bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mind the Gap—A Socio-Economic Analysis on Price Developments of Green Hydrogen, Synthetic Fuels, and Conventional Energy Carriers in Germany
Authors: Schnuelle Christian , Wassermann Timo , Stuehrmann Torben
Published: May 2022

In recent years, the development of energy prices in Germany has been frequently accompanied by criticism and warnings of socio-economic disruptions. Especially with respect to the electricity sector, the debate on increasing energy bills was strongly correlated with the energy system transition. However, whereas fossil fuels have rapidly increased in price recently, renewable substitutes such as green hydrogen and synthetic fuels also enter the markets at comparatively high prices. On the other hand, the present fossil fuel supply is still considered too low-priced by experts because societal greenhouse gas-induced environmental impact costs are not yet compensated. In this study, we investigate the development of the price gap between conventional energy carriers and their renewable substitutes until 2050 as well as a suitable benchmark price, incorporating the societal costs of specific energy carriers. The calculated benchmark prices for natural gas (6.3 ct kWh−1), petrol (9.9 ct kWh−1), and grey hydrogen from steam methane reformation (12 ct kWh−1) are nearly 300% above the actual prices for industry customers in 2020, but below the price peaks of early 2022. In addition, the price gap between conventional fuels and green hydrogen will be completely closed before 2050 for all investigated energy carriers. Furthermore, prognosed future price developments can be considered rather moderate compared to historic and especially to the recent price dynamics in real terms. A gradual implementation of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels next to increasing CO2 prices, however, may temporarily lead to further increasing expenses for energy, but can achieve lower price levels comparable to those of 2020 in the long term.
Utilization of Agroresidues for the Production of Xylanase by Bacillus safensis XPS7 and Optimization of Production Parameters
Authors: Devi Shikha , Dwivedi Divya , Bhatt Arvind Kumar
Published: May 2022

The main objective of this study was to investigate the utilization of various agro-industrial wastes such as wheat bran, wheat husk, wheat straw, peanut powder, pomace, corn cobs, rice straw, sawdust and sugarcane bagasse for the cost-effective production of xylanase by Bacillus safensis XPS7 using the one-variable-at-a-time approach. A number of bacterial strains were isolated from different locations in the cold desert region of Himachal Pradesh, India. Among these, the hyperproducing strain designated as XPS7 was selected for optimized production of xylanase and identified as B. safensis based on 16S rDNA gene analysis. B. safensis XPS7 produced the maximum xylanase (141.28 U/mL) at 45 °C, pH 9, 24 h incubation time, 2% (w/v) wheat straw and wheat bran mixture as carbon source and 1.5% (w/v) ammonium nitrate as the nitrogen source in modified Riviere’s medium. The results showed that the combination of wheat straw and wheat bran proved to be a cheap and abundant source for the hyper production of xylanase and can be used as an inexpensive base (carbon source) for large scale industrial production of enzymes. In addition, the use of waste for the economic production of enzymes will also help to minimize the environmental problems associated with the disposal of agro-industrial waste.
Combining Regulatory Instruments and Low-Cost Sensors to Quantify the Effects of 2020 California Wildfires on PM2.5 in San Joaquin Valley
Authors: Enayati Ahangar Faraz , Cobian-Iñiguez Jeanette , Cisneros Ricardo
Published: May 2022

The San Joaquin Valley in California has some of the worst air quality conditions in the nation, affected by a variety of pollution sources including wildfires. Although wildfires are part of the regional ecology, recent increases in wildfire activity may pose increased risk to people and the environment. The 2020 wildfire season in California included the largest wildfires reported to date and resulted in poor air quality across the state. In this study, we looked at the air quality effects of these wildfires in the San Joaquin Valley area. We determined that four wildfires (LNU Lightning Complex, SCU Lightning Complex, Creek, and Castle) were primarily affecting the air quality in the area. The daily PM2.5 emissions from each one of these wildfires were estimated and the largest daily emissions, 1935 ton/day, were caused by the Creek fire. To analyze the air quality in the study area, we developed a method utilizing a combination of regulatory and low-cost sensor data to estimate the daily PM2.5 concentration levels at 5 km spatial resolution. The concentrations maps showed that the highest average concentration levels were reached on 17 September with an average of 130 μg/m3 when about one-fifth of the study area was affected by hazardous PM2.5 levels. A sensitivity study of our interpolation method showed that the addition of low-cost sensors to regulatory data improved the performance of area-wide concentration estimates and reduced the mean absolute error and the root mean square error by more than 20%.
Forensic Geology Applied to Decipher the Landslide Dam Collapse and Outburst Flood of the Santa Cruz River (12 November 2005), San Juan, Argentina
Authors: Milana Juan Pablo , Geisler Philipp
Published: May 2022

A well-known landslide dam that collapsed and generated a large outburst flood is used to show the importance of forensic geology analysis, which is the on-site multidisciplinary study of geohazards carries out as soon as possible after their occurrence; this study is focused on understanding the complete spectrum of all mechanisms that caused the disaster. Diagnostic elements of all natural processes fade with time, allowing for progressively divergent interpretations that may impact the appropriateness of potential mitigation actions, as we demonstrate. The multidisciplinary field control of the abrupt rupture of a natural dam on the Santa Cruz River on 12 November 2005, that released c. 37 million m3 of water and sediment, can radically change the interpretation of how this dam collapsed. In situ sedimentological, geomorphological and topographical analyses of the remains of the collapsed natural dam suggest it was built in two mass-wasting episodes instead of one, as previously interpreted, involving different slide materials. The first episode matches previous interpretations; a landslide that evolved into a rock avalanche, generating an initial dam of high stability due to its density, and observed angles of repose. This dam was not removed completely during the rupture, but rather suffered minor erosion at its top by the flood drag effect. The second episode is interpreted as a snow-dominated mixed avalanche, reaching much greater heights on the opposite side of the valley. This avalanche is estimated to be 85% snow, 8% debris and 7% ice-cemented permafrost fragments, and is evidenced by a thin residual deposit draping the valley sides, as most of this deposit melted out before any field control was undertaken. The growth of the lake level, along with the dam weight loss due to ablation, generated the hydrostatic instability that caused the floating of the central sector of this second dam and the violent evacuation of the water, similar to a jökulhlaup. This analysis explains the partial dam collapse, sudden water release and the preserved field evidence. This different interpretation suggests that the mitigation actions already taken can be improved and that monitoring systems are urgently needed. A rapid and professional assessment of any large-scale geohazard site would be the way to avoid interpretation discrepancies, and to guarantee that mitigation actions taken are adequate. Learning from this event may help decision makers to take better mitigation measures and potentially save lives.
DMRB Flexible Road Pavement Design Using Re-Engineered Expansive Road Subgrade Materials with Varying Plasticity Index
Authors: Amakye Samuel Y. O. , Abbey Samuel J. , Booth Colin A.
Published: May 2022

Pavement thickness is a very vital component during the design stage of a road construction project. Pavement design helps to determine the costs of the project over a certain period to ascertain how the cost of road pavement construction affect the life cycle cost of the road. Road pavements are designed based on the type of subgrade material and the expected traffic load to help clients and decision-makers make decisions on the project. In this study, expansive road subgrade materials were improved using lime and cement and their California Bearing Ratio (CBR) was used in road pavement design. The study used the Design and Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) as a guide to investigating the effect of stabilised expansive road subgrade with varying CBR values on road pavement design. The mineral structure, characteristics, Atterberg limit, compaction CBR, swell and microstructural analysis (scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX)) of stabilised subgrade materials were investigated. The results show an increase in California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values and a reduction in swell values while curing age increased for stabilised subgrade materials. Treated samples show high Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H) gel formation after 7 and 28 days of curing. The thickness of road pavement was observed with an increase in CBR values. The study established that the thickness of road pavement and overall construction cost can be reduced using cement and lime as additives in subgrade stabilisation.
Review on Legal Supervision System of the Chinese Wine Industry
Authors: Yang Chenlu , Song Rui , Ding Yinting , Zhang Liang , Wang Hua , Li Hua
Published: May 2022

After more than 40 years of development, China’s wine regulatory system has been constantly improved, from half-base wine standards to pure-juice fermented wine standards, and then to the establishment of a relatively complete and mature industry-standard system with product and manufacturing standards as the core and other relevant industry standards as accessories. This advancement supports that the Chinese wine industry has emerged from New World wine countries. Nowadays, according to statistics from the International Organization of Vine and Wine, China is one of the top grape producers, wine consumers, and importers globally. Still, wine production has fallen in recent years, and the balance of wine import and export trade also shows a growing trade deficit. Faced with this problem, it is worth thinking about how to improve the regulatory system to help domestic wines overcome the difficulties. In this article, we first review the development process of China’s wine legal supervision system and summarize the situation of Chinese wine production, consumption, and trade in the past 20 years. Then we elaborate on China’s current legal framework for the wine industry consisting of a series of laws, regulations, and standards, and introduce domestic wine geographical indications. Finally, some suggestions are put forward on brand building, wine testing standards, and taxation of domestic wine. This review will help someone interested in Chinese wine to have a deeper understanding of the wine from a legal supervision system perspective and promote international cooperation and communication in the wine industry. In addition, it will also provide references for the establishment of wine regulations and standards in New World wine countries or regions.
Geometric Analysis of Conditional Bias-Informed Kalman Filters
Authors: Lee Haksu , Shen Haojing , Seo Dong-Jun
Published: May 2022

This paper presents a comparative geometric analysis of the conditional bias (CB)-informed Kalman filter (KF) with the Kalman filter (KF) in the Euclidean space. The CB-informed KFs considered include the CB-penalized KF (CBPKF) and its ensemble extension, the CB-penalized Ensemble KF (CBEnKF). The geometric illustration for the CBPKF is given for the bi-state model, composed of an observable state and an unobservable state. The CBPKF co-minimizes the error variance and the variance of the Type-II error. As such, CBPKF-updated state error vectors are larger than the KF-updated, the latter of which is based on minimizing the error variance only. Different error vectors in the Euclidean space imply different eigenvectors and covariance ellipses in the state space. To characterize the differences in geometric attributes between the two filters, numerical experiments were carried out using the Lorenz 63 model. The results show that the CBEnKF yields more accurate confidence regions for encompassing the truth, smaller errors in the ensemble mean, and larger norms for Kalman gain and error covariance matrices than the EnKF, particularly when assimilating highly uncertain observations.
Nitrogen Treatment by a Dry Detention Basin with Stormwater Wetland Characteristics
Authors: Humphrey Charles P. , Iverson Guy , Nolan Melissa
Published: May 2022

Dry detention basins (DB) are commonly used to reduce the rate of runoff in urban areas and may provide open space for recreation between storms. However, most are not effective at nitrogen removal in comparison to other measures, such as constructed wetlands. The study goal was to assess the nitrogen treatment efficiency of a DB that exhibited some wetland characteristics, including saturated soil near the inlet and wetland vegetation that covered 40% of the surface area. Influent and effluent samples were collected during multiple stages of eight storm events for nitrogen concentration analyses. High-frequency water stage, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and temperature loggers were deployed at the inlet and outlet prior to anticipated rain. As stormwater passed through the DB, the event mean concentrations (EMCs) and masses of TN declined by 20.7% and 52.3%, respectively, while the DO and pH dropped by 62% and 20.5%, respectively. Load reductions of TN exceeding 93% were observed during two small storms with rain depths of less than 0.16 cm and when the outflow volumes were reduced by greater than 82%. Temperature was significantly correlated (p < 0.001; r = 0.964) with volume reductions (via infiltration and evapotranspiration), and, thus, the treatment was better during warmer periods. The DB was effective at removing inorganic nitrogen, likely via nitrification, denitrification, and immobilization, but frequently exported higher EMCs of organic nitrogen. Overall, the DB exceeded the 10% TN removal expectation for dry basins. The findings from this study suggest that the TN treatment efficiency of DBs may be improved by incorporating wetland characteristics.
The Impact of Self-Employment on the Health of Migrant Workers: Evidence from China Migrants Dynamic Survey
Authors: Huang Wanting , He Lei , Lan Hongxing
Published: May 2022

Rural-to-urban migrant workers are at high risk of health inequalities in cities. Since labor is a central social determinant of health, this paper provided evidence on the health consequences of self-employment among mobile populations in developing countries. The cross-sectional data from the 2017 data of the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) and the IV-Oprobit model are used to examine the effects of self-employment on health. The results showed that: (1) Self-employment was positively related to health; (2) among the self-employed, the health effects of opportunity self-employed are larger than those of necessity self-employed; (3) in the subsample analysis, the health effect of self-employment was greater for male and Han nationality migrant workers; (4) self-employment promotes health primarily through reducing manual labor, increasing flexibility time, job stability, financial rewards, and social integration directly or indirectly. Thus, focusing on improving the social security system, granting entrepreneurial subsidies, and optimizing the business environment mean boosting the positive effect of self-employment on economic development.
Spatio-Temporal Variation-Induced Group Disparity of Intra-Urban NO2 Exposure
Authors: Wang Huizi , Luo Xiao , Liu Chao , Fu Qingyan , Yi Min
Published: May 2022

Previous studies on exposure disparity have focused more on spatial variation but ignored the temporal variation of air pollution; thus, it is necessary to explore group disparity in terms of spatio-temporal variation to assist policy-making regarding public health. This study employed the dynamic land use regression (LUR) model and mobile phone signal data to illustrate the variation features of group disparity in Shanghai. The results showed that NO2 exposure followed a bimodal, diurnal variation pattern and remained at a high level on weekdays but decreased on weekends. The most critical at-risk areas were within the central city in areas with a high population density. Moreover, women and the elderly proved to be more exposed to NO2 pollution in Shanghai. Furthermore, the results of this study showed that it is vital to focus on land-use planning, transportation improvement programs, and population agglomeration to attenuate exposure inequality.
Work-Related Stress among a Cohort of Italian Long-Term Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Observational Study
Authors: Conti Andrea , Russotto Sophia , Opizzi Annalisa , Ratti Matteo , Nicolini Daniele , Vanhaecht Kris , Panella Massimiliano
Published: May 2022

Despite long-term care (LTC) workers having been identified as particularly subject to chronic stress, only a few studies evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress in this population. As far as the authors know, no studies have investigated the relationship between work-related stress and chronic stress in the LTC setting. This retrospective observational study aimed to assess the level of chronic stress in LTC workers, to identify some possible predictors and vulnerability factors, and to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work-related stress. The study was based on the information gathered from two different questionnaires administered before and one year after the beginning of the pandemic, to a cohort of Italian LTC workers. We found that chronic stress was associated with lower resilience to stress scores (57.42 vs. 60.66) and with higher work-related stress scores (30.48 vs. 20.83). Interestingly, the overall level of work-related stress did not differ between the two questionnaires (27.84 vs. 29.08). However, the main components of the questionnaires changed; fatigue and burnout symptoms became more relevant after the pandemic. Results of this study suggests deepening knowledge of the components of stress to develop and implement effective stress mitigation interventions.
Effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Teaching on Creativity: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Liu Hsing-Yuan , Hsu Ding-Yang , Han Hui-Mei , Wang I-Teng , Chen Nai-Hung , Han Chin-Yen , Wu Sheau-Ming , Chen Hsiu-Fang , Huang Ding-Hau
Published: May 2022

Little is known about the effectiveness of Interdisciplinary teaching (IDT) in higher education, particularly for healthcare education in Taiwan. It is vital to determine if IDT could enhance divergent creative thinking and team creativity among nursing students. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. Students enrolled in a capstone nursing course for the development of healthcare-related products were divided into two groups. The intervention group (n = 61) was taught creative thinking skills with IDT by faculty. The control group (n = 84) was taught by nursing faculty with traditional teaching. This study found that students who received the IDT intervention scored significantly higher on measures of creative thinking and team creativity compared with students in the control group. These findings suggest integrating IDT from nursing and design faculty into the teaching curriculum to foster students’ creative thinking abilities when formulating interdisciplinary student teams to develop innovative, creative healthcare products.
Geographic Complexity: Concepts, Theories, and Practices
Authors: Cheng Changxiu , Cushman Samuel A. , Ho Hung-Chak , Gao Peichao
Published: May 2022

Geography is a fundamentally important discipline that provides a framework for understanding the complex surface of our Earth [...]
Identification of a Candidate restorer-of-fertility Gene Rf3 Encoding a Pentatricopeptide Repeat Protein for the Cytoplasmic Male Sterility in Soybean
Authors: Sun Yanyan , Zhang Yan , Jia Shungeng , Lin Chunjing , Zhang Jingyong , Yan Hao , Peng Bao , Zhao Limei , Zhang Wei , Zhang Chunbao
Published: May 2022

The cytoplasmic male sterility/restorer-of-fertility (CMS/Rf) system plays a vital role in high-efficiency hybrid seed production in crops, including soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). The markers linked to fertility restoration and the restorer-of-fertility (Rf) genes are essential because they can facilitate the breeding of new CMS lines and production of commercial hybrid soybean seeds. To date, several soybean Rf genes have been mapped to various genetic loci in diverse genetic populations. However, the mapping range of restorer genes remains narrow, with relatively limited practical applicability. Therefore, in the present study, F2 and F3 segregating populations derived from the CMS line JLCMS5A crossed with the restorer line JLR2 were developed and used for Rf3 gene fine mapping. Genetic investigation indicated that the restorer line JLR2 was controlled by a single dominant gene, Rf3. By integrating bulk-segregant analysis and next-generation sequencing, a 4 Mb region on chromosome 9 was identified, which was most likely the target region harboring the candidate gene responsible for fertility restoration. This region was further narrowed down to 86.44 Kb via fine mapping in F2 and F3 populations using SSR, InDel, and dCAPS markers. This region contained 10 putative genes (Glyma.09G171100–Glyma.09G172000). Finally, Glyma.09G171200, which encodes a mitochondria-targeted pentatricopeptide repeat protein, was proposed as the potential candidate for Rf3 using sequence alignment and expression analysis in restorer and CMS lines. Based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms in Glyma.09G171200, a CAPS marker co-segregated with Rf3 named CAPS1712 was developed. Our results will be fundamental in the assisted selection and creation of potent lines for the production and rapid selection of novel restorer lines.
Roles of the Unsaturated Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid in the Central Nervous System: Molecular and Cellular Insights
Authors: Petermann Ana B. , Reyna-Jeldes Mauricio , Ortega Lorena , Coddou Claudio , Yévenes Gonzalo E.
Published: May 2022

Fatty acids (FAs) are essential components of the central nervous system (CNS), where they exert multiple roles in health and disease. Among the FAs, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been widely recognized as a key molecule for neuronal function and cell signaling. Despite its relevance, the molecular pathways underlying the beneficial effects of DHA on the cells of the CNS are still unclear. Here, we summarize and discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of DHA in neural cells with a special focus on processes of survival, morphological development, and synaptic maturation. In addition, we examine the evidence supporting a potential therapeutic role of DHA against CNS tumor diseases and tumorigenesis. The current results suggest that DHA exerts its actions on neural cells mainly through the modulation of signaling cascades involving the activation of diverse types of receptors. In addition, we found evidence connecting brain DHA and ω-3 PUFA levels with CNS diseases, such as depression, autism spectrum disorders, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases. In the context of cancer, the existing data have shown that DHA exerts positive actions as a coadjuvant in antitumoral therapy. Although many questions in the field remain only partially resolved, we hope that future research may soon define specific pathways and receptor systems involved in the beneficial effects of DHA in cells of the CNS, opening new avenues for innovative therapeutic strategies for CNS diseases.
Nanoparticles Formulation Improves the Antifibrogenic Effect of Quercetin on an Adenine-Induced Model of Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Sánchez-Jaramillo Esteban Andrés , Gasca-Lozano Luz Elena , Vera-Cruz José María , Hernández-Ortega Luis Daniel , Gurrola-Díaz Carmen Magdalena , Bastidas-Ramírez Blanca Estela , Vargas-Guerrero Belinda , Mena-Enríquez Mayra , Martínez-Limón Felipe de Jesús , Salazar-Montes Adriana María
Published: May 2022

Renal fibrosis is the final stage of chronic kidney injury characterized by glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis with parenchymal destruction. Quercetin belongs to the most studied flavonoids with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifibrogenic, and antitumor activity. It modifies the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, decreasing profibrogenic expression molecules and inducing the expression of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrogenic molecules. However, quercetin exhibits poor water solubility and low absorption and bioavailability. This limitation was solved by developing a nanoparticles formulation that improves the solubility and bioavailability of several bioactive compounds. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the in vivo antifibrogenic effect of a quercetin nanoparticles formulation. Male C57BL/6 mice were induced into chronic renal failure with 50 mg/kg of adenine for four weeks. The animals were randomly grouped and treated with 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg of quercetin, either macroparticles or nanoparticles formulation. We performed biochemical, histological, and molecular analyses to evaluate and compare the effect of macroparticles versus nanoparticles formulation on kidney damage. Here, we demonstrated that smaller doses of nanoparticles exhibited the same beneficial effect as larger doses of macroparticles on preventing kidney damage. This finding translates into less quercetin consumption reaching the desired therapeutic effect.
Increase in Mitochondrial D-Loop Region Methylation Levels in Mild Cognitive Impairment Individuals
Authors: Stoccoro Andrea , Baldacci Filippo , Ceravolo Roberto , Giampietri Linda , Tognoni Gloria , Siciliano Gabriele , Migliore Lucia , Coppedè Fabio
Published: May 2022

Methylation levels of the mitochondrial displacement loop (D-loop) region have been reported to be altered in the brain and blood of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Moreover, a dynamic D-loop methylation pattern was observed in the brain of transgenic AD mice along with disease progression. However, investigations on the blood cells of AD patients in the prodromal phases of the disease have not been performed so far. The aim of this study was to analyze D-loop methylation levels by means of the MS-HRM technique in the peripheral blood cells of 14 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, 18 early stage AD patients, 70 advanced stage AD patients, and 105 healthy control subjects. We found higher D-loop methylation levels in MCI patients than in control subjects and AD patients. Moreover, higher D-loop methylation levels were observed in control subjects than in AD patients in advanced stages of the disease, but not in those at early stages. The present pilot study shows that peripheral D-loop methylation levels differ in patients at different stages of AD pathology, suggesting that further studies deserve to be performed in order to validate the usefulness of D-loop methylation analysis as a peripheral biomarker for the early detection of AD.
Modeling and Optimization of β-Galactosidase Entrapping in Polydimethylsiloxane-Modified Silica Composites
Authors: Kadziński Leszek , Łyżeń Robert , Bury Katarzyna , Banecki Bogdan
Published: May 2022

Protein entrapment has multiple applications in enzymatic hydrolysis, drug delivery, etc. Here, we report the studies that successfully utilized the Box–Behnken design to model and optimize the parameters of β-galactosidase entrapment in sol–gel-derived silica composites. We have also demonstrated the influence of polymer–polydimethylsiloxane as a composite modifying agent on the activity of entrapped enzymes. We have determined how different sol-gel process parameters influence the activity of entrapped enzymes. The highest impact on β-galactosidase activity was exerted by the water:tetramethoxysilane ratio, followed by polydimethylsiloxane content. Optimized synthesis parameters have been utilized to obtain a composite with maximum β-galactosidase activity. Performed porosity studies have shown that the addition of polydimethylsiloxane increased the pore diameter. Microscopy studies demonstrated that polydimethylsiloxane-modified composites are softer and less rough. Studies of β-galactosidase activity using the o-NPG test showed statistically significant shifts in the enzyme temperature and pH profiles compared to the soluble form. An improvement in the reusability of the enzyme and a significant increase in the thermal stability was also observed. When lactose was used, a strong correlation was observed between the substrate concentration and the type of the catalyzed reaction. Moreover, we have demonstrated that the yields and rates of both lactose hydrolysis and galactooligosaccharides formation were correlated with reaction temperature and with the presence of polydimethylsiloxane. All these findings provide the opportunity for industrial use of optimized PDMS-modified silica composites in lactose elimination from dairy products, e.g., milk or whey.
Automatic and Efficient Prediction of Hematoma Expansion in Patients with Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage Using Deep Learning Based on CT Images
Authors: Ma Chao , Wang Liyang , Gao Chuntian , Liu Dongkang , Yang Kaiyuan , Meng Zhe , Liang Shikai , Zhang Yupeng , Wang Guihuai
Published: May 2022

Patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) have a high hematoma expansion (HE) incidence. Noninvasive prediction HE helps doctors take effective measures to prevent accidents. This study retrospectively analyzed 253 cases of hypertensive intraparenchymal hematoma. Baseline non-contrast-enhanced CT scans (NECTs) were collected at admission and compared with subsequent CTs to determine the presence of HE. An end-to-end deep learning method based on CT was proposed to automatically segment the hematoma region, region of interest (ROI) feature extraction, and HE prediction. A variety of algorithms were employed for comparison. U-Net with attention performs best in the task of segmenting hematomas, with the mean Intersection overUnion (mIoU) of 0.9025. ResNet-34 achieves the most robust generalization capability in HE prediction, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.9267, an accuracy of 0.8827, and an F1 score of 0.8644. The proposed method is superior to other mainstream models, which will facilitate accurate, efficient, and automated HE prediction.
A Mathematical-Based Model for Estimating the Path Duration of the DSDV Routing Protocol in MANETs
Authors: Salah Saeed , Zaghal Raid , Abdeljawad Mada
Published: May 2022

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) are kind of wireless networks where the nodes move in decentralized environments with a highly dynamic infrastructure. Many well-known routing protocols have been proposed, with each having its own design mechanism and its own strengths and weaknesses and most importantly, each protocol being mainly designed for specific applications and scenarios. Most of the research studies in this field used simulation testbeds to analyze routing protocols. Very few contributions suggested the use of analytical studies and mathematical approaches to model some of the existing routing protocols. In this research, we have built a comprehensive mathematical-based model to analyze the Destination-Sequenced Distance Vector protocol (DSDV), one of the main widely deployed proactive protocols and studied its performance on estimating the path duration based on the concepts of the probability density function and the expected values to find the best approximation values in real scenarios. We have tested the validity of the proposed model using simulation scenarios implemented by the Network Simulator tool (NS3). The results extracted from both the mathematical model and the simulation have shown that the path duration is inversely proportional to both the speed of the node and the hop count. Furthermore, it had shown that the path duration estimated from the DSDV protocol is less than the actual path duration, due to the implementation of the settling time concept and keeping the “periodic routes’ update” parameter at a constant level, despite the fact that the node’s speed reduces the effective path utilization.
Preservative Contact Hypersensitivity among Adult Atopic Dermatitis Patients
Authors: Németh Dominik , Temesvári Erzsébet , Holló Péter , Pónyai Györgyi
Published: May 2022

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterised by an impaired skin barrier. The prolonged use of topical preparations containing medications, emollients, fragrances and preservatives may increase the risk of contact hypersensitivity (CHS). In the Allergy Outpatient Unit of the Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology of Semmelweis University, 5790 adult patients were patch tested between 2007–2021 with the European Environmental Baseline Series according to international standards. Among all the tested adult patients, 723 had preservative CHS (PCHS) and 639 had AD. Among the 723 PCHS patients, 68 (9.4%) had AD; the female to male ratio was 3:1 in this group. Out of 639 AD patients, 68 had PCHS (10.6%). In the AD-PCHS group, 83.8% had CHS to methylisothiazolinone (MI) (tested from 2014), 36.8% to Kathon CG®, 16.2% to methyldibromo-glutaronitrile, 11.8% to paraben, 7.4% to formaldehyde, 4.4% to para-tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin and 1.5% to Quaternium-15. The most common concomitant PCHS combination was Kathon CG® + MI. Most patients (32.4%) belonged to the age group of 21–30, and skin symptoms affected mostly the limbs and face. The most common other concomitant allergens were nickel, lanolin alcohol and balsam of Peru. Preservatives (especially MI and Kathon CG®) are important contact allergens in adult AD, mostly among young women. The rate of AD in the PCHS group and the rate of PCHS in the AD group is remarkable; thus, the role of PCHS should be highlighted in the topical therapy and in the prevention of possible AD exacerbations.
PhyloM: A Computer Program for Phylogenetic Inference from Measurement or Binary Data, with Bootstrapping
Authors: Gadagkar Sudhindra R.
Published: May 2022

Quantitative and binary results are ubiquitous in biology. Inasmuch as an underlying genetic basis for the observed variation in these observations can be assumed, it is pertinent to infer the evolutionary relationships among the entities being measured. I present a computer program, PhyloM, that takes measurement data or binary data as input, using which, it directly generates a pairwise distance matrix that can then be subjected to the popular neighbor-joining (NJ) algorithm to produce a phylogenetic tree. PhyloM also has the option of nonparametric bootstrapping for testing the level of support for the inferred phylogeny. Finally, PhyloM also allows the user to root the tree on any desired branch. PhyloM was tested on Biolog Gen III growth data from isolates within the genus Chromobacterium and the closely related Aquitalea sp. This allowed a comparison with the genotypic tree inferred from whole-genome sequences for the same set of isolates. From this comparison, it was possible to infer parallel evolution. PhyloM is a stand-alone and easy-to-use computer program with a user-friendly graphical user interface that computes pairwise distances from measurement or binary data, which can then be used to infer phylogeny using NJ using a utility in the same program. Alternatively, the distance matrix can be downloaded for use in another program for phylogenetic inference or other purposes. It does not require any software to be installed or computer code written and is open source. The executable and computer code are available on GitHub.
Role of Uncoupling Protein 2 Gene Polymorphisms on the Risk of Ischemic Stroke in a Sardinian Population
Authors: Stanzione Rosita , Cotugno Maria , Forte Maurizio , Bianchi Franca , Marchitti Simona , Palomba Nicole Piera , Esposito Teresa , Zanda Bastianina , Sanna Alessandra , Rubattu Speranza
Published: May 2022

The mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) acts as an anion transporter and as an antioxidant factor able to reduce the reactive oxygen species level. Based on its effects, UCP2 prevents the membrane lipids, proteins, and DNA damage while preserving normal cellular functions. Many variants have been identified within the human UCP2. Some of them were associated with a higher risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in different populations. UCP2 appears a suitable candidate also for the risk of ischemic stroke. In the current study, we investigated the possible association between few variants of UCP2 (rs659366, rs660339, rs1554995310) and the risk of ischemic stroke in a genetically homogenous cohort of cases and controls selected in Sardinia Island. This population has been previously analysed for other candidate genes. A total of 250 cases of ischemic stroke and 241 controls were enrolled in the study. The allelic/genotypic distribution of the 3 UCP2 variants was characterized and compared among cases and controls. The results of our study confirmed known risk factors for ischemic stroke: age, history of smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and atrial fibrillation. No association was found between the 3 UCP2 variants and the risk of ischemic stroke in our Sardinian cohort.
Criteria for Verification and Replanning Based on the Adaptive Radiotherapy Protocol “Best for Adaptive Radiotherapy” in Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Bak Bartosz , Skrobala Agnieszka , Adamska Anna , Kazmierska Joanna , Jozefacka Natalia , Piotrowski Tomasz , Malicki Julian
Published: May 2022

No clear criteria have yet been established to guide decision-making for patient selection and the optimal timing of adaptive radiotherapy (ART) based on image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT). We have developed a novel protocol—the Best for Adaptive Radiotherapy (B-ART) protocol—to guide patient selection for ART. The aim of the present study is to describe this protocol, to evaluate its validity in patients with head and neck (HN) cancer, and to identify the anatomical and clinical predictors of the need for replanning. We retrospectively evaluated 82 patients with HN cancer who underwent helical tomotherapy (HT) and subsequently required replanning due to soft tissue changes upon daily MVCT. Under the proposed criteria, patients with anatomical changes >3 mm on three to four consecutive scans are candidates for ART. We compared the volumes on the initial CT scan (iCT) and the replanning CT (rCT) scan for the clinical target volumes (CTV1, referring to primary tumor or tumor bed and CTV2, metastatic lymph nodes) and for the parotid glands (PG) and body contour (B-body). The patients were stratified by primary tumor localization, clinical stage, and treatment scheme. The main reasons for replanning were: (1) a planning target volume (PTV) outside the body contour (n = 70; 85.4%), (2) PG shrinkage (n = 69; 84.1%), (3) B-body deviations (n = 69; 84.1%), and (4) setup deviations (n = 40; 48.8%). The replanning decision was made, on average, during the fourth week of treatment (n = 47; 57.3%). The mean reductions in the size of the right and left PG volumes were 6.31 cc (20.9%) and 5.98 cc (20.5%), respectively (p < 0.001). The reduction in PG volume was ≥30% in 30 patients (36.6%). The volume reduction in all of the anatomical structures was statistically significant. Four variables—advanced stage disease (T3–T4), chemoradiation, increased weight loss, and oropharyngeal localization—were significantly associated with the need for ART. The B-ART protocol provides clear criteria to eliminate random errors, and to allow for an early response to relevant changes in target volumes.
Influence of Fluid Film Bearings with Different Axial Groove Shapes on Automotive Turbochargers: An Experimental Study
Authors: Machado Luiz Henrique Jorge , Sandoval Oscar Ricardo , Pereira José Victor Matos Carvalho , de Souza Juliana Primo Basílio , Caetano Bryan Castro , Hanriot Vítor Mourão , Pujatti Fabrício José Pacheco , de Faria Marco Tulio Correa
Published: May 2022

Most commercial automotive turbochargers (TC) employ semi-floating ring bearings (SFRB) with axial groove shapes. In order to bring some insights into the role played by the axial groove geometry on the dynamics of TC, this work deals with an experimental study of the rotordynamic behavior of a stock automotive turbocharger operating on SFRB with two different groove shapes, which have the same volume and width, and with the same number of grooves. The rotating machine behavior has been evaluated under different operating conditions using a test bench specially designed to analyze turbochargers. Rotordynamic (RD) characteristics of automotive turbochargers are estimated to evaluate the influence of the axial groove geometry on the machine vibratory behavior. Frequency spectra and orbital plots of the rotor are obtained from accelerometers and proximity probes mounted on the turbocharger. The comparative analysis of the vibrational behavior of automotive turbochargers running on different supporting systems allows the identification of the role played by the axial grooves on the machine rotordynamic performance. The experimental results rendered in this work permit to classify the influence of the axial groove geometry on the turbocharger rotordynamic behavior for several speed and flow conditions.
Experimental Validation and Evaluation of the Bending Properties of Additively Manufactured Metallic Cellular Scaffold Structures for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Al-Barqawi Mohammad O. , Church Benjamin , Thevamaran Mythili , Thoma Dan J. , Rahman Adeeb
Published: May 2022

The availability of additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of cellular bone tissue engineering scaffolds with a wide range of structural and architectural possibilities. The purpose of bone tissue engineering scaffolds is to repair critical size bone defects due to extreme traumas, tumors, or infections. This research study presented the experimental validation and evaluation of the bending properties of optimized bone scaffolds with an elastic modulus that is equivalent to the young’s modulus of the cortical bone. The specimens were manufactured using laser powder bed fusion technology. The morphological properties of the manufactured specimens were evaluated using both dry weighing and Archimedes techniques, and minor variations in the relative densities were observed in comparison with the computer-aided design files. The bending modulus of the cubic and diagonal scaffolds were experimentally investigated using a three-point bending test, and the results were found to agree with the numerical findings. A higher bending modulus was observed in the diagonal scaffold design. The diagonal scaffold was substantially tougher, with considerably higher energy absorption before fracture. The shear modulus of the diagonal scaffold was observed to be significantly higher than the cubic scaffold. Due to bending, the pores at the top side of the diagonal scaffold were heavily compressed compared to the cubic scaffold due to the extensive plastic deformation occurring in diagonal scaffolds and the rapid fracture of struts in the tension side of the cubic scaffold. The failure in struts in tension showed signs of ductility as necking was observed in fractured struts. Moreover, the fractured surface was observed to be rough and dull as opposed to being smooth and bright like in brittle fractures. Dimple fracture was observed using scanning electron microscopy as a result of microvoids emerging in places of high localized plastic deformation. Finally, a comparison of the mechanical properties of the studied BTE scaffolds with the cortical bone properties under longitudinal and transverse loading was investigated. In conclusion, we showed the capabilities of finite element analysis and additive manufacturing in designing and manufacturing promising scaffold designs that can replace bone segments in the human body.
Ultrasound Study of Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Nanoparticle Agglomeration in High Viscous Media
Authors: Jameel Bassam , Hornowski Tomasz , Bielas Rafał , Józefczak Arkadiusz
Published: May 2022

Ultrasound attenuation spectroscopy has found wide application in the study of colloidal dispersions such as emulsions or suspensions. The main advantage of this technique is that it can be applied to relatively high concentration systems without sample preparation. In particular, the use of Epstein-Carhart-Allegra-Hawley’s (ECAH) ultrasound scattering theory, along with experimental data of ultrasound velocity or attenuation, provide the method of estimation for the particle or droplet size from nanometers to millimeters. In this study, suspensions of magnetite and silica nanoparticles in high viscous media (i.e., castor oil) were characterized by ultrasound spectroscopy. Both theoretical and experimental results showed a significant difference in ultrasound attenuation coefficients between the suspensions of magnetite and silica nanoparticles. The fitting of theoretical model to experimental ultrasound spectra was used to determine the real size of objects suspended in a high viscous medium that differed from the size distributions provided by electron microscopy imaging. The ultrasound spectroscopy technique demonstrated a greater tendency of magnetic particles toward agglomeration when compared with silica particles whose sizes were obtained from the combination of experimental and theoretical ultrasonic data and were more consistent with the electron microscopy images.
Novel Multifunctional Spherosilicate-Based Coupling Agents for Improved Bond Strength and Quality in Restorative Dentistry
Authors: Raszewski Zbigniew , Brząkalski Dariusz , Jałbrzykowski Marek , Pakuła Daria , Frydrych Miłosz , Przekop Robert E.
Published: May 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the restorative connections of composite materials after fracture, under controlled conditions of treating the materials with novel, spherosilicate-based (SS) primers bearing both methacryl (MA) and trimethoxysilyl (TMOS) groups. The chemistry of methacrylate group insertion and reactive groups hydrolysis has been studied with the aid of 1H NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy. The light-cured resin composites were repaired by activating the connection site with the obtained primers and, for comparison, a silane (methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, MATMOS) as a conventional coupling agent bearing the same reactive groups. The resistance of such a joint was tested in a three-point bending test after 24 h and 28 days period of sample conditioning. The effect of bond application was also studied, showing that spherosilicate-based primers may be used more effectively than MATMOS for two-step (primer-composite) restorative process, while for silane, the three-step process with bond application is crucial for satisfactory joint quality. The joint failure mode was determined by microscopic analysis and it was found that SS-4MA-4TMOS and SS-2MA-6TMOS application resulted in mostly composite, and not joint, failure. After 28 days of conditioning, the flexural strength of the joint repaired with SS-4MA-4TMOS was at 94% of the neat, solid material under the same procedure. However, the strength of the neat composite was observed to decline during the conditioning process by ~30%. The joint behavior was explained on the basis of the gradual hydrolysis effect (the greatest decrease being observed for silane).