bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microglia induce neurogenic protein expression in primary cortical cells by stimulating PI3K/AKT intracellular signaling in vitro
Authors: Lorenzen Kristi , Mathy Nicholas W. , Whiteford Erin R. , Eischeid Alex , Chen Jing , Behrens Matthew , Chen Xian-Ming , Shibata Annemarie
Published: January 2021

Emerging evidence suggests that microglia can support neurogenesis. Little is known about the mechanisms by which microglia regulate the cortical environment and stimulate cortical neurogenesis. We used an in vitro co-culture model system to investigate the hypothesis that microglia respond to soluble signals from cortical cells, particularly following mechanical injury, to alter the cortical environment and promote cortical cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Analyses of cortical cell proliferation, cell death, neurogenic protein expression, and intracellular signaling were performed on uninjured and injured cortical cells in co-culture with microglial cell lines. Microglia soluble cues enhanced cortical cell viability and proliferation cortical cells. Co-culture of injured cortical cells with microglia significantly reduced cell death of cortical cells. Microglial co-culture significantly increased Nestin + and α-internexin + cortical cells. Multiplex ELISA and RT-PCR showed decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine production by microglia co-cultured with injured cortical cells. Inhibition of AKT phosphorylation in cortical cells blocked microglial-enhanced cortical cell viability and expression of neurogenic markers in vitro. This in vitro model system allows for assessment of the effect of microglial-derived soluble signals on cortical cell viability, proliferation, and stages of differentiation during homeostasis or following mechanical injury. These data suggest that microglia cells can downregulate inflammatory cytokine production following activation by mechanical injury to enhance proliferation of new cells capable of neurogenesis via activation of AKT intracellular signaling. Increasing our understanding of the mechanisms that drive microglial-enhanced cortical neurogenesis during homeostasis and following injury in vitro will provide useful information for future primary cell and in vivo studies.
GIS-based identification and visualization of multimodal freight transportation catchment areas
Authors: Asborno Magdalena I. , Hernandez Sarah , Yves Manzi
Published: January 2021

To estimate impacts, support cost–benefit analyses, and enable project prioritization, it is necessary to identify the area of influence of a transportation infrastructure project. For freight related projects, like ports, state-of-the-practice methods to estimate such areas ignore complex interactions among multimodal supply chains and can be improved by examining the multimodal trips made to and from the facility. While travel demand models estimate multimodal trips, they may not contain robust depictions of water and rail, and do not provide direct observation. Project-specific data including local traffic counts and surveys can be expensive and subjective. This work develops a systematic, objective methodology to identify multimodal “freight-shed” (or “catchment” areas) for a facility from vehicle tracking data and demonstrates application with a case study involving diverse freight port terminals. Observed truck Global Positioning System and maritime Automatic Identification System data are subjected to robust pre-processing algorithms to handle noise, cluster stops, assign data points to the network (map-matching), and address spatial and temporal conflation. The method is applied to 43 port terminals on the Arkansas River to estimate vehicle miles and hours travelled, origin, destination, and pass-through zones, and areas of modal overlap within the catchment areas. Case studies show that the state-of-the-practice 100-mile diameter influence areas include between 15 and 34% of the multimodal freight-shed areas mined from vehicle tracking data, demonstrating that adoption of an arbitrary radial area for different ports would lead to inaccurate estimates of project benefits.
Occurence of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Anxiety and Depression in the Acute Phase of Transient Ischemic Attack and Stroke
Authors: Müller Helge H. O. , Czwalinna Katharina , Wang Ruihao , Lücke Caroline , Lam Alexandra P. , Philipsen Alexandra , Gschossmann Jürgen M. , Moeller Sebastian
Published: January 2021

Rates of post-traumatic stress symptoms, anxiety and depression are increased in patients having experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke several months ago. However, data of psychiatric symptoms in the acute phase within the first days after ictus are lacking. In 20 patients with stroke and 33 patients with TIA we assessed disease severity by means of the NIHSS, levels of depression and anxiety by HADS, PTSD-like symptoms by PC-PTSD, quality of life (HrQoL) by SF-12, and coping style by brief COPE Inventory within the first 5 days after ictus. NIHSS on admission was lower in patients with TIA (0 ± 1) than in patients with stroke (3 ± 2, p < 0.001). HADS depression score was significantly higher in patients with stroke (7.0 ± 4.5) than in patients with TIA (4.9 ± 4.0). HADS anxiety score, HrQoL and coping styles were similar between TIA and stroke patients (p > 0.05). 5 and 3 of 33 TIA patients as well as 4 and 3 of 20 stroke patients had at least 11 points in the HADS anxiety and depression score respectively (p = 0.001). 2 of 33 TIA patients and 2 of 20 stroke patients had more than 2 points in the PC-PTSD (p = 0.646). We did not find consistent correlations between the NIHSS and the psychometric parameters. Within the first five days after patients having experienced a TIA or stroke PTSD-like, anxious and depressive symptoms are more common than in the general population. As the acute psychological status after ictus is predictive for psychiatric comorbidity years later physicians should pay attention and adequately treat psychiatric symptoms already in the acute phase of stroke.

Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00021730, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00021730, registered 05/19/2020- Retrospectively registered.
A meta-analysis of traditional and functional end-to-side anastomosis in radiocephalic fistula for dialysis access
Authors: Weigang Tang , Wei Xu , Lifeng Gong , Jingkui Lu , Yani Li , Huaqin Jiang , Hui Li
Published: January 2021

Objective

Functional vein end to arterial side (ETS) anastomosis uses vein side to arterial side (STS) anastomosis with distal vein ligation, which can achieve similar effects as those of ETS after STS anastomosis. The purpose of the study was to provide a meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes between traditional and functional ETS anastomosis in radiocephalic fistula for dialysis access.

Methods

Databases including PubMed, EMbase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang database were searched from the inception to February 6, 2020. Eligible studies comparing traditional and functional ETS anastomosis in radiocephalic fistula were included. Data were analyzed using Review Manager Version 5.3.

Results

Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. Five randomized controlled trials and two cohort studies involving 841 patients were identified. Compared with traditional ETS anastomosis, functional ETS anastomosis had shorter anastomosis time (MD − 9.54, 95% CI − 17.96 to − 1.12, P = 0.03), higher surgical success rate (OR 3.80, 95% CI 1.76–8.22, P < 0.01), fewer complications(OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.08–0.39, P < 0.01), higher patency rate after 3 months (OR 4.91, 95% CI 1.19–20.33, P = 0.03), higher patency rate after 6 months (OR 1.90, 95%CI 1.09–3.31, P = 0.02), higher patency rate after 12 months (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.09–2.66, P = 0.02). There was no difference after the two arteriovenous (AVF) anastomosisl methods concerning AVF maturation time (SMD − 0.48, 95% CI − 1.30–0.34, P = 0.25) and patency rate after 1 month (OR 1.77, 95% CI 0.65–4.80, P = 0.26).

Conclusion

Functional ETS anastomosis had advantages of easy operation, high surgical success rate, few complications, high patency rate of 3 months and long-term, but did not have obvious advantage in the early stages concerning AVF maturation time and 1-month patency rate.
High-capacity adsorbents from stainless steel slag for the control of dye pollutants in water
Authors: Plaza Lorenzo , Castellote Marta , Nevshupa Roman , Jimenez-Relinque Eva
Published: January 2021

Adsorbent materials for the control of dye pollutants in water were synthetized from stainless steel slag (SSS) using different acid-base treatments. Using HCl (SS-Cl) and HNO3 (SS-NO3) produced high-capacity adsorbents, with BET areas of 232 m2/g and 110 m2/g respectively. Specifically, the SS-Cl had a structure of amorphous silica sponge. Treatment with H2SO4 (SS-SO4) did not enhance the adsorption capabilities with respect to the raw sample (SSS). Activated carbon (AC) was also tested as reference. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) zeta potential, and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Batch adsorption experiments with methylene blue (MB) showed that the maximum sorption capacities were 9.35 mg/g and 8.97 mg/g for SS-Cl and SS-NO3 at 240 h, respectively. These values, even at slower rate, were close to the adsorption capacity of the AC (9.72 mg/g). This behavior has been attributed to the high porosity in the range of nanopores (0.6–300 nm) and the high-surface area for both samples. Preferential involvement of certain functional groups in the adsorption of dye ions on their surface indicative of chemisorption has been found. Although optimization, repeatability, and reproducibility of the process and environmental assessment have to be done before practical applications, these preliminary results indicate that application of these cost-effective adsorbents from raw SSS may be used in water pollution treatment and contribute to the sustainable development of the steel manufacturing industry.
Whole-liver transcatheter arterial chemoinfusion and bland embolization with fine-powder cisplatin and trisacryl gelatin microspheres for treating unresectable multiple hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Imamura Akihiro , Taguchi Hidetoshi , Takano Hideyuki , Funatsu Hiroyuki , Nakamura Kazuyoshi , Arimitsu Hidehito , Chiba Satoshi
Published: January 2021

Purpose

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of whole-liver transcatheter arterial chemoinfusion and bland embolization (TACBE) with fine-powder cisplatin and trisacryl gelatin microspheres for the treating unresectable multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials and methods

The medical records of all patients who underwent TACBE sessions were retrospectively reviewed. 15 patients (11 men, 4 women; mean age, 72.5 years) and 22 procedures (BCLC B;17 C;5) were included in the analysis. The cisplatin resulting solution and microspheres were infused through a microcatheter placed nonselectively. Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from commencement of initial TACBE until any cause of death. Toxicity was assessed by the CTCAE version 5.0, and the tumor response was evaluated by the mRECIST. Liver function was assessed by the albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score.

Results

The 1-year OS rate was 64.6% (95% CI 0.438–0.955). Severe adverse effects were not observed except for grade 3 increase in the ALT, ALT, vasovagal episode. The objective response and disease control rare were 54.5% and 68.2%, respectively. The ALBI scores from pre-treatment to the follow-up ranged from − 2.39 to − 2.26 (p = 0.38).

Conclusion

Whole-liver TABCE with fine-powder cisplatin and trisacryl gelatin microspheres was well tolerated and effective in patients with multinodular HCC.
The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) in the Management of Gastric Varices
Authors: Thiruvengadam Sushrut Sujan , Sedarat Alireza
Published: January 2021

Purpose of Review

Gastric varices (GV) are an important complication of portal hypertension, and the current recommendation for management is beta-blocker therapy for primary prophylaxis and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for active bleeding or secondary prophylaxis. Direct endoscopic injection of cyanoacrylate (CYA) glue has been investigated but has drawbacks including limited endoscopic characterization of GV and possible distal glue embolism. To this end, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has been pursued to help in characterization of GV, visualization of treatment in real time, and confirmation of obliteration with Doppler.

Recent Findings

In this paper, we review treatments for GV involving EUS, including EUS-guided injection of CYA and coils, either alone or in combination. We also discuss less common methods, including EUS-guided injection of thrombin and absorbable gelatin sponge. We then review literature comparing EUS-guided methods with direct endoscopic therapy and comparing individual EUS-guided methods with one another. We conclude by highlighting drawbacks of EUS in this field, including the unproven benefit over conventional therapy, lack of a standardized approach, and limited availability of expertise and necessary materials.

Novel EUS-based methods offer a unique opportunity to directly visualize and access gastric varices for treatment and obliteration. This may provide key advantages over current endoscopic or angiographic treatments. Comparative studies investigating the benefit of EUS over conventional therapy are needed.
Changes in Circulating Stem and Progenitor Cell Numbers Following Acute Exercise in Healthy Human Subjects: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Schmid M. , Kröpfl J. M. , Spengler C. M.
Published: January 2021

Despite of the increasing number of investigations on the effects of acute exercise on circulating stem and progenitor cell (SC) numbers, and in particular on respective subgroups, i.e. endothelial (ESC), hematopoietic (HSC), and mesenchymal (MSC) stem and progenitor cells, a consensus regarding mechanisms and extent of these effects is still missing. The aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically evaluate the overall-effects of acute exercise on the different SC-subgroups and investigate possible subject- and intervention-dependent factors affecting the extent of SC-mobilization in healthy humans. Trials assessing SC numbers before and at least one timepoint after acute exercise, were identified in a systematic computerized search. Compared to baseline, numbers were significantly increased for early and non-specified SCs (enSCs) until up to 0.5 h after exercise (0–5 min: +0.64 [Standardized difference in means], p < 0.001; 6–20 min: +0.42, p < 0.001; 0.5 h: +0.29, p = 0.049), for ESCs until 12–48 h after exercise (0–5 min: +0.66, p < 0.001; 6–20 min: +0.43 p < 0.001; 0.5 h: +0.43, p = 0.002; 1 h: +0.58, p = 0.001; 2 h: +0.50, p = 0.002; 3–8 h: +0.70, p < 0.001; 12–48 h: +0.38, p = 0.003) and for HSCs at 0–5 min (+ 0.47, p < 0.001) and at 3 h after exercise (+ 0.68, p < 0.001). Sex, intensity and duration of the intervention had generally no influence. The extent and kinetics of the exercise-induced mobilization of SCs differ between SC-subpopulations. However, also definitions of SC-subpopulations are non-uniform. Therefore, finding a consensus with a clear definition of cell surface markers defining ESCs, HSCs and MSCs is a first prerequisite for understanding this important topic.

Graphical Abstract
Automated survey of selected common plant species in Thai homegardens using Google Street View imagery and a deep neural network
Authors: Ringland John , Bohm Martha , Baek So-Ra , Eichhorn Matthew
Published: January 2021

Most previous studies of homegardens have used labor-intensive boots-on-the-ground plant surveys, owner questionnaires, and interviews, limiting them to at most a few hundred homegardens. We show that automated analysis of publicly available imagery can enable surveys of much greater scale that can augment these traditional data sources. Specifically, we demonstrate the feasibility of using the high-resolution street-level photographs in Google Street View and an object-detection network (RetinaNet) to create a large-scale high-resolution survey of the prevalence of at least six plant species widely grown in road-facing homegardens in Thailand. Our research team examined 4000 images facing perpendicular to the street and located within 10 m of a homestead, and manually outlined all perceived instances of eleven common plant species. A neural network trained on these tagged images was used to detect instances of these species in approximately 150,000 images constituting views of roughly one in every ten homesteads in five provinces of northern Thailand. The results for six of the plant species were visualized as heatmaps of both the average number of target species detected in each image and individual species prevalence, with spatial averaging performed at scales of 500 m and 2.5 km. Urban-rural contrasts in the average number of target species in each image are quantified, and large variations are observed even among neighboring villages. Spatial heterogeneity is seen to be more pronounced for banana and coconut than for other species. Star gooseberry and papaya are more frequently present immediately outside of towns while dracaena and mango persist into the cores of towns.
Simultaneous Brg1 Knockout and MYCN Overexpression in Cerebellar Granule Neuron Precursors Is Insufficient to Drive Tumor Formation but Temporarily Enhances their Proliferation and Delays their Migration
Authors: Holdhof Dörthe , On Ji Hoon , Schoof Melanie , Göbel Carolin , Schüller Ulrich
Published: January 2021

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in childhood. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumors, this embryonal tumor is divided into a wingless (WNT)-activated, Sonic hedgehog (SHH)-activated, and non-WNT/non-SHH entity. The latter is poorly defined but frequently carries mutations in Brahma-related gene 1 (BRG1) or amplifications of MYCN. Here, we investigated whether a combination of a Brg1 knockout and an overexpression of MYCN in cerebellar granule neuron precursors or multipotent neural stem cells is sufficient to drive brain tumor formation in mice. To this end, we generated Math1-creERT2::Brg1fl/fl::lslMYCN and hGFAP-cre::Brg1fl/fl::lslMYCN mice, respectively. We did not observe brain tumor formation in any of these models. hGFAP-cre::Brg1fl/fl::lslMYCN mice revealed severe CNS abnormalities with short survival, similar to the situation with a sole loss of Brg1, as we previously described. Investigation of Math1-creERT2::Brg1fl/fl::lslMYCN mice with a tamoxifen induction at postnatal day 3 revealed a regular survival but significant increase in cerebellar granule neuron precursor proliferation, followed by a delayed inward migration of these cells. This is in stark contrast to the hypoplastic cerebellum that we previously observed after embryonic deletion of Brg1 in Math1 positive cerebellar granule neurons. Our results indicate a time-specific function of Brg1 in cerebellar granule neuron precursors. Yet, the exact temporal and spatial origin of non-WNT/non-SHH MB remains unclear.
Institutional approaches for plant health provision as a collective action problem
Authors: Garcia-Figuera Sara , Grafton-Cardwell Elizabeth E. , Babcock Bruce A. , Lubell Mark N. , McRoberts Neil
Published: January 2021

The provision of plant health has public good attributes when nobody can be excluded from enjoying its benefits and individual benefits do not reduce the ability of others to also benefit. These attributes increase risk of free-riding on plant health services provided by others, giving rise to a collective action problem when trying to ensure plant health in a region threatened by an emerging plant disease. This problem has traditionally been addressed by government intervention, but top-down approaches to plant health are often insufficient and are increasingly combined with bottom-up approaches that promote self-organization by affected individuals. The challenge is how to design plant health institutions that effectively deal with the spatial and temporal dynamics of plant diseases, while staying aligned with the preferences, values and needs of affected societies. Here, we illustrate how Ostrom’s design principles for collective action can be used to guide the incorporation of bottom-up approaches to plant health governance in order to improve institutional fit. Using the ongoing epidemic of huanglongbing (HLB) as a case study, we examine existing institutions designed to ensure citrus health under HLB in Brazil, Mexico, the United States and Argentina, and discuss potential implications of Ostrom’s design principles for the collective provision of plant health under HLB and other plant diseases that are threatening food security worldwide. The discussion leads to an outline for the interdisciplinary research agenda that would be needed to establish the link between institutional approaches and plant health outcomes in the context of global food security.
Context-aware incremental learning-based method for personalized human activity recognition
Authors: Siirtola Pekka , Röning Juha
Published: January 2021

This study introduces an ensemble-based personalized human activity recognition method relying on incremental learning, which is a method for continuous learning, that can not only learn from streaming data but also adapt to different contexts and changes in context. This adaptation is based on a novel weighting approach which gives bigger weight to those base models of the ensemble which are the most suitable to the current context. In this article, contexts are different body positions for inertial sensors. The experiments are performed in two scenarios: (S1) adapting model to a known context, and (S2) adapting model to a previously unknown context. In both scenarios, the models had to also adapt to the data of previously unknown person, as the initial user-independent dataset did not include any data from the studied user. In the experiments, the proposed ensemble-based approach is compared to non-weighted personalization method relying on ensemble-based classifier and to static user-independent model. Both ensemble models are experimented using three different base classifiers (linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, and classification and regression tree). The results show that the proposed ensemble method performs much better than non-weighted ensemble model for personalization in both scenarios no matter which base classifier is used. Moreover, the proposed method outperforms user-independent models. In scenario 1, the error rate of balanced accuracy using user-independent model was 13.3%, using non-weighted personalization method 13.8%, and using the proposed method 6.4%. The difference is even bigger in scenario 2, where the error rate using user-independent model is 36.6%, using non-weighted personalization method 36.9%, and using the proposed method 14.1%. In addition, F1 scores also show that the proposed method performs much better in both scenarios that the rival methods. Moreover, as a side result, it was noted that the presented method can also be used to recognize body position of the sensor.
Ensemble machine learning approach for classification of IoT devices in smart home
Authors: Cvitić Ivan , Peraković Dragan , Periša Marko , Gupta Brij
Published: January 2021

The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) concept as a new direction of technological development raises new problems such as valid and timely identification of such devices, security vulnerabilities that can be exploited for malicious activities, and management of such devices. The communication of IoT devices generates traffic that has specific features and differences with respect to conventional devices. This research seeks to analyze the possibilities of applying such features for classifying devices, regardless of their functionality or purpose. This kind of classification is necessary for a dynamic and heterogeneous environment, such as a smart home where the number and types of devices grow daily. This research uses a total of 41 IoT devices. The logistic regression method enhanced by the concept of supervised machine learning (logitboost) was used for developing a classification model. Multiclass classification model was developed using 13 network traffic features generated by IoT devices. Research has shown that it is possible to classify devices into four previously defined classes with high performances and accuracy (99.79%) based on the traffic flow features of such devices. Model performance measures such as precision, F-measure, True Positive Ratio, False Positive Ratio and Kappa coefficient all show high results (0.997–0.999, 0.997–0.999, 0.997–0.999, 0–0.001 and 0.9973, respectively). Such a developed model can have its application as a foundation for monitoring and managing solutions of large and heterogeneous IoT environments such as Industrial IoT, smart home, and similar.
Shear strength testing of consolidated claystones: breakpoint detection of shear stress versus shear displacement curves, a statistical approach
Authors: Rozgonyi-Boissinot Nikoletta , Buocz Ildikó , Hatvani István Gábor , Török Ákos
Published: January 2021

The evaluation of shear stress versus shear displacement curves is in the main focus of geotechnical engineering. Such curves, depending on the rock assessed, consist of a quasi-linear section, followed by a “kick” representing the peak shear strength, and a residual part, mostly parallel to the abscissa. The aim of the present study is to facilitate the future automatic detection of these crucial characteristics to take a step towards replacing their visual/analogue determination via modern statistical tools. Breakpoint detection methods (Cross-Entropy, Change Point Model) were applied to curves obtained from laboratory shear tests describing the shearing along discontinuities of nine Mont Terri Opalinus Claystone samples. Smooth and moderately rough claystone surfaces were studied. Results indicated that the end of the rising section and the kick observed on the shear strength curves was effectively approximated with the Change Point Model framework. An additional practical advantage of applying statistical tools such as breakpoint detection to shear strength determination is that it ensures the comparability of the obtained results.
Evaluation of water quality and potential metal contamination in ecologically important Bhindawas bird sanctuary, India
Authors: Shan Vandana , Singh S. K. , Haritash A. K.
Published: January 2021

Considering the environmental, agricultural, and ecological significance of Bhindawas wetland, the present study is the first comprehensive investigation to assess the water quality, determine the suitability of water for aquatic life in the wetland; and its suitability for irrigation in areas around the wetland. Twenty samples of water from Bhindawas wetland were analyzed and spatial variations of dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved phosphate, nitrate, and biological oxygen demand (BOD5) were observed. The concentration of DO was higher in areas with shallow depth and rich growth of submerged vegetation compared to deeper areas with no vegetation. Spatial variations of phosphate, nitrate, and heavy metals correlated with nesting zone of birds, runoff from agricultural fields, and wastewater from adjoining villages, respectively. Values of heavy metal pollution index (HPI), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), and degree of contamination (Cd) in water confirmed high level of metal contamination of the medium. Based on the water quality index (WQI), the water was unsuitable for aquatic life and use in agricultural utilization. It can be concluded that water quality of Bhindawas wetland was adversely affected by heavy metals, which is a cause of concern since this wetland is a temporary resort of migratory birds. Immediate intervention is required to improve the water quality, especially scrutiny and inspection of the added wastewater from surrounding villages, and runoff from adjoining agricultural fields.
Applicability of gypsum in selective removal of anionic dye molecules from aqueous medium
Authors: Hassan Mohammad Jobaer , Islam Md. Fahamidul , Akter Nahida , Uddin Md. Nizam , Abir Abrar Yasir , Aoun Sami Ben , Hasnat Mohammad A.
Published: January 2021

This article describes how selectively anionic organic molecules could be removed from aqueous medium using naturally available gypsum (GS) adsorbent. Gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) shows strong interactions with anionic dye molecules while it dos not show any affinity towards cationic dye molecules. We have shown the removal efficiency of gypsum taking chlorazole yellow (anionic dye) and methylene blue (cationic dye) as examples of adsorbates. The GS has been to be even more effective than activated carbon in attaining chlorazole yellow (CY) removal. Three well-known kinetic equations e.g. pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion were exploited to interpret the experimental data. Results show best fitting with second order kinetic process with excellent regression coefficient (r2 = 0.99) for the adsorption process. The equilibrium data were analyzed exploiting some adsorption isotherm models. It was apparent that the Freundlich isotherm model superbly fitted for CY dye adsorption process. And the maximum adsorption capacity, Qm, was obtained as 12.85 mg g−1 at room temperature. The negative values of Gibb’s free energy change (ΔGo) suggests that the CY dye molecule adsorption process is spontaneous in nature. Moreover, negative enthalpy change (ΔHo) indicates the exothermic nature of the adsorption process. The outcome could be exploited where anionic organic molecules are required to be separated, selectively.
Abrasiveness evaluation of complex strata based on PDC special energy consumption
Authors: Shengliang Zhang , Changhao Wang , Qiang Liu , Shibin Li
Published: January 2021

The rock abrasiveness is determined with various methods, which results in no uniform standard formed. In order to predict the PDC bit wear and the abrasiveness of complex strata, the force analysis of the PDC broken rock was carried out, and the bit axial load and torque were obtained, respectively. Then, the calculation model of PDC special energy consumption is deduced. Combining the typical distribution patterns of different strata, the specific energy prediction model of complex strata is established. The wear coefficient of PDC is obtained by the relationship between the triaxial compressive strength of rock and the specific energy of rock breaking, and the grading coefficient and grading standard of abrasiveness of the composite formation are derived, which led to the grading coefficient and grading standard of complex strata abrasiveness. The field test of a well in the north of Songliao Basin verified the rationality and effectiveness of the abrasiveness grading standards and provided the basis for the selection and design of the bit.
Capillary desaturation curve: does low salinity surfactant flooding significantly reduce the residual oil saturation?
Authors: Zivar Davood , Pourafshary Peyman , Moradpour Nikoo
Published: January 2021

Different oil displacement experiments conducted on sandstone and carbonate samples show that low salinity water (LSW) injection can reduce the residual oil saturation (ROS). Recently, surfactant flooding (SF) in combination with low salinity water (known as low salinity surfactant (LSS) flooding) is proposed as a potentially promising hybrid enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process. A lower ROS is reported for a LSS process compared to that seen in SF or with LSW at the same capillary number. The capillary desaturation curve (CDC) is a well-known tool to study the effect of viscous and capillary forces on ROS for different EOR techniques. In this study, ROS data of various LSW, SF, and LSS flooding experiments at different capillary numbers are collected to develop a CDC to analyze the performance of the hybrid LSS method. This can help to analyze the effect of the hybrid method on an extra improvement in sweep efficiency and reduction in residual oil. A lower ROS is observed for LSS compared to LSW and SF in the same capillary number range. Our study shows different behaviors of the hybrid method at different ranges of capillary numbers. Three regions are identified based on the capillary number values. The difference in ROS is not significant in the first region (capillary number in the range of 10−7–10−5), which is not applicable in the presence of surfactant due to the low interfacial tension value. A significant reduction in ROS is observed in the second region (capillary number in the range of 10−5–10−2) for LSS compared to SF. This region is the most practical range for SF and LSS flooding. Hence, the application of LSS provides a noticeable benefit compared to normal EOR techniques. In the third region (capillary numbers greater than 10−2), where the surfactant flooding is a better performer, the difference in ROS is negligible.
Investigating the occurrence of selfie-based emotional contagion over social network
Authors: Sasaki Wataru , Nishiyama Yuuki , Okoshi Tadashi , Nakazawa Jin
Published: January 2021

Happiness is obviously one of the most fundamental essence that affects many aspects of our lives. Past research found that happiness of one person affects that of other people. What occurs under this propagation of emotion is called “emotional contagion,” a phenomenon wherein through perception, people experience the same emotion expressed by someone when communicating with them. Although online communication is increasing due to growth of mobile computing, emotional contagion on online communication is not well studied yet. Particularly, it is not yet clear if emotional contagion among people occurs through selfie photographs posted on the social network media. We implemented “SmileWave,” the social networking system for investigating selfie-based emotional contagion. The key feature of SmileWave is detecting “smile degree” in user’s posting selfies and in reactive facial expressions when the user is viewing the posted photographs from others. Our in-the-wild user studies with 38 participants for 2 weeks revealed the occurrence of selfie-based emotional contagion over the social network, based on the results that the users’ smile degree improved (15% on average) when the user looked at posted selfie photographs.
Conversion of organic wastes to electricity in Nigeria: legal perspective on the challenges and prospects
Authors: Olujobi O. J. , Ufua D. E. , Olokundun M. , Olujobi O. M.
Published: January 2021

This study explores the need for conversion of wastes to energy for a sustainable power sector and environmental development in Nigeria, to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and to offer incentives for investments in renewable energy sources, and to mitigate the concerns on disposal of hazardous wastes in the country. The study adopts a library-based doctrinal legal research technique with a conceptual approach, relying on existing literature. It explores the potency of existing laws and other legal provisions binding on the practice of waste management to power in Nigeria. Also, it carries out a comparative appraisal of the renewable system through organic wastes to electricity in other countries. The key finding of the study is that if practical measures are taken by the Nigerian government to control waste disposal, it will minimise wastes from the various sources in conformity with the legal and regulatory requirements and this can be utilised to generate electricity. The study proposes a model for converting wastes to electricity to sustain the ever-intensifying demands for energy and to combat ecological issues in Nigeria. The research concludes with recommendations for the fusion of regulations and non-regulatory incentives for conversion of wastes to electricity in Nigeria’s power sector and advocates coherent legal framework on sources of energy with stringent enforcement of energy laws for stable electricity generation and sustainability in Nigeria’s power sector.
Confine sulfur in double-hollow carbon sphere integrated with carbon nanotubes for advanced lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Walle Maru Dessie , Liu You-Nian
Published: January 2021

The lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are promising because of the high energy density, low cost, and natural abundance of sulfur material. Li–S batteries have suffered from severe capacity fading and poor cyclability, resulting in low sulfur utilization. Herein, S-DHCS/CNTs are synthesized by integration of a double-hollow carbon sphere (DHCS) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and the addition of sulfur in DHCS by melt impregnations. The proposed S-DHCS/CNTs can effectively confine sulfur and physically suppress the diffusion of polysulfides within the double-hollow structures. CNTs act as a conductive agent. S-DHCS/CNTs maintain the volume variations and accommodate high sulfur content 73 wt%. The designed S-DHCS/CNTs electrode with high sulfur loading (3.3 mg cm−2) and high areal capacity (5.6 mAh mg cm−2) shows a high initial specific capacity of 1709 mAh g−1 and maintains a reversible capacity of 730 mAh g−1 after 48 cycles at 0.2 C with high coulombic efficiency (100%). This work offers a fascinating strategy to design carbon-based material for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries.
Surgical Removal of a Gigantic Retroperitoneal Fetus in Fetu: One Case Report
Authors: Yu Xianqiang , Zhang Yong , Qu Cheng
Published: January 2021

Fetus in fetu (FIF) is a rare congenital disorder. At present, the mechanism of FIF has not been fully elucidated. Clinically, the most common site of FIF is the abdominal cavity, while other sites have also been reported, such as from the scrotum to the intracranial space. Surgery is the best treatment for FIF. Our case is a 1-month-old girl. The mother’s ultrasound examination at 36 weeks of gestation revealed that the solid part of the abdominal mass showed strong echoes of the limbs, and the fetus was about 40 mm long. The diagnosis was a parasitic fetus in the fetus. The child was admitted to our hospital for mass resection 1 month after birth, and the tumor was confirmed as a parasitic fetus by postoperative pathology. At present, the patient has had no recurrence after surgery for 5 years. Adequate preoperative evaluation combined with radical surgical resection is an effective strategy for the treatment of parasitic fetuses.
Size and Volume Charts for Fetal Adrenal Gland: A Prospective Study in Indian Population
Authors: Nagraj Gouri , Seshadri Suresh , Mahadevan Shriraam , Ganesh Chandra , Rameshkumar Jayalakshmi , Bhatt Hitanshu , Suresh Indrani
Published: January 2021

The fetal adrenal gland plays a pivotal role in perinatal survival. Because imaging the fetal adrenal gland is not part of routine antenatal ultrasonography (US), there is a paucity of available data about imaging techniques. The purpose of this study was to construct gestational age-wise data for fetal adrenal gland size and volume (2D US measurements) for 20, 21, 22 and 32 weeks of gestation and define a technique to measure the gland ultrasonographically. One year prospective study, at a single centre. 87 consecutive pregnant women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancy were included. Exclusion criteria were multiple pregnancy, maternal complications, congenital anomalies or fetal growth abnormality and a previous child suffering with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). All measurements were made in 2 dimensional ultrasonography. In coronal sections of the fetal abdomen, fetal adrenal glands were identified just above the upper pole of the kidney to measure length and breadth. With the fetal spine in an anterior position, fetal adrenals were identified on either side of the spine and the width was measured. The gestational age included was 20, 21, 22 and 32 weeks. Both fetal adrenal glands could be visualised and identified in all cases (100%). Length, breadth, width and volume of both the glands for the above gestational ages with 95% confidence limit have been calculated. Antenatal imaging of the fetal adrenal gland can be done by 2D US if indicated.
Determinants of farmers’ adaptation decisions to climate change in the central coastal region of Vietnam
Authors: Vo Hoang Ha , Mizunoya Takeshi , Nguyen Cong Dinh
Published: January 2021

This study examined measures and factors influencing the climate change adaptation decisions of smallholder farmers holding less than 0.5 hectares of farmland. The binary logit model was applied to analyze data collected by face-to-face interviews with 110 households in Phu Vang Coastal District, Thua Thien Hue Province, Central Vietnam. The findings indicate that most farmers accurately perceived climate-related changes during the recent decade, and implemented various adaptation measures in an effort to alleviate the potential risks. Adaptations included changing crop varieties, adjusting farming calendar, diversifying crops, diversifying livestock, improving irrigation, and intensifying soil quality. In addition, the farming household adaptation decisions were positively affected by gender, education level, number of laborers, income level, involvement in local community organizations, and perception of climate change severity and adaptation measure efficacy. Farmer adaptations, in contrast, were negatively influenced by non-farm income and entirely unaffected by access to credit. Policy-related recommendations were proposed to encourage smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change in the region. Recommendations included (1) improvements in the understanding of climate change, especially for female and less educated farmers; (2) more attention paid to the activities of local community organizations to be more attractive for members; (3) participation in the non-agricultural sector in parallel with implementing climate change adaptation measures in agriculture; (4) preferential loans designed as targets for low-income households combined with strict management to avoid misuse by beneficiaries.
A survey of methods for evaluating mini-publics
Authors: Ayano Takeuchi
Published: January 2021

Public participation has become increasingly necessary to connect a wide range of knowledge and various values to agenda setting, decision-making and policymaking. In this context, deliberative democratic concepts, especially “mini-publics,” are gaining attention. Generally, mini-publics are conducted with randomly selected lay citizens who provide sufficient information to deliberate on issues and form final recommendations. Evaluations are conducted by practitioner researchers and independent researchers, but the results are not standardized. In this study, a systematic review of existing research regarding practices and outcomes of mini-publics was conducted. To analyze 29 papers, the evaluation methodologies were divided into 4 categories of a matrix between the evaluator and evaluated data. The evaluated cases mainly focused on the following two points: (1) how to maintain deliberation quality, and (2) the feasibility of mini-publics. To create a new path to the political decision-making process through mini-publics, it must be demonstrated that mini-publics can contribute to the decision-making process and good-quality deliberations are of concern to policy-makers and experts. Mini-publics are feasible if they can contribute to the political decision-making process and practitioners can evaluate and understand the advantages of mini-publics for each case. For future research, it is important to combine practical case studies and academic research, because few studies have been evaluated by independent researchers.
The Belle II Online–Offline Data Operations System
Authors: Barrett Matthew , Hara Takanori , Hernández Villanueva Michel , Huang Kunxian , Kalita Dhiraj , Kettunen Petteri , Shingade Prashant
Published: January 2021

Data collection at the Belle II experiment started in the spring of 2019. During the early stages of the experiment it is important that the raw data are both copied to permanent storage and made available soon after being recorded to allow for the timely commissioning and calibration of the detector. Automated procedures have been developed to transfer the data from the detector in a timely manner; these procedures include fault management, performance monitoring, and quality checks. It is important that the systems put in place will also scale to the much higher data rates expected in the coming years at Belle II. The development, implementation, and operations of the Belle II online–offline data transfer system will be described.
Analysis of BDS GEO satellite multipath effect for GNSS integrity monitoring in civil aviation
Authors: Chang Jin , Zhan Xingqun , Zhai Yawei , Wang Shizhuang , Lin Kui
Published: January 2021

With the great development of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), multi-GNSS constellations (GPS, BDS, GLONASS, and Galileo) are able to provide users with more accurate positioning result. For civil aviation, to guarantee user’s safety, multi-constellation GNSS needs to meet the integrity requirement. Using conservative error models, Multiple Hypothesis Solution Separation (MHSS) Advanced Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (ARAIM) is proposed to evaluate GNSS integrity. Current multipath error model in ARAIM algorithm is based on data of GPS Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. But BDS is a hybrid constellation. For BDS II, there has 5 Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites. Previous studies have shown that the multipath effect of GEO satellites has statistical characteristics different from MEO satellites. Meanwhile, the multipath magnitude of GEO satellites is larger than that of MEO satellites. This paper mainly focuses on validating whether the multipath error model in ARAIM algorithm is conservative enough for GEO satellites. In this paper, Code Minus Carrier (CMC) residuals are calculated for BDS GEO dual-frequency signals. Then the Standard Deviation (STD) of CMC residuals can be conservatively estimated by bounded Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF). After eliminating interference from receiver noise, STD of GEO multipath can be obtained. Comparing the STD of GEO multipath effect with ARAIM multipath error model, a conclusion could be drawn that current multipath error model in ARAIM algorithm is no longer able to conservatively estimate the statistical characteristics of GEO satellites.