bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postoperative Urinary Retention after Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Authors: Belthur Mohan V. , Singleton Ian M. , Burns Jessica D. , Temkit M’hamed H. , Sitzman Thomas J.
Published: September 2022

Purpose: This study aims to describe the incidence of postoperative urinary retention among pediatric patients undergoing orthopedic surgery and identify risk factors. Methods: The Pediatric Health Information System was used to identify children aged 1–18 years who underwent orthopedic surgery. Collected from each patient’s record were demographic information, principal procedure during hospitalization, the presence of neurologic/neuromuscular conditions and other complex chronic medical conditions, the total postoperative length of stay, and the presence of postoperative urinary retention. Results: The overall incidence of postoperative urinary retention was 0.38%. Children with complex chronic neuromuscular conditions (OR 11.54 (95% CI 9.60–13.88), p = < 0.001) and complex chronic non-neuromuscular medical conditions (OR 5.07 (95% CI 4.11–6.25), p ≤ 0.001) had a substantially increased incidence of urinary retention. Surgeries on the spine (OR 3.98 (95% CI 3.28–4.82, p ≤ 0.001) and femur/hip (OR 3.63 (95% CI 3.03–4.36), p ≤ 0.001) were also associated with an increased incidence. Conclusions: Children with complex chronic neuromuscular conditions have a substantially increased risk of experiencing postoperative urinary retention. Complex chronic non-neuromuscular medical conditions and surgeries to the spine, hip, and femur also carry a notably increased risk.
Stabilization and Resuscitation of Newborns
Authors: Schwaberger Bernhard
Published: September 2022

The majority of newborns do not need medical interventions to manage the neonatal transition after birth [...]
Pro-Inflammatory and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of the Non-Protein Amino Acid L-Azetidine-2-Carboxylic Acid in BV2 Microglial Cells
Authors: Piper Jordan Allan , Jansen Margo Iris , Thomas Broome Sarah , Rodgers Kenneth J. , Musumeci Giuseppe , Castorina Alessandro
Published: September 2022

L-Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AZE) is a toxic non-protein coding amino acid (npAA) that is highly abundant in sugar and table beets. Due to its structural similarity with the amino acid L-proline, AZE can evade the editing process during protein assembly in eukaryotic cells and be misincorporated into L-proline-rich proteins, potentially causing protein misfolding and other detrimental effects to cells. In this study, we sought to determine if AZE treatment triggered pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic responses in BV2 microglial cells. BV2 microglial cells exposed to AZE at increasing concentrations (0–2000 µM) at 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h were assayed for cell viability (MTT) and nitric oxide release (Griess assay). Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) staining was used to assess apoptosis. Real-time qPCR, Western blot and immunocytochemistry were used to interrogate relevant pro- and anti-inflammatory and other molecular targets of cell survival response. AZE (at concentrations > 1000 µM) significantly reduced cell viability, increased BAX/Bcl2 ratio and caused cell death. Results were mirrored by a robust increase in nitric oxide release, percentage of activated/polarised cells and expression of pro-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, NOS2, CD68 and MHC-2a). Additionally, we found that AZE induced the expression of the extracellular matrix degrading enzyme matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), two critical regulators of microglial motility and structural plasticity. Collectively, these data indicate that AZE-induced toxicity is associated with increased pro-inflammatory activity and reduced survival in BV2 microglia. This evidence may prompt for an increased monitoring of AZE consumption by humans.
Solvent-Induced Cobalt(II) Cyanoguanidine Bromides: Syntheses, Crystal Structure, Optical and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Zhang Jing , Corkett Alex. J. , van Leusen Jan , Englert Ulli , Dronskowski Richard
Published: September 2022

Two different phase-pure cobalt(II) cyanoguanidine bromide coordination compounds, Co(C2N4H4)2(H2O)4·2Br·2H2O (1) and Co3(C2N4H4)8(H2O)8·6Br (2), were precipitated from aqueous and methanol solutions, respectively, and their structures were solved and refined from X-ray single-crystal data at 100 K. Both 1 and 2 crystallize in the triclinic system with space group P1¯. The structure of 1 consists of two crystallographically distinct isolated CoO4N2 octahedral units plus bromide anions and crystal water molecules, whereas 2 is built from both isolated octahedra and discrete binuclear cluster units made from edge-sharing octahedra. Diffuse reflectance spectra and IR analysis then go on to highlight optical and vibrational differences between these two compounds. The magnetic susceptibility of 1 is consistent with either isolated or very weakly interacting Co2+ centers whereas the magnetic susceptibility of 2 evidences the potential weak antiferromagnetic exchange interactions that may arise from superexchange within the binuclear clusters.
Neutronographic Analysis of Load Partitioning and Micro Residual Stress Development in Duplex Stainless Steels
Authors: Pulvermacher Samuel , Pirling Thilo , Cabeza Sandra , Zuern Michael Georg , Hofmann Michael , Gibmeier Jens
Published: September 2022

In the present work, neutronographic in situ diffraction stress analyses during uniaxial loading and subsequent unloading were carried out on the two duplex stainless steels X2CrNiMoN22-5-3 and X3CrNiMoN27-5-2 with nominal phase fractions for ferrite:austenite of 50:50% and 70:30%, respectively. In addition to the different phase fractions, the two steels also differed in their phase-specific crystallographic texture. The load-partitioning behaviour and the phase-specific micro (residual) stress evolution for total strains up to about 9% were investigated. The results indicated that for both materials under load, the phase-specific stress in the ferrite phase was significantly higher than in the austenite phase, while no texture development through the plastic deformation could be observed.
Ectomycorrhizospheric Microbiome Assembly Rules of Quercus mongolica in the Habitat of SongRong (Tricholoma matsutake) and the Effect of Neighboring Plants
Authors: Si Yan-Ji , Xu Yang , Li Bin-Qi , Liu Jin , Meng Li-Peng , Li Yu , Ji Rui-Qing , Liu Shu-Yan
Published: September 2022

Host plants are known to determine the distribution and development of ectomycorrhizal fungi such as Tricholoma matsutake; however, we found that the fruit body distribution of T. matsutake was different in Quercus mongolica pure or mixed forests. To clarify the fungal and other microbial composition rules of host plants, ectomycorrhizal root tip samples of Q. mongolica mixed with different plants were selected for study. By using high-throughput sequencing, we obtained 5229 fungal and 38,834 bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) as determined by internally transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA (ITS rRNA) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing via the Illumina NovaSeq platform. Among the neighboring plants, there were no significant differences in fungal or bacterial alpha diversity, but there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in ectomycorrhizal alpha diversity. The fungal, bacterial and ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in the ectomycorrhizosphere of Q. mongolica all showed differences in beta diversity and species composition. In addition, the physical and chemical properties of the soil and the relationships among species could affect the relative abundance of fungi, bacteria and ectomycorrhizal fungi, but the soil microbial pool had little effect on microbial composition. Using PICRUSt2, some significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) metabolic functions in ectomycorrrhizospheric microbial communities were predicted, which would be an interesting research field for ectomycorrhizal microecology.
Comment on Niemann et al. Outcome Analysis of the Use of Cerament® in Patients with Chronic Osteomyelitis and Corticomedullary Defects. Diagnostics 2022, 12, 1207
Authors: McNally Martin , Ferguson Jamie , Scarborough Matthew , Ramsden Alex , Atkins Bridget
Published: September 2022

We read the recent study by Niemann et al. (2022) [...]
Assessment of Acute Lesions of the Biceps Pulley in Patients with Traumatic Shoulder Dislocation Using MR Imaging
Authors: Feuerriegel Georg C. , Lenhart Nicolas S. , Leonhardt Yannik , Gassert Florian T. , Biberthaler Peter , Siebenlist Sebastian , Kirchhoff Chlodwig , Makowski Marcus R. , Woertler Klaus , Gersing Alexandra S. , Neumann Jan , Wurm Markus
Published: September 2022

Background: Shoulder dislocations represent common injuries and are often combined with rotator cuff tears and potentially damage to the biceps pulley. Purpose: To assess the occurrence and type of biceps pulley lesions in patients after traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation using 3T MRI. Methods: Thirty-three consecutive patients were enrolled between June 2021 and March 2022 (14 women, mean age 48.0 ± 19 years). All patients underwent MR imaging at 3 T within one week. Images were analyzed for the presence and type of pulley tears, subluxation/dislocation of the LHBT, rotator cuff lesions, joint effusion, labral lesions, and osseous defects. Results: Seventeen patients (52%) with traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation demonstrated biceps pulley lesions. Of those, eleven patients (33%) showed a combined tear of the sGHL and CHL. All seventeen patients with lesions of the biceps pulley showed associated partial tearing of the rotator cuff, whereas three patients showed an additional subluxation of the LHBT. Patients with pulley lesions after dislocations were significantly older than those without (mean age 52 ± 12 years vs. 44 ± 14 years, p = 0.023). Conclusion: Our results suggest an increased awareness for lesions of the biceps pulley in acute traumatic shoulder dislocation, particularly in patients over 45 years.
Enhancing Annotation Efficiency with Machine Learning: Automated Partitioning of a Lung Ultrasound Dataset by View
Authors: VanBerlo Bennett , Smith Delaney , Tschirhart Jared , VanBerlo Blake , Wu Derek , Ford Alex , McCauley Joseph , Wu Benjamin , Chaudhary Rushil , Dave Chintan , Ho Jordan , Deglint Jason , Li Brian , Arntfield Robert
Published: September 2022

Background: Annotating large medical imaging datasets is an arduous and expensive task, especially when the datasets in question are not organized according to deep learning goals. Here, we propose a method that exploits the hierarchical organization of annotating tasks to optimize efficiency. Methods: We trained a machine learning model to accurately distinguish between one of two classes of lung ultrasound (LUS) views using 2908 clips from a larger dataset. Partitioning the remaining dataset by view would reduce downstream labelling efforts by enabling annotators to focus on annotating pathological features specific to each view. Results: In a sample view-specific annotation task, we found that automatically partitioning a 780-clip dataset by view saved 42 min of manual annotation time and resulted in 55±6 additional relevant labels per hour. Conclusions: Automatic partitioning of a LUS dataset by view significantly increases annotator efficiency, resulting in higher throughput relevant to the annotating task at hand. The strategy described in this work can be applied to other hierarchical annotation schemes.
Nutritional Status at Diagnosis as Predictor of Survival from Childhood Cancer: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Karalexi Maria A. , Markozannes Georgios , Tagkas Christos F. , Katsimpris Andreas , Tseretopoulou Xanthippi , Tsilidis Konstantinos K. , Spector Logan G. , Schüz Joachim , Siahanidou Tania , Petridou Eleni Th. , Ntzani Evangelia E.
Published: September 2022

Few studies so far have examined the impact of nutritional status on the survival of children with cancer, with the majority of them focusing on hematological malignancies. We summarized published evidence reporting the association of nutritional status at diagnosis with overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS), relapse, and treatment-related toxicity (TRT) in children with cancer. Published studies on children with leukemia, lymphoma, and other solid tumors have shown that both under-nourished and over-nourished children at cancer diagnosis had worse OS and EFS. Particularly, the risk of death and relapse increased by 30–50% among children with leukemia with increased body mass index at diagnosis. Likewise, the risk of TRT was higher among malnourished children with osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. Nutritional status seems to play a crucial role in clinical outcomes of children with cancer, thus providing a significant modifiable prognostic tool in childhood cancer management. Future studies with adequate power and longitudinal design are needed to further evaluate the association of nutritional status with childhood cancer outcomes using a more standardized definition to measure nutritional status in this population. The use of new technologies is expected to shed further light on this understudied area and give room to person-targeted intervention strategies.
Immunological Aspects of Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Czerwaty Katarzyna , Piszczatowska Katarzyna , Brzost Jacek , Ludwig Nils , Szczepański Mirosław J. , Dżaman Karolina
Published: September 2022

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is related to persistent inflammation with a dysfunctional relationship between environmental agents and the host immune system. Disturbances in the functioning of the sinus mucosa lead to common clinical symptoms. The major processes involved in the pathogenesis of CRS include airway epithelial dysfunctions that are influenced by external and host-derived factors which activate multiple immunological mechanisms. The molecular bases for CRS remain unclear, although some factors commonly correspond to the disease: bacterial, fungal and viral infections, comorbidity diseases, genetic dysfunctions, and immunodeficiency. Additionally, air pollution leads increased severity of symptoms. CRS is a heterogeneous group of sinus diseases with different clinical courses and response to treatment. Immunological pathways vary depending on the endotype or genotype of the patient. The recent knowledge expansion into mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CRS is leading to a steadily increasing significance of precision medicine in the treatment of CRS. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the immunological aspects of CRS, which are essential for ensuring more effective treatment strategies.
Adapting as I Go: An Analysis of the Relationship between Academic Expectations, Self-Efficacy, and Adaptation to Higher Education
Authors: Campos Mafalda , Peixoto Francisco , Bártolo-Ribeiro Rui , Almeida Leandro S.
Published: September 2022

Transition to higher education is increasingly becoming a common stage in young adulthood, which highlights the importance of studying what could contribute for a better adaptation to higher education. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between academic expectations, self-efficacy, and adaptation to higher education during the first two years of college (i.e., the first two years of a higher education degree). Portuguese college students participated in a longitudinal data collection resorting to the Academic Expectations Questionnaire (T1 and T3), the Self-Efficacy in Higher Education Scale (T2 and T3), and the Questionnaire for Higher Education Adaptation (T2 and T3). Structural equation modeling analysis was conducted to test a model correlating academic expectations, self-efficacy, and adaptation, as well as a mediation model where a full mediation of self-efficacy was observed between the relationship between academic expectations and higher education expectations. This study delivers a unique longitudinal view on the experience of the first two years of college, showing a significant role of expectations and self-efficacy in order to achieve a better adaptation process. Results are useful for institutions to adapt the way they present themselves and manage students’ expectations.
Signs of Learning—Multiple Modes as Support for Interaction in a Linguistically Diverse Physics Classroom
Authors: Danielsson Kristina , Uddling Jenny
Published: September 2022

Students’ and teachers’ meaning making in science classrooms is dependent on language in a broad, multimodal, sense, comprising specialized lexicogrammar and ways of using semiotic resources such as models, diagrams, and subject specific symbols. Altogether, the multimodal demands of science can be challenging, in particular for students learning the language of instruction in parallel with the subject content. Yet, multimodal perspectives are scarce in research concerning science learning in linguistically diverse classrooms, where several students are educated in their second language. Drawing on designs for learning theory, the interaction in a linguistically diverse physics classroom was analyzed through the Learning Design Sequence model to investigate the teacher’s design for learning for students’ meaning-making about ‘sound’. Thereto, students’ ‘signs of learning’ regarding subject content and how to communicate content in line with the discourse of science was analyzed. The teacher’s design for learning gave the students opportunities to interact about content by use of different semiotic modes, with gradually higher demands regarding both content and how to express the content which appeared to support students’ development of content knowledge and competency to express this knowledge in line with the discourse of science. However, some of the teacher’s choices appeared to be a hindrance for the students.
Efficient Strategies for Scalable Electrical Distribution Network Planning Considering Geopositioning
Authors: Lara Hector , Inga Esteban
Published: September 2022

This article presents a heuristic model to find the optimal route or layout of a subway electrical distribution network, obtaining full coverage of users in different scenarios and respecting technical criteria such as maximum distance to avoid voltage drop and capacity. In this way, the location of the transformer substations is achieved through an analysis of candidate sites. The medium voltage network will connect each transformer to a minimum spanning tree (MST), reducing the cost of materials associated with constructing the electrical grid. This work considers the latitude and longitude of each house and electrical count. Georeferenced scenario information is taken from the OpenStreetMap platform to provide an authentic context for distance and location calculations in the deployment of the power grid. The heuristic model offers to decrease time in solving the electrical network layout. As input variables, different powers of the "multi-transformer" transformers are considered to minimize the number of transformers and solve the power supply, reducing the transformers’ oversizing and minimizing the transformers’ idle capacity. The experimentation showed that none exceeded the limit allowed in an urban area of 3.5%.
A Novel Radiation-Hardened CCDM-TSPC Compared with Seven Well-Known RHBD Flip-Flops in 180 nm CMOS Process
Authors: Wang Shixin , Wang Lixin , Wang Yue , Guo Min , Li Yuanzhe
Published: September 2022

Numerous radiation-hardened-by-design (RHBD) flip-flops have been developed to increase the dependability of digital chips for space applications over the past two decades. In this paper, the radiation immunity and performance of seven well-known RHBD flip-flops are discussed. A novel cross-connected dual modular redundant true single-phase clock (TSPC) D flip-flop (CCDM-TSPC) is proposed. The presented CCDM-TSPC replaces the typical master-slave D flip-flop (MS-DFF) with the fundamental TSPC structure to shorten the circuit’s propagation time. All sensitive points in the circuit are radiation-hardened by using means of cross-connection. The simulation results of the SPECTRE tool show that CCDM-TSPC is completely immune to single-event upsets (SEUs). CCDM-TSPC reduces the C-Q delay by 75% and the layout area by 85% compared with the traditional triple modular redundancy D flip-flop (TMR-DFF).
On the Fast DHT Precoding of OFDM Signals over Frequency-Selective Fading Channels for Wireless Applications
Authors: Anoh Kelvin , Tanriover Cagri , Ribeiro Moisés V. , Adebisi Bamidele , See Chan Hwang
Published: September 2022

Due to high power consumption and other problems, it is unlikely that orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) would be included in the uplink of the future 6G standard. High power consumption in OFDM systems is motivated by the high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) introduced by the inverse Fourier transform (IFFT) processing kernel in the time domain. Linear precoding of the symbols in the frequency domain using discrete Hartley transform (DHT) could be used to minimise the PAPR problem, however, at the cost of increased complexity and power consumption. In this study, we minimise the computation complexity of the DHT precoding on OFDM transceiver schemes and the consequent power consumption. We exploit the involutory properties of the processing kernels to process the DHT and IFFT as a single-processing block, thus reducing the system complexity and power consumption. These also enable a novel power-saving receiver design. We compare the results to three other precoding schemes and the standard OFDM scheme as the baseline; while improving the power consumption efficiency of a Class-A power amplifier from 4.16% to 16.56%, the bit error ratio is also enhanced by up to 5 dB when using a 12—rate error-correction coding and 7 dB with interleaving.
Correction: Khan et al. An Adaptive Enhanced Technique for Locked Target Detection and Data Transmission over Internet of Healthcare Things. Electronics 2022, 11, 2726
Authors: Khan Muhammad Amir , Khan Jawad , Sehito Nabila , Mahmood Khalid , Ali Haider , Bari Inam , Arif Muhammad , Ghoniem Rania M.
Published: September 2022

There was an error in the original publication [...]
Characterization and Evaluation of Carbonate Reservoir Pore Structure Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Hou Jue , Zhao Lun , Zeng Xing , Zhao Wenqi , Chen Yefei , Li Jianxin , Wang Shuqin , Wang Jincai , Song Heng
Published: September 2022

The carboniferous carbonate reservoirs in the North Truva Oilfield have undergone complex sedimentation, diagenesis and tectonic transformation. Various reservoir spaces of pores, caves and fractures, with strong reservoir heterogeneity and diverse pore structures, have been developed. As a result, a quantitative description of the pore structure is difficult, and the accuracy of logging identification and prediction is low. These pose a lot of challenges to reservoir classification and evaluation as well as efficient development of the reservoirs. This study is based on the analysis of core, thin section, scanning electron microscope, high-pressure mercury injection and other data. Six types of petrophysical facies, PG1, PG2, PG3, PG4, PG5, and PG6, were divided according to the displacement pressure, mercury removal efficiency, and median pore-throat radius isobaric mercury parameters, combined with the shape of the capillary pressure curve. The petrophysical facies of the wells with mercury injection data were divided accordingly, and then the machine learning method was applied. The petrophysical facies division results of two mercury injection wells were used as training samples. The artificial neural network (ANN) method was applied to establish a training model of petrophysical facies recognition. Subsequently, the prediction for the petrophysical facies of each well in the oilfield was carried out, and the petrophysical facies division results of other mercury injection wells were applied to verify the prediction. The results show that the overall coincidence rate for identifying petrophysical facies is as high as 89.3%, which can be used for high-precision identification and prediction of petrophysical facies in non-coring wells.
Impact Analysis and Optimization of EV Charging Loads on the LV Grid: A Case Study of Workplace Parking in Tunisia
Authors: Mejdi Lazher , Kardous Faten , Grayaa Khaled
Published: September 2022

With the growth of electric vehicles’ (EVs) deployment as a substitute for internal combustion engine vehicles, the impact of this kind of load on the distribution grid cannot be neglected. An in-depth study needs to be performed on a regional basis to investigate the impacts of electric vehicle (EV) charging on the grid for each country’s grid configuration and specifications, in order to be able to reduce them. In this work, we built a case study of a charging infrastructure of a Tunisian workplace parking lot, by combining different measured data and simulations using OpenDSS and Matlab. The first objective was to analyze the integration impacts on the Tunisian low-voltage (LV) grid including phase unbalance, voltage drop, harmonics, and power losses. We found that 10 metric tons of carbon dioxide (MtCO2) in yearly emissions were caused by power losses, and 50% of these emissions came from harmonic losses, which can be avoided by active and passive filtering. The second objective was to decrease phase unbalance by formulating an optimization problem and solving it by combining a genetic algorithm (GA) and a pattern search (PS) in the Matlab environment. The GA returned interesting results by balancing the phases, and the addition of PS as a hybrid function reduced the convergence speed by 38%. Moreover, the optimization led to a reduction of 83% in the neutral current maximum value, a reduction of 67% in the violation period of the voltage drop, a minimum voltage drop of 0.94 pu. and kept the total current consumption within a fixed limit. The developed model can be adapted to any similar workplace parking facility in Tunisia that is equipped with an EV charging infrastructure.
A Review of Integrated Design Process for Building Climate Responsiveness
Authors: Li Zhixing , Tian Mimi , Zhu Xiaoqing , Xie Shujing , He Xin
Published: September 2022

In recent years, increasingly prominent energy and environmental problems have pushed for higher requirements for buildings’ energy saving. According to the conventional energy-saving design method, the cooperative operation between architects, structural and equipment engineers and other professionals cannot run smoothly, so the energy-saving and emission reduction efficiency of the whole building cannot be improved effectively. The integrated design process (IDP) is a systematic method, which is applied in the scheme design stage and according to which the multi-level design factors of cities and buildings are considered comprehensively. It provides a concrete path of multi-specialty collaborative operation for the building’s climate responsive design. In this article, the development, operation process, software platform, evaluation and decision-making methods of the IDP are reviewed in a comprehensive manner. Finally, the prospect of IDP applied to the climate responsive design of buildings is analyzed, and some suggestions for future development are put forward. The IDP framework proposed in the research can provide a reference method for architectural climate responsive design practice and help formulate the future policy of energy-saving design.
Quadrotor Model for Energy Consumption Analysis
Authors: Jacewicz Mariusz , Żugaj Marcin , Głębocki Robert , Bibik Przemysław
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a quadrotor dynamic model’s energy efficiency was investigated. A method for the design of the dynamic model which assures energy consumption estimation was presented. This model was developed to analyze the energy efficiency of the quadrotor during each maneuver. A medium-class quadrotor (4.689 kg) was used as a test platform. Thrust force correction factors obtained with FLIGHTLAB software were used to predict object behavior in forward flight. Model validation and long-duration flight tests in outdoor windy conditions are also presented. Monte-Carlo simulation was used to study the influence of uncertainties in model parameters on the simulation reliability. The developed model might be used for practical purposes (for example, energy-efficient coverage path planning).
Transmission Expansion Planning Considering Wind Power and Load Uncertainties
Authors: Xie Yilin , Xu Ying
Published: September 2022

Due to the rapidly increasing power demand worldwide, the development of power systems occupies a significant position in modern society. Furthermore, a high proportion of renewable energy resources (RESs) is an inevitable trend in further power system planning, due to traditional energy shortages and environmental pollution problems. However, as RESs are variable, intermittent, and uncontrollable, more challenges will be introduced in transmission expansion planning (TEP). Therefore, in order to guarantee the security and reliability of the power system, research related to TEP with the integration of RESs is of great significance. In this paper, to solve the TEP problem considering load and wind power uncertainties, an AC TEP model solved by a mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) is proposed, the high-quality optimal solutions of which demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the method. Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) is employed for the scenario generation, while a simultaneous backward reduction algorithm is applied for the scenario reduction, thus reducing the computational burden. Through this method, the reserved scenarios can effectively reflect the overall trends of the original distributions. Based on a novel worst-case scenario analysis method, the obtained optimal solutions are shown to be more robust and effective.
The Influence of LPG and DME Mixtures on Passenger Car Performance
Authors: Fabiś Paweł , Flekiewicz Marek
Published: September 2022

The paper presented the dynamics of a vehicle fueled by hybrid fuel, i.e., LPG–DME mixture. The basis for the assessment was the T-ω characteristics of the SI engine with a capacity of 1.6 dm3, determined by the authors for several selected loads and DME mass shares in the engine supply mixture. The analysis and comparison of the impact of the composition of the LPG–DME mixture on the dynamic properties were carried out for the passenger car OPEL Astra, powered by an engine for which T- ω characteristics were determined earlier on the test bench. It has been shown that the mass share of DME in the LPG–DME mixture does not significantly reduce the dynamic index of the car. In addition, the scope of changes in the mass fraction of DME in the mixture was also determined, which will ensure the vehicle performance similar to the power and torque parameters obtained for an engine powered solely by LPG. The received results have made it possible to determine changes in the value of the maximum dynamic coefficient, maximum acceleration, and car acceleration time for selected engine loads and various DME shares in the mixture. The thesis that DME can be considered as an activator of the combustion process and may have an impact on the vehicle dynamics is confirmed.
A Review of Simulation Models of Heat Extraction for a Geothermal Reservoir in an Enhanced Geothermal System
Authors: Gao Xiang , Li Tailu , Zhang Yao , Kong Xiangfei , Meng Nan
Published: September 2022

This paper reviews the heat transfer model for geothermal reservoirs, the fracture network in reservoirs, and the numerical model of hydraulic fracturing. The first section reviews the heat transfer models, which contain the single-porosity model, the dual-porosity model, and the multi-porosity model; meanwhile the mathematical equations of the porosity model are summarized. Then, this paper introduces the fracture network model in reservoirs and the numerical method of computational heat transfer. In the second section, on the basis of the conventional fracture theory, the PKN (Perkins–Kern–Nordgren) model and KGD (Khristianovic–Geertsma–De Klerk) model are reviewed. Meanwhile, the DFN (discrete fracture network) model, P3D (pseudo-3D) model, and PL3D (planar 3D) model are reviewed. The results show that the stimulated reservoir volume method has advantages in describing the fracture network. However, stimulated reservoir volume methods need more computational resources than conventional fracture methods. The third section reviews the numerical models of hydraulic fracturing, which contains the finite element method (FEM), the discrete element method (DEM), and the boundary element method (BEM). The comparison of these methods shows that the FEM can reduce the computational resources when calculating the fluid flow, heat transfer and fracture propagations in a reservoir. Thus, a mature model for geothermal reservoirs can be developed by coupling the processes of heat transfer, fluid flow and fracture propagation.
Small-Signal Stability Research of Grid-Connected Virtual Synchronous Generators
Authors: Lu Shengyang , Zhu Yu , Dong Lihu , Na Guangyu , Hao Yan , Zhang Guanfeng , Zhang Wuyang , Cheng Shanshan , Yang Junyou , Sui Yuqiu
Published: September 2022

The virtual synchronous generator (VSG) technique is used to simulate the external characteristics of a synchronous generator (SG) to provide certain damping and inertia to power systems. However, it may easily cause low-frequency oscillation of the power system. We studied the small-signal stability of a grid-connected virtual synchronous generator. Firstly, the small-signal models of single-VSG and multi-VSG grid-connected systems were established. Subsequently, the system eigenvalues were obtained by solving the state matrix, and the system oscillation modes were analyzed. The eigenvalue analysis method was used to analyze the impacts of parameter changes, such as virtual moment of inertia, virtual damping coefficient, line resistance, and line inductance, on system stability. Finally, our conclusions were verified by numerous simulation models.
Current Impact and Long-Term Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Iraqi Healthcare Systems: A Case Study
Authors: Al Janabi Taysir , Chung Sunny
Published: September 2022

Decades of wars, sanctions, and internal conflicts have compromised Iraq’s health system, which once was the best system in the region. National and international efforts to revitalize the system have been successful to some extent; however, significant challenges still exist. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed new vulnerabilities and exacerbated the existing ones, affecting the quality and the quantity of the health services delivered. This case study explored the baseline function of Iraq’s health system within the context of the World Health Organization (WHO) health system framework. The paper also examined the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and some of its impacts. Results show that the system was not functioning optimally nor was it prepared to address the immediate impact of the current pandemic and other emerging public health issues. While mitigating the pandemic’s short-term and long-term impacts are essential, it should not divert the focus from restructuring and strengthening the health system. Iraq may need to prioritize the health information system and leadership/governance as they provide the basis for health policies and regulations for all other health system building blocks.
Mites Associated with the European Spruce Bark Beetle Ips typographus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Europe, with New Evidence for the Fauna of Serbia
Authors: Milosavljević Marija , Tabaković-Tošić Mara , Pernek Milan , Rakonjac Ljubinko , Lučić Aleksandar , Eremija Saša , Rindos Michal
Published: September 2022

Various biotic and abiotic factors are the cause of the decline of coniferous forests throughout Europe. Trees weakened by unfavorable weather conditions create an ideal environment for a possible outbreak of bark beetles. The damage caused by bark beetles costs billions of dollars worldwide every year. Extreme climate events are responsible for the enormous forest losses in Tara National Park in the last ten years, leading to a massive bark beetle infestation. The understanding of the diversity and role of mites as biological control agents is still insufficient. In this study, we summarize the current knowledge on the diversity of mites associated with Ips typographus L. in Europe and provide information on the diversity of these mites in Serbia. Paraleius leontonychus, Uroobovella ipidis, Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus, Histiostoma piceae, and Trichouropoda polytricha were detected for the first time in Serbia. Moreover, the occurrence of Paraleius leontonychus represents the southernmost occurrence of this species.
Optimal Frequency Control of Multi-Area Hybrid Power System Using New Cascaded TID-PIλDμN Controller Incorporating Electric Vehicles
Authors: Hassan Amira , Aly Mokhtar , Elmelegi Ahmed , Nasrat Loai , Watanabe Masayuki , Mohamed Emad A.
Published: September 2022

Modern structures of electrical power systems are expected to have more domination of renewable energy sources. However, renewable energy-based generation systems suffer from their lack of or reduced rotating masses, which is the main source of power system inertia. Therefore, the frequency of modern power systems represents an important indicator of their proper and safe operation. In addition, the uncertainties and randomness of the renewable energy sources and the load variations can result in frequency undulation problems. In this context, this paper presents an improved cascaded fractional order-based frequency regulation controller for a two-area interconnected power system. The proposed controller uses the cascade structure of the tilt integral derivative (TID) with the fractional order proportional integral derivative with a filter (FOPIDN or PIλDμN) controller (namely the cascaded TID-FOPIDN or TID-PIλDμN controller). Moreover, an optimized TID control method is presented for the electric vehicles (EVs) to maximize their benefits and contribution to the frequency regulation of power systems. The recent widely employed marine predators optimization algorithm (MPA) is utilized to design the new proposed controllers. The proposed controller and design method are tested and validated at various load and renewable source variations, as is their robustness against parameter uncertainties of power systems. Performance comparisons of the proposed controller with featured frequency regulation controllers in the literature are provided to verify the superiority of the new proposed controller. The obtained results confirm the stable operation and the frequency regulation performance of the new proposed controller with optimized controller parameters and without the need for complex design methods.
A Fractional-Order On-Line Self Optimizing Control Framework and a Benchmark Control System Accelerated Using Fractional-Order Stochasticity
Authors: Viola Jairo , Chen YangQuan
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a design and evaluation of a fractional-order self optimizing control (FOSOC) architecture for process control. It is based on a real-time derivative-free optimization layer that adjusts the parameters of a discrete-time fractional-order proportional integral (FOPI) controller according to an economic cost function. A simulation benchmark is designed to assess the performance of the FOSOC controller based on a first order plus dead time system. Similarly, an acceleration mechanism is proposed for the fractional-order self optimizing control framework employing fractional-order Gaussian noise with long-range dependence given by the Hurst exponent. The obtained results show that the FOSOC controller can improve the system closed-loop response under different operating conditions and reduce the convergence time of the real-time derivative-free optimization algorithm by using fractional-order stochasticity.
Tram Expansion Effects on Reaching the City Centres—Case Study of Tampere and Braunschweig
Authors: Viri Riku , Sievers Nina , Liimatainen Heikki , Schütze Christoph , Siefer Thomas
Published: September 2022

This manuscript is based on cooperation between the universities in Tampere, Finland and Braunschweig, Germany. New tram lines are being built or extended in both cities to provide better connections to public transportation and increase accessibility. This research presents case studies from each city that have successfully increased public transport (PT) ridership during recent years. The aim of this study is to compare and analyse the effects of tram expansion projects in Tampere and Braunschweig from the public transport network users’ viewpoint. These cities were selected because they are of similar size in terms of population and have similar modal shares of PT. Changes in accessibility to the city centres were analysed considering the tramline extensions. This was determined by calculating the travel time differences of the current network and the future network for both cities. For this total travel time, the ArcGIS Pro Service Area Tool was used to calculate the time taken to reach every grid of the investigation areas. The results vary due to the tram expansion and changes in the existing bus network.
Biomarkers for Monitoring Renal Damage Due to Fabry Disease in Patients Treated with Migalastat: A Review for Nephrologists
Authors: Jaurretche Sebastián , Conde Hernan , Gonzalez Schain Ana , Ruiz Franco , Sgro Maria Victoria , Venera Graciela
Published: September 2022

Nephropathy is a major Fabry disease complication. Kidney biopsies reveal glomerulosclerosis even in pediatric patients. The main manifestations of Fabry nephropathy include reduced glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria. In 2016, an oral pharmacological Chaperone was approved to treat Fabry patients with “amenable” mutations. Because (i) Fabry disease is a rare disorder that frequently causes kidney damage, and (ii) a new therapeutic is currently available, it is necessary to review wich biomarkers are useful for nephropathy follow-up among Fabry “amenable” patients receiving migalastat. The literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Cochrane, and Google academic. Prospective studies in which renal biomarkers were the dependent variable or criterion, with at least 6 months of follow-up, were included. Finally, we recorded relevant information in an ad hoc database and summarized the main results. To date, the main useful biomarker for nephropathy monitoring among Fabry “amenable” patients receiving migalastat is glomerular filtration rate estimated by equations that include serum creatinine.
What Can We Learn about the Bias of Microbiome Studies from Analyzing Data from Mock Communities?
Authors: Li Mo , Tyx Robert E. , Rivera Angel J. , Zhao Ni , Satten Glen A.
Published: September 2022

It is known that data from both 16S and shotgun metagenomics studies are subject to biases that cause the observed relative abundances of taxa to differ from their true values. Model community analyses, in which the relative abundances of all taxa in the sample are known by construction, seem to offer the hope that these biases can be measured. However, it is unclear whether the bias we measure in a mock community analysis is the same as we measure in a sample in which taxa are spiked in at known relative abundance, or if the biases we measure in spike-in samples is the same as the bias we would measure in a real (e.g., biological) sample. Here, we consider these questions in the context of 16S rRNA measurements on three sets of samples: the commercially available Zymo cells model community; the Zymo model community mixed with Swedish Snus, a smokeless tobacco product that is virtually bacteria-free; and a set of commercially available smokeless tobacco products. Each set of samples was subject to four different extraction protocols. The goal of our analysis is to determine whether the patterns of bias observed in each set of samples are the same, i.e., can we learn about the bias in the commercially available smokeless tobacco products by studying the Zymo cells model community?
Impact of the Gut-Brain Hormonal Axis and Enteric Peptides in the Development of Food Neophobia in Children with Genetically Determined Hypersensitivity to the Bitter Taste
Authors: Wiernicka Anna , Piwczynska Karolina , Mika-Stepkowska Paulina , Kazimierska Dorota , Socha Piotr , Rybak Anna
Published: September 2022

Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to determine the role of the gut-brain hormonal axis and the effect of the enteric peptides, as well as the role of genetically determined sensitivity to the bitter taste, on the development of child food neophobia (CFN). Methods: 114 children were enrolled in the study: 43 in food neophobia group (FNG), 21 In the control group (CG) and 50 in prospective group (PG). All patients were assessed with the child food neophobia scale (CFNS), underwent an oral 6-propylthiouracil (6-PROP) test, buccal swab for bitter-taste genotyping, anthropometric measurements, and were tested for serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1), ghrelin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY), and complete blood count (CBC); measurements were taken from a blood sample after 4 h fasting. Results: Subjects from FNG were more often hypersensitive to bitter taste (6-PROP) than CG (p = 0.001). There was no correlation between the result of genetic analysis and CFNS (p = 0.197), nor the body mass index (BMI) at the age of 18–36 months (p = 0.946) found. Correlation between 6-PRO perception and genotype have not been confirmed (p = 0.064). The score of CFNS was positively related to the serum level of NPY (p = 0.03). BMI percentile was negatively related to serum level of NPY (p = 0.03), but positively related to leptin serum level (p = 0.027). Conclusions: Bitter taste sensitivity to 6-PROP plays an important role in the development of the CFN, but correlation between 6-PROP perception and genotype have not been confirmed. Children with food neophobia due to elevated serum NPY level should be constantly monitored in order to control the nutritional status at a later age.
Disappearing Colorectal Liver Metastases: Do We Really Need a Ghostbuster?
Authors: Anselmo Alessandro , Cascone Chiara , Siragusa Leandro , Sensi Bruno , Materazzo Marco , Riccetti Camilla , Bacchiocchi Giulia , Ielpo Benedetto , Rosso Edoardo , Tisone Giuseppe
Published: September 2022

The development of new systemic treatment strategies has resulted in a significant increase in the response rates of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) in the last few years. Although the radiological response is a favorable prognostic factor, complete shrinkage of CRLM, known as disappearing liver metastases (DLM), presents a therapeutic dilemma, and proper management is still debated in the literature. In fact, DLM is not necessarily equal to cure, and when resected, pathological examination reveals in more than 80% of patients a variable percentage of the tumor as residual disease or early recurrence in situ. Moreover, while a higher incidence of intrahepatic recurrence is documented in small series when surgery is avoided, its clinical significance for long-term OS is still under investigation. In light of this, a multidisciplinary approach and, in particular, radiologists’ role is needed to assist the surgeon in the management of DLM, thanks to emerging technology and strategy. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the DLM phenomenon and current management.