bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of a Precursor Catalyst on the Composition of Products in Catalytic Cracking of Heavy Oil
Authors: Urazov Khoshim Kh. , Sviridenko Nikita N. , Sviridenko Yulia A. , Utyaganova Veronika R.
Published: April 2024

Heavy oils are characterized by a high content of resins and asphaltenes, which complicates refining and leads to an increase in the cost of refinery products. These components can be strongly adsorbed on the acid sites of a supported catalyst, leading to its deactivation. Currently, various salts of group 8 metals are being considered for such processes to act as catalysts during oil cracking. At the same time, the nature of the precursor often has a significant impact on the process of refining heavy oil. In this work, catalytic cracking of heavy oil from the Ashalchinskoye field using different precursors (nanodispersed catalysts formed in situ based on NiO) has been studied. The cracking was carried out at 450 °C with a catalyst content from 0.1 to 0.5 wt.%. The catalytic cracking products were analyzed via SARA, GC, XRD and SEM. Nickel acetate and nitrate promote similar yields of by-products, while formate promotes higher yields of gaseous products. Formate and nickel acetate were shown to produce 1.8 and 2.8 wt.% more light fractions than nickel nitrate. When heavy oil is cracked in the presence of Ni(NO3)2∙6H2O, the maximum decrease in sulfur content (2.12 wt.%) is observed compared to other precursors. It has been found that the composition and morphology of the resulting nickel sulfides and compaction products are influenced by the nature of the catalyst precursor. XRD and SEM analyses of coke-containing catalysts indicate the formation of Ni9S8 and Ni0.96S phases during cracking when nickel nitrate is used and the formation of NiS and Ni9S8 when nickel acetate and formate are used.
Investment Decision for Long-Term Battery Energy Storage System Using Least Squares Monte Carlo
Authors: Shin Kyungcheol , Lee Jinyeong
Published: April 2024

The use of renewable energy sources to achieve carbon neutrality is increasing. However, the uncertainty and volatility of renewable resources are causing problems in power systems. Flexible and low-carbon resources such as Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) are essential for solving the problems of power systems and achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals. However, ESSs are not being installed because of Korea’s fuel-based electricity market. To address this issue, this paper presents a method for determining the optimal investment timing of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) using the Least Squares Monte Carlo (LSMC) method. A case study is conducted considering the System Marginal Price (SMP) and Capacity Payment (CP), which are electricity rates in Korea. Revenue is calculated through the arbitrage of a 10 MW/40 MWh lithium-ion BESS, and linear programming optimization is performed for ESS scheduling to maximize revenue. The ESS revenue with uncertainty is modeled as a stochastic process using Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM), and the optimal time to invest in an ESS is determined using an LSMC simulation considering investment costs. The proposed method can be used as a decision-making tool for ESS investors to provide information on facility investments in arbitrage situations.
Compensation of Budeanu’s Reactive and Complemented Reactive Currents in Extended Budeanu Theory in 3-Phase 4-Wire Systems Powered by Symmetrical Nonsinusoidal Voltage Source
Authors: Sołjan Zbigniew , Popławski Tomasz , Kurkowski Marek , Zajkowski Maciej
Published: April 2024

The result of continuous efforts in the development of power theory, Budeanu’s power theory was successfully extended. The mathematical description that has been proposed is based on another concept, namely the Currents’ Physical Components (CPC) theory. With CPC theory, it was possible to describe, in the original Budeanu theory, the components of the load current, including the Budeanu distortion current. The Budeanu distortion current can have a maximum of five components associated with different physical phenomena and related to the equivalent parameters of the load. This article discusses passive compensation, which provides compensation for the Budeanu reactive current and the Budeanu complemented reactive current due to the known equivalent load parameters associated with the reactance elements. In addition, the article refers to a very important aspect when determining the parameters of a passive compensator, i.e., choosing parameters in such a way that the compensator simultaneously compensates for the reactive current and the unbalanced current. The article presents five methods relating to the determination of compensator parameters. Two methods are related to the reactive current compensation only for the first harmonic without affecting the unbalanced current. The next three methods relate to the compensation of the Budeanu reactive current and the consideration of the unbalanced current. Calculations and simulations were performed for all five methods, the results of which are presented and analyzed in this publication. The Matlab/Simulink R2023a environment was used as the calculation and simulation software.
Analysis of Deterioration Characteristics of Service-Aged XLPE Cables According to Installation Location of Combined Heat and Power Plant
Authors: Kim Ho-Seung , Jung Jiho , Lee Bang-Wook
Published: April 2024

The number of XLPE cables being used near or beyond their design life is increasing. The importance of timely cable replacement is necessary. Therefore, research is actively being conducted using VLF Tan δ diagnostic technology to assess the insulation condition of cables. Present studies lack in measuring and analyzing the VLF Tan δ of service-aged XLPE cables. Additionally, there is a research gap considering the operating environment. Therefore, it is needed to diagnose and analyze the insulation condition of the same service-aged cable when it is operated in a different environment. This paper assesses and analyzes the insulation condition of cables installed in the BFP, cooling tower, and deaerator booster pump of a combined heat and power plant. Each cable was evaluated by measuring the VLF Tan δ, the dielectric breakdown test of the cable, and the tensile strength, elongation at break, crystallinity, and dielectric strength of the XLPE specimens. Additionally, the correlation between the VLF Tan δ and other characteristics was also analyzed. It was found that degradation progressed in the order of the BFP, the cooling tower, and the deaerator booster pump. Therefore, it was confirmed that even for the same cable, deterioration varies depending on the installation location.
Thermal Stress in Full-Size Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stacks by Multi-Physics Modeling
Authors: Zhang Xueping , Wu Mingtao , Xiao Liusheng , Wang Hao , Liu Yingqi , Ou Dingrong , Yuan Jinliang
Published: April 2024

Mechanical failures in the operating stacks of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are frequently related to thermal stresses generated by a temperature gradient and its variation. In this study, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed and further applied in full-size SOFC stacks, which are fully coupled and implemented for analysis of heat flow electrochemical phenomena, aiming to predict thermal stress distribution. The primary object of the present investigation is to explore features and characteristics of the thermal stress influenced by electrochemical reactions and various transport processes within the stacks. It is revealed that the volume ratio of the higher thermal stress region differs nearly 30% for different stack flow configurations; the highest probability of potential failure appears in the cell cathodes; the more cells applied in the stack, the greater the difference in the predicted temperature/thermal stress between the cells; the counter-flow stack performs the best in terms of output power, but the predicted thermal stress is also higher; the cross-flow stack exhibits the lowest thermal stress and a lower output power; and although the temperature and thermal stress distributions are similar, the differences between the unit cells are bigger in the longer stacks than those predicted for shorter stacks. The findings from this study may provide a useful guide for assessing the thermal behavior and impact on SOFC performance.
The Impact of System Sizing and Water Temperature on the Thermal Characteristics of Floating Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Dörenkämper Maarten , Villa Simona , Kroon Jan , de Jong Minne M.
Published: April 2024

Accurately calculating the annual yield of floating PV (FPV) systems necessitates incorporating appropriate FPV-specific heat loss coefficients into the calculation, including both wind-dependent and wind-independent factors. The thermal behavior of several FPV systems has been investigated within this study, through the analysis of heat loss coefficients across various system sizes and configurations. Over a one-year period, data were collected from two measurement sites with three distinct systems: two ~50 kWp demonstrator-scale setups of Solarisfloat (azimuthal tracking) and Solar Float (East-West orientation) and a 2 MWp commercial-scale East–West system by Groenleven. The Solarisfloat demonstrator revealed a wind-dependent heat loss coefficient of 3.2 W/m3Ks. In comparison, the Solar Float demonstrator system displayed elevated wind-dependent heat loss coefficients, measuring 4.0 W/m3Ks for the east-facing module and 5.1 W/m3Ks for the west-facing module. The Groenleven system, which shares design similarities with Solar Float, showed lower wind-dependent heat loss coefficients of 2.7 W/m3Ks for the east-facing module and 2.8 W/m3Ks for the west-facing module. A notable discrepancy in the wind-dependent coefficients, particularly evident under a north wind direction, indicates a more efficient convective cooling effect by the wind on the demonstrator scale system of Solar Float. This could possibly be attributed to improved wind flow beneath its PV modules, setting it apart from the Groenleven system. Additionally, a thermal model founded on a ‘balance-of-energy’ methodology, integrating water temperature as a variable was introduced. The heat loss coefficient, dependent on the surface water temperature, fluctuated around zero, depending on whether the water temperature surpassed or fell below the ambient air temperature. It can be concluded that it is not of added value to introduce this floating specific heat loss coefficient parameter, as this parameter can be integrated in the wind speed independent Uc parameter.
Research on the Measurement Method of the Prompt Neutron Decay Constant Based on LHS-DMD-Rossi-Alpha
Authors: Li Junguang , Xie Jinsen , Deng Nianbiao , Zhang Erpin , Wu Zhiqiang , Tong Ji , Yu Tao
Published: April 2024

In response to the significant dependency on empirical judgment in measuring the prompt neutron decay constant with the traditional Rossi-alpha method and the issue of requiring an excessive number of detectors with the DMD-Rossi-alpha method, this paper introduces a calculation method for the prompt neutron decay constant based on a combination of Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS), Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD), and the Rossi-alpha method. Initially, the method uses LHS to expand the sample dataset of neutron noise data to reduce the number of detectors required. It then employs the Rossi-alpha method to construct a Rossi-alpha distribution model from neutron noise data. Finally, it utilizes DMD for feature extraction from the Rossi-alpha distribution model, thereby determining the prompt neutron decay constant. Research findings demonstrate that, by simulating the KUCA facility using RMC3.5 in a near-critical state, the relative error of the α value calculated by the LHS-DMD-Rossi-alpha method model is 9% less than that calculated by the Rossi-alpha method. This approach, capable of enhancing the precision of measuring the prompt neutron decay constant with just a single detector, holds significant theoretical value and engineering significance for the advancement of reactor physics and experimental techniques.
Dynamic Decoupling Method Based on Motor Dynamic Compensation with Application for Precision Mechatronic Systems
Authors: Liu Kaixin , Liu Yang , Song Fazhi , Tan Jiubin
Published: April 2024

Motors are widely employed in mechatronic systems, especially in precision multiple degrees of freedom motion systems. In most applications, the dynamic equation between the motor instruction and the actual driving force is simplified as a constant. Subsequently, the static decoupling method can be utilized to design the feedback controller. However, in high-precision mechatronic systems, motor dynamics cannot be neglected, and the static decoupling performance is compromised due to discrepancies between motors. In this paper, a dynamic decoupling method is developed to improve the decoupling performance of the multiple-input multiple-output systems. The effects of transmission delays, motor dynamics, and discrepancies between different motors are taken into consideration in the dynamic decoupling method. Furthermore, a data-driven optimization method is developed to estimate the parameters of the dynamic decoupling controller. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are demonstrated through numerical simulations. The experimental results show that the dynamic decoupling control method can achieve a 97.75% performance improvement at least compared to the static decoupling control method.
Child Soldiers/Child Slaves: Africa’s Weaponised Unfree Children in Blood Diamond (2006) and Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Authors: Van der Rede Lauren
Published: April 2024

The figure of the child is one that, at least in the Westernised imagination, is entangled with notions of innocence, naivety, and freedom. But what of the child who is unfree, who has been stripped of innocence, and for whom naivety is a danger? One expression of this iteration of the figure of the child is the child soldier, which has been a centralising figure in various narratives set during and concerned with African experiences of warfare. This paper is concerned with the figure of the child soldier as it is staged in both Edward Zwick’s Blood Diamond (2006) and Cary Joji Fukunaga’s filmic adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala’s novel, Beasts of No Nation (2015). In turning to Ashis Nandy’s articulation of the tension held within “the child” as being both emblematic of a fantasy of childhood produced by adult nostalgia—hopeful, joyous and free—and always potentially dangerous, this paper pivots the notions of soldiering and slaving on and around the child as a figure. In doing so, the paper asks what it might mean to think of the condition of being a child soldier as being akin to that of being a child slave, weaponised for political and economic ends.
The Deep Proteomics Approach Identified Extracellular Vesicular Proteins Correlated to Extracellular Matrix in Type One and Two Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Capaci Valeria , Kharrat Feras , Conti Andrea , Salviati Emanuela , Basilicata Manuela Giovanna , Campiglia Pietro , Balasan Nour , Licastro Danilo , Caponnetto Federica , Beltrami Antonio Paolo , Monasta Lorenzo , Romano Federico , Di Lorenzo Giovanni , Ricci Giuseppe , Ura Blendi
Published: April 2024

Among gynecological cancers, endometrial cancer is the most common in developed countries. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived membrane-surrounded vesicles that contain proteins involved in immune response and apoptosis. A deep proteomic approach can help to identify dysregulated extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in EVs correlated to key pathways for tumor development. In this study, we used a proteomics approach correlating the two acquisitions—data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and data-independent acquisition (DIA)—on EVs from the conditioned medium of four cell lines identifying 428 ECM proteins. After protein quantification and statistical analysis, we found significant changes in the abundance (p < 0.05) of 67 proteins. Our bioinformatic analysis identified 26 pathways associated with the ECM. Western blotting analysis on 13 patients with type 1 and type 2 EC and 13 endometrial samples confirmed an altered abundance of MMP2. Our proteomics analysis identified the dysregulated ECM proteins involved in cancer growth. Our data can open the path to other studies for understanding the interaction among cancer cells and the rearrangement of the ECM.
Transcranial Magneto-Acoustic Stimulation Protects Synaptic Rehabilitation from Amyloid-Beta Plaques via Regulation of Microglial Functions
Authors: Zhang Chunlan , Tan Ruxin , Zhou Xiaoqing , Wang Ruru , Wang Xin , Ma Ren , Chu Fangxuan , Li Ying , Yin Tao , Liu Zhipeng
Published: April 2024

Transcranial magneto-acoustic stimulation (TMAS), which is characterized by high spatiotemporal resolution and high penetrability, is a non-invasive neuromodulation technology based on the magnetic–acoustic coupling effect. To reveal the effects of TMAS treatment on amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaque and synaptic plasticity in Alzheimer’s disease, we conducted a comparative analysis of TMAS and transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) based on acoustic effects in 5xFAD mice and BV2 microglia cells. We found that the TMAS-TUS treatment effectively reduced amyloid plaque loads and plaque-associated neurotoxicity. Additionally, TMAS-TUS treatment ameliorated impairments in long-term memory formation and long-term potentiation. Moreover, TMAS-TUS treatment stimulated microglial proliferation and migration while enhancing the phagocytosis and clearance of Aβ. In 5xFAD mice with induced microglial exhaustion, TMAS-TUS treatment-mediated Aβ plaque reduction, synaptic rehabilitation improvement, and the increase in phospho-AKT levels were diminished. Overall, our study highlights that stimulation of hippocampal microglia by TMAS treatment can induce anti-cognitive impairment effects via PI3K-AKT signaling, providing hope for the development of new strategies for an adjuvant therapy for Alzheimer’s disease.
The Importance and Essentiality of Natural and Synthetic Chelators in Medicine: Increased Prospects for the Effective Treatment of Iron Overload and Iron Deficiency
Authors: Kontoghiorghes George J.
Published: April 2024

The supply and control of iron is essential for all cells and vital for many physiological processes. All functions and activities of iron are expressed in conjunction with iron-binding molecules. For example, natural chelators such as transferrin and chelator–iron complexes such as haem play major roles in iron metabolism and human physiology. Similarly, the mainstay treatments of the most common diseases of iron metabolism, namely iron deficiency anaemia and iron overload, involve many iron–chelator complexes and the iron-chelating drugs deferiprone (L1), deferoxamine (DF) and deferasirox. Endogenous chelators such as citric acid and glutathione and exogenous chelators such as ascorbic acid also play important roles in iron metabolism and iron homeostasis. Recent advances in the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia with effective iron complexes such as the ferric iron tri-maltol complex (feraccru or accrufer) and the effective treatment of transfusional iron overload using L1 and L1/DF combinations have decreased associated mortality and morbidity and also improved the quality of life of millions of patients. Many other chelating drugs such as ciclopirox, dexrazoxane and EDTA are used daily by millions of patients in other diseases. Similarly, many other drugs or their metabolites with iron-chelation capacity such as hydroxyurea, tetracyclines, anthracyclines and aspirin, as well as dietary molecules such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, ellagic acid, maltol and many other phytochelators, are known to interact with iron and affect iron metabolism and related diseases. Different interactions are also observed in the presence of essential, xenobiotic, diagnostic and theranostic metal ions competing with iron. Clinical trials using L1 in Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, as well as HIV and other infections, cancer, diabetic nephropathy and anaemia of inflammation, highlight the importance of chelation therapy in many other clinical conditions. The proposed use of iron chelators for modulating ferroptosis signifies a new era in the design of new therapeutic chelation strategies in many other diseases. The introduction of artificial intelligence guidance for optimal chelation therapeutic outcomes in personalised medicine is expected to increase further the impact of chelation in medicine, as well as the survival and quality of life of millions of patients with iron metabolic disorders and also other diseases.
Molecular Dynamics Insights into the Aggregation Behavior of N-Terminal β-Lactoglobulin Peptides
Authors: Pusara Srdjan
Published: April 2024

β-lactoglobulin (BLG) forms amyloid-like aggregates at high temperatures, low pH, and low ionic strengths. At a pH below 2, BLG undergoes hydrolysis into peptides, with N-terminal peptides 1–33 and 1–52 being prone to fibrillization, forming amyloid-like fibrils. Due to their good mechanical properties, BLG amyloids demonstrate great potential for diverse applications, including biosensors, nanocomposites, and catalysts. Consequently, further studies are essential to comprehensively understand the factors governing the formation of BLG amyloid-like morphologies. In this study, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations were employed to explore the aggregation of N-terminal 1–33 and 1–52 BLG peptides under conditions of pH 2 and at 10 mM NaCl concentration. The simulations revealed that the peptides spontaneously assembled into aggregates of varying sizes. The aggregation process was enabled by the low charge of peptides and the presence of hydrophobic residues within them. As the peptides associated into aggregates, there was a concurrent increase in β-sheet structures and the establishment of hydrogen bonds, enhancing the stability of the aggregates. Notably, on average, 1–33 peptides formed larger aggregates compared to their 1–52 counterparts, while the latter exhibited a slightly higher content of β-sheets and higher cluster orderliness. The applied approach facilitated insights into the early stages of amyloid-like aggregation and molecular-level insight into the formation of β-sheets, which serve as nucleation points for further fibril growth.
A Critical Analysis of Deep Semi-Supervised Learning Approaches for Enhanced Medical Image Classification
Authors: Shakya Kaushlesh Singh , Alavi Azadeh , Porteous Julie , K Priti , Laddi Amit , Jaiswal Manojkumar
Published: April 2024

Deep semi-supervised learning (DSSL) is a machine learning paradigm that blends supervised and unsupervised learning techniques to improve the performance of various models in computer vision tasks. Medical image classification plays a crucial role in disease diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care. However, obtaining labeled medical image data is often expensive and time-consuming for medical practitioners, leading to limited labeled datasets. DSSL techniques aim to address this challenge, particularly in various medical image tasks, to improve model generalization and performance. DSSL models leverage both the labeled information, which provides explicit supervision, and the unlabeled data, which can provide additional information about the underlying data distribution. That offers a practical solution to resource-intensive demands of data annotation, and enhances the model’s ability to generalize across diverse and previously unseen data landscapes. The present study provides a critical review of various DSSL approaches and their effectiveness and challenges in enhancing medical image classification tasks. The study categorized DSSL techniques into six classes: consistency regularization method, deep adversarial method, pseudo-learning method, graph-based method, multi-label method, and hybrid method. Further, a comparative analysis of performance for six considered methods is conducted using existing studies. The referenced studies have employed metrics such as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, AUC-ROC, and F1 score to evaluate the performance of DSSL methods on different medical image datasets. Additionally, challenges of the datasets, such as heterogeneity, limited labeled data, and model interpretability, were discussed and highlighted in the context of DSSL for medical image classification. The current review provides future directions and considerations to researchers to further address the challenges and take full advantage of these methods in clinical practices.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Cardiac Rehabilitation Using the Balance Exercise Assist Robot in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Hirashiki Akihiro , Shimizu Atsuya , Kamihara Takahiro , Kokubo Manabu , Hashimoto Kakeru , Ueda Ikue , Sato Kenji , Kawamura Koki , Itoh Naoki , Murohara Toyoaki , Kagaya Hitoshi , Kondo Izumi
Published: April 2024

Background: Recent studies have investigated the effects of exercise on the functional capacity of older adults; training with a balance exercise assist robot (BEAR) effectively improves posture. This study compared the clinical safety and efficacy of training using BEAR video games to conventional resistance training in older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: Ninety patients (mean age: 78 years) hospitalized due to worsening CVD were randomized to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) Group R (conventional resistance training) or Group B (training using BEAR). After appropriate therapy, patients underwent laboratory testing and functional evaluation using the timed up-and-go test (TUG), short physical performance battery (SPPB), and functional independence measure (FIM) just before discharge and 4 months after CR. The rates of CVD readmission, cardiac death, and fall-related fractures were monitored. Results: BEAR had no adverse effects during exercise. At 4 months, TUG and SPPB improved significantly in both groups, with no significant difference between them. FIM motor and the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index were significantly improved in Group B versus Group R. There was no significant difference in cardiac events and fall-related fractures between the two groups. Conclusion: CR with BEAR is safe and comparable to conventional resistance training for improving balance in older adults with CVD.
Hot-Dip Galvanizing Process and the Influence of Metallic Elements on Composite Coatings
Authors: Liu Qi , Cao Yuqing , Chen Shuai , Xu Xinye , Yao Mutian , Fang Jie , Lei Kuan , Liu Guiqun
Published: April 2024

The corrosion of steel materials has become a global issue, causing significant socio-economic losses and safety concerns. Hot-dip galvanizing is currently one of the most widely used steel anti-corrosion processes. With the rapid advancement of science and technology and emerging industries, the performance of pure galvanized products struggles to meet the demands of practical applications in various environments. Consequently, researchers have begun introducing various metals into the zinc solution to form high-performance alloy coatings. This article primarily explains the process flow of hot-dip galvanizing and the impact of metal elements such as Al, Mg, Sn, and Bi on the coating, as well as outlining the major issues currently faced by the hot-dip galvanizing process. The objective is to offer a more comprehensive introduction to those new to the field of hot-dip galvanizing and to provide theoretical insights for addressing production issues.
Shearlet Transform Applied to a Prostate Cancer Radiomics Analysis on MR Images
Authors: Corso Rosario , Stefano Alessandro , Salvaggio Giuseppe , Comelli Albert
Published: April 2024

For decades, wavelet theory has attracted interest in several fields in dealing with signals. Nowadays, it is acknowledged that it is not very suitable to face aspects of multidimensional data like singularities and this has led to the development of other mathematical tools. A recent application of wavelet theory is in radiomics, an emerging field aiming to improve diagnostic, prognostic and predictive analysis of various cancer types through the analysis of features extracted from medical images. In this paper, for a radiomics study of prostate cancer with magnetic resonance (MR) images, we apply a similar but more sophisticated tool, namely the shearlet transform which, in contrast to the wavelet transform, allows us to examine variations along more orientations. In particular, we conduct a parallel radiomics analysis based on the two different transformations and highlight a better performance (evaluated in terms of statistical measures) in the use of the shearlet transform (in absolute value). The results achieved suggest taking the shearlet transform into consideration for radiomics studies in other contexts.
Predictive Factors of Therapy-Related Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Lymphoma Receiving Anthracyclines
Authors: Lopez-Garcia Alberto , Macia Ester , Gomez-Talavera Sandra , Castillo Eva , Morillo Daniel , Tuñon Jose , Ibañez Borja , Cordoba Raul
Published: April 2024

Background: Cancer-therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is a growing concern for public health, with a growing incidence due to improved survival rates of patients with hematological malignancies due to diagnostic and therapeutic advances. The identification of patients at risk for CTRCD is vital to developing preventive strategies. Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted between 1 January 2017 and 15 February 2023. Medical records of patients with lymphoma treated with first-line anthracyclines were reviewed. Demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors, biomarkers of myocardial damage, and echocardiographic information were collected. Results: A total of 200 patients were included. The incidence of CTRCD was 17.4% (35/200). Patients with CTRCD were older than those without CTRCD, with a mean age of 65.17 years vs. 56.77 (p = 0.008). Dyslipidemia (DL) (31.4% vs. 13.4% p = 0.017) and previous cardiovascular disease (40% vs. 13.3%; p < 0.001) were more frequent in the group who developed an event. Mean baseline NT-proBNP levels in the subgroup with cardiovascular events were 388.73 kg/L ± 101.02, and they were 251.518 kg/L ± 26.22 in those who did not (p = 0.004). Differences in Troponin I levels were identified during and after treatment without exceeding the laboratory’s upper reference limit. Patients were followed for a median of 51.83 months (0.76–73.49). The presence of a CTCRD event had a negative impact on overall mortality from any cause (HR = 2.23 (95% CI: 1.08–2.93); p = 0.031). Conclusions: Early identification of risk factors is crucial to manage patients at risk for CTRCD.
Salivary Tryptophan as a Metabolic Marker of HER2-Negative Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer
Authors: Sarf Elena A. , Dyachenko Elena I. , Bel’skaya Lyudmila V.
Published: April 2024

Changes in the concentration of tryptophan (Trp) indicate a serious metabolic restructuring, which is both a cause and a consequence of many diseases. This work examines the upward change in salivary Trp concentrations among patients with breast cancer. This study involved volunteers divided into three groups: breast cancer (n = 104), non-malignant breast pathologies (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 20). In all participants, before treatment, the quantitative content of Trp in saliva was determined by capillary electrophoresis. In 20 patients with breast cancer, Trp was re-tested four weeks after surgical removal of the tumor. An increase in the Trp content in saliva in breast cancer has been shown, which statistically significantly decreases after surgical removal of the tumor. A direct correlation was found between increased Trp levels with the degree of malignancy and aggressive molecular subtypes of breast cancer, namely triple negative and luminal B-like HER2-negative. These conclusions were based on an increase in Ki-67 and an increase in Trp in HER2-negative and progesterone-negative subtypes. Factors under which an increase in Trp concentration in saliva was observed were identified: advanced stage of breast cancer, the presence of regional metastasis, low tumor differentiation, a lack of expression of HER2, estrogen and progesterone receptors and the high proliferative activity of the tumor. Thus, the determination of salivary Trp may be a valuable tool in the study of metabolic changes associated with cancer, particularly breast cancer.
Increased Depressive-like, Anxiety-like, and Perseverative-like Behavior in Binge Eating Model in Juvenile Rats
Authors: Genis-Mendoza Alma Delia , Juárez-Rojop Isela Esther , Escobar-Chan Yudy Merady , Tovilla-Zárate Carlos Alfonso , López-Narváez María Lilia , Nicolini Humberto , González-Castro Thelma Beatriz
Published: April 2024

The aim of the present study was to evaluate depressive-like, anxiety-like, and perseverative-like behaviors in a binge eating model. Juvenile Wistar rats, using the binge eating model, were compared to caloric restriction, induced stress, and control groups. Rats of the induced stress group presented binge-like behaviors in standard food intake in the second cycle of the experiment when compared to the caloric restriction group and the binge eating model group. Depressive-like behavior was observed in the binge eating model group with longer immobility time (p < 0.001) and less swim time (p < 0.001) in comparison to the control group. Anxiety-like behavior was observed by shorter duration of burying latency in the binge eating model group when compared to the induced stress group (p = 0.04) and a longer duration of burying time when compared to the control group (p = 0.02). We observed perseverative-like behavior by the binge model group, who made more entries to the new arm (p = 0.0004) and spent a longer time in the new arm when compared to the control group (p = 0.0001). Our results show differences in behaviors between the groups of rats studied. These results suggest that calorie restriction–refeeding, along with stress, may lead to depressive-like, anxiety-like, and perseverative-like behavioral changes in male Wistar rats.
Plant-Based Diets versus the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Their Socio-Demographic Determinants in the Spanish Population: Influence on Health and Lifestyle Habits
Authors: Sandri Elena , Sguanci Marco , Cantín Larumbe Eva , Cerdá Olmedo Germán , Werner Lisa Ursula , Piredda Michela , Mancin Stefano
Published: April 2024

Background: Plant-based diets are becoming more and more widespread among the Spanish population, progressively replacing the Mediterranean dietary pattern. Different studies have shown the motivations for adherence to these diets, and others have highlighted some health advantages and disadvantages. Purpose of the study: Further studies are needed to define the socio-demographic determinants that influence the choice of a plant-based diet and to study the relationship that the choice of dietary pattern has on the health and lifestyle habits of the population. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on the Spanish population. The NutSo-HH questionnaire, developed and validated by the research team, was used to gather socio-demographic, nutritional, social, and lifestyle information through non-probabilistic snowball sampling. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 22,181 Spanish citizens, of whom only 19,211 were of interest to the study. The socio-demographic variables gender, age, educational level, income level, and place of residence do not seem to influence the prevalence of a plant-based diet (n = 1638) compared to a Mediterranean diet (n = 17,573). People following a vegetarian or vegan diet have a lower BMI, and they consume less fried food, fast food, and ultra-processed dishes and fewer energy drinks or sugary beverages. They also do more exercise and sleep longer hours, smoke less, and consume alcohol less frequently. However, there seem to be more diagnosed eating disorders among people who follow a plant-based diet than those who follow a Mediterranean diet. Conclusions: People who adopt a plant-based diet tend to exhibit healthier lifestyle patterns and consume fewer foods that are detrimental to their health. However, it is essential for such dietary choices to be supervised by healthcare professionals to mitigate the risk of maladaptive behaviors evolving into eating disorders.
Identification of Novel Peptides in Distillers’ Grains as Antioxidants, α-Glucosidase Inhibitors, and Insulin Sensitizers: In Silico and In Vitro Evaluation
Authors: Ding Lixin , Zheng Xiuqing , Zhao Lei , Cai Shengbao
Published: April 2024

Distillers’ grains are rich in protein and constitute a high-quality source of various bioactive peptides. The purpose of this study is to identify novel bioactive peptides with α-glucosidase inhibitory, antioxidant, and insulin resistance-ameliorating effects from distiller’s grains protein hydrolysate. Three novel peptides (YPLPR, AFEPLR, and NDPF) showed good potential bioactivities, and the YPLPR peptide had the strongest bioactivities, whose IC50 values towards α-glucosidase inhibition, radical scavenging rates of 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were about 5.31 mmol/L, 6.05 mmol/L, and 7.94 mmol/L, respectively. The glucose consumption of HepG2 cells treated with YPLPR increased significantly under insulin resistance condition. Moreover, the YPLPR peptide also had a good scavenging effect on intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by H2O2 (the relative contents: 102.35% vs. 100%). Molecular docking results showed that these peptides could stably combine with α-glucosidase, ABTS, and DPPH free radicals, as well as related targets of the insulin signaling pathway through hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces. This research presents a potentially valuable natural resource for reducing oxidative stress damage and regulating blood glucose in diabetes, thereby increasing the usage of distillers’ grains peptides and boosting their economic worth.
Impact of Modifications from Potassium Hydroxide on Porous Semi-IPN Hydrogel Properties and Its Application in Cultivation
Authors: Tuan Huynh Nguyen Anh , Phan Bui Thi Cam , Giang Ha Ngoc , Nguyen Giang Tien , Le Thi Duy Hanh , Phuong Ho
Published: April 2024

This study synthesized and modified a semi-interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel from polyacrylamide, N,N′-dimethylacrylamide, and maleic acid in a potassium hydroxide solution. The chemical composition, interior morphology, thermal properties, mechanical characteristics, and swelling behaviors of the initial hydrogel (SH) and modified hydrogel (SB) in water, salt solutions, and buffer solutions were investigated. Hydrogels were used as phosphate fertilizer (PF) carriers and applied in farming techniques by evaluating their impact on soil properties and the growth of mustard greens. Fourier-transform infrared spectra confirmed the chemical composition of SH, SB, and PF-adsorbed hydrogels. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that modification increased the largest pore size from 817 to 1513 µm for SH and SB hydrogels, respectively. After modification, the hydrogels had positive changes in the swelling ratio, swelling kinetics, thermal properties, mechanical and rheological properties, PF absorption, and PF release. The modification also increased the maximum amount of PF loaded into the hydrogel from 710.8 mg/g to 770.9 mg/g, while the maximum % release of PF slightly increased from 84.42% to 85.80%. In addition, to evaluate the PF release mechanism and the factors that influence this process, four kinetic models were applied to confirm the best-fit model, which included zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer–Peppas. In addition, after six cycles of absorption and release in the soil, the hydrogels retained their original shapes, causing no alkalinization or acidification. At the same time, the moisture content was higher as SB was used. Finally, modifying the hydrogel increased the mustard greens’ lifespan from 20 to 32 days. These results showed the potential applications of modified semi–IPN hydrogel materials in cultivation.
Development of Microparticle Implanted PVDF-HF Polymer Coating on Building Material for Daytime Radiative Cooling
Authors: Saeed Usman , Altamimi Mohamed Mahfoodh Saleh , Al-Turaif Hamad
Published: April 2024

A passive cooling method with great potential to lower space-cooling costs, counteract the urban heat island effect, and slow down worldwide warming is radiant cooling. The solutions available frequently require complex layered structures, costly products, or a reflective layer of metal to accomplish daytime radiative cooling, which restricts their applications in many avenues. Furthermore, single-layer paints have been used in attempts to accomplish passive daytime radiative cooling, but these usually require a compact coating or only exhibit limited cooling in daytime. In our study, we investigated and evaluated in daytime the surrounding cooling outcome with aid of one layer coating composed of BaSO4/TiO2 microparticles in various concentrations implanted in the PVDF-HF polymers on a concrete substrate. The 30% BaSO4/TiO2 microparticle in the PVDF-HF coating shows less solar absorbance and excessive emissivity. The value of solar reflectance is improved by employing micro-pores in the structure of PVDF polymers without noticeable effect on thermal emissivity. The 30% BaSO4/TiO2/PVDF coating is accountable for the hydrophobicity and proportionate solar reflection in the UV band, resulting in efficient solar reflectivity of about 95.0%, with emissivity of 95.1% and hydrophobicity exhibiting a 117.1° water contact angle. Also, the developed coating could cool to about 5.1 °C and 3.9 °C below the surrounding temperature beneath the average solar irradiance of 900 W/m−2. Finally, the results demonstrate that the 30% BaSO4/TiO2/PVDF-HF microparticle coating illustrates a typical figure of merit of 0.60 and is also capable of delivering outstanding dependability and harmony with the manufacturing process.
Fluctuations in Refracted Star Signals Caused by the Stratospheric Internal Gravity Waves
Authors: Wu Shaochong , Wang Hongyuan , Zheng Xunjiang , Yan Zhiqiang
Published: April 2024

The application of starlight refraction navigation to spacecraft and space weapons is a significant development. However, the irregular stratospheric atmosphere can cause fluctuations in relative light intensity and refraction angles of refracted stars, which need to be analyzed to provide guidance for system design and simulation verification. The internal gravity wave (IGW) is an important component of the irregular atmosphere. Based on the Rytov approximation, closed-form approximations were obtained, which can more intuitively reveal the relationship between the IGW parameters and the star signals’ statistical characteristics. From the GOMOS observations, the influence of the stratosphere from 25 km to 35 km on the fluctuations in relative intensity and refraction angles was analyzed in this study. As the height increased, the fluctuations in starlight signals gradually weakened. Compared with the numerical solution, the error of the closed-form approximations for relative intensity fluctuations was no more than 10%, and the error for refraction angle fluctuations was 1.0%. Compared with the measured data, the error of the closed-form approximations for relative intensity was 6.3%. The proposed approximations better reflect the relationship between IGW parameters and star signal fluctuations compared to the existing approximation. The research in this article can provide a reference for application assessment based on starlight refraction navigation.
A Multi-Satellite SBAS for Retrieving Long-Term Ground Displacement Time Series
Authors: Amr Doha , Ding Xiao-Li , Fekry Reda
Published: April 2024

Ground deformation is one of the crucial issues threatening many cities in both societal and economic aspects. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been widely used for deformation monitoring. Recently, there has been an increasing availability of massive archives of SAR images from various satellites or sensors. This paper introduces Multi-Satellite SBAS that exploits complementary information from different SAR data to generate integrated long-term ground displacement time series. The proposed method is employed to create the vertical displacement maps of Almokattam City in Egypt from 2000 to 2020. The experimental results are promising using ERS, ENVISAT ASAR, and Sentinel-1A displacement integration. There is a remarkable deformation in the vertical direction along the west area while the mean deformation velocity is −2.32 mm/year. Cross-validation confirms that the root mean square error (RMSE) did not exceed 2.8 mm/year. In addition, the research findings are comparable to those of the previous research in the study area. Consequently, the proposed integration method has great potential to generate displacement time series based on multi-satellite SAR data; however, it still requires further evaluation using field measurements.
A Robust Interacting Multi-Model Multi-Bernoulli Mixture Filter for Maneuvering Multitarget Tracking under Glint Noise
Authors: Yu Benru , Gu Hong , Su Weimin
Published: April 2024

In practical radar systems, changes in the target aspect toward the radar will result in glint noise disturbances in the measurement data. The glint noise has heavy-tailed characteristics and cannot be perfectly modeled by the Gaussian distribution widely used in conventional tracking algorithms. In this article, we investigate the challenging problem of tracking a time-varying number of maneuvering targets in the context of glint noise with unknown statistics. By assuming a set of models for the possible motion modes of each single-target hypothesis and leveraging the multivariate Laplace distribution to model measurement noise, we propose a robust interacting multi-model multi-Bernoulli mixture filter based on the variational Bayesian method. Within this filter, the unknown noise statistics are adaptively learned while filtering and the predictive likelihood is approximately calculated by means of the variational lower bound. The effectiveness and superiority of our proposed filter is verified via computer simulations.
Development and Application of an IoT-Based System for Soil Water Status Monitoring in a Soil Profile
Authors: Comegna Alessandro , Hassan Shawcat Basel Mostafa , Coppola Antonio
Published: April 2024

Soil water content (θ), matric potential (h) and hydraulic conductivity (K) are key parameters for hydrological and environmental processes. Several sensors have been developed for measuring soil θ–h–K relationships. The cost of such commercially available sensors may vary over several orders of magnitude. In recent years, some sensors have been designed in the framework of Internet of Things (i.e., IoT) systems to make remote real-time soil data acquisition more straightforward, enabling low-cost field-scale monitoring at high spatio-temporal scales. In this paper, we introduce a new multi-parameter sensor designed for the simultaneous estimation of θ and h at different soil depths and, due to the sensor’s specific layout, the soil hydraulic conductivity function via the instantaneous profile method (IPM). Our findings indicate that a second-order polynomial function is the most suitable model (R2 = 0.99) for capturing the behavior of the capacitive-based sensor in estimating θ in the examined soil, which has a silty-loam texture. The effectiveness of low-cost capacitive sensors, coupled with the IPM method, was confirmed as a viable alternative to time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes. Notably, the layout of the sensor makes the IPM method less labor-intensive to implement. The proposed monitoring system consistently demonstrated robust performance throughout extended periods of data acquisition and is highly suitable for ongoing monitoring of soil water status.