivo X-ray microfocus computed tomography (microCT) is a rapidly emerging high-resolution 3D structural imaging technique often used for the assessment of calcified tissues. Contrast-enhanced microCT (CE-CT) or phase-contrast microCT (PC-CT) improve this technique by additionally allowing the distinction of different low X-ray-absorbing soft tissues. In this review, we present the strengths of ex vivo microCT, CE-CT and PC-CT for quantitative 3D imaging of the structure and/or microstructure of the heart, the vasculature and their substructures in healthy and diseased state. We also discuss their current limitations, mainly with regard to the contrasting methods and the tissue preparation.
Characterisation of Novel Angiogenic and Potent Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Micro-Fragmented Adipose Tissue
Authors: Guo Baoqiang , Sawkulycz Xenia , Heidari Nima , Rogers Ralph , Liu Donghui , Slevin Mark
Published: March 2021

Adipose tissue and more specifically micro-fragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) obtained from liposuction has recently been shown to possess interesting medicinal properties whereby its application supports pain reduction and may enhance tissue regeneration particularly in osteoarthritis. Here we have characterised samples of MFAT produced using the Lipogems® International Spa system from eight volunteer individuals in order to understand the critical biological mechanisms through which they act. A variation was found in the MFAT cluster size between individual samples and this translated into a similar variation in the ability of purified mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to form colony-forming units. Almost all of the isolated cells were CD105/CD90/CD45+ indicating stemness. An analysis of the secretions of cytokines from MFAT samples in a culture using targeted arrays and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed a long-term specific and significant expression of proteins associated with anti-inflammation (e.g., interleukin-1 receptor alpha (Il-1Rα) antagonist), pro-regeneration (e.g., hepatocyte growth factor), anti-scarring and pro-angiogenesis (e.g., transforming growth factor beta 1 and 2 (TGFβ1/2) and anti-bacterial (e.g., chemokine C-X-C motif ligand-9 (CXCL-9). Angiogenesis and angiogenic signalling were notably increased in primary bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) to a different extent in each individual sample of the conditioned medium whilst a direct capacity of the conditioned medium to block inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharides was shown. This work characterises the biological mechanisms through which a strong, long-lasting, and potentially beneficial effect can be observed regarding pain reduction, protection and regeneration in osteoarthritic joints treated with MFAT.
Conformational Heterogeneity and Cooperative Effects of Mammalian ALOX15
Authors: Ivanov Igor , Cruz Alejandro , Zhuravlev Alexander , Di Venere Almerinda , Nicolai Eleonora , Stehling Sabine , Lluch José , González-Lafont Àngels , Kuhn Hartmut
Published: March 2021

Arachidonic acid lipoxygenases (ALOXs) have been suggested to function as monomeric enzymes, but more recent data on rabbit ALOX15 indicated that there is a dynamic monomer-dimer equilibrium in aqueous solution. In the presence of an active site ligand (the ALOX15 inhibitor RS7) rabbit ALOX15 was crystalized as heterodimer and the X-ray coordinates of the two monomers within the dimer exhibit subtle structural differences. Using native polyacrylamide electrophoresis, we here observed that highly purified and predominantly monomeric rabbit ALOX15 and human ALOX15B are present in two conformers with distinct electrophoretic mobilities. In silico docking studies, molecular dynamics simulations, site directed mutagenesis experiments and kinetic measurements suggested that in aqueous solutions the two enzymes exhibit motional flexibility, which may impact the enzymatic properties.
Comparative Study of the Reinforcement Type Effect on the Thermomechanical Properties and Burning of Epoxy-Based Composites
Authors: Salasinska Kamila , Barczewski Mateusz , Aniśko Joanna , Hejna Aleksander , Celiński Maciej
Published: March 2021

Aramid (AF), glass (GF), carbon (CF), basalt (BF), and flax (FF) fibers in the form of fabrics were used to produce the composites by hand-lay up method. The use of fabrics of similar grammage for composites’ manufacturing allowed for a comprehensive comparison of the properties of the final products. The most important task was to prepare a complex setup of mechanical and thermomechanical properties, supplemented by fire behavior analysis, and discuss both characteristics in their application range. The mechanical properties were investigated using tensile and flexural tests, as well as impact strength measurement. The investigation was improved by assessing thermomechanical properties under dynamic deformation conditions (dynamic mechanical–thermal analysis (DMTA)). All products were subjected to a fire test carried out using a cone calorimeter (CC).
Structural Changes and Their Implications in Foamed Flexible Polyurethane Composites Filled with Rapeseed Oil-Treated Ground Tire Rubber
Authors: Kosmela Paulina , Olszewski Adam , Zedler Łukasz , Burger Paulina , Formela Krzysztof , Hejna Aleksander
Published: March 2021

The utilization of post-consumer car tires is an essential issue from an ecological and economic point of view. One of the simplest and the least harmful methods is their material recycling resulting in ground tire rubber (GTR), which can be further applied as fillers for polymer-based composites. Nevertheless, insufficient interfacial interactions implicate the necessity of GTR modification before introduction into polymer matrices. In this study, we investigated the influence of rapeseed oil-assisted thermo-mechanical treatment of GTR using a reactive extrusion process on the processing, structure, and performance of flexible polyurethane/GTR composite foams. Applied modifications affected the processing of polyurethane systems. They caused a noticeable reduction in the average cell size of foams, which was attributed to the potential nucleating activity of solid particles and changes in surface tension caused by the presence of oil. Such an effect was especially pronounced for the waste rapeseed oil, which resulted in the highest content of closed cells. Structural changes caused by GTR modification implicated the enhancement of foams’ strength. Mechanical performance was significantly affected by the applied modifications due to the changes in glass transition temperature. Moreover, the incorporation of waste GTR particles into the polyurethane matrix noticeably improved its thermal stability.
Discrete Element Analysis of High-Pressure Zones of Sea Ice on Vertical Structures
Authors: Long Xue , Liu Lu , Liu Shewen , Ji Shunying
Published: March 2021

In cold regions, ice pressure poses a serious threat to the safe operation of ship hulls and fixed offshore platforms. In this study, a discrete element method (DEM) with bonded particles was adapted to simulate the generation and distribution of local ice pressures during the interaction between level ice and vertical structures. The strength and failure mode of simulated sea ice under uniaxial compression were consistent with the experimental results, which verifies the accuracy of the discrete element parameters. The crushing process of sea ice acting on the vertical structure simulated by the DEM was compared with the field test. The distribution of ice pressure on the contact surface was calculated, and it was found that the local ice pressure was much greater than the global ice pressure. The high-pressure zones in sea ice are mainly caused by its simultaneous destruction, and these zones are primarily distributed near the midline of the contact area of sea ice and the structure. The contact area and loading rate are the two main factors affecting the high-pressure zones. The maximum local and global ice pressures decrease with an increase in the contact area. The influence of the loading rate on the local ice pressure is caused by the change in the sea ice failure mode. When the loading rate is low, ductile failure of sea ice occurs, and the ice pressure increases with the increase in the loading rate. When the loading rate is high, brittle failure of sea ice occurs, and the ice pressure decreases with an increase in the loading rate. This DEM study of sea ice can reasonably predict the distribution of high-pressure zones on marine structures and provide a reference for the anti-ice performance design of marine structures.
Mooring-Configurations Induced Decay Motions of a Buoy
Authors: Jiang Changqing , el Moctar Ould , Schellin Thomas E.
Published: March 2021

The hydrodynamic damping of a buoy stationed with three different mooring configurations was estimated using a Navier-Stokes (NS) equations solver coupled with a dynamic mooring model. The mooring configurations comprised a catenary system, a catenary system with sub floaters, and a catenary system with sub floaters and clump weights. Systematic simulations were achieved by adopting the overset grid scheme instead of the conventional morphing grid scheme, which required regenerating the entire mesh when the buoy’s initial position changed, thereby avoiding mesh distortions and numerical instabilities. Motion decay simulations in heave, pitch, and surge were conducted with and without various mooring systems. The analyzed results comprised decaying oscillating motions, natural periods, and associated amounts of damping. The mooring systems influenced not only restoring force characteristics, but also total damping of the moored buoy, which demonstrated the importance of considering mooring-induced damping when investigating moored offshore structures.
Credit Risk Model Based on Central Bank Credit Registry Data
Authors: Doko Fisnik , Kalajdziski Slobodan , Mishkovski Igor
Published: March 2021

Data science and machine-learning techniques help banks to optimize enterprise operations, enhance risk analyses and gain competitive advantage. There is a vast amount of research in credit risk, but to our knowledge, none of them uses credit registry as a data source to model the probability of default for individual clients. The goal of this paper is to evaluate different machine-learning models to create accurate model for credit risk assessment using the data from the real credit registry dataset of the Central Bank of Republic of North Macedonia. We strongly believe that the model developed in this research will be an additional source of valuable information to commercial banks, by leveraging historical data for all the population of the country in all the commercial banks. Thus, in this research, we compare five machine-learning models to classify credit risk data, i.e., logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, support vector machines (SVM) and neural network. We evaluate the five models using different machine-learning metrics, and we propose a model based on credit registry data from the central bank with detailed methodology that can predict the credit risk based on credit history of the population in the country. Our results show that the best accuracy is achieved by using decision tree performing on imbalanced data with and without scaling, followed by random forest and linear regression.
A Magnetic Force Microscopy Study of Patterned T-Shaped Structures
Authors: Sinnecker Elis Helena de Campos Pinto , García-Martín José Miguel , Altbir Dora , D’Albuquerque e Castro José , Sinnecker João Paulo
Published: March 2021

The study of patterned magnetic elements that can sustain more than one bit of the information is an important research line for developing new routes in magnetic storage and magnetic logic devices. Previous Monte Carlo studies of T-shaped magnetic nanostructures revealed the equilibrium and evolution of magnetic states that could be found as a result of the strong configurational anisotropy of these systems. In this work, for the first time, such behavior of T-shaped magnetic nanostructures is experimentally studied. In particular, T-shaped Co nanostructures have been produced by electron beam lithography using a single step lift-off process over Si substrates. The existence of four magnetic stable states has been proven by Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) and the analysis was complemented by Micromagnetic Simulations. The results confirmed that even for what can be considered large structures, with μm sizes, such four stable magnetic states can be achieved, and therefore two magnetic bits of information can be stored. We also addressed how to write and read those bits.
First Principle Study of TiB2 (0001)/γ-Fe (111) Interfacial Strength and Heterogeneous Nucleation
Authors: Wang Qin , Bai Peikang , Zhao Zhanyong
Published: March 2021

TiB2/316L stainless steel composites were prepared by selective laser melting (SLM), and the adhesion work, interface energy and electronic structure of TiB2/γ-Fe interface in TiB2/316L stainless steel composites were investigated to explore the heterogeneous nucleation potential of γ-Fe grains on TiB2 particles using first principles. Six interface models composed of three different stacking positions and two different terminations were established. The B-terminated-top 2 site interface (“B-top 2”) was the most stable because of the largest adhesion work, smallest interfacial distances, and smallest interfacial energy. The difference charge density and partial density of states indicated that a large number of strong Fe-B covalent bonds were formed near the “B-top 2” interface, which increased the stability of interface. Fracture analysis revealed that the bonding strength of the “B-top 2” interface was higher than that of the Fe matrix, and it was difficult to fracture at the interface. The interface energy at the Ti-poor position in the “B-top 2” interface model was smaller than that of the γ-Fe/Fe melt, indicating that TiB2 had strong heterogeneous nucleation potency for γ-Fe.
Physicochemical Characterization and Simulation of the Solid–Liquid Equilibrium Phase Diagram of Terpene-Based Eutectic Solvent Systems
Authors: Abdallah Maha M. , Müller Simon , González de Castilla Andrés , Gurikov Pavel , Matias Ana A. , Bronze Maria do Rosário , Fernández Naiara
Published: March 2021

The characterization of terpene-based eutectic solvent systems is performed to describe their solid–liquid phase transitions. Physical properties are measured experimentally and compared to computed correlations for deep eutectic solvents (DES) and the percentage relative error er for the density, surface tension, and refractive index is obtained. The thermodynamic parameters, including the degradation, glass transition and crystallization temperatures, are measured using DSC and TGA. Based on these data, the solid–liquid equilibrium phase diagrams are calculated for the ideal case and predictions are made using the semi-predictive UNIFAC and the predictive COSMO RS models, the latter with two different parametrization levels. For each system, the ideal, experimental, and predicted eutectic points are obtained. The deviation from ideality is observed experimentally and using the thermodynamic models for Thymol:Borneol and Thymol:Camphor. In contrast, a negative deviation is observed only experimentally for Menthol:Borneol and Menthol:Camphor. Moreover, the chemical interactions are analyzed using FTIR and 1H-NMR to study the intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the systems.
Nanoproteomic Approach for Isolation and Identification of Potential Biomarkers in Human Urine from Adults with Normal Weight, Overweight and Obesity
Authors: Hernandez-Leon Sergio G. , Sarabia Sainz Jose Andre-i , Ramos-Clamont Montfort Gabriela , Huerta-Ocampo José Ángel , Ballesteros Martha Nydia , Guzman-Partida Ana M. , Robles-Burgueño María del Refugio , Vazquez-Moreno Luz
Published: March 2021

In this work, previously synthesized and characterized core-shell silica nanoparticles (FCSNP) functionalized with immobilized molecular bait, Cibacron blue, and a porous polymeric bis-acrylamide shell were incubated with pooled urine samples from adult women or men with normal weight, overweight or obesity for the isolation of potential biomarkers. A total of 30 individuals (15 woman and 15 men) were included. FCSNP allowed the capture of a variety of low molecular weight (LMW) proteins as evidenced by mass spectrometry (MS) and the exclusion of high molecular weight (HMW) proteins (>34 kDa) as demonstrated by SDS-PAGE and 2D SDS-PAGE. A total of 36 proteins were successfully identified by MS and homology database searching against the Homo sapiens subset of the Swiss-Prot database. Identified proteins were grouped into different clusters according to their abundance patterns. Four proteins were found only in women and five only in men, whereas 27 proteins were in urine from both genders with different abundance patterns. Based on these results, this new approach represents an alternative tool for isolation and identification of urinary biomarkers.
Identification and Quantification of Coumarins by UHPLC-MS in Arabidopsis thaliana Natural Populations
Authors: Perkowska Izabela , Siwinska Joanna , Olry Alexandre , Grosjean Jérémy , Hehn Alain , Bourgaud Frédéric , Lojkowska Ewa , Ihnatowicz Anna
Published: March 2021

Coumarins are phytochemicals occurring in the plant kingdom, which biosynthesis is induced under various stress factors. They belong to the wide class of specialized metabolites well known for their beneficial properties. Due to their high and wide biological activities, coumarins are important not only for the survival of plants in changing environmental conditions, but are of great importance in the pharmaceutical industry and are an active source for drug development. The identification of coumarins from natural sources has been reported for different plant species including a model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In our previous work, we demonstrated a presence of naturally occurring intraspecies variation in the concentrations of scopoletin and its glycoside, scopolin, the major coumarins accumulating in Arabidopsis roots. Here, we expanded this work by examining a larger group of 28 Arabidopsis natural populations (called accessions) and by extracting and analysing coumarins from two different types of tissues–roots and leaves. In the current work, by quantifying the coumarin content in plant extracts with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry analysis (UHPLC-MS), we detected a significant natural variation in the content of simple coumarins like scopoletin, umbelliferone and esculetin together with their glycosides: scopolin, skimmin and esculin, respectively. Increasing our knowledge of coumarin accumulation in Arabidopsis natural populations, might be beneficial for the future discovery of physiological mechanisms of action of various alleles involved in their biosynthesis. A better understanding of biosynthetic pathways of biologically active compounds is the prerequisite step in undertaking a metabolic engineering research.
Advances in Chitin and Chitosan Science
Authors: Fenice Massimiliano , Gorrasi Susanna
Published: March 2021

Chitin is among the most abundant natural polysaccharides [...]
Fractional Dynamics of HIV with Source Term for the Supply of New CD4+ T-Cells Depending on the Viral Load via Caputo–Fabrizio Derivative
Authors: Shah Zahir , Jan Rashid , Kumam Poom , Deebani Wejdan , Shutaywi Meshal
Published: March 2021

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a life life-threatening and serious infection caused by a virus that attacks CD4+ T-cells, which fight against infections and make a person susceptible to other diseases. It is a global public health problem with no cure; therefore, it is highly important to study and understand the intricate phenomena of HIV. In this article, we focus on the numerical study of the path-tracking damped oscillatory behavior of a model for the HIV infection of CD4+ T-cells. We formulate fractional dynamics of HIV with a source term for the supply of new CD4+ T-cells depending on the viral load via the Caputo–Fabrizio derivative. In the formulation of fractional HIV dynamics, we replaced the constant source term for the supply of new CD4+ T-cells from the thymus with a variable source term depending on the concentration of the viral load, and introduced a term that describes the incidence of the HIV infection of CD4+ T-cells. We present a novel numerical scheme for fractional view analysis of the proposed model to highlight the solution pathway of HIV. We inspect the periodic and chaotic behavior of HIV for the given values of input factors using numerical simulations.
Relationships between the Content of Phenolic Compounds and the Antioxidant Activity of Polish Honey Varieties as a Tool for Botanical Discrimination
Authors: Kędzierska-Matysek Monika , Stryjecka Małgorzata , Teter Anna , Skałecki Piotr , Domaradzki Piotr , Florek Mariusz
Published: March 2021

The study compared the content of eight phenolic acids and four flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of six Polish varietal honeys. An attempt was also made to determine the correlations between the antioxidant parameters of the honeys and their polyphenol profile using principal component analysis. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity (ABTS) and reduction capacity (FRAP) were determined spectrophotometrically, and the phenolic compounds were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The buckwheat honeys showed the strongest antioxidant activity, most likely because they had the highest concentrations of total phenols, total flavonoids, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid and chrysin. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the data showed significant relationships between the botanic origin of the honey, the total content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids and the antioxidant activity of the six Polish varietal honeys. The strongest, significant correlations were shown for parameters of antioxidant activity and TPC, TFC, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid. Analysis of four principal components (explaining 86.9% of the total variance), as a classification tool, confirmed the distinctiveness of the Polish honeys in terms of their antioxidant activity and content of phenolic compounds.
Trends in Sensors Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Witczak Piotr
Published: March 2021

Recently, the automation of processes has been widely demanded [...]
Cytokine Storm: A Suicidal Immune Response to Novel Corona Virus
Authors: Gohil Jignakumari J. , Gohil Chiragkumar J.
Published: March 2021

SARS-CoV-2 virus is responsible for the COVID-19 disease in patients. Only 15-20 % of COVID-19 patients have developed severe pulmonary symptoms and illness, which are fatal to patients. Hyper-immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus by the host’s immune system causes the release and over production of certain kinds of inflammatory mediators and cytokines. And it results in the cytokine storm. Cytokine storm produces the hyper inflammatory reaction, which deteriorates the cells and tissue. This type of immune response is host killing and suicidal response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus by the host. This suicidal response ultimately leads to lung damage, respiratory tract pneumonia, ARDS, multi-organ failure at a later stage and ultimately death. Hence, it needs to suppress the hyper-functioning of the immune system to inhibit the cytokine release and cytokine storm. Anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory drugs can be repurposed to manage the cytokine storm and hyper-immune response. Inhibition and management of the host’s suicidal immune response and cytokine storm, could be life-saving and reduce the mortality rate in COVID-19 patients.
Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Pemilihan Calon Wali Nagari Menggunakan Metode TOPSIS
Authors: Guswandi Dodi , Yanto Musli
Published: March 2021

Pemilihan calon Wali Nagari merupakan sebuah kegiatan yang dilakukan oleh masyarakat dengan melakukan aktifitas pemungutan suara untuk menentukan pemimpin dalam sebuah kenagarian yang ada di daerah. Calon Wali Nagari itu sendiri atau yang setingkat dengan kelurahan merupakan seorang yang dipercaya dalam memimpin masyarakat di suatu kawasan atau daerah. Dalam menentukan pemilihan calon wali nagari, adapun penelitian ini menggunakan sebuah konsep Sistem Pendukung keputusan (SPK) dengan metode TOPSIS. Sistem pendukung keputusan yang dibangun ini dapat memberikan rekomendasi pilihan kepada masyarakat terhadap calon Wali Nagari yang akan memimpin dimasa yang akan datang. Metode TOPSIS yang digunakan dapat melakukan sebuah perhitungan yang dimulai dengan menentukan kriteria dari variabel yang digunakan, kemudian menciptakan matrik dan dilanjutkan pada proses matriks solusi lalu pada akhirnya proses akan masuk pada tahap perangkingan hingga keluaran yang dapat merekomendasikan calon Wali Nagari yang terbaik untuk dapat memimpin masyarakatnya pada periode selanjutnya. Hasil yang didapat dalam penelitian juga memberikan sebuah model ataupun bentuk sistem yang semi tersruktur dalam penentuan calon Wali Nagari menggunakan sistem pendukung keputusan metode TOPSIS. Sehingga manfaat yang akan dapat adalah memberikan rekomendasi kemudahan bagi masyarakat untuk memilih calon Wali Nagari secara tepat dan akurat.
APPLICATION OF PROMOTION, MAP AND EXISTING TOURISM INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN SOLOK SELATAN DISTRICT USING ANDROIDJAVA PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
Authors: Marfalino Hari , Rani Larissa Navia , - Mardison , Pribadi Ichsan
Published: March 2021

The development of technology and information is felt very rapidly and this affects aspects of work that make work easier, one of which is the development of mobile technology, information media can now be made in the form of mobile applications, using mobile technology in the form of tourist applications, which provide information - information about tourism in the district of Solok Selatan, the search for tourism information in the district of Solok Selatan will be more practical to use and users can use this application wherever they are, this application can be used as a medium of knowledge about tourism in Solok Selatan district. This Solok Selatan tourist application is expected to be able to provide more knowledge about Solok Selatan tourism to the wider community, especially the people of Solok Selatan District
La Alhambra interpretada: entre la poscolonialidad y la descolonización del imaginario
Authors: González Alcantud José Antonio
Published: March 2021

La Alhambra, antiguo monumento islámico levantado entre los siglos xiii y xv en la ciudad andaluza de Granada para albergar a la corte real nazarí, ha sido privilegiado objeto de reflexión desde finales del siglo xviii para los orientalistas. Este artículo propone una lectura poscolonial y posmoderna consecuente de la Alhambra con el fin de superar precisamente el horizonte orientalista fijado de manera estereotípica sobre todo por los viajeros románticos. Para ello introduce al lector en qué significa el discurso poscolonial, y cómo la obra del arabista británico Robert Irwin, responde a esa lógica posmoderna. Se finaliza criticando la posición de éste por inconsecuentemente poscolonial al sostenerse en una jerarquía lingüística, donde la lengua inglesa tiene un lugar privilegiado, al haberse abandonado las fuentes del conocimiento locales simplemente por no expresarse en los circuitos académicos anglosajones.
Demystify Before Taking: A Conveniently De‑Romanticized View of Andalusia in Chris Stewart’s Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia
Authors: Andrés Cuevas Isabel M.ª
Published: March 2021

Chris Stewart’s account of his experiences after purchasing a farm in Andalusia, in an isolated farmhouse in the mountains adjacent to Granada, are far from the traditionally bucolic depictions of a pastoral landscape, in which the drawbacks of agricultural life become unquestionably compensated by the bliss of life in nature. Even though, as the title indicates, he seems to be a born romantic and optimist, undefeated by the inconveniences of a life without the everyday commodities of a First-World country in the twenty-first century, his memoir narrative is soon balanced by his own testimony, which provides a realistic counterbalance to Stewart’s initial idealistic portrayal of life in rustic Alpujarras. Nonetheless, as this article intends to demonstrate, it is precisely this necessary demystification of the rural setting prevailing in certain areas in Andalusia that becomes crucial for the establishment of an essential complicity with the audience, thereby trained to appreciate—and even become enthralled by—the reality of the rural surroundings which the contemporary reader can no longer envision as merely a place of “vales and hills” softly covered by “a host of golden daffodils”.