bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Method for Fault Diagnosis of Rotating Machinery
Authors: Tang Meng , Liao Yaxuan , Luo Fan , Li Xiangshun
Published: May 2022

When rotating machinery fails, the consequent vibration signal contains rich fault feature information. However, the vibration signal bears the characteristics of nonlinearity and nonstationarity, and is easily disturbed by noise, thus it may be difficult to accurately extract hidden fault features. To extract effective fault features from the collected vibration signals and improve the diagnostic accuracy of weak faults, a novel method for fault diagnosis of rotating machinery is proposed. The new method is based on Fast Iterative Filtering (FIF) and Parameter Adaptive Refined Composite Multiscale Fluctuation-based Dispersion Entropy (PARCMFDE). Firstly, the collected original vibration signal is decomposed by FIF to obtain a series of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), and the IMFs with a large correlation coefficient are selected for reconstruction. Then, a PARCMFDE is proposed for fault feature extraction, where its embedding dimension and class number are determined by Genetic Algorithm (GA). Finally, the extracted fault features are input into Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) to classify different states of rotating machinery. The experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately extract weak fault features and realize reliable fault diagnosis of rotating machinery.
Aggregate Online Brand Name Pharmacy Price Dynamics for the United States and Mexico
Authors: Fullerton Thomas M. , Fullerton Steven L.
Published: May 2022

Virtual cross-border medical tourism allows many residents in the United States to purchase brand name medicines from companies in Mexico without travelling there. Monthly economic reports indicate that the online brand name pharmaceutical product prices in Mexico are noticeably lower than the corresponding internet prices in the United States. There have been very few econometric studies on how these prices are linked and the dynamic nature of those relationships. Results in this study indicate that online medicine prices in Mexico respond very rapidly to online prices changes in the high-price market.
Speed Estimation Method of Linear Motor Extended Kalman Filter Based on Attenuation Memory
Authors: Li Zheng , Zhang Lucheng , Wang Jinsong , Sun Weisong , Wang Pengju , Guo Xiaoqiang , Sun Hexu
Published: May 2022

In allusion to the phenomenon that the extended Kalman filter is easy to diverge in the mover position estimation of permanent magnet synchronous linear motor, a linear motor extended Kalman filter speed estimation method based on attenuation memory is designed. By setting the attenuation factor, α, the extended Kalman filter is introduced to increase the weight of the latest speed data and restrain the divergence of the filter, so as to achieve a better speed tracking effect. In the simulation experiment of the sensorless control of a linear motor, the AMEKF algorithm can significantly improve the speed estimation accuracy of standard EKF, and the speed estimation error is reduced by 0.75%. At the same time, it still maintains a good speed tracking effect and good dynamic performance under variable speed and different load conditions.
Estimation of the Output Characteristic of a Photovoltaic Generator under Power Curtailment and Considering Converter Losses
Authors: Ye Donghui , Riquelme-Dominguez Jose Miguel , Martinez Sergio
Published: May 2022

Power curtailment methods contribute to the frequency stability of power systems with a high share of photovoltaic generation. This paper focuses on an online strategy that estimates the output characteristic of a photovoltaic generator while operating in power curtailment mode by using voltage and current measurements and the nonlinear least-squares curve-fitting. In contrast to previously reported methods, this work introduces an improvement consisting of the estimation of the power losses of the electronic converter that connects the photovoltaic panel with the grid. Thus, the impact of a mismatch between the dc-side and the ac-side is reduced. The procedure is tested at different power levels and with fluctuations of irradiance and temperature. The results show that the converter efficiency, expressed as an exponential function with two quadratic equations, is associated with irradiance and temperature. It is also found that the two-stage converter efficiency is mainly affected by the irradiance level when the photovoltaic system operates on the left side of the power-voltage characteristic. In contrast, the temperature level influences the converter efficiency significantly when working on the right side of the maximum power point. The estimated efficiency curves can improve the accuracy of the power curtailment method and can be used for designing the two-stage converter. The effectiveness of the proposed power curtailment method has been tested in a two-stage photovoltaic system through MATLAB/Simulink.
Receiver Analog Front-End Cascading Transimpedance Amplifier and Continuous-Time Linear Equalizer for Signals of 5 to 30 Gb/s
Authors: Challayya Naidu Pragada Venkata Satya , Lu Chih-Wen
Published: May 2022

A 5–30 Gb/s receiver analog front-end (AFE) cascading transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and continuous-time linear equalizer (CTLE) were implemented using a Taiwan Semiconductor 180 nm process. The system comprises a two-stage differential input pair CTLE, TIA, and a differential termination resistor Rm. A source-degenerated transconductance stage was adopted in the CTLE, and source follower and shunt feedback resistor stages were adopted in the TIA. The proposed CTLE could achieve high frequencies by altering the tail current with fixed degenerate capacitance CS and resistance RS. The proposed AFE achieved high bandwidth, and the use of a feedback resistor Rf and inductor Lf improved its high-frequency performance. Simulation results revealed that the CTLE can compensate for 16 dB of channel loss at a 3 GHz Nyquist frequency and can open closed eyes in a 6 Gb/s non-return-to-zero signal with a bit error rate of 0.16 × 10−12 for a 231 − 1 pseudorandom binary sequence input. The AFE could compensate for 12 dB of channel loss at a 15 GHz Nyquist frequency and can open closed eyes in a 30 Gb/s PAM4 signal from a pseudorandom binary sequence input; it consumed 27 mW of power at 1.8 V.
Determining the Effectiveness of Street Cleaning with the Use of Decision Analysis and Research on the Reduction in Chloride in Waste
Authors: Gronba-Chyła Anna , Generowicz Agnieszka , Kwaśnicki Paweł , Cycoń Dawid , Kwaśny Justyna , Grąz Katarzyna , Gaska Krzysztof , Ciuła Józef
Published: May 2022

Waste from street cleaning is usually of a fine fraction below 10 mm and varies greatly in both quantity and composition. It may be composed of chlorides, especially for that resulting during winter due to the use of street de-icing agents. Chlorides can cause the salinization of surface water and groundwater, and the salinization of soils, which in turn lead to the deterioration of water purity and a decrease in biodiversity of aquatic organisms, changes in microbiological structure, and increases in toxicity of metals. Therefore, it is very important to determine the level of salinity in stored waste and its impact on the environment. The present study was conducted in a city of about 55,000 inhabitants. The highest chloride concentrations were observed after winter in waste from street and sidewalk cleaning around the sewer gullies, amounting to 1468 mg/dm3. The lowest chloride concentration in this waste occurred in summer and amounted to 35 mg/dm3. The multi-criteria analysis indicated that the most beneficial form of street cleaning and, thus, of reductions in chloride concentration in the waste from street cleaning, would be sweeping and daily washing. The objective of this research was to determine the amount of chlorides in sweepings on an annual basis in order to determine the potential risks associated with their impact on select aspects of the environment and to evaluate the frequency of necessary cleaning for city streets, considering the effects. The methodology used was a multi-criteria evaluation, which as a decision analysis, allowed us to determine the frequency of cleaning and washing of streets, in such a way that an ecological effect is achieved with simultaneous economic efficiency.
Evaluation of Physical and Chemical Properties of Residue from Gasification of Biomass Wastes
Authors: Sieradzka Małgorzata , Mlonka-Mędrala Agata , Kalemba-Rec Izabela , Reinmöller Markus , Küster Felix , Kalawa Wojciech , Magdziarz Aneta
Published: May 2022

Thermochemical conversion of biomass waste is a high potential option for increasing usage of renewable energy sources and transferring wastes into the circular economy. This work focuses on the evaluation of the energetic and adsorption properties of solid residue (char) of the gasification process. Gasification experiments of biomass wastes (wheat straw, hay and pine sawdust) were carried out in a vertical fixed bed reactor, under a CO2 atmosphere and at various temperatures (800, 900 and 1000 °C). The analysis of the energy properties of the obtained chars included elemental and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis. TGA results indicated that the chars have properties similar to those of coal; subjected data were used to calculate key combustion parameters. As part of the analysis of adsorption properties, BET, SEM, FTIR and dynamic methanol vapor sorption tests were conducted. The specific surface area has risen from 0.42–1.91 m2/g (biomass) to 419–891 m2/g (char). FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the influence of gasification on the decomposition of characteristic chemical compounds for biomass. Methanol sorption has revealed for the 900 °C chars of pine sawdust the highest sorption capacity and its mass change was 24.15% at P/P0 = 90%. Selected chars might be an appropriate material for volatile organic compounds sorption.
Impact of Forecasting Models Errors in a Peer-to-Peer Energy Sharing Market
Authors: Gomes Luis , Morais Hugo , Gonçalves Calvin , Gomes Eduardo , Pereira Lucas , Vale Zita
Published: May 2022

The use of energy sharing models in smart grids has been widely addressed in the literature. However, feasible technical solutions that can deploy these models into reality, as well as the correct use of energy forecasts are not properly addressed. This paper proposes a simple, yet viable and feasible, solution to deploy energy management systems on the end-user-side in order to enable not only energy forecasting but also a distributed discriminatory-price auction peer-to-peer energy transaction market. This work also analyses the impact of four energy forecasting models on energy transactions: a mathematical model, a support-vector machine model, an eXtreme Gradient Boosting model, and a TabNet model. To test the proposed solution and models, the system was deployed in five small offices and three residential households, achieving a maximum of energy costs reduction of 10.89% within the community, ranging from 0.24% to 57.43% for each individual agent. The results demonstrated the potential of peer-to-peer energy transactions to promote energy cost reductions and enable the validation of auction-based energy transactions and the use of energy forecasting models in today’s buildings and end-users.
Effect of Culture Period and Stocking Density on Input Demand and Scale Economies of Milkfish (Chanos chanos) Polycultures with White Shrimp (Penaeus indicus)
Authors: Pai Wei-Tse , Schafferer Christian , Lee Jie-Min , Ho Li-Ming , Lu Yung-Hsiang , Yang Han-Chung , Yeh Chun-Yuan
Published: May 2022

Milkfish, Chanos chanos, is one of the major inland cultured fish species in Taiwan. Variations in land resources and climate have led to the application of two distinct culture practices of milkfish polycultures with white shrimp, Penaeus indicus. This study applies a translog cost function model to analyze the production scale economy and input demand price elasticity of four milkfish polyculture systems with two different culture periods (OWC and NOWC) and two different white shrimp–milkfish fry stocking ratios (low SMR: 10–55 fry/ha; high SMR: 56–100 fry/ha). The findings show that the four milkfish polyculture systems require different operational adjustments to increase production while reducing the average culture cost. More specifically, overwinter cultures (OWC) have economies of scale. Farmers may reduce the average cost by expanding the production scale. Non-overwinter polycultures (NOWC) with high SMR are at the stage of decreasing return to scale, meaning that gains in output of milkfish cannot reduce the average cost. In terms of input factor use, farmers of OWC systems with high SMR are sensitive to fluctuations in the fry price since fry constitutes the input factor exhibiting the highest own-price elasticity. Moreover, fry and feed of OWC households with high SMR have high levels of substitutability, whereas fry and other input exhibit substitutability in OWC systems with low SMR. In NOWC farming households with high SMR, fry and capital have substitutability. It is thus recommended to modify the input factor use according to the culture mode and the white shrimp–milkfish stocking density ratio. Moreover, the study found that NOWCs have considerably higher SMR than OWCs, which may lead to a deterioration of the water quality in NOWC fishponds and lower survival rates. It is thus recommended to reduce the SMR to 31:1 to achieve economies of scale in production and increase the survival rate of milkfish and white shrimp.
Preparation and Characterization of Beads of Sodium Alginate/Carboxymethyl Chitosan/Cellulose Nanofiber Containing Porous Starch Embedded with Gallic Acid: An In Vitro Simulation Delivery Study
Authors: Li Wei , Chen Wenxue , Wang Zhiyang , Chen Weijun , Zhang Ming , Zhong Qiuping , Pei Jianfei , Chen Haiming
Published: May 2022

In this study, a system was designed that can encapsulate and deliver gallic acid (GA), which was composed of polysaccharide polymers based on sodium alginate (SA), carboxymethyl chitosan (CCT), and cellulose nanofibers (CN) and was assisted by porous starch. The compositions were characterized by rheology and zeta potentials, and the results showed that the materials used in this study could effectively guarantee the stability of the system. The morphology and chemical structure of the beads were characterized by SEM and FT-IR, the results indicated that the addition of CCT could effectively reduce the cracks and pores on the surface of the beads, which was beneficial to the encapsulation and delivery of GA. Moreover, the results of the swelling rate, release tests, and antioxidant tests also proved the effectiveness of the system. The pH response effect of SA/CN/CCT (SCC) beads and the protection of GA were superior, and the release rate of GA in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) was only 6.95%, while SA and SA/CN (SCN) beads reached 57.94% and 78.49%, respectively. In conclusion, the interpenetrating network polymers constructed by SA, CCT, and CN, which, combined with porous starch as a coating layer, can achieve the embedding and the delivery of GA.
Swelling and Mechanical Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Hydrogels as Potential Synthetic Cartilage Substitute Materials
Authors: Romischke Johanna , Scherkus Anton , Saemann Michael , Krueger Simone , Bader Rainer , Kragl Udo , Meyer Johanna
Published: May 2022

Hydrogels have become an increasingly interesting topic in numerous fields of application. In addition to their use as immobilization matrixes in (bio)catalysis, they are widely used in the medical sector, e.g., in drug delivery systems, contact lenses, biosensors, electrodes, and tissue engineering. Cartilage tissue engineering hydrogels from natural origins, such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, and gelatin, are widely known for their good biocompatibility. However, they often lack stability, reproducibility, and mechanical strength. Synthetic hydrogels, on the other hand, can have the advantage of tunable swelling and mechanical properties, as well as good reproducibility and lower costs. In this study, we investigated the swelling and mechanical properties of synthetic polyelectrolyte hydrogels. The resulting characteristics such as swelling degree, stiffness, stress, as well as stress-relaxation and cyclic loading behavior, were compared to a commercially available biomaterial, the ChondroFiller® liquid, which is already used to treat articular cartilage lesions. Worth mentioning are the observed good reproducibility and high mechanical strength of the synthetic hydrogels. We managed to synthesize hydrogels with a wide range of compressive moduli from 2.5 ± 0.1 to 1708.7 ± 67.7 kPa, which addresses the span of human articular cartilage.
Narrative in Older People Care—Concepts and Issues in Patients with Dementia
Authors: Puto Grażyna , Zurzycka Patrycja , Musiał Zofia , Muszalik Marta
Published: May 2022

Medical sciences in their classic approach focus on objectively measured dimensions of human functioning and its disorders. Therefore, they are often far removed from the unique identity, experiences and needs of older people. The solution to this type of focusing on the biological, psychological or social dimension of the life of older people may be the inclusion of the narrative in the daily practice of medical care. Narrative medicine supports the development of a holistic approach to care that allows older people to present their own life story, which helps to recognize their uniqueness and to show a genuine interest in the narrative. Attention is increasingly drawn to the fact that the narrative of older people should be recognized and taken into account when planning and providing care in institutions, including long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Despite the fact that LTCFs are often attended by people with multiple diseases and with cognitive impairment, the recognition, respect and maintenance of personal identity should constitute the foundation of caring activities. The basic premise of narration is the recognition that the development of identity does not stop at any age but continues throughout life, and that narrative is an important form of self-expression. The aim of this paper is to present selected issues related to the practice of narrative medicine in caring for older people.
Injuries, Pain, and Catastrophizing Level in Gymnasts: A Retrospective Analysis of a Cohort of Spanish Athletes
Authors: Sastre-Munar Andreu , Pades-Jiménez Antonia , García-Coll Natalia , Molina-Mula Jesús , Romero-Franco Natalia
Published: May 2022

Physical and psychological demands from gymnastics increase the occurrence of injuries and pain among athletes, whose consequent level of catastrophizing could affect rehabilitation and performance. Although the characteristics of each gymnastics discipline may be key factors, they remain unclear. This study aimed to describe injuries, pain, and catastrophizing levels of gymnasts, according to their discipline and training characteristics. A total of 160 gymnasts fulfilled an online survey at the end of the 2021 season. Eighty gymnasts sustained 106 injuries (mainly ankle), and 128 had current pain (mainly low back). Although results were similar among disciplines, rhythmic gymnasts had a higher prevalence of low back pain (p = 0.003) and artistic wrist pain (p = 0.011). Gymnasts who sustained an injury displayed higher hours of training (p = 0.026), and those with current pain had more sports experience (p = 0.001) and age (p < 0.001). A higher catastrophizing level was observed in injured gymnasts and correlated with pain level (p < 0.001). No other differences were found (p > 0.05). Pain and injury prevalence is extremely high among gymnasts, being specific to the gymnastics discipline and increasing catastrophizing experience. Hours of training, age, and sports experience are key related factors, regardless of discipline.
A Network Comparison of Motives behind Online Sexual Activities and Problematic Pornography Use during the COVID-19 Outbreak and the Post-Pandemic Period
Authors: Jiang Xiaoliu , Lu Yingfei , Hong Youjuan , Zhang Ying , Chen Lijun
Published: May 2022

Many researchers have considered whether online sexual activities (OSAs) increased over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and whether these have led to an increase in problematic pornography use (PPU). This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on PPU through pornography use motivations (PUMs) and OSAs to develop a better understanding of the mechanism and changes affecting PPU. Two groups of Chinese adults were recruited during the initial months of the pandemic (April 2020, n1 = 496) and the post-pandemic period (October 2021, n2 = 504). A network analysis was conducted to compare the structures of PPU symptoms among the two groups. The results showed that PUMs and OSAs were stronger predictors of PPU during the pandemic than post-pandemic (R2pandemic = 57.6% vs. R2post-pandemic = 28.7%). The motives of fantasy, sexual pleasure, stress reduction, and self-exploration were the prominent motivations during these two periods, but we found distinct PPU-related communities. PPU, sexual pleasure, and viewing sexually explicit materials (a type of OSAs) constituted a community during the pandemic but not in the post-pandemic’s network. The present study indicated that the pandemic may not have been the only factor impacting the higher rate of PPU. Instead, the higher frequency of OSAs during the pandemic may have been a strategy to cope with stress and to safely satisfy sexual desire.
Temperature Change between Neighboring Days Contributes to Years of Life Lost per Death from Respiratory Disease: A Multicounty Analysis in Central China
Authors: Zhou Chun-Liang , Lv Ling-Shuang , Jin Dong-Hui , Xie Yi-Jun , Ma Wen-Jun , Hu Jian-Xiong , Wang Chun-E , Xu Yi-Qing , Zhang Xing-E , Lu Chan
Published: May 2022

Background: Many epidemiological studies have recently assessed respiratory mortality attributable to ambient temperatures. However, the associations between temperature change between neighboring days and years of life lost are insufficiently studied. Therefore, we assessed the attributable risk of temperature change between neighboring days on life loss due to respiratory disease. Methods: We obtained daily mortality and weather data and calculated crude rates of years of life lost for 70 counties in Hunan Province, Central China, from 2013 to 2017. A time-series design with distributed lag nonlinear model and multivariate meta-regression was used to pool the relationships between temperature change between neighboring days and rates of years of life lost. Then, we calculated the temperature change between neighboring days related to average life loss per death from respiratory disease. Results: The total respiratory disease death was 173,252 during the study period. The association between temperature change and years of life lost rates showed a w-shape. The life loss per death attributable to temperature change between neighboring days was 2.29 (95% CI: 0.46–4.11) years, out of which 1.16 (95% CI: 0.31–2.01) years were attributable to moderately high-temperature change between neighboring days, and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.19–1.79) years were attributable to moderately low-temperature change between neighboring days. The temperature change between neighboring days related to life loss per respiratory disease death for females (2.58 years, 95% CI: 0.22–4.93) and the younger group (2.97 years, 95% CI: −1.51–7.44) was higher than that for males (2.21 years, 95% CI: 0.26–4.16) and the elderly group (1.96 years, 95% CI: 0.85–3.08). An average of 1.79 (95% CI: 0.18–3.41) life loss per respiratory disease death was related to non-optimal ambient temperature. Conclusions: The results indicated that more attention should be given to temperature change, and more public health policies should be implemented to protect public health.
Parental Depression and Leisure Activity Engagement on Children’s Gaming Disorder: A Dyadic Study
Authors: Lam Yee-Tik , Cheng Cecilia
Published: May 2022

Nowadays, playing both online and offline video games is a popular leisure activity among youngsters, but excessive gaming activity engagement may lead to gaming disorder that disrupts daily functioning. Identifying risk and protective factors of this emerging problem is thus essential for devising prevention and intervention strategies. This mixed-method, cross-sectional study aimed to examine the roles of parental depressive symptoms and children’s leisure activity engagement on children’s gaming disorder symptoms. Furthermore, the moderating roles of risky and protective leisure activity engagement were investigated. The sample comprised 104 parent-child dyads recruited from a population-based survey (parents: Mage = 45.59 years, SD = 6.70; children: Mage = 11.26 years; SD = 4.12). As predicted, parental depressive symptoms and children’s gaming activity engagement were positively associated with children’s gaming disorder symptoms, whereas children’s literacy activity engagement was negatively associated with these symptoms. Moreover, engagement in these two types of leisure activity moderated the association between parental depressive symptoms and children’s gaming disorder symptoms in distinct manners, further indicating literacy activities as beneficial and gaming activities as risk-enhancing. These new findings imply that parental depressive symptoms and children’s leisure activity engagement should be considered when designing parent-based programs for gaming disorder prevention and intervention.
Scientometric Analysis for Spatial Autocorrelation-Related Research from 1991 to 2021
Authors: Luo Qing , Hu Kai , Liu Wenxuan , Wu Huayi
Published: May 2022

Spatial autocorrelation describes the interdependent relationship between the realizations or observations of a variable that is distributed across a geographical landscape, which may be divided into different units/areas according to natural or political boundaries. Researchers of Geographical Information Science (GIS) always consider spatial autocorrelation. However, spatial autocorrelation research covers a wide range of disciplines, not only GIS, but spatial econometrics, ecology, biology, etc. Since spatial autocorrelation relates to multiple disciplines, it is difficult gain a wide breadth of knowledge on all its applications, which is very important for beginners to start their research as well as for experienced scholars to consider new perspectives in their works. Scientometric analyses are conducted in this paper to achieve this end. Specifically, we employ scientometrc indicators and scientometric network mapping techniques to discover influential journals, countries, institutions, and research communities; key topics and papers; and research development and trends. The conclusions are: (1) journals categorized into ecological and biological domains constitute the majority of TOP journals;(2) northern American countries, European countries, Australia, Brazil, and China contribute the most to spatial autocorrelation-related research; (3) eleven research communities consisting of three geographical communities and eight communities of other domains were detected; (4) hot topics include spatial autocorrelation analysis for molecular data, biodiversity, spatial heterogeneity, and variability, and problems that have emerged in the rapid development of China; and (5) spatial statistics-based approaches and more intensive problem-oriented applications are, and still will be, the trend of spatial autocorrelation-related research. We also refine the results from a geographer’s perspective at the end of this paper.
Novel Elastic Threads for Intestinal Anastomoses: Feasibility and Mechanical Evaluation in a Porcine and Rabbit Model
Authors: Schmitz Sophia M. , Helmedag Marius J. , Kossel Klas-Moritz , Eickhoff Roman M. , Heise Daniel , Kroh Andreas , Mechelinck Mare , Gries Thomas , Jockenhoevel Stefan , Neumann Ulf P. , Lambertz Andreas
Published: May 2022

Gastrointestinal anastomoses are an important source of postoperative complications. In particular, the ideal suturing material is still the subject of investigation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate a newly developed suturing material with elastic properties made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU); Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and TPU were tested in two different textures (round and a modified, “snowflake” structure) in 32 minipigs, with two anastomoses of the small intestine sutured 2 m apart. After 90 days, the anastomoses were evaluated for inflammation, the healing process, and foreign body reactions. A computer-assisted immunohistological analysis of staining for Ki67, CD68, smooth muscle actin (SMA), and Sirius red was performed using TissueFAXS. Additionally, the in vivo elastic properties of the material were assessed by measuring the suture tension in a rabbit model. Each suture was tested twice in three rabbits; No major surgical complications were observed and all anastomoses showed adequate wound healing. The Ki67+ count and SMA area differed between the groups (F (3, 66) = 5.884, p = 0.0013 and F (3, 56) = 6.880, p = 0.0005, respectively). In the TPU-snowflake material, the Ki67+ count was the lowest, while the SMA area provided the highest values. The CD68+ count and collagen I/III ratio did not differ between the groups (F (3, 69) = 2.646, p = 0.0558 and F (3, 54) = 0.496, p = 0.686, respectively). The suture tension measurements showed a significant reduction in suture tension loss for both the TPU threads; Suturing material made from TPU with elastic properties proved applicable for intestinal anastomoses in a porcine model. In addition, our results suggest a successful reduction in tissue incision and an overall suture tension homogenization.
Induced Mutation in GmCOP1b Enhances the Performance of Soybean under Dense Planting Conditions
Authors: Ji Ronghuan , Xu Xinying , Liu Jun , Zhao Tao , Li Hongyu , Zhai Jixian , Liu Bin
Published: May 2022

CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1) is the key photomorphogenic inhibitor that has been extensively studied in higher plants. Nevertheless, its role has not been documented in the economically important soybean. Here we investigated the functions of two COP1 homologous genes, GmCOP1a and GmCOP1b, by analyzing Gmcop1a and Gmcop1b mutants with indels using CRISPR in soybean. We revealed that, although both genes are required for skotomorphogenesis in the dark, the GmCOP1b gene seems to play a more prominent role than GmCOP1a in promoting stem elongation under normal light conditions. Consistently, the bZIP transcriptional factors STF1/2, which repress stem elongation in soybean, accumulated to the highest level in the Gmcop1a1b double mutant, followed by the Gmcop1b and Gmcop1a mutants. Furthermore, the Gmcop1b mutants showed reduced shade response and enhanced performance under high-density conditions in field trials. Taken together, this study provides essential genetic resources for elucidating functional mechanisms of GmCOP1 and breeding of high yield soybean cultivars for future sustainable agriculture.
Near-Complete Remission of Glioblastoma in a Patient Treated with an Allogenic Dendritic Cell-Based Vaccine: The Role of Tumor-Specific CD4+T-Cell Cytokine Secretion Pattern in Predicting Response and Recurrence
Authors: Pinho Mariana P. , Lepski Guilherme A. , Rehder Roberta , Chauca-Torres Nadia E. , Evangelista Gabriela C. M. , Teixeira Sarah F. , Flatow Elizabeth A. , de Oliveira Jaqueline V. , Fogolin Carla S. , Peres Nataly , Arévalo Analía , Alves Venâncio , Barbuto José A. M. , Bergami-Santos Patricia C.
Published: May 2022

Immunotherapy has brought hope to the fight against glioblastoma, but its efficacy remains unclear. We present the case of CST, a 25-year-old female patient with a large right-hemisphere glioblastoma treated with a dendritic–tumor cell fusion vaccine. CST showed a near-complete tumor response, with a marked improvement in her functional status and simultaneous increases in tumor-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Two months before recurrence, the frequency of tumor-specific T cells decreased, while that of IL-17 and CD4+ T cells increased. CST passed away 15 months after enrollment. In this illustrative case, the tumor-specific CD4+ T-cell numbers and phenotype behaved as treatment efficacy biomarkers, highlighting the key role of the latter in glioblastoma immunotherapy.
A GIS-Based Fuzzy Multiclassification Framework Applied for Spatiotemporal Analysis of Phenomena in Urban Contexts
Authors: Cardone Barbara , Di Martino Ferdinando
Published: May 2022

In this research, we propose a GIS-based framework implementing a fuzzy-based document classification method aimed at classifying urban areas by the type of criticality inherent or specific problems highlighted by citizens. The urban study area is divided into subzones; for each subzone, the reports of citizens relating to specific criticalities are analyzed and documents are created, and collected by topic and by temporal extension. The framework implements a model applied to the multiclassification of the documents in which the topic to be analyzed is divided into categories and a dictionary of terms connected to each category is built to measure the relevance of the category in the document. The framework produces, for each time frame, thematic maps of the relevance of a category in a time frame in which a subzone of the study area is classified based on the classification of the corresponding document. The framework was experimented on to analyze and monitor over time the relevance of disruptions detected by users in entities that make up urban areas, such as: roads, private buildings, public buildings and transport infrastructures, lighting networks, and public green areas. The study area is the city of Naples (Italy), partitioned in ten municipalities. The results of the tests show that the proposed framework can be a support for decision makers in analyzing the relevance of categories into which a topic is partitioned and their evolution over time.
Medical Therapies for Heart Failure in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Authors: Baybayon-Grandgeorge Angela N. , Pietra Ashley E. , Miyamoto Shelley D. , Garcia Anastacia M.
Published: May 2022

Significant surgical and medical advances over the past several decades have resulted in a growing number of infants and children surviving with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and other congenital heart defects associated with a single systemic right ventricle (RV). However, cardiac dysfunction and ultimately heart failure (HF) remain the most common cause of death and indication for transplantation in this population. Moreover, while early recognition and treatment of single ventricle-related complications are essential to improving outcomes, there are no proven therapeutic strategies for single systemic RV HF in the pediatric population. Importantly, prototypical adult HF therapies have been relatively ineffective in mitigating the need for cardiac transplantation in HLHS, likely due to several unique attributes of the failing HLHS myocardium. Here, we discuss the most commonly used medical therapies for the treatment of HF symptoms in HLHS and other single systemic RV patients. Additionally, we provide an overview of potential novel therapies for systemic ventricular failure in the HLHS and related populations based on fundamental science, pre-clinical, clinical, and observational studies in the current literature.
Effect of Early Initiation of Evolocumab on Lipoprotein(a) in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Sub-Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Okada Tomoaki , Miyoshi Toru , Doi Masayuki , Nosaka Kazumasa , Tsushima Ryu , Ugawa Satoko , Takagi Wataru , Sogo Masahiro , Takahashi Masahiko , Ito Hiroshi
Published: May 2022

Elevated circulating lipoprotein(a) levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. We reported that early initiation of evolocumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor, in addition to a statin substantially reduced the lipoprotein(a) levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This sub-analysis sought to investigate the effect of evolocumab on lipoprotein(a) based on baseline lipoprotein(a) levels and characteristics. This study was a prespecified analysis of a randomized controlled trial that enrolled 102 patients who underwent primary PCI for AMI. Patients received pitavastatin (2 mg/day) alone or pitavastatin and evolocumab 140 mg subcutaneously within 24 h and 2 weeks after the index PCI. The evolocumab group showed significantly suppressed lipoprotein(a) levels in patients with baseline lipoprotein(a) levels of ≤10 mg/dL, 10 < lipoprotein(a) ≤ 20 mg/dL, and >20 mg/dL compared with the control group, as well as similar reductions in lipoprotein(a) levels in all patient subgroups. Among these subgroups, evolocumab tended to show more favorable effects in patients with diabetes mellitus. In AMI patients, early initiation of evolocumab therapy within 24 h of primary PCI suppressed the increase in lipoprotein(a) levels within 4 weeks, regardless of baseline levels and characteristics.
Flow-Mediated Factors in the Pathogenesis of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Authors: Rahman Anum , Chaturvedi Rajiv R. , Sled John G.
Published: May 2022

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a life-threatening congenital heart disease that is characterized by severe underdevelopment of left heart structures. Currently, there is no cure, and affected individuals require surgical palliation or cardiac transplantation to survive. Despite these resource-intensive measures, only about half of individuals reach adulthood, often with significant comorbidities such as liver disease and neurodevelopmental disorders. A major barrier in developing effective treatments is that the etiology of HLHS is largely unknown. Here, we discuss how intracardiac blood flow disturbances are an important causal factor in the pathogenesis of impaired left heart growth. Specifically, we highlight results from a recently developed mouse model in which surgically reducing blood flow through the mitral valve after cardiogenesis led to the development of HLHS. In addition, we discuss the role of interventional procedures that are based on improving blood flow through the left heart, such as fetal aortic valvuloplasty. Lastly, using the surgically-induced mouse model, we suggest investigations that can be undertaken to identify the currently unknown biological pathways in left heart growth failure and their associated therapeutic targets.
Microbiological Advantages of Open Incisional Biopsies for the Diagnosis of Suspected Periprosthetic Joint Infections
Authors: Niemann Marcel , Otto Ellen , Braun Karl F. , Graef Frank , Ahmad Sufian S. , Hardt Sebastian , Stöckle Ulrich , Trampuz Andrej , Meller Sebastian
Published: May 2022

Background: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) represents a serious complication following total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA). When preoperative synovial fluid cultures remain inconclusive, open incisional joint biopsy (OIB) can support causative microorganism identification. Objective: This study investigates the potential benefit of OIB in THA and TKA patients with suspected PJI and ambigious diagnostic results following synovial fluid aspiration. Methods: We retrospectively assessed all patients treated from 2016 to 2020 with suspected PJI. Comparing the microbiology of OIB and the following revision surgery, we calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and the number needed to treat (NNT). Results: We examined the diagnostic validity of OIB in 38 patients (20 female) with a median age of 66.5 years. In THA patients (n = 10), sensitivity was 75%, specificity was 66.67%, PPV was 60%, NPV was 80%, and NNT was 2.5. In TKA patients (n = 28), sensitivity was 62.5%, specificity was 95.24%, PPV was 83.33%, NPV was 86.96%, and NNT was 1.42. Conclusions: Our results indicate that OIB represents an adequate diagnostic tool when previously assessed microbiological results remain inconclusive. Particularly in TKA patients, OIB showed an exceptionally high specificity, PPV, and NPV, whereas the predictive validity of the diagnosis of PJI in THA patients remained low.
Oral and Maxillofacial Infections—A Bacterial and Clinical Cross-Section
Authors: Kamiński Bartłomiej , Błochowiak Katarzyna , Kołomański Konrad , Sikora Maciej , Karwan Sławomir , Chlubek Dariusz
Published: May 2022

The treatment of oral and maxillofacial infections is based on a recognized algorithm that may require modification under the influence of various local and systemic factors. The aim of this study was to present a comprehensive and microbiological profile of oral and maxillofacial infections, and explore possible correlations between the course of an infection and selected systemic factors based on the medical records of 329 patients affected by the disease. We identified most common clinical, demographic, bacterial, and laboratory parameters specific for these infections. There were statistically significant differences in Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, number of accompanying diseases, otalgia, dyspnea, and speech difficulties occurrence and neck space involvement between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. The duration of hospitalization and accompanying diseases correlated positively with the patient age and white blood cell count, and C-reactive protein value negatively correlated with age. The primary cause of infections, age, and comorbid diseases can modify the infection course and increase the risk of developing serious complications. It confirms the need for effective and targeted bacterial treatment in the early stages of infections. Age and general diseases are the most important systemic factors determining the infection symptoms and laboratory parameters assessing the severity of the inflammatory process.
Predicting Psychopathological Onset: Early Signs of Neuropsychiatric Diseases
Authors: Costanzi Marco
Published: May 2022

Millions of people worldwide are affected by neuropsychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive–compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorders, eating disorders, addiction, and dementia [...]
Social Media Analytics and Metrics for Improving Users Engagement
Authors: Drivas Ioannis C. , Kouis Dimitrios , Kyriaki-Manessi Daphne , Giannakopoulou Fani
Published: May 2022

Social media platforms can be used as a tool to expand awareness and the consideration of cultural heritage organizations and their activities in the digital world. These platforms produce daily behavioral analytical data that could be exploited by the administrators of libraries, archives and museums (LAMs) to improve users’ engagement with the provided published content. There are multiple papers regarding social media utilization for improving LAMs’ visibility of their activities on the Web. Nevertheless, there are no prior efforts to support social media analytics to improve users’ engagement with the content that LAMs post to social network platforms. In this paper, we propose a data-driven methodology that is capable of (a) providing a reliable assessment schema regarding LAMs Facebook performance page that involves several variables, (b) examining a more extended set of LAMs social media pages compared to other prior investigations with limited samples as case studies, and (c) understanding which are the administrators’ actions that increase the engagement of users. The results of this study constitute a solid stepping-stone both for practitioners and researchers, as the proposed methods rely on data-driven approaches for expanding the visibility of LAMs services on the Social Web.
An Empirical Analysis of Logistics Corridors and Regional Economic Spatial Patterns from the Perspective of Compressive Transportation between Urban Agglomerations
Authors: Luo Haining , Qian Yongsheng , Zeng Junwei , Wei Xuting , Guang Xiaoping
Published: May 2022

From the perspective of 19 urban agglomerations and comprehensive transportation between them, this study, selecting node cities as research units, defines both the narrow and generalized corridor accessibility to calculate the corridor accessibility coefficient by the weighted average travel time and investigates their overall pattern. The gravity model improved by comprehensive-time cost is used to calculate the economic subordination degrees between Lanzhou–Xining urban agglomeration and other urban agglomerations. Moreover, the differences in the spatial distribution of inter-provincial logistics connectivity between the individual and total amount in Gansu province are discussed, and then the unbalanced trend of spatial connection is analyzed. The results indicate that the horizontal gradient of accessibility of different regions in China has statistical differences and the time-space compression caused by the layout of main transportation lines in Gansu province presents a typical “corridor effect.” The inter-provincial logistics economic relations in Gansu province demonstrate significant stratification characteristics and an unbalanced “neighbor effect” while there are few provincial groups directly connecting with Gansu province. Finally, based on data analysis and logical deduction, the paper analyzes the current situation, discusses the existing shortcomings and strategic advantages of Gansu province, and tries to give development suggestions in terms of the current opportunities as well as responsibilities.
Extraction from English RCs and Cross-Linguistic Similarities in the Environments That Facilitate Extraction
Authors: Vincent Jake W. , Sichel Ivy , Wagers  Matthew W.
Published: May 2022

In the first two decades following Ross’s Constraints on Variables in Syntax, a picture emerged in which the Mainland Scandinavian (MS) languages appeared to systematically evade some of the locality constraints proposed by Ross, including the relative clause (RC) part of the complex NP constraint. The MS extraction patterns remain a topic of debate, but there is no consensus as to why extraction from RCs should be so degraded in English (compared to MS)—or why it should be so acceptable in MS (compared to English). We present experiment results which indicate that English should be counted among the languages that allow extraction from RCs in at least some environments. Our results suggest a negligible island effect for RCs in predicate nominal environments and a substantially reduced island effect for those in canonical existential environments. In addition, we show that the size of the island effect resulting from extraction from an RC under a transitive verb is substantially reduced when the transitive verb is used to make an indirect existential claim. We present arguments that patterns of RC sub-extraction discovered in Mainland Scandinavian languages are mirrored in English, and we highlight methodological innovations that we believe may be useful for further investigation into this and other topics.