bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 Lockdown 2020 Changed Patterns of Alcohol and Cannabis Use in Swiss Elite Athletes and Bodybuilders: Results From an Online Survey
Authors: Imboden Christian , Claussen Malte Christian , Iff Samuel , Quednow Boris B. , Seifritz Erich , Spörri Jörg , Scherr Johannes , Fröhlich Stefan
Published: November 2021

Objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased patterns of substance use have been reported in the general population. However, whether this also applies to athletes is not yet clear. This study aimed to detect changes in alcohol consumption and cannabis use in elite athletes and bodybuilders during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland.

Methods: Between April 25 and May 25, 2020, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted among bodybuilders and Swiss elite athletes who were active in Olympic sports and disciplines approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on at least the national level. The collected data included information on alcohol and cannabis use during the last month (lockdown) and in the year before COVID-19 lockdown (pre-lockdown), daily training times, existential fears on a scale from 1 to 100, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression (PHQ-9), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results:N = 275 athletes (elite athletes: n = 193; bodybuilders: n = 82) was included in this study. Both pre-lockdown and during lockdown, more bodybuilders used cannabis (both time points: p < 0.001) than elite athletes, and more elite athletes drank alcohol (pre-lockdown: p = 0.005, lockdown: p = 0.002) compared to bodybuilders. During lockdown, fewer athletes drank alcohol compared to before, but those who continued drinking did so on more days per week (p < 0.001, Eta2 = 0.13). Elite athletes were more likely to increase their drinking with 17.7 vs. 8.2% in bodybuilders. When compared to pre-lockdown measures, the number of athletes using cannabis did not change during lockdown. Only three of 203 elite athletes reported using cannabis during lockdown; this contrasts with 16 of 85 bodybuilders. In a multivariate regression model, existential fears and a lower ISI score were significant predictors for increased alcohol consumption during the lockdown in the entire sample. In a model based on elite athletes only, male sex and a lower ISI score predicted increased alcohol consumption. In a bodybuilder-based model, predictors of increased alcohol consumption were existential fears and trait anxiety.

Conclusion: We suggest identifying athletes who are at risk for increased alcohol and cannabis use; we suggest this to be able to professionally support them during stressful times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research on the Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Air Pollutants in Sichuan Basin
Authors: Fang Chunsheng , Tan Xiaodong , Zhong Yue , Wang Ju
Published: November 2021

Sichuan Basin is one of the most densely populated areas in China and the world. Human activities have great impact on the air quality. In order to understand the characteristics of overall air pollutants in Sichuan Basin in recent years, we analyzed the concentrations of six air pollutants monitored in 22 cities during the period from January 2015 to December 2020. During the study period, the annual average concentrations of CO, NO2, SO2, PM2.5 and PM10 all showed a clear downward trend, while the ozone concentration was slowly increasing. The spatial patterns of CO and SO2 were similar. High-concentration areas were mainly located in the western plateau of Sichuan Basin, while the concentrations of NO2 and particulate matter were more prominent in the urban agglomerations inside the basin. During the study period, changes of the monthly average concentrations for pollutants (except for O3) conformed to the U-shaped pattern, with the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. In the southern cities of the basin, secondary sources had a higher contribution to the generation of fine particulate matter, while in large cities inside the basin, such as Chengdu and Chongqing, air pollution had a strong correlation with automobile exhaust emissions. The heavy pollution incidents observed in the winter of 2017 were mainly caused by the surrounding plateau terrain with typical stagnant weather conditions. This finding was also supported by the backward trajectory analysis, which showed that the air masses arrived in Chengdu were mainly from the western plateau area of the basin. The results of this study will provide a basis for the government to take measures to improve the air quality in Sichuan Basin.
Effective Mainstreaming of Agricultural Emissions into Climate Action Agenda: The Case of Institutions and Smallholder Dairy Production Systems, Western Kenya
Authors: Volenzo Elijah Tom , Makungo Rachel , Ekosse Georges-Ivo
Published: November 2021

Small-scale farming production systems are integral drivers of global sustainability challenges and the climate crisis as well as a solution space for the transition to climate compatible development. However, mainstreaming agricultural emissions into a climate action agenda through integrative approaches, such as Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), largely reinforces adaptation–mitigation dualism and pays inadequate attention to institutions’ linkage on the generation of externalities, such as Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. This may undermine the effectiveness of local–global climate risk management initiatives. Literature data and a survey of small-scale farmers’ dairy feeding strategies were used in the simulation of GHG emissions. The effect of price risks on ecoefficiencies or the amount of GHG emissions per unit of produced milk is framed as a proxy for institutional feedbacks on GHG emissions and effect at scale. This case study on small-scale dairy farmers in western Kenya illustrates the effect of local-level and sectoral-level institutional constraints, such as market risks on decision making, on GHG emissions and the effectiveness of climate action. The findings suggest that price risks are significant in incentivising the adoption of CSA technologies. Since institutional interactions influence the choice of individual farmer management actions in adaptation planning, they significantly contribute to GHG spillover at scale. This can be visualised in terms of the nexus between low or non-existent dairy feeding strategies, low herd productivity, and net higher methane emissions per unit of produced milk in a dairy value chain. The use of the Sustainable Food Value Chain (SFVC) analytical lens could mediate the identification of binding constraints, foster organisational and policy coherence, as well as broker the effective mainstreaming of agricultural emissions into local–global climate change risk management initiatives. Market risks thus provide a systematic and holistic lens for assessing alternative carbon transitions, climate financing, adaptation–mitigation dualism, and the related risk of maladaptation, all of which are integral in the planning and implementation of effective climate action initiatives.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Implications of Caspase-1 and PD-L1 Co-Expression Patterns in Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Authors: Graf Johannes R. , Forster Stefan , Bruehl Frido K. , Banz Yara , Hallal Mahmoud , Brodard Justine , Bacher Vera Ulrike , Allam Ramanjaneyulu , Schürch Christian M. , Bonadies Nicolas
Published: November 2021

Background: The inflammasome plays an essential role in lower risk MDS and immune subversion, with the up-regulation of immune checkpoint molecules in the progression to higher-risk disease. In this study, we explored the utility of immune-related biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of MDS. Methods: We performed an exploratory, case-control study with 20 randomly selected MDS patients and nine controls with non-inflammatory (n = 3) and inflammatory conditions (n = 6). Patients were stratified in groups of lower (n = 10) and higher risk (n = 10) using IPSS-R. For the exploration of inflammasome and immune checkpoint activities, the expression of caspase-1 (Casp1), programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) were assessed in bone marrow samples using immunohistochemistry. Results: In multivariate analysis, we observed significant differences for Casp1 but not PD1/PD-L1 expression in our four conditions (p = 0.003). We found a discordant co-expression of Casp1/PD-L1 in MDS (rho = −0.41, p = 0.07) compared with a concordant co-expression in controls (rho = 0.64, p = 0.06). Neutrophil counts correlated directly with Casp1 (rho = 0.57, p = 0.009) but inversely with PD-L1 expression (rho = −0.58, p = 0.007). Conclusion: We identified characteristic discordant co-expression patterns in lower- (Casp1high/PD-L1low) and higher-risk MDS (Casp1low/PD-L1high), contrasting with concordant patterns in the non-inflammatory (Casp1low/PD-L1low) and inflammatory conditions (Casp1high/PD-L1high). Further validation is warranted in larger, prospective studies.
Skin Toxicity as Predictor of Survival in Refractory Patients with RAS Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated with Cetuximab and Avelumab (CAVE) as Rechallenge Strategy
Authors: Ciardiello Davide , Famiglietti Vincenzo , Napolitano Stefania , Esposito Lucia , Normanno Nicola , Avallone Antonio , Latiano Tiziana , Maiello Evaristo , Pietrantonio Filippo , Cremolini Chiara , Santabarbara Giuseppe , Pinto Carmine , Troiani Teresa , Martinelli Erika , Ciardiello Fortunato , Martini Giulia
Published: November 2021

The single-arm phase II CAVE mCRC trial evaluated the combination of cetuximab plus avelumab as rechallenge strategy in RAS wild-type (WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, with clinical response to first-line anti-EGFR-based chemotherapy, who progressed and received a subsequent line of therapy. The correlation of skin toxicity (ST) and different clinico-molecular variables with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and response rate (RR) was assessed at univariate and multivariate analysis. A total of 33/77 (42.9%) patients experienced grade 2–3 ST and displayed median OS (mOS) of 17.8 months (CI 95%, 14.9–20.6); whereas 44/77 (57.1%) patients with grade 0–1 ST exhibited mOS of 8.2 months (CI 95%, 5.5–10.9), (hazard ratio (HR), 0.51; CI 95%, 0.29–0.89; p = 0.019). Median PFS (mPFS) was 4.6 months (CI 95%, 3.4–5.7) in patients with grade 2–3 ST, compared to patients with grade 0–1 ST with mPFS of 3.4 months (CI 95%, 2.7–4.1; HR, 0.49; CI 95%, 0.3–0.8; p = 0.004). Grade 2–3 ST (HR, 0.51; CI 95%, 0.29–0.89; p = 0.019) and RAS/BRAF/EGFR WT circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) (HR, 0.50; CI 95%, 0.27–0.9; p = 0.019) had a statistically significant effect on OS at univariate analysis. At the multivariate analysis, RAS/BRAF/EGFR WT ctDNA status maintained statistical significance (HR, 0.49; CI 95%, 0.27–0.9; p = 0.023), whereas there was a trend towards ST grade 2–3 (HR, 0.54; CI 95%, 0.29–1.01; p = 0.054). Skin toxicity is a promising biomarker to identify patients with mCRC that could benefit of anti-EGFR rechallenge.
Validation of SFRP1 Promoter Hypermethylation in Plasma as a Prognostic Marker for Survival and Gemcitabine Effectiveness in Patients with Stage IV Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Stubbe Benjamin Emil , Henriksen Stine Dam , Madsen Poul Henning , Larsen Anders Christian , Krarup Henrik Bygum , Pedersen Inge Søkilde , Johansen Martin Nygård , Thorlacius-Ussing Ole
Published: November 2021

No reliable predictive blood-based biomarkers are available for determining survival from pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This combined discovery and validation study examines promoter hypermethylation (ph) of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) in plasma-derived cell-free DNA as an independent prognostic marker for survival and Gemcitabine effectiveness in patients with stage IV PDAC. We conducted methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis of the promoter region of the SFRP1 gene, based on bisulfite treatment. Survival was analyzed with Kaplan–Meier curves, log-rank test, and Cox regression. The discovery cohort included 40 patients, 25 receiving Gem. Gem-treated patients with phSFRP1 had a shorter median overall survival (mOS) (4.4 months) than unmethylated patients (11.6 months). Adjusted Cox-regression yielded a hazard rate (HR) of 3.48 (1.39–8.70). The validation cohort included 58 Gem-treated patients. Patients with phSFRP1 had a shorter mOS (3.2 months) than unmethylated patients (6.3 months). Adjusted Cox regression yielded an HR of 3.53 (1.85–6.74). In both cohorts, phSFRP1 was associated with poorer survival in Gem-treated patients. This may indicate that tumors with phSFRP1 are more aggressive and less sensitive to Gem treatment. This knowledge may facilitate tailored treatment of patients with stage IV PDAC. Further studies are planned to examine phSFRP1 in more intensive chemotherapy regimens.
Biomarkers for Treatment Response in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Authors: Asif Samia , Teply Benjamin A.
Published: November 2021

Multiple treatment options with different mechanisms of action are currently available for the management of metastatic prostate cancer. However, the optimal use of these therapies—specifically, the sequencing of therapies—is not well defined. In order to obtain the best clinical outcomes, patients need to be treated with the therapies that are most likely to provide benefit and avoid toxic therapies that are unlikely to be effective. Ideally, predictive biomarkers that allow for the selection of the therapies most likely to be of benefit would be employed for each treatment decision. In practice, biomarkers including tumor molecular sequencing, circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cell enumeration and androgen receptor characteristics, and tumor cell surface expression (PSMA), all may have a role in therapy selection. In this review, we define the established prognostic and predictive biomarkers for therapy in advanced prostate cancer and explore emerging biomarkers.
Advances in Immunotherapy and the TGF-β Resistance Pathway in Metastatic Bladder Cancer
Authors: Benjamin David J. , Lyou Yung
Published: November 2021

Bladder cancer accounts for nearly 200,000 deaths worldwide yearly. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) accounts for nearly 90% of cases of bladder cancer. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has remained the mainstay of treatment in the first-line setting for locally advanced or metastatic UC. More recently, the treatment paradigm in the second-line setting was drastically altered with the approval of several immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Given that only a small subset of patients respond to ICI, further studies have been undertaken to understand potential resistance mechanisms to ICI. One potential resistance mechanism that has been identified in the setting of metastatic UC is the TGF-β signaling pathway. Several pre-clinical and ongoing clinical trials in multiple advanced tumor types have evaluated several therapies that target the TGF-β pathway. In addition, there are ongoing and planned clinical trials combining TGF-β inhibition with ICI, which may provide a promising therapeutic approach for patients with advanced and metastatic UC.
Inhibition of DCLK1 with DCLK1-IN-1 Suppresses Renal Cell Carcinoma Invasion and Stemness and Promotes Cytotoxic T-Cell-Mediated Anti-Tumor Immunity
Authors: Ding Ling , Yang Yuning , Ge Yang , Lu Qin , Yan Zixing , Chen Xuzheng , Du Jian , Hafizi Sassan , Xu Xiaohui , Yao Jiannan , Liu Jian , Cao Zhiyun , Weygant Nathaniel
Published: November 2021

The approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors has expanded treatment options for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but new therapies that target RCC stemness and promote anti-tumor immunity are needed. Previous findings demonstrate that doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) regulates stemness and is associated with RCC disease progression. Herein, we demonstrate that small-molecule kinase inhibitor DCLK1-IN-1 strongly inhibits DCLK1 phosphorylation and downregulates pluripotency factors and cancer stem cell (CSC) or epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated markers including c-MET, c-MYC, and N-Cadherin in RCC cell lines. Functionally, DCLK1-IN-1 treatment resulted in significantly reduced colony formation, migration, and invasion. Additionally, assays using floating or Matrigel spheroid protocols demonstrated potent inhibition of stemness. An analysis of clinical populations showed that DCLK1 predicts RCC survival and that its expression is correlated with reduced CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell infiltration and increases in M2 immunosuppressive macrophage populations. The treatment of RCC cells with DCLK1-IN-1 significantly reduced the expression of immune checkpoint ligand PD-L1, and co-culture assays using peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) or T-cell expanded PBMCs demonstrated a significant increase in immune-mediated cytotoxicity alone or in combination with anti-PD1 therapy. Together, these findings demonstrate broad susceptibility to DCLK1 kinase inhibition in RCC using DCLK1-IN-1 and provide the first direct evidence for DCLK1-IN-1 as an immuno-oncology agent.
FTIR Spectroscopic Imaging Supports Urine Cytology for Classification of Low- and High-Grade Bladder Carcinoma
Authors: Kujdowicz Monika , Mech Brygida , Chrabaszcz Karolina , Chlosta Piotr , Okon Krzysztof , Malek Kamilla
Published: November 2021

Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BC) is a common, recurrent, life-threatening, and unpredictable disease which is difficult to diagnose. These features make it one of the costliest malignancies. Although many possible diagnostic methods are available, molecular heterogeneity and difficulties in cytological or histological examination induce an urgent need to improve diagnostic techniques. Herein, we applied Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in imaging mode (FTIR) to investigate patients’ cytology samples assigned to normal (N), low-grade (LG) and high-grade (HG) BC. With unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis (UHCA) and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, we observed a correlation between N cell types and morphology. High-glycogen superficial (umbrella) and low-glycogen piriform urothelial cells, both with normal morphology, were observed. Based on the spectra derived from UHCA, principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were performed, indicating a variation of protein content between the patient groups. Moreover, BC spectral cytology identified a low number of high-glycogen cells for which a shift of the carbohydrate/phosphate bands was also observed. Despite high cellular heterogeneity, PLS-DA was able to classify the spectra obtained. The voided urine FTIR cytology is one of the options that might be helpful in BC diagnosis, as high sensitivity and specificity up to 97% were determined.
Correction: Welter et al. Characteristics of Nephroblastoma/Nephroblastomatosis in Children with a Clinically Reported Underlying Malformation or Cancer Predisposition Syndrome. Cancers 2021, 13, 5016
Authors: Welter Nils , Wagner Angelo , Furtwängler Rhoikos , Melchior Patrick , Kager Leo , Vokuhl Christian , Schenk Jens-Peter , Meier Clemens Magnus , Siemer Stefan , Gessler Manfred , Graf Norbert
Published: November 2021

In the original article [...]
Screening of Keratoconus Using Autokeratometer and Keratometer Keratoconus Index
Authors: Kojima Takashi , Isogai Naoki , Nishida Tomoya , Nakamura Tomoaki , Ichikawa Kazuo
Published: November 2021

The keratometer keratoconus index (KKI) is a diagnostic index for the risk of keratoconus calculated from autokeratometer test values. We partially modified the KKI equation and assessed it without limiting the target age and severity of keratoconus. This retrospective study included 179 eyes of 99 patients with keratoconus and 468 eyes from 235 normal controls. In the modified KKI, oblique astigmatism or against-the-rule astigmatism was defined as ≥1D astigmatism. KKI diagnostic power was analyzed in subgroups of <50 and ≥50-year-old patients, and at different keratoconus stages. Although the sensitivity of modified KKI was comparable with that of original KKI (92.7% vs. 95.5%), modified KKI specificity was significantly higher (79.7% vs. 68.6%) (p = 0.0001). Using the modified KKI, sensitivity reached 100% (4/4) and specificity, 63.5% (33/52), in ≥50-year-old patients, while overall sensitivity in keratoconus ≥stage 2 was 100% (30/30). In conclusion, the modified KKI proved to be effective in keratoconus screening at all stages. However, it should be noted that false-positive frequency is higher in ≥50-year-old patients.
Evaluation of an Antibody Detecting Point of Care Test for Diagnosis of Taenia solium Cysticercosis in a Zambian Rural Community: A Prospective Diagnostic Accuracy Study
Authors: Mubanga Chishimba , Van Damme Inge , Trevisan Chiara , Schmidt Veronika , Phiri Isaac K. , Zulu Gideon , Noh John , Handali Sukwan , Mambo Richard , Chembensofu Mwelwa , Masuku Maxwell , Reynders Dries , Jansen Famke , Bottieau Emmanuel , Magnussen Pascal , Winkler Andrea S. , Dorny Pierre , Mwape Kabemba E. , Gabriël Sarah
Published: November 2021

The lack of cheap, easy-to-use, rapid diagnostic tests has led to the development of several rapid diagnostic tests for cysticercosis. The new prototype two-strip, Taenia solium point of care test (TS POC) detects antibodies against taeniosis (TS POC T) and cysticercosis (TS POC CC). This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of the TS POC CC in the Sinda district in eastern Zambia. A sample of 1254 participants was recruited and tested with the TS POC. Out of the 1249 participants with a valid TS POC result, 177 (14%) tested positive while 1072 (86%) tested negative. All individuals with a positive TS POC and a subset of negative TS POC participants were selected for serum sampling, and were subjected to the recombinant glycoprotein T24H enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (rT24H EITB) and the serum B60/158 (serum Ag) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ag ELISA). Performance characteristics were estimated using a Bayesian approach with probabilistic constraints. Based on 255 complete cases, the estimated sensitivity and specificity of the TS POC CC test were 35% (95% CI: 14–63%) and 87% (95% CI: 83–90%), respectively. The diagnostic performance needs to be improved, possibly by titrating antigen and other reagents’ concentration in the strip to produce a performance similar to existing cysticercosis tests such as the rT24H EITB.
Detection of 2-Hydroxyglutarate by 3.0-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Gliomas with Rare IDH Mutations: Making Sense of “False-Positive” Cases
Authors: Natsumeda Manabu , Igarashi Hironaka , Gabdulkhaev Ramil , Takahashi Haruhiko , Motohashi Kunio , Ogura Ryosuke , Watanabe Jun , Tsukamoto Yoshihiro , Okamoto Kouichirou , Kakita Akiyoshi , Nakada Tsutomu , Fujii Yukihiko
Published: November 2021

We have previously published a study on the reliable detection of 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) in lower-grade gliomas by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). In this short article, we re-evaluated five glioma cases originally assessed as isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wildtype, which showed a high accumulation of 2HG, and were thought to be false-positives. A new primer was used for the detection of IDH2 mutation by Sanger sequencing. Adequate tissue for DNA analysis was available in 4 out of 5 cases. We found rare IDH2 mutations in two cases, with IDH2 R172W mutation in one case and IDH2 R172K mutation in another case. Both cases had very small mutant peaks, suggesting that the tumor volume was low in the tumor samples. Thus, the specificity of MRS for detecting IDH1/2 mutations was higher (81.3%) than that originally reported (72.2%). The detection of 2HG by MRS can aid in the diagnosis of rare, non-IDH1-R132H IDH1 and IDH2 mutations in gliomas.
Performance of Passive and Active Balancing Systems of Lithium Batteries in Onerous Mine Environment
Authors: Kurpiel Wojciech , Deja Przemysław , Polnik Bartosz , Skóra Marcin , Miedziński Bogdan , Habrych Marcin , Debita Grzegorz , Zamłyńska Monika , Falkowski-Gilski Przemysław
Published: November 2021

To use lithium-iron-phosphate battery packs in the supply systems of any electric mining equipment and/or machines, the required conditions of work safety must be met. This applies in particular to coal mines endangered by fire and/or explosion. To meet the spark-safety conditions, the cells (together with the battery management system—BMS) must be isolated from the influence of the environment, and therefore placed in special fire-tight housings. This significantly degrades the heat dissipation, thus affecting the operating conditions of the cell-packs. Therefore, their usage without the so-called BMS is not recommended, as shown in the authors’ preliminary research. In practice, various BMS are used, most often with the so-called passive balancing. However, their application in mines is uncertain, due to the effect of heating under operation. When it comes to active BMS, they usually possess a quite complex structure and hence, are relatively expensive. Therefore, the authors conducted research for two specially developed active and one commercial passive BMS cooperating with selected lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries when used in a suspended mining vehicle type PCA-1. The tests were carried out under environmental temperatures ranging from +5 °C to +60 °C. The effect of mismatching (12.5% to 37.5% of total cells number) of the cell parameters on the temperature distribution and voltage fading at the terminals of individual cells was checked. As a result of the investigations, the practical usefulness of the developed active BMS was determined, enabling the extension of the lithium-iron-phosphate battery life under onerous mine conditions, for a single recharge, which is a novelty. On the basis of the obtained results, appropriate practical conclusions were formulated.
Time-Lapse Image Method for Classifying Appliances in Nonintrusive Load Monitoring
Authors: Seon Joonho , Sun Youngghyu , Kim Soohyun , Kim Jinyoung
Published: November 2021

In this paper, a time-lapse image method is proposed to improve the classification accuracy for multistate appliances with complex patterns based on nonintrusive load monitoring (NILM). A log-likelihood ratio detector with a maxima algorithm was applied to construct a real-time event detection of home appliances. Moreover, a novel image-combining method was employed to extract information from the data based on the Gramian angular field (GAF) and recurrence plot (RP) transformations. From the simulation results, it was confirmed that the classification accuracy can be increased by up to 30% with the proposed method compared with the conventional approaches in classifying multistate appliances.
Design and Operation of a Polygeneration System in Spanish Climate Buildings under an Exergetic Perspective
Authors: Picallo-Perez Ana , Sala-Lizarraga Jose Maria
Published: November 2021

This work defines and analyzes the performance of a polygeneration system in five different locations in Spain to maintain the thermal comfort and air quality of an office building. The facility is based on a chiller and a CHP engine with PV panels that provide almost all the electricity demand of the chiller. According to the energy performance analysis results, the installation working in Bilbao is a full polygeneration system since no electricity needs to be imported from the grid in summer. To quantify the energy savings related to a separated production facility, polygeneration indicators (percentage of savings PES/PExS and equivalent electric efficiency EEE/EExE) have been calculated in energy and exergy terms. The main motivation for using exergy is based on the ambiguity that can arise from the point of view of the First Law. As expected, the exergetic indicators have lower values than the energetic ones. In addition, an in-depth analysis was conducted for the air-handling unit components. The study shows the behavior of components over the year and the efficiency values from both an energy and exergy point of view. From these facts, the need arises to develop methodologies based on exergy.
Dependence of the Equivalent Circulation Density of Formate Drilling Fluids on the Molecular Mass of the Polymer Reagent
Authors: Leusheva Ekaterina , Morenov Valentin , Liu Tianle
Published: November 2021

Construction of offshore gas wells is characterized by increased requirements for both the technological process in general and the technological parameters of drilling fluids in particular. Parameters and properties of the used drilling muds must meet a large number of requirements. The main one is the preservation of the permeability of the reservoirs, in addition to the environmental and technological concerns. At the same time, pressures in the productive formation at offshore fields are often high; the anomaly coefficient is 1.2 and higher. The use of barite in such conditions can lead to contamination of the formation and a decrease in future well flow rates. In this regard, the development and study of the compositions for weighted drilling muds is necessary and relevant. The paper presents investigations on the development of such a composition based on salts of formic acid (formates) and evaluates the effect of the molecular weight of the polymer reagent (partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide) on the equivalent circulation density of the drilling fluid. The result of the work is a formate-based high-density drilling mud with no barite added. Application of such a mud will preserve the permeability of the productive formation.
Numerical Model of Heat Pipes as an Optimization Method of Heat Exchangers
Authors: Adrian Łukasz , Szufa Szymon , Piersa Piotr , Mikołajczyk Filip
Published: November 2021

This paper presents research results on heat pipe numerical models as optimization of heat pipe heat exchangers for intensification of heat exchange processes and the creation of heat exchangers with high efficiency while reducing their dimensions. This work and results will allow for the extension of their application in passive and low-energy construction. New findings will provide a broader understanding of how heat pipes work and discover their potential to intensify heat transfer processes, heat recovery and the development of low-energy building engineering. The need to conduct research and analyses on the subject of this study is conditioned by the need to save primary energy in both construction engineering and industry. The need to save primary energy and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants has been imposed on the EU Member States through multiple directives and regulations. The presented numerical model of the heat pipe and the results of computer simulations are identical to the experimental results for all tested heat pipe geometries, the presented working factors and their best degrees of filling.
Estimation of Sustainable Bioenergy Production from Olive Mill Solid Waste
Authors: Uddin Md. , Siddiki Sk. , Ahmed Shams , Rony Zahidul , Chowdhury M. , Mofijur M.
Published: November 2021

The disposal of olive wastes and their wastewater is a major problem worldwide. An important recycling chain can be formed through biogas production and energy conversion from olive waste. This study developed an efficient and effective sustainable model for biogas production using anaerobic digestion conditions with the co-digestion of pretreated olive waste. The sample used was hard olive pomace, which was dried in an oven before being crushed to fine particles with a mortar and pestle. The sample was analyzed by a CE-440 Elemental Analyzer, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FTIR) analysis was performed using Shimadzu IRTracer-100. Through the analysis, a substantial amount of electrical energy of 769 kWh/t was found to be generated per ton of olive pomace due to the high volatile solid (VS) percentage of organic waste material incorporated during the calculation. Reduced land area for landfilling olive waste was calculated to be 108 m2 per year, whereas the potential to reduce landfill leachate production was evaluated to be 0.32 m3 per year.
MLP-Based Model for Estimation of Methane Seam Pressure
Authors: Skiba Marta , Dutka Barbara , Młynarczuk Mariusz
Published: November 2021

One of the principal indicators of the methane hazard in coal mines is gas pressure. This parameter directly affects the methane content in the seam as well as the rate of its release resulting from mining operations. Because of limitations in the existing methods for methane seam pressure measuring, primarily technical difficulties associated with direct measurement and the time-consuming nature of indirect measurement, this parameter is often disregarded in the coal and gas outburst forecasts. To overcome the above-mentioned difficulties, an attempt was made to estimate the methane seam pressure with the use of artificial neural networks. Two MLP-based models were developed to estimate the average and maximum methane seam pressure values, respectively. The analyses demonstrated high correlation between the values indicated by the neural models and the reference values determined on the basis of sorption isotherms. According to the adopted fit criterion, the prediction errors for the best fit were 2.59% and 3.04% for the average and maximum seam pressure values, respectively. The obtained determination coefficients (exceeding the value of 0.99) confirmed the very good predictive abilities of the models. These results imply a great potential for practical application of the proposed method.
FPGA-Based Cost-Effective and Resource Optimized Solution of Predictive Direct Current Control for Power Converters
Authors: Sankar Deepa , Syamala Lakshmi , Chembathu Ayyappan Babu , Kallarackal Mathew
Published: November 2021

Recent advances in power converter applications with highly demanding control goals require the efficient implementation of superior control strategies. However, the real-time application of such control strategies demands high computational power that necessitates efficient digital controllers like field programmable gate array (FPGA). The inherent parallelism offered by FPGAs minimizes the execution time and exhibits an excellent cost-performance trade-off. In addition, rapid advancements in FPGA technology with a broad portfolio of intellectual property (IP) cores, design tools, and robust embedded processors resulted in a design paradigm shift. This article proposes a low-cost solution for the resource-optimized implementation of dynamic, highly accurate, and computationally intensive finite state-predictive direct current control (FS-PDCC). The challenges for implementing complex control algorithms for power converters are discussed in detail, and the control is implemented in Intel’s low-cost non-volatile FPGA-MAX®10. An efficient design methodology using finite state machine (FSM) is adopted to achieve time/resource-efficient implementation. The parallel and pipelined architecture of FPGA provides better resource utilization with high execution speed. The experimental results prove the efficiency of FPGA-based cost-effective solutions that offer superior performance with better output quality.
Geochemical Investigation of CO2 Injection in Oil and Gas Reservoirs of Middle East to Estimate the Formation Damage and Related Oil Recovery
Authors: Khurshid Ilyas , Afgan Imran
Published: November 2021

The injection performance of carbon dioxide (CO2) for oil recovery depends upon its injection capability and the actual injection rate. The CO2–rock–water interaction could cause severe formation damage by plugging the reservoir pores and reducing the permeability of the reservoir. In this study, a simulator was developed to model the reactivity of injected CO2 at various reservoir depths, under different temperature and pressure conditions. Through the estimation of location and magnitude of the chemical reactions, the simulator is able to predict the effects of change in the reservoir porosity, permeability (due to the formation/dissolution) and transport/deposition of dissoluted particles. The paper also presents the effect of asphaltene on the shift of relative permeability curve and the related oil recovery. Finally, the effect of CO2 injection rate is analyzed to demonstrate the effect of CO2 miscibility on oil recovery from a reservoir. The developed model is validated against the experimental data. The predicted results show that the reservoir temperature, its depth, concentration of asphaltene and rock properties have a significant effect on formation/dissolution and precipitation during CO2 injection. Results showed that deep oil and gas reservoirs are good candidates for CO2 sequestration compared to shallow reservoirs, due to increased temperatures that reduce the dissolution rate and lower the solid precipitation. However, asphaltene deposition reduced the oil recovery by 10%. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis of CO2 injection rates was performed to identify the effect of CO2 injection rate on reduced permeability in deep and high-temperature formations. It was found that increased CO2 injection rates and pressures enable us to reach miscibility pressure. Once this pressure is reached, there are less benefits of injecting CO2 at a higher rate for better pressure maintenance and no further diminution of residual oil.
Polyamines Involved in Regulating Self-Incompatibility in Apple
Authors: Yu Jie , Wang Baoan , Fan Wenqi , Fan Songbo , Xu Ya , Liu Chunsheng , Lv Tianxing , Liu Wanda , Wu Ling , Xian Linfeng , Li Tianzhong
Published: November 2021

Apple exhibits typical gametophytic self-incompatibility, in which self-S-RNase can arrest pollen tube growth, leading to failure of fertilization. To date, there have been few studies on how to resist the toxicity of self-S-RNase. In this study, pollen tube polyamines were found to respond to self-S-RNase and help pollen tubes defend against self-S-RNase. In particular, the contents of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in the pollen tube treated with self-S-RNase were substantially lower than those treated with non-self-S-RNase. Further analysis of gene expression of key enzymes in the synthesis and degradation pathways of polyamines found that the expression of DIAMINE OXIDASE 4 (MdDAO4) as well as several polyamine oxidases such as POLYAMINE OXIDASES 3 (MdPAO3), POLYAMINE OXIDASES 4 (MdPAO4), and POLYAMINE OXIDASES 6 (MdPAO6) were significantly up-regulated under self-S-RNase treatment, resulting in the reduction of polyamines. Silencing MdPAO6 in pollen tubes alleviates the inhibitory effect of self-S-RNase on pollen tube growth. In addition, exogenous polyamines also enhance pollen tube resistance to self-S-RNase. Transcriptome sequencing data found that polyamines may communicate with S-RNase through the calcium signal pathway, thereby regulating the growth of the pollen tubes. To summarize, our results suggested that polyamines responded to the self-incompatibility reaction and could enhance pollen tube tolerance to S-RNase, thus providing a potential way to break self-incompatibility in apple.
DYRK1A Overexpression in Mice Downregulates the Gonadotropic Axis and Disturbs Early Stages of Spermatogenesis
Authors: Dard Rodolphe , Moreau Manon , Parizot Estelle , Ghieh Farah , Brehier Leslie , Kassis Nadim , Serazin Valérie , Lamaziere Antonin , Racine Chrystèle , di Clemente Nathalie , Vialard François , Janel Nathalie
Published: November 2021

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal disorder. It is responsible for intellectual disability (ID) and several medical conditions. Although men with DS are thought to be infertile, some spontaneous paternities have been reported. The few studies of the mechanism of infertility in men with DS are now dated. Recent research in zebrafish has indicated that overexpression of DYRK1A (the protein primarily responsible for ID in DS) impairs gonadogenesis at the embryonic stage. To better ascertain DYRK1A’s role in infertility in DS, we investigated the effect of DYRK1A overexpression in a transgenic mouse model. We found that overexpression of DYRK1A impairs fertility in transgenic male mice. Interestingly, the mechanism in mice differs slightly from that observed in zebrafish but, with disruption of the early stages of spermatogenesis, is similar to that seen in humans. Unexpectedly, we observed hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in the transgenic mice.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Palliative Care in Cancer Patients in Spain
Authors: Beltran-Aroca Cristina M. , Ruiz-Montero Rafael , Llergo-Muñoz Antonio , Rubio Leticia , Girela-López Eloy
Published: November 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has severely affected healthcare organizations worldwide, and the provision of palliative care (PC) to cancer patients has been no exception. The aim of this paper was to analyse the levels of health care provided by the Clinical Management Unit for PC in Córdoba (Spain) for cancer patients. Method: a retrospective cohort study was conducted. It analyzed the PC internal management database including all cancer patients treated in the period of 2018–2021. Results: 1967 cases were studied. There was a drop in cancer cases (p = 0.008), deaths at the PC hospital (p < 0.001), and referrals from primary care (p < 0.001). However, there was a rise in highly complex clinical situations (p = 0.020) and in ECOG performance status scores of 3–4 (p < 0.001). The pandemic was not shown to be a risk factor for survival in the PC program (0.99 [0.82–1.20]; p = 0.931). However, being female (p = 0.005), being older and having a high Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score (p < 0.001) could be indicators of a longer stay. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a challenge in the management of patients requiring PC and has highlighted the urgent needs of the healthcare system if it is to continue providing a level of care which meets the needs of patients and their families.
A Household-Based Survey to Understand Factors Influencing Awareness, Attitudes and Knowledge towards Wolbachia-Aedes Technology
Authors: Soh Li Ting , Ong Zoe , Vasquez Kathryn , Chen Irene , Li Xiaoxi , Niah Weixin , Panchapakesan Chitra , Sheldenkar Anita , Sim Shuzhen , Ng Lee Ching , Lwin May O.
Published: November 2021

In 2016, Singapore introduced the release of male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes to complement vector control efforts and suppress Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in selected study sites. With ongoing expansion of Project Wolbachia–Singapore to cover larger areas, a household-based survey was conducted between July 2019 to February 2020 in two Project Wolbachia study sites using a structured questionnaire, to evaluate current sentiments and assess the need for enhanced public messaging and engagement. The association of factors that influence awareness, attitudes, and knowledge towards the use of Wolbachia-Aedes technology was analysed using Pearson’s Chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Of 500 respondents, 74.8% were aware of Project Wolbachia–Singapore. Comparatively, the level of knowledge on Wolbachia-Aedes technology was lower, suggesting knowledge gaps that require enhanced communication and messaging to address misinformation. Longer exposure to the project predicted greater awareness, whereas higher education levels predicted higher knowledge levels. Younger age groups and higher education levels were associated with high acceptance towards the project. High levels of trust and acceptance towards the project were also observed across the population. The public’s positive perception of the project is a testament to the effective public communication undertaken to date and will facilitate programme expansion.
Ethical Conflict and Its Psychological Correlates among Hospital Nurses in the Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study within Swiss COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 Wards
Authors: Villa Michele , Balice-Bourgois Colette , Tolotti Angela , Falcó-Pegueroles Anna , Barello Serena , Luca Elena Corina , Clivio Luca , Biegger Annette , Valcarenghi Dario , Bonetti Loris
Published: November 2021

Background: During the Covid-19 pandemic, nurses experienced increased pressure. Consequently, ethical concerns and psychological distress emerged. This study aimed to assess nurses’ ethical conflict, resilience and psychological impact, and compare these variables between nurses who worked in Covid-19 wards and nurses who did not. Methods: Design—Multicentre online survey. Setting—Multi-site public hospital; all nursing staff were invited to participate. The survey included validated tools and a novel instrument to assess ethical conflict. Spearman’s rho coefficient was used to assess correlations between ethical conflict and psychological distress, logistic regressions to evaluate relationships between nurses’ characteristics and outcome variables, and the Mann–Whitney/t-test to compare groups. Results: 548 questionnaires out of 2039 were returned (275 = Covid-19; 273 = non-Covid-19). We found a low–moderate level of ethical conflict (median = 111.5 [76–152]), which emerged mostly for seeing patients dying alone. A moderate and significant positive correlation emerged between ethical conflict and psychological distress rs (546) = 0.453, p < 0.001. Nurses working in Covid-19-ICUs (OR = 7.18; 95%CI = 3.96–13.01; p < 0.001) and Covid-19 wards (OR = 5.85; 95%CI = 3.56–9.6; p < 0.001) showed higher ethical conflict. Resilience was a protective factor for ethical conflict. Conclusions: Ethical conflict was significantly linked to psychological distress, while a higher level of resilience was found to be a protective factor. These results can be informative for nursing management in future similar crises.
Further Inspection: Integrating Housing Code Enforcement and Social Services to Improve Community Health
Authors: Robb Katharine , Marcoux Ashley , de Jong Jorrit
Published: November 2021

As a result of working inside homes, city housing inspectors witness hidden and serious threats to public health. However, systems to respond to the range of problems they encounter are lacking. In this study, we describe the impact and enabling environment for integrating a novel Social Service Referral Program within the Inspectional Services Department in Chelsea, MA. To evaluate the first eight months of the program, we used a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative data from 15 referrals and qualitative interviews with six key informants (inspectors, a case manager, and city leadership). The most common services provided to residents referred by inspectors were for fuel, food, and rent assistance; healthcare; hoarding; and homelessness prevention. Half of referred residents were not receiving other social services. Inspectors reported increased work efficiency and reduced psychological burden because of the program. Interviewees described how quality of life improved not only for referred residents but also for the surrounding neighborhood. A simple referral process that made inspectors’ jobs easier and a trusted, well-connected service provider funded to carry out the work facilitated the program’s uptake and impact. Housing inspectors’ encounters with residents present a unique opportunity to expand the public health impact of housing code enforcement.
Adoption and Implementation Barriers for Worksite Health Programs in the United States
Authors: Weinstein Marc , Cheddie Kalila
Published: November 2021

Worksite health promotion programs have been identified as having the potential to mitigate chronic health risks. In the most recent 2017 U.S. CDC survey of workplace health promotion, respondents identified several perceived barriers related to program adoption and implementation. The analysis indicates that challenges negatively associated with having worksite program were lack of senior management support (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32–0.78), lack of qualified vendors (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.4–0.79), lack of qualified personnel (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.35–0.73), and cost (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.39–0.88). Challenges associated with having a program were lack of employee interest (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.44–3.03), lack of space (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.26–2.48), and demonstrating program results (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.44–3.03). These findings can provide insights to policy makers, insurers, and employers seeking to implement workplace-based health promotion initiatives.