bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Succinate-Directed Approaches for Warburg Effect-Targeted Cancer Management, an Alternative to Current Treatments?
Authors: Casas-Benito Adrian , Martínez-Herrero Sonia , Martínez Alfredo
Published: May 2023

Approximately a century ago, Otto Warburg discovered that cancer cells use a fermentative rather than oxidative metabolism even though the former is more inefficient in terms of energy production per molecule of glucose. Cancer cells increase the use of this fermentative metabolism even in the presence of oxygen, and this process is called aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect. This alternative metabolism is mainly characterized by higher glycolytic rates, which allow cancer cells to obtain higher amounts of total ATP, and the production of lactate, but there are also an activation of protumoral signaling pathways and the generation of molecules that favor cancer progression. One of these molecules is succinate, a Krebs cycle intermediate whose concentration is increased in cancer and which is considered an oncometabolite. Several protumoral actions have been associated to succinate and its role in several cancer types has been already described. Despite playing a major role in metabolism and cancer, so far, the potential of succinate as a target in cancer prevention and treatment has remained mostly unexplored, as most previous Warburg-directed anticancer strategies have focused on other intermediates. In this review, we aim to summarize succinate’s protumoral functions and discuss the use of succinate expression regulators as a potential cancer therapy strategy.
Synthesis, and Anticancer Evaluation of 4-[(Indol-3-yl)-arylmethyl]-1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone Derivatives via a Magnetic Aminated Starch Biocatalyst
Authors: Ramshini Ali , Nezhad Shefa Mirani , Pourmousavi Seied Ali , Nazarzadeh Zare Ehsan , Pourjafar Mona , Sharifi Esmaeel
Published: May 2023

An eco-friendly biocatalyst was constructed in three steps. In the first step, the tosylated starch (TsST) was synthesized by using a 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride. In the second step, the aminated starch was synthesized via the reaction of TsST with para-phenylenediamine. In the third step, the magnetic biocatalyst was fabricated by an in situ coprecipitation process from ferric and ferrous salts in the existence of aminated starch (AST). The biocatalyst was characterized by 1H NMR, EDX, FESEM, FTIR, VSM, and TGA analyses. The magnetic aminated starch (MAST) was used as a biocatalyst for the synthesis of 4-[(indol-3-yl)-arylmethyl]-1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatives. The various products were prepared in noteworthy yields (85–93%) in fast reaction times (35–80 min) without laborious work-up procedures. The anticancer evaluation of some 4-[(indol-3-yl)-arylmethyl]-1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolones derivatives was studied on the survival rate of breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and human fibroblast cells by using an MTT assay. Additionally, recovery of the biocatalyst was studied, and results showed that the MAST was easily isolated from the reaction flask and could be recycled for up to six consecutive cycles without meaningfully falling in its efficiency.
Effects of ZSM-5 Morphology and Fe Promoter for Dimethyl Ether Conversion to Gasoline-Range Hydrocarbons
Authors: Ali Mansoor , Kim Jong Jin , Zafar Faisal , Shen Dongming , Wang Xu , Bae Jong Wook
Published: May 2023

The synthesis of gasoline-range hydrocarbons by gas-phase dimethyl ether (DME) conversion was investigated on various ZSM-5 zeolites with different morphologies and Fe contents. The different morphologies of ZSM-5 significantly altered the distributions of the acidic sites, which showed different selectivities to gasoline-range hydrocarbons. Nanostructured ZSM-5 (N-ZSM-5) revealed the highest C5+ selectivity of 41.7% with an aromatics selectivity of 23.6% at ~100% DME conversion. The superior catalytic activity of N-ZSM-5 was attributed to the largest strong Brønsted acidic sites and smaller crystallite sizes, which were beneficial for the faster removal rate of heavy hydrocarbons due to its shorter diffusion pathlength compared to conventional ZSM-5 (C-ZSM-5). In addition, 10 wt% Fe-impregnated N-ZSM-5 revealed an enhanced C5+ selectivity of 60.6% with a smaller C1–C4 selectivity of 21.9%, which were attributed to the adjusted acidic sites by suppressing the cracking reactions of the surface intermediates, which are responsible for the selective formation of smaller light hydrocarbons. However, the excess amount of Fe on N-ZSM-5 showed a lower DME conversion of 83.5% with a lower C5+ selectivity of 38.5% due to the blockages of the active acidic sites. Nanostructured N-ZSM-5 possessing a larger amount of strong Brønsted acid sites with 10 wt% Fe modification clearly showed a higher formation rate of gasoline-range hydrocarbons due to an enhanced secondary oligomerization of surface intermediates to form heavier aromatic hydrocarbons.
New Platinum Complexes from Salen- and Hydroxy-Substituted Salpn-Naphthalene Ligands with CO2 Reduction Activity
Authors: Rivera-Reyes Javier O. , Soto-Pérez Joesene , Sepulveda-Pagán Miguel , Lu Linguo , Borrero-Negrón Justin , Luna-Ramírez Alanys V. , Trinidad-Pérez Pedro , Pagán-Torres Yomaira , Chen Zhongfang , Cabrera Carlos R. , West William C. , Jones John-Paul , Piñero Cruz Dalice M.
Published: May 2023

The electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into added-value products is a promising alternative to completing the cycle of atmospheric CO2. We report two new platinum complexes—a salen-like naphthalene (PtL1) and a hydroxy-substituted salpn naphthalene (PtL2)—that are capable of activating CO2 to produce carbon monoxide (CO). The predominant keto tautomer of the non-innocent ligands was determined using DFT calculations and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The PtL2 complex has a CO Faradaic efficiency >40% in the presence of water as a sacrificial proton source at −2.5 V vs. Fc/Fc+. The addition of the hydroxy group in combination with water as a proton source decreased the reduction potential and increased the CO formation tenfold when compared to PtL1.
Genetic and Protein Network Underlying the Convergence of Rett-Syndrome-like (RTT-L) Phenotype in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Frankel Eric , Podder Avijit , Sharifi Megan , Pillai Roshan , Belnap Newell , Ramsey Keri , Dodson Julius , Venugopal Pooja , Brzezinski Molly , Llaci Lorida , Gerald Brittany , Mills Gabrielle , Sanchez-Castillo Meredith , Balak Chris D. , Szelinger Szabolcs , Jepsen Wayne M. , Siniard Ashley L. , Richholt Ryan , Naymik Marcus , Schrauwen Isabelle , Craig David W. , Piras Ignazio S. , Huentelman Matthew J. , Schork Nicholas J. , Narayanan Vinodh , Rangasamy Sampathkumar
Published: May 2023

Mutations of the X-linked gene encoding methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) cause classical forms of Rett syndrome (RTT) in girls. A subset of patients who are recognized to have an overlapping neurological phenotype with RTT but are lacking a mutation in a gene that causes classical or atypical RTT can be described as having a ‘Rett-syndrome-like phenotype (RTT-L). Here, we report eight patients from our cohort diagnosed as having RTT-L who carry mutations in genes unrelated to RTT. We annotated the list of genes associated with RTT-L from our patient cohort, considered them in the light of peer-reviewed articles on the genetics of RTT-L, and constructed an integrated protein–protein interaction network (PPIN) consisting of 2871 interactions connecting 2192 neighboring proteins among RTT- and RTT-L-associated genes. Functional enrichment analysis of RTT and RTT-L genes identified a number of intuitive biological processes. We also identified transcription factors (TFs) whose binding sites are common across the set of RTT and RTT-L genes and appear as important regulatory motifs for them. Investigation of the most significant over-represented pathway analysis suggests that HDAC1 and CHD4 likely play a central role in the interactome between RTT and RTT-L genes.
Mast Cell Tryptase Promotes Airway Remodeling by Inducing Anti-Apoptotic and Cell Growth Properties in Human Alveolar and Bronchial Epithelial Cells
Authors: Berlin Frida , Mogren Sofia , Ly Camilla , Ramu Sangeetha , Hvidtfeldt Morten , Uller Lena , Porsbjerg Celeste , Andersson Cecilia K.
Published: May 2023

Bronchial and alveolar remodeling and impaired epithelial function are characteristics of chronic respiratory diseases. In these patients, an increased number of mast cells (MCs) positive for serine proteases, tryptase and chymase, infiltrate the epithelium and alveolar parenchyma. However, little is known regarding the implication of intraepithelial MCs on the local environment, such as epithelial cell function and properties. In this study, we investigated whether MC tryptase is involved in bronchial and alveolar remodeling and the mechanisms of regulation during inflammation. Using novel holographic live cell imaging, we found that MC tryptase enhanced human bronchial and alveolar epithelial cell growth and shortened the cell division intervals. The elevated cell growth induced by tryptase remained in a pro-inflammatory state. Tryptase also increased the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein BIRC3, as well as growth factor release in epithelial cells. Thus, our data imply that the intraepithelial and alveolar MC release of tryptase may play a critical role in disturbing bronchial epithelial and alveolar homeostasis by altering cell growth–death regulation.
Mathematical Modelling of Muña Leaf Drying (Minthostachys mollis) for Determination of the Diffusion Coefficient, Enthalpy, and Gibbs Free Energy
Authors: Silva-Paz Reynaldo J. , Mateo-Mendoza Dante K. , Eccoña-Sota Amparo
Published: May 2023

In Peru, there are more than four thousand plants with medicinal properties, including muña, which helps digestion and improves health. The way to preserve these plants is drying up. The objective of this research was to investigate the coefficient of diffusion, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy in the drying kinetics of muña leaves. Different pretreatments were carried out on the samples (without pretreatment, as well as treated by immersion in 1% ascorbic acid and bleaching at 60 °C for 30 s), and they were dehydrated at three temperatures (40, 50, and 60 °C). The drying kinetics were modeled using eight mathematical models to represent the drying curve. The water content was reduced by the drying process. The logarithmic model was selected, as it showed the best fit to represent the drying kinetics of the muña. Activation energy values were similar between treatments (p > 0.05). The increase in temperature decreases the enthalpy and entropy and increases the Gibbs free energy with the effective diffusion coefficient. The drying kinetics allows one to determine the drying time for the storage of the product and the thermodynamic properties for the design of the equipment.
Atomic Layer Deposition of Chlorine Containing Titanium–Zinc Oxide Nanofilms Using the Supercycle Approach
Authors: Nazarov Denis , Kozlova Lada , Rudakova Aida , Zemtsova Elena , Yudintceva Natalia , Ovcharenko Elizaveta , Koroleva Alexandra , Kasatkin Igor , Kraeva Ludmila , Rogacheva Elizaveta , Maximov Maxim
Published: May 2023

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a useful tool for producing ultrathin films and coatings of complex composition with high thickness control for a wide range of applications. In this study, the growth of zinc–titanium oxide nanofilms was investigated. Diethyl zinc, titanium tetrachloride, and water were used as precursors. The supercycle approach was used, and wide ZnO/TiO2 (ZTO) ALD cycles were prepared: 5/1, 3/1, 2/1, 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/5, 1/10, 1/20. Spectral ellipsometry, X-ray reflectometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, SEM-EDX, and contact angle measurements were used to characterize the thickness, morphology, and composition of the films. The results show that the thicknesses of the coatings differ considerably from those calculated using the rule of mixtures. At high ZnO/TiO2 ratios, the thickness is much lower than expected and with increasing titanium oxide content the thickness increases significantly. The surface of the ZTO samples contains a significant amount of chlorine in the form of zinc chloride and an excessive amount of titanium. The evaluation of the antibacterial properties showed significant activity of the ZTO–1/1 sample against antibiotic-resistant strains and no negative effect on the morphology and adhesion of human mesenchymal stem cells. These results suggest that by tuning the surface composition of ALD-derived ZTO samples, it may be possible to obtain a multi-functional material for use in medical applications.
Improving Texture Prediction by Increasing Mesh Resolution in Submodel: A Crystal Plasticity FE Study and Experiment Verification
Authors: Liu Yu , Zhang Qi , Ge Qinqin , Wang Xingxing , Shen Yifu
Published: May 2023

Crystal plasticity finite element simulations require tremendous computation time and, accordingly, coarse mesh is generally used. To improve the texture prediction, Submodelling was applied to feature grains in this study. A simulation of the Wholemodel (whole sample) was firstly carried out to obtain the global texture, and then a smaller region from the Wholemodel was selected, reconstructed and finely meshed in the Submodel. The movement on the selected region boundary, obtained from the Wholemodel, was used to deform the Submodel. The Submodel reproduced the predictions in the Wholemodel, and the texture prediction, especially at micro-scale, was greatly enhanced in the Submodel due to the fine mesh. This significant drop in the Submodel computation time marks an ~85% decrease compared to the Wholemodel.
Seasonal and Nocturnal Activity of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Adapted to Different Environments in the Balearic Islands
Authors: Barceló Carlos , del Río Ricardo , Miranda Miguel A.
Published: May 2023

Several pathogens are known to be transmitted by arthropods. One of the most relevant, in economic terms, affecting animals is bluetongue virus. Its known vectors are several species of Culicoides midges. In Europe, the considered main vector species are Culicoides imicola and Culicoides obsoletus, though other species may be implicated at different levels. In the present work, the activity of these vector species between sunset and sunrise from May to November is analyzed according to their captures in a rotator bottle collector adapted to a light trap. Additionally, the Culicoides populations of two areas in Mallorca (Spain) with different characteristics (rural vs. urban) are compared. The results indicated that June is the month of higher abundance of C. obsoletus in our climatic conditions—being active during the first three hours after sunset. Conversely, C. imicola reached the maximum level of captures during October, and captures were more evenly distributed during the night. Collections from the two areas revealed that Culicoides populations were composed by the same species; however, abundance and sex ratio presented marked differences. These results add valuable insight into the ecology of Culicoides and may be used to design more accurate strategies to control diseases associated with Culicoides.
Coping with Stress as a Prelude of Naturalization: Different Responses of Lagarosiphon Species to Water Trophy
Authors: Montagnani Chiara , Caronni Sarah , Quaglini Lara Assunta , Sebesta Nicole , Gentili Rodolfo , Citterio Sandra
Published: May 2023

Horticulture is a major pathway of introduction of aquatic plants. Among traded aquatic plants, we found two species belonging to the genus Lagarosiphon Harv. (Hydrocharitaceae), native to South and Central Africa, L. major (Ridl.) Moss and L. cordofanus Casp. L. major is the main representative of the genus, having already been introduced via horticulture sale beyond its native range, and often becoming invasive. In contrast, L. cordofanus is a lesser-known congener that could be potentially sold as an alternative to L. major. It is relatively understudied, and has yet to be recorded in the wild outside its native range. Many factors can promote the invasiveness of an alien plant; among them, increased nutrient availability often facilitates opportunistic alien species such as L. major. In a horizon-scanning perspective, a manipulative experiment under controlled conditions was performed to test the response of L. cordofanus to different trophy levels using L. major as the tolerant alternative species. According to our results, the naturalization of L. cordofanus in temperate shallow waters does not seem likely, especially if considered in comparison to L. major.
Diversity and Distribution of 18 Cephalopod Species, and Their Link with Some Environmental Factors in the NW Pacific
Authors: Wang Rui , Zhang Ran , Song Puqing , Liu Shigang , Li Yuan , Li Hai
Published: May 2023

Some cephalopods are important fishery resources, with some major economic species living in pelagic waters, possessing short life history cycles, and responding strongly to environmental changes. The analysis of cephalopod community species composition, catch distribution, and their relationship with environmental factors in important marine areas can provide a basic reference for cephalopod biogeography and resource development and utilization. In this study, based on the cephalopod survey data in the spring of 2015 and summer of 2016 in the Pacific Ocean, we analyzed the cephalopod species composition, diversity index (the Margalef richness index, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, and Pielou uniformity index), main contributing species, and catch distribution in the two seasons of spring and summer in the Pacific Ocean. We also analyzed the relationship between cephalopod catch, each diversity index, and environmental factors in each season using the GAM model. The results show that 18 species of cephalopods were captured in the spring and summer, the Margalef richness index, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, and Pielou uniformity index in summer was higher than that in spring; the average catch biomass in spring was significantly higher than that in summer. The main contributing species in spring was Todarodes pacificus, while the main contributing species in summer was Ommastrephes bartramii. The interaction of the “longitude” and “latitude” has a great impact on cephalopod catch biomass in spring, and “sea surface temperature” has a great impact on cephalopod catch biomass in summer. The results of the study can provide a basic reference for the study of cephalopod diversity and resource development and utilization in the Pacific Ocean.
Medical Imaging of Inflammations and Infections of Breast Implants
Authors: Giovannini Elisabetta , Travascio Laura , Follacchio Giulia , Bauckneht Matteo , Criscuoli Benedetta , De Cataldo Camilla , Iozzelli Andrea , Cimini Andrea , Ricci Maria
Published: May 2023

Breast implants are widely used for reconstructive and/or cosmetic purposes. Inflammations and infections of breast implants represent important complications in clinical practice. The proper management of complications is necessary: diagnostic imaging plays a key role in detecting sites of inflammation and/or infection. The present review aims to illustrate the radiological findings of these conditions with different imaging techniques, such as mammography (MX), ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear medicine imaging. A knowledge of these findings is essential for radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians to provide helpful information for the clinical management of these complications.
Image-Based Numerical Analysis for Isolated Type II SLAP Lesions in Shoulder Abduction and External Rotation
Authors: Maldonado Javier A. , Puentes Duvert A. , Quintero Ivan D. , González-Estrada Octavio A. , Villegas Diego F.
Published: May 2023

The glenohumeral joint (GHJ) is one of the most critical structures in the shoulder complex. Lesions of the superior labral anterior to posterior (SLAP) cause instability at the joint. Isolated Type II of this lesion is the most common, and its treatment is still under debate. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the biomechanical behavior of soft tissues on the anterior bands of the glenohumeral joint with an Isolated Type II SLAP lesion. Segmentation tools were used to build a 3D model of the shoulder joint from CT-scan and MRI images. The healthy model was studied using finite element analysis. Validation was conducted with a numerical model using ANOVA, and no significant differences were shown (p = 0.47). Then, an Isolated Type II SLAP lesion was produced in the model, and the joint was subjected to 30 degrees of external rotation. A comparison was made for maximum principal strains in the healthy and the injured models. Results revealed that the strain distribution of the anterior bands of the synovial capsule is similar between a healthy and an injured shoulder (p = 0.17). These results demonstrated that GHJ does not significantly deform for an Isolated Type II SLAP lesion subjected to 30-degree external rotation in abduction.
Approximating Functions with Approximate Privacy for Applications in Signal Estimation and Learning
Authors: Tasnim Naima , Mohammadi Jafar , Sarwate Anand D. , Imtiaz Hafiz
Published: May 2023

Large corporations, government entities and institutions such as hospitals and census bureaus routinely collect our personal and sensitive information for providing services. A key technological challenge is designing algorithms for these services that provide useful results, while simultaneously maintaining the privacy of the individuals whose data are being shared. Differential privacy (DP) is a cryptographically motivated and mathematically rigorous approach for addressing this challenge. Under DP, a randomized algorithm provides privacy guarantees by approximating the desired functionality, leading to a privacy–utility trade-off. Strong (pure DP) privacy guarantees are often costly in terms of utility. Motivated by the need for a more efficient mechanism with better privacy–utility trade-off, we propose Gaussian FM, an improvement to the functional mechanism (FM) that offers higher utility at the expense of a weakened (approximate) DP guarantee. We analytically show that the proposed Gaussian FM algorithm can offer orders of magnitude smaller noise compared to the existing FM algorithms. We further extend our Gaussian FM algorithm to decentralized-data settings by incorporating the CAPE protocol and propose capeFM. Our method can offer the same level of utility as its centralized counterparts for a range of parameter choices. We empirically show that our proposed algorithms outperform existing state-of-the-art approaches on synthetic and real datasets.
The Language Diamond: An Intercultural Model to Teach and Learn (through) Languages
Authors: Auger Nathalie
Published: May 2023

The starting point (1) of our proposal is the observation of the lack of intercultural practices in schools in France, even in the crucial context of teaching French to migrant children (2). Thanks to previous studies, we, therefore, develop theoretical anchors (3) about learning territories, the ways to recycle language, and cultural experiences that can encompass all the context parameters (a pan-language approach) to elaborate an intercultural model for learning and teaching. The aim is to propose, methodological reflections to offer a model which could help change the representations and practices of the educational community regarding multilingualism so that students’ language and cultural experiences could become an asset to achieve academic success (4). It leads to a discussion about leads to the creation of the intercultural language diamond model to teach and learn (through) languages (5). Projects based on the language model give the opportunity to discuss this proposal (5): interests and possible limitations (6). The conclusion (7) pledges the use of the language diamond to counterbalance the ideology which considers diversity as an issue, and therefore adopt a holistic, maximalist point of view: a pan-language and pan-cultural approach to encompass the complexity of education challenges today.
A Virtual Reality Laboratory for Blended Learning Education: Design, Implementation and Evaluation
Authors: Antonelli Dario , Christopoulos Athanasios , Laakso Mikko-Jussi , Dagienė Valentina , Juškevičienė Agnė , Masiulionytė-Dagienė Vaida , Mądziel Maksymilian , Stadnicka Dorota , Stylios Chrysostomos
Published: May 2023

Launched during the pandemic, the EU-funded JANUS project aimed to ensure the continuity of student workshops at universities using a virtual reality (VR) robotics laboratory. With the return to normality, the project has been redesigned to capitalise on the positive outcomes of the experience. The VR lab provides safe and unrestricted access to the labs and experiments with the machines, reducing the consequences of student mistakes and improving the user experience by allowing the experiment to be repeated from different angles, some of which are impossible to access in the real lab. In addition, integration with an interactive learning platform called “ViLLE” allows for continuous assessment of the learning experience. Self-evaluation of the material taught and learned can be integrated with the execution of the exercises that pave the way for Kaizen. Two VR workshops for the blended learning of robotics were developed during the JANUS project. Their evaluation reported favourable responses from the students whose learning performance was indirectly measured.
Smooth Coverage Path Planning for UAVs with Model Predictive Control Trajectory Tracking
Authors: Tripicchio Paolo , Unetti Matteo , D’Avella Salvatore , Avizzano Carlo Alberto
Published: May 2023

Within the Industry 4.0 ecosystem, Inspection Robotics is one fundamental technology to speed up monitoring processes and obtain good accuracy and performance of the inspections while avoiding possible safety issues for human personnel. This manuscript investigates the robotics inspection of areas and surfaces employing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The contribution starts by addressing the problem of coverage path planning and proposes a smoothing approach intended to reduce both flight time and memory consumption to store the target navigation path. Evaluation tests are conducted on a quadrotor equipped with a Model Predictive Control (MPC) policy and a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm to localize the UAV in the environment.
A Hierarchical Clustering Obstacle Detection Method Applied to RGB-D Cameras
Authors: Liu Chunyang , Xie Saibao , Ma Xiqiang , Huang Yan , Sui Xin , Guo Nan , Yang Fang , Yang Xiaokang
Published: May 2023

Environment perception is a key part of robot self-controlled motion. When using vision to accomplish obstacle detection tasks, it is difficult for deep learning methods to detect all obstacles due to complex environment and vision limitations, and it is difficult for traditional methods to meet real-time requirements when applied to embedded platforms. In this paper, a fast obstacle-detection process applied to RGB-D cameras is proposed. The process has three main steps, feature point extraction, noise removal, and obstacle clustering. Using Canny and Shi–Tomasi algorithms to complete the pre-processing and feature point extraction, filtering noise based on geometry, grouping obstacles with different depths based on the basic principle that the feature points on the same object contour must be continuous or within the same depth in the view of RGB-D camera, and then doing further segmentation from the horizontal direction to complete the obstacle clustering work. The method omits the iterative computation process required by traditional methods and greatly reduces the memory and time overhead. After experimental verification, the proposed method has a comprehensive recognition accuracy of 82.41%, which is 4.13% and 19.34% higher than that of RSC and traditional methods, respectively, and recognition accuracy of 91.72% under normal illumination, with a recognition speed of more than 20 FPS on the embedded platform; at the same time, all detections can be achieved within 1 m under normal illumination, and the detection error is no more than 2 cm within 3 m.
Adaptive Droop Control of VSC-MTDC System Based on Virtual Inertia
Authors: Li Congshan , Zhang Xiaowei , He Ping , Zhen Zikai , Zhao Kefeng
Published: May 2023

In order to solve the problem that the voltage source converter based multi-terminal direct current (VSC-MTDC) system cannot provide inertia and participate in frequency modulation after connecting to the AC power grid under the traditional control strategy, an adaptive control strategy based on virtual inertia is proposed. First, the relationship between AC frequency and DC voltage was established by a virtual inertia control, allowing the VSC-MTDC system to provide inertia to the AC side. Second, to address the limited inertia coefficient selection due to DC voltage deviation, an adaptive control was adopted. When the DC voltage deviation is small, the inertia coefficient is increased to obtain a better inertial response; on the contrary, the inertia coefficient is reduced to prevent the DC voltage from exceeding the limit. Finally, to solve the problem of insufficient flexibility of the fixed droop coefficient, this paper introduces the power margin of a VSC-station into the droop coefficient to dynamically adjust the distribution ratio of unbalanced power and reduce the DC voltage deviation. The three-terminal VSC-MTDC system was modelled on the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation platform, and the superiority of the control strategy was highlighted in this paper by comparing it with conventional droop control and a fixed virtual inertia coefficient.
Improving Norwegian Translation of Bicycle Terminology Using Custom Named-Entity Recognition and Neural Machine Translation
Authors: Hellebust Daniel , Lawal Isah A.
Published: May 2023

The Norwegian business-to-business (B2B) market for bicycles consists mainly of international brands, such as Shimano, Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized. The product descriptions for these brands are usually in English and need local translation. However, these product descriptions include bicycle-specific terminologies that are challenging for online translators, such as Google. For this reason, local companies outsource translation or translate product descriptions manually, which is cumbersome. In light of the Norwegian B2B bicycle industry, this paper explores transfer learning to improve the machine translation of bicycle-specific terminology from English to Norwegian, including generic text. Firstly, we trained a custom Named-Entity Recognition (NER) model to identify cycling-specific terminology and then adapted a MarianMT neural machine translation model for the translation process. Due to the lack of publicly available bicycle-terminology-related datasets to train the proposed models, we created our dataset by collecting a corpus of cycling-related texts. We evaluated the performance of our proposed model and compared its performance with that of Google Translate. Our model outperformed Google Translate on the test set, with a SacreBleu score of 45.099 against 36.615 for Google Translate on average. We also created a web application where the user can input English text with related bicycle terminologies, and it will return the detected cycling-specific words in addition to a Norwegian translation.
Application of Response Surface Methodology and Artificial Neural Network to Optimize the Curved Trapezoidal Winglet Geometry for Enhancing the Performance of a Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchanger
Authors: Sharma Rishikesh , Mishra Dipti Prasad , Wasilewski Marek , Brar Lakhbir Singh
Published: May 2023

The present work aims at optimizing the geometry of curved trapezoidal winglets to enhance heat transfer rates (expressed as Colburn factor, j) and minimize pressure losses (expressed as friction factor, f). A fin-and-tube heat exchanger was analyzed with winglets mounted on the alternate tube and on either side of the fins. Multi-objective optimization was performed using the genetic algorithm (GA) to maximize j and minimize f. Two surrogate models, viz. response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN), were considered as inputs to GA. To reduce the number of runs, a sensitivity analysis was first performed to select the most influential geometrical parameters for optimization. The values of j and f in the design of the experiments table were computed using CFD. The Pareto front points elucidated a significant improvement compared with the reference model along with a broad choice for the designers, not only for the design condition but also for the off-design inlet condition.
Analysis of the Heat Transfer in Electronic Radiator Filled with Metal Foam
Authors: Shan Xiaofang , Liu Bin , Zhu Zongsheng , Bennacer Rachid , Wang Rounan , Theodorakis Panagiotis E.
Published: May 2023

The performance of an electronic radiator filled with metal foam with a porosity of 96% was studied. The effect of the factors including the flow rates, the pores per linear inch (PPI) and the numbers of fins was analyzed. The results show that the electronic radiator with metal foam reflects a stronger ability of the heat transfer compared to the electronic radiator without metal foam. With the increase in the flow rate between 10 L/h and 60 L/h, the heat transfer coefficient of both of the two electronic radiators will be improved, but it is also dependent on the number of fins. In this study, we find that the heat transfer coefficient first increases and then decreases with the number of fins. The optimum number is three. As for the effect of the PPI, the higher the PPI, the larger the heat transfer coefficient, while the pressure drop always increases with the flow rates’ increase, the pores per linear inch (PPI) and the numbers of fins.
Strategies of Climate Change Mitigation in Agriculture Plant Production—A Critical Review
Authors: Kwiatkowski Cezary A. , Pawłowska Małgorzata , Harasim Elżbieta , Pawłowski Lucjan
Published: May 2023

Agriculture is the second-highest, after energy use, source of greenhouse gas emissions, which are released from soils and animal digestion processes and as a result of energy consumption at various stages of agricultural production. However, changes in the management of agricultural systems may mitigate the negative impact of this sector on the atmosphere and climate. This paper presents a literature review on energy consumption in agriculture and the potential of agricultural crop production to assist in mitigation of global warming by increasing absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere. The issue was considered in the context of managing the cultivation of main, catch and cover crops. The potential of carbon sequestration in the above- and below-ground biomass of selected crops was analyzed. It was stated that, depending on the species, main crops can sequester up to 113 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 in whole biomass, while catch or cover crops can sequester up to 14.80 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 and 0.17 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 in the above- and below-ground biomass, respectively. The benefits of the spread of catch or cover crops, such as improvement of soil quality (leading to an increase in primary crop yield by even as much as 65%) and a phytosanitary effect, as well as the barriers that limit the use of catch crops, including the problems with matching crop species to climate and soil conditions and the risk of reducing farmers’ income, were considered. The results of the review show that catch crops can assimilate an additional amount of 4 to 6 tonnes CO2 ha−1 yr−1, and thus, spreading of catch crops is an effective way to reduce the climate impact of agriculture.
Optimal Operation of CCHP System Combined Electric Vehicles Considering Seasons
Authors: Cheng Junchao , Huang Yongyi , He Hongjing , Ibrahimi Abdul Matin , Senjyu Tomonobu
Published: May 2023

Energy shortage has always been a problem that the world needs to face. The combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system, as a multi-level energy utilization system that can provide cooling, heating, and electric energy simultaneously, is considered to have good development prospects in alleviating energy problems. In addition, because of the rapid development of electric vehicles (EVs), using EVs as power supply devices has become a hot topic of research. In this paper, EVs are combined with the CCHP system as new power supply equipment, and the influence of the season on the user’s cooling, heating, and power demand is considered. Aiming at the minimum economic cost, the system is optimized by using the PSO algorithm in two operating modes: following electricity load (FEL) and following thermal load (FTL). The final results show that the participation of EVs can reduce costs in both operating modes, especially in FTL mode, which can reduce costs by 4.58%, 13.61%, 12.74%, and 3.57% in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. In addition, the FEL mode is more economical in spring and winter, and the FTL mode is more economical in summer and winter. In addition, the CO2 emissions in FEL mode are always less than in FTL mode.
The Growth and Evolution of Biomass Soot in Partial Oxidation-Assisted Hot Gas Filtration
Authors: Tian Lin , Jin Zixuan , Gao Wenran
Published: May 2023

At present, partial oxidation is applied in the filtration processes of biomass hot gas to aid in solving the blockage problems caused by tar and dust condensates. However, in the resulting high-temperature and oxygen-limited environment, the risk of tar polymerization forming soot is created during the purification processes. Thus, this work established a hardware-in-the-loop simulation model using the Lagrangian method coupled with the chemical reactions on the particle surface. The model was then used to simulate the entire evolution process of soot, including its formation, growth, and interception. The simulation results confirmed that under partial oxidation conditions, the increase in tar’s conversion rate promotes the formation of soot. Further analysis indicated that the high-temperature field formed as a result of oxidation and the increase in the naphthalene/oxygen ratio are the main reasons for the soot formation. On the other hand, the growth process of soot was inhibited by partial oxidation, which is mainly reflected in the relatively smaller increasing magnitude of soot particle mass and the decrease in the soot formation rate. Although the formation and growth of biomass soot cannot be completely avoided, the growth process is beneficial to interception and the soot escape rate can be minimized by varying the premixed oxygen content. On this basis, the potential of the partial oxidation-assisted hot gas filtration method can be further investigated and analyzed.
Screen of Pinus massoniana for Resistance to Pinewood Nematode: In Vitro Propagation and Evaluation of Regenerated Microshoots
Authors: Guo Jia-Yi , Zhu Zi-Hui , Chen You-Mei , Zhu Li-Hua
Published: May 2023

To accelerate breeding of Pinus massoniana Lamb. resistance to pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, a protocol was established for the in vitro propagation of P. massoniana and the evaluation of resistance of regenerated microshoots from different clones to PWN. Axillary bud induction was achieved by culturing cotyledonary node explants from 3-week-old seedlings in Gupta and Durzan (DCR) medium that was supplemented with 4 mg L−1 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 0.2 mg L−1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Explants with induced buds were transferred to DCR medium without a plant growth regulator to facilitate elongation. Stem segments from elongated shoots were used as propagules for further shoot multiplication. Six-month-old regenerated shoots that met the requirements for a nematode resistance test were inoculated with aseptic PWN (500 PWNs/shoot). The wilting rate varied between clones from 20% to 100%, 18 days after inoculation. Except for Clone 227, which showed the highest resistance with a wilting rate of 0%, other clones showed wilting to various degrees 30 d after inoculation. The number of nematodes that were recovered from Clone 227 was significantly lower than from other clones. This study promotes the resistance breeding of P. massoniana to pine wilt disease and provides an effective method to study the host/pathogen interaction between PWN and P. massoniana.
Whole Exome Sequencing Reveals Clustering of Variants of Known Vitiligo Genes in Multiplex Consanguineous Pakistani Families
Authors: Ishaq Rafaqat , Ilyas Muhammad , Habiba Umme , Amin Muhammad Noor ul , Saeed Sadia , Raja Ghazala Kaukab , Shaiq Pakeeza Arzoo , Ahmed Zubair M.
Published: May 2023

Vitiligo is an autoimmune complex pigmentation disease characterized by non-pigmented patches on the surface of the skin that affect approximately 0.5–2% population worldwide. The exact etiology is still unknown; however, vitiligo is hypothesized to be a multifactorial and genetically heterogeneous condition. Therefore, the current study is designed to investigate the anthropometric presentation and genetic spectrum of vitiligo in fifteen consanguineous Pakistani families. The clinical evaluation of participating individuals revealed varying degrees of disease severity, with 23 years as the average age of disease onset. The majority of the affected individuals had non-segmental vitiligo (NSV). Whole exome sequencing analysis revealed clustering of rare variants of known vitiligo-associated genes. For instance, in the affected individuals of family VF-12, we identified three novel rare variants of PTPN22 (c.1108C>A), NRROS (c.197C>T) and HERC2 (c.10969G>A) genes. All three variants replaced evolutionarily conserved amino acid residues in encoded proteins, which are predicted to impact the ionic interactions in the secondary structure. Although various in silico algorithms predicted low effect sizes for these variants individually, the clustering of them in affected individuals increases the polygenic burden of risk alleles. To our knowledge, this is the first study that highlights the complex etiology of vitiligo and genetic heterogeneity in multiplex consanguineous Pakistani families.
Special Issue: Lipid Metabolism, Adipogenesis and Fat Tissue Metabolism: Gene Regulation
Authors: Skrzypski Marek , Kołodziejski Paweł A.
Published: May 2023

Lipid metabolism is pivotal in controlling energy homeostasis [...]
Assessment of the Environmental Impacts of a Localized Food System and Food Waste Reduction in a Water-Scarce Region Using Diet Optimization Models
Authors: Liao Felix Haifeng , Heinse Robert , Saul Darin , Newman Soren , Huang Li , DePhelps Colette , Peterson Steven
Published: May 2023

Despite growing interest in fresh local produce across the United States, scaling up local agricultural development might impose new environmental pressures on increasingly scarce water and land resources in specific localities. Drawing upon the case of the Palouse of the US Inland Northwest, this study evaluates land and water footprints of local foods along with food waste reduction in a water-scarce region. We used both non-robust and robust diet-optimization techniques to estimate the minimum amounts of irrigation water necessary to grow foods locally and to satisfy the local population’s caloric or nutrition needs. Our modeling results indicate that, on an annual basis, an increase of less than 5% of the current freshwater withdrawal on the Palouse could satisfy 10% of the local population’s aspirational demand for locally grown food products, while more than 35% of local foods (by mass) may be wasted. Furthermore, reducing food waste by 50% could simultaneously reduce water use by up to 24%, cropland use by 13%, and pastureland use by 20%. Our findings not only provide intriguing information for access to local food but could also be used to stimulate new efforts to increase consumers’ and retailers’ awareness of environmental benefits associated with food waste reduction.
Resilience and Extrinsic Motivation as Mediators in the Relationship between Fear of Failure and Burnout
Authors: Yıldırım Murat , Kaynar Ömer , Chirico Francesco , Magnavita Nicola
Published: May 2023

Athletes with fear of failure are at risk of developing the symptoms of a wide range of psychological problems, including burnout. Understanding the risks and protective factors of athletes’ psychological health is an essential step in tailoring strategies and interventions to promote athletes’ psychological and mental health. This study examined the mediating roles of resilience and extrinsic motivation in the relationship between fear of failure and burnout among Turkish athletes. The study included 335 young athletes (93.4% males) whose ages ranged from 18 to 55 years (M = 24.95, SD = 8.22). Participants completed the self-reported measures of fear of failure, resilience, extrinsic motivation, and burnout. The analysis revealed that fear of failure had significant predictive effects on resilience, extrinsic motivation, and burnout. Resilience and extrinsic motivation also had significant predictive effects on burnout. The mediation analysis results showed that both resilience and extrinsic motivation partially mediated the effect of fear of failure on athlete burnout. The findings of the study provide a better insight into the underlying mechanisms between fear of failure and athlete burnout by considering resilience and extrinsic motivation as mediators. These results suggest that the adverse impact of fear of failure on athlete burnout can be mitigated by cultivating resilience and hindering extrinsic motivation.
Effect of Individualized Coaching at Home on Quality of Life in Subacute Stroke Patients
Authors: Telfils Rodeline , Gelineau Axelle , Daviet Jean-Christophe , Lacroix Justine , Borel Benoit , Toulgui Emna , Compagnat Maxence , Mandigout Stéphane
Published: May 2023

Background: Stroke causes psychological disorders and cognitive impairments that affect activities of daily living and quality of life. Physical activity (PA) in stroke recovery is beneficial. The benefits of PA on quality of life after stroke are less documented. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a home-based PA incentive program at home in post-stroke patients in the subacute phase on quality of life. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized, single-blind, and monocentric clinical trial. Eighty-three patients were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG; n = 42) or to a control group (CG; n = 41). The experimental group followed a home-based PA incentive program for 6 months. Three incentive methods were used: daily monitoring with an accelerometer, weekly telephone calls, and home visits every three weeks. Patients were evaluated before intervention (T0) and after intervention (T1) at 6 months. The control group was a non-intervention group receiving usual care. The outcome was the quality of life with the EuroQol EQ-5D-5L evaluated at baseline and 6 months post-intervention. Results: The mean age was 62.2 years ± 13.6 with a post-stroke time of 77.9 ± 45.1 days. The mean values of the utility index (EQ-5D-5L) in the control group and experimental group at T1 were 0.721 ± 0.207 and 0.808 ± 0.193, respectively (p = 0.02). Discussion: Our study shows a significant difference in the Global QOL index (EQ-5D-5L) between the two groups of subacute stroke patients after 6 months of the individualized coaching program, which combined home visits and weekly telephone calls.