bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Novel Quantitative Assay for Measuring the Antibiofilm Activity of Volatile Compounds (AntiBioVol)
Authors: Brożyna Malwina , Żywicka Anna , Fijałkowski Karol , Gorczyca Damian , Oleksy-Wawrzyniak Monika , Dydak Karolina , Migdał Paweł , Dudek Bartlomiej , Bartoszewicz Marzenna , Junka Adam
Published: October 2020

Herein, we present a new test, dubbed AntiBioVol, to be used for the quantitative evaluation of antibiofilm activity of volatile compounds in vitro. AntiBioVol is performed in two 24-well plates using a basic microbiological laboratory equipment. To demonstrate AntiBioVol usability, we have scrutinized the activity of volatilized eucalyptus, tea tree, thyme essential oils, and ethanol (used for method suitability testing) against biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. We have also compared AntiBioVol with the standard disc volatilization method, placing a special stress on evaluating the impact of various technical parameters on the outcomes of the latter method. The obtained results indicate that AntiBioVol allows analyzing the antibiofilm activity of volatile compounds in a high number of repeats and provides semi-quantitative or quantitative results of high repeatability. In comparison to disc volatilization, AntiBioVol is a more space- and cost-effective method that allows analyzing various types of microbial aggregates. Moreover, we have indicated that the possible reasons for the discrepancies in the results obtained by means of the standard disc volatilization method may be related to various parameters of the testing dishes used (height, volume, diameter) and to various volumes of the agar medium applied. In turn, the application of a 24-well plate and a strictly defined AntiBioVol protocol provide a higher control of experimental conditions. Therefore, the application of AntiBioVol may enable an optimization of and introduction of volatile compounds to the fight against infective biofilms.
Populus nigra Italica Leaves as a Valuable Tool for Mineralogical and Geochemical Interpretation of Inorganic Atmospheric Aerosols’ Genesis
Authors: Górka Maciej , Bartz Wojciech , Skuridina Alisa , Potysz Anna
Published: October 2020

The Olmaliq industrial area in Uzbekistan is believed to represent a risk to the environment and to human health due to the dispersal of contaminants into the air and soil. This study was undertaken to delineate the track of airborne contaminants’ migration and to assess the distribution of such particles deposited on Populus nigra L. cv Italica leaves and soils. Particles were identified using scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), while bulk soil composition was quantified by applying inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results of this study confirmed the research hypothesis, indicating the industrial center as a source of pollution and human exposure to metallic contaminants. The Olmaliq area in particular is strongly influenced by atmospheric pollutants from local industries. The spread of ultra-fine particles is mainly governed by the industrial output and the direction of prevailing winds.
An Investigation of Laser Produced Lead-Tin Alloy Plasmas between 10 and 18 nm
Authors: Scally Enda , O’Reilly Fergal , Hayden Patrick , Tobin Isaac , O’Sullivan Gerry
Published: October 2020

The results of a systematic study performed on Pb-Sn alloys of concentration 65–35% and 94–6% by weight along with spectra from pure Pb and Sn in the wavelength range of 9.8–18 nm are presented. The dynamics of the Nd:YAG laser produced plasma were changed by varying the focused spot size and input energy of the laser pulse; the laser irradiance at the target varied from 7.3 × 109 W cm−2 to 1.2 × 1012 W cm−2. The contributing ion stages and line emission are identified using the steady state collisional radiative model of Colombant and Tonon, and the Cowan suite of atomic structure codes. The Sn spectrum was dominated in each case by the well-known unresolved transition array (UTA) near 13.5 nm. However, a surprising result was the lack of any enhancement or narrowing of this feature at low concentrations of Sn in the alloy spectra whose emission was essentially dominated by Pb ions.
Super-Resolution Fluorescence Microscopy Reveals Clustering Behaviour of Chlamydia pneumoniae’s Major Outer Membrane Protein
Authors: Danson Amy E. , McStea Alex , Wang Lin , Pollitt Alice Y. , Martin-Fernandez Marisa L. , Moraes Isabel , Walsh Martin A. , MacIntyre Sheila , Watson Kimberly A.
Published: October 2020

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for a number of human respiratory diseases and linked to some chronic inflammatory diseases. The major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia is a conserved immunologically dominant protein located in the outer membrane, which, together with its surface exposure and abundance, has led to MOMP being the main focus for vaccine and antimicrobial studies in recent decades. MOMP has a major role in the chlamydial outer membrane complex through the formation of intermolecular disulphide bonds, although the exact interactions formed are currently unknown. Here, it is proposed that due to the large number of cysteines available for disulphide bonding, interactions occur between cysteine-rich pockets as opposed to individual residues. Such pockets were identified using a MOMP homology model with a supporting low-resolution (~4 Å) crystal structure. The localisation of MOMP in the E. coli membrane was assessed using direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM), which showed a decrease in membrane clustering with cysteine-rich regions containing two mutations. These results indicate that disulphide bond formation was not disrupted by single mutants located in the cysteine-dense regions and was instead compensated by neighbouring cysteines within the pocket in support of this cysteine-rich pocket hypothesis.
Angiogenic Potential in Biological Hydrogels
Authors: Giraudo Maria Vittoria , Di Francesco Dalila , Catoira Marta Calvo , Cotella Diego , Fusaro Luca , Boccafoschi Francesca
Published: October 2020

Hydrogels are three-dimensional (3D) materials able to absorb and retain water in large amounts while maintaining their structural stability. Due to their considerable biocompatibility and similarity with the body’s tissues, hydrogels are one of the most promising groups of biomaterials. The main application of these hydrogels is in regenerative medicine, in which they allow the formation of an environment suitable for cell differentiation and growth. Deriving from these hydrogels, it is, therefore, possible to obtain bioactive materials that can regenerate tissues. Because vessels guarantee the right amount of oxygen and nutrients but also assure the elimination of waste products, angiogenesis is one of the processes at the base of the regeneration of a tissue. On the other hand, it is a very complex mechanism and the parameters to consider are several. Indeed, the factors and the cells involved in this process are numerous and, for this reason, it has been a challenge to recreate a biomaterial able to adequately sustain the angiogenic process. However, in this review the focal point is the application of natural hydrogels in angiogenesis enhancing and their potential to guide this process.
Functional MRI Reveals Locomotion-Control Neural Circuits in Human Brainstem
Authors: Wei Pengxu , Zou Tong , Lv Zeping , Fan Yubo
Published: October 2020

The cuneiform nucleus (CN) and the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) in the midbrain control coordinated locomotion in vertebrates, but whether similar mechanisms exist in humans remain to be elucidated. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that simulated gait evoked activations in the CN, PPN, and other brainstem regions in humans. Brain networks were constructed for each condition using functional connectivity. Bilateral CN–PPN and the four pons–medulla regions constituted two separate modules under all motor conditions, presenting two brainstem functional units for locomotion control. Outside- and inside-brainstem nodes were connected more densely although the links between the two groups were sparse. Functional connectivity and network analysis revealed the role of brainstem circuits in dual-task walking and walking automaticity. Together, our findings indicate that the CN, PPN, and other brainstem regions participate in locomotion control in humans.
Anti-CD20 Agents for Multiple Sclerosis: Spotlight on Ocrelizumab and Ofatumumab
Authors: Florou Despoina , Katsara Maria , Feehan Jack , Dardiotis Efthimios , Apostolopoulos Vasso
Published: October 2020

Until recently, in the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the contribution of B cells has been largely underestimated, and the disease was considered a T-cell-mediated disorder. However, newer evidence shows that B cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of MS via antigen-driven autoantibody responses and through the cross regulation of T-helper cells. As B cells express the surface molecule CD20 at all points of differentiation, it provides a specific target for monoclonal antibodies, and the development and clinical testing of anti-CD20 antibody treatments for MS have been successful. After some observations, some small clinical trials found positive effects for the first anti-CD20 therapeutic rituximab in MS; newer agents have been specifically evaluated, resulting in the development of ocrelizumab and ofatumumab. Ocrelizumab, a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, was approved in March 2017 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is also the first proven therapy to reduce disability progression in primary progressive MS. This is particularly significant considering that disease-modifying treatment options are few for both primary and secondary progressive MS. Ofatumumab, a fully human anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, that binds a distinct epitope, has been further investigated in phase 3 trials for relapsing forms of MS. In this review, we discuss in detail these two anti-CD20 agents and their advent for treatment of MS.
Catalytic Formation of Lactic and Levulinic Acids from Biomass Derived Monosaccarides through Sn-Beta Formed by Impregnation
Authors: Kohler Andrew , Seames Wayne , Foerster Ian , Kadrmas Clancy
Published: October 2020

In the present study, the use of Sn-Beta zeolite to facilitate the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass-derived glucose and xylose into lactic and levulinic acid was explored. The reactions were carried out in a batch reactor using water as the solvent. Water is the preferred solvent over methanol as it reduces downstream product acid recovery and purification complexity. Optimization experiments were performed for reaction temperature and residence time. Under optimized reaction conditions, the Sn-Beta facilitated reaction of a pure sugar solution resulted in lactic acid yields of 13 and 19 wt% of inlet carbon of glucose and xylose, respectively, plus levulinic acid yields of 18 and 0.8 wt%, respectively. When actual biomass-derived sugar solutions were tested, the yields of lactic acid were significantly higher than those from the optimized model solution experiments with lactic acid yields of 34 wt%. These biomass-derived sugar solutions contained residual levels of CaSO4 from the neutralization step of the hydrolysis process. Further experiments were performed to examine the potential effects from CaSO4 contributing to this increase. It was found that the sulfate ions increased the Brønsted basicity and the calcium increased the Lewis acidity of the reaction solution, and that the combination of both effects increased the conversion of the original sugars into lactic acid. These effects were verified by testing other organic bases to isolate the Brønsted acid neutralization effect and the Lewis acid enhancement effect. The addition of CaSO4 resulted in attractive lactic acid yields, 68 wt% and 50 wt% of inlet carbon from pure glucose and xylose solutions, respectively. Increasing the actual corn stover and forage sorghum derived sugars concentration (in water) allowed lactic acids yields of greater than 60 wt% to be achieved. When the optimized Sn-Beta reaction system was applied to corn stover and forage sorghum mixtures, it was found that the ratio of lactic-to-levulinic acid generated was inversely dependent upon the glucose-to-xylose ratio in the recovered sugar mixture.
SRSF3 Is a Critical Requirement for Inclusion of Exon 3 of BIS Pre-mRNA
Authors: Baek Ji-Ye , Yun Hye-Hyeon , Jung Soon-Young , Lee Jeehan , Yoo Kyunghyun , Lee Jeong-Hwa
Published: October 2020

BCL-2 interacting cell death suppressor (BIS), also known as BAG3, is a multifunctional protein. Aberrant expression and mutation of BIS have been implicated in cancers and myopathy. However, there have only been a few studies on the splicing of BIS pre-mRNA. In the present study, through RT-PCR and sequencing in various cell lines and mouse tissues, we identified for the first time the presence of BIS mRNA isomers in which exon 3 or exons 2–3 are skipped. We also demonstrated that the depletion of SRSF3 promoted the skipping of exon 3 of BIS pre-mRNA in endogenous BIS and the GFP-BIS minigene. SRSF3 specifically interacts with the putative binding sites in exon 3, in which deletion promoted the skipping of exon 3 in the GFP-BIS minigene, which was comparable to the effect of SRSF knockdown. Even though acceleration of exon 3 skipping was not observed in response to various stimuli, SRSF3 depletion, accompanied by the production of a truncated BIS protein, inhibited the nuclear translocation of HSF1, which was restored by the wild-type BIS, not by exon 3-depleted BIS. Therefore, our results suggested that the maintenance of SRSF3 levels and subsequent preservation of the intact BIS protein is an important factor in modulating HSF1 localization upon cellular stress.
Experimental Study and Mathematical Modeling of a Glyphosate Impedimetric Microsensor Based on Molecularly Imprinted Chitosan Film
Authors: Zouaoui Fares , Bourouina-Bacha Saliha , Bourouina Mustapha , Alcacer Albert , Bausells Joan , Jaffrezic-Renault Nicole , Zine Nadia , Errachid Abdelhamid
Published: October 2020

A novel impedimetric microsensor based on a double-layered imprinted polymer film has been constructed for the sensitive detection of the herbicide, glyphosate (GLY), in water. It is based on electropolymerized polypyrrole films, doped with cobaltabis(dicarbollide) ions ([3,3′-Co(1,2-C2B9H11)2]), as a solid contact layer between the gold microelectrode surface and the molecularly imprinted chitosan film (CS-MIPs/PPy/Au). Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used for the characterization of the CS-molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs)/PPy/Au in the presence of GLY concentrations between 0.31 pg/mL and 50 ng/mL. Experimental responses of CS-MIPs/PPy/Au are modeled for the first time using an exact mathematical model based on physical theories. From the developed model, it was possible to define the optimal range of the parameters that will impact the quality of impedance spectra and then the analytical performance of the obtained microsensor. The obtained microsensor shows a low detection limit of 1 fg/mL (S/N = 3), a good selectivity, a good reproducibility, and it is regenerable.
Attribution and Prediction of Precipitation and Temperature Trends within the Sydney Catchment Using Machine Learning
Authors: Hartigan Joshua , MacNamara Shev , Leslie Lance M. , Speer Milton
Published: October 2020

Droughts in southeastern Australia can profoundly affect the water supply to Sydney, Australia’s largest city. Increasing population, a warming climate, land surface changes and expanded agricultural use increase water demand and reduce catchment runoff. Studying Sydney’s water supply is necessary to manage water resources and lower the risk of severe water shortages. This study aims at understanding Sydney’s water supply by analysing precipitation and temperature trends across the catchment. A decreasing trend in annual precipitation was found across the Sydney catchment area. Annual precipitation also is significantly less variable, due to fewer years above the 80th percentile. These trends result from significant reductions in precipitation during spring and autumn, especially over the last 20 years. Wavelet analysis was applied to assess how the influence of climate drivers has changed over time. Attribute selection was carried out using linear regression and machine learning techniques, including random forests and support vector regression. Drivers of annual precipitation included Niño3.4, Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and DMI, and measures of global warming such as the Tasman Sea sea surface temperature anomalies. The support vector regression model with a polynomial kernel achieved correlations of 0.921 and a skill score compared to climatology of 0.721. The linear regression model also performed well with a correlation of 0.815 and skill score of 0.567, highlighting the importance of considering both linear and non-linear methods when developing statistical models. Models were also developed on autumn and winter precipitation but performed worse than annual precipitation on prediction. For example, the best performing model on autumn precipitation, which accounts for approximately one quarter of annual precipitation, achieved an RMSE of 418.036 mm2 on the testing data, while annual precipitation achieved an RMSE of 613.704 mm2. However, the seasonal models provided valuable insights into whether the season would be wet or dry compared to the climatology.
Alarm Tones, Voice Warnings, and Musical Treatments: A Systematic Review of Auditory Countermeasures for Sleep Inertia in Abrupt and Casual Awakenings
Authors: McFarlane Stuart J. , Garcia Jair E. , Verhagen Darrin S. , Dyer Adrian G.
Published: October 2020

Sleep inertia is a measurable decline in cognition some people experience upon and following awakening. However, a systematic review of the current up to date evidence of audio as a countermeasure has yet to be reported. Thus, to amend this gap in knowledge, the authors conducted this systematic review beginning with searches in three primary databases for studies published between the inception date of each journal and the year 2020. Search terms contained “Sleep Inertia” paired with: “Sound”; “Noise”; “Music”; “Alarm”; “Alarm Tone”; “Alarm Sound”; “Alarm Noise”; “Alarm Music”; “Alarm Clock”; “Fire Alarm”, and “Smoke Alarm”. From 341 study results, twelve were identified for inclusion against a priori conditions. A structured narrative synthesis approach generated three key auditory stimulus themes-(i) Noise, (ii) Emergency tone sequences; Voice Alarms and Hybrids, and (iii) Music. Across themes, participants have been assessed in two situational categories: emergency, and non-emergency awakenings. The results indicate that for children awakening in emergency conditions, a low pitch alarm or voice warnings appear to be more effective in counteracting the effects of sleep inertia than alarms with higher frequencies. For adults abruptly awakened, there is insufficient evidence to support firm conclusions regarding alarm types and voice signals. Positive results have been found in non-emergency awakenings for musical treatments in adults who preferred popular music, and alarms with melodic qualities. The results observed reflect the potential for sound, voice, and musical treatments to counteract sleep inertia post-awakening, and emphasize the requirements for further research in this domain.
Fluid Interfaces
Authors: Guzmán Eduardo
Published: October 2020

Fluid interfaces are promising candidates for the design of new functional materials by confining different types of materials, e.g., polymers, surfactants, colloids, or even small molecules, by direct spreading or self-assembly from solutions. The development of such materials requires a deep understanding of the physico-chemical bases underlying the formation of layers at fluid interfaces, as well as the characterization of the structures and properties of such layers. This is of particular importance, because the constraints associated with the assembly of materials at the interface lead to the emergence of equilibrium and dynamic features in the interfacial systems that are far from those found in traditional 3D materials. These new properties are of importance in many scientific and technological fields, such as food science, cosmetics, biology, oil recovery, electronics, drug delivery, detergency, and tissue engineering. Therefore, the understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects involved in the preparation of these interfacial systems is of paramount importance for improving their usage for designing innovative technological solutions.
The Law of Parsimony and the Negative Charge of the Bubbles
Authors: Karakashev Stoyan I. , Grozev Nikolay A.
Published: October 2020

Why the bubbles are negatively charged? This is almost 100 years old question, which many scientists have striven and still are striving to answer using the latest developments of the MD simulations and various physical analytical methods. We scrutinize with this paper the basic literature on this topic and conduct our own analysis. Following the philosophical law of parsimony: “Entities should not be multiplied without necessity”, we assume that the simplest explanation is the right one. It is well known that the negative change of the Gibbs free energy is a solid criterion for spontaneous process. Hence, we calculated the energies of adsorption of OH−, H3O+ and HCO3− ions on the air/water interface using the latest theoretical developments on the dispersion interaction of inorganic ions with the air/water interface. Thus, we established that the adsorption of OH− and HCO3− ions is energetically favorable, while the adsorption of H3O+ is energetically unfavorable. Moreover, we calculated the change of the entropy of these ions upon their transfer from the bulk to the air/water interface. Using the well-known formula ΔG = ΔH − TΔS, we established that the adsorption of OH− and HCO3− ions on the air/water interface decreases their Gibbs free energy. On the contrary, the adsorption of H3O+ ions on the air/water interface increases their Gibbs free energy. Thus, we established that both OH− and HCO3− ions adsorb on the air/water interface, while the H3O+ ions are repelled by the latter. Therefore, electrical double layer (EDL) is formed at the surface of the bubble–negatively charged adsorption layer of OH− and HCO3− ions and positively charged diffuse layer of H3O+ ions.
Cyclosporine CsA—The Physicochemical Characterization of Liposomal and Colloidal Systems
Authors: Wiącek Agnieszka Ewa , Jurak Małgorzata , Ładniak Agata , Przykaza Kacper , Szafran Klaudia
Published: October 2020

This paper presents an overview of the possibilities of testing various cyclosporine (CsA) formulations with an emphasis on parameters that may be key to improving the stability and biocompatibility. The feasibility of CsA colloidal systems for oral (injection) administration were investigated using different techniques and compared with similar investigations of other researchers. The chosen CsA systems were developed using dipalmitoylphosphocholine (DPPC) and/or cholesterol as a lipid matrix, stabilized with ethanol, with soybean oil or n-tetradecane as oil phase in emulsions, under natural pH, room and physiological temperature. Their integrity was found to be strictly dependent on the stabilizers. The highest CsA penetrability with the system containing phospholipid in the context of its interactions with lipid membranes was shown. Also, the bioavailability of CsA can be enhanced with the biopolymer antibacterial chitosan. This mini-review suggests the suitability of liposome/microemulsion as promising vehicles for CsA delivery. The most hopeful proved to be formulation with the smaller particle size facilitating absorption, but when safety is assessed, relying on just the particle size cannot be the only criteria. Reassumed, the CsA formulation stability known on the basis of the size and zeta potential measurements guarantees a decrease of the individual variations in the drug bioavailability, toxicity and minimizes rejection.
Exploring the Wet Mechanochemical Synthesis of Mg-Al, Ca-Al, Zn-Al and Cu-Al Layered Double Hydroxides from Oxides, Hydroxides and Basic Carbonates
Authors: Barnard Brenda Antoinette , Labuschagné Frederick Johannes Willem Jacobus
Published: October 2020

The synthesis of Mg-Al, Ca-Al, Zn-Al and Cu-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) was investigated with a one-step wet mechanochemical route. The research aims to expand on the mechanochemical synthesis of LDH using a mill designed for wet grinding application. A 10% slurry of solids was added to a Netzsch LME 1 horizontal bead mill and milled for 1 h at 2000 rpm. Milling conditions were selected according to machine limitations and as an initial exploratory starting point. Precursor materials selected consisted of a mixture of oxides, hydroxides and basic carbonates. Samples obtained were divided such that half was filtered and dried at 60 °C for 12 h. The remaining half of the samples were further subjected to ageing at 80 °C for 24 h as a possible second step to the synthesis procedure. Synthesis conditions, such as selected precursor materials and the MII:MIII ratio, were adapted from existing mechanochemical methods. LDH synthesis prior to ageing was successful with precursor materials observably present within each sample. No Cu-Al LDH was clearly identifiable. Ageing of samples resulted in an increase in the conversion of raw materials to LDH product. The research offers a promising ‘green’ method for LDH synthesis without the production of environmentally harmful salt effluent. The synthesis technique warrants further exploration with potential for future commercial up-scaling.
Proteomics of Extracellular Vesicles: Update on Their Composition, Biological Roles and Potential Use as Diagnostic Tools in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Mallia Alice , Gianazza Erica , Zoanni Beatrice , Brioschi Maura , Barbieri Silvia Stella , Banfi Cristina
Published: October 2020

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound vesicles released from cells under physiological and pathological conditions. Basing on biogenesis, dimension, content and route of secretion, they can be classified into exosomes, microvesicles (MVs) and apoptotic bodies. EVs have a key role as bioactive mediators in intercellular communication, but they are also involved in other physiological processes like immune response, blood coagulation, and tissue repair. The interest in studying EVs has increased over the years due to their involvement in several diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and their potential role as biomarkers in diagnosis, therapy, and in drug delivery system development. Nowadays, the improvement of mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques allows the characterization of the EV protein composition to deeply understand their role in several diseases. In this review, a critical overview is provided on the EV’s origin and physical properties, as well as their emerging functional role in both physiological and disease conditions, focusing attention on the role of exosomes in CVDs. The most important cardiac exosome proteomic studies will be discussed giving a qualitative and quantitative characterization of the exosomal proteins that could be used in future as new potential diagnostic markers or targets for specific therapies.
Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava with Absent Right Superior Vena Cava and Discrete Subaortic Stenosis Diagnosed in a Patient with Sick Sinus Syndrome: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature
Authors: Demșa Irina , Crișu Daniela , Haba Cristian Mihai Ștefan , Ursaru Andreea Maria , Afrăsânie Vlad-Adrian , Costache Irina Iuliana , Petriș Antoniu Octavian , Tesloianu Dan Nicolae
Published: October 2020

A persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most frequent anomaly of the venous drainage system. While both a right and left superior vena cava (SVC) are usually present, a unique, left-sided SVC, also known as an isolated PLSVC, accounts for only 10–20% of cases. It is frequently associated with arrhythmias and other congenital cardiac anomalies. Though it is usually an asymptomatic condition, it may pose significant problems whenever central venous access is needed. We report a case of an isolated PLSVC that was diagnosed incidentally during pacemaker implantation for sinus node dysfunction. The venous anomaly was associated with subvalvular aortic stenosis determined by a subaortic membrane; this particular association of congenital cardiovascular anomalies is a rare finding, with only a few cases reported in the literature. We aim to highlight the clinical and practical implications of this condition, as well as to discuss the embryonic development and diagnostic methods of this congenital defect.
Differential Diagnosis of Endometriosis by Ultrasound: A Rising Challenge
Authors: Scioscia Marco , Virgilio Bruna A. , Laganà Antonio Simone , Bernardini Tommaso , Fattizzi Nicola , Neri Manuela , Guerriero Stefano
Published: October 2020

Ultrasound is an effective tool to detect and characterize endometriosis lesions. Variances in endometriosis lesions’ appearance and distorted anatomy secondary to adhesions and fibrosis present as major difficulties during the complete sonographic evaluation of pelvic endometriosis. Currently, differential diagnosis of endometriosis to distinguish it from other diseases represents the hardest challenge and affects subsequent treatment. Several gynecological and non-gynecological conditions can mimic deep-infiltrating endometriosis. For example, abdominopelvic endometriosis may present as atypical lesions by ultrasound. Here, we present an overview of benign and malignant diseases that may resemble endometriosis of the internal genitalia, bowels, bladder, ureter, peritoneum, retroperitoneum, as well as less common locations. An accurate diagnosis of endometriosis has significant clinical impact and is important for appropriate treatment.
Discrepancies in Assessing Diastolic Function in Pre-Clinical Heart Failure Using Different Algorithms—A Primary Care Study
Authors: Setti Martina , Benfari Giovanni , Mele Donato , Rossi Andrea , Ballo Piercarlo , Galderisi Maurizio , Henein Michael , Nistri Stefano
Published: October 2020

Background: Current guidelines on diastolic function (DF) by the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (ASE/EACVI) have been disputed and two alternative algorithms have been proposed by Johansen et al. and Oh et al. We sought (a) to assess the concordance of ASE/EACVI guidelines on DF using these proposed alternative approaches and (b) to evaluate the prevalence of indeterminate diastolic dysfunction (DD) by each method, exploring means for reducing their number. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the echocardiographic reports of 1158 outpatients including subjects at risk of heart failure without (n = 644) or with (n = 241) structural heart disease, and 273 healthy individuals. Concordance was calculated using the k coefficient and overall proportion of DD reclassification rate. The effectiveness of pulmonary vein flow (PVF), Valsalva maneuver, and left atrial volume index/late diastolic a’-ratio (LAVi/a’) over indeterminate grading was assessed. Results: The DD reclassification rate was 30.1% (k = 0.35) for ASE/EACVI and OH, 36.5% (k = 0.27) for ASE/EACVI and JOHANSEN and 31.1% (k = 0.37) for OH and JOHANSEN (p < 0.0001 for all comparisons). DF could not be graded only by ASE/EACVI and OH in 9% and 11% patients, respectively. The majority of patients could be reclassified using PVF or Valsalva maneuver or LAVi/a’, with the latter being the single most effective parameter. Conclusion: Inconsistencies between updated guidelines and independent approaches to assess and grade DF impede their interchangeable clinical use. The inconclusive diagnoses can be reconciled by conventional echocardiography in most patients, and LAVi/a’ emerges as a simple and effective approach to this aim.
Exposing Empirical Links between COVID-19 Situation Report and Available Data: The Case of Nigeria
Authors: Zakariya Yusuf F.
Published: October 2020

Ever since the index case of COVID-19 was announced in Nigeria, the number of confirmed cases has gradually increased to 46,140 (about 4.5% of total confirmed cases in Africa) as the time of writing this article. This seemingly low number of confirmed cases has provoked heated debates among researchers. This cross-sectional study explores the Nigerian COVID-19 report to expose some links between the number of confirmed cases, testing, and some environmental conditions. The findings reveal that there is no state in Nigeria which has up to 12 confirmed cases per 10,000 population. That means, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is less than 0.15% of the population of people across each state in Nigeria. On the flip side, it was revealed that the proportion of samples tested for COVID-19 is low compared to the population. The percentages ranging from less than 0.1% to a maximum of 0.7% of each state population in which 23 states out of the 37 states are within the less than 0.1% range. Furthermore, there is a substantial correlation (ρ (37)=0.903, p< 0.001) between the confirmed cases and testing. In contrast, no substantial correlation was found between the former with either average temperature or rainfall.
Entropy Based Fatigue, Fracture, Failure Prediction and Structural Health Monitoring
Authors: Basaran Cemal
Published: October 2020

This special issue is dedicated to entropy-based fatigue, fracture, failure prediction and structural health monitoring[...]
Space Emerges from What We Know—Spatial Categorisations Induced by Information Constraints
Authors: Catenacci Volpi Nicola , Polani Daniel
Published: October 2020

Seeking goals carried out by agents with a level of competency requires an “understanding” of the structure of their world. While abstract formal descriptions of a world structure in terms of geometric axioms can be formulated in principle, it is not likely that this is the representation that is actually employed by biological organisms or that should be used by biologically plausible models. Instead, we operate by the assumption that biological organisms are constrained in their information processing capacities, which in the past has led to a number of insightful hypotheses and models for biologically plausible behaviour generation. Here we use this approach to study various types of spatial categorizations that emerge through such informational constraints imposed on embodied agents. We will see that geometrically-rich spatial representations emerge when agents employ a trade-off between the minimisation of the Shannon information used to describe locations within the environment and the reduction of the location error generated by the resulting approximate spatial description. In addition, agents do not always need to construct these representations from the ground up, but they can obtain them by refining less precise spatial descriptions constructed previously. Importantly, we find that these can be optimal at both steps of refinement, as guaranteed by the successive refinement principle from information theory. Finally, clusters induced by these spatial representations via the information bottleneck method are able to reflect the environment’s topology without relying on an explicit geometric description of the environment’s structure. Our findings suggest that the fundamental geometric notions possessed by natural agents do not need to be part of their a priori knowledge but could emerge as a byproduct of the pressure to process information parsimoniously.
Spatial Patterns of Production-Distribution-Consumption Cycle: The Specifics of Developing Russia
Authors: Timiryanova Venera , Grishin Konstantin , Krasnoselskaya Dina
Published: October 2020

The existing body of academic literature reveals that production, distribution, and consumption might be both consistently connected and geographically scattered. This requires assessing the spatial order of production–distribution–consumption cycle, within which exploring of spatial relationship would be based on mutual dependence on each other’s of production, distribution and consumption. Hierarchical and spatial nesting of production, distribution, and consumption data allows us to apply hierarchical spatial autoregressive models (HSAR). The study was conducted on data from 2132 municipalities within 84 regions of the Russian Federation in 2018. The created models enabled distinguishing intraregional and interregional effects and highlighted the positive effect of spatial interactions in production volume. The calculations showed that population income, which determine the demand for goods are positively associated with production volume while relationship between manufacturing and wholesale is negative, resulting in revision of relations between wholesale and manufacturing enterprises and boosting ways of improvement the competitiveness of manufactured goods. The results allow us not only to enhance understanding of the spatial pattern of production–distribution–consumption cycle, but also to reveal new opportunities in the development of supply chain location policy.
Modified Blended Learning in Engineering Higher Education during the COVID-19 Lockdown—Building Automation Courses Case Study
Authors: Ożadowicz Andrzej
Published: October 2020

The blended learning method with its supporting electronic tools is a very well-known approach in academic education. In most of its practical applications, direct face to face contacts between students and the teacher as well as students with each other in groups are important elements in the organization of lectures and classes. This is of particular importance in conducting laboratory classes in teaching process for engineers. However, the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020 closed schools, universities and completely eliminated the possibility of direct interpersonal contacts. These extraordinary circumstances forced changes in the organization of the teaching process, in particular the introduction of distance learning. Therefore, this paper proposes a modified blended learning method as well as describes a case study on its introduction in the education of building automation engineers at a technical university. A new organizational structure of this modified method is presented, with discussion of tools and methods of active distance learning, introduced during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Finally, some experiences, general reflections along with the identification of the preferred forms of distance learning by students are presented. The future works are briefly described as well.
Control Scheme of a Bidirectional Inductive Power Transfer System for Electric Vehicles Integrated into the Grid
Authors: Molina-Martínez Emilio J. , Roncero-Sánchez Pedro , López-Alcolea Francisco Javier , Vázquez Javier , Torres Alfonso Parreño
Published: October 2020

Inductive power transfer (IPT) systems have become a very effective technology when charging the batteries of electric vehicles (EVs), with numerous research works devoted to this field in recent years. In the battery charging process, the EV consumes energy from the grid, and this concept is called Grid-to-Vehicle (G2V). Nevertheless, the EV can also be used to inject part of the energy stored in the battery into the grid, according to the so-called Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) scheme. This bidirectional feature can be applied to a better development of distributed generation systems, thus improving the integration of EVs into the grid (including IPT-powered EVs). Over the past few years, some works have begun to pay attention to bidirectional IPT systems applied to EVs, focusing on aspects such as the compensation topology, the design of the magnetic coupler or the power electronic configuration. Nevertheless, the design of the control system has not been extensively studied. This paper is focused on the design of a control system applied to a bidirectional IPT charger, which can operate in both the G2V and V2G modes. The procedure design of the control system is thoroughly explained and classical control techniques are applied to tailor the control scheme. One of the advantages of the proposed control scheme is the robustness when there is a mismatch between the coupling factor used in the model and the real value. Moreover, the control system can be used to limit the peak value of the primary side current when this value increases, thus protecting the IPT system. Simulation results obtained with PSCADTM/EMTDCTM show the good performance of the overall system when working in both G2V and V2G modes, while experimental results validate the control system behavior in the G2V mode.
Reinforcement-Learning Based Dynamic Transmission Range Adjustment in Medium Access Control for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Dugaev Dmitrii , Peng Zheng , Luo Yu , Pu Lina
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we propose a reinforcement learning (RL) based Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol with dynamic transmission range control (TRC). This protocol provides an adaptive, multi-hop, energy-efficient solution for communication in underwater sensors networks. It features a contention-based TRC scheme with a reactive multi-hop transmission. The protocol has the ability to adjust to network conditions using RL-based learning algorithm. The combination of TRC and RL algorithms can hit a balance between the energy consumption and network performance. Moreover, the proposed adaptive mechanism for relay-selection provides better network utilization and energy-efficiency over time, comparing to existing solutions. Using a straightforward ALOHA-based channel access alongside “helper-relays” (intermediate nodes), the protocol is able to obtain a substantial amount of energy savings, achieving up to 90% of the theoretical “best possible” energy efficiency. In addition, the protocol shows a significant advantage in MAC layer performance, such as network throughput and end-to-end delay.
Multi-Hop Dynamic Map Data Propagation Algorithm for Clustered Vehicular Networks
Authors: Urmonov Odilbek , Kim HyungWon
Published: October 2020

To ensure the driving safety in vehicular network, it is necessary to construct a local dynamic map (LDM) for an extended range. Using the standard vehicular communication protocols, however, vehicles can construct the LDM for only one-hop range. Constructing large-scale LDM is highly challenging because vehicles randomly change their position. This paper proposes a dynamic map propagation (DMP) method, which builds a large aggregated LDM data using a multi-hop communication. To reduce the data overhead, we introduce an efficient clustering method based on a half-circle of the forwarder’s wireless range. The DMP elects one forwarder per cluster, which constructs LDM and forwards it to a neighbor cluster. The inter-cluster interference is minimized by allocating a different transmit window to each cluster. DMP copes with a dynamic environment by frequently re-electing the forwarders and their associated transmission windows. Simulation results reveal that DMP enhances the forwarders’ reception ratio by 20%, while extending LDM dissemination range by 29% over a previous work.
Feasibility of Wireless Horse Monitoring Using a Kinetic Energy Harvester Model
Authors: Van Herbruggen Ben , Fontaine Jaron , Eerdekens Anniek , Deruyck Margot , Joseph Wout , De Poorter Eli
Published: October 2020

To detect behavioral anomalies (disease/injuries), 24 h monitoring of horses each day is increasingly important. To this end, recent advances in machine learning have used accelerometer data to improve the efficiency of practice sessions and for early detection of health problems. However, current devices are limited in operational lifetime due to the need to manually replace batteries. To remedy this, we investigated the possibilities to power the wireless radio with a vibrational piezoelectric energy harvester at the leg (or in the hoof) of the horse, allowing perpetual monitoring devices. This paper reports the average power that can be delivered to the node by energy harvesting for four different natural gaits of the horse: stand, walking, trot and canter, based on an existing model for a velocity-damped resonant generator (VDRG). To this end, 33 accelerometer datasets were collected over 4.5 h from six horses during different activities. Based on these measurements, a vibrational energy harvester model was calculated that can provide up to 64.04 μW during the energetic canter gait, taking an energy conversion rate of 60% into account. Most energy is provided during canter in the forward direction of the horse. The downwards direction is less suitable for power harvesting. Additionally, different wireless technologies are considered to realize perpetual wireless data sensing. During horse training sessions, BLE allows continues data transmissions (one packet every 0.04 s during canter), whereas IEEE 802.15.4 and UWB technologies are better suited for continuous horse monitoring during less energetic states due to their lower sleep current.
In-Memory Data Anonymization Using Scalable and High Performance RDD Design
Authors: Bazai Sibghat Ullah , Jang-Jaccard Julian
Published: October 2020

Recent studies in data anonymization techniques have primarily focused on MapReduce. However, these existing MapReduce based approaches often suffer from many performance overheads due to their inappropriate use of data allocation, expensive disk I/O access and network transfer, and no support for iterative tasks. We propose “SparkDA” which is a new novel anonymization technique that is designed to take the full advantage of Spark platform to generate privacy-preserving anonymized dataset in the most efficient way possible. Our proposal offers a better partition control, in-memory operation and cache management for iterative operations that are heavily utilised for data anonymization processing. Our proposal is based on Spark’s Resilient Distributed Dataset (RDD) with two critical operations of RDD, such as FlatMapRDD and ReduceByKeyRDD, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposal outperforms the existing approaches in terms of performance and scalability while maintaining high data privacy and utility levels. This illustrates that our proposal is capable to be used in a wider big data applications that demands privacy.
A 4-bit 36 GS/s ADC with 18 GHz Analog Bandwidth in 40 nm CMOS Process
Authors: Jia Hanbo , Guo Xuan , Zheng Xuqiang , Xu Xiaodi , Wu Danyu , Zhou Lei , Wu Jin , Liu Xinyu
Published: October 2020

This paper presents a 4-bit 36 GS/s analog-to-digital converter (ADC) employing eight time-interleaved (TI) flash sub-ADCs in 40 nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. A wideband front-end matching circuit based on a peaking inductor is designed to increase the analog input bandwidth to 18 GHz. A novel offset calibration that can achieve quick detection and accurate correction without affecting the speed of the comparator is proposed, guaranteeing the high-speed operation of the ADC. A clock distribution circuit based on CMOS and current mode logic (CML) is implemented in the proposed ADC, which not only maintains the speed and quality of the high-speed clock, but also reduces the overall power consumption. A timing mismatch calibration is integrated into the chip to achieve fast timing mismatch detection of the input signal which is bandlimited to the Nyquist frequency for the complete ADC system. The experimental results show that the differential nonlinearity (DNL) and integral nonlinearity (INL) are −0.28/+0.22 least significant bit (LSB) and −0.19/+0.16 LSB, respectively. The signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) is above 22.5 dB and the spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) is better than 35 dB at 1.2 GHz. An SFDR above 24.5 dB and an SNDR above 18.6 dB across the entire Nyquist frequency can be achieved. With a die size of 2.96 mm * 1.8 mm, the ADC consumes 780 mW from the 0.9/1.2/1.8 V power supply.