bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review of Thin-Layer Chromatography Tandem with Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Detection of Analytes in Mixture Samples
Authors: Zhang Meizhen , Yu Qian , Guo Jiaqi , Wu Bo , Kong Xianming
Published: October 2022

In the real world, analytes usually exist in complex systems, and this makes direct detection by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) difficult. Thin layer chromatography tandem with SERS (TLC-SERS) has many advantages in analysis such as separation effect, instant speed, simple process, and low cost. Therefore, the TLC-SERS has great potential for detecting analytes in mixtures without sample pretreatment. The review demonstrates TLC-SERS applications in diverse analytical relevant topics such as environmental pollutants, illegal additives, pesticide residues, toxic ingredients, biological molecules, and chemical substances. Important properties such as stationary phase, separation efficiency, and sensitivity are discussed. In addition, future perspectives for improving the efficiency of TLC-SERS in real sample detecting are outlined.
Machine Learning Assisted Real-Time Label-Free SERS Diagnoses of Malignant Pleural Effusion due to Lung Cancer
Authors: Perumal Jayakumar , Lee Pyng , Dev Kapil , Lim Hann Qian , Dinish U. S. , Olivo Malini
Published: October 2022

More than half of all pleural effusions are due to malignancy of which lung cancer is the main cause. Pleural effusions can complicate the course of pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, or underlying systemic disease. We explore the application of label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a point of care (POC) diagnostic tool to identify if pleural effusions are due to lung cancer or to other causes (controls). Lung cancer samples showed specific SERS spectral signatures such as the position and intensity of the Raman band in different wave number region using a novel silver coated silicon nanopillar (SCSNP) as a SERS substrate. We report a classification accuracy of 85% along with a sensitivity and specificity of 87% and 83%, respectively, for the detection of lung cancer over control pleural fluid samples with a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) area under curve value of 0.93 using a PLS-DA binary classifier to distinguish between lung cancer over control subjects. We have also evaluated discriminative wavenumber bands responsible for the distinction between the two classes with the help of a variable importance in projection (VIP) score. We found that our label-free SERS platform was able to distinguish lung cancer from pleural effusions due to other causes (controls) with higher diagnostic accuracy.
Recent Progress on Solid Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Analysis
Authors: Ge Kun , Hu Yuling , Li Gongke
Published: October 2022

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy technique with distinguished features of non-destructivity, ultra-sensitivity, rapidity, and fingerprint characteristics for analysis and sensors. The SERS signals are mainly dependent on the engineering of high-quality substrates. Recently, solid SERS substrates with diverse forms have been attracting increasing attention due to their promising features, including dense hot spot, high stability, controllable morphology, and convenient portability. Here, we comprehensively review the recent advances made in the field of solid SERS substrates, including their common fabrication methods, basic categories, main features, and representative applications, respectively. Firstly, the main categories of solid SERS substrates, mainly including membrane substrate, self-assembled substrate, chip substrate, magnetic solid substrate, and other solid substrate, are introduced in detail, as well as corresponding construction strategies and main features. Secondly, the typical applications of solid SERS substrates in bio-analysis, food safety analysis, environment analysis, and other analyses are briefly reviewed. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of solid SERS substrates, including analytical performance improvement and largescale production level enhancement, are proposed.
Attentional Engagement and Disengagement Differences for Circumscribed Interest Objects in Young Chinese Children with Autism
Authors: Zhou Li , Zhang Li , Xu Yuening , Yang Fuyi , Benson Valerie
Published: October 2022

The current study aimed to investigate attentional processing differences for circumscribed interest (CI) and non-CI objects in young Chinese children with autism spectrum condition (ASC) and typically developing (TD) controls. In Experiment 1, a visual preference task explored attentional allocation to cartoon CI and non-CI materials between the two groups. We found that ASC children (n = 22, 4.95 ± 0.59 years) exhibited a preference for CI-related objects compared to non-CI objects, and this effect was absent in the TD children (n = 22, 5.14 ± 0.44 years). Experiment 2 utilized the traditional gap-overlap paradigm (GOP) to investigate attentional disengagement from CI or non-CI items in both groups (ASC: n = 20, 5.92 ± 1.13 years; TD: n = 25, 5.77 ± 0.77 years). There were no group or stimulus interactions in this study. Experiment 3 adopted a modified GOP (MGOP) to further explore disengagement in the two groups (ASC: n = 20, 5.54 ± 0.95 years; TD: n = 24, 5.75 ± 0.52 years), and the results suggested that exogenous disengagement performance was preserved in the ASC group, but the children with ASC exhibited increased endogenous attentional disengagement compared to TD peers. Moreover, endogenous disengagement was influenced further in the presence of CI-related objects in the ASC children. The current results have implications for understanding how the nature of engagement and disengagement processes can contribute to differences in the development of core cognitive skills in young children with ASC.
Self-Referential Processing and Resting-State Functional MRI Connectivity of Cortical Midline Structures in Glioma Patients
Authors: Na Chuh-Hyoun , Jütten Kerstin , Forster Saskia Doreen , Clusmann Hans , Mainz Verena
Published: October 2022

Metacognition has only scarcely been investigated in brain tumor patients. It is unclear if and how the tumor-lesioned brain might be able to maintain an adequate sense-of-self. As cortical midline structures (CMS) are regarded as essential for self-referential mental activity, we investigated resting-state fMRI connectivity (FC) of CMS to the default-mode network (DMN) and to the whole brain, comparing glioma patients and matched controls. Subjects furthermore performed a trait judgement (TJ), a trait recall task (TR), and neuropsychological testing. In the TJ, adjectives had to be ascribed as self- or non-self-describing, assessing the self-serving effect (SSE), a normally observed bias for positive traits. In the TR, the mnemic neglect effect (MNE), a memory advantage for positive traits, was tested. The groups were compared and partial correlations between FC and test metrics were analyzed. Although patients were significantly impaired in terms of verbal memory, groups did not differ in the SSE or the MNE results, showing preserved metacognitive abilities in patients. FC of CMS to the DMN was maintained, but was significantly decreased to whole brain in the patients. FC of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) to whole brain was correlated with the MNE in patients. Preserving the DMPFC in therapeutic interventions might be relevant for maintaining self-related verbal information processing in the memory domain in glioma patients.
A Study on the Intuitive Design of Target Search Tasks under Time and Information Pressure
Authors: Qu Jue , Guo Hao , Wang Wei , Dang Sina , Liu Haiping
Published: October 2022

In modern warfare, operators of radar equipment are confronted with a large amount of information in a short period of time that they must process to make decisions. Such conditions often lead to human error, resulting in the loss of the best operational opportunities and putting themselves at a disadvantage. To address this issue, in this paper, we presents three intuitive designs for radar display interface icons, namely image schema, stereotypes, and expert intuition. Based on event-related potential techniques and eye-movement techniques, a modified sample delay matching task experimental paradigm is used to investigate the advantages and mechanisms of three intuitionistic designs with varying time pressures and numbers of tasks. The experimental results showed: (1) When representing the attributes of a target, image schema are most suitable for expressing the motion attributes of the target, such as speed and height, whereas stereotypes are most suitable for expressing fixed attributes, such as target threat. (2) Tasks with high time pressure are more difficult, leading to higher error rates; the reaction time of a single task should be no less than 4000 ms. (3) When multiple attributes of the target need to be observed at the same time, the same type of expression should be used. (4) Rational use of color to represent the target attributes can effectively reduce the cognitive load of people searching for the target.
Visualization of the Dynamic Brain Activation Pattern during a Decision-Making Task
Authors: Parmar Harshit , Walden Eric
Published: October 2022

Decision making is a complex process involving various parts of the brain which are active during different times. It is challenging to measure externally the exact instant when any given region becomes active during the decision-making process. Here, we propose the development and validation of an algorithm to extract and visualize the dynamic functional brain activation information from the observed fMRI data. We propose the use of a regularized deconvolution model to simultaneously map various activation regions within the brain and track how different activation regions changes with time, thus providing both spatial and temporal brain activation information. The proposed technique was validated using simulated data and then applied to a simple decision-making task for identification of various brain regions involved in different stages of decision making. Using the results of the dynamic activation for the decision-making task, we were able to identify key brain regions involved in some of the phases of decision making. The visualization aspect of the algorithm allows us to actually see the flow of activation (and deactivation) in the form of a motion picture. The dynamic estimate may aid in understanding the causality of activation between various brain regions in a better way in future fMRI brain studies.
Clinical Study of Intraoperative Microelectrode Recordings during Awake and Asleep Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zhao Guang-Rui , Cheng Yi-Feng , Feng Ke-Ke , Wang Min , Wang Yan-Gang , Wu Yu-Zhang , Yin Shao-Ya
Published: October 2022

Our objective is to analyze the difference of microelectrode recording (MER) during awake and asleep subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and the necessity of MER during “Asleep DBS” under general anesthesia (GA). The differences in MER, target accuracy, and prognosis under different anesthesia methods were analyzed. Additionally, the MER length was compared with the postoperative electrode length by electrode reconstruction and measurement. The MER length of two groups was 5.48 ± 1.39 mm in the local anesthesia (LA) group and 4.38 ± 1.43 mm in the GA group, with a statistical significance between the two groups (p < 0.01). The MER length of the LA group was longer than its postoperative electrode length (p < 0.01), however, there was no significant difference between the MER length and postoperative electrode length in the GA group (p = 0.61). There were also no significant differences in the postoperative electrode length, target accuracy, and postoperative primary and secondary outcome scores between the two groups (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that “Asleep DBS” under GA is comparable to “Awake DBS” under LA. GA has influences on MER during surgery, but typical STN discharges can still be recorded. MER is not an unnecessary surgical procedure.
The Role of Folate Deficiency as a Potential Risk Factor for Nontraumatic Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome in an Adolescent Girl
Authors: Hu Chun-Chieh , Yang Yung-Yu , Luxton G. W. Gant , Lin Yu-Pang , Hung Kuo-Sheng , Hu Chih-Fen
Published: October 2022

Nontraumatic anterior spinal artery syndrome (ASAS) is an extremely rare clinical condition in pediatric populations with a mostly unknown underlying etiology. Here we discuss the case of a previously healthy 14-year-old girl presenting with sudden onset acute flaccid paralysis to the emergency department. A spinal STIR/DWI MRI revealed hyperintensities extending from cervical vertebrae C3-6, consistent with the diagnosis of ASAS. In order to determine any precipitating causes of ASAS, we also extensively investigated established potential risk factors for ASAS in our patient and noticed that she had a marked folate deficiency requiring folic acid supplementation to prevent future episodes of ASAS as well as to repair the patient’s injured spinal cord. Interestingly, the patient did not display elevated levels of homocysteine nor did she possess the three pathogenic MTHFR mutations characteristic of ASAS. Although her folate deficiency did not cause responsive hyperhomocysteinemia, and she did not have pathogenic MTHFR mutations that impair the function of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in folate cycle, we suggest that isolated folate deficiency may play a role in adolescent cases of ASAS that, once identified, would require prompt identification and early intervention to improve the prognosis of these patients.
Narcolepsy—A Neuropathological Obscure Sleep Disorder: A Narrative Review of Current Literature
Authors: Chavda Vishal , Chaurasia Bipin , Umana Giuseppe E. , Tomasi Santino Ottavio , Lu Bingwei , Montemurro Nicola
Published: October 2022

Narcolepsy is a chronic, long-term neurological disorder characterized by a decreased ability to regulate sleep–wake cycles. Some clinical symptoms enter into differential diagnosis with other neurological diseases. Excessive daytime sleepiness and brief involuntary sleep episodes are the main clinical symptoms. The majority of people with narcolepsy experience cataplexy, which is a loss of muscle tone. Many people experience neurological complications such as sleep cycle disruption, hallucinations or sleep paralysis. Because of the associated neurological conditions, the exact pathophysiology of narcolepsy is unknown. The differential diagnosis is essential because relatively clinical symptoms of narcolepsy are easy to diagnose when all symptoms are present, but it becomes much more complicated when sleep attacks are isolated and cataplexy is episodic or absent. Treatment is tailored to the patient’s symptoms and clinical diagnosis. To facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders and to better understand the neuropathological mechanisms of this sleep disorder, this review summarizes current knowledge on narcolepsy, in particular, genetic and non-genetic associations of narcolepsy, the pathophysiology up to the inflammatory response, the neuromorphological hallmarks of narcolepsy, and possible links with other diseases, such as diabetes, ischemic stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. This review also reports all of the most recent updated research and therapeutic advances in narcolepsy. There have been significant advances in highlighting the pathogenesis of narcolepsy, with substantial evidence for an autoimmune response against hypocretin neurons; however, there are some gaps that need to be filled. To treat narcolepsy, more research should be focused on identifying molecular targets and novel autoantigens. In addition to therapeutic advances, standardized criteria for narcolepsy and diagnostic measures are widely accepted, but they may be reviewed and updated in the future with comprehension. Tailored treatment to the patient’s symptoms and clinical diagnosis and future treatment modalities with hypocretin agonists, GABA agonists, histamine receptor antagonists and immunomodulatory drugs should be aimed at addressing the underlying cause of narcolepsy.
Driving Behavior during Takeover Request of Autonomous Vehicle: Effect of Driver Postures
Authors: Muto Koki , Oikawa Shoko , Matsui Yasuhiro , Hirose Toshiya
Published: October 2022

We investigated the effect of driver posture on driving control following a takeover request (TOR) from autonomous to manual driving in level 3 autonomous vehicles. When providing a TOR, driving behaviors need to be investigated to develop driver monitoring systems, and it is important to clarify the effect of driver postures. Experiments were conducted using driver postures that are likely to be adopted in autonomous driving. Driver postures were set based on combinations of two types of upper-body posture and three types of foot posture. The driver’s upper body and head were set to either a forward or sideways orientation. For each of these there were three types of foot posture: both feet on the floor, crossed legs, and cross-legged sitting. Following a TOR, we compared the braking and steering maneuvers of subjects driving normally and examined the effects of posture on driver reaction time. The results show that both the upper-body and foot postures of the driver affect the steering and braking reaction time. The driver monitoring system should be able to detect posture and activate a TOR warning, and detection times up to 2 and 1.3 times faster than those for normal postures should be considered for different upper-body and foot postures, respectively.
Emotional State of Teachers and University Administrative Staff in the Return to Face-to-Face Mode
Authors: Arias-Flores Hugo , Guadalupe-Lanas Jorge , Pérez-Vega Doris , Artola-Jarrín Verónica , Cruz-Cárdenas Jorge
Published: October 2022

Social distancing and security measures have contained the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the return to face-to-face activities is necessary for specific companies, and some higher education institutions have already done so. The various disorders that this new reality could generate have motivated the present study, which aims to analyze the emotional state of teachers and administrative staff. The instrument used was the abbreviated depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21), with an internal consistency index of 0.87. The methodology was based on applying a survey to 202 participants from Quito, Ecuador. The sample consisted of 97 men and 105 women aged between 23 and 59 years. A quantitative and cross-sectional design was used in this research. The results show that 40.1% of the respondents presented anxiety, 36.63% depression, and 38.61% stress between mild and highly severe categories. Additionally, when analyzing the depression, anxiety, and stress levels compared to productivity variables, we found that five disorders, i.e., fear, anxiety, over reactivity, skeletal muscle effects, and dysphoria, directly affect productivity variables, such as performing simple tasks, performing difficult tasks, the number of products made, and the number of products rejected. Thus, returning to face-to-face mode has affected the emotional state of many people, showing differences according to the job position, with anxiety being the highest self-identified incidence rate.
Fight or Flight? Curvilinear Relations between Previous Cyberbullying Victimization Experiences and Continuous Use of Social Media: Social Media Rumination and Distress as Chain Mediators
Authors: Gu Chenyu , Liu Shiyu , Chen Subai
Published: October 2022

Recently, the number of active users of social media platforms is declining, posing a challenge to the sustainability of interest in social media and related industries. Therefore, it is of great significance to examine the environmental and psychological factors that influence the continuous use of social media. Until recently, little research has examined this topic from the perspective of the relationship between previous cyberbullying victimization experiences (PCVE) and the continuous use of social media (CUOSM), not to mention the psychological mechanisms that lead to this relationship. In addition, there are paradoxes in existing studies: one side believes that PCVE causes users to become addicted to using social media, while the other side argues that PCVE drives users to escape from using social media. In order to respond to this controversy and clarify the relationship between PCVE and CUOSM, this study introduces two psychological variables, namely “social media rumination (SMR)” and “distress”, in order to construct a chain mediation model. Researchers surveyed 692 people who had experienced social media cyberbullying, and analyzed the data through SPSS and Mplus. The findings were as follows: 1. There is an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between PCVE and CUOSM. Specifically, the relationship initially exhibits a positive correlation (the period named fight), which then becomes negative (the period named flight). 2. When PCVE and CUOSM are positively correlated, SMR is the main factor that contributes to an increase in CUOSM. 3. When PCVE and CUOSM are negatively correlated, distress is the major factor that causes a decline in CUOSM. This study provides an explanation for the controversy in previous research, expands the scope of social media research, and provides a practical reference for social media platforms to enhance their existing users’ continuous use.
Burnout, Resilience and Self-Esteem in School Teaching University Students
Authors: Fernández-Castillo Antonio , Fernández-Prados María J.
Published: October 2022

Burnout syndrome seems to involve fatigue that is characterised by loss of motivation, lack of energy, and some apathy as a consequence of continued exposure to stress in demanding performance circumstances. Background: The goal of the present study is to analyse the relationship between burnout in university students with a degree in Teaching and some variables that may be associated with it such as self-esteem, resilience or age. Methods: A total of 1547 graduate students enrolled in the career of Teaching in the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Granada, Spain, participated in the study. Of them, 337 (21.8%) were men, 1195 (77.3%) were women, 14 (0.9%) indicated other gender options, and 1 (0%) did not respond to this item. The mean age of the participants was 20.52. Results: The results show that low levels of self-esteem and resilience, are the variables that best predict the increase in burnout in students of Teaching. Conclusions: Findings are discussed regarding applied implications and the need for future research. Intervention initiatives focused on enhancing personal strengths such as resilience or self-esteem can help students to cope with the stress associated with demanding educational situations and thus reduce the presence of burnout.
Experimental Study on Mechanical Properties of Half-Grouted Sleeve Connections with Grouted Defects
Authors: Chen Dong , Wu Zhixiang , Bao Yu , Ding Shaopeng , Shao Ye , Xu Tao
Published: October 2022

Prefabricated concrete structures are driving the development of green buildings, and the connection between prefabricated components is the main factor affecting the safety performance of these structures. Grouted sleeve technology can effectively improve the safety performance of precast component connections. In the process of grouting operation, the grouted sleeves are affected by the construction environment and often have various defects. In this work, to study the influence of defects on the mechanical properties of half-grouted steel sleeve connections, 33 specimens (10 groups of defective specimens (three in each group) and 1 standard group) were prepared and subjected to uniaxial tensile tests. The failure modes, load–displacement curves, stress distribution, and other mechanical properties of the specimens were studied. Sleeves with different defects were simulated, and the simulation results were compared with the experimental results. The experimental results showed that the failure modes are rebar fracture and rebar pull-out. In the strengthening stage, the specimens exhibited a large slip. The critical length for failure mode transition was 2.5 d (defect length). The middle defects and uniform defects had the most unfavorable effect on the ultimate bearing capacity of the specimens. The stress transfer was blocked in specimens with end and middle defects. The numerical simulation results were consistent with the experimental results, thus verifying the accuracy and feasibility of the simulation method for practical applications.
Study on the Effects of Innovative Curing Combinations on the Early Temperature Field of Concrete Box Girders
Authors: Zeng Yong , Li Xueqin , Jiang Dong , Ran Jiuhong
Published: October 2022

Box girder bridges are often subject to cracking due to wet temperature changes caused by the heat of hydration in the early stages; however, current studies do not provide an effective method for considering this effect. The reasonable temperature control of concrete box girders can prevent early concrete cracking and ensure concrete quality, but box girder temperature control becomes an important focus in construction. To fill this gap, a two-dimensional temperature field study was carried out for a large-span box bridge by the finite element method. The advantages and disadvantages of the two innovative combination curing methods and the early curing effects on the construction of a box girder in summer were investigated and analyzed based on the temperature field of the box girder under different curing methods, the time–history curves of the temperature at each key node of the box girder, and the time–history curves of the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the box girder. The research results show that the mold paste and automatic water spray method (Combination B method) is more suitable for the early curing of box girders in summer.
Comparative Representation of Two Models for Predicting the Productivity of Column and Wall Concreting Process
Authors: Matejević-Nikolić Biljana , Živković Lazar
Published: October 2022

One of the most important tasks of managing the construction process is to achieve the highest possible productivity. The productivity that can be achieved on a construction site depends on a number of influencing factors and on the type of work that is executed. Concrete works are a crucial activity when constructing high-rise buildings built in the RC frame structural system. Therefore, it is very important to adequately manage the concreting process in order to meet the set deadlines and reduce costs. This paper presents an approach for predicting the productivity of the concreting process based on the conducted quantitative research, by recording the concreting process on construction sites of buildings in Niš, Serbia. The concreting of reinforced concrete columns and walls on seven construction sites was recorded for 20 months. The total amount of fresh concrete that is built into the elements is 848 m3 and the total duration is 114 h of work. Factors that can affect productivity have been identified and, by applying the multiple linear regression and simulation methods and techniques and using the discrete event method and the agent-based method, models have been developed to predict the productivity of the concreting of reinforced concrete columns and walls. An analysis of the developed models was performed, and a comparative presentation was provided.
Visualization Analysis of Cross Research between Big Data and Construction Industry Based on Knowledge Graph
Authors: Chen Guixiang , Hou Jia , Liu Chaosai , Hu Kui , Wang Jun
Published: October 2022

Big data technology has triggered a boom in research and applications around the world. The construction industry has ushered in a new technological change in this context. Researchers have conducted in-depth research on the intersection of big data and architecture, but lack quantitative analysis and comprehensive evaluation of the research results. This article draws a series of knowledge maps with the help of the CiteSpace software using the relevant literature in the Web of Science database between 2007 and 2022 as data samples to comprehensively grasp the research development at the intersection of big data and the construction industry. The knowledge base, research hotspots, and domain evolution trends in the intersection of big data and the construction industry are analyzed quantitatively and aided by qualitative analysis through visualization, respectively. The results show that Chinese and American scholars have published more relevant papers in international journals, and some well-known universities in both countries constitute the main group of research institutions. The research hotspots are BIM, data mining, building energy saving, smart cities, and disaster prevention and damage prevention. In the future, the research on the integration and application of the construction industry with emerging technologies, such as big data, BIM, and cloud computing will be connected more closely. This study provides a preliminary overall picture of the research of big data in the field of construction by sorting out and analyzing the existing results.
Study on Relationship between Shading and Outdoor Air Temperature Based on the Comparison of Two High-Rise Residential Estates with Field Measurements
Authors: Li Wenwen , Zhou Zhengnan , Zhang Shuyang , Feng Jiajia
Published: October 2022

High-rise residential estates are characterized by high floor area ratios, many floors, and similar green area ratios. Beijing is hot in summer, and shading is an important strategy to improve the outdoor thermal environment of residential estates in summer. With respect to the morphological characteristics of high-rise residential estates, three types of shading were summarized, and their relationships with air temperature were quantified and analyzed. The three types of shading are building–tree integrated shading, building shading, and tree shading. Two residential estates that can represent the morphological characteristics of high-rise residential estates in Beijing were selected for field measurements, and the cooling effects of the three types of shading were obtained by analyzing the measured data. In the same residential estate, the daytime air temperature difference between shaded and un-shaded areas can be 0.5 °C or more. It was found that building–tree integrated shading has the most significant cooling effect, with building shading and tree shading second. The cooling effect of shading decreases with time, with morning shading having the greatest effect, and afternoon shading having the least effect.
Cascaded Control for Building HVAC Systems in Practice
Authors: Price Chris , Park Deokgeun , Rasmussen Bryan P.
Published: October 2022

Actuator hunting is a widespread and often neglected problem in the HVAC field. Hunting is typically characterized by sustained or intermittent oscillations, and can result in decreased efficiency, increased actuator wear, and poor setpoint tracking. Cascaded control loops have been shown to effectively linearize system dynamics and reduce the prevalence of hunting. This paper details the implementation of cascaded control architectures for Air Handling Unit chilled water valves at three university campus buildings. A framework for implementation the control in existing Building Automation software is developed that requires only a single line of additional code. Results gathered for more than a year show that cascaded control not only eliminates hunting in control loops with documented hunting issues, but provides better tracking and more consistent performance during all seasons. A discussion of efficiency losses due to hunting behavior is presented and illustrated with comparative data. Furthermore, an analysis of cost savings from implementing cascaded chilled water valve control is presented. Field tests show 2.2–4.4% energy savings, with additional potential savings from reduced operational costs (i.e., maintenance and controller retuning).
Experimental Study on Fire Resistance of Concrete Beams Made with Iron Tailings Sand
Authors: Zhou Yunlong , Yang Zhinian , You Zhiguo , Wang Xingguo , Chen Kaijiang , Guo Boyu , Wu Kai
Published: October 2022

In order to measure the effect of iron tailings sand replacing natural sand on the fire resistance of concrete beams, five full-scale iron tailings sand concrete (ITSC) beams and two natural sand concrete (NSC) beams were conducted to fire testing under dead load and rising temperature conditions. The section temperature field, mid-span displacement, failure form, and fire resistance limit of ITSC beams under fire were analyzed. The main influence factors included different ISTC strengths (C30 and C40) and constraints. The analysis results were compared with those of NSC beams. The results show that the complete replacement of natural sand with iron tailings sand had little influence on the temperature field of concrete and reinforcement in simply supported beams and continuous beams under fire. The fire endurance of the ITSC simply supported beams was similar to that of NSC simply supported beams. When exposed to fire, the higher the strength of the ITSC, the better the fire resistance of the beam. The fire endurance of continuous beams was higher than that of simply supported beams. On the basis of the analysis of the fire resistance performance, it was found that iron tailings sand can replace natural sand to formulate concrete beams.
A BIM-Based Method for Structural Stability Assessment and Emergency Repairs of Large-Panel Buildings Damaged by Military Actions and Explosions: Evidence from Ukraine
Authors: Hryhorovskyi Petro , Osadcha Iryna , Jurelionis Andrius , Basanskyi Vladyslav , Hryhorovskyi Andrii
Published: October 2022

The article presents the results of analysis and perspectives for the application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for the selection of effective organizational, technological, and technical solutions in the elimination of the emergency destruction of large-panel buildings as a result of military actions. It has been established that information–mathematical modeling and the usage of a database on typical destructions can improve the work efficiency and safety of the liquidation of emergency destructions of buildings. Moreover, it enables the scaling and identification of the optimal option of emergency stabilization, as well as organizational, technological, and technical actions that have to be urgently taken to prevent the loss of life or collapse of large-panel buildings after massive damage due to shelling and other military actions. Information–mathematical modeling is explored as the key enabler of assessment and decision-making, while typically there is limited access to the survey object and a lack of information about its condition. The case of a large-panel building in Ukraine damaged as a result of a gas explosion was used for the development of the information–mathematical model and for demonstrating the proposed approach. In post-war times, the use of the presented methodology will allow a rapid assessment of the technical condition of buildings and stabilization strategy selection, including the periodicity of monitoring needs and times of repairs.
Effect of Absorption Time for the Preparation of Activated Carbon from Wasted Tree Leaves of Quercus alba and Investigating Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Amin Muhammad , Shah Hamad Hussain
Published: October 2022

In this article, the effect of absorption time on the surface chemistry and pore structure of activated carbon (AC) from waste leaves of Quercus alba with the H3PO4 chemical activation method. XRD, SEM, EDX, BET, TGA, and FT-IR analyses of prepared AC were used to figure out the properties of the activated carbon. The results demonstrated that the 48 h absorption time of H3PO4 contributed to the highest surface area, 943.2 m2/g, among all the prepared activated carbon samples. As the absorption time of the phosphoric acid activating agent was increased, the surface area initially increased and then started to decrease. The further surface chemical characterization of activated carbon was determined by FT-IR spectroscopic method. Life cycle assessment methodology was employed in order to investigate the environmental impacts associated with the laboratory steps for activated carbon (AC) production. The LCA approach was implemented using OpenLCA 1.10.3 software, while ReCiPe Midpoint (H) was used for environmental impact assessment. The results of the LCA study showed that the impact categories related to toxicity were particularly affected by the utilization of electrical energy (≈90%). The power utilized during laboratory procedures was the main cause of environmental impacts, contributing an average of nearly 70% across all impact categories, with the maximum contribution to the impact category of freshwater ecotoxicity potential (≈97%) and the minimum contribution to land use potential (≈10%).
Lauric Acid Treatments to Oxidized and Control Biochars and Their Effects on Rubber Composite Tensile Properties
Authors: Peterson Steven C. , Thomas A. J.
Published: October 2022

Biochar is a renewable source of carbon that can partially replace carbon black as filler in rubber composites. Since the carbon content of biochar is less pure than carbon black, improvements and modifications must be made to biochar to make it a viable co-filler. In this work, two methods to change the surface chemistry of biochar were employed: (1) gas treatment at 300 °C with either air or carbon dioxide, and (2) coating with lauric acid. Both methods are amenable to the current rubber processing industry. After biochar was treated with these methods, it was used as co-filler in rubber composite samples. Gas treatment with either air or carbon dioxide was found to increase stiffness in the final composites. Although lauric acid coating of biochar by itself did not have a significant effect on tensile properties, biochar that was first treated with carbon dioxide and then coated with lauric acid showed a 19% increase in tensile strength and a 48% increase in toughness. Gas treatment and lauric acid coating of biochar provide relatively simple processing techniques to improve the stiffness and tensile strength of biochar as rubber composite filler.
CXCL8 Up-Regulated LSECtin through AKT Signal and Correlates with the Immune Microenvironment Modulation in Colon Cancer
Authors: Fang Shaojun , Cheng Xianshuo , Shen Tao , Dong Jian , Li Yunfeng , Li Zhenhui , Tian Linghan , Zhang Yangwei , Pan Xueyan , Yin Zhengfeng , Yang Zhibin
Published: October 2022

Background: The role of CXCL8 and LSECtin in colon cancer liver metastasis and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) treatment effect were widely recognized. However, the regulatory role of CXCL8 on LSECtin is still unclear. Methods: The expression of CXCL8 or LSECtin was analyzed by TCGA database, and verified by GES110225 and clinical samples. The relationship between the expression of CXCL8 or LSECtin and immune cells infiltration, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, Gene Ontology (GO) items, stromal score, Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumours (ESTIMAT) immune score, tumor mutation burden (TMB), mismatch repair gene and immune checkpoints expression were analyzed by Spearman. The effects of CXCL8 on LSECtin expression, proliferation, and invasion ability were clarified by recombinant CXCL8 or CXCL8 interfering RNA. Results: In colon cancer, the expression of CXCL8 was higher, but LSECtin was lower than that in normal mucosa. The expression of CXCL8 or LSECtin was significantly positively correlated with immune cells infiltration, stromal score, ESTIMATE immune score, TMB, and immune checkpoints expression. The expression of LSECtin was closely related to the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway and response of chemokine function, such as CXCL8/CXCR1/2 pathway. There was a significant positive correlation between the expression of CXCL8 and LSECtin in colon cancer. CXCL8 up-regulated LSECtin through AKT signal and promoted the proliferation and invasion ability of colon cancer. Conclusions: CXCL8 up-regulated LSECtin by activating AKT signal and correlated with the immune microenvironment modulation in colon cancer.
MicroRNAs’ Crucial Role in Salivary Gland Cancers’ Onset and Prognosis
Authors: Bocchetti Marco , Grisolia Piera , Melisi Federica , Ferraro Maria Grazia , De Luca Pietro , Camaioni Angelo , Falco Michela , Abate Marianna , Misso Gabriella , Alfano Roberto , Accardo Nunzio , Oliva Flavia , Cossu Alessia Maria , Caraglia Michele , Scrima Marianna , Ricciardiello Filippo
Published: October 2022

Salivary gland cancer (SGC) is an uncommon and heterogeneous disease that accounts for around 8.5% of all head and neck cancers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) consist of a class of highly conserved, short, single-stranded segments (18–25 nucleotides) of noncoding RNA that represent key gene-transcription regulators in physiological and pathological human conditions. However, their role in SGC development and progression is not completely clear. This review aims to compile and summarize the recent findings on the topic, focusing on the prognostic and diagnostic value of the major modulated and validated microRNAs in SGC. Their differential expression could possibly aid the clinician in delivering an early diagnosis, therapeutic strategy and precision medicine.
The Prognostic and Therapeutic Potential of DNA Damage Repair Pathway Alterations and Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Lung Cancer
Authors: Khaddour Karam , Felipe Fernandez Manuel , Khabibov Marsel , Garifullin Airat , Dressler Danielle , Topchu Iuliia , Patel Jyoti D. , Weinberg Frank , Boumber Yanis
Published: October 2022

Lung cancer remains the second most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The mapping of genomic alterations and their role in lung-cancer progression has been followed by the development of new therapeutic options. Several novel drugs, such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy, have significantly improved outcomes. However, many patients with lung cancer do not benefit from existing therapies or develop progressive disease, leading to increased morbidity and mortality despite initial responses to treatment. Alterations in DNA-damage repair (DDR) genes represent a cancer hallmark that impairs a cell’s ability to prevent deleterious mutation accumulation and repair. These alterations have recently emerged as a therapeutic target in breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. The role of DDR alterations remains largely unknown in lung cancer. Nevertheless, recent research efforts have highlighted a potential role of some DDR alterations as predictive biomarkers of response to treatment. Despite the failure of PARP inhibitors (main class of DDR targeting agents) to improve outcomes in lung cancer patients, there is some evidence suggesting a role of PARP inhibitors and other DDR targeting agents in benefiting a distinct subset of lung cancer patients. In this review, we will discuss the existing literature on DDR alterations and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) state as predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets in both non-small cell lung and small cell lung cancer.
Real-World Use and Effectiveness of Carfilzomib Plus Dexamethasone in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma in Europe
Authors: Terpos Evangelos , Zambello Renato , Leleu Xavier , Kuehr Thomas , Badelita Sorina N. , Katodritou Eirini , Brescianini Alessandra , Liang Tony , Wetten Sally , Caers Jo
Published: October 2022

This prospective, observational study examined the real-world use of carfilzomib across 11 European countries in adults with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who received at least one prior line of therapy. Carfilzomib and dexamethasone (Kd) use, effectiveness and safety were analyzed. In total, 271 patients received Kd among 701 adults enrolled. The median relative dose intensity of carfilzomib was 82.7% (20/56 mg/m2, twice weekly). The overall response rate (ORR) to Kd was 68.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 62.7–74.5): 79.2% in second line (2L), 71.6% in third line (3L) and 63.1% in fourth line or later (4L+). The ORR was 59.9% (95% CI, 51.1–68.1) in the lenalidomide-refractory subgroup and 67.7% (95% CI, 48.6–83.3) in the not lenalidomide-refractory subgroup. In the anti-CD38 refractory subgroup, the ORR was 51.6% (95% CI, 38.6–64.5); ORRs were higher when Kd was received at 2L/3L (66.7%) than at 4L+ (49.1%). Overall, patients were treated for a median time of 7.7 months. One-fifth of patients reported treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse events (≥grade 3), with a safety profile consistent with previous clinical trials. This study demonstrated the real-world use, effectiveness and safety of Kd in patients with RRMM. Despite the increasing number of new therapeutic strategies to treat RRMM, Kd remains a safe and effective option, even for older, frail and lenalidomide- or anti-CD38 mAb-refractory patients.