bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Machine Learning in Turbulent Combustion for Aviation Gas Turbine Combustor Design
Authors: Verma Vishwas , Manoharan Kiran , Basani Jaydeep
Published: December 2021

Numerical simulation of gas turbine combustors requires resolving a broad spectrum of length and time scales for accurate flow field and emission predictions. Reynold’s Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) approach can generate solutions in few hours; however, it fails to produce accurate predictions for turbulent reacting flow field seen in general combustors. On the other hand, the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach can overcome this challenge, but it requires orders of magnitude higher computational cost. This limits designers to use the LES approach in combustor development cycles and prohibits them from using the same in numerical optimization. The current work tries to build an alternate approach using a data-driven method to generate fast and consistent results. In this work, deep learning (DL) dense neural network framework is used to improve the RANS solution accuracy using LES data as truth data. A supervised regression learning multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network engine is developed. The machine learning (ML) engine developed in the present study can compute data with LES accuracy in 95% lesser computational time than performing LES simulations. The output of the ML engine shows good agreement with the trend of LES, which is entirely different from RANS, and to a reasonable extent, captures magnitudes of actual flow variables. However, it is recommended that the ML engine be trained using broad design space and physical laws along with a purely data-driven approach for better generalization.
A new species of Premicrodispus Cross (Acari: Pygmephoroidea: Microdispidae) from Brazil, with an identification key to the subgenera and species of the genus

Authors: Silva Rafaela A. Da , Moraes Gilberto J. De , Khaustov Alexander A. , Oliveira Anibal R.
Published: December 2021

Of the 35 species of Premicrodispus described, only P. adjacens (Mahunka, 1969a) was recorded in the Neotropical region, specifically from Brazil. In the present paper, we describe a new species of Premicrodispus (P.) Cross, 1965 (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Microdispidae) from Brazil. An identification key to the subgenera and species of Premicrodispus of the world is provided.
Probing the polar-nonpolar oxide interfaces using resonant x-ray standing wave techniques
Authors: Kuo Cheng-Tai , Lin Shih-Chieh , Chuang Yi-De
Published: December 2021

Transition metal (TM) oxide heterostructure superlattices have attracted great attention in research communities because of their emergent interfacial phenomena that do not exist in the bulk form. In order to understand the mechanisms that cause these phenomena, it is important to use depth-resolved spectroscopies to study the electronic structure across the buried oxide interfaces. In this review, we focus on the recent applications of standing wave (SW) photoemission (SW-XPS) and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (SW-RIXS) spectroscopy to study the depth profiles of an electronic structure or carriers around the polar-nonpolar oxide interfaces. Using the incident photon energies near the TM x-ray absorption resonance, the created SW excitation can enhance the spectral response and certain electronic transitions, providing important insight into the interfacial electronic structure in the energy and real space regimes. Following the background introductions, we describe two SW experiments and demonstrate that the combination of SW-XPS and SW-RIXS has the potential to obtain the depth distribution of electronic/orbital states around the buried interfaces with Angstrom precision.
How Much Time in Sedentary Behavior Should Be Reduced to Decrease Fear of Falling and Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults?
Authors: Canever Jaquelini Betta , Danielewicz Ana Lúcia , Oliveira Leopoldino Amanda Aparecida , Corseuil Maruí Weber , de Avelar Núbia Carelli Pereira
Published: December 2021

Fear of falling and history of falls are frequent situations in older adults, which can be aggravated by sedentary behavior (SB). The objective was to establish SB cutoff values which discriminate falls and fear of falling in older adults and verify the association between these conditions. This was a cross-sectional study including 308 community-dwelling older adults. The SB was assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The outcomes were history of falling in the last 12 months and fear of falling (higher or equal than 23 points in Falls Efficacy Scale International—Brazil). The cutoff points found were >4.14 (area under curve = 0.60, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] [0.54, 0.65]) and >3.90 hr per day (area under curve = 0.59, 95% CI [0.53, 0.64]) for fear of falling and history of falls, respectively. Older adults with SB had 1.71 (95% CI [1.03, 2.84]) and 1.75 (95% CI [1.06, 2.89]) greater odds of having greater fear of falling and suffering falls, respectively.
The Home Advantage in the National Basketball Association Conference Finals and Finals Series From 1979 to 2019: A Mediation Analysis of Offensive and Defensive Skills
Authors: Graham Jeffrey D. , Zhang Bolun , Brown Denver M.Y. , Cairney John
Published: December 2021

This study examined the home advantage effect in decisive National Basketball Association Conference Finals and Finals series playoff games from 1979 to 2019 (the 3-point shot era). We also examined the potential contribution of various offensive- and defensive-based skills and whether these skills mediated the relationship between game status (decisive vs. nondecisive) and outcome (win vs. loss). Overall, we found evidence of a home court advantage with the home team winning 63% of the decisive playoff games and 66% of the nondecisive playoff games. After adjusting for multiple comparisons and regular season win percentage, the home team had significantly more defensive rebounds and steals in Game 5 when trailing 3–1 going into that game. Mediation analyses did not reveal any significant findings when examining the impact of decisive game status on performance through offensive and defensive skills, thus suggesting there are other explanations for the home advantage effect.
A Solution-Focused Approach to Shared Athlete Leadership Development Using Mixed Methods
Authors: Maechel Christopher , Loughead Todd M. , Wergin V. Vanessa , Kossak Tom , Beckmann Jürgen
Published: December 2021

Shared leadership is an emergent team phenomenon, emphasizing that it originates from the interaction of all team members. However, previous athlete leadership studies have focused on the individual level, omitting the role of team member interaction. In order to develop shared athlete leadership as an emergent team phenomenon, we utilized a solution-focused brief therapy paradigm, which uses coconstruction to engender change for social systems (e.g., sport teams). Sixty athletes from six sport teams (three in the experimental condition and three in the control condition) participated in a mixed-methods experimental design consisting of parallel quantitative and qualitative data collection along with a combined interpretation of these data. The quantitative results support a difference in development of shared leadership between groups, while the qualitative analysis resulted in four themes that indicate changes in interactional patterns and relational structures within the teams.
Pelagic diatoms communicate through synchronized beacon natural fluorescence signaling
Authors: Font-Muñoz Joan S. , Sourisseau Marc , Cohen-Sánchez Amanda , Tuval Idan , Basterretxea Gotzon
Published: December 2021

Marine microalgal populations coordinate their collective behavior using fluorescent light signals.
Signatures of immune selection in intact and defective proviruses distinguish HIV-1 elite controllers
Authors: Lian Xiaodong , Gao Ce , Sun Xiaoming , Jiang Chenyang , Einkauf Kevin B. , Seiger Kyra W. , Chevalier Joshua M. , Yuki Yuko , Martin Maureen , Hoh Rebecca , Peluso Michael J. , Carrington Mary , Ruiz-Mateos Ezequiel , Deeks Steven G. , Rosenberg Eric S. , Walker Bruce D. , Lichterfeld Mathias , Yu Xu G.
Published: December 2021

Immune selection footprints in proviral sequences distinguish individuals with natural, drug-free control of HIV-1.
HIV-1 Vif Gained Breadth in APOBEC3G Specificity after Cross-Species Transmission of Its Precursors
Authors: Chesarino Nicholas M. , Emerman Michael
Published: December 2021

APOBEC3G (A3G) is an antiviral protein that potently restricts retroviruses like HIV. In turn, the HIV-1 protein Vif has evolved to antagonize A3G through degradation.
Detection of Minority Variants and Mixed Infections in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Direct Whole-Genome Sequencing on Noncultured Specimens Using a Specific-DNA Capture Strategy
Authors: Lozano Nuria , Lanza Val F. , Suárez-González Julia , Herranz Marta , Sola-Campoy Pedro J. , Rodríguez-Grande Cristina , Buenestado-Serrano Sergio , Ruiz-Serrano María Jesús , Tudó Griselda , Alcaide Fernando , Muñoz Patricia , García de Viedma Darío , Pérez-Lago Laura
Published: December 2021

We present a new strategy to identify mixed infections and minority variants inMycobacterium tuberculosisby whole-genome sequencing. The objective of the strategy is the direct detection in patient sputum; in this way, minority populations of resistant strains can be identified at the time of diagnosis, facilitating identification of the most appropriate treatment for the patient from the first moment.
Cerebrospinal Fluid from Healthy Pregnant Women Does Not Harbor a Detectable Microbial Community
Authors: Kang Yongyong , Ji Xinchao , Guo Li , Xia Han , Yang Xiaofei , Xie Zhen , Shi Xiaodan , Wu Rui , Feng Dongyun , Wang Chen , Chen Min , Zhang Wenliang , Wei Hong , Guan Yuanlin , Ye Kai , Zhao Gang
Published: December 2021

The microbiome is prevalent throughout human bodies, with profound health implications. However, it remains unclear whether it is present and active in human CSF, which has been long considered aseptic due to the blood-brain barrier.
Direct Rapid Identification from Positive Blood Cultures by MALDI-TOF MS: Specific Focus on Turnaround Times
Authors: Zengin Canalp Hazan , Bayraktar Banu
Published: December 2021

Using MALDI-TOF MS directly from blood culture bottles reduces the time required for pathogen identification, and the turnaround times for final identification have been compared with overnight incubation from solid media in previous studies. However, identification from a short incubation of agar plates has been increasingly accepted and successfully implemented in routine laboratories, but there is no data comparing direct MALDI-TOF MS with the short-term, incubated agar plates.
Brassinosteroids Benefit Plants Performance by Augmenting Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis
Authors: Ren Ying , Che Xianrong , Liang Jingwei , Wang Sijia , Han Lina , Liu Ziyi , Chen Hui , Tang Ming
Published: December 2021

Brassinosteroids (BR) and Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) symbiosis play an important role in improving plant growth and development. Previous studies have shown that there is a complex regulatory network between phytohormones and AM symbiosis.
Spatial Variability in Streambed Microbial Community Structure across Two Watersheds
Authors: Akinwole Philips O. , Kan Jinjun , Kaplan Louis A. , Findlay Robert H.
Published: December 2021

Microorganisms in streams drive many biogeochemical reactions of global significance, including nutrient cycling and energy flow; yet, the mechanisms responsible for the distribution and composition of streambed microbial communities are not well known. We sampled sediments from multiple streams in two watersheds (Neversink River [New York] and White Clay Creek [WCC; Pennsylvania] watersheds) and measured microbial biomass and total microbial and bacterial community structures using phospholipid and molecular methods.
Cohort profile: The Swiss Transplant Cohort Study (STCS): A nationwide longitudinal cohort study of all solid organ recipients in Switzerland
Authors: Stampf Susanne , Mueller Nicolas J , van Delden Christian , Pascual Manuel , Manuel Oriol , Banz Vanessa , Binet Isabelle , De Geest Sabina , Bochud Pierre-Yves , Leichtle Alexander , Schaub Stefan , Steiger Jürg , Koller Michael
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The Swiss Transplant Cohort Study (STCS) is a prospective multicentre cohort study which started to actively enrol study participants in May 2008. It takes advantage of combining data from all transplant programmes in one unique system to perform comprehensive nationwide reporting and to promote translational and clinical post-transplant outcome research in the framework of Swiss transplantation medicine.

Participants

Over 5500 solid organ transplant recipients have been enrolled in all six Swiss transplant centres by end of 2019, around three-quarter of them for kidney and liver transplants. Ninety-three per cent of all transplanted recipients have consented to study participation, almost all of them (99%) contributed to bio-sampling. The STCS genomic data set includes around 3000 patients.

Findings to date

Detailed clinical and laboratory data in high granularity as well as patient-reported outcomes from transplant recipients and activities in Switzerland are available in the last decade. Interdisciplinary contributions in diverse fields of transplantation medicine such as infectious diseases, genomics, oncology, immunology and psychosocial science have resulted in approximately 70 scientific papers getting published in peer-review journals so far.

Future plans

The STCS will deepen its efforts in personalised medicine and digital epidemiology, and will also focus on allocation research and the use of causal inference methods to make complex matters in transplant medicine more understandable and transparent.
Maternal prenatal anxiety and depression and trajectories of cardiometabolic risk factors across childhood and adolescence: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Matvienko-Sikar Karen , O' Neill Kate , Fraser Abigail , Hayes Catherine , Howe Laura , Huizink Anja C , Kearney Patricia M , Khashan Ali , Redsell Sarah A , O’Keeffe Linda M
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Quantifying long-term offspring cardiometabolic health risks associated with maternal prenatal anxiety and depression can guide cardiometabolic risk prevention. This study examines associations between maternal prenatal anxiety and depression, and offspring cardiometabolic risk from birth to 18 years.

Design

This study uses data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort.

Participants

Participants were 526–8606 mother–offspring pairs from the ALSPAC cohort.

Setting

British birth cohort set, Bristol, UK.

Primary and secondary outcomes

Exposures were anxiety (Crown-Crisp Inventory score) and depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score) measured at 18 and 32 weeks gestation. Outcomes were trajectories of offspring body mass index; fat mass; lean mass; pulse rate; glucose, diastolic and systolic blood pressure (SBP); triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and insulin from birth/early childhood to 18 years. Exposures were analysed categorically using clinically relevant, cut-offs and continuously to examine associations across the distribution of prenatal anxiety and depression.

Results

We found no strong evidence of associations between maternal anxiety and depression and offspring trajectories of cardiometabolic risk factors. Depression at 18 weeks was associated with higher SBP at age 18 (1.62 mm Hg (95% CI 0.17 to 3.07). Anxiety at 18 weeks was also associated with higher diastolic blood pressure at 7 years in unadjusted analyses (0.70 mm Hg (95% CI 0.02 to 1.38)); this difference persisted at age 18 years (difference at 18 years; 0.89 mm Hg (95% CI 0.05 to 1.73). No associations were observed for body mass index; fat mass; lean mass; pulse rate; glucose; triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and insulin.

Conclusions

This is the first examination of maternal prenatal anxiety and depression and trajectories of offspring cardiometabolic risk. Our findings suggest that prevention of maternal prenatal anxiety and depression may have limited impact on offspring cardiometabolic health across the first two decades of life.
Clinical profile and short-term outcomes of RT-PCR- positive patients with COVID-19: a cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Hasan Md Zabir , Biswas Nirmol Kumar , Aziz Ahmad Monjurul , Chowdhury Juli , Haider Shams Shabab , Sarker Malabika
Published: December 2021

Objective

The COVID-19 pandemic is still raging worldwide. While there is significant published evidence on the attributes of patients with COVID-19 from lower-income and middle-income countries, there is a dearth of original research published from Bangladesh, a low-income country in Southeast Asia. Based on a case series from a tertiary healthcare centre, this observational study has explored the epidemiology, clinical profile of patients with COVID-19 and short-term outcomes in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Design and setting

A total of 422 COVID-19-confirmed patients (via reverse transcription–PCR test) were enrolled in this study (male=271, female=150, 1 unreported). We have compiled medical records of the patients and descriptively reported their demographic, socioeconomic and clinical features, treatment history, health outcomes, and postdischarge complications.

Result

Patients were predominantly male (64%), between 35 and 49 years (28%), with at least one comorbidity (52%), and had COVID-19 symptoms for 1 week before hospitalisation (66%). A significantly higher proportion (p<0.05) of male patients had diabetes, hypertension and ischaemic heart disease, while female patients had asthma (p<0.05). The most common symptoms were fever (80%), cough (60%), dyspnoea (41%) and sore throat (21%). The majority of the patients received antibiotics (77%) and anticoagulant therapy (56%) and stayed in the hospital for an average of 12 days. Over 90% of patients were successfully weaned, while 3% died from COVID-19, and 41% reported complications after discharge.

Conclusion

The diversity of clinical and epidemiological characteristics and health outcomes of patients with COVID-19 across age groups and gender is noteworthy. Our result will inform the clinicians and epidemiologists of Bangladesh of their COVID-19 mitigation effort.
Sweets for my sweet: modulation of the limbic system drives salience for sweet foods after deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Steinhardt Julia , Hanssen Henrike , Heldmann Marcus , Neumann Alexander , Münchau Alexander , Schramm Peter , Rasche Dirk , Saryyeva Assel , Büntjen Lars , Voges Jürgen , Tronnier Volker , Krauss Joachim K. , Münte Thomas F. , Brüggemann Norbert
Published: December 2021

Background

An increase in body weight is observed in the majority of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) although the mechanisms are unclear.

Objectives

To identify the stimulation-dependent effects on reward-associated and attention-associated neural networks and to determine whether these alterations in functional connectivity are associated with the local impact of DBS on different STN parcellations.

Methods

We acquired functional task-related MRI data from 21 patients with PD during active and inactive STN DBS and 19 controls while performing a food viewing paradigm. Electrode placement in the STN was localised using a state-of-the-art approach. Based on the 3D model, the local impact of STN DBS was estimated.

Results

STN DBS resulted in a mean improvement of motor function of 22.6%±15.5% (on medication) and an increase of body weight of ~4 kg within 2 years of stimulation. DBS of the limbic proportion of the STN was associated with body weight gain and an increased functional connectivity within the salience network and at the same time with a decreased activity within the reward-related network in the context of sweet food images.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate increased selective attention for high-caloric foods and a sweet food seeking-like behaviour after DBS particularly when the limbic proportion of the STN was stimulated.
The EVALI outbreak and tobacco sales in the USA, 2014–2020
Authors: Liber Alex C , Cahn Zachary , Diaz Megan C , Donovan Emily , Vallone Donna , Schillo Barbara
Published: December 2021

Background

The E-cigarette, or Vaping Product-Use Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) Outbreak of 2019 hospitalised thousands and killed dozens of people in the USA and raised perceptions of the dangers posed to health by electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). These illnesses along with continued increases in youth vaping rates lead to the passage of many state and federal laws intended to curtail the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes. Little is known about the impact of these events on US e-cigarette and cigarette retail sales.

Methods

Using Nielsen Scantrack sales data from January 2014 to January 2020 for 23 US states, we evaluate the effect of the EVALI outbreak. First-differenced state-panel regressions tracking unit sales of total-level and category-level e-cigarettes and cigarette sales controlling for price, Tobacco 21 policy coverage, product distribution, seasonality, EVALI-attributable deaths, and state-level e-cigarette policies affecting the availability of e-cigarettes (non-tobacco flavoured and total) were employed.

Results

Dollar sales of e-cigarettes declined 29% from their pre-EVALI peak by January 2020. Total sales of e-cigarettes declined in response to EVALI deaths and the total e-cigarette sales ban put in place in Massachusetts adopted in its wake. Cigarette sales were largely unchanged by either the direct or indirect policy effects of the EVALI outbreak, except for in Massachusetts, where cigarette sales—particularly those smoked by young people—rose temporarily after a total ban on e-cigarette sales.

Conclusion

Sales of e-cigarettes declined in response to the EVALI outbreak and from the most restrictive regulatory policies that were adopted in response, while sales of cigarettes were affected less.
Standardising the measurement of e-cigarette taxes in the USA, 2010–2020
Authors: Cotti Chad , Nesson Erik , Pesko Michael F , Phillips Serena , Tefft Nathan
Published: December 2021

Introduction

E-cigarette taxes have been enacted by 30 states through April 2020. E-cigarette tax schemas vary, in contrast to cigarette taxes in the USA that are levied almost exclusively as excise taxes per pack. Some states use excise taxes on liquid and containers, others ad valorem taxes on wholesale prices and others sales taxes. It is therefore difficult to understand the relative magnitudes of these e-cigarette taxes and the overall e-cigarette tax size relative to the cigarette tax size.

Objective

To create and publish a database of state and local quarterly e-cigarette taxes from 2010 to 2020, standardised as the rate per millilitre of fluid.

Methods

Using Universal Product Code-level e-cigarette sales from the NielsenIQ Retail Scanner Data along with e-cigarette product characteristics collected from internet searches and visits to e-cigarette retailers, we develop a method to standardise e-cigarette taxes as an equivalent average excise tax rate measured per millilitre of fluid.

Results

In 2020, the average American resided in a location with $3.08 in cigarette taxes and $0.34 in e-cigarette taxes (assuming 1 pack=0.7 fluid mL).

Conclusions

The public availability of this state and local standardised e-cigarette tax data will allow tobacco control researchers to study the relationship between e-cigarette taxes and tobacco and related outcomes more effectively.
Nicotine replacement therapy ‘gift cards’ for hospital inpatients who smoke: a prospective before-and-after controlled pilot evaluation
Authors: Mullen Kerri A , Walker Kathryn L , Noble Shireen , Pritchard Gillian , Garg Aditi , Martin Natalie , Pipe Andrew L , Reid Robert D
Published: December 2021

Introduction

A common barrier identified by individuals trying to quit smoking is the cost of cessation pharmacotherapies. The purpose of this evaluation was to: (1) Assess the feasibility of offering nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) ‘gift cards’ to hospitalised smokers for use posthospitalisation; and, (2) Estimate the effect of providing NRT gift cards on 6-month smoking abstinence.

Methods

A prospective, quasi-experimental, before-and-after controlled cohort design with random sampling was used to compare patients who had received the Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation (OMSC) intervention (‘control’) with patients who received the OMSC plus a $C300 Quit Card (‘QCI’), which they could use to purchase any brand or form of NRT from any Canadian pharmacy.

Results

750 Quit Cards were distributed to the three participating hospitals of which 707 (94.3%) were distributed to patients. Of the cards received by patients, 532 (75.2%) were used to purchase NRT. A total of 272 participants completed evaluation surveys (148 control; 124 QCI).

Point prevalence abstinence rates adjusted for misreporting among survey responders were 15.3% higher in the QCI group, compared with controls (44.4% vs 29.1%; OR 1.95, 1.18–3.21; p=0.009). Satisfaction was high among participants in both groups, and among staff delivering the QCI. QCI participants rated the intervention as high in terms of motivation, ease of use and helpfulness.

Conclusions

The NRT gift card appears to be a feasible and effective smoking cessation tool that removes a primary barrier to the use of evidence-based smoking cessation pharmacotherapies, while motivating both patients and health providers.
YourAdvalue: Measuring Advertising Price Dynamics without Bankrupting User Privacy
Authors: Pachilakis Michalis , Papadopoulos Panagiotis , Laoutaris Nikolaos , Markatos Evangelos P. , Kourtellis Nicolas
Published: December 2021

The Real Time Bidding (RTB) protocol is by now more than a decade old. During this time, a handful of measurement papers have looked at bidding strategies, personal information flow, and cost of display advertising through RTB. In this paper, we present YourAdvalue, a privacy-preserving tool for displaying to end-users in a simple and intuitive manner their advertising value as seen through RTB. Using YourAdvalue, we measure desktop RTB prices in the wild, and compare them with desktop and mobile RTB prices reported by past work. We present how it estimates ad prices that are encrypted, and how it preserves user privacy while reporting results back to a data-server for analysis. We deployed our system, disseminated its browser extension, and collected data from 200 users, including 12000 ad impressions over 11 months. By analyzing this dataset, we show that desktop RTB prices have grown 4.6x over desktop RTB prices measured in 2013, and 3.8x over mobile RTB prices measured in 2015. We also study how user demographics associate with the intensity of RTB ecosystem tracking, leading to higher ad prices. We find that exchanging data between advertisers and/or data brokers through cookie-synchronization increases the median value of display ads by 19%. We also find that female and younger users are more targeted, suffering more tracking (via cookie synchronization) than male or elder users. As a result of this targeting in our dataset, the advertising value (i) of women is 2.4x higher than that of men, (ii) of 25-34 year-olds is 2.5x higher than that of 35-44 year-olds, (iii) is most expensive on weekends and early mornings.
Characterization of a Sulfonated Poly(Ionic Liquid) Block Copolymer as an Ionomer for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells using Rotating Disk Electrode
Authors: Gawas Ramchandra , Sun Rui , Li Yawei , Neyerlin Kenneth C. , Elabd Yossef A. , Tang Maureen , Snyder Joshua
Published: December 2021

Ionic liquid (IL) additives to both traditional and advanced oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts have yielded remarkable improvements in catalyst performance and durability. However, incorporating ILs or IL-modified catalysts into the electrodes of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) membrane electrode assembly (MEA) has proven to be challenging. Sulfonated poly(ionic liquid) block copolymers (S-PILBCP) present an opportunity to incorporate IL functionality directly into the ionomer, orthogonal to protonic conductivity. Here, we use a rotating disc electrode (RDE) to characterize the interface between a S-PILBCP and Pt catalyst in comparison to Nafion. Catalyst thin films prepared with S-PILBCP show an 80% improvement in the ORR activity over those containing Nafion. Thin films of S-PILBCP also show a significantly reduced degree of poisoning sulfonate adsorption on a Pt(111) surface in comparison to Nafion. These half-cell results provide useful insights that help to highlight the source of the impact of the S-PILBCP on PEMFC MEA performance.
Determination of Uric Acid in Biological Fluids by Ceria Nanoparticles Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Voltammetric Sensor
Authors: Deng Peihong , Feng Jinxia , Xiao Jingyun , Wei Yanping , Zuo Jinsong , Li Junhua , Ding Jianhua , He Quanguo
Published: December 2021

High levels of uric acid (UA) in the human body usually cause diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis, kidney diseases, and neurological diseases. Hence, it is important to develop sensitive methods for UA determination. In this paper, nanocomposite composed of ceria nanoparticles and reduced graphene was successfully modified on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (ceria NPs-rGO/GCE) by a simple electroreduction method. The morphology, structure and property of the ceria NPs-rGO/GCE was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electrocatalytic activity of the ceria NPs-rGO/GCE for uric acid (UA) oxidation was studied in detail. The results showed that the ceria NPs-rGO/GCE exhibited excellent selectivity and high sensitivity for UA detection. In 0.05 M H2SO4 solution, a linear range of 0.02–20 μM and a low detection limit of 8.0 nM of UA were obtained on the ceria NPs-rGO/GCE. This developed method was successfully applied for the detection of UA in human serum and urine samples, and its recoveries reached 95.8%-105.0%.
[Retracted] Comprehensive Evaluation of Tourism Resources Based on Multispecies Evolutionary Genetic Algorithm‐Enabled Neural Networks
Authors: Kan Xinglong , Li Lin
Published: December 2021

With the development of neural network technology and the rapid growth of China’s tourism economic income at this stage, the research on the comprehensive evaluation of tourism resources has gradually emerged. Based on this, this paper studies the neural network comprehensive evaluation model based on multispecies evolutionary genetic algorithm and designs the neural network analysis system of influencing factors of tourism resources based on multispecies evolutionary genetic algorithm. The collection and acquisition of data information are realized from the aspects of resource income status, tourism development investment, and sustainability evaluation in the tourism area. The multispecies evolutionary genetic algorithm is used for comprehensive analysis and evaluation. The algorithm can realize the complex analysis and comprehensive evaluation of the core influencing factors of neural network. Accurate analysis and evaluation were carried out according to the different characteristics of tourism resources and the current situation of tourism income. The results show that the neural network comprehensive evaluation model based on multispecies evolutionary genetic algorithm has the advantages of high practicability, good sorting effect of variable ratio, and good data integration. It can effectively analyze and compare the comprehensive evaluation factors affecting tourism resources in different ratios.
Compact and High-Efficiency Rectenna for Wireless Power-Harvesting Applications
Authors: Sadek Dalia H. , Shawkey Heba A. , Zekry Abdelhalim A.
Published: December 2021

A compact, single-layer microstrip rectenna for dedicated far-field RF wireless power-harvesting applications is presented. The proposed rectenna circuit configurations including multiband triple L-Arms patch antenna with diamond slot ground are designed to resonate at 10, 13, 17, and 26 GHz with 10 dB impedance bandwidths of 0.67, 0.8, 2.45, and 4.3 GHz, respectively. Two rectifier designs have been fabricated and compared, a half wave rectifier with a shunted Schottky diode and a voltage doubler rectifier. The measured and simulated maximum conversion efficiencies of the rectifier using the shunted diode half-wave rectifier are 41%, and 34%, respectively, for 300 Ω load resistance, whereas they amount to 50% and 43%, respectively, for voltage doubler rectifier with 650 Ω load resistance. Compared to the shunted rectifier circuit, it is significant to note that the voltage doubler rectifier circuit has higher efficiency. Both rectifier’s circuits presented are tuned for a center frequency of 10 GHz and implemented using 0.81 mm thick Rogers (RO4003c) substrate. The overall size of the antenna is 16.5 × 16.5 mm2, and the shunted rectifier is only 13.3 × 8.2 mm2 and 19.7 × 7.4 mm2 for the voltage doubler rectifier. The antenna is designed and simulated using the CST Microwave Studio Suite (Computer Simulation Technology), while the complete rectenna is simulated using Agilent’s ADS tool with good agreement for both simulation and measurements.
Circulating Blood miR-155 and miR-21 Promote the Development of Acute Pancreatitis and Can Be Used to Assess the Risk Stratification of Pancreatitis
Authors: Hu Lan , Han Dongdong , Yu Diao , Ao Dongji , Yang Zhengyi
Published: December 2021

To explore the role of circulating blood miR-155 and miR-21 in promoting acute pancreatitis (AP) and evaluating the risk stratification of pancreatitis. In this experiment, 70 patients with AP treated in our hospital from October 2019 to December 2020 were included in the research group (RG), and the blood of 52 healthy cases was collected and they were included in the control group (CG). The expression of miR-155 and miR-21 in circulating blood was observed in the two groups. The diagnostic efficacy of miR-155 and miR-21 in AP was observed. The risk factors of patients with AP were observed. The expression of serum gastrointestinal hormones was observed in the two groups. The GAS and VIP in RG were higher than those in CG, while MTL and CCK were lower than those in CG. Moreover, the detection level of mild, moderate, severe, and critical patients was also significantly different (

P
<
0.05

). The expression of miR-155 and miR-21 in circulating blood of RG was significantly lower than that of CG (

P
<
0.05

), and the area under the miR-155 curve was 0.775 and the area under the miR-21 curve was 0.832. Alcoholism, GAS, VIP, MTL, CCK, miR-155, and miR-21 were the risk factors of patients. miR-155 and miR-21 show low expression in the serum of patients. The lower the expression, the more serious the disease. They are closely related to the development of AP. miR-155 and miR-21 have good diagnostic efficacy by ROC analysis, and they are expected to become effective indicators for the diagnosis and treatment of AP in the future.
Correlation between Parturients’ Uterine Artery Blood Flow Spectra in the First and Second Trimesters of Pregnancy and Fetal Growth Restriction
Authors: Yu Hongna , Yuan Meiqin , Wang Ling , Li Xia , Jiang Meiping
Published: December 2021

Objective. To explore the correlation between parturients’ uterine artery blood flow spectra in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods. The data of parturients treated in our hospital from February 2018 to February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, 50 parturients with FGR were selected as the FGR group, and other 50 healthy cases were selected as the control group. In the first trimester (11-12 weeks of gestation) and the second trimester of pregnancy (13–24 weeks of gestation), the parturients of the two groups accepted the color Doppler ultrasonography (CDS), their hemodynamics indicators of uterine artery were recorded, and the correlation between their uterine artery blood flow spectra in the two periods and FGR was analyzed with the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. Results. No statistical differences in the parturients’ general information including age, gestational weeks, gravidity, and parity between the two groups were observed (

P

 > 0.05); the newborn’s body weight, Apgar scores, number of preterm infants, and the number of infants transferring to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were significantly different between the two groups (

P

 < 0.05); in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, the uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI), uterine artery resistance index (UtA-RI), maximal systolic flow velocity, and systolic/diastolic (UtA-S/D) ratio were significantly higher in the FGR group than in the control group (

P

 < 0.05), and the time-averaged maximal velocity (TAMX) was significantly lower in the FGR group than in the control group (

P

 < 0.001); in early pregnancy, the incidence of early diastolic notch at bilateral uterine arteries between the two groups was not significantly different (

P

 > 0.05), and the unilateral and total incidence in the first trimester as well as the unilateral, bilateral, and total incidence in the second trimester were significantly higher in the FGR group than in the control group (

P

 < 0.05); in the first trimester, the sensitivity of detecting FGR with a uterine artery blood flow spectrum was 0.820, AUC (95% CI) = 0.840 (0.757–0.923), and in the second trimester, it was 0.860, AUC (95% CI) = 0.900 (0.832–0.968). Conclusion. There is a correlation between uterine artery blood flow spectra in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and FGR, and the sensitivity of spectrum in the first trimester is higher than that in the second trimester, presenting a better clinical application value.
A Novel Downward‐Looking Linear Array SAR Imaging Method Based on Multiple Measurement Vector Model withL2,1‐Norm
Authors: Kang Le , Sun Tian-chi , Ni Jia-cheng , Zhang Qun , Luo Ying
Published: December 2021

Downward‐looking linear array synthetic aperture radar (DLLA SAR) is a kind of three‐dimensional (3‐D) radar imaging system. To obtain the superresolution along the crosstrack direction of DLLA SAR, the sparse regularization models with single measurement vector (SMV) have been widely applied. However, the robustness of the sparse regularization models with SMV is unsatisfactory, especially in the low signal‐to‐noise rate (SNR) environment. To solve this problem, we proposed a novel imaging method for DLLA SAR based on the multiple measurement vector (MMV) model withL2,1‐norm. At first, we exchange the processing order between the along‐track (AT) domain and the crosstrack (CT) domain to keep the same sparse structure of the signal in the crosstrack domain so that we can establish the imaging problem as a sparse regularization model based on the MMV model. Moreover, the mixedL2,1‐norm is introduced into the regularization term of the MMV model. Finally, the modified orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) algorithm is designed for the MMV model with theL2,1‐norm. The simulations verify that the proposed method has better performance in the lower SNR environment and requires lower computation compared with the conventional methods.
Application of Clavien–Dindo Classification System for Complications of Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Jun , Zhu Zheng-Jie , Wu Jun-Jie
Published: December 2021

Objective. To investigate the clinical applications of the Clavien–Dindo classification system (CDCS) in the assessment of perioperative complications in minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL). Methods. Totally, 390 patients with renal stones in our hospital from March 2015 to March 2020 were included for this study and then were divided into observation group (complication group, 78 cases) and control group (noncomplication group, 312 cases) according to the incidence of perioperative complications in CDCS. Single factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of the perioperative complications of MPCNL. Results. The total incidence of complication in the 390 cases with MPCNL was 20.00% (78 cases) according to CDCS, among which the incidence of complications at grades I, II, III, IV, and V was 6.92% (27 cases), 8.21% (32 cases), 2.82% (11 cases), 1.79% (7 cases), and 0.26% (1 case), respectively. The proportion of patients, that aged >60 years, complicated with comorbidities, sophisticated calculi, the preoperative albumin level (<35 g/L), the operation time (>180 minutes), intraoperative bleeding volume (>300 mL), and hospitalization time (>7 days) in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group ((75.64% vs. 61.86%, 38.46% vs. 24.36%, 83.33% vs. 69.55%, 83.33% vs. 69.55%, 70.51% vs. 30.76%, 53.85% vs. 36.54%, and 60.26% vs. 43.27%), all

P

 < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gender, associated comorbidities, preoperative albumin level, calculus complexity, operation time, and intraoperative bleeding volume (>300 mL) were correlated with the occurrence of complications (

P

 ≤ 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.003, and 0.001 respectively). Conclusion. The CDCS can give standard and more comparative criteria for the assessment of perioperative complications, which will provide reference data for reducing complications and ensuring safety profiles in these high-risk patients.
Dynamical Modelling of Bone Formation and Resorption under Impulsive Estrogen Supplement: Effects of Parathyroid Hormone and Prolactin
Authors: Aekthong Supassorn , Rattanakul Chontita
Published: December 2021

Osteoporosis, a bone metabolic disease, is one of the major diseases occurring in aging population especially in postmenopausal women. A system of impulsive differential equations is developed in this paper in order to investigate the effects of parathyroid hormone and prolactin on bone-forming cells, namely, osteoblasts, and bone-resorbing cells, namely, osteoclasts, under the impulsive estrogen supplement. The theoretical analysis of the developed model is carried out so that we obtain the conditions on the system parameters in which the stability and permanence of the model can occur. Computer simulations are also provided to illustrate the theoretical predictions.
The Impact of Instagram Stories on Tourists’ Consumption Behavior in Smart City Night Markets
Authors: Liu De-Yen , Wang Kuo-Ching , Mao Tso-Yen , Yang Chin-Cheng
Published: December 2021

With the development of information technology in Taiwan, night markets have improved their service performance by building information technology technologies, including Wi-Fi, cloud payment and mobile payment services, and QR codes. One of the most commonly used social networking sites among young people in Taiwan is Instagram (IG). In this study, we investigated whether users trust IG to provide sufficient security, and we found that the correctness of the trust information has a significant impact on their software use. This study focused on Taiwan’’s unique night market sightseeing experience and explored the use of Instagram by night market consumers. Questionnaire surveys and systematic sampling methods were used to survey consumers, and the number of valid questionnaires was 340. The results showed that the perceived usefulness and ease of use of IG Stories affected user attitudes, and user attitudes positively impacted behavioral intentions. Moreover, the attitude of night market consumers toward IG Stories was affected by trust, which in turn adjusted user behavior intentions. This research was the first to explore the experience of night market consumers using IG Stories. We concluded that night market vendors should strengthen their trust factor in order to have a positive attitude toward consumers and foster the higher behavioral intentions of consumers, which is essential for the successful promotion and marketing of night markets.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Images under Deep Learning in the Identification of Tuberculosis and Pneumonia
Authors: Liu Yabin , Wang Yimin , Shu Ya , Zhu Jing
Published: December 2021

This work aimed to explore the application value of deep learning-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images in the identification of tuberculosis and pneumonia, in order to provide a certain reference basis for clinical identification. In this study, 30 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 27 pneumonia patients who were hospitalized were selected as the research objects, and they were divided into a pulmonary tuberculosis group and a pneumonia group. MRI examination based on noise reduction algorithms was used to observe and compare the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images. In addition, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value for the diagnosis efficiency of lung parenchymal lesions was analyzed, and the best b value was selected. The results showed that the MRI image after denoising by the deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) algorithm was clearer, the edges of the lung tissue were regular, the inflammation signal was higher, and the SNR and CNR were better than before, which were 119.79 versus 83.43 and 12.59 versus 7.21, respectively. The accuracy of MRI based on a deep learning algorithm in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and pneumonia was significantly improved (96.67% vs. 70%, 100% vs. 62.96%) (

P
<
0.05

). With the increase in b value, the CNR and SNR of MRI images all showed a downward trend (

P
<
0.05

). Therefore, it was found that the shadow of tuberculosis lesions under a specific sequence was higher than that of pneumonia in the process of identifying tuberculosis and pneumonia, which reflected the importance of deep learning MRI images in the differential diagnosis of tuberculosis and pneumonia, thereby providing reference basis for clinical follow-up diagnosis and treatment.