bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanopore-based metagenomic sequencing for the rapid and precise detection of pathogens among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections
Authors: Deng Qingmei , Cao Yongqing , Wan Xiaofeng , Wang Bin , Sun Aimin , Wang Huanzhong , Wang Yunfei , Wang Hongzhi , Gu Hongcang
Published: September 2022

Cancer patients are at high risk of infections and infection-related mortality; thereby, prompt diagnosis and precise anti-infectives treatment are critical. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of nanopore amplicon sequencing in identifying microbial agents among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. This prospective study enlisted 56 immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. Their body fluid samples such as sputum and blood were collected, and potential microbial agents were detected in parallel by nanopore amplicon sequencing and the conventional culture method. Among the 56 body fluid samples, 47 (83.9%) samples were identified to have at least one pathogen by nanopore amplicon sequencing, but only 25 (44.6%) samples exhibited a positive finding by culture. Among 31 culture-negative samples, nanopore amplicon sequencing successfully detected pathogens in 22 samples (71.0%). Nanopore amplicon sequencing showed a higher sensitivity in pathogen detection than that of the conventional culture method (83.9% vs. 44.6%, P<0.001), and this advantage both existed in blood samples (38.5% vs. 0%, P=0.039) and non-blood samples (97.7% vs. 58.1%, P<0.001). Compared with the culture method, nanopore amplicon sequencing illustrated more samples with bacterial infections (P<0.001), infections from fastidious pathogens (P=0.006), and co-infections (P<0.001). The mean turnaround time for nanopore amplicon sequencing was about 17.5 hours, which was shorter than that of the conventional culture assay. This study suggested nanopore amplicon sequencing as a rapid and precise method for detecting pathogens among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. The novel and high-sensitive method will improve the outcomes of immunocompromised cancer patients by facilitating the prompt diagnosis of infections and precise anti-infectives treatment.
Novel approaches for the serodiagnosis of louse-borne relapsing fever
Authors: Röttgerding Florian , Njeru John , Schlüfter Elif , Latz Andreas , Mahdavi Rouzbeh , Steinhoff Ulrich , Cutler Sally J. , Besier Silke , Kempf Volkhard A. J. , Fingerle Volker , Kraiczy Peter
Published: September 2022

Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) caused by B. recurrentis is a poverty-related and neglected infectious disease with an endemic focus in the Horn of Africa. Re-emergence of the disease occurred in Europe during the refugee crisis in 2015 and sporadic outbreaks were frequently reported in Eastern Africa where poor settings lack affordable diagnostics. Currently, there are no validated in vitro assays available for the serodiagnosis of LBRF. The aim of this study was to develop novel and reliable immunoassays by investigating clinically suspected and culture-confirmed serum samples from LBRF patients and a broad panel of serum samples from patients with other spirochetal, bacterial, and parasitic diseases. We identified two immunoreactive antigens (complement-inhibiting protein CihC and the glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase GlpQ of B. recurrentis) as the most promising target candidates leading to the evaluation of two immunoassays (line immunoblot and ELISA) for IgM and IgG. To optimize the IgM immunoassay, we conducted a bioinformatic approach to localize the relevant immunogenic regions within CihC. By utilizing a N-terminal CihC fragment, the sensitivity and specificity of both immunoassays (CihC and GlpQ) were high (IgM: sensitivity 100%, specificity of 89.9%, IgG: sensitivity 100%, specificity 99.2%). In conclusion, our findings indicate the diagnostic potential of CihC and GlpQ as valuable markers for the serodiagnosis of LBRF even at early time points of infection. Here, we provide strong evidence for the utilization of these immunoassays as reliable tools in clinical practice.
BAKUNANAYS guidelines for communicating COVID-19 vaccination information to pregnant women in the Philippines and other developing countries
Authors: Cagayan Maria Stephanie Fay Samadan , Mendoza Lumberto G. , Viana John Noel M.
Published: September 2022

COVID-19 remains a pressing global health disaster, and pregnant women and their unborn child/ren continue to be extremely at risk. In the Philippines, a developing country in Southeast Asia, pregnant women were generally excluded from initial vaccination drives to avoid adverse effects in their offspring, amidst findings from animal studies and post-trial monitoring on the vaccines' safety. In August 2021, the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (POGS) and the Department of Health (DOH) released guidelines for the vaccination of pregnant women due to the eventual increase in their mortality during outbreaks of the Delta variant. This perspective presents various forms of scientific communication on COVID-19 vaccination to Filipino pregnant women and forwards recommendations to improve communication in various settings. First, we present three modalities on how information on COVID-19 vaccination is disseminated to pregnant women in the Philippines and discuss their potential impacts on knowledge promotion and actual vaccination uptake, taking into account the Filipino cultural value of “pakikipagkapwa”. These include government and doctor-led initiatives, social media posts and comments, and experiences of one of the authors in vaccination drives in rural and remote communities. Findings are used to develop the BAKUNANAYS guidelines, comprised of 10 recommendations for healthcare workers, health agencies, and doctors vaccinating pregnant women in the Philippines and other developing countries, especially those with a similar socio-economic profile and cultural values.
Inattention and hyperactivity in children and adolescents with repaired D-transposition of the great arteries: Prevalence, perioperative risk factors, and clinical outcomes
Authors: Chen Hongtong , Yan Yichen , Li Cong , Zheng Xiangyu , Wang Guanghai , Jin Zhijuan , Shi Guocheng , He Xiaomin , Tong Xiaoping , Chen Huiwen , Zhu Zhongqun
Published: September 2022

Objective

The present study objectives were to determine the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms (ADHD-like symptoms) in children and adolescent with d-transposition of great artery (D-TGA) after arterial switch operation (ASO) and examine associated risk factors and adverse personal, family dysfunctions.

Methods

This cohort study included 103 patients with D-TGA who underwent ASO in early infancy at Shanghai Children’s Medical Center between 2011 and 2016 and then follow-up. Data analysis was conducted from September 2020 to April 2022. A standardized Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham IV (SNAP-IV) questionnaire is used to evaluate inattention and hyperactivity symptoms. Demographic, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factor were collected. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Prevalence of ADHD-like symptoms was 27.18% (28/103). Attention-deficit (18/28, 64.29%) symptom was the predominant subphenotype. After underwent TGA surgery, 39% of patients with ADHD-like symptoms receive remedial special academic services. There is none had repeated grade. Univariate analysis showed that, positive inotropic drug score (P = 0.03) and delayed sternal closure (P = 0.02) were risk factors of ADHD-like symptoms; increased preoperative oxygen saturation (SpO2) (P = 0.01) and surgical height (P = 0.01) and TGA subtype (VSD) (P = 0.02) were protective factor of ADHD-like symptoms. Multivariable analysis showed that delayed sternal closure (DSC) (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.02–2.18) is a risk factor for the occurrence of ADHD-like symptom while increased preoperative oxygen saturation [odds ratio (OR), 0.95; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.92–0.99] is a protective factor of ADHD-like symptom.

Conclusion

The children and adolescents with D-TGA after ASO were at high risk of ADHD-like symptoms. Preoperative hypoxic status and postoperative DSC became predominant risk factors. Modification of the risk factors may be helpful to relieve ADHD-like symptoms for these patients.
Prevalence and incidence of intraventricular conduction disturbances among Chinese adults: Results from the Kailuan study
Authors: Wang Binhao , Wang Zhao , Yang Xiaolei , Han Xu , Yang Yiheng , Chu Huimin , Wu Shouling , Xia Yunlong
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Epidemiological data on intraventricular conduction disturbances (IVCDs) are limited in the Chinese population. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and incidence of different types of IVCDs among Chinese adults.

Methods

From June 2006 to October 2007, a total of 100,250 individuals from the Kailuan Study underwent electrocardiogram examinations. Follow-up visits were performed biennially. The prevalence and incidence of right bundle branch block (RBBB), incomplete RBBB (IRBBB), left bundle branch block (LBBB), incomplete LBBB, left anterior fascicular block (LAFB), left posterior fascicular block (LPFB) and non-specific IVCD (NIVCD) were calculated. Their association with risk factors and cardiovascular diseases was also investigated.

Results

The prevalence and incidence of all IVCDs were 3.19 and 1.70%, respectively. RBBB, IRBBB, and LAFB were the IVCD types that had the highest prevalence and incidence. The prevalence (3.67% vs. 1.29%; P < 0.001) and incidence (1.93% vs. 0.84%; P < 0.001) of IVCDs were higher among males than among females. The prevalence and incidence of most IVCD types increased with age. IRBBB, LBBB, and LAFB were significantly associated with hypertension. LBBB and NIVCD were associated with diabetes mellitus. In addition, LBBB and LAFB were related to prior myocardial infarction.

Conclusion

IVCDs differ in prevalence and incidence according to sex and age group. They also show disparate associations with other cardiovascular comorbidities. These differences need to be considered in daily clinical practice.
Effects of high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise training on cardiopulmonary function in patients with coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis
Authors: Zheng Liying , Pan Deng , Gu Yimeng , Wang Rumeng , Wu Yanyan , Xue Mei
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The study aims to evaluate the effects of high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise training on cardiopulmonary function and exercise endurance in patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD).

Methods

We performed a systematic search of the English and Chinese databases from their inception to March 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included to compare high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise training on cardiopulmonary function in patients with CAD. The primary outcomes included peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and anaerobic threshold (AT). The secondary outcomes included left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), exercises duration (ED), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), resting heart rate (RHR), peak heart rate (PHR) and oxygen pulse (O2pulse). The continuous variables were expressed as mean differences (MD) along with their corresponding standard deviations (SD), and the I2test was applied in the assessment of heterogeneity.

Results

After systematically literature search, 19 studies were finally selected for our meta-analysis (n= 1,036), with 511 patients in the experimental group (high-intensity exercise) and 525 patients in the control group (moderate-intensity exercise). The results showed that high-intensity exercise significantly increased patients' Peak VO2[MD = 2.67, 95% CI (2.24, 3.09),P< 0.00001], LVEF [MD = 3.60, 95% CI (2.17, 5.03),P< 0.00001], ED [MD = 37.51, 95% CI (34.02, 41.00),P< 0.00001], PHR [MD = 6.86, 95% CI (4.49, 9.24),P< 0.00001], and O2pulse [MD = 0.97, 95% CI (0.34, 1.60),P= 0.003] compared with moderate-intensity exercise. However, there were no significant differences in AT [MD = 0.49, 95% CI (−0.12, 1.10),P= 0.11], RER [MD = 0.00, 95% CI (−0.01, 0.02),P= 0.56], and RHR [MD = 1.10, 95% CI (−0.43, 2.63),P= 0.16].

Conclusion

Our results show that high-intensity exercise training has more significant positive effects compared with moderate-intensity exercise training in improving peak VO2, LVEF, ED, PHR and O2pulse in patients with CAD, while no significant differences were observed in AT, RER and RHR. To sum up, high-intensity exercise training is better than moderate-intensity exercise training in improving cardiopulmonary function and exercise endurance in patients with CAD.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO (CRD42022328475),https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.
Social and therapeutic decline earlier than physical and psychological domains after discharge in heart failure patients: A patient-reported outcome measurements of latent transition analysis
Authors: Yang Hong , Tian Jing , Li Jing , Han Linai , Han Gangfei , Zhao Jinghua , Han Qinghua , Zhang Yanbo
Published: September 2022

Background

Among patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), response shifts are common in assessing treatment effects. However, few studies focused on potential response shifts in these patients.

Materials and methods

Data of CHF patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were obtained from three hospitals in Shanxi, China, from 2017 to 2019. A total of 497 patients were enrolled and followed up at 1 month and 6 months after discharge. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was employed to determine the longitudinal transition trajectories of latent subtypes in CHF patients in the physiological, psychological, social, and therapeutic domains.

Results

The patients were divided into high- and low-level groups in the four domains according to the LTA. One month after discharge, the physiological and psychological domains improved, while the social and therapeutic domains remained unchanged. Six months after discharge, the former remained stable, but the latter deteriorated. The factors affecting the state transition in four domains were as follows. The influencing factor of the physiological domains are gender, age, tea consumption, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and light diet; those of the psychological domain are gender, occupation, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity; those of the social domains are age; those of the therapeutic domains are education and income.

Conclusion

The disease status of CHF patients has shifted over time. Risk factors accelerate the deterioration of patients’ condition. Furthermore, the risk factors of social and therapeutic domains deteriorate patients’ condition faster than those of physiological and psychological domains. Therefore, individualized intervention programs should be given for CHF patients who may be transferred to the low-level groups to maintain the treatment effect and improve the prognosis.
Real-time recommendations for energy-efficient appliance usage in households
Authors: Eirinaki Magdalini , Varlamis Iraklis , Dahihande Janhavi , Jaiswal Akshay , Pagar Akshay Anil , Thakare Ajinkya
Published: September 2022

According to several studies, the most influencing factor in a household's energy consumption is user behavior. Changing user behavior to improve energy usage leads to efficient energy consumption, saving money for the consumer and being more friendly for the environment. In this work we propose a framework that aims at assisting households in improving their energy usage by providing real-time recommendations for efficient appliance use. The framework allows for the creation of household-specific and appliance-specific energy consumption profiles by analyzing appliance usage patterns. Based on the household profile and the actual electricity use, real-time recommendations notify users on the appliances that can be switched off in order to reduce consumption. For instance, if a consumer forgets their A/C on at a time that it is usually off (e.g., when there is no one at home), the system will detect this as an outlier and notify the consumer. In the ideal scenario, a household has a smart meter monitoring system installed, that records energy consumption at the appliance level. This is also reflected in the datasets available for evaluating such systems. However, in the general case, the household may only have one main meter reading. In this case, non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) techniques, which monitor a house's energy consumption using only one meter, and data mining algorithms that disaggregate the consumption into appliance level, can be employed. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end solution to this problem, starting with the energy disaggregation process, and the creation of user profiles that are then fed to the pattern mining and recommendation process, that through an intuitive UI allows users to further refine their energy consumption preferences and set goals. We employ the UK-DALE (UK Domestic Appliance-Level Electricity) dataset for our experimental evaluations and the proof-of-concept implementation. The results show that the proposed framework accurately captures the energy consumption profiles of each household and thus the generated recommendations are matching the actual household energy habits and can help reduce their energy consumption by 2–17%.
Analytical solution of mechanical response in cold region tunnels under transversely isotropic freeze–thaw circle induced by unidirectional freeze–thaw damage
Authors: Lv Zhitao , Wu Mingchao , Huang Faming , Cai Yi
Published: September 2022

During the operation stage of cold region tunnels, the isotropic surrounding rock in a freeze–thaw circle suffers long-term unidirectional freeze–thaw cycles and gradually transforms into transversely isotropic material, which induces the variation of stress and displacement distribution of cold region tunnels. Aimed at this phenomenon, an analytical solution of mechanical response in cold region tunnels under transversely isotropic freeze–thaw circles induced by unidirectional freeze–thaw damage is proposed. The analytical solution is derived under two different states of the freeze–thaw circle: 1) transversely isotropic and unfrozen state (state TU) and 2) transversely isotropic and frozen state (state TF). In addition, the stress distribution in the lining and surrounding rock with a transversely isotropic freeze–thaw circle is analyzed. The transformation of the surrounding rock in a freeze–thaw circle from isotropic material into transversely isotropic material leads to the increase of stress in the lining, especially for a significant increase under state TF. Finally, the influence of the deterioration coefficient and the degree of anisotropy on the stress distribution in the lining is analyzed. The stress in the lining increases linearly as the deterioration coefficient decreases, while it increases nonlinearly as the degree of anisotropy decreases. The smaller the degree of anisotropy is, the greater the increase rate of the stress is. Moreover, the increase of stress with deterioration coefficient and degree of anisotropy under state TF is much greater than that under state TU. Both deterioration coefficient and degree of anisotropy decrease from 1.0 with increasing unidirectional freeze–thaw cycles suffered by surrounding rock, and, thus, induce the increase of stresses in the lining. In addition, the deterioration coefficient has a greater influence than the degree of anisotropy on the stress in the lining.
Diagenetic facies characteristics and quantitative prediction via wireline logs based on machine learning: A case of Lianggaoshan tight sandstone, fuling area, Southeastern Sichuan Basin, Southwest China
Authors: Zhang Liqiang , Li Junjian , Wang Wei , Li Chenyin , Zhang Yujin , Jiang Shuai , Jia Tong , Yan Yiming
Published: September 2022

Tight sandstone has low porosity and permeability, a complex pore structure, and strong heterogeneity due to strong diagenetic modifications. Limited intervals of Lianggaoshan Formation in the Fuling area are cored due to high costs, thus, a model for predicting diagenetic facies based on logging curves was established based on few core, thin section, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cathodoluminescence, routine core analysis, and mercury injection capillary pressure tests. The results show that tight sandstone in the Lianggaoshan Formation has primary and secondary intergranular pores, secondary intragranular pores, and intergranular micropores in the clay minerals. The compaction experienced by sandstone is medium to strong, and the main diagenetic minerals are carbonates (calcite, dolomite, and ferric dolomite) and clay minerals (chlorite, illite, and mixed illite/montmorillonite). Four types of diagenetic facies are recognized: carbonate cemented (CCF), tightly compacted (TCF), chlorite coating and clay mineral filling (CCCMFF), and dissolution facies (DF). Primary pores develop in the CCCMFF, and secondary pores develop in the DF; The porosities and permeabilities of CCCMFF and DF are better than that of CCF and TCF. The diagenetic facies were converted to logging data, and a diagenetic facies prediction model using four machine learning methods was established. The prediction results show that the random forest model has the highest prediction accuracy of 97.5%, followed by back propagation neural networks (BPNN), decision trees, and K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN). In addition, the random forest model had the smallest accuracy difference between the different diagenetic facies (2.86%). Compared with the other three machine learning models, the random forest model can balance unbalanced sample data and improve the prediction accuracy for the tight sandstone of the Lianggaoshan Formation in the Fuling area, which has a wide application range. It is worth noting that the BPNN may be more advantageous in diagenetic facies prediction when there are more sample data and diagenetic facies types.
COVID-19 ambassadors: Recognizing Kampus Mengajar at the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka program humanitarian projects in the tertiary education curriculum
Authors: Suyadi  , Wahyu Asmorojati Anom , Yudhana Anton , Nuryana Zalik , Binti Siraj Saedah
Published: September 2022

As of April 2022, various countries around the world have shown their success in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, including Indonesia. One of the COVID-19 mitigation policies in Indonesia is the involvement of students as COVID-19 ambassadors through a program called Kampus Mengajar, which carries 12 credits. However, the COVID-19 ambassador experienced academic injustice because the participating study programs and faculties did not recognize the program. The purpose of this research is to analyze the recognition of COVID-19 ambassadors who participate in the program. This research uses a case study-type qualitative research. The research setting is Universitas Ahmad Dahlan involving 70 students of the program and seven heads of faculties and study programs. Observation and in-depth interviews were administered with the head of the faculty and study programs. The results showed that study programs and faculties at universities could only recognize the activities of COVID-19 ambassador students in the program that have relevance to certain subjects. Thus, the higher education unit bureaucracy has lost its human dimension and is unfair to the student ambassadors of COVID-19. The implications of the findings of this study become a scathing critique of the fading of human values in higher education.
How do Chinese undergraduates understand critical thinking? A phenomenographic approach
Authors: Zhao Xiantong , Liu Xu
Published: September 2022

The cultivation of critical thinking in undergraduates is crucial for teaching in higher education. Although scholars have defined critical thinking in various ways, limited study about critical thinking from the learner’s perspective. In this phenomenographic research, we collect essays written by 80 Chinese undergraduates with multiple disciplinary backgrounds to reveal their understandings of critical thinking. Four conceptions of critical thinking were found, namely critical thinking as query and reflection on the irrationality of things (Conception 1); an objective and comprehensive understanding of things (Conception 2); independent thinking with innovation (Conception 3), as well as a willingness and attitude (Conception 4). Further analysis in the light of the referential-structural framework helps to construct a hierarchical relationship between different conceptions, with Conception 1 the least complex and Conception 3 the most complex. While Conceptions 1–3 are skill-oriented, Conception 4 is deposition-oriented, and there is no hierarchical relationship between the two groups of conceptions. They deal with different dimensions of critical thinking. University lecturers can use these findings to help equip undergraduates with deepened conceptions of critical thinking in their daily routine teaching.
Application of herbs and active ingredients ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine
Authors: Zhou Zhijia , Zhang Jinghao , You Liping , Wang Tao , Wang Kaixia , Wang Lingtai , Kong Xiaoni , Gao Yueqiu , Sun Xuehua
Published: September 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem, and its prevalence has been on the rise in recent years. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) contains a wealth of therapeutic resources and has been in use for thousands of years regarding the prevention of liver disease and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of NAFLD in China. but the molecular mechanisms behind it have not been elucidated. In this article, we have updated and summarized the research and evidence concerning herbs and their active ingredients for the treatment in vivo and vitro models of NAFLD or NASH, by searching PubMed, Web of Science and SciFinder databases. In particular, we have found that most of the herbs and active ingredients reported so far have the effect of clearing heat and dispelling dampness, which is consistent with the concept of dampness-heat syndrome, in TCM theory. we have attempted to establish the TCM theory and modern pharmacological mechanisms links between herbs and monomers according to their TCM efficacy, experiment models, targets of modulation and amelioration of NAFLD pathology. Thus, we provide ideas and perspectives for further exploration of the pathogenesis of NAFLD and herbal therapy, helping to further the scientific connotation of TCM theories and promote the modernization of TCM.
Therapeutic potential of vasoactive intestinal peptide and its receptor VPAC2 in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Hou Xintong , Yang Dan , Yang Guimei , Li Mengnan , Zhang Jian , Zhang Jiaxin , Zhang Yi , Liu Yunfeng
Published: September 2022

Owing to the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes, the development of novel hypoglycemic drugs has become a research hotspot, with the ultimate goal of developing therapeutic drugs that stimulate glucose-induced insulin secretion without inducing hypoglycemia. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a 28-amino-acid peptide, can stimulate glucose-dependent insulin secretion, particularly by binding to VPAC2 receptors. VIP also promotes islet β-cell proliferation through the forkhead box M1 pathway, but the specific molecular mechanism remains to be studied. The clinical application of VIP is limited because of its short half-life and wide distribution in the human body. Based on the binding properties of VIP and VPAC2 receptors, VPAC2-selective agonists have been developed to serve as novel hypoglycemic drugs. This review summarizes the physiological significance of VIP in glucose homeostasis and the potential therapeutic value of VPAC2-selective agonists in type 2 diabetes.
Online intelligent fault diagnosis of redundant sensors in PWR based on artificial neural network
Authors: Yin Yuan , Xu Fenqin , Pang Bo
Published: September 2022

Sensors in the primary circuit of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) are normally designed with redundant structures to improve system safety and reliability. However, reliability of the actual system is often lower than that obtained by theoretical calculation due to the inevitable occurrence of common mode fault (CMF), which is a dependent failure event that can cause multiple failures in redundant channels. CMF may increase the reliability deviation of the system by orders of magnitude and, hence, seriously affects the reliability of the system. To mitigate the CMF of redundant sensors in nuclear power plants, an artificial neural network (ANN) can serve as a data-driven analytic model to monitor sensor parameters, to identify any possible abnormal status of the sensors, and provide an early warning. In this study, by using the high-fidelity dataset obtained in a full-scope PWR simulator as training, validation, and test data, a relevant parameter-based ANN black-box model (RPANN) was established by employing the back-propagation (BP) learning algorithm, which was then defined as an analytic redundancy. Time series-based ANN checking models (TSANNs) were also established for each of the input and output parameters of the RPANN in order to identify its abnormal state based on historical data in the past. When combined with the existing hardware redundancy, the ANN-based analytic redundancy can serve as an online monitoring tool of the hardware status and an online diagnosis strategy for sensor faults. Furthermore, ANN-based analytic redundancy can replace faulty hardware sensors to analytically reconstruct the reading of the monitored sensor parameter without having to reduce the reactor output power or even shut down the reactor for emergency maintenance so that the on-site calibration frequency of hardware sensors in redundant channels can be effectively reduced. This is not only of vital importance in reducing operation and maintenance costs of existing PWR power plants but also plays an important role in building reactor operation schemes with rapid and frequent changes in power output in the future. Simultaneously, the diverse redundancy combining analytic software redundancy and physical hardware redundancy can effectively reduce the threat of CMF of hardware sensors on the operation safety of reactor systems.
Real-time distributed dispatch strategy for distribution transformer supply zone cluster based on cloud-edge collaboration architecture
Authors: Luo Peng , Liang Jifeng , Fan Hui , Zeng Siming , Yang Guangjie , Lin Junming
Published: September 2022

Aiming at the problem of long-timescale prediction deviation in the distribution network, a fast regulation strategy of cloud-edge coordination based on an intelligent transformer supply zones edge consistency algorithm is proposed. The cloud makes the global initial optimal allocation to the edge transformer supply zone clusters, and then the cluster makes the secondary collaborative optimal allocation to the edge zones. A fast power interaction model within a cluster based on a consensus algorithm is established, and the micro-increase rate of dispatching cost is used as the consistency variable so that the cluster adjustment amount is optimally allocated to each transformer supply zone, and the total dispatch cost of all transformer supply zones is minimized. The simulation example verifies the effectiveness of the cloud-edge collaborative fast control strategy based on the intelligent station cluster edge consensus algorithm in this article.
Robust optimal dispatch of distribution system considering carbon capture and demand response
Authors: Ge Yulin , Wang Chong , Hao Yuchen , Han Guigang , Lu Yu
Published: September 2022

Participation of carbon capture power plants and demand response in power system dispatch is an important mean to achieve the carbon-neutral goal. In order to take into account uncertainty of wind power and low-carbon economic operation of the distribution system, a two-stage robust optimal dispatch model of the distribution system considering carbon capture and demand response is proposed in this paper. In the day-ahead stage, the unit commitment plan and the price demand response (PDR) schedule are established. In the intra-day stage, the carbon related cost is included in the optimization objective. The strategies for the generators and the incentive demand response (IDR) are optimized under the worst-case output of wind power based on the results of the day-ahead stage. Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions and the column-and-constraint generation (C&CG) algorithm are used to solve the proposed two-stage model. A revised IEEE 33-bus distribution system is used to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model.
Application of water-soluble polymer inhibitor in metal corrosion protection: Progress and challenges
Authors: Yihang Zhang
Published: September 2022

The use of corrosion inhibitors can effectively avoid the corrosion of metals and alloys, but the conventional organic/inorganic corrosion inhibitors have certain toxic and side effects and environmental pollution problems (including some expensive toxic reagents and catalysts), prompting researchers to turn their attention to the research of water-soluble polymer corrosion inhibitors with green environment friendly and low pollution. This paper reviews the action mechanism of polymer inhibitors, the research status of natural polymer inhibitors (chitosan-based inhibitors, cellulose and its derivatives inhibitors, other carbohydrate inhibitors, protein inhibitors) and synthetic polymer inhibitors (epoxy resin inhibitors, polyethylene glycol inhibitors, conductive polymer inhibitors), The purpose is to provide some reference for the development of eco-friendly metal coatings.
K-textures, a self-supervised hard clustering deep learning algorithm for satellite image segmentation
Authors: Wagner Fabien H. , Dalagnol Ricardo , Sánchez Alber H. , Hirye Mayumi C. M. , Favrichon Samuel , Lee Jake H. , Mauceri Steffen , Yang Yan , Saatchi Sassan
Published: September 2022

Deep learning self-supervised algorithms that can segment an image in a fixed number of hard clusters such as the k-means algorithm and with an end-to-end deep learning approach are still lacking. Here, we introduce the k-textures algorithm which provides self-supervised segmentation of a 4-band image (RGB-NIR) for a k number of classes. An example of its application on high-resolution Planet satellite imagery is given. Our algorithm shows that discrete search is feasible using convolutional neural networks (CNN) and gradient descent. The model detects k hard clustering classes represented in the model as k discrete binary masks and their associated k independently generated textures, which combined are a simulation of the original image. The similarity loss is the mean squared error between the features of the original and the simulated image, both extracted from the penultimate convolutional block of Keras “imagenet” pre-trained VGG-16 model and a custom feature extractor made with Planet data. The main advances of the k-textures model are: first, the k discrete binary masks are obtained inside the model using gradient descent. The model allows for the generation of discrete binary masks using a novel method using a hard sigmoid activation function. Second, it provides hard clustering classes–each pixel has only one class. Finally, in comparison to k-means, where each pixel is considered independently, here, contextual information is also considered and each class is not associated only with similar values in the color channels but with a texture. Our approach is designed to ease the production of training samples for satellite image segmentation and the k-textures architecture could be adapted to support different numbers of bands and for more complex self-segmentation tasks, such as object self-segmentation. The model codes and weights are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6359859.
The combined effects of land use and seasonal environmental factors on stream food web structure
Authors: Wang Yang , Li Siyue , Tan Xiang , Zhang Quanfa
Published: September 2022

Land use and seasonal changes in environmental conditions influence biological communities and their trophic interactions in riverine ecosystems. However, how land use and the seasonality of environmental conditions jointly influence the food web structure of riverine ecosystems remains unclear. Here, we conducted a comparative study on basal resources, macroinvertebrates, and fish at woodland and urban sites to explore the combined effects of land use and environmental conditions during spring, autumn, and winter on the food web structure of a subtropical river in China. We used δ13C and δ15N to trace consumers’ diets and calculate community-level metrics within food webs. At woodland sites, we found that allochthonous sources contributed significantly more to consumers’ diets in the high flow season (53%) than in the low flow season (around 30%), but allochthonous sources contributed less than 30% at urban sites. The seasonal flooding facilitated the acquisition of terrestrial sources at woodland sites, while the impervious surface cover at urban sites cut off the influx of terrestrial inputs. The isotopic niche space of basal resources at both woodland and urban sites was significantly higher in the high flow season. However, the isotopic niche space of consumers at urban sites was not significantly different between seasons. Trophic length, niche width, and trophic redundancy showed no seasonal differences at urban sites, but trophic length increased significantly during the high flow season at woodland sites. Our temporal food web study at urban and woodland rivers illustrated the combined effects of land use and seasonal environmental conditions on the food web structure, and highlighted the role of allochthonous carbon in supporting biological communities and the importance of lateral and longitudinal connectivity in river ecosystems.
Effects of climate changes on net primary productivity variation in the marsh area of the Sanjiang Plain
Authors: Yan Fengqin
Published: September 2022

The Sanjiang Plain includes the largest freshwater marsh in China, playing an important role in regional carbon cycle. As an important indicator of carbon cycle, the net primary productivity (NPP) is a crucial index for estimating the carbon storage of marshy wetlands. Investigating the association between climate factors and NPP variation quantitatively is of great significance for estimating carbon sequestration of marsh. Based on NPP data and climatic data from 1954 to 2014, the spatiotemporal change of NPP in marsh area was analyzed and its association with climate factors was investigated in the Sanjiang Plain in this study. The results indicated that the NPP showed an increase trend in the marsh area of the Sanjiang Plain in the past six decades. Temperate growth made the largest contribution to the NPP increase among the main climate factors in the last six decades, followed by CO2concentration. Solar Radiation had the largest explanatory power on the spatial distribution of NPP among three climate factors before 1985. After 1985, temperature played an important role in leading the NPP distribution. Results also showed that the explanatory power of interactions between climate factors was stronger than that of single factor. Our results highlight the asymmetric effects of interactions between climate factors on marsh vegetation, which should be adequately considered in estimating carbon sequestration in marsh area in the Sanjiang Plain.
The Stackelberg game model of cross-border river flood control
Authors: Wang Qiang , Bai Yuntao , Yang Yueling
Published: September 2022

In face of more and more prominent problems of cross-border river flood disasters, the upstream and downstream need to strengthen cross-border flood disaster management cooperation. The authors set up a Stackelberg game model in the three scenarios of separate management/compensation management/joint governance between upstream and downstream flooding than get the Nash equilibrium under various conditions. An empirical analysis is carried out by taking the cooperative governance among countries in the Lancang–Mekong River Basin (LMRB) as an example. The conclusion shows that when flood control in the upstream region has a greater impact on the downstream region, with the increase of flood control compensation, flood control in the upstream region gradually decreases, while flood control in the downstream region gradually increases. And when the compensation amount is greater than the adverse impact of failure 2.22 times, the flood control of the downstream area will exceed that of the upstream area. When the compensation amount is greater than the adverse impact of failure 0.74 times, the social welfare of the downstream areas under cooperative flood control is greater than the social welfare under the flood control alone.
What makes a giant fruit? Assembling a genomic toolkit underlying various fruit traits of the mammoth group of Cucurbita maxima
Authors: Reddy Umesh K. , Natarajan Purushothaman , Abburi Venkata Lakshmi , Tomason Yan , Levi Amnon , Nimmakayala Padma
Published: September 2022

Since their introduction in Europe, pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) have rapidly dispersed throughout the world. This is mainly because of their wide genetic diversity and Plasticity to thrive in a wide range of geographical regions across the world, their high nutritional value and suitability to integrate with local cuisines, and their long shelf life. Competition for growing the showy type or mammoth-sized pumpkins that produce the largest fruit of the entire plant kingdom has drawn attention. In this study, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms to resolve admixture among different pumpkin groups. Also, to resolve population differentiation, genome-wide divergence and evolutionary forces underlying the evolution of mammoth-sized pumpkin. The admixture analysis indicates that the mammoth group (also called Display or Giant) evolved from the hubbard group with genome-wide introgressions from the buttercup group. We archived a set of private alleles underlying fruit development in mammoth group, and resolved haplotype level divergence involved in the evolutionary mechanisms. Our genome-wide association study identified three major allelic effects underlying various fruit-size genes in this study. For fruit weight, a missense variant in the homeobox-leucine zipper protein ATHB-20-like (S04_18528409) was significantly associated (false discovery rate = 0.000004) with fruit weight, while high allelic effect was consistent across the 3 years of the study. A cofactor (S08_217549) on chromosome 8 is strongly associated with fruit length, having superior allelic effect across the 3 years of this study. A missense variant (S10_4639871) on translocation protein SEC62 is a cofactor for fruit diameter. Several known molecular mechanisms are likely controlling giant fruit size, including endoreduplication, hormonal regulation, CLV-WUS signaling pathway, MADS-box family, and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. This study provides a general framework for the evolutionary relationship among horticulture groups of C. maxima and elucidates the origins of rare variants contributing to the giant pumpkin fruit size.
Correlation of the position and status of the polar body from the fertilized oocyte to the euploid status of blastocysts
Authors: Yang Yongle , Tan Wei , Chen Changsheng , Jin Lei , Huang Bo
Published: September 2022

Polar bodies are tiny cells that are extruded during oocyte meiosis and are generally considered not essential for embryonic development. Therefore, polar bodies have been widely used as important materials for the preimplantation genetic diagnosis of human embryos. Recent studies have shown that polar bodies mediate embryonic development and that their morphology is related to embryo quality and developmental potential. However, the relationship between the emission of the polar body and embryonic euploidy remains unclear. In this study, a total of 1,360 blastocyst trophectoderm (TE) biopsies were performed, and blastocyst ploidy results were correlated with the state of polar bodies. The results showed that polar body angle size and polar body status are not directly related to whether the blastocysts are euploid, aneuploid, or mosaic (p > 0.05). Therefore, in the process of clinical embryo selection, embryologists should not predict the euploidy of blastocysts based on the state of polar bodies, thus affecting embryo selection.
Identification of molecular subtypes of coronary artery disease based on ferroptosis- and necroptosis-related genes
Authors: Liu Wen-Pan , Li Peng , Zhan Xu , Qu Lai-Hao , Xiong Tao , Hou Fang-Xia , Wang Jun-Kui , Wei Na , Liu Fu-Qiang
Published: September 2022

Aim: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a heterogeneous disorder with high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, representing a major burden on public health. Here, we aimed to improve our understanding of the genetic drivers of ferroptosis and necroptosis and the clustering of gene expression in CAD in order to develop novel personalized therapies to slow disease progression.

Methods: CAD datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus. The identification of ferroptosis- and necroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the consensus clustering method including the classification algorithm used km and distance used spearman were performed to differentiate individuals with CAD into two clusters (cluster A and cluster B) based expression matrix of DEGs. Next, we identified four subgroup-specific genes of significant difference between cluster A and B and again divided individuals with CAD into gene cluster A and gene cluster B with same methods. Additionally, we compared differences in clinical information between the subtypes separately. Finally, principal component analysis algorithms were constructed to calculate the cluster-specific gene score for each sample for quantification of the two clusters.

Results: In total, 25 ferroptosis- and necroptosis-related DEGs were screened. The genes in cluster A were mostly related to the neutrophil pathway, whereas those in cluster B were mostly related to the B-cell receptor signaling pathway. Moreover, the subgroup-specific gene scores and CAD indices were higher in cluster A and gene cluster A than in cluster B and gene cluster B. We also identified and validated two genes showing upregulation between clusters A and B in a validation dataset.

Conclusion: High expression of CBS and TLR4 was related to more severe disease in patients with CAD, whereas LONP1 and HSPB1 expression was associated with delayed CAD progression. The identification of genetic subgroups of patients with CAD may improve clinician knowledge of disease pathogenesis and facilitate the development of methods for disease diagnosis, classification, and prognosis.