bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Link between Food Security and Food Price Dynamics: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Ben Abdallah Marwa , Fekete-Farkas Maria , Lakner Zoltan
Published: March 2021

An evaluation of research studies is considered an important task to make future adjustments for securing and adjusting policies. This article presents the results of a study that explored the research that has been published with food security, price volatility, and price transmission as keywords. The study involved a bibliometric evaluation of statistical outcomes from 899 scientific publications from 1979 to June 2020 related to the subject, registered in the Web of Science database. The collected articles were used to measure bibliometric indicators and evaluate the research work on food security and agricultural products’ price movement. An analysis of the development and the identification of the related topics of greatest interest on this subject was also carried out. The analysis results found that a rising number of studies have been registered over the years, emphasizing the following keywords: food security, climate change, agriculture, health, nutrition, consumption, and income. The analysis proves that the shift in scientific research trends associated with food security analysis is linked with health and food nutrition status. Furthermore, the word "impact" was significantly present in the analyzed papers, which reveals that econometric analysis should address the relationship between price movement and nutrient intake to achieve nutritional security.
First Case of Bacteraemia Due to Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteroides faecis
Authors: Kaeuffer Charlotte , Ruge Tiffany , Diancourt Laure , Romain Benoît , Ruch Yvon , Jaulhac Benoît , Boyer Pierre H.
Published: March 2021

Multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria are increasingly observed in nosocomial and community-acquired settings. Anaerobes are no exception to this rule, but there are fewer reports of MDR in the scientific literature on anaerobes than there are for other bacteria. In this short case report, we describe the first case of bacteraemia caused by a multidrug-resistant Bacteroides faecis, which produces a carbapenemase encoded by the blaCfiA gene. This bacteraemia followed a digestive surgery operation. Surprisingly, these findings did not lead to a change in antibiotic therapy, probably because the patient’s clinical state had improved. Nevertheless this report calls for better knowledge of anaerobic bacteria and for a systematic antimicrobial stewardship procedure following bacteraemia.
CFTR Modulator Therapy with Lumacaftor/Ivacaftor Alters Plasma Concentrations of Lipid-Soluble Vitamins A and E in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Sommerburg Olaf , Hämmerling Susanne , Schneider S. Philipp , Okun Jürgen , Langhans Claus-Dieter , Leutz-Schmidt Patricia , Wielpütz Mark O. , Siems Werner , Gräber Simon Y. , Mall Marcus A. , Stahl Mirjam
Published: March 2021

Rationale: Cystic fibrosis (CF), caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, leads to impaired pancreatic function and therefore reduced intestinal absorption of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins especially in patients with CF developing pancreatic insufficiency (PI). Previous studies showed that CFTR modulator therapy with lumacaftor-ivacaftor (LUM/IVA) in Phe508del-homozygous patients with CF results in improvement of pulmonary disease and thriving. However, the effects of LUM/IVA on plasma concentration of the lipid soluble vitamins A and E remain unknown. Objectives: To investigate the course of plasma vitamin A and E in patients with CF under LUM/IVA therapy. Methods: Data from annual follow-up examinations of patients with CF were obtained to assess clinical outcomes including pulmonary function status, body mass index (BMI), and clinical chemistry as well as fat-soluble vitamins in Phe508del-homozygous CF patients before initiation and during LUM/IVA therapy. Results: Patients with CF receiving LUM/IVA improved substantially, including improvement in pulmonary inflammation, associated with a decrease in blood immunoglobulin G (IgG) from 9.4 to 8.2 g/L after two years (p < 0.001). During the same time, plasma vitamin A increased significantly from 1.2 to 1.6 µmol/L (p < 0.05), however, levels above the upper limit of normal were not detected in any of the patients. In contrast, plasma vitamin E as vitamin E/cholesterol ratio decreased moderately over the same time from 6.2 to 5.5 µmol/L (p < 0.01). Conclusions: CFTR modulator therapy with LUM/IVA alters concentrations of vitamins A and vitamin E in plasma. The increase of vitamin A must be monitored critically to avoid hypervitaminosis A in patients with CF.
Non-Destructive Testing of Moisture and Nitrogen Content in Pinus Massoniana Seedling Leaves with NIRS Based on MS-SC-CNN
Authors: Huang Zhuo , Zhu Tingting , Li Zhenye , Ni Chao
Published: March 2021

Pinus massoniana is a pioneer reforestation tree species in China. It is crucial to evaluate the seedling vigor of Pinus massoniana for reforestation work, and leaf moisture and nitrogen content are key factors used to achieve it. In this paper, we proposed a non-destructive testing method based on the multi-scale short cut convolutional neural network (MS-SC-CNN) to measure moisture and nitrogen content in leaves of Pinus massoniana seedlings. By designing a reasonable short cut structure, the method realized the transmission of loss function gradient across the multi-layer structure in the network and reduced the information loss caused by the multi-layer transmission in the forward propagation. Meanwhile, in the back propagation stage, the loss caused by the multi-layer transmission of gradient was reduced. Thus, the gradient vanishing problem in training was avoided. Since the method realized cross-layer transmission error, the convolutional layer could be increased appropriately to obtain higher measurement accuracy. To verify the performance of the proposed MS-SC-CNN non-destructive measurement method, the near-infrared hyperspectral data of sample leaves of 219 Pinus massoniana seedlings were collected from the Huangping Forest Farm in Guizhou Province. The correlation coefficient between the measured and real values of the prediction was as high as 0.977 and the root mean square error was 0.242 for the moisture content of Pinus massoniana seedling leaves. For the nitrogen content of Pinus massoniana seedling leaves, the correlation coefficient between the measured and real values of the prediction was 0.906 and the root-mean-square error was 0.061. The results showed that the non-destructive testing method based on MS-SC-CNN that we proposed can accurately measure the moisture and nitrogen content in leaves of Pinus massoniana seedlings.
Experimental Assessment of Friction Coefficient in Deep Drawing and Its Verification by Numerical Simulation
Authors: Evin Emil , Daneshjo Naqib , Mareš Albert , Tomáš Miroslav , Petrovčiková Katarína
Published: March 2021

The friction coefficient in the simulation of stamping processes should be defined. Modern simulation software allows its definition as constant or its dependence on pressure or temperature. It is also useful in stamping processes to define different values in different regions, as it often reflects the nature of deformation process. This article deals with the regression and analytical models commonly used to determine the friction coefficients in specified areas of the stamping process. Analytical models were verified by an experimental strip drawing test under the same contact conditions. Steel sheets for the automotive industry were used in experiments and simulations—extra deep drawing quality DC 05 and austenitic stainless steel AISI 304. Friction coefficients were also evaluated when the cup test was performed. A regression model of drawing to the blankholding force was applied to the results. Conformity of friction coefficients when measured by cup tests and strip tests was confirmed. The values of the friction coefficient reached from the experiment were applied in FEM simulation software.
A Novel 1-D CCANet for ECG Classification
Authors: Tanoh Ian-Christopher , Napoletano Paolo
Published: March 2021

This paper puts forward a 1-D convolutional neural network (CNN) that exploits a novel analysis of the correlation between the two leads of the noisy electrocardiogram (ECG) to classify heartbeats. The proposed method is one-dimensional, enabling complex structures while maintaining a reasonable computational complexity. It is based on the combination of elementary handcrafted time domain features, frequency domain features through spectrograms and the use of autoregressive modeling. On the MIT-BIH database, a 95.52% overall accuracy is obtained by classifying 15 types, whereas a 95.70% overall accuracy is reached when classifying 7 types from the INCART database.
Design, Modeling, and Simulation of a Wing Sail Land Yacht
Authors: Tinoco Vítor , Malheiro Benedita , Silva Manuel F.
Published: March 2021

Autonomous land yachts can play a major role in the context of environmental monitoring, namely, in open, flat, windy regions, such as iced planes or sandy shorelines. This work addresses the design, modeling, and simulation of a land yacht probe equipped with a rigid free-rotating wing sail and tail flap. The wing was designed with a symmetrical airfoil and dimensions to provide the necessary thrust to displace the vehicle. Specifically, it proposes a novel design and simulation method for free rotating wing sail autonomous land yachts. The simulation relies on the Gazebo simulator together with the Robotic Operating System (ROS) middleware. It uses a modified Gazebo aerodynamics plugin to generate the lift and drag forces and the yawing moment, two newly created plugins, one to act as a wind sensor and the other to set the wing flap angular position, and the 3D model of the land yacht created with Fusion 360. The wing sail aligns automatically to the wind direction and can be set to any given angle of attack, stabilizing after a few seconds. Finally, the obtained polar diagram characterizes the expected sailing performance of the land yacht. The described method can be adopted to evaluate different wing sail configurations, as well as control techniques, for autonomous land yachts.
Directly Synthesized Graphene-Based Photonics and Optoelectronics Devices
Authors: Uddin Siam , Song Yong-Won
Published: March 2021

In the past two decades, extensive research and studies have been performed on graphene because of its exceptional physical properties. Owing to its ultrahigh carrier mobility, quantum Hall effect and unique optical transmittance, graphene is considered to be a multi-functional component for realizing next-generation optoelectronic and photonic devices. Significant efforts have been made towards efficient synthesis, transfer, and integration of graphene for use in device scale. However, the critical hurdles lie in developing 3D and conformal graphene, which are ideal for integrated hybrid photonic systems. Here, we review different methods of synthesizing graphene, specifically recent advances in the synthesis of direct, conformal, 3D graphene. In addition, we comprehensively summarize the latest progress made towards directly grown, 3D, conformal graphene-based photonic and optoelectronic applications. Finally, several important challenges for large-sale implementation of directly grown graphene-based optoelectronic and photonic devices are discussed.
Study on the Variable-Temperature Drying Process of Corn Drying in an Industrial Corn-Drying System Equipped with a Self-Adaptive Control Heat Exchanger
Authors: Li Bin , Zeng Zhiheng , Zhang Xuefeng , Zhang Ye
Published: March 2021

To realize energy-saving and efficient industrial grain drying, the present work studied the variable-temperature drying process of corn drying in a novel industrial corn-drying system with a heat recycling and self-adaptive control function. The drying kinetics, thermal performance, heat-loss characteristics and the heat-recycling performance of the drying system under different allocations between flue gas and hot air were investigated, and the optimized drying process was proposed and compared with two constant drying processes. The results showed that the optimized drying process exhibited better drying kinetic and thermal performance than the two constant drying processes. More specifically, the total heat loss, total energy consumption and specific energy consumption of the optimized drying process were ascertained to be 36,132.85 MJ, 48,803.99 MJ and 7290.27 kJ/kg, respectively, which were lower than those of the other two processes. On the other hand, the thermal efficiency of the drying chamber for the optimized drying process was ascertained to be varied within the range of 6.81–41.71%. Overall, the validation results showed that the optimized drying process can significantly improve the drying performance of the drying system.
Effectiveness and Safety of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Patients with Advanced Non Small-Cell Lung Cancer in Real-World: Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Mencoboni Manlio , Ceppi Marcello , Bruzzone Marco , Taveggia Paola , Cavo Alessia , Scordamaglia Francesca , Gualco Marina , Filiberti Rosa Angela
Published: March 2021

Immunotherapy based on anti PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors is the new standard of advanced non-small cell lung cancers. Pembrolizumab, nivolumab and atezolizumab are used in clinical practice. The strict eligibility criteria of clinical trials do not allow researchers to fully represent treatment effects in the patients that will ultimately use these drugs. We performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these drugs, and more generally of ICIs, as second-line therapy in NSCLC patients in real world practice. MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched to include original studies published between January 2015 and April 2020. A total of 32 studies was included in the meta-analysis. The overall radiological response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 21%, 52%, 3.35 months and 9.98 months, respectively. The results did not change when analysis was adjusted for Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) and age. A unitary increase in the percent of patients with liver and CNS metastases reduced the occurrence of DCR by 7% (p < 0.001) and the median PFS by 2% (p = 0.010), respectively. The meta-analysis showed that the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy in everyday practice is comparable to that in clinical trials.
The Clinical and Pathological Profile of BRCA1 Gene Methylated Breast Cancer Women: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ruscito Ilary , Gasparri Maria Luisa , De Marco Maria Paola , Costanzi Flavia , Besharat Aris Raad , Papadia Andrea , Kuehn Thorsten , Gentilini Oreste Davide , Bellati Filippo , Caserta Donatella
Published: March 2021

Background: DNA aberrant hypermethylation is the major cause of transcriptional silencing of the breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) gene in sporadic breast cancer patients. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to analyze all available studies reporting clinical characteristics of BRCA1 gene hypermethylated breast cancer in women, and to pool the results to provide a unique clinical profile of this cancer population. Methods: On September 2020, a systematic literature search was performed. Data were retrieved from PubMed, MEDLINE, and Scopus by searching the terms: “BRCA*” AND “methyl*” AND “breast”. All studies evaluating the association between BRCA1 methylation status and breast cancer patients’ clinicopathological features were considered for inclusion. Results: 465 studies were retrieved. Thirty (6.4%) studies including 3985 patients met all selection criteria. The pooled analysis data revealed a significant correlation between BRCA1 gene hypermethylation and advanced breast cancer disease stage (OR = 0.75: 95% CI: 0.58–0.97; p = 0.03, fixed effects model), lymph nodes involvement (OR = 1.22: 95% CI: 1.01–1.48; p = 0.04, fixed effects model), and pre-menopausal status (OR = 1.34: 95% CI: 1.08–1.66; p = 0.008, fixed effects model). No association could be found between BRCA1 hypermethylation and tumor histology (OR = 0.78: 95% CI: 0.59–1.03; p = 0.08, fixed effects model), tumor grading (OR = 0.78: 95% CI :0.46–1.32; p = 0.36, fixed effects model), and breast cancer molecular classification (OR = 1.59: 95% CI: 0.68–3.72; p = 0.29, random effects model). Conclusions: hypermethylation of the BRCA1 gene significantly correlates with advanced breast cancer disease, lymph nodes involvement, and pre-menopausal cancer onset.
Current Advances in Robotics for Head and Neck Surgery—A Systematic Review
Authors: Boehm Felix , Graesslin Rene , Theodoraki Marie-Nicole , Schild Leon , Greve Jens , Hoffmann Thomas K. , Schuler Patrick J.
Published: March 2021

Background. In the past few years, surgical robots have recently entered the medical field, particularly in urology, gynecology, and general surgery. However, the clinical effectiveness and safety of robot-assisted surgery (RAS) in the field of head and neck surgery has not been clearly established. In this review, we evaluate to what extent RAS can potentially be applied in head and neck surgery, in which fields it is already daily routine and what advantages can be seen in comparison to conventional surgery. Data sources. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of trials published between 2000 and 2021, as well as currently ongoing trials registered in clinicaltrials.gov. The results were structured according to anatomical regions, for the topics “Costs,” “current clinical trials,” and “robotic research” we added separate sections for the sake of clarity. Results. Our findings show a lack of large-scale systematic randomized trials on the use of robots in head and neck surgery. Most studies include small case series or lack a control arm which enables a comparison with established standard procedures. Conclusion. The question of financial reimbursement is still not answered and the systems on the market still require some specific improvements for the use in head and neck surgery.
Cancer and Aging: Two Tightly Interconnected Biological Processes
Authors: Berben Lieze , Floris Giuseppe , Wildiers Hans , Hatse Sigrid
Published: March 2021

Age is one of the main risk factors of cancer; several biological changes linked with the aging process can explain this. As our population is progressively aging, the proportion of older patients with cancer is increasing significantly. Due to the heterogeneity of general health and functional status amongst older persons, treatment of cancer is a major challenge in this vulnerable population. Older patients often experience more side effects of anticancer treatments. Over-treatment should be avoided to ensure an optimal quality of life. On the other hand, under-treatment due to fear of toxicity is a frequent problem and can lead to an increased risk of relapse and worse survival. There is a delicate balance between benefits of therapy and risk of toxicity. Robust biomarkers that reflect the body’s biological age may aid in outlining optimal individual treatment regimens for older patients with cancer. In particular, the impact of age on systemic immunity and the tumor immune infiltrate should be considered, given the expanding role of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize current knowledge concerning the mechanistic connections between aging and cancer, as well as aging biomarkers that could be helpful in the field of geriatric oncology.
DCBLD2 Mediates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Induced Metastasis by Cisplatin in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Chen Xiaosu , Lv Yajing , Xu Kejia , Wang Xiaoshuang , Zhao Yujia , Li Jia , Qin Xuan , Shi Yi , Wang Longlong , Chang Antao , Huang Chongbiao , Xiang Rong
Published: March 2021

Growing evidence suggests that cisplatin and other chemotherapeutic agents promote tumor metastasis while inhibiting tumor growth, which is a critical issue for certain patients in clinical practices. However, the role of chemotherapeutics in promoting tumor metastasis and the molecular mechanism involved are unclear. Here, we investigated the roles of cisplatin in promoting tumor metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). We demonstrated that cisplatin promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell motility, and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. The bioinformatic analysis and molecular biology approaches also indicated that DCBLD2 (Discoidin, CUB and LCCL domain containing 2) is a key gene that mediates cisplatin-induced metastasis. DCBLD2 stabilizes β-catenin by phosphorylating GSK3β and transporting accumulated β-catenin to the nucleus to promote the expression of EMT-related transcriptional factors (TFs), ultimately resulting in tumor metastasis. We also identified that cisplatin enhanced DCBLD2 expression by phosphorylating ERK and hence the AP-1-driven transcription of DCBLD2. Furthermore, DCBLD2-specific siRNAs encapsulated by nanocarriers prominently inhibit cisplatin-induced metastasis in vivo. Therefore, DCBLD2 plays a key role in cisplatin-induced metastasis in LUAD and is a potential target for preventing chemotherapy-induced metastasis in vivo.
EP4 as a Negative Prognostic Factor in Patients with Vulvar Cancer
Authors: Buchholz Anna , Vattai Aurelia , Fürst Sophie , Vilsmaier Theresa , Kuhn Christina , Schmoeckel Elisa , Mayr Doris , Dannecker Christian , Mahner Sven , Jeschke Udo , Heidegger Helene H.
Published: March 2021

New prognostic factors and targeted therapies are urgently needed to improve therapeutic outcomes in vulvar cancer patients and to reduce therapy related morbidity. Previous studies demonstrated the important role of prostaglandin receptors in inflammation and carcinogenesis in a variety of tumor entities. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression of EP4 in vulvar cancer tissue and its association with clinicopathological data and its prognostic relevance on survival. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tumor specimens of 157 patients with vulvar cancer treated in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilian-University of Munich, Germany, between 1990 and 2008. The expression of EP4 was analyzed using the well-established semiquantitative immunoreactivity score (IRS) and EP4 expression levels were correlated with clinicopathological data and patients’ survival. To specify the tumor-associated immune cells, immunofluorescence double staining was performed on tissue samples. In vitro experiments including 5-Bromo-2′-Deoxyuridine (BrdU) proliferation assay and 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromid (MTT) viability assay were conducted in order to examine the effect of EP4 antagonist L-161,982 on vulvar carcinoma cells. EP4 expression was a common finding in in the analyzed vulvar cancer tissue. EP4 expression correlated significantly with tumor size and FIGO classification and differed significantly between keratinizing vulvar carcinoma and nonkeratinizing carcinoma. Survival analysis showed a significant correlation of high EP4 expression with poorer overall survival (p = 0.001) and a trending correlation between high EP4 expression and shorter disease-free survival (p = 0.069). Cox regression revealed EP4 as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival when other factors were taken into account. We could show in vitro that EP4 antagonism attenuates both viability and proliferation of vulvar cancer cells. In order to evaluate EP4 as a prognostic marker and possible target for endocrinological therapy, more research is needed on the influence of EP4 in the tumor environment and its impact in vulvar carcinoma.
Age-Related Biology of Early-Stage Operable Breast Cancer and Its Impact on Clinical Outcome
Authors: Syed Binafsha M. , Green Andrew R. , Rakha Emad A. , Morgan David A.L. , Ellis Ian O. , Cheung Kwok-Leung
Published: March 2021

As age advances, breast cancer (BC) tends to change its biological characteristics. This study aimed to explore the natural progression of such changes. The study included 2383 women with clinically T0-2N0-1M0 BC, managed by primary surgery and optimal adjuvant therapy in a dedicated BC facility. Tissue micro-arrays were constructed from their surgical specimens and indirect immunohistochemistry was used for analysis of a large panel (n = 16) of relevant biomarkers. There were significant changes in the pattern of expression of biomarkers related to luminal (oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptors (PgR), human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-2), E-cadherin, MUC1, bcl2 CK7/8, CK18 and bcl2) and basal (CK5/6, CK14, p53 and Ki67) phenotypes, lymph node stage, histological grade and pathological size when decade-wise comparison was made (p < 0.05). The ages of 40 years and 70 years appeared to be the milestones marking a change of the pattern. There were significantly higher metastasis free and breast cancer specific survival rates among older women with ER positive tumours while there was no significant difference in the ER negative group according to age. Biological characteristics of BC show a pattern of change with advancing age, where 40 years and 70 years appear as important milestones. The pattern suggests <40 years as the phase with aggressive phenotypes, >70 years as the less aggressive phase and 40–70 years being the transitional phase.
Triggers for Palliative Care Referral in Pediatric Oncology
Authors: Cuviello Andrea , Yip Catherine , Battles Haven , Wiener Lori , Boss Renee
Published: March 2021

Palliative care (PC) integration into the care of pediatric oncology patients is growing in acceptance and has been shown to improve the quality of life of children with cancer. Yet timing for referrals and referral practices remain inconsistent, and PC remains underutilized. We conducted a retrospective chart review of pediatric oncology patients treated at an academic institution between January 2015 to November 2018. Data collected included demographics, disease and therapy characteristics, and consultation notes, specifically documenting existence of predetermined “high yield triggers” for PC consultation. Among 931 eligible patients the prevalence of PC consultation was 5.6% while approximately 94% of patients had at least 1 trigger for PC consultation. The triggers that more often resulted in PC consultation included: symptom management needs (98%; n = 51) high-risk disease (86%; n = 45), poor prognosis (83%; n = 43), multiple lines of therapy (79%; n = 41) and a documented ICU admission (67%; n = 35). Our findings suggest that the high yield triggers for palliative care consultation that pediatric oncologists identify as important are not translating into practice; incorporating these triggers into a screening tool may be the next step to improve early PC integration.
Study on the Development of High-Performance P-Mo-V Catalyst and the Influence of Aldehyde Impurities on Catalytic Performance in Selective Oxidation of Methacrolein to Methacrylic Acid
Authors: Wang Baohe , Dong Honggang , Lu Liang , Liu Hongxia , Zhang Zhaobang , Zhu Jing
Published: March 2021

A series of KxH1.1-xCu0.2Cs1(NH4)1.5PVMo11O40 (KxCuCsNH4PVA) catalysts with different x values were synthesized to catalyze the selective oxidation of methacrolein (MAL) to methacrylic acid (MAA). The effects of potassium (K) ions on both the structure and catalytic activity were studied in detail. The optimum K0.6CuCsNH4PVA exhibited a large surface area, more acid sites, and abundant active species (V4+/VO2+) in the secondary structure of the Keggin structure, consequently offering good catalytic performance. Furthermore, K ions increased the MAA selectivity at the expense of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (together defined as COX). Additionally, several process parameters for MAL oxidation were evaluated in the processing experiments. The effects of aldehyde impurities (formaldehyde and propanal) on the catalytic performance were investigated. Possible detrimental effects (catalyst poisoning and structural damage) of aldehyde impurities were excluded. A light decrease in MAL conversion could be attributed to the competitive adsorption of aldehyde impurities and MAL on the catalyst. Hopefully, this work contributes to the design of stable and feasible catalysts for the industrial production of MAA.
A Systematic Review of Recommendations of Long-Term Strategies for Researchers Using Data Science Techniques
Authors: Ayala-Bastidas Gilberto , Ceballos Hector G. , Cantu-Ortiz Francisco J.
Published: March 2021

The impact of the strategies that researchers follow to publish or produce scientific content can have a long-term impact. Identifying which strategies are most influential in the future has been attracting increasing attention in the literature. In this study, we present a systematic review of recommendations of long-term strategies in research analytics and their implementation methodologies. The objective is to present an overview from 2002 to 2018 on the development of this topic, including trends, and addressed contexts. The central objective is to identify data-oriented approaches to learn long-term research strategies, especially in process mining. We followed a protocol for systematic reviews for the engineering area in a structured and respectful manner. The results show the need for studies that generate more specific recommendations based on data mining. This outcome leaves open research opportunities from two particular perspectives—applying methodologies involving process mining for the context of research analytics and the feasibility study on long-term strategies using data science techniques.
Enhancing Software Feature Extraction Results Using Sentiment Analysis to Aid Requirements Reuse
Authors: Raharjana Indra Kharisma , Aprillya Via , Zaman Badrus , Justitia Army , Fauzi Shukor Sanim Mohd
Published: March 2021

Recently, feature extraction from user reviews has been used for requirements reuse to improve the software development process. However, research has yet to use sentiment analysis in the extraction for it to be well understood. The aim of this study is to improve software feature extraction results by using sentiment analysis. Our study’s novelty focuses on the correlation between feature extraction from user reviews and results of sentiment analysis for requirement reuse. This study can inform system analysis in the requirements elicitation process. Our proposal uses user reviews for the software feature extraction and incorporates sentiment analysis and similarity measures in the process. Experimental results show that the extracted features used to expand existing requirements may come from positive and negative sentiments. However, extracted features with positive sentiment overall have better values than negative sentiments, namely 90% compared to 63% for the relevance value, 74–47% for prompting new features, and 55–26% for verbatim reuse as new requirements.
Novel Approach for Emotion Detection and Stabilizing Mental State by Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Kimmatkar Nisha Vishnupant , Babu B. Vijaya
Published: March 2021

The aim of this research study is to detect emotional state by processing electroencephalography (EEG) signals and test effect of meditation music therapy to stabilize mental state. This study is useful to identify 12 subtle emotions angry (annoying, angry, nervous), calm (calm, peaceful, relaxed), happy (excited, happy, pleased), sad (sleepy, bored, sad). A total 120 emotion signals were collected by using Emotive 14 channel EEG headset. Emotions are elicited by using three types of stimulus thoughts, audio and video. The system is trained by using captured database of emotion signals which include 30 signals of each emotion class. A total of 24 features were extracted by performing Chirplet transform. Band power is ranked as the prominent feature. The multimodel approach of classifier is used to classify emotions. Classification accuracy is tested for K-nearest neighbor (KNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN) and deep neural network (DNN) classifiers. The system is tested to detect emotions of intellectually disable people. Meditation music therapy is used to stable mental state. It is found that it changed emotions of both intellectually disabled and normal participants from the annoying state to the relaxed state. A 75% positive transformation of mental state is obtained in the participants by using music therapy. This research study presents a novel approach for detailed analysis of brain EEG signals for emotion detection and stabilize mental state.
Incorporating Ecosystem Services into STEM Education
Authors: Mikhailova Elena A. , Post Christopher J. , Schlautman Mark A. , Xu Luyao , Younts Grayson L.
Published: March 2021

The framework of ecosystem services (ES) and disservices (ED) has increasingly been used in various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, including soil science. The objectives of this study were to use ES/ED concepts to extend and test an existing lecture and laboratory exercise on soil organic carbon (SOC) in an online introductory soil science course (FNR 2040: Soil Information Systems) taught to Clemson University students from various STEM disciplines (forestry, wildlife biology, and environmental and natural resources) in Fall 2020. The laboratory exercise was extended with a series of reusable learning objects (RLOs), which are self-contained digital modules commonly utilized in e-learning. The laboratory exercise consisted of identifying ES and calculating the avoided social cost of carbon (SC-CO2) from soil organic carbon stocks in the assigned soil’s topsoil horizon. The laboratory exercise effectively increased student familiarity with ES/ED as indicated by the post-assessment survey with a +24.4% increase in the moderately familiar category and a +36.1% increase in the extremely familiar category. The graded online quiz consisted of ten questions and was taken by 51 students with an average score of 8.7 (out of 10). A post-assessment survey indicated that most of the students found that the laboratory was an effective way to learn about ES/ED with examples from soil science. Detailed students’ comments indicated enjoyment of learning (e.g., calculations, applying new knowledge), the value of multimedia (e.g., PowerPoint, video), the flexibility of learning (e.g., different parts in the laboratory), the applicability of content (e.g., real-world examples), and criticism (e.g., tedious calculations). A word cloud based on students’ comments about their experience with the laboratory exercise on soil ES indicated the most common words used by students to describe their experience, such as “soil services”, “learning”, “enjoyed”, and “ecosystems”, among others. Incorporating ES/ED into an undergraduate STEM course enabled students to connect ES/ED provided by soil with the societal systems reliant on the soil resources.
Future Image Synthesis for Diabetic Retinopathy Based on the Lesion Occurrence Probability
Authors: Ahn Sangil , Pham Quang T.M. , Shin Jitae , Song Su Jeong
Published: March 2021

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is one of the major causes of blindness. If the lesions observed in DR occur in the central part of the fundus, it can cause severe vision loss, and we call this symptom Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). All patients with DR potentially have DME since DME can occur in every stage of DR. While synthesizing future fundus images, the task of predicting the progression of the disease state is very challenging since we need a lot of longitudinal data over a long period of time. Even if the longitudinal data are collected, there is a pixel-level difference between the current fundus image and the target future image. It is difficult to train a model based on deep learning for synthesizing future fundus images that considers the lesion change. In this paper, we synthesize future fundus images by considering the progression of the disease with a two-step training approach to overcome these problems. In the first step, we concentrate on synthesizing a realistic fundus image using only a lesion segmentation mask and vessel segmentation mask from a large dataset for a fundus generator. In the second step, we train a lesion probability predictor to create a probability map that contains the occurrence probability information of the lesion. Finally, based on the probability map and current vessel, the pre-trained fundus generator synthesizes a predicted future fundus image. We visually demonstrate not only the capacity of the fundus generator that can control the pathological information but also the prediction of the disease progression on fundus images generated by our framework. Our framework achieves an F1-score of 0.74 for predicting DR severity and 0.91 for predicting DME occurrence. We demonstrate that our framework has a meaningful capability by comparing the scores of each class of DR severity, which are obtained by passing the predicted future image and real future image through an evaluation model.
Co-Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Lignocellulosic Biomass in Supercritical Water
Authors: Sharma Kamaldeep , Shah Ayaz A. , Toor Saqib S. , Seehar Tahir H. , Pedersen Thomas H. , Rosendahl Lasse A.
Published: March 2021

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is an effective technology for bio-crude production. To date, various co-liquefaction studies were performed with contrasted (different composition) biomasses in subcritical water. Therefore, the present study investigated co-hydrothermal liquefaction of similar kinds of lignocellulosic biomasses (wheat straw, eucalyptus, and pinewood) in supercritical water under equal ratios at 400 °C with catalytic medium (K2CO3). The lower bio-crude and higher solid yields were obtained in co-liquefaction experiments, as compared to liquefaction of individual feedstocks. On the other hand, higher carbon recovery and higher HHVs were noticed in co-liquefaction-derived bio-crudes. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) results showed that organic compounds were detected in all bio-crudes in the order of phenol derivatives > ketones/aldehydes > aromatics > carboxylic acids/esters. The aqueous phase from all samples contained higher TOC in the range of 19 to 33 g/L, with alkaline pH. In short, the co-liquefaction slightly improved the bio-crude quality with a significant reduction in bio-crude energy recovery. This reflects that co-liquefaction of lignocellulosic feedstock is not favorable for enhancing bio-crude yield and improving the overall process economics of HTL.
A Novel Algorithm to Optimize the Energy Consumption Using IoT and Based on Ant Colony Algorithm
Authors: Shi Baohui , Zhang Yuexia
Published: March 2021

Internet of Things (IoT) is a new concept in the information and communication technology studies which indicates that any creature (human, animal, or object) can send and receive data through communication networks, such as the internet or intranet platform. Wireless sensors have limited energy resources due to the use of batteries to supply energy, and since it is usually not possible to replace the batteries of these sensors. In addition, the lifespan of the wireless sensor network is limited and short. Therefore, reducing the energy consumption of sensors in IoT networks for increasing network lifespan is one of the fundamental challenges and issues in these networks. In this paper, a routing protocol is proposed and simulated based on an ant colony optimization algorithm’s performance. The clustering is performed with a routing method based on energy level criteria, collision reduction, distance from the cluster-head to the destination, and neighborhood energy in the proposed method. The cluster head is selected based on the maximum residual energy, minimum distance with other clusters, and consumed energy. This energy is minimized to reach the base station. The node with more energy than the threshold is selected as the new cluster head. Then, four conditions are applied for routing: the shortest path, the leading path, the shortest distance to the source node and the destination node, and routing. Results show that after about 50 cycles of transferring information, only the average of 19.4% of the initial energy is consumed in the network nodes. Therefore, obtained results illustrate that the proposed method helps to retain the energy more than 40% comparing the available methods.
Increasing Parameters of Diesel Engines by Their Transformation for Methanol Conversion Products
Authors: Kryshtopa Sviatoslav , Górski Krzysztof , Longwic Rafał , Smigins Ruslans , Kryshtopa Liudmyla
Published: March 2021

The work is aimed at solving the problem of converting existing diesel power drives to gas fuels, which are cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternatives to diesel fuel. Method of energy efficiency increasing of alternative fuels has been improved. Thermochemical essence of energy increasing of source fuel based on the provisions of thermodynamics is considered. Alternative methanol fuel has been chosen as initial product for conversion process and its cost, energy value, and temperature conditions have been taken into account. Calculations showed that the thermal effect from combustion of the converted mixture of CO and H2 exceeds the effect from combustion of the same amount of non-convertible methanol. Fuel energy and engine power were increased due to thermochemical regeneration of exhaust gas heat. An experimental setup was created to study the operation of a converted diesel engine on methanol conversion products. Experimental studies of power, economic, and environmental parameters of converted diesel engine for methanol conversion products were performed. Experimental studies have shown that conversion of diesel engines to work using methanol conversion products is technically reasonable. Fuel consumption reduction was accompanied by environmental performance improvement of the diesel engine working together with a thermochemical methanol conversion reactor. Formation of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gases decreased in the range of 22–35%, and carbon monoxide occurred in the range of 0–24% according to the crankshaft speed and loading on the engine. Conversion of diesel engines for methanol conversion products is very profitable, because the price of methanol is, on average, 10–20% of the cost of diesel fuel.
Application of Molecular Sieves for Drying Transformers Insulated with Mineral Oil, Natural Ester, or Synthetic Ester
Authors: Cybulski Mateusz , Przybylek Piotr
Published: March 2021

A high level of moisture in the insulation system of power transformers is often the cause of their failure. This can be prevented by drying a transformer in its place of installation. In the article the application of molecular sieves (MS) in the drying process of the transformer insulation system was analyzed. The water sorption isotherms of 3A MS in mineral oil, natural ester, and synthetic ester at 35 °C were determined, which was not described in the literature before. An evaluation of the influence of temperature on the drying dynamics of electro-insulating liquids using MS was also carried out. The drying dynamics were tested at three temperatures, i.e., 35 °C, 50 °C, and 65 °C, which allowed to analyze the effect of temperature on a short-term or continuous drying process. The tests showed that 3A MS’s ability to adsorb water varied depending on the type of electro-insulating liquid. The determined water sorption isotherms, described by means of Langmuir adsorption model, make it possible to calculate the amount of MS needed for drying transformers with different liquid insulation. The research and analyses show the MS’s great potential for the drying of transformer insulation systems.
An Enhanced Emulated Inertia Control for Grid-Connected PV Systems with HESS in a Weak Grid
Authors: Sarojini Ratnam Kamala , Kaliannan Palanisamy , Teekaraman Yuvaraja , Nikolovski Srete , Baghaee Hamid Reza
Published: March 2021

The role of renewable energy sources in the power grid is increasing tremendously. However, power electronic converters are used to incorporate RES into the grid without inertia. This article recommends an improved emulated inertia control approach focused on the frequency deviation and rate of change of frequency to enhance the inertia of a power system. The required inertial power calculated from emulated inertia control is delivered through hybrid energy storage systems equipped with a proper hybrid energy storage system control. The fast-varying power calculated from emulated inertia control is linked to super-capacitor. Simultaneously, the battery handles the slow varying power by regulating the DC bus voltage proportionate to the frequency variations. Further, the stability of the emulated inertia control and hybrid energy storage system controller is validated by Bode plots. The simulation results verified the correctness of the proposed emulated inertia control and hybrid energy storage system control. The real-time simulation results with the help of OPAL-RT are presented to validate the proposed method’s feasibility.
Can Chemical Analysis Predict Wine Aging Capacity?
Authors: Waterhouse Andrew L. , Miao Yingxin
Published: March 2021

Oxidation is the limiting factor in wine aging, and recently some famous wines have exhibited unexpected premature oxidation. Antioxidant assays may provide a means to assess a wine’s aging potential by measuring its capacity to chemically reduce reagent components. Correlations between antioxidant activity and wine components have the highest value with flavanols, notable for their catechol and phloroglucinol moieties. Both FRAP and DPPH based methods respond strongly to catechol groups, but these functional groups do not protect wine from oxidation. An ideal assay for wine aging capacity would respond selectively to thiols, phloroglucinol moieties, SO2 and other antioxidants capable of reducing quinones. A definitive test will be to compare the various assays against the shelf life of a number of commercial wines.
Functional Food for Elderly High in Antioxidant and Chicken Eggshell Calcium to Reduce the Risk of Osteoporosis—A Narrative Review
Authors: Arnold Marcellus , Rajagukguk Yolanda Victoria , Gramza-Michałowska Anna
Published: March 2021

The elderly population is increasing globally and is predicted to reach 1.5 billion in 2050. The quality of life of the elderly must be concerned, for example, with developing functional food for the elderly. In this article, the development of functional food to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in the elderly is reviewed. Oxidative stress is one of the factors which accelerates osteoporosis. Various antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols, or lycopene, have been proven by former studies to have antioxidant activity, therefore, could reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Additionally, the application of eggshell powder in various food products has been reported to improve calcium intake, and its usage is environmentally sustainable as this could contribute to reducing food waste. The application of both antioxidants and calcium could be a good combination, but the amount of some antioxidants must be concerned so it would not interfere with the bioavailability of calcium. Therefore, this review aims to explore the functional food for the elderly to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, particularly with antioxidants and calcium from chicken eggshells. The eating preference and dietary pattern of the elderly are also considered to determine the suitable form of functional food for the elderly. The results presented in the study may be the basis for the development of new calcium-enriched food products for the elderly.