bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing Building Water Disruptions in a Post-COVID World: Water Quality and Safety Risk Assessment Tool for Academic Institutions and School Settings
Authors: Griffin Stephanie C. , Scanlon Molly M. , Reynolds Kelly A.
Published: March 2023

Fluctuating building occupancy during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to poor water quality and safety conditions in building water distribution systems (BWDSs). Natural disasters, man-made events, or academic institutional calendars (i.e., semesters or holiday breaks) can disrupt building occupant water usage, which typically increases water age within a BWDS. High water age, in turn, is known to propagate poor water quality and safety conditions, which potentially exposes building occupants to waterborne pathogens (e.g., Legionella) associated with respiratory disease or hazardous chemicals (e.g., lead). Other influencing factors are green building design and municipal water supply changes. Regardless of the cause, an increasing number of water management policies require building owners to improve building water management practices. The present study developed a Water Quality and Safety Risk Assessment (WQSRA) tool to address gaps in building water management for academic institutions and school settings. The tool is intended to assist with future implementation of water management programs as the result of pending policies for the built environment. The WQSRA was modeled after water management practices created for controlling water contaminants in healthcare facilities. Yet, a novel WQSRA tool was adapted specifically for educational settings to allow building owners to evaluate risk from water hazards to determine an appropriate level of risk mitigation measures for implementation. An exemplar WQSRA tool is presented for safety, facility, industrial hygiene, and allied professionals to address current gaps in building water management programs. Academic institutions and school settings should examine the WQSRA tool and formulate an organization-specific policy to determine implementation before, during, and after building water-disruptive events associated with natural or man-made disasters.
Seismic Risk of Weak First-Story RC Structures with Inerter Dampers Subjected to Narrow-Band Seismic Excitations
Authors: Jaimes Miguel A. , Niño Mauro , Franco Isaac , Trejo Salatiel , Godínez Francisco A. , García-Soto Adrián D.
Published: March 2023

This study evaluates the seismic risk of weak first-story reinforced concrete (RC) structures retrofitted with inerter dampers at their ground level when subjected to narrow-band seismic excitations. The main advantages brought about by the ground-level inerters are the reductions in seismic demands (e.g., drifts, floor accelerations). This study shows that structures with inerters are reliable systems in terms of peak story drifts for large ground motions. For moderate ground-motion intensities, the opposite could occur, mainly for soft soil sites. The reliabilities of structures with inerter dampers at their ground level are in general higher for buildings under seismic intensities associated to limit state of incipient collapse, especially for low-height buildings. This could be reversed for intensities associated to the limit state of damage limitation. The findings of this study could guide practicing engineers to use inerter-based dampers in retrofitting ductile structures consisting of moment-resisting reinforced concrete (RC) frames subjected to narrow-band earthquake excitations in regions such as Mexico City.
Earth-Based Building Incorporating Sargassum muticum Seaweed: Mechanical and Hygrothermal Performances
Authors: Affan Houssam , Touati Karim , Benzaama Mohammed-Hichem , Chateigner Daniel , El Mendili Yassine
Published: March 2023

Once the tide recedes and leaves a significant amount of stranded seaweed on the coast, marine macroalgae pose a serious threat to the surrounding area. Through this work, we considered a large-scale application of stranded macroalgae in building construction. For the first time we studied the impact of incorporating Sargassum mitucum seaweed fiber in replacement of flax fiber used for a standard structural cob. Thus, cob specimens were elaborated and analyzed to evaluate their compressive and hygrothermal performances. It was found that the compressive strength and water vapor resistance factors of cob decreased with the algae content. Additionally, the obtained results showed that a cob made with Sargassum muticum algae presented better thermal (insulation and inertia) and hygroscopic properties than those of a cob made with a flax fiber. Indeed, the replacement of flax straw by algae lead to a reduction in the thermal conductivity by 38% when compared to the standard cob with 2.5% of flax straw fiber. Consequently, numerical simulation showed a reduction in the energy needs in buildings made with an algae-based cob when compared to those made with a flax-based cob. This study can contribute to a global environmental and economic issue, i.e., the valorization of brown algae on a large scale. Indeed, the worldwide knows the largest sea of sargassum algae extent measures over 8850 km2. This huge mass of brownish algae is expanding every year, which now covers an area from Africa to the Caribbean. It weighs more than 20 million tons and extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the west coast of Africa. We show that stranded algae, which are considered as wastes, have the ability to improve the mechanical and hygrothermal performance of cob-based material.
Retrospective Analysis of a Cohort of Patients with Metastatic Bladder Cancer with Metastatic Sites Limited to the Pelvis and Retroperitoneum Treated at a Single Institution between 2009 and 2020
Authors: Bertucci Alexandre , Cartier Lysian , Rollet Armelle , Boustany Rania , Hilgers Werner
Published: March 2023

Bladder cancer (BC) presenting with pelvic and retroperitoneal lymph nodes presents a therapeutic challenge. The impact of chemoradiotherapy on pelvic and retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis as a consolidation treatment has not been established. Between 2009 and 2020, 502 patients who were treated with first-line chemotherapy for BC in our center, were retrospectively identified. Patients who received chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy with an equivalent radiation dose superior to 30 Gy were included in the RTCT group, and other patients were included in the control group (CT group). We performed an analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for these two cohorts using the Kaplan–Meier method. A total of 89 patients were included, 24 in the RTCT group and 65 in the CT group. Chemoradiotherapy improved both OS (p = 0.034) and PFS (p = 0.009) in comparison with chemotherapy alone: 26.3 months (95% IC 0.0–52.9) and 19.4 months (95% IC 5.0–33.7), respectively, in the RTCT group versus 17.2 months (95% IC 13.7–20.6) and 11.2 months (95% IC 8.6–13.8), respectively, in the CT group. Grade 3/4 toxicity was related to chemotherapy and to chemoradiotherapy at levels of 31% and 24%, respectively. For mBC with metastatic regional or retroperitoneal lymph nodes, chemoradiotherapy seems to confer benefits for both OS and PFS.
Advances in Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Hagiwara Satoru , Nishida Naoshi , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: March 2023

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) aim to induce immune responses against tumors and are less likely to develop drug resistance than molecularly targeted drugs. In addition, they are characterized by a long-lasting antitumor effect. However, since its effectiveness depends on the tumor’s immune environment, it is essential to understand the immune environment of hepatocellular carcinoma to select ICI therapeutic indications and develop biomarkers. A network of diverse cellular and humoral factors establishes cancer immunity. By analyzing individual cases and classifying them from the viewpoint of tumor immunity, attempts have been made to select the optimal therapeutic drug for immunotherapy, including ICIs. ICI treatment is discussed from the viewpoints of immune subclass of HCC, Wnt/β-catenin mutation, immunotherapy in NASH-related HCC, the mechanism of HPD onset, and HBV reactivation.
High-Risk Pedigree Study Identifies LRBA (rs62346982) as a Likely Predisposition Variant for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Cannon-Albright Lisa A. , Stevens Jeff , Facelli Julio C. , Teerlink Craig C. , Allen-Brady Kristina , Agarwal Neeraj
Published: March 2023

There is evidence for contribution of inherited factors to prostate cancer, and more specifically to lethal prostate cancer, but few responsible genes/variants have been identified. We examined genetic sequence data for 51 affected cousin pairs who each died from prostate cancer and who were members of high-risk prostate cancer pedigrees in order to identify rare variants shared by the cousins as candidate predisposition variants. Candidate variants were tested for association with prostate cancer risk in UK Biobank data. Candidate variants were also assayed in 1195 additional sampled Utah prostate cancer cases. We used 3D protein structure prediction methods to analyze structural changes and provide insights into mechanisms of pathogenicity. Almost 4000 rare (<0.005) variants were identified as shared in the 51 affected cousin pairs. One candidate variant was also significantly associated with prostate cancer risk among the 840 variants with data in UK Biobank, in the gene LRBA (p = 3.2 × 10−5; OR = 2.09). The rare risk variant in LRBA was observed to segregate in five pedigrees. The overall predicted structures of the mutant protein do not show any significant overall changes upon mutation, but the mutated structure loses a helical structure for the two residues after the mutation. This unique analysis of closely related individuals with lethal prostate cancer, who were members of high-risk prostate cancer pedigrees, has identified a strong set of candidate predisposition variants which should be pursued in independent studies. Validation data for a subset of the candidates identified are presented, with strong evidence for a rare variant in LRBA.
Extracellular Vesicles Act as Carriers for Cargo Delivery and Regulate Wnt Signaling in the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: He Risheng , Xu Yi , Yu Liang , Meng Nanfeng , Wang Hang , Cui Yunfu , Yam Judy Wai Ping
Published: March 2023

As the primary type of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causes a large number of deaths every year. Despite extensive research conducted on this disease, the prognosis of HCC remains unclear. Recently, research has largely focused on extracellular vesicles (EVs), and they have been found to participate in various ways in the development of various diseases, including HCC, such as by regulating cell signaling pathways. However, recent studies have reported the mechanisms underlying the regulation of Wnt signaling by EVs in HCC, primarily focusing on the regulation of the canonical pathways. This review summarizes the current literature on the regulation of Wnt signaling by EVs in HCC and their underlying mechanisms. In addition, we also present future research directions in this field. This will deepen the understanding of HCC and provide new ideas for its treatment.
Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer with Peritoneal Carcinomatosis: Additional Information Helps to Optimize Patient Selection before Surgery
Authors: Hung Hao-Chien , Hsu Po-Jung , Lee Chao-Wei , Hsu Jun-Te , Wu Ting-Jung
Published: March 2023

(1) Background: The prognosis of gastric cancer-associated peritoneal carcinomatosis (GCPC) is poor, with a median survival time of less than six months, and current systemic chemotherapy, including targeted therapy, is ineffective. Despite growing evidence that cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) for GCPC improves overall survival (OS), optimal patient selection remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate preoperative clinical factors and identify indicative factors for predicting postoperative OS in patients with GCPC undergoing CRS-HIPEC. (2) Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 44 consecutive patients with GCPC who underwent CRS-HIPEC between May 2015 and May 2021. Data on demographics and radiologic assessment were collected and analyzed. (3) Results: Elevated preoperative serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio > 4.4 (p = 0.003, HR = 3.70, 95% CI = 1.55–8.79) and number of computed tomography risks > 2 (p = 0.005, HR = 3.26, 95% CI = 1.33–7.98) were independently indicative of OS post-surgery. A strong correlation was observed between intraoperative peritoneal cancer index score and number of computed tomography risks (r = 0.534, p < 0.0001). Two patients after CRS-HIPEC ultimately achieved disease-free survival for more than 50 months. (4) Conclusions: Our experience optimizes GCPC patients’ selection for CRS-HIPEC, may help to improve outcomes in the corresponding population, and prevent futile surgery in inappropriate patients.
Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases: Factors Affecting Outcomes and Radiation Necrosis
Authors: Barillaro Angela , Caroprese Mara , Cella Laura , Viggiano Anna , Buccelli Francesca , Daponte Chiara , Feoli Chiara , Oliviero Caterina , Clemente Stefania , Farella Antonio , Conson Manuel , Pacelli Roberto
Published: March 2023

Stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) is a proven effective treatment for brain metastases (BM); however, symptomatic radiation necrosis (RN) is a late effect that may impact on patient’s quality of life. The aim of our study was to retrospectively evaluate survival outcomes and characterize the occurrence of RN in a cohort of BM patients treated with ablative SRT at Federico II University Hospital. Clinical and dosimetric factors of 87 patients bearing a total of 220 BMs treated with SRT from 2016 to 2022 were analyzed. Among them, 46 patients with 127 BMs having clinical and MRI follow-up (FUP) ≥ 6 months were selected for RN evaluation. Dosimetric parameters of the uninvolved brain (brain without GTV) were extracted. The crude local control was 91% with neither clinical factors nor prescription dose correlating with local failure (LF). At a median FUP of 9 (1–68) months, the estimated median overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and brain progression-free survival (bPFS) were 16, 6, and 9 months, respectively. The estimated OS rates at 1 and 3 years were 59.8% and 18.3%, respectively; bPFS at 1 and 3 years was 29.9% and 13.5%, respectively; PFS at 1 and 3 years was 15.7% and 0%, respectively; and local failure-free survival (LFFS) at 1 and 3 years was 87.2% and 83.8%, respectively. Extracranial disease status was an independent factor related to OS. Fourteen (30%) patients manifested RN. At multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma histology, left location, and absence of chemotherapy were confirmed as independent risk factors for any-grade RN. Nine (20%) patients developed symptomatic (G2) RN, which improved or stabilized after 1–16 months of steroid therapy. With prompt recognition and, when necessary, medical therapy, RN radiological and clinical amelioration can be obtained.
Diagnostic Performance of Afirma and Interpace Diagnostics Genetic Testing in Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules: A Single Center Study
Authors: Kandil Emad , Metz Tyler A. , Issa Peter P. , Aboueisha Mohamed , Omar Mahmoud , Attia Abdallah S. , Chabot Bert , Hussein Mohammad , Moroz Krzysztof , Shama Mohamed , Toraih Eman
Published: March 2023

Indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITN) represent 20–30% of biopsied nodules, with a 10–60% risk of malignancy. Molecular testing can stratify the risk of malignancy among ITNs, and subsequently reduce the need for unnecessary diagnostic surgery. We aimed to assess the performance of these molecular tests at a single institution. Patients with Bethesda III, IV, and V nodules with Afirma and Interpace Diagnostics genetic testing data from November 2013 to November 2021 were included. Three cohorts were formed, including GSC + XA, ThyGeNEXT + ThyraMIR, and GSC + GEC. Statistical analysis determined the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and accuracy of each type of testing. The PPV of nodules undergoing genetic testing by ThyGeNEXT + ThyraMIR (45.00%, 95%CI: 28.28–62.93%, p = 0.032) and GSC + XA (57.14%, 95%CI: 29.32–81.08%, p < 0.001) were superior to that of GEC + GSC (30.72%, 95%CI: 26.83–34.90%). The NPV was above 85% in all cohorts, suggesting overall suitable rule-out tests. The Afirma platform (GSC + XA) had the highest NPV at 96.97%. The overall accuracy for nodules undergoing ThyGeNEXT + ThyraMIR was 81.42% (95%CI: 73.01–88.11%, p < 0.001). A total of 230 patients underwent thyroidectomy, including less than 60% of each of the ThyGeNEXT + ThyraMIR and GSC + XA cohorts. Specifically, only 25% of patients in the GSC + XA cohort underwent surgery, considerably decreasing the rate of unnecessary surgical intervention. Sub-group analysis, including only patients with surgical pathology, found that PPV tended to be higher in the GSC + XA cohort, at 66.67% (95%CI: 37.28–87.06%), as compared to the ThyGeNEXT + ThyraMIR cohort, at 52.94% (95%CI: 35.25–69.92%). The Afirma genetic testing platform GSC + XA outperformed the other platforms with regards to both PPV and NPV and decreased the rate of surgery in patients with ITNs by 75%, significantly preventing unnecessary surgical intervention.
Manifestations of Ovarian Cancer in Relation to Other Pelvic Diseases by MRI
Authors: Bourgioti Charis , Konidari Marianna , Moulopoulos Lia Angela
Published: March 2023

Imaging plays a pivotal role in the diagnostic approach of women with suspected ovarian cancer. MRI is widely used for preoperative characterization and risk stratification of adnexal masses. While epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has typical findings on MRI; there are several benign and malignant pelvic conditions that may mimic its appearance on imaging. Knowledge of the origin and imaging characteristics of a pelvic mass will help radiologists diagnose ovarian cancer promptly and accurately. Finally, in special subgroups, including adolescents and gravid population, the prevalence of various ovarian tumors differs from that of the general population and there are conditions which uniquely manifest during these periods of life.
Evaluating Focal Areas of Signal Intensity (FASI) in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type-1 (NF1) Treated with Selumetinib on Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC)-029B
Authors: Pillay-Smiley Natasha , Leach James , Lane Adam , Hummel Trent , Fangusaro Jason , de Blank Peter
Published: March 2023

Background: Understanding the effect of selumetinib on FASI may help elucidate the biology, proliferative potential, and role in neurocognitive changes for these NF1-associated lesions. Methods: Patients with NF1-associated LGG and FASI treated with selumetinib on PBTC-029B were age-matched to untreated patients with NF1-associated FASI at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Paired bidirectional measurements were compared over time using nonparametric tests. Results: Sixteen age-matched pairs were assessed (age range: 2.8–16.9 years, 60% male). Initial FASI burden was not different between groups (median range 138.7 cm2 [88.4–182.0] for the treated subjects vs. 121.6 cm2 [79.6—181.9] for the untreated subjects; p = 0.98). Over a mean follow-up of 18.9 (±5.9) months, the LGG size consistently decreased with treatment while no consistent change among the treated or untreated FASI size was seen. At the paired time points, the median treated LGG decreased significantly more than the treated FASI (−41.3% (LGG) versus −10.7% (FASI), p = 0.006). However, there was no difference in the median size change in the treated versus untreated FASI (−10.7% (treated FASI) versus −17.9% (untreated FASI), p = 0.08). Among the treated subjects, there was no correlation between the change in LGG and FASI (r = −0.04, p = 0.88). Conclusions: Treatment with selumetinib did not affect the overall FASI size in children with NF1 treated for progressive low-grade glioma.
Simultaneous Photocatalytic Sugar Conversion and Hydrogen Production Using Pd Nanoparticles Decorated on Iron-Doped Hydroxyapatite
Authors: Chuaicham Chitiphon , Noguchi Yuto , Shenoy Sulakshana , Shu Kaiqian , Trakulmututa Jirawat , Srikhaow Assadawoot , Sekar Karthikeyan , Sasaki Keiko
Published: March 2023

Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) were successfully deposited on the surface of Fe(III)-modified hydroxyapatite (HAp), which was subsequently used as a photocatalyst for simultaneous photocatalytic H2 evolution and xylose conversion. The structural phase and morphology of the pristine HAp, FeHAp, and Pd@FeHAp were examined using XRD, SEM, and TEM instruments. At 20 °C, Pd@FeHAp provided a greater xylose conversion than pristine HAp and FeHAp, about 2.15 times and 1.41 times, respectively. In addition, lactic acid and formic acid production was increased by using Pd@FeHAp. The optimal condition was further investigated using Pd@FeHAp, which demonstrated around 70% xylose conversion within 60 min at 30 °C. Moreover, only Pd@FeHAp produced H2 under light irradiation. To clarify the impact of Fe(III) doping in FeHAp and heterojunction between PdNPs and FeHAp in the composite relative to pure Hap, the optical and physicochemical properties of Pd@FeHAp samples were analyzed, which revealed the extraordinary ability of the material to separate and transport photogenerated electron-hole pairs, as demonstrated by a substantial reduction in photoluminescence intensity when compared to Hp and FeHAp. In addition, a decrease in electron trap density in the Pd@FeHAp composite using reversed double-beam photoacoustic spectroscopy was attributed to the higher photocatalytic activity rate. Furthermore, the development of new electronic levels by the addition of Fe(III) to the structure of HAp in FeHAp may improve the ability to absorb light by lessening the energy band gap. The photocatalytic performance of the Pd@FeHAp composite was improved by lowering charge recombination and narrowing the energy band gap. As a result, a newly developed Pd@FeHAp composite might be employed as a photocatalyst to generate both alternative H2 energy and high-value chemicals.
Pt/CeMnOx/Diatomite: A Highly Active Catalyst for the Oxidative Removal of Toluene and Ethyl Acetate
Authors: Li Linlin , Liu Yuxi , Deng Jiguang , Jing Lin , Hou Zhiquan , Gao Ruyi , Dai Hongxing
Published: March 2023

Pt nanoparticles and a CeMnOx composite were loaded on the surface of the natural diatomite material to generate the Pt/CeMnOx/diatomite using the redox precipitation and impregnation methods. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by means of various techniques. The catalytic properties and resistance to H2O and SO2 of the catalysts were measured for the oxidation of typical volatile organic compounds (i.e., toluene and ethyl acetate). Among all of the as-prepared samples, Pt/CeMnOx/diatomite exhibited the highest catalytic activity: the temperatures (T90%) at a toluene or ethyl acetate conversion of 90% were 230 and 210 °C at a space velocity (SV) of 20,000 mL g−1 h−1, respectively, and the turnover frequency (TOFPt) at 220 °C was 1.04 μmol/(gcat s) for ethyl acetate oxidation and 1.56 μmol/(gcat s) for toluene oxidation. In particular, this sample showed a superior catalytic activity for ethyl acetate oxidation at low temperatures, with its T50% being 185 °C at SV = 20,000 mL g−1 h−1. In addition, the Pt/CeMnOx/diatomite sample possessed good sulfur dioxide resistance during the toluene oxidation process. In the presence of SO2, some of the SO2 molecules were adsorbed on diatomite, which protected the active sites from being poisoned by SO2 to a certain extent. The pathways of ethyl acetate and toluene oxidation over Pt/CeMnOx/diatomite or Pt/CeMnOx were as follows: The C–C and C–O bonds in ethyl acetate are first broken to form the CH3CH2O* and CH3CO* species or toluene is first oxidized to benzaldehyde and benzoic acid, and all of these intermediates are then converted to CO2 and H2O. This work can provide a strategy to develop efficient catalysts with high catalytic activity, durability, low cost, and easy availability under actual working conditions.
Layered Double Hydroxide-Derived Ni-Mg-Al Catalysts for Ammonia Decomposition Process: Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Fedorova Zaliya A. , Borisov Vadim A. , Pakharukova Vera P. , Gerasimov Evgeniy Y. , Belyaev Vladimir D. , Gulyaeva Tatyana I. , Shlyapin Dmitriy A. , Snytnikov Pavel V.
Published: March 2023

Layered Ni-Mg-Al hydroxides with (Ni + Mg)/Al = 2.5 differing in Mg/Ni ratios and related oxide systems have been synthesized and characterized. Ni-Mg-Al hydroxides were prepared by the coprecipitation method. It was found that the samples dried at 110 °C were layered Ni-Mg-Al hydroxides with a hydrotalcite-type structure. After the heat treatment at 600 °C, the formation of Ni-Mg-Al-mixed oxides with a specific nanostructure, an intermediate between a NaCl and spinel structure, took place. According to XRD data, it had the unit cell parameter a = 4.174–4.181 Å, and a crystallite size of 4.0 nm. The specific surface area of the Ni-Mg-Al samples dried at 110 °C was 45–54 m2/g, and that of those calcined at 600 °C was 156.1–209.1 m2/g. In agreement with HRTEM data, in all the synthesized nickel catalysts reduced at 700 °C (H2), particle size was mainly distributed between 15–20 nm. The catalyst activity of LDH-derived Ni-Mg-Al catalysts in ammonia decomposition was studied in a fixed-bed flow-type reactor at an atmospheric pressure within the temperature range 500–700 °C. The synthesized catalysts overcame existing analogues in catalytic performance. At a process temperature of 500 °C, the Ni2Mg3Al2-HT catalyst showed that the H2 productivity was 23.8 mmol/(gcat·min), exceeding the respective value of nickel catalysts reported in the literature.
Effects of Synthesis Variables on SAPO-34 Crystallization Templated Using Pyridinium Supramolecule and Its Catalytic Activity in Microwave Esterification Synthesis of Propyl Levulinate
Authors: Ma Yik-Ken , Alomar Taghrid S. , AlMasoud Najla , El-Bahy Zeinhom M. , Chia Stephen , Daou T. Jean , Khoerunnisa Fitri , Ling Tau Chuan , Ng Eng-Poh
Published: March 2023

A detailed investigation of the hydrothermal crystallization of SAPO-34 in the presence of the novel 1-propylpyridinium hydroxide ([PrPy]OH) organic structural directing agent is presented. The synthesis conditions are systematically tuned to investigate the effects of various parameters (viz. concentrations of each reactant, crystallization time, and temperature) on the nucleation and crystallization of SAPO-34. The results show that a careful variation in each of the synthesis parameters results in the formation of competing phases such as SAPO-5, SAPO-35, and SAPO-36. Pure and fully crystalline SAPO-34 can be crystallized using a precursor hydrogel of a molar ratio of 2.0 Al: 4.7 P: 0.9 Si: 6.7 [PrPy]OH: 148 H2O at 200 °C for only 19 h, which is a shorter time than that found in previous studies. The prepared SAPO-34 is also very active in the esterification of levulinic acid and 1-propanol. By using microwave heating, 91.5% conversion with 100% selectivity toward propyl levulinate is achieved within 20 min at 190 °C. Hence, the present study may open a new insight into the optimum synthesis study of other zeolites using novel pyridinium organic moieties and the opportunity of replacing conventional harmful and non-recyclable homogeneous catalysts in levulinate biofuel synthesis.
Ferroptosis Regulated by Hypoxia in Cells
Authors: Zheng Xiangnan , Liang Yuqiong , Zhang Cen
Published: March 2023

Ferroptosis is an oxidative damage-related, iron-dependent regulated cell death with intracellular lipid peroxide accumulation, which is associated with many physiological and pathological processes. It exhibits unique features that are morphologically, biochemically, and immunologically distinct from other regulated cell death forms. Ferroptosis is regulated by iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, anti-oxidant defense systems, as well as various signal pathways. Hypoxia, which is found in a group of physiological and pathological conditions, can affect multiple cellular functions by activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling and other mechanisms. Emerging evidence demonstrated that hypoxia regulates ferroptosis in certain cell types and conditions. In this review, we summarize the basic mechanisms and regulations of ferroptosis and hypoxia, as well as the regulation of ferroptosis by hypoxia in physiological and pathological conditions, which may contribute to the numerous diseases therapies.
Role of Copeptin and hs-cTnT to Discriminate AHF from Uncomplicated NSTE-ACS with Baseline Elevated hs-cTnT—A Derivation and External Validation Study
Authors: von Haehling Stephan , Müller-Hennessen Matthias , Garfias-Veitl Tania , Goßling Alina , Neumann Johannes T. , Sörensen Nils A. , Haller Paul M. , Hartikainen Tau , Vollert Jörn Ole , Möckel Martin , Blankenberg Stefan , Westermann Dirk , Giannitsis Evangelos
Published: March 2023

Background: In light of overlapping symptoms, discrimination between non-ST-elevation (NSTE) acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and acute heart failure (HF) is challenging, particularly in patients with equivocal clinical presentation for suspected ACS. We sought to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic properties of copeptin in this scenario. Methods: Data from 1088 patients from a single-center observational registry were used to test the ability of serial high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT)—compared to copeptin, or a combination of copeptin with hs-cTnT—to discriminate acute HF from uncomplicated non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and to evaluate all-cause mortality after 365 days. Patients with STEMI, those with unstable angina and either normal or undetectable hs-cTnT concentrations were excluded. The findings were validated in an independent external NSTE-ACS cohort. Results: A total of 219 patients were included in the analysis. The final diagnosis was acute HF in 56 and NSTE-ACS in 163, with NSTEMI in 78 and unstable angina having stable elevation of hs-cTnT >ULN in 85. The rate of all-cause death at 1 year was 9.6% and occurred significantly more often in acute HF than in NSTE-ACS (15 vs. 6%, p < 0.001). In the test cohort, the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) for the discrimination of acute HF vs. NSTE-ACS without HF was 0.725 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.625–0.798) for copeptin and significantly higher than for hs-cTnT at 0 h (AUC = 0.460, 0.370–0.550) or at 3 h (AUC = 0.441, 0.343–0.538). Copeptin and hs-cTnT used either as continuous values or at cutoffs optimized to yield 90% specificity for acute HF were associated with significantly higher age- and sex-adjusted risk for all-cause mortality at 365 days. The findings from the test cohort were consistently replicated in the independent external NSTE-ACS validation cohort. Conclusions: High concentrations of copeptin in patients with suspected NSTE-ACS and equivocal clinical presentation suggest the presence of acute HF compared to uncomplicated NSTE-ACS and are associated with higher rates of all-cause death at 365 days.
Simultaneous Detection of Naphthol Isomers with a 3D-Graphene-Nanostructure-Based Electrochemical Microsensor
Authors: Shi Jiaci , Shen Wei , Wang Xuefeng , Li Ming , Zhang Yuan , Xu Pengcheng , Li Xinxin
Published: March 2023

Naphthol is a widely used chemical and medical detection biomarker, but it is harmful to human health and the environment. Therefore, a highly sensitive detection method for naphthol is urgently required. Herein, an electrochemical microsensor for the simultaneous detection of naphthol isomers was fabricated by the in situ growth of a three-dimensional graphene network (3DGN) on screen-printed electrodes. The microsensor exhibited good electrochemical sensing responses to typical isomers of naphthol (1-NAP and 2-NAP). Using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method, the microsensor successfully realized the electrochemical detection of 1-NAP, 2-NAP, and naphthol isomer mixtures. Whether detecting naphthol isomers individually or simultaneously, the microsensor exhibited a good linear relationship for 1-NAP and 2-NAP in a wide range of concentrations. For the simultaneous detection of naphthol isomers, the limit of detection (LOD) of the microsensor to 1-NAP reached 10 nM, and the LOD for 2-NAP was about 20 nM. The microsensor also showed good selectivity, reproducibility, and stability. The simultaneous quantitative detection of 1-NAP and 2-NAP was also successfully achieved in synthetic urine samples.
Motivation toward Physical Activity and Healthy Habits of Adolescents: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cachón-Zagalaz Javier , Carrasco-Venturelli Hanrriette , Sánchez-Zafra María , Zagalaz-Sánchez María Luisa
Published: March 2023

Adolescence is a transformative period in which rapid physical, cognitive and psychosocial growth takes place. Laying the foundation for healthy behaviors is paramount during these formative years. The aim of this review is to determine which countries are leading in research on adolescents’ motivation towards physical activity and healthy habits and their main findings. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA statement using the Web of Science and Scopus databases during the months of September to December 2022. The search terms used were: “Physical activity”, “Motivation” and “Adolescents”, in the following research areas: Education, Educational Research and Sport Sciences. A total of 5594 articles were identified, but only those that met the established criteria were included (32 articles). It is concluded that most of the research is led in Spain with 16 articles, followed by 3 in Chile, 2 in Portugal, 2 in Norway and the rest of the countries with 1. Likewise, most of the works include very similar aspects regarding the incidence of motivation towards the adherence to the practice of Physical Activity and healthy habits.
Systematic Child Talks in Early Childhood Education—A Method for Sustainability
Authors: Engdahl Ingrid , Pramling Samuelsson Ingrid , Ärlemalm-Hagsér Eva
Published: March 2023

One of a preschool teacher’s most important competencies is to be able to talk with children and to invite them to share their ideas, knowledge, and experiences. This skill is of utmost importance within Early Childhood Education for sustainability. The aim of this article is to show various ways in which preschool teachers carry out systematic talks with children. Data come from a large Swedish development and research project, Sustainable Preschool, involving around 200 teachers in Early Childhood Education. During the spring of 2022, the preschools carried out theme-oriented projects linked to sustainable development. The participating preschool teachers were then asked to carry out systematic child talks with children about learning for sustainability and their understanding of the sustainability-related content. Using content analysis, three different approaches were identified as to how teachers communicate with children systematically about various content related to sustainability: (1) joint creation of meaning, (2) question and answer, focusing on remembering facts, and (3) following the children. There is a large variation in the teachers’ communicative competences. A key factor seems to be to create a shared inter-subjective atmosphere, while at the same time being open for alterity, that is, introducing new or slightly changed perspectives for the dialogue to deepen and continue.
Improvement of Diet after an Early Nutritional Intervention in Pediatric Oncology
Authors: Napartuk Mélanie , Bélanger Véronique , Bouchard Isabelle , Meloche Caroline , Curnier Daniel , Sultan Serge , Laverdière Caroline , Sinnett Daniel , Marcil Valérie
Published: March 2023

Pediatric cancer survivors may experience cardiometabolic sequelae over the course of their lives as a result of the treatments they have received. While nutrition consists of an actionable target for cardiometabolic health, few nutritional interventions have been documented in this population. This study assessed the changes in diet during a one-year nutritional intervention for children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatments and the participants’ anthropometric and cardiometabolic profiles. A total of 36 children and adolescents (mean age: 7.9 years, 52.8% male) newly diagnosed with cancer (50% leukemia) and their parents underwent a one-year individualized nutrition intervention. The mean number of follow-up visits with the dietitian during the intervention was 4.72 ± 1.06. Between the initial and one-year assessments, there was an improvement in diet quality reflected by the Diet Quality Index (5.22 ± 9.95, p = 0.003). Similarly, the proportion of participants with moderate and good adherence (vs. low adherence) to the Healthy Diet Index score almost tripled after one year of intervention (14% vs. 39%, p = 0.012). In parallel, there was an increase in the mean z-scores for weight (0.29 ± 0.70, p = 0.019) and BMI (0.50 ± 0.88, p = 0.002), and in the mean levels of HDL-C (0.27 ± 0.37 mmol/L, p = 0.002) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (14.5 ± 28.1 mmol/L, p = 0.03). Overall, this study supports that a one-year nutritional intervention deployed early after a pediatric cancer diagnosis is associated with an improvement in the diets of children and adolescents.
Brief Overview of Greek Fir Radial Growth in Response to Climate and European Fir Budworm: Three Case Studies from Giona Mountain, Central Greece
Authors: Koulelis Panagiotis P. , Petrakis Panos V.
Published: March 2023

Tree rings provide an invaluable insight into how trees adapt to changes in climate. This study presents aggregated results, from our research on tree rings, climatic response and the insect Choristoneura murinana infestations from three studies on Greek fir, located in stands across Central Greece and Giona Mountain on three different altitudes. In our studies, was found that extreme droughts and wet events had a negative or positive effect on fir growth, respectively. April’s precipitation had a positive correlation with growth for all the stands, which supports other authors’ findings. Moreover, the average maximum temperature of the growing season and the maximum temperature of April, July and August were also linked to growth. Evapotranspiration during the growing season was seen to be inversely proportional to the growth of fir. An apparent decline in tree ring growth more severe in stand 3 (Average Tree Ring Width Index, ARWI < 0.6) has been observed, particularly in recent years. The data suggests that temperature is having a detrimental effect on fir growth in the area, with a significant decreasing tendency in growth from 1993 for the high altitude stands and from 1998 for the lower altitude stand. To ensure successful and sustainable forest management in the future, more research into tree rings and their relationship with climate must be carried out.
Localized Corrosion Mechanism of Q125 Casing Steel in Residual Acid Solution during Oil Reservoir Acidizing
Authors: Yan Wei , Ma Zelin , Wang Zhi , Zhang Jingru , Li Kepei , Wen Lei , Li Chen , Jiang Xiaohui , Xu Zhengxian
Published: March 2023

This paper aims to investigate the localized corrosion mechanism of Q125 casing steel in residual acid solution with Mannich base type inhibitors during oil reservoir acidizing process. The corrosion behavior of Q125 casing steel in fresh acid (20% HCl) and residual acid solution (pH 1.0 and pH 3.0 HCl) with and without 3-(4-chlorophenylimino)-1-(piperidine-1-ylmethyl) indolin-2-one (Mannich base type, Mb) inhibitor was studied by electrochemical test, weight loss, and surface analysis. The morphology and composition of corrosion products were analyzed by SEM/EDS and XPS; the local corrosion rate of casing steel with or without inhibitor was obtained by 3D profilometry. It was determined that the inhibitor had higher inhibition efficiency in fresh acid conditions than in residual acid conditions. Under the condition of residual acid, the decrease in inhibitor molecular coverage on the substrate surface promotes the occurrence of local corrosion. Pitting corrosion was detected in the residual acid solution containing Mannich base inhibitor, which may be related to the fact that FeCO3 hinders the adsorption of inhibitor molecules on the substrate surface.
High-Temperature Erosion of SiC-NiCrAlY/Cr3C2-NiCr Coating
Authors: Velez Barragan Eduardo Enrique , González Albarrán Marco Aurelio , Rodríguez de Anda Eduardo , Vásquez Guillen Gabriel Israel , de Jesús Ibarra Montalvo José , Díaz Guillén Juan Carlos , Chávez Aguilar Jorge Manuel
Published: March 2023

High-temperature erosion is a detrimental phenomenon in industries where particle flow exists, in which the search for new materials and mixes to increase the lifespan of mechanical components exposed to erosion is crucial. The present work studied the erosion resistance of two coatings at 25 °C (RT) and 900 °C in a sandblast-type rig. The coatings were fabricated with cermet-type powders: (C1) commercial Cr3C2-NiCr and (C2) commercial Cr3C2-NiCr mixed with a laboratory-conditioned powder consisting of NiCrAlY (linking matrix) and SiC (ceramic phase). Both coatings were applied on an Incoloy 330 substrate using an HVOF thermal spray process. The C2 coating was 11% harder than C1 but had a 62.2% decrement in its KIC value. The erosion test results at RT and 900 °C showed better erosion resistance on C1 than C2 at both testing temperatures and the three impact angles (30°, 60°, and 90°); this was attributed to the minor KIC induced by SiC hard particles and the bigger propagation of inter-splat and trans-splat cracks in C2. The erosion mechanisms at RT and 900 °C were similar, but at high temperature, the apparent size of plastic deformation (micro-cutting, grooves, and craters) increased due to an increase in the matrix ductility. Maximum penetration depth always occurred at a 60° impact angle.
Pain Detection in Biophysiological Signals: Knowledge Transfer from Short-Term to Long-Term Stimuli Based on Distance-Specific Segment Selection
Authors: Ricken Tobias Benjamin , Bellmann Peter , Walter Steffen , Schwenker Friedhelm
Published: March 2023

In this study, we analyze a signal segmentation-specific pain duration transfer task by applying knowledge transfer from short-term (phasic) pain stimuli to long-term (tonic) pain stimuli. To this end, we focus on the physiological signals of the X-ITE Pain Database. We evaluate different distance-based segment selection approaches with the aim of identifying individual segments of the corresponding tonic stimuli that lead to the best classification performance. The phasic domain is used to train the classification model. In the first main step, we compute class-specific prototypes for the phasic domain. In the second main step, we compute the distances between all segments of the tonic samples and each prototype. The segment with the lowest distance to the prototypes is then fed to the classifier. Our analysis includes the evaluation of a variety of distance metrics, namely the Euclidean, Bray–Curtis, Canberra, Chebyshev, City-Block and Wasserstein distances. Our results show that in combination with most of the metrics used, the distance-based selection of one individual segment outperforms the naive approach in which the tonic stimuli are fed to the phasic domain-based classification model without any adaptation. Moreover, most of the evaluated distance-based segment selection approaches lead to outcomes that are close to the classification performance, which is obtained by focusing on the respective best segments. For instance, for the trapezius (TRA) signal, in combination with the electric pain domain, we obtained an averaged accuracy of 68.0%, while the naive approach led to 66.0%. For the thermal pain domain, in combination with the electrodermal activity (EDA) signal, we obtained an averaged accuracy of 59.6%, outperforming the naive approach, which led to 53.2%.
Growth of Sesquioxide Crystals from Tungsten Crucibles by Vertical Gradient Freezing Method
Authors: Galenin Evgeny , Galenina Viktoriia , Gerasymov Iaroslav , Kurtsev Daniil , Tkachenko Serhii , Arhipov Pavlo , Sadivnycha Sofiia , Alekseev Vadim , Shaposhnyk Anna , Boiaryntseva Ianina , Niestierkina Vira , Witkiewicz-Łukaszek Sandra , Zorenko Yuriy , Sidletskiy Oleg
Published: March 2023

Sesquioxides of lanthanides, yttrium, and scandium are promising hosts for laser and scintillation materials; however, the crystallization of such compounds is complicated by very high melting temperatures, as well as polymorph transitions. This work reports for the first time the growth of Y2O3 and Y2−xScxO3 crystals by the Vertical Gradient Freezing method from tungsten crucibles, proposing an alternative to extremely expensive rhenium and iridium crucibles. Translucent Y2O3 samples are obtained, and their luminescent and scintillation parameters are evaluated. The main issues of Y2O3 crystallization under the proposed conditions are discussed, as well as ways of enhancing the crystal quality. Finally, polymorph transitions are avoided by decreasing the average radius of the rare earth cation by Y3+/Sc3+ substitution, providing transparent Y2−xScxO3 crystals with a cubic structure.
Modeling Analysis of Melting and Crystallization Process of Mold Flux Based on the Image Processing Technology
Authors: Chen Jian , Liang Chengang , Chen Jiawei , Zhou Qiangqiang
Published: March 2023

The aim of this paper is to obtain the image information based on a given image of mold flux and to obtain the features that can describe the dynamical difference. The melting and crystallization dynamics of the slag were analyzed using the autoregressive moving average (ARIMA) time series model and data fitting method. Firstly, the binary image of the digital region of the original image was obtained by image information processing and segmentation methods, the original image number was determined by comparing the similarity of the information matrices of the given and standard images. The standard number with the highest similarity was considered as the number of the original image, and MATLAB was used to solve the problem, the digital information in all the images was successfully extracted. Secondly, ten eigenvalues were extracted from the given image after removing the background, and three principal components were obtained by principal component analysis. Then, a scoring model was constructed based on the percentage of variance, and the comprehensive scores of the three principal components to analyze the melting and crystallization process of the mold flux. Finally, based on the above work, the dynamic relationship between temperature, time and the melting and crystallization process of the mold flux was investigated. Since the temperature is approximately linearly correlated with time, the problem was transformed into finding the relationship between the melting and crystallization process of the mold flux and time. The least squares method, polynomial fitting and other methods were used to derive the relationship function, the relationship between the melting and crystallization process of mold flux and temperature and time was quantitatively analyzed.